Live updates: follow the latest news on Covid-19 variant Omicron
Millions of people in England are embracing the end to most Covid-19 restrictions and hoping that the return to normality is here for the long run.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the end to Plan B measures brought in to tackle rising case numbers as the Omicron variant spread across the country.
For Mr Johnson, the lifting of restrictions is a spot of good news as he reels from the fall-out of a scandal involving government office parties that took place during lockdown. He has apologised for missteps during the pandemic but the lockdown parties have angered his party, potentially putting his job at risk.
What are the important dates?
From January 19, work-from-home rules were lifted, meaning an immediate return to the office or other workplace is allowed.
From January 20, secondary-school pupils in classrooms no longer needed to wear face masks.
From January 27, all other face mask rules are dropped, meaning public transport and shops will be mask-free.
The use of Covid passports for entry into large events will end, but companies can still demand use at individual venues.
Some supermarkets, including Sainsbury's, have asked shoppers to mask up and London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the city's public transport system will still require passengers to wear masks.
What is happening to travel rules?
Almost all Covid travel restrictions are being relaxed in time for the school half-term, which begins at the end of the school day on February 11.
From 4am on February 11, fully vaccinated passengers arriving in the UK will no longer have to take a post-arrival lateral flow test.
The easing of travel rules includes a simplified version of the passenger locator form and allows vaccine certificates from 16 additional nations to be used.
Under-18s will continue to be treated as eligible, fully vaccinated passengers, which means they will not face any tests at the UK border.
From February 3, 12 to 15-year-olds will be able to show their vaccination status via the digital NHS pass for international outbound travel.
Unvaccinated passengers will need to show a negative Covid-19 test taken two days before travel, take a post-arrival PCR test and complete the passenger locator form.
What are the travel rules until then?
People travelling to the UK must pre-book a coronavirus test from a private supplier.
These can be lateral flow tests, which typically cost about £19 ($25) and must be taken before the end of the second day after arrival.
There have been widespread concerns around the customer service and prices offered by many testing companies listed on the government’s website.
Testing and quarantine requirements have also badly hit airlines and holiday companies because they put off many people from booking trips.
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Feeding the thousands for iftar
Six industrial scale vats of 500litres each are used to cook the kanji or broth
Each vat contains kanji or porridge to feed 1,000 people
The rice porridge is poured into a 500ml plastic box
350 plastic tubs are placed in one container trolley
Each aluminium container trolley weighing 300kg is unloaded by a small crane fitted on a truck
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
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Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
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THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Iraq negotiating over Iran sanctions impact
- US sanctions on Iran’s energy industry and exports took effect on Monday, November 5.
- Washington issued formal waivers to eight buyers of Iranian oil, allowing them to continue limited imports. Iraq did not receive a waiver.
- Iraq’s government is cooperating with the US to contain Iranian influence in the country, and increased Iraqi oil production is helping to make up for Iranian crude that sanctions are blocking from markets, US officials say.
- Iraq, the second-biggest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, pumped last month at a record 4.78 million barrels a day, former Oil Minister Jabbar Al-Luaibi said on Oct. 20. Iraq exported 3.83 million barrels a day last month, according to tanker tracking and data from port agents.
- Iraq has been working to restore production at its northern Kirkuk oil field. Kirkuk could add 200,000 barrels a day of oil to Iraq’s total output, Hook said.
- The country stopped trucking Kirkuk oil to Iran about three weeks ago, in line with U.S. sanctions, according to four people with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified because they aren’t allowed to speak to media.
- Oil exports from Iran, OPEC’s third-largest supplier, have slumped since President Donald Trump announced in May that he’d reimpose sanctions. Iran shipped about 1.76 million barrels a day in October out of 3.42 million in total production, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
- Benchmark Brent crude fell 47 cents to $72.70 a barrel in London trading at 7:26 a.m. local time. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was 25 cents lower at $62.85 a barrel in New York. WTI held near the lowest level in seven months as concerns of a tightening market eased after the U.S. granted its waivers to buyers of Iranian crude.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
