6:34 am, January 8, 2026
Warner Bros tells investors to reject sweetened £80bn Paramount bid
Warner Bros Discovery has told shareholders to reject a sweetened 108 billion US dollar (£80bn) hostile bid from Paramount Skydance and to stick with a rival offer from Netflix.
Paramount, which is controlled by the Ellison family, last month lodged a 30 dollars (£22.50) a share bid for Warner Bros, days after the company agreed to be bought by Netflix in early December in a 72 billion dollar (£54bn) deal, or 82.7 billion dollars (£62bn) including debts.
Warner Bros pushed back against the approach, branding it ‘inadequate’, and said it favours a deal from streaming giant Netflix to take control of its movie studios, cable networks and streaming service.
TGI Fridays seeks more time to secure deal after lining up administrators
The company behind TGI Fridays has filed its third notice to line up administrators as it seeks more time to secure a rescue deal for the restaurant chain.
It is thought that Liberty Bar and Restaurant Group, which runs TGI Fridays’ UK operations, is finalising an insolvency plan which could come as soon as next week.
Reports have said that one of the options being explored is a so-called pre-pack administration deal, which could involve the closure of between 15 and 20 restaurants.
Cupra adds new Tribe Editions to Formentor and Terramar
Cupra has strengthened its Formentor and Terramar offerings with new ‘Tribe Editions’.
First revealed at the IAA Munich Motor Show last year, the Tribe Editions introduce a range of exterior and interior modifications to further distinguish both models.
Priced from £39,240 for the Formentor and £43,255 for the Terramar, both cars get a new exterior colour – Manganese Matt – as well as bucket seats with 3D knitted materials and bio-based paint for interior elements such as air vents and the dashboard. The alloy wheels get an eco-friendly design, too, incorporating 20 per cent recycled materials.
The markets
The FTSE 100’s record-breaking run stalled on Wednesday with falling metal and oil prices weighing on the blue chip index.
The FTSE 100 index closed down 74.52 points, 0.7%, at 10,048.21. The FTSE 250 index ended up 88.92 points, 0.4%, at 22,880.81, and the AIM All-Share index closed up 2.08 points, 0.3%, at 781.58.
The pound was quoted at 1.3472 dollars at the time of the London equities close on Wednesday, down from 1.3500 dollars on Tuesday. The euro was slightly lower at 1.1685 dollars from 1.1689 dollars.
Starmer ‘sets out position on Greenland’ in call with Trump
Sir Keir Starmer ‘set out his position on Greenland’ in a phone call with Donald Trump on Wednesday evening, Downing Street has said.
US officials have suggested America could use ‘military means’ to take over the semi-autonomous Danish territory, which Trump claims is vital for national security.
Downing Street did not provide further details of Sir Keir’s comments during the call. But the PM has repeatedly said the territory’s future must be a matter for Greenland and Denmark alone, including in the Commons earlier on Wednesday.
Amber snow and wind warnings issued as UK braces for Storm Goretti
Amber weather warnings have been issued across the UK with Storm Goretti set to bring heavy snowfall and strong winds.
As much as 30cm of snow could fall in the Midlands while gusts of up to 90mph could batter more exposed areas as the weather brings a potential risk to life in parts of the country.
Thursday will see a cloudy and cold start to the day with wintry weather as Storm Goretti comes in from the south-west.
Wednesday on Car Dealer
Video: The car manufacturer winners and losers of 2025
Jaguar Land Rover cyberattack could have cost business £3bn in sales
Newly released sales figures from Jaguar Land Rover suggest the cyberattack could have cost the business more than £3bn in sales.
Dealers facing ‘ambulance chasing’ claims from consumers impacted by Stellantis stop-drive
Car dealers are facing legal threats from ‘ambulance-chasing’ consumers who are still trying to benefit from the stop-drive notice issued by Stellantis last year.
Arnold Clark opens extensively refurbished Alpine showroom in Glasgow
Leading car dealer Arnold Clark has officially opened its new Alpine showroom in Glasgow after ‘significant investment’.
Volkswagen Golf topples Ford Fiesta to become Motors’ most in-demand used car of 2025
The Volkswagen Golf was the most in-demand used car on Motors’ platforms last year.
Lookers appoints ex-Heycar director Tracy Woods as new marketing boss
Tracy Woods has been appointed to the newly created role of chief marketing officer at car dealer group Lookers.
How did Chinese car brands fare in the UK in 2025? We analyse the sales figures
Chinese car brands really made their mark on the UK automotive scene in 2025, securing nearly a tenth of the market.
Weather
Northern areas see variable cloud with a few wintry showers today, reports BBC Weather. The south turns wet and windy after a dry start, with rain becoming snow in Wales and central England by evening.
Tonight brings strong winds, heavy sleet and snow in central areas, rain and gales in the far south, clearer spells in Scotland and scattered showers elsewhere.
