6:46 am, July 14, 2023
Johnson ally says government has found a ‘version of PIN’ for old phone
A breakthrough may have been made in the bid to unlock Boris Johnson’s old mobile phone after an ally suggested the government had recovered a past code.
The deadline for handing over messages from the former prime minister’s previous device to the UK Covid-19 inquiry was missed this week due to complications in gaining access to its contents.
It was reported by The Times that Johnson had forgotten the code used to unlock the iPhone. Allies on Thursday suggested it was not correct to say he could not recall the digits, but instead that he was not entirely sure of them.
Junior doctors ‘in for the long run’ as strikes continue despite 6% pay offer
Ministers and unions continue to face off over public sector pay as junior doctors prepare to strike for a second day despite being made a six per cent ‘final’ offer salary rise.
The British Medical Association (BMA) has warned the government that ‘doctors are in this for the long run’ as it refused to call off strikes following the announcement that the prime minister had accepted the recommendations of independent pay review bodies.
Professor Philip Banfield, the association’s council chairman, told LBC the chances of further doctor walkouts were ‘very high’.
Police pay rise of 7% is a step in right direction but falls short – federation
A seven per cent pay rise for police officers is a ‘step in the right direction’ but does not go far enough, a federation has said.
Officers of all ranks will get extra pay this year, the government said on Thursday.
The Police Federation, which represents almost 140,000 officers from the rank of constable to chief inspector, said there will be ‘mixed feelings’ – claiming the rise does not fully take account of inflation.
Aspartame sweetener ruled ‘possible’ cause of cancer by WHO
An artificial sweetener used in thousands of products including diet fizzy drinks, ice cream and chewing gum has been ruled a ‘possible’ cause of cancer by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
But a panel of experts has said the sugar substitute aspartame is safe in limited quantities. In a report released late on Thursday, the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified aspartame as ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans’.
The Food and Agricultural Organisation’s Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives, who carried out a complementary study, retained its advice that it is safe for a person to drink 0-40mg per kilogram of body weight each day. The WHO said a person weighing 70kg would need to consume more than between nine and 14 cans of diet soft drink per day to exceed the daily guideline.
Cast of Oppenheimer walk out of UK premiere ahead of actors’ strike announcement
Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Matt Damon were among the stars who staged a walk-out from the London premiere of Oppenheimer to ‘write their picket signs’ ahead of the Sag-Aftra strike announcement on Thursday evening.
The premiere of Christopher Nolan’s historical epic was brought forward by an hour ahead of a Sag-Aftra press conference in Los Angeles, which later declared the US union had agreed to strike.
The anticipated announcement cast a shadow over the London film premiere at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square, with the film’s major stars including Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr, Sir Kenneth Branagh and Rami Malek leaving before the screening of the film.
Time running out for government to realise UK’s space launch ambitions, say MPs
Time is running out for the government to turn the UK’s ambitions for space launches from home soil into reality, MPs have said.
In a new report published by the Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, a cross-party group of MPs has criticised the ‘disjointed approach’ to Britain’s space policy which, they said, is hampering launch potential.
It said that the UK is on the cusp of establishing Europe’s first small satellite orbital launch capability – but its first attempt did not succeed. The MPs said a UK satellite launch sector can help strengthen the country’s position in the design and manufacture of small satellites, but the government needs to act fast.
Thursday Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Renault slashes huge number of car dealers as it radically downsizes network
- Bristol Street Motors opens used car dealership on ex-Cazoo site
- Ex-Ford Europe chief Stuart Rowley to join Inchcape board
- Edd China takes over as expert arbiter at Warrantywise
- Adopt a ‘coherent industrial strategy’ to secure future of UK car industry, Labour tells government
Workers ‘left out of pocket’ by 12-year freeze in mileage rates – report
People who drive their car for work are being short-changed because the government has not updated mileage rates for more than a decade, according to a report.
Analysis by motoring research charity the RAC Foundation found employees should be entitled to around 63p per mile tax-free when driving their own cars during work.
The rate, which is set by the Treasury, has been frozen at 45p per mile since 2011 despite large increases in motoring bills and inflation since then.
Genesis’ flagship G90 makes European debut at Goodwood
Genesis has shown off its range-topping G90 in Europe for the first time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
It’s the only Genesis model yet to come to Europe, which rivals the likes of the Audi A8 and Mercedes S-Class rival, despite it already being on sale in markets such as South Korea and the USA.
Revealed at the Festival of Speed, Genesis has also announced that it will be sold ‘on request’ in Germany and Switzerland, though the firm hasn’t yet said if it will come to the UK.
Weather
A blustery and rainy day with thundery showers across most areas, says BBC Weather. Heavy downpours will start in the south-west and gradually cover the entire country. A cooler day with highs of 21 degrees celsius.
Heavy downpours will continue in Scotland tonight. Sharp showers and variable cloud for England and other parts. A windy night.
