Author: Andrew Rogers

Sixty-eight Pizza Hut restaurants across the UK are set to close after the company operating the chain’s dine-in venues went into administration. The closures stretch from Finchley Lido in London to Carlisle in Cumbria and Rhyl in north Wales, alongside 11 delivery-only sites, putting about 1,210 jobs at risk. DC London Pie, which ran Pizza Hut’s UK restaurants under a franchise agreement, appointed FTI Consulting as administrators on Monday. In a pre-pack administration deal, Yum! Brands — the US parent company that also owns KFC and Taco Bell — bought back 64 Pizza Hut restaurants, safeguarding 1,276 jobs. These locations…

Millions of young people could miss out on effective treatments because so few take part in medical research, new data shows. The Guardian’s analysis found that 18- to 24-year-olds make up 8% of England’s population but only 4.4% of research participants, leaving Gen Z underrepresented in clinical trials. Experts warn this could make future treatments less safe or effective for younger patients. “Young people face unique health challenges shaped by life transitions and inequalities,” said Kirsty Blenkins of the Association for Young People’s Health. “If research excludes them, treatments may not meet their needs.” Barriers include low awareness, limited recruitment…

A new “smart jab” has shown highly promising results in shrinking head and neck cancer tumours within weeks, offering new hope to patients with few remaining treatment options. The drug, amivantamab, works through a triple-action mechanism and can be delivered as a simple injection under the skin — a significant step forward from conventional treatments that require lengthy hospital infusions. Results from the Orig-AMI 4 trial, presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology conference in Berlin, revealed that 76% of patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer saw their tumours shrink or stop growing after receiving the…

Paramount Skydance plans to lay off about 2,000 US employees beginning the week of 27 October as part of a $2 billion cost-cutting effort under new CEO David Ellison, Variety reported. The layoffs come just months after Skydance Media completed its $8.4 billion merger with Paramount Global in August. Additional job cuts are expected internationally, with full details likely to be revealed in the company’s third-quarter earnings report on 10 November. Earlier reports suggested that between 2,000 and 3,000 positions could be eliminated by early November. As of December 2024, Paramount employed roughly 18,600 full- and part-time staff, plus about…

European commercial property investment volumes rose sharply in 2024, signaling renewed confidence among investors. Full-year transactions across key property types reached €183 billion, up 22% from €150 billion in 2023. Analysts attribute this growth to a combination of stabilizing economic conditions and positive market sentiment. After years of uncertainty in Europe’s commercial real estate sector, investors are increasingly willing to commit capital to offices, retail, and industrial properties. The industrial and logistics sector, in particular, saw robust demand. E-commerce growth continues to drive the need for modern warehouses and distribution centers, pushing investment volumes higher. Meanwhile, office properties in major…

A long-acting HIV prevention injection is set to be approved for use in England and Wales, offering a new alternative to daily pills for people at risk of infection. The jab, known as cabotegravir (CAB-LA), is administered every two months and provides protection against HIV for those unable to take standard oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) recommended its use in draft guidance released on Friday. Already available on the NHS in Scotland, the injection could be rolled out in England and Wales within three months of final approval later this year. Health…

Nestlé will lay off 16,000 employees worldwide — about 6% of its workforce — over the next two years as part of a major restructuring plan aimed at cutting costs and driving growth. The reductions include 12,000 white-collar positions and 4,000 manufacturing and supply chain roles. “The world is changing and Nestlé needs to change faster,” said new CEO Philipp Navratil, who took over after the dismissal of Laurent Freixe last month. Navratil plans to save 3 billion Swiss francs (£2.8 billion) by 2027, boosting investment in innovation and automation while fostering a “performance-driven” culture. Nestlé, which owns KitKat, Nescafé,…

An extraordinary orchid known as Rhizanthella spends its entire life hidden beneath the soil, where it blooms unseen and survives in a unique partnership with a fungus. Unlike most plants, Rhizanthella has no leaves and relies completely on nutrients provided by a fungus that connects both to the soil and to the roots of the broom bush (Melaleuca uncinata). This mysterious orchid was first discovered by chance in 1928, when a farmer ploughing a field in Western Australia unearthed its buried flowers. Nearly a century later, Rhizanthella remains incredibly difficult to find. Botanists must search for suitable habitat and gently…

Ed Sheeran, the globally acclaimed singer-songwriter, recently shared insights into his life and career in an uplifting interview. The artist opened up about a possible move to the United States, his ongoing music projects, and a unique collaboration with media personality Gayle King. Sheeran expressed excitement about exploring new opportunities in the U.S., describing it as a chance to grow both personally and professionally. “I’ve always felt drawn to the energy of the U.S. music scene,” Sheeran said. He highlighted that the move could offer fresh inspiration for his upcoming projects. The interview revealed Sheeran’s current focus on creating music…

Alcohol consumption is a significant cause of cancer in Europe, according to a new report from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) cancer research agency, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The agency urges governments to adopt stronger measures to reduce drinking, which could prevent thousands of cancer cases and deaths each year. In the European Union — the region with the highest alcohol consumption globally — alcohol was responsible for more than 111,000 new cancer cases in 2020. Worldwide, the number reached approximately 741,000, with men accounting for nearly 70% of these cases. The economic cost is also…