Due to soaring shipping costs and trade route disruptions caused by attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, European retailers are expediting their Christmas orders.

The surge in shipping prices, particularly for large items, is anticipated to impact the cost of white goods and other big-ticket items.

Retailers are planning and booking shipments well in advance to ensure timely deliveries, potentially affecting cash flow and warehouse space.

The spot rate for immediate delivery of goods has increased significantly, impacting low-margin items like furniture and kitchen appliances.

Consequently, consumers can expect notable price increases for these items in the coming months.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqee78djzmro

A BBC team questioned Jane MacLeod, former Post Office general counsel, about her absence at a crucial inquiry into the Post Office Horizon IT scandal.

MacLeod declined to comment.

Jo Hamilton, a wrongly convicted former sub-postmaster, expressed disappointment, suggesting MacLeod's presence would demonstrate her commitment to helping the inquiry.

Despite being deemed an important witness, MacLeod chose not to provide oral evidence, citing her written statement as sufficient.

Sir Wyn Williams, the inquiry chair, emphasized MacLeod's significance but acknowledged limitations in compelling her attendance due to her residing abroad.

MacLeod expressed regret for the adverse outcomes faced by sub-postmasters during her tenure and acknowledged the implications of her decisions.

Former Post Office boss Paula Vennells named MacLeod as a trusted senior executive, raising questions about the Post Office's handling of the court case against sub-postmasters.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czdd33qd1j0o

I am wondering at the cost of Wandsworths new food waste collection, and what they do with it??

The jury has found former US President Donald Trump GUILTY of falsifying business records to conceal a hush-money payment made to former porn star Stormy Daniels.

He becomes the first former president to be convicted of a crime.

This is for the first count of the 34 charges in total. There are more verdicts to come.

Source: BBC

https://visitbarrow.org.uk/dave-day/

A great way of remembering the wonderful Dave Myers of Hairy Biker fame

...if he doesn't move from the Royal Lodge to Frogmore Cottage.

Andrew's continued stay at the 30-room mansion strains the King's patience.

Despite lacking a known income source, Andrew remains at the Royal Lodge with his ex-wife Sarah.

The King suggests Frogmore Cottage as a suitable alternative, offering security and proximity to Windsor Castle.

Andrew's reluctance to recognise the situation may prompt the King to reassess his support.

Andrew moved into the Royal Lodge in 2004 but reportedly struggles to afford its upkeep.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/royals/king-charles-threatens-andrew-refuses-leave-home-b1161475.html

I've just read about it, the poor chap was only 41, how sad.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.highline179.tirol%2Fen%2F&psig=AOvVaw2pE5EF5lwCF-VRXpQHdLfh&ust=1717377587709000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBIQjRxqFwoTCOD_xMXgu4YDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

Yet again a member has literally disappeared in front of our very eyes from the Current Affairs group taking all their content with them, as the last three did.

They have to do this themselves as the moderator does not know how to remove them or their comments no matter how threatening, malicious or spiteful they are.

Bye bye Albert2, Babs, Sylv and Eliza

Promises promises 😳

All a bit late now

https://news.sky.com/story/tories-pledge-20m-for-30-towns-as-labour-embarks-on-power-up-bus-tour-13146228

From football to Racism it seems everyone was out protesting or trying to go somewhere they shouldn’t

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpdd27jem92o.amp

No small wonder the police do not have the manpower to concentrate on day to day crime.

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch, 93, married retired molecular biologist Elena Zhukova, 67, in a ceremony at his Californian vineyard after a few months of dating.

The couple posed for photos and couldn't stop smiling after the ceremony.

Murdoch, who has a net worth of $21.7 billion, met Zhukova through his third wife, Wendi Deng.

He has six children from previous marriages.

The ceremony was attended by guests including New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and his wife Dana Blumberg, as well as News Corp chief executive Robert Thompson.

https://metro.co.uk/2024/06/02/rupert-murdoch-93-marries-fifth-wife-elena-zhukova-67-20955740/?ico=mosaic_home

while on a zoom call to the court to answer a charge of driving without a licence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8XcQ20Pb-8

I am so pleased that somebody has the intelligence to tell this little mentally disturbed runt the potential result of his threats.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/russia-will-be-turned-into-cinders-putin-sent-dire-warning-over-nuclear-war-with-nato/ar-BB1ntnRE?ocid=BingNewsSerp

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/pigeons-and-parachuting-dog-decorated-as-d-day-heroes/ar-BB1nrYYK?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=85de1c33190b452599d858cf8d12741d&ei=66

https://news.sky.com/story/japan-holes-found-in-huge-black-screen-put-up-to-stop-tourists-taking-photos-of-mount-fuji-13144531

Cannot believe that in this day and age that wearing underwear in the garden would offend so many people...admittedly it wasn't my garden or underwear...but still

The ANC is about to be deposed after 25 years - main problems very high unemployment and awful electricity supply.

Opportunity knocks.

Is this country able to offer expertise and committment to build the power infrastructure required and thus go some way to solve the unemployment problems?

Any bets the Chinese and Russians are there already staking their claims?

The New York Times, owner of the popular word game Wordle, is taking legal action against a geography-based spinoff called Worldle for allegedly causing confusion and capitalising on Wordle's success.

Worldle's creator, Kory McDonald, intends to defend himself by highlighting the existence of numerous other games with similar names.

Wordle, created by Josh Wardle in 2021, gained immense popularity, reaching millions of players worldwide, while Worldle has a smaller player base of around 100,000 monthly users.

Despite the legal challenge, McDonald remains optimistic and expresses surprise at the situation, stating that he is prepared to change the name if necessary.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjrr5ee5zv8o

Proposals.

1. Remove all inheritance taxation.
2. Remove Stamp Duty.
3. Increase shared ownership housing construction.
4. Susidise the quality renovation of existing empty properties.*

This country values home ownership above most things. Families work all their lives to "own their own home".

Too many people realise they will be renting for their entire lives.

Owning your own home promotes sales of so mamy products, from carpets to white goods to mowers and on...

A firm base allows for family planning.

VAT is taken on all the goods that are bought so the revenue from that will compensate for closing down two taxes that inhibit and depress people.

Even when this country had much higher inflation, there was a "feel-good factor" because people could aspire to home ownership and achieve it.



*The most recent government statistics, released in November 2023, showed there were 261,189 long-term empty properties in England. That figure represents a rise of 12,556 homes compared to 2022, up 5% annually and 16% since before the pandemic in 2019.

The biggest was recorded in the South West – where there has been widespread concern about second homes – with the number of long-term empty homes rising 9% in just a year.

Long-term empty properties are a huge missed opportunity to invest in re-fitting and create new jobs.

A study conducted by the Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust aimed to develop a more accurate at-home test to identify genetic factors that increase the risk of prostate cancer in men.

The current blood test used for screening has limitations, including false positives and missing aggressive cancers.

The new saliva test showed promising results, producing fewer false positives and detecting a higher proportion of aggressive cancers.

Further research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of this saliva test in saving lives.

The preliminary findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw44e32veg3o

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5117ep9ee5o?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Bbbc.news.twitter%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D&at_link_id=39B1802E-2014-11EF-9780-90E7EBB1D83B&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_campaign_type=owned&at_medium=social&at_format=link&at_link_origin=BBCNews&at_link_type=web_link&at_ptr_name=twitter

https://metro.co.uk/2024/05/31/woman-died-inside-crashed-car-police-scotland-failure-20944448/?ico=trending-post-strip_item_2

https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/londons-free-exhibitions-to-visit-in-june-2024-72679/

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newslondon/list-of-mps-standing-down-at-general-election/ar-BB1nffWT?ocid=msedgntphdr&cvid=eb641cdc14bb4538d530472a896e241c&ei=29

Click

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4nn0n93zj4o.amp

As you may have heard a Czech Billionaire has made an offer

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpddxy9r4mdo

Your thoughts!

Has anyone read Georgina Lawton's book "Raceless' published in 2021

Her story about being 43% Nigerian sounds very familiar

Featured (as in link attached) on tv 3 months ago and again this morning

Amazing

https://youtu.be/hcy61zwc2v4?si=leyOnDPzOQqAAVLh

I do not know whether any of you has seen the ad on tv

Here’s the survey

https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/national-dog-survey?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3tCyBhDBARIsAEY0XNneuYa1fV1yYKgwiR9_I1vr_P8ocqjgU3HJtwRNHqBZoQmR_ZDBuywaAsKvEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

A US billionaire and a deep-sea explorer plan to explore the Titanic in a submersible, the Triton 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer, which can safely reach depths of 3,800 meters.

The private submersible industry faced challenges after a vessel built by OceanGate imploded en route to the Titanic in 2023, resulting in the deaths of five people.

The proposed voyage will only proceed once the vessel is fully certified by a marine organisation.

The pair aims to demonstrate the safety and wonders of deep-sea exploration, hoping to revive interest in the private submersible industry affected by the Titan disaster.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1vvr76lddxo

Police injured

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c511repj004o.amp

Would you buy this? I can just imagine the comments.

London's Evening Standard newspaper will cease daily editions and transition to a weekly publication due to financial losses.

The change is attributed to fewer commuters, evolving consumer habits, and the introduction of Wi-Fi on the London Underground.

The weekly newspaper will feature in-depth analysis, lifestyle, sports, culture guides, and news.

The shift to a weekly format aims to preserve the printed newspaper in a digital era while ensuring profitability and securing the brand's future.

The Evening Standard draws inspiration from the successful strategic transition of its sister publication, The Independent, which experienced readership growth and commercial success after its own transformation in 2016.

https://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/evening-standard-to-drop-daily-edition-in-favour-of-weekly-newspaper-b1160845.html

A fatal incident occurred at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport when a person was killed after being caught in the running jet engine of a KLM passenger plane.

The flight was preparing for departure to Billund, Denmark.

Investigations are underway by the airline, Netherland's military police, and Royal Netherlands Marechaussee force.

The identity of the deceased remains unknown, and it's uncertain whether it was an accident or suicide.

Emergency services responded to the scene, and passengers and employees who witnessed the incident are being cared for.

Schiphol airport expressed condolences and is assisting those affected.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0dd9pxnd0lo

A serial sex attacker dubbed "The Fox" has died in prison, the Ministry of Justice said.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dde87035po

If I take a Mars bar from the kitchen cupboard, munch it on my way to the station and throw the wrapper in a public bin, is that not household waste?

A couple, Deborah and Ian Day, were fined £200 each by Stoke City Council for littering after they disposed of an envelope containing their address in a public bin.

The council claimed that this action violated sections 87 and 88 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which prohibits the disposal of household waste in public bins.

Deborah, a hairdresser, expressed her surprise and frustration at receiving the fine, stating that she was unaware of the regulation.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13468367/Council-jobsworths-fine-couple-400-one-ENVELOPE-public-bin-tracked-address-it.html

My sister has one of the standard walking frames from the NHS and she is now having to use it to get around the flat so I think it would be best if she had some sort of tray on it to carry drinks/food. I know I've previously seen one which looked ideal but I just can't find it again.

Can anyone suggest a good website please.

https://metro.co.uk/2024/05/29/cat-went-missing-nine-years-laugh-found-20716675/amp/

If a Subpostmaster can be told it's his fault he was robbed, what would a young watch dealer have felt after he was robbed?

A watch dealer, Oliver White, was robbed at his workplace in Richmond, London, on Saturday.

The robbers put him in a chokehold and stole expensive watches.

CCTV footage of the incident was shared online.

White was found dead in Shepperton, Surrey, on Sunday.

His family believes he took his own life due to the trauma and distress of the robbery.

https://news.sky.com/story/richmond-watch-dealer-found-dead-day-after-robbery-took-own-life-says-family-13144624

I've had two bottles delivered by my new milkman just to try, and it is a really refreshing cold drink. There is no alcohol. The ingredients are just tea, sugar and live cultures. But it does not taste like cold tea, not like Liptons ice tea. It is more like an alternative to a white wine.
Regarding my new milkman, TheModernMilkman, I am pleased I made the switch from Milk&More. For my regular deliveries they are cheaper. I pay £1.10 for milk, against £1.50 previously. Orange juice is only £1.50 whereas before it was £2.50. I've even started buying eggs from them as they are cheaper than in Sainsburys.
The bakery products are excellent quality.
The other thing I like is that all the produce comes from small independent local suppliers.

https://themodernmilkman.co.uk/products/no-and-low-alcohol/real-sparkling-tea-2

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4nn2p32zrzo

Manuals and guides on how to make money from blackmail and sexting are available online.

Whatever next?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp00y03q93mo

Has anyone bought from this site?

https://www.clarkslippers.co.uk/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1Wi2XnKf28o9-qopwjsN46cwKGIozjSIucz1R6Hf6MHBeY2WZbKwE3Bec_aem_AXUSYqduAeTPLzDsT4VeTafxtZiz-CAr1Zt6qlf4e4KoxCqHB8cnSgZvRuHGRE-equKsJA8gIMDrskMxmVJM9zkP

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmj664ynjzeo

The two groups SL Community Support and SL Tech Support seem to disowned and dead.
Have we now no SL moderators or activity ?