Latest news with #UKgovernment
The Independent
18 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
The areas most affected by cuts to UK foreign aid spending
& Kate Devlin The UK government's own impact assessment warns that cuts to foreign aid spending will likely lead to an increase in global deaths and disease. These reductions are set to disproportionately affect women, girls' education, and projects across Africa, with spending on girls' education and women's health halved. The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed cuts of £575 million for 2025-2026, contributing to a total 40 per cent reduction in aid spending by 2027. While Africa faces significant cuts, regions including the Americas, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific have seen increases in their aid budgets. The government has committed to protecting funding for Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, certain humanitarian crises, vaccines, and contributions to the World Bank 's International Development Association.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Jaw-dropping £9BILLION plan for UK's longest motorway tunnel that will cut journey times in half is unveiled in pics
NEW images have been released by National Highways highlighting how the upcoming Lower Thames Crossing could look in a few years. The UK government is planning to build the huge, motorway-style tunnel in a project that would cost some £9 billion. 5 The Lower Thames Crossing 5 The Lower Thames Crossing includes 14.3 miles of new road and Britain's longest road tunnel, a 2.6-mile twin-bore tunnel beneath the River Thames. It would link the town of Tilbury in Essex to Medway in Kent, would also be connected to the A2 and M2 in Kent, as well as the A13 and M25 in Essex. It would also provide transp o rt links between London and crossings to Dover - which, of course, account for half of the goods traded between Britain and mainland Europe. First planned back in 2009, the Lower Thames Crossing would reportedly see 13 million vehicles redirected away from the heavily congested Dartford Crossing. It's been estimated that the costs of lost productivity from congestion on the Dartford Crossing have exceeded £200million each year, with the route disproportionately used by freight vehicles transporting goods. More Green Space 5 The project will create six times more green space than road, including one million new trees, a new community woodland, two new public parks, and seven green bridges. These will blend the road into the landscape and connect local communities to the countryside. The building of the Lower Thames Crossing would also have a positive impact on motorists; journey times at the Dartford Crossing would likely improve by around 30% and increase to 46% between Kent and Essex. It's also estimated that it would inject around £40bn into the UK economy. Natalie Chapman, Head of Public Affairs for Logistics UK, said: 'As soon as this road opens, people will start to feel the benefits. Moment OAP zooms the wrong way on the M55 'In the short term, it will create jobs in construction and supply and it has the potential to unlock growth and inward investment on both sides of the crossing.' Road Haulage Association managing director Richard Smith also said Reeves' endorsement of the project was 'a major victory for our sector' that has the potential to 'turbocharge the economy'. New Images 5 A new set of images has been released by National Highways showing how this innovative approach is transforming how the road will look and feel. The project will use 'low carbon footbridges' to eliminate 'the need for concrete and minimises the use of steel'. It will feature seven new green bridges – more than doubling the number currently in Britain – including Europe's widest. A National Highways spokesperson said: "These crossings will make it easier and safer for both people and wildlife to move through green spaces." There will also be pre-fabricated bridges built in an offsite facility using low-carbon methods. These bridges are set to be quicker and easier to install on site. This approach aims to reduce disruption to local communities, traffic and the environment reports Kent Live. Most of the route will be in a tunnel or hidden behind landscaped embankments and mounds, helping it blend into the countryside and green spaces. The use of gantries will reduce steel and concrete to help cut carbon, while maintaining strength and durability, helping build a more sustainable Lower Thames Crossing. The project was given planning permission by the government in March following years of consultation and design development. The images will be showcased at a series of community events across Kent, Essex and Havering starting on Wednesday (June 11). 5
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
OpenAI, UK sign new strategic partnership
(Reuters) -OpenAI and the UK government signed a strategic partnership on Monday, setting out plans to expand AI security research collaborations and explore investing in AI infrastructure like data centres. Connectez-vous pour accéder à votre portefeuille
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
OpenAI, UK sign new strategic partnership
July 21 (Reuters) - OpenAI and the UK government signed a strategic partnership on Monday, setting out plans to expand AI security research collaborations and explore investing in AI infrastructure like data centres.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Foreign aid cuts could lead to millions more dying from superbug infections by 2050, study warns
The growing global health crisis of superbug infections could undo decades of progress in medicine, according to a new report, which warns that foreign aid cuts could lead to millions more dying worldwide by 2050. Without collective global action, growing cases of infections caused by such antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) microbes could cost the global economy nearly $2trillion, the UK government-funded research says. The research forecasts the future impact of AMR on global economies under different scenarios of interventions across regions, income groups, and countries. Bacteria have been evolving resistance to the antibiotics used by doctors to kill them in recent years, causing even what used to be the simplest-to-treat infections to become potentially life-threatening. With scientists locked in a race to create and improve access to a 'new generation' of drugs capable of defeating even the most resistant of such superbugs, global research funding cuts risk stalling progress. If the superbug spread continued at the same trend as seen since 1990 in a 'business-as-usual' scenario, it could lead to nearly 39 million deaths between 2025 and 2050, a growing body of studies suggests. However, if there is improved access to antibiotics against such bacterial infections, it could avert 90 million deaths over this period, the latest report estimates. Better access to antibiotics could lead to a $19bn annual reduction in healthcare costs by 2050, they say. 'This scenario would increase global GDP by $269bn over the business-as-usual scenario. The health benefits from this intervention would be worth half a billion dollars if disability-adjusted life years are valued at the GDP per capita of a given country,' scientists noted. In comparison, the worst-case scenario of an accelerated rise in AMR at the rate of the bottom 15 per cent of countries could lead to an additional 6.7 million people dying from infections, they warn. The report comes following the UK government's Thursday announcement that it was axing the Fleming Fund – a major £265m British programme combating AMR in developing countries. 'Without effective interventions, health care costs could increase by $176bn per year by 2050, and global output could be $1.7trillion lower than in the business-as-usual scenario,' the report noted. Previous research suggests that combating superbugs would require 6 to 15 new drugs developed for treatment per decade. Scientists estimate this could require an annual additional research and development cost of $2.2bn. 'If all high-income countries funded this research and development in proportion to their GDP, it would cost them 0.0036 per cent of GDP in 2025,' they wrote. 'For these new drugs to provide the promised health benefits, people across the world must have access to them. We estimate that it would cost $59bn to ensure that all countries have outcomes for bacterial infections that match the quality of treatment currently available in the 85th percentile of countries,' researchers noted. Considering these economic and health benefits, scientists say there would be 'excellent value for money' offered by these global interventions.
