Bank of England must plan for a financial crisis triggered by aliens, says former policy expert
Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy noticeThe UK must plan for a financial crisis that would be triggered if the US government announces that aliens exist, a former Bank of England expert has said. Helen McCaw, who served as a senior analyst in financial security at the UK’s central bank, has written to Andrew Bailey, the Bank of England’s governor, urging him to set out contingencies in case the White House ever confirms the existence of alien life, according to The Times. Ms McCaw, who worked for the Bank of England for 10 years until 2012, said politicians and bankers can no longer afford to dismiss talk of alien life, and warned a declaration of this nature could trigger bank collapses. Alternatively, she said precious metals might lose their status as perceived safe assets if people speculate that new space-faring technologies will soon increase the supply of precious metals.
Source:The Times
January 18, 2026 15:26 UTC
Tariff threat risks ‘dangerous downward spiral’, UK and affected countries warn
In a joint statement on Sunday, the countries said they will “stand united and coordinated” in their response. “We will continue to stand united and coordinated in our response. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has called the plan to apply tariffs “completely wrong” and said he would be “pursuing this directly” with the US administration. That is the starting point for the conversation.”The Lib Dems called for Sir Keir to cancel the King’s planned state visit to the US in retaliation. “The UK must not be a doormat for an extortionist, or reward Trump’s behaviour with the pageantry he craves.”
Source:The Times
January 18, 2026 14:20 UTC
How Europe could retaliate against Trump’s Greenland tariffs
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Source:The Times
January 18, 2026 13:44 UTC
Hamilton Accies wage bill laid bare as club paid £30,000 safety bonus to players despite relegation
Hamilton Accies wage bill laid bare as club paid £30,000 safety bonus to players despite relegationWe can exclusively reveal the crisis club's wage bill and the task new owner Rob Edwards faces to cut costsView 3 Images Hamilton Accies have stumbled from crisis to another this season (Image: Steve Welsh/Shutterstock)The challenge facing Hamilton Accies' new owners to slash the club's wage bill has been laid bare - with the former regime spending half a million pounds in the first six months of this season in League One. Since Edwards came in, he has sought to try and balance the books and help the club avoid administration by off-loading some of the higher paid players at the club. As of the end of 2025, Accies had 37 players on their wage bill. View 3 Images Hamilton's Scott Robinson, right, and Connor Smith (Image: )It is understood this has managed to trim over £12,000 a month from the current wage bill. Hamilton Accies ace left out of squad amid St Johnstone links, as interest ramps up in other stars READ MORE :
Source:Express
January 18, 2026 12:55 UTC
We turned a freezing semi into a warm home with the ultimate sea view
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Source:The Times
January 18, 2026 12:33 UTC
Newspoll: 55-45 to Labor; Resolve Strategic: 52-48 (open thread)
Newspoll for The Australian and Resolve Strategic for Nine Newspapers have reported their first results for the year:• Newspoll has Labor’s two-party lead at a seemingly robust 55-45, in from 58-42 in the last Newspoll way back in mid-November. Anthony Albanese is down five on approval to 42% and up six on disapproval to 53%, while Sussan Ley is respectively up two to 28% and up one to 56%. • Resolve Strategic has Labor’s two-party lead narrowing to 52-48 from 54-46 in a poll conducted in the immediate wake of the Bondi shootings. On the primary vote, Labor is down two points to 30%, the Coalition steady on 28%, the Greens down two to 10% and One Nation up two to 18%. The poll was conducted Monday to Friday from a sample of 1800.
Source:The Guardian
January 18, 2026 12:15 UTC
Asian groomers exploited vulnerable girl in Scots children's home... and police did nothing
"This girl was showing all the signs of being exploited – she was coming back with her nails done, with gifts like new clothes. Jane said she overheard the men describing the vulnerable girl as a "sexy lady" and once intercepted a parcel that she believed had been sent to her by the shop gang. Another kid told me the girl had been sending naked pictures of herself to the guys in the shop. View 3 Images Joani Reid MP (Image: Tony Nicoletti Daily Record)Labour MP Joani Reid, who has been leading the calls for a grooming gangs inquiry, said Jane's account was "shocking and disturbing". Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: "This whistleblower's chilling testimony confirms that predatory sex criminals are actively targeting vulnerable children in care in Scotland."
Source:Express
January 18, 2026 11:38 UTC
Irish Foreign Affairs Minister brands US tariffs plan ‘completely unacceptable’
Helen McEntee said the decision “is completely unacceptable and deeply regrettable”. “It is what keeps all countries, large or small, militarily aligned or neutral, safe and secure.”She reiterated Ireland’s commitment to the United Nations. “Denmark and Greenland of course have the sovereign right to arrange military exercises with their partners, on their own territory. “The only way forward to resolve issues of concern to the US, or to any other country, is through respectful engagement. “Denmark and Greenland have confirmed on multiple occasions that they are open to proactive constructive dialogue on all issues.”
Source:The Times
January 18, 2026 10:54 UTC
Giants hire John Harbaugh in five-year deal worth up to $100 million
The New York Giants have appointed veteran coach John Harbaugh as their next head coach, finalizing a multiyear contract widely reported as a five-year agreement that could be worth up to $100 million. Owners John Mara and Steve Tisch completed the deal after Harbaugh spent several hours at the Giants’ facility earlier in the week, meeting players including young quarterback Jaxson Dart and sharing a dinner with ownership and decision makers. Contract negotiations began late Wednesday night once the organization settled on Harbaugh as its top candidate, and the sides wrapped terms less than 72 hours later. Harbaugh acknowledged the significance of the assignment in his statement, saying, “To serve as this franchise’s head coach is a tremendous honor. AI-generated illustrationFrom a performance standpoint, the hire signals that the Giants are prioritizing proven leadership and a track record of postseason consistency over riskier, untested options.
Source:The Guardian
January 18, 2026 10:46 UTC
BBC urges The Apprentice creators to tighten vetting process
The BBC has demanded that the makers of The Apprentice tighten up their vetting process after a candidate on the upcoming series was found to have made racist and sexist posts on social media. the production company responsible for making The Apprentice has said it will review its vetting process. (Image: BBC/FremantleMedia Ltd)A spokesperson for Naked said: “We pride ourselves on producing a series that promotes diversity and inclusion and has done throughout its 20 series. The first full-length series of The Celebrity Apprentice is also coming to BBC One and iPlayer in 2026. Series 20 of The Apprentice starts at 9pm on January 29 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Source:The Times
January 18, 2026 10:40 UTC
Is Russia ready for war with Nato?
8:26 opinionMark Urban examines what Russia’s military capacity could look like after the Ukraine conflict. The country has sustained heavy losses — up to 250,000 soldiers are estimated to have been killed, including more than 7,000 officers — but its arms industry continues to rapidly expand production. Assessments suggest Russia could reconstitute its forces between 2026 and 2029. Urban explores the strategic implications of a rebuilt Russian military on Nato’s borders and what officials describe as “a very big Russia problem” ahead.
Source:The Times
January 18, 2026 10:05 UTC
Trump-Greenland latest: US tariffs are wrong, Starmer says
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Source:The Times
January 18, 2026 09:19 UTC
Slowdown in rising cost-of-living set for December pause, say economists
UK inflation could have ticked higher last month, as Christmas getaways helped fuel price rises at the end of the year, economists have said. Some economists are expecting the rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation to have risen in December after falling sharply the previous month. Andrew Goodwin, chief UK economist for Oxford Economics, said he thought the slowdown in the rising cost of living was “temporarily halted” in December. On the other hand, analysts for Barclays said they thought inflation would remain unchanged at 3.2% in December. But experts said they thought inflation was still heading downwards this year.
Source:Express
January 18, 2026 09:12 UTC
Africa Cup of Nations final buildup, Premier League news, and more – as it happened
8.42am GMTOliver Glasner was vocal about his discontent with the current situation at Crystal Palace yesterday. However, following his team’s 2-1 loss to Sunderland, Glasner went one step further in voicing his concern, suggesting the board has “abandoned” the squad. He said: “Your heart gets torn out twice in a season, one day before a game. The [senior] players need support.”He added: “We’ve known we’re in this situation for weeks, for months now. One day before a game, the first time I heard about it was 10.30am yesterday.
Source:The Guardian
January 18, 2026 08:22 UTC
January 17, 2026
Two lower courts have found that the president does not have the power to levy the sweeping tariffs he has been announcing. Finally, in its insistence that only the U.S. can “protect” Greenland, the screed echoed Russian president Vladimir Putin’s promises to “protect” Ukraine. “Europe will remain united, coordinated, and committed to upholding its sovereignty.”The European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas—the EU’s chief diplomat—wrote: “China and Russia must be having a field day. Tariffs risk making Europe and the United States poorer and undermine our shared prosperity.”Representatives from the twenty-seven countries in the European Union are holding an emergency meeting tomorrow. Meanwhile, lawmakers in the EU say they will not ratify a new trade agreement the European Commission and Trump signed last July.
Source:The Guardian
January 18, 2026 06:57 UTC