Supermarkets tell Reeves tax rises could push food prices higher

Food prices in the UK could climb even further if the chancellor raises taxes on supermarkets at the next budget, the industry has warned.Supermarket bosses, including those at Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, have said in a letter to Rachel Reeves that households would “inevitably feel the impact” of potential tax rises on the sector.“If the industry faces higher taxes in the coming budget – such as being included in the new surtax on business rates – our ability to deliver value for our customers will become even more challenging, and it will be households who inevitably feel the impact,” they wrote in the joint letter.“Given the costs currently falling on the industry, including from the last budget, high food inflation is likely to persist into 2026. This is not something that we would want to see prolonged by any measure in the budget

Does your boss have the right to time your bathroom breaks when you work from home? | Gene Marks

How long does it take you to go to the bathroom? And does your boss have any right to ask?According to a recent story in the New York Post, one manager warned workers of the company’s “five-minute rule” which required work-from-home employees to “notify the team” if they stepped away from their desk for any reason, including to use the bathroom.“This helps us stay aligned and ensures nothing is missed. Thank you for your co-operation,” the manager said in an email shared online by an irate worker. Not surprisingly, this policy did not go over very well with some.“5 min?” one commenter wrote

Could the internet go offline? Inside the fragile system holding the modern world together

It is the morning after the internet went offline and, as much as you would like to think you would be delighted, you are likely to be wondering what to do.You could buy groceries with a chequebook, if you have one. Call into work with the landline – if yours is still connected. After that, you could drive to the shop, as long as you still know how to navigate without 5G.A glitch at a datacentre in the US state of Virginia this week reminded us that the unlikely is not impossible

Fare game: what the battle between taxis and Uber means for your airport trip in Sydney and Melbourne

By the time you’ve exited the plane, edged through passport control and endured the baggage claim wait, your only thought may be of home or a hotel bed. But passengers at Australia’s major airports have recently noticed some changes as they contemplate the final leg of their journey.Since Friday, in a bid to deter illegal touts, a new taxi booking trial at Melbourne airport has allowed some passengers to pay a fixed fare upfront. And next month, Sydney airport will begin its own one-year trial of a $60 flat fare for the 13-km journey to the CBD.The changes, supported by the taxi industry, are a sign of its struggle to remain competitive with the rideshare companies – especially Uber

Shaun Wane requires herculean Ashes effort after England’s Wembley mauling

The scoreline alone offers concrete evidence of how underwhelming England were against Australia in the first Ashes Test on Saturday, but if anyone needed further proof, a glimpse around the Wembley crowd was somewhat telling, too.As a one-sided contest ebbed towards a predictable conclusion, there were cheers among those sitting near the press box. Not for an England try, but for a paper aeroplane crafted by a home supporter that had successfully made its way from the top of one tier on to the pitch. It was about the only thing that went right for those of an English persuasion.The beauty of a three-Test series is that no matter what happens in the first match there is an opportunity to bounce back

England crush New Zealand in final group match but Ecclestone injured

England finished the group stages of the World Cup with a dominant eight-wicket win against a limp New Zealand, after bowling them out for 168 in 38.2 overs.Sophie Devine’s final one-day international ended in disappointment after the 36-year-old departed caught behind off Nat Sciver-Brunt on 23, sparking a collapse in which New Zealand lost their last five wickets for 13 runs.Devine did chime in with a final wicket, trapping Heather Knight lbw for 33, but, despite being surrounded with close fielders in the next over, Amy Jones was able to sneak the winning boundary through the off side, finishing unbeaten on 86 as England won with 124 balls to spare. The only downsides were that Danni Wyatt-Hodge, finally brought into the XI in place of Emma Lamb, faced just seven balls before presumably playing in the semi-final in three days’ time, while Sophie Ecclestone injured a shoulder while fielding