UK marketing budgets suffer sharpest drop since 2009 crash April 22, 2020 UK marketing budgets declined at the fastest rate since the 2009 global financial crisis in the first quarter as consumers and businesses cut spend due to the coronavirus crisis. A net balance of -6.1 per cent of companies slashed their total marketing budgets in the first three months of the year, according to the latest [...]
Health clinics blasted by ad watchdog over IV drip coronavirus claims April 22, 2020 The advertising watchdog has hit out at three companies over claims that intravenous (IV) drip treatments could be used to prevent or treat coronavirus. An advert on Private Harley Street Clinic’s website promoted a £350 IV infusion by stating it would boost patients’ immune systems and protect against Covid-19. “There is no vaccine available at [...]
Coronavirus: Oktoberfest cancelled due to pandemic April 21, 2020 Oktoberfest has been cancelled due to fears about the coronavirus outbreak, organisers confirmed today. The historic knees-up is the largest beer festival in the world, attracting roughly 6m visitors to Munich each year. But in a joint statement Bavaria’s minister president Markus Soeder and Munich’s lord mayor Dieter Reiter said the festival would not go [...]
Coronavirus: UK spooks block 2,000 scams in Covid-19 cyber campaign April 21, 2020 British spy chiefs have taken down more than 2,000 online scams linked to coronavirus in the last month as they crack down on cyber criminals trying to exploit the health crisis. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said it had closed down 471 fake online shops selling fraudulent virus-related items, as well as 555 malware [...]
Kim Jong-un illness claims denied following heart surgery reports April 21, 2020 China and South Korea have played down speculation about Kim Jong-un’s health after media reports suggested the North Korean leader was “gravely ill” following heart surgery. South Korean online news site NK Daily reported that Kim underwent a cardiovascular procedure on 12 April as a result of “excessive smoking, obesity, and overwork”. A CNN report [...]
Peugeot maker PSA sales slump as coronavirus crashes car market April 21, 2020 Peugeot manufacturer PSA Group today posted a double-digit decline in sales for the first quarter as it forecast a slump in automotive markets across the globe due to coronavirus. The French car maker reported revenue of €15.2bn (£13.3bn) in the first three months of the year, down 15.6 per cent on the same period in [...]
Coronavirus: Joules secures £15m credit boost as crisis hits high street April 21, 2020 Joules today said it has added £15m to its revolving credit facility as the fashion retailer battles a sharp decline in sales caused by the coronavirus crisis. The credit boost, agreed with Barclays, follows a share placing earlier this month that raised £15m. Joules has already taken a number of measures to mitigate the impact [...]
Banks urged to collaborate with fintech firms amid competition from digital rivals April 21, 2020 Traditional banks must collaborate with fintech firms if they are to offer the best customer experience and stay relevant in the modern market, according to a report published today. While lenders have invested heavily in front-end IT infrastructure, their efforts are lagging behind the norm in other sectors, according to the World Fintech Report 2020. [...]
Ofcom sanctions London Live over David Icke coronavirus conspiracy interview April 20, 2020 Ofcom has sanctioned London Live after the TV channel aired an interview with conspiracy theorist David Icke that contained “potentially harmful” views about the coronavirus outbreak. The regulator received 48 complaints about the 80-minute programme, in which Icke made a raft of unsubstantiated claims, including that official health advice was designed to further the ambitions [...]
Germany lockdown eases as Angela Merkel warns against second wave risk April 20, 2020 Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel today lashed out at “discussion orgies” taking place across the country as some shops opened their doors for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown In a party meeting over video conference Merkel warned extended debates in some states about how to ease Germany lockdown measures risked increasing rates of infection. [...]
