Microsoft pens agreement to keep Call of Duty on Playstation after Activision mega-deal July 17, 2023 Microsoft has signed an agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in a tweet. A deal to keep Call of Duty on Playstation could further ease concerns surrounding the acquisition’s impact on competition. Speaking on the agreement, Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a tweet, “Even after we cross the finish line [...]
Russia’s war in Ukraine: Two dead on 12 mile bridge to Crimea amid reports of explosions July 17, 2023 Traffic on the key bridge connecting Crimea to Russia’s mainland has been halted amid reports of explosions. Two have been reported as dead following the explosion. The health ministry in Russia’s Krasnodar region, which lies at the eastern end of the bridge, said two people were killed in an unspecified accident on the bridge and [...]
Tax advisors want AI to perform manual tasks despite ‘trust gap’ on privacy July 17, 2023 More than half of UK tax professionals want to use artificial intelligence tools to help with their daily tasks, new survey data has revealed. The study, conducted by Thomson Reuters, found that 12 per cent of UK tax professionals surveyed were either using or planning to integrate ChatGPT or other forms of generative AI into [...]
Average price tag on a home fell by £905 in July as house sales slow July 17, 2023 The average price tag on a home coming to market fell by £905 or 0.2 per cent month-on-month in July, according to new data. Rightmove, which released the figures, said rising mortgage rates are biting, with house sales now lagging behind the more “normal” market seen before the coronavirus pandemic, in 2019. While buyer demand [...]
The Notebook: Guy Hands on shattering the class ceiling, how to hire the right person and the importance of empathy July 17, 2023 The Notebook is where the City’s movers and shakers get a few things off their chest. Today it’s Guy Hands, founder of Terra Firma Capital Partners Our education system separates pupils. That’s wrong Sir Keir Starmer recently made headlines with his ambition to “shatter Britain’s class ceiling” by reforming the education system. While less radical [...]
John Lewis boss: Shoplifting up over 20 per cent due to cost of living pressures July 16, 2023 The boss of John Lewis said today that shoplifting has increased over 20 per cent across the high street over the past year blaming the cost of living crisis for the rise in the crime. Speaking to the BBC on the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show, boss Sharon White said she was surprised to not [...]
Artificial sweetener aspartame used in drinks like Diet Coke is ‘possible’ cause of cancer – WHO July 14, 2023 An artificial sweetener used in thousands of products including diet fizzy drinks, ice cream and chewing gum has been ruled a “possible” cause of cancer by the World Health Organisation (WHO). But a panel of experts has said the sugar substitute aspartame is safe in limited quantities. In a report released late on Thursday, the [...]
Wall Street winning streak continues as US inflation continues to fall way past UK July 14, 2023 Wall Street’s winning streak barrelled into a fourth day following the latest signal that inflation is easing its chokehold on the economy. The S&P 500 rose 0.8 per cent on Thursday for its highest close since April 2022. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1 per cent , and the Nasdaq composite rallied 1.6 per [...]
US regulator investigates ChatGPT maker over potential harm to consumers July 13, 2023 The US Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, on claims it has run afoul of consumer protection laws by putting personal reputations and data at risk, according to an FTC demand for information sent to the company. The move marks the strongest regulatory threat to the Microsoft-backed startup [...]
Howden to sponsor British & Irish Lions shirt on 2025 Aussie tour July 13, 2023 Howden, the London-headquartered insurance group, has signed a deal to become a principal partner of the British & Irish Lions for the next four years, including the Australia tour in the summer of 2025. The insurance group, which offers broking and underwriting services across a number of brands, will become the main shirt sponsor – [...]