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Feb72021 by adminNo Comments

Amazon criticised in paying lower rates than shops

Business

Getty ImagesAmazon has been criticised for paying less in business rates than British bricks and mortar retailers.The online retail giant's financial results revealed that UK sales for 2020 totalled $ 26.5bn (£19.3bn) - a 51% jump from $ 17.5bn in 2019.Amazon's overall business rates bill for 2020-2021 is estimated by researchers to be £71.5m - just 0.37% of its retail sales.They say this is far lower than what the retail sector typically pays.Amazon insists that it pays its tax and has created thousands of jobs in the UK.Sunak urges US to back digital services tax Amazon pays £290m in UK tax as sales surge to £14bnOnline shoppers warned about hidden price risesBusiness rates are calculated by looking at a property's rateable value and multiplying it by a tax rate set by the government. A ...

Jan182021 by adminNo Comments

Regular aspirin use can lower risk for death in bladder, breast cancers, study finds

Health

Jan. 15 (UPI) -- People who take aspirin at least three times per week are more likely to survive bladder cancer, according to an analysis published Friday by JAMA Network Open. Regular aspirin use also was associated with a reduced risk for death from breast cancer, the data showed. Advertisement However, taking aspirin had no effect on a person's risk for getting several forms of the disease, including bladder, breast, gastrointestinal or pancreatic cancers, the researchers said. Aspirin also did not reduce a person's risk for death from gastrointestinal or pancreatic cancer, they said. "Although aspirin use at least three times per week was associated with the strongest risk reduction, any aspirin use was associated with increased bladder and breast cancer survival," researchers from ...

Dec132020 by adminNo Comments

Flu cases lower than normal so far this year, COVID-19 likely the reason

Health

Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Flu activity remains "unusually low" in many parts of the United States, according to data released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and experts say masking and social distancing to prevent spread of COVID-19 may be the reason. In its weekly FluView report, the agency noted that just 0.2% of the respiratory specimens tested at laboratories nationally between Nov. 27 and Dec. 5 were positive for the flu virus. Advertisement Just 40 of more than 22,000 specimens evaluated at U.S. hospital labs and 16 of more than 16,000 evaluated at public health labs in the country during that week tested positive for the flu, according to the agency. In addition, less than 2% of all doctor visits across the country over the same period were related to the seasonal...

Dec62020 by adminNo Comments

Climate change: Lower Thames Crossing CO2 impact figures revealed

Science

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Nov172020 by adminNo Comments

Childhood lead exposure linked to lower IQ, reduced brain development in midlife, researchers find

Health

Nov. 17 (UPI) -- People exposed to lead during childhood shows signs of reduced brain development -- and lower IQs -- well into adulthood, a study published Tuesday by JAMA found. The analysis of 564 adults with documented lead exposure at age 11 revealed that their IQ scores declined two points for every 5 micrograms per deciliter -- a little over 3 ounces -- of the substance in their blood, the data showed. Advertisement Study participants at age 11 years had an average of roughly 11 mcg. per deciliter of lead in their bloodstream, the researchers said. Lead levels of above 5 mcg. per deciliter are considered above normal, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The lower IQ was attributed to lessened brain development caused by lead exposure, the researchers s...