NFL buys stake in Disney subsidiary ESPN in media asset swap August 6, 2025 The NFL is set to buy a minority stake in ESPN as the media giant takes control of American football’s NFL Network assets. The non-binding agreement, confirmed in the early hours of Wednesday morning, will see the NFL purchase a 10 per cent stake in the Walt Disney subsidiary and allow Disney to broadcast more [...]
Construction sector contracts at the fastest pace since 2020 August 6, 2025 Activity in the UK’s construction industry is contracting at the fastest rate since the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 as high costs and tax hikes bite. The sector is vital for the Labour government’s plans for a house building boom and improvements in infrastructure, with the private sector expected to help boost the UK’s economic growth. [...]
Nandy warns Morecambe and Sheffield change is coming August 6, 2025 Culture secretary Lisa Nandy has insisted “change is coming” for the owners of Morecambe and Sheffield Wednesday amid concerns of the futures of the football clubs. Morecambe’s 105-year history is at risk, with former Worcester Warriors owner Jason Whittingham’s failure to sell the club. Sheffield Wednesday’s players are set to fulfil their opening Championship game [...]
TalkTalk: Huge losses revealed amid job cuts and fleeing customers August 6, 2025 The full extent of TalkTalk’s financial woes have been revealed for the first time amid sky-rocketing losses and huge job losses as customers move to other broadband providers. New accounts for the Salford-headquartered group filed with Companies House have revealed its pre-tax losses surged from £153m to £465m in the year to 28 February, 2025. [...]
Birmingham Phoenix tee up Castore as Hundred teams ditch New Balance August 6, 2025 Birmingham Phoenix have agreed a kit deal with Castore for next season, with The Hundred’s long-term apparel supplier, New Balance, increasingly being phased out by the franchises that are under new ownership. City AM revealed last week that London Spirit are also dropping New Balance after the current campaign, with their new co-owners, Cricket Investor [...]
The Bank of England’s trouble-free decision to cut interest rates August 6, 2025 The Bank of England has long suffered from the accusation of groupthink. Reforms have been mooted – and some have been implemented – but it has struggled to shake off the charge. Economists at the Cato Institute and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) have, for example, pointed the blame at Threadneedle [...]
We are governed by people who don’t know what they’re doing August 6, 2025 Almost 100,000 jobs in the hospitality sector have disappeared since the government unveiled its hike to employers’ National Insurance Contributions, and lowered the threshold at which it is paid. Employers have also had to contend with a rise in the minimum wage amid a storm of other headwinds including inflation, energy costs and generally weak [...]
Ultra processed foods: A new front in the baby weaning battle August 6, 2025 Parents are already bewildered by conflicting advice on what to feed babies – now researchers are warning against veggie puffs, despairs Phoebe Arslanagić-Little Last week, researchers from the University of Leeds warned parents that they are “setting their children up for a lifetime of obesity” by feeding babies ultra processed food, or UPFs. The researchers [...]
Has Reeves realised she’s reached the limits of taxation? August 6, 2025 Much of the economic damage has already been done, but in ruling out wealth taxes and further pay deals with doctors, at least the Chancellor is allowing a shimmer of light to peep through, says Paul Ormerod England’s cricketers narrowly failed to score the 374 runs needed to beat India in the final Test match [...]
What’s next for River Island as it enters ‘last chance saloon’? August 6, 2025 River Island will face its last chance to restructure its flagging finances this Thursday at the High Court, with the retailer set to fall into administration as early as September if the plan is not allowed. This follows months of uncertainty over the company’s future as customers increasingly turn away from middle-market, bricks-and-mortar stores. “River [...]