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  • ‘Tulip’ tower planned for London’s skyline

    City skyline Symbol copyright DBOX for Foster + Companions Image caption The building will be the tallest skyscraper in London’s monetary district

    London’s had the Gherkin, the Cheese Grater and the Walkie Talkie and now, if the plans are authorized, a brand new tower called the Tulip will sign up for the skyline.

    At 1,000ft (305m) prime, it will likely be the town of London’s tallest skyscraper and approximately 3ft shorter than the Shard, the UK’s perfect building.

    It will feature inside slides and transferring transparent pods working outdoor the construction for guests to experience in.

    The tower will probably be just a customer enchantment with none office space.

    Around 20,000 loose visits for state college youngsters will be introduced every year.

    Symbol copyright DBOX for Foster + Partners Image caption The transparent viewing pods will transfer across the out of doors best of the building

    Foster + Companions, the architects that have designed the flower-like construction, say they want it to complement the Gherkin next door which the firm additionally designed. The 590ft (180m) tower is officially referred to as 30 St Mary Axe, its boulevard address.

    The corporate’s founder and govt chair Norman Foster claimed the Tulip would be a “cultural and social landmark”.

    Jacob J Safra, whose Bury Boulevard Houses corporate is funding the project, delivered: “The Tulip’s class and cushy potential enhances the enduring Gherkin.”

    If making plans permission for the surprisingly-formed building is allowed, the firms say development would start in 2020 with the challenge completed through 2025.

  • What has took place to Woolworths’ shops 10 years after closure?

    Woolworths and crowds Image copyright PA

    It Is 10 years seeing that former UNITED KINGDOM Prime Boulevard favourite Woolworths closed its stores for good.

    Woolworths bought many goods, including toys, kitchen and eating equipment, gardening provides and pick-and-mix goodies, and used to be certainly one of the rustic’s oldest and such a lot ubiquitous chains.

    However, it had turn out to be laden with debt, and on the time it collapsed it owed £385m.

    Its demise left 27,000 out of a role, and 815 shops looking for a brand new owner.

    Since the cave in, just about all of the premises have found a new purpose, with the majority being taken over through bargain chains.

    James Kid, retail analyst at EG, mentioned: “The cave in of Woolworths and its next departure from the Top Side Road despatched shockwaves in the course of the usa at the time, proving that even the most loved establishments can at all times be in peril of insolvency.”

    Mr Kid introduced regardless that that the chain’s death had supplied an opportunity for others: “in retrospect now we have seen that the retail gadgets left in the back of in groups have now been stuffed – and created ample opportunities for increasing retailers and also new entrants to the marketplace.”

  • Tube ‘junk food’ advert ban announced by way of London mayor

    Burgers - generic Symbol copyright PA Symbol caption “Junk food” adverts shall be banned on the Underground, Overground and bus network

    A ban on junk meals promoting throughout London’s entire public transport community might be offered subsequent year.

    Under the scheme, posters for food and drink prime in fat, salt and sugar will vanish from the Underground, Overground, buses and bus shelters.

    London Mayor Sadiq Khan has stated he desires to tackle the “ticking time bomb” of child weight problems within the capital.

    The Advertising Association has said it would have “little impact on the wider societal issues that drive obesity”.

    The ban will take effect across the Delivery for London (TfL) network on 25 February.

    Symbol caption The Advertising Affiliation stated commuters may just suffer as a result of the ban

    The Place will the ban practice?

    in addition to the buses, Tube and train networks which are run by TfL, junk meals ads will likely be banned on:

    Roads managed via TfL, including ads on roundabouts and at bus stops Taxis, personal hire automobiles and Dial-a-Experience River products and services Tram Emirates Air Line cable automotive Victoria Instruct Station

    After plans had been first announced in Would Possibly, 82% of 1,500 respondents to an internet consultation sponsored the proposals, Town Corridor stated.

    Mr Khan said “difficult action” on kid weight problems was important.

    Image caption Junk meals ads might be banned from bus stops owned via TfL

    “Reducing publicity to junk meals advertising has a task to play on this – not just for youngsters, however oldsters, families and carers who purchase meals and prepare foods,” he mentioned.

    The scheme is sponsored by way of child health mavens including leader scientific officer for England Professor Dame Sally Davies who defined it as an “necessary step within the right path”.

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    However, the Advertising Association said commuters could undergo as a results of the ban.

    Chief Government Stephen Woodford mentioned the united kingdom already has “the strictest rules within the world when it involves promoting top fat salt sugar meals”, which imply under-16s can’t be targeted.

    “this may lose income from promoting for TfL and which will doubtlessly have an have an effect on at the fares that passengers have to pay,” he mentioned.

    London’s mayor previously banned ads on the Tube which promoted terrible frame pictures, following lawsuits a couple of weight-loss advert that asked shoppers in the event that they were “beach body ready?”

    Image copyright PA Image caption The Protein International ad attracted hundreds of complaints but the advertising watchdog ruled it was once neither offensive nor irresponsible

  • Training charges reduce to £6,500 but higher for technological know-how?

    lecture Symbol copyright Getty Images Symbol caption A Final choice on the way forward for training fees is expected early subsequent yr

    Tuition charges in England’s universities could be minimize to £6,500 – however with much upper fees, as much as £THIRTEEN,500, proposed for some subjects that would result in higher profits, akin to drugs or science.

    That’s an idea that seems to be beneath critical consideration through the high minister’s evaluation of publish-18 education, headed by way of Philip Augar.

    Or extra to the point, that’s what universities are privately fearing is heading in their route.

    Before arts students get started celebrating a cut of their fees, it isn’t a conclusive determination – that won’t be recognized until the overview experiences back subsequent year – so this remains the territory of leaks, hypothesis and self- kite-flying.

    Different fee levels

    But there turns out to be a course of trip towards the theory of charging other levels of charges for various subjects.

    Symbol copyright PA Image caption Must different lessons have different fees, in line with most likely future earnings?

    the idea can be that should you were learning drugs, a few sciences, maths or engineering, your most probably long run income are going to be higher than in the event you studied an arts or humanities subject.

    It’s also the case that arts and arts subjects – like historical past or English – are less expensive to teach than sciences, which require more apparatus and feature more instructing hours.

    As such, there’s an argument that there shouldn’t be a flat fee for all subjects, and the associated fee of charges need to be adjusted accordingly.

    ‘Two-tier gadget’

    But many universities might hate this with a passion.

    they’d see this as making a two-tier machine with a decrease status for arts and humanities, which would be starved of investment.

    the degrees that make you wealthy… and those that don’t Is the schooling fees ‘financial illusion’ about to unravel? Students want more hours for their training charges

    they’d additionally argue that one of these machine is socially regressive – pushing poorer scholars away from medicine and technological know-how subjects and directly to other inexpensive courses.

    Having commissioned a review to tackle considerations that training fees and compensation rates are too high, the federal government can be stressed to return up with one thing that looks less expensive.

    It’s also a time while a central authority being suffocated by Brexit desires to show it’s capable of make a difference at the domestic front.

    The university sector will want to head off the speculation of one of these plan for different ranges of fees – so be expecting extra briefings, counter-briefings and pre-emptive strikes on changes to training fees, because the choice approaches within the following few months.

    The Department for Education says the put up-18 assessment will are looking for price for cash for college students, however is not going to comment on hypothesis or pre-empt the review’s findings.

  • Fiona Bruce ‘in talks over taking Query Time job’

    Fiona Bruce Symbol copyright Getty Pictures

    Fiona Bruce is in talks about taking over as presenter of the dialogue programme Query Time.

    BBC media editor Amol Rajan said negotiations with Bruce, who items the inside track at Six and Ten to boot as the Antiques Roadshow, had been continuing.

    Current host David Dimbleby will go away the show in December after 24 years.

    If Bruce succeeds Dimbleby, she is going to grow to be the primary complete-time feminine host in the display’s 40-yr history.

    The BBC’s media editor stated Bruce auditioned along several different major broadcasters at the organisation for the process.

    Symbol caption Fiona Bruce has labored with David Dimbleby on common election protection, pictured right here in 2005

  • Are students overpaying for training charges?

    Graduation Symbol copyright PA Symbol caption How a lot does it really cost for a university to teach a pupil?

    If universities in England really need to have training charges of £NINE,250, how can they provide taught postgraduate courses for as little as £FIVE,ONE HUNDRED?

    Because It was once found out a government-commissioned review was once considering reducing charges to £6,500, universities have been in overdrive with dire warnings about how this may wreck their finances.

    They’ve warned that now not being able to price a few of the highest charges within the global could mean they might now not have the funds for to help probably the most disadvantaged applicants.

    While students have complained approximately graduating with £50,000 in debt, universities are now warning about their very own financial pressures.

    However it increases the question about how much a college degree truly costs to deliver.

    Symbol copyright Getty Pictures

    If You Happen To observe history at Bristol College at undergraduate degree, it prices £NINE,250 – however a taught one-12 months MA at the same university is £8,300.

    At other Russell Workforce universities, an MA degree in historical past at Leeds prices £EIGHT,500 and in Newcastle it is £7,400.

    The price hole will get even wider in another universities.

    A postgraduate history stage in York St John is £6,000 – and an MA in English literature at Liverpool John Moores is £FIVE,100.

    At School College London it costs £10,440 for an MA in history, and at King’s College London it is £NINE,900.

    So even as nearly each undergraduate route costs the similar £NINE,250 – there may be pageant in postgraduate degrees, which in idea must price more.

    Other subject prices

    According to a 2014 investment council take a look at, postgraduate classes in England, with smaller classes and higher teaching costs, were on reasonable FORTY SEVEN% costlier to deliver for each student.

    This was once based on every complete-time undergraduate pupil on reasonable costing a college £7,694.

    Overview is considering chopping charges to £6,500 Is the tutoring charges ‘illusion’ approximately to resolve? the degrees that make you rich… and the ones that do not

    However is there actually a significant reasonable? Topics such as technology and medicine require dearer apparatus and longer teaching hours than arts and arts.

    The current gadget of flat fees for all topics changed a investment gadget formed around such differences.

    Before charges have been raised to £9,000 in 2012, the extent of presidency give a boost to in keeping with scholar was 4 instances higher for a prime-price topic equivalent to medicine than a low-price topic reminiscent of historical past.

    This used to be on most sensible of the tuition rate of approximately £3,400.

    For the most pricey lessons, there is nonetheless an extra teaching furnish – but for the bulk of topics, so much or all of the investment comes from the schooling rate.

    According to Universities UK, the cheapest, study room-based subjects, similar to history, recently cost more than £7,000 to ship.

    Top-up investment

    If the “put up-18 overview” cuts the tutoring charge to £6,500, it is going to still want a additional top-up.

    This could both imply students paying higher charges for topics similar to technology or medicine in any other case the government will have to provide additional funding.

    Symbol copyright Getty Images Symbol caption Technology lessons price much more to ship than arts and humanities

    So how so much above £6,500 should universities receive?

    The final prime overview of school investment, in 2010, assumed universities on moderate may charge about £7,500 per year in tuition charges.

    Instead, universities raced to the higher limit of £NINE,000 and the present assessment into the long run of charges, headed through the financier Philip Augar, turns out to be looking at ways to convey that stage again down.

    But universities argue that it is a misunderstanding to peer tuition fees in phrases of procuring instructing.

    Not fees for teaching

    The Million Plus staff of recent universities, in its proof to the Augar review, says lessons fees are “not directly tied to a person process study” and would be “higher described as a college price”.

    It says the price covers outreach work for disadvantaged scholars and the entire imperative services and products of a school, in terms of amenities, management, advertising, admissions, and welfare toughen similar to mental well being services and products.

    Image copyright Getty Pictures Image caption Universities say that some classes are run at a loss despite £9,250 fees

    The Russell Workforce has quantified this – pronouncing that for a direction reminiscent of historical past, approximately £1,100 shall be spent on widening access and about £EIGHT,100 might be spent on instructing and college products and services.

    It estimates a surplus of approximately £60 according to history pupil in line with yr – however argues that a college might need a shortfall of £1,000 on each and every technological know-how student.

    “loads of folks will probably be shocked to hear that many universities educate undergraduates at a loss,” said Russell Crew chief government Tim Bradshaw.

    “If the federal government truly does consider reducing tuition charges, it’s going to have to make up the misplaced investment in complete thru instructing offers.”

    A spokeswoman for the School of Bristol explained their lower price for a postgraduate year.

    “the price of delivering the programme is purely one in every of many components which affect how we set training charges,” she stated.

    “Our reputation for a certain direction, to boot as the extent at which fees have traditionally been set, want to be assessed holistically annually to verify the financial sustainability of the university.”

    Postgraduate charges additionally do not must cover prices for widening get right of entry to.

    Liverpool John Moores stated it charged £FIVE,100 for a postgraduate degree because the precedence was once “no longer the recovery of our prices however the provision of possibilities for college students from all backgrounds”.

    A spokeswoman mentioned the verdict to “price our postgraduate lessons competitively and attractively” ensured classes may well be saved accessible.

    The Division for Education mentioned it might not pre-empt the findings of the fee review, that’s anticipated to file early next yr.

    More transparency

    Nick Hillman, director of the higher Education Coverage Institute, said students wanted extra transparency about how fees have been divided between instructing and other services.

    “Many universities are involved it is going to lead to demands for far decrease charges, leaving universities worse off. i don’t agree,” he mentioned.

    “we know students are sceptical approximately spending on marketing and recruitment, however they strongly beef up prime spending on teaching and student services and products, like support for psychological well being.”

    but when universities are making a loss at £9,250 in step with yr, how can they fee much less for postgraduate levels?

    Whilst the assessment examines the extent of charges, how do universities steer clear of the affect that they increase or decrease to fill any to be had investment on be offering?

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  • Manchester United sales slip on fewer house video games

    French World Cup winner Paul Pogba i Image copyright Getty Photographs Symbol caption French International Cup winner Paul Pogba is certainly one of the stars of the facet

    Revenue at Manchester United fell within the first quarter as the Best League membership played fewer house games.

    Gross Sales for the three months to 30 September got here in at £135m, in comparison with £143.7m a year earlier, it said.

    Alternatively, the 20-time English champions stuck to their full-12 months financial forecasts.

    United, whose squad features French Global Cup winner Paul Pogba and Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea, are recently eighth in the Superior League.

    Guy Utd ‘most valuable membership in Europe’ Top-Quality League revenues bounce to £4.5bn

    they are 12 points in the back of leaders and pass-town competitors Manchester City.

    ‘Financial strength’

    During the 3-month length, which covered the start of the season, the club said it performed fewer house video games than last yr which translated into lower sales of matchday tickets and merchandise.

    This was once because of a quirk of scheduling between the primary and 2d quarters.

    Sponsorship also dipped, essentially as a result of a smaller summer excursion, despite the fact that turnover from broadcasting jumped virtually 5% to £43m.

    The membership stated it nonetheless anticipated to record sales of £615m-£630m in 2018-19 at the same time as earnings prior to hobby and other fees might are available in at £175m-£190m.

    “Our financial power enables us to proceed to draw and maintain most sensible avid gamers and to take a position in our academy, as we look to pressure the luck on the pitch that the club and our fans expect,” executive vp Ed Woodward mentioned.

    This year Manchester United used to be again named Europe’s most beneficial football membership, in step with accountancy large KPMG.

    The club topped KPMG’s observe of best sides’ “undertaking price”, being price about €3.25bn (£2.9bn), ahead of Actual Madrid and Barcelona.

  • Brexit: What Is in the political announcement?

    Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker Symbol copyright Getty Photographs

    The draft political assertion on the long run relationship among the european and the united kingdom, after Brexit, is out. Theresa Might describes it because the proper deal for the uk.

    A few points to keep in mind…

    this is not a legally binding document.

    It’s not very long both, nevertheless it has grown from last week’s seven-page define to 26 pages. It sits alongside the 585-page Draft Withdrawal Agreement (as a way to be legally binding if it will get ratified).

    this is additionally a draft, agreed via negotiators, but it still needs to be authorized by the leaders of all 28 ECU international locations at a summit scheduled to take place on Sunday. Do Not expect leading adjustments.

    A reminder that this really is ready everything, not just about trade: the entire scope of the long run relationship among the uk and its nearest neighbours.

    each side want that relationship to be as close and co-operative as conceivable but that aspiration might be tested in the years ahead.

    Again, it’s worth emphasising that this is not a legally binding file, so there aren’t any promises about what the submit-Brexit global will look like.

    And no-you can say for certain how lengthy it will all take to barter.

    Bottom lines

    the ground line of each parties is integrated early on.

    Anything that is negotiated have to be consistent with the eu’s 4 freedoms – the unfastened motion of products, products and services, capital and those.

    And nothing shall be agreed that threatens the sovereignty of the United Kingdom.

    As we have seen for months now, the problem of the Irish border is the place the combination of these center concepts turns into such a lot complicated.

    Industry in items

    So industry in goods must be “as shut as conceivable”, but that’s not the same as being frictionless.

    It leaves so much of wiggle room in negotiations, without a ensure of the overall consequence.

    the two aspects are committing themselves to an “ambitious, huge-ranging and balanced” economic partnership, based on a complete loose business agreement.

    However there could also be repeated emphasis that there need to be a degree enjoying box, which ensures open and fair festival.

    The more financial rights you keep, the european is reminding the united kingdom, the more responsibilities to which you must sign up.

    Customs

    While the outline of this draft emerged ultimate week, this was a perception that raised alarm bells for lots of supporters of Brexit.

    Dominic Raab discussed it in his resignation remark. Their concern, with the intention to now not be dispelled by this draft text, is that temporary customs preparations may simply grow to be a few type of permanent customs union, preventing the uk from doing its own industry offers on goods across the international.

    the federal government denies this, and argues that there’s not anything incorrect in in need of formidable customs preparations in the long run, together with the need to circumvent checks on what are referred to as “laws of origin”.

    The declaration additionally mentions explicitly an “independent business coverage” for the united kingdom in the longer term.

    Irish border

    we’re, this emphasises, open to any answer so we can avoid the proposed backstop resolution, to keep the Irish border open.

    that comes with technological and other solutions that critics of the Brexit negotiations say have been not noted for too lengthy.

    the difficulty is that technological solutions that avoid the need for any border infrastructure don’t seem to be in operation anyplace within the world.

    Regulations

    UK officials see this as a key sentence, which suggests there is plenty of room for manoeuvre in the negotiations to return.

    It makes clear, they argue, that it isn’t the case that the united kingdom can handiest have both a basic unfastened industry agreement (like Canada) or membership of the single marketplace (like Norway), with not anything in-between.

    But none of the language right here commits the ecu to anything explicit.

    Trade in products and services

    As anticipated, the law of monetary services and products will likely be in line with a machine of “equivalence” and the purpose is to negotiate the details in this key sector before the top of June 2020.

    There May Be nothing within the language here to suggest that the united kingdom will get higher phrases than every other 3rd u . s . a . dealing with the ecu – however that can be a key negotiating intention.

    There also are a lot of aspirational phrases on “bold and comprehensive” plans for the carrier sector basically, but there’s an awful lot to negotiate.

    Digital commerce

    There are numerous nods against the way in which the world financial system is changing, and the importance of complete agreements on knowledge.

    the uk hopes that in the negotiations to return, it will probably be well positioned to make the most of new technologies and the digital economic system.

    But the eu has already made it transparent that the uk can not be expecting to have the similar get entry to to all EUROPEAN databases – in more than a few financial and security spaces – because it could have as an european member state.

    Freedom of movement

    This fulfils the High Minister’s pledge that the united kingdom will take back regulate of its borders and unfastened movement of ECU voters to the united kingdom will come to an finish. however it approach, of course, that unfastened movement for UNITED KINGDOM electorate travelling to the ecu may also stop.

    The record says each side want to preserve visa-unfastened commute for short-time period visits (do not fret about your vacations) but it shows by means of implication that visas might be offered for longer stays.

    Fishing rights

    there may be neutral language right here, including the “best endeavours” theory that commits both sides to doing the whole thing they can to succeed in a deal.

    But that disguises the truth that there are nonetheless deep disagreements on fishing, and on getting the correct stability between get entry to for UNITED KINGDOM produce to EU markets, and get admission to for EUROPEAN boats to UK fishing waters.

    Be Expecting this one to run and run, as a result of the united kingdom isn’t by myself in having a vocal fishing foyer with extra political power than its general contribution to the economy might recommend.

    Security

    there may be so much in this record on security – both on interior police co-operation and on broader foreign policy and defence co-operation.

    the ecu wishes the uk in many of those spaces, but the draft makes clear that – on interior safety issues in particular – there may be a variety of felony and technical issues to overcome.

    we will expect, though, that UK and ECU foreign coverage can be co-ordinated as closely as imaginable in the longer term.

    Disputes and courts

    rather like the Draft Withdrawal Settlement, the political declaration envisages a device of dispute solution concerning a joint committee and an arbitration panel.

    But once again, on issues of EUROPEAN law (and there shall be a lot of that desirous about any long run dating) the general word will relax with the european Court of Justice.

    the government will indicate that after Brexit the direct jurisdiction of the ECJ in the uk will come to an end.

    Timing

    there may be a plethora of alternative problems in the draft report that this article hasn’t covered: delivery, power, intellectual belongings and so on.

    both sides say they hope some of these problems and extra can be wrapped up by way of the top of 2020. It’s an formidable timetable.

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