Disney sparks backlash over #MayThe4th hashtag rights claim April 28, 2020 Disney has sparked a backlash on social media after the entertainment giant appeared to claim ownership of the rights to tweets containing the #MayThe4th hashtag. In a tweet posted yesterday by Disney Plus, the streaming service encouraged fans to share their favourite Star Wars memory using the hashtag. But in a follow-up tweet full of [...]
Ministers in talks with business leaders over return to work strategy April 28, 2020 Ministers have held talks with business groups and trade unions over plans to kickstart the economy once the coronavirus lockdown has been lifted. Business secretary Alok Sharma has chaired a string of meetings with top industry figures in recent days amid concerns many employees will be reluctant to return to work due to health fears. [...]
Games Workshop forecasts profit fall as it secures £25m overdraft April 28, 2020 Games Workshop today said it has secured a £25m overdraft as the model maker warned the coronavirus crisis would take its toll on full-year profit. The Warhammer owner said the majority of its stores remained closed due to the pandemic, but it will resume online orders from 1 May. As a result, the retailer forecast [...]
Gambling firms pull TV and radio advertising during Covid-19 lockdown April 27, 2020 The UK’s major gambling and betting firms today said they will remove all TV and radio advertising for the remainder of the Covid-19 lockdown. Existing ad slots will be replaced by safer gambling messages, donated to charities or removed from broadcast for at least six weeks. The decision is aimed at protecting customers during the [...]
Delays to UK’s full-fibre broadband rollout ‘could cost £30bn’ April 27, 2020 Delays to the government’s plan to roll out superfast broadband across the country could see the UK lose almost £30bn in economic benefits, according to research published today. Telecoms analysts warned a 12-month delay to the 2025 target would mean the UK misses out on a £9.7bn boost to the economy, while a two-year setback [...]
Times Radio taps BBC and Channel 4 stars ahead of summer launch April 27, 2020 Times Radio today unveiled its latest high-profile signings as Rupert Murdoch’s media empire pushes ahead with the talk radio station launch despite the coronavirus crisis. Radio 4 presenter Aasmah Mir, Channel 4 News anchor Cathy Newman and Times Literary Supplement editor Stig Abell are among the top-flight journalists to join the new venture. News UK, [...]
British spies urged to use artificial intelligence to fight security threats April 27, 2020 British spooks will need to use artificial intelligence (AI) to fight a range of threats to national security, according to a report published today. Intelligence agencies have been urged to use the technology to detect and block cyber attacks, analyse video and audio evidence, and automate administrative tasks. However, AI is unlikely to predict upcoming [...]
UK tech sector launches industry body to tackle online harms April 27, 2020 The UK tech sector has teamed up with government agencies to launch a new trade association aimed at cracking down on harmful material posted online. The Online Safety Tech Industry Association (OSTIA), launched today, will bring together more than a dozen tech firms that focus on online safety, as well as organisations such as the [...]
FTSE 100 pushes higher as Europe prepares to relax coronavirus lockdowns April 27, 2020 The FTSE 100 moved higher today as traders reacted to positive signs that European countries were preparing to ease coronavirus lockdown measures. The UK blue-chip index posted a rise of 1.4 per cent , or 81 points, to 5,833 by around 11.30am. The FTSE 100’s upbeat start to the day was more than matched by [...]
Ashtead warns on profit as coronavirus hits equipment hire demand April 27, 2020 Equipment rental firm Ashtead Group has warned on profit for the full year due to a slump in demand caused by the coronavirus lockdown. The London-based company today said it expected pre-tax profit of roughly £1.05bn for the year to the end of April, down from £1.11bn last year. The revised figures come as Ashtead [...]
