The world has only a few months to prevent the energy industry’s carbon emissions from surpassing pre-pandemic levels this year as economies begin to rebound from Covid-19 restrictions, according to the International Energy Agency.
New figures from the global energy watchdog found that fossil fuel emissions climbed steadily over the second half of the year as major economies began to recover. By December 2020, carbon emissions were 2% higher than in the same month the year before:
Scientists have warned that emerging data on long Covid in children should not be ignored given the lack of a vaccine for this age group, but cautioned that the evidence describing these enduring symptoms in the young is so far uncertain.
Recently published data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has caused worry. The data suggest that 13% of under 11s and about 15% of 12- to 16-year-olds reported at least one symptom five weeks after a confirmed Covid-19 infection. ONS samples households randomly, therefore positive cases do not depend on having had symptoms and being tested:
Victoria’s state of emergency looks set to continue for another nine months...
State of Emergency vote now expected tonight. Probably quite late, but it will go through. It can then remain in place until December 2021. #springst#auspol
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Barnaby Joyce has just told the ABC he would have “no problems” if the government commissioned an independent person to investigate claims an historical rape allegations against a current member of cabinet.
Speaking on ABC TV, Joyce said that if “an independent person away from parliament looked into this, I’d have no problems with that”.
I would have liked to have had a proper process surrounding that, so I could have defended myself, because someone can make an allegation and you just can’t defend it. So what I would say is we create a dangerous precedent. It’s so hard because it’s such a horrible, horrible thing, and it’s a criminal act, and people’s lives have been destroyed, so it’s a really hard thing to engage in ... because when you show a contrarian view, people think that, inherently, you’re not sympathetic to the alleged crime. If this crime happened, people shouldn’t resign – they should go to jail. That’s where you belong.
I think there should be an inquiry. I just don’t think - the parliament is not a court, and politicians are not policemen. And we should not confuse them as such. They’re very good at being politicians.
If someone said an independent person away from parliament looked into this, I’d have no problems with that. I wish I had that opportunity.
The arts have been one of the industries hardest hit by the pandemic, with many livelihoods largely destroyed the moment the prime minister advised people to stay away from venues in mid-March last year. The scale of the problem was underlined when it emerged at the weekend that Richard Harrington, an actor known for roles in Poldark, Hinterland and the Crown, had got a job as a takeaway delivery driver after being left unemployed. He is far from alone. Here, several successful concert musicians describe how they have taken on similar work to make ends meet and take care of their mental health.
Scientists have warned that emerging data on long Covid in children should not be ignored given the lack of a vaccine for this age group, but cautioned that the evidence describing these enduring symptoms in the young is so far uncertain.
Recently published data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has caused worry. The data suggest that 13% of under 11s and about 15% of 12- to 16-year-olds reported at least one symptom five weeks after a confirmed Covid-19 infection. ONS samples households randomly, therefore positive cases do not depend on having had symptoms and being tested.
It’s getting towards a year since the UK first went into lockdown. That’s almost 12 months of home-schooling, staying in at the weekends, and not being able to see groups of friends and family in person. For many, the pandemic has also brought grief, loss of financial stability and isolation. So it should come as no surprise that lots of us are feeling emotionally exhausted, stressed and generally worn down. But why are we hitting the wall now? And what can we do about it? Ian Sample is joined again by Prof Carmine Pariante to discuss pandemic burnout and how to look after our mental health over the coming months
Tokyo has requested Beijing to stop taking anal swab tests for Covid-19 on Japanese citizens because the procedure causes psychological pain, a government spokesperson has said.
Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Katsunobu Kato, said the government had not received a response that Beijing would change the testing procedure, so Japan would continue to ask China to alter the way of testing.
Unlike other officials, the then president and first lady did not receive their shots on TV
Donald and Melania Trump received the coronavirus vaccine before leaving the White House, according to multiple news reports on Monday.
Citing unnamed advisers, the New York Times, CNN and other outlets reported that while other officials, including Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and the former vice-president Mike Pence, chose to get their shots publicly to encourage confidence in the vaccines, the Trumps opted to quietly get vaccinated in January. There was no detail on which shot they received or how many doses they had been given.
Ashley Bloomfield, New Zealand’s director general of health, has called on the nation to “not let the virus divide you” amidst frustration with rule-breakers linked to recent coronavirus cases, as well as with the government’s response.
Auckland has been in lockdown since Sunday morning as a result of two cases of community transmission, which were found to have happened while level-three restrictions were in place – threatening the fracture the unity of the “team of five million”.
Dr Michael Ryan says Covid-19 is ‘very much in control’ as global infections rise for first time in almost two months
Despite the spread of Covid-19 being slowed in some countries due to lockdowns and vaccination programs, it is “premature” and “unrealistic” to the think the pandemic will be over by the end of the year, the World Health Organization’s executive director of emergency services has said.
Speaking at a press briefing Geneva, Dr Michael Ryan said while vaccinating the most vulnerable people, including healthcare workers, would help remove the “tragedy and fear” from the situation, and would help to ease pressure on hospitals, the “virus is very much in control”.
Wrapping up here on the west coast. Here’s what happened this afternoon and evening:
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A third woman has come forward to accuse the New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, of sexual harassment, amid calls for his resignation.
The New York Times reports that Anna Ruch joined two former aids and offered details of Cuomo’s behavior.
Mr. Cuomo put his hand on Ms. Ruch’s bare lower back, she said in an interview on Monday.
When she removed his hand with her own, Ms. Ruch recalled, the governor remarked that she seemed “aggressive” and placed his hands on her cheeks. He asked if he could kiss her, loudly enough for a friend standing nearby to hear. Ms. Ruch was bewildered by the entreaty, she said, and pulled away as the governor drew closer.
Members of the Sexual Harassment Working Group also said they expected more allegations to follow – and accused Cuomo of “gaslighting” his accusers.
Letitia James, the state attorney general, meanwhile, announced the first step in mounting an external investigation of the governor’s behaviour.
Book extract: lockdowns may have had an anti-baby boom effect in some parts, but Kiwis appear to have made the most of close quarters
One of the early observations made by internet wags was the prediction that nine months after lockdown there would be a baby boom. The theory goes that suddenly being forced to spend weeks at home would ignite the passions of those interned in a way that a normal Saturday night on the couch watching reruns of Friends might not.
The “Covid baby boom” was predicted to be like the period after the second world war, where soldiers returning from the front were delighted to be back in the bosom of their home country, with all the comforts that brings.
Rochelle Walensky, the director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), warned on Monday that a recent increase in coronavirus cases indicated a “fourth surge” could occur before a majority of the US is vaccinated.
Company announces revenues of $2.6bn with little sign of slowing, but vaccines could change picture
A year of working from home may have driven many of us to the brink but it’s been great news for Zoom, the video conferencing business.
On Monday, the company announced its revenues had soared 326% year-over-year to $2.6bn and there was little sign of slowing at the end of the year. Sales soared 369% in the last quarter to $882.5m.
The health secretary, Matt Hancock, has hailed real-world data from Public Health England, which found that a single shot of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was more than 80% effective at preventing hospital admissions and severe disease in older people.
The Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine is slightly more effective than that of Pfizer/BioNTech on some measures, the health secretary has said as he seized on new data and argued it should prompt other countries to re-evaluate their approach.
Whether talking to family, friends or strangers, calls hardly ever end when both parties are ready
So you just called to say “I love you” – but how long should you stay on the phone?
New research suggests no matter who we’re talking to, or what we’re talking about, conversations rarely conclude when the two individuals want them to end.
The P1 coronavirus variant that originated in Brazil has been found in at least 15 countries that are not on the government’s red list – those from which travel is banned for all but UK residents, who must quarantine in a hotel on arrival for 10 days – it has emerged.
Six cases of P1, which originated in Manaus on the Amazon river in Brazil, have been identified in the UK – three in England and three in Scotland. The variant is worrying scientists and public health experts because it has mutations that could allow it to escape the vaccines currently available.