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(SAO PAULO) — Major social media companies are taking aim at Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s dismissal of social distancing, joining others in the country who have lined up against his controversial stance regarding the new coronavirus. Facebook and Instagram removed posts by the far-right leader Monday night that showed Bolsonaro walking around outside capital Brasilia on Sunday and mingling with groups. It was yet another affront to World Health Organization recommendations to self-isolate as a means to contain the pandemic. The companies’ move came one day after Twitter also removed some Bolsonaro posts. Facebook, which owns Instagram, said in a statement that it removes content “that violates our community standards, which do not allow disinformation that might cause real damage to people.” Twitter justified its decision by saying in a statement that its rules prohibit content that runs “against public health information given by official sources and can put peo...

From lending a hand to local charities to bolstering the efforts of the NHS, there are many ways to get involved All our coronavirus coverage I want to help. Where can I find about about volunteering? There are plenty of ways to get involved. Many local charities will be keen to attract new volunteers – especially as older stalwarts are forced to stay at home. Or there are national schemes, such as NHS volunteer responders. Some bigger charities, such as the Trussell Trust food bank network , have set up their own online schemes to match volunteers with food banks in their area. Local volunteer centres and organisations such as Volunteering Matters and Do-it can link you up with charities close to where you live. Reach Volunteering will match people with specialist professional skills, such IT expertise, to charities who need their help. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2wxTefq

Authorities in China will release tally of asymptomatic patients and order them into quarantine for 14 days as infections rise again Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Chinese authorities have shifted their focus to tackling “silent”, or asymptomatic, carriers of the coronavirus as part of the next phase of the pandemic, amid concern among US health chiefs that a quarter of patients do not suffer symptoms. The National Health Commission in China said it would start releasing a tally of asymptomatic patients from Wednesday and would order those cases into quarantine for 14 days, after the mainland witnessed its first rise in infections in five days. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2JuSLxb

Three weeks on from start of lockdown, Italians are seeing that everything is not all right Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage A few days into Italy’s lockdown, people across the country sang and played music from their balconies as they came together to say “Everything will be alright” ( Andrà tutto bene ). Three weeks on, the singing has stopped and social unrest is mounting as a significant part of the population, especially in the poorer south, realise that everything is not all right. “They are no longer singing or dancing on the balconies,” said Salvatore Melluso, a priest at Caritas Diocesana di Napoli, a church-run charity in Naples. “Now people are more afraid – not so much of the virus, but of poverty. Many are out of work and hungry. There are now long queues at food banks.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3dHCxyB

Returnees flood across the border after lockdown leads to loss of jobs, amid warnings that influx threatens health catastrophe Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage More than 130,000 Afghans have fled the coronavirus outbreak convulsing Iran to return home to Afghanistan amid fears they are bringing new infections with them to the conflict-ridden and impoverished country. The huge spike in Afghans crossing the porous border from Iran, in one of the biggest cross-border movements of the pandemic, has led to mounting fears in the humanitarian community over the potential impact of new infections carried from Iran, one of the countries worst affected by the virus. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/39An2oQ

An unusually sombre president says up to 240,000 could die … UK care homes face being ‘overrun’ … Nick Grimshaw on anxiety, Flack and paparazzi Morning everyone. This is Martin Farrer bringing you all the news you need this Wednesday morning. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2ypHGLI

Food banks and charities also warn that elderly and vulnerable people are already going hungry The government is anticipating that hundreds of thousands of those identified as being at high risk from coronavirus will not take up an offer of emergency food supplies , it has emerged, as charities warned that other vulnerable people were going hungry. Questions over the efficacy of the government’s scheme came amid rows between councils and ministers over the volume and nutritional composition of the free food packages, which are being distributed to people with cancer, heart problems and other respiratory conditions who are advised to “shield” themselves at home for 12 weeks. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3bEbr9O

Apps, which allow people to move around after lockdown, have become an integral part of Chinese authorities’ management of citizens Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage As millions of people in China emerge from weeks of lockdown, their freedom of movement is largely dependent on phone apps. The “health code” service – run on the ubiquitous platforms Alipay and WeChat and developed for the Chinese government – give users colour-coded designations based on their health status and travel history, and a QR code that can be scanned by authorities. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3dJTHvB

Verdict expected after four years of protracted talks as production of the fossil fuel fell to record lows of 2.9m tonnes Ministers will decide this month whether to give the green light to plans for the UK’s largest coalmine after years of fierce opposition from environmentalists. A letter from the government’s lawyers, seen by the Guardian, said the government will draw a line on the protracted battle to develop an opencast mine at Highthorn in Northumberland by giving a verdict on the plans by Tuesday 7 April. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Uvp59s

‘Pop-up’ maternity units would help avoid coronavirus risks, say experts Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Hotels should be used as “pop-up” birth centres with retired and student midwives drafted in to support NHS staff, maternity experts recommend in a bid to help expectant mothers stay away from hospitals amid the coronavirus pandemic. Related: Midwife shortage doubles as NHS staff diverted to tend Covid-19 patients Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2WUpUue

Migration to European breeding grounds from Africa is harder due to evolutionary changes The nightingale was feted by John Keats as a “light-winged Dryad of the trees”. But the much-celebrated small bird with a beautiful song may be increasingly endangered because its wings are getting shorter. The nightingale makes an epic journey from sub-Saharan Africa to breed in Europe each summer but there are barely 7,000 nesting pairs left in England. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3414n4t

Violence and humiliation used to police coronavirus curfews around globe, often affecting the poorest and more vulnerable Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage As coronavirus lockdowns have been expanded globally, billions of people have found that they are now faced with unprecedented restrictions. Police across the world have been given licence to control behaviour in a way that would normally be extreme even for an authoritarian state. Related: ‘We can’t go back to normal’: how will coronavirus change the world? Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2wIAYQz

Carrier with thousands onboard is docked in Guam, which is struggling to handle local caseload of Covid-19 infections Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The captain of a US aircraft carrier, with 5,000 people onboard, including an unconfirmed number who have tested positive for Covid-19, has called for help to save the lives of his sailors. The US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt was in the Pacific when the navy reported its first coronavirus case a week ago. It has since pulled into port in Guam, a US island territory in the western Pacific. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2wVmoF8

President offers unusually sombre press conference with projections that take physical distancing measures into account Coronavirus – live US updates Live global updates See all our coronavirus coverage Donald Trump has warned America to brace for a “very, very painful two weeks” as the White House projected that the coronavirus pandemic could claim 100,000 to 240,000 lives, even if current social distancing guidelines are maintained. Striking an unusually sombre tone at the start a marathon two-hour briefing, the US president defended his early handling of the crisis and displayed models that, he said, justified his decision to keep much of the economy shut down. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3bHnFi6

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by coverage of the pandemic, try this daily list of non-coronavirus articles that our readers spent the most time with In this series we’re listing the previous day’s top articles by reading time. You can read a little more about how and why we’re doing it here . Today’s list is for Monday 30 March. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3dDjtSa

Exclusive: EU minutes seen by the Guardian reveal British official took part in eight EU health security meetings on coronavirus crisis British officials took part in four meetings where EU projects to bulk-buy medical kit were discussed – the earliest in January, according to official minutes that heap doubt on government claims of missing an email. Last week Downing Street claimed that it failed to take part in an EU scheme to source life-saving ventilators and other kit to treat coronavirus because it accidentally missed the deadline. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2WQJc3H

Insurers using small print to wriggle out of covering customers who thought they were safe Insurers and warranty providers appear to be rewriting their terms and conditions to avoid payouts during the coronavirus pandemic. RP of London accepted an invitation from her online travel agent to buy cancellation protection when she booked a hotel room last December. The cover, provided by RoomerFlex , promises an 80% refund for cancellations “for any reason, no questions asked” which was a relief when Covid-19 put paid to RP’s trip next month. The part about no questions is true. RoomerFlex has decided to void all claims, regardless of the cause, due to “unprecedented” circumstances. Pandemics are, it seems, a reason the small print forgot to mention. Since RoomerFlex works in partnership with a number of travel booking platforms, a large number of customers are finding that the only refund they will get is their £8 premium – which RoomerFlex says will take up to 150 days to process. Con...

Estimated net worth of founder has increased by more than $4bn since coronavirus crisis started From nursery school sing-alongs to FTSE 100 boardrooms and even UK cabinet meetings hosted by the poorly prime minister , a socially distanced world is reconvening in cyberspace with the help of Silicon Valley video conferencing app Zoom . As governments across the world have placed their citizens on lockdown, downloads of video conferencing apps have soared to record highs and the companies behind them have seen their share prices rise while the rest of the global stock market tanks. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/344HywY

Contrary to what Donald Trump would like to believe, such a pandemic was predicted last year Events like the Covid-19 pandemic, the US housing-market crash of 2007-09 and the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, are often called “black swans”. The term is meant to suggest that no one could have seen them coming. But, in fact, these episodes each involved known unknowns, rather than what the former US secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld famously called “ unknown unknowns ”. After all, in each case, knowledgable analysts were aware not only that such a thing could happen but also that it was likely to happen eventually. Although the precise nature and timing of these events were not predictable with high probability, the severity of the consequences were. Had policymakers considered the risks and taken more preventive steps in advance, they might have averted or mitigated disaster. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2xxo9bQ

Recycling Association warns of serious impact on supplies of food and medicine packaging Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The UK could be hit by a national cardboard shortage as more and more local councils suspend their regular recycling collections owing to pressures caused by the coronavirus outbreak , the industry’s trade body has warned. The Recycling Association said it has huge concerns about a looming European and even worldwide shortage of fibre – used paper and cardboard – which is used to manufacture millions of cardboard boxes essential for food and medical supplies distribution. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2QYbzJz

More than 8% of infected over-50s end up in hospital … new test can spot DNA of 50 cancer types in bloodstream … and 35 years of Ramsay St Hello, Warren Murray with you again, and don’t be surprised if you start seeing teddy bears appearing in people’s windows . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2QSoTPx

Hannah Devlin speaks with Prof David Smith about the various ways in which clinicians can test whether or not someone is infected with Sars-CoV-2. And, following the recent announcement that the UK government has bought millions of antibody tests, explores what these might be able to tell us Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2JtBHrv

While isolation may protect older people in the coronavirus pandemic, it is exposing them to another, less understood challenge: loneliness Coronavirus – live US updates Live global updates See all our coronavirus coverage “Loneliness is not only a grave threat to individual welfare and public health but one of the most under-appreciated risk factors for premature mortality,” says bioethicist and physician Jacob Appel. Along with smoking and obesity, loneliness ranks among what Appel calls the “triad of potentially preventable causes of early death”. Around the world, the coronavirus has predominantly claimed the lives of those over 60, which is why strict isolation of elders has become a feature of American efforts to contain the pandemic. Although those younger than 55 represent 38% of ICU cases in the US, the elderly make up a vast majority of coronavirus deaths, particularly those over 85 or those with underlying conditions (which applies to about four out of five elders). W...

Fund must be set up to provide digital access and opportunity for parents to take leave, IPPR urges See all our coronavirus coverage A leading thinktank has called on the government to set up an emergency “ digital access fund” to provide tablets or other digital devices to households where children cannot get online. With schools across England closed indefinitely as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, lessons have gone online, making it difficult for those children without suitable technology to keep up with their studies. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/39wNVdi

Warning of starvation risk as lockdowns leave rough sleepers without help and vulnerable to police fines Homeless people in major European cities are increasingly going hungry during the coronavirus pandemic and suffering in the enforcement of the lockdown, with rough sleepers being issued with police fines for being outside. A shortfall in protective masks, gloves and hand gels for social workers across the continent has forced the closure of the day centres, food banks and soup kitchens on which people rely to keep themselves healthy and fed. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2JrCd9j

Capital’s population told to avoid bars and restaurants for two weeks as coronavirus cases rise Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Weeks after urging them to forgo cherry blossom parties, the governor of Tokyo has told residents to ditch another national pastime – karaoke – as calls grow for Japan to take tougher measures to stem a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases. Yuriko Koike said Tokyo’s 14 million people should avoid visits to bars and restaurants, and put karaoke sessions on hold until 12 April, while a senior medical official called on the government to declare a state of emergency before it is “too late”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2QYREdf

Number of cases may far exceed official figures amid claims of quarantining by non-state actors Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Health and other officials focused on Lebanon, Iraq and Syria fear the numbers of people infected with coronavirus far exceed the official figures disclosed by all three governments, and claim non-state actors are quarantining entire communities of patients in areas outside state control. Officials, including bureaucrats, aid workers and international observers, who spoke with the Guardian over the past week say parts of Lebanon and Iraq in particular are likely to be holding thousands more infected people, and that a lack of disclosure poses a serious health risk over the next three months. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/39ry53T

State aid will keep many businesses afloat, and if the right conditions are attached it could transform society • Coronavirus – latest updates • See all our coronavirus coverage As Easyjet grounds its flights and Richard Branson asks his considerable airline workforce to take eight weeks of unpaid leave , it is plain that the state will soon step in. Rudimentary details of such action are already out there: workers furloughed rather than fired, with the government paying 80% of their wages. This, rather than putting money directly into the hands of the individual, makes sense: it will be better for any economic recovery if people with jobs keep them, if companies don’t go bust. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3bJra7L

Actor who stars as Cat says sci-fi series, which debuted 32 years ago, was ahead of its time The long-running British sitcom Red Dwarf should be held up as “a bastion of diversity in television”, one of its stars has said. Speaking to the Radio Times to promote a feature-length episode of the show, to be aired 32 years after the series debuted, Danny John-Jules, who plays Cat, said the comedy’s unique format and diverse casting was “totally ahead of its time”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2UtVZHN

Jaya Kumari worked as a cook and cleaner for a couple in an affluent New Delhi neighborhood until two weeks ago. She lost her job when the family she worked for decided to leave the crowded capital and move to their hometown 200 miles away as the coronavirus began to spread in the city. Then, on March 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now Kumari and her husband, a taxi driver, are stuck indoors in New Delhi with no income and no way to earn money. “We will use up the little we have saved to get through this,” she says. “What happens after that, I leave it to God.” Modi’s hasty announcement of the unprecedented lockdown gave hundreds of millions of Indians less than four hours to prepare. In an address to the nation, he said “Forget about leaving home for the next 21 days. If you cross the threshold of your house, you will invite the virus home.” It has thrown much of the country into chaos. Mod...

Teddies appear in windows across the country – and the world – in a bid to entertain isolated children Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage A nationwide teddy bear hunt is helping keep New Zealand’s children occupied during the country’s month-long coronavirus lockdown, with tens of thousands of homes taking part, including the prime minister. New Zealand has more than 600 confirmed cases of coronavirus and is in the midst of a quarantine period, one of the strictest enforcements anywhere in the world. Going outside is prohibited unless for essential supplies such as food and medicine, or a brief respite of exercise and fresh air, taken locally. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3dCT3js

There were days when fear threatened to crush both of us. In these tough times I’d like to pass on some tools for survival None of us know how to do this. In many ways the fact that we are all struggling together gives us the chance to be open about how hard this is. The whole world is being asked to change, to distance ourselves, to hibernate, with little chance to prepare. There are many who have lost jobs. Many of us face sickness. None of us know how to do this. You are not the only one who is scared. We are all suffering from some level of adjustment disorder. I can’t speak with authority about the way governments and societies will meet these enormous challenges but I can offer a tiny personal roadmap for coping with really tough times. I scratched it out during a camping trip that was absolute hell. The next bit is hard, because the location of the camping trip turns everyone off, but stick with me. I want to pass on some simple tools for survival during times when everything ...

Fox News Breaking News Alert Coronavirus deaths in US hit 3,000 03/30/20 8:05 PM

OpenAI Is Hiring for Supercomputing by sama | on Hacker News .

‘If I’m not here, I’m a mess’: Kristy Busuttil runs a taekwondo studio in Melbourne. Coronavirus has just forced her to close its doors Postcards from the pandemic is a new series that looks at how everyday Australians are coping with immense changes coronavirus has brought to their lives. Kristy Busuttil is a strong person. A Commonwealth gold medallist in the Korean martial art of taekwondo, compact and super-fit, a black belt since she was 14 years old. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3awT3zs

President’s press event features leaders from Honeywell, Procter & Gamble, and MyPillow as US cases climb Donald Trump was accused on Monday of turning his daily White House coronavirus briefing into an advertising spot for corporate allies, even as the number of US cases topped 160,000. The president paraded several company leaders in the White House Rose Garden, starting with Mike Lindell, the chief executive of MyPillow, who has become a regular cheerleader for Trump at his campaign rallies. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3dGm11M

Global cases pass 750,000; Moscow locks down 12m people; Isis prisoners riot in Syria. Follow the latest updates Coronavirus latest: at a glance New study reveals increased risks from middle age US coronavirus updates – live Australia coronavirus updates – live See all our coronavirus coverage 1.23am BST UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock warned the Security Council on Monday that the 10 cases of Covid-19 and one death confirmed in Syria are just the tip of the iceberg, and judging from other countries a devastating impact can be expected on vulnerable communities. Lowcock said: “All efforts to prevent, detect and respond to Covid-19 are impeded by Syria’s fragile health system,” noting only around half of the country’s hospitals and primary health care facilities were fully functional at the end of 2019. 1.18am BST In Colombia, the police have come up with a novel way to dissuade people from leaving their homes. An empty coffin, decorated with flowers and and a the word ...

Human trials will begin imminently – but even if they go well and a cure is found, there are many barriers before global immunisation is feasible Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Even at their most effective – and draconian – containment strategies have only slowed the spread of the respiratory disease Covid-19. With the World Health Organization finally declaring a pandemic, all eyes have turned to the prospect of a vaccine, because only a vaccine can prevent people from getting sick. About 35 companies and academic institutions are racing to create such a vaccine, at least four of which already have candidates they have been testing in animals. The first of these – produced by Boston-based biotech firm Moderna – will enter human trials imminently . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Joon7B

As Western NGOs remove staff and the US strips support, an influx of Afghans from Iran could add pressure on an already depleted medical system Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage In the Guzargah reception centre for returnees and repatriates in Herat, Afghanistan, 17-year-old Yunos rests on a thin mattress in a small, empty room. The previous night fatigued him. He spent it sleeping rough in the desert along with thousands of other Afghans, awaiting the opening of the Iran-Afghanistan border. The frigid desert air froze him to the bone and hunger disturbed his sleep. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Ur1B5m

Timeless classics, hilarious capers and new adventures: a tots to teens reading list that even parents can enjoy Of course, good parents would have already compiled a reading list ready for the day when they are holed up for an unspecified number of weeks with their beloved offspring in the face of a global pandemic unprecedented in modern times. The rest of us, however, will need to play a little catch-up once we’ve finished setting up our makeshift home offices, explaining to aged parents that now is the time to keep calm but not carry on, shopping for immunocompromised neighbours, preparing slipshod lesson plans and secretly sobbing in abject terror under the stairs every two hours or so. So – blow your nose, wipe your eyes, wash your hands and let’s get to work! Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2UqibT4

With flights, accommodation and tours disrupted, we answer your most pressing questions Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage In the face of a world travel shutdown, Money readers have swamped the Consumer Champions email with requests for advice and help. Here we try to answer the most common questions. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3arMcr2

Photographs taken in Berlin before and since the coronavirus outbreak began reveal an increasingly familiar emptying of urban social spaces The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Germany has risen to 57,298 and 455 people have died of the disease here, statistics from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed on Monday. Germany has been testing around 120,000 people a week, according to NPR , which is partly why this daily rise in confirmed cases is so high. Germany’s testing rate has also led to its mortality rate seeming lower than in other countries – with more tested, fewer people as a proportion of confirmed cases are dying. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2yjKObY

People placed in hotels to self-isolate for 14 days as part of a government effort to contain coronavirus say they are not being permitted to leave rooms or open windows Sign up for Guardian Australia’s daily coronavirus email Follow Australia coronavirus live news and updates Follow live global coronavirus updates Dinner at the five-star InterContinental hotel in Sydney is a plastic container of “unidentifiable food”. The sauce is lukewarm but chunks of meat are still frozen inside. For Paula Lemmon, who has multiple serious food allergies, two small containers of chopped tomato and cucumber are the only meals she has been able to eat in almost 24 hours since arriving back in Australia and being placed in hotel quarantine. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/33VkTD2

For years there has been a stubborn reluctance to adopt a more multidisciplinary approach With the coronavirus devastating one economy after another, the economics profession – and thus the analytical underpinnings for sound policymaking and crisis management – is having to play catchup. Of particular concern are the economics of viral contagion, of fear and of “circuit breakers”. The more that economic thinking advances to meet changing realities, the better will be the analysis that informs the policy response. That response is set to be both novel and inevitably costly. Governments and central banks are pursuing unprecedented measures to mitigate the global downturn, lest a now-certain global recession gives way to a depression (already an uncomfortably high risk). As they do, we will likely see a further erosion of the distinction between mainstream economics in advanced economies and in developing economies. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3bzKmVd

Coronavirus has mercilessly exposed the damage years of austerity and shrinking of the state have wreaked Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Last week, as the nation engaged in a coordinated applause for the NHS and its workers on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic, there was, in the middle of a profound sense of community, a jarring moment: Boris Johnson emerged from No 10 and began clapping, along with Rishi Sunak . The prime minister punctuated his applause with awkward exclamations: “We’ll keep supporting you in any way we can.” At one point he turned to Sunak, “Isn’t that right, Rishi?” to which the chancellor replied, “Whatever you need, that’s what you’re going to get!” It all had the air of a friend who had habitually ignored you, then one day unexpectedly needed you, and so returned with empty gestures of affection. Austerity has already claimed lives, but coronavirus deaths are not as easy to style out Continue reading... from The Gua...

UK prime minister’s refusal to criticise Amazon fires and sharp rise in deforestation praised by Brazilian ambassador Boris Johnson was personally thanked by the Brazilian government for refusing to support European action over the Amazon fires, according to documents obtained by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. As the rainforest burned last summer – fuelled by a sharp rise in deforestation that critics blame partly on President Jair Bolsonaro’s agenda – Johnson criticised a threat by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, to block the EU’s Mercosur trade deal with Brazil. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2WTYncs

Neal Maxwell wants trade to go from 50,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year to zero by 2040 A builder from Merseyside has launched a project that aims to remove plastic from the British construction industry within two decades. Neal Maxwell, who has worked in the trade for more than 30 years, co-founded the non-profit organisation Changing Streams after a trip to the Arctic. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3au0wPY

A summary of the biggest developments in the global coronavirus outbreak Follow our latest coronavirus blog for live news and updates Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include: Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3aERfEV

Governments ban entry to foreigners and announce quarantine measures as Donald Trump says keeping US deaths to 100,000 would be ‘very good’ Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Japan and South Korea are poised to tighten restrictions on overseas visitors in renewed efforts to prevent “imported” cases of the coronavirus, as American authorities warned that the US could face 200,000 deaths . Japan will expand its entry ban to include people travelling from the US, China, South Korea and most of Europe, local media reported on Monday. The measure will apply to foreign nationals who have been to any of the listed regions within 14 days of arriving in Japan. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2xwXxHN

New law means Viktor Orbán could get carte blanche to rule by decree, critics warn Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Hungary is set to pass a new law on coronavirus that includes jail terms for spreading misinformation as critics warn that the nationalist prime minister Viktor Orbán could be given carte blanche to rule by decree , with no clear time limit. Hungary’s parliament, in which Orbán’s Fidesz party has a two-thirds majority, looks set to pass the bill on Monday in spite of opposition from other political parties, who had demanded a time limit or sunset clause on the legislation. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3axHic8

Australian Dr Daniel Reardon ended up in hospital after inserting magnets in his nostrils while building a necklace that warns you when you touch your face Sign up for Guardian Australia’s daily coronavirus email Follow live global coronavirus updates An Australian astrophysicist has been admitted to hospital after getting four magnets stuck up his nose in an attempt to invent a device that stops people touching their faces during the coronavirus outbreak. Dr Daniel Reardon, a research fellow at Melbourne’s Swinburne University, was building a necklace that sounds an alarm on facial contact, when the mishap occurred on Thursday night. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2w2uA6i

Stark warning as NHS staff set up pressure over lack of PPE … Trump says 100,000 deaths could be a ‘very good job’ … enjoy a virtual holiday to world’s top sights Morning everyone. I’m Martin Farrer and these are the top stories this morning. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2UOiHJh

Ambitious national programme is needed to support artists and institutions, says Serpentine Galleries’ artistic director An ambitious multimillion-pound public art project is needed to support cultural institutions during the coronavirus outbreak and help create a new generation of artists, according to one of British art’s most respected names. Hans-Ulrich Obrist , the artistic director of the Serpentine Galleries, said the project would need to be similar in scale to Franklin D Roosevelt’s Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and Works Progress Administration (WPA), which the president set up during the Great Depression in the 1930s . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2UqPy84

(TOKYO) — Before the Olympics were postponed, Japan looked like it had coronavirus infections contained, even as they spread in neighboring countries. Now that the games have been pushed to next year, Tokyo’s cases are spiking, and the city’s governor is requesting that people stay home, even hinting at a possible lockdown. The sudden rise in the number of virus cases in Tokyo and the government’s strong actions immediately after the Olympic postponement have raised questions in parliament and among citizens about whether Japan understated the extent of the outbreak and delayed enforcement of social distancing measures while clinging to hopes that the games would start on July 24 as scheduled. With the Olympics now off, many are voicing suspicion that the numbers are rising because Japan suddenly has no reason to hide them. “In order to make an impression that the city was taking control of the coronavirus, Tokyo avoided making strict requests and made the number of pati...

President extends social distancing rules to 30 April, saying open for Easter plans were only ‘aspirational’ Donald Trump has extended America’s national shutdown for a month, bowing to public health experts, and scientific reality, and warning that the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is yet to come. Speaking in the White House Rose Garden, the US president claimed that, if his administration keeps the death toll to 100,000, it will have done “a very good job” – a startling shift from his optimistic predictions of a few days ago when he said he hoped to restart the economy by Easter. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2ydV59n

Musician has been hospitalized since Thursday and has been placed on a ventilator The family of John Prine says the singer-songwriter is critically ill and has been placed on a ventilator while being treated for Covid-19-type symptoms. A message posted on Prine’s Twitter page Sunday said the Angel from Montgomery singer has been hospitalized since Thursday and his condition worsened on Saturday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3axpGgw

Rescue package comes as police now patrol supermarkets in Sicily following a series of thefts Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The Italian government has designated €400m (£358m) for food vouchers amid brewing social unrest as the country’s coronavirus lockdown takes its toll on the poor. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte made the announcement late on Saturday after reports emerged of people in the south running out of food and money. He said that €4.3bn would immediately be made available to mayors to help their citizens and another €400m would go towards an emergency food-relief fund. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2QS6Ybu

Fox News Breaking News Alert TUNE IN: Elton John, Mariah Carey and more on 'FOX Presents the iHeart Living Room Concert for America' 03/29/20 5:54 PM

US expert Dr Anthony Fauci makes grim prediction; Moscow announces lockdown of 12m people; Syria records first death. Follow the latest updates Coronavirus latest: at a glance Spain’s daily death toll rises again while Italy expects peak in a week US coronavirus updates – live Australia coronavirus updates – live See all our coronavirus coverage 1.18am BST An update from Panama now, where Patrick Greenfield and Erin McCormick report that the covid-19 stricken Zaandam cruise liner and its sister ship will start crossing the Panama canal tonight , the Guardian understands. The number of people with flu-like-symptoms on a Covid-19 stricken cruise ship off the coast of Panama has risen by almost a third in two days, from 138 to 179. 1.12am BST Almost half of company bosses in 45 countries are speeding up plans to automate their businesses as workers are forced to stay at home during the coronavirus outbreak . Related: Bosses speed up automation as virus keeps workers home Co...

A summary of the biggest developments in the global coronavirus outbreak Follow our latest coronavirus blog for live news and updates Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include: Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2UphwBg

Mike Pompeo labelling the virus ‘Chinese’ has added to lack of international cooperation Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage When the UN security council and the G7 group sought to agree a global response to the coronavirus pandemic, the efforts stumbled on the US insistence on describing the threat as distinctively Chinese. There are other reasons for the lack of collaboration in the face of a global crisis, but the focus on labelling the virus Chinese and blaming China pursued by the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, helped ensure there would be no meaningful collective response from the world’s most powerful nations. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3bEMknv

Recordings obtained by Guardian reveal people in Ice centers in the south concerned they are not being properly cared for Detainees at immigration detention centers across the American south have alleged heavy-handed crackdowns amid increasing panic and protest over the coronavirus pandemic, according to advocates and recordings of detainees obtained by the Guardian. A number of detainees have expressed concern they are not being properly cared for in packed detention centers. Former senior immigration officials and attorneys have called for the release of nonviolent detainees . Judges in New Jersey , New York and California have ordered the release of small numbers, based on health concerns. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/39pEwnV

Wherever you live, Britain’s flora and fauna will be at their peak of activity during the nation’s enforced isolation At the risk of sounding smug, I’ve never been so thankful that, a dozen or so years ago, I moved with my young family from London to the heart of Somerset. Like many city-dwellers who have made the change, I do sometimes miss the transport, theatres, cinemas and shops of the capital. Now that these are out of bounds for the foreseeable future, I value even more the things we moved here for: time, space, and nature. During the fine weather of the past week or so, mygarden has been alive with the sounds of spring. From my office window I can hear the metallic wheezing of a greenfinch, the metronomic sound of a chiffchaff calling out its name, trilling wrens, repetitive song thrushes, tuneful robins, and just now, a quartet of ravens high in the sky overhead, uttering their deep, croaking call. And this is not just at dawn and dusk – the traditional peak times for birdso...

Group issues powerful rebuke to those who allege that they conspired together Nine women who made complaints of sexual offences against Alex Salmond have urged other women to “be brave, be loud, be heard” in the face of bullying, sexual harassment and assault, in a powerful rebuke to those who have accused them of conspiring against the former Scottish National party leader. Last week a jury at the high court in Edinburgh found the former first minister not guilty of 12 sexual assaults, including one attempted rape. It also concluded that another charge of intent to rape was “not proven”, a Scottish legal formulation which stops short of a not guilty verdict, but finds the accused innocent in the eyes of the law. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2QQuqWU

The author threatened to ditch his British publisher, and likened him to a vicar, after his ‘Anglo-Saxon’ expressions were cleaned up The hard-drinking, hot-tempered American writer Ernest Hemingway was furious when he discovered that the language for the English edition of his latest book had been cleaned up, a previously unpublished letter reveals. “I will make my own bloody decisions as to what I write and what I do not write,” he raged to his British publisher, adding that he did not want the book to be “bollixed up”. The fury within the lines of the letter would have left Jonathan Cape in no doubt of Hemingway’s feelings about editorial changes to his 1932 nonfiction book about bull-fighting, Death in the Afternoon . That those changes were made without his knowledge or permission left him all the more outraged. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2JjrdL8

Fears rise that Beijing is stoking mistrust of foreigners as part of an attempt to rebuild a reputation tarnished by the coronavirus crisis Over the past few weeks, as Chinese health officials reported new “imported” coronavirus cases almost every day, foreigners living in the country have noticed a change. They have been turned away from restaurants, shops, gyms and hotels, subjected to further screening, yelled at by locals and avoided in public spaces. “I’m walking past someone, then they see my blue eyes and jump a foot back,” said Andrew Hoban, 33, who is originally from Ireland and lives in Shanghai. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3dAiuSJ

A summary of the biggest developments in the global coronavirus outbreak Follow our latest coronavirus blog for live news and updates Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include: Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/33TBHKF

Some nations have managed to maintain surprisingly low death rates – even without imposing draconian measures on people Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Harrowing images of emergency workers struggling to cope with the onslaught of Covid-19 cases have made front pages around the world, highlighting the terrible impact the disease is having. Death tolls in Italy and Spain have been especially alarming. But not every nation has suffered to the same grim extent. Some have avoided lockdowns but have still not suffered huge leaps in case numbers. Others have introduced strict monitoring and contact tracing of infected individuals and have managed to contain the disease so far. Here we look at the ways four very different nations have reacted. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2UKHq17

Only through state intervention can we fight the twin crises of coronavirus and the heating planet Capitalist orthodoxies fail in the face of “a crisis that can only be endured and resolved by rediscovering the virtues of collectivism and solidarity”, writes Andrew Rawnsley ( Comment ). Precisely, and this is why a similar approach is needed to confront the climate emergency – and why rightwing governments will fail to do so unless they adopt a leftwing approach that does not prioritise market and profit and instead sees the merits of massive state intervention. And the coronavirus crisis rather pointedly undermines Philip Cerny’s remark that the nation state cannot have a key role in this (“My solution to the climate crisis”, Letters ). What we are learning now is the importance, yes, of individual responsibility and local initiatives but also of decisive governmental action to enforce the suspension of business as usual, and of international cooperation. The only other essential elem...