Journeyman Sannino succeeds Zola December 18, 2013 FOOTBALL: Watford have named journeyman Italian manager Giuseppe Sannino as Gianfranco Zola’s replacement. The 56-year-old, who was sacked by Serie A side Chievo last month, has previously coached 12 sides in his homeland, including Palermo and Siena. Former Chelsea star Zola resigned from the Championship club this week.
Government is making high streets suffer and the situation may worsen December 18, 2013 WHATEVER the chances of a last-minute Christmas shopping spree, the retail climate remains difficult. To assist troubled high streets, the chancellor’s Autumn Statement appeared to make a valiant effort to address complaints about business rates, long resented as an excessive tax burden on retailers. For the first time ever, the uniform business rate rise will [...]
Why bank data transparency could lead to a better functioning market December 18, 2013 FEW would find it hard to spot the difference between Stoke Newington and Salford. It’s certainly more than 200 miles that divides the North London district and the regenerating Manchester borough, now home to the BBC’s MediaCityUK. But earlier this week, banks published figures showing that both these places are hotspots for small and medium-sized [...]
We should not accept a long-term decline in salary-linked pensions December 18, 2013 THIS week, the Institute for Fiscal Studies told people born in the 1960s and 1970s that they will be worse off than their parents when they retire. This was mainly down to falls in income due to the financial crash, and lower savings rates. But another reason is the long-term decline of defined benefit (DB) [...]
Letters to the Editor – 19/12 – Airport debate, Best of Twitter December 18, 2013 Airport debate [Re: It’s time to kick politicians out of the crucial debate on airport expansion, Tuesday] The CBI recently noted that direct flights open doors to new trade. We must act on airports, and Heathrow is the best option. It would be quicker to build, and be cheaper than a new Thames Estuary hub. It [...]
Knits the season to be jolly December 18, 2013 Here’s our pick of the classiest Christmas jumpers this winter For Him: Polo Ralph Lauren reindeer jumper £255, ralphlauren.co.ukThis cosy cotton blend should ward off chilly breezes. It also features a Nordic-inspired intarsia-knit design. For Her: Lucille snowflake intarsia jumper £390, harveynichols.comUS women’s brand Alice & Olivia is behind this Scandinavian design, made in a [...]
Geek Speak: Hands-on review: the new PS4 December 18, 2013 It’s the most powerful console in the world – but is it the one you should buy this Christmas? @steve_dinneen PLAYSTATION 4Sony | £349.99Four Stars EARLY reports that Sony’s next gen console is out-selling Microsoft’s Xbox One now seem premature – the latest figures have them locked in a dead heat. While Microsoft has pinned [...]
Some games to get you through Christmas December 18, 2013 Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag The Assassin’s Creed franchise has been rumbling on for years but the latest iteration promises something a bit different – this time you take the role of a swashbuckling pirate pillaging his way through the lush Caribbean. The graphics alone make this worth a look. Knack This on-rails adventure isn’t [...]
Supermarkets slump as half of UK shoppers head to discounters December 17, 2013 FOR THE first time ever, more than half of the UK shopped in either an Aldi or Lidl in the last three months, putting pressure on bigger retailers as the shift toward discount shopping continues unabated. Sales at Aldi surged by 30.7 per cent in the 12 weeks to 8 December while its smaller discount rival [...]
Diamond backs new venture with own cash December 17, 2013 BOB DIAMOND’S latest venture raised $325m (£200m) from investors yesterday, around $100m more than initially expected. The former Barclays boss has stumped up $16m of his own cash, invested through a company he owns, to set up Atlas Mara. He has joined forces with African billionaire Ashish Thakkar, who has also provided $4m of funding. [...]
