Sir Richard Branson: ‘Not lockdowns but vaccines are the route to recovery’ December 27, 2021 Sir Richard Branson has said he believes that vaccines and other precautions against Covid-19 such as the mandatory wearing of indoor face coverings and proof of vaccination are the key to preventing the spread of the virus, rather than “damaging lockdowns”. Sir Richard said that “widespread and equitable vaccinations against Covid-19, coupled with sensible day-to-day [...]
Omicron hospitalisations skyrocket by 67 per cent in London as new Covid restrictions seem inevitable December 27, 2021 The number of hospitalisations related to the Omicron variant is climbing rapidly across the UK, with a jump of 67 per cent in London alone. Across the UK, there were 36 per cent more hospital admissions in the week ended 24 December. According to the Health Service Journal, hospitalisations for Omicron skyrocket in the capital, [...]
Vladimir Putin threatens Russia will consider all options if West does not give security guarantees: ‘We must tell them, stop!’ December 27, 2021 If the West does not give Russia any new security guarantees, including Ukraine not joining NATO, Vladimir Putin will ponder all options, it has emerged. Earlier this month, Moscow submitted draft security documents demanding that Nato deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back its military deployments in Central and Eastern [...]
Desmond Tutu: Anti-apartheid campaigner and Nobel Peace Prize winner dies aged 90 December 26, 2021 Archbishop Desmond Tutu has died aged 90, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who helped end apartheid in South Africa.
2021’s lighter political moments: From Michael Gove’s dance moves and Britain’s chief mouser to the hunt for Irn-Bru December 26, 2021 From the rags-to-riches tale of Britain’s chief mouser to a hunt for Irn-Bru at COP26, even in the midst of a global pandemic there have been some lighter moments in politics during this long and challenging year. ‘Church warden overslept’ On May 6, local elections were held across England, Scotland and Wales but some voters [...]
Mario Draghi and Emmanuel Macron call on EU to reform fiscal rules December 24, 2021 Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and French President Emmanuel Macron have called on the EU to reform its fiscal rules. In joint article published yesterday on the Financial Times, the two argued that even before the pandemic, the bloc’s fiscal rules were in need of reform as they are “too obscure and excessively complex”, constraining [...]
Met refers itself to watchdog over Downing Street Christmas party scandal December 22, 2021 The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to a watchdog for police over how it handled an alleged Christmas party in Downing Street last year during Covid restrictions, according to reports. Baroness Jones, a member of the Green Party, submitted a complaint over the Met’s refusal to investigate reports of an unlawful Christmas gathering at No.10 [...]
Elon Musk not planning to sell any more shares as Tesla founder hits out at California’s high tax regime December 22, 2021 Tesla’s boss and serial entrepreneur Elon Musk is not planning to sell any more of his Tesla shares, following yesterday’s offloading of 583,611 stock. “I sold enough stock to get to around 10 per cent plus the option exercise stuff and I tried to be extremely literal here,” he said in an interview with satirical [...]
PM to make lockdown decision by Christmas Eve December 21, 2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to make an announcement in the next 48 hours on whether to impose "circuit-breaker" restrictions in England to stem the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
Biden to focus on testing and vaccines instead of lockdowns this winter December 21, 2021 US President Joe Biden reportedly has no intention of pushing for a lockdown this winter, despite the reintroduction of restrictions across Europe.