Five and ten cent coins to disappear forever as Australian Mint says demand is dropping because of COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic could be leading to demise of the five and ten cent coins Circulation of the small coins has seen a sharp decline over the past five years The cost of …
Read More »Happy birthday Princess Royal! Elegant Anne stuns in three new portraits to mark turning 70
The Princess Royal’s 70th birthday has been marked with the release of three official photographs to celebrate the milestone. Princess Anne is known for her no-nonsense approach to life and tenacious attitude, but in the images she is pictured smiling and looking relaxed at her Gatcombe Park home in Gloucestershire …
Read More »Royal Mail issues statement after North Staffordshire postman who felt ‘unprotected’ from Covid-19 killed himself
Royal Mail has today insisted it is doing everything it can to protect its staff and customers after a postman who felt ‘unprotected’ from Covid-19 killed himself. Darren Beech was found dead by his two brothers at his Kidsgrove home on May 17 after struggling during coronavirus lockdown. An inquest …
Read More »Suffolk and Essex job losses: Which companies have cut staff?
PUBLISHED: 16:16 11 August 2020 Sarah Chambers Debenhams has become the latest high street chain to announce big job losses Picture: JUDY RIMMER Hundreds of thousands of people across the UK have lost their jobs or are about to – including many in Suffolk and Essex – as the economic …
Read More »UK records highest number of new coronavirus cases in seven weeks
The UK today recorded its highest number of new coronavirus cases in seven weeks with 1,148 infections and a further 102 deaths across the country. The total number of cases today reached 312,789 after the largest rise since June 21, when there were 1,221 new cases. The total number of …
Read More »Coronavirus: ‘Rapid response’ testing units taking days to turn up since private firms assumed control
The Independent employs reporters around the world to bring you truly independent journalism. To support us, please consider a contribution. Royal Mail staff at a Manchester depot hit by a major coronavirus outbreak could not get tested for four days after England’s mobile testing programme – previously run by the army …
Read More »North Staffordshire postman, 50, kills himself after struggling to cope during coronavirus lockdown
Postman Darren Beech took his own life after he had been struggling during the Covid-19 lockdown. The 50-year-old was found dead by his two brothers at his Kidsgrove home on May 17. An inquest into his death at Stoke’s civic centre heard he was found in the bath, a day …
Read More »Coronavirus testing descends into chaos after being taken off army and made private
The switchover from army-run mobile coronavirus testing to private companies has immediately been met with two major bungles across Greater Manchester. An outbreak of 12 cases at Manchester’s Royal Mail depot saw the council pointed in the direction of outsourced company G4S for urgent mass testing – but the firm …
Read More »Mobile units turn up late – and sometimes not at all as testing in Greater Manchester descends into chaos after being taken off the army and given to private sector
Mobile coronavirus testing in Greater Manchester has been hit by chaos immediately after the programme was handed over from the military to outsourcers. The switchover from the army to the private sector – which coincided almost exactly with new Covid restrictions being brought in for Greater Manchester due to rising …
Read More »Tesco supermarket is hit by coronavirus outbreak amid surge in Covid cases across Swindon
A Tesco supermarket has been hit by a coronavirus outbreak amid a surge in cases across Swindon. The chain has confirmed that the affected staff at its Extra store are now self-isolating, a spokesman confirmed today. Swindon was recently placed on a government watchlist after a surge in COVID-19 infections, …
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