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Ghislaine Maxwell is married, prosecutors say in court Prosecutors say Maxwell, who has pleaded not guilty to involvement in Jeffrey Epstein crimes, has declined to identify spouse to officialsThe British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who faces federal charges in Manhattan for allegedly enabling Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking of minor girls, is married, prosecutors said during a court proceeding. Related: Oklahoma governor tests positive for coronavirus as US cases set new record – live Continue reading... Go to Source

Edward Colston statue replaced by sculpture of Black Lives Matter protester Jen Reid Exclusive: Artist Marc Quinn leads secret mission to install resin-and-steel figure of Jen Reid at site of toppled Bristol slave trader Read an interview with the sculptor and his subjectThe statue of slave trader Edward Colston was replaced in Bristol on Wednesday morning – with a sculpture of one of the protesters whose anger brought him down.The figure of Jen Reid, who was photographed standing on the plinth with her fist raised after the 17th-century merchant was toppled by Black Lives Matter demonstrators last month, was erected at dawn by a team directed by the artist Marc Quinn. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK coronavirus live: test and trace 'as good as or better than anywhere in world', claims Boris Johnson News updates: all the day’s UK Covid-19 developments as prime minister faces Keir Starmer at PMQsMatt Hancock rules out mandatory face masks in officesNurses not wearing masks led to A&E closure, inquiry findsInfection rate in England fell sharply month before lockdown liftedGlobal coronavirus updates – live 12.55pm BSTThe home secretary, Priti Patel, has been told it is “troubling” she is unable to provide an assessment of the number of travellers entering the UK with coronavirus as quarantine measures are eased.Appearing before the home affairs select committee, Patel said the advice from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) continued to s...

Covid-19: nurses not wearing masks led to A&E closure, inquiry finds Exclusive: training session at Hillingdon hospital resulted in 70 staff being quarantinedCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageNurses not wearing face masks or staying two metres apart led to an outbreak of Covid-19 that shut an A&E unit after 70 staff at a hospital had to go into quarantine, an inquiry has found.An investigation by Hillingdon hospital in north-west London has found that a nurse who had coronavirus unwittingly infected 16 others during a training session they all attended on 30 June, in what was described by a doctor as a “super-spreading event”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Edward Colston statue replaced by sculpture of Black Lives Matter protester Exclusive: Artist Marc Quinn leads secret mission to install resin-and-steel figure of Jen Reid at site of toppled Bristol slave trader The statue of slave trader Edward Colston was replaced in Bristol on Wednesday morning – with a sculpture of one of the protesters whose anger brought him down.The figure of Jen Reid, who was photographed standing on the plinth with her fist raised after the 17th century merchant was toppled by Black Lives Matter demonstrators last month, was erected at dawn by a team directed by the artist Marc Quinn. Continue reading... Go to Source

Huawei: China state media calls for 'painful retaliation' over UK ban Global Times mouthpiece says Beijing must respond or be seen as ‘easy to bully’Chinese state media has foreshadowed “public and painful” retaliation against the UK over its ban of Huawei from the country’s 5G networks.Following Britain’s announcement that Huawei would be stripped out of the country’s phone networks by 2027, the state-run Global Times said in an editorial that China could not “remain passive”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Wednesday briefing: 'Super-spreading event' closed A&E ward Inquiry finds training was held without masks or social distancing … Colston statue replaced with BLM protester … Huawei kicked off the networkHello – Warren Murray putting you that little bit ahead this morning. Continue reading... Go to Source

Rishi Sunak's capital gains tax review may usher in higher taxes on wealthy Chancellor’s directive to focus on how people escape CGT ‘feels like starting pistol for a tax grab’, says analystWealthy households could be in line for tax rises to claw back the cost of extra spending during the coronavirus pandemic, after the government called for a wide-ranging review of capital gains tax.Rishi Sunak surprised backbench Tory MPs after he ordered the examination of the main tax on asset sales, which reaps billions of pounds for the exchequer each year on the sale of second homes, works of art and stocks and shares. Continue reading... Go to Source

Covid-19 outbreaks up to 20 times more likely in large care homes, study finds Exclusive: Likelihood of UK homes being infected triples with every additional 20 bedsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageCoronavirus outbreaks are up to 20 times more likely in large care homes, according to a major study seen by the Guardian, prompting calls to divide them into “bubbles” before any second wave hits.In research that will increase scrutiny of private care chains, which often operate the largest facilities, NHS Lothian and Edinburgh University found the likelihood of infection getting into a home tripled with every additional 20 beds. Continue reading... Go to Source

Novichok may have been left in Salisbury deliberately, high court hears Lawyers for family of Dawn Sturgess say inquest into her death should examine role of Russian state Russian agents may have deliberately left a bottle of the nerve agent novichok in Salisbury after the attempted assassination of the former spy Sergei Skripal as part of a campaign to undermine security in the UK, the high court has been told.Lawyers for the family of Dawn Sturgess, the mother-of-three who died of novichok poisoning four months after the attack on Skripal, claim the actions of the agents on the ground and those who masterminded the plot from Moscow could have led to many hundreds of deaths. Continue reading... Go to Source

English mask plan will help tackle high Covid death rate for shop staff – Matt Hancock Retail workers up to 75% more likely to die from virus than rest of population, says health secretaryCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMandatory mask-wearing will protect shop assistants who can be up to 75% more likely to die of coronavirus than the general population, Matt Hancock has said.The health secretary said the move to make face coverings mandatory for shoppers in England from 24 July would protect shopkeepers and reassure people when they are visiting the high street. Continue reading... Go to Source

Ghislaine Maxwell pleads not guilty in trafficking case Maxwell, who faces up to 35 years in federal prison, has been deemed a flight risk by prosecutors fighting her bail requestGhislaine Maxwell appeared in Manhattan federal court via video feed on Tuesday, for arraignment and bail arguments regarding her alleged involvement in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking of minor girls. Related: More victims of Jeffrey Epstein have come forward, says lawyer Continue reading... Go to Source

Car tyres are major source of ocean microplastics – study Wind-borne microplastics are a bigger source of ocean pollution than rivers, say scientistsMore than 200,000 tonnes of tiny plastic particles are blown from roads into the oceans every year, according to research.The study suggests wind-borne microplastics are a bigger source of ocean pollution than rivers, the route that has attracted most attention to date. The analysis focused on the tiny particles produced by tyres and brake pads as they wear down. Continue reading... Go to Source

Shops and police must help enforce English face mask rules, says minister Officers say law to make coverings compulsory in stores will be unenforceableCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageRetailers: share your thoughts on mandatory masksRetailers and police must both play a role in enforcing the use of face coverings by shoppers in England, a cabinet minister has said after officers said the law would be unenforceable.The environment secretary, George Eustice, also defended the government’s U-turn on making face coverings compulsory, saying its approach had been “evolving” and noting that it advised the public to wear them in crowded places in May to limit the spread of coronavirus. Continue reading... Go to Source

Huawei to be stripped of role in UK's 5G network by 2027, Dowden confirms U-turn puts Boris Johnson on collision course with Tory rebels on timing of banHuawei is to be stripped out of Britain’s 5G phone networks by 2027, a date that puts Boris Johnson on collision course with a group of Conservative rebels who want the Chinese company eliminated quicker and more comprehensively.Oliver Dowden, the UK culture secretary, will also announce that no new Huawei 5G kit can be bought after 31 December 31 this year – but disappointed the rebels by saying that older 2G, 3G and 4G kit can remain until it is no longer needed. Continue reading... Go to Source

'Better for Her Majesty not to know': palace letters reveal Queen's role in sacking of Australian PM Whitlam Governor general John Kerr canvassed Queen and her personal secretary about his powers to dismiss Gough Whitlam but did not forewarn themRead the palace letters in fullWhat we know so far about the palace lettersSecret correspondence between Buckingham Palace and the governor general of Australia reveal discussion of a “last resort” option to dismiss then prime minister Gough Whitlam, but the final decision on the sacking was kept from the Queen as it “was better for Her Majesty not to know in advance”.The historic trove of letters between the Queen, her representatives, and then governor general John Kerr in the lead-up to Whitlam’s dismissal clearl...

UK economy may not recover until end of 2022, Treasury forecaster warns GDP would shrink 12.4% and unemployment more than double in one scenario as budget deficit hits £322bnCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageIt could take until the end of 2022 for Britain’s economy to return to its pre-coronavirus peak, while government borrowing is expected to surge to £322bn this year in response to the pandemic, the Treasury’s official forecaster has warned.Dashing hopes for a rapid recovery from Covid-19 after official figures revealed a meagre rebound in May, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said it would take longer than previously hoped to bounce back, while warning some degree of long-term economic scarring was increasingly likely...

Coronavirus: shoppers in England must wear face masks from 24 July Fines of up to £100 could be handed out for non-compliance under measures to be announced on TuesdayAfter mixed messages and mess-ups, Johnson bows to the inevitable | Analysis Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageFace masks will become mandatory in shops across England, ministers are to announce on Tuesday, following mixed messages, a cabinet split and mounting pressure on Boris Johnson to change public advice.New legislation will not come into force until Friday 24 July, however, raising concerns over the risk of coronavirus spreading over the next 10 days as lockdown is eased. Continue reading... Go to Source

Northern Ireland businesses ‘must get Brexit compensation’ MPs say government should pay millions to cover cost of trading with Great BritainNorthern Irish businesses must be compensated for the millions of pounds in extra costs they are expected to face to trade with firms in Great Britain after Brexit is completed, a group of MPs have said.As part of Boris Johnson’s deal to avoid a border on the island of Ireland, businesses in Northern Ireland face checks and controls on all goods coming from the rest of the UK from January and are threatened with some checks going in the other direction. Continue reading... Go to Source

Phone of top Catalan politician 'targeted by government-grade spyware' Exclusive: Guardian and El País find regional speaker was targeted in ‘possible domestic political espionage’Roger Torrent: alleged attack confirms fears about Spanish stateOne of Catalonia’s most senior politicians has been warned his mobile phone was targeted using spyware its makers say is only sold to governments to track criminals and terrorists.A joint investigation by the Guardian and El País has revealed that the speaker of the Catalan regional parliament, Roger Torrent and at least two other pro-independence supporters were told they were targeted last year in what experts said was a “possible case of domestic political espionage” in Europe. Continue reading... ...

UK's expected U-turn on Huawei fails to satisfy Tory rebels Up to 60 MPs say phasing out of Chinese telecoms firm’s 5G role will not go far enough What is Huawei and why is its role in UK’s 5G so controversial?Ministers have failed to head off a rebellion from up to 60 Tory MPs over plans to strip Huawei of its role in the UK’s 5G and broadband networks, amid claims that a proposed U-turn will not go far enough.Oliver Dowden, the culture secretary, is expected to announce a climbdown in the Commons on Tuesday, phasing out the role of the Chinese telecoms giant. It comes after the US and a growing number of MPs raised security concerns over surveillance. A final decision is due to be taken by the National Security Council on Tuesday morning. Continue reading... Go to...

No reason not to put delayed Russia report out next week, MPs told Call to release review of Moscow’s influence now that security committee is finally being set upThe long-delayed report into Russian infiltration in the UK could be published next week now that parliament’s intelligence and security committee is being set up, its most senior Labour member told MPs on Monday night.Kevan Jones said “there was no reason why” the document could not be published “before parliament goes into recess” – nine months after its release was blocked by Boris Johnson ahead of the general election. The report was sent to Downing Street in October. Continue reading... Go to Source

Brexit: UK's new fast-track immigration system to exclude care workers Minimum salary thresholds to also remain in place, presenting additional barrier The exclusion of care home staff from the government’s post-Brexit fast-track visa system for health workers threatens to cause “an unmitigated disaster” and increase the risk of future Covid-19 infections, social care leaders have warned.The government said it hopes Britons will instead fill any jobs shortfall in the sector, which currently stands at around 10% of all posts. But Care England, which represents the largest private providers of care beds, said the decision treated social care staff as “second class citizens” and the National Care Forum, which represents voluntary providers, warned it could inc...

NHS data reveals 'huge variation' in Covid-19 death rates across England Exclusive: hospital mortality rate varies from 12.5% to 80% in different trusts around country Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA wide disparity in coronavirus mortality rates has emerged in English hospitals, with data seen by the Guardian showing that one hospital trust in south-west England had a death rate from the disease of 80% while in one London trust it was just 12.5%.The figures, which NHS England has compiled but never published, show the age-standarised mortality rates that all of the country’s 135 acute hospital trusts have recorded during the pandemic. Doctors regard age as the single biggest predictor or risk factor for dying from Covid-19. Continue reading... ...

Grenfell architect clashed with council over fire prevention Building control officers insisted on fire barriers in the wall structure, inquiry hearsOne of the Grenfell Tower architects said they were “miffed” at demands from a building safety officer aimed at preventing fire spreading up the tower and complained it was causing cost increases and delays.Emails disclosed to the public inquiry into the June 2017 disaster, which killed 72 people, showed the architect clashed with the council building control department over how to prevent fire jumping between floors through the new cladding system. Continue reading... Go to Source

Judge instructs Trump to provide copy of Roger Stone clemency order – live Amy Berman Jackson seeks clarification on commutationFauci sidelined as White House steps up briefing campaignTexas: 30-year-old dies after attending ‘coronavirus party’Sign up to our First Thing newsletter 6.50pm BSTWhite House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany was pressed on Trump’s debunked claim that expanded coronavirus testing has caused the increased number of cases in the US.A reporter noted the positivity rate of coronavirus tests has also climbed in many parts of the country, which cannot be explained by expanded testing. 6.45pm BSTWhite House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended Trump’s highly controversial decision to commute the sentence of his former associate, Roger Ston...

Polish election: Andrzej Duda victory hands populists free rein President’s critics fear result will boost illiberal tendencies at home and within EUPoland’s ruling populists have been given free rein in their mission to reshape the country after liberal hopes of taking the presidency were crushed in a narrow defeat following a divisive campaign.The incumbent president, Andrzej Duda, was elected for another five-year term as a familiar set of demographic divisions played out in the vote. Poles under 50 and those living in larger towns and cities backed the liberal challenger, Rafał Trzaskowski, while older and rural voters stood by Duda. Continue reading... Go to Source

Boris Johnson says face masks should be worn in shops in England PM says government will issue fresh guidance this week on the wearing of face coveringsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBoris Johnson has urged the public in England to wear masks in shops as “extra insurance” against the coronavirus, and hinted the government could be poised to make them mandatory.Downing Street has also hinted that guidance encouraging employees to work from home where possible is under review, after Johnson suggested workers could return if effective protective measures were in place. Continue reading... Go to Source

Super-rich call for higher taxes on wealthy to pay for Covid-19 recovery Exclusive: Group of 83 wealthy individuals demands ‘immediate, substantial and permanent’ higher taxes ‘on people like us’A group of 83 of the world’s richest people have called on governments to permanently increase taxes on them and other members of the wealthy elite to help pay for the economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.The super-rich members, including Ben and Jerry’s ice cream co-founder Jerry Greenfield and Disney heir Abigail Disney, called on “our governments to raise taxes on people like us. Immediately. Substantially. Permanently”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Manchester City's Champions League ban lifted by Cas but club fined €10m Cas also reduces City’s fine from €30m to €10mClub have denied wrongdoing throughoutManchester City’s two-year ban from the Champions League for a serious breach of Uefa’s financial fair play rules has been overturned by the court of arbitration for sport, which also reduced the club’s fine to €10m (£9m) from €30m.Cas’s panel of three lawyers found that City failed to cooperate with the investigations by Uefa’s club financial control body (CFCB), which oversees FFP compliance, and imposed the €10m fine for that. The panel said City had shown a “disregard” for the principle that clubs must cooperate with a governing body’s investiga...