Queen faces Covid scare at Balmoral as staff member tests positive August 17, 2021 The Queen is carrying on her summer holiday at Balmoral although a staff member at the Scottish estate tested positive for coronavirus this weekend. Her Majesty, 95 and double-vaccinated, will remain at her private castle in Aberdeenshire as planned. The Covid-infected employee was sent home on Saturday after taking a PCR test, reported The Sun. [...]
Exclusive: UK eyes quick ‘interim’ trade deal with India as negotiations set to start this year August 17, 2021 The UK government is looking at wrapping up a quick “interim” trade deal with India, which could see tariffs slashed on products like Scotch whisky before a full agreement is in place. The Department for International Trade (DIT) is looking to start formal negotiations with India before the end of this year, after an initial [...]
Boris Johnson urges Pakistan to not unilaterally recognise Taliban in Afghanistan August 17, 2021 Boris Johnson has urged Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to not recognise the Taliban as Afghanistan’s new government without wider agreement from the international community. Number 10 said Johnson reiterated in his phone call to Khan today that “the legitimacy of any future Taliban government will be subject to them upholding internationally agreed standards on [...]
Hong Kong: First person jailed under national security law to appeal against conviction August 17, 2021 The first person convicted under Hong Kong national security law has filed an appeal against his conviction and nine-year sentence. Tong Ying-kit, 24, was found guilty of terrorism and inciting secession for driving a motorbike into a group of police officers while carrying a “Liberate Hong Kong” protest flag on July 1, 2020. The city’s [...]
Afghanistan: Taliban announces ‘amnesty’ and claims women should join new government August 17, 2021 The Taliban has declared an “amnesty” for all government workers in Afghanistan and urged women to join their new government, in an effort to convince the domestic and international community of a more moderate approach as they take control of the country. Two days after the Taliban’s week-long blistering offensive across the country culminated in [...]
New Zealand to enter strict lockdown after single Covid-19 case detected August 17, 2021 New Zealand is set to enter its highest level of lockdown tonight after detecting a single case of Covid-19 in Auckland, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed. A 58-year-old man has been found to have the virus – the first coronavirus case within New Zealand’s borders for 170 days. The strict restrictions comes amid concerns [...]
Holidaymakers paying millions for PCR tests that ‘aren’t checked for new variants’, say Lib Dems August 17, 2021 UK holidaymakers are paying out millions of pounds for PCR tests that aren’t checked for new Covid variants, research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed. Holidaymakers paid an estimated £26.7m for PCR tests in July while only 293 positive tests were checked for variants, equivalent to around £90,000 for each sequenced result. Fewer than one [...]
PM set to unveil ‘bespoke plan’ to help settle vulnerable Afghans in UK August 17, 2021 The Prime Minister will unveil a “bespoke” resettlement scheme for vulnerable Afghans as efforts to get British nationals and other support staff back to the UK continue. Boris Johnson would give more information about the refugee scheme in the coming days, with the policy anticipated to be focused on helping women and girls, Number 10 [...]
Dominic Raab: Speed of Taliban takeover of Afghanistan took UK by surprise August 16, 2021 Dominic Raab has said the Taliban’s lightning quick takeover of Afghanistan took the UK by surprise as 150 UK nationals are set to arrive home early tomorrow morning. Raab, speaking after a Cobra meeting chaired by Boris Johnson, said a further 350 British nationals and Afghani visa holders would be evacuated to the UK in [...]
Joanna Lumley urges govt to meet with Gurkhas as hunger strike outside Downing Street enters ninth day August 16, 2021 A group of Gurkha veterans outside Number 10 is calling for equal pensions for Gurkhas who retired before 1997 and are not eligible for a full UK armed forces pension. As of Sunday, the Support Our Gurkhas protesters had reached their ninth day of not eating. Today, actress and campaigner Joanna Lumley has urged the [...]