Economy

Workers optimistic but overwhelmed by AI – study

by Julia
written by Julia

The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the workplace is both game-changing and overwhelming for UK workers, a study has found.

More than 4,500 people from almost 30 different employment sectors were polled as part of the research, which was commissioned by Henley Business School.

It found that 56% of full-time professionals were optimistic about AI advancements, while 61% said they were overwhelmed by the speed at which the technology developed.

Prof Keiichi Nakata, from Henley Business School, said the study showed many workers "don't feel equipped" to use AI.

Prof Nakata is director of AI at The World of Work Institute at the school, which is part of the University of Reading, and helps organisations get to grips with the technology.

"This wide-scale study offers a valuable snapshot of how AI is being adopted across UK industries – and where support is still lacking," he said.

"Without in-house training, hands-on learning, and clear policies, we risk creating a workforce that's willing to use AI but is not sure where to start."

The study found that three in five people polled said they would be more likely to use AI at work if proper training were available.

But nearly a quarter of respondents said their employers currently were not providing enough support.

Prof Nakata said the technology "could be a transformative change in organisations across the UK".

He said AI could "simplify complex tasks, take away the boring jobs, and enable workers to have more time to focus on the things that really matter".

"But that's just the tip of the iceberg; it could prove to be a solution that not only helps businesses thrive but improves work satisfaction for employees," he added.

Innovation

Skin cancer patients could join vaccine project

by Connor
written by Connor

Patients with advanced skin cancer could be fast-tracked to take part in a "revolutionary" trial of a new cancer vaccine.

The needle-free injection boosts the immune system's response and helps it attack and recognise cancer cells to help stop the disease returning.

The trial is being coordinated by the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, which is based at the city's university, and is aiming to expand the number of patients able to take part.

Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK and accounts for about 4% of all new cancer cases but research shows it is on the rise.

The NHS will work with Oxford-based life sciences company Scancell to widen access for patients at seven sites across England, including in Southampton, with the first patients set to be referred in May.

The work is being done as part of the NHS's Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP), a trial to help find treatments for patients at their nearest participating NHS site.

Grandfather-of-four Paul Thomas, 63, from New Milton, Hampshire, was first diagnosed with advanced skin cancer in 2017 and the disease kept returning following treatment.

He was put on the trial in July and said he felt lucky to be included.

"Thankfully I was still quite fit and since I've been on it, my tumours have all shrunk. Every time I go for a scan they seem to be shrinking, which is very exciting," Mr Thomas said.

"I'm really hoping for total eradication of my cancer, as opposed to being put in remission and I'm feeling optimistic."

Prof Gareth Griffiths said he hopes the trial will help more people

Potential participants first need a blood test to determine their tissue type. It looks at genes that control how the immune system works which varies from person to person.

Prof Gareth Griffiths, director of the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, said: "We hope that by being part of this ground-breaking programme we can help to increase referrals for this trial and give more patients with advanced melanoma access to new, potentially life-saving treatments."

X

Global Trade

Historic cinema returns as events venue

by Jamie
written by Jamie

A historic Lake District cinema is set to reopen as a multi-event venue.

The Royalty in Bowness closed in August, ending an association with the town going back to the 1920s.

Redevelopment means that as well as screening films, it will be able to host live music, comedy and theatre.

It will reopen on 14 June with a concert by a Beatles tribute band, and the next day there will be a tea dance, attended by dignitaries including the local mayor.

The project is the work of Mark Naunton and his business partner Bryn Tyson, both of whom have a keen interest in music and films and were seeking a venue.

Dating from 1926 when it was built by public description, it also chimed with their love of old buildings and "quirky things".

The former-three screen cinema has now been stripped back to one screen to take it "back to its roots".

However, the seats will also be removeable to allow standing at concerts.

To return it to its original art deco theme, the foyer has been redecorated with wallpaper in that style.

And the former hair salon incorporated into one side of the building has become an ice cream parlour, also in art deco style.

Industry

Funding secured for county's £2.1bn tram project

by Kayla
written by Kayla

A project to bring trams back to West Yorkshire has received a major funding boost from the government.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that £2.1bn of local transport funding would be allocated to the county.

According to West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the grant would mean "spades in the ground" by 2028, with the first trams operating before the mid-2030s.

Following the announcement, Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: "It is time for trams. Today is a huge moment for our region."

The first phase of the £2.5bn mass transit programme is expected to see the creation of two tram lines.

A Leeds line will run from St James's University Hospital through the city centre to the White Rose Centre, while a Bradford Line will connect Bradford and Leeds city centres.

Brabin said the funding meant that "other vital projects" could also go ahead, such as new bus stations for Bradford and Wakefield.

That would "help us create a better-connected region that works for all", she said.

WYCA
According to the latest plans, the first phase of the network will create a tram route between Leeds and Bradford

The combined authority is expected to publish its preferred route options for the tram system later this year, with a full public consultation planned for 2026.

According to the authority, the scheme would improve local transport for 675,000 people and benefit West Yorkshire's most deprived communities.

James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said: "Delivering a tram system will transform connectivity across our city, and between Leeds and Bradford, bringing jobs and opportunities within easier reach of thousands of local people."

Analysis: Spencer Stokes, BBC Yorkshire business and transport correspondent

Today's announcement is a big leap forward for those who have long campaigned for trams to return to West Yorkshire's streets.

But political leaders will understand voters' scepticism after the failure of two previous schemes.

The proposed Supertram network was given the go ahead by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott in 2001.

Early building work got under way, but the project was cancelled by Transport Secretary Alastair Darling in 2005 due to rising costs.

A proposed electric bus system with overhead wires, known as New Generation Transport, was then promised – before it was also axed after a planning inspector ruled it was "not in the public interest".

The new tram network – being called a mass transit scheme – is a region-wide proposal serving Leeds and Bradford initially, with the ambition to extend it to other towns and cities in West Yorkshire.

The money pledged by government today will allow work to start.

But with an estimated cost of at least £2.5bn, additional finance will be needed.

Listen: Henri Murison, Chief Executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, explains what the changes mean for South Yorkshire and further afield

Meanwhile, the government has also allocated £1.5bn of local transport funding to South Yorkshire.

About £530m of the money is expected to go towards renewing the county's tram network, providing a fleet of new vehicles and modernising tram stops.

A £350m cash injection is also expected to see the reform of bus services, with franchised buses operating in Sheffield, Doncaster and Rotherham by 2027, and across the whole of South Yorkshire by 2029.

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard called the investment "game-changing" for communities.

"It will mean new and better buses, new electric vehicles, integrated ticketing and better information," he said.

"It will mean new trams and better tram stops and lays the foundation for extending the tram network.

"It will mean that our young people will be able to get to jobs and opportunities; that we can all access services, see friends and family, or go for a day, or a night out, without worrying how to get home."

West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds

Economy

Investigation work set to begin on Gorey Pier

by Kevin
written by Kevin

"Intrusive" investigation work is set to get under way at a listed pier after cracks were discovered.

Ports of Jersey said work would begin at Gorey Pier, St Martin, on Tuesday 27 May, subject to planning permission being granted by the Government of Jersey.

A report showed parts of the historic pier were cracked due to a combination of age and the effects of Storm Ciarán in November 2023, with specialist company Terra Firma set to be on site for between four and six weeks.

"Every effort will be made to minimise disruption and complete the work before the peak summer season," a Ports of Jersey spokesperson said.

"These investigations are essential to gather detailed information on the condition of the pier, which will inform the best method for its stabilisation."

A series of trial pits and boreholes would be opened on the pier arm, pier head and the base of the wall on the harbour side but no work would be undertaken along the bulwarks where the restaurants and residences were located, they said.

Following this work, planned repairs include replacing the concrete landing deck, reinforcing the western wall, repairing a stress crack in the pier road and demolishing the terminal building.

The initial investigations work has been timed to coincide with the upcoming spring tides, when low tide will go down to 1.35m (4.4ft).

"The challenges of working in a tidal zone mean we are scheduling the digs at low tide to reduce the risk of sea water filling the holes through the pier," the spokesperson said.

They said as the tide comes in, water might need to be pumped out through a filter basket into the harbour.

The work is due to involve intermittent access restrictions for vehicles, parking bays and the public.

Tech

Invasive plants increase area flood risk – council

by Michael
written by Michael

Invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam could increase the risk of flooding in West Yorkshire, a council warned.

The non-native species can spread rapidly but die back in the winter, leaving bare ground that floodwater moves across quickly, a Calderdale Council spokesperson said.

People are encouraged to report any sightings of invasive plants and to clean their boots after walking in the countryside to stop species from spreading.

Scott Patient, the council's member for climate action and housing, said: "Managing invasive species is crucial for reducing flood risk and creating a more biodiverse Calderdale."

Invasive plants can cause a particular problem in Calderdale, the council said, as water can flow rapidly down its steep hillsides and into the borough's rivers.

Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed require professional treatment, it added, but Himalayan balsam could be easily removed.

Calderdale Council
Endangered white-clawed crayfish are found at Luddenden Brook

Boot cleaning stations have been installed at Jerusalem Farm in the Luddenden Valley in a bid to protect endangered white-clawed crayfish from invasive species.

The population is under threat due to the introduction of the non-native North American signal crayfish – which spread a disease which kills the native white-clawed crayfish.

The cleaning stations have also been put in place at Baitings, Ryburn, Withens Clough and Scammonden reservoirs.

Patient added: "Simple steps like using boot cleaning stations or reporting sightings of the most problematic invasive species can make a big difference."

West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds

Economy

Further structural survey on closed river walkway

by Jose
written by Jose

Further investigations are to be carried out on the condition of a wooden walkway alongside the River Hull.

Parts of the ageing boardwalk on the west bank between Myton Bridge and Drypool Bridge were shut in July 2021 over safety concerns.

An inspection found the structure was in a "poor condition", Hull City Council said.

The authority has appointed an engineering firm to carry out a structural survey and to draw up a plan for its future.

The work will take two years and the final proposals will be put out for consultation.

Gillian Osgerby, interim assistant director for major projects and infrastructure at Hull City Council, said: "The River Hull Walkway is a key part of Hull's maritime history and a vital connection between Myton Bridge and Drypool Bridge.

"We are pleased to appoint Mason Clark Associates, and we trust they will deliver comprehensive investigations and surveys.

"Their support will help determine the future of the structure."

Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Soundslatest episode of Look North here.

Innovation

US judge denies Mahmoud Khalil's release

by Sofia
written by Sofia

A federal judge has denied Mahmoud Khalil's request to be released from detention, ruling on Friday that the US government is not violating his previous court order by holding him.

On Wednesday, Judge Michael Farbiarz decided Mr Khalil could not be deported or detained based on Secretary of State Marco Rubio's determination that his presence "would compromise a compelling US foreign policy interest."

But the US government told the court that Mr Khalil is being detained for a different reason – that he was "an alien inadmissible at the time of entry or admission".

Acknowledging that argument, Judge Farbiarz said Mr Khalil, a lawful permanent resident, would have to remain in detention.

In a letter to the court on Friday, the justice department said Judge Farbiarz had "expressly noted" that his order would "have no impact on efforts to remove [Mr Khalil] for reasons other than the Secretary of State's determination".

Along with holding Mr Khalil because he had been deemed a threat to US foreign policy, the government detained him because of alleged inaccuracies on his application to become a permanent resident.

In his response to the government's letter on Friday, Judge Fabiarz agreed and said Mr Khalil had not provided any "factual evidence" or any "meaningful legal arguments" as to why he may not be detained on the immigration charges.

Judge Fabiarz had addressed those charges in his Wednesday decision, saying that it was unlikely the government would hold anyone solely for alleged inaccuracies on an application and the primary reason behind Mr Khalil's detention was Secretary Rubio's determination.

But he did not say it was illegal to hold someone only on those charges.

Mr Khalil's arrest in March was the highest-profile in President Donald Trump's crackdown on international student protesters, as video of his arrest whipped around social media and the birth of his first child in April, while he was still detained, made global headlines.

Born in Syria to Palestinian refugees, Mr Khalil moved to the US in 2022, where he earned a master's degree at Columbia University and married an American citizen, Noor Abdalla,

In response to the judge's decision on Friday, Mr Khalil's lawyer Amy Greer said the government "is now using cruel, transparent delay tactics to keep him away from his wife and newborn son ahead of their first Father's Day as a family".

"Instead of celebrating together, he is languishing in ICE detention as punishment for his advocacy on behalf of his fellow Palestinians. It is unjust, it is shocking, and it is disgraceful," she said.

ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Trump has repeatedly alleged that pro-Palestinian activists, including Mr Khalil, support Hamas, a group designated a terrorist organisation by the US, and pledged to deport them.

Mr Khalil has contended he was exercising his right to free speech while demonstrating in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

In his Wednesday decision, Judge Fabriarz had written that Mr Khalil's "career and reputation are being damaged and his speech is being chilled — and this adds up to irreparable harm".

He had also written that he expected Mr Khalil to win his case in court.

Business

Police played 'crass' game with sex worker photos

by Violet
written by Violet

Police officers used photos of sex workers to play a "crass and inappropriate" game of "snog, marry or avoid", an employment tribunal heard.

The game came to light as part of an unsuccessful claim of racial discrimination brought by former probationary police constable Shafarat Mohammed against Derbyshire Police.

Mr Mohammed sued the force claiming colleagues had discriminated against him when he served as an officer in Derby between March 2022 and his resignation in October that year.

A report on the findings of the tribunal, published on Thursday, said Mr Mohammed, an Asian Muslim, alleged he was subjected to acts of direct discrimination because of his race and religious beliefs.

Among his claims were that, in May or June 2023, a colleague asked him to look at pictures of black female sex workers and comment on whether he liked them.

The claimant said the game, where players pick people they would prefer to kiss, marry or avoid, left him offended and embarrassed and was racially motivated.

In a report, tribunal judge Stephen Shore said the game could have constituted sexual harassment but Mr Mohammed had not made such a claim.

The judge said: "The 'game' was crass and inappropriate. It casts no one who participated in it in a good light."

Google
Mr Mohammed was based at Pear Tree Police Station in Derby

A panel, led by the judge, dismissed all of Mr Mohammed's claims which also included that he had been ostracised and excluded from team and social events and that colleagues ordered and ate bacon sandwiches, knowing he was a Muslim, to further exclude him.

Mr Mohammed said he had also been called a "Road Man", a slang term for a drug dealer, by a colleague during one of his first shifts at Pear Tree Police Station in Derby in March 2022.

The panel heard evidence from the complainant during a five-day hearing at the Nottingham Tribunal Hearing Centre, in July last year.

"Our analysis of the facts of each, claim led us to the conclusion that many of the claims were weak and not founded in fact," the panel's report said.

The panel report said Mr Mohammed had "weakened his case by withdrawing allegations" and had retrospectively refitted facts to fit his discrimination claims.

The panel also found he had fabricated facts to bolster his claims, some of which were contradicted by his own contemporaneous statements.

The panel said evidence presented to the tribunal found the claimant "struggled" as a probationary officer while working at a "pressurised" police station.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire Police said: "We are pleased with the outcome of the employment tribunal.

"As a force, we investigate thoroughly when reports are made, and we will not tolerate racist and discriminatory behaviour.

"Following any judgement, if relevant, words of advice, organisational and departmental learning is issued to the workforce to ensure that unacceptable practices are rooted out."

Innovation

Arts centre has £285k of improvements approved

by Samuel
written by Samuel

A £285,000 revamp of an Oxfordshire town's arts centre has been approved, along with an improvement plan for the venue.

The money from Vale of White Horse District Council will be spent on refurbishing the Beacon Arts Centre, in Wantage.

As part of the action plan, food and drink offerings will be reviewed and "more co-ordinated" marketing will be carried out to boost ticket sales.

But the council said fees and charges had already been increased at the venue – and would be reviewed again in the middle of the year to "assess if any further commercial opportunities exist".

The money will also pay for improving the venue's reception area, refurbishing toilets and creating a more attractive entrance.

Vale of White Horse District Council
The Beacon Arts Centre in Wantage will see £285,000 invested to revamp the venue

Originally a Civic Hall built in 1973, The Beacon now has a theatre, dance studio and three function rooms.

The improvements are the second phase of an action plan – and the council said it had already done things like start National Theatre Live screenings and re-introduce a cafe.

Councillor Helen Pighill said the authority had to balance The Beacon's "dual role" as an entertainment venue, aiming to be more commercial, and the "valuable public service" it offered for things like training and education.

She said: "The first phase action plan for the Beacon, adopted in February 2024, laid the groundwork for improvements and this next phase addresses outstanding actions, while introducing a comprehensive set of new initiatives."

The council said it was also developing a "Culture, Heritage and Creative Industries Strategy" for South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse.