Tag: bbc

Last local paper closes, so ring MP for news Amol Rajan’s media predictions for 2019 The independent review, undertaken by former journalist Dame Frances Cairncross, was tasked with investigating the sustainability of high-quality journalism. Its recommendations include measures to tackle “the uneven balance of power” between news publishers and online platforms that distribute their content. Services like Facebook, Google and Apple should continue their attempts to help readers understand how reliable a story is, and the process that decides which stories are shown should be more transparent, it said. “Their efforts should be placed under regulatory scrutiny – this task is too important to leave entirely to the judgment of commercial entities,” according to the report. A regulator would initially …

The retail tycoon, who also owns English Premier League football club Newcastle United, made his name building budget chain Sports Direct into Britain’s biggest sporting goods retailer. Mike Ashley bids for Patisserie Valerie Mike Ashley: The saviour of the High Street? What is Mike Ashley’s plan for the High Street? He has since become known for buying up struggling retail chains and bought both department store chain House of Fraser and cycle shop Evans out of administration last year. Sports Direct’s sprawling High Street empire also includes lingerie chain Agent Provocateur as well as shareholdings in Debenhams, French Connection and Game Digital. Last week, it emerged as front runner to buy Sofa.com. In addition to Patisserie Valerie, the company’s other …

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The companies do let out their halls, as the Goldsmith did for a speech by then-Foreign Secretary Lord Hague in 2010. But could they raise more? It’s the older institutions that Mr Ferris feels may not be pulling their weight. Many have investments in companies listed on the stock market. Some have large land holdings. Among the richest are the Mercers, which owns a number of blocks in Covent Garden. No public accounts In fact, the Mercers and Goldsmiths are the 55th and 73rd largest landlords in London respectively, according to Datscha, a commercial property data firm. Together, they are bigger landowners in the city than supermarket chain Sainsbury’s or the National Grid. But …

Grande also becomes only the second female artist to fill the top two spots at the same time. The last was Madonna, who was at number one and two simultaneously in August 1985 with Into The Groove and Holiday. ‘Peak popularity’ Thank U, Next’s pole position is no surprise. According to the Official Charts Company, it had been outselling the rest of the top five albums combined. Yet the success of Grande’s latest is particularly remarkable given how short the gap has been between her previous album and this one. Her last record, Sweetener, was released just six months ago, in August 2018. The intervening months have been turbulent for the 25-year-old. Her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller died after an accidental …

The Local Government Association (LGA) said the current formula did not take into account the needs of local communities. ‘Free-for-all’ Local authorities – by law – need to have an up-to-date plan for building new homes. If they are unable to prove that they have a five-year supply of land for housing, developers have greater freedoms to build where they want. The NAO points out that this risks ill-suited developments, while the LGA says it risks a “free-for-all”. The NAO says that between 2005-06 and 2017-18, 177,000 new homes per year were built on average, with the number never rising above 224,000. To meet its ambition for 300,000 homes a year, the department will need to oversee a 69% increase …

Owen Smith ‘considering’ quitting Labour May and Juncker talks ‘constructive’ Brexit: All you need to know Its absence now is designed to signify that Labour is serious about a deal. On one level, it is astute politics. EU negotiators have signalled their willingness to have a “closer relationship” with the UK than the May deal would allow. And that they are willing to be more flexible if a proposal could command a solid majority in Parliament. Win-win-win? Politically, the Labour leadership believe they have a “win, win, win” scenario. Win: They appear reasonable but Theresa May won’t play ball for fear of sacrificing her party’s unity on the altar of a customs union. She is potentially blamed by voters if …

The talks come before Mrs May is due to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Thursday in an effort to secure changes to her Brexit deal. The EU has maintained it will not renegotiate the withdrawal agreement, including the backstop. Mrs May spent Wednesday morning meeting the Stormont parties. On Tuesday, she told business leaders in Belfast that she wants changes to the controversial backstop but she suggested that she is not seeking to remove it from her Brexit deal. Who has the PM been meeting on Wednesday? Mrs May is holding meetings about Brexit and Northern Ireland’s political deadlock with Stormont’s five biggest political parties: The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) – the Conservative Party’s confidence-and-supply partner at Westminster …

Nissan has made cars at Sunderland since 1986 and employs almost 7,000 people. Changing environment Commenting on its decision, Nissan also said that since 2016 “the environment for the car industry in Europe has changed dramatically”, including “changing emissions regulations”. In the UK, diesel cars that fail to meet the latest emissions standards now face a levy and a number of European countries, including the UK, have announced bans on both new diesel and petrol vehicles in the future. As a result, sales of new diesel cars in the UK tumbled by 30% in 2018, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Analysis: The factors behind Nissan’s decision By Rob Young, BBC business reporter There’s been a run …