New Year’s Eve celebrations were muted by coronavirus restrictions in London and New York, while countries including Australia and New Zealand welcomed in 2021 with impressive firework displays. Big Ben ushered in 2021 with its chimes in an eerily subdued London, which would typically be packed with swathes of people waiting to watch a dazzling
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Multiple police officers stood by for several minutes without offering any first aid to a dying man after he was shot by another officer, bodycam footage released on Thursday has revealed. The video from officers in Columbus, Ohio, appears to show that 47-year-old Andre Hill, who is black, was still alive on the floor of
A convicted murderer, considered by the FBI to be the most prolific serial killer in US history, has died at a hospital in California. Samuel Little, who had been serving three consecutive life sentences for the killing of three women in Los Angeles County during the 1980s, ultimately confessed to strangling 93 people. The state
The new highly infectious variant of COVID-19 first discovered in the UK has now been detected in southern California, according to the state’s governor. Gavin Newsom declared that the more transmissible version of the coronavirus had reached the US western coast on Wednesday, a day after the first case was documented in Colorado. Governor Newsom
The former US special forces soldier who helped inspire “taking a knee” to protest against racial injustice has criticised football fans in England for booing players who kneel in support of the anti-racism campaign. Nate Boyer, who served as a Green Beret in Iraq and Afghanistan before making it as a player in the NFL,
Joe Biden has warned the US is “falling far behind” in its attempts to vaccinate people against COVID-19. At the current pace, the president-elect said it could take “years, not months”, to inoculate the American people. Shortly after Mr Biden addressed the nation, it emerged that a case of the more transmissible variant of coronavirus,
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have launched their first podcast – which they both produce and present – for Spotify. The half-hour “Holiday Special” featured celebrities, including Elton John and James Corden, reflecting on the past year and “sharing lessons, reflections and hopes for 2021”. It also includes “personal anecdotes and inspirational stories”, with
US President-elect Joe Biden has said the lack of information provided to his team by the Trump administration is “nothing short of irresponsible”. The Democrat said those working on the transition ahead of his inauguration next month were still not getting the defence and national security details it needed – more than a month after
The man suspected of being behind a bomb in the US city of Nashville is believed to have died in the explosion, federal authorities have said. The Christmas morning blast came from a motorhome which had broadcast a warning that it was going to detonate within 15 minutes, sending people fleeing for their lives. Three
Donald Trump has signed a COVID relief and spending bill, averting a government shutdown that could have seen millions of Americans deprived of unemployment benefit. Trump, who leaves office on 20 January, backed down from his threat to block the bill after he came under intense pressure from lawmakers on both sides. After the bill
Beyonce will donate $500,000 to people facing eviction due to the coronavirus pandemic through her BeyGOOD charity foundation. Grants of $5,000 (£3,736) will be handed out to 100 recipients in the US in late January. They will be among those who have been left most at risk of losing their home due to the planned
Detectives investigating a huge explosion in Nashville say they have identified a person of interest. Investigators have received over 500 leads and are now putting together the “giant jigsaw puzzle”. The blast – which happened on Christmas morning – originated from a motorhome which had broadcast a warning it was going to detonate within 15
Millions of Americans’ unemployment benefits have expired after the president refused to sign a $2.3trn COVID-19 relief and spending bill. Donald Trump, who is spending Christmas golfing at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, said the package did not do enough for everyday people. The bill sought to provide $892bn in coronavirus relief, including the
An “intentional” explosion linked to a motorhome has rocked the city of Nashville in the US. It happened at 6.30am in an area of central Nashville packed with bars, restaurants and shops, police said. The blast sent shattered glass and debris flying through the air as black smoke and flames billowed from the vehicle. Image:
A further 39,036 confirmed coronavirus cases have been recorded in the UK – the second-highest daily total to date – according to government figures. The only day which has surpassed this daily figure was Wednesday, when 39,237 new cases were confirmed. However, it is important to note the amount of testing has increased in the
The president-elect is known for favouring a tone of unity but in his pre-Christmas address he tore into Donald Trump for failing to prioritise America’s cyber security. One of the biggest cyber attacks in US history emerged last week. Hackers spent months exploring the systems of dozens of government agencies and corporations including the US
Donald Trump has pardoned his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort – as he continues to offer clemency to associates convicted in the Russia probe. Mr Trump also pardoned his former adviser Roger Stone and the real estate developer Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, on Wednesday. Manafort, 70, had been sentenced to
Donald Trump has suggested he may not sign the $892bn (£665bn) coronavirus relief package that was approved by Congress. The US president said in a video shared from his Twitter account that the bill was delivering too much money to foreign countries and not enough to US citizens. The bill allows for most Americans to
US President Donald Trump has issued a number of controversial pardons in the final weeks of his tenure. The list of 20 people who have had their crimes pardoned includes ex-members of Congress convicted of corruption, two people charged in the Russia investigation that shadowed his presidency, and four security guards who opened fire on
Facebook has removed a number of features from its Instagram and Messenger apps in Europe due to what it says is an update to EU privacy rules – including security features it uses to scan for child abuse content. A recent change to the ePrivacy Directive, that was designed to prevent companies such as Facebook