UK furlough scheme extended for extra month
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced the UK's furlough scheme will be extended for an extra month until the end of April.Under the furlough scheme - or as it's officially known, the Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme - employees placed on leave receive 80% of their pay, up to a maximum of £2,500 a month.
Mr Sunak tweeted that the move would give "businesses and employees across the UK certainty into the New Year".
Rishi Sunak:
We are extending furlough until the end of April 2021. We will continue to pay 80% towards wages of unworked hours - giving businesses and employees across the UK certainty into the New Year. Read more: https://gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-extends-furlough-and-loan-schemes #PlanForJobs
More EU leaders isolate after Macron diagnosis
President Macron met Portugal's António Costa on Wednesday in Paris
Portugal's Prime Minister António Costa is the latest European leader to go into isolation after French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for Covid-19.
Costa, who held a meeting with Macron on Wednesday, has shown no symptoms but has taken a coronavirus test, his office said. He is "in preventive prophylactic isolation" until health officials can determine "his level of risk".
Other senior figures isolating and getting tests after coming into contact with President Macron so far include:
- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez
- French Prime Minister Jean Castex
- European Council President Charles Michel
- Irish Prime Minister or Taoiseach Micheál Martin
- Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo
- French parliament speaker Richard Ferrand
In a message on Twitter, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was with President Macron "with all my heart".
Macron's wife, Brigitte Macron, 67, is also isolating but so far shows no symptoms, her office said.
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