This mesmerising data viz shows all of the world’s shipping routes April 26, 2016 From the hub of activity in the East China Sea to the relative quiet of Somalia’s piracy afflicted waters — the below map shows the extraordinary extent of modern shipping’s reach. The map — created by London-based data visualisation and digital journalism studio Kiln and the UCL Energy Institute — charts global merchant fleet movements over the course of 2012. It was made [...]
Paul Smith wants to turn Trafalgar Square into a mini golf course – but he needs your help April 26, 2016 Paul Smith and his friends at the London Design Festival have teamed up to transform Trafalgar Square from its current status, ie. tourist-addled nightmare, to the sort of mini golf course we can only dream about. Smith has even designed a pair of socks for it. But there's no easy way to say this: there's a chance it might not [...]
Say what? A third of us wouldn’t mind being microchipped at work April 26, 2016 Fancy having a chip implanted in you? Fancy using it at work to get around the office or log on? It may sound more like science fiction (however close it is to becoming reality) and a rather creepy concept – but surprisingly, a third of us wouldn't mind at all being microchipped at work in order to do these [...]
EDF’s Hinkley could be threatened by EU competition law April 26, 2016 France's plan to give struggling state-owned utility giant EDF more financial leeway could be illegal under EU competition rules. Two environmental groups commissioned a legal opinion on the French government's proposed package of financial support for EDF, which they say is likely to have major implications for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant project in Somerset. Read More: [...]
No more fatbergs: Thames Water finance chief to retire as it says it will name a new chief executive “shortly” April 26, 2016 He's spent more than quarter of a century in chief finance officer roles – but today Thames Water said its finance chief is planning to step down. No more fatbergs for him, then… Stuart Siddall, who has been the company's finance chief since 2011, but who has been in CFO roles since 1990, will retire [...]
EU referendum: Election strategist Lynton Crosby warns over Remain complacency as latest poll shows increase in Brexit support April 26, 2016 Sir Lynton Crosby has cautioned Remain supporters against "complacency" ahead of the EU referendum. The election strategist made his warning after an ORB poll, out this morning, showed a slight increase in support for a so-called Brexit during President Barack Obama's visit. But while 51 per cent of those polled said they supported remaining in the [...]
Nokia is getting into wearables with €170m deal for Withings April 26, 2016 Nokia is making a move into wearables, announcing plans to buy up french tech company Withings. The now mobile-free Nokia (after selling that part to Microsoft), is zoning in on the world of digital health tracking technology with the €170m deal. "We have said consistently that digital health was an area of strategic interest to Nokia, [...]
ScottishPower has just been hit with a huge £18m fine over bad customer service April 26, 2016 ScottishPower has become the latest utilities provider to be hit with a huge fine over poor customer service. The company said this morning it had reached a deal with Ofgem, the utilities watchdog, to pay £18m – £15m of which will go to vulnerable customers, and £3m of which will go to charity. In a [...]
Whitbread’s expansion drive continues as Costa Coffee and Premier Inn sales jump April 26, 2016 Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner Whitbread has promised more expansion is on the way for the food, beverage and hotel chain as it posted improved profits in its full year results out this morning. Investors had clearly had their morning dose of caffeine as they bought up Whitbread with vigour on Tuesday morning, sending it up 2.97 per [...]
EU referendum: Countrywide has issued a warning over “political and economic uncertainty” caused by Brexit April 26, 2016 Countrywide has warned that the housing market will slow this quarter, in the wake of "political and economic uncertainty" ahead of the country going to polls to vote on the EU referendum. The firm, which this morning revealed a surge in activity during the first three months of the year ahead of the government's stamp duty [...]