Around 15 million families will see their energy bills soar by up to £139 after the regulator hiked the price cap by the biggest increase yet. The sharp rise, which will impact half the population, is driven by a rise of more than 50% in wholesale fuel costs over the last six months with gas
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Los Angeles reported the second-highest number of new Covid cases — 3672 — since February 2 of this year, but public health officials expressed optimism on Thursday that the county may be seeing a plateau. The 7-day test positivity rate — seen as an important measure of infection spread — actually fell considerably in the
The Bank of England has warned inflation will increase further this year to double the target rate, but insisted rising prices will only be temporary as it kept interest rates on hold. The monetary policy committee (MPC) also kept in place measures to support the economy, despite some calls for them to be cut to cool
EXCLUSIVE: Pluto TV, which was founded in 2014, has become a $1 billion-a-year business a year ahead of schedule. The free streaming service’s parent company, ViacomCBS, confirmed the annual revenue milestone during its second-quarter earnings call with analysts. CEO Bob Bakish had previously signaled the billion-dollar mark would be hit in 2022. Viacom acquired Pluto
Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley is to step down as head of his retail empire and hand the baton to his prospective son-in-law, it has been announced. The tycoon confirmed plans he will leave his role as chief executive of Frasers Group next year, as the business revealed its latest full-year trading figures. Mr Ashley
Original Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, age 80, is dropping out of the group’s upcoming US tour to further his recovery from an unspecified medical procedure. Watts will be replace by Steve Jordan, who has appeared on several Keith Richards solo recordings and as part of his X-Pensive Winos band. Jordan was also a member
Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak will on Thursday challenge UK-based investors to invest in more “British success stories” in order to fuel the economy’s post-pandemic recovery. Sky News has learnt that the prime minister and chancellor will issue a joint rallying cry aimed at “igniting an Investment Big Bang” that would “unlock the hundreds of
EXCLUSIVE: Former eOne Asia Pacific boss Troy Lum is officially launching new Australia-New Zealand distributor Kismet, with a slate of projects including Cannes hits and pre-sale titles. Kismet is headed by Lum, founder of local indie Hopscotch, and Jason Hernandez, former Head of Theatrical Distribution at eOne Australia and New Zealand. As previously noted out
Millions of motorists are being hit in the pocket as petrol prices reach an eight year high after nine successive months of hikes, latest RAC figures show. And the cost at the pump is only set to rise further, warns the motoring organisation, with demand for oil outstripping supply amid the continuing global recovery from
In the earliest days of the Covid-19 pandemic, nursing homes were ravaged by the virus as it spread among staff and closely grouped elderly people with compromised immune systems. Those communities were prioritized once vaccines came along, and infections dropped markedly there. No more. With the high level of Covid spread occurring across Los Angeles,
A UK businessman with precious stock on the container ship Ever Given has spoken of his relief that the ship has finally arrived in the UK, four months later than scheduled. The vessel, one of the largest of its kind in the world, docked at Felixstowe to offload cargo following one of the most extraordinary
Advertising rebounded strongly in the second quarter, enabling Discovery Communications to easily beat Wall Street’s estimates. Total revenue climbed 21% over the prior-year quarter, reaching $3.06 billion, as earnings per share hit $1.01. Analysts had expected revenue of $2.97 billion and earnings of 85 cents. Ad revenue in the U.S. rose 12% and the company
Young people benefit from being in the office, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said, as he highlighted its positive influence on his own early career. Stressing the value of being physically in the workplace, the cabinet minister doubted he would have forged the links with mentors who had helped him if he had relied on Teams
EXCLUSIVE: When Covid vaccines became widely available in the U.S. a few months ago, studios, talent agencies, management companies, law offices and publicity firms optimistically embraced the notion that the offices shuttered 16 months ago would be filled with employees again right after Labor Day. Now that the Delta variant has created alarming numbers of virus
Fewer contacts of people with coronavirus will be told to isolate by the NHS COVID-19 app after an update today. The “logic” which underpins how close contacts are identified and notified will be changed following a review into the NHS COVID-19 app by the health secretary, the Department for Health and Social Care says. Live
Institutional investment firm Blackstone and real estate outfit Hudson Pacific Properties are planning a $1BN film and TV studio development in the UK’s Hertfordshire. The project is an expansion of the companies’ existing facility, California’s Sunset Studios, which has housed shoots including La La Land and Fresh Prince of Bel Air. The partners have purchased
Defence and aerospace technology firm Meggitt has agreed a £6.3bn takeover deal by US firm Parker-Hannifin. The FTSE 250 company confirmed an offer from the US engineering technology giant valuing Meggitt at 800p per share. It said the move represents a 70% premium on the share value of the company at the end of trading
With the rise of the coronavirus Delta variant, Dr. Anthony Fauci went on ABC’s This Week to discuss what that means for Americans and whether or not we will see more lockdowns. “I don’t think we’re going to see lockdowns,” Fauci said. “I think we have enough of the percentage of people in the country
A former Unilever executive is being lined up to take the helm of the Whitehall agency which oversees taxpayers’ interests in businesses including the Post Office, NatWest Group and Channel 4. Sky News has learnt that Vindi Banga, who sits on the board of GlaxoSmithKline and chairs the cancer charity Marie Curie, is expected to
Dancing with the Stars alum Hayes Grier was arrested in Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday, on charges of assault causing serious bodily injury, common law robbery and felony conspiracy, according to police records. Hayes was booked into Mecklenburg County Jail yesterday at 4:17 PM EST. The 21-year-old was released at midnight after posting bond and