Author: BBC

Shop sales in the UK unexpectedly fell in the run up to Christmas due to a “very poor month” for food being sold in supermarkets.Sales fell by 0.3% in December, according to official figures, well below expectations of a 0.4% rise.Food sales sank to their lowest level for over 10 years, but clothing shops and department stores saw a boost in trade.The pound slipped to $1.21 from $1.22 following the figures. The shock data will add to concerns over the health of the UK economy.Economists said the figures capped off a “disappointing” end to 2024 for the retail sector, in…

Apple has suspended a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that drew criticism and complaints for making repeated mistakes in its summaries of news headlines. The tech giant had been facing mounting pressure to withdraw the service, which sent notifications that appeared to come from within news organisations’ apps. “We are working on improvements and will make them available in a future software update,” an Apple spokesperson said.The BBC was among the groups to complain, after an alert generated by Apple’s AI falsely told some readers that Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had shot himself.The…

MARTIN MCQUADE / BBCAmarjit Kaur and Mandip Singh Matharoo’s daughter Asees was stillborn in January 2024The deaths of at least 56 babies, and two mothers, at an NHS trust over the past five years may have been prevented, the BBC has found.The two maternity units at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTH) NHS Trust are rated “good” by England’s healthcare regulator, but two whistleblowers have told the BBC they believe the units are unsafe.Separate data shows Leeds has the highest neonatal mortality rate in the UK.Bereaved parents say they are concerned that the trust’s chief executive during the period most of…

PA MediaFormer Hollyoaks actor Paul Danan, who was also known for reality TV shows like Celebrity Love Island and Celebrity Big Brother, has died at the age of 46.Danan’s management company said he was “known for his television presence, exceptional talent and unwavering kindness”, and had been “a beacon of light to so many”.Paying tribute, former EastEnders actor Michael Greco remembered him as “a genuine and caring man”.Calum Best, who fronted an ITV2 series with Danan in 2006, paid tribute to him as “one of the funniest, kindest, and most real people” he has ever known and a “creative genius”.Danan…

Getty ImagesThe UK economy grew for the first time in three months, driven in part by a boost in trade for pubs, restaurants and the construction industry.Official figures showed an expansion of 0.1% after the economy shrank in each of the two previous months.The return to growth will be a welcome sign for the government after recent turbulence in financial markets sent its borrowing costs to the highest level for several years and the value of the pound fell.But the figure was lower than economists had expected, with declines in manufacturing and business rentals and leasing.Chancellor Rachel Reeves reiterated her…

Getty ImagesPornographic websites operating in the UK have been told they must introduce “robust” age-checking techniques – such as demanding photo ID or running credit card checks – by July, or face enforcement action.The long-awaited guidance, issued by regulator Ofcom, has been made under the Online Safety Act (OSA), and is intended to prevent children from easily accessing pornography online.Research indicates the average at which young people first see explicit material online in the UK is 13 – with many being exposed to it much earlier.”For too long, many online services which allow porn and other harmful material have ignored…

Getty ImagesPatients are dying in corridors and pregnant women are miscarrying in side rooms as overwhelmed hospitals struggle to cope, nurses say.The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said evidence provided by more than 5,000 of its members across the UK this winter also showed cupboards, car parks, bathrooms and nursing stations were being turned into makeshift areas for patients.Nurses warned such practices put patients at risk as staff were unable to access vital equipment such as oxygen, heart monitors and suction equipment, and did not have the time and space to provide CPR.Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he agreed the…

Getty ImagesDrake is one of the best-selling artists of the last decadeRap superstar Drake is suing Universal Music Group (UMG) for defamation and harassment, over its release of the Kendrick Lamar diss track Not Like Us last year.The song, which formed part of a furious back and forth between the two stars, accused Drake and his entourage of being “certified paedophiles” who should “be registered and placed on neighbourhood watch”.In papers filed in New York, Drake’s lawyers accused the record label of launching “a campaign to create a viral hit” out of a song that made the “false factual allegation…

Getty ImagesUK inflation unexpectedly dipped in December for the first time in three months as hotel prices fell and tobacco costs eased.Prices rose 2.5% in the year to December, down from 2.6% the month before, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.Despite the rate of price rises remaining above the Bank of England’s target, expectations of an interest rates cut next month have grown.The latest figures also ease pressure Chancellor Rachel Reeves who has faced criticism following a slump in the value of the pound and government borrowing costs hitting the highest level for several years.UK borrowing costs eased early…

The US markets watchdog has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk alleging he failed to disclose that he had amassed a stake in Twitter, allowing him to buy shares at “artificially low prices.”The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawsuit alleges that the multi-billionaire Tesla boss saved $150m (£123m) in share purchases as a result.According to SEC rules, investors whose holdings surpass 5% have 10 days to report that they have crossed that threshold. Musk did so 21 days after the purchase, the filing says.In a social media post, Musk called the SEC a “totally broken organisation.”He also accused the regulator…