BUSINESS LIVE: Lloyds brings backs dividend as profits surge

BUSINESS LIVE: Lloyds brings backs dividend as profits surge; BT issues bullish forecast for its prospects; Shell boosts dividend and launches bumper share buyback scheme Lloyds Banking Group swung to a profit of £2.6bn, new figures show Lloyds also announced plans to acquire savings and retirement firm Embark  By Jane Denton For Thisismoney Published: 02:59 … Read more

Shaynna Blaze backs Janine Allis to replace Lord Alan Sugar on Celebrity Apprentice

On Tuesday night she was declared the winner of Celebrity Apprentice Australia 2021. And Shaynna Blaze has weighed in on calls to replace the show’s CEO, British billionaire Lord Alan Sugar, with a home-grown entrepreneur. Talking about fan favourite advisor Janine Allis as a possible successor to Sugar in subsequent seasons, Blaze told Yahoo! Lifestyle, … Read more

Judy Murray backs Naomi Osaka after her French Open withdrawal amid mental health struggles

Judy Murray has sympathised with Naomi Osaka after the world No 2 withdrew from the French Open having been threatened with expulsion for not speaking to the media. The 23-year-old from Japan said last week she didn’t want to take part in press conferences at Roland Garros to ‘protect her mental health’. She received a … Read more

Aviva backs calls for Government crackdown on financial fraud

Pension giant Aviva backs calls for Government crackdown on financial fraud after its brand is hijacked by criminals At least 27 fake websites were set up in Aviva’s name to dupe unsuspecting victims into handing over cash  The pension giant warned that shutting down the scammer websites is like playing ‘whack-a-mole’ under the current rules  … Read more

Red Len ally who backs wealth tax is property millionaire

A union leadership contender demanding a wealth tax to pay for the pandemic has his own property empire, it can be revealed today. Unite, Britain’s most powerful union, is expected to fire the starting gun on the race to succeed Len McCluskey as general secretary within days. His closest lieutenant Howard Beckett, who is assistant … Read more

Boris Johnson backs plans to knight Prof. Whitty for his ‘tireless’ work amid the pandemic

Arise, Sir Chris… Boris Johnson backs plans to knight Prof. Whitty for his ‘tireless’ work amid the pandemic The Chief Medical Officer is likely to be put forward for the honour at the end of this year to recognise his ‘dedicated service’ during the coronavirus pandemic A Cabinet source has said Mr Johnson favours his … Read more

‘It’s a disgrace that shames CBS’: Piers Morgan backs Sharon Osbourne after she leaves The Talk

Piers Morgan has branded CBS a ‘disgrace’ over the network’s treatment of Sharon Osbourne after she defended him over accusations of racism. The former Good Morning Britain (GMB) presenter, 55, backed Osbourne, 68, after she left The Talk over a heated on-air debate on March 10. Morgan wrote on Instagram this evening: ‘What’s happened to … Read more

Now RSPCA backs Spring Clean: Charity supports drive to freshen up Britain

Now RSPCA backs Spring Clean: Charity supports drive to freshen up Britain after reports of animals trapped in lockdown litter RSPCA said it took 4,000 calls about creatures stuck in discarded waste in a year These include a gull tangled in a face mask and hedgehog with head stuck in can It is now urging … Read more

Sir Lewis Hamilton backs move to end drivers taking a knee before each race

Sir Lewis Hamilton backs move for drivers to STOP taking the knee before each race – as new guidelines are agreed with F1 chief Stefano Domenicali to support ‘WeRaceAsOne’ initiative instead New guidelines mean drivers do not have to take a knee before each race  Some drivers felt uncomfortable taking a knee for cultural or … Read more

Coronavirus: Germany’s Angela Merkel backs Europe-first threat of Covid vaccine export ban

German chancellor Angela Merkel has come out in favour of the EU banning the export of Covid vaccines to make sure the continent gets supplies for its own citizens, deepening the row over AstraZeneca’s jab deliveries. Tensions are surging as world leaders argue over millions of doses of the Oxford jab that are reportedly being … Read more