A former top civil servant at the Home Office has settled his employment tribunal claim against the government. Sir Philip Rutnam resigned from his role as the department’s permanent secretary last year, amid bullying allegations against Priti Patel. Announcing his departure, Sir Philip accused the home secretary of a “vicious and orchestrated briefing campaign” against
Month: March 2021
Italy and the European Commission have blocked a shipment of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine destined for Australia. The British-Swedish drug manufacturer had failed to meet its EU contract commitments so the Italian government refused its request to export 250,000 doses from its Anagni plant near Rome. Italy made the request and it was signed off by
Their messiah is no longer in power, but some followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory believe that Donald Trump will return to the throne today. Followers of the wide-ranging movement think the former president is waging a secret war against elite Satan-worshipping paedophiles and will eventually be restored to high office. But why on 4
In March 2020, the world-famous Abbey Road recording studio shut its doors for the first time in almost 90 years. Opened in November 1931, the northwest London venue even remained open during the Second World War, supporting the government and Royal Family with broadcasts to the nation. But the COVID-19 crisis was unprecedented. Image: Abbey
This must be what it feels like to go shoplifting, I thought, as I walked out of Amazon’s new till-less shop in London. You go in, take items off the shelves, put them in a bag, and wander back through the doors and on to the pavement. What’s not to like? Well, you do still
The Scotch whisky industry has welcomed a deal between the UK and US governments that has seen damaging tariffs, imposed by the Trump administration in 2019, suspended for four months. The 25% tariff fell under a range of European products targeted as part of a historical row over government subsidies given to European aerospace firm
With Harry and Meghan dominating headlines in the run-up to their much-anticipated, tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, it seems the world is waiting to hear the revelations about the Royal Family expected to be revealed when the programme airs. The Duchess of Sussex won’t be the first royal to publicly open up, of course, nor
Coronavirus vaccines that have been tweaked to deal with new variants of the disease will be fast-tracked for authorisation, the UK regulator has said. According to new guidance, manufacturers must provide robust evidence that the modified jab triggers an immune response, but lengthier clinical studies that don’t offer data on safety or effectiveness won’t be
A number of great apes have been given an experimental COVID-19 vaccine following an outbreak of the virus at a zoo in California. Four orangutans and five bonobos have each received two doses of a jab developed by Zoetis, a veterinary pharmaceutical company, National Geographic reported. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the
Loyalist paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland have withdrawn their support for the Good Friday Agreement in protest at post-Brexit border arrangements. In a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) said they no longer backed the 1998 peace deal due to the impact of the Northern Ireland Protocol. They called for
WhatsApp is allowing users to make video and voice calls on their desktop for the first time. The messaging service plans to rival the likes of Microsoft‘s Skype and Apple‘s FaceTime by offering people the chance to voice or video call on a larger screen. WhatsApp said it made the move following a “significant increase”
The Duchess of Sussex has said she could not be expected to “just be silent” if the Royal Family is playing an “active role” in “perpetuating falsehoods” about her. Meghan made the remarks in a second teaser clip for her heavily-anticipated TV interview with Oprah Winfrey – which will be aired on Sunday 7 March
SpaceX’s rocket has exploded just minutes after the Starship’s first successful landing. The rocket had soared more than six miles after taking off from Texas on Wednesday, powered through its ascent by three Raptor engines. It descended over the Gulf of Mexico before turning upright, ready for landing. Image: Elon Musk said: “RIP SN10, honourable
SpaceX’s rocket has exploded just minutes after the Starship’s first successful landing. The rocket had soared more than six miles after taking off from Texas on Wednesday, powered through its ascent by three Raptor engines. It descended over the Gulf of Mexico before turning upright, ready for landing. Image: Elon Musk said: “RIP SN10, honourable
Dozens of scientists and doctors are demanding the release of Kathleen Folbigg, who is serving 30 years in jail after being convicted of killing her four children. Folbigg, 53, was jailed in 2003 for the murders of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura – aged between eight months and 19 months – between 1991 and
Rishi Sunak’s spend now, tax later budget has received a broad welcome from voters, according to two snap opinion polls carried out after the chancellor’s statement. Households and businesses are facing the biggest tax burden since the 1960s after the chancellor unveiled his plans to repair the nation’s finances after the COVID pandemic. Mr Sunak