6:49 am, June 17, 2023
Aehra releases electric saloon with 497-mile range
Italian electric car company Aehra has released a new electric saloon (pictured above) capable of travelling up to 497 miles on a single charge.
Revealed at the Milano Monza Motor Show, the saloon features double ‘falcon’ doors which help when getting in and out of the vehicle, while materials such as forged carbon fibre help to keep the car’s overall weight down.
The saloon has been given a smooth and slippery design to aid with aerodynamics, with a top portion which flows from the bonnet to the windscreen and over the roofline.
‘Great un-retirement’ due to cost of living
A ‘great un-retirement’ could be getting under way, according to Age UK, as rising living costs force people to change their later life plans.
The charity said it is continuing to hear from older people whose retirement aspirations ‘are being ruined by the impact of inflation’.
One person told the charity: ‘Had to take early retirement May 2022 to help care for mother with dementia. Due to increases in fuel and all utilities I have been forced to get a part-time job to supplement my work pension.’
Company insolvencies up 40 per cent in May
Company insolvencies in England and Wales jumped by 40 per cent in May to the highest level since monthly records began in 2019.
Government data from the Insolvency Service showed 2,552 companies entered insolvency during the month.
It said the overwhelming majority of these were creditors’ voluntary liquidations (2,181), where bosses agree to wind up the firm without court action.
UK entered pandemic with ‘depleted’ public services
The UK entered the coronavirus pandemic with ‘depleted’ public services and widening health inequalities, the Covid inquiry has heard.
A report prepared jointly by professors Sir Michael Marmot, an expert in epidemiology and director of the University College London Institute of Health Equity, and Clare Bambra, an expert in public health from Newcastle University, said Government austerity policies impacted the health of the nation in the lead up to the pandemic.
The report was filed as part of the first week of public hearings in the Covid inquiry, which is exploring the UK’s preparedness for a pandemic.
Train drivers will walk out in separate row
Drivers at two train operators will take industrial action in disputes separate to the ongoing national row over pay, it has been announced.
Members of Aslef at Avanti West Coast will strike on July 2, while drivers employed by London North Eastern Railway (LNER) will refuse to work overtime from July 1 until further notice.
Aslef said the dispute with Avanti West Coast is over sick pay changes, which the company is accused of trying to ‘force through without agreement’. LNER is accused of failing to adhere to ‘agreed procedures’.
Hosepipe ban set for Kent and Sussex
A hosepipe ban is set to come in across Kent and Sussex due to a record demand for drinking water, South East Water bosses said.
Areas of the region have been left with little or no water this week amid the hot weather, forcing schools to shut and residents to get drinking water from bottled water stations.
A plea to use only essential water has stretched from Haywards Heath in West Sussex to Whitstable in Kent.
The temporary ban on hosepipes and sprinklers will come in on June 26.
Shares rise in London despite supermarket’s poor performance
London’s top shares eked out another small gain, helping the FTSE end the week on 7,643 points.
The gains were led by some of the UK’s biggest energy companies, which managed to outweigh some of the pressure put on supermarkets stocks, apart from Ocado which soared. By the end of the day, the FTSE 100 had risen 0.2 per cent, or 14.46 points, to 7642.72.
Its European cousins fared even better with Germany’s Dax up 0.5 per cent while France’s Cac 40 rose 1.5 per cent. On Wall Street, both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones were trading flat a short while after markets in Europe shut.
Weather outlook
Today will feel warm and humid as we continue to see bright skies but it will be hazy for many, according to the Met Office.
This will be particularly true in the east and in the west there will still be a risk of showers.
These showers and some thunderstorms will continue overnight. Low cloud may affect North Sea coasts but in will be generally warm and humid, particularly in central and western areas.
