United kingdom
Britain's au pair system 'killed' by Brexit
Under post-Brexit working terms, au pairs now must earn a minimum of £20,000 ($28,000) per year to obtain a work visa. That is significantly higher than the...
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Rumours and racist legacies colour UK's COVID jab drive
But, experts argue, anti-disinformation drives need to overcome mistrust of the government among black and South Asian people, who have been dying in disproportionate numbers from COVID-19 but who remain scarred by endemic racism and past drugs scandals.
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UK virus variant spreading rapidly in Germany: minister
The rise comes despite Germany partially closing its borders in an attempt to stem the spread of the new variants.
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Boris Johnson cautious on lockdown easing as new hotel regime starts
While eyeing a possible route out of lockdown, the government is also tightening the borders to guard against emerging variants of the coronavirus that could undermine the vaccination programme.
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UK rolls out hotel quarantine for 'high risk' country returnees
The new policy requires all UK citizens and permanent residents entering England from 33 countries on a wider travel ban list to self-isolate at their own expense in approved hotels for 10 days and take several Covid-19 tests.
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Hopes grow for lockdown easing as UK nears vaccine target
More than 13.5 million people have been given a jab since the country's biggest-ever immunisation programme began in early December.
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Opera singers help UK COVID patients to breathe easier
After a successful six-week pilot, the English National Opera is now rolling out its 'ENO Breathe' programme to 1,000 patients, offering exercises involving singing, breath techniques and mindfulness well-being practices.
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UK govt announces new sanctions against Zimbabwe's 4 top security chiefs
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said sanctions were being imposed in response to crackdowns that saw 23 people killed in 2018 and 2019.
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Virologist: No need to panic as SA records case of COVID variant detected in UK
Tulio de Oliveira said while the B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant was a major concern in that country, it did not appear to be spreading fast in South Africa.
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UK pledges $55 million in aid during Raab visit to Sudan
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab arrived in Khartoum late Wednesday on the first visit by a British foreign secretary to the East African country in over a decade.
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UK extends restricted entry from some African countries over SA’s COVID variant
Zimbabwe, like many other countries, is experiencing a surge in coronavirus deaths and infections, with 15 deaths and 871 cases in the past 24 hours, though there's been no confirmation it's due to the new variant.
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UK to widen virus measures as new vaccine rollout starts
But optimism that the shot could turn the tide against the outbreak was tempered as Scotland said it would lock down again for the rest of the month.
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UK roll out of 'game-changer' Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine begins
Britain has rolled out Oxford-AstraZeneca shots to its citizens - a vaccine that could provide a solution to many poorer countries' problems.
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UK set for tougher virus rules as cases surge
Britain recorded 57,725 new cases on Saturday, its highest total of the entire pandemic.
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China confirms first case of UK coronavirus variant
The first patient in China with the new variant is a 23-year-old woman from Shanghai who arrived from Britain on December 14, the Chinese Centre for Disease Control said.
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Britain announces South Africa travel restrictions over new virus variant
Britain on Wednesday introduced restrictions on travel from South Africa over the spread of another new variant of coronavirus, UK Health Minister Matt Hancock said.
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EU urges end to bans over UK virus strain as travel chaos looms
The new variant of the virus, which has also been detected in small numbers elsewhere, appears to spread more easily than other types but there is no evidence it is more lethal or resistant to vaccines, according to experts.
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Germany bans UK, South Africa arrivals until 6 Jan
Health Minister Jens Spahn said that 'as long as it is possible', Germany aimed to prevent 'potentially dangerous virus mutations from spreading in continental Europe'.
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UK firms appeal for Brexit deal as PM warns of likely failure
"I'm afraid we're still very far apart on some key things, but where there's life there's hope," Johnson told reporters, after agreeing with EU commission chief Ursula von der Leyen to push on with negotiations.
