Author: SKYNEWS

A new credit referencing agency set up to provide real-time data to lenders has landed millions of pounds from investors to fund its expansion.Sky News understands that Infact, which recently secured authorisation from the City watchdog, will this week announce a £4m fundraising. Infact enables the sharing of consumer credit information in real-time, which it says enables lenders’ credit risk teams to make more effective lending decisions.The company argues that this technology-led approach will promote financial inclusion by allowing consumers to rebuild their credit profiles more quickly.The funding round is being led by AlbionVC, with prominent investors including Portfolio Ventures,…

Hollywood actress Olivia Munn and comedian John Mulaney have welcomed a daughter via surrogacy.The X-Men star shared photos of baby Mei on Instagram and said she was born on 14 September. Munn, 44, posted: “Mei June Mulaney came into the world September 14, 2024, the year of the dragon.”I had so many profound emotions about not being able to carry my daughter. When I first met our gestational surrogate we spoke mother to mother.”She showed me so much grace and understanding, I knew I had found a real-life angel. “Words cannot express my gratitude that she kept our baby safe…

Millions of people can book their flu and COVID vaccines from today, which officials hope will ease pressure on the health service ahead of the winter months.It comes amid concerns from NHS England over a so-called “tripledemic” of flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Bookings open at 9am on Monday and can be made through the NHS website, app or by calling 119.Who can get the free jabs?Adults aged 65 and over, long-term care home patients and people in clinical risk groups are all eligible for the COVID and flu vaccines – as are frontline social care workers and…

Streams of Punjabi music have seen a massive rise, but some fans aren’t pleased with the direction the genre is heading in.The 2002-hit Mundian To Bach Ke by UK-based producer Panjabi MC is what put the music on the map for the very first time. Since then, the music has changed, and many more people are listening.Data from Spotify shared exclusively with Sky News reveals that UK streams have risen by 286% over the past five years and a massive 2077% globally.”The signs are there that Punjabi music is only going to continue to grow in influence around the world,”…

A British hypersonic aviation pioneer is this weekend closing in on a £20m rescue deal that will see a Gulf-based sovereign fund becoming its biggest shareholder.Sky News has learnt that Reaction Engines is racing to finalise a two-part financing that will include leading shareholders extending loans to the company before providing a further equity injection. City sources said on Saturday that if completed, the UAE state-backed Strategic Development Fund (SDF) would lead the fundraising and become Reaction Engines’ biggest shareholder.The SDF would not, however, own a majority stake, said one.The government would need to approve the deal under the National…

Nintendo and its partner The Pokemon Company have filed a legal case against the makers of the hit survival adventure game Palworld.The companies filed the case with the Tokyo District Court on Wednesday, seeking an injunction and compensation for damages on the grounds that the game infringes multiple patent rights. The multiplayer open-world game, released by Tokyo-based Pocketpair Inc, became a breakout hit with more than 25 million players within a month of its release in mid-January.In the game – dubbed Pokemon with guns – players can use weapons to capture and train cute creatures known as “pals”.In a statement,…

Sir Michael Craig-Martin is one of the most influential artists of his generation – but he says he’s had “terrible things” said about the work he’s now famous for.The 83-year-old’s long career is now the subject of a major retrospective opening this weekend at the Royal Academy. But he told Sky News: “I’ve had terrible things said about all the work that now people think is wonderful… If you can’t survive criticism… you’re in the wrong game.”The Royal Academy retrospective brings together his life’s work in one show, including his early experimental sculpture, his landmark conceptual work and a new…

The boss of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, will attend the new government’s flagship investment summit next month amid suggestions it is struggling to attract large numbers of high-calibre international business figures.Sky News has learnt that Larry Fink, BlackRock’s chairman and chief executive, will attend the 14 October gathering, which will be held at a prominent central London venue. Mr Fink, who was also present at a similar event organised by the Conservatives in 2021, will be among the most influential global bosses to attend.Among the others who have agreed to come are Margherita della Valle, the Vodafone chief…

The family of an NHS pharmacist who took his own life after suffering paralysing complications from a COVID jab are calling for urgent reform of the government’s compensation scheme for vaccine damage.John Cross was told by the official medical assessor for the scheme that the jab had caused his rare neurological effects, but that he wasn’t disabled enough for a payment. Mr Cross was unable to move, blink or breathe after his first dose of the vaccine.He spent seven months recovering in hospital but was left with chronic pain and numbness – and suffered several relapses.After he was rejected by…

Convicted con artist Anna “Delvey” Sorokin has made her debut on Dancing With The Stars – sporting a sparkly ankle monitor.The so-called “fake heiress”, who swindled Manhattan’s elite out of huge sums, took to the dancefloor on Tuesday as the US TV show returned for a new series. Sorokin defrauded banks and New York City big names to the tune of around $67m (£61m) to fund her jet-setting lifestyle – and was later jailed.Prison did nothing to dent her fame, however, with the Netflix series Inventing Anna debuting on the streaming site while she was still behind bars.Now she’s back…