Author: BBC

Thames Water has received multiple bids for the struggling business which has warned that it could run out of cash by next year.Castle Water, a Scottish utility firm co-owned by Conservative Party treasurer Graham Edwards, is understood to have made an offer for Thames Water ahead of a deadline for potential investors on Thursday, 5 December.Infrastructure investor Covalis, supported by French firm Suez, had also reportedly thrown its hat in the ring, in a deal which could lead to the break-up of the debt-ridden water giant.Thames is the UK’s biggest water company and one in four people in the UK…

BBCAngryginge13, real name Morgan, has amassed millions of followers across his social accountsOne of the UK’s most popular streamers says it’s getting harder for newcomers to make a name for themselves online.Morgan Burtwistle, better known as Angry Ginge, has gained millions of followers since launching his account in 2020 and is best know for playing football game EA FC.He tells BBC Newsbeat the space is getting more “saturated” as carving out a career online is seen as a money-making option.”More people are trying to do it. Growing up, people now want to be footballers or content creators”, he says.Today’s top…

GettyThe price of Bitcoin has for the first time broken past the $100,000 mark, hitting a new record high.The value of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency has been boosted by hopes US President-elect Donald Trump will adopt crypto-friendly policies. The milestone was reached hours after Trump said he would nominate former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) commissioner Paul Atkins to run the Wall Street regulator.Mr Atkins is seen as being far more pro-cryptocurrency than the current head of the SEC, Gary Gensler.The $100,000 milestone prompted celebrations from cryptocurrency fans around the world.Bitcoin’s wildly fluctuating value has always attracted interest, with its…

Getty ImagesA new weight-loss jab will be rolled out on the NHS in England – but it could take 12 years for everyone to receive it, the NHS drugs advisory body says.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) final draft guidance on Mounjaro has recommended it starts being given from March, alongside advice on diet and exercise.It will be offered to people with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 35 and at least one obesity-related health problem – potentially 3.4 million people.But because of concerns it could overwhelm services, and in particular GPs, NICE has agreed…

The merger between Vodafone and Three has been approved, creating the UK’s biggest mobile network with 27 million customers.The £16.5bn deal can go-ahead if both companies agree to invest billions in the country’s 5G network and also cap certain mobile tariffs and data for at least three years to protect new and existing customers from “short-term” price rises.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had previously raised concerns that the Vodafone and Three merger could drive up people’s bills. But Stuart McIntosh, who led the watchdog’s probe into the deal, said it would “likely to boost competition” in the mobile sector…

Getty ImagesJournalists at the Guardian and sister publication the Observer are holding a two-day strike in protest at the proposed sale of the Sunday newspaper to Tortoise Media.The first strike at the Guardian in more than 50 years is taking place across Wednesday and Thursday (4 and 5 December).Tortoise is run by former editor of the Times and ex-director of BBC News, James Harding.A Guardian spokesperson said while they “recognise the strength of feeling” about the proposed sale and “appreciate that NUJ [National Union of Journalists] members wish to make their views heard”, they “do not believe a strike is…

After years of ignoring pleas to sign up to child protection schemes, the controversial messaging app Telegram has agreed to work with an internationally recognised body to stop the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) is used by major online services to help them detect and remove CSAM, and prevent its spread.Telegram had repeatedly refused to engage with it or any similar scheme.But, four months after its founder Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris for Telegram’s alleged failure to moderate extreme content, the platform has announced a U-turn.The IWF has described Telegram’s decision as…

Getty ImagesAbout 300 hospice inpatient beds are currently closed or out of use in England, hospice leaders have warned.They say a lack of funding and staff are the primary reasons why some of England’s 170 hospices have had to close beds permanently or take them out of use.Hospice UK, which represents the sector, is now calling for an urgent package of government funding to prevent further cuts. The Department of Health said it was looking at how to financially support hospices to ensure they are sustainable.The debate over assisted dying has increased the focus on hospices, with some arguing that…

Getty ImagesThree rail operators will be renationalised by Labour next year after it passed a law allowing it to do so.South Western Railways will be renationalised in May 2025, C2C in July 2025, and Greater Anglia in autumn 2025, the transport department has confirmed.”The primary aim of this is to improve reliability and clamp down on the delays, the cancellations, the waste and the inefficiency we’ve seen over the last 30 years,” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told BBC Breakfast.But some have criticised the plans, arguing that public ownership will not make much difference unless it is paired with fresh investment…

A deal that could see the Parthenon Sculptures returned to Greece is “close”, a former adviser to the country’s government has told the BBC.Prof Irene Stamatoudi said it “seems negotiations have gone forward” over relocating the antiquities – also known as the Elgin Marbles – which were taken from Athens more than 200 years ago and are displayed in the British Museum.It comes as Sir Keir Starmer and his Greek counterpart met for talks in Downing Street on Tuesday, though No 10 has said the issue is not on the agenda.The sculptures were not discussed at the opening of the…