Boris Johnson said yesterday that he believes England can Ride the Omicron wave There is no need to “close our country again” to reduce coronavirus infections, which provides impetus for the new year of business.

The prime minister’s optimism reassures Conservative MPs, many of whom oppose any further restrictions to resolve this variant.

Johnson confirmed that there were nearly 219,000 Covid-19 cases in the UK in the last 24 hours, although these figures reflect the delay in collating data during the Christmas period.

He also announced that approximately 100,000 key workers (including food processing, transportation, and border control personnel) will be tested for Covid every day to curb the spread of infection to colleagues.

Due to the latest wave of Covid-19, the industry is facing widespread employee absenteeism, school leaders warned Further interfere with teaching.

However, scientific advisers and health officials welcomed the first signs of a surge in infections in London. Begin to weaken.

Do you think England should tighten Covid restrictions?Share your thoughts with us [email protected]. Thanks for reading FirstFT Europe/Africa — Jennifer

There are five more stories in the news

1. Chinese banks cut traditional loans Lenders rushed to reach the national annual loan quota last month Buy low-risk financial instruments Bankers and analysts said that the surge in loans reflects institutions’ vigilance about China’s economic slowdown, rather than issuing loans.

2. South Africa investigation: Zuma presided over rampant corruption Former South African President Jacob Zuma hosted “an incredible picture Rampant corruption“In the most critical state-owned company, according to the first conclusion of the corruption investigation.

3. Rishi Sunak warns of restrictions on energy price assistance British Prime Minister warn There is a limit to how much help the government can provide to offset the price, and this support should be targeted at the families most in need. Minister of Commerce Kwasi Kwarteng will meet with industry leaders today to discuss options for dealing with price increases.

4. TPG IPO valuation target is 9.3 billion U.S. dollars The American acquisition company plans to raise up to $877 million in a financing. Initial public offering This could lead to a valuation of more than $9 billion, thereby capitalizing on investor interest in private equity.

5. Ford doubles production target for electric trucks Ford has Almost doubled The F-150 Lightning (the electric version of its best-selling pickup truck) has a production target of 150,000 vehicles per year, and this announcement caused its stock price to rise sharply yesterday.

Coronavirus Digest

• Existing vaccine Yes Effective A Harvard Medical School study showed that for severe Omicron.One Fourth dose After a week, the antibody increased five-fold, Prime Minister of Israel Said, citing a preliminary study.

• This we Records more than 1 million cases per day, But some experts say the focus should be Transfer to hospital for treatment, more stable. (FT, Associated Press)

• Record 4.5m American resign In November, because employers worked hard to keep the workforce intact. Financial Times Viewpoint It was the pandemic that changed the mentality of workers and the balance of power.

• View: In order to coexist with Covid, the government should adopt a rehearsal emergency system that the public and businesses understand, Martin Sandb wrote.

the day before

Covid restrictions in England The British cabinet ministers are expected to support Boris Johnson’s proposal to maintain England’s Plan B restrictions, Including Covid passes for guiding work at home, wearing masks in public places, and participating in large-scale events.Travel rules such as expensive tests before and after the flight will also be cancelled Review.

What are we still reading

Elizabeth Holmes’ conviction splits Silicon Valley After the jury found the founder of Theranos conspiracy to defraud investors, industry observers were divided on the importance of the verdict.This decision represents Landmarks in Silicon ValleyFew founders of startups face public liquidation.

U.S. military combats “Costco UAV” Despite the hype about hypersonic missiles, cheap, small, low-tech enemy drones are quickly becoming one of the most popular drones. Major threat According to a senior general in the Middle East, since the Korean War in the 1950s, the U.S. military has faced threats from the U.S. military.

Hello, universe. Is anyone there? In the future, we may look back at our time and ask a question: Is this really a good idea? Contact aliens? John Thornhill believes that astronomers should first consider whether they have the right to contact alien life forms. Who should decide what message to send to aliens? Vote in our poll.

Brexit casts a shadow over Northern Ireland election Opinion polls show that the trade union party will lose its majority for the first time Seismic political transformation A region created for them a century ago. The most critical issue is not housing or employment, but trade arrangements after Brexit.

EU asks for a seat in Ukraine negotiations The split EU demands that next week’s Negotiations with Russia After Vladimir Putin successfully put the European Union aside and turned to support negotiations with the United States and NATO, the Ukraine crisis and broader European defense issues.

architecture

Compared with traditional methods, 3D printing technology is being used to build houses faster and cheaper. This is how it works.