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UK coronavirus live: 90-minute tests to speed up Covid-19 and flu diagnosis, government claims Tests to be introduced across NHS hospitals and care homes though some experts question decisionCoronavirus 90-minute tests to be providedGlobal coronavirus live: latest updates 12.18pm BST The government has announced a new deal to boost the UK’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities amid the Covid-19 pandemic.Under the 18-month agreement, the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology company Wockhardt will carry out the crucial “fill and finish” stage of the manufacturing process, which involves dispensing the manufactured vaccine substance into vials ready for it to be distributed.Ensuring the UK has the capability to research, develop and manufacture a safe and effective vacci...

John Hume, former SDLP leader and Nobel peace prize winner, dies at 83 Hume won global acclaim for his efforts towards achieving Good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland‘Hero and peacemaker’: John Hume rememberedJohn Hume, the former SDLP leader, Nobel peace prize winner and leading player in the Northern Ireland peace process, has died aged 83.His death marks the passing of one of the most important Irish political leaders of the 20th century whose ideas of compromise, opposition to violence and cross-community outreach underpinned the principles of the 1998 Good Friday agreement. Continue reading... Go to Source

WhatsApp spyware attack: senior clergymen in Togo among activists targeted Bishop from Togo among 1,400 individuals alerted by WhatsApp to malware attackA prominent Catholic bishop and a priest in Togo have been told they were targeted by spyware made by the private surveillance firm NSO Group, in the first known case of its kind involving members of the clergy.A joint investigation by the Guardian and the French newspaper Le Monde can reveal that Bishop Benoît Alowonou and five other critics of Togo’s repressive government were alerted by WhatsApp last year that their mobile phones had been targeted with the spying technology. Continue reading... Go to Source

Tory minister refuses to confirm whether chief whip knew of rape claims against MP Former aide claims she told Mark Spencer extent of allegations months before MP was arrestedA minister has refused to confirm whether the government’s chief whip was told about claims against a Conservative MP by his alleged victim four months before he was arrested on suspicion of rape.It is understood that the woman in her 20s, a former parliamentary staffer, spoke to the chief whip, Mark Spencer, in April. Last week, the woman told the Times that Spencer had taken no action. Continue reading... Go to Source

Greater Manchester declares major incident after rise in Covid-19 cases Leader of Manchester council says measure is ‘standard practice’ to ensure coordinated responseCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA major incident has been declared in Greater Manchester in response to increases in coronavirus infection rates across “multiple localities”.The decision to up the readiness of emergency and public services to react to the escalating Covid-19 transmission rate in the region comes after the government announced new lockdown restrictions for parts of north-west England on Thursday. Continue reading... Go to Source

Secrecy has harmed UK government's response to Covid-19 crisis, says top scientist Exclusive: Sir Paul Nurse says lack of openness fuelled poor decisions and put public trust at riskCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageOne of the country’s most senior scientists has criticised government for the “shroud of secrecy” drawn over major decisions in the coronavirus crisis and urged ministers to be more open about the reasons behind their policies.Sir Paul Nurse, the nobel laureate and director of the Francis Crick Institute in London, said important decisions throughout the pandemic had been made in what appeared to be a “black box” of scientists, civil servants and politicians, and called for more transparency and scrutiny. Continue...

Len McCluskey praised by Labour MPs for ordering Unite funding review Exclusive: Unite leader disagreed with Labour paying damages to antisemitism whistleblowersThe leader of Unite, Len McCluskey, has been praised by left-leaning Labour MPs for ordering a review of the union’s political donations after Keir Starmer’s decision to pay damages to former staff turned antisemitism whistleblowers.Ian Lavery, the party chair under Jeremy Corbyn, is one of three former shadow ministers who have told the Guardian they support the union’s general secretary for re-examining whether to donate to Labour in the wake of the six-figure settlements. Continue reading... Go to Source

Tory MP arrested on rape charges 'should have whip withdrawn' Labour calls for former minister accused of violent sexual assault to be removed from partyA former Conservative minister arrested on suspicion of rape should have the party whip removed immediately, the shadow domestic violence minister, Jess Phillips, has said.The MP for Birmingham Yardley called for action on Sunday after a woman in her twenties accused the Tory MP of violent sexual assault and coercive control. Continue reading... Go to Source

Nasa astronauts aboard SpaceX capsule make first splashdown in 45 years Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley land off Florida after two-month voyage that was Nasa’s first crewed mission from home in nine yearsUS astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, who flew to the International Space Station in SpaceX’s new Crew Dragon, splashed down in the capsule in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday after a two-month voyage that was Nasa’s first crewed mission from home soil in nine years.Behnken and Hurley left the station on Saturday and returned home to land in the waves off Florida’s Pensacola coast on schedule at 2.48pm ET following a 21-hour overnight journey aboard Crew Dragon “Endeavor.” Continue reading... Go to Source

Former police chief convicted over child abuse video granted court of appeal hearing Robyn Williams was sacked in March despite never having viewed unsolicited videoA decorated former police chief has won two key battles in her fight to overturn her conviction for possessing a child abuse video and get her job back, the Guardian has learned.Former superintendent Robyn Williams was convicted under paedophilia laws in November 2019 after being sent an unsolicited video via WhatsApp of a child being abused, despite never viewing the images. The prosecution accepted she had no sexual interest in children. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus England: Boris Johnson looking at second-wave lockdown scenarios Potential options include a wider shielding programme and restricted travel for LondonCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBoris Johnson is considering new lockdown measures in England should there be a second wave of coronavirus infections.Plans are being assessed after a rise in Covid-19 cases forced the prime minister to slow the lockdown easing on Friday, with proposed relaxations for the leisure and beauty sectors delayed. Continue reading... Go to Source

Unite sounds warning over Labour antisemitism payouts Len McCluskey, the union’s leader, says the damages paid to whistleblowers are an abuse of the money it donates to the partyLabour’s biggest union backer will review its political donations in light of Keir Starmer’s decision to pay damages to ex-staffers who claimed the party had not dealt with antisemitism, its general secretary has warned.In an interview with the Observer, Unite leader Len McCluskey said there was “no doubt” the union’s ruling executive would be demanding a review of the millions it donates to the Labour party in the wake of the six-figure settlements. Continue reading... Go to Source

Tory MP arrested on suspicion of rape of parliamentary staffer Allegation about incidents from July 2019 to January 2020 reportedly relate to ex-ministerA former Conservative minister has been arrested after a woman accused him of rape, sexual assault and coercive control, it was reported last night.The Metropolitan police confirmed they had launched an investigation into four alleged incidents between July 2019 and January 2020 at different locations in London. They said “a man in his 50s” was taken into custody early yesterday and was still in a police station in east London last night. Continue reading... Go to Source

Now teachers sound alarm over plans to reopen schools • Union: Convince us that classes are safe • New warning over spread of the virusCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageGovernment plans to reopen all schools in September were called into question by leading scientists and the head of a major teaching union last night amid signs that cases of Covid-19 are increasing again at an alarming rate.Despite imposing new restrictions on people meeting indoors in parts of the north of England on Thursday – and postponing plans to allow bowling alleys, casinos, skating rinks and other venues to reopen a day later – ministers insist that reopening schools fully early next month remains a top priority. Continue reading... Go to Source

‘End the prejudice against Travellers’ – police chief As the three killers of PC Andrew Harper are jailed, senior officer says the community must not be demonisedA senior police officer has condemned deep-seated prejudice for making it acceptable to label the UK Travelling community “inherently criminal”.Speaking after the three killers of PC Andrew Harper were jailed for manslaughter, Janette McCormick, deputy chief constable at the College of Policing, said attention was required to tackle the inequality and job prospects facing Travellers. Continue reading... Go to Source