Covid tests set to be scrapped for fully-vacinated travellers arriving in England

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 26: Co-host Bob Beckel attends FOX News' "The Five" at FOX Studios on February 26, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images) Bob Beckel, a Democratic strategist and former co-host of "The Five," has died at age 73.Beckel first joined Fox News in 2000 as a contributor providing political analysis and rejoined the network in 2011 as one of the original hosts of "The Five."Columnist Cal Thomas posted on Facebook about Beckel's death. Get your top stories delivered daily! Sign up for FOX 11’s Fast 5 newsletter. And, get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. Download for iOS or Android.When "The Five" premiered in July 2011, it was only supposed to have a five-week run to temporarily fill the timeslot.

Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!!

New Zealand anti-vaccine protesters pelted police with a "stinging substance" sending three to hospital with injuries early today, as tension spilled over in an angry weeks-long protest.

Six national groups representing medically vulnerable people say the ending of mandatory mask wearing by the Government should be delayed.

All remaining coronavirus restrictions are to be lifted, starting from this week.

The Government will consider a proposal to end almost all remaining health restrictions next week.

Big Hit Music has shared that BTS member V has recovered from COVID-19 and is now out of quarantine.Earlier today (February 22), the agency shared a notice on fan community site Weverse about the health status of the 26-year-old singer. V had diagnosed with COVID-19 last week after experiencing mild respiratory symptoms.“We would like to inform you that BTS member V has made a full recovery from COVID-19 and his quarantine has concluded as of today, February 22,” wrote Big Hit.

Nicola Sturgeon is set to lay out her new strategic framework for dealing with covid later today.

Omicron coronavirus variant are nearly 75% less likely to develop serious illness or die than those who contract the Delta variant, real world data released on Monday by South Korea’s health authorities showed.A study by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) of some 67,200 infections confirmed since December showed the Omicron variant’s severity and death rates averaged 0.38% and 0.18%, respectively, compared with 1.4% and 0.7% for the Delta cases.The KDCA classed severe cases as people who were hospitalised in intensive care units. COVID cases exceed 400 million globally as Omicrons spreads Around 56% of 1,073 people who died over the past five weeks were either unvaccinated or had received only one dose, the study showed, with people aged 60 or older accounting for 94% of deaths.More than 86% of South Korea’s 52 million population have been double vaccinated and nearly 60% have received a booster shot.South Korea had kept cases and deaths relatively low thanks to widespread social distancing measures and aggressive testing and tracing.The Omicron variant has led to a surge in cases — daily new infections topped a record 100,000 last week — but authorities have pushed ahead with slightly easing social distancing rules amid the lower fatality rate and ahead of a presidential election next month.Contact tracing and mandatory isolation for vaccinated people was scrapped in favour of self diagnosis and at-home treatment to free up medical resources.

Police aren’t saying much about their investigation into the shooting deaths of two women in Vancouver’s Point Grey neighbourhood on Sunday morning. As Rumina Daya reports, we do know the identiy of the victims.

Tomorrow is budget day here in B.C. The provincial NDP government is playing out its plan for our province’s financial books, but just what are we expecting them to spend on? Richard Zussman has more.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to “maintain peace” in the eastern Ukraine regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, areas he now recognizes as independent. As Jackson Proskow reports, Putin is only stoking fears he’s preparing for a full-blown invasion.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has informed the Parliament that the Special Goods and Services Tax Bill should be passed with a 2/3 majority and a referendum.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal on Monday (21) issued an order temporarily preventing the construction of a 4-lane elevated highway from the New Kelani Bridge to Athurugiriya, across the Thalangama Wetlands.The Thalangama (Talangama) wetlands are an environmental protection area and a biodiversity hotspot in a rapidly urbanizing environment.The Minister of Highways and officials were prohibited from engaging in any form of construction in the Wetlands, without submitting a proper Environment Impact Assessment report, to the Court of Appeal.The Road Development Authority and the RDA Director General were ordered by the Court to explore an alternative site for the construction of the elevated highway and report to the court via a report on or before the 31st of March 2022.The orders were made by Justice Sobhita Rajakarunwa after considering a petition filed by one R. M.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The global digital platform (GDP) prepared by the National Science Foundation for Sri Lankan expatriates and emigrants in the world was launched on Monday (21) at the BMICH.The National Science Foundation (NSF) embarked upon constructing an instrument with technical support from the SLASSCOM to harness this potential, and a state-of-the-art global digital platform with the requisite capabilities and features to mobilise the expatriates for national development has now been developed.More than 950 Sri Lankans around the world are currently connected to this network.The GDP of the NSF will facilitate effective harnessing, mobilising, and channeling intellectual assets at home and abroad ― the most precious and treasured resource in a knowledge economy –– for development.This will enable Sri Lanka to address and resolve high-priority national needs and concerns while making the most of the opportunities and natural resources available in order to transform Sri Lanka into a developed nation.A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was also signed between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Sri Lanka Association of Software and Service Companies (SLASSCOM) for a broader purpose, including enhancing higher education and its capacity building, enhancing educational collaboration and research collaboration.

Corbevax for 12-18 years. It is the second vaccine for children after Bharat Biotech's Covaxin. However, the government has not yet decided on vaccination for less than 15 years. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)'s approval comes after the Subject Expert Committee on COVID-19 of the CDSCO on February 14 recommended granting restricted EUA to Corbevax for the 12 to 18 years age group after deliberating on Biological E's application.

New Zealand police line, narrowly avoiding officers, while other protesters sprayed officers with a stinging substance, police said Tuesday, as they tightened a cordon around a convoy that has been camped outside Parliament for two weeks.The clashes in the capital of Wellington came a day after police reported that some of the protesters had thrown human feces at them. Faced with sprinklers, New Zealand anti-vaccine mandate protesters dig trenches Police Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers told reporters the actions of some of the protesters, who oppose coronavirus vaccine mandates, were unacceptable and would be dealt with assertively.“Our focus remains on opening the roads up to Wellingtonians and doing our absolute best to restore peaceful protest,” Chambers said.

Donald Trump‘s social media app that he hopes will rival Twitter launched Monday as he seeks a new digital stage to rally his supporters and fight Big Tech limits on speech, a year after he was banned from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.His Truth Social app was offered for download from the Apple App Store to a limited number of subscribers who had preordered. Others who were added to a waiting list are to be given access over the next 10 days.

Russia after President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine and ordered Russian troops to “maintain the peace” there.The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting Monday night at the request of Ukraine, the U.S. and six other countries, where virtually all members condemned Putin’s move and Russia’s recent aggressions.No immediate actions were taken by the council, on which Russia currently holds the revolving-door presidency.

Neighbourhoods in Tameside are dominating the region’s biggest Covid-19 hotspots.

pub broke Covid social distancing rules, local council chiefs have claimed. Ye Old Axe on Hackney Road, east London was slapped with a £1,000 fine for various breaches of coronavirus rules last year.As the venue applies to renew its sexual establishment licence, its shortcomings from last year have been revealed.

After an uncomfortable but relatively brief return to coronavirus restrictions triggered by the Omicron variant, England is going back to "Plan A" - learning to live with a disease that is probably here to stay.

Kate Garraway's first guests will include Welsh singer Charlotte Church and Liverpool FC legend John Barnes. READ MORE: Fans support Katie Price as she announces huge career move The move comes after the 54-year-old was made an MBE in the New Year Honours for her services to broadcasting, journalism and charity.

Sainsbury's and Waitrose are asking people to continue to wear a face covering in their stores when restrictions ease in England on Thursday.A Sainsbury's spokesperson said: "Safety remains our highest priority."From Thursday, we're asking our customers and colleagues in England to continue to wear a face covering in our stores if they are able to."In Scotland and Wales face coverings remain mandatory for those who can wear them in our stores, in line with the latest government restrictions."They added: "We continue to have a range of safety measures in all of our stores, including screens and sanitising stations."John Lewis and sister company Waitrose are also "suggesting" customers and staff should wear a face covering when inside their stores.Another high street giant, electronics specialists Currys, is asking staff to wear masks in-store. A release from the company said it would "continue to assess our approach based on infection rates and colleague feedback".Stay in the loop with all the latest Daily Star news by signing up for one of our free newsletters here.USDAW, the retail workers’ trade union is also urging shoppers to "observe Covid safety measures”as much as possible in order to protect its 360,000 members.

A nurse described as a 'hero' and 'incredibly compassionate' died from covid on the same day as an alleged party took place in Downing Street - breaking lockdown rules.

Coronavirus infections skyrocketed during the end of 2021 and early 2022 due to the emergence of the Omicron variant.

The Scottish Government have confirmed 33 people have died from coronavirus in the last 24 hours.

Plan B measures put in place to slow the spread of Omicron will be lifted completely this week.

The Scottish Government have confirmed 23 people have died from coronavirus in the last 24 hours.

Boris Johnson is facing more backlash after reports emerged of another party being held at Downing Street during the first lockdown.

coronavirus.Covid-19 began spreading rapidly once the new Omicron variant emerged.In early January, cases soared past the 200,000 mark despite Plan B restrictions that were put in place in England.Thankfully, although they are still high, the number of confirmed cases are much lower than they were at the beginning of the year.They are now down to 88,447 as of January 25, up from the previous day's figure of 78,317.Boris Johnson and his Cabinet are hoping this means the variant has now peaked, while some experts feel the changes still present a risk.As a result, restrictions that have affected when we wear a face mask and the way we act in shops, nightclubs and other public places are being lifted.So what are the changes?As the clock ticks down on Plan B restrictions, people can legally stop wearing them in public indoor spaces from Thursday January 27; Plan B expires the day before.The Prime Minister has already announced they no longer had to be worn inside the classroom by secondary school pupils and staff, but now people do not have to wear them in indoor public places if they so choose.People can still wear masks if they want to.Johnson said they now hope to be able to allow Plan B measures to expire and move to 'Plan A' Covid rules.The PM said: "The Cabinet concluded that because of the extraordinary booster campaign together with the way the public have responded to the Plan B measures - we can return to Plan A in England and allow Plan B regulations to expire."This means the end of NHS Covid passes needed for large venues and work-from-home guidance has already been scrapped.Venues can choose to enforce the use of Covid passes on entry to their venue if they wish to do so.People will be able to visit care homes

Nicola Sturgeon will make her weekly statement on coronavirus today as Omicron restrictions in Scotland are finally scrapped.

LONDON :

The Scottish Government have confirmed no people have died from coronavirus in the last 24 hours.

Boris Johnson has scrapped covid tests for vaccinated travellers arriving in the UK signalling a move towards a return to more normal summer holidays.

Boris Johnson has announced coronavirus passports and mandatory face masks are to be scrapped in England as Plan B measures are lifted.

Boris Johnson has announced that Plan B restrictions put in place to tackle Omicron are coming to an end.

Boris Johnson has announced a relaxation of Covid rules, with certain measures set to be dropped over the next week.

Anum Qaisar is calling for Boris Johnson to “resign immediately” after she tackled the latest lockdown party revelations at Prime Minister’s Questions – and accused him of “the ultimate betrayal”.

Dr Hilary Jones has said he is unhappy with the government's decision to change the restrictions on Covid 19 - as he warned people to be cautious.

Spain is leads calls for governments to start tackling Covid-19 as any other endemic respiratory virus like seasonal flu, despite opposition from the World Health Organization and warnings that the approach is premature.

The data shows Omicron is in retreat, but it’s not the end of the road.The best step we can all take is to get vaccinated and I want to thank the staff, volunteers and everyone who’s come forward so far. pic.twitter.com/2zDV3j7hj6

Boris Johnson's daughter Romy was hit "quite badly" by Covid-19 but is now "on the mend", it has been reported. Last week, Downing Street had announced that a member of the 57 year old Prime Minister's family had tested positive for the virus, but did not specify who it was.The PM, who shares a stunning home with wife Carrie after a pricey refurbishment, had pulled out of a visit to Lancashire after Downing Street revealed he'd been in close contact a with relative who had coronavirus. At the time, a No10 spokesperson said he would "follow the guidance for vaccinated close contacts, including daily testing and limiting contact with others".

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the easing of COVID-19 restrictions on Wednesday, saying that face masks will no longer be mandatory in public places and schools in England and COVID-19 passports will be dropped in large parts of the country starting next Thursday.

Face masks will no longer be mandatory in public places and schools in England and COVID-19 passports will be dropped for large events as infections level off in large parts of the country, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Wednesday.

Boris Johnson has announced a series of coronavirus rule changes in line with Plan B measures being lifted in England.

A further 8,495 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Scotland with the disease claiming another 29 lives.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid will be hosting a Downing Street press conference later today.