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Firms face £17m fine if they fail to protect against hackers

ByNathan BissittAugust 8, 2017

Firms could face fines of up to £17m or 4% of global turnover if they fail to protect themselves from cyber-attacks, the government has warned.The crackdown is aimed at making sure essential services such as water, energy, transport and health firms are safeguarded

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Staff shortages are pushing up pay, recruiters say

ByNathan BissittAugust 8, 2017

The UK labour market is tightening, with employers finding it harder to recruit staff, according to a survey of employment agencies.The survey says that pay rates for both permanent and temporary staff are rising quickly due to a continuing fall in the number of job

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Real deal

ByNathan BissittAugust 7, 2017

When Real Madrid take on Manchester United in the Uefa Super Cup final on Tuesday night, they will be playing not only for more silverware, but to add even more supporters to their near 500 million-strong global fanbase.When you are already Champions League and La

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Spanish skills

ByNathan BissittAugust 7, 2017

Media playback is unsupported on your device The town of Ubrique in southern Spain is beautiful but remote. It doesn’t have an airport or a train station and even buses are irregular.Its position, nestled at the bottom of a valley surrounded by big hills, means

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The tiny Spanish town luring top designers

ByNathan BissittAugust 7, 2017

Ubrique in southern Spain is beautiful yet remote. Despite the difficulty in reaching the town, some of the world’s best-known designers come here to get their leather products made. Why are brands so keen to have items made here? And how can Ubrique ensure its

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Sales slow as shoppers tighten their belts

ByNathan BissittAugust 7, 2017

Retailers have seen a slowdown in spending growth as shoppers cut back due to faltering wage increases and higher inflation. Figures from the British Retail Consortium and KPMG showed that like-for-like sales grew by 0.9% in July, down from the 1.1% growth seen in the

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From meds to medals

ByNathan BissittAugust 7, 2017

Tens of millions of chronically ill people around the world rely on repeat prescriptions, but getting the drugs they need can be a time-consuming and frustrating process. Now apps, automation and home delivery services are making their lives easier.When Melissa Fehr

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Walmart heirs win battle for cycling brand Rapha

ByNathan BissittAugust 7, 2017

Upmarket cycling clothes brand Rapha has been bought by the grandsons of Walmart founder Sam Walton.Steuart and Tom Walton and their firm RZC Investments will now own a controlling stake in the business. Founder and chief executive Simon Mottram, who has only ever

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Paddy Power Betfair shares hit as boss stands down

ByNathan BissittAugust 7, 2017

Shares in Paddy Power Betfair fell by almost 5% after the bookmaker said that chief executive Breon Corcoran was standing down.The company also said that Mr Corcoran would be replaced by Worldpay’s UK chief executive Peter Jackson.Paddy Power said its half-year

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Southern Rail talks 'stall' without agreement

ByNathan BissittAugust 7, 2017

Talks aimed at ending a long-running dispute between workers and bosses at Southern Railway have stalled without any agreement, according to the RMT union. Earlier on Monday, leaders of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union met bosses of the rail company in an effort