Albert Wagner 
An unseasonal spike in respiratory illnesses has hit Queensland, prompting a warning from the chief health officer in the lead-up to Christmas. Across the state there are 322 people hospitalised with Covid-19 – four times the number treated in October. Another 66 people are in hospital with influenza. The chief health officer, John Gerrard, said … Read more
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With the markets anticipating central banks will lower interest rates next year, some fixed mortgage rates are the lowest they have been in months. But with all the economic uncertainty, new buyers and homeowners who need to renew still face some hard decisions. Since the start of 2022, mortgage rates in Canada have … Read more
The Conservative peer Michelle Mone and her husband, Doug Barrowman, denied for years that they were involved in PPE Medpro, a company that secured more than £200m in government contracts to supply face masks and surgical gowns during the Covid pandemic. They are subject to a long-running National Crime Agency investigation, facing allegations of fraud … Read more
Recently, respiratory viruses ― such as influenza, rhinoviruses and respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV ― have made a dramatic comeback. In 2022, for example, influenza activity swiftly returned to pre-COVID pandemic levels and the United States saw a particularly severe RSV surge. Many respiratory pathogens spread faster and further than they had in … Read more
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Protests against austerity and deregulation measures announced by newly elected President Javier Milei went off relatively peacefully in Argentina’s capital Wednesday, after a government warning against blocking streets. Around the start of the protest, which drew thousands of marchers, police briefly scuffled with some demonstrators and two men were … Read more
The former Conservative peer Michelle Mone has admitted that she lied when she denied repeatedly having been involved with a company that made millions of pounds in profits from UK government PPE deals during the pandemic. Mone said she “wasn’t trying to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes” and had not told the truth about … Read more
In unfortunate news, cases of COVID-19 are increasing just in time for the holidays. Behind this uptick is a new strain called JN.1, which accounted for 21.4% of cases in the United States as of Dec. 9, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. JN.1 is a descendant of BA.2.86, which … Read more
(NEXSTAR) — As millions of Americans are preparing to gather for the holidays, health officials are warning of a new COVID-19 variant sweeping the country. The World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday it was classifying the COVID variant JN.1 as a variant of interest. Here are 5 things you should know about the new variant … Read more
NEW YORK – New York’s attorney general filed suit Wednesday against SiriusXM, accusing the satellite radio and streaming service of making it intentionally difficult for its customers to cancel their subscriptions. Attorney General Latitia James’ office said an investigation into complaints from customers found that SiriusXM forced subscribers to wait in an automated … Read more
