Author: Andrew Rogers

BP has warned it expects to write down up to $5bn on its underperforming green energy operations as it refocuses on oil and gas under new chair Albert Manifold. The writedowns relate mainly to BP’s gas and low-carbon “transition” businesses and include setbacks in solar and hydrogen projects, though the company said they would not affect underlying profits. BP has been trying to sell a stake in its Lightsource solar arm and has cancelled hydrogen developments in the UK, Oman and Australia. The announcement comes amid weaker oil trading and falling crude prices, with Brent averaging $63.73 a barrel in…

Diageo is reportedly considering selling its Chinese assets as part of an early shake-up under its new chief executive, Dave Lewis. The owner of brands including Guinness and Johnnie Walker is said to be working with Goldman Sachs and UBS to review its China operations, where sales have been declining. According to reports, the move could involve divesting its majority stake in Sichuan Swellfun, a Shanghai-listed producer and distributor of baijiu. Lewis, who took over on 1 January, has a reputation for aggressive cost-cutting from his time leading Unilever and later turning around Tesco. Diageo has been under pressure from…

Same-sex sexual behaviour among non-human primates may help strengthen social bonds and maintain group cohesion during environmental or social stress, according to new research. Writing in Nature Ecology & Evolution, scientists analysed reports across 59 primate species, including chimpanzees, Barbary macaques and mountain gorillas, finding the behaviour to be widespread rather than rare. Researchers from Imperial College London suggest this points either to a deep evolutionary origin or to repeated independent evolution. The study found same-sex behaviour was more common in species living in harsher, drier environments with scarce resources and higher predation risk. It was also linked to longer…

West Ham United edged past Queens Park Rangers after extra time as Taty Castellanos scored the decisive goal to end a long wait for victory under Nuno Espírito Santo. The 2-1 win offered brief relief amid fears of relegation, though being taken to extra time by Championship opposition underlined West Ham’s fragility. Castellanos impressed with his movement and finishing, while Crysencio Summerville scored once and provided the assist for the winner. QPR matched West Ham for long spells and equalised through Richard Kone, earning praise from their manager Julien Stéphan. Despite the result, unrest among West Ham supporters continued, and…

Chelsea began the Liam Rosenior era with a comfortable 5-1 win over Charlton Athletic to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup, but discontent among supporters again dominated the narrative. Despite a controlled and clinical display from a rotated Chelsea side, chants against the club’s owners were heard throughout the match, reflecting ongoing frustration with the project led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. Rosenior, the club’s fifth head coach since 2022, oversaw a performance that followed familiar patterns from his predecessor Enzo Maresca, prioritising possession while resting key players such as Cole Palmer and Reece James ahead of…

Bukayo Saka has agreed a new five-year contract with Arsenal that will make him one of the highest-paid players in the club’s history. The England forward’s new deal is set to run until 2031 and is expected to raise his salary to around £300,000 a week, reflecting his status as a central figure in Mikel Arteta’s side. Saka, a Hale End academy graduate, had previously said he wanted to win trophies with Arsenal and was in no rush to negotiate, but sporting director Andrea Berta prioritised securing his long-term future. The agreement follows recent contract extensions for key players including…

People who stop taking weight-loss injections regain the weight they lost in under two years, according to a major new study. The medications, known as GLP-1 agonists, were originally developed for diabetes and work by suppressing appetite. Researchers from the University of Oxford analysed 37 studies involving more than 9,300 participants and published their findings in the BMJ. On average, participants regained weight at a rate of 0.4kg per month after stopping treatment, returning to their original weight within about 1.7 years. Weight regain occurred almost four times faster than in people following behavioural weight-loss programmes. Researchers also found that…

Nottingham Forest boosted their survival hopes with a dramatic late comeback win against West Ham United at a half-empty London Stadium. West Ham led early in the second half but saw a Crysencio Summerville goal disallowed before Forest struck back immediately through a Nicolás Domínguez header. Poor defending again proved costly for West Ham, whose goalkeeper Alphonse Areola clattered into Morgan Gibbs-White, prompting a VAR review and a penalty converted in the 89th minute. The defeat leaves West Ham seven points behind Forest in 17th place and winless in ten matches under Nuno Espírito Santo. Despite signs of effort and…

Manchester City will be without Rúben Dias for up to six weeks with a hamstring injury. The setback deepens Pep Guardiola’s defensive crisis after Josko Gvardiol suffered a broken shinbone. City are considering a move for Marc Guéhi as centre-back options dwindle. They are also close to signing Antoine Semenyo, who is due for a medical after City agreed to trigger his £65m release clause. With multiple injuries and Afcon absences, City currently have just 13 fit senior outfield players. Guardiola insisted his squad can cope, though he ruled out major spending this window.

Novo Nordisk has launched the first GLP-1 weight-loss pill in the United States.The once-daily Wegovy pill is the only oral GLP-1 treatment currently available.It was approved shortly before Christmas and is now on sale nationwide.The pill is priced significantly below injectable weight-loss drugs.Self-paying patients can buy the starting dose for $149 per month.Higher doses will cost up to $299 per month, while insured patients may pay from $25.Injectable GLP-1 treatments often cost $1,000 a month or more.Novo hopes the pill will attract patients seeking needle-free treatment.The launch accelerates competition with rivals such as Eli Lilly.Novo’s shares rose after the announcement…