When King Charles III is crowned on Saturday, soldiers carrying flags from the Bahamas, South Africa, Tuvalu and beyond will march alongside British troops in a spectacular military procession in honor of the monarch. For some, the scene will affirm the ties that bind Britain and its former colonies. But for many others in the Commonwealth, a group of nations mostly made up of places once claimed by the British Empire, Charles’ coronation is seen with apathy at best. In those countries, the first crowning of a British monarch in 70 years is an occasion to reflect on oppression and colonialism’s bloody past. The displays of pageantry in London will jar especially with growing calls in the Caribbean to sever all ties with the monarchy. “Interest in British royalty has waned since more Jamaicans are waking to the reality that the survivors of colonialism and the holocaust of slavery are yet to receive reparatory justice,” the Rev. Sean Major-Campbell, an Anglican priest in the Jamaican capital, Kingston, said. Also Read: PM Hasina arrives in London to attend coronation of UK’s King Charles III The coronation is “only relevant in so far as it kicks us in the face with the reality that our head of state is simply so by virtue of biology,” Major-Campbell added. As British sovereign, Charles is also head of state of 14 other countries, though the role is largely ceremonial. These realms, which include Australia, Canada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, represent a minority of the Commonwealth nations: most of the 56 members are republics, even if some still sport the Union Jack on their flags. Barbados was the most recent Commonwealth country to remove the British monarch as its head of state, replacing Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, with an elected president in 2021. The decision spurred similar republican movements in neighboring Jamaica, the Bahamas and Belize. Last year, when Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness welcomed Prince William and his wife, Kate, during a royal tour of the Caribbean, he announced that his country intends to become fully independent. It made for an awkward photo with the royal couple, who were also confronted with protests calling for Britain to pay slavery reparations. Also Read: UK’s diverse communities ambivalent about king’s coronation William, the heir to the throne, observed later in the same trip that the relationship between the monarchy and the Caribbean has evolved. The royal family will “support with pride and respect your decisions about your future,” he told a reception in the Bahamas. Rosalea Hamilton, an advocate for changing Jamaica’s Constitution to get rid of the royals, said she was organizing a coronation day forum to engage more Jamaicans in the process of political reform. The timing of the event is meant to “signal to the head of state that the priority is to move away from his leadership, rather than focus on his coronation,” Hamilton said. Two days ahead of Charles’ crowning, campaigners from 12 Commonwealth countries wrote to the monarch urging him to apologize for the legacies of British colonialism. Among the signatories was Lidia Thorpe, an Australian senator, who said Thursday that Charles should “begin a process of repairing the damage of colonization, including returning the stolen wealth that has been taken from our people.” Buckingham Palace said last month that Charles supported research into the historical links between Britain’s monarchy and the transatlantic slave trade. The king takes the issue “profoundly seriously,” and academics will be given access to the royal collection and archives, the palace said. In India, once the jewel of the British Empire, there’s scant media attention and very little interest in the coronation. Some people living in the country’s vast rural hinterlands may not have even heard of King Charles III. Also Read: With coronation approaching, Charles and Buckingham Palace working at top speed to show new king at work “India has moved on,” and most Indians “have no emotional ties with the royal family,” Pavan K. Varma, a writer and former diplomat, said. Instead, the royals are seen more like amusing celebrities, he said. And while the country still values its economic and cultural ties with the European country, Varma pointed out that India’s economy has overtaken the U.K.’s. “Britain has shrunk globally into a medium-sized power,” he said. “This notion needs to be removed, that here is a former colony riveted to the television watching the coronation of Prince Charles. I don’t think this is happening in India.” Since gaining independence in 1947, India has moved to shed the vestiges of British imperialism. The statue of King George V that used to stand near the India Gate monument in New Delhi was moved in the 1960s to Coronation Park. Once the scene of celebrations honoring Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and George V, the park is now a repository for representations of former monarchs and officials of the British Raj in India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has led a renewed push to reclaim India’s past and erase “symbols of slavery” from the country’s time under the British crown. His government has scrubbed away colonial-era street names, some laws and even flag symbols. “I don’t think we should care much about (the royals),” Milind Akhade, a photographer in New Delhi, said. “They enslaved us for so many years.” In Nairobi, Kenya, motorcycle taxi driver Grahmat Luvisia was similarly dismissive of the idea of following the coronation on TV. “I will not be interested in watching the news or whatever is happening over there because we have been mistreated back then by those colonizers,” he said. Herman Manyora, a political analyst and journalism professor at the University of Nairobi, said memories of Britain’s harsh response to the Mau Mau rebellion in the 1950s are still raw. Many Kenyans will not watch the coronation “because of the torture during colonialism, because of the oppression, because of detentions, because of killings, because of the alienation of our land,” Manyora said. Not everyone is as critical. In Uganda, political analyst Asuman Bisiika says British culture continues to have a strong influence on young people in the East African country, especially those who follow English soccer. There is also a lot of goodwill for Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September after 70 years on the throne. “It’s not about caring for the British monarchy,” Bisiika said. “It’s about relating.” In the South African city of Durban, expat British communities have planned a live screening of the coronation ceremony, complete with trumpeters to announce the moment the Archbishop of Canterbury crowns Charles. On Sunday, there will be a special church service followed by a picnic or a “braai,” a traditional South African barbecue. “I think people want to be part of an important moment in history,” Illa Thompson, one of the organizers of the festivities, said. Experts say that despite its flaws, historical baggage and fraying edges, the Commonwealth still holds appeal, especially for poorer nations. Gabon and Togo, which are former French colonies with no colonial links to Britain, became the association’s newest members last year. Most observers believe countries like Jamaica that want an elected head of state are likely to retain their memberships. “Countries, whether they benefit or not, feel like they need to have this closeness to Britain as an economic entity,” said Kehinde Andrews, a professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University. “As much as there will be still be some dissent — (Charles) is not as popular as his mother — it’s all about the economics.”   

Britain's free trade agreements with New Zealand and Australia will come into force by the end of this month, the leaders from the three nations said Friday. The announcement came while the prime ministers from the two Southern Hemisphere nations are in London for the coronation of King Charles III. The deals are part of Britain's efforts to expand its economic ties after it left the European Union. Both deals were first agreed to in 2021. New Zealand officials say its deal will help boost sales of products like wine, butter, beef and honey, and will increase the size of its economy by up to 1 billion New Zealand dollars ($629 million). New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said it was a gold-standard agreement. "The market access outcomes are among the very best New Zealand has secured in any trade deal,” Hipkins said in a statement. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the deal with New Zealand reflected the close relationship between the nations. “This deal will unlock new opportunities for businesses and investors across New Zealand and the United Kingdom, drive growth, boost jobs, and, most importantly, build a more prosperous future for the next generation,” Sunak said in a statement. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it would mean more market access for its exporters. “So for beef, for our sheep products, for our seafood, for our other products it will mean much greater access to the British market,” Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. in an interview. Albanese said it would also mean greater access for younger Australians to work in Britain and vice versa after the terms of a working holiday arrangement were expanded. A similar scheme between New Zealand and Britain has also been expanded, increasing the length of working visas from two years to three years and the maximum eligible age from 30 to 35.

Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, UK’s longest-reigning monarch, many Indians are demanding the return of the fabled diamond called Kohinoor or Koh-i-noor that was put in a crown created for the late queen’s mother. Indian Twitterati started demanding that the 105-carat oval-shaped jewel, the name of which translates to “Mountain of Light”, be brought back to its place of origin shortly after Queen Elizabeth’s demise. Kohinoor is the focal point of the Queen Mother’s crown, and is said to be one of the most expensive jewels in existence. The diamond was found in India’s Golconda mines in the 14th century, and over the centuries, it changed ownership several times. Kohinoor’s return has been asked by the Indian government on numerous occasions, notably once in 1947. Britain, however, has continually disputed the claims. Read: Queen Elizabeth is featured on several currencies. Now what? Who gets the crown with Kohinoor after Queen Elizabeth’s death? Several latest reports state that Queen Consort Camilla will now wear the crown with the illustrious diamond. She will be anointed at the same time as King Charles III. Will Britain ever return the Kohinoor to India? There are reportedly no intentions to return the gem. Former British Minister for Asia and the Pacific Alok Sharma stated, “The UK government believes that there aren’t any legal grounds for recovery of the diamond,” during a visit to India in 2016. How Kohinoor went to Britain from India There is a certain time when the Kohinoor first appears in the written record. Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor, ordered a magnificent, gem-encrusted throne in 1628. The ornate creation took its design cues from the throne of Solomon, the legendary Hebrew king who appears in the annals of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, according to the Smithsonian Magazine. Read: King Charles III officially announced Britain’s monarch, ceremony aired live for the first time The Kohinoor diamond and the Timur Ruby were two very large gems that would eventually become the most valuable of all the precious stones that decorated the throne. The diamond was set in the head of a gleaming gemstone peacock at the very top of the throne. Such wealth caught the interest of other kings in Central Asia, such as Nader Shah of Persia. Invasion of Delhi by Nader Shah in 1739 claimed tens of thousands of lives and depleted the Mughal Empire’s finances. Nader supposedly grabbed the Peacock Throne as part of his loot, but he took out the Kohinoor diamond and the Timur Ruby to wear on a wristband, the Smithsonian Magazine feature adds. Read: What’s next for the UK as King Charles III starts his reign The Kohinoor diamond would spend 70 years away from India, in what would eventually become Afghanistan. In one tragedy after another, it changed hands between several kings, including one who blinded his own son and another who was overthrown and had his head covered in molten gold. After years of conflict, the diamond made its way back to India and was acquired by the Sikh king Ranjit Singh in 1813. Singh’s specific affinity for Kohinoor solidified the gem’s aura of status and power. Following Ranjit Singh’s passing in 1839, the crown was held by four different people during a period of four years. At the end of all the chaos, just a boy named Duleep Singh and his mother Rani Jindan remained in line for the crown. The British, who had by then solidified their grasp on India, forced Duleep to sign a legal document, requiring the 10-year-old boy to give up the Kohinoor and all claims to sovereignty, the Smithsonian Magazine feature says. Read Stepping up: More scrutiny for next generation of royals From that point forward, Queen Victoria was the proud owner of the diamond. Victoria wore Kohinoor as a brooch, but it later became a piece of the Crown Jewels.

It was a kiss that hogged media limelight in India and Britain in the early 1980s when social media was a distant dream. Bollywood actor Padmini Kolhapure posted the kiss on the cheek of King Charles, then a Prince and heir to the British throne, after garlanding him as the latter visited the sets of her 1981 film 'Ahista Ahista' in Mumbai. Read: After a lifetime of preparation, Charles takes the throne The kiss not only became the talk of the town in India and also made the Bollywood actor famous in Britain as the "woman who kissed Prince Charles". "It was just a peck on the cheek...the media took it somewhere else. It was no big deal," Kolhapure had later said in an interview with a local media outlet. Kolhapure began acting as a child artiste in 1972 at the age of 7. In 1976 and 1977, she acted in two hit flicks -- 'Zindagi' and 'Dream Girl', respectively. But she hogged limelight for her role in 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram'. Read: At age 73, Charles becomes King She became a sensation when iconic filmmaker Raj Kapoor cast her as the lead heroine in 'Prem Rog' in 1982 opposite his son Rishi Kapoor. Kolhapure went on to give box office hits with her performances in 'Vidhaata' (1982), 'Souten' (1983) and 'Pyar Jhukta Nahin' (1985). She later forayed into the regional Marathi films.

A car driven by Princess Diana in the 1980s sold for 650,000 pounds ($764,000) at auction Saturday, just days before the 25th anniversary of her death. Silverstone Auctions said there was “fierce bidding” for the black Ford Escort RS Turbo before the sale closed. The U.K. buyer, whose name was not disclosed, paid a 12.5% buyer’s premium on top of the selling price, according to the classic car auction house. Britain and Diana’s admirers worldwide are preparing to mark a quarter century since her death. She died in a high-speed car crash in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997. Read: William, Harry to unveil Diana statue as royal rift simmers Diana drove the Escort from 1985 to 1988. She was photographed with it outside boutique shops in Chelsea and restaurants in Kensington. She preferred to drive her own car, with a member of her security team in the passenger seat. The RS Turbo Series 1 was typically manufactured in white, but she got it in black to be more discreet. Ford also added features for her security, such as a second rear-view mirror for the protection officer. The car has just under 25,000 miles on it. Last year, another Ford Escort that Diana used sold at auction for 52,000 pounds ($61,100).

India and Britain on Friday called on Russia for an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced steps to help move New Delhi away from its dependence on Russia by expanding economic and defense ties. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told reporters that he and Johnson discussed the situation in Ukraine, underscoring the importance of diplomacy and dialogue to settle issues. “Both sides also called for a free, open, inclusive and rule-based order in the Indo-Pacific,″ Modi said in an apparent reference to China’s increasing assertiveness in the region. Johnson did not pressure Modi to take a tougher stand against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, said Harsh Shringla, India’s foreign secretary. Johnson told reporters that India had come out strongly against the killings in Bucha earlier this month. The British prime minister also said “he (Modi) has already intervened several times with Vladimir Putin to ask him what on Earth he is doing and where it is going.” Read: Satellite photos show possible mass graves near Mariupol Johnson said the two countries will try to conclude a free trade deal by October that is expected to double their current $50 billion bilateral trade by 2030. “There are some difficult issues — like a tariff on whisky is a tough one. It would be great if we could fix that. But there are big opportunities, we can get it done. I’m optimistic,” he said. Johnson switched over to the Hindi language to describe Modi as a “Khaas Dost,” or special friend, and said, “Our relations have never been as strong or as good between us as they are now,” Johnson said Britain will issue an open general export license to India, reducing bureaucracy and shortening delivery times for defense procurement. “This is our first OGEL in the Indo-Pacific region,” he said. Johnson also announced $1.29 billion in new investments and export deals in areas from software engineering and artificial intelligence to health, creating almost 11,000 jobs across the United Kingdom. India welcomed Britain’s commitment to invest $1 billion in climate-related projects in India between 2022 and 2026, according to a joint statement issued after the talks between the leaders. The two countries also agreed to collaborate on the manufacturing of defense equipment, systems, spare parts and components under the “Make in India” program through a transfer of technology and setting up of joint ventures. “They noted cooperation in key areas of strategic collaboration, including modern fighter aircraft and jet engine advanced core technology,” it said. Read: UK to reopen embassy in Kyiv next week The two countries are also committing up to $96.8 million to roll out adaptable clean tech innovations from India to the wider Indo-Pacific and Africa, and working together on international development and girls’ education, a British High Commission statement said. Soon after his arrival in India on Thursday, Johnson said he was aware of the close ties that India and Russia have shared. “We have to reflect that reality. But clearly, I’ll be talking about it to Narendra Modi,” he told reporters in Ahmedabad, the capital of western Gujarat state, where he landed. Modi recently called the situation in Ukraine “very worrying” and has appealed to both sides for peace. While India has condemned the killings of civilians in Ukraine, it has so far not criticized Putin, and abstained when the U.N. General Assembly voted this month to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council. Modi has also responded coolly to pressure from U.S. President Joe Biden and others to curb imports of Russian oil in response to the invasion. Johnson said Friday that “the world faces growing threats from autocratic states which seek to undermine democracy, choke off free and fair trade and trample on sovereignty.” “Our collaboration on the issues that matter to both our countries, from climate change to energy security and defense, is of vital importance as we look to the future,″ he said. The British High Commission statement said Britain is offering next-generation defense and security collaboration across five domains — land, sea, air, space and cyber — to face complex new threats. Britain will also seek to support India’s requirements for new technology to identify and respond to threats in the Indian Ocean, the statement said. Johnson said he and Modi also discussed new cooperation on clean and renewable energy, aimed at supporting India’s energy transition away from imported oil and increasing its resilience through secure and sustainable energy. India receives relatively little of its oil from Russia, but ramped up purchases recently because of discounted prices. India is a major buyer of Russian weapons, and recently purchased advanced Russian air defense systems.

The British government on Saturday accused Russia of seeking to replace Ukraine’s government with a pro-Moscow administration, and said former Ukrainian lawmaker Yevheniy Murayev is being considered as a potential candidate. Murayev is head of the small pro-Russian party Nashi, which currently has no seats in Ukraine’s parliament. Britain’s Foreign Office named several other Ukrainian politicians it said had links with Russian intelligence services. It’s unclear what means Britain believes Russia might use to install a friendly government in Kyiv. The U.K. government made the claim based on an intelligence assessment, without providing evidence to back it up. It comes amid a war of words between Moscow and the West over Russia’s designs on Ukraine. READ: US and Russia try to lower temperature in Ukraine crisis Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the information “shines a light on the extent of Russian activity designed to subvert Ukraine, and is an insight into Kremlin thinking.” Truss urged Russia to “de-escalate, end its campaigns of aggression and disinformation, and pursue a path of diplomacy,” and reiterated Britain’s view that “any Russian military incursion into Ukraine would be a massive strategic mistake with severe costs.” Britain has sent anti-tank weapons to Ukraine as part of efforts to bolster its defenses against a potential Russian attack. Amid diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis, U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace is expected to meet Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for talks in Moscow. No timing has been given for the meeting, which would be the first U.K.-Russia bilateral defense talks since 2013. The U.S. has mounted an aggressive campaign in recent months to unify its European allies against a new Russian invasion of Ukraine. The White House called the U.K. government assessment “deeply concerning” and said it stands with the duly elected Ukrainian government. “This kind of plotting is deeply concerning,” said National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne. “The Ukrainian people have the sovereign right to determine their own future, and we stand with our democratically-elected partners in Ukraine.” The assessment came as President Joe Biden spent Saturday at the presidential retreat Camp David outside of Washington huddling with his senior national security team about the Ukraine situation. A White House official said the discussions included efforts to de-escalate the situation with diplomacy and deterrence measures being coordinated closely with allies and partners, including security assistance to Ukraine. In another development, the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania plan to send U.S.-made anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine, a move that the United States fully endorsed Saturday amid Kyiv’s escalating tensions with Russia. READ: Russia announces sweeping naval drills amid Ukraine tensions The defense ministers of the three Baltic states said in a joint statement that they “stand united in our commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in face of continued Russian aggression.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a tweet that Washington saluted the NATO nations and former Soviet republics “for their longstanding support to Ukraine.” “I expedited and authorized and we fully endorse transfers of defensive equipment @NATO Allies Estonia Latvia Lithuania are providing to Ukraine to strengthen its ability to defend itself against Russia’s unprovoked and irresponsible aggression,” Blinken said in another tweet. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier this week described the West supplying arms to Ukraine as extremely dangerous and said the shipments “do nothing to reduce tensions.” Moscow has massed tens of thousands of troops near the Russia-Ukraine border, leading to fears of an invasion. The West has rejected Moscow’s main demands — promises from NATO that Ukraine will never be added as a member, that no alliance weapons will be deployed near Russian borders, and that it will pull back its forces from Central and Eastern Europe. A meeting Friday between Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ended with no breakthrough. Amid the uncertain security situation, the U.S. State Department has been considering a range of options to ensure the safety and security of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv and its employees by moving to reduce its diplomatic presence there. The defense ministers of the Baltic states said in their statement that Estonia would provide Javelin anti-tank weapons while Latvia and Lithuania were sending Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and other related equipment to bolster Kyiv’s defensive military capabilities. It wasn’t immediately clear when the weapons and equipment would be sent to Ukraine. “Today, Ukraine is at the forefront of separating Europe from the military conflict with Russia. Let´s face it, the war in Ukraine is ongoing and it is important to support Ukraine in every way we can so that they can resist the aggressor,” Estonian Defense Minister Kalle Laanet said. Estonia also is seeking Germany’s approval to send Soviet-made howitzers, which once belonged to East Germany, to Ukraine. Estonia acquired the howitzers from non-NATO member Finland, which in turn had bought them from Germany’s military surplus supply in the 1990s. The German government said Friday that it was considering Estonia’s request to pass the howitzers on to Ukraine but gave no timeline for a decision. Berlin said it planned to coordinate the issue with Finland, which has received a similar approval request from Estonia. Berlin routinely demands a say when German-sold weapons are transferred to third countries. But some recent media reports suggested German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Cabinet could block Estonia’s transfer of weapons to Kyiv, highlighting divisions in the West’s response to the Ukraine crisis. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba alleged Saturday that Germany was not showing adequate support for Ukraine. Kuleba said in a Twitter post that the weapons transfer issue and remarks by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expressing skepticism about cutting off Russia from the SWIFT global payments system “do not correspond to the level of our relations and the current security situation.” Also Saturday, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned the German ambassador to object to recently circulated video in which the head of the German navy said that Ukraine would not regain the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, and that Russian President Vladimir Putin deserved “respect.” The comments by vice admiral Kay-Achim Schoenbach sparked consternation and a swift rebuke back in Berlin. By late Saturday, the German navy chief had tendered his resignation, saying he wanted to prevent further damage resulting from his “ill-considered statements” in India. The U.S. State Department is currently warning U.S. citizens not to visit Ukraine due to the coronavirus pandemic but is also advising them to reconsider travel there due to potential Russian aggression. Speculation that an announcement about the U.S. diplomatic presence in Ukraine may be imminent has increased since the embassy in Kyiv announced it would hold a virtual town hall meeting about the security situation with U.S. citizens in Ukraine on Tuesday. Discussions on the matter have been underway for some time, but Blinken went over the contingency plans with the embassy’s security team when he visited Kyiv on Wednesday, officials said. The officials stressed that no decisions had yet been made and that an outright evacuation is not being considered. One possible scenario would be to order the families of American personnel to leave the country while allowing non-essential staffers to depart voluntarily at government expense, they said.

The U.K. tightened up rules Saturday on mask-wearing and on testing of international arrivals after finding two cases of the new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus as governments around the world sought to shore up their defenses. Amid fears that the recently identified new variant has the potential to be more resistant to the protection offered by vaccines, there are growing concerns that the pandemic and associated lockdown restrictions will persist for far longer than hoped. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was necessary to take "targeted and precautionary measures" after two people tested positive for the new variant in England, and that these will be reviewed in three weeks when scientists will know more about omicron. Johnson told a news conference that anyone arriving in England will be asked to take a a mandatory PCR test for COVID-19 on the second day and must self isolate until they provide a negative test. And if someone tests positive for the omicron variant, then he said their close contacts will have to self-isolate for 10 days regardless of their vaccination status. He also said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required and that the vaccination program will be accelerated, without providing specific details. "Right now this is the responsible course of action to slow down the seeding and the spread of this new variant and to maximize our defenses," he said. "From today we're going to boost the booster campaign." One of the two new cases was found in the southeastern English town of Brentwood, while the other is in the central city of Nottingham. The two cases are linked and involve travel from southern Africa. The two confirmed cases are self-isolating alongside their households while contact tracing and targeted testing takes place. The British government also added four more countries — Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia — onto the country's travel red list from Sunday. Six others — Botswana, Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe — were added Friday. That means anyone permitted to arrive from those destinations will have to quarantine. Many countries have slapped restrictions on various southern African countries over the past couple of days including Australia, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Thailand and the United States, in response to warnings over the transmissability of the new variant — against the advice of the World Health Organization. READ: What is this new COVID variant in South Africa? Despite the banning of flights, there are mounting concerns that the variant has already been widely seeded around the world. In addition to the U.K, cases have been reported in travelers in Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong. Germany also said it suspected a positive case and Dutch authorities were testing whether 61 people who arrived on two flights from South Africa with COVID-19 have the omicron variant. The planes arrived in the Netherlands from Johannesburg and Cape Town shortly after the Dutch government imposed a ban on flights from southern African nations. The 539 travelers who tested negative were allowed to return home or continue their journeys to other countries. Under government regulations, those who live in the Netherlands and are allowed to return home must self-isolate for at least five days. Meanwhile, a German official said that there's a "very high probability" that the omicron variant has already arrived in the country. Kai Klose, the health minister for Hesse state, which includes Frankfurt, said in a tweet that "several mutations typical of omicron" were found Friday night in a traveler returning from South Africa, who was isolated at home. Sequencing of the test had yet to be completed. Italian authorities in the southern region of Campania were also investigating whether a person who recently returned home from southern Africa and who has tested positive for the virus was infected with the omicron variant. The global health body has named the new variant omicron, labeling it a variant of concern because of its high number of mutations and some early evidence that it carries a higher degree of infection than other variants. That means people who contracted COVID-19 and recovered could be subject to catching it again. It could take weeks to know if current vaccines are less effective against it. With so much uncertainty about the omicron variant and scientists unlikely to flesh out their findings for a few weeks, countries around the world have been taking a safety-first approach, in the knowledge that previous outbreaks of the pandemic have been partly fueled by lax border policies. Nearly two years on since the start of the pandemic that has claimed more than 5 million lives around the world, countries are on high alert. The variant's swift spread among young people in South Africa has alarmed health professionals even though there was no immediate indication whether the variant causes more severe disease. READ: World races to contain new COVID threat, the omicron variant A number of pharmaceutical firms, including AstraZeneca, Moderna, Novavax and Pfizer, said they have plans in place to adapt their vaccines in light of the emergence of omicron. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said they expect to be able to tweak their vaccine in around 100 days. Professor Andrew Pollard, the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group which developed the AstraZeneca vaccine, expressed cautious optimism that existing vaccines could be effective at preventing serious disease from the omicron variant. He said most of the mutations appear to be in similar regions as those in other variants. "At least from a speculative point of view we have some optimism that the vaccine should still work against a new variant for serious disease but really we need to wait several weeks to have that confirmed," he told BBC radio. He added that it is "extremely unlikely that a reboot of a pandemic in a vaccinated population like we saw last year is going to happen." Some experts said the variant's emergence illustrated how rich countries' hoarding of vaccines threatens to prolong the pandemic. Fewer than 6% of people in Africa have been fully immunized against COVID-19, and millions of health workers and vulnerable populations have yet to receive a single dose. Those conditions can speed up spread of the virus, offering more opportunities for it to evolve into a dangerous variant. "One of the key factors to emergence of variants may well be low vaccination rates in parts of the world, and the WHO warning that none of us is safe until all of us are safe and should be heeded," said Peter Openshaw, a professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London.

More than 100 countries were set to pledge Tuesday to end deforestation, which scientists say is a major driver of climate change. Britain hailed the commitment as the first big achievement of the U.N. climate conference in Glasgow. But campaigners say they need to see the detail — such promises have been made, and broken, before. The U.K. government said it has received commitments from leaders representing more than 85% of the world’s forests to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. Read: Hasina at COP26, gets warm welcome from Guterres, Boris More than $19 billion in public and private funds have been pledged toward the plan, which is backed by countries including Brazil, China, Colombia, Congo, Indonesia, Russia and the United States. Forests are considered important ecosystems and an important way of absorbing carbon dioxide — the main greenhouse gas — from the atmosphere. But the value of wood as a commodity and the growing demand for agricultural and pastoral land are leading to widespread and often illegal felling of forests, particularly in developing countries. Campaign group Human Right Watch cautioned that similar agreements in the past have failed to be effective. Luciana Tellez Chavez, an environmental researcher at the group, said strengthening Indigenous people’s rights would help prevent deforestation and should be part of the agreement. Alison Hoare, a senior research fellow at political think tank Chatham House, said world leaders promised in 2014 to end deforestation by 2030, “but since then deforestation has accelerated across many countries.” “This new pledge recognizes the range of actions needed to protect our forests, including finance, support for rural livelihoods, and strong trade policies,” she said. “For it to succeed, inclusive processes and equitable legal frameworks will be needed, and governments must work with civil society, businesses and indigenous peoples to agree, monitor and implement them.” About 130 world leaders are in Glasgow for the COP26 summit, which host Britain says is the last realistic chance to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels — the goal the world set in Paris six years ago. Read: COP26 begins with a mission to unite world On Monday, the leaders heard stark warnings from officials and activists alike. Prime Minister Boris Johnson described global warming as “a doomsday device” strapped to humanity. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres told his colleagues that humans are “digging our own graves.” And Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, speaking for vulnerable island nations, added moral thunder, warning leaders not to “allow the path of greed and selfishness to sow the seeds of our common destruction.” Climate activist Greta Thunberg told a rally outside the high-security climate venue that the talk inside was just “ blah blah blah" and would achieve little. “Change is not going to come from inside there,” she told some of the thousands of protesters who have come to Glasgow to make their voices heard. "That is not leadership, this is leadership. This is what leadership looks like.”

From Monday, fully vaccinated Bangladeshi nationals will no longer have to self-isolate on arrival in the UK. This is because the British government has added Bangladesh to the list of countries with approved proof of Covid vaccination, effective October 11. "Bangladesh vaccine certification is now recognized by the British authorities. Our Mission contacted them and described our processes and now they recognize our vaccine certification," said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen. Also read: Covid: Dhaka advocates an equal shot at recovery High Commissioner for Bangladesh to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem said "the decision is a reflection of warm bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the UK". The decision is also a result of the High Commission’s sustained diplomatic efforts to remove the remaining obstacles to business, tourism and essential travel between the two countries, she said. "From 4am Monday (October 11), Bangladeshi nationals fully vaccinated with UK-approved vaccines will no longer require a 10-day hotel or home quarantine and a pre-departure Covid test." However, a Covid test should be taken on or before Day 2 after arrival in the UK. Also, Vaccination certificates issued by relevant Bangladesh authorities are required for all travellers as proof of inoculation status. Also read: Bangladesh calls for fair, balanced IP regime system to fight COVID The travellers who have not been fully vaccinated with a UK-authorised jab must quarantine for 10 days, either at home or where they are staying, and should undergo a Day 2 and Day 8 Covid test. On September 17, Bangladesh was removed from the UK government's travel red list, which came into effect at 4am on September 22. Bahrain  Bahrain has decided to remove Bangladesh from red list countries starting from October 10, said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.  He said everyday hundreds of Bangladeshis who returned from Bahrain ask when Bahrain would open up. "Today we have a good news."