Author: News Desk

Stamp duty scrapped: Rishi Sunak could extend tax holiday permanently for house buyers Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering extending the current holiday and is facing calls to drop the property tax completely. He is being urged by homeowners, campaigners and more than 50 conservative MPs to extend the tax or get rid of it in favour of another tax. The property tax usually adds 3% to the price of homes worth under £500,000. The steep tax rises to 15 per cent on homes worth over £1.5million. SDLT was scrapped last summer in an attempt to boost the property market…

Drugs worth 1 billion dirhams have been seized in Abu Dhabi, local police revealed on Friday. The police arrested a gang of drug dealers and said they confiscated over one ton (1041 kilogrammes) of drugs from a gang of eight drug dealers. Police officials added that the involved gang was trying to transport the drugs to the UAE in a unique fashion by “dissolving crystalised drugs into water.” Abu Dhabi police said that the money earned through drug smuggling was laundered, adding that the gang received instructions from abroad. As soon as the police received a tip-off, security plans were…

It was a game that failed to justify the pre-match anticipation and Solskjaer will know his side had the better chances to claim a statement victory at Anfield. But we’re used to that Liverpool vs Man United is a fixture that rarely lives up to the hype. Both teams are always more worried about losing than trying to go for a win, Such was the tension, Pogba didn’t even manage any flicks or tricks. But this latest instalment had problems written all over it. United wanted to hit Liverpool on the counter especially, with a makeshift partnership in defence. Liverpool…

Monday’s News Briefing Video: Trump to pardon 100 people – UK travel industry struggle – death toll climbs in Indonesia quake https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JboTt_vrWNw Scrap benefits cut to stop millions falling into poverty, Boris Johnson told France launches public consultation on legalising cannabis Patients die at home as Lebanese oxygen supplies run low Indonesia quake death toll climbs as weary medics soldier on Jordan among first to vaccinate UN-Registered refugees it hosts South Africa struggles against ‘relentless’ COVID-19 surge Trump to issue around 100 pardons and commutations Tuesday, sources say Covid-19: Some airports could close temporarily as they reach ‘near-complete shutdown’,…

Daily News Briefing Brief. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JboTt_vrWNw The top stories Scrap benefits cut to stop millions falling into poverty, Boris Johnson told The Guardian says Boris Johnson cannot claim to be “levelling up” the UK if he persists with a planned cut in universal credit for 6 million families, a thinktank has said, as pressure mounts on the PM over the issue from within his own party. The Resolution Foundation joined opposition parties, anti-poverty campaigners and many Conservative MPs in urging the government to extend the £20-a-week uplift introduced during the first wave of the pandemic. Read on ……………….. France launches public…

Twenty-four-hour vaccination sites will be piloted in London Lockdown before the end of January, the vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has said. While the current 8 am to 8 pm vaccination times work better for the over-80s, some areas of the UK have managed to give out first jabs to the majority of this age group. London has had a surge of cases of the Christmas period and many health officials have warned, London hospitals are running out of capacity. Nadhim Zahawi, the minister responsible for the vaccine rollout, said his “very strong instinct” would be for workers at greater risk…

Hong Kong COVID-19 breakout reported 107 new coronavirus cases on Monday, the highest toll in nearly a month as authorities tested thousands of residents after an outbreak in an old residential building located in a busy commercial and residential area last week. The Chinese special administrative region last recorded a triple-digit figure on Dec. 19 with 109 cases. At its peak in July 2020 the city logged 149 new infections. COVID-19 restrictions which have banned gatherings of more than two people and closed sports facilities, beauty salons and all restaurants for dining after 18:00 local time. Dozens of infections were…

The youngest ever champion Yan beats Higgins in Masters Final. The 20-year-old Yan Bingtao comes from behind to beat John Higgins to become the youngest Masters champion in 26 years. Yan Bingtao’s superb fightback stunned John Higgins as he becomes the youngest Masters champion in 26 years. The youngster pinched two frames on the black, in between a 103 break to go 8-7 ahead. Higgins halted the slide with 63 but Yan’s 70 and 64 gave him a famous victory. China’s Yan was making his Masters debut and at the age of 20 is a year older than Ronnie O’Sullivan…

To understand the new politics stance and other pro nationals of recent times, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. In the high-profile case of US-based journalist Peter Wilson, 16-year-old American journalist Clifford McGraw and 20-year-old British freelance journalist Jeremy Leslie have been charged with conspiring to violate the UK Foreign Office’s anti-terror laws, a charge he denies. On Monday, UK attorney Andy McDonald revealed that he had spoken. “Few worry about catching Covid anymore, as it’s just a matter of time before they do,” says Tea, a teacher at a school for…

Sunday Papers: Over-18’s vaccinated by June – ‘Quarantine hotels’ In today’s briefing update, we look at Sunday’s top stories. Most papers focus on vaccine rollout.  The recurring message in Sunday’s papers is on the Covid vaccination plans. The other stories include:  The Sun on Sunday says Brits are fed up to the back teeth with Covidiots breaking the rules.”  More than half of the people questioned in a YouGov poll for the paper felt the police were not being tough enough on those flouting lockdown measures. Its opinion column states that “with the NHS at breaking point, the public is…