RBS 'picks Rose as first female chief executive'; is the UK headed for a recession? and more top news

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Royal Bank of Scotland has reportedly selected Alison Rose as its next chief executive. Sky News reports that Rose, who runs RBS’s commercial arm, is set to succeed New Zealand banker Ross McEwan — making her the first woman to run any of Britain’s big four banks. Rose is likely to receive ￡250,000 less than her predecessor, as the taxpayer-owned lender seeks to avoid a repeat of the rows over pensions faced by rivals HSBC and Standard Chartered. An announcement of Rose’s appointment could come as early as this week. ? Here’s what people are saying.

The UK’s economy contracted in the second quarter of 2019 for the first time since 2012, stoking fears a recession could be looming. Uncertainty surrounding Brexit, the stockpiling ahead of the original Brexit date of March 29, and global trade tensions have all been blamed for the 0.2% decrease from the previous quarter. However, chancellor Sajid Javid maintains that despite a challenging period, the “fundamentals of the British economy are strong”, citing rising wage growth and record-high employment levels. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Around 8,500 homes will be kept warm this winter thanks to an unusual power source, their local Asda freezer aisle. In a deal with National Grid, Asda will earn itself extra revenue by matching defrost times at 300 stores and 18 distribution points to blackouts or surges in demand, making up a 13-megawatt power source. Meanwhile, the government will launch an investigation into a major power cut on Friday. Commuters were stuck in trains for up to nine hours and almost one million people in England and Wales were without electricity during the worst blackout since 2003. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Millions of 50p coins are to be minted in time for Britain’s departure from the EU on October 31, according to reports. Chancellor Sajid Javid has asked officials whether it will be possible to produce the coins in volume ready for the October deadline, reports The Sunday Times. The coins would carry the words ‘Friendship with all nations’ but be stamped with the departure date of 31 October. The revised proposal marks a change from former chancellor Philip Hammond’s plan for a limited edition of 10,000 commemorative coins to be sold to collectors for ￡10 each. ? Here’s what people are saying.

We've all heard of IQ, but have you heard of AQ? A columnist for the BBC calls it the "adaptability quotient" and she says it is "becoming the X-factor for career success." The good news is your AQ can be developed over time, according to scientists. A senior lecturer at MIT suggests the following steps: Strive to keep an open mind and stay open to fresh possibilities. Keep an open heart, which may help you appreciate someone else's perspective. And lastly, keep an open will. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Idea of the Day: More than one in four workers have backed out of a job offer by simply not showing up to work, according to a survey. Andrew Morris from Robert Half tells LinkedIn that by not getting back to an employer "just to say no or thank you very much" you are damaging your brand.

"Your brand is everything in your life. Recruitment and your job life is a people's business."

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

— Natalie MacDonald