01-02-2021 The Asian Independent

www.theasianindependent.co.uk
NEWS
01-02-2021 to 15-02-2021
21
SCHOOLS in England won't
reopen till March: UK PM
London : UK Prime Minister Boris
Johnson has said that schools in
England will not reopen after the halfterm
break next month, but there is hope
that they can resume from early March.
While addressing lawmakers in the
House of Commons (lower house of
Parliament) on Wednesday, he acknowledged
parents' frustration with school
closure and hopes to begin reopening
England's schools from March 8,
reports Xinhua news agency.
A firm decision would be taken in the
week of February 22, after the spring
half-term, which is the date the government
had originally hoped schools
would reopen, he added.
The March 8 date was based on the
thinking that if the National Health
Service (NHS) is successful in vaccinating
the four most vulnerable groups by
mid-February, he noted, adding that
there was no enough data yet to decide
when to end the current lockdown.
His government hopes other lockdown
restrictions could begin to be
gradually eased at some point after
schools reopen, but pupils returning to
class would be the "first sign of normality",
the Prime Minister added.
Keir Starmer, leader of the main
opposition Labour Party, called on the
Johnson-led government to "use the
window" of the February half-term to
vaccinate all teachers and support staff.
Johnson said teachers in the top nine
priority groups would be vaccinated as a
"matter of priority".
More than 6.8 million people in
Britain have received their first dose of
a coronavirus vaccine, the latest official
figures showed. The UK is on track to
deliver a first dose to 15 million of the
most vulnerable by mid-February and to
offer all adults their first dose by
autumn, according to vaccine minister
Nadhim Zahawi. England is currently
under the third national lockdown since
the outbreak of the pandemic in the
country. Similar restriction measures
are also in place in Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland.
As of Thursday morning, the country's
coronavirus caseload and death toll
stood at 3,725,637 and 102,085, respectively.
UK records another 25,308
coronavirus cases, 1,725 deaths
DELHI POLICE
issues lookout circular
against farmer leaders
New Delhi : The Delhi
Police have issued a lookout circular
against the farmer leaders
named in FIRs in connection
with the violence that broke out
during the Republic Day tractor
rally. The police said the
process of surrender of their
passports will also be initiated
to ensure they do not leave the
country. A total of 37 farmer
leaders, including Rakesh
Tikait, Darshan Pal, Gurnam
Singh Chanduni, Rajinder
Singh, Balbir Singh Rajewal,
Boota Singh Burj Gil, Yogendra
Yadav, Medha Patkar, Avik
Saha and Joginder Singh
Ugraha have been named in the
FIRs for breach of NOC (no
objection certificate) issued
regarding the farmers' tractor
rally by the police.
The case against the farmers
has been registered under various
sections of the Indian Penal
Code, including 147, 148 (related
to rioting), 120B (criminal
conspiracy) and 307 (attempt to
murder).
According to the official figures,
394 policemen were
injured in the violence. Most of
them are hospitalised while
some are in the ICU. More than
25 criminal cases have been
registered, 19 people have been
arrested and as many as 50 protesters
are detained.
are analysing the video
footage available to identify the
violent protesters who damaged
the public property and attacked
the police personnel on January
26.
London : Another 25,308
people in Britain have tested
positive for Covid-19, bringing
the total number of coronavirus
cases in the country to
37,15,054, according to official
figures released on Wednesday.
The country also reported
another 1,725 coronavirus-related
deaths. The total number of
coronavirus deaths in Britain
now stands at 101,887, the data
showed.
The latest data were revealed
one day after Britain passed the
grim landmark of 1,00,000 coronavirus
deaths. These figures
only include the number of
deaths of people who had had a
positive test result for Covid-19
and died within 28 days of the
first positive test, the Xinhua
news agency reported.
Earlier on Wednesday, British
Prime Minister Boris Johnson
said he and the government take
"full responsibility" for the tragic
numbers.
Johnson told lawmakers in
the British Parliament that the
government will reflect on the
decisions taken, but he did not
think it is the right time now as
Britain remains in the middle of
the pandemic.
The government needs to
focus on keeping the virus under
control and continuing the
fastest vaccine rollout in Europe,
he said.
More than 7.1 million people
in Britain have received their
first dose of a coronavirus vaccine,
according to latest official
figures.
England is currently under the
third national lockdown since
the outbreak of the pandemic in
the country. Similar restriction
measures are also in place in
Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland. To bring life back to
normal, countries such as
Britain, China, Germany, Russia
and the United States have been
racing against time to roll out
coronavirus vaccines.