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☆ 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' set UK-Ireland box office double debut record
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska/File PhotoLONDON, July 24 (Reuters) - "Barbie" grossed an estimated 18.5 million pounds ($23.7 million) and "Oppenheimer" 10.9 million pounds at the UK-Ireland box office at the weekend, Screen International said on Monday - the first time two films opened to over 10 million pounds each. Greta Gerwig, who helmed "Barbie", beat the record for the biggest opening for a film directed by a woman. "Oppenheimer", starring Irish actor Cillian Murphy as the American scientist who developed the atomic bomb, also secured director Christopher Nolan's second-biggest UK opening weekend. Cinema operator Vue International said it had enjoyed its biggest weekend since "Avengers: Endgame" opened in 2019, with "Barbie" on track to become the biggest film of 2023. "Barbie", which stars Margot Robbie, also ruled in U.S. and Canadian theatres, taking an estimated $155 million to set the record for the biggest domestic opening of 2023.

Persons: Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, Maja Smiejkowska, Oppenheimer, Barbie, Cillian Murphy, Christopher Nolan's, Farouq Suleiman, Paul Sandle Organizations: REUTERS, Vue, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Ireland, U.S

☆ Vodafone takes 'first steps' in turnaround with top-line improvement
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 24 (Reuters) - Vodafone (VOD.L) reported better top-line growth on Monday, driven by higher prices in Britain and improvements in Germany, Italy and Spain, marking a positive start for new Chief Executive Margherita Della Valle's turnaround plan. She said on Monday that organic service revenue had improved "across almost all of our markets", as it reported a 3.7% first-quarter rise. The decline in service revenue in Germany more than halved quarter-on-quarter to 1.3%, as price rises partially offset the impact of customer losses over the last 18 months. Growth in service revenue in Britain, where Vodafone announced the merger of its operation with Hutchison's rival network Three last month, accelerated to 5.7%, boosted by strong growth in consumer and price increases. In Italy, improved demand from businesses helped reduce the service revenue decline to 1.6%, from 2.7% in the previous quarter, it said, while Spain saw a smaller improvement to a decline of 3.0% from 3.7%.

Persons: Margherita Della Valle's, Luka Mucic, Della Valle, We've, Ahmed Essam, Paul Sandle, Kate Holton, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Vodafone, SAP, Thomson Locations: Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain

☆ Microsoft-Activision deal back in hands of UK regulator after court pauses appeal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 21 (Reuters) - Microsoft's Activision Blizzard deal is back in the hands of Britain's antitrust regulator after an appeals court granted an adjournment, and the grounds for why the UK should reconsider its block on the U.S. software giant's takeover were published. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) set out on Friday Microsoft's arguments for the reconsideration, as the U.S. battles to win UK approval to buy "Call of Duty" maker Activision. Explaining why the deal should now be given the green light, Microsoft argued that the binding commitments accepted by the European Union shortly after Britain had blocked the deal changed matters, court documents published showed. The CMA said it understood that Microsoft considered the recent licensing deal it agreed with Sony constituted a further material change of circumstance or special reason. Britain's Competition Appeal Tribunal provisionally approved the adjournment on Monday subject to further submissions from the parties.

Persons: Candy, Sarah Young, Paul Sandle, Sam Tobin, Alistair Smout, Louise Heavens Organizations: Microsoft's Activision, Markets Authority, Activision, CMA, Microsoft, European Union, NVIDIA, Boosteroid, Sony, Thomson Locations: U.S, European, Britain

☆ Simon Pegg and Brian Cox support Hollywood strike at London rally
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Sarah Mills | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Actors Brian Cox, Jim Carter, Imelda Staunton, Andy Serkis and Simon Pegg join demonstrators at the Equity rally in Leicester Square, in solidarity with the SAG-AFTRA strikes, London, Britain, July 21, 2023. REUTERS/Hollie AdamsLONDON, July 21 (Reuters) - "Mission Impossible" star Simon Pegg and Brian Cox from "Succession" joined a rally in London on Friday in support of U.S film and television writers and actors striking for higher pay and new terms in the streaming era. Actors union SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America want increases in base pay and residuals, plus assurances they will not be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI). British actors' union Equity organised the rally in Leicester Square, where movie theatres hosted UK premieres including "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" last week. David Oyelowo, Andy Serkis, Imelda Staunton, Naomie Harris and Hayley Atwell also joined Friday's rally, where supporters held placards saying "Equity stands in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA".

Persons: Brian Cox, Jim Carter, Imelda Staunton, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Adams, Barbie, Oppenheimer, Paul Fleming, David Oyelowo, Naomie Harris, Hayley Atwell, Rob Delaney, we're, Cox, Paul Sandle, Farouq Suleiman, Sharon Singleton, John Stonestreet Organizations: Equity, SAG, REUTERS, Hollywood, Writers Guild of America, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Leicester Square, London, Britain, U.S

☆ EasyJet reports record Q3 results on back of summer travel demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 20 (Reuters) - Britain's easyJet (EZJ.L) posted a record pretax profit of 203 million pounds ($262.5 million) for its third quarter, above analysts' forecasts, on the back of an ongoing rebound in summer travel demand and limited disruption despite ongoing strikes. The airline said it also expected to report record pretax profit for its fourth quarter, the July to September period, as costs per seat flattened with oil prices stabilizing. However easyJet's CEO Johan Lundgren warned about the potential impact of limited airspace availability and air traffic control strikes in Europe. EasyJet holidays also saw bookings more than double year-on-year for the winter. ($1 = 0.7734 pounds)Reporting by Joanna Plucinska and Paul Sandle; Editing by Sarah Young and Jan HarveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Johan Lundgren, Lundgren, Joanna Plucinska, Paul Sandle, Sarah Young, Jan Harvey Organizations: Airlines, Thomson Locations: Europe

☆ UK antitrust regulator: We await new Microsoft proposal on Activision deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 20 (Reuters) - Britain's antitrust regulator is waiting for Microsoft to submit a modified deal structure to buy "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard, its boss Sarah Cardell said on Thursday. "We understand from Microsoft that they would like to put forward proposals to us to restructure the deal, potentially re-notifying that deal, to address our competition concerns," she told Sky News. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked the $69 billion deal in April over concerns about its impact on competition in the cloud gaming market. Cardell said any new proposal put forward by Microsoft would "need to fully and comprehensively resolve our concerns". Reporting by Paul Sandle; editing by Sarah Young and Kate HoltonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sarah Cardell, Cardell, Paul Sandle, Sarah Young, Kate Holton Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Sky News, Markets Authority, U.S, FTC, CMA, Thomson

☆ Broadcom's $69 bln VMware deal wins provisional UK clearance
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] 3D printed clouds and figurines are seen in front of the VMware cloud service logo in this illustration taken February 8, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationLONDON, July 19 (Reuters) - Britain's competition regulator provisionally cleared U.S. tech company Broadcom's (AVGO.O) $69 billion purchase of VMware (VMW.N) on Wednesday, saying the deal would not weaken competition in the supply of critical computer server products. The proposed deal has highlighted chipmaker Broadcom's aim to diversify into enterprise software, but comes as regulators worldwide ramp up scrutiny of deals by Big Tech. Broadcom welcomed the unconditional approval, saying it expects to close the deal in the current fiscal year. The $69 billion deal, consisting of $61 billion in equity and the rest in debt, is also being examined by U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Muvija M, Paul Sandle, William James, Jane Merriman Organizations: VMware, REUTERS, Broadcom's, Union, Broadcom, CMA, Big Tech, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Activision, Thomson Locations: British

The new plant is expected to be built in Somerset, south-west England, while Jaguar Land Rover's UK factories are based near Birmingham, central England. With an initial output of 40 gigawatt hours, Britain said the factory would provide almost half of the battery production needed by 2030. The Faraday Institution has projected UK battery demand to reach over 100 GWh a year by that time. "With this strategic investment, the Tata Group further strengthens its commitment to the UK," Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said in the statement. "Almost every car producing nation in the world (is) offering a lot of incentives in order to ensure that they preserve the integrity of their car industry," he said.

Persons: Danish Siddiqui, Rishi Sunak's, Sunak, N Chandrasekaran, Mike Hawes, Andy Palmer, Aston Martin, Jeremy Hunt, wouldn't, Alistair Smout, Sarah Young, William James, Paul Sandle, Emma Rumney Organizations: Tata Motors, REUTERS, Danish, India's Tata Group, Rover, Tata, BBC, European Union, Nissan, Rover's, Faraday, Tata Group, EV, BBC Radio, Britain, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, Britain, Spain, Somerset, England, Birmingham, United States, Europe, China, EU

☆ Analysis: Microsoft tests the limits of Britain's antitrust authority
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The European Union approved the deal in May, when it accepted commitments to license games to rival platforms. At the same time, Microsoft offered a "detailed and complex" new proposal to the CMA, prompting the regulator to take the unprecedented step of reopening talks. The CMA said it was awaiting further Microsoft submissions on what had changed and how it would restructure the transaction. "We will then consider whether the proposals create a new merger situation and address the CMA's competition concerns," a spokesperson said on Tuesday. CLOSED FOR BUSINESSAfter the CMA block, Microsoft thundered that Britain was closed for business; exactly what the government did not want to hear as it tries to reignite the economy after the uncertainty sparked by Brexit.

Persons: we've, Becket McGrath, they're, Brexit, Tom Smith, Brad Smith, Jeremy Hunt, Meta, Smith, Marcus Smith, Gareth Mills, Charles Russell Speechlys, Sam Tobin, James Davey, Kate Holton, Sharon Singleton Organizations: CMA, Microsoft, U.S, Activision Blizzard, Markets Authority, Xbox, FTC, Reuters, European Union, Activision, CAT, Euclid Law, Geradin Partners, Brexit, Britain's, Facebook, Meta, Markets Unit, Thomson Locations: U.S, Barcelona, Brexit, London, Brussels, British, United States, Britain

☆ UK regulator extends Microsoft-Activision deadline to Aug. 29
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 14 (Reuters) - Britain's competition regulator on Friday extended its final deadline on Microsoft's $69 billion Activision Blizzard deal to Aug. 29 after its received a "detailed and complex" new proposal from Microsoft that claimed material changes in circumstance. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) become the first major regulator to block the acquisition of the "Call of Duty" maker in April when it issued its final report. Yet on Wednesday the CMA said a restructured deal between Microsoft and Activision could satisfy its concerns, subject to a new investigation. On Friday it extended its deadline to either accept final undertakings or make a final order by six weeks to Aug. 29, although it said it would aim to do it as soon as possible and before that date. Reporting by Muvija M and Paul Sandle; editing by Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Muvija M, Paul Sandle, Jason Neely Organizations: Activision, Microsoft, Markets Authority, CMA, U.S, FTC, Ninth Circuit, Appeals, Thomson

☆ China drives Burberry first-quarter sales jump
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A person walks past a Burberry store undergoing refurbishment on New Bond Street in London, Britain, March 11, 2023. REUTERS/Henry NichollsLONDON, July 14 (Reuters) - British luxury fashion brand Burberry (BRBY.L) on Friday reported an 18% rise in its first-quarter comparable store sales, in line with market expectations thank to continued recovery in China. CEO Jonathan Akeroyd said outerwear and leather goods were performing well and he was excited about new products from designer Daniel Lee arriving in stores in September. Lee, who joined in September, unveiled his debut collection at London Fashion Week in February. Like-for-like leather goods sales increased 13%, with women's bags, especially the Frances shapes and vintage Burberry check performing well, the company said.

Persons: Henry Nicholls LONDON, Jonathan Akeroyd, Daniel Lee, Lee, Frances, Suban Abdulla, Paul Sandle, David Goodman Organizations: Burberry, New, REUTERS, London Fashion, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, China, Europe, Americas

☆ UK extends Activision deadline after receiving Microsoft's 'complex' proposal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is also opposed, but it suffered a major defeat on Tuesday when a federal court ruled in favour of Microsoft. It is battling on and filed an emergency motion to an appeals court requesting a "temporary pause" to the deal closing late on Thursday. Yet on Tuesday, less than an hour after a U.S. federal court ruled the deal could go ahead, the CMA said it could look again at a modified proposal. A Bloomberg report said Microsoft and Activision were considering giving up some control of their cloud-gaming business in Britain to appease the CMA. Additional reporting by Muvija M; editing by Jason Neely and Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Brad Smith, Jeremy Hunt, Smith, Gareth Mills, Charles Russell Speechlys, They'll, Muvija, Jason Neely, Louise Heavens Organizations: CMA, Microsoft, Activision, Markets Authority, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Bloomberg, Thomson Locations: Britain, EU

☆ UK's CMA open to new Microsoft-Activision probe after u-turn
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"It is really an unprecedented and dramatic turn of events," said Alex Haffner, competition partner at UK law firm Fladgate. Becket McGrath, a partner at Euclid Law, said it seemed like the CMA wanted a way out of an "uncomfortable position". Still, with the larger $69 billion deal back on track, the two sides are now focused on modifying the deal to obtain regulatory approval. Jonathan Compton, partner at law firm DMH Stallard and a specialist in competition law, said it was difficult to see what structural alterations the company could make. Britain's competition regulator has not given any further clarification on its U-turn or the new investigation, including whether it would fit into its Phase 1 and 2 process, the latter of which can take up to a year.

Persons: Alex Haffner, Becket McGrath, Jonathan Compton, DMH, Euclid's McGrath, Sarah Cardell, Paul Sandle, Muvija, Martin Coulter, Amy, Jo Crowley, Kate Holton Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, Markets Authority, CMA, European Union, Euclid Law, Thomson Locations: United States, Devika

☆ UK regulator open to looking at Microsoft-Activision deal again
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Microsoft responded by saying it was considering how the transaction might be modified to address concerns made by Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the first regulator to block the deal. The deal to buy the "Call of Duty" maker is the largest ever for Microsoft and the biggest in videogame history. The CMA became the first major antitrust regulator to block the deal in April, citing concerns about competition in the nascent cloud gaming market. Both companies reacted furiously to the decision, with Microsoft saying it "had shaken confidence" in Britain as a destination for tech businesses. A U.S. judge ruled earlier on Tuesday that Microsoft could go ahead with the deal, rejecting antitrust enforcer FTC's request for a temporary stop.

Persons: Britain's, FTC's, Paul Sandle, William James, Kate Holton Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Britain's Competition, Markets Authority, CMA, European Union, Thomson Locations: Britain, U.S

☆ BBC pauses investigation into sex photo allegations after meeting police
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 11 (Reuters) - The BBC said on Tuesday it had paused its investigation into a presenter accused of paying a young person for explicit images, saying its review was on hold while the police examined the circumstances. The BBC, which dominates Britain's cultural and news landscape, has suspended the presenter and discussed the situation with the police. Several BBC stars have taken to social media to say they were not involved after speculation swirled online. "The BBC has been asked to pause its investigations into the allegations while the police scope future work," it said in a statement on Tuesday. On Monday the BBC reported that it had received a letter from a lawyer acting for the young person in the case, to say the allegations were "rubbish".

Persons: Paul Sandle, Kate Holton, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: BBC, Sun, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson

☆ BBC sex photo claims are 'rubbish', young person's lawyer tells broadcaster
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - Allegations that an unnamed BBC presenter paid a young person to pose for explicit photos are "rubbish", a lawyer acting for the young person has told the broadcaster in a letter. The presenter, who has not been named by the BBC or the Sun newspaper, was suspended on Sunday following the claims. The BBC reported on Monday, however, that a lawyer for the young person had written to the broadcaster stating that the allegation was "rubbish". The lawyer said the young person sent a denial to the Sun newspaper on Friday evening, when it first published the allegation, saying there was "no truth" to it, the BBC said. BBC News said it did not know the identity of the young person and had not spoken directly to them, nor had it seen the Sun's evidence.

Persons: Rupert Murdoch's Sun, It's, Paul Sandle, Kate Holton, Peter Graff, Christina Fincher Organizations: Sun, BBC, Monday, Metropolitan Police, Thomson Locations: England

SummaryCompanies BT boss who spearheaded fibre roll-out to step downJansen simplified former monopoly, retreated from sportsShares nearly halved under his tenureLONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - BT (BT.L) Chief Executive Philip Jansen will step down within the next year, having set plans in motion for Britain's biggest telecoms provider to cut jobs, become leaner and complete the roll-out of a national fibre network. Jansen had informed BT's board of directors that he plans to leave at "an appropriate moment" within the next 12 months, BT said on Monday. Since early 2019, Jansen has steered BT through a crucial period in its 177-year-history, secured funding for a national fibre network for 25 million homes and businesses and handled the arrival of billionaire investor Patrick Drahi on the shareholder register. "We suspect investors will find this transition a little premature given the fruits of BT's fibre investments have still yet to be proven out," analysts at J.P.Morgan wrote in a client note. Analysts named BT's consumer brands boss Marc Allera and Allison Kirkby, a BT board member and chief executive of Sweden's Telia, as possible successors.

Persons: Jansen, Philip Jansen, BT's, Patrick Drahi, J.P.Morgan, Adam Crozier, Marc Allera, Allison Kirkby, Sweden's, Sarah Young, Kate Holton, Sharon Singleton Organizations: BT, Britain's, Discovery, Deutsche Telekom, Ofcom, Thomson Locations: France, United States, Portugal, Israel

☆ More than 700 firearms seized in UK in Anglo-Spanish operation
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 9 (Reuters) - More than 700 firearms have been seized in a five-year operation by the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) and Spain's Guardia Civil to prevent replica guns that can easily be converted into lethal weapons from entering Britain, the NCA said on Sunday. The operation, which also involved international law enforcement and gun retailers, targeted forward-venting blank firearms (FVBF), which resemble guns such as Glocks. The weapons are traded lawfully in some parts of mainland Europe but are illegal to possess or import into Britain. Since 2019, the NCA and Guardia Civil - which has jurisdiction in Spain for the national control of firearms- have been jointly working on Project Vizardlike to combat the threat. The operation has so far resulted in the seizure of 703 firearms, 74 arrests and 50 convictions, the NCA said.

Persons: Paul Sandle, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Crime Agency, Britain, NCA, Guardia Civil, Thomson Locations: Guardia, Britain, Europe, Spain

☆ BBC suspends presenter over alleged teenager photos scandal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BBC News said it understood that referred to the police. The Sun newspaper, which first reported the allegations, cited the young person's mother as saying the unnamed male presenter had paid the teenager more than 35,000 pounds ($45,000) over three years for the images. The mother told the newspaper that the teenager had used the cash to fund a crack cocaine habit. "(Davie) has assured me the BBC are investigating swiftly and sensitively," she said on Twitter. ($1 = 0.7791 pounds)Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by William Maclean, David Holmes and Sharon SingletonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lucy Frazer, Tim Davie, Davie, Paul Sandle, William Maclean, David Holmes, Sharon Singleton Organizations: BBC, BBC News, Sun, Twitter, Thomson

☆ Second girl dies after car crashes into London primary school
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 9 (Reuters) - A second eight-year-old girl has died after a car crashed into a building at a south London primary school on Thursday, police said on Sunday. The driver of a car, a 46-year old woman from the area, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, police said. On Thursday it was confirmed that Selena Lau had died as a result of her injuries. The second girl, who was named as Nuria Sajjad, died on Sunday, police said. Her family said in a statement that she "embodied joy, kindness and generosity and was loved by all around her".

Persons: Selena Lau, Nuria Sajjad, Paul Sandle, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Prep School, Thomson Locations: London, Wimbledon

☆ Sainsbury's says UK food inflation falling as sales rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( James Davey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Q1 like-for-like sales up 9.8%Says has returned to volume growthKeeps profit guidance for full yearLONDON, July 4 (Reuters) - Sainsbury's (SBRY.L), Britain's second largest supermarket group, said on Tuesday food inflation was starting to fall as a return to volume growth helped power a 9.8% rise in quarterly underlying sales. The group, which has a 15% share of Britain's grocery market, also maintained guidance for a 2023-24 underlying pretax profit of 640-700 million pounds ($812-$888 million) versus 690 million pounds in 2022-23. "Food inflation is starting to fall and we are fully committed to passing on savings to our customers," Sainsbury's CEO Simon Roberts said, pointing to 60 million pounds in lower prices since March. Last month, market leader Tesco (TSCO.L), reported a 9% rise in first-quarter underlying UK sales and said food inflation had peaked. While the UK government has raised concerns about the surge in food prices it says it is not considering imposing price caps.

Persons: Simon Roberts, James Davey, Sarah Young, Paul Sandle, Jason Neely Organizations: Aldi, Tesco, Thomson Locations: Britain, Sainsbury's, Europe

☆ UK asks court to curb powers of COVID inquiry to see WhatsApp messages
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government on Friday asked London's High Court to stop a public inquiry into its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic forcing it to hand over some internal WhatsApp messages. Britain's Cabinet Office refused to provide WhatsApp messages concerning the government's handling of the pandemic and other political issues earlier this month, saying some of the material sought was "unambiguously irrelevant". However, the Cabinet Office has brought a legal challenge over the inquiry's demands, which its lawyer James Eadie told the court was brought "with some considerable reluctance". Eadie added the WhatsApp messages contained references to personal and family information and "comments of a personal nature" about identifiable government figures. But lawyers representing Hallett said the limits the Cabinet Office sought to place on public inquiries' powers to compel the production of documents was "flawed and unworkable".

Persons: Rishi Sunak's, London's, Heather Hallett, Boris Johnson, James Eadie, Eadie, Hallett, Hugo Keith, Johnson, Keith, Mr Johnson, Sam Tobin, Paul Sandle Organizations: British, Thomson

☆ Microsoft's appeal of UK Activision veto to go ahead as planned
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) - Microsoft's appeal against Britain's veto of its $69 billion deal to buy Activision Blizzard will go ahead as planned at the end of July after the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) rejected the antitrust regulator's request for a delay. The Competition and Markets Authority, which blocked the takeover in April, wanted the hearing delayed from July 28 to October to give it more time to prepare and present its case. But the CAT said: "We consider that the CMA has not paid sufficient heed to the true public interest in this case – which is the swift resolution of Microsoft's Notice." Reporting by Muvija M and Paul Sandle; Editing by Kate HoltonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Britain's, Muvija M, Paul Sandle, Kate Holton Organizations: Activision Blizzard, Markets Authority, CMA, Thomson

☆ 'Call of Duty' maker to invest in Barcelona after EU approves Microsoft deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 28 (Reuters) - Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) said its studio that developed "Call of Duty" would set up shop in Barcelona, putting into action its pledge to invest in Europe after Brussels approved Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of the company in May. In contrast, it said it would "meaningfully expand" its investment and workforce in the European Union after the deal received the green light there. Microsoft and Activision Blizzard are battling antitrust regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to clinch the deal, the biggest ever in video gaming. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick and his Microsoft counterpart Satya Nadella are due to testify in a court in San Francisco on Wednesday to urge a judge to allow the merger. Microsoft is appealing the British veto with the "aggressive" support of Activision.

Persons: Bobby Kotick, Satya Nadella, Kate Holton, Alexander Smith Organizations: Activision, Digital Legends, Microsoft, European Union, Activision Blizzard, Atlantic, Federal Trade Commission, Thomson Locations: Barcelona, Europe, Brussels, U.S, Spanish, Guildford, Warrington, England, European, San Francisco, Britain

DIRTY BEACHESClean water campaign groups accuse the water companies of failing to invest in infrastructure. She was replaced by two co-chief executives, Chief Finance Officer Alastair Cochran and former Ofwat boss Cathryn Ross, who has been at Thames Water since 2021. Jefferies analysts said Britain's listed water operators Severn Trent (SVT.L), Pennon Group (PNN.L) and United Utilities (UU.L) were better capitalised than Thames Water, but the issues with the largest company meant a "heightened regulatory environment". Daily headlines about rivers and beaches polluted by sewage released by water companies look set to turn water into a major issue at the next general election, expected next year. Thames Water said in its annual report in October that it had not paid a dividend to its shareholders for the last five years.

Persons: Rishi Sunak's, Jeremy Hunt, Sarah Bentley, Alastair Cochran, Cathryn Ross, Alix, Ofwat, Australia's Macquarie, Sarah Young, Paul Sandle, Radhika Anilkumar, David Evans, Mark Potter Organizations: Company, British, Sky News, Conservatives, Thames, Times, Ontario, China Investment Corp, Water, Alix Partners, Daily Telegraph, Jefferies, Trent, Pennon, United Utilities, Environment Agency, Financial Times, Thomson Locations: England, Wales, Britain, Thames

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