Strict new cybersecurity requirements could burst China’s tech bubble July 30, 2021 Covid has driven ubiquitous growth in digital services in nations as geographically far apart as the UK and China. London has seen massive tech IPOs this year with listings of Deliveroo, Alphawave and Wise. However, the sharp rise in digitalisation has brought an inevitable need for businesses to protect their networks, as vast swathes of [...]
Salesforce CEO: We need to hire based on skills, not university degrees July 30, 2021 Employment figures released by the Office for National Statistics this month were a bittersweet pill. On the one hand, there is optimism: vacancies have exceeded pre-pandemic levels, the number of employees on payroll is up and unemployment is down. But the other side of the coin is difficult to tackle: there simply aren’t enough people [...]
Screenshot: Will the digital advertising boom ever end? July 30, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: You are what you tweet **Will the digital advertising boom ever end? **Esports: Britain’s next big thing? Media Moment of the Week: You are what you tweet You know the scenario: someone says something you don’t like on Twitter and you have an overwhelming urge to rise to [...]
New travel rules are a stark reminder of previous government failures July 29, 2021 Even Boris Johnson’s most vocal supporters would admit the government’s Covid travel policy, insofar as it has had one, has been wracked with inconsistencies, confusion and inaction. Dominic Cummings’ suggestion that Johnson outright refused to implement a coherent travel policy in the second half of last year appears to be painfully true when confronting the [...]
A path to Britcoin: a UK digital currency isn’t just about the money, it’s a public service July 29, 2021 Innovations in central banking rarely attract attention. But, from the Bank Charter Act of 1848, which set in motion the Bank of England’s monopoly on printing money, through to its operational independence in 1997, the central bank has reinvented itself time and again to strengthen public trust in the pound. Now, a wave of technological [...]
Green with envy: companies around the world have pledged to go net zero without a plan to get there July 29, 2021 There has been an avalanche of commitments to reduce emissions, from private companies to governments around the world. More than 20 per cent of the world’s largest corporations have set net zero targets and most major economies have committed to achieving net zero by the mid century. Yet, with the existing policies, we are currently [...]
Editorial: Online retail has a duty to be human – for their workers and the industry July 28, 2021 Old-school retail has been plagued by many criticisms through its long performance on our high streets. It has been far from the patron saint of good behaviour. But if you walked into a store in the early 2000s, you could, fairly or unfairly, get a feel for a company from the staff you bumped into. [...]
Weaker economic backdrop presents fresh headaches for Fed July 28, 2021 Today’s Federal Open Market Committee announcements come amid mounting concerns that the rapid rise in Covid cases could dampen the global economic recovery. This backdrop presents a different set of problems for Fed Chair Jerome Powell to when he last spoke in June. Recovery prospects are still good, but have tempered. Investors around the world [...]
It is our duty to help Hongkongers settle and prosper in London July 28, 2021 For centuries, Londoners have embraced the benefits of immigration and welcomed new arrivals to their city with open arms. Around a third of Londoners were born outside the UK and over 200 languages are spoken on our streets. We are proud of this diverse, thriving city, and look forward to it remaining a multicultural hub [...]
To face mask or not to face mask? Covid etiquette is an experiment in human behaviour July 28, 2021 To mask or not to mask? Along with scores of other things we never would have anticipated, whether or not to cover up our nose and mouth is the latest thorny issue in Covid etiquette. The answer from Boris Johnson is clear: in public spaces such as transport, bars, restaurants or other busy indoor places, [...]