A disgraced former church minister and banking group boss who acquired the nickname Crystal Methodist has been jailed for three years by a judge in Manchester. Paul Flowers, 74, had pleaded guilty to 18 fraud charges amounting to £100,000 after abusing his position as the executor of the will and holder of power of attorney…

Ocado is to cut hundreds jobs in its technology teams as part of the loss-making online grocery specialist’s efforts to reduce costs using artificial intelligence to help with research and engineering. The company, which employs 20,000 people, said AI had helped improve the productivity of its engineering team, enabling it to cut 500 roles across…

Voters in Canada’s most populous province head to the polls on Thursday to elect a new premier who may have to face the task of preserving Ontario’s economy in the face of punishing US trade tariffs. Doug Ford, the Progressive Conservative party leader who has been the province’s premier since 2018, called the snap election…

The self-styled “misogynist influencer” Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan, have left Romania on a private jet and are flying to the US after their travel ban was lifted, officials and local media have said. The pair – who were arrested in Romania three years ago and face trial on charges of rape, people trafficking…

Tate brothers allowed to travel, have to report to court when summoned – statement The statement from the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism says that “the two defendants of dual British-American citizenship” have been allowed to travel, but have to report when summoned and any violation of this condition could lead to…

Rolls-Royce has said it will return £1.5bn to shareholders as the British jet engine manufacturer paid its dividend for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic. The FTSE 100 company announced on Thursday its underlying operating profits rose 55% in 2024 to £2.5bn, as it upgraded its guidance for future earnings. Rolls-Royce made underlying sales…