UK hospitality sector calls for changes to test and trace system July 1, 2021 Hospitality trade association UKHospitality has called for an immediate review of the government’s test and trace isolation guidelines. It says current measures are “massively disruptive” to the sector. The body says existing staff shortage problems are being “compounded” by staff being told to self isolate. It says the current system can lead to whole teams [...]
Gym Group eyes £31m of investor funding for 40 new sites July 1, 2021 The UK’s second-largest gym chain, Gym Group, aims to raise £31m from investors to fund an expansion with 40 new branches. The low-cost gym operator said it plans to open the new sites over the next 18 months as it continues its rapid rollout programme. It said the impact of Covid-19 on the commercial property [...]
Twitter user to pay BBC journalist six-figure sum for defamatory actions July 1, 2021 A twitter ‘troll’ has apologised and agreed to pay a six-figure bill in damages after trying to damage the reputation of BBC radio and TV presenter Stephen Nolan. Nolan, a presenter on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio 5 Live, said the user ran a “malicious campaign designed to undermine me and hinder my journalism” [...]
British Council could cut 2000 jobs after budget slash July 1, 2021 The British Council has started planning a redundancy consultation, potentially resulting in 2000 jobs being cut. The action follows a drop in funding from the government. The public body announced last week it would have to cut 15-20 per cent from the organisation over the next two years due to the financial impact of the [...]
Barclays to up junior bankers’ base pay to $100,000, following Wall Street rivals June 30, 2021 UK bank Barclays is expected to increase base pay for junior bankers to $100,000 amid an exodus of young workers. The pay hike would bring the company’s rates in line with those announced by JPMorgan this week. In April, Bank of America also increased junior banker salaries by up to $25,000. While the changes are expected [...]
Legal services company LegalZoom makes $7bn Nasdaq debut June 30, 2021 LegalZoom shares today opened 31 per cent above the company’s offer price in its Nasdaq debut, valuing the online legal services company at $7bn (£5bn). The legal tech giant helps users generate legal documents without lawyers. Shares opened at $36.75 (£26.61), up from the company’s initial public offering (IPO) on Tuesday which saw over 19m shares [...]
Flexible working could become a ‘right for all’ under new legislation June 30, 2021 Shadow children’s minister Tulip Siddiq today introduced the Flexible Working Bill, aimed at giving workers a right to flexible working arrangements. Siddiq said the Bill, introduced through the Ten Minute Rule, would “give workers the right to flexible working from the first day of employment, except in exceptional circumstances” and “require employers to offer flexible [...]
Donald Trump’s company and CFO Weisselberg expected to be charged tomorrow June 30, 2021 Prosecutors in Manhattan are expected to charge former US president Donald Trump’s company and its chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, tomorrow for alleged tax-related crimes, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Charges will most likely be related to the Trump Organization and Weisselberg allegedly evading taxes on fringe benefits. They would be the first criminal [...]
Unexplained sneezing: Covid symptoms different for fully vaccinated June 29, 2021 Data from the world’s largest ongoing Covid study suggests Covid symptoms may be different for those fully vaccinated, with unexplained sneezing more likely to be an indicator. Research from the ZOE Covid symptom study app, a not-for-profit initiative led by King’s College London, suggests sneezing may be a more common sign of infection for those with [...]
UK’s debt risks soaring by over £100bn due to post-pandemic inflation June 29, 2021 The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) today published its annual report today, suggesting that the UK’s post-pandemic debt could rise by over £100bn due to inflation. In its report, the Swiss-based bank set out its outlook for global recovery from the Covid pandemic. Its primary scenario was one of solid recovery but at uneven rates, [...]