Top-scoring supermarket fizz costs less than half of the price of its prestigious competitorMoney might be tight this Christmas but there is good news for champagne lovers after much cheaper supermarket own brands fared better than the prestigious French label Veuve Clicquot in a quaff test.The Co-op's Les Pionniers champagne received the top score of 85% in a blind taste test conducted by Which? with the 22.75-a-bottle bubbly wowing the panel with its smoky notes" and smooth creaminess". Continue reading...
NS&I, Shawbrook and Tandem among providers to make reductions amid flurry of such movesSavers have been urged to act quickly if they want to get the best returns on their money after a flurry of interest rate cuts on top-paying accounts.This week NS&I reduced the rate it offers on its three-year green bonds from 5.7% to 3.95%, while Shawbrook, Tandem and Ford Money were among other providers making cuts. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6GFHX)
Harmful habits are worsening public health, says report, as groups urge crackdown on irresponsible' industriesFirms are earning 52.7bn a year from UK sales of tobacco, junk food and excessive alcohol, and their consumption is contributing to Britain's rising tide of illness, a report says.The figures prompted a coalition of health, medical and children's organisations to demand an urgent crackdown on the irresponsible behaviour of health-harming industries".NHS hospitals admit 2.5 million patients a year for treatment of diseases directly linked to being overweight (1.02 million), drinking (980,000) or smoking (506,000).About 459,000 people cannot work because they are too ill to do so as a result of their smoking (289,000), alcohol consumption (99,000) or being morbidly obese, with a body mass index over 40 (70,000).People who smoke or drink at harmful levels are more likely to be jobless and earn less than those who do not - a wage penalty" for their unhealthy lifestyles.That wage penalty, together with unemployment and lost productivity due to smoking, drinking and obesity, costs the UK 31bn a year. Continue reading...
US gathering of Pacific Rim leaders most notable for meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, seen as a sign of easing China-US relationsPacific Rim leaders have shown divisions over the wars in Ukraine and Gaza after a two-day summit of the Apec forum, while pledging support for reform of the World Trade Organization.The 21 economies that make up the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum - among them Russia, China, the US and Australia - did not mention either conflict in their final joint communique. Instead an accompanying chair's statement noted the bloc had exchanged views on the ongoing crisis in Gaza". Continue reading...
Meloni's party is pleased by the appointment but Pietrangelo Buttafuoco has surprised before - not least by adopting IslamWhen Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, the incoming new president of the Venice Biennale, was once asked in an interview whether he was a fascist, the Italian rightwing journalist and public intellectual replied: I am not a fascist. I am something else."After Buttafuoco was this week officially nominated to lead the oldest and largest cultural exhibition in the world, it is not just the artists, actors, architects, film-makers, dancers and musicians whose work will be shown at the coming biennales' six events who are asking themselves what exactly that something else" may be. Continue reading...
Local authorities fear service cuts or even bankruptcy as costs jump from 400m to 700m in five yearsSoaring costs of school transport for children with special educational needs is causing councils in England to warn of service cuts and potential insolvency, according to local authority leaders.The County Council Network (CCN), which represents mainly rural local authorities in England, says its 37 members are spending more than 700m a year on school transport for 85,000 children with special education needs and disabilities (Send), compared with less than 400m five years ago. Continue reading...
Settlement to their mutual satisfaction' announced in a statement released on Friday evening without details being disclosedSean Diddy" Combs and singer Cassie said on Friday that they have settled a lawsuit containing allegations of beatings and abuse by the music producer.Combs, a hip-hop icon and the founder of Bad Boy Records, was accused of rape and abuse in a major lawsuit filed by Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, that alleges he used his powerful network to keep her trapped in a violent relationship with him. Continue reading...
Shopping mall ceiling collapse among reported damage after earthquake of 6.7 magnitude hits Mindanao regionThe death toll from a strong earthquake off the southern Philippines rose to five on Saturday as authorities reported more casualties across two provinces.The 6.7-magnitude quake that struck the Mindanao region mid-afternoon on Friday caused part of a shopping mall ceiling to collapse, triggered power cuts and sent people fleeing into the streets. Continue reading...
Two parties, KMT and TPP, are trying to decide which should field candidate for president and which for vice-presidentA potential joint ticket for Taiwan's presidency by the two main opposition parties was in disarray after the smaller of the two said no consensus had been reached on how to use opinion polls to make that decision.After weeks of sometimes acrimonious talks on joining up for the presidential election, the Kuomintang (KMT) and the much smaller Taiwan People's party (TPP) agreed on Wednesday to look at an aggregate of opinion polls to decide which party's candidate would run as president and which as vice-president. Continue reading...
Exclusive: New foreign secretary to say UK has moral mission' to help world's poor in white paperDavid Cameron is marking his return to frontline politics by saying he wants to unlock billions of dollars for foreign aid over the next decade, as part of a moral mission" to help the world's poorest people.In a remarkable change of tone for a government that closed the Department for International Development and slashed the foreign aid budget, the former prime minister is to say he wants to push for the restoration of aid's status in British foreign policy. Continue reading...
Party leader's comment prompted by predecessor refusing to say if Hamas are terrorists on Piers Morgan TV showKeir Starmer has said Jeremy Corbyn's days as a Labour MP are over" after the former party leader repeatedly refused to call Hamas a terrorist organisation.Starmer said his predecessor, who lost the party whip in 2020, would not stand as a Labour MP at the next election or any election". Continue reading...
Police search for suspect after shooting outside Islamic Center of Rhode Island in Providence, state's capital cityA man reportedly selling Muslim goods outside a mosque in Rhode Island's capital city was shot and wounded late on Friday morning, the local police chief said, prompting authorities to increase patrols in the area as they look for a suspect and a motive in the attack.The shooting at the Islamic Center of Rhode Island in Providence occurred amid reported increases in Islamophobia and antisemitism across the US after war between Israel and Hamas erupted last month. But police would not immediately discuss whether they were focusing on any specific, possible reasons for the shooting. Continue reading...
MP Brandon Lewis will be paid 250,000 a year by LetterOne, investment group 49% owned by two oligarchsThe former Conservative party chair, Brandon Lewis, will be paid 250,000 a year to advise a company part-owned by two Russian oligarchs with sanctions placed against them.The job at LetterOne, an investment group 49% owned by Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven, is Lewis's fifth on top of his role as an MP, and his total earnings will come to almost 500,000 a year. Continue reading...
Dale Houghton taunted Sunderland fans with picture on his phone of young supporter who died in 2017A football supporter who mocked Sunderland fans with a photograph of mascot Bradley Lowery, who died from cancer aged six, has been given a suspended sentence as the judge described his actions as utterly appalling" and disgraceful".Dale Houghton, 32, taunted Sunderland fans with a picture of Lowery on his phone during a match against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough Stadium in September. Continue reading...
Sofia Tereshchenko, Anastasiia Feskova, and Anastasiia Demchenko awarded 2023 International Children's Peace prizeThree Ukrainian teenagers who developed apps for children who have fled war have been awarded this year's International Children's Peace prize at a ceremony in London.Sofia Tereshchenko, 18, Anastasiia Feskova, 17, and Anastasiia Demchenko, 17, were awarded the prize for developing a pair of apps for refugee children. Continue reading...
Labour condemns vile abuse' against MPs and staff after criticism of party's stance on Israel-Hamas war Israel-Hamas war - live updatesLabour MPs have voiced concern about their safety and condemned the vile abuse" against them and their staff as pro-Palestine protesters targeted their offices after criticism of the party's stance on the Israel-Hamas war.More than 100 pro-Palestine events are due to take place across the UK this weekend, but there will be no large-scale national march in London. Continue reading...
Births to older mothers have increased in recent years as average ages for childbirth and IVF treatment also riseIt is an age when many are starting to enjoy the freedom of having older children - or their childfree choices - and using their spare time to get back to the gym, go on date nights and worry about their pensions. But, according to the Office for National Statistics, a growing number of women and their partners are choosing to enter the fray of newborn parenting in midlife.According to Guardian analysis of the figures, there was a 15% rise in the number of women giving birth in England after hitting 50 between 2016- 2018 and 2019-2021. The figures reveal that in the 2019-2021 period seven women over the age of 60 gave birth - with two of them over the age of 65. Continue reading...
Prime minister says he will do whatever it takes' as senior Tory criticises former home secretary's hardline proposalsDowning Street has not ruled out asking MPs to spend some of what is meant to be their Christmas break dealing with the PM's emergency legislation" on Rwanda.This is one proposal made by Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, in her Telegraph article this morning. (See 10.01am.)I think we are prepared to do whatever is necessary to ensure that we can get this in place and get flights off the ground.I wouldn't speculate on parliamentary process but I cannot impress [enough] the importance that the prime minister places on this necessary legislation to deliver for the public on the important priority of stopping the boats.Sunak suggested he would blame Labour if the Lords refuses to pass his emergency legislation" on Rwanda (see 11.40am) quickly. Asked if he would call an early election if the Lords block the law, he replied:It doesn't have to take a long time to get legislation through - and that is a question for the Labour party.We're determined to get this through as quickly as possible. So the real question is: is the Labour party going to stand in the way and stop this from happening, or are they going to work with us and support this bill so we can get it through as quickly as possible?Sunak declined to say whether favoured holding an early election on the issue of Rwanda deportations if his bill got held up. Earlier today Sir Simon Clarke suggested this. (See 10.56am.) But, for obvious reasons, the prospect might not appeal.Sunak claimed he was making real progress" on stopping small boats. He said:I think people just want the problem fixed. That's what I'm here to do, and this year, we've already got the numbers down by a third.That's because I've got new deals with the French, a new deal with Albania. We're working with Turkey and Bulgaria, multiple other countries. We're tackling the criminal gangs, we're cutting through the backlog.Sunak said he would take on" people trying to stop Rwanda flights taking over, whether it was Labour or the House of Lords. He said:We can pass these laws in parliament that will give us the powers and the tools we need. Then we can get the flights off and whether it's the House of Lords or the Labour party standing in our way I will take them on because I want to get this thing done and I want to stop the boats.He said his patience was wearing thin" with this issue. He said:People are sick of this merry-go-round. I want to end it - my patience is wearing thin like everyone else's. Continue reading...
FCA censures former FTSE 100 company but stops short of a fine as no funds are expected to be leftThe financial watchdog has found that collapsed hospital operator NMC Health committed market abuse by understating its debts by as much as $4bn (3.2bn).The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) censured the former FTSE 100 company on Friday for misleading the market but stopped short of fining it as no funds are expected to be left at the business once outstanding debts to creditors are paid out. Continue reading...
The acclaimed author of novels including Possession and The Children's Book, has died, her publisher has confirmedThe writer and critic AS Byatt, who explored family, myth and narrative in a career spanning six decades, has died aged 87. Her publisher Chatto & Windus confirmed that she died peacefully at home surrounded by close family.Dame Antonia Susan Duffy, who wrote under the name AS Byatt, authored complex and critically acclaimed novels, including the Booker prize-winning Possession and her examination of artistic creation, The Children's Book. Over her career, she won a swathe of literary awards, from the Booker to a Chevalier of France's Order of Arts and Letters. Continue reading...
by Nick Evershed, Andy Ball and Adam Morton on (#6GEZ5)
La Nina, invasive grass and land management practices are all factors in the larger-than-average bushfires that have burned an area bigger than Spain. This interactive map shows the total area burned, overlaid on different capital citiesHuge bushfires have burned a significant amount of northern Australia in recent months, with the collective area burned larger than many countries, including Spain.Experts say the massive fires are primarily due to a higher-than-average fuel load built up over the recent wet La Nina years, with an invasive grass species also contributing to more intense burns. Continue reading...
People in Calais and Dunkirk may die due to lack of shelter and sanitation, NGOs tell government officialsTwelve organisations working with asylum seekers in northern France have warned French government officials of a catastrophic situation" as large numbers of people try to survive in insanitary conditions while they wait for a change in the weather so they can try to cross the Channel to the UK.The warning is contained in a letter to French government officials signed by NGOs including L'Auberge des Migrants, Calais Food Collective, Medecins du Monde Nord Littoral, Utopia 56 and Le Secours Catholique delegation du Pas de Calais. Continue reading...
by Ben Doherty in Sydney and Sarah Basford Canales in on (#6GETA)
David McBride claimed leak of classified material detailing alleged war crimes in Afghanistan was in public interestAn Australian military whistleblower who leaked classified material detailing alleged war crimes committed by special forces soldiers has pleaded guilty to stealing and sharing secret information.David McBride gave a trove of military documents to journalists at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) because, prosecutors said, he was concerned about what he believed was the over-investigation" of troops over alleged war crimes. Continue reading...
Building society benefits from high interest rates, with half-year profits increasing to 1.3bnNationwide has warned that mortgage arrears are rising as the building society reported increased profits on the back of higher interest rates.Higher borrowing costs after the Bank of England raised interest rates 14 times since the end of 2021 have caused financial pain for some mortgage holders while benefiting savers. Continue reading...
Directive punishes most serious cases of environmental damage, including habitat loss and illegal loggingThe European Union has become the first international body to criminalise widescale environmental damage comparable to ecocide".Late on Thursday, lawmakers agreed an update to the bloc's environmental crime directive punishing the most serious cases of ecosystem destruction, including habitat loss and illegal logging, with tougher penalties. Continue reading...
The jab, given every two months, has been offered on a non-profit basis, but it can't compete with a cheap daily HIV-prevention pillThe South African health department says the reduced cost of a new anti-HIV injection is still three times more than it can afford to pay.The UK-based drug company ViiV Healthcare has lowered the price from 729 rand per shot (32) to between 540 and 570 rand (23.66-24.97). Continue reading...
Shameful' class pay gap is even worse for women from poorer upbringings, according to analysis by Social Mobility FoundationPeople from working-class backgrounds employed in professional careers earn 6,000 less compared to those from other backgrounds in the same jobs, findings from the Social Mobility Foundation show, underscoring the UK's shameful" class pay gap.Professionals from poorer upbringings face an average salary of 45,437 - 12% lower than the 51,728 for people from more affluent origins - in research based on quarterly Labour Force Surveys from 2014 to 2022. Continue reading...
by Sarah Basford Canales and Christopher Knaus on (#6GENH)
ACT supreme court upholds commonwealth's claim that release of some documents could jeopardise security and defence of Australia'Whistleblower David McBride has pleaded guilty to three charges after an ACT supreme court upheld a commonwealth intervention to withhold key evidence it deemed as having the potential to jeopardise the security and defence of Australia" if released.Originally facing five charges, the former military lawyer pleaded guilty in the ACT supreme court on Friday afternoon to three offences, including stealing commonwealth information and passing that on to journalists at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Continue reading...
Body of Ismael Villagomez found in a car as the Committee to Protect Journalists calls for the killing to be investigatedA photographer for a newspaper in the notoriously violent Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez was found shot dead in the driver's seat of a car, prosecutors said, in the fifth killing of a journalist in the country so far in 2023.The body of Ismael Villagomez was found just after midnight Thursday. The newspaper he worked for, the Heraldo de Juarez, said the news photographer was found dead in a car that he had registered to use for work for a ride-hailing app. In Mexico, many journalists take work outside the profession to pay the bills. Continue reading...
At least 38 injured in the blaze at Yongju coal mine company in Lyuliang City, north China's Shanxi province.A fire that erupted in the office of a coal company in northern China has killed 26 people, state media said on Thursday, the latest in a series of deadly accidents in the coal industry.At least 38 people were injured in the blaze, which broke out at the four-storey Yongju Coal Industry Joint Building in the country's top coal-producing hub of Shanxi. Calls to the company by the Reuters news agency were not answered. Continue reading...
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