BoE warns of interest rates pain to come as inflation spikes in Labour's 'winter of discontent' - but holds off hike for now

This month, the president threatened to halt a broad swath of trade if interest rates were not cut, a possibility he resurfaced on Wednesday.

The Federal Reserve’s first increase to interest rates since July 2023 comes less than two months before the midterm elections.

Many countries blunted the most painful effects of the energy shock from the war in Iran. But prices remain elevated and risks are multiplying.

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Thursday rejected international calls for denuclearization as "all noises," calling the regime's nuclear status "absolute." She made the remarks in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as the 70th regular session of the IAEA General Conference is currently under way in Vienna, Austria. The conference has voiced concern over North Korea's expanding nuclear capacity, urging Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner in compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Ahead of the session, the agency also released the IAEA Director General's Safeguards Report on North Korea, detailing a substantial increase in Pyongyang's uranium enrichment capacity and the expansion of its core nuclear facilities. The North Korean leader's sister dismissed the calls as "all noises, not surprising and not new." "No matter how desperately the IAEA and the West may hold periodic meetings and talk about the denuclearization according to the fixed scenario, th

Korea will maintain a joint government response team in Nepal to continue efforts to locate nine Korean nationals who have remained missing since massive floods hit the country last month, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday. The move comes as the second contingent of the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) is set to wrap up its seven-day mission later in the day and return home, in line with a decision made by a joint public-private emergency relief council last week, according to the ministry. Nine Koreans — six employees of Doosan Enerbility and three of Korea South-East Power — went missing Aug. 26 after massive floods and landslides struck Rasuwa District near the Nepal-Tibet border while they were working at a hydropower plant construction site. The government response team, which was dispatched earlier for search-and-rescue operations separately from the KDRT, will remain in Nepal and work closely with Nepalese authorities, while also supporting the families of the missing, the ministry said. The team will consist of eight members — three from the ministry, two from the Nat

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun left for Washington on Thursday for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio that are expected to cover a range of pending issues, including bilateral economic and security arrangements, North Korea and the Middle East conflict. Cho will make a three-day visit to Washington through Saturday, with his itinerary including a meeting with Rubio on Friday (U.S. time), according to the ministry. "We will have in-depth discussions on various pending issues between the two nations, as well as consultations on issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, regional affairs and the international situation," Cho told reporters before departing from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. The meeting comes as Seoul and Washington have a number of outstanding issues on which the two sides have differing positions, including Seoul's role in securing the Strait of Hormuz and its U.S.-bound investment plans. As the Donald Trump administration has pressured South Korea to contribute to efforts to restore freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway, the Seoul governm

JEJU ISLAND — Maritime security experts called for stronger practical cooperation to counter gray zone coercion and prevent maritime tensions from escalating, as they gathered in Jeju last week for the 10th Ieodo International Seminar. The seminar, held from Sept. 10 to 12, brought together specialists from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam to discuss rising maritime security challenges in East Asia, including China’s gray zone activities, maritime disputes, the role of international law and the security of sea lines of communication (SLOC). Co-organized by the Jeju-based think tank Society of Ieodo Research and The Korea Times, the seminar was held under the theme “Maritime Security Cooperation Strategies among East Asian Countries: Responding to Intensifying Maritime Security Threats.” In his opening remarks, Koh Choong-suk, president of the Society of Ieodo Research, said the seminar’s 10th edition reflected the growing international importance of Ieodo — also known as Socotra Rock — and the broader maritime issues surrounding the region. “The discussio

Discussions over Korea's potential role in securing the Strait of Hormuz are focused on safe navigation, energy security and the safety of nationals, rather than its relations with the United States, a senior foreign ministry official said Thursday. The Seoul government has been weighing whether to deploy military assets to the crucial waterway amid pressure from the Donald Trump administration for Seoul to make a contribution. "The government is looking at the issue basically not from the perspective of Korea-U.S. relations, but in terms of ensuring safe navigation, the security of energy supply routes and the safety of our people," First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo told the National Assembly's foreign affairs and unification committee. Addressing the widespread use of the term "deployment" in Korea, Park said the government has been in close talks with the international community on how to make a "contribution" to restoring stability in the region. Media reports have said assets under consideration for possible deployment included maritime patrol aircraft, explosive ordnance di

NAGOYA, Japan — The top Korean sports body said Thursday it has filed an official complaint with the organizing committee of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games for highlighting a Japanese warlord that invaded Korea during a recent ceremony. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) said it sent the same complaint to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on Wednesday, a day after a person dressed as Toyotomi Hideyoshi appeared in the welcome ceremony for the cruise ship Costa Serena, which will serve as a floating hotel for some 4,000 athletes and officials. The ceremony featured Hideyoshi, Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu, three warlords born in and around Nagoya. Hideyoshi was the mastermind behind the Japanese invasions of Korea from 1592 to 1598, also known as the Imjin War. While Nagoya leans into the legacy of the three figures to promote its history and culture, the appearance of Hideyoshi drew the ire of the Korean public, especially since the slogan of this year's Asian Games is "Imagine One Asia." The KSOC said its president, Ryu Seung-min, expressed his regret over the incident and d

NAGOYA, Japan — North Korea's sports minister and chef de mission for its delegation at this year's Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games arrived in Japan on Thursday, two days ahead of the official opening. Kim Il-guk, who also serves as president of the Olympic Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), left Pyongyang on Tuesday and arrived at Chubu Centrair International Airport in Nagoya via China two days later. The DPRK is North Korea's official name. Kim was accompanied by several officials and left the airport without speaking to reporters. Officials from the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, also known as Chongryon, representing pro-North Korea residents in Japan, and other North Korean residents in Japan welcomed Kim's arrival. It is the first time in eight years that a North Korean ministerial-level government official has visited Japan. Kim was the last North Korean minister to visit Japan, traveling to Tokyo in 2018 for a general assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC). Kim came to Japan as head of the North Korean Olympic com

POHANG — An auxiliary ship belonging to a North Korean merchant vessel sank in international waters between South Korea and Japan on Thursday, leaving one crewman missing while three others were rescued, Seoul authorities said. The South Korean Navy notified the East Regional Coast Guard Headquarters of the sinking at around 10:50 a.m., after the auxiliary craft went down in waters roughly 200 kilometers off the southeastern coastal city of Pohang, Coast Guard officials said. All four crew members aboard the ship had gone missing at first, but three of them were rescued by the Japan Coast Guard, according to South Korean authorities. The Korea Coast Guard has joined search-and-rescue operations to locate the missing crew member, based on international law and humanitarian principles, officials said.

Bolton councillors have been inundated with complaints from residents about failed or delayed pick ups

Jonathan Wilson has been put behind bars after counter-terror police found the items at his Macclesfield house

The Most Rev Sarah Mullally is facing calls to apologise after she presented the prize for 'Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation' to Tahir Ashrafi.

The station in Eastney, Portsmouth, has now not been in active use since September 10, it has emerged. The RNLI said it has taken measures to ensure the safety of the city's waters.

Princess Andre defiantly responded to the criticism as she backed a new campaign

Mr Brandram's family claimed there was no forensic evidence linking the 44-year-old banker to the 2017 incident in which a jogger shoved a woman headfirst into the path of an oncoming bus.

Donald Zieben-Hood, the man accused of murdering his husband, Jacob Zieben-Hood, was all smiles in court on Wednesday. He also sported new facial hair and a fresh haircut.

The tributes were placed next to the wooden fence of the play area after police announced they had found the body of a child in a nearby pond in Brantham, Suffolk.

They're offering the opposite of a late night city centre gig

Macklemore, aka Benjamin Haggerty, was dropped from Sheeran's tour after he delivered a politically motivated speech in support of Palestinians.

Carney is addressing the European Parliament after Trump suggested that allowing Canada to become an associate EU member could be a 'hostile act.'

Ivan Jennings discussed putting poisonous mushrooms in the food of Jews and Muslims, a court heard

Officials confirmed today a man who died trying to cross a swollen creek an hour's drive south of Barcelona during storms last night was British.

Judith Blackmore, from Beverley in East Riding of Yorkshire, never disclosed she was in a relationship when she applied for and received benefits and reduced council tax for over six years.

Cyprus has been urged to recognise the suffering of a British father facing jail time over the death of his two-year-old son who fell from a hotel window, as the case was delayed once more today.

Eligible domestic users will also be exempted from SST, Automatic Fuel Adjustment, among others.

The new Conservative shadow chancellor lashed out at 'out of his depth' Chancellor John Healey after reports that Mr Healey was unprepared for the poor state of the UK finances.

A construction company working on a new council-built flat development has teamed up with a local charity to help others.

The FBI revealed on Tuesday that they'd thwarted a plot to kill a prominent Russian dissident believed to be living in Washington DC.

Three new developments of council houses have opened on brownfield sites, with one street named after a former mayor.

A family have been left devastated by the death of a much-loved mum-of-three aged just 30.

Buckingham Palace issued an extraordinary statement in response to the explosive new book by Earl Spencer about a devastating row he had with then Prince Charles in the days after Diana died.

"Great quality watch with classic design outstanding, very pleased with the watch and service."

First Sea Lord, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, has previously cautioned that Britain is 'at risk' of losing its naval advantage to Vladimir Putin's maritime forces.

Coleen Rooney said 'the house is not happy' in a trailer for the Disney+ documentary series The Real Rooneys

Fan-favourite Strictly professional dancer Dianne Buswell is involved in the new series announced by the BBC

The Prime Minister has pledged to move power from Whitehall and 'carry it into every postcode in the land' in his bid to boost the role of local leaders.

A new member of the cast has also been announced