EasyJet agrees to £5.7bn takeover by US private equity firm
Posted on Thursday August 06, 2026

Airline says it has accepted offer from Apollo Global Management after rival bidder Castlelake walks away

EasyJet has formally agreed to a £5.7bn takeover from US private equity firm Apollo Global Management.

The airline announced it had accepted a firm offer on Thursday after a rival bidder, Castlelake, said it would no longer pursue its attempted acquisition.

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Paramount concessions lead UK to approve takeover of Warner Bros
Posted on Thursday August 06, 2026

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy says she will not intervene in £85bn deal after securing guarantees on Channel 5

The UK culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, has said she will not intervene in Paramount’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, removing one of the remaining obstacles to the blockbuster deal.

However, Paramount has made significant concessions to secure the UK government’s backing for the $110bn (£85bn) takeover, which will create a global media powerhouse and effectively bolster the influence of Paramount’s chief executive, David Ellison.

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Trains stop across north-west England after power cut hits signalling centre
Posted on Thursday August 06, 2026

Passengers awaiting Northern and TransPennine trains advised not to travel, with cancellations and other services delayed

Trains across parts of north-west England have ground to a halt after a power failure hit the signalling centre controlling the railway in the region.

Passengers awaiting Northern and TransPennine trains have been advised not to travel, with widespread cancellations and other services delayed by more than an hour already.

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Raleigh bike brand faces chop after owner begins insolvency proceedings
Posted on Thursday August 06, 2026

Fate of historic bicycle name in hands of administrators after Netherlands-based Accell Group fails to find buyer

The bicycle company that owns the historic Raleigh brand has started insolvency proceedings after failing to find a buyer.

The Netherlands-based Accell Group said on Wednesday it had called in administrators after it failed to find a viable solution to continue its operations in their current form.

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Restaurants, pubs and theatres ban Meta’s ‘spy glasses’ over privacy fears
Posted on Thursday August 06, 2026

Meta says safeguards are in place to prevent surreptitious filming, but some UK venues now prohibit them from being worn at all

When Meta used superstar Kylie Jenner to promote its sleek new line of “spy glasses”, the social media company hoped the devices would reach the same broad acceptance that tablets and smartwatches have found before them.

But those plans have hit a snag in the UK, where venues from elite restaurants to popular pub chains have banned the £359 glasses in order to preserve the privacy of customers and staff.

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AI models have been going rogue in tests – how worried should we be?
Posted on Wednesday August 05, 2026

The UK’s AI Security Institute test revealed AI models indulging in unprecedented hacking attempts

• AI models shock UK testers by using fake identities to trick developers

Two cutting-edge AI models have targeted real people and organisations in the latest safety scare to hit the technology. The UK’s AI Security Institute (AISI) said the incident was unprecedented but could become more common as the technology becomes increasingly capable.

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Uefa maintains World Cup boycott still stands despite Fifa’s backing for Infantino
Posted on Thursday August 06, 2026

• European body says Fifa statement ‘changes nothing’

• Fifpro condemns ‘profound abuse of presidential power’

Uefa has doubled down on its threat to boycott Fifa-run competitions and reiterated its loss of confidence in Gianni Infantino’s presidency.

The latest damning intervention from European football’s governing body came as criticism of Infantino continued to rain in from several angles. The global players’ union, Fifpro, condemned “a profound abuse of presidential power” while the South American confederation Conmebol, usually a strong Infantino ally, was moved to chastise “repeated unilateral actions taken without resorting to dialogue”.

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Springboks and All Blacks flex financial muscles with ‘Greatest Rivalry’ tour
Posted on Thursday August 06, 2026

Throwback series rekindles memories of the past, but the focus is very much on realities of the modern game

Just in case you were unaware that the series between South Africa and New Zealand, styled as Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry (RGR), is a “tour like no other”, the Springboks have just unveiled a jersey to prove it. “A jersey like no other” to be worn four times and then consigned to history.

The RGR, though, kicks off with a looming legal battle in South Africa in the background over the series’ commercial identity and the unauthorised use of its branding. And you thought sporting romance was dead.

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