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Rise in infections brings fear of more localised lockdowns … China says new Hong Kong laws will make extraditions easier … Pierce Brosnan on life, loss and 007 Morning everyone. I’m Martin Farrer and these are the top stories this Wednesday morning. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2NMwNYN

Leicester is unlikely to be the only place to return to tight restrictions, say scientists Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Parts of Kent, London, north Wales and Scotland are still battling significant Covid-19 outbreaks, sparking fears from scientists and public health directors that Leicester’s return to lockdown is set to be repeated. Bars and restaurants are preparing to reopen on Saturday in what the prime minister, Boris Johnson, has dubbed “Independence Day”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/31z6AF4

New cases jump by 80% in two weeks; South Korea using remdesivir; outbreak in Australia’s state of Victoria worsens Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The United States again reported a record one-day increase in coronavirus cases on Tuesday, with 44,358 new coronavirus cases confirmed in the country, according to coronavirus database the Covid Tracking Project , as infections surge across the country, which is the worst-affected worldwide in terms of cases and deaths. The US has more than 2.6m cases and accounts for approximately one in four known deaths worldwide, with the country’s toll currently at 127,410. There are close to 10.5m cases globally, with infections rising by around 150,000 in the last 24 hours alone to 10,450,628. The global death toll stand at 510,632. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3ge5frh

Campaigners urge government to protect tenants in arrears and widen eligibility for housing benefits Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The number of households made homeless after being evicted for falling behind on the rent could treble if the government does not stop a mounting debt crisis, campaigners are warning. They are calling for the government to suspend evictions due to rent arrears arising from the pandemic, an increase in the amount of and eligibility for housing benefits, and a scheme to clear arrears not covered by the benefit system that would guarantee 80% of landlords’ incomes. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2NIOZm1

He has worked with Tennessee Williams, Robin Williams – and, controversially, Roman Polanski. The former 007 discusses fatherhood, family and the lonely childhood that shaped him I am 10 minutes into my Zoom interview with Pierce Brosnan when his son Dylan arrives off-screen with his father’s coffee. “Did you put sugar in this?” he says to the 23-year-old. “Some more milk, please, I don’t take mine black.” Dylan is sent back to correct it. “He’s a wonderful musician and a great academic,” Brosnan says. “He just graduated from USC film school.” The graduation, like so many others, was cancelled. “We got him a cap and gown and sat here watching it [the online ceremony] on the sofa”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/38iwxdC

It’s the only place in the world where jokes about local councillors work. But is Belfast’s sharp-tongued comedy circuit becoming less hostile to outsiders? Patrick Kielty ’s first Belfast standup set won him a keg of beer. It was freshers’ week 1989 at Queen’s University and his housemates had nominated him for a talent competition. As well as the booze, he earned a termly gig on campus, but across Belfast comedy barely existed. Until, that is, BBC producer Jackie Hamilton approached him with an idea: The Empire Laughs Back, the city’s first dedicated comedy night. “There was no scene, so we decided to make it,” Kielty says. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/38iwjTO

The actor, who stars in the National Theatre’s stream of Les Blancs, says schools must acknowledge the damage done by colonialism – to strengthen the bonds of a multicultural society Les Blancs was staged at the National Theatre in 2016 and is Lorraine Hansberry’s final play. It’s not as well known as her iconic A Raisin in the Sun . When did you first read it? When I was called by the National Theatre. I did my research afterwards and realised there had been two [UK] productions of the play, one at Theatre Royal in the 1980s and the other at the Royal Exchange in Manchester. It was first performed on Broadway in 1970, after Lorraine Hansberry had died. Robert Nemiroff [her former husband] controlled the output of her estate until it was handed over to her daughter. What’s interesting is that he collated the many notes and revisions she was writing for the play on her deathbed – she died in 1965 at the age of 34 from pancreatic cancer – and put them together for the 1970 production. ...

Hot weather is making mask wearing increasingly uncomfortable, prompting some people to refuse face coverings in defiance of government advice Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The onset of summer has sparked a rise in incidents of “mask rage” in South Korea , as more hot and bothered commuters either refuse to wear face coverings or leave parts of their faces exposed. In South Korea, Japan and other countries in east Asia, widespread mask wearing has been cited as one possible explanation for the region’s relative success in bringing the Covid-19 pandemic under control . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/31wAIRB

Ten hotspot postcodes face restrictions from midnight, as surge in community transmission sees state ramp up containment measures Everything we know about Victoria’s clusters Follow the Australian coronavirus live blog Download the Guardian app to get the most important news notifications Victoria reported 73 new Covid-19 cases overnight, with 10 hotspot postcodes to enter lockdown from midnight as the state tries to bring the cases under control. While there were 14 new cases announced in New South Wales overnight, all of those were in returned international travellers now in quarantine hotels. Of Victoria’s cases, only three were from hotel quarantine, with community transmission becoming a growing concern in the state over the past fortnight. The source of 42 of Victoria’s newest cases remains under investigation. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Zn5lGt

Verdi’s La Traviata reimagined with cast and orchestra wearing face masks Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The opening scenes of merriment have taken on a sombre tone, with the chorus clad in black and white and spaced exactly 2 metres apart. Minutes into the staging of La Traviata, the surgical masks come off, timed with the rising notes of an orchestra led by a conductor standing behind a plastic screen. Spain’s Teatro Real will reopen its doors to the public on Wednesday, becoming one of the world’s first opera houses to return to the stage with a production that includes a chorus, orchestra and soloists after months of lockdown. On offer is Verdi’s La Traviata, tweaked to reflect life in the time of Covid-19. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/38h5SO5

Eva Longoria, Zendaya and Awkwafina are among the new class of invitees which is 36% people of color and 45% women Eva Longoria, Zendaya and Awkwafina are among the Hollywood figures invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this year, as the Oscars voting body continues its push to diversify. The Academy announced it had invited 819 new members on Tuesday, including Cynthia Erivo, John David Washington and Constance Wu. The new class of invitees is 36% people of color and 45% women. Those who accept will have voting privileges at this year’s Oscars. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/31wdxXr

Legal recognition would bring nations in line with Scotland and Northern Ireland After 14 years together, Kate Harrison and Christopher Sanderson, both in their 60s, would like to get married. But first they are going to court. They are one of six couples going to the high court next week to try to force a legal recognition of humanist weddings in England and Wales, which would bring the nations in line with Scotland and Northern Ireland. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/31yuqRo

Could it be true that Australia’s outspoken tennis star is the voice of reason on coronavirus? Mike Hytner explains it to Gabrielle Jackson … quickly Mike, I’m hearing some vague murmurings about Nick Kyrgios and Boris Becker, rats and doughnuts. Sounds intriguing. What’s going on? It’s just another day in the bizarre world that is post-Covid tennis Twitter. Australia’s most outspoken and entertaining tennis star has attracted a strong rebuke on the socials from the German six-time grand slam champion after Kyrgios aired his views about how some in tennis have responded to the coronavirus crisis – recklessly and selfishly, in Nick’s view. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Zsfbqj

(CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico) — An international disaster relief organization reported Tuesday the first confirmed case of COVID-19 among migrants living in a tent encampment of asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. Global Response Management said that one person in the Matamoros, Tamaulipas camp across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Texas had tested positive. “Aggressive isolation and tracing measures have been enacted,” the U.S.-based relief organization said via Twitter. There are some 2,000 asylum seekers living in tents along the border. The migrants from Central America and other parts of the world have been stranded by the United States’ suspension of asylum hearings due to the pandemic through at least mid-July. Last week, Andrea Leiner, a spokeswoman for GRM, said they had implemented measures to try to reduce the risk of the virus’ spread, but conceded it was a challenge with confirmed infections cropping up among U.S. and Mexican immigration officials and i...

Agreement would resolve two sexual misconduct lawsuits on behalf of multiple women against imprisoned former film producer The attorney general for New York said on Tuesday that an agreement had been reached to settle two sexual misconduct lawsuits on behalf of multiple women against Harvey Weinstein for nearly $19m. But attorneys representing six of the women who have made accusations against the imprisoned former film producer called the proposed deal a “sellout” that did not require Weinstein, 68, to accept responsibility or personally pay out any money. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3gft7ed

Politicians around the world have called for a United Nations probe into a Chinese government birth control campaign targeting largely Muslim minorities in the far western region of Xinjiang, even as Beijing said it treats all ethnicities equally under the law. They were referring to an Associated Press investigation published this week that found the Chinese government is taking draconian measures to slash birth rates among Uighurs and other minorities, while encouraging some of the country’s Han majority to have more children. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a group of European, Australian, North American, and Japanese politicians from across the political spectrum, demanded an independent U.N. investigation. “The world cannot remain silent in the face of unfolding atrocities,” the group said in a statement. The AP found that the Chinese government regularly subjects minority women in Xinjiang to pregnancy checks and forces intrauterine devices, sterilizati...

Carrie Lam toasts ‘success and affluence of our motherland’ at flag-raising ceremony as city awakes under shadow of new security laws As Hong Kong awoke to the first day of life under new national security laws imposed by Beijing , activists have called on residents to defy a ban on protests and take to the streets. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2BtgoWD

Gas leak at Sina At’har clinic in northern Tehran kills 15 women and four men, say fire officials An explosion from a gas leak in a medical clinic in northern Tehran has killed 19 people, Iranian state TV has reported. Video posted online appeared to show more than one explosion and thick black smoke rising from the Sina At’har clinic. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2YL1sfa

Campaigners found that 100,000 more people were living in poverty in 2018-19 compared with the previous year Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Black and minority ethnic (BAME) households in the UK are over twice as likely to live in poverty as their white counterparts, leaving them disproportionately exposed to job losses and pay cuts caused by the coronavirus pandemic, an independent study has revealed. The latest annual report by the Social Metrics Commission found that nearly half of Black African Caribbean households were in poverty, compared with just under one in five white families, while BAME families as a whole were between two and three times as likely to be in persistent poverty than white households. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/38dsOOk

Unit based in No 10 will help researchers navigate post-Brexit immigration system Downing Street is to set up a cross-departmental unit called the “office for talent” as a way to help leading scientists, researchers and others live and work in the UK in the post-Brexit immigration system. The plan, which the Liberal Democrats said was simply trying to make up the damage caused by Brexit, is intended to “ensure excellent customer service across the immigration system”, a government announcement said. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3dMvPq1

Letter signed by over 100 UK psychiatrists says training and practice guides must change More than 100 UK psychiatrists have written to their representative body urging it to root out institutional racism and a colonial mentality in the profession. In an open letter to the new president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Dr Adrian James, who starts in the role on Wednesday, the members say there is a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to put psychiatry at the forefront in tackling systemic racism”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2VzGkXj

Legal recognition would bring nations in line with Scotland and Northern Ireland After 14 years together, Kate Harrison and Christopher Sanderson, both in their 60s, would like to get married. But first they are going to court. They are one of six couples going to the high court next week to try to force a legal recognition of humanist weddings in England and Wales, which would bring the nations in line with Scotland and Northern Ireland. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/31yuqRo

Three asylum seekers at camp near US border test positive for coronavirus ; UN asks for nearly $10bn in aid for Syria; Greece faces ‘huge difficulties’ when flights resume. Follow the latest updates Fauci says new US coronavirus cases could hit 100,000 a day US buys up world stock of key Covid-19 drug remdesivir Jacinda Ardern decries ‘dangerous’ calls to reopen New Zealand borders World map: which countries have the most cases and deaths? 12.45am BST In less serious news from Brazil, municipal authorities in the city of Petropolis said they discovered a speakeasy masquerading as a pet shop. Reuters reports: The shutters were down, but the pub chatter in the midst of a coronavirus quarantine gave the game away: a crowded Brazilian bar under the cover of a pet shop with no pets. Inspectors found 16 patrons drinking beer, none of them wearing a mandatory mask or keeping to social distancing rules. 12.35am BST Brazil has suffered 1,280 more deaths, bringing the country’s conf...

Absence of tourists during coronavirus pandemic has led Nara’s revered deer back to traditional diets and better health Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage While the absence of tourists during the coronavirus pandemic may have deprived Nara’s famous deer of their favourite snack, it has worked wonders for their digestive health. Before the outbreak, millions of tourists descended on the western Japanese city – once the country’s capital – to view its shrines and temples, and feed the estimated 1,300 free-roaming deer in the its main park Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3igyHPq

With clubs shut, thousands of young people are breaking the Covid-19 rules to attend parties organised on social media – and more are being set up every day Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage When Daisy Nook started trending on Twitter on the evening of 13 June, many users of the site thought it was a reference to the popular video game Animal Crossing , which features characters called Daisy and Nook. But Paul Carroll knew better. The 59-year-old police trainer had seen the saucer-eyed teenage girls and lads swigging from cans of beer flooding into Daisy Nook country park, in Greater Manchester, as he took his dogs for a walk that evening. Carroll stared at the revellers in astonishment. Illegal raves simply do not happen in Daisy Nook. It was not a restful evening. The traffic outside Carroll’s house was relentless, as was the whoosh of the nitrous oxide balloons the young people were huffing as they marched through the country park to the rave site, ...

‘People think Bonny is about my father’s death, but he wasn’t dead then – I imagined grief’ I grew up in Witton Gilbert in County Durham and started Prefab Sprout with my brother [Martin, bass] and Michael Salmon, who lived down the street. Michael borrowed a drum kit and Martin and I shared an amplifier. We rehearsed in my dad’s run-down wooden-framed petrol station. We were as rough as can be, but we sounded like a band, at least to ourselves. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/38bH89S

The Trump administration made it harder to export sensitive American technology to Hong Kong, escalating pressure on China as lawmakers in Beijing prepared to hand down a national security law that limits the former British colony’s autonomy. The U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement Monday that the security legislation, which China’s top legislative body approved Tuesday, raised concerns about the transfer of key technology. The Commerce Department said it was suspending regulations allowing special treatment to Hong Kong over things including export license exceptions. “With the Chinese Communist Party’s imposition of new security measures on Hong Kong, the risk that sensitive U.S. technology will be diverted to the People’s Liberation Army or Ministry of State Security has increased, all while undermining the territory’s autonomy,” Ross said, providing little detail on specific impacts. “Further actions to eliminate differential treatment are also being ...

The prime minister appeared to be responding to the opposition leader, who has said keeping the borders closed for months or years is ‘untenable’ Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Jacinda Ardern has decried as “dangerous” her detractors’ calls to open New Zealand’s borders – or present a plan for how she will do so – as the country remains largely free of Covid-19 while the virus spreads abroad. Telling reporters on Tuesday that she had heard “calls for our borders to be opened to the world”, the New Zealand prime minister referred to “a world where the virus is escalating not slowing and not even peaking in some countries yet, where cases exceed 10 million globally and deaths half a million, where countries are extending and returning to lockdown”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2ZkIknA

Over the last few months, we’ve all had to come to terms with R, the ‘effective reproduction number’ , as a measure of how well we are dealing with the coronavirus outbreak. But, as Nicola Davis finds out from Dr Adam Kucharski, R is a complicated statistical concept that relies on many factors and, under some conditions, can be misleading Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2YHc2ns

Turkey’s decision to secularise the building was symbolic – so is Erdoğan’s support for reversing it For 900 years, Muslim caliphs and sultans took it upon themselves to fulfil the Prophet Mohammed’s prophecy that a great conqueror would one day bring the holy city of Constantinople into Islam’s embrace. In 1453, when Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II finally succeeded in breaking through the Byzantine city’s walls, he immediately made his way to the largest cathedral in Christendom. As sunlight glittered off gold mosaics of the Virgin Mary and incense smoke drifted up into the building’s vast dome, he fell on his knees and prayed. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2ZlaI94

A national security law for Hong Kong was passed on Tuesday by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, amid international criticism and fear among pro-democracy figures in the former British colony. The law prohibits acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. The full text of the legislation has not yet been released, and even Hong Kong’s top official, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, acknowledged in a press conference shortly after the passage that she had not seen a full draft. Local media reports that the law is expected to come into effect on July 1, the 23rd anniversary of the resumption of Chinese sovereignty over the territory. Beijing announced plans at the end of May to bypass Hong Kong’s lawmaking process and implement the laws for the enclave after Hong Kong failed to fulfill its constitutional obligation to do so. Alan Leong , the chairman of the pro-democracy Civic Party and the former chairman of th...

First minister’s comments come after public health expert said people arriving from England could also be asked to self-isolate Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Nicola Sturgeon has said she cannot rule out introducing quarantining or screening for travellers coming from England if infection rates rise south of the border. The first minister said her government intended to eliminate coronavirus from Scotland after disclosing there had been no deaths in Scottish hospitals from confirmed Covid-19 for four days, with only 10 people now in intensive care. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3ikcd03

Critics say the measure, which criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, erodes Hong Kong’s autonomy Beijing has reportedly passed a sweeping national security law for Hong Kong that critics fear will crush political freedoms and pave the way for China to cement its control over the semi-autonomous territory. Less than 40 days after Chinese lawmakers first proposed imposing an anti-sedition law on Hong Kong, the standing committee of the National People’s Congress, on Tuesday approved the measure, criminalising secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. Several Hong Kong media organisations, citing unnamed sources, reported the law was passed unanimously by the committee. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2YIUtTY

G4 strain has already infected 10% of industry’s workers in China but no evidence yet that it can be passed from human to human Researchers in China have discovered a new type of swine flu that is capable of triggering a pandemic, according to a study in the US science journal PNAS. Named G4, it is genetically descended from the H1N1 strain that caused a pandemic in 2009. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2BmdGlG

Sharks found in nearly every part of the cape, and are gathering there in summer in increasing numbers Cape Cod’s beaches and towns may be quieter because of the coronavirus pandemic, but officials are reminding visitors ahead of the 4 July holiday that the famous Massachusetts destination remains a popular getaway for other summertime travellers: great white sharks. Great whites have been coming to the Cape in greater numbers each summer to prey on the region’s large seal colonies. Most tend to favour the Atlantic ocean-facing beaches where seals tend to congregate, but researchers have found them off nearly every part of the Cape. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2BkBwy4

Move comes on the heels of state reporting nearly 4,000 new Covid-19 cases Sunday, its largest one-day caseload so far The governor of Arizona has ordered bars, movie theaters, gyms and water parks to shut down, in a dramatic move that echoed similar efforts by states around the country to roll back plans for reopening. The order from the Republican governor, Doug Ducey, came on Monday and went into effect immediately, and will last for at least 30 days. Ducey also also ordered public schools to delay the start of the classes at least until 17 August. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2CUyaT5

Show won’t go on for 41 venues in New York’s world-famous theatrical centre, in a devastating blow for the industry Broadway shows will not return this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the industry’s trade association. All 41 venues in New York’s world-famous theatrical centre have been closed since March as the city entered lockdown to halt the spread of Covid-19. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/31zVu2R

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Former officials question David Frost’s suitability for role as neutral adviser Security experts and opposition MPs on Monday condemned David Frost’s appointment as Boris Johnson’s national security adviser, arguing that his political status and lack of direct experience would undermine his effectiveness. Lord Ricketts, the first person to be appointed to the role when it was created in 2010, said it was his job to provide “politically neutral advice” to the prime minister, allowing the politicians to “work out what they wanted to do”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Zifjsw

Exclusive: unpublished evidence sent to government review into decline in prosecutions Case studies: snapshot highlights challenges rape victims face Rape cases where a woman was held at knife point, a film of an attack was found on a suspect’s phone and an alleged perpetrator admitted the offence in text messages are among those dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service, documents shared with the Guardian reveal. The details have emerged in papers that are to be submitted to an ongoing government review of how rape is treated throughout the criminal justice system. They include statements from dozens of rape victims whose cases were not prosecuted and an account by a CPS whistleblower. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/31pPRUJ

Joseph McCann freed after probation policy to consider alternatives to prison recall Significant failings by prison and probation staff, and a policy of not recalling high risk prisoners to alleviate pressure on a growing prison population, saw serial rapist Joseph McCann mistakenly freed from jail to attack 11 women and children, a review has found. The damning report by HM Inspectorate of Probation highlights eight missed opportunities to recall McCann, 34, a high risk IPP (imprisonment for public protection) prisoner before he was released, following a burglary offence, in February 2019. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2VwKyPv

Former Liverpool defender in stable condition Derby confirm player was victim of ‘unprovoked attack’ The former Liverpool defender Andre Wisdom is in hospital after being stabbed and robbed during a street attack. Related: Groundbreaking report reveals racial bias in English football commentary Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/38b2yEa

UK locks down city of Leicester ; wearing masks to be mandatory in Kansas; Iran reports record daily deaths. Follow the latest news Global report: Covid-19 deaths pass half a million WHO team to search for coronavirus origin in China as chief says ‘worst to come’ Battleground states becoming Covid-19 hotspots as Trump trails Biden See all our coronavirus coverage 12.53am BST Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York on Monday called on Donald Trump to “put a mask on it” and sign an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings in public. Cuomo told the president, who has consistently refused to wear a mask in public, to “lead by example” and wear one himself to stop the surge in new coronavirus cases. “We did it two months ago in this state,” said Cuomo, adding that other states that initially resisted mask mandates were now requiring them, despite some backlash. Related: Cuomo tells Trump to 'put a mask on it' as New York reconsiders indoor dining 12.45am BST Th...

Government must take urgent action to prevent even bigger crisis in future, charity warns Lockdown has been devastating for mental health and the worst could be yet to come, a leading charity has said. The mental health charity Mind says a survey has revealed that lockdown has had a dramatic impact on the nation’s mental health, warning that unless action is taken now, the problem could grow. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3iizrDM

Charity says those who cannot safely return to workplaces should get financial help Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage People with underlying health conditions should have the right to continue working from home as lockdown restrictions are eased, or be given financial support if that is not possible, the UK’s leading diabetes charity has said. Diabetes UK said lives could be put at risk because the protections for clinically vulnerable workers were inadequate, as it was up to employers to decide what constituted “reasonable adjustments” to keep people safe. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3igkFwX

Research suggests social housing construction risks falling to wartime levels Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage More than 300,000 planned new homes may remain on the drawing board over the next five years, deepening the UK’s housing crisis, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, new research predicts. Stalled construction and the recession will slash the number of new homes being built, with 85,000 predicted to be lost this financial year, according to a study by the property agency Savills with the housing charity Shelter. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3dMunnv

Jenna Karvunidis accidentally created a monster. Now she argues that the concept of gender is limiting In 2008, while pregnant with her eldest child, Bianca, Jenna Karvunidis threw a party at which she announced the baby’s sex by cutting into a cake filled with pink icing. She wrote about the event on her blog, and her post went viral. Soon “gender-reveal parties” became a massive trend, one that has come to involve increasingly extravagant choreographed “reveals” and sometimes even deadly stunts. One such party led to a 47,000-acre wildfire in Arizona; another involved explosives that killed a soon-to-be grandmother . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2VITZvx

Sir Mark Sedwill has been blamed by No 10 aides for failure to control the pandemic … worldwide deaths hit 500,000 … the plot to kill Edward VIII Morning everyone. I’m Martin Farrer and these are the top stories to help you start your week. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2ZhLoki

The singer was awarded the humanitarian award by Michelle Obama, who said ‘her activism demands justice for Black lives’ Beyoncé has been awarded the humanitarian award at the BET Awards, using her speech to encourage viewers to vote “like our life depends on it” in the upcoming US election. Michelle Obama highlighted Beyonce’s commitment to the Black community before presenting her with the award, saying: “You can see it in everything she does, from her music that gives voice to Black joy and Black pain, to her activism that demands justice for Black lives.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/31phf5a

Specialists argue that spending on NHS is as important as counter-terrorism measures Leading psychiatrists have urged the government to boost public resources for youth mental health to tackle an association between depression or anxiety and sympathies with violent protest and terrorism. Edgar Jones and Kamaldeep Bhui, professors of psychiatry at King’s College London and the University of Oxford, warned that the underfunding of mental health services has left young people with PTSD, anxiety and depression susceptible to a range of poor outcomes, including radicalisation, which can culminate in violent extremism. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2VoU9aT

Authorities prevent people leaving their homes in province surrounding Beijing in measures reminiscent of Wuhan restrictions Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Authorities have put almost half a million people in Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing, under lockdown as a fresh outbreak in the capital continues to fan fears of a second wave of the coronavirus. Anxin county, about 145km (90 miles) from Beijing, has “sealed off” residential areas and restricted people from leaving their homes. Only one person from each household can leave once a day with a special pass to get necessities such as food or medicine, according to the measures announced and put into immediate effect on Sunday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2BmxPIn

A growing number of US kids are rejecting traditional gender identities in favor of being non-binary, but many feel misunderstood and face prejudice Who decides your gender? A growing number of American kids say it is up to them – and are rejecting the traditional markers of “male” or “female” in favor of identifying as “genderqueer”, which refers to people who don’t fall squarely within the gender binary. Stars like Indya Moore have come out as non-binary and use they/them pronouns, and non-binary characters are increasingly featured in breakout TV shows, such as Asia Kate Dillon’s role in Billions. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2BNwTMW

Patience wears thin over slow pace of economic help for businesses and individuals hit by hardship Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The queue at a soup kitchen in the Trastevere district of Rome moves at a much slower pace than it did before Italy’s coronavirus outbreak, owing to physical distancing rules. But it is also much longer. “We have gone from serving around 300 meals at a time to 500,” said Lucia Lucchini, who manages the kitchen run by the Catholic charity Sant’Egidio. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2AfQEMQ

Scandals including Gucci’s blackface jumper point to colonialist ideas about identity How culpable is Italy in fashion’s current race crisis? Very, according to black members of the Italian fashion industry. When the media cites examples of fashion houses co-opting centuries-old racist imagery and making it new (Gucci’s blackface jumper , Prada’s golliwog trinket , Dolce and Gabbana’s pizza advert ) one commonality is often overlooked: Gucci, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana are Italian companies. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3gc1mTX

Health authorities expect numbers to get worse in coming days and are considering further lockdowns Follow our Australian coronavirus liveblog Download the free Guardian app to get the most important news notifications Victoria has recorded its highest daily jump in locally acquired Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began, with 75 people testing positive and only one confirmed to be a returned international traveller. “I think it will get worse before it gets better,” the state’s chief health officer, Brett Sutton, said. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Bj5KSe

Leaders of both parties pressed on Sunday for answers from the White House about reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin had put bounties on U.S. troops in Afghanistan and that the U.S. had taken no action in response. Democrats called for hearings to be held. In his first comment on the matter, President Donald Trump tweeted Sunday that “nobody briefed or told me” about the “so-called attacks,” a comment that his former national security adviser termed “remarkable.” The New York Times reported Friday on the alleged actions by Russian military intelligence — paying Taliban-linked militias to kill American and British troops — and that Trump and other top White House officials had been briefed on the matter months ago. Major elements were also reported by the Washington Post. In a follow-up story Sunday, the Times wrote that commandos and spies on the ground in Afghanistan had reported their findings to superiors in January and that they had first grown suspicious ...

Silent protest ends in scuffles with police as Beijing prepares to approve controversial legislation Hong Kong police have arrested at least 53 people after scuffles erupted during a relatively peaceful protest against planned national security legislation to be implemented by the mainland Chinese government. Armed riot police were present as a crowd of several hundred moved from Jordan to Mong Kok in the Kowloon district on Sunday, staging what was intended as a “silent protest” against the planned law. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3dHBOfB

Region that has so far avoided worst of outbreak still suffering economic fallout, with reports of theft and need for food handouts soaring A quarter of businesses in the Pacific are not confident they will survive the coronavirus pandemic despite the region largely avoiding the pandemic health crises seen elsewhere, a survey of businesses across the region shows. Ninety per cent of businesses have lost money, and many are already struggling with the effects of recent natural disasters. Sixty-five per cent have been “negatively impacted” by weather, including extreme rainfall or temperatures, flooding, drought or rising sea levels over the past year, a further survey by Pacific Trade Invest Australia found. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2BP7hiC

Reni Eddo-Lodge has become the first black British author to top the UK bestseller list with her 2017 book Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race. In an exclusive interview with the Observer’s Nosheen Iqbal she talks about global discussions on racism following the death of George Floyd The death of George Floyd in the US last month has ignited conversations around the globe about race, racism and white privilege. On social media, people have been sharing reading lists, offering suggestions of books to help others understand how structural racism infects our society. The book that comes up time and again is Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge . The resurgence of interest in it has made her the first black British author to top the UK bestseller chart. The Observer’s Nosheen Iqbal spoke to Reni about her response to the recent surge in interest in talking about race and whether this new impetus will result in decisive change. She tell...

(ROME) — The world surpassed two sobering coronavirus milestones Sunday — 500,000 confirmed deaths, 10 million confirmed cases — and hit another high mark for daily new infections as governments that attempted reopenings continued to backtrack and warn that worse news could be yet to come. “COVID-19 has taken a very swift and very dangerous turn in Texas over just the past few weeks,” said Gov. Greg Abbott, who allowed businesses to start reopening in early May but on Friday shut down bars and limited restaurant dining amid a spike in cases. California Gov. Gavin Newsom rolled back reopenings of bars in seven counties, including Los Angeles. He ordered them to close immediately and urged eight other counties to issue local health orders mandating the same. More Florida beaches will be closing again to avoid further spread of the new coronavirus as officials try to tamp down on large gatherings amid a spike in COVID-19 cases. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said interactions am...