Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

Schools in Middlesbrough are closing early on Friday as the funeral of A66 crash victim Jakub Matusiak is expected to draw large crowds to South Bank. South Bank Primary School will shut at noon for what it said were safety and traffic concerns, while Archway Academy Teesville, Outwood Academy Normanby, St Margaret Clitherow’s Catholic Primary School and Mackenzie Thorpe School are also fully or partially closing. The service for Mr Matusiak, 23, is due to take place at St John the Evangelist Church on Normanby Road. Crowds, motorbikes, quad bikes and off-road vehicles are expected in the area. Tammy Cooper,…

Federal Reserve officials have sent conflicting signals over whether US interest rates should be raised this month, with chairman Kevin Warsh insisting that persistent inflation should remain the central bank’s overriding concern. The Federal Open Market Committee is due to meet on September 15 and 16, after leaving its target range unchanged at 3.5 to 3.75 per cent in July. Three policymakers voted against that decision, preferring a quarter-point increase. Speaking at the Federal Reserve’s annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Mr Warsh said recent improvements in some inflation readings had not convinced him that price pressures were easing…

Vladimir Putin has said there is a chance of reaching a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine, while Kyiv claimed diplomatic efforts could now enter a “new dynamic”. The Russian president said on Thursday, 3 September, that countries including the United States and China were prepared to support a settlement, but insisted that any final agreement would have to be reached by Russia and Ukraine. “We are grateful to everyone attempting to contribute to a settlement. Is there a chance? In my view, yes, there is,” Mr Putin said at an economic forum in Vladivostok. His comments came…

Gary Lineker has challenged Britain’s super-rich to explain how much wealth they really need after backing calls for a new tax on assets worth more than £10 million. The former England footballer and Match of the Day presenter joined more than 120 millionaires in signing an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, urging the Government to introduce an annual 2 per cent levy on extreme wealth. Speaking to Davina McCall on her Begin Again podcast, Lineker said the wealthiest people should contribute more to society and dismissed warnings that billionaires could leave the UK if taxes were increased. “How…

Zoox has expanded its commercial robotaxi service in Las Vegas to Harry Reid International Airport, allowing passengers to book autonomous rides to and from the city’s main airport from Thursday. The Amazon-owned company’s vehicles will collect and drop off passengers at both airport terminals, close to the baggage-claim areas. The move gives Zoox access to one of the most important destinations in the ride-hailing market as it begins charging customers for journeys in the Nevada city. Zoox said its robotaxis can be requested for airport trips through its service. The vehicles are purpose-built and do not have conventional driving controls,…

Scotland’s transfer deadline day is being covered live as clubs make their final moves before the window closes at 5pm on Thursday, September 3. The Sky Sports Transfer Centre is hosting a live question-and-answer session focused on the Scottish Premiership, with supporters invited to submit questions about potential signings, departures and the latest rumours. The deadline comes two days after the English window shut, leaving Scottish clubs with additional time to negotiate deals involving players who may have become available after moves south failed to materialise. Celtic are expected to be among the busiest clubs in Glasgow after making five…

Nurses at two Chicago-area hospitals are taking industrial action on Thursday, September 3, amid a dispute over staffing, contract negotiations and plans to move maternity services between facilities operated by Prime Healthcare. Registered nurses at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital on Chicago’s West Side began a 24-hour strike at 7am local time. They are seeking their first collective agreement after unionising in June and say excessive patient assignments are making it difficult to provide safe care. A further action was scheduled at Olympia Fields Hospital in the southern suburbs from 2pm. Nurses there have raised similar concerns about staffing and…

A former property manager who fraudulently obtained more than A$187,000 from renters, landlords and her employer is facing a 10-year industry ban in New South Wales. Sarah-Jane Watts pleaded guilty to two offences after investigators found she diverted more than A$151,800 from Ewing Real Estate’s rental trust account in Gunnedah, about 436km north-west of Sydney, as well as approximately A$35,400 in rental bonds. The offending took place between 2 March 2022 and 15 July 2024, when Watts used 162 transactions to transfer money into six personal bank accounts under her control. NSW Fair Trading said the funds were spent on…

Zack Polanski has signalled his intention to seek Labour selection to contest Sir Keir Starmer’s former parliamentary seat, Holborn and St Pancras, at the next general election. The move would place the aspiring candidate at the centre of Labour’s plans to field prominent contenders in a constituency long associated with the party’s current leader, who once represented the seat. A Labour spokesperson declined to comment on individual selections or the ongoing nomination process. Polanski is regarded within Labour circles as a rising figure, with supporters urging a competitive contest for the nomination in Holborn and St Pancras. Any formal selection…

Perimenopause can involve a range of unexpected symptoms that have little resemblance to the hot flushes and night sweats most commonly associated with the transition, a hormone expert has warned. For many women, the first signs may instead appear as changes to their sleep, mood, memory or physical health. These can be difficult to recognise as hormone-related, particularly when periods remain regular. Less familiar symptoms can include heart palpitations, headaches or migraines, joint and muscle pain, changes to the skin and hair, and new urinary problems. Mouth symptoms, including sensitive teeth and painful gums, are also listed by the NHS…