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Exclusive: new role created after Guardian uncovered allegations against company’s security guardsA vast Del Monte pineapple farm in Kenya that supplies most British supermarkets is advertising for a human rights manager to address its “human rights challenges” in the wake of allegations of killings and violence by its security guards.The job advert says the candidate will need to “develop a detailed action plan to...

Proposed law bans foreign states and government officials from holding direct stakes in UK newspapersThe UAE-backed bid for the Telegraph group appears to be dead in the water after the UK published proposed laws that ban foreign states or government officials from holding any direct stakes in newspaper assets.Foreign states and government officials will be banned from holding any direct stakes in newspaper assets...

Richard Branson has already indicated he will back takeover that will require the agreement of the group’s shareholdersNationwide Building Society is set to tale over its smaller rival Virgin Money after the pair formally agreed to a deal worth £2.9bn.The deal, which will solidify Nationwide’s position as the UK’s second largest mortgage lender, will also trigger the resignation of Virgin Money boss David Duffy,...

Shares hit new high as chain says consumer backdrop is improving and ‘feels like it is now entering a new era’Next said the prices it charges customers are falling this year, as the fashion and homeware retailer reported bumper profits and said the UK consumer backdrop was improving.Simon Wolfson, the group’s chief executive, said that after a positive year of sales and profit growth...

Platform to make its debut on New York stock exchange on Thursday with a market value of $6.4bnReddit will enter a new era as a publicly traded company with a market value of $6.4bn after the social media platform’s initial public offering was priced at $34 per share.The price, announced late on Wednesday, came in at the top of the target range set by...

Wealthy are willing to pay more than double the standard price of £170,000, says luxury carmakerThe luxury carmaker Bentley is cashing in as more of the world’s richest people opt to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on “levels of personalisation that we’ve never seen before”, the company has said.While households all over the world struggle with inflation and the continued impact of the...

Magnum to Marmite consumer goods group plans productivity programme to save £684mBusiness live – latest updatesUnilever is to cut 7,500 jobs globally as part of an overhaul aimed at saving about €800m (£684m) over the next three years.The consumer goods company, whose brands range from Marmite to Dove soap and Lynx deodorant, employs 128,000 people worldwide, including 6,000 in the UK. Continue reading...

China’s Longi looks to slash costs as renewable energy sector faces tough headwinds from inflationThe world’s largest solar manufacturer has slashed nearly a third of its workforce after a cost-cutting drive that included telling staff to only print in black and white fell short and as a chill ripples through the renewable energy sector.China’s Longi is to cut as much as 30% of its...

Court hears workers suffered psychological distress after losing jobs and took medication to cope Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastA major union is hoping to force Qantas to pay millions in compensation to former workers whose jobs were illegally outsourced during the Covid-19 pandemic.The Transport Workers Union (TWU) is suing the airline in the federal court over...

Shadow chancellor will tell high-profile financial audience that ‘mission-led’ governments must take a lead in turbulent timesThe shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will pledge to embark on a “decade of renewal” if Labour is returned to power at the next election.Speaking at the annual Mais lecture in London on Tuesday, Reeves will tell an audience of bankers and financial executives that she will create a...

Supermarket chain ‘working hard’ to resolve problem that leaves it unable to fulfil most of Saturday ordersSainsbury’s has said it has experienced technical issues and is unable to fulfil the “vast majority” of its online grocery deliveries.In a post on X, the supermarket chain said: “We’re experiencing technical issues affecting some stores, our groceries online service and our ability to contact customers. Unfortunately, we...

New scrutiny of planemaker’s 787 Dreamliner over terrifying drop adds to safety crisis after cabin panel blowout on 737 Max 9 jet Another Boeing jet is facing scrutiny after the planemaker told airlines to check the cockpit seats of 787 Dreamliners following a terrifying drop during a flight from Sydney to Auckland.Dozens of people on Latam Airlines Flight 800 were said to have been...

Spokesperson says company is working to resolve issue as soon as possible and thanks customers for their patienceGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastMcDonald’s restaurants are facing an international technology outage with the fast food giant working to resolve the issue.“We are aware of a technology outage currently impacting our restaurants nationwide and are working to resolve this...

BMA committee votes in emergency motion after Tory donor’s comments about MP condemned as racist and misogynistGPs are calling on the Tory donor Frank Hester to resign from his health tech company after his remarks about Diane Abbott which have been widely condemned as racist and misogynist.Hester’s company TPP runs the electronic patient records of almost half the medical practices in the UK, making...

Exclusive: party calls for firm to be wound up as it seeks shareholder bailout, higher bills and lower fines Thames Water should be put into special administration by the government and reformed as a public benefit company, the Liberal Democrats have said.Sarah Olney, the Lib Dems’ Treasury spokesperson, will call in a parliamentary debate for the biggest privatised English water company to be wound...

Package of loans and grants to help ‘can get this industry off the ground’, resources minister saysGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastA Gina Rinehart-backed mining company has soared in value by 75%, after the government agreed to provide financial support as it aims to increase Australia’s production of rare earth elements.The $840m package of loans and grants,...

Chain says ‘plan is working’ after 2% rise in sales helps transforms £234m loss in 2023 into £56m profitThe owner of John Lewis and Waitrose has returned to annual profit but will not pay its workers a bonus for the second year in a row.The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) said it made a £56m pre-tax profit in the year to 27 January, compared with...

Pharmacies, banks and pubs retreat from town and city centres knocked by failure of Wilko last yearAlmost 5,000 more chain stores were left empty last year – a rate of about 14 closures a day – as high streets were hurt by the failure of Wilko and the retreat of banks and pubs.Pharmacies were the biggest loser with 787 chain outlets disappearing – although...

High street retailer unveils padded shorts designed to give wearer a ‘curvy, contoured’ derriere“Does my bum look big in this?” When it comes to M&S’s bottom-shaping shorts, the desired answer is a definite yes.At a preview of its summer collection on Thursday, the high street retailer unveiled a pair of £15 shorts featuring padding designed to enhance the wearer’s buttocks. Continue reading...

New legislation could thwart planned £600m purchase of media group by UAE-backed consortiumThe UK government plans to introduce legislation that would prevent foreign governments owning UK newspapers and news magazines in a significant move that could scupper the planned £600m sale of the Telegraph to a United Arab Emirates-backed consortium.RedBird IMI – a partnership between a fund backed by the UAE’s vice-president, Sheikh Mansour...

Bidder says multiple attempts to engage with high street group’s board were rejectedThe US investment group Elliott has ended its bid to buy Currys after previous offers were rejected by the electrical goods retailer.Elliott, which owns Waterstones, told the markets on Monday that it had made multiple attempts to engage with the Currys board but all had been rebuffed. Continue reading...

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as exchange-traded funds help biggest cryptocurrency rallyThe European Commission’s use of Microsoft email and office software broke its own privacy rules, an EU privacy watchdog has ruled.Microsoft’s software transferred personal data outside the EU, breaching privacy rules, according to the European Data Protection Supervisor. Continue reading...

Aerospace group chief executive urges UK and Europe to pool efforts and merge fighter jet programmesEurope is unprepared for war with Russia or the risk that Donald Trump could withdraw the US from Nato and needs to ramp up spending on defence equipment, the boss of Airbus has said.Guillaume Faury, the chief executive of Europe’s biggest aerospace and defence company, said it was a...

This blog is now closed.Fifty people treated after ‘technical problem’ caused ‘strong movement’ on Latam flight from SydneyGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastOuter suburban drivers overtake inner-city drivers in EV uptakeNew data from the Electric Vehicle Council shows that outer suburban drivers have overtaken inner-city drivers in their EV uptake.I think some tired stereotypes about EVs in...