Author: SKYNEWS

Instagram, Facebook, Messenger and Threads suffered widespread problems on Tuesday afternoon, with users locked out of their accounts and pages failing to load properly. Facebook outages reported on Down Detector shot up just before 3pm, with more than 300,000 problems logged. More than 25,000 Instagram outages were also reported via the website, which collates status reports from several sources, including users.Problems on Facebook left some users unable to login, while others were logged out and unable to reset their passwords or access their accounts.Meanwhile, Instagram users struggled to load timelines, stories and comments. The social media platforms were back up and…

The advertising watchdog has reversed its ruling that a Calvin Klein poster presented musician FKA Twigs as a “stereotypical sexual object”.The advert was banned in January after the Advertising Standards Authority received two complaints that the image used was “overly sexualised” and objectified women. But this week, it said the decision had been reviewed due to “our concern that our rationale for banning the ad was substantially flawed”.”After careful thought, our council, the independent jury that decides whether UK ads break the rules, considers that the image was not sexually explicit, that the ad presented FKA twigs as confident and…

Ian King talks to Karen Johnson, from Barclays, about consumer card spending which grew just 1.9% year-on-year in February.Helen Qiao, from Bank of America Global Research, comes on to discuss China’s growth target.And Guy Gittins, from Foxtons, talks to Ian about profits at the estate agent.:: Listen and subscribe to The Ian King Business Podcast here. Source link

The value of the best-known cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, has reached a new high. For the first time ever one Bitcoin bought $69,202, surpassing the previous high just below $69,000 recorded in November 2021. It comes, as the previous high did, as a ‘halving’ event approaches, whereby Bitcoin production is cut by 50%.A recent boost for the digital asset also came in January as a new product was launched that allows people to track the value of Bitcoin without owning it, something known as an exchange-traded fund (ETF).The next halving occurs on 19 April. The volatile cryptocurrency has crashed from the previous…

JK Rowling has been labelled a “transphobe” for her “grotesque” views on trans rights after she deliberately misgendered Britain’s first transgender newsreader, India Willoughby.The Harry Potter author has been widely condemned in recent years for her views on transgender rights, having claimed that she would rather go to jail than refer to a trans person by their preferred pronouns. On Sunday, Rowling posted several comments on X complaining about trans women being allowed in female locker rooms.When another X user sent her a video of Willoughby, asking if she thought “this lady should use the men’s locker room?”, Rowling replied:…

The businessman behind Britain’s biggest poultry empire is shaking up its leadership team by recruiting a former Starbucks executive as its new finance chief.Sky News understands Nigel Williams, who most recently worked at Australia’s Collins Foods, will become the group chief financial officer of Boparan Holdings in the spring. He will replace Craig Tomkinson, who has held the role for the last six years.The handover will come ahead of a major refinancing at the company, which owns 2 Sisters Food Group, one of Britain’s biggest privately owned food companies.Money latest: How much would 2p national insurance cut affect your take-home…

She is one of the greatest songwriters of her generation – so it should come as no surprise to hear that Taylor Swift’s way with words appears to be in her blood.Genealogy company Ancestry has found that the star, who is currently touring the world and made history at the Grammys last month, is related to 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson. As revealed to NBC’s Today show, a Sky News US affiliate, the two women are sixth cousins, three times removed.With Swift’s upcoming album titled The Tortured Poets Department, it seems pretty apt.”Swift and Dickinson both descend from a…

The chief executive of Marks & Spencer (M&S) has described operating under the current government as “like running up a downwards escalator with a rucksack on your back”.Writing on his LinkedIn account, Stuart Machin appealed to the chancellor to take three steps to help the retail sector in Wednesday’s budget, describing planned increases to business rates as “economically illiterate”. Money blog: How much would 2p national insurance cut change your take-home pay?He argued the industry’s tax burden was unfair at a time when consumer demand continues to be constrained by the effects of the evolving cost of living crisis and…

Baywatch is set to return to screens in a reboot 25 years after the original show last aired, according to reports.The show following a group of Los Angeles lifeguards became one of the most watched series in the world over 11 seasons between 1989 and 1999. Fremantle, the company that owns the rights, appeared to confirm a remake will broadcast on Fox after sharing an article announcing the plans on X.Written by showrunner Lara Olsen, the reboot will reportedly retain the same team of producers from the original – but it isn’t clear if fans will get to see some…

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has hinted that cuts to public services may be used to pay for an election-year reduction in taxes.On the Politics at Jack and Sam’s podcast, it was revealed Mr Hunt was considering a last minute further cut to public spending to boost the tax giveaway in the spring budget. Mr Hunt is set to deliver the 2024 Budget at Wednesday lunchtime. The government is using the fiscal event to try and win back voters ahead of the general election expected to take place later this year. Spreaker This content is provided by Spreaker, which may be using…