From Thomas Cook to the Prosecco shortage: Here’s what got us talking this week
There was a bomb. There was an earthquake. And there was, very nearly, a nation-wide rail strike.
Here's what got us talking this week.
1. Panic stations over Prosecco and…er… eggs
We don't know which is worse. Well of course we do. Still a global egg shortage is pretty alarming. But cards on the table, it was the threat of no more cheap fizz that really got us in a tizz.
2. Thomas Cook took a beating
The travel agent published strong results, but after its apparently callous handling of the deaths of two children killed by carbon monoxide in Corfu, no one was interested. First it emerged Thomas Cook had received 10-times the compensation that Bobby and Christi Shepherd's parents received; then it transpired the family was still waiting for an apology. They got that on Wednesday, a day after the company pledged to pay the compensation to children's charity Unicef. But it wasn't enough to stop Mumsnet pulling Thomas Cook adverts from its site and prompting others to call on the government to change the law.
3. We learned where the best universities are
Want an MBA? The UK has three of the 10 best business universities in the world. How about degrees in economics, accounting or finance? The UK has four of the best. And what about law? Once again, British universities came out strong.
4. The earth moved in Kent – but luckily not in Wembley.
A World War II bomb was safely removed from Wembley on Friday, allowing both Championship games and Britain's Got Talent to continue unaffected. The device received a heavy escort as it was taken out of London to be safely detonated. Meanwhile residents of Kent were woken up early Friday morning by a 4.3 magnitude earthquake, which taught us a thing or two about earthquakes in the UK.
5. The Hatton Garden suspects were a lot older than we expected
Some dubbed the jewel thieves Ocean's 10, others called them The Expendables. But when police revealed the details of the men it had charged (nine plus one in custody at the time of writing) what got us talking were their ages.
Leisurely Reads
Now the dust is settling from the General Election we took a look back at one of the government's key pledges around housing and discovered some serious changes are going to have to take place if David Cameron et al have a hope of meeting their target.
Could Mike Ashley sell Newcastle if they are relegated? It seems like it might just be wishful thinking on the fans' part. We spoke to a sports business professor about why it would be an unlikely move for the millionaire founder of Sports Direct.
And with Eurovision fever brimming we wondered what would happen if winning the song contest conferred political power. Let's just say Great Britain's influence would be seriously on the wane…
Chart of the Week
Great reads from elsewhere
Ever wondered what it would be like to be an Uber driver? In this article, for a Philadelphia paper, a journalist goes undercover to find out. It includes juicy tidbits from conversations, working conditions and a host of other interesting insights.
The Economist had a great piece looking at the challenges facing India, claiming they are too much for the (hugely popular) one-man-band Narendra Modi.
Lastly, this article explores how the power dynamic changes when one party is entirely dependent on another, and the rising phenomenon of “wife bonuses” for getting their children into good schools, or managing the home budget, while also remaining impossibly glamorous.
The Last Word
