The country launched a probe in March 2021 into WhatsApp's privacy policy, which allowed data sharing with Facebook and its units, sparking global backlash
world3 days ago
The UK government has apologised and settled a legal claim over the death of a nine-year-old girl from an asthma attack which a coroner partly blamed on air pollution, lawyers said o Thursday.
Three government departments settled the claim, brought by Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah's estate, for "an undisclosed sum" ahead of a High Court trial, the law firm representing the family revealed.
The legal action argued the young girl's right to life under the Human Rights Act had been breached.
"Ella's suffering and death were a tragedy," ministers from the departments wrote in a letter to her mother Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah.
"We again take this opportunity to say we are truly sorry for your loss," they added. "To lose a loved one at such a young age is an immeasurable loss."
The ministers said in the letter that Britain's new Labour government, elected in July, was committed to tackling air pollution with "a comprehensive and ambitious" strategy.
"We are also conducting a comprehensive review of how we communicate air quality information to ensure members of the public and vulnerable people have the information they need to protect themselves," it added.
Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, from southeast London, died of acute respiratory failure in February 2013 following a serious asthma attack, after being exposed to poor air quality for much of her life.
She lived in southeast London just 30 metres from a major ring road in the British capital which is often clogged with heavy traffic.
She had been taken to hospital nearly 30 times with breathing difficulties in the years prior.
In a legal first, coroner Philip Barlow ruled in December 2020 that pollution from vehicle emissions made a "material contribution" to her death.
His report urged the UK to introduce legally-binding air pollution targets based on World Health Organisation guidelines, which has now happened.
Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah and Ella's siblings met on Thursday with a junior environment minister, Emma Hardy, as part of the settlement.
"I have told Ms Hardy today that so much more needs to be urgently done to improve our air quality," Rosamund said in a statement.
She added that she was "ready to assist" with "what has become a public health crisis".
The country launched a probe in March 2021 into WhatsApp's privacy policy, which allowed data sharing with Facebook and its units, sparking global backlash
world3 days ago
This time around, Trump wants the Senate to give up that gatekeeping role and allow him to make 'recess appointments'
world3 days ago
Police allege the offences took place between 2001 and 2019 against 8 victims; the youngest was 17 at the time of the offence
world3 days ago
The two countries have a mutual defence treaty dating back to 1951, which could be invoked if either side came under attack, including in the South China Sea
world3 days ago
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger on Narendra Modi in Abuja on Sunday
world4 days ago
The titleholder's winning answer focused on using each individual's strengths
world4 days ago
The suspects would be interrogated jointly with the Shin Bet internal security agency, police said
world4 days ago
The attack took place at the Wuxi Vocational Institute of Arts and Technology in Jiangsu province
world5 days ago