Meta-backed fellowship puts open source in the firing line July 11, 2025 The UK government has launched a $1 million open source AI fellowship funded by Meta through the Alan Turing Institute, inviting the nation’s top AI engineers to spend 12 months building public-sector AI tools. The scheme focuses on open-source AI models like Meta’s Llama 4 to create applications for everything from speeding up planning approvals [...]
Bank of England interest rate cut ‘almost certain’ after poor growth July 11, 2025 Fresh growth figures have fuelled speculation of an August interest rate cut in a bid to give the waning UK economy a shot of life. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed on Friday the UK economy shrunk for the second consecutive month with a 0.1 per cent contraction in May. Deutsche Bank’s chief economist [...]
Lack of Welsh Lions shows stark reality of systemic failures July 11, 2025 Ahead of Wednesday’s British and Irish Lions midweek game against the Brumbies in the Australian capital of Canberra I came across a shocking statistic. The match was the first since 1899 not to include a Welshman from the matchday 23. I am not surprised that it has happened on this tour given only two Welshmen [...]
Fiba ‘monitoring’ dispute tearing British basketball apart July 11, 2025 World governing body Fiba says it is “monitoring developments” in British basketball amid the civil war threatening the future of both the BBF and SLB. Super League Basketball has begun legal action against the British Basketball Federation over the removal of SLB’s licence to run the domestic top flight and what it sees as anti-competitive [...]
Virgin Atlantic and British Airways owner’s fury at Heathrow charge hike July 11, 2025 Plans for a fresh landing charge hike at Heathrow Airport have triggered fury from its largest airline stakeholders, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. The UK’s biggest airport on Friday announced its intention to hike the levy it charges airlines for using its runways by 17 per cent, a move that will likely push up ticket [...]
Rachel Reeves risks ‘serious damage’ with tax hikes, OBR member warns July 11, 2025 Fears of another Rachel Reeves’ tax raid are growing after fresh figures revealed the economy shrank in May, but a member of the OBR has warned the Chancellor against drastic measures, including tax hikes. The Chancellor is facing renewed pressure, with economists warning that the government’s £190bn spending splurge, sporadic U-turns, and poor growth figures are set [...]
UK Athletics boosted by new five-year contract with BBC July 11, 2025 UK Athletics has achieved a significant boost by agreeing a new five-year deal for the BBC to show its flagship events on free-to-air TV. The agreement between the BBC and Athletic Ventures covers the annual London Athletics Meet, which takes place next weekend and features the likes of Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, and the national [...]
Flutter market cap hits $51bn after latest FanDuel acquisition July 11, 2025 Sportsbook operator FanDuel is set for a $31bn valuation after Flutter Entertainment struck an agreement to take complete control. The Irish-American gambling firm reached terms with Boyd Gaming to acquire the five per cent of FanDuel it does not already own. The deal will see the final five per cent be transferred to Flutter Entertainment [...]
LIV Golf’s Patrick Reed loses appeal in $750m defamation suit July 11, 2025 LIV Golf’s Patrick Reed has lost an appeal in a $750m defamation suit relating to comments made about his move to the Saudi Arabia-backed league. The 34-year-old former Masters champion had initially said that comments – made by the Golf Channel, commentator Brandel Chamblee and others – after Reed chose to ditch the PGA Tour [...]
BP shares edge up despite hit from lower oil and gas prices July 11, 2025 BP has said it expects second quarter results next month to be impacted by lower oil and gas prices. Crude oil prices average $67.9 per barrel over the three-month period, compared with $75.7 per barrel in the prior quarter. “In the gas and low carbon energy segment, realisations compared to the prior quarter, are expected [...]