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Scotland's income tax rates are higher than the UK average, with top earners in Scotland paying significantly more in taxes than their counterparts in London. The ruling Scottish National Party is concerned that reducing annual payments from Westminster could hinder economic growth. However, increasing taxes on high earners could lead to an exodus of wealthy individuals, resulting in a loss of tax revenue and economic impact. Scotland has control over certain areas such as education and health, and residents receive benefits such as free medical prescriptions and no university tuition fees. The issue of tax is a significant concern for financial advisers in Scotland, who recommend various tax mitigation strategies. The potential impact of high taxes on individuals considering a move to Scotland is also a consideration. The Labour Party's proposal to subject private education fees to sales tax could have a significant impact in Edinburgh, where a large proportion of children attend non-state schools. Overall, the focus is on the upcoming budget and its potential implications. [Extracted from the article]

House of Bruar, a luxury retailer located in the geographical center of Scotland, is targeting international tourists, particularly from the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia, to boost sales. With the number of North American tourists to Scotland increasing, the company aims to attract visitors to its high-end Scottish products, including tweeds, cashmere sweaters, and shortbread cookies. Despite rising costs and a decline in Scottish retail, House of Bruar has seen sales growth and attracts about 2 million visitors annually. The company's success is attributed to its dedicated staff and its ability to weather challenges such as recruitment and wage inflation. [Extracted from the article]

A study published in the Lancet medical journal suggests that almost half of dementia cases can be prevented or delayed by addressing health issues such as vision and hearing loss, depression, and controlling cholesterol levels. The report highlights 14 actions that should be encouraged by health officials and doctors to slow the growth of dementia, including wearing head protection in contact sports and managing cholesterol levels. The number of people affected by dementia is expected to triple by 2050, with annual costs exceeding $1 trillion. The study emphasizes the importance of preventive efforts and reducing risk inequalities to make healthy lifestyles achievable for everyone. Additionally, recent studies have shown that certain drugs and vaccines, such as Leqembi, Kisunla, and Shingrix, may slow down the progression of dementia. Addressing collective risk factors, such as physical brain injury and excess alcohol use, could save billions of dollars in health and related costs annually. Implementing clean-air policies and other measures, such as making bicycle helmets compulsory for children and reducing the sugar and salt content of food, could further reduce the risk of dementia. [Extracted from the article]

A study published in the Nature Medicine journal found that GSK Plc's shingles vaccine, Shingrix, was associated with a longer delay in dementia onset compared to Merck & Co.'s Zostavax. People who received Shingrix lived an average of 164 days longer without a dementia diagnosis. The study included data from over 200,000 people in the US who received one of the vaccines over the past decade. The findings suggest that the shingles vaccine may have protective effects against dementia, although further research is needed to understand the mechanism behind this protection. [Extracted from the article]

Airlines worldwide experienced a major disruption due to a global computer outage, resulting in over 1,300 canceled flights and chaos at airports during the busy summer vacation season. United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Spirit Airlines temporarily grounded flights due to communication issues, while European carriers like Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, and Ryanair also faced disruptions. The outage affected network operations centers, booking systems, online check-in services, and even cockpit communications. The full extent of the cost and impact of the meltdown is yet to be determined, but it is expected to have ripple effects for several days. [Extracted from the article]

Airlines worldwide faced significant disruptions due to a global computer outage, resulting in over 1,000 canceled flights and chaos at airports during the busy summer vacation season. Major carriers such as United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Spirit Airlines temporarily grounded flights due to communication issues. The outage affected operations in Europe as well, with airlines like Deutsche Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, and Ryanair experiencing disruptions. While such outages are rare on a global scale, they can take several days to resolve, causing delays and cancellations. [Extracted from the article]

Airlines worldwide faced significant disruptions due to a global computer outage, resulting in grounded flights and chaos at airports during the busy summer vacation season. United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines halted flights due to communication issues, while carriers in Europe, such as Deutsche Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, and Ryanair, also experienced disruptions. The outage affected various services, including booking, check-in, and access to boarding passes, leading to potential long lines at airports. While some airlines quickly resolved the issue, it may take several days for operations to return to normal due to the repositioning of aircraft and crews. [Extracted from the article]

Airlines worldwide experienced significant disruptions due to a global computer outage, resulting in grounded flights and chaos at airports during the busy summer vacation season. United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines grounded flights due to communication issues, while carriers in Europe, such as Deutsche Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, and Ryanair, also faced disruptions. The outage affected various services, including booking, check-in, and access to boarding passes, leading to potential long lines at airports. While such outages are rare, they can take several days to fully recover, as aircraft and crews need to be repositioned and network operations centers go offline. [Extracted from the article]

Pret A Manger, a UK coffee and sandwich chain, has decided to end its coffee subscription program that offered customers free drinks. The subscription, which cost £30 per month, will be replaced with a new offer of five drinks at half price for £10 per month. This change comes as Pret adjusts to shifting work habits due to the pandemic. Some customers had complaints about the subscription, such as its limitations on where it could be used and the removal of certain menu items. The company also announced price reductions on some of its products. [Extracted from the article]

GSK Plc's CEO, Emma Walmsley, has expressed the company's readiness to collaborate with the new Labour government in the UK on research and development to enhance the country's position as an innovation hub. Walmsley also expressed support for Health Secretary Wes Streeting's focus on prioritizing patients and the workforce of the National Health Service. In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Walmsley highlighted the UK's leadership in antimicrobial resistance and GSK's commitment of £45 million ($58 million) to the Fleming Initiative in partnership with Imperial College London. She emphasized the importance of both products and policy in addressing antimicrobial resistance. [Extracted from the article]

The number of children worldwide who have not received any vaccinations against deadly diseases is increasing, making it difficult to achieve global health targets by the end of the decade. The number of "zero-dose" children, who have not been immunized against diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, has risen to 14.5 million, which is almost two million more than before the Covid-19 pandemic. The exception is the Americas region, which is on track to meet its target. Weak health systems, conflict, and instability contribute to low immunization rates, with countries like Yemen, Sudan, and North Korea having the lowest coverage. Africa has the lowest coverage overall but has shown improvement, and low-income countries have made modest progress. [Extracted from the article]

European health authorities have advised patients being treated with diabetes and weight-loss drugs from Novo Nordisk A/S and Eli Lilly & Co. to inform their doctors before undergoing surgery with general anesthesia or deep sedation. The European Medicines Agency's safety committee stated that there is a potential risk of aspiration of stomach contents for patients under anesthesia and taking GLP-1 drugs, although no causal association has been found. The American Society of Anesthesiologists also recommended that patients skip a dose of these drugs before surgery due to the potential risk of food remaining in the stomach and entering the lungs. [Extracted from the article]

Amazon.com Inc. may face an investigation in the UK if it does not improve its treatment of suppliers, according to the country's grocery regulator. A survey conducted by the Groceries Code Adjudicator found that less than half of Amazon's suppliers believe the company consistently complies with the regulator's code of practice. Amazon ranked last out of 14 retailers in terms of compliance, with a score of 47%. The regulator's code requires retailers to pay suppliers on time and provide compensation for forecasting errors. Amazon has stated that it is disappointed with the results and is committed to making improvements. [Extracted from the article]

Amazon.com Inc. may face an investigation by the UK's grocery regulator if it does not improve its treatment of suppliers. According to a survey by the Groceries Code Adjudicator, less than half of Amazon's suppliers believe that the company consistently or mostly complies with the regulator's code of practice. Amazon ranked last out of 14 retailers in terms of compliance, with a score of 47%. The regulator's code requires retailers to pay suppliers on time and provide compensation for forecasting errors. [Extracted from the article]

Inflation in UK stores has fallen close to zero, indicating a decrease in pressure on household budgets. Shop prices were only 0.2% higher in June, down from 0.6% in May, due to heavy discounting of general merchandise items and a decline in food price inflation. Food price inflation is now at its lowest level since December 2021, helped by falling prices for key grocery items. This decrease in inflation is expected to prompt the Bank of England to ease policy, with a potential interest rate cut in August. Despite unseasonal weather, lower inflation has kept volume growth strong for J Sainsbury Plc in the first quarter. [Extracted from the article]

Inflation in UK stores has fallen close to zero, indicating a decrease in pressure on household budgets. Shop prices were only 0.2% higher in June, down from 0.6% in May, with heavy discounting of general merchandise items and a decline in food price inflation contributing to this trend. Food price inflation is now at its lowest level since December 2021, thanks to falling prices for key grocery items. This decrease in inflation aligns with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's statement that the worst of the cost-of-living squeeze is over. The Bank of England is expected to start easing policy in August, with a high chance of interest rate cuts. [Extracted from the article]