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- As other cities go into lockdown, why isn’t London having a second wave?
- Political leaders are raising ‘false hopes’ about coronavirus vaccines
- Hospitals in England will miss target for restoring pre-Covid services
- Let’s get real. No vaccine will work as if by magic, returning us to ‘normal’ | Jeremy Farrar
- Michael Cohen alleges Trump racist outbursts and role in Stormy Daniels payoff in new book
- Coronavirus live news: Melbourne lockdown extended; anti-mask protests held in Europe
- Johnson at bay, Starmer on the rise … and Sunak waiting in the wings
- 'He's been set up': the American whose life may depend on US-China relations
- Police in Birmingham declare 'major incident' after series of stabbings
- Port of Dover is brought to a standstill by far-right groups
- Navalny poisoning: Germany raises pressure on Russia with sanctions talk
- BBC broadcasters furious over new rules restricting ‘partisan’ use of Twitter
- 'World’s loneliest elephant' allowed to leave zoo for better life
- UK’s Brexit negotiator says government is not scared of no-deal exit
- Frozen, the sequel: Austrian man beats own record for longest immersion in ice cubes
- Speaking for Myself review: Sarah Sanders writes one for the Trump team
- Unstaffed, digital supermarkets transform rural Sweden
- How cold war spymasters found arrogance of Carlos the Jackal too hot to handle
- Mali's military junta open talks on transition to civilian rule
- Many Americans face bleak winter as Covid takes toll on mental health
- Movie star Sean Penn, drug lord El Chapo and a failed marine raid
- Countryside fit for a superpower? Inside China’s colossal rural revamp
- Health experts welcome Melbourne lockdown extension but question curfew
- A ‘tyrant-clown’ has destroyed my love affair with America | Robert McCrum
- ‘Chairman Xi’ seeks only to purge and subjugate. That is his weakness
- Donald Trump claims US has not seen any proof of Alexei Navalny poisoning – video
| As other cities go into lockdown, why isn’t London having a second wave? Posted: 05 Sep 2020 10:54 PM PDT Experts suggest the capital's previous exposure, and capacity to embrace home working, may now be inhibiting the virus It is a question that puzzles both those on the front line fighting Covid 19 and the experts developing strategies to combat its next move: why has London not seen a second flare-up when other parts of the UK are now having to introduce new lockdown restrictions? "It's a bit of an enigma, given that London very definitely led during the initial peak," said Professor David Alexander, who is based at the Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction at University College London. Continue reading... |
| Political leaders are raising ‘false hopes’ about coronavirus vaccines Posted: 06 Sep 2020 01:01 AM PDT Drugs now under development are unlikely to end the pandemic, the Wellcome Trust's Jeremy Farrar warns Vaccines will not be a silver bullet to end the Covid-19 pandemic and leaders must avoid creating false hope, a key government adviser has warned. Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, writes in today's Observer that the first vaccines are likely to be only partially effective. Raising expectations and rushing new drugs into production risks damaging public trust in any vaccination programmes that eventually arrive, he said. Continue reading... |
| Hospitals in England will miss target for restoring pre-Covid services Posted: 05 Sep 2020 10:40 PM PDT Most trusts in England 'will fall short' of official edict to return to 90% of elective surgery and outpatient procedures Most hospitals in England will fall short of official demands to increase their services back to almost pre-Covid levels next month as they continue to deal with the fallout from the pandemic, health service insiders have warned. An official edict by NHS England called on trusts across the country to return a series of services back to 90% of activity levels seen before the crisis hit. However, insiders warned that the continued need for extra precautions to cope with Covid-19 meant some hospital trusts would still be 30% below their pre-crisis capacity. Continue reading... |
| Let’s get real. No vaccine will work as if by magic, returning us to ‘normal’ | Jeremy Farrar Posted: 06 Sep 2020 01:15 AM PDT To dream of imminent solutions is only human. But progress will come from controlled expectations At the end of any summer we brace ourselves – for back to school, returning to work and even for Christmas plans. But this year, the reality bump is like no other. As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to reverberate globally, there is no doubt that we must be ready to face a long road ahead, certainly beyond the end of this year. The fact that a vaccine, alongside effective treatments, is our only true exit strategy remains unchanged. The speed and scale of vaccine development have been remarkable but it's important to avoid false hope. Continue reading... |
| Michael Cohen alleges Trump racist outbursts and role in Stormy Daniels payoff in new book Posted: 05 Sep 2020 08:45 PM PDT White House dismisses as 'fan fiction' the tell-all memoir of convicted former fixer who claims Trump is guilty of the same crimes as him Michael Cohen's tell-all memoir makes the case that president Donald Trump is "guilty of the same crimes" that landed his former fixer in federal prison, offering a blow-by-blow account of Trump's alleged role in a hush money scandal that once overshadowed his presidency. It also alleges that Trump made numerous racist remarks, according to the Washington Post, including saying that Barack Obama only got into Columbia University and Harvard Law School because of "fucking affirmative action". Trump had "hatred and contempt" for Obama, the book says. Continue reading... |
| Coronavirus live news: Melbourne lockdown extended; anti-mask protests held in Europe Posted: 06 Sep 2020 02:33 AM PDT State premier Daniel Andrews extends lockdown by two weeks; thousands attend protests against coronavirus measures in Croatia and Italy
Embattled Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has said that those calling for his resignation "underestimate his resolve" as well as his mandate from the party. Yesterday the Observer reported that a grassroots campaign demanding his resignation, as well as no-confidence vote by its ruling body, were both being drawn up by party insiders in a last-ditch attempt to topple him ahead of crucial Holyrood elections next may, after a series of resignations and calls for his departure failed to remove Leonard. Continue reading... |
| Johnson at bay, Starmer on the rise … and Sunak waiting in the wings Posted: 05 Sep 2020 10:52 PM PDT As the prime minister appears more out of his depth, his party looks to the far more competent and popular chancellor As Tory MPs headed into the Covid-secure Commons for prime minister's questions on Wednesday, all they wanted was reassurance after some very worrying weeks. Over the summer break, Boris Johnson's administration had performed U-turn after U-turn in a chaotic period of serial blundering that had culminated in arguably the worst mess of all – the exams fiasco. Continue reading... |
| 'He's been set up': the American whose life may depend on US-China relations Posted: 05 Sep 2020 05:08 PM PDT Sentenced to death in China, American Mark Swidan hopes for a permanent reprieve but his fate may hinge on an easing of diplomatic tensions When Chinese police raided the Guangzhou hotel room of Mark Swidan and arrested him on 13 November 2012, he was on the phone to his mother, Katherine. Swidan had been in China sourcing building materials for his business , Katherine says, and they were discussing booking his ticket home to Houston, Texas, for his wedding, when he said there was a knock at the door. "I heard banging, then I didn't hear anything after that," she recalls. Continue reading... |
| Police in Birmingham declare 'major incident' after series of stabbings Posted: 05 Sep 2020 11:56 PM PDT Officers say a number of people were left injured after incident in city centre West Midlands police have declared a major incident in Birmingham city centre after a series of stabbings. Police said there were a number of victims, but the severity of their injuries was not immediately known. They urged people to stay away from the area, which was cordoned off, and warned of a greater police presence. Continue reading... |
| Port of Dover is brought to a standstill by far-right groups Posted: 05 Sep 2020 10:38 AM PDT Flag-waving extremists and white nationalists block roads in protest over migrant Channel crossings Just after 1pm, below the white cliffs of Dover, Nigel Marcham offered his take on one of the summer's most potent symbols. "Take a knee for the brethren of this fucking country," Marcham screamed into his megaphone. Around him a ragtag collection of far-right supporters, white nationalists and neo-nazis knelt on the A20 outside Dover's Eastern Docks. "Thanks for taking a fucking knee in the proper way," he said, clearly delighted with his perversion of the global peaceful protest symbol adopted by millions following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Continue reading... |
| Navalny poisoning: Germany raises pressure on Russia with sanctions talk Posted: 05 Sep 2020 10:39 PM PDT German foreign minister tells newspaper he hopes Russia does not force it to rethink Nord Stream 2 project Germany, the current head of the European Union, will discuss possible sanctions on Russia over the poisoning of Alexei Navalny if the Kremlin does not provide an explanation soon, its foreign minister said on Sunday. Russian opposition leader Navalny fell ill on a flight last month and was treated in a Siberian hospital before being evacuated to Berlin. Continue reading... |
| BBC broadcasters furious over new rules restricting ‘partisan’ use of Twitter Posted: 06 Sep 2020 01:13 AM PDT Dismayed freelancers left wondering whether new director general's call for restraint also applies to them Regular freelance contributors and BBC broadcasters have been left angry and confused this weekend in the wake of the new director general Tim Davie's comments about restrictions to their use of Twitter. Speaking in Cardiff on Thursday, Davie called for restraint and greater impartiality from presenters and reporters. "If you want to be an opinionated columnist or a partisan campaigner on social media then that is a valid choice, but you should not be working at the BBC," he said. Continue reading... |
| 'World’s loneliest elephant' allowed to leave zoo for better life Posted: 05 Sep 2020 11:56 AM PDT Kaavan, who lives in a Pakistani zoo, lost his partner in 2012 and is now medically clear to travel An elephant who has become a cause célèbre for animal rights activists around the world will be allowed to leave his Pakistani zoo and be transferred to better conditions, the animal welfare group helping with the case has said. Dubbed the "world's loneliest elephant" by his supporters, Kaavan has languished at a zoo in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad for more than 35 years. Continue reading... |
| UK’s Brexit negotiator says government is not scared of no-deal exit Posted: 05 Sep 2020 04:29 PM PDT David Frost says the country is fully ready for Australia-style agreement with the EU The UK's chief negotiator has said the government is not scared of walking away from talks with the European Union without a deal and vowed not to blink in the final phase. David Frost is due to hold another round of key negotiations in London with his counterpart, Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, next week as they look to agree a trade deal before autumn sets in. Continue reading... |
| Frozen, the sequel: Austrian man beats own record for longest immersion in ice cubes Posted: 05 Sep 2020 09:58 PM PDT Josef Koeberl spent more than 2 hours and 30 minutes in a custom-made box filled with 200kg of ice cubes An Austrian man beat his own record for the longest full-body contact with ice cubes on Saturday. Josef Koeberl managed to stay 2 hours, 30 minutes and 57 seconds inside a custom-made glass box filled up to his shoulders with ice cubes. More than 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of ice cubes were needed to fill up the box, after Koeberl stepped inside wearing nothing but swim trunks. Continue reading... |
| Speaking for Myself review: Sarah Sanders writes one for the Trump team Posted: 05 Sep 2020 10:00 PM PDT The former White House press secretary also has political ambitions of her own, back home in Arkansas Toward the end of Speaking for Myself, Sarah Huckabee Sanders recalls a conversation with Donald Trump in which she advises him her book will be aimed at defending his reputation. Related: 'Trump has a different leadership style': David Rubenstein plays it by the book Continue reading... |
| Unstaffed, digital supermarkets transform rural Sweden Posted: 05 Sep 2020 11:43 PM PDT The Lifvs start-up has opened 19 stores across the country, choosing remote places that have lost their local shops Emma Nilsson's husband is harvesting hay in the hot summer sun and she has popped into the village shop to get him a bottle of water. But there's no friendly face at the checkout, or opportunity to swap local gossip. Instead, she pulls out her phone, logs in with BankID, the national identification app operated by Sweden's banks, and opens the locked glass door with a tap on her screen. With only a small camera in one corner to supervise her, she studies fridges stocked by someone she's never seen, selects the bottle she wants, calls up a barcode reader on the app, then scans and pays with another tap. This new unstaffed supermarket – a wall of fridges and another of shelves packed into a 22 sq metre container – has made it a lot more convenient to live in Eket, a village of 400 people in the far-north of Sweden's Skåne region. Continue reading... |
| How cold war spymasters found arrogance of Carlos the Jackal too hot to handle Posted: 05 Sep 2020 11:11 PM PDT Terrorist Ilich Ramirez Sanchez was portrayed as ruthless, but research shows Iron Curtain regimes saw him as a liability Two men and a heavily pregnant woman stand in a hotel room in Prague. The men are arguing with two officers from the Czech state security agency, sent to convince them they should leave on the next available flight. A warning that assassins from the French secret services are on their way to kill the three ends the dispute. One stows a pistol in his jacket pocket, the second straps on another two, the woman fastens more weapons around her waist. By late afternoon, they had left on a flight to Moscow. It was June 1986 and the last visit of Carlos the Jackal to Czechoslovakia. Neither the notorious terrorist, nor his sidekick, nor his wife would set foot in the Communist-ruled state again. For most of a decade, Carlos had been travelling and living in eastern Europe. Now he was no longer welcome. Continue reading... |
| Mali's military junta open talks on transition to civilian rule Posted: 05 Sep 2020 03:33 PM PDT Country's deposed president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, flying out to UAE for medical treatment Mali's military junta began talks with opposition groups on Saturday on its promise to hand power back to civilians, after mounting pressure from neighbouring countries in the weeks since it overthrew the nation's leader. The West African country has long been plagued by instability, a simmering jihadist revolt, ethnic violence and endemic corruption, prompting a clique of rebel soldiers to detain the president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, last month. Continue reading... |
| Many Americans face bleak winter as Covid takes toll on mental health Posted: 06 Sep 2020 02:00 AM PDT Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects 5% of US adults at the best of times – 'and this is not the best of times' Every winter, as the days get shorter, darker and colder, millions of Americans suffer debilitating psychological symptoms that can interfere with every aspect of life at home, work and school. This winter, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of clinical depression affecting at least 5% of American adults, will strike after a summer of unprecedented losses and turmoil, and amid mounting fears of further health, economic and political chaos. Continue reading... |
| Movie star Sean Penn, drug lord El Chapo and a failed marine raid Posted: 05 Sep 2020 11:06 PM PDT The Hollywood actor almost fell into a police trap when he met with the fugitive Mexican over a film deal, reveals new book He is one of Hollywood's most acclaimed actors, at one time known as much for his hellraising, turbulent marriage and interest in humanitarian causes as for his films. Now it has emerged that Sean Penn's taste for adventure – and a potential movie part – almost led him into a trap that had been set for the notorious Mexican drug smuggler and fugitive Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. The tale, recounted in a new book, El Jefe: The Stalking of Chapo Guzmán, sheds new light on an international spying operation set up to apprehend the drug lord who was responsible for ordering as many as 200 murders, according to prosecutors. Continue reading... |
| Countryside fit for a superpower? Inside China’s colossal rural revamp Posted: 06 Sep 2020 02:00 AM PDT Beneath the veneer of Xi Jinping's ambitious agricultural plan farming communities remain marred by homelessness, poverty and unstable markets The official pictures tell a delightful tale. China's leader, Xi Jinping, is seen touring fish farms, rice paddies and vineyards in Ningxia, ambling through lily fields in Shanxi, and inspecting mushroom- and fungus-growing operations in Shaanxi. The carefully choreographed images aim to create a vision of his latest signature policy – rural revitalisation. Billions of dollars will be spent on revamping the countryside – increasing prosperity, improving its ecology, and integrating it with the development of China's shining cities, which had largely left rural areas behind. Continue reading... |
| Health experts welcome Melbourne lockdown extension but question curfew Posted: 06 Sep 2020 01:51 AM PDT Grattan Institute's Stephen Duckett says roadmap on 'the right track' but evidence for overnight curfew is 'limited' Public health experts have backed the Victorian government's decision to extend Melbourne's stage four lockdown and only lift all restrictions once there is no community transmission of Covid-19, but have questioned the effectiveness of the overnight curfew. The stage four lockdown has been extended for two weeks with some allowances made for single people living alone and a doubling of the time permitted for exercise. After that, from 28 September, the harshest measures of stage four will continue – including the curfew – but people will be able to meet in larger groups outdoors and some students will return to school. Continue reading... |
| A ‘tyrant-clown’ has destroyed my love affair with America | Robert McCrum Posted: 06 Sep 2020 12:12 AM PDT With its cynical disabling of the body politic, the Trump administration has contaminated the well of US independence Once upon a time, at the start of the last century, PG Wodehouse declared, with the fervour of the convert, that to live in America was "like being in heaven … without the bother and expense of dying". America used to do that to a certain kind of Brit, and to those who saw themselves as Greeks to the Americans' Romans: we'd fall hopelessly in love, however much they abused the relationship. Continue reading... |
| ‘Chairman Xi’ seeks only to purge and subjugate. That is his weakness Posted: 05 Sep 2020 11:56 PM PDT From Tibet to Taiwan, China's leader is intent on wielding absolute power. Instead he is fanning the flames of dissent It's often said that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely – but does it also induce leaders to act in foolhardy, headstrong and ultimately self-destructive ways? History, especially Chinese history, is full of examples of omnipotent rulers whose unchecked behaviour led to disaster. Xi Jinping, China's comrade-emperor, is a modern-day case in point. Xi seems to think he can do no wrong. As a result, not much is going right. Xi's authoritarian, expansionist policies, pursued with increasing vehemence since he became communist party chief and president in 2012-13, have enveloped China in a ring of fire. Its borderlands are ablaze with conflict and confrontation from Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Tibet and the Himalayas in the north and west to Hong Kong, the South China Sea and Taiwan to the east. More than at any time since Mao's 1949 revolution, China is also at odds with the wider world. Continue reading... |
| Donald Trump claims US has not seen any proof of Alexei Navalny poisoning – video Posted: 05 Sep 2020 02:23 AM PDT The US president declined to accept the German government's assessment that the Russian opposition leader was attacked with a nerve agent. This week the chancellor, Angela Merkel, revealed that tests at a military laboratory had identified unequivocally that the Kremlin critic had been poisoned with novichok Continue reading... |
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