Flutter set to appoint new chair as gambling firm looks stateside April 10, 2023 Flutter, the world’s largest listed online gambling company, is expected to appoint a US-based businessman to the role of chair, in the latest signal that the firm plans to strengthen its profile in the US. Sky News first reported that the company is in “advanced” talks to appoint John Bryant to the role, but the [...]
Apple and HP PC shipments tumble as pandemic-era boom begins to fade April 10, 2023 Global shipments of PCs have fallen in the first quarter of 2023 as a result of weak demand, high inventory and tough economic conditions, with Apple reporting the largest slump, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC). Shipments of Apple PCs fell by 40.5 per cent to 4.1 million units in the quarter compared to [...]
US economy adds 236,000 jobs in March as Fed rate hikes help cool labour market April 7, 2023 The US added 236,000 new jobs in March, the latest sign that the labour market is beginning to cool as the US Federal Reserve (Fed) continues to hike interest rates. The number of new jobs fell below the number added in February and the average monthly gain of 334,000 recorded in the last six months, [...]
SNP in crisis: Auditors QUIT amid police probe into party finances April 7, 2023 Auditors for the Scottish National Party (SNP) have quit amid a long-running police investigation into the party’s finances. The SNP confirmed to CityAM that the accountants, Johnston Carmichael, “will not be providing audit services to the SNP this year.” The party added that it is in the process of finding another auditor and have informed [...]
Google bans personal loan apps from accessing sensitive data April 6, 2023 Google is banning apps that provide personal loans from accessing sensitive user data in a bid to clamp down on predatory activity among some lenders. In a policy update late Wednesday, the company said that the apps available on Google Play were “prohibited” from accessing sensitive data, such as photos or contact books. The new [...]
Amazon’s $1.7bn bid for iRobot faces questions from UK’s competition agency April 6, 2023 The UK’s competition regulator has launched an investigation into Amazon’s proposed $1.7bn acquisition of the Roomba manufacturer, iRobot. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced today that it will investigate whether the merger will result in “substantial lessening of competition” in the UK market. Amazon and iRobot announced the merger back in August 2022. The [...]
Tech companies may try to dodge digital tax if OECD reforms are delayed, UK spending watchdog warns April 5, 2023 Tech firms may try to dodge a UK government tax levied on digital companies if international tax reforms on the sector are delayed, parliament’s spending watchdog warned. The public accounts committee said this week that it had raised £358m from the digital services tax in its first year, 30 per cent more than expected, but [...]
Under a cloud: Dominance of Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure questioned as Ofcom considers CMA referral April 5, 2023 Ofcom has proposed referring UK cloud services to the competition regulator, citing concerns that key players Amazon and Microsoft could stifle competition. The communications regulator said it has proposed referring the sector to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) after it identified features which make it harder for customers to switch or use multiple providers. [...]
TikTok fined nearly £13m for accessing data of 1.4 million children without parents’ consent April 4, 2023 TikTok has been fined £12.7m for using children’s personal data without parental consent, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has announced. The ICO said the social media giant allowed up to 1.4 million children under the age of 13 to use the app in 2020, breaching its own rules, and used their personal data without gaining [...]
