JetBlue decides not to appeal American Airlines alliance court ruling
By Rajesh Kumar Singh CHICAGO JetBlue Airways Corp said on Wednesday it will not appeal a U.S. judge's
2023-07-06 04:46
Little-Known Russia Wheat Exporter Takes Top Spot in a Year
A company created in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has become its top wheat trader in
2023-07-06 01:24
International School Worth Close to $1 Billion Turns CEO Into Multimillionaire
The growing number of wealthy Chinese leaving their homeland has been a boon for Thailand’s only exchange-listed school
2023-07-06 00:21
Leicester fined up to £880,000 over price fixing with JD Sports
Leicester are to be fined up to £880,000 after “colluding to restrict competition” alongside JD Sports in the sales of club clothing, including replica kit, according to the UK competition watchdog. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said the Sky Bet Championship side and JD Sports have admitted to anti-competitive behaviour, which include “price fixing conduct”. The parties broke competition law between 2018 and 2021 with arrangements which limited competition in the sale of clothing, the CMA said it has provisionally found. Leicester and its parent companies have agreed to pay a fine up to the watchdog’s maximum penalty of £880,000. JD Sports will avoid a fine after reporting the illegal activity. In August 2018, JD Sports said it would stop selling Leicester-branded clothing online for the 2018-19 season, and in January 2019, JD Sports agreed it would not “undercut” the club in terms of online sales for the following season by applying a delivery charge to all orders, the CMA said. It said JD Sports continued the agreement to sell all Leicester clothing with the charge until at least January 2021. Michael Grenfell, executive director of enforcement at the CMA, said: “Strong and unimpeded competition between retailers is essential to consumers’ ability to shop around for the best deals. “Football fans are well-known for their loyalty towards their teams. In this case we have provisionally found that Leicester City FC and JD Sports colluded to share out markets and fix prices with the result that fans may have ended up paying more than they would otherwise have done. “Both parties have now admitted their involvement, allowing us to bring the investigation to a swift conclusion. “The fine that Leicester City FC and its parent companies have agreed to pay sends a clear message to them and other businesses that anti-competitive collusion will not be tolerated.” In response, Leicester stressed that no current club directors or senior management were involved in the arrangements. “These arrangements related to a limited number of bulk orders by JD Sports, which were accepted by the club’s retail sales team over the relevant period,” the club added. “There was no intention on the part of the club to unlawfully restrict the resale of the goods supplied and no material financial advantage to be gained from doing so, given the limited amount of kit supplied to JD Sports. “However, the club accepts the CMA’s findings and has taken steps to strengthen its training and compliance measures to ensure the club’s retail operations fully comply with competition law.” JD Sports also highlighted that current or former directors or senior management of JD were involved in the offending conduct and that it signed a leniency agreement with the CMA last month. The company added: “JD has taken a number of steps to strengthen its competition compliance programme and the board reaffirms its commitment to making the necessary resource available, internal and external, to ensure that this is embedded into its daily operations.” It comes almost a year after JD Sports, rival Elite Sports and Rangers were handed fines over price fixing on replica kits. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Paris St Germain sack Christophe Galtier Wimbledon schedule further affected as rain prevents play on Wednesday morning Keira Walsh fears injury ‘every time I go on the pitch’ due to increased load
2023-07-05 20:28
Factbox-Potential candidates as next chief of Australia's central bank
By Wayne Cole SYDNEY The Australian government will announce this month whether it would reappoint Reserve Bank of
2023-07-05 11:46
Business as usual for Fleetwood as former chairman is jailed
Fleetwood will continue to go about the club’s normal business following the sentencing of former chairman Andy Pilley. Pilley, who stepped down as chairman and director of the League One club during May after being convicted on four counts of fraud, appeared at Preston Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday. He was found guilty of two counts of fraudulent trading, fraud by false representation and being involved in the acquisition, retention, use or control of the proceeds of fraudulently mis-sold energy contracts. Also chairman of BES Utilities, Pilley had been involved in High Court litigation with Cheshire West and Chester Council, but lost a civil court fight over investigating allegations of mis-selling. At the Crown Court sentencing, the 53-year-old, who had been was remanded in custody, was jailed for a total of 13 years and was also disqualified from being a director for 13 years. Pilley had been the chairman and owner of Fleetwood for 20 years and overseen the club’s rise from non-league status to the English Football League. Fleetwood, who finished 13th last season, had already announced the club were in discussions surrounding a change of ownership and control which remain ongoing. A statement on Tuesday afternoon read: “Fleetwood Town Football Club acknowledges the sentencing in the court case involving former club chairman, Andy Pilley. “The club would like to reiterate convictions are against individuals and not Fleetwood Town FC, or any of the businesses associated with them, and will continue to operate as normal. “Fleetwood Town remain in communication with the EFL and will be making no further comment at this time.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
2023-07-05 00:49
Factbox-Europe's ongoing strike-related travel disruptions
European airports are in the middle of another busy summer as passenger numbers globally recover to pre-pandemic levels.
2023-07-04 21:28
GIC-Backed $2 Billion Fintech Nium Targets US IPO in Two Years
Singapore payments company Nium Pte aims to break even in time for a US initial public offering within
2023-07-04 09:17
Malaysia to Simplify Investment Bodies to Boost Ease of Business
Malaysia is working on streamlining the roles of its investment promotion agencies to improve the ease of doing
2023-07-03 18:20
Liverpool sign Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig in £60million deal
Liverpool have completed the signing of midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig in a £60million deal, subject to a work permit. The PA news agency understands the 22-year-old Hungary international has signed a five-year contract with the Reds. Szoboszlai is the second of Liverpool’s summer signings to reinforce their midfield, following the £35m arrival of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton, with Jurgen Klopp viewing the former Red Bull Salzburg star as a similar multi-functional player who offers tactical flexibility. With Liverpool having spoken to the player’s representatives earlier this week, the move advanced quickly with a release clause expiring on Friday which the Reds triggered at the last minute. Szoboszlai was seen as a more viable alternative to Chelsea’s Mason Mount, whom they were interested in as he entered the final 12 months of his contract but had proved to be a more expensive option which involved less straightforward negotiations. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
2023-07-02 23:16
Regulator must hold football to account over discrimination, says CMS committee
Football must be held accountable for how it tackles discrimination by the new independent regulator, a key parliamentary committee has said. In the week where an independent report found evidence of “deep-rooted” discrimination in cricket, the Culture Media and Sport (CMS) committee insists football cannot be relied on to get its own house in order on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). It called for EDI measures to be included in a new code for football governance, and for the regulator to have powers to mandate and assess EDI action plans put together by clubs. The Government is committed to legislating for an independent regulator for English football (IREF), with Sports Minister Stuart Andrew telling supporters in Manchester last weekend that it would be one of the first bills to progress after the King’s Speech in the autumn. However, the Government said in its white paper on football governance published in February that it did not believe EDI matters should fall within the immediate scope of the regulator, something which frustrated anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out, particularly given the fan-led review had recommended EDI be in the regulator’s remit. The CMS committee says it is “sceptical” football will come up with suitable collective standards by itself, given the “limited progress” it has observed. A report from the committee, which recommended the Government set up the regulator in shadow form by the end of the year, stated: “We are concerned that the Government has ignored recommendations to include EDI Action Plans for clubs and oversight of these plans within IREF’s remit. “We believe that IREF would be well placed to receive and publish standardised data on compliance with EDI requirements in football, as well as monitoring and enforcing compliance with equality standards through EDI Action Plans. “We recommend that the Government should give IREF the authority to mandate EDI Action Plans as part of its threshold licence conditions for clubs. Clubs’ performances against these Action Plans should be assessed regularly by IREF as part of its routine licence reviews.” Kick It Out chief executive Tony Burnett welcomed the committee’s recommendation and added: “Football has dragged its heels for too long when making the change needed to make it a more welcoming sport. “There is still a lack of diversity in boardrooms, coaching and refereeing, while players and fans suffer from discrimination from the professional game down to grassroots. There has been progress, but a lack of collaboration and few solid outcomes over the past decade mean it’s time for the process to be accelerated. “That is why we endorse the recommendations, already made in the fan-led review, that EDI measures are included in the new Code for Football Governance, and that action plans are part of a club’s licensing conditions. “Placing equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of football’s governance will help the game grow, therefore safeguarding it for future generations.” The Government will hold roundtable meetings over the coming months to drive forward EDI initiatives across the football pyramid as it continues to engage with the FA, leagues, fan representatives and civil society organisations. The regulator should also set “substantially higher” fan engagement standards rather than accepting existing Premier League standards as the baseline, the committee said. Football’s authorities were also warned to “get their act together” on a new financial agreement between the Premier League, the EFL and the FA, with the new regulator set to be given backstop powers to impose a solution via arbitration if one cannot be reached amongst themselves. However, the PA news agency understands talks over the ‘New Deal For Football’ are progressing well, with regular talks taking place between the three bodies. Read More Football rumours: West Ham delay Declan Rice deal as Pau Torres set for Villa I’d give my other ACL for England to win the World Cup – Leah Williamson Liverpool share first view from very top of new Anfield Road stand Football rumours: West Ham delay Declan Rice deal as Pau Torres set for Villa I’d give my other ACL for England to win the World Cup – Leah Williamson Liverpool share first view from very top of new Anfield Road stand
2023-06-30 14:59
Factbox-Policy measures China's central bank could use to stem yuan weakness
China has ramped up its effort to slow the depreciation of the yuan against the dollar this week
2023-06-29 16:16