Tag: coronavirus

President Trump dubbed Joe Biden a “pathetic candidate”

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President Trump dubbed Joe Biden a “pathetic candidate” and held three rallies in the swing state of Pennsylvania as he tried to reverse the polls a week before election day. While his Democratic rival laid low, Mr Trump, 74, continued to insist that America was “rounding the turn” on the pandemic. He blamed the media for scare tactics as new coronavirus cases surged above 60,000 to their second-highest Sunday total and 11 states declared record hospital admissions. Meanwhile hard-line Iranian newspaper Vatan-e Emrooz published a front-page cartoon of Macron as the Devil, branding him anti-Islamic and claiming that ‘French extremists’ … Continue reading President Trump dubbed Joe Biden a “pathetic candidate”

The UK has given training and support to Nigerian security forces

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The UK has given training and support to Nigerian security forces, condemned for their brutal crackdown of protesters in recent weeks, The Independent can reveal. Nigeria has faced international criticism, including from British foreign secretary Dominic Raab, for its handling of recent anti-police demonstrations across Lagos state.   But the woman said she was the baby’s aunt, Yahoo News reports. According to La Repubblica, police are looking for two women in the case. “We’re learning to live with it, we have no choice. We can’t lock ourselves up in a basement like Joe does,” Mr Trump, 74, said in response to … Continue reading The UK has given training and support to Nigerian security forces

The Danish inventor jailed

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The Danish inventor jailed for the gory murder of a journalist on his home-made submarine was arrested after trying to escape from prison today.  Peter Madsen forced his way out of the jail by taking a female psychologist hostage with what he claimed was a pistol, before threatening guards by saying he had a bomb, according to Danish media. People will only be allowed in and out of Navarre for work, university studies, to care for relatives, or for emergencies, the regional government said. Restaurants, cafes and bars will be closed, while shops may open at 40% capacity but close … Continue reading The Danish inventor jailed

A grandfather who dropped a toddler from a cruise ship window

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A grandfather who dropped a toddler from a cruise ship window has pleaded guilty to her death. Eighteen-month-old Chloe Weigand died when she fell from Salvatore Anello’s arms through a window on the 11th floor of Royal Caribbean cruise ship the Freedom of the Seas as it was docked. Ms Harris, 55, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, tested negative yesterday but is nevertheless returning to virtual electioneering until next week. “Senator Harris was not in close contact, as defined by the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], with either of these individuals during the two days prior to their positive … Continue reading A grandfather who dropped a toddler from a cruise ship window

MPs have criticised the government’s 10pm curfew

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MPs have criticised the government’s 10pm curfew for hospitality venues, such as pubs and restaurants, amid growing frustration in parliament over the lack of scrutiny for coronavirus restrictions. The criticism came as Labour called for rapid review of the policy after Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham warned it was “doing more harm than good” in the fight against Covid-19. While New York’s positive test rate remains much lower than those in some midwestern states where 15% of tests were coming back positive, it marks a significant uptick from the state’s rate, which has hovered at 1% or below for weeks. … Continue reading MPs have criticised the government’s 10pm curfew

President Trump heralded the “dawn of a new Middle East”

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President Trump heralded the “dawn of a new Middle East” yesterday and predicted that Saudi Arabia and half a dozen other countries would follow the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain as they formally recognised Israel. “We are here this afternoon to change the course of history,” he said as he opened the signing ceremony for the so-called Abraham Accords at the White House. He talked of how Israel and the two Arab states would establish embassies in each other’s countries and co-operate on tourism, trade, healthcare and security. “They’re going to work together,” Mr Trump said. “They are friends.” Washington, … Continue reading President Trump heralded the “dawn of a new Middle East”

Thousands of extra medical, dentistry and science students will start at university this autumn

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Thousands of extra medical, dentistry and science students will start at university this autumn after a cap on places was lifted and extra funding announced. Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, said that students should be guaranteed places at their first-choice university, either this year or next, if they had been made an offer. She also announced that universities would be free to recruit as many medical students as they wanted. The numbers are usually strictly controlled by the government. Video shows the 44-year-old opposition leader being stretchered from the aircraft into a waiting ambulance before being rushed to intensive care. … Continue reading Thousands of extra medical, dentistry and science students will start at university this autumn

A Hong Kong media billionaire and pro-democracy activist

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A Hong Kong media billionaire and pro-democracy activist who was arrested under the new national security law is a traitor who should receive an exemplary punishment to deter further unrest in the city, Beijing has said. Jimmy Lai, 71, who owns the Apple Daily newspaper, conspired with foreign agents and posed a danger to national security, according to the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, part of China’s state council, or cabinet. One scientist blasted Putin’s move as ‘unethical’ because an ‘improperly tested vaccine’ could have ‘disastrous’ effects on public health, while others warned that there is ‘no data’ to … Continue reading A Hong Kong media billionaire and pro-democracy activist

I spent my earliest years in Beirut

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I spent my earliest years in Beirut before my family returned to the UK, and when I was at school here in the 1980s, the phrase “it’s like Beirut” was bandied around. The Lebanese capital, once called the Paris of the Middle East, became synonymous with a brutal civil war, the kidnapping of Terry Waite and bullet-scarred buildings. He is widely expected to announce the formal resignation of the cabinet but his confirmation became increasingly unnecessary as a string of ministers pre-empted him by saying they were quitting. During the course of the day, Ghazi Wazni, the finance minister, followed … Continue reading I spent my earliest years in Beirut

Serious clashes have broken out between police and protesters in Belarus

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Serious clashes have broken out between police and protesters in Belarus following disputed exit polls that claimed to show an overwhelming 79.7 per cent victory for the country’s long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko in Sunday’s presidential elections. In Minsk, there were reports of barricades, water cannon, stun grenades and rounds of rubber bullets being used against protestors. In one instance, a police van drove into crowds. In other cities across the country, officers reportedly laid down arms and crossed to the side of protesters. An 86-year-old man and his wife, aged 85, also perished in the flooding in Evia, it was … Continue reading Serious clashes have broken out between police and protesters in Belarus