Johnson urges EU to ‘see sense’ as Brexit trade talks enter 48-hour crunch time December 19, 2020 Trade talks between the UK and EU will continue this weekend, marking another critical 48 hours for the negotiations as the end of the transition period looms closer. The two sides remain stuck on issues that have plagued them for months, including fisheries, so-called level playing field arrangements and state aid. Yesterday the EU’s chief [...]
Tesla shares jump to record high ahead of S&P 500 debut December 19, 2020 Tesla shares rose to a record high on Friday as investors geared up for the electric carmaker’s anticipated entrance into the S&P 500 index. The company, headed up by billionaire Elon Musk, will become the most valuable ever admitted to Wall Street’s main market on Monday, accounting for more than 1 per cent of the [...]
Oxford vaccine ‘to be approved before the new year’ December 19, 2020 The Oxford vaccine is expected to be approved before the end of the year, making it the second Covid vaccine to be approved in the UK. It is believed the vaccine will be approved on 28 or 29 December after final data is provided to the health regulator on Monday. The UK has ordered 100 [...]
Clifford Chance launches Brexit ‘hotline’ for confused clients December 18, 2020 Clifford Chance has launched a Brexit ‘hotline’ to help clients with last minute Brexit preparations in the face of continued uncertainty. The hotline will operate from today until 4 January, and will help to answer client’s Brexit questions on the likes of contracts, supply chains, treasury, passporting, HR and international property. With less than two [...]
Law firm CRS ‘threatening staff with pay cuts to return to the office’ December 18, 2020 International law firm Charles Russell Speechlys (CRS) has been accused of threatening staff with pay cuts if they do not return to the office, despite official government guidance urging those who can to work from home. Staff were allegedly told coronavirus fears are not a reason to work from home, and if they wanted to [...]
Paddy Power owner Flutter Group hit with whopping $870m fine December 18, 2020 Flutter Group has been hit with an enormous $870m fine after a Kentucky court ruled a previously vacated judgment had been reinstated. Yesterday the Kentucky Supreme Court reinstated a ruling against The Stars Group, which merged with Flutter in 2019 in a £12.2bn deal, saddling Flutter with an enormous fine in the process. The original [...]
US nuclear networks accessed in sustained and ‘significant’ cyber-attack December 18, 2020 The US Energy Department, which manages the country’s nuclear weapons stockpile, believe hackers gained access to its networks as part of a massive cyber campaign against the US government. Last night officials warned of a “grave risk” posed to the United States in the form of a sustained cyber-attack, which has affected government agencies and [...]
First psychedelic healthcare fund launches in Britain December 18, 2020 Britain’s first investment fund dedicated solely to psychedelic healthcare launched this week, allowing investors to put money into mind altering drugs for medical use. The fund, launched by London-based venture capital firm Neo Kuma, has an investment thesis focused on clinically proven psychedelic medicines that it believes will hit the market in the next five [...]
Sacked PwC accountant avoids strike-off after drunkenly groping sleeping woman on plane December 17, 2020 Ex-PwC accountant James Phipps has avoided being struck off by a disciplinary body, despite serving time in jail in the US for assaulting a sleeping woman on a plane. Phipps was on a transatlantic British Airways flight in 2018 when he groped a sleeping woman’s breasts and then threw a book at her when she [...]
PwC partners take 10 per cent cut as profits suffer December 17, 2020 Partners at PwC have suffered a 10 per cent cut to their earnings as the impact of the coronavirus hit the Big Four firm’s profits. Profits at the audit giant fell by 8 per cent to £938m in the firm’s latest financial year, as Covid-19 impacted on the business from March, with distributable profit per [...]
