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Meet Pratap Chandra Roul: The retired Army man-turned-farmer earning Rs 4 lakh a year from a small dragon fruit farm

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Meet Pratap Chandra Roul: The retired Army man-turned-farmer earning Rs 4 lakh a year from a small dragon fruit farm


Pratap Chandra Roul, a retired Army man, established a successful dragon fruit farm. He learned farming techniques through online resources and chose dragon fruit for its low water needs. Roul invested in a railing system on a small plot, doubling his plant capacity. Initial yields were low, but organic methods improved production significantly. His farm now generates substantial income from fruit and sapling sales.

Stories of second innings, of starting from scratch with curiosity and determination, actually hit home and act no less than a ray of sunshine on a dull day.One such inspiring tale is that of a retired Army man who chose to farm dragon fruits and earn lakhs within just 3 years of business! Meet Pratap Chandra Roul: The retired Army man who built a thriving dragon fruit farm on a tiny plotPratap Chandra Roul spent over three decades in service, first with the Indian Army, which he joined in 1984 after his matriculation, and later with the Odisha Police as a Havildar. He voluntarily quit in 2020 and returned to his native village, Mukulishi, in Balasore district.According to 30Stades, Pratap wanted to become a farmer and grow something people in his area had not eaten before, while also proving that a small piece of land could generate good income if managed properly.

Meet Pratap Chandra Roul The retired Army man-turned-farmer earning Rs 4 lakh a year from a small dragon fruit farm

Representative Image

Why he picked dragon fruit

With no prior farming background, Pratap taught himself through YouTube videos and online farming communities. He then decided to settle on dragon fruit. As he explains, the fruit requires comparatively less water, performs well in hot weather, and remains productive for nearly 25 years once planted, which convinced him to take the risk. The crop’s high market value, often exceeding Rs 200 per kg, made the decision easier.

A unique approach that helped him grow more

In March 2022, Pratap invested nearly Rs 1.3 lakh to set up his farm on just 20 decimals, or roughly 8,500 sq ft, of land. He sourced seven premium varieties from Gujarat and chose a railing system instead of the traditional pole method. He says that this approach let him plant more than ‘double the number of plants’ compared to conventional methods, which was important considering how small his landholding was.

His FIrst yield did not get expected results!

Like many, his first attempt was also lesser than expected. His harvest in March 2023 yielded only about 50 kg of undersized fruit, a disappointing start.But rather than giving up, Pratap began experimenting with organic nutrient combinations, developing his own compost using cow dung, cow urine, and vegetable waste. He says these organic manures completely changed the health of his plants, improving growth and steadily increasing production every year since.The production of his crop rose from 200 kg in 2024 to around 900 kg in 2025, which makes it nearly a 350% increase in the yield, and an expected total of roughly 1,450 kg this season, increasing his dragon fruit income to over Rs 3 lakh. He also sells around 2,000 saplings annually for Rs 50,000, and grows fruit in rooftop pots for extra income. Pratap is now piloting strawberry cultivation to supplement earnings during the dragon fruit off-season.



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Matt Walker: Sussex appoint new head coach to succeed Paul Farbrace

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Matt Walker: Sussex appoint new head coach to succeed Paul Farbrace


Walker said: “Sussex is a club I have always admired and one with a proud history. The opportunity to work with this group of players and staff, alongside Paul [Farbrace], was one that really excited me.

“There is already a strong foundation in place and I’m looking forward to building on that as we strive to help Sussex compete for trophies. I can’t wait to get started.”

Farbrace said Walker possessed the “experience, energy and enthusiasm” that the club had been looking for.

“I’m really looking forward to working alongside him as we tackle the challenges in front of us and build a team capable of competing for trophies,” he added.

Sussex returned to Division One as champions in 2024 under the guidance of Farbrace, before finishing fourth in 2025.

The club were then hit with a 12-point deduction for the 2026 season after “sustained operating losses” in the previous financial year.

Walker and new club chairman Ed Warner will have to work within tight financial restrictions going forward.

The club is under a player salary cap until 2028, and need to provide the ECB with a three‑year business plan, and deliver sustainable year‑on‑year operating profits for the same period.

Young fast bowler Henry Crocombe is joining Surrey in 2027, and BBC Radio Sussex understands that John Simpson, Tom Clark, Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Danny Lamb and Charlie Tear are all out of contract at the end of the season.

Sussex interim chief executive officer, Mark West, said the revamped management team would be key to the club turning the corner following their recent financial problems.

“Matt’s appointment is another important step for Sussex Cricket as we continue strengthening the club both on and off the field.

“He is joining a talented group of players and staff, and we believe he is the right person to help drive the next phase of our cricket programme”.



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Lebanese army says troops deploying in ‘pilot zone’ after Israeli withdrawal

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Lebanese army says troops deploying in ‘pilot zone’ after Israeli withdrawal


Lebanon’s army says its troops have begun deploying to a “pilot zone” in the south of the country following the withdrawal of Israeli forces under a US-brokered agreement reached last month.

A statement from the army command said units had entered the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh in Nabatieh district on Tuesday morning.

On Monday night, Israel’s military confirmed the start of the pilot zone plan, which should see Israeli troops pulling out of a small part of the territory occupied during their conflict with Hezbollah as well as the disarmament of the Iran-backed group.

It comes ahead of a meeting in Washington between US President Donald Trump and his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun.

Aoun is expected to urge Trump to put pressure on Israel to withdraw from the rest of southern Lebanon and to provide support to the Lebanese army to take full control of areas where Hezbollah holds sway.

The US state department announced on Monday afternoon that “pilot zone operations” had begun in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh and two other Lebanese villages, Froun and Srifa, in line with the Trilateral Framework agreement between Israel, Lebanon and the US.

It said the “milestone” was the direct result of discussions last week between Israeli and Lebanese representatives in Rome.

Later on Monday, an Israeli military official confirmed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would “adjust its force posture in one of the pilot areas” to allow the Lebanese army to carry out its mission, while also “safeguarding the security of IDF soldiers and preserving its right to self-defence and to remove threats”.

“The objective of the pilot and the agreement is the disarmament of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation and the removal of its illegal weapons,” the official said.

They also reiterated that the IDF would remain in the “security zone” – the 10km (six-mile) deep strip of occupied Lebanese territory running along the border – for “as long as necessary” to defend northern Israeli communities.

On Tuesday, the Lebanese army’s command said its units had begun deploying to Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh “based on ongoing communications with the Military Co-ordination Group for Lebanon”, referring to the trilateral body created to support implementation of the framework.

The statement also called on Lebanese citizens “not to head to the village until the security situation stabilises, and to comply with the instructions of the deployed military units for their own safety”.

The Lebanese army said its troops were already carrying out missions in nearby Froun and Srifa following Monday’s US announcement.

An Israeli source also told the Haaretz newspaper that there were no Israeli troops in those villages.

Lebanon was drawn into the war between Israel, the US and Iran on 2 March, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for a strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader.

Israel responded by launching a bombing campaign across Lebanon and invading a significant part of the country’s south.

More than 4,300 people have been killed in Lebanon, including almost 800 children, women and medics, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

Israeli authorities say 37 Israeli soldiers and four civilians have been killed on both sides of the border during the conflict.



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SJSU volleyball coach’s alleged assault victim speaks out for the first time since allegations surfaced

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SJSU volleyball coach’s alleged assault victim speaks out for the first time since allegations surfaced



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EXCLUSIVE: The woman who has accused current San Jose State University (SJSU) head volleyball coach Todd Kress of attacking her in a hotel room has come forward with her first statements since the allegations went public. Kress is widely known for overseeing the controversial 2024 season that was overshadowed by a trans athlete scandal involving Blaire Fleming and female teammate Brooke Slusser.

The woman, who previously played for Kress at Fairfield University, informed SJSU officials in October 2024 of her alleged experience with the coach.

“SJSU has known I feared for the safety of the women in the program since October of 2024 and yet they have allowed Todd to continue to coach and travel with the team,” she told Fox News Digital on the condition of anonymity.

“I informed both Fairfield and SJSU of my 1998 encounter with Todd after reading accounts of young women on the 2024 SJSU team describing his intimidation, coercive, and manipulative behaviors.

“Why don’t some women come forward after being assaulted by those in positions of power? It’s a fair question. One needs to look no further than the situation at SJSU.”

INSIDE THE FALLOUT OF THE SJSU VOLLEYBALL SCANDAL: ‘THIS IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM’

Kress’s alleged victim is speaking out two weeks after the allegations were first reported.

Neither SJSU nor Kress has addressed the allegations since then despite multiple inquiries, and the coach has made multiple social media posts boasting his new recruiting class in that time as well.

Fox News Digital reported on July 7 that during the SJSU volleyball trans athlete scandal’s peak in the fall of 2024, administrators received an email from the woman in October of that year. The email included a letter to Fairfield that included the allegations that Kress attacked the player in a hotel room in 1998.

Emails obtained by Fox News Digital via an independent verified source show that SJSU officials acknowledged the receipt of the allegations, met with the former Fairfield player and her lawyer, thanked her for coming forward and even apologized for her experiences.

Fox News Digital submitted a public records request to SJSU seeking emails related to an investigation of those allegations, but the request was denied, with SJSU citing privacy exemptions and attorney-client privilege.

“Did SJSU investigate my complaint? They were given information that would have allowed them to corroborate my claims. Their refusal to release their investigative steps and final determination allows for much speculation,” the former player added.

“My singular motivation was a hope that in bringing to the attention of school administrators what Todd did to me, they might act to protect young women. I trusted the system and chose to operate without public attention.”

Fox News Digital has verified her identity and that she played for Kress at Fairfield in 1998.

Slusser, who played under Kress for two seasons in 2023-24, previously told Fox News Digital that she and other teammates in 2024 were not told of the allegations that fall.

“The school gave us absolutely zero information. This was never brought up once,” Slusser said. Slusser is currently suing SJSU for her own alleged experience playing under Kress and alongside Fleming.

The alleged incident involving Kress and the former Fairfield player occurred in a hotel after Fairfield’s loss to Clemson in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament in December, according to her letter.

Part of the letter alleges, “He immediately took caramel from a plastic container and smeared it all over my face and hair. He then forcibly threw me on the bed and held me down. I was in shock. He let go of me and then pulled his pants down and put his back side in my face.

SJSU DIDN’T PENALIZE VOLLEYBALL COACH DURING TRANS SCANDAL AMID TITLE IX COMPLAINTS, FEDERAL FINDINGS ALLEGE

“Todd again grabbed me, picked me up, and threw me into the bathtub where he held me down and threatened to turn on the shower with me laying there to ‘clean the caramel off of my face.’ At this point I was fighting back to get away from him.

“Todd let me get out of the tub, laughing, and then he stood in front of the door blocking my exit. Todd told me he would only let me leave if I took a shot of liquor, which I did only to get him to move away from the door. Once he did, I ran for it. He chased me. I got into my room and although he seemed to be in a rage, he turned and calmly walked out,” the letter alleges.

Fox News Digital has sent multiple inquiries to Kress, SJSU and the California State University system (CSU) for a response to the allegations and the player’s latest statements, but none of the parties has addressed the issue.

The allegations have been public for 14 days.

A U.S. Department of Education (ED) Title IX investigation into SJSU over the transgender scandal determined that the university allegedly made the decision to not suspend or relieve its head volleyball coach during the team’s 2024 transgender scandal, despite Title IX-related complaints against the coach. The investigation’s findings made no mention of the former Fairfield player and her letter.

The findings do not mention the coach by name, but Fox News Digital reasonably believes the figure titled “Coach 2” in the findings to be Kress.

“Additional notes indicate the decision to not suspend Coach 2 also included the improper consideration: ‘If we relieve him… [w]e could also spark more media attention…. ‘ University records indicate University officials, including the President of the University, agreed to not suspend Coach 2 because they felt his suspension would unduly disrupt the team,” the findings state.

However, the investigation did not disclose what those complaints were, and SJSU and the CSU are suing the department to challenge those findings.

Meanwhile, former associated head coach Melissa Batie-Smoose was suspended and later did not have her contract renewed, after submitting a Title IX complaint over the team’s alleged handling of Fleming and the women on the team in 2024. Batie-Smoose is waging a wrongful termination lawsuit against SJSU.

SJSU has withheld relevant records and has not responded to questions

Fox News Digital recently submitted a public records request to SJSU seeking emails related to SJSU’s investigation of the allegations against Kress, but the request was denied.

“SJSU has conducted a reasonable search for these records under California Government Code §7922.535 and has determined the requested records are not disclosable under the Public Records Act,” the SJSU public records office responded.

“First, the request seeks documents exempt under attorney-client privilege. Additionally, the requested communications implicate substantial privacy interests. Disclosure of these records would therefore constitute an invasion of privacy that outweighs the public interest in disclosure.”

Prior to that, Fox News Digital submitted a formal public records request to San Jose State University seeking copies of the Oct. 24, 2024 complaint letter that was sent to the school by Kress’s former player, a Nov. 1 follow-up email, and a Nov. 7 response to the woman from the university’s Title IX office.

But that record was also denied.

“The requested communications implicate substantial privacy interests,” the university’s response stated.

“Disclosure of these records would therefore constitute an invasion of privacy that outweighs the public interest in disclosure. Specifically, these records are being withheld subject to the following exemptions: Personnel Records/Privacy… General Privacy Rights… [and the] Balancing Test. Here, the public interest served by disclosure is minimal and is outweighed by the public interest served against disclosure in protecting substantial and significant privacy rights.”

Fox News Digital was given copies of emails exchanged between SJSU and the former Fairfield player, from an independently verified source. The letter with the allegations was forwarded to SJSU administration on Oct. 24, 2024, and a response acknowledging receipt of the letter was sent later that same day.

Then on Nov. 4, 2024, former SJSU interim Title IX and Gender Equity Officer Peter Lim reached out to set up a meeting with the former player and her attorney.

“Thank you for sharing your concerns about Coach Todd Kress. I am sorry to hear about your experiences. I have reviewed your letter and would like to meet with you to better understand your experiences with Coach Kress. The purpose of the meeting would be to help me assess potential next steps, which may or may not include an investigation into the reported conduct,” Lim wrote.

Three days after that, on Nov. 7, Lim sent another email to the former Fairfield player, thanking her and her attorney for meeting with them.

“I am so sorry about your prior experiences with Todd Kress at Fairfield University. I appreciate the time you took to describe those experiences, the impact those experiences continue to have on you, and the safety threat that you believe he presents to SJSU’s volleyball team,” Lim wrote.

“We are evaluating the information you provided and determining appropriate next steps. If it is okay with the two of you, I would appreciate staying in touch.”

There was no further correspondence between the two parties after that exchange, Fox News Digital has learned.

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Fox News Digital has posed multiple questions to Kress, Lim, SJSU admins and public records office clerks, and CSU spokespeople regarding their responses to the allegations, the woman’s recent statements, Slusser’s statements, what, if any, investigation took place into the allegations, and why they deem disclosure of the requested records are not enough in the public interest to warrant disclosure. But no response to those questions has been given by any of the parties.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Fairfield for a response to the former player’s allegations and recent statement, but was told by a spokesperson, “The university does not comment on former or current personnel matters.”

Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.



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Thames Water lenders offer ‘golden share’ to head off nationalisation

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Thames Water lenders offer ‘golden share’ to head off nationalisation


Thames Water’s main lenders are offering the government a “golden share” and more control for local authorities in a bid to stop the troubled supplier from being nationalised.

The government recently rejected a previous rescue proposal, and the BBC understands the lenders are preparing a legal challenge in case the new Andy Burnham-led government takes the firm into public hands.

In his first speech as prime minister on Monday, Burnham said he wanted to see greater public control of “life’s essentials”.

The new proposal offers local authorities greater involvement in the firm, similar to the relationship between United Utilities and Greater Manchester agreed when Burnham was the city’s mayor.

The London & Valley Water (L&VW ) consortium of lenders had already proposed a £10bn deal to prevent Thames Water from entering administration. It would involve writing off nearly half of its debt and injecting new cash in return for leniency on future pollution fines.

The deal was rejected by the government in June, with then-environment secretary Emma Reynolds saying it did not do enough for consumers or the environment.

Sources close to the new deal said the creditors had sweetened it with hundreds of millions in new money on top of the existing offer. A golden share would give the government veto power over decisions.

The government has been contacted for comment.

L&VW said on Tuesday that the new offer had “material improvements” on the old one, and would benefit customers.

A spokesperson said: “We continue to believe that the L&VW plan is by far the fastest and most reliable route to solving Thames Water’s complex problems and improving outcomes for customers and the environment.”

They said the new deal “achieves this without any government funding or cost to taxpayers”.

Fears first emerged three years ago that Thames Water could collapse and it has recently warned it could run out of cash by November.

The company, which supplies water and wastewater services for 16 million people across London and parts of southern England, was handed a £122.7m fine last year, the biggest ever issued by the industry regulator Ofwat, for breaching rules on sewage spills and shareholder payouts.

Sources close to the creditors have previously told the BBC that in the event of full nationalisation, they would pursue payment in full of the outstanding debts as has happened in previous cases, which could leave the government with a multi-billion-pound bill.

If the company does go bust, households will still have drinking water and sewerage services.



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AI minister role boosted but tech department axed in Burnham shake-up

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AI minister role boosted but tech department axed in Burnham shake-up


The AI Minister, Kanishka Narayan, will be given a seat at the top table of government but the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has been scrapped.

DSIT was created by the Conservative Sunak government in 2023 – its responsibilities will now be split between other government departments.

It means there is no longer a dedicated technology secretary, a position filled by Liz Kendall until she was sacked by new Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

However, Narayan, who was appointed by Sir Keir Starmer, said the new prime minister inviting him to attend cabinet as minister for AI was a “sign of his deep commitment to AI’s importance.”

Born in India and raised in Cardiff, Narayan worked in government and business before entering Parliament in 2024 as the MP for the Vale of Glamorgan.

As Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State within Sir Keir Starmer’s government, his responsibilities spanned AI opportunities, the AI Security Institute, semiconductors and online safety.

He is expected to continue shepherding some of those briefs, though now without Kendall’s leadership.

“AI is likely the most significant technology in human history. Its impact will dwarf other things,” Narayan wrote on X in the early hours of Tuesday.

“The best case for it is compelling beyond our dreams: a reindustrialised Britain, stronger national security, public services transformed for the better.”

He added that, however, AI also poses real risks to the public, adding “it is right that the British public shares those worries, for jobs, for the pace of change”.

Dom Hallas, head of tech trade body, the Startup Coalition, said it was key that, with the dismantling of DSIT, the government did “not take the foot off the pedal” with tech.

He said the previous department had provided good foundations – and now the priority should be spreading AI tech adoption through government and the wider public.

“The abolition of DSIT is clearly a bad thing but if anyone could make up for it in Cabinet it would be Kanishka who knows start-ups and the ecosystem better than anyone in Government,” Hallas told the BBC.



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Inside Health – Staying fit in the heat and do we need electrolytes? – BBC Sounds

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Inside Health – Staying fit in the heat and do we need electrolytes? – BBC Sounds


Available for over a year

We’ve had two heatwaves already this summer with warnings that even young and healthy people should rethink their fitness routines in the heat.

So how can we keep exercising when it’s so hot you barely want to move?

James chats with physiologist Damian Bailey from the University of South Wales.

Next, James is at Rother Valley Country Park in Sheffield to meet Calli Hauger-Thackery who made headlines for running the Boston marathon while 22 weeks pregnant and physiotherapist Ros Cooke to find out what changes in the body during pregnancy – and see what exercise is safe.

So we’ve worked up a sweat… but what’s the best way to recover?

We’re in the lab at the University of Westminster to put electrolytes to the test with Dr Lewis Mattin and we cool off with Ros Cooke while chatting about active recovery versus total rest.

Presenter: James Gallagher
Special appearance: Hannah Fisher
Producer: Gerry Holt
Editor: Ilan Goodman
Production coordinator: Stu Laws

Programme Website



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The true cost of Burnham’s tax unfreeze – for taxpayers and the Treasury

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The true cost of Burnham’s tax unfreeze – for taxpayers and the Treasury


Andy Burnham assumed his role as prime minister on Monday and one of his top priorities is tackling the cost of living crisis.

Keir Starmer’s replacement told The Times he wanted to bring a “tangible” improvement to households, saying “the thing I heard the most on the doorsteps” when canvassing voters in Makerfield was the tax-free personal allowance threshold. While that’s not yet a confirmed policy, it’s clearly one of the options on the table after the new prime minister also removed VAT from household electricity bills.

The personal allowance – the amount of income a person can receive annually before starting to pay tax on earnings – has been frozen at £12,570 for five years. Tax band thresholds have similarly been stuck at the same level rather than rising as wages grow larger.

By the process called fiscal drag, that has meant more people being pulled into either paying tax for the first time or paying a higher tax bracket, as wages naturally rise along with inflation.

But if Mr Burnham was to lift the personal allowance, it would give a small amount of breathing space to basic rate taxpayers in particular.

How much could the personal allowance be lifted?

Ultimately, until the new prime minister provides more details of his plan it’s a guessing game to an extent.

Previously, the personal allowance rose in line with CPI inflation each year, but there are provisions to change that – such as, for example, freezing it.

Two potential options for Mr Burnham would be to either use the CPI inflation figure, or – for a slightly bigger boost – to lift it in line with the state pension triple lock policy.

Andy Burnham delivers his inaugural speech as UK’s new prime minister (Getty)

While presumably there would be no change until April of next year in either case, it’s possible to use 2025 figures to give a representative look at what any alteration would mean for taxpayers.

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How much would it save a basic rate taxpayer?

For the purposes of illustrating these calculations we’ll use a basic UK average salary of £35,000 and assuming no additional income or payments other than income tax and National Insurance (NI).

CPI inflation figures for September of the previous year are typically used to calculate changes which come into force the following April, when the next financial year starts. For this example, that means using September 2025 data, when CPI inflation was 3.8 per cent.

That would uplift the personal allowance from £12,570 by £477.66, rounded to £480, so giving a new figure of £13,050.

On a £35,000 salary, currently that gives a taxable income of £22,430, taxed at 20 per cent – or £4,486.

Following our theoretical change to the personal allowance, only £21,950 would be taxed at 20 per cent – so £4,390.

That equals a £96 saving per year for the employee, to which we could potentially add £38.40 per year if NI is similarly uplifted, to give a total of £134.40 extra ‘in pocket’ per year.

The figures are largely not life-changing for most workers, says Kate Steere, personal finance expert at comparison site Finder, though any additional untaxed income would likely be welcomed at this stage by Britons after a series of higher taxations on businesses and people alike over the past two years.

And, Ms Steere added, it could be an immediate boost for Mr Burnham just by the amount of people it would impact.

(Getty)

“Andy Burnham wants to create ‘breathing space’, but would this be more of a brief exhale than a proper breath of fresh air?,” she told The Independent.

“Assuming the personal allowance was in fact increased in line with September’s CPI inflation figure then anyone in the basic rate tax band would be around £96 better off per year. For those in the higher tax rates (up to £100k), the savings would be £192, which would then taper down for anyone earning between £100k and £125,140.

“These amounts aren’t life-changing, but they would undoubtedly be a nice boost. The scale of these savings is also an undeniable positive – around 40 million Brits would benefit from this.”

Additional-rate taxpayers see their personal allowance lowered once their earnings surpass £100,000, coming down £1 for every extra £2 earned, meaning they have zero personal allowance by the time they hit the £125,140 threshold.

For an alternative scenario, if Mr Burnham broke with tradition and went the triple lock rule as a one-off, the personal allowance would rise 4.1 per cent due to 2025 wage growth figures.

Instead, that would yield a £13,090 personal allowance, giving a £104 saving to our basic taxpayer example, or £145.60 in total including NI.

The saving amount would be the same for any basic rate taxpayer regardless of if their salary was £20,000 or £45,000, as the allowance impacts the first portion of money which is taxable.

What would it cost the Treasury?

In better economic times it is possible to cut taxes and still have a nation which grows – but the UK’s GDP is low and the Treasury has a high level of public debt, which Rachel Reeves has been endeavouring to lower.

While the individual saving per person does not seem extravagant, the loss of tax take could amount to anywhere between £4.5bn and £5.5bn annually, according to HMRC Ready Reckoner numbers which estimate the impact of changes to tax.

Tax expert Dan Neidle agreed with this assessment on X, adding that it was a “bad tax cut” which saved only around £100 a year for a basic rate taxpayer versus a £5bn cost to the Treasury, compared to a 1p employee National Insurance cut which cost the same but saved the average worker £250 a year.

Presumably, that £5bn would need to be recouped at least in part by a tax rise elsewhere, perhaps through increased additional rate income tax as Mr Burnham has previously hinted he would look at.

“As we know, there is no such thing as free money,” Ms Steere said. “Is this a case of relief today only to be hit elsewhere tomorrow?

“Burnham has actively spoken in favour of replacing council tax with an annual property tax. For millions of homeowners, that structural shift could mean this week’s nice little bonus evaporates just as quickly as it arrived.”



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Jetting off on holiday? Here are the before and after cleaning jobs to do

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Jetting off on holiday? Here are the before and after cleaning jobs to do


Sometimes, half the fun of a summer holiday is the planning beforehand and prepping behind the scenes, ensuring you’re going to have the best time during your hard earned break.

Meanwhile, in the midst of the excitement while counting down, housekeeping can tend to be put on the back burner.

As Lynsey Crombie, This Morning’s resident home expert, also known for sharing cleaning tips on social media (@lynsey_queenofclean), puts it: “With summer holidays in full swing, many families are focused on packing suitcases, checking passports and tracking flight delays.

“But one thing that often gets overlooked is preparing your home before you leave.”

Indeed, she says a few simple cleaning jobs before you head off can make all the difference to how your home smells and feels when you return.

“And after a long journey, knowing which tasks are actually worth doing first can help you ease back from holiday mode without feeling overwhelmed,” highlights Crombie.

Here’s her crib sheet for the jobs to get done in advance, making your return that little bit easier, and the ones to do when you walk in the door….

Before you leave…

Empty every bin

“This is always my number one tip,” underlines Crombie. “Even a small amount of food waste can leave unpleasant smells, especially in warm weather.

“Empty kitchen, bathroom and bedroom bins before you lock up.”

Clear out the fridge

“Check for anything that will expire while you’re away, particularly fruit, vegetables, dairy products and leftovers.

“Not only will it reduce waste, but you won’t come home to unpleasant surprises. Also, make the most of the fridge being empty and give it a quick wipe down.”

Change your bed sheets

(Alamy/PA)

“Fresh bedding might not seem like a priority before you go away…but you’ll be so grateful when you return, tired after travelling.

“Climbing into a freshly made bed is one of the nicest ways to end a long journey.”

Deal with the laundry

Avoid leaving damp washing in the machine, or a laundry basket full of clothes, suggests Crombie.

“Wash, dry and put everything away before you leave so you’re not overwhelmed by extra jobs when you get back, on top of a load of holiday washing, too.”

(Alamy/PA)
(Alamy/PA)

Wipe kitchen surfaces and sink

As the cleaning pro points out: “Food crumbs and sticky spills can quickly attract ants and other unwanted visitors during the summer months.

“A quick wipe-down only takes a few minutes, but makes a big difference.”

Run the dishwasher and leave it empty

Crombie says to empty the dishwasher before you go so there are no lingering smells, and to leave the dishwasher door slightly open “so that it doesn’t get hot and smelly”.

Give the toilet a final clean

A quick clean before you leave helps keep everything fresh while the house is empty, advises Crombie.

Her top tip: “Leave a denture tablet in the bowl to work its magic whilst you’re away. Closing the toilet lid also helps prevent water from evaporating too quickly.”

When you get home…

Open the windows

(Alamy/PA)
(Alamy/PA)

If it’s safe to do so, front and back door etc, let fresh air circulate through the house for 10-15 minutes, says Crombie.

“It instantly helps your home feel fresher after being closed up.”

Unpack dirty laundry straight away

“Holiday washing has a habit of sitting in suitcases for days,” highlights Crombie.

“Get it straight into the washing machine to avoid musty smells and make the task feel much more manageable.

“If you can dry outside on the line… bonus!”

Restock the fridge with essentials before doing a big clean

Rather than trying to clean the whole house immediately, Crombie says to focus on getting the essentials sorted first.

“A food shop and a cup of tea often make everything else feel much easier.”

Give high-traffic areas a quick refresh

(Alamy/PA)
(Alamy/PA)

“Vacuum the hallway (think dirty suitcase wheels), wipe down kitchen worktops and freshen the bathroom,” says Crombie.

“These are the rooms you’ll use first, so they’ll have the biggest impact without requiring hours of cleaning.”

Don’t try to do everything at once

“The temptation is to launch into a full deep clean, but you’ve just come back from holiday,” quips Crombie.

“Prioritise the jobs that make the biggest difference, and tackle the rest over the next few days.”



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Japan raises safety concern over Chinese destroyer’s live-fire drills

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abdulwadud
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Japan raises safety concern over Chinese destroyer’s live-fire drills


TOKYO — Japan expressed concern after a Chinese navy destroyer conducted live-fire drills off a remote Japanese island in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday during its joint exercise with Russia, officials said Tuesday.

The Chinese Luyang III-class guided-missile destroyer conducted a live-fire exercise off Japan’s southernmost island of Okinotori, hours after the Japanese navy spotted it operating alongside two other Chinese warships and a Russian frigate, the Japanese Joint Staff said.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters Tuesday that his government conveyed concerns that the live-fire drills posed a potential safety threat to nearby vessels. He noted that ships near the area received a notice from the Chinese warships just before the drills started.

“We will continue to watch China-Russia operations around Japan with concern, while doing utmost for the warning and surveillance of the Japanese airspace and territorial waters,” Kihara said.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, in a speech Monday in Britain, said the action underscored “the deepening military cooperation between China and Russia,” as he also noted China’s ballistic missile launch from a submarine earlier this month, and at least 10 joint flights conducted by Chinese and Russian bombers around Japan.

Japan has been alarmed by China’s rapid expansion of operations in the Pacific, especially since two Chinese aircraft carriers were spotted last year almost simultaneously operating near another southern Japanese island, Iwo Jima, for the first time, fueling Tokyo’s concern about Beijing’s military activity far beyond its borders.

Japan is also deeply concerned about growing joint military operations by China and Russia around Japan in recent years.

Sunday’s live-fire drills by the Chinese destroyer were conducted 180 kilometers (110 miles) southwest of the island and within Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone, an area beyond its immediate territorial waters where the country has rights over natural resources.

China has said previously that it wrapped up joint naval exercises with Russia on July 13 and that some of the participating ships were conducting joint patrols in the Pacific. It wasn’t clear why patrols would include live firing, as claimed by Japan.

The live-fire exercises were held off the port city of Qingdao on China’s east coast, the country’s official Xinhua News Agency said. The area is far from the uninhabited Okinotori, which sits in the Philippine Sea.

China-Russia military cooperation plays an important role in safeguarding the two nations’ sovereignty and security and upholding international and regional peace and stability, China’s Defense Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin said in remarks posted online late last week.

“We hope that relevant parties can view China-Russia military cooperation objectively and rationally, and stop making groundless speculation and cease smearing and hyping,” he said.

China also disputes Japan’s claim of an EEZ around the Okinotori island, saying it’s an atoll not an island.

Japan’s Joint Staff said it was the first time it disclosed the detection of Chinese live-fire drills in the Japanese EEZ, though the action did not violate international law.

The Joint Staff said the fleet of the same four Chinese and Russian warships had earlier sailed southward between the main Japanese islands of Okinawa and Miyako.

___

Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.



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