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Anger and fear across UK as second storm breaks As Dennis rages in a week after Ciara, flights are cancelled and trains are delayed amid warnings of widespread floodingStorm Dennis has wreaked havoc on Britain, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights and trains, and the deaths of at least two people yesterday.As the so-called bomb cyclone battered the coastline, as much as a month’s worth of rainfall was predicted overnight and into Sunday morning in some parts of the UK. Continue reading... Go to Source

Storm Dennis: second body pulled from the sea near Kent – live updates Follow the day’s developments as high winds, heavy rain and flooding expected to bring havoc in UK 5.44pm GMTDet Supt Ben Deer of Devon & Cornwall police has tweeted that the River Teign in Devon has burst its banks alongside the A38 and B3344 near Chudleigh and may flood the road.Just had an update that river reign has burst its banks alongside the A38 and may flood the road. Please seriously consider your journey and only travel if absolutely necessary. @BBCSpotlight @DC_Police 5.38pm GMTThe Environment Agency has warned drivers that a mere 30cm of water could put them in danger:We've installed 340m of temporary #flood barrier at #Leatherhead to help protect 28 properties. Stay away from swollen rivers an...

Cummings and Johnson face backlash over sacking of advisers Union to pursue unfair dismissal case after ex-Treasury aide Sonia Khan was marched out of Downing StreetBoris Johnson and his closest aide, Dominic Cummings, have been facing a growing backlash over the dismissal of senior advisers as the union representing high-ranking public servants announced it was pursuing a case for unfair dismissal and sex discrimination against a female adviser who was sacked and marched out of Downing Street by an armed policeman.Two days after Sajid Javid resigned as chancellor after refusing a demand from Johnson to sack all his special advisers, the FDA (formerly the First Division Association) told the Observer it expected Johnson and Cummings to give evidence under oath to an employment tribunal ...

Pressure grows on UK to airlift citizens on coronavirus-stricken ship Passengers on Diamond Princess liner ‘disillusioned’ with government over lack of action• All the day’s developmentsPressure is growing on the British government to airlift citizens stranded on a cruise ship stricken by coronavirus, after a Chinese tourist in France became the first person to die from the disease in Europe.The US announced late on Friday that it would be evacuating more than 400 nationals from the quarantined ship, which has had nearly 300 confirmed coronavirus cases, and British travellers called on their government to do the same. Continue reading... Go to Source

Long-Bailey: Labour cannot refuse Scottish referendum request MP cements position as only leadership candidate who would grant legal powers to hold fresh plebisciteRebecca Long-Bailey has cemented her position as the only Labour leadership candidate who would grant the Scottish parliament the legal powers to hold a second referendum on independence, telling a hustings event in Glasgow that refusal “would drive more of our voters into the arms of the Scottish National party”.At the only hustings taking place north of the border, all three remaining candidates emphasised their understanding that the party can only secure a majority at Westminster if it wins back its Scottish heartlands. Continue reading... Go to Source

No room for you in lectures, top universities tell first-year students ‘Desperate’ institutions offer overflow rooms and YouTube live streams instead of a seat in front of a lecturerStudents at prestigious universities have been turned away from overcrowded lectures and told to watch classes online or in overflow rooms.The Observer found that students paying £9,250 or more in Manchester, Nottingham and Lancaster, had struggled to get a seat in lectures. Manchester University maths students in a 600-capacity hall were given slips with a link to a YouTube live stream and told they could “sit in a coffee shop” and watch. They were also given the option of sitting in a separate overflow theatre to watch the stream, without being able to participate or question ...

Chinese tourist in France becomes Europe's first coronavirus fatality French health minister confirms death of man from virus that has killed more than 1,500 people around worldCoronavirus: latest updates – liveEurope has recorded its first coronavirus fatality, as an elderly Chinese tourist in France has died from the disease, the country’s health minister confirmed.The 80-year-old Chinese man was among 11 confirmed coronavirus cases in France, with his death announced by the French health minister, Agnès Buzyn, on Saturday. Continue reading... Go to Source

Storm Dennis to bring high winds, heavy rain and flooding to UK More than 200 flights cancelled as military is sent to Calderdale to bolster preparations for latest stormStorm Dennis will batter the UK this weekend with winds of up to 70mph and more than a month’s rain expected to fall in just two days in some areas, with hundreds of homes at risk of flooding.With the country hit by horrendous weather for the second weekend in a row, the military is being sent to Calderdale, West Yorkshire, on Saturday to support the recovery and bolster preparations for the latest storm. Continue reading... Go to Source

Labour leadership: Emily Thornberry fails to make it on to ballot Shadow foreign secretary just misses out on getting backing from the required 33 constituency partiesEmily Thornberry’s hopes of leading the Labour party are over after she failed to make it on to the final members’ ballot.Just hours before the deadline closed on Friday night it became apparent that she would fail to get the backing from the required 33 constituency Labour parties to send her through to the last round. Continue reading... Go to Source

Manchester City banned from Champions League for two seasons Ban starts next season and City also fined €30m (£25m) Club say they will appeal to CAS at ‘earliest opportunity’Manchester City have been banned from the Champions League for the next two seasons by Uefa and fined €30m (£25m) after they were found to have seriously misled European football’s governing body and broken financial fair play rules.The severity of the ban from both of Uefa’s elite club competitions and the scale of the fine reflect how seriously Uefa’s FFP compliance bodies consider the club to have breached the rules and code of conduct. Continue reading... Go to Source

Health officials contact 200 including MPs over UK coronavirus scare People attended London conference with delegate who has since tested positiveCoronavirus - latest updatesMore than 200 people, including several MPs, have been contacted by health officials over fears they could have been exposed to the coronavirus at a conference in central London.Public Health England (PHE) wrote to those who were at the UK Bus Summit at the QEII Centre in Westminster on 6 February after it emerged one of the delegates had tested positive. Continue reading... Go to Source

Durham's pioneering police scheme slashes reoffending rates Exclusive: scheme allows offenders to avoid prosecution if they take part in rehabilitation programme‘It changed my whole outlook’: an offender’s storyReoffending rates have been slashed in a pioneering police scheme in north-east England which experts say could lead to a transformation in how the justice system deals with violent crime.More than 2,660 offenders who have committed offences such as burglary and assault have taken part in an experiment in which they avoid prosecution if they take part in a rehabilitation programme for issues such as mental health and substance abuse. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK holds 'preliminary discussions' with China over building HS2 Country’s state-owned railway builder claims it can complete the rail link cheaper and fasterBritain is in talks with China over giving Beijing’s state-owned railway builder a role in constructing the troubled HS2 high-speed link. The China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) has said it can build the line in just five years at a much lower cost than is currently forecast, according to the Financial Times.Department for Transport (DfT) officials confirmed “preliminary discussions” had taken place between CCRC and HS2 Ltd, but said no “concrete commitments” had been made. “The DfT is always keen to learn from the experience of others and to consider approaches that offer value fo...

Jamaicans deported by Home Office go into hiding fearing for lives Number of people who were on Tuesday’s flight from UK concerned about gang violenceAs many as seven of the Jamaicans who were deported on a Home Office charter flight on Tuesday have gone into hiding in fear for their lives, the Guardian has learned.In interviews, three of the 17 who were forcibly returned to Jamaica on Tuesday said they fear they will be targeted by gangs if their whereabouts become known. They said they were staying in secret locations and were afraid to go outside. Continue reading... Go to Source

'Escaping the madness': steep rise in Londoners moving to northern England Sheffield, Leeds and Newcastle see fastest increases in people seeking better quality of lifePatrick Cox’s patience with London snapped when he was charged £3.50 for a cup of tea. For Amy Everett, it was the overcrowded commutes on trains that broke down so often she regularly worried she might never get home.The pair are part of a rising tide of Londoners moving out of the capital, revealed in new figures suggesting the popularity of settling in or returning to northern England has more than doubled since 2014. While in 2009 only 1% of people leaving London bought or rented homes in the north, in 2019 that figure reached 13%, data from the Countrywide network of estate and lettings agents shows. Cont...

Heathrow airport hit by delays following coronavirus-related concerns Public Health England guidelines result in as many as eight flights being caught up in checks or delaysCoronavirus - latest updatesAs many as eight flights at Heathrow airport were said to have been caught up in delays or checks as a result of government health officials responding to coronavirus-related concerns over passengers feeling unwell.United Airlines confirmed that staff in London had been providing assistance to a flight from San Francisco which had landed at Heathrow following reports of an individual becoming unwell onboard. Continue reading... Go to Source

Met Office issues 'danger to life' warning ahead of Storm Dennis Threat level of 1,200 mile-wide storm raised, with flooding and travel disruption expected The Met Office has raised the threat level of Storm Dennis, issuing a “danger to life” weather warning as Britain braced itself for a second weekend of gusty weather.The 1,200 mile-wide storm is expected to cause torrential downpours, raising the risk of fast-flowing floods and transport disruption over the weekend. Continue reading... Go to Source

Former Commons photographer's home raided 'over stolen furniture' Met police search Mark Duffy’s residence for ‘Pugin furniture, candlesticks and lamps’The House of Commons’ former official photographer, responsible for famous front page images of the last two year’s Brexit drama, has had his home raided by police after a clash with parliamentary authorities.Officers from the Metropolitan police turned up at Mark Duffy’s London home on Wednesday morning with a court order allowing them to search for parliamentary “Pugin-designed furniture, candlesticks, ceramics, clocks or lamps”. Continue reading... Go to Source

New cabinet meets for first time after Boris Johnson's reshuffle – live news Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including Boris Johnson chairing a meeting of the new cabinet and further government reshuffle developmentsHow representative is Boris Johnson’s new cabinet?Javid resigned after Johnson pushed him to sack advisersPolly Toynbee: Reshuffle’s message: power resides in No 10 11.51am GMTJulian Smith, who was sacked as Northern Ireland secretary yesterday, was doorstepped by Sky News this morning. Asked about his future plans, he replied:I think my future plans involve things like going to the pub and I’m now going to my constituency.I wish the new cabinet and new secretary of state all the best of luck. 11.37am GMT Continue ...

Police who warned man about 'transphobic' tweet acted unlawfully High court finds actions of Humberside police had ‘chilling effect’ on Harry Miller’s right to free speechPolice officers unlawfully interfered with a man’s right to freedom of expression by turning up at his place of work to speak to him about allegedly “transphobic” tweets, the high court has ruled.Harry Miller, a former police officer who founded the campaign group Fair Cop, said the actions of Humberside police had a “substantial chilling effect” on his right to free speech. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus outbreak: senior US official accuses China of lack of transparency Top White House official Larry Kudlow questions approach of Politburo as China brings in ‘wartime’ measures in more citiesCoronavirus latest updates A senior White House official has called on Beijing to be more transparent over its handling of the coronavirus outbreak as Chinese authorities expanded “wartime” measures to limit its spread.“We are a little disappointed that we haven’t been invited in and we’re a little disappointed in the lack of transparency coming from the Chinese,” said Larry Kudlow, the director of the US National Economic Council. Continue reading... Go to Source

Stephanie Simpson: body of missing British hiker found in New Zealand The 32-year-old had been missing for a week after she went walking in Mount Aspiring national park The body of the missing British hiker Stephanie Simpson has been found more than a week after she went missing, New Zealand police have said.The discovery was made at about 1.40pm on Friday in the Pyke Creek area, a region in which police had devoted significant search resources, including two dog teams, 12 specialist search and rescue staff, thermal imaging drones and a helicopter. Continue reading... Go to Source

Mumps cases in England rise to highest level in a decade Total of 5,042 is four times that in 2018 as health experts urge people to catch up on vaccineThe number of recorded cases of mumps in England has soared to the highest level in a decade.There were 5,042 cases in 2019 – four times the number in 2018. Many of these were as a result of outbreaks in universities and colleges, and most were in young adults who did not have the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) jab. Continue reading... Go to Source

Javid resigned after Johnson pushed him to sack advisers Sajid Javid said ‘no self-respecting minister’ could accept the PM’s terms to stay in governmentBoris Johnson has moved to seize control over the Treasury in an unexpectedly brutal reshuffle that forced out his chancellor, Sajid Javid, and paves the way for a post-Brexit spending bonanza at the budget.Johnson staged the power grab over No 11 by issuing an ultimatum to his chancellor to fire all his advisers – a move that Javid later said “no self-respecting minister” could accept. Continue reading... Go to Source

Javid's self-worth wasn't part of the plan for Cummi– sorry, Johnson | John Crace After binning those unelected EU bureaucrats, it was time for the PM to assert some authority. Luckily, Dom was there to helpIt hadn’t been one of Boris Johnson’s more restful nights. First the succession of text messages from Dominic Cummings telling him who to sack. Then the nudges in the ribs from Carrie telling him who to keep. To top it all, he was still wracking his brains trying to remember who had paid for his £15K winter break to Mustique. How could he be expected to keep track of that level of detail? He was fairly sure Prince Andrew didn’t remember who paid for all of his holidays.Boris had dragged his heels before heading over to the Commons in the morning. He hated any ...

Sajid Javid resigns as chancellor in Boris Johnson reshuffle Rishi Sunak replaces Javid, who refused the PM’s request to sack all his advisersCabinet reshuffle – live newsSajid Javid has resigned as chancellor after Boris Johnson asked him to sack all of his advisers in a move by No 10 to seize control of the Treasury.Javid has been replaced by his deputy, Rishi Sunak, the chief secretary to the Treasury, who is a favourite within No 10. Continue reading... Go to Source

This revenge reshuffle has a dangerous message: absolute power resides in No 10 | Polly Toynbee The removal of Sajid Javid – and anyone who ever queried Boris Johnson’s progress – is a demand for craven cabinet obedienceNo self-respecting chancellor would accept such terms: that was Sajid Javid’s reason for resigning. So in Rishi Sunak we have an alarmingly obedient new chancellor ready to take the job on any terms. His advisers will be fused with those of No 10, his power base diminished, and his office under the control of Dominic Cummings, intimidator-in-chief. Sunak will struggle to shake off shadow chancellor John McDonnell’s charge that he is nothing but “a stooge”. Related: Sajid Javid's exit leaves Boris Johnson in control of Treasury C...

Boris Johnson's reshuffle: who's in, who's out, at a glance The winners and losers as the prime minister changes his ministerial teamThe cabinet reshuffle – live newsBoris Johnson is carrying out the first major reshuffle of his ministers since being elected prime minister in December. Continue reading... Go to Source

London coronavirus patient turned up at hospital in Uber taxi Exclusive: woman arrived at Lewisham A&E unannounced after falling illCoronavirus – latest updatesThe first person diagnosed with coronavirus in London turned up unannounced at a hospital in an Uber taxi after falling ill, the Guardian has been told.Two staff from Lewisham hospital in south London are now in isolation at home after coming into contact with the woman, a Chinese national who had recently arrived in the capital from China. Continue reading... Go to Source

Earth just had hottest January since records began, data shows Average global temperature 2.5F above 20th-century averageAntarctic has begun February with several temperature spikesLast month was the hottest January on record over the world’s land and ocean surfaces, with average temperatures exceeding anything in the 141 years of data held by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Related: Antarctic temperature rises above 20C for first time on record Continue reading... Go to Source