Plus, the underwater 'kites' generating electricity when they move
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| Booster jab rollout review to tackle new Covid variant |
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| | | As fresh restrictions such as compulsory face masks in shops and on public transport were announced for England to try to prevent the latest Covid variant - Omicron - spreading, a further measure is also being reviewed. The UK's vaccine advisory body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, is looking at whether it will recommend offering Covid booster jabs to more people. Those aged 40 and over, front-line health or social workers, and people with health issues are currently eligible but the new variant, which is currently showing a higher reinfection risk, has triggered a fresh look at the booster scheme. After it emerged last week - initially reported to the World Health Organization from South Africa - three Omicron cases have been found in the UK and the Health Security Agency warns it’s "very likely" there will be more in the coming days. There was a "strong argument" for extending boosters to all adults, says Prof Anthony Harnden, deputy chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, adding: "Accelerating the booster programme… would be a sensible strategy." Health Secretary Sajid Javid - who hopes the fresh measures will help people "enjoy Christmas with our families" - asked for the booster programme to be reviewed. No decision will be made until Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been told about the recommendations from the scientific experts, who make up the committee. In the meantime, measures - which also include face coverings in schools and travel and described as temporary and precautionary by Mr Johnson - will be put before Parliament later ahead of being introduced on Tuesday. This takes places as an urgent meeting of health ministers from the G7 group of nations is held "to discuss the developments on Omicron". | |
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| Labour calls for minister conduct rules overhaul |
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| As the Commons standards committee prepares to publish its review of the MPs' code of conduct, Labour is calling for an overhaul of the system. Deputy leader Angela Rayner will reveal the party’s plans later, which come as ministers' conduct was brought to the forefront in recent weeks following an attempt to change the current system. After a backlash, the government swiftly scrapped its proposal which would have prevented former Tory MP Owen Paterson being suspended. This was despite the standards watchdog finding him in breach of lobbying rules. In her speech, Ms Rayner will say ministers should be banned from work relating to their past job for five years after leaving government. Labour argues the current system doesn’t work and it has failed to prevent what it describes as government corruption. But the government says it’s committed to "reinforcing high standards" of conduct in public life. | |
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| Quarantine hotel escapee arrests |
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| As the Netherlands grapples with record Covid cases and concerns over the new variant it’s emerged that police arrested a couple who escaped from a quarantine hotel. Dutch officers made the arrests on a plane just before take-off from Schiphol airport in Amsterdam on Sunday evening. They’ve been handed over to the country's health service and it’s not known whether they were among the passengers who tested positive for the new coronavirus variant after arriving on two flights from South Africa last week. The escapees could be prosecuted for violating Dutch quarantine rules, according to a local paper. | |
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| | | | | After dark, in a residential neighbourhood in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, dozens of civilian volunteers were busy patrolling their streets one night last week, stopping and searching cars and checking documents. The volunteers are searching for Tigrayan rebels, and their supporters, under new state of emergency regulations introduced by the Ethiopian government in response to a Tigrayan military offensive. Critics say thousands of people have been unjustly detained, but the clampdown appears to have widespread support in the capital. "Hurry, he is trying to escape," said a man, suddenly, speaking into his mobile phone. A few streets away, a new group of mostly elderly volunteers had gathered for training, marching more or less in step and listening to instructions. The overall mood in the capital appears to be calm. | |
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| | Andrew Harding | Africa correspondent, BBC News | |
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| | | | The latest Covid variant, Omicron, makes the headlines this morning with reports about booster jabs and schools among the latest developments. In a bid to tackle Omicron, the Guardian says the Covid booster scheme could be "significantly expanded" and the Daily Mail reports those jabs will be offered to "all" over-18s - underlining the word all in its headline. The Times has the same story with Health Secretary Sajid Javid insisting the UK will have a "great Christmas". The Telegraph focuses on schools claiming curbs on the variant will cause "chaos". Meanwhile, the Daily Star opts for another story altogether, leading with drinkers being snowed in at a pub for the third night. "Make mine a snowball please, landlord", it says. Read the newspaper review in full here. | |
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| | | US Ghislaine Maxwell's sex-trafficking trial to begin |
| | | | Customers More than 17 million have used buy now, pay later |
| | | | Liverpool Boy charged with murder after girl, 12, stabbed |
| | | | India Husband builds wife Taj Mahal replica home |
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| If you watch one thing today |
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| If you listen to one thing today |
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| If you read one thing today |
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| Need something different? |
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| Britain holds the largest stockpile of plutonium anywhere in the world. It’s dangerous so needs guarding, and with sensitive materials such as this to look after, how are Britain’s radioactive stockpiles protected? We’ve taken a look. Now meet the woman who’s protecting her crumbling heritage. Harbia Al Himiary is trying to rebuild her birthplace, a World Heritage Site damaged by war, in Yemen. She’s the first female engineer to be in charge of the project, and has so far helped train more than 200 engineers, carpenters and specialists. Here’s her story. Unfortunately you won’t find international pictures of World Heritage sites on this archive, but you will find national ones. They’ve been captured by a group of people who are collecting photographs and information about every square kilometre of Britain and Ireland. Find out more about them here. | |
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| | | | 1963 A Canadian jet crashes into a field within minutes of take-off, killing all 118 people on board. |
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