News- UK

UK is at 'tipping point' of Covid crisis, says senior health official Jonathan Van-Tam says UK must act quickly to avoid history ‘repeating itself’Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe UK is at a “tipping point” in the Covid-19 crisis and must act swiftly to avoid history “repeating itself”, the deputy chief medical officer, Jonathan Van-Tam, has said.In a stark warning highlighting “the worst is yet to come if we don’t all act now”, Van-Tam said the country was “at a tipping point similar to where we were in March” and that the approach of winter made the situation even more grave. Continue reading... Go to Source

Revealed: the squalor inside ex-MoD camps being used to house refugees Human rights groups demand action over the ‘unsanitary and unsuitable’ former barracks converted by the Home OfficeThe squalid conditions inside former military barracks hastily converted into refugee camps are revealed for the first time today amid mounting opposition to the Home Office move.Images of the “unsanitary and unsuitable” living quarters inside the disused army training camps show crowded dormitories where it appears challenging to socially distance. The British Red Cross said that the Ministry of Defence sites, surrounded by barbed wire and high fences, were not fit to house vulnerable and traumatised asylum seekers who had fled conflict. Continue reading... Go to Source

Republicans express fears Donald Trump will lose presidential election Ted Cruz says he’s afraid of ‘bloodbath of Watergate proportions’ as John Cornyn slams Trump for ‘creating confusion’ over CovidTed Cruz fears an election “bloodbath”. His fellow top Republican senator Thom Tillis is talking in terms of a Joe Biden presidency. And even Mitch McConnell, the fiercely loyal Senate majority leader, won’t go near the White House over Donald Trump’s handling of coronavirus protocols.Individually, they could arguably be seen as off-the-cuff comments from Trump’s allies attempting to rally support for the US president just days ahead of a general election that opinion polls increasingly show him losing. Continue reading... Go to Source

F1: Lewis Hamilton looks to equal Schumacher record at Eifel GP – live! Lap-by-lap coverage from the Nürburgring (1.10pm BST)What sets Hamilton apart from Schumacher is personal development Email John here or tweet @John_Ashdown 12.46pm BST Lewis Hamilton has called in a problem with his steering wheel over the radio – a comfort problem rather than a safety problem. Sounds like it was an issue yesterday and the team were not given permission to fix ir overnight. 12.35pm BST The cars are just beginning to emerge from the pit lane. As the grid begins to take shape, here’s Giles again, on Hamilton, Schumacher and the relentless pursuit of victory. Related: What sets Lewis Hamilton apart from Schumacher is personal development Continue reading... Go to Source

Former Islington mayor quits Labour party over racism Somalia-born Rakhia Ismail resigns saying she was marginalised in a ‘system that allows white men to have what they want’The UK’s first hijab-wearing mayor has resigned from the Labour party citing racism and a “system that allows white men to have what they want, when they want”.Somalia-born Rakhia Ismail said she had stepped down because she felt she was marginalised as a woman of colour and was not taken seriously by some male colleagues. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus live news: Donald Trump 'no longer transmission risk'; Victoria to ease lockdown Doctor says president not replicating virus, but no word on whether he has tested negative; Europe records 100,000 daily cases for first time; India cases pass 7m. Follow latest updatesTrump returns to public events with ‘law and order’ speech at White HouseMake masks compulsory in UK workplaces, say doctorsSpain declares emergency in Madrid as Berlin emerges as hotspotUK workers to get two-thirds of wages if firms told to shutSee all our coronavirus coverage 6.47am BST Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has confirmed the country will move “very cautiously” to reopen quarantine-free travel with a “handful” of countries, raising the prospect Europe and the United States will be excluded unt...

Man shot dead in Denver during rival left and rightwing protests A television station security guard has been arrested after the incident outside the city’s art museum A man has been shot dead during rival protests by leftwing and rightwing groups in the US city of Denver.Police arrested a suspect who NBC News affiliate, KUSA-TV, said was working as a security guard to protect the station’s crew, according to its website. Continue reading... Go to Source

PM ‘betraying his red wall voters’ over lockdown cash Northern mayors threaten legal action over what Andy Burnham describes as ‘an active choice to level down’Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMayors of some of the UK’s biggest city regions were threatening legal action against the government last night as they went into open revolt against “grossly unfair” financial support for workers in northern England facing new local lockdowns.As No 10 desperately tried to win over council leaders before announcing new lockdown rules for the north-west and north-east on Monday, Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester and former health secretary, said Boris Johnson was leaving himself open to court action on grounds of discrimination, particularly against people in ...

Lawyers claim knife attack at law firm was inspired by Priti Patel's rhetoric Exclusive London firm blames recent violent assault on home secretary’s remarks that ‘activist lawyers’ were frustrating the removal of migrantsBritain’s top lawyers have written to Priti Patel to express their concern after a knifeman threatened to kill an immigration solicitor last month in an attack colleagues say was directly motivated by comments made by the home secretary.On 7 September a man with a large knife entered a London law firm and launched a “violent, racist attack” that injured a staff member before the assailant was overwhelmed. Continue reading... Go to Source

Trump returns to public events with 'law and order' speech at White House President maskless during speech from balcony as questions linger about his health after contracting coronavirusTrump hosts White House event – live updatesDefiant in the face of slipping opinion polls, and determined to justify his implausible claim of a swift and full recovery from his encounter with Covid-19, Donald Trump returned to public events on Saturday with a brief “law and order” speech from a White House balcony.In a closely-watched first public appearance at a live event just six days after he left Walter Reed medical center following a three-night stay, the president delivered an 18-minute scripted address to a crowd on the South Lawn. It had been billed as “2,000 invited guests” but in reality a gat...

Labour calls for investigation over funding for Robert Jenrick's constituency Communities secretary is accused of channelling Towns Fund investment to NewarkLabour has demanded a Cabinet Office investigation into the housing, communities and local government secretary, Robert Jenrick, over how government funding was allocated to his Newark constituency.The shadow communities secretary, Steve Reed, has written to the head of the civil service requesting the investigation into Jenrick and his involvement in the multibillion-pound Towns Fund. Continue reading... Go to Source

'Poisoning the Pacific': New book details US military contamination of islands and ocean More than 12,000 pages of US government documents show military operations contaminating the Pacific with radioactive waste, nerve agents, and chemical weapons like Agent OrangeIn 1968, Leroy Foster was a master sergeant in the US Air Force, assigned to the Anderson Air Force Base in Guam, a United States island territory in the Pacific. The day after he arrived on the island, he recalled being ordered to mix “diesel fuel with Agent Orange”, then spraying “it by truck all over the base to kill the jungle overgrowth”.Soon after, Foster suffered serious skin complaints and eventually fell sick with Parkinson’s and ischemic heart disease. Later, his daughter had cancer as a teenager, and his grandchild...

Coronavirus live news: Northern England leaders hold update on restrictions; India reports 73,000 new cases Criticism of UK government’s job support scheme grows; Europe records 100,000 daily cases for first time; Canada at ‘tipping point’. Follow latest updatesNorth of Engand leaders not consulted on local lockdownsSpain declares emergency in Madrid as Berlin emerges as hotspotUK workers to get two-thirds of wages if firms told to shutAustralia: Is Victoria ready to come out of lockdown?See all our coronavirus coverage 12.57pm BST Dan Jarvis, Labour MP and Sheffield mayor, described government response as a “top down overly centralised approach that has not been as effective as it has been”. He said “frustrations bubbled over this week” when government briefed journalists and didn’t co...

'Plan B' for rigorous mock exams to avoid rerun of A-level fiasco Exclusive: Gavin Williamson to announce 2021 exam delay in England and back-up plan in event of Covid disruption Schools in England are to hold rigorous mock exams this winter as part of the government’s “plan B” to avoid the chaos of this year’s A-level and GCSE results, proposals shared with the Guardian show.Gavin Williamson is expected to announce a three-week delay in the start of next summer’s A-level exams, and possibly GCSEs, alongside a requirement for schools to hold mock exams in controlled conditions earlier in the year, with exam-style invigilation, marking and grading. Continue reading... Go to Source

Second presidential debate canceled but Trump plans in-person events Debate commission prepares for final debate on 22 OctoberTrump announces events despite Covid diagnosisThe second presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden has been cancelled, the Commission on Presidential Debates confirmed Friday, a move that came as the president announced his first in-person events since being diagnosed with Covid-19.The decision by the nonpartisan commission follows a public disagreement between the two candidates over the debate’s format. The commission had previously announced the debate would take place “virtually” due to Trump’s diagnosis. Trump, however, said he would refuse to participate in a virtual event, while Biden advocated for it for safety reasons. Continue reading... ...

European Space Agency finalises plans to ‘explore the moon properly’ Ambitious series of joint missions aims to construct a crewed space station that will orbit the moonEuropean space officials will this week unveil detailed plans for a series of ambitious missions aimed at returning humans to the moon in the next few years.Projects will include construction of crew quarters for an orbiting lunar space station, making the power and propulsion units for America’s Orion spacecraft, and designing and building a sophisticated communication and refuelling unit, known as Esprit, to serve astronauts on the lunar surface. These missions will be carried out jointly with Nasa and the Japanese and Canadian space agencies. Continue reading... Go to Source

Versace executive accuses Los Angeles police of racial profiling Salehe Bembury says he was stopped because of being black as video of incident emergesA black Versace executive says he was racially profiled close to the Los Angeles branch of the Italian luxury fashion brand.Salehe Bembury, the vice-president of sneakers and men’s footwear at Versace, was stopped and searched for jaywalking in Rodeo Drive, near Camden Drive and Wilshire Boulevard. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus: UK workers to get two-thirds of wages if firms told to shut Rishi Sunak announces new furlough scheme as tough curbs loom in parts of EnglandCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageRishi Sunak has attempted to head off mounting anger over plans for imminent new Covid restrictions by announcing a new furlough scheme that will pay two-thirds of workers’ wages in hospitality firms ordered to close their doors.The hastily arranged announcement was made in a video message from the Treasury, as Downing Streetbriefed local leaders in the north-east and north-west of England about tough curbs set to be introduced next week. Continue reading... Go to Source

Met police restraint contributed to death of mentally ill man, jury finds Inquest criticises failures by police and paramedics to protect life of Kevin Clarke, 35 ‘They all let him down’: Kevin Clarke’s family condemn Met police’s actionsThe police’s inappropriate use of restraints on a mentally ill man contributed to his death, an inquest jury has found.Kevin Clarke, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2002, was living in supported housing at the Jigsaw Project, a residential support service, at the time of his death on 9 March 2018 following restraint by police on a muddy school playing field in Catford, south London. Continue reading... Go to Source

Trump unlikely to travel for rally while Pelosi says medication has him 'in an altered state' – live Pelosi suggests Covid drugs ‘could have an impact on judgment’House speaker unveils Commission on Presidential CapacityHow does Trump’s Covid care compare to the average 74-year-old’s?Debate schedule in disarray after Trump refuses virtual eventSign up for Fight to Vote – our weekly US election newsletter 6.25pm BST The White House is proposing a $1.8 trillion coronavirus relief package in negotiations with House speaker Nancy Pelosi, its largest offer yet that is seemingly an attempt to close the gap between Democrats’ desired $2.2 trillion trillion package and the Republicans $1 trillion proposal. Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin is expecting to discuss the deal with Pelosi today, acc...

Nimco Ali calls for frank discussion on violence against women in UK Campaigner gives first major interview after being appointed as government adviser on issueThe UK needs a frank conversation about the fear of male violence that women live with every day, according to the government’s new adviser on violence against women and girls.In her first major interview since her role was announced on Friday, the feminist campaigner Nimco Ali – who has been a key figure in the global fight to end female genital mutilation (FGM) – said she wanted to work across political, ethnic and gender lines. Continue reading... Go to Source

Essex lorry deaths: Vietnamese migrants called relatives while suffocating, court hears London trial hears detailed account of journey taken by 39 victims and messages sentDesperate attempts to call family members and the Vietnamese emergency services were made by migrants as they realised they were suffocating in a shipping container during their sea crossing to England, the Old Bailey has heard.The criminals accused of organising the transportation of 39 Vietnamese people may have squeezed two loads of human cargo into one lorry, out of a greedy desire to secure the £10,000 a head payment from each passenger, the court was told. Temperatures inside the container rose rapidly, and the oxygen ran out well before the container arrived in the UK. Continue reading... Go to Source

Sunak plans 80% furlough wage extension in local lockdown areas New support comes after Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said he would take government to courtCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe UK chancellor, Rishi Sunak, is poised to announce an extension of the job support scheme, as the government scrambles to contain the economic fallout from draconian new Covid restrictions planned for the north of England.The chancellor is expected to say that businesses temporarily shut down as a result of coronavirus curbs will receive taxpayer support to fund up to 80% of their staff’s wages. It comes just three weeks after he announced his winter economic plan. Continue reading... Go to Source

More than 500 child victims of 'revenge porn' in England and Wales last year Exclusive: FoI requests reveals 541 cases reported to police relating to sharing of explicit images with intent to cause harmMore than 500 children were victims of so-called ‘revenge porn’ in England and Wales last year, according to new data shared with the Guardian.Freedom of information requests have revealed there were 541 underage victims of the offence – the distribution of sexually explicit images or videos with intent to cause harm –reported to 36 police forces in England and Wales between January and December 2019. Continue reading... Go to Source

Donald Trump plans Florida rally on Saturday amid Covid test secrecy The US president, who is still recovering from Covid-19, refuses to say if he has tested negative as he aims to revive his election campaignCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageDonald Trump, who is still recovering from Covid-19, has suggested he might organize a rally in Florida on Saturday, while continuing to ignore questions on whether he has yet tested negative for the disease.On Thursday night, Trump said: “I think I’m going to try doing a rally on Saturday night if we can, if we have enough time to put it together. Continue reading... Go to Source

Friday briefing: England should pull circuit breaker – experts Scientists warn pub and restaurant shutdown not enough … Trump wants to hold rally on Saturday … Allegra Stratton to stand up for PMHello, Warren Murray with a small but highly recommended part of your morning routine. Continue reading... Go to Source

Hospitals in north of England 'to run out of Covid beds within a week' Health chiefs warn they plan to ditch routine surgery as second wave seriously disrupts NHSCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageSome hospitals in the north of England are set to run out of beds for Covid patients within a week, health chiefs are warning, amid growing signs that the disease’s fast-unfolding second wave will seriously disrupt normal NHS care for a second time.NHS trusts in the north-east and north-west are getting so many new Covid cases every day that some are already planning to ditch routine surgery again to free up staff and beds, despite a health service-wide diktat that they should continue to provide normal care this time round. Continue reading... Go to Source

'Terrible day': anger as pictures show Varosha beach in Cyprus opening after 46 years Greek Cypriots who fled area when troops invaded in 1976 among those embittered by Turkish moveFor the first time in 46 years the public have been permitted to access the beach of Varosha in the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north of Cyprus, in a contentious move unveiled by its internationally unrecognised premier who is running in an election on Sunday.Hundreds filed through a gate manned by Turkish Cypriot police on Thursday to walk on a freshly paved asphalt road leading to the beach that was the jewel of what was once a premier tourist resort in Famagusta. The road was flanked by police tape to keep pedestrians out of windowless homes and rusting business, some swallowed up by decades-old undergrowth....

Revealed: 97% of UK offshore marine parks subject to destructive fishing Vessels spent 200,000 hours in 2019 bottom trawling or dredging the seabed in protected areas set up to safeguard vital ecosystemsMore than 97% of British marine protected areas, created to safeguard ocean habitats, are being dredged and bottom trawled, according to data shared with the Guardian.Nearly a quarter of the UK’s territorial waters are covered by MPAs, set up to protect vital ecosystems and species, including harbour porpoises and dolphins. This network of parks is a symbol of the government’s “world leading” target to protect 30% of ocean biodiversity by 2030. Continue reading... Go to Source

Planned new Covid rules for north of England are not enough, say scientists Advisers say action was needed weeks ago and anti-lockdown fringe has too much influenceCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageScientists advising the UK government believe the planned new Covid restrictions do not go far enough and that “fringe” anti-lockdown epidemiologists are gaining too much attention, the Guardian has learned.Members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) believe that a potential shutdown of pubs and restaurants in the north and Midlands, which is expected next week after delays that one MP has called “reckless”, are unlikely to bring cases down to a more manageable level. Continue reading... Go to Source