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When you meet Merhawi Tekle, you get the sense that he’s lived a few different lives — and mastered each one. From his early days playing soccer in Italy and with the Eritrean Community Association of Ontario, to operating heavy machinery and leading construction crews, to his current role keeping Toronto’s emergency medical equipment running, Tekle’s story is one of discipline, perseverance, and service. “I’ve always believed that hard work pays off,” he says. “Every...

Barclays has been accused of closing the bank account of a tech entrepreneur because she earns part of her income through the adult content platform OnlyFans. Madelaine Thomas, who runs a start-up called Image Angel while also generating income through adult content platforms, said the bank refused to open a business account for her company and had shut down an account linked to her work on OnlyFans and similar websites. Thomas applied for a business...

The Conservatives have accused Chancellor Rachel Reeves of undermining the Budget process and dragging the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) into political controversy after Labour briefed that improved economic forecasts prompted her to abandon plans for an income tax rise. Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride has written to Richard Hughes, chairman of the OBR, demanding clarity on when the Chancellor received the watchdog’s forecasts and whether they played any role in last week’s surprise U-turn....

Make UK has signed a major trade and partnership agreement with the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), strengthening industrial ties between the two nations and paving the way for deeper collaboration in areas such as rare earth minerals, artificial intelligence, nuclear technology and defence. The deal follows a joint statement by the prime ministers of the UK and Canada in June and formalises a shared ambition to expand bilateral trade, investment and technological exchange. Canada...

Pibit.AI has secured $7 million in Series A funding to accelerate development of its CURE underwriting platform, an AI-driven system designed to turn complex insurance submissions into fast, trusted decisions. The round, led by Stellaris Venture Partners with participation from Y Combinator and Arali Ventures, marks a significant step forward in the company’s ambition to modernise underwriting workflows across the industry. Underwriting has traditionally been a labour-intensive, document-heavy process, with tools that have barely changed...