Jaguar Land Rover and BMW recently announced they are to join forces to develop electric vehicles, but what will the deal mean going forward? And, despite the tie-up, rumours persist of a merger with PSA Group or even a takeover. The BMW partnership will fall short of being any kind of merger but will see the rival firms working together to share the massive costs of developing the next generation of electric drive units (EDUs). It sees BMW and Land Rover reunited as the Bavarian car maker owned the famed 4x4 maker before selling it to Ford in 2000. Ford already owned the Jaguar marque and both were subsequently sold to Tata in 2008. The strategic collaboration will build on the considerable knowledge and expertise in electrification at both companies and provide massive economies of scale in the development of future electric vehicles. Both car makers have already taken steps on the journey towards electrification but the tie-up will enable them to accelerate that process. … [Read more...] about Just what does JLR’s electric deal with BMW mean?
Best nearly new car deals 2014
Why spice has become the new heroin in Llanelli
The story of the heroin-dealing grandmother who carried on selling the drug even after she was a pall-bearer at the funeral of one of her customers, pretty much summed up just how bad things had become in Llanelli at the time. She was one of 17 people locked up in March last year after Dyfed-Powys Police smashed an organised criminal gang supplying heroin on the streets of Llanelli. The force's Operation Ulysses had broken up a North Wales group's supply of millions of pounds of drugs into south-west Wales between January, 2014, and June, 2017. In that time 38 people in Carmarthenshire, mainly in Llanelli, had died from heroin-related causes. That was then, and while heroin is still a problem in the town, its supply was at least dealt a blow. But something else has come along in the meantime, and it's just as bad news for Llanelli, worse in some people's opinions. Alan Andrews, chief executive of Llanelli's drug rehabilitation charity, Chooselife, said the "biggest problem" the town … [Read more...] about Why spice has become the new heroin in Llanelli
The real Bodyguard: Ex-PSNI Superintendent Ken Pennington on protecting the Queen, foiling car-bomb attack on Victoria Square, and why folding up a murdered colleague’s uniform was hardest thing he’s done
With 30 years' experience in policing in Northern Ireland, retired Superintendent Ken Pennington has recently moved into counter-terrorism. A. I was being offered a lot of international work, which she didn't like. I was left with a choice between the love of my life and the life that I love. A. No. A. Nathan lives with me; Eden and Aaron live with their mum. Q. There are academics in the world of terrorism and there are operators, but there aren't many "academic operators". Describe what you do in a nutshell. A. I analyse the problem in its context and then develop operational solutions. For example, I was giving a lecture on terrorism in Spain in 2017 not long after the 2016 Nice truck attack in France and I was told about a festival taking place - big bonfires on the beach, fireworks and a promenade full of people. I asked them what they were doing to prevent a vehicle attack; nothing was planned, so I told them what to do. Q. You worked in close protection in the PSNI. Who have … [Read more...] about The real Bodyguard: Ex-PSNI Superintendent Ken Pennington on protecting the Queen, foiling car-bomb attack on Victoria Square, and why folding up a murdered colleague’s uniform was hardest thing he’s done
Claudia Lawrence’s mum reveals Kate McCann ‘helps her through dark days’ as they deal with agony of missing daughters
CLAUDIA Lawrence's mum has revealed how Kate McCann helped her through the "dark days" as they cope with the agony of their missing daughters. This week marks a decade since Claudia, a University of York chef, vanished at the age of 35. Although no body has ever been found, North Yorkshire Police have been treating her disappearance as a suspected murder investigation. Claudia's mum Joan, who admitted to having suicidal thoughts following her daughter's disappearance, said her friendship with Maddie's mum had been a source of comfort. A new Netflix documentary has sensationally claimed missing Maddie is still alive and suggests people traffickers abducted the three-year-old in Portugal in 2007. Speaking a decade since Claudia vanished, Joan told Bella Magazine: "Over the years, I began to get in touch with the mums of other missing children. "I exchanged letters with Kate McCann and met up with Ben Needham's mum Kerry. "We drew strength from one another, offering words of encouragement … [Read more...] about Claudia Lawrence’s mum reveals Kate McCann ‘helps her through dark days’ as they deal with agony of missing daughters
The BEST Plymouth businesses of the past decade
Plymouth has many great businesses, but which are the best? And which have been the best during the past decade? The only way to find out if your firm is the tops is by entering the Plymouth Business Awards. There are categories for best large, medium and small business of 2019. And if you win your firm will be in illustrious company. Here are all the business of the year winners at the Plymouth Business Awards, formerly called The Herald Business Awards, since they were first staged in 2011. So, that’s pretty much a decade of success, encapsulated in these companies. Here’s who won what and when: Burts Snacks The Roborough-based snack producer is the only firm to be named Plymouth’s business of the year twice in two different categories – showing how much it has grown. The company, which employs more than 200 people and turned over £29.4million in 2018, was named Large Business of the Year in 2018, after being Medium Business of the Year five years … [Read more...] about The BEST Plymouth businesses of the past decade