News Headlines
Keep up to date with all the local and national news, sports news and showbiz stories.
National Headlines
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COVID-19: 'Patients are younger and sicker than in the first wave'
David Parrott is just 19 years old and he sits in isolation wearing an oxygen mask that help his COVID-ravaged lungs to breathe.
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COVID-19: Town's rapid coronavirus testing centres close as snow sweeps across parts of England
All three rapid COVID testing centres in Luton have been shut because of snow in the area, the council has said, while other parts of England have also woken up to snowfall.
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TikTok video showing car parked across live railway line investigated by police
Police are appealing for information after a video posted on TikTok showed a car parked across a live railway track for a photoshoot.
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COVID-19: Second variant from Brazil 'likely' already in the UK, SAGE scientist says
The second of two new coronavirus variants from Brazil is likely to already be in the UK despite the government imposing a travel ban, a leading epidemiologist has warned.
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Starmer urges home secretary to 'take responsibility' as it emerges 400,000 police records deleted in 'human error'
Sir Keir Starmer has called on the home secretary to "take responsibility" for hundreds of thousands of police records which were accidentally deleted from a national database.
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Archie Lyndhurst: CBBC star died from brain haemorrhage, mother confirms
Archie Lyndhurst, the son of Only Fools And Horses actor Nicholas Lyndhurst, died from a brain haemorrhage, his mother has confirmed.
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Duke of Cambridge: Trauma makes the world seem a 'darker, blacker place'
The Duke of Cambridge has spoken of his concern about the pressure faced by emergency workers during the coronavirus pandemic, saying his work as an air ambulance pilot showed him that being surrounded by trauma and sadness can make you see the world as a "darker, blacker place".
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COVID-19: All UK travel corridors will close from Monday amid 'extraordinary' pressure on the NHS
All travel corridors will close from Monday, forcing everyone arriving in the UK to self-isolate.
Local Headlines
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Black Country MP’s appeal to South Asian community over Covid jab safety
Two Black Country MPs have urged the local South Asian community to ignore Covid vaccine misinformation and fake news after it emerged some have rejected the jab.
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Fly-through footage shows first glimpse of Dudley Metro extension
A computer-generated fly-through released this week gives a glimpse into the future showing how the much-anticipated Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension is set to look in Dudley town centre.
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Local MP congratulates medics for vaccine rollout
A Dudley MP has congratulated local medics after it emerged the borough was on track to vaccinate all care home residents by the end of next week.
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Home Secretary sparks further confusion over lockdown rules during TV interview
During an interview on ITV's This Morning, Priti Patel indicated that people should 'exercise alone' - despite government guidelines permitting socially distanced activity with up to one other person.
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Keeping wellbeing a priority during lockdown
Following the recent news that England has entered a third national lockdown since Covid-19 restrictions began last March, for many this can cause a lot of worry and anxiety when it comes to the uncertainty of the next few months.
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Two new covid testing sites to go live in Dudley borough
Two new coronavirus testing sites will open in the next few days to boost Dudley borough’s testing capacity.
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£50,000 improvements to children’s play area
More than £50,000 is to be spent on improving a children’s play area in the borough.
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Work starts on pavement widening schemes in Dudley and Stourbridge
Boardwalks and artificial grass will spruce up town centres in the borough as part of a pavement widening scheme to help keep people safe during the pandemic.
Entertainment News
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Archie Lyndhurst: CBBC star died from brain haemorrhage, mother confirms
Archie Lyndhurst, the son of Only Fools And Horses actor Nicholas Lyndhurst, died from a brain haemorrhage, his mother has confirmed.
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Stardust: Johnny Flynn on cancel culture and playing David Bowie in new biopic
It's not easy taking on the role of an iconic celebrity beloved by millions, and it's a job made even harder when that celebrity's estate hasn't given you their blessing.
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Dr Dre 'safe and looking good' after hospital stay, says Ice T
Rapper and producer Dr Dre has returned home after a stay in hospital with a reported brain aneurysm.
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Dustin Diamond: Saved By The Bell star diagnosed with cancer
Saved By The Bell star Dustin Diamond has been diagnosed with cancer and is receiving treatment in hospital, his team have confirmed.
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Grime artist Solo 45 has sentence increased to 30 years for raping and imprisoning women
A grime artist who was serving 24 years in jail for imprisoning and repeatedly raping four women has had his sentence increased by six years.
National Sport
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Liverpool vs Man Utd: Jurgen Klopp says it is rare that games are absolutely perfect
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says he can "count on one hand" the games that have gone perfectly as he prepares to face Manchester United this weekend, live on Sky Sports.
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Sir Alex Ferguson: 'Running style' stopped Manchester United signing Jordan Henderson
Sir Alex Ferguson says he wanted to buy Jordan Henderson while in charge at Old Trafford, but was advised against it by the club's medical staff on the basis of the midfielder's running style.
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Australian Open: Heather Watson among 47 players isolating after positive coronavirus tests on flights
Heather Watson is among 47 players competing in the Australian Open who must quarantine for 14 days following three positive Covid-19 tests on chartered flights.
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Dillian Whyte wary of Alexander Povetkin's game-plan and vows to exact vicious form of revenge
Dillian Whyte knows that Alexander Povetkin's 'nice guy' act softened his spite, but is ready to exact a vicious form of revenge after the Russian inflicted more world title torment.
Business News
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EDF ignites stock market spark with plan for Pod Point float
EDF, the French state-backed energy giant, is drawing up secret plans for a stock market flotation of one of Britain's biggest providers of electric vehicle charging infrastructure amid soaring demand from motorists.
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WhatsApp delays launch of business feature after privacy backlash
WhatsApp is delaying the rollout of new business features following a user backlash over the company's data sharing practices.
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Barclays weigh £3bn float of online retailer Very Group
The proprietors of The Daily Telegraph have begun exploring plans for a £3bn-plus flotation of Very Group, their booming online retail operation.
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COVID-19: Supreme Court backs small firms over business interruption insurance claims
Small firms are cheering a Supreme Court ruling that forces insurers to pay out on disputed coronavirus business interruption claims worth at least £1.2bn.
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COVID-19: Economy returned to reverse gear in November as lockdowns choked fightback
The UK economy returned to a reverse gear in November as tightened coronavirus restrictions took their toll on the fightback from the steepest recession on record, according to official figures.
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Politics News
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Starmer urges home secretary to 'take responsibility' as it emerges 400,000 police records deleted in 'human error'
Sir Keir Starmer has called on the home secretary to "take responsibility" for hundreds of thousands of police records which were accidentally deleted from a national database.
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'Human error' blamed for wiping of thousands of police records
Hundreds of thousands of fingerprint, DNA and arrest history records were accidentally wiped from police databases because of "human error" and "defective code", the policing minister has said.
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COVID-19: All UK travel corridors will close from Monday amid 'extraordinary' pressure on the NHS
All travel corridors will close from Monday, forcing everyone arriving in the UK to self-isolate.
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COVID-19: School closures could wipe out a decade of progress for less privileged pupils
Closing schools has been one of the most painful consequences of the pandemic - the action Boris Johnson described as his "last resort".
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COVID-19 border tests detect 'very low levels' among hauliers
More than 66,000 hauliers have so far been tested at the Channel crossing with only "very low levels" of coronavirus detected, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has told Sky News.
World News
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COVID-19: India begins vaccine roll-out and aims to administer 300 million jabs by August
India has began its ambitious project of vaccinating its 1.3 billion citizens - as it aims to administer 300 million jabs by August.
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Uganda presidential election: Incumbent Yoweri Museveni declared winner
Yoweri Museveni has been declared the winner of the Uganda presidential election with 58.64% of the total votes, according to the country's electoral commission.
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COVID-19: Indonesia vaccine rollout bucks trend by targeting younger generations
With shaking hands, broadcast live to the nation, a doctor administered Indonesia's first COVID-19 vaccination.
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Alexei Navalny: Poisoned Putin critic faces jail on return to Russia
Alexei Navalny is flying back to Russia and straight into the hands of the authorities.
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COVID-19: Global coronavirus deaths pass two million - just over a year since outbreak began
Global deaths linked to coronavirus have passed two million - just over a year since it was first identified in China.
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COVID-19: How did Ireland find itself with the highest infection rate in the world?
"The situation is the most serious that it's been since the start of the pandemic in Ireland."
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Angela Merkel's party has a new leader - but the identity of her successor is not easy to predict
Every year, Forbes magazine produces a list of the most powerful women in the world. And in 14 of the past 15 years, it has been the same person - Angela Merkel.
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COVID-19: Ice cream tests positive for coronavirus in China
Ice cream has been found to have been contaminated with COVID-19 in China after three samples tested positive for the virus.
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COVID-19: Australians angry as elite tennis players arrive in country despite travel restrictions
A group of elite tennis players will have to self-isolate for 14 days after two flight passengers tested positive for coronavirus - as Australians expressed anger that they were allowed in the country while thousands are stranded abroad.
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US Capitol riots: Police break silence on 'brutal, medieval style combat'
Police involved in protecting the Capitol building last week have spoken for the first time describing what happened as "brutal, medieval style combat".
Weird News
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Australia to kill US racing pigeon which survived 8,000-mile trip across Pacific
A racing pigeon that survived an 8,000-mile (13,000km) journey across the Pacific Ocean from the US to Australia, is to be put to death over fears it may be carrying disease.
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Brexit: Driver's 'illegal' ham sandwiches seized at Dutch border under EU rules
A driver travelling from the UK had his ham sandwiches confiscated by Dutch border guards, who said they were now prohibited under post-Brexit rules.
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Naked fugitive rescued from tree by fishermen
Two fishermen have rescued a naked fugitive who they found sitting on a tree branch in Australian crocodile habitat.
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Policeman pays for family's Christmas dinner instead of charging them for shoplifting
A US police officer called to charge two women for shoplifting instead paid for them to have Christmas dinner with their children.
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Long COVID symptoms may include parosmia as people report 'disgusting' smells of fish, burning and sulphur
People suffering from long COVID are reporting a strong smell of fish, sulphur and a sweet sickly odour, as further symptoms of the virus emerge.
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'Guardians' of the galaxy: US Space Force members get a new name
Members of the US Space Force will be known as "guardians", it was announced on the military service's first birthday.
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Scientists describe 'crazy beast' that lived among dinosaurs and seems to break rules of evolution
Scientists have described the ways an ancient "crazy beast", which lived alongside dinosaurs on Madagascar approximately 66 million years ago, broke the rules of evolution.