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UK Edition
12th December 2025
 
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THE HOT STORY

Peggie to appeal employment tribunal ruling

Fife nurse Sandie Peggie, who was suspended after objecting to sharing a female changing room with a transgender doctor, has said she will appeal the employment tribunal's findings. While the tribunal ruled Peggie had been harassed by NHS Fife, it dismissed her broader claims of discrimination and victimisation. "Whilst I am delighted that the tribunal was critical of Fife Health Board and found they harassed me, their judgement falls short in many respects," Peggie said, adding that she would "not be giving up this legal fight any time soon." On Thursday, it emerged that the judgement had been amended after campaigner Maya Forstater said a reference to her own landmark case had been "completely made up." The tribunal has now issued a "certificate of correction" citing clerical errors, though the overall outcome remains unchanged. Peggie's solicitor Margaret Gribbon said work on the appeal was already under way, and she described several of the tribunal's findings as "hugely problematic."
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DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Bid to boost Bar diversity falls short

Research from Chambers and Partners shows that socio-economic diversity at the Bar is lacking. The study shows that 53% of future barristers attended Oxbridge, while 42% came from private schools. Only 11% of pupils had attended non-Russell Group universities. Barbara Mills KC, chairwoman of the Bar Council, said: "Academic qualifications remain a key determinant in securing pupillage." Lachlan Stewart, chairman of the Bar Council’s young barristers’ committee, says that for most, the biggest barrier is whether they can afford the path into the profession. Bar school courses can cost up to £20,000 and many qualify with large debts. Mr Stewart went on to highlight Bar Council data showing that candidates with financial support are more likely to secure pupillage offers. 
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WORKFORCE

Post-Brexit skilled work migrants will give £47bn fiscal boost over time

Migrants who came to the UK on skilled work visas in 2022-23 will make a net contribution of £47bn to the public finances over their lifetime, the Migration Advisory Committee says. 
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REMUNERATION

JPMorgan to award $1,000 to eligible staff earning under $80,000

JPMorgan Chase will offer a special award of up to $1,000 to employees globally who earn less than $80,000 annually, according to an internal memo. Eligible staff must have completed at least one year of service by December 31, 2025. The payments are scheduled for early 2026. US employees will receive the amount as a 401(k) contribution, while those outside the US will receive cash. The New York-headquartered bank has some 318,000 employees globally. 
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TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

HSBC axes 160-year-old management scheme in bid to cut costs

HSBC's “International Manager” programme, a legacy scheme set up to develop the next generation of the bank's executives, has been closed to new recruits in a cost-cutting effort.
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TAX

Whistleblower reward scheme 'not a guaranteed win'

HMRC has launched a new reward scheme for whistleblowers. Senior officials believe the scheme could lead to the recovery of significant amounts of unpaid tax. However, it is based on an untested hypothesis and has raised concerns about the risks for informants, including potential professional blacklisting. Nick Barnard, a partner at law firm Corker Binning, noted that the scheme's success is uncertain and could lead to questions about HMRC's resource allocation if it fails. The scheme, he warns, "is not a guaranteed win."
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CYBERSECURITY

OpenAI warns of high cybersecurity risks from new AI models

OpenAI has issued a warning regarding its forthcoming artificial intelligence models, indicating they could present a "high" risk to cybersecurity as their capabilities evolve rapidly. The company noted that the models might not only develop zero-day exploits but could also assist in sophisticated intrusion operations aimed at significant effects. To mitigate these risks, OpenAI is investing in bolstering its cybersecurity measures and is creating an advisory group, the Frontier Risk Council, to collaborate with cybersecurity experts on these challenges.
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REGULATION

Millions more to get financial advice

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) plans to implement a targeted support programme that will benefit over 18m savers by providing tailored investment advice. The initiative will help people make better-informed decisions over their investments and pensions, while also encouraging investment in productive sectors of the economy. Consumers will be able to request advice without a comprehensive assessment of their financial needs. Sarah Pritchard, FCA's deputy chief executive, said targeted support "will be game changing." Jessica Reed, financial services and funds partner at law firm Farrer & Co, said the plans will give firms "more leeway to provide product suggestions" safe from the risk they are "straying into financial advice for which they would have to take a full assessment of the customers' financial position."
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INTERNATIONAL

Trump launches $1m 'gold card' immigration visas

President Donald Trump's administration has launched the "Trump Gold Card" visa program offering fast-tracked US visas to wealthy foreigners. The card will give buyers a "direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people . . . Our Great American Companies can finally keep their invaluable Talent," Trump wrote on social media on Wednesday. The gold card program, which was first announced earlier this year, promises US residency in "record time" and will require a $1m fee which is "evidence that the individual will substantially benefit the United States", the program's website said.

Petrobras workers to strike over labour disputes

Workers at Brazil's state-owned oil company, Petrobras, have announced a strike set to begin on Monday, following what they called an "insufficient" second counteroffer for a new labour agreement. The strike arises amidst ongoing negotiations concerning a retirement fund deficit and changes to employee compensation. Petrobras plans to implement contingency measures to maintain operations during the strike, emphasising that discussions are still ongoing.

Korean AI talent is being driven overseas

Korea faces a talent drain in artificial intelligence skills due to lower wages compared to the United States. A report from the Bank of Korea (BOK) reveals that AI specialists in Korea earned 6% more than their non-AI counterparts last year, but this AI wage premium is far behind the 25% figure in the US. “Korean AI talent working overseas accounted for about 16 percent in 2024, six percentage points higher than other workers,” said Oh Sam-il, an economist at the BOK. “The number of Koreans with AI skills working in the United States rose to 6,300 last year as a large number of jobs and strong treatment in the US AI industry pulled domestic talent overseas,” he added.
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OTHER

SEND education gets £3bn funding boost

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has announced £3bn of investment to create around 50,000 new school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including support for mainstream schools to ensure they can meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Part of the funding, which will be distributed to local authorities, will come from the likely cancellation of 28 out of 44 mainstream free school projects announced by the last government, including one of three new sixth forms that had been proposed through a partnership between Eton College and the Star Academies trust. The government has confirmed that it will move forward with plans for 15 special and alternative provision schools. Phillipson said the £3bn of investment "will transform lives" and "open the door to opportunity for tens of thousands of children with SEND, giving them the chance to learn, belong and succeed in their local community."
 
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