Tag: UK

TikTok Banned on London City Hall Devices

TikTok will no longer be available on official London City Hall devices, the Greater London Authority (GLA) said as the Chinese social media app faces a global purge from official institutions. London’s TikTok ban comes after Westminster and Holyrood banned the app on government devices in England and Scotland over security concerns. Under the UK’s…


Lawyers Declare They Will Refuse to Prosecute Climate Activists

Activist lawyers have signed a “Declaration of Conscience” stating they will not prosecute groups like Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil, saying that current laws cause “climate injustice.” On Thursday, a group called Lawyers Are Responsible, published a Declaration of Conscience, in which they say they will refuse to act for new fossil fuel projects…


Nearly 700,000 London Car Drivers Face Emission Charge After ULEZ Expansion, RAC Says

Drivers of almost 700,000 Cars in Greater London could be liable to pay £12.50 daily after the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), automotive services company RAC said on Friday. It comes a day after Transport for London (TfL) claimed that the vast majority of drivers will not have to pay the ULEZ charge post-expansion…


UK and EU Sign Off New Northern Ireland Brexit Deal

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal for Northern Ireland has been formally signed off, without the support of the province’s largest unionist party. On Friday, the Windsor Framework was legally adopted in a meeting chaired by both Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic days after MPs voted overwhelmingly in its favour….


Sunak Stresses ‘Democratic Values’ as He Challenges Netanyahu Over Controversial Israel Legislation

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak challenged the visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reminding him of the importance of “democratic values,” during a meeting in London on Friday, according to Downing Street. The meeting was held in private and appears to have been largely cordial, with Downing Street releasing a statement saying, “The Prime Minister stressed…


Commercial Development of Gene-Edited Food Legalised in England Despite Public Opposition

The growth and sale of gene-edited food have now been legalised in England after the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act passed into UK law on March 23. According to the government, the new law allows farmers to “grow crops which are drought and disease resistant, reduce use of fertilisers and pesticides, and help breed animals…


AstraZeneca Sued Over COVID-19 Vaccine Injuries

Families and patients are suing vaccine manufacturer AstraZeneca in the UK, claiming that their loved ones died or suffered severe reactions after taking its vaccine, according to their lawyers. A legal team representing a group of vaccine-injured people is pursuing personal injury compensation against AstraZeneca, arguing that the vaccine was “not as safe as the…


Interest Rates Will Rise Further If Firms Raise Prices, Bank of England Boss Warns

The Bank of England will have to put up interest rates even further if companies raise prices in a bid to beat inflation, the bank’s governor has warned. The central bank said on Thursday that its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 7–2 to increase the bank rate by 0.25 percentage points…


Legislation Banning Wolf-Whistling Amended to Remove ‘It Was Just a Joke’ Defence

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has backed a private members’ bill that would outlaw wolf-whistling even if the person responsible thinks it is “just a joke.” Wolf-whistles and cat calls are just one type of “sex-based harassment” included in the bill which has been proposed by Conservative backbench MP Greg Clark. The bill makes it an…


Magnesium May Reduce the Risk of Dementia

Eating more magnesium-rich foods such as kale, dark chocolate, nuts, and avocados on a daily basis may lead to better brain health and reduce the risk of dementia—the second leading cause of death in Australia and the seventh biggest killer in the world. Over 6,000 participants in the UK aged 40 to 73 participated in…