Author: BBC

Mitchell Labiak and Oliver SmithBusiness reporters, BBC NewsGetty ImagesThe UK jobs market has continued to weaken, making the prospect of an interest rate cut next month even more likely, analysts say.The unemployment rate has risen to 4.7%, its highest in four years, while the number of job vacancies has now been falling continuously for three years.The annual rate of pay growth in the three months between March and May also slowed to 5%, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.The government said “we need to go further” to improve the economy, while the Conservatives said the unemployment rise was a…

Samsung boss Lee Jae-yong has been cleared by South Korea’s top court of fraud charges, concluding a years-long legal battle over his role in a 2015 merger deal.Lee, the grandson of Samsung’s founder and the de facto head of the company since 2014, had been accused of using stock and accounting fraud to try to gain control of the firm.In its final verdict, the Supreme Court in Seoul upheld a not guilty verdict, after Lee was acquitted of all charges in two earlier trials.The case drew widespread scrutiny of the technology giant, as the country grapples with corporate corruption scandals…

Jared Evitts & Yasmin MalikBBC NewsbeatGetty ImagesMiley Cyrus’ last major tour was in 2014 but she’s done stand alone gigs this year Miley Cyrus says she has “no desire” to go on tour, weeks after releasing her ninth album. The US singer says she’s put off by how hard it is to maintain sobriety and her mental health whilst touring.It’s been more than 10 years since Miley’s last major tour for her album Bangerz in 2014 and fans say it’s disappointing she doesn’t have plans for more shows.Speaking to Good Morning America, the Flowers and Party in the U.S.A singer…

Tom EdwardsBBC Hereford & WorcesterTanya GuptaBBC News, West MidlandsBBCThe charity offers counselling, exercise classes and trainingA health and wellbeing charity has said it is in desperate need of new premises after it was told to leave its current site.Simply Limitless offers counselling sessions to help support people’s mental health but must leave its base in Kidderminster by 8 August after the landlord found new tenants.The charity also runs group therapy, exercise classes to help with loneliness and training to help people find jobs, and operations manager Ralph Pars said staff were now in a race against time.Charity founders Paul and…

The chancellor has told the financial industry it must change the “negative” narrative around savers investing money in stocks and shares in order to help grow the economy. In a speech, Rachel Reeves said: “For too long, we have presented investment in too negative a light, quick to warn people of the risks without giving proper weight to the benefits.”The government is working with the financial regulator to provide support for would-be investors.It comes as Reeves stepped back from cutting the tax-free limit on cash Individual Savings Accounts (Isas) after a backlash from lenders – she is keen to shift…

Joe TidyCyber correspondent, BBC World ServiceImran Rahman-JonesTechnology reporterBBCShirine Khoury-Haq spoke BBC Breakfast in her first public interview since the hackThe chief executive of Co-op has confirmed that all 6.5 million of its members had their data stolen in a cyber-attack on the retailer in April.”I’m devastated that information was taken. I’m also devastated by the impact that it took on our colleagues as well as they tried to contain all of this,” Shirine Khoury-Haq told BBC Breakfast in her first public interview since the hack.”There was no financial data, no transaction data but it was names and addresses and contact…

John Torode has been sacked as MasterChef presenter after an allegation against him using “an extremely offensive racist term” was upheld.On Monday, the TV chef said he had “no recollection” of the incident, adding: “I do not believe that it happened.”But in a statement on Tuesday, the show’s production company Banijay UK said it and the BBC “are agreed” that his contract on the show will not be renewed. It plunges the BBC cooking show into a deeper crisis, after more than 40 separate allegations against Torode’s co-host Gregg Wallace were also upheld as part of an inquiry into his…

Getty ImagesA number of yellow and amber heat alerts have been issued across England during the recent hot weather. The alerts warn the public when high temperatures pose a potential risk to health. How does the weather health alert system work?The weather alert service warns the public in England when high or low temperatures could damage their health.The system is run by the UK Health Security Agency and the Met Office.It includes both heat health and cold health alertsHeat health alerts are issued between 1 June and 30 September, and cold health alerts are published between 1 November and 30…

Savers with cash in low-interest accounts will be blitzed with offers to invest their money instead, under government plans.Banks will send savers details of stocks and shares investments and there will be an advertising campaign to raise awareness, the Treasury said.In a series of proposals by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, a scheme that encourages the provision of low-deposit mortgages will also be made permanent.Reeves is delivering two major speeches on Tuesday, as the government and chancellor aim to rebound from bruising blows on welfare and the winter fuel U-turn.”We need to double down on our global strengths to put the UK…

Reddit has announced it is introducing age verification on its UK site from Monday to stop people aged under 18 from looking at “certain mature content”.The social media platform is bringing in the measures to comply with new rules under the UK’s Online Safety Act which require sites that show adult material to introduce “robust” age checking techniques.Reddit, known for its online communities and discussions, said that while it does not want to know who its audience is: “It would be helpful for our safety efforts to be able to confirm whether you are a child or an adult.”Ofcom, the…