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National News

Emma Raducanu not part of Great Britains Billie Jean King Cup Finals team

Emma Raducanu will not feature in Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals qualifying tie against France next month. Captain Anne Keothavong has named the same team which reached the semi-finals in September and said former US Open champion Raducanu was “unavailable” for the tie in Coventry from April 14-15. Raducanu said after her opening victory in Indian Wells that she did not even know when the tie was, a comment which did not appear to go down well withRead More

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National News

Half a million people expected to attend St Patricks Day parade in Dublin

A sea of green made up of half a million people is to descend on Dublin City centre for a St Patrick’s Day parade that organisers are predicting will be “the biggest and best”. Celebrations are also set to take place across the island of Ireland with massive crowds turning out to mark March 17 in towns and cities. Many more will watch Dublin’s 2023 parade on television, which will involve 4,200 performers including marching bands, aerial acrobats and vibrantRead More

today 14

National News

Aldi hands shopworkers another pay rise to 1140 per hour

Aldi has handed workers another pay increase to a minimum of £11.40 per hour. The discount supermarket, which employs more than 40,000 UK staff, said that all store assistants will receive the new rate nationally from July 1. Workers within the M25 will see their pay rise to £12.85 an hour. It comes only two months after a pay increase came into force, which handed store assistants £11 an hour. Aldi said the series of pay increases means that staffRead More

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National News

Raab It is improper to discuss bullying inquiry

Dominic Raab has suggested the rules surrounding the inquiry into whether he bullied officials may have been breached by witnesses speaking to the media. The Deputy Prime Minister said on Friday it is “improper” to discuss his conduct after giving evidence to the inquiry being carried out by lawyer Adam Tolley KC. Mr Raab has pledged to resign if he is found to have bullied staff, as the investigation is expected to be drawing to a close after the CabinetRead More

today 14

National News

Goodwood organiser striving to make motorsport events carbon neutral

The Duke of Richmond, organiser of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, says he is focussed on making his petrol-powered events more sustainable. The man behind the popular motorsport events says he wants to promote the ‘joy of second hand’ as he looks to boost his shows’ environmental credentials. Speaking to the PA news agency, the duke said he believed Goodwood’s motorsport events could ‘definitely become carbon neutral soon’ thanks to efforts made elsewhere across his estate. He said: “There isRead More

today 17

National News

Openreach pauses launch of broadband discounts after Ofcom delay

The UK’s communication regulator has delayed the conclusion of its investigation into a new Openreach pricing plan. Openreach confirmed on Friday that it will hold back the launch of the Equinox 2 pricing offer as a result. The watchdog said its consultation into the new wholesale price plan, for telecom providers such as Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone, closed on March 4. It had planned to unveil a decision on the consultation by the end of the month but said itRead More

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National News

Rolls Royce receives funding to develop nuclear reactor for Moon exploration

The company plans to have a reactor ready to send to the Moon by 2029 Rolls-Royce has received funding from the UK Space Agency to develop a nuclear reactor for a Moon base. The project will look into how nuclear power could be used to support a future base on the Moon for astronauts. Scientists and engineers at the British company are working on the Micro-Reactor programme to develop technology that will provide power needed for humans to live andRead More

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National News

Royal Mail referred to regulator over letter delivery

A committee of MPs have issued a strongly worded report A committee of MPs has referred Royal Mail to regulator Ofcom for breaching its requirement to deliver letters across the country six days a week. In a strongly worded report, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee said the company had “systematically failed to deliver” the so-called universal service obligation. The committee also said Royal Mail chief executive Simon Thompson was “not wholly accurate” in answers he gave to MPsRead More

today 17

National News

Comic Relief 2023 to return with usual star studded performer line up

It's on BBC One from 7pm tonight Comic Relief will return on Friday night, with the annual charity fundraiser featuring a star-studded line of presenters and performers. Comedy sketches featuring Dame Mary Berry, Danny Dyer and Graham Norton, as well as a special message from the Prince of Wales will form part of the show. Pop vocalists Tom Grennan and Zara Larsson will also deliver musical performances of their new singles during the broadcast from Salford. The 2023 programme willRead More

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