Author: BBC

Ministers must act to ensure Britain’s public broadcasting landscape does not become a thing of the past, the BBC’s chairman is to warn.Dr Samir Shah is expected to say “the fight is on” for the future of public service broadcasting in his first major speech since taking the role.Dr Shah will say public service broadcasters like the BBC are a “very British success story” when he speaks to a group of TV industry figures in Leeds on Tuesday.But amid the rise of streaming, Dr Shah, who became chairman in March, will warn: “Action is needed now to future-proof public service…

The regulator says a merger between Vodafone and Three could go ahead – if both companies make price promises for consumers and commit to boosting the UK’s 5G rollout.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had previously said that creating what would be the country’s biggest mobile network could drive up prices and harm competition.But it has now provisionally concluded those concerns could be addressed – and the merger could proceed – if the firms agree to its proposed remedies. A Vodafone spokesperson said both companies would need to study the CMA’s proposal more closely but believed on first impressions it…

Getty ImagesThe government has announced plans to make it illegal to smoke in children’s playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals in England, with some places also becoming vape-free.In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is already an offence to smoke on NHS hospital grounds.The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would also make it impossible for anyone currently aged 15 or under to buy cigarettes – something the previous government had planned – and give more powers to restrict vape flavours, displays and packaging.A ban on the sale of single-use disposable vapes from next June in England and Wales has already been…

ReutersBoeing workers have voted to accept the aviation giant’s latest pay offer, ending a damaging seven-week-long walkout.Under the new contract, they will get a 38% pay rise over the next four years.Striking workers can start returning to their jobs as early as Wednesday, or as late as 12 November, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) union says.The walkout by around 30,000 Boeing workers started on 13 September, leading to a dramatic slowdown at the plane maker’s factories and deepening a crisis at the company.IAM said 59% of striking workers voted in favour of the new deal, which…

Flash flooding hit some areas around Barcelona, less than a week after devastating floods in Valencia.It comes as Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) placed part of the north-eastern Catalonia region on red alert for torrential rain, with its capital experiencing flooding on Monday morning.Video shows a flooded terminal inside El Prat airport and partially submerged cars on a highway.

Quincy Jones, musician and producer who worked with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and many others, has died at the age of 91.Over his career that spanned more than 75 years, he won 28 Grammy awards and was named as one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century by Time magazine.In an interview with BBC Newsnight in 2016, the legendary music producer spoke about growing up in Chicago and his friendship with stars like musician David Bowie and artist Pablo Picasso.

Julie BolthouseJulie Bolthouse is opposing new data centre planning applications in Northern VirginiaEnvironmental campaigner Julie Bolthouse points out that Northern Virginia has the world’s largest concentration of data centres. This is not something she is thrilled about.“We’re the Wall Street of the data centre industry,” says Ms Bolthouse, who is a director of local Virginian charity and campaign group Piedmont Environmental Council.Data centres are vast warehouses that house stacks of computers that store and process data used by websites, companies and governments.Northern Virginia, the northern region of the state of Virginia, has been a key location for data centres since…

Getty ImagesA new campaign by the NHS in England is encouraging people who experience the first sign of a stroke not to delay calling 999, after analysis of calls made in the last year showed the average time to do so was nearly an hour and a half. England’s most senior doctor says stroke symptoms might not appear obvious or dramatic, but they are always a reason to act quickly.About 100,000 people have a stroke each year in the UK and more than a third die from related issues, making it the fourth biggest cause of death in the UK.The…

Getty ImagesThe testing will determine Primark’s quality and durability guidelines Cheap clothes have outperformed more expensive garments in durability testing conducted for the discount fashion industry.The University of Leeds has worked with retailer Primark to test items such as jeans and T-shirts to set “standards” on how long clothing should last.The university’s school of design assessed 65 products, and found a £15 pair of women’s jeans to be more durable than their £150 equivalent.Primark will incorporate the findings of the study into its guidelines and the chain said it hoped the results would help give customers better value for their…

ReutersAs she voted Maia Sandu warned Moldovans that “thieves” were trying to buy their vote and their countryMoldovans are going to the polls in the second round run-off of a presidential election seen as a choice between a European future or a return to Russian influence.Pro-European President Maia Sandu faces Alexandr Stoianoglo, a man she fired as chief prosecutor, who has promised to balance foreign policy between the West and Russia and has the backing of the pro-Russian Party of Socialists. Sandu and Moldova’s authorities have warned that a fugitive oligarch now based in Russia is trying to buy the…