Dear Editor,  As a deaf person in the UK, navigating everyday life in a hearing world can be a struggle. Common activities like shopping, visiting a hospital or socialising are often full of challenges.  When people aren’t deaf-aware, it can make life a lot more difficult. It can be so isolating and really knocks your confidence.

The UK risks falling further behind Europe on prostate cancer survival rates without the introduction of a national screening programme, a leading surgeon has warned - as new data shows early detection could significantly improve outcomes.

The University of Sunderland and Santander have signed an agreement to double the support the global bank offers to students to help them fulfil their potential. Their long-running partnership, which has already seen Santander support hundreds of Sunderland students, will offer £100,000 of financial support each year until 2026-2027.

Demand has surged at a residential lettings agency in the north east as private landlords seek expert help to navigate the forthcoming Renters’ Rights Act. Xenia Lettings, based in Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, has seen a tenfold rise in instructions from property owners since the start of 2026 and has expanded its footprint to include Tyneside and County Durham, as well as Wearside.

The Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) says that, despite a small reduction in the number of recorded shoplifting offences in England and Wales, the figures are still shocking.

Sara Cox is today announced as the new host of the weekday Breakfast Show (6.30-9.30am) on BBC Radio 2, the UK’s most popular single radio station, with a weekly audience of 12.7m (RAJAR, Q4, 2025). Sara, who currently hosts the station’s weekday Teatime show (4-7pm), will launch her first show this summer.

Candlelighters, the charity supporting children with cancer across Yorkshire, is celebrating its 50th Anniversary with a fundraising campaign. Since its inception in 1976, the charity has been a beacon of hope for thousands of families, and is now calling on the public to take on a '50-themed' challenge, to ensure no family faces childhood cancer alone.

Recent global events have been little short of apocalyptic, with nearly every world leader turning their backs on Donald Trump, rejecting his efforts to start WW3. 'MAGA' – his battalion of devoted and adoring fans have turned their backs on him, denouncing his actions against Iran - thank god.

New TUC survey findings published today reveal 8 in 10 workers have experienced abuse at work in the past year. 45% of surveyed workers have experienced threats of physical harm in the last 12 months. TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak says “ministers must prioritise HSE funding to keep workers safe”.

Entrepreneurs behind ground-breaking agricultural innovations will be celebrated at the Great Yorkshire Show, to inspire new ideas for game-changing farming practices. Entries are open until 11 May 2026 for the Great Yorkshire Show Innovation Awards across five categories.

New survey asks 2,085 business decision makers about their confidence, their major concerns, and technological adoption The survey finds a negative view of the economic outlook, with those working in SMEs more pessimistic.However, when asked about their own prospects for the next 12 months, business decision makers are broadly positive. More than half (56%) say they are concerned about business costs and interest rates. UK businesses are more likely to expect a rise in revenue rather than a decline over the next 12 months

Equity markets rally after US and Iran agree a two-week ceasefire with FTSE 100 opening up 1.5%. UK Gas prices fall sharply but still remain a third higher as Shell forecasts a cut to gas production in the first quarter. Brent Crude initially falls sharply, as Strait of Hormuz is set to reopen but has been rising again. Inflationary pressures still remain, given energy costs are still significantly higher compared to before the outbreak of war. There are warnings that the jet fuel squeeze will continue for months even if there’s a longer-term agreement.

The Countryside Alliance’s latest investigation has revealed that in 2025 nearly 4,000 crimes were committed on church property as well as other religious premises. Figures were obtained by the Countryside Alliance as part of its continuous campaign to focus attention on rural churches and increase funding for security at places of worship.

Figures in this week confirm that Gosforth and Dunston Leisure Centres, which are managed by the UK's foremost leisure charitable social enterprise GLL, hosted 20 fundraising challenges for Swimathon 2026, raising a record £3,500.00 for charities.

Three in four parents fear their child can't make safe online privacy choices, new research shows. Yet most rarely, if ever, talk to them about it. Every day, primary school kids tap 'accept' on apps, games and websites - usually without realising how much personal information they may be sharing as a result. A single click can reveal far more than a name.

YouGov and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) release latest consumer confidence index data, covering March 2026. Forward looking measure of how people see their household finances records biggest drop since August 2022. Job security perceptions for the past thirty days were both negative and lower than the previous month

People voting in the upcoming local elections in May can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, a free form of ID that can be used to vote at a polling station. The Electoral Commission is calling on anyone who needs ID to apply for free now, before the 5pm deadline on Tuesday 28 April.

The TUC and Hope Not Hate have published new polling which shows that Reform are “massively out of step” with the British public on workers’ rights. Reform announced last month that it would introduce a Great Repeal Bill to axe Labour’s Employment Rights Act.

WASPI CAMPAIGNERS have launched a fresh national lobbying tool in their quest for compensation, ahead of a crucial set of elections on Thursday 7 May.

Landmark moment for Yorkshire as years of work and £5.5 million investment culminate in National Trail celebration. Alfred Wainwright's iconic Coast to Coast route officially becomes a National Trail, more than 50 years after it was first walked. Designation brings numerous benefits including improved accessibility, consistent high-quality signage and a central pot of funding for maintenance. Natural England celebrates iconic 190-mile route, reaching its halfway point at Keld and dramatic North Sea finish line at Robin Hood’s Bay.

Today’s data from the Office for National Statistics showed that annual rate of CPI inflation holding at 3.0% in February 2026. The outlook for inflation has changed markedly. The hit to global energy supply so far from events in the Middle East has been profound and the warnings from the International Energy Agency over its “unprecedented” nature are stark.

Three quarters of people in northern England underestimate how many people are diagnosed with epilepsy each day, new research has revealed. A survey released ahead of Purple Day (26th March) has highlighted widespread misunderstanding about the condition across the region.