Caledonian MacBrayne wins £900m ferry contract in Scotland May 19, 2016 Caledonian MacBrayne has won a £900m contract to operate the Clyde and Hebrides Ferries Network after stiff competition from Serco. CalMac, which is state owned, had to compete against Serco Caledonian Ferries Limited to continue running the service after EU rules meant the Scottish government was forced to open up the network to competitive bids. The [...]
Coffee nation: The UK’s caffeine addiction revealed as coffee chains take over May 19, 2016 Over-caffeinated Brits are fuelling a boom in coffee shops, according to new data from CBRE. Over the past 17 years, there has been a massive 20-fold increase in coffee chain outlets, from just 215 in 1998 to 4,234 in 2015. And the coffee shop trend shows no sign of abating, with an increase of six per [...]
Investec banks on banking for profit boost May 19, 2016 Investec today reported that its profits for the year had inched up, thanks in part to a strong performance in its banking and wealth and investment divisions. Operating profits before tax for the specialist financial services company's year to March edged up to £567.4m, up 0.9 per cent compared with £562.5m the year before. Operating profit in [...]
Shares in controversial seed giant Monsanto are growing after a German rival confirmed takeover interest May 19, 2016 Shares in US seed company Monsanto grew more than seven per cent in after-hours trading after German rival Bayer confirmed it is seeking to take over the firm. The share price of Bayer, meanwhile, fell 7.5 per cent to €89.15 after it confirmed its interest. Bayer, the German drugs and chemicals maker, said in a statement [...]
Lots of shopping stopped the economy from dropping… maybe May 19, 2016 Brits did not let poor weather, referendum nerves or weak confidence stop them from hitting the shops last month. Retail sales volumes were 4.3 per cent higher in April than last year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), as falling prices brought shoppers out in their droves. Over the month, sales were up [...]
Man arrested after scaling Buckingham Palace walls May 19, 2016 A man has been arrested following a security breach at Buckingham Palace, police have confirmed. The 41-year-old man was arrested in the royal grounds after scaling an outside perimeter wall just after 8:30pm last night. He was not armed and officers did not have to deploy a Taser. He was arrested on suspicion of trespassing on a protected [...]
This banking platform is using wearables delivering electric shocks to stop people going over their spending limit May 19, 2016 A new banking platform promises to reduce overspending among millennials, by using the "Internet of Things" to break bad spending habits. The platform – called "Interact IoT" – was devised by FinTech company Intelligent Environments and connects individuals’ bank details with smart devices such as Nest and Pavlok. Go beyond your spending limit, and your heating will automatically be turned [...]
EU referendum: More than 80 per cent of students will vote Remain over new job opportunities May 19, 2016 A huge majority of British students are set to back Remain in the EU referendum due to fears that Brexit could lead to a lack of job opportunities. New research shows that 81 per cent of students back Remain, while just 10 per cent plan to vote to Leave. Some nine per cent were either [...]
Here’s how your brain works on the Tube (and what it can teach AI) May 19, 2016 Our brains work harder when we have to switch lines on the Underground, even if there are fewer stops than a longer journey which requires no changes, new research reveals. Scientists have identified how our brains work when we're navigating the London Underground which could help artificial intelligence learn things more efficiently. Read more: Accenture's launching an [...]
London tops smarts cities index with Bristol in second place May 19, 2016 London has come out top of the rankings for factors which make a smart city, according to new research. London scored 80.5 for its use of digital technology to improve services, helping it top Huawei's smart cities index. The capital was praised for urban innovations such as the congestion charge and its strong commitment to open data with the London Datastore. [...]