Category: UK News

  • UK warned of further Covid waves

    UK warned of further Covid waves

    “And I have no doubt that in the autumn there will be a further wave of infections,”Ian Diamond said…reports Asian Lite News

    The UK’s chief national statistician said he has “no doubt” that there will be a further wave of Covid-19 infections in the country in autumn.

    Professor Ian Diamond, head of the British Office for National Statistics (ONS), also said on Sunday that there is a lot of regional variation in terms of how many people have antibodies, reports Xinhua news agency.

    His comments came after Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Chris Whitty said there were still risks to reopening society and Britain will experience another surge of cases at some point, potentially in late summer or through the autumn and winter.

    Diamond told the BBC on Sunday that people need to understand how the data is moving forward and look at the impact of the “wonderful” vaccine rollout.

    “But having said that, we need also to recognise that this is a virus that isn’t going to go away.

    “And I have no doubt that in the autumn there will be a further wave of infections,” he said.

    UK starts surge testing

    Asked if it is too early to know how much of the fall in infections across the UK is down to the vaccine rollout, he said there are a number of moving parts such as vaccines and restrictions.

    Whitty had said earlier that he would “strongly advise” against any move to shorten the timetable for easing lockdown restrictions.

    Speaking to Parliament’s Science and Technology Committee, Whitty said that the measures pencilled in for May 17, when indoor mixing of up to six people could be allowed, involved “significant risks”.

    Modelling considered by the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has suggested that even under the most optimistic set of assumptions, at least a further 30,000 Covid-19 deaths could occur.

    On February 22, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his long-anticipated “roadmap” exiting the lockdown.

    The reopening of schools on March 8 in England was the first part of the four-step plan, which Johnson said was designed to be “cautious but irreversible”.

    Other parts of Britain, including Wales and Scotland, have also unveiled plans to ease the restrictions.

    Experts have warned Britain is “still not out of the woods” amid concerns over new variants and the risks of the public breaching restriction rules.

    Also read:UK economy shrank less than feared

  • Murder accused London cop appears in court

    Murder accused London cop appears in court

    Wayne Couzens, 48, was arrested on Tuesday after Sarah Everard, a marketing executive, went missing while walking home from a friend’s apartment in south London on March 3…reports Asian Lite News

    A serving Metropolitan Police officer appeared in court in London after being charged with the kidnap and murder of a 33-year-old woman.

    Wayne Couzens, 48, was arrested on Tuesday after Sarah Everard, a marketing executive, went missing while walking home from a friend’s apartment in south London on March 3, reports Xinhua news agency.

    Everard’s remains were found on Wednesday in an area of woodland in Kent, about 80 km away in southeast England, the court heard on Saturday.

    Couzens arrived at the central London court at 10 a.m. in a large blue police van, stepping into the dock around 10.30 a.m., according to the Evening Standard newspaper.

    He wore a grey tracksuit and appeared to have a red wound on the top of his forehead, the newspaper reported.

    Couzens spoke only to confirm his name and personal details, sitting between two plain clothes officers in the dock.

    He remains in police custody and will appear in court again on March 16.

    According to local media reports, Couzens joined London’s Metropolitan Police in 2018 and guarded foreign embassies before his arrest.

    Everard’s death has caused widespread concern in the UK about women’s safety, with many women and girls sharing stories online of their own traumatic experiences.

    Data from the Uk’s Office for National Statistics showed that in the past decade till March 2020, there were 4,493 male victims and 2,075 female victims (31 per cent) in England and Wales, and more than nine out of 10 killers were men.

    Also read:PATAKA: Explosion Of Magical Flavours In London

  • UK economy shrank less than feared

    UK economy shrank less than feared

    Office for National Statistics has revealed that gross domestic product in January was 2.9 percent lower than in December, reports Asian Lite News

    Britain’s economy shrank by less than feared in January as the country went back into a coronavirus lockdown, official data showed, but trade with the European Union was hit hard at the start of the country’s new, post-Brexit trading relationship.

    Gross domestic product in January was 2.9 percent lower than in December, the Office for National Statistics said.

    Also Read – UK exports to EU falls sharply

    Britain’s economy is likely to shrink by 4 percent in the first quarter of 2021, due mostly to the latest lockdown but also because of disruption caused by new, post-Brexit rules for trade with the European Union, the Bank of England said last month.

    The BoE is expected to keep its stimulus programmes on hold at the end of its March meeting next Thursday as it predicts that Britain’s vaccination programme – Europe’s fastest — will trigger a bounce-back in the economy in the coming months.

    Chancellor Rishi Sunak during the Budget speech (UK Parliament_Jessica Taylor)

    The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data showed exports and imports from Britain to the EU plunged by the most on record although the ONS said a difference in the way the figures were gathered was causing a delay to some data.

    Exports of goods to the EU, excluding non-monetary gold and other precious metals, slumped by 40.7 percent. Imports fell by 28.8 percent.

    Many companies brought forward imports of goods late last year to avoid the risk of border disruption as the new UK-EU trading relationship began in early 2021 and global trade flows have been hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

    Also Read: UK retail sales up 1% in Feb

    The ONS said the overall GDP figures were hit hard by the impact of social distancing rules on Britain’s huge services sector.

    Britain’s economy shrank by 1.7 percent in the three months to January, a smaller fall than a median forecast of a contraction of 2.5 percent in the Reuters poll.

    The economy was 9.2 percent smaller than in January last year, the ONS Statistics said.

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to ease England’s coronavirus restrictions gradually before lifting most of them by late June.

    Growth in the next few months is also likely to get a boost from finance minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement last week that he will pump a further 65 billion pounds into the economy, including an extension of his jobs-protecting furlough scheme.

    The ONS said Britain’s dominant services sector – which has been hit hard by social-distancing rules – shrank by 3.5 percent in January from December.

    Also Read – BGM Chamber names youngest chief

    Manufacturing contracted by 2.3 percent but construction output rose by 0.9 percent.

    The monthly fall of nearly 3 percent in GDP in January was much less severe than its plunge of 18.3 percent in April last year when Britain went into its first coronavirus lockdown.

    Many companies have adapted to life under lockdown, including retailers who have ramped up their online shopping operations and services firms who have tried to help workers to do their jobs from home.

  • UK exports to EU falls sharply

    UK exports to EU falls sharply

    However, exports of medicines and pharmaceutical products to non-EU countries increased in January, reports Asian Lite News

    January was not a good month for trade between European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK). The UK’s exports of goods to the EU fell by 40.7 per cent in January, while imports from the bloc dropped by 28.8 per cent, the British Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

    Falling imports of goods, excluding non-monetary gold and other precious metals, were largely seen in machinery and transport equipment, and chemicals from the EU in January, particularly in imports of cars and medicinal and pharmaceutical products, Xinhua news agency quoted the ONS as saying on Friday.

    Also Read: UK retail sales up 1% in Feb

    January marked the first month of trade after the Brexit transition period ended on December 31, 2020.

    The ONS said multiple factors may have attributed to the falling trade in goods between the UK and the EU.

    In addition to the changes facing Britain after the transition period ended, the country went into another national lockdown at the beginning of January.

    Prime minister Boris Johnson meets with Ursula von Der Leyen at the European Commission in Brussels. (Picture by Andrew Parsons No 10 Downing Street)

    Stockpiling of goods from the EU increased in November and December 2020 in preparation for the end of the Brexit transition period, just like the UK’s goods imports from the EU also peaked in the weeks approaching previous Brexit deadlines in March and October 2019, the ONS said.

    The ONS said data suggested that importing and exporting to the EU began to increase toward the end of January 2021.

    The UK government announced on Thursday that it will delay post-Brexit checks on some EU goods coming into the country to help firms recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Also Read – VIDEO- The first female police officer in the UK

    The need for health certificates on imports such as meat and milk will be pushed back from next month to October.

    In contrast to the falling exports to the EU, exports of medicines and pharmaceutical products to non-EU countries increased in January, and a large proportion is represented by increasing exports to China and Japan, according to the ONS.

    Also Read – BGM Chamber names youngest chief

  • BGM Chamber names youngest chief

    BGM Chamber names youngest chief

    Henrietta Brealey, 30, has been appointed as the new chief – the youngest chief executive in 208-year history … reports Asian Lite News.

    Henrietta Brealey has been appointed the youngest chief executive in the 208-year history of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC).

    Henrietta Brealey

    She succeeds Paul Faulkner, who, after six years in the position, is joining the Richardson family businesses. Ms Brealey, aged 30, was recently appointed chief strategy officer following five years as director of policy and strategic relations.

    Her work at the forefront of the Chamber’s campaigns around Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic has been acclaimed by many stakeholders at regional and national levels and she has also provided in-depth support for Chamber patrons, the top tier of membership.

    “Paul has been a fantastic CEO of the Chamber and ambassador for the business community,” said Ms Brealey. “He leaves big shoes to fill and I look forward to stepping up in April and continuing to drive the organisation, and the support and services we deliver for businesses, ever further forwards.

    “It’s been 12 months like no other. In this critical moment, I look forward to continuing to work with our members and partners across the sectors to both stand up for local businesses’ interests through challenge and change and ensure that they are best positioned to tap into opportunities – locally and globally.

    “I love this city region and working with the businesses that sit at the heart of what makes it such as great place to live, work and do business.

    “It will be a real privilege to lead our talented colleagues here at Team Chamber. This is a proud institution with a long and influential history of being in business for local businesses. I am excited to take up this opportunity to navigate it through this next era.”

    David Waller, chairman of the GBCC, said: “We are thrilled to name Henrietta as chief executive and her energy and drive speaks volumes for the direction the Chamber continues to head.

    “Business support needs to be at the cutting edge with views on developments in the structural, strategic and cultural world of today and Henrietta is ideally suited to pick up that broad role.

    “She will be perfect for continuing the leadership Paul has developed over the past six years, during which the reach, impact and  influence of the Chamber has grown remarkably.

    “I would also like to express the gratitude of the board, membership, stakeholders and staff for Paul’s magnificent work over the past six years. He has set a firm foundation from which Henrietta and the team at the Chamber will be able to develop further.”

    GBCC president Steve Allen added: “This is a richly deserved appointment for Henrietta. She has led the way in providing Chamber support for businesses in her position as chief strategy officer and policy director before that.

    “Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit, she has ensured that informing, practically supporting and giving local businesses a voice are first and foremost in our work. 

    “While some of that has been very visible, much more negotiation and engagement with stakeholders has taken place behind the scenes. I know her approach to really listening too, and caring about, the needs of our members and building trusted relationships with stakeholders make her the perfect person to lead the organisation moving forwards.”

    Mr Faulkner added: “Henrietta has been a delight to work with throughout my time at the Chamber, and it has been a pleasure seeing her professional growth and development over the past six years as she has led and transformed the Chamber’s policy and strategic partnerships work to be the very best in the country.

    “Henrietta possesses a genuine passion for, and commitment to, Chamber members and the interests of the business community in Greater Birmingham. I wish her every success in what is a highly-respected and historic position in the city and wider region.”

    Ms Brealey first joined the Chamber as a policy assistant in 2012 while completing her studies at the University of Birmingham. She went on to gain an MSc (Distinction) in Public Management 2012-2013 and a BA (hons) (1st Class) in English Literature 2009-2012.

    She held the roles of policy adviser and policy and patron adviser before leaving in 2015 to join the National Housing Federation as external affairs manager for the West Midlands. She returned to the Chamber later that year in the newly-created role of director of policy and strategic relationships, making her one of the youngest directors in the Chamber’s history.

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  • VIDEO- The first female police officer in the UK

    VIDEO- The first female police officer in the UK

    March 8 is International Women’s Day. This important annual event celebrates the achievements of women and raises awareness about women’s equality.   This year International Women’s Day is particularly poignant as it coincides with the 100 year anniversary of women in policing in Greater Manchester. Clara Walkden of Oldham Borough Police, became the first known female officer with powers of arrest; taking her oath on the 9th May 1921. 
     

    Clara Walkden of Oldham Borough Police, became the first known female officer with powers of arrest; taking her oath on the 9th May 1921. 
     In celebration of this important milestone, we have taken a trip down memory lane and are pleased to share with you this video montage which shows just how much the role of women in policing has changed over the last century. 

    Detective Sergeant Anna Rickards, Chair of GMP AWP (Association of Women in Policing) said: “The role of women in policing in Greater Manchester, as the video highlights, has changed significantly over the last 100 years. 

    “In the early days the role of a woman was reserved for matters concerning women and children, and the power of arrest was not granted by Manchester City Police force until 1940. 

    “Fast forward 100 years and women can be found in a diverse range of roles and ranks at GMP, and we are incredibly proud of all their achievements. 

    “We know however that there is still more to be done to support our female colleagues and raise awareness of the issues facing women. 

    “The Association of Women in Policing is a support network for all women in GMP and is working closely with the organisation to raise awareness of gender equality and cultural diversity, ensuring GMP is a fair and equal place to work.”

  • UK probe on new Covid variant

    UK probe on new Covid variant

    Two cases of the variant, called VUI-202103/01, have so far been found in southeast England in individuals who had recently travelled to Antigua…reports Asian Lite NEWS

    Public Health England (PHE) said that it has designated a new Covid-19 strain identified in the UK as a Variant Under Investigation (VUI).

    Two cases of the variant, called VUI-202103/01, have so far been found in southeast England in individuals who had recently travelled to Antigua, Xinhua news agency quoted the PHE as saying on Thursday.

    The variant contains the spike mutations E484K and N501Y, both of which are usually associated with some previously identified variants that have been designated as Variants of Concern (VOC), the health agency further said.

    Contact tracing teams have completed thorough investigations to identify and follow up any close contacts and no additional cases have been found to date, it added.

    Also read:UK retail sales up 1% in Feb

  • UK retail sales up 1% in Feb

    UK retail sales up 1% in Feb

    Johnson’s roadmap to reopening prompted the growth in retail sales

    “February saw a return to growth after a disappointing start to the year,” said Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive at the trade association…reports Asian Lite News

    Retail sales in the UK saw a 1.0 per cent growth in February compared with the same period last year, but conditions will continue to be challenging in the coming months amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.

    “February saw a return to growth after a disappointing start to the year,” said Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive at the trade association, noting that the reopening of “non-essential” retail in April as scheduled is crucial,

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a four-step roadmap in February to ease the Covid-19 lockdown, the third of its kind, with non-essential retails to reopen from April 12.

    “The Prime Minister’s roadmap to reopening prompted a burst in spending on non-food items, such as school uniforms,” said Dickinson, adding that “non-food instore sales remained significantly down”.

    Dickinson said many retailers are still worried about the months ahead, because “previous reopenings have shown that demand can be slow to come back” although many retail businesses hope more customers will return to shops.

    People wearing face masks walk past sale advertisement on Oxford Street in London, Britain
    Also read:‘Five Rivers’ Arrives In The UK

    Noting the stark comparison between the online shopping and brick-and-mortar store sales, Paul Martin, UK head of retail in KPMG, a professional provider of tax, audit and advisory services, said high street has suffered a heavy blow during the pandemic.

    “Online channels recorded strong sales across all categories, with some even registering triple figure growth, whilst high street clothing and health and beauty categories continue to suffer, with sales falling by double figures,” Martin said.

    Despite the reopening ahead, Martin said he believes the high street will continue to face tough challenges due to subdued demand, thinner margins and rising logistics costs, among others.

    “All hopes will be pinned on consumers wanting to break free from home to browse the stores that have been out of bounds for months,” Martin said.

    As the first part of the “four-step” plan, schools in England reopened from Monday.

    England is currently under the third national lockdown since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country.

    Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    Also read:UK official warns against ‘unlocking’

  • MODI: The Yogi of Populism

    MODI: The Yogi of Populism

    Former BBC editor, Mihir Bose, releases new book – ‘Narendra Modi – The Yogi of Populism’ through publishers Bite-Sized Books …. Reports Asian Lite News

    Mihir Bose, prolific author and equality advocate, has released his new book that explores the idea that India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, provided the model for Boris Johnson and Trump to seize power.

    The notion of Modi providing the template for Donald Trump and Boris Johnson to seize power may sound absurd. What can the Prime Minister of a developing country, who leads a hard right Hindu party, have to teach two leaders of sophisticated rich countries which pride themselves on being long-established democracies?

    Mihir Bose’s new book addresses that question and answers it decisively.

    India is the world’s largest democracy and Modi’s playbook for winning elections has provided a model for both Trump and Johnson. The Modi template says to win power you must convince enough people that they have lost their country. That they need to do something very radical if they are to regain their country.

    This is such an emotive call that it can galvanise people even when there is no merit whatsoever in the argument. Modi’s success came in the Indian general elections of 2014 which, contrary to the predictions of all the pollsters, and the views of India’s chattering classes, saw his Bharatiya Janata Party sweep to victory with a thumping majority.

    This book is an important and challenging analysis that will inform the global political debate and provide real insights into how Trump and Johnson gained power.

    David Smith, Economics Editor, Sunday Times quotes, “This is a fascinating and original take on one of the most interesting political leaders of our age”.

    Ben Fenton, former Daily Telegraph and Financial Times, said: “ Brimming with Bose’s intimate knowledge of his homeland, this brief description of the Indian prime minister’s rise from tea-seller to premier tells new readers all they need to know about what we might call the Modi Operandus.

    “Bose explains in flowing prose how Narendra Modi exploited dormant anti-secularism among India’s Hindu majority and reversed its multicultural trends. Modi’s brand of populism predates Trump or Brexit or Bolsanaro”.

    Mihir Bose, who was born in India but has lived in the UK for half a century, is an award-winning journalist and author. He writes and broadcasts on social and historical issues as well as sport for a range of outlets including the BBC, the Financial Times, Evening Standard and Irish Times.

    Mihir Bose

    He has written more than 30 books and his most recent publication is Lion and Lamb, a Portrait of British Moral Duality. His books range from a look at how India has evolved since Independence, the only narrative history of Bollywood, biographies of Michael Grade, the Indian nationalist Subhas Bose, and a study of the Aga Khans.

    Mihir was the BBC’s first Sports Editor, and the first non-white to be a BBC editor. He covered all BBC outlets including the flagship Ten O’clock News, the Today programme, Five Live and the website. He moved to the BBC after 12 years at the Daily Telegraph where he was the chief sports news correspondent but also wrote on other issues including race, immigration, and social and cultural issues. Before that he worked for the Sunday Times for 20 years. He has contributed to nearly all the major UK newspapers and presented programmes for radio and television and has edited several business publications.

    Mihir was awarded an honorary doctorate from Loughborough University for his outstanding contribution to journalism and the promotion of equality. He has won several awards: business columnist of the year, sports news reporter of the year, sports story of the year and Silver Jubilee Literary award for his History of Indian Cricket.

    Mihir is a former chairman of the Reform Club and has recently been appointed to the Blue Plaques selection committee of English Heritage.

    Amazon books: https://tinyurl.com/k8rfh6vj

  • Morgan quits show after remarks on Meghan

    Morgan quits show after remarks on Meghan

    Morgan’s comments led to the British media regulator Ofcom launching an investigation, after over 41,000 people filed written complaint, according to Variety.

    Following the explosive interview made by Royal couple, British television personality Piers Morgan exited the “Good Morning Britain” TV show following a confrontation with colleague Alex Beresford, owing to Morgans comments about Prince Harry and Meghan Markles interview with Oprah Winfrey. 

    “Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave ‘Good Morning Britain’. ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add,” the network said in a statement, as quoted by People magazine. 

    Morgan had said that he did not believe “a word” said by the former royal couple during the 90-minute interview, and said that it was “contemptible”.

    Morgan’s comments led to the British media regulator Ofcom launching an investigation, after over 41,000 people filed written complaint, according to Variety.

    Soon after Morgan’s exit, British actress-model, Jameela Jameel tweeted saying she wanted to kill herself after his “relentless campaign of lies and hatred” against her last year. 

    “I almost killed myself a year ago because of Piers Morgan’s relentless campaign of lies and hatred against me last February. I’m glad I’m still alive today for many reasons. But watching him leave GMB today is right up there and has me feeling,” Jamil wrote on Twitter sharing a GIF of herself flipping her hair on the Emmys red carpet. 

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