Company made after-tax profits of 20m as wagers rise sharply across industryThe bookmaker Betfred has reported a jump in profits as gamblers' losses mounted after the end of coronavirus restrictions.The gambling company made profits after tax of nearly 20m in the year ending on 25 September 2022, up from just over 5m the year before, according to newly published accounts at Companies House. Continue reading...
The traditional staple is losing the battle with more convenient and cheaper alternative foodsThe Dojima branch of Yoshinoya in Osaka is doing a roaring lunchtime trade. As soon as one diner vacates their counter seat, another takes their place, while staff take just seconds to assemble the next order of the restaurant's trademark dish: gydon.The Observer has joined the rush, ordering a set lunch of seasoned beef and onion on rice, and side dishes of pickled cabbage and miso soup - all for a extremely affordable 632 (3.46). Continue reading...
After years of deepening economic and military mistrust between the superpowers, they were finally back in a room togetherWhen Janet Yellen left Beijing on Sunday after four days of talks, the US treasury secretary in effect admitted that the delegation achieved its main objective simply by sitting down with top Chinese officials.After years of dangerous and deepening separation between the people running the world's two biggest economies, they were finally back in a room together. Continue reading...
Well-known' presenter reportedly accused of paying teenager more than 35,000 for explicit imagesThe BBC should now be given the space" to investigate allegations that an unnamed presenter paid a teenager for sexually explicit images, the culture secretary, Lucy Frazer, has said after holding urgent talks with the broadcaster's director general, Tim Davie.After speaking with him on the phone about the deeply concerning" allegations involving one of the BBC's presenters, she said he had assured her that the BBC are investigating swiftly and sensitively". Continue reading...
Study claims taxpayer is subsidising up to 90% of weapons companies' research and development budgetsThe UK government is wasting billions of pounds of taxpayers' money on corporate welfare" for arms manufacturers that is siphoned into massive shareholder returns, a new report claims.The study, by thinktank Common Wealth, suggests that long-term purchase orders and direct subsidies, which sometimes paid for more than 90% of private defence firms' research and development budgets, were allowing leading defence companies to give billions of pounds to their shareholders. Continue reading...
by Amy Hawkins Senior China correspondent on (#6CTKX)
Conscripts will serve longer in attempt to improve current crop of strawberry soldiers' who bruise too easilyFor many people in Taiwan, the threat of conflict with China is a distant prospect that has been lingering in the air for some seven decades. Concern in the west that the Chinese Communist party, led by Xi Jinping in Beijing, is moving ever closer towards attempting to realise its goal of reunifying" China and Taiwan, by force if necessary, can seem hysterical.The only beneficiary of the increasing tension between China and Taiwan is the US, which is making money from selling arms to Taipei, jokes one resident of Kinmen, a small Taiwanese island a few miles from China's eastern coastline. Continue reading...
Fans of boyband brave heavy rain to gather at Seoul bookshop for Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTSThe K-pop megastars BTS have released their hotly anticipated memoir in South Korea, marking their 10th anniversary as a group.Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS is the group's first official book, and contains a chronological summary of their musical career as well as hints at their future endeavours. Continue reading...
The upcoming action could be averted if consultants received the same offer as junior doctors in ScotlandNHS consultants in England will call off two days of hugely disruptive strike action in hospitals if they are offered the same inflation plus pay deal made to junior doctors in Scotland, the Observer can reveal.In a significant move that puts further pressure on ministers before strikes by junior doctors and consultants south of the border in the coming days, a senior British Medical Association figure said that a 12.4% offer - and commitment to reform the annual pay review process - would be enough to halt the consultant strikes, which are set to take place on 20 and 21 July. Continue reading...
Care Quality Commission finds many services inadequate, needing improvement or shut over safety concernsNearly half of all NHS hospital maternity services covered so far by a national inspection programme have been rated as substandard, the Observer can reveal.The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which regulates health and care providers in England, began its maternity inspection programme last August after the Ockenden review into the Shropshire maternity scandal, which saw 300 babies left dead or brain damaged by inadequate NHS care. Continue reading...
American groups have helped to establish global web who share ideas and funding in bid to restrict gay and trans rightsWhen the US evangelical preacher and anti-LGBTQ+ crusader Scott Lively landed in Uganda in 2009 to warn of the gay agenda", he was arriving after a series of culture-war defeats at home.More and more US states were recognizing same-sex marriage, and opinion polls were showing fewer and fewer Americans objected. Lively was there to offer Uganda's lawmakers some advice on how to drum up outrage. Emphasize the issue of the homosexual recruitment of children," he advised. Continue reading...
Former ministers could have their pensions docked, Angela Rayner will say in speech on broken' standards systemFormer government ministers will be fined or have their pensions docked if they breach tough new rules on lobbying, to be proposed by Labour this week.In a major speech on cleaning up politics, Labour's deputy leader and shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Angela Rayner, will spell out plans to end the revolving door" culture that currently allows ministers to switch from government posts into lucrative lobbying roles related to their former ministerial responsibilities. Continue reading...
by Michael Savage, Carmen Aguilar García and Pamela on (#6CTHD)
Shocking figures gathered by the Observer show social care provision is dictated by money, not needNew children's care homes are being disproportionately placed in cheaper and more deprived parts of England, according to an Observer investigation. .Over the past five years the number of children's care homes located in areas with the cheapest house sale prices has risen almost three times faster than in the most expensive places. Among the regions with big increases in homes was the north-west, including in parts of Blackpool and Burnley and other northern cities such as Bradford. Children's services directors warned that the trends were driven by the blatant profiteering" of private care providers, targeting cheap housing and local labour. Continue reading...
UK capital as huge generator of wealth' under threat as a third of visual artists struggle to pay for studiosWhat makes Britain's capital city so magnetic? Familiar landmarks? The nightlife? Or its financial, fashion and art trades? Maybe. But behind the glamour and money a network of artists is giving London the crucial appeal of a place where new things happen, while working on the edge of poverty.A survey released on 13 July is to reveal just how close many of London's visual artists are to giving up on a career that has pushed them to the bottom of the pile. Close to a third of those asked said lack of funds might force them out within five years. And just under half said they cannot afford to build savings or pay into a pension plan. Continue reading...
Action could be directed at Rishi Sunak's keynote speech, seen as vital in run-up to general election campaignTeachers are preparing to target Rishi Sunak's make-or-break Tory conference speech with strike action this autumn, amid growing cabinet support for a compromise to end months of public sector walkouts.Should ministers fail to support a deal that would hand teachers a 6.5% increase this year, all major teaching unions in England are increasingly confident that their members will back more strikes when the new school year begins. Continue reading...
La Jornada said the body of Luis Martin Sanchez Iniguez was found on the outskirts of Tepic, capital of the coastal stateA journalist from Mexican national newspaper La Jornada has been found dead in the Pacific coast state of Nayarit, the publication has said.La Jornada reported on Saturday the body of Luis Martin Sanchez Iniguez was found on the outskirts of the state capital, Tepic. Continue reading...
British broadcaster says it will continue to provide impartial news after being accused by Bashar al-Assad's government of politicised coverageSyria's information ministry says it has cancelled the accreditation of two local journalists working for the BBC, accusing the British broadcaster of false" and politicised" coverage.The accreditations of an unidentified correspondent and a camera operator had been revoked following subjective and false information and reports" on Syria, the ministry said on its website on Saturday. It described other BBC reports as politicised". Continue reading...
Energy security secretary Grant Shapps will this week outline plans for Britain's atomic power's renaissance and 2050 emissions commitmentIn London's Science Museum sit full-size turbine engines that tell the story of 300 years of steam power. This week, the museum will play host to the government's dreams for a new industrial renaissance - this time for nuclear energy.The secretary of state for energy security and net zero, Grant Shapps, has chosen the venue to set out his ambitions for the UK's nuclear programme. He is expected to illuminate the path towards the government's existing commitment to build 24 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity - the equivalent of a quarter of Britain's total generating capacity - by 2050. Continue reading...
76-year-old pays touching tribute to audience as he performs final date of huge tour in SwedenSir Elton John has told his fans they will remain in his head, heart and soul" as he closed the final show of his big farewell tour in Sweden in spectacular fashion.The 76-year-old has been travelling around the globe performing his Farewell Yellow Brick Road show since 2018, and his second night at the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm finally brought the 330-date run to a close. Continue reading...
Dozens more injured in state notorious for political violence during polls to elect local leadersAt least seven people were killed and dozens more injured in India after clashes over local polls in West Bengal, a state notorious for political violence during election campaigns.India's ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) has in recent years worked hard to gain a toehold in West Bengal - ruled by a Communist party for much of its history - to expand its reach beyond its Hindi-speaking northern heartlands. Continue reading...
Annual rally in memory of Adama Traore went ahead despite being banned in the Val-d'Oise and the French capitalSeveral hundred protesters gathered in central Paris on Saturday despite an official ban - many wearing T-shirts printed with Justice for Adama", in honour of Adama Traore, a 24-year-old black man who died in police custody in 2016.Demonstrations were organised in an estimated 30 other towns and cities, including Marseille, Nantes and Strasbourg, and were described as citizens' marches of grief and anger" following the police shooting of a 17-year-old youth 10 days ago. Continue reading...
Mother of Azra Kemal, 24, says celebratory tweet on day of her daughter's death was horrendous'A woman has criticised Kent police for sharing a tweet congratulating themselves for quickly identifying her daughter's dead body, above a gif showing characters from the film Top Gun.In the tweet, posted on the day Azra Kemal, 24, died after falling from a dual carriageway bridge, police praised themselves for identifying a deceased person within about 90 minutes" of arriving at the scene, above a gif showing the film characters Maverick and Goose high-fiving. Continue reading...
The megastar behind Rocketman and Your Song to call time on more than 50 years of live performanceSir Elton John will hold what he has described as his final farewell show" in Sweden this weekend as his tour comes to an end.The megastar played his last UK date at Glastonbury festival last month and will bring the tour to an end on Saturday at the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm. Continue reading...
Keir Starmer's party believes it can topple Conservative rural strongholds as it competes with the Liberal Democrats in North YorkshireLabour is throwing the kitchen sink" at claiming the Conservative stronghold of Selby and Ainsty, amid growing optimism that it can pull off a shock win that would show its progress in Tory-held rural seats.The North Yorkshire constituency, which was recently vacated by Boris Johnson ally Nigel Adams, returned a majority of more than 20,000 for the Tories at the last election. Labour had been targeting a strong second place in the seat, to fend off claims that only the Liberal Democrats can take on the Tories in their heartlands. Continue reading...
Call for high fees to be scrapped as church marriages fall by half in England and Wales between 1999 and 2019High fees are putting church weddings beyond the reach of many couples and should be scrapped or set at a nominal amount, according to clergy in one of the most deprived areas of England.Marriage fees, which can be as high as 641, are a contributory factor to the decline in church weddings, they claim. A proposal to be debated this week at the Church of England's ruling body, the General Synod, calls for fees to be abolished or reduced to a minimal amount in order to demonstrate the church's commitment to marriage and pastoral care". Continue reading...
Northamptonshire force says technology adds extra layer of security' at Silverstone for F1 racePolice are using live facial recognition (LFR) to scan the faces of people attending the British Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend.Northamptonshire police were deploying the technology on Saturday and Sunday to provide an extra layer of security" at the Formula One race, which 450,000 people were expected to attend, the force said. Continue reading...
Luke D'Wit, 33, due to appear in court over deaths of Stephen and Carol Baxter on Mersea IslandA man has been charged with murdering a husband and wife who were found dead in Essex on Easter Sunday.Luke D'Wit, 33, has been charged with two counts of murder after Stephen Baxter, 61, and Carol Baxter, 64, were found dead at their home in Victory Road, on Mersea Island, near Colchester, at about 1.30pm on 9 April, Essex police said. Continue reading...
A musical tradition has more weight than ever as Estonia looks hard at its neighbour Russia following its invasion of UkraineAarne Saluveer recalls the time his cult Estonian rock band, Karavan, was invited to perform in Moscow in the 1980s, on condition they sang in Russian. We were on a roll, performing 250 concerts a year. We refused the Soviet authorities' request. Estonian and English only, we said, knowing that if we relented we'd lose our sense of self because if the music doesn't come from your heart, you die."Four decades on he is no less steadfast, but has swapped his keyboard and vocals to conduct more than 23,000 young choristers at Estonia's Laulupida youth song and dance festival in the capital Tallinn. The event, where Estonian choirs gather to sing the country's folk songs, is a key expression of the Baltic state's identity, and in the late 1980s played a vital part in bringing down communism when crowds took part in the country's singing revolution". Continue reading...
Heavy rain likely to disrupt Wimbledon and muggy weather, for which warning remains in placeThunderstorms are forecast to disrupt the first weekend of this year's Wimbledon after a yellow heat-health warning was issued for the weekend.Temperatures could peak at about 30C (86F) on Saturday, with the weather expected to be humid and muggy before fresher conditions arrive next week, the Met Office said. Continue reading...
Workers at Ivy Collection claim move offsets gains made from UK minimum wage riseWorkers at a chain of restaurants spun out of London celebrity haunt the Ivy say they are losing out after the company cut their share of the service charge paid by diners when the legal minimum wage rose in April.The Ivy Collection, which operates nearly 40 restaurants in the UK and Ireland, pays all waiters, chefs, some managers and support staff in its outlets the legal minimum wage of 10.42 for over-23s plus an hourly commission" rate graded to their position and location. Continue reading...
by Patrick Butler Social policy editor on (#6CT28)
This week's headlines about a pool in the home of the late fundraiser's daughter have left the foundation far from where it began in the public's affectionsLess than two years ago, the Captain Tom Foundation was, in its own mind at least, on the brink of becoming a new British philanthropic force. The achievements of the eponymous war veteran, Covid fundraiser extraordinaire, were still fresh, and his family had grand plans for the charity that would bear his name.Captain Sir Tom Moore, who died in 2021 aged 100, had become a symbol of altruism and generosity after his sponsored 100-lap walk round his garden in April 2020 caught the world's imagination and raised 38m for NHS charities. He became a national treasure and was knighted. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Staff angry after charity apparently mishandled allegation against man in charge of one of its lifeboatsThe RNLI has been accused of sexism and misogyny for its apparent mishandling of a sexual misconduct allegation against a man in charge of one of its lifeboats.A staff member in the south-east of England was initially not suspended while being investigated for inappropriate behaviour, which he denies. Continue reading...
Porch piracy' increase put down to people returning to offices and fallout from Royal Mail strikesOnline shoppers are being advised to opt for named-day delivery services, or consider collecting their package, in the wake of a surge in doorstep parcel thefts. The problems are being blamed on the fallout from the Royal Mail strike, and the return to the office.The number of claims for missing parcels jumped by 59% in the year to June compared with the previous 12 months, according to figures from the technology firm Metapack. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Pacifist composer's intimate 1943 jail letter best Tippett discovery for 50 years'He was one of the greatest British composers of the 20th century and a staunch pacifist who spent two months in Wormwood Scrubs as a conscientious objector to the second world war.Now a previously unpublished letter written by Sir Michael Tippett in 1943 from his prison cell has been discovered and donated to the British Library. Continue reading...
US Treasury secretary says Beijing could have greater global impact if it worked with global climate institutionsUS Treasury secretary Janet Yellen has pressed China to do more to support international climate institutions that are helping finance green initiatives around the world, urging deeper cooperation in addressing the existential threat" of global heating.Climate finance should be targeted efficiently and effectively," Yellen said on Saturday in Beijing during a meeting with Chinese and international sustainable finance experts. I believe that if China were to support existing multilateral climate institutions like the Green Climate Fund and the Climate Investment Funds alongside us and other donor governments, we could have a greater impact than we do today." Continue reading...
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