UK shop prices have risen for the first time in five years, according to the latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). It said shop prices increased by 0.1% in August, breaking a cycle of 63 months when prices fell. This happens after food inflation jumped to a seven-month high of 1.9% after the recent heat wave, which hit crop yields.
A criminal gang which was flying burglars from Chile into the UK to target wealthy homes in the South East has been dismantled, police have said. Luxury items worth more than £1m were stolen by the thieves, who targeted hundreds of homes, then shipped some of the goods out of the country.
The British government has been accused of threatening a close ally in an increasingly bitter diplomatic tug-of-war over the fate of a tiny, strategic archipelago in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
A no-deal Brexit could lead to the break-up of the UK, the ex-president of the European Council has warned. Herman Van Rompuy told The Observer leaving the EU without a deal posed an existential threat to the UK. He added a no-deal scenario would have a big impact on regions such as Scotland.
A furious reaction to the first batch of no-deal Brexit preparation papers has come in from across the UK. The documents have shown up the UK’s no-deal plans as a bluff that was “fooling no-one”, said Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones. “The writing is on the wall,” he said.
Low-cost Norwegian Air is interested in operating domestic flights within Brazil, a government official said, as it plans its debut in Latin America’s largest economy in March with a flight between Sao Paulo and England.
A ceremony has been held in Clydebank to mark the centenary of the launch of one of Britain's largest warships. The battle-cruiser HMS Hood was launched at John Brown's shipyard in Clydebank on 22 August 1918. Until the commissioning of the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, there had never been a bigger British warship than The Mighty Hood.
Scotland's Brexit secretary has urged the UK government to rule out a no deal Brexit, arguing that it would be deeply damaging and disruptive. Michael Russell was speaking ahead of a major speech by his UK government counterpart Dominic Raab.
It sounds like a tempest in a teapot, but it could bring down Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain’s Labour Party — and that could end up meaning that Britain doesn’t leave the European Union after all.
The Falkland Islands government has reported it is working with partners to strengthen the existing safety management system at FIPASS, and is looking at moving towards the adoption of the UK Port Marine Safety Code to improve the standards of safety in the maritime sector. Additionally FIG has engaged with a marine consultancy to commission works to safely vent the remaining sealed ballast tanks at FIPASS.