Business

Are you thinking of applying for a PhD abroad? If you want to be a successful PhD scholar, a key factor is your motivation. I believe it is logical; when you start a 3 – 5 years-long journey, you may have many ideas why you are doing it. The way to complete a PhD degree

Getty Images US drugs giant Johnson & Johnson is to pay $230m (£165m) to settle claims it fuelled an opioid addiction crisis in New York State. The firm did not admit liability or wrongdoing in settling with the state. The payments remove it from a trial due to begin on Tuesday in which several large

Getty Images Amazon and Google are under investigation over concerns fake five star reviews on their websites could be misleading shoppers. The Competition and Markets Authority is also worried that “law-abiding businesses” who sell over Amazon and Google may be losing out to firms using false recommendations. Amazon and Google could face court action for

PA Media Two big players in the leasehold sector have agreed to change the way they operate, following an investigation by the competition watchdog. Housebuilder Persimmon will allow its leaseholders to buy the freehold of their property at a discount. Insurance company Aviva, which buys leaseholds from house builders, will repay homeowners who saw their

PA Media New flexible tickets go on sale from Monday aimed at commuters in England who only travel to work two or three days a week. The new tickets can be used for eight days in any month-long period. The National Rail website will allow passengers to calculate savings and book the new tickets. It

Robin Wight Robin Wight makes impressive wire sculptures of fairies and dandelions which have won the admiration of hundreds of thousands of people online. Photographs that he has taken of his artwork have appeared in adverts on Facebook. The only thing is, Robin does not advertise. The pictures from his website have been stolen by

Halfords Halfords has warned it faces “acute” challenges with bike supplies after Covid restrictions led to surging demand and lockdowns in Asia hit manufacturers. Sales of bikes rose by 54.1% in the year to 2 April as the pandemic limited local travel and overseas holidays. Halford said “pent-up” demand for bikes and continuing restrictions on

Getty Images The jobs market is “showing signs of recovery”, official figures suggest, with the unemployment rate falling and the number of job vacancies rising. Unemployment stood at 4.7% in the three months to April, down from 4.8% previously, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. The number of job vacancies in March to May

A PhD course includes in-depth research, as you can suppose, and a unique, different learning style. The PhD course is your opportunity to contribute to the world of facts with an exciting and original research article. For this, you need to choose a PhD thesis subject with a lot of consideration and care. Here are

Pre-wedding nerves are rising for thousands of couples in England hoping their big days won’t be ruined by the government’s expected announcement next week on lockdown rules. Sian Holmes and Daniel Whiteley have planned a 54-guest wedding on 25 June. However, the couple from Liverpool will lose “thousands of pounds” if the 30-person cap isn’t

Getty Images The UK economy grew 2.3% in April, its fastest monthly growth since July last year. Shoppers spent more on the High Street as non-essential shops reopened, and people bought more cars and caravans. There was also more spending in pubs, cafes and restaurants as restrictions eased the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Getty Images Model railway maker Hornby thinks it is on the right track to cash in on the revival of hobbies during lockdown after returning to profit. Hornby, which also sells Scalextric, had sales of £48.5m for the year to 31 March 2021, up 28% on the year before. Chief executive Lyndon Davies said recent

James Morris The five-day office week could become the norm again within two years, the Centre for Cities think tank has told the BBC. A blend of home and office work is expected to be popular while the UK recovers from the pandemic. But some analysts then anticipate a shift back to pre-Covid working patterns

PA Media Half of passengers booked to travel to Portugal this month with Tui are going ahead with their trips, despite the country being moved to the amber list. Tui said it was not scheduling extra flights to bring holidaymakers home ahead of the change on Tuesday. The travel firm currently has about 8,000 UK

Getty Images Jobs vacancies in the UK are soaring but there are not enough workers to fill them, a report suggests. The easing of Covid restrictions and reopening of various sectors meant demand for workers rose at its fastest rate in May for more than 23 years, according to a KPMG survey. But the number

Getty Images Petrol prices have climbed to their highest level in two years, according to the RAC. Retailers may be charging more to make up for lower fuel sales during the pandemic, it said. Pump prices fell in May 2020 to a low of 106p as oil prices plummeted, but motorists had to abide by