The company behind Pizza Hut’s UK restaurants has entered administration, with 68 dine-in sites set to close across the country — from Finchley Lido in London to Carlisle in Cumbria and Rhyl in north Wales. An additional 11 delivery-only outlets will also shut down, placing about 1,210 jobs at risk. DC London Pie, the franchisee that operated Pizza Hut’s UK restaurants, appointed administrators from FTI Consulting earlier this week. The move comes as part of a restructuring effort following ongoing financial struggles in the casual dining sector. In a pre-pack deal, Yum! Brands — the US parent company of Pizza…
Author: Andrew Rogers
Andrew Rogers
Andrew Rogers is a freelance journalist based in the USA, with over 10 years of experience covering Politics, World Affairs, Business, Health, Technology, Finance, Lifestyle, and Culture. He earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Florida. Throughout his career, he has contributed to outlets such as The New York Times, CNN, and Reuters. Known for his clear reporting and in-depth analysis, Andrew delivers accurate and timely news that keeps readers informed on both national and international developments.
Millions of young people could miss out on safe and effective treatments because so few take part in medical research, new data shows. People aged 18–24 make up 8% of England’s population but only 4.4% of medical research participants, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Experts warn this gap means new treatments may not be properly tested for younger patients. “Young adults face unique health challenges, from mental health to chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes,” said Kirsty Blenkins of the Association for Young People’s Health. “If they’re excluded from research, treatments may not be…
A new “smart” injection called amivantamab has shown remarkable results in shrinking head and neck cancer tumours within just six weeks, offering new hope for patients with hard-to-treat forms of the disease. Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer globally. When it spreads or returns after standard treatments such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy, options are often limited. However, results from the Orig-AMI 4 trial, presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology conference in Berlin, suggest amivantamab could change that outlook. The trial involved patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who…
Paramount Skydance is set to lay off about 2,000 employees in the United States starting the week of 27 October as part of a $2bn cost-cutting initiative, according to Variety. The layoffs come just months after Skydance Media completed its $8.4bn merger with Paramount Global in August. Additional international job cuts are expected, with full details likely to be revealed in the company’s third-quarter earnings report on 10 November. As of December 2024, Paramount employed nearly 18,600 full- and part-time staff, along with about 3,500 project-based workers. Variety previously reported that Paramount planned to cut between 2,000 and 3,000 jobs…
A long-acting injection to prevent HIV is set to be approved for use in England and Wales, offering a major alternative to the daily pills currently used for protection against the virus. The treatment, called cabotegravir (CAB-LA), is administered every two months and works as a form of PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) for HIV-negative people at high risk of infection. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has recommended the jab in new draft guidance for adults and young people who cannot take oral PrEP. Already available on the NHS in Scotland, the injection is expected to launch in…
Nestlé will cut 16,000 jobs worldwide over the next two years — about 6% of its global workforce — as part of a major restructuring plan to boost growth and cut costs. The layoffs will include 12,000 office roles and 4,000 manufacturing and supply chain positions. “The world is changing and Nestlé needs to change faster,” said new CEO Philipp Navratil, who took over last month after the dismissal of Laurent Freixe. The maker of KitKat, Nescafé, and Purina aims to save 3 billion Swiss francs (£2.8 billion) by 2027, up from a previous target of 2.5 billion. Nestlé employs…
Rhizanthella is a remarkable orchid unlike any other—it spends its entire life underground. Lacking leaves and sunlight, this elusive plant survives by drawing nutrients from a fungus that, in turn, connects to the roots of the broom bush (Melaleuca uncinata). First discovered by chance in 1928 when a farmer in Western Australia unearthed it while ploughing a field, Rhizanthella quickly became a botanical marvel. Finding one today remains a challenge. Botanists must identify suitable habitats and gently scrape away the soil to reveal its hidden flowers—small, reddish blooms encased in creamy-pink bracts. Despite growing in darkness, the flowers release a…
Alcohol consumption is a major contributor to cancer in Europe, according to a new report from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Experts say that stronger government action to reduce alcohol use could prevent thousands of new cancer cases and deaths each year. The European Union, identified as the world’s heaviest-drinking region, recorded over 111,000 new alcohol-related cancer cases in 2020. Globally, alcohol was linked to an estimated 741,000 cancer cases, with men accounting for nearly 70% of them. The financial burden is also significant. WHO reported that premature deaths from alcohol-related cancers cost…
Scientists have successfully grown embryo-like structures from human stem cells that produced blood cells — a major step forward for regenerative medicine and the future of lab-grown therapies. The research, led by Dr Jitesh Neupane at the University of Cambridge’s Gurdon Institute, recreated early stages of human development without using eggs or sperm. “It was an exciting moment when the blood-red colour appeared in the dish – it was visible even to the naked eye,” said Neupane. The model mimics the natural process of human embryogenesis, allowing researchers to study how blood and immune cells form and to model diseases…
Microplastics are now in our blood, lungs, guts – even our brains. Scientists estimate we each carry about a teaspoon of plastic inside us, and new research suggests it may be affecting our health. Austrian researchers found that exposing gut bacteria to microplastics changed their balance and chemical output in ways linked to depression and cancer. “Reducing exposure where possible is a wise precaution,” said Dr Christian Pacher-Deutsch. Microplastics come from packaging, clothes, tyres and cosmetics. They can slip into our bloodstream and organs. “We’re finding them in almost every tissue,” said Dr Jaime Ross, whose mice studies showed behaviour…