Travel latest news: Boris Johnson warns of new border restrictions with France 'very soon' - The Telegraph
Travel latest news: Boris Johnson warns of new border restrictions with France 'very soon' - The Telegraph |
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| Posted: 24 Mar 2021 10:32 AM PDT  The Prime Minister has suggested that further restrictions could be introduced "very soon" to curb travel to and from France amid concerns of importing coronavirus variants. Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that "we have to look at the situation at the Channel" and "we can't rule out tougher measures and we will put them in necessary". It is not clear what measures the Government is considering but he told the Liaison Committee "if it's necessary to bring in testing then we will do so". He said: "We will take a decision, no matter how tough… if we think that it is necessary to protect public health and to stop new variants coming in. It may be that we have to do that very soon." France has seen its coronavirus rates surge in recent weeks, as part of a "third wave" hitting Europe. In the Commons Johnson was further downbeat on the resumption of overseas holidays from May 17, warning that "things are looking difficult on the Continent". He said the findings of the global travel taskforce would be given to him on April 5, and he will set out plans thereafter. The findings of the global travel taskforce were due to be revealed on April 12. Scroll down for more updates. 'Growing consensus' for vaccine passports, says PMBoris Johnson said more today on the prospect of vaccine passports being used to resume international travel. There is a growing consensus around the world that some form of evidence to prove a traveller is free of Covid-19 might be useful to see more people return to air travel, the Prime Minister told a parliamentary committee. "There's no doubt that there's a growing global consensus that for the purposes of aviation that evidence of vaccination, or immunity that you've had the disease, or you have taken a negative test, all of these will be valuable," he said. Boris Johnson: Tougher measures might be needed on Channel travelBoris Johnson has conceded that the Government "will have to look at" whether hauliers coming into the UK from France should be quarantined. He told Yvette Cooper the new variants were being "contained with surge testing and door-to-door testing", but "putting France on the red list... with all the consequences that would have for UK supplies and cross channel movements it is something that we will have to look at." He said "tougher measures" might be required "just because of the ambiguity about the effectiveness of the vaccine". But challenged about why the UK wasn't testing hauliers, he said "tougher measures would have very serious consequences on trade flow". He added: "I agree with you Yvette this is an issue of concern", saying it was not that long ago "the situation was the other way around. "We now, in all seriousness, need to look at the situation at the Channel. We can't rule out tougher measures, and if it's necessary to bring in testing I think we will do so." Boris Johnson downbeat about chances of overseas holidaysBoris Johnson has said "things are looking difficult on the Continent" when asked about the possibility of international travel from May 17. He told William Wragg, chair of PACAC, that the findings of the Global Travel Taskforce would be given to him on April 5, and he will set out plans thereafter. "We will have to look at the situation as it develops," he adds. The most indulgent travel experiences for each new stage of England's roadmapThe promise of luxuriating in rediscovered freedoms is providing hope in the final weeks of lockdown. Meeting for a catch-up with friends, travelling beyond the few miles surrounding our homes, tucking into a chef-prepared meal in plush surroundings: these are just some of the experiences that should be returned to us as restrictions ease. Those who have been able to squirrel away savings over the past 12 months, perhaps from a lack of holiday spending, could book themselves a reward. After all, daily walks, home cooking and pub-free weekends have created a kind of abstemiousness we must surely balance out. To usher in each coming stage of the roadmap in England we have suggested places to travel and things to do in the country – with some leeway for differing all-you-can-spend budgets. For now, we have stuck to domestic experiences. The enchanting corner of Spain that mass tourism hasn't discoveredIf you're looking for an enchanting corner of Europe that mass tourism hasn't discovered, you could do far worse than Aragón.  Tourists, from Britain or elsewhere, are few and far between in this huge inland region in the northeast of Spain. Indeed, you might well see no one at all – it has some of the least populated areas in the country. Annie Bennett gives the low-down on why you should consider the region for your next holiday abroad. 'I've visited 36 American states – but this one is my favourite'Declaring that you have a favourite American state is a little like saying that you have a preferred colour of wallpaper, says Chris Leadbeater. Myriad hues and designs are available, and your opinion will, by definition, be subjective. After all, one man's eggshell white or foggy grey is another woman's bland abomination or dreary pall – and William Morris's flowery patterns may be, respectively, your idea of bright warmth, or of a padded cell with petals.  There are, of course, not as many US states are there are ways to decorate your home. Fifty is a sizeable figure – especially if you are six and it is the number of days until your birthday, or you are Cool Hand Luke, attempting to eat a half-century of hard-boiled eggs in an hour – but not an enormous one. Still, affections will always vary. The rocky coast and sprawling potato fields of Maine are not the hickory-smoked swampiness of Louisiana, and the country twang and lush mountain-scapes of Tennessee are not the winter-glazed cool of Minnesota and its vibrant Twin Cities. We all have our chosen places – and if you have spent more than a minute on American soil, you will have yours. Find out which state takes the cake for Chris Leadbeater here. Pressure mounting on UK to add France to red listFrance is at risk of being added to the UK's 'red list', following mounting pressure from England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty and his deputy Jonathan Van-Tam. The pair have been encouraging Boris Johnson to implement tougher border controls to stop mutant strains entering the UK, it was reported on Tuesday night. They are particularly concerned about France because a majority of those travelling from the country to Britain – 68 per cent; for the most part, hauliers and drivers – are exempt from quarantine measures. It is thought to be unlikely that France will be added this week, but it has been added to a watch list and ministers are expected to review its status next week. On Tuesday, health secretary Matt Hancock played down claims by one of his deputies, Lord Bethell, that European countries could be placed on the list. He said: "It is now too early to know where the Global Travel Taskforce will come out and know what the decision will be for May 17." Boris Johnson has echoed the messaged, saying that he would be able to say more on April 5 after the Government's travel task force has reported back. Europe tightens restrictions as 'third wave' takes holdBelgium and France have tightened restrictions in an effort to curb a surge of Covid-19 cases, as a third wave of the pandemic takes hold across Europe. In Belgium, the government announced on Wednesday that schools, non-essential shops and hairdressers will be closed for four weeks from Saturday. In the last week confirmed cases have risen by 40 per cent and hospitalisations by 28 per cent. "We are facing a third wave," said Alexander De Croo, the Belgian Prime Minister, adding that B117, the variant first found in Kent, is likely taking a heavy toll."We have decided on a short term pain. It's a heavy decision to take, but if we didn't the consequences would be more serious." Meanwhile in France, a government spokesman warned that the coronavirus situation is worsening in every region of the country and urged people to work from home to curb the virus. The government also looks set to widen localised Covid-19 restrictions currently in place in Paris to three other high-risk zones, including the Rhone region which houses the major city of Lyon. And in Poland, where a record 29,978 cases were detected on Wednesday, local media has reported that the government will tighten measures imposed last week ahead of Easter - which is usually marked by packed church services and family gatherings in the deeply Catholic country. Germany considers banning trips to boozy holiday hotspotsGermany is weighing up a temporary ban on certain trips abroad in an attempt to help curb the spread of Covid-19, a government spokeswoman said on Wednesday. "An order to check if there is a possibility to temporarily stop travel to popular holiday destinations abroad... is now being checked by the responsible ministries," spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer said. The lifting of Berlin's travel warning for the Spanish holiday island of Mallorca last week sparked a flurry of bookings from Germans, with airlines laying on hundreds of extra flights. It seems likely this is directly responsible for today's move. Introducing the IATA Travel PassEarlier this month The Telegraph reported that the first digital vaccine certificate is being trialled by some of the world's top airlines. The IATA Travel Pass app allows passengers to present pre-departure test or vaccine certificates on arrival at their destination, enabling them to sidestep quarantine or other restrictions. At present, most countries are using paper to confirm people's inoculations, which airlines are concerned could lead to lengthy queues at airport immigration desks. IATA has just released the following video explaining how the app works: Ryanair recapMichael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair, is never short of a thing or two to say. Here's what he told journalists at a press conference today:
These are the countries where happiness costs the leastMoney can buy you happiness, apparently. But how much do you need? Chris Leadbeater reports.  How fast are cases rising in France?France has rolled out around 9 million vaccine doses, compared with more than 30 million in Britain, and is failing to stem a spike in new cases. The number of new infections is averaging around 30,000 a day, up around a third from the last week. On March 12, the French government eased restrictions on travellers from the UK, who no longer need to justify an essential reason to enter France. All other measures (such as its pre-departure testing requirement) remain in place. For further details, please see the Foreign Office website. Sweden saw lower 2020 death spike than most of EuropeSweden, which has shunned the strict lockdowns that have choked much of the global economy, emerged from 2020 with a smaller increase in its overall mortality rate than most European countries, according to an analysis of official data sources. Infectious disease experts cautioned that the results could not be interpreted as evidence that lockdowns were unnecessary but acknowledged they may indicate Sweden's overall stance on fighting the pandemic had merits worth studying. In the past week, Germany and France have extended lockdowns amid rising coronavirus cases and high death tolls, moves that economists say will further delay economic recovery. While many Europeans have accepted lockdowns as a last resort given the failure to get the pandemic under control with other methods, the moves have in recent months prompted street protests in London, Amsterdam and elsewhere. Sweden, meanwhile, has mostly relied on voluntary measures focused on social distancing, good hygiene and targeted rules that have kept schools, restaurants and shops largely open. Preliminary data from EU statistics agency Eurostat compiled by Reuters showed Sweden had 7.7% more deaths in 2020 than its average for the preceding four years. Countries that opted for several periods of strict lockdowns, such as Spain and Belgium, had so-called excess mortality of 18.1% and 16.2% respectively. Twenty-one of the 30 countries with available statistics had higher excess mortality than Sweden. Read more: A dose of the old normal in mask-free Sweden Shakespeare's Globe to reopen on May 19My kingdom for a night out. After 14 months gathering dust, Shakespeare's Globe is preparing to reopen its outdoor theatre on May 19 "for socially distanced performances", having closed on March 18, 2020. A statement from the theatre reads: "The summer season opens with Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, followed by Romeo & Juliet and Twelfth Night. The Globe Touring Ensemble will perform As You Like It, The Tempest and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Metamorphoses, a new piece of theatre by the Globe's writers-in-residence and inspired by Ovid's Myths, will open in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse on September 30. "The outdoor theatre is introducing protocols for a safe return to live theatre for audiences in line with the See It Safely campaign from UK Theatre and SOLT, including staggered arrival times, allocated entrances, no intervals, pre-ordered drinks, and for the initial period of opening there will be seating in the Yard. Despite reduced capacity there are still limited tickets available at £5."  Seychelles remains on the red list despite speedy vaccine rolloutMany people are beginning to question the logic behind the UK's decision to keep the Seychelles on its travel red list, despite the country having vaccinated nearly its entire population. It means direct flights and visitors are banned, while returning Britons must pay £1,750 to spend 10 night in a quarantine hotel. The UAE and Chile, two more vaccine winners, are also still on the red list. The Seychelles reopens its borders to all tourists on March 25, even those who haven't had a jab, with no requirement to quarantine. MPs warn of 'coach deserts' due to lack of demand for travelAreas of the country could become "coach deserts" this year if demand for travel does not rise, a trade body has warned. About 40% of the coach and bus industry was at risk as a result of financial pressures caused by the coronavirus pandemic, MPs were told. It would mean local communities could miss out on door-to-door transport, school trips for pupils and support for disability groups. Graham Vidler, chief executive of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, said: "About 40% of the industry is at risk this year if we don't see a material upturn in customer demand. "There is a lot of the industry that could collapse this year, and when it collapses, it collapses locally - it's family-run businesses deeply embedded in communities. "The risk is you end up with coach deserts, areas of the country where communities can't access the rich network of services that coaches typically provide." Why a cruise around Britain should be your first post-lockdown holidayWith the news that cruises in English waters (and the whole of the UK, pending permission from the devolved governments) could be allowed from May 17, several cruise lines – including Princess Cruises, Silversea and P&O – plan to launch UK-only sailings. These trips offer passengers a fantastic opportunity to gain a new perspective on the British Isles. It's a type of cruise which has been growing in popularity in recent years, and given our appetite for it – in 2018, the number of ocean cruises taken by UK and Irish passengers exceeded two million for the first time, according to industry body CLIA – that's not surprising. Guernsey, a common staging post, disappointed many by banning ships until 2022, but fear not: there are plenty of other spectacular stop-offs to look forward to. Australia lifts ban on international travel to New ZealandAhead of a launching a two-way trans-Tasman bubble, Australia has lifted its ban on international travel to New Zealand and amended its emergency biosecurity laws. This means that anyone who has been in Australia for at least 14 days can travel directly to New Zealand without the need for an exemption to leave the country. However, at this stage, travellers will still be required to quarantine in New Zealand upon arrival. Rare image of an EasyJet flight passing in front of the moon revealed Photographer Ross Harwood captured this beautiful image of an Easyjet flight passing in front of the moon on Sunday (21 March). The 45-year-old, from Sandbach, Cheshire, explains:
Britain's best country house hotels for a glorious spring breakThe British country house hotel was born in 1949, brought to us in the pink and frilly shape of Sharrow Bay, overlooking Ullswater in the Lake District. Presided over by a splendid couple, Francis Coulson and his partner Brian Sack, it came complete with a gargantuan afternoon tea, and Sack's famous Icky Sticky Toffee Pudding and Coulson's bedtime poems on the pillow. People adored it.  There had been leisure hotels in Britain before, of course, but this was the first where you could be assured of being personally pampered in beautiful rural surroundings, with a committed owner at the helm offering a warm welcome, decent food, peace and quiet. Hundreds of characterful country house hotels have followed, and today there's a bewildering amount from which to choose. Ministers expected to set out 'traffic light' system on April 5The government will stipulate the conditions by which international travel will be able to take place this summer on April 5, a week earlier than first stated. It is expected that ministers will set out a basis for a "traffic light" system for overseas countries on this date, based on key factors including infection levels, vaccination rates, the presence of variants and the health system in place. In a press briefing yesterday, Boris Johnson said: "All I can say is it's just too early to say and my advice is to everybody to wait for the global travel task force to report. "We've heard already that there are other European countries where the disease is now rising so things certainly look difficult for the time being but we will be able to say more we hope in a few days' time, I certainly hope to say more by April 5." Eight of Britain's wildest campsites – all with availability for summerJames Warner Smith, author of Almost Wild Camping, picks his favourite finds from the new book.  The Dragonfly Woodland Camping, Pembrokeshire (above) is best for beginners. Why? The campsite feels small and wild and there are only around 10 pitches, each in an individual area, but ultimately campers are pretty well catered for. Designed by a graduate in sustainable engineering, there's a handmade timber shelter, log seating and a firepit at every pitch and, despite the simple timber and corrugated metal design, the washblock interiors wouldn't look out of place in a hipster café. Ryanair expects to take delivery of its first 737Max aircraft next monthThe beleaguered plane model was given permission to return to European skies in January after nearly two years grounded following two fatal crashes in 2019. A faulty flight control system that forced down the nose of the plane was implicated in both accidents. Ryanair has been waiting on orders of more than 100 of the Boeing aircraft, and now says it will receive its first of the planes in April. In a press conference on Wednesday, the plane was referred to not as the 737 Max, but instead as the "gamechanger", on account of its improved fuel efficiency. Michael O'Leary has previously said anyone who finds out their flight is on a Max would be able to move another flight should they wish. Mapped: The 15 countries opening up to vaccinated travellers this summerIn recent months it has become a near-enough certainty that vaccine passports, along with testing, will be the key to opening up our holidays in the post-lockdown era. Vaccine certification technology is likely to be developed for Britons so they can verify their Covid inoculations – something which is reportedly being backed by Cabinet ministers. Merkel to drop Easter closure plans after widespread backlashAngela Merkel and leaders of Germany's federal states are set to ditch a plan agreed just yesterday for two extra "rest-days" around the Easter holidays to try to break a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, government sources have suggested. At talks that ran into the early hours of Tuesday, the Chancellor and the leaders of Germany's 16 states had agreed to call on citizens to stay at home for five days over the Easter holidays, declaring April 1 and April 3 as extra rest days. But the move drew criticism from all sides, with businesses lamenting the extended lockdown and medical experts saying the new measures were not tough enough to prevent the exponential spread of more infectious variants. 'Nothing has changed' – why holidays could still resume on May 17Travel industry leaders have advised against jumping the gun over recent news that a legislative ban on travel will be put in place until July. Under draft laws published yesterday, which will face a vote on Thursday, leaving the UK without a "reasonable excuse" (such as work, or education) will be illegal until June 30. Anyone who travels to a port or airport with the aim of leaving the country could face fines of up to £5,000. However, officials have said that the travel ban extension is purely for legislative convenience, and does not have any bearing on whether international travel will resume on May 17 – and the travel industry is keen to reinforce that. "Nothing has changed with this legislation," said an easyJet spokesperson. "The Government has made clear it will set out the roadmap for travel on 12 April as a result of recommendations from the Travel Task Force, and its intent to restart travel on 17 May and this is still the case." Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary is confident European holidays will go ahead this summerRyanair is confident British holidaymakers will be able to visit Europe without restrictions this summer, its chief executive Michael O'Leary has said. He said that Europe "will be awash with vaccines" by the summer and that there will be a "significant easing of travel restrictions, in fact doing away with them" by the peak season. The budget airline plans to operate 2,300 flights a week across 480 routes. "People are desperate to go back to the beaches in Europe," he told a press conference on Wednesday. "I think it will be very difficult to persuade the vaccinated UK population to holiday at home." He questioned whether there would be a legal basis for travel restrictions once the majority of Europe had received coronavirus vaccines. He said, however, that he expects the mandatory wearing of face masks on flights to remain in place until spring next year. The low-cost carrier also announced a return to Belfast airport and 26 new routes from its UK bases. It intends to allow free changes to all bookings up until October. "I think there is very little chance that the whole summer period will be a write off," he said, adding that passenger numbers could reach 85 per cent of normal levels by the end of the summer. 10 remote spots in Spain to avoid the crowdsSpain has made some of the most promising sounds yet in regards to opening up to British tourists this summer. The country will end its travel ban on the UK on March 30, and Spain's Tourism Minister Fernando Valdés confirmed that Spain was in "discussions" with the UK about rebooting holidays this summer. "For us the British market is our main market. But obviously since we are a member of the European Union, the solutions have first to be part of the discussions in the EU."  For anyone looking to take a punt on an escape to Spain this summer, we have mined the knowledge of three of our Spain experts to share ten beautiful spots to avoid the crowds in Spain. 'The travel ban means spouses are kept apart but friends can visit an estate agent in Florida'Adam Wagner reacts to news of a £5,000 fixed penalty notice. He writes:
American Cruise Lines makes last-minute U-turn to require vaccinations for all travellers on boardAs cruise holidays gently begin to return, one American operator has shown that requirements for passengers can change right up until departure. American Cruise Lines, which began coastal cruises earlier this month, will now require all travellers to have been vaccinated against Covid-19. The previously published rules, which were in effect since it returned to sailing on March 13, were that passengers needed two negative coronavirus tests – one taken several days before boarding, another at embarkation. The new regulations are only in place until April 10. A spokesman for American Cruise Lines told Cruise Critic that the decision was taken "out of an abundance of caution for the safe operation of our ships and in collaboration with the communities we visit." The holiday roadmap: where you'll (probably) be able to go on holiday this year, and whenThe red-letter dates are April 12, when we may be allowed to take a break in the UK, and May 17, when we may be permitted to have a holiday overseas. You have probably noted the key word in the previous sentence; the "may" that promises nothing.  Every date in the plan is conditional, weighted with the caveat "no earlier than". Still, we have cause for optimism – and can, with a reasonable amount of hope, begin dreaming of getting away later this year. Find a month-by-month look at how this year could pan out for our holidays here. The best British cruises to book for this summer as demand soarsYou wait more than a year for cruises to resume in British waters and then, just like London buses, they all turn up at once. A spate of recent announcements has set the scene for arguably the busiest summer of UK cruising in memory, with at least 10 companies preparing to set sail from May onwards.  So many getaways on such a diverse selection of vessels – from a clipper-style yacht to boutique ships and lively floating resorts – has brought perfect conditions for cruise virgins to discover their sea-legs. With soaring demand for the peak season already forcing some of the UK's most popular holiday resorts to put up sold-out signs, these sea-going staycations could be the key to keeping this summer's holiday dreams afloat. Professor Neil Ferguson hints at delay to reopening of travelProfessor Neil Ferguson said that "travel may be one of the later things to be relaxed" in light of the third wave in Europe and elsewhere. "But I think we... whilst not everything will be back to normal by the summer, certainly by the autumn, it will feel a lot more normal," he added. Booster jabs in the autumn will be "critical", he said, noting that "natural immunity to coronavirus probably lasts a year or so, so it's entirely likely we will need to boost immunity. "We can't stop things like the Brazilian and the South African variants forever and they are different immunologically. "The current vaccines are not as effective against those strains probably, so for that reason as well we want to update vaccines and boost people's immunity." Boris Johnson acting 'recklessly' over third wave, says LabourLabour has called for tougher action on the borders, warning the Government is acting "recklessly" over Europe's third wave. Yesterday Boris Johnson told MPs it was "inevitable" the third wave would reach the UK, but insisted the country was prepared. Earlier in the week he said publicly it was likely to "wash up on our shores". This morning Holly Lynch, shadow immigration minister, said: "The UK government is recklessly putting at risk progress being made by the vaccine, by refusing to take action to secure our borders against Covid. The fact that they will not even add France to their own limited 'red list' shows they continue to fail to understand the consequences of doing too little, too late. "Rather than the Prime Minister waving a white flag and saying a third wave from Europe will inevitably 'wash up on our shores', the UK Government should be urgently introducing a comprehensive hotel quarantine system, to help guard against new variants. Instead of the current system that sees around just 1 per cent of arrivals submit to hotel quarantine." What's the best strategy for booking your summer holiday this year?We all want (no, need) a break and a bit of sun this summer, but what is the best way of guaranteeing it? As is so often during this pandemic, Britain seems to have cleaved into two distinct tribes: the spread-betters and the wait-and-sees.  Even before the Government extended the overseas travel ban until July, reports of spread-betters – taking advantage of flexible cancellation policies to multi-book breaks and guarantee a sunbed somewhere, whatever the latest travel restrictions – were growing legion. In the other corner are those keeping their cards close to their chests: earmarking some time off work over the summer, but holding their nerve for a last-minute bargain. Easter holiday at second home in UK will be legalFamilies who own a second home in Britain can legally stay at them over Easter despite Government guidance against doing so. Boris Johnson's roadmap out of Covid restrictions says that on March 29 – the second part of Step 1 out of lockdown – "people will no longer be legally required to stay home". It adds that they "should continue to minimise travel wherever possible and should not be staying away from home overnight at this stage". The text does not clarify whether the guidance against overnight stays away from home applies to a family's second home or holiday home. Separately, it has emerged that there is no provision in the legislation published this week to underpin the roadmap that legally requires families to avoid overnight stays at a second home. In total, 5.5 million Britons own an additional property, although many of these are buy-to-lets and overseas holiday homes. British Airways owner in Heathrow and Gatwick slots dealThe owner of British Airways is raising £1.3bn amid fears that airline revenues will be harder hit than previously expected. IAG pledged either take-off and landing slots at Heathrow and Gatwick airports or aircraft to lenders to renew its corporate overdraft for up to five years. It is the first time the FTSE 100 group that also owns Aer Lingus and Spain's Iberia has offered the slots as security to lenders. The deal to refinance its revolving credit facility - loans that are similar to an overdraft - means IAG has an additional €400m (£350m) of funding once other loans maturing at the end of the month are repaid. French hauliers arriving in Britain face Covid tests to fight variants threatFrench hauliers arriving in the UK face Covid tests under plans being considered by ministers to combat the spread of virus variants from across the Channel, according to industry sources. The Government plans to use testing sites around Dover – already being used for hauliers leaving the UK – to help minimise any risk of the South African variant in France reaching the UK, the sources have told The Telegraph. It will provide the Government with an immediate alert if the variant turns up in any drivers, as ministers consider whether to put France on the travel ban "red" list, which would require other arrivals from the country to quarantine in hotels. How will the new 'traffic light' system open up our holidays?British holidaymakers will have to wait until mid-April for a detailed explanation of when, how and where they will be able to travel this summer, but early murmurs suggest it will be dependent on a new "traffic light" system.  Such a scheme may sound familiar, because it is. The European Union introduced its own traffic light guidelines last autumn for cross-border travel, but the UK is only now considering such an approach. Find out how exactly that system could work and when it might be introduced here. TUI to close 48 high street shopsHoliday giant TUI has said that it will be closing 48 shops across the UK. All 273 employees at the affected branches will be offered new roles in other locations. This is in addition to the 166 TUI shops that were shut in summer 2020. In response to the news, TUI said the travel industry and the high street 'are both facing unprecedented pressure' due to the coronavirus pandemic. Which countries will be green, amber and red in the new holiday traffic light system?We now know that the taskforce is considering a 'traffic light system', labelling countries as green (no restrictions), amber (open, but with quarantine and test requirements) and red (banned entirely, or hotel quarantine on return). In predicting which countries will be which colour when the system is announced, we have considered the following factors:
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| The Best Places To Hike With Kids In WNY [LIST] - wyrk.com - wyrk.com Posted: 24 Mar 2021 07:51 AM PDT  Getting the kids out of the house at least once a day is a goal that many parents share and we are fortunate in Western New York to have some great places for the family to take a hike and get some fresh air. As a father of three boys, I am always looking for new places to discover and that offer things our boys can learn about nature and the outdoors. After posing the question on Twitter, many people shared their favorite places to take a family hike! A big thank you to everyone who took the time to share these great locations! The Best Trails To Hike With Kids In WNYNeed great places to take the family to hike or walk in Western New York? We found a few of the best according to WYRK listeners! LOOK: Here are 25 ways you could start saving money todayThese money-saving tips—from finding discounts to simple changes to your daily habits—can come in handy whether you have a specific savings goal, want to stash away cash for retirement, or just want to pinch pennies. It's never too late to be more financially savvy. Read on to learn more about how you can start saving now. [From: 25 ways you could be saving money today] KEEP READING: Here are the most popular baby names in every stateUsing March 2019 data from the Social Security Administration, Stacker compiled a list of the most popular names in each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., according to their 2018 SSA rankings. The top five boy names and top five girl names are listed for each state, as well as the number of babies born in 2018 with that name. Historically common names like Michael only made the top five in three states, while the less common name Harper ranks in the top five for 22 states. Curious what names are trending in your home state? Keep reading to see if your name made the top five -- or to find inspiration for naming your baby. |
| Help Wanted: 35 Hudson Valley Companies Are Hiring - Hudson Valley Post Posted: 24 Mar 2021 06:32 AM PDT A number of big-name companies across the Hudson Valley are in need of help.  C&S Wholesale Grocers C&S Wholesale Grocers has new positions open in Newburgh and Chester. Positions in Newburgh start at $18.50. "C&S has provided both stable jobs and support for communities for over 100 years," C&S Wholesale Grocers told Hudson Valley Post. "Our warehouse employees are essential workers who persevered and had a successful year regardless of the pandemic." Wallkill Valley Federal Savings & Loan Wallkill Valley Federal Savings & Loan is hiring full-time teller positions at eight branch locations. You can call 845-895-2051 or stop by a branch to pick up your application. Billy Joes Ribworks Billy Joes Ribworks is looking to hire cooks and hostesses. Stop by Monday through Friday from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. to fill out an application. McDonald's Mcdonald's of Chester, Mcdonald's of Middletown, Mcdonald's of Ellenville, Mcdonald's Modena travel plaza and McDonald's Ramapo travel plaza have multiple positions open. For all the news that the Hudson Valley is sharing make sure to follow Hudson Valley Post on Facebook, download the Hudson Valley Post Mobile App and sign up for the Hudson Valley Post Newsletter. Hudson Taco Hudson Taco is looking to hire managers. To apply, please email your resume to info@hudsontaco.com. Optima Environmental Services Optima Environmental Services is hiring for Environmental Technicians, Labor, CDL Drivers and Heavy Equipment Operators. Call (845) 561-1512, or email at info@optimaenv.com. Lis Bar Lis Bar is looking for an experienced line cook Willcare Of The Hudson Valley Willcare Of The Hudson Valley has immediate needs for PCAs, HHAs and CNAs at all locations in Orange and Sullivan counties. Contact staffing coordinator Jennifer Barnes at 845-342-1661 to schedule an interview. Bull's Head Inn Bull's Head Inn is hiring servers. Contact info@hudsonvalleybullsheadinn.com. Hudson Highlands Nature Museum Hudson Highlands Nature Museum in Cornwall is hiring assistant camp counselors. For a full list of qualifications and pay scale, visit the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum website. McGillicuddy's New Paltz McGillicuddy's New Paltz is hiring servers and line cooks. Stop in for an application. Legoland The new LEGOLAND theme park in Goshen has around 30 jobs listed from hotel workers to entertainers. Wardrobe associates, performers, technicians lifeguards, hotel receptionists, landscapers, EMTs, park rangers and more positions also need to be filled. County Fare County Fare is looking for experienced cooks and servers. Mill House Brewing Company Mill House is looking for experienced full-time and part-time bartenders and servers. Email your resume to Dsavoca@millhousebrewing.com. The Dutchess Biercafe The Dutchess Biercafe is hiring multiple positions including server, food runner and food expeditor. Check their Facebook to apply. CLICK HERE for more information about five chocolate-related jobs hiring in the Hudson Valley. CLICK HERE for four brewery and beer jobs available. Six Hudson Valley wineries are also hiring. CLICK HERE for more information. Keep Reading: LOOK: Here are 25 ways you could start saving money todayThese money-saving tips—from finding discounts to simple changes to your daily habits—can come in handy whether you have a specific savings goal, want to stash away cash for retirement, or just want to pinch pennies. It's never too late to be more financially savvy. Read on to learn more about how you can start saving now. [From: 25 ways you could be saving money today]
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| Merkel's decision to ditch stricter Easter lockdown was right - Scholz - Yahoo News Posted: 24 Mar 2021 05:07 AM PDT  The Telegraph EU vaccine exports: how Brussels is taking on Boris Johnson and what it means for the rolloutThis was first published in The Telegraph's Refresher newsletter. For more facts and explanation behind the week's biggest political stories, sign up to the Refresher here – straight to your inbox every Wednesday afternoon for free. What's the story? While the UK's vaccine rollout has surpassed all expectations and immunised more than half of British adults, the same is not true of the efforts of our European cousins. EU politicians and diplomats are under extreme pressure to explain to voters why the bloc has managed to vaccinate barely 12 per cent of its eligible population, while it continues to export millions of doses of different vaccines abroad. European leaders will use a crunch meeting on Thursday to take steps to prevent vaccines (or their ingredients) being exported to countries that have their own manufacturing capability and a strong vaccine drive. The plans, announced in a press conference on Wednesday, could mean the supply of jabs to Britain is restricted, which some believe could put the UK's vaccine rollout back by two months. So far around 10 million vaccines, mostly from Pfizer, have been sent from the Continent to the UK. Much of the recent anger in Brussels has been directed towards AstraZeneca, which has signed contracts with the UK that give Britain priority over the first 100 million vaccines the company produces, in exchange for R&D funding from the UK Government in the early stages of the pandemic. The company says it has been hit with supply issues, and while it is legally bound to protect the doses destined for Britain, its EU contract only demands its "best reasonable efforts". So AstraZeneca jabs produced abroad have been sent to the UK, while doses manufactured in Britain have stayed here. As a result, the company has delivered just 30 per cent of the doses promised in its EU contract for the first quarter of 2021. Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, had initially planned to keep vaccines in the EU by using an obscure legal mechanism buried in the Lisbon Treaty, which allows officials to take control of factories and re-route the jabs to European arms. Now it seems the latest plans would only be triggered if the country receiving the vaccines had a strong vaccine rollout programme and its own manufacturing plants. In a press conference on Wednesday, officials introduced the concepts of "reciprocity and proportionality". "Open roads should run in both directions," Ms von der Leyen said. That loosely translates to: Does the country of destination need jabs more than the EU? And does the EU get anything back? Looking back This is not the first time that EU leaders have found themselves in hot water over the AstraZeneca jab. In January, the EU approved export restrictions on vaccines, but they can only be used if the company is not fulfilling its contractual obligations with the EU, and if the country where the vaccines are headed is not considered vulnerable. So the controls haven't been used yet, and they expire this month. Meanwhile, European politicians themselves have seriously undermined public trust in the AstraZeneca vaccine by suggesting publicly that it does not work in the elderly population, or that it may increase the risk of blood clots. Emmanuel Macron has withdrawn his earlier comments about the use of the jab in the over-65s – but polling suggests the majority of the population in many EU states now don't trust the AstraZeneca vaccine, and may turn it down if one was offered. That could later be an issue for the EU, as the AstraZeneca vaccine is easier to transport and store, cheaper to manufacture and could be the answer to the bloc's ailing rollout effort. The pressure on European politicians is exacerbated by what looks like a third wave of coronavirus cases on the Continent, which could significantly raise the death rate there if more people are not jabbed soon. Anything else? The latest row centres on the export of jabs from a specific factory contracted to manufacture AstraZeneca jabs in Leiden, in the Netherlands. Boris Johnson has indicated that the UK would be willing to share the output of that factory with the EU, but the Commission wants access to vaccines produced in factories in Britain too. Ms von der Leyen has called for "reciprocity" of vaccine exports, while a diplomat painted the EU as the "pharmacist of the world," merrily handing out jabs to 33 countries while its own people miss out. The UK is unlikely to give up any jabs manufactured in Britain, at risk of slowing down its rollout programme and squandering the opportunity to end lockdown sooner. Mr Johnson has said that the UK thinks any contracts signed should be respected – which is a way of saying that Britain is happy to continue to receive preferential treatment in exchange for its early support of the AstraZeneca jab and the hard negotiating of the UK vaccines taskforce. The stern words on both sides of the Channel are reminiscent of endless debates over Brexit, but in this round of talks the EU has no need to keep British voters and the Eurosceptic media on side. EU diplomats have been privately briefing journalists that all the Commission wants is "fairness" and views the issue as a problem with AstraZeneca, rather than with the UK. Several EU figures, including Micheal Martin, the Irish Prime Minister, have said they would prefer to avoid a ban altogether and work out the supply issues through negotiation. But if officials move to block vaccines that would otherwise have been administered in Britain, Government sources say the UK could retaliate with bans on its own exports to the EU in a "tit-for-tat" move. That would see relations between Britain and its neighbours break down even further. Refresher take This political debate is viewed with exasperation from scientists and health officials, who point out that everyone will eventually need to be vaccinated anyway because the virus travels across borders. But UK officials know that any threat to the vaccine drive risks delaying the timetable for the end of lockdown, which is set to be completely eased by June 21. Other issues with supply – notably from a factory in India – have increased the pressure on ministers to keep the vaccine effort on track and the exports from the EU rolling. With Britain passing a year since the first lockdown this week, the political price for letting the roadmap slip will be extremely high. Mr Johnson has spent the last four years telling the electorate that the UK can be more successful when it is independent from Europe. Now he has the chance to prove it. |
| Latest Stimulus Payment Could Be In Your Bank Account This Week - kool1079.com Posted: 24 Mar 2021 04:31 AM PDT The latest batch of Economic Impact Payments from the federal government is being processed this week, which means you should keep an eye on your bank account and your mailbox. The Internal Revenue Service began processing payments this past Friday and says the payments will have an official pay date of Wednesday, March 24. That means many people could be seeing these payments in their bank accounts today via direct deposit. Why Am I Not Seeing Any Additions to My Account?Obviously, sending out millions of payments is a process that doesn't happen overnight, so even though many people will get their payments today, others will have to wait a while longer. Additional payments will be sent out on a weekly basis going forward either by direct deposit or in the mail. Keep A Close Eye On Your MailboxAs has been the case with previous stimulus payments, some taxpayers will receive their payment in the mail in the form of a paper check or EIP card. The IRS notes this may be different than the way you received previous payments. Paper checks will be in a white envelope from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. If you are getting an EIP Card - which looks like a credit card - that also will be in a white envelope displaying the official treasury department seal. You can use the Get My Payment tool from the IRS to check on the status of your payment, however, personally, I haven't had much luck with it in the past.  How Much Are the Payments This Time?Determining how much you're getting is a little complicated, based upon your household income and latest tax return from 2020 or 2019. However, most people will be receiving $1400 for themselves as well as for their spouse and each of their qualifying dependents. What Should I Do With the Money I Receive?The beauty of the stimulus payments is you can do whatever you want with the money. The idea behind the payments is to help Americans who have been struggling financially during the pandemic. Some people will use the money to pay outstanding bills, while others will put the money back into the economy by making new purchases for household needs. Still, others may choose to put the money into savings and wait until later to spend it. The Bottom LineThe bottom line is the latest round of economic stimulus payments from the government are on the way, and you should definitely keep an eye on your bank account and your mailbox this week and in the days ahead. LOOK: Here are 25 ways you could start saving money todayThese money-saving tips—from finding discounts to simple changes to your daily habits—can come in handy whether you have a specific savings goal, want to stash away cash for retirement, or just want to pinch pennies. It's never too late to be more financially savvy. Read on to learn more about how you can start saving now. [From: 25 ways you could be saving money today]
KEEP READING: See the richest person in every state |
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