HSBC boss Stuart Gulliver wants bank to play major role in AB InBev’s planned takeover of SABMiller October 6, 2015 HSBC boss Stuart Gulliver is trying to persuade the lender to play a major role in financing a possible takeover of SABMiller by rival US-based brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev. Gulliver met executives from Budweiser maker AB InBev late last week to discuss a potential involvement for HSBC, according to a report on Sky News. [...]
Private equity firm 3i appoints bank to sell parent company of Tommee Tippee brand October 6, 2015 Private equity group 3i has appointed investment bank Baird to oversee the sale of Mayborn Group, parent company of baby products manufacturer Tommee Tippee, according to reports. A formal sale process could begin soon, while a return to the stock market is a less likely alternative option. Mayborn is likely to be valued at around [...]
Signal failures at Barbican and Tufnell Park causing delays on Northern, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines October 5, 2015 Commuters across London are facing travel woes already this morning, with a signal failure at Barbican causing delays on the Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City Line. Severe delays have been reported on all three lines between Baker Street and Aldgate as Transport for London deals with the issue. There are minor delays [...]
Thousands march in Manchester anti-austerity protests at Conservative party conference October 4, 2015 Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Manchester in an anti-austerity protest on the first day of the Conservative party conference which kicks off today. Around 80,000 people have joined the Take Back Manchester march through the city, according to local media reports and organisers. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is also [...]
Macbeth movie review: Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard star in this emotionally stunted Shakespearean spectacle October 1, 2015 Cert 15 | ★★☆☆☆ Rumour has it that Michael Fassbender has been going around calling this film adaptation of Macbeth “the Scottish film”, after the actorly tradition. Presumably, something dreadful happens to you if you say Shakespeare’s title, like Malcolm Tucker shoves a thistle down your oesphagus. Whatever happens to you, it’s a ridiculous, thespy [...]
The Martian movie review: Matt Damon brings life to Mars in Ridley Scott’s new film October 1, 2015 Cert 12A | ★★★★☆ When returning from a manned mission to Mars, it’s important to check that you’ve got all of your Matt Damons with you. Look underneath your seat. Check any nearby craters for hidden Damons. Because like some sort of interplanetary Home Alone, The Martian proves that it’s all too easy to leave the [...]
Blossom Hill and Piat d’Or could move Down Under in Diageo deal October 1, 2015 The Alcoholic drinks giant Diageo, which owns Johnnie Walker and Ciroc vodka, is looking to offload its wine division. The move by FTSE-100 listed firm, first reported by Sky News, would likely see wine brands Blossom Hill and Piat d’Or sold off to Australian wine maker Treasury Wine Estates. The deal could be announced as [...]
Sky steps in as BBC pulls plug on live coverage of the Open September 30, 2015 Live coverage of golf’s oldest Major, the Open Championship, has been axed from free-to-air television a year early after the BBC made it a victim of cost-cutting measures across the corporation. Sky had been due to take up the rights on a five-year deal in 2017 but will now assume exclusive live broadcaster status a [...]
iPhone 6s review: An in-depth look at Apple’s new mobile phone September 30, 2015 I’m an “s” kind of a guy. If you look beyond the design overhaul that comes with Apple’s numerical releases, you’ll see that a lot of established features have been slipped into the biannual “s” update. The iPhone 4s had Siri, the 5s had Touch ID, and the 6s has 3D Touch. This new pressure sensitive [...]
What the UK could learn about the Internet of Things from India’s smart cities September 30, 2015 The term smart city has been thrown around for a while now. Many still view it as a futuristic concept that won’t see light of day in our lifetime. But across the world, these smart cities are being created, and in places that you might not expect. Take India for example. The country’s first smart [...]