News

Uber will have no concerns about industrial action in Pittsburgh in the next few weeks, as the ride-hailing taxi service is set to introduce self-driving cars. Autonomous Ford Fusion vehicles will start their first commercial journeys very soon, although human backup drivers will still be in the cars just like normal Uber vehicles. Uber has a self-driving research lab in Pittsburgh and is working on autonomous technology. Last week, Uber and Volvo announced a $300 million deal for Volvo to...

A Christian preacher, who told his followers that God sends natural disasters to punish homosexuals, home has flooded. Tony Perkins, a Christian lobbyist and leader of the Family Research Council - a religious group that has sparked major controversy in America. His home in Louisiana has now been flooded in a what Perkins described as “near biblical proportions.” This story echoes the thoughts of a UKIP councillor who said gay people where to blame for extreme weather. Perkins has also...

One of the most shocking political stories of last year was the accusations of bullying in the youth wing of the party, which involved the tragic suicide of one of their members. It shocked a nation and brought the whole party under intense scrutiny. An inquiry was set up to investigate the serious accusations of bullying, and it has found that Lord Feldman and Grant Shapps are exonerated from the claims. This has angered the family who didn’t believe the...

There have been many reports and indicators that the UK economy is struggling post-Brexit. It is still early to tell but a Treasury report today does not make great reading. The Independent reports the document indicated that most of the major banking institutions in the capital have cut their growth forecasts for the UK economy in 2017. The figures have been downgraded since the EU referendum vote and the UK’s decision to leave the European project. Many of these banks...

Owen Smith has declared that he would consider negotiations with ISIS. He made the comments during a debate with leadership rival Jeremy Corbyn on the Victoria Derbyshire show aired on the BBC, from Nottingham. His comments will shock many, but his point was that eventually the only way Ireland managed to find peace was through negotiating or back channeling.Smith said he was part of this process and at some point the British Government would have to talk to the terrorist...

It will probably not surprise many but the region who manages to get the most amount of state pupils into the elite Oxbridge universities come from the South East of the UK. I went to a bog standard comprehensive school in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and I don’t remember anyone going to either university or it even being mentioned as an option, but I’m sure some would have held their own in the Oxbridge establishments; I don’t count myself in that number though....

Dog meat is promoted in North Korea as a superfood, with propaganda stating it has more vitamins than chicken, beef, pork or duck. According to reports in the Korea Times, the country's state media has suggested the meat is good for the intestines and stomach, claiming it is richer in vitamins than other meats. To improve its nutritional value, the reports also suggest 'beating' dogs to death and removing its fur before scorching. Radio broadcaster Tongil Voice described dog stew as...

Buying cheap and cheerful has resulted in a throwaway culture, according to new research. With more deals and low-cost products crowding the market, Brits are now making purchasing decisions based on a ‘buy cheap, buy twice’ mentality. But skimping on quality is costing us a small fortune, with the average Brit throwing out almost £700-worth of broken or unwanted possessions every year. The bin man will collect £80-worth of furniture, £77-worth of electricals and £73-worth of home appliances from each Brit per...

Specsavers has moved to put permanent dibs on the commonly-used verb "should've" after the opticians approached the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) for a trademark. The company used the phrase "should've gone to Specsavers" in it marketing and branding and has become commonly associated with the word, which has given it grounds to apply for exclusive use. If approved, it would mean that other companies will not be able to use "should've" and "shouldve" in their marketing. Despite some commentators demonstrating...