The tenth and final part of the ongoing UK Covid‑19 Inquiry, titled “Impact on society”, begins on Monday, and will explore the impact of Covid on the population of the UK with a particular focus on key workers, the most vulnerable, the bereaved, mental health and wellbeing. The inquiry will hear evidence between 16 February and 5 March.
Throughout the week, key economic data from the UK and US is released, covering employment, wages and inflation in the former while the States’ Q4 GDP is released on Friday.
Finally, the Baftas closes off the week on Sunday, seeing stars of the TV and film industry awarded for recent on-screen performances.
Leading the week
Monday (February 16): Covid-19 inquiry Module 10 hearings begin; Nigel Farage rally in Romford.
Olympic highlights: men’s slalom, featuring the final Games for Dave ‘the Rocket’ Ryding; pair figure skating; women’s freestyle skiing, featuring Team GB’s Kirsty Muir; women’s short track speed skating; and women’s ice hockey semifinals.
Tuesday (February 17): Employment and wage data released; Gisèle Pelicot memoir published; Chinese New Year.
Olympic highlights: two-man bobsleigh featuring Team GB’s Brad Hall and Taylor Lawrence; men’s freestyle skiing; women’s snowboard slopestyle, with Mia Brookes looking to become Team GB’s first Olympic champion on snow; speed skating.
Wednesday (February 18): Inflation data released; Mark Zuckerberg may testify in California social media addiction lawsuit; Danish King Frederik X visits Greenland.
Olympic highlights: women’s slalom; women’s freestyle skiing, featuring Chinese five-time Olympian Xu Mengtao; short track speed skating; men’s snowboard slopestyle; men’s ice hockey quarterfinals.
Thursday (February 19): Trump’s Board of Peace holds inaugural meeting; Yvette Cooper chairs UN Security Council discussions on Sudan and the Middle East; London Fashion Week begins.
Olympic highlights: women’s single figure skating, where reigning world champion Alysa Liu is looking to become Team USA’s first gold medal-winner in the event in 24 years; women’s ice hockey gold medal game; men’s speed skating.
Friday (February 20): Public sector finances data released; Scottish Conservatives conference begins; US Q4 GDP.
Olympic highlights: men’s curling; freestyle skiing, featuring 19-year-old world champion Finley Melville Ives; speed skating; men’s ice hockey semifinals.
Saturday (February 21): Six Nations: Wales v Scotland, England v Ireland.
Olympic highlights: men’s curling gold medal game, where Team GB would hope to win their first gold since 1924 if they advance to the final; freestyle skiing, featuring Beijing 2022 medallist Eileen Gu from China and Team GB’s Zoe Atkin; men’s ice hockey bronze medal game; speed skating.
Sunday (February 22): BAFTAs; Six Nations: France v Italy; Winter Olympics concludes.
Olympic highlights: four-man bobsleigh, with Germany’s Francesco Friedrich looking to become the first athlete to win five Olympic bobsleigh golds; women’s curling gold medal game, which Team GB won in 2022; men’s ice hockey gold medal game closes the Olympics.
Also look out for…
February 16
Aria Thorpe post-mortem report due
Timothy Busfield arraigned on child sex offence charges
Danish Immigration Minister Kaare Dybvad at Policy Exchange event
Bondi Beach attack hearing on naming victims
February 17
Tony Blair documentary airs on Channel 4
Champion’s League knockout stages begin incl. Benfica v Real Madrid rematch
‘Ring of Fire’ annular solar eclipse
Shrove Tuesday
February 18
Parole hearing for Al-Qaeda operative Rangzieb Ahmed
Employment Rights Act union and industrial action measures take effect
Women’s UCL second legs incl. Arsenal v OH Leuven, Real Madrid v Paris FC
Ash Wednesday
February 19
India hosts Global Summit on Artificial Intelligence
Verdict in former Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s insurrection trial
Funeral directors sentenced for neglecting bodies found in Gosport funeral home
February 20
Hearing in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs appeal
Latest shareholders’ deadline in Paramount hostile bid for Warner Bros Discovery
Charli xcx ‘The Moment’ mockumentary released
February 21
Annie Awards
MLS season openers
February 22
Parliamentary election in Laos
Key statistics, reports and results
February 16
Rightmove House Price Index
Japan Q4 GDP
February 17
IFS report on Scottish government funding
UK productivity flash estimate
Tony Blair Institute report on AI as public infrastructure
Political donations statistics
Canada inflation
Results from: Carrefour, Devon Energy, Antofagasta, Medtronic, BHP Group
February 18
Cornwall energy price cap forecast
Private rent and house price statistics
IEA State of Energy Innovation report
US Fed minutes
Results from: Glencore, BAE Systems, Liberty Global, OXY, eBay
February 19
Healthy life expectancy in England and Wales
Annual breast screening programme statistics
Quarterly knife crime figures
Staff at higher education institutions 2024/25
Indonesia interest rate decision
Results from: Centrica, Walmart, Klarna, Repsol, Accor, Airbus, Renault, Mondi, Rio Tinto
February 20
UK retail sales
HMRC tax receipts and National Insurance contributions statistics
UK flash PMI
Fitch sovereign review of the UK
US personal income & outlays
Results from: Anglo-American, Anglo-Gold Ashanti, Orano
The news diary is provided in association with Foresight News.
The post News diary February 16-22: Covid inquiry enters final stage, Baftas, Chinese New Year appeared first on Press Gazette.
