Headlines worldwide have been dominated by the US presidential election this week, with Donald Trump making fraud allegations, legal threats and premature declarations of victory as Joe Biden appeared to take the lead.
The Democrats’ gains were nowhere near as great as those predicted by pollsters, however, with the so-called experts under fire after underestimating Trump’s support among the American electorate. How that support will translate in the final result still remained to be seen on Friday, with the race hanging on pivotal results in key states including Nevada, Pennsylvania and Georgia.
Over in the UK, Boris Johnson has been facing his own political dramas. Recent days have seen the prime minister staring down a Tory rebellion to implement the second national lockdown in England as Brexit talks rumble on amid warnings from EU officials that the UK’s brinkmanship could pave the way to no-deal.
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In a good news/bad news scenario, two Covid-19 vaccines are reportedly on the verge of being certified as safe and effective - but production delays mean the first batches may reach no more than a fraction of the UK population.
Meanwhile, the BBC is launching an inquiry into Earl Charles Spencer’s claim that journalist Martin Bashir landed his infamous 1995 Panorama interview with Princess Diana through “sheer dishonesty”, the broadcaster has announced.
And Hollywood actor Johnny Depp was also in the firing line, after losing a UK High Court libel case that pundits are predicting will end his career.
