As the world battles the coronavirus pandemic, communities are coming together to support each other through difficult times. Capt Tom Moore, a 99-year-old war veteran, has raised more than £23m for the NHS by walking 100 laps of his garden. Notre Dame Cathedral's bell tolled again in tribute to health workers, and Matthew McConaughey hosted virtual bingo for older self-isolators
Continue reading...Category Archives: UK news
Failure to record ethnicity of Covid-19 victims a ‘scandal’, says BMA chief
Dr Chaand Nagpaul says data must be gathered now to save lives of UK BAME citizens
The government’s failure to record and publish real-time data on the ethnicity of Covid-19 patients is a scandal that is endangering lives, according to the chair of the British Medical Association.
Speaking to the Observer, Dr Chaand Nagpaul said: “This is not an issue that should require further campaigning. It would be a scandal if it requires further lobbying as data recording needs to start now, not tomorrow. When you have stark statistics like this, it is an instruction for government to act.”
Continue reading...Coronavirus live news: Trump backs anti-lockdown protests as global deaths pass 150,000
China pushes ‘comprehensive’ economic reopening; first virus case in Syria’s northeast; Germany says pandemic ‘under control’. Follow latest updates
- NHS staff in UK told ‘wear aprons’ as protective gowns run out
- Coronavirus ‘under control’ in Germany
- Coronavirus latest: at a glance
- US coronavirus updates – live
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For the latest global coronavirus developments, here is our at-a-glance guide:
Related: Coronavirus latest: at a glance
Thailand has reported 33 new coronavirus infections, bringing the country’s total to 2,733 cases.
Eleven of the new cases were in Bangkok and had a history of going to public areas, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the government’s Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration.
Some have questioned if the low number of detected cases is down to a lack of testing in the country.
Coronavirus live news: nearly 100,000 EU citizens remain stranded overseas due to pandemic
China denies cover-up as Wuhan death toll revised up by 50%; Brazil’s president fires health minister
- Virus ‘under control’ in Germany, as some countries plan to relax lockdown
- Coronavirus latest: at a glance
- UK coronavirus updates – live
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WHO’s daily briefing on the coronavirus outbreak has just begun. WHO director Tarik Jasarevic said the coronavirus solidarity fund has generated $150 million from more than 245,000 individuals, corporations, and foundations.
Deaths from the coronavirus epidemic in Italy rose by 575 on Friday, up from 525 the day before, while the number of new cases declined slightly to 3,493 from a previous 3,786.
The daily death toll is down considerably from peaks reached around the end of March, Reuters reports.
Continue reading...Nearly 100,000 EU citizens remain stranded overseas due to pandemic – as it happened
China denies cover-up as Wuhan death toll revised up by 50%; Brazil’s president fires health minister
We are closing this live global blog now, but you can pick up all of our continuing coverage on our new global blog here.
You can also see our latest summary of events at Coronavirus latest developments: at a glance.
Oliver Milman, an environment reporter for Guardian in New York, has some analysis on the progression of the coronavirus pandemic in the US.
A model relied upon by the White House, from the University of Washington, estimates that the virus will “peter out” in May and then essentially grind to a halt by the summer. This is based on the experiences of China and Italy, previous coronavirus hotspots.
EY ordered to pay whistleblower $11m in Dubai gold audit case
Court rules accountancy firm breached code of ethics in its dealings with a refiner
A former partner at the accounting firm EY has been awarded $10.8m (£8.6m) in damages after being forced out of his job when he exposed professional misconduct during an audit of a Dubai gold refiner.
The high court in London ruled on Friday that EY had repeatedly breached the code of ethics for professional accountants in its dealings with one of its clients, Kaloti Jewellery International.
Continue reading...Suppliers ration stocks of tinned tomatoes after surge in demand
Supermarkets told to ‘calm the fever’ as UK sales rise more than 30% during coronavirus crisis
Tinned tomato suppliers are rationing stocks to supermarkets after demand in the UK surged more than 30% and threatened to use up supplies ahead of this year’s harvest.
Supermarkets and convenience store groups are understood to be jockeying for supplies as families continue to buy more tinned foods than usual after the closure of schools and restaurants forced them to cook more meals at home.
Continue reading...Liverpool region mayor backs Sadiq Khan over face mask use
Steve Rotheram says covering face would make people more aware of coronavirus situation
Steve Rotheram is the latest mayor to urge people to wear masks in public after Sadiq Khan called on the government to make them compulsory on transport in London during the coronavirus outbreak.
The metro mayor of Liverpool city region said wearing any type of face covering meant Britons were likely to “go further in protecting [themselves] and other people”.
Continue reading...British workers reject fruit-picking jobs as Romanians flown in
Contract length, farm location and caring duties cited as reasons for turning down work
Thousands of British workers who responded to a nationwide appeal to help pick fruit and vegetables on farms have rejected job offers, it has emerged.
As hundreds of workers are being flown in from Romania to pick lettuce and asparagus, specialist recruitment firms revealed that fewer than 20% of the applicants were either willing or able to take up roles on the farms.
Continue reading...Lyra McKee murder: Derry residents asked to provide information a year on
Detectives investigating killing of 29-year-old reporter have written letter to residents of street in the Creggan
Residents who live in the Derry street where the Irish journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead a year ago this weekend have been asked to provide any fresh information they can recall about the murder.
Detectives investigating the killing of the 29-year-old reporter have written a letter to residents of the street in the Creggan area of the city asking them to think back to the night she died.
Continue reading...‘I accepted the very first patient’: one nurse’s first week at NHS Nightingale – video
Jo, a nurse practitioner, documents her first week at one of the largest field hospitals in the world: the Nightingale at the London ExCeL centre. The hospital was built in nine days with a capacity for up to 4,000 patients in reaction to the global coronavirus outbreak
- Anywhere but Westminster | Life in lockdown: families on the brink
- Coronavirus – latest global updates
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge praise ‘incredible’ Capt Tom Moore – video
The Duke of Cambridge has hailed second world war veteran, Capt Tom Moore, as 'incredible' and a 'one-man fundraising machine'.
Moore, 99, has raised more than £18m for the NHS after walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday
Refugees among hundreds of overseas medics to respond to NHS call
Scheme allowing doctors to join as medical support workers is welcomed but calls to ‘permit doctors to work as doctors’ persist
Hundreds of foreign-born doctors, including refugees, have signed up to become medical support workers as part of a new scheme aimed at helping the NHS tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
NHS England launched the initiative for international medical graduates and doctors after calls to fast track the accreditation of overseas medics.
Continue reading...Coronavirus: people across the UK play music and clap for carers – video
At 8pm on Thursday, people across the UK stood at their front doors and open windows, in gardens and on balconies, to raise a thunder of gratitude for those working on the frontline against coronavirus for the fourth consecutive week.
Some people played instruments and sang to show their appreciation
Continue reading...Q&A – Why don’t we know how many BAME people are dying?
Data on ethnicity is not recorded on death certificates in England and Wales
Black, Asian and ethnic minorities appear to be disproportionately affected by Covid-19 in the UK. The government is launching an inquiry into why this is the case. However, we don’t currently have enough public data to be able to understand how minorities are being impacted by the virus.
Continue reading...Covid-19 appeal to benefit NHS staff through array of charities
Fundraisers for NHS Charities Together aim for £100m goal
The fundraising effort of Tom Moore, the 99-year-old who inspired many with his sponsored garden walk, drawing in £15m on behalf of the NHS, has focused attention on the health service charities which stand to benefit.
Captain Moore’s 100 laps of his garden began on 8 April with a target of £1,000 which snowballed rapidly as his efforts received national TV and social media exposure. The £15m he has raised dwarfs the £10m donated to the fund by the Duke of Westminster, and the £5m given by the Rausing family, and puts the Covid-19 Appeal, launched Monday,well on the way to its £100m target.
Continue reading...What the UK’s coronavirus death toll is not telling us – video explainer
Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities appear to be disproportionately affected by Covid-19 in the UK. However, we don’t currently have enough public data to be able to understand how many of those who have died as a result of the virus come from minority ethnic backgrounds.
The Guardian's data editor, Caelainn Barr, takes a look at this this issue, as well as the other key information that is missing from the government's daily death toll
- Inquiry announced into disproportionate impact of coronavirus on BAME communities
- Q&A – Why don't we know how many BAME people are dying?
- Why are coronavirus mortality rates so different? – video explainer
Oxford professor arrested on suspicion of ancient papyrus theft
Dirk Obbink called claim about bible fragments a ‘malicious attempt’ to harm his career
An international mystery concerning the alleged theft of priceless ancient papyrus biblical fragments from a collection held at Oxford University has led to the arrest of a classics professor on suspicion of theft and fraud.
Dr Dirk Obbink, an associate professor in papyrology and Greek literature at the university, was detained by officers from Thames Valley police.
Continue reading...Merkel sets out clear explanation of how coronavirus transmission works – video
The German chancellor, Angela Merkel. has been praised for her explanation of how the coronavirus spreads and why deciding when to lift a lockdown is such a complex issue.
Merkel, who has a doctorate in quantum chemistry, said that physical distancing measures had brought a 'fragile intermediate success' and helped 'flatten the curve', but added that these rules would remain in place until at least 3 May but some shops could reopen next week
Continue reading...Scheme for EU citizens to stay in UK draws 3.4m applications
Government close to target figure, but researchers still fear citizens may be missed out
The Home Office has received 3.4m applications from people seeking to stay in the UK after Brexit under the EU settled status scheme.
It puts the government close to its overall goal for the scheme, with estimates of the number of EU, EEA and Swiss citizens eligible to remain in the country lying between 3.4 million and 3.8 million.
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