Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News from EconoTimes

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Wed, Jan 15, 2025 12:42 PM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

Michael Head

Senior Research Fellow in Global Health, University of Southampton
Dr Michael Head is a Senior Research Fellow in Global Health, based in the Clinical Informatics Research Unit at the University of Southampton, UK. He has a background in public health research and infectious disease epidemiology, with research links in Ghana, Togo, Ethiopia and Brazil. His main research interests are pneumonia and also Neglected Tropical Diseases, including scabies and onchocerciasis. Michael also analyses portfolios of research, to review levels of funding for different diseases and to provide insight into research strength, knowledge gaps, and future priorities. He has communicated extensively with the written and TV media throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Why is whooping cough surging in the UK? Falling vaccination rates may be answer

May 15, 2024 07:27 am UTC| Health

A large outbreak of pertussis (more commonly known as whooping cough) has been ongoing in the UK since the beginning of 2024. There have been 2,793 confirmed cases so far this year. Sadly, five infant deaths due to...

AstraZeneca’s COVID vaccine withdrawn – right to the end it was the victim of misinformation

May 09, 2024 07:10 am UTC| Insights & Views Health

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was a critical part of the COVID-19 pandemic response. However, on May 7 2024, the European Commission announced the vaccine is no longer authorised for use. This EU announcement was...

Food prices will climb everywhere as temperatures rise due to climate change – new research

Mar 25, 2024 05:09 am UTC| Insights & Views Life Economy

Climate change, and specifically rising temperatures, may cause food prices to increase by 3.2% per year, according to a new study by researchers in Germany. As climate change continues to worsen, this price inflation will...

Scabies: UK facing unusually large outbreaks – and treatment shortages appear mostly to blame

Jan 08, 2024 22:24 pm UTC| Health

Scabies is an unpleasant skin infection thats common all around the world. Outbreaks happen regularly with an estimated 450 million cases occurring globally each year. But since the start of winter, outbreaks in the UK...

Billions is spent on cancer research globally – but is it money well spent?

Jun 03, 2023 03:27 am UTC| Insights & Views Business

In 2020, 19 million people around the world received a cancer diagnosis. By 2040, that number is expected to reach 28 million. Poorer countries will be especially hard hit, with an increasing number of cases and more...

Leprosy, scabies and yaws - Togo's neglected tropical skin diseases need attention

Mar 28, 2023 14:17 pm UTC| Health

Neglected tropical diseases are a group of 20 diseases found mostly in tropical regions that are strongly associated with poverty. Among them are skin diseases like scabies, leprosy and yaws. They are caused by some...

Three years on, the COVID pandemic may never end – but the public health impact is becoming more manageable

Mar 13, 2023 12:18 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Three years ago, on March 11 2020, World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus first formally described COVID-19 as a pandemic. The impact of the pandemic on all aspects of society has...

1 2

Economy

Taiwan Gains Confidence as U.S. Excludes It from AI Export Curbs

The U.S. governments decision to exclude Taiwan from its new restrictions on artificial intelligence (AI) chip and technology exports reflects confidence in the islands regulatory controls and legal compliance, Taiwans...

UK Inflation Stabilizes: November CPI at 2.6%, Signaling Economic Recovery

In November 2024, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the UK was reported at 2.6% compared to the same month last year, which matched what experts had predicted. This is an increase from October 2024, when the CPI was at...

China's Tightened Export Controls Disrupt U.S. Tech Firms' Production Plans

China is intensifying scrutiny of exports by U.S. tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, and Dell, delaying their production shifts to Southeast Asia and India, according to Nikkei Asia. Since December, dual-use technology...

Trump's Economic Policies to Face New Challenges in 2025

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is set to inherit a strong economy, but his aggressive policiestariffs, immigration restrictions, and tax cutsmight disrupt growth. With output above trend, near full employment, and...

U.S. Stock Futures Rise Amid Tariff Speculation and Key Data Focus

U.S. stock index futures gained on Monday evening as reports eased fears of disruptive trade tariffs under President-elect Donald Trump. Bloomberg reported that his team may propose a gradual tariff increase of 2%-5%...

Politics

South Korean Ex-President Yoon Arrested After Martial Law Attempt

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested on Wednesday following a failed attempt to impose military law in late 2024, according to local media reports. Investigators successfully executed an arrest...

Biden Moves to Normalize U.S.-Cuba Relations Amid Major Policy Shifts

The Biden administration announced plans to remove Cuba from the U.S. terrorism blacklist, signaling a major policy shift that could reshape U.S.-Cuba relations. The move reverses sanctions imposed by former President...

Iranian President Denies Plot to Kill Trump, Refutes U.S. Claims

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed allegations that Iran plotted to assassinate U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. In an NBC News interview, Pezeshkian stated, We have never attempted this to begin with and we...

Pete Hegseth Faces Tight Confirmation Battle for Secretary of Defense

President-elect Donald Trumps nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, endured intense scrutiny during his confirmation hearing, highlighting sharp partisan divides. Hegseth, a decorated veteran and former Fox News...

SEC Accuses Elon Musk of Securities Law Violation Over Twitter Stake Delay

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk, accusing him of delaying the disclosure of his substantial stake in Twitter, now known as X, in 2022. The SEC alleges Musk violated...

Science

Double Moonshot: Japan’s ispace and Firefly Launch Lunar Missions

In a significant stride for lunar exploration, Japanese company ispace and U.S.-based Firefly Aerospace launched moon landers aboard a SpaceX rocket from Florida. This rare double mission highlights the growing competition...

Bill Gates’ Shocking New Malaria Solution Unveiled as Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Turn Into Flying Vaccinators

In a groundbreaking and controversial move, researchers funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at Leiden University Medical Center have developed a revolutionary approach to combat malaria. The team has created...

Explosive CIA Whistleblower Claims Havana Syndrome Victims Face Cancer, Dementia, and Government Betrayal

A former CIA operative has come forward with alarming allegations, claiming that victims of the mysterious Havana Syndrome are now battling devastating health issues, including cancer, dementia, and Parkinsons disease. The...

FDA Approval of Opdivo Injection Sparks Hope for Cancer Patients with Revolutionary Treatment Update

In a significant advancement for cancer care, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an injectable version of Bristol Myers Squibbs blockbuster cancer drug Opdivo. Branded as Opdivo Qvantig, the new...

Public Health Experts Warn of ‘Quad-Demic’ as Flu, COVID, RSV, and Norovirus Threaten Winter Surge

Public health experts are raising alarms over a potential quad-demic this winter, with flu, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus all expected to surge simultaneously. This unprecedented convergence of...

Technology

TikTok Braces for Possible US Shutdown This Sunday Amid Security Concerns

TikTok, the popular short-video platform owned by ByteDance, could face a nationwide shutdown in the U.S. as early as this Sunday, according to The Information. The move follows increased scrutiny from lawmakers and...

What si RedNote? The Chinese App Gaining Global Attention Amid TikTok Uncertainty

RedNote, known as Xiaohongshu in China, has gained massive attention as over half a million TikTok users flock to the platform amid concerns over a U.S. ban on TikTok. This lifestyle app allows users to share experiences,...

Trade Groups Push Back on Biden's New Chip Export Rules

A coalition of semiconductor and manufacturing trade groups has expressed concerns to U.S. President Joe Biden over recently announced export controls on advanced computing chips. The Semiconductor Industry Association...

Global Smartphone Market Sees Shifts as Chinese Brands Gain Ground

Smartphone shipments for Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Samsung (KS:005930) declined in Q4 as competition from Chinese companies like Xiaomi (OTC:XIACF) intensified, according to preliminary data from IDC. Despite a rebound in...

Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Launch Delayed to Thursday

Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos rocket company, has rescheduled the inaugural launch of its New Glenn rocket to Thursday, Jan. 16. Originally set for Tuesday, the launch was delayed after a technical issue arose on Monday. The...