News- UK

The US is still segregated – but is our democracy up to the challenge? | Wynton Marsalis We’re seeing the same problems with race that Abraham Lincoln once complained about, but blackness is threaded into the heart of America’s identity and can never be erasedWith the crescendo of public outcry around the killing of George Floyd, I fear there’s little need for another person voicing a commonly held opinion. I also believe that these now commonplace tragedies should be addressed when they happen, not when so much pressure has built up in the system that it must be let out. It is also much more difficult to draw a crowd every day for the sanctioned forms of corruption and disrespect of black Americans that are shouted from countless recordings and videos – and even...

UK coronavirus live: people in most deprived areas twice as likely to die of Covid-19 than most wealthy, says ONS Boris Johnson tells protesters ‘the only responsible course of action is to stay away’; first ministers of Scotland and Wales call for Brexit extensionPoorest areas of England and Wales hit hardest by Covid-19 – ONSGDP falls 20.4% in April as economy is paralysed by lockdownBereaved relatives call for immediate inquiry into Covid-19 crisis‘We’re so nervous’: England’s bookshops prepare to reopen on MondayCoronavirus – latest global updates 12.45pm BSTThe Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, has said it is thought the R figure in Wales has gone from 0.8 to 0.7. He said this may give “additional headroom” for lockdow...

Bereaved relatives call for immediate inquiry into Covid-19 crisis Lawyers for 450 people call on Boris Johnson to start public inquiry to help prevent deathsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageLawyers representing 450 bereaved people whose relatives have died due to Covid-19 have called on Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock to hold an immediate public inquiry into the government’s handling of the crisis to help prevent many more deaths.The formal petition to the government from the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group argues that there is “a compelling need to set up the inquiry immediately”, to consider the best measures necessary to “minimise the ongoing effects of the virus”. The inquiry should ultimately examine the ke...

Government ignored warning to stockpile PPE as Covid-19 spread Watchdog also confirms 25,000 hospital patients were sent to care homes before testing became routineCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe government’s plan to distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) during the coronavirus pandemic was undermined because officials failed to stockpile gowns and visors despite warnings to do so, Whitehall’s spending watchdog has revealed.The report published on Friday by the National Audit Office (NAO) said this meant less than half of the expected pieces of certain equipment were handed out to frontline workers as the crisis developed. Continue reading... Go to Source

NHS unable to trace contacts of 33% of people with coronavirus Tracers took details from 5,407 of 8,117 people who tested positive in scheme’s first week in EnglandCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA third of those who have tested positive for the coronavirus in England have not provided details of people they have been close to and may have infected, data from the first full week of the new contact-tracing scheme has revealed.Dido Harding, the chair of the NHS Test and Trace service, said she was heartened by the public’s willingness to cooperate, but the scheme would need to do better. Of the 8,117 positive cases referred to contact tracers, they had succeeded in reaching 5,407 who had been willing to give them names and phone numbers for th...

Uncertainty over 2-metre distancing rule in England 'causing chaos' Millions spent on signage will have been wasted as shops and councils prepare for lockdown easingCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA government decision to reduce the 2-metre physical distancing rule in England could mean councils and retailers will have wasted millions of pounds on signs and other preparations for the reopening of high streets, it has emerged.Local authorities and retail groups told the Guardian that much of a £50m government fund handed out to councils in England in recent weeks has been spent on signs and barriers based on 2-metre distancing, much of which would need to be scrapped if it was reduced. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus live news: Bahrain says 44% of asymptomatic cases are infectious Asymptomatic carriers in Bahrain found to pose a risk; shortage of test kits ‘leading to virus spread in Africa’; Mexico confirms record daily infectionsIndia reports surge in Covid-19 cases as lockdown easedCoronavirus cases fall in France despite easing of lockdownUS hits grim milestone of 2m Covid-19 casesHundreds of children among victims in Indonesia - reportsSee all our coronavirus coverage 6.44pm BSTCarbon dioxide emissions have rebounded around the world as lockdown conditions have eased, raising fears that the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere could surge higher than ever after the coronavirus pandemic unless governments take swift action, writes Fiona Harvey, the Guardian’s...

English care bosses say lack of resources cost thousands of lives Social care was ill-equipped to deal with pandemic and needs more funds, report saysThousands of people lost their lives “prematurely” because care homes in England lacked the protective equipment and financial resources to cope with the coronavirus outbreak, according to council care bosses.In a highly critical report, social care directors say decisions to rapidly discharge many vulnerable patients from NHS hospitals to care homes without first testing them for Covid-19 had “tragic consequences” for residents and staff. Continue reading... Go to Source

'On a rollercoaster': Attractions relieved at reopening, says zoo boss Safari parks and zoos had been facing closure amid Covid-19 crisis until government lifelineCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAt the sight of new people, Tom, Tayo and Tico the giraffes are more curious than usual, coming straight over to peer down at new faces. Over in the cheetah enclosure, the welcome is more hostile, with one of the three brothers baring his teeth at sudden arrivals.The animals of the Wild Place Project, owned by Bristol Zoological Society, are used to up to 3,500 people a day pouring through the gates, but since lockdown they have become accustomed to the solitude.  Continue reading... Go to Source

UK coronavirus live: urgent cancer referrals in England fell by 60% in first month of lockdown, NHS reveals Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Damian Green among backbenchers calling for change, saying it is essential for the economyCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverage 12.41pm BSTA total of 2,439 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus, up by five from 2,434 on Wednesday, Nicola Sturgeon has said at the Scottish government’s daily briefing.The first minister said 15,682 people have tested positive for the virus in Scotland, up by 17 from 15,665 the previous day. 12.36pm BST Continue reading... Go to Source

'In 12 weeks we can turn the tide': now we can ask – was Boris Johnson right? Coronavirus deaths and infections are dropping, but experts fear lockdown is being eased too soonOn 19 March, just a few days before he self-isolated with Covid-19, a sunken-eyed Boris Johnson told the daily Downing Street briefing that in 12 weeks “we can turn the tide”. “I am absolutely confident that we can send coronavirus packing,” he said. On Thursday those 12 weeks are up – and they have seen the country go through turmoil. Continue reading... Go to Source

'An American fiasco': US hits grim milestone of 2m Covid-19 cases Pandemic has devastated US, but experts warn lack of testing and early reopening mean ‘we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg’Coronavirus latest newsFor Americans, coronavirus went from being a mysterious affliction that occurred in far-off lands to 1m confirmed cases on US soil within 14 weeks. Now, just six weeks later, the US has broken through the grim milestone of 2m positive tests for Covid-19, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker.The anguish of life lost, of a severely wounded economy and wrenching political turmoil have taken a harrowing toll upon a fatigued American public. But further, perhaps far greater pain is yet to come, pandemic experts have warned, even as authorities wave...

Is the worst of the pandemic behind us? Here's what scientists know | Devi Sridhar A second wave of coronavirus cases would be disastrous – but there are ways to prevent this happeningCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageOver the weekend, there were no new deaths from coronavirus in London, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Slowly, the number of hospitalisations and deaths is falling across the UK. Rather than celebrating these early signs that the worst of the pandemic could be behind us, however, some scientists are warning of a second wave of infections – an increase in coronavirus cases in the coming weeks or months, which could occur even after a sustained fall in the number of cases. These warnings often refer back to the 19...

Covid-19 crisis means England's local authorities could go bust, warn mayors Councils say they need financial help now from government to avoid devastating hardship Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMayors in some of England’s biggest cities are warning that local authorities are at risk of going bust with potentially devastating consequences for communities unless the government takes immediate action.As the impact of the Covid-19 crisis hits local authorities, the mayors of London, Greater Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool have issued a joint call to highlight the seriousness of the issue and urge Boris Johnson to respond. Continue reading... Go to Source

Enforcing UK lockdown one week earlier 'could have saved 20,000 lives' Former scientific adviser to No 10 says earlier restrictions could have halved death toll Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe number of coronavirus deaths in the UK could have been halved if the government had introduced the lockdown a week earlier, according to damning testimony from one of the scientists who was advising the government at the time.The stark claim by Prof Neil Ferguson that thousands of lives could have been saved intensified the pressure on the government over its handling of the outbreak, leaving Boris Johnson facing repeated questions at the daily Downing Street press conference. Continue reading... Go to Source

Ofsted chief calls for a more can-do approach to primaries reopening Amanda Spielman says people are ‘perhaps more frightened than they need to be’ about children returning to schoolCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe chief inspector of schools, Amanda Spielman, has expressed her disappointment that primary schools will not be reopening before the summer, amid continuing concern about the government’s failure to prioritise children’s education in the coronavirus crisis.The head of Ofsted said she was saddened that people are “perhaps more frightened than they actually need to be” and called for as much preparation to be done for September reopening as possible before the summer holidays, which start next next month. C...

EU says China behind 'huge wave' of Covid-19 disinformation Brussels shifts position by accusing Beijing for first time of running false campaignsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageChina has been accused by Brussels of running disinformation campaigns inside the European Union, as the bloc set out a plan to tackle a “huge wave” of false facts about the coronavirus pandemic. The European commission said Russia and China were running “targeted influence operations and disinformation campaigns in the EU, its neighbourhood, and globally”. While the charge against Russia has been levelled on many occasions, this is the first time the EU executive has publicly named China as a source of disinformation.  Continue reading... Go...

Closure of public toilets causing anxiety, distress and frustration across UK Guardian investigation and survey also finds situation is causing significant health riskCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe ongoing closure of many public toilets across the UK is having a serious impact on wellbeing, limiting people’s capacity to exercise freely or visit loved ones, and creating a significant secondary public health risk as people have no option but to relieve themselves in the open, a Guardian survey and investigation has found.With reports of bushes in city parks stinking of urine, and human excrement in sand dunes, readers across Britain have described their anxiety, distress and frustration as public toilet closures – coupled with the absence...

UK firms say they have dramatically scaled back investment plans IoD survey reveals reduced intentions for rest of year due to uncertainty caused by Covid-19Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBusinesses have dramatically scaled back investment plans for the rest of the year in response to the uncertainty surrounding the future of the UK economy, according to a leading business survey.The Institute of Directors (IoD) said its confidence tracker revealed the Covid-19 crisis had driven down investment intentions among its members for the next 12 months by 11 percentage points to a record low of -43%. Continue reading... Go to Source

'Support bubble' plan lets people living alone in England combine households Boris Johnson announces easing of restrictions for single parents and people living aloneCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAbout 11 million people living alone or as single parents will be allowed to combine with another household to form a “support bubble” in England, Boris Johnson has said.The prime minister announced the new easing of social restrictions at his daily press conference in a move to alleviate loneliness among adults struggling on their own. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK politics live news: Keir Starmer presses Boris Johnson over criminal justice and Windrush at PMQs Latest updates: Rishi Sunak says pupils not returning to school ‘a tragedy’; workers on parental leave can still get furlough paymentsUK economy likely to suffer worst Covid-19 damage, says OECDNHS hospital waiting lists could hit 10 million in England this yearCall for final national clap on NHS’s 72nd birthdayCoronavirus global updates – liveBlack Lives Matter protests – live 12.40pm BSTLabour’s Olivia Blake asks if the PM will agree to a funding boost for local welfare systems.Johnson says many families are facing great hardship. And he repeats what he said earlier about the extra £63m going to councils that he said could help them provide mea...

Mark Duggan shooting: can forensic tech cast doubt on official report? As Forensic Architecture publishes its investigation, explore how researchers are using virtual modelling to challenge the official report Continue reading... Go to Source

Scottish bailout means Trump's golf resorts in line for £1m tax rebate Exclusive: tax expected to be waived as part of emergency coronavirus fundingCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageDonald Trump’s Scottish golf courses are expected to get a tax rebate of nearly £1m as part of a government bailout for tourism businesses hit by the coronavirus crisis, the Guardian can reveal.The Trump Organization’s golf resorts in Aberdeenshire and Turnberry will benefit from emergency funding from the Scottish government worth £2.3bn, which includes waiving the property taxes paid by hospitality, leisure and retail businesses this year. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK economy likely to suffer worst Covid-19 damage, says OECD Forecast slump in GDP of 11.5% will exceed falls by France, Italy, Spain and GermanyCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBritain’s economy is likely to suffer the worst damage from the Covid-19 crisis of any country in the developed world, according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.A slump in the UK’s national income of 11.5% during 2020 will outstrip the falls in France, Italy, Spain and Germany, the Paris-based thinktank said. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus live news: Africa passes 200,000 confirmed cases after Burundi president dies of suspected Covid-19 Asylum applications in Europe fall to lowest level for a decade as borders closed; world faces worst food crisis in 50 yearsBurundi president dies of illness suspected to be coronavirusEU says China behind ‘huge wave’ of Covid-19 disinformationFauci: coronavirus pandemic that ‘took over the planet’ is far from overWHO urges Pakistan to return to lockdown as hospitals struggleUK coronavirus updates – live 12.39pm BSTNearly all economic and social activities have resumed in Malaysia, after nearly three months in pandemic lockdown apparently successfully contained transmission of coronavirus. Malaysians can now travel for domestic holidays, get hairc...

Neville Lawrence: black people still second-class citizens in Britain Exclusive: father of Stephen Lawrence says police’s promises to change have not been metThe father of Stephen Lawrence has said black people are still treated as second-class citizens in Britain, with police breaking promises to change they made two decades ago after being shamed by their failure to find his son’s racist killers.Neville Lawrence used a Guardian interview to back peaceful anti-racism protests, saying he was “pleased” by the mass marches sweeping the country, triggered by the US police killing of George Floyd. Continue reading... Go to Source

George Floyd memorial: Al Sharpton condemns Trump's 'wickedness in high places' – live Biden says ‘Now is the time for racial justice’ in remotely delivered message at memorialTrump nearly fired Esper over dispute about protests – reportTrump says campaign rallies may resume ‘next week’US protesters attacked by cars driven into crowds and men with gunsSign up to our First Thing newsletter 12.20am BSTThe US’s top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci warned on Tuesday that the coronavirus pandemic was far from over, calling Covid-19 his “worst nightmare”.“In a period of four months, it has devastated the whole world,” Fauci said, speaking to executives at a conference of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. “And...

Police must view legitimate anger with care – we need to listen to our communities | Neil Basu Officers should stand up to racists, inequality and injustice, says Metropolitan police assistant commissioner Neil BasuNeil Basu, assistant commissioner at Scotland Yard, sent this internal note to his fellow Metropolitan police officers:This message doesn’t come from the head of counter-terrorism policing, an assistant commissioner of the Met police, nor a representative of the National Police Chiefs’ Council. It’s a personal message from me to policing colleagues across the UK. I have worn the badge proudly for 28 years. I also happen to be of mixed Indian and white British heritage, which means that I am the most senior BAME officer in the UK. Continue reading... Go to...

Trump makes baseless claim about man, 75, shoved by police: ‘Could be a set-up?’ Martin Gugino in hospital after being pushed over by policeTrump tweets peace activist could be ‘antifa provocateur’Donald Trump has claimed a 75-year-old man who was hospitalized when police shoved him to the ground at a protest in Buffalo could be “an antifa provocateur” and suggested the incident “could be a set-up”. Related: George Floyd: Trump claims Buffalo man pushed by police was 'Antifa provocateur' – live Continue reading... Go to Source

Boris Johnson urged to set out recovery plan for schools in England Ministers warned country may face ‘educational poverty’ if no strategy in place for SeptemberCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBoris Johnson needs an urgent national plan to get all pupils back to school in England from September, with an army of support staff, the requisitioning of public buildings and extra help for disadvantaged students, unions and cross-party MPs have said.As the government admitted that most primary pupils in England would not get back to the classroom before summer, ministers were urged to set out a comprehensive strategy or risk an “epidemic of educational poverty”. Continue reading... Go to Source