Author: SKYNEWS

The minister responsible for the UK’s sanctions against Russia has told UK carmakers to check their supply chains after Sky News analysis suggested luxury models were finding their way to Moscow showrooms via ex-Soviet states.Foreign Office minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan told a committee of MPs the report was a prime example of the “whack a mole” challenge created by the trading controls imposed on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. Sky reported on Tuesday morning that while direct British car exports to Russia had fallen to zero, that collapse had been followed by a corresponding increase in car exports to countries…

Scotland’s culture secretary has told Holyrood he shares the concerns raised over a decision to award more than £84,000 of public money to an explicit arts project involving “non-simulated” sex performances.A total of £84,555 was awarded to director Leonie Rae Gasson for the development of Rein in the January round of Creative Scotland’s National Lottery Open Fund. The project’s website describes it as a 45-minute multi-screen, moving image installation that “immerses audiences in a raucous communal exploration of dyke sexuality”.It has come under scrutiny as the show’s climax has been advertised as a “secret cave sex party”.Participants over the age…

The number of unemployed, working-age people who are not looking for a job is even higher than first thought, as the UK’s official statistics body revised its figures upwards. More than a fifth (21.8%) of people aged 16 to 64 were not in work and nor looking for a job in the three months to January, the Office for National Statistics said. It’s a bigger number – roughly 9.2 million people – than first estimated and an increase from the three months previous.But the ONS advised “increased caution” when interpreting short-term changes in its data.It’s been redoing its figures based…

Four astronauts from four different countries have safely returned to Earth as they splashed down near Florida after 199 days in orbit.NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 went around the planet 3,184 times during their more than six months on the International Space Station (ISS). The group was made up of NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen from Denmark, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov.Ms Moghbeli, a US Marine helicopter pilot nicknamed Jaws, left the SpaceX capsule, Endurance, with a cheery message for her ISS colleagues. Image: (L-R) Borisov, Mogensen, Moghbeli and Furukawa…

Hollywood stars, a Pussycat Doll and a hit play about Gareth Southgate lead the nominations for this year’s Olivier Awards.Sarah Jessica Parker, Sarah Snook and Nicole Scherzinger are among the 2024 nominees, along with James Norton, Andrew Scott and David Tennant. Singer and Pussycat Dolls star Scherzinger is in the running for her starring role in the revival of Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Sunset Boulevard, which leads the Olivier Awards charge with 11 nominations in total. Image: Nicole Scherzinger, pictured performing at the King’s Coronation, is nominated for her performance in Sunset Boulevard. Pic: PA Dear England, which tells…

The Treasury has been warned that new rules being introduced by the Bank of England will inhibit challenger banks’ ability to lend into the real economy and fuel a rebound from recession.Sky News understands that Bim Afolami, economic secretary to the Treasury, met a group of executives on Monday for talks about the regulatory obstacles standing in the way of growing their lending capacity at a crucial time for the UK economy. Among those who attended the meeting were TS Anil, the Monzo chief executive; Andy Golding, CEO of OneSavings Bank; Daniel Frumkin, chief executive of Metro Bank; and Declan…

YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul is taking on one of boxing’s greatest ever fighters this summer in former undisputed world champion Mike Tyson.The heavyweight bout is being labelled by some as Paul’s toughest test yet, despite the 30-year age gap between him and Tyson. Here’s everything you need to know about the hotly anticipated fight and how to watch.Who are the fighters?Jake Paul, 27, is an American YouTube star who made a name for himself on social media platform Vine. He made his professional boxing debut in 2020. His most high-profile fight so far was his clash with Tyson Fury’s brother Tommy…

Ian King speaks to the operations director at Manpower UK about the latest growth and earnings figures.Plus, we hear from the chief executive of the Competition and Markets Authority about how pet owners may be overpaying for medicines.And the boss of Genuit discusses how it’s looking to reduce the impact that Britain’s homes and built environment have on climate change.Listen and subscribe to The Ian King Business Podcast here. Source link

Lily Allen has said her two children “complete” her but having them “totally ruined” her music career.The British singer, 38, shares two daughters – 11-year-old Ethel Mary and nine-year-old Marnie Rose – with ex-husband Sam Cooper. When asked if she had to rethink her career after having her children, Allen jokingly said: “Yes, my children ruined my career.””I love them and they complete me, but in terms of popstardom, they totally ruined it,” she added, speaking on the Radio Times podcast. Image: Lily Allen with her two daughters Marnie and Ethel. Pic: PA Allen, who is the daughter of actor…

The FTSE-100 gambling group which owns Ladbrokes has hired bankers to prepare a sale of PartyPoker as it seeks to fend off activist investors by reinvigorating its core operations.Sky News has learnt that Entain is working with advisers from Oakvale Capital on a prospective sale of the online poker business. Industry sources who have been contacted about the sale said on Tuesday that they expected it to fetch around £150m.Its valuation represents a huge cut on the £5bn that PartyGaming, PartyPoker’s then parent, was worth on the day of its London flotation in 2005.The business, which has seen a mass…