Latest news with #SarahYoung
The Star
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
UK summons Iranian ambassador after Iranians charged under security law
LONDON (Reuters) -Britain has summoned Iranian Ambassador Seyed Ali Mousavi in response to three Iranian nationals being charged in the country under the UK's National Security Act, the government said on Monday. The three men, accused of plotting violence, appeared in court in London on Saturday following a major counter-terrorism investigation by British police. "The UK Government is clear that protecting national security remains our top priority and Iran must be held accountable for its actions," the government said in a statement. (Reporting by Sarah Young; Writing by Muvija M; Editing by Sachin Ravikumar)
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Great Grappenhall Bake Off returns this summer
The Great Grappenhall Bake Off is set to return this summer. Following the success of last year's competition, the event will once again be part of Grappenhall St Wilfrid's Walking Day on June 21. Judges include church and school staff, as well as Sarah Young from Flossie Makes and Bakes in Thelwall. Entrants are encouraged to bring their baked goods to the small hall at St Wilfrid's Primary School by 11.30am on the day for a chance to win a prize and certificate. The competition welcomes all ages, not just pupils or parishioners of St Wilfrid's. The categories this year are Fairy Cakes for under 5s, Brownies or Blondies for 5 to 7-year-olds, Summer Flavours for 7 to 11-year-olds, and a showstopper category open to those over 12, featuring bakes inspired by a favourite TV show. For more details, email grappenhallbakeoff@
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Salt Lake City adopts 3 new flags to bypass new state flag law
Leaders of Utah's capital city voted to add three new city flags, all incorporating designs not allowed through a new state flag law, to sidestep the measure hours before it goes into law. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall unveiled three new city flag designs to members of the Salt Lake City Council Tuesday evening, as she explained how the city plans to move forward in the wake of HB77 on the eve of the bill becoming law. The new flags would add the sego lily logo from Salt Lake City's city flag to the Juneteenth, Progress Pride and transgender flags. All three flags were not included in the list of flags approved to be flown outside of government or in schools. The new flags would not replace the city's primary flag, which was adopted in 2020. 'These city flags represent the ideas and principles Salt Lakers know as core tenets — belonging and acceptance, or better stated: Diversity. Equity. Inclusion,' she said, sitting next to all four flags in a Salt Lake City Council work session chamber. 'I have given this so much thought, and I do not do this lightly. My sincere intent is not to provoke or cause division; my intent is to represent our city's values and honor our dear, diverse residents who make up this beautiful city,' she added. 'Let the sego lily represent the beauty and resilience of everyone who lives here, no matter their race, ethnicity, gender, faith, income or sexual orientation.' Salt Lake City Council members voted Tuesday night to approve the last-second measure. All seven members shared turns explaining their vote after lining up to take a photo in front of the next flags earlier in the day. 'Today is an act of love ... for every member of our community,' said Councilwoman Sarah Young before the vote. HB77, which goes into law on Wednesday, lists which flags can be flown at schools and government buildings. U.S., Utah, county, municipal, tribal, military and Olympic flags are among the approved flags, while flags representing the LGBTQ communities and the Juneteenth flag — used to celebrate the holiday where the last slaves were freed after the Civil War — were not included. Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, the bill's sponsor, said the measure is about maintaining political neutrality in public spaces. Those opposed, including Salt Lake City, argued that it targeted certain minority groups and might violate government free speech. The city has flown Juneteenth, Progress Pride and transgender flags outside of City Hall during specific days or months for years. HB77 became 'one of the most divisive bills' from the 2025 legislative session, as Gov. Spencer Cox put it. The governor ultimately declined to sign the bill but also allowed the bill to go into law, explaining in a letter that it passed with a veto-proof majority. 'I continue to have serious concerns with this bill. However, because a veto would be overridden, I have decided to allow the bill to go into law without my signature and urge lawmakers to consider common-sense solutions that address the bill's numerous flaws,' he wrote. Salt Lake City leaders raised a Pride Progress flag and lit the top of the Salt Lake City-County Building in rainbow colors on the final day of the legislative session. The flag was still flying as of Tuesday, ahead of the new law. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall stands next to Salt Lake City's four new flags as she addresses reporters inside the Salt Lake City-County Building on Tuesday. | Carter Williams, Behind the scenes, city leaders were reviewing the bill to piece together their next steps. Conversations began days after the session ended, Salt Lake City Council Chairman Chris Wharton said. City officials came up with the idea to place the sego lily — a symbol of the primary city flag — on all three flags it once flew at some point in those discussions, turning them into city flags. 'We simply looked at HB77 and discovered there is, indeed, a way for cities to approve additional official flags,' Mendenhall said, noting there's nothing in statute barring a city from having more than one flag and that the state has four official flags. It's unclear what will happen next, but Lee caught wind of the city's move Tuesday evening. 'Does Salt Lake City really want to play these games? Good luck!' he posted on X. Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, the bill's floor sponsor, posted a photo of a flag with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with a sego lily on X, along with the message: 'Excited that (the mayor) and (City Council) will also be flying this new SLC flag so that all historic constituents will be 'seen.'' Only two people spoke on the measure during the City Council Tuesday night, both speaking in support of the city. Mendenhall said she knows 'retribution' is possible, but she said the city wanted to 'stand up for our values.' She contends the measure helps the city stay in compliance with the law while still raising the flags it once did. Wharton agrees. 'These are the flags that have flown above City Hall and Washington Square for years and years, and we're just trying to find a way to make that continue,' he said. 'We're not trying to do anything particularly new or exciting.'
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Britain's M&S enters second week of sales disruption after cyberattack
By James Davey and Sarah Young LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's Marks & Spencer entered a second week unable to take online clothing and home orders on Friday following a major cyberattack, hitting sales of new season ranges as the country basks in record temperatures. Some 700 million pounds ($930 million) has been wiped off the stock market value of M&S since the hack was revealed last week, and news that retailers Co-op Group and London department store Harrods had faced smaller incidents in recent days was described as a "wake up call" by the government's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). British companies, public bodies and institutions have been hit by a wave of cyberattacks in recent years, costing them tens of millions of pounds and often months of disruption. The 141-year-old M&S, one of the best known names in British business, stopped taking clothing and home orders through its website and app on April 25 following problems with contactless pay and click and collect services over the Easter holiday weekend. On Friday, Chief Executive Stuart Machin again apologised to M&S shoppers, without saying when online ordering would resume. "We are working day and night to manage the current cyber incident and get things back to normal for you as quickly as possible," he said in an e-mail sent to M&S customers. With M&S, which has about 1,000 stores across Britain, making around one-third of its clothing and home sales online, analysts have said a short-term profit hit is inevitable. M&S has declined to quantify the financial impact so far. One of the most worrying aspects of the attack for M&S, say analysts, is how long it will drag on for. Customers were locked out of their accounts for almost three months last year after a cyberattack at London transport operator TfL, while a cyberattack on a blood test processing company in London also last year disrupted services for over three months. Availability of some food products has also been affected in some stores, while the disruption may be having a broader impact on the running of M&S, which has pulled job postings on its website. Shares in M&S were down 2% on Friday, extending losses since Easter to about 9%. 'INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED' ATTACKS Helen Dickinson, CEO of trade body the British Retail Consortium, said cyberattacks were becoming "increasingly sophisticated", forcing retailers to spend hundreds of millions of pounds every year on defences. "All retailers are continually reviewing their systems to ensure they are as secure as possible," she said. The NCSC is working with the affected retailers, while the Metropolitan Police's Cyber Crime Unit and the National Crime Agency (NCA) are investigating the M&S attack. 'These incidents should act as a wake-up call to all organisations," said NCSC CEO Richard Horne. "I urge leaders to follow the advice on the NCSC website to ensure they have appropriate measures in place to help prevent attacks and respond and recover effectively.' Labour lawmaker Matt Western, Chair of parliament's Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, said the government should do more to prevent major cyberattacks. "As the Government concludes its consultation on proposals to counter ransomware, I hope its response treats these threats with the seriousness they clearly deserve." ($1 = 0.7524 pounds)
The Star
25-04-2025
- Business
- The Star
Britain's M&S stops taking online orders after cyber attack
FILE PHOTO: A shopper carries a Marks & Spencer shopping bag in London, Britain, January 2, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/ File Photo LONDON (Reuters) -Marks & Spencer stopped taking online orders in the UK and Ireland on Friday following a cyber attack which it reported earlier in the week, an announcement which sent its shares down by 5%. The British company, which sells its clothing and homeware ranges through its website and app, said it made the decision as part of "proactive management" of the incident. "Our experienced team - supported by leading cyber experts - is working extremely hard to restart online and app shopping," the company said on X, apologising for the inconvenience and stating that its stores remained open. Some M&S International operated websites were also pausing orders, it said. M&S is a fixture in most British towns, and it posted revenue of about 13 billion pounds last year from its upmarket food as well as clothing, homeware and beauty. About one third of its clothing and home sales are online. It said on Tuesday it had been affected by a cyber incident and was making some temporary changes to store operations as a result. In recent days customers told the BBC they been unable to make contactless payments and some click and collect orders had been delayed. The National Crime Agency said it was aware of the incident and its officers were working alongside the National Cyber Security Centre to support the company. (Reporting by Sarah Young in London, Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli and Paul Sandle)
