Ryanair says better customer service has increased passenger numbers September 10, 2014 Ryanair has said improvements to customer service- which was largely non-existent before boss Michael O’Leary’s change of heart about his no-frills approach- has increased the number of passengers per flight by at least six compared to last year. The budget airlines chief finance man Howard Millar said better customer service and the way it sold [...]
Scottish Independence: Latest poll gives No vote six point lead as Cameron urges Scotland not to break his heart September 10, 2014 The latest polling might make political leaders breath a sigh of relief in the lead up to next week’s Scottish independence referendum. After rushing to Scotland to rally support for a No vote after the shock swing towards Yes over the weekend, Survation’s latest poll for Scottish newspaper the Daily Record puts the No vote in [...]
Germanene: Have scientists just created the new graphene? September 10, 2014 Scientists at the Aix-Marseille University in France have created the “cousin” of super-conductor graphene. Made up of a single layer of germanium atoms, germanene could be a potential alternative to graphene because it exhibits the same impressive electrical and optical properties. The researchers believe it could play a significant role in the future of [...]
Manchester United share price drops as Ed Woodward refuses to rule out January signings September 10, 2014 Manchester United's share price fell three per cent in early trading on the New York Stock Exchange, suggesting investors are not immediately impressed with the club's record annual revenue of £433m. Manchester United reported strong financial results this morning, with the club's various revenue streams boosted by multiple new sponsorship deals and increased income [...]
More than half of the Chinese public expects a war with Japan September 10, 2014 Their leaders' bickering over the Senkaku islands and a long history of conflict have taken their toll: the majority of China now expects a war with Japan at some point in the future. A survey carried out by Genron with China Daily, a state-sponsored newspaper, has revealed the attitudes of the two countries' citizens to each other. [...]
Ana Botín named new chairman of Banco Santander September 10, 2014 Ana Botín has been appointed to lead Banco Santander after her father, Emilio Botín, died of a heart attack last night. The move makes her arguably Europe's most powerful female banker. Following a meeting of its appointments and remuneration committee the bank announced this afternoon that Ana, who is currently chief executive of its UK [...]
RIP iPod Classic: Apple kills off original design September 10, 2014 In the midst of all the fuss about Apple's new launches, the tech giant appears to have quietly killed off its genre-busting iPod Classic nearly 15 years after its creation. The iPod Classic, which was first launched in 2001, is no longer available for sale on the Apple Store, although some branches of Tesco [...]
Scottish independence: Better Together should emphasise increased social welfare powers, parliamentary group says September 10, 2014 The Better Together campaign should focus on the greater powers it would give Scotland over social welfare as part of its 11th-hour devo max offer, a new report has said. Although the All Party Parliamentary Taxation Group – or APPTG for short – recognised that the Westminster leaders have not given specifics on what [...]
Scottish independence: How a Yes vote would “markedly lower” GDP growth September 10, 2014 With the polls tightening and the possibility of a break-up of the United Kingdom looking ever more credible, politicians and investors are weighing up the possible consequences of a Yes vote. Axa Investment Managers has released a research note examining the economic aftermath for the remaining part of the UK in the event of a [...]
France to miss budget deficit target September 10, 2014 France has admitted that it is not going to make its budget deficit target until 2017. The target set by the EU is for all nations to reign in their budget deficit (the amount the government has to borrow annually) to three per cent of GDP Now Michel Sapin, the French finance minister, has indicated that 2017 [...]