Sir Philip Green and his wife Tina have made a list of the richest couples in the UK, even though their wealth is believed to have plunged by £433m over the last year.
The disgraced former BHS boss and Lady Green came fifth in the husbands and wives section of the Sunday Times Rich List, which is due to be published this weekend.
They were the only couple on the list whose fortune had decreased over the past 12 months. It is now estimated to stand at £2.8bn.
In February, Sir Philip, the boss of the Arcadia group that includes Outfit, Topshop and Miss Selfridges, among other brands, agreed to pay £363m to settle the BHS pension scheme.
The department store chain plunged into administration just over a year ago.
Ernesto and Kirsty Bertarelli top the list, with their wealth put at £11.5bn.
The couple's fortune is largely derived from the sale of the family biotech business Serono and the soaring share value in a further pharma business, Santhera.
In total, the 10 couples on the list are worth £39.9bn and have seen their combined fortunes increase by £3.4bn over the last year, according to the list.
This year's Sunday Times Rich List is the largest ever produced, with 160 pages.
The list's compiler, Robert Watts, says it "will show how the make-up of Britain's richest 1,000 people is changing - with a record number of women and more husband and wife partnerships than before".
Here are the top 10 richest husbands and wives and their estimated fortune:
:: 1 Ernesto and Kirsty Bertarelli, £11.5bn
:: 2 Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken and Michel de Carvalho, £9.3bn
:: 3 Alejandro Santo Domingo and Lady Charlotte Wellesley, £3.8bn
:: 4 Francois-Henri Pinault and Salma Hayek, £3.4bn
:: 5 Sir Philip and Lady Green, £2.8bn
:: 6 Sir Michael Moritz and Harriet Heyman, £2.6bn
:: 7 Chris and Sarah Dawson, £1.9bn
:: 8 Douglas and Dame Mary Perkins, £1.6bn
:: 9 Poju and Anita Zabludowicz, £1.5bn
:: 10 Georg and Emily von Opel, £1.4bn
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to discuss Syria crisis
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are to hold talks on Syria later when they speak for the first time since the US President ordered a missile strike on the country.
Last month's American attack on a Syrian government airbase from where a deadly chemical attack was allegedly launched, strained relations between Washington and Moscow.
The US held the Damascus regime responsible for the atrocity, which Russia sided with their Syrian allies in blaming on rebel forces.
Mr Putin condemned America's military response as a "violation of international law", while Washington said ties had reached a "low point", amid Moscow's continued support for President Bashar al Assad's regime.
:: Charities struggling to help injured Syrian children
The chemical attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun on 4 April, which UK tests showed to be sarin gas, left more than 80 people dead, many of them children.
In response, the US leader gave orders to fire 59 cruise missiles at the Sharyat military base, southeast of Homs.
The phone call between Mr Trump and Mr Putin will offer the chance to repair recent damage to diplomatic relations.
It will be the third time the two world leaders have spoken since Mr Trump became US president.
In January, they discussed defeating Islamic State when Russia's leader called to congratulate the Republican tycoon on winning the White House.
Mr Trump also offered condolences and support in the wake of the St Petersburg metro suicide bombing that killed 15 people on 3 April.
The UNHCR estimates 4.9 million Syrians have become refugees during the six-year conflict, with many more displaced inside the country.
In the latest fighting, US-backed Syrian fighters say they have made more gains in their battle to take the strategically important city of Tabqa from IS control.
The latest talks between the two leaders come as official investigations continue into links between the US administration and Russia.
The FBI is examining any ties between Mr Trump's campaign associates and the Kremlin, while the Pentagon is carrying out an inquiry into his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, over payments received from Russian government-linked firms.
US intelligence agencies said hackers directed by Moscow accessed the Democratic National Committee networks ahead of the election that put Trump in the White House.
Mr Putin is also due to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on her first visit to Russia since 2015.
:: Watch Tuesday's special on Syria's forgotten children on Sky News at 1.30pm, 3.30pm and 8.30pm
Last month's American attack on a Syrian government airbase from where a deadly chemical attack was allegedly launched, strained relations between Washington and Moscow.
The US held the Damascus regime responsible for the atrocity, which Russia sided with their Syrian allies in blaming on rebel forces.
Mr Putin condemned America's military response as a "violation of international law", while Washington said ties had reached a "low point", amid Moscow's continued support for President Bashar al Assad's regime.
:: Charities struggling to help injured Syrian children
The chemical attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun on 4 April, which UK tests showed to be sarin gas, left more than 80 people dead, many of them children.
In response, the US leader gave orders to fire 59 cruise missiles at the Sharyat military base, southeast of Homs.
The phone call between Mr Trump and Mr Putin will offer the chance to repair recent damage to diplomatic relations.
It will be the third time the two world leaders have spoken since Mr Trump became US president.
In January, they discussed defeating Islamic State when Russia's leader called to congratulate the Republican tycoon on winning the White House.
Mr Trump also offered condolences and support in the wake of the St Petersburg metro suicide bombing that killed 15 people on 3 April.
The UNHCR estimates 4.9 million Syrians have become refugees during the six-year conflict, with many more displaced inside the country.
In the latest fighting, US-backed Syrian fighters say they have made more gains in their battle to take the strategically important city of Tabqa from IS control.
The latest talks between the two leaders come as official investigations continue into links between the US administration and Russia.
The FBI is examining any ties between Mr Trump's campaign associates and the Kremlin, while the Pentagon is carrying out an inquiry into his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, over payments received from Russian government-linked firms.
US intelligence agencies said hackers directed by Moscow accessed the Democratic National Committee networks ahead of the election that put Trump in the White House.
Mr Putin is also due to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on her first visit to Russia since 2015.
:: Watch Tuesday's special on Syria's forgotten children on Sky News at 1.30pm, 3.30pm and 8.30pm
George Osborne: Evening Standard will report 'without fear or favour'
George Osborne has started his first day as Evening Standard editor by promising to report "without fear or favour" as the election campaign swings into action.
The former chancellor walked into the newspaper office at 7am saying it was a "really important time" when people are "going to want straight facts".
Critics have suggested that with Mr Osborne at the helm, the newspaper's election coverage is likely to be highly biased towards the Conservatives.
On his first day in the office he said: "It's very exciting to be starting in the new job.
"It's a really important time in our country when people are going to want the straight facts, the informed analysis so they can make the really big decisions about this country's future.
"The Evening Standard is going to provide that and it is going to entertain along the way.
"Now I've got to get in there - we've got a paper to get off stone so I better get started."
Mr Osborne's arrival at the Standard offices was half an hour later than his predecessor's typical start time.
Former editor Sarah Sands, who has joined the BBC, said in a 2014 interview she would be at her desking reading through the day's papers by around 6.30am.
Mr Osborne's appointment at the Evening Standard provoked accusations he was juggling too many roles.
He announced last month that he would not stand to retain the Tatton seathe has held since 2001 in the General Election, saying he was leaving Parliament "for now".
Mr Osborne earns £640,000 a year for one day a week's work as an adviser at fund manager BlackRock.
In the last year he has made £800,000 from 15 speaking engagements, including at City and Wall Street banks.
He also receives a £120,212 allowance as Kissinger fellow at the McCain Institute in Washington DC for a year and has an unpaid role as the chairman of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership.
His salary at the newspaper has not been disclosed.
Mr Osborne declined to answer whether he would step down from his other lucrative roles.
Former minister Esther McVey, who represented the Conservatives in Wirral West from 2010 until 2015, is due to stand in Mr Osborne's seat in the election next month.
The former chancellor walked into the newspaper office at 7am saying it was a "really important time" when people are "going to want straight facts".
Critics have suggested that with Mr Osborne at the helm, the newspaper's election coverage is likely to be highly biased towards the Conservatives.
On his first day in the office he said: "It's very exciting to be starting in the new job.
"It's a really important time in our country when people are going to want the straight facts, the informed analysis so they can make the really big decisions about this country's future.
"The Evening Standard is going to provide that and it is going to entertain along the way.
"Now I've got to get in there - we've got a paper to get off stone so I better get started."
Mr Osborne's arrival at the Standard offices was half an hour later than his predecessor's typical start time.
Former editor Sarah Sands, who has joined the BBC, said in a 2014 interview she would be at her desking reading through the day's papers by around 6.30am.
Mr Osborne's appointment at the Evening Standard provoked accusations he was juggling too many roles.
He announced last month that he would not stand to retain the Tatton seathe has held since 2001 in the General Election, saying he was leaving Parliament "for now".
Mr Osborne earns £640,000 a year for one day a week's work as an adviser at fund manager BlackRock.
In the last year he has made £800,000 from 15 speaking engagements, including at City and Wall Street banks.
He also receives a £120,212 allowance as Kissinger fellow at the McCain Institute in Washington DC for a year and has an unpaid role as the chairman of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership.
His salary at the newspaper has not been disclosed.
Mr Osborne declined to answer whether he would step down from his other lucrative roles.
Former minister Esther McVey, who represented the Conservatives in Wirral West from 2010 until 2015, is due to stand in Mr Osborne's seat in the election next month.
'Disaster' Fyre Festival in Bahamas hit with $100m lawsuit
Organisers of the Bahamas celebrity festival branded a "complete disaster" have been hit with a $100m lawsuit alleging fraud.
Rapper Ja Rule and his business partners were forced to abort the luxury-themed Fyre Festival on Friday, after hundreds of ticket holders arrived to a festival with no music, no luxury, no proper food or transport.
The event had been advertised as "the cultural experience of a decade", a luxury alternative to the Coachella festival in California, with bikini-clad super models like Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski attending.
But a lawsuit filed by one disgruntled guest said: "The festival's lack of adequate food, water, shelter and medical care created a dangerous and panicked situation among attendees.
"It was closer to The Hunger Games or Lord of the Flies than Coachella."
Rapper Ja Rule and his business partners were forced to abort the luxury-themed Fyre Festival on Friday, after hundreds of ticket holders arrived to a festival with no music, no luxury, no proper food or transport.
The event had been advertised as "the cultural experience of a decade", a luxury alternative to the Coachella festival in California, with bikini-clad super models like Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski attending.
But a lawsuit filed by one disgruntled guest said: "The festival's lack of adequate food, water, shelter and medical care created a dangerous and panicked situation among attendees.
"It was closer to The Hunger Games or Lord of the Flies than Coachella."
US anti-missile defence system in S Korea goes operational
A US anti-missile defence system deployed in South Korea is now operational and can defend against North Korean missiles, Seoul has said.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defence interceptor system (THAAD) has "early capability" to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threat, a Defence Ministry spokesman said.
South Korean officials, however, told the Reuters news agency it would not be fully operational for some months.
The system, set up at a converted golf course in Seongju, in the country's southeast, has sparked controversy.
China sees the system as a threat, and experts have debated whether its security benefits would outweigh possible drawbacks if relations with Beijing worsen.
Some are also angry at US President Donald Trump's statement he would make Seoul pay $1bn for it.
And Seongju residents fear North Korea may target their town and are worried about the rumoured health hazards linked to system's powerful radar.
The favourite to win South Korea's presidential election on 9 May, Moon Jae-in, a liberal who calls for engagement with North Korea, has said he would reconsider THAAD if he became president.
Tensions remain high on the Korean peninsula.
On Saturday, North Korea conducted a missile test which reportedly failed soon after launch.
Its Foreign Ministry said on Monday the country will speed up measures to bolster its nuclear programme "at the maximum pace."
The North conducted two nuclear tests last year, which experts said would have improved its knowledge for making nuclear warheads small enough to fit on missiles.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defence interceptor system (THAAD) has "early capability" to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threat, a Defence Ministry spokesman said.
South Korean officials, however, told the Reuters news agency it would not be fully operational for some months.
The system, set up at a converted golf course in Seongju, in the country's southeast, has sparked controversy.
China sees the system as a threat, and experts have debated whether its security benefits would outweigh possible drawbacks if relations with Beijing worsen.
Some are also angry at US President Donald Trump's statement he would make Seoul pay $1bn for it.
And Seongju residents fear North Korea may target their town and are worried about the rumoured health hazards linked to system's powerful radar.
The favourite to win South Korea's presidential election on 9 May, Moon Jae-in, a liberal who calls for engagement with North Korea, has said he would reconsider THAAD if he became president.
Tensions remain high on the Korean peninsula.
On Saturday, North Korea conducted a missile test which reportedly failed soon after launch.
Its Foreign Ministry said on Monday the country will speed up measures to bolster its nuclear programme "at the maximum pace."
The North conducted two nuclear tests last year, which experts said would have improved its knowledge for making nuclear warheads small enough to fit on missiles.
Monday, May 1, 2017
Find out what Cheryl and Liam Payne called their baby boy
Cheryl and Liam Payne have named their baby boy, after spending more than a week "getting to know him" first.
The couple named their first child Bear just days after he arrived on 22 March, according to a source quoted in The Sun.
The newspaper said that he has his father's surname.
"They spent over a week getting to know him first before deciding..." the source said.
"They didn't have the name Bear before the birth.
"But they'd been thinking of a name since meeting him and they just felt it suited him."
The source said the couple are "truly over the moon and loving being parents for the first time together".
The name is not that unusual among celebrity children - both Kate Winslet and Alicia Silverstone have sons named Bear.
Former Girls Aloud star Cheryl, 33, and One Direction singer Payne, 23, have stayed out of the public eye since their son was born but just after his arrival, they both shared a picture of the baby with his father.
The couple named their first child Bear just days after he arrived on 22 March, according to a source quoted in The Sun.
The newspaper said that he has his father's surname.
"They spent over a week getting to know him first before deciding..." the source said.
"They didn't have the name Bear before the birth.
"But they'd been thinking of a name since meeting him and they just felt it suited him."
The source said the couple are "truly over the moon and loving being parents for the first time together".
The name is not that unusual among celebrity children - both Kate Winslet and Alicia Silverstone have sons named Bear.
Former Girls Aloud star Cheryl, 33, and One Direction singer Payne, 23, have stayed out of the public eye since their son was born but just after his arrival, they both shared a picture of the baby with his father.
Social media 'should be fined' for failure to tackle online hate
Social media companies should be fined for failing to remove illegal or harmful material, a committee of MPs has said.
The Home Affairs Select Committee insists many websites are "shamefully far" from tackling the issue, with some putting profits before safety.
There have been a number of high profile hate crimes broadcast on social media in recent years.
In January, a man with learning difficulties was bound, gagged and brutally punched in a video that was live streamed on Facebook.
Last month, a video was uploaded to Facebook of a man being shot dead in an unprovoked attack.
The Islamic State group has also used social media as a propaganda and recruiting tool.
Timi Ariyo, a student at Bristol University, told Sky News he was a victim of online racist abuse.
He said a friend had alerted him to a video posted on Snapchat and when he looked at it, he saw a group of 10 to 15 friends he had been to school with in a pub.
"They were chanting my name, making monkey noises and racial slur," he said.
"At that point, I realised it was beyond racial banter."
A group of MPs are calling on the Government to make it illegal for social media websites not to remove harmful material.
They want fines to be introduced as punishment and would also like companies to publish quarterly reports, outlining their safeguarding strategy.
Labour MP Yvette Cooper, who chairs the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "Social media companies' failure to deal with illegal and dangerous material is a disgrace.
"They have been asked repeatedly to come up with better systems to remove illegal material... yet repeatedly they have failed to do so.
"It is shameful.
"These are among the biggest, richest and cleverest companies in the world."
There are fears that social media has become a platform for terrorist propaganda, child abuse and racist attacks.
Researchers at Cardiff University have been studying online hate crimes and their frequency. Using algorithms, they analyse particular groups of words that are often used together to cause harm.
Dr Pete Burnap said: "When we see spikes of hate, following trigger attacks, they tend to be responding to ongoing issues.
"So one of the examples would be the ongoing 'us and them' narrative. People write 'send them home', 'get them out', following attacks like Westminster, picking up on immigration and foreign policy."
Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: "Last month I convened a meeting with the social media companies to ask them to go further in making sure this kind of harmful material is not available on their platforms, and an industry-led forum has now been set up to more robustly address this.
"We will continue to push the internet companies to make sure they deliver on their commitments to further develop technical tools to identify and remove terrorist propaganda and to help smaller companies to build their capabilities.
"I expect to see early and effective action."
The Home Affairs Select Committee insists many websites are "shamefully far" from tackling the issue, with some putting profits before safety.
There have been a number of high profile hate crimes broadcast on social media in recent years.
In January, a man with learning difficulties was bound, gagged and brutally punched in a video that was live streamed on Facebook.
Last month, a video was uploaded to Facebook of a man being shot dead in an unprovoked attack.
The Islamic State group has also used social media as a propaganda and recruiting tool.
Timi Ariyo, a student at Bristol University, told Sky News he was a victim of online racist abuse.
He said a friend had alerted him to a video posted on Snapchat and when he looked at it, he saw a group of 10 to 15 friends he had been to school with in a pub.
"They were chanting my name, making monkey noises and racial slur," he said.
"At that point, I realised it was beyond racial banter."
A group of MPs are calling on the Government to make it illegal for social media websites not to remove harmful material.
They want fines to be introduced as punishment and would also like companies to publish quarterly reports, outlining their safeguarding strategy.
Labour MP Yvette Cooper, who chairs the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "Social media companies' failure to deal with illegal and dangerous material is a disgrace.
"They have been asked repeatedly to come up with better systems to remove illegal material... yet repeatedly they have failed to do so.
"It is shameful.
"These are among the biggest, richest and cleverest companies in the world."
There are fears that social media has become a platform for terrorist propaganda, child abuse and racist attacks.
Researchers at Cardiff University have been studying online hate crimes and their frequency. Using algorithms, they analyse particular groups of words that are often used together to cause harm.
Dr Pete Burnap said: "When we see spikes of hate, following trigger attacks, they tend to be responding to ongoing issues.
"So one of the examples would be the ongoing 'us and them' narrative. People write 'send them home', 'get them out', following attacks like Westminster, picking up on immigration and foreign policy."
Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: "Last month I convened a meeting with the social media companies to ask them to go further in making sure this kind of harmful material is not available on their platforms, and an industry-led forum has now been set up to more robustly address this.
"We will continue to push the internet companies to make sure they deliver on their commitments to further develop technical tools to identify and remove terrorist propaganda and to help smaller companies to build their capabilities.
"I expect to see early and effective action."
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