Author: BBC

Wage growth in the UK eased to 4.5% between September and November, official figures suggest, following a sharp slowdown in private sector pay increases.The pace of pay growth for those employed by private businesses slowed to the lowest rate in five years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).In contrast, public sector workers saw their wages jump but, the ONS said, this was likely due to pay rises being awarded earlier than in the previous year. Meanwhile, the number of people on company payrolls continued to fall – down 135,000 in the three months to November – with a…

Joe TidyWorld Service Cyber CorrespondentBBCThere’s something uniquely agonising about having your cryptocurrency stolen. All transactions are recorded on a digital ledger, known as a blockchain, so even if someone takes your money and puts it in their own crypto wallet, it is still visible online.”You can see your money there on the public blockchain, but there’s nothing you can do to get it back,” says Helen, who lost around $315,000 (£250,000) to thieves.She likens it to watching a burglar pile up your prized possessions on the other side of an impassable chasm.For seven years Helen and her husband Richard (not…

A pilot scheme designed to identify and nip potential health problems in the bud has been launched by the Isle of Man’s public health directorate.The so-called fit checks have begun at Ramsey Group Practice in the north of the island, as part of a project that could also help to shape future services.They look at the lifestyle, mental well-being, and basic physical health of people aged between 18 and 39.Public health consultant Dr Ross Keat said supporting people earlier to make small preventative changes would make “a big difference later on”.Some 3,500 people in the north of the island within…

Gold and silver prices have hit record highs following the threat by US President Donald Trump to impose fresh tariffs on eight European countries opposed to his proposed takeover of Greenland.The price of gold touched $4,689.39 (£3,499) an ounce on Monday, while silver rose to a peak of $94.08 an ounce.Precious metals are seen as safer assets to hold in times of uncertainty, and the prices of both gold and silver have soared over the past year.The row over the future of Greenland has escalated following the threat of extra tariffs by the US and there are reports that the…

Liv McMahonTechnology reporterBBCAshley St Clair is a conservative influencer and authorAshley St Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk’s children, has sued his company xAI over sexualised deepfakes of her created on social media platform X.The lawsuit filed in New York on Thursday alleges the Grok AI tool created sexually explicit pictures of Ms St Clair.The parent company of X and Grok, xAI, has counter-sued Ms St Clair for violating its terms of service.X did not respond directly to enquiries by BBC News about the lawsuits.”We intend to hold Grok accountable and to help establish clear legal boundaries for…

Duncan LeatherdaleNorth East and CumbriaPA MediaThe nurses from Darlington Memorial Hospital launched employment tribunal proceedings against NHS bossesHospital bosses violated the dignity of a group of female nurses who complained about a transgender woman using their changing room, an employment tribunal has found.Eight nurses from Darlington Memorial Hospital claimed they had been “penalised” by managers for objecting to Rose Henderson, a biological male who identifies as a woman, using the single-sex space.County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust claimed the nurses had “demonised” their colleague and the policy was in accordance with guidelines at the time.In a partial victory for…

BBCSmall restaurant owner Justina John, from Cardiff, says it is “impossible” to compete with the chain restaurants on delivery appsIndependent restaurants have accused global corporations of being “sneaky” and “a killer” to family businesses by masquerading as indies on delivery apps. Chain restaurants including Pizza Hut, TGI Fridays, Frankie & Benny’s, Las Iguanas and Barburrito have brands on apps such as Deliveroo and Just Eat, giving them different names and the appearance of being small or independent businesses.Justina John, owner of ONJA Taste of Tanzania in Cardiff, said trying to survive was “like small fish trying to swim with the…

Zoe KleinmanTechnology editorGetty ImagesAdverts will soon appear at the top of the AI tool ChatGPT for some users, the company OpenAI has announced.The trial will initially take place in the US, and will affect some ChatGPT users on the free service and a new subscription tier, called ChatGPT Go.This cheaper option will be available for all users worldwide, and will cost $8 a month, or the equivalent pricing in other currencies.OpenAI says during the trial, relevant ads will appear after a prompt – for example, asking ChatGPT for places to visit in Mexico could result in holiday ads appearing.In example…

Hugh Pym,Health editorandIan AtkinsonGiles TurnerGiles Turner paid privately to access abiraterone and was part of the campaign to get it approved in EnglandA life-extending prostate cancer drug is to be made available to thousands of men in England in a matter of weeks, after a campaign by a patient and a charity.Abiraterone has been provided on the NHS in Scotland and Wales since 2023 but not in England and Northern Ireland, except in the most severe cases.The drug is already prescribed for patients in the UK with very advanced prostate cancer that has spread.But from now on the drug will…

Faisal IslamEconomics editorReutersShoppers on Oxford Street during the Boxing Day salesA new year, a new beginning.The latest monthly figures on the economy hardly confirm a change of gear, but nor do they back up the worst doom-mongers claiming decline and recession. It is neither doom nor boom, but a new year makes an opportunity to wipe the slate clean on policy, on a sense of certainty, and perhaps above all, the vibes in the economy.There is one chart that might explain quite a lot about both the state of and the prospects for the UK economy. And it might say…