Babak Belurs

Jumat, 01 Januari 2021

Brexit in action! Boris Johnson immediately BANS pulse fishing in UK waters - Daily Express

Britain left the European Union's Single Market and Customs Union when the Brexit transition period between the two sides ended at 11pm on New Year's Eve. It sealed the UK's full departure from the bloc, freeing the nation from Brussels' rules and regulations to become its own independent country. During months of negotiations with the EU on a post-Brexit trade deal, fisheries became a key focal point, with fishermen warning the Boris Johnson not to sell-out and betray the industry in terms of the access rights and catch quotas for EU vessels.

Mr Johnson has wasted no time following the end of the transition period to appease fishermen who had expressed fears over what the conceded to the EU in negotiations.

On Thursday - just hours before the UK's full departure from the EU - UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) confirmed EU and English vessels would not be able to take part in pulse fishing.

The Government department wrote: "With effect from 23:00 tonight, pulse trawling by EU and English vessels in UK waters will no longer be licensed."

David Jones, deputy chairman of the Conservative-led and Brexit-focused European Research Group (ERG), hailed the move from DEFRA.

The MP for Clwyd West wrote on Twitter: "Excellent that @DefraGovUK has banned pulse fishing in UK waters from 11:00 pm yesterday.

"A good example of the environmental, conservation and welfare improvements we can make after leaving the EU.

"Now let’s stop live animal exports."

Brexiteer and former MEP Martin Daubney hailed the quick move from Downing Street to ban pulse fishing and called on the Government to now "kick super trawlers out of our waters".

The deal reached in February 2019 enables the remaining 27 EU member states to ban or restrict the use of pulse fishing within their coastal waters.

The new framework agreed by the European Parliament and EU member states aim to simplify the existing set of 31 regulations on fishing gear and methods allowed within the EU waters, on the minimum size of fish to be caught, as well as on restricting fishing activities in certain areas or during certain periods.

The discussions took nine months to complete, predominantly because of the disputed use of electric currents in the water, which deadlocked the entire legislation as the European Parliament and European Council could not agree common ground on the issue.

The controversial practice of pulse fishing involves sending electric signals to scare fish away from the seabed before scooping them up into nets.

In 2006, a system of derogations enabled the practice of pulse trawling to continue after catches involving the process were banned eight years earlier in 1998.

Opponents of the fishing technique have warned it has negative effects on juveniles and eggs, and also damages marine wildlife.

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2021-01-01 13:21:00Z
CBMifGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmV4cHJlc3MuY28udWsvbmV3cy9wb2xpdGljcy8xMzc4NTgwL2JyZXhpdC1uZXdzLWJvcmlzLWpvaG5zb24tcHVsc2UtZmlzaGluZy1iYW4tdWstd2F0ZXJzLWRlZnJhLWV1LXN1cGVydHJhd2xlcnPSAYABaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXhwcmVzcy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3BvbGl0aWNzLzEzNzg1ODAvYnJleGl0LW5ld3MtYm9yaXMtam9obnNvbi1wdWxzZS1maXNoaW5nLWJhbi11ay13YXRlcnMtZGVmcmEtZXUtc3VwZXJ0cmF3bGVycy9hbXA

New Year fireworks watched by 10 million viewers on BBC One - BBC News

More than 10 million people celebrated the arrival of 2021 by tuning in to BBC One for London's spectacular fireworks and light display.

The 10-minute show used 300 drones to "paint" the sky with tributes to NHS staff and notable figures from 2020.

An average audience of 10.75 million tuned in for the display.

Despite strict coronavirus restrictions keeping people at home, the figure was slightly lower than 2020, when 11.18 million watched the celebrations.

BBC Scotland had it's own Hogmanay special, hosted by Susan Calman, which was watched by an average of 1.05 million people, peaking at 1.3 million at midnight.

Up to 100,000 revellers usually gather on the banks of the River Thames for London's New Year fireworks display - but this year, the streets were virtually deserted as most people obeyed the capital's Tier 4 lockdown rules.

The fireworks display spanned the length of the Thames, with fireworks launched from the O2 Arena and Tower Bridge and a light display on The Shard.

Amid the fireworks, several images filled the sky - including the NHS logo encased in a love-heart, while a child's voice said "Thank you NHS heroes".

There was a special mention for Captain Sir Tom Moore, who raised £33m by walking in his back garden. The drones formed an outline of his figure, standing behind his walking frame, and giving a thumbs-up.

Viewers also saw the clenched-fist symbol of the Black Lives Matter movement, and a humorous reference to one of 2020's most familiar sights for people who have worked from home - the icon of a microphone, accompanied by the phrase "You're on mute".

Most-watched programmes - New Year's Eve 2020. . .

In recent years, BBC One has broadcast a live concert from London either side of the midnight celebrations - but this year US pop star Alicia Keys provided the entertainment from Los Angeles, playing hits including Girl On Fire, Empire State Of Mind and If I Ain't Got You.

Music also heralded the New Year on BBC Two, with Jools Holland's annual Hootenanny marking its 29th year.

The show featured musical guests Michael Kiwanuka, Roisin Murphy, Rick Wakeman, Ruby Turner, Chris Difford, and Sir Tom Jones, who discussed his recent Covid-19 vaccination.

Other than BBC One's midnight show, Graham Norton had the most-watched programme of the night, with 5.2 million people tuning in to see the star chat to guests Jessica Chastain, Tom Hanks, Emily Blunt, Jamie Dornan and Nish Kumar.

That figure, like all the others, is based on "overnight ratings" so does not include viewers who will watch the show on catch-up services over the coming days. In recent years, New Year's Eve has overtaken Christmas Day as an occasion on which more viewers watch live television.

Follow us on Facebook, or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

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2021-01-01 12:22:00Z
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New Year's Eve: UK sees in 2021 with fireworks and light show @BBC News live - BBC - BBC

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2021-01-01 10:26:42Z
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Brexit LIVE: Macron claims 'Brexit is a LIE' and attacks UK for creating unease in EU - Daily Express

Brexit: Daily Express projects Union Jack onto Cliffs of Dover

Britain fully left the EU at 11pm on Thursday evening after a trade deal was agreed between the two sides on Christmas Eve. The 11-month Brexit transition period came to an end, freeing the UK from the EU's rules on the Single Market and Customs Union. But French President Mr Macron, a vocal critic of Brexit and of the UK's negotiating stance with the EU during talks, took one final swipe before Britain fully left the bloc.

He said in his New Year's address to France: “The United Kingdom remains our neighbour, but also our friend and ally.

“This choice to leave Europe, this Brexit, was the child of the European malaise and of many lies and false promises."

During his ninth televised address of the year, Mr Macron said the Brexit trade deal agreed with the UK was “defending our interests, our industries, our fishermen and our European unity".

The French President then stressed the necessity of building “a stronger, more autonomous, more united Europe, before adding: “Our destiny is first and foremost in Europe."

brexit boris johnson emmanuel macron

Brexit latest: Emmanuel Maccron has taken one last bitter swipe at the UK (Image: GETTY)

In his own New Year's Message to the UK, Boris Johnson said: "This is an amazing moment for this country.

"We have our freedom in our hands and it is up to us to make the most of it."

The Prime Minister insisted there would be no bonfire of regulations to build a "bargain basement Dickensian Britain", adding the country would remain the "quintessential European civilization".

FOLLOW EXPRESS.CO.UK FOR LIVE UPDATES:

brexit timeline

Brexit latest: The timeline of events that have led to the UK's departure from the EU (Image: EXPRESS)

9.47am update: Boris Johnson 'proud' UK taking over presidency of G7

The Prime Minister has tweeted that hosting both the G7 summit and UN Climate Change Conference makes it a "hugely important year for Global Britain".

Mr Johnson wrote: "Proud that the UK is taking over the 2021 Presidency of the G7 today.

"Hosting both the G7 Summit and @COP26 will make this a hugely important year for Global Britain and I look forward to welcoming our friends and allies as we beat COVID and build back better from the pandemic."

9.41am update: Twitter row ERUPTS as remoaners blast David Frost for celebrating victory

Brexit remoaners have taken to social media to blast Lord David Frost for celebrating the UK's formal separation from the EU on Thursday evening.

Britain’s chief negotiator for Brexit took to Twitter to praise the country’s exit from the EU. Lord Frost wrote: “Britain has just become a fully independent country again - deciding our own affairs for ourselves.

“Thank you to everyone who worked with me & @BorisJohnson to get us here in the last 18 months.

“We have a great future before us. Now we can build a better country for us all.”

But Remainers erupted at the celebration on Thursday evening.

One social media user wrote: “We will watch and record your successes and failures and you will be left wanting.

“You have destroyed a great Union.

“I hope you really believe it's worth it.”

brexit david frost

Brexit latest: Lord Frost came under attack from Remainers after posting this tweet (Image: @DavidGHFrost / Twitter)

9.15am update: Brexit is 'not something to celebrate', says Coveney

Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told BBC Radio 4's Today: "For 48 years, the United Kingdom really has been a central part of the European Union.

"That is now firmly ending with the end of the transition period, post-Brexit.

"For all of us in Ireland, that is not something to celebrate."

9am update: Ireland warns change in trade arrangement with UK will cause severe disruption

Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told BBC Radio 4's Today: "We're now going to see the 80 billion euro (£71.2 billion) worth of trade across the Irish Sea between Britain and Ireland disrupted by an awful lot more checks and declarations, and bureaucracy and paperwork, and cost and delay

"That is the inevitable consequence, unfortunately, even with a trade agreement which everybody, I think, is very relieved was signed on Christmas Eve."

8.31am update: First ferry arrives at Dublin Port under new trade rules

Irish Ferries' ship Ulysses docked at 5.55am with about a dozen trucks on board after travelling from Holyhead in Wales.

It was a straightforward journey for the ferry as the freight trailers cleared customs checks for the first time under the new rules following the end of the Brexit transition period.

New documentation and red tape will now be required between EU member states and Britain, with many warning this will cause severe delays at ports.

8.26am update: Nicola Sturgeon tells Europe to 'keep a light on' as Scotland will be 'back soon'

Scotland's First Minister posted the tweet shortly after the Brexit transition period formally ended at 11pm on December 31.

She tweeted a picture of the words Europe and Scotland attached by a loveheart, and wrote: "Scotland will be back soon, Europe. Keep the light on."

The image had previously been projected on to the side of the EU Commission building in Brussels.

brexit nicola sturgeon

Brexit latest: Nicola Sturgeon tweeted a picture saying Europe loves Scotland and vowed to return to the EU (Image: @NicolaSturgeon / Twitter)

8.17am update: Galloway tears into 'hypocritical' Sturgeon who 'joined SNP when it fought for Brexit'

George Galloway has accused SNP leader Nicole Sturgeon of "hypocritical opportunism" after she marked Britain's departure from the EU with a vow to return to the bloc with an independent Scotland.

The former Labour MP said Ms Sturgeon had once backed an EU referendum and claimed she would have dragged Scotland out of Europe with no deal had the country won its independence ballot in 2014.

He said: "Sturgeons faux Europeanism is hypocritical opportunism.

"She joined SNP when it fought for Brexit! She backed a referendum on the EU because they were robbing our fish!

"If she’d won in 2014 she would’ve dragged us out with No Deal! She’s a wee parish-pump nationalist, that’s all."

Mr Galloway's outburst came after Ms Sturgeon said Europe should "keep a light on" as Scotland will be "back soon".

The First Minister tweeted her message to Brussels just after the Brexit transition period formally ended at 11pm last night.

Ms Sturgeon reiterated the SNP's call for an independent Scotland to join the EU.

Tweeting a picture of the words Europe and Scotland attached by a love heart, she said: "Scotland will be back soon, Europe. Keep the light on."

8.03am update: First lorry passes through controls at Eurotunnel as UK leaves EU wingle market

The firs tlorry has passed through controls at the Eurotunnel as it headed for Europe.

Driver Slavi Ivanov Shumeykov smiled and waved at caermas as his HGV was processed by officials late on Thursday.

His Eddie Stobart vehicle passed through Eurotunnel controls in Folkestone, Kent just after 11pm.

brexit lorry customs checks

Brexit latest: The first truck to arrive from Wales in the UK under new Irish Sea trading arrangements (Image: NIALL CARSON / PA)

7.47am update: Irish hauliers warn of 'mayhem' as UK formally leaves EU

The UK has left the EU, and becomes a third country for trade purposes and customs declarations.

New documentation and red tape will now be required between EU member states and Britain, with many warning this will cause severe delays at ports.

Eugene Drennan, President of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA), warned there would be "trouble and chaos" in the coming weeks as systems had not been tested.

He said: "The systems have not been tested, they have not been tried.

"There will be delays, for sure. The mayhem that's coming in Dublin Port is unbelievable.

"They've done nothing to alleviate it. They have a plan that is absolutely nonsensical, and the nature of it and how it is laid out and the structure of it, it is going to cause a lot of grief.

"There will be trouble and chaos."

7.40am update: 'We are finally out of the anti democratic supranational institution that is the EU'

Brexiteer and former Brexit Party MEP Ben Habib has tweeted: "This morning is much like any other new year’s dawn. Cold and overcast.

"Oh there is one difference. We are finally out of the anti democratic supranational institution that is the EU.

"Happy NEU Year!"

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2021-01-01 07:59:00Z
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Sturgeon sparks Scotland independence meltdown in New Years promise to EU - 'Back soon!' - Express

At 23:00 on December 31 Britain exited the EU’s Brexit transition period during which it had continued paying into the Brussels budget and implementing many EU laws. Instead the UK and EU will trade based on a new agreement approved by Boris Johnson and voted through Parliament on December 30.

However Ms Sturgeon, who has backed second referendums on both Scotland’s place in the UK and Britain’s EU membership, used the occasion to claim Scotland will reconnect with Brussels.

The SNP leader tweeted: “Scotland will be back soon, Europe. Keep the light on.”

She accompanied this with a photo showing the words “Europe” and “Scotland” being projected into an EU building in Brussels, with a heart placed where they intersect.

The post received 12,000 retweets, but some Twitter users were critical in the replies.

One commented: “You are aware just over one million Scottish voters voted for Brexit as well?”

Another added: “Scotland will always be in Europe.

“But we will not be back in the EU.

“Even if you do achieve Scexit, your own people say it will be approximately 19 years before we would be eligible to join.”

Scotland voted to remain part of the UK in 2014 by 55 percent of the vote to 45 percent.

The SNP voted against Mr Johnson’s Brexit deal when it came before Parliament on December 24.

Douglas Ross, the Conservative leader in Scotland, was fiercely critical of the decision.

He tweeted: “Today the SNP will vote against the EU-UK Trade Deal and vote for a No Deal Brexit.

“Scottish Labour are unsure whether they are supporting #NoDealNicola or not.

“It is clear that only Scottish Conservatives can stand up to the SNP, and put Scottish jobs and livelihoods first.”

The end of the Brexit transition period means Britain no longer has to apply laws made in Brussels or pay into the EU budget.

Mr Johnson said this means the UK now has “freedom in our hands” and can do things “differently and better” than the EU.

Under the new deal Britain will continue to have tariff free access to the EU’s internal market.

However Northern Ireland remains within the European single market with some checks on goods travelling between it and the rest of Britain.

There are concerns the new arrangement could cause disruption around British ports if UK lorry drivers haven’t completed the required paperwork.

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2021-01-01 06:13:00Z
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COVID-19: Leaders of eight London boroughs call for reversal of decision to reopen primary schools - Sky News

Leaders of eight London boroughs have written to the education secretary to ask him to reverse the decision to reopen primary schools in selected areas.

In the letter to Gavin Williamson, the leaders say they were "struggling to understand the rationale" behind a move that ignored the "interconnectedness of our city".

They pointed out that COVID-19 infection rates are higher in some boroughs told to reopen schools than in others where they will remain closed.

The leaders of the boroughs of Islington, Camden, Hackney, Lambeth, Lewisham, Greenwich, Haringey and Harrow signed the letter.

Schools in the City of London and Kingston will also reopen under current rules, but those in 22 other London boroughs will remain closed.

Danny Thorpe, leader of Labour-controlled Greenwich, which was threatened with legal action by the government after issuing advice to schools to move to online learning for the last few days before Christmas, said: "In a case-by-case comparison, there appears to be no logic to how this list was brought together."

He highlighted that Kensington and Chelsea "has one of the lowest infection rates of the whole of the capital, yet their children and young people are being afforded the extra protection that apparently Royal Greenwich students don't need".

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said that primary school students being told to return next week was "nonsensical" and said he had written to the prime minister expressing his anger that local leaders were not consulted.

"This is not the way to run schools in our city or our country and it's another example of the chaotic and shambolic way that the government has dealt with this pandemic," he said.

Staff in boroughs where schools were reopening have expressed concern about their own safety.

Kevin Courtney, joint leader of the National Education Union, said: "Gavin Williamson must listen to the leaders of the community, he must listen to school staff and he must listen to the general public who are all telling him that it is not safe to reopen schools on Monday."

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, added: "There is obviously a huge amount of concern over how it can be safe for schools in some Tier 4 areas to open while schools in other Tier 4 areas are being told to move to remote learning. In some instances this means different approaches for schools only a few roads away from each other."

According to COVID-19 rates compiled by PA news agency, Greenwich had 2,176 new cases recorded in the seven days to 26 December, Hackney and City of London had 2,217 and Islington had 1,499.

In comparison, Kensington and Chelsea, which has been told to shut primary schools, had 768 new cases in the same period.

On Thursday, the UK recorded 55,892 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours - the highest figure on record.

The number of deaths in the last 24 hours within 28 days of a positive test was 964, bringing the total number of deaths in the UK to 73,512.

More than a million people have now received their first coronavirus vaccine.

In a joint statement from Professor Chris Whitty and the chief medical officers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, they said the public would "understand" and "thank" them for the plan to give first jabs as a priority, whilst delaying the follow up vaccination for others.

The deployment of the newly approved Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine will begin on Monday, almost a month after the roll-out of the Pfizer/BioNtech jab.

But second doses will now take place within 12 weeks rather than 21 days as initially planned.

In response to criticism from GPs over the change, the joint statement said that while it was "difficult" to reschedule second inoculations, it was better to offer more people "substantial protection" with the first dose within two or three weeks, as the UK waits for more vaccine stocks.

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2021-01-01 05:44:15Z
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Kamis, 31 Desember 2020

COVID-19: Mass gatherings and New Year's Eve parties broken up by police in Birmingham - Sky News

New Year's Eve in Birmingham, and the impact of Tier 4 COVID restrictions is all too apparent.

Occasional fireworks, and a rainbow of lasers, light up the sky, and optimistic taxi drivers line up on ranks in the city centre.

But the bars are closed, the restaurants have their shutters down, and the nightclubs are quiet. Only the takeaways are open, their customers walking home with familiar white plastic bags through the eerily quiet streets.

On any other New Year's Eve, these same streets would be thronging with people. The city centre would entertain tens of thousands of party-goers. The bars and restaurants taking hundreds of thousands of pounds on one of their busiest nights of the year.

And bubbles would only be mentioned when talking about champagne.

But not in 2020.

Tier 4 means "stay at home". No one can meet with any other people indoors, unless they live with them, or are part of a support bubble.

That means any celebrations have to be small, and private.

If anyone breaks the rules, they can be fined, and West Midlands Police, like forces up and down the country, is tasked with enforcing the restrictions.

Inspector Richard Cox is Bronze Commander for the evening, co-ordinating around a hundred officers. Many of them are part of the Operational Support Unit, or OSU, trained in dealing with public order incidents, home searches and football matches.

"Our main aim is to utilise the four E's which have been devised in response to the pandemic," he says.

"Firstly to engage with the public, then to explain the rules, to educate people about how they should behave, and only finally to enforce the legislation with fines."

We're on patrol with PC Dave Grossett.

Closing down parties might not have been what he signed up for, but he knows it's an important job, as the country continues to record higher and higher rates of infection.

"Nobody joins the police to keep families apart, we'd rather be bringing people together," he says.

"But these are very difficult times, and we know that the rules aren't there to victimise people, they're there to protect the most vulnerable."

Within minutes of leaving the police station, the radio is chattering with information about a number of locations where the restrictions are potentially being breached.

Every incident, COVID-related or not, is given a "P" number from one to nine to indicate the severity of the offence. P1 is the highest level, and requires attendance within 15 minutes.

The first call we head for is classified as P3, with information to the police suggesting a gathering of over 30 people in the garden of a property in Tividale, near Dudley.

We arrive at the same time as another team of four officers, only to discover the party had already been dispersed by Community Support Officers, with no action taken.

The digital running log is constantly being updated with incidents: a pub in West Bromwich where lights and music have been reported; 12 people celebrating in the front garden and on the road outside a house in Solihull; a house party in Birmingham city centre that's been reported by several neighbours; a group of men having a barbecue inside an industrial unit.

By 10pm there have been more than 100 recorded. Nearly all are small house parties which are quickly dispersed. Some are legitimate gatherings. Some have been falsely or maliciously reported. But all still have to be attended and checked.

We head to the city centre to follow up reports that a group of 40 to 50 young people have gathered.

They soon disperse, and a group of stragglers, some wearing sequinned party dresses ill-suited for the sub-zero temperatures, are given face masks by police before they make use of one the taxis whose driver's optimism has paid off.

It's not clear whether they were heading to, or from, a party. The next call suggests it was the former.

At an apartment block nearby, we arrive to find a dozen or more officers attending a party of at least 35 young people.

Names, ages and addresses are taken, some given more readily than others, then the youths are given dispersal notices and sent home. Their ages will determine whether or not they receive fixed penalty notices in the coming days.

As we continue to drive around the residential streets, it seems that the vast majority of people are sticking to the rules.

But almost 300 reported incidents by midnight suggest that not everyone was prepared to observe the restrictions.

Some don't believe in compliance, others don't believe in COVID. Some simply believe they'll get away with it.

All of them though have chosen to behave in a way that according to the health professionals, could ultimately cost lives.

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2021-01-01 02:54:13Z
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Jumat, 01 Januari 2021

Brexit: Daily Express projects Union Jack onto Cliffs of Dover

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Kamis, 31 Desember 2020

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