Top-selling mobile games breaking rules on loot boxes
Getty Images The most popular mobile games in the UK are being advertised without disclosing they contain loot boxes – random in-game purchases which critics say are “exploitative” and “foster addiction”. The regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), says it bans and removes ads which fail to make the clear whether or not a game […]
Consett mother faces £1,000 bill to keep daughter walking
BBC Amelie’s syndrome was diagnosed two years after birth and affects her development and mobility A mother faces a bill of more than £1,000 per year to maintain vital equipment for her daughter who has a rare disorder. Kayley Burns, from Consett, County Durham, had already fundraised £20,000 to buy the Innowalk device, which is […]
NHS needs better plan around weight loss jabs, warn experts
An urgent review is needed to make sure people in England can get weight loss jabs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro on the NHS, top experts warn. It comes a day after the prime minister said such injections could boost Britain’s economy by getting obese unemployed people “back into work”. More than 200 doctors and […]
US temporarily bans drones in parts of New Jersey and New York
US aviation authorities have banned the use of drones in 22 infrastructure sites in New Jersey and another 29 in New York state for 30 days after a spike in drone sightings in the eastern US. The measures allow the government to use “deadly force” against unmanned aircraft if they pose an “imminent security threat”. […]
Flies, rats and hush money
BBC / Jon Parker Lee George and Mandy are among the residents who refused to sign an NDA agreement and can speak about the Runcorn incinerator “We have been inundated with flies, rats, smell, noise. It’s just been horrendous,” says Mandy Royle, who lives in the closest home to the UK’s biggest waste incinerator at […]
Mark Zuckerberg dines with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago
Getty Images Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg has visited Donald Trump at his resort in Mar-a-Lago, further evidence of the apparent thawing in their once frosty relations. The president-elect already has a close, high-profile relationship with another of the leading figures in tech, X owner Elon Musk. Historically, though, there has been no such closeness between […]
Birmingham Michelin-starred Purnell’s restaurant closes
Claire Lishman PR Glynn Purnell said he was proud of his restaurant A Michelin-starred restaurant in Birmingham, which became famous for its contemporary seasonal food, has closed. Glynn Purnell, who opened Purnell’s in July 2007, said he was “heartbroken”, but also proud of what he achieved. The restaurant earned its Michelin star in 2008 and […]
What are they and how are they graded?
Getty Images The government has confirmed it will scrap more than 200 vocational qualifications, including BTecs. BTec qualifications are A-level equivalents, aimed at people interested in working in a particular industry, such as engineering, hospitality or childcare. What are BTec Firsts and BTec Nationals? A BTec, which stands for the Business and Technology Education Council, […]
Hornsea restaurant charging upfront due to ‘dine and dash’
A restaurant owner in East Yorkshire is asking customers to pay for meals upfront after a spate of “dine and dash” incidents. The phrase refers to customers who leave without paying for their food and drink. Racha Nassif, from Cloud 9 in Hornsea, said they decided to charge people upfront after five or six incidents. […]
Contactless passengers able to apply for refunds
Transport for London (TfL) customers who use a contactless card or a mobile device to pay for journeys can now claim refunds for delays, after the online service was disabled following a cyber attack in September. Customers can also access their journey history online for the first time in three months. It comes as systems […]