interest payments some of which are linked to inflation. let s get this in perspective though the uk s national debt is at record levels. it owes £2.69 trillion. that is almost the size of the uk economy the so called debt to gdp ratio is around 97.7%. that is a useful guide to how affordable the debt is for a country. the chancellor has pledged to get that ratio down. the uk s far better off than some of its neighbours though italy s debt to gdp is around 140%. but if we look at germany s that s is only around 65%. but if we look at germany s that s only around 65%. staying in the uk where aside from talk of potential tax cuts there are stark warnings that 2 million people could have their gas and electricity cut off this winter because they can t afford to top up their prepayment meter. that comes from the charity the citizens advice bureau as cost of living pressure continue to bite for many. joining me now is the report author alex belsham harris en
what do you make of the numbers? what do you make of the numbers? what do they tell us about the economy? what do they tell us about the econom? ., , , economy? after two years of pretty essimistic economy? after two years of pretty pessimistic uk economy? after two years of pretty pessimistic uk data economy? after two years of pretty pessimistic uk data it s economy? after two years of pretty pessimistic uk data it s quite - economy? after two years of pretty pessimistic uk data it s quite a - pessimistic uk data it s quite a relief to be talking about an encouraging picture on inflation, so for the first time in two years, but it is the breadth with which prices are slowing which is encouraging. we knew that energy prices will moving lower, we knew that food prices were still close to 10%, down from almost 20% early in the year, but core inflation, services inflation, the type of data that the bank of england it s really going to hone in on, which is very encouragin
tuesdays vote was delayed. nearly 20,000 people are now reported to have been killed in gaza. 240 were taken hostage when hamas attacked israel on the 7th of october. we mentioned the un security council. the text has just been released of a draft resolution on the wall. it is going to be put to the un security council in a few hours time. it is all about the wording. the draft is very long, but the keys section talks about extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the gaza strip for a sufficient number of days to enable full rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access. it remains to be seen if this wedding will be accepted to the knighted states. an extended humanitarian pause, and corridors throughout the gaza strip. no mention of a ceasefire, do you think that means it will be acceptable to the united states? nice to be with you. like based on the language that you have just read out, one would hope that because the word ceasefire is no longer in this curre
this latest ceasefire $245 million in aid to help support people fleeing the violence. i m ben thompson. let s start in the uk where the cost of living crisis is showing some tentative signs that it is starting to ease slightly. the latest rate of inflation for the month of april has fallen to 8.7% now that s still very high and above the 8.2% rate that many economists forecast, but still a significant drop compared to the over 10.1% rate we saw last month. double digit inflation that had been in place since august last year all well above the bank of england 2% target hitting a peak at 10.4% in february, before slowly coming down. this latest figure is the sharpest drop since the cost of living crisis began. but growing cost of food still remains very high. as you can see here, food prices increased by 19% in april and havent yet come down from their peak. making it difficult for people to feel better off right now. joining us now is simon french, chief economist at p
suspected of being used for spying which was brought down by an american fighter jet yesterday. the former president of pakistan, general pervez musharraf, has died at the age of 79 following a long illness. hello, welcome to bbc news. iran s supreme leader is pardoning a large number of prisoners, including some of those arrested during the past months of protests. the pardon by ayatollah khamenei comes on the eve of the anniversary of the islamic revolution in 1979 a date on which he regularly offers an amnesty to some prisoners. but the iranian state media says it excludes those facing charges of spying for foreign agencies, murder and bodily harm, as well as the destruction or arson of state property. taraneh stone, from the bbc s persian service, has been giving us more details. the supreme leader has agreed to pardon and commute sentences of tens of people who are imprisoned or who are waiting for sentences. the letter from the judiciary said that a considerable n