The battle of ideas is more important than ever December 11, 2024 One of the features of modern politics is just how reactionary it is; political leaders jump from issue to issue as the agenda dictates while the media (understandably) follows or leads this trend. For those who keep a close eye on politics it can therefore feel as if life is a series of tactical battles [...]
Should libertarians fear digital ID cards? December 11, 2024 The government is introducing digital IDs that will enable young people to prove their age when buying a pint, but is it worth giving up your privacy to the state to make you life a little easier? Asks James Price In my favourite movie, 2007’s Hot Fuzz, the village pub allows the underaged children of [...]
Khan’s Global Fighters’ Union wants TV cash to fund ‘Fair Fight’ mission December 10, 2024 Amir Khan’s Global Fighters’ Union has called for broadcasting revenue to fund better working standards for boxers, mixed martial artists and other competitors in combat sports. The Global Fighters’ Union is seeking a similar arrangement to the Professional Footballers’ Association, which receives a £25m annual subsidy from the Premier League’s TV contracts. Khan’s union, which [...]
Airlines battle for a slice of the Arctic – who stands to gain? December 10, 2024 Demand for Arctic travel is booming, driven by attractions such as the Northern Lights. Who stands to gain?
Gary Lineker won’t be the last celebrity to fall foul of HMRC December 10, 2024 With the government’s efforts to close the tax gap, high profile individuals like celebrities, athletes and entertainers, are increasingly finding themselves under HMRC’s scrutiny, says Phil Clayton Gary Lineker is making the headlines once again – this time as a result of HMRC’s continued efforts to overturn the First Tier Tribunal’s (FTT’s) decision on £4.9m [...]
The Notebook: Doom spending, girl math, and the impact of financial social media trends December 10, 2024 Many of us have heard the term ‘doom scrolling’ – where you feel like you’re mindlessly scrolling through social media, and I think we can all agree that you never feel better after it. But I hadn’t heard of the term ‘doom spending’ until recently. It’s a newer trend on social media which essentially glamorises [...]
Omnicom scoops up media giant IPG in $13bn deal December 9, 2024 US advertising giant Omnicom Group has bought rival media holding company Interpublic Group in a $13.25bn (£10.4bn) deal that has uprooted the media industry and will make Omnicom the world’s largest advertising agency. The tie-up between the third and fourth largest media holding giants, both of which employ tens of thousands of staff in the [...]
My favourite watch: Tom Sellers, Seinfeld and Carl Cox December 9, 2024 What do Michelin-starred chef Tom Sellers, top DJ Carl Cox, comedian Jerry Seinfeld and astronaut Don Pettit all have in common? They all need a good watch to do their extremely specific work. Alex Doak takes a look at the most talented people with quality on their wrists ••• The corner of Berkeley Street and [...]
Who killed the Gif? How the dancing banana split December 9, 2024 In a 2021 Twitter (now ‘X’) post, US journalist Jenny Zhang wrote, “Any time I see someone use a reaction gif I immediately know they are above the age of 33”. The replies to the post featured a mix of indignation and applause, but Jenny had a point. Once the quick and easy reaction to [...]
Just how blue is the sky for Bluesky? December 9, 2024 Bluesky is pitching itself as an alternative to the social media behemoths, but the history of the internet is littered with notable failures, says Paul Armstrong Bluesky has drawn sharp attention, pitching itself as the anti-social media — a decentralised network that hands control back to its +25m users including news organizations, politicians, celebrities and [...]