Vietnam discovers new ‘hybrid’ coronavirus variant

May 30 2021

Health Authorities in Vietnam have reported the discovery of a new coronavirus variant which is a hybrid of the Indian and British variants and spreads quickly by air.

Vietnamese media revealed the discovery on Saturday as the country continues to struggle with COVID-19 outbreaks across the country, registering over 6,900 cases and 47 deaths.

Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long stated that the strain spreads quickly by air, by which the concentration of the strain in the throat fluid increases rapidly and spreads very strongly to the surrounding environment.

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Close to €100 million spent on COVID-19 vaccines in Malta

May 30 2021

Health Minister Chris Fearne has revealed that Malta spent almost €100 million on COVID-19 vaccines, most of which being subsidised by the European Union and will eventually be recouped.

In a local radio show on 103 Malta’s Heart, the Minister revealed that Malta has enough doses booked for the coming two years in case the country would require additional doses, with the booster dose being given towards the beginning of winter of early 2022.

The Health Minister also revealed that despite variant concerns, such variants are being covered by the vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency.

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Oil giant Shell must cut carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 under Dutch court rule

May 29 2021

A Dutch court has ruled that oil giant Royal Dutch Shell must cut its carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 from 2019 levels. The rule was made on Wednesday, and pushes up the company’s own aim which stood at 20% by 2030. This groundbreaking ruling comes into effect when all of the world’s largest corporate emitters have been put under great pressure to set short to long-term emission targets.

These targets are to be consistent with the Paris Agreement and are crucial to avoid an irreversible climate crisis. A spokesperson for the company stated that they fully expect to appeal today’s ‘disappointing court decision’, as Shell’s climate strategy previously involved becoming a net-zero emission business by 2050, with the 45% mark aimed to be achieved by 2035.

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Photo Source: DW

Nike cuts ties with Neymar following sexual assault allegations

May 29 2021

The sports apparel giant Nike confirmed it cut ties with football star Neymar last year after the Brazilian player refused to ‘cooperate’ with an investigation into sexual assault allegations. The assault allegations were made by one of the company’s employees back in 2018, with the incident allegedly having occurred in 2016. Nike stated it commissioned an independent probe whilst retaining independent legal counsel for the employee.

The company told CNN Business that the employee’s allegations were treated great seriousness. Despite resulting in an inconclusive investigation, Nike stated that it ended its relationship with the player due to the latter refusing to cooperate in good faith. Neymar refused the allegations and added that the relationship ends for ‘commercial reasons.’

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Photo Source: The WallStreet Journal