Shell-shocked: Stunned airport staff find 185 tortoises hidden in suitcase March 29, 2021 Airport workers in Ecuador were given the surprise of their lives when they uncovered 185 tortoises hidden inside a suitcase during a routine customs inspection. The slow-moving reptiles, which had been sent to the mainland from the Galapagos Islands, were discovered at the main airport on the island of Baltra yesterday. The tortoises, thought to [...]
Boris Johnson rules out travel ban exemption for family visits March 29, 2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson today ruled out an exemption to travel restrictions for people visiting family abroad, saying there would be only one set of rules for international travel. During today’s press conference the prime minister was asked whether trips abroad to see family could be exempt from the current travel ban, similar to exceptions [...]
BBC to slash BBC Four shows but stops short of axing channel March 29, 2021 The BBC today said it will slash original programming on BBC Four as part of a wider effort to cut costs, though it stopped short of axing the channel altogether. In its annual plan published today, the broadcaster said it would shift away from commissioning a high volume of lower cost shows for the channel. [...]
Suez Canal: Stranded ship Ever Given finally back on the move March 29, 2021 A large container ship that grounded in the Suez Canal and blocked the waterway for almost a week is finally back on the move. The 400-metre Ever Given, which became wedged in the canal on Tuesday and has wreaked havoc for global shipping, was refloated this morning. In a statement the Suez Canal Authority said [...]
Tory peer Lord Marland ‘in the running’ to chair competition watchdog March 29, 2021 Tory grandee Lord Marland is said to be in the running to become the next chairman of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in what could be the latest political appointment by Boris Johnson. Lord Marland, a former Conservative minister, is one of several names being circulated at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial [...]
Daily Mail owner’s shares jump as it bags £1bn from Cazoo listing March 29, 2021 Shares in the publishing group behind the Daily Mail jumped in morning trading as investors geared up for a £1bn windfall from Cazoo’s New York stock market float. The online used-car platform, in which Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) holds a 20 per cent stake, this morning confirmed plans to go public in a [...]
Green light: Competition watchdog clears Uber’s Autocab takeover March 29, 2021 The competition watchdog has given the green light to Uber’s takeover of taxi tech firm Autocab, giving the ride-hailing giant a much-needed boost for its UK operations. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened a phase one investigation into the merger in January to examine how the deal could harm the private hire vehicle market. [...]
Suez Canal latest: Grounded Ever Given container ship could be freed this week March 29, 2021 A giant shipping container blocking the Suez Canal could be freed by the start of this week, a firm working to free the vessel has said. The 400-metre long Ever Given became wedged in the canal on Tuesday, wreaking havoc for global shipping and forcing companies to reroute their vessels around Africa. The grounding has [...]
Gambling firms hail ‘huge’ economic contribution ahead of sector reform March 29, 2021 The UK gambling sector has doubled down on its “huge contribution” to the UK economy as it braces for the biggest shake-up of betting laws in the last 15 years. Betting shops, casinos and the online gaming sector contributed £7.7bn in gross value added to the UK economy in 2019, according to figures released today. [...]
Government mulls four-tier traffic light system for summer travel March 27, 2021 The government is said to be considering a four-tier traffic light system that could allow Brits to travel abroad for summer holidays this year. The prime minister’s global travel taskforce is weighing up plans submitted by Heathrow Airport that includes an ‘amber’ three-day quarantine option. The proposals also include an extensive testing regime designed to [...]
