Fauci hearing painful, but Covid-19 origins need answers
Despite congressional hearings, understanding of Covid-19 origins remains elusive. A Stanford professor argues for humility and a transparent investigation.
Category : Policy
Burnham: Government must win back farmers' trust
Andy Burnham says the Government has a 'long way to go' to rebuild trust with farmers as he unveils a £65m package to combat drought impacts.
Bangor gets £1m to reinvent dog poo-hit high street
Bangor in Gwynedd is to receive £654,000 from a £1m Welsh Government fund to revitalise its high street, which locals say is 'covered in dog poo'.
Banning water firm dividends could save families £58 a year
New analysis claims bringing water companies under public control as not-for-profit co-operatives could save households £58 a year, with further savings possible from lower borrowing costs.
Nail gel TPO ban: what you need to know from Aug 15
Great Britain bans TPO in new cosmetic products from August 15, 2026. Gel manicures continue as salons use existing stock until it runs out.
Disposable Barbecue Ban Enforced Amid UK Tinderbox Conditions
A temporary ban on disposable barbecues has come into force across England, Wales and Scotland, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham warning that Britain is a 'tinderbox'.
Zelenskyy warns Egypt of food threat from Russian strikes
Ukraine's President Zelenskyy has warned Egypt that Russian strikes in the Black Sea threaten global food supplies, urging international action to protect grain exports.
Afghanistan's crisis deepens as women's rights are erased
Five years after the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan faces a severe humanitarian and economic crisis, with women systematically erased from public life and millions facing acute food insecurity.
Northumberland planning: pub cannon move, data centre
Northumberland council considers 13 planning applications, including a data centre screening opinion in Cambois and relocation of a listed cannon at The Joiners Arms in Morpeth.
Burnham announces £65m support for drought-hit farmers
Prime Minister Andy Burnham will announce £65m in funding and new measures to help English farmers cope with drought, including extra SFI money and reservoir support.
Hornchurch fire: 100 firefighters tackle grass blaze
Nearly 100 firefighters and 14 engines are battling a grass fire at Hornchurch Country Park, with smoke visible for miles and residents urged to keep windows closed.
GST Deal with WA Called Worst Policy Decision
The Productivity Commission's review of the 2018 GST deal says it's costly, unfair, and should be reversed, but no government action is expected.
Thames Water to restart desalination plant after drought
Thames Water plans to restart its Beckton desalination plant by year-end, but it won't be ready until winter, long after the current drought likely passes. The plant, which has run only five times in 15 years, has cost £500m.
WRU urged to publish evidence behind three-region decision
Columnist Dylan Jones-Evans calls on the WRU to publish the option appraisal behind its decision to cut professional regions from four to three, citing transparency concerns.
UK bans disposable barbecues in drought crackdown
Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government has banned the sale of disposable barbecues across all UK retailers, including supermarkets and online stores, following an emergency Cobra meeting amid drought and wildfires.
Temporary ban on disposable barbecues amid heatwave
The Government has issued a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues, citing a 'significant risk to the public' due to heatwave conditions.
Disposable barbecues temporarily banned over wildfire risk
The government has temporarily banned the sale of disposable barbecues, citing a 'significant risk to the public' amid heatwave conditions and wildfires across the UK.
Three home upgrades to keep your house cool next summer
The Energy Saving Trust recommends three upgrades—insulation, solar film, and air-to-air heat pumps—to reduce overheating and keep homes cooler next summer.
Scottish Water urges end to anti-social behaviour at reservoirs
Scottish Water urges people in Lanarkshire to stop anti-social behaviour at reservoirs after cases of littering, unattended fires, felled trees and human waste.
Major step forward for restoration of Everton Library
Specialist contractors are being appointed to assess the condition of Everton Library, a grade II listed building closed since 1999, to develop a repair programme and secure its long-term future.
Stourbridge fire: 20-30 homes destroyed, 100 firefighters battle
Up to 30 homes have been destroyed in a massive fire in Stourbridge, with more than 100 firefighters tackling the blaze and 54 people treated by paramedics.
UK households to benefit from £45 electricity VAT cut
VAT on household electricity bills will be cut from 5% to 0% on October 1, 2026, saving the average home about £45 a year, but savings vary by usage and gas is excluded.
Free TV Licences for Pensioners: Government Considers New Concessions
The government is considering new TV licence concessions for pensioners, potentially including free licences, as part of the BBC Charter Review. Minister Ian Murray confirmed no existing concessions will be removed.
Three home changes to keep your house cooler next summer
Energy Saving Trust suggests insulation, solar film, and air-to-air heat pumps to keep homes cooler next summer, as UK heatwaves become more frequent.
Widow Left with Nothing After Partner Dies: Legal Reform Urged
Selina Flavius lost her partner Ray in 2022 and was left with no legal rights or access to funds. She urges reform of cohabitation laws as consultation ends.
Burnham's migrant plan to intensify opposition
Andy Burnham's asylum dispersal plan will intensify opposition rather than ease the burden, as Middle England reacts to camps in villages like Piddington and Linton-on-Ouse.
UK households to benefit from £45 October 1 cut but be aware
The government will cut VAT on household electricity bills from 5% to 0% from October 1, 2026, saving the average household about £45 a year, but the cut does not apply to gas.
Baking Soda Hack for Better Tinned Tomatoes
A pinch of baking soda can eliminate the bitter, metallic taste of tinned tomatoes by counteracting acidity, according to Food Republic experts.
HMRC to auto-enrol taxpayers into MTD from September
HMRC will automatically sign up eligible taxpayers for Making Tax Digital from September, after over 436,000 met the first quarterly deadline in August.
DWP PIP decision-making trial set for national expansion
The DWP's Transformed Decision Making pilot for PIP, which shifts decisions from health professionals to case managers, may be rolled out nationally before a full evaluation, documents suggest.
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