Shell unveils plan to become a net zero emissions firm by 2050 April 16, 2020 Oil giant Shell has become the latest supermajor to announce plans to become a net-zero energy emissions business by 2050. The firm’s announcement follows similar decisions by rivals like BP, but comes as the oil and gas sector faces its biggest challenge in decades due to the coronavirus-driven collapse of oil prices. The company said [...]
Coronavirus: G20 economies freeze debts for world’s poorest countries April 15, 2020 The G20 group of the world’s biggest economies has agreed to suspend the debt repayment plans of the world’s poorest countries to free up funding so they can tackle the coronavirus pandemic. The decision, which will last from 1 May until the end of this year, will allow 77 of the world’s poorest nations to [...]
Coronavirus: WHO chief regrets US pullout as global cases pass 2m April 15, 2020 The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that he regrets US president Donald Trump’s decision to pull funding from the body as the global number of cases of coronavirus passed 2m. In the run-up to his decision to withdraw around $400m to the UN body – or 15 per cent of its [...]
Oil prices continue slump as prospects for recovery look slim April 15, 2020 Oil prices continued to fall today amid further signs that Opec’s record production cuts would not be sufficient to stabilize the oil market amid a coronavirus-driven recession. Benchmark Brent crude dropped over six per cent for the second consecutive day, falling to $27.50, while West Texas Intermediate fell below $20 to stand at $19.51. The [...]
Business minister searching for ways to protect businesses which pay using dividends April 15, 2020 Business minister Paul Scully is trying to find ways of protecting business owners who pay themselves through dividends during the coronavirus crisis. Such businesses are currently not covered by the Treasury aid programmes. The Financial Times reported that Scully, whose portfolio covers the UK’s small businesses, is looking for solutions to cover such firms. Chancellor [...]
Coronavirus: 761 more deaths in the UK as confirmed cases near 100,000 April 15, 2020 A further 761 people have died of coronavirus in the UK, the Department of Health has announced, taking the total death toll to 12,868 as of yesterday evening. The figure is a tiny decrease on yesterday’s figure of 778 deaths. The total number of new confirmed cases rose by 4,605, taking the UK to the [...]
Coronavirus: Hospital deaths in England rise by 651 April 15, 2020 A further 651 people have died from coronavirus in England’s hospitals, the NHS has announced, taking the total number of fatalities to 11,656. The new patients were aged between 20 and 101, and 20 of them had no underlying health conditions. The government will provide an update for the total number of deaths across the [...]
HS2 construction work set to begin despite coronavirus lockdown April 15, 2020 Construction work on controversial rail project HS2 has been given the green light to begin despite the current coronavirus lockdown restrictions. The high speed rail link was approved by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in February after uncertainty about whether it would go ahead at all. Work on the four work packages, which involve many of [...]
Coronavirus: GSK chief urges drug firms to work together to develop vaccines April 15, 2020 The chief executive of pharmaceuticals giant Glaxosmithkline (GSK) has urged companies to join together to speed the development of a coronavirus vaccine, warning that the world will need more than one treatment for the disease. Emma Walmsley’s words came after the firm announced it had partnered with French drugmaker Sanofi to make a vaccine. Clinical [...]
Coronavirus: Vital to start planning for economic recovery, CBI says April 14, 2020 The head of the UK’s largest business lobbying group has said that the UK must begin to plan its economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic even while the death toll continues to rise. Speaking to Sky News, Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, the director-general of the CBI, said that “we need to begin to chart a route [...]
