Hand sanitisers are in and white chocolate bars are out as the basket of goods and services used to calculate inflation undergoes its latest reshuffle. The impact of the pandemic on consumer habits is apparent in the announcement from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which also sees casual clothing and home exercise equipment added.
Business
Ilyanne Morden Kichaven, executive director of SAG-AFTRA’s Los Angeles local, is retiring after more than 20 years of service to the union. Kichaven, whose last day on the job will be March 19, got a heartfelt sendoff at the local’s membership meeting on Saturday. She’ll be succeeded on an interim basis by Serena Kung, the
An online platform that connects entrepreneurs to internationally renowned figures in fields such as business, sport and politics is seeking £20m to finance its global expansion. Sky News understands that Vintro, which counts former chancellor Lord Hammond among its advisory board members, has embarked on a funding round that is expected to close in the
UPDATE: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has released the latest data on Covid-19 on Sunday, reporting 28 new deaths and 644 new positive cases. The latest numbers show that hospitalizations are continuing to fall but also, the case numbers and deaths reported today may reflect delays in weekend reporting. The new data bring the
Marvelous Marvin Hagler died Saturday, his wife confirmed today, on his Facebook fan page. The iconic middleweight boxer and actor was 66. “Today unfortunately my beloved husband Marvelous Marvin passed away unexpectedly at his home here in New Hampshire,” wrote Kay G. Hagler. “Our family requests that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.”
Bitcoin has surged to a new all-time high – with prices breaking £44,000 for the first time. Saturday’s spike came exactly one year after the volatile cryptocurrency lost 50% of its value in the space of two days and fell to £2,873. It has risen 1,431% in the past 12 months. Bitcoin now finds itself
Selection Sunday, when the teams playing in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament are announced, returns to its usual CBS timeslot this weekend. A year ago, the sudden cancellation of the tournament left a yawning void in the sports and cultural calendar. The demise of March Madness in 2020 ranks as one of the most jarring
Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Airways is in talks with shareholders and creditors about a further £160m support package just six months after securing a £1.2bn rescue deal. Sky News has learnt that the billionaire tycoon’s flagship company is this weekend close to finalising the new funding, which will include a £100m loan from his
UPDATED: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) called Friday evening for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign, the highest profile calls yet for the embattled governor to step down – something he insisted earlier in the day he has no intention of doing but will wait for the results
Nearly 50,000 businesses have signed up for the government’s free workplace COVID tests, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced. The government claims this is a vital step towards restoring normal life after the pandemic. Tests can give a result within 30 minutes – and NHS Test and Trace analysis suggests they have a specificity of
The WGA West says it’s seen an “uptick” in violations of its series TV contracts during the pandemic by companies trying to cut costs at the expense of their writers. “As the industry adapts to production during the pandemic, some employers have tried to circumvent key aspects of writers’ pilot and series services deals,” the
The owner of All Bar One is facing a shareholder revolt over plans to bolster the guaranteed pay awards of its top executives amid a broader firestorm over corporate governance at the company. Sky News understands that several major institutional investors are planning to oppose Mitchells & Butlers’ (M&B) remuneration policy because it plans to
UPDATE: The New York State Assembly said Thursday will start an impeachment investigation into embattled New York Governor Andrew Cuomo over a half dozen reports of alleged sexual harassment and a controversy over nursing home deaths. The Democratic-controlled Assembly said its judiciary committee will be given broad authority to investigate the allegations of inappropriate behavior
The UK economy rediscovered a reverse gear in January as renewed coronavirus lockdowns and Brexit hit activity, according to official figures. The initial estimate of a 2.9% contraction in gross domestic product (GDP) compared to the previous month, from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), was better than the figure of nearer 5% expected by
ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish said the company anticipates its U.S. employees will have the option of returning to their offices starting after the July 4th weekend, at the earliest. With the virus in retreat and vaccines ramping up, companies have begun to put a timeline on restarting in person. In a memo to staffers Thursday,
The government has delayed bringing in a range of post-Brexit checks on EU imports by around six months – a change that one business group described as coming “in the nick of time”. Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said the government had been confident of being ready but listened to firms who said they needed
When it comes to diversity, inclusion and representation, Hollywood is far from where it needs to be, but we are seeing progress. However, there are many blind spots that have been overlooked and cracks in the foundation that are growing bigger and bigger each day. If it doesn’t fix them, the industry will have more
The John Lewis Partnership has revealed it does not expect to reopen all its department stores as coronavirus lockdowns are eased. The company, which also includes the Waitrose supermarket chain in its stable, announced last year that it would not pay a bonus to its staff – known as partners – for the first time
EXCLUSIVE: BrickHouse Talent is bolstering diversity and inclusion in the industry by launching the first agency division to represent culture and inclusivity advisors on set and in the writers’ room. The news comes after filmmakers and studios have recently doubled down on efforts to authentically depict people of color, dramatically changing the industry in front of
A ban on evicting businesses has been extended to the end of June – but a property industry body said it was a “scandal” that some are not paying rent even though they can afford it. The government said a moratorium on landlords kicking firms out of their premises, due to expire at the end