Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Vaccine plans only for 'people over 50', says UK as cases cross 500,000

THE UK crossed 500,000 confirmed coronavirus infections on Sunday (4), official figures showed, in the latest grim milestone for the European country worst-hit by the pandemic.

Health authorities blamed a technical glitch for a sudden spike in cases announced in evening figures that had kept several thousand cases from the last week of September off the official tally.


Sunday's numbers showed 22,961 cases for the day, a rise of more than 10,000 on Saturday's figures.

Britain has now recorded 502,978 Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, with more than 42,000 deaths.

In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the country faced a "very tough winter" in the battle against the disease, but said there was "hope" the situation could improve by Christmas.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak warned that a further lockdown would cripple both the economy and society, in an interview with The Sun, stating that lockdowns have a very strong economic and social impact.

"Having a difficult economy has an impact on both our ability to fund public services like the NHS but also on individual people's long-term health outcomes," he said.

Sunak spoke about his dissatisfaction with the curfew on pubs and restaurants saying: "Of course, it's frustrating. I know it's difficult and wish we didn't have to do these things."

The chancellor expressed full support for the prime minister, saying Johnson faced difficult decisions and "awful trade-offs".

"The fact that he can do it and maintain that sense of optimism is extraordinary," Sunak added.

The chancellor's statements coincided with the launch of a new government employment programme that aimed at helping those left jobless due to the pandemic to get back into work.

The Department for Work and Pensions said the Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS) scheme would be backed by a £238-million investment.

The ministry said jobseekers put forward for the scheme would have access to tailored, flexible support to quickly get back into employment. This could involve specialist advice on how people could move into growing sectors, as well as coaching on CVs and interviews.

"JETS will give recently unemployed people the helping hand they need to get back into work, boosting the prospects of more than a quarter of a million people across Britain," said Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Therese Coffey.

Vaccine plans

Health authorities, meanwhile, drew up a vaccination programme that prioritised elderly people and at-risk workers.

"There's going to be no vaccination of people under 18," vaccine taskforce chairwoman Kate Bingham told the Financial Times.

"It's an adult-only vaccine, for people over 50, focusing on health workers and care home workers and the vulnerable."

She stressed that talk over vaccinating "the whole population" was "misguided", adding that vaccinating healthy people, who were much less likely to have severe outcomes from Covid-19, "could cause them some freak harm".

Bingham said the government was aiming to vaccinate about 30 million people, compared with the UK population of about 67 million, if a successful vaccine against Covid-19 was found

The British government has already ordered tens of millions of vaccine doses from various pharmaceutical research programmes, including the one led by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca.

Nine candidates for a vaccine are currently in the final stages of clinical trials, but there is so far no indication of when a vaccine will be ready for mass rollout.

More For You

“Why can’t I just run?”: A south Asian woman’s harrowing harassment story

Minreet with her mother

“Why can’t I just run?”: A south Asian woman’s harrowing harassment story

I was five years old when my parents first signed me up for a mini marathon. They were both keen runners and wanted me to follow in their footsteps. At the time, I hated it. Running felt like punishment — exhausting, uncomfortable, and something I never imagined I’d do by choice.

But one moment changed everything. I was 12, attending a gymnastics competition, and had gone to the car alone to grab my hula hoop. As I walked back, a group of men started shouting at me. They moved closer. I didn’t wait to hear what they had to say — I ran. Fast. My heart was pounding. It was the first time I felt afraid simply for existing in public as a young girl. I never told anyone. But I remember feeling thankful, strangely, that my parents had taught me how to run.

Keep ReadingShow less
Charithra Chandran Wimbledon

Chandran wore lambskin shorts and a green cashmere sweater for her Wimbledon appearance

Instagram/charithra17/Twitter/charithra files

Charithra Chandran brings ‘Bridgerton’ elegance to Wimbledon in timeless Ralph Lauren look

Highlights:

  • Charithra Chandran attended Wimbledon as a Ralph Lauren ambassador, turning heads in a vintage-inspired ensemble.
  • Her look echoed Bridgerton character Edwina Sharma, with soft curls and a classic summer palette.
  • Fans online praised her poise and outfit, with many saying she outshone stars like Andrew Garfield.
  • The actress wore a green cashmere sweater, tailored lambskin shorts and white Nappa pumps.

Charithra Chandran’s Wimbledon appearance might have been behind Hollywood stars Andrew Garfield and Monica Barbaro, but her crisp summer ensemble made sure all eyes found her. Dressed head-to-toe in Ralph Lauren, the British-Indian actress brought understated elegance and old-school charm to Centre Court, and social media took notice.

 Charithra Chandran Wimbledon Charithra Chandran styled her hair in soft curls for the Ralph Lauren outfitInstagram/charithra17/

Keep ReadingShow less
Amazon Prime Day 2025

Running from 8–11 July, the sale is exclusively available to Prime members

iStock

Prime Day 2025 brings huge discounts on electronics including Apple, Samsung, Sony and more

Highlights

  • Amazon Prime Day runs until 11 July, with major savings on electronics
  • Apple AirPods Pro 2, iPad 11th-gen, and MacBook Air M4 hit all-time low prices
  • Samsung Galaxy phones, Sony headphones and Fire TV devices also see deep cuts
  • Prime Day is exclusive to Amazon Prime members, but free trial users can also access deals

Biggest electronics sale of the year

Amazon’s four-day Prime Day 2025 event has delivered a flood of deals on popular electronics, including smartphones, laptops, tablets, headphones and more. Running from 8–11 July, the sale is exclusively available to Prime members, though new users can sign up for a 30-day free trial to access the discounts.

As part of this year’s event, several top-rated products from Apple, Samsung, Sony and Amazon itself have seen some of their lowest-ever prices. According to The Independent’s senior tech critic Alex Lee, “Apple discounts are notoriously rare — but this Prime Day is a clear exception.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Hermes Birkin handbag

The handbag is now the most valuable ever sold at auction

Reuters

Hermes Birkin handbag fetches record £7.4m at Paris auction

Highlights:

  • The original Hermes Birkin bag sold for £7.4m at Sotheby’s Paris.
  • It belonged to British actress and singer Jane Birkin.
  • The handbag is now the most valuable ever sold at auction.
  • It ranks as the second most expensive fashion item sold globally.

A record-breaking sale

The original Hermes Birkin handbag, once owned by British actress and singer Jane Birkin, has been sold for £7.4 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris, setting a new world record for the most valuable handbag ever sold at auction.

The sale, held on Thursday, saw the iconic fashion item exceed all expectations, with Sotheby’s calling it “a startling demonstration of the power of a legend.” The bag is now also the second most expensive fashion item ever sold at auction, following the £24 million paid for Judy Garland’s ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz in 2024.

Keep ReadingShow less
Barbie with type 1 diabetes

This is also part of Mattel’s mission to extend the boundaries of imaginative play

Mattel

Mattel introduces first Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes to promote inclusion

Highlights

  • Mattel launches new Barbie with type 1 diabetes
  • The doll features a glucose monitor, insulin pump and CGM app
  • Created in collaboration with type 1 diabetes charity Breakthrough T1D
  • Part of Mattel’s broader push for inclusivity and representation in toys

Barbie with type 1 diabetes joins inclusive fashionistas range

Mattel has launched its first diabetes Barbie doll, designed to represent children with type 1 diabetes and promote greater inclusivity in children’s toys.

The new addition to the Barbie Fashionistas line comes with realistic medical features including a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on her arm, secured with heart-shaped medical tape, and an insulin pump to help manage her blood sugar levels. She also carries a smartphone with a CGM app to monitor glucose throughout the day, and a bag large enough to store snacks and other essentials.

Keep ReadingShow less