Strong output update delights Rio’s investors October 15, 2013 FTSE 100-listed Rio Tinto’s shares surged yesterday, after a stellar third-quarter production update that strikes an upbeat note for chief executive Sam Walsh’s first year at the helm. The Anglo-Australian firm reported higher production numbers across most metals and minerals, as well as posting record iron ore production, shipments and rail volumes over the period. [...]
British Rail hits end of the line September 29, 2013 PUB QUIZ question: which Prime Minister abolished British Rail and when? John Major in 1994? Nope, the real answer is David Cameron and, er, today. The former nationalised railway service will cease to exist as a legal entity when the clock strikes 12 tonight, bringing an end to 65 years of existence. Although commuters have [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 23 September 2013 September 22, 2013 FINANCIAL TIMES Twitter seeks pre-IPO credit line Twitter is in discussions with banks about a new credit facility that could run into hundreds of millions of dollars, giving the internet company extra flexibility ahead of its initial public offering. High quality global journalism requires investment. Sources familiar with the discussions say that Twitter is in [...]
Just 53 London Overground staff voted for this weekend’s strike August 22, 2013 LONDON Overground users are facing a bank holiday weekend of travel chaos due to strike action – despite just 53 staff voting for the walkout. Transport for London has unveiled plans to sack 130 guards on the network as part of a cost cutting measure, prompting Bob Crow’s RMT union to ballot for strike action against compulsory [...]
Boris Bikes set to get harder to find as staff stage two-day strike August 11, 2013 BORIS Bike workers last night began a 48-hour strike over pay and conditions, in a move that is set to reduce the number of cycles available on London’s streets. Around 150 staff have refused to work until 9pm tomorrow, meaning there will be fewer drivers to move bikes to areas with high demand. “Staff running [...]
Elephant & Castle gets a lick of paint July 25, 2013 One The Elephant is the new development at the heart of the area’s regeneration, promising affordable living in Zone 1 One The Elephant is the latest big tower on the London skyline. When complete, the 37-storey building, which is designed by award winning architects Squire and Partners, will offer 254 new homes, from studios through [...]
Don’t let the rise of the Brics mask burgeoning opportunities in the Gulf February 10, 2013 ONE of the most striking phrases in David Cameron’s recent speech on Europe was his recognition “that a new global race of nations is underway today”. Adapting to a fast-changing global economic order is critical to the continued prosperity of the UK. Over the past decade, a huge amount of focus has – quite rightly [...]
BlackBerry in last chance saloon… January 30, 2013 Blackberry – the company formally known as RIM – yesterday unveiled the handsets it hopes will help keep it in the smartphone space. The new devices, the touchscreen Z10 (out today) and the physical keyboard Q10 (expected in April), are also loaded with BlackBerry’s new operating system, BB10, in the biggest shake-up at the firm [...]
Rapid responses January 9, 2013 Commuting reality [Re: Further efficiencies are critical to making London’s railways thrive, yesterday] The current proposals for rail improvements are distinctly short sighted. Britain’s railways were built in Victorian times to take travellers from one city centre to another. But this no longer reflects the travel pattern of today’s rail users. The figures reveal a [...]
Rapid responses January 8, 2013 Planning inflation [Re: Daft planning rules are pushing up the price of food in shops, yesterday] While it is always good for an article about planning policy to focus on commercial property rather than housing, and while the academics cited may have delivered interesting papers, let’s not use this work to justify more fiddling with [...]