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Tag: UK

  • Spain eases Covid entry rules for UK travellers

    UK citizens who have not had a coronavirus jab can now travel to Spain by showing a negative PCR or antigen test on arrival.

    The Spanish government confirmed that non-vaccinated travellers from outside the EU can enter the country from Saturday.

    Fully vaccinated passengers will still need to show proof of vaccination.

    The UK removed all its remaining international Covid travel restrictions for entry on 18 March.

    This included passenger locator forms and tests for passengers who do not qualify as vaccinated.

    Other European countries followed suit, with Austria, Greece, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Lithuania, Sweden, Serbia, Slovenia and Slovakia no longer having any Covid travel restrictions for visitors.

    Previously, heightened restrictions meant UK travellers were only allowed to enter Spain with vaccine certification or proof of recovery from the virus.

    As the latest wave of that strain dissipated, countries across the world loosened their Covid travel restrictions to welcome visitors again.

    And on Saturday, Spanish tourism minister Reyes Maroto said the “new phase of the pandemic” meant the country was able to relax the rules by equating non-EU travellers with those of the EU and Schengen-associated countries.

    “This is excellent news, much awaited by the tourism sector,” said Ms Maroto, adding: “Spain is becoming one of the most desired destinations in the world.”

    Source: BBC

  • UK Sports Minister confident of safe return to stadiums for spectators

    The government is confident it can move towards a safe return for fans to watch sporting events in stadiums, says Minister for Sport Nigel Huddleston.

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said spectators could be able to return to stadiums in England from October.

    On Tuesday, Warwickshire faced Worcestershire at Edgbaston as part of a pilot programme that saw a limited number fans allowed inside the ground.

    “We need to take the natural baby steps moving forward,” said Huddleston.

    Speaking to BBC Sport, the MP for Mid Worcestershire said the government will look at the pilot events and how to build up the number of spectators over time.

    “I’m confident that we can find a way to move forward,” he added.

    “Of course, whether it’s sports stadiums or theatres and all sorts of other things, we’ve seen in other countries there is a way to get full audiences without a vaccine.

    “I’m confident that there are measures that can be put in place that can give both those taking part in the sports and spectators confidence that they are going to somewhere safe.”

    Among the pilot events are the World Snooker Championship, the Goodwood horse racing festival, and another county cricket friendly between Surrey and Middlesex at The Oval.

    Any stadium re-openings are subject to coronavirus guidelines.

    And Professor James Calder – who has chaired the cross-sport working group with government and health officials on the return to sport – has told BBC Sport that sports events are highly unlikely to have full capacity crowds this year.

    Source: bbc.com

  • 24-year-old Ghanaian footballer dies in UK

    Reports emerging from the United Kingdom indicate that 24-year-old British born Ghanaian midfielder Derrick Otim has died.

    The cause of his death is yet to be made public but the former Nottingham Forest youth player has passed on with tributes from his former club, former teammates all pouring in on social media.

    Derrick Otim was born on March 21, 1996, he is an attacking midfielder who is a massive goal-scoring threat from anywhere thanks to a good right foot.

    Lethal from outside the box or inside, he is accurate if given a glimmer of space.

    He also has good ball control and good strength to hold off defenders to get forward into the box and finish.

    In attack, he is a calm presence on the ball and able to control the game in the center.

    He is also good in transition and makes the right pass when getting forward.

    Otim is a former Nottingham Forest youth player and is currently set to graduate from Xavier University as a four-year starter.

    Source: Ghana Guardian

  • Coronavirus: UK to open up European holidays from 6 July

    Blanket restrictions on non-essential overseas travel will be relaxed in the UK from 6 July, ministers have said.

    Holidaymakers are expected to be allowed to travel to certain European countries without having to spend 14 days in quarantine when they return.

    They are thought to include Spain, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Turkey, Germany and Norway – but not Portugal or Sweden.

    The full list of travel corridors with the UK will be published next week.

    A government spokesman said the new rules would give people “the opportunity for a summer holiday abroad” while also boosting the UK economy – but stressed the relaxation depended on risks staying low.

    A traffic light system will be introduced – with countries classified as green, amber and red depending on the prevalence of coronavirus.

    The UK is likely to discuss arrangements with countries over the coming days.

    The government said it “wouldn’t hesitate to put on the brakes” if the situation changes.

    Ministers in Scotland have said that a decision has not yet been taken to ease restrictions on holiday travel.

    Although the UK government has powers over border controls, health protection issues on overseas travel must be supported by Scottish government regulations because health is a devolved matter.

    Travel services have seen a sharp rise in the number of holiday bookings.

    Andrew Flintham, managing director at TUI UK and Ireland, said the company had seen bookings increase by 50% this week compared to last, with Spain and Greece the most popular destinations.

    John Keefe, director of public affairs at Eurotunnel, said phones have been “ringing off the hook” with eager customers wanting to make bookings.

    Maximum service of four departures an hour at peak times will resume from 6 July, he added.

    Mr Keefe said bookings had been “growing” in the past three weeks, but they “exploded when the news came out last night”.

    Portugal has seen a rise in the number of new cases in and around Lisbon recently, while Sweden is also unlikely to be on the list because the infection rate there is higher than in the UK.

    They are both likely to be classified as red.

    But the government spokesman conceded there would be nothing to stop someone avoiding quarantine by flying into a Spanish airport, driving over the border into Portugal for their holiday and returning by the same route.

    UK travellers will still have to hand over the address they plan to stay at on their return from abroad, no matter which country they are coming back from.

    And they will also be legally required to wear face coverings on planes and ferries.

    Portugal’s Secretary of State for Tourism Rita Baptista Marques told BBC Breakfast her country had been named the most secure destination in Europe by the World Tourism and Travel Council and is a “clean and safe destination”.

    “Some countries are in this list and Portugal is fighting for a place,” Ms Marques said, adding that the situation is “completely under control”, with significant testing being carried out.

    The travel sector has gone to war with the government over its blanket quarantine policy.

    So a more nuanced, risk-based approach will quieten the critics to some extent.

    But the storm of controversy swirling around this policy won’t completely go away.

    Portugal, which will probably not be on next week’s list of exemptions, feels hard done-by.

    The country is desperate that UK tourists return.

    And although in public health terms the US is not currently close to being on the list, it does potentially present a tricky diplomatic dynamic, given the normally cosy relationship between Washington and London.

    And the transatlantic flight market is lucrative too.

    This announcement is a step in the right direction for UK aviation, but they want testing at airports to also provide another way for passengers to be exempt.

    So far, in public, the government has said very little about that.

    Greece’s Tourism Minister Haris Theoharis suggested that it could be up to three weeks before the country is happy to open up an air bridge to the UK, as discussions with health experts are continuing.

    Mr Theoharis told BBC Breakfast: “As soon as we have more clarity, we’ll be able to convey the right dates and the right message so that’s why it’s not easy for me to pinpoint exact dates.

    “Spain lifted its state of emergency last Sunday, reopening its borders to visitors from most of Europe and allowing British tourists to enter the country without having to quarantine.

    Travel industry group ABTA said the travel sector “eagerly” anticipates confirmation of the list of countries, which “should encourage customers to book”.

    “The blanket Foreign Office advice against all but essential travel is still a major impediment to travel, however, and we look forward to the government adopting a similar risk-based approach to that advice,” it said in a statement.

    Jonathan Smith, from ABTA, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that more travel companies were likely to go bust before a full recovery was felt.

    He said people should expect holidays to look different – not just at airports and on aircraft, but in terms of social activities, like eating out.

    The UK introduced rules requiring all people arriving in the UK to self-isolate for 14 days on 8 June.

    It was widely criticised by the travel industry and MPs of all parties.

    What are the current quarantine rules? People arriving in the UK should drive their own car to their destination, where possible, and once there they must not use public transport or taxis Arrivals must not go to work, school, or public areas, or have visitors – except for essential support.

    They are also not allowed to go out to buy food, or other essentials, where they can rely on others Those arriving in England, Wales and Northern Ireland could face a fine of £1,000 if they fail to self-isolate for the full 14 days, while they face a £480 fine in Scotland.

    The maximum fine for repeat offenders in Scotland is £5,000 For more on the rules click here.

    Foreign Office advice against all but essential international travel has been in place since 17 March.

    “Our new risk-assessment system will enable us to carefully open a number of safe travel routes around the world – giving people the opportunity for a summer holiday abroad and boosting the UK economy through tourism and business,” said a government spokesman.

    “But we will not hesitate to put on the brakes if any risks re-emerge.”.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: UK economy hit worse than first thought

    The UK economy shrank more than first thought between January and March, contracting 2.2% in the joint largest fall since 1979, official figures show.

    The Office for National Statistics (ONS) revised down its previous estimate of a 2% contraction, with all the main economic sectors dropping.

    There was a significant economic impact in March, as the coronavirus pandemic began to have an effect.

    The data comes as the prime minister is set for a major speech on the economy.

    Jonathan Athow, Deputy national statistician at the ONS, said: “Our more detailed picture of the economy in the first quarter showed GDP shrank a little more than first estimated.

    Information from government showed health activities declined more than we previously showed.

    All main sectors of the economy shrank significantly in March as the effects of the pandemic hit.

    The first-quarter contraction is now the joint biggest drop since the July-to-September period in 1979.

    Mr Athow said: “The sharp fall in consumer spending at the end of March led to a notable increase in households’ savings.

    The new data showed 6.9% GDP contraction in March.

    The first-quarter figures show that the services sector – which accounts for about three-quarters of UK GDP – shrank by a record 2.3%.

    The ONS said production output fell by a revised 1.5% in the three months, driven by declines in manufacturing as factories temporarily shut down, while there was a fall in construction output of 1.7%.

    When compared with the same three-month period a year ago, the economy shrank by 1.7%, worse than the previous estimate of a 1.6% contraction.

    But as the coronavirus lockdown only came into force on 23 March, the second quarter will show the full hit on the economy.

    Recent ONS monthly figures showed the economy plummeted by 20.4% in April – the largest drop in a single month since records began.

    That contraction was three times greater than the decline seen during the whole of the 2008 to 2009 economic downturn.

    Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the latest figures could be summed up in one line: “The biggest contraction for 40 years, even though Q1 contained just nine lockdown days.

    “The data was just the prelude”, with worse to come, he added.

    However, while economists are braced for a dire set of second-quarter figures, Howard Archer, at the EY Item Club, believes April’s sharp contraction is likely to have been the low point.

    He predicted the economy would “return to a clear growth in the third quarter with GDP expanding close to 10% quarter-on-quarter” as lockdown restrictions are eased further.

    Weaker finances Later on Tuesday, Boris Johnson is set to make a keynote speech on the economy, with a promise to “build back better”.

    Speaking in the West Midlands, the prime minister will say he wants to use the coronavirus crisis “to tackle this country’s great unresolved challenges”.

    As part of what he is expected to call a “new deal”, Mr Johnson will set out plans to accelerate £5bn of spending on infrastructure projects.

    Meanwhile, separate ONS data on the nation’s finances showed that Britain’s current account deficit widened by more than expected in the first quarter.

    The balance of payments deficit – the difference between the value of the goods and services that a country imports and the goods and services it exports – rose to £21.1bn, or 3.8% of GDP.

    This means the UK is reliant on inflows of cash from abroad and leaves the pound vulnerable, according to Mr Tombs.

    “Sterling almost certainly would depreciate sharply again if a major second wave of COVID-19 emerges or if the UK and EU fail to either sign a trade deal or to extend the transition period before the end of this year,” he said

    Source: bbc.com

  • UK spies will need artificial intelligence – Rusi report

    UK spies will need to use artificial intelligence (AI) to counter a range of threats, an intelligence report says.

    Adversaries are likely to use the technology for attacks in cyberspace and on the political system, and AI will be needed to detect and stop them.

    But AI is unlikely to predict who might be about to be involved in serious crimes, such as terrorism – and will not replace human judgement, it says.

    The report is based on unprecedented access to British intelligence.

    The Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) think tank also argues that the use of AI could give rise to new privacy and human-rights considerations, which will require new guidance.

    The UK’s adversaries “will undoubtedly seek to use AI to attack the UK”, Rusi says in the report – and this may include not just states, but also criminals.

    Fire with fire The future threats could include using AI to develop deep fakes – where a computer can learn to generate convincing faked video of a real person – in order to manipulate public opinion and elections.

    It might also be used to mutate malware for cyber-attacks, making it harder for normal systems to detect – or even to repurpose and control drones to carry out attacks.

    In these cases, AI will be needed to counter AI, the report argues.

    “Adoption of AI is not just important to help intelligence agencies manage the technical challenge of information overload. It is highly likely that malicious actors will use AI to attack the UK in numerous ways, and the intelligence community will need to develop new AI-based defence measures,” argues Alexander Babuta, one of the authors.

    The independent report was commissioned by the UK’s GCHQ security service, and had access to much of the country’s intelligence community.

    All three of the UK’s intelligence agencies have made the use of technology and data a priority for the future – and the new head of MI5, Ken McCallum, who takes over this week, has said one of his priorities will be to make greater use of technology, including machine learning.

    However, the authors believe that AI will be of only “limited value” in “predictive intelligence” in fields such as counter-terrorism.

    The often-cited fictional reference is the film Minority Report where technology is used to predict those on the path to commit a crime before they have carried it out.

    But the report argues this is less likely to be viable in real-life national security situations.

    Acts such as terrorism are too infrequent to provide sufficiently large historical datasets to look for patterns – they happen far less often than other criminal acts, such as burglary.

    Even within that data set, the background and ideologies of the perpetrators vary so much that it is hard to build a model of a terrorist profile. There are too many variables to make prediction straightforward, with new events potentially being radically different from previous ones, the report argues.

    Any kind of profiling could also be discriminatory and lead to new human-rights concerns.

    In practice, in fields like counter-terrorism, the report argues that “augmented” – rather than artificial – intelligence will be the norm – where technology helps human analysts sift through and prioritise increasingly large amounts of data, allowing humans to make their own judgements.

    It will be essential to ensure human operators remain accountable for decisions and that AI does not act as a “black box”, from which people do not understand the basis on which decisions are made, the report says.

    Source: reuters.com

  • Can the hospitality sector adapt to long term social distancing?

    The whole point of restaurants, bars, clubs and live entertainment venues is to reduce social distance but they are uniquely hammered by continued measures, with the prospect of the shutdown continuing well into next year.

    For those who work in the sector – many of them young – the question is whether to think about a complete change of direction.

    If we cannot socialise in public, indoor spaces, what does it do to us as social beings?

    The hospitality business is all about reducing social distance – people getting together to eat, drink and enjoy entertainment.

    That is the point of it. And that’s exactly what we’re not being allowed to do, probably into next year.

    The pathway to recovery, as set out by the Scottish government, looks like a long and potentially bumpy road, particularly for hospitality.

    It tells business leaders it will try to support them, but it’s also up to business to adapt to changes in markets, and to redesign workplaces to fit in with social distancing requirements.

    That is a big ask of offices, where one calculation is that only 40% of office workers will be able to return to work, if they are to fit with the constraints of social distance and avoid hot-desking.

    For restaurants, bars, clubs, concert venues, theatres and cinemas, it’s hard to see how they could comply with the rules of social distancing, and still have enough customers to make each business viable.

    Christmas 2021

    These firms are burning through cash. The majority have less than three months before they run out. The vast majority have less than six months.

    That time horizon can be extended by government support, but that doesn’t pay for fixed costs. And the longer the lockdown or disruption to business, the harder it is for companies to rebuild.

    The most likely timing for a new vaccine to be ready is the second half of next year. That makes it a serious prospect that the next time you have a meal with friends, family or colleagues could be to celebrate Christmas of next year.

    Industry body UK Hospitality said on Thursday that there could be a million job losses if governments (it mainly had the UK one in mind) don’t plan adequately. Planning for necessary equipment has not been a feature of the crisis so far.

    So the lobby group has these suggestions:

    Extend the furlough scheme beyond the end of June, at least for hospitality.

    Legislative intervention to reduce demands for rent payment (the UK has gone some way towards that today, with measures to stop aggressive rent collection).

    Improved access to capital with help from government through banks.

    Tax incentives and government spending aimed at stimulation of demand as we emerge from crisis.

    Overhaul business regulation

    Guaranteeing “a functioning and responsive insurance market”.

    Scarring effects

    What about the workers? Will government support be sufficient to sustain the needs and hopes of all the people who work in the sector?

    In this week’s State of the Economy report by the chief economist at the Scottish government, he pointed out that they are disproportionately aged under 25.

    That’s the age at which a recession has previously been shown to have the maximum “scarring” effect on future job prospects. If you don’t make a good start, it can still have effects on work stability and earnings many decades later.

    There is a comment in the Scottish government’s Pathway to Recovery document that it is government’s role to support people into changes that will take place in the labour market as we come out of this.

    So the question for such workers is whether they need to look to new roles with new skills in different sectors, rather than wait and hope, perhaps well into next year, to get their old roles back.
    Relationships

    Apart from the workers and those running businesses, there’s another important group affected by the nightmare facing the hospitality industry – us, the customers.

    If we can’t meet friends in a restaurant or bar, see live entertainment or live sport, and for that to remain the case for nine months, a year, perhaps 18 months until there’s a vaccine available, what does that do to us?

    This is not a financial calculation. It’s about our sense of ourselves: our social lives as social beings: and the quality of our relationships with other people.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: UK follows Ghana’s example as they get ready to use drones for medical supplies

    Ghana’ innovative decision to use drones to deliver PPEs and samples for testing in the fight against the Coronavirus is fast getting international recognition as Britain has announced it will use drones for COVID-19 medical deliveries from next week.

    Government has employed the services of the Zipline Drones to deliver urgent medical essentials, especially samples from remote communities to designated testing centres to help in the fight against the Coronavirus.

    Earlier this week, the TIME magazine reported that Ghana is the first country in the world to employ this innovation since COVID-19 broke out, and also revealed America’s intention to urgently consider using the drones.

    Britain is now the latest state to announce its readiness to use the drones in its charge on the Coronavirus.

    At its daily COVID-19 press briefing, Sky News reported that British Transport Secretary Grant Shaps announced that drones are being trialed to deliver medical supplies to help Britain’s response against the Coronavirus.

    The trial, according to the Transport Secretary, will begin next week and it will carry supplies to St Mary’s Hospital on the Isle Of Wight.

    Considering the urgency of the situation and Britain’s quest to immediately employ the drones service, the Transport Secretary said he had “fast-tracked” the trials following a £28m awarded by the government earlier this year to Southampton and Portsmouth councils to carry out drone operations as part of a wider trial.

    Before the outbreak of the Coronavirus, Ghana had been employing drones to deliver urgent medical supplies to remote communities since the Zipline Service was launched by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia last year.

    The introduction of the drones was criticised by the opposition NDC who said the service was not needed in the country.

    Events, especially during the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic, have however proved that the government was even ahead of many developed countries in the world.

    Ghana has two main drone stations at Omenako in the Eastern Region and Mampong in the Ashanti Region.

    Works are also nearing completion for the third and forth zones at Kukua near Walewale, in the North East Region and Sefwi Wiawso in the Western North Region.

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Coronavirus: Oil price falls to 18-year low as turmoil persists

    The price of a barrel of Brent Crude – the UK benchmark for oil – has slipped below $20, its lowest level since 2002.

    The close to 20% slump follows negative prices being recorded for a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the benchmark for US oil.

    Negative oil prices on Monday were a “quirk”, says one market expert.

    The price of US oil – which slumped to minus $37 a barrel at one point – was produced by a trading deadline and is now back to a positive figure.

    “Yesterday’s price action is best understood as a quirk or peculiarity of futures trading,” said analyst James Trafford of Fidelity International.

    He reckons the unprecedented price movement confirms that near-term demand is very weak.

    “But it isn’t cataclysmic,” he said. “We don’t see negative oil prices as a new normal, going forward.”

    Oil prices have weakened sharply because of a combination of oversupply and a collapse in global demand due to the decline in economic activity caused by coronavirus lockdown measures.

    What happened?

    The price of oil that we see reported is actually the future price of oil. Futures essentially contract to deliver the physical commodity at a later date.

    So when we look at oil prices, we are actually seeing the market price for future months.

    As the delivery date approaches, these contracts need to be rolled over to the subsequent period.

    The price of a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the benchmark for US oil, fell into negative territory for the first time in history on Monday.

    But that only related to the May contract, which was about to expire.

    Traders holding the contract were unable to find buyers, because no one with the ability to take delivery wanted it.

    “Nobody wants to take delivery of oil next month because there’s nowhere to store it, so the price dropped below zero,” explained Rachel Winter, associate investment director at Killik & Co.

    Storage issues

    The collapse in physical demand for crude products like petrol and jet fuel has left storage hubs at capacity or, as one trader put it: “They’re close to the brim.”

    Storage at US oil hub Cushing has already grown to more than 15 million barrels in the past month – and is expected to soon be at capacity for the first time ever.

    “Coronavirus is rewriting the rules of the global economy in front of our very eyes,” said Adam Vettese, an analyst at eToro.

    “With oil demand virtually non-existent, this quite amazing sell-off is almost entirely down to fears over storage.”

    Paying for extra storage for all that unwanted oil means extra costs for producers and traders.

    “Storage constraints are not going away any time soon unless you get a pick-up in demand,” pointed out Neil Wilson of Markets.com.

    Does that mean oil prices will fall further?

    “Oil prices and associated equities in the sector will remain broadly weak over the near term,” predicted James Trafford.

    He said the supply cuts recently agreed by the Opec group of oil-producing economies were not likely to be sufficient to balance the market any time soon.

    Opec is believed to be looking to cut oil output immediately, rather than waiting until next month, to ease the pressure on price.

    “The kind of dislocation witnessed on Monday, however much some may downplay it, points to a fundamental problem in oil markets, namely a lack of storage capacity and demand,” said Neil Wilson, senior market analyst at Markets.com.

    “But it also shows the market trying to do its job, forcing the price down enough to shut production.”

    Artur Baluszynski, head of research at Henderson Rowe, agreed that the effect was temporary, but warned of its implications.

    “While Monday’s negative WTI futures price might have been a one-off glitch, it does confirm there is trouble ahead,” he said.

    “The COVID-19 crisis is destroying the global demand for energy and without a timeline on the end of the lockdown in the developed world, the market is suffering from chronic oversupply.”

    Will the price of petrol fall?

    While the price of petrol is linked to the wholesale price of oil, it is driven by competition.

    That means that what motorists pay is not directly linked to crude. Instead, suppliers control the prices they sell petrol at.

    So you won’t see the wild fluctuation in pump prices that we’ve seen in oil in recent weeks.

    Crucially, a key factor affecting the price of fuel is that the biggest proportion of the money you hand over for a litre of petrol in the UK goes to the government in the form of tax.

    Fuel duty is charged at 57.95p per litre. On top of that, you have to pay VAT at 20% on the cost of petrol.

    So there’s little scope for further reducing the pump price of petrol.

    Below £1 a litre?

    Competition has driven the price of petrol down close to £1 in recent weeks at some supermarkets, where prices tend to be lowest.

    Could this week’s oil price turmoil see prices drift below £1 for the first time since the late 2000s?

    “In theory, petrol prices could fall below £1 per litre if the lower wholesale costs were reflected at the pumps – but at the same time, people are driving very few miles, so they’re selling vastly lower quantities of petrol and diesel at the moment,” pointed out RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams.

    This means many forecourts will be reluctant to trim their prices any further, he said.

    At the same time, more price pressure on petrol could hit the viability of independent garages, he warned.

    “We continue to be concerned about smaller forecourts that provide a vital service in areas where the supermarkets don’t have a foothold, as many are already finding conditions tough with sales having fallen off a cliff since lockdown.

    “It would be bad news all round if these forecourts shut up shop for good.”

    Are pump prices fair?

    Since the end of March, the wholesale price of petrol has been around the 16p a litre mark, according to the AA.

    “Add fuel duty at 57.95p a litre, a generous 9p a litre supplier/retailer margin, plus VAT and the average pump price of petrol would normally be around £1 a litre,” said the AA’s fuel spokesperson Luke Bosdet.

    Instead the average pump price is higher because the retailers say they need to charge 10p a litre more to offset the lower volumes of fuel they are selling, he pointed out.

    Journey levels are at around 40% of the normal during the working week, falling to 20% by Sunday.

    “That means that some drivers, such as NHS and other essential workers, are using their cars and being overcharged on average by more than a fiver a tank,” Mr Bosdet said.

    “I suspect that when the lockdown comes to an end, coronavirus is beaten and driving starts to return to normal, questions will be asked about the fairness of pump prices during the great oil crash of 2020.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Prince Harry and Meghan tell tabloids: No more co-operation

    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have told the UK’s tabloid press they are ending all co-operation with them.

    In a letter to editors of all the Sun, Mirror, Mail and Express titles and websites, a representative said the pair had taken the step due to “distorted, false or invasive” stories.

    Harry and Meghan said they refused to “offer themselves up as currency for an economy of click bait and distortion”.

    The couple have relocated to California after stepping back as senior royals.

    In the letter, the couple’s public relations representative wrote it was “gravely concerning that an influential slice of the media” has printed “distorted, false or invasive” articles.

    “There is a real human cost to this way of doing business and it affects every corner of society,” the letter said.

    “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have watched people they know – as well as complete strangers – have their lives completely pulled apart for no good reason, other than the fact that salacious gossip boosts advertising revenue.”

    The BBC was told that the letter had been sent to the editors of the Sun, the Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror and the Daily Express newspapers.

    The new policy will apply to the four newspapers, their Sunday editions and associated websites, the Guardian’s media editor Jim Waterson reported.

    The Daily Star, which was not specifically mentioned, is published by the same group that publishes the Mirror and Express titles.

    The ban on engagement with the papers will mean that the couple’s PR team will no longer even answer calls from the papers asking them to confirm whether claims made about the couple are true or not.

    ‘Not avoiding criticism’ Outlining the new policy of “no corroboration and zero engagement” with all the publications that received it, the letter said the measure would also protect the couple’s communications team “from the side of the industry that readers never see”.

    “This policy is not about avoiding criticism,” the letter continued.

    “It’s not about shutting down public conversation or censoring accurate reporting. Media have every right to report on and indeed have an opinion on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, good or bad. But it can’t be based on a lie.”

    The letter said the couple will continue to work with other media and “young, up-and-coming journalists” to raise awareness of the issues and causes they care about.

    In recent days, photographs of the Sussexes delivering food to vulnerable people in Los Angeles have been published by two of the newspapers to receive the letter.

    And it comes ahead of a court hearing this week in a legal case Meghan has brought against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday over the publication of a letter written to the duchess by her estranged father.

    The couple officially stepped back as senior working members of the Royal Family at the end of March as part of a transition following an announcement of their intention to become financially independent in January..

    The letter in full As The Duke and Duchess of Sussex now settle into the next chapter of their lives and no longer receive any publicly funded support, we are writing to set a new media relations policy, specifically as it pertains to your organisation.

    Like you, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex believe that a free press is a cornerstone to any democracy— particularly in moments of crisis. At its best, this free press shines light on dark places, telling stories that would otherwise go untold, standing up for what’s right, challenging power, and holding those who abuse the system to account.

    It has been said that journalism’s first obligation is to the truth. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex agree wholeheartedly.

    It is gravely concerning that an influential slice of the media, over many years, has sought to insulate themselves from taking accountability for what they say or print—even when they know it to be distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason. When power is enjoyed without responsibility, the trust we all place in this much-needed industry is degraded.

    There is a real human cost to this way of doing business and it affects every corner of society.

    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have watched people they know—as well as complete strangers—have their lives completely pulled apart for no good reason, other than the fact that salacious gossip boosts advertising revenue.

    With that said, please note that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be engaging with your outlet. There will be no corroboration and zero engagement. This is also a policy being instated for their communications team, in order to protect that team from the side of the industry that readers never see.

    This policy is not about avoiding criticism. It’s not about shutting down public conversation or censoring accurate reporting. Media have every right to report on and indeed have an opinion on The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, good or bad. But it can’t be based on a lie.

    They also want to be very clear: this is not in any way a blanket policy for all media.

    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are looking forward to working with journalists and media organisations all over the world, engaging with grassroots media, regional and local media, and young, up-and-coming journalists, to spotlight issues and causes that so desperately need acknowledging. And they look forward to doing whatever they can to help further opportunities for more diverse and underrepresented voices, who are needed now more than ever.

    What they won’t do is offer themselves up as currency for an economy of click bait and distortion.

    We are encouraged that this new approach will be heard and respected.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus profiteers could be prosecuted – UK watchdog

    As we reported earlier this week, there have been shortages of hand sanitizer gel in some UK shops, prompting retailers to restrict customers to buying two per day.

    But some people have tried to profit from the shortages by selling hand sanitizer and other products at much higher prices online.

    A 100ml bottle of Cuticura Total – which kills viruses as well as bacteria – is sold for £1.55 by Boots; but on one website, sellers were offering 40ml of the brand’s anti-bacterial gel for £24.99.

    The UK’s competition watchdog has now warned retailers and traders they could be prosecuted for trying to “exploit” the virus outbreak by selling protective products at inflated prices.

    The Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) added it would consider asking the government to introduce price controls if required.

    Source: bbc.com

     

  • UK coronavirus cases jump to 85

    The number of coronavirus cases in the UK has jumped by 32 since this morning, to a total of 85.

    Twenty-nine had recently travelled to affected countries or picked it up from people known to have travelled from abroad.

    But three more contracted the virus in the UK and no one knows where they got it from.

    The UK’s chief medical adviser said investigations and contact tracing had begun.

    Earlier, Prof Chris Whitty said onward transmission and an epidemic in the UK was “likely”.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Parents lose court appeal over baby’s treatment

    Doctors can stop providing medical treatment for a brain dead baby, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

    The three appeal judges analysed evidence on four-month-old Midrar Ali after a High Court judge concluded that treatment could be withdrawn.

    Midrar’s father said the ruling was “terrible”, after arguing their son had been showing “signs of life”.

    But doctors at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester said Midrar should be allowed a “kind and dignified death”.

    Mrs Justice Lieven, who analysed evidence at a trial in the Family Division of the High Court in Manchester last month, had concluded that Midrar was brain-stem dead.

    Midrar’s parents, Karwan Ali, 35, and Shokhan Namiq, 28, who live in Manchester, had asked appeal judges to overturn this ruling.

    They said he was still growing and that doctors could not be sure that he will not improve, which meant more tests should be carried out.


    Karwan Ali and Shokhan Namiq had asked appeal judges to overturn the High Court ruling

    But appeal judges Sir Andrew McFarlane, Lord Justice Patten and Lady Justice King dismissed their challenge, saying stopping the treatment was in Midrar’s best interest.

    They concluded that Midrar’s parents did not have an arguable case, and declared that their son died at 20:01 GMT on October 1, when he would have been 14 days old.

    Sir Andrew said evidence showed that “awfully” Midrar no longer has a “brain that is recognisable as such”.

    “There is no basis for contemplating that any further tests would result in a different outcome,” he said.

    Midrar was starved of oxygen when the umbilical cord came out ahead of his birth on 18 September, causing complications.

    Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, which runs St Mary’s Hospital, has previously said that Midrar has always been on a ventilator and has never breathed independently.


    Midrar Ali’s parents Karwan Ali and Shokhan Namiq wanted his treatment to continue

     

    It said his organs were deteriorating and continuing to treat Midrar was “undignified”.

    Lawyers representing the hospital’s trust said three tests had confirmed brain stem death.

    Speaking after the latest legal ruling, Mr Ali said: “I’m just reading what the appeal judges have said, then we’ll discuss it with our lawyers.

    “He’s still growing. They can’t be 100% sure he is dead. He’s still growing. His eyes move. I’ve seen them move.”

    The family’s solicitor, David Foster, said Midrar’s parents were considering an appeal and would like the court to “give weight to experts from outside the UK”.

    The next step would be to take the case to the Supreme Court.

    “They believe the law in this area should be reviewed and do not consider Midrar’s condition is necessarily irreversible,” Mr Foster.

    SOurce: BBC

  • The UK’s ‘worst’ airport revealed

    Long queues, crowded terminals and pricey parking charges have led to Belfast International being rated the UK’s worst airport in a survey by consumer magazine Which?.

    Customers gave the airport an approval score of 42%, saying it was “shabby”, “understaffed” and had a poor layout.

    It came just behind London Luton on 43% and Manchester T3 on 47%.

    By contrast “cosy” Doncaster Sheffield came top, followed by Birmingham and Heathrow’s Terminal 5.

    In April and May this year, 4,499 Which? members were surveyed about 6,237 airport experiences in terms of satisfaction.

    People could mention up to four experiences, and an airport would only be included if it got more than 30 responses, with the results then weighted.

    Read:US woman held in Philippines after airport staff find baby in her bag

    Belfast International acknowledged passengers had faced problems during the past 18 months, but said satisfaction had improved since the Which? survey.

    The airport has invested £1m in expanding its security area after long delays meant passengers had to queue outside the airport in freezing conditions in March.

    It has also expanded its range of food and drink outlets amid complaints from Which? members that the choice was too limited.

    Of the largest airports with more than 10 million passengers a year, Luton was the worst performer, a position it has held for four years running.

    Despite terminal improvement works finishing in December, Luton travellers complained about “limited seating” and “congested” security queues.

    Aberdeen International was ranked the worst Scottish Airport for the fifth year in row, with a customer score of 50%.

    Customers criticised its staff and seating, with one telling Which? they only used the airport for “geographic convenience”, not out of choice.

    Read:Hong Kong protests: Airport cancels flights as thousands occupy terminal

    Best performers

    By contrast, Doncaster Sheffield topped the survey for the third year in a row, with customers calling it a “cosy airport” with no queues that was “easy to navigate”.

    The Yorkshire hub got a customer satisfaction score of 86% – although some respondents said they wished it offered more connections than its current 55.

    Heathrow Terminal 5 was the best performing large airport, with a score of 66%. Customers praised its ample seating, helpful staff and toilet facilities, although there were complaints about its high parking charges.

    A spokesperson for London Luton Airport (LLA) said: “We’re disappointed by our ranking but pleased to see this year’s customer score has improved 23% compared to last year. This highlights passengers are now beginning to see the benefits of our £160m redevelopment.”

    They added that of the 4,499 people surveyed by Which?, only 273 had used Luton, while the airport has more than 16 million passengers a year.

    Steve Szalay, managing director of Aberdeen International Airport, said Which’s survey was “months out of date and in no way tallies with the hugely positive feedback we’re receiving from the tens of thousands of passengers who are travelling through our doors on a weekly basis”.

    Source: bbc.com