Bake Off pushed me to rely on Jesus, says winner Jasmine
Great British Bake Off champion Jasmine Mitchell, 23, has shared how her Christian faith sustained her throughout the high-pressure competition. The youngest-ever contestant to win ‘Star Baker’ five times, Jasmine said that she leaned heavily on prayer: 'Walking to the tent, I would just pray the Lord’s Prayer in my head. It didn’t take away the stress, but I felt God walking beside me.' Balancing filming with her medical studies, she described the experience as a 'complete miracle' of God’s sustaining grace. She also spoke openly about her journey with alopecia, saying she once prayed for her hair to return, but realised God’s healing meant becoming whole and confident in who He made her to be. Her church community has been a constant encouragement, quietly sharing her bakes and supporting her faith-filled journey. 'God has healed me to make me more whole’, she said, 'and I’m learning to see myself the way He sees me.'
Train knife attacks: ‘hero’ LNER worker saved many lives
Train company LNER has praised employee Samir 'Sam' Zitouni, 48, for his extraordinary bravery during a mass stabbing on a 6.25pm service from Doncaster to King’s Cross. Samir, a customer host with over 20 years’ service, was critically injured while intervening to protect passengers. CCTV footage confirmed his heroic actions saved many lives. British Transport police described his response as 'nothing short of heroic’. LNER managing director David Horne said, 'In a moment of crisis, Sam did not hesitate to protect those around him. We are so proud of him and continue to support his family.' Samir’s relatives expressed deep gratitude for the outpouring of love, calling him 'a hero - he’s always been a hero to us’. The suspect, Anthony Williams, 32, has been charged with eleven counts of attempted murder in connection with this and related knife attacks across Cambridgeshire and London. Prayers continue for Samir’s full recovery and for those traumatised by the violence.
Police hunt for two men mistakenly released from prison
Police are searching for two inmates who were wrongly released from Wandsworth Prison within days of each other. Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, 24, an Algerian convicted sex offender, was mistakenly freed on 29 October, and 35-year-old William Smith, a convicted fraudster, on 3 November. The incidents have triggered fierce criticism of justice secretary David Lammy, who recently pledged to tighten controls after another mistaken release in Essex. Kaddour-Cherif, who overstayed a visa issued in 2019, was on the sex offenders’ register for five years, while Smith had received a 45-month sentence for multiple fraud offences but was wrongly recorded as having a suspended sentence. The ministry of justice has ordered an independent inquiry to uncover the causes of repeated failures. Prison officers report widespread confusion, overcrowding, and low morale at Wandsworth. The police are continuing the manhunt for both men, amid growing concern over the integrity of the UK’s prison system.
Chancellor lays the ground for a 1970s-style tax increase
Rachel Reeves has indicated she is willing to break Labour’s election pledges by raising income tax for the first time in half a century, prioritising what she called 'the national interest over political expediency.' Addressing reporters in Downing Street, Reeves warned that 'we will all have to contribute' to stabilise the economy and repair a £30 billion deficit. She is considering a 2p increase in income tax coupled with a 2p cut in national insurance, shifting the burden from workers to pensioners and landlords. The proposal, expected to raise £6 billion annually, has divided Labour MPs: some warn it risks alienating voters, while others praise Reeves for taking tough, necessary decisions. Critics from the Conservatives and Reform UK accuse her of breaking promises and 'hammering working people’. Reeves insisted she will not walk away, saying she was appointed to turn Britain’s economy around and will finish the job despite political risk.
