Wise: Banks will face death by a thousand fintechs if they don’t collaborate with new innovations September 9, 2021 The thought of “coming together” and “partnerships” have historically not conjured up images of banking, yet, today, the banking sector is very familiar with these terms. Banks face fierce competition competition from countless specialist digital fintechs, with the ability to adapt and innovate quickly to solve customers’ specific problems. Efficiency is at the core of [...]
Worker shortages persist as pool of candidates shrinks at record pace September 9, 2021 The number of workers ready to start a new job plummeted at its fastest pace on record last month, indicating the severe worker shortages that have put the UK economy in a vice are likely to persist, according to fresh figures published today. Research by accountancy firm KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation shows [...]
Boris Johnson: ‘Concerning’ number of unvaccinated Covid patients in hospital September 8, 2021 The Prime Minister has said he is concerned by the number of unvaccinated people being hospitalised with coronavirus. Three quarters of those hospitalised had not had a Covid jab, Boris Johnson told the BBC, in an interview at St Thomas’ Hospital, London. Johnson’s message to the unvaccinated was “come on now,” as he urged people [...]
Government wins vote on National Insurance hike September 8, 2021 The Prime Minister has won a vote to raise National Insurance for workers and employers to fund NHS and social care costs. The government won the vote by 319 to 248 votes after Boris Johnson said the 1.25 percentage point increase would raise £12bn a year. Opposition MPs criticised the government for breaking a manifesto [...]
AI-driven pharmatech firm agrees $70m partnership with Gates foundation September 8, 2021 AI-driven drug company Exscientia has agreed a $70m partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop virus treatments. The Oxford-based company and non-profit foundation will work on coronaviruses at first before expanding to develop therapeutics for influenza and Nipah virus. The partnership will develop small molecule therapeutics that are less susceptible to variants. [...]
Emma Raducanu into US Open semi-finals as dream run continues September 8, 2021 The next British teen tennis star Emma Raducanu extended her dream run at the US Open by beating Belinda Bencic 6-3 6-4 to reach the semi-finals. The 18-year-old Kent native became the first qualifier in US Open history to reach the last four after beating the reigning Olympic champion. Raducanu, ranked 361 in the world [...]
Barbican Centre: Architects invited to enter £150m transformation contest September 8, 2021 The Barbican Centre has launched a contest for a £150m transformation as part of the City of London’s plan to turn it into a cultural destination. Architects from around the world have been asked to submit proposals to transform the brutalist arts centre. It comes after the City of London Corporation killed off plans for [...]
London markets dragged down by tax hikes as City mulls impact on portfolios September 8, 2021 The wave of tax hikes launched by prime minister Boris Johnson weighed on London markets today as investors mulled the implications of higher dividend taxes on their portfolios. The capital’s premier index dropped 0.75 per cent to close at 7,095.53 points, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 slid 1.03 per cent to 23,848.89 points. Markets were [...]
Bailey warns worker shortages could produce sticky inflation September 8, 2021 The governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, has signalled he is pessimistic about the current worker shortages crippling the UK economy ending soon. Giving evidence to the Treasury Committee, Bailey said the main problem in the economy is now “getting jobs filled.” Responding to questions on whether inflation will persist for longer than [...]
WHO boss: Wealthy nations should pause booster Covid jab rollout until 2022 September 8, 2021 The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on wealthy cations with plentiful Covid jab supplies to delay booster shots until the end of the year. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hit back at claims vaccine supplies were high enough to allow for both booster jabs and vaccinations in countries facing shortages. “I [...]
