Rachel Reeves warned ‘dysfunctional’ fiscal rules are hammering economy February 19, 2026 Rachel Reeves has been dealt a scathing assessment of her economic policy by a top think tank, which likened her approach to a driver who was “watching the speedometer” while ignoring other conditions. The Chancellor is facing calls to scrap the self-imposed fiscal rules that prevent her from borrowing to pay for day-to-day spending and [...]
IOC looks tin-eared at best, cruel at worst over Ukraine helmet saga February 19, 2026 The reputations of the IOC and its president Kirsty Coventry have suffered badly from its handling of the Ukraine helmet row at the Winter Olympics, says Ed Warner. Are you not entertained? The Winter Olympics have delivered stories ranging from the titillating (penile injections, condom shortages and a narcissistic declaration of infidelity) to the enraging [...]
The Capitalist: Standard Life scrambles to avoid ‘STD’ ticker February 19, 2026 What's in a name? A whole lot of issues for Standard Life's new Stock Exchange ticker; delve into that and more in The Capitalist.
Meta signs Nvidia deal as AI infrastructure bill soars February 18, 2026 Meta has announced a a multi-year partnership with Nvidia to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, as it continues to commit billions to data centres. The deal will grant the Facebook owner access to the chip giant’s latest processor, and covers deployments across Meta’s various branches. It will see the social media group roll out [...]
Sky rivals Netflix with one TV subscription to rule them all February 18, 2026 Brits now spend more time with streaming services than with traditional broadcast TV. In the US, streaming has already surpassed linear viewing; in the UK, the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime are absorbing a growing share of screen time and, in turn, consumer spend. Revenue from digital entertainment rose to an all-time high of [...]
How the business of photographing the Winter Olympics has changed February 18, 2026 Getty Images’ Ken Mainardis takes us through how the business of snapping the Winter Olympics has changed over time. Picture this – you hoist a 20kg bag of camera equipment onto your back and ski down an Olympic course to lie down in the snow and wait for hours for competition to start, all so [...]
A university education is no longer good value for money February 18, 2026 Students have been turned into customers but the product they’re buying is worthless and it’s underwritten by the taxpayer, says Paul Ormerod The plight of graduates burdened with debt has been a prominent feature in the media over the past week or so. Hundreds of thousands will never earn enough to repay their student borrowings, [...]
Londoners want the police to treat crime as if it’s actually illegal February 17, 2026 Having denied that London is experiencing a crime wave for years, Sadiq Khan’s announcement of crackdown on phone theft is an admission that the capital is less safe than it should be, says Lawrence Newport For years, Sadiq Khan has told Londoners not to believe their own eyes. Londoners have borne witness to the worst [...]
Warner Bros reopens Paramount talks as bidding war escalates February 17, 2026 Warner Bros Discovery has resumed talks with Paramount Skydance, reigniting the takeover battle with Netflix for one of Hollywood’s most sought-after studios. WBD confirmed it is entering seven days of deal discussions with the David Ellison-backed group, even as it continues to stand by its agreed $82.7bn (£60.94bn) deal with Netflix. The move follows months [...]
Cloudflare and Mastercard Partner to Extend Comprehensive Cyber Defense Across Critical Infrastructure and Small Businesses February 17, 2026 Combined security offerings will uncover hidden risks, assess security posture, and automate defenses for all web-facing assets