“The success of our vaccination program has demonstrated what the UK can achieve when we bring together our brightest minds,”said Boris Johnson…reports Asian Lite News
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday announced a new taskforce to find “promising new medicines” to treat coronavirus.
Under the government plans, Britons who test positive for Covid-19 or are exposed to the virus could be sent antiviral tablets or capsules, to take at home as early as autumn this year, Xinhua news agency reported.
“The success of our vaccination program has demonstrated what the UK can achieve when we bring together our brightest minds,” the prime minister said at a Downing Street press briefing.
“Our new Antivirals Taskforce will seek to develop innovative treatments you can take at home to stop Covid-19 in its tracks,” he said.
The UK's new Antivirals Taskforce will identify innovative COVID-19 treatments to reduce transmission and speed up recovery.
We aim to have at least 2 effective take-home treatments by the end of the year.
According to the British government’s Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance, antiviral drugs “could help protect those not protected by or ineligible for vaccines. They could also be another layer of defense in the face of new variants of concern.”
Meanwhile, Johnson said as Britain is continuing to make progress in the fight against coronavirus, “we cannot delude ourselves” that the virus has gone away.
He noted that the majority of scientific experts are of the view that there will be another wave at some stage this year and Britons must learn to live with the virus.
However, he said there was nothing in scientific data to suggest Britain would have to deviate from the roadmap out of lockdown.
In England, all shops reopened from April 12, along with hairdressers, beauty salons and other close-contact services.
The Downing Street further confirmed that the two leaders would meet later this year, without specifying any further details….reports Asian Lite News
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has cancelled his trip to India in the wake of the severity of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, a Downing Street spokesperson confirmed on Monday.
The spokesperson said Johnson and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi would speak later this month to “agree and launch their ambitious plans for the future partnership”, the BBC reported.
The visit was to take place on April 26.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson
The Downing Street further confirmed that the two leaders would meet later this year, without specifying any further details.
Johnson’s trip to India was initially scheduled to take place in January but was cancelled when the UK entered a national lockdown, the third of its kind since the onset of the pandemic last years.
Royal Family remember duke's lifetime of service (Credit : DPA) (Not for sale)
Coronavirus social distancing measures forced Queen Elizabeth II to sit alone during the funeral for her husband, Prince Philip, at the St George’s chapel in Windsor Castle, reports Asian Lite News
Prince Philip’s coffin has been interred in the royal vault of St George’s Chapel.
It was placed on a catafalque on a marble slab and lowered into the vault by an electric motor, dpa news agency reported.
The vault was created between 1804 and 1810 for George III, who died in 1820 and is one of three kings buried there. The other two are George IV and William IV.
Horns were played as his coffin was lowered down.
A blessing was given by the Archbishop of Canterbury before the choir sang the national anthem, “God Save the Queen.”
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
The members of the royal family looked up as the choir sang while the queen bowed her head.
The 94-year-old monarch was then led out of the church by the archbishop and followed by her family members.
Prince William, her grandson, was seen glancing back at the vault as he left his pew.
Queen sits on her own at funeral
Coronavirus social distancing measures forced Queen Elizabeth II to sit alone during the funeral for her husband, Prince Philip, at the St George’s chapel in Windsor Castle on Saturday.
Her expression was not captured by cameras during the service, however, other members of the Royal family appeared sombre, the dpa news agency reported.
Queen Elizabeth II sits on her own at Prince Philip’s funeral (Credit : DPA) (Not for sale)
Prince Edward, the queen and Prince Philip’s youngest child, was seen touching his forehead with his hand during a performance by the choir. He was later seen gazing at the coffin of his father.
Several of the Royals read the order of service throughout the funeral, while others were seen staring into the distance.
Each member of the Royal family – and their specially chosen guests – were all seen wearing formal black clothes and black face masks.
They were all spread around the chapel in their seats to comply with the current Coronavirus restrictions in place in England.
Royal Family remember Duke’s lifetime of service
The ceremonial royal funeral will remember Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburg and husband of Queen Elizabeth II, for his “unwavering loyalty” to the Queen, service to the nation and “courage”.
The duke’s association with the Royal Navy and love of the sea will also be a focus but no sermon will be delivered, in line with his wishes, the BBC reported.
More than 730 members of the armed forces are taking part in the event, but there is a limit of 30 mourners at St George’s Chapel, under Covid rules.
Prince Philip interred in the royal vault of St George’s Chapel (Credit : DPA) (Not for sale)
Representatives from military units with a special relationship to the duke are positioned in the castle’s Quadrangle, with music provided by the Band of Royal Marines Commando Training Centre, the Band of the Scots Guards and the Combined Bands of the Royal Air Force.
Prince Philip died at Windsor Castle on Friday 9 April, aged 99.
His coffin was carried the short distance to St George’s Chapel on a modified Land Rover, which the duke himself helped to design.
The funeral procession from the castle to the chapel was headed by the Band of the Grenadier Guards, the Major General’s party, and military service chiefs.
Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and the Earl of Snowdon also walked behind the coffin, trailed by members of the duke’s household staff.
The Queen, 94, travelled with a lady-in-waiting in the state Bentley at the end of the procession.
Following the procession, a Royal Marines bearer party carried the coffin into the service.
Topless protester runs through crowd of people at Windsor Castle (Credit : DPA) (Not for sale)
A reduced choir of four singers will feature but the congregation will follow Covid restrictions and not sing.
A ceremonial gun fire at nine locations across the UK, and in Gibraltar, marked the start and end of the national minute’s silence.
Heathrow Airport said no planes would land or take off for six minutes to coincide with the silence and all major sporting events have been rescheduled to avoid a clash with the funeral.
William, Harry chat as they depart chapel together
Princes William and Harry left St George’s Chapel together and were seen chatting after the funeral service of Prince Philip on Saturday.
Prince Harry, who is also known as the Duke of Sussex, appeared to thank the Archbishop of Canterbury before speaking with Kate, the duchess of Cambridge and Prince William’s wife, dpa news agency reported.
Princes William, Harry chat as they depart chapel together ( CREDIT : dpa) (Not for sale)
He was joined on his other side by Prince William and the two brothers carried on walking together while chatting.
It appeared their conversation was relaxed, with Prince William maskless as they walked and talked outside while Prince Harry kept his mask on.
While the duo have faced difficulties in their relationship over the last few months, however, they appeared to be friendly to each other at the service.
Prince will be able to attend the funeral on “compassionate grounds” under strict pandemic rules ….reports Asian Lite News
The UK’s Prince Harry has returned to Britain for the first time since leaving for his new life in Los Angeles ahead of the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip, on Saturday.
The Prince was seen arriving onboard a British Airways flight from Los Angeles which arrived at Heathrow at 1.15 p.m. on Sunday, dpa news agency quoted The Sun newspaper as saying ina report.
He will be able to attend the funeral on “compassionate grounds” under government guidance despite strict quarantine rules in place which could be prevented him from going.
The Prince will have to remain in quarantine on the other days.
His wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will not be attending the event due to her pregnancy.
On Saturday, the funeral for Prince Philip, who was also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, will be held in the afternoon in Windsor.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh(Wikipedia)
Due to coronavirus restrictions in place, only 30 people will be allowed to attend the funeral.
Members of the public have been urged not to attend the funeral by police and the British government due to the restrictions.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that he would give up his space at the funeral so that another family member would be able to attend.
British Parliament has been recalled a day early on Monday so Johnson and other lawmakers can pay tribute to the Duke.
Normal parliament business resumes on Tuesday, however no laws will be passed this week due to the national mourning period, which ends on Saturday after the funeral.
The Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, passed away at the Windsor Castle on April 9 at the age of 99.
Prince Philip was born on the Greek island of Corfu on June 10, 1921. He married Princess Elizabeth in 1947, five years before she became Queen, and was the longest-serving royal consort in British history.
The couple had four children, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
In May 2017, the 96-year-old duke retired from his own program of royal duties after carrying out more than 20,000 solo public engagements.
The duke left hospital last month after a month-long treatment. He underwent a procedure for a pre-existing heart condition, according to Buckingham Palace.
The scientists made their remarks as Britain is poised to partly ease the current lockdown restrictions, the third of its kind since the start of the pandemic in the country…reports Asian Lite News
British scientists have warned that the British government is risking a third wave of Covid-19 by easing the lockdown too soon, local media reported.
“There are areas in West Yorkshire, the Black Country and other regions that still have high infection rates. However, many people there cannot afford to self-isolate. We need to tackle that issue urgently or the virus will come back again,” Leeds University medical school Associate Professor Stephen Griffin told the Observer on Sunday.
“It’s worrying. There are far too many virus hotspots and not enough attention being paid to controlling infections that might spread from them,” said Griffin, Xinhua news agency reported.
Professor Lawrence Young of Warwick medical school said: “The test, trace and isolate system that is supposed to contain outbreaks has not worked well, and even when people test positive, they are not isolating. We need a properly funded system for quarantining infected people. We don’t have that and that raises the risk we could head back into trouble again quite quickly.”
The scientists made their remarks as Britain is poised to partly ease the current lockdown restrictions, the third of its kind since the start of the pandemic in the country, on Monday.
From Monday, non-essential shops will reopen and pubs and restaurants will reopen outdoors at a time when Britain moves to step two of the roadmap out of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Meanwhile, hairdressers and barbers as well as gyms can reopen, along with zoos, theme parks, libraries and community centres.
Experts have warned that despite progress in vaccine rollout, Britain is “still not out of the woods” amid concerns over new variants and the third wave of pandemic on the European continent.
More than 32 million people have been given the first coronavirus vaccine jab, according to the official figures.
UK
The estimated coronavirus reproduction number, also known as the R number, in England is unchanged at between 0.8 and one, according to the latest official data.
It means that, on average, every 10 people who have coronavirus will infect between eight and 10 others.
Government advisory scientists said the situation is too variable in some regions to produce a Britain-wide R rate, but the number is believed to be above one in some parts of the country, which means the outbreak could grow exponentially.
To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the United States as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.
Britain’s Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, died at Windsor Castle on Friday morning…reports Asian Lite News
Despite Covid-19 restrictions, mourners have continued to travel to Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle to pay tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh who passed away on Friday at the age of 99.
Britain’s Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, died at Windsor Castle on Friday morning.
All British government buildings have been told to fly official flags at half-mast in tribute to the duke on the day after the his funeral, Xinhua news agency reported.
Gun salutes have been fired across Britain on Saturday, on land and at sea in memory of the duke, the BBC reported.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh(Wikipedia)
Saluting batteries began firing 41 rounds at one round every minute from midday on Saturday in cities including London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, as well from Royal Navy warships.
The royal family website has asked people not to leave flowers and tributes at royal residences. The website encourages members of the public to consider making a donation to a charity instead of leaving floral tributes.
No official details have been announced yet about the duke’s funeral, but it is understood the Duke of Edinburgh will be given a royal ceremonial funeral rather than a state funeral according to his wishes, Sky News reported.
The Buckingham Palace is expected to release during the weekend details about the days to come and the duke’s funeral.
Prince Philip was born on the Greek island of Corfu on June 10, 1921. He married Princess Elizabeth in 1947, five years before she became Queen, and was the longest-serving royal consort in British history. The couple had four children, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
In May 2017, the 96-year-old duke retired from his own program of royal duties after carrying out more than 20,000 solo public engagements.
The duke left hospital last month after a month-long treatment. He underwent a procedure for a pre-existing heart condition, according to Buckingham Palace.
The letter reads that incident will have a detrimental impact on Indian students if the Oxford University and Thames Valley Police do not seem to take any decisive actions…reports Asian Lite News
More than hundred Indian diaspora organisations across the country jointly issued a letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson over concerns related to lack of action by the Oxford University towards Hindu hatred promoted by its faculty member.
Dr Abhijit Sarkar, a faculty member, instigated hate-filled trolls on social media against Rashmi Samant who was the first Indian female to be elected President of Oxford Student Union.
Dr Sarkar’s continuous attack on Rashmi and her family on social media for their Hindu faith, forced her to resign and led her to finally leave the country, says the letter.
Hindu Hatred in Oxford University(Twitter)
The jointly issued letter which was signed by 119 organisations also called for suspension of Dr Sarkar with immediate effect and expulsion after a thorough Police investigation for hate crime.
It is noted that Dr Sarkar’s posts reflect his racist and bigoted views with multiple misogynistic and sexualised comments including gender slurs to various women on social media.
The British Indian diaspora urged Home Office to review his visa status in view of his racist and hateful actions on social media.
The signatories are Hindu Council UK, Hindu Forum of Europe, National Council of Hindu Temples, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (UK), National Council of Hindu Priests,Vishwa Hindu Parishad (UK),Nepali Hindu Forum UK, Shree Swaminarayan Temple Cardiff, Friends of India Society International (FISI) UK, Global Kashmiri Pandit diaspora (UK), Indians in London Group (IIL), Hindu Lawyers Association, Global Hindu Federation Ltd, Nepali Shiva Mandir Aldershot, National Hindu Students’ Forum (UK), Akshay Patra Foundation (UK), Hindu Forum Nottingham, Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society, London, Gurudwara Miri Piri, Southall, Dr. Ambedkar UK Mission (AUM), Voice of Dogras (UK), Overseas Hindu Malayalee UK (OHM UK), British Hindu Voice, Gurudwara Ramgarhia Sabha, Southall, Kannadigaru UK, Hindu Punjabi Sabha of Leeds, REACH India, and Inspiring Indian Women (IIW)
Hindu Hatred in Oxford University(Twitter)
Hindu International Medical Mission, Hinduism Worldwide Inc ,Shree Ram Mandir Birmingham, Uttar Pradesh Community Association (UPCA), UK , South Asian Performing Art (SAPAC) UK , Shree Sanatan Mandir Leicester, UK Telugu Hindu Organisation (UTHO), Hindu Samaj Swindon, International Center for Cultural Studies (UK) , Hindu Mandir and Community Centre Nottingham , Jammu Kashmir Study Center, UK , Hindu Temple Nottingham , All County Kannada Association UK , Vichaar Manthan UK , India Welfare Society, London , Advocacy for British Hindus & Indians (ABHI) UK , International Dogra Society , Indian National Students Association (INSA) UK , Kannada Balaga Swindon , Jeevan Organ Trust UK , Leuva Patidar Samaj Yorkshire , Karunadina Anivasi Hindugala Okkoota (KAHO) UK , Hindu Cultural Society of Bradford , The British Hindu Press Association , Abhishekam Group , KAVITA Community Org, Ireland, Leeds Mahila Mandal , India Knowledge Consortium (INK) UK , Basingstoke Hindu Society , Namaste Elderly Group of Leeds , Mata Da Mandir (Hindu Cultural Association Dudley) , Ram Mandir Southall , National Association of Patidar Samaj , Newcastle Hindu Temple , Param Shakti Peeth of UK , Rajasthan Association UK , Northeast India Cultural Committee of UK , Overseas Friends of BJP UK , Slough Mitra Mandal , NaMo Namah Foundation UK , Leeds Pragati Mandal , Shree Krishna Mandir, Leamington Spa , Rajasthani Roots UK , Pranyog Yoga centre , Shree Krishna Temple, Dudley , SwIndians , Telugu Association of Basingstoke (TAB UK) , Shree Bharatiya Mandal-Indian Association (Tameside) , VHP Temple Bolton , Sangamam UK, Shree Prajapati Association U.K , Shree Hindu Community Centre and Sai Dham (Nottingham).
Lord Rama Krishna Temple, Warrington, Shiv Westminster, The Shivalyh, Derby Kannadigaru , Bihari Connect UK, Durga Bhajan Mandali, Birmingham , Derby Hindus , Hindu Council (Brent) , Anoopam Mission UK , Haryana In UK Association , Bengali Hindu Adarsha Sangha , Bhagwati Shakti Peeth , Bharat Hindu Samaj Peterborough, Bihari Community, Gita Foundation , Hindu Sevikas Samiti UK, Indian Ekta, Kent Telugu Community (KTC) , Life in London Trust , Luitporia Nasoni North East , Shree Navdurga Association UK , National Hindu Welfare Support (NHWS) , Shree Kalyan Mandal, Rugby , South London Hanuman Chalisa Group, Telangana Development Forum, South Indian Association UK, The Indian Association Cheltenham (Glos) , UK Indian Business Network (UKIBN), Vaso Nagrik Mandal (UK) , Upton Hindu Community Association, Vande Mataram, Yog-Kulam , Wellingborough District Hindu Association, Warangal NRI forum UK Ltd, Royal Sutton Indians, Midlands Marathi Association , INSIGHT UK, Nottingham Kannadigaru, Shree Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple and Bradford
The AstraZeneca jab remained safe and those who had received one dose should take up their second when they are called, said Matt Hancock…reports Asian Lite News
Britain has more than enough supply of alternative vaccines to vaccinate all adults under 30, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said.
His remarks came after the British government’s vaccination advisory body said Wednesday that Britons aged 18-29 will be offered an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine amid concerns over its possible link with reported rare cases of blood clots, Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday.
Hancock told the BBC that Britain is still on track to vaccinate all adults by July 31.
The AstraZeneca jab remained safe and those who had received one dose should take up their second when they are called, he said.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a vial of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine Covid-19 candidate vaccine, known as AZD1222, at Wockhardt’s pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Wrexham, North Wales. Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street
There was “no evidence” of rare blood clots after the second dose of the vaccine, he said.
“The safety system that we have around this vaccine is so sensitive that it can pick up events that are four in a million (the chance of developing a rare brain blood clot) — I’m told this is about the equivalent risk of taking a long-haul flight,” he said.
Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said Wednesday that the side effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine were extremely rare and the vaccine’s effectiveness is proven, adding that the benefits of taking the vaccine are still very favourable for the vast majority.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England Jonathan Van-Tam has said that because of the supply situation with other vaccines, the effect on the vaccination program in Britain should be “negligible”.
Doris Wildgoose, 99, receives her second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Hyde Leisure Centre in Greater Manchester, Britain, on Jan. 7, 2021. (Photo by Jon Super/Xinhua/ians)
Currently, Britain is also rolling out the Pfizer jab, and the first doses of the Moderna vaccine were administered Wednesday in Wales.
The country also has supply agreements with several other companies that are still waiting for approval, including Valneva and Janssen.
More than 31.7 million people have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the official figures.
To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the United States as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson saidthat Britons should be “realistic” about international travel for holidays amid concerns over the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic on the European continent.
The government is yet to make a decision on whether Britons can go for a foreign holiday from May 17 as previously planned, Xinhua news agency quoted Johnson as saying on Tuesday.
“That doesn’t mean we’ve given up on May 17. I know how impatient people are to book their holidays but I think we just have to be prudent at this stage.”
The Prime Minister said that Britain should continue rolling out the AstraZeneca vaccine despite concerns about occasional reported cases of blood clots.
Johnson said the current advice of Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK’s medicines regulator, is to “keep going out there, get your jab, get your second jab” and “we need to keep that going”.
The vaccines are already “starting to have a beneficial effect on the trajectory of the disease”, said Johnson, noting the falling number of cases and deaths in the country.
On Monday, Johnsonconfirmed that from April 12, non-essential shops will reopen and pubs and restaurants will reopen outdoors as Britain moves to step two of the roadmap out of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Meanwhile, hairdressers and barbers as well as gyms can reopen, along with zoos, theme parks, libraries and community centres.
However, experts have warned that despite progress in vaccine rollout, Britain is “still not out of the woods” amid concerns over new variants and the third wave of the pandemic across Europe.
Moscow, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin (Sputnik via Xinhua/IANS)
Russia will continue to carefully monitor the actions of the US and its allies to create a ground-based INF arsenal in Europe and Asia-Pacific…reports Asian Lite News
Russia has expressed concerns about plans by the US and the UK to deploy ground-based intermediate and shorter-range missiles.
In a statement on Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Pentagon officials in the US have recently made statements about the practical steps required to deploy in various regions of the world ground-based intermediate and shorter-range missiles, previously banned by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, Xinhua news agency reported.
The British military has joined in on the “openly hostile, destabilizing” statements and actions in this regard, it noted.
The plans will narrow the space for a diplomatic solution to post-INF Treaty problems, it warned.
Russia will continue to carefully monitor the actions of the US and its allies to create a ground-based INF arsenal in Europe and Asia-Pacific, said the statement.
“We are by no means shutting the door to dialogue, but in the current conditions we do not rule out that Russia will be forced” to respond to the growing missile threats, the statement read.
In August 2019, Russia and the US formally withdrew from the INF Treaty after accusing each other of violating the landmark arms control deal signed in Washington in December 1987.
