Author: SKYNEWS

The FTSE-250 engineering services company John Wood Group is facing fresh calls to launch a strategic review almost a year after the collapse of a £1.7bn takeover bid.Sky News has learnt that Sparta Capital Management has written to Wood chairman Roy Franklin to urge him to explore a US listing or a sale of the company after seeing its shares slump by more than a third during the last 12 months. In its letter to Mr Franklin, Sparta, a London-based investment manager, praised the company for its “many operational achievements” since the implementation of a new corporate strategy nearly 18…

Olivier Awards presenter Hannah Waddingham has made headlines for hitting back at a photographer who appears to have asked her to “show leg”.In a video posted by a fan on X, Waddingham, 49, was heard scolding a photographer over a comment which cannot be heard but is inferred to have been a demand for her to show more skin. “Oh my God, you’d never say that to a man, my friend,” the Ted Lasso actress said, before adding: “Don’t be a dick or I’ll move off. Don’t say, ‘show your leg’.”Waddingham walks off before turning around and pointing her finger…

A marine worm found off an Italian party island has grown enormous eyes that weigh about 20 times more than the rest of its head.The eyes of the nocturnal Vanadis bristle worm are so large that if humans had eyes proportionally as big, they would add an extra 100kg to our heads. Scientists have now discovered their massive eyes are very sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light and could be used to secretly communicate with each other in the ocean darkness.Their big eyes are also highly developed and work in the same way as human eyes. Outside of humans, no other…

Superdry’s landlords are to bear the brunt of a painful restructuring of the fashion retailer as it prepares to outline a survival blueprint with the backing of its founder.Sky News has learnt that Superdry is preparing to publish a formal restructuring plan as soon as Tuesday that will entail steep rent cuts at a large proportion of its 94 British shops. City sources said the chain was not expected to announce plans for the permanent closure of any of its UK shops, although they pointed out that landlords would have the option of terminating Superdry’s leases if they were dissatisfied…

Global oil prices dipped slightly this morning despite rising tensions in the Middle East. Ian King is joined by Henry Allen, macro strategist at Deutsche Bank to discuss what it means and the likely impact. International motor dealer Inchcape has sold its UK retail operations for £346m to the US motor dealer Group 1 Automotive.Plus, as more of us look to decarbonise our homes, Ian speaks to residential energy services company Hometree Group as it takes on market leaders Homeserve and British Gas. The company’s chief executive Simon Phelan explains their ambitions.:: Listen and subscribe to The Ian King Business…

Pandas are not good at reproducing, especially when they are held in captivity. Now, their poo may help scientists understand why.Lots of animals struggle to mate in captivity. Cheetahs, polar bears, certain leopards and giant pandas all find it difficult to reproduce. Pandas, however, have it particularly hard.Females only ovulate once a year in spring and there’s a short, 40-hour window when they are fertile.If they do get pregnant, they will usually give birth to two cubs but only one generally survives – and then stays with its mother for up to three years. In captivity, pandas also get stressed…

Tesla is cutting 10% of its global workforce in a bid to reduce costs and bolster productivity, it has been reported.The electric vehicle maker, founded and run by Elon Musk, was yet to comment on a story earlier on Monday by Electrek that it was to axe about 15,000 personnel. The tech publication said the cuts were revealed in an internal memo – also seen by the Reuters news agency.It added that managers had been tasked earlier this year with identifying key personnel.The company, which had more than 140,000 staff at the end of 2023, has been struggling with soft…

Virtual reality headsets will not be used in schools under a new Meta scheme unless teachers can monitor what pupils are doing, Sir Nick Clegg has said amid growing concerns about child safety in the metaverse.Mr Clegg said: “This is not going to be used in the classroom unless teachers feel they have complete visibility and control of what’s going on. “And crucially, that parents, particularly of the younger kids, feel that too, otherwise, why would you use this in an educational setting?”Meta has announced a new package for schools to use virtual and augmented reality as a learning tool…

The future of Nick Read, the embattled Post Office chief executive, will be determined this week with the publication of a report triggered by whistleblowing allegations about the conduct of the state-owned company’s bosses.Sky News has learnt that an independent report compiled by Marianne Tutin, a barrister at Devereux Chambers, has been submitted to ministers amid the ongoing crisis about the wrongful prosecution of hundreds of sub-postmasters. One source said they anticipated that the inquiry would not precipitate Mr Read’s resignation or ousting by the government.Money latest: ‘My boss’s ultimatum ruined my final weeks of maternity leave’Scrutiny of Mr Read’s…

Sir Salman Rushdie has said he had a dream of a man trying to stab him days before he was attacked in 2022.The author was stabbed several times during the attack, and suffered life-changing injuries including the loss of his right eye, moments before he was due to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in New York state. In his first major TV interview since the attack, the 76-year-old told Anderson Cooper on CBS programme 60 Minutes he did not want to attend the talk after dreaming of a man bearing down on him with a spear in an…