Less fatty 'Satisfries' hit Burger King menus in US

Fast food giant Burger King introduced a lower-fat, fewer-calorie French fry to US patrons, allowing customers to order a side of “Satisfries” with their meal.

The new fry, which is being sold alongside the old classic, has one-third the fat and 20 percent fewer calories.

And a small-size order contains 270 calories compared to 340 calories in the original.

According to the company, the secret behind the Satisfry is a reduction in the potato’s oil absorption while still keeping the product “crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.”

“We know our guests are hungry for options that are better for them, but don’t want to compromise on taste,” said Alex Macedo, president of Burger King North America.

Some 56 million orders are placed for fries each month at Burger King, where one in two customers purchases them, according to the company.

The Satisfry has 40 percent less fat than McDonald’s fries, Burger King said, with a 70-gram serving containing 6.3 grams of fat compared to 11.2 grams in McDonald’s fries.

It also has 30 percent fewer calories with 150.5 calories in a 70-gram serving compared to 226.8 calories at McDonald’s.

“When it comes to what we eat, we know that small changes can have a big impact,” Macedo said.

Not everyone is convinced of the fry’s beneficial value, however.

“You don’t want people to fool themselves and actually increase the serving size because they think it’s healthier,” dietician Mitzi Dulan told the newspaper USA Today.

“French fries are an easy way to get a lot of calories and a lot of fat,” she told the paper.

The fast-food industry is considered one of the major factors behind the obesity epidemic in the United States, where one in three adults and nearly one in five children is obese.

Burger King is the third-largest fast food enterprise in the world behind McDonald’s and KFC.

Less fatty 'Satisfries' hit Burger King menus in US

Americans are split over tying 'Obamacare' to funding plan - poll

By Gabriel Debenedetti

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Americans are split over whether funding for President Barack Obama‘s signature healthcare law should be linked to measures that pay for U.S. government operations, but more will blame Republicans if the government has to shut down on Tuesday, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.

The poll, conducted during the past four days, also found that 65 percent of Americans are concerned about the looming shutdown of many government offices that will occur at midnight unless Congress and the White House can resolve deep differences on budget and spending priorities.

Conservative Republicans in Congress have tried to hold up extending the government’s spending authority beyond the end of the budget year late Monday to try to get Democrats to agree to weaken or cut funding for “Obamacare,” the healthcare overhaul that begins taking effect on Tuesday.

It is a move that has divided the Republican Party – and many Americans, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll.

One-third of the poll’s respondents agreed with tying “Obamacare” to a plan that would continue funding the government, but one-third disagreed, and another one-third said they did not agree or disagree.

Democrats, including Obama, have refused to negotiate on any changes to the healthcare law. If lawmakers do not come to an agreement by the end of Monday, much of the government will shut down for the first time since the 1990s, a move that likely would close many federal regulatory agencies, federal museums and parks, among other things.

Republicans would get a bit more of the blame for a government shutdown, the poll found.

One-quarter of Americans said Republicans in Congress would deserve the blame, while 14 percent said Obama would be at fault. Just 5 percent pointed to Democrats in Congress, while 44 percent said everyone involved would be to blame.

“It’s a ‘pox on all your houses’ (result), while they do tend to blame the House Republicans more than Obama,” said Cliff Young, managing director of Ipsos’ U.S. Polling and Public Sector practice.

The U.S. government has shut down 17 times in its history, most recently in 1996, during a budget dispute between Democratic President Bill Clinton and Republican leaders in Congress. While 65 percent of the poll’s respondents said they were concerned about a shutdown, 25 percent said they were not.

“While people are paying attention, it’s sort of a lukewarm concern because it’s very distant for people,” Young said.

“Unless the shutdown has a direct impact on people’s lives, it will always be more noise than substance.”

The online poll questioned 1,269 Americans from Friday to Monday, and has a credibility interval, which is similar to a margin of error, of 3.1 percentage points for each result.

(Editing by David Lindsey. Editing by Andre Grenon)

Americans are split over tying 'Obamacare' to funding plan - poll

UK manufacturing growth eases in September from August's two-year high - PMI

LONDON (Reuters) – Growth in Britain’s manufacturing sector eased slightly in September from a two-year high the month before, due to less robust export orders, a survey showed on Tuesday.

The Markit/CIPS Purchasing Managers’ Index slipped to 56.7 from August’s two-and-a-half year high of 57.1, a slightly weaker reading than the rise to 57.3 economists had predicted in a Reuters poll.

But employment and prices rose at their fastest pace in two years, suggesting limited spare capacity in the sector at a time when the Bank of England is forecasting several years of relatively low-inflation growth for the economy as a whole.

The closely watched PMI statistics have repeatedly beaten economists’ forecasts in recent months, contributing to a sense that Britain’s recovery is gathering steam.

Tuesday’s data also pointed to solid growth in manufacturing, which makes up 10 percent of Britain’s economy, and showed that factories are hiring at the fastest rate since May 2011, with the employment sub-index rising to 54.0 from 51.9.

“These numbers are encouraging in respect to the rebalancing of the economy, with goods production likely to provide a major stimulus to economic growth in the third quarter,” said Rob Dobson, senior economist at survey compilers Markit.

“We would expect to see manufacturing output expanding by at least 1 percent in the three months to September and possibly by as much as 1.5 percent,” he added.

Manufacturing grew 0.9 percent in the three months to June, helping the economy as a whole grow 0.7 percent. Many economists expect a faster pace of economic growth in the third quarter.

The outlook for factories, however, is slightly less strong, with export orders growing at their slowest pace since May.

“With the exchange rate still around 20 percent weaker than before the financial crisis, we would expect to be seeing far stronger export gains than companies are currently reporting, especially with the euro zone showing signs of finally pulling out of recession,” Dobson said.

There is also little sign of an improvement in productivity, which the Bank of England is counting on to hold off future interest rate rises. Alongside the rise in employment, prices charged also rose at their fastest pace in two years.

Markit said this reflected firms increasing margins as well as passing on higher input costs.

“The outlook for output and employment remains on the upside heading towards year-end,” Dobson said. “This … will raise further questions in the City with regards to (whether) the Bank of England’s forward guidance on interest rates remains appropriate.”

The central bank has committed to keeping rates on hold at least until unemployment falls to 7 percent from its current 7.7 percent, which it forecasts will take three years, much longer than most private-sector economists think likely.

– Detailed PMI data are only available under licence from Markit and customers need to apply to Markit for a licence.

To subscribe to the full data, click on the link below: http://www/markit.com/information/register/reuters-pmi-subscriptions

For further information, please phone Markit on +44 20 7260 2454 or email economics@markit.com

(Reporting by David Milliken; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Source Article from http://uk.news.yahoo.com/uk-manufacturing-growth-eases-sept-augusts-two-high-084209252–business.html

UK manufacturing growth eases in September from August's two-year high - PMI

UK manufacturing growth eases in September from August's two-year high - PMI

LONDON (Reuters) – Growth in Britain’s manufacturing sector eased slightly in September from a two-year high the month before, due to less robust export orders, a survey showed on Tuesday.

The Markit/CIPS Purchasing Managers’ Index slipped to 56.7 from August’s two-and-a-half year high of 57.1, a slightly weaker reading than the rise to 57.3 economists had predicted in a Reuters poll.

But employment and prices rose at their fastest pace in two years, suggesting limited spare capacity in the sector at a time when the Bank of England is forecasting several years of relatively low-inflation growth for the economy as a whole.

The closely watched PMI statistics have repeatedly beaten economists’ forecasts in recent months, contributing to a sense that Britain’s recovery is gathering steam.

Tuesday’s data also pointed to solid growth in manufacturing, which makes up 10 percent of Britain’s economy, and showed that factories are hiring at the fastest rate since May 2011, with the employment sub-index rising to 54.0 from 51.9.

“These numbers are encouraging in respect to the rebalancing of the economy, with goods production likely to provide a major stimulus to economic growth in the third quarter,” said Rob Dobson, senior economist at survey compilers Markit.

“We would expect to see manufacturing output expanding by at least 1 percent in the three months to September and possibly by as much as 1.5 percent,” he added.

Manufacturing grew 0.9 percent in the three months to June, helping the economy as a whole grow 0.7 percent. Many economists expect a faster pace of economic growth in the third quarter.

The outlook for factories, however, is slightly less strong, with export orders growing at their slowest pace since May.

“With the exchange rate still around 20 percent weaker than before the financial crisis, we would expect to be seeing far stronger export gains than companies are currently reporting, especially with the euro zone showing signs of finally pulling out of recession,” Dobson said.

There is also little sign of an improvement in productivity, which the Bank of England is counting on to hold off future interest rate rises. Alongside the rise in employment, prices charged also rose at their fastest pace in two years.

Markit said this reflected firms increasing margins as well as passing on higher input costs.

“The outlook for output and employment remains on the upside heading towards year-end,” Dobson said. “This … will raise further questions in the City with regards to (whether) the Bank of England’s forward guidance on interest rates remains appropriate.”

The central bank has committed to keeping rates on hold at least until unemployment falls to 7 percent from its current 7.7 percent, which it forecasts will take three years, much longer than most private-sector economists think likely.

– Detailed PMI data are only available under licence from Markit and customers need to apply to Markit for a licence.

To subscribe to the full data, click on the link below: http://www/markit.com/information/register/reuters-pmi-subscriptions

For further information, please phone Markit on +44 20 7260 2454 or email economics@markit.com

(Reporting by David Milliken; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

UK manufacturing growth eases in September from August's two-year high - PMI

RBS Boss McEwan To Put Customers First

A New Zealander has taken on the toughest job in British banking today – chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

Ross McEwan steps up to the main role after running the retail banking side of RBS for a year.

He replaces Stephen Hester who led the bank for five turbulent years following the departure of his disgraced predecessor Fred Goodwin and the lender’s near collapse.

Mr McEwan will be paid £1m a year plus £350,000 in lieu of a pension.

As he began work today, he was conducting a series of meetings with staff and greeting customers – his priority on taking charge.

He was welcomed to the role by RBS chairman Sir Philip Hampton.

He said: “Ross is a customer banker through and through and is determined to transform the bank into a real asset for the UK economy.”

Mr McEwan’s appointment was announced after a reported rift between Mr Hester and the Chancellor George Osborne, said to be over the bank’s future structure.

Mr Hester had taken over in November 2008 in the midst of a calamitous period which saw it rescued by the Government, which still holds an 80% stake.

Its collapse followed the disastrous 2007 takeover of Dutch bank ABN Amro in a £49bn deal that weakened its capital position and left it highly vulnerable to the looming credit crunch.

Mr Hester was credited with turning the bank around amid tens of thousands of job cuts.

Non-core assets worth more than £200bn, including a chain of 900 pubs and an aircraft leasing business, were sold off.

RBS also began to sell off insurer Direct Line and last week it announced a £600m deal to hive off 314 bank branches under the revived Williams & Glyn’s brand.

The turnaround plan helped the bank swing back out of the red with pre-tax profits of £1.4bn in its last half year.

But it has not been an easy path for the bank, which suffered a PR disaster following a series of IT failures which prevented customers managing their finances and prompted a big extra spend on compensation and system improvements.

Mr McEwan’s appointment was confirmed in August amid Government revelations that RBS was still a long way from being returned to private hands.

He will be presiding over a bank that now has a greater focus on business lending as opposed to investment banking.

At the weekend, Mr McEwan welcomed the announcement that the Help-to-Buy scheme was being brought forward, as RBS announced that it would introduce a range of 95% loan-to-value mortgages under the scheme.

Before RBS, he was group executive for retail banking services at Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

He is married with two children and his interests include waterskiing, cycling, reading and spending time with his family.

 

RBS Boss McEwan To Put Customers First

GP Plan To Bring In Out-Of-Hours Surgeries

David Cameron has told Sky News he wants doctors’ surgeries to be open for longer to ease the pressure on overstretched A&E departments.

The Prime Minister confirmed plans for a £50m trial to have surgeries open from 8am until 8pm, seven days a week.

He insisted the pilot scheme in areas across England, which is expected to cover up to half a million patients, would be properly funded.

Almost one in five patients in a recent NHS survey said inconvenient appointments were a concern, with more than 70% backing weekend and after office opening hours.

The scheme, which was unveiled at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, will offer extra cash to groups of GPs proposing the most effective ways to improve patient access.

As well as extended surgery hours, ministers hope they will pioneer more effective use of technology, such as consultations with patients via video calls, email and by telephone.

Electronic prescriptions, online appointment booking and allowing people to visit a number of different surgeries across an area are among other measures which could be introduced.

Mr Cameron told Sky: “Sometimes people using Accident & Emergency really just need to see a GP but for hard-working people it is often too difficult because you are at work, you can’t get an appointment at the time that fits.

“Let’s see if we can have GPs’ surgeries open 12 hours a day, seven days a week so you can always get that appointment you need.

“We are starting with pilot schemes in nine regions of England. We are spending the money to help GPs achieve this. We will be able to see how it works.”

He added: “I believe that will work well and then our ambition is to roll that out across the country. That is good for hard-working people but I also think it is right for our health service.

“If you look at A&E, since 2004 when the GP contract changed we see four million more people a year going to Accident & Emergency so I think we are not getting the balance right at the moment.”

The first pilot projects are due to be operating by April 2014.

Similar initiatives are already being trialled in some parts of the country, including parts of Manchester, where some surgeries will move to seven-day opening.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who will talk about the initiative in his speech to the conference, said: “We live in a 24/7 society and we need GPs to find new ways of working so they can offer appointments at times that suit hard-working people.

“Cutting-edge GP practices here in Manchester are leading the way, and we want many more patients across the country to benefit.”

Professor Steve Field, Chief Inspector for General Practice, said: “This move towards seven day services is great news for patients and should be embraced by GPs.

“I want to see brilliant access to GP services for patients across the country and will be assessing this in each practice I inspect.”

However, shadow health secretary Andy Burnham accused Mr Cameron and his Conservative Party of “taking the NHS backwards”.

“This announcement is a major admission of failure and a U-turn of fairly epic proportions,” he said.

“Patients are also finding it harder to get appointments, and turning to A&E instead, after he removed Labour’s guarantee of an appointment within 48 hours.”

GP Plan To Bring In Out-Of-Hours Surgeries

Big Brother House Public Opening Under Fire

The Big Brother house opens to the public this weekend as a National Trust property in a move that critics have described as “just wrong”.

The 500 tickets for the two-day event were snapped up by Trust members within an hour of going on sale.

“It’s a radical idea but we wanted to look at what a younger, more urban generation of Trust members would be interested in seeing,” said Ivo Dawnay, from the National Trust.

“Big Brother is really a part of British heritage now, so the house is an ideal showcase. It’s fascinating. I think people are going to love looking around it.”

Those lucky enough to get tickets will get to see the famous diary room, bedroom, kitchen and garden where housemates spend their time.

The property is situated off a Tesco roundabout in Borehamwood, north of London, on a TV studio site.

It is a world away from the kind of location you would normally find a National Trust property.

“I’m not going to burn my Trust member card or man the barricades, but this is ridiculous,” said former MP Ann Widdecombe.

“I can see what they are trying to do, they don’t want it to be just about old people traipsing around stately homes. But there were better options than this. It’s just wrong.”

Katy Smith, executive producer of the reality show, said the link-up with the National Trust was a great idea.

“It’s a house that everyone knows about and hardly anyone gets to see. It’s part of British culture. I think this initiative is a fantastic collaboration.”

There have been 14 series of UK Big Brother since it began in 2000, as well as 11 celebrity versions of the show.

Big Brother House Public Opening Under Fire