UK shop price inflation rose to 2.1% in October, up from 1.4% in September and its highest level in two and a half years, the British Retail Consortium said. Retailers have absorbed rising costs but are beginning to pass them on, while higher food, fuel and heating costs are adding pressure on households ahead of Chancellor John Healey’s first budget.
Key Facts
The British Retail Consortium said food inflation rose to 2.9% in October from 2.5% in September.
Non-food inflation increased to 1.7% in October from 0.8% in September.
The article says higher energy and ingredient costs followed the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East.
Brent crude oil recently reached $117 a barrel, compared with an average of about $70 in the months before the US and Israel attacked Iran in February.
The Bank of England is expected to raise its interest rate from 3.75% to 4% next week, with further increases possible if retail price rises persist.
A study of 100 low-income families found that 73% of participants had shopped in reduced-items aisles, 62% had changed the food they buy, and 63% had left the heating off despite cold conditions.
The study’s report says high petrol and diesel costs particularly affect families who need cars to transport disabled children or commute to work.
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People interviewed by the BBC described financial pressures and outlined what they want from the UK government’s upcoming Budget. Their requests include support for single-parent families, lower taxes and fuel duty, and more funding for jobs and training for young people.
Key Facts
Chloe, a 40-year-old single mother in south London, said she pays about £200 a month for gas and electricity and tries to keep her weekly food shop to £40.
Chloe wants more help for single-parent families, possibly through changes to tax bills.
Robert Portlock, 29, lives with his parents in Gateshead and said rent and other costs make moving out unaffordable.
Portlock said his car costs about £750 a month for finance, insurance, fuel and tax; he wants lower fuel duty and income tax or a higher tax-free personal allowance.
Emily Nelson, 19, from Swindon, has struggled to find work since completing her A-levels and is applying for retail jobs, sales roles and apprenticeships.
Nelson wants more business funding to hire young people and more support for training and the government’s Jobs Guarantee scheme.
The article says Chancellor John Healey is due to present his first Budget on Wednesday, with government borrowing costs described as historically high.
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Jio Platforms, India’s largest telecom company, plans to make its stock market debut with a $3.2 billion IPO, the country’s largest. Analysts say the listing could reduce Jio’s incentive to keep prices low and may lead to higher mobile internet bills, though no new price increases are confirmed.
Key Facts
Jio is owned by Mukesh Ambani and is backed by Meta and Google.
The IPO drew demand that exceeded the shares on offer within hours of subscriptions opening on 21 October.
Jio had about 553 million mobile subscribers in 2026, according to the article.
Jio carries about 60% of India’s wireless data traffic and has more than 40% of the fixed broadband market, the article reports.
Jio’s promoters are expected to reduce their shareholding by about 3% in the listing.
Analysts expect Jio to focus more on revenue per subscriber through 5G, tariff changes and fixed wireless broadband.
The article says higher prices across the sector could prompt price-sensitive customers to switch to cheaper plans.
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DUP assembly member Diane Forsythe has joined MP Carla Lockhart in calling for Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill to be removed from office. The dispute follows O’Neill’s attendance at protests that blocked an Orange Order parade on Garvaghy Road; police have interviewed her and other senior Sinn Féin figures as part of an investigation.
Key Facts
Forsythe said commitments to impose consequences over O’Neill’s handling of the Drumcree parading dispute must be honoured.
Lockhart resigned from the DUP officer board after party leader Gavin Robinson declined to remove O’Neill from the joint first minister role.
Forsythe said that if O’Neill is not removed, official first minister engagements through the joint Executive Office should stop immediately.
O’Neill has defended attending the demonstrations and said she would continue to support Garvaghy Road residents.
Unionists have accused Sinn Féin figures of acting unlawfully over the protests.
Robinson said the DUP had democratically decided how to respond and that the party was keeping its options open.
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Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won a fourth term, defeating far-right challenger Flávio Bolsonaro 51.79% to 48.21% after trailing in the first round. The Guardian invited readers to submit questions for Latin America correspondent Tom Phillips about the result, Brazil’s future and its regional relationships; he was scheduled to answer them on 27 October at 15:00 GMT.
Key Facts
Lula won 51.79% of the vote, while Flávio Bolsonaro received 48.21%.
Lula lost the first round to Bolsonaro before winning the runoff.
A Supreme Court judge extended polling hours by two hours.
Lula’s campaign accused opponents of disrupting public transport to limit turnout among Lula supporters.
Flávio Bolsonaro refused to accept the result.
Lula faces a Congress with many Bolsonaro allies and economic challenges, including high debt.
Tom Phillips was scheduled to answer readers’ questions on 27 October at 15:00 GMT.
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A cruise liner collided with two cargo ships that were docked in Germany. Police said stormy weather caused the cruise ship to drift toward the dock, and no one was hurt.
Key Facts
The cruise liner collided with two docked cargo ships.
The collision occurred in Germany.
Police attributed the ship’s drift toward the dock to stormy weather.
No one was injured.
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Brazilian opposition candidate Flavio Bolsonaro said a Supreme Court justice ordered him to surrender his passports and barred him from leaving the country. After losing the presidential election to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Bolsonaro rejected the result and said he would organize the opposition and seek to annul the vote.
Key Facts
Flavio Bolsonaro received 48.2% of the vote, while incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva received 51.8%.
Bolsonaro said the court order required him to hand over his passports and prohibited him from leaving Brazil.
Bolsonaro called the order an attempt to intimidate him.
Bolsonaro is under investigation over alleged corruption and money laundering connected to financing a biopic about his father; he denies wrongdoing.
Bolsonaro said he would challenge the election result, claiming that extended voting hours favored Lula.
Bolsonaro said he would organize the opposition to Lula's government.
Bolsonaro is the son of former Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro, who is jailed.
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King tides are causing coastal flooding on both the East and West coasts. Coastal flood alerts warn of dangerous surf, beach erosion and wind gusts that could reach 40 mph.
Key Facts
King tides are affecting both U.S. coasts.
Coastal flood alerts have been issued.
Dangerous surf is possible.
Beach erosion is possible.
Wind gusts could reach 40 mph.
The report links the powerful tides to a full moon.
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Early voting has reached record levels in key states as President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama campaign for voters. Trump is campaigning in traditionally Republican states, where voters are concerned about rising prices.
Key Facts
The article reports record early voting in key states.
President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama are appealing to voters on the campaign trail.
Trump is campaigning in traditionally Republican states.
The article says voters are concerned about rising prices.
The article is dated October 26, 2026.
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Flavio Bolsonaro said in a social media video that police ordered him to surrender his passports and barred him from leaving Brazil. The article says the demand came a day after Bolsonaro lost a close presidential election to incumbent President Lula da Silva.
Key Facts
Flavio Bolsonaro posted a video on social media.
He said police ordered him to surrender his passports.
He said police barred him from leaving Brazil.
The article says the police demand came one day after the presidential election.
The article describes the election as tightly contested.
The article says Bolsonaro lost to incumbent President Lula da Silva.
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Jordan said it carried out air strikes in Syria against armed groups it linked to a church shooting in Jordan that killed nine people and wounded dozens. Syria denied coordinating the operation, reported civilian deaths, and opened an investigation; the strikes were followed by the closure of the Nassib border crossing.
Key Facts
Jordan said the strikes targeted armed-group hideouts in Syria and killed or wounded members of those groups.
Initial reports said at least seven people were killed in the strikes, including a woman and children.
The attacks hit Syria’s southern provinces of Deraa and Suwayda, but Jordan did not identify the groups or give the precise locations.
Jordan said the strikes were coordinated with Syria; the Syrian government denied coordination.
Syria said one strike hit five members of a family, including three children, and that two other strikes killed two older men.
Syria opened an investigation into the strikes and called for joint field and security coordination in border areas.
Authorities closed the Nassib crossing, Jordan’s only passenger and commercial border crossing with Syria.
Jordanian security forces arrested three suspects in connection with the October 23 church attack after a shootout in Al-Jadeeda. The attack killed nine people and wounded dozens.
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Jordan’s air force carried out several strikes in southern Syria after a church attack in Karak killed nine people, according to the article. Syrian authorities said the strikes killed several people, including children, in the Deraa countryside.
Key Facts
Jordan’s air force carried out several strikes in southern Syria.
The strikes followed a church attack on Friday.
The church attack killed nine people in Karak, according to the article.
Syrian authorities reported that several people died in the strikes.
Syrian authorities said children were among those killed.
The reported deaths occurred in the Deraa countryside.
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House Republicans plan to hold leadership elections on Nov. 10, according to two GOP staffers. The party is also set to hold a two-hour candidate forum that morning before voting on several leadership posts.
Key Facts
The House Republican leadership elections are scheduled for Nov. 10.
Two GOP staffers confirmed the planned date.
Republicans plan to hold a two-hour candidate forum on the morning of the elections.
The party will vote for its leader, whip, conference chair and other positions.
Politico first reported the planned elections.
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Elon Musk said Ukraine’s military violated Starlink’s terms of service, defending his decision to disrupt service in the country. Ukrainian leaders said Starlink defense systems had returned to normal speeds, and Ukraine disputed Musk’s claim.
Key Facts
Musk said Ukraine’s military violated Starlink’s terms of service.
Musk defended his decision to disrupt Starlink service in Ukraine.
Ukrainian leaders said the country’s Starlink defense systems were back to normal speeds.
Ukraine disputed Musk’s claim that it violated Starlink’s terms.
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Defence ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Britain said Europe should take greater responsibility for its security while maintaining close cooperation with the United States. They reaffirmed support for Ukraine but announced no new assistance.
Key Facts
The five countries, known as the E5, met in Paris to discuss Europe's role in NATO.
The ministers said the United States would remain an indispensable ally and that its engagement in European security was essential to NATO.
French minister Catherine Vautrin said the group would develop a coordinated plan with Washington.
The E5's next meeting is scheduled for Rome in March 2027.
Polish deputy minister Pawel Zalewski said he expected any U.S. troop reductions in Europe to be coordinated with allies to avoid gaps in deterrence or military capability.
In May, the Pentagon announced plans to withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany, roughly 15 percent of the 36,000 U.S. troops stationed there.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine but announced no new financial or operational assistance.
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The Justice Department is seeking to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey over alleged disclosures of national security information in 2016. Newly unsealed court documents link the investigation to information published in The New York Times that the department alleges included classified material.
Key Facts
The Justice Department is seeking to prosecute Comey for a third time, according to the article.
The allegations concern disclosures from 2016.
The department alleges that information published in The New York Times included classified material.
Newly unsealed court documents revealed the prosecution effort on Monday.
The article describes the case as a developing story.
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A federal appeals court panel declined to order California to set aside 20,000 mail ballots that the Trump administration says likely came from noncitizens. The 2-1 panel said it lacked jurisdiction and that the administration must wait for the trial judge to rule; the judge is scheduled to hold a hearing Tuesday.
Key Facts
The dispute concerns 20,000 mail ballots in California.
The Trump administration says the ballots likely came from noncitizens.
A federal appeals court panel voted 2-1 against ordering California to set the ballots aside.
The panel said it lacked jurisdiction over the request.
The administration must wait for the trial judge to rule.
The trial judge is scheduled to hold a hearing Tuesday.
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Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan met Iranian leaders in Tehran on Monday in an effort to prevent renewed fighting in the Middle East. Iran described the talks as very good, but the parties announced no concrete outcomes and said discussions would continue.
Key Facts
The talks included Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani army chief General Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin.
The delegations met Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Saudi Arabia said the visit aimed to reduce tensions between parties to the current crisis.
Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei said the participants supported regional countries handling their own security and preventing foreign intervention.
The article describes the visit as the first joint trip to Tehran by the three countries since they formed a defence alliance in Mecca in August.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for an end to escalation and warned against attacks on Iran and Gulf countries.
The article reports that Saudi Arabia had faced repeated attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces, including a claimed attack on Riyadh's international airport.
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