Major high street outlets performed better than expected over the Christmas period and Next increased its profit outlook as a result, painting a positive picture for retail. Sales were up nearly 5% at Next in the nine weeks to 30 December on the same period in 2021, far outpacing the 2% reduction the retailer had
Month: January 2023
Eight people – five of them children – have been found dead from gunshot wounds at a home in southwestern Utah, authorities said. The bodies were discovered when police officers carried out a welfare check at the property in the small town of Enoch. There are no suspects at large or threats to the public,
Amazon has announced that it is cutting 18,000 jobs – the biggest round of layoffs in the company’s history. In a note to employees, CEO Andy Jassy confirmed that the e-commerce giant’s brick-and-mortar stores – including Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go – will be especially impacted by the cuts. Those working in human resources may
Prince Harry reportedly claims he was physically attacked by his brother William during a row over his marriage to Meghan Markle. The Guardian has obtained a copy of Spare – the Duke of Sussex’s highly anticipated book – days before it was due to hit the shelves. In a leaked extract, it is alleged that
He made history during his life and now Pope Benedict XVI will do so in death. For the first time in many hundreds of years, the Vatican will hold a funeral service for a former pope, presided over by the present Pope. The service will begin in the morning, after three days in which Benedict’s
The US House of Representatives has adjourned after six votes over two days failed to produce a new speaker. The lower house must elect a new leader after the Republicans took control of it in the midterm elections in November, securing a slim 222-212 majority. In a second day of voting on Wednesday, representatives failed
Billie Eilish has said she felt like her body was “gaslighting” her, as she reflected on her struggles with injuries she suffered as a teenager. The 21-year-old pop sensation sustained a hip injury aged 13 and after subsequent lower body injuries, she was diagnosed with hypermobility. Eilish spoke about how her relationship with her body
A man who stabbed a mother of three to death in a “brutal and relentless” attack in her home less than a week after their relationship ended has been jailed for life. John Jessop, 26, cycled 17 miles to the home of Clair Ablewhite, 47, and murdered her last February. He stopped to buy a
Sir Keir Starmer will promise to end “sticking plaster politics” when he delivers his first speech of the new year. The Labour leader will claim on Thursday that “a short-term mindset” dominates Westminster under the Conservatives, pointing in particular to its handling of the crisis in the NHS. He will promise “a completely new way
Meta has been hit with a €390m fine (£343m) fine by regulators for forcing users to agree to personalised adverts. The penalty has been handed out by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, which said the social media giant had breached EU privacy rules. As well as the hefty fine, Meta has also been banned from forcing
A Japanese court has charged a man suspected of murdering the country’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe. Tetsuya Yamagami, 42, was also charged with violating a gun control law. Prosecutors said Yamagami showed he is fit to stand trial after a six-month medical examination. He is now back in police custody. Japan’s longest-serving leader died
Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed “General Armageddon”, has been removed from his role as head of Russia’s war in Ukraine only three months into the job. He has been replaced by chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov, who is head of the Russian military. The change was announced by defence minister Sergei Shoigu, and was described
Scientists are developing a vaccine that can simultaneously kill and prevent brain cancer by repurposing living tumour cells. The prospect of a vaccine for cancer has become one of the legacies of the COVID pandemic, with companies which developed those jabs having pivoted towards one of humanity’s biggest killers. US biotech giant Moderna is working
Plant-eating dinosaurs had a “surprising variation” in how they ate their food despite having a similar diet, research suggests. By analysing skull specimens of herbivores such as the Jurassic-era Heterodontosaurus and Leothosaurus, British scientists determined that their eating styles changed based on their jaw muscles and biting actions. It represents another sign of “how innovative
Rishi Sunak has pledged to boost the economy, cut hospital waiting lists and stop migrant crossings in the Channel in his first speech of the year. Speaking in Stratford, the PM laid out his priorities for 2023 and asked the public to judge his premiership on five promises. These pledges are: • to halve inflation
The Culture Secretary has written to Rishi Sunak recommending the government drops its plans to privatise Channel 4, according to reports. Michelle Donelan’s predecessor Nadine Dorries announced the decision to take the broadcaster out of public ownership during former PM Boris Johnson’s premiership. When Ms Dorries announced the plans, she said it was so the