Author: SKYNEWS

The National Trust says it has taken down a piece of art featuring JK Rowling’s name after it was “tampered with by a member of the public”.It has urged people “not to damage or tamper with artworks” once they are finished and on public display. Between April and November last year, visitors to Derbyshire’s Hardwick Hall were invited to nominate a “contemporary Virtuous Woman”, whose name was then sewn into the fabric, before it was put on public show in February.Until recently, the artwork, A Virtuous Woman, has continued to be on display, featuring the Harry Potter author’s name, which…

Every Thursday, our Money blog team interviews chefs from around the UK, hearing about their cheap food hacks and more. This week, we chat to Ryan Honey, head chef at The Duke in Henley-on-Thames.The best chef in the UK is… Mark Birchall at Moor Hall, hands down. The guy has just bagged three Michelin stars, and if that doesn’t make him the best in the country right now, I don’t know what does.His food is next-level, the kind of stuff that makes chefs jealous.If you’re not dreaming of eating at Moor Hall, are you even serious about food? Check today’s…

Meta and search engine company Yandex have been “covertly tracking” Android users in the background of their devices, according to experts.Academics at the Radboud University in the Netherlands and IMDEA Networks said they discovered Meta and Yandex have been tracking Android users’ browser activity without their consent and then using the data in their apps. Meta said it was looking into the issue, while Yandex denied collecting any sensitive data.Gunes Acar, assistant professor at Radboud University, said the “covert” data collection was spotted in January.He said he discovered Meta’s apps, including Facebook and Instagram, and Yandex’s apps, such as Yandex…

Schroders has stepped back from a key financial sector taskforce led by the London Stock Exchange, even as the asset manager’s chair joins the board of the bourse’s parent company.Sky News has learnt that Schroders has downgraded its involvement in the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce (CMIT), which was established in 2022, following the recent change of leadership at the company. Sources said that while former Schroders chief executive Peter Harrison remained on CMIT’s board in a personal capacity, his successor, Richard Oldfield, was unconvinced that its priorities and those of CMIT were aligned.Money latest: Nearly half of landlords to raise…

A foot scanner that uses AI to recognise the warning signs of heart failure could be used at home to keep people out of hospital, researchers have said.The device takes and analyses almost 2,000 pictures a minute, in a similar manner to facial recognition, to calculate the level of fluid in the feet and ankles. Such water retention, known as oedema, is one of three major warning signs heart failure is becoming more severe and potentially life threatening.The AI scanner is roughly the size of a smart speaker and can alert healthcare professionals so they can take action, such as…

An actor who appeared in animated series King Of The Hill and hit show Parks And Recreation has been shot dead near his home.Jonathan Joss, 59, was found injured by police in San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday evening. Officers tried to save him but he was pronounced dead at the scene.The actor’s husband claimed the gunman shouted “violent homophobic slurs” before opening fire, and that Joss had pushed him out the way to save his life.”He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other,” alleged Tristan Kern de Gonzales on Facebook. He…

The investment giant lined up to rescue Thames Water abandoned its offer days after talks took place involving one of its co-founders and Downing Street officials.Sky News has learnt that Henry Kravis, one of the architects of KKR’s ascent to becoming one of the world’s most powerful investors, discussed its plan to bail out Britain’s biggest water company with Varun Chandra, Sir Keir Starmer’s top business adviser, over the weekend. Sources close to the now-abandoned deal said the call between the pair had been organised following a request from Thames Water and its advisers at Rothschild.Money latest: Capital gains tax…

The UK has had its warmest spring on record – and its driest for 50 years, the Met Office has said.Provisional figures showed spring temperatures surpassed the long-term average by 1.4C – with a mean temperature of 9.5C (49.1F). That beat the previous warmest spring recorded in 2024. Temperature records were broken in all four nations in the UK – with 1.64C above the long-term average in Northern Ireland, 1.56C above average in Scotland, 1.39C in Wales and 1.35C in England.In records dating back to 1884, the Met Office said eight of the 10 warmest springs had occurred since 2000…

Race Across The World contestant Sam Gardiner has died at the age of 24 in a car crash, his family has said.In a statement, his mother Jo – who appeared on the 2019 series with him – and his father Andrew said: “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved son Sam in a terrible accident.”Sam left us far too soon, and whilst words will never fully capture the light, joy and energy he brought into our lives, we hold on to the memories that made him so special.”Sam was adored by his family. As a son, brother and…

A federal appeals court has ruled that Donald Trump’s sweeping international tariffs can remain in place for now, a day after three judges ruled the president exceeded his authority.The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) has allowed the president to temporarily continue collecting tariffs under emergency legislation while it considers the government’s appeal. It comes after the Court of International Trade blocked the additional taxes on foreign-made goods after its three-judge panel ruled that the Constitution gives Congress the power to levy taxes and tariffs – not the president.The judges also ruled Mr Trump exceeded his authority by…