With cases of the Omicron variant doubling every three days and the government doing an about-face on restrictions it had long resisted, Britain is bracing for a new coronavirus surge, unsure if it will be a relatively minor event or a return to the dark days of earlier pandemic waves.Continue Reading
LONDON — Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain on Wednesday announced major new restrictions to curb the fast-spreading Omicron variant, reversing course on a long-held policy at a moment of acute political peril for him, with his staff accused of flouting the rules by holding an office party during lastContinue Reading
new video loaded: U.K. Ministers Won’t Attend Beijing Winter Olympics, Johnson Says transcript Back transcript U.K. Ministers Won’t Attend Beijing Winter Olympics, Johnson Says Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain said the government would not send ministers to attend the 2022 Winter Olympics, joining the United States and other nationsContinue Reading
LONDON — Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that there will be “effectively a diplomatic boycott” of the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games by Britain, which joined the United States and others on Wednesday in a decision to pull its top officials from attendance of the Winter Games. The boycottContinue Reading
The Confederation of British Industry said in its latest forecast that a “short-lived recovery” in capital spending would end in 2023 because of tax hikes on companies. Investment in the United Kingdom has lagged that of other advanced economies for decades, and the business lobby group’s forecast will deal aContinue Reading
On Sunday, officials in Britain said they were still gauging the potential impact of the new variant. But increasing the uptake of vaccines and boosters would be the “surest defense,” Dominic Raab, Britain’s deputy prime minister, said to the BBC. “Our message is this: Enjoy Christmas this year. The vaccineContinue Reading
As the number of confirmed cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant rose to 160 in Britain, the government on Saturday announced further tightening of travel restrictions to combat its spread. Beginning Tuesday, travelers will be required to take a coronavirus test within 48 hours of traveling to Britain regardless ofContinue Reading
new video loaded: U.K. Extends Boosters to All Adults as Omicron Cases Grow transcript Back transcript U.K. Extends Boosters to All Adults as Omicron Cases Grow The British government has tightened restrictions and extended its vaccination program in an attempt to stem the spread of the coronavirus variant. “There haveContinue Reading
Richard Moore, head of MI6, speaks at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London The head of MI6 warned that China’s intelligence service was trying to steal technology and distort political decisions as it carried out “large-scale” intelligence operations against Britain and its allies.Speaking in public for the firstContinue Reading
Late last night, I was contacted by the U.K. Health Security Agency. I was informed that they have detected two cases of this new variant, Omicron, in the United Kingdom — one in Chelmsford, the other in Nottingham. The two individuals concerned are self-isolating, alongside their whole household, whilst furtherContinue Reading