Labour demand answers as Marble Arch Mound is made free August 4, 2021 Labour councillors have called for an investigation into the Marble Arch Mound after its high-profile “flop” since its opening last week. The £2m project had to be closed after two days but will now reopen for rest of August, free of charge to all visitors. The Labour councillors have called for an independent investigation into [...]
European Commission urges US travel ban to be lifted for Europeans August 4, 2021 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has demanded Washington lift entry restrictions for European citizens in an interview with German outlet RND published today. “We insist that there are comparable rules for travellers in both directions. The epidemiological situation in the US and the EU today is very similar,” said the EU Commission President. “We [...]
Police bosses renew call for pay increase August 4, 2021 Police bosses have renewed their calls for pay increases, telling the Home Secretary Priti Patel that they “deserve better”. Last week police representatives marched on Downing Street after it was announced that officers who earn more than £24,000 will be subject to a pay freeze this year. NHS staff will receive a 3 per cent [...]
A year on from the explosion, Beirut still a shell of its former self and questions remain unanswered August 4, 2021 One year ago today, the world looked on in horror as Beirut exploded. The monumental blast at what turned out to be a nitrate storage hangar decimated the area surrounding the Lebanese capital’s port and beyond, with the damage estimated to be around $4.6bn. The story is one of grave corruption and mismanagement. Over 2,700 [...]
The role of smart government in the UK’s post pandemic recovery August 4, 2021 | Sponsored Picture this: a country where 99% of public services are online, citizens vote via digital ID cards over the web, welfare and financial support are provided only to those who need it, with fraud dealt with swiftly, and transparency, trust and efficiency lie at the heart of government. This is a far cry from the [...]
Lyft announce first profit figure three months ahead of target August 4, 2021 Californian Uber-challenger Lyft saw shares rise six per cent on Tuesday after announcing the first time quarterly profit in the firm’s nine-year history. Three months ahead of target, the company said EBITDA profit hit $23.8m (£17.2m) in the most recent quarter as rider numbers rebound after the pandemic. Lyft has branched out in tandem with [...]
L&G and NatWest to build green retirement homes in £500m joint venture August 4, 2021 Legal & General and NatWest Pension Trustee Limited (NWPTL) have announced a 15-year joint venture to deliver 5,100 zero carbon retirement homes. The £500 million deal will support Inspired Villages, L&G’s later living business, to create a portfolio of specialist, later-living properties across 34 sites with an estimated Gross Development Value of £4bn. Robert Waugh, [...]
Tokyo 2020 Olympics: 13-year-old Sky Brown becomes Britain’s youngest medallist with skateboard bronze as Hannah Mills makes sailing history August 4, 2021 Teenage skateboarder Sky Brown became Britain’s youngest ever Olympic medallist today as Team GB claimed more sailing gold at Tokyo 2020. Brown produced a calm final run to win the bronze medal after falling twice on her first two runs. The 13-year-old surpassed Sarah Hardcastle, who won silver and bronze in the swimming at the [...]
West Coast wildfires rage across record areas in the United States, but Silicon Valley thinks it has the answer August 4, 2021 Wildfire season in the United States has devastated swathes of the West Coast in a way not seen since the disastrous summer of 2017. The problem is getting worse across numerous states. This year, 37,803 fires have raged, burning more than 3.4 million acres, both significantly up on last year. As of August 1, there [...]
Fertility benefits – for lawyers or for law firms? August 4, 2021 More law firms in the City are offering paid leave or paying towards the costs of fertility treatments for their employees in a bid to stay up to date, and keep their lawyers. Last week law firm Ashurst announced what it called “landmark” changes to its global parental leave policy. Alongside offering a reduction in [...]