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EasyJet to refund holidays booked until last week of March

Customers with a booking up to and including March 24 can change their booking or opt for a full refund, the firm has said.

Joe Biden should pardon Donald Trump, it would help heal the nation

Surely, the inauguration of the new president isn’t the moment for gloating and revenge? In 1974, President Gerald Ford pardoned his predecessor Richard Nixon, a move much derided at the time but in hindsight an action of wisdom and courage, which spared America the consequences of a lengthy impeachment and trial. If Joe Biden did the same it would be a quantum leap in the healing of the nation. One cannot pardon the innocent, so Trump’s guilt...

Here’s What The UK Coronavirus 'R Rate' Is Near You

The reproduction number, or R rate, of coronavirus transmission across the UK is between 1.2 and 1.3 according to the latest government figures. R measures the number of people, on average, that each sick person will infect. If R is greater than 1, the epidemic is generally seen to be growing – if R is less than 1 the epidemic is shrinking. Regional R rates across England, as estimated by the government science office East of England 1.0 – 1.3...

Amazon.com and 'Big Five' publishers accused of ebook price-fixing

Amazon.com and the “Big Five” publishers – Penguin Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan and Simon & Schuster – have been accused of colluding to fix ebook prices, in a class action filed by the law firm that successfully sued Apple and the Big Five on the same charge 10 years ago. The lawsuit, filed in district court in New York on Thursday by Seattle firm Hagens Berman, on behalf of consumers in several US states, names the retail...

Covid crisis prompts financial fears for those organising funerals

A third of people organising a funeral in the UK because of Covid-19 found meeting the costs caused them financial worries, according to the insurer SunLife. The pandemic also contributed to a fivefold surge in no-frills direct cremations, where there is no funeral service and no family or friends present, the annual report on the cost of dying found. This type of simple, low-cost funeral is typically cheaper than ever, the report says, costing...

No.10 Refuses To Rule Out Post-Brexit Changes To 48-Hour Work Week

No 10 has refused to rule out changes to the 48-hour working week amid reports that it could be scrapped.

It's time to recognise the benefits of female Black leaders beyond race

Kamala Harris' history-making appointment marks a turning point in how we value Black women

Shetland pony spotted pulling passengers in bin enjoying life in new home

The small piebald pony was seen by police pulling two men in a makeshift trap in Middlewich, Cheshire.

Covid vaccine misinformation targeting South Asian communities debunked

Germany is going through 'the hardest phases of the pandemic'

Germany Health Minister Jens Spanh said in Parliament the country was living through one of the hardest phases of the coronavirus pandemic, as their number of infections and deaths are still too high. More than 750,000 people have been vaccinated.

UK coronavirus LIVE: 30% of Londoners ‘have already had Covid’ as capital ‘passes peak’

London has passed the peak of the second coronavirus wave, new figures suggest, but the capital is far from being out of the woods. Covid-19 cases dropped in 22 boroughs, according to the latest weekly figures, while researchers at Cambridge University estimate that up to 36 per cent of Londoners may already have had the virus. However, the city’s public health chief Professor Kevin Fenton warned that case rates “remain extremely high” and “we...

Grime artist Solo 45 has sentence for repeatedly raping four women increased

His sentence was referred to the court by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) under the unduly lenient sentencing scheme.

Virologist says Brazilian COVID variant detected in UK is not the one 'of concern'

Ban on travellers entering UK from across South America, Central American state of Panama and Portugal came into force at 4am today.

Will construction close in lockdown? Why there are fears of tougher Covid rules for building sites

Scientific advisers have warned Boris Johnson that the current rules do not go far enough, and more needs to be done to stem the rapid spread of Covid-19

Andy Murray "highly unlikely" to make Australian Open following positive Covid test

The two-time Wimbledon champion had looked set for a return to Melbourne Park but this is now in huge doubt

Large parts of England and Scotland placed under new weather warnings amid heavy snow

Two yellow weather warning has been issued for large swathes of England and Scotland with heavy snow forecast this weekend. Up to 20cm is predicted to settle in northern higher regions but even London could be hit by 5cm, the Met Office warned. Travel delays and power cuts were a possibility, it added as part of the twin alerts on Friday morning. In the first one - which will come into effect at midnight - forecasters warned of snow and ice...

Sentence increased for dissident republican convicted of police murder bid

Belfast woman Christine Connor lost an appeal against convictions over pipe bomb attacks in May 2013.

Coronavirus news - R rate ‘drops to 0.6’ in parts of England and travel ban takes hold to halt Brazil variant

France is banning the use of rapid Covid-19 tests for non-EU travellers, prompting fears there will be a return to the chaos seen at the borders before Christmas. Travellers will require a negative PCR test less than 72 hours old to enter France, the same system the UK is introducing from Monday. Transport secretary Grant Shapps said he believed there would be an exemption for lorry drivers to continue receiving the 30-minute tests - which are...

Parts of black box recorder recovered near site of Indonesia plane crash

Divers are still looking for the memory unit.

Trump ‘not expected’ at Scottish golf course after leaving White House

Donald Trump is not expected to visit Scotland ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony next Wednesday. There had been speculation that the outgoing US president would travel to his Turnberry golf resort in South Ayrshire after leaving the White House to avoid witnessing his rival take office. Prestwick Airport was told to prepare for the arrival of a US military Boeing 757 aircraft previously used by Mr Trump on 19 January, according to...

Friday afternoon forecast - 15/01/21

15th Jan - National forecast presented by Aidan McGivern

Suspending kidney transplants will see organs wasted, says man on waiting list

Ian Matthews has been waiting for a kidney for 18 months.

Graphic Goya, perverse Lucas and the man who christened pop art – the week in art

Exhibition of the week This Is Where We Meet Discover some talented young painters including Michael Chance, Joana Galego, Melissa Kime and more in this virtual pop-up show in a West End shop. . Carousel Next Door, London, until 31 January. Also showing Sarah Lucas: Hurricane Doris See Lucas’s latest perverse and powerful sculptures in a video tour with artist Angela Bulloch as your guide. . CFA, Berlin, until 27 February. Richard Hamilton:...

Lawyers demand courts shutdown after 600 coronavirus cases in seven weeks

Nearly 600 court staff, judges, lawyers and jurors tested positive for Covid-19 in the last seven weeks, new figures have revealed as lawyers demand a temporary shutdown of the criminal justice system. The Law Society is calling for a two-week pause on jury trials and magistrates hearings which cannot be conducted virtually, while safety fears in the courts are investigated. New figures from the Ministry of Justice show 434 staff members tested...

'I cry a lot on the train home': London medics fight to save Covid patients

Dr Ben Lovell: a consultant in UCLH’s acute medical unit “In 16 years as a doctor I’ve never seen things as intense as they are now. It’s just the sheer volume of patients coming in. We’re admitting three or four times as many patients a day as we’re used to doing but we’ve not been able to increase staffing because there are no spare staff. Every day we think we can’t have more patients coming in than we did today and then the next day it’s...

Katie Price reveals she’s putting son Harvey into full-time care

Katie Price has said that she is putting her son, Harvey, 18, into full-time care. Harvey, who was born on 27 May 2002, has partial blindness, autism and Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic condition that can cause physical issues and behavioural difficulties. Now, speaking to The Sun, Price has explained that she believes giving him full-time care will be the best thing for him. “It's so upsetting to think I won't see him every day but this...

Pfizer to temporarily reduce vaccine deliveries to UK and EU

Pfizer will temporarily reduce deliveries of its Covid vaccine to the UK and across Europe from next week, according to The post Pfizer to temporarily reduce vaccine deliveries to UK and EU appeared first on CityAM.

How much will new TfL Tube and bus fare rises cost me?

The Tube and bus fare hikes being introduced in London from March 1 will cost passengers an extra £60 million this year, it was revealed on Friday. Mayor Sadiq Khan set out full details of a multitude of rises, averaging 2.6 per cent in line with Government orders, across the Transport for London network – but said several key fares would be frozen. Overall the changes are predicted to increase TfL’s income by £60m by the end of the year, though...

Lockdown rule-breakers could be thrown in police cell, warns Devon and Cornwall force

Devon and Cornwall’s police chief has warned people who break lockdown rules this weekend could “end up in a police cell”. The southwest counties – particularly Cornwall – have seen soaring rates of Covid-19 cases in recent weeks, with an accompanying increase in fines handed out by officers to those flouting the national restrictions. But Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer suggested rule-breakers could face more severe sanctions in the coming days....

'How many more lockdowns can we go through?' Bosses on Covid double-dip recession

The UK economy shrank by 2.6% in November, as a second national lockdown in England and tough restrictions across the rest of the UK hit growth. The Guardian has spoken to three company bosses about the pressure they and their employees are facing as the second wave of the pandemic threatens to tip the British economy into a double-dip recession. Urban Village Pubs, London Business planning has become almost impossible for Ian Grundy, the...

Trump impeachment news - live: President ‘furious’ over Nixon comparison amid report Bannon is back as adviser

Rioters whipped up by Donald Trump’s rhetoric over a period of months sought to “capture or assassinate elected officials in the United States government” in their attack on the US Capitol, prosecutors believe. In a memo asking a judge to detain Jacob Chansley, the QAnon-conspiracy theorist who wore a Viking hat to the riot, federal prosecutors reference a note he left for Mike Pence, which read: "It's only a matter of time, justice is coming."...

Ex lover of former King Juan Carlos tells court her life was threatened by Spanish spy

The ex-mistress of the former Spanish king Juan Carlos told a court on Friday her life had been threatened by a spymaster in a trial which lifted the lid on the antics of a police officer who acted as secret fixer for the establishment. Corinna zu Sayn Wittgenstein said General Félix Sanz Roldán travelled to London and told her he “could not guarantee her safety, nor that of her children” unless she obeyed his orders. The 56-year-old...

Jayne Torvill says Dancing On Ice's Yebin's injury was one of the worst she's ever seen

Dancing On Ice judge Jayne Torvill said Yebin Mok's leg injury was "a real shocker" that left the tendons visible, and she may not be able to return for the series

Brexit news – live: Government denies plan to scrap 48-hour week and DUP in ‘buffoon’ jibe at Johnson

Boris Johnson’s government has denied claims ministers are planning to “lower” workers’ rights after Brexit, amid reports they are preparing to tear up key protections enshrined in EU law. The Financial Times said the 48-hour working week could be scrapped under government plans for a post-Brexit overhaul of employment laws. Labour described the reported plan as a “disgrace” and warned it would fight any such moves “tooth and nail”. Meanwhile, a...

Appeal against Lockerbie bomber’s conviction fails

The son of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi has lost an appeal against his late father’s conviction. The bombing of Pan Am flight 103, travelling from London to New York on December 21 1988, killed 270 people in Britain’s largest terrorist atrocity. Former Libyan intelligence officer Megrahi was found guilty in 2001 of mass murder and jailed for life with a minimum term of 27 years – the only person convicted of the attack. A third appeal against his conviction was heard in November at the High Court in Edinburgh, before a panel of five judges sitting as the Court of Appeal.

Hundreds of students breach lockdown rules during giant snowball fight in Leeds

Hundreds of students in Leeds broke lockdown rules to take part in a giant snowball fight. It came as heavy snow caused “severe” problems for ambulance services in parts of northern England as they struggle to keep up with high demand. The Met Office had put in place various yellow warnings across most of the UK for snow and ice which will last throughout Friday and until 9pm on Saturday. Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust said the...

This New Robo-Trash Hunter Could Clear Up The World's Waterways

A newly launched robot is designed to autonomously collect garbage from waterways. Clearbot uses ‘AI-Vision’ to detect & collect trash. The robots are solar-powered & work as a team to remove rubbish. Any floating waste is collected through a front entry point. When full of garbage, or if battery is low, Clearbot docks to prepare for its next outing. Hong Kong-based developers Open Ocean Engineering LTD say: “we're able to plough through some of the muddiest, trashiest water imaginable, without breaking a sweat!”

What does incitement of insurrection mean? The meaning of Donald Trump’s impeachment charges

The article of impeachment accuses President Trump of inciting the violence that erupted at the US Capitol last week

Greatest religious gathering on Earth goes ahead in India with 700,000 Hindus attending despite raging pandemic

Up to 700,000 Hindu devotees have gathered along the banks of the River Ganges at Haridwar in India, marking the beginning of world’s largest religious congregation – the Kumbh Mela – amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Unlike in a normal year, the state government of Uttarkhand has yet to make formal plans, infrastructure for devotees or announcements of the beginning of the festival – but nor has it tried to deter the faithful from...

Solicitors’ leaders warn two-week ‘pause’ of court work needed to stem infection

The Law Society of England and Wales said protecting court workers and users from the virus is of the ‘utmost importance’.

Best of CES 2021: Top TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic

Best of CES 2021: Top TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic

Dutch government resigns over childcare subsidies scandal

The Dutch government led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte has resigned over a childcare subsidies scandal.

Fur-wearing ‘QAnon Shaman’ appeals to Trump personally for pardon over Capitol riots

A pro-Trump rioter and prominent QAnon believer charged for his role in last week's US Capitol violence that left five people dead is asking the president to pardon him. Jacob Anthony Chansley, who calls himself the "QAnon Shaman", says Mr Trump invited him to storm Congress as lawmakers certified Joe Biden's election victory. Mr Chansley, also known as Jake Angeli, handed himself in to authorities on Saturday and was subsequently charged with...

GOP Leaders Support Second Impeachment

Reports claim Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell had suggested to colleagues that he supported impeachment of Donald Trump. Senior Republican Liz Cheney, alongside other Republican representatives, said they would support an impeachment vote. The calls for impeachment come after a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol. If removed from office, Trump would lose his post-presidential benefits including pension, secret service protection and funding for staff. He would also not be eligible to run in 2024.

Argentine major winner Cabrera arrested in Rio

Argentine major winner Cabrera arrested in Rio

Boris Johnson to hold Downing Street press conference at 5pm as vaccine roll-out gathers pace

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will hold a Downing Street briefing later this afternoon as the UK continues its battle with the Covid-19 pandemic. Number 10 said the PM will appear alongside England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and chief scientific officer Sir Patrick Vallance at 5pm. Mr Johnson this week refused to rule out even tougher lockdown restrictions as hospitals come under growing strain from rising Covid-19 cases....

Russia QUITS Open Skies treaty allowing mutual reconnaissance flights

Moscow's decision to pull out of the 1992 agreement, observed by 34 states, comes two months after Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the treaty.

The Top 10: Singing Politicians

After Boris Johnson was reported to be singing “Waltzing Matilda”, on account of his supposed preference for Australian-style solutions for EU trade, Chris White suggested this list. 1. James Callaghan, “Waiting at the Church”, at the TUC conference, 1978. His way of telling them he wasn’t going to call an election that year: “Here’s the very note, and this is what he wrote: ‘Can’t get away to marry you today; my wife won’t let me.’” Nominated...

Trump told aides to never mention Nixon again as advisers discuss resignation

Donald Trump has reportedly told his advisers to never bring up former President Richard Nixon’s name again, as he faces calls to resign before his presidency ends on 20 January. CNN reported on Thursday that some of President Trump’s advisers had a casual discussion recently about whether he should resign before the end of his presidency. President Trump reportedly shut down the idea immediately, telling several of his aides that mentioning...

Tributes as New York Dolls' Sylvain Sylvain dies at 69

New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain has died at the age of 69. The Cairo-born star had been battling cancer, said a statement on his Facebook page. “As most of you know, Sylvain battled cancer for the past two and 1/2 years,” said the message. Read more: Britain's Got Talent most complained about television show of 2020 “Though he fought it valiantly, yesterday he passed away from this disease. “While we grieve his loss, we know that he is...