Issued on: 02/10/2023 – 16:48

1 min

Populist former prime minister Robert Fico and his leftist Smer, or Direction, party captured 22.9% of the vote on Saturday. It will have 42 seats in the 150-seat Parliament.

If he succeeds, Fico, 59, will become prime minister for the fourth time.

Read moreBodybuilding, fast cars and misogyny: Slovakia’s populist Robert Fico returns to power

In a televised address to the nation Monday, President Zuzana Caputova stressed that the new government would have to be “a government which will serve all citizens.”

Fico has repeatedly attacked the liberal president, accusing her of being an American agent and serving foreign interests. Caputova has been suing him for that.

Fico campaigned on a pro-Russian and anti-American message.

The election was a test for the small eastern European country’s support for neighboring Ukraine in its war with Russia. Fico vowed to withdraw Slovakia’s military support for Ukraine, and his victory could further strain the fragile unity in the European Union and NATO.

Fico needs to find coalition partners to rule with a parliamentary majority.

The left-wing Hlas (Voice) party, led by Fico’s former deputy in Smer, Peter Pellegrini, came in third with 14.7% (27 seats). Pellegrini parted ways with Fico after the scandal-tainted Smer lost the previous election in 2020, but their possible reunion would boost Fico’s chances to form a government.

Other potential coalition partners include, the ultranationalist Slovak National Party, a clear pro-Russian group, that received won 10 seats and the Conservative Christion Democrats with 12 seats.

A liberal, pro-Western newcomer, the Progressive Slovakia party, took second place in the election with 18% of the votes, or 32 seats. Its leader, Michal Simecka, said he would like try to form a governing coalition if Fico fails.

Fico’s critics worry that his return to power could lead Slovakia to abandon its course in other ways, following the path of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and to a lesser extent of Poland under the Law and Justice party.

(AFP)

Europe’s epic Ryder Cup celebrations in Rome continued until 4.30am as Tyrrell Hatton and Shane Lowry are revealed as the last men standing.

From Rory McIlroy leading a boozy rendition of ‘Europe’s on Fire’ on the team bus to Viktor Hovland spraying his fellow teammates with champagne – each player can be seen joining in the fun.

However, it appears the English-Irish duo of Hatton and Lowry were particularly jubilant after Europe secured a 16.5 to 11.5 win over the Americans.

A blissfully bleary-eyed Shane Lowry was pictured surrounded by empty bottles of beer, Champagne and the all-important trophy as players reportedly partied until 4.30am local time.

A picture of teammate Tyrrell Hatton, one of the standout heroes as Europe seized back the Ryder Cup from the US, was then posted by the Ryder Cup Europe social media team with the caption ‘last man standing’ this morning.

Tyrrell Hatton is the last man standing as he hilariously sports colourful light-up glasses during Team Europe’s Ryder Cup celebrations

Shane Lowry looks pleased as punch as he sits with the Ryder Cup during the post-tournament celebrations in Rome

The 31-year-old Brit looked slightly dazed as he posed with a frothed-up lager while wearing some LED-lit party sunglasses outside the team’s hotel. 

Before the boozy party in the team hotel, there was also a raucous coach trip from the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club to the team hotel in the Eternal City, where there were wild celebrations both on and off the course.

Shortly after their superb win, which saw Luke Donald’s side put the demons of 2021 behind them, Rory McIlroy could be seen leading chants of ‘USA is terrified’ to the tune of dance hit Freed from Desire on the team coach last night while his team-mates joined in.

McIlroy – who led Team Europe to victory just hours after clashing with a Team USA caddie in a car park – was in a celebratory mood as he sang at the top of his voice, guzzled champagne straight from the bottle and took a swig from the Ryder Cup trophy.

But the celebrations didn’t stop there and more pictures have emerged of the delighted Europe stars partying long into the night.

At a reception party after their win, a delighted Lowry was pictured looking pleased as punch as he sat at a table smiling with the Ryder Cup – plus plenty of bottles of champagne and beer – in front of him.

Lowry’s team-mates can be seen mingling in the background while the early morning light begins to peer through the curtains.

But while many of Team Europe called it a night after hours of partying, last man standing Hatton hilariously kept the celebrations going as he drank beer while dressed head to toe in Team Europe clothes while sporting some light-up party glasses.

Following their victory, McIlroy took to centre stage among the Ryder Cup celebrations, visibly riding high on an outstanding three days of golf which was also filled with plenty of controversy.

The Northern Irish star was visibly emotional during a post-victory interview after Team Europe secured their victory as he got redemption for his disappointing performance in the 19-9 defeat at Whistling Straits two years ago.

Rory McIlroy and Lowry led chants of ‘USA is terrified’ to the tune of dance hit Freed from Desire as Team Europe celebrated regaining the Ryder Cup in style on their coach

McIlroy and Lowry were also filmed drinking from the Ryder Cup as celebrations got rowdy

McIlroy cruised to victory over America’s Sam Burns as the hosts won for the seventh time in a row in Europe, eventually crushing the visitors in Rome.

After a strong US fightback had frayed nerves, Tommy Fleetwood ensured his side would take the honours by securing the half-point needed with a stunning drive to 23 feet at the par-four 16th.

McIlroy won his first three matches at Marco Simone but lost the final fourball on Saturday evening which took a vicious turn when he became embroiled in an angry exchange with Patrick Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava over his celebrations on the 18th green.

The row then spilled over into the car park and McIlroy had to be bundled into a waiting car by team-mate Shane Lowry amid astonishing scenes.

The 34-year-old was left furious when LaCava stood in his line of vision twirling his cap as he attempted to line up what would have been a match-saving putt.

Team Europe captain Luke Donald leads a rendition of Queen’s ‘We are the Champions’ on the bus

Other hilarious footage showed Francesco Molinari dancing in the aisle of the coach as the rest of the team chanted Tommy Fleetwood’s name after the Englishman clinched the Ryder Cup

Cantlay had been jeered all day by the home supporters for reportedly refusing to wear his USA cap in protest at not being paid to play. After McIlroy confronted Cantlay’s bag man on the green, tempers boiled over again in the car park.

‘Walking off the 18th yesterday was probably the angriest I’ve ever been in my career,’ McIlroy told BBC Radio 5 Live.

‘I said it to the US guys, I thought it was disgraceful what went on and I made that clear.

‘I needed that to fuel me today and not let it take away from what has been a great week. I felt like I used it to my advantage and came out with a different level of focus and determination and in a way it gave the whole team a bit of fire in our bellies.’

McIlroy had to fight back tears before he added: ‘I just wanted to win another point for Europe. Ever since Whistling Straits I was so disappointed in my performance there, so to come here and get four points for the team means a lot to me.

Rory McIlroy celebrates an iconic Ryder Cup victory by pouring champagne over his face on the 18th green

Rory McIlroy said he was fuelled by his car park bust up with a Team USA caddie on Saturday

Team Europe captain Luke Donald poses with the trophy and wife, Diane Antonopoulos as his team kiss their partners during the celebrations after winning the Ryder Cup

Team Europe’s Rory McIlroy celebrates with his wife Erica after Europe regained the Ryder Cup

Team Europe Captain Luke Donald holds the Ryder Cup Trophy with players 

‘It’s a great bounce-back after Whistling Straits. The team we have is incredible. It’s a young team that I think will be around for a long time.’

This was an emphatic response by Europe after their 19-9 hammering at Whistling Straits in 2021 and means captain Luke Donald may well lead the side again at Bethpage Black in two years’ time.

The jubilant wives and girlfriends of the Ryder Cup winners planted kisses on their Team Europe partners as they also got involved in the wild celebrations.

Posing for a photo with the iconic gold trophy, Donald was surrounded by his victorious team who shared a special moment with their other halves at the end of a memorable weekend in Rome.

There was also a hilarious moment where the WAGs took a separate photo just with Norwegian star Viktor Hovland, the only single man out of the 12 Team Europe winners.

Shane Lowry of Ireland and The European Team roars with delight as he raises the Ryder Cup beside (L-R) Matthew Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Ludwig Aberg, Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland at the official presentation 

Justin Rose, Jon Rahm and teammates of Team Europe celebrate winning the Ryder Cup during the Sunday singles matches

Europe’s WAGs took a separate photo just with Norwegian star Viktor Hovland, the only single man on the team

Issued on: 02/10/2023 – 15:39

2 min

“As part of the reorganisation of our arrangements in the north, we have begun the redeployment of our forces in the northeastern region of Kidal,” a Mali military official who spoke on condition of anonymity told AFP.

A convoy left the northern city of Gao, which lies 300 kilometres (185 miles) southwest of Kidal, early Monday, the source added.

Another security official said the convoy was made up of 119 vehicles and was currently stopped on the road to the north of Gao.

National security chiefs made the deployment decision at a meeting late on Sunday, he added.

Kidal is a crossroads region in the north that is not under the control of the Malian state but of a coalition of predominantly Tuareg groups called the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA).

Since the end of August, the north of Mali has seen a resumption of hostilities by the CMA and an intensification of jihadist attacks against the army.

The fact that Kidal is still controlled by the ex-rebels continues to pose a sovereignty issue and remains a source of irritation for Bamako, including for the junta.

Junta leaders have made re-establishing state control across the whole country one of their main messages.

Junta chief’s pledge

Kidal lies more than 1,500 kilometres from the capital Bamako and hundreds of kilometres from the cities of Gao and Timbuktu.

It is a crucial stopover between Mali and Algeria.

When an insurrection broke out in 2012, the region was one of the first in Mali to fall into the hands of the rebels, both separatists and Salafists.

It was taken over by the CMA in 2013 following military intervention by France, and has remained in their hands despite a 2014 attempt by the Malian army to regain control.

In 2015, the rebels signed the so-called Algiers peace agreement with pro-government armed groups and the state.

The 2012 insurrection paved the way for armed groups linked to Al-Qaeda to conquer most of the north, triggering France’s intervention and plunging the Sahel into war that has left thousands dead.

The Al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadist alliance Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM) now operates over large swathes of the north and centre of Mali as well as on the outskirts of the capital Bamako.

In the northeast, groups affiliated to the Islamic State organisation have extended their hold over almost all of the Menaka region.

The jihadist insurgency that erupted in northern Mali in 2012 spread to Niger and Burkina Faso in 2015.

Following back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021, the Malian junta pushed out France’s anti-jihadist force in 2022.

Northern Mali has seen a series of attacks on the army in recent weeks which coincides with the ongoing withdrawal of the UN stabilisation force MINUSMA.

MINUSMA has been handing over its camps to Malian authorities, but the separatists claim they should be returned to their control.

The UN mission has still to vacate its camp at Kidal and two other sites further north by the end of December.

Mali’s junta chief Colonel Assimi Goita, speaking on the anniversary of the West African nation’s 1960 independence from France last month, pledged to retake control of the country from jihadist groups and rebels.

(AFP)

Liz Truss demanded cuts to corporation tax as she delivered a dramatic speech to Tory activists at conference.

The former PM urged Rishi Sunak to show he is ‘hungry’ to get firms thriving as she joined ex-Cabinet ministers Priti Patel and Jacob Rees-Mogg at the fringe event.

She told a packed crowd in Manchester – with Nigel Farage in the front row attending his first Conservative conference for years – that the Government must ‘axe the tax’ and build more affordable housing.

‘Let’s be prepared to make Conservative arguments again,’ she said. ‘Let’s make Britain grow again.’ 

However, the message has already been dismissed by Jeremy Hunt, who toured broadcast studios this morning warning that he cannot bring in significant tax cuts this year and refused to promise any before the election.   

Liz Truss demanded tax cuts to kick-start business as she delivered a rallying cry to Tory activists at conference

The former PM urged Rishi Sunak to show he is ‘hungry’ to get firms thriving as she joined ex-Cabinet ministers (right to left) Jacob Rees-Mogg, Priti Patel and Ranil Jayawardena at the fringe event

Rishi Sunak is bracing for a storm at Tory conference today with a host of rebels set to challenge his stance on tax

Polling has suggested many Brits feel the Truss government bungled the implementation of its economic policies, rather than having the wrong policies  

Speaking at the Great British Growth Rally event – the busiest yet at the conference – Ms Truss said: ‘I’m calling upon the Chancellor at the Autumn Statement to put corporation tax back down to 19 per cent.

‘And frankly, if we can get it lower, the better

‘What we know is that economic growth and making Britain grow again is not going to be delivered by the Treasury. It’s not going to be delivered by more public spending. It’s not going to be delivered by more regulation.

‘It is going to be delivered by giving business the freedom they need to succeed.’

Ms Truss also complained about the scale of current Government spending, saying ‘it has not been higher since the 1970s’. 

‘And in fact it was lower for most of the 1970s, apart from 1975,’ she said.

‘So we need to acknowledge that Government is too big, taxes are too high and we are spending too much.’

Calling on Conservatives to ‘bring these arguments home to people’, she said: ‘Let’s be prepared to make conservative arguments again.

‘Let’s stop taxing and banning things. Let’s instead build things and make things. Let’s be prepared to make conservative arguments again, even if it’s unpopular, even if it’s difficult. I want everybody in this room to unleash their inner conservative.

‘And finally, my friends let’s make Britain grow again.’

Ms Truss also waded into the row over housing – which has been pitching shire Tories who are nervous of more construction against Red Wall MPs. 

‘While lots of MPs talk about building more homes, it’s very difficult to actually get them to vote for reducing the regulation that’s stopping the homes being built,’ she said.

‘It’s all about protecting newts or installing a bat bridge. That appears to be the priority rather than building homes.’

She said she wanted to ‘turbocharge the incentives’ by giving local areas tax breaks if they are prepared to ‘get rid of that red tape’.

The PM has kicked off the pre-election gathering in Manchester insisting he is making progress on his five missions – including bringing down inflation and stopping Channel boats.

But leadership hopefuls are already jostling for position in case Mr Sunak is unable to stave off the threat from Labour, with Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch both taking tough positions on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).  

During interviews this morning, Mr Hunt said the government must prioritise tackling inflation – and warned that he did not know if the public finances will allow cuts before the election.

He told GB News: ‘The way you win elections is by making promises people believe. We’re being honest with people, there is no short cut to tax cuts.

‘If I gave a big tax cut this year, it would be inflationary, because we’d be putting money in people’s pockets, which would boost up demand, which would ultimately mean prices would go up as well. So this is not the right time.’

The Chancellor said: ‘I don’t think it’s going to be possible to do any big tax cuts, on the basis first of all of the public finances as we see them… but also it would compromise our battle against inflation.

‘No tax cuts are possible in a substantial tax way at the moment, so it’s not just inheritance tax, it’s income tax, it’s all the different tax cuts that people look at. If we start having big tax cuts it would be inflationary.’

Asked if he believes it will be Mr Sunak’s first and last conference as Tory leader, Mr Hunt said ‘no, I don’t’ before praising his ‘formidable’ talents, hard-working nature and ability to ‘cut through really difficult problems’.

The Chancellor insisted to Times Radio he has been ‘completely cured’ of any ambitions to enter No 10 himself.

Mr Hunt will use his conference speech to announce tougher rules on benefits and a boost to the national living wage as part of a Tory plan to get more people into work.

He will promise the national living wage will increase to at least £11 an hour from April.

But alongside that he will look again at the benefit sanctions regime to make it harder for people to claim welfare while refusing to take ‘active steps’ to move into work, with proposals due to be set out in November’s Autumn Statement.

With Mr Hunt insisting that tax cuts in the Autumn Statement are unlikely, the Tories would have the option of a giveaway at a possible full Budget in the spring before any election in 2024.

Philip van Scheltinga from polling firm Redfield & Wilton Strategies told MailOnline that the public had not been against Ms Truss’s policies in principle.

‘There is a narrative out there that what Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng did with the mini budget was unpopular with the public, not just with the markets. That’s simply wrong,’ he said.

‘In fact, their policies were initially supported by the public and would still be supported by the public if enacted again today.

‘Rather, the public saw how the markets reacted and then did not see the Prime Minister for several days. Her failure was in implementation and communication, not in policy.’

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt toured broadcast studios this morning ahead of his keynote speech, but insisted that significant tax cuts are not happening this year

The main speech at the conference will be from Mr Hunt, who will confirm plans to boost the wages of the lowest paid on the second day of the Manchester gathering

The main speech at the conference will be from Mr Hunt, who will confirm plans to boost the wages of the lowest paid on the second day of the Manchester gathering.

The Conservatives said the move will benefit two million people and follows the target for the national living wage to reach two-thirds of median hourly pay by October next year.

The Low Pay Commission estimates the rate required to meet that goal should be between £10.90 and £11.43, with a central estimate of £11.16.

The increase will mean the national living wage will increase by more than £1,000 for a full-time worker next year.

Mr Hunt and Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride are expected to use November’s Autumn Statement to set out tough welfare reforms.

‘I am incredibly proud to live in a country where, as Churchill said, there’s a ladder everyone can climb but also a safety net below which no-one falls,’ Mr Hunt will say.

‘But paying for that safety net is a social contract that depends on fairness to those in work alongside compassion to those who are not.

‘As part of that we will look at the way the sanctions regime works. It is a fundamental matter of fairness.

‘Those who won’t even look for work do not deserve the same benefits as people trying hard to do the right thing.’

On the conference fringe, Ms Truss will address a rally with a focus on boosting growth – a key theme of her short-lived premiership a year ago.

‘There is no reason we cannot go into the next election with a platform that is proudly Conservative,’ she will say. ‘Let’s stop taxing and banning things, and start producing and building things.’

Dust devils – vertical columns of hot air and particles – may seem like a weather phenomenon found only on Earth. 

But new footage captured by NASA’s Perseverance rover shows one measuring a whopping 1.2 miles high on the Martian surface. 

Perseverance captured the dust devil as it was moving east to west at about 12 miles per hour at Thorofare Ridge, located on the western rim of Mars’ Jezero Crater. 

It was about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) away from the six-wheeled rover, which landed on Mars in February 2021 after a nearly seven-month journey through space.

As well as collecting rock samples and making oxygen, Perseverance acts as a pair of eyes on Mars so scientists can learn about the planet’s weather from 230 million miles away.

The dust devil (circled) was filmed by Perseverance from about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) away

The clip – which has the speed altered to show the devil’s progress – is composed of 21 frames taken four seconds apart, according to NASA.  

In a blog post, scientists at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) explained that the dust devil was captured by one of Perseverance’s ‘Navcams’. 

These black-and-white navigational cameras, mounted at the top of the rover’s long ‘neck’, use visible light to gather panoramic 3D imagery. 

Although only the bottom 387 feet (118 meters) of the swirling vortex were visible in the camera frame, scientists used the dust devil’s shadow to estimate its full height as 1.2 miles (2 kilometers).

‘We don’t see the top of the dust devil, but the shadow it throws gives us a good indication of its height,’ said Mark Lemmon, planetary scientist at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and a member of the Perseverance science team. 

‘Most are vertical columns; if this dust devil were configured that way, its shadow would indicate it is about 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) in height.’ 

The dust devil is shown in the background with regolith – a blanket of loose dust, broken rocks and other Martian fragment – in the foreground

The six-wheeled rover is on Mars to search for signs of ancient life, look for water and gather samples of Martian soil and rock to one day return to the Earth

The sped-up clip was captured on August 30, the 899th Martian day, or ‘sol’, of the Perseverance mission.

One sol consists of 24 hours and 37 minutes – so slightly longer than one Earth day. 

As on Earth, dust devils form when rising cells of warm air mix with descending columns of cooler air, carrying dust and debris as they go. 

But the Martian versions can grow to be much larger than those found on Earth, due to the lower gravity and abundance of dust on our neighbouring planet. 

Dust devils are also most prominent during the spring and summer months when temperatures are warmer.

This is because the hot air near the ground rises quickly through the cooler air above, which can trigger the upward current of air.

Mars’ northern hemisphere, where Perseverance is located, is currently in summer. 

Perseverance has been tasked to look in all directions for dust devils to help scientists on the ground track Martian weather. 

It’s taking images in black-and-white to reduce the amount of data sent to Earth, which means less of a wait to see what Perseverance is seeing.  

Dust devils are also most prominent during the spring and summer months when temperatures are warmer. This is because the hot air near the ground rises quickly through the cooler air above, which can trigger the upward current of air. Mars’ northern hemisphere, where Perseverance is located, is currently in summer 

A full scale test model of the Perseverance rover currently on Mars is displayed during a press conference for the Mars Sample Return mission in the Mars Yard at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California on April 11, 2023

But the rover’s key objective is to seek traces of fossilised microbial life and gather rock specimens for return to Earth. 

For more than two years it has been busy trundling around the Jezero Crater collecting rocky samples and placing them in a titanium tube. 

Jezero Crater was the chosen location as scientists believe the area was once flooded with water and was home to an ancient river delta. 

Secrets about this body of water, if it did exist, could be locked away in the rock samples, ready for scientists on Earth to unravel. 

However, Perseverance is not bringing the samples back to Earth – the rover is stashing the tubes in certain locations for them to be collected by a highly ambitious retrieval mission. 

Samples are being captured from the Jezero Crater near a fossilised four billion year old river delta that could contain signs of ancient life

This joint mission between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) is currently in development – although reportedly it’s not making much progress. 

A report released last week by NASA’s Institutional Review Board suggested it is danger of not launching due to costs and ‘complexities’. 

It said: ‘There is currently no credible, congruent technical, nor properly margined schedule, cost and technical baseline that can be accomplished with the likely available funding.’ 

Hard at work: NASA’s Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter are searching for life on the Red Planet

NASA’s Mars 2020 mission was launched to search for signs of ancient life on the Red Planet in a bid to help scientists better understand how life evolved on Earth in the earliest years of the evolution of the solar system.

Named Perseverance, the main car-sized rover is exploring an ancient river delta within the Jezero Crater, which was once filled with a 1,600ft deep lake.

It is believed that the region hosted microbial life some 3.5 to 3.9 billion years ago and the rover will examine soil samples to hunt for evidence of the life.

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Nasa’s Mars 2020 rover (artist’s impression) is searching for signs of ancient life on Mars in a bid to help scientists better understand how life evolved on our own planet

The $2.5 billion (£1.95 billion) Mars 2020 spaceship launched on July 30 with the rover and helicopter inside – and landed successfully on February 18, 2021.

Perseverance landed inside the crater and will slowly collect samples that will eventually be returned to Earth for further analysis.

A second mission will fly to the planet and return the samples, perhaps by the later 2020s in partnership with the European Space Agency.

This concept art shows the Mars 2020 rover landing on the red planet via NASA’s ‘sky-crane’ system

John Lewis boss Sharon White to step down next year

• White will reportedly not seek reappointment at the end of five-year term
• Departure will make her the shortest-serving chair in partnership’s history 

By Mike Sheen

Updated: 07:24 EDT, 2 October 2023

The chair of John Lewis Partnership will step down next year, amid continued losses and a delay to the retail giant’s turnaround plan.

Sharon White has told the John Lewis board that she will not seek reappointment to the position at the completion of her five-year term, making her the shortest-serving chair in partnership’s 100-year history.

Her departure comes two weeks after White was forced to admit that John Lewis’ turnaround plans would take two years longer than initially planned ‘inflationary pressures’.

The five-year transformation plan, which was launched in 2020, will not be complete until 2027-28.

Short-lived: Sharon White will not seek reappointment, marking the shortest-serving chair in its 100-year history

The financial pressure threatens future bonuses to John Lewis staff, who are partners in the business, with the group posting a £59million loss for the first six months of 2023 following a £99million loss the previous year.

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The losses stand in stark contrast to the strong performance of its rival Marks & Spencer. 

John Lewis confirmed today it has initiated the process to appoint a successor and ‘review the accountabilities of the chairman’s role to ensure that these continue to support the successful transformation of the business’.

Rita Clifton, deputy chair and chair of the nominations committee, will oversee the appointment process. 

White, who only recently joined industry calls for authorities to get a grip on growing rates of shoplifting, has faced mounting pressure as John Lewis’ performance has deteriorated.

The group, which also owns Waitrose, suffered a third year of losses in 2022 and was this year forced to axe its annual staff bonus for only the second time since 1953.

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In May, White lost a vote on her performance over the past year following more heavy losses, although she won a vote over her overall leadership.

In efforts to revitalise trade, the group has moved to instigate Waitrose price cuts, a revamp of its children’s clothes offering and heavy recruitment ahead of the Christmas period, among other measures,

John Lewis also appointed its first ever chief executive in March, with Nish Kankiwala flagging buy-now-pay-later options as a potential game changer.

Writing for the Mail on Sunday in June, White backed human staff amid the growing business interest in artificial intelligence and machine learning processes

This year the company axed its annual staff bonus for only the second time since 1953

White said: ‘The chairman of the John Lewis Partnership is a special and unique role in UK business. 

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‘The chairman is responsible for the long-term health of the Partnership’s model – commercial success twinned with a commitment to first rate customer service and action in our communities.

‘Having led the Partnership through the pandemic and the worst of the cost of living crisis, it is important that there is now a smooth and orderly succession process and handover.

‘The Partnership is making progress in its modernisation and transformation with improving results. There is a long road ahead and I am committed to handing on the strongest possible Partnership to my successor.’

Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.

John Lewis boss Sharon White to step down next year

• White will reportedly not seek reappointment at the end of five-year term
• Departure will make her the shortest-serving chair in partnership’s history 

By Mike Sheen

Updated: 07:24 EDT, 2 October 2023

The chair of John Lewis Partnership will step down next year, amid continued losses and a delay to the retail giant’s turnaround plan.

Sharon White has told the John Lewis board that she will not seek reappointment to the position at the completion of her five-year term, making her the shortest-serving chair in partnership’s 100-year history.

Her departure comes two weeks after White was forced to admit that John Lewis’ turnaround plans would take two years longer than initially planned ‘inflationary pressures’.

The five-year transformation plan, which was launched in 2020, will not be complete until 2027-28.

Short-lived: Sharon White will not seek reappointment, marking the shortest-serving chair in its 100-year history

The financial pressure threatens future bonuses to John Lewis staff, who are partners in the business, with the group posting a £59million loss for the first six months of 2023 following a £99million loss the previous year.

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The losses stand in stark contrast to the strong performance of its rival Marks & Spencer. 

John Lewis confirmed today it has initiated the process to appoint a successor and ‘review the accountabilities of the chairman’s role to ensure that these continue to support the successful transformation of the business’.

Rita Clifton, deputy chair and chair of the nominations committee, will oversee the appointment process. 

White, who only recently joined industry calls for authorities to get a grip on growing rates of shoplifting, has faced mounting pressure as John Lewis’ performance has deteriorated.

The group, which also owns Waitrose, suffered a third year of losses in 2022 and was this year forced to axe its annual staff bonus for only the second time since 1953.

Advertisement

In May, White lost a vote on her performance over the past year following more heavy losses, although she won a vote over her overall leadership.

In efforts to revitalise trade, the group has moved to instigate Waitrose price cuts, a revamp of its children’s clothes offering and heavy recruitment ahead of the Christmas period, among other measures,

John Lewis also appointed its first ever chief executive in March, with Nish Kankiwala flagging buy-now-pay-later options as a potential game changer.

Writing for the Mail on Sunday in June, White backed human staff amid the growing business interest in artificial intelligence and machine learning processes

This year the company axed its annual staff bonus for only the second time since 1953

White said: ‘The chairman of the John Lewis Partnership is a special and unique role in UK business. 

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‘The chairman is responsible for the long-term health of the Partnership’s model – commercial success twinned with a commitment to first rate customer service and action in our communities.

‘Having led the Partnership through the pandemic and the worst of the cost of living crisis, it is important that there is now a smooth and orderly succession process and handover.

‘The Partnership is making progress in its modernisation and transformation with improving results. There is a long road ahead and I am committed to handing on the strongest possible Partnership to my successor.’

Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.

Issued on: 02/10/2023 – 11:49

1 min

The pair, who had been tipped as favourites, were honoured “for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19,” the jury said.

“The laureates contributed to the unprecedented rate of vaccine development during one of the greatest threats to human health in modern times,” it added. 

The pair will receive their prize, consisting of a diploma, a gold medal and a $1 million cheque, from King Carl XVI Gustaf at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of the 1896 death of scientist Alfred Nobel who created the prizes in his last will and testament.

Last year, the Medicine Prize went to Swedish paleogeneticist Svante Paabo, who sequenced the genome of the Neanderthal and discovered the previously unknown hominin Denisova.

The Nobel season continues this week with the announcement of the winners of the Physics Prize on Tuesday and the Chemistry Prize on Wednesday.

They will be followed by the much-anticipated prizes for Literature on Thursday and Peace on Friday.

The Economics Prize winds things up on Monday, October 9.

(AFP)

A holiday to Disney World is the dream for many children – and one parents hope they can make come true. 

But a trip to the magic kingdom is becoming ever harder to afford for some parents, and out of reach for many more.

People on TikTok were left shocked after one mother spent a whopping $3,758 (£3066.83) in just one day at the park in Orlando.

Summer Reign Henning made a video breaking down the costs throughout the day, and captioned it ‘Robbery in broad daylight and we still have two more parks to go’.

The video got over two million views and almost 5,000 comments expressing horror at the extortionate prices – including paying $800 (£652.86) for lightsabers and $170 (£138.73) for pictures.

People on TikTok were left shocked after one mother spent a whopping $3,758 (£3066.83) in just one day at the park in Orlando

The video was filmed on day two of five of the family’s holiday, so there was even more spending yet to come

It was filmed on day two of five of the family’s holiday, so there was even more spending yet to come.

The mom explained that they started off by buying their tickets to the park and Lightening Lane tickets, which came to a hefty $870 (£709.99).

Lightening Lane tickets allow you to bump the lines by joining a special queue for people who paid extra, which in theory should give you the chance to fit more rides into your day.

However, Summer said this wasn’t the case for her family as in most sections of the park they only got to go on one ride, even after forking out more for the queue jump. 

In the morning, she purchased what looks like four novelty headbands, which came to $130 (£106.09).

Then, for the first meal of the day, the family had a ‘mediocre breakfast’ at Hollywood and Vine which cost $223 (£181.99) – the clip showed a small plate of what looks like scrambled eggs, sausage, two strips of bacon, grapes and a few other bits.

She continued ‘Then we headed over to Toy Story land and even with Lightening Lane we only got to ride one ride. Ice cream was $25 (£20.40) and popcorn was $16 (£13.06).

‘Then over at Galaxy’s Edge, three lightsabers cost us a whopping $800 (£652.86).

In the morning, she purchased what looks like four novelty headbands, which came to $130 (£106.09)

A vacation to Disney World is the dream for most children around the world and one that a lot of parents hope to make sure comes true

‘They also no longer hold them for you until the end of the day plus different airlines have different restrictions when flying home so we opted to ship them to us for an additional $40 (£32.64).’

Again, she the mom was disappointed to discover that ‘every ride had a 120 minute wait time’ so they only got to ride one ride in this section of the park as well.

Next, they tried the ‘infamous blue and green milk’ which cost $27 (£22.03) for three glasses by the looks of it, before having some burgers and fries at Backlot which cost $80 (£65.29).

Opting for something sweet, the family purchased some funnel cakes from Epic Eats which cost another $44 (£35.91). 

She added that the ‘photo pass was an extra $170 (£138.73) for cell phone quality pictures’.

Some more treats the family bought included candy floss, a chocolate apple and a lollipop, costing $25 (£20.40).

She concluded ‘Finally, we had dinner at Planet Hollywood which was $311 (£253.80). 

‘Factoring in our nightly hotel rate of $997 (£813.63), it brings our total to $3,758 (£3066.83) for the day.’

Viewers were astonished by the steep figure and couldn’t understand why the TikToker paid these prices.

One person wrote ‘You lost me at $200 for BREAKFAST?!’

The magical holiday is becoming harder and harder to afford and is slipping out of reach for some

The cost of a one-day ticket at Disney World has increased more than 3,000 percent since it first opened in 1971

Summer replied ‘It was a “character” breakfast that usually sells out… after going for myself, I have no idea why this is so’. 

One person wrote ‘You lost me at $200 for BREAKFAST?!,’ to which Summer replied ‘It was a “character” breakfast that usually sells out… after going for myself, I have no idea why this is so’.

Others tried to offer advice, writing ‘There’s a less expensive way to do this though’ and ‘you can do Disney way way way cheaper than that’.

Another wrote ‘Soooo many mistakes in the planning. No reason to spend on food like that.’ 

The mom responded to the backlash by saying that it was her ‘bonus son’s birthday weekend’ and she ‘purposely wasn’t sparing any expenses’.

It comes after it was revealed that the cost of a one-day ticket at Disney World has increased more than 3,000 percent since it first opened in 1971.

Last year, a family of four shelled out $8,480 (£6920.36)on their trip to the Orlando Park – and when counting airfare, that number increased to over $10,000 (£8160.80).

‘I feel like Disney is pricing people out,’ speaking to FOX News Digital, the mom, who was not named, said. ‘Can the average American family really afford this?’ 

Disney World was approached for comment, but have not responded to MailOnline.

Britain could be hit by swine flu again this winter, health bosses fear.

Officials are now urging millions of eligible Brits to get their annual jabs before the season kicks off.

Flu claimed more lives than Covid last winter, killing more than 14,000. But experts fear this season could be even worse.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) chiefs are particularly spooked by the threat of H1N1.

The strain — responsible for the swine flu pandemic in 2009 that killed tens of thousands across the planet — has barely spread in Britain since 2019.

In a bid to ‘go back to normal’, invites won’t be dished out to millions aged 50-64 who were eligible during the pandemic

H1N1 (pictured), the virus strain responsible for Swine flu, ‘could return’ to the UK, officials said. The strain has been largely suppressed in the UK since 2019 but has been circulating at high levels this year in Australia, which has just had its winter flu season, suggesting that it may become dominant again

However, it has circulated at high levels in Australia, which has just had its influenza season and acts as a canary in the coalmine for the northern hemisphere. 

Professor Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UKHSA, said: ‘Last year, the flu virus was estimated to be responsible for over 14,000 excess deaths and tens of thousands of hospitalisations, including over 10,000 in children.

‘Last winter the vaccine prevented an estimated 25,000 hospitalisations.

‘But this could be even greater if all those eligible for the flu vaccine came forward this year. 

‘Pregnant women, young children and those with chronic health conditions are particularly vulnerable and we have good evidence to suggest this year’s vaccine will offer good protection.

‘Taking up both the flu and Covid vaccines ahead of winter provides the best level of protection against severe illness and will help ease the pressure on the NHS this winter.’ 

Lockdown measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic meant that the flu virus was suppressed for two years, she said.

But it staged a huge resurgence last year, taking advantage of low immunity in the population.

Figures show that 3.7million people have received their flu jabs since the start of the campaign on September 11, with many choosing to ‘do the double’ and receive flu and Covid vaccines at the same time.

During the same period, 2.4million Covid jabs have been delivered. 

Up to 30million people are eligible to receive a flu jab and 25million for Covid vaccines this year. 

Care home residents and those who are housebound in England are offered both vaccines.

Among others eligible invited for top-up doses are the over-65s, frontline health and social care workers and pregnant women. 

The scheme, which was due to be launched in October, was brought forward by an entire month to boost protection among the most vulnerable amid fears that the Pirola Covid strain would trigger a fresh wave of infection and overwhelm the NHS. 

Those eligible can book via the NHS website, the NHS App or by calling 119 from 8am.

Latest data published by the Australian Government’s Department of Health and Aged Care shows some 235,000 cases of flu were reported.  

The severity of the flu season has been rated as ‘low’ owing to the effectiveness of the vaccine against serious illness.

However, since seasonal surveillance commenced in April 2023, 73 per cent of hospital flu cases admitted were children under 16, it said.  

Swine flu, or H1N1, rarely spreads from animal to person, but the infamous 2009 outbreak was the product of the virus mutating to become capable of getting humans sick. 

The outbreak disproportionately affected children and teens who were more susceptible to illness so severe it required hospitalization. 

A spike in infections across the country has seen Covid hospitalisations in England hit a five-month high. Latest NHS data shows daily Covid hospital admissions have risen 87 per cent since June, with a seven-day rolling average of 469 hospitalisations per day as of September 8, compared to 251 on June 7

An independent review of the UK response to the 2009 pandemic confirmed 457 deaths were caused by swine flu in the country. 

Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of other influenza viruses and include fever, aches, chills, cough, headache, nausea, and fatigue. 

But cases are normally mild and clear up on their own in a few weeks with little risk of death. 

Deputy chief medical officer Dr Thomas Waite said: ‘Flu and Covid circulated last winter causing significant peaks and resulting in thousands of hospitalisations and deaths. It is important that we are protected against both.

‘Vaccination is our strongest form of defence so if you are eligible, please come forward and get your jabs as soon as possible.’

Meanwhile, vaccines minister Maria Caulfield added: ‘After beginning the NHS winter vaccination campaign early, this winter rollout will continue our tireless efforts to equip our communities with immunity against Covid and flu and protect the most vulnerable among us.

‘Flu placed a greater burden on hospitals than Covid last year, so it’s essential that we all take part in reducing pressure on the health system by booking our Covid and flu jabs as soon as possible to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe from infection.’

Health chiefs have bragged about there being around 3,500 sites across England — more sites than ever before — involved in the vaccine top-up campaign. 

Last year, the NHS carried out its second biggest ever flu vaccination campaign, with more than 21million flu jabs given to adults and children, while more than 17million covid jabs were delivered last winter. 

Health chiefs were spooked in August by the emergence of a new Covid variant Pirola, known scientifically as BA.2.86, after it was revealed to have a catalogue of more than 30 mutations.

UKHSA chiefs today said it was ‘too soon’ to determine the severity of the new variant but that ‘early evidence suggests that BA.2.86 is no more likely to evade’ vaccines than other variants.