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Rishi Sunak has joked about how he had to be shown how to use his contactless card after a petrol station gaffe. The embarrassing exchange took place in March as the Tory MP promoted a 5pm fuel duty cut. Mr Sunak did manage to fill up a car, which later turned out to be a red Kia Rio borrowed from a Sainsbury’s staff member. But paying for his petrol, and a cheeky Coke, proved too confusing a task for the-then Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mr Sunak was filmed waving his debit card in front of a cashier before he confusingly held it front of the worker’s barcode scanner. The exchange was subsequently shared relentlessly across social media. One exasperated Twitter user wrote ‘Chancellor of the exchequer doesn’t know how to use contactless – my head’s gone.’ ‘Rishi Sunak has never been shopping,’ another decided. Watching the clip on This Morning in March, a bemused Alice Hammond had exclaimed ‘what is he actually doing here?’ She added: ‘There was a PR stunt … [Read more...] about Rishi’s ‘most embarrassing moment’ was not knowing how to use a contactless card

The strawberry supermoon illuminated skies around the world on Tuesday and early Wednesday, allowing spectators to view the lowest full moon of the year. According to NASA, the full moon was at its closest point to the Earth for this orbit at 7:24 p.m. EDT Tuesday. It was close enough to be considered a supermoon, making it the second one of 2022. It appeared full Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning. As the lowest full moon of 2022, it reached only 23.3 degrees above the horizon Wednesday at 1:56 a.m. EDT, NASA said. How did strawberry moon gets its name? The name has nothing to do with its color. Traditionally, the strawberry moon is the full moon in June, which is typically the last of spring or first of summer. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac , the name was used by Native American Algonquin tribes that live in northeastern U.S. and Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota peoples. It was used to mark the ripening of strawberries ready to be gathered in June. How to watch … [Read more...] about June’s strawberry supermoon illuminates skies around the world

Emma has been planning an escape from her emotionally abusive husband, but with the grim forecast in energy prices the temptation to stay is growing. She has over a year's worth of hidden notes detailing the cheapest places to live, where she could get a job and how much it would all cost. But with the prediction of energy bills expected to rise to over £4,200 by January, Emma told Sky News that she feels "trapped" and doesn't feel like she can escape from her emotionally abusive relationship. UK 'could face blackouts this winter' - live updates Emma, who is in her 50s, lives at home with her husband in the south of England. 'I thought I could almost escape' She said the emotional abuse built up over time, now resulting in him frequently screaming at her and refusing to talk to her for weeks - with her children begging her to leave. "Before this, I thought I could almost escape. But today, honestly it's all I can think about. Looking at the news I just think, … [Read more...] about Energy crisis: Rising prices force wife to stay with emotionally abusive husband

The Treasury is to name a quartet of new directors to the Bank of England's governing body as debate rages about the central bank's remit under a new Conservative prime minister. Sky News has learnt that Nadhim Zahawi, the chancellor, has signed off the appointments of four new members of the Court of the Bank of England, including the former investment banker Lord Jitesh Gadhia. Soumen Das, the finance chief of industrial property group Segro and a non-executive director of Next, and Sabine Chalmers, BT Group's general counsel, are also understood to be joining the central bank's board. The other appointee is said to be Tom Shropshire, Diageo's general counsel and company secretary, according to a source close to the process. The shake-up, which could be announced in the coming days, comes just weeks after the former Nationwide chairman David Roberts was named as the Court's next chair. Advertisement Mr Roberts will bring decades of experience in … [Read more...] about Treasury recruits Court quartet in Bank of England shake-up

By Alix Culbertson, news reporter Harvey Weinstein's epic fall from grace began a year ago on 5 October 2017, kicking off one of the most important movements in Hollywood's history. Sky News looks at what has happened with #MeToo and how the Weinstein scandal has affected the world. How the Weinstein scandal unfolded On 5 October 2017 several women, including actress Ashley Judd, accused the movie producer of sexual harassment in the New York Times. Weinstein apologised for the "pain" his past behaviour caused and went on a leave of absence from The Weinstein Company. Advertisement Days later he was fired by the board of the incredibly successful company he co-founded with his brother Bob in 2005. Then the accusations came tumbling in, as more women spoke out about allegedly being raped, assaulted and blackmailed with sex, more gained confidence to reveal their stories. More on Harvey Weinstein Harvey Weinstein to be charged with indecent … [Read more...] about Harvey Weinstein: Has his fall from grace and #MeToo changed anything?

The Qatar World Cup is set to start a day earlier than scheduled to enable the host nation to be the opening game of the tournament, Sky News understands. FIFA has been considering proposals to allow Qatar to kick off against Ecuador on Sunday 20 November and being the only fixture that day rather than being the third game on the Monday. The final ratification of the fixture switch needs to come from the FIFA Bureau, which is led by the governing body's president and also features the six heads of football's regional confederations. It would allow the Netherlands game against Senegal, which is also in Group A, to move from a lunchtime kick-off on Monday, 21 November to an evening slot. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 4:17 Qatar 2022 - what you need to know England's game against Iran would remain the second game of the tournament in Group B, being played in the afternoon of 21 November. Advertisement … [Read more...] about World Cup set to start a day earlier than scheduled to allow Qatar to play first

The UK is set to run out of monkeypox vaccines, with bookings in some areas already closing as a result, Sky News understands. Sources have suggested supply issues mean there are only around 5,000 doses of the jab left. The latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), published on 8 August, show a total of 3,017 cases of the virus have been reported across the country, with 2,914 confirmed through testing. Stocks of the smallpox jabs, which are used to combat monkeypox , have been limited around the world as the sudden global outbreak caused a huge upsurge in demand. On top of that, the historically low number of monkeypox cases outside of countries where the virus has been endemic for many years, has restricted supplies of the vaccine. Advertisement It also takes time to manufacture the doses needed to meet the current global demand, and as a result, the UK is constrained by when the doses are available for delivery. "UKHSA moved … [Read more...] about Monkeypox vaccines set to run out in UK with bookings in some areas already closing

The government is working on a package of cost of living support for the next prime minister, the chief secretary to the Treasury has said. Simon Clarke, who is one of Liz Truss 's most vocal supporters, said: "Of course, the government is working up a package of cost of living support that the next prime minister can consider when they take office." In a series of tweets, he said it is "absolutely right to consider these options in the round" when the new leader takes the reins, rather than announce "new uncosted policies" during the election period. Politics Hub: Tory MP defects from Sunak to Truss - live updates It comes after Downing Street faced a backlash for ruling out new measures during Boris Johnson 's remaining time in office, saying that was a task for the next PM. Advertisement The outgoing prime minister has been facing calls to meet with his two potential successors and thrash out a new financial package of support ahead … [Read more...] about Cost of living support package being ‘worked up’ for next PM

More areas of the UK have been hit by water shortages as the high temperatures and dry conditions continue to cause problems. Thames Valley has become the latest water company to signal it will bring in a hosepipe ban in the face of the hot summer. South East Water has already confirmed a ban on hosepipe and sprinkler use for its customers in Kent and Sussex following similar restrictions by Southern Water . Sky News looks at what residents need to be aware of if a hosepipe ban is introduced in their area. What you can and can't do during a hosepipe ban Advertisement When a ban is in place, you must not use a hosepipe that is connected to the mains water supply. This means people may not use hosepipes to fill a paddling pool or swimming pool; clean walls or windows of a domestic property; clean a private leisure boat; fill a domestic pond; maintain a water fountain; clean patios or any artificial outdoor surfaces. A hosepipe ban also … [Read more...] about Hosepipe bans: What are the rules, what are the exemptions and what do they mean?

Energy bosses have been "hauled in" before government to discuss what they are going to do with their rising profits as household bills soar, the education secretary has told Sky News. James Cleverly said Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng are to meet with leaders of energy companies as calls grow for more to be done to ease the cost of living crisis. He told Sky News: "The chancellor and the business secretary have hauled in the leaders of the energy companies to hold them to account, to discuss with them what they are going to do with these unexpected, unplanned, unprecedented profits that they have been making because of that sudden spike in energy prices caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine ." Politics Hub: Tory MP defects from Sunak to Truss - live updates Mr Cleverly also failed to deny there could be blackouts this winter , but did say the UK was in a "better position than many in terms of our domestic energy production". … [Read more...] about Cost of living: Energy bosses ‘hauled in’ for talks with government as household bills soar