5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Boohoo boss quits ailing fashion firm as it explores a break-up of its brands
THE boss of Boohoo is stepping down as the online retailer explores a break-up of its fashion brands.
John Lyttle joined from Primark five years ago when Boohoo was valued at £3billion and one of the fastest-growing names in retail.
AlamyJohn Lyttle is stepping down as Boohoo explores a break-up of its fashion brands[/caption]
He would have bagged a £50million bonus had Boohoo’s valuation doubled, but it has tanked to just £371million.
Over the past five years Boohoo has been rocked by a worker exploitation scandal in Leicester, a sharp slump in growth since Covid restrictions ended, higher costs and rising competition from Chinese rival Shein.
Boohoo is exploring options for all its divisions including PrettyLittleThing, Nasty Gal, Karen Millen and Debenhams.
The company said it wanted to “maximise shareholder value” which could mean selling off parts of the business.
Analysts at Peel Hunt suggested that Karen Millen is “at least a £300million brand” — almost as much as the entire company.
A break-up is likely to attract interest from the retail tycoon Mike Ashley, who has already built up a 26 per cent stake in Boohoo.
Mr Ashley lost £180million when Debenhams went bust five years ago and his attempt to buy the department store out of bankruptcy was thwarted by Boohoo.
Industry sources said the tycoon would like to settle the score, but reckoned he would be unlikely to be willing to pay what Boohoo was asking.
SHOP SALES UP
RETAIL sales rose by 0.3 per cent last month — beating predictions of a 0.3 per cent fall.
The Office for National Statistics said technology products were the biggest driver — helped by Apple’s new iPhone and students buying laptops for the new term.
Supermarkets were hit by a sales drop as consumers cut luxury food.
BUDGET FEARS
A RECORD number of companies are at risk of collapse if taxes on employers increase in the Budget.
More than 630,000 firms are in significant financial distress, says consultancy Begbies Traynor’s report.
Julie Palmer, partner at the firm, said the knock-on effect of higher taxes could be damaging for many “teetering on the edge of collapse”.
GOOD WEEK: JOHN O’Reilly, boss of Rank Group, which reported a boost in sales as punters flocked back to bingo halls and casinos.
BAD WEEK: LAURENT Freixe, new boss of Nestle, after the food giant had to cut its growth outlook amid slowing sales.
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Incredible time lapse video shows woman, 29, SKIP her way to staggering 15 stone weight loss goal
AN incredible time lapse video shows how a woman skipped her way to a staggering 15 stone weight loss.
Jeanine Raine, 29, used to weigh in at 213kg and knew she wanted things to change.
SWNSJeanine Raine lost 95kg by skipping with a jumprope daily over two years[/caption]
SWNSHer wellness journey is an inspiration to others and she feels better than ever[/caption]
SWNSJeanine Raine before losing around 95kg in weight[/caption]
She could barely make the short walk to the mailbox at her heaviest in what was a huge wake up call.
So in 2022 she decided she was going to lose some weight and started skipping rope.
Two years later and she is lighter – and happier – than ever, having also adjusted her diet.
Jeanine says when first attempted skipping she couldn’t even complete one jump.
But her nostalgic love for the childhood exercise pushed her to keep trying and she now works out by skipping rope five or six times a week.
She enjoys working on new tricks and says she feels more strong, confident and empowered than ever.
Jeanine has lost 95kg in total since she started working out regularly.
Jeanine, a special education teacher from Long Island, New York, said: “Jump roping was something I loved as a kid, so it was natural for me to gravitate toward it.
“I wanted to find a form of cardio that didn’t feel like a chore, and jump roping fit perfectly.
“It brings me joy and nostalgia, reminding me of my childhood.
“Plus, it’s incredibly effective for burning calories, toning, and building endurance.”
Jeanine decided to make a change in 2022 as she did not feel good about her health or herself.
She said: “I started my weight loss journey because I wanted to take control of my health and feel better in my own body.
“At my heaviest, I weighed 470lbs, and I knew I needed to make a change.
“Along with focusing on exercise, I’ve completely transformed my eating habits.
“I now focus on whole, nutritious meals and love meal prepping to stay on track.”
She added: “Instead of high-calorie indulgences like the ice cream I used to eat, I now enjoy healthier options like sorbets.
“I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it naturally, without relying on surgeries or medications.
“Now, two years later, I’ve lost 210 lbs, and it feels incredible to share this journey with others and inspire them to pursue their goals, too.”
How can you make sure you are eating a balanced, filling and nutritious plate at every meal?
Think of your plate divided into different food groups – protein, carbs, fat and fruit and veg.
Protein: David Wiener, training and nutrition specialist at AI-based lifestyle and coaching app Freeletics, told The Sun: “Aim for one to two palm-size portions of lean protein in each meal.”
Protein includes meat (chicken, turkey, pork, beef), beans, peas, lentils and fish.
The NHS Eatwell Guide says to choose lean cuts of meat and mince, and eat less red and processed meat like bacon, ham and sausages.
Aim for at least two portions (two x 140g) of fish every week, one of which should be oily, such as salmon, sardines or mackerel.
Carbs: Carbohydrates should make up about a third of your plate, or a fist-sized portion.
The Eatwell Guide says: “Choose higher fibre or wholegrain varieties, such as wholewheat pasta and brown rice, or simply leave the skins on potatoes.
“There are also higher fibre versions of white bread and pasta.
“Starchy foods are a good source of energy and the main source of a range of nutrients in our diet.”
Fat: Generally the advice is to think of fat like a thumb-sized amount on your plate.
The Eatwell Guide says: “Remember all types of fat are high in energy and should be eaten in small amounts.
“These foods include chocolate, cakes, biscuits, sugary soft drinks, butter, ghee and ice cream.
“They’re not needed in our diet, so should be eaten less often and in smaller amounts.”
But a small amount is still essential for the diet. Try and eat more unsaturated fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil), which are healthier than saturated fats (butter, hard cheese, sour cream).
Fruit and veg: David says: “Make sure you also get lots of colourful fruit and vegetable carbohydrates too.
“Aim for at least five of these portions a day.
“One to two fist-sized portions of fruits and vegetables with every meal is generally recommended.”
Fruit and veg can be fresh, frozen, tinned or dried. You can roast, boil, steam or grill veggies.
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Jeopardy! breakout star Rishabh Wuppalapati blows winning streak by just $1 as new champ calls victory ‘dream come true’
JEOPARDY! breakout star Rishabh Wuppalapati has lost today’s game by just $1 as new champion Kelly Gates gushes the victory is ‘a dream come true.’
Fans have praised Rishabh, 20, as the “best” player so far in season 41 after he “fought tooth and nail” to secure three wins against his cutthroat opponents.
Jeopardy! season 41 breakout star Rishabh Wuppalapati lost today’s game by $1Jeopardy!Kelly Gates won her first Jeopardy! game on Friday’s episodeJeopardy!
Many were hoping Rishabh would score at least five wins which would qualify him to compete in Tournament of Champions however, he fell short in today’s game – and though it’s now not guaranteed, he could still be invited to ToC.
On Friday’s game, the college sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania went up against Kelly Gates, a librarian from Massachusetts a well as Kyle Compton-Troesch, a civil engineer from Ohio.
Fresh off of adding $52,802 to his bank account after his three-day winning streak, Rishabh came in hot with an early lead.
He added $1,000 to his total when he found the first Daily Double – on the very first question of the game – under the category “Peak Experiences.”
By the first break, he had secured $5,800 while Kelly was in second with $2,000 and Kyle had $600.
Kelly and Rishabh ended up swapping leads throughout the game which changed once again when she found the second Daily Double under the category “Biology.”
She got it right and added $4,000 to her total of $10,800 – putting her ahead of Rishabh’s $8,400.
However, moments later, she lost $4,000 when she incorrectly guessed the third Daily Double clue under “Twinning.”
Rishabh Wuppalapati (left), Kyle Compton-Troesch (center), and Kelly Gates (right)Jeopardy!
Despite the drop, she was still ahead of Rishabh by a slight margin due to her accuracy on other clues throughout the competition.
Going into Final Jeopardy!, Kelly remained in the lead with $13,200 while Rishabh was just behind with $11,600.
Though he put on a good effort, Kyle stayed in third with $5,800.
Host Ken Jennings read the final clue under the category “Literary Geography”: “A N.Y. Times article recognized Sands Point & Kings Point as the real “old-money” & “nouveau riche” settings in this novel.”
For the first time in awhile, all three contestants were correct in their response “What is The Great Gatsby?” – leaving the fate of the game up to the wagers.
Rishabh bet it all to get ahead of his opponent – doubling his final score to $23,201.
Kelly wisely wagered $10,001 – putting her final total at $23,201 – a single dollar ahead of her fellow player.
Kyle bet $5,600 to finish in third place with $11,400.
Though Rishabh appeared disappointed with the results, he clapped for Kelly – who flashed a huge smile when she was crowned the winner.
Following the episode, Kelly went online to share her thoughts about her Jeopardy! debut.
Jeopardy! Contestant Rules
Passing Jeopardy!'s online Anytime Test is hard enough, but there are also many rules players must follow once they make it to the stage:
The returning champion is always at the leftmost podium and keeps playing until they lose.
Contestants don’t have to say “who is” or “what is” in the first round but must do so in Double Jeopardy! and Final Jeopardy.
Contestants can change their responses as long as Ken Jennings or the judges haven’t made a ruling.
The minimum wager for a Daily Double is $5. The minimum wager for Final Jeopardy! is $0.
Written responses in Final Jeopardy! do not have to be spelled correctly, but they must be phonetically correct (the judges decide this).
If there’s a tie after Final Jeopardy, the tied players enter a bonus clue shootout, and whoever buzzes in first correctly wins.
If all three contestants wager everything in Final Jeopardy! and are incorrect, leaving them with $0, there will be no returning champion (it’s happened before—six times).
She gushed: “Getting on the show was a dream come true, and it was an absolute blast.
“One of the best parts was meeting so many fantastic people and sharing that experience together.”
Viewers were also a fan of the literary worker, with one writing: “Congrats to Kelly! Librarians represent!”
“Loved watching you play today, Kelly!! Congratulations!!” another exclaimed.
“Great job, Kelly, Kyle, and Rishabh!” a third cheered on of all three contestants.
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Teen finds Tesla in junkyard and buys it for $15k – he was stunned by what he found on car computer during restoration
A PETROLHEAD couldn’t believe his luck when he found a beat-up Tesla in a junkyard.
Winston, 18, bought the Tesla Model 3 for $15,000 but he was stunned when he found footage on the car’s computer.
Winston restored the Tesla Model 3 himself in his garageHe spent $15,000 on the smashed-up car
He took the busted motor back to his garage and spent three months tirelessly working to restore it to its former glory.
His goal was to create the cheapest Tesla Model 3 in the US and documented his journey on YouTube channel Wham Baam Teslacam.
During the renovation, he plugged in a USB drive to retrieve data from the built-in computer and discovered why the Tesla had ended up on the scrap heap.
Shocking footage showed the moment the car smashed into another motorist, causing it to be a write-off.
He spent around $9,000 on car parts and $1,000 on taxes, bringing the total spending on the project to around $25,000.
Thrilled with his craftsmanship, he applied for a job at the multi-million dollar company.
The new Model 3 costs around $52,000 – meaning Winston saved $27,000.
Several critics argue that the “car graveyard” is indicative of a slowdown in electric vehicle (EV) sales in Australia, mirroring trends seen in other countries.
However, industry experts said the images reveal a different picture.
They stated that the “car graveyard” at Australia’s port demonstrates the country’s emergence as a significant player in the global market for low-emission transportation.
Experts noted that Australian drivers are likely to benefit from a price war as brands compete for a larger share of the market.
The country is also set to become a key target for Chinese automakers facing tariffs in other parts of the world.
KEY FACTS: TESLA MODEL 3
Price: £39,990 Battery: 57kWh Power: 245hp 0-62mph: 5.8 secs Top speed: 125mph Range: 318 miles CO2: 0g/km Out: Now
Peter Thorne, the Tesla Owners Club of Australia national president, reminisced about a time when these vehicles were difficult to obtain, with deliveries taking months instead of weeks.
He said: “With Teslas today, you put an order in and you’ll get your model faster than you can fill out the paperwork because they’ve got them in the country and inventory is now readily available.”
The US electric car company was once the only seller of EVs in Australia.
However, the rise in competition from new brands has prompted Tesla to reduce its prices.
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Iconic beauty retailer set to open 200 more locations as brand looks to compete with top rival Sephora
AN ICONIC beauty supply store is set to open more than 200 locations across the US to compete with its top rival Sephora.
On Wednesday, Ulta Beauty announced its expansion plans for “2026 and beyond”.
Ulta has revealed its huge expansion plans across the USGetty
The retail giant hopes net sales will grow from 4% to 6% as a result.
Ulta met its previously set goals of hitting a whopping $10 billion in revenue in 2022 – just a year after targets were put down.
In recent years, Ulta has only opened a few stores, according to reports in Retail Dive.
The plans will see around 200 Ulta stores open over a three year period – totaling around 66 a year.
COO Kecia Steelman said the company’s latest store openings had been performing well, despite competition from beauty behemoth Sephora.
Ulta also wants to grow its loyalty program to 50 million members by 2028.
CEO Dave Kimbell spoke of how their target demographic had changed over the years.
He said: “Today, more men – particularly young men – are engaging in and passionate about beauty, including skin care, fragrance and in particular, the broad wellness and self-care segment.
“And we also see meaningful growth from younger generations engaging in beauty.
“To younger beauty enthusiasts, it’s not about looking a certain way or changing their appearance. To them, beauty is fun.”
CFO Paula Oyibo said: “We expect 2024 and 2025 will be transitional years as we manage through near-term category dynamics, over the long-term.
“We see additional opportunity to expand our leadership position, delivering both profitable growth and compelling shareholder value.”
Ulta Beauty’s CEO, Dave Kimbell, said consumer spending had slowed and expected the company’s sales to grow by only a single digit this year.
While the company was prepared for this, Kimbell noted that it is “a bit earlier and a bit bigger” than they predicted.
“We came into the year — and we talked about this on our [earnings] call a few weeks ago — expecting the category to moderate. It has [had], as I said, several years of strong growth.
“We did not anticipate it would continue at the rate that it’s been growing.”
Kimbell said a dip in consumer spending has been more significant for high-end makeup and haircare products.
GettyUlta plans to open over 200 new stores across the US by 2026 as part of a major expansion[/caption]
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on 20+ Unexpected Hello Kitty Collabs That Celebrate the Beloved Character’s 50th Anniversary
The newest Hello Kitty fashion, beauty and lifestyle products from brands like Baccarat, Crocs, Forever 21 and OPI are selling like crazy. These 23 are still available to shop.
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Trump could scrap Education Dept., up school choice and boost education for all
Former President Donald Trump has vowed to "close the federal Department of Education" and expand school choice, and if he wins the White House, there's a clear path for him to do both.
