Airbnb paid tourist $7m after rape at New York rental June 16, 2021 Airbnb paid an Australian tourist $7m (£5m) after she was allegedly raped at knifepoint at a rental in central New York, according to media reports. The woman received the payout after the attack took place during a visit with friends to celebrate New Year’s Eve in 2015, Bloomberg reports. The suspect had reportedly made a [...]
Prime minister calls harassment of BBC journalist Nick Watt ‘disgraceful’ June 15, 2021 Footage posted on social media showed anti-lockdown protesters verbally abusing and chasing Nick Watt, the political editor of BBC Newsnight, near Downing Street on Monday. On Twitter, the prime minister said: “Disgraceful to see the hounding of Nick Watt doing his job.” “The media must be able to report the facts without fear or favour – [...]
Michael Gove says only ‘unprecedented and remarkable’ Covid-19 change would delay 19 July ‘terminus date’ June 15, 2021 Michael Gove said 19 July is the absolute “terminus date” for ending England’s remaining coronavirus restrictions, and only an “unprecedented and remarkable” change would push it back further. The Cabinet Office minister’s comments came the morning after Boris Johnson announced a delay of four weeks to so-called “Freedom Day”, the fourth and final step of [...]
Whitehall shakeup: 22,000 roles may be moved out of London and external candidates for senior roles June 15, 2021 The government will today launch a reform programme that will see wide-scale reforms to the civil service, with jobs being moved out of Whitehall and senior jobs open to external candidates. The reforms include moving 22,000 civil servant roles outside of London by 2030, including 50 per cent of senior servant roles, and advertising all [...]
Rishi Sunak not expected to alter furlough scheme despite Freedom Day delay June 14, 2021 Rishi Sunak not expected to alter furlough scheme despite 'Freedom Day' being scrapped
Richard Branson to take satellites firm public in $3bn Spac listing June 13, 2021 Sir Richard Branson is in talks to take his satellite launch firm public through a $3bn (£2.1bn) blank-cheque deal. The tycoon is finalising a deal to merge Virgin Orbit with NextGen Acquisition II, a special purpose acquisition company (Spac) set up by former Goldman Sachs banker George Mattson, Sky News reported. Branson’s Virgin Group empire [...]
G7: UK spends £8m to lengthen Newquay runway for Biden’s Air Force One June 11, 2021 The UK has reportedly spent over £7.8m to extend the runway at Newquay airport to allow US aircraft to land for the G7 summit. The runway had to be extended to allow US President Joe Biden to land on Air Force One amid concerns about the existing infrastructure being able to handle the large aircraft, it has [...]
As it happens: G7 leaders arrive in Cornwall ahead of summit June 11, 2021 World leaders from G7 countries are arriving in Britain ahead of the crucial summit to be held from today. The meeting between the world’s seven largest so-called advanced economies will run until Sunday, covering a range of issues including Covid recovery, climate change and trade. Several G7 leaders have already taken to Twitter upon arrival [...]
Pound wobbles as trade row engulfs start of G7 summit in Cornwall June 10, 2021 After a show of strength over recent months, the pound wobbles on the eve of the G7 summit, and although it’s likely to avoid a precipice, issues being debated at the top of the Cornish cliffs this weekend, risk another decline, according to Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown in London. [...]
US govt downplays Brexit criticism: ‘Biden not here to lecture Boris’ June 10, 2021 US President Joe Biden has not come to Britain to lecture Boris Johnson about Northern Ireland, a senior US administration official said today. “He didn’t come here to give a lecture,” the official said. “He came here to communicate what he believes very, very deeply about peace in Northern Ireland.” It comes after Labour leader [...]