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Harry Brant, son of top model Stephanie Seymour, dies at 24

Woman jailed for 43 years for ‘insulting’ Thailand’s royal family

A 65-year-old Thai woman has been handed a ‘shocking’ 43-year jail term, a sentence which Amnesty International claims is the longest ever handed out in the southeast Asian country for criticising the monarchy. Former civil servant, Anchan Preelert, was sentenced to 87 years in jail but her sentence was reduced to half after she pleaded guilty to 29 separate violations. Her total sentence was 43 years and six months. She was convicted for...

European countries struggle to make most of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses

European countries struggle to make most of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses

Women groomed into prostitution as teenagers launch High Court legal fight over criminal records

Women who were coerced into prostitution as teenagers are to challenge their criminal records being held on file until they are aged 100 in a High Court legal fight. The women bringing the challenge against both police chiefs and the government were groomed into prostitution and have a slew of criminal convictions for soliciting and loitering. Records on the Police National Computer can be accessed by a broad variety of public bodies and some...

Trump’s last day as president is being hilariously celebrated with two words

Many people around the world are celebrating President Donald Trump's departure from the White House. Some on social media have chosen to do so by sharing two words in particular: Bye Felicia. The popular phrase originated from the 1995 movie “Friday”, when it was uttered by a character played by rapper Ice Cube. It has since become a go-to line for dismissing people and telling someone to get out of your face. Trump is the only president to be...

BBC hit with more than 100 complaints after Mrs Brown's Boys dropped from schedule

The BBC has told that complaints flooded in after a late-running football match forced a schedule re-work, resulting in a Mrs Brown's Boys episode being dropped

A picture and its Story - Protests, rallies and two impeachments: Trump's presidency in photographs

A picture and its Story - Protests, rallies and two impeachments: Trump's presidency in photographs

A turbulent chapter: Looking back on Donald Trump’s presidential term

Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday marks the start of a new era for the United States and the end of Donald Trump’s presidency after four tumultuous years. Mr Trump’s presidential term has been characterised by chaos and political turbulence. This reached its nadir on January 6, when a violent mob of Trump supporters and extremists stormed the US Capitol as members of congress gathered to certify Mr Biden’s election victory. A week later Mr...

Forget Brexit and Boris – Britain is the envy of Europe thanks to the NHS

Britain now has the worst Covid death rate in the world, due in large part to Boris Johnson’s fatal refusal to make decisions in time, from the late lockdown in March last year to the delayed announcement of Covid PCR tests on arrivals into the UK – the norm in most of Europe since early summer. The provision of PPE has given rise to widespread accusations of Tory chumocracy pocket lining, with exposés in The New York Times and Le Monde...

Storm Christoph declared as major incident in parts of the UK

The country faces a “timeline of different hazards” this week as Storm Christoph moves in, a Met Office weather forecaster has said. It comes as the Environment Agency has issued 15 flood warnings and 117 less serious flood alerts across England. The unsettled conditions could also bring the risks of wind and snowfall as the storm engulfs the country.

Covid vaccine supply issues to blame for weekend drop in jabs, insists Number 10

A snag in the supply of Covid-19 jabs is behind the drop in the number of first doses administered on Sunday, Downing Street has said. No10 stressed the Government was not stockpiling vaccines and they were being rushed out to hospitals, GP hubs and mass vaccination centres as quickly as possible. Asked whether fewer staff, fewer appointments or less supply was behind first dose vaccinations falling from 324,233 on Friday to 225,407 on Sunday,...

Boris Johnson woos Joe Biden with plans to be ‘problem-solving partner’ on environment and health

Boris Johnson today put the environment at the heart of a new strategy to reset Britain’s global role for the era of Joe Biden and Brexit. He told Cabinet ministers that Global Britain will be a “pragmatic and problem-solving partner” on the world stage. And he spelled out that his priorities were to take leading roles on issues like health, climate change and and nature. The Prime Minister led a special discussion at Cabinet on how the UK can...

Alexei Navalny is appealing to the people, over the heads of Russia's crooked system

Less than 24 hours after returning to Russia, Alexei Navalny – the most internationally recognisable political opponent of Vladimir Putin – was jailed for 30 days following a brief court hearing held inside a police station in a suburb of Moscow. Navalny, having survived a nearly lethal poisoning by the Soviet-era nerve agent novichok in August, now faces a possible three-and-a-half year prison sentence. The official explanation of his arrest...

Bullies send cruel messages to boy every morning before his online lessons

Cassie Woods fears that when her son Breadon Davis returns to school, that the bullying will not only continue, but will get worse after she saw the threatening messages he was receiving

iPhone feature excites Good Morning Britain presenters

iPhone feature excites Good Morning Britain presenters

Holly Willoughby reveals unique solution to son Chester's nightmares - a crystal

Mother-of-three Holly has placed a piece of green fluorite beside six-year-old Chester has a quiet night, she told This Morning viewers on Tuesday

UK fishermen protest against post-Brexit rules delaying exports to EU

Angry businessmen in London are claiming Brexit is killing the shellfish industry, as lorries descended on Westminster to protest against the export problems they are now facing. Exports of fresh fish and seafood have been severely disrupted by new border controls since the UK’s official depart from the European Union and the end of the Brexit transitional period. Fishermen are claiming the UK government is at fault, as FRANCE 24’s Philip Turle explains.

Trump news – live: President ‘desperate’ for goodbye event numbers boost as he wakes up to last day in office

President Donald Trump is ‘desperate’ to pull in more numbers for his farewell event, CNN’s White House correspondent has reported, as he faces his final full day in the White House. Trump will host the goodbye ceremony just hours before President-elect Biden’s inauguration and is reportedly looking for a boost in numbers after a low level of confirmed attendees. One of Trump’s final acts in the Oval Office has been to lift Covid travel...

Brexit news – live: UK’s biggest fish market left ‘like ghost town’, as Eurostar under threat

Boris Johnson’s government has been warned that meat worth hundreds of thousands of pounds is going to waste at EU ports, as British exporters continue to get caught up in post-Brexit red tape problems. It comes as photos emerged showing UK’s largest fish market in Peterhead largely deserted, as the industry struggles with an export slump caused by customs delays. “What a sad sight – like a ghost town,” said the Scotland Food and Drink group....

Analysis: Saudi overtures to wary Biden team driven by worries over Iran, economy

Analysis: Saudi overtures to wary Biden team driven by worries over Iran, economy

‘I still have no sense of smell’: Peter and Emily Andre speak about their coronavirus battle

Peter and Emily Andre have spoken about their experience of having coronavirus and warned that the virus's symptoms aren't always "textbook". In an appearance on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, the couple spoke about how the virus has affected them and described their symptoms to viewers. Andre, 47, admitted that he was "absolutely convinced" he didn't have Covid-19 when he first contracted the virus. He said: "It’s quite unbelievable because...

New York Mets fire general manager Jared Porter after he sent explicit text messages to female reporter

The New York Mets have fired general manager Jared Porter after it emerged he sent explicit text messages to a female reporter. Porter, hired this offseason by the New York franchise, admitted to sending a string of messages to the unnamed woman while a member of the Chicago Cubs in 2016. And now owner Steven Cohen has confirmed he has relieved Porter of his duties citing "zero tolerance for this type of behaviour". "We have terminated Jared...

'Eye watering': top police officer laments rate of stop and search on young black men

There is “widespread dissatisfaction” with the police among black communities with it being clear young black men are being disproportionately stopped and searched at an “eye-watering” rate, a former senior police chief has said. Mike Cunningham, who retired last month as chief executive of the College of Policing which sets standards for law enforcement, said stop and search was the “totemic” issue and called for “humility” from police leaders...

What time is Nicola Sturgeon’s announcement today? How to watch Scotland lockdown review update live

The First Minister will lay out any changes to the national lockdown restrictions currently in place, and is expected to shed more light on when schools could reopen

Stevie Wonder calls on Biden to launch commission on inequality

Legendary musician Stevie Wonder called on incoming President Joe Biden to investigate inequality in America by launching a commission.

Government may take regional approach when reopening schools, medical chief says

The deputy chief medical officer told MPs that ‘some glimmers of hope’ are becoming apparent in London.

Researchers warn of another Covid spike if people mix after vaccine

Vaccinated people mistakenly believe they are “good to go” and socialise with other people despite a continuing threat of the coronavirus, the head of the government’s behavioural unit said on Tuesday. Prof David Halpern, the chair of the Behavioural Insights Team, said surveys showed that those who had received a jab were preparing to meet family and friends, which could result in another spike of the virus. “We definitely do worry that people...

Who is Joe Manchin, the Senator in the centre of the tight Democratic legislative majority?

Following Joe Biden’s inauguration, the Democrats will have control of the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives, but the extremely delicate majority in the Senate means even one single Democratic senator could potentially count if sides decide to follow party lines. The tight margin has thrown one particular Senator in the spotlight: West Virginia’s Joe Manchin, known as the most conservative Democrat in the Upper chamber.

Publication of Meghan’s letter ‘serious invasion’ of privacy, court told

The publication of an “intrinsically private, personal and sensitive” letter sent by the Duchess of Sussex to her estranged father was a “plain and serious invasion” of privacy, her lawyers have told the High Court. Meghan, 39, is suing the publisher of The Mail On Sunday and MailOnline over a series of articles which reproduced parts of the handwritten letter sent to 76-year-old Thomas Markle in August 2018. She is seeking damages for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act over five articles, published in February 2019, which included extracts from the “private and confidential” letter to her father.

Most non-food pubs in England still awaiting £1,000 Covid grants

Nearly three-quarters of the pubs promised a £1,000 grant by the prime minister to help them survive the loss of Christmas sales in England are still waiting for the money, the industry trade body has warned. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said it was “scandalous” that many of its members were still awaiting cash promised in December, warning that much of the industry was on the verge of financial ruin. The grants, which local...

Biden inauguration news - live: Security scare over QAnon National Guard chatter as Field of Flags unveiled

As preparations continue for Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, concern reigns in Washington, DC, over rumours that QAnon believers plan to disguise themselves as National Guardsmen to infiltrate the event in the hope of promoting further unrest like that seen in the Capitol riot of 6 January. Meanwhile, a spectacular, 200,000-strong “Field of Flags” has been unveiled on the National Mall honouring Americans who cannot attend the...

More pupils in English schools last week than during first lockdown, data says

Figures suggest 21% of primary school pupils and 5% of secondary school students attended classrooms.

Actors scramble to apologise amid backlash against Amazon show for ‘insulting Hindu deities’

The stars and makers of a new Amazon Prime TV series in India have had to issue an “unconditional” apology after politicians called for the show to be banned following an uproar over alleged insults to Hindu gods. The apology came after a criminal case was registered against the makers of the series “Tandav” in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh for “hurting religious sentiments”, and India’s central ministry of information and broadcasting has...

Boris Johnson 'does not have a nap' during the day, Downing Street says

Boris Johnson does not take naps during the day and claims that the prime minister likes an afternoon snooze are "untrue", Number 10 has said.

Russia brushes off calls to release opposition leader Alexei Navalny

Mr Navalny was arrested after returning from Germany following treatment for nerve agent poisoning.

Lawyer for Donald Trump’s niece planning to depose outgoing president in three cases

An attorney for Donald Trump’s niece will bring three cases against the outgoing president, who is due to leave the White House on Wednesday. The cases will allege defamation and fraud against him on behalf of his niece, Mary Trump, author E. Jean Carroll, and ACN, a marketing company. Roberta Kaplan, the 54-year-old attorney, told the Washington Post that she had become “the go-to person to sue the president”. The three cases are among a number...

BT removes mobile data charges for Oak National Academy as internet companies forced to help with schooling during lockdown

BT will remove mobile data charges for an online learning hub as internet companies are forced to work to stop unequal access to the internet. It is just the latest measure intended to ease problems associated with coronavirus lockdowns, schools shutting and education moving largely to the internet. Internet companies are traditionally discouraged from offering preferential treatment to certain websites, under the principle of net neutrality....

Hitman 3, review: Less goofy than before, but still murderously satisfying

In the world of stealth games, the Hitman franchise has always been a bit of a black sheep. Far from the self-serious military cool of Splinter Cell or Metal Gear Solid, Hitman is basically a Looney Toon. In it, you play as the hairless master of disguise known as “Agent 47”, as he strangles, poisons, stabs, crushes, electrocutes and otherwise does away with a succession of high-profile targets, across a range of goofy and inventive scenarios....

UK coronavirus LIVE: Covid vaccine ‘could jeopardise lockdown gains’ as cases plunge in east London

Britons should not rely on coronavirus vaccines “coming to our rescue”, health leaders have warned, as it remains “absolutely critical” that lockdown rules continue to be observed. NHS England’s medical director Stephen Powis told Monday’s Downing Street press briefing that it will be “some time" before the vaccine roll-out has an impact on the pressure facing hospitals, adding: "We all have a role to play in reducing the risk of transmission.”...

Boy, 13, charged with murder after west London shooting

A 13-year-old boy has been charged with murder following a shooting in west London last year.

Footage emerges of Black man shot to death by police officer called to perform mental health check

Footage has emerged of the moment a Black man was shot dead by a police officer called to help him deal with a mental health crisis. Patrick Warren, 52, was killed on the lawn outside his house in Killeen, Texas on 10 January. Video recorded by his home security system appears to show officer Reynaldo Contreras approaching the house and speaking to someone before walking away. Warren then exits his home, unarmed, waving his hands in the air. His...

Ministers rule out rethink to rescue visa-free tours by musicians, insisting ‘control of borders’ must come first

Ministers have rejected calls for a rethink to rescue visa-free tours by musicians of the EU – insisting “taking back control” of borders must come first. Answering an urgent question in the Commons, Caroline Dinenage insisted talks would resume only if Brussels “changes its mind” about how to resolve the stalemate The culture minister admitted – as The Independent revealed – that the EU’s proposal was thrown out because of a fear it clashed...

Trump's Cuban-American supporters reflect on his legacy

As President Donald Trump's term in office comes to a close this week, some of his staunch supporters in Miami, Florida, home to a large population of Cuban-American voters, have been reflecting on his legacy.

Star Spangled Banner lyrics: Words and history of US national anthem, being sung by Lady Gaga at inauguration

The Star Spangled Banner is also a nickname for the US flag which is also referred to as the Stars and Stripes and Old Glory

Raab hints at UK refuge for backers of detained Kremlin critic Navalny

The Foreign Secretary confirmed he has held detailed discussions with Home Secretary Priti Patel about the UK’s response.

Labour calls for Gavin Williamson to resign after ‘failing children throughout pandemic’

Labour has called for Gavin Williamson to resign as education secretary, after accusing him of “failing children throughout the pandemic”. Speaking in parliament, Labour’s Wes Streeting slammed the government for “having to be dragged to do the right thing” over free school meals in the past and last year’s exam results controversy – which initially saw tens of thousands of grades initially downgraded by an algorithm before a government U-turn....

Ferrari motorway crash blamed on Storm Christoph

The vehicle smashed through a barrier on the M621 near Leeds.

GitHub offers to re-hire staff member it fired for calling Capitol attackers Nazis

The Microsoft-owned software hub GitHub has offered a Jewish employee who compared the Capitol Hill rioters to Nazis their job back, after initially firing them for the offense. The employee had used an internal Slack chat room to tell collagues in the Washington DC area to “stay safe homies, Nazis are about,” Business Insider first reported. A co-worker criticised the employee for their language, leading to a debate about the use of the term....

Plotting the future: the ‘seed guardians’ bringing variety to UK gardens

It’s a fine, crisp day and the first frost of the season, a significant occasion for any gardener and one that has not gone unnoticed by the seed guardians of the Stroud Community Seed Bank. Beth Richardson, a 27-year-old student midwife and coordinator at the seed bank, meets me by a big compost heap that steams on contact with the icy cold air. The heap, a valuable group resource, belongs to the allotment where Beth grows her crops. In...

Inauguration Day: Full timeline and where to watch Joe Biden's entry to the White House

Joe Biden’s inauguration will take place tomorrow 20 January, making him the 46th President of the United States. The Democrat The post Inauguration Day: Full timeline and where to watch Joe Biden's entry to the White House appeared first on CityAM.