Boris Johnson submits ‘final Brexit offer’; the end of the office, and more top news

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UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has submitted his "final offer" to the EU in an attempt to secure a last-ditch Brexit deal. Under the plan, the controversial Northern Ireland backstop would be replaced by an all-island regulatory zone. Northern Ireland would stay in the European single market for goods, but leave the customs union – a move that requires new checkpoints. The UK is currently due to exit the EU on 31 October, with Johnson previously stating he’s not prepared to delay further. ? Here’s what people are saying.

French wine, Italian cheese, German coffee and Scotch whisky are among the European goods hit with 25% tariffs by the US on Wednesday, along with 10% tariffs on European-made Airbus planes. The move came after the World Trade Organization ruled the US could impose levies on $7.5bn (￡6.1bn) of EU imports over the bloc’s illegal subsidisation of Airbus. The ruling, which threatens to escalate trans-Atlantic trade tensions, marks a record award from the trade body and concludes a 15-year battle between Airbus and Boeing. ? Here’s what people are saying.

The gender pay gap is widening for those working in fund management, increasing to 31% since mandatory reporting was introduced two years ago. That's according to a report by PwC, which found there are still large gaps in the banking, insurance, property and travel industries, but these sectors have at least managed to address the balance slightly. Dame Helena Morrissey, chair of the industry’s Diversity Project group and head of personal investing at Legal & General Investment Management, said the data was “both depressing and galvanising". ? Here’s what people are saying.

Also: A campaign to end pay discrimination has been launched by more than 100 of the most successful women in the UK. According to the Guardian, the women – including former Royal Mail boss Moya Greene, GSK chief executive Emma Walmsley and London School of Economics director Minouche Shafik – were inspired to launch the #MeTooPay campaign by a female BNP Paribas banker’s recent employment battle.

Tesco CEO Dave Lewis is stepping down next year after five years at the helm of the supermarket giant. When Lewis joined Tesco, it had a ￡200m black hole on its books and made a loss of over ￡6bn in 2015. He managed to turn the company's fortunes around, achieving a profit of ￡1.6bn last year. Lewis will be succeeded by Ken Murphy, a senior exec at Walgreens Boots Alliance, the US company that owns pharmacy chain Boots. Murphy will earn a salary of ￡1.35m at Tesco, as well as receiving a 7.5% pension contribution. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Technology, social norms and a shifting economy has made the office less necessary, but could it one day become extinct? A report in The Economist says the "need for staff to be in one place has been dramatically reduced", with remote work and the hot-desking that allows multiple workers to use the same desk at different times both increasingly common. Technology is powering this office revolution (or dissolution) but so are demands by workers for more freedom and flexibility. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Idea of the Day: Thinking outside the box is key for success, says entrepreneur James Caan.

“Many of the most successful companies do something so well that it – to some degree – changes the landscape of the industry ... In other words, they break down barriers.”

What's your take on today’s stories? Share your thoughts in the comments.

— Capucine Yeomans and Emily Spaven