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1. Covid testing rules to be relaxed to solve staff shortages
Covid testing rules will be relaxed as part of efforts to shorten isolation periods and ease the staffing shortages crippling Britain, The Telegraph understands.
Fears are growing that staff absences have become as big a problem as Covid itself, with bin collections delayed, trains cancelled and 17 hospitals in Greater Manchester announcing on Tuesday that they would be suspending some non-urgent surgery, with 15 per cent of staff off sick. Read the full story.
2. Boris Johnson rejects energy bill VAT cuts to help struggling families
Boris Johnson has indicated that he will not cut VAT on energy bills because it would help “a lot of people who perhaps don’t need the support” with rising living costs.
The Prime Minister on Tuesday night dismissed demands to enact the move to help struggling families, amid fears that residential energy bills could double to ￡2,000 in April when the price cap is set to rise. Read the full story.
3. Victims of domestic violence will be given two years to report crimes as Dominic Raab said that he wants to put the “fear of God” into abusers.
The Justice Secretary said that victims would no longer be denied justice simply because they failed to report their domestic assault to police within the current six-month time limit. Read the full story.
4. You’ll need a Covid booster vaccine to travel abroad, warns Boris Johnson
Booster vaccines are likely to be needed for travel to many countries within weeks, Boris Johnson warned as he urged people to come forward for a third jab.
Mr Johnson said the travel requirement was likely to become "the norm" very soon, adding that it would be "very much to people's advantage" to take up the jabs. Read the full story.
5. Prince Andrew ‘not entitled’ to bring up accuser’s $500k Jeffrey Epstein deal in court
The Duke of York is “not entitled” to invoke a settlement deal made between his accuser and Jeffrey Epstein, a judge suggested on Tuesday.
The 12-page document was unsealed on Monday and revealed the terms of a $500,000 (￡370,000) deal that the convicted sex offender made with Virginia Roberts Giuffre in 2009. Read the full story.
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