The US has agreed on a four-month suspension of retaliatory tariffs imposed on UK exports including scotch whisky over a long-running aircraft subsidy row.

World Business Watch: US suspends tariffs on UK exports including Scotch

In October of last year, the EU started legal proceedings against the U.K. after the government put forward a bill that would have overridden the same deal over Northern Ireland.

UK denies breaking EU treaty over Northern Ireland

While reading out Britain's Budget 2021 address, British finance minister Rishi Sunak said that the UK economy is likely to reach its pre-pandemic output level by the middle of next year (2022). WION brings you all you need to know about UK Budget 2021.

World Business Watch: UK economy to reach pre-pandemic size by mid-2022, says Sunak

UK Finance minister Rishi Sunak will promise to do "whatever it takes", including a five-month extension of Britain's huge jobs rescue plan, to steer the economy through what he hopes will be the final months of COVID restrictions.

World Business Watch: FM Sunak targets COVID, deficit in UK budget 2021

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday defended his government's plan to halve humanitarian aid for war-torn Yemen while continuing to sell arms to Saudi Arabia, despite a US freeze on its weapons' exports.

An international aid conference on Yemen this week yielded less than half the funds needed to prevent what the UN warns is a looming famine.&nbsp;

"Cutting aid is a death sentence," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned, in remarks echoed in the UK parliament by opposition leaders grilling Johnson at weekly prime minister's questions.

Britain pledged £87 million ($122 million, 100 million euros), about half the amount it offered at last year's Yemen conference, and only 40 percent of the total funding it provided to the shattered country during 2020.&nbsp;

"How on earth can the prime minister justify selling arms to Saudi Arabia and cutting aid to people starving in Yemen?" said Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour party.

He pointed to last month's decision by the new administration of President Joe Biden to pause US arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which is leading a devastating conflict against Huthi rebels in Yemen, pending a review.

"It is true that current straightened circumstances, which I'm sure the people of this country understand, mean that temporarily we must reduce aid spending," Johnson replied, noting the Covid-19 pandemic's impact on UK finances.

"But that does not obscure the fact that when it comes to our duty to the people of Yemen, we continue to step up to the plate," he said, noting Britain has given about £1 billion in the past five years, since the Saudi-led bombing campaign began.

"It's a record of which this country can be proud. Given the difficulties that this country faces, I think the people of this country will think we've got our priorities right."

Johnson added that the government continues "scrupulously to follow the humanitarian guidance which are amongst the toughest measures anywhere in the world in respect of all arms sales".

Citing the pandemic, the UK government is planning to scrap a legally enshrined target for its aid budget this year, leading to accusations even from its own ranks that it is abandoning some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people.

Former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell, bitterly criticising the decision on Yemen, said cutting the UK's overall aid commitment was a "strategic mistake with deadly consequences".

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday defended his government's plan to halve humanitarian aid for war-torn Yemen while continuing to sell arms to Saudi Arabia, despite a US freeze on its weapons' exports.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday defended his government's plan to halve humanitarian aid for war-torn Yemen while continuing to sell arms to Saudi Arabia, despite a US freeze on its weapons' exports. An international aid conference on Yemen this week yielded less than half the funds needed to prevent what the UN warns is a looming famine. "Cutting aid is a death sentence," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned, in remarks echoed in the UK parliament by opposition leaders grilling Johnson at weekly prime minister's questions. Britain pledged £87 million ($122 million, 100 million euros), about half the amount it offered at last year's Yemen conference, and only 40 percent of the total funding it provided to the shattered country during 2020. "How on earth can the prime minister justify selling arms to Saudi Arabia and cutting aid to people starving in Yemen?" said Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour party. He pointed to last month's decision by the new administration of President Joe Biden to pause US arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which is leading a devastating conflict against Huthi rebels in Yemen, pending a review. "It is true that current straightened circumstances, which I'm sure the people of this country understand, mean that temporarily we must reduce aid spending," Johnson replied, noting the Covid-19 pandemic's impact on UK finances. "But that does not obscure the fact that when it comes to our duty to the people of Yemen, we continue to step up to the plate," he said, noting Britain has given about £1 billion in the past five years, since the Saudi-led bombing campaign began. "It's a record of which this country can be proud. Given the difficulties that this country faces, I think the people of this country will think we've got our priorities right." Johnson added that the government continues "scrupulously to follow the humanitarian guidance which are amongst the toughest measures anywhere in the world in respect of all arms sales". Citing the pandemic, the UK government is planning to scrap a legally enshrined target for its aid budget this year, leading to accusations even from its own ranks that it is abandoning some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people. Former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell, bitterly criticising the decision on Yemen, said cutting the UK's overall aid commitment was a "strategic mistake with deadly consequences".

UK defends Yemen aid cuts and arms sales to Saudi

Finance minister Rishi Sunak promises on Wednesday to do "whatever it takes", including a five-month extension of Britain's huge jobs rescue plan.

UK's Rishi Sunak promises 'whatever it takes' in new Covid budget plan

A British chain of holiday parks was until recently using an 'undesirable guest list' to stop people with Irish surnames from making bookings, an anti-discrimination watchdog said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The list used internally at Pontins and obtained by the i newspaper included surnames commonly found in Ireland and within the Irish diaspora in Britain, such as Doherty, Gallagher, Murphy, Nolan, O'Brien and O'Connell.&nbsp;

The list was aimed at stopping Gypsies and Irish travellers from staying at Pontins facilities, according to a whistleblower, who contacted the Equality and Human Rights Commission.&nbsp;

"It is hard not to draw comparisons with an ‘undesirable guests’ list and the signs displayed in hotel windows 50 years ago, explicitly barring Irish people and Black people," said Alastair Pringle, the commission's executive director.&nbsp;

"Banning people from services based on their race is discrimination and is unlawful. To say that such policies are outdated is an understatement."&nbsp;

The whistleblower told the i that while working in the booking department at Pontins, which runs six holiday parks in England and Wales, he was instructed to refuse or cancel bookings requested by customers, whose names were on the list.&nbsp;

Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited, the company that owns Pontins, signed a legally binding agreement with the commission in which it pledged to prevent discriminatory practices.&nbsp;

"Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited has agreed to work together with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to further enhance its staff training and procedures in order to further promote equality throughout its business," a spokesman said in a statement posted by the Commission.&nbsp;

The company could not immediately be reached for further comment or explanation of the policy.&nbsp;

Irish higher education minister Simon Harris, one of many who reacted to the case in Ireland, said he was saddened and angered.&nbsp;

"As a child, my family and I holidayed in Pontins many times. Childhood memories of a happy place and good times are now replaced by a sense of disgust that such prejudice would exist," he said on Twitter.&nbsp;

A spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the list as 'completely unacceptable'.&nbsp;

A British chain of holiday parks was until recently using an 'undesirable guest list' to stop people with Irish surnames from making bookings, an anti-discrimination watchdog said on Tuesday.

A British chain of holiday parks was until recently using an 'undesirable guest list' to stop people with Irish surnames from making bookings, an anti-discrimination watchdog said on Tuesday. The list used internally at Pontins and obtained by the i newspaper included surnames commonly found in Ireland and within the Irish diaspora in Britain, such as Doherty, Gallagher, Murphy, Nolan, O'Brien and O'Connell. The list was aimed at stopping Gypsies and Irish travellers from staying at Pontins facilities, according to a whistleblower, who contacted the Equality and Human Rights Commission. "It is hard not to draw comparisons with an ‘undesirable guests’ list and the signs displayed in hotel windows 50 years ago, explicitly barring Irish people and Black people," said Alastair Pringle, the commission's executive director. "Banning people from services based on their race is discrimination and is unlawful. To say that such policies are outdated is an understatement." The whistleblower told the i that while working in the booking department at Pontins, which runs six holiday parks in England and Wales, he was instructed to refuse or cancel bookings requested by customers, whose names were on the list. Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited, the company that owns Pontins, signed a legally binding agreement with the commission in which it pledged to prevent discriminatory practices. "Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited has agreed to work together with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to further enhance its staff training and procedures in order to further promote equality throughout its business," a spokesman said in a statement posted by the Commission. The company could not immediately be reached for further comment or explanation of the policy. Irish higher education minister Simon Harris, one of many who reacted to the case in Ireland, said he was saddened and angered. "As a child, my family and I holidayed in Pontins many times. Childhood memories of a happy place and good times are now replaced by a sense of disgust that such prejudice would exist," he said on Twitter. A spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the list as 'completely unacceptable'.

UK holiday parks chain blacklisted people with Irish surnames 

According to recently released data, more than 20 million people across the United Kingdom have received their first COVID-19 vaccine shot. With this, the country has successfully rolled out Europe's fastest vaccination program.

Britain: Vaccination hits 20 million mark in Europe's fastest jab rollout

The United Kingdoms finance minister Rishi Sunak said the idea of giving people vaccine passports or certificates to allow them to enter venues or events might be a way to help the country and its economy recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

World Business Watch: UK FM Rishi Sunak says vaccine passports might help the economy

Who is an employee? It may seem a simple question but it's not. In 2016, two Uber drivers in the United Kingdom took the app-based cab service to court.&nbsp;

These two drivers told the court that they worked for Uber but it said, the drivers did not work for the company and that they were self-employed. Is that something to fight over? Actually, it is.&nbsp;

The moment you employ someone, you are expected to give him or her employment benefits like minimum wage, annual leaves, insurance. These vary depending on a country's labour laws.&nbsp;

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In UK, there are three categories of employment status, employees, workers and self-employed contractors. Employees have the maximum protection as they enjoy the most benefits. Self-employed contractors have the least. So, when this case came up in court. Uber stuck to its claim and so did the two drivers. There was a four-year-long legal battle and then UK's top court said, uber drivers should be treated as workers and not self-employed. It meant that they are entitled to a minimum wage and a holiday pay.&nbsp;

It happened on the February 19. It was just the beginning of Uber's troubles. Four days later, the company was fined in Italy. Again, over the same employment debate.&nbsp;

Uber, and food delivery apps were told their couriers delivery personnel are employees. They should be treated as employees. Four companies were fined 733 million euros for breaching labour safety rules. The companies were told to pay the couriers delivery personnel, social security and insurance also give them adequate clothing, helmets, masks, scooters or bicycles, etc.&nbsp;

The decision of two courts in Italy and Britain to declare Uber drivers and food app couriers as employees is important for the whole world as it sets a precedent.&nbsp;

It's only a matter of time before such a case comes up in another country. It is important now as it ensures that there is no exploitation.&nbsp;

App-based cabs, and food delivery services have been around for some time now in India. They have generated employment for thousands of people. Many have migrated from rural areas to drive cabs in cities. Driving an Ola or an Uber was very lucrative a few years ago. Several people quit their desk jobs to drive cabs but the story slowly changed over the years. In 2017, some drivers approached a Delhi court as they said, the apps were exploiting them by not treating them as employees.&nbsp;

Soon, a video emerged of a Zomato delivery agent tasting food that he was tasked with delivering. While we all cringed, we overlooked the desperation in the video. &nbsp;

In India, a food delivery agent employed by a Zomato or a Swiggy barely earns a few thousand rupees a month. They work long shifts in polluted cities during extreme weather and yet they enjoy no benefits, such as sick leaves, insurance, etc. &nbsp;&nbsp;

They are called independent self-employed workers but they do not enjoy the benefit of that status. In other words, they cannot take up multiple jobs. The app-based cab drivers can, but the food couriers can't. When the pandemic struck many of these workers were fired without notice or compensation.&nbsp;

Their companies blamed the coronavirus but fingers were really pointing at the downside of gig economy. That's independent working. Today, the gig economy is worth over $3.7 trillion.&nbsp;

Freelancing, working multiple jobs and working from home have been trendy since the pandemic struck but what we don't realise is that such jobs have no cushions, no benefits.&nbsp;

The latest rulings by the courts in the UK and Italy have also put employers in a fix. Not only will they have to shell out more resources, they will also have to figure out how the resources are allocated. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Many cab drivers work for multiple service providers. How do you determine which company is supposed to give them employment benefits? Also, will the drivers be able to serve the rest of the companies once they are categorised as employees?&nbsp;

Will the end result be in favour of the drivers or will it create further troubles for them?&nbsp;

What the industry needs right now is to come up with a new model to ensure- that while companies survive those working are also not exploited.&nbsp;

Who is an employee? It may seem a simple question but it's not. In 2016, two Uber drivers in the United Kingdom took the app-based cab service to court. These two drivers told the court that they worked for Uber but it said, the drivers did not work for the company and that they were self-employed.

Who is an employee? It may seem a simple question but it's not. In 2016, two Uber drivers in the United Kingdom took the app-based cab service to court. These two drivers told the court that they worked for Uber but it said, the drivers did not work for the company and that they were self-employed. Is that something to fight over? Actually, it is. The moment you employ someone, you are expected to give him or her employment benefits like minimum wage, annual leaves, insurance. These vary depending on a country's labour laws. In UK, there are three categories of employment status, employees, workers and self-employed contractors. Employees have the maximum protection as they enjoy the most benefits. Self-employed contractors have the least. So, when this case came up in court. Uber stuck to its claim and so did the two drivers. There was a four-year-long legal battle and then UK's top court said, uber drivers should be treated as workers and not self-employed. It meant that they are entitled to a minimum wage and a holiday pay. It happened on the February 19. It was just the beginning of Uber's troubles. Four days later, the company was fined in Italy. Again, over the same employment debate. Uber, and food delivery apps were told their couriers delivery personnel are employees. They should be treated as employees. Four companies were fined 733 million euros for breaching labour safety rules. The companies were told to pay the couriers delivery personnel, social security and insurance also give them adequate clothing, helmets, masks, scooters or bicycles, etc. The decision of two courts in Italy and Britain to declare Uber drivers and food app couriers as employees is important for the whole world as it sets a precedent. It's only a matter of time before such a case comes up in another country. It is important now as it ensures that there is no exploitation. App-based cabs, and food delivery services have been around for some time now in India. They have generated employment for thousands of people. Many have migrated from rural areas to drive cabs in cities. Driving an Ola or an Uber was very lucrative a few years ago. Several people quit their desk jobs to drive cabs but the story slowly changed over the years. In 2017, some drivers approached a Delhi court as they said, the apps were exploiting them by not treating them as employees. Soon, a video emerged of a Zomato delivery agent tasting food that he was tasked with delivering. While we all cringed, we overlooked the desperation in the video. In India, a food delivery agent employed by a Zomato or a Swiggy barely earns a few thousand rupees a month. They work long shifts in polluted cities during extreme weather and yet they enjoy no benefits, such as sick leaves, insurance, etc. They are called independent self-employed workers but they do not enjoy the benefit of that status. In other words, they cannot take up multiple jobs. The app-based cab drivers can, but the food couriers can't. When the pandemic struck many of these workers were fired without notice or compensation. Their companies blamed the coronavirus but fingers were really pointing at the downside of gig economy. That's independent working. Today, the gig economy is worth over $3.7 trillion. Freelancing, working multiple jobs and working from home have been trendy since the pandemic struck but what we don't realise is that such jobs have no cushions, no benefits. The latest rulings by the courts in the UK and Italy have also put employers in a fix. Not only will they have to shell out more resources, they will also have to figure out how the resources are allocated. Many cab drivers work for multiple service providers. How do you determine which company is supposed to give them employment benefits? Also, will the drivers be able to serve the rest of the companies once they are categorised as employees? Will the end result be in favour of the drivers or will it create further troubles for them? What the industry needs right now is to come up with a new model to ensure- that while companies survive those working are also not exploited.

Courts set precedent to ensure exploitation of employees ends 

A vast iceberg almost the size of Greater London has broken away from the Antarctic ice shelf near a British research station, the British Antarctic Survey said Friday.

The research body said the iceberg measuring 1,270 square kilometres (490 square miles) had broken off from the 150-metre-thick Brunt Ice Shelf in a process called "calving".

This came almost a decade after scientists first saw massive cracks had formed in the shelf.

A crack in the ice widened by several hundred metres on Friday morning before the iceberg broke off completely.

Britain's Halley VI Research Station monitors the state of the vast floating ice shelf daily.&nbsp;

"Our teams at BAS have been prepared for the calving of an iceberg from Brunt Ice Shelf for years," said BAS director Jane Francis.

The mobile research base relocated inland for safety reasons in 2016-2017 as cracks in the ice threatened to cut it off.

"That was a wise decision," commented Simon Garrod, BAS director of operations.

The glaciologists said the latest event is unlikely to affect the station's current location.

The base's 12-person team left earlier this month, as they leave the base uninhabited in winter due to the unpredictable conditions.

While they are away, data from GPS instruments at the site goes to a centre in Cambridge, eastern England, for analysis.

Icebergs naturally break off from Antarctica into the ocean in a process accelerated by climate change.

The BAS said in this case, there is "no&nbsp;evidence that climate change has played a significant role".

"Over coming weeks or months, the iceberg may move away; or it could run aground and remain close to Brunt Ice Shelf," said Francis.

The British Antarctic Survey is a world leader in environmental research in the region.

A vast iceberg almost the size of Greater London has broken away from the Antarctic ice shelf near a British research station, the British Antarctic Survey said Friday.

A vast iceberg almost the size of Greater London has broken away from the Antarctic ice shelf near a British research station, the British Antarctic Survey said Friday. The research body said the iceberg measuring 1,270 square kilometres (490 square miles) had broken off from the 150-metre-thick Brunt Ice Shelf in a process called "calving". This came almost a decade after scientists first saw massive cracks had formed in the shelf. A crack in the ice widened by several hundred metres on Friday morning before the iceberg broke off completely. Britain's Halley VI Research Station monitors the state of the vast floating ice shelf daily. "Our teams at BAS have been prepared for the calving of an iceberg from Brunt Ice Shelf for years," said BAS director Jane Francis. The mobile research base relocated inland for safety reasons in 2016-2017 as cracks in the ice threatened to cut it off. "That was a wise decision," commented Simon Garrod, BAS director of operations. The glaciologists said the latest event is unlikely to affect the station's current location. The base's 12-person team left earlier this month, as they leave the base uninhabited in winter due to the unpredictable conditions. While they are away, data from GPS instruments at the site goes to a centre in Cambridge, eastern England, for analysis. Icebergs naturally break off from Antarctica into the ocean in a process accelerated by climate change. The BAS said in this case, there is "no evidence that climate change has played a significant role". "Over coming weeks or months, the iceberg may move away; or it could run aground and remain close to Brunt Ice Shelf," said Francis. The British Antarctic Survey is a world leader in environmental research in the region.

Giant iceberg breaks off near UK Antarctic base

An environmental protest in which nine activists dug themselves into secret tunnels near a central London railway station to demonstrate against a new rail-link ended on Friday, according to the operating company.

Members of the HS2 Rebellion group, including legendary British activist Daniel Hooper, known as Swampy, had been burrowed in 100-feet (30-metre) long tunnels dug three feet beneath Euston Square for over a month.&nbsp;

The network of tunnels was discovered on January 26, having been created by protesters who oppose the redevelopment of the area for the HS2 railway line.

Hooper, who spent a week in a tunnel trying to stop a road development in southwest England in 1996, was arrested after leaving the site on Thursday, along with 18-year-old Blue Sandford and an unnamed 22-year-old woman.

Hooper's son, 16-year-old Rory Hooper, left the site last week, and others were removed earlier, leaving only one protester who was removed on Friday morning.

"HS2 staff, our agents and the emergency service personnel have acted with safety as their utmost priority, risking their own lives in order to ensure the well-being of those who placed themselves in such a dangerous situation underground," HS2 Ltd said.

The firm claimed its staff were "subject to numerous incidences of violence and criminal activity during this operation, including alleged theft and assault".

"Instead of wasting public resources on illegal actions, we urge environmental organisations to support a project that will help cut the number of cars and lorries on our roads, cut demand for domestic flights, and help the country's fight against climate change," it added.

HS2 is a flagship government rail project set to cost some £100 billion ($137 billion, 115 billion euros) that aims to link London to cities in central and northern England.

It will be Britain's second high-speed line after HS1, which is used by the cross-Channel Eurostar service linking London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, as well as providing Kent commuter services in and out of London.

But the much-delayed project, work on which started last September, has caused outrage among green groups who say it will destroy ancient woodland and do little to help Britain meet its climate targets.

Sandford had earned comparisons to Swedish activist Greta Thunberg when she went on a "school strike" to focus on the Extinction Rebellion movement more than a year ago.

 
&nbsp;

An environmental protest in which nine activists dug themselves into secret tunnels near a central London railway station to demonstrate against a new rail-link ended on Friday, according to the operating company.

An environmental protest in which nine activists dug themselves into secret tunnels near a central London railway station to demonstrate against a new rail-link ended on Friday, according to the operating company. Members of the HS2 Rebellion group, including legendary British activist Daniel Hooper, known as Swampy, had been burrowed in 100-feet (30-metre) long tunnels dug three feet beneath Euston Square for over a month. The network of tunnels was discovered on January 26, having been created by protesters who oppose the redevelopment of the area for the HS2 railway line. Hooper, who spent a week in a tunnel trying to stop a road development in southwest England in 1996, was arrested after leaving the site on Thursday, along with 18-year-old Blue Sandford and an unnamed 22-year-old woman. Hooper's son, 16-year-old Rory Hooper, left the site last week, and others were removed earlier, leaving only one protester who was removed on Friday morning. "HS2 staff, our agents and the emergency service personnel have acted with safety as their utmost priority, risking their own lives in order to ensure the well-being of those who placed themselves in such a dangerous situation underground," HS2 Ltd said. The firm claimed its staff were "subject to numerous incidences of violence and criminal activity during this operation, including alleged theft and assault". "Instead of wasting public resources on illegal actions, we urge environmental organisations to support a project that will help cut the number of cars and lorries on our roads, cut demand for domestic flights, and help the country's fight against climate change," it added. HS2 is a flagship government rail project set to cost some £100 billion ($137 billion, 115 billion euros) that aims to link London to cities in central and northern England. It will be Britain's second high-speed line after HS1, which is used by the cross-Channel Eurostar service linking London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, as well as providing Kent commuter services in and out of London. But the much-delayed project, work on which started last September, has caused outrage among green groups who say it will destroy ancient woodland and do little to help Britain meet its climate targets. Sandford had earned comparisons to Swedish activist Greta Thunberg when she went on a "school strike" to focus on the Extinction Rebellion movement more than a year ago.

Month-long tunnel protest over new UK rail link ends

A UK court will give a verdict on Diamond merchant Nirav Modi's extradition case. Nirav Modi is currently facing charges of fraud and money laundering.

UK judge to rule on Nirav Modi extradition case

After the United Kingdom, the European Union has now demanded access to the Xinjian region for human rights observers. EU has urged China to allow an investigation into the alleged mistreatment of Uighur minorities.

WION Fineprint: EU demands China allow 'meaningful access' to Xinjiang region

WION Dispatch: EU demands China allow 'meaningful access' to Xinjiang region

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out a four-step roadmap to take England out of its Covid-19 lockdown.

Boris Johnson's 4-stage plan to lift lockdown

About 50% UK firms are eyeing up opening offices in the UK for the first time after being badly hit by Coronavirus pandemic. The firms are looking towards hiring new staff in order to resume the operations.

Over 50% UK firms plan to hire new staff

After the UK, Canda has now stepped up efforts to call out China over its treatment of Uighur Muslims living in the Xinjiang region. Canada's parliament has passed a non-binding motion on Monday to declare China's treatment of its Uighur minority population as a genocide.

WION Fineprint: Canada votes to recognize China's treatment of Uighur Muslims

The United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson is all set to announce a roadmap to ease lockdown measures. The roadmap falls under Johnson's accelerated plan to cautiously reopen the economy of Britain.

UK PM to announce a roadmap to ease lockdown measures

Last year, dividend bans meant banks cut or cancelled $70 billion of payments globally, according to the report.

Global dividend payouts forecast to revive in 2021

It was the first nation to begin a mass vaccination campaign, in December, but surging case numbers forced a return to lockdown in early January after an easing of curbs over Christmas.

UK PM Boris Johnson eyes end to lockdown

All adults in Britain will be offered a first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of July, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday ahead of a planned announcement on the cautious reopening of the economy from lockdown.

Britain to offer all adults a COVID-19 vaccine by end of July

Last week saw India taking a batch of 24 foreign envoys to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. British High Commissioner Alexander Ellis was not one of them. Of the 24 envoys, the largest group of 9 envoys was from Europe. These were envoys of the EU, Finland, France, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.

India was keen for British High commissioner to also be part of the visit. While the UK did not participate, it was aware of the visit being organized by the Indian government. It is understood that the UK mission in Delhi is closely working with authorities to find the best opportunity for UK high commissioner to visit the union territory soon.

This comes even as within the UK, a number of voices have been keen on developments in Jammu and Kashmir. A visit by British HC could have been a grand occasion to take stock of situation of things on the ground, especially in the backdrop of recent district development council elections and the resumption of 4G internet.&nbsp;&nbsp;

January saw a discussion on Kashmir in the British Parliament, with Minister for Asia Nigel Adams reiterating the official policy, that it is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan.&nbsp;

"We continue to believe that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political resolution to the situation," he said.

On the removal of special status, he underlined, "There have been recent elections to the District Development Council... the first to take place since the revocation of article 370" and welcomed the relaxation of restrictions.

Interestingly, the British High commissioner to Pakistan visited Altit fort in Hunza valley in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK) in October of last year amid the COVID pandemic.

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His key focus was boosting tourism in the area, but also, awarding Scottish scholarship to women in Gilgit.

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Last week saw India taking a batch of 24 foreign envoys to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. British High Commissioner Alexander Ellis was not one of them.

Last week saw India taking a batch of 24 foreign envoys to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. British High Commissioner Alexander Ellis was not one of them. Of the 24 envoys, the largest group of 9 envoys was from Europe. These were envoys of the EU, Finland, France, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. India was keen for British High commissioner to also be part of the visit. While the UK did not participate, it was aware of the visit being organized by the Indian government. It is understood that the UK mission in Delhi is closely working with authorities to find the best opportunity for UK high commissioner to visit the union territory soon. This comes even as within the UK, a number of voices have been keen on developments in Jammu and Kashmir. A visit by British HC could have been a grand occasion to take stock of situation of things on the ground, especially in the backdrop of recent district development council elections and the resumption of 4G internet. January saw a discussion on Kashmir in the British Parliament, with Minister for Asia Nigel Adams reiterating the official policy, that it is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. "We continue to believe that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political resolution to the situation," he said. On the removal of special status, he underlined, "There have been recent elections to the District Development Council... the first to take place since the revocation of article 370" and welcomed the relaxation of restrictions. Interestingly, the British High commissioner to Pakistan visited Altit fort in Hunza valley in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK) in October of last year amid the COVID pandemic. https://twitter.com/CTurnerFCDO/status/1314893081959780353 × His key focus was boosting tourism in the area, but also, awarding Scottish scholarship to women in Gilgit. https://twitter.com/CTurnerFCDO/status/1314117582958583808 ×

Absent during current visit, UK working closely for envoy Alexander Eliis' Jammu and Kashmir visit

In the West,&nbsp;people are refusing to take jabs,&nbsp;but in&nbsp;Africa,&nbsp;there aren't medicines,&nbsp;let alone vaccines.&nbsp;

There are talks&nbsp;about global cooperation, but&nbsp;this is the end result.&nbsp;It is&nbsp;a logistical nightmare.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This whole pandemic has been a learning curve.&nbsp;The lessons learnt in the last&nbsp;year&nbsp;should help us prevent the next pandemic&nbsp;if countries are willing to learn.&nbsp;

Right now,&nbsp;this is a world of vaccine haves and have nots.&nbsp;In the United States,&nbsp;doses are&nbsp;getting&nbsp;wasted&nbsp;in refrigerators.&nbsp;In Japan,&nbsp;they don't have enough syringes.&nbsp;

It's a complete breakdown&nbsp;in terms of&nbsp;global cooperation and planning.&nbsp;

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Earlier,&nbsp;multilateral and regional groupings have failed to boost cooperation&nbsp;but on Thursday,&nbsp;Saarc&nbsp;workshop was South Asia's chance to&nbsp;make the&nbsp;right amends.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The virtual meeting was convened by India&nbsp;and around&nbsp;10 of&nbsp;India's&nbsp;neighbours&nbsp;participated along with&nbsp;Saarc&nbsp;members.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the meeting&nbsp;and&nbsp;talked about promoting best Covid&nbsp;practises&nbsp;and the need for South&nbsp;Asian&nbsp;unity.&nbsp;

Some proposals laid out&nbsp;were&nbsp;a visa regime for medical workers,&nbsp;a regional air ambulance for health contingencies,&nbsp;and most importantly,&nbsp;sharing vaccine efficiency data.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The only issue is that&nbsp;getting everyone onboard&nbsp;in this political climate will be next to impossible.&nbsp;

Politicisation&nbsp;of the pandemic&nbsp;has been happening. Now,&nbsp;even vaccine approvals and purchases are political.&nbsp;Venezuela will only use Russia's&nbsp;Sputnik.&nbsp;Iran will let its people die before using&nbsp;US&nbsp;jabs.&nbsp;Pakistan is at the mercy of Chinese doses.&nbsp;Add to this,&nbsp;a breakdown in supply chains&nbsp;and we have a full-blown crisis.&nbsp;

More than 180 million Americans have been inoculated&nbsp;and&nbsp;in Africa,&nbsp;the jabs haven't even arrived&nbsp;yet.&nbsp;At this rate,&nbsp;it will be 2023 before large parts of the continent are inoculated.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Meanwhile,&nbsp;the world's most powerful fighting force is turning out to be anti-vaccine.&nbsp;Almost one-third of&nbsp;US&nbsp;servicemen are refusing to take the jab.&nbsp;The reason is unclear.&nbsp;Some reports say the troops are falling for internet&nbsp;rumours.&nbsp;Either way,&nbsp;it's a dangerous prospect.&nbsp; 
US&nbsp;troops travel the world.&nbsp;They eat, sleep and train in close quarters.&nbsp;It's a virus cluster waiting to emerge.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;the Pentagon leadership is scrambling to find a solution.&nbsp;

Maj&nbsp;Gen Jeff Taliaferro, joint chiefs of staff vice director for operations,&nbsp;"We believe that, of course, the vaccine is the right thing to do.&nbsp;It's clearly safe for service members and we need to continue to educate our force and help them understand the benefits and ensure there's leadership involvement in the discussion of the benefits of the of the vaccine."&nbsp;

Across the Atlantic,&nbsp;Britain is falling back on some desperate tactics.&nbsp;They have approved a new clinical trial.&nbsp;One that will deliberately expose healthy people to the Wuhan virus.&nbsp;It's a first during this outbreak.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
During a vaccine trial,&nbsp;normally&nbsp;people are&nbsp;given an experimental jab&nbsp;but at no point,&nbsp;they&nbsp;are infected on purpose.&nbsp;In this case,&nbsp;volunteers are being infected in a controlled environment.&nbsp;

It is&nbsp;to understand the minimum virus load needed to trigger the infection&nbsp;and understanding how the virus transmits.&nbsp;

90 volunteers have been roped in&nbsp;for it.&nbsp;All&nbsp;are&nbsp;aged between 18 and 30.&nbsp;They&nbsp;will&nbsp;be paid 88 pounds per day&nbsp;as&nbsp;the&nbsp;cost of putting their lives on the line.&nbsp;

Human challenge trials have been done before&nbsp;as&nbsp;they can be helpful in understanding more about a disease.&nbsp;But the fact that the UK&nbsp;is&nbsp;doing this now just goes to show how dire the situation is.&nbsp;

The world would do well to take a leaf from India's playbook,&nbsp;cooperation,&nbsp;solidarity,&nbsp;and&nbsp;neighbourhood&nbsp;first.&nbsp;These have been the pillars of India's pandemic response.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In the West, people are refusing to take jabs, but in Africa, there aren't medicines, let alone vaccines. There are talks about global cooperation, but this is the end result.

In the West, people are refusing to take jabs, but in Africa, there aren't medicines, let alone vaccines. There are talks about global cooperation, but this is the end result. It is a logistical nightmare. This whole pandemic has been a learning curve. The lessons learnt in the last year should help us prevent the next pandemic if countries are willing to learn. Right now, this is a world of vaccine haves and have nots. In the United States, doses are getting wasted in refrigerators. In Japan, they don't have enough syringes. It's a complete breakdown in terms of global cooperation and planning. × Earlier, multilateral and regional groupings have failed to boost cooperation but on Thursday, Saarc workshop was South Asia's chance to make the right amends. The virtual meeting was convened by India and around 10 of India's neighbours participated along with Saarc members. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the meeting and talked about promoting best Covid practises and the need for South Asian unity. Some proposals laid out were a visa regime for medical workers, a regional air ambulance for health contingencies, and most importantly, sharing vaccine efficiency data. The only issue is that getting everyone onboard in this political climate will be next to impossible. Politicisation of the pandemic has been happening. Now, even vaccine approvals and purchases are political. Venezuela will only use Russia's Sputnik. Iran will let its people die before using US jabs. Pakistan is at the mercy of Chinese doses. Add to this, a breakdown in supply chains and we have a full-blown crisis. More than 180 million Americans have been inoculated and in Africa, the jabs haven't even arrived yet. At this rate, it will be 2023 before large parts of the continent are inoculated. Meanwhile, the world's most powerful fighting force is turning out to be anti-vaccine. Almost one-third of US servicemen are refusing to take the jab. The reason is unclear. Some reports say the troops are falling for internet rumours. Either way, it's a dangerous prospect. US troops travel the world. They eat, sleep and train in close quarters. It's a virus cluster waiting to emerge. So, the Pentagon leadership is scrambling to find a solution. Maj Gen Jeff Taliaferro, joint chiefs of staff vice director for operations, "We believe that, of course, the vaccine is the right thing to do. It's clearly safe for service members and we need to continue to educate our force and help them understand the benefits and ensure there's leadership involvement in the discussion of the benefits of the of the vaccine." Across the Atlantic, Britain is falling back on some desperate tactics. They have approved a new clinical trial. One that will deliberately expose healthy people to the Wuhan virus. It's a first during this outbreak. During a vaccine trial, normally people are given an experimental jab but at no point, they are infected on purpose. In this case, volunteers are being infected in a controlled environment. It is to understand the minimum virus load needed to trigger the infection and understanding how the virus transmits. 90 volunteers have been roped in for it. All are aged between 18 and 30. They will be paid 88 pounds per day as the cost of putting their lives on the line. Human challenge trials have been done before as they can be helpful in understanding more about a disease. But the fact that the UK is doing this now just goes to show how dire the situation is. The world would do well to take a leaf from India's playbook, cooperation, solidarity, and neighbourhood first. These have been the pillars of India's pandemic response.

The story of vaccine haves and have nots

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