Tripped up: Competition watchdog to block JD Sports merger with Footasylum September 2, 2021 JD Sports is “perplexed” and “disappointed” after the CMA announced a preliminary decision to block its planned purchase of Footasylum following an appeal. Kip Meek, chair of the group conducting the inquiry, said the deal “would see Footasylum bought by its closest competitor,” which could lead to a worse shopping experience for customers facing higher [...]
Ryanair beats August passenger number forecasts as recovery throttles up : CityAM September 2, 2021 Budget carrier Ryanair beat its passenger number targets for August as the long-awaited return of international air travel finally got under way. The Irish airline flew 11.1m passengers last month, more than the 10.5m it had previously predicted, and double the number it carried in June. Also Read: Summer holidays: Wizz Air passenger numbers jump [...]
US intervention in tech deals a “dangerous trend,” says Chinese state media September 2, 2021 Chinese state media called the US attempts to block cross-border acquisitions of tech companies a “red flag” for the global tech sector. The Global Times, a state-backed media outlet, said that efforts to thwart the purchase of a Korean tech firm by a Chinese company “represents a dangerous trend for the whole industry.” The article [...]
Gym Group swings to loss despite uptick in membership volumes September 2, 2021 The Gym Group swung to a loss in the first six month of this year despite a sharp uptick in membership volumes, according to half year results published today. The private gym operator posted a £28.5m loss before tax for the six months to June 30, down from just £100,000 from the same period last [...]
Al fresco dining in London should be a staple part of an innovative hospitality industry September 2, 2021 London may have had its worst summer weather in a decade but it has nonetheless been one of the best when it comes to al fresco dining in our capital. The sights and sounds of our city streets packed with people catching up with much missed family and friends this summer has been genuinely heart-warming, [...]
Sadiq Khan vs Boris Johnson: it’s time to reset the relationship between the Mayor and No10 September 2, 2021 Being Mayor of London is a powerful political role. Elected to office with the second biggest direct mandate in Europe after the President of France, your name is on the ballot of every single voter in the city, and you are a one-person executive. As a voice for London, with huge convening power, mayors can [...]
Twitter debuts ‘safety mode’ autoblocking to curb online abuse September 1, 2021 Twitter has unveiled a new feature called “Safety Mode” that will allow users to temporarily block accounts for seven days if they use harmful language or send uninvited replies and mentions. The social media giant said in a blog post today that it had begun testing the safety feature on a small feedback group of [...]
Covid vaccine: Immunosuppressed people in the UK to receive third dose September 1, 2021 Around half a million people in the UK whose immune systems are severely weakened will be offered a third primary vaccine dose, following a new recommendation announced by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) today. Anyone over the age of 12 who was immunosuppressed at the time of their first or second dose [...]
Grainger proposes placing of up to 67.38m shares September 1, 2021 Residential landlord Grainger has proposed a placing of approximately 67.38m shares, representing approximately 9.99 per cent of the company’s issued share capital. The company said the proposed placing was expected to raise £216m, including additional debt of approximately £144m based on Grainger’s LTV target range. Proceeds will be used to fund two recent acquisitions, Becketwell [...]
Raab refuses 11 times to say when he went on holiday in lead up to Afghanistan crisis September 1, 2021 Dominic Raab has refused 11 times to reveal when he went on holiday in the lead-up to the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in a 90-minute grilling by MPs. The foreign secretary said today that he “wouldn’t have gone away with the benefit of hindsight”, but would not reveal if he left after western intelligence had [...]
