Employer ‘backs down on four-day return-to-office’ after protests

August 21, 2026 · The Independent

Putin arrests Russians for complaining about fuel shortages as fighting breaks out at petrol stations
Crisis is the Kremlin’s ‘biggest domestic challenge’ since the outbreak of war against Ukraine, say experts
Navy considers scrapping plan to name carrier after Black hero so it can be named for Trump
No US aircraft carrier has ever been named after a sitting president
‘Putin has repeatedly threatened the UK and Nato over Ukraine – but he is too weak to follow through’
Putin’s posturing is a poor attempt to scare off broader Western support for Kyiv, say experts. Suha Kidwai reports
Chinese stem cell therapy reverses heart failure in 90% of patients, landmark trial finds
Patients who received treatment performed better on a six-minute walking test
Number of UK firms in ‘critical distress’ increases by almost a tenth
The downbeat outlook for British firms comes amid a backdrop of global economic uncertainty and rising costs.