John McDonnell pledges crackdown on City ‘enablers’ of tax avoidance September 15, 2019 Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has vowed to clamp down on City advisers engaged in promoting tax avoidance schemes, calling for hefty fines and even jail terms under a future Labour government. McDonnell directed his fire at “big accountancy firms” which he called “enablers” of tax avoidance, the term used to describe legal efforts to minimise [...]
Disney boss Bob Iger resigns from Apple board as streaming rivalry heats up September 15, 2019 Disney chief executive Bob Iger has stepped down from the board of Apple as the two companies prepare to go head to head in the escalating streaming wars. Iger stepped down from his role on 10 September, the same day Apple unveiled the price and launch date of its streaming service, according to a one-line [...]
China to exclude pork and soybeans from additional US tariffs September 13, 2019 China will exclude some agricultural products, including pork and soybeans, from additional tariffs on US goods in a bid to ease tensions ahead of trade talks. China’s State Council outlined the exemptions and encouraged companies to buy the key farm products, local media reported. Read more: European stocks higher after Donald Trump delays China tariffs [...]
Iconic Labs buys stake in student news website The Tab September 12, 2019 Iconic Labs has bought an indirect stake in student publishing company The Tab, marking the latest move in the media firm’s aggressive acquisition spree. Iconic Labs has secured a 24 per cent stake in media investment vehicle Medium Channel Media (MCM), which in turn has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire The Tab. Read [...]
Turn on the floodlights – recruiting for board diversity September 12, 2019 Diversity targets may feel ‘tick box’, but research shows that cognitive diversity improves decision-making. So broadening the talent pool in the boardroom – where the ultimate decisions are made on strategy, ethics and risk – can have an outsize impact on the success and sustainability of an organisation. Historically, getting to the top has been [...]
Seeing, but not believing: The threat from Deepfake videos September 12, 2019 Both traditional and social media lit up earlier this year following the launch of a ground-breaking campaign for charity Malaria No More which was fronted by David Beckham. In this 55-second video ad, the football star makes a passionate appeal for support. He makes it, however, in nine different languages. No, David Beckham has not [...]
Hong Kong’s bid for London Stock Exchange whips up a storm September 11, 2019 A blockbuster plan to merge the London Stock Exchange with its Hong Kong counterpart faces an uphill battle after being met with scepticism from politicians and investors alike today. Read more: Hong Kong bourse proposes merger with LSE Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) shocked the City this morning after revealing a surprise £32bn bid [...]
Raheem Sterling hits new heights and shows why sponsors are in hot pursuit September 11, 2019 Last month it emerged that Raheem Sterling was being courted by Air Jordan, the Nike sub-brand reported to be considering making him the face of a new range of football boots in a £100m deal. If anyone was in any doubt why Sterling is in line for one of the sport’s most lucrative ever boot [...]
Apple TV Plus gives Netflix chills as it undercuts streaming rival September 11, 2019 Apple has turned up the heat on incumbent streaming firm Netflix, revealing its new Apple TV Plus service will launch with a price tag of just £4.99 per month. The Silicon Valley tech giant last night confirmed its eagerly-anticipated streaming platform will launch in 100 countries, including the UK, on 1 November. Read more: Apple [...]
UK electoral system vulnerable to foreign hacking, say officials September 11, 2019 On the brink of an election, The UK does not have time to bring forward measures to resist the sort of social media and misinformation campaigns carried out by hostile states that have affected some Western nations, officials say. Following the 2016 Brexit referendum, some defeated remain campaigners alleged that a misleading social meda campaign [...]