<p>Prince Andrew has had his military affiliations and royal patronages returned to the Queen and will continue to not undertake any public duties, Buckingham Palace has announced. The news comes after US judge Lewis Kaplan gave the green light for a civil trial to go ahead in the sexual abuse lawsuit brought against him by <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/queen-strips-prince-andrew-of-military-titles-over-sexual-assault-lawsuit/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Australia has matched its hottest day on record as it recorded temperatures last reached more than 50 years ago. Scorching temperatures of 50.7°C were recorded in Onslow, Western Australia today, January 13, marking only the fourth time the country has passed the 50°C mark in Bureau of Meteorology data going back to 1910. The last <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/australia-matches-hottest-day-on-record-with-scorching-temperature-of-50-7-degrees/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>A cocaine dealing grandmother has been jailed for two and a half years after using her son as a courier for drugs. A cocaine-dealing Caerphilly grandmother is going to jail after using her son to carry drugs on her behalf. Julie Smith, 53, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court along with her son Robbie Smith, <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/cocaine-granny-jailed-after-using-son-as-courier/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Boris Johnson said it was ‘reasonable’ for people to call the police about Animal House-style parties during lockdown, just months after attending a ‘bring your own booze’ event at Downing Street. The prime minister issued an apology yesterday, January 12, after it emerged that more than 100 Downing Street staff had been invited to have <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/boris-johnson-told-public-to-report-animal-house-parties-to-police-after-downing-street-drinks-party/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>A father in Canada who hasn’t been vaccinated against COVID-19 has temporarily lost the right to see his child. Canada has seen a total of 2.66 million confirmed cases of coronavirus since the pandemic began, with more than 31,000 deaths. It’s believed more than 77% of the country’s adult population is fully vaccinated, with 72.5 <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/unvaccinated-dad-loses-right-to-see-his-child/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>The health secretary has announced the isolation period for fully vaccinated people is set to drop. Sajid Javid explained the move would mean isolation for fully vaccinated people in England will fall from seven days to five. Once a person has completed five full days in isolation, a negative lateral flow test on days five <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/sajid-javid-announces-self-isolation-to-drop-to-five-days-from-next-week/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>A model in Russia is facing murder charges after admitting to killing her husband when he brought home another woman. Lilia Sudakova has alleged she was acting in self-defence when she stabbed her husband, Sergey Popov, just over a year ago, however prosecutors have accused the 27-year-old of deliberately using a knife with the intent <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/model-admits-to-killing-husband-when-he-brought-another-woman-home/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Health Secretary Sajid Javid is set to announce a big change to coronavirus regulations. Today, January 13, following recent changes to the positive lateral flow process, Javid will update ministers regarding the latest pandemic rules. The announcement will take place at the House of Commons and is set to address what other changes could be <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/sajid-javid-to-give-major-covid-update-in-parliament-today/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Footage shared on social media appears to provide an insight into so-called ‘quarantine camps’ in China where ‘millions’ are alleged to be in lockdown. Videos doing the rounds online depict a dystopian scene with dozens of white metal boxes lined up in rows while people dressed in white protective clothing gather outside. The cubicles appear <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/china-accused-of-forcing-families-to-live-in-metal-boxes-in-quarantine-camps/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>German police have come under fire for using data from the country’s coronavirus tracing app to assist with a criminal investigation. The incident began when a man fell over in the south-western city of Mainz, Germany, on November 29, 2021. Despite being rushed to hospital, the victim died from his injuries a few days later. <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/police-under-investigation-for-using-covid-tracking-data-to-hunt-down-witness/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Social media users have joined Catholic and Jewish leaders in condemning an ‘unacceptable’ funeral display in which a Nazi flag was draped across the coffin. About two dozen people were seen gathered outside the church in Rome following the death of Alessia Augello, a 44-year-old former militant of the extreme right-wing group Forza Nuova, which <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/outrage-as-extremist-laid-to-rest-with-nazi-flag-as-bystanders-salute/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>eBay has managed to bring a long-lost brother and sister together after 30 years apart, after one of them bought a football match programme from their dad on the auction platform. Before the pandemic, Ross Colquhoun from Edinburgh, Scotland, bought a programme for a Hearts v Liverpool game from a seller on the online marketplace. <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/man-reunites-with-long-lost-sister-of-30-years-after-buying-something-off-ebay/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Amazon will stop accepting Visa credit cards as early as next week after the two companies failed to find an agreement in their long-running dispute. The pair had been rowing over rising Visa transaction fees, which Amazon claims is affecting its sellers and creating an ‘obstacle’ for small online shops that were trying to keep <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/amazon-to-stop-accepting-uk-visa-credit-cards-imminently/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for Boris Johnson to resign after attending a party at Downing Street during the height of lockdown. The prime minister admitted he ‘must take responsibility’ for the gatherings and parties which took place at Downing Street while the rest of the country was being told to stay <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/sir-keir-starmer-calls-on-boris-johnson-to-resign-after-he-admitted-attending-downing-street-party/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Boris Johnson has apologised for a ‘bring your own booze’ party held in the Downing Street garden during lockdown. The prime minister has been under pressure to explain reports that he attended the party, which was held on May 20, 2020, after a leaked email from his personal private secretary was published, inviting around 100 <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/boris-johnson-issues-apology-over-downing-street-party-scandal/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>An arrest has been made in the unsolved murders of four people who were killed in the French Alps in 2012. The victims of the murders include 50-year-old Surrey businessman Saad al-Hilli, his wife Iqbal, and 74-year-old mother-in-law Suhaila al-Allaf, who were shot dead as they tried to drive away from the village of Chevaline, <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/arrest-made-in-unsolved-2012-alps-murders/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Prince Andrew was aware that his sex-abuse accuser had been trafficked to him, newly-released court documents claim. The Duke of York had placed a motion in New York last week to dismiss the civil case brought against him by Virginia Giuffre, which alleges he sexually assaulted her in 2001 when she was just 17. Now, <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/prince-andrew-knew-his-sex-abuse-accuser-was-being-trafficked-court-hears/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Debate about face masks has raged for much of the pandemic, with conflicting advice circulating on what types of mask to wear and how effective they are at stopping the spread. Studies have found that wearing N95, KN95 or KF94 masks (the thicker, origami-style ones) offers more protection, with a spring 2021 study revealing that <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/scientists-reveal-how-long-you-should-wear-the-same-face-mask/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>A British surgeon has been struck off the medical register after he branded his initials on two patients’ livers while they were in hospital. Simon Bramhall was found to have used an argon beam machine to draw his initials on two patients while working as a transplant surgeon at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/surgeon-who-branded-his-initials-on-patients-livers-struck-off-medical-register/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>A man has been in a standoff with armed police for three days after he barricaded himself in with his eight-year-old son. In the early hours of Sunday morning, January 9, police were called to the house in Coventry to conduct a welfare check. However, the 41-year-old father barricaded himself inside the residence with his <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/armed-police-in-standoff-with-man-refusing-to-leave-home-with-eight-year-old-son-for-third-day-running/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Members of the public have taken to social media to share heartbreaking stories of what they were doing while Downing Street staff members gathered in the garden for drinks during lockdown. A leaked email sent to more than 100 Downing Street employees encouraged staff to ‘make the most of the lovely weather and have some <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/people-share-heartbreaking-stories-of-what-they-were-doing-while-downing-street-held-a-party/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Calls have been rising for Ikea to be boycotted after the company decided to cut sick pay for unvaccinated members of staff who are required to self-isolate. Amid the spread of Omicron – which has caused an increasing number of people to take time off work – Ikea has decided to change its payment plans <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/calls-grow-to-boycott-ikea-over-controversial-vaccine-sick-pay-announcement/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>The UK Health Security Agency has revealed new guidance in relation to PCR testing following a lateral flow result. Following rising cases brought on by Omicron, changes to testing for coronavirus and alterations to the self-isolation period have continued to be made by the government in a bid to battle the surge, but also stem <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/omicron-new-pcr-testing-rules-come-into-force-today/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>