by Ben PERRY Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British inflation surged to a new 40-year high in July on soaring food prices, official data showed Wednesday, adding to a cost-of-living crisis as the country faces the prospect of recession. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) accelerated to 10.1 percent last month from 9.4 percent in June — itself a four-decade high — the Office for National Statistics said. The Bank of England […]
Tag: Britain
UK labour shortages see mass of food go to waste
London, United Kingdom (AFP) – More than £60 million ($72 million) worth of food went to waste in Britain in the first half of the year for want of people to pick it, the National Farmers’ Union said Monday. “It’s nothing short of a travesty that quality, nutritious food is being wasted at a time when families across the country are already struggling to make ends meet because of soaring living costs,” said NFU deputy […]
Author Salman Rushdie attacked on stage in New York state
New York, United States | AFP | British author Salman Rushdie, whose writings made him the target of Iranian death threats that forced him into hiding, was attacked on stage Friday in western New York state. Video footage posted on social media showed people rushing to his aid after he was attacked at the event in Chautauqua County, with police confirming a stabbing while declining to immediately identify the victim. “A most horrible event […]
Drought officially declared in several parts of England
London, United Kingdom | AFP | The UK government on Friday officially declared a drought in several parts of England, following months of record low rainfall and unprecedented temperatures in recent weeks. At a meeting of the National Drought Group, the government’s Environment Agency said the “drought trigger threshold had been met” in parts of southwestern, southern, central and eastern England. Drought was last officially declared in England in 2018. The Environment Agency on Friday […]
UK economy closes in on recession
London, United Kingdom | AFP | by Ben PERRY Britain’s economy shrank in the second quarter, official data showed Friday, as the country heads towards recession under a new prime minister. UK gross domestic product dropped 0.1 percent in the April-June period after a rise of 0.8 percent in the first quarter, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement. The Bank of England (BoE) expects the economy to enter a year-long recession by […]
Conjoined twins separated with help of virtual reality in Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AFP) — Conjoined twins born in Brazil with a fused head and brain have been separated in what doctors described Monday as the most complex surgery of its kind, which they prepared for using virtual reality. Arthur and Bernardo Lima were born in 2018 in the state of Roraima in northern Brazil as craniopagus twins, an extremely rare condition in which the siblings are fused at the cranium. Joined at the […]
Shell profit rockets on high oil prices
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British energy giant Shell said Thursday that its net profit soared more than five-fold to $18 billion in the second quarter, fuelled by resurgent oil and gas prices, and rewarded shareholders with another bumper buyback. The surge in profits in the three months to June was partially attributable to a reversal of $4.3 billion in impairments after the company raised its forecasts for the gas and oil market. “We […]
UK PM rivals spar over tax, China in first head-to-head TV debate
by Joe Jackson Agence France-Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain’s two prime ministerial contenders clashed fiercely over tax, China and character on Monday night in their first head-to-head televised debate, as Rishi Sunak seeks to peg back the frontrunner Liz Truss. The primetime debate kicked off a crucial 12-day period featuring three such live TV duels and four husting events in front of Conservative party members who will decide the contest and begin receiving […]
UK inflation hits fresh 40-year high
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British annual inflation surged to a fresh 40-year high in June on rising motor fuel and food prices, official data showed Wednesday, adding to a cost-of-living crisis. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) jumped to 9.4 percent last month from 9.1 percent in May, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement. Analysts said the data put pressure on the Bank of England to raise interest rates by as […]
Europe burns as heatwave breaks temperature records
by Phil HAZLEWOOD with AFP Europe bureaus Agence France-Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — A fierce heatwave in western Europe on Monday left much of the continent wilting under a scorching sun, smashing temperature records and feeding ferocious forest wildfires. In Britain, the 38.1 Celsius (100.9 Fahrenheit) in Suffolk, eastern England, made it the hottest day of the year and the third-hottest day on record. Expectations are now high that the current British record […]
Queen gives UK’s health service top award, praises Covid vaccine rollout
London, United Kingdom (AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE) Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday awarded the George Cross to the state-run National Health Service (NHS) for its work over the past 74 years and praised its Covid-19 vaccine rollout. The George Cross is the highest non-military award for gallantry bestowed by the British government. The queen presented the medal to health leaders from across the UK. They were joined at the ceremony by frontline workers, who nursed the […]
UK PM fires ally and digs in despite calls to quit
by Jitendra JOSHI / James PHEBY Agence France-Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain’s scandal-hit Prime Minister Boris Johnson attempted a rearguard offensive late Wednesday against a cabinet and Conservative party revolt, firing a top ally and vowing to “fight on” despite dozens of government members resigning. The dismissal from the cabinet of Communities Secretary Michael Gove — Johnson’s right-hand-man in Britain’s 2016 Brexit referendum campaign — dramatically showed that the Conservative leader was not […]





