As outlined in Deloitte’s paper “2010 FIFA World Cup. A Turning Point for South Africa,” South Africa is reaping the rewards of hosting the Cup, including infrastructure improvements, an economic boost, and an increase of national pride.

“South Africa has been likened to a mix of the developed and developing world,” said Lwazi Bam, Public Sector Industry Leader, Deloitte Southern Africa. “On the one hand, a strong technological and economic base put it on a par with the well-developed nations of the world. On the other, infrastructure shortfalls have contributed to keeping it from realizing its full economic potential. This major global event is a catalyst for much-needed infrastructure improvements.”

The need to move tens of thousands of fans, teams, and accompanying supportpersonnel rapidly from one place to another prioritized the strengthening of South Africa’s transportation system.  The country completed much of the
first section of its new high speed Gautrain passenger railway and added bus lines.  Highways were upgraded and the city of Durban was able to finish the country’s first new green field airport in five decades.  These infrastructure projects have increased employment opportunities and provided workers long-term skills and training.

One of the challenges in building the infrastructure for the event was generating power without an unduly adverse environmental impact. New stadium facilities include such environmentally-friendly features as natural ventilation and rain water capture systems.

In addition, host cities have undertaken large-scale tree-planting projects in an effort to soak up excess carbon dioxide.  As a coal-dependent economy, South African faces challenges; however, these steps move the country toward greener energy sources.

To ensure security, the minister of police has consulted with officials from more than 30 different countries whose nationals are in the country, resulting in an unprecedented level of international cooperation.

Seeking to balance a welcoming atmosphere with rigorous security standards, 40,000 police officers, 25 percent of the country’s total force, have been assigned to the Cup.  All of these activities have required a renewed spirit of cooperation between national and local agencies and departments.

Greg Pellegrino, Global Public Sector Industry Leader, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, said;

“South Africa has already realized many of the benefits hoped for by any national host of a major international sporting event. The event has provided a boost to national infrastructure improvements, increased employment during the global financial crisis, and provided a unifying rallying point for a still-developing nation. Moving the FIFA World Cup from a developed economy such as Germany, to an emerging economy such as South Africa, and to a continent that has never hosted the Cup, creates an important precedent for future hosts such as Brazil in 2014,”

The initial launch markets in Europe include the UK, along with Portugal, Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland, with all four countries offering government incentives to buyers of the eco friendly vehicle.

The price of purchasing the Nissan LEAF in the UK will be £23,350 after government incentives, putting the vehicle around the same area price wise as a similarly equipped diesel or hybrid vehicle.

The price before incentives is £28,350, and is subject to a recent UK government announcement that it would refund 25% of the purchase price of an all electric vehicle up to a ceiling of £5,000.

Further savings for UK customers will come in the form of zero vehicle excise duty and zero company car tax for five years. This is on top of the significant savings on fuel costs over a conventional engined vehicle, for average mileage motorists this would equate to just over £500 annually.

There are similar incentives available through all of the four initial European launch countries.

The Nissan LEAF is a compact, zero-emission five-passenger family car that comes fully equipped with features such as air conditioning, satellite navigation, a parking camera, a quick charge socket and innovative smart-phone connectivity.

Nissan has decided to launch in these countries first due to significant government incentives for electric cars, and the ongoing development of charging infrastructure for their successful adoption. By the end of next year, Nissan LEAF will be available in every major Western European country.

The high-speed rail company has become Official International Rail Services Provider and will be providing London 2012 with arrival and departure services at St Pancras International for those competing and working at the Games who are travelling to London on its trains.

It will also provide international rail services for London 2012’s operational requirements. Outside of its sponsorship with LOCOG, Eurostar will naturally be carrying many spectators from main land Europe to and from the Games in 2012 itself.

The cross-Channel rail operator has also acquired rights in France and Belgium and become a partner of the French and Belgian National Olympic Committees. As part of these deals, the French and Belgian Olympic teams will travel to and from the Games using Eurostar services.

As part of its sponsorship of the London 2012 Games, Eurostar will be conducting a number of activations across the UK, France and Belgium to promote London 2012 as a truly sustainable Games.

The first main Eurostar activation is the Tri-City-Athlon planned for 14 September 2010 which takes places across the three capital cities that Eurostar serves. Over one day participants will do a swim in Paris, a cycle in Brussels and a run in London.

Three former British Airways employees and one current employee had been charged with colluding with Virgin Atlantic to fix fuel  surcharge prices between 2004 and 2006.

The court heard on Monday that the Office of Fair Trading had failed to disclose key information to the defence, including an e mail that suggested that Virgin Atlantic had increased its fuel surcharge without consulting BA during the period in question, ending any speculation that the two companies had colluded.

William Boyce QC, defending one BA executive, said that had this e-mail come to light earlier, the case may never have come to court.

What a waste of time and money!

Bradford based National Breakdown and Halifax insurance company Donald Insurance have joined forces to offer a nationwide coverage to hauliers which they feel will benefit HGV and fleet owners across the UK.

The single policy is the first of its kind to be available in the UK, giving cover for goods in transit, property, liability and breakdown coverage all in one combined policy.

National Breakdown and Donald Insurance have pooled their expertise to offer what they call an innovative product for the UK HGV and fleet owner.

They say that breakdown coverage was rarer for Heavy Goods Vehicle compared to lighter vehicles but with their knowledge and expertise they are able to offer the cover within the new all in one HGV and Fleet owners policy.

Hauliers will undoubtedly welcome the new product, particularly if it can offer savings in an industry that has been hit particularly hard by the financial crisis and soaring fuel bills.

Over 4,500 passengers are said to be stranded by the airlines sudden collapse, with most in Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and Egypt, the Civil Aviation Authority will repatriate around 1,100 of those stranded overseas.

GlobeSpan were put into administration yesterday putting 800 jobs under threat and causing untold misery to the many passengers and staff that have been stranded abroad.

Customers who booked directly through flyglobespan.com website are unprotected and will not get a refund, but they may qualify for a reduced rate repatriation fare, although some may also have credit card protection or personal travel insurance in place.

Earlier this year FlyGlobeSpan announced profits of £1.2 million, following a disastrous £19 million loss in the previous year.

Darling said that the government would scrap taxes on electric company cars for the next five years and announced 100% first year capital allowances for businesses using electric vans.

Company cars account for around 1.1million of the vehicles on the UK roads, only around fifty of those are electric and the new proposals will encourage businesses to look at the options available.

Companies currently pay National Insurance contributions and employees pay income tax based on the cost of the car and the CO2 emissions, electric cars attract a 9% tax while fossil fuelled vehicles range from 10 to 35%.

Darling also announced extra funding for low carbon industries, pledging an investment of £160 million across a range of low carbon public and private projects through existing schemes — along with 90 million pounds earmarked for green European infrastructure schemes.

He also said the government would double its commitment to carbon capture and storage, by supporting four new projects with technology that captures CO2 and stores it underground.

Darling also outlined plans to introduce a scheme to replace 125,000 old and inefficient central heating boilers in homes across the UK with a cash back scheme similar in principle to the car scrappage scheme.

Every day in rush hour London, be-suited businessmen disembark from the morning train and ride off to their work destinations on odd looking fold up bicycles.

While the average person may not have considered it, a folding bicycle is an impressive feat of engineering. It needs to be easily collapsible yet maintain alignment to offer a comfortable and speedy ride – it’s a daunting task for any entrepreneur.

Back in the mid seventies a trained engineer who was working at the time as a landscape gardener was intrigued by the idea of building a bicycle ‘that could fit in your pocket.’

Andrew Ritchie designed several prototypes before launching his business in 1976, the business was named Brompton, after the Brompton Oratory church opposite his home.

Despite the bicycle’s ingenuity and Ritchie’s enthusiasm, bike manufacturers showed little interest, forcing him to go into production for himself. He had no problems selling his bikes, but between Ritchie and his single employee, he couldn’t build more than 300 a year from his little workshop in London.

Now the company has a turnover of £10million and is growing about 25% a year. About 70% of the bikes are sold abroad, particularly to the Netherlands, Germany, the USA and Japan. Amazingly, manufacturing still takes place in London.

The existing factory has the capacity for Brompton to double its output, and with another 15 years on its lease, there is no reason to doubt that Brompton will remain the best of British, made in the heart of London.

peter mandelson

Business secretary Peter Mandelson said that the car scrappage scheme would be extended to cover 100,000 more vehicles, but will still end in February 2010 as per the current agreement.

The £300 million scheme was launched in May and has so far seen 227,750 vehicles scrapped for new car orders, costing the government and the manufacturer £1,000 each on each transaction.

The government figure will now be raised to £400 million and will end either in February or when the fund runs dry, whichever comes first.

Mandelson said: “There are encouraging signs that the economy is picking up. But recovery remains fragile and uncertain, especially in manufacturing and one of its cornerstones, the car industry. This is not a blank cheque to the auto manufacturers but recognition that there is still a short term challenge to boost demand and confidence in the sector.”

Paul Everitt of the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders said the decision was an “extremely important decision that will inspire consumer and business confidence”.

The scheme has recently come in for criticism as only one in three vehicles purchased through it, are built in the UK, while other European countries are reaping the rewards from the government hand out.

That is all except Germany where  job losses are in line with what was first estimated when Magna made their bid for the Opel business. Magna appear to have agreed a deal with the German government that will see a pre agreed figure of around 2,600 job losses in the country with the guarantee of keeping all four of its plants open.

Opel employ 25,000 workers in Germany and the deal has been seen as a victory for chancellor Angela Merkel, as the country nears a General Election.

There are however,  no such guarantees for other factories throughout Europe where Opel employ around 30,000 workers and the company are looking to reduce that figure by around 8,000.

British unions have expressed concern about the long-term future of Vauxhall’s 5,500 UK workers and its two British plants in Luton and Ellesmere Port.

Spain’s Zarragoza plant is also under threat as Magna have suggested moving some of the production to Germany.