Author: BBC

Joe Biden has tested positive for Covid-19 and is suffering mild symptoms, the White House has said.Karine Jean-Pierre, his press secretary, said the US president is vaccinated and boosted. He has had Covid twice before.Mr Biden, 81, was seen earlier on Wednesday visiting supporters in Las Vegas and speaking at an event. He has cancelled a campaign speech in the city tonight.The illness comes as he faces increasing pressure to step aside because of his age following a poor debate performance at the end of June. Ms Jean-Pierre said the president planned to isolate at his home in Delaware while…

British Medical Association (BMA) leaders have met to discuss the approach being taken to children and young people struggling with their gender identity. The union’s senior doctors debated the Cass review on Wednesday at a meeting of its council – the BMA’s top decision-making body.Ahead of the meeting, a council member questioned the way the review was carried out and called the ban on puberty blockers “terrible”. Meanwhile, the New Statesman has reported that a motion proposing the BMA “publicly disavow” the review was to be debated.The BMA described the magazine’s claim as misleading but refused to release details of…

The daughter of Dubai’s ruler appears to have announced her divorce on social media.A post from the verified Instagram account of Sheikha Mahra bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said she was ending her marriage, and reads: “I hereby declare our divorce.”The BBC has reached out to officials in the country to seek clarity on the matter.There has been no public comment from Sheikha Mahra’s husband, Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum, or her father.The post, which begins “Dear Husband”, concluded – “I divorce you, I divorce you, and I divorce you,” seemingly using the Islamic…

51 minutes agoBy PA Media, News Agency • Eleanor Lawson, BBC News, West MidlandsGetty ImagesBefore its website closed down, SK:N said it had “the largest network of specialist skin care clinics in the UK”One of Britain’s largest plastic surgery providers, which had more than 70 branches across the UK, has collapsed.Customers calling SK:N Clinics’ main office number on Tuesday were told: “Unfortunately as of July 17, the SK:N Group, including SK:N Clinics, the Harley Medical Group, Skinbrands, The Skin Experts and ABC Medical has ceased trading.”The Birmingham-based company previously said it had “the largest network of specialist skin care clinics in the UK”.Founded in 1990,…

At least six people have died following a fire at a shopping centre in the city of Zigong in China’s Sichuan province, according to state media. As of Tuesday evening, a rescue effort was ongoing with 30 people reported to have been saved so far. The fire at the 14-storey building has now been extinguished. Footage broadcast by China’s state media and on social media showed thick black smoke towering above the building. Source link

Kelly Tolhurst, the first former minister to give evidence to the current phase of the Post Office scandal inquiry, has described her “embarrassment” and “utter shame” when a judge found in favour of sub-postmasters wrongly accused of theft and false accounting.Ms Tolhurst was the minister responsible for the Post Office from July 2018 to February 2020.She told the inquiry on Wednesday that the Post Office had initially reassured her about the robustness of the Horizon computer system and its chances of winning a case brought by 555 sub-postmasters five years ago.But when Mr Justice Fraser handed down the first of…

33 minutes agoBy Ian Youngs, Culture reporter, BBC NewsNetflixBaby Reindeer’s Richard Gadd and Jessica Gunning are both up for acting awardsThe stars of Baby Reindeer and The Crown are among those nominated for this year’s Emmy Awards.Scottish comedian Richard Gadd, creator of controversial Netflix series Baby Reindeer, has three nominations – for acting, writing and producing.Jessica Gunning, who plays stalker Martha, is also nominated for an acting award, as are co-stars Nava Mau (Teri) and Tom Goodman-Hill (Darrien).The series has 11 nominations in all. Most nominated is Japan-set samurai epic Shogun with 25, while The Bear has set a record for a…

Canadian rapper Drake has posted a video which appears to show part of his Toronto home submerged in flood waters. The city has been hit by record rainfall from three huge storms that have cut power and stranded motorists. Drake joked on Instagram that the rushing waters “better be espresso martini” as he shared a video of the home he refers to as The Embassy.

2 hours agoBy Vanessa Buschschlüter, BBC NewsTwitter/@VenteVenezuelaMilciades Ávila was arrested at a house he was staying at on Wednesday morningThe head of security of Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has been detained, members of their party say.The security chief, Milciades Ávila, was taken away from the house where he was staying in the capital, Caracas, by members of the Venezuelan security forces, the Vente Venezuela opposition party said.He is the latest opposition activist to be detained in the run-up to the presidential election on 28 July, in which the opposition hopes to unseat the incumbent, Nicolás Maduro.Neither the government nor the…

The pound hit its highest level against the dollar in a year on Wednesday as investors bet on UK interest rates staying higher for longer.Fresh data on Wednesday showed the rate of inflation was proving more stubborn than expected by some analysts.This prompted traders to cut bets on an easing of rates in August, and sent the pound above $1.30 for the first time since last July.The pound has also been boosted by market hopes that the new Labour government will offer economic stability.UK inflation was steady in June, with the headline rate at the Bank of England’s target rate…