<![CDATA[Pressat Main Newswire]]> https://pressat.co.uk/category/main-news/ <![CDATA[Pressat Main Newswire]]> https://pressat.co.uk/media/site/logo.png https://pressat.co.uk/category/main-news/ en-gb Copyright: (C) Pressat Pressat <![CDATA[ Live Gaming Environments on the Rise ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/live-gaming-environments-on-the-rise-030b249eb086447f0fbe526e625eafa8/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/live-gaming-environments-on-the-rise-030b249eb086447f0fbe526e625eafa8/ Friday 16 April, 2021

With more parts of the world becoming easily accessible to everyone, people around the world look for ways to interact while still keeping their distance. The gaming landscape has undergone a lot of changes in the past few years, and with more interactive and innovative ways to use the internet, gaming environments have changed and adjusted to the demands of players around the world.


At the dawn of gaming innovation, it was common that you would need your gaming console and a few friends in the same room to enjoy live gaming entertainment. Now, anyone can engage in a live gaming experience from the palm of their hand, a computer monitor or even a smart TV. Online gaming has brought a new world to many people around the world and games such as Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, Tomb Raider, Poker and many more can easily be enjoyed.


Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are some technologies that have changed the gaming landscape in a big way as can be seen in some of the most top grossing games of today.


Here are some of the reasons why and how live gaming environments have thrived and brought you easy access to live games. If you haven’t given it a chance then why not play live blackjack to see how a real time gaming environment works in action.


Connectivity is Key


There is no doubt that a stable and reliable internet connection is needed for players wanting to enjoy any live gaming environment. Connectivity makes all the difference in accessibility and a good quality connection brings players an even better experience. The more internet access that people have in a given region, the more they will engage in live gaming environments. Further to this, countries around the world have seen the growth of this industry, just look at India where the online gaming industry is expected to grow into a $2.8 billion industry by 2022 which includes live gaming environments.


There are other bold projections for what the online gaming industry will present its players with going forward. All we really know is that gaming options such as eSports tournaments, live casinos and more will offer players new and innovative ways to engage with their peers through an internet connection.


Devices All-Around


While a good internet connection transferring huge amounts of data is a basic requirement, having somewhere to send and receive that data is another. Gaming devices have been a part of the gaming industry for the longest time but always changing shape and functionality as often as they can. Gaming used to be solely enjoyed on a specific gaming device or platform, the rise and prevalence of mobile devices have pushed the popularity of live gaming experiences through the roof.


Players can enjoy live games from their tablet, PC, laptop and the most convenient, directly from their smartphone. The convenience and portability of devices these days have pushed interactive live gaming to new heights. Smartphones are capable of handling large amounts of data in the same way desktop computers can. Opening up the world of live gaming to millions if not billions of people looking to enjoy a real-life experience from wherever they are.


Ease Of Use and Access


How players navigated and interacted with games has also been a selling point for any game on the market. Technologies such as Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence have made it that much easier for players to make their selections, change their settings and get around in the games they enjoy. Additionally, options such as live casinos offer players actual dealers streamed live to their devices for a more realistic casino experience without the added commute or computer-based odds.


The more these online games are improved, players will experience a more immersive gaming experience. As it stands, many games allow for players to get the gear they need to virtually jump into a game and interact with their entire bodies for an experience like never before.


eSports Popularity


Another sector of the online and live gaming environment is the birth of eSports. Where players show off their gaming skills in live tournaments with big cash prizes. These tournaments take place all over the world and in some jurisdictions, people even place bets on eSports events.


The gaming platform has allowed for the exponential growth of an industry that was once just social online interaction. Players enjoy live gaming environments that are dynamic and not limited to one type of game, which helps to keep the excitement going in a world where the games are always changing.


The Continued Rise


The reasons why live gaming environments have had the opportunity to thrive are things that we consider normal. However, these simple means has brought on a change that is sure to dominate the way that players seek gaming entertainment. There is no peak in sight and the gaming industry will continue to grow as more people gain access to the internet as well as capable devices. The demand will increase and gaming companies will continue looking for ways to improve on what they already have and provide a safe gaming experience throughout.




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Pressat jenny.bond@pressat.co.uk
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16 Apr 2021 10:56:37 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Men's Libido and Natural Bombyx Supplements to support and maintain virility. ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/mens-libido-and-natural-bombyx-supplements-to-support-and-maintain-virility-69fce43926539fdd65615ab3adebf0ab/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/mens-libido-and-natural-bombyx-supplements-to-support-and-maintain-virility-69fce43926539fdd65615ab3adebf0ab/ Friday 27 November, 2020
#Bombyx makes it happen

The definition of libido is overall sex drive, performance and the desire for sexual activity.


Libido in men can be influenced by biological, emotional, psychological and social factors.


Low libido worries men far more than women.


Low libido is described as a decreased interest in sexual activity and the inability to perform.


It's common to lose interest in sex from time to time. Stress factors and medication are just a couple of causes we at Lewtress are asked about.


Having a strong libido and sex drive is very healthy. It keeps all the hormones working in sync for a healthier body.


Bombyx daily is a supplement formulated for daily use.


When the libido is boosted daily there can be a great many advantages over just using something as required. Spontaneous arousal can be one of the greatest pleasures for those with a low libido problem. Bombyx Daily Complex may help to reignite those missing spontaneous moments whilst at the same time supporting endurance, energy, concentration and all things men feel good about, including a healthy active prostate.


Optimising your libido not only helps with your physical body but your mind and emotions as well.


An active libido is good for maintaining a sense of energy and wellbeing and helps balance emotional and physical health.


Remember to keep your microbiome healthy as well to support libido and health generally. Lewtress Horny Goat Weed Kombucha or Saw Palmetto with live Bioactive Kombucha culture can help with both Libido and Microbiome health.
No matter what age you are, there are times when life throws you a curveball. Energy and libido levels can falter, or it just isn’t there anymore! Bombyx makes it happen.


Lewtress Libido enhancing supplements can:
* Help boost and maintain a healthy libido
* Increase sexual performance, staying power and confidence
* Enhances energy and motivation
* Enhances concentration
* Supports prostate health


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https://twitter.com/LewtressH Pressat lewtresshealth@gmail.com
https://www.lewtress.co.uk

Additional Contact(s):
rob.lewtress2@gmail.com
079200 43759

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https://www.lewtress.co.uk 27 Nov 2020 08:07:59 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Sports betting and online gaming in front of the next big market opportunity ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/sports-betting-and-online-gaming-in-front-of-the-next-big-market-opportunity-ba12347ce1e001a9c29a7f98f9fb8446/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/sports-betting-and-online-gaming-in-front-of-the-next-big-market-opportunity-ba12347ce1e001a9c29a7f98f9fb8446/ Thursday 2 April, 2020

Sports betting and online gaming in front of the next big market opportunity


Gaming and betting around esports present a much bigger market opportunity than many assume. The participation and interest in esports grew massively in 2019 and that’s expected to continue in the next decade. According to statistics from Newzoo, the esports audience in total grew to 453.8 million globally. This market can basically be divided by product and then by currency.



Esports betting opportunity


Esports betting is among the industries that gained a lot of attention due to the sports events cancellation. Many economy and betting experts say that this industry has the potential to overcome this challenging period by planning a combination of established infrastructure and leagues. Esports is much more resilient to changes, and matches can be played online without players or fans having to be in the same place.


The growth of esports is becoming a key interest for many sports organisations, especially because it involves the key demographic market for sports clubs. That includes the 20+ players group. Major sports look upon and take notice on how esports platforms operate with the similarities of Formula 1, NBA and the Premier League, all wanting to adopt various levels of esports activities.


The stream is popular among communities


Streaming has become an important part of how people follow sports activities. Whether it’s NBA highlights from YouTube, NFL clips or Premier League being streamed on Amazon Prime. Esports is a market leader in this regard, with Twitch enjoying massive growth in the last four years. This platform streams major tournaments and smaller community competitions. This also includes the casino gaming community competitions and the new online slots tournaments that have proven to be very popular. This is a great medium to use in order to interact and compete with other players from the community. If you’re curious to see which are the most popular online slots and what new online slots look like, check SlotsWise.


As we mentioned previously, the most appealing aspect of esports is that it is community-led. Ultimately, it’s the communities who decide whether a game will be an esports activity or not. When a community gets behind a sport, amazing things happen. A great example of this is the international DOTA 2 tournaments that crowdfund its price pool. In the last years’ competition, it has exceeded $30 million in price.


Esports betting growth factors


Betting market around esports is emerging and has seen incredible growth in recent times. There are several reasons for this, and one of them is the variety of tournaments. Also, the global reach of games and creating esports-specific betting sites are making a breakthrough for this niche market.


Betting has become an important part of the esports viewing experience. There are many factors and hypotheses we could make on why this might be the case. Few of them are:


Analytics: players and fans tend to be analytical. They go through stats and scores and are well informed before they make a betting decision


Engagement: Esports fans are very engaged and committed. They are often competitive gamers themselves, with years of experience behind them. They are passionate about the complex strategies and rules of the game and love to share those analyses with the community.


Viewing options: It’s not a problem to use a second screen, your phone or connect your smart TV while doing other, non-sport related activities.


Final thoughts


One of the most interesting aspects of esports is the control and ownership of the publishers. Betting on esports might cause scepticism as you do not need licences or a franchise. However, the key to any betting company that wants to grow in this space is to understand the titles and data around competitions. It’s essential to be agile and adaptive around these tournaments. This is important because players can come out of nowhere to win and be the next local superhero, as we saw with the Fortnite World Cup in 2019.


There is a lot of investment and potential going into esports right now. However, this has mainly been focused on tournament organisation and content/engagement platforms. Esports platforms have largely gone under the betting radar. This industry offers a potentially big opportunity, especially when we discuss peer to peer offers.





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Pressat jenny.bond@pressat.co.uk
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02 Apr 2020 17:04:49 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ What really happened at GAM? ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/what-really-happened-at-gam-6159b7bb4b97a4a452582ad88639c6d4/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/what-really-happened-at-gam-6159b7bb4b97a4a452582ad88639c6d4/ Wednesday 18 March, 2020

The source of an outrageously inaccurate hatchet job on the Steel magnate Sanjeev Gupta, published in the Sunday Times this week, is the sacked former whistle blower Daniel Sheard. The article repeats many of the tropes that have appeared in FT and Reuters articles that also defamed the reputation of the industrialist. Sheard has been leaking whatever material he could to the Financial Times and the Times since he stopped working full time at the end of 2018, following what was described by people inside GAM, were he then worked, as a “breakdown”. The story is a sad one for Sheard and an example of the psychological pressure of constantly delivering results in the highly competitive bond market. But it should also be a cautionary tale for journalists because Sheard is a profoundly unreliable witness who has developed an unhealthy obsession with the owner of Liberty Steel and the Gupta Family Group of companies. It could turn into a tragic tale if Sheard’s ranting ends up costing the jobs of ordinary people on the shop floors of manufacturing plants across the world.



Tim Hayward and Daniel Sheard had been a highly successful team running the Absolute Return Bond Fund group of products for Swiss firm GAM until 2017. The performance of the absolute return fund was beginning to falter before the destruction wrought by Sheard’s actions, as can be seen from the results available here and here. Rather than try and work with Hayward to improve things, Sheard refused to travel to see key clients, undermined and attacked Hayward in internal meetings, reported him to the CEO and then reported him to the regulatory body the FCA. His obsession forced GAM to hold an internal enquiry but Sheard then began to talk to journalists, especially on the FT. He linked the demise of the absolute return funds to the relationship Hayward had with Australian financer Lex Greensill and industrialist Sanjeev Gupta.



Just to be clear the internal enquiry, the FCA examination and the sustained attention from the investigations team at the FT, Tom Bergin at Reuters, and John Collinrigdge at the Sunday Times, produced no evidence that any investment guidelines had been broken. In other words, Tim Haywood had done nothing wrong in his dealings with Greensill and Liberty Steel. He had used his work email for personal use and failed to declare two flights, one of which was to go on holiday. If these matters had been handled internally as the GAM team would have preferred, there would have been no liquidation of the absolute return bond fund, no redundancies and no 92% fall in GAM’s profits.


Last July Hayward reached an amicable settlement at the employment tribunal with GAM and has now stated that he would rejoin the firm if asked. Back in February 2019, Haywood. speaking to International Investment, said that “After 15 months of investigations, most of the allegations have been dropped. ‘The remaining allegations levelled against me do not by any stretch constitute gross misconduct, even if they weren’t substantially disputed, which they are. I am exploring all legal options and look forward to the opportunity to clear my name and return to work.” GAM themselves confirmed that there had been “no departure from ‘a legitimate investment strategy’ from Haywood.” Adding that “no evidence had emerged of ‘material client detriment to date.” Indeed, none has ever been found.




So what really happened at GAM. With performance of their star product beginning to slide, the two co-managers, Daniel Sheard and Tim Hayward, came up with different responses. Hayward, had already pulled ahead of Sheard, he was heavily featured in the 2016 Annual Report and +rated at CityWire. He wanted to pursue more deals with Lex Greensill and Sanjeev Gupta. These would allow the performance of the funds to recover. It is not clear what positive strategy Sheard had as an alternative. Only that he didn’t want to do that. The pressure became too much for him. He set out to destroy Hayward and he blamed Greensill and Gupta for the difficult situation he found himself in. But in destroying Hayward something seemed to snap in Shread. He went to the press and has continued to pursue a crusade against Greensill and Gupta by sliding from a whistle blower to an anonymous source for the FT and other newspapers. The workforce and profits at GAM have been decimated. The negative stories are undermining confidence in the Gupta Family Group which employs 35,000 people globally. What is clear is that there was no wrong doing by Hayward in his dealings. Certainly some corners were cut and there was poor record keeping. But Sheard’s fevered mental state took this completely out of proportion. Judging on the evidence of the Sunday Times article on Gupta, Sheard’s mental state remains fixated on those he blames for his demise. But in the end in reviewing this sorry tale, it is hard not to include that the only person who has behaved wrongly in all this is Daniel Sheard. It is hardly surprising that GAM sacked him. Very unusual treatment of a whistle blower but indicative of how he was seen by the company and his colleagues who knew the inside story of the fall of the house of GAM.








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Pressat red.communications@protonmail.com
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18 Mar 2020 17:48:08 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ The “Robin Hood” of energy suppliers is urging Southampton-based residents to switch and save ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/the-robin-hood-of-energy-suppliers-is-urging-southampton-based-residents-to-switch-and-save-7ec8a862bf917d7effa81e89d8cea3e3/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/the-robin-hood-of-energy-suppliers-is-urging-southampton-based-residents-to-switch-and-save-7ec8a862bf917d7effa81e89d8cea3e3/ Thursday 25 April, 2019

An ethical energy brand developed by Southampton City Council is urging residents to switch their gas and energy supplier.


Dubbed as the “Robin Hood” of the energy industry, CitizEn Energy’s main aim is to provide residents within the Southampton area with competitively priced electricity and gas products that are fairer for consumers. CitizEN is operated as a not-for-profit so all surplus revenue will be reinvested back into energy savings initiatives that help the consumers.


CitizEN Energy is targeting the thousands of residents who are struggling to keep their home warm otherwise known as “fuel poverty”, the initiative is not their for making shareholders richer, it solely exists to help residents get fairer, cheaper priced fuel.


“For years the UK gas and electric industry has been dominated by “the big six” (British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON, Npower, scottish Power and SSE plc.) that solely exist to make a profit for their shareholders, CitizEN has already started to change the industry with twenty one councils already on-board providing cheaper, greener and ethical sourced energy to consumers" said Mike Mills co-founder of Energy Switching


CitizEn Energy is already breaking the status quo in the consumer energy market with twenty one other councils across the UK using the firm to provide competitively and ethically sourced gas and electric to residents. These include: Stoke-on-trent, Shrewsbury, Birmingham, Worcester, Hereford, Swindon, Oxford, Bristol, Bath, Reading, Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Weymouth, Exeter, Torquay, Plymouth, Bodmin, Barnstable,


The green electricity tariffs are certified as being sourced from wind and solar generators based in the UK.


The new energy tariff will hopefully save residents hundreds of pounds on their gas and electric bill and is urging customers to switch to avoid the squeezing price increases of the "Big Six".


Southampton City Council is urging residents to see if they could save hundreds on their energy bills following the launch of CitizEn Energy's new gas and electricity tariff.


"Whether you are finding money a challenge, or you just want a better deal, this is a great tariff available to all our Southampton households.


"Many could see savings of hundreds of pounds, especially if they’ve not switched for a while.


"Another important factor is that the electricity supplied is from sustainable sources, so there is a good reason for all to get involved.”


Only 18 per cent of British households changed energy suppliers with more than 50% of them never having switched, this means that consumers are often stuck on old tariffs or not taking advantage of new energy firms like CitizEN who are bucking the industry with a not-for-profit setup.


Often many new energy suppliers are initially noted as good companies but as they grow customer service often lacks, but CitizEn Energy’s was recently voted the 2nd best in the UK.




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Pressat jenny.bond@pressat.co.uk
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25 Apr 2019 08:16:58 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Danger on two wheels: Cyclist deaths are on the rise in Germany ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/danger-on-two-wheels-cyclist-deaths-are-on-the-rise-in-germany-ea3c63ddf10b364f97156e37f91f705b/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/danger-on-two-wheels-cyclist-deaths-are-on-the-rise-in-germany-ea3c63ddf10b364f97156e37f91f705b/ Thursday 4 April, 2019

Newly-released figures are sure to prove a cause for concern for Germany’s avid cyclists. According to provisional data from the Federal Statistical Office, deaths on the roads in 2018 were up 15% from the previous year across all forms of bicycles, with 445 losing their lives. That worrying figure increases to as much as 27% when looking at the numbers killed riding partially motorised ‘e-bikes’, with 89 of them killed in traffic accidents.





Not only has this number increased in 2018, experts shockingly predict that even more will die this year. Siegfried Brockman, head of accident research in the insurance sector for the UDV Institute, has a sobering forecast for 2019.



"There are more and more cyclists, more e-bikes and soon there will be e-scooters as well. You would expect infrastructure would get ahead of the new developments, and not merely follow them, but we are far from this."


With more people choosing two wheels over the safety of a car or simply walking, more bikes on the roads equals more deaths on them too according to Brockman. Plus, he says hot weather plays a part, with the upward trend set to continue "unless we have a truly terrible summer, and nobody gets on their bicycle."



As 2018’s summer was long and hot, currently the only thing that may prevent another increase is a cool wet summer, not an ideal scenario in most people’s minds, but it may quell the numbers.






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04 Apr 2019 08:49:17 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Chiang Mai has the world’s worst air pollution, but Thailand says it’s ready to act. ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/chiang-mai-has-the-worlds-worst-air-pollution-but-thailand-says-its-ready-to-act-0cfc339a2794087c266b2e4229ec482a/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/chiang-mai-has-the-worlds-worst-air-pollution-but-thailand-says-its-ready-to-act-0cfc339a2794087c266b2e4229ec482a/ Monday 1 April, 2019

It’s an undoubtedly a regrettable position to be in: ranked as the city with the most-polluted air in the entire planet, and no doubt Chiang Mai’s residents can attest to this. Thankfully for them, it now seems their government has recognised the problem and is prepared to do something about it.



The Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha visited the northern city on Tuesday, with the leader’s presence showing how seriously the matter is now being taken, and his words suggest they’ll act quickly: "The government will try to tackle this within seven days."



Prayut met with local officials to converse with them over the different ways to solve the problem that’s proving a real health hazard for both residents and tourists alike. In face, the situation has now become so serious that even the head of the monarchy has voiced his concerns, with King Maha Vajiralongkorn telling the authorities in no uncertain terms that the putrid air needs to be tackled head on right away.



The website airvisual.com, where users can explore air quality levels across the world, has placed Chiang Mai at the very bottom of the charts worldwide for more than a week, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 409, which equates to a “hazardous level”.



And smog-filled photos posted online certainly seem to prove the case that Chiang Mai is heavily polluted. Some residents say they cannot see more than a few hundred metres, and that they cannot go outdoors until there has been an improvement in air quality.


Richard Barrow, an online travel blogger, has been tweeting about the effects, saying the map of the polluted areas "makes it look like Northern Thailand is on fire” and that “it would be stupid not to wear smog masks”.




Greenpeace as well as academics have also entered the debate surrounding the pollution, with them laying a portion of the blame at the feet of those burning agriculture in the region, and have stressed to authorities the importance of enforcing environmental laws.



With the now world watching, and both Thailand’s government and monarchy now voicing their desire to do something about it, hopefully Chiang Mai’s residents will soon be able to breathe easier.





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Pressat mike.armstrong@pressat.co.uk
http://www.pressat.co.uk

Additional Contact(s):
Mike Armstrong is the Managing Editor for Pressat's main news desk, he reports personally on new AI research and its impact on society. Mr Armstrong has covered the technology industry for 15 years.

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http://www.pressat.co.uk 01 Apr 2019 08:49:17 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ £1 MegaBus ads banned by UK advertising regulator ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/1-megabus-ads-banned-by-uk-advertising-regulator-789a32f4c74f1d267fcd414f90c7007b/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/1-megabus-ads-banned-by-uk-advertising-regulator-789a32f4c74f1d267fcd414f90c7007b/ Thursday 14 February, 2019

The UK’s advertising regulator the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned MegaBus from advertising £1 fares across it’s bus/ coach operations..

MegaBus was found to be advertising tickets for routes such as Manchester to London but admitted that they were only allocating just one seat on the entire service for £1.

The public which complained to the ASA claimed that they felt MegaBus was misleading them with the £1 fares.

MegaBus is well known in the UK for providing £1 bus and coach tickets for budget savvy travellers with just a 50p booking fee.

The ASA felt that MegaBus were over promoting the £1 tickets, in September 2017 the firm pushed an advertisement on Facebook that with all intent and purpose advertised to the customer that several £1 tickets were available to purchase on the Aberystwyth to Birmingham route but the firm admitted that just 1 single coach ticket was buyable at £1.

The ASA said in its ruling that MegaBus could not make the same advertisement again in the future unless a significant number of coach fares were genuinely available to the customer.A spokesperson for MegaBus said: "We have always provided clear and transparent pricing for all of our customers, including the many thousands who have taken advantage of our great £1 seat offer."While we will continue to offer seats from £1, in line with recommendations from the ASA, we have decided to focus our marketing on the great value that all Megabus fares offer, along with welcome extras such as on board Wi-Fi and charging points."

Two main ASA complainants, stated they searched for coach tickets and genuinely believed that fares were not available at the £1 price, then challenged whether the claim “fares are from £1* advert” was misleading them could be substantiated by MegaBus.

Some industry commentators have said that the ruling could set precedent for future companies advertising goods and services at low prices but where only a very small number of items were available at the cheaper price. These advertising tactics are not news, many supermarkets and travel agencies have deployed this to lure customers into buying with them under the veil of cheaper prices.

A MegaBus spokesperson told the BBC that futureadverts would take a different approach.




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Pressat greg.bush@pressat.co.uk
http://www.pressat.co.uk

Additional Contact(s):
Greg Bush is currently working as the Deputy Editor for Pressat's food and business desk. Previously wrote for the Financial Times and Italia Media. He also spent time as a reporter for Dow Jones.

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http://www.pressat.co.uk 14 Feb 2019 07:49:17 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Major iPhone bug lets you snoop on iPhone users ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/major-iphone-bug-lets-you-snoop-on-iphone-users-331ce4c749da307863abc02bde4a7076/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/major-iphone-bug-lets-you-snoop-on-iphone-users-331ce4c749da307863abc02bde4a7076/ Tuesday 29 January, 2019

A major bug has been discovered in the Apple iPhone FaceTime app which allows anyone to listen into the person their calling even if don’t actually accept the incoming call.


The original bug was reported by Twitter user Benji Mobb which was then covered by Mac news website 9to5Mac.


The bug works when you place a video call to another person from the FaceTime app but then add a 3rd party to the call before the recipient pickups up the call, the original caller is then able to listen in even though they haven't actually answered the call.


The bug was also verified and tested by two other publications the Verge and CNBC who successfully exploited the scenario first outlined by Benji Mobb.


This bug only appears to to rely on the fairly new FaceTime Group Call feature.


The bug is a major privacy problem for iPhone users with the ability to listen into and record conversations it poses a risk to governments, security services, police but the possibilities are endless.

Apple said an update is currently being worked on and will be pushed to users later this week, stating to CNBC:

"We're aware of this issue and we have identified a fix that will be released in a software update later this week,".There's one quick way to make sure you are not vulnerable to the bug and that's turn off the feature ASAP.


It’s not yet clear how long the bug has been in the public domain for and if it's been exploited by rogue intelligence agencies, often bugs such as this open many other hole in the software to gain access to the users smartphone.




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Pressat jenny.bond@pressat.co.uk
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29 Jan 2019 07:49:17 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Suicide rate plummets after Japan installs blue lights at Tokyo train stations ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/suicide-rate-plummets-after-japan-installs-blue-lights-at-tokyo-train-stations-46cebeac0b141f58ddfa9ff7b6b616a5/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/suicide-rate-plummets-after-japan-installs-blue-lights-at-tokyo-train-stations-46cebeac0b141f58ddfa9ff7b6b616a5/ Monday 28 January, 2019

Across train stations in Japan, various rail companies have been installing blue lights to prevent suicide. It undoubtedly seems strange, but they have reason to believe that it really does work.


A scientific paper published back in 2013 claimed that blue lights in stations reduced the level of suicides up to a staggering 84%. Since the paper was released, many other countries in the world have now adopted similar measures, but are the results really what they appear to be? Just how effective could a simple blue light be when it comes to preventing unnecessary deaths?


It’s known as what’s called a “nudge” technique, which is a subtle, passive way to influence people’s behaviour that has the potential to have a huge impact. Areas lit with blue light were said to help alleviate the feelings of psychological stress and give people a calmer disposition.


Michiko Ueda, conducting research at Waseda University, studied what may be influencing Japan’s suicide rate, and was initially skeptical when she heard railway companies stating blue led to vastly decreased rates, “I thought we should follow up and I decided to contact the railway company to ask if they could provide data.”


Ueda then proceeded to analyse a decade of data on dozens of suicides across train stations in Japan, and did indeed find there was evidence of a large effect, with an 84% reduction in suicides. This figure was then widely reported by the media, and led to a flurry of excitement about the method.


However, when it hit the news, Masao Ichikawa at the University of Tsukuba decided to look at the data in more depth stressing that it needed to be analysed to distinguish night from day at the train stations, as blue light would likely not have as much of an effect during the day.


Ichikawa was also skeptical that the confidence in Ueda’s paper varied from 14-97%, which meant the actual effect of the lights may have only been 14% - nowhere near as impressive as all the media had been reporting.


He responded by publishing his own paper to show is that blue light is not the miracle many claim, and that there were more effective methods such as protective barriers. Of course, this ends up being much more expensive, but if it saves lives then there’s a strong argument for it being worth it.


Even though light therapy is now well established when it comes to Seasonal Affective Disorder, the jury is still out on whether it has any discernible effect when it comes to preventing suicides. Even Michiko Ueda—despite publishing the data that led to all the hype—recommends that people should try a range of options in their attempts to bring the numbers down, “I really don’t want people to think that blue lights are the solution. People should use multiple measures. Platform screen doors are probably the most effective one.”


There are signs of hope, with the overall number of suicides falling since 2003, when 34,500 suicides were reported, down to 21,000 in 2017, a reduction of almost 40%. However, the number has been rising among young people, which shows there’s still a great need to look at a range of solutions that will combat a tremendously sad loss of life.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat greg.bush@pressat.co.uk
http://www.pressat.co.uk

Additional Contact(s):
Greg Bush is currently working as the Deputy Editor for Pressat's food and business desk. Previously wrote for the Financial Times and Italia Media. He also spent time as a reporter for Dow Jones.

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http://www.pressat.co.uk 28 Jan 2019 10:10:16 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ You can now skate at Europe's most iconic nightclub ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/you-can-now-skate-at-europes-most-iconic-nightclub-cfc6c88c8f5c10dd42f8b96792c3f5a8/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/you-can-now-skate-at-europes-most-iconic-nightclub-cfc6c88c8f5c10dd42f8b96792c3f5a8/ Friday 25 January, 2019
You can now Skate and dance the night away at Berlin's exclusive Berghain club

It’s one of Berlin's most iconic nightclubs with a status across Europe as the epicentre of techno but that’s not the only claim to fame for this exclusive club, the notoriously strict door policy has attracted world wide media coverage and guides claiming to have cracked the process of getting in trouble free.

Housed in a former power plant in the east of Berlin, the Berghain is now catering for more than party goes with the introduction of an ice rink of all things.

The 18 x 7 metre ice rink is a temporary installation as part of the Festival for Adventurous Music and Art, the CMT.

The rink can hold a maximum of 40 skaters with prices starting at 5 euros per person, skates are for high for just 2 euros.

The event is designed for everyone, families included but after 9pm the club will return to its techno roots.

Famous techno artists such as Skatebard, Kyoka, Robert Lippok and DJ Occult are planned to perform with light artist Christopher Bauder visually accompanying with the light installation.

So if you’ve never managed to get past the Berghain doorman, head over to the ice rink between January 25th and February 10th, you can then claim to have entered the legendary nightclub.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat stephen.fry@pressat.co.uk
http://www.pressat.co.uk/

Additional Contact(s):
Stephen Fry is the current Media Manager here at Pressat, covering multimedia aspects of the press releases.

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http://www.pressat.co.uk/ 25 Jan 2019 07:49:17 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Australia’s recording breaking heatwave is bad news for wildlife ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/australias-recording-breaking-heatwave-is-bad-news-for-wildlife-06c5de493997a6842afe6e48b67d91a9/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/australias-recording-breaking-heatwave-is-bad-news-for-wildlife-06c5de493997a6842afe6e48b67d91a9/ Thursday 24 January, 2019

After a several days of milder weather the sweltering heat wave has quickly returned breaking records across eastern and central Australia with devastating effects on the wildlife.

The population is currently celebrating Australia day with the rising temperature reaching 45 degree Celsius, but experts have predicted the mercury will rise even further.

Wildlife has been affected mainly by the intense heat and lack of water as dozens of wild horses were found deceased due to dehydration in dried out waterholes not far from Alice Springs on Wednesday. Park Rangers reported that they shot 55 wild horses who were seriously ill with no hope of recovering as all water supplies in the area dissipated


Only last month in Western Australia around 2,500 feral camels were killed as they were damaging local property seeking out water. Farmer Les Smith from Lake Wells Station, north-west of Perth, told the national ABC news that thousands of wild camels have come out of the Gibson Desert seeking water.


Railway builders and early explorers introduced camels into Australia in the early 1800’s, the wild population is now in the millions.


Temperatures soared to 50 degrees according to Tim Carmody, grazier from Prenti Downs in Western Australia who said more than a 1,000 camels had to be killed since Christmas.Other wildlife such as birds have flocked East in search of water.


Desalination plants are expected to be set to work for the first time due to dam levels dramatically dropping.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat Simon.mills@pressat.co.uk

Additional Contact(s):
Simon Mills is an Assistant Reporter on Pressat's home news desk covering UK and global issues, he's previously reported for AFP while in Australia.

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24 Jan 2019 10:10:16 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ The Louvre crowned as France’s top tourist spot ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/the-louvre-crowned-as-frances-top-tourist-spot-c060b9f3a6968d19b0a1d964e0d7f5cb/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/the-louvre-crowned-as-frances-top-tourist-spot-c060b9f3a6968d19b0a1d964e0d7f5cb/ Thursday 3 January, 2019

The world’s largest art museum the Louvre hosted a record breaking 10.2 million visitors in 2018, up from 25% the previous year.

The historic museum is home to many renowned pieces such as Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and Théodore Géricault's 19th century masterpiece the Raft of the Medusa, not forgetting many antiquities and sculptures.


Frances’ tourism industry took a sharp decline after terrorist attacks claimed 230 lives between 2015 and 2016, but figures have recently increased, with Paris once again becoming a European hotspot for tourists.

According to authorities, The Louvre was France's most visited museum in 2018, with the Eiffel Tower coming in second place..

The Louvre is a tourist magnet for none-French tourists, with over three quarters visiting from outside France and under 30 years old.

A single adult ticket to the Louvre costs 15 euros.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat mike.armstrong@pressat.co.uk
http://www.pressat.co.uk

Additional Contact(s):
Mike Armstrong is the Managing Editor for Pressat's main news desk, he reports personally on new AI research and its impact on society. Mr Armstrong has covered the technology industry for 15 years.

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http://www.pressat.co.uk 03 Jan 2019 15:25:28 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Mexico’s most lucrative fruit has a dark side ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/mexicos-most-lucrative-fruit-has-a-dark-side-1b985eb4efb3d37c791e3462717a83eb/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/mexicos-most-lucrative-fruit-has-a-dark-side-1b985eb4efb3d37c791e3462717a83eb/ Monday 3 December, 2018

Avocados have made world headlines for many reasons over the last decade. From millennials spending more because of their penchant need for avocado and poached egg on toast to the vast amount of rainforest being destroyed due to farming the crop.


Michaocan is probably the biggest avocado growing region across the whole of Mexico, it brings a vast amount of employment opportunities and money to the region but it comes with a high price, mainly the increasing environmental destruction.


Since 2016 the agricultural land used to farm avocados has almost doubled from 381,000 hectares to 564,000. According to the United Nations, it's also stretching from traditional cultivation areas into mountain ranges and forests with roughly 1,000 hectares of rainforest is being destroyed in the region a year.


The growing need for cultivation of avocados is creating a diversity problem in the rainforest and contributing to large scale environmental pollution which in turn is also damaging the water cycle in the area with endemic species on the decline.


Avocados are grown by farmers instead of other more less destructive crops due to the increased demand and money they can generate on the international fruit market but this has caused a spark in illegal felling of trees by small time farmers looking to make a living wage.


The Avocado craze is not over yet with estimates by the Mexican authorities pointing towards a 50% increase by 2030, that's around double the current 4.24 million tons per year.


Environmental issues are not the only worries for Mexico. Where there's money the cartel are not far behind. This has already been the case with producers being kidnapped.


Despite all the negative impacts the solution to Mexico’s Avocado problem is unfortunately not simple, millions live on low income wages which means out right banning the production would only increase poverty and abuse, whilst policing this would also be a colossal task.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat jenny.bond@pressat.co.uk
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03 Dec 2018 11:46:40 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Loaves in space: New technology allows baked bread at zero gravity ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/loaves-in-space-new-technology-allows-baked-bread-at-zero-gravity-f8023ecef4b69b14c0207754a9d49910/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/loaves-in-space-new-technology-allows-baked-bread-at-zero-gravity-f8023ecef4b69b14c0207754a9d49910/ Sunday 5 November, 2017

There are many reasons why going into space on a rocket ship is an attractive proposition, but up until now, baked goods weren't one of them.

Of course, that is because of the dangers of stray crumbs and high temperatures at zero gravity; up until now, bringing breaded products would have been far too risky a proposition for astronauts.

However, that may be all about to change, as a team of scientists are hoping to make life on board space stations a great deal tastier by allowing astronauts to bring crumbless bread aboard.

A group of geniuses in Bremen in Germany are working on creating crumbless bread rolls, so hungry folks on the international space station can enjoy the luxury of freshly baked bread.

The company behind this ambitious project is called 'Bake in Space'. They are hoping to redo how food is created for those going outside of our atmosphere.

Their ultimate goal is to provide the grub for a manned-mission to Mars, but for now, they will settle for providing folks on the ISS with warmed-up rolls that were baked here on earth. That's not a crumby idea at all!

Bake in Space have teamed up with the culinary-clever-clogs at the Technology Transfer Centre in Bremerhaven, a research institute which focuses on food, health and environment. Between the pair of them, they have come up with the idea of crumbless rolls for space.

Florian Stukenborg, from the TTC, detailed some of the process to journalists earlier this week. He said: "We're working on the basis of a perfectly normal [pretzel-type] dough. [However] In space, like on an airplane, things taste different."

He also told the media that the bread will last around a half year and will be able to be heated by space stations' low heat ovens.

One downside is that the bread will take much longer to cook in space, because astronauts cannot take it out of the oven until the appliance is completely cool. This is to prevent the dangerous escape of heat into the station.

"It might sound trivial, but it's a quality-of-life boost for the astronauts up there," said one of the TTC researchers. If you though waiting for your food to be ready was tedius, imagine doing it in space!

It may be a massive improvement in the quality-of-life, but they are also the most expensive bread rolls in history. It is estimated that the cost of bringing the rolls to the ISS lies somewhere between 1.5m and 3m euros.

Still, as anybody who has ever been stuck on a gluten free diet knows, it may be worth it.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat greg.bush@pressat.co.uk
http://www.pressat.co.uk

Additional Contact(s):
Greg Bush is currently working as the Deputy Editor for Pressat's food and business desk. Previously wrote for the Financial Times and Italia Media. He also spent time as a reporter for Dow Jones.

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http://www.pressat.co.uk 05 Nov 2017 15:30:32 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Scientists find that beer could make you happy after all ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/scientists-find-that-beer-could-make-you-happy-after-all-f6080b733d97447190187a6f723aa1fb/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/scientists-find-that-beer-could-make-you-happy-after-all-f6080b733d97447190187a6f723aa1fb/ Wednesday 4 October, 2017

Researchers examining 13,000 food ingredients at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany have found that an alkaloid naturally present in Barley activates the brain's pleasure receptors.


Hordenine, a chemical commonly found in Barley when beer making stimulates the Dopamine receptor D2 (D2R) in the brain. Often referred to as the “happy hormone” this in combination with alcohol itself makes the consumer feel happier.

Although it's early days into the research, scientists so far have said that results point towards the drinker's mood being positively boosted, similar to how Salsolinol found in chocolate or how fat and carbohydrates work.Various other studies are also underway looking into how much Hordenine is actually present in beer and how it affects the consumer.

Published in the Journal of Scientific Reports, a probe involving thousands of food ingredients started the research into Hordenine. Most of us enjoy an ice cold beer after a hard day's work, but remember drinking too much could leave you with a bad hangover, moderation is the key as always.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat mike.armstrong@pressat.co.uk
http://www.pressat.co.uk

Additional Contact(s):
Mike Armstrong is the Managing Editor for Pressat's main news desk, he reports personally on new AI research and its impact on society. Mr Armstrong has covered the technology industry for 15 years.

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http://www.pressat.co.uk 04 Oct 2017 17:19:34 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Scientists invent self healing tyres ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/scientists-invent-self-healing-tyres-b5c55d768d391385ea8ffec435441369/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/scientists-invent-self-healing-tyres-b5c55d768d391385ea8ffec435441369/ Thursday 21 September, 2017

Punctures could be a thing of the past after a group of scientists from Harvard University have invented tyres that can identify and repair themselves.

Achieved by combining the branches of various polymers in a specialised form that builds up the rubber, the tyres craze (bond) when damaged as opposed to cracking which is what happens with standard tyres. When these type of tyres are damaged the crazes are joined together by fibrous strands which then are able to evenly disperse the stress across the tyre to prevent a life threatening situation for the passengers.

Researchers at the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have applied for a patent and claim that the breakthrough technology can be applied to a wide variety of products made with polymer rubber.

Tyre blowouts are one of the most common reasons for driving accidents in the United Kingdom and can be an extremely traumatic for both driver and passenger. A sudden loss in tyre pressure due to a blow out can cause a driver to swerve the vehicle into other oncoming motorists or smash into the dividing barrier.

Recent statistics from the Department for Transport revealed accidents relating to faulty or blown tyres on the road accounted for nearly 20 fatal incidents, 122 serious and around 500 minor accidents.

With great strides being made in self healing tyres such fatalities could one day very soon be eliminated all together.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat jenny.bond@pressat.co.uk
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21 Sep 2017 17:35:09 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ DFS shares rise on £25m Sofology deal ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/dfs-shares-rise-on-25m-sofology-deal-9350c58225d1910e4c9086abdfc74985/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/dfs-shares-rise-on-25m-sofology-deal-9350c58225d1910e4c9086abdfc74985/ Thursday 3 August, 2017

Sofa retailer Sofology has been acquired by DFS in a multi million pound deal aimed at strengthening the brand.


The two firms both have history and have in the past not seen eye to eye. DFS even forced its smaller competitor to change its name from Sofaworks to Sofology back in 2015 after winning a high court case regarding the name.


DFS hopes that the Sofology acquisition will add a "strong distinctive brand and business" to further bolster the UK’s largest furniture retailer.


The acquisition today has come as a surprise to many traders and analytic due to the concerns that consumer spending is currently down.


Despite having over 40 shops across the country recent losses which the company partly blames on the rebrand have forced it to sell.


Sofaology's chief executive, Jason Tyldesely, will continue to lead the brand after the deal.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat mike.armstrong@pressat.co.uk
http://www.pressat.co.uk

Additional Contact(s):
Mike Armstrong is the Managing Editor for Pressat's main news desk, he reports personally on new AI research and its impact on society. Mr Armstrong has covered the technology industry for 15 years.

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http://www.pressat.co.uk 03 Aug 2017 18:48:31 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ BMW scandal was “water off a duck's back” as firm posts profit again. ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/bmw-scandal-was-water-off-a-ducks-back-as-firm-posts-profit-again-5a8f45c38b1825bbd76d4b1e51eb0a62/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/bmw-scandal-was-water-off-a-ducks-back-as-firm-posts-profit-again-5a8f45c38b1825bbd76d4b1e51eb0a62/ Thursday 3 August, 2017

German car maker BMW has posted a strong rise in profits despite its recent alleged emissions scandal.


The firms operating margins rose just shy of 10 per cent(9.7) in the second quarter of the year from 8.5 per cent previously.


The figures roughly sit similar with Audi at 9.1 per cent and Mercedes at 9.2 per cent. EBIT rose 7.5 per cent to 2.93 billion euros due to higher sales and strong demand in the East.


Results were released by BMW a day after the firm joined other manufacturing groups at a diesel summit where a series of measures aimed at decreasing pollution levels across Germany was the main agenda.


In 2015 the automotive industry was found to be cheating emission tests in millions of vehicles by installing specialist software in the vehicles. The automotive industry has been no stranger to scandals, just last month Porsche, Audi, VW, BMW and Daimler were alleged to be members of a “cartel” whose discussions were based around emission controls.


The crisis deepened last month following media reports that five manufacturers – VW, Audi, Porsche, Daimler as well as BMW – had since the 1990s been members of a secret cartel whose operations included discussions on emission controls and standards.


BMW has firmly denied any involvement in manipulating diesel emissions tests.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat mike.armstrong@pressat.co.uk
http://www.pressat.co.uk

Additional Contact(s):
Mike Armstrong is the Managing Editor for Pressat's main news desk, he reports personally on new AI research and its impact on society. Mr Armstrong has covered the technology industry for 15 years.

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http://www.pressat.co.uk 03 Aug 2017 18:48:25 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ These robotic bartenders will make you the perfect Mojito ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/these-robotic-bartenders-will-make-you-the-perfect-mojito-ec9cbae8657cb06752e523e2fc11bbd2/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/these-robotic-bartenders-will-make-you-the-perfect-mojito-ec9cbae8657cb06752e523e2fc11bbd2/ Tuesday 25 July, 2017

Introverts who prefer machines to humans will be pleased to know that a Las Vegas bar has recently introduced robotic bartenders.


Whether you like it shaken, stirred or muddled The Tipsy Robot can make a huge variety of cocktails starting at just $14 dollars or provide customs options to make a truly unique drink but if you like something more traditional a range of themed drinks are available such as the Droid of Dublin, Mr. Robot, Time machine or Stellar Spritzer.


Customers are required to create an account on the Tipsy Robot app where they can add their drink orders to the queue and then simply collect when ready.


The robots can make around 50-60 drinks per hour with an average wait time of 70 seconds.


Despite the bots mixing skills however regular humans will still play a small part as they’re not quite advanced enough to handle a pint of beer.


The firm plans to open more futuristic bars in other cities next year.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat jenny.bond@pressat.co.uk
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25 Jul 2017 15:12:42 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Vodafone scraps roaming charges for 40 countries ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/vodafone-scraps-roaming-charges-for-40-countries-cb98a43694756cfefd01db66a0e13c2a/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/vodafone-scraps-roaming-charges-for-40-countries-cb98a43694756cfefd01db66a0e13c2a/ Wednesday 12 April, 2017

Vodafone today has removed roaming charges for customers across 40 countries including popular holiday destinations such as Turkey, France, Germany and Spain.

The change will only be applicable to new or contracts which have been upgraded.

Outside of the 40 countries a fixed £5 per day charge will be applied including but not limited to United States, Russia, China and India.

Vodafone said that the increased rules on roaming charges have hurt companies and will undobuetly increase base plan prices.

Mid June will see the EU abolish roaming charges for all its member states in ruiling.

Three already provides free roaming in 42 countries for its customers.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat jenny.bond@pressat.co.uk
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12 Apr 2017 21:30:54 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Ultra rare pink diamond fetches 71 million dollars ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/ultra-rare-pink-diamond-fetches-71-million-dollars-c5c93778a61bfaa93b72e9fb91c97aab/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/ultra-rare-pink-diamond-fetches-71-million-dollars-c5c93778a61bfaa93b72e9fb91c97aab/ Tuesday 4 April, 2017

Sotheby's auction house broke a world record on Tuesday selling a giant 59.60-carat Pink diamond for over $70 million dollars in Hong Kong.

Sought after by three clients, the Diamond nicknamed the “Pink Star” has become the most expensive jewel sold at auction to date and was sold to a telephone bidder.

The diamond was graded by the Gemological Institute of America and is roughly the size of a quail’s egg.

De Beers mined the gem in 1999 and the 132.5 carat and rough diamond was cut and polished over a period of two years by Steinmetz Diamonds.

The “Pink Star” was previously sold for more than 83 million dollars by Sotheby's in 2013 however the sale fell through due to the winner failing to pay.

The record was previously held by the 24.78 “Graff Pink” diamond which sold for over $46 million dollars in 2010 at Sotheby's in Geneva.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat jenny.bond@pressat.co.uk
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04 Apr 2017 14:16:20 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ You can now get fried chicken from your posty ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/you-can-now-get-fried-chicken-from-your-posty-6f82dabd02a714295797732ee5ce1762/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/you-can-now-get-fried-chicken-from-your-posty-6f82dabd02a714295797732ee5ce1762/ Tuesday 4 April, 2017

The New Zealand postal service has started delivering Kentucky Fried Chicken in an aim to counter revenue losses as the number of people using the service has dwindled in recent years.


A trial between the state-owned New Zealand Post and KFC will enable customers to get their chicken fix in the harbourside city of Tauranga but the firm hopes to eventually tap into the extensive delivery network around the country.


Traditional postal services around the world are seeing declining revenues with technologies such as email and in app alerts taking over letters. The move is part of firms struggle to survive in a changing world.


The move is a step forward in diversifying the New Zealand post into other areas of deliver and keep the national state-owned firm alive.


The number of letters sent in New Zealand has halved in the last decade and postal delivery has been reduced to three days a week to save costs.


Posties in New Zealand currently deliver just three days a week to reduce costs.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat jenny.bond@pressat.co.uk
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04 Apr 2017 14:13:50 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ Can Samsung put out the flames with the new Galaxy S8? ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/can-samsung-put-out-the-flames-with-the-new-galaxy-s8-72e498d473d3465efd7f11e82babc59a/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/can-samsung-put-out-the-flames-with-the-new-galaxy-s8-72e498d473d3465efd7f11e82babc59a/ Tuesday 4 April, 2017

Samsung hopes to extinguish the flames with the new Galaxy S8 after withdrawing the Galaxy Note 7 last October due to the devices battery randomly bursting into flames. Can the S8’s bigger screen and digital assistant win back customers?


The new flagship S8 and plus model will directly take on the Apple iPhone 7 including Siri with the South Korean maker unveiling its new digital assistant named Bixby.


The most striking feature of the new Galaxy S8 are its tiny bezels which for a much larger screen to fit into a smaller form factor. The screen essentially covers the entire face of the device. The standard model comes with a 5.8 inch screen, whilst the plus model is a staggering 6.2 inches making it much bigger in comparison to the iPhone 7 variations.


Users are able to activate virtual assistant, Bixby, at the click of a dedicated button located at the side of the device creating a seamless touch to voice transition.


Samsung is also developing a new version of its VR headset featuring a controller and remodelling Gear 360, the companies all-round camera gadget.


The fires literally burned a hole in Samsung’s stock market price and customer trust last year. The firm hopes the new Galaxy S8 will put those out and win back customer trust this time round. Although the S8 battery retains the same strength at 3000 mAh as its predecessor users can now sleep easier at night as the company has put greater safety precautions into the new batteries development.


It is also good news for selfies with the new front facing camera being boosted from 5 to 8 megapixels.




Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ ]]>
Pressat jenny.bond@pressat.co.uk
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04 Apr 2017 14:12:29 GMT Main News
<![CDATA[ The Apprentice star Mergim Butaja takes on charity running event to support refugees ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/the-apprentice-star-mergim-butaja-takes-on-charity-running-event-to-support-refugees-8da88dd025544be20b6f00b91ae1f057/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/the-apprentice-star-mergim-butaja-takes-on-charity-running-event-to-support-refugees-8da88dd025544be20b6f00b91ae1f057/ Friday 18 December, 2015

Penny Appeal's Run For Their Lives Coventry challenge helps those fleeing conflict

Former refugee Mergim Butaja, whose emotional farewell speech on The Apprentice highlighted the importance of remaining strong and determined in the face of adversity, is taking on a charity challenge to support families fleeing ongoing conflict.

The 23-year-old has joined with other volunteer fundraisers from international humanitarian charity Penny Appeal to run Coventry's Half Marathon at the end of February.

Members of #TeamOrange, the name given to Penny Appeal's volunteer family, will hit the city's streets for a 13.1mile race. They'll be calling on friends, family and colleagues to sponsor their efforts, with all money raised going to the charity's Refugee Emergency campaign.

Mergim, whose family fled from war-torn Kosovo to the UK when he was just seven years old, said: “I came to the UK in the back of a lorry. That difficult journey made me who I am today, giving me the strength and determination I carry now.

“I'm so thankful that I was able to make it to the UK and be able to call this my home, and it's important to give back to help others.

“The Run For Their Lives challenge will bring people together to help refugees who are in similar situations to mine – their homes are being destroyed and there's no hope for the future. We'll be able to provide some of the necessities they need on their journeys, such as food, warm clothes and medical support, and also help them find strength and determination.”

Penny Appeal's #TeamOrange runners are sponsored by MesmerEyez and will be lining up alongside thousands of other participants for Coventry's Half Marathon on Sunday 28th February.

The charity's participation in the event is being organised by Haroon Mota, Midlands Fundraising Manager at Penny Appeal, who is a keen runner with many miles under his belt.

“A physical challenge such as a half marathon is a great way of giving fundraisers a feel for the hardships that refugees face,” said Haroon.

“Penny Appeal teams are on the ground in countries such as Greece, Turkey, Syria and Iraq, providing essential aid to refugee families, and we'll continue that support over the difficult cold months through our Winter Emergency campaign. Waterproof clothes, hygiene items, sleeping bags and tents can make a world of difference and even save lives, so we're delighted that so many people are taking on this challenge to help refugees.”

Penny Appeal still has places available for Coventry's Half Marathon, with each participant asked to pay a £25 registration fee and then raise a minimum of £100 in sponsorship. Places can be booked online at: www.pennyappeal.org/appeal/run-for-their-lives or by calling 03000 11 11 11.

Donations can be made to the #TeamOrange runners via their JustGiving team page: www.justgiving.com/Teams/CovHalf16.




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http://www.pennyappeal.org 18 Dec 2015 10:55:57 GMT Business & Finance Charities & non-profits Entertainment & Arts Main News
<![CDATA[ A Nation Of Shopkeepers But Not Landlords ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/a-nation-of-shopkeepers-but-not-landlords-f304006fe45c4ede32a3eb2fa34957ff/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/a-nation-of-shopkeepers-but-not-landlords-f304006fe45c4ede32a3eb2fa34957ff/ Thursday 26 November, 2015

A nation of shopkeepers but not landlords

Two years ago the Coalition government stated that a further 1.4 trillion would need to be invested into the Private Rental Sector (PRS) by 2035 to meet anticipated demand. With interest rates at record lows and stock markets increasingly volatile, many heading towards retirement looked to property investment to subsidise their pensions. However, it appears the government is becoming increasingly hostile towards private investors with today's announcement that private landlords will be hit with a punitive 3% additional stamp duty rate.

The move could potentially backfire for Osborne if rents go up for tenants. Rents have stagnated across many areas of Britain but Finders Keepers is anticipating that in the wake of the reduction in mortgage relief for landlords and now the additional stamp duty hike, landlords will seek to increase rents to maintain their yields.

Canny investors will also look to make savings in other areas to mitigate the stamp duty increase. Finders Keepers has a specialist buying agency arm tasked with finding suitable properties for buy-to-let investors and the team is bracing itself for the next wave of enquiries as landlords look to negotiate keenly on the initial property price. As many developers are dependent upon investors, many are likely to offer at least a 3% discount to lure in potential landlords.

Finders Keepers is also advising its landlords to look closely at their existing portfolios to see where value can be added. Often converting a loft or extending a property can add another bedroom to the existing home which, in turn, would command higher rents as well as increase the capital value of the property.

Specialist buy-to-let advisor Frank Webster of Finders Keepers comments, “Today's announcement isn't the end of buy-to-let but it is going to have an impact on tenants and developers. Perhaps what is of greater concern is that the government seems to have the PRS in its crosshairs. With more and more tenants forced into the PRS, I don't know where Osborne thinks the new rental homes are going to come from.”

-Ends-

For further information, please contact:

Frank Webster, Finders Keepers, www.finders.co.uk , Tel: 01865 311 011.

For press information (not for publication):

Lana Wrightman, LWPR, pr@lanawrightman.com, Tel: 0208 533 2277, Mob: 07725 951 310.

Notes for editors:

Founded in 1972, Finders Keepers is one of Oxfordshire's leading lettings agents. With eight offices and over 100 members of staff, the company offers a multitude of services to both landlords and tenants. It is dedicated to matching tenants with the perfect property while helping landlords make the most of their investments. The company offers a full property management service in addition to its own interior design and building teams. Finders Keepers lets and manages over 2,400 properties each year and boasts a 98.25% occupancy rate. FKStudent Lettings, its specialist student division, has a portfolio of over 200 properties, 95% of which are already let for the 2014-15 academic year with an average rent of £400-450 per person per calendar month.




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26 Nov 2015 11:01:51 GMT Construction & Property Main News
<![CDATA[ London's Rents Rise 5 Percent In Just Four Months ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/londons-rents-rise-5-percent-in-just-four-months-ee65b45deb3bc634c6805abfebdcc98a/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/londons-rents-rise-5-percent-in-just-four-months-ee65b45deb3bc634c6805abfebdcc98a/ Wednesday 25 November, 2015

- The average rental value of a London property in October stands at £1,467 compared to £1,402 in June 2015

- Biggest riser is Greenwich, with monthly rent rising by nearly £340 per household

- Research compiled by Rentify found areas with top tenant demand in the capital to include Bexley, Enfield and Haringey

- Demand for properties in Central London is lower, potentially down to high rental prices

- The increase over a short amount of time coincides with George Osbornes unexpected buy-to-let tax hike announced in July

Rental values in London have risen by nearly five per cent (4.67%) since June 2015, with the average rental price for a property in the capital standing at £1,467 compared to £1,402 in the summer, according to new figures released today.

The statistics are taken from the Rentify Property Index – a comprehensive dataset drawing information from 200,000 Rentify properties as well as a selection of publicly available sources* – which looks at how rental prices around the capital and tenant demand have risen and fallen each quarter. The significant increase over a short period of time shows that the buy-to-let tax hike announced in July from George Osborne is already having a negative impact on the capital.

Greenwich proved to the biggest riser in average rent, with monthly costs for tenants growing by £338 and hitting an average value of £1,397 per month. Rentify attributes this to an influx of students as the new university year begins. Other areas that experienced considerable uplift include Brent, with average rents in the north-west London borough growing by £201 to almost £1,500 per month.

LONDON'S TOP FIVE RENT RISERS – (from June to October 2015)

1. Greenwich – increase of £338 (average rent of £1,397 pcm)

2. Brent – increase of £201 (average rent of £1,493 pcm)

3. Newham – increase of £197 (average rent of £1,378 pcm)

4. Lewisham – increase of £194 (average rent of £1,305 pcm)

5. Lambeth – increase of £182 (average rent of £1,617 pcm)

Areas that saw a fall in rent include Wandsworth (average rent falling by £33), and Kingston-upon-Thames, with the average rent in the area falling by almost £90 to £1,237. Homes in the City of London have also experienced an unprecedented dip in price, with the average monthly rent dropping £185 to £2,149.

Although this can't be considered a long-term decline, the figures do highlight seasonality in the market. The dip in costs could be in part attributed to the school calendar, with families moving to ensure they secure the best postcode possible for their child's education during the summer months.

The data also showed how strong rental demand is across the capital. Bexley proved to be the most popular area for property-hunters with an average of 10 people viewing each home in the borough each day, whilst other outer London boroughs such as Enfield and Haringey (both seeing an average of 9.6 viewers per day) are also generating huge interest.

Rentify CEO George Spencer said: “High cost of rent in central London is continuing to drive people away to outer boroughs in search of affordable housing. This however means that these so called cheaper locations are seeing a remarkable rise in rent due to their popularity. They are hot on the heels with Central London due to strong demands.

“Furthermore, the recent buy-to-let tax hike introduced by the Chancellor will further constrain supply as less people invest in property to rent, making life increasingly hard for Londoners.”

LONDON'S MOST EXPENSIVE BOROUGHS TO LIVE IN (October 2015)

1. Westminster (avg. rent £2,182 pcm)

2. City of London (avg. rent £2,149 pcm)

3. Kensington & Chelsea (avg. rent £2,030 pcm)

4. Camden (avg. rent £1,836 pcm)

5. Hammersmith & Fulham (avg. rent £1,776 pcm)

LONDON'S CHEAPEST BOROUGHS TO LIVE IN (October 2015)

1. Bexley (avg. rent £1,064 pcm)

2. Croydon (avg. rent £1,114 pcm)

3. Sutton (avg. rent £1,118 pcm)

4. Waltham Forest (avg. rent £1,146 pcm)

5. Barking & Dagenham (avg. rent £1,192 pcm)

LONDON'S MOST POPULAR BOROUGHS BY PROPERTY VIEWINGS PER DAY (October 2015)

1. Bexley (avg. rent £1,063 pcm) – 10 views per property per day

2. Enfield (avg. rent £1,237 pcm) – 9.6 views per property per day

3. Haringey (avg. rent £1,262 pcm) – 9.6 views per property per day

4. Sutton (avg. rent £1,117 pcm) – 9 views per property per day

5. Bromley (avg. rent £1,267 pcm) – 8.7 views per property per day

LONDON'S LEAST POPULAR BOROUGHS BY PROPERTY VIEWINGS PER DAY (October 2015)

1. Westminster (avg. rent £2,181 pcm) – 5 views per property per day

2. Kensington & Chelsea (avg. rent £2,030 pcm) – 5 views per property per day

3. City of London (avg. rent £2,149 pcm) – 5.2 views per property per day

4. Tower Hamlets (avg. rent £1,709 pcm) – 5.7 views per property per day

5. Camden (avg. rent £1,836 pcm) – 5.9 views per property per day

- Ends -

Notes to Editors:

For more information (including total data for all boroughs) please contact the Rentify press office at rentify@mischiefpr.com

*Information gathered from publically available data including Zoopla.




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25 Nov 2015 13:13:25 GMT Construction & Property Main News
<![CDATA[ The HBOS Report is a reminder that corporate whisleblowing is not working ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/the-hbos-report-is-a-reminder-that-corporate-whisleblowing-is-not-working-c23c9919ccea519abd46b52f9d624dc0/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/the-hbos-report-is-a-reminder-that-corporate-whisleblowing-is-not-working-c23c9919ccea519abd46b52f9d624dc0/ Thursday 19 November, 2015

The Director of the Institute of Business Ethics, Philippa Foster Back CBE said:

“The HBOS Report shows that there is significant weakness in company whistleblowing arrangements which leave them vulnerable. Boards need to listen to, act upon, and report back on relevant concerns raised by their employees”

The 2015 IBE Ethics at Work survey shows that half of all UK employees still do not raise concerns about behaviour in their organisation (45%).

Of those who do speak up, only 39% said that they were satisfied with the outcome (down from 70% in 2012).

For further information, interviews and quotes, please contact Katherine Bradshaw, 07771 517700 k.bradshaw@ibe.org.uk

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The Institute of Business Ethics was established by business people in 1986 to encourage and support high standards of business behaviour based on ethical values.

• We raise public awareness of the importance of doing business ethically• We help organisations strengthen their ethics culture through the sharing of knowledge and good practice.• We assist in the development, implementation and embedding of effective and relevant corporate ethics and responsibility policies and programmes.

The IBE is a registered charity, funded by corporate and individual subscriptions. Subscriber support, both financial and intellectual, helps us research, publish, provide training and tools to assist in the development of ethical business practice.www.ibe.org.uk @IBEUK




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http://www.ibe.org.uk 19 Nov 2015 16:46:44 GMT Business & Finance Main News
<![CDATA[ This National Tree Week, help plant trees and save lives in Africa ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/this-national-tree-week-help-plant-trees-and-save-lives-in-africa-e3e56358716f7da5b047dcf517e56e3d/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/this-national-tree-week-help-plant-trees-and-save-lives-in-africa-e3e56358716f7da5b047dcf517e56e3d/ Tuesday 17 November, 2015

This year to
celebrate National Tree Week, development charity TREE AID is calling for support
to spread the benefits of trees, by helping communities in Africa plant trees
and Grow Hope for their families.

Every 2 minutes a
child dies from hunger and malnutrition in the drylands. Deforestation and climate change have led to
degradation of the land making it increasingly hard for farmers to grow enough
crops to feed their families. During the
‘hungry months’, families often survive on only one meal a day. But there is hope. Trees can provide a direct answer to hunger, as a source of fruits, nuts
and greens rich in vitamins and minerals. And by selling tree products, like
shea butter, families can get crucial income, which they can use to buy the
food their children so desperately need.

TREE AID’s CEO John Moffett explains:

“Trees are vital for families in
Africa, providing stability for the soil, and a valuable source of
nutrition. At TREE AID we work directly
with communities, giving them the training and equipment they need to grow
trees, a lifeline when food is scarce.”

Since the charity launched in 1987 10 million trees have been planted
across Africa. But the work doesn’t stop
there. TREE AID have launched an urgent appeal
to help a further 32,000 families get the skills they need to plant trees and
grow hope for the future.

Mother of 6 Jalia
Dimmie, from Northern Ghana, has benefited from a TREE AID project in her
village.

“Before the project, there was
a lot of suffering,” she says.

With TREE AID’s
support, she can now grow trees to feed her family with nutritious foods such
as mango, nuts and plums. What’s more,
she’s learnt how to process shea butter into soap, and to package, distribute
and sell it. With the money she earns,
she can save to buy food in the lean season.

“Now that we have more food to eat, it’s been
a long time since my family were sick,” Jalia continues. “We are no longer just surviving, we’re living.”

In celebration
of National Tree Week, TREE AID are calling on tree-lovers across the UK to
support the Grow Hope appeal by fundraising or making a donation, helping
32,000 more families like Jalia’s permanently build a better future.


To learn more about this vital appeal and to make a donation visit http://www.treeaid.org.uk/growhope/

-Ends-


Notes to editors

About
TREE AID

(www.treeaid.org.uk )

TREE AID is respected international development
organisation. Since 1987 TREE AID has
been working in remote and isolated communities in Africa, where people live in
extreme poverty and have little food, money or opportunity to improve their
lives.

We help communities to plant trees to grow their way out of
poverty and hunger. The communities we work with learn to use the produce that
trees provide for food and to earn extra income.

We work with communities to raise understanding of the
importance of trees and how they protect the environment, not just for today
but for future generations. The trees they grow help to create more stable
local environments, reducing the risk of flooding and drought, and halting the
cycle of poverty and hunger.

We work with partners at all levels from village to
government to make sure the voice of the poorest is at the centre of forestry
policy.

We work in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali and Niger and have helped more than 500,000 people across Africa grow more than 10,000,000 trees.

Please contact the TREE AID Communications Team on press@treeaid.org.uk

About Grow Hope

(www.treeaid.org.uk/GrowHope)

The Grow Hope Appeal started in
October 2015 and aims to raise £250,000, which will enable us to lift 32,000
people out of poverty. The Grow Hope
Appeal will help villagers grow trees, and grow hope of a better future.




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http://www.treeaid.org.uk/ 17 Nov 2015 13:29:18 GMT Charities & non-profits Environment & Nature Farming & Animals Main News
<![CDATA[ Southampton Mum backs new campaign on World Diabetes Day ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/southampton-mum-backs-new-campaign-on-world-diabetes-day-2fc11f292f9316b5637dde3021ac1278/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/southampton-mum-backs-new-campaign-on-world-diabetes-day-2fc11f292f9316b5637dde3021ac1278/ Thursday 12 November, 2015

Southampton Mum backs new campaign on

World Diabetes Day

This World Diabetes Day
(14 November), local woman is backing a new national campaign highlighting the importance of diabetes education.

Diabetes UK’s new
Taking Control campaign highlights the huge difference diabetes education
courses can make. These courses can help people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes take
better control of their condition, giving them the best possible chance of living long and healthy lives.

Former police officer,
Angie Whitmarsh (56) from Southampton was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes 10 years ago.

Angie said: “I had been
diagnosed for 18 months before I noticed a poster in the GP surgery about Type
2 diabetes education courses. I asked my practice nurse about it and she said she thought I already knew enough so I probably wouldn't find it useful.

“I insisted and got
onto the course. I found I was already aware of a lot of the information but
there was no substitute for being in a group of my peers listening and talking
about our individual experiences. Education is not just about learning the
factual information about diabetes it is about learning to come to terms with
your diagnosis and learning with your peers is an a huge step towards doing this.”

Jill Steaton, Diabetes
UK South East Regional Manager at Diabetes UK, said: “Those who have just been
diagnosed with diabetes or who have been living with the condition for some
time, can find it difficult to get their heads around how to successfully
manage the condition. But by attending a diabetes education course, they can
instead feel empowered to take control and manage their condition with confidence.

“There is strong
evidence that when people with diabetes are equipped with the knowledge and
skills to manage their condition effectively, they can improve their quality of
life. They can also reduce their risk of developing avoidable complications,
such as kidney disease, stroke and amputation. These are not only personally
devastating, but also expensive to treat. Diabetes costs the NHS nearly £10
billion a year, 80 per cent of which is spent on managing avoidable
complications. But by giving people the knowledge and skills to manage their
diabetes effectively, we can reduce their long-term risk of complications and reduce the cost burden on the NHS.

“We have launched our
Taking Control campaign to highlight the importance of good quality diabetes
education. We want to encourage everyone in Southampton who is living with diabetes
to go and ask their healthcare professional for information about a diabetes
education course. The campaign also calls on the NHS to make sure that everyone
with diabetes has access to the education and support they need to manage their
diabetes well. Everyone with diabetes should have access to education from the moment of diagnosis and then throughout their lives."

There
are more than 12,000 of people living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in Southampton.

The
‘Taking Control’ campaign has been launched this week ahead of World Diabetes
Day on Saturday 14 November. Join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #TakingControl.

To
find out more about going on an education course, speak to your GP or
healthcare professional. To find out more about the Taking Control campaign and
to take action to ensure everyone with diabetes has access to diabetes education, visit www.diabetes.org.uk/taking-control




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http://www.diabetes.org.uk 12 Nov 2015 10:33:50 GMT Health Main News