Author: SKYNEWS

House prices in Huddersfield grew at the fastest rate in the UK in the last year – despite a nationwide downturn – according to a report.It was one of the locations bucking the national trend, according to the Halifax House Price Trends report, as homes in the West Yorkshire town went for 8.7% more – equating to an extra £22,137 – in the year up to October compared to a year earlier. Houses in Bradford were also more expensive, up by 8.5% – an extra £15,183 for buyers.While the percentage increase was lower, the biggest monetary increase in the price…

A jab to combat a common seasonal virus among babies could reduce hospital admissions by more than 80%, a trial has shown.Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) impacts 90% of children before they reach the age of two, often causing a mild cold-like illness. But infection can also lead to severe lung problems like pneumonia, and an estimated 30,000 babies and youngsters are admitted to hospital in the UK each year – putting extra pressure on the NHS.Scientists have said the antibody treatment called nirsevimab could offer a solution after a study suggested a single shot provided immediate protection against chest infections…

Cher has filed for a conservatorship of her youngest son over fears he can’t be trusted with his own money, according to reports.In legal documents seen by the New York Post and celeb news site TMZ, the pop icon suggests Elijah Blue Allman is “substantially unable to manage his own financial resources”. According to TMZ, the 47-year-old is entitled to regular payments from a trust set up by his late father and singer Gregg Allman, of the Allman Brothers Band.Cher, who was married to Allman from 1975 to 1979, is said to fear he will spend all of his money…

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has contacted fans directly for the first time since agreeing to buy a 25% stake in Manchester United, calling for “time and patience”.After more than a year of exploring so-called “strategic alternatives” – including investment or a sale – the club’s deeply unpopular owners, the Glazer family, reached a deal with Sir Jim, chairman of INEOS, for £1.25bn. INEOS will take over the management of United’s football operations, with the firm’s director of sport, Sir Dave Brailsford, watching the side’s match against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Tuesday.Sir Jim has now written to the Manchester United…

Kamar de los Reyes, a TV, movie and voice actor best known for playing a villain in the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops II, has died in Los Angeles aged 56, his family has said.De los Reyes died on Christmas Eve following a short battle with cancer, Lisa Goldberg, a publicist for his wife, Sherri Saum, said in a statement. As well as his work on the game popularly known as “COD”, he also appeared in a ground-breaking soap opera and in movies alongside Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez. Image: Kamar de los Reyes with his wife Sherri…

The cost of shipping goods has increased by 45% in the past week as major companies paused activity in the Red Sea global supply artery and chose diversions that can add an extra two weeks to journey times.The most widely used measure of freight cost, the Shanghai Containerised Freight Index (SCFI), rose by almost half to $1,497 (£1,177) per container from last Friday, according to data given to Sky News by global logistics company, DSV.The SCFI measures the average cost of a 20ft-long container being shipped from Shanghai to Europe. Last week that cost was $1,029 (£809). There are also…

Former Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse has given birth to her first child.The 33-year-old professional dancer posted a picture of herself, her husband, and her newborn on Instagram on Christmas Day. “Merry Christmas. Wishing you all a wonderful festive season and special memories with loved ones,” the caption read.She announced she was expecting a child with her husband Marius Lepure in August.Mabuse had previously said they stopped trying to conceive because it “just got too much”. Image: Mabuse at the BAFTAs this year. Pic: AP She met her Lepure when they became dance partners after she left South Africa…

The UK economy has performed worse than previously thought and below the expectations of economists, new official figures show, meaning the country has taken the first step towards recession.There’s been a downward revision to GDP, a key measure of economic growth, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Friday morning. Rather than remaining stagnant, as first thought, the economy contracted 0.1% in the three months from July to September.Economists had been expecting growth of 0.2%.A country is technically in recession after two three-month periods of a shrinking economy. If the final data for the fourth quarter of 2023, from…

A man who had heartburn that was so severe he would sometimes regurgitate his food has finally been cured with a “revolutionary” new surgical procedure.Jeff Cohen had trouble swallowing more than a mouthful or two because acid had been rising up from his stomach for so long that it impaired the normal muscle contractions in his oesophagus, or gullet. He told Sky News that it made eating, particularly in public, unpleasant.”It would sit there, heavy in my chest, like a blockage,” he said.”But now I can eat without having to worry. The food goes straight down, like normal.” Read more:Turmeric…