6:50 am, December 4, 2022
Just Stop Oil activists lie in Harrods bed as fuel poverty protests sweep UK
Just Stop Oil activists tucked themselves into a Harrods display bed as part of fuel poverty protests sweeping the UK.
Footage of so-called ‘warm up’ demonstrations yesterday also showed security guards confronting protesters lying on sofas inside the shop in Knightsbridge, London.
The eco-activists want action over ‘sky-rocketing’ energy bills and were joined by other grassroots movements, including Don’t Pay UK and Fuel Poverty Action. Protests were held across the country, including at the British Museum and Scottish Power’s HQ.
Albanians should be barred from claiming asylum in UK, says minister
Albanians should be barred from claiming asylum in the UK as they are coming from a ‘demonstrably safe’ country, the Immigration Minister has said.
Robert Jenrick said such individuals should be ‘excluded from the right to claim asylum’ as he warned that current levels of migration into the UK were ‘unsustainable’.
His comments came as the Home Office declined to comment on a report in The Sunday Times that ministers are working on legislation which could ban asylum seekers who enter by illegal routes from ever settling in the UK.
Police watchdog head resigns over ‘criminal probe’
The head of the police watchdog has been forced to resign after he became the subject of a criminal investigation, the Home Secretary said.
Independent Office for Police Conduct director general Michael Lockwood said on Friday he had stepped down from the role for ‘personal and domestic reasons’.
However, Suella Braverman said on Saturday she was forced to take ‘immediate action’ after being made aware Lockwood was the subject of a police probe into an ‘historic allegation’.
Macron and Musk meet for ‘honest discussion’
French President Emmanuel Macron met with Elon Musk for what he called a ‘clear and honest discussion’ amid mounting concerns over a rise in hate speech on Twitter.
While visiting the United States on Friday, the French leader posted a photo on Twitter of his encounter with the billionaire, showing the two men sitting across from each other at a table in an empty room.
In addition to discussing ‘future green industrial projects’, Macron said the pair talked about the social media platform’s ‘transparent user policies, significant reinforcement of content moderation and protection of freedom of speech’.
G7 joins EU on 60 dollar-per-barrel price cap on Russian oil
The Group of Seven nations (G7) and Australia agreed on Friday to adopt a 60 dollar-per-barrel price cap on Russian oil.
The European Union has also agreed to the price cap as Western sanctions aim to reorder the global oil market to prevent price spikes and starve President Vladimir Putin of funding for his war in Ukraine.
Harry appears as Spider-Man in special message to bereaved military children
The Duke of Sussex dressed up as Spider-Man in a surprise video message to try and comfort bereaved military children.
He donned the superhero outfit and only lifted his mask to reveal his true identity at the end of a specially recorded message for youngsters at Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity for bereaved British forces children and young people.
Harry, who was 12 when his mother Diana, Princess of Wales died in 1997, told the youngsters: ‘Christmas is a time when we miss our loved ones really, really badly and that’s OK.’
China further eases Covid curbs following protests
Chinese authorities announced a further easing of Covid-19 curbs with major cities such as Shenzhen and Beijing no longer requiring negative tests to take public transport.
The slight relaxation of testing requirements comes even as daily virus infections reach near-record highs, and follows weekend protests across the country by residents frustrated by the rigid enforcement of anti-virus restrictions that are now entering their fourth year.
The southern technological manufacturing centre of Shenzhen said Saturday that commuters no longer need to show a negative Covid-19 test result to use public transport or when entering pharmacies, parks and tourist attractions.
George Osborne holding secret negotiations with Greece over Elgin Marbles
George Osborne, the chair of the British Museum, has been holding secret talks with the Greek prime minister over the possible return of the Elgin Marbles.
The negotiations between the former chancellor and Kyriakos Mitsotakis have been taking place in London since November 2021, according to Greek daily newspaper Ta Nea.
The museum has vowed not to ‘dismantle our great collection’ after the paper quoted ‘insiders’ as saying the talks were at an ‘advanced stage’. The marbles were taken by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century when he was the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, and have been the subject of a long-running dispute over where they should be displayed.
Saturday Car Dealer headlines
- Video: Wheeler Dealer Mike Brewer reveals his highlights of the Used Car Awards 2022
- Fastest selling used cars in November revealed as an electric car tops chart
- Motor insurance broker PIB Group buys health and safety experts Emprocom
Hancock condemned for ‘deluded’ recount of care homes during pandemic
Matt Hancock’s memories of how he handled care homes during the Covid pandemic has been condemned as a ‘deluded version’ of events.
Nadra Ahmed, the chair of the National Care Association which represents small and medium care home providers, said the former Health Secretary’s account ‘bears no resemblance to the facts’.
She added that Hancock’s account, included in extracts of his diary serialised by The Daily Mail, are words which have been ‘peddled’ by a man who ‘had no awareness of social care and its value then and this demonstrates he has learnt nothing since’.
US unveils its new stealth bomber as tensions with China rise
The US’s newest nuclear stealth bomber has made its debut after years of secret development and as part of the Pentagon’s answer to rising concerns over a future conflict with China.
The B-21 Raider is the first new US bomber aircraft in more than 30 years. Almost every aspect of the programme is classified.
‘This isn’t just another airplane,’ US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said. ‘It’s the embodiment of America’s determination to defend the republic that we all love.’
Tyson Fury calls out Oleksandr Usyk for blockbuster world heavyweight fight
Tyson Fury says he will fight Oleksandr Usyk in a blockbuster world heavyweight title unification showdown early next year.
The ‘Gypsy King’ beat his old British rival Derek Chisora in 10 one-sided rounds to retain his WBC belt at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last night.
And Fury immediately called out Usyk, who was ringside in north London, yelling: ‘You’re next.’
The fight is likely to take place in Saudi Arabia in February or March.
We’ll be ready if we’re put on the spot, says Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate says his team are mentally and physically ready for another penalty shoot-out – and he would not hesitate to ask Marcus Rashford or Bukayo Saka to take a spot-kick at the World Cup.
The national team’s penalty problems down the years are well documented, with all three World Cup shoot-outs ending in defeat before a success at the expense of Colombia in Russia four years ago.
England face Senegal in the last-16 clash at 7pm today.
Weather outlook
The BBC says much of the UK will be cloudy today. Showers will move in from the east through the day in north-east England and east Scotland and it will be wintry on the hills.
Tonight much of the UK will continue mostly cloudy. Showers will continue in north-east England and east Scotland.
Tomorrow much of the UK will start, you guessed it, mostly cloudy, with showers in the northeast.
