Chinese teenagers are paying thousands for Oxbridge admission
A growing industry of Oxbridge-trained coaches is helping wealthy Chinese families navigate British university admissions…
Chinese teenagers are paying thousands for Oxbridge admission
A growing industry of Oxbridge-trained coaches is helping wealthy Chinese families navigate British university admissions — and charging huge sums for their services Peter Cui was working in finance in 2017 when he started coaching students back in his home country of China to get into Oxford and Cambridge on the side. The pay in…
Fertiliser shock from Iran conflict hits food security in emerging economies
Ramy Danial, London The United States and Israel’s war on Iran has strained Western households with a sharp climb in fuel prices. However, in the developing world, the war threatens to unleash a generational food crisis. A shortage in fertilisers is a nightmare scenario for dense, rural and poverty-stricken populations that depend on staple items…
UK’s Energy Profits Levy: Does It Protect Consumers or Stifle Investment?
by Christopher McEvedy https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WH0xUPIdz5LmytiGJy6osRQpklOsAy47/view?usp=share_link The utility and wisdom of the EPL has been raised once more since the Israel-US war on Iran began, and the consequent rises in oil and gas prices. The UK’s EPL was introduced by the Conservative government of Boris Johnson in 2022, in the wake of large energy company profits following…
In the vapour economy
From April 1, Britain’s vaping firms start registration with HM Revenue & Customs ahead of a new levy set to take effect on October 1, 2026. The Vaping Products Duty will impose a flat-rate tax on e-liquids and enforce stricter supply-chain controls, including official duty stamps on all products. As prices are expected to rise,…
After WeWork, how co-working became corporate infrastructure
WeWork was expected to fail in the flexible offices. Rather, the co-working market in London is redefined by corporate demand, increasing prices and the reality of working hybrid. A different kind of office Image from Adobe Stock © The rhythm of work is no less familiar, but slightly changed, on a weekday morning in Clerkenwell….
OK Computer: The rise of AI-background music, and why it’s here to stay
TikTok and Social Media Post: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNRCFgTG1/ Main Article: If you have spent time in a chain coffee shop recently, you might have noticed something off. Especially if, instead of rushing out after securing a caffeine-fix, you decide to sit down with a laptop and linger. While the ambience of a central-London Pret A Manger has…
Water companies are overflowing with £2bn unpaid bills
By Carla Rosch Caz Dennett was taken to court over £650 last year. A Weymouth County Court judge ruled that she had to pay the sewage bills she owed Wessex Water. For years, the 53-year-old campaigner and social scientist had been actively organising and participating in local protests in the south coast of Dorset, frustrated…
London’s office market rebounds – but only for the best buildings
Office vacancy rates in central London are falling, pointing to a recovery in demand for workspace after the pandemic. But the rebound is uneven, with companies increasingly favouring newer, high-quality buildings while older offices struggle to attract tenants. In the City, vacancy rates have dropped to around 9.2 per cent, a five-year low, according to…
China is still a greater risk to the EU than the US
Geopolitics is becoming more and more uncertain. As the US and China leverage their economic might, the EU is increasingly focused on de-risking from the two countries. The US has dominated headlines recently with their attacks on Iran and Trump’s incendiary remarks on European allies who are reluctant to support. The White House has persisted…
Railway prices freeze first time in 30 years
The government is freezing all regulated rail fares in England for one year starting from March 2026. This means prices of season tickets, peak return fares for commuters and off‑peak returns between major cities will all stay the same until March 2027. The measure will save commuters on expensive routes more than £300 per year…
