Lancaster: Ford has intensified fly-half debate November 23, 2014 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster admits the enterprising performance of George Ford against Samoa on Saturday has blown fly-half selection wide open ahead of the weekend’s final autumn clash with Australia at Twickenham. Saracens No10 Owen Farrell had been the man in possession but the 23-year-old was switched to inside-centre after successive uninspiring showings against [...]
Theatre review: Behind the Beautiful Forevers November 21, 2014 Olivier Theatre | ★★★☆☆ The dirtiest thing in the Annawadi slum is the language. Above the din of arriving and departing planes (Annawadi is located right next to Mumbai airport) millions of slum-dwellers bicker, joke and philosophise in words as colourful as the advertising hoardings above their heads. American author Katherine Boo depicted [...]
Pub giant Young’s sees profits increase 26 per cent in first half November 20, 2014 BRITISH brewery and pub operator Young & Co’s reported a 26 per cent rise in profits yesterday for the first half ended 29 September. Profits before tax jumped to £18.8m, from £14.9m in the same period of last year. Similarly, the London-based brewer saw its revenues jump eight per cent to £116.6m and its earnings [...]
Film review: The Hunger Games – Mockingjay Part I November 20, 2014 Cert 12a | ★★★☆☆ So what happens now The Hunger Games are over? The previous two instalments of the franchise revolved around these Battle Royale-style tournaments, in which two “tributes” from each district of dystopia Panem fought to the death in a grisly reality TV show devised by a fascist regime as a pretty [...]
Youngs: Orchestrator Ford will carry England fight November 20, 2014 RESURGENT England scrum-half Ben Youngs has dismissed any notion of having to take new boy George Ford under his wing when they reprise their half-back partnership against Samoa at Twickenham on Saturday. The duo were paired together at Leicester before Ford’s defection to Bath at the start of last season but England head coach Stuart [...]
England to reverse recent record with comfortable victory over Samoans November 20, 2014 ENGLAND fell to their fifth straight loss when South Africa continued their recent dominance over them, winning 31-28 at Twickenham last Saturday. The Springboks had been thrashed by Ireland seven days before, so it was frustrating that England couldn’t end a 12 game winless run against these opponents. Although both Autumn International defeats have been [...]
Sofia and Maria Jose Alvarado killings: How Honduras is the murder capital of the world November 20, 2014 All data is from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Figures are from 2012, or the most recent avialible year prior to 2012. The murder of Maria Jose Alvarado teenage beauty queen has shocked Honduras, despite the country having the highest homicide rate in the world. Maria Jose Alvarado and her sister Sofia [...]
Pay gap falls as young women out-earn men November 19, 2014 THE GENDER pay gap has fallen to a record low, official figures showed yesterday, as young women now earn more than men. Among 22- to 29-year olds, women earn an average of 1.1 per cent more than men per hour. And for 30- to 39-year olds, women earn 0.2 per cent more. However, men still earn more [...]
Taxi app wars: Uber vs Hailo vs Maaxi vs Lyft – Emil Michael gaff is latest hurdle in startup battle November 19, 2014 Fast-growing “ridesharing” app firm Uber hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons again this week as senior executive Emil Michael was reported suggesting the company hire researchers to dig up dirt on its media critics. The blunder is the latest in a long line of controversies that have plagued the startup over [...]
UN Universal Children’s Day: Why child rights are good for business – ACCA Comment November 19, 2014 If firms fail to protect children in the supply chain, they risk harm to their bottom line. Today is the UN’s Universal Children’s Day. Held on 20 November every year, this occasion recognises the welfare of children around the world and commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in [...]