In this issue

December 04, 2021

‘Immoral': billionaire Tory donor takes furlough cash

Taxpayer bankrolls staff costs despite firm’s £75m profit

4 mins

Vaccine watchdog ready to approve jabs for children as young as five next week

The UK’s vaccine watchdog is ready to approve jabs for children as young as five as early as next week, The Independent understands, with a rollout expected in the new year.

3 mins

Covid test scheme aimed at vulnerable may be scrapped

A major testing programme used to quickly detect Covid-19 in the NHS, prisons, schools and social care may be dropped next year, The Independent has learned.

3 mins

Sage urges return of ‘work from home' to halt omicron

Boris Johnson’s government should consider bringing back “work from home” guidance in a bid to tackle the spread of the Covid omicron variant, top scientific advisers have recommended.

2 mins

Whitehall Christmas parties go ahead – but No 10 won't disclose ‘private' details

No 10 has refused to share details of staff parties set to be held at Downing Street in the run-up to Christmas, insisting that any “private events” would not be publicly revealed.

2 mins

Taliban issue decree saying women are not ‘property'

The Taliban government issued a decree saying women in Afghanistan should not be considered “property”, and should consent to marriage.

2 mins

Why does Biden need to be wary of Covid-19 measures?

Yet again, the US Congress has avoided a possible government shutdown at the last minute with both the House of Representatives and Senate voting through a stopgap bill to extend funding through to the middle of February.

2 mins

Making vaccines mandatory is the most moral thing to do

My mum and dad aren’t just my parents, they’re my best mates – and I’m not just their daughter, I’m also their primary carer.

4 mins

Squid Game took us by surprise – this year's hits have not been easy to predict

It’s fun picking the hidden gems in those rundowns of 2021’s best albums, TV shows and films, writes Charlotte Cripps

1 min

Biden should look to Britain and Europe for Fed reform

For Americans, their reaction to the stability at the top of their monetary policy regime may be a mix of relief and disappointment. Relief because Joe Biden has decided to nominate Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell for another term, thus avoiding another ugly fight in Congress with Republicans who would have been determined to retain Donald Trump’s appointee.

3 mins

Read all stories from The Independent

The Independent Newspaper Description:

The Independent has been at the frontline of journalism since 1986, with its mission to challenge and debate always ahead of its time. The Independent is free-thinking and free of bias in an increasingly fragmented world where communities locally, regionally and across continents are disenfranchised with traditional establishments. They want real facts and frank opinions delivered first-hand from a news source that is ready to stand for something, not everything.