Freedom Day: Where do I need to wear a face mask from today? July 19, 2021 Across England, the final remaining coronavirus restrictions have been lifted. From today, people are no longer required by law to wear masks. The government has said, however, that people will still be expected to wear face masks in certain situations while some businesses, travel operators and local politicians have said that masks will still be [...]
Morrisons push ahead with plans to open automated grocery store as ‘pingdemic’ continues to hit supermarkets July 19, 2021 Morrisons are said to be close to unveiling an unmanned pilot store to the public “within months”, as they look to follow Amazon’s lead in modernising the approach to grocery shopping. The store will rely on shoppers to scan their smartphones upon entry before having digital cameras follow their every step in store to check [...]
London needs to overhaul its transport system to meet Sadiq Khan’s net zero ambitions July 18, 2021 We have less than a decade to become a zero-carbon city if we’re to meet the Mayor of London’s ambitions. Sadiq Khan has committed to using his second term as Mayor to tackle the climate emergency by setting a target for London to be carbon-neutral by 2030. City Hall is not alone. Twenty-eight of London’s [...]
China places state investigators in Didi’s offices to conduct security probe July 16, 2021 Beijing’s heavyweight state spy industry and six other government departments have swooped on ride-hailing app Didi Chuxing’s offices to conduct a security investigation. The bold move comes after Chinese authorities opened an investigation into Didi for allegedly violating user privacy, just days after its $4.4bn listing in New York last month. As of yet, there [...]
Face mask mandate to stay for airports and flights July 16, 2021 Travellers will still be required to wear face masks after English legal restrictions ease, UK airports and airlines said in a joint statement today. Passengers who refuse to wear a mask will be denied boarding for both domestic and international flights. Children and those with medical reasons preventing them from wearing a mask will continue [...]
Pingdemic shutdown: No industry untouched by NHS Test and Trace havoc July 16, 2021 Staffing shortages have turned manufacturing, bin collections, retail, transport and healthcare upside down as the NHS Test and Trace app “pinged” more than half a million people into isolation last week. The contact tracing app’s sensitivity is now under review after reports that the app is “pinging wrong” and Brits are being told to self-isolate [...]
Londoners may be set for bumper 5 per cent TfL fares hike in 2022 July 15, 2021 Londoners could face a 5+ per cent hike in Tube fares next year as Transport for London (TfL) is forced to adjust its prices to ballooning inflation. Under the terms of TfL’s most recent government bailout, the transport body has to increase its prices each year by 1 per cent more than the retail price [...]
Hammersmith Bridge to reopen to pedestrians and cyclists this weekend July 15, 2021 The Hammersmith bridge will reopen to pedestrians and cyclists this weekend, Hammersmith & Fulham council have announced this afternoon. Last August the crossing was closed to all users amid fears of a “catastrophic failure” after a heatwave enlarged cracks in the structure. But after a series of safety investigations and the introduction of a temperature control [...]
Sketch: A step-by-step guide to levelling up and making sourdough by Boris Johnson July 15, 2021 We’re levelling up trains, we’re levelling up roads, we’re levelling up shires and towns, counties and cities. We’re levelling up our internet, our schools, and our clean energy infrastructure, Boris Johnson told a crowd yesterday in an attempt to flesh out and actually explain the phrase which has plagued British politics possibly even more than [...]
Boris Johnson: State will lead the way in making UK investment destination July 15, 2021 Boris Johnson has today said that the government will lead the way in turning the whole of the UK into an attractive investment direction as part of its “levelling up” plan. Speaking today in Coventry, the Prime Minister said that it was the state’s responsibility to create the conditions for business confidence to encourage private [...]