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- Italy braces for widespread closures as Covid cases rise
- Organisers of Sarah Everard vigil challenge Met's decision to ban it
- In national address, Biden tells states to make all adults vaccine eligible by 1 May
- Christie’s auctions 'first digital-only artwork' for $70m
- Dr Richard Freeman found guilty of ordering banned testosterone for unnamed cyclist
- Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe 'in urgent need of psychiatric support'
- Israel 'bombed a dozen ships carrying Iranian oil or weapons in past two years'
- Exports to EU plunge by £5.6bn in first month since Brexit
- Century-old olive trees felled as Spain's farmers try to cut costs
- Hemiandrus jacinda: insect named after New Zealand prime minister
- Delaying second Pfizer dose leaves cancer patients at risk, say researchers
- Wales set to ease Covid lockdown restrictions from Saturday
- Europe doubles down on cycling in post-Covid recovery plans
- Puerto Rico sees a surge in tourism – and a rise in aggressive tourist behavior
- From Monument Valley to Minecraft: 10 of the best mobile games
- Eddie Izzard: 'I’ve had boob envy since my teens'
- ‘Doctor Peyo’: the horse comforting cancer patients in Calais – in pictures
- Myanmar's junta – caught out by passion of protests – unleashes terror
- Move over, Deep Nostalgia, this AI app can make Kim Jong-un sing I Will Survive
- Oppo Find X3 Pro review: Chinese smartphone champ can't beat Samsung
- Out of Africa: how Netflix’s ambitions could change the continent’s cinema
- Biden aims for 4 July 'return to normalcy' in first national TV address – live reaction
- El Salvador abortion laws on trial in case of woman jailed after miscarriage
- Friend of Christian Porter's accuser says he has 'clear recollections' of 'relevant discussions' with Porter
- Colombia defence chief calls children who died in bombing 'machines of war'
- Bangladesh shipbreakers win right to sue UK owners in landmark ruling
- Malawi police ordered to pay damages to women who say officers raped them
- Endemic violence against women is causing a wave of anger
- Lucha libre wrestlers enforce wearing of Covid masks at Mexican market – video
- One-take drone video of Minnesota bowling alley goes viral – video
- Joe Biden pledges vaccine eligibility for all US adults by 1 May in nationwide address – video
- 'It's the right thing to do': Londoners receive first jabs at new mass vaccination centre – video
- Joe Biden signs landmark $1.9tn Covid relief bill into law – video
| Italy braces for widespread closures as Covid cases rise Posted: 12 Mar 2021 02:41 AM PST Schools, restaurants and shops expected to shut with hospitals under strain from new wave Italy's government is expected to announce the closure of schools, restaurants and shops across most of the country as a new wave of coronavirus infections puts hospitals under strain. The prime minister, Mario Draghi, will hold a mid-morning cabinet meeting on Friday to decide new restrictions for the eurozone's third-largest economy, which on Thursday recorded almost 26,000 new Covid-19 cases and 373 deaths. Continue reading... |
| Organisers of Sarah Everard vigil challenge Met's decision to ban it Posted: 12 Mar 2021 02:13 AM PST Women behind Reclaim These Streets launch emergency action saying force's decision is unlawful Organisers of a vigil for Sarah Everard are launching an emergency legal challenge against the Metropolitan police, arguing their decision to ban the gathering planned for Saturday night is unlawful. Women organising the Reclaim These Streets vigil planned on Clapham Common in south London accused the Met of silencing thousands of women who wanted to "stand up for our right to feel safe on our streets", after police said the gathering would be unlawful under lockdown restrictions. Continue reading... |
| In national address, Biden tells states to make all adults vaccine eligible by 1 May Posted: 11 Mar 2021 07:36 PM PST President warns Americans 'this is not the time to let up' in first prime-time address on pandemic anniversary Joe Biden has directed states to make all American adults eligible for coronavirus vaccines by 1 May and set an audacious goal of 4 July for gatherings to celebrate "independence" from the deadly pandemic. But in his first prime-time address, which marked the anniversary of America's shutdown, the president warned that restrictions could be reinstated if the nation lets down its guard against the virus. Continue reading... |
| Christie’s auctions 'first digital-only artwork' for $70m Posted: 11 Mar 2021 05:29 PM PST Digital collage by Beeple was offered with a non-fungible token to guarantee authenticity and paid for in cryptocurrency Christie's says it has auctioned off a digital collage by an artist named Beeple for nearly $70m, in an unprecedented sale of a digital artwork that fetched more money than physical works by many better known artists. Continue reading... |
| Dr Richard Freeman found guilty of ordering banned testosterone for unnamed cyclist Posted: 12 Mar 2021 01:59 AM PST
The former chief doctor of British Cycling and Team Sky has been found guilty of ordering banned testosterone "knowing or believing" it was to be given to an unnamed rider to improve their athletic performance. The seismic verdict, announced today by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester, will send shockwaves through British sport and raise questions about the decade-long success of British Cycling and Team Sky. Continue reading... |
| Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe 'in urgent need of psychiatric support' Posted: 12 Mar 2021 01:39 AM PST Detained UK-Iranian dual national has been victim of torture, says psychiatrists' report Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe "is in urgent need of psychiatric support" and has been the victim of torture, a report prepared by psychiatrists has found after examining her mental health. The detained British Iranian dual-national's healing "can be only provided in the UK in the presence of her family after reunification", the report says. Continue reading... |
| Israel 'bombed a dozen ships carrying Iranian oil or weapons in past two years' Posted: 12 Mar 2021 12:47 AM PST Unconfirmed attacks would suggest opening of new front in semi-covert conflict between arch-foes Israel has bombed at least a dozen ships en route to Syria during the past two years, most of which have been carrying Iranian oil, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US and regional officials. The attacks, which the article said included water mines in the Red Sea and other areas of the region, would, if confirmed, suggest a new front in the semi-covert conflict between arch-foes Israel and Iran. Continue reading... |
| Exports to EU plunge by £5.6bn in first month since Brexit Posted: 11 Mar 2021 11:32 PM PST Fall of 40.7% comes as UK economy in January shrinks by most since first wave of Covid pandemic
UK exports of goods to the EU plunged by 40.7% in January during the first month since Brexit and the toughest Covid lockdown since the first wave of the pandemic, contributing to the biggest monthly decline in British trade for more than 20 years. In the first month since leaving the EU on terms agreed by Boris Johnson's government, the Office for National Statistics said goods exports to the bloc fell by £5.6bn, while imports fell by 28.8%, or £6.6bn. Continue reading... |
| Century-old olive trees felled as Spain's farmers try to cut costs Posted: 11 Mar 2021 09:00 PM PST Plunge in global olive oil prices means hard decisions for Spanish olive oil producers Century-old olive trees are being chopped up to use as firewood or sold off as garden ornaments as some in Spain's olive oil industry turn to younger, more productive trees in hope of lowering costs. In recent years the sector in Spain has been left reeling; a plunge in global olive oil prices was followed by a punishing 25% tariff levied by the US on Spanish olive oil. After prices sank to levels that left many struggling to break even, the industry has slowly recovered, though prices remain shy of 2018 levels. Continue reading... |
| Hemiandrus jacinda: insect named after New Zealand prime minister Posted: 12 Mar 2021 01:06 AM PST New species of wētā, a giant flightless cricket, is seen as 'reflecting traits' of Jacinda Ardern New Zealand's prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has received what may be her greatest accolade yet: a large insect named in her honour. A new species of wētā – a giant flightless cricket that is endemic to New Zealand – has been named Hemiandrus jacinda for being Labour-party red in colour and "long-limbed". Continue reading... |
| Delaying second Pfizer dose leaves cancer patients at risk, say researchers Posted: 11 Mar 2021 08:40 AM PST Covid vaccination policy review urged after study finds 12-week gap leaves patients vulnerable Delaying the second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine must be urgently reviewed for cancer patients after a single shot was found to offer inadequate protection, researchers have said. A study from King's College London and the Francis Crick Institute – which has not yet been peer reviewed – found that three weeks after the first jab antibody responses were found in 39% of people with solid cancers and 13% of people with blood cancer. Continue reading... |
| Wales set to ease Covid lockdown restrictions from Saturday Posted: 12 Mar 2021 12:34 AM PST First minister to announce 'stay local' will replace 'stay home' rule among other changes Some semblance of normal life will begin again in Wales from Saturday, with the country's first minister, Mark Drakeford, expected to announce a change from the current "stay home" restrictions to more lenient "stay local" requirements. Drakeford is expected to say: "We are taking a phased approach to unlocking each sector – starting with schools. We will make step-by-step changes each week to gradually restore freedoms. We will monitor each change we make, so we know what impact each change has had on Wales's public health situation." Continue reading... |
| Europe doubles down on cycling in post-Covid recovery plans Posted: 12 Mar 2021 01:47 AM PST Success of schemes during pandemic has led many cities to plan vastly expanded bike networks When the coronavirus pandemic led to global lockdowns a year ago, hundreds of cities reconfigured their streets to make walking and cycling easier to aid social distancing and reduce air pollution. Now, with an end to the lockdowns in sight, the measures have proved so successful that cities across Europe are betting on the bicycle to lead the recovery. According to the European Cyclists' Federation (ECF), the continent's cities spent €1bn on Covid-related cycling measures in 2020, creating at least 600 miles (1,000km) of cycle lanes, traffic calming measures and car-free streets. Continue reading... |
| Puerto Rico sees a surge in tourism – and a rise in aggressive tourist behavior Posted: 12 Mar 2021 12:00 AM PST Low-cost flights have enticed travelers, but relaxed restrictions have led to large gatherings, fights and Covid rule-breaking At the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Christian Correa clocked in to work the night-shift as a doorman and braced for the worst. Correa, who is also a bellman at the hotel, has seen a surge in tourists coming to the US territory in the last three months and the hotel has been busy. Although he used to enjoy high season before the pandemic, recently, many tourists arriving to Puerto Rico have enraged local residents and hospitality workers as the island eases its Covid-19 restrictions. Continue reading... |
| From Monument Valley to Minecraft: 10 of the best mobile games Posted: 12 Mar 2021 01:00 AM PST Revisit tortured first loves, explore a deserted town and make your daily plod around the park more exciting with Pokémon Go Given that we are all sitting at home staring at our phones anyway, it's a good time to take a break from the doomscrolling to broaden your phone game palette. Nobody has really bettered this Escher-esque puzzler about guiding a wee girl through levels full of optical illusions and cool perspective changes. The calming colours and minimalist style offset the fiendishness of its architectural conundrums. Continue reading... |
| Eddie Izzard: 'I’ve had boob envy since my teens' Posted: 11 Mar 2021 10:00 PM PST The actor and comic on making her female pronouns permanent, shouting down abuse, enduring a marathon-a-day – and running for Labour Eddie Izzard doesn't understand what all the fuss is about. In December, it was reported that the standup comic/actor/campaigner/endurance runner had adopted the pronouns "she" and "her" and wanted to be "based in girl mode" from now on. Well, it hardly came out of the blue, she says today. Izzard had spent the past 35 years building up to it, and when she did finally make the announcement it happened by chance. A few months earlier, Izzard had been a guest on the Sky Arts series Portrait Artist Of the Year, and was asked, for the first time, which pronouns she preferred. She replied "she and her" and never gave it another thought. By the time the programme was broadcast, Izzard had forgotten about the conversation. And suddenly she was headline news. Continue reading... |
| ‘Doctor Peyo’: the horse comforting cancer patients in Calais – in pictures Posted: 12 Mar 2021 12:15 AM PST Peyo and his owner once competed at dressage events. Now they spend their time doing rounds in a French hospital, often staying with sick people until the end. All photographs by Jeremy Lempin/Divergence Continue reading... |
| Myanmar's junta – caught out by passion of protests – unleashes terror Posted: 11 Mar 2021 06:47 PM PST The military rulers have resorted to brutal suppression after appearing to severely underestimate public hostility towards their takeover At first, sheets of paper featuring the face of Min Aung Hlaing were fixed on to the streets with sticky tape, ready to be stamped on by angry protesters in Myanmar's main city, Yangon. Troops promptly removed the pages, only for resourceful demonstrators to return with stencils to paint the junta leader's image on to the concrete. The protest tactic offered some protection against charging soldiers, who were apparently forbidden from treading on an image of their commander-in-chief. It was also a chance for the public to express their deep disdain for the man who stole their democracy. Continue reading... |
| Move over, Deep Nostalgia, this AI app can make Kim Jong-un sing I Will Survive Posted: 11 Mar 2021 09:52 PM PST Wombo AI can animate any face to sing songs in a way that is unbelievable enough to help the fight against deepfakes, say some experts If you've ever wanted to know what it might be like to see Kim Jong-un let loose at karaoke, your wish has been granted, thanks to an app that lets users turn photographs of anyone – or anything remotely resembling a face – into uncanny AI-powered videos of them lip syncing famous songs. The app is called Wombo AI, and while the future of artificial intelligence and the ability to make fake videos of real people strikes fear into the hearts of many experts, some say that Wombo could help by raising awareness of "deepfakes". Continue reading... |
| Oppo Find X3 Pro review: Chinese smartphone champ can't beat Samsung Posted: 11 Mar 2021 11:00 PM PST Great screen, performance and battery let down by lack of long zoom camera and only two years of software support Chinese smartphone brand Oppo is looking to cement itself as Samsung's big challenger – filling the vacuum left by Huawei – but as nice as the Find X3 Pro is to look at, it is just not good value. Far from a household name in the UK, Oppo is part of BKK Electronics, which is one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world and operates brands OnePlus, Vivo and RealMe among others. Continue reading... |
| Out of Africa: how Netflix’s ambitions could change the continent’s cinema Posted: 12 Mar 2021 02:00 AM PST The streaming giant has come knocking, but a lack of infrastructure and government support continues to hinder the continent telling its own stories It was the sight of donkeys carrying camera equipment that reminded Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese he was shooting in Lesotho. The director was filming This Is Not a Burial, It Is a Resurrection in a remote part of his tiny home nation, which has no cinemas and – unsurprisingly – zero film infrastructure. "It's a bit daring to take a crew there and shoot because there's no electricity," Mosese says from his home in Berlin. "Especially when we go to the mountains – we had to rely on the donkeys because at some point we just couldn't carry the equipment." The shoot ran on petrol-powered generators. Villagers pitched in as ad-hoc crew members. Many fingers were crossed. "We had to build everything from scratch," he says. That approach didn't harm the film. Critically lauded, the stylish mood piece about grief, community and egregious land development has been entered in the Oscars as the country's 2021 candidate. Continue reading... |
| Biden aims for 4 July 'return to normalcy' in first national TV address – live reaction Posted: 12 Mar 2021 02:42 AM PST President says US on course to reach 100m vaccine shots by his 60th day in office
Just echoing that point from Aaron Blake, one of Donald Trump's former rapid response people, Abigail Marone echoed what appeared to be the thoughts of a lot of Republicans last night, that Biden was doing a disservice to the vaccination efforts of the previous administration. Biden is bizarrely trying to take credit for more Americans being vaccinated now than when he first took office, shortly after the vaccine became available...
Aaron Blake at the Washington Post identified his three key takeaways from Biden's national address last night: An Independence Day goal line — with caveats. It's been just under a year since Donald Trump set an ambitious goal for moving beyond the coronavirus, aiming to have things fully open again by an upcoming holiday: Easter 2020. Biden gave another holiday for which to aim: 4 July 2021. Biden cast it as a chance to "not only mark our independence as a nation, but we begin to mark our independence from this virus." Some stern words for skeptics. With some states moving away from mask mandates and many Americans — especially Republicans — still resisting even voluntary masking, Biden labeled it the "easiest thing to do to save lives," sounding a bit exasperated while adding "sometimes it divides us." When Biden came into office, there had already been several days of 1 million people being vaccinated — the daily number required to hit 100 million in 100 days. In other words, to hit the goal, he mostly just needed to keep things moving in the direction they were going. There is always some game-playing when it comes to setting expectations and then beating them, and vaccines continue to ramp up. But casting this as some unthinkable feat goes too far and detracts from legitimate claims to success. Continue reading... |
| El Salvador abortion laws on trial in case of woman jailed after miscarriage Posted: 11 Mar 2021 11:15 PM PST Demands for justice for Manuela, who died of cancer during 30-year sentence, taken to international court in country first When Manuela, a 33-year-old mother of two from rural El Salvador, had a miscarriage in 2008, she did what most women would do: she went to hospital. There she was handcuffed to her hospital bed, accused of having an abortion, and charged with aggravated homicide. Continue reading... |
| Posted: 12 Mar 2021 01:07 AM PST The man, who is now managing director of Macquarie Bank, releases statement saying he remembers discussions with Porter as far back as 1992 A longtime friend of the woman who alleged she was raped by the federal attorney general, Christian Porter, as a teenager has said he had "clear recollections of relevant discussions" with Porter from at least 1992. The revelation prompted the NSW police commissioner, Mick Fuller, to say he would re-examine the case. Porter has denied the allegation as "never happening". Continue reading... |
| Colombia defence chief calls children who died in bombing 'machines of war' Posted: 11 Mar 2021 10:53 AM PST
Colombia's defence minister is facing calls to resign amid growing indignation over his callous response to the death of at least one child in a government airstrike against dissident rebels. After reports that several minors were among the dead left by the bombing raid, Diego Molano said on Wednesday that any young victims were "machines of war" who had been indoctrinated by the guerrillas. Continue reading... |
| Bangladesh shipbreakers win right to sue UK owners in landmark ruling Posted: 11 Mar 2021 07:42 AM PST Appeal court clears wife to sue company in London over husband's death while helping to scrap tanker in Chittagong British shipping companies that sell old vessels to be scrapped cheaply in dangerous, low-paid conditions in Bangladesh, India or Pakistan may now be sued in London for workers' deaths or injuries. In the first ruling of its kind by any higher court anywhere in the world, the court of appeal of England and Wales has held that a shipping company in London selling a vessel in south Asia could owe a legal "duty of care" to shipbreaking workers in Bangladesh even where there are multiple third parties involved in the transaction. Continue reading... |
| Malawi police ordered to pay damages to women who say officers raped them Posted: 11 Mar 2021 04:30 AM PST Milestone ruling follows campaign for justice after township violence in wake of 2019 presidential elections The supreme court of Malawi has ordered that police authorities pay compensation to 18 women allegedly raped by officers during post-election violence two years ago. The decision is seen as a milestone development in women's rights in the country. Continue reading... |
| Endemic violence against women is causing a wave of anger Posted: 11 Mar 2021 11:43 AM PST Analysis: Sarah Everard's disappearance sparks furious demands to address misogyny in UK Women feared this was coming. They waited, messaging each other in WhatsApp groups and on social media. They talked about their own attempts to stay safe, discussed their near misses. When the news came on Wednesday evening – that police investigating the disappearance of Sarah Everard had found the remains of a body – a wave of grief crashed over them, followed quickly by anger. Continue reading... |
| Lucha libre wrestlers enforce wearing of Covid masks at Mexican market – video Posted: 12 Mar 2021 02:02 AM PST Mexico's famed masked wrestlers take the fight to Covid-19 at a wholesale market, the Central de Abastos in Mexico City. Stallholders and customers were encouraged to wear face masks and use sanitiser. Mexico has recorded more than 100,000 coronavirus deaths, the fourth country to do so. It was the first country in Latin America to begin vaccinating its population Continue reading... |
| One-take drone video of Minnesota bowling alley goes viral – video Posted: 12 Mar 2021 12:07 AM PST A video shot by an FPV drone flying through a Minnesota bowling alley in one take has gone viral. The one-and-a-half-minute-long clip titled Right Up Our Valley was filmed in a single shot, albeit after 10-12 attempts. "I think there's some scepticism there of it being a true one-take. It is a true one-take. There's no CGI," said the video's director, Anthony Jaska. The sound was added in post-production as the buzzing from the drone's four blades make it impractical to use natural audio. The filmmakers said the goal of the video was to remind people of local businesses such as the bowling alley as public health measures from the coronavirus pandemic ease Continue reading... |
| Joe Biden pledges vaccine eligibility for all US adults by 1 May in nationwide address – video Posted: 11 Mar 2021 07:29 PM PST Joe Biden has pledged all US adults will be eligible for coronavirus vaccines by 1 May as he addressed the nation on the one year anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic. Biden outlined plans to speed up vaccinations around the country and hoped for a return to normalcy by 4 July. The president condemned the hate crimes against Asian Americans, and repeated his calls for unity, as he urged Americans to continue to wear masks |
| 'It's the right thing to do': Londoners receive first jabs at new mass vaccination centre – video Posted: 11 Mar 2021 01:21 PM PST A north London business centre previously used to host almost a million people across hundreds of events each year has reopened as an NHS Covid-19 mass vaccination centre. Up to 4,000 people a day will receive shots in dozens of private booths at the Business Design Centre in Islington, treated by trained staff and an army of volunteers. Patients arriving on its opening day expressed excitement and hope that the vaccine programme could eventually end lockdowns Continue reading... |
| Joe Biden signs landmark $1.9tn Covid relief bill into law – video Posted: 11 Mar 2021 11:56 AM PST Joe Biden has signed into law a $1.9tn coronavirus relief package, cementing the first major legislative victory of his presidency. 'This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country,' Biden said about the American Rescue Plan. Touting the bill's broad public support, he said the plan's passage by the House of Representatives on Wednesday ensured that 'their voices were heard' Continue reading... |
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