Vehicle production drops in first half of year July 30, 2026 British car manufacturers produced considerably fewer vehicles in the first six months of this year, according to fresh figures from the industry’s largest trade group which warned that tariffs and domestic policy decisions were weighing on an already struggling sector. Vehicle production fell by 7.5 per cent between January and July compared to the same [...]
World Cup sponsors could pay price if Infantino’s Fifa sell-off goes ahead July 29, 2026 It’s not just match-going football fans who fear the financial ramifications of Fifa’s sell-off of commercial rights; World Cup sponsors could also find themselves paying more or getting less for their money, experts have warned. Sponsors currently contribute around a quarter of Fifa’s $15bn income over a four-year cycle and include some of the biggest [...]
AI firms targeting London’s rare book shops in ‘dystopian’ hunt for training data July 29, 2026 London’s rare book shops appear to have been targeted by AI companies searching for books to train their models, after court documents revealed Anthropic bought, scanned and destroyed millions of physical books as part of a controversial project to feed an insatiable demand for training data. One London-based seller of rare books told Morning Wire [...]
Ofgem data centre crackdown risks ‘driving AI investors away’ from UK July 29, 2026 Ofgem’s plans to crack down on speculative data centre projects have prompted warnings that new grid connection fees could make Britain a less attractive destination for AI investment, even as the industry backs efforts to clear stalled schemes from the queue. The regulator has launched a consultation on proposals to free up electricity grid capacity [...]
Fifa World Cup sell-off is a money-grab and faces defeat, says Uefa July 29, 2026 Uefa has warned Fifa it is facing defeat in its plans to sell stakes in a new subsidiary that will run the World Cup and accused it of using football to “enrich themselves and their friends”. Fifa president Gianni Infantino wants to set up a spin-off company to manage the commercial rights to the World [...]
Trump warns Iran: ‘We’re going to beat the f***ing s*** out of them’ July 29, 2026 Donald Trump has vowed to hit back at Iran after it launched “surprise” strikes against US forces in the Middle East last night. “We’re going to beat the f***ing s*** out of them. We’ll be hitting them hard. They’re going to get a beating,” the US President told Fox News on Wednesday. Oil prices have [...]
Industry backs mooted Burnham plans for return of alcohol on football terraces July 29, 2026 Industry has backed mooted government plans to consult on allowing football fans to drink alcohol on the terraces for the first time in more than 40 years. Fans of clubs in the football league were barred from drinking in view of the pitch in the 1980s to stop football hooligans from fighting. But the Prime [...]
Grant Thornton set for $5bn CBIZ buyout in landmark accountancy deal July 29, 2026 Grant Thornton is set to buy New York-listed management consulting firm CBIZ in a proposed $5bn deal, one of the largest transactions of its kind in the accountancy sector, creating the fifth-largest professional services firm in the US. CBIZ, the only audit firm listed on the US stock market, is set to be acquired by [...]
Mortgage approvals inch up yet gains to be ‘retracted’ July 29, 2026 Mortgage approvals rose slightly in June, according to Bank of England data, yet growing fears of a rise in interest rates could set the property market back again. Net mortgage approvals climbed by around three per cent, from 56,565 in May to 58,200 in June. That remained below the six-month average of around 61,400, and [...]
Europe to host Formula 1 finale if Iran war scuppers Qatar and Abu Dhabi plans July 29, 2026 Europe will host the Formula 1 finale if the ongoing war in Iran scuppers planned Grands Prix in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Formula 1’s 24-race season had already taken a double hit, with races in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain postponed indefinitely earlier this year. The Bahrain Grand Prix will now take place in Malaysia. But [...]