After weeks of administering the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, the UK has become the first country to give the first shot of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine on Monday.

UK begins rollout of AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday warned the country of tougher coronavirus restrictions in coming days owing to surge in coronavirus cases. He was speaking with BBC. Britain recorded 57,725 new coronavirus cases on Saturday. On top of that, a new virus strain is tearing through the country.

"It may be that we need to do things in the next few weeks that will be tougher in many parts of the country," Johnson told the BBC's The Andrew Marr Show.

"I'm fully, fully reconciled to that."

UK's health officials are concerned about the possibility that surging numbers could overwhelm hospitals.

Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer urged the prime minister to immediately impose national lockdown measures.

"It's no good the prime minister hinting that further restrictions are coming into place in a week or two or three," he told British media, adding the virus was "clearly out of control".

"So I say bring in those restrictions now, national restrictions within the next 24 hours."

Much of Britain is already under strict regional rules to prevent the spread, although primary schools are set to reopen in most of the country when the Christmas holiday ends on Monday.

However, around one million four to 11-year-olds will learn remotely after the government announced primary schools in London, where case rates are particularly high, would remain closed.

Johnson told parents elsewhere that they should "absolutely" send their young children to school when term begins.

"I understand people's frustrations, I understand people's anxieties but there is no doubt in my mind that schools are safe and that education is a priority.

"We've really fought very hard throughout this pandemic across the country to keep schools open," he added.

But Jerry Glazier, national executive member of the National Education Union, told AFP on Sunday that "schools are now playing a significant part in the spreading of the infection" and called for them all to be closed for at least two weeks.

"Schools are unsafe for the kids and unsafe for the education workers," he added. "Many teachers are very anxious about going back into the workplace."

Johnson said that public health experts had highlighted the long term health and social costs of children being kept out of school.&nbsp;

(With AFP inputs)

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday warned the country of tougher coronavirus restrictions in coming days owing to surge in coronavirus cases. He was speaking with BBC.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday warned the country of tougher coronavirus restrictions in coming days owing to surge in coronavirus cases. He was speaking with BBC. Britain recorded 57,725 new coronavirus cases on Saturday. On top of that, a new virus strain is tearing through the country. "It may be that we need to do things in the next few weeks that will be tougher in many parts of the country," Johnson told the BBC's The Andrew Marr Show. "I'm fully, fully reconciled to that." UK's health officials are concerned about the possibility that surging numbers could overwhelm hospitals. Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer urged the prime minister to immediately impose national lockdown measures. "It's no good the prime minister hinting that further restrictions are coming into place in a week or two or three," he told British media, adding the virus was "clearly out of control". "So I say bring in those restrictions now, national restrictions within the next 24 hours." Much of Britain is already under strict regional rules to prevent the spread, although primary schools are set to reopen in most of the country when the Christmas holiday ends on Monday. However, around one million four to 11-year-olds will learn remotely after the government announced primary schools in London, where case rates are particularly high, would remain closed. Johnson told parents elsewhere that they should "absolutely" send their young children to school when term begins. "I understand people's frustrations, I understand people's anxieties but there is no doubt in my mind that schools are safe and that education is a priority. "We've really fought very hard throughout this pandemic across the country to keep schools open," he added. But Jerry Glazier, national executive member of the National Education Union, told AFP on Sunday that "schools are now playing a significant part in the spreading of the infection" and called for them all to be closed for at least two weeks. "Schools are unsafe for the kids and unsafe for the education workers," he added. "Many teachers are very anxious about going back into the workplace." Johnson said that public health experts had highlighted the long term health and social costs of children being kept out of school. (With AFP inputs)

UK PM warns country of tougher COVID restriction in coming days

The UK has abolished the widely unpopular “tampon tax” -- effectively eliminating sales taxes on women's sanitary products. The move was widely praised by women's rights campaigners.

Treasury chief Rishi Sunak had committed to ending the tax on tampons and pads in his budget statement in March. The change, however, could only come into effect on Friday after Britain had finally left the economic orbit of the EU.

Supporters of the country's departure from the European Union also appreciated the decision. They pointed to the abolition of the tampon tax as an early positive change arising from Brexit.

EU law had prevented member states from reducing the rate of value-added tax below 5%, meaning the period products were treated as luxury items and not essentials.

Britain's treasury has previously estimated that the move will save the average woman nearly 40 pounds ($55) over her lifetime.

Britain officially left the bloc’s vast single market for people, goods and services on Thursday.

The UK has abolished the widely unpopular “tampon tax” -- effectively eliminating sales taxes on women's sanitary products. The move was widely praised by women's rights campaigners.

The UK has abolished the widely unpopular “tampon tax” -- effectively eliminating sales taxes on women's sanitary products. The move was widely praised by women's rights campaigners. Treasury chief Rishi Sunak had committed to ending the tax on tampons and pads in his budget statement in March. The change, however, could only come into effect on Friday after Britain had finally left the economic orbit of the EU. Supporters of the country's departure from the European Union also appreciated the decision. They pointed to the abolition of the tampon tax as an early positive change arising from Brexit. EU law had prevented member states from reducing the rate of value-added tax below 5%, meaning the period products were treated as luxury items and not essentials. Britain's treasury has previously estimated that the move will save the average woman nearly 40 pounds ($55) over her lifetime. Britain officially left the bloc’s vast single market for people, goods and services on Thursday.

Post Brexit, UK abolishes ‘tampon tax’

UK PM Boris Johnson made a statement on Wednesday that will surely not go well with supporters of Scottish independence from the UK. Johnson said on Sunday that another Scottish independence referendum should not take place for a generation. He was talking on BBC's Andrew Marr show.&nbsp;

"Referendums in my experience, direct experience, in this country are not particularly jolly events," he said.

"They don't have a notably unifying force in the national mood, they should be only once in a generation," he added.

Referendum for Scottish independence was held in 2014. Scotland had voted to remain in the UK.

However, in light of Brexit, demand for Scottish independence has risen again. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly made public comments of displeasure against Brexit. Although she had called the 2014 referendum a once in a generation vote, she has recently said that Scotland would like to be part of the European Union.

Recent polls have shown consistent support for independence, boosted by rows between London and the devolved governments over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-johnson-could-lose-his-seat-and-majority-at-next-election-poll-says-354108">UK PM Johnson could lose his seat and majority at next election, poll says</a>

"For too long, successive UK governments have taken Scotland in the wrong direction, culminating in Brexit. It's no wonder so many people in Scotland have had enough," Sturgeon wrote on her party's website on Saturday.

"We didn't want to leave and we hope to join you again soon as an equal partner," she added, in a message to the EU.

Johnson has ruled out holding another vote, but Sturgeon will likely claim a mandate and heap pressure on the prime minister should her party perform well in upcoming local elections.

When asked why it was fair to hold a referendum on EU membership but not another on Scottish independence, Johnson told Marr: "The difference is we had a (European) referendum in 1975 and we then had another one in 2016.

"That seems to be about the right sort of gap."

(With AFP inputs)

UK PM Boris Johnson made a statement on Wednesday that will surely not go well with supporters of Scottish independence from the UK. Johnson said on Sunday that another Scottish independence referendum should not take place for a generation.

UK PM Boris Johnson made a statement on Wednesday that will surely not go well with supporters of Scottish independence from the UK. Johnson said on Sunday that another Scottish independence referendum should not take place for a generation. He was talking on BBC's Andrew Marr show. "Referendums in my experience, direct experience, in this country are not particularly jolly events," he said. "They don't have a notably unifying force in the national mood, they should be only once in a generation," he added. Referendum for Scottish independence was held in 2014. Scotland had voted to remain in the UK. However, in light of Brexit, demand for Scottish independence has risen again. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly made public comments of displeasure against Brexit. Although she had called the 2014 referendum a once in a generation vote, she has recently said that Scotland would like to be part of the European Union. Recent polls have shown consistent support for independence, boosted by rows between London and the devolved governments over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Also Read | UK PM Johnson could lose his seat and majority at next election, poll says "For too long, successive UK governments have taken Scotland in the wrong direction, culminating in Brexit. It's no wonder so many people in Scotland have had enough," Sturgeon wrote on her party's website on Saturday. "We didn't want to leave and we hope to join you again soon as an equal partner," she added, in a message to the EU. Johnson has ruled out holding another vote, but Sturgeon will likely claim a mandate and heap pressure on the prime minister should her party perform well in upcoming local elections. When asked why it was fair to hold a referendum on EU membership but not another on Scottish independence, Johnson told Marr: "The difference is we had a (European) referendum in 1975 and we then had another one in 2016. "That seems to be about the right sort of gap." (With AFP inputs)

Boris Johnson says Scottish referendum should be 'once in a generation' thing

Many areas of England are now moving into the toughest Tier 4 restrictions from 0001 GMT on Thursday (December 31). Everton will not be allowed to welcome fans on Friday (January 1) when they host West Ham United, while their FA Cup third-round tie with Rotherham United on Jan. 9 will also be behind closed doors.

UK increases COVID-19 restrictions, raises doubts for Premier League

One dose of Oxford/AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine is around 70% effective after 21 days and before the second dose is given, a British doctor involved in the approval of the vaccine said on Wednesday (December 30).

UK medical adviser: One dose of AstraZeneca vaccine should be 70% effective after 21 days

United Kingdom's Prime Minister Boris Johnson will likely to take stock of the current crisis in the nation. So far, the prime minister’s management of Britain’s COVID-19 crisis has been disastrous.

UK PM Boris Johnson expected take stock of the current pandemic situation

India has recorded 14 fresh cases of new coronavirus mutant strain, which was first reported in the UK- taking the total number of such cases to 20.

20 cases of UK strain found in India as the country steps up testing

Last week, the UK government said that a new variant of the virus was detected in that country. Prime Minister Boris Johnson also made an appeal for a subdued festive season in light of the new potent variant.

UK mutant variant coronavirus cases increase to 20

Britain wanted to 'civilise' the world. Today, Britons are behaving in the most uncivilised manner. They are flouting rules, fleeing quarantine & putting others at risk- in middle of the scare over the new UK strain. Palki Sharma has the details.

Gravitas: Does U.K. have the worst pandemic response?

After his university in Scotland shut down in the spring because of the coronavirus, forcing him to study online from home, Jack Boag kept up his spirits by dreaming of what awaited him in the coming academic year: a semester abroad at the University of Amsterdam.

But his hopes of participating in the European Union-wide student exchange program known as Erasmus were dashed last week after Britain and Europe finally reached a Brexit deal. As part of the announcement, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Britain would withdraw from Erasmus, citing its high costs.

“For me, Erasmus was the most direct benefit of European cooperation,” said Boag, a 20-year-old history and international relations student at the University of Aberdeen. “That’s gone.”

For many young people in Britain, the decision to withdraw from Erasmus is just the most recent step in a steady erosion of such possibilities since the country voted in 2016 to leave the European Union. Once able to study and work anywhere in the European Union without a visa, young Britons will now be treated like people from any other country outside the bloc when it comes to applying for educational programs — or jobs.

The withdrawal is also a blow for Britain’s vaunted universities, a powerful symbol of its soft power in Europe and around the world, and an important source of income for the country. Britain remains second only to the United States as a destination for international students, but leaving Erasmus could deter many EU students who might have used the program as a pathway to a British education.

While this may not affect renowned institutions like Oxford or Cambridge, scores of lesser-known universities could suffer a blow.

Many young people and academics had hoped that Britain would remain part of Erasmus under a status that allows the participation of nonmember states like Turkey and Norway. Johnson said in January that there was “no threat to the Erasmus scheme.

So his announcement Thursday sent shock waves through universities, angered diplomats, and upset British students and professors who have benefited from the program.

“There will be a relative loss of income for British universities, but from a diplomatic and ambassadorial point of view, the loss is invaluable,” said Seán Hand, the vice president in charge of Europe at the University of Warwick, the second-largest source of Erasmus students from Britain.

Britain’s departure from Erasmus, one of the most popular programs in the European Union, may be one of the starkest signs of its divorce from the bloc, a clear signal of its vision for its future relationship with its former partners.

“Erasmus opens people’s horizons and broadens their conceiving of the world,” said John O’Brennan, a professor of European studies at the University of Maynooth in Ireland, where he leads a European integration program financed by Erasmus. “If that’s not the embodiment of the European ideal, I don’t know what it is.”

While exchanges will still be possible between British and European universities through bilateral agreements, British students will not benefit from the monthly grants supplied by Erasmus, now officially known as Erasmus+. It will also be harder for academics and teachers to train or teach abroad.

Students and academics who have secured funds before the Brexit transition period ends on Dec. 31 will be able to go abroad until the end of the 2021-22 academic year, according to Universities U.K., a representative group for the country’s academic institutions.

Since its introduction in 1987, Erasmus has sent millions of people abroad for study exchanges, work placements or traineeships. About 200,000 students participate in the program every year. Alumni often speak fondly of the experience, which they see as the most tangible form of European integration: a way to discover new cultures, study other languages, and make lifelong connections.

“Erasmus is not only the student exchange program it’s known for, it’s also embedded in how the European Union thinks about confronting unemployment and mobility,” said Paul James Cardwell, a law professor at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow who participated in the program in the 1990s.

In Britain, half of the students who study abroad do so through Erasmus. For many, it has shaped personal paths and provided an accessible way to feel connected to mainland Europe.

(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)

Ben Munster, a 25-year-old British freelance writer who studied in Italy in 2015 and has since moved to Rome, called Erasmus the “purest and most vivid expression of the Schengen dream,” referring to the EU’s passport-free travel zone.

Natalia Barbour, a 22-year-old international communications student at the University of Glasgow who studied in Amsterdam for a semester, said she had wanted to participate since she was in high school. “It makes the university experience more exciting,” she said.

“Everyone wins from it, including professors,” said Mark Berry, a professor in music history at Royal Holloway University of London, who taught in the Netherlands through Erasmus in 2015. “I’d wish I had done more of that when it was still possible.”

In 2019, Britain welcomed more than 30,000 students and trainees through the program.

“So many students come to Britain and go home with a positive experience,” said Cardwell, the University of Strathclyde professor. “It’s such a strong aspect of Britain’s soft power.”

British lawmakers who supported staying in the program wrote in a report last year that opting out would disproportionately affect people from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with medical needs or disabilities.

They also warned that it would be difficult to replace it.

Under the current 2014-20 Erasmus+ program, Britain has contributed around 1.8 billion euros ($2.2 billion) and has received 1 billion euros, according to the Department for Education.

Johnson said last week that a program named after mathematician Alan Turing would replace Erasmus+ and that it would allow students “to go to the best universities in the world.” Starting in September 2021, it will provide funding for around 35,000 students to study abroad, at an annual cost of 100 million pounds. British professors and students from foreign universities would not be eligible for the program.

Britain, however, will still receive funding from the EU’s research and innovation program, Horizon 2020, of which it is the second largest recipient.

Universities U.K. welcomed the Turing program, but other experts called the move shortsighted.

“This will be felt in 20 years,” O’Brennan of the University of Maynooth said. “Britain has miscalculated what it receives from this program.”

Many universities have said they would keep close ties with Europe.

“European universities don’t want the link to be broken, for them it’s very important that their students keep coming to Britain,” said Hand, at the University of Warwick.

For British alumni of the program, the end of Erasmus marked the end of an era — one when they could not only study abroad easily, but also travel across Spain, learn to ski in Austria, or dance at a festival in Denmark.

“That’s what Erasmus is about: It taught me how to appreciate wine and cheese, how to take the time to socialize through hourslong lunches,” said Katy Jones, a 28-year-old who went to France as an Erasmus student and runs an English-language program in Lyon.

Boag, the student in Aberdeen, who is in the third year of a four-year program, said he hoped to apply to postgraduate programs in continental Europe, but that he worried about additional hurdles that have yet to be made clear.

“For Erasmus and so many other things, Brexit is a Pandora’s box,” he said. “We don’t know what’s inside yet, because we’ve just opened it.”

After his university in Scotland shut down in the spring because of the coronavirus, forcing him to study online from home, Jack Boag kept up his spirits by dreaming of what awaited him in the coming academic year: a semester abroad at the University of Amsterdam.

After his university in Scotland shut down in the spring because of the coronavirus, forcing him to study online from home, Jack Boag kept up his spirits by dreaming of what awaited him in the coming academic year: a semester abroad at the University of Amsterdam. But his hopes of participating in the European Union-wide student exchange program known as Erasmus were dashed last week after Britain and Europe finally reached a Brexit deal. As part of the announcement, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Britain would withdraw from Erasmus, citing its high costs. “For me, Erasmus was the most direct benefit of European cooperation,” said Boag, a 20-year-old history and international relations student at the University of Aberdeen. “That’s gone.” For many young people in Britain, the decision to withdraw from Erasmus is just the most recent step in a steady erosion of such possibilities since the country voted in 2016 to leave the European Union. Once able to study and work anywhere in the European Union without a visa, young Britons will now be treated like people from any other country outside the bloc when it comes to applying for educational programs — or jobs. The withdrawal is also a blow for Britain’s vaunted universities, a powerful symbol of its soft power in Europe and around the world, and an important source of income for the country. Britain remains second only to the United States as a destination for international students, but leaving Erasmus could deter many EU students who might have used the program as a pathway to a British education. While this may not affect renowned institutions like Oxford or Cambridge, scores of lesser-known universities could suffer a blow. Many young people and academics had hoped that Britain would remain part of Erasmus under a status that allows the participation of nonmember states like Turkey and Norway. Johnson said in January that there was “no threat to the Erasmus scheme. So his announcement Thursday sent shock waves through universities, angered diplomats, and upset British students and professors who have benefited from the program. “There will be a relative loss of income for British universities, but from a diplomatic and ambassadorial point of view, the loss is invaluable,” said Seán Hand, the vice president in charge of Europe at the University of Warwick, the second-largest source of Erasmus students from Britain. Britain’s departure from Erasmus, one of the most popular programs in the European Union, may be one of the starkest signs of its divorce from the bloc, a clear signal of its vision for its future relationship with its former partners. “Erasmus opens people’s horizons and broadens their conceiving of the world,” said John O’Brennan, a professor of European studies at the University of Maynooth in Ireland, where he leads a European integration program financed by Erasmus. “If that’s not the embodiment of the European ideal, I don’t know what it is.” While exchanges will still be possible between British and European universities through bilateral agreements, British students will not benefit from the monthly grants supplied by Erasmus, now officially known as Erasmus+. It will also be harder for academics and teachers to train or teach abroad. Students and academics who have secured funds before the Brexit transition period ends on Dec. 31 will be able to go abroad until the end of the 2021-22 academic year, according to Universities U.K., a representative group for the country’s academic institutions. Since its introduction in 1987, Erasmus has sent millions of people abroad for study exchanges, work placements or traineeships. About 200,000 students participate in the program every year. Alumni often speak fondly of the experience, which they see as the most tangible form of European integration: a way to discover new cultures, study other languages, and make lifelong connections. “Erasmus is not only the student exchange program it’s known for, it’s also embedded in how the European Union thinks about confronting unemployment and mobility,” said Paul James Cardwell, a law professor at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow who participated in the program in the 1990s. In Britain, half of the students who study abroad do so through Erasmus. For many, it has shaped personal paths and provided an accessible way to feel connected to mainland Europe. (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) Ben Munster, a 25-year-old British freelance writer who studied in Italy in 2015 and has since moved to Rome, called Erasmus the “purest and most vivid expression of the Schengen dream,” referring to the EU’s passport-free travel zone. Natalia Barbour, a 22-year-old international communications student at the University of Glasgow who studied in Amsterdam for a semester, said she had wanted to participate since she was in high school. “It makes the university experience more exciting,” she said. “Everyone wins from it, including professors,” said Mark Berry, a professor in music history at Royal Holloway University of London, who taught in the Netherlands through Erasmus in 2015. “I’d wish I had done more of that when it was still possible.” In 2019, Britain welcomed more than 30,000 students and trainees through the program. “So many students come to Britain and go home with a positive experience,” said Cardwell, the University of Strathclyde professor. “It’s such a strong aspect of Britain’s soft power.” British lawmakers who supported staying in the program wrote in a report last year that opting out would disproportionately affect people from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with medical needs or disabilities. They also warned that it would be difficult to replace it. Under the current 2014-20 Erasmus+ program, Britain has contributed around 1.8 billion euros ($2.2 billion) and has received 1 billion euros, according to the Department for Education. Johnson said last week that a program named after mathematician Alan Turing would replace Erasmus+ and that it would allow students “to go to the best universities in the world.” Starting in September 2021, it will provide funding for around 35,000 students to study abroad, at an annual cost of 100 million pounds. British professors and students from foreign universities would not be eligible for the program. Britain, however, will still receive funding from the EU’s research and innovation program, Horizon 2020, of which it is the second largest recipient. Universities U.K. welcomed the Turing program, but other experts called the move shortsighted. “This will be felt in 20 years,” O’Brennan of the University of Maynooth said. “Britain has miscalculated what it receives from this program.” Many universities have said they would keep close ties with Europe. “European universities don’t want the link to be broken, for them it’s very important that their students keep coming to Britain,” said Hand, at the University of Warwick. For British alumni of the program, the end of Erasmus marked the end of an era — one when they could not only study abroad easily, but also travel across Spain, learn to ski in Austria, or dance at a festival in Denmark. “That’s what Erasmus is about: It taught me how to appreciate wine and cheese, how to take the time to socialize through hourslong lunches,” said Katy Jones, a 28-year-old who went to France as an Erasmus student and runs an English-language program in Lyon. Boag, the student in Aberdeen, who is in the third year of a four-year program, said he hoped to apply to postgraduate programs in continental Europe, but that he worried about additional hurdles that have yet to be made clear. “For Erasmus and so many other things, Brexit is a Pandora’s box,” he said. “We don’t know what’s inside yet, because we’ve just opened it.”

Britain mourns a cherished education exchange program ended by Brexit

Britain opposed a bid by US president Bill Clinton to expand UN sanctions on Libya under dictator Moamer Kadhafi, while seeking to extradite the Lockerbie bombers, previously secret government papers showed on Wednesday.

Cabinet Office correspondence, released by the National Archives covering the years 1995 and 1996, showed the UK was concerned at the possible impact of expanded Security Council sanctions on Britain's $230 million annual exports to Libya, especially of oil-producing equipment.

The prime minister at the time, John Major, wrote to Clinton in late 1995 dissuading him from a new resolution, after the US leader had appealed for Britain's support.

On December 21, 1988, a bomb exploded on Pan Am Flight 103 from London to New York over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 259 passengers and crew, and 11 people on the ground.

After a US and UK investigation, arrest warrants were issued for two Libyans in 1991.&nbsp;

At the time of the papers, the UK was urging for Libya to surrender the suspects for trial in the US or the UK, while Libya was calling for a "neutral" court to try the men.

The papers show that Britain thought Kadhafi would never hand over the bombing suspects.

A Foreign Office official, Richard Stagg, wrote to Major's private secretary Roderic Lyne in November 1995: "We should like to try the two accused and secure convictions. But the likelihood of Qadhafi handing them over is negligible."

Another wrote to Major's private secretary, Edward Oakden, in February 1996 that the Americans had "returned to the charge" over calls for a new Security Council resolution.

- Direct impact -

"The Foreign Secretary (Malcom Rifkind) has decided that we should not support the US in going for a new resolution," said Sam Sharpe, Rifkind's private secretary.

He cited "strong opposition" to expanding the UN sanctions regime in "both the Treasury and the Department for Trade and Industry".

"It would also impact directly on UK exports to Libya, likely to have been worth over £230 million in 1995, approximately £100 million of which was related to the oil sector," he said.

Britain also doubted that the Security Council members would back the measure and believed France took the same view.

Sharpe said Britain should ensure that "any blame for blocking the US objective for a new resolution sticks to the French rather than us alone".

"Ideally we would wish to ensure that the French take at least their fair share of the blame."

Clinton in August 1996 signed a US law that imposed sanctions on foreign companies that invested heavily in Libya and Iran.

Kadhafi handed over the two Lockerbie suspects in 1999 and Abdelbaset Mohmet Al-Megrahi was convicted in 2001 by a Scottish court sitting at a military base in the Netherlands.&nbsp;

Al-Megrahi, a former Libyan intelligence officer, consistently denied involvement until his death in 2012.&nbsp;

His family is awaiting the verdict of a posthumous appeal against his conviction at Scotland's highest court of criminal appeal.

Kadhafi was killed in 2011.

Britain opposed a bid by US president Bill Clinton to expand UN sanctions on Libya under dictator Moamer Kadhafi, while seeking to extradite the Lockerbie bombers, previously secret government papers showed on Wednesday.

Britain opposed a bid by US president Bill Clinton to expand UN sanctions on Libya under dictator Moamer Kadhafi, while seeking to extradite the Lockerbie bombers, previously secret government papers showed on Wednesday. Cabinet Office correspondence, released by the National Archives covering the years 1995 and 1996, showed the UK was concerned at the possible impact of expanded Security Council sanctions on Britain's $230 million annual exports to Libya, especially of oil-producing equipment. The prime minister at the time, John Major, wrote to Clinton in late 1995 dissuading him from a new resolution, after the US leader had appealed for Britain's support. On December 21, 1988, a bomb exploded on Pan Am Flight 103 from London to New York over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 259 passengers and crew, and 11 people on the ground. After a US and UK investigation, arrest warrants were issued for two Libyans in 1991. At the time of the papers, the UK was urging for Libya to surrender the suspects for trial in the US or the UK, while Libya was calling for a "neutral" court to try the men. The papers show that Britain thought Kadhafi would never hand over the bombing suspects. A Foreign Office official, Richard Stagg, wrote to Major's private secretary Roderic Lyne in November 1995: "We should like to try the two accused and secure convictions. But the likelihood of Qadhafi handing them over is negligible." Another wrote to Major's private secretary, Edward Oakden, in February 1996 that the Americans had "returned to the charge" over calls for a new Security Council resolution. - Direct impact - "The Foreign Secretary (Malcom Rifkind) has decided that we should not support the US in going for a new resolution," said Sam Sharpe, Rifkind's private secretary. He cited "strong opposition" to expanding the UN sanctions regime in "both the Treasury and the Department for Trade and Industry". "It would also impact directly on UK exports to Libya, likely to have been worth over £230 million in 1995, approximately £100 million of which was related to the oil sector," he said. Britain also doubted that the Security Council members would back the measure and believed France took the same view. Sharpe said Britain should ensure that "any blame for blocking the US objective for a new resolution sticks to the French rather than us alone". "Ideally we would wish to ensure that the French take at least their fair share of the blame." Clinton in August 1996 signed a US law that imposed sanctions on foreign companies that invested heavily in Libya and Iran. Kadhafi handed over the two Lockerbie suspects in 1999 and Abdelbaset Mohmet Al-Megrahi was convicted in 2001 by a Scottish court sitting at a military base in the Netherlands. Al-Megrahi, a former Libyan intelligence officer, consistently denied involvement until his death in 2012. His family is awaiting the verdict of a posthumous appeal against his conviction at Scotland's highest court of criminal appeal. Kadhafi was killed in 2011.

UK opposed Clinton call for UN push against Kadhafi, records say

The United Kingdom govt said that it has accepted a recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency "to authorise Oxford University/AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use".

Oxford-Astrazeneca Covid-19 vaccine approved for emergency use in United Kingdom

Six cases of a mutant strain of coronavirus that first surfaced in the UK, have been detected in the country. All six patients have recently returned from the UK, where cases have spiralled within days.

News Alert: Six UK returnees test positive for Mutant Strain

India reported its first six cases of the mutant coronavirus which was first spotted in the UK on Tuesday.

India reports 6 cases of new covid-19 strain as UK returnees test positive

Once the Drug Controller General India (DCGI) and scientists give the green signal to vaccine manufacturers in India, India will begin a mammoth exercise to inoculate the first group of 30 crore citizens.

India to conduct genome sequencing to detect new virus

Britain will ban "buy one get one free" promotions for food high in fat, sugar or salt and free refills of sugary soft drinks in restaurants from April 2022, the government said on Monday, its latest step in its plan to tackle obesity and improve public health.

Your Story: UK to restrict promotion of unhealthy food from April 2022

New strains of COVID-19 have stirred new fears among people. After the UK reported a new strain which is more contagious than the original, countries have stepped up measures to identify and isolate. The strain has already been spotted in different countries including Canada, and eight European countries have also found the strain in circulation.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-detects-new-coronavirus-variant-from-s-africa-while-dealing-with-highly-infectious-strain-352065/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Even though vaccination drives against COVID-19 have begun around the world, there’s a lot about the virus scientists still don’t understand.

Scientists in the UK want to get to know the virus better, and to achieve this, they’re infecting 2,500 healthy volunteers with COVID-19. They will attempt to understand how the virus behaves in the body, and how much it takes for the virus to develop, the Sun reported.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/ahead-of-who-probe-china-hails-its-success-curbing-coronavirus-352526" hreflang="en">Ahead of WHO probe, China hails its 'success' curbing coronavirus</a> 
 
The government has put out $45 million for the research, which will be undertaken by the Imperial College, the National Health Service’s Royal Free Hospital, along with a pharmaceutical company hVIVO.

Usually, such studies are shunned due to the ethical questions about infecting healthy people with a virus.

The project will begin in January, with the pilot results expected to come out in May. The volunteers - aged between 18-30 will be given an experimental nasal vaccine, after which they’ll be infected with the virus. 
 
All volunteers will be paid $5,300 for their three-week stay at a hospital, where they will be monitored all day and night, as reported by Mail Online.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/new-research-suggests-coronavirus-causes-a-storm-in-the-brain-352509" hreflang="en">New research suggests coronavirus causes a storm in the brain</a>

Based on this, scientists intend to ascertain how vaccines help in the prevention of COVID-19. 
 
Earlier on Wednesday, British scientists had found that people who develop mild cases of COVID-19 also develop immunity which lasts for at least four months.

New strains of COVID-19 have stirred new fears among people. After the UK reported a new strain which is more contagious than the original, countries have stepped up measures to identify and isolate.

New strains of COVID-19 have stirred new fears among people. After the UK reported a new strain which is more contagious than the original, countries have stepped up measures to identify and isolate. The strain has already been spotted in different countries including Canada, and eight European countries have also found the strain in circulation. Even though vaccination drives against COVID-19 have begun around the world, there’s a lot about the virus scientists still don’t understand. Scientists in the UK want to get to know the virus better, and to achieve this, they’re infecting 2,500 healthy volunteers with COVID-19. They will attempt to understand how the virus behaves in the body, and how much it takes for the virus to develop, the Sun reported. Also read: Ahead of WHO probe, China hails its 'success' curbing coronavirus The government has put out $45 million for the research, which will be undertaken by the Imperial College, the National Health Service’s Royal Free Hospital, along with a pharmaceutical company hVIVO. Usually, such studies are shunned due to the ethical questions about infecting healthy people with a virus. The project will begin in January, with the pilot results expected to come out in May. The volunteers - aged between 18-30 will be given an experimental nasal vaccine, after which they’ll be infected with the virus. All volunteers will be paid $5,300 for their three-week stay at a hospital, where they will be monitored all day and night, as reported by Mail Online. Also read: New research suggests coronavirus causes a storm in the brain Based on this, scientists intend to ascertain how vaccines help in the prevention of COVID-19. Earlier on Wednesday, British scientists had found that people who develop mild cases of COVID-19 also develop immunity which lasts for at least four months.

Britain set to infect 2,500 people with COVID-19 for research

An “exceptional victory,” the result of “fantastic work” and a deal that “delivered” for the British people.

Even before the text of the post-Brexit trade agreement was published, lawmakers loyal to Prime Minister Boris Johnson lavished praise on him for resolving an issue that has convulsed British politics for almost half a decade.

When Parliament convenes to ratify the document, the question will only be the size of Johnson’s majority for a deal that severs close economic ties to continental Europe on Jan. 1 after almost 50 years. Even the opposition Labour Party will officially support it, arguing that it is better than nothing.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/johnson-sold-out-fish-stocks-in-new-brexit-deal-claim-british-fishermen-352636">Johnson sold out fish stocks in new Brexit deal, claim British fishermen</a>

Yet this is unlikely to be the final word in the Conservative bloodletting over Europe that has, at least in part, led to the downfall of the party’s last four prime ministers.

Hard-line Brexit supporters have yet to examine the agreement, and they probably will not like every word of an estimated 2,000 pages of dense treaty text and annexes. A small group did not want any trade deal at all, never really trusted Johnson and might still be inclined to make trouble for him.

Already, an organization representing British trawler fleets has expressed disappointment at compromises over fishing rights, and the Scottish government has attacked the deal, arguing it strengthens the case for Scotland’s independence.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/incoming-swiss-president-calls-post-brexit-deal-good-news-for-whole-world-352773">Incoming Swiss president calls post-Brexit deal 'good news for whole world</a>

“In the short term, the Tory Party is pretty united around the very hard Brexit that Boris Johnson pushed Britain toward but which many Britons never thought they were voting for,” said Charles Grant, director of the Center for European Reform, a research institute.

But the agreement provides only limited economic benefits for Britain, and friction with the European Union is likely to remain, added Grant, who said the country’s post-Brexit relationship with the European Union may not be much more stable than what preceded it.

“In the longer term, the rift may reopen,” he said, adding that pressure might grow once the deal’s limitations become clear.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/full-post-brexit-text-goes-beyond-a-canada-style-deal-report-says-352461" hreflang="en">Full post-Brexit text goes beyond a 'Canada-style' deal, report says</a>

The pandemic has plunged Britain into the worst recession in three centuries, so post-Brexit politics remain highly volatile, said Anand Menon, professor of European politics at King’s College, London.

And the Brexit debate has poisoned the workings of the Conservative Party, which had long been known for a pragmatic and successful pursuit of power rather than an adherence to political doctrine.

Now, despite achieving his aim of getting “Brexit done,” Johnson cannot assume that the divisions are over.

“Europe has turned the Conservatives into an ideological party, and it has basically got in the way of Conservative governments governing,” Menon said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/brexit-is-finally-done-but-it-already-seems-out-of-date-352414" hreflang="en">Brexit is finally done, but it already seems out of date</a>

An influential caucus of pro-Brexit Conservative lawmakers known as the European Research Group has yet to weigh in on the agreement, and Johnson has been working hard to bring them on his side. How many of those lawmakers oppose him and who they are will be very significant, Menon said.

“If you have 20 to 40 of them screaming ‘betrayal,’ that changes the dynamic,” he said.

Waiting in the wings is Nigel Farage, the populist anti-EU politician who has now rebranded his Brexit Party as Reform UK and has shown his skill in the past at peeling off Conservative supporters.

On Thursday, Farage cautiously welcomed Johnson’s deal but with the important caveat that he had yet to read the fine print.

Some Brexit supporters have always scented that betrayal would lie somewhere within any treaty negotiated with the European Union and, even before the agreement was struck, it was being denounced as another in a long series of British surrenders to Brussels. One commentary article in the pro-Brexit Daily Telegraph argued that the government had been “outsmarted at every turn.”

Others agree with that analysis, but from a more pro-European perspective, noting that even official forecasts suggest Britain will lose out on significant economic growth under Johnson’s deal.

Many businesses will notice the limitations of Johnson’s agreement as soon as Britain leaves the European Union’s giant single market and customs union on Jan. 1. The accord failed to secure much of anything for the services sector, for example, which accounts for around four-fifths of the British economy.

And the deal increases barriers rather than eliminating them for the manufacturing sector and agriculture. So while there will be no taxes on the import and export of goods, there will be additional checks on them — so-called nontariff barriers.

Delays at ports — of which Britain just got an ugly foretaste, when France briefly blocked all travelers and freight from Britain — will add significant costs to companies, which will have to make an estimated 20 million new customs declarations each year and face other compliance costs.

“In the long run, it is such a bad deal that the more moderate wing of the Tory Party may try to get a better deal,” said Grant of the Center for European Reform, noting the Conservatives’ traditional link to business.

Yet perhaps the biggest danger for Britain is that it is now stranded awkwardly, half-in, half-out of the European economic system, leaving its relationship with the bloc as fraught and politically combustible as ever.

As a big economy that shares a land border with Ireland, an EU country, Britain will be unable to escape the huge trading bloc’s gravitational pull, any more than other neighbors that stayed aloof from it, experts say.

“It means a process of almost permanent negotiation between Britain and the EU,” Grant said, “and every time that happens, it will pump up the emotion and the rhetoric.”

An “exceptional victory,” the result of “fantastic work” and a deal that “delivered” for the British people. Even before the text of the post-Brexit trade agreement was published, lawmakers loyal to Prime Minister Boris Johnson lavished praise on him for resolving an issue that has convulsed British politics for almost half a decade.

An “exceptional victory,” the result of “fantastic work” and a deal that “delivered” for the British people. Even before the text of the post-Brexit trade agreement was published, lawmakers loyal to Prime Minister Boris Johnson lavished praise on him for resolving an issue that has convulsed British politics for almost half a decade. When Parliament convenes to ratify the document, the question will only be the size of Johnson’s majority for a deal that severs close economic ties to continental Europe on Jan. 1 after almost 50 years. Even the opposition Labour Party will officially support it, arguing that it is better than nothing. Also read| Johnson sold out fish stocks in new Brexit deal, claim British fishermen Yet this is unlikely to be the final word in the Conservative bloodletting over Europe that has, at least in part, led to the downfall of the party’s last four prime ministers. Hard-line Brexit supporters have yet to examine the agreement, and they probably will not like every word of an estimated 2,000 pages of dense treaty text and annexes. A small group did not want any trade deal at all, never really trusted Johnson and might still be inclined to make trouble for him. Already, an organization representing British trawler fleets has expressed disappointment at compromises over fishing rights, and the Scottish government has attacked the deal, arguing it strengthens the case for Scotland’s independence. Also read| Incoming Swiss president calls post-Brexit deal 'good news for whole world “In the short term, the Tory Party is pretty united around the very hard Brexit that Boris Johnson pushed Britain toward but which many Britons never thought they were voting for,” said Charles Grant, director of the Center for European Reform, a research institute. But the agreement provides only limited economic benefits for Britain, and friction with the European Union is likely to remain, added Grant, who said the country’s post-Brexit relationship with the European Union may not be much more stable than what preceded it. “In the longer term, the rift may reopen,” he said, adding that pressure might grow once the deal’s limitations become clear. Also read| Full post-Brexit text goes beyond a 'Canada-style' deal, report says The pandemic has plunged Britain into the worst recession in three centuries, so post-Brexit politics remain highly volatile, said Anand Menon, professor of European politics at King’s College, London. And the Brexit debate has poisoned the workings of the Conservative Party, which had long been known for a pragmatic and successful pursuit of power rather than an adherence to political doctrine. Now, despite achieving his aim of getting “Brexit done,” Johnson cannot assume that the divisions are over. “Europe has turned the Conservatives into an ideological party, and it has basically got in the way of Conservative governments governing,” Menon said. Also read| Brexit is finally done, but it already seems out of date An influential caucus of pro-Brexit Conservative lawmakers known as the European Research Group has yet to weigh in on the agreement, and Johnson has been working hard to bring them on his side. How many of those lawmakers oppose him and who they are will be very significant, Menon said. “If you have 20 to 40 of them screaming ‘betrayal,’ that changes the dynamic,” he said. Waiting in the wings is Nigel Farage, the populist anti-EU politician who has now rebranded his Brexit Party as Reform UK and has shown his skill in the past at peeling off Conservative supporters. On Thursday, Farage cautiously welcomed Johnson’s deal but with the important caveat that he had yet to read the fine print. Some Brexit supporters have always scented that betrayal would lie somewhere within any treaty negotiated with the European Union and, even before the agreement was struck, it was being denounced as another in a long series of British surrenders to Brussels. One commentary article in the pro-Brexit Daily Telegraph argued that the government had been “outsmarted at every turn.” Others agree with that analysis, but from a more pro-European perspective, noting that even official forecasts suggest Britain will lose out on significant economic growth under Johnson’s deal. Many businesses will notice the limitations of Johnson’s agreement as soon as Britain leaves the European Union’s giant single market and customs union on Jan. 1. The accord failed to secure much of anything for the services sector, for example, which accounts for around four-fifths of the British economy. And the deal increases barriers rather than eliminating them for the manufacturing sector and agriculture. So while there will be no taxes on the import and export of goods, there will be additional checks on them — so-called nontariff barriers. Delays at ports — of which Britain just got an ugly foretaste, when France briefly blocked all travelers and freight from Britain — will add significant costs to companies, which will have to make an estimated 20 million new customs declarations each year and face other compliance costs. “In the long run, it is such a bad deal that the more moderate wing of the Tory Party may try to get a better deal,” said Grant of the Center for European Reform, noting the Conservatives’ traditional link to business. Yet perhaps the biggest danger for Britain is that it is now stranded awkwardly, half-in, half-out of the European economic system, leaving its relationship with the bloc as fraught and politically combustible as ever. As a big economy that shares a land border with Ireland, an EU country, Britain will be unable to escape the huge trading bloc’s gravitational pull, any more than other neighbors that stayed aloof from it, experts say. “It means a process of almost permanent negotiation between Britain and the EU,” Grant said, “and every time that happens, it will pump up the emotion and the rhetoric.”

Boris Johnson delivered on Brexit. It may not soothe his unruly party.

Fishermen in Britain on Saturday claimed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had sold out British fish stocks to the European Union as part of the recently inked Brexit deal.

The deal gives EU boats a lot of access to the UK’s waters for fishing. Some British politicians also lashed out at Johnson, calling him a sell out.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/it-was-worth-fighting-for-this-brexit-deal-says-eu-commission-chief-352201/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The UK is set to leave EU’s Common Fisheries Policy on December 31. Under the new trade deal which was confirmed on December 24, the current rules are set to remain as is for the upcoming 5.5 years - the transition period.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/full-post-brexit-text-goes-beyond-a-canada-style-deal-report-says-352461" hreflang="en">Full post-Brexit text goes beyond a 'Canada-style' deal, report says</a>

As time goes by, the EU and UK will hold annual discussions on the bloc’s access to British waters.

The National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations claimed that the fishing industry had been sacrificed by Johnson. 
 
For instance - in the Celtic Sea haddock, the UK’s share will increase from 10 per cent to 20 per cent, which leaves 80 per cent in the mercy of EU fleets for the next five years.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/brexit-is-finally-done-but-it-already-seems-out-of-date-352414" hreflang="en">Brexit is finally done, but it already seems out of date</a> 
 
"In the end-game, the prime minister made the call and caved in on fish, despite the rhetoric and assurances," the group said. "There will of course be an extensive public relations exercise to portray the deal as a fabulous victory, but it will inevitably be seen by the fishing industry as a defeat”, it added. 
The deal will preserve Britain's zero-tariff and zero-quota access to the bloc's single market of 450 million consumers, but will not prevent economic pain and disruption for the UK or for EU member states.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday had described the last-minute agreement as a "jumbo" free trade deal along the lines of that between the EU and Canada, and urged Britain to move on from the divisions caused by the 2016 Brexit referendum. 
&nbsp;

Fishermen in Britain on Saturday claimed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had sold out British fish stocks to the European Union as part of the recently inked Brexit deal.

Fishermen in Britain on Saturday claimed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had sold out British fish stocks to the European Union as part of the recently inked Brexit deal. The deal gives EU boats a lot of access to the UK’s waters for fishing. Some British politicians also lashed out at Johnson, calling him a sell out. The UK is set to leave EU’s Common Fisheries Policy on December 31. Under the new trade deal which was confirmed on December 24, the current rules are set to remain as is for the upcoming 5.5 years - the transition period. Also read: Full post-Brexit text goes beyond a 'Canada-style' deal, report says As time goes by, the EU and UK will hold annual discussions on the bloc’s access to British waters. The National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations claimed that the fishing industry had been sacrificed by Johnson. For instance - in the Celtic Sea haddock, the UK’s share will increase from 10 per cent to 20 per cent, which leaves 80 per cent in the mercy of EU fleets for the next five years. Also read: Brexit is finally done, but it already seems out of date "In the end-game, the prime minister made the call and caved in on fish, despite the rhetoric and assurances," the group said. "There will of course be an extensive public relations exercise to portray the deal as a fabulous victory, but it will inevitably be seen by the fishing industry as a defeat”, it added. The deal will preserve Britain's zero-tariff and zero-quota access to the bloc's single market of 450 million consumers, but will not prevent economic pain and disruption for the UK or for EU member states. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday had described the last-minute agreement as a "jumbo" free trade deal along the lines of that between the EU and Canada, and urged Britain to move on from the divisions caused by the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Johnson sold out fish stocks in new Brexit deal, claim British fishermen

A corrupt financial regulator, offshore tax havens & a real estate hijack has turned the United Kingdom into a hub for dirty money. Palki Sharma Upadhyay gets you a report.

Gravitas: Britain, the hub for dirty money

Christmas festivities have been limited around the world. Palki Sharma Upadhyay brings you a report on how the world is celebrating Christmas with social distancing, lockdowns, online gatherings and in the looming shadow of the Wuhan Virus.

Gravitas: How the World Celebrated Christmas

A report compiled by the UK Treasury and Home Office says that Pakistani Criminals are purchasing high-value assets - like real estate, precious gems & jewellery to launder money. Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you how the UK has become a hub for dirty cash from Pakistan.

Gravitas: Pakistan parks black money in Britain

The UK is facing a Christmas gloom this year. There's mounting fear of a new Wuhan virus strain, most of the country is under lockdown & truck drivers are spending their Christmas on the roads. Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you more.

Gravitas: Dover mayhem continues through Christmas

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