Author: SKYNEWS

Diageo, the FTSE-100 alcoholic beverages giant, is exploring the sale of a trio of non-core brands including Pimm’s, the quintessentially English drink.Sky News has learnt that the company has hired bankers at Rothschild to explore whether to sell Pimm’s, which it acquired in 1997 as part of the tie-up between Grand Metropolitan and Guinness plc which led to the formation of Diageo. The process is at a very early stage, and may not lead to the British-based company offloading the Pimm’s business, one insider said on Thursday.Long-known for its slogan ‘Anyone for Pimm’s?’, buoyed by the brand’s association with the…

Overturning the convictions of guilty sub-postmasters to exonerate all those unfairly prosecuted due to the Horizon scandal is a “price worth paying”, according to the government.The Horizon scandal has been called one of the largest miscarriages of justice in British history, after thousands were prosecuted and accused of stealing money, due to the faulty Horizon software developed by Fujitsu. Under new legislation, the government says it will “quash all convictions which are identified as being in scope”.The Post Office minister said that possibly exonerating people guilty of crimes is a “price worth paying” to ensure innocent people are cleared.The aim…

Brain fog suffered by those with long COVID could be caused by leaky blood vessels, new research shows.Scientists hold that catching coronavirus caused disruption in the blood-brain barrier of some victims, which they suggested could cause the cognitive issues seen in those battling the condition, Researchers from Trinity College Dublin and from research centre FutureNeuro analysed serum and plasma samples from 76 patients who were hospitalised with coronaviurus in March or April 2020, as well as from 25 people before the pandemic.Their findings, published in Nature Neuroscience, showed that those with long COVID who had leaks in the blood-brain barrier…

Lloyds Banking Group has revealed record annual profits but also a provision of £450m to cover potential costs from a regulatory probe into car loan practices.Britain’s biggest mortgage lender, whose brands include Bank of Scotland and Halifax, reported a pre-tax profit for 2023 of £7.5bn. That was more than 50% up on the previous 12 months.Lloyds credited higher interest rates, mostly a consequence of Bank of England action to tackle inflation, for the jump in income.The profit figure came in above market expectations for £7.4bn. Money latest: Potato shortage fearLloyds rewarded shareholders with a final dividend of 1.84 pence per…

Employers could be sued if they do not make “reasonable adjustments” for menopausal women in the workplace, the equalities watchdog has said.New guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) clarifies employers’ legal obligations to menopausal women and encourages them to “adapt their policies and practices accordingly”. It recommends that bosses consider things such as room temperature and ventilation as well as providing rest areas or quiet rooms for women experiencing hot flushes.Flexible working should be considered, including being allowed to work from home, and start and finish times should be varied if a woman has had a bad…

Louis Theroux has paid tribute to American porn star Kagney Linn Karter, who took her own life at the age of 36.The adult star was found dead in her Ohio home by her mother on Thursday 15 February, Parma Police Department told TMZ.Parma PD is continuing to investigate but has found “no sign of foul play” related to Karter’s death, TMZ added.Journalist Louis Theroux, who interviewed Karter in 2012 for a documentary, paid tribute to the porn star on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday, saying she was “kind and thoughtful and v [sic] honest”.”My thoughts are with her friends and…

The UK is withdrawing from a controversial treaty that allows fossil fuel giants to sue governments over their climate policies.The decision comes after campaigning and pressure by green groups and follows similar moves by Spain, France, Germany and the Netherlands. The government said the UK was withdrawing from the Energy Charter Treaty after attempts to modernise it had ended in stalemate.It enables foreign companies to challenge energy policies that threaten their investments, using secretive arbitration courts.The treaty was set up in the 1990s when energy systems were more reliant on fossil fuels, and was designed to encourage international energy investment.…

Russia has pulled out of a long-standing deal with the UK – putting fish and chips at risk.A 1956 agreement that allows British boats to fish in the Barents Sea has been ripped up, in the latest sign of growing tensions between Moscow and the West. War latest: Biden brands Putin ‘crazy SOB’ Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:07 Flowers marking Navalny death removed The fishing deal was signed by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, but Russian politicians have now claimed it was never in the national interest.Parliamentary speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said: “The British need to…

Vauxhall’s parent company has secured the future for its Luton plant but demanded more government aid to help drive the transition to electric vehicles.Stellantis confirmed on Thursday the Bedfordshire site will produce “limited” volumes of electric vans for five of its group brands from 2025. They would include the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric, Peugeot E-Expert and Fiat Professional E-Scudo in both right and left-hand drive versions, it said.The company added Luton, which has produced vans for 92 years, would also continue to manufacture some combustion engine-powered models.Money latest:Potato shortage fear as supermarket spuds up more than 20% in a month Business…

Aldi has revealed a big step up in its recruitment plans for 2024 through the creation of 5,500 new jobs.The German-owned discounter had initially announced the creation of 1,500 jobs but said on Wednesday that the figure was being expanded to cover roles across the business. Aldi, which is now Britain’s fourth-largest supermarket chain after overtaking Morrisons in market share terms last year, said it is seeking store assistants, managers and cleaners at new stores opening this year.The company is also recruiting across its 11 regional distribution centres and within its head office.Money latest: Stop putting your wet iPhone in…