Archaeologists have uncovered a previously unknown Neolithic society in Morocco, dating back 5,000 years.

Details of the archaeological survey were recently published in the journal Antiquity.

The site, located near Oued Beht, lies roughly 100km southeast of Morocco’s capital, Rabat, and is named after the Baht River (also known as Oued Beht).

Northwest Africa, or the Maghreb, has long been recognized for its significant role in the development of societies during the Iron Age, the Islamic period, and even the Paleolithic era (around 2.58 million to 11,700 years ago). However, there has been a lack of information about the region’s history between 6,000 and 3,000 years ago.

The Oued Beht site, dated to around 3400–2900 BCE through radiocarbon analysis, is the earliest and largest Neolithic agricultural complex found in Africa outside the Nile region. It shares striking similarities with Late Stone Age sites of the same period found in Iberia.

This discovery sheds light on the crucial role northwestern Africa played in shaping complex ancient communities across the Mediterranean.

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British Airways has faced a “difficult” summer of flying, with nearly half its flights hit by the air traffic control delays that have dogged European aviation, senior bosses have told staff.

The latest disruption to hit the airline came this week, when BA was forced to cancel 59 flights to and from London’s Heathrow airport on Thursday and Friday because of air traffic control delays caused by bad weather. Its other flights from the airport suffered lengthy delays.

Writing to staff on Friday morning in an email sent to reassure staff after one of BA’s “toughest [recent] days”, two of the airline’s senior executives said the disruption added to a frustrating period for the airline.

“Sadly, last night follows what has been a difficult summer for you all, as a result of some of the external challenges we have faced,” René de Groot, chief operating officer, Andy Best, and chief technical officer, wrote in the email seen by the Financial Times.

In all, 42 per cent of BA’s flights this year have been disrupted by air traffic control restrictions, up from 24 per cent in 2019, the last year of flying before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted aviation, they said.

The executives also warned that BA would be forced to “make a number of cancellations” to flights operated by its fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft over the next 10 days because of “continued . . . delays to the delivery of engines and parts from Rolls-Royce”.

Rolls-Royce said it was working with BA and other customers to minimise the impact of limited availability of spares due to supply chain constraints. “Unfortunately, this is an issue affecting the whole aerospace industry,” it said.

Airlines across Europe have complained about disruption from air traffic control all summer, as bad weather, the closure of airspace because of the war in Ukraine and a shortage of controllers have combined to challenge the industry’s resilience.

In the email to staff, BA said it would work with the UK’s National Air Traffic Services (Nats), which manages the country’s airspace to improve resilience.

Nats said restrictions are only applied for safety reasons, and it would work with BA “to minimise disruption during challenging operational days”.

BA has also faced years of scrutiny for its poor operational performance since the pandemic, after more than 10,000 staff were cut in 2020.

The carrier has long suffered from creaking technology, operational complexity and exposure to London’s Heathrow airport, which operates at full capacity, and its owner has unveiled a £7bn investment programme to raise standards at the airline.

The air traffic control issues highlight how BA’s senior management are increasingly frustrated that external issues are damaging its reputation.

Sean Doyle, BA chief executive, has prioritised rebuilding the airline’s reputation since he took over at the height of the pandemic in late 2020. The £7bn investment from owner IAG includes new aircraft, lounges, website and app.

Senior bosses at IAG, an airline conglomerate that also owns carriers including Iberia and Aer Lingus, are supportive but have acknowledged the airline needs to improve its reputation.

BA declined to comment.

A SINGLE mum of six was left without heating and hot water for MONTHS but was saved by a little-known grant scheme.

Mandeep, 41, from Birmingham, was left living in the dark ages after her boiler broke down forcing her family to use a kettle every time they wanted showers.

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She spent seven gruelling months using water from the kettle to fill buckets of water so her six girls, aged between two years-old and 17, were clean for school.

The family were also unable to heat their home, spending cold nights in bed with just a duvet to keep warm.

As Mandeep owns her own home, the responsibility fell on her to fix it, but with no cash to afford a new one, she believed she’d have to make do without for good.

National Energy Action charity estimates that 5.6million people just like her across the UK are living in fuel poverty.

Factors such as the cost of living crisis have meant a greater number of households are struggling to heat their homes or find money for repairs.

Mandeep, who is unemployed, said that she did not ask neighbours or friends for support because she felt too proud.

Speaking to The Sun she said: “I would not want any other family to go through what I did.”

“It was really hard for me and my kids to go through all this, [we had] no [hot] water, no heat and were not able to keep warm [or] able to wash.”

It was only when a healthcare worker visited that Mandeep discovered a little-known scheme that could help her out – and she’s urging others to reach out too.

Help was on hand

The mum-of-six was advised to contact the Direct Access to Wellbeing Services Team (DAWS).

It is a new service set up by gas supplier Cadent and the Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Charity.

The pair are offering £2.4million worth of grants to help 100,000 vulnerable healthcare users with financial support over the next two years.

It is currently only available to NHS patients in Birmingham but if the project is successful then it may be rolled out across the wider UK.

And it’s just one example of thousands of little-known schemes across the country that are helping people out.

Households can not apply directly for this support – they need to be referred by their health worker GP, health visitor or nurse.

When the DAWS team receives a referral, an advisor will work through their details in a consultation.

From there, they will know which services they will need support with. This can include:

• Energy efficiency improvements around the home
• White goods like fridges or cookers
• Boiler checks
• Helping people get the benefits they are entitled to
• Support to maximise their income

In some instances, referrals have been actioned within 48 hours but this may not be the case everytime.

Patients and their families can ask about the support by speaking to their health professional.

Mandeep met the criteria to be provided with range of support and was given a new boiler alongside other financial aid totalling around £4,500. That included:

• A slow cooker to make food for £70
• Energy vouchers to heat her home for £70
• A new boiler worth £4k and £120 for the service to be installed
• An electric blanket worth to keep warm
• Food vouchers for shopping worth £100

Mandeep said that after being approved for the scheme she received her boiler within three days and it was also installed in her home free of charge.

It was a weight lifted off her shoulders and has helped transform her family’s life.

She said: “My life is better now..any other family going through this should speak out and not suffer in silence.”

“The DAWS team was amazing and they helped me through the situation”.

How to unlock cash grants

If you are struggling it is worth being aware of online tools which can help you access grants.

For example, Turn2Us has an online tool which checks your elibiglty for over 1,400 grants.

All of the grants do not need to be paid back and the tool will search through the grants and let you know if you qualify.

Each grant is different but they can provide support for a range of different necessities like groceries and even kitchen appliances.

For example, Macmillan Cancer Support offers, one-off grants to people living with cancer who have low incomes and savings. 

The Teaching Staff Trust also offers cash grants to those who work in the education sector and face financial difficulty.

The Sun spoke to one mum who used to scheme and was given £1,000 in vouchers to spend at Amazon and the big supermarkets.

Other grants have specific requirements for spending for example a business grant may need to be spent on business expenses.

How to use the grant search tool

First, go to the Turn2Us website and type in Grant Search.

Then look for what’s available specifically in your area by entering your postcode.

You will be asked to give details about yourself, such as your name and gender.

You can also go into more depth by telling Turn2Us about your current health and employment situation.

Once you’ve found a grant you think you’re eligible for, you can put in an inquiry through Turn2Us.

Other grants and schemes

Energy grants

Many gas and energy suppliers offer grants and schemes for customers who are struggling.

For example, British Gas has a fund open to pre-payment meter and credit customers who have found themselves in debt worth up to £1,700.

The Individual and Families Fund was first set up in 2021 to help households struggling with energy debt.

This scheme’s support is available to British Gas and non-British Gas customers.

However, if your provider is Ovo Energy, E.ON Next, EDF Energy, Scottish Power, Octopus Energy or Utilita it asks your go to them for assistance first.

You can check out your eligibility for the scheme here.

Elsewhere, EDF has a customer support fund which on average wipes £1,250 off customers’ bills. 

It is available to vulnerable customers experiencing hardship. 

To apply, visit EDF’s website and make sure you have details of your account number (find it on your energy bills or EDF emails) and the current debt balance on all EDF accounts you have.

Meanwhile, Octopus Energy offers a range of support, including cash from its Octopus Energy Assist Fund.

It could also include loaning a thermal imagery camera to find heat leaks in your home, which you can fix to reduce energy usage and your bill.

It also conducts home energy visits to discuss how households can reduce their usage and gives out free electric blankets.

Local welfare assistance schemes

Most councils also have local welfare assistance schemes designed to help families in severe financial hardship.

Again, the eligibility criteria varies by council, and how much you can get will depend on your specific circumstances.

Most councils say they will prioritise families who need urgent access to food.

The support you get could be money, vouchers, or referrals to other organisations such as food banks.

Household support fund

You might be able to get help with essential costs from your local council through a programme called the Household Support Fund (HSF).

The funding is designed to help people who are vulnerable or can’t afford to pay for necessities like energy bills, water bills, and food.

Some councils offer food vouchers to families during the school holidays, as well through the scheme.

Eligibility criteria varies by council, so you need to check your local authority’s website to see what’s available and how to apply.

Fuel vouchers

If you’re having difficulty paying your energy bills and use a prepayment meter, or if you use alternative heating sources such as oil, LPG, coal, or wood, you may be eligible for a fuel voucher from your local council.

A fuel voucher gives you credit for your gas and electricity supply without having to pay in advance.

You’ll receive a code in a letter, text message or email which you can use to add the credit.

You can use a fuel voucher at a Post Office, a shop signed up to Payzone or a shop signed up to PayPoint. You’ll need to take the code and a form of ID.

Hundreds of postmasters may have been wrongly convicted for accounting issues related to the use of a second faulty IT system, i can reveal.

An i investigation reveals for the first time the scale of a potential second miscarriage of justice linked to Post Office software that pre-dates the now notorious Horizon programme.

Sub-postmasters claim they were sacked, forced to hand over money and criminally prosecuted as a result of faults with Capture, a piece of software rolled out in the mid-1990s.

An independent investigation into the software, which was launched earlier this year by the previous government, is due to publish its report next week.

Previously there were thought to be at least 40 sub-postmasters and families claiming they suffered at the hands of the Post Office while using Capture.

Data obtained by i under Freedom of Information (FOI) laws now reveals that after the introduction of Capture the number of private prosecutions brought by the Post Office soared from two in 1992 to 93 in 1998.

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The following year, when Horizon was introduced, 114 prosecutions were brought, resulting in 107 convictions. Every one of these convictions has now been quashed – but the Capture convictions still stand.

The FOI data means that, for the first time, the scale of prosecutions which coincided with the introduction of Capture can be laid bare.

Those prosecuted by the Post Office under Capture, who were pursued on similar accounting charges to that of Horizon victims, argue they too should have their convictions overturned.

The data clearly shows that before the rollout of Capture began in 1992, annual prosecutions were negligible – in 1992 it pursued two cases of “suppression” and “pension and allowance encashment fraud” but failed to secure convictions in either case.

But in 1996, that number jumped to 31, followed by 60 in 1997 and 93 in 1998. The offences pursued include “audit shortage”, “cash loss” and “false accounting”.

Prosecutions continued at a similar level following the introduction of Horizon. More than 1,000 convictions have been secured in total since 1990.

Since 2016, after the Post Office stopped pursuing prosecutions using Horizon data following a long-running campaign by sub-postmasters, the pattern has returned to that of the early 1990s – with just a single prosecution.

i first revealed claims that more sub-postmasters had been wrongly convicted related to the Capture system in January, after the high profile drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office brought the impact of the Horizon scandal home to millions.

Steve Marston, 68, is an alleged Capture victim who believes he was wrongly convicted of theft and false accounting charges in 1998 after Post Office investigators said £79,000 was missing from his branch in Heap Bridge, Greater Manchester.

Mr Marston insists he never stole “a penny” and that he began suffering accounting problems after the Post Office introduced Capture.

Since then, dozens of other sub-postmasters have come forward to say they believe the software was faulty and they were wrongly made to hand over money, sacked, and in some cases criminally prosecuted.

He believes the figures “paint a clear picture”.

“It’s horrifying,” he said. “The figures are staggering. And what makes it worse, to a certain extent, is that nobody at the Post Office seems to have acknowledged it.

“Why did nobody think ‘why is the number of prosecutions suddenly rocketing?’ Surely somebody had the gumption to sit down and look at the figures and question them?”

Kevan Jones, the former Labour MP who now sits in the House of Lords, has supported Post Office victims for years and believes the scandal goes much deeper than Horizon.

“These figures starkly demonstrate that there is another scandal here,” he told i. “The Post Office need to explain why suddenly they went from zero prosecutions in the early 1990s to 93 in 1998.

“Why did nobody ask the question ‘why have all these sub-postmasters become crooked?’”

Documents previously obtained by i revealed that Capture was developed in-house by the Post Office IT team in Farnborough, Hampshire, and first rolled out to branches in 1992.

Newsletters and bulletins sent out to sub-postmasters showed that the Post Office was aware the software was prone to bugs and glitches and was capable of corrupting accounting data.

But at this time, Post Office investigations into its own sub-postmasters were ramping up.

A separate Freedom of Information request shared with i shows there were “fewer than 5” investigations in 1990, increasing to 198 in 1996, 282 in 1997 and 378 in 1998.

The Post Office’s change in approach towards accounting problems was spelled out in a bulletin sent out to staff in 1996.

In the newsletter obtained by i from March 1996, the Capture IT team advised sub-postmasters that they should also keep “manual” cash books as well as using the computer software.

“The reason for maintaining manual records follows advice from the Post Office Solicitors Office that current automated systems are unable to provide a clear audit trail for transactions or for cash and stock holdings entered at any specific time,” the team said.

“Similarly, the system could not provide an audit trail if any amendments are made to figures without the knowledge of the sub-postmaster.”

The convictions of sub-postmasters under the Horizon scandal have now been overturned after the Government introduced emergency legislation earlier this year.

The Post Office has said it is “concerned” by allegations of wrongful prosecutions involving Capture and is looking into the claims as a matter of urgency.

The Government commissioned US firm Kroll to carry out an independent investigation and a report was provided to the Department for Business and Trade earlier this month.

Carl Cresswell, director at DBT, told sub-postmasters Kroll had been asked “to assess whether the design, implementation, and use of the Capture software package by postmasters could have resulted in those postmasters suffering detriment and/or there were issues with the way Post Office investigated any issues associated with Capture. “

i understands it is to be shared with sub-postmasters and their legal teams on Monday.

If it vindicates claims that Capture was faulty the Government is potentially facing hundreds of new claims for compensation and criminal convictions which need to be overturned.

The previous Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake suggested alleged Capture victims could apply to the existing Horizon compensation schemes, which have a budget of more than £1billion.

However, the process of overturning criminal convictions could be more complicated.

The Government agreed to use emergency legislation to overturn Horizon convictions because a number of victims had already been exonerated by the Court of Appeal and it would have taken a further 15 years to clear the remaining cases.

No conviction involving Capture evidence has yet been examined by the courts.

It is understood Labour’s new Post Office minister Gareth Thomas has been advised of the findings of the Capture report and will set out next steps in due course.

The Post Office declined to offer further comment on the latest claims about Capture. A spokesperson said previously: “We take very seriously any concerns raised about cases from before the Horizon system was first rolled out in 1999.

“We are particularly concerned about allegations of prosecutions, and we are looking into this along with all available facts about Capture, including whether shortfalls could have been caused by faults in this software, and the potential impacts if so.”

A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: “We have received Kroll’s independent report into the Capture system and will be publishing its findings shortly.”

Timeline of Post Office scandal and Capture IT allegations

1992 – Capture IT was first rolled out in branches, with the Post Office promising it would “simplify the task of keeping accounts”.

1995 – Staff bulletins are sent out to sub-postmasters, revealing bosses admitting Capture IT was experiencing a number of faults. One document from Focus – an in-house magazine produced by the Post Office – lists “a few hiccups” with the software processing pensions, currency and automated transactions.

1996 – A spike in private prosecutions by the Post Office begins, with 31 in total.

1997 – The number of prosecutions rises to 60.

1998 – A year before the Horizon IT system is introduced – 93 people were prosecuted. Former sub-postmaster Steve Marston, 67, is prosecuted by the Post Office for theft and false accounting offences.

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1999 – Liz Roberts is convicted of theft offences, which her family believes were wrongly based on data from the Capture system. She is sentenced to 13 months in prison. That same year, the Horizon IT system is rolled out in Post Office branches across the UK.

2000 – Alan Bates reports issues with the new Horizon IT system, which replaced the old Capture IT system.

2004 – Lee Castleton is found to have a £25,000 shortfall at his branch. He is made bankrupt after he lost his legal battle with the Post Office.

2010 – Pregnant sub-postmaster Seema Misra is jailed after being accused of stealing £74,000.

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2015 – Post Office boss Paula Vennells tells the business select committee there is no evidence of miscarriages of justice.

2017 – Legal action is launched against the Post Office by a group of 555 sub-postmasters.

2019 – A High Court judge rules that Horizon contained a number of “bugs, errors and defects” and there was a “material risk” that shortfalls in Post Office branch accounts were caused by the system. The Post Office agreed to pay out £58 million to the 555 subpostmasters. Post Office boss Paula Vennells is appointed a CBE.

2021 – A statutory inquiry looking into the failings of the Horizon system and the wrongful convictions of subpostmasters begins. The Court of appeal quashes 39 wrongful crown court convictions.

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2023 – The Government announces that every wrongly convicted sub-postmaster will be offered £600,000 in compensation.

2024 – ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office airs for the first time. The UK Parliament passes a law overturning the convictions of subpostmasters in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland passed a similar law that same month. Criminal investigations are launched into the Horizon IT Scandal. King Charles III revokes Vennells’s CBE. i reveals the potential second IT scandal linked to Capture.

By Caolan Magee

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Paris might be on a high after the Olympics, but the luxury industry is still experiencing a slowdown. And now French prime minister Michel Barnier has stated that in an effort to reduce the country’s widening budget deficit he may introduce tax rises for businesses and the rich, saying “I cannot exclude the wealthiest from the national effort to rectify the situation.”

How this will play out remains to be seen, but luxury brands may need to make a stronger case as to why customers should buy expensive inessential things.

During the first half of Paris Fashion Week it felt like heritage labels were leaning into their history particularly heavily, as well as to their house codes.

After the Chloé show, designer Chemena Kamali discussed the balance between being inspired by the label’s past and ensuring her designs “speak to the new generation.” It’s a juggling act for any designer at a heritage house. Rely too much on the past and you risk becoming a relic. But there is an emotional connection to be made through nostalgia and a sense of authenticity.

When Kamali made her show debut at the Richemont-owned label last February her breezy, cool-girl take on the ’70s was hailed as a sign that boho was back. For her second show, she revisited the decade, saying that “there is a real natural femininity to the 1970s, a lot you can take from this era and make it your own. I ask myself in fittings ‘do I believe this girl? Does it feel right? Does it feel real?’ There is so much fantasy at Chloé but the reality is very important.”

In many shows summer and winter clothes have been indistinguishable, but this collection radiated sunshine with oversized sunglasses, swimsuits — one frilled, one with a flamingo design — jelly shoes and laced flats with shells and fish charms. Kamali said “this is about how summer makes you feel, this moment in the year where we all start disconnecting.”

And so there were knickerbocker trousers, ruffled blouses, little camisole tops and tiered dresses in guipure lace or silk charmeuse, which had a lingerie feel to them. The colours, as Kamali put it, were “sun washed” with apricot, blush, faded mint and lemon, while billowing silk dresses with rolled hems came in a Chloé floral print from the late 1970s. Perhaps this show tipped slightly too much into fantasy — I’m not sure how wearable sheer lace knickerbockers are — but the soft-focus, carefree Chloé world is an appealing one.

Freedom and lightness were also a focus at the Dries Van Noten show, the first since the departure of the label’s namesake founder. Created by the design team in Antwerp, the melange of colours and textures such as a purple striped shirt teamed with fuchsia Bermuda shorts with fil coupé fringe, and matt sequins printed to resemble snakeskin on coats and dresses was in the spirit of Van Noten himself. However it didn’t quite have his special alchemy that made unexpected clashes sing.

Rabanne also combined a free-spirited mood with a strong house identity. Designer Julien Dossena has managed to move away from the space-age aesthetic created by founder Paco Rabanne in the 1960s creating something a bit more hippy luxe and eclectic while keeping the brand’s signature chain mail and metal discs. Watched by singers Cardi B and Camila Cabello, this show featured gold chainmail boots and a mini dress made of metal spheres, but overall it was a mix of oversized tailoring, athleisure and partywear, sometimes all in one outfit. A pale grey blazer over a striped shirt and silver dress felt like a fresh way to do metallics.

There was also a move upmarket via new artisan bags, one of which was made of 18-carat gold discs in collaboration with French jeweller Arthus Bertrand that will cost €250,000.

Statement bags in the shape of fragrance bottles appeared on the catwalk at Balmain, where Olivier Rousteing was marking the recent launch of the brand’s new fragrance line and an upcoming move into beauty. It was certainly literal: shoes had lipstick heels while minidresses with peplums and pointed shoulders featured images of red lips and nails created with hundreds of thousands of beads. Rousteing said he wanted to look back at his “Balmain icons” from his early days at the brand, namely tailoring and sharp tuxedo jackets featuring exaggerated shoulders.

It wasn’t subtle, but Balmain’s customers aren’t looking to whisper their tastes, and the same goes for Schiaparelli, where the collection included matching Zebra print trousers and a jacket with an almost Tudor silhouette and gold buttons.

Rousteing said, “the longevity of me being here is because I kept believing in my own DNA . . . I think the recipe of fashion is not to be trendy, it’s to be you.”

One label with a strong sense of self is Loewe, and the new collection felt on brand without being boring thanks to a mix of luxurious leather pieces, tailoring, sculptural shapes and a splash of quirkiness. In leather there were cape-shaped jackets, ultra roomy trousers and belted macs with the hem curved upwards. Tailored suit trousers were connected to jersey tops with a gold bobble detail and a wide legged navy pinstripe suit looked sharp and easy to wear. On the more experimental front, floral silk dresses stretched over crinoline hoops and trousers covered in (by-product) feathers gave the model the look of a stylish rare-breed chicken. A yellow T-shirt with a print of Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” explored the way in which famous art has almost become low brow through overexposure. Call it fridge-magnet chic.

The Row, too, knows what it stands for. Synonymous with quiet luxury, it’s always impeccably on brand, even down to another ban on phones at shows in favour of pencils and notebooks. Presumably to produce more quiet content.

Wide cotton workwear trousers in shades of white and stone were teamed with simple sleeveless tops with just a twist or drape of the material by way of detailing. Many pieces were roomy — such as a white poplin shirt with raglan sleeves and a poncho parka with a V-shaped back. The Row has a cult following for its flat shoes and this season showcased soft leather ballet slippers, pumps and slides. As ever it was chic, but I was hoping to see more of the eccentric art-collector style hats and humorous touches such as hotel slippers that have featured recently.

This week the US brand opened its first Paris store, shortly after it was revealed that investment funds controlled by the families of Chanel’s Wertheimer brothers and L’Oréal’s Françoise Bettencourt Meyers have bought a minority stake. Unlike some brands which aim to make more of a splash when they have something new on the horizon, The Row’s collection doubled down on what it’s known for, namely very expensive simplicity.

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In this week’s Weekend Essay, Dan Cooper takes a look at the growing trend of football clubs partnering with high-risk CFD trading firms. Are clubs prioritising profit over fans? Should there be better regulation to protect supporters from risky financial products? Dan explores the dark side of the beautiful game and its sponsorship deals.