Author: SKYNEWS

Wood Group, the London-listed oil sector engineer, is cutting hundreds of jobs nearly a year after talks about a takeover collapsed.Sky News understands that the company is expected to announce next week alongside its full-year results that it has launched a new cost efficiency programme that sources said would affect white-collar workers globally. One insider suggested that roughly 200 roles would be axed – a tiny proportion of its 36,000-strong workforce.Wood Group employs roughly 6,500 people in the UK – the majority of whom are based in Aberdeen.On Wednesday, the company denied a suggestion that Ken Gilmartin, its chief executive,…

Nominations for this year’s BAFTA TV Awards have been announced, with The Crown, Happy Valley and Black Mirror among the shows in the running for prizes.There are also international nods for Succession, The Bear and Beef, as well as nominations for news coverage for Sky News. Winners of this year’s BAFTA TV Awards will be announced at a ceremony hosted by Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett on 12 May.Read our story on this year’s nominations here, and scroll down for the full list of nominees.COMEDY ENTERTAINMENTThe Graham Norton Show – BBC OneLate Night Lycett – Channel 4Rob & Romesh Vs…

Tube services will be disrupted in April and May as drivers stage two 24-hour strikes.Drivers who are members of ASLEF, the train drivers’ union which represents 96% of train drivers in Britain, will walk out from their roles on the London Underground over pay and conditions. They will strike on:Monday 8 AprilSaturday 4 May Rail strikes also taking placeDrivers at 16 rail companies are also going to stage a fresh wave of strikes, plus a six-day overtime ban, their union ASLEF announced.Both strikes are part of a long-running dispute.The rail strikes will take place on: Friday 5 AprilStrikes will affect…

A new Banksy mural in north London has been defaced after appearing just days ago.The huge green painting on the side of a block of flats in Hornsey Road, near Finsbury Park, was first spotted on Sunday. A day later, the anonymous artist confirmed that he was behind the project.But photos show that just three days after it first appeared, white paint has been thrown over the mural.Two streaks appear to have been thrown over the green patches on the side of the building, meant to replicate the absent leaves of a nearby tree which has been cropped. Image: The…

Average private rents rose at their fastest annual pace last month since comparable records began in 2015, according to official UK figures.The data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed no let up in the surging costs faced by renters since 2022. It reported a leap of 9% over the 12 months to February in a provisional estimate, up from the 8.5% annual rate seen in January.The ONS said that average UK house prices decreased 0.6% in the 12 months to January, to £282,000, noting an easing in the pace of decline.Money latest: Reaction as UK inflation eases by…

The rate of inflation slowed sharply to an annual rate of 3.4% in February, according to official figures charting a big contribution from food costs.Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed an easing in the headline measure from the 4% rate recorded the previous month to a level last seen almost two-and-a-half years ago. It was led, the report said, by food prices being almost flat this year compared with a large rise last year, while restaurant and café price rises also slowed.Money latest: Reaction as UK inflation eases by more than expected”These falls were only partially offset…

A cure for HIV could be on the horizon after scientists eliminated the virus from cells in a laboratory.Using a gene-editing tool known as Crispr-Cas, researchers were able to target HIV DNA and remove all traces of the virus from infected cells. Working essentially as scissors, the Nobel Prize-winning technology can cut DNA at certain points, allowing unwanted genes to be deleted or new genetic material to be introduced into cells.The study authors said their aim is to develop a robust and safe Crispr-Cas regimen, “striving for an inclusive ‘HIV cure for all’ that can inactivate diverse HIV strains across…

Campaigners and MPs are calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the Loan Charge scandal – accusing HMRC of “airbrushing” its approach to a harsh tax crackdown linked to several suicides. The Loan Charge Action Group (LCAG) has hit out at the Treasury Committee after it wrote to the tax office requesting information on its approach to contractor loan schemes. These were widely – but wrongly – promoted by employers as HMRC compliant in the early 2000s, and tens of thousands of workers who signed up for them are now facing life-ruining bills for tax on their salaries which their employer…

Kris Jenner has paid tribute to her sister Karen Houghton, who has died “unexpectedly” at the age of 65.The Kardashian star shared the news in a post on social media, along with touching photos of her sibling over the years. Karen was Kris’s only sister and the two were known to have had a complicated relationship.In a tribute shared on Instagram, Kris, 68, said: “It is with the heaviest heart and deepest sadness that I share that my sister Karen passed away yesterday unexpectedly.”My heart aches for my mom MJ and my niece Natalie and I pray that God guides…

Hundreds of high street jobs are at risk after Ted Baker’s British operations veered to the brink of administration.Sky News has learnt that No Ordinary Designer Label, which trades under the Ted Baker brand, filed a notice of intention to appoint Teneo Financial Advisory as administrators on Tuesday. The move is expected to result in store closures and job losses, although the scale of both was unclear.Although jobs are at risk, no redundancies would be announced on day one of the insolvency process, according to a source.Money latest:The story of olive oil’s 110% price rise It comes roughly 18 months…