Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered Labour’s first Budget in 14 years, announcing £40bn of tax rises, Central London Alliance comments
Maliki’s ignominious exit is good for Iraq – now let’s hope he goes quietly August 12, 2014 As is often the case, Nouri al-Maliki’s Iraqi government found itself abandoned by even its oldest friends in the end. As the internal revolt within his Dawa Party to replace him as Prime Minister gathered pace, Maliki found his old buttresses of support had quietly buckled. The Americans had finally given up on him in [...]
Theatre review: A Streetcar Named Desire July 31, 2014 ★★★★★ Is there room in that hot, sweaty, studio-flat for more than one great performance? Gillian Anderson runs away with it in this, Benedict Andrews’ brilliant, sultry, disorientating, modern dress production. There are strong supporting turns from Vanessa Kirby and Ben Foster but Anderson owns the stage with a captivating interpretation of the fantasist Blanche [...]
The price of a chocolate bar is about to rise. Here’s why July 27, 2014 Two of the world’s largest chocolate companies have announced price hikes in response to rising cocoa prices which have hit a three-year high. Mars, the maker of M&Ms, Snickers and of course the namesake Mars bar, is the latest confectioner to raise prices in a bid to offset the rising costs of cocoa. Hershey, the [...]
European leaders urged to approve most severe Russian sanctions yet July 26, 2014 European leaders are being urged to approve a new set of sanctions against Russia, spanning the financial, defence and energy industries. The package being put forward represents “phase three” of the European Union's plan to hit entire sectors of Russia's economy. If approved, it will result in the most wide-ranging sanctions to have been [...]
China meat scandal: Why consumers are turning on Western fast food brands July 23, 2014 TRUST lies at the heart of any company’s reputation, but its importance is amplified when the product being delivered is food. This is the hard truth facing the likes of Starbucks, Yum Brands – owner of KFC – and other leading Western fast food retailers, which have all pulled products from their outlets, after allegations [...]
RJ Reynolds says it will fight order to pay $23.6bn to wife of cancer victim July 20, 2014 RJ Reynolds says it will fight a court order to pay $23.6bn (£13.8bn) to a woman whose husband died of lung cancer in 1996. The US's second biggest tobacco company was told that it must pay the significant sum to Cynthia Robinson, wife of the late Michael Johnson, following a four week trial which [...]
The volatility debate: Be wary of betting on a swift reversal July 7, 2014 Central bank policy has distorted many asset markets. Financial markets have been remarkably tranquil of late. Traders accustomed to the ructions of recent years are now starved of volatility, with the US equity “fear index” (the Vix) continually falling towards pre-crisis lows (see graph, bottom left). As Gemma Godfrey of Brooks Macdonald points [...]
Water world June 23, 2014 Women aren’t treated to many top class diving watches but there are options if you know where to look There are regular grumblings on this page about the sexism that continues to hang around the watch industry with all the charm of a fake gold Daytona at the Rolex factory. Things are getting better but [...]
My Titania ready to give Oxx another Coronation June 19, 2014 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS TODAY’S ROYAL ASCOT ACTION AND THE BEST OF TOMORROW’S RACES IT WAS the fillies off the track who were the stars of the show yesterday on Ladies Day. Now it is the turn of the equine fairer sex to take centre stage in this afternoon’s Coronation Stakes (4.25pm). You will rarely see as [...]
Airlines braced for bumper claim payouts after appeal court ruling June 11, 2014 AIRLINES could have to pay out millions of pounds in compensation for flight delays caused by technical defects, after the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of a passenger who had brought a claim against budget carrier Jet2.com. Ronald Huzar’s flight from Malaga to Manchester in 2011 was delayed for 27 hours, when faulty wiring [...]