Bad week for the British government (1)

It has not been a good week for the British government.
First, it changed the tax laws so that it will cost more to buy food which is still warm from the oven. This hits people who use shops which cook pasties, pies and sausage rolls and sell them before they have cooled down.
This turned into a big problem when the Chancellor of the Exchequer admitted that he could not remember when he last ate a warm sausage roll or pie. Like many members of the government, he is a rich man and people said he was out of touch with ordinary people. People who make Cornish pasties (a traditional type of pie) said their business would suffer from the tax, and people might be put out of work.
As a result of all this politicians started going to bakeries to buy and eat large quantities of freshly-baked snacks to show that they understand ordinary people.

Bad week for the British government (2)

Hot pies were not the only problem. The people who drive petrol tankers are talking about going on strike soon.
The Government suggested that drivers should fill up their cars and also store petrol in cans. The result of this was huge queues at petrol stations and lots of panic-buying, even though it is not yet definite that there will be a strike or when it will be.

Happy teenagers paid more as adults

UK research into 90,000 people has found that people who are happier when they are young will go on to earn more in later life.
The researchers suggest that this could be because cheerful people are more likely to get a degree, get a job and get promoted.
They say their findings are important and show that it important to promote well-being.

Charity event raises more than GBP 50m

Sport Relief 2012 is a regular national fund-raising event which happens every two years. People are encouraged to take part in special runs and other sporting events, children wear red clothes to school, and well-known people take on a sporting challenge which is shown on TV.
This year, comedian John Bishop did what he called a "week of hell". He cycled, rowed and ran the 290 miles from Paris to London in five days.
This year's event raised more than GBP 52,070,587.