British Isles
Increasing 5G coverage won't 'level up' the struggling
Michael Gove admitted that people in some areas have been ‘overlooked and undervalued’ by Westminster for years. Truro Foodbank is in one of the poorest UK areas; its manager said levelling up won't…
Homelessness on the increase
New quarterly London figures reveal that one in three rough sleepers are under 35. The Salvation Army warns that many young people are on the edge of homelessness. The Combined Homelessness and Information…
France: new Omicron sub-variant
Studies are underway to find the precise characteristics of the latest Covid-19 variant, BA2. Accounting for over half of sequenced Omicron cases in 57 countries, it appears more transmissible than the original strain…
UK removes embassy staff, warns of Russian plot
The Foreign Office is withdrawing some embassy staff and dependents from Ukraine in response to the Russian threat, stating, ‘The British embassy in Kyiv remains open and will continue to carry out essential…
UK 'not optimistic' Russian invasion can be stopped
Defence secretary Ben Wallace will soon be travelling to Moscow to meet Russia's defence minister, but he is lowering expectations of a diplomatic breakthrough. He says there is a chance a Russian invasion…
Downing Street: erosion of standards
The Metropolitan Police is investigating a number of events at Downing Street and Whitehall for potential breaches of Covid restrictions after receiving information from the Cabinet Office inquiry team and Commissioner Cressida Dick.…
Justin Welby speaks out on antisemitism
Justin Welby and other faith leaders contributed to a symposium marking the 80th anniversary of the ‘Final Solution’ when six million Jews were murdered before the Nazis were defeated. In his message, broadcast…
One in eight pupils not in school as Covid worsens
About a million children in England (one in every eight pupils) were off school last Thursday, as Covid-related absences rose. The official figures also show staffing problems worsening, with over a quarter of…
Retailers ask shoppers and staff to keep wearing masks
Sainsburys, John Lewis and Waitrose will continue to ask customers in England to wear masks in their shops even though Plan B rules have now ended. Rail operators also said passengers would still…
Government: Britishvolt risks of slavery
The mining of key metals such as cobalt for car batteries has been linked to appalling working conditions amounting to modern slavery in countries such as DRC where much of the world’s cobalt…
