News

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...

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

Will construction close in Scotland? Latest Covid lockdown news amid fears of rule changes for building sites

Nicola Sturgeon is considering shutting down constructions as Scotland tightens its lockdown measures

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...

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...

Solicitor who stole £136,000 from elderly client with dementia jailed

A woman who stole more than £136,000 from a dementia patient to spend on a lavish wedding has been jailed. Solicitor Sarah Aikenhead, 37, abused her position at her own law firm to take money from the bank account of Pamela Sread, an elderly client who lived in a care home. Mum-of-one Aikenhead then spent the cash on holidays, designer shopping, her wedding, and gave £30,000 to her brother, Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court heard....

First lockdown, then Storm Filomena: Why Spanish families are struggling to maintain work-life balance

After enduring strict coronavirus restrictions, parents in the Madrid region are once again having to juggle childcare duties with teleworking with schools closed due to the record-breaking snowfall

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...

Schools In Some Areas 'Likely' To Reopen Before Others, Says Deputy Chief Medical Officer

Schools are unlikely to reopen all at once when the national lockdown ends, the deputy chief medical officer has said. Jenny Harries said on Tuesday it was “likely” there would be “regional separation”, with schools in some places opening before others. Boris Johnson has said he would like schools back after the February half-term, but cautioned it would depend on the course of the coronavirus pandemic. The prime minister added they would be the...

US chief justice to swear in another president who opposed him

Joe Biden and Barack Obama voted against John Roberts’ confirmation to the US Supreme Court and Donald Trump has been highly critical of him.

'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...

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...

Brexit news – live: Chaos spreads to meat industry as government blames empty shelves on Covid

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. The British Meat Processors Association said new customs systems remain “convoluted” and “badly implemented”. It comes as Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis claimed that empty shelves in Northern Ireland were due to coronavirus “challenges”...

iPhone feature excites Good Morning Britain presenters

iPhone feature excites Good Morning Britain presenters

Best UK streaming services 2021: Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, BritBox and more

Best UK streaming services 2021: Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, BritBox and more

Covid vaccine supply issues to blame for weekend drop in jabs, insister 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,...

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...

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.

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....

‘Mistaken’ to think Boris Johnson wanted a second term for Donald Trump, says former civil service chief

Boris Johnson will be pleased that Donald Trump has not been re-elected for a second term as president, the former head of the civil service has said. Mark Sedwill, who was forced out as cabinet secretary by Johnson last year but received the consolation of a peerage and a £250,000 payoff, said it was “mistaken” to believe the prime minister had been hoping for a Trump victory over Joe Biden Writing in the Daily Mail on Mr Trump’s final full day...

Tech & Science Daily: ‘Strong signal’ of space radio waves offer clues to universe’s backbone

Researchers at NANOGrav - that’s the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves - say they have found a “strong signal” linked to the background caused by supermassive black hole mergers across the cosmos. In the final days of The Donald’s days in power The Trump administration has issued a policy memo that shines a light on our reliance on the radio navigation Global Positioning System. The American president is also ordering...

When is the Scotland lockdown review? What time to watch Nicola Sturgeon’s Covid rules announcement today

The First Minister has said it is not yet clear if the lockdown could yet be lifted in Scotland and schools reopened

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...

COVID situation in UK is serious despite falling infections, PM tells ministers

COVID situation in UK is serious despite falling infections, PM tells ministers

Hong Kong pro-democracy activists are escaping to the UK – but even here they can’t evade China’s spies

The UK expects that up to 500,000 people from Hong Kong could move to the UK in one year to avoid a security crackdown. Douglas Whitbread speaks to some of those who have arrived about settling in and enduring pro-Beijing harassment

Meghan lawyers ask judge to rule against Mail on Sunday without trial

A judge should rule in favour of the Duchess of Sussex without the need for a trial in her privacy case against the Mail on Sunday over publication of her letter to her estranged father because the newspaper had no real prospect of success, her lawyers told the high court. Meghan 39, is suing publishers Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) after its newspaper and website Mail Online printed extracts from her handwritten letter to Thomas Markle, 76,...

'Tension' in government over go-ahead for new UK coal mine

Britain’s business minister has admitted there are “tensions” between a government decision to wave through a new coal mine in Cumbria and Downing Street’s commitment to reducing Britain’s emissions. Kwasi Kwarteng told the Business, Energy, and Industrial Select Committee there had been a debate in cabinet about whether to challenge the new deep coal mine project, the first of its kind to be opened in Britain in 30 years. READ MORE: BlackRock...

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....

Still unclear whether schools will re-open next month, top government medical adviser warns

It is still unclear whether schools will be able to reopen after half term because of uncertainties around the transmission of Covid-19, one of the government's top medical advisers has warned. Dr Jenny Harries, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, said it was likely that schools would welcome pupils at different times in different parts of the country because of uneven progress in bringing down infections. "It is highly likely that...

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...

Trump will commute and pardon up to 100 people on Tuesday

Donald Trump would reportedly commute and pardon up to 100 people on Tuesday a day before he was set to leave office.

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...

Russia brushes off calls to release opposition leader Alexei Navalny

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

How Joe Biden has incorporated his late son Beau into his inauguration

US President-elect Joe Biden’s late son Beau Biden will be incorporated into his inauguration ceremony on Wednesday 20 January. Beau, who served as the attorney general of Delaware from 2007 until 2015, died from brain cancer on 30 May 2015 at just 46 years of age. His funeral was attended by then US President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell. At the funeral, Beau was awarded the Legion of...

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.

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...

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.

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

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.

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.

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...

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

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....

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.

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.

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

‘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...

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

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.”...