Insolvency service launches investigation into collapse of disgraced PR firm Bell Pottinger September 9, 2018 Several former partners of folded PR firm Bell Pottinger are being investigated by the Insolvency Service. The company collapsed a year ago following a scandal over its work for the Indian Gupta family in South Africa, where it was accused of deliberately stoking up racial tensions in the country. Letters have been sent to the partners [...]
Motorists despair as petrol pump prices hit four-year high August 24, 2018 Summer silly season has hit a peak for motorists, as petrol pump prices jumped above 130p a litre for the first time since August 2014. Yesterday, average prices for petrol came in around 130.05p, while diesel stood at 132.72p. It's the most expensive petrol has been since 4 August 2014, and since 30 September 2014 [...]
Jeremy Corbyn faces backlash over comments about UK Zionists August 24, 2018 The antisemitism row engulfing Labour took another turn after a video emerged of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn saying certain Zionists had "no sense of English irony". The video, which was published by the Daily Mail yesterday, shows comments Corbyn made at a 2013 conference that was reportedly promoted by Hamas' website. Referring to a speech in parliament [...]
Bisichi shares rise as coal shortages lift profits August 24, 2018 Coal miner Bisichi shares rose 12 per cent this morning after it announced a steep upturn in profits in the first half of 2018 thanks to a shortage of coal in domestic markets. The figures Bisichi dug up 670,000 tonnes in the period, up from 582,000 in 2017 – bringing in £4m profit, a huge increase from [...]
WTF? Procter & Gamble looks to trademark millennial-friendly acronyms like LOL and NBD August 24, 2018 Consumer goods titan Procter & Gamble has reportedly applied to trademark millennial-friendly phrases such as 'WTF', 'LOL' and 'NBD'. It filed the trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office in April, and if successful will mean the company can use the acronyms to market its products. The company wants to use the phrases on air [...]
Virgin Media wins legal dispute with council over land access for ultrafast broadband work August 23, 2018 Broadband operator Virgin Media won a legal battle with a local council over fees it pays to access publicly owned land to carry out infrastructure work, in a landmark ruling. The company said it had reached an agreement with Durham County Council which will see it only pay £1 for land access to the sites under [...]
Corbyn plots to establish publicly owned rival to Facebook August 23, 2018 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has outlined plans to build a publicly owned social media platform to rival the likes of Facebook. In a speech at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Corbyn set out his idea to create the British Digital Corporation (BDC), a publicly owned entity that would also create entertainment content to rival streaming giants Netflix [...]
Southend Airport owner Stobart Group makes trio of appointments following bitter boardroom dispute August 23, 2018 Stobart Group, the troubled owner of Southend Airport, today appointed a woman to its board as it looks to rebuild after a fierce boardroom row at the company. The firm said it would appoint the co-founder of PR agency Citigate Dewe Rogerson, Ginny Pulbrook, as a non-executive director from 1 October 2018. Its shares grew five per [...]
Comcast extends deadline for Sky shareholders to accept £26bn offer August 23, 2018 Comcast has extended the deadline for Sky investors to accept its £26bn offer to buyout the company, a statement revealed last night. Shareholders now have until 12 September to green light the US media company's 14.75 per share offer. It follows 0.2 per cent of Sky investors giving their consent by the previous deadline yesterday. Most [...]
Vodafone in ‘exploratory talks’ to merge Australian arm with rival TPG August 22, 2018 Vodafone is in "exploratory" talks to merge its Australian business with rival telco TPG Telecoms. Broadband provider TPG surprised the market down-under last year when it paid A$1.3bn for spectrum to start its own mobile network. Vodafone Australia, which is owned half and half by Hutchison Telecommunications and Vodafone, is the third biggest mobile operator in the country, [...]
