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The Guardian

NHS chiefs in standoff with Treasury over emergency £10bn (sam., 04 juil. 2020)
Despite the pledge to give the service ‘whatever it needs’ to tackle the pandemic, any extra funding now comes with strings attached Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage NHS bosses have accused the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, of breaking a pledge to give the health service “whatever it needs” after he refused to provide a £10bn cash injection needed to avoid it being crippled by a second wave of the coronavirus. They have warned ministers that without the money the NHS will be left perilously unprepared for next winter and the second spike in infections which doctors believe is inevitable. Nor will they be able to restart non-Covid services or treat the growing backlog in patients needing surgery. Continue reading...
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Ghislaine Maxwell will not say anything about Prince Andrew, says friend (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Laura Goldman says she expects Maxwell to seek plea deal over charges relating to exploitation of young girls Ghislaine Maxwell would never say anything about the Duke of York’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, according to one of her friends. Maxwell appeared in court in the US on Thursday accused of helping disgraced financier Epstein “identify, befriend and groom” multiple girls, including one as young as 14. Continue reading...
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Trump claims US on way to 'tremendous victory' over Covid-19 as cases surge – live (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
President made remark in Fourth of July message at White House Trump says US under assault from ‘far-left fascism’ in speech US coronavirus deaths near 130,000 Supreme court gives conservatives blues – what’s really going on? Sign up to our First Thing newsletter 10.02pm BST Texas has recorded 8,258 new cases in the 24 hours to Saturday, the highest single-day surge in the state since the pandemic started. The overall number of confirmed infections in Texas now stands at 191,790, the state’s health department said. Thank you to those who fought and continue to fight for our great nation. ⠀ Have a safe and happy Fourth of July. pic.twitter.com/4hs1dehTCf 9.45pm BST A weekly newspaper in Kansas whose publisher is a county Republican party chairman posted a cartoon on its Facebook page likening the Democratic governor Laura Kelly’s executive order mandating people wear masks in most public spaces to the murder of millions of Jews during the Holocaust. The cartoon on the Anderson County Review’s Facebook page depicts Kelly wearing a mask with a Jewish Star of David on it, next to an image of people being loaded onto train cars. The caption reads: “Lockdown Laura says: Put on your mask ... and step onto the cattle car.” Continue reading...
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'UK countryside at risk from Boris Johnson’s planning revolution' (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
The prime minister’s ‘build, build, build’ strategy could harm habitats and reduce wildlife protection, critics warn The English countryside and its wildlife are at serious risk because of Boris Johnson’s pledge to revolutionise the planning system, leading green groups warn today. In a joint letter to the Observer, the organisations, which include the National Trust, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Wildlife Trusts, say wide-scale deregulation leading to lower environmental standards and less protection would be a betrayal of promises by Johnson and Michael Gove to deliver a “green Brexit”. Continue reading...
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Plymouth police called to incident involving man with a power tool (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Members of the emergency services have been threatened by the man but no injuries have been reported Emergency first responders have been threatened by a man with a large power tool at a residence in Plymouth, police said. Police were called at 9.28am on Saturday morning to Ham Drive following reports of threats being made by a resident. Continue reading...
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Man in his 20s shot dead near Pentonville prison in London (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Police appeal for witnesses after a man was pronounced dead in Islington on Saturday Police in north London are investigating the fatal shooting in broad daylight of a man believed to be in his early 20s. The Metropolitan police said officers and paramedics were called to Roman Way beside Pentonville prison in in Islington at 3.20pm on Saturday, where a man was suffering from gunshot injuries. Continue reading...
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Amber Heard can be in court for Johnny Depp’s evidence, high court rules (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Judge says it would be unfair to stop Heard watching Depp give evidence in libel case over domestic abuse claims Johnny Depp has failed to stop his ex-wife Amber Heard from watching him give evidence in a libel case over allegations of domestic abuse. The actor is suing the publisher of the Sun, News Group Newspapers (NGN), and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, over a 2018 article which described Depp as a “wife beater”. Continue reading...
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Two women injured as car drives through Seattle protest crowd (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Both women in critical condition, hospital says Driver in custody after incident on Interstate 5 Two women were struck and injured by a car whose driver sped through a protest-related closure on a freeway in Seattle, authorities said on Saturday. Related: US under siege from 'far-left fascism', says Trump in Mount Rushmore speech Continue reading...
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166 die during protests after shooting of Ethiopian singer (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Haacaaluu Hundeessaa was shot dead in Addis Ababa on Monday night, fuelling ethnic tensions At least 166 people have died during violent demonstrations that roiled Ethiopia in the days following the murder of popular singer Haacaaluu Hundeessaa, police said Saturday. The singer, a member of the Oromo ethnic group, Ethiopia’s largest, was shot dead by unknown attackers in Addis Ababa on Monday night, fuelling ethnic tensions threatening the country’s democratic transition. Continue reading...
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Police smash car window of man on way home from C4 interview about police racism (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Ryan Colaço had been driving home from interview and was wrongly accused of concealing drugs When an officer smashed in the window of Ryan Colaço’s car, after he was wrongly accused of concealing drugs, they did not know he was driving home from a TV interview in which he told of institutional racism in the police after being stopped and searched the week before. In the original incident, in Northumberland Park, north London, at 11am on 23 May, Colaço said he was stopped after being “aggressively tailgated” by the Metropolitan police, with officers then running to his car and banging on his window. They later said they had been able to smell cannabis from his car. Continue reading...
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Coronavirus live news: pubs reopen in England as Catalonia announces new lockdown (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Fourth of July weekend in US sees cases surging; WHO changes timeline of how it was alerted to virus; housing estates in Melbourne locked down. Follow developments live What we’re learning about Covid as US states open up How Victoria’s outbreak divided Australia Scotland and Wales attack UK government’s shambolic travel changes 10.10pm BST A man photographed fleeing smoke and debris as the south tower of the World Trade Center crumbled just a block away on September 11, 2001, has died from coronavirus, his family said. The Palm Beach Post reported that Stephen Cooper, an electrical engineer from New York who lived part-time in the Delray Beach, Florida area, died 28 March at Delray Medical Center due to Covid-19. He was 78. 9.34pm BST The US state of Texas has recorded 8,258 new cases in the 24 hours to Saturday, the highest single-day surge in the state since the pandemic started. The overall number of confirmed infections in Texas now stands at 191,790, the Health Department said. Thank you to those who fought and continue to fight for our great nation. ⠀ Have a safe and happy Fourth of July. pic.twitter.com/4hs1dehTCf Continue reading...
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WHO says trials show malaria and HIV drugs don't cut Covid-19 hospital deaths (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir not found to help patients in hospital Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that it was discontinuing its trials of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and combination HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir for patients in hospital with Covid-19 after they failed to reduce mortality. The setback came as WHO also reported more than 200,000 new cases globally of the disease for the first time in a single day. The US accounted for 53,213 of the total 212,326 new cases recorded on Friday, the WHO said. Continue reading...
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'I think everybody's going to behave': Mancunians cautious as lockdown eases (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
While hairdressers were busy, many of the tables at restaurants and bars were empty at lunchtime Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Amid sporadic drizzle, Mancunians in the city centre welcomed the easing of lockdown with some trepidation. While residents flocked to Manchester’s hairdressers for much-needed trims and root touch-ups, many of the physically distanced tables at its restaurants and bars were empty at lunchtime. Continue reading...
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'Let’s do karaoke!': Bangkok nightlife eases out of lockdown (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
The city’s bars, clubs and even massage parlours are beginning to buzz again but the absence of tourists is taking its toll Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage A mix of K-pop, sweet Thai love ballads and 90s music reverberates along the corridor of one of Bangkok’s popular karaoke spots. In private rooms, parties of friends strike poses and bellow into microphones. After three months of silence, Thailand’s nightlife was allowed to reopen on 1 July – provided venues follow government rules to prevent the spread of coronavirus. “You can dance, as long as you keep a distance from your friends,” explains Planisara Suksit, branch manager of Yes!! R&B Karaoke in Thonglor, her voice muffled by a face mask and plastic shield. Continue reading...
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London hospital starts virtual ward rounds for medical students (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Imperial College doctors with AR glasses examine patients as trainees watch remotely Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage A flock of students stumbling after a consultant on a ward round has long been a familiar sight in hospitals. Perhaps not for much longer though – a university has pioneered the use of augmented reality to allow students to take part from home. Imperial College has conducted what it said is the world’s first virtual ward round for medical students, which means an entire class of 350 students can watch a consultant examining patients rather than the three or four who have been able to accompany them in person. Continue reading...
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England’s post-lockdown newlyweds toast ‘surreal day’ over Zoom (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Couple swaps big plans for low-key ceremony as weddings are allowed to go ahead for the first time in months Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage After three missed hen dos, one lost wedding dress and a guest list savagely trimmed by four fifths, Fiona Sharples and Chris Fisher tied the knot on Saturday in one of the UK’s first post-lockdown weddings. Kissing outside St Kenelm church in Gloucestershire – unaccompanied by banned confetti – the happy couple said it had been a dream day. Albeit, said Sharples, if that dream was “surreal and exciting and set our heads spinning.” Continue reading...
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English pubs pour first pints for customers since lockdown began (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Establishments across country welcome back drinkers after latest easing of lockdown rules Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage English pubs poured their first pints since mid-March on Saturday morning, some as early as 6am, after laws allowing them to open their doors came into effect. While the vast majority of pubs do not have a licence to serve at the crack of dawn, several welcomed customers for a breakfast-time drink after more than three months standing empty. Continue reading...
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Boohoo booms as Leicester garment factories are linked to lockdown (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Exclusive: Fashion brand profits from ‘stay home’ clothing supplied at speed from city now experiencing Covid-19 surge Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage On 27 March, even as the rest of the UK were trying to make sense of how to get through the coronavirus crisis, Boohoo seemed to have nailed it. It was a Friday, and usually the fast-fashion brand’s irrepressibly bouncy Twitter account would be pitching dresses and shoes to its followers ahead of a night out. But this was the first weekend of lockdown, and the company made a decisive pivot. Continue reading...
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Coronavirus world map: which countries have the most Covid-19 cases and deaths? (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Covid-19 has spread around the planet, sending billions of people into lockdown as health services struggle to cope. Find out where the virus has spread, and where it has been most deadly Coronavirus map of the UK Coronavirus map of the US Coronavirus cases in Australia Continue reading...
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Italy testing 180 migrants rescued by ship for Covid-19 (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Migrants have been onboard vessel operated by charity SOS Méditerranée for over a week Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Italy is carrying out tests on 180 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean with a view to transferring them to a quarantine vessel in Sicily, an interior ministry source said on Saturday. The migrants have been on the Ocean Viking ship operated by SOS Méditerranée for over a week, with fights and suicide attempts on board prompting the charity to declare a state of emergency on Friday. Continue reading...
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Melbourne's 'hard lockdown' orders residents of nine public housing towers to stay home as coronavirus cases surge (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Five hundred police sent to enforce command that 3,000 tenants remain in their units Three thousand people living in nine public housing towers in Melbourne have been placed under the harshest lockdown rules of the coronavirus pandemic in Australia so far and banned from leaving their homes for at least five days. Five hundred police officers have been dispatched to monitor the nine towers in Flemington and North Melbourne and ensure that the residents do not leave their small and often overcrowded units. Continue reading...
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Trump claims 'victory' as US sees 50,000 new Covid-19 cases for third straight day (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Florida says confirmed cases up by record 11,458 while president claims US on the way to ‘tremendous victory’ over coronavirus How Donald Trump fuels culture war over masks On the Fourth of July national holiday, a day after the US reported a third straight day with a more than 50,000 new coronavirus cases and as Florida reported another record rise there, Donald Trump claimed “a tremendous victory” was at hand. Related: 'We don't want things to get out of hand again': as New York reopens, dangers lie ahead Continue reading...
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High society to hideaway arrest: Ghislaine Maxwell's dramatic fall (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
For years she was at the centre of a web of influence but this week Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend will appear in a New York court For a party girl with no parties left to attend, Ghislaine Maxwell’s 20-mile journey from her mountain hideaway in Bradford, New Hampshire, to Merrimack county jail was the brutal, cinematic finale to a social highlife that stretched across decades and continents. Taken by surprise at 8.30am last Thursday, and accompanied by officers from at least six US law enforcement agencies, the 58-year-old was taken to the medium-security facility and later arraigned via audio-only video conference, accused of luring underage girls, one as young as 14, for her former boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse. Continue reading...
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‘It's so good to be back’: Jay Rayner’s first restaurant meal since lockdown (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
As London’s Trullo opens its doors to its first in-house customers in 108 days the seating is restricted and the waiters visored but it’s not only its fabulous pasta that thrills the Observer’s food critic Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage They have just finished polishing the brass plate at the threshold of Trullo at London’s Highbury Corner when I arrive for my lunch, dead on noon. A moment later I become the first customer to cross that threshold in 108 days. And then there I am, with a menu of rustic Italian dishes in my hand. I choose. They bring. And then they do the washing up. After over three months of the lockdown and an awful lot of my own cooking, it is frankly thrilling. But it isn’t business as usual, not quite. Trullo has reduced the number of seats upstairs from 38 to 22 with a similar cut for the basement dining room, and a path has been marked out across the floor should you need to head to the loo. Screens have been inserted between tables making them into booths, and all the waiters wear visors. “It’s very good to be back,” our waiter says, as she takes an order for rugged pasta dishes and porchetta. Does she feel anxious about the working conditions? “I really don’t actually,” she says. Continue reading...
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Does the key to anti-ageing lie in our bones? (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Osteocalcin, a hormone produced in the bones, could one day provide treatments for age-related issues such as muscle and memory loss Gérard Karsenty was a young scientist trying to make a name for himself in the early 1990s when he first stumbled upon a finding that would go on to transform our understanding of bone, and the role it plays in our body. Karsenty had become interested in osteocalcin, one of the most abundant proteins in bone. He suspected that it played a crucial role in bone remodelling – the process by which our bones continuously remove and create new tissue – which enables us to grow during childhood and adolescence, and also recover from injuries. Continue reading...
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On my radar: Rachel Parris on her cultural highlights (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
The comedian and Mash Report star on Lemn Sissay’s memoir, Tank and the Bangas’ mindblowing hip-hop, and a very weird podcast Comedian and musician Rachel Parris was born in 1984 in Leicester. She stars in BBC Two’s satirical news show The Mash Report, for which she received a Bafta nomination last year. She lives in London with her husband, the comedian Marcus Brigstocke, and will appear at the outdoor Drive-In Club, in Brent Cross, London on 24 July. Continue reading...
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‘As a black priest in the Church of England, I felt like I was invisible' (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
In Ghost Ship, Father Azariah France-Williams reveals the barriers and bias faced by ethnic minority clergy in the Anglican church A few years ago, Father Azariah France-Williams answered a knock at the door. A woman stood before him, asking to borrow space in the church car park for a removal van. They chatted, France-Williams gave permission, and she thanked him. Related: Top C of E cleric slams church for 'monochrome' leadership Continue reading...
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Gloria Steinem: ‘Go too far, or you’re not going far enough’ (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
The feminist activist, 86, on worldwide sisterhood, Spaceship Earth, sexual harrassment in the 1970s and being bitten by rats My parents were kind and funny and taught me that kindness and a sense of humour are invaluable. Much later, I learned that in the oldest cultures laughter is the only free emotion. Obviously, fear can be compelled. So can love, if we’re dependent for long enough, we enmesh even with a captor in order to survive. But you can’t compel laughter. It’s a flash of recognition. Never go anywhere you’re not allowed to laugh, including church. I became a grown-up too early, from 10 to 17, a small person responsible for a big person. My mother was ill and often couldn’t look after herself. I never knew what I would find when I got home. Since then I’ve had friends who were the children of alcoholics, and I’ve learned we share some of the same feelings. Continue reading...
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Having anxiety and agoraphobia holds you back. But there are positives to be found… (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
If I hadn’t experienced anxiety and agoraphobia and the therapy that resulted from them, I wouldn’t now understand human complexities as I do, writes Charlotte Levin I sometimes wonder about my parallel life: the one in which I attended drama school, became a respected actor, travelled the world and ended up marrying Louis Theroux after meeting him at an awards ceremony. The life in which I didn’t develop anxiety and agoraphobia. In 1995, aged 23, after years of auditions, my application had been accepted for the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. My desire to act since the age of eight was firmly cemented and my dreams were coming to fruition. I was living in London so I’d arranged some viewings of potential digs. My boyfriend and I decided to make a trip of it and planned an extended scenic route – a concept now incomprehensible. But by the time we left, I was getting nervous. Continue reading...
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Collard greens and macaroni cheese: African American food classics – recipes (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
In an extract from her award-winning book Jubilee, Toni Tipton-Martin explains how black cooks made them favourite dishes – and shares her versions Whole Foods Market caused quite a stir in 2014, when the healthfood superstore declared “collard greens the new kale” and tweeted a recipe for sauteed collards garnished with peanuts. I admit I had to laugh. It reminded me of the author’s words in 1968’s A Good Heart and a Light Hand: Ruth L Gaskins’ Collection of Traditional Negro Recipes: “It’s amazing to us to think that anyone could grow up without greens, but every time we shop in the supermarket, white women ask in surprise: ‘What in the world do you do with those things?’ ” For many on Twitter, this recipe was a bridge too far. “For other people, collards are a trend – for us, they are a tradition,” food writer and historian Michael Twitty said at the time of Whole Foods’ announcement. But it’s also fair to ask: what is that tradition? In this case, it may have been the peanuts that shocked people. But there is also an impression that old-fashioned, Southern or country-style greens must be boiled to death to be authentic soul food. Any other way, and you might as well just designate the dish #fakesoul. That notion, though, hasn’t always been set in stone. Continue reading...
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How one neighbourhood in London lost 36 residents to Covid-19 – podcast (Fri, 03 Jul 2020)
Guardian reporter Aamna Modhin meets residents from Church End, a small, deprived neighbourhood in Brent, north London. She examines how housing pressures, in-work poverty and racial inequalities contributed to the deaths of 36 residents from Covid-19 The Guardian journalist Aamna Modhin tells Rachel Humphreys about reporting from Church End, a small neighbourhood in Brent, north London, which has a large Somali population. In early March, residents began to fall ill from coronavirus, eventually resulting in 36 deaths. Locals believe the cluster, which is the second worst in England and Wales according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, does not account for the true scale of the devastation, as it does not factor in people who work in Church End but live nearby. Aamna met Rhoda Ibrahim, a 57-year old community leader who has been left devastated by the deaths of so many people she knew. The virus thrived on the structural inequalities that Ibrahim has spent much of her life fighting against. It flourished in a housing crisis that was 40 years in the making, stark in-work poverty that left many struggling to put food on the table, and deeply entrenched racial inequalities. The council leader, Muhammed Butt, believes the government’s failure to provide tailored support to communities such as those in Brent worsened the situation, and that the country should have gone into lockdown earlier. Continue reading...
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The scandal of millions of Americans being deprived of running water – podcast (Thu, 02 Jul 2020)
Guardian US environmental justice reporter Nina Lakhani reports on her landmark investigation into America’s water crisis, revealing that millions of Americans are facing unaffordable bills for running water and risk being disconnected or losing their homes Guardian US environmental justice reporter Nina Lakhani tells Anushka Asthana about her water crisis investigation, which looked into why running water is becoming unaffordable for millions of Americans across the US. Water bills weigh heavily on many Americans as utilities hike prices to pay for environmental clean-ups, infrastructure upgrades and climate emergency defences to deal with floods and droughts. Federal funding for America’s ageing water system has plummeted, and as a result a growing number of households are unable to afford to pay their bills. Albert Pickett inherited water debts from his mother after she died. Pickett applied to get on to a repayment plan, but the water department refused as he didn’t have the money, several hundred dollars, required as a deposit. Cleveland Water didn’t inform Pickett, who survives on disability benefits, about his right to appeal – instead, they turned off the taps in 2013. “Without water you can’t do anything. I lost my family, my wellbeing, my self-esteem. It was humiliating, like I was less than human,” he says. Continue reading...
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Why hasn't Boris Johnson released the Russia report? – podcast (Wed, 01 Jul 2020)
Parliament’s intelligence and security committee produced a report into alleged Russian interference in UK politics. It was supposed to be published before December’s election, but the UK prime minister withheld its release. Now, six months later it still hasn’t seen the light of day. The Guardian’s Luke Harding investigates what could be in it and says witness testimony from an ex-MI6 officer makes uncomfortable reading for the government A report by parliament’s intelligence and security committee into alleged Russian interference in UK politics was supposed to be published at the end of last year. But as Boris Johnson decided to call a snap election, he withheld the report promising to publish it ‘in due course’. Now, six months later, the committee has been in hiatus and the report is still gathering dust. But the Guardian’s Luke Harding (author of a new book Shadow State) has been piecing together evidence seen by MPs in the preparation of the report. He tells Rachel Humphreys that witness testimony from the former MI6 officer Christopher Steele makes uncomfortable reading for the government. Continue reading...
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Olivier Giroud puts Chelsea on path to comfortable win over Watford (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
At a chilly, damp, echoey Stamford Bridge Chelsea had too much guile and craft for an eager but limited Watford team. Goals from Olivier Giroud and Willian towards the end of the first half were enough to overwhelm opponents who spent much of the opening 80 minutes crouched behind a dogged defensive guard. Continue reading...
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Sam Curran out but Denly in England's squad for first Test against West Indies (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Five uncapped players among nine reserves called up ‘No one doubts Jonny Bairstow. No doors are closed’ The notable absentees from England’s 13 for Wednesday’s first Test against West Indies are Jack Leach and Sam Curran, with the latter’s chances of selection diminished by a bug that prevented him participating in two of the three days of the practice match. Dom Bess will take the spinner’s slot and Joe Denly is preferred to the uncapped Dan Lawrence. Two senior citizens, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow, are packing their bags and leaving the Rose Bowl bubble. Neither are required for the Test series against West Indies and now must dutifully focus on joining the white-ball bubble before the three ODIs scheduled against Ireland at the end of July. Continue reading...
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Jockeys under fire after Serpentine pulls off shock with all-the-way win in Derby (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Emmet McNamara rides 25-1 shot to success at Epsom Aidan O’Brien breaks record with eighth winner of Classic A Derby run in bizarre circumstances produced a suitably extraordinary result here on Saturday, as the first three horses after a furlong and a half filled the same positions at the line a couple of minutes later, while the riders on their 13 opponents sat back and allowed them to get on with it. Serpentine, at 25-1, was clear of the field rounding Tattenham Corner and comfortably held his advantage to win by five and a half lengths from Khalifa Sat (50-1) and Amhran Na Bhfiann (66-1), a trifecta that paid out at 56,000-1 on the Tote. There were no spectators at Epsom to see it but it was the kind of race, and result, that would have played out in near silence even with the normal complement of 100,000 punters on the Downs. Continue reading...
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David Moyes's sorry Sunderland saga bodes ill for West Ham | Jonathan Wilson (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
The Hammers may survive this season but the prospects for the next one do not look good – just ask fans of the Wearside club now in League One Perhaps this time the Ferryman will not accept the fare. Wednesday’s unlikely victory over Chelsea, allied to the abjection of Norwich and Bournemouth and the struggles of Aston Villa and Watford, means West Ham may survive this season, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t major questions for the club to answer, foremost among them who should be their manager. Wednesday’s Premier League game turned out to be a clash of two managerial flaws, the inability of Frank Lampard sides to defend set‑pieces or counterattacks winning out over the tendency of David Moyes sides to drop deeper and deeper, particularly when they have something to defend. The victory may end up being decisive, but there can be no long-lasting sense of wellbeing. Continue reading...
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Bukayo Saka hooks home to cast new hope for Arsenal at Wolves (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Three days after pledging his future to Arsenal by signing a new contract, the 18-year-old Bukayo Saka brightened the club’s outlook even further by scoring his first Premier League goal. That, and a gritty collective performance crowned by Alexandre Lacazette’s late goal, earned victory for a team that is starting to make strides under Mikel Arteta. A late dash for Champions League qualification remains improbable but not as far-fetched as it looked two weeks ago. Arsenal’s fourth win in a row had the additional benefit for them of putting the brakes on Wolves’ charge for the top four. Continue reading...
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Lewis Hamilton unhappy with some F1 drivers' 'complicit silence' on racism (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Briton says ‘some don’t understand what is happening’ World champion Hamilton beaten to pole by teammate Bottas Qualifying had a familiar air as Formula One got back on track for the opening race of the delayed season at the Austrian Grand Prix. Mercedes locked out the front row, with Valtteri Bottas edging out his team-mate, Lewis Hamilton, to pole. Britain’s reigning world champion was happy with his performance but less so with the lack of a united front in support of the anti-racism cause he has been vigorously pursuing of late. After qualifying, Hamilton revealed his disappointment at what he described as “complicit silence” from some of his fellow drivers. Continue reading...
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Ghislaine Maxwell is no victim. But did she fear Epstein's rejection? | Barbara Ellen (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Her accusers paint a picture of a woman who would do anything to please So, Ghislaine Maxwell has finally been dragged out of her salubrious New Hampshire hidey-hole and accused, among other charges, of assisting Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse of minors – recruiting and grooming girls known to be underage. Now it’s all about whether Maxwell (who has previously denied wrongdoing) will choose to “co-operate”, coughing up big names. Away from legality, one can only wonder, what brought Maxwell here? Continue reading...
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'People dying in the ICU is not new, but dying without family and friends around them is very unusual' (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
An emergency medicine physician on the terrors of Covid-19, and why lockdown is being lifted too soon Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage My impression is that the population thinks that it’s all settled down now and everything’s OK. And that’s not true. Every time you go on to the intensive care unit you get a visual reminder of why it’s not, because of the amount of equipment that you have to put on to just go and simply say hello to a patient. Seeing the images from Italy had been terrifying. We were all wrestling our own demons, organising our personal affairs, getting wills done that we’d put off for years. When the worst of it hit it was really hard watching the team cope with the rush of reality. I think the new additions to the team that we had built were hit the hardest. People dying in intensive care is not new, but dying without family and friends around them is very unusual. This was a another new normal to adjust to; phoning family to tell them their loved one was dying, or dead, but they could not see them. At the same time, there was something uplifting. Everyone had a kind of common focus and a common goal – normally everyone just gets on with doing their own thing – but we had large teams of people working together with the one focus. There were so many people. Everything was masks and sweatiness. When people took their gear off they had deep marks around their faces and that kind of matted look to their hair. We’re still admitting patients with Covid-19 although obviously not as many as at the peak. We are currently getting about 200 patients a day coming in through A&E. About half of them have symptoms that are related to Covid, so they’re sent to the Covid side where they can be assessed and treated. All the medical staff are fully equipped with PPE because we’re anticipating that the patient has Covid until the tests prove they don’t. It slows everything down. Everything has changed. I get a bun on my way to work – it’s my Friday treat. When you go in, you’ve got to put alcohol gel on your hands, so that’s the end of the bun. To walk through the hospital you have to put a mask on. Nobody lingers in the corridors any more. When you go into the ICU, there’s more PPE – a new mask first and more alcohol gel. Going to see a patient in a side room you’re getting on a plastic apron with arms, two pairs of gloves, a different face mask, face shield. At the peak, we made space for about 300 Covid beds on our two sites. Now we’re back down to our normal 100 or so. The real difficulty now is that we know full well there’s a bunch of patients out there who need management of their underlying conditions, such as operations or transplants. We’ve been working towards starting that up again but it’s difficult. It’s not a tap you can turn off and on. If someone has been waiting years for a kidney transplant, and an organ became available, how would we get them into hospital in a safe way? We can’t ask them to self-isolate for two weeks – that’s not how organs appear. We’ve been trying to set up a system to make sure the transplant recipient is safe, because they’re immuno-suppressed. That’s why I’ve been worried about ending the lockdown, and people going back to how things were six months ago. That needs to be pushed back against, we can’t go back. We’ve been preparing for this weekend as if it’s New Year’s Eve. We’ve discharged as many people as we can. We’ve had to bulk up the daytime shifts, the evening shifts and the night shifts. I’m just hoping that people are sensible. Continue reading...
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Why do Muslim states stay silent over China’s abuse of the Uighurs? | Nick Cohen (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Nations that claim to be defenders of the faith offer no protest to the concentration camps When China imposed trade sanctions on Norway in 2010 for honouring the imprisoned dissident Liu Xiaobo with the Nobel peace prize, it spat out a word we weren’t used to hearing from propagandists for an atheist communist regime, but should get used to today. “It’s a blasphemy,” a party mouthpiece said. Once, blasphemy was damning the faithful’s gods and sacred books. Now, criticism of the world’s largest dictatorship has become sacrilegious. You shouldn’t be surprised. As some of us tried to say in the 1990s and 2000s, the gap between the sacred and the profane was never as wide as religious sentimentalists and liberal multiculturalists believed. Continue reading...
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Boris Johnson gets Britain building again – cartoon (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Chris Riddell on the prime minister’s plan to tear up planning regulations •You can buy your own print of this cartoon Continue reading...
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Trump is scooping up the world’s remdesivir. It’s a sign of things to come | Devi Sridhar (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
The case of the Covid-19 drug shows how national interests will continue to define the allocation of research products Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Donald Trump has called Covid-19 a hoax, encouraged his followers to take hydroxychloroquine and threatened to cut all ties between the US and the World Health Organization. He has predicted that coronavirus will disappear one day, like a miracle, organised indoor rallies with no masks during the height of the pandemic and encouraged public health officials to slow down testing, because carrying out tests results in a larger number of confirmed cases. He has praised scientists for developing an HIV/Aids vaccine (which doesn’t exist), been accused of stealing 20 ventilators from Barbados and taking face masks from Germany and France. In this wild west moment in international relations, Trump boasted this week that the US had bought the world’s entire supply of remdesivir, the antiviral drug produced by the US biotechnology company Gilead. Remdesivir is one of the few proven medications for treating Covid-19 patients. Though low- and middle-income countries can still produce their own generic versions of the drug, European and other high-income countries are not able to buy remdesivir or produce it for three months. Fortunately the UK and Germany have stockpiled enough of the drug to treat all the patients who need it. Continue reading...
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The Bank of England has many battles ahead. Inflation will not be one of them (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
The world accepts that spending is the way out of this crisis. Why is the Bank anxious at the faint prospect of rising prices? Key figures at the Bank of England and the Treasury are displaying a disturbing tendency for caution when the recovery from a pandemic demands bold measures. From the murmuring of officials in background briefings to the speeches of prominent policymakers, every pledge “to do whatever it takes” to rescue the economy during the pandemic comes with a clear rider. Rishi Sunak will sound heroic this week when he tells parliament how Britain’s economy can escape the effects of Covid-19. Money will be pledged – more than the £5bn Boris Johnson mustered in his recent “FDR” speech. Behind the scenes, though, officials are concerned that the UK is weak and must be careful how it spends over the coming years. Continue reading...
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Kellyanne Conway and her anti-Trump daughter may be the future of reality TV | Arwa Mahdawi (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Conway may be quietly sanctioning the Trump critics in her family and hedging her bets in case he doesn’t win again Sign up for the Week in Patriarchy, a newsletter​ on feminism and sexism sent every Saturday. Continue reading...
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Only Laura the NHS coach gets me out of bed and running 5km (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
The Couch to 5k exercise app offers many celebrity trainers, but I’m sticking with the original voice of quiet encouragement During the period of lockdown, from March until June, more than 858,000 people downloaded the NHS’s Couch to 5K app. At least 857,000 of them appear to be doing it in my local park, which has started to resemble a Frogger-like arcade game, where you have to insert yourself into the onslaught of joggers with a dexterity that requires a training app of its own. It is a remarkable number of downloads, but then, it is a remarkable app. It promises to get almost anyone moving. It builds you up from spluttering through a solid 60 seconds without stopping, through to 30 minutes without stopping, in just nine weeks. You can choose your trainer, the person who cheers you on through your headphones, from a selection of famous voices. There’s Jo Whiley, Sarah Millican, Sanjeev Kohli and Michael Johnson. But for the purists, the old school among us, there is still Laura, the original trainer. Just Laura, the voice who has seen me through the entirety of Couch to 5K on three separate occasions. Her soothing tones telling me “You’re halfway through, you’re doing so well, keep going” is so life-affirming that I’m tempted to start playing it when I’m just sitting around, wondering if it will ever be possible to go to the corner shop for a pint of milk, or to the pub for a pint of anything, without taking a vat of hand sanitiser and accidentally holding my breath for 10 minutes. Continue reading...
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Why is coronavirus still surging in the US? – video explainer (Thu, 02 Jul 2020)
The US recorded a new all-time daily high of 52,000 new Covid-19 cases on 1 July, according to Johns Hopkins University figures, as Donald Trump repeated his belief the virus would ‘just disappear’. America has now had more than 2.7 million confirmed cases - more than double that of Brazil, the second most-affected country. Dr Anthony Fauci, the US’s top infectious disease expert, has said the country is ‘going in the wrong direction’, infections could more than double and the subsequent death toll ‘is going to be very disturbing’. The Guardian’s Ed Pilkington looks at why a patchwork approach to lifting lockdowns, as well as the president’s mixed messages on wearing a mask, have led to confusion across the country and why some states are having to clamp down From miracle cures to masks: how Trump has defied science on coronavirus – video explainer Trump hopes coronavirus will ‘just disappear’ and says he’s ‘all for masks’ – video Coronavirus – latest US updates Continue reading...
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‘I'm very aware I’m mixed race here’: organising a rural UK Black Lives Matter protest – video (Fri, 19 Jun 2020)
Small towns, as well as big cities, across the UK have been holding Black Lives Matter protests and continue to do so. Flora, 23, meets fellow activists Hannah, Annabel and Alex for the first time at the demo they are organising together in their home town of Yeovil, in Somerset. Flora, who is mixed race,  moved to the area from south London when she was 10. She talks about the difficulties of living somewhere rural but also about how her parents don’t have any regrets  Cover Image by Sue Nitti Continue reading...
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How 'white fragility' reinforces racism – video explainer (Fri, 26 Jun 2020)
Robin DiAngelo’s bestselling book White Fragility has provoked an uncomfortable but vital conversation about what it means to be white. As protests organised by the Black Lives Matter movement continue around the world, she explains why white people should stop avoiding conversations about race because of their own discomfort, and how 'white fragility' plays a key role in upholding systemic racism For a few weeks, black lives mattered. Now what? Continue reading...
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‘Our generation’s world war’: what the first day back at a Birmingham school looks like –  video (Tue, 30 Jun 2020)
Aston University Engineering Academy, a secondary school and sixth form in central Birmingham, has had to overcome myriad issues simply to safely open its doors to vastly reduced numbers of students. The headteacher, Daniel Locke-Wheaton, explains why inner-city schools are disproportionately affected by the pandemic, and why a full return in September will be impossible, while his students discuss their return to this new normal for education Coronavirus in care homes: life after a Covid-19 outbreak UK coronavirus – latest coverage Continue reading...
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What does it mean to defund the police? – video (Mon, 22 Jun 2020)
The Black Lives Matter protests in the US, which escalated in response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, have brought the little-known but decades-old campaign to abolish US police into the spotlight. But what are abolitionists calling for, and how would a police-free society work? Josh Toussaint-Strauss explores the arguments for abolition with a campaigner from MPD150 and Reclaim the Block, and also Sam Levin, LA correspondent for Guardian US Continue reading...
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Masks, beers and 2m visits: life in a care home after a coronavirus outbreak – video (Tue, 23 Jun 2020)
In April, St Ronans care home in Southsea, Portsmouth, tested positive for coronavirus. Without readily available testing, staff think Covid-19 infected about 25 of their residents. Four died  with symptoms or suspected symptoms. Through a mixture of videos shot by workers inside the home and interviews filmed outside, they discuss how they are coping with the pandemic, and how staff, residents and relatives are adjusting to the 'new normal'  Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Continue reading...
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From miracle cures to slowing testing: how Trump has defied science on coronavirus – video explainer (Thu, 25 Jun 2020)
Donald Trump told thousands of supporters at a rally in Oklahoma he wanted to slow down testing for Covid-19 – despite experts saying the opposite. From masks to 'miracle' treatments, the Guardian's Maanvi Singh looks back at how the US president has long been contradicting and defying science during the coronavirus outbreak and the impact that has had on the country's handling of the pandemic Fear mounts Trump may pressure FDA to rush Covid-19 vaccine by election 'It will disappear': the disinformation Trump spread about the coronavirus – timeline Coronavirus – latest US updates Continue reading...
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Earl Cameron, 'Britain's first black film star', dies aged 102 (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Bermudian-born actor rose to prominence in the 1950s in films such as Pool of London and Sapphire, as well as appearing in the 007 film Thunderball Earl Cameron, who with his debut role in the 1951 film Pool of London, became one of the first significant black actors in British cinema, has died aged 102. His agent confirmed the news to the Guardian, saying “he passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his wife and family” on Friday in Kenilworth in Warwickshire. Cameron’s significance to the current generation of black British actors was underlined by tributes on social media. David Harewood described him as “a total legend”, while Paterson Joseph wrote: “His generation’s pioneering shoulders are what my generation of actors stand on. No shoulders were broader than this gentleman with the voice of god and the heart of a kindly prince.” Historian David Olusoga added: “A remarkable and wonderful man. Not just a brilliant actor but a link to a deeper history.” Continue reading...
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Two police officers suffer broken bones dispersing illegal London street party (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Nine other officers were also injured in violent incident London mayor Sadiq Khan condemned as ‘disgraceful’ Two police officers suffered broken bones and nine others were injured as they attempted to disperse an unlicensed street party in west London. Bricks and other missiles were launched at officers who tried to break up the illegal rave in Havelock Close, White City, on Friday night. Continue reading...
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Lib Dems accuse Tories of ‘stealing’ pupil premium policy (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Ex-education secretary Michael Gove said the reform was one of his proudest achievements while in coalition government Michael Gove has reopened old wounds from the coalition government by claiming one of his proudest achievements is introducing the pupil premium – a policy the Liberal Democrats insist was their signature education reform, which has since been underfunded by the Tories. In a speech last Saturday on restructuring government entitled “The privilege of public service”, Gove cited the pupil premium as “one of the reforms of which I am proudest”. The education secretary during the coalition years added: “I believe it has been transformative”, adding that proper data was now needed to judge just how effective it had been. Continue reading...
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‘They're all passing the buck’: UK travel firms flout the law on holiday refunds (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Thousands of UK travellers face long struggle to get their money back for trips cancelled because of pandemic Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Travellers whose trips are cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic face a summer of stress as companies rewrite the rules to avoid refunding them. Thousands of holidaymakers have been struggling since March to get their money back, and the problem is likely to worsen now the government has eased the ban on travelling abroad. Summer bargains advertised by travel firms could be scuppered if new lockdowns are imposed in the UK or overseas. The law entitles customers to full refunds when a flight or holiday is cancelled, but many are being forced to accept vouchers or charged large processing fees. Continue reading...
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Labour: unemployment could go 'way beyond anything we've experienced' (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Shadow minister Jonathan Reynolds calls for flexibility on furlough scheme and condemns return of benefits sanctions Unemployment could soar to levels “way beyond anything we’ve experienced before” unless the government extends the furlough scheme and gets to grips with the looming crisis, Labour has said. As the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, prepares to deliver his summer statement next Wednesday, the shadow work and pensions secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, said: “Nothing we’ve seen so far suggests that their response matches the gravity of the situation.” Continue reading...
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Driving lessons resume in England but learners face long wait for test (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Driving tests to be prioritised for key workers whose tests were cancelled due to Covid crisis Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Learner drivers gearing up to hit the roads as lessons and theory tests restart in England may face a lengthy wait before they can pass their practical. Although instructors can resume business on Saturday following the coronavirus lockdown, driving tests will be prioritised for those whose tests were cancelled as a result of the crisis. Continue reading...
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Campaigners say NHS deserves better as health service marks 72nd anniversary (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Illuminations and clapping will mark NHS birthday in its ‘most challenging year’ Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Dozens of landmarks across the UK will be illuminated in blue light on Saturday to mark the NHS’s 72nd anniversary, bur campaigners have said those who work in the health service deserve more than token gestures. Households across the UK have also been invited to take part in a nationwide clap for NHS workers on Sunday after what the health service’s chief executive in England, Simon Stevens, described as the most challenging year in its history. Continue reading...
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Ian Paterson: inquests to be held into deaths of patients of jailed surgeon (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Birmingham and Solihull coroner says inquests will be held into deaths of four of rogue breast surgeon’s patients Inquests are to be held into the deaths of four former patients of a rogue breast surgeon who is serving a 20-year jail sentence. Consultant Ian Paterson, who was employed by the Heart of England NHS foundation trust and also practised in the independent sector, was convicted in 2017 of 17 counts of wounding with intent and three counts of unlawful wounding. Continue reading...
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Keeper killed by Siberian tiger in Zurich zoo (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
First responders tried to revive the woman but she died at the scene The zoo in Switzerland’s biggest city says a 55-year-old keeper was killed on Saturday by one of the park’s Siberian tigers. Zoo Zurich said an internal alarm was sounded at 1.20pm (11.20am GMT) that the keeper had been attacked in the tiger enclosure, prompting staff members to rush to her aid. Continue reading...
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Neil Young says Trump's use of songs at Mount Rushmore 'not OK with me' (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Singer objects to playing of Like a Hurricane and Rockin’ in the Free World and says he stands with Lakota Sioux protesters US politics – live coverage After two of his songs were used by Donald Trump at Mount Rushmore on Friday, Neil Young had a simple message for the president: “This is not OK with me.” Like a Hurricane and Rockin’ in the Free World were played before the president appeared in South Dakota, for an incendiary speech in which Trump claimed US history was under siege from “far-left fascism”. Continue reading...
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Portugal angered at being left off England's safe travel list (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Foreign minister points out his country’s death rate from Covid-19 is a fraction of the UK’s Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Portugal’s tourism sector reacted with fury and disbelief at England’s decision to maintain a quarantine regime for travellers coming from the country despite the UK having a higher death toll. Portugal was left off a list of more than 50 countries that Westminster has deemed safe enough for travel without coronavirus-related restrictions, meaning holidaymakers returning from Portugal will have to quarantine for 14 days. Continue reading...
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Fire breaks out at power station in Iran (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Fire follows several other incidents at facilities across the country, including some at sensitive sites A fire broke out at a power station in south-western Iran on Saturday, Iranian media reported, the latest in a string of fires and explosions, some of which have hit sensitive sites. The blaze, which affected a transformer in the power station in the city of Ahvaz, was put out by firefighters and electricity was restored after partial outages, Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi, a spokesman for state-run power company Tavanir, told the semi-official news agency Tasnim. Continue reading...
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Poland's president plans to forbid adoption by same-sex couples (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Andrzej Duda, who is running for re-election, will propose a constitutional amendment later this month Poland’s president, Andrzej Duda, who is running for re-election in the conservative, Catholic EU member, said on Saturday that he wanted the constitution to explicitly forbid the adoption of children by same-sex couples. He said he planned to propose a constitutional amendment on Monday. Continue reading...
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'Hidden language': Hongkongers get creative against security law (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Residents use wordplay including repurposed Chinese Communist party dogma to express frustration Hongkongers are finding creative ways to voice dissent after Beijing blanketed the city in a new security law and police began arresting people displaying now forbidden political slogans. Faced with the sudden threat of prosecution for anything that might promote greater autonomy or independence for the restless city, residents are using wordplay and even subverting Chinese Communist party dogma to express their frustration. Continue reading...
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Italy breaks up child abuse ring 'that shared images of babies' (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Police say material, including photos of acts with newborns, shared on a well-known instant messaging platform Italian police say they have broken up a child abuse ring used to share illicit material, including photos of newborns, via an instant messaging platform. Police said on Saturday that the crackdown involved dozens of search warrants and led to the arrest of three people for allegedly possessing what was described in a statement as “huge quantities of pornographic material depicting minors”. About 50 people are under investigation. Continue reading...
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Nigerian social media star appears in US court on fraud charges (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
‘Ray Hushpuppi’ is alleged to have laundered hundreds of millions of dollars A Nigerian social media star, known for flaunting a luxurious lifestyle to millions of his followers on Instagram, has appeared in court in the US charged with running a global fraud operation, including targeting a Premier League football club, a bank and a US law firm. Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, a 37-year-old known as “Ray Hushpuppi” who claims to run a real estate business, is alleged to have conspired to launder hundreds of millions of dollars through business email compromise (BEC) frauds and other scams, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) said. Continue reading...
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Books to transport you: the best travellers' tales for troubled times (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
From Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s flights over deserts to Scott’s last expedition to the Antarctic, Sophy Roberts picks her favourites In times like these, I’m drawn towards short stories, novellas and pithy memoirs with a powerful sense of far-flung places: enigmatic flights of fancy. In the 1920s, the pioneering French aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry crisscrossed “desert as smooth as marble” to open up new mail routes across the Sahara. His 1939 memoir, Wind, Sand and Stars, weaves between past and present, the real and imagined, from cities of salt to antediluvian forests. He describes drinking dew to survive a plane crash, and the discovery of a single orange in the wreckage. “I lie on my back and suck the fruit, counting the shooting stars. For a moment, my happiness is infinite.” Continue reading...
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Waiting in the wings: theatres in lockdown (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Throughout June, photographer Joanna Vestey photographed the caretakers of 20 closed London theatres, in situ, for a project titled Custodians for Covid. Its aim, through sales of limited edition prints, is to raise funds for the pandemic-threatened arts institutions Continue reading...
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Reel challenge: what will cinema look like after lockdown is relaxed? (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Blockbusters such as Tenet and Mulan are slated for a summer release, but the future of film is shrouded in uncertainty Modern Toss on cinemas reopening from 4 July ... Cinema is back at last! Less with a big, cannonball splash off the high board than a tentative, slow-motion easing in, as if entering a very cold swimming pool, potentially containing piranhas. But still, it’s back! With lockdowns and restrictions on public venues easing in the UK and the US, the big cinema chains are looking to reopen in early July. And at last, they have some actual new movies to show. For the past few months, Hollywood has been moving its precious blockbusters back to save them from the floodwaters of coronavirus. But now everyone’s ready to wade back in – give or take some last-minute testing of the waters. Two high-profile movies are currently waiting at the water’s edge: Disney’s lavish live-action remake of Mulan and Christopher Nolan’s latest sci-fi brain-melter, Tenet. Nolan, especially, has positioned himself as a champion of cinema this year. In March, he wrote an impassioned opinion piece for the Washington Post, arguing that cinema was “a vital part of social life”, and pleading for support both financial and emotional: “We don’t just owe it to the 150,000 workers of this great American industry to include them in those we help, we owe it to ourselves.” While studios were panicking and pulling imminent releases such as No Time to Die and Fast and Furious 9, Nolan held fast with his intended July release date for Tenet, keen to be the one to revive the industry. Continue reading...
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‘I don’t know if I’ll ever get over it’: how it feels to make a TV flop (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
For every Game Of Thrones, there’s a Marco Polo. What are the human costs of a show that disappears without trace? John Fusco has been writing scripts for 34 years. In that time, he’s seen his work brought to life by stars including Jackie Chan and Woody Harrelson. As a producer, he has worked with blockbuster budgets totalling tens of millions of dollars, and his Kevin Costner-fronted Bonnie and Clyde drama, The Highwaymen, was one of Netflix’s top 10 most-watched original shows last year. But there is one part of Fusco’s career that he finds difficult to look back on. “I feel like I finally have a therapist,” he laughs at the end of a 30-minute call about his 2016 historical adventure series Marco Polo. The fourth series Netflix commissioned, Marco Polo was a fantasy epic that followed Polo’s 13th-century jaunts in the court of Kublai Khan. The show’s eye-watering budget was visible in every episode, with lavish sets and expensive special effects. But it wasn’t enough, and the show never took off, languishing behind Orange Is The New Black and House Of Cards, the platform’s big hits at the time. Continue reading...
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Maryse Condé: 'An English author can reach the heart of a Caribbean child' (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
The Guadeloupe-born novelist on discovering prejudice in France, making sense of the world when you’re elderly, and the power of Wuthering Heights Maryse Condé was born in Guadeloupe in 1937, earned her MA and PhD in comparative literature at Paris-Sorbonne University and went on to have a distinguished academic career, becoming professor emerita of French at Columbia University in New York. She has also lived in Guinea, Ghana and Mali, where she gained inspiration for her worldwide bestseller Segu. Condé was awarded the 2018 New Academy prize (the “alternative Nobel”), while her work has been acclaimed by Henry Louis Gates, Junot Díaz and Russell Banks, among others. Her latest novel, The Wondrous and Tragic Life of Ivan and Ivana, explores issues such as racism, terrorism and economic inequality. She lives in the south of France with her husband and translator, Richard Philcox. What was the inspiration for your latest novel?When I was a child it was easier to understand the world. Now that I’m old I don’t understand it at all, so I wanted to write about that difficulty. When you are an old writer, you tend to think all day about yourself – your parents, childhood. I decided to tell a story about the world of today, not yesterday, through two young twins, Ivan and Ivana. Another inspiration was the murder of Clarissa Jean-Philippe, a young police officer from Martinique, who was killed by Amedy Coulibaly, a terrorist from Mali, during the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris. I was upset because a black man could kill a black woman and so Césaire’s theory of négritude, which claimed that all black people are brothers and sisters, therefore, no longer had any meaning. Continue reading...
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The week in audio: Times Radio; Newsbeat: 100 Days of Lockdown – review (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
The Times takes to the airwaves, but a lack of listeners prevents it from reaching Newsbeat levels of richness Times Radio | thetimes.co.uk Newsbeat: 100 Days of Lockdown (BBC Radio 1/1 Xtra/Asian Network) | BBC Sounds Times Radio started last week to not very much fanfare, mostly because its potential listeners are busy trying to work out whether they have a job any more. When is a good time to start a new radio station? Who knows? At least a lot of people are still stuck at home. Continue reading...
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‘It’s made a difference to the family’: the children going back to school (Wed, 24 Jun 2020)
As primary and secondary schools put measures in place for a partial return, staff, parents and pupils explain to Rosie Mullender how they are adapting Home schooling has become the new normal for millions of children across the UK. And while there is evidence of broad disparities in the quality of education these pupils are receiving, the majority are unlikely to return to school before September. For certain age groups though, the school gates opened again earlier this month, meaning that students at pivotal points in their learning could have face-to-face access to their teachers for the first time since March. Before reopening the doors of Bonneville primary school to reception, year 1 and year 6 pupils on 3 June, headteacher Andrea Parker spent weeks preparing pupils, staff and the school building itself for a safe and productive end to the summer term. Continue reading...
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‘We never ran out of toilet roll’: the Edinburgh eco store that’s thriving in lockdown (Thu, 25 Jun 2020)
The husband and wife team running The Eco Larder have been stranded in different parts of Scotland in lockdown, but that’s not stopping them from keeping their zero-waste store open On 5 June, The Eco Larder co-owner Matthew Foulds had his first day off work for 90 days. Making the most of his free time, he picked up a hire bike and went for a ride. An apt choice, given that when lockdown began, The Eco Larder started offering bicycle deliveries for the first time. This new option is one of the ways that Matthew and his co-owner and wife, Stephanie Foulds, have adapted their business during the coronavirus pandemic. “We started offering a delivery service as soon as the lockdown came into place because of how difficult it was for people to get hold of groceries,” says Stephanie. “And because we’re an environmental company, we decided to do this by cargo bike.” Continue reading...
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Kale to kimchi: 12 foods that are good for gut health (Fri, 03 Jul 2020)
The contents of your shopping basket can have a huge impact on your wellbeing, so stock up on the items which can help to promote digestion and a healthy gut We’ve probably never been more aware of how the groceries we choose impact on our health. Who among us hasn’t tried to resist the lure of the cake aisle? The connection between food and wellbeing seems particularly salient when it comes to gut health. And, it turns out, by making simple changes to our diet, we can start to take care of our tummies. Try popping some of the items listed below into your shopping basket and see if you notice a difference. Potatoes Pile plenty of potatoes into your shopping bag, but resist peeling them because their skins contain fibre. Fibre helps to maintain a healthy digestive system, passing through our small intestine without being broken down. The UK government recommends we aim for 30g of fibre a day although British adults manage to eat only around 19g on average. Potatoes are also a source of resistant starch, a form of starch that can’t be digested in the small intestine and so is classified as a type of fibre. This, too, may aid gut health. Continue reading...
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The new normal: why it’s the right time to improve your digital skillset (Mon, 15 Jun 2020)
Do you want to increase your pay and employability, or decrease the chance of your job being taken by a robot? Training in digital will help you do both From digital art exhibitions to VR nature walks, throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve been more reliant on the digital world for business, culture and socialisation than ever. We’ve probably all signed up to an online yoga class, binged a series on a streaming platform, or enjoyed a 12-person birthday party via webcam without thinking too much about the level of skill involved in making it all happen.  Much of the tech we rely on was already in existence prior to the outbreak. But with social distancing making real-life interactions difficult, the digital trends we’ve seen over the past few years have gone into overdrive, according to Dr Marco Gillies, academic director of distance learning at Goldsmiths, University of London.  Continue reading...
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A new angle: introducing a contemporary edge to Victorian architecture (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Sharp lines and a remarkable zigzag roof combine with original details in this remodelled family home With crisp black and white walls and a roofline that zigzags its way out towards the garden, the kitchen to this family home is both practical and beautiful. “Which is just as well because, since March, this room has become our classroom/office/Zoom meetings/everything room,” says Alina Karypidou. “The kitchen is definitely the heart of our home – for the best of times and the worst of times.” Continue reading...
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Debt: 'The first step towards change is admitting you have a problem' (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Clare Seal ran up a £27,000 debt but could not ask for help. She reveals how she fought back by writing about it on Instagram A little over a year ago, 30-year-old Clare Seal was £27,000 in debt, and in denial. Ten years of living month to month, two pregnancies and a “Pinterest-perfect wedding” had caused her to lose her grip on her family’s finances – and avoiding the issue was easier than asking for help. Continue reading...
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How we stay together: 'There’s that love and tenderness and affection no matter what' (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Gregory Storer and Michael Barnett may walk at very different paces, but when it comes to the deeper things in life, they’re on the same speed Names: Gregory Storer and Michael Barnett Years together: 11 Occupations: Manager and IT specialist “I always saw our relationship in some ways like The Odd Couple,” says Michael Barnett of his marriage to Gregory Storer. “[The way] we do things is very different,” he says with a smile, “but we get on really well despite that.” Continue reading...
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Tater tots and blueberry and cream cheese pie: Yotam Ottolenghi's fourth of July recipes (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
A celebratory American spread gets the full Ottolenghi treatment: a side of tater tots, TexMex lamb enchiladas, and a blueberry pie-cheesecake mashup to finish It is the fourth of July, a date that this year has taken on extra layers of complexity and importance. Today is the day that here, in England at least, we can finally reopen our restaurants after many months of lockdown. The level of excitement is high, particularly for those of us who love our industry as much as we love our own families, but there is also a deep fear for its future and the livelihood of those who work in it. Across the ocean, some will be celebrating American Independence Day, while others will be asking for a much-needed, soul-searching conversation about broken race relations. In such times, it is hard to talk about just food, but I think it is also vital to focus on the power food has to fix things that are broken and, eventually, to unite. Continue reading...
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‘I was wailing over the fence’: what single parents learned from lockdown (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
As Covid-19 hit, many solo parents found their support networks suddenly gone. How did they fare? On day two of lockdown, bone tired after an anxiety-induced sleepless night, I sliced into my forefinger trying to cut through a frozen bagel. I cleaned the wound, dressed it as best I could, and prayed it would heal. It seemed to symbolise my deepest worries: I was going to have to get through this one alone. Like everyone, my concerns about Covid-19 were many – not least that I had a lingering chest infection – but as a solo parent, they were amplified. Who would look after my daughter if I got ill? How was I going to shop for groceries with a child in tow? How would I work as well as look after a child? Friends who suspected they’d had the virus spoke of exhaustion so deep they needed four-hour naps – and these were people with supportive partners. How would I cope alone? Continue reading...
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Fit in my 40s: this tennis ball launcher’s got me running like a jackrabbit | Zoe Williams (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
It’s a much better workout than a regular game of tennis – it’s tireless, consistent and it doesn’t have feelings In the great list of things I would never have considered without a lockdown, the tennis ball launcher is probably in the top 10. Why have a Slinger Bag when you could have a partner? Why play in your garden when you could go somewhere that was the right size, like a tennis court? All these questions answered themselves when we weren’t allowed out or to see anybody, but even with lockdown easing, it still seems unbelievably versatile. You can play in a titchy garden or on a balcony (get ready to lose a few balls). I saw a video of someone in New York playing it indoors, though I think that’s only if you trust your accuracy or don’t care about any of your stuff. And even with courts tentatively back open, I can still see its superiority over a human partner. It is much more consistent. You can set it to your skill level. And it doesn’t have feelings. Continue reading...
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Living in Hong Kong: are you thinking about settling in the UK? (Thu, 02 Jul 2020)
We would like to hear from those eligible for the right to settle in the UK on whether they are thinking of leaving Hong Kong In response to the UK prime minister offering nearly 3 million residents in Hong Kong the right to settle in the UK, China has said it would take “corresponding measures” to stop it from happening. We would like to hear from people as to whether they are thinking of relocating to the UK or any other country. Continue reading...
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Parents: how do you feel about the full reopening of schools in England in September? (Wed, 10 Jun 2020)
We’d like to hear from parents and teachers about the government’s announcement that all schools and colleges in England will be reopening in full at the start of the next academic year The government have today announced that all schools and colleges in England will be reopening in full in September. Current limitations on the number of students that can be in school at once will be lifted, but schools will be expected to keep children in ‘bubbles’ according to their class or year group. Older children will also be ‘encouraged’ to keep their distance from their peers and staff, and measures such as regular cleaning and hand-washing will also be in place. Continue reading...
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Shielding in England: how do you feel about coming out of lockdown? (Tue, 23 Jun 2020)
As lockdown restrictions ease we want to hear how you feel about it From this weekend, pubs and restaurants, cinemas, museums, galleries and hairdressers in England will be allowed to reopen their doors. On Monday, people in England with underlying health issues who have been shielding since March will be allowed to leave their homes. Continue reading...
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Time for a trim: share your pre and post lockdown haircuts (Wed, 01 Jul 2020)
We’d like readers in England to share photos and stories of their lockdown hair before it all comes off The season of DIY haircuts is expected to come to an end. Hairdressers and barbers in England have been given the green light by the government to reopen their doors on 4 July, with some salons planing to open at midnight to clear a backlog of bookings. But before you have your hair styled back, we’d like to see photos of your lockdown locks pre-haircut, and ones fresh from the salon next week. Continue reading...
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One school, 25 bereavements: Essex head fears emotional impact of Covid-19 (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Vic Goddard is one of many school leaders daunted by the burden of supporting pupils and staff through their grief Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Vic Goddard is trying not to cry. The headteacher of Passmores academy in Harlow and star of the 2011 TV series Educating Essex is thinking about the 23 pupils and two staff at his school who have been bereaved during the coronavirus pandemic. His greatest fear, a fear that keeps him awake at night and is making his voice tremble, is what could happen to them if he does not manage to support them adequately when they return to school. “I’m going to get upset, I’m really sorry…” he stops. “You feel dreadfully … dreadfully … There is an element of responsibility.” Continue reading...
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The Covid crisis made Rishi Sunak a star, but it could yet undo him (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
The chancellor has won praise for cushioning the impact of lockdown. But his economic update this week will be fraught Just over a year ago, Rishi Sunak was a little-known junior minister taking a political gamble. The biggest decision he made last summer, having entered parliament four years earlier as MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire, was to pen a letter. Since he wrote to the Times newspaper to back Boris Johnson to replace Theresa May 12 months ago, Britain has changed beyond all recognition. The Covid-19 pandemic has inflicted the worst public health emergency and economic crisis in modern history – and now Sunak finds himself a key player in steering Britain to recovery in Johnson’s government. Continue reading...
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'It's broken me into a million pieces': six months on from Samoa's deadly measles outbreak (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
In the shadow of the epidemic that claimed the lives of 83 children, families live with constant reminders of loss. Words by Jacqui Thornton. Photographs by Tom Maguire Early on the morning of 6 July 2018, two mothers living in neighbouring villages on remote Savai’i island in Samoa took their year-old babies for their routine measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations. The MMR vaccinations were safe but the nurses administering them – an investigation would later find – wrongly mixed the vaccine with an expired anaesthetic instead of water. Minutes after each injection, the babies stopped breathing. Continue reading...
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Magic mushrooms could help ex-soldiers to overcome trauma (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
As more troops self-medicate with psychedelic drugs to help with PTSD, a group of experts lobby for proper clinical trials A growing number of soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are turning to “magic mushrooms” and LSD to treat their condition. But drug laws make it almost impossible to establish whether they work. Now a new body, the Medical Psychedelics Working Group, a consortium of experts, academics, researchers, policy specialists and industry partners, is to begin lobbying for a change in the law so that scientists can conduct clinical trials. Continue reading...
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England eases lockdown: how pubs, hairdressers and restaurants will work (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
What you can expect from businesses if you venture out from Saturday Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Saturday marks the biggest easing of lockdown rules in England since the government announced businesses could start reopening. The social distancing guidance has been cut to 1-metre-plus, and people can stay away from home overnight. Pubs, restaurants, cinemas and tourist attractions can throw open their doors, hairdressers and barbers can power up the clippers, and hotels, B&Bs and campsites can welcome holidaymakers. Continue reading...
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Hongkongers on China's crackdown: 'I feel helpless and hopeless' (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Guardian readers in or from Hong Kong share their views on the new national security law In late May, a week after Chinese officials announced a plan to impose a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong, the Guardian issued a callout to people who believed they would be affected. We wanted to hear how people felt about the law, how it might change their lives, and how they felt about the last year of protests. The response was overwhelming. Within days we had received more than 30,000 messages from people inside and outside Hong Kong – the most for any Guardian community callout. Continue reading...
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England's first taste of freedom – in pictures (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, cinemas and theme parks reopen, and weddings and baptisms take place as the lockdown eases Continue reading...
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Imagine a 'New America': reclaiming the American flag – in pictures (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
With the explosion of global protests and activism demanding an end to racial inequality, Jameelah Nuriddin and Erin Hammond consider the complicated relationship between African Americans and the American flag in a series of photos. The eight images capture a giant 200-year-old flag, a young black woman with a giant afro, and various postures combining the pledge of allegiance and black power poses. They are accompanied by a manifesto, written by Nuriddin, that mirrors the preamble to the US constitution. Nuriddin is also the model in the series. The series’ Instagram release will culminate on 4 July Continue reading...
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The eerie beauty of Britain's deserted playgrounds – in pictures (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Ciaran McCrickard began photographing abandoned playgrounds in England at the start of lockdown. “Parks that would have been well-loved and well maintained by local authorities suddenly looked forlorn, unkempt, forgotten,” says the photographer. “At times they looked post-apocalyptic – empty swings just swaying in the breeze.” View the full series here Continue reading...
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20 photographs of the week (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Black Lives Matter protests, protests in Hong Kong and the impact of Covid-19: the most striking photographs from around the world this week Continue reading...
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Original Observer photography (Sat, 04 Jul 2020)
Covid-19, Black Lives Matter and poetry – the best photography commissioned by the Observer in June 2020. Continue reading...
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Keeping the faith: religion in the UK amid coronavirus (Fri, 03 Jul 2020)
As places of worship prepare to reopen after more than three months of lockdown, we chart the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on faith communities in the UK It started with a tap on the microphone. Then a voice echoed around the west London housing estate: “We are passing through the valley of the shadow of death, but we are not alone.” It was Sunday 19 April, when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its most intense in London and the earth was shifting beneath our feet. The Rev Pat Allerton, a Church of England vicar, pressed a button on his phone to play Judy Collins’ powerful rendition of Amazing Grace, and something extraordinary happened. Continue reading...
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