queries | Common News Update

Apr12020 by adminNo Comments

Coronavirus: NHS 111 has 1.7 million queries in 15 days

Health

In the past 15 days, NHS 111 has responded to more than 1.7 million inquiries from people concerned they might have symptoms of coronavirus. About 1.5 million were web-based assessments, while the rest were calls to the 111 phone number or 999.People who think they have symptoms - a fever or a new, continuous cough - should use the online service and call only if they cannot get help online.The NHS Digital data is not based on outcomes of tests for coronavirus.And the numbers do not represent individual people - it is possible some have sought help more than once or via various channels.Meanwhile, the government faces growing criticism over a lack of testing for front-line staff who could return to work if found clear of the virus.On Tuesday, Cabinet Off...

BBC women face 'veiled threats' over equal pay queries

Entertainment

Women at the BBC have told MPs they faced "veiled threats" while trying to raise the subject of equal pay.More than 150 women have put forward written evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, ahead of a hearing on Wednesday.Auditors PwC have separately reviewed the pay and diversity of presenters, correspondents and on-air talent.The BBC's media editor Amol Rajan says the corporation is proposing a pay cap of £320,000 for its news presenters.The change, following an outcry about the size of the salaries of the BBC's highest paid stars, will only affect a handful of people but forms part of a wider restructuring of pay of on-air staff. Tuesday's announcement about on-air pay and Wednesday's committee session take place against the backdrop of a long-running debate about ...

Growing number of private and PSBs introducing humanoid robots to answer basic customer queries

Finance

BENGALURU: If you walk into the head office of Canara Bank in Bengaluru, the first thing you are likely to encounter is a 4.5-feet tall Kannada-speaking robot called Mitra. The robot, with a HD camera in its head and the Canara Bank logo on its chest, answers close to 500 frequently asked questions ranging from 'lift elidhe?' (Where is the lift?) to 'student loan yeshtu aguthe?' (How much is the student loan?) while zipping around at 15 km/hr. "The robot can listen to customer queries and offers guidance depending upon the question," said KN Ramamoorthy, GM of Canara Bank. The guidance is welcome since the Canara Bank head office has 15 departments and customers are usually clueless about which counter to approach when they walk in for the first time. "Mitra goes around the office ans...