Electric air taxis are on the way – quiet eVTOLs may be flying passengers as early as 2025 
Google Axes 200 ‘Core’ Workers, Transfers Jobs to India and Mexico Amid Restructuring 
Dongfeng Unveils High-Power Tesla Cybertruck Rival, Eyes Production in Italy 
South Korea Pledges 5-Year Boost in Console Gaming Market Share 
Toyota to Accelerate Advancement of Fuel Cell Technology, Establishes Hydrogen Headquarters 
Walmart Is Shutting Its Health Centers, to Discontinue Virtual Healthcare Services 
Mercedes-Benz Financial Appoints Korean Unit’s CEO 
High interest rates aren’t going away anytime soon – a business economist explains why 
KFC Shutters Over 100 Restaurants in Malaysia Over Tough Economic Conditions, Boycotts 
Nike SB, Converse Roll Out 2024 US and Japan Kits, Skateboarding Shoes 
Telegraph Newspaper Back on the Market After UAE-Backed Consortium Withdraws Takeover Bid 
Elon Musk Fires EV Supercharger Staff, Explains Reason for the Team’s Disbandment 
Comcast Drops Bally Sports Channels, Stops Broadcast of MLB Team Games 
Jordan Brand Wings Unveils Air Jordan I Mid Subway, Celebrating NYC's MTA Crews 
Virginia Town of Marion Seeks Official Recognition as Birthplace of Mountain Dew 
The UK has become the world’s fourth largest exporter, but can it maintain this momentum? 
Rishi Sunak wants to cut the cost of ‘sicknote’ Britain 
Medicago Inc. has been developing a plant-based vaccine for COVID-19, and for this project, it has teamed up with some companies, including Philip Morris. The World Health Organization recently rejected its vaccine and with this, the Canadian biotechnology company decided to sever ties with the cigarette maker.
According to Bloomberg, Medicago submitted a request for the emergency-use listing of its plant-based COVID-19 vaccine but WHO did not grant its approval earlier this year. It was reported that the reason for the rejection was the biotech firm’s links with the tobacco industry.
Medicago made Covifenz which was dubbed as the first plant-based COVID vaccine in the world. It was jointly developed by Medicago and GlaxoSmithKline but the Canadian government contributed to the funding of its development by providing $173 million. The Canadian biotech firm is also 25% owned by Philip Morris.
However, despite the successful tests and approval from Health Canada, WHO gave the opposite decision; thus, it cannot be shipped anywhere else. This outcome pushed Medicago to drop Philip Morris from the COVID-19 vaccine collaboration.
The company’s move to eject the cigarette maker from the project was highly praised by civil society, and proceeded to plead with all governments to avoid working with tobacco companies in the future.
"Tobacco corporations, vaccines and governments do not mix well and we applaud the expulsion of Philip Morris from the Medicago collaboration," executive director of the non-profit organization Action on Smoking & Health (ASH) Canada, Les Hagen, said in a press release. "Tobacco industry products are responsible for over eight million deaths annually worldwide and tobacco corporations are desperately trying to whitewash their terrible public image by investing in the health sector.”
Hagen added that they are pleased that Canadian governments have decided to not get involved with a company in the tobacco business any longer. He also described the initial partnership as an “unethical and embarrassing collaboration with a tobacco giant."
Corporate Accountability's tobacco campaign director, Daniel Dorado, added, "Now that Philip Morris has been ejected from this collaboration, we urge Canadian governments to fully comply with the treaty by closing the barn door on any future tobacco industry partnerships."
