Our political correspondent Hannah Miller reports. Were going to have to take the Tough Decisions and take them early. Things will get worse before they get better. So weve had to take Tough Decisions to stabilise the economy. Its already a familiar Refrain Keir Starmer saying hes going to make choices that seem uncomfortable in order to change the country. Top of the list of difficult decisions, targeting the Winter Fuel Payment at only the poorest pensioners. That is not easy, and no Prime Minister wants to take a decision like this, but the Winter Fuel Payments are now to be targeted, they were untargeted before, and i think everybody thought that wasnt a particularly good system. This year, around 10 Million pensioners in england and wales will no longer receive the allowance of up to £300, which the treasury suggests will save around 1. 4 billion. But at their conference in brighton, some Union Leaders are calling for the government to change course. To do this on the Winter Fuel
Lets start in the us where its been a tumultuous week on the markets following the publication of a series of reports on the state of the Labour Market. On thursday, one of the latest of these reports showed private employers in the us posting their smallest monthly hiring growth since january 2021, with just under 100,000 new positions. On wednesday, government data showed Job Openings dropped to a 3. 5 year low injuly with 7. 67 million vacancies. And later today, all eyes will be on the Monthlyjobs Survey of employers and households. Last month, the Labor Department reported the Unemployment Rate had hit 4. 3 injuly up from 3. 5 a year earlier. This report is one of the most important gauges of the state of The Worlds largest economy and it is coming at a critical time with the president ial campaign under way. So what might be in store . Joining me now is kyle handley, associate professor of economics at the university of california san diego. Every so much apprehension, you just h
Be live in the democratic republic of congo, the centre of a mpox outbreak a day after the country received its first vaccines. And the british indie rock band, English Teacher have won their Mercury Prize for their first album, this could be texas. A united Nations Fact finding mission has uncovered what it described as harrowing Human Rights Violations in sudan. The war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has triggered one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises. Thousands of people have been killed and millions forced from their homes. The un team said the violations by both sides since april last year may amount to War Crimes and crimes against humanity. We have found the sudanese warring parties that the Rapid Support Forces, reported a range of violations and as my Fellow Expert will further detail, we find reasonable grounds to believe that many of these Violations Amount to international crimes. Meanwhile the bbc has seen, first hand, the desperate condit
Vaccines. Hello, iam sarah campbell. The bbc has seen, First Hand, the desperate conditions civilians are enduring in sudan, in the brutal Civil War that has been ravaging the country over the past 16 months. Millions have been displaced and Aid Agencies are warning the Hunger Crisis is the Hunger Crisis is of historic proportions. Of historic proportions. The un team said the violations the un team said the violations by both sides since april last by both sides since april last year may amount to War Crimes year may amount to War Crimes and crimes against humanity. And crimes against humanity. We have found the sudanese we have found the sudanese warring parties, the armed warring parties, the Armed Forces and the our sf and their forces and the our sf and their suspected allies have committed suspected allies have committed an appalling range of an appalling range of violations and as my fellow violations and as my Fellow Expert will further detail, we expert will further detail, we
Hello, im geeta guru murthy, welcome to Bbc News now, 3 hours of fast moving News, interviews and reaction. At least 17 boys have died after a fire swept through their primary School Dormitory in Central Kenya. Local officials said the fire broke out at 11pm in a dormitory at Hillside Endarasha Primary School in Nyeri Countrywhere 156 boys were sleeping. More than 2,000 people tried to help rescue the boys, many of whom were sheltering under their beds. The cause of the fire is still not clear. President William Ruto called the fire horrific and devastating, and has ordered an investigation. Lets speak to Anne Soy who is in nairobi. Just tell us more details, what more is known on this. We understand more is known on this. We understand that more is known on this. Understand that about 300 children were boarding in that school, it has a population of just over 800. 156 were boys, and they were Ill Dicke in the ill fated dormitory. The area residents responded quickly and tried to save