Budget 2021: Alcohol duty to be overhauled as spirit duty hike cancelled October 27, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has set out a five-step plan to overhaul alcohol duty, speaking at the Budget. The current system is “outdated, complex and full of historical anomalies”. The number of main duty rates will be cut from 15 to six with an aim to “end the era of cheap, high-strength drinks.” Drinks are to [...]
Budget 2021: Levy for property developers to fund removal of unsafe cladding October 27, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has reiterated plans for a levy for property developers to help create a fund to remove unsafe cladding. Speaking at the Budget, Sunak said property developers with profits over £25m will face a levy at a rate of 4 per cent. This will be used to help create a £5bn fund to [...]
Over 80,000 12 to 15-year-olds book Covid-19 vaccinations in teen rollout October 27, 2021 More than 80,000 12 to 15-year-olds have booked a Covid-19 vaccination, as cases among secondary school age children remain high. Around 2.5m letters will be sent out to parents this week, which will invite them to book a jab for their child. Covid-19 vaccines were made available to the age bracket in late September, but [...]
How TikTok accounts lure teens into fraud October 27, 2021 When he accidentally became a money mule, “Tom” was only fourteen. A friend transferred him 250£ and asked to withdraw them in cash. Days later “Tom”’s bank closed his account, and he hasn’t been able to open a new one anywhere since. He is now sixteen and believes he has a Cifas marker – meaning [...]
Bitcoin drops below $60k as markets cool off October 27, 2021 The price of bitcoin yesterday closed below $60,000 for the first time in almost two weeks, with two minor flash crashes on Wednesday morning seeing the largest cryptocurrency fall to as low as $58k before recovering to around the $59k level, where it’s currently changing hands. That’s down 2.5% since yesterday morning and 8.5% over [...]
Role reversal: Why reverse mentoring is a ‘no-brainer’ October 27, 2021 Even before the pandemic, the World Economic Forum was describing reverse mentoring as a ‘no-brainer’. Now, as employers look to establish new working norms, Patrice Gordon CA explains why it could prove business critical. This article first appeared in ICAS’ CA magazine. Accountancy and psychology may seem an odd combination for a degree student. But for [...]
Tik-ing time bomb: Social media companies told to crack down on money mule ads October 27, 2021 City bigwigs have demanded social media companies clamp down on “money muling” ads on their platforms which could leave young people blacklisted from credit for life. Teenagers are being targeted on TikTok by criminals who promise quick money in exchange for participating in fraudulent activity, or so called “money muling”. An increasing number of teens [...]
Hong Kong Racing Tips: Frankie and Vincent can combine for Victory once again October 26, 2021 WHEN the in-form partnership of trainer Frankie Lor and Vincent Ho team up, it’s always worth noting. Lor’s stable have hit top-form in recent weeks, with the former assistant to John Size shooting up the trainers’ leaderboard with 11 winners to sit just behind leaders David Hayes and Jimmy Ting. Top local rider Vincent Ho is another who has [...]
Hong Kong Racing Tips: Purton to start Super Fast on Sha Tin’s dirt October 26, 2021 FRANCIS Lui’s SUPER FAST rates the best bet of the afternoon, when racing resumes with an eight-race programme on the dirt surface at Sha Tin. The local betting fraternity have always looked upon racing on the dirt surface with a certain degree of suspicion. There are so many variables to consider when looking for winners, notably, whether the track suit front-running tactics [...]
Hybrid working: Discrimination and lack of career progression vs banter and lunches October 26, 2021 Hybrid workers embrace anytime working and say their office culture has changed forever. While many workers have reaped the benefits, working from home has not been a smooth transition for everyone. Concerns over discrimination, career progression, and noise weigh on employees’ minds. Also the lines between anytime working and being ‘always on’ are blurring with [...]