The UK government has launched an investigation into the proposed takeover of the Telegraph by the owners of the Daily Mail, citing concerns about media plurality. Simultaneously, other significant developments include a civil service pension backlog that has "overwhelmed" Capita, Elon Musk's X potentially violating US sanctions, and calls for NATO to become "more European."
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced the probe into the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) deal, stating it was prompted by concerns the acquisition could impact the "plurality of views" in the UK media, according to BBC Business. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will assess competition issues, while media regulator Ofcom will examine the public interest impact. DMGT has stated it will cooperate with regulators to finalize the deal, emphasizing it would bring "stability and certainty" to the Telegraph.
Meanwhile, Capita, the company administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme, has apologized for a backlog that has left thousands of retired civil servants without pension payments. Capita's chief executive, Richard Holroyd, told a committee of MPs that the backlog of 120,000 cases "overwhelmed" the company, which had almost doubled its staff working on the scheme, as reported by BBC Business. People seeking information about their pensions have reportedly faced hours-long wait times for responses.
In other news, Elon Musk's X is facing scrutiny for potentially violating US sanctions by selling premium accounts to Iranian government officials, according to a report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) shared with Wired. The TTP identified over two dozen X accounts allegedly run by Iranian government officials and state-run entities that display a blue checkmark, suggesting they are paying for premium services. This comes despite Musk's public support for Iranian protesters and his provision of free access to Starlink satellites during an internet blackout.
Furthermore, at a NATO meeting, Germany's defense minister emphasized the need for the alliance to become "more European" to remain transatlantic, as reported by Sky News. This call for greater European leadership comes as the US Secretary of War was absent from the meeting.
In other business news, billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United, apologized for his "choice of language" after comments suggesting the UK had been "colonised by immigrants," according to BBC Business. Ratcliffe, ranked seventh on the Sunday Times Rich List, stated he wanted an "open debate" on migration, skills, and investment.
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