UK relaxes visa rules for care workers, assistants
Foreign social care workers, care assistants and home care workers, including from India, will soon be eligible for a UK Health and Care Visa for a 12-month period as part of temporary measures to meet shortages in the sector.
The British government said on Friday that thousands of additional care workers could be recruited to boost the adult social care workforce following temporary changes to the scheme, which will make it quicker, cheaper and easier for social care employers to recruit eligible workers to fill vital gaps.
They are employed in government-backed care homes and also care assistance for the elderly and disabled.
“The care sector is experiencing unprecedented challenges prompted by the pandemic and the changes we’ve made to the health and care visa will bolster the workforce and helping alleviate some of the pressures currently being experienced,” home secretary Priti Patel said.
Armed intruder held on Windsor Castle grounds
British police arrested a man armed with a weapon on the grounds of Windsor Castle on Saturday.
Thames Valley police said the security breach took place at 8.30am on Christmas Day. The 19-year-old from Southampton is in custody.
“The man has been arrested on suspicion of breach or trespass of a protected site and possession of an offensive weapon. He remains in custody at this time,’’ Thames Valley Police Superintendent Rebecca Mears said.
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N.Korea ramping up production of drugs, medical supplies to fight Covid: Report
North Korea is ramping up the production of drugs and medical supplies to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, which has wreaked havoc. According to the Korean Central News Agency on Thursday, North Korea is also increasing the production of traditional Korean medicines used to reduce fever and pain. In the capital city of Pyongyang and nearby regions, factories are churning out more injections, medicines and thermometers and other medical supplies.
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Ukraine war: Biden nominee Bridget Brink set to be confirmed as US envoy to Kyiv
Veteran diplomat Bridget Brink, who was nominated by US President Joe Biden to be the country's next ambassador to war-hit Ukraine, was on Wednesday (local time) given a unanimous approval by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for appointment to the post, which means that she just a step away from being Washington's new representative in the east European nation. She was nominated by Biden on April 25.
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32 cases in Portugal, Spain put Europe on alert for monkeypox
Officials in Spain and Portugal announced on Wednesday that they have detected around 32 suspected cases of monkeypox, days after the UK reported new cases that have triggered concerns that there may be an undetected transmission in parts of Europe. Portugal had five confirmed and 20 suspected cases, Spain eight suspected cases and UK seven confirmed infections as on Wednesday.
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Blinken, Bilawal meet, hold talks on strengthening ties
US secretary of state Antony Blinken on Wednesday met Pakistan's foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the UN headquarters and their talks focussed on regional security as well as strengthening bilateral economic and commercial ties. Bilawal is on a maiden visit to the US at the invitation of Blinken to attend the ministerial meeting on the “Global Food Security Call to Action” to be held at the United Nations later on Wednesday.
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World Bank to offer $30 billion as Ukraine war threatens food security
The World Bank said on Wednesday it will make $30 billion available to help stem a food security crisis threatened by Russia's war in Ukraine, which has cut off most grain exports from the two countries. The total will include $12 billion in new projects and over $18 billion funds from existing food and nutrition-related projects that have been approved but have not yet been disbursed, the bank said.
