Social distancing rules will ‘kill cities’, experts warn – and the future of mass transit hangs in the balance

This is the second feature in our Life after lockdown series, which looks at how Covid-19 could change Australia for good

Before the pandemic struck, Sara Blazey made the same three-hour commute to work, three days a week, for the better part of 12 years. The 63-year-old family lawyer from the Blue Mountains works for a domestic violence legal advice hotline in Parramatta and it used to be that she would wake at 7am, drive seven minutes to Hazelbrook station and from there catch the 7.17am train to Parramatta before making the same one-and-a-half hour trip home in the evening.

With the pandemic, all that would change. Domestic violence support services such as the one Blazey worked for were declared “essential” services, meaning they could keep operating despite restrictions. To ensure they could do so safely, the organisation did what some commentators long thought impossible and began to transition its employees into working from home.

Human cost of climate crisis will hit harder and sooner than previously believed, research reveals

The human cost of the climate crisis will hit harder, wider and sooner than previously believed, according to a study that shows a billion people will either be displaced or forced to endure insufferable heat for every additional 1C rise in the global temperature.

In a worst-case scenario of accelerating emissions, areas currently home to a third of the world’s population will be as hot as the hottest parts of the Sahara within 50 years, the paper warns. Even in the most optimistic outlook, 1.2 billion people will fall outside the comfortable “climate niche” in which humans have thrived for at least 6,000 years.

Only government action will preserve the clearer, bluer skies gifted to us by the coronavirus lockdown

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Many of us will have noticed differences in traffic noise and air pollution during the lockdown. Startling images have come from India where, for the first time in a generation, the Himalayas have been visible more than a hundred miles away. Something similar happened in the UK in 1921 when coal shortages during a miner’s strike led to newspaper reports of distant landmarks being visible as never before. In the UK we too have been able to look up at clearer blue skies, less impeded by air pollution and not crisscrossed by aircraft contrails. This helped Germany to break a solar power record.

In Beijing, air pollution controls for the 2014 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting also brought a return to blue skies. The term “APEC blue” emerged in Chinese social media and was nominated as Beijing’s top environmental phrase for the year. Later it took on a tinge of sadness, to mean something wonderful, but brief. One woman posted about love on social media, “He’s not that into you – it’s just an APEC blue!”

While researchers across Canada are among the scientists working on coronavirus vaccines, the country doesn’t have the means to quickly produce any successful result.

The SBA's IG said the agency veered from the law Congress drafted to create the program when the agency set rules for how businesses could obtain loan forgiveness.

Countries scramble to fill the plates of the most vulnerable.

In a recording obtained by POLITICO, Michigan Senate hopeful John James criticizes the president over his 'shithole countries' remark and other comments.

HIGH blood pressure is often referred to as the "silent killer" due to its non-obvious symptoms, which when they do appear are often too late. Adding this drink to your diet will lower your reading and reduce your risk of serious health complications.

We all want a conclusion to the COVID-19 saga. Will we get an end to the story of climate?

Two former Inslee campaign staffers have a message for Joe Biden: To unite the Democratic party, prioritize climate policies.

Jock Palfreeman warns systemic corruption could see him returned to a Bulgarian jail for the rest of his life, and he condemns the influence of the far-right over Sofia's political establishment.

The withdrawal of the Indian monsoon this year surpassed the previous record by more than a week, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will be another bad wet season for Australia. Here's why.

A leading international transportation strategist says Sydney can never have a world-class public transport system, despite the NSW Government's record investment in major projects.

Another live esports event will air on TV this Saturday -- something we might have to get used to now that people are glued to their screens even more than usual due to the coronavirus pandemic. The second round of the IndyCar iRacing Challenge, an online simulation-style competition, will air live on NBC Sports at 2:30PM ET on April 4th.

TV networks are already trying to fill the void in sports coverage left by the COVID-19 pandemic, but ESPN is going all-out. The broadcaster's ESPN2 channel is airing a 12-hour ESPN Esports Day on April 5th starting at 12PM Eastern, and there will be some high-profile live events in the mix. The highlight may be the second F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix at 3PM, when racers (including some current Formula 1 drivers) will compete online in a digital version of Australia's Albert Park. The marathon will also represent Rocket League's debut on ESPN television (it was only streamed before) with the Season 8 World Championship's Grand Finals broadcasting live at 4:30PM.

The Entertainment Software Association may have cancelled E3 2020 due to COVID-19, but it's still committed to holding an event next year. The organization has announced that E3 will return between June 15th and June 17th, 2021. It characterized the future expo as a "reimagined" event, although that's the language it used for its since-scrapped 2020 gathering. It won't be surprising if the 2021 event is really a look at what you might have seen this year, just with a different mix of games.

"Houston Hotties we’re getting a dayyyy!"

The channel will also feature Sheila E.

Who says being quarantined keeps you from being competitive?

Did you see this coming?

Williams admitted that she ignored the red flags.

The queen of Neo-Soul will be decided on May 9.

The Carol’s Daughter founder inspires future leaders.

Their relationship has played out on ‘RHOA.'

Celebrities in quarantine are just like us. #AloneTogether

The DJ is bringing prom night directly to your living room.

The campaign has partnered with Vital Voices.

"We can share a message of hope and optimism."

Plus, more celebrity fathers and daughters!

Our favorite stars show us how they keep it right and tight.

Microsoft is actively working to update its Office mobile apps to take advantage of the iPad's new and more robust trackpad support, according to The Verge's Tom Warren. We already knew Microsoft planned to take advantage of the feature when TechCrun...

Apple will reopen some stores in Idaho, South Carolina, Alabama and Alaska next week. The company closed all stores outside Greater China in mid-March to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. At the start of April, it told employees Apple Stores in the US...

Microsoft will repair Surface Laptop 3 screens for free, particularly those that suddenly cracked for no discernible reason. Surface owners have been posting online about discovering hairline cracks on their new laptops’ display over the past few mon...

Like every other free-to-play battle royale game out there, Apex Legends is constantly refreshing the game with new content and modes. Season five “Fortune’s Favor” kicks off next week, and along with the newly-revealed character Loba, Respawn is als...

'League of Legends' maker Riot Games has agreed to pay $10 million to settle a gender discrimination suit. Every woman who has worked at the company since 2014 will get a payout.

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner called on companies including Uber, Postmates to ease financial burdens felt by gig workers because of the novel coronavirus.

Here's why many public health experts are skeptical of contact-tracing tools Apple and Google are rushing to develop.

The Kings are out of the playoff hunt, but GM Rob Blake says they'll find a way to make the games meaningful if the NHL completes the 2020 regular season.

With the Olympics being postponed until 2021, UCLA softball stars Rachel Garcia and Bubble Nickles plan to play for the Bruins next season.

With restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chargers are tasked with preparing prized rookie quarterback Justin Herbert virtually.

Man Utd defender Brandon Williams liked a post on social media which referenced Liverpool's wait to win the Premier League.

Half of parents with young children will struggle to make ends meet in the next three months, study suggests.

The government will move with "maximum caution" when lifting coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England, Number 10 has said.

Questions remain over the viability of the coronavirus contact tracing app that has been developed by the NHS's digital department, NHSX.

The briefing comes just hours after Scotland's First Minister has said the lockdown in Scotland should be extended.

Saturday is set to be even hotter than Friday.

Coronavirus cases are rising rapidly in cities across the United States, with major hot spots emerging in Detroit, Miami, Chicago and New Orleans.