Monday newspaper round-up: Twitter, power prices, Channel 5, National Grid

(Sharecast News) - Twitter is relaunching its subscription service on Monday, offering users verified status for $8 (£6.50) a month or $11 a month on their iPhone. The move follows a botched revamp of the service last month that resulted in a host of impersonator accounts appearing on the platform as some users took advantage of the chance to launch bogus "verified" accounts for major companies and public figures. - Guardian UK power prices have hit record levels as an icy cold snap and a fall in supplies of electricity generated by wind power have combined to push up wholesale costs. The day-ahead price for power for delivery on Monday reached a record £675 a megawatt-hour on the Epex Spot SE exchange. The price for power at 5-6pm, typically around the time of peak power demand each day, passed an all-time high of £2,586 a megawatt-hour. - Guardian

Channel 5 is spearheading a bid to scupper longer television ad breaks on ITV over concerns the move would hand its rival a £150m revenue boost. Regulator Ofcom is reviewing whether to relax limits on advert breaks for public service broadcasters from an average of seven to nine minutes per hour to reflect growing competition from streaming services. - Telegraph

WhatsApp is threatened with a shut down in Britain as ministers press ahead with plans to require easier access to messages for police and MI5, the messaging app has warned. Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp at Meta, which also owns Facebook and Instagram, told The Telegraph he was prepared to see the app blocked for British smartphone users rather than weaken its security. - Telegraph

National Grid has triggered emergency plans to fire up old coal plants as cold, still weather sparked fears of a supply shortage this evening. The company responsible for keeping the lights on has instructed two coal-fired units at Drax power plant in Yorkshire to be warmed up ready for potential usage today. - The Times

The privately owned company behind Octopus Energy has ambitious plans to go into what it calls "the death business" after buying a majority stake in a start-up that helps people to plan for their demise. Octopus Group is taking majority control of Guardian Angel, which was set up to help people to get their affairs in good order ahead of dying. The London-based business sells services such as will-writing, lasting powers of attorney and life assurance, as well as helping relatives to connect with undertakers and to tackle financial questions and bereavement problems after death. - The Times