'Beer boosts bones and fends off osteoporosis'

Drinking beer especially pale ale strengthens your bones and could stop them becoming brittle, a study suggests. Researchers found that beer contains high levels of silicon known to slow down the bone thinning that leads to fractures and osteoporosis. The finding, published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, backs up previous research which also showed that the drink was good at fending off brittle bones - especially in women - The Telegraph​

Business confidence is growing with two fifths saying they will expand and nearly a third planning to hire new staff, according RSM Tenon's "business barometer". The accountancy firm also said that three in five business owners felt confident about the potential opportunities for their business over the next three months - a rise of 13 per cent from the previous six months - The Independent​

Supermarket chain Asda has admitted its tough alcohol sale policy may "seem mad" after it emerged that staff refused to serve a 44-year-old mother who was shopping with her teenage son. Asda says its policy protects staff from being fined for serving underage drinkers. English teacher Amanda Ackroyd was trying to buy a couple of bottles of wine and cider when checkout staff asked her young partner and 17-year-old son for ID. As neither was able to prove their age, Ms Ackroyd was told she couldn't purchase the alcohol because she "couldn't guarantee she wasn't going to pass the alcohol on to someone under age". Sky News​

A pub has been accused of discriminating against the Armed Forces after barring squaddies at certain times of the week. Sharon Lupton, 52, whose son has served in Afghanistan, forced The Hoskins, in Darlington, to take down a sign which said that groups of well-behaved squaddies were welcome - but not on Fridays and Saturdays after 7pm and not after 3pm on Sundays. Despite the concession, however, the chain which runs the pub said its policy of refusing entry to large groups of Army personnel at the allotted times remains in place - The Northern Echo​