Business
Rail security to be reviewed after train stabbings, says minister
Jennifer MeierhansBusiness reporter
PA MediaThere will be a review of rail security in the UK following a mass stabbing on a train, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has said.
A man has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after the knife attack on a Doncaster to London service on Saturday night.
Alexander told the BBC the government would “review security arrangements” and respond “swiftly and in a proportionate way”.
But she did not think airport scanning technology “is the right solution for stations in the UK”.
Questions about passenger safety on the UK’s rail network have been raised after a a black British national, who boarded a train at Peterborough station, attacked passengers with a knife.
Eleven people were treated in hospital including a member of train staff who is said to be in a “critical but stable condition”.
Anthony Williams, 32, from Peterborough has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of a bladed article, British Transport Police (BTP) said on Monday morning.
Alexander told BBC Breakfast that BTP officers would increase visible patrols at mainline stations over the coming days “because I do understand that people will want to feel reassured following what happened”.
“Thankfully incidents like this on the public transport network are very, very rare,” she added.
She said the rail network in the UK was a “low crime environment” and for every one million passenger journeys only 27 crimes were committed.
Asked what steps the government would take to improve security on trains, she said: “We are investing in improved CCTV in stations and the Home Office will soon be launching a consultation on more facial recognition technology which could be deployed in stations as well.”
Asked about luggage scanners similar to those used in some major train stations abroad she said: “At the moment that type of airport scanning technology I don’t think is the right solution for stations in the UK.”
Andy Trotter, former British Transport Police Chief Constable told BBC Breakfast Saturday’s attack illustrates “people’s real concerns about being trapped with an offender or with someone causing disorder”.
“I hope this results in a broader review of security, the need for more British Transport Police, the need for more security from the rail companies themselves.”
Senior Reform UK politician Zia Yusuf on Sunday said he would not like to see increased security at train stations.
He told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme it would impose “enormous friction” on the lives of law-abiding people “as a result of the actions of a tiny minority”.
He argued for a significant increase in the use of stop-and-search powers “to saturation”, saying this would remove deadly weapons from circulation.
Official figures released last month show knife crime has fallen in the past year, while NHS admissions for assaults with a sharp object are down 10% compared with 2024.
Overall violent crime showed “no statistically significant change” from 2024, but remains a third lower than it was a decade ago and 75% down on its peak in 1995, while homicides have reached their lowest point since at least 2003.
Business
Kimberly-Clark agrees to buy Tylenol owner Kenvue in $48.7 billion deal, creating consumer staples giant
Huggies, manufactured by Kimberly-Clark and Band-Aid, manufactured by Kenvue.
Getty Images
Kimberly-Clark announced Monday it’s struck an agreement to buy Kenvue in a deal valued at $48.7 billion that would create a consumer staples giant.
The deal is a combination of cash and stock and totals about $40 billion on an equity basis, excluding the impact of debt. Shares of Kenvue surged 15% Monday, while Kimberly-Clark stock fell 13%.
The combined company would bring together brands like Huggies and Kleenex with the likes of Band-Aid and Tylenol. It would include 10 billion-dollar brands, the companies said in a news release. The acquisition would be one of the largest on Wall Street this year.
The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026.
Kimberly-Clark Chairman and CEO Mike Hsu said in a statement that the companies share a “commitment to developing science and technology to provide extraordinary care.”
“Over the last several years, Kimberly-Clark has undertaken a significant transformation to pivot our portfolio to higher-growth, higher-margin businesses while rewiring our organization to work smarter and faster,” Hsu said. “We have built the foundation and this transaction is a powerful next step in our journey.”
Kenvue, a portfolio of consumer health brands, spun out of Johnson & Johnson in May 2023, marking the biggest shake-up in J&J’s nearly 140-year history. Since then, Kenvue shares have fallen almost 35% from their initial public offering price. As of Friday’s close, Kenvue traded at about $14 per share for a market cap of roughly $27 billion.
J&J has sold all of its remaining stake in the consumer goods giant.
The deal comes just weeks after President Donald Trump made unfounded claims linking the use of acetaminophen — the active ingredient in Tylenol — during pregnancy to an increased risk of autism, sending Kenvue’s stock sharply lower. The company has staunchly pushed back against his administration’s accusation, and many medical experts say Tylenol is often the safest and only option for pain and fever relief in pregnant women.
Acetaminophen is used by upward of 100 million Americans annually.
Kenvue Chair Larry Merlo said in a statement that following a comprehensive strategic review, the board is “confident this combination represents the best path forward for our shareholders and all other stakeholders.”
Three Kenvue board members will join the Kimberly-Clark board upon the deal’s closing. Hsu will continue to serve as chairman and CEO.
The combined company would generate estimated 2025 annual net revenue of roughly $32 billion and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of approximately $7 billion, according to the release.
Kimberly-Clark and Kenvue expect about $1.9 billion in cost synergies from the transaction to be realized in the first three years following the deal’s close.
The acquisition comes as Kimberly-Clark and the broader consumer packaged goods industry try to address shifting demand and shopping behavior, often through deal-making and divestitures.
Tariffs imposed by Trump’s administration have challenged the industry and its profits as key commodities like pulp, which is used to make tissues and diapers, grow more expensive.
At the beginning of 2025, Kimberly-Clark stopped making private-label diapers for Costco to focus on more premium brands that command higher margins.
In June, the company sold a majority stake in its international tissue business to Brazilian pulp maker Suzano. The resulting joint venture is intended to shield Kimberly-Clark from volatile input costs and help stabilize its margins.
Once the deal closes, Kimberly-Clark will own health-care brands like Sudafed and Pepcid, once again pitting the company against rival Procter & Gamble, which has a health-care division that includes Pepto-Bismol and Vicks.
But even with Kimberly-Clark’s blockbuster acquisition, P&G still dwarfs its rival in both enterprise value and annual revenue. P&G has a market cap of about $350 billion.
Similar to Kenvue, other spinoffs have also recently proven to be popular acquisition targets. Last year, candy maker Mars announced plans to buy Kellanova, a snacking-centric spinoff of Kellogg, while Ferrero bought W.K. Kellogg, the cereal stand-alone, this year.
New Delhi: The fourth round (November 3-7, 2025) of negotiations for the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) commenced on Monday in Auckland, New Zealand, marking another step forward in advancing a balanced, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial partnership between the two nations.
According to India’s commerce ministry, this development builds on the shared commitment to deepen economic ties and guidance given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit of the New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister in March 2025.
The FTA was launched during the meeting between Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Todd McClay, Minister for Trade and Investment, New Zealand on March 16, 2025.
Negotiations in this round are focusing on key areas, including Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, and Rules of Origin, the commerce ministry said in a statement today.
“Both sides are working constructively to build on the progress achieved in earlier rounds, to reach convergence on outstanding issues and move towards the early conclusion of the FTA,” the statement added
India and New Zealand reiterated their commitment to developing a forward-looking and inclusive trade framework that supports sustainable growth and shared prosperity for both economies.
India is actively negotiating trade agreements with nearly a dozen countries, including the United States, the European Union, Australia, Sri Lanka, Qatar, and several others, in a bid to expand trade and secure long-term growth opportunities.
The coming months are expected to be critical, when the outcomes of these negotiations could redefine India’s role in the global trade architecture and shape its economic trajectory for the next decade.
India has, over the past 5 years, inked several trade deals, including the India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) implemented in 2021, the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) in 2022, the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) in 2024, and the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) signed in 2025, which is understandably yet to come into force.
Negotiations for a comprehensive trade deal between India and Oman, which commenced in 2023, were recently concluded.
Business
Consumer healthcare mega merger: Kimberly-Clark to acquire Tylenol maker Kenvue in $48.7 billion cash and stock deal; $1.9 billion cost savings targeted post-merger – The Times of India
Kimberly-Clark is set to acquire Tylenol maker Kenvue in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately $48.7 billion, creating one of the world’s largest consumer health goods companies, AP reported.Under the terms of the agreement, Kenvue shareholders will receive $3.50 per share in cash and 0.14625 Kimberly-Clark shares for each Kenvue share held at closing. Based on Kimberly-Clark’s closing share price on Friday, the deal values Kenvue stock at $21.01 per share.Following the merger, Kimberly-Clark shareholders will own around 54% of the combined entity, while Kenvue shareholders will hold about 46%. The companies said the merger is expected to generate annual net revenues of approximately $32 billion in 2025. They also identified an estimated $1.9 billion in cost savings to be realised within the first three years after the deal closes.“With a shared commitment to developing science and technology to provide extraordinary care, we will serve billions of consumers across every stage of life,” said Kimberly-Clark Chairman and CEO Mike Hsu in a statement.Hsu will lead the merged company as chairman and CEO, while three members of Kenvue’s board will join Kimberly-Clark’s board upon closing. The combined company will retain Kimberly-Clark’s headquarters in Irving, Texas, and maintain a significant presence at Kenvue’s existing locations.The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of next year, pending approval from shareholders of both companies.In early trading, Kimberly-Clark shares dropped more than 15% before the market open, while Kenvue’s stock surged over 20%.
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