The Standard

It’s been two months since the disastrous mini-Budget masterminded by Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng.They'd hoped it would boost growth, but the announcement actually sent the money markets spiralling after multi-billion-pound losses for the Treasury were revealed.Now, its true impact has been revealed in new Bank of England mortgage borrowing data - but what does 2023 hold for homebuyers?Insight with ES business editor Jonathan Prynn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The biggest dinosaur ever discovered will have its likeness put on display at London’s Natural History Museum.So, how did this 101-million-year-old fearsome vegetarian arrive in the capital?It’s actually a youngster in archaeology terms after being dug up in Patagonia in 2010, and is now on loan to London from colleagues in Argentina.At 37 metres long and 5m tall, the Titanosaur dwarfs the NHM's previous largest sauropod, much-loved Dippy the diplodocus.Patagotitan mayorum - its Latin name - is also 12m longer than Hope, the blue whale skeleton on display in the museum’s Hintze Hall.In fact, it was so big that a researcher was seen noticeably shorter when photographed laying next to the dinosaur's half-ton thigh bone.Now, the titanosaur will take up residence in the Waterhouse Gallery, with 280 original bones cast from the Patagonia dig.The Leader speaks with Sinéad Marron, the Natural History Museum’s Titanosaur exhibition lead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the Royal Shakespeare Company’s My Neighbour Totoro, adapted by Studio Ghibli, worth a stage at the Barbican? Production design wizardry shifts two dimensional puppetry to 3D in nods to the Hayao Miyazaki’s joyous 1988 Japanese fantasy animation. Plus, the on-stage 12-legged cat bus, floppy chickens and “soot sprites”...Also up for discussion is Superhigh Resolution at the Soho Theatre, a hard-hitting and timely tale about the state of the NHS.The Evening Standard’s chief theatre critic Nick Curtis joins culture editor, Nancy Durrant, to review two more shows from London’s stages.Part 1: My Neighbour Totoro at the Barbican-What is My Neighbour Totoro about?-The consoling figure from the forest, but does the play lack jeopardy?-The puppets – the most ‘chickeny chickens’ on the WestEnd ever, puppeteers, direction and cast-The music score, sung in Japanese and English, by Joe Hisashi-Was the show too long, and was the acting any good?-The floating cat that isn’t neuteredPart 2: Superhigh Resolution at the Soho Theatre-The bang up to the minute story of a junior NHS doctor-Why it’s reminiscent of Tennessee Williams’s style-Why it’s an important, sometimes funny, but tough watch-Why you shouldn’t go Christmas shopping after watching the show-Jasmine Blackborow’s ‘deeply affecting’ central performance-The brilliant ingenious and simple set, entirely made by hospital curtains – by Andrew EdwardsWhat to watch in London right now? Well, this is your Theatre Review from the Evening Standard.For all the latest visit www.standard.co.uk/culture Find us on Twitter #TheLeaderPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wil Harris is the CEO of Unbound, a digital publisher with ambitions to disrupt an industry he says is almost unchanged in hundreds of years.Unbound uses a crowdfunding model to finance the publication of books.This is taken from our business podcast How to be a CEO, you can hear the full episode here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nurses will go on strike for two days next month as part of a major escalation in a dispute over pay. Dozens of trusts will see nurses walk out on 15th and 20th December. It’s a tricky time of year for the NHS at the best of times but the RCN say they’ve been left with no alternative.The Evening Standard’s Health Reporter, Daniel Keane, discusses the potential impact and how we reached this point. In part two, Ross Lydall, our City Hall Editor and Transport Editor, speaks to Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, about his decision to expand the Ultra Low Emissions Zone to cover all of the capital. From next summer, drivers of the most polluting cars will have to pay £12.50 a day to enter the Greater London Authority boundary. As a result, an estimated five million Londoners will breathe cleaner air.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s that time of year again… Black Friday is upon us. Research suggests that an extra £500 million is expected to be spent during the sales. The question is though, how do you know if you’re really bagging yourself a bargain? Also, the Royal Mail strikes have started and are set to continue into tomorrow. How will this impact deliveries and with action also announced for December, should we reconsider using the post for the foreseeable? Ellie Davis, the Evening Standard’s Shopping Editor gives you her top tips and the deals to look out for all the way through to Cyber Monday.  In part two, we speak to Ricky McAuley from Royal Mail about the strikes and how much disruption people should prepare for in December. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, says the next national election will be a de facto vote on Scottish independence after the Supreme Court’s landmark decision on indyref2. The UK’s highest court concluded that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to hold a second independence referendum. It’s a defining moment for the union, establishing a constitutional precedent with ripple effects that could be felt for years to come.Tristan Kirk, the Evening Standard’s Courts Correspondent, explains how the Supreme Court reached its decision. In part two, our Deputy Political Editor, David Bond, examines the political fallout from this landmark ruling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For those on the breadline - this Christmas will be a harrowing time of rising food prices, escalating fuel costs and little thought about what’s under the tree.The Evening Standard and our sister paper the Independent, are joining forces with Comic Relief, to raise as much as we can to help those struggling in this cost of living crisis. David Cohen, the Evening Standard’s Campaigns Editor and Samir Patel, CEO of Comic Relief explain how you can help via our Christmas cost of living appeal. We also hear stories directly from families who are facing devastating choices such as “heat or eat” this winter.Donate to the On The Breadline campaign here: https://www.comicrelief.com/on-the-breadline Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A 6-2 win for England, a last minute armband u-turn, and continued controversy over human rights. As the World Cup in Qatar is underway, our Senior News Correspondent Anthony France describes the atmosphere at the tournament, and explains how fans have responded to the controversies around it. Plus Robbie de Santos from Stonewall discusses the concerns for the LGBTQ+ community at home and at the event, and Rothna Begum Senior Researcher at Human Rights Watch discusses the issues migrant workers have faced in the country. In this episode:How have fans in Qatar reacted to the armbands U-turn?Why it’s difficult for LGBTQ+ fans to enjoy this World CupShould countries boycott controversial events?How migrant workers in Qatar have faced abuse and exploitationWhy the families of workers who have died deserve compensationFollow us on Twitter #TheLeaderPodcast  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world’s longest-running show, The Mousetrap, by Agatha Christie, celebrates 70 years, and the “untraditional” new musical 'From Here to Eternity' – with music that could leave you “tapping your feet”.This week, chief theatre critic Nick Curtis is joined by Nick Clark, deputy culture editor, to unpick two more shows from London.Part 1: From Here to Eternity, the musical by Tim Rice and Stuart Brayson - The Charing Cross TheatreFrom Here to Eternity, the story set around the time of Pearl HarbourWhy it’s an untraditional musical and not based on the filmThe intimacy of using Charing Cross Theatre, the production, the staging, and bringing the audience inside the storyWhy it’s all about the music and not all about the performancesDoes the show lack jeopardy?Which male cast member looks “like a love child of Benedict Cumberbatch and Will Poulter”?Part 2: Celebrating 70 years of The Mousetrap – St. Martin’s Lane TheatreMarking 70 years of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap – the world’s longest-running showWhat The Mousetrap is about and the “Cluedo” characters2022: The marketing, the history, selfies and “adding a knowing wink to the audience”How Christie underestimated the length of time the play would actually runThe cultural phenomenon of The Mousetrap and surviving Covid 19Can you even review The Mousetrap?How radical Agatha’s writing is and why those who enjoy Poirot would really enjoy this playWhich Broadway show does The Mousetrap beat in longevity?What show should you see this Christmas?Well, this is your weekly Theatre Review from the Evening Standard.Visit standard.co.uk/culture or find us on Twitter #TheLeaderPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.