China tells Trump ‘no effort spared’ on fighting coronavirus after doctor’s death February 7, 2020 Chinese President Xi Jinping told his US counterpart that everything possible was being done to contain the spread of the coronavirus following an outcry over the death of a doctor who had warned of the impending epidemic. The death toll currently stands at just under 650 people, including Dr Li Wenliang, who had been threatened [...]
Does Philip Hammond deserve a peerage? February 7, 2020 Does Philip Hammond deserve a peerage? Ben Kelly, a commentator for Reaction, says YES. Philip Hammond became a mighty irritant to Tory Brexiteers during his time as chancellor, so it is unsurprising that many of them are irked by Boris Johnson nominating him for a peerage. It’s true that he passionately opposed Brexit and was [...]
UK artists pull in record £87m in overseas music royalties February 7, 2020 British artists pulled in a record-breaking £86.7m in overseas royalties last year as the UK boosted its status as a global music powerhouse. The figure hit a record high in 2019 and is up 22 per cent on the total reached in 2018, according to new figures from licensing body PPL. The surge was driven [...]
Kell Brook goes back to basics ahead of make-or-break fight with Mark DeLuca February 6, 2020 His boxing career at a crossroads, ahead of Saturday night’s showdown with Mark DeLuca Britain’s Kell Brook has stripped his preparations back down to the basics. The 33-year-old has been waiting 14 months for his 41st professional bout, a hiatus partially inflicted upon himself as he awaited dream fights against Terence Crawford or Amir Khan [...]
Swiss investment adviser calls on Credit Suisse chairman to quit over spying scandal February 6, 2020 The head of a prominent Swiss investment adviser has called on Credit Suisse chairman Urs Rohner to step down, as a boardroom battle sparked by the bank spying on executives escalates. Rohner has been locked in a power struggle with chief executive Tidjane Thiam since the revelation in September that the Swiss lender had hired [...]
UK confirms third coronavirus patient February 6, 2020 A third person in the UK has tested positive for coronavirus, the Department of Health has confirmed. The patient, who did not acquire the virus in the UK, has been transferred to a specialist NHS centre. “We are using robust infection control measures to prevent any possible further spread of the virus,” said chief medical [...]
Twitter shares rise as revenue beats $1bn for the first time February 6, 2020 Shares in Twitter rose as much as eight per cent in pre-market trading today after the social media firm missed profit estimates but beat $1bn in quarterly revenue for the first time. Twitter reported net income of $119m (£91m), down from $255m on the same quarter last year and behind expectations. However, the social media [...]
Alastair Stewart should take comfort in the reaction of his friends and fans February 6, 2020 Last week this column made way for my interview with Sadiq Khan, so I didn’t have the chance to write about the outrageous treatment of broadcaster Alastair Stewart. In the week since, the veteran journalist has maintained a dignified silence, but the chorus of support from friends, colleagues and strangers has grown ever louder. To recap, [...]
Digital sector contributes £149bn to UK economy amid tech boom February 5, 2020 Digital companies contributed £149bn to the economy in 2018 as the UK retained its position as a leading tech superpower. The figure, which equates to £400m per day, means the digital sector accounts for 7.7 per cent of the UK economy as a whole. Growth in the thriving tech sector was also six times larger [...]
Relx splashes out $480m on fraud prevention firm Emailage February 4, 2020 Relx today said it has inked a deal to buy US startup Emailage for roughly $480m (£368m) as the publishing and analytics giant looks to boost its fraud prevention capabilities. Emailage, which uses machine learning technology to help clients spot fraud, is one of a number of businesses cashing in on a booming demand for [...]