Pasha Smith/ShutterstockExtreme weather frequently causes major disruptions in UK transport and energy systems. Heavy snowfall often leads to school closures, roads grinding to a halt, rail services and flights severely disrupted or cancelled and even power cuts.
Richard OD/ShutterstockJaguar Land Rover’s decision to cut thousands of jobs comes after years of dealing with some extremely tough terrain in the world of car sales. Tough obstacles have included weakening demand from China, a shortage of vital semiconductors and the US slapping new tariffs on imported vehicles.
AI bots are making more decisions on our behalf when we make travel arrangements. Shutterstock AIImagine telling your phone that you want a quiet boutique hotel near a city centre, below a certain price, with a decent breakfast and late checkout. A few seconds later, an AI assistant compares the options, explains why each one fits and helps complete the booking.
As more and more people live alone, solo travel is becoming increasingly popular. Sebastien Goldberg on UnsplashSolo travel is surging – and an industry still largely built for two is taking note.
Mariusz Bugno/ShutterstockAs instability in the Strait of Hormuz disrupts shipping, public discussion tends to focus on fuel prices and supplies. Less attention is paid to the people working on the ships.
New Africa/ShutterstockRenting clothing used to be restricted to a wedding suit or prom dress, but the options are growing and becoming more popular.
Around 10% of the UK economy operates off the books. That means billions of pounds worth of cash-in-hand payments that never get taxed.
But all of that cash isn’t necessarily being handled by career criminals. Much of it is being earned by the hard work of painters and decorators, hairdressers or landscape gardeners.
Women have made big strides in terms of being represented on corporate boards, both in terms of numbers and the prestige of their positions. But this prestige — and the greater visibility it brings — isn’t necessarily helping women advance. It might even be an obstacle in the long run.
Parradee Kietsirikul/Getty ImagesUS regulators are grappling with a controversial new frontier in online shopping: companies using our personal data to work out how much each of us is willing to pay.
Some state legislatures are seeking ways to alleviate anxieties about plastic waste. Rowanswiki/Wikimedia CommonsStanding in your local retail store, it can be mind-boggling to try to weigh the pros and cons of all the packaging options. Take shampoo, for example. Shampoo can come in a rigid plastic bottle, a flexible squeeze tube, a refillable metal canister or a solid bar in a paperboard box.
