World Cup 2018: Tournament review – Heavyweight drop-outs, VAR, penalties, set pieces, wonder goals, concussion and politics July 15, 2018 After 64 matches – including a pointless third-place play-off – over 30 days the World Cup has come to its conclusion. France beat Croatia 4-2 in the final in a match that neatly summed by the whole competition. There were goals from set pieces, a VAR-assisted penalty and lots of quality to boot. But you [...]
Forget Trump’s visit, we must prepare for a new world order July 13, 2018 It was all going so well. The UK Prime Minister had secured the honour of being the first foreign leader to meet the new President of the United States. The visit appeared to be a success, the joint press conference ensued without any of the off-script tirades that had been feared, and the iconic shot [...]
The cost of a major data breach for businesses hits £263m, almost doubling in just five years according to IBM July 11, 2018 The hidden costs of a data breach to businesses globally has risen by 6.4 per cent in the last year, with the average total cost of a major breach hitting £263m. The amount of so-called mega breaches – cases that involve more than 1m records being lost – have nearly doubled over the last five [...]
World Cup win to boost business confidence as England edge closer to final July 7, 2018 The UK will be hoping for an economic boost from consumer spending as England moves on to the semi-finals of the World Cup, beating Sweden in a comfortable 2-0 win this afternoon. Goals from Harry Maguire and Deli Alli pushed England into the last four of the Fifa World Cup for the first time in [...]
Watchdogs push City to plan for failure amid ‘increasingly hostile’ cyber environment July 5, 2018 The City’s watchdogs have banded together to push senior managers to plan for failure amid a surge in IT incidents. The Bank of England (BoE), the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) today published a discussion paper inviting responses from firms and consumers as they prepare to shape future regulations across [...]
A land of conquest, casinos and copious wine, Georgia is perhaps Europe’s most surprising destination July 5, 2018 It has been said that Georgians ‘think with European minds and feel with Asian hearts’. Their nation, clamped between Russia and Turkey, is neither fully European nor Asian but rather in a category all of its own. If one symbol encapsulates the Georgian psyche it is the Kartlis Deda “Mother of Georgia” statue, which towers [...]
Wimbledon 2018: Kyle Edmund and Johanna Konta through first round as Andy Murray’s presence looms large July 3, 2018 For the first time since 2007, all eyes are not on Andy Murray at Wimbledon. With the three-time grand slam champion sitting out the competition following a hip operation, attention has naturally fallen on other British players. Today it was all about Kyle Edmund and Johanna Konta. Both British No1s won their first round matches [...]
Taking on Theresa May? Jacob Rees-Mogg is on the hunt for PR firms to boost his Tory leadership ambitions July 3, 2018 Friends of Jacob Rees-Mogg are turning to PR firms as the backbencher looks to turn support into votes as a future leader of the Conservative party. The North East Somerset MP rode on a tide of grassroots support last year, dubbed Moggmentum, thanks to his traditional approach, eloquence and charm, and his trenchant views on [...]
Is Trump Putin’s Trojan horse within Nato? July 3, 2018 Any world leaders meeting face-to-face should be seen as a good thing. But when it’s Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, European officials are right to feel a little anxious. Political commentators expect a purely symbolic spectacle when the two meet in Finland on 16 July. But the backdrop to the event – just days after [...]
World Cup 2018: England beaten by Belgium and face Colombia in last 16 but will Gareth Southgate’s Russian roulette pay off? June 28, 2018 When is a defeat not a defeat? It’s a curious logic, but perhaps when it diverts your team into what is – on paper, at least – an easier half of the World Cup draw. That certainly appeared to be Gareth Southgate’s take after England’s loss to Belgium tonight in Kaliningrad, a tepid Group G [...]