Business

Image copyright Loch Lomond Group The spirits group behind Glen’s vodka and High Commissioner whisky has been taken over by a Hong Kong-based investment fund. Loch Lomond Group was sold by owners Exponent to Hillhouse Capital Group in a deal thought to be worth about £400m. That would make it one of the biggest deals […]

Image copyright Reuters Image caption The Obamas say they want to use the podcasts to “amplify voices” that are often ignored Former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have agreed to produce a series of podcasts for music streaming platform Spotify. The couple’s production company, Higher Ground, announced on Thursday a multi-year partnership

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The government says its priorities include ensuring uninterrupted food supplies Preparing for Brexit has cost the UK government £97m so far, the National Audit Office has revealed. The money has been spent on hiring external consultants because government departments lack the staff and skills needed, the NAO said. But

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Jaguar Land Rover is cutting jobs News that Ford plans to close its Bridgend plant next year, with the loss of 1,700 jobs, is just the latest in a series of blows for the UK car industry. In February, Honda said it would close its Swindon plant by 2021,

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Goliath groupers make a booming noise when approached We have a long history of trying to use animals as spies, weapons and warning systems, but the latest plans to use marine organisms as motion sensors may be the strangest yet. When a beluga whale was spotted wearing a harness

Image copyright PA Cash use is falling, with predictions that fewer than one in 10 transactions will be completed with notes and coins in 10 years’ time. Ten years ago, cash was used in six out of 10 payments, but it has been overtaken in popularity by debit cards, driven by the use of contactless

Image copyright Woodford Investment Management Image caption Neil Woodford is one of the most high-profile stockpickers in the UK Investors in the Woodford Equity Income Fund should not be charged fees while trading in the fund is suspended, the chair of the Treasury Committee says. Nicky Morgan also said the committee would raise the issue

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mr Pai said consumers are “sick and tired” of unwanted calls Americans plagued by billions of unwanted robocalls to their phones are about to get some relief. The Federal Communications Commission has approved rules to make it easier for carriers to stop automated calls. Phone firms will use algorithms

We can confidently report that Sephora did not solve racism on Wednesday. The makeup giant shut down stores across the U.S. for an hour so its 16,000 employees could attend an “inclusivity workshop.” The training comes about a month after singer-songwriter SZA tweeted about being racially profiled at a Sephora outlet in Calabasas, California. An employee

Image copyright Aviva British insurer Aviva has announced that it is to cut 1,800 jobs worldwide over the next three years and split its business into two. Aviva has offices in 16 countries and a global workforce of 30,000 people, with 16,000 employees in the UK. The firm’s UK sites include London, Norwich, York, Dorking,