Author: SKYNEWS

Shares in Facebook’s parent company Meta have soared after it was announced that dividends will be paid to investors for the first time.Stock in the tech giant surged by more than 15% – adding more than £110bn to its valuation. To put this into context, that rise alone is five times higher than the whole value of its rival Snap. Meta has been on a winning streak in recent weeks, hitting record highs for the first time in over two years, with its financial performance beating expectations in its latest results. Image: Reuters file pic Analysts say the company has…

Russell Brand has described the “appalling” allegations against him as “very, very hurtful” – as he again denied all wrongdoing.In September, the actor and comedian was accused of rape, assault and emotional abuse between 2006 and 2013, following a joint investigation by Channel 4 Dispatches, The Times and The Sunday Times. A documentary about the claims also included allegations of controlling, abusive and predatory behaviour. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:30 Brand says he’s ‘the victim of a conspiracy’ One of Brand’s accusers claimed she was 16 and still at school when they began a…

The conversation about rate cuts has now officially begun.For months, even as the market began to bet that the Bank of England would soon begin reducing the cost of borrowing, those in Threadneedle Street were adamant that the time for such conversations had not yet come. In the minutes alongside each of its decisions, the Bank dropped heavy hints that it was just as, if not more, likely that the next move in interest rates would be up rather than down.Follow live: Reaction to Bank of England decisionNow, everything has changed. Today we learnt that one of the nine members…

Meta Platforms and Amazon.com added a combined $280bn in stock market value after the tech giants reported impressive quarterly results.It wasn’t such good news for Apple whose value shrank by $70bn after its results. Meta’s stock surged over 14% to a record high $451 elevating its overall value by $148bn to $1.16trn after the Facebook owner declared its first-ever dividend.The figures come after a year that saw a boost in digital advertising as well cost-cutting and layoffs in what chief executive Mark Zuckerberg called the “year of efficiency”.”This was a pivotal year for our company. We increased our operating discipline,…

An eyewitness at the scene of the fatal shooting of Run-DMC star Jam Master Jay has identified the suspected gunman after 15 years of not being able to recognise him, as the defendant’s murder trial continues. The 37-year-old DJ, whose real name was Jason Mizell, was shot in the head in his New York recording studio in 2002. He was part of one of the best-known rap acts of the 1980s. Image: A mural of Jam Master Jay in Queens. Pic: AP Uriel “Tony” Rincon was in the studio when Mizell was killed. He was also wounded in the gunfire.On…

The average household water and sewerage bill in England and Wales is to go up by an average 6% from April to help unlock “record investment”, an industry group has announced.Water UK said the increases, equivalent to £27 a year, would leave households with an average annual bill of £473. The body said the increase, while down on the previous year’s hike, was needed to fund infrastructure improvements following a backlash over deliberate sewage discharges and poor water supply resilience.It announced in October last year that it was seeking permission for a much greater contribution from bill-payers over the second…

Eating kimchi every day could help people combat weight gain, research suggests.The Korean fermented cabbage and vegetable dish has been growing in popularity after studies suggested it may improve levels of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Now a new study has found cabbage kimchi may lower men’s risk of obesity, while kimchi made with radishes could help both men and women fight excess pounds.The research, published in the journal BMJ Open, examined data from 115,726 people aged 40 to 69 in Korea who were asked about their consumption of kimchi via food questionnaires.Men with a total intake of one to…

Alec Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter over the on-set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.Ms Hutchins was shot and killed during filming of the western movie Rust in New Mexico after a gun the actor was holding went off. Baldwin made the plea as he waived his right to an arraignment after he was indicted by a grand jury on 19 January, according to court documents.Baldwin was not present at the court.Waiving the right to an arraignment means the defendant does not have to appear in court to enter their plea, a lawyer can…

The governor of the Bank of England has told Sky News he expects the next interest rate move to be a cut.Andrew Bailey was speaking shortly after the Bank forecast that inflation could ease to its 2% target within a few months. However, it opted to hold borrowing costs at 5.25% for the fourth time in a row at its latest meeting.One member of the Bank’s rate-setting Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted for a cut in its base-level interest rate for the first time since the pandemic.Britain’s central bank signalled that it was now edging closer to reducing the rate,…

Robots said to be capable of natural conversations and understanding patient needs have been tested successfully in healthcare environments.The Spring (Socially Assistive Robots in Gerontological healthcare) units greeted patients, answered questions and gave directions during initial trials at Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris, in France. The robots, equipped with artificial intelligence, were also able to understand conversations involving multiple people at the same time.Researchers hope the robots – which also assist with routine tasks – can free up time for hospital staff as well as alleviate patient anxiety.Professor Anne-Sophie Rigaud, head of department at the hospital, said “older adults” valued…