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COVID-19 Inquiry
— In a surprising turn of events, the Cabinet Office has reversed its stance on accessing Boris Johnson’s phone messages concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, raising some intriguing questions about transparency and trust in the COVID Public Inquiry.
Investigation
— Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s use of pens with erasable ink has sparked concerns over government transparency. Critics suggest these pens could enable the removal of important notes from official documents, challenging historical accountability.
Greece
— The centre-right New Democracy party, led by Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has won a decisive victory in the Greek election, granting him a second four-year term and a strong majority in parliament.
Geopolitics
— In a French TV interview, US climate envoy John Kerry defended the US stance on Ukraine and denied that the Iraq war was a war of aggression or a crime based on a lie.
COVID-19
— A new book exposes the tensions between the Treasury and health officials over the COVID-19 vaccine programme, and alleges that Steve Barclay delayed the approval of the programme due to value-for-money concerns, angering the vaccine taskforce.
COVID-19
— FU.1, a new COVID strain that is more contagious and faster spreading than the previous ones, has been detected in many countries and poses a serious risk of another wave of infections.
COVID-19 Inquiry
— The COVID Inquiry has revealed the UK’s pandemic prep failures, including a lack of lockdown planning, PPE stockpiling, slow testing, and isolation response. Bereaved families demand justice and accountability for their loved ones.
Brazil
— The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a fatal case of swine flu in Brazil, marking the first human infection from the H1N1 virus in the country in 2023.
Public Health
— Rishi Sunak has delayed his ban on junk food deals until 2025, citing inflation and consumer choice as reasons. The ban aims to reduce obesity by limiting multi-buy offers on unhealthy products. Health campaigners are likely to be unhappy with the delay.
COVID-19
— A former official said the UK Government neglected its pandemic preparedness due to its obsession with Brexit, adding that the government did not plan for lockdowns, social support, or PPE, and ignored the health inequalities and vulnerabilities of the poor and ethnic minorities.
LGBTQ Rights
— Iceland has passed a new law that bans conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ people and imposes harsh penalties for violators. The law makes Iceland one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly nations in the world.
UK Politics
— Johnson has been accused of violating the ministerial code by taking a job with the Daily Mail without seeking or following Whitehall’s anti-corruption panel’s advice.
Ukraine
— Ukraine is facing a water crisis as dams are being destroyed in the midst of a conflict with Russia. After the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, another dam has been reportedly attacked by Russia in the Donetsk region. How many more dams will fall victim to this war?
Donald Trump
— Donald Trump accused Joe Biden of weaponizing the justice department and compared the situation to Stalinist Russia to explain his recent indictment, whilst Mike Pence urged patience and prayer for Trump, who now faces 37 charges related to handling classified documents.
Donald Trump
— Former president Donald Trump is set to face seven federal charges concerning his handling of classified documents. The very serious charges filed by special counsel Jack Smith in federal district court in Miami may carry a maximum penalty of 10 years.
UK Politics
— Prince Harry accused Mirror Group Newspapers of hacking his phone and other illegal acts in a court case. He also criticized the UK Government and media for colluding to avoid accountability and protect the status quo. He urged journalists to expose corruption and defend democracy.
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