News

The stock markets have made a panicked start to 2016 with more than £34 billion wiped off the FTSE within an hour on the first day of trading in 2016. There were similar falls across other major European and Asian indices as concerns over China's slowdown hit again. Shanghai’s stock market had to be suspended earlier in the day having lost almost seven per cent of its value thanks to weak manufacturing data.Markets were also affected by the uncertainty being triggered by...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor East London's rapid growth had been reflected by TFL who have rezoned numerous stations in that part of the capital, due to London's "shifting economic map". Eight stations including West Ham and Stratford are now Zone 2/3 rather than 3 saving passengers money on their journeys. Stations will be regarded in Zone 2 or 3 depending on which way the passenger is travelling, giving the cheapest travel option for the journey. Boris Johnson hopes 100,000 people...

A map released by the Environment Agency during the recent floods in Leeds highlighting 'severely affected' areas runs an almost identical course to the proposed HS2 route, raising questions about the feasibility of the multi-billion pound project. Phase 2 plans for the high speed railway follow parts of the Aire and Calder Navigation on approach to Leeds train station, but most of the proposed land for development was under water this weekend as the river overflowed. Pictures from Woodlesford Lock show...

From the outset, 2015 shouldn't have been a momentous year. "Yet for many and varied reasons, most of them unpleasant", writes Martin Hannan in The Scotsman, "it will be remembered for decades to come". Looking through the TLE archives from 2015 the breaking news stories are a reminder of the testing times we face as ideological warfare simmers and boils to the point of eruption. Attacks on Charlie Hebdo at the start of the year were followed by the heartbreaking terrorist...

Callum Towler, Stephen Adams and Owen Black chat about the the outcome of the Paris climate summit, exploring the inability for a lot of people to care about something so seemingly far into the future, how we consume and whether the prevailing political model can ever achieve sustainability.

British military personnel have been deployed to Afghanistan just three days before Christmas. Reports suggest that the Taliban is close to taking the town of Sangin in Helmand province just months after British forces withdrew all combat troops. The MOD has said that a small number of personnel has been sent to Camp Shorabak in Helmand but will not be deployed outside of the camp. Apparently the troops will only be providing an "advisory role" to the Afghan National Army...

By Rose Taylor As the waters recede and families begin to count the cost of the floods that killed more than 300 people, injured over 1,000 and destroyed countless properties in Tamil Nadu, for one woman it has heralded the start of a better life. NagammaNagammal was discovered drenched and starving in a partially destroyed goat shed where she had been living for 17 years, after being abandoned by her husband – because she had leprosy. “No one came to...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Jossy Yendall, 28, was selected as a finalist for Ms Galaxy 2016 but was told at the last minute she was not eligible - because she was not born a female. Shocked Jossy claimed she said from the outset she is transgender and even published it in the first sentence on her application web-page. The activities co-ordinator, who hopes to be a model, said she felt discriminated against because of her gender transition - which...

Caitlyn Jenner was briefly a saint to the left thanks to her global coming out as a woman. When Bruce became Caitlyn the world became just a little more accepting of transgender people and for that she deserves credit. However, many on the left, especially social justice advocates, have snapped back now it’s become clear that Caitlyn shares the same political beliefs as Bruce – and those beliefs are conservative. Bruce Jenner was a Republican whose views on social issues,...