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world news Diaranson 22 December 2021

UK to give $1.3 billion in aid to businesses hurt by omicron

“With the surge in omicron said so much damage had est since 1963.
cases, people are rightly ex- already been done that the
ercising more caution as they support offered Tuesday was Instead, Johnson is betting
go about their lives, which inadequate. vaccines will be his savior,
is impacting our hospitality, urging everyone to get boost-
leisure and cultural sectors “The open/close strategy is er shots.
at what is typically the busi- crucifying businesses,” Mi-
est time of the year,” Johnson chael Kill, chief executive of Many governments in Eu-
said in a statement. “That’s the Night Time Industries rope and the U.S. are con-
why we’re taking immediate Association. “Every pound fronting similar dilemmas
action.” of help is much needed. But over how hard to come down
this package is far too little in the face of omicron, which
The plunge in business came and borders on the insult- scientists say spreads more
after England’s chief medical ing.” easily than other coronavi-
officer told the public to limit rus strains, including delta,
their social contacts and pri- Others pointed to major gaps which itself led to surges
(AP) — Britain an- cused and more assistance oritize the events they most in the package. The aviation in many parts of the world.
nounced 1 billion pounds would be needed if the surge want to attend this holiday industry and companies in Early evidence suggests omi-
($1.3 billion) in grants in infections continues or the season. The message came as the food and drink supply cron may also produce less
and other aid to help the government imposes more COVID-19 infections surged chain, for example, won’t be serious illness — though ex-
hospitality industry sur- restrictions. to the highest levels ever, eligible for help, said Stephen perts caution it is too soon to
vive the onslaught of the raising concerns that hospi- Phipson, chief executive of say — and that it could better
omicron variant of CO- Prime Minister Boris John- tals and other emergency ser- Make UK, an industry group evade vaccine protection.
VID-19, bowing to days son announced Tuesday that vices may be overwhelmed. for manufacturers.
of pressure from pubs, he wouldn’t impose any new Even if it is milder, the new
restaurants and other coronavirus restrictions be- Business groups includ- “Hospitality is not the only variant could still overwhelm
businesses that complain fore Christmas — but new ing the British Chamber of sector being severely impact- health systems because of the
public health warnings measures could be coming Commerce, the Federation ed,″ he said. “Government sheer number of infections.
have torpedoed the vital after the holiday if omicron of Small Business and UK- must now consider targeted Confirmed coronavirus cases
Christmas season. continues to surge. Hospitality have demanded support for the aerospace sec- in the U.K. have surged by
government help. tor in particular, which has 60% in a week as omicron
Businesses in the hospitality “We continue to monitor taken one step forward and overtook delta as the domi-
and leisure sectors in Eng- omicron very closely and if “The decline in trade at this now two steps back as travel nant variant.
land will be eligible for one- the situation deteriorates we critical period for the hos- has once again subsided.”
time grants of up to 6,000 will be ready to take action pitality sector has been cata- Businesses argue that the
pounds ($7,954) each. An ad- if needed,” he said in a video strophic, so we are extremely The government’s scientific uncertainty alone is wreak-
ditional 100 million pounds statement. grateful that the chancel- advisers have recommended ing havoc. Nathan Godley of
($133 million) will be given lor has recognized this and further restrictions to slow restaurant supplier Premier
to local governments to sup- Pubs and restaurants have re- come forward with a gener- the spread of omicron, but Seafoods told the BBC that
port businesses in their areas ported a wave of cancellations ous package of support,” said Johnson has been reluctant to he needed to be able to plan
hit by the sudden spike in during the crucial Christmas Kate Nicholls, chief execu- order a lockdown in part be- for the future.
COVID-19 infections driven season as people shun pub- tive of UKHospitality. “This cause of the cost to the public
by the highly transmissible lic events and workers are will help businesses to stay purse. The U.K. has already “Fish doesn’t just go from
new variant. forced to self-isolate, leaving afloat and preserve jobs.” spent more than 350 billion the boat to the restaurant,″
venues short of staff. Many pounds ($464 billion) fight- he said. “There’s quite a few
While industry groups wel- theaters and museums also While several organizations ing the pandemic, pushing of us in this supply chain in
comed the funding, many have closed their doors. welcomed the government public debt to 96% of gross between, and we all need to
said it was too narrowly fo- aid, some big interest groups domestic product, the high- know what is happening.”

Putin blames West for tensions, demands security guarantees

(AP) — The Russian pres- agreement between Moscow assurances, words and prom- Crimean Peninsula from
ident on Tuesday reiterat- and NATO — were drafted ises” that Moscow can’t trust. Ukraine in 2014 and backed a Putin has pressed the West
ed his demand for guaran- amid soaring tensions over a separatist insurgency in east- for guarantees that NATO
tees from the U.S. and its Russian troop buildup near Putin noted that NATO has ern Ukraine that still con- will not expand to Ukraine
allies that NATO will not Ukraine that has stoked fears expanded eastward since the trols territory there. Tensions or deploy its forces there and
expand eastwards, blam- of a possible invasion. Rus- late 1990s while giving assur- reignited in recent weeks raised the issue during a vid-
ing the West for “tensions sia has denied it has plans ances that Russia’s worries after Moscow massed tens eo call with U.S. President
that are building up in Eu- to attack its neighbor but were groundless. of thousands of troops near Joe Biden two weeks ago.
rope.” pressed for legal guarantees Ukraine’s border.
that would rule out NATO “What is happening now, ten-
Russian President Vladimir expansion and weapons de- sions that are building up in
Putin’s speech at a meeting ployment there. Europe, is their (U.S. and
with Russia’s top military NATO’s) fault every step of
brass came just days after Putin charged Tuesday that the way,” the Russian leader
Moscow submitted draft se- if U.S. and NATO missile said. “Russia has been forced
curity documents demand- systems appear in Ukraine, it to respond at every step. The
ing that NATO deny mem- will take those missiles only situation kept worsening and
bership to Ukraine and other minutes to reach Moscow. worsening, deteriorating and
former Soviet countries and deteriorating. And here we
roll back the alliance’s mili- “For us, it is the most serious are today, in a situation when
tary deployments in Central challenge — a challenge to we’re forced to resolve it
and Eastern Europe. our security,” he said, adding somehow.”
that this is why the Krem-
The demands — contained lin needs “long-term, legally Russia’s relations with the
in a proposed Russia-U.S. binding guarantees” from the U.S. sank to post-Cold War
security treaty and a security West, as opposed to “verbal lows after it annexed the