Several indicators becoming less downbeat. House prices appear to have stabilised at a national level, although regional disparities are widening. Sentiment regarding the twelve-month sales outlook points towards a recovery

New research into the link between longer stays in A&E and mortality rates makes a significant contribution to the evidence about the consequences of overcrowding in Emergency Departments. That’s the key message from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine following a new study on delay-related harm in EDs which was published in the Emergency Medicine Journal (EMJ) today, 12 February.

Long-distance train operator CrossCountry has unveiled the first refurbished train of its Voyager fleet - marking the start of a £75 million investment to deliver a brighter, more comfortable experience for passengers across Britain.

The Department for Education (DfE) has published its outline proposals for reforming the adoption support system in England, alongside a consultation open to adoptees, those in kinship care, families and professionals that will run for 12 weeks.

Governments are constantly tempted to push flexible working because it allows them to support a popular social change without having to pay for it themselves. The new, stronger “right to request” flexible working in the Employment Rights Act will be much harder for managers to resist, and even dealing with such requests will impose costs on companies. While private businesses may be able to control some of these costs, the widespread strengthening of flexible working rights is likely to damage productivity, slow growth, and undermine wages and employment. This will be all the more true if unions or workplace rules stop wages adjusting, for example to reflect whether particular jobs can in practice be done remotely. This is likely to be a particular problem in the public sector, reinforcing its existing poor productivity record.

The second largest train operator in the UK has launched a recruitment drive, as it looks to hire up to 18 apprentices who are ready to develop the mechanical and electrical engineering skills needed to fix and maintain trains.

The hunt is on for inspirational children and young people in North Yorkshire – as well as those dedicated to caring for them – as nominations open for the 2026 WellChild Awards, which seek to recognise those with complex care needs alongside the people who support them.

AVA: The Vending & Automated Retail Association has welcomed the government’s announcement of the UK deposit return scheme, officially named 'Exchange for Change'. The AVA has played a significant role in the scheme’s creation, ensuring the full representation of the needs of vending and automated retail operators.

When news broke recently of two Chinese spies who were caught but then allowed to walk away on legal grounds, followed by MI5’s warning that a proposed super-embassy could conceal a nest of intelligence operatives, it felt like an echo from another age. Espionage had slipped back into public view.

Two Yorkshire lawyers have completed the ‘World’s Toughest Row’, an unsupported Atlantic crossing from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua, in aid of two much-loved regional charities.

Dear Editor, As we mark Tinnitus Week (2 – 8 February), we know that for many people with tinnitus, it’s not just a hum in the background, but something that can make everyday life a challenge. Despite tinnitus being more common than most people realise with one in seven adults experiencing it, too many are still left confused, worried or unsure of where to turn for help.

The life of a remarkable artist and pioneering inventor who lived and worked in Lancaster more than a century ago will be celebrated this year, thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Lancashire-based arts and heritage charity, Mirador, has been granted £91,430 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to mark the centenary of Karel Klic’s death.

A major archaeological excavation at Harden Quarry, nestled in the Cheviot Hills within Northumberland National Park, has revealed an extraordinary 360-degree view of Bronze Age life, offering the clearest insight yet into early settlement and farming in upland Northumberland. Archaeologists uncovered a fascinating Bronze Age settlement on a hilltop.

A comprehensive plan for the future operation of public toilets across North Yorkshire will deliver higher standards, improved reliability, and better value for money for residents and visitors, councillors will be told.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is urging people to take immediate safety precautions as amber weather warnings are issued ahead of the arrival of Storm Chandra. Storm Chandra, the third major storm to affect the UK this month, is expected to bring a combination of damaging winds and heavy rainfall from Monday into Tuesday.

Individual patients and relatives impacted by safety failings at the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys (TEWV) NHS Trust gathered in Middlesbrough yesterday for a pivotal briefing as they prepare for a statutory public inquiry.

One hundred MPs have joined forces to demand compensation for WASPI women ahead of a crucial update from ministers promised next month. The letter, signed by 100 MPs across 10 different parties, calls on the Work and Pensions Secretary to “reach the right decision” and to set out plans to compensate affected women as quickly as possible.

British Wool has officially unveiled its 2025 Sheep of the Year, following an enthusiastic public vote celebrating the very best of Britain’s woolly wonders. Each week, British Wool shares its ‘Sheep of the Week’ to Instagram, showcasing photos sent in by farmers from across the UK.

An Army reservist who balances military service with her role at North Yorkshire Council has praised the authority after it received a prestigious award for its support of the Armed Forces community. The Government recently revalidated North Yorkshire Council’s Gold Award status under the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS).

Ministers plan to impose tax on the clean-up of ports, rivers and canals. Tens of millions of pounds will be added to the cost of planned developments around waterways that are crucial to the UK’s growth plans. projects ranging from green energy plants to flood protection will be “unviable”, ministers told in cross-industry letter led by the British Ports Association

Last Wednesday's White House meeting between Marco Rubio and his Danish and Greenlandic counterparts wasn't your typical diplomatic gathering. They were there to discuss the United States essentially 'buying' Greenland.

One in five (21%) – or 11.6 million adults – admit they have no financial aspirations for the year ahead - signalling a widening ambition gap in the UK, according to new research from St. James’s Place (SJP).

Big Give, Global’s Make Some Noise, and NCVO announce the opening of applications for the Small Charity Week 2026 match funding campaign, the second nationwide match funding campaign dedicated exclusively to small charities. Following the success of the inaugural 2025 campaign, Small Charity Week will expand in 2026, aiming to support more small charities than ever before.