Comparing the UK economy with its pre-pandemic size has become an almost totemic way of highlighting its sluggish performance post-COVID. It has certainly been a gift for Opposition politicians and in particular when – in September last year – the Office for National Statistics (ONS) produced evidence that the UK was the only economy in
Month: September 2023
Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson have donated $10m (£7.9m) to a Maui relief fund they’ve created, to help those affected by deadly wildfires in Hawaii. The Hollywood stars say donations for the People’s Fund Of Maui will be sent “directly” to residents who are trying to rebuild their homes following the fires, which have killed
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled in Hong Kong and the neighbouring Chinese province of Guangdong ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Saola. Schools, businesses and financial markets have closed as the area prepares for the storm, which has winds of up to 125mph (200kph). Three tropical cyclones have formed in the northwest Pacific Ocean
The government has finally published a list of schools identified with collapse-prone concrete after days of mounting pressure. The list published by the Department for Education showed 19 schools where the start of term has had to be delayed as a result of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). Four schools had to open remotely while
NASA has found a new crater on the moon likely caused by the impact of a Russian spacecraft that crashed last month. Luna-25, a robot lander, met its untimely end as it looked to touch down on the lunar surface’s south pole. Russia had hoped it would spend a year collecting samples of rock and
Shooter video game Call Of Duty has started using AI to listen out for hate speech during online matches. Publisher Activision said the moderation tool, which uses machine learning technology, would be able to identify discriminatory language and harassment in real time. Machine learning is what allows AI to learn and adapt on the fly
Taking aspirin every day could lower the type 2 diabetes risk among people over 65, a study suggests. It found a 15% reduction in the condition and a slower rate of increase in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels – the preferred method for diagnosing diabetes. The results came after a 100mg daily dose was given
More than a million lives have been saved over the last four decades in the UK due to advances in cancer care, analysis from Cancer Research UK has shown. Since the mid-1980s, UK cancer deaths have fallen by around a quarter, but if the rates had remained the same more than 1.2 million people would
Not all schools impacted by concrete safety fears have been contacted and it is not clear how many will have to shut fully, a minister has admitted. Schools minister Nick Gibb said in most cases “just a few buildings” or rooms within the affected schools will have to shut but “in some cases it will
A former YouTuber who gave online parenting advice has been arrested on suspicion of aggravated child abuse after two of her children were found to be malnourished. Ruby Franke, whose now defunct 8 Passengers channel followed her family, was arrested on Wednesday in Utah and taken into custody. Franke’s 12-year-old son had climbed out of a