Apple farmers struggle amid rising costs, grower says
Adam Fradgley Apple growers were being hit by increased energy and other costs, Ali Capper said Apple farmers are going out of business because they are not getting a fair price during the cost-of-living crisis, a grower said. Ali Capper, an apple and hops grower and former NFU horticulture board chair, said it was clear […]
Will Covid-19 speed up the use of robots to replace human workers?
Getty Images As a pandemic grips the world, a person could be forgiven if they had forgotten about another threat to humanity’s way of life – the rise of robots. For better or worse the robots are going to replace many humans in their jobs, analysts say, and the coronavirus outbreak is speeding up the […]
Camera tech catches motorists using their mobiles
Cameras which can spot motorists using their phones while driving have been officially rolled in New South Wales, Australia. The company behind the technology says the system is capable of working in day or night, in all weather conditions and automatically filters out the majority of people who are driving correctly. Those caught face fines […]
Chemical Brothers to headline Bristol event
Luke Dyson The Chemical Brothers will headline the festibal The biggest music festival to ever take place in Bristol has been announced for this summer. Forwards, a new event on the city’s Downs green space, will have a capacity of 60,000 over two days. The festival in September will be headlined by The Chemical Brothers […]
Final call to save the world from ‘climate catastrophe’
Climate change: How 1.5C could change the world It’s the final call, say scientists, in the most extensive warning yet on the risks of rising global temperatures. Keeping to the preferred target of 1.5C above pre-industrial levels will mean “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society”. It will be hugely expensive – […]
Tokyo 2020 Olympics organisers test snow machine to beat the heat
Japan tests spraying fake snow to tackle the summer heat ahead of the Olympics It was 25C (77F) in Tokyo, but snow fell in well-ordered flurries at a canoeing event in the Japanese capital. It wasn’t freak weather, but the latest innovation being tested by 2020 Olympics organisers hoping to keep spectators cool and comfortable […]
Gatwick Airport drone chaos: Can I get compensation?
EPA Passengers whose travel plans continue to be disrupted at Gatwick after the runway was closed for 36 hours are facing extra costs from rearranged flights, car parking and hotels. Although the circumstances that caused the disruption – drones flown around the runway – are unusual, there are still specific rights for air travellers. Will […]
Hampshire Police crack down on excessive motorbike noise
Police are checking motorbikes for illegally modified exhausts which cause excessive noise levels. Hampshire Constabulary have received several complaints regarding bikes disrupting the peace, sometimes during the early hours. The legal noise limit for motorcycles is between 73 and 77 decibels but after seven roadside operations in the Meon Valley, officers issued 95 tickets. The […]
Filter out ‘unverified’ accounts, tech giants told
Getty Images Social networks should let people hide posts and messages from accounts without a verified owner, the government has proposed. If passed, the government’s online safety bill would force large social networks such as Facebook to let people filter out unverified accounts. How to verify a user’s identity would be up to the social […]
Millions struggling to pay phone and internet bills
Getty Images Many face difficult choices between essential goods and paying the bills About 4.7 million households struggled to afford their telecoms bills this year, with more than a million having to cut back on items such as food and clothes in order to pay. It comes as the coronavirus pandemic has an impact on […]