UK Ban by Over 50 Countries Continue As Deadlier Corona Virus Emerges !

‘Out of control’ Covid strain makes UK a global pariah as
countries impose travel bans

The U.K. last week warned of a new coronavirus variant that is
spreading much faster than the original strain of the disease.
In Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland and the Netherlands have
all barred flights from the U.K.
Other countries, including Canada and Israel, have also imposed new
measures barring flights from the U.K.

LONDON — A highly contagious new variant of the coronavirus is
causing countries in Europe and elsewhere to block travel from
Britain.

The U.K. last week warned of a new coronavirus variant that is
thought to be up to 70% more transmissible than the original strain
of the disease. According to the World Health Organization, the new
variant has so far been identified in Denmark, the Netherlands and
Australia.

News of the strain forced the British government to backtrack on
plans to let families mix over Christmas, locking down London and
other areas in southern England where infections by the Covid
mutation are heavily concentrated.

Over the weekend, several countries announced plans to shut
their borders to Britain. In Europe, France, Germany, Italy,
Ireland and the Netherlands have all barred flights from the U.K.,
while Austria and Sweden are reportedly preparing to do the
same.

France banned people and freight coming from the U.K., whether
by road, air, sea or rail, for 48 hours from Sunday night. The port
of Dover was also closed to all vehicle traffic leaving the U.K.,
according to a statement from authorities. The move is expected to
cause miles of lorry back-ups.

On Monday, U.K. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said it was
“slightly surprising” that France had closed its border to
freight.

The German government, meanwhile, suspended all flights from the
U.K. from midnight on Sunday. German Health Minister Jens Spahn
said the U.K. virus mutation had not yet been identified in the
country.

Belgium’s ban prevents flights and trains — including the
popular Eurostar high-speed rail service — arriving from the U.K.
Meanwhile, Italy has blocked all flights from the country through
to Jan. 6, with the Italian health ministry saying its first case
of the new virus variant had been reported in Rome. The Netherlands
has banned flights from Britain until Jan. 1.

Ireland, which usually has significant passenger traffic with
the U.K. at this time of year, announced flights arriving from
England, Wales and Scotland would be banned for at least 48 hours
from midnight.
Crisis meeting

The U.K. government said it will hold a crisis meeting on Monday
to discuss the international travel situation. The European Council
is expected to hold talks on a coordinated EU response to the new
Covid variant at 10 a.m. London time.

The situation could further complicate Brexit talks. Britain and
the European Union remain in deadlock over post-Brexit trade
relations as a Dec. 31 deadline looms, with disputes over issues
such as fisheries plaguing negotiations. Sterling sank sharply
versus the dollar, falling 1.2% to around $1.34.

Other countries, including Canada and Israel, have also imposed
new measures barring flights from the U.K.
What is the new coronavirus variant?

Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, said
Saturday that the U.K. had identified a new Covid variant that “can
spread & comment now quickly” than prior strains.

It’s not clear whether the new strain transmits more easily,
makes people sicker or changes the way their immune system responds
to the virus if they were already infected or vaccinated. So far,
Whitty, said, studies suggest the new strain is substantially more
transmissible but there’s no evidence to suggest it causes a higher
death rate.

Whitty added there was a “working assumption” that vaccines
should still work against the mutant strain.

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Sunday that the new
variant was “out of control” and suggested it could be months
before strict coronavirus restrictions would be allowed to end.

“The new variant is out of control and we need to bring it under
control,” Hancock told the BBC’s Andrew Marr program on Sunday.

“Essentially we’ve got to get that vaccine rolled out to keep
people safe,” Hancock said in a separate interview with Sky
News.

“I think that, given how much faster this new variant spreads,
it is going to be very difficult to keep it under control until we
have the vaccine rolled out.”

The U.K. was the first country to start rolling out a leading
Covid vaccine — namely, the one developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.
The vaccines are only being administered to the most vulnerable
people in the U.K. currently, and it’s not clear when they will
become more widely available.

*Senate moves to throw Commission’s chair open

Few weeks after Ayo Salami-led panel of inquiry submitted a
comprehensive report to President Muhammadu Buhari on alleged
diversion of assets by a suspended acting chairman of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, the Senate
has initiated moves to reform the anti-graft body.

According to a bill sponsored by a senator from Cross River
State, Professor Sandy Onor, the chairmanship of the EFCC would no
longer be restricted to serving or retired senior police officers
or security agents.

The Bill also seeks to amend the EFCC Act to include other
criteria for the selection of a Chairman for the Commission.

The Bill, which is titled Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2020, has already passed first reading
on the floor of the upper legislative chamber. It specifically
targets Section 2(1a)(ii) of the EFCC Act, 2004.

The current Section reads: “The Commission shall consist of a
Chairman who shall be a serving or retired member of any government
security or law enforcement agency, not below the rank of Assistant
Commissioner of Police or equivalent.”

In the proposed amendment, the Senate said professionals from
other disciplines outside the security circle can now head the
country’s leading anti-graft body.

It said a lawyer, criminologist or Nigerians from any security
agencies can now head the body, so long as the person has about 15
years of cognitive experience.

The proposed amendment reads: “The Commission shall consist of a
Chairman, who either be a lawyer, criminologist or serving or
retired member of any government security or law enforcement agency
not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or
equivalent.”

This is the first time the Senate will be attempting to effect a
major shift in the running of the EFCC, since the Commission was
created in 2003-2004, through an Act of the National Assembly.

It is not also clear if the current moves to amend the Act is
related to claims that president Buhari was already planning to
initiate major reforms in the ongoing anti-graft
administration.

Already, President Buhari has commenced a gradual unbundling of
the Commission, by sending a Bill on Proceeds of Crime (Recovery
and Management) Agency to the Senate for passage into law.

Buhari had noted that the proposed bill, tagged: “Proceeds of
Crime Bill”, will address the problem of lack of transparency and
accountability associated with the management of recovered funds by
anti-corruption agencies in the country.

According to the letter dated October 6, 2020, the agency will
be critical in sustaining the fight against corruption, money
laundering and illicit movement of stolen funds through the banking
system and across Nigerian borders.

The bill is expected to strip the EFCC and six other agencies of
powers to seize assets or invoke the forfeiture clause. If signed
into law, the bill will stop the EFCC and six other anti-corruption
agencies from securing freezing orders on suspicious bank accounts
under investigation.