Marks & Spencer in talks with top Dixons Carphone exec to bolster retail expertise May 19, 2018 Marks & Spencer is reportedly in talks with a top Dixons Carphone exec as the troubled retailer seeks to shake-up its board. Katie Bickerstaffe, who recently stepped down as chief executive of Dixons Carphone UK and Ireland, has held discussions about joining M&S as a non-exec director. M&S is facing the risk of a landmark [...]
The case for tobacco packaging restrictions goes up in smoke May 18, 2018 In 2016 and 2017, two significant pieces of tobacco control legislation came into effect in the UK and France. One was the EU’s Second Tobacco Control Directive (TPD2), which applied across the EU. The other was standardised packaging requirements, introduced only in individual countries, with the UK and France being the first. As well as [...]
Economics can’t capture the emotional heights of football May 15, 2018 Why do we put ourselves through this, year after year? Most football fans ask that question at some stage each season. It might be after a humiliating 4-0 home defeat on a wet Tuesday night. For me it came on Friday, after what was ostensibly a good result in a crucial match for the team [...]
GDPR regulations will help businesses rethink how people connect in the digital world May 14, 2018 No one sends Christmas cards any more do they? Only e-cards. Well, later this year we’ll see if that is still the case. Why? Because from the end of next week your business could face a four per cent fine on turnover if you send to contacts you don’t have explicit, written, and provable permission [...]
Royal Mail faces regulator Ofcom fines threat after blaming industrial dispute for missing service targets May 11, 2018 Royal Mail today blamed a bitter spat with postal workers for failing to meet its annual quality of service targets. Postal regulator Ofcom, which said it was “concerned that Royal Mail has fallen short” will now consider whether to slap it with fines of up to 10 per cent of “relevant turnover”. Last year Royal [...]
Where is my mind? How an ancient psychedelic ritual in the Oaxaca region of Mexico turned into the trip from hell May 3, 2018 It’s a beautiful day in San Jose Del Pacifico, a small village high in the mountains south of Oaxaca City, southern Mexico, where I’m sitting in front of the world’s most frightening cup of tea. Opposite me is Paolo, a 19-year-old “mushroom guide” in whom I have placed an inordinate amount of trust. Are you [...]
What happened to the 3D printing revolution? May 1, 2018 Had you attended the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas five years ago, you would have found, nestled among the tablet computers and gigantic TVs, dozens of big, glass cubes. These retro-futuristic boxes, often accented in bright, primary colours, contained little robotic arms that swung around in three dimensions, extruding threads of molten resin. This, [...]
Northern Line extension row over rising costs on the £1.2bn project remains unresolved seven months on April 27, 2018 A row over extra costs to the Northern Line extension is still yet to be resolved, six months since Transport for London (TfL) said that court could be an option in the stand-off, though not one it was keen to pursue. The £1.2bn project will extend the Northern Line from Kennington to Battersea via Nine [...]
Brexit: Remainers plot the long game over customs union and Single Market: “We have the numbers” April 26, 2018 Remainer MPs are expecting today’s debate on the customs union to be a wash-out – but longer term claim they “have the numbers” to force the government’s hand. A motion tabled by senior MPs including Tories Nicky Morgan, Bob Neill and Sarah Wollaston will be debated this afternoon, squeezed between a number of urgent questions [...]
Velaa Private Island review: On this real life Bond island, guests can pilot their own complimentary submarine April 20, 2018 Velaa Private Island is a resort for billionaires, by billionaires. Where else, in addition to the standard private pool and butler, does the hotel provide a personal submarine? Welcome to the real life James Bond island. In true 007 style, as if seeking an exotic rendezvous with Scaramanga, I arrive at sunset by seaplane. Velaa [...]