edi

Police record eight-fold rise in speeding drivers during lockdown

The number of speeding drivers caught by traffic police has risen by nearly eight-fold compared with last year, the Met revealed today.




edi

Questions raised over how coronavirus tests counted after Matt Hancock hails 'incredible achievement' of hitting 100,000-a-day

Questions have been raised over how coronavirus tests were counted after Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the "incredible achievement" of the Government in hitting its 100,000-a-day target.




edi

Pub visits should be avoided as lockdown eases, deputy chief medical officer indicates

Pub visits should be avoided when social distancing measures are eased, one of the UK's top medics has said.




edi

Ofsted chief predicts 'mixed economy' of schooling as coronavirus lockdown eased

Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman has suggested there could be a "mixed economy" of schooling as the coronavirus lockdown is eased.




edi

When will Universal Credit payments be made this week?

Thank early May bank holiday means payments will be disrupted




edi

More than 1.8m claims for Universal Credit since start of coronavirus outbreak, Therese Coffey confirms

On the criteria for a claimant to be looking for work being paused for three months, Ms Coffey said: "We do however want claimants to continue to look for work wherever they are able to do so."




edi

'Dedicated' health worker, 68, who devoted 20 years to NHS dies after contracting coronavirus

A hospital worker described as a "true gentleman" by colleagues has died after contracting coronavirus.




edi

German 'zombie hunters' found with car full of weapons at Swedish border

Border officials in Sweden found a huge stash of weapons when they stopped a "zombie hunter" vehicle trying to enter to country from Germany.




edi

Police warn Bank Holiday drivers after 142 per cent surge in 'extreme' speeding during lockdown




edi

Most parents don't want to send children back to school immediately after coronavirus lockdown lifts, survey shows

Most parents don't want to send their children back to school as soon as the coronavirus lockdown is lifted, a new study has found.




edi

Government hits 100,000-a-day coronavirus test target as Matt Hancock hails 'incredible achievement'

The Government has exceeded its 100,000-a-day coronavirus testing target, Matt Hancock has declared.




edi

Mourners line streets to pay tribute to 'much-loved' paramedic who died after contracting coronavirus

People have lined the streets to pay their respects to a "fantastic" paramedic and "great family man" who died after contracting coronavirus.




edi

Food For London Now: This is the biggest crisis since the war... thanks to the heroes feeding the vulnerable

Londoners who lived through World War II have hailed the "heroes" behind the emergency food operation helping people in the capital get through the current crisis.




edi

Legal proceedings launched against Duke of York 'over £5m unpaid ski resort bill'

Legal proceedings have reportedly been launched against the Duke of York over an unpaid bill relating to a Swiss chalet.




edi

'Dedicated and loving' nurse dies five weeks after being put on ventilator

A "dedicated and loving" nurse with coronavirus has tragically died five weeks after first being placed on a ventilator.







edi

Maati Baani: ‘Music is A Powerful Medium for Peace’

The world music duo on reinventing their 2011 track ‘Karpur Gauram’ with 17 musicians from nine countries

The post Maati Baani: ‘Music is A Powerful Medium for Peace’ appeared first on My Site.




edi

Incredible video shows Hayabusa2 pogo-bouncing off asteroid

A new paper analyzes what we know about the sample the probe grabbed last year.




edi

Should we edit our DNA? An imagined future of gene editing – video

There are decisions being made right now that could have an effect on global populations for generations to come. As part of this project, we commissioned an artist to investigate some of the themes raised in the podcasts. This work of fiction imagines a future where gene editing has become mainstream and discusses the moral, ethical and political divides that this might create

Continue reading...




edi

The Guardian view on an NHS coronavirus app: it must do no harm | Editorial

Smartphones can be used to digitally trace Covid-19. But not if the public don’t download an app over privacy fears – or find it won’t work on their device

The idea of the NHS tracing app is to enable smartphones to track users and tell them whether they interacted with someone who had Covid-19. Yet this will work only if large proportions of the population download the app. No matter how smart a solution may appear, mass consent is required. That will not be easy. Ministers and officials have failed to address the trade-offs between health and privacy by being ambiguous about the app’s safeguards.

Instead of offering cast-iron guarantees about the length of time for which data would be held; who can access it; and the level of anonymity afforded, we have had opacity and obfuscation. It is true that we are dealing with uncertainties. But without absolute clarity about privacy the public is unlikely to take up the app with the appropriate gusto.

Continue reading...




edi

The Guardian view on birdsong: a fragile joy | Editorial

The chance to put biodiversity and the environment at the heart of recovery from the pandemic should not be squandered

One night in April, birdwatchers from around Britain stepped outside their doors and listened intently to something most of them had never experienced before: the fluting, mysterious, melancholy cry of the common scoter on the wing.

Flocks of these dusky sea ducks were beating their way over Britain on their long migratory journey towards their Arctic breeding grounds, easily audible to the naked ear. The first great wave was heard on the Wirral before being picked up in the Peak District, and at last by the Humber. A second wave was made out as flocks made their way along the line of Hadrian’s wall, from the Solway Firth in the west to Northumberland in the east. A third wave flew above listeners from the Severn estuary to the Wash. The birds were heard in urban Blackburn, Stalybridge, Bristol and London. It was thanks to social media that so many listeners were alert to the birds’ progress – and thanks to the silence of lockdown that they could be heard.

Continue reading...




edi

UK scientists hit back at attempts to discredit scientific basis for lockdown

Letter seeks to dispel view that Prof Neil Ferguson was single architect of lockdown idea

A group of leading UK scientists have insisted that the scientific basis for the coronavirus lockdown is the work of a large group of experts, and that epidemiologist Prof Neil Ferguson is just one voice among many.

In a letter co-ordinated by Dr Thibaut Jombart, an associate professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, more than 25 prominent scientists said debates after Ferguson’s “individual error” – in which he flouted lockdown rules by receiving visits at home from his lover – had amplified a misconception that he alone persuaded the government to change policy.

Continue reading...




edi

U.S. continues media battle with Beijing, limits Chinese journalists' visas

The back-and-forth continues.The Department of Homeland Security said Friday the United States will shorten the visa length for Chinese journalists working for non-American news outlets to 90 days. Previously, journalists with Chinese passports were granted open-ended visas. They can apply for extensions under the new rules, but renewed visas will also last just 90 days. The new limit won't apply to reporters from Hong Kong Macau, or to mainland Chinese citizens who hold green cards.It's the latest development in a media war between Washington and Beijing that has intensified during the coronavirus pandemic. American officials said the rules were meant to counterbalance the "suppression of independent journalism" in China, whose government expelled journalists from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post in March. Before that, the U.S. reduced the number of Chinese citizens employed by multiple state-controlled Chinese news organizations to work in the country. The New York Times notes the move wasn't unexpected; U.S. intelligence officials have long believed some journalists at Beijing-run outlets are spies, and the Trump administration has designated some Chinese news agencies foreign government functionaries.The heightened tensions between the world's two biggest powers didn't just show up in the media world Friday. U.S. lawmakers wrote to nearly 60 countries asking them to support Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization, a move that likely won't sit well with China. And Washington also blocked a United Nations security council resolution calling for a global ceasefire during the pandemic because it indirectly referenced the WHO, which the U.S. has blamed in conjunction with China for failing to suppress the outbreak.More stories from theweek.com Outed CIA agent Valerie Plame is running for Congress, and her launch video looks like a spy movie trailer 7 scathing cartoons about America's rush to reopen Trump says he couldn't have exposed WWII vets to COVID-19 because the wind was blowing the wrong way





edi

AP FACT CHECK: Trump is not credible on virus death tolls

Truth can be a casualty when President Donald Trump talks about deaths from the coronavirus in the United States. Pushing to get the country back to normal, Trump also suggested that children are safe from the coronavirus. Germany has done very good.





edi

US governors aim to boost production of medical supplies

Frustrated by scarce supplies and a chaotic marketplace amid the coronavirus outbreak, some U.S. governors are seeking to bolster their home-state production of vital medical and protective equipment to ensure a reliable long-term source for state stockpiles. The efforts come as states have been competing against each other, the federal government, hospitals, emergency responders and even other countries to get items such as N95 masks, gloves, medical gowns and hand sanitizer — often paying higher-than-usual prices because of the high demand. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. got much of its medical supplies from China.






edi

First credible evidence emerges of person being killed by meteor

Researchers find official records documenting fatal strike in Iraq in 1888





edi

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 (Xbox One, PS4, and Steam) is free until May 10th

Price is "on sale" for free until May 10th, so claim it while you can.

 

PS4: https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0700-CUSA04924_00-PACMANCE2BUNDLE0

 

Xbox One: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/pac-man-championship-edition-2/bpv04qgbn8j8#activetab=pivot:overviewtab

 

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/441380/PACMAN_CHAMPIONSHIP_EDITION_2/

 

This is apparently Bandai-Namco's way of helping keep people entertained while stuck at home amidst the COVID stuff.




edi

Chief Medical Officer's Handling Of Coronavirus Inspires Alaskans To #ThinkLikeZink

Dr. Anne Zink works from a yurt 40 miles north of Anchorage. She has the ear of the Republican governor and has helped keep the state's COVID-19 deaths the lowest in the nation.





edi

Why Are Republicans Stampeding to Reopen?

Sasha Abramsky

They’re following the lead of Trump, who encourages gun-toting protesters, blames immigrants and China, and demonizes the media.

The post Why Are Republicans Stampeding to Reopen? appeared first on The Nation.




edi

Revenge - Limited Edition Blu-ray Trailer

A white-knuckle tale of transgression and transformation, 'Revenge' gloriously blurs the lines of vengeance and survival while simultaneously delivering a ferocious dissection of gender and genre. MyMovies, trailer, 2020, Suspense, Coralie Fargeat, Kevin Janssens, Matilda Lutz




edi

'Star Wars' actor criticises 'The Last Jedi', says Rian Johnson didn't 'do his homework'

Another 'Star Wars' actor has added their voice to the criticism of Rian Johnson's movie.




edi

Locked-down Churchill impersonator uses social media to mark VE Day

Derek Herbert had been due to appear at Hever Castle in Kent but will instead perform on social media.




edi

The incredible comeback you probably didn't hear about: Phil Galfond talks overcoming €900,000 deficit

Professional poker player Phil Galfond overcame a €900,000 deficit in a 25,000-hand head-to-head challenge against a pot-limit Omaha regular known as "VeniVidi1993" online.




edi

The NFL schedule is out, and we predict wins and losses for every game

The full regular-season schedule is out. The Chiefs open defense of their Super Bowl title vs. Houston.




edi

'Call your GP': Women displaying new gynae cancer symptoms during lockdown urged to seek medical advice

Some hospital trusts have seen a dramatic drop in cancer referrals from GPs in recent weeks




edi

Media outlets push for regulatory changes to level the playing field amid coronavirus pandemic

Publishers of several of Canada’s major newspapers signed a joint letter to the federal government this month, taking aim at the advertising revenue earned by Google and Facebook.




edi

Virtual parliamentary proceedings cause spike in injuries for interpreters: union

Coping with iffy audio quality, occasional feedback loops, new technology and MPs who speak too quickly has resulted in a steep increase in interpreters reporting workplace injuries, according to the union that represents some 70 accredited interpreters who translate English into French and vice versa.




edi

Boris Johnson tested negative for Covid-19 after needing 'significant level of treatment' to overcome coronavirus

The PM's spokesman confirmed Boris Johnson has tested negative for Covid-19 Coronavirus: the symptoms Follow our live coronavirus updates here




edi

MPs approve 'hybrid proceedings' in House of Commons amid coronavirus lockdown with some to appear via video link

MPs have approved hybrid proceedings in the House of Commons with some MPs set to attend via video link amid the coronavirus lockdown.




edi

Labour calls for immediate release of Priti Patel bullying probe after reports she has been cleared

The investigation into bullying accusations against Priti Patel must be released "as soon as possible", Labour has demanded.




edi

Florida curtails reporting of coronavirus death numbers by county medical examiners

Florida health officials have halted the publication of up-to-the-minute death statistics related to the coronavirus pandemic that have, by law, been compiled by medical examiners in the state.





edi

Leaked intelligence report saying China 'intentionally concealed' coronavirus to stockpile medical supplies draws scrutiny

The Trump administration has issued an intelligence analysis claiming China purposely delayed notifying the World Health Organization about the spread of the coronavirus.







edi

Dungeons & Dragons had fallen on 'troubled times.' The role-playing game's fifth edition changed everything

An accessible fifth edition has revitalized Dungeons & Dragons, with the franchise posting strong sales in 2019 and looking for new ways to grow.