Ministers urged to include online adverts in new safety bill July 20, 2021 The government has been urged to include paid-for online adverts in its new online safety bill amid concerns the pandemic has led to a “devastating” surge in scams. Ministers have outlined plans to hold tech companies liable for harmful material posted to their platforms, with the new laws set to be presented to pre-legislative scrutiny. [...]
British warships are traversing the world to the South China sea as the UK strengthens its foreign policy July 20, 2021 The expedition to the South China sea by the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is the largest display of British maritime power in a generation. The group, led by the HMS Queen Elizabeth, is complete with combat jets, two destroyers, two frigates, two replenishment vessels and a nuclear attack submarine. They are supported by HNLMS [...]
China reports highest jump in new Covid cases since January July 20, 2021 China recorded the highest daily tally of new Covid cases since January amid a surge in imported infections in Yunnan province sharing the border with Myanmar. Chinese health officials reported 65 new confirmed cases on Monday, more than double a day earlier. That was the most number of daily new cases since 30 January, when [...]
Pingdemic: 1 in 5 NHS Covid app users have turned contact tracing off July 20, 2021 1 in 5 NHS Covid app users currently have their Bluetooth or contact tracing turned off on their phones, as more than half a million people were “pinged” into isolation last week. As the Delta variant rips through the UK and most restrictions lift, a third of Brits using the NHS app have admitted to [...]
Travers bumps junior lawyer salaries to near six figures as bidding war heats up July 20, 2021 London law firm Travers Smith has upped newly qualified lawyers’ salaries to a base rate of £90,000. Travers becomes the latest firm to join the race for talented junior lawyers, matching their competitor Macfarlanes. Their city rival raised rates by 6 per cent to £90,000 earlier this summer. However, Travers added that recently qualified juniors [...]
High Court rules in favour of government’s traffic light travel system July 20, 2021 The High Court has ruled that the government’s traffic light system for travel was not unlawful, in yet another blow for the aviation sector. A collection of the UK’s biggest airlines and airports, including BA owner IAG, Easyjet, Ryanair, and Manchester Airport Group, had challenged the transparency of the system. As a result of the [...]
Discover the wonders of the Wiltshire Wine Trail July 20, 2021 Stonehenge has a rival tourist attraction. The newly-opened Wiltshire Wine Trail takes you to three vineyards in the ancient county – Bluestone, a’Beckett’s and Whitehall. All offer tastings, tours and some wonderful names for wines. Paul Langham headed the national English and Welsh wine trade body for many years and now his a’Beckett’s vineyard in [...]
Pandemic impact: Third of businesses to ramp up online presence and reduce physical foot flow July 20, 2021 Covid-19 saw most businesses close their doors indefinitely to the public and cause some to permanently shut. Many small business owners would not have survived the pandemic without creating or improving their digital presence, according to technology company Cisco, saying 40 per cent managed to get through the pandemic thanks to an online platform. In [...]
Regulation and investors’ demands push fund managers towards ESG July 20, 2021 Regulatory imperatives and investor demand are driving an increased focus on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) principles, according to a PwC report published today. The study found that three-quarters of the fund managers questioned – holding £15.5 trillion in assets – are being influenced by investors and policymakers to drive sustainability outcomes. Regulation 76 [...]
Some businesses to be eligible for exemption to self-isolation rules July 20, 2021 Businesses will be able to apply for exemptions to the government’s self-isolation rules amidst fears the so-called pingdemic will cripple the economy. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said vital businesses that maintain the supply of food or medicines, like supermarkets and pharmacies, could be eligible for the exemption. It comes as up to 1m people [...]