Three charts showing what a world without free Waitrose coffee looks like January 29, 2015 Middle class coffee fans across the nation were sent reeling yesterday, after Waitrose announced it's no longer going to offer free tea and coffee to myWaitrose card holders in its cafes. Yep, the dream is over: from 9 February, card holders will have to "purchase a treat" if they want to get their free latte [...]
Bill Gates talks artificial intelligence concern, immortality, overpopulation and more in “ask me anything” January 29, 2015 If there's one thing Bill Gates enjoys more than computer software, philanthropy and tennis, it's talking to people on the internet. Whether it's TED Talks, book recommendations or online newsletters, the Microsoft founder loves to communicate with the web's masses. The billionaire took to Reddit for his third "Ask me Anything" yesterday, and what followed [...]
German unemployment rate falls to record low of 6.5 per cent in December January 29, 2015 Germany's jobless rate fell for the fourth-month straight, taking it to an all-time low, in another sign that the Eurozone's largest economy is strengthening. It fell to 6.5 percent in December, or the lowest level since the country reunified in 1990. The number of people out of work fell to 9,000 to 2.84 million on a seasonally adjusted [...]
Dippy the diplodocus: Blue whale replacing Natural History Museum’s dinosaur isn’t going down well January 29, 2015 It’s the end of a dinosaur era. London’s Natural History Museum, remembered fondly in thousands of people's childhoods for the towering diplodocus skeleton which greeted them on visits, is retiring the dinosaur after 35 years. And 150m year-old Dippy's ouster? A much younger 124-year-old blue whale, who's getting promoted to front of house from the mammal [...]
Beer – the new medicine? Research shows how the nation’s much-loved drink can protect our brains against disease January 29, 2015 Cheers, beer-drinkers – we have some good news for you. The cool, refreshing beverage doesn't just bring moments of happiness to millions of people at the end, or indeed the middle, of a hard-working day – it also protects our brains against diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. It turns out a certain chemical [...]
UK house price growth slowest since 2013 January 29, 2015 House prices in the UK have risen at the slowest pace in more than a year, according to the latest figures from building society Nationwide, a further sign that the UK housing market is cooling. Annual house price growth slowed for the fifth month straight to 6.8 per cent this month, down from 7.2 per [...]
Shell share price falls as it sets out plan to fight falling oil prices as earnings rise 94pc January 29, 2015 The figures Shell's shares fell 3.8 per cent in early trading, despite the fact it announced fourth-quarter earnings had soared to $4.2bn (£2.8bn), 93 per cent up from $2.2bn (£1.5bn) for the same quarter a year ago. Full-year earnings also recorded a healthy 14 per cent jump to $19.04bn (£12.6bn), up from $16bn (£10.6bn) a year [...]
Royal Mail chairman Donald Brydon steps down January 29, 2015 Donald Brydon has announced he will step down as chairman of Royal Mail after six years at the postal service. Having overseen the one of the most significant periods in the Royal Mail's history, Brydon said the time was right to step down. Brydon helped lead the controversial privatisation of the UK's postal service in [...]
WorkMail: Amazon’s new service delivers email January 29, 2015 Retailer, movie-maker and now email provider – is there any business Amazon doesn’t want to get in on? The web giant is putting its hat in the ring with the likes of Microsoft and Google to become the go-to email service for companies. Amazon has revealed WorkMail, an email and calendar service aimed squarely at [...]
Diageo sales flat but second quarter improves January 29, 2015 The figures Half-year organic net sales were flat at Diageo, down 0.1 per cent, as volumes fell 1.9 per cent, in line with forecasts. Net profit was down 18 per cent to £1.7bn from £2bn for the same period last year. Sales in the US continued to be subdued with operating profit down one per [...]