London pollution: The worse the air you breathe, the worse your Covid symptoms September 4, 2021 Exposure to air pollution increases the risk of more severe coronavirus symptoms and hospitalisation with the disease, according to a new report by Imperial College London researchers. In a review of the latest evidence available, the researchers found a strong link between a person’s exposure to air pollution before the pandemic and the worst cases [...]
Covid jabs for healthy teens not recommended by UK vaccine body September 3, 2021 The Joint Committee on Vaccine and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the government on its jab rollout, has decided not to recommend Covid vaccines for healthy 12 to 15-year-olds. After an assessment that focused on health grounds alone, the JCVI has now referred the matter to the UK’s four chief medical officers to review. The JCVI [...]
EU vs Astrazeneca: Vaccine legal battle over as UK pharma pledges jab deliveries September 3, 2021 The legal stand-off between the European Union (EU) and FTSE-listed Covid-19 vaccine maker Astrazeneca appears to be over. Astrazeneca and the European Commission have reached a settlement on the delivery of 200m vaccine doses still to be delivered by the drug com[any, ending a row about shortages that had heightened reputational damage on Astra and weighed [...]
Alibaba pledges $15bn to cut poverty in China, despite Jack Ma clampdown September 3, 2021 Chinese retail giant Alibaba has pledged $15.5bn to help China achieve “common prosperity”, despite its founder Jack Ma being targeted by Beijing’s regulatory crackdown. The donation comes amid a bout of new hawkish regulations for Chinese tech giants, with Ma singled out for particular scrutiny following his criticism of the country’s regulators and state banks. [...]
UK to share 4m vaccines with Australia September 3, 2021 The UK and Australia have agreed to a partnership which will see some 4m vaccines shared with each other, as Britain’s double-jabbed population nears 80 per cent. Britain will be the first to ship over the large batch of Pzifer/BioNTech jabs, while Australia will return the same number before the end of the year. It [...]
Brexit: Three CAs from across British industry share how their businesses have been affected September 3, 2021 | City Talk A Brexit deal may have been signed as the clock struck 2021, but many of the finer details are still being ironed out. Ryan Herman speaks to three chartered accountants (CAs) to discover how their businesses have been affected. This article first appeared in ICAS’ CA magazine. Depending on where you stand on Brexit politically, [...]
Govt’s Covid scientists receive suspicious packages for making ‘bad decisions’ September 2, 2021 A number of suspicious packages were sent to scientists who advised the Government during the coronavirus pandemic by people who feel they are “making bad decisions”, one expert revealed today. Professor Calum Semple, who sits on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said he had been on the receiving end of a “particularly nasty” [...]
School’s back from summer: Four things in Boris Johnson’s in-tray post-recess September 2, 2021 MPs will descend on Westminster next week as parliament returns from after the six-week summer recess. Boris Johnson will be lamenting that the events of the past month in Afghanistan have ensured little time for rest or recuperation and things will be no easier for the Prime Minister as autumn begins. Here are four key [...]
Brexit: UK food and drink exports to EU plummet September 2, 2021 Food and drink exports from the UK have plummeted due to a sharp drop in trade with the EU after Brexit, according to fresh research published today. Data from the Food and Drink Federation shows overall UK exports of food and drink slid £2bn in the first half of this year, primarily the result of [...]
China bans reality TV and seeks to make male representation more ‘manly’ September 2, 2021 China has reportedly banned reality talent programmes from airing today, in a wide extension of its crackdown on pop culture that Beijing has dubbed as ‘immoral’. The latest bout of hawkish regulation has included broadcasters being ordered to promote more ‘masculine’ representations of men – amid fears of its declining population. Talent shows featuring young [...]