Downing Street could become a notably less appealing place to work in the coming weeks, with cleaners and catering staff at No 10 scheduled to begin a month-long continuous strike over pay and conditions. The strike, scheduled to last from 24 February to 25 March in No 10 and the Cabinet Office, is an extension…

Thurning, Norfolk This rather special Georgian farmhouse was the home of the late Oscar-nominated actor Sir John Hurt, known for his roles in The Elephant Man, Midnight Express and Alien, and as Mr Ollivander in the Harry Potter movies. He spent his last years in the 623 sq m (6,700 sq ft) property and described…

The owners of the multibillion-pound James Bond franchise are embroiled in a fight to keep control of the super spy’s name, after a Dubai-based property developer filed claims in the UK and Europe that they are not using the trademark across a range of goods and services. The Austrian businessman Josef Kleindienst, who is building…

Missouri has sued Starbucks for discrimination because its workforce has “become more female and less white”. Filed on Tuesday by the state’s Republican attorney general, the lawsuit accuses the coffee chain of engaging in “systemic racial, sexual, and sexual orientation discrimination” through its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, including hiring quotas, advancement opportunities and board…

Steve Madden, the fashion boss best known for his links to the criminal antics depicted in the book and film The Wolf of Wall Street, is buying the UK footwear and accessories brand Kurt Geiger for £289m in cash. Madden’s Nasdaq-listed company said it had signed a definitive agreement to buy the London-based company, which…

Qatar Sports Investments is considering reducing its stake in Paris Saint-Germain amid a row surrounding an investigation into the club’s president, Nasser al-Khelaifi. The Ligue 1 club’s backers are open to further diluting their investment, which amounts to 87.5%, after Qatar reacted with anger to the latest proceedings involving Khelaifi. The 51-year-old was placed under…

Unilever has chosen Amsterdam for the primary listing of its ice-creams business, in the latest blow to the London stock market. While the owner of Marmite, Dove and Ben & Jerry’s said the split-off business would also have secondary listings in London and New York, it will be incorporated, headquartered and have its primary listing…

The US Department of State is planning to spend $400m buying new Tesla armoured vehicles, even as the carmaker’s boss, Elon Musk, leads efforts to slash government spending under Donald Trump. A procurement forecast produced by the department showed the $400m (£320m) proposed spending on “armoured Tesla (production units)”. They are likely to be Cybertrucks,…

Train drivers on the Elizabeth line are to strike on four separate days over the coming weeks in a dispute over pay. Members of the union Aslef will take industrial action on Thursday 27 February, Saturday 1 March, Saturday 8 March and Monday 10 March. Virtually all drivers on the line are in the union,…

The activist hedge fund targeting BP has amassed a stake in the oil company worth almost £3.8bn, or 5% of its shares, to become its third biggest shareholder, according to reports. Elliott Management is widely expected to use its grip on the 120-year-old company to demand sweeping changes, including a potential break-up of the company,…