Will London’s budding cannabis market turn the EU green with envy? February 18, 2021 One after the other, medical cannabis companies are listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), and investors are piling in cash, keen to be early investors in what they hope will become a major industry in the UK. It is an exciting time for the medicinal cannabis industry. In September, City regulator the Financial Conduct [...]
Dr Ben Goertzel: The crusade against the oligopolies February 18, 2021 SingularityNET CEO Dr Ben Goertzel explains how, once AGI is achieved, it must not fall into the hands of individuals with their own agendas.
Competition watchdog raises concerns over £6.5bn Gumtree takeover February 16, 2021 The competition watchdog has raised concerns over the £6.5bn takeover of Gumtree by Norwegian rival Adevinta, warning it could push up prices and reduce choice for consumers. In July Adevinta struck a cash and stock deal with Ebay that would create the world’s largest online classified ads business. The merger would bring together advertising platforms [...]
Government report calls for regulations bonfire to give UK a ‘post-Brexit dividend’ February 16, 2021 The UK should slash regulation and overhaul the competitions authority to give the economy a post-Brexit boost, according to a report commissioned by the government. The report, written by Tory MP John Penrose, calls for the government to create a “Brexit dividend” by “replacing bureaucratic EU rules with modern, digital equivalents”. Penrose’s report, commissioned by [...]
The fight for the future of British fish and seafood February 15, 2021 As the fishy issue of seafood continues to cloud the waters between the EU and post-Brexit Britain, fishermen and suppliers are clamouring to reinvent the industry. Local & Independent has launched a Be Unshellfish campaign highlighting the difficulties faced by fishermen and explaining how both professional chefs and consumers can buy direct from the nets. [...]
Google and Microsoft object to Nvidia’s $40bn Arm takeover February 13, 2021 Google and Microsoft have objected to the $40bn (£29bn) takeover of British chipmaker arm by Nvidia as the deal faces an in-depth competition probe in the US. The two tech giants, as well as semiconductor rival Qualcomm, are among the companies to object to the mammoth merger amid concerns it could harm competition. The US [...]
Screenshot: Should online harms laws take on the hackers and pirates? February 12, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: Ya boi in Hanoi **Who’s taking on the online hackers and pirates? **Will Big Tech finally cough up for news? Media Moment of the Week: Ya boi in Hanoi Tempted as I was to feature *that* cat lawyer this week, I think perhaps, to borrow Michael Gove’s words, [...]
Lastminute.com threatened with legal action over unpaid package holiday refunds February 12, 2021 Travel platform Lastminute.com is facing legal action from the UK competition watchdog unless it repays customers whose package holidays have been cancelled due to the pandemic. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) warned the firm that it will take court action unless Lastminute processes the repayments – totalling £1m – within seven days. On 1 [...]
Out with the old: Time to reform the legal profession for the benefit of all sides February 11, 2021 It may seem like an odd time to be thinking about reforming the way lawyers work, but if so much can change because of a pandemic, why shouldn’t the post-Covid era be a period of reform and progress? This year will be the first in which the UK’s ability to compete in the global professional [...]
Entain doubles down on £250m Enlabs bid despite investor backlash February 11, 2021 Ladbrokes owner Entain has doubled down on its £250m cash bid for Swedish rival Enlabs despite complaints from one of the company’s largest shareholders. In a statement today Entain said it was extending the deadline for its offer of 40 Swedish krona per share until 18 March. The gambling group said it had filed applications [...]