Millions in the UK are being urged to get vaccinations during a surge in measles cases
U.K. health officials are urging millions of parents to book their children for missed measles, mumps and rubella shots during a sharp increase in the number of measles cases and the lowest vaccination rates in a decade.
Cyprus labors to shield reputation amid new US, UK action on Russian 'sanctions evasion network'
For Cypriots, it was a collective "here we go again" moment: In April, the U.S. and the U.K. included a handful of Cypriot nationals and Cyprus-registered companies on a list of โenablersโ helping Russian oligarchs skirt sanctions.
Bank of England set to raise UK interest rates to highest level since 2008
The Bank of England is set to raise interest rates to their highest level since late 2008 as it continues to combat stubbornly high inflation in the U.K. Financial markets expect the bankโs nine-member Monetary Policy Committee to lift its main interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.5% on Thursday.
Tens of thousands without power in UK in storm's wake
Tens of thousands of people in Scotland and northern England remain without power after a storm brought sleet, subzero temperatures and disruptions across much of the U.K. Icy gusts caused power cuts around the border between Scotland and England, with Northern Powergrid saying it recorded 1,100 instances of damage requiring significant repairs.
UK opens public inquiry into proposed new deep coal mine
The U.K. has opened a public inquiry into plans for the countryโs first new deep coal mine in three decades amid complaints that permitting the project would send the wrong message as the government seeks to persuade other countries to give up coal.
Deliveroo shares slump in UK IPO as investors lose appetite
FILE - In this file photo dated Monday Feb. 15, 2021, a Deliveroo food delivery worker pushes his bike in front of restaurant in Paris. Shares in the app-based meal delivery service Deliveroo tumbled by as much as a third in their U.K. stock market debut on Wednesday March 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, FILE)LONDON โ Shares of app-based meal delivery service Deliveroo, which saw its business boosted by pandemic lockdowns, tumbled by as much as a third in their U.K. stock market debut on Wednesday. The slump also reflects a growing backlash against โgig economy" companies, with half a dozen leading U.K. fund managers abstaining from the IPO amid concerns about working conditions for Deliveroo's delivery riders, and its shareholder structure. As part of the IPO, Deliveroo promised longtime riders bonuses of up to 10,000 pounds.
Epic Games complains about Apple to UK competition watchdog
FILE - In this Saturday, March 14, 2020 file photo, an Apple logo adorns the facade of the downtown Brooklyn Apple store in New York. Epic Games said Tuesday March 30, 2021, it filed a complaint about Apple to the U.K. competition watchdog, which is investigating the iPhone maker over concerns it has a dominant position in app distribution. Epic Games has also filed legal challenges in the United States and Australia, and an antitrust complaint in the European Union against Apple. Epic tried to bypass the App Store with a direct payment system, but Apple responded by dropping the Fortnite app from the platform. Apple said Epic Games became hugely successful thanks to the App Store and now "wants to operate under a different set of rules than the ones that apply to all other developers.
UK watchdog: Police acted correctly at vigil for slain woman
FILE - In this file photo dated Saturday, March 20, 2021, floral tributes and messages surround the bandstand on Clapham Common in London after the nearby disappearance of Sarah Everard. A U.K. police watchdog said Tuesday March 30, 2021, that officers did not behave in a heavy-handed manner when they broke up a vigil for Sarah Everard, who disappeared while walking home in London and was later found murdered. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, FILE)LONDON โ A U.K. police watchdog said Tuesday that officers didn't behave โin a heavy-handed mannerโ when they broke up a vigil for a London woman whose killing sparked an outcry about women's safety. Her body was later found hidden in woodland more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) away. Images of police officers tussling with women at the peaceful rally, and leading some away in handcuffs, drew strong criticism.
With no COVID-19 patients, immunized Gibraltar drops curfew
People enjoy a meal in a restaurant in Gibraltar, UK on Thursday March 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Javier Fergo)With its hospital free of COVID-19 patients and only one new coronavirus infection reported in a full week, the tiny British overseas territory of Gibraltar is allowing itself some prudent celebration. The territory of 33,000, located in the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, is ending a night-time curfew imposed three months ago to contain a surge of infections. Gibraltar's midnight-to-5 a.m. curfew ends Thursday, allowing bars and restaurants to stay open until 2 a.m. Gibraltar was hardest hit by the pandemic around Christmas, in a wave that caused most of its total tally of 4,271 cases and 94 deaths.
EXPLAINER: How Uber UK case could foreshadow gig work revamp
It's an early sign of what companies like Uber face as authorities get to grips with regulating the app-based gig economy. San Francisco-based Uber Technologies Inc. says a driver's minimum wage will be calculated based on the time they accept a trip through the app. Of course you should," said James Farrar, one of two former Uber drivers who filed the initial claim. THE GIG ECONOMY'S FUTUREThe Uber case is part of broader efforts to rein in the gig economy that are gaining traction, at least in Europe. AdCEO Dara Khosrowshahi has been a dvocating for reforms to what he called outdated labor laws that force gig workers to choose between flexibility and social protections.
Facebook steps up vaccine misinfo efforts. Will it work?
FILE - This March 29, 2018 file photo shows the Facebook logo on screens at the Nasdaq MarketSite, in New York's Times Square. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)A inoculation efforts for the coronavirus ramp up around the world, Facebook says itโs going all in to block the spread of bogus vaccine claims. Among Facebookโs new targets: claims include that vaccines arenโt effective or that theyโre toxic, dangerous or cause autism, all of which have been thoroughly debunked for both the coronavirus vaccine and any other vaccine. AdIn the fall of 2020, the company banned advertisements that discourage vaccinations โ with an exception carved out for advocacy ads about government vaccine policies โ but at that time it didn't ban unpaid posts by users. Itโs not clear if Facebookโs newly-expanded policy will be more effective than its past attempts to clamp down on COVID and vaccine-related misinformation.
Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine appears to reduce coronavirus spread
Results from the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine trial show that the vaccine may actually help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in addition to effectively preventing infection. Recent findings from the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine trial imply that the vaccine might be effective at reducing coronavirus transmission. Read: Study finds COVID-19 vaccine may reduce virus transmissionAdResearchers in the Oxford-AstraZeneca study took swabs from volunteers weekly during the trials to see if the volunteers were able to spread the virus. This information is reassuring, particularly to Britain and other countries that have prioritized administering first doses of the vaccine by pushing second doses until later. More: UK says new study vindicates delaying 2nd virus vaccine shotAdBritain became the first country to authorize AstraZenecaโs inexpensive, easy-to-handle COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 30.
Euro economy burdened by pandemic, seen lagging US and China
The European economy shrank 0.7% in the last three months of 2020 as businesses were hit by a new round of lockdowns aimed at containing a resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic. But the official figures released Tuesday couldn't erase a gloomier outlook for this year: the 19 countries that use the euro are forecast to lag China and the U.S. in bouncing back from the worst of the pandemic. AdThe German economy, Europe's biggest, grew by a scant 0.1% in the fourth quarter while France saw a smaller than expected drop of 1.3%. The restrictions on everything from hair salons to pubs has not improved the mood either, despite the resulting dip in infections. The current data leave no doubt that โthe eurozone will be the last major economy to return to pre-pandemic levels,โ he said.
UK opens formal investigation of Facebook's Giphy takeover
The U.K.'s competition watchdog launched a formal investigation on Thursday Jan. 28, 2021 into Facebook's purchase of Giphy over concerns it will stifle competition for animated images. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)LONDON โ The U.K.'s competition watchdog launched a formal investigation on Thursday into Facebook's purchase of Giphy over concerns it will stifle competition for animated images. The watchdog started examining the deal last year, shortly after Facebook announced its plan to acquire Giphy in a deal reportedly worth $400 million. โWe will continue to fully cooperate with the CMAโs investigation," Facebook said in a statement. Half of Giphyโs traffic comes from Facebookโs apps, which also include Messenger and WhatsApp, Facebook said when it announced the deal.
What to know about the more contagious strain of COVID after cases confirmed in Michigan
DETROIT โ A total of 17 cases of a new, more contagious strain of COVID-19 had been identified in Michigan. There have been 13 cases confirmed in Washtenaw County and four cases in Wayne County. READ: New COVID variant in Michigan: 13 cases in Washtenaw County, 4 cases in Wayne CountyWill I test positive on a COVID-19 test if I have the U.K. variant? What makes the U.K. variant more contagious? Experts said the U.K. strain is better at latching on to the receptors in our nose, lungs and digestive tract.
UK chief scientist says new virus variant may be more deadly
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a coronavirus press conference at 10 Downing Street in London, Friday Jan. 22, 2021. But Vallance stressed that โthe evidence is not yet strong" and more research is needed. In contrast to that uncertainty, he said, there is growing confidence that the variant is more easily passed on than the original coronavirus strain. Many countries have closed their borders to travelers from Britain, and the U.K. has halted flights from Brazil and South Africa. The U.K. is currently in a lockdown in an attempt to slow the latest surge of the coronavirus outbreak.
More local COVID variant cases discovered; AADLโs top items of 2020; one-on-one with Eli Savit
Two more cases of the COVID variant have been discovered in Washtenaw County. (Detroit Free Press)๐จ The Washtenaw County Prosecutorโs Office announced Monday a new policy aimed at combatting racial profiling. (A4)Good to know:๐ฌ Itโs one of my favorite lists to browse each year: Ann Arbor District Libraryโs most requested items. (A4)Feature interview of the week:โI am a believer in the justice system based on what you did and not who you are.โ- Eli Savit, Washtenaw County Prosecutor๐จ Have something to share? All About Ann Arbor is powered by ClickOnDetroit/WDIV.
The Latest: Hawaii says scarcity hinders vaccination efforts
(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)HONOLULU โ Hawaiiโs leaders say limited supply is the main thing constraining distribution of the coronavirus vaccine in the state. He said the sites have set the vaccine doses aside and will receive replacement doses on Tuesday and Wednesday. ___TORONTO โ Canadian officials say the country wonโt be getting any Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine next week and 50% less than expected over the next month. U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer confirmed last week it would temporarily reduce deliveries to Europe and Canada of its COVID-19 vaccine while it upgrades production capacity. ___JERUSALEM โ Israelโs Cabinet on Tuesday extended an existing nationwide lockdown through the end of January as the country contends with a runaway surge in coronavirus cases.
What you need to know about the more easily spread COVID-19 variant now that itโs in Michigan
DETROIT โ The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported Michiganโs first case of the more easily spread U.K. coronavirus variant. and was identified in a Washtenaw County woman who had recently traveled to the U.K. Thatโs where the variant originated. READ: First case of COVID variant detected in Michigan: What to knowThe B.1.1.7 variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 has quickly become dominant in the U.K. Thatโs because it appears to be at least 50 percent more transmissible. The reason itโs more easily spread is that several of the mutations in the variant allow the spike protein, which the virus uses to attach to human cells, to bind more tightly. variant does spread more easily.
First case of COVID variant detected in Michigan: What to know
The first case of a COVID-19 variant believed to be more contagious was detected in Michigan over the weekend. Two additional positive COVID cases have been identified among close contacts with the Washtenaw County woman, but it is unclear if those two individuals are also infected with the virus variant. What do we know about COVID variant B.1.1.7.? The B.1.1.7 variant is estimated to have emerged in September 2020 and has quickly become the dominant circulating SARS-CoV-2 variant in England, the CDC says. Earlier this month, research suggested Pfizerโs COVID-19 vaccine can protect against the B.1.1.7 variant, specifically.
Officials: 1st case of new COVID variant found in Michigan
LANSING, Mich. โ Michigan officials have identified the stateโs first case of a new coronavirus variant, believed to be more contagious, in an infected individual living in Washtenaw County. Officials with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced Saturday, Jan. 16 that an adult female living in Washtenaw County has contracted a new COVID-19 variant, known as B.1.1.7. Officials say she recently traveled to the United Kingdom, where the variant was first identified and has recently sent part of that country into a strict lockdown to help curb virus spread. According to authorities, two additional positive COVID cases have been identified among close contacts with the Washtenaw County woman, but it is unclear if those two individuals are also infected with the virus variant. Officials say the variant has now been identified in at least 16 other states as of Jan. 16.
The Latest: Australia moves up vaccination start to February
(AP Photo/Mark Baker)CANBERRA, Australia โ Australia is advancing the start of its coronavirus vaccination program to mid-February, with plans to inoculate 15% of the population by late March. Mexicoโs vaccination effort continues at a glacial rate, with about 7,500 shots administered Wednesday, a rate similar to previous days. John Bel Edwards and public health officials said Wednesday that efforts are being made to speed up vaccinations for the coronavirus. So far, state officials have administered 126,602 of the 522,550 doses the state has received. More than 329,000 people have been vaccinated in Florida โ or about 1.5% of the population โ almost all of them either health care workers, residents in care homes, or people over the age of 65.
US to require negative COVID-19 test from UK travelers
The United States will require airline passengers from Britain to get a negative COVID-19 test before their flight, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced late Thursday, Dec. 24. The U.S. is the latest country to announce new travel restrictions because of a new variant of the coronavirus that is spreading in Britain. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)ATLANTA โ The United States will require airline passengers from Britain to get a negative COVID-19 test before their flight, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced late Thursday. The agency said because of travel restrictions in place since March, air travel to the U.S. from the U.K. is already down by 90%. Andrew Cuomo said three airlines with flights from London to New York -- British Airways, Delta and Virgin Atlantic -- had agreed to require passengers to take a COVID-19 test before getting on the plane.
UK nixes Christmas gatherings, shuts London shops over virus
Shoppers wear face masks as they walk in Regent Street, ahead of the new Tier-4 restriction measures, in London, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020. Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Christmas gatherings cannot go ahead and non-essential shops must close in London and much of southern England as he imposed a new, higher level of coronavirus restrictions to curb rapidly spreading infections. โIt is with a very heavy heart that I must tell you we cannot proceed with Christmas as planned,โ Johnson said. While London fared relatively well in controlling the virus throughout the fall, the city now has the highest infection rates in England. The move will largely scrap Christmas gatherings in line with the rules for southern England.
'Healing is coming': US health workers start getting vaccine
โRelieved,โ proclaimed critical care nurse Sandra Lindsay after becoming one of the first to be inoculated at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York. โI feel like healing is coming.โWith a countdown of โ3-2-1,โ workers at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center gave initial injections to applause. It just represents a moral failing,โ said Jennifer Nuzzo, a public health researcher at Johns Hopkins. Getting vaccinated is โa privilege,โ said Dr. Leonardo Seoane, chief academic officer at Ochsner Health in suburban New Orleans, after getting his dose. And later this week, the FDA will decide whether to green-light the worldโs second rigorously studied COVID-19 vaccine, made by Moderna Inc.
Portage, Michigan โproudโ to help roll out Pfizer COVID vaccine
PORTAGE, Mich. โ Thereโs a small town in Michigan working day and night to make a vaccine for coronavirus (COVID-19). In Europe, trucks were rolling out of a Pfizer plant in Belgium headed to the U.K. where the first doses of the vaccine were given. Thereโs a Pfizer plant similar to that one in the town of Portage, Michigan. Portage Mayor Patricia M. Randall said Pfizer is the cityโs largest employer. Arun Tandon owns Advanced Health Pharmacy.
UK issues new guidance after 2 health care workers have allergic reaction to Pfizerโs COVID-19 vaccine
DETROIT โ A warning from the U.K. is causing some concern as the nation continues its rollout of Pfizerโs COVID-19 vaccine. Two health care workers who received the shot on Tuesday had an allergic reaction. Officials said both workers did have a past history of allergic reactions and had carried adrenaline auto injectors. READ: EXPLAINER: Allergic reactions to vaccines rare, short-livedU.K. regulators said people who have previously suffered significant allergic reactions should not get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The precautionary advice states that anyone with a โsignificant history of allergic reaction to a vaccine, medicine, or foodโ should not receive the vaccine.
EXPLAINER: Allergic reactions to vaccines rare, short-lived
(AP Photo/Frank Augstein, Pool)Vaccines can sometimes cause allergic reactions, but they are usually rare and short-lived. In the meantime, they're telling people to skip the vaccine if they've had a history of serious allergic reactions. A look at allergic reactions to vaccines:HOW OFTEN DO THEY HAPPEN? Allergic reactions can occur with numerous vaccines and experts say they are not unexpected. He noted that even common foods can provoke severe allergic reactions.
UK probes whether COVID-19 vaccine caused allergic reactions
The medical regulator also said vaccinations should be carried out only in facilities that have resuscitation equipment. Such advice isn't uncommon; several vaccines already on the market carry warnings about allergic reactions, and doctors know to watch for them when people whoโve had reactions to drugs or vaccines in the past are given new products. One has to remember that even things like Marmite can cause unexpected severe allergic reactions,โ he said, referring to the food spread that is made from brewerโs yeast. Detailed data from the vaccine's trials showed potential allergic reactions in 0.63% of those who received the vaccine, compared with 0.51% of those who received the placebo. The agency is monitoring the vaccine rollout closely and โwill now investigate these cases in more detail to understand if the allergic reactions were linked to the vaccine or were incidental,โ Powis said.
Shares mostly lower in Asia after tech-led drop on Wall St
A man wearing a face mask to protect against the coronavirus walks past a bank's electronic board showing the Hong Kong share index in Hong Kong, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020. Stocks were mostly lower Thursday in Asia after weakness in technology companies shares led an overnight decline on Wall Street. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)Stocks were mostly lower Thursday in Asia after weakness in technology companiesโ shares led an overnight decline on Wall Street. Benchmarks fell in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney but edged higher in Shanghai. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index slipped 0.5% to 26,364.51 and the Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo gave up 0.3% to 26,735.63.
A look at the small town in Michigan working on Pfizerโs COVID-19 vaccine
PORTAGE, Mich. โ Thereโs a small town in Michigan working day and night to make a vaccine for coronavirus (COVID-19). In Europe, trucks were rolling out of a Pfizer plant in Belgium headed to the U.K. where the first doses of the vaccine were given. Thereโs a Pfizer plant similar to that one in the town of Portage, Michigan. Whan Koh has friends working on the vaccine, something that would normally take years. Arun Tandon owns Advanced Health Pharmacy.
Crew safe, 7 detained after UK special forces raid tanker
The Nave Andromeda oil tanker is docked next to the Queen Elizabeth II Cruise Terminal in Southampton, England, Monday, Oct. 26, 2020. The U.K. military seized control of the oil tanker that dropped anchor in the English Channel after reporting it had seven stowaways on board who had become violent. (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire via AP)LONDON โ All crew members of an oil tanker that was stormed by British naval special forces after a group of stowaways threatened violence are โsafe and well,โ the shipโs operator confirmed Monday. Seven people were detained in the raid, which unfolded in the English Channel after darkness fell on Sunday. โI commend the hard work of the armed forces and police to protect lives and secure the ship,โณ Wallace said.
UK government borrowing hits record due to pandemic
LONDON โ The COVID-19 pandemic is battering Britainโs public finances, pushing government borrowing to a record last month as tax revenue fell and authorities spent billions of pounds to prop up the economy. The government borrowed a net 36.1 billion pounds ($47.1 billion) in September, pushing the total for the first six months of the year to 208.5 billion pounds, the Office for National Statistics said Wednesday. Economic growth plunged during the spring after Johnson ordered many businesses to shut, slashing tax revenue and boosting the need for government spending to protect jobs. Treasury chief Rishi Sunak said protecting jobs and businesses during the pandemic is โfiscally responsibleโ and the government will take the necessary steps to restore public finances once the economy recovers. โWhilst itโs clear that the coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on our public finances, things would have been far worse had we not acted in the way we did to protect millions of livelihoods.โ
Loss of smell, taste โreliableโ indicator of COVID-19 infection, study finds
A new study out of the U.K. finds that loss of smell or taste is a โhighly reliableโ indicator that someone has contracted COVID-19. But after contracting COVID-19, Fletcher experienced difficulty breathing, abdominal pain and lost his sense of smell and taste. According to Justin Turner, a doctor and medical director of Vanderbilt Universityโs Smell and Taste Center, about 50%-70% of patients with COVID-19 will lose part or all of their sense of smell and/or taste. Turner says for up to 25% of COVID-19 patients, the loss of smell and taste could be the first -- and sometimes only -- sign of infection. The loss of smell and taste can linger for months following a COVID-19 infection; itโs often the last symptom to resolve.
Loss of smell, taste โreliableโ indicator of COVID-19 infection, study finds
Loss of smell, taste โreliableโ indicator of COVID-19 infection, study findsPublished: October 10, 2020, 6:53 pmA new study out of the U.K. finds that loss of smell or taste is a โhighly reliableโ indicator that someone has contracted COVID-19.
UK's hospitality sector sounds alarm on jobs amid curfew
โWe are doing that data again but we anticipate it will be far higher due to local restrictions, the national constraints on events, working from home and the curfew,โ she said. The programme will be replaced by the less generous Jobs Support Scheme, which will see the government pay up to 22% of wages for workers who come back from Nov. 1. Many workers on furlough returned to their jobs when the sector reopened in early July after months of lockdown. But Nicholls said around 900,000 hospitality workers remain on furlough and urged the government to do more to ensure that most of them remain in their jobs through winter. That would push unemployment towards the 3 million mark, a level the U.K. has not seen since the early 1990s.
Prince Harry speaks about race, marks UK Black History Month
LONDON โ Prince Harry has spoken about his โawakeningโ to race issues as he and his wife, Meghan, launched an anti-racism campaign to mark Black History Month in the U.K. He stressed that his and Meghan's campaign wasnโt about โpointing the finger, it is not about blame.โโThis is about learning. And about how we can make it better,โ he said, speaking from the coupleโs home in Santa Barbara, California. The couple released a list of Black people recognized for challenging prejudice, calling them โnext gen trailblazers,โ along with an opinion piece in the newspaper. Meghan, a former American actress known as Meghan Markle, identifies as biracial.
'The Batman' resumes UK production after positive COVID case
The U.K. production of โThe Batmanโ is starting up again after being shut down earlier this month when an individual tested positive for COVID-19. A spokesperson for Warner Bros. said Thursday that filming had resumed after a hiatus for quarantine precautions. Robert Pattinson stars in the film from director Matt Reeves which had been on hiatus for almost six months because of the coronavirus pandemic. The positive case came just three days after โThe Batmanโ had initially resumed shooting. โThe Batmanโ was originally supposed to hit theaters in June 2021 but was pushed back to October 2021 because of the delays.
UK jobs market hurtling toward cliff-edge moment in October
Unemployment across the U.K. has held steady during the coronavirus lockdown as a result of a government salary support scheme, but there are clear signals emerging that job losses will skyrocket over coming months. The stable jobless rate is largely due to a government salary support scheme that will end in October, a cliff-edge moment that many economists think will lead to an almost immediate doubling in unemployment. The number of jobseekers could rise to over 3 million, a level not seen since the 1980s. Unions are urging the government to at least extend the furlough scheme to those sectors that are still suffering because of lockdown restrictions. The alarm bells couldnt be ringing any louder, said Frances OGrady, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress.
UK pays tribute to National Health Service on 72nd birthday
NHS staff outside Royal Victoria Infirmary join in the pause for applause to salute the NHS 72nd birthday, in Newcastle, England, Sunday, July 5, 2020. People across the U.K. joined a round of applause to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the formation of the free-to-use National Health Service, undoubtedly the countrys most cherished institution. The reverence with which it is held has been accentuated this year during the coronavirus pandemic. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)LONDON People across the U.K. joined in a round of applause on Sunday to mark the 72nd anniversary of the free-to-use National Health Service, one of the country's most cherished institutions. Funded by everyone through the tax system, it provides free health care to any U.K. resident when needed.
UK tour operator scraps Florida visits over Disney measures
LONDON Europes biggest travel and tourism company, TUI, is cancelling all holidays to Florida from the U.K. until December following the introduction of new hygiene rules at Walt Disney World Resort, including the mandatory use of face coverings. The firm said Friday it made the decision because the new regulations would significantly impact the holiday experience for its customers. WDWR, which includes four theme parks, will require visitors aged two and above to wear face coverings except when eating or swimming when it reopens in mid-July. Temperature screenings may be required for entry to some locations, and the number of entry tickets will be limited. TUI is resuming its holiday programme by serving eight destinations across Spain and Greece from July 11, as long as government travel restrictions are eased.
On hottest day of year, thousands cram onto English beaches
According to weather forecasters Thursday could be the UK's hottest day of the year, so far, with scorching temperatures forecast to rise even further. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)LONDON Police around the southern English coastal town of Bournemouth urged people to stay away Thursday as thousands defied coronavirus social distancing rules and flocked to local beaches on what is the U.K.'s hottest day of the year so far. This gives additional powers to local authorities and emergency services to tackle the issue. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council said services were completely overstretched as people sought the sanctuary of the seaside on a day meteorologists confirmed as the hottest of 2020. Council leader Vikki Slade said she was absolutely appalled at the scenes witnessed on the beaches particularly at Bournemouth and Sandbanks over the past day or two.
More stimulus expected as UK inflation drops to 4-year low
People walk on Oxford Street, in London, Wednesday June 17, 2020, as further coronavirus lockdown restrictions are lifted in England. The main downward contribution came unsurprisingly from fuel costs, which fell sharply in the wake of the big decline in crude oil prices. Economists said the further fall in inflation gives the Bank of England additional room to boost the ailing economy when it announces its latest policy action on Thursday. Last month, the Bank warned that the U.K. faced its worst recession since 1706. The May inflation data supports the case for the ongoing aggressive monetary and fiscal action along with the likely further steps to come, Pickering said.
Statues boarded up in London as more protests expected
Scaffolders erect boarding around the statue of Sir Winston Churchill at Parliament Square, in London, Thursday, June 11, 2020, following Black Lives Matter protests that took place across the U.K. over the weekend. The protests were ignited by the death of George Floyd, who died after he was restrained by Minneapolis police while in custody on May 25. (Kirsty O'Connor/PA via AP)LONDON Authorities in London boarded up a war memorial and a statue of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill ahead of expected rival demonstrations by anti-racism and far-right protesters, as the citys mayor on Friday urged protesters to stay home because of the coronavirus pandemic. Several other statues have been defaced during mass protests around the country, including Churchills, which was daubed with the words was a racist. Police now fear far-right groups plan to seek confrontation under the guise of protecting statues. With more demonstrations expected on the weekend, a protective plywood screen was erected late Thursday around Churchills statue outside Parliament.
Europe hopes to resume golf by funding 5 new events in UK
Swing" are new tournaments the European Tour will pay for out of its tournament development fund. If the quarantine is not lifted, top European Tour players would have to choose between a major and four European Tour events with minimal prize money. Hotels need to be in operation and the quarantine needs to be lifted to continue with these events, Pelley said. We wouldn't be announcing these events without having had significant dialogue with the UK government, Pelley said. The European Tour said no one will lose status for 2021 and there will not be a Q-school at the end of the year.
Nestle tightens controls on coffee beans after weedkiller scare
The world's largest coffee company said in a statement Friday that it had found glyphosate residues close to the maximum allowed in some deliveries of green coffee beans. In the United States, juries have awarded huge monetary damages to people who say their cancer was caused by exposure to glyphosate. Nestle buys some of its coffee beans from NKG. It was too early to say what consequences Nestle's tighter controls would have on NKG, a spokesperson said. Nestle would start with suppliers in Indonesia and Brazil, since these countries are among the world's biggest coffee producers.