<p>Ikea has cut sick pay for unvaccinated staff self-isolating as they join other companies in making new policy changes to deal with the ever-increasing numbers of people taking time off work for illness. They join Wessex Water in cutting sick pay, while in the US several major companies have starting penalising unvaccinated workers, as more <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/ikea-cuts-sick-pay-for-unvaccinated-staff-self-isolating/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>The President of Turkmenistan has ordered scientists to close the country’s infamous ‘Gates of Hell’. No, it’s not a side quest in Skyrim, nor is it the actual entryway to the realm of Satan. The ‘Gates of Hell’ is the oft-used, rad moniker for Turkmenistan’s Darvaza Crater, a massive crater in the Karakum desert dating <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/president-orders-scientists-to-close-gates-of-hell/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Met police officers who were found to have committed failings in the Grindr Killer case have since been promoted to more senior roles, it’s been revealed. Following the case of the Grindr killer, in which murderer Stephen Port targeted gay men in a series of attacks between 2014 and 2015, five officers were reprimanded for <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/police-officers-who-mishandled-grindr-killer-case-have-since-been-promoted/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>£3 million worth of cannabis plants have been discovered in an abandoned warehouse in Birmingham, police have confirmed. In a statement, West Midlands Police said officers executing a raid on the Digbeth address following a tip-off discovered 3,112 cannabis plants, unveiling a massive cannabis factory spread over three floors – one of the biggest seizures <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/3112-cannabis-plants-worth-3-million-seized-in-birmingham/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Get your bunting! This year, the Queen will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, and yes, there’s going to be an extra bank holiday. Queen Elizabeth II is the first British monarch in history to sit on the throne for 70 years, marking seven decades ‘of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/queens-platinum-jubilee-national-holiday-plans-unveiled/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>A 15-year-old boy has been arrested in south London on suspicion of a far-right terror plot. Police detained the teenager on Friday, January 7, as part of what the Metropolitan Police described as a ‘proactive operation’. Officers reportedly visited an address in south London on Friday morning and arrested the teen, who has not been named, <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/15-year-old-arrested-on-suspicion-of-far-right-terror-plot/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Police have expressed their disappointment after news emerged that Katie Price’s drink-driving sentence won’t be appealed. The former glamour model pleaded guilty to drink-driving whilst disqualified, as well as well driving without insurance after crashing her BMW X5 in West Sussex last September. Because of a legal loophole, Price received a 16-week suspended prison sentence with <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/police-chief-disappointed-as-katie-prices-drink-driving-sentence-wont-be-appealed/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Boris Johnson has revealed that he is considering changes to the self-isolation period for those who test positive for coronavirus. The prime minister discussed his thoughts on the current rules during an interview today, January 10, after the government previously lowered the isolation period from 10 days to seven, with two negative tests. Johnson has <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/boris-johnson-announces-hes-considering-new-changes-to-self-isolation-period/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>The Australian government has denied claims made by Novak Djokovic’s father that he has been arrested, hours after a court ruled that his visa should be restored. Earlier today, January 10, Djokovic won a legal battle against the Australian government’s decision to cancel his visa after a judge ruled that border officials had been ‘unreasonable’ <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/novak-djokovic-arrested-after-winning-visa-appeal-dad-says/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Government minister Michael Gove missed a prime time BBC interview this morning – after getting stuck in a lift. Gove, who is the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, was reportedly slated to appear on the Radio 4 Today programme’s 8.10am slot, but failed to show up. It was left to host <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/michael-gove-misses-bbc-interview-after-getting-stuck-in-lift/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Novak Djokovic has won has appeal against the Australian government’s decision to cancel his visa. Following a court hearing, a judge ordered that the tennis player should be released from detention and his visa restored after finding ‘unreasonableness’ in how the Australian Border Force came to its decision. Djokovic, the world number one, had been <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/novak-djokovic-wins-appeal-against-deportation-from-australia/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>A 17-year-old who died after giving birth to a larger than expected baby should have been induced weeks earlier, an inquest has heard. Teegan Barnard from Havant, Hampshire died in 2019 after losing almost four litres of blood during the birth of her nine-pound nine-ounce son, Parker, via emergency C-section. An inquest heard that Barnard <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/teen-who-died-birthing-9lb-baby-should-have-been-induced-inquest-hears/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Scientists have reportedly found a strain of Covid in Cyprus that blends Delta and Omicron. There are believed to be 25 cases of the new strain, which scientists have said is a blend of the two previous Covid variants and has been dubbed ‘deltacron’. Leondios Kostrikis, a professor of biological sciences at the University of <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/new-deltacron-variant-discovered-in-cyprus/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Government officials have denied plans they may get rid of free lateral flow tests amid growing concerns about their cost. Earlier this week, it was alleged that free tests could be limited to care homes, hospitals, schools and other high-risk settings. The news came after a shortage of lateral flow tests hit the UK in <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/government-deny-plans-to-scrap-free-lateral-flow-tests/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Investigators working on a documentary about Madeleine McCann’s disappearance have reportedly found evidence that could cast doubt on the prime suspect’s involvement. German police have said they believe that Christian B, a 44-year old convicted sex offender, was ‘100%’ responsible for the kidnap and murder of McCann, who vanished from a holiday resort in Portugal <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/madeleine-mccann-new-information-found-in-case-against-prime-suspect/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Novak Djokovic was pictured attending an event the day after his positive Covid test, prompting more controversy over the star. The news comes after Djokovic was detained in Melbourne airport for nine hours on January 4 upon arriving to play in the Australian Open. The star’s visa was revoked after he landed for failure to <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/novak-djokovic-photographed-at-event-day-after-he-claimed-positive-test-behind-exemption/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>The University of Warwick’s Dr Mike Tildesley has said that Covid could become ‘similar’ to the common cold. Dr Tildesley, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Modelling group which feeds into SAGE, has offered some encouraging thoughts during an interview with Times Radio. The medic noted that London’s Covid cases finally starting to slow <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/scientist-offers-hope-saying-covid-could-become-very-similar-to-the-common-cold/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Comedian Romesh Ranganathan was forced to stop his London Hammersmith Apollo show after a woman began hurling racist abuse at him. On Thursday, January 7, Ranganathan had to stop his London show and wait for security to escort the woman out before continuing with his set. In a video from the incident, The Weakest Link <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/romesh-ranganathan-jokes-after-woman-thrown-out-of-his-gig-for-racist-abuse/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>A petition to strip Tony Blair of his knighthood has just surpassed one million signatures. At the end of 2021, it was announced that Blair had been appointed to the position of Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter as part of the Queen’s New Year’s honours list. Following this, on New <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/one-million-people-sign-petition-to-strip-tony-blair-of-his-knighthood/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy has been released on bail after being accused of a series of serious sex offences. Mendy was arrested by the Cheshire Police on August 26, 2021 and has been accused of eight offences against five different women, including seven counts of rape and one count of sexual touching. He remained <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/sport/benjamin-mendy-manchester-city-footballer-accused-of-rape-released-on-bail/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings as areas of the UK are set to be hit with ‘thundersnow’ today, January 7. The warning follows a sudden influx of wintery weather in the region, with temperatures having plummeted on January 4 after the warmest New Year’s Day on record. A severe weather warning has <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/met-office-issues-severe-weather-warning-as-thundersnow-could-hit-uk/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>Prince Andrew is reportedly trying to sell his chalet in Switzerland to pay for his legal fees in the sexual assault case launched by Virginia Roberts Giuffre. Giuffre has claimed that she was sex trafficked by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to meet with the Duke of York on three separate occasions to have sex <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/prince-andrew-reportedly-selling-swiss-ski-chalet-because-queen-wont-pay-legal-fees/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>
<p>200 troops are being deployed in London to support the NHS as hospitals continue to deal with staff shortages. The army is set to provide military medics to assist doctors and nurses with patient care, while other personnel are also being deployed to help in non-medical hospital roles. The Ministry of Defence confirmed the troops <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/omicron-army-deployed-in-london-to-support-nhs-staff-shortages/" title="Read more" >…</a></p>