Government should axe apprenticeship levy and forge skills body, says CBI exec October 18, 2022 The government should axe its levy on apprenticeships, the head of skills at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has said, as the UK wrestles with STEM skills shortages and shrinking talent pools. Speaking to the science and technology Lords committee in parliament yesterday, the CBI’s Robert West urged that an independent government taskforce to [...]
Rolls-Royce enters next era as first fully-electric motor car goes on display, in gold October 18, 2022 Rolls-Royce has unveiled its first fully-electric motor car. The British manufacturer said the first customer cars of the new Spectre model will be delivered late next year. The model, displayed in gold by Rolls-Royce, fulfils a “prophecy” by the maker’s founder, Charles Stewart Rolls, who said in 1900 the electric car is “perfectly noiseless and [...]
Competition watchdog orders Facebook owner Meta to sell Giphy October 18, 2022 The competition watchdog told Facebook’s parent firm Meta this afternoon that it would need to dump Giphy, marking the first time the regulator has blocked a deal struck by a Big Tech firm. In its “final decision”, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) ruled that the combination of the two companies would allow Meta to [...]
New UK science minister unveils £15m cashpot for satellite comms innovation October 17, 2022 The UK’s new science minister has unveiled a £15m fund for businesses to bolster their satellite communications technology. Nusrat Ghani, who stepped into the position within Liz Truss’ cabinet at the beginning of the month, said the funding will help “to strengthen the UK’s position as a world leader in the satellite communications market” and [...]
US approval of GSK’s one-vial meningitis vaccine sweetens investors amid litigation October 17, 2022 GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) one-vial only meningitis vaccine Menveo has been approved by US regulators, which has sweetened investors amid its ongoing legal battle. The British medicines giant and French pharma firm Sanofi are currently undergoing a series of trials in the US over Zantac, a heartburn drug which was recalled in 2019 following claims by the US [...]
British chipmaker IQE lunges into Samsung’s home turf with Asia push October 17, 2022 British chipmaker IQE has announced its second Asia-based partnership in a week, as it seeks to widen its presence in the tech-driven market. IQE today inked a supply deal with an unnamed consumer electronics heavyweight in the region, just days after cutting a deal with Korean supplies producer SK Siltron for the development and commercialisation [...]
Kanye West snaps up free speech social media firm Parler in bid to ‘change the world’ October 17, 2022 Kanye West is set to buy right-wing social media app Parler, with the vision to “change the world” with a new free speech vision. Parler was banned by both Google and Apple in 2021 after it was used during the Capitol riots in Washington DC. It was accused of the proliferation of posts on violent political [...]
Audioboom rakes in £50m in third quarter as advertising revenue perks up October 17, 2022 Podcast giant Audioboom has announced it took in £50m up until September, a 44 per cent increase on last year. The firm said quarterly revenue was however down from £15m to £14.3m as a tough economic climate continued to impact its intake. A boost in advertising revenue of £68m in 2022 so far has helped [...]
Slack chief says offices should be social spaces where people ‘actually enjoy themselves’ October 14, 2022 The chief executive of messaging platform Slack has said offices should be social spaces where people “come together and actually enjoy themselves” rather than a place where people take video calls. Speaking with the BBC, Slack boss Stewart Butterfield said office time was particularly important for young people starting their career. “It’s hard to imagine [...]
Legal woes weigh on GSK despite ‘exceptional’ trial for landmark RSV jab October 14, 2022 GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) shares slipped into the red yesterday despite “exceptional” results from the latest trial of its RSV vaccine as legal woes dampen investor confidence. The jab’s overall efficacy of 82.6 per cent was hailed as “pivotal” in finding a vaccine against RSV, which is a major cause of morbidity in toddlers and the elderly, [...]