thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--'Steady-As-She-Goes Coronavirus Budget': What Tory MPs Expect From The Chancellor

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It will be a big moment regardless of what’s in it - the first Tory Budget since Boris Johnson won an 80-seat majority and a first outing for Rishi Sunak since his meteoric, if controversial, rise to the post of chancellor.
But it is hard to escape the sense that, like every budget since Brexit chaos gripped the nation, it could be another signpost on the road rather than a significant stake in the ground.
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With coronavirus slowly extending its impact across society and financial markets plunging with the end uncertain, many MPs are now waiting for the spending review and a second budget in autumn before assessing just how radical Johnson and top aide Dominic Cummings plan to get.
But as one ex-minister tells HuffPost UK that could prove convenient for a government that still has not quite worked out what to do.
They predict a “steady-as-she-goes” and “statesmanlike” budget focused on dealing with the virus, helping the high street and keeping the economy going in uncertain times and establishing Sunak as a competent Tory chancellor.
But they insist “that is the symptom of some quite big unfinished business” at the top of the government.
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“I think Rishi is going to use coronavirus as a convenient rationale for not giving the budget Dom Cummings had planned,” they say.
“But there are some quite big policy arguments going on about devolution, net zero, infrastructure bonds, tax cuts or tax rises - the compass is spinning on what exactly the government’s fiscal and economic policy is.
“Dom has a revolutionary blueprint but that has not been agreed and the cabinet hasn’t taken hold of it yet.
“Dom is keen to announce everything and get it out the Dom way but I think the Treasury will just flex a bit of muscle and say hang on, until some quite important policy discussions are settled let’s make this a steady-as-she-goes coronavirus Budget.
“That’s all good but I’m concerned because it suggests Dom hasn’t thought all this through, or he has and Rishi doesn’t like the look of it - but I’m pretty sure it’s not the latter.”
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Boris Johnson's top adviser Dominic Cummings ASSOCIATED PRESS
Despite potentially deferring big tax and spend decisions, Sunak will have to set a framework which could guide the government over the next four years.
One veteran Tory feels Sunak is facing “a very tricky budget indeed” as he works out how to pay for Johnson’s long list of spending pledges.
And it is this question which is vexing many Tory MPs, who are worried the new chancellor is set to rip up the government’s commitment to balance the nation’s books.
Sunak’s predecessor, Sajid Javid, has already launched a full-throated defence of fiscal prudence.
And it is difficult to find Tory MPs in favour of ripping up the so-called ‘fiscal rules’ which commit the government to balancing day-to-day spending and revenue, while allowing it to borrow for long-term capital investment.
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Even several of the 2019 intake from ex-Labour ‘red wall’ seats in the north and Midlands that are lined up to benefit from a Blair-Brown-style spending splurge are wary about throwing off the shackles.
Rising star Jonathan Gullis, the new MP for Stoke-on-Trent North, has already cautioned against a “Labour-lite” Budget, calling instead for “conservatism and free market values”.
“I think we’ve been pulled further to the left than we perhaps would have been by Corbyn”
Richard Holden, the new MP for North West Durham, sums up the dilemma facing the Treasury.
He tells HuffPost UK: “The only way you are going to have sustainable spending in the long term is if you have got a budget that can hold together, we have got to be careful about that.
“But the levelling up agenda is what’s most important to us and all areas of the country get their needs reflected in spending.”
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Another 2019 “socially liberal but fiscally conservative” MP from the south-east meanwhile warns that breaking up the fiscal rules would risk the party’s hard-won reputation for financial competence, insisting it is “the one thing that differentiates the Tories” when both parties are committed to splashing cash.
Those concerns are shared across the party, as Cotswolds MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown says: “We spent a lot of blood sweat and tears with austerity getting the deficit down and I wouldn’t want to see it rapidly increase again so I would be quite wary about (scrapping the fiscal rules).
“We’ve always had a reputation for financial prudence and if that means we have to withstand a few brickbats by not doing everything we would like immediately on public services that’s what we’ve got to do.
“I think we’ve been pulled further to the left than we perhaps would have been by Corbyn and I think we are, to a degree, pandering to that rather than doing what is the right thing.”
Coronavirus only makes the fiscal rules more crucial, according to former minister Robert Goodwill.
“Also at the moment the economy is running really well and the whole point of the economic cycle is when the economy is doing well you should be paying off some debt and when the economy is doing badly in a recession, that’s when you borrow,” the Scarborough and Whitby MP says.
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“One of the problems during the Blair boom years is they were still borrowing money.
“Rishi needs to not take his eye off the ball in balancing the books because it’s a sensible thing to do in terms of prudence and also because who knows how deep into his pocket he might have to dig to reimburse companies in trouble over coronavirus, health costs, doctors’ overtime?”
Sunak, the Treasury and No.10 will be more than aware of their own MPs’ concerns about the fiscal rules.
And the steady drip of stories about potential tax rises - from a mansion tax to scrapping entrepreneurs’ relief - suggests that Sunak will stick to the rules but look to raise money to pay for spending.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is tipped to announce some tax rises PA
The Tories have committed not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT and so any tax hikes are likely to create winners and losers.
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With a parliamentary party now incredibly diverse - from the south-east commuter belt to rural areas and post-industrial northern heartlands - there is a risk of splitting the party and its voters.
“I think this is going to be a very tricky budget indeed not to hit too many of our constituents,” Clifton-Brown says.
He is among several rural MPs concerned about the impact of mooted tax hikes on so-called ‘red diesel’ used by farmers, while there are concerns around green measures hitting areas lacking public transport.
One ex-minister highlights the problem: “Farmers are pretty much brassic in terms of cash and I’m not sure why you’d want to tax people who don’t have much money to pay.
“It’s similar with inshore fishermen, they are not making a lot of money.”
There is a feeling among many MPs that they have waited so long for a strong majority they now want to see the government carrying out some “good old fashioned Tory tax cuts”, in the words of one senior figure.
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They will welcome expected moves to raise the threshold at which people pay national insurance but some want to see Johnson return to his plans to take more people out of the higher rate of tax, the MP said.
One thing MPs will get is £100bn pouring into infrastructure projects around the country.
And it is important to do this now to allow 2024 election candidates to stand proudly in front of shiny new roads, bridges, or rail links - or at the very least spades in the ground.
“Seeing is believing and voters will want to see those projects being delivered on the ground, not just more promises which could always be reneged upon,” says Goodwill.
Alongside those big infrastructure projects, Holden and others in the northern red wall are calling for small targeted help that could make a significant difference to their local economies.
The MP is leading a small group in the north-east calling for a reversal of EU-mandated tax green tax hikes on motorhomes, which have dramatically increased costs and forced a 15-20% drop-off in sales.
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And the pressure may be off Sunak, with red wall MPs now expecting more significant action at the summer spending review and potential autumn budget.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Italy's Coronavirus Death Toll Surges 36% In A Day As Country Enters Lockdown

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Italy has reported another sharp rise in deaths as a result of the coronavirus outbreak as the entire country goes into lockdown to stem the spread of the disease.
The death toll has jumped by 168 to 631, an increase of 36%, the Civil Protection Agency said on Tuesday,
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It represents the largest rise in absolute numbers since the contagion came to light on February 21.
The total number of cases in Italy, the European country hardest hit by the virus, rose to 10,149 from a previous 9,172, an increase of 10.7%.
The country’s government on Tuesday imposed unprecedented national restrictions on its 60 million people to control the virus.
The coronavirus death toll outside China has now passed 1,000, Agence-France Presse has reported on its Twitter feed.
Meanwhile, Slovenia has said it plans to close its border with Italy for non-commercial traffic to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
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Earlier on Tuesday the foreign ministry advised all Slovenian citizens who are in Italy to return home.
The UK’s Foreign Office later warned British residents against all but essential travel to Italy after the coronavirus quarantine measures were extended.
British Airways cancelled all its flights to and from Italy on Tuesday.
Meanwhile easyJet has grounded most of its flights to and from northern Italy but is continuing to serve locations such as Milan, Venice and Bologna.
Ryanair has announced it has cancelled all international flights to and from Italy from Saturday until April 9.
Italy’s lockdown came amid reeling financial markets and rioting prisoners as the epidemic was extending its reach into all aspects of social and economic life.
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The World Health Organisation has welcomed Italy’s tough measures, noting that just four countries - China, South Korea, Italy and Iran - accounted for 93% of cases worldwide. Israel ordered anyone entering the country to self-quarantine for 14 days on Monday.
A tourist wearing a respiratory mask walks past the closed Colisseum monument in Rome. ALBERTO PIZZOLI via Getty Images
In the United States, which has reported over 600 cases and 26 deaths, the administration scrambled on Monday to assure Americans it was responding to the outbreak as stock markets plunged and top health officials urged some people to avoid cruise ships, air travel and big public gatherings.
US President Donald Trump, who continued to play down the threat posed by the flu-like virus, said he would announce economic measures on Tuesday and would discuss a payroll tax cut with Congress to bolster the economy.
Around the world, flights have been canceled, communities and cruise liners isolated, and concerts and trade fairs postponed.
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While some countries, such as China and Italy, have turned to drastic measures to try to delay the spread of the virus, others remain in a “containment” phase, where individual cases can still be tracked.
In the UK, the latest official figures show 373 people have tested positive for the virus while six people – all with underlying health conditions – have died after contracting it.
Ireland has cancelled all parades planned for the national St Patrick’s Day festival on March 17, including one in Dublin that draws more than 500,000 people from all over the world.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Student Writes Lighthearted Apology To Prince Harry For 'Cuddling' Meghan Markle

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A school student embraced his moment with Meghan Markle by writing a lighthearted apology to Prince Harry for “cuddling” her.
After Aker Okoye hugged the Duchess of Sussex and called her “beautiful” at a recent International Women’s Day event at the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham he penned a mea culpa and shared it in the Sun this week.
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“I hope you didn’t mind me cuddling your wife,” he wrote to Harry, explaining that he was “just overwhelmed and shocked to see her arrive at my school.”
Aker, 16, called her “inspirational” and wrote that he hoped to meet Harry one day.
The schoolboy answered Meghan’s call for a “brave young man” to step on stage. “She really is beautiful, innit?” Aker commented in the clip posted to the royal couple’s Instagram.
The duchess laughed and wagged her finger at him. After a speech in which he noted the strong women in his life and reminded everyone that women “do it all,” Aker and Meghan exchanged a big hug.
Meghan did appear to initiate the embrace with an arms wide open gesture, so Aker can probably rest assured that Harry wouldn’t take umbrage.
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“It was one of those moments which I’ll cherish for the rest of my life,” Aker told Piers Morgan in an interview on Good Morning Britain.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--East 17, Bros And Pet Shop Boys Manager Tom Watkins Dies, Aged 70

Music manager Tom Watkins has died at the age of 70.
He was best known for overseeing the careers of acts including East 17, Bros and Pet Shop Boys.
Tom Watkins, pictured in 1994 Today/Shutterstock
Tom’s friends told The Guardian that he died on 24 February, with his funeral taking place on Tuesday.
His cause of death has not yet been confirmed. However, he experienced a number of health issues in recent years, including strokes, a liver transplant and diabetes.
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Tom was a prolific manager in the music industry during the 1980s and 1990s, and also worked as a songwriter and music producer.
He wrote all the tracks on Bros’ debut album, Push, including hit singles When Will I Be Famous, Drop the Boy and I Owe You Nothing.
Under Tom’s management, Pet Shop Boys released 12 singles achieving four UK number ones with West End Girls, It’s a Sin, Always on My Mind and Heart.
He was also credited with helping East 17 break through in the early 90s, looking after their career until 1997.
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Other acts he managed included Electribe 101, Faith Hope & Charity, 2wo Third3, Ice Cream And Giggles, North And South and Deuce.
Tom had a complicated relationship with some of his acts, as in 2017, Matt Goss of Bros said that “there was a compassion that was lacking” in him, also claiming that band’s contract meant they ended up with “less than nothing”.
Tom also once said that the Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe “developed super-egos and tried to make out that I had nothing to do with their success, which is bullshit”.
Prior to his career in music, he worked as a designer for Sir Terence Conran and Rodney Fitch, after attending the London College of Furniture.
He was part of the team that designed Heathrow Terminal Three and the London Stock Exchange.
Tom later founded his own company, XL Design, creating record sleeves for artists including Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Duran Duran and Wham!
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In 2016, Tom released his autobiography, Let’s Make Lots of Money: Secrets Of A Rich, Fat, Gay, Lucky Bastard.
Tom is survived by his partner Marc.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Is The World Ready For Coronavirus? Here's How Different Countries Are Responding

There are few occasions when world leaders face the same challenge at the same time.
As global stock markets dive, retailers sound the alarm over panic buying and millions of people are placed on lockdown, the spread of coronavirus has seen countries all fighting the same enemy – but often in very different ways.
The divergent responses have raised questions over preparedness at a global level. But what impacts have the different approaches of the countries been, and what can we learn from them?
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Leadership
British PM Boris Johnson, centre, Chief Medical Officer for England Chris Whitty, left, and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Leaders around the globe have both won praise and come under fire in different ways for their handling of the outbreak - but one message has been clear: the public like hearing from the experts.
The UK’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, has helped millions make sense of the crisis amid a sea of information, with calm and assured answers to the questions on everyone’s lips. He’s been described as “properly impressive” and the “expert we need” - and even touted by some as the next 007.
Other governments with direct, concise and evidence-based messages appear to be faring well in the public eye, with South Korean, French and Canadian leaders winning praise from their citizens.
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In France, health ministers are giving daily briefings on newly-identified cases, and president Emmanuel Macron has summoned exceptional defence councils and cabinet meetings to discuss the situation.
The picture is similar in Spain, where government officials are spreading a message of “alert, but not alarm”, focusing on the early detection and containment of cases. Neither country though has imposed restrictions on internal movements of residents.
South Korea is among the countries most severely hit by coronavirus. The country’s president Moon Jae-in was forced into damage control after declaring that the outbreak would “disappear before long.” It didn’t, and as of Monday cases had gone beyond 7,000 in South Korea.
People watch a TV screen showing South Korean President Moon Jae-in's speech. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Since then the public response to the government’s strategy has been “relatively good”, focusing on transparency and speed, a HuffPost Korea editor said.
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“From the very beginning, health authorities held televised briefings everyday, twice a day, to report the number of new cases and death toll, as well as any noticeable change with regards to the situation,” they added.
“In addition to that, every local government also provides a daily update on the situation in their area, through a press briefing, text messages and emergency notifications on smartphones.”
In Canada, prime minister Justin Trudeau has stressed the importance of basing his government’s response “on the best recommendations of the World Health Organisation” and leading health experts.
Trudeau has been leading a noticeably toned-down response to the coronavirus outbreak compared to the US, a HuffPost Canada editor said. Trudeau has said Canada won’t ban foreign travellers from entering the country because “knee-jerk reactions” won’t keep Canadians safe. Canada has issued travel notices for six countries, but has not banned travel to and from any nation since the outbreak began.
Justin Trudeau said “knee-jerk reactions” wouldn't keep Canadians safe. Carlos Osorio / Reuters
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An Ipsos poll published on March 4 suggests Canada’s approach to the virus appears to be relatively calm. Among nine countries surveyed (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the US, the UK, and Vietnam), the lowest percentage of people who think the virus poses a high or very high threat to their country is Canada at 21%. In comparison, 65% of Japanese respondents and 49% in France feel this way, according to the survey.
In the UK, the number of confirmed cases has reached 319, with five reported deaths.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said China’s move to quarantine about 60 million people in central Hubei province, where Covid-19 originated, in late January helped the rest of the planet prepare.
Gail Carson, head of ISARIC, an international clinical research federation, told HuffPost: “WHO has shown great leadership in bringing together multiple disciplines from within the research community to develop a research agenda and roadmap to help facilitate a coordinated research response.
“The effort regarding all aspects of research by China, even whilst in the ‘eye of the storm’ has been remarkable and we will learn from their research outputs.”
However, similar moves by Italy’s prime minister Giuseppe Conte to isolate millions of people in its northern provinces, and then Monday’s extreme decision to lock down the entire country, could prove more difficult to implement in Europe.
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While the “aggressive” measures were praised by WHO experts, Conte faced criticism after leaks of his government’s draft plans appeared in the press hours before they were approved, leading to widespread uncertainty and panic. “On Saturday night many people went to Milan station to take the last train to South Italy. It was an incredible scene,” one HuffPost Italy editor said.
President Donald Trump speaks at the Coronavirus Task Force press conference Barcroft Media via Getty Images
But the picture is not quite the same in the US, where the efforts of experts at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to control the virus have been hampered by a confused White House approach.
Donald Trump has been criticised for claiming a vaccine would be ready in a few months, only to be contradicted by a medical expert at the same table saying it could take up to 18 months.
“It’s going to disappear,” Trump said of the coronavirus last Thursday. “One day it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”
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Trump has also come under fire for reportedly overruling his health officials, who wanted to recommend elderly and physically fragile Americans be advised not to fly on commercial airlines.
On Friday, the CDC updated its website to tell older adults and people with severe medical conditions such as heart, lung or kidney disease to “stay home as much as possible” and avoid crowds.
But on the whole, ISARIC’s Gail Carson said, experts across countries and continents have worked well together.
“The spirit of collegiality across the clinical research groups across the globe has been humbling and inspiring,” she added.
Healthcare
A sign for a coronavirus drive-through test centre is displayed at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. Russell Cheyne / Reuters
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Approaches to both testing for the virus and accessing healthcare vary wildly.
In the US, suspected cases can expect to be swabbed and to pay for the privilege (if the reported shortage of testing kits doesn’t become more severe), while in China a blood test has been developed.
Most tests can be run within a matter of hours – but what happens next depends on how much pressure countries’ healthcare systems can bear.
In India, 52 laboratories across the country are able to run tests, with about 600,000 carried out so far, mainly at airports and seaports. But in many larger regions, public healthcare could struggle to contend with large numbers of sick people.
“If the government is unable to contain cases to the large cities and among people with relatively more resources, the fallout could be huge,” a HuffPost India editor said.
In most European countries, including the UK, specific hospitals have been designated as Covid-19 treatment points, with specialist isolation facilities set up.
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In France, the “measured tone” of government officials has helped to alleviate concerns among the public, a HuffPost France editor said. “French people have faith in their social security and the quality of their health system. I’m guessing this helps people not to panic,” they added.
But in Italy, hospitals are reportedly struggling under the added pressure, and doctors in the UK fear the picture could be similar within the NHS should the number of cases snowball.
US doctors also fear a tremendous strain on their health system, especially hospitals, leading to shortages of beds, supplies and personnel.
In the meantime, provisional measures are being put in place across the country, including in San Francisco, where hospitals are setting up tents to screen patients with respiratory symptoms before they set foot in the building.
In Seattle and New York, new guidelines are calling for restricting the use of masks and gowns, in order to conserve limited supplies.
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In South Korea, where professionals have seen some success in bringing the outbreak under control, 190,000 tests have reportedly been carried out, including in drive-in centres – about 50 times the numbers done in the US so far.
Help for the vulnerable or low paid
UK health secretary Matt Hancock Yui Mok - PA Images via Getty Images
The impact of imposed quarantine or self-isolate on the economy, and people’s livelihoods, is huge.
In the UK, charities have warned hundreds of thousands of low-paid workers could be tipped into poverty should they be unable to get to work.
While ministers have promised those affected will qualify for sick pay, many are not convinced the government is doing enough to help those who will suffer the most financially.
But health secretary Hancock told MPs on Tuesday: “We will ensure that whatever the status of people who work right across the economy, whether they are self-employed, whether they are employed but work fewer than the number of hours a week, everybody will get the support so they are not penalised for doing the right thing.”
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In the US and Australia the picture is less favourable. Australian attorney general Christian Porter said the government would not “jump to a solution in anticipation of a problem” to help hourly-paid workers facing a dilemma, suggested the higher rate of pay casual workers receive mean many will have “already made provisions” if forced to take leave for medical reasons.
Millions of workers in the US have no paid sick leave entitlement, meaning many are forced to go to work even when they are struggling – potentially escalating the spread of the virus.
Conditions are better in France, one HuffPost editor said, thanks to the country’s “generous medical and social system”.
“People who are confined have a right to a 20-day sick leave payed by our social security,” our editor added.
“The government is more concerned by the fall of the rate of growth and its consequences on unemployment. A global economic crisis is feared, so the government authorised partial unemployment measures, as well as the deferral of social taxes, to help the companies to cope with the consequences of the epidemic.”
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Schools
Hilbre High School in West Kirby, Wirral, was closed to undertake deep cleaning after a parent of a student tested positive for novel coronavirus PAUL ELLIS via Getty Images
While children and young people have not been badly hit by Covid-19 (usually displaying milder symptoms if they do contract the virus|), school and colleges closures have been among the go-to measures for most countries in limiting the spread of infection.
In the US and UK, closures have been more sporadic, focusing mainly on areas where cases are suspected and being undertaken largely as a precautionary measure.
A UK Department for Education spokesperson told HuffPost: “Advice from Public Health England continues to be for schools to remain open, unless advised otherwise.”
In Italy, where infection is much more widespread, schools, colleges and universities across the country are closed until April 3.
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A similar strategy in Japan, where less than 1,200 cases have been confirmed, drew criticism after prime minister Shinzo Abe admitted he had made the decision without consulting infectious disease experts, “because we did not have the luxury of taking our time in coming up with a decision”.
When the outbreak first surfaced a few weeks ago, schoolchildren in China were the only ones missing classes.
Now the picture is similar, to varying degrees, in South Korea, Iran, France, Pakistan and India, with more expected to follow.
Social events
Empty seats in the Allianz Stadium in Turin during Juventus vs Inter Milan, which was played without fans because of the coronavirus outbreak. SIPA USA/PA Images
As cases increase across the US, the University of Washington announced Friday that it would hold classes remotely until the end of March, while some major corporate offices are telling employees to work from home.
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Big companies like Netflix, Apple, Amazon and others pulled out of attending the annual tech conference South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, before the event was cancelled entirely over the weekend.
Italy had closed museums and archaeological sites, even before the entire country was placed on lockdown, and suspended all weddings until April 3
Restaurants all around Italy are expected, somehow, to keep patrons three feet away from each other. The Vatican Museums are now closed, including the Sistine Chapel, in yet another blow to Italy’s all-important tourism industry.
Across Asia, Disney-themed tourist parks are closed or partially closed, along with many Chinese museums.
France’s Louvre Museum in Paris was temporarily shutdown earlier this month and public visits to the Elysee palace are suspended, while in Ireland the annual Dublin St Patrick’s Day parade has been scrapped.
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In Greece, a row has erupted around the Orthodox Church after it was claimed the virus could not be transmitted via Holy Communion. But one HuffPost Greece editor said there was “no panic, no confusion” in the country in general.
All La Liga matches in Spain’s top football league will be played behind closed doors for the next two weeks, bosses announced on Tuesday, while all sporting events in Italy have now been halted after matches were initially played without spectators.
In the UK, health secretary Matt Hancock said the government was being guided by scientific evidence when it came to recommending whether mass events should be cancelled, or home working should be encouraged.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Boris Johnson Hit With Tory Rebellion Over Huawei 5G Network

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Rebel Tory MPs have fired a shot across Boris Johnson’s bow over his controversial decision to hand Huawei a key role in building the UK’s 5G network.
Iain Duncan Smith, a former party leader, led a Commons revolt over the government plan backing a bid to rid the UK’s network of the Chinese telecoms giant’s involvement by 2022.
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The Tory, rebels which included a number of senior Brexiteers, did not have the numbers to force Johnson to change course and the government won the vote 306 to 282 - but with a majority of only 24.
But they handed the prime minister his first bloody nose of the parliament despite culture secretary Oliver Dowden offering a number of concessions.
It spells trouble for Johnson, who is expected to bring forward the Telecommunications Security Bill, writing the contract into law, by the summer.
Critics of the 5G plan say that Huawei is an arm of the Chinese state and therefore could present a risk to UK security.
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US president Donald Trump is also said to be extremely unhappy at Johnson’s decision.
But the government insists the Chinese firm will be excluded from the most sensitive parts of the 5G network and that its overall market share will decline over time as new players emerge.
Duncan Smith said: “We are genuinely concerned that this country has got itself far too bound into a process in which we are reliant on untrusted vendors and in this particular case, Huawei.
“But let’s not be in any doubt at all, the one thing I do want to say is that we heard recently that it is the view, and a government minister said this, that Huawei was a private company. Let us be very clear absolutely from the outset, this company is not a private company.
“It ends up being essentially almost completely owned by Chinese trade unions and they of course are exactly locked into the Chinese government. This is a Chinese wholly-owned organisation.”
A number of the rebels, which included including senior MPs such as Liam Fox, Bob Seely, Steve Baker and European Research Group chairman Mark Francois, took to Twitter after the vote to pressure the government further.
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Gov’t majority cut substantially on first #Huawei vote in the UK. Surprised by the significant cut in Gov’t majority considering the Bill was not even the right vehicle. It was a strong first showing.#HuaweiDebate #5G #Telecoms — Bob Seely MP (@IoWBobSeely) March 10, 2020
After discussing Huawei with worried MPs and seeing this result, it seems clear to me the policy on high-risk telecoms vendors in the forthcoming bill will need to be to exclude them from UK by a specified date, strengthening existing government commitments. https://t.co/FC39NKz3iW — Steve Baker MP (@SteveBakerHW) March 10, 2020
Dowden used the debate to tell MPs there was a “path to diversification” which would see Huawei’s involvement decline. But he failed to give a firm commitment to a date.
“There is a huge sense of urgency in this,” he said.
“This is why we are committed to working with our Five Eyes partners to make sure in this parliament – we are setting for the first time here – we are setting out a timetable to say within this parliament we will get the capacity so that then we can ensure that we will start to move away from our reliance on high-risk vendors.
“It’s already capped at 35%, we want to get to a position where we don’t need to rely on them at all.
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“This is the important first step and this is about reassuring the House that we are on the path to diversification.”
Before the debate, Dowden had also written to Tory MPs offering assurances and meetings with security officials in a bid to allay concerns.
“I wish to stress again that the government is clear-eyed about the challenges posed by Huawei,” he said.
“That is why the National Security Council made a decision to: exclude them from the security critical network functions in 5G networks, and reduce their presence in other network functions up to a strict market share cap of 35%.”
Dowden also said it was “not the right bill” for the rebels to use in their protest against Huawei.
“Parliament will be able to express its views on the controls on high-risk vendors when the government brings forward the legislation to introduce the new telecoms security regime,” he told them.
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“The Telecommunications Security Bill will be brought forward by this summer.”
Experts from the National Cyber Security Centre will give evidence to parliamentary committees as part of the process around the legislation, he said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Here's How Places Of Worship Are Dealing With Coronavirus

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As the number of coronavirus cases increase in the UK, places involving large gatherings are coming under scrutiny for their safety. But at a time when people are also more likely to need reassurance and comfort, the outbreak could pose potential problems for religious leaders, still hoping to draw a congregation.
The UK government has not yet imposed any restrictions on gatherings – but if they do so it could affect millions of people who gather week in, week out to practice their faith.
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While some religions already involve washing as part of their rituals, others involve methods that will need to be adapted to help minimise the risk to worshippers.
With some places of worship capable of accommodating thousands of worshippers, a significant proportion of which will be elderly (statistically the most-likely to be affected) – there are serious questions about how religious practices will bee affected.
Here’s how different faiths in the UK are preparing for coronavirus:
Churches
Communion rituals could be adapted in order to limit the spread of the virus. iweta0077 via Getty Images
While churches, alongside most other places of worship, are following generic advice provided by Public Health England – encouraging their congregation to wash hands for longer and more frequently, carry tissues, and asking them not to attend if they have any flu symptoms – there are some more specific aspects of Christian ritual that are likely to be adapted.
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Official advice released by the Church of England recommends that priests avoid the use of the chalice or common cup during eucharist – instead only taking the bread or wafer and leaving the drinking part to the priest.
Intinction – dipping bread in the wine during eucharist – has also been discouraged, and priests have been warned against putting the bread or wafer directly on the recipient’s tongue.
Should the outbreak worsen, churches have also been asked to consider to avoid shaking hands during the traditional “peace be with you”, and consider refraining from physical contact during a blessing or “laying on of hands”.
Some churches have already been closed after members of their congregation were confirmed to have contracted the virus, including St Mary’s Church in the Devonshire town of Churston Ferrers.
Reverend professor Gina Radford, a vicar in South Devon who was deputy chief medical officer for England until 2019, has been advising the Church of England on its coronavirus guidance.
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She said: “We, as a church, are here to support people both spiritually and practically, to listen to concerns if they are worried and to affirm and confirm the official health guidance.”
Synagogues
The star of David inside a synagogue. coldsnowstorm via Getty Images
David Mason, a rabbi at Muswell Hill Synagogue, said: “We’re part of United Synagogue, which is an orthodox Jewish body, and they have been very good at giving information through to the community to consider how we behave in the synagogue – making sure there’s handwash, gel, and tissues.
“We have quite a lot of people in the synagogue on Saturday morning, and after the service we go into a hall and have a lot of food, so we’ve clearly identified points where there’s more opportunity for it to spread.
“We’re taking it seriously, and telling people not to come if they have come from the areas in shut down or are showing any of the symptoms, as advised by Public Health England.”
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Although there have not yet been any suspected cases of coronavirus at Muswell Hill, the synagogue has come up with contingency plans should any members of the community have to self-isolate.
Mason explained: “For example, Jewish people who’ve lost a relative say a special prayer for 11 months after they’ve passed away, and they need to be a community setting to say that.
“We would then help people, and have someone say it if they couldn’t get to the synagogue.”
Leaders at the synagogue have set up a “crisis group” who are discussing how best to tackle the threat posed by the virus, which at the moment revolves largely around managing hygiene.
As part of that, they are reconsidering the types of food on offer at the synagogue after a Saturday service and at events such as Bar Mitzvahs – keeping away from bowls of food and instead distributing refreshments on individual plates.
“We need to take our civic and social responsibility seriously, but do it in a balanced manner,” Mason said. “We’re not stopping events, but we’ll take the advice that comes and see what happens.”
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Mosques
Worshippers attend Friday prayers in the Baitul Futuh Mosque. Peter Nicholls / Reuters
Birmingham Central Mosque trustee Dr Thurram Bashir told HuffPost UK the mosque has spent an extra £1,000 on hand sanitiser and a large quantity of extra tissue paper and bins in which to dispose of used items.
He said: “It has been very expensive but it is a priority that we look after people. And in turn, please don’t come if you are feeling unwell, please don’t put others at risk.”
He said worshipers seemed to have been following official advice, with attendance levels down for funeral prayers. He added that the extra sanitiser, tissues and bins were also being utilised by the staff and visitors to the mosque’s food bank which operates on a Tuesday.
He also pointed out that worshipers are asked to shower before attending prayers and that the mosque has washing facilities to perform ablutions on site too. Those attending Friday prayers are asked as a minimum to wash their hands, face, nose and arms up to the elbow.
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Sabah Ahmedi is a imam at Britain’s biggest mosque, the Baitul Futuh Mosque in Morden, and explained that leaders were doing everything they could to follow the limited advice from the government.
“Everyone is taking the precautionary measures as instructed by the government; washing your hands, reducing physical contact, covering your mouth when coughing, that sort of thing,” Ahmedi explained.
“We’ve asked anyone with symptoms of cold or flu not to come to the mosque, and we’ve even cancelled one of our events which was due to take place next month – the National Peace Symposium – because of the risk of coronavirus.”
As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, an Islamic movement with branches across the world, Ahmedi explained that the fight against coronavirus isn’t just based in their local mosque, but a global effort.
“We are taking advice across the world, wherever the risk is,” he said. “We’re at the forefront of making sure the members of our community are kept safe.
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“But there’s only so much you can do – everyone is responsible for their own wellbeing. You can only wash your own hands, I can’t do it for you, but we are following all the instructions given to us by the government and making sure that everything’s clean and tidy.”
With specific advice on how to deal with Covid-19 still limited, places of worship can only follow the same best practice rules obeyed in other public places, but Ahmedi explained that some established routines mean that the mosque could be one of the cleanest places to be.
“You have to perform ablution [the act of washing] anyway, so that’s one aspect of personal hygiene that’s already done before you even enter.”
Gurdwaras
pelvidge via Getty Images
Gurpreet Singh, the president of the Central Gurdwara in Notting Hill, said: “We’ve been keeping a close eye on the advice coming out from the government, but also looking at in relation to how the gurdwara operates, what impact it’s likely to have on us, and what we can do to make sure we keep our congregation safe.
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“The advice we’re putting out to our congregation is if someone has had symptoms of the flu or the coronavirus, just don’t come to the gurdwara and stay away for at least a week.
“Like any other public place, we have people coming from all over so our advice is if you’ve got any symptoms, don’t come for now.”
As well as protecting the community in a general sense, Singh and the team are also looking at the specific day-to-day routines of a gurdwara and working out where the risks could lie.
“We do serve food, as is the Sikh principle of langar, and though we do already operate to very high food hygiene standards and have a five star rating, we are looking at whether there’s anything we should change,” Singh explained.
“So far it’s been cautious about who comes to work in preparing langar, making sure they don’t have, or haven’t had symptoms in the last two weeks of any type of flu.
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“The other thing we already have in place is using paper towels. A lot of places are warning not to use cotton towels to dry your hands, but we use paper and all the soap we use is antibacterial.”
Singh explained that deep cleans of the building are already carried out on a regular basis, and certain adaptations – such as a specialist antibacterial flooring, often used in hospitals, in the langar hall where people eat – mean that parts of the gurdwara are already more resistant to the dangers of coronavirus than other public places.
Temples
Exterior Of Neasden Temple, which has cancelled events amid the coronavirus outbreak. Jakub Szafer / EyeEm via Getty Images
London’s most widely-visited temple, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir – often referred to as Neasden Temple – has cancelled all of its events and religious assemblies in a bid to protect the health of devotees and visitors, particularly the elderly and the vulnerable.
Nobody from the temple was available to speak to HuffPost UK, but a statement on their site says that all group and school visits have also been cancelled, and daily viewing of the murti – an image, statue or idol of a deity – has been provided online for followers.
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Temples belonging to the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) organisation in the UK and Europe – including those in Leicester, Coventry, and Leeds – are all following the same advice.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Katy Perry Tells Dying Grandmother She's Pregnant In Touching Video

Confirming the news of her pregnnacy on Instagram, the 35-year-old star said: “Let’s just say it’s gonna be a jam packed summer.”
She also joked about no longer having to hide her bump, tweeting: “Omg so glad I don’t have to suck it in anymore or carry around a big purse lol.”
In a live video, Katy also revealed she is ready to release a new album, saying: “Let’s call it a double whammy.”
Katy added: “I am excited, we’re excited, and happy. It’s probably the longest secret I’ve ever had to keep.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--5 Things Happening That Have (Almost) Nothing To Do With Coronavirus

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Coronavirus is dominating the daily headlines - and large aspects of our lives.
But as with any big news story, there are a lot of other important things happening within the UK and around the world too.
You can still read the latest coronavirus news here, but for a taste of what else is going on around the globe, here are five stories to be aware of:
HIV-free patient reveals identity
A hospital patient from London who was the second person in the world to be cleared of HIV has revealed his identity and will share his experiences on social media.
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Adam Castillejo, 40, achieved “sustained remission” from HIV after being treated at Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust announced last year – over a decade after the first known case in Berlin in 2007.
“By publicly revealing my identity and my story I hope to help improve people’s understanding of the science and HIV generally,” Castillejo, who works in the hospitality industry, said in a statement.
Castillejo was diagnosed with HIV infection in 2003 and developed an Aids-defining cancer, advanced Hodgkin’s lymphoma, in 2012.
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In 2016, he received a transplant of haematopoietic stem cells from a donor carrying a genetic mutation in the HIV receptor CCR5, which hinders the HIV virus from entering human cells.
After antiretroviral drugs were discontinued, researchers said Castillejo has been in remission for 30 months “with no viable virus in bloods, brain fluid, intestinal or lymph tissue”.
Castillejo said he plans to share his experiences through a podcast and his Twitter and Instagram accounts, @londonpatient and LondonPatientofficial, and said he recently began to “rekindle his passion” for cooking as a trained chef.
Harvey Weinstein falls
Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein is reportedly being treated for an injury he suffered in a New York jail as he awaits sentencing for rape and sexual assault.
Harvey Weinstein will be sentenced on Wednesday New York Daily News via Getty Images
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The 67-year-old, who faces up to 29 years in prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping former aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013, is alleged to have fallen over last weekend at Rikers Island Prison after he tried to walk without his frame. Jurors acquitted Weinstein on the two most serious charges against him, predatory sexual assault, which carried a maximum life sentence. He denied the accusations and said any sexual encounters were consensual.
Weinstein’s spokesman Juda Engelmayer said: “Harvey says his head throbs all the time and thinks he has a concussion. He has not been officially diagnosed.
“I do not see anything that suggests it was anything but an accident.”
The ex-mogul’s lawyers have asked a New York court to take into consideration his health and age and sentence him to a maximum of just five years behind bars. They cite his “accomplishments” and “charitable endeavours” in a letter ahead of sentencing on Wednesday.
Fuel wars
Supermarket Asda has announced a price cut of 2p per litre (ppl) for petrol and diesel amid an oil war between Saudi Arabia and Russia which led to stock markets and oil prices tanking around the world.
Motorists filling up at an Asda forecourt will pay no more than 114.7ppl for petrol and 116.7ppl for diesel.
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Asda said these are its lowest fuel prices since November 2017.
The retailer has brought fuel prices down by up to 11ppl since January.
As investors already deal with the fallout from coronavirus, Saudi Arabia announced plans to flood markets with extra supply – wiping billions off companies.
The Saudis are trying to punish Russia after the two sides failed to agree to supply targets.
Leaders will also be hoping it pushes US shale gas companies under, as their operations become economically unviable.
The move sent the price of a barrel of Brent Crude down 30% initially on Monday, before settling at around 20% down on a day earlier, to just 36.1 dollars a barrel.
Heartbreak for autistic girl
A 12-year-old autistic girl has been left heartbroken after her beloved therapy dog was stolen and found dead.
Chloe Hopkins’ Dalmatian Lottie was taken during a burglary from the family home in Peatling Parva, Leicestershire in December.
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Gemma Hopkins/ Facebook
All Chloe wants for Christmas is Lottie - her autism assistance dog - stolen on Dec 1st . Anyone with any information please call Leicestershire Police on 101, quoting crime reference number 19000643906, or Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111 Please RT pic.twitter.com/kin8DPrxku — Chris Packham (@ChrisGPackham) December 24, 2019
Even conservationist Chris Packham joined the search for Lottie in a bid to return the three-year-old dog to her owners in time for Christmas.
But on Monday, Chloe’s mother Gemma wrote on Facebook: “I’m not sure it has sunk in. Yesterday morning we got the call we didn’t want. Lottie has been found but passed away. Having to identify her was the hardest thing I’ve done by miles and I cannot thank everyone enough for the shares of posters via social media. I’ve got to break my 12-year-old’s heart tonight… we are all heartbroken. We never wanted this ending, we kept hopeful. Goodbye my crazy bunch of spots, RIP Lottie.”
Luxury London mansion under the spotlight
An Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO) hearing at the High Court on high-security mansion occupied by Nurali Aliyev, the grandson of Kazakhstan’s former so-called president for life, will take place today.
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The high security property is so large it as an underground swimming pool and a private cinema, the BBC reports. It is owned by companies based in tax havens and is one of three worth more than £80m in total that has been subject to UWOs since last May.
The property is one of three worth more than £80m in total that has been subject to UWOs since last May.
A High Court judge can issue an UWO requiring a person reasonably suspected of involvement in, or of being connected to a person involved in, serious crime to explain the nature and extent of their interest in particular property, and show how the property was obtained.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Derry Girls Star Siobhan McSweeney Living Out Of A Suitcase After Devastating Fire At Her London Hom

Derry Girls Star Siobhan McSweeney Living Out Of A Suitcase After Devastating Fire At Her London Home

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Derry Girls star Siobhan McSweeney has revealed she’s been living out of a suitcase and dealing with an “aftermath of anxiety” after a devastating fire at her home.
The actor – who plays no-nonsense nun Sister Michael in the Channel 4 sitcom – says she wants people to ditch cube-shaped block adaptors after fire inspectors said it caused the fire at her London flat.
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Siobhan was out at the theatre at the time of the fire, which started at the side of her bed.
The star lost many of her possessions in the blaze and is now living at a friend’s house but has been left “with an anxiety that something can go wrong”.
Siobhan McSweeney SOPA Images via Getty Images
“It takes me ages to leave the house, wherever I am,” she told the PA news agency.
“I have to go around plugging out everything and triple checking everything…
“For a long time afterwards I would wake up in the middle of the night and go round and unplug stuff.
“That was quite annoying for my friends, to be unplugging the television and resetting all their devices.
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“Thankfully I have the best friends in the world who put up with my little neurosis.”
Siobhan said the anxiety “comes in waves” but admits to feeling “incredibly lucky”.
“There is a legacy of panic,” she said. “And if I hadn’t been at that show there’s no doubt, I have been told, that this would have been a very different story.
“It would have been the toxic fumes from the smouldering of the mattress… that would have got to me first.”
The actor was alerted to the blaze in November, when she got a call from her neighbour saying her flat was on fire.
Siobhan plays Sister Michael in the hit Channel 4 comedy series. Channel 4
“When I got the call everything blacked out. I can’t remember (anything),” she said.
“All I remember is that taxi journey home and feeling so worried about what was happening.
“I have flats above me and below me and elderly neighbours and I was just deeply worried that they were safe,” she said.
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She said she had at first been “utterly convinced” she was responsible.
“That’s the first place you go to – that you’ve done it. It’s your worst possible nightmare, the idea that you’d put other people in danger.
“I thought it was something I’d done, a candle, or the oven. I had no idea that [block adaptors] were unsafe. I had many in the flat.
“Growing up, we used those for Christmas lights, for the trees and everything.
“It was a shock to me when the fire inspector told me it wasn’t my fault. That was such a relief.”
The fire service concluded the adaptor had fallen slightly out of its socket and created a spark which set fire to her bed.
“If people get rid of them that will be a bonus to a dreadful thing that has happened,” she said.
“I’m just urging people to not take the chance. It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t happen that often. It has happened.”
She said: “I’d left my really cosy, warm familiar home and I came back to a blackened, smelly, dark destroyed shell of a flat.
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“I haven’t been able to go back into the property yet so I’ve been living out of a suitcase since then.
“I managed to get my father’s death certificate and a picture of my mother.”
(L-R) Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee with its stars Nicola Coughlan, Siobhan McSweeney, Dylan Llewellyn, Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Louisa Harland Jeff Spicer via Getty Images
Siobhan is preparing to return to her role as Sister Michael in a third series of Derry Girls, which is due to air later this year.
Speaking of her co-stars, she said: “They have been incredibly supportive. They’ve offered me beds and shoulders to cry on. We’re a very close cast and I’d be lost without them.”
She has appeared in a new video warning of the dangers of the block adaptor, which Electrical Safety First says many people have in their homes.
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The charity said the product “puts undue strain on the wall socket and often do not come with a fuse”.
Multiway “bar” extension leads are the safer option, the charity said, but should not be overloaded.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Sixth Person In The UK Dies After Contracting Coronavirus

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A sixth patient has died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus, NHS England said.
A statement from West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust said: “Sadly, we can confirm that a man who was being cared for at Watford General Hospital, and had tested positive for Covid-19, has died.
“The patient, who died in the evening of Monday March 9, was in his early 80s and had underlying health conditions. His family has been informed and our thoughts and condolences are with them at this difficult and distressing time.”
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It comes as official figures reveal a total of 373 people have tested positive for the virus as of 9am on Tuesday, up from 319 at the same point on Monday, the Department of Health said.
UPDATE on coronavirus (#COVID19) testing in the UK:
As of 9am 10 March 2020, a total of 26,261 people have been tested:
25,888 negative.
373 positive.
6 patients who tested positive for coronavirus have sadly died.
▶https://t.co/VdU3Lzcrhl pic.twitter.com/YBj4AdnXEF — Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) March 10, 2020
Today’s rise in confirmed cases in the UK is the second largest day-on-day increase since the outbreak began. It is a jump of 54, which is 17% up on the equivalent figure for Monday.
There was also a 17% increase from Sunday (273) to Monday (319). The largest day-on-day rise so far is the jump of 67 from Saturday March 7 (206) to Sunday March 8 (273).
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The new total of 373 means the UK has the fifth highest number of confirmed cases in Europe, according to the World Health Organisation, behind Italy, France, Germany and Spain. Worldwide there have been 116,111 cases of people testing positive for coronavirus and 4,090 people have died.
Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said that contact tracing had begun.
The news comes the day after UK authorities revealed that people could soon be called on to self-isolate for a week if they show mild cold and flu symptoms in a bid to stop the virus spreading to the most vulnerable in society.
Watford General Hospital Google Maps
The number of Scots diagnosed with coronavirus has increased to 27, the Scottish Government confirmed.
The total number of positive tests for the disease, known as Covid-19, has risen by four from Monday.
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So far there have been 2,234 tests for the virus carried out in Scotland, of which 2,207 were negative.
Four new cases of Covid-19 have been detected in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number to 16.
All four are adults.
One case involved recent travel from Northern Italy.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Low-Paid Hit By Coronavirus Will Get Cash Help, Matt Hancock Signals

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Low-paid, gig economy and self-employed workers will all get financial support if they stay at home due to coronavirus, Matt Hancock has signalled.
The health secretary told MPs that he would make sure that no one would be penalised for “doing the right thing” to prevent the spread of the outbreak.
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His remarks, the strongest sign yet that the government will intervene directly, came ahead of a meeting on Wednesday that is expected to agree new emergency legislation to deal with the virus.
The Budget is also set to deliver key support for businesses and individuals.
Labour and trade unions such as the GMB have repeatedly demanded extra protection for the low-paid and those working in the gig economy like home food deliveries.
In the Commons on Tuesday, Labour MP Preet Gill asked Hancock to include specific proposals in his emergency legislation to help 1.8m lower paid workers by removing the lower earnings limit of £118 per week for eligibility for statutory sick pay.
Hancock replied: “We will ensure that whatever the status of people who work right across the economy, whether they are self employed, whether they are employed but work fewer than the [required] number of hours a week, everybody will ensure that they get the support so they are not penalised for doing the right thing.”
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Workers who ‘self-isolate’ themselves at home for 14 days are entitled to claim £94.25 a week in statutory sick pay from their employer, even if they’re not showing symptoms.
Boris Johnson last week agreed to fast-track sick pay to allow workers to qualify for the benefit from the first day off work, not the fourth, to help contain coronavirus.
Critics pointed out that the move would still leave many workers unprotected if they had to work from home.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock arriving at the Cabinet Office in London, ahead of a meeting of the Government's emergency committee Cobra to discuss coronavirus. PA
The Department for Work and Pensions has suggested that those ineligible for sick pay could be helped by Universal Credit, or the disability benefit Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
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Although giving new forms of support to the self-employed and low-paid could cost billions, Johnson himself hinted at change last week, saying “we’re going to keep all options under review” and that he was “well aware of the issue”.
Hancock also underlined new government advice recommending a ban on all but essential travel to Italy, where the country is now is total lockdown over the virus.
“Last night, Italy placed the whole country into quarantine. We have updated our travel advice. All those returning from any area of Italy must self isolate for 14 days,” he said.
In another move to combat the disease, Downing Street also revealed that it was making available a specially-designated hotel near Heathrow airport to make it easier for Italian nationals arriving in the UK to ‘self-isolate’ for 14 days.
The prime minister’s spokesman said: “Italians arriving in the UK are being given the same advice as UK nationals who are returning from Italy and that advice is provided in Italian.
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“There are facilities which are available to people who need to self-isolate and they are made aware of them. We have reserved a facility which is available to anyone and some people are taking up that advice.
“There are a small number of countries for which we’ve issued travel advice which is the same or similar to Italy so it would be nationals from those countries as well.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Dutch PM Shakes Hands Immediately After Telling Everyone To Stop Shaking Hands At Coronavirus Confer

Dutch PM Shakes Hands Immediately After Telling Everyone To Stop Shaking Hands At Coronavirus Conference
Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte shook hands with an expert on stage - immediately after ordering an end to all handshaking. At the conference on the virus, Rutte realised his mistake and went on to touch elbows with the director of the centre for infectious disease control.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--How To Manage Coronavirus At The Gym

How To Manage Coronavirus At The Gym

Thomas Barwick via Getty Images
A woman wipes her sweat on a towel and throws it to the floor. A man coughs into his hand, then grabs the cross trainer.
There’s no doubt about it, gyms are a hotbed of germs – so as coronavirus continues to spread across the UK, how cautious do we need to be?
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Dr Jenna Macciochi, an immunologist based at the University of Sussex, tells HuffPost UK that gyms “definitely do pose a risk”, as people are in close proximity and sharing equipment.
“Everyone should take care to carefully clean equipment with alcohol-based sanitiser and wash hands regularly,” she adds. “Try not to touch your face and practise good etiquette with tissues.”
If you have any symptoms of coughing or sneezing, you should avoid gyms completely to reduce the risk of spreading the virus or other illnesses, she adds.
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skaman306 via Getty Images
Coronavirus, officially called Covid-19, is thought to be transmitted via person-to-person when people are in close contact of around 1.8m and predominantly via coughing and sneezing, “releasing aerosolised droplets that land on people or are inhaled by people,” says Dr Macciochi.
There’s no evidence of coronavirus being spread via sweat, but transmission can also occur if someone with the virus coughs or sneezes onto their hands, then touches public surfaces. Because of this, hand hygiene is crucial in the gym.
A number of chains in the UK have introduced new policies amid the outbreak to reassure members of their safety. Fitness First, for example, has emailed all members to explain their hygiene processes, such as “thoroughly and regularly disinfecting and cleaning down all club surfaces and equipment”.
“In addition, we are installing notices in-club about the importance of hand hygiene, adding anti-bacterial surface wipes in club and ensuring all staff are kept fully up to date on this issue,” the email continued.
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Nationwide chain PureGym has told customers it has “increased the level of cleaning and hygiene” in all gyms, including ensuring all hand sanitiser dispensers remain filled. Spin group SoulCycle and London-based Paola’s BodyBarre have emailed class regulars with similar updates, while gym-goers on Twitter have noticed high fives are no longer in vogue after classes.
If you haven’t heard from your gym about the measures it is taking, it might be worth getting in touch if you’re worried.
The government is yet to implement a formal “social distancing” strategy, but has warned that if the virus continues to spread, we could be asked to change the way we interact with one another in the coming weeks – and this could include our gym habits.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Daniel Craig 'P***ed Off' About Claims New James Bond Film No Time To Die Is 'Cursed'

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Daniel Craig was in no mood to discuss whether or not his final James Bond film was “cursed” when the suggestion was put to him during a recent interview.
It’s not unfair to say that there have been a fair few issues in the lead-up to No Time To Die’s release, beginning back in 2018, when original director Danny Boyle quit the project.
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The release of No Time To Die has now been postponed by seven months following the coronavirus outbreak, but in an interview conducted before the announcement, Daniel was quick to shoot down claims the film is “cursed”.
Daniel Craig as James Bond .
“It pisses me off,” he told GQ, on the subject of tabloid reports calling the film “cursed”. “Because I’m just like, ‘Don’t curse our movie.’ And also, we’re doing our best here.”
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No Time To Die is the 25th film in the James Bond saga, and will be Daniel’s last in the role.
Because of this, Daniel also revealed to GQ that he has taken a more hands-on approach behind the scenes, which included him pushing to have Phoebe Waller-Bridge brought in as a co-writer.
He explained: “This is my last movie. I’ve kept my mouth shut before and I’ve stayed out of it and I’ve respected it and I’ve regretted that I did.
“I’ve been very forceful in meetings and often way too blunt and probably completely rude… But I’m like, We’re here! Come on! And I always say sorry.”
Daniel Craig on the cover of GQ GQ
Originally slated for release next month, No Time To Die will now hit cinemas in November.
Joining Daniel in the film will be returning stars like Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris, as well as newcomers like Rami Malek, who plays the secret agent’s new adversary, and Lasha Lynch, who plays the successor to James Bond as the holder of the 007 codename.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Dutch PM Accidentally Breaks His Own Coronavirus Advice In Embarrassing Handshake

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The Dutch prime minister managed to undermine his own message about new measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 just moments after making a public announcement.
Mark Rutte called on citizens of the Netherlands to stop shaking hands at a press conference on Tuesday.
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The Dutch PM shook hands with the Head of Infectious Diseases Jaap van Dissel of the Public Health Institute, at The Hague. ASSOCIATED PRESS
But after making the remarks, he turned and shook hands with the head of the infectious diseases department of the national public health institute.
“From this moment on, we stop shaking hands,” Rutte said at a news conference following a crisis meeting of government ministers to discuss the virus, which has killed three people and infected 321 in the country.
“You can do a foot kiss, bump elbows, whatever you want,” he said.
“I see all kinds of great variations on shaking hands emerging at schools, but from today we stop shaking hands.”
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As he wrapped up the news conference, he shook hands with Jaap van Dissel of the public health institute, who quickly pointed out the prime minister’s error.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Why RuPaul's Drag Race Queen Jan Had To Change Her Name

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RuPaul’s Drag Race star Jan has already marked herself as one of the ones to watch on the current series, but some fans might be surprised to find out the reason she is known by just one name.
During the latest episode of the hit reality series, fellow queen Rock M Sakura was seen referring to Jan’s drag surname, which was bleeped from the broadcast.
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The moment left some viewers confused, but it happened because Jan had to change her usual drag name to take part in the series.
Before appearing on the show, Jan was known as Jan Sport – a name derived from the JanSport brand of backpacks, which she previously revealed she’d chosen to reflect her love of sports.
Drag Race VH1/World Of Wonder
However, the brand is obviously trademarked and therefore Jan is legally prevented from using it on TV, hence the mononym.
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Drag Race VH1/World Of Wonder
Jan addressed the change prior to her debut in the workroom on Twitter last week, tweeting: “Jann I OOP! It’s just Jan y’all!
“I’m trying to laugh through the pain about not being able to use my full name on television, so I’m changing my name to Elle O’Elle.”
Jann I OOP! It’s just Jan y’all! — Jan (@jansportnyc) March 4, 2020
I’m trying to laugh through the pain about not being able to use my full name on television, so I’m changing my name to Elle O’Elle. — Jan (@jansportnyc) March 5, 2020
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She is not the only season 12 queen to have undergone a name change ahead of the show.
Brita was previously known as Brita Filter after the water filter brand, but also had to have a rethink due to international trademark laws.
Drag Race VH1/World Of Wonder
Two episodes of the current season of Drag Race have aired so far, with the queens introduced in two halves.
The upcoming episode will see all 13 come together to compete for the first time in an American Idol-inspired improv challenge.
Last week, it was confirmed Sherry Pie had been disqualified from the competition after a series of catfishing allegations were made against her.
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Confirming the news, a show spokesperson said: “Out of respect for the hard work of the other queens, VH1 will air the season as planned.
“Sherry will not appear in the grand finale scheduled to be filmed later this spring.”
New episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race are available to stream in the UK each Saturday on Netflix.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Watch: Here’s The Latest On Coronavirus

Watch: Here’s The Latest On Coronavirus

Watch: Here’s The Latest On Coronavirus - 10 March
Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte has called for the whole of Italy to go into lockdown as the country tries to stop the rampant swell of new cases and deaths resulting from Covid-19. Elsewhere, confusion reigns in the White House as some close to Donald Trump are forced to self-isolate, airlines are running “ghost planes” and cancellation of events continues around the world.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-10--Royally Awkward Encounter Between Harry, Meghan, William And Kate Gets Fans Speculating

Royally Awkward Encounter Between Harry, Meghan, William And Kate Gets Fans Speculating
The royal family reunited for Commonwealth Day services at Westminster Abbey on Monday - but one particular encounter has left fans speculating. In their last royal engagement before stepping down from royal duties at the end of the month, Harry and Meghan were seen to greet William and Kate in a moment that some perceived as a “snub”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-12--Arsenal Head Coach Mikel Arteta Tests Positive For Coronavirus

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Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has tested positive for coronavirus, the Premier League club have announced.
The whole first-team squad will now be placed in self-isolation.
A club statement read: “Our London Colney training centre has been closed after head coach Mikel Arteta received a positive Covid-19 result this evening.
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“Arsenal personnel who had recent close contact with Mikel will now self-isolate in line with government health guidelines.
“We expect this to be a significant number of people from Colney, including the full first-team squad and coaching staff.”
Club statement: COVID-19 — Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 12, 2020
The club are now trying to trace any other people who may have had contact with Arteta.
Their statement added it was “clear we will not be able to play some fixtures on their currently scheduled dates”.
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The Gunners were due to travel to travel to Brighton on Saturday.
The Premier League had earlier said all this weekend’s matches remain unaffected by the virus.
But after Arsenal’s announcement, the Premier League announced it will convene an emergency club meeting on Friday morning regarding future fixtures.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-12--Stock Markets In Freefall Amid Coronavirus Fears

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Stock markets around the world have crumbled as fears over covid-19 sparked the worst bloodbath since 1987, with the US following Britain’s downward trajectory on Thursday.
The FTSE 100, the index of the UK’s biggest firms, closed the day down by more than one 10th.
Investors ran scared from London’s shares as the index closed Thursday down by 639.04 points to 5237.48.
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It wiped more than £160 billion off the value of the index’s 100 companies, the worst value loss in history in nominal terms, ahead of the £124.7 billion that was lost on Monday.
The 10.87% fall is worse than any day during the 2008 financial crisis and investors wanting to find a bigger drop need to look back to October 20 1987, the day after Black Monday, when the FTSE 100 fell 12.2%.
It is the second worst day in the FTSE’s history, ahead of the 10.84% fall on Black Monday itself. The index is now at lowest closing point since 2011.
Later, the escalating coronavirus emergency sent US stocks to their worst losses since the Black Monday crash.
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The plunge extended a sell-off that has wiped out most of Wall Street’s gains since US President Donald Trump’s election.
The S&P 500 plummeted 9.5%, for a total drop of 26.7% from its all-time high, set just last month.
That puts it way past the 20% threshold to make this a bear market, snapping an unprecedented, nearly 11-year bull-market run.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 10% for its worst day since a nearly 23% drop on October 19 1987.
European markets lost 12% in one of their worst days ever, even after the European Central Bank pledged to buy more bonds and offer more help for the economy.
Electronic screens display readings for the FTSE, DAX and CAC at the New York Stock Exchange. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The heavy losses came amid a cascade of cancellations and shutdowns across the globe — including Trump’s suspension of most travel to the US from Europe — and rising worries that the White House and other authorities around the world cannot counter the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic any time soon.
Stocks fell so fast on Wall Street at the opening bell that they triggered an automatic, 15-minute trading halt for the second time this week.
The so-called circuit breakers were first adopted after the 1987 crash, and until this week had not been tripped since 1997.
The Dow briefly turned upward and halved its losses at one point in the afternoon after the Federal Reserve announced it would step in to ease “highly unusual disruptions” in the Treasury market. But the burst of momentum quickly faded.
Trump often points proudly to the big rise on Wall Street under his administration and warned a crowd at a rally last August that “whether you love me or hate, you gotta vote for me”, or else your investments will go “down the tubes”.
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On Wednesday, the Dow finished the day down more than 20% from its all-time high, set just last month, officially entering what is known as a bear market for the first time in over a decade.
The combined health crisis and retreat on Wall Street heightened fears of a recession.
“This is bad. The worst and fastest stock market correction in our career,” Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at MUFG Union, said in a research note overnight. “The economy is doomed to recession if the country stops working and takes the next 30 days off. The stock market knows it.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-12--Why Boris Johnson Doesn’t Want To Peak Too Soon On Coronavirus

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You’re reading The Waugh Zone, our daily politics briefing. Sign up now to get it by email in the evening.
Seriously?
Sombre, serious, statesmanlike. Even Boris Johnson’s admirers would be the first to admit those are not normally the words he’s associated with. But in his latest Downing Street briefing on coronavirus, the prime minister had to be all three and he was.
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“I must level with you, level with the British public, many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time.” That one sentence, somehow both dramatic and understated, was possibly the most serious sentence Johnson has had to utter in his entire political career. Everybody hearing that would have instantly thought of the elderly relatives and friends closest to them.
For the first time since the outbreak began to affect Britain, the message from Johnson was unmistakeably stark. Rightly countering the misconception that coronavirus was just another form of flu, he rammed home that thanks to a lack of immunity, this disease is “more dangerous” in its spread and we should be braced for “the worst public health crisis for a generation”.
When the UK’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance revealed his own estimates of just how many Britons were already infected with the virus, it felt like a bucket of ice-cold water being thrown over anyone complacent enough to think this crisis won’t affect them. Vallance said that there’s up to 10,000 cases of Covid-19 in the UK. Yes, 10,000.
And that’s even before we are anywhere near the peak of this crisis. The numbers who will be infected will be much, much higher. Crucially today, the scientists provided a handy graph (two graphs in fact one with delay, one without) to explain just how they hope the UK strategy will flatten the numbers who get coronavirus. This is not some episode of the Moral Maze on the utilitarianism of health crises, it was suddenly very real.
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The new advice to stay at home for seven days even if you show mild symptoms (a persistent dry cough and raised temperature) should reduce the peak by 25%. When such people are told to include their whole household in self-isolation, a further 25% reduction will occur. Delay that peak and we could halve the numbers who get this thing.
Boris Johnson holds a news conference to give the government's response to the coronavirus outbreak. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Most importantly of all, Vallance said that the plan should mean a 30% reduction in death rates too. So, why didn’t he spell that out even more dramatically, by saying the government’s ‘delay’ plan could save thousands of lives? Well, for the very good reason that even going down that route would be to put a number on those who will die even in the best case scenario. There is also the problem, as chief medical officer Chris Whitty said, that such forecasts on deaths are necessarily just too uncertain to speculate about.
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges is to convince people that staying at home with mild symptoms is crucial right now. Stressing (for the first time) that such people “can spread this to a lot of people” was important. But so too was the acknowledgment that self-isolation is not some kind of jolly holiday, a kind of supreme sofa-surf for slackers. “This is going to be miserable,” as one inside expert put it. The list of requirements shows just why: sleeping alone, keeping up to 3m apart from others in your home.
The scientists were certainly more consistent that our politicians have ever been on anything. They set out why banning football matches would have a negligible effect, why closing schools would hit the NHS and (a new stat here) why stopping flights from China early on would have delayed the arrival of the virus by just one day. The behavioural case for not going too early with some measures (the public are proven to tire of restrictions and could make it worse later) was clearer too.
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Johnson is also still sticking firmly to his own belief in the experts. “Perhaps I’ll ask Patrick and Chris”, he said. “I’ll pass that one to the chief medical adviser and Patrick”, he said again. True to form, he couldn’t keep up the statesmanlike tone for the whole press conference. Referring to the hat-shaped graphs nearby, he said he wanted to “squash that sombrero”. We should be grateful overall however that is more sombre than sombrero.
And perhaps that’s the real merit of today. The message to the public is made even stronger because Johnson is normally viewed as a clown/someone who tries to cheer us all up (delete as appropriate). If even he is taking this seriously, then the rest of us should take it damned seriously indeed.
Quote Of The Day
“I’ve got to be clear, we’ve all got to be clear, that this is the worst public health crisis for a generation.”
Boris Johnson on coronavirus
Thursday Cheat Sheet
The total number of cases of UK coronavirus soared to 596 cases, up by 134, the biggest daily increase since the crisis began. Some 10 people have now died from the disease.
May’s local elections look certain to be delayed until the autumn after the Electoral Commission said that to “mitigate” the impact of coronavirus. The UK and EU agreed to ditch plans to hold face-to-face talks in London on their trade deal, with video conferencing a more likely option.
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Chancellor Rishi Sunak made clear why Britain won’t follow Donald Trump’s blanket ban on foreign flights. “The advice we are getting is that there isn’t evidence that interventions like closing borders or travel bans are going to have a material effect on the spread of the infection.”
The Institute for Fiscal Studies’s post-Budget analysis warned that key areas of public spending are set to face austerity for “years to come”.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-12--Coronavirus Hides The Budget In Plain Sight, With Rosena Allin-Khan MP

Coronavirus Hides The Budget In Plain Sight, With Rosena Allin-Khan MP
The march of the coronavirus across the world dominated headlines this week, with Westminster having its first diagnosed cases and the government moving to delay phase to try limit its spread. Is Boris Johnson’s team listening to the right advice? Labour MP and A&E doctor Rosena Allin-Khan joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss the government’s response, as well as running the rule over chancellor Rishi Sunak’s big spending Budget.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-12--NHS Workers Battling Coronavirus Face 'National Shortage' Of Protective Clothing

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NHS workers battling coronavirus are facing a “national shortage” of protective clothing, HuffPost UK has been told.
Labour MP Rosena Allin-Khan, a working doctor who still works shifts in A&E, said scientists had told her that there were not enough body suits in the right sizes, while some doctors were only now starting to receive protective clothing.
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It came amid new official estimates suggesting 5,000 to 10,000 people in the UK have coronavirus, leaving many doctors, nurses and other health workers at risk of infection.
Last month, the World Health Organisation also warned that there was a global shortage of protective masks and body suits.
One NHS source who worked at a hospital where coronavirus patients were being treated told HuffPost UK: “There were staff forced to wear oversized suits because that’s all they had.
“All we have left is XL.
“There is a national shortage of suits but this was raised with the government at least three weeks ago so something should have been done.”
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Appearing on HuffPost UK’s Commons People podcast, Allin-Khan repeated the concerns.
“I held a meeting today with some people from the scientific community and they said their concern was though they had been testing out various modes of protective clothing, it turns out that there is a lack of the clothing they need available, the sizes aren’t available,” she said.
“Just yesterday - because people still contact me because I’m a doctor still, to let me know what’s going on - someone said they were a GP and had only started receiving the necessary protective clothing yesterday and this has been going on for a month now.
Labour deputy leadership candidate Dr Rosena Allin-Khan PA
The Labour deputy leadership candidate criticised the government for moving too slowly to tackle from coronavirus.
In a departure from Labour’s broad support for the government, Allin-Khan called for tougher measures to tackle the outbreak, including testing those with symptoms for the virus as a matter of course.
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Allin-Khan said the government’s testing programme could be “more robust”, reporting that “friends in the NHS” said people were being given “really unclear messaging”.
She gave an example of two people who returned from northern Italy who phoned NHS 111 and were told to wait for a call back which did not come for five days, during which time they self isolated.
When they eventually spoke again to NHS staff, they had to give their details again and had to self-isolate for eight days before finally being tested for coronavirus.
Test results are also taking three to five days to materialise.
Allin-Khan said: “We need to be moving quicker, people need to have a better idea of how to access testing, what it means for their daily lives.
“The messaging needs to be clearer and the testing needs to be more robust.”
She added: “We should have moved into the delay phase sooner than now and I don’t think we should measure our performance compared to what other countries are doing.
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“I think we should be looking at what’s best for us and when you look at the fact that China had the same number of cases that we already have surpassed before implementing measures we do need to be listening to what the other scientific community, for example some eminent epidemiologists, listen to what they’re saying.
“Because ultimately we can’t leave the scientific community to be scapegoated for the government making bad decisions if they are proven to be wrong.”
Allin-Khan meanwhile sidestepped questions on whether she wants to be shadow health secretary under the next Labour leader.
“I like to focus on one thing at a time, genuinely, and I don’t think you should ever have a plan B because that’s implying you’ve accepted that your plan A won’t work out,” she said.
“So I am genuinely, steely focused on winning this deputy leadership bid.”
Put to her that she would be a good fit for the job, she replied: “Well I am a practising NHS doctor and I have got a master’s degree in public health and I care about our party so that’s honestly for whoever is the leader to decide.”
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A department of health and social care spokesperson said: “We are rightly taking every possible action to tackle this virus and have central stockpiles of a range of medical products to help ensure the uninterrupted supply to the NHS.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-12--Boris Johnson Declares Coronavirus 'Worst Public Health Crisis For A Generation'

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Boris Johnson has described the coronavirus outbreak as “the worst public health crisis for a generation” as it was revealed there may be as many as 10,000 cases of the infection in the UK.
The PM, who today chaired an emergency COBRA meeting, confirmed the government was now moving to the “delay” stage of the process but would not be closing schools and banning sporting events.
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He said “the scientific advice” was that taking such drastic steps “could do more harm than good”.
The official health advice was updated, however, with people with mild symptoms, such as a cough, told to stay at home and take precautions.
As it stands, there are 596 confirmed cases in the UK and ten people have died. Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, however, said the actual number of people infected could be between 5,000 and 10,000.
Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street, he said: “We’ve all got to be clear, this is the worst public health crisis for a generation.
“Some people compare it to seasonal flu, alas that is not right.
“Due to the lack of immunity this disease is more dangerous.
“It is going to spread further and I must level with you, I must level with the British public: many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time.”
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It came as Public Health England issued new stay-at-home guidance for those with confirmed or suspected cases of coronavirus.
It states not to go to work, school, or public areas, use public transport or taxis – or even go for a walk.
Even those with mild symptoms of infection are being urged to stay at least two metres away from other people, to stay well away from elderly people and to sleep alone.
Where possible, those with confirmed or suspected cases should use a separate bathroom from the rest of the household, PHE said.
For infected people with shared toilets and bathrooms, the government advice says to clean them after every use.
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Johnson went on to warn that the peak of the outbreak had yet to be reached and that the most dangerous period is some weeks away.
He stressed that the “lines of defence” must be deployed at the right time to maximise their effect.
He said: “The most important task will be to protect our elderly and most vulnerable people during the peak weeks when there is the maximum risk of exposure to the disease and when the NHS will be under the most pressure.
“So the most dangerous period is not now but some weeks away depending on how fast it spreads.”
The PM added: “There is no escaping the reality that these measures will cause severe disruption across our country for many months.
“The best scientific advice is that this will help us slow the disease and save lives.”
He urged people to use the 111 service online rather than call the helpline.
In a message to the elderly, Johnson said that although the disease was “particularly dangerous” for them, the vast majority would experience “a mild-to-moderate illness”.
Calling for action to support older relatives and neighbours, Johnson said: “We are going to need to mobilise millions of people to help and support each other.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-12--Justin Trudeau Self-Isolates As Wife Tested For Coronavirus

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in self-isolation as his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, is being tested for Covid-19.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) issued a statement on Thursday to say that Grégoire Trudeau had recently returned from a speaking engagement in London, UK. She began “exhibiting mild flu-like symptoms including a low fever late last night,” it read.
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“She immediately sought medical advice, and is being tested for the Covid-19 virus. She is self-isolating at home awaiting test results, and her symptoms have since subsided.”
The prime minister is exhibiting no symptoms himself, the statement read.
He was scheduled to meet with premiers and Indigenous leaders on Thursday and Friday, but those meetings have since been postponed.
Grégoire Trudeau was in London to speak at a WE Day event last week, the PMO confirmed to HuffPost Canada. Thousands of people attended the youth empowerment event at SSE Arena in Wembley. Celebrity speakers included Grégoire Trudeau, the prime minister’s mother Margaret Trudeau, actor Idris Alba, and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, is characterised by coughing, fever, and shortness of breath though symptoms may not appear until 14 days after exposure. Due to its geographic spread, it was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on Wednesday.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-12--Why Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Travel Ban Won’t Work

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In an address to the nation on Wednesday evening, US president Donald Trump announced that foreign nationals from 26 European countries were no longer welcome in the US, in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Trump made the announcement in an Oval Office address to the nation, blaming the European Union for not acting quickly enough to address the outbreak of the virus and saying US clusters were “seeded” by European travellers.
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“We made a lifesaving move with early action on China,” the US president said. “Now we must take the same action with Europe.”
But will this move actually stop coronavirus spreading? And how exactly is it going to work?
Which countries are banned?
Foreign nationals from the 26 European countries that make up the Schengen zone – where residents are allowed to move freely across the borders – are now banned from entering the US.
The full list consists of: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
UK and Ireland are exempt from the ban. Trump said on Thursday that the UK had been excluded from the travel ban because it was doing a “good job” on coronavirus.
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* TRUMP SAYS HE EXCLUDED UNITED KINGDOM FROM EUROPE TRAVEL BAN BECAUSE UK IS DOING A GOOD JOB ON CORONAVIRUS
* TRUMP SAYS HE COULD NOT CONSULT WITH EUROPEAN OFFICIALS BEFORE IMPLEMENTING TRAVEL BAN BECAUSE HE HAD TO MOVE QUICKLY
(via @reuters) — Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla) March 12, 2020
When will the ban come into force?
The ban will come into force on Friday at 11.59pm ET (Saturday, 3.59am GMT) and is set to last for 30 days.
This is not a fixed period however – as the Covid-19 situation develops the travel ban could be extended or adapted.
I’m a US expat in Europe – can I return home?
Yes, as long as you have residency you will retain the right to enter the US. Most immediate family members of US citizens are also exempt.
The ban does not apply to crew members on board ships or planes, foreign government officials and their family, foreign nationals invited to the country to help tackle the virus, and foreign nationals who work for the US armed forces.
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Visitors representing organisations such as Nato and the UN are also permitted entry, as well as individuals whose entry “is deemed in the national interest”.
Will it actually stop the spread?
With more than 1,200 cases of coronavirus already confirmed in the US there are significant questions around how effective a travel ban from the Europe will actually be.
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak said Trump’s decision to ban travel from Europe to the US will not have “a material effect” on the spread of coronavirus.
He said the US president’s move to suspend flights could have a knock-on effect on the UK economy.
Sunak told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme: “With regard to flight bans, we are always guided by the science as we make our decisions here.
“The advice we are getting is that there isn’t evidence that interventions like closing borders or travel bans are going to have a material effect on the spread of the infection.
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He added: “That is why we have taken the decisions we have.”
Other experts and commentators have also poured scorn on the idea:
There’s literally no justification for a blanket 30-day #Europe travel ban to stop #Coronavirus. It’s capricious & arbitrary:
1) It’s ALREADY HERE.
2) the economic consequences will be dreadful
3) why arbitrarily exclude the UK, where there are infections?#CoronaVirusUpdate — Abdul El-Sayed (@AbdulElSayed) March 12, 2020
Needs to be emphasized that travel ban doesnt apply to US citizens or green card holders travelling back and forth to Europe thereby exposing itself as idiotic and purely political stunt. Unless you believe US passport protects you from virus. — Simon Schama (@simon_schama) March 12, 2020
The European Union “disapproves” of Trump’s travel ban, European Council president Charles Michel and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday morning.
A joint statement read: “The coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires co-operation rather than unilateral action.
“The European Union disapproves of the fact that the US decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation.
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