Rail passengers in Yorkshire are being invited to take part in a new ticketless travel trial that uses smartphones to track journeys and charge the lowest fare automatically. The trial is being run on Northern services between Leeds and Harrogate, where passengers can download an app that uses GPS to detect their location and check in when they begin a journey. A unique QR code is then generated, which can…

By Eniola Amadu Migrants will face stricter requirements to secure permanent residency in the UK under plans set to be unveiled by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood at the Labour Party conference. The proposals will require migrants to demonstrate integration and contribution to society in order to qualify for indefinite leave to remain. Applicants will need to meet higher English language standards, maintain a clean criminal record, and undertake voluntary community…

By Eniola Amadu  The pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), led by Moldovan President Maia Sandu, has secured a decisive majority in parliamentary elections. With nearly all ballots counted, PAS won 50.17 percent of the vote, according to Moldova’s central electoral commission. The result gives the party 55 seats in the 101-seat parliament, enough to form a government without the support of smaller groups such as the Alternativa bloc…

By Eniola Amadu No fewer than four people have been reported dead and eight others injured after a gunman drove a vehicle into a church, opened fire and set the building ablaze in Michigan, United States. The incident occurred at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, a town located about 100 kilometres northwest of Detroit, during a service attended by hundreds of worshippers. Police identified…

Chancellor Rachel Reeves says she is proud of the government’s economic record after 15 months in office but admits there’s more to do. Speaking in a BBC interview, Reeves highlighted that the UK currently has the “fastest growth in the G7,” despite official figures showing only 0.3% growth last quarter. She also pointed to trade deals and falling interest rates as evidence of progress. Reeves announced a new scheme to…

The UK Government is facing renewed pressure to restore the Electoral Commission’s independence amid warnings that its current oversight powers threaten democracy. Reports revealed that UK is breaching eight international standards designed to protect electoral bodies from political interference. Ministerial powers, introduced under Boris Johnson in 2022, could be easily abused by a future authoritarian government to distort elections. Although the watchdog responsible for overseeing elections and campaign finance, was…

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned Reform UK’s plans to scrap Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) for legal migrants, calling the proposals “racist” and “immoral” as Labour’s annual party conference began in Liverpool. Speaking to the media, Starmer said Reform’s policy would tear the country apart, urging Labour members to unite against what he described as Nigel Farage’s divisive agenda. He said, “We’ve got the fight of our lives ahead,”…

A child has died while attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat, according to French authorities. The teenager’s body was found on Sunday morning on a beach in Saint-Étienne-au-Mont, near Boulogne-sur-Mer, after reportedly falling from a crowded dinghy. The incident came just a day after three other people lost their lives during similar attempts to reach the UK. Two Somali women were reportedly crushed onboard a boat,…

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has accused Reform UK of pushing policies that would tear this country apart as he arrived in Liverpool for the Labour Party conference on Saturday. Starmer sharply criticised Reform’s proposal to abolish Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) for legal migrants and replace it with renewable five-year visas. He described the plan as one of the most shocking things, Nigel Farage’s party has put forward, warning…

More than 150,000 UK graduates are carrying student loan debts of over £100,000, with one individual owing nearly £300,000, according to data. Figures obtained by Royal London from the government-owned Student Loans Company (SLC) show that as of June, 150,450 borrowers had balances above £100,000, up from 113,029 in January, a rise of one-third in just six months. In total, more than 2.6 million people owe £50,000 or more. The…

More than 1.6 million people have signed a petition opposing Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plan to introduce mandatory digital ID cards for those working in the UK by 2029. The petition argues that “no one should be forced to register with a state-controlled ID system,” describing the proposal as a step towards “mass surveillance and digital control.” While petitions that exceed 100,000 signatures are usually considered for parliamentary debate, such…

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will pay their first official visit to Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican next month, Buckingham Palace has announced. The late-October trip will take place six months after the couple met Pope Francis, shortly before his death in April at the age of 88. During their visit, Charles and Camilla will take part in events marking the Catholic Church’s jubilee year, held every 25…