Business
Reeves: Gatwick second runway shows Government ‘backing builders, not blockers’
Gatwick Airport’s £2.2 billion second runway plan could create thousands of jobs and help “kickstart the economy”, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said.
In the privately financed project, the West Sussex airport will move its emergency runway 12 metres north, enabling it to be used for departures of narrow-bodied planes such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s.
This will enable it to be used for about 100,000 more flights a year.
Ms Reeves said: “This Government promised to kickstart the economy – and we are.
“A second runway at Gatwick means thousands of more jobs and billions more in investment for the economy.”
The Chancellor views the plan as a signal of the Government’s commitment to back “the builders, not the blockers”.
She said: “By slashing red tape and transforming the planning system to get Britain building again we are investing in this country’s renewal and building an economy that works for working people.”
Ms Reeves is keen to seize on any positive news for the economy as she prepares for her November 26 Budget against a backdrop of sluggish growth and inflation remaining stubbornly above target.
The Gatwick scheme has been given the go-ahead by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander.
She backed the scheme as a “no-brainer” for economic growth, a Government source said, suggesting flights could take off from the new full runway before 2029.
The Cabinet minister is satisfied with adjustments made, covering issues such as noise mitigation and the proportion of passengers who would travel to and from the airport by public transport.
It comes after the Planning Inspectorate initially rejected the airport’s application and earlier this year recommended Ms Alexander should approve the project if the changes were made.
New commitments include a legally binding target for the proportion of passengers who travel to Gatwick by public transport, rather than the airport’s management setting its own targets.
Residents affected by more noise will be able to ask Gatwick to cover the costs for triple-glazed windows.
Homeowners, living directly beneath the new flight routes who choose to sell could have their stamp duty and reasonable moving costs paid, as well as estate agent fees of up to 1% of the purchase price.
Gatwick says its plans will create £1 billion per year in economic benefits, and generate an additional 14,000 jobs.
A Government source told the PA news agency: “With capacity constraints holding back business, trade and tourism, this is a no-brainer for growth.
“This Government has taken unprecedented steps to get this done, navigating a needlessly complex planning system, which our reforms will simplify in future.
“It is possible that planes could be taking off from a new full runway at Gatwick before the next general election.”
The source said the expansion must be delivered in line with climate change commitments and meet strict environmental requirements.
Local campaigners opposed to expansion are concerned about the impact on surface transport, noise, housing provision and wastewater treatment, but the airport insists it has conducted “full and thorough assessments” of those issues.
Cagne, an umbrella aviation community and environment group for Sussex, Surrey and Kent, said it stands ready to serve a judicial review funded by residents and environmental bodies.
The group said: “We know this Government cares little for the environmental impact aviation is having on our planet and Gatwick’s neighbours, but not to demand that Gatwick pays for the infrastructure, the onsite wastewater treatment plant, and noise impact is unlawful in our book.”
The Labour Government’s backing of a third runway at Heathrow Airport in its bid to grow the economy has also drawn criticism from environmental groups and opposition politicians.
The move was welcomed by shadow transport secretary Richard Holden, who accused Labour of delaying the “key” decision.
He said: “This decision should have been made months ago. Labour pledged to go ‘further and faster’ on growth, yet they’ve dithered and delayed at every turn.
“Pushing key decisions down the road has only created uncertainty for businesses and local communities.”
But Green Party leader Zack Polanski said: “Labour keeps wheeling out the same nonsense about growth, but at what cost? What this really means is more pollution, more noise for local communities, and no real economic benefit.”
Stewart Wingate, Vinci Airports managing director for the UK and former Gatwick chief executive, said: “After a lengthy and rigorous planning process, we welcome the Government’s approval of plans to bring our Northern Runway into routine use, ahead of the expected deadline.
“This is another important gateway in the planning process for this £2.2bn investment, which is fully funded by our shareholders and will unlock significant growth, tourism and trade benefits for London Gatwick and the UK and create thousands of jobs.
“As we’ve said previously, it is essential that any planning conditions enable us to realise the full benefits of the project and do not impose unnecessary constraints that make it uneconomic to invest in.
“We now need to carefully examine the details of the planning consent. Once we have done that, we will be able to comment further.”
Business
Job seekers use AI for cover letters; employers turn to AI-led interviews — both are equally miserable, here’s why – The Times of India
Turned to artificial intelligence (AI) to help you stand out during the job process, but got rejected in the first round? Or are you a hiring manager who relied on AI to frisk through applications to select the best candidate, but ended up with not what you quite envisioned?The answer lies in the approach itself. Relying on artificial intelliegnce for job application might be doing you more harm than good.The growing use of artificial intelligence in recruitment is reshaping how Americans search for work, just as the country’s labour market shows signs of slowing. From automated interviews to AI-written cover letters, technology is now a part of almost every stage of the hiring process. But is it working? In 2025, more than half of organisations surveyed by the Society for Human Resource Management reported using AI tools to recruit workers. At the same time, almost one-third of ChatGPT users turned to the OpenAI chatbot for help with job applications. Yet recent research indicates that candidates who rely on AI during the application process are actually less likely to be hired, even as employers struggle to cope with a flood of applications. “The ability (for companies) to select the best worker today may be worse due to AI,” Anais Galdin, a researcher at Dartmouth told CNN Business. Galdin and Jesse Silbert of Princeton University examined tens of thousands of cover letters submitted on Freelancer.com, a job listing platform and found that after the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, cover letters became longer and more polished. However, employers placed less importance on them, making it harder to distinguish strong candidates from the wider pool. As a result, hiring rates dropped, and so did average starting wages, CNN reported. “If we do nothing to make information flow better between workers and firms, then we might have an outcome that looks something like this,” Silbert said, referring to the study’s findings.
A negative cycle
As application volumes rise, companies are increasingly automating interviews as well.According to a survey by recruitment software firm Greenhouse conducted in October, 54% of US job seekers said they had taken part in an AI-led interview. While virtual interviews became common during the pandemic in 2020, many employers now use AI systems to conduct interviews, without necessarily removing subjectivity from hiring decisions. “Algorithms can copy and even magnify human biases,” said Djurre Holtrop, a researcher who studies the use of asynchronous video interviews, algorithms and large language models in hiring.“Every developer needs to be wary of that,” CNN cited the expert. Daniel Chait, chief executive of Greenhouse, said the growing use of AI by both applicants and employers has created a negative cycle. “Both sides are saying, ‘This is impossible, it’s not working, it’s getting worse,’” Chait told CNN.
What’s next?
Despite these concerns, adoption of the technology continues with one estimate projecting that the market for recruitment technology will grow to $3.1 billion by the end of this year. At the same time, resistance is mounting from lawmakers, labour groups and workers worried about discrimination. Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO labour union, described AI-driven hiring as “unacceptable”. “AI systems rob workers of opportunities they’re qualified for based on criteria as arbitrary as names, zip codes, or even how often they smile,” Shuler said in a statement to CNN. Several US states, including California, Colorado and Illinois, are introducing new laws and regulations aimed at setting standards for the use of AI in hiring. However, a recent executive order signed by US President Donald Trump raised questions about the future of state-level oversight. Samuel Mitchell, a Chicago-based employment lawyer, said the order does not “preempt” state law but adds to the “ongoing uncertainty” around regulation. He added that existing anti-discrimination laws still apply, even when companies use AI systems, and legal challenges are already emerging. In a case supported by the American Civil Liberties Union, a deaf woman is suing HireVue, an AI-powered recruitment company, alleging that an automated interview failed to meet legal accessibility standards. HireVue denied the claim, telling CNN that its technology reduces bias through a “foundation of validated behavioral science”. Even with these challenges, more and more AI is getting hiring access. New tools have made resume screening more sophisticated, potentially helping some candidates who may have been overlooked. But for those who value personal interaction, the shift has been unsettling. Jared Looper, an IT project manager in Salt Lake City, Utah, who previously worked as a recruiter, recently underwent an AI-led interview during his job search. He described the experience as “cold”, and said he initially hung up when contacted by the automated system. Looper said he worries about job seekers who have yet to adapt to a hiring environment where appealing to algorithms has become essential. “Some great people are going to be left behind.”
Caitlin Klein,in Jersey, St Helierand
Julia Gregory,in Jersey
Chris Craddock/BBCA charity which supports vulnerable people in Jersey says it has “the Christmas spirit right through the year”.
The Grace Trust which helps between 700 to 750 people a year struggling with poverty, loneliness or addiction issues said it was seeing “a much wider range” of people from all layers of society, including more older people needing community support.
General manager Vinni Jones said the charity aimed to put a smile on people’s faces from its drop-in base at Lewis Street in St Helier.
It helped 500 people at the food bank every year and also ran singing, art and Saturday lunches.
‘Just come down’
He said there were extra festive goodies at the food bank and 92 people recently sat down to an “absolutely brilliant” Christmas meal at St Paul’s Centre with 20 volunteers on hand to help out.
Entertainment was provided by Fiddler’s Green and the trust’s Parklife choir.
Mr Jones said they saw more people at Christmas because it can be a challenging time.
“Just come down, knock on the window and we’ll give you what we’ve got.”
‘Offer understanding’
He explained that “we can offer a lot more than simply the food and Christmas goodies” and said people are often surprised at all the activities on offer and encouraged them to have a go.
He said the charity also had a fund to help younger mums and links with other agencies so it can offer toy vouchers at Christmas.
Support was also available year round for struggling islanders.
“It’s just a matter of being able to offer that understanding and to talk about January, talk about February for them. We’ll still be here for you,” Mr Jones said.
The government has also reminded islanders about mental health support over Christmas.
There is 24 hour support available from the Adult Mental Health crisis team, on 445 290 and online support from Together All.
Business
‘Made strong entry’: Amit shah hails semiconductor sector’s growth despite being ‘bit late’; confident of ‘exports soon’ – The Times of India
NEW DELHI: India would soon establish itself in the semiconductor industry by starting exports, even though it’s entry was late, said Union home minister Amit Shah.“We have made a strong entry into the semiconductor industry, although a bit late. In no time, we will not only become self-reliant in the semiconductor sector, but will also start exporting it,” he said, addressing the ‘Abhyudaya Madhya Pradesh Growth Summit’.Speaking at the summit, Shah highlighted Madhya Pradesh’s attractive geographical location and fertile land.He also inaugurated industrial projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore, on the occasion of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee‘s 101st birth anniversary. He remembered Vajpayee as “a great orator, a sensitive poet, a leader dedicated to public welfare and remained ‘ajatashatru’ (person without enemies) in politics.”He noted that even small investments in the state could yield substantial returns. He praised Madhya Pradesh’s transformation from a power-deficient state to one with surplus electricity. He also commended the state’s achievements in cleanliness, saying it has surpassed other states in this aspect.During the event, Shah also paid tributes to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya on his birth anniversary and C Rajagopalachari on his death anniversary. The Growth Summit attracted 25,000 beneficiaries and thousands of entrepreneurs and investors. Officials confirmed that the industrial projects launched during the event will create 193,000 new jobs.Shah’s visit also included inaugurating the Gwalior Fair and dedicating the renovated Atal Museum to the public, further marking the celebrations of Vajpayee’s birth anniversary.
Job seekers use AI for cover letters; employers turn to AI-led interviews — both are equally miserable, here’s why – The Times of India
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