Author: BBC

Saiorse explains how it’s important to share moments of joy with those you love.

The sugar tax applied to fizzy drinks could be extended to pre-packaged milkshakes and lattes under new government plans.The government is consulting on proposals to end the exemption from the tax for milk-based drinks, as well as non-dairy substitutes such as oats or rice.Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in her autumn budget last year that the government was considering widening the levy.Shadow chancellor Mel Stride labelled the move a “sucker punch” to households when Labour had “already pushed up the cost of living for families”. The sugar tax, known formally as the soft drinks industry levy (SDIL), is a tax on…

Some Marks & Spencer stores have been left with empty shelves as the retailer continues to struggle with a cyber attack affecting its operations.Over the Easter weekend, customers reported problems using contactless pay and Click & Collect, and online orders have been paused on the company’s website and app since Friday.It is not clear how widespread the empty shelves are but the retailer confirmed “pockets of limited availability in some stores”.The BBC understands M&S’s operations will take until the end of the week before beginning to return to normal.Although issues with contactless pay, Click & Collect and gift cards have…

Ian YoungsCulture reporterBBCThe review was commissioned in the wake of allegations against Huw EdwardsA small number of BBC stars and managers “behave unacceptably” at work, and bosses often fail to tackle them, a report into the broadcaster has found.The review, commissioned by the BBC’s board in the wake of the Huw Edwards scandal, concluded there is not a widespread “toxic” culture, but that there is “a minority of people” whose bad behaviour “is not addressed”.In response, the BBC said it would introduce reforms, and its chairman Samir Shah said he would draw “a line in the sand”.He told presenters: “After…

EPAA leading health think tank says urgent and emergency care in England is performing “far worse” than before the pandemic.The Health Foundation argues that the NHS was “in distress” this winter with A&E waiting times reaching a record high.The group says it would be wrong just to blame relatively high levels of flu.The government is due to publish an urgent and emergency care plan soon. The Department for Health and Social Care said that hospitals were “feeling the strain” but that it was taking “decisive action” to prevent winter crises.The Health Foundation report on the recent winter says that the…

BBCLaw student Kardo Mina says sometimes he swaps meals for coffeeUniversity students have described struggling to afford to eat meals due to rising living costs.Kardo Mina, a final year law student at Swansea University who also works part time, said he sometimes swapped meals for cups of coffee because doing so was “more financially viable”.A recent survey of students in Wales by the National Union of Students (NUS) Cymru found that 58% said they had skipped meals due to difficulties paying rent and housing costs.Swansea University said it recognised the financial and academic pressures faced by students and was committed…

Rayhan DemytrieBBC South Caucasus correspondentBBCYoung Armenians, such as nine-year-old Slavik, are attending technology classesIn Armenia tech education starts early.In a typical three-storey state school in the suburbs of Yerevan, the Armenian capital, nine-year old Slavik is demonstrating his invention – a box with three LED lights.”He has learned how to control it, and the programming language. You can see the code is written by him,” says Maria, the 21-year-old tech coach leading the class.Next to them, 14-year-old Eric and Narek are showing their smart greenhouse model that monitors temperature and controls fans automatically through a mobile app.Other children are enthusiastically…

Thomas MackintoshBBC News, LondonActor Jack Lowden has said he likes the idea of “breaking down barriers” by being a ginger Mr Darcy in a new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.The 34-year-old joked on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that “it is one of the great last barriers to break down”.In a wide-ranging interview alongside fellow British actor Martin Freeman, 53, he discussed being trained by an ex-MI6 officer and their upcoming West End play.On his role in Netflix’s six-part adaptation of Austen’s classic novel, Lowden said he might draw on inspiration from some actors who have previously…

That Time of the Month with Naga Munchetty, Dr Nighat Arif & Dr Christine Ekechi

Kevin PeacheyCost of living correspondentGetty ImagesAll major UK lenders are now offering fixed mortgage deals with an interest rate of less than 4%, but brokers say further cuts are not guaranteed.A mini price war has broken out between mortgage providers, although many of the lowest-rate deals still require borrowers to provide a hefty deposit and a substantial fee.More frequent cuts in interest rates by the Bank of England are expected this year, amid global economic turmoil.However, lenders are already reflecting those predicted cuts in their latest deals, suggesting borrowers could be taking a risk by relying on ongoing drops in…