| Reaction to child benefits cuts People in Bristol react to chancellor's decision to cut child benefits bbc.co.uk |
Stunning Southern Lights images revealed by Antarctica chef Astonishing amateur pictures revealed by British Antarctic Survey chef. telegraph.co.uk |
Oral sex cancer risk to be tackled by documentary Sexual health 'taboo' will be addressed in BBC3 show presented by Jaime WinstoneOne of the last taboos in sexual health is to be tackled by the BBC in an hour-long film presented by the film star Jaime Winstone.The investigation tackles the link between oral sex and rising numbers of mouth and throat cancer cases among young Britons – described this weekend as "an emerging epidemic" by a Cancer Research UK expert.Rates of oral cancers have gone up by 50% in men since 1989 and are rising by 3% a year in women, even as smoking, once thought to be the major cause, declines. Oral cancers now kill 1,800 people a year.Scientists have provided growing evidence over the last decade of the link between the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is passed from person to person during sexual activity, and an increased risk of developing oral cancer. It is better known as a major cause of cervical cancer."The evidence suggests that people are more likely to have an HPV-linked cancer if they have had multiple sexual partners and practised oral sex, whether they are men or women," said Dr Lesley Walker, cancer information director at Cancer Research UK. Winstone's documentary could have a very useful role to play, she added.Vaccination of schoolgirls against HPV should ultimately reduce the level of infection, she added, but condom use is already proven to lessen the risk.Sexual healthHealthSexBBC3Television industryBBCDenis CampbellVanessa Thorpeguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Westlink closed in security alert The Westlink in Belfast has been closed in both directions after a suspicious object was found. bbc.co.uk |
Royal Mail privatisation threatens rural post offices, warn opponents John Denham joins critics of plans to privatise the Royal Mail, saying radical changes could spell disaster for country branchesThousands of rural and urban post offices will be under threat of closure as a result of government plans to privatise Royal Mail, John Denham, the shadow business secretary, will warn this week.The Labour MP will say that the Post Office network depends on Royal Mail for 30% of its income, which is currently guaranteed as a result of a £150m public subsidy each year and an agreement known as the Inter Business Arrangement. But Denham will tell MPs that there is no guarantee this will continue once Royal Mail becomes a separate entity."The business that Royal Mail brings to the Post Office is vital to the future of local post offices but the privatisation bill does not set out any mechanism for guaranteeing this. And the Inter Business Agreement which brings Royal Mail business to the Post Office could end the moment Royal Mail is sold," he said."The Post Office minister, Ed Davey, confirmed in a briefing with MPs on the bill on 20 October that the government would have nothing to do with the IBA and it would be entirely down to relations between the Post Office and Royal Mail."A supermarket chain could turn to a privatised Royal Mail and say we could provide 'post offices' to Royal Mail more cheaply than Post Office Ltd by excluding as many loss-making areas as possible. This would be a disaster for rural and non-profitable urban post offices."Currently the Post Office is wholly owned by Royal Mail, but the two will be separated as a result of the Postal Services Bill.Gregg McClymont, Labour MP for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East, attended the meeting with Davey. He said the minister had expressed confidence that Royal Mail would maintain the contract with post offices without government intervention."I am surprised at his confidence that the IBA will continue because there are major questions about the relationship between the Post Office and Royal Mail under the new system," McClymont said. "My fear is that they are rushing this through without anyone having the chance to stop and think of the post offices."The MP said Davey had promised there would be no "programme of closures" but argued that post offices would not survive without the guaranteed business. "The market rules they are creating will lead to the post office closures," he added.George Thomson, general secretary of the National Federation of SubPostmasters, said he feared that most post offices would be unable to continue without a 10-year IBA. Any less than that would be "catastrophic", with a deal of half that length meaning "falling off a cliff" in five years. "The majority of postmasters would go out of business," he said.However, others argued that Royal Mail would never break its tie with the Post Office, because of the strength and popularity of the brand.A Royal Mail source said: "It is unthinkable that there won't always be a very strong relationship between the post offices and Royal Mail – both are of crucial importance to each other."Royal MailPostal servicePrivatisationEconomic policyJohn DenhamAnushka Asthanaguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |