By Shaun Wooller, Health Editor For The Daily Mail

Published: 22:37 BST, 9 October 2024 | Updated: 00:53 BST, 10 October 2024

Patients should be assessed by a GP before being seen by a physician associate to reduce their risk of harm, according to new guidelines.

PAs are also advised to explain that they are not doctors when introducing themselves, and wear clear name badges.

The recommendations from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) follow a vote by its council to oppose the role of PAs in general practice over fears for patients’ safety.

PAs have to do only a two-year postgraduate healthcare course, rather than a medical degree. Their role is to ‘support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients’ in GP surgeries and hospitals. However, they have come under scrutiny following the death of Emily Chesterton, from Salford, who was misdiagnosed by a PA who she thought was a doctor and suffered a pulmonary embolism in 2022 aged 30.

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It comes as the British Medical Association (BMA) yesterday demanded that GP practices are given an additional 35 per cent of funding per patient in order to call off industrial action. The strikes have involved some family doctors halving the number of appointments they offer.

Physician associate are also advised to explain that they are not doctors when introducing themselves, and wear clear name badges (file image)

The recommendations from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) follow a vote by its council to oppose the role of PAs in general practice over fears for patients’ safety 

It comes as the British Medical Association (BMA) yesterday demanded that GP practices are given an additional 35 per cent of funding per patient in order to call off industrial action (file image)

The extra £40 per patient, per year, would cost up to £2.5billion and could be used to boost practice profits. The BMA admitted this alone would not be enough to end the dispute. It has also called for a new GP contract that reduces members’ workloads.

The RCGP said its new guidance on PAs is intended as a ‘practical resource’ for GPs and practices, which employ around 2,000 of them.

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RCGP chairman Professor Kamila Hawthorne said: ‘There are too many PAs we feel are not being supervised and not trained to identify who’s got something seriously wrong and who hasn’t.’

The guidelines suggest PAs should only see patients who have been triaged by a GP first and should always work under the supervision of a doctor. PAs should wear ‘clearly visible name badges’ and ensure patients understand they are not a doctor. And when booking appointments, the guidelines say patients must be able to discuss who they would like to see.

In June, a survey of RCGP members found 81 per cent thought that using PAs in general practice could negatively effect patient safety. They recommend PAs going into general practice prepare with an additional one-year transition programme.

An NHS spokesman said: ‘We have always been clear about the role medical associates play. They are not replacements for doctors, but support teams with specific tasks they are trained to do, under supervision.’

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: ‘We have already begun hiring an extra 1,000 GPs into the NHS and put £311million into GP practices.’

Issued on: 09/10/2024 – 22:05Modified: 09/10/2024 – 22:04

3 min

Industrialist Ratan Tata, who has died aged 86, was credited with transforming India’s Tata Group into a globally renowned conglomerate with a portfolio ranging from software to sports cars.

A painfully shy student, he planned to be an architect and was working in the United States when his grandmother, who raised him, asked him to return home and join the sprawling family business.

He started out in 1962, staying in a hostel for apprentices and working on the shop floor near blast furnaces.

“It was terrible at that time but if I look back at it, it’s been a very worthwhile experience because I have spent years hand-in-hand with the workers,” he recounted in a rare interview.

Tata took over the family empire in 1991, riding the wave of the radical free-market reforms that the Indian government unleashed that year.

His 21 years in charge saw the salt-to-steel conglomerate expand its global footprint to include British luxury brands such as Jaguar and Land Rover.

His vaulted ambitions for the group, founded under British colonial rule, were not initially welcomed by older board members, he said, prompting him to institute a company retirement age policy.

Risk appetite

Born in Bombay, now Mumbai, in 1937, the Cornell University-educated Tata was known for his willingness to take risks.

In 2004, he took the conglomerate’s software outsourcing arm Tata Consultancy Services public at a time when many were nervous about investing in technology stocks.

That same year, he declared he wanted Tata Group to “spread its wings far beyond India” and become “at home in the world” — prompting a world tour to buy up major brands, including Britain’s Tetley Tea and Anglo-Dutch steel firm Corus.

Tata’s 2008 decision to purchase the loss-making Jaguar and Land Rover brands for $2.3 billion put him on the map.

He had less success with the $13.7 billion Corus acquisition as demand for European steel plummeted due to Chinese competition.

And his pet project Tata Nano, billed as the world’s cheapest car, stuttered to a halt after finding few takers in status-conscious India, where consumers flinched at owning a so-called “poor man’s car”.

But the losses paled before his triumphs, which saw the Tata Group’s revenues rise from around $6 billion to $100 billion, as the company’s reach grew to more than 100 countries.

A highly respected figure in India’s often turbulent corporate world, Tata could not entirely escape controversy.

He was questioned in 2011 by a parliamentary watchdog probing a multi-billion-dollar telecom licensing scam. The group was later cleared of any wrongdoing.

When he stepped down the next year on his 75th birthday, praise poured in with fellow industrialist Rahul Bajaj lauding his reign as “outstanding”.

For his part, the media-shy mogul said, “I have devoted my life, as best I could, to the welfare of the group.”

Surprise comeback

His retirement in 2012 was to prove short-lived however, with Tata briefly retaking the reins barely four years later as India’s largest group endured its worst crisis in decades over the acrimonious sacking of his young successor Cyrus Mistry.

The first chief appointed from outside the immediate Tata family, Mistry faced multiple challenges with lacklustre performance at several of the group’s firms.

His focus on divestments to shrink the conglomerate’s $30 billion debt was said to have frustrated Tata, who believed the group should hold on to its assets and not reduce its global reach.

Few anticipated Mistry’s ouster and the bitterness it unleashed, with the two men engaging in furious public mudslinging, including accusations of corporate malfeasance.

Mistry also dragged the holding company Tata Sons to court over claims that he was unfairly sacked, as the feud hit the group’s global reputation and hammered its stocks.

The conglomerate stayed strong after his second departure, with Tata in 2021 welcoming debt-laden Air India back into the family fold decades after it was nationalised.

The lifelong bachelor later devoted his time to running the group’s charitable arm and funding some of India’s hottest start-ups.

A pillar of India’s proud but dwindling Zoroastrian Parsi community, Tata also joined Instagram at the age of 81, winning over followers with posts sharing his passion for cars, flying and dogs.

(AFP)

The Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury rematch poster has been corrected after fans questioned the decision to name the Gypsy King as the A-side despite his loss in the first fight.  

Usyk became the first undisputed world champion of the four-belt era in May, stripping Fury of his WBC title to write his name into the history books as one of boxing’s all-time greats.

The pair will go toe-to-toe for a second time in Saudi Arabia on December 21 – with  Turki Alalshikh taking to social media to announced the undercard earlier this week. 

However, fans were surprised to see the rematch poster had Fury named as the A-side despite losing his belt to the Ukrainian via split decision with the scores reading 115-112, 113-114, and 114-113 in Usyk’s favour. 

Boxing fans commented on the post claiming the poster should be changed to reflect Usyk’s achievements in the first bout and it wasn’t long before a new poster was shared. 

The Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury rematch poster has been corrected amid fan questions

Usyk became the first undisputed world champion of the four-belt era in May when he stripped Fury of his WBC title

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Fans were surprised to see the rematch poster had Fury named as the A-side (left) despite losing his belt to the Ukrainian

Usyk has now been named as the A-side for the highly-anticipated bout – due to take place in Saudi Arabia on December 21 as part of the ongoing Riyadh Season spectacle.  

The undercard for the rematch has also been announced, with Alalshikh sharing the line-up ahead of Artur Beterbiev’s undisputed title fight with Dmitry Bivol this weekend. 

The co-main event will be a thrilling match-up between Ukraine’s Serhii Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs) and Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov (9-0-1, 6 KOs). 

Both men are known for their power and aggressive styles, with Bohachuk boasting an astounding knockout rate – having KO’d 23 of his opponents. 

The Ukrainian puncher, trained by Manny Robles, is looking to bounce back from his defeat to Vergil Ortiz Jr and make a statement on the world stage. 

Madrimov, a former amateur standout and Olympic alternate for Uzbekistan, has been on the fast track since turning professional. 

Known for his slick boxing skills and ability to switch between orthodox and southpaw stances, Madrimov boats a 10-1-1 record. 

Madrimov became a world champion at the age of 29 after 10 professional fights, but, lost his most recent fight against Terence Crawford. 

In the heavyweight division, 19-year-old Moses Itauma (pictured) is set to face his toughest test yet against Australia’s Demsey McKean

Itauma, widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the sport, has been demolishing opponents with ease

Madrimov’s latest fight was a unanimous decision loss to Crawford, in which he lost his WBA super-welterweight title. 

In the heavyweight division, 19-year-old British phenom Moses Itauma (10-0, 8 KOs) is set to face his toughest test yet against Australia’s Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KOs).

Itauma, widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the sport, has been demolishing opponents with ease, knocking eight of his opponents out. 

Standing at 6ft4′ with an imposing frame, the young fighter has already drawn comparisons to a young Mike Tyson for his fearsome power and relentless pressure.

McKean, a 6ft6′ southpaw, will experience and durability to the contest set to take place on December 21. 

A former rugby league player turned boxer, McKean has fought internationally, including on high-profile cards in the UK and the US. 

While coming off a recent loss to Filip Hrgović, McKean remains a credible gatekeeper in the heavyweight division. 

For Itauma, a win over an opponent of McKean’s calibre would further cement his reputation as a future title contender.

In another heavyweight bout, Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs), also known as ‘The Romford Bull,’ will take on British journeyman and Dave Allen (21-6-2, 18 KOs). 

In another heavyweight bout, Johnny Fisher (pictured) will take on journeyman Dave Allen

This will be Fisher’s first fight since his surgery – which ruled him out of his scheduled fight with Andrii Rudenko on the Catterall-Prograis undercard.

Dave Allen, a seasoned and colourful veteran, has become a cult figure in British boxing – fighting the likes of Dillian Whyte and Luis Ortiz.

After a brief retirement, Allen returned to the ring in 2023 and remains a dangerous opponent, capable of upsetting less experienced fighters.    

Dennis McCann and Peter McGrail have also been pitted against each other, while Isaac Lowe and Lee McGregor will also go toe-to-toe on the undercard. 

Issued on: 10/10/2024 – 08:37

2 min

France’s government is to deliver its 2025 budget on Thursday with plans for 60 billion euros ($65.68 billion) worth of tax hikes and spending cuts to tackle a spiralling fiscal deficit.

Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s new government is under increasing pressure from financial markets and France’s European Union partners to take action after tax revenues fell far short of expectations this year and spending exceeded them.

But the budget squeeze, equivalent to two points of national output, has to be carefully calibrated to placate opposition parties, who could not only veto the budget bill but also band together and topple the government with a no-confidence motion.

Lacking a majority by a sizeable margin, Barnier and his allies in President Emmanuel Macron’s camp will have little choice but to accept numerous concessions to get the budget bill passed, which is unlikely before mid to late December.

The far-right National Rally, whose tacit support Barnier needs to survive any no-confidence motion, has already helped derail a government proposal to postpone a pension increase by six months to save 4 billion euros.

Members of Macron’s party are also loathe to see the president’s legacy of tax-cutting go up in smoke, with his former prime minister Gabriel Attal saying on Wednesday: “The budget is light on reforms and too heavy on taxes.”

Barnier has said he will spare the middle class and instead target big companies with a temporary surtax and people earning over half a million euros per year.

All taxpayers will nonetheless be hit by plans to restore a levy on electricity consumption to where it was before an emergency reduction during the 2022-2023 energy price crisis.

The government has said the budget bill will reduce the public deficit to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) next year from 6.1% this year – higher than almost all other European countries – as a first step towards bringing the shortfall into line with an EU limit of 3% in 2029.

While tax hikes will make up one third of the 60 billion euro budget squeeze, the rest will come from spending cuts, with 20 billion cutting across France’s ministries and the rest hitting separate spending on welfare, health, pension and local government budgets.

France’s borrowing costs surged after Macron called a snap parliamentary election and his centrist party then lost to a left-wing alliance. Financial markets are likely to pay close attention to whether the budget can get through parliament without being watered down too much.

The budget will also face scrutiny from the European Commission, which has subjected France to an excessive deficit procedure for falling foul of the EU’s fiscal rules.

(Reuters)

British YouTuber and BBC star Yung Filly has been arrested on suspicion of raping a woman in a hotel in Australia.

Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, 29, was detained in Brisbane on Tuesday and extradited interstate to Perth on Wednesday.

The YouTube star is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in her 20s in his hotel on September 28 after a performance at Bar1 Nightclub in Hillarys, Perth. 

The rapper, whose rapid rise to fame saw him land his own BBC show called Hot Property in 2019, had performed at Havana Nightclub on the Gold Coast two days prior to his arrest.

He has been charged with four counts of sexual penetration without consent, three counts of assault, and one count of impede a person’s normal breathing or circulation by applying pressure to their neck.

Mr Barrientos, who was born in Colombia but moved to the UK as a refugee when he was a child, appeared at Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday, where his bail application was adjourned until later in the day. He remains in custody.

Sex assault squad detectives arrested 29-year-old Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, known as Yung Filly, in Brisbane on Tuesday

Sex assault squad detectives extradited Barrientos (right) from Brisbane to Perth on Wednesday

Yung Filly often hangs around big stars, including here where is pictured with England striker Ivan Toney (second from left)

The event at Bar1, where Mr Barrientos performed prior to the alleged attack, marketed the UK rapper’s performance as the ‘ultimate evening escapade’.

‘The event promises to be a seamless blend of spontaneity, humour and music that’ll have you talking for weeks!’ MoshTix said. 

Yung Filly, who started his YouTube channel in 2013, first shot to fame in collaboration with Beta Squad, a group which included his best friend Chunkz. In 2022, he teamed up with Chunkz again to host the MOBO Awards.

Filly has also appeared in videos with the Sidemen, which YouTube sensation KSI is part of, and later delved into the music industry. 

He recently collaborated with fellow British rapper Aitch on the song Grey, which gained more than 2.5-million views on YouTube and 10-million streams on Spotify.

The 29-year-old has also hosted several shows on the BBC – including Hot Property and Yung Filly’s Celeb Lock-In – and appeared on Channel 4’s The Great Celebrity Bake Off. 

As he has become more of a high-profile figure, Yung Filly has played in Soccer Aid and featured on Would I Lie to You?

Mr Barrientos has also worked with several fashion brands, including recent collaborations with ASOS and Perplex, as well as many major companies, including McDonald’s, Heinz, British fashion chain Primark and Captain Morgan rum.

His Australian tour had kicked off in Perth before he headed to Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast, where he played four shows.

Yung Filly has racked up more than three-million followers on Instagram and 1.84million subscribers on YouTube.

Earlier this year, Yung Filly appeared on the Jonathan Ross show where he spoke about being able to retire his mother

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He collaborated with fellow British rapper Aitch (pictured) on the song Grey, which gained more than 2.5-million views on YouTube and 10-million streams on Spotify

His 85 videos have been watched nearly 120million times since he joined YouTube in November 2013.

It is estimated that Yung Filly’s net worth is between $1million to $2million.

He first turned to making videos after a video about his ex cheating on him went viral with millions of views on Facebook. 

Just last month, Filly shared a reel of photos on Instagram which included pictures of him hanging out with England striker Ivan Toney and rapper Aitch. 

The YouTuber also appeared on the BBC’s Jonathan Ross show earlier this year alongside Oscar-nominated actress Kirsten Dunst, Industry star Marisa Abela, Lionesses goalkeeper Mary Earps and Madness. 

On the show, he told the audience about how he knew he had made it when he retired his mother from working at Poundland.

He said: ‘She used to work in Poundland and it got to the point where people would see the resemblance between me and her and go, “Are you Filly’s mum?” And some people would ask for pictures and she got really embarrassed. 

Yung Filly has racked up more than three-million followers on Instagram and 1.84million subscribers on YouTube

Mr Barrientos has also worked with several fashion brands, including recent collaborations with ASOS and Perplex

‘I remember I gave her a call once and I told her ‘Mum you can quit your job, I’ve got you now.

‘She didn’t know how to take it. Months went on, she was still working and I said ‘Mum seriously you ain’t got to work again. Then I made her my PA.’

Filly has previously spoken of his pride about being a refugee, when his family left Colombia for UK when he was just two-years-old. They settled in Lewisham, south east London, living above a Morley’s fried chicken shop.

He told Amazon Prime in 2020: ‘I’m most proud of the fact that I was a refugee, I’m proud that I had to struggle. It makes you appreciate all the little stuff a lot more. I don’t think I really took in how poor we were.’ 

He added: ‘I was born in Colombia and sadly enough I don’t know a lot about Colombia. But from what I do know, it’s a happy place… when I think about my culture, I’m proud of the vibe that the country gives off, the people and the food.’

When asked about the impact of working in social media, he once revealed: ‘Has it had a positive impact or a negative impact on my mental health? A bit of both. I suffer with anxiety. 

‘I recently experienced panic attacks. It’s made me known and being known is what gives me anxiety. But then social media has changed my life.’

Earlier this year, he also played football with some of the sport’s former greats, such as David Villa, Kaka and Chelsea legend Drogba, in a star-studded charity match in Qatar.

MailOnline has contacted Yung Filly’s representatives for comment. 

Issued on: 10/10/2024 – 05:16

2 min

Donald Trump ruled out a second US presidential debate with rival Kamala Harris on Wednesday, hours after Fox News offered to host a candidate showdown later this month before election day on November 5.

The Republican ex-president and Democratic vice president, locked in an excruciatingly close White House battle, have faced off just once, in September, and despite suggestions by multiple news outlets, it appears they will not meet again before the vote.

“It is very late in the process, (early) voting has already begun — there will be no rematch!” Trump said in an all-caps post on his Truth Social media platform, nixing the possibility of a follow-up to the candidates’ first debate in Philadelphia. 

“Kamala stated clearly, yesterday, that she would not do anything different than Joe Biden, so there is nothing to debate,” Trump added.

Harris had previously challenged Trump to a debate hosted by CNN on October 23, but the former president declined.

Trump also said that Harris, who became the Democratic nominee after President Biden ended his reelection bid following his disastrous debate with Trump, had backed out of a previous debate offered by Fox, although the Harris campaign had not publicly accepted the proposal.

The candidates did agree to debate on ABC News on September 10, and the vice presidential running mates — Republican J.D. Vance and Democrat Tim Walz — squared off on October 1.

But while Trump said he had agreed to participate in a September 4 debate on Fox, as well as one on September 25 on NBC News, Harris never did. 

The vice president, after positive reviews that she had bested Trump in their encounter, had expressed interest in doing a second debate, but the plans never came to fruition.

Fox for its part sent letters Wednesday to the two campaigns offering “one final pitch for a debate” between Harris and Trump, either on October 24 or October 27.

“This would present an opportunity for each candidate to make his or her closing arguments,” wrote Jay Wallace, president of Fox News Media.

(AFP)

From ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ to ‘The Tiger Who Came To Tea’, woke campaigners have taken offence to many beloved books.

Now, scientists claim that even our school textbooks are sexist.

Researchers from the UK’s Center for Global Development analysed the contents of 1,255 textbooks from 34 countries around the world.

They found that the textbooks mentioned women half as often as men and were far less likely to describe their careers and achievements.

So, would you take offence to these descriptions of men and women?

Researchers have revealed the most common descriptions of men and women from textbooks around the world. Do you think these descriptions are sexist?

Researchers analysed the content of textbooks to see how often male or female terms were used and to understand what kinds of phrases they were commonly used with (stock image)

The textbooks analysed in the study were drawn from subjects ranging from economics to agriculture and covered years four to 13 (ages eight to 18). 

The researchers then compared each textbook’s content with a list of gendered names and pronouns – like ‘he’, ‘she’, or ‘aunty’ – and looked at what kind of phrases these words were used with.

Lead researcher Lee Crawfurd told MailOnline: ‘Our study shows that girls are systematically under-represented in school books around the world, and depicted in traditional stereotypical roles.’

The researchers also found that the terms used to describe men and women usually reflected traditional gender stereotypes.

The most common adjectives used to describe female characters included ‘married’, ‘beautiful’, ‘aged’ and ‘quiet’.

Men, on the other hand, were most often described as ‘rich’, ‘wise’, and ‘certain’.

For verbs, the most common words associated with women included ‘bake’, ‘cook’, and ‘sang’.

The verbs most commonly used to describe men were ‘rule’, ‘guide’, ‘sign’, and ‘order’.

However, Mr Crawfurd says: ‘It’s less about particular egregious examples or sentences, and more about these consistent patterns of representation.’

An analysis of 1,255 textbooks from around the world found that of the 15 most common jobs mentioned, women were far more likely to be described as domestic help, teachers, and students 

For example, the study found that female words were much less frequently associated with terms involving achievement and work and more likely to be associated with terms referring to personal appearance and the home.

Where women’s jobs are mentioned, the most common form of employment was ‘domestic help’, ‘nurse’, and ‘religious official’.

By contrast, the jobs which most often occurred alongside male-gendered words were ‘physicist’, ‘mathematician’, and ‘salesperson’.

Across all the countries studied, men were mentioned more than twice as often as women.

In Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and South Sudan where women were least represented, less than one in three gendered words referred to a woman or girl.

The country which mentioned women most frequently was Zimbabwe, where textbooks use more female terms than male terms.

This was followed by Kiribati and Kenya which skewed slightly towards using more female terms.

However, as the researchers point out, the seven countries which mention women most all receive a large proportion of their textbooks through donor projects.

While women were more likely to be described as domestic help or nurses, textbooks most frequently referred to men as physicists or mathematicians (stock image) 

In textbooks, the verbs most commonly associated with women were mainly domestic. These included terms like ‘bake’, ‘cook’, ‘dry’ and ‘sang’

Textbooks used adjectives that focussed on women’s personal appearances more often than their success or jobs. While men were described as ‘wise’ or ‘rich’, women were more likely to be described as ‘married’ or ‘beautiful’ 

Excluding countries with donor-provided textbooks, the UK was the nation which mentions women and men most equally – although male terms are still more common.

Generally, countries with textbooks that contained more female characters had a stronger GDP and more legal rights for women – although the researchers could not say whether this was just a correlation. 

The researchers also found a difference between subjects in terms of how often women or men were mentioned.

Home economics was the subject which mentioned women the most, with some textbooks using female terms up to 70 per cent of the time.

This was closely followed by physical education which used male and female terms almost equally.

The seven countries where textbooks refer to women the most all receive a large of their books as donations. Excluding these, the UK is the country which refers to men and women the most equally 

Religion, humanities, science, and business, meanwhile, were the subjects which mentioned men the most.

While these differences might seem inconsequential, Mr Crawfurd argues that the presence of these subtle biases has a real impact on students’ lives.

‘Millions of girls and boys around the world are denied opportunities because of regressive gender norms and rigid stereotypes,’ said Mr Crawfurd.

‘Obviously there are many influences on norms besides school books, but this is one simple adjustment that can be made and might be of some benefit.’

Around the world, educational materials and children’s books have become an increasingly contentious topic for campaigners on either side of the political spectrum.

Campaigners have criticised The Tiger Who Came to Tea (pictured) for perpetuating gender stereotypes. The researchers say that the content in educational material can have a real impact on children’s lives 

Some groups have taken offence to classic works such as The Tiger Who Came for Tea on the grounds that it perpetuates gender stereotypes.

Meanwhile, Florida school boards have banned several textbooks for mentioning ‘critical race theory’ or ‘social justice issues’.

Although their goals are different, both groups are motivated by a concern that exposure to content in the classroom can influence young people’s life choices.

In response to these findings, Mr Crawford and his co-authors are calling on policymakers and educators to address the gender disparities found in textbooks.

In their paper, published in PLOS ONE, they argue that this would remove ‘outdated gender stereotypes’ from the classroom and help broaden students’ horizons.

Mr Crawfurd concludes: ‘The changes that could be made are simple; ensuring that the stories and illustrations used in books show boys and girls in a range of different roles.’

Issued on: 10/10/2024 – 06:14

2 min

The remnants of Hurricane Kirk swept into western Europe Wednesday, tearing up trees in Portugal and Spain before dumping heavy rains on France that left at least one dead.

A storm swell in the Mediterranean off the port city of Sete in southern France overturned three boats, killing one amateur sailor and putting another in the hospital in critical condition, said Herault department authorities.

Some 64,000 people in the south of France were also left without power, network supplier Enedis told AFP, while several departments reported roads cut off by floodwaters.

Following a crisis response meeting in Paris, Energy and Ecological Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told journalists the government was mobilising “all state services” and urged citizens to be careful.

“These episodes will have a tendency to recur. We’re living at a time when climate change is making itself felt in concrete ways in our daily lives,” she said.

Authorities put the Seine-et-Marne department near Paris on red alert for flooding as the rain swelled the Grand Morin river, a tributary of the Seine, which runs through the French capital.

Another 29 of the country’s departments were placed on orange alert, with heavy rains and high winds expected.

There were 35,000 households that lost electricity in the worst-hit department of Pyrenees-Atlantiques, with a clutch of other departments in the southwest and central east of the country also affected, Enedis said.

Weather forecasters had predicted the storm would dump a month’s worth of rain on a swathe of the country, including Paris.

Portugal power cuts

Portugal’s civil protection authority reported more than 1,300 incidents overnight Tuesday to Wednesday, three-quarters of which involved fallen trees in the north of the country.

Porto, the main northern city, was hit hardest, with 400 trees uprooted. Cars were also damaged and rail services interrupted near Barcelos, also in the north.

The storm also cut power to more than 300,000 households, said the country’s electricity supplier.

Weather and civil protection officials, having predicted winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour (75 mph) and heavy rain, put the coast on a yellow alert, as waves reached up to seven metres (23 feet) high.

Spanish weather officials issued an orange alert for the north and northwest of the country, warning of winds of up to 140 kilometres per hour in the Asturias region.

Galicia, in the northwest, reported some roads blocked by mud slides and fallen trees in urban areas.

(AFP)

Rumours are swirling that one of the greatest perks of saving for retirement could be under threat in the Chancellor’s Budget at the end of the month.

The ability to take 25 per cent of your pension savings tax free has for decades been a much-loved feature of pension saving – and is a key feature of the retirement plans of millions of savers.

Savers use the tax-free cash to help fulfil their retirement dreams: to top up their income if they semi-retire, to take a well-earned holiday, pay off a mortgage or help loved ones to boost their savings or buy a home. It can be taken from the age of 55, or 57 from 2028.

But as the Chancellor Rachel Reeves looks for taxes that she can raise and perks that she can slash to boost the Treasury’s coffers, fears are mounting that the beloved tax-free lump sum could be in her sights.

Budget raid: Chancellor Rachel Reeves is on the lookout for taxes that she can raise and perks that she can slash to boost the Treasury’s coffers

The Chancellor was labelled ‘Robber Reeves’ by protesters against the Winter Fuel Allowance cuts who gathered outside Parliament earlier this week.

Wealth managers, financial advisers and pension providers tell Money Mail their call centres are heaving and experts in heavy demand from worried savers with two questions on their lips: is the tax-free lump sum under threat and should I take mine now while I still can?

Experts are urging the Government to provide urgent clarity to worried savers. Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis at wealth platform Hargreaves Lansdown says: ‘The Government has left people to make impossible decisions about their investments and pensions. 

‘The sooner changes, such as raiding tax-free cash, can be ruled out, the more people can focus on the long term again.’

Wealth managers say they are urging clients not to make rash decisions they may later regret – especially if the tax-free lump sum remains unchanged. 

They say savers need to think very carefully before taking tax-free cash as there can be implications for inheritance tax, capital gains tax and how much they have to retire on.

But there are some tricks that savvy savers can use to make the most out of the situation.

Only take what is shielded from tax

While money is in your pension it grows free of tax. But as soon as you take it out, it is exposed again. 

There may not be income tax to pay when you withdraw your 25 per cent tax free lump sum, but it could attract tax later on, for example if you put the money into a savings account where it earns more than £1,000 in interest every year (or £500 if you’re a higher-rate taxpayer). 

The protection of a pension is rarely worth forfeiting unless you have specific plans for how you will use the cash.

But one trick that allows you to bank some tax-free cash is only to take as much as you can fit into an Isa.

Tax haven: Like pensions, Isas shield your wealth from tax and allow your money to grow without paying a penny on dividends, capital gains or interest earned

Like pensions, Isas also shield your wealth from tax and allow your money to grow without paying a penny on dividends, capital gains or interest earned.

So you could take tax-free cash from your pension, put it into your Isa without paying tax – and once it’s there your wealth can continue to grow tax free.

Everyone has an Isa allowance of £20,000 each tax year. So you could take £20,000 if you still have your full allowance available. Children also have a Junior Isa allowance of up to £9,000. 

If you wanted to help children out, you could in theory use your allowance, your spouse or civil partner could do the same, and chip into the Junior Isas as well. 

For a family of four that would add up to a total of £58,000 completely shielded from tax – and any changes made by the Chancellor.

You don’t have to take your full tax-free lump sum – there’s nothing to stop you taking only what you need or can shield from tax. 

If you keep the remainder of your allowance in your pension for longer, it gives it even more time to grow, which could grant you an even greater tax-free lump sum in the long term.

Apply for special protection

Should the Chancellor make changes to the tax-free lump sum, she is very unlikely to get rid of it altogether.

It is far more likely that she will reduce the amount that you can take tax free from the current upper limit of £268,275.

But were she to reduce the cap, there is a good chance that she would put something in place for savers who would already fall foul of the new rules. 

Retirement perk: The ability to take 25% of your pension savings tax free has for decades been a much-loved feature of pension saving 

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Clare Moffat, from pensions firm Royal London, says chancellors have always offered this kind of lifeline in the past.

‘If the Chancellor does reduce the cap, I would expect her to put rules in place to protect those people who have enough saved that they would breach the new cap,’ she says. ‘Otherwise the new legislation would be retrospective, which does not seem fair.’

If you do fall foul of any new rules introduced, be ready to apply for permission to maintain your benefits under the old ones.

Don’t worry unless you have a large pot

Influential think-tanks the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Fabian Society are recommending that the Chancellor slashes the limit from £268,275 to £100,000. 

Were this to happen, savers would not be affected unless they had more than £400,000 saved in pension wealth. Few retirees have pots of this size.

Of course, she could slash it further – or restrict the lump sum in another way, such as reducing the percentage that can be taken or having stingier rules for higher and additional rate taxpayers. 

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But it is probable that any changes are unlikely to target those with the smallest pots. 

And as Jessica Beard explains overleaf, Rachel Reeves may not change the tax-free lump sum rules at all – there are plenty of other allowances that she could go after instead.

Act now if you have plans

What you don’t want is to take a load of tax-free cash just for the sake of it and to leave it sitting in a low-paying savings account when it could have been growing nicely in your pension. 

As Steven Cameron, pensions director at provider Aegon says: ‘It’s generally not a good idea to take money out of your pension unless you know how you’ll spend it.’

But, if you plan to take a tax-free lump sum soon and have a specific purpose for it, you could consider banking it now to be on the safe side. The key is to think through the decision carefully and work out all the implications.

Timing: If you plan to take a tax-free lump sum soon and have a specific purpose for it, you could consider banking it now to be on the safe side

Dan Boardman-Weston, chief executive of advisers BRI Wealth Management, says: ‘As a general rule of thumb, it’s usually not sensible to pre-empt potential tax changes and we’d advise clients not to be making knee-jerk decisions on speculation.

‘However, if you are already planning to take some or all of your tax-free cash in the near future then it may make sense to accelerate the timing of that.’

Remember there is no need to take all of your tax-free cash at once; you can take it in lump sums as you need it. 

A good financial adviser can help you plan the most tax efficient ways to take tax-free and taxable cash from your pension.

However tempting it may be to change tack and take out more than you planned in case the rules change in the Budget, you may find that the benefits are far outweighed by the harm it would cause to your retirement plans. Speaking to an adviser first is key.

Beware of the unintended tax traps

Taking money from your pension may seem straightforward, but there are all sorts of implications. 

For example, pension pots can be passed on free of inheritance tax (although loved ones will pay income tax if you die after the age of 75). 

But, if you take a tax-free lump sum, that money may not be afforded the same protection, should your estate exceed your inheritance tax allowances.

Once you take money from a pension, you are restricted as to how much you can subsequently pay into them. 

So, for example, if you take your tax-free lump sum and continue to work, you will find that you can only pay £10,000 a year into your pension instead of £60,000. 

That could be devastating to your retirement planning if you had hoped to boost your pension pot in your final years of work. Some people, for example, will pay in larger sums after selling a business or downsizing. 

If you work in the public sector, you may even have to stop working if you take a lump sum.

All of these factors will need to be considered, which is why it can be worth getting financial advice. Ask friends and families for personal recommendations, or use a directory such as unbiased.co.uk to find a regulated adviser near you.

The Government also offers free guidance through its Pension Wise service. Go to: moneyhelper.org.uk.

By Nikki Main Science Reporter For Dailymail.Com

Published: 16:25 BST, 8 October 2024 | Updated: 16:29 BST, 8 October 2024

A 5,000-year-old discovery made at an ancient burial site in Northern China could finally reveal how Chinese civilizations formed.

Archaeologists unearthed more than 100 jade relics in the city of Chifeng, including three dragons – with the largest of which was about half a foot long.

The elaborate burial site was comprised of a circular tomb and a sacrificial alter, revealing the prehistoric culture of the Hongshan that lived in the region around 3000BC.

The relics were similar to ancient artifacts previously found in other provinces and suggested the Hongshan’s culture pulled inspiration from three other societies that live at least 100 miles away.

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Archaeologists found three dragons among 100 jade relics at an ancient burial site in China

The relics were found beneath a circular tomb at the Yuanbaoshan burial site

The team determined that the Hongshan civilization may have exchanged artistic ideas with the Yangshao and Liangzhu cultures.

Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of Archaeology recovered the jade relics at the Yuanbaoshan burial site, along with ruins, pottery and human remains.

Three dragons were among the relics excavated from beneath the walls of the circular tomb that measured about 77 feet in diameter.

The jade dragons had a more chubby and pig-headed appearance than those made today,.

In China, jade dragons have long been a symbol of good luck, protection of evil spirits and was believed to connect both the physical and spiritual realms after death. 

The team was shocked to find the six-inch jade dragon that was slightly longer than the one unearthed 93 miles away in the Liaoning province. 

They also identified several stone structures and semi-underground houses at the burial site, which were likely tombs for high-ranking individuals.

And the altars were used to conduct religious ceremonies.

The Hongshan culture historically practiced a variety of religious ceremonies, including burying their dead on ceremonial platforms alongside carved jade and had a unique sacrificial system that involved using dragon artifacts to worship their ancestors.

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Jia Xiaobing, a researcher at the Chinese Institute of Archaeology, confirmed that the tomb’s layout is similar to those found in Niuheliang – a village about 85 miles away. 

The jade dragon (pictured), measuring more than six inches long is the largest ever unearthed

Researchers hope the discovery will reveal how ancient civilizations in China communicated and shared artistic styles.

It was identified by its southern circle, northern alter and northern tomb layout and the jade artifacts also revealed a cross-over in stylistic similarities used in other cultures, representing a connection for the first time.

Dang Yu, research librarian at the Inner Mongolia Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology said the jade relics also included ceremonial tools and ornaments, axes and headgear.

One piece of headgear resembled those belonging to the Lingjiatan culture from 5,300 to 5,800 years ago in the present-day Anhui province that further proved the two cultures had cultivated long-distance cultural trade.

‘Such consistency in an expanded area proves that a shared belief system existed among the Hongshan ancestors,’ Xiaobing told China Daily.

Hongshan culture sites dating back to between 4700 BC and 2900 BC have been found stretching from Inner Mongolia to Liaoning in the northern region of the country.

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The researchers are conducting additional tests and studies to learn more about the relics and when the burial site was constructed.