UK News Third national lockdown not ruled out as minister warns it may be summer before we 'get back to normal'

A member of the staff disinfects the stands before the start of a soccer match of the Mexican Apertura tournament between Guadalajara and Necaxa at the Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, on Nov. 21.

People walk through the city center on the first day of Level 4 coronavirus restrictions in Glasgow, Scotland, on Nov. 21.

A nurse holds a placard reading "For my rights and for your health" during a demonstration in front of the Healthcare Ministry where nurses are protesting demanding better working conditions and against the mistreatment of their sector during the pandemic, in Madrid, Spain, on Nov. 15.

A resident (L) of the Domenico Sartor nursing home in Castelfranco Veneto, Italy, hugs her visiting daughter through a plastic screen in a so-called "Hug Room" on Nov. 11.

People wearing face shields, masks and rubber gloves wait to vote at a polling station in Yangon, Myanmar, on Nov. 8.

A mask-clad, Palestinian woman waves behind the window of a bus in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, on Nov. 8.

A health worker, clad in her personal protective equipment (PPE) suit, falls asleep after tending to patients at a public health center in Bandung, Indonesia, on Nov. 6.

A customer pushes a trolley past the closed toy department of a supermarket in Bordeaux, France, on Nov. 4.

A mask-wearing student puts on plastic gloves as a precaution during class in Havana, Cuba, on Nov. 2.

Students listen to a teacher while sitting behind glass dividers on their desks in a classroom in the Maadi suburb of Cairo, Egypt, on Nov. 1.

A health worker sprays disinfectant at Slave Island railway station as a preventive measure against COVID-19 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Oct. 30.

Secret Cabinet Office Brexit memo warns of 'economic crisis'

The Cabinet Office dossier presents a perfect storm: 'severe flooding, pandemic influenza, a novel emerging infectious disease and coordinated industrial action, against a backdrop of (Brexit).'The Cabinet Office dossier raises the spectre of a perfect storm: 'severe flooding, pandemic influenza, a novel emerging infectious disease and coordinated industrial action, against a backdrop of the end of the (Brexit) transition.

George Eustice today warned ' we really are now running out of time' to strike a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU The negotiations remain stalled on three issues: post-Brexit fishing rights, the so-called 'level-playing' on rules and on the future 'This is the crucial week, we need to get a breakthrough.

" We in the World Health Organization do not advocate lockdowns as the primary means of control of this virus." This statement from Dr David Nabarro has also prompted questions So, when should lockdowns be considered, what is the WHO's advice on them and how does this affect Australia?

A mask-clad woman stands in front of a pair of wings painted onto a wall near Friars Walk shopping center in Newport, Wales, on Oct. 30.

A couple wear protective face masks as they cross a street on the first day of the second national lockdown in Paris, France, on Oct. 30.

Spectators maintain social distance inside individual plastic cabins as they watch a play in São Paulo, Brazil, on Oct. 28.

A man in a costume adjusts his face mask as he attends a protest by people working in the entertainment and event industry against the German government's economic policies to combat the spread of COVID-19 and demand more support for their business, in Berlin, Germany, on Oct. 28.

Nurses from the National Hospital protest for better salaries and security gear amid the COVID-19 pandemic outside the Economy Ministry in Asunción, Paraguay, on Oct. 26.

'Don't hug your gran at Christmas': Chief medic's message as PM warns of possible New Year lockdown

Boris Johnson has raised the prospect of a New Year lockdown if Britons ease off in the fight against coronavirus - as his chief medic warned people not to hug elderly relatives at Christmas. England is due to exit its second national lockdown next Wednesday and the prime minister, speaking at a Downing Street news conference, said his aim now was to avoid "taking our foot off the throat of the beast"."If we ease off now we risk losing control of this virus all over again, casting aside our hard-won gains and forcing us back to a New Year national lockdown with all the damage that would mean," he said.

People wait in a line to vote at the Queens Public Library during early voting for the U.S. presidential election in the Jackson Heights neighborhood in the Queens borough in New York City, New York, U.S., on Oct. 24.

A staff member marks seats for social distancing at a movie theater in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Oct. 21.

A man walks past a mural in Dublin, Ireland, on Oct. 21.

A man wearing a protective face mask looks on during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia in Moscow, Russia, on Oct. 20.

Volunteers prepare food parcels before a distribution led by the international NGO 'Gift to the Givers' in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Oct. 14.

People wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) sanitize a "pandal," or a temporary platform, next to an idol of Hindu goddess Durga for the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata, India, on Oct. 12.

Factory workers wearing protective face masks and shields ride a truck as they go to their work sites in Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, on Oct. 12.

Fishing the 'major bone of contention' as Brexit talks enter 'last week or so', says foreign secretary

The EU and UK are entering "the last week or so" of "substantive" post-Brexit trade negotiations, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has told Sky News. With the Brexit transition period set to end in little more than a month's time, Mr Raab suggested talks might soon be reaching a conclusion.However, he called on the EU to accept a "point of principle" on fisheries, an issue he described as having been a "major bone of contention" in reaching a deal.

Cleaners work during a nationwide curfew imposed for two days in downtown Amman, Jordan, on Oct. 9.

A man wearing a protective face mask looks through the window of a temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Oct. 9.

Women perform the "Morenada" dance at an exhibit of folk costumes during the partial lifting of restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in La Paz, Bolivia, on Oct. 2.

A steward walks amid empty seats inside the arena during a rain delay at Roland Garros during the 2020 French Open in Paris, France, on Sept. 27.

First-year students wearing masks attend a commencement ceremony at Wuhan University in China on Sept. 26.

Members of a church choir parade during the celebration of the eve of the Ethiopian Orthodox holiday of Meskel, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Sept. 26.

Dancers wearing face shields perform during a practice session at an art and cultural center in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on Sept. 26.

Nuns wearing face masks walk across a street in Rome, Italy, on Sept. 25.

Children play with bubbles during the opening of kindergarten schools in Bogota, Colombia, on Sept. 23.

Rita Ora’s Casa Cruz Birthday Party Isn't The Only Example Of Celebrities Flouting Lockdown, But She's Getting The Brunt Of Our Frustration

After nine months of watching celebrities holiday and party, the message is clear: it's one rule for them, another for us. And Rita Ora seems to be receiving the brunt of the publics annoyance at that. While some other celebrities fly under the radar with their lockdown breaches, her Casa Cruz party continues to top Google Search results and make numerous headlines. Perhaps it was Rita’s apology, which riled the public up after she claimed her party ‘was a spur of the moment decision made with the misguided view that we were coming out of lockdown and this would be OK.

Workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) suits attend to customers at a salon in Ahmedabad, India, on Sept. 20.

Worshippers maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the COVID-19 restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq, on Sept. 18.

A worker wearing a protective suit sprays disinfectant at a sauna and spa center in preparation for its reopening, in Hong Kong on Sept. 16.

A teacher checks the body temperature of students at a government school in Lahore, Pakistan, on Sept. 15. Educational institutes were reopened in the country nearly six months after the spread of the coronavirus.

New York City firefighters wear face masks as they pause outside of Engine Company 10 and Ladder Company 10 across from One World Trade Center, the Freedom Tower, in lower Manhattan, New York, U.S., during commemoration ceremonies for the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on Sept. 11. Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, only family members were allowed to gather at the 9/11 Memorial plaza. 

Municipal employees greet during a campaign to promote the keeping of safety distances against the spread of the coronavirus in Santa Tecla, El Salvador, on Sept. 10.

Participants in protective face masks attend the 4th Edition of the Equality Parade in Katowice, Poland, on Sept. 5. 

Employees of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) sanitize a coach during a media preview as the Delhi Metro network prepares to resume services partially after more than five months shutdown, in New Delhi, India, on Sept. 3.

Residents of the highland city of Puno wait to be tested for free for COVID-19 during a municipal campaign in Peru on Sept. 2.

Workers of the local government disinfect a woman and her house as a preventive measure, in the municipality of Xochimilco in Mexico City, Mexico, on Aug. 26. 

Santas have their temperature taken as they attend a socially distanced Santa school training at Southwark Cahedral in London, England, on Aug. 24.

A sign outside the Hollywood Hotel in Surry Hills warning people to keep their distance, in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 22.

Public officials disinfect pews at the Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, South Korea, on Aug. 21. 

Military personnel from the Brazilian Armed Forces sanitize a bus at the Santa Candida bus terminal in Curitiba, Brazil, on Aug. 10.

A teacher, wearing a face shield as a precaution against the coronavirus outbreak, speaks to her students in a makeshift classroom at her residence in Tangerang, Indonesia, on Aug. 10.

A Vietnamese woman carries a stuffed animal while boarding a repatriation flight from Singapore to Vietnam, at Changi Airport in Singapore on Aug. 7.

Two women in traditional kimonos wear face masks as they visit Sensō-ji temple in Tokyo, Japan on Aug. 7.

An artist gives finishing touches to a mural depicting frontline workers, in Kolkata, India, on Aug. 5.

Pilgrims wearing face masks and keeping social distance perform Tawaf around Kaaba during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia on July 31.

A municipal employee teaches a user to use the thermometer of a Transmetro station in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on July 31.

UK's R number falls to four-month low, estimate suggests

The estimated R number for coronavirus is between 0.8 and 1.0 in the UK - its lowest level since August. R represents the average number of people each person with COVID goes on to infect.The growth rate, which estimates how quickly the number of infections is changing day by day, indicates the number of new infections is shrinking by between 1% and 3% every day. © Thomson Reuters A man wearing a protective mask uses a phone at a bus stop, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain December 3, 2020.

Bar and restaurant owners demonstrate asking the government to allow them to reopen their businesses given the difficult economic situation they are going through during the COVID-19 pandemic, in Cali, Colombia, on July 31.

A man wearing a face mask has his temperature checked before being allowed to go into Manchester Central Mosque in England on July 31.

A healthcare worker passes paperwork to a woman in a vehicle at a COVID-19 testing site outside of Marlins Park in Miami, Florida, U.S., on July 27.

Customers sit with a teddy bear used to keep social distancing measures at a restaurant in Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City, Mexico, on July 26.

Nurses in PPE kits discuss before they start their duty of door-to-door screening in Pune, India, on July 20.

A woman wearing a face mask walks at the Trocadero Palace near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, on July 10.

Paramedics gather outside the North Melbourne public housing complex, where nine towers had been placed under hard lockdown, in Australia on July 8.

A municipal funeral home worker watches the live news showing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announcing his positive result of the COVID-19 test, in Curitiba, Brazil, on July 7, 2020.

A doctor clad in protective gear measures the temperature of a woman during a house-to-house new coronavirus testing campaign in Avircato, Bolivia, on July 7.

A view of a newly built hospital to treat COVID-19 patients at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai, India, on July 7. India on July 6 became the country with the third-highest coronavirus caseload in the world.

Women eat lunch in a social-distancing greenhouse dining pod in the former parking lot of the Lady Byrd Cafe in Los Angeles, California, U.S., on July 7.

Visitors hold reproductions of the Mona Lisa outside the Louvre Museum as it reopens its doors following a 16-week closure due to lockdown measures, in Paris, France, on July 6.

Serbian army soldiers prepare a makeshift field hospital to accommodate patients infected by COVID-19 inside the Belgrade Arena in Serbia on July 6.

A clown, wearing a face shield, welcomes visitors at Tibidabo Amusement Park on the first day of its reopening in Barcelona, Spain, on July 4. The amusement park reopened for the first time since March 14 under strict sanitary security measures, including mandatory wearing of face masks, maintaining of social distancing between people or family units, following hand hygiene protocol and capacity restrictions with tickets booked in advance.

A social distancing sign warning of keeping two meters apart is seen in Porthcawl, Wales, on June 24. 

Personnel of the National Health Service perform Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests on the population to detect COVID-19 cases in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic, on June 13.

A worker sanitizes the railings surrounding the General Hospital's triage area for COIVD-19 patients in Mexico City, Mexico, on June 12.

A firefighter sprays disinfectant as a preventive measure against the spread of the COVID-19 in a containment zone in Chennai, India, on June 11.

Health workers from the city of Melgaço arrive at a small riverside community, where families live without electricity, to give medical care to its residents, in Brazil, on June 9.

A caretaker cleans the floor at the Durgiana Temple after the government eased a nationwide lockdown, in Amritsar, India, on June 7.

An officer enforces social distancing at the entrance of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 7.

A traveler queues for check-in on an Air Austral flight to Paris, France, from Dzaoudzi–Pamandzi International Airport on the French Indian Ocean island of Mayotte on June 5, as measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 are maintained on Mayotte over concerns about the continued spread of the virus there.

A member of the 'Torcida Urubuzada' (soccer fans) of Flamengo delivers food donations amid the coronavirus pandemic, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 5.

An organ grinder waits for a delivery of donated groceries in Mexico City, Mexico, on June 4.

Local authorities interview residents at the Santa Cruz neighborhood in Medellin, Colombia, on June 1, during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

People are seen inside a movie theater during its reopening, in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 1, after the Thai government eased isolation measures put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Muslims pray spaced apart to help curb the spread of the coronavirus during a Friday prayer at the Al Barkah Grand Mosque in Bekasi, Indonesia, on May 29. Muslims in some parts of Indonesia attended Friday prayers as mosques closed by the coronavirus for weeks were allowed to start reopening in the world's most populous Muslim nation.

People sit in circles painted as guidelines for social distancing at the Domino Park in New York City, New York, U.S., on May 24.

Staff at Suleymaniye Mosque perform a morning prayer in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 24.

Empty chairs are placed for worshipers on Notre Dame de la Garde basilica's terrace before the first public mass after France eased lockdown measures, in Marseille, France, on May 24.