Plus, is 'the worst cold ever' going around?
| PM's climate change plea to world leaders |
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| | | Countries must take responsibility for "the destruction we are inflicting, not just upon our planet but ourselves", Prime Minister Boris Johnson said as he wound up his trip to the US. Discussions had already taken place about issues such as trade and coronavirus, and his final message was on climate change. Delivering his speech to the United Nations General Assembly he said "it’s time for humanity to grow up". He, as many would expect, added touches of humour in a speech which included saying Kermit the Frog had been wrong when he sang "It's Not Easy Bein' Green". That aside his warning and message was serious - and clear - and came just 40 days before world leaders meet for the COP26 climate summit in Scotland, which he said will be a "turning point for humanity". "Substantial changes" by the end of the decade were needed if the world is to stave off further temperature rises - which are already inevitable - Mr Johnson said, putting forward four ways to make that happen - coal, cars, cash and trees. "We have the tools for a green industrial revolution but time is desperately short," he said as he called for actions such as every country cutting carbon emissions, ending the use of coal and collectively pledging to achieve carbon neutrality. President Joe Biden announced a key pledge on climate change earlier this week saying the US will increase funding for developing countries to $11.4bn. Officials hope this vow will unlock other finance from other nations to fight climate change, our political editor Laura Kuenssberg says. | |
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| Nearly 1.5 million affected as more energy firms collapse |
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| The "number one priority is to protect customers," says energy watchdog Ofgem as another two suppliers collapsed amid soaring gas prices. Avro Energy and Green folded, bringing the total number of companies who have ceased trading to six. It’s the smaller companies, which make more than 5% of the UK energy market, that have gone out of business. But that now means nearly 1.5 million customers have been affected by the crisis following a spike in wholesale gas prices. Ofgem says it will find new suppliers, which could potentially mean bills are more expensive, and suggested it’s best not to try to switch in the meantime. As that happens, Lisa Barber from consumer rights group Which? recommends "taking a meter reading as soon as possible to ensure the transition is as smooth as it can be". | |
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| US drug regulator approves booster jab |
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| The rollout for booster shots has already begun in the UK and now the US looks set to follow suit. US drug regulators have approved the Pfizer booster vaccines for people over 65, those who are vulnerable and anyone in front-line jobs. They can only have it if they have had the last jab six months ago. It still needs to be approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention but reports suggest it will be given the go-ahead quickly. Approval would mean President Joe Biden will deliver on his promise that booster vaccines would be available from this month. | |
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| | | | | There is a group of people who are of real concern among scientists and politicians - the five million or so adults yet to have a first dose of the Covid vaccine. "Amelia", 34, has had about four months to get a vaccine but so far has quietly refused. She does not want her identity revealed, because she is worried she will receive abuse. "I never mention it to anyone, because I think they'll judge me or think I'm an anti-vaxxer," she says. "I know I should get a vaccine." The UK has administered more than 48 million first doses so far. But attention is increasingly falling on those who haven't had the jab. Speculation has centred on which dancers on Strictly Come Dancing have so far not taken up the offer, as well as how many Premier League footballers are potentially unvaccinated. Exactly how many people are yet to receive a Covid jab is unknown, but the government estimates it's around five million people aged 16 and over in England (11%). | |
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| | Anna Collinson | Health correspondent | |
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| | | | Millions of people face being hit by a "£400 fuel bills shock" as the energy crisis deepens, reports the Daily Mail. The i, which is one of many papers leading with this story, says up to seven million households get their gas from energy firms "vulnerable to collapsing". The Times reports that six energy suppliers have collapsed this month, customers face higher energy bills and claims prices are unlikely to come down for two years. The Daily Telegraph also covers this story but, like the Financial Times, splashes on the fallout after the UK and the US signed a new defence pact with Australia. The paper says Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President Joe Biden were "astonished" at French President Emmanuel Macron’s reaction to the news. Read the newspaper review in full here. | |
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| | | Technology Extremists using video-game chats to spread hate |
| | | | Labour Keir Starmer sets out what he stands for in essay |
| | | | Aukus France and US seek to mend rift over defence pact |
| | | | NFT 'Side-eying Chloe' Clem to sell iconic meme |
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| If you watch one thing today |
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| If you listen to one thing today |
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| If you read one thing today |
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| Need something different? |
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| They battled strong currents and stinging jellyfish while fearing what else could be lurking in the depths of the sea to swim between four islands in Scotland. Named after a mythical Celtic creature which morphs from a seal to human, the Salty Selkies appear to be the first people to cover the distance. We'll let them explain how tough it was. The next one might be tough to read if you’re a bit squeamish about insects - and eating them. It’s not meant to turn your stomach or make you feel ill, but it is often mooted as a way to help the environment. One company claims "grasshoppers taste like pecans, mushrooms, coffee and chocolate". Would you add bugs to your diet? You can make your mind up after reading this. And finally, It's that time of year when you tend to feel ill, under the weather or sniffly. You've checked it's not coronavirus so it's probably a cold. With people mixing again, many are wondering whether the worst cold ever is doing the rounds. Is it? We’ve looked into it. | |
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| | | | 2000 British rower Steve Redgrave makes Olympic history at the Sydney Games by winning his fifth consecutive gold medal. |
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| Let us know what you think of this newsletter by emailing bbcnewsdaily@bbc.co.uk. If you’d like to recommend it to a friend, forward this email. New subscribers can sign up here. | |
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