Gail Heimann’s retirement is a huge loss for the PR industry | News

The US Federal Trade Commission has requested information from Omnicom and Interpublic regarding their proposed acquisition ahead of a shareholder vote next week, with Omnicom stating it is a standard part of the regulatory process. Both companies are engaging with the FTC and expect the transaction to close in the second half of 2025, with shareholders set to vote on the deal, which values IPG at about $13.3 billion, on Tuesday. Full Article

A British woman, Alexandra Clarke, died in a fire on a dive boat off Koh Tao, Thailand, while aboard the Davy Jones Locker en route to the Southwest Pinnacle dive site. Clarke was reportedly inside the toilet when the blaze started, triggered by a crew member filling diving tanks with compressed air which malfunctioned. The incident led to a distress signal being sent and shocked witnesses on nearby vessels witnessing the boat burning. Full Article

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the Comité Maritime International (CMI) are urging governments to ratify urgent maritime treaties, including the IMO Nairobi Convention and the United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sales of Ships. The goal is to ensure global regulations are uniformly applied to all ships in international trade, preventing challenges from unilateral regulations. ICS and CMI members are engaging with governments to push for ratification of these critical...

Narendra Modi's tenure as prime minister of India is being debated as either a period of national pride or a time of divisive Hindu nationalism and threats to secular democracy. His rise in national politics has sparked controversy and raised questions about the future of India's core institutions. The verdict on Modi's leadership remains uncertain as India navigates complex political and social challenges. Full Article

Iichi Marumo, a 95-year-old Japanese speedskater, began his competitive career at 88 and has since won numerous gold medals in races around the world, becoming a minor celebrity in Japan. Despite his age, he continues to push the boundaries of senior sports, competing in age categories created specifically for him in speedskating events. Marumo's resilience and determination were showcased in a recent race where he fell, crawled to the finish line, and announced his retirement...

All Formula One teams, including Cadillac, have signed the new 2026 Concorde commercial agreement to ensure the sport's long-term economic stability, as announced at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. The agreement involves the FIA, led by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, and will govern financial aspects until 2030, replacing the current Concorde Agreement expiring in 2025. Additionally, Formula One's CEO Stefano Domenicali's contract has been extended until the end of 2029, signaling a positive outlook for...