<?xml encoding=”utf-8″ ?????????> Consumer confidence is on the rise in the UK, with a hopeful outlook towards financial prospects emerging for the first time in two years, according to NatWest. Paul Thwaite, the bank’s chief executive, noted that the alleviation of price pressures, as inflation gradually recedes, appears to be […]
Brexit: business success beyond the borders
<?xml encoding=”utf-8″ ?????????> The aftermath of Brexit has presented both unprecedented challenges and unique opportunities for businesses in the UK. Areas causing the biggest impact include increased costs, labour and skill issues and supply shortages, with many businesses having to reassess and adapt to thrive in a post-Brexit era. The […]
Global wine consumption falls to its lowest level since 1996 with production down 10%
<?xml encoding=”utf-8″ ?????????> World wine consumption dropped to its lowest level since 1996 last year, with production down 10 per cent, after the world’s worst grape harvest in 62 years, a new report has revealed. While the rising cost of living has put a dent in consumption trends, experts at […]
MPs cast doubt over UK government’s readiness for post-Brexit border control checks
<?xml encoding=”utf-8″ ?????????> MPs have cast doubt over the UK government’s readiness for post-Brexit border control checks, which are due to come in next week, arguing that a scaling back of its plans appeared to represent a sixth delay to their long-awaited introduction. The environment, food and rural affairs select […]
Tata rejects plea to keep Port Talbot blast furnace
<?xml encoding=”utf-8″ ?????????> Tata Steel has rejected a plan from unions to keep one blast furnace running at Britain’s biggest steel plant in Port Talbot while it transitions to greener steel production. The company’s chief executive and managing director, TV Narendran, said the unions’ proposal was not “financially or operationally […]
Google accused of making it harder to search for rival
<?xml encoding=”utf-8″ ?????????> Google has been accused of taking advantage of its market dominance to make it harder to search for a rival email service. Tuta Mail – which says it has more than ten million users worldwide – alleges that, since March, it hasn’t appeared prominently in Google searches […]
Microsoft’s push into AI is paying off as revenue beats expectations at $61.9 billion
<?xml encoding=”utf-8″ ?????????> Microsoft’s strategic focus on artificial intelligence (AI) is yielding substantial returns, as evidenced by its impressive third-quarter revenue performance, surpassing Wall Street expectations. The company reported revenue of $61.9 billion, a 17% increase, and net income of $21.9 billion, a 20% rise compared to the previous year. […]
Barclays profits fall less than expected as turnaround strategy progresses
<?xml encoding=”utf-8″ ?????????> Barclays has shown promising signs of progress in its ambitious turnaround efforts, with quarterly profits falling less than anticipated by the markets. Coimbatore Sundararajan Venkatakrishnan, known as Venkat, Barclays’ CEO, has been working to address years of underperformance in the stock market, and the recent results suggest […]
Shoplifting hits highest level in at least 20 years
<?xml encoding=”utf-8″ ?????????> Shoplifting incidents reported to the police have surged to their highest level in at least two decades, according to recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Last year, a staggering 430,104 shoplifting offences were recorded in England and Wales, marking a significant 37% increase from […]
The EU’s Rushed Rollback of Green Farming Rules: A Threat to Sustainability and Democracy
<?xml encoding=”utf-8″ ?????????> In a rush to assuage the grievances of protesting farmers and court rural votes ahead of the impending June EU elections, the European Union has hastily pursued the dilution of environmental safeguards within its agricultural subsidy system. This expedited maneuver, shrouded in secrecy and devoid of comprehensive […]