Dow jones industrial average

Nicola Sturgeon could embark on a new green crackdown of Scotland’s whisky industry , over fears that emissions from the “angel’s share” of casks is harming the environment and human health. Every year, around two per cent of whisky, the so-called “angel’s share” because it evaporates during the maturation process, is lost during its production. But SNP and Green ministers are concerned that the emissions could be having a detrimental impact on the environment and health, and want to find out whether action should be taken to reduce the damage. It is funding a review of the harm caused by the non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) that arise from malt whisky maturation, which have surged over recent years due to the rising international popularity of Scotland’s national drink. Researchers have been asked to suggest possible “mitigation strategies” for “controlling” whisky-related emissions, leading to a backlash from the industry. “Some loss of spirit from casks … [Read more...] about Nicola Sturgeon mulls green crackdown for Scottish malt

Shoppers saw food prices rocket by 11.6% over the past month - the fastest rate since at least 2008 - adding the equivalent of £533 to the average annual grocery bill, industry data shows. Market research firm Kantar said the inflation hike for the four weeks to 7 August was the biggest it had recorded since it started tracking supermarket prices in this way 14 years ago. As a result, it reported sales of own-label value products increased by almost a fifth - 19.7% - as people sought to drive down the cost of their weekly shop. Wages slump but chancellor talks of 'good news' - Cost of living latest The figures are further evidence of the mounting cost of living crisis , underlined by separate official data that revealed workers had suffered a record real-term pay slump in the face of soaring prices. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, said: "As predicted, we've now hit a new peak in grocery price inflation, with products like … [Read more...] about Cost of living: Household food bills rocket at fastest rate in more than a decade, research shows

Sir Keir Starmer is to join the political manoeuvring over what to do about soaring energy prices by proposing that bills should be frozen this Autumn. The Labour leader will give details today, with another windfall tax on oil and gas company profits likely to feature. His plan may follow an idea put to the Government by the heads of Scottish Power and E.ON to fix bills for two years. Suppliers would cover the gap between this and the wholesale price by borrowing from a “deficit fund” underwritten by the government but backed by commercial banks, allowing the industry to cap default-tariff bills at their current level of £1,971. The cost would be passed on to consumers over a 10 to 15-year period and in theory could be done without spending taxpayers’ money, though the Government would assume an ongoing liability. With average bills set to rise to £3,500 in October and possibly to more than £4,000 in the New Year, the scramble for a workable and affordable solution is … [Read more...] about Tories need an answer to Starmer’s proposed bill-freeze

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Boris Johnson has appealed to electricity bosses to help ease the pressure as on hard-pressed families amid a dire new warning energy bills could top £5,000 by the spring. Representatives of major electricity companies arrived in Downing Street for crisis talks as analyst, Auxilione, said regulator Ofgem could be forced to raise the price cap for the average household to £5,038 from next April. However the meeting failed to produce any immediate concrete help for struggling consumers, with Mr Johnson acknowledging any “significant fiscal decisions” would be be a matter for his successor. Instead the Prime Minister was reduced to urging the companies to act “in the national interest” in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which has caused the price of oil and gas to soar. “Countries around the … [Read more...] about Johnson urges power companies to act ‘in the national interest’

When I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area 10 years ago, I bought a pair of rain boots. I’ve worn them once. The region is currently in what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calls a “severe drought.” During the past decade, California has experienced two periods of “exceptional drought,” the agency’s highest drought ranking. The effects of such conditions are visibly apocalyptic: piebald street trees, empty orchards, horizontal stripes etched on the shoreline of lakes and reservoirs. Hillsides of flame-orange pine trees killed by beetle infestations foretell long and intense fire seasons. I did discover high water at a local flea market, though. Sifting through a box of old photos recently, I turned over an early-20th-century postcard to find three women in a rowboat, wearing long dresses and neat updos. They are attended by a little boy, and all four of them are floating casually down a residential street. As a photo historian, my first move was to try to … [Read more...] about Why We Remember Floods and Forget Droughts