Priti Patel introduces new £800 fine for large gatherings January 21, 2021 People attending gatherings in groups of 15 or more during lockdown will each be slapped with a new £800 fine, the home secretary has announced. Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Priti Patel said: “My message is clear, if you don’t follow the rules, the police will enforce them. Police officers are now moving [...]
London sees biggest drop in Covid case rate as capital stays indoors January 21, 2021 London has reported the biggest drop in Covid case rates among English regions, as scientists’ warnings that hospitalis may soon be overwhelmed reverberate around the capital. The average number of infections in London fell to around 630 per 100,000 people last week, according to the latest official figures — down from 865 in the first [...]
Millions of Brits still missing out on self-employment grants January 21, 2021 The government has faced mounting calls to increase the number of grants for self-employed workers, after the spending watchdog yesterday warned millions are still missing out on financial support. A survey of more than 6,000 households released today by the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) found that only 24 per cent of self-employed people had [...]
Wall Street hits record heights as Biden presidency lifts stimulus hopes January 20, 2021 Wall Street hit record heights today as Joe Biden’s inauguration as the 46th US President lifted hopes that his $1.9 trillion stimulus plan would help settle a tumultuous global economy. The tech-focused Nasdaq rose as much as 1.6 per cent during trading, before settling 260 points up at market close to a fresh peak. Before [...]
China sanctions Trump officials including Mike Pompeo January 20, 2021 China has slapped sanctions on 28 top US figures including former secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who it claimed violated Chinese sovereignty. Pompeo joined a list of US political heavyweights banned from doing business with China, including John Bolton, Donald Trump’s former national security advisor, Peter Navarro, former director of trade, and Steve Bannon, former [...]
It’s Inauguration Day: Full timeline and where to watch Joe Biden’s entry to the White House January 20, 2021 Joe Biden’s inauguration will take place today, making him the 46th President of the United States. The Democrat will take the reins in a moment of profound unease in US politics, with outgoing Donald Trump becoming the first President in 152 years not to attend the welcome ceremony for his successor. With officials looking to [...]
UK reports a record 1,820 daily coronavirus deaths January 20, 2021 The UK has recorded a further 1,820 Covid-related deaths in the past 24 hours, marking the highest daily jump since the start of the pandemic. The figure takes the total number of fatalities within 28 days of a positive Covid test to 93,290. A further 38,905 people tested positive for coronavirus in the past 24 [...]
Maskforce: TfL beefs up enforcement of face coverings January 20, 2021 Transport for London (TfL) has hardened its stance against passengers refusing to wear face coverings, after figures released today showed it has handed out almost 2,000 fines for mask-flouters. TfL announced it has expanded its team of enforcement officers to crack down on a “small minority” of the public refusing to comply with social distancing [...]
London is lowest-vaccinated region in England despite highest population density January 20, 2021 London is currently the lowest-vaccinated region in England, according to the latest official figures, despite having the highest population density. Data from NHS England showed that just under 440,000 people in London have been vaccinated against coronavirus to date — the lowest figure for any English region. The figure is almost half the number of [...]
Netflix beats estimates as lockdown reels in 8.5m new subscribers January 19, 2021 Netflix hurtled past Wall Street estimates for the holiday season, the company announced today, as it reeled in record numbers of new customers stuck at home during lockdowns around the globe. The US firm added more than 8.5m paid subscribers in the four months to 31 December, beating analysts’ expectations of 6.1m. Shares rose 11.4 [...]
