Metropolitan Police placed in special measures by watchdog

The Independent's Morning Headlines email [View online]( June 29, 2022 [Morning Headlines]( 1 / [Ghislaine Maxwell sentenced to 20 years for helping Jeffrey Epstein abuse young girls]( Ghislaine Maxwell has been sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined $750,000 for helping sex offender and billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein abuse teenage girls. US District Judge Alison Nathan handed down the sentence on Tuesday (28 June) in Manhattan, six months after Maxwell was convicted by a federal jury on five charges, including sex trafficking. Judge Nathan described Maxwell’s offending as “heinous and predatory” as she sentenced her to a term that exceeded her own maximum sentencing guideline of up to 19 years and eight months. The jury found her guilty of recruiting and grooming four girls between 1994 and 2004 for sexual encounters with her former boyfriend Epstein, who took his own life behind bars in 2019 while awaiting his own sex trafficking trial.   2 / [Bowel cancer campaigner Dame Deborah James dies aged 40]( Family hail ‘amazing wife, daughter, sister, mummy’ who campaigned to raise awareness of her condition 3 / [Metropolitan Police placed under special measures by watchdog after series of scandals]( ‘It’s amazing it took this long,’ say Sarah Everard vigil campaigners 4 / [Man charged with murder of Zara Aleena after ‘stranger attack’ in Ilford]( Zara Aleena was beaten to death in East London in the early hours of Sunday morning 5 / [Covid fifth wave: Hospitals bring back masks on wards just weeks after rules relaxed]( Covid waves are likley to have a ‘deleterious’ impact on hospital waiting times, warns senior medic     The Big Question How likely are you to catch Covid again as cases rise? Scientists have warned that a new wave of infections has begun in the UK as two Covid-19 sub-variants prompt a surge in cases. More than 1.7m people now have the virus, in a 23 per cent weekly increase, according to the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics, which blames the Omicron sub-linages BA.4 and BA.5 for the present state of affairs. More than two years on from the first cases of coronavirus seen in Britain, millions have caught the virus and some will have had it on multiple occasions. But just how likely is a reinfection and how much protection do vaccines and booster shots offer? [For the full story click here >](   Watch/ [Barrel Children: The families Windrush left behind](   NUMBER OF THE DAY 1,200km – An electric Mercedes-Benz has beaten its own range record by travelling [more than 1,200km (750 miles)]( on a single charge.   QUOTE OF THE DAY “It’s more than language. These archaic mindsets need to change and have no place in our sport. I’ve been surrounded by these attitudes and targeted my whole life. There has been plenty of time to learn. Time has come for action.” – Lewis Hamilton [has called for action]( after comments where Nelson Piquet used racist language to describe him resurfaced.       Other stories you might like   [Boris Johnson reveals Falklands row with Argentinian president at G7](   [Delays to multibillion pound restoration of parliament criticised in report](   [Taliban calls for major gathering of scholars which could address Afghan school ban for girls](       Articles available exclusively to subscribers Sean O'Grady, The Independent - [What does the future hold for the Lib Dems – electoral promise or pain?](   Other newsletters you might like [Health Check] Health Check Every Thursday, 7am (UK time) Written by Rebecca Thomas [Sign up]( [Inside Politics] Inside Politics Weekdays, 8am (UK time) Written by Matt Mathers [Sign up](   If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. [The Independent]( Join the conversation or follow us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.