Official failings and cover-ups over decades have been exposed in a damning verdict of the UK’s infected blood scandal, which led to the deaths of more than 3,000 people. It has been revealed that over 30,000 haemophilia patients or transfusion recipients were infected with HIV and hepatitis C over more than two decades. Campaigners fought for decades to bring official failings to light and secure government compensation for the worst treatment disaster of the NHS. The government will respond officially to the inquiry, chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff, later this week as the Treasury prepares a payouts package expected to exceed £10 billion.
Meanwhile, environment inspectors are calling on the public to report sightings of Asian hornets following warnings of a surge in the super-size invasive species this summer. Defra is also urging beekeepers to be extra vigilant in detecting the insects’ presence after record sightings last year.
In other news, Ed Dwight, an Air Force pilot when President John F. Kennedy championed him as a candidate for Nasa’s early astronaut corps, underwent a few minutes of weightlessness with five other passengers aboard the Blue Origin capsule as it skimmed space on a 10-minute flight, making him the oldest human in space at age 90.
Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder of the dating app Bumble, has announced that singletons could soon use an “AI dating concierge” to help improve the quality of their matches. Additionally, there is new hope for breast cancer treatment and plans for an Odyssey commemorating Shackleton’s historic journey are underway. Lastly, wild ice cream flavors are set to tantalize taste buds across the globe.
