Keeping chocolate prices down: A huge greenhouse in Reading could save the world’s cocoa supply through new genetic material January 2, 2015 With demand for chocolate outstripping supply at an unprecedented rate, its price is set to soar in 2015. But a giant greenhouse in Reading has come to the rescue, and could stop chocolate from becoming the preserve of the very wealthy. The International Cocoa Quarantine Centre has been in operation for one month and [...]
The four most shocking things that happened in 2014 December 23, 2014 1. THE RUSSIA SAGA (Source: Getty) Russia flexed its muscles at the beginning of the year, taking the opportunity during the uprising in Ukraine to plant pro-Putin flags in the Crimea region, triggering a string of catastrophic events to unfold. And it’s likely we’re far from seeing the final act of this epic Russian novel play [...]
UK closes in on full £4.5bn repayment from IceSave December 18, 2014 The remains of failed bank Landsbanki yesterday paid another £1.36bn to the UK government, returning money that the Treasury paid out during the financial crisis. Landsbanki’s online UK arm IceSave had attracted deposits from 230,000 Britons through attractive interest rates, with firms, councils and savers putting their cash into the accounts. But when it crashed, [...]
Five charts that sum up the latest UK wage growth and unemployment report December 17, 2014 Unemployment is down again, but the real news is that wages sneaked above inflation in October, back when inflation was up at 1.3 per cent. According to data from the Office for National Statistics, both regular wages and wages including bonuses were rising above inflation, at 1.6 and 1.4 per cent respectively. This is a [...]
London is a global hotspot for “tech for good” and these 19 startups are going to change the world December 4, 2014 London is the leading city in the world for creating technology for social good, with 19 of the top 100 so-called “tech for good” startups, products and inventions, coming from the capital. A teddy that can read childrens vital signs to help make a diagnosis, a device that means your iPhone can detect malaria and [...]
Autumn Statement 2014: George Osborne scraps stamp duty slabs December 3, 2014 George Osborne's Autumn Statement unveiled a raft of measures in an intensely political statement aimed at luring voters back from Ukip during next year's general election. His centrepiece? A complete overhaul of stamp duty which, he said, will create savings for 98 per cent of home buyers. To cheers from the Tory back benches, Osborne [...]
These charts sum up everything you need to know about the 2014 Autumn Statement December 3, 2014 It’s Autumn Statement day and George Osborne’s speech will likely focus on the UK having a fast growing economy and falling unemployment rate. Coming from the other side of the Commons will be assertions that there is a cost of living crisis and that expenditure is still too high. What is the truth? Here are [...]
Autumn Statement 2014 drinking game (use Tennant’s, tea or tequila) December 3, 2014 Are you thirsty for tax policies? Comforted by a large cup of hot pension news? Or fizzing over with anticipation for more infrastructure funding? This is the game for you. When you hear the Autumn Statement buzzword – take the correct number of sips. Hard working families 1 sip Long-term economic plan 1 [...]
Ed Miliband sets sights on water industry to tackle cost of living crisis November 26, 2014 Labour leader Ed Miliband has set his sights on water companies, claiming they make vast profits for shareholders, but do not provide customers with value for money. The move follows a high-profile attack on energy companies last year. In a bid to tackle the so-called cost of living crisis, Labour’s environment minister Maria Eagle will [...]
UK high-earners mapped: Where do the UK’s richest people live and how much do people earn in your area? November 21, 2014 Where do the UK’s richest people live? And how rich is your local area? New data from the Office of National Statistics has revealed the areas where Britain’s wealthiest reside. Predictably, not one of is outside the south east of England. According to the ONS, median gross annual earnings increased between 2013 and 2014 by [...]