Image copyright Getty Images The new sugar tax on soft drinks has raised £153.8m since it was introduced in April, the government has said. The figure, which covers the period to the end of October, means the tax is on track to raise the estimated proceeds of £240m for the full year. The new tax …
Image copyright Getty Images A Quebec father has launched a class-action lawsuit against McDonald’s, alleging the company’s Happy Meals break strict provincial laws against advertising to children. Since its debut in 1979, the Happy Meal has been a staple of McDonald’s menu and a go-to meal option on family road trips. But some Canadian parents …
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Hancock building (pictured left of centre with two large antenna masts) is the city’s fourth tallest People trapped in a falling lift in the US city of Chicago thought they were going to die as they plummeted 84 floors to the ground. Six people, including a pregnant woman, …
Image copyright Getty Images A firm that claims to be one of the biggest travel insurance providers in the UK is facing two investigations into its conduct. Travel Insurance Facilities (TIF) – which sells through the High Street chain Boots – is being accused of failing to provide proper care to policyholders. According to an …
Image copyright PA Image caption Migrant workers in the English grape harvest: Many send money home to support their families’ education Migrant workers in the UK, many in low-paid jobs, are sending £8bn a year to support families in their home countries, says a report from the United Nations’ education agency. This is often used …
Image copyright SpaceX Elon Musk has changed the name of his forthcoming passenger spaceship from Big Falcon Rocket (BFR) to Starship. The entrepreneur would not reveal why he had renamed the craft, which has not yet been built, but added its rocket booster will be called Super Heavy. In September, Mr Musk’s SpaceX company announced …
Image copyright AFP Image caption Are consumers shunning the looks embodied by Victoria’s Secret angels? The owner of Victoria’s Secret has named a new chief executive of the lingerie chain in its latest attempt to revive the company’s fortunes. John Mehas, president of luxury fashion house Tory Burch, will take over in early 2019, replacing …
Image copyright PA Fears of Brexit disruption have failed to deter passengers from booking flights next summer with EasyJet. Bookings were “promising” and slightly ahead of summer this year, with half its seats sold for the first half of 2019, the airline said. Pre-tax profits soared 41% to £578m for the year to 30 September. …
Image copyright Getty Images Just how many hours do you need to work to be officially classified as “employed”? Steve Garner, a sociologist, recently tweeted about how his son had repeatedly turned up to work at a warehouse only to be regularly told he wasn’t needed. Skip Twitter post by @SteveGarner5 My son’s new job: …
Image copyright Getty Images It’s time for that seasonal debate once again: Are so-called Black Friday bargains all they are cracked up to be? Research from the consumer group Which? suggests that most products are actually cheaper at other times of year. But the website Trusted Reviews said that Black Friday can indeed be the …