Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

Almost nine in 10 UK adults have taken steps to reduce household spending during the cost-of-living squeeze, a poll has found ahead of next week’s Budget. The Savanta survey, conducted for the Institute of Research and Reforms (IRR) International, found that 87 per cent had made at least one change in the past six months to cut costs. Two-thirds of respondents said they had reduced non-essential spending, including eating out and socialising. More than half, 51 per cent, had used their home heating less in an effort to lower energy bills. About 40 per cent had switched supermarkets to reduce…

The Brent crude oil price rose to $116.03 a barrel at 7.15am Eastern Time, up $2.82 from the previous morning and almost $50 higher than a year ago. The benchmark was also 16.60% above its level one month earlier, when oil stood at $99.51 a barrel. Compared with the previous day’s $113.21, the increase was 2.49%. Why oil prices can move sharply Oil prices are driven chiefly by supply and demand, although expectations about future production and consumption can move the market quickly. Geopolitical tensions, wars, recessions, supply disruptions and decisions by OPEC+ can all influence the direction of prices.…

Meghan Markle has said she is “deeply distressed” by allegations that her estranged father, Thomas Markle, possessed indecent images of children, adding that she refused to let him meet her children to protect them. The allegations were reported to detectives by Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, after he allegedly found the material at their father’s home in the Philippines. No charges have been laid. Thomas Markle, 82, has described the claims as “sick lies”, while his other daughter, Samantha, said there was “no merit to these disgusting allegations”. Meghan Markle says allegations were raised in 2018 The Duchess of Sussex…

North Texas is set for a warm, dry weekend before rain chances begin to build next week and more active weather becomes possible ahead of Halloween. Friday will bring high cloud with temperatures climbing to about 83F (28C) across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Morning readings ranged from the low to mid-50s in Bridgeport, McKinney and Sulphur Springs to the low 60s in Fort Worth. An air quality alert is also in effect on Friday, as settled conditions and light winds remain in place across the region. Warm and dry Dallas-Fort Worth weekend Saturday is expected to remain rain-free, with a…

Donna Nelson has been returned to Australia in a secret prisoner transfer after being convicted of smuggling drugs into Japan. The 60-year-old Perth grandmother is understood to have been moved to Australian custody after serving three years and nine months of a six-year sentence. She is expected to serve the remainder of her sentence in a correctional facility in Perth. Nelson was arrested at Narita International Airport in January 2023 after narcotics were found in her suitcase. She has consistently maintained that she was innocent and was tricked by an online love interest. A Japanese court accepted that Nelson had…

Ukrainian police have detained a 17-year-old girl accused of helping Russian security services poison Ukrainian soldiers, with two servicemen allegedly dying after taking capsules containing a lethal dose of methadone. The unnamed suspect was arrested in Zhytomyr, west of Kyiv, after investigators said she had followed instructions from a Russian handler in return for at least 5,000 hryvnias (£111). Police allege that she packaged the drugs and sent them to soldiers she contacted through Telegram. The recipients were reportedly offered “free drugs” and instructed to take them on camera. “The recipients did not know that the capsules contained a lethal…

The Church of England is facing a financial crisis driven by falling attendance, rising administrative costs and what two academics describe as expensive and unsustainable initiatives, including its net zero programme and a £100 million reparative justice fund. Canon Robin Gill and Professor John Craven have warned that the Church is “heading for financial disaster” unless it takes what they call “ruthless” action to reduce bureaucracy and put parishes at the centre of its spending decisions. Their report, Wasted Money in a Diminishing Church, says the number of dioceses operating at a deficit has risen to 37 out of 42,…

President Trump’s campaign tour has stopped in Iowa as Republicans face a tough fight in the state. The visit is intended to rally voters, with the party seeking support amid the difficult contest.

Russia’s central bank has held its key interest rate at 14%, maintaining its current policy stance amid concerns over inflation. The decision keeps the rate unchanged as the central bank continues to address inflationary pressures in the Russian economy.

Liverpool have made contact with Felix Nmecha’s representatives as they assess midfield options for 2027, but the Borussia Dortmund player is not currently considered their leading target. The club are expected to strengthen centrally after Curtis Jones left for Inter Milan during the summer without a direct replacement being signed. Nmecha is among those under consideration, although Alex Scott of Bournemouth and Monaco’s Lamine Camara are understood to sit higher on Liverpool’s current shortlist. Liverpool’s midfield shortlist takes shape Sky Germany reports that Liverpool have recently spoken to Nmecha’s camp after monitoring his performances for Dortmund. However, the club are…