A sharp fall in demand for groceries, as pubs and restaurants reopened to indoor customers, has driven a decline in retail sales volumes. The Office for National Statistics charted a surprise 1.4% fall in retail sales between April and May. Economists had predicted growth of 1.6% on the back of a 9% surge the previous
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Originally published on NRDC Expert Blog.By Sarah Dougherty, Tom Zimpleman, & Gabriel Daly G7 leaders met in the UK last week, and climate was high on the agenda, as it must be. One of the areas of agreement among the leaders of the world’s largest economies might seem new but has been in the works for years: mandatory
A live rock festival seems at odds with the government’s decision to delay lifting restrictions, but that’s exactly what’s happening from today as Download Pilot takes place in Donington Park. It is the latest test aimed at gathering data on how live events impact the spread of coronavirus. But for some it will be too
Two women have told Sky News they were left feeling ashamed and suicidal after explicit videos of them were posted on the world’s biggest online porn website – they claim without their consent. In a legal case filed in the US, more than 30 women have accused MindGeek, the parent company of Pornhub, of profiting
Edwin Poots has resigned as leader of the DUP after less than a month in the post. Mr Poots is standing down following an internal revolt against him but will stay in post until a successor is elected. Speaking on Thursday evening Mr Poots said: “I have asked the Party Chairman to commence an electoral
The UK’s economy will bounce back to pre-COVID levels by the end of 2021 despite the end of lockdown being delayed, the CBI has forecast – a year earlier than expected. However, the business group has warned of devastation for some still-closed sectors if they are not given more support. The CBI has upgraded its
NHS chief Sir Simon Stevens has failed to confirm he has confidence in Matt Hancock. Asked repeatedly if, having worked alongside the health secretary during the pandemic, he has confidence in his ability, Sir Simon refused to give Mr Hancock his support. Pressed on whether the health secretary is hopeless, the NHS boss smirks after
Welcome to Backstage, the film and TV podcast from Sky News. This week Claire Gregory and Stevie Wong are joined by Chris Robertson from the Sky News entertainment team. Subscribe to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker We discuss In The Heights, the new Lin Manuel Miranda musical, and hear from
Could you quickly explain how geothermal energy works, and where it is particularly useful? Geothermal heating and cooling is done by using a heat pump to move heat between the ground and a home or building. The term ‘heat pump’ may be unfamiliar, but heat pumps are actually ubiquitous in modern life: refrigerators are heat
Over the next few weeks, a company called Kernel will begin sending dozens of customers across the US a $50,000 (roughly Rs. 37 lakhs) helmet that can, crudely speaking, read their mind. Weighing a couple of pounds each, the helmets contain nests of sensors and other electronics that measure and analyse a brain’s electrical impulses and
The first astronauts arrived at China’s new space station on Thursday in the country’s longest crewed mission to date, a landmark step in establishing Beijing as a major space power. The trio blasted off on a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan launch centre in northwest China’s Gobi desert, and their craft docked at the
The executions of two inmates have been blocked by a US court, who ruled they must get the choice to die by firing squad. The South Carolina supreme court halted the executions of Brad Sigmon and Freddie Owens, ruling that officials needed to put together a firing squad to give them the option of how
A US national holiday commemorating the end of slavery is due to be signed into law by President Biden after it received overwhelming backing. Representatives voted by 415-14 to make 19 June, known as Juneteenth, a federal holiday, while the Senate passed the bill unanimously. Mr Biden is expected to add his signature at the
The work of Enid Blyton has been linked to “racism and xenophobia” in updated blue plaque information by English Heritage. The charity’s blue plaque scheme, which has seen more than 950 commemorative plaques placed in and around London, shows visitors where important people in history have lived and worked. Blyton’s has been placed at her
John with Tesla Owners of Silicon Valley shared some interesting Tesla Solar news for those who plan to take a loan to install it. He discovered that Tesla has launched better rates on solar loans. Previously, the loan option was for a 20-year plan with 10% down and 5.99% APR. Recently, Tesla made the loan
Researchers in Australia have developed a new technology that uses infrared imaging to allow people to see clearly in the dark. These ultra-thin films could one day turn regular spectacles into night-vision goggles and also revolutionise several sectors, such as autonomous vehicle navigation, optical tomography, and food quality control. The film is thinner than human
Indian actress Priyanka Chopra, US footballer Megan Rapinoe and transgender model Valentina Sampaio have joined Victoria’s Secret as the embattled lingerie company undergoes a “dramatic shift”. Known for its famous annual fashion show featuring some of the biggest names in the modelling world – including Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum, Tyra Banks
Under bright-blue morning skies, China launched its first crewed space mission in five years Thursday, sending three science-minded military pilots rocketing to a new orbiting station they’re expected to reach around midafternoon. The astronauts, already wearing their spacesuits, were seen off by space officials, other uniformed military personnel and a crowd of children waving flowers
The first “murder hornet” discovered in the US this year has been found north of Seattle. The dead Asian giant hornet, which was found in Snohomish County, appears to be unrelated to findings in Canada and Whatcom County along the Canadian border in 2019 and 2020. The insects are two inches (about 5cm) long, are
Four social media influencers have been rebuked by regulators for repeatedly failing to disclose advertising on their accounts. Chloe Ferry, Chloe Khan, Jodie Marsh and Lucy Mecklenburgh are the first to be named by the Advertising Standards Agency on a dedicated webpage. The ASA contacted each of them with a request for assurances that clear