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A judge decides that preferential treatment was offered, but given the rush for PPE in the early days of the pandemic, PestFix and Ayanda Capital were likely to get contracts regardless. The use of a so-called VIP lane by the government to give PPE contracts to two businesses during the first COVID wave was illegal, according to the High Court. The challenge was brought by campaign groups the Good Law Project and EveryDoctor, who claimed that the bid procedure gave people with political ties unfair preferential treatment. They sued over contracts worth more than £340 million issued to pest control service PestFix in 2020, as well as a deal for roughly £252 million to hedge fund Ayanda Capital. The ruling adds to the pressure on Boris Johnson and his cabinet, which is dealing with a slew of sleaze claims, with Labour alleging a "pay for access" mentality within the Conservative Party. Mr Johnson admitted at Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons that he attended a Downi

Reid, a three-decade member of the Nevada Senate, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early 2018. He died on December 28th, at the age of 82. Reid was Nevada's longest-serving senator, and as majority leader from 2007 to 2015, he ruled over the upper house. As he battled his way from Nevada's lieutenant governor's office to the apex of the US Senate, he earned a reputation for soft-spoken brutality. The practice of paying honor to notable Americans at the Capitol Rotunda began in 1852. According to the Office of the Historian, just 35 people have been given the distinction of lying in state in the last 169 years.

Even though he had tested positive for COVID the day before, the world number one acknowledged to being questioned in person by a journalist from a French magazine in December. Novak Djokovic claims his agent made a mistake on his Australia admission paperwork while submitting travel details in the days leading up to his arrival. He stated his "staff has sent further information to the Australian Government to clarify this problem" in an Instagram post. Even though he had tested positive for COVID the day before, he admitted to being questioned in person by a journalist from a French magazine in December. It comes as images surface of Djokovic practicing on the tennis court at Melbourne Park, the site of the Australian Open, which begins on January 17 and for which Djokovic has been named the number one seed. In preparation for the Australian Open, Djokovic takes a break during practice. The world number one wrote in his article that he wanted to address the "continued m

As part of his effort to revamp the country's election procedures, US President Joe Biden has called for a historic change to Senate rules. He stated he backed adjustments that would allow his voting reforms to pass without the cooperation of opposition Republicans in an impassioned speech. His initiatives are being hampered by reservations from two senators in his own party, and no Republicans have backed them. In order to approve most bills in the Senate, a 60 percent majority is required. And, with the upper body of Congress split 50-50 between the two parties, Mr Biden's comprehensive election legislation is nearly certain to fail unless that provision is changed. Analysts think such a shift is unlikely since it would require the approval of every Democrat in the Senate, as well as the vice president's tie-breaking vote. Last year, the lower house, the House of Representatives, enacted the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The former

Boris Johnson will appear before MPs at Prime Minister's Questions later today, amid demands that he reveal whether he attended a drinks reception in the Downing Street garden when the country was under lockdown. It will be the Prime Minister's first public appearance since it was revealed that 100 employees had been invited to the May 2020 meeting. Mr Johnson has thus far refused to acknowledge whether or not he was present. A number of Conservative MPs, however, have stated that this position is untenable. People were asked to "bring your own wine" and "enjoy the great weather," according to the invitation. The prime minister and his wife Carrie were among the about 30 people who attended the drinks, according to witnesses. ITV reported a leaked email from Mr Johnson's principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds, on Monday, inviting colleagues to "socially distanced beverages in the No 10 garden" on May 20, 2020, when England's lockdown