Hard-hit rail commuters face a greater-than-expected 6.2% hike in average fares in the new year after official figures revealed a shock rise in the inflation rate.

The retail prices index (RPI) figure for July, which is used to determine how much regulated rail fares including season and saver tickets are allowed to increase in 2013, rose to 3.2% from 2.8% the previous month, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The City had expected the rate to remain flat at 2.8%.

The average fare increase for England is calculated by adding 3% to RPI, meaning a hike of 6.2%, although some tickets can go up by a further five percentage points - or more than 11% - as long as they are balanced by cuts on other fares.

The greater-than-expected rise in RPI, which was accompanied by an increase in the closely watched consumer prices index (CPI) rate to 2.6% from 2.4%, was driven by hefty hikes in air fares, while there were fewer discounts from retailers who had already slashed prices in June to shift stock amid the wash-out weather.

The planned hike in average regulated ticket prices, which follows a similar increase for 2012, will mean that fares have risen by more than inflation for 10 years in a row. Governments in Wales and Scotland have indicated that regulated fares are likely to go up by one percentage point above RPI.

Unions, transport campaigners and rail passenger groups staged a day of action at railway stations across the country to protest against the "massive" hikes.

Published: 14 August 2012

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Britain is to give an extra £10 million of funding to help more than 45,000 refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria, the International Development Secretary has announced.

Andrew Mitchell made the pledge as he visited the Za'atri tented refugee camp in Jordan, on the Syrian border.

The money represents a four fold increase in British aid for refugees which was previously £3 million.

Mr Mitchell said: "In the midst of its sporting triumphs at the London Olympics, Britain has not forgotten the people of Syria. Today's extra support shows we stand alongside those who have lost everything because of the actions of this ruthless regime.

"The stories I've heard today paint a horrifying picture of everyday life for hundreds of thousands of ordinary people in Syria. I've met people left with only the clothes on their backs. I've spoken to families forced to flee their homes in the dead of night, some walking miles under the constant threat of violence and death if caught trying to escape."

It will provide emergency food rations for more than 18,000 Syrian refugees, plus safe drinking water and sanitation amid the hot conditions, including for mothers and children caught up in violence.

Funding will go to three humanitarian bodies providing assistance in the region, the World Food Programme, Unicef, and UNHCR. Approximately £5.5 million of the additional funding will be used for activities in Jordan and the remainder in Syria's other neighbouring countries, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq.

Published: 07 August 2012

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New car sales rose again last month, figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show.

There were 189,514 new registrations in June 2012 - a 3.49% increase on the June 2011 total.

Last month's purchases took year-so-far sales to 1,057,680 - a 2.72% rise on January-June 2011.

Private sales did well last month, rising 9.8% compared with June 2011, and are up 8.7% for the first half of this year.

Total new car sales for the April-June 2012 period have risen 4.8% and the SMMT reckons year-end sales will reach 1.95 million - just ahead of last year's 1.94 million total.

SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt said: "Despite domestic and international economic concerns, UK motorists are responding positively to new products and the latest fuel-efficient technology.

Published: 05 July 2012

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Up to 27 million people are living in slavery around the world, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton estimated as the US unveiled its annual report into human trafficking.

But the report showed that as governments become more aware of the issue, instigating tough new laws and programs to help victims, progress is being made in wiping out what it called the "scourge of trafficking."

"The end of legal slavery in the United States and in other countries around the world has not, unfortunately, meant the end of slavery," said Clinton.

"Today it is estimated as many as 27 million people around the world are victims of modern slavery, what we sometimes call trafficking in persons," she said at the unveiling of the report at the State Department.

"Those victims of modern slavery are women and men, girls and boys, and their stories remind us of the kind of inhumane treatment we are capable of as human beings," said Clinton.

"Whatever their background, they are the living, breathing reminders that the work to eradicate slavery remains unfinished."

As America prepares to mark the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of the emancipation of US slaves, people must reflect on "how much further we have to go to free all these 27 million victims," Clinton added.

Out of the 185 countries included in the 2012 report, only 33 complied fully with laws in place to end human trafficking, putting them at the top of a four-tier ranking system.

But five countries had moved up from the bottom blacklist known as tier 3, including Myanmar and Venezuela, to be included among the 42 countries now on what is known as a tier 2 watchlist.

Myanmar was removed from the blacklist because the government "took a number of unprecedented steps to address forced labor and the conscription of child soldiers; these steps amount to a credible commitment to undertake anti-trafficking reforms over the coming year," the report said.

Published: 20 June 2012

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Greeks readied for their second election in six weeks with all the top candidates now calling for renegotiation of a bailout deal despite warnings that Greece must toe the line or leave the euro.

Sunday's election will be watched around the world amid concern over the shockwaves that a Greek euro exit would send through the global economy and will play into talks by European leaders divided on how to resolve the debt crisis.

"To be or not to be in the eurozone? That is the question," said Lucas Papademos, a former prime minister and European Central Bank vice-president, paraphrasing William Shakespeare's Hamlet as Greece's own tragedy unfolds.

The New Democracy conservatives and Syriza radical leftists have been running neck-and-neck in the polls for an election which was triggered by an inconclusive vote on May 6 in which no party could form a governing coalition.

Unofficial recent polls have given a slight advantage to New Democracy -- a rumour that led to a 10.1-percent rally on the Athens stock market on Thursday.

That boost petered out on Friday, however with the market down 1.0 percent.

Published: 15 June 2012

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Due to the unfair contracts signed by Yulia Tymoshenko in 2009, Ukraine will be overpaying from 3 to 5 billion USD for the gas annually up to the year 2019.

On April 10, 2012, at 11:00, the press conference of the Ukrainian officials will be held at the premise of NCI European Parliament in Brussels with the participation of the European journalists, experts and community leaders. The topic of the press conference is «Why Y. Tymoshenko is still in the jail?»

The results of the work of experts from the Provisional Investigatory Commission that worked during the last year under aegis of the Parliament of Ukraine will be presented to the European public.  These results have already been reported to the Ukrainian Parliament's deputies on March 20, 2012.  After hearing the report of the Provisional Investigatory Commission on probing the signing of gas contracts between Naftogaz Ukrainy and Gazprom, 266 people’s deputies out of 450 agreed with the Commission’s arguments and decided to send the report to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and to the Security Service of Ukraine for the further investigation. The results of investigation were approved as by the representatives of the official authorities, so by the opposition (photo by EPP).

The Ukrainian Parliament decided to send the text of the report to the heads of the European States and to the EU authorities. These are the results of the work of parliamentary Provisional Investigatory Commission.

Published: 04 April 2012

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The wife of a wealthy Russian banker gunned down outside his executive flat has said that the shooting was an "act of pure unexpected violence".

Lorissa Gorbuntsov urged "any person, in this country or outside the UK" to come forward with information as she spoke of her heartache over her partner German remaining in a coma at a London hospital.

She said "this is a very emotional and complicated time" as Scotland Yard confirmed it was working with Russian police for the first time since the diplomatic fallout over the death of dissident Alexander Litvinenko.

Detectives leading the investigation also revealed that they had found a weapon, said by sources to be a pistol.

Mrs Gorbuntsov said: "This is a very emotional and complicated time for us. I would like to firstly thank everyone who is currently helping and supporting us, especially the Metropolitan Police. Their support has been of the highest standard.

"We as a family would like to appeal for any person, in this country or outside the UK, to come forward and provide the police with any information which will assist in the capture of the person or persons behind the attempted murder of my husband German.

Published: 29 March 2012

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Thousands of jobs are to be created in the UK aerospace industry under a new programme of fighter jet-building.

The components for a 3,000-strong fleet of F-35 jets are to be built by a number of different companies up and down the country before the planes are assembled in the United States and begin to be delivered in 2015.

The design and manufacture of the fifth generation aircraft is expected to create and sustain some 25,000 jobs in the UK over 30 years, according to Lockheed Martin, which is leading the contractorship. Involving around 130 firms across the country, it is projected to increase UK GDP by £28.7 billion over the period between 2009 and 2036.

The Joint Strike Fighter planes, which have been in development since the mid-90s, are expected to be used by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to replace Harrier and Tornado jets, with two of three test aircraft to be handed over to the UK in June.

A number of other countries around the world including Australia, Italy, Canada and the Netherlands have also already made orders, with the US buying the largest proportion to provide the bulk of its tactical airpower.

Published: 12 March 2012

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Detectives investigating the suspected payment of police for information on Saturday arrested a serving police officer and four staff from Britain's biggest selling daily newspaper, Rupert Murdoch's The Sun.