NewsYahoo News UKCoronavirus: The 13 major developments that happened on Wednesday
Schools in Wales will reopen from the end of June.
NewsSky NewsMan died after 'brushing off' tiny cut from kitchen knife 'during row with friend'
A man died after suffering a tiny cut from the tip of a kitchen knife following a row over a coat between two friends, a court has heard. James O'Keefe probably "brushed off" the 1.5cm-deep wound to his right thigh and did not seek medical help, the Old Bailey was told. Prosecutor Julian Evans told jurors the pair had got into an argument while drinking at the flat of another friend, Jan Farnham, in Crouch End, north London, on 9 December last year.
CelebrityThe IndependentPeaky Blinders: Jason Statham lost Tommy Shelby role over text message, Steven Knight reveals
Jason Statham was the first choice for the role of Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders, until a text message changed the mind of series creator Steven Knight.Knight revealed that he had originally envisaged Statham in the role and had left meetings with both him and Cillian Murphy, the actor who ultimately played Tommy, convinced that Statham was the right fit.
CelebrityAOL.comMeghan complains that Kate 'snaps her fingers' and gets backing of the Palace
Kate Middleton "snaps her fingers and Kensington Palace comes running" - that's what Meghan Markle has reportedly told pals after royal officials filed a legal complaint to Tatler.According to the Mail, the Duchess of Sussex said that while she was give no support after being "shredded" by the press, it's a different story for her sister-in-law.Markle's complaint is regardling a Tatler magazine, which ran a story about Kate - headlined "Catherine the Great".The article claimed Duchess of Cambridge had an eating disorder and that she was exhausted after taking on additional duties since Prince Harry and Markle stepped down as senior royals.In contrast, "Meghan said the Palace never once came to her defence when she was being shredded by the media," a friend told the Mail."Now Kate gets a bit of negative press, and the Palace comes out in less than 24 hours to rebuke the claims made against her."ใใฎใฃใฉใชใผใKate meets athletes at the London Stadium22According to a friend of Meghan, the response to Kate's article has come as "... a slap in the face for Harry because he repeatedly asked for an updated, revised media policy - or at least a conversation about his concerns.""All fell on deaf ears, and then Kate comes along, snaps her fingers and gets an outpouring of support."Meghan says it's just so telling."She explained this was one of the main reasons why she and Harry said their goodbyes to royal life - the lack of support and complete disregard for the pain and anguish Meghan suffered while being crucified in the media."Meghan said, rather than backing her, she was made to feel like she was asking too much, expecting too much, when all she wanted was support from the powers that be."
ScienceThe IndependentEarth accelerating towards sixth mass extinction event that could see โdisintegration of civilisationโ, scientists warn
The scientists who were among the first to declare the worldโs sixth mass extinction event was already underway in a 2015 study, have published new research revealing the rate at which wildlife is being destroyed is accelerating and is a direct threat to human civilisation.Stanford biologist Paul Ehrlich and colleagues at other institutions report in the new paper that the extinction rate is likely much higher than previously thought and is eroding natureโs ability to provide vital services to people.
NewsThe IndependentUK coronavirus death toll rises by 324 to 39,369
324 more deaths due to coronavirus have been confirmed in the UK, bringing the death toll up to 39,369.The number of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 has risen by 1,613 to 277,985, said the Department of Health and Social Care.
NewsYahoo News UKBoris Johnson rails against โendless attacksโ over coronavirus response as UK death toll tops 50,000
The PM accused the Labour leader of "endless attacks" after he questioned test and trace.
NewsPA Media: EntertainmentBBC must save free TV licences for over-75s, says Age UK
The corporation has delayed the introduction of means-testing until the start of August.
NewsThe TelegraphTwo-metre social distancing ruleย based on outdated science that may have hugely overestimated coronavirus risk
The two-metre rule on social distancing is based on outdated science that may have overestimated the risk by up to fifteen times, senior MPs and scientists have warned. The Government on Tuesday said the controversial rule would stay in place despite a major study showing the comparative risk of halving the distance to one metre was far less than previously thought. Business leaders and MPs have called for the guidance to be altered in line with WHO guidance and rules followed by some other countries in order to avoid mass redundancies and help the hospitality sector reopen. Last week, Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, suggested two metres was still necessary as the risk of spreading the virus remained too great. โItโs not an absolute [that] beyond two metres is safe and slightly less is not safe, thereโs a graduation across that, and so roughly at a metre itโs somewhere between 10 and 30 times more risky than at two metres,โ Sir Patrick told the Downing Street press conference on May 28. But an analysis published on Tuesday in the Lancet found the risk of standing one metre apart was only around twice that of standing two metres apart - a 2.6 per cent chance of catching the disease compared to 1.3 per cent. Keeping one metre apart also cuts the overall risk of catching coronavirus by 80 per cent, the study found.
NewsThe IndependentCoronavirus news โ live: UK coronavirus deaths rise above 50,000 as all schools to reopen in Wales
Health minister Edward Argar has said he hopes Britons will be able to have a holiday later this year โ but it depends on the coronavirus infection rate.There are also fresh hopes for pubs reopening, after the Channel Island of Guernsey became the first place in the British Isles to begin serving pints again this week.
ScienceYahoo News UKNew theory over mysterious โcigarโ asteroid which visited our solar system
The space rock named `Oumuamua was the first known interstellar object to visit our solar system, and made headlines around the world in 2017.
NewsEntertainment newsHolly and Phil rang Alison Hammond after her emotional This Morning speech
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield checked in with Alison after the cameras stopped
NewsThe Guardian'Sarah and Omar have disappeared': children of ex-Saudi official missing since March
'Sarah and Omar have disappeared': children of ex-Saudi official missing since MarchAljabri family tells of anguish over what they describe as act of vengeance by Prince Mohammed bin Salman
NewsReutersItaly records 55 new coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, 318 new cases
Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy climbed by 55 on Tuesday, against 60 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, while the daily tally of new cases rose to 318 from 178 on Monday. Of the 318 new infections registered on Tuesday, 187 were in the northern region of Lombardy, by far the worst affected since the start of Italy's outbreak. From Wednesday Italy will allow freedom of movement across the country, a cause of misgiving among some regional governors who fear that allowing people to travel unrestricted out of Lombardy could spark new areas of contagion in other regions.
BusinessThe ConversationHydrogen cars won't overtake electric vehicles because they're hampered by the laws of science
Everyone loves the idea of H2 cars, but they come with a huge disadvantage.
NewsThe IndependentI asked police, veterans and a former CIA agent what they think of Trump's response to the protests. Even they are horrified
When historians of the future look back on Donald Trumpโs presidency, they may well mark June 1st, 2020 as โa date that will live in infamyโ.
NewsThe TelegraphUK accuses EU of 'wishful thinking' over Brexit fishing deal
Boris Johnsonโs spokesman accused the European Union of โwishful thinkingโ on Tuesday as he ruled out any compromise over fishing rights after the Brexit transition period. UK and EU officials will hold difficult online negotiations over access to British fishing waters on Wednesday in the fourth round of the Brexit trade talks, which ends on Friday. Both sides called on the other to drop their red lines over fishing after the last round of talks ended in bad-tempered recrimination. EU sources said this week they expected British negotiators to fold on their red lines over fishing and the level playing field guarantees if Brussels was to hint at a willingness to compromise. โThis is wishful thinking by the EU. We have always been clear there is no question of splitting the difference on level-playing field or fish,โ the prime ministerโs spokesman said. โWe arenโt compromising on this because our position on this is fundamental to our status as an independent, sovereign country. Any agreement has to deal with this reality.โ Michel Barnier has said a โbalancedโ fisheries agreement is a precondition for a trade agreement. The EU wants a long term status quo deal of reciprocal access to waters โunder existing conditionsโ, which will be part of the free trade deal. Britain wants the fisheries agreement to be separate to the trade deal with annual negotiations over access and fishing opportunities. It also wants fishing opportunities to be calculated on the basis of zonal attachment, a method that reflects where fish currently are. The EUโs Common Fisheries Policy is based on historic catch patterns dating back decades but more fish have now moved into UK waters because of climate change. โWe have set out what we are looking for,โ Mr Johnsonโs spokesman said, โWhat we canโt do is agree to any EU demands to give away on our rights as an independent state.โ David Frost, the UKโs chief negotiator said last week he was pessimistic about meeting an aspirational July deadline to finalise the fishing deal and ruled out any compromise involving an EU offer of better terms for UK financial services in return for access to British waters.
CelebrityEvening StandardDaisy Lowe reveals Strictly Come Dancing appearance led to burnout and breakdown
Daisy Lowe has said her time on Strictly Come Dancing led to burnout and a breakdown after she struggled to deal with the death of her beloved grandfather.The model, 31, appeared on the BBC dance competition in 2016 and was paired with Aljaz Skorjanec, eventually leaving the contest in its eighth week.
EntertainmentThe IndependentโItโs all my faultโ: How I killed Jack Reacher
Lee Child, wildly successful thriller writer and creator of Jack Reacher, has come clean: heโs retiring. In fact, he retired around the middle of last year, after completing Blue Moon, his most recent book. He didnโt start the following book โ as he has been doing religiously for the last 20 odd years โ on 1 September. The next one, The Sentinel, will still appear though. Out this October, itโs written by his kid brother, Andrew, formerly known as Andrew Grant, now re-baptised โAndrew Childโ.But the original Reacher is dead. I mourn him. But I killed him. His publishers, Penguin Random House, thought I would. Turns out they were right. Itโs all my fault. Me and possibly Tom Cruise too. Maybe Reacher was already on his last legs anyway, but we finished him off.
NewsAOL.comVladimir Putin endorses nuclear doctrine allowing for first strike
President Vladimir Putin has endorsed Russia's nuclear deterrent policy which allows him to use atomic weapons in response to a conventional strike targeting the nation's critical government and military infrastructure.By including a non-nuclear attack as a possible trigger for Russian nuclear retaliation, the document appears to send a warning signal to the US.The new expanded wording reflects Russian concerns about the development of prospective weapons that could give Washington the capability to knock out key military assets and government facilities without resorting to atomic weapons.ใใฎใฃใฉใชใผใPictures of the week: May 31 - June 621In line with Russian military doctrine, the new document reaffirms that the country could use nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear attack or an aggression involving conventional weapons that "threatens the very existence of the state".But the policy document now also offers a detailed description of situations that could trigger the use of nuclear weapons.They include the use of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction against Russia or its allies and an enemy attack with conventional weapons that threatens the country's existence.In addition to that, the document now states that Russia could use its nuclear arsenals if it gets "reliable information" about the launch of ballistic missiles targeting its territory or its allies and also in the case of "enemy impact on critically important government or military facilities of the Russian Federation, the incapacitation of which could result in the failure of retaliatory action of nuclear forces".The reference to a non-nuclear strike as a possible trigger for nuclear retaliation reflects longtime Moscow concern about US military plans.The buildup of conventional forces near Russia's borders and the deployment of missile defence assets and space-based weapons are among the threats identified by Moscow in the new document.US-Russia relations are at post-Cold War lows over the Ukrainian crisis, the accusations of Russian meddling in the US 2016 presidential election and other differences.Amid the tensions, the Kremlin has repeatedly voiced concern about the deployment of US and allied forces in the Baltics and Nato drills near Russia's borders.Russian officials have cast the US-led missile defence programme and its plans to put weapons in orbit as a top threat, arguing that the new capability could tempt Washington to strike Russia with impunity in the hope of fending off a retaliatory strike.In 2018, Mr Putin revealed an array of new weapons that he said would render US missile defence useless.They include the Avangard hypersonic vehicle capable of flying 27 times faster than the speed of sound and making sharp manoeuvres on its way to target to dodge the enemy's missile shield.The first unit armed with the Avangard entered duty in December.Another doomsday weapon that Mr Putin has mentioned is the nuclear-armed and atomic-powered Poseidon underwater drone capable of causing a devastating tsunami near an enemy coast.Its tests are continuing.Last year, both Moscow and Washington withdrew from the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty.The only US-Russia nuclear arms control agreement still standing is the New Start treaty, which was signed in 2010 by then-US president Barack Obama and then-Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.The pact limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers and envisages sweeping on-site inspections to verify compliance.Russia has offered to extend the New Start, which expires in February 2021, while the Trump administration has pushed for a new arms control pact that would also include China.Moscow has described that idea as unfeasible, pointing at Beijing's refusal to negotiate any deal that would reduce its much smaller nuclear arsenal.Russian diplomats said the Avangard could be included in the New Start if it is extended.They also voiced readiness to open talks to discuss the Poseidon and other new weapons along with prospective US strategic assets.In a call with members of his Security Council over the weekend, Mr Putin warned that the New Start treaty is bound to expire, but "the negotiations on that crucial issue, important not just for us but for the entire world, have failed to start".
PoliticsAFPTrump ally Grenell steps down as Germany envoy
Richard Grenell, an outspoken Donald Trump loyalist, has officially stepped down as US ambassador to Germany, ending a controversial two-year stint in Berlin that fanned transatlantic tensions.
NewsPA Media: VideoCommons laughter as Stephen Crabb gets new voting system wrong - twice
Tory MP Stephen Crabb triggered howls of laughter in the House of Commons when voting at the incorrect dispatch box twice. It was the first time the new voting system was in place to ensure social distancing measures, but some MPs couldn't get to grips with the procedure.
NewsStoryfulPop Act Jedward Joinsย Black Lives Matter Protest in Hollywood
John Grimes โ one half of Irish pop duo Jedward โ was filmed joining protesters for a Black Lives Matter march through Hollywood on June 2.These videos show Grimes sitting on the back of a car holding a sign and chanting โblack lives they matter hereโ with other protesters during the rally. He is later seen standing on the trunk of the car while waving the sign, and standing in front of a group of demonstrators shouting, โI canโt breathe.โPolice and members of the National Guard were reportedly guarding many of the California cityโs main streets on Tuesday after more than a week of civil unrest following the police-involved death of George Floyd. Local media said at least several hundred protesters participated in the march.The identical Grimes twins that make up Jedward rose to prominence following their 2009 appearance on the UK edition of The X-Factor, going on to release three albums and twice represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest. Credit: PlanetJedward via Storyful
