The Standard

Mudlarking is the historic pursuit of combing the Thames foreshore for, hopefully, some rare or valuable artefacts to give us a glimpse back into history of how Londoners used to live.

Among the coins, bottles, occasional weapons and oddities like tiny Roman spoons for scooping out ear wax found nestling in the silt, mudlark Jason Sandy made a chilling discovery - what was apparently a giant boa constrictor skin that had been shed by its occupant.

So, does this clue reveal a big snake on the loose near to Chiswick? Hopefully not, but it could join legions of exotic animals now wandering, slithering and swinging around the capital, which include terrapins, parakeets and even sightings of what’s claimed to be a puma roaming south-east London.

Many of the exotic non-native species found around London are believed to have been thrown out after their owners could not cope with responsibility, such as the terrapins flushed away after the 90s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles craze. 

Last year, a project began in Black Park lake in Wexham in Buckinghamshire to relocate non-native terrapins over their threat to wildlife.

So, what happens when these animals disappear into the London ecosystem?

To discover what’s lurking in the capital’s waterways and undergrowth, we’re joined by Dr Mark Jones.

We discuss how shocking numbers of exotic pets in the UK now include monkeys and the legislation needed to crack down on the illegal wildlife trade.

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If you work in the financial and investment sectors, you will know about the CFA - their exam is known to be “the world’s toughest”.

The mere mention of the gruelling test on Wall Street would probably leave some of the toughest finance veterans weeping.

Celebrating their 75th anniversary this year, we’re joined by Marg Franklin the CEO of The Chartered Financial Analyst Institute.

In this episode, she explains how they’ve navigated through many eras of economic uncertainty, including the pandemic, and how Gen Z’s societal and environmental ethics are transforming the workplace.

You can listen to the full interview on our How To Be A CEO podcast here.

For all the latest business news head to standard.co.uk/business

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Transport for London might be in trouble. Away from the strikes and behind the scenes TfL is in financial turmoil - and has been for a while.

The Mayor of London’s transport authority has been trying to come to a deal with the Government and it’s all on a bit of a knife edge. 

As Londoners wait eagerly to see what happens next, it's got many concerned that if a deal isn’t made, whether TfL could be nationalised...

Ross Lydall, the Evening Standard’s City Hall & Transport Editor explains.

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As we all crack out the factor 30 to head outside and enjoy the sun for yet another heatwave… you can’t help but notice that everywhere is looking very dry.

We’re experiencing another heatwave, our water sources are depleted, parks and green spaces are no longer… well, green. Plus, there’s no signs of rain on the horizon.

Hannah Cloke is a professor of hydrology, climate expert and natural hazards researcher at the University of Reading. She explains the severity of the situation, whether or not we’re actually in a drought and what happens if the hosepipe bans don’t work…

Find us on Twitter at #TheLeaderPodcast and come back at 1pm tomorrow for our other podcast, Tech & Science Daily.

For all the latest news visit www.standard.co.uk/news

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A growing campaign ‘Don’t Pay UK’ is aiming to get one million people to pledge not to pay their energy bills once the price cap goes up in October. 

Their argument is that if enough people do this, it will force energy companies to look at ways to ease financial pressures. Over 97,000 people have already ‘promised’ to cancel their direct debits and the number is rising. 

But, what exactly happens if you don't pay your energy bills? Debt advisor, Sara Williams, behind the advice blog debtcamel.co.uk explains the risks.

Find us on Twitter at #TheLeaderPodcast and come back at 1pm tomorrow for our other podcast, Tech & Science Daily.

For all the latest news visit www.standard.co.uk/news

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Get ready for a summer of discontent. 

It’s the season for industrial action; TfL, train operators, bus drivers, airport & airline staff, ferries & sea container port staff… and even barristers are all getting in on it. 

Don’t worry though, Katie Strick, commissioning editor and senior feature writer at the Evening Standard, is on hand to give you the ultimate guide on everything you need to know about the summer of strikes.

Find us on Twitter at #TheLeaderPodcast and come back at 1pm tomorrow for our other podcast, Tech & Science Daily.

For all the latest news visit www.standard.co.uk/news

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Wildfires might not have been something you would associate with London or the UK previously, but in 2022 times have changed.

There have been reports of more wildfires across the capital and it seems like we’re going to need to adapt, another heatwave is expected over the coming week and conditions are still very dry… So just how prepared are we? 

Andy Elliott, firefighter, wildfire researcher, wildfire instructor and national wildfire tactical advisor for the National Fire Chiefs Council explains.

Find us on Twitter at #TheLeaderPodcast and come back at 1pm tomorrow for our other podcast, Tech & Science Daily.

For all the latest news visit www.standard.co.uk/news

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This is taken from our business podcast How to be a CEO.

As an SVP at Diageo Catharina von Franck sits on the company's UK board and is in charge of growing iconic brands like Guiness, Johnnie Walker, Baileys and others. 

Diageo has just moved to a new HQ in the heart of Soho, London's hospitality centre.

In this episode she tells us: 

• What’s it like inside Diageo’s new building
• Why London’s so important to the hospitality industry
• What Diageo did to help hospitality during and after the pandemic 
• How to stay relevant but true to your brand’s history 
• The mistakes to avoid when marketing your brand 

To listen to the full episode click here.

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After experiencing the driest July since 1935 the first hosepipe ban of 2022 is in place in the UK.

Residents in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are the first to face a ban, and will be followed by people in Kent and the South East from August 12th.

To add to drought concerns, river experts have reported the source of the Thames has dried up for the first time on record.

Some experts have criticised water companies for the way they’ve controlled our water supplies and dealt with leaks.

We speak with meteorologist Dr Rob Thompson from the University of Reading about how we got into this situation. 

Plus Climate Lecturer John Grant from Sheffield Hallam University explains how we can change our water usage to deal with future droughts.

Follow us on Twitter for more news @EveningStandard

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The UK is once again facing a recession, as the Bank of England announced its predictions for the economy, alongside a 0.5% rise in interest rates.

It’s the highest for 27 years, and the Bank of England has also predicted  energy bills will push inflation to 13% - up from an already 40-year-high of 9.4%.

The Bank has predicted the UK will go into recession in the fourth quarter of this year, which could last into 2024.

Alongside that, the energy regulator Ofgem warned that customers face a “very challenging winter ahead” as it now plans to update the energy price cap quarterly instead of every six months.

We speak with Economist Lukasz Krebel from the New Economics Foundation about the significance of this latest forecast from the Bank of England.

Plus we speak with Grace Blakeley, Economist and Columnist for The Tribune about the effectiveness of the interest rate rise.

Follow us on Twitter for more news @EveningStandard

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