News around the world

Five big things that have made Apple It's been called the most successful company in history. And it's just become the world's first public company  to be worth $1 trillion (£767bn). So how's it done it? Here's a quick look at five of the biggest things that have helped make Apple the gigantic success story it is today. 1. Steve Jobs - a brand unto himself As the co-founder of one of the world's most successful companies, his is one of the most recognised names in the world of tech. He put Apple at the forefront of the personal computing revolution, and was behind a suite of revolutionary, highly desirable products - from the iPod to the iPad. But he was also recognised as one of the modern world's first auteur chief executives - and became a brand unto himself. From the time he founded the company with Steve Wozniak in 1976 in Silicon Valley, California, Apple was seen as a firm that was set to achieve great things. Apple shares were ...

MILAN/LONDON (Reuters) - Sergio Marchionne was one of the auto industry’s most demanding and tenacious chief executives and he rescued Fiat and Chrysler, two of its most storied brands. The gruff 66-year-old, who has died after succumbing to complications from recent surgery, spent 14 years at the wheel of Fiat Chrysler, the group he built. He was replaced as boss last weekend after his condition worsened. In Italy, where his turnaround of Fiat earned him legendary status, he was treated like a rock star. The former philosophy student and accountant almost never wore a tie and preferred casual sweaters, half-joking that it saved him time on dressing. A heavy smoker until giving up the habit a year ago, he was known for working extraordinarily long hours before falling ill. He demanded others keep a similarly gruelling schedule, earning him a reputation from friends and foes alike for being stubborn and arrogant. “I feel like I live in a tunnel. He is not just demanding; he ...

Drilling for oil off the Cork coast has the potential to become a billion-dollar enterprise in the coming years, with enormous benefits for employment in the region, writes  Grainne McGuinness. That was the bold statement by businessman Tony O’Reilly Jr, as his company Providence Resources finalises a new deal with a Chinese consortium to fund appraisal drilling. Mr O’Reilly told the Evening Echo that success at Barryroe, off the coast of Kinsale, would also mean success for the Cork area. “Big investment would follow,” he said of a full drilling campaign. It is six years since Providence Resources successfully flow tested a well at Barryroe, and it is estimated it holds between 1bn and 1.6bn barrels of oil. With the assistance of the Apec consortium, the company hopes to move ahead with appraisal drilling in the first half of next year. “We know there is oil there because we have successfully drilled and have all the data,” Mr O’Reilly said. “It is now looking at t...

Low-cost, long-haul carrier Norwegian Air has said it will increase flights from Irish airports next summer by more than a third — while also confirming Cork’s first transatlantic flights to the US, which had been in doubt, would return. The airline, which has been strongly linked with a takeover by Aer Lingus owner IAG, said it would increase its offering from Dublin, Cork and Shannon to the US east coast by 37%. There was disappointment from business and political figures earlier this year when Norwegian announced it was scrapping the winter route from Cork to Providence, Rhode Island. It was feared the airline would not bring the route back for the summer 2019 schedule but it has allayed those fears by insisting it is committed to the three-times-weekly flight. Cork Airport said more than 31,000 passengers travelled between Cork and Providence on the Norwegian Air route in its first year, including 60% from the US side. The route is seen as vital in attracting business and tourist v...

Low-cost, long-haul carrier Norwegian Air has said it will increase flights from Irish airports next summer by more than a third — while also confirming Cork’s first transatlantic flights to the US, which had been in doubt, would return. The airline, which has been strongly linked with a takeover by Aer Lingus owner IAG, said it would increase its offering from Dublin, Cork and Shannon to the US east coast by 37%. There was disappointment from business and political figures earlier this year when Norwegian announced it was scrapping the winter route from Cork to Providence, Rhode Island. It was feared the airline would not bring the route back for the summer 2019 schedule but it has allayed those fears by insisting it is committed to the three-times-weekly flight. Cork Airport said more than 31,000 passengers travelled between Cork and Providence on the Norwegian Air route in its first year, including 60% from the US side. The route is seen as vital in attracting ...