There could be nationwide restrictions or very extensive local lockdowns in England if there is a second spike in COVID-19 cases this winter, Matt Hancock has warned. The health secretary also said in a worst-case scenario, the UK could be fighting a bad outbreak of flu and a growth in coronavirus as people spend more
Month: August 2020
The Italian coastguard has helped a rescue boat funded by British street artist Banksy after the vessel became stranded in the Mediterranean Sea. The boat was unable to move due to an overcrowded deck after picking up 219 migrants off the Libyan coast since Thursday. The crew said on Twitter they were close to declaring
A man described as a “sick monster” has been charged over the murders of two young brothers after being invited to stay at their Florida property. Mark Wilson Jr, 30, allegedly used a knife and hammer to attack Robert Baker, 12, and his brother, Tayten, 14. He has been arrested. The boys’ mother found their
Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden is among those who have shared their grief at the death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman. The Black Panther star has died at the age of 43 after a four-year fight with colon cancer. Mr Biden wrote on Twitter: “The true power of Chadwick Boseman was bigger than anything
Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman has died aged 43 after a four-year fight with colon cancer. Boseman played black icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown early in his career before finding fame as the regal Black Panther in the Marvel cinematic universe. He died at home in Los Angeles with his wife and family by
A startup co-founded by Elon Musk has implanted new wireless technology into the brains of pigs with the aim of helping people with severe neurological conditions. The billionaire entrepreneur said that the company, Neuralink, had three pigs with two coin-sized implants each. He described them as “healthy, happy and indistinguishable from a normal pig”. Neuralink
There’s an engraving on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial commemorating Dr Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech in 1963. It’s difficult to spot on the white marble and so, periodically, someone uses water to darken and define the inscription. It’s the re-anointment of the civil rights icon and his “coalition of conscience”
For the first time in its history, Europe’s largest street party, the Notting Hill Carnival, takes place virtually this weekend in order to protect lives. Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, a physical parade isn’t possible so for the last month organisers have been busy filming hundreds of acts so the event can instead be streamed
Teachers’ unions have reacted with dismay after the government published new COVID-19 guidelines for secondary schools last night – just days before millions of pupils in England are due to return to the classroom next week. If there is a local lockdown in an area with significant numbers of infections, schools could have to bring
Lockdown restrictions will be eased in northern England next week after a decrease in coronavirus cases, meaning more than one million people in parts of the region can mix again in different households. In line with the rest of England, social gatherings can take place between two homes in Bolton, Stockport, Trafford, Burnley, and Hyndburn
A British man has been left with a depleted wedding guest list due to new quarantine rules that come into force this weekend. Oliver, who did not want to share his second name, is from Kent but has lived in the Czech Republic for 11 years. He is due to get married in Prague to
A Tesla driver crashed into a police car after allegedly watching a film while his vehicle was on autopilot. A North Carolina state trooper and a Nash County deputy said it happened while they were responding to a previous crash on Highway 64. Devainder Goli’s car hit the deputy’s vehicle first, according to local media.
Chris Grayling, who was widely tipped to become chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee before losing to fellow Tory MP Dr Julian Lewis, has resigned from the group. The former transport secretary, nicknamed “Failing Grayling” for presiding over a series of government mishaps, has written to the man who beat him to the chairmanship
Thousands of people have gathered to commemorate the historic 1963 civil rights March on Washington, channelling those who took part back then to demonstrate police brutality against black Americans. The rally saw dozens speak passionately about ongoing violence against black citizens in the US at the hands of white people or law enforcement, most recently
In Wuhan, where everything began, life is back to normal. People crowd the streets, fill the restaurants and bars, swim in the Yangtze River for exercise. You would not know this is the same city that was devastated by a mystery disease which, back then, had no name, that endured the hardship of the world’s
The Bank of England is “not out of firepower” if it is needed to offer further support to the coronavirus-battered economy, governor Andrew Bailey has said. Mr Bailey has already overseen a £300bn expansion of the Bank’s money-printing scheme – known as quantitative easing (QE) – and a cut in interest rates to a record