Money
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Cash use halves in one week over virus fears
Will the virus be the death of cash? Last week, the use of notes and coins in the UK halved due to fears of contamination, and a new banking app was launched – for seven-year-olds.
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‘Time to consign the Olympics to history’
Should the Olympic Games be cancelled for ever? The world’s biggest sporting event is now likely to be postponed because of the pandemic –some feel we would better off without it any way.
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How to tell a black swan from a red herring
Is Nassim Nicholas Taleb a modern-day prophet? The Lebanese-American statistician, author, and philosopher predicted the 2008 financial crash – and the current coronavirus pandemic.
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Markets panic as virus drags down oil price
Does oil run the world? It looks that way to investors watching the value of shares plummet in response to a shock drop in the price of oil. But why does “black gold” have so much power?
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All Africa’s women poorer than 22 richest men
Is this progress? Is 22 better than two? Oxfam released shocking statistics, yesterday, on world inequality and told leaders to tax the rich. But some experts say that this is too pessimistic.
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Trust is dying across the world, says survey
Whatever happened to good faith? People no longer believe that it is possible for institutions to do the right thing AND be competent. This is creating an unprecedented wave of cynicism.
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Climate sceptic Murdoch confronted by son
Should Rupert Murdoch step down? The legendary newspaper owner is under attack by his son for allowing climate change sceptics to distort coverage of the deadly Australian bushfires.
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Plan for three-day weekend gathers support
Would a four-day working week make us happier? Finland’s PM has called for a drastic cut in working hours. Experts believe extra free time would make people more positive and productive.
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Black Friday: generosity, greed and guilt
Are Christmas presents a waste? “Black Friday” today and “Cyber Monday” mark the start of a huge spending spree in rich countries — big enough to end world hunger for the next eight years.
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UK player makes history with £170m jackpot win
Does money bring happiness? Or is it a curse? Next week, a record fortune will land in a person’s bank account and their life will be turned upside down. Past winners have an ominous record.
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The bank manager: ‘Believe in yourself’
What does it take to work in banking? Selina Vernon wasn’t sure what to do when she left school with few GCSEs. Today, she is managing her own bank branch and “loving every minute of it”.
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Robots to replace 20m factory jobs by 2030
Should we embrace or fear the robot revolution? Yesterday, Oxford Economics warned that up to 20 million manufacturing jobs around the world could be replaced by robots by 2030.
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Now Facebook wants to create its own currency
Is the social media giant turning into a shadow government? This is the warning from some experts, today, after Facebook announced ambitious plans to launch a new global currency called Libra.
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The tech arms race shaping your future
Google has restricted Huawei’s use of Android this morning — a huge ramping up of the tech arms race between China and America. The eventual winner could dominate our lives for decades.
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The rise and rise of Britain’s billionaires
Do billionaires make their wealth at the expense of others? Yesterday, The Sunday Times published its annual Rich List, including a record 151 billionaires. Where does their money come from?