Number 10 has stressed that Christmas parties should not be cancelled and there are no rules limiting their size after conflicting comments from ministers and officials in recent days. The discovery of the Omicron variant of coronavirus has prompted speculation about how Britons should be approaching festive celebrations this year. As scientists work to assess
MPs have given up second jobs worth more than £250,000 per year in the wake of Westminster’s sleaze row. Fresh scrutiny of MPs’ outside earnings in recent weeks appears to have prompted some to end their other employment away from the House of Commons. A recent update to the register of financial interests reveals Julian
The EU has fined banks, including Barclays, NatWest and HSBC, a total of €344m (£293m) for roles in an alleged foreign exchange spot trading cartel on a chatroom named “Sterling Lads”. The European Commission said the UK-based banks agreed to settle the case, alongside UBS which avoided a penalty because it had blown the whistle
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is set to deploy a surge team to South Africa to help deal with the new Omicron COVID variant outbreak. The team will be sent to Gauteng province to help with surveillance and contact tracing as experts warned the new variant could be causing an increase in COVID reinfections across
Magnets play a critical role in physics research as they help guide the path of particle beams and allow them to collide at high speeds. This collision helps researchers study the behaviour of different particles and arrive at groundbreaking discoveries. But not all magnets have the same properties. For instance, some magnets generate the required
The original house from the 1990 film Home Alone will be available to rent on Airbnb during the festive period. The holiday rental platform has announced people will be able to rent the McCallisters’ home, in the Chicago area, on 12 December. Up to four guests will be able to stay in the house for
A new drug which can reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death from COVID by 79% has been approved for use in the UK for people aged 12 and up. Xevudy – also known as sotrovimab – has been given the greenlight by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) after being found to
NASA is set to test its new laser communication technology this week, which is aimed at speeding up space communications. Also called optical communications because they use light to send information, it will allow 10-100 times more data transmission back to Earth when compared to the traditional radio frequencies. The space agency will launch the
CNN’s Melanie Zanona reports that Donald Trump loyalists in the House have told House minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) that if he doesn’t do what they want, they will withhold their support for his candidacy to become House speaker if Republicans take chamber in the next election. #CNN #News
Urban Air Mobility (UAM) developer Volocopter announced a joint venture with the sustainable development of NEOM in Saudi Arabia to design, implement, and operate the world’s first bespoke public eVTOL mobility system. The initial order is for 15 Volocopter aircraft that will begin initial operation in the next two to three years. If you’ve never
In this article PCG PG&E Corp.’s Diablo Canyon plant in California. (Joe Johnston/San Luis Obispo Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) San Luis Obispo Tribune | Tribune News Service | Getty Images Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University have published a 113-page report outlining ways to retrofit California’s Diablo Canyon nuclear
In this article HRB Jack Dorsey (L), CEO of Square and CEO of Twitter, live casts video while standing outside the New York Stock Exchange for the IPO of Square, in New York November 19, 2015. Lucas Jackson | Reuters Square is renaming itself Block as it focuses on technologies like blockchain and expands beyond
Susan Arnold Source: Disney Susan Arnold is taking over as Disney‘s Chairman of the Board, the company announced Wednesday. She’ll succeed Bob Iger, who stepped down as Disney CEO early last year. Iger, who served as Chairman of the Board since 2012, had been set to step away as board chair by the end of
2:41 PM ET Associated Press The head of the women’s professional tennis tour announced Wednesday that all WTA tournaments would be suspended in China because of concerns about the safety of Peng Shuai, a Grand Slam doubles champion who accused a former high-ranking government official in that country of sexual assault. Peng dropped out of
A number of social gatherings were held in Downing Street in the run-up to Christmas last year while indoor mixing was banned in London under COVID restrictions, Sky News understands. Following reports that a large party was held in late December, it has also emerged that Number 10 staff gathered after work and drank alcohol
One of the UK’s leading COVID experts has told Sky News that if people are “sensible” with wearing masks and social distancing in the coming weeks then they should all be able to enjoy Christmas. But Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) also cautioned that this may
Alec Baldwin broke down in tears in his first interview since Halyna Hutchins was shot dead on a film set – and insisted he did not pull the trigger of the gun that killed her. The actor-producer shot and killed the cinematographer when a prop gun he was holding went off during filming for the
All WTA tournaments have been suspended in China over concerns for the safety of player Peng Shuai. The head of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) said it was taking the step after Shuai, a Grand Slam doubles champion, accused a former high-ranking government official in China of sexual assault. Peng dropped out of public view
A 15-year-old boy charged with a school shooting in Michigan met with his parents and teachers about his behaviour hours before he murdered four classmates on Tuesday. Ethan Crumbley is accused of opening fire at his high school in Oxford Township, in a rampage that saw eight others – including a teacher – injured. The
A fourth student has died following the school shooting in Michigan. Three other students were killed when a 15-year-old boy opened fire at his high school in Oxford Township on Tuesday, while eight others – including a teacher – were injured. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office identified the latest fatality as teenager Justin Shilling. The