Author: SKYNEWS

The long-standing owner of Space NK, the high street beauty retailer, is preparing to put it up for sale with a price tag of more than £300m.Sky News has learnt that Manzanita Capital, a private investment firm, has approached investment banks about initiating a process that would see Space NK changing hands after more than 20 years under its ownership. Retail industry sources said on Thursday said that bankers were expected to be appointed in the near future, although it was unclear which firm would land the mandate.One said that based on Space NK’s financial performance, it could be worth…

A small Cheshire village is on the hunt for Harry Styles experts to lead tours for fans eager to see where the star grew up. Holmes Chapel has seen an increase in fans “coming to pay homage” to the singer, according to the community group Holmes Chapel Partnership (HCP). Now the group is looking for people with a “flair for storytelling” and a “good knowledge” of the village and its links to Styles to lead guided tours.The new Harry’s Home Village Tour will run on Saturday mornings in June and on weekdays in July, August and September.Last year, the group published…

The proportion of battery electric vehicles sold in the UK car market has shrunk, according to new industry figures.Some 15.2% of new cars registered in March were pure electrics, down from 16.2% during the same period last year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. The industry body said the “tough economic backdrop” of low growth, weak consumer confidence and high interest rates was making it harder for drivers to “invest in these new technologies”.Year-on-year sales of electric vehicles (EVs) did rise during the month, but this was mostly driven by fleet investment, rather than from private drivers,…

Tesla has reported a sharp fall in worldwide sales amid increased competition and slowing demand for electric vehicles.The carmaker said it delivered 386,810 vehicles during the first quarter of the year – down nearly 9% on the 423,000 it shipped from January to March last year. It marks the first year-on-year quarterly sales decline for the company in nearly four years.Tesla said the fall was “partly” due to disruption to shipping in the Red Sea region and an arson attack at its gigafactory in Berlin.It also blamed the phasing in of an updated version of its Model 3 sedan at…

Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj and Jon Bon Jovi are among hundreds of musicians who have signed an open letter warning developers of artificial intelligence against using the technology to generate music.The list of around 200 artists, which also includes J Balvin and Sheryl Crow, signed an open letter written by the Artist Rights Alliance, an advocacy group, calling for AI developers, technology companies and digital music services to “cease the use of AI to infringe upon and devalue the rights of human artists”. The alliance, which is run by industry veterans, said in the letter it believes AI has “enormous…

The Dutch banking giant ING has been thrust into a pivotal role in determining the future of stricken Thames Water’s parent company amid growing expectations that lenders will agree a loan extension ahead of a repayment deadline this month.Sky News has learnt that ING is among the lenders due to be repaid £190m by Kemble Water Finance at the end of April. A large Chinese bank is also said to have a significant position in the loan facility, according to banking sources.The identity of the lenders has not previously been disclosed.If the loan is not repaid and Kemble Water Finance…

Lara Croft has beaten the likes of Mario and Sonic to be named the most iconic video games character ever.The star of the Tomb Raider series came out on top in a Bafta poll of more than 4,000 gamers from around the world. Croft beat Nintendo’s legendary Mario into second, with Agent 47 from the Hitman series third.Others making the top 10 included Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog, Link from the Zelda games, Master Chief from Xbox’s Halo series, and classic dot-chomping character Pac-Man.Croft first appeared in Tomb Raider in 1996 on the original PlayStation, PC and the Sega Saturn console.…

Jay-Z’s music festival has been cancelled for the second year in a row – with organisers not explicitly giving the reasons why.Made In America festival, which usually takes place in Philadelphia in September, announced in a vague statement on social media that the event would not be held in 2024. “Since its inception, this groundbreaking festival has celebrated music and community – from creating a space for fans to connect, to uplifting local small businesses & shining a light on important causes,” organisers said in a statement.”It has strived for accessibility, eliminating barriers through affordable tickets and location. X This…

A planned merger between Vodafone and Three is in doubt after the competition watchdog said it would launch a major investigation into the deal.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the move was being taken after the firms failed to offer any measures to ease its concerns that mobile phone users could face higher prices and reduced quality of service if the plans went ahead. The proposed £15bn merger, announced last year, would bring 27 million customers together under a single provider and create the UK’s largest mobile network.However, fears have been raised that it will reduce rivalry between operators,…

School closures, pet care and fake glasses are just three of the things that have prompted warnings ahead of Monday’s total solar eclipse. Residents in multiple US states, as well as parts of Mexico and Canada, will be able to witness the natural phenomenon on Monday 8 April. The first place to experience ‘totality’ – the moment when the face of the sun is completely blocked by the moon – will be Mexico’s Pacific Coast at around 11.07am local time.The eclipse’s path will then enter the US where it will be visible across states from Texas all the way up…