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UK coronavirus plans would strip police and fire services to essentials Government’s action plan sets out steps to be taken to combat spread of Covid-19Follow the latest coronavirus updatesHave you been affected by Covid-19?Police and fire services will only respond to the most serious call-outs if their staff fall ill through coronavirus, the government warned on Tuesday, in a key planning document setting out how ministers would deal with an escalating outbreak.The action plan envisages that the army could be called in to help if requested by civilian authorities. And it says that up to a fifth of the national workforce could be absent from work, schools could close and elderly people would be advised not to attend social gatherings. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus live updates: fifth of UK workforce could be absent from work at peak of epidemic, government warns Hong Kong charters plane to bring 500 people back from Wuhan as China infections and deaths dropUK coronavirus plans would strip police and fire services to essentialsSouth Korea declares ‘war’ on outbreak as WHO experts arrive in IranBattling coronavirus misinformation in the age of social mediaWhat is coronavirus and what should I do if I have symptoms? 11.54am GMTFending off rumours that he has cancelled a raft of diary engagements because he has caught the coronavirus, France’s president Emmanuel Macron will visit an “operational crisis centre” at the health ministry on Tuesday evening.The Elysée Palace said Macron wanted to express his...

The longest holiday: parents coping with coronavirus school closures in east Asia In a bid to stem spread of the virus, schools in Hong Kong, China and Japan have been shut for weeksCoronavirus outbreak - live updates“It’s been a long holiday,” laughs Hong Kong insurance worker and mother, Sarah Wong.Wong and her two daughters, Chloe and Greeta, are at a co-working space in Jordan, Kowloon. Chloe has set her desk up like home, with an iPad, her own lamp, and an aromatherapy diffuser. The girls, aged 12 and eight, are listening to online lessons from their school which has been closed because of the coronavirus. Continue reading... Go to Source

Domestic abuse bill fails to protect children and migrant women – charities Bill aimed at punishing abusers does not go far enough to help BAME survivors, charities warnChildren and migrant women are being overlooked by new laws designed to protect victims and punish perpetrators of domestic violence, charities have said.The long-awaited domestic abuse bill will be introduced in the House of Commons on Tuesday for its first reading; it was delayed by Boris Johnson’s decision to prorogue parliament and hold an election last year. Continue reading... Go to Source

Israel election: Benjamin Netanyahu claims victory but remains short of majority Prime minister set for comeback despite upcoming criminal corruption trialLatest resultsBenjamin Netanyahu has claimed victory in Israel’s third election within a year, even as the country looked set for further political deadlock after early counts suggested he was still short of securing a historic fifth term.By Tuesday morning, with 90% of the votes counted, the prime minister’s Likud party appeared to be ahead with 36 seats, with a total of 59 for his rightwing alliance. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK supermarkets draw up plan to 'feed the nation' as coronavirus spreads Plans would help with panic-buying brought on by escalation of coronavirus outbreakCoronavirus – latest updatesBritish supermarkets have drawn up “feed the nation” contingency plans that would help the country cope with any panic-buying brought on by a sudden escalation of the coronavirus outbreak.Under the plans, supermarkets would work with suppliers to scale back the variety of foods and groceries available, and instead focus on maintaining supplies of staple products. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus: four more deaths announced in US – as it happened Six deaths now confirmed in America, as South Korea reports almost 500 new cases This blog has closed: please follow our continuing live coverage here 11.50pm GMTThanks for following our live coverage of the coronavirus outbreak today. We are about to close this live blog, but you can pick up our live coverage here.In the meantime, here’s a summary of the key points so far: 11.34pm GMTThe republican broadcaster Scottie Nell Hughes told the BBC’s Emily Maitlis that president Trump “believes he is stepping up with leadership” by having appointed vice president Mike Pence as the person in charge of the outbreak, and his housing minister, Ben Carson, as one of the experts on his coronavirus task force. &l...

Any coronavirus 'lockdown' would initially be voluntary Experts say scenario is likely to be self-policed amid doubts that full lockdowns are possibleCoronavirus - latest newsAll today’s developments at a glanceAt first, a “lockdown” of UK cities to combat coronavirus would be voluntary, with residents simply asked to stay at home and avoid public spaces.In a worst-case scenario, the police could be asked to enforce road and building closures, the army could be drafted in – and those who breached rules could face specialist tribunals. Continue reading... Go to Source

Support for Eurosceptic parties doubles in two decades across EU Research reveals one in three voters now back parties that are critical of or hostile to the blocThe paradox at the heart of Europe is revealed today in new research that shows that the vote share for Eurosceptic parties has more than doubled in two decades, even though support for the EU remains at record highs.The sharp increase in the electoral success of Eurosceptic parties is laid bare in research conducted by academic experts in populism and radicalism across the EU who shared their work with the Guardian. Continue reading... Go to Source