Here’s your Risk Digest for the Week Ending 7th April 2017
Information Security
Answerphone hackers rack up £5,000 in calls – all charged to us
Blog: I work for a small charity in Benwell, Newcastle, where we have been the victim of phone system hacking that has resulted in a bill of almost £5,000 over a four-day period.
Bookmakers installing software without customer’s permission
The Information Commissioner’s Office is investigating whether online bookies are breaking the law. It has found in favour of two punters who complained about software being downloaded on to their computers without their permission.
Health & Safety
The nurseries in England next to roads breaking legal pollution limits
More than 1,000 nurseries in England are within 150m (164 yards) of roads that break legal limits for air pollution.
Online prescriptions risking patient harm from 17 second assessments
Online pharmacies are putting patients at risk by doling out drugs after assessments lasting just 17 seconds, watchdogs have warned.
Environment
Fears for Arctic after warmest winter on record
The Tempelfjord is around 1,000 km from the north pole, a sliver of water bounded by mountain ranges that jut out from the western edge of Svalbard like jagged fingers.
Diesel drivers facing toxin tax will not be punished, Theresa May suggests
The PM promises help as millions of drivers previously encouraged to buy diesel to help the environment now face pollution taxes.
Energy
The end of coal: EU energy companies pledge no new plants from 2020
Companies from every EU nation except Poland and Greece sign up to initiative in bid to meet Paris pledges and limit effects of climate change.
Labor to drop renewable energy target in favour of emissions scheme
RET will come to a natural end as emissions intensity scheme can reach goal of 50% renewable energy by 2030, says Andrew Leigh.
Quality
Police investigate ‘human waste found in coke cans’
Police have launched an investigation after a number of cans delivered to a Coca Cola factory allegedly contained human waste.
Purchases of “Free From” products continues to rise.
More than half of us bought a “free from” product during the last three months, according to Kantar Worldpanel. Younger people are leading a trend towards buying products without dairy and gluten in particular.
Wellbeing
Study reveals Orkney Islands best rural place to live in UK
People living in the Orkney Islands area of Scotland enjoy the best quality of life of any rural area in Britain, according to a survey.
It’s a sad state of affairs when most of us expect healthy foods to cost a great deal more than their less-healthy alternatives: a recent study from Ohio State University found that the healthier a food is perceived to be, the more people are prepared to pay for it.
Tech
Facebook to tackle fake news with educational campaign
Facebook is launching an educational tool as part of measures it is taking to counter fake news.
Facial recognition limits toilet paper use at Chinese public loos
The amount of toilet paper people can use at public facilities in China’s capital is being limited with the introduction of facial recognition technology.
Finance
Firms to reveal gender wages in bid to bring down 18% pay gap
Thousands of employers will be forced to publish gender wage figures for the first time in a bid to target Britain’s pay gap between men and women, which currently stands at 18.1%.
Taxpayer stake in Lloyds Banking Group falls below 2%
The taxpayer’s stake in Lloyds banking group has been cut to below 2% as the Government continues to sell its shareholding to the lender.
Brexit
Fears ‘NHS could suffer shortage of nurses’ after Brexit
There are fears the NHS could suffer a shortage of nurses after Brexit, according to a report by the Health Service Journal (HSJ).
Dark blue British passport could return after Brexit in £490m revamp
The UK could ditch the EU burgundy passport cover in favour of the old dark blue design in a post-Brexit £490 million revamp.
The Lighter Side
Letter in bottle survives 20 year and 216 mile trip to Holland
A letter in a bottle, cast into the sea 20 years ago, has washed up on an island after an incredible 216 mile journey.
Baby born with so much hair people think she’s wearing a wig
Meet the baby girl who has so much hair that she needs a blow-dry every day. Millie Mitchel stunned doctors when she was born five weeks prematurely with thick, dark tresses.
Disclaimer
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We have no affiliation with third party websites and they do not represent us or our views.
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