THE DAILY BRIEFING

EQUALITY PROBE Taxi app firm Uber faces an investigation by federal regulators into gender discrimination complaints, according to reports.

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission probe began quietly last August and has so far focused on hiring practices, pay and other matters relating to gender disparity. NEW CHIEF Biotech firm

Silence Therapeutics has appointed David Solomon as chief executive. The British company said the 57year-old, who is described as an experienced deal maker, would take over immediately. AUSSIE GOLD London-listed miner Greatland Gold is to begin an exploration programme in Western Australia which is part of the company’s wider project in Paterson Province, where there are large gold and copper deposits. AIRPORT STRIKE Members of the Unite union employed by Clece Care Services who help disabled passengers at Luton Airport are staging a 48-hour strike in a dispute over pay and zerohours contracts, and will stay on strike until tomorrow morning. FRAUD FEARS Fears about socalled crash-for- cash fraudsters have prompted a surge in the number of motorists owning a dashcam, a survey of more than 21,000

AA members suggests, with a fifth owning a dashcam and half expressing an interest in having one. FOOD DEAL Big Four supermarket Sainsbury’s is to sell its sandwiches and other food-to-go at nine WH Smith stores in railway stations, airports and hospitals from next week. EVENTS SALE Trade exhibition and event organiser ITE Group has bought Ascential’s business-to-business events firm Ascential Events for £300m. LANGUAGE BOOST Online beauty business The Hut Group has snapped up language translation firm Language Connect, with the purchase aiding its international expansion. NO GOAL Sales at John Lewis plunged 6.2pc last week as the hot weather and World Cup put customers off shopping. BOSS QUITS Director of buying for fresh foods at Waitrose, Paul Walker, is retiring after 31 years with the supermarket.