strike in the UK over pay disputes.(photo:@theRCN/Twitter)
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) also said there would be strikes on December 23 and 24, some of the busiest days for pre-Christmas deliveries…reports Asian Lite News
The UK faces weeks of massive strikes during the Christmas season by transport and postal workers, nurses, and border guards.
A wave of industrial action began on Tuesday, with more than 40,000 members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) walking out for 48 hours. Three more weeks of disruption are set to follow, reports Xinhua news agency.
Britain’s National Railway said due to various industrial actions, there will be a reduced train service until January 8, 2023, with “significant disruption expected across the rail network”.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) also said there would be strikes on December 23 and 24, some of the busiest days for pre-Christmas deliveries.
Meanwhile, the Public and Commercial Service (PCS) union has announced that Civil Service industrial action in late December will impact Border Force services. Travellers who are planning to enter the UK during the proposed strike period may face longer waiting times at border controls.
Nurses have also joined the list of striking workers.
“Up to 100,000 nursing staff are taking part in strikes in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, and a further day of strike action is planned for Dec. 20,” said the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
Members of the UK’s biggest rail union the RMT will walk out from midnight for 48 hours until the end of Saturday, hitting services throughout England, Scotland and Wales…reports Asian Lite News
Rail passengers have felt the brunt of transport disruption so far this week – but on Friday they’ll be joined by travellers on roads and buses.
Just one in five trains will run so the advice is once again only travel if you have to. Other workers – including traffic officers who work in the aftermath of road accidents – are walking out for the first time.
However, those planning a pre-Christmas getaway from Heathrow Airport, will be pleased to know that a planned strike by baggage handlers has just been cancelled.
Members of the UK’s biggest rail union the RMT will walk out from midnight for 48 hours until the end of Saturday, hitting services throughout England, Scotland and Wales.
Meanwhile, National Highways traffic officers in the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) working in north-west England, north-east England, and Yorkshire and the Humber will stop work for 48 hours.
National Highways says no roads will be closed and it has “well-rehearsed resilience plans in place”. About 125 out of 1,500 operational staff will take part – 10-25 people per region.
The strike will involve members of control centre staff who monitor the road network’s CCTV and do a number of jobs including programming the electronic warning signs we see on major roads. Traffic officers who work in the aftermath of accidents will also stop work.
However, there’s good news for travellers using Heathrow. A 72-hour strike by baggage handlers from staff working for Menzies Aviation has been called off after talks between the private contractor and the Unite union.
Unite said the decision was a “gesture of goodwill” after a revised pay offer, which it will now ballot members on.
Civil servants in the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) – including driving examiners – are striking most days now until early January.
But the industrial action is regional – with different areas affected each week. This week, until Sunday 18 December, the walk out is in north-east England and Scotland. The government said the union’s demands were “unaffordable”.
Drivers in south and west London who are in the Unite union and work for operator Abellio will walk out for 48 hours in a dispute over pay. Areas affected include Battersea, Beddington, Hayes, Southall, Twickenham and Walworth.
Unite said it had invited Abellio to pay talks in September but had no response, and accused the company of paying among the lowest rates for bus drivers in London, causing a severe “retention crisis”.
Chief nurse calls for strike resolution
England’s chief nurse says she would like to see a resolution to nurses’ strikes as soon as possible, as tens of thousands of nurses took action across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Staff expressed anger that they felt forced to strike for more pay.
The UK government says the Royal College of Nursing’s pay demands are unaffordable. No 10 said there were “no plans” to look again at the pay deal for nurses, despite calls from some senior Tories.
Nurses got an extra 3% last year after the pandemic and another rise recommended by a pay review body.
Former Conservative health minister Steve Brine said, “I think the way out is to protect the integrity of the process, go back and ask them to look again. Everyone needs to cool it and I think sending it back to the pay review body to have a look would be a sensible answer.”
Sir Jake Berry, former Conservative Party chairman, urged the Government to “improve its offer” on pay.
The strikes have been held in around a quarter of hospitals and community teams in England, all health boards in Northern Ireland and all but one in Wales. Nurses in Scotland are not striking on Thursday while they consider a pay offer from the Scottish government.
England’s chief nurse Dame Ruth May met striking nurses at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. A video on Twitter sees her calling for the government to “make sure they work with the RCN and other unions to get an urgent resolution to pay”.
Downing Street said she was not speaking for the government and had her own views as chief nurse.
Dame Ruth also thanked nurses working on wards around the country “this day and every day”, adding that they would continue to “ensure minimal risk to patient safety”.
UK inflation is already in double-digits and forecast to strike 13 percent in the coming months due to runaway energy bills…reports Asian Lite News
Britain announced a vast 80-percent hike in electricity and gas bills, in a dramatic worsening of the cost-of-living crisis before winter as the country awaits a new leader.
Regulator Ofgem said its energy price cap, which sets prices for consumers who are not on a fixed deal with their supplier, will in October increase to an average £3,549 ($4,197) per year from the current £1,971.
Worse is expected to come in January, when Ofgem next updates its cap, with average bills predicted to top £5,000 — or more.
“The increase reflects the continued rise in global wholesale gas prices, which began to surge as the world unlocked from the Covid pandemic and have been driven still higher to record levels by Russia slowly switching off gas supplies to Europe,” Ofgem said.
The announcement sparked outcry from charities which said financially-squeezed households faced one of the “bleakest Christmases” for years.
UK inflation is already in double-digits and forecast to strike 13 percent in the coming months due to runaway energy bills.
Inflation is at its highest level since 1982, with industrial action over pay growing, and the country is predicted to enter recession later this year.
The near-doubling in the energy cap will likely tip millions into fuel poverty, forcing them to choose between heating or eating, anti-poverty experts say.
“We know the massive impact this price cap increase will have on households across Britain and the difficult decisions consumers will now have to make,” said Ofgem boss Jonathan Brearley.
“I talk to customers regularly and I know that today’s news will be very worrying for many.”
The rampant cost-of-living has dominated the race between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak to succeed Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Political opponents have accused him of leading a zombie government and doing nothing to address the problem since his resignation in July.
Household and business consumers, energy suppliers and opposition politicians said urgent action is needed to avoid putting the most vulnerable in desperate situations.
A University of York study recently estimated two-thirds of UK households are at risk of fuel poverty by next year.
But Johnson, who has been on holiday twice in recent weeks, has promised to leave major fiscal decisions to his successor.
The winner will not be announced for another 10 days.
Inflation drives Pound near a 37-year low
It’s starting to look like nothing can stop the British pound from sinking to new lows.
With talk about inflation surpassing 18 per cent next year and families across the country likely to be pushed into energy poverty this winter, the UK’s economic woes are getting worse by the day. The consensus among traders is that the Bank of England will have no choice but to force the economy into a severe recession and cause widespread job losses to rein in price pressures.
It’s put historic lows for the pound within reach. The currency is trading around $1.18, less than 4 US cents away from its weakest level since 1985 against the dollar, underscoring the challenges facing the British economy and the next prime minister. The BOE is already forecasting a five-quarter recession starting later this year.
“Is there more downside? Yes, absolutely,” said Geoff Yu, senior currency strategist at Bank of New York Mellon Corp. “Even if things improve, sterling can’t return to where it was in the past of $1.40 or $1.45. That’s going to be very hard to achieve.”
ChartThe surge in power prices is feeding through financial markets through higher inflation forecasts, leading traders to believe that the BOE will have to be more aggressive. Money markets now show expectations for benchmark interest rates to rise 4.25 per cent next year, the highest since 2008. That’s drive up bond yields as well, with 10-year rates climbing to 2.59 per cent.
Theoretically, higher rates should lead to a stronger currency. But for the UK right now, it’s the opposite. The belief among investors is that further aggressive hikes in borrowing costs — needed to bring down price growth — would deepen Britain’s economic malaise, leaving the country worse off compared with the US and the euro region.
“Rates aren’t always going to be enough to support a currency when the growth-inflation trade off is this bad,” said Kit Juckes, chief currency strategist at Societe Generale SA in London.
UK inflation hit a 40-year high of 10.1 per cent year-on-year last month, and Citigroup Inc. has said it could surge past 18 per cent in January. More than half of UK households risk being pushed into energy poverty this winter by soaring bills, according to consultancy Baringa Partners.
Yields on UK short-end benchmark bonds — which are the most sensitive to changes in monetary policy — are poised to climb by a record this month. Two-year yields have risen 111 basis points, raising borrowing costs to 2.82 per cent, the highest since the global financial crisis in 2008.
The minister had warned on Monday that France could reach more than 250,000 daily Covid cases by the beginning of January, as a week of unrestricted Christmas parties and family get-togethers fuel the spread of the disease…reports Asian Lite News.
France set a new national record for Covid-19 on Wednesday with 208,000 new infections recorded over 24 hours with a post-Christmas surge in cases causing alarm in the government.
According to figures given by Health Minister Olivier Veran to a parliamentary hearing, the number of cases jumped by 15 percent since Tuesday when a record 179,807 new infections were reported, and had doubled since Saturday.
“I wouldn’t call Omicron a wave anymore I would call it a tidal wave,” Veran said, referring to the new variant which is replacing the Delta variant as the dominant strain in France.
Some 10 percent of the French population had been in contact with somebody who is infected with the virus, Veran said, adding that the figures “make your head spin.”
The minister had warned on Monday that France could reach more than 250,000 daily Covid cases by the beginning of January, as a week of unrestricted Christmas parties and family get-togethers fuel the spread of the disease.
After a cabinet meeting to discuss the crisis on Monday, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced several measures to try to contain the epidemic, but shied away from mass closures or lockdowns which have been reintroduced in other EU countries such as the Netherlands.
Some of the new restrictions, such as a ban on eating on high-speed trains or standing up in cafes and bars, were denounced by critics and political opponents as being too limited to be effective.
The government announced Wednesday that the country’s roughly 1,600 nightclubs would remain closed for a further three weeks after they were ordered shut on December 6.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has also encouraged local officials to limit public New Year’s Eve gatherings, in particular by requiring face masks outdoors and stepping up police patrols to enforce a ban on public alcohol consumption for the night.
The 208,000 cases announced on Wednesday is easily France’s highest daily figure since the virus emerged two years ago and is much higher than in previous waves.
Daily hospital admissions for Covid in France are averaging above 1,000 a day, still well below the peak of 3,500 during the first wave in April 2020 or nearly 3,000 in the second wave in November last year.
But the exponential growth in case numbers is causing alarm.
The French Federation of Hospitals said Tuesday that “additional measures in order to protect public hospitals are necessary in order to avoid saturating health services and emergency wards which will inevitably lead to more cancelled operations.”
Many hospitals, particularly those in the hotspots of France and the southern Mediterranean coast, are already cancelling non-essential operations due to the surge in Covid admissions, most of which are unvaccinated people.
Despite France having one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, with 90 percent of the eligible population having had at last one dose, Veran said that there were still five million unvaccinated people who are old enough to get jabs.
The government is staking its strategy on a new law that will be debated in parliament from Wednesday that will require citizens to show proof of vaccination in order to enter restaurants, cinemas, museums and other public venues.
The new “vaccine pass” system will replace the previous “health pass”, which could be obtained by providing a recent negative Covid test in the absence of vaccination.
President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to crank up restrictions on the unvaccinated, but has stopped short of making jabs mandatory.
We may have never met Santa in person, but we may have a clue as to how he selects gifts for everyone. After all, Christmas is the most anticipated season for giving and receiving gifts. We’ve curated a guide of last minute gifts for loved ones:
Belvedere’s limited edition India inspired festive pack
For the first time, the world’s first super-premium vodka brand is releasing a limited edition pack inspired by India, providing a unique giving opportunity for the holidays.
The design is inspired by three unusual features: the greatest Polish vodka, the fact that it is manufactured with natural components, and the country’s end-of-year celebrations. Every design piece has been expertly picked with meticulous attention to detail. A peacock, India’s national bird, can be seen, as well as bright and traditional Indian art themes that reflect the country’s spirit and culture. The iconic Belvedere tree elucidates the brand’s past, while the sustainable pack, constructed with superior fibrous paper, gracefully combines the brand’s efforts to adopt an all-sustainable strategy.
Available at select outlets across Delhi & Gurgaon Price: INR3735 (Delhi); INR 6309 (Mumbai)
Get glowing skin this festive season.
Nykaa Beauty
Nykaa, has a carefully chosen collection of Nykaa Beauty products for you to choose from. From skincare, fragrances, haircare, makeup, body and bath products – you name it, they have it. Try these:
Nykaa All Day Matte Lipstick – Soul Sister: Those tender lips need a perfect finish with perfect colors. Nykaa’s All Day Matte Lipstick makes you fall in love with the high-impact liquid colours that promise a 12-hour long-wearing comfort and a weightless matte finish.
Price: INR 349/-.
Nykaa Love Struck First Date perfume is all you need to fall in love head over heels this Christmas! First Date brings alive the vibrant oriental aromas of bergamot and Osmanthus that blend in softly with floral notes before tapering into a musk essence which creates an alluring appeal.
Price: INR 699/-
Nykaa Naturals Vibrating Face Roller – By combining the benefits of rose quartz and vibration technology Nykaa offers the Naturals Vibrating Face Roller. The roller instantly contours and tones the face and also help minimise facial puffiness and under-eye bags after the season’s never-ending parties!
Price: INR 2500-3500/-
Nykaa Naturals Skin Potion Glow Boosting Skincare Face Oil – Debunk all the myths around facial oils with Nykaa Skin Potion Facial Oil. These oils feature ingredients and formulation to support all skin concerns, helping to restore, replenish, rejuvenate and re-energize your skin. Suitable for every skin type and concern, the range has been carefully curated for you to find an oil that is just right for you.
Price: INR 699/-
Kay Beauty
Kay Beauty Matte Drama Lipstick – Snapshot – Every girl needs a trusty matte lipstick. One that doesn’t smudge, budge or nudge from the lips. The Kay Beauty Matte Drama Lipstick is here to give you luxurious matte lips and unleash the power of a long stay. Comes with a feature of one stroke application and a non-drying long stay!
Price: INR 999/-
Kay Beauty matte Blush – Sweet Salmon – Who would not love a sweet pink tint of blush on their cheeks for the Christmas brunch?! The Kay Beauty Blush will give your face an extreme matte finish, and each shade is curated to flatter your natural skin tone.
Price: INR 600-800/-.
Kay Beauty Eyeshadow Palette – Pure Bloom – With all the makeup products in one place how can one forget making their dreamy eyes look even better. The Kay Beauty 9-in-1 eyeshadow palette offers a gorgeous mix of matte and shimmer shades that are thoughtfully curated to create limitless eye looks. High matte or high-shine, a little goes a super long way with these pretty palettes.
Price: INR 1199/-
Golden Hour and Juicy from Simply Nam
Ultra-Soft Comfort Wear Matte Lipsticks
Comfortable, hydrating, weightless, and a perfect everyday lip colour, the collection leaves you feeling as if you are wearing nothing. The collection is available in shades of pinks, reds, and nudes designed to perfection and to find the perfect pair for one’s skin. The lipsticks have been named after women who have inspired Namrata throughout life – Mamta (Warm red), Poonam (Cool red), Shwetambari (Rani Pink), Priyanka (Peach Pink), Madhu (Caramel Brown) and Anuradha (Natural Nude).
Available on https://www.simplynam.com/ Price – INR 1299
Vogue Eyewear
Slightly oversize, and oh so trendy, this dec� inspired round metal frame raises the fashion status of an iconic retr� shape with fresh attitude. And when it comes to the world of fashion accessories, it has all the right credentials. From classic gold or silver frames with an uber fashionable gold chain to modern rose gold or total black color options that definitely make the latest cut, not to mention an eye-catching new cast metal letter logo temple with fine laser detailing, this look has it all.
Model VO4227S DECO Price on request at Sunglass Hut
Versace eyewear
Designed for women, these stylish and oversized square shaped sunglasses include the iconic golden Safety Pin hardware embedded with the Medusa medallion.
VE4411 – Available at Sunglass Hut at a price of 18,690/-
This enriching combo boosts your moisture barrier, enhances vitamins A, C, and E, prevents oxidative damage, and minimises pores with the help of our Purifying Face Wash and our Green Tea Seed Serum. Together, this dynamic duo cleanses and hydrates your skin with pure, power-packed extracts that give you dewy, moisturized, youthful skin.
Available on https://www.arata.in/ at a range of 1199/-
Kaya’s Super Hydrator and Antox Vit C Formula
Kaya_Super HydratorKaya_Super Hydrator
Kaya’s Super Hydrator gives your skin up to 80% hydration boost & locks hydration for 24hrs. It leads to improved skin texture and soft & supple skin. The Super Hydrator is enriched with Colloidal Oatmeal which is clinically proven to replenish skin moisture, relieve dry skin, and increases overall skin repair capabilities. It is a powerful skin-soothing anti-irritant, reduces redness to support an even and luminous tone. It also contains Shea Butter which helps to give moisturized and smooth skin feel & Hyaluronic acid which increases innate hydration and youthfulness of the skin.
Hydrator – INR 650
Antox Vit C Formula – It is a non-oily & easily absorbing anti-oxidant gel, enriched with Vitamin C which is known to counteract free radicals responsible for premature skin aging.
Antox Vit C – INR 1840
Available on https://shop.kaya.in/
Philips 3-in -1 multifunctionality Air Purifier with heater
Philips Domestic Appliances India Ltd, a leading provider of domestic appliances, introduces an innovative multifunctional air purifier. The new Philips 3-in-1 purifier aims to keep homes healthy and comfortable with its multifunctional modes i.e., purify, heat and fan. It is equipped with a 3-layer HEPA filtration system which removes 99.95 % of particles as small as 0.003 �m and purifies the air of viruses, allergens, pollutants, and the 350� rotating fan distributes the clean air across the room.
The purifier also comes with a 3-speed setting to choose from fan levels: 7.5 W, 15 W, and 25 W or 3-speed heat levels: 1250 W, 1500 W, and 2200 W and 3 level settings for light control and display, offering more control to the consumers.
The Philips 3-in-1 Air Purifiers priced at 32,995/-.
Benetton Timewear
For Men:
Social Analog and Signature Analong watch for men
Available on flipkart exclusively and at select Timex world & modern retails stores, starting range of 3995/-
For Women:
Social Analog and Iconic Analong watch for women
Available on flipkart exclusively and at select Timex world & modern retails stores, starting range of 2995/-
Garments and accessories
For men:
100 per cent red cotton hooded sweater and men’s muffler at a price of Rs 6,000/- and 1,899/.
For women:
Sweater with inlaid bear and round purse with drawstring at a price of Rs 5,800/- and 2,200/.
Performers are seen during the annual Christmas caravan parade in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on Dec. 19, 2021. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua/IANS)
The joy of Christmas was incomplete due to the absence of foreign tourists and pilgrims who couldn’t visit the holy city because of the Covid-19 pandemic, report Asian Lite News
Palestinian tourists and pilgrims gathered at the square near the Church of Nativity in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, marking the beginning of Christmas celebrations in an atmosphere of joy and bliss.
Hundreds of local merrymakers, including tourists and pilgrims, flocked to the famous Manger Square, where a giant Christmas tree was put up, taking selfies next to it, reports Xinhua news agency.
Some of the women wore traditional Palestinian garments, while the children wore new dresses. Red, which is the color of the Santa Claus’ suit, dominated the scene at the square.
Pierbattista Pizzaballa, (C) the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, greets people as he arrives to the Church of Nativity, revered as the site of Jesus Christ’s birth to attend Christmas celebrations in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Dec. 24, 2021. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua/IANS)
But the joy of Christmas was incomplete due to the absence of foreign tourists and pilgrims who couldn’t visit the holy city because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to official figures, more than three million and a half foreign tourists visited the Palestinian territories in 2019 and most of them visited Bethlehem, a city that holds great significance in Christian history.
However, since March 2020, the influx of foreign tourists has dwindled to almost zero.
During ceremonial activities around the Church of Nativity, Ibrahim Faltas, a Christian priest, told Xinhua that this year’s Christmas is difficult for all the Palestinians as the tourist industry has taken a heavy blow, forcing more people out of jobs.
A visitor uses a mobile phone to take photos during the lighting ceremony of the main Christmas tree at the Manger Square in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on Dec. 4, 2021. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua/IANS)
“But we must arm ourselves with hope despite all the difficulties, and we pray that this cloud will be removed from the entire world and the coming year will be better, in which peace and freedom prevail,” he said.
Palestinian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Rula Maayah told Xinhua that this year’s Christmas in Bethlehem had many festive activities and events, unlike last year, which witnessed a complete closure.
“This year’s celebrations are without foreign tourism in light of the spread of the new variant of the coronavirus Omicron,” she said, adding that domestic tourism is active, as good numbers flocked to Bethlehem.
A performer is seen during the annual Christmas caravan parade in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on Dec. 19, 2021. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua/IANS)
“Christmas brings with it the joy and hopes that the Palestinian people believe in,” said the Palestinian official.
Julia, a Palestinian girl wearing a red Santa Claus hat heading to the Manger Square, told Xinhua that she was happy to celebrate Christmas.
“I hope that a bigger celebration will come next year when peace prevails in the Palestinian territories,” the little girl said.
Um Yousef, a Muslim Palestinian woman, who brought her children to celebrate the festival on the street, said: “We Muslims and Christians in Bethlehem live in brotherhood and celebrate this holiday together without regard to religion.”
Last year Victoria Beckham posted a video and a series of pictures trying to get her family to pose in one frame, this year the designer chose to keep it candid together with her beau…reports Asian Lite News.
While the new tribe of influencers post ‘selfies’, travelogues and promotional gifts to spread festive cheer on their social media platforms, some, and by some we mean those who are influencers in the real sense of the term, prefer to keep things traditional.
For the festive season, these power couples and iconic families choose to do things the good old fashioned way, spreading cheer through holiday cards with loved ones. So without further ado we present the best Holiday greetings, from their homes and hearts to yours:
Duke and Duchess of Sussex
“This year, 2021, we welcomed our daughter, Lilibet, to the world. Archie made us a ‘Mama’ and a ‘Papa’, and Lili made us a family. As we look forward to 2022, we have made donations on your behalf to several organizations that honor and protect families- from those being relocated from Afghanistan to American families in need of paid parental leave,” said the note accompanying Meghan and Harry’s 2021 holiday card.
Victoria & David Beckham
Last year Victoria Beckham posted a video and a series of pictures trying to get her family to pose in one frame, this year the designer chose to keep it candid together with her beau. Victoria posted this picture of herself and David Beckham in their Christmas sweaters on social media commenting, ” Now that’s a Christmas Jumper Mr Beckham!?? kisses @davidbeckham.”
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, photographed with their children posted their annual Christmas card on Instagram commenting stating, “Delighted to share a new image of the family.” The family is pending the holidays at their country home and will be joined by members of the Middleton family.
Denise Richards
“This year more than ever, I wanted to find the perfect card to send our love to friends and family. And WOW did @simplytoimpress shine!” captioned her holiday card on Instagram. “Christmas might look a little different this year, but I think everyone will feel our love, hope and joy, no matter how near or far.”
The prime minister has rejected harsher virus restrictions in England over Christmas despite a record surge in cases driven by the Omicron variant…reports Asian Lite News.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in his Christmas Eve message on Friday exhorted the public to get jabbed as a “wonderful” gift for the nation as cases soar.
Johnson said that while little time remained to buy gifts, “there is still a wonderful thing you can give your family and the whole country… and that is to get that jab, whether it is your first or second, or your booster”.
The prime minister has rejected harsher virus restrictions in England over Christmas despite a record surge in cases driven by the Omicron variant.
I want to pass on my best wishes for a Happy Christmas to our Armed Forces across the world and their families at home.
You have shown yet again in 2021 that you are equal to any trial or crisis and once again you have filled our hearts with pride 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/FSEeBBpwS9
He has focused instead on a drive to offer booster jabs to all adults by the end of the year.
He acknowledged that “after two years of this pandemic, I can’t say that we are through it”, as the UK set a new record on Thursday of almost 120,000 cases in 24 hours.
Last year, Johnson imposed a stay at home order on December 19 for London and southeast England that meant millions had to change Christmas plans.
This year he opted not to tighten rules, saying in his message that “for millions of families up and down the country, I hope and believe that this Christmas is, and will be, significantly better than the last”.
People must test themselves before meeting vulnerable relatives, he cautioned, while encouraging them to enjoy a jolly family Christmas.
If the pile of wrapping paper is bigger than last year due to more family members attending, it’s because of the vaccine rollout, he stressed.
He also said that getting a vaccine accorded with the teaching of Jesus Christ that “we should love our neighbours as we love ourselves”.
Johnson’s popularity has been battered by reports of parties held by Downing Street and other government departments during lockdown periods, and his party lost a by-election in a previously safe seat this month.
Some within his own party have also revolted against the most recent Covid measures, particularly on mandatory showing of Covid passes to enter crowded venues such as nightclubs, which they see as violating personal freedoms.
Almost 100 Tory MPs opposed the measure, which was passed by parliament as a whole.
Johnson’s Brexit project is also still mired in wrangles over French fishing rights, a year after the UK reached an agreement with the European Union on a trade deal.
This year, family members are expected to visit the monarch over the Christmas period at the castle and “all appropriate guidelines” will be followed, the palace said…reports Asian Lite News.
Queen Elizabeth II has been forced to call off traditional Christmas plans at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk, eastern England, and will stay on at Windsor Castle amidst a surge in coronavirus cases being driven by the Omicron variant of COVID-19. On Monday, she took what Buckingham Palace referred to as a “personal decision” to also call off plans to travel to Sandringham, where members of the royal family gather for church on Christmas morning.
The 95-year-old monarch had already called off an annual pre-Christmas lunch tradition for royal family members due to a surge in coronavirus cases being driven by the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
“It reflects a precautionary approach,” Buckingham Palace aides were quoted as saying.
It is the second year the pandemic has caused the cancellation of the Queen’s traditional Christmas trip to Sandringham and the first without her husband Prince Philip, who passed away in April. The couple had spent Christmas together last year at Windsor Castle in Berkshire, south-east England.
This year, family members are expected to visit the monarch over the Christmas period at the castle and “all appropriate guidelines” will be followed, the palace said. Though it is unconfirmed which members of the family would be visiting over the course of this weekend.
The change of plan is in response to growing concerns about the pandemic and the Omicron variant, amid calls for limiting contacts during the Christmas festivities. Ahead of Christmas, the Queen generally invites her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to join her at Buckingham Palace in London before she departs for her annual Christmas stay at Sandringham.
This marks the second year when the pre-Christmas and Christmas get-togethers have been called off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It comes as the government said it is monitoring data “hour by hour” on whether legal restrictions need to be imposed on Christmas gatherings as the UK recorded another daily COVID high of 91,743 infections.
“Obviously, there’s considerable uncertainty within the Omicron data – we’re concerned about the increasing growth in cases, particularly in London,” said UK Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay.
With reference to further lockdown measures, he added: “But there is a considerable time lag between those catching the infection and presenting as cases at hospital and of course, that needs to be looked at… alongside the booster campaign, the increase in treatments, the changes in behaviour as a consequence of Plan B, which will also have an impact on those hospital admissions.
“We’re balancing that against the wider economic consequences of any further restrictions which also carry health risks… in terms of the mental health consequences, for example, as well as those wider economic consequences.” Current Plan B rules for England include COVID vaccine passes for events, face masks in most indoor settings and people being urged to work from home if they can. Other parts of the United Kingdom have similar rules, with Scotland asking people to limit social contact to three households at a time in the run-up to Christmas and Wales closing nightclubs from December 27.
📺 Don’t forget! The #TogetherAtChristmas carol concert will be broadcast on @ITV 7:30pm, Christmas Eve.
🎄Join the The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, with other Members of The Royal Family, at @wabbey as they welcome extraordinary individuals for a special festive service. pic.twitter.com/OYwAyPGf0w
Meanwhile, London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced that a New Year’s Eve celebration event planned at Trafalgar Square will not go ahead because of the surge in Omicron cases in the UK capital. He said the event, for 6,500 key workers and members of the public, was being cancelled “in the interests of public safety”.
“This will be very disappointing for many Londoners, but we must take the right steps to reduce the spread of the virus,” said Khan.
“I’m proud that we will still have an incredible broadcast spectacular to watch on our screens, which will showcase our great city to the rest of the world,” he said.
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) December 15, 2021
Khan said more than 65,500 new confirmed cases have been recorded in the capital in the past seven days. It has caused a 29 per cent increase in London hospital admissions in the last week, while the city remains under the purview of a “major incident” to aid with the increased load.
In a video posted on social media by Downing Street, the Prime Minister said: “People can go ahead with their Christmas plans”. However, he urged caution and suggested people should take a test before meeting elderly relatives, reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that he will not introduce any further Covid restrictions in the UK before Christmas, but has warned that the situation remains “finely balanced” ahead of the new year.
In a video posted on social media by Downing Street, the Prime Minister said: “People can go ahead with their Christmas plans”. However, he urged caution and suggested people should take a test before meeting elderly relatives.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister warned that the rapid spread of the Omicron variant meant curbs could still be imposed after Christmas.
Another 15,363 Omicron cases have been found in the UK, the biggest daily increase since the Covid-19 variant was detected in the country, taking the total Omicron cases found in the country to 60,508, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed Tuesday.
The UK reported 90,629 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 11,542,143, according to official figures released on Tuesday.
The country also reported a further 172 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in the UK now stands at 147,433, with 7,801 Covid-19 patients still in hospital.
More than 89 per cent of people aged 12 and over in the UK have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 81 per cent have received both doses, according to the latest figures. More than 52 per cent have received booster jabs, or the third dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
Covid-19 to wipe nine months off life expectancy
The coronavirus pandemic is seen cutting life expectancy in Britain by nine months, Royal Bank of Canada analysts said, helping to reverse trends of longevity. The estimate from insurance stock analysts Gordon Aitken and Mandeep Jagpal was based on statistics from the UK. Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, as well as data from insurance companies.
“There may be continued waves of Covid, and poorer health due to long Covid,” they wrote in a note to clients. “There may be second order effects such as delayed diagnoses and treatment of other conditions, and the impact of the economic slowdown may be detrimental.” The increased mortality will allow the life insurers to release more funds that have been set aside in reserves, boosting operating profit by 7.4 billion pounds ($9.8 billion), or 16%, each year for the next five years, RBC said.
Self-isolation reduced for most in England
The government said that from Wednesday it was reducing the COVID-19 self-isolation period to seven days from 10 days for people in England who get a negative result on a lateral flow test two days in a row.
With the Omicron variant spreading rapidly in Britain and record levels of cases over the past week many industries are struggling with staff shortages, including hospitals who have warned of the risk of an impact on patient safety.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said its analysis suggested a seven-day isolation period alongside two negative lateral flow test results had nearly the same protective effect as a 10-day isolation period without testing.
“We want to reduce the disruption from Covid-19 to people’s everyday lives,” health secretary Sajid Javid said in a statement.
Rapid lateral flow tests, which are provided free by Britain’s National Health Service, can be self-administered by people at home and give a result in 15 to 30 minutes.
Those who receive a negative lateral flow result on day six and day seven of their self-isolation period, with tests taken 24 hours apart, will no longer have to isolate for 10 days, the government said.
The UKHSA said it “strongly advised” those who leave their self-isolation after seven days to limit contact with others in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces, work from home and minimise contact with those most vulnerable to Covid-19.
“The new approach reflects latest evidence on how long cases transmit the virus for, and supports essential public services and supply chains over the winter, while still limiting the spread of the virus,” the UKHSA said.
