Author: SKYNEWS

Planning permission will be needed to rent out a property for more than 90 nights, as part of new laws being introduced by government to clampdown on short-term, holiday lets. Future short-term lets, of the type popularised by Airbnb, will be subject to permission from local authorities, which the government hopes will give residents more say in their area and allow greater control of rental housing stock. Local authorities will also be empowered to remove permission for a property to be rented out for short periods of time to different people, usually on holiday, under proposals from the Department for…

A quasar 500 trillion times brighter than the sun has been discovered by astronomers who say it may be the brightest and “most violent” place in the universe.The huge black hole powering it is said to be between 17 and 19 billion times the mass of the sun and growing at the fastest rate ever seen. Quasars are the bright cores of ‘active galaxies’ – those that have supermassive black holes consuming huge amounts of matter.The record-breaking quasar, discovered by an Australian-led team, is swallowing the equivalent of a sun a day as it pulls in vast amounts of gas.The…

Having a child “feels like financial suicide” for parents, the head of a charity has said, after a study found more Britons are taking on debt to pay for childcare.Commissioned by campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed, the survey said almost half of parents of under-fives in England say they have taken financial blows as the cost of childcare bites. Speaking after the study was released, the charity’s founder Joeli Brearley said that as well as a cost of living crisis, “we’ve got a cost-of-working crisis that disproportionately impacts mothers”.She said many parents who want to have more children “cannot afford…

The organisers of the BAFTAs have defended the decision to omit Friends actor Matthew Perry from this year’s ‘in memoriam’ section and said he will be honoured at their TV awards instead.The British Academy of Film and Television Arts’ annual film awards took place in London on Sunday evening. Ted Lasso actress Hannah Waddingham performed a pared-back version of Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time as tributes to stars who have died in the past 12 months appeared on screen.The segment featured the likes of Mary Poppins star Glynis Johns, actress Jane Birkin, music legend Tina Turner and Dumbledore actor Michael…

Kemi Badenoch has said former Post Office chair Henry Staunton was being investigated over bullying allegations before his dismissal – as she accused him of seeking “revenge” against the government.The business secretary told the Commons that allegations regarding Mr Staunton’s conduct, including “serious matters such as bullying”, were being examined and concerns had also been raised about his “willingness to co-operate” with the formal investigation. Speaking in the Commons, Ms Badenoch said: “Mr Staunton claimed that I told him that someone’s got to take the rap for the Horizon scandal and that was the reason for his dismissal,” she said.…

A prominent US investor is among the parties being courted by Superdry’s founder as he assembles an offer to take the struggling fashion chain private.Sky News has learnt that Davidson Kempner, which has backed a number of UK retailers, is in discussions with Julian Dunkerton about backing an offer for Superdry. The talks are at a preliminary stage and there is no guarantee that Davidson Kempner will ultimately sign an agreement with Mr Dunkerton.Their discussions add the US investor, which has backed Jojo Maman Bebe and Oak Furnitureland, and previously held a slug of debt in New Look, to a…

Phillip Schofield paid a six-figure sum to a younger male colleague he had an affair with, it has emerged, as part of a deal including a non-disclosure agreement.The substantial payment covered the younger man’s legal costs and also included compensation for the loss of his job and home, lawyers for the TV presenter confirmed. The arrangement included a mutual non-disclosure agreement.Having hosted daytime show This Morning for more than 20 years, Schofield quit in May 2023 following reports of a fall-out with his co-star Holly Willoughby.A week later, he publicly admitted to an “unwise but not illegal” relationship with a…

Former Post Office chairman Henry Staunton said it is “pretty obvious what was really going on” after the government refuted his claims that he was told to stall compensation to Horizon scandal victims. In a new statement issued to Sky News, Mr Staunton insisted there was “no real movement” on the payouts until after the airing of ITV drama Mr Bates Vs the Post Office earlier this year. He said: “It was in the interests of the business as well as being fair for the postmasters that there was faster progress on exoneration and that compensation was more generous, but…

Ian King speaks to the business minister Kevin Hollinrake following new plans to crack down on companies that fire and rehire workers on less favourable terms.He’s also discussing Currys as shares surge after a Chinese e-commerce giant is confirmed as the latest would-be buyer.Plus the managing director of Wizz Air is on, as the company grows its fleet to 200, claiming its new aircraft makes it the youngest in Europe.:: Listen and subscribe to The Ian King Business Podcast here. Source link

Satellite images that can monitor the earth and measure climate risks such as flooding, famine, forest fires and detect hazardous pollutants in air and water can be invaluable to scientists, governments, and industry.This is exactly the data that Bengaluru based Pixxel Space provides to its clients. Its hyperspectral satellite cameras can detect invisible gas leaks, crop diseases and infestations, health of crops and soil, underground oil leaks, or the moisture content in a forest that could potentially light up.Awais Ahmed, 26, founder and chief executive, tells Sky News: “Human eyes can see things in the red, green and blue which…