China calls friendship with Putin ‘ironclad’ amid heavy fighting and claims 10,000 Russian soldiers are now dead March 8, 2022 China’s foreign minister has called Russia his country’s “most important strategic partner” as Beijing continues to refuse to condemn the invasion of Ukraine despite growing pressure from the US and European Union (EU) to use its influence to rein Moscow in. Wang Yi said Chinese ties with Moscow constitute “one of the most crucial bilateral [...]
We’re shaken and stirred in 007’s new Land Rover Defender November 3, 2020 We drive one of the Land Rover stunt cars from No Time to Die, then sample the new Defender 90 on and off the road.
Treasury opens bidding process for first seven post-Brexit Freeports November 16, 2020 From today, the Treasury will start accepting bids from cities and towns across England for the first seven Freeports, which are to be created in 2021. Ultimately, the government aims to establish 10 Freeports across the UK, the Treasury confirmed this morning. Areas given Freeport status will be given a range of tax reliefs, including on purchasing [...]
The culture wars in numbers: we’re not as divided as we think we are June 12, 2021 “These days you get arrested and thrown in jail if you say you’re English, don’t you?” This opening gambit from a taxi driver in a Stewart Lee routine is an extreme example of the belief that speech is increasingly, and literally, policed “these days” – but it works because it reflects a real divide. The country is [...]
UK quarantine ends for 59 countries July 10, 2020 Passengers from abroad landing in England, Wales and Northern Ireland no longer have to self-isolate for two weeks as the government relaxed quarantine rules. Travellers from 59 countries and 14 overseas British territories are now exempt from the ban, although people from the US – where cases are still spiking – and Canada must still [...]
FTSE 100 falls under Trump’s tariff threat and Hong Kong turmoil November 13, 2019 US President Donald Trump’s threat to reignite his trade war with China has dragged down the FTSE 100 in early trading as another day of Hong Kong turmoil hurts global stocks. London’s blue-chip index fell 0.4 per cent, or 28.5 points, to 7,336.9. The biggest fallers included HSBC, ITV and Prudential as UK stocks traded [...]
‘We’re in a great place’: Frontier Developments charts robust growth despite release hiatus September 8, 2021 Shares in Frontier Developments rose this morning after the video game publisher hit its target full-year sales despite no new releases and the board projected strong 2022 growth due to its “strongest ever” games roadmap. The AIM-listed firm reported a pre-tax profit of £19.2m in the year to the end of May, up 20 per [...]
China lobby tells UK: Embrace Beijing or ‘suffer’ business backlash November 22, 2020 The UK will lose billions of pounds in private sector investment if it does not reverse its growing hostility toward China, according to a pro-Beijing business lobby. The China Chamber of Commerce in the UK – which counts Huawei, ZTE and Air China as members – warned that its members may rethink their future UK [...]
500 cars and counting: Studio434, Europe’s biggest classic car collection March 9, 2021 Located close to north London, the huge and eclectic Studio 434 collection supplies cars to The Crown, Peaky Blinders, Downton Abbey and more.
Best of travel: Explore the highlands by plane with The Carnegie Club March 12, 2021 The private plane I’m boarding at South London’s Biggin Hill would be ideal for anyone who owns a desert island or alpine ski lodge. It’s a multi-talented Pilatus PC-12 NG. My destination is closer to home but even more exclusive: The Carnegie Club at Scotland’s Skibo Castle. My pilot, Edwin Brenninkmeyer, who is also Pilatus’s [...]