US Supreme Court judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies of cancer aged 87 September 19, 2020 US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died of cancer at the age of 87, the court has said. Ginsburg passed away at her home in Washington on Friday, surrounded by her family, following a battle with metastatic pancreatic cancer, the statement said. She was the oldest justice and just second woman to ever sit [...]
Just 6 per cent of UK population has Covid-19 antibodies, SAGE says September 19, 2020 Only six per cent of the UK’s population has antibodies to Covid-19, minutes from a Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) meeting earlier this month have revealed. The scientific advisers told the government that just a small proportion of the country had antibodies to coronavirus in the meeting. SAGE also informed officials that there was [...]
UK coronavirus ‘R’ rate rises to between 1.1 and 1.4 September 18, 2020 The UK’s Covid reproduction or “R” rate has risen to between 1.1 and 1.4, the government has said, in the latest evidence that coronavirus is spreading quickly again through the country. It was up from last week’s figures of between one and 1.2. The government said that the new R rate means “that on average [...]
Only a fortnight left until UK coronavirus crisis ‘out of control’, experts warn September 18, 2020 The UK only has two to three weeks to improve its Test and Trace scheme before the spread of coronavirus gets “out of control”, experts have warned today. The Independent Sage committee of scientists, chaired by former chief scientific adviser Sir David King, has issued a report to caution government of an upcoming crisis if [...]
Business groups urge chancellor to unveil autumn Budget policies early September 18, 2020 Business lobby groups have urged chancellor Rishi Sunak to make early announcements on the upcoming autumn Budget, in a move to quell fears over the current economic uncertainty. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to deliver the Budget in November, though reports last week suggested the announcement could be pushed back to spring 2021 if the UK [...]
Liam Fox through to next round in WTO director general contest September 18, 2020 Liam Fox, Britain’s pick for the next director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), has made it through to the second round of the selection process. The former international trade secretary was nominated by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in July, after current director general Roberto Azevedo stepped down following a seven-year tenure. Three candidates, [...]
Demand for UK coronavirus tests up to four-times higher than supply September 17, 2020 Demand for coronavirus tests in the UK is up to three or four-times greater than current capacity, according to the NHS Test and Trace boss. Baroness Dido Harding told parliament’s science committee today that the UK’s capacity is now 242,817 coronavirus tests a day, however more than a quarter of people getting tested do not [...]
MP accuses government of ‘interference’ in inquiry into Oneweb takeover September 17, 2020 The government has been accused of interfering in an independent inquiry of its acquisition of space tech unicorn Oneweb, after it attempted to prevent a witness from giving evidence. The business, energy and industrial strategy select committee was scheduled to interview three witnesses today regarding the takeover, however it received a letter from business secretary [...]
Barack Obama’s memoirs to be published after US election in November September 17, 2020 The eagerly-awaited memoirs of former president Barack Obama will be published in the wake of the US election in November. A Promised Land — the first of two volumes — will be released globally on 17 November, the book’s publisher confirmed today. “There’s no feeling like finishing a book, and I’m proud of this one,” [...]
No London coronavirus restrictions planned, says Downing Street September 17, 2020 Downing Street has said it is not planning any new London-specific coronavirus restrictions, despite speculation to the contrary. The Prime Minister’s spokesman said today that “no restrictions are currently planned” for London, but that “we will always keep it under review”. Health secretary Matt Hancock imposed fresh restrictions in a string of areas in the [...]