Author: SKYNEWS

First-time mothers battling apocalyptic flooding – it’s a storyline we’d like to confine to the realms of fantasy drama – but the author of The End We Start From says it’s a case of fiction becoming reality.Megan Hunter tells Sky News: “It was the dystopian future novel. But now when people talk about the film, they talk about the present moment. It doesn’t really feel so future-orientated anymore unfortunately, it feels more relevant in a directly contemporary way.” The novel, which she wrote in 2017, has been made into a film starring Jodie Comer as the nameless female protagonist fighting…

A promise by the incoming National Lottery operator to slash the price of a ticket from £2 to £1 is under review.Allwyn has also said delayed plans for new draw-based games will impact sales and the amount of money it can give to good causes in the early part of its 10-year licence. The holdup has been blamed on legal wrangling over the handover.Money latest: Hint UK rental market is about to changeIt comes as Allwyn prepares to take over the running of the lottery on 1 February, replacing Camelot. The firm’s recently appointed UK boss Andria Vidler has said…

A Gustav Klimt painting thought to have vanished for almost a century has been found in Vienna.The painting, titled Portrait of Fraulein Lieser, is one of the last works by the world-renowned artist. The painting was considered lost for about 100 years – until it resurfaced in the private collection of an Austrian.According to Austrian media reports, the artwork was last seen in public in 1925 and was previously only known to experts through a black and white photograph.Its whereabouts had remained a mystery since then – until it was discovered on the wall of a family villa near Vienna.…

A US-based buyout firm has made a takeover approach for Serco, the FTSE-250 company that ranks among the British government’s most significant contractors.Sky News has learnt that American Industrial Partners (AIP) contacted Serco late last year about a potential bid for the company. The two sides are said to have engaged with one another, although it was unclear whether AIP had lodged a firm takeover proposal during their discussions.Money latest: £1 lottery ticket promise in doubtA person close to Serco insisted on Friday that there were no longer any active talks between them. Serco, which has a market capitalisation of…

If you’re a Traitors fan screaming at the TV telling faithful contestants they’re stupid for trusting the enemy – scientists have news for you. The process of how we judge trustworthiness in social situations is different to what was once thought, they say – and can be misleading. Researchers at the University of Aberdeen say their findings could reveal why the traitors are proving so elusive.In the game, the faithful players must try to eliminate the traitors, while the traitors try to evade detection and pick off the faithful. And all the while, every player is trying to convince the others…

Channel 4 will announce plans this week for deeper-than-expected job cuts amid a steep downturn in the broadcast advertising market.Sky News has learnt that the state-owned broadcaster will say on Monday that it is cutting nearly 250 roles, a figure equating to just over 15% of its full-time workforce of more than 1,300 people. Industry sources said this weekend that while the number of people being made redundant would be approximately 200, in line with earlier reports of the cost-cutting, close to an additional 50 roles were also being axed by chief executive Alex Mahon.It is expected to be the…

An episode of Dragon’s Den that led to complaints that it promoted “unfounded” claims about the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome, has been edited and restored to the iPlayer after being pulled from the platform, the BBC has said.A statement on the corporation’s website, said “a clarification has been added to the programme on the streaming platform to address the concerns raised.” A text message appears on screen during the show, as businesswoman Giselle Boxer pitches her Acu Seeds business, which reads: “Acu Seeds are not intended as a cure for any medical condition and advice should always be sought…

The government’s plan to drill for more oil and gas in the North Sea passed its first major hurdle in the Commons this week.But will it, as the government claims, deliver energy security and protect the jobs we need to help drive a transition to a low-carbon economy? Or are the Petroleum Licencing Bill’s many critics correct in that it’s just a short-term political move to secure votes among those sceptical of the costs of net zero and one that could end up making the transition harder and more expensive?On the face of it, the government’s argument makes sense.Nearly 80%…

Two men are due to go on trial over the killing of Run DMC star Jam Master Jay more than 20 years ago.The DJ was shot in his recording studio in 2002 in one of New York City’s most notorious unsolved cases. It took until 2020 for two men to be charged. A third was arrested and charged in 2023.Here is what you need to know about the trial – and what happened back in 2002.Who was Jam Master Jay – and what happened to him?The musician, whose real name was Jason Mizell, was the DJ for the hip-hop group…

The business secretary has said she “felt there was a need for new leadership” at the Post Office as it was announced its chairman is being forced out of the role.Henry Staunton has stepped down amid ongoing tensions with the government in the wake of the Horizon IT scandal. An interim will be appointed “shortly”, the Department for Business and Trade said. Image: Henry Staunton Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said: “The Post Office is rightfully under a heightened level of scrutiny at this time.”With that in mind, I felt there was a need for new leadership, and we have parted…