New Covid vaccine formulation could be needed by mid-2022, says BioNTech boss October 4, 2021 The boss of BioNTech, the German biotech firm behind the Pfizer Covid-19, has predicted that a new formulation for jabs will likely be needed by mid-2022. Scientists have warned that the virus could mutate in a way that means it is less resistant to vaccines. “This year [a different vaccine] is completely unneeded. But by [...]
The sky is not the limit for Barbie as she takes zero-gravity flight to space October 4, 2021 When young girls and boys think of Barbie, they may not imagine her floating around on a zero-gravity flight. But the brand has teamed up with the European Space Agency (ESA) and its only active female astronaut to inspire young girls to see the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (Stem) field as a viable career [...]
Brexit: ‘British renaissance’ has begun as ‘the long, bad EU dream’ is over, Lord Frost to say October 4, 2021 “British Renaissance has begun” as the nation struggles with staffing issues linked to the departure from the European Union, Brexit minister Lord Frost will tell delegates at the Tory party conference later today. The “long bad dream” of EU membership is over, according to Frost, as he challenges Brussels to be more “ambitious” to solve [...]
Pressure mounts on Facebook and Nick Clegg as whistleblower does not hold back October 4, 2021 Facebook and its vice president of policy and public affairs, Nick Clegg, are increasingly under pressure as a whistleblower has come forward, making a range of damaging claims. Firstly, Facebook prematurely turned off safeguards designed to thwart misinformation after Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in last year’s elections in a moneymaking move, the whistleblower claims. [...]
Buyers seek second homes in London to avoid countryside commutes October 4, 2021 Commuters facing the reality of daily journeys into the city are hunting for London homes with a renewed zest. Home buyers are eager to have their cake and eat it too, with some people having settled in the countryside now looking for second homes in the city. The number of new prospective buyers registering with [...]
‘PE to PE’ deals soar as firms rush to offload $2.3 trillion post-pandemic dry powder October 4, 2021 Private equity to private equity deals, whereby groups sell UK companies to each other, have jumped by 44 per cent in the past year, as firms rush to please investors and deploy capital accumulated during the coronavirus crisis. The number of so-called “PE to PE” deals increased by 44 per cent to 85 in the [...]
Interview: IoD’s new chief economist delivers damning verdict on Tory tax hikes October 4, 2021 After just a month or so into the job, the freshly appointed chief economist of the organisation that represents British business leaders is wasting no time in weighing in on the ails of the UK economy, shooting down one area in particular – tax. Kitty Ussher of the Institute of Directors (IoD) has slammed the [...]
Businesses must balance flexibility with office culture to fight ‘tsunami of turnover’ October 4, 2021 Three in four companies are concerned about the impact of remote working on corporate culture and staff retention, with half preparing themselves for widespread employee burnout in 2022, according to a report by specialist recruiter Robert Half. The report showed that remote workers were at risk of burnout due to the lack of distinction between [...]
Going for gold (and copper): Great Southern Copper plots £3.5m London IPO October 4, 2021 Copper-gold exploration company Great Southern Copper (GSC) has told City AM it is targeting a listing on London’s main market in the coming weeks, as it capitalises on copper’s central role in the growing electric vehicle (EV) market. GSC, which focuses on tier-one assets in the largest copper producer in the world, Chile, is seeking [...]
City tilts toward tackling climate change October 4, 2021 Over half of City firms have put climate change at the top of their list of priorities, compared to just a third last year. 59 per cent of UK financial institutions have made addressing climate change the key issue driving their strategic agenda, according to research by Lloyds Bank. One in three financial firms saw [...]