15 h. ago Drug deaths hit record high as one popular substance 'particularly worrying'

The Office for National Statistics recorded 5,655 drug-related deaths in 2024 - and such deaths have now increased every year since 2012

Events

20 h. ago Bank shares lead global market fall amid jitters over US private credit

Signs of credit stress send markets in Europe and Asia down, while investors turn to safe haven assetsEuropean stock markets fell on Friday and gold hit a record high after two US regional banks said they had been exposed to millions of dollars of bad loans and alleged fraud.Signs of credit stress rattled markets across Europe and Asia. In London the FTSE 100 fell 0.9%, Germany’s Dax fell 1.8%, Italy’s FTSE Mib fell 1.5%, the Ibex in Spain was off 0.3% and France’s Cac 40 dropped 0.2%. Continue reading...

Economics

23 h. ago FTSE 100 slides as US regional bank worries rock markets – business live

Fear index jumps, and European markets follow Asia lower, as bad loan fears hit valuationsGlobal markets fall and gold hits record high amid jitters over US banksUS regional bank stocks fall amid Wall Street concern over credit marketsStorm clouds are gathering over the financial markets, warns Richard Hunter, head of markets at interactive investor:There are increasing signs of storm clouds gathering over markets, with little relief from the building wall of worry.Already grappling with stretched stock valuations in the AI space, an unresolved government shutdown and a deteriorating relationship between Beijing and Washington, investors were exposed to a new source of concern in the form of lending practices and bad loans for US regional banks. Continue reading...

Economics

23 h. ago Drugs death map of Britain: Use our interactive tool to see where YOUR county ranks

Drug deaths in England and Wales have reached an all-time high, and experts warn that the trend will continue following a terrifying emergence of a 'zombie' substance 300 times stronger than heroin.

Events

24 h. ago Global markets fall and gold hits record high amid jitters over US banks

Signs of credit stress send markets in Europe and Asia down, while investors turn to safe haven assetsBusiness live – latest updatesGlobal stock markets fell sharply and gold hit a record high after two US regional banks said they had been exposed to millions of dollars of bad loans and alleged fraud.Signs of credit stress rattled markets across Europe and Asia. In London the FTSE 100 fell 1.5%, Germany’s Dax fell 2%, the Ibex in Spain was off 0.8% and France’s Cac 40 dropped 1.5%, before recovering some ground. Continue reading...

Economics

49 h. ago Health chief issues stark ketamine warning as drug poisonings hit record high

The UK government has warned young people over the dangerous of ketamine, fake pills and so-called 'THC vapes'

Events

2 d. ago UN weather agency says C02 levels hit record high last year, causing more extreme weather

The United Nations weather agency reports that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere reached record highs last year, intensifying climate change and extreme weather

Events

3 d. ago Record leap in CO2 fuels fears of accelerating global heating

CO2 in air hit new high last year, with scientists concerned natural land and ocean carbon sinks are weakeningLevels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere soared by a record amount in 2024 to hit another high, UN data shows, deepening the climate crisis that is already taking lives and livelihoods across the world.Scientists are worried that the natural land and ocean “sinks” that remove CO2 from the air are weakening as a result of global heating, which could form a vicious circle and drive temperatures up even faster. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago UK’s cyber security agency warns of ‘sophisticated’ threat from Chinese hackers

The number of serious attacks from across all sources in the most recent 12-month period hit record levels.

Events

5 d. ago High youth death rates are an ‘emerging crisis’, global health study warns

Alcohol, suicide and injuries driving rises among teenagers and young adults despite overall rates falling, authors say The world faces “an emerging crisis” of higher death rates among teenagers and young adults, according to a major study on the causes of death and disability worldwide.The reasons vary from drug and alcohol use, and suicide in North America, to infectious diseases and injuries in sub-Saharan Africa, the researchers said, but warned that their data should serve as “a wake-up call”.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counsellor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Events

6 d. ago Police sexual misconduct complaints skyrocket – but half of claims go uninvestigated

Exclusive: Sexual misconduct claims hit record high last year, with complaints rising at a faster rate than all other allegations

Events

7 d. ago Liam Payne drug supplier claims they had 'intimate' night before singer’s death

Liam Payne’s drug supplier Braian Paiz has claimed he had an "intimate" night with the singer just two days before his death, alleging drugs, drinks, and shocking encounters

Events

8 d. ago Gold price could hit $5,000 after record run but investors need to tread carefully

“Gold should not be looked at as an asset you react to impulsively” – Rick Kanda, The Gold Bullion Company

Economics

8 d. ago Fat jabs could treat two ‘major causes of illness and death’, say scientists – as current treatments ‘fall short’

WEIGHT loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are powerful tools for tackling obesity and lowering the risk of serious disease. Now new research suggests they could be used to treat two "major causes of illness and death" - drug and alcohol addiction. Scientists say weight loss jabs, usually prescribed for diabetes or obesity, have...

Events

9 d. ago ALEX BRUMMER: The signs of a global financial crash are everywhere. Gold's hit record prices... we'd be wise to prepare for catastrophe

About a quarter of a century ago, when I was researching a profile of the Bank of England, I was invited to tour its vast vaults.

Events

1 week ago What will Douglas Ross' Right to Addiction Recovery Bill do as key concern raised

Douglas Ross’s proposed legislation would embed a right to recovery for those diagnosed with an addiction in law.

Politics

1 week ago Mum's warning as drug left her in 'excruciating pain' with 'irreversible' damage

Her warning comes as new data shows deaths from this drug have increased 20-fold in the last 10 years.

Events

1 week ago Trial underway over Angels' alleged role in baseball pitcher Tyler Skaggs' overdose death

The Los Angeles Angels are facing a court trial over whether the team is responsible for the drug overdose death of one of its star pitchers

Events

1 week ago Denver Broncos hit back to end Philadelphia Eagles’ unbeaten record

The Super Bowl champions were defeated at Lincoln Financial Field.

Events

2 w. ago Tesla sales hit record as US buyers rush to beat end of tax credits

Q3 deliveries increased for first time in three quarters

Economics