Stagecoach targets new franchises December 8, 2010 TRANSPORT group Stagecoach is hoping to cash in on the government’s rail industry shake-up as it beat forecasts with a 43 per cent rise in first-half profit. The bus and train operator, led by Brian Souter, said it may bid for new longer franchises as part of a review unveiled by ministers yesterday to help [...]
KP tells Aussies: Adelaide show is just the start December 7, 2010 ENGLAND batsman Kevin Pietersen has warned Australia’s attack to get used to seeing him raise his bat in celebration after claiming to have rediscovered his ruthless touch in Adelaide. Pietersen ended a personal drought of 18 Tests without a century by recording his biggest international score of 227, inspiring England to an innings victory and [...]
Exclusive: Lee shock at Hughton axe December 6, 2010 FORMER Newcastle star Rob Lee has condemned the St James’ Park hierarchy for sacking manager Chris Hughton just seven months after leading them back into the Premier League. Magpies chiefs yesterday showed Hughton the door, despite being in 11th place after a solid return to the top flight, saying they now wanted someone with more [...]
Schwarzer signs new Fulham deal December 2, 2010 FOOTBALL: Fulham goalkeeper Mark?Schwarzer has signed a new two-year deal. The 38-year-old had been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal during the summer but has ended speculation about his future by commiting to the west London club. “I’m delighted to have finally signed a contract extension with Fulham after a great deal of speculation [...]
Scot free… No censure for Fred the Shred December 2, 2010 SHAMED banker Sir Fred Goodwin escaped censure for his role in the near-collapse of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) yesterday. After an 18-month investigation the Financial Services Authority (FSA) decided there was no fraud or dishonest activity by the former bank boss or his executives. It said a series of “bad decisions” were made, in [...]
Rail revolution opens new areas for commuters December 2, 2010 ASK any Londoner what irritates them most about the city and they will say two things. First, the transport is rubbish and second, it is too hard to buy a decent, affordable home. For families who want their children to grow up outside London, the misery of the commute has to be weighed against the [...]
Home-builders ramp up incentives to lure hard-up first-time buyers December 2, 2010 HOME-BUILDERS have always offered buyers deals, but some are more valuable than others. Take, for example, the West Bromwich Building Society’s offer in 2004 of a free Rover car worth over £7,000 – a year before the car-maker went into administration. The downturn has left house-builders with new-builds sitting empty all over the country, and [...]
London apartments with classic stylings December 2, 2010 ANYBODY who wanders through the West End for any amount of time is taken with the stunning architecture, but many don’t get the opportunity to stay in these wonderful buildings. The new generation of serviced apartments, however, offers you the chance. These are proving increasingly popular for those who regularly spend time in London for [...]
European classics still all the rage if you want a place in the sunshine December 2, 2010 IF you fancy picking up a nice cottage in the Irish countryside, or a villa in Portugal or Greece, then now might be the time to start looking. In the wake of the financial crisis most potential buyers were put off by uncertainty, but now the eurozone is in crisis and the pound is relatively [...]
2010’s Christmas book round-up December 1, 2010 BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS CRISIS ECONOMICS BY NOURIEL ROUBINI WITH STEPEHN MIHM Pengiuin, £25 More than just another me-too account of the crisis, Nouriel Roubini – often called Dr Doom for his Cassandra-like prophecies – gives a compelling account of the 2008 meltdown. He provides the lay reader with succinct and clearly written explanations of the [...]