Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

UK begins vaccine donation to 'vulnerable' countries

UK begins vaccine donation to 'vulnerable' countries

ENGLAND is ready to begin donating millions of coronavirus vaccine doses around the world following its pledge to provide 100 million jabs globally by next June, the government said on Wednesday (28), announcing its first donation roll out to Kenya, Indonesia and Jamaica.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the rollout of an initial nine million inoculations will start on Friday (30) for Kenya, Jamaica and several Asian nations.


"They will go to countries, vulnerable places like Laos and Cambodia, partners like Indonesia, Malaysia (and) a range of Commonwealth countries from Kenya to Jamaica," he said, adding that "we know we won't be safe until everyone is safe".

"As friends and allies, we are sharing UK vaccine doses to support Kenya's fight against the pandemic," prime minister Boris Johnson said in another statement.

Britain has committed to share 100 million Covid-19 vaccine shots by the middle of 2022, with 30 million to be sent by the end of the year.

Around 80 per cent of the contribution is set to go through the World Health Organisation's programme COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility, also known as COVAX, which aims to ensure fair distribution of jabs. The rest 20 per cent of Britain's donation will be made directly to individual countries.

During the early stages of distribution, five million doses are reportedly offered to COVAX, which in turn will distribute them further to lower-income countries in "an equitable allocation system which prioritises delivering vaccines to people who most need them," the UK foreign office said.

Another four million doses will be shared directly with countries in need, with Indonesia and Jamaica to receive 600,000 and 300,000 doses respectively.

These commitments stem from G7 pledges taken at the UK-hosted summit in June to provide at least one billion doses internationally through sharing and financing schemes.

The announcement came amid the criticism that rich countries, in particular Britain, are failing to start donating to poorer countries, which are lagging far behind in their vaccination drives.

The COVID-19 pandemic has ripped through the global economy, with infections reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019. More than 4.3 million people have died.

More For You

Piyush Goyal

Piyush Goyal recalled that in February, Narendra Modi and Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Trade talks with US moving forward positively, says Indian minister Goyal

INDIA’s commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that negotiations on the proposed trade agreement between India and the United States, which began in March, are progressing in a positive atmosphere and both sides are satisfied with the discussions.

He recalled that in February, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police said they were called just before 08:30 BST on Tuesday, September 9, after the woman reported being attacked by two men near Tame Road. (Representational image: iStock)

Woman raped in racially aggravated attack in Oldbury

A WOMAN in her 20s was raped in Oldbury in what police are treating as a racially aggravated attack.

West Midlands Police said they were called just before 08:30 BST on Tuesday, September 9, after the woman reported being attacked by two men near Tame Road. Officers said the men made a racist remark during the incident.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tommy Robinson

The event, which Robinson has promoted for months, is being billed by him as the 'UK's biggest free speech festival.' (Photo: Getty Images)

London prepares for rival demonstrations, police deploy 1,600 officers

Highlights

  • More than 1,600 officers deployed across London on Saturday
  • Far-right activist Tommy Robinson to lead "Unite the Kingdom" march
  • Anti-racism groups to stage counter-protests in Whitehall
  • Police impose conditions on routes and timings of demonstrations

LONDON police will deploy more than 1,600 officers across the city on Saturday as rival demonstrations take place, including a rally organised by far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, and a counter-protest by anti-racism campaigners.

Keep ReadingShow less
Baiju Bhatt

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. (Photo: Getty Images)

Baiju Bhatt named among youngest billionaires in US by Forbes

INDIAN-AMERICAN entrepreneur Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of the commission-free trading platform Robinhood, has been named among the 10 youngest billionaires in the United States in the 2025 Forbes 400 list.

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. Forbes estimates his net worth at around USD 6–7 billion (£4.4–5.1 billion), primarily from his roughly 6 per cent ownership in Robinhood.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mandelson-Getty

Starmer dismissed Mandelson on Thursday after reading emails published by Bloomberg in which Mandelson defended Jeffrey Epstein following his 2008 conviction. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Minister says Mandelson should never have been appointed

A CABINET minister has said Peter Mandelson should not have been made UK ambassador to the US, as criticism mounted over prime minister Keir Starmer’s judgment in appointing him.

Douglas Alexander, the Scotland secretary, told the BBC that Mandelson’s appointment was seen as “high-risk, high-reward” but that newly revealed emails changed the situation.

Keep ReadingShow less