China braces itself for new phase in Covid-19 battle

Published

2 years ago

January 9, 2023

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BEIJING – China braced itself for a new phase in its battle against Covid-19 on Monday and financial markets strengthened after Beijing dropped pandemic border controls in the latest easing of curbs that has let the virus loose on its 1.4 billion population.

Sundays reopening is one of the last steps in Chinas dismantling of its zero-Covid regime, which began last month after historic protests against curbs that kept the virus at bay for three years but caused widespread mental agony and severe damage to the worlds second-largest economy.

While Beijings move to drop quarantine is expected to also boost outbound travel, several nations are demanding negative tests from visitors from China, seeking to contain an outbreak that is overwhelming many of Chinas hospitals and crematoriums.

Life is moving forward again!, the official newspaper of the Communist Party, the Peoples Daily, wrote in an editorial praising the governments virus policies late on Sunday which it said had moved from preventing infection to preventing severe disease.

Today, the virus is weak, we are stronger.

Chinas state Xinhua news agency said the country had entered a new phase of its Covid-19 response, citing its virus prevention experience, the development of the epidemic and increased vaccination levels.

Chinas top health officials and state media have repeatedly said Covid-19 infections are peaking across the country, and they are playing down the threat now posed by the disease.

That is in stark contrast to the earlier regime of strict quarantines and lockdowns as China managed the virus as a Category A disease like the bubonic plague and cholera. Chinas management of Covid-19 was technically downgraded to Category B on Sunday, although many curbs have been dropped for weeks.

Officially, China has reported just 5,272 Covid-19-related deaths as of Jan 8, one of the lowest rates of death from the infection in the world.

But the World Health Organisation has said China is under-reporting the scale of the outbreak and international health experts estimate more than one million people in the country could die from the disease this year.

Shrugging off those gloomy forecasts, investors are betting that Chinas reopening will help revive the US$17 trillion (S$23 trillion) economy and bolster the outlook for global growth.

Those hopes lifted Asian shares to a five-month high on Monday while Chinas yuan firmed to its strongest level against the dollar since mid-August.

Chinas blue-chip index gained 0.7 per cent, while the Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.5 per cent and Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index climbed 1.6 per cent.

The ending of the zero-Covid policy is… going to have a major positive impact on domestic spending, Mr Ralph Hamers, Group Chief Executive Officer at UBS, told the banks annual Greater China Conference on Monday.We believe there is a lot of opportunity for those committed to investing in China.

Its a huge relief just to be able to go back to normal … just come back to China, get off the plane, get myself a taxi and just go home, Mr Michael Harrold, 61, a copy editor in Beijing told Reuters at Beijing Capital International Airport on Sunday after he arrived on a flight from Warsaw. More On This Topic Chinas international air travel resumes, but Covid-19 turbulence to delay takeoff Airlines lift China international flight capacity as border opens Mr Harrold said he had been anticipating having to quarantine and do several rounds of testing on his return when he left for Europe for a Christmas break in early December.

State broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday that direct flights from South Korea to China were close to sold out. The report quickly shot to the most read item on Chinese social media site Weibo.

However, a spike in demand from South Koreans, who make up the largest number of foreign residents in China, as well as others, will be hampered by the limited number of flights to and from China, which are currently at a small fraction of pre-Covid-19 levels.

Korean Air said earlier this month that it was halting a plan to increase flights to China due to Seouls cautious stance towards Chinese travellers. South Korea, like many other countries now requires travellers from China, Macau and Hong Kong to provide negative Covid-19 test results before departure.

Flight Master data showed that on Sunday, China had a total of 245 international flights, combining inbound and outbound, compared with 2,546 flights on the same day in 2019, representing a fall of 91 per cent.

Chinas domestic tourism revenue in 2023 is expected to recover to 70-75 per cent of pre-Covid-19 levels, but the number of inbound and outbound trips is forecast to recover to only 30-40 per cent of pre-Covid-19 levels this year, China News reported on Sunday. REUTERS More On This Topic China welcomes back international travellers on quarantine-free travel Excitement at Hong Kong's China border as quarantine lifted

UK

British woman dies in French Alps after crashing into another skier

Published

2 hours ago

January 15, 2025

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British woman dies in French Alps after crashing into another skier

A 62-year-old British woman has died in the French Alps after colliding with another skier, according to local reports.

The English woman was skiing on the Aiguille Rouge mountain of Savoie at around 10.30am on Tuesday when she hit a 35-year-old man who was stationary on the same track, local news outlet Le Dauphine reported.

It added that emergency services and rescue teams rushed to the scene but couldn’t resuscitate the woman, who died following the “traumatic shock”.

The man she collided with was also said to be a British national.

Local reports said the pair were skiing on black slopes, a term used to describe the most challenging ski runs with particularly steep inclines.

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told Sky News: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who died in France and are in touch with the local authorities.”

UK

Singer Linda Nolan dies ’embraced with love’ with siblings by her side

Published

2 hours ago

January 15, 2025

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Singer Linda Nolan dies 'embraced with love' with siblings by her side

Singer Linda Nolan, who rose to fame alongside her sisters in The Nolans, has died after several years of battling cancer.

The Irish star, 65, and her sisters Coleen, Maureen, Bernie, Denise and Anne, had a run of hits in the late 1970s and ’80s – including the disco classic I’m In The Mood For Dancing.

Paying tribute on The Nolans‘ X account, her sisters described her as “a pop icon and beacon of hope”, who “faced incurable cancer with courage, grace and determination, inspiring millions”.

Linda died peacefully in hospital this morning, “embraced with love and comfort” with her siblings by her side, her agent Dermot McNamara said in a statement.

“As a member of The Nolans, one of the most successful girl groups of all time, Linda achieved global success; becoming the first Irish act to sell over a million records worldwide, touring the world and selling over 30 million records,” he said.

“Her distinctive voice and magnetic stage presence brought joy to fans around the world, securing her place as an icon of British and Irish entertainment.”

As well as her TV and musical career, Linda helped to raise more than £20 million for numerous charities, including Breast Cancer Now, Irish Cancer Society, Samaritans and others.

“Her selflessness and tireless commitment to making a difference in the lives of others will forever be a cornerstone of her legacy,” Mr McNamara said.

Linda’s death came after she was admitted to hospital with pneumonia over the weekend. She began receiving end-of-life care after slipping into a coma on Tuesday.

Details of a celebration of the star’s “remarkable life” will be shared in due course.

Linda was born to Tommy and Maureen Nolan in Dublin on 23 February 1959, the sixth of eight children.

Her parents were both singers and keen to turn their young family into a musical troupe. Linda made her stage debut aged just four.

Those early years put the siblings on track for a career in show business which lasted for decades. As well as I’m In The Mood For Dancing, The Nolans had hits with Gotta Pull Myself Together, Attention To Me and Don’t Make Waves, and they also had their own TV specials.

At their height, they toured with Frank Sinatra and were reported to have outsold The Beatles in Japan.

Linda left the group in 1983, but later reformed with her sisters for several comeback performances. She also became known for musical theatre, most notably performing the role of Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers for three years from 2000.

Four siblings struck by cancer

Linda was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, and underwent a mastectomy two days before her 47th birthday.

After being given the all-clear in 2011, in 2017 she was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer. Three years later, Linda and Anne together revealed they were being treated for cancer once again.

The sisters were diagnosed with different forms of the disease just days apart after they returned home from filming a series of their show, The Nolans Go Cruising. Linda had cancer of the liver, while Anne had breast cancer.

They went on to write Stronger Together, an account of their journey that included frank details of their treatments and the side effects.

But in 2023, Linda revealed the cancer had spread to her brain and she was beginning treatment as part of a new drug trial.

The Nolans lost their second-youngest sister, Bernie, to cancer in 2013, aged 52.

Loose Women star Coleen Nolan also revealed she was diagnosed with skin cancer last year, and said she was using a chemotherapy cream to remove it.

Linda’s husband of 26 years, Brian Hudson, died in 2007 after being diagnosed with skin cancer.

Anne Nolan is now cancer-free.

Tributes to star ‘who was always a joy’

TV star and singer Cheryl Baker and comedian Tommy Cannon are among those who have paid tribute.

“I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of Linda Nolan,” Cannon wrote on X. “I had the pleasure of working with her on so many occasions, and she was always a joy – full of warmth and love. My thoughts and love are with the Nolan girls and the whole family.”

“The most incredible voice, the wickedest sense of humour, such a massive talent,” Baker wrote. “You’re with Brian now, Lin.”

Loose Women also sent its love to her family. Linda appeared as a guest panellist on the ITV chat show over the years, alongside her sister Coleen.

The Blackpool Grand Theatre described her as “a true Blackpool icon”.

UK

Trainee gas engineer, 20, wins £7.5m in lottery – but won’t quit work

Published

2 hours ago

January 15, 2025

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Trainee gas engineer, 20, wins £7.5m in lottery - but won't quit work

A 20-year-old trainee gas engineer who won £7.5m says he was back working on blocked drains the day after claiming his cash.

James Clarkson, 20, from Carlisle, Cumbria, found out he’d hit the £7,533,329 National Lottery jackpot on 4 January – but said he has no plans to quit his job.

“I was out in the cold fixing blocked drains the day after I found out I had won,” he said.

“It was a bit grim but that’s reality.

“I’m not going to stop working, I’m too young,” he added, admitting he knew it might sound “mad” to some.

“I want to qualify as a heating engineer and then go from there.

“I need to have a purpose in life, plus dad wouldn’t let me not work anyway. He says there are plenty of millionaires out there that still work and you need a reason to get up each day.”

Mr Clarkson added he still planned to have “some nice holidays” in between working, and revealed one of his first purchases was an all-inclusive luxury break to Cape Verde, along with a few designer items including a Gucci bag for his girlfriend and two new jackets for himself.

He said he also planned to splash out on a new car, possibly an Audi – but for now, he’s got his work van.

“If you drive a cold work van all day, going from job to job, you’d understand,” he said.

“The comfort, the steering, the heated seats. I realise how jammy that sounds, not many people my age can afford the car insurance let alone a car like that to drive.”

As a huge Manchester City fan, he said he was also looking to buy a season ticket at the Etihad Stadium, as well as taking care of his extended family – starting with paying off his parents’ mortgage.