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  • Food costs ‘to upward thrust FIVE%’ as a result of excessive weather

    Symbol copyright Reuters/PA Symbol caption The UK’s chilly, rainy wintry weather used to be adopted by the driest start to a summer time on record

    It stated these “wholesale worth shocks” have been prone to push up client costs via approximately £45m every week – corresponding to £7.15 per thirty days in keeping with household.

    ‘Effectively bare’

    Tod Bulmer from Kenyon Hall Farm near Warrington stated yields from his fruit and cereal harvest had been half what he would typically expect.

    He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the possible value rise may compensate “a bit bit but now not sufficient”.

    He brought that the low yields supposed dairy farmers were having to pay extra for his or her feed.

    Nationwide Farmers’ Union president Minette Batters stated the cabinets for feeding livestock had been “effectively bare” and that dairy farmers were having to rely on silage supposed for iciness use.

    “Many farmers are taking a look at £60,000 of delivered costs,” she said.

    She introduced that she used to be still waiting at the executive to deliver on a promise to take motion.

    Image copyright Getty Pictures Image caption Dairy farmers have had to pay additional to feed their animals, pushing up costs

    Following a drought summit earlier this month with the NFU, Surroundings Secretary Michael Gove mentioned the government may do “no matter what it takes” to take care of food supplies.

    Earlier this month, the Agriculture and Horticulture Construction Board warned that cattle and vegetable costs would be a “little bit upper proper the best way via till subsequent spring” as a result of climate problems.

    Shortages of vegetables also helped drive meals value inflation to 1.6% in July – up from the 1.2% in Might and June, in step with the British Retail Consortium and Nielsen.

    A spokeswoman for the dept of Atmosphere, Meals and Rural Affairs stated: “Meals prices are suffering from a host of factors except the elements, akin to gasoline prices, international commodity markets and exchange rates.”

    She said steps had been taken to help the ones affected, together with permitting farmers to take more water from reservoirs and offering flexibility on funding.

    She added that the new weather had helped boost products akin to comfortable culmination and wine.

    however the CEBR stated there has been dangerous information for wine enthusiasts too, as severe hailstorms in the French wine areas of Bordeaux, Champagne and Cognac “have eliminated tens of millions of bottles of product”.

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  • China pollution: ‘It will also be totally dark’

    Video China’s so much polluted city

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  • Fact Take A Look At: Do blank air zones work?

    Lorry exhaust pipe Symbol copyright Getty Photographs

    A Few Of the English towns under pressure from Westminster to introduce blank air zones via 2020 introduced consultations approximately their plans remaining week.

    Birmingham, Leeds, Southampton, Nottingham and Derby must scale back nitrogen dioxide levels or face big fines.

    Of the ones, simplest Birmingham turns out likely to introduce a scheme affecting all older cars, with the others anticipated to focus on heavier automobiles reminiscent of lorries, buses and taxis.

    Schemes charging drivers extra to make use of older vehicles in certain spaces had been used around Europe – have they worked?

    While analysis into whether or not zones have worked, bear in mind that the point of them is to boost up the modernisation of the automobiles being used. Older vehicles are being replaced by means of newer ones all of the time. So, the query isn’t whether or not they are being replaced. It’s whether that is taking place faster than it could have done. Studies tend to evaluate the zone with a similar place that did not introduce one.

    Symbol copyright Getty Photographs

    When the scheme was presented, it did certainly to start with lead fleet operators to hurry up changing their vehicles, according to Transport for London’s research. After that, the velocity of fleet renewal returned to the national average.

    the current T-Rate device involves a £10 charge for motorists who drive automobiles into the principal London congestion charging zone that do not meet the Euro FOUR emissions standards, on top of the £11.50 congestion price.

    The Euro standards dictate what emissions are acceptable for new vehicles.

    Pollution affect

    Research of low emission zones in Germany found significant discounts in particulate matter (PM), which might be tiny particles in the air that may get into the lungs and cause well being problems.

    One of them discovered a 9% aid in PM10 (that’s debris in the air measuring less than 10 microns (a centesimal of a millimetre).

    Research in London in 2013 found that within the first five years of the clean air zone particulate matter had fallen through between 2.5% and 3.1%, in comparison with 1% outside the zone.

    A look at of a zone within the Netherlands, despite the fact that, found that it had no longer made an important difference in comparison with spaces with out a zone. The take a look at concluded that this used to be since the laws of the low emission zone have been too modest to make sufficient distinction to the quantity of site visitors flow.

    There has additionally been analysis suggesting that not just do the zones scale back PM air pollution, they don’t do it at the expense of air high quality out of doors the zone. So, it is not just a question of older automobiles being moved in other places or driving longer distances to bypass the zones.

    Symbol copyright Getty Photographs

    As Well As to PM air pollution, the zones are also supposed to scale back air pollution from oxides of nitrogen (NOx), which might be created by means of the burning of gasoline, especially in diesel engines on account of the higher temperatures concerned, and are associated with health problems.

    The 2013 report on London’s blank air zone discovered that it had made “no discernible variations” to NOx concentrations.

    “there is much less proof that low emission zones labored for NOx, on account of the failure of Euro standards to verify newer diesel cars emit less NOx than the older ones they’re changing,” says Gary Fuller, from King’s Faculty London’s environmental research group.

    This drawback was resulting from some new diesel engines being geared up with gadgets to misinform the regulators in regards to the levels of emissions below customary using conditions.

    But Gary Fuller is optimistic that this example can be improved via the use of the newer Euro 6 standard for diesel cars, which shall be required for the Ultra Low Emission Zone a good way to substitute London’s T-Rate in April 2019.

    The UK has been mentioned the european Court of Justice for failing to take sufficient action to forestall breaches of NOx air pollution limits. The UK’s Perfect Court also ordered the government to head further in its measures to battle pollution.

    The blank air zones in 5 more English cities by way of 2020 are part of its response to that.

    So, the evidence means that neatly designed blank air zones that impose charges on drivers of older cars have already reduced PM air pollution and will do a greater activity of decreasing NOx emissions over again effective standards for diesel vehicles were offered.

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  • Low ranges of air pollution associated with adjustments within the heart

    Woman on a bike Symbol copyright Getty Images

    Regular publicity to even low levels of pollution could cause changes to the guts similar to those within the early degrees of center failure, mavens say.

    A observe of 4,000 people within the UNITED KINGDOM found people who lived by loud, busy roads had greater hearts on average than those living in much less polluted spaces.

    This was once in spite of the truth other folks in the look at had been exposed to air pollution ranges under the uk guidelines.

    Researchers known as at the executive to cut back air pollution extra briefly.

    Air Pollution hotspots revealed air pollution associated with child’s dying Pollution associated with one in six deaths

    A crew of scientists, led from Queen Mary University of London, analysed well being knowledge of people who had no underlying cardiovascular disease and have been part of the united kingdom Biobank study, together with the dimensions, weight and serve as of their hearts.

    you can see what air quality is like for your house by coming into your postcode within the search underneath. the data represents a typical for 2016 and does not include Northern Ireland.

    Researchers also checked out the air pollution levels within the areas they lived in.

    Their observe discovered a transparent hyperlink among exposure to higher air pollution ranges and larger proper and left ventricles – vital pumping chambers in the heart.

    for every additional one microgram in step with cubic metre of PM2.5 – small debris of air pollution – and for each 10 additional micrograms in step with cubic metre of nitrogen dioxide, the guts enlarged via approximately 1%.

    The adjustments had been akin to being consistently inactive or having elevated blood pressure, stated Dr Nay Aung, who led the take a look at’s information analysis.

    “pollution must be noticed as a modifiable risk factor,” he stated.

    “Medical Doctors and the general public all wish to consider in their exposure when they take into accounts their center health, similar to they suspect about their blood power, their cholesterol and their weight.”

    Image copyright Getty Photographs Symbol caption Diesel automobiles are a big contributor of pollution

    While the exact places the place other people lived weren’t included within the take a look at, so much had been outdoor of the key UK towns and all of them had been exposed to ranges of PM2.5 air pollution well under present UK limits.

    In the examine, reasonable annual exposures to PM2.5 ranged from 8 to 12 micrograms in line with cubic metre.

    This is less than the united kingdom limits of 25 micrograms per cubic metre but closer to the arena Health Organization’s really helpful prohibit of 10 micrograms in step with cubic metre.

    This effective particle air pollution is especially bad because it can penetrate deep into the lungs and cardiovascular system.

    Exposure to nitrogen dioxide in the examine ranged from 10-50 micrograms according to cubic metre – the uk and WHO limits are 40 micrograms consistent with cubic metre.

    Dr Aung mentioned the adjustments in the center had been small and potentially reversible.

    However he said the reality any amendment at all was detectable urged even somewhat low ranges of pollution could have a damaging impact on well being.

    “if you happen to suppose the present levels of air pollution are protected, then in conception we should not be in a position to discover any changes,” Dr Aung added.

    ‘Can’t be expecting other folks to move’

    Five how you can keep away from pollution

    Keep away from the busiest roads – pollution concentrates around the heaviest site visitors Use side roads – those are purifier as a result of there is so much less traffic watch out for hotspots of dirty air – engines are often left working in desk bound visitors. this may create “urban canyons” of pollution, specifically around traffic lighting fixtures, so stand back after pushing the button earlier than crossing the street While strolling up a hill all the time keep on with the aspect the place visitors is flowing down the hill, away from the brunt of the fumes. this may always be the cleanser selection Fundamental face-masks don’t seem to be well worth the trouble – those trap dust however little else, whilst heavy-duty variations are bulky. Scientists counsel avoiding busy roads as an alternative

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  • How pollution is affecting people in Beijing

    Video ‘I feel throat ache after jogging’

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  • pollution ‘may harm’ cognitive intelligence, examine says

    A woman wearing a face mask makes her way along a street in Beijing Image copyright AFP/Getty Symbol caption China is a growing usa with critical air pollution

    Power publicity to pollution can cause damaging hurt to cognitive efficiency, a new observe reveals.

    Researchers consider that the poor impact increases with age, and affects men with less training the worst.

    Over four years, the mathematics and verbal abilities of some 20,000 people in China had been monitored by the united states-Chinese study.

    Researchers consider the effects have international relevance, with more than 91% of the world’s inhabitants respiring hazardous levels of pollution.

    Described as an invisible killer, pollution reasons an expected seven million premature deaths a year world wide, in keeping with the sector Health Organization.

    Even low pollution might damage heart Air Pollution associated with one in six deaths Fact Take A Look At: Do clean air zones work?

    “we offer proof that the impact of pollution on verbal exams turns into extra stated as folks age, particularly for males and the fewer trained,” the examine printed on Monday within the Court Cases of the National Academy of Sciences said.

    Pollution additionally increases the risk of degenerative sicknesses reminiscent of Alzheimer’s and other kinds of dementia, the take a look at suggests.

    Exposure to top levels of polluted air “could cause everybody to reduce their stage of education by means of twelve months”, explains one in every of the co-authors Xi Chen of the Yale Faculty of Public Health to the Mother Or Father, “that is huge”.

    Previous research discovered pollution had a poor have an effect on on students’ cognitive abilities.

    In this study, researchers tested folks of both sexes elderly 10 and above among 2010 and 2014, with 24 standardised maths questions and 34 phrase-popularity questions.

    air pollution around the global – the stats

    Approximately 7m people die annually from exposure to polluted air air pollution caused 4.2m deaths globally in 2016 91% of the world’s population lives in places the place air high quality exceeds WHO guiding principle limits 14 Indian towns are amongst the arena’s 20 so much polluted, with the northern city of Kanpur topping the checklist Nine out of 10 people within the global breathe polluted air

    Supply: Global Well Being Organization

    Comparing other people’s geographical region with when they have been interviewed, allowed the researchers to compare test scores with native air quality data.

    One of the reasons they counsel older men with less training have been worst suffering from chronic exposure to air inhabitants is because those topics often work outdoor manual jobs.

    “Our findings in regards to the destructive effect of pollution on cognition,” the have a look at concludes, “specifically at the ageing mind, suggest that the oblique impact on social welfare may well be so much better than in the past concept.”

    The study means that while the research findings are particular to China, it will probably shed light on other growing nations with critical air pollution.

    The authors aspect to the 98% of towns with greater than 100,000 folks in low- and middle-source of revenue nations that fail to meet WHO air quality guidelines.

  • Tumblr bans non-consensual creepshots and deepfake porn

    A user accesses a Tumblr account on a smartphone Image copyright Getty Images Symbol caption Tumblr says greater than 164 billion posts have been placed on its platform since it was based in 2007

    Tumblr is to prohibit content that ends up in the “unwanted sexualisation or sexual harassment of others”.

    The social network says this comprises non-consensual “creepshots” – sexually suggestive pictures of clothed victims.

    In addition, it stated it covers “deepfake” pornography, during which computer-generated photographs of a subject’s face are transplanted onto particular photos or movies of someone else’s body without permission.

    The rule-amendment is due on 10 September.

    Other additions to Tumblr’s group pointers include the outlawing of “gore” posted solely to shock, in addition as other “content material that encourages or incites violence, or glorifies acts of violence or the perpetrators”.

    The blogging platform will nonetheless rely on its customers to flag offending content to moderators.

    New owners

    Activity on Tumblr used to be at its height in 2014 while Adweek magazine ranked it the world’s seventh most popular social network, prior to Snapchat.

    Yahoo had purchased it for $1.1bn (£853m) the former year promising not to “screw it up”.

    But Yahoo struggled to manage the platform, and ended up writing down most of its worth.

    In 2017, Yahoo itself used to be received through the us telecoms firm Verizon, which positioned Tumblr inside of a brand new subsidiary referred to as Oath.

    While other social networks that permit pornography – including Twitter and Reddit – had introduced tougher regulations against so-called creepshots and deepfakes, Tumblr’s regulations remained more obscure till now.

    This led it to be singled out through the scoop web page Motherboard in March, which discovered that not just was the network hosting such imagery but also advice on find out how to create it.

    Media playback is unsupported in your instrument

    Media caption’Deepfakes’ duvet more than simply pornography

    “One Tumblr provides an in depth guide on how possible stalkers can get well quality photos, with sections on iPhones, Android gadgets, and DSLR cameras. A Google search of phrases in the guide counsel it is no longer to be had in different places online,” it reported.

    Tumblr says its group of workers will remain “fierce defenders of loose expression” but introduced that the new laws were designed to protect that imaginative and prescient.

    “Posting sexually explicit photos of individuals with out their consent was once by no means allowed on Tumblr, but with the discovery of deepfakes and the proliferation of non-consensual creepshots, we’re updating our neighborhood guidelines to extra obviously address new applied sciences that may be used to humiliate and threaten people,” it stated.

    The transfer might help repair Tumblr’s reputation, then again it’s most likely that extra will wish to be done to opposite its decline.

    One latest article about the platform likened the usage of it to “placing round a ghost the city” regardless of the fact that Tumblr still claims greater than 33 million posts are uploaded to its web page a day.

    The author – tradition editor on the Define, Jeremy Gordon – stated Oath’s present technique gave the impression to be to make the enjoy of the usage of Tumblr higher for its final users rather than chasing new ones, a minimum of at this point.

    “It Is exhausting to disagree with the price of discouraging hate speech, especially as we have seen how Twitter’s total failure to deal with a similar drawback has slowly shifted perception of the platform,” he told the BBC.

    “But as with all such things as this it’s in the execution – both consistency and the flexibility to grasp no longer all eventualities are the similar.

    “at the very least, it is good to discourage any doable new users who’d simplest join to result in this type of hassle.”

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  • US boy, 9, killed himself after homophobic bullying, mum says

    Jamel Myles Symbol copyright CBS

    A nine-year-old boy has killed himself after enduring four days of homophobic bullying at school in Denver, Colorado, his mother says.

    Leia Pierce advised KDVR-TELEVISION that her son, Jamel Myles, discovered to her over the summer that he was gay.

    She stated Jamel desired to go to faculty and tell his classmates because he used to be “proud” to be gay.

    Denver Public Colleges (DPS) say quandary counsellors had been made to be had to scholars at Jamel’s basic faculty.

    the school machine sent letters to households on Friday concerning the further counselling services and products for students.

    get lend a hand

    From Canada or US: if you are in an emergency, please call 911

    You can touch the u.s. Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255 or the Predicament Test Line via texting HOME to 741741

    Young people in need of help can call Children Help Telephone on 1-800-668-6868

    If you might be in the UNITED KINGDOM, you’ll name the Samaritans on 116123

    For give a boost to and additional information on emotional misery, click on right here.

  • Malcolm Turnbull: Australian ex-PM ‘to hand over parliament’

    Malcolm Turnbull holds and granddaughter Alice in his final press conference as prime minister on Friday Symbol copyright EPA Image caption Malcolm Turnbull with granddaughter Alice at his ultimate press briefing as PM on Friday

    Malcolm Turnbull has said he will give up Australia’s parliament on Friday following his ouster as prime minister by way of party competitors, local media report.

    Mr Turnbull was changed by way of Scott Morrison closing week in a bid to finish infighting that had crippled the centre-right executive.

    The ousted leader stated Australians could be “appalled” by way of up to date occasions.

    His departure will trigger a by means of-election and place Mr Morrison’s parliamentary majority at risk.

    In explaining his decision, Mr Turnbull once more took a thinly veiled swipe at his predecessor, Tony Abbott – who have been accused of undermining the government.

    “Former high ministers are highest out of parliament now not in it, and that i suppose latest occasions best possible underline the worth of that observation,” Mr Turnbull instructed birthday party contributors on Monday, in a speech said via multiple outlets.

    Without Mr Turnbull, Mr Morrison will command 75 of a discounted 149 seats in the Space of Representatives.

    Turnbull ‘felled via revolts and revenge’ Six moments that outlined Turnbull as PM who’s Scott Morrison?

    A via-election for Mr Turnbull’s seat will in all probability take place in October, Australian media mentioned.

    If the federal government loses the seat, Mr Morrison shall be compelled to rely on independents to pass regulation in a ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-member parliament. The Labor opposition lately has SIXTY NINE seats.

    Media playback is unsupported to your software

    Media captionCan someone cling on to Australia’s best process?

    The seat, Wentworth, has been held by means of the conservative Liberal Birthday Party considering the fact that World Struggle Two. However, a few say victory for the government is not guaranteed.

    In a further twist, Mr Abbott’s sister, Christine Forster, is pronounced to be regarded as operating for the seat – but will have to first be decided on by way of the Liberal Birthday Party.

    Abbott and sister’s homosexual marriage row is going public

    The next normal election is as a result of be held by Would Possibly, with opinion polls these days giving Labor the lead.

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  • SS Mendi: Theresa May to go back WW1 shipwreck’s bell to South Africa

    The bell from the SS Mendi Symbol caption This bell from the SS Mendi which sank in the Channel in 1917 killing greater than SIX HUNDRED South Africans

    An International Warfare One relic associated with one in every of the worst maritime screw ups in English waters is to receive to South Africa by Theresa Would Possibly.

    The SS Mendi sank off the Isle of Wight in 1917 killing more than SIX HUNDRED black South Africans en path to the Western Entrance to fortify British troops.

    The vessel used to be rammed by way of a British merchant send in thick pre-daybreak fog.

    The prime minister will hand it to President Cyril Ramaphosa in Cape The Town on Tuesday.

    The ship’s bell was given to BBC reporter Steve Humphrey in 2017 in a plastic bag at Swanage Pier, Dorset, after an nameless telephone call.

    Might to go to Africa for first time as PM ‘Lost’ WW1 Mendi bell passed to museum The sinking of the SS Mendi

    A note within the bag learn: “If I passed it in myself it would no longer visit the rightful position.

    “This must be looked after out sooner than I move away because it may just get lost.”

    Symbol caption A notice was left with the bell, entrusting it to a BBC reporter

    The SS Mendi sank on 21 February 1917 while it was once unintentionally rammed in thick fog via the Royal Mail packet-boat SS Darro.

    A government inquiry said the Darro didn’t decrease lifeboats, leaving 646 males to drown.

    Most of the dead were contributors of the South African Native Labour Corps (SANLC), heading to France to hold out manual labour on the Western Front.

    Symbol copyright Imperial Battle Museums Symbol caption More Than 800 contributors of the South African Local Labour Corps have been on board the Mendi on the time of the crisis

    The Darro’s captain, who was once blamed for the tragedy by the Board of Trade, used to be handed a one-12 months suspension of his master’s certificate.

    The story became an emblem of racial injustice in South Africa, where successive white-led governments discouraged annual Mendi Day commemorations.

    In 1995, the Queen and Nelson Mandela unveiled a memorial to the Mendi sufferers in Soweto.

    Image copyright Southampton City Council Symbol caption The BBC’s Steve Humphrey with the bell at Southampton’s SeaCity Museum

    It’s thought the bell was taken from the shipwreck in the early 1980s.

    Until just lately it had been on display on the Sea Town Museum in Southampton.

    On Tuesday the bell will be introduced to the President of South Africa at a rite in Cape Town.

    The Prime Minister’s deputy legit spokeswoman said: “This was the bell from the SS Mendi which sank in the Channel in 1917, killing more than 600 South Africans.

    “it’s a actually important relic for them and the sort of point of interest in their First World Battle remembrance.”

    Mrs Would Possibly may also visit Nigeria and Kenya as a part of her first shuttle to Africa due to the fact changing into prime minister.