The astronauts with expensive taste: Caviar and special espresso machine sent up for a New Year’s Eve party in space November 24, 2014 While we're down here singing Auld Lang Syne as the clock strikes midnight, three astronauts at the International Space Station (ISS) will welcome in the new year over a meal of caviar, lemons and Lavazza coffee. Samantha Cristofetti, Anton Shkaplerov and Terry Virt successfully docked at the space port this morning, and will be [...]
Black Friday UK 2014: John Lewis and Marks & Spencer set for bumper sales weekend as mega deals entice customers November 24, 2014 You can hardly move for Black Friday promotions this week. Everyone from Amazon to Asda and John Lewis to Very is getting in on the day. Electricals like TVs, tablets and other gadgets, designer watches, clothing and toys will all have cut price offers for the weekend that starts with Black Friday and ends with [...]
UK government hits back against Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s damning report November 24, 2014 The UK government has hit back against a damning report published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, by arguing that the UK's relative poverty level is at its lowest since the mid-1980's. It also said it will continue to focus on the long-term economic plan, through which the government aims to reduce the deficit, cut taxes [...]
EU referendum: Owen Paterson calls for Brexit after loss of Rochester and Strood to Ukip November 24, 2014 Ex-cabinet minister Owen Paterson has called for Britain to withdraw from the EU in a speech to business leaders. The Tory backbencher, who proved a controversial environment secretary, told the campaign group Business for Britain, which aims to get the UK a better deal with the EU, that a free trade agreement would be a [...]
Cranswick share price rises despite fall in revenue and profit November 24, 2014 Shares in Yorkshire-based food producer Cranswick shot up by almost five per cent this morning, as the company announced it would be raising its interim dividend. The company boosted its interim dividend by six per cent to 10.6p per share, from the 10p previously announced despite a slip in pre-tax profit and revenues in [...]
Scientists say Regin is one of the most sophisticated pieces of malware ever found November 24, 2014 Cyber security firm Symantec says it's just discovered the most sophisticated piece of malware – that's malicious software – it's ever seen. The company, which has dubbed it "Regin", said that once it infects a computer, it can take screenshots, steal passwords and even recover deleted files. That makes it even more sophisticated than Stuxnet, [...]
Gordon Brown to stand down as an MP at the next election November 24, 2014 2015 will be the end, in politics at least, of the iron chancellor. Gordon Brown is to stand down as an MP at the next election. According to friends of the ex-Prime Minister, Brown is planning to focus on philanthropic work after a career in politics. Brown believes that after his successful role in the [...]
Aviva’s £5.6bn merger with Friends Life still to convince City November 24, 2014 The proposed £5.6bn merger between the insurer Aviva and its rival Friends Life will come under intense scrutiny when trading opens for the first time since the news broke after the markets closed on Friday. Although many in the City have viewed the move as a positive one for Aviva, not all are approving. “The [...]
It’s different for girls: Shut tube limits fans November 24, 2014 Wembley Stadium hosted a record 45,619 women’s football fans yesterday, but it could have been many more. An estimated 15,000 fans missed out on the landmark match between England and Germany after Wembley Park station was closed for planned engineering works. The Football Association decided to cap ticket sales to the game for safety reasons.
MPs blast RBS dishonesty over help for small firms November 23, 2014 Top RBS executives deliberately misled MPs who were investigating allegations of the mistreatment of small firms, an influential committee claimed yesterday. Bosses at the bailed out bank told the Treasury Select Committee of MPs that its Global Restructuring Group (GRG) – meant to help turn around struggling firms – was not a profit centre. But [...]