Shoppers dwindle in high street
PA The Welsh Retail Consortium said there was “unprecedented change” in the retail industry Shopping centres were hit particularly badly with a 5.9% drop in the 15th consecutive month to see a fall. “These figures continue to place considerable pressure on retailers at a time of huge uncertainty,” said Sara Jones, head of policy. But […]
Lidl bottom of recyclable packaging survey, says Which?
Getty Images Up to a third of plastic packaging used in supermarkets is either difficult to recycle or not recyclable at all, a consumer group has said. Consumer group Which? said that of 27 own-brand items at 10 big supermarkets, Lidl had the lowest proportion of easily recyclable packaging. However Lidl said the survey did […]
Alibaba fires woman who claimed sexual assault
Reuters A dismissal letter said she had spread falsehoods that had damaged the company’s reputation Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba has fired a woman who said a colleague and a client had sexually assaulted her. The dismissal letter said she had spread falsehoods that had damaged the company’s reputation. The employee went public with her allegations […]
Government’s £600m package for school sport part of Lionesses ‘legacy’
According to Football Association figures, only 67% of all schools and 41% of secondary schools offer football equally to girls in PE lessons, and only 46% of schools provide the same extracurricular opportunities as boys. The funding package will encompass both school sport and after-school activities, while an additional £57m will be made available to […]
Facebook expels alt-right figurehead
Getty Images A speech by Mr Spencer on the University of Florida’s campus proved controversial in 2017 Facebook has banned the American white nationalist who popularised the term “alternative right”. Richard Spencer’s page on the social network was removed on Friday along with two other pages he controlled: that of his National Policy Institute think […]
How your home could generate, store and sell energy
Adam Courtney Adam Courtney generates and stores his own electricity to power his electric cars As we move towards renewables in our efforts to decarbonise our economies, energy storage is becoming increasingly important. Could householders become an integral part of national electricity networks? When Adam Courtney decided he wanted to reduce the energy bills at […]
UK has ‘massive problem’ with confident women
John Paul Pietrus Alexandra Burke has battled more than her fair share of criticism in the last year – something she says is partly down to the way confidence is perceived in the UK. There’s every reason for Alexandra to feel on top of the world. The 2008 X Factor winner is fresh off the […]
Preston pub selling meals for a penny to meet rules
Andy Macdonald The Ships and Giggles pub in Preston was told it could not offer free meals A pub that offered free food during tier three coronavirus restrictions is selling meals for just a penny after being threatened with closure. Andy Macdonald, owner of the Ships and Giggles in Preston, Lancashire, said he made the […]
The guardians of Peru’s potato park
Andes The farmers in Peru’s potato park are breeding climate-resilient potato varieties (Credit: Andes) From potatoes to quinoa, many of our favourite foods are at risk from threats like climate change and disease. The “seed guardians” of Potato Park in the Andes are hoping to change that. The potatoes that grow in the Andes of […]
A woman’s murder in Peking and a literary feud
WERNER On a cold January evening in 1937, the 19-year-old adopted daughter of a former British diplomat in China left her friends, got on her bike and rode to her death. Her murder sent shockwaves through Beijing – then known as Peking – but arguments about the gruesome, unsolved crime echo to this day. WARNING: […]