Instagram likely to ‘overtake Twitter’ as a source of news June 16, 2020 Instagram is set to overtake Twitter as a source of news, new research has shown, as public trust in traditional media continues to nosedive. The use of the photo-sharing platform as a news source has doubled to 11 per cent since 2018 and looks likely to overtake Twitter over the next year, a report by [...]
BBC to show more repeats amid “tough period” for the broadcaster June 16, 2020 The BBC has said it will show more repeats over the summer and output will be “thinner” over the next year after the coronavirus pandemic forced the broadcaster to scrap its filming schedule. Speaking to ministers at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee hearing today, senior executives said the BBC [...]
Sky to claw back £330m from sports cancellations ahead of Premier League restart June 16, 2020 Sky is set to receive rebates of up to £330m from organisers of leading sporting events, as the broadcaster seeks to shore up its balance sheet after months of cancelled events. The Premier League has agreed to return £170m to Sky, the Financial Times reported, after the UK broadcaster allowed customers to halt sports subscriptions [...]
Astrazeneca CEO: Coronavirus vaccine will likely protect for a year June 16, 2020 A potential coronavirus vaccine spearheaded by Astrazeneca and the University of Oxford will likely provide protection against Covid-19 for a year, the pharma giant’s CEO has said. The British drugs firm this week began human trials of the possible vaccine in collaboration with the University of Oxford, with clinical testing entering its third phase. “We [...]
Beijing tightens controls amid ‘extremely severe’ second wave fears June 16, 2020 The Chinese capital of Beijing has put neighbourhoods under lockdown and upped testing in a bid to stop clusters of new coronavirus infection developing into a second wave. Parts of Beijing were fenced off last night, with security checkpoints set up to prevent people from leaving the city as more than 100 new cases were [...]
British public supports calls for online gambling restrictions June 16, 2020 The British public overwhelmingly supports calls by MPs for restrictions to online gambling, new research has shown, as the betting industry this week gears up for the return of televised sporting events. Data released today by polling firm Survation revealed that 82 per cent out of 1,525 people surveyed support limits to online gambling spending. [...]
Government faces lawsuit over £108m PPE contract with pest control firm June 15, 2020 The government is facing legal action after awarding an £108m contract for personal protective equipment (PPE) to a pest control company worth just over £19,000. The Good Law Project today filed legal proceedings against the government over its multimillion-pound deal with Pestfix — which has just 16 staff — to provide equipment such as gowns [...]
MPs call for total ban on gambling adverts ahead of Premier League restart June 15, 2020 A group of more than 50 MPs and peers has called for a total ban on gambling adverts in a new report that urges for a wide-scale overhaul of British gambling laws. In a report set to be published tomorrow, a cross-party group of MPs will urge the government to enforce tighter controls on the [...]
Johnson launches commission to tackle racism in the UK June 15, 2020 Boris Johnson has announced a cross-government commission to examine racial inequality in the UK following weeks of Black Lives Matter protests. Writing in the Telegraph, the Prime Minister said “no-one who cares about this country” could ignore the anti-racist protests that have swept the country in response to the killing of George Floyd last month. [...]
BP to write off up to $17.5bn after oil price crash June 15, 2020 BP is set to write off up to $17.5bn (£13.9bn) from the value of its assets after the oil price crash earlier this year, as the oil major revises its long-term energy price forecasts. The London-headquartered firm said it would incur writedowns of around $13bn to $17.5bn in the second quarter of 2020. BP said [...]
