‘Lab to fab’: are promises of a graphene revolution finally coming true?

After graphene was first produced at the University of Manchester in 2004, it was hailed as a wonder material, stronger than steel but lighter than paper. But two decades on, not every UK graphene company has made the most of that potential. Some show promise but others are struggling.Extracted from graphite, commonly used in pencils, graphene is a latticed sheet of carbon one atom thick, and is highly effective at conducting heat and electricity. China is the world’s biggest producer, using it to try to get ahead in the global race to produce microchips and in sectors such as construction

Five million Qantas customers have had personal information leaked on the dark web. Here’s what you need to know

The number of scams is expected to rise after the personal information of millions of Qantas customers was leaked on the dark web by international hackers.A hacker collective called Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters released the stolen records from more than 40 companies worldwide, including Qantas, on Saturday after their deadline for ransom payment passed.Here’s what you need to know about the data breach.Customer names, email addresses, and frequent flyer numbers for over 5 million customers were among the data leaked, Qantas said.The amount of individual data obtained varies between customers

IFS warns Rachel Reeves against ‘half-baked dash for revenue’

Rachel Reeves must avoid “a half-baked dash for revenue” or risk damaging economic growth as the chancellor seeks to close a large gap in next month’s budget, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has said.The tax and spending thinktank has warned there was a danger the chancellor would create “unnecessary economic damage” if she chooses to stitch together unrelated tax-raising measures to cut the shortfall in government revenues and keep within her fiscal rules.In a chapter from a report due to be published later this month, the IFS said Reeves could raise tens of billions of pounds in extra revenue without breaking Labour’s manifesto pledges, but cautioned that higher rates on longstanding, poorly designed taxes would have a detrimental effect on incentives to work, productivity and economic growth.“A budget focused purely on the politics could prove considerably worse on the economics,” the thinktank said.Reeves has ruled out increases in income tax, national insurance and VAT before the budget next month, which is being viewed as a make-or-break reset for the government after a torrid first 15 months in office

Energy firms complete UK’s first ‘hydrogen blending’ trial to power grid

Energy companies have injected green hydrogen into Britain’s gas grid and used the low-carbon gas to generate electricity, in a landmark development for the UK’s climate ambitions.For the first time in the UK, a 2% blend of green hydrogen was injected into the gas grid and blended with traditional gas to fuel the Brigg power station in North Lincolnshire which generated electricity for the power system.Blending hydrogen into the gas system has already taken place in controlled environments using decommissioned sections of the transmission system, but the first “real-life” test in the UK was carried out by British Gas’s parent company, Centrica, and National Gas, which owns Britain’s gas transmission system.The companies believe the test’s success shows the potential for hydrogen, which does not produce any carbon dioxide when burned, to cut harmful emissions from areas of the economy where other low-carbon options might not be available.Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water using electricity from renewable energy sources, with minimal emissions

UK small businesses and charities say nuclear levy could add thousands to bills

British charities and small businesses have warned that a new levy on energy bills, intended to support the government’s nuclear power ambitions, could raise their costs by thousands of pounds a year.The extra charge could mean a significant cost hike for charities and small businesses with high energy use, meaning community services may be cut and economic growth curtailed, according to trade groups.For most charities, the levy, which takes effect in November, will mean an increase in costs of between £100 and £240 a year, but some could experience increases of up to £2,500, according to Social Investment Business, an organisation that offers loans and financial support to charities.Nick Temple, the chief executive of Social Investment Business, said: “Adding yet more charges on top of charity electricity bills penalises our most vital community spaces at a time when they are already struggling.”For small business, including those in hospitality, the extra costs could undermine growth in the UK economy and make the shift from fossil fuels to low-carbon electricity more expensive, according to trade associations

William Hill owner says it could shut shops if Reeves raises gambling taxes

The debt-laden company behind William Hill is considering closing up to 200 betting shops if Rachel Reeves’s autumn budget raises taxes on the gambling sector.Evoke, formerly known as 888, which acquired William Hill in a £2bn takeover in 2022, is drawing up plans for different scenarios before expected gambling tax increases in the chancellor’s budget on 26 November.Evoke is considering shutting a number of outlets, in news first reported by the Sunday Times, which said closures could range from 120 shops to closer to 200.This would amount to between 9% and 15% of William Hill’s chain of 1,300 betting shops, with up to 1,500 jobs potentially affected. Between five and 10 people typically work in a betting shop