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LONDON — Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s 11th-hour reversal on a Christmas lockdown on Saturday so rattled Britain that it managed to overshadow the other down-to-the-wire drama he was staging: the trade negotiations in Brussels between his country and the European Union.

Taken together, Johnson’s approach to the pandemic and to the Brexit talks displays his penchant for deferring hard decisions to the bitter end — a foible that critics say has complicated Britain’s handling of the pandemic and narrowed the window for public scrutiny of any trade deal with Brussels.

Watch |&nbsp;

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Johnson’s sudden imposition of a lockdown drove thousands of Londoners to stores on a frantic Saturday night to finish Christmas shopping before the doors closed, and to railway stations to flee the capital.

That upended the government’s goal of curbing social contacts in the face of a new variant of the coronavirus that British officials said spreads far faster than the original strain. Indeed, the escapees from London are likely to spread the virus throughout the country, which reported 35,928 new cases on Sunday.

The prime minister’s foot-dragging on a post-Brexit deal is more tactical. With only 10 days before a Dec. 31 deadline, there would be very little time for a deal to be reviewed in Parliament, where pro-Brexit hard-liners would bring a gimlet eye to it. But with no margin for error, analysts say Johnson may have to accept compromises to head off an economically ruinous collapse in the talks.

“The contours of a potential deal have been known since at least last March,” said Sam Lowe, a trade expert at the Center for European Reform. “But the PM’s modus operandi is to leave tough decisions until the last minute in the hopes that something better comes along — as evidenced by his approach to COVID-19.”

Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, said, “The price of this psychological flaw, and of its political consequences, is paid in lives lost, in the case of COVID; whereas with Brexit, it could be livelihoods lost if some businesses go under because of the uncertainty caused by the delay in making a decision.”

With Britain less than two weeks away from quitting the single market and customs union, British companies still have no idea whether their goods will face tariffs if they are exported to continental Europe or Ireland. That could make auto factories unprofitable or drive some farmers out of business.

The trade talks ground on in Brussels on Sunday with no signs of a breakthrough. The two sides are mainly haggling about fishing rights, but there are signs that Johnson has already bowed to the European Union’s broader demand that Britain accept long-term limitations on its competition policy and state aid to industry.

On the pandemic, critics say Johnson’s scattershot policies have eroded public trust in the government. He has repeatedly ruled out lockdowns, only to reverse course with the assertion that the scientific evidence had changed. The mixed messages have left many confused and cynical about the rules.

In the latest about-face, Johnson cited new evidence that the variant was up to 70% more transmissible than the original virus — data that he said was presented to his Cabinet on Friday. Independent scientists generally back up his concern about the variant. But British public health officials said on Sunday that they had first identified the variant in October from a sample taken in September.

The government first disclosed the variant — as well as concerns that it might spread more quickly — last Monday when it placed London and other parts of southern and eastern Britain into what was then the highest level of restrictions. But two days later, Johnson reaffirmed his promise to relax restrictions from Dec. 23 to Dec. 27 so that families could get together for Christmas.

When the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer, suggested in Parliament that Johnson should rethink that plan, the prime minister mocked him. “I wish he’d had the guts to just say what he really wants to do,” Johnson said, “which is to cancel the plans people have made and cancel Christmas.”

Now, of course, the prime minister has done exactly that — only he waited three more days, during which even more people made travel plans. On Sunday, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Austria all banned flights from Britain.

Starmer, predictably, was withering in his criticism, saying that Johnson was “so scared of being unpopular that he is incapable of taking tough decisions until it is too late.”

The prime minister had given a glimpse into his fears earlier in the week when he alluded to Oliver Cromwell, who discouraged Christmas festivities during the ascetic days of the Puritan movement in England in the mid-17th century. The British papers, which had played up the precedent of Cromwell in the past few weeks, lost no time in tagging Johnson with it after he announced the Christmas lockdown.

Surprisingly, perhaps, the tough measures by themselves are not unpopular. A poll conducted by the research firm YouGov after Johnson’s announcement on Saturday found that 67% of people said that they supported added restrictions. But 61% of people said the government had handled the rollout poorly.

Johnson, analysts said, was pressured by the same lawmakers in his Conservative Party who are likely to resist a trade agreement with the European Union. To that extent, the pandemic and the Brexit talks have a link.

Because his mismanagement of the lockdown rules has angered some Conservative lawmakers, they said, Johnson might now calculate that he cannot afford another backlash in Parliament by striking a trade agreement with the EU that would be unpopular with the hard-line Brexiteers.

Johnson has navigated such shoals throughout his political career. His deadline mentality — honed during his days as a newspaper reporter and columnist — has sometimes resulted in shrewd decisions.

He dithered for weeks, for example, before backing Britain’s exit from the EU, even writing essays that argued both sides of the issue. It was a roll of the dice that paid off in giving him a path to Downing Street.

On balance, analysts still predict that Johnson will come to terms with the EU in the next few days. But by leaving the final decision so late, the prime minister has raised the odds that, as with the Christmas lockdown, he may have little choice but to accept the offer on the table.

“Johnson’s technique for dealing with problems is to let them run out of control, building to a point of sufficient crisis that delay is no longer viable,” Rafael Behr wrote in a column for The Guardian. “That way, the choice becomes perversely easier because there are fewer options left.”

LONDON — Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s 11th-hour reversal on a Christmas lockdown on Saturday so rattled Britain that it managed to overshadow the other down-to-the-wire drama he was staging: the trade negotiations in Brussels between his country and the European Union.

LONDON — Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s 11th-hour reversal on a Christmas lockdown on Saturday so rattled Britain that it managed to overshadow the other down-to-the-wire drama he was staging: the trade negotiations in Brussels between his country and the European Union. Taken together, Johnson’s approach to the pandemic and to the Brexit talks displays his penchant for deferring hard decisions to the bitter end — a foible that critics say has complicated Britain’s handling of the pandemic and narrowed the window for public scrutiny of any trade deal with Brussels. Watch | Johnson’s sudden imposition of a lockdown drove thousands of Londoners to stores on a frantic Saturday night to finish Christmas shopping before the doors closed, and to railway stations to flee the capital. That upended the government’s goal of curbing social contacts in the face of a new variant of the coronavirus that British officials said spreads far faster than the original strain. Indeed, the escapees from London are likely to spread the virus throughout the country, which reported 35,928 new cases on Sunday. The prime minister’s foot-dragging on a post-Brexit deal is more tactical. With only 10 days before a Dec. 31 deadline, there would be very little time for a deal to be reviewed in Parliament, where pro-Brexit hard-liners would bring a gimlet eye to it. But with no margin for error, analysts say Johnson may have to accept compromises to head off an economically ruinous collapse in the talks. “The contours of a potential deal have been known since at least last March,” said Sam Lowe, a trade expert at the Center for European Reform. “But the PM’s modus operandi is to leave tough decisions until the last minute in the hopes that something better comes along — as evidenced by his approach to COVID-19.” Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, said, “The price of this psychological flaw, and of its political consequences, is paid in lives lost, in the case of COVID; whereas with Brexit, it could be livelihoods lost if some businesses go under because of the uncertainty caused by the delay in making a decision.” With Britain less than two weeks away from quitting the single market and customs union, British companies still have no idea whether their goods will face tariffs if they are exported to continental Europe or Ireland. That could make auto factories unprofitable or drive some farmers out of business. The trade talks ground on in Brussels on Sunday with no signs of a breakthrough. The two sides are mainly haggling about fishing rights, but there are signs that Johnson has already bowed to the European Union’s broader demand that Britain accept long-term limitations on its competition policy and state aid to industry. On the pandemic, critics say Johnson’s scattershot policies have eroded public trust in the government. He has repeatedly ruled out lockdowns, only to reverse course with the assertion that the scientific evidence had changed. The mixed messages have left many confused and cynical about the rules. In the latest about-face, Johnson cited new evidence that the variant was up to 70% more transmissible than the original virus — data that he said was presented to his Cabinet on Friday. Independent scientists generally back up his concern about the variant. But British public health officials said on Sunday that they had first identified the variant in October from a sample taken in September. The government first disclosed the variant — as well as concerns that it might spread more quickly — last Monday when it placed London and other parts of southern and eastern Britain into what was then the highest level of restrictions. But two days later, Johnson reaffirmed his promise to relax restrictions from Dec. 23 to Dec. 27 so that families could get together for Christmas. When the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer, suggested in Parliament that Johnson should rethink that plan, the prime minister mocked him. “I wish he’d had the guts to just say what he really wants to do,” Johnson said, “which is to cancel the plans people have made and cancel Christmas.” Now, of course, the prime minister has done exactly that — only he waited three more days, during which even more people made travel plans. On Sunday, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Austria all banned flights from Britain. Starmer, predictably, was withering in his criticism, saying that Johnson was “so scared of being unpopular that he is incapable of taking tough decisions until it is too late.” The prime minister had given a glimpse into his fears earlier in the week when he alluded to Oliver Cromwell, who discouraged Christmas festivities during the ascetic days of the Puritan movement in England in the mid-17th century. The British papers, which had played up the precedent of Cromwell in the past few weeks, lost no time in tagging Johnson with it after he announced the Christmas lockdown. Surprisingly, perhaps, the tough measures by themselves are not unpopular. A poll conducted by the research firm YouGov after Johnson’s announcement on Saturday found that 67% of people said that they supported added restrictions. But 61% of people said the government had handled the rollout poorly. Johnson, analysts said, was pressured by the same lawmakers in his Conservative Party who are likely to resist a trade agreement with the European Union. To that extent, the pandemic and the Brexit talks have a link. Because his mismanagement of the lockdown rules has angered some Conservative lawmakers, they said, Johnson might now calculate that he cannot afford another backlash in Parliament by striking a trade agreement with the EU that would be unpopular with the hard-line Brexiteers. Johnson has navigated such shoals throughout his political career. His deadline mentality — honed during his days as a newspaper reporter and columnist — has sometimes resulted in shrewd decisions. He dithered for weeks, for example, before backing Britain’s exit from the EU, even writing essays that argued both sides of the issue. It was a roll of the dice that paid off in giving him a path to Downing Street. On balance, analysts still predict that Johnson will come to terms with the EU in the next few days. But by leaving the final decision so late, the prime minister has raised the odds that, as with the Christmas lockdown, he may have little choice but to accept the offer on the table. “Johnson’s technique for dealing with problems is to let them run out of control, building to a point of sufficient crisis that delay is no longer viable,” Rafael Behr wrote in a column for The Guardian. “That way, the choice becomes perversely easier because there are fewer options left.”

Brinkmanship or bluster? On Brexit and pandemic, Boris Johnson leaves it late

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday suggested&nbsp;that no-deal Brexit is looking like the only way out of deadlock with trade talks with the European Union. Officials from the EU recently acknowledged that some progress was taking place, but there are only two weeks left before UK leaves the EU.

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Both sides want to secure a deal worth $1 trillion to dictate terms of trade beginning in 2021.

Talks between both the sides have missed multiple deadlines, with both sides acknowledging the lack of time. Both sides have shown rigidity in terms of the deal, stifling the scope of a breakthrough in negotiations.

According to his spokesman, Johnson told his ministers that he desires “to reach a free trade agreement, but not at any cost, and reiterated any agreement must respect the independence and sovereignty of the UK”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/uk-retailers-urge-public-not-to-stockpile-food-as-threat-of-no-deal-brexit-looms-350026" hreflang="en">UK: Retailers urge public not to stockpile food as threat of no-deal Brexit looms</a> 
 
"The prime minister made clear that not being able to reach an agreement and ending the transition period on Australia-style terms remained the most likely outcome but committed to continuing to negotiate on the remaining areas of disagreement”, the spokesperson added.

Earlier on Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met Boris Johnson on Sunday in a bid to improve scope of talks, with EU diplomats claiming that a trade deal was still possible.

Both the sides are unable to reach a consensus regarding fair competition, fishing rights, and future disputes. The EU has set out its terms, but Britain refuses to abide by them.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/satisfied-with-movement-in-brexit-talks-eu-chief-ursula-von-der-leyen-349742" hreflang="en">Satisfied with movement in Brexit talks: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen</a> 
 
To protect its single market, the EU sees a level playing field as crucial. But Johnson does not wish to be tied down by EU rules, earlier claiming that he would “take back control”. Even though EU officials claim momentum in talks, British officials claim that there has been little to no movement in the talks.

Without a trade deal, a Brexit would hurt the economies of European countries, damage markets, and cripple supply chains in Europe.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday suggested that no-deal Brexit is looking like the only way out of deadlock with trade talks with the European Union.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday suggested that no-deal Brexit is looking like the only way out of deadlock with trade talks with the European Union. Officials from the EU recently acknowledged that some progress was taking place, but there are only two weeks left before UK leaves the EU. Both sides want to secure a deal worth $1 trillion to dictate terms of trade beginning in 2021. Talks between both the sides have missed multiple deadlines, with both sides acknowledging the lack of time. Both sides have shown rigidity in terms of the deal, stifling the scope of a breakthrough in negotiations. According to his spokesman, Johnson told his ministers that he desires “to reach a free trade agreement, but not at any cost, and reiterated any agreement must respect the independence and sovereignty of the UK”. Also read: UK: Retailers urge public not to stockpile food as threat of no-deal Brexit looms "The prime minister made clear that not being able to reach an agreement and ending the transition period on Australia-style terms remained the most likely outcome but committed to continuing to negotiate on the remaining areas of disagreement”, the spokesperson added. Earlier on Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met Boris Johnson on Sunday in a bid to improve scope of talks, with EU diplomats claiming that a trade deal was still possible. Both the sides are unable to reach a consensus regarding fair competition, fishing rights, and future disputes. The EU has set out its terms, but Britain refuses to abide by them. Also read: Satisfied with movement in Brexit talks: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen To protect its single market, the EU sees a level playing field as crucial. But Johnson does not wish to be tied down by EU rules, earlier claiming that he would “take back control”. Even though EU officials claim momentum in talks, British officials claim that there has been little to no movement in the talks. Without a trade deal, a Brexit would hurt the economies of European countries, damage markets, and cripple supply chains in Europe.

Britain says no deal with European Union the most likely scenario

While kids around the world might not be able to meet Santa Claus in person this year, many companies have embraced technology as a way to bring festive cheer to children while maintaining coronavirus-safe social distancing.

How Santa Claus is keeping COVID-safe this Christmas

The curtain will fall on London's theatres again on Wednesday (December 16) as the British capital moves into the toughest level of coronavirus restrictions, with some forced to close Christmas shows just days after they opened in a hammer blow for the industry.

Curtain falls on London's theatres again due to Covid-19

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok are facing pressure from many governments around the world for their unstoppable circulation of harmful content. U.K. govt also warns to impose fines if needed.

Britain's crackdown on harmful online content, asks tech giants to ensure safe content

In the United Kingdom, a new variant of COVID-19 has been identified. According to the British health secretary, at least 60 different local authorities in England have recorded COVID-19 cases of this new variant.

United Kingdom: New variant of COVID-19 identified amid soaring cases

U.K.: Exponential rise on COVID-19 cases, new variant of COVID-19 identified

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday that he and Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab discussed four hours long on the issues of taking India-UK relations to a higher level, and more.

Indian Foreign Minister and U.K. Foreign Secretary holds joint press conference

The U.K. government has asked the supermarkets to hold goods. Retail chains have also warned of possible shortage of fresh food and delay in the delivery if Britain leaves the E.U. (European Union) without a trade deal.

U.K. warns against food shortage as the food trade deal is about to end

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said scientific advances can be used to battle climate change, a challenge which he described as being "far worse, far more destructive than coronavirus". 
 
Johnson made the remarks while speaking at the virtual Climate Ambition Summit co-convened by the United Nations, Britain, and France, in partnership with Chile and Italy, Xinhua reported. 
 
The Prime Minister hailed a new era of "scientific optimism" as the year comes to the end. 
 
"We are coming to the end of an extraordinary year with, I think, a sudden surge of scientific optimism, because of after barely 12 months of the pandemic we are seeing the vaccine going into the arms of the elderly and the vulnerable." 
 
"Together we can use scientific advances to protect our entire planet -- our biosphere -- against a challenge far worse, far more destructive even than the coronavirus," he said. 
 
"And by the promethean power of our invention, we can begin to defend the Earth against the disaster of global warming." 
 
"At the same time, we can create thousands of jobs, millions of jobs as we collectively recover from the pandemic," he added. 
 
Earlier this month, Johnson announced that Britain will be committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 68 percent by the end of the decade compared to 1990 levels. 
 
The target is supported by the Ten Point Plan for a green industrial revolution, which will create and support up to 250,000 British jobs by 2030 and make significant strides in cutting emissions across energy, transport and buildings, according to a statement released by Downing Street. 
 
The virtual Climate Ambition Summit, held exactly five years since the adoption of the landmark Paris Agreement, aims to make new commitments to tackling climate change and delivering on the Paris Agreement ahead of the next UN Climate Conference, COP26, which will be hosted by Britain in November next year in Glasgow. 
 
The summit brought together UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and more than 70 world leaders from such countries as Britain, France, Germany, China and Canada, as well as businesses and civil society. 
 
Ahead of the COP26 in Glasgow, China will host the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan in southwest China, in May, 2021.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said scientific advances can be used to battle climate change, a challenge which he described as being "far worse, far more destructive than coronavirus".

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said scientific advances can be used to battle climate change, a challenge which he described as being "far worse, far more destructive than coronavirus". Johnson made the remarks while speaking at the virtual Climate Ambition Summit co-convened by the United Nations, Britain, and France, in partnership with Chile and Italy, Xinhua reported. The Prime Minister hailed a new era of "scientific optimism" as the year comes to the end. "We are coming to the end of an extraordinary year with, I think, a sudden surge of scientific optimism, because of after barely 12 months of the pandemic we are seeing the vaccine going into the arms of the elderly and the vulnerable." "Together we can use scientific advances to protect our entire planet -- our biosphere -- against a challenge far worse, far more destructive even than the coronavirus," he said. "And by the promethean power of our invention, we can begin to defend the Earth against the disaster of global warming." "At the same time, we can create thousands of jobs, millions of jobs as we collectively recover from the pandemic," he added. Earlier this month, Johnson announced that Britain will be committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 68 percent by the end of the decade compared to 1990 levels. The target is supported by the Ten Point Plan for a green industrial revolution, which will create and support up to 250,000 British jobs by 2030 and make significant strides in cutting emissions across energy, transport and buildings, according to a statement released by Downing Street. The virtual Climate Ambition Summit, held exactly five years since the adoption of the landmark Paris Agreement, aims to make new commitments to tackling climate change and delivering on the Paris Agreement ahead of the next UN Climate Conference, COP26, which will be hosted by Britain in November next year in Glasgow. The summit brought together UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and more than 70 world leaders from such countries as Britain, France, Germany, China and Canada, as well as businesses and civil society. Ahead of the COP26 in Glasgow, China will host the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan in southwest China, in May, 2021.

UK PM urges using scientific advances to battle climate change

A British tourist in Taiwan is now on a mission to clean up the Tamsui river in the Taipei city. One of the island's longest river. This man is unable to travel back to United Kingdom due to travel restrictions during the pandemic.

British tourist stuck in Taiwan leads clean-drive, clean Taipei rivers

Queen Elizabeth II will receive the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine </a>within weeks after the United Kingdom granted emergency approval to Pfizer-BioNTech for its drug, reports suggest.&nbsp;

The British Queen and her 99-year-old husband Prince Philip are in line to get the vaccine early due to their age, the Mail on Sunday claimed.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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The report also said that the British royals would get vaccinated "to encourage more people to take up the vital jab" amid fears peddled by anti-vaxxers.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/anthony-fauci-backtracks-on-uk-vaccine-comments-apologises-for-misunderstanding-347555">Anthony Fauci backtracks on UK vaccine comments; apologises for 'misunderstanding'</a>

The Daily Mirror also reported a number of high-profile personalities in Britain who had committed to publicly get inoculated.&nbsp;

Buckingham Palace has so far not commented on the development.&nbsp;

Britain on Wednesday granted emergency approval to Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and now people most at risk and elderly are set to be the first set of individuals who will get the drug.

Elderly care home residents and their carers will get the jab first, followed by those aged 80 and more and frontline health and care professionals.&nbsp;

Rest of the elderly people and clinically extremely vulnerable will then get inoculated.

The remaining population will then get vaccinated according to their age.&nbsp;

The UK has pre-ordered 40 million doses of the vaccine and will be receiving an initial batch of 800,000 doses to start next week's rollout.

 
&nbsp;

Queen Elizabeth II will receive the coronavirus vaccine within weeks after the United Kingdom granted emergency approval to Pfizer-BioNTech for its drug, reports suggest.

Queen Elizabeth II will receive the coronavirus vaccine within weeks after the United Kingdom granted emergency approval to Pfizer-BioNTech for its drug, reports suggest. The British Queen and her 99-year-old husband Prince Philip are in line to get the vaccine early due to their age, the Mail on Sunday claimed. Watch | The report also said that the British royals would get vaccinated "to encourage more people to take up the vital jab" amid fears peddled by anti-vaxxers. Also read | Anthony Fauci backtracks on UK vaccine comments; apologises for 'misunderstanding' The Daily Mirror also reported a number of high-profile personalities in Britain who had committed to publicly get inoculated. Buckingham Palace has so far not commented on the development. Britain on Wednesday granted emergency approval to Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and now people most at risk and elderly are set to be the first set of individuals who will get the drug. Elderly care home residents and their carers will get the jab first, followed by those aged 80 and more and frontline health and care professionals. Rest of the elderly people and clinically extremely vulnerable will then get inoculated. The remaining population will then get vaccinated according to their age. The UK has pre-ordered 40 million doses of the vaccine and will be receiving an initial batch of 800,000 doses to start next week's rollout.

Queen Elizabeth II to receive coronavirus vaccine within weeks: Reports

LONDON — Britain’s approval of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine </a>this week, beating every other Western country, would be a political gift for any leader. But perhaps none needs it as much as Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

A successful vaccine rollout could be the last chance for Johnson’s government to show competence, after botching virtually every other step of its response to the pandemic, from tardy lockdowns to a costly, ineffective test-and-trace program — all of which contributed to the country having the highest death toll in Europe.

Watch |&nbsp;

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It also comes just as Britain has reached a climactic stage in its long negotiations with the European Union for a post-Brexit trading relationship. Allies of Johnson were quick to claim that the swift approval of the vaccine vindicated the Brexit project.

That claim was quickly debunked. Nevertheless, the mass vaccination program will be an early test of how well Britain works once it is fully untethered from Europe.

“The British government is looking for ways to claim a victory because they’ve made such a bloody mess of the epidemic,” said David King, a former chief scientific adviser to the government who has become a vocal critic of its performance. “The nationalistic response is brutish and rather distasteful.”

Still, it is difficult to separate politics from public health. As the first vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine rolled into Britain in refrigerated trucks from Belgium this week, negotiators in London were in the last stages of trying to stitch together a long-term, EU-British trade agreement. European officials expressed hope they could come to terms as soon as Sunday, though stumbling blocks remained.

The pandemic has raised the pressure on Johnson to strike a deal, since a failure could deepen the economic damage caused by multiple lockdowns. Yet the convergence of events could also be fortuitous, allowing the beleaguered prime minister to resolve an issue that has divided Britain for more than four years at the very moment that relief finally begins to arrive for a country ravaged by the virus.

Pro-Brexit politicians struck a bluntly nationalistic chord, saying Britain’s early approval of the vaccine was the first of many triumphs — though for all the fanfare, it may be only days ahead of U.S. authorization and a few weeks ahead of the EU.

The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, said Britain moved faster than its neighbors because “we’re a much better country than every single one of them.” The leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, said European regulators were “a bit sniffy” that they had not yet managed to approve it.

“We have, we’re leaving, draw your own conclusions,” he declared. “We are now free of the dead hand of the European Union.”

In fact, the swift approval of the Pfizer vaccine was not enabled by Brexit. Although Britain formally left the EU last January, it continues to adhere to the bloc’s regulations until a transition period expires Dec. 31.

The British health regulator invoked an emergency power, available to all EU members, to move faster in the case of a pandemic.

Still, the optics of Britain striking out on its own, ahead of France and Germany, are appealing because they play into the pro-Brexit argument that a Britain unshackled from Brussels will be more agile and flexible, able to act as a free agent in the global market for everything from vaccines to ventilators.

“No one is very proud of our record on the pandemic,” said Jonathan Powell, a former chief of staff to Prime Minister Tony Blair. “But they believe we’re magically going to become a better country by being outside of Europe.”

If anything, Powell said, the Pfizer vaccine was a testament to the value of pre-Brexit, cross-border collaboration: It was developed by Turkish-born scientists at a German biotechnology firm, produced by an American pharmaceutical company and manufactured in a plant in Belgium.

Brexit has colored Johnson’s handling of the pandemic in ways obvious and subtle. Britain declined to join a multibillion-dollar EU vaccine purchasing fund and shunned a European consortium to buy ventilators. The latter decision provoked anxiety in the early days of the pandemic, when it looked as if hospitals might not have enough machines for their patients.

In the end, the hospitals were able to cope with the demand. On Monday, Johnson boasted that Britain, acting on its own, was the first country to preorder supplies of the Pfizer vaccine, securing 40 million doses. All told, it has ordered more than 350 million doses of seven vaccine candidates, hedging its bets in case some do not pan out.

But Johnson diverged from other European leaders in waiting until late March to impose a lockdown. This fall, amid a second wave of the virus, he again moved more tentatively than leaders on the Continent, imposing a nationwide lockdown only in November. Critics say those delays cost lives; Britain’s death toll just surpassed 60,000.

“While we were in lockdown, we appeared to do nothing about a test-trace-and-isolate system,” King said. “We still don’t have a system that has anywhere near the capacity we need.”

He and other experts expressed less concern about the British regulator’s rapid approval of the Pfizer vaccine. Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, they said, had a history of independence and a reputation across Europe for thoroughly vetting new drugs.

They also expressed confidence that the vaccine will be distributed through Britain’s National Health Service, not by private contractors, like the companies involved in the trouble-prone test-and-trace system.

Even so, there are worries about how to distribute the vaccine, which needs to be stored at ultracold temperatures. Before the first injections, the government abruptly changed the priority for who would get the shot first, ruling out those in nursing homes in favor of nursing home staff and people 80 and over in hospitals or with appointments there.

The government’s muddled messaging has damaged Johnson, not just with the public but also with members of his own Conservative Party. He had to fend off a rebellion among Conservatives in Parliament this week over tiered restrictions that replaced the nationwide lockdown lifted Tuesday.

Experts said they were hopeful that the arrival of a vaccine would leach some of the vitriol out of the debate over lockdowns. But the government’s messaging could be a weakness in winning broad public acceptance of the vaccine. In addition to anti-vaccination activists, experts said it would confront wariness from people who will question whether Britain rushed its approval.

“They need to think about people who are saying, ‘Why is this being pushed so quickly?’” said Devi Sridhar, director of the global health program at the University of Edinburgh, who added she would take it “tomorrow, if I could.”

Johnson named Nadhim Zahawi, a Conservative member of Parliament with a background in public-opinion research, to coordinate the deployment of the vaccine. Zahawi, who has a degree in chemical engineering, co-founded YouGov, an internet polling company, which he later sold.

In YouGov’s polling on the vaccine — conducted last month after Pfizer reported positive results in clinical trials — two-thirds of those surveyed said they were “very likely” or “fairly likely” to take the vaccine when it becomes available. A fifth said they were unlikely to take it, while 12% said they were not sure.

“You’re going to have to see social influencers or health care workers lining up to take it,” Sridhar said.

LONDON — Britain’s approval of a coronavirus vaccine this week, beating every other Western country, would be a political gift for any leader. But perhaps none needs it as much as Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

LONDON — Britain’s approval of a coronavirus vaccine this week, beating every other Western country, would be a political gift for any leader. But perhaps none needs it as much as Prime Minister Boris Johnson. A successful vaccine rollout could be the last chance for Johnson’s government to show competence, after botching virtually every other step of its response to the pandemic, from tardy lockdowns to a costly, ineffective test-and-trace program — all of which contributed to the country having the highest death toll in Europe. Watch | It also comes just as Britain has reached a climactic stage in its long negotiations with the European Union for a post-Brexit trading relationship. Allies of Johnson were quick to claim that the swift approval of the vaccine vindicated the Brexit project. That claim was quickly debunked. Nevertheless, the mass vaccination program will be an early test of how well Britain works once it is fully untethered from Europe. “The British government is looking for ways to claim a victory because they’ve made such a bloody mess of the epidemic,” said David King, a former chief scientific adviser to the government who has become a vocal critic of its performance. “The nationalistic response is brutish and rather distasteful.” Still, it is difficult to separate politics from public health. As the first vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine rolled into Britain in refrigerated trucks from Belgium this week, negotiators in London were in the last stages of trying to stitch together a long-term, EU-British trade agreement. European officials expressed hope they could come to terms as soon as Sunday, though stumbling blocks remained. The pandemic has raised the pressure on Johnson to strike a deal, since a failure could deepen the economic damage caused by multiple lockdowns. Yet the convergence of events could also be fortuitous, allowing the beleaguered prime minister to resolve an issue that has divided Britain for more than four years at the very moment that relief finally begins to arrive for a country ravaged by the virus. Pro-Brexit politicians struck a bluntly nationalistic chord, saying Britain’s early approval of the vaccine was the first of many triumphs — though for all the fanfare, it may be only days ahead of U.S. authorization and a few weeks ahead of the EU. The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, said Britain moved faster than its neighbors because “we’re a much better country than every single one of them.” The leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, said European regulators were “a bit sniffy” that they had not yet managed to approve it. “We have, we’re leaving, draw your own conclusions,” he declared. “We are now free of the dead hand of the European Union.” In fact, the swift approval of the Pfizer vaccine was not enabled by Brexit. Although Britain formally left the EU last January, it continues to adhere to the bloc’s regulations until a transition period expires Dec. 31. The British health regulator invoked an emergency power, available to all EU members, to move faster in the case of a pandemic. Still, the optics of Britain striking out on its own, ahead of France and Germany, are appealing because they play into the pro-Brexit argument that a Britain unshackled from Brussels will be more agile and flexible, able to act as a free agent in the global market for everything from vaccines to ventilators. “No one is very proud of our record on the pandemic,” said Jonathan Powell, a former chief of staff to Prime Minister Tony Blair. “But they believe we’re magically going to become a better country by being outside of Europe.” If anything, Powell said, the Pfizer vaccine was a testament to the value of pre-Brexit, cross-border collaboration: It was developed by Turkish-born scientists at a German biotechnology firm, produced by an American pharmaceutical company and manufactured in a plant in Belgium. Brexit has colored Johnson’s handling of the pandemic in ways obvious and subtle. Britain declined to join a multibillion-dollar EU vaccine purchasing fund and shunned a European consortium to buy ventilators. The latter decision provoked anxiety in the early days of the pandemic, when it looked as if hospitals might not have enough machines for their patients. In the end, the hospitals were able to cope with the demand. On Monday, Johnson boasted that Britain, acting on its own, was the first country to preorder supplies of the Pfizer vaccine, securing 40 million doses. All told, it has ordered more than 350 million doses of seven vaccine candidates, hedging its bets in case some do not pan out. But Johnson diverged from other European leaders in waiting until late March to impose a lockdown. This fall, amid a second wave of the virus, he again moved more tentatively than leaders on the Continent, imposing a nationwide lockdown only in November. Critics say those delays cost lives; Britain’s death toll just surpassed 60,000. “While we were in lockdown, we appeared to do nothing about a test-trace-and-isolate system,” King said. “We still don’t have a system that has anywhere near the capacity we need.” He and other experts expressed less concern about the British regulator’s rapid approval of the Pfizer vaccine. Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, they said, had a history of independence and a reputation across Europe for thoroughly vetting new drugs. They also expressed confidence that the vaccine will be distributed through Britain’s National Health Service, not by private contractors, like the companies involved in the trouble-prone test-and-trace system. Even so, there are worries about how to distribute the vaccine, which needs to be stored at ultracold temperatures. Before the first injections, the government abruptly changed the priority for who would get the shot first, ruling out those in nursing homes in favor of nursing home staff and people 80 and over in hospitals or with appointments there. The government’s muddled messaging has damaged Johnson, not just with the public but also with members of his own Conservative Party. He had to fend off a rebellion among Conservatives in Parliament this week over tiered restrictions that replaced the nationwide lockdown lifted Tuesday. Experts said they were hopeful that the arrival of a vaccine would leach some of the vitriol out of the debate over lockdowns. But the government’s messaging could be a weakness in winning broad public acceptance of the vaccine. In addition to anti-vaccination activists, experts said it would confront wariness from people who will question whether Britain rushed its approval. “They need to think about people who are saying, ‘Why is this being pushed so quickly?’” said Devi Sridhar, director of the global health program at the University of Edinburgh, who added she would take it “tomorrow, if I could.” Johnson named Nadhim Zahawi, a Conservative member of Parliament with a background in public-opinion research, to coordinate the deployment of the vaccine. Zahawi, who has a degree in chemical engineering, co-founded YouGov, an internet polling company, which he later sold. In YouGov’s polling on the vaccine — conducted last month after Pfizer reported positive results in clinical trials — two-thirds of those surveyed said they were “very likely” or “fairly likely” to take the vaccine when it becomes available. A fifth said they were unlikely to take it, while 12% said they were not sure. “You’re going to have to see social influencers or health care workers lining up to take it,” Sridhar said.

For Boris Johnson, a week to exorcise the demons of 2020

LONDON — British and U.S. officials sparred Thursday over how Britain had beaten the United States to authorizing a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine</a>.

In Britain, the euphoria of winning the global race to authorizing the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was giving way to a realization of the choices facing the country’s National Health Service as it tries to deliver the first doses by Monday.

Watch&nbsp;|&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/how-many-covid-19-vaccine-doses-has-the-nations-secured-347333/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The question of whether Britain had authorized a vaccine in haste on Wednesday, or the United States was wasting valuable time as the virus was killing about 1,500 Americans a day, has divided scientists and has also drawn in politicians. British officials boasted of the decision on Thursday.

Those remarks provoked concerns that any chest-beating by government ministers risked undermining the public’s faith in a vaccine.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that British regulators had not scrutinized data from clinical trials as carefully as their American counterparts in the Food and Drug Administration.

Approval could come as early as next week from the FDA, and at the end of the month from European Union regulators.

Roughly 800,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, developed with BioNTech, a German company, were being packaged at the company’s Belgian manufacturing plant this week for shipment to Britain. How and when they will arrive was being kept secret for security reasons, the company said, though the BBC reported Thursday that some of the doses were being transported through the Eurotunnel between France and Britain.

Pfizer sought to shut down questions this week about whether people in Britain would be able to pay to cut the line for inoculation.

“I can say clearly and confidently that there are no plans to supply the private sector for the foreseeable future — no chance at all,” Ben Osborn, Pfizer’s Britain country manager, said Wednesday, adding that the National Health Service would decide whom to vaccinate.

By Thursday, there were indications that before health workers were vaccinated, the government wanted to offer shots to nursing home workers and people age 80 and over who were already coming to hospitals for other reasons. It appeared likely that doctors and nurses would be among those receiving vaccines in the coming weeks.

&nbsp;

LONDON — British and U.S. officials sparred Thursday over how Britain had beaten the United States to authorizing a coronavirus vaccine. In Britain, the euphoria of winning the global race to authorizing the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was giving way to a realization of the choices facing the country’s National Health Service as it tries to deliver the first doses by Monday.

LONDON — British and U.S. officials sparred Thursday over how Britain had beaten the United States to authorizing a coronavirus vaccine. In Britain, the euphoria of winning the global race to authorizing the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was giving way to a realization of the choices facing the country’s National Health Service as it tries to deliver the first doses by Monday. Watch | The question of whether Britain had authorized a vaccine in haste on Wednesday, or the United States was wasting valuable time as the virus was killing about 1,500 Americans a day, has divided scientists and has also drawn in politicians. British officials boasted of the decision on Thursday. Those remarks provoked concerns that any chest-beating by government ministers risked undermining the public’s faith in a vaccine. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that British regulators had not scrutinized data from clinical trials as carefully as their American counterparts in the Food and Drug Administration. Approval could come as early as next week from the FDA, and at the end of the month from European Union regulators. Roughly 800,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, developed with BioNTech, a German company, were being packaged at the company’s Belgian manufacturing plant this week for shipment to Britain. How and when they will arrive was being kept secret for security reasons, the company said, though the BBC reported Thursday that some of the doses were being transported through the Eurotunnel between France and Britain. Pfizer sought to shut down questions this week about whether people in Britain would be able to pay to cut the line for inoculation. “I can say clearly and confidently that there are no plans to supply the private sector for the foreseeable future — no chance at all,” Ben Osborn, Pfizer’s Britain country manager, said Wednesday, adding that the National Health Service would decide whom to vaccinate. By Thursday, there were indications that before health workers were vaccinated, the government wanted to offer shots to nursing home workers and people age 80 and over who were already coming to hospitals for other reasons. It appeared likely that doctors and nurses would be among those receiving vaccines in the coming weeks.

UK and US officials spar over 'vaccine nationalism'

A handgun used by the late Sean Connery in the first James Bond film sold for $256,000 at auction in Beverly Hills on Thursday (December 3), topping earlier estimates for the piece of Hollywood history.

Sean Connery's 007 pistol from 'Dr.No' sells for $256,000

Next week, Russia and the United Kingdom will begin rolling out vaccines. How are these countries planning to inoculate their citizens? Molly Gambhir brings you a ground report.

Gravitas: How Russia and the UK are preparing to roll out vaccines

It's hoped a new exhibition at the Queen's Gallery in London will help restore the finances of The Royal Collection Trust, after venues around the UK had to close to the general public for several months this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Old Master paintings on display at The Queen's Gallery

London Zoo reopened its gates on Wednesday (December 2) as England emerged from a month-long coronavirus lockdown.

London Zoo brings festive cheer as it reopens after lockdown

A brave jump in a freezing river by a woman saved a dog in Nottinghamshire, UK after its owner tied it to a rock and threw her. &nbsp;

Jane Harper in early morning on January 6 saw Bella, a Shepherd Bella drowning in the River Trent.&nbsp;

<img alt="dog throw river tied" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cca88943-abc5-4c78-96bd-65a1f612eb2a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%285%29_46.jpg" />

<img alt="dog tied to rock and threw into river" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b8d5b81f-f7b1-41b2-bb64-f68d60578a31" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%287%29_49.jpg" />

(Courtesy: SWNS)

When Harper pulled her out of the water, she found that the dog was tied to a carrier bag that contained a huge rock.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/will-miss-him-so-much-prince-william-kate-middleton-mourn-death-of-their-dog-344922#:~:text=Prince%20William%20and%20Kate%20Middleton%20condoled%20the%20death%20of%20their,%2C%22%20who%20died%20last%20weekend.&amp;text=Very%20sadly%20last%20weekend%20our,will%20miss%20him%20so%20much.">'Will miss him so much': Prince William, Kate Middleton mourn death of their dog</a>

The 10-year-old dog was rushed to a local vet where she was given treatment and now is in good health.&nbsp;

Charlene Latham, the owner of the dog, accepted her crime during a hearing at the Nottingham Magistrates' Court on November 23.&nbsp;

Latham, 31 was granted bail and has now been asked to appear before the court on March 8, 2021 along with another accused, who has denied the same charge.&nbsp;

"This was a highly emotive incident that was understandably very shocking to the public," said Chief Superintendent Rob Griffin, of Nottinghamshire Police as quoted by Daily Mirror.&nbsp;

"Thankfully Bella is reported to be doing well and is in very good hands. Animal cruelty is totally unacceptable and we will always support our colleagues in the RSPCA in whatever we can in their investigations." 
&nbsp;

A brave jump in a freezing river by a woman saved a dog in Nottinghamshire, UK after its owner tied it to a rock and threw her. Jane Harper in early morning on January 6 saw Bella, a Shepherd Bella drowning in the River Trent.

A brave jump in a freezing river by a woman saved a dog in Nottinghamshire, UK after its owner tied it to a rock and threw her. Jane Harper in early morning on January 6 saw Bella, a Shepherd Bella drowning in the River Trent. (Courtesy: SWNS) When Harper pulled her out of the water, she found that the dog was tied to a carrier bag that contained a huge rock. Also read | 'Will miss him so much': Prince William, Kate Middleton mourn death of their dog The 10-year-old dog was rushed to a local vet where she was given treatment and now is in good health. Charlene Latham, the owner of the dog, accepted her crime during a hearing at the Nottingham Magistrates' Court on November 23. Latham, 31 was granted bail and has now been asked to appear before the court on March 8, 2021 along with another accused, who has denied the same charge. "This was a highly emotive incident that was understandably very shocking to the public," said Chief Superintendent Rob Griffin, of Nottinghamshire Police as quoted by Daily Mirror. "Thankfully Bella is reported to be doing well and is in very good hands. Animal cruelty is totally unacceptable and we will always support our colleagues in the RSPCA in whatever we can in their investigations."

UK: Dog rescued after owner ties her to rock and dumps into river

For a "perfect wedding", a woman faked terminal cancer to make her friends pay £8,500 (USD 11,333.90) for her marriage, suggest reports.&nbsp;

Toni Standen, 29, from the UK even shaved her head and gave several newspaper interviews that she needed money so that she and her partner could be a part of the 'day they deserved'.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japans-crown-prince-fumihito-approves-princess-makos-wedding-to-commoner-on-one-condition-346445#:~:text=The%20Japanese%20Crown%20Prince%20Fumihito,approve%20of%20them%20getting%20married.">Japan's crown prince Fumihito 'approves' Princess Mako's wedding to commoner on one condition</a>

She even used her father, who was suffering from cancer to gather support.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moment-of-pride-two-same-sex-couples-to-get-married-in-taiwanese-military-mass-wedding-338716">Moment of pride: Two same-sex couples to get married in Taiwanese military mass wedding</a>

Standen's father, Derek, who died before the wedding in Widnes, Cheshire recorded a video message that was played out on the day of marriage.&nbsp;

English football club Everton also recorded a video with top players who extended their wishes to the family.&nbsp;

Her friends even set up a GoFundMe page for the donation of the couple's wedding.

On the day of marriage, the video recorded by Derek was played out, which made the guests attending the marriage emotional.

However, the bride soon started cracking jokes and gave a "faultless speech", a guest said, reports Daily Mirror.&nbsp;

"After hearing her father's laboured words she got up and gave a faultless speech, even cracking a few jokes," the guest said.&nbsp;

Witnesses claim that post the wedding, the couple went to a nearby hotel and counted the cash that they received in the wedding before setting off for a honeymoon in Turkey.&nbsp;

They also went to Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and Italy despite Standen's critical health.&nbsp;

However, Standen's lies were exposed when she claimed that she contracted novel coronavirus, which triggered suspicion among friends and they reportedly confronted her.&nbsp;

As per Daily Mirror, she has admitted her fraud, which one of her friends describe as "ultimate betrayal"&nbsp;

The report said that Standen has pleaded guilty to fraud and now faces jail term.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

For a "perfect wedding", a woman faked terminal cancer to make her friends pay £8,500 (USD 11,333.90) for her marriage, suggest reports. Toni Standen, 29, from the UK even shaved her head and gave several newspaper interviews that she needed money so that she and her partner could be a part of the 'day they deserved'.

For a "perfect wedding", a woman faked terminal cancer to make her friends pay £8,500 (USD 11,333.90) for her marriage, suggest reports. Toni Standen, 29, from the UK even shaved her head and gave several newspaper interviews that she needed money so that she and her partner could be a part of the 'day they deserved'. Also read | Japan's crown prince Fumihito 'approves' Princess Mako's wedding to commoner on one condition She even used her father, who was suffering from cancer to gather support. Also read | Moment of pride: Two same-sex couples to get married in Taiwanese military mass wedding Standen's father, Derek, who died before the wedding in Widnes, Cheshire recorded a video message that was played out on the day of marriage. English football club Everton also recorded a video with top players who extended their wishes to the family. Her friends even set up a GoFundMe page for the donation of the couple's wedding. On the day of marriage, the video recorded by Derek was played out, which made the guests attending the marriage emotional. However, the bride soon started cracking jokes and gave a "faultless speech", a guest said, reports Daily Mirror. "After hearing her father's laboured words she got up and gave a faultless speech, even cracking a few jokes," the guest said. Witnesses claim that post the wedding, the couple went to a nearby hotel and counted the cash that they received in the wedding before setting off for a honeymoon in Turkey. They also went to Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and Italy despite Standen's critical health. However, Standen's lies were exposed when she claimed that she contracted novel coronavirus, which triggered suspicion among friends and they reportedly confronted her. As per Daily Mirror, she has admitted her fraud, which one of her friends describe as "ultimate betrayal" The report said that Standen has pleaded guilty to fraud and now faces jail term.

Woman fakes 'terminal cancer' to win funds for 'perfect wedding'

The United Kingdom might pull its judges out of the highest court in Hong Kong. British Foreign Secretary on Monday claimed that this could happen due to China breaking its international obligations in Hong Kong.

A new security bill imposed in the city on June 30 is being perceived as a breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, which led to the handover of Hong Kong. For over 150 years, Britain ruled over Hong Kong, after which it was returned to China in 1997. The UK also lodged protests against new rules which allow the disqualification of elected legislators in Hong Kong.

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"This has been, and continues to be, the most concerning period in Hong Kong’s post-handover history," Raab wrote in his latest report on Hong Kong, which he has been writing for six months now.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/exclusive-the-vatican-got-nothing-while-china-received-everything-says-hong-kongs-cardinal-zen-344918" hreflang="en">EXCLUSIVE: The Vatican got nothing, while China received everything, says Hong Kong's Cardinal Zen</a>

The government of Hong Kong has responded to reports, calling it “sweeping attacks and groundless accusations”. HK representatives also called his remarks “irresponsible”.

According to local Xinhua news agency, Chinese foreign ministry in Hong Kong showed “strong indignation” over the report. "Wake up and stop the old colonial dream of interfering in Hong Kong's affairs!", Chinese representatives reportedly said.

The controversial national security law in Hong Kong punishes secession, sedition, along with collusion with foreign forces. It could land people in jail for life. The city has witnessed demonstrations for over a year, which sometimes got violent.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/five-eyes-or-ten-eyes-they-should-be-careful-not-to-get-their-eyes-poked-out-china-on-hong-kong-row-344107" hreflang="en">Five eyes or ten eyes, they should be careful not to get their eyes poked out: China on Hong Kong row</a>

According to analysts and international governments, the law is a stifle freedoms enriched in Hong Kong’s “Basic Law”.

"I have begun consultations with Lord Reed, President of the UK Supreme Court, concerning when to review whether it continues to be appropriate for British judges to sit as non-permanent judges on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal," Raab said.

The United Kingdom might pull its judges out of the highest court in Hong Kong. British Foreign Secretary on Monday claimed that this could happen due to China breaking its international obligations in Hong Kong.

The United Kingdom might pull its judges out of the highest court in Hong Kong. British Foreign Secretary on Monday claimed that this could happen due to China breaking its international obligations in Hong Kong. A new security bill imposed in the city on June 30 is being perceived as a breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, which led to the handover of Hong Kong. For over 150 years, Britain ruled over Hong Kong, after which it was returned to China in 1997. The UK also lodged protests against new rules which allow the disqualification of elected legislators in Hong Kong. "This has been, and continues to be, the most concerning period in Hong Kong’s post-handover history," Raab wrote in his latest report on Hong Kong, which he has been writing for six months now. Also read: EXCLUSIVE: The Vatican got nothing, while China received everything, says Hong Kong's Cardinal Zen The government of Hong Kong has responded to reports, calling it “sweeping attacks and groundless accusations”. HK representatives also called his remarks “irresponsible”. According to local Xinhua news agency, Chinese foreign ministry in Hong Kong showed “strong indignation” over the report. "Wake up and stop the old colonial dream of interfering in Hong Kong's affairs!", Chinese representatives reportedly said. The controversial national security law in Hong Kong punishes secession, sedition, along with collusion with foreign forces. It could land people in jail for life. The city has witnessed demonstrations for over a year, which sometimes got violent. Also read: Five eyes or ten eyes, they should be careful not to get their eyes poked out: China on Hong Kong row According to analysts and international governments, the law is a stifle freedoms enriched in Hong Kong’s “Basic Law”. "I have begun consultations with Lord Reed, President of the UK Supreme Court, concerning when to review whether it continues to be appropriate for British judges to sit as non-permanent judges on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal," Raab said.

UK might pull British judges out of Hong Kong's highest court

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday said the "escape route" from the novel coronavirus is visible, saying that the strict measures would not continue beyond December 2.&nbsp;

"The breakthroughs in treatment, in testing vaccines, mean that the scientific cavalry is now in sight," the British PM told parliament.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-normal-christmas-this-year-says-britains-finance-minister-rishi-sunak-344710">No 'normal' Christmas this year, says Britain's Finance Minister Rishi Sunak</a>

"We know in our hearts that next year we will succeed. By the spring these advances should reduce the need for the restrictions we've endured in 2020.

"We have turned a corner and the escape route is in sight," Johnson said, but added that "Christmas cannot be normal and there's a long road to spring".

He said that England would once again see a tiered system of restrictions once the current lockdown expires on December 2.&nbsp;

Several strict restrictions will be lifted that will once again allow people to leave their homes for anything and religious events and some leisure activities will be permitted.&nbsp;

Up to 4,000 people will be allowed to enter sports stadiums and live concerts in low-risk regions in England.

Pubs can be reopened if they don't come under highest-tear areas.

"We all want some kind of Christmas, we need it," he said, but warned that caution must be maintained to not let virus "flare up again".&nbsp;

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday said the "escape route" from the novel coronavirus is visible, saying that the strict measures would not continue beyond December 2.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday said the "escape route" from the novel coronavirus is visible, saying that the strict measures would not continue beyond December 2. "The breakthroughs in treatment, in testing vaccines, mean that the scientific cavalry is now in sight," the British PM told parliament. Also read | No 'normal' Christmas this year, says Britain's Finance Minister Rishi Sunak "We know in our hearts that next year we will succeed. By the spring these advances should reduce the need for the restrictions we've endured in 2020. "We have turned a corner and the escape route is in sight," Johnson said, but added that "Christmas cannot be normal and there's a long road to spring". He said that England would once again see a tiered system of restrictions once the current lockdown expires on December 2. Several strict restrictions will be lifted that will once again allow people to leave their homes for anything and religious events and some leisure activities will be permitted. Up to 4,000 people will be allowed to enter sports stadiums and live concerts in low-risk regions in England. Pubs can be reopened if they don't come under highest-tear areas. "We all want some kind of Christmas, we need it," he said, but warned that caution must be maintained to not let virus "flare up again".

Boris Johnson says 'escape route' from coronavirus 'in sight'

Britain's Finance Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday ruled out the possibility of a 'normal' Christmas as the government prepares for tighter restrictions amid worsening <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus </a>crisis.&nbsp;

"Frustrating as it is for all of us, Christmas is not going to be normal this year," Sunak told Sky's Sophie Ridge on Sunday, as quoted by news agency Reuters.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eastern-europe-becomes-new-covid-19-hotspot-as-infections-surge-344570">Eastern Europe becomes new COVID-19 hotspot as infections surge</a>

"But that said, the Prime Minister is, for example, looking at ways to see how families can spend time with each other."

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-hits-12-million-covid-19-cases-as-many-americans-defy-thanksgiving-travel-guidance-344596">US hits 12 million COVID-19 cases as many Americans defy Thanksgiving travel guidance</a>

Sunak's comments came after the government affirmed that there will be a tougher set of restrictions after the current lockdown ends on December 2.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to discuss the plan with the MPs on Monday.

The British prime minister cannot expect an easy approval of tighter measures as 70 conservative MPs have said they would not back a new set of rules until they see cost-benefit analysis.&nbsp;

Downing Streets has said more areas will be placed under tighter restrictions to contain the spread of the virus.&nbsp;

Various media reports, however, suggest that these measures could be temporarily relaxed over Christmas.&nbsp;

As per the official figures, there are 54,626 deaths and 1,493,383 coronavirus cases in the UK.&nbsp;

Britain's Finance Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday ruled out the possibility of a 'normal' Christmas as the government prepares for tighter restrictions amid worsening coronavirus crisis.

Britain's Finance Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday ruled out the possibility of a 'normal' Christmas as the government prepares for tighter restrictions amid worsening coronavirus crisis. "Frustrating as it is for all of us, Christmas is not going to be normal this year," Sunak told Sky's Sophie Ridge on Sunday, as quoted by news agency Reuters. Also read | Eastern Europe becomes new COVID-19 hotspot as infections surge "But that said, the Prime Minister is, for example, looking at ways to see how families can spend time with each other." Also read | US hits 12 million COVID-19 cases as many Americans defy Thanksgiving travel guidance Sunak's comments came after the government affirmed that there will be a tougher set of restrictions after the current lockdown ends on December 2. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to discuss the plan with the MPs on Monday. The British prime minister cannot expect an easy approval of tighter measures as 70 conservative MPs have said they would not back a new set of rules until they see cost-benefit analysis. Downing Streets has said more areas will be placed under tighter restrictions to contain the spread of the virus. Various media reports, however, suggest that these measures could be temporarily relaxed over Christmas. As per the official figures, there are 54,626 deaths and 1,493,383 coronavirus cases in the UK.

No 'normal' Christmas this year, says Britain's Finance Minister Rishi Sunak

Royal biographer Penny Junor on Wednesday (November 18) called the portrayal of Britain's royal family in Season 4 of Netflix television drama "The Crown" "the most terrible character assassination of just about all of them."

'A terrible character assassination' on royals - Penny Junor on 'The Crown' Season 4

"Layered" and "truthful" are the words Jude Law and writer/director Sean Durkin are using to describe their new film, "The Nest." Law star alongside actress Carrie Coon in the drama set in England during the 1980s and follows a couple navigating a marriage rooted in lies.

Jude Law earns an acting nomination for his 'layered' performance in new film 'The Nest'

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday warned his top minister that the envisioned trade agreement with the European Union remained uncertain. He, however added that Britain would thrive with or without a deal.

Only six weeks are left for the transitional arrangement between the UK and EU to expire. Currently, both the sides are urging each other to change their positions to enable a deal which would&nbsp; govern $1 trillion in annual trade.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/boris-johnson-says-devolving-powers-to-scotland-was-a-disaster-faces-criticism-343737" hreflang="en">Boris Johnson says devolving powers to Scotland was 'a disaster'; faces criticism</a>

Even though both sides say progress has been made, but it ins unclear what trade offs have been made in the last round of talks.

Even now, both the sides disagree on fair competition and fisheries.

During a cabinet meeting, Johnson said his position remains unchanged, that he wanted a deal but not at “the cost of our core principles around sovereignty and control over our laws, borders, money and our fish”, according to his spokesperson.

“We are working hard to find solutions which fully respect UK sovereignty, but it is far from certain that an agreement will prove possible and time is now very short”, the spokesperson added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/im-fit-as-a-butchers-dog-british-pm-boris-johnson-343467" hreflang="en">I'm fit as a butcher's dog: British PM Boris Johnson</a>

Johnson also claims that Britain will prosper even if they are unable to strike a deal.

In a “no deal” scenario, supply chains across Europe wold be disrupted. This will impact intensely as the region is suffering economic crises due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday warned his top minister that the envisioned trade agreement with the European Union remained uncertain. He, however added that Britain would thrive with or without a deal.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday warned his top minister that the envisioned trade agreement with the European Union remained uncertain. He, however added that Britain would thrive with or without a deal. Only six weeks are left for the transitional arrangement between the UK and EU to expire. Currently, both the sides are urging each other to change their positions to enable a deal which would govern $1 trillion in annual trade. Also read: Boris Johnson says devolving powers to Scotland was 'a disaster'; faces criticism Even though both sides say progress has been made, but it ins unclear what trade offs have been made in the last round of talks. Even now, both the sides disagree on fair competition and fisheries. During a cabinet meeting, Johnson said his position remains unchanged, that he wanted a deal but not at “the cost of our core principles around sovereignty and control over our laws, borders, money and our fish”, according to his spokesperson. “We are working hard to find solutions which fully respect UK sovereignty, but it is far from certain that an agreement will prove possible and time is now very short”, the spokesperson added. Also read: I'm fit as a butcher's dog: British PM Boris Johnson Johnson also claims that Britain will prosper even if they are unable to strike a deal. In a “no deal” scenario, supply chains across Europe wold be disrupted. This will impact intensely as the region is suffering economic crises due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

UK PM Boris Johnson tells ministers that Brexit deal with EU remains uncertain

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