Latest news with #Broadbent
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Do you have a summer cold or is it the new strain of Covid?
We associate colds and viruses with the winter, and for good reason. Illness spikes in the colder months because it's a time when we huddle indoors, creating the perfect environment for viruses to spread. Then there's the cold air, which dries out our airways and leaves us more vulnerable to catching bugs. Why then are we still getting colds in the summer? The culprits: there are still bugs that can make you sniffily at this time of year, and there's also a new Covid strain beginning to spread in Britain. So, which could be making you unwell and, most importantly, what can you do to avoid it? The NB.1.8.1 Covid strain is the latest that health officials are keeping their eyes on. It first emerged in China in January and the World Health Organization (WHO) began tracking it a fortnight ago because of some potentially worrying mutations that the variant carries. 'There is some early indication that it may be slightly better at evading immune responses and antibodies, but this is very early data,' explains Dr Lindsay Broadbent, assistant professor in virology at the University of Surrey. However, the risk posed by NB.1.8.1 remains low, and there is no evidence that it causes a more severe illness or is drastically different to previous strains of the virus, she notes. 'People don't need to be overly concerned,' Dr Broadbent adds. Latest weekly data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) suggests there's been a slight uptick in Covid infections in recent weeks. Of patients tested by their GP, 5.2 per cent tested positive for Covid, up from 4.5 per cent the week before. Since first being detected in the UK in January there have been 13 confirmed cases of NB.1.8.1, though 12 of these were recorded in April and May. For context, around 50 positive tests are currently being sequenced per week. This is when a throat or nose sample that tested positive for Covid is genetically sequenced to determine the variant behind the infection. 'NB.1.8.1 has been detected in small numbers in the UK to date, but international data suggests that it is growing as a proportion of all Covid cases,' notes Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, deputy director of the UKHSA. 'Based on the available information so far, however, there is no evidence to suggest that this variant causes more severe disease than previous variants, or that the vaccines in current use will be less effective against it.' While there is typically a cyclical spike in colds in the winter, that doesn't mean they disappear in the warmer months. In fact, some cold-causing viruses, such as parainfluenza virus Type 3 and enteroviruses (especially coxsackieviruses and echoviruses) are much more common in the summer, says Prof Fidelma Fitzpatrick, head of clinical microbiology at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and consultant microbiologist in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. Summer colds can also be caused by adenoviruses, which spread year-round but can have peaks in the summer, and rhinoviruses, which is the classic winter cold but is still around in the summer, she says. 'The risk of being exposed to a virus and getting sick depends on lots of factors including our behaviour, the environment and how common those viruses are at any given time,' Dr Broadbent explains. As we enter the summer, people's social calendars tend to fill up with weddings, parties, festivals and holidays, meaning lots of mixing between different groups and generations that wouldn't be together otherwise, says Prof Fitzpatrick. 'There is often more socialising and travel during the summer months, this may mean we are in contact with a lot more people than usual,' Dr Broadbent confirms. Adding to that is that activities that often come with summer festivities – alcohol, a lack of sleep and eating more processed foods – are known to weaken our immune system, making us less equipped to fight off these cold-causing bugs, Prof Fitzpatrick says. Additionally, air conditioning can dry out our nasal passages, which makes it easier for viruses to infect, she notes. It's unclear whether summer colds are on the rise, as the specific viruses that cause them are not tracked. Latest UKHSA data suggests that parainfluenza cases decreased slightly in the week to June 1, though this reflects the trend for all four types of parainfluenza and only Type 3 is specifically linked with summer colds. Covid continues to cause cold-like symptoms for most people. 'Most infected people have mild to moderate symptoms,' says Prof Fitzpatrick. These include a runny nose, sore throat, congestion, a mild cough, tiredness and headaches. However, people with underlying health conditions face a higher risk of developing more serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, and the illness lasting for longer. It's impossible to know from the symptoms alone whether you have Covid or a summer cold, as the latter also causes a runny nose, low energy, muscle aches, a cough, headache and sore throat, Prof Fitzpatrick says. However, Covid tests are available from pharmacies with prices starting around £2, which can indicate if that virus is to blame. While there are no Covid restrictions in place, official advice recommends trying to stay at home if you catch the virus. Short of isolating yourself at home, there's unfortunately no magic bullet that will guarantee that you won't catch a virus this summer. 'Tips for avoiding summer colds are the same advice as any time of the year,' says Dr Broadbent. 'Try to maintain good hand and respiratory hygiene, including washing your hands and using tissues,' she says. Prof Fitzpatrick recommends staying hydrated and avoiding excess alcohol, which can dehydrate you and impair your immunity, as well as using sanitising wipes on aeroplane trays, gym equipment and other communal surfaces. Supporting your immune system by sleeping well, eating a varied diet rich in fruits, vegetables and lean protein and watching your stress levels can all help to reduce the risk of catching a bug in the first place, she says. Other ways to stave off a cold include drinking lots of fluids and making sure you are topped up on vitamin D, which supports a healthy immune system. 'If you do get a summer cold, it is best to avoid close contact with anyone that may be more at risk of severe disease, such as babies and young children, older adults and people that have underlying conditions like lung disease or heart disease,' Dr Broadbent adds. Most people recover from a Covid infections and summer colds at home with a combination of rest, staying hydrated and taking over-the-counter medications, such as paracetamol, to manage symptoms like a fever, headache and muscle aches, Prof Fitzpatrick says. Decongestants can also be helpful to reduce nasal congestion, while lozenges can ease a sore throat, she notes. Antibiotics won't help with recovery from a Covid infection or cold, as 'there is no role for antibiotics' in viral infections, she explains. 'If a person's symptoms get worse, however, and they develop trouble breathing, they should contact their doctor for advice,' Prof Fitzpatrick says. Chest pain and confusion are also signs that a patient should seek medical help. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
More sexual assault charges filed against Provo OBGYN David Broadbent
If you or someone you know needs help, call the Rape & Sexual Assault Crisis Line 1-888-421-1100. PROVO, Utah () — The Provo OBGYN who was sued in 2022 for sexual assault and later received criminal charges for rape is now charged in two more criminal cases. David Broadbent, 77, has been charged with ten new felonies in two separate cases filed today. One case involves one count of object rape, and the other involves one count of object rape and eight counts of forcible sexual abuse. This brings the total number of sexual assault cases that Broadbent has been charged with to eight. He is facing a total of 29 felonies across his cases, including 19 counts of object rape and 10 counts of forcible sexual abuse. Provo OBGYN now faces 17 sexual assault felonies after 2 new charges filed In 2022, Broadbent was who said that they had been sexually assaulted by the doctor, some cases going back into the 80s. Victims said that he would lie about procedures being medically necessary as a 'guise' to assault them. Since 2022, have said they were impacted across several lawsuits. Two years later, in June 2024, Broadbent was charged with his after the lawsuit. He was charged with object rape and forcible sexual abuse, and has pleaded not guilty to both charges. A jury trial is set for March 2026. Since then, Broadbent in seven more cases involving rape and sexual assault, the latest of which were filed today by the Utah County Attorney's Office. The first case filed today dates back to 2004. The victim said that she went to Broadbent's office for a pre-marital exam in April of that year. According to documents, during the exam, the victim said that Broadbent sexually abused her while 'examining' her. He then told her he needed to examine her breasts, and sexually assaulted the victim. Provo gynecologist charged with sexual abuse two years after allegations surface in lawsuit The second case filed dates back to 2020. Documents say that this victim was experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, and had several visits to Broadbent as her OBGYN. She had nine visits to his office, and said that on each of those occasions he inappropriately touched her breasts under the guise of checking for breast cancer. During one of this victims' visits, documents say that Broadbent performed an examination to check for dilation, and she felt 'the amount of time he spent looking wasn't appropriate.' Broadbent has a preliminary hearing scheduled on July 22 involving several of his cases. Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Epoch Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Ex-Liberal MP Takes 10 Percent in First Go, Stands Firm Against Mandates and Net Zero
Former Liberal MP-turned-independent, Russell Broadbent, says he does not regret breaking away from the Liberal Party, despite not retaining his seat of Monash, which covers eastern Victoria. New Liberal Party candidate Mary Aldred looks set to have secured the Lower House seat by the weekend, picking up 28,138 votes to the next-nearest Labor Party candidate Tully Fletcher, who had 17,809 votes. Broadbent managed to secure 10.1 percent of the vote in his first outing as an independent. The former draper and former small business owner held the seat for 25 years before he left the Liberals in November 2023. At the time, he said the federal government's COVID-19 vaccination mandates during the pandemic years made him break away and run a solo campaign. Related Stories 4/30/2025 5/1/2025 Speaking to The Epoch Times at his post-election gathering of supporters in Drouin, Broadbent said he held no reservations about his decision. 'The whole response to COVID over the past four years, as other people have responded in a different way, in regards to my position on COVID,' he said, when asked what policies resonated with voters. 'And I wouldn't take back a word. I actually challenged the narrative. ... They [Liberal Party] had probably had enough of me. They didn't like the position that I took on COVID.' Former Liberal Party senator, Gerard Rennick, also broke ranks from the centre-right party and ran separately, in response to the party's support of COVID-19 lockdowns. Liberal Party Should Have Fought Against Net Zero Broadbent warned the net zero energy policy, which has been adopted by both the victorious Albanese Labor government and the Liberal Party, would 'break the country.' Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison with then-Energy Minister Angus Taylor committed to reaching net zero by 2050. The Albanese government has bankrolled a swathe of net zero projects during its first term, and will continue this initiative. Broadbent has been a vocal critic of bipartisan support for this policy, believing that the gradual shutting down of coal-production sites will cause irreparable economic harm. 'The government hasn't prepared our economy. Labor has made decisions in subsequent budgets now which make it harder for the economy to function with international headwinds,' he said. He said the Liberal Party missed an opportunity to create a point of difference in opposing Labor on this policy. 'They [Liberal Party] didn't differentiate themselves by saying they did not support net zero,' Broadbent said. Many residents who have spoken to Broadbent say they struggle with higher energy bills, which he blames the energy transition for creating. Net zero has seen state and federal governments pressure major energy producers to close down coal-fired power stations and to instead, invest in renewable energy projects as a source of 'cleaner' energy. However, this transition does come at a cost to home owners, not only is it limiting energy supply (which drives up prices), there is a significant upfront investment in getting renewable projects off the ground, which has led to governments offering taxpayer-backed subsidies to make this happen. 'There are a number of people, not just here but around the place. They just talk electricity prices, electricity prices, electricity prices,' Broadbent said. 'And the more renewables there are, the more the prices will keep going up.'
ABC News
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- ABC News
What should buyers of second-hand EVs consider as more vehicles hit the used-car market?
Millions of cars are bought and sold in Australia each year. At the moment, most of them are second-hand, petrol-fuelled vehicles. But that pattern is changing. Electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid cars are growing in popularity, driven in part by government and organisation pledges to electrify their fleets. Vehicle efficiency standards, which are set to come into effect in July, should also see more EVs on the roads. So as EVs start to filter through to the used-car market in greater numbers, what should prospective buyers consider before they make a purchase? Battery quality important, but usually underestimated Gail Broadbent, an electric vehicle researcher at the University of New South Wales, says battery quality is the biggest concern used-EV buyers have. But she also says used EVs typically have much better battery capacity than consumers expect. "There's a big discrepancy with what people think and what the actuality is," Dr Broadbent says. Manufacturing warranties typically guarantee that an EV battery will retain at least 70 per cent of its original charge over eight to 10 years. Most cars outperform this warranty. This is partially due to the way that battery performance is tested. Lab-based tests completely discharge and recharge batteries on a frequent cycle to see how they retain their charge. "Whereas in real life ... car manufacturers recommend that people keep the battery somewhere between 20 per cent and 80 per cent," Dr Broadbent says. This keeps the battery in much better shape. Photo shows A close-up of an orange electricity cable plugged into a car. Vehicle-to-grid charging promises to save households money and get more value out of EV batteries. Here's how to take advantage of "V2G". Other aspects of Given enough time, batteries will inevitably degrade. This doesn't happen uniformly — battery performance can often drop quickly in a new car. This sometimes gives new owners the impression their battery will lose capacity much faster, but the batteries tend to stabilise after a few years and lose capacity at a slower rate. New batteries and fast chargers, such as BYD's five-minute charger, should also see a wider variety of EV technology in Australia. ( Unsplash: Michael Marais ) Kai Li Lim, an EV researcher at the University of Queensland, says a range of factors can accelerate battery degradation, leading to some older EVs with notably reduced ranges. Anything that heats the battery can wear them down faster, including warmer climates, excessive fast charging, and frequently powering the battery up to full. "But the reality about battery degradation is that with the average age of EVs in the market, it's not really something that we can clearly observe," Dr Lim says. More years of EV use — and more research — will generate clearer answers. Checking an EV battery If you're considering buying a used EV, Dr Broadbent says it's still important to check the battery health, because "not everybody is kind to their car". Electric vehicles usually show estimates for the distance you can expect from a full battery charge. But this readout isn't necessarily accurate. Like manufacturers' warranties, it often underestimates and sometimes overestimates the battery capacity. "That range that's written on the car is an average of the last five trips, and if [the driver] used the air conditioner or the heater, it's going to reduce the range," Dr Broadbent points out. Photo shows People stand around a car with all its doors open with a sign in beg letters on the wall behind reading BYD. Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has unveiled its ultra-fast charger that promises to take just five minutes to fully power EVs — putting heat on rival Tesla in the process. Instead, she says more accurate readouts of battery health can be obtained from an onboard diagnostics scanner. At the moment, there is no standardised way to check EV battery health in Australia. Businesses such as insurers and used car dealers offer checks to people planning to buy or sell used EVs. The cost of these checks can vary widely. The European Union Rusty Langdon, a sustainability researcher at University of Technology Sydney (UTS), would like to see similar legislation in Australia. "We're sort of at the whim of the market without Australian regulation that echoes that," they say. Scott Dwyer, also a sustainability researcher at UTS, adds that there needs to be a suitable workforce to accommodate this. "Training to traditional vehicle mechanics and funding for those small businesses to help them invest in their special diagnostic tools." Broadening used-EV uptake While standardisation could help with sales and consumer confidence, other policies will be needed to improve the supply of EVs in Australia. Dr Dwyer says electrifying commercial fleets is a crucial way to increase EV uptake. "About half of new car sales in Australia are sold into fleets," he says, adding that roughly a fifth of those sales are currently EVs. " They are an important source of well-maintained and affordable EVs. " Dr Dwyer's research has also found people are more comfortable with the idea of buying or owning a personal EV after using one for work. At the moment, the largest proportion of EV buyers are people Dr Lim wants to see more incentives for fleet EVs to increase uptake to other parts of Australia. "You need a nice and robust second-hand car market of used EVs in order to make EVs more accessible to the general population," he says. "The best way to make them cheaper is to put them through the second-hand car market, and the best way to put them through the second-hand car market is to have fleet uptakes." He also wants to see better standards for checking battery quality for use after they're no longer suitable for an EV. Photo shows A pile of burnt blue batteries on asphalt Australia's annual lithium-ion battery waste is tipped to hit 137,000 tonnes by 2035 amid urgent calls for dedicated recycling facilities. EV batteries can be used for other purposes, such as home batteries, when they're no longer powerful enough to take cars long distances. "In due time, especially when lithium-ion batteries start to deplete, there will be a demand for this [EV battery repurposing]," Dr Lim says. Mx Langdon agrees. "We don't have a really good understanding of battery lifetimes at the moment," they say. "It would be good to have a better understanding of typical lifetime so that we can understand what the pathways are for second-hand vehicles and what consumers can expect." Science in your inbox Get all the latest science stories from across the ABC. Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
Daily Maverick
29-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
'Vintage gold, tariff cold: SA wine's perfect harvest meets Trump's cold shoulder
After a near-perfect 2025 harvest, South African vintners are facing an unexpected threat: a tariff tempest brewing in the US, one of the country's top five export markets. South Africa's 2025 harvest season was, by all accounts, a masterpiece. 'It's going to be one of those standout years where people will specifically search for wines from the 2025 harvest,' said Maryna Calow, communications manager at Wines of South Africa (WoSA). British wine importer and critic, Bartholomew Broadbent, agreed. 'The 2025 vintage in South Africa was outstanding,' he told Daily Maverick. 'I was recently there and tasted many wines in cask. Volumes were good, the quality exceptional.' The grapes, nurtured through a Goldilocks season of moderate weather and minimal climatic drama, ripened to near perfection. No aggressive heat spikes. No hail storms. Even the winter dormancy was ideal, with well-timed rains and cold enough temperatures to ready the vines for an exceptional yield. As South African wine producers prepared to bottle what some are calling some of the best quality wine ever produced, another kind of storm began to brew. One that's political, protectionist, and unmistakably American. A Trump-sized headache On 2 April 2025, US president Trump reached for an economic cudgel in the form of tariffs, and South African wine found itself squarely in the firing line: slapped with a 30% import duty. According to Calow, the United States is South Africa's fourth largest wine export market by value, exporting $8.21-billion (R153-billion) worth of wine to the US in 2024. Visualisation by Kara le Roux Thanks to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), South African wines previously enjoyed zero tariffs, a saving of about R20-million per year, noted Christo Conradie, stakeholder engagement, market access, and policy manager at South African Wine. Now, a 10% tariff applies during a 90-day grace period, while the 30% proposal hangs over the industry like the sword of Damocles. 'There is a mad scramble in the USA right now to import wine at the 10% tariff level before the 90-day extension ends,' Broadbent explained. 'We usually ship the new vintage of wine… in July or August. This year we will ship it all in May and hope to beat the increased tariffs.' Even if shipments sneak through customs at a lower rate, the damage has already been done. 'Importers may have cancelled orders from South Africa and turned to bulk producers in Chile and Australia,' Broadbent says. 'Once prices go up, even if tariffs are cancelled, most wine companies will not reduce prices back to pre-tariff levels.' 'Before the wine even hit the water, some US importers pulled out.' Calow confirmed the exodus. Building relationships with importers took years, she added, and with global wine consumption declining, competition was already brutal. US laws also require wholesalers to pre-post prices months in advance. Once the higher prices are locked in, they can't be reduced overnight even if the tariffs are scrapped. Jobs, markets and margins under threat The tariff threat is hitting an industry already bruised by Covid-era shutdowns and a lethargic global economy. Broadbent pointed out that American consumer spending was under pressure from a stock market crash rivalling the Great Depression of 1932. Luxury goods (like wine) were often the first thing to be cut from stretched budgets. 'If your wine goes from $9.99 to $12.99 (R185 to R241) because of tariffs and mark-ups at every level of the US's three-tier system, sales will nosedive,' Broadbent said. South Africa's wine sector supports more than 270,000 jobs, many in vulnerable rural areas. Conradie warned that the effects would extend beyond exporters and their immediate teams: '(The implications) will undoubtedly be felt across the broader economy, including job preservation and creation, particularly the socioeconomic impact on rural areas where viticulture is a significant economic driver.' He said suppliers of glass, labels, packaging, and logistics providers would all be affected in the long term. Bulk wine exports — two-thirds of South Africa's shipments to the US — are especially vulnerable. Higher-end bottles might survive a modest price hike, but budget wines cannot absorb a 30% tariff without becoming unsellable. 'You don't know where you stand from one day to the next,' Calow said. 'We are still in limbo.' Sin taxes and sour sales South African wine producers aren't finding much comfort on the home front. Finance Minister Enoch Godogwana hiked the excise duty on wine across the board: unfortified wine now attracts R5.95 per litre in duty, up from R5.57, with fortified and sparkling wines facing even steeper increases. Domestically, the wine industry has still not bounced back to pre-pandemic volumes, according to an agricultural outlook report by the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy. Though sales have ticked upward since the lockdown years, premium bottles have lost considerable ground to bag-in-box formats, the report states. The bag-in-box boom signals a shift in local buying habits as economic pressure forces consumers to prioritise value over presentation. The report projects a 0.5% decrease in wine consumption by 2031, which is 12 million litres lower than in 2018. 'The growth is rather modest,' the report reads, 'and comes from a substantially reduced base following the shocks of 2020 and 2021.' Swapping Uncle Sam for Chairman Xi? Some exporters are peering north to Canada, where retaliatory trade measures have moved American wines off shelves. 'Canada certainly looks a lot more interesting,' Calow said, pointing out that up to 50% of Canadian wine sales were once filled by US products. Asia, too, beckons. 'China is a big question mark,' Calow admitted, but a lucrative one: US wine exports to China could shrink dramatically amid the trade tensions, opening doors for South African producers. However, market shifts don't happen overnight. As Conradie cautioned, wine is not a plug-and-play commodity as each market demands careful cultivation over years. According to a study, commissioned by the SA Wine Industry Information & Systems published in January 2022, the silver lining for the South African wine industry was a positive value growth of total wine exports to a respectable US$540-million (R10-billion), despite a challenging global economy. Visualisation by Kara le Roux Exporters must also brace for greater currency risk, especially if they broaden their focus beyond the traditional dollar-dominated corridors. 'Expanding into Africa, the Middle East and Asia is critical,' Cornelius Coetzee, Country Director at Verto South Africa, advised. 'But it requires active currency risk management. You can't invoice naively in US dollars or euros and hope for the best.' Coetzee stressed that wineries should consider multi-currency invoicing strategies and hedge foreign exchange exposure smartly. 'Flexibility and forward planning are non-negotiable,' he said. Diplomacy but no direct relief Daniel Johnson, the spokesperson for Dr Ivan Meyer, Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, said the provincial government was monitoring the situation closely, engaging exporters, and exploring new markets. However, no direct financial relief was planned for affected exporters. 'We continue engaging with diplomats to gain new markets, retain existing ones, and optimise our current operations,' Johnson said, noting a growing focus on African export markets as part of a longer term diversification strategy. Keep calm and keep bottling Amid trade war rumblings, Conradie urged caution: 'We must find a balanced and pragmatic approach to any proposed import tariffs on bottled and bulk wine.' He warned against retaliation, saying that lowering South Africa's current 25% import tariffs on American wines could backfire. 'This could lead to an influx of competitively priced bulk wine and pressure on local producers, possibly triggering a damaging 'race to the bottom', which we cannot afford,' Conradie said. Still, there is confidence that South Africa's strengths — quality, timing, and resilience — will endure. 'South Africa's value proposition remains strong,' Coetzee said. 'We have world-class agricultural quality and seasonal counterbalance to northern hemisphere supply.' How does this affect you? If you're a winemaker, exporter, or even a logistics provider, expect a period of turbulence. Margins will be squeezed. Foreign exchange risk will rise. New competitors will crowd non-US markets. Even if you're not exporting directly to America, supply chain shocks and shifting demand will touch every part of the industry. Coetzee advises exporters to: Stay nimble: Match foreign exchange strategies to sales cycles. Diversify: Spread risk across multiple markets and currencies. Use smarter tools: Adopt live alerts, automated foreign exchange hedging, and spot trades. Plan ahead: Model different currency exposure scenarios — don't rely on best guesses. We've weathered worse 'We're guppies in a very big ocean when it comes to the US market,' Calow quipped. 'About 70% of the wines Americans drink are made locally. South African imports are maybe 1.5% of that segment.' During the Covid-19 pandemic, when local wine sales were banned outright, the industry adapted and survived. 'The pandemic was much more severe than the threat of tariffs,' Broadbent said. 'Wineries survived. If they can survive that, they can survive the tariff situations.' In 2024, South Africa's wine export volumes held steady at 306 million litres, with slight value growth. That's no small feat given the global glut in wine production. 'We're resilient,' Calow said. 'We just have to keep doing what we do best and make good wine.' DM Letters will be edited.
