Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said resuming contact training has made a “massive difference†for the Premier League leaders. (Reuters/File Photo)
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has said resuming contact training has made a “massive difference†for the Premier League leaders as they step up preparations for the restart of the season on June 17 following the Covid-19 disruption.
The league was suspended on March 13 due to the pandemic, with teams returning to training in small groups before voting last week to return to contact training.
“It’s absolutely brilliant, a massive difference … we could work on all the things we wanted to work on,†German Klopp told the club website.
“The first week was already really good with small groups, I enjoyed that … it was important to get on track again, to get used to the pitch, ball and boots… now we work on tactical things, that works really well.
“… Hopefully we can make progress in the next two or three weeks, there are a lot of things that need to be organised… we need to get hopefully a couple of (bits of) information but we take it like it is and use each second we are together.â€
Liverpool have a 25-point lead over Manchester City and need two wins to secure their first top-flight title in 30 years. They are scheduled to face Everton in their first game back.
“The Polo Merci is in line with the brand’s continued commitment in this unprecedented health crisis. This solidarity action illustrates how fashion can, at its own level, act in solidarity to serve people,†said Thierry Guibert, chief executive officer of Lacoste.
In the U.S., 100 percent of sales, excluding taxes, from the polo shirt will be donated to the American Red Cross to help the organization continue to deliver its mission nationwide.
The ‘L.12.12 Polo Merci’ is limited to 10,000 units worldwide and is for sale in select Lacoste boutiques and on lacoste.com starting today for $130.
“Reinterpreting the iconic Lacoste polo shirt by wrapping it in a simple red heart seemed to us the best way to show our admiration for those committed to helping people during the pandemic,†Trotter added.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA – A semi-truck drove through a crowd of thousands of protesters who were marching down a highway in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Sunday, witnesses told Al Jazeera.Â
Live video of the incident showed demonstrators rallying against the death of George Floyd – an unarmed Black man who died on Monday after a white police officer knelt on his neck – running as the truck appeared to charge them. The truck then came to a stop, and protesters begin to gather around it. Police said no serious injuries among the protesters had been reported.
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“[We] jumped over the barricade and into the grass” as the truck approached, said Sydney Rubel, who witnessed the incident.Â
Rubel told Al Jazeera that she did not see the truck coming, but was alerted by other protesters to move out of the way.
Natalie Jokinen, another witness, told Jazeera that she and dozens of others, among them children, had been protesting peacefully when the incident took place.
“We were all sitting down, we could hear the truck getting faster and faster,” Jokinen said, adding that she was “just terrified”, by the events.
Protesters look inside a truck that was driven into a rally against the death of George Floyd on the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota [Go Nakamura/Reuters]Â
In a series of tweets, John Reinan, a reporter for the Minneapolis Star spoke to witnesses who said the driver drove the demonstrators at about 30 mph (48 kph).
“A truck came. The horns were blaring. It was picking up speed. It was ploughing down the highway into the protesters. It was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen,” Reinan tweeted, quoting a witness named Melanie Ramos.
Very disturbing actions by a truck driver on I-35W, inciting a crowd of peaceful demonstrators. The truck driver was injured & taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He is under arrest. It doesn’t appear any protesters were hit by the truck. #MACCMN
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety said in a tweet that the actions of the driver were “very disturbing” and incited “a crowd of peaceful demonstrators”.Â
Officials said that the driver suffered “non-life threatening injuries” and has been arrested. An investigation has been launched.Â
Minnesota Commissioner of Corrections Paul Schnell called the incident “significant and great concern”.Â
The scene from the overpass where a semitrailer ran into a group of protesters. Law enforcement and protestor face off. “There were babies next to me, said one eye witness, who had already left the scene. “I puked as soon as I got to a safe spot.” pic.twitter.com/XGO4xYf97c
— Lucien Formichella (@lucien_form) June 1, 2020
The truck had a Kenan Advantage Group logo on it. The company said in a statement that it had been “informed of an incident involving one of our independent contractors in Minneapolis”. It added it would cooperate with authorities.Â
Other witnesses told Al Jazeera that protesters were throwing bikes in front of the truck “to try to get it to stop”.Â
Sunday’s incident took place on the sixth day of protests in Minneapolis over police brutality and Floyd’s death.Â
Protesters are demanding all four Minneapolis officers involved in Floyd’s death be charged. So far, only Derek Chauvin – the white officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd pleaded “I can’t breathe” – has been arrested. On Friday, he was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.Â
New South Wales – Five people from different households can visit now. There is no limit to the number of guests you can have over per day, as long as there are no more than five at a time. Guests can stay overnight.
Victoria – You can have up to 20 people at your home at any one time, including members of your household, children and babies. The Victorian Department of Health and Safety says you can have more than one set of visitors over per day, but that you should “be considered and use common senseâ€. You are allowed to have people stay over at your home.
Queensland – From noon, 12 June, up to 20 adults from different households are allowed to visit another home. The state government has tentatively announced that, from 10 July, up to 100 people may be allowed to gather in your home (for those of you who have homes big enough to accommodate 100 guests).
Tasmania – You can have up to five visitors over. These limits will be reviewed on 15 June.
Western Australia – Up to 20 people are allowed to gather publicly and privately.
South Australia – Gatherings of up to 10 people are allowed indoors, as long as the four square metres per person rule is met. From 5 June, this number will increase to 20 people.
Northern Territory – There is no limit on how many people can gather indoors or outdoors, but you must keep 1.5 metres between you and anyone with whom you don’t live.
ACT – Up to 10 people are allowed to gather at home in the ACT, including children and those living in the hosting household. It’s OK if two households coming together results in a gathering larger than 10. Indoor spaces must be large enough to allow on person for every four square metres.
New South Wales – Public gatherings of up to 10 people are allowed.
Victoria – From 1 June, up to 20 people can gather outside for recreational purposes, or to engage in activities like hiking, jogging and other non-contact sport.
Queensland – From 1 June, up to 20people can gather outside. The plan is that from 10 July,up to 100 people will be allowed to gather inside and outside.
Tasmania – Gatherings of up to 10 people are allowed outside. This number will increase to 20 people from 15 June. More than 50 people might be allowed to come together from 13 July.
Western Australia – Up to 20 people are allowed to gather outside at the moment. While exact figures have not been given, the WA government has said to expect further increases to the number of people allowed at indoor and outdoor non-work gatherings under phase three of the state’s plan to ease restrictions in the coming weeks.
South Australia – Up to 10 people can gather outside for non-work reasons, a limit that will increase to 20 people on 5 June. You must continue to practice physical distancing with anyone you don’t live with.
Northern Territory – There are no limits on gathering in the NT, but you should maintain physical distancing.
ACT – A maximum of 10 people from different households (including children) can gather together outdoors. A gathering of more than 10 people is allowed if they are all from only one or two households.
Can I eat at a restaurant, cafe or pub?
New South Wales – Yes, from 1 June,up to 50people can dine-in at cafes, bistros, and restaurants, as long as there are four square metres of space allowed per person. Pubs, registered clubs and casinos, and cellar doors that serve food are also allowed to open their dining areas. However, alcohol can only be purchased with food, or to takeaway. A maximum of 10 people are allowed per booking. However, gatherings for or immediately after a wedding are allowed up to 20 guests. Gatherings immediately after a funeral or memorial service are allowed to book for up to 50 guests as long as the venue can accommodate that many people. All diners must provide their name and contact details, including a phone number or email address, to allow for contact tracing.
Victoria – From 1 June, cafes, restaurants and other hospitality businesses like RSLs and bowling clubs are able to seat up to20 patrons in an enclosed space (find out what constitutes an enclosed space here). There canonly beone customer per four square metres and tables must bespaced at least 1.5 metres apart. Venues arealso required to keep the first name and phone number of every customer to help with contact tracing, if necessary. Alcohol will only be available to purchase with meals. From 21 June,the number of diners allowed will increase to 50 . Food courts will still only be able to offer delivery and takeaway.
Queensland – Yes, restaurants, cafes, pubs, registered clubs, RSL clubs and hotels (with a Covid-Safe Checklist) can seat up to 20patrons at any one time, as long as they can allow four square metres per person. Places in the outback are allowed up to 50 locals (who must show proof of residence) at any one time. Casinos areallowed to seat diners, but bars and gaming will have to stay closed. From 10 July,up to 100 people will be allowed to dine in. Food courts will be allowed to reopen.
Tasmania – Yes, restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs, hotels and RSLs can seat up to 10 diners per dining room, as long as there is one person per four square metres. You can find out what constitutes a dining room here. Each dining area must also have separate waitstaff. Any alcohol must be purchased with a meal. From 15 June, the number of diners permitted will increase to 20. Over 50 diners might be allowed from 13 July.
Western Australia – Yes, cafes and restaurants (including in pubs, bars, hotels, casinos, clubs) can seat up to 20 diners. This number is expected to increase in the coming weeks.
South Australia – Yes.From 1 June, up to 80 diners are allowed at restaurants, cafes, wineries, pubs, breweries, and bars as long as they can contain them in groups of 20 in separate rooms or areas. There must be four square metres per person. Pubs, wineries and cellar doors are allowed to serve alcohol without food, but only to seated patrons.
Northern Territory – Yes. Activities that take less than two hours are allowed, including going to a cafe, sports club, restaurant, or RSL. Bars are allowed to open, but alcohol can only be served with a meal and gaming activities are not permitted. From 5 June, all business will be allowed to reopen as long as they have a Covid-19 plan. The two-hour limit will be lifted, allowing night clubs to reopen. You will be able to purchase alcohol from a bar. Licensed gaming activities, including TAB, will start again.
ACT – Yes, restaurants, cafes and other hospitality venues offering seated dining can host up to 20patrons per enclosed space (including children) at a time, while maintaining the four square metre rule. This means if a venue has multiple enclosed spaces, they can have multiple groups of up to 20 patrons.You can only purchase alcohol if you are having a meal.
How far can I travel on holiday within my state?
New South Wales – From 1 June,there are no limitations on travelling within the state, including for a holiday. A number of caravan parks and camping grounds have also reopened. Up to 10 people may stay in a holiday home or rental. More than 10 people can stay together if they are all members of the same household.
Victoria – There are no restrictions on how far you can travel within the state. From 1 June, you are allowed to stay in a holiday home or private residence, and tourist accommodation, including caravan parks and camping grounds, where there are no shared communal facilities.
Queensland – From 1 June, you will be allowed to travel anywhere in Queensland for recreational purposes. Camping and holiday accommodation, including caravan parks, are allowed to open.
Tasmania – There is no limit on where you can go within the state.
Western Australia – Residents are allowed to leave their homes for recreationalactivities including picnics, fishing, boating or camping. Recreationaltravel to mostnearby regions is now allowed, except to the Kimberley region, biosecurity zones in parts of the Shire of East Pilbara and the Shire of Ngaanyatarraku, and remote Aboriginal communities.
South Australia – There are no restrictions on travel within South Australia. Some Aboriginal communities across the state have chosen to close access to their townships and lands to non-essential outside visitors. Non-essential visitors to these communities have to quarantine for 14 days and be granted permission.
Northern Territory – Some remote communities are closed to all non-essential travel until 5 June, without exemption. See here for the list of remote communities.
ACT – There is no limit on where you can travel.
Can I holiday in another state?
Queensland – No, entry into Queensland is prohibited unless you have applied for and been granted an exemption. But the state government has said that from 10 July, interstate travel may be allowed “subject to further planning and reviewâ€.
New South Wales – Residents are allowed to leave NSW, and visitors don’t need to quarantine. From 1 June, anyone in Australia isallowed to travel to regional NSW for a holiday.
Victoria – There are no restrictions on leaving or entering Victoria. From 1 June, overnight stays at tourist accommodation, caravan parks and camping grounds without communal facilities, ispermitted.
Tasmania – All non-essential travellers to Tasmania, including returning residents, must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. Non-Tasmanian residents must carry out their quarantine in government-provided accommodation.
Western Australia – You cannot enter Western Australia unless you are granted an exemption on application.
South Australia – Anyone can enter South Australia but must quarantine for 14 days after arriving.
Northern Territory – Unless you have been granted an exemption, anyone entering the Northern Territory must complete 14 days of mandatory quarantine. You are required to pay $2,500 per person, or $5,000 for a family of two or more, to cover the cost of government quarantining.
ACT – There are no border restrictions.
How many people can attend a wedding or funeral?
New South Wales –As of 1 June, 20 people are allowed at weddings in NSW. Those attending will have to provide their name and contact details for contact tracing, if necessary. Funerals are allowed 50 guests as long as the four square metre physical distancing rule can be observed.
Victoria – From 1 June, how many guests you can have depends on whether you are hosting the ceremony at home or elsewhere. If it is held at a venue, the celebrant, couple being married, and 20 people will be allowed to attend a wedding. Up to 50 people will be allowed to attend a funeral, in addition to the officiant and funeral staff, as long as there are four square metres allowed per person. But if a wedding or funeral is held in a home, only 20 people in total will be allowed to attend (including the celebrant and couple/ officiant and staff).
Queensland – Since 1 June, up to 20people can attend a wedding. Funerals can have up to 50 guests. A maximum of 100 people should be allowed to attend weddings and funerals from 10 July.
Tasmania – Up to 10 guests, excluding the couple getting married and those facilitating, can attend a wedding. Indoor funerals can have up to 20 attendees, while outdoor funerals can have 30, excluding events staff or volunteers. From 15 June,the number of wedding guests allowed will increase to 20, while up to 50 guests will be allowed at funerals. These limits could relax further to 50-100 guests from 13 July, subject to review.
Western Australia – Weddings and funerals can have up to 20 people if held inside, or 30 if outside.
South Australia – Since 1 June, weddings can have up to 20 attendees, not including the celebrant, venue staff or any other person required to facilitate the wedding. Up to 50 people can attend a funeral.. This excludes those officiating the funeral or any staff required to carry out the funeral. If the ceremony involves food or drinks, no shared utensils can be used. Social distancing must be observed.
Northern Territory – There is no limit on the number of attendees.
ACT – Up to 10 guests can attend a wedding, not including the person/s conducting the ceremony. Indoor funerals can have up to 20 attendees, and outdoor funerals can have up to 30, not including the person/s conducting the service.
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Can I go to church?
New South Wales – Yes, as of 1 June 50 people can attend religious gatherings and places of worship, as long as the four square metres physical distancing rule can be observed. The states chief health officer has urged congregations to reconsider activities that might spread the virus-like group singing and passing round of collection baskets.
Victoria – Yes, from 1 June, places of worship can open for private worship or small religious ceremonies of up to 20 people, plus the minimum number of people reasonably required for the service, is allowed in a single, undivided indoor space. There must be four square metres per person. At least one hour should be allowed between services or ceremonies to reduce the risk of crowds.
Queensland – Yes, as of 1 Juneup to 20people can visit a place of worship or attend a religious ceremony. This number will increase to 100 people from 10 July.
Tasmania – Yes, but only 10 people can attend a religious ceremony or private worship. This number will increase to 20 on 15 June, and possibly 50-100 on 13 July.
Western Australia – Yes, up to 20 patrons can attend places of worship at a time.
South Australia – Yes, from 1 June, 20people can attend at a time for private worship or religious gatherings. Social distancing must be observed.
Northern Territory – Yes, but you can only be there for less than two hours. There is no limit on how many people can attend a place of worship at the same time.
ACT – Up to 10 people can attend religious ceremonies and places of worship, not counting those conducting the ceremony.
Are schools back in session?
New South Wales – Yes, all students went back to school full-time on Monday 25 May.
Victoria – Partly. On 26 May, students from prep, year one, year two, years 11 and 12 returned to the classroom. Remaining year levels will return to school on 9 June.
Queensland – Yes, all students are back at school as of Monday 25 May.
Tasmania – Partly. Students in kindergarten-year 6, as well as those in Year 11 and 12, have returned. Students in years 7 to 10 will return on 9 June.
Western Australia – Yes, all students returned on 18 May.
South Australia – Yes, they reopened for term 2.
Northern Territory – Yes, since 20 Aprilall NT students are expected to physically attend school.
ACT – Partly. Students in preschool, kindergarten, years 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 11 and 12 have returned. From 2 June, students in Years 5, 6, 8, and 9 will also return to face-to-face learning.
Can I shop for clothes and other ‘non-essential’ items?
New South Wales – Yes.
Victoria – You are only supposed to shop for necessary goods and services. Most businesses are also required to keep a record of names and contact details of customers in case contact tracing is later required.
Queensland – Yes, retail shopping for non-essential items is back on.
Tasmania – Yes, you are allowed to leave your home to use businesses or services that are allowed to operate, which includes retail stores.
Western Australia – Yes, but you are not allowed to travel to some remote communities and biosecurity zones, as listed here.
South Australia – Yes.
Northern Territory – Yes.
ACT – Yes, but you must follow physical distancing measures at all time and going shopping in large groups is prohibited.
Are salons, spas and other beauty services open?
New South Wales – Hairdressers and barbers can open, but must allow four square metres per person within the premises and should minimise personal contact with the customer. As of 1 June, nail, waxing, tanning, and beauty salons can open to 10 customers at a time. There can only one person per four square metres (including staff) on the premises, and providers must have a Covid-19 Safety Plan. Tattoo parlours and massage parlours cannot provide services, but can sell products.
Victoria – Hairdressers and barbers are allowed to be open, but they are required to take your name and contact details should contact tracing become necessary. As of 1 June, beauty therapy, spray-tanning, waxing and nail salons, spas and massage parlours and tattoo and piercing services are able to reopen. Up to 20 customers areallowed on one premise, subject to the four square metre rule. Providers will still need to log customers’ contact details.
Queensland – Yes, beauty therapy and nail salons (with a Covid-safe checklist) have been allowed to reopen to up t0 20 people at a time. From 1 June,tanning salons, tattoo parlours and spas (with a checklist) are allowed to reopen. From 10 July, these businesses, along with non-therapeutic massage parlours, will be allowed up to 100 people on site.
Tasmania – Yes, hairdressers and barbers can open. But day spas, wellness centres, saunas and bath houses, and massage parlours are not allowed to operate. Beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, manicure and other nail treatments, ear and body piercing, tattoos, body modification and other similar services are unavailable. From 15 June, beauty services and day spas can reopen for up to 20 people at a time. Saunas and bathhouses will be allowed to open from 13 July.
Western Australia – Yes, hairdressers are allowed to serve up to 20 people, with one every four square metres. However, tanning, waxing, nail salons, tattoo parlours, spas and massage parlours are prohibited. Beauty therapy parlours can partially open to sell products, but not services.
South Australia – Yes, hairdressers and barbers can open, as long as the total number of people on site doesn’t exceed one person per four square metres. As of 1 June,beauty salons, nail and tattoo parlours, and non-therapeutic massage providers are also allowed to open.
Northern Territory – Yes, hairdressers, and nail, massage and tanning salons can open. Remaining beauty services, along with tattoo and piercing parlours, will be allowed to open from noon, 5 June.
ACT – Yes, hairdressers and barbers are allowed. As of 30 May,beauty therapy businesses, including nail salons, tanning and waxing services, day spas, including massage parlous and tattoo businesses areallowed to reopen. They cannot exceed oneperson per four square metres, including staff, and must keep a record of customers to enable contact tracing, if needed.
What about cinemas, entertainment venues, museums and libraries?
New South Wales – As of 1 June, museums, galleries and libraries areallowed to reopen to guests, as long as four square metres is allowed per person and they have a Covid-19 safety plan. Groups and tours aren’tallowed to run, and all library returns will go through a 24-hour quarantine. National Trust and Historic Houses Trust properties can open, as long as they follow the four square metres rule (including staff). Indoor cinemas and theatres must stay closed.
Victoria – From 1 June, galleries, museums, national institutions, historic sites, amusement parks, zoos and arcades are allowed to open up to 20 customers per separate space, with four square metres per person. Drive-in cinemas arealso allowed to recommence food and drink operations. From 22 June, the number of people allowed in these venues will increase to 50 per separate space. Up to 50 customers will be allowed to watch a film per cinema at movie theatres. Customers not from the same household will have to sit at least 1.5 metres apart, and the four square metre rule will apply. Concert venues and theatres will be able to reopen to 50 viewers per separate space.
Queensland – As of 1 June, libraries, along with museums, art galleries, and historic sites, can have 20 visitors at a time. Indoor cinemas, concert venues, theatres, arenas, auditoriums, stadiums, nightclubs, outdoor amusement parks, zoos and arcades are set to reopen on 10 July. All venues will be allowed to host up to 100 people at a time on site.
Tasmania – From 15 June, up to 20 people at a time will be allowed at cinemas, museums, galleries, theatres, performance venues and historic sites. This will increase to 50-100 people on 13 July.
Western Australia – Community facilities and libraries have been allowed to reopen. But public playgrounds, skate parks, zoos, cinemas, galleries, museums and concert venue can’t operate yet.
South Australia – From 1 June, libraries, community and youth centres, cinemas, theatres, galleries and museums can have up to 20 people at a time, as long as there is one person per four square metres. Up to 20 people can swim in a public swimming pool.
Northern Territory – Public libraries, art galleries, museums, and zoos can open. From noon onwards, 5 June, you will be allowed to attend cinemas and theatres, music halls, nightclubs, amusement parks, community centres, stadiums, sporting facility and similar entertainment venues.
ACT – Since 30 May, galleries, museums, national institutions and outdoor attractions, like the zoo, areallowed to reopen to groups of up to 20 people per designated session. Cinemas and other entertainment venues, along with night clubs and bars, have to remain closed
Can I go to the gym? What else can I do for exercise?
New South Wales – Indoor swimming pools and indoor recreational facilities like gyms, health studios and bowling alleys have to remain closed. But up to 10 people can gather in public, meaning that outdoor boot camps and non-contact sports are allowed. You can use outdoor gym equipment in public places, with caution, and engage in recreational activities like fishing, hunting and boating. Up to 10 people can swim in outdoor pools at a time. You can contact your local council to see if parks and beaches are open in your area; most historic sites and some beaches in national parks have been closed.
Victoria – No: gyms, yoga studios, and fitness classes, and indoor personal training are prohibited. As of 1 June, up to 20people can gather outside for activities like hiking, jogging , bike riding, canoeing, kayaking and other non-contact sports. Outdoor boot camps of up to 20people plus the trainer are also allowed. Outdoor swimming pools can have 20 patrons per enclosed space and three swimmers per pool lane.Playgrounds, outdoor gums, and skateparks have also been open since 26 May. From 22 June, indoor sports facilities, like gyms, can open up to 20 clients at a time, per separate enclosed space, as long as the four square metre rule is followed. Only 10 people will be allowed per group per activity.
Queensland – Yes, as of 1 June, gyms, health clubs yoga studios and community sports clubs can reopen to 20 people at a time. Up to 20 people can gather outside, play non-contact sport, and participate in outdoor group training and bot camps. Parks, playgrounds, skateparks and pools are open to up to 20 people at a time. The state government plans to increasethis number to 100 people from 10 July.
Tasmania – No: gyms, sporting venues, health clubs, fitness centres, wellness centres (including yoga and barre) and premises used for indoor social sporting-based activities are all prohibited. But up to 10 people at a time can use outside gyms, skate parks and play equipment in public playgrounds, or take part in boot camps and sports trainings. Indoor and outdoor pools are allowed to open for up to 10 people per pool. From 15 June, the number of people allowed for these activities will increase to 20 (excluding coaches or training staff). Indoor sport and recreation activities will start back for up to 20 attendees. Contact sports and activities will still be prohibited. The state government is considering whether to permit all full indoor and outdoor sporting from 13 July.
Western Australia – To an extent. Health clubs, fitness centres, yoga, barre and spin facilities, saunas, bathhouses and wellness centres can open for fitness classes or small group training with up to 20 participants, as long as there is at least four square metres per person allowed. But you can’t share equipment with other people in the same workout session meaning that you can use gym machines to workout. Up to 20 people can take part in non-contact sport, training, bootcamps, and play on tennis courts and golf courses. Swimming pools can have up to 20 patrons per pool.
South Australia – Yes, as of 1 June, gyms can open for up to 20 people per enclosed area. Up to 20 people can play outdoor, non-contact sport, take part in an outdoor bootcamp, and use gold courses, tennis courts and public gym equipment.Contact training for outdoor sports can begin again, with competition to commence from 27 June.
Northern Territory – Yes. Gyms, fitness studios, and indoor training activities like Cross Fit are allowed to operate. From midday, 5 June,you will be allowed to officiate, participate and support team sports, like football, basketball, soccer and netball.
ACT – Yes. Since 30 May, indoor gyms and fitness centres are allowed to reopen to 20 people in any enclosed space, as long as there is only one person per four square metres. Up to 20 people can take part in outdoor bootcamps and other non-contact training or sport.
Who decides if I am breaking the new laws?
Generally, enforcement will be left up to the discretion of police officers.
States have expressed different approaches, for example, the ACT says it will be issuing a warning in the first instance, while Victoria has adopted a more hardline attitude to those break social distancing rules.
NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller said he would personally review all physical-distancing fines issued in the state.
“If I think it’s unreasonable, it will be withdrawn immediately and we’ll make personal contact with the individual,†he said.
What are my options for challenging a fine?
Not all states have specified this, however, it appears these fines can be appealed using the same process as other fines issued by police.
Information on how to lodge an appeal should be available on your state or territory’s government website.
• Due to the unprecedented and ongoing nature of the coronavirus outbreak, this article is being regularly updated to ensure that it reflects the current situation at the date of publication. Any significant corrections made to this or previous versions of the article will continue to be footnoted in line with Guardian editorial policy.
Stay informed and up to date with the latest news in South Africa; check out the country’s biggest headlines on Monday 1 June. It’s the first day of Level 3 lockdown, and although many of us are excited about the eased restrictions, our latest COVID-19 numbers are something of a reality check.
TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Monday 1 June
COVID-19 stats for Monday 1 June
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in South Africa increased by 1 716 in the past 24-hour testing cycle to 32 683, with 40 new COVID-19-related deaths bringing the total to 683 as of Sunday, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said. A total of 725 125 tests had been processed to date, of which 23 242 had been conducted since the last report on Saturday.
It’s Level 3 day – let’s raise a glass…
Monday promises to be a very exciting day for the drinkers of South Africa, as the implementation of lockdown Level 3 allows citizens to purchase alcohol for the first time in 67 days. It’s been a rough ride – let’s not mention the pineapple beer – but the industry is ready to reopen under the following rules:
Home consumption allowed only.
This means bottle stores, supermarkets, restaurants and liquor traders can sell alcohol over the counter.
Bars and tavern remain banned.
The sale of alcohol will be allowed for four days a week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The stores selling booze will be allowed to operate from 9:00 – 17:00.
Drinking on the premises is banned, and no ‘special events’ will be granted one-off liquor licenses.
List of reasons for inter-provincial travel extended
However, you can undertake an inter-provincial journey for the following reasons:
Work reasons:Â You can now cross provincial borders in a professional capacity if you have your permit.
Moving house:Â Those going to a new place of residence have permission to travel under Level 3 laws.
Care responsibilities: People can now cross provincial borders to ‘care for an immediate family member’.
Going to school:Â Students who have to commute to and from schools can now move freely.
Attendance of funerals:Â This is also allowed in Level 4 of lockdown.
Transporting mortal remains:Â Under strict medical guidelines, inter-provincial travel gives leeway to burials.
Seeking medical treatment: If you’re nearer to a hospital that’s across a provincial border, you can now go there.
Leaving quarantine:Â Those leaving isolation away from their homes can return home without domestic limits.
Movement of children:Â Kids in co-parenting situations can now journey into different provinces to see each caregiver.
MPs performing ‘oversight’ tasks: This applies to just 400 of us. But yes. They can also travel freely during Level 3.
Level 3 – where can we gather, and who can we meet?
There have been a few relaxations to the rules on public gatherings, and the minister has explained where – and how – people can assemble in groups:
Council meetings and gatherings can resume with strict social distancing in local government buildings.
The government are still allowing funeral gatherings – but will continue to limit the number of attendees to 50.
Schools can allow children to return to their classrooms, providing a 1.5-metre distance is kept between all parties.
Religious gatherings of 50 people or less are permitted if the chosen venue can accommodate social distancing.
Workplace gatherings for professional purposes will be permitted under strict conditions and the observance of health and hygiene guidelines.
But, be warned:Â None of these allowances allow people to gather elsewhere, or meet socially in public.
THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES ARE STILL BANNED
You still cannot meet friends or family from outside of your own household, according to Bheki Cele.
Public training, fitness and recreation facilities remain closed except those conducting non-contact sports matches, without spectators. The Minister of Arts, Culture and Sports will elaborate on this.
Exercising in groups is not allowed, either.
People are asked to wear face masks wherever they go in public, including all listed gatherings.#
Flights are back on the menu
Domestic flights will be implemented in a phased approach, with phase 1 consisting of OR Tambo International Airport, Cape Town International Airport, King Shaka International Airport, and Lanseria International Airport. Only limited domestic air travel will be allowed for business trips, which will be approved based on the reason provided, and will be subject to restrictions “on the number of flights per dayâ€.
Full capacity will be allowed on aircraft, but no passenger will be allowed inside terminal buildings without a face mask. The following measures are still forbidden:
No catering will be allowed
No magazines onboard, including Sawubona
The last row on the plane will be reserved for isolation of suspected cases
All aircraft must be disinfected before and after each flight
Return to school ‘pushed back one week’
The on-again, off-again communication skills of the Education Department have tried and tested the patience of many South Africans on Sunday – but we’ve finally got an answer to a burning question, and it’s better late than never. Schools in Mzansi will not open on Monday 1 June as initially planned, the ministry has confirmed.
The postponed briefing has been pushed back to 11:00 on Monday – hours after schools were due to return for their first day. Luckily, some form of common sense prevailed and on Sunday evening, the Education Department gave us all an update. Schools will remain closed for the week ahead, reopening only on Monday 8 June. Officials in the Western Cape, however, have stated their schools can open today.
Cyril Ramaphosa accepts cigarette ban ‘mistake’
Responding to criticism surrounding government’s sudden U-turn on the cigarette ban during the move to Level 4 lockdown, President Cyril Ramaphosa has admitted things should’ve been done differently.
During a virtual conference with the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) on Sunday, the president was forced to field some serious questions around government’s stringent lockdown policy as a response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The president elaborated on the incident which had fuelled speculation around the executive command. Ramaphosa said:
“When I did announce that we were lifting the ban on cigarettes and later changed it — the change came about as a result of a flurry of concerns and objections that were raised by a number of South Africans, in their thousands — we then had to go back to the drawing board and then finally announce a change.â€
“Obviously people have taken issue with the way the announcement was made. It was made by Minister Dlamini-Zuma. What we should have done, is the president having announced it, the president should’ve been the one to announce it again and give reasons why this was being changed.â€
Cyril Ramaphosa
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Caitlin Ashley DiLena’s exposure to anything Swedish was once limited to trips to Ikea, the Swedish Chef muppet character, and the Swedish princess cake segment on “The Great British Baking Show.â€
This was before she matched with Nicklas Alexander Ansman Giertz on Tinder in May 2018, and then met him a couple of weeks later at Lovelace, a gin bar in Manhattan’s Financial District, close to where he lived and she worked.
“We kept talking and talking,†said Mr. Ansman Giertz, 30, the technical lead in New York for Bontouch, a Stockholm-based digital software design agency that partners with various brands.
He had just gotten back from a two-week visit with his family in the Stockholm archipelago. (He is a paternal great-great-grandson of Lars Magnus Ericsson, the founder of Ericsson, the Swedish networking and telecommunications company). She had just spent a rainy weekend at a bachelorette party along the Jersey Shore.
As they walked along the East River they had their first kiss, and later while he waited with her for her bus, she went on about how thrilled she was that it stopped close to her apartment uptown.
“She seemed more excited about the bus than the date,†said Mr. Ansman Giertz, with a laugh.
They spent the Fourth of July together watching the Macy’s fireworks display along the East River, she showed him around Boston one weekend in August (she graduated from Boston University) and in November, with his business class voucher about to expire, they went to Tokyo.
“It felt pretty clear,’†said Mr. Ansman Giertz, who started moving into her apartment before the trip, “she was not someone ordinary.â€
As they got serious, she learned Swedish on Duolingo and at N.Y.U.
In 2019 she celebrated Midsummer, the summer solstice holiday, with him, his family and friends in Sweden, where they danced, ate several kinds of pickled herring and potatoes, drank schnapps and belted out drinking songs.
He proposed on Dec. 1 2019, after he dragged a Christmas tree home through the snow, and nestled a maroon leather ring box on one of its branches. After he asked her to take a closer look at the tree, she found it, and he got down on one knee.
They had planned a wedding for this December at India House, an events space in the Financial District, but after travel restrictions for non-U.S. citizens were imposed after the coronavirus outbreak, they talked about getting married sooner for a sense of security.
As soon as Project Cupid got underway May 7 in New York, they were among the first couples to get an appointment online for a virtual marriage license from the Manhattan Marriage Bureau for the following Monday.
“We’re really excited we could do this,†said Ms. DiLena, “ We needed that extra security to travel to Sweden and back. Before it was never a factor of the relationship.â€
They were married May 21, the anniversary of their first meeting, at the home of the bride’s parents in Franklin Square, N.Y. Mirelle Eid, a Universal Life minister, officiated from Manhattan via Zoom. Also tuning in were the bride’s grandmother from Queens and the groom’s family in Sweden. As a salute to Sweden, Ms. DiLena made a wedding cake with a layer of lingonberry jam.
“It’s sort of symbolic,†she said, “and it’s really, really good.â€
Protestors gathered in Birmingham went to work to remove a statue erected in a public park with ties to the confederacy.
According to AL.com, the group gathered at Linn Park following a rally in memory of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died on Memorial Day shortly after his arrest by officers from the Minneapolis Police Department. However, a speech at the rally from comedian Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson led many to the park after Johnson encouraged them to meet him there.
“We’ve got a lot cities around the country. They’re tearing down Target. They’re tearing down city hall. We can’t do that. We gotta protect our city,” Johnson told the crowd before saying that protestors couldn’t destroy historic civil rights locations like the 16th Street Baptist Church. “But what I’m not telling you to do is walk to Linn Park. I’m not telling to walk to Linn Park after this rally. I’m not telling you to tear something down in Linn Park. I’m not telling you that I’m going to be over there after this rally.”
Linn Park contains several statues, including one of Charles Linn, the park’s namesake and a founder of Birmingham who fought for the Confederate States during the Civil War, and the Confederate Soldiers & Sailors Monument, built in the shape of an obelisk.
That monument was erected in 1905 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and has been the result of controversy between the city and the Alabama Attorney General’s office. The statue of Linn was built in 2013 by a local organization to honor the work of one of Linn’s descendants.
Branko Medenica’s Charles Linn statue stands in Linn Park in Birmingham, Alabama on July 4, 2018. Raymond Boyd/Getty
Photos shared to Twitter by WBRC reporter Brittany Dionne showed the brass cast of Charles Linn on the ground with portions of the statue covered in graffiti.
A video, shared by Jonathan Hardison, another WBRC reporter, captured the moment that the statute fell, via a rope tied around it. When it toppled, many in the group began to cheer.
According to AL.com, protestors used rocks and other items to chip away at the base of the obelisk statue. They also used a pickup to try and rip it down with a rope. However, the rope broke.
Reports from local media indicated a police presence at the park while protestors attempted to bring down the statue, but did not interfere with their efforts. However, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin did later encourage protestors to leave, telling them to give him 24 hours to remove the statue from the park.
“I understand the frustration and the anger that you have. Allow me to finish the job for you,” Woodfin told the crowd, AL.com reported, he also warned the protestors that if they remained in the park and continued to try and bring the statue down that police would come in and begin making arrests.
Newsweek reached out to the mayor’s office for additional comment regarding plans to remove the statue, but did not hear back by publication time.
The obelisk has been involved in a legal battle between the City of Birmingham and Alabama’s attorney general. In 2017, the city and then-Mayor William Bell were subjected to a lawsuit from the AG’s office for covering the statue with tarps and plywood in violation of Alabama’s Memorial Preservation Act. However, the city stated that they were not out of step with the state law as the monument had not been altered in any way.
The Memorial Preservation Act prohibits the removal or changing of any monument that has been erected for more than 40 years without the approval of the state.
Two years of legal battles ensued, with the Alabama Supreme Court overturning a district court ruling in November 2019 that said the city was being denied free speech via the law. In January of this year the city was ordered to keep the monument up and to pay a $25,000 fine for violating the state statute.
This is at least the second statue to be defaced in the South this weekend. On Saturday, a confederate statue at the University of Mississippi was spray-painted with the words ‘spiritual genocide’ as well as red handprints. Like the Linn Park statue, that monument has been the subject of controversy and the university awaiting a ruling on if it can be moved to another location.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has dismissed advice from his allies urging him to tone down his rhetoric and held back so far on a formal address to the nation as cities across the country faced another night of fiery protests.
As the roar of police helicopters and chanting crowds reverberated through the White House grounds for a third night, Trump once again opted against seeking to make prime time remarks from the Oval Office, as other presidents have done in times of domestic crisis.
Instead, he spent the day on Twitter, doubling down on a strategy of calling for stronger police tactics that critics have said is only worsening the situation.
Trump’s advisers have been divided over what role the president should take in responding to the most widespread unrest the country has seen in decades. Some say Trump should focus his message on George Floyd, who died at the hands of Minneapolis police, and urge calm. Others say the top priority is stopping the violence and looting that have taken place in some areas, arguing the best path to that end is strong police tactics, not presidential speeches.
Senior adviser and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner is not in favor of a high-profile presidential speech at this time, according to a person close to the White House.
Some Trump allies agree. “It doesn’t matter how brilliant an Oval Office address President Trump gives, that isn’t going to make a difference to people financially and the real issue is the economy,†said Jason Miller, a former campaign communications adviser. With a formal address, “he would only be set up for failure. It’s so easy to say he didn’t strike the perfect chord, or left out this detail. There are only various levels of failure that could result.â€
But a second camp in Trump’s inner circle has been calling on him to tone down his strong-arm law and order rhetoric, including Sen. Tim Scott, R-Fla., who said he spoke to the president on Saturday and called his tweets “not constructive.â€
“I told him what I’m going to tell you, which is, Mr. President, it helps us when you focus on the death, the unjustified, in my opinion, the criminal death of George Floyd,†Scott said Sunday in a Fox News interview. “Those tweets are very helpful, it is helpful when you say what you said yesterday, which is that it’s important for us to recognize the benefits of non-violent protests.â€
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There is broad agreement among Trump’s allies and closest aides that his current, largely incendiary messaging on protesters could backfire politically and also potentially further fuel the turmoil, these people said.
The president’s advisers warned Trump this weekend that while the election is still five months away, there is a risk that some of his rhetoric could alienate key voters such as moderates and suburban women.
Those same counselors told the president his tweets on Thursday — which included the phrase “when the looting starts, the shooting starts†— were particularly inflammatory and “ill-advised.â€
Trump has at times softened his rhetoric over the past few days to express some empathy with protesters, saying Friday during an event with business executives on coronavirus that “I understand the hurt. I understand the pain. People have really been through a lot.â€
In remarks following a visit to view the SpaceX rocket launch in Florida Saturday, Trump said the death of Floyd had “filled Americans all over the country with horror, anger, and grief.”
The protests have become increasingly real for Trump and White House staffers over the last 72 hours. On Friday, the president was taken by Secret Service to the underground bunker used for former Vice President Dick Cheney during the Sept. 11 attacks, where he stayed less than an hour out of an abundance of caution, according to a senior administration official.
White House staffers were told over the weekend not to come to the White House complex unless absolutely necessary, though no directive had yet been given for Monday, said a White House aide.
Still, Trump has carried on an appearance of business as usual. With cities still smoldering, Trump returned to Florida Saturday afternoon to watch the country’s first commercially manned rocket launch, an event the White House planned to use to tout American innovation and the economy. When asked by reporters if he considered calling off the trip, Trump said he felt he had an obligation to be there.
After protests turned violent in Minneapolis on Thursday night, Trump did not sway from his planned Friday remarks outlining actions his administration was taking against China. The Rose Garden event, his first public comments of the day, included no mention of the protests, and the president surprised staff by choosing not to take questions from reporters at the end of his prepared remarks. It wasn’t until a second event later in the afternoon that he noted the events of the preceding night.
Nor did he let the massive scale of the protests sweeping across the country change the messaging he has used during past demonstrations. He again blamed Democrats for unrest, and dismissed the protestors as “professionally managed,†describing them as “a lot of radical-left bad people.†His solution, rather than urging calm, has been to push for a stronger police crackdown and a bigger National Guard presence.
Trump has had a pattern during past crises of being slow to divert from his agenda and planned talking points. The weekend before he declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency, he was golfing and holding fundraisers at his Mar-a-Lago resort downplaying the severity of the virus. During the controversy around his comments on the deadly protests in Charlottesville, Trump spent the weekend at his Bedminster golf course, holding a meeting on tax cuts at the White House and traveling to Trump Tower in New York for a meeting on infrastructure as the controversy ballooned.
But while Trump has been heavily criticized over his response, the demonstrations provide him the type of culture war distraction he had been seeking to take the focus away from his administration’s response the coronavirus, which killed more than 100,000 people this week and has resulted in one in four Americans filing for unemployment, said one outside adviser.
Prior to the escalation of the demonstrations, Trump had been having little success trying to shift the national conversation away from the coronavirus pandemic to other divisive issues popular with conservatives, such as voter fraud, alleged social media bias and China. Now, says that adviser, he can appear as the strong-arm law-and-order candidate protecting the country from lawlessness.
His campaign is watching closely and already looking for ways to turn the demonstrations against apparent Democratic nominee Joe Biden by questioning whether the former vice president supports Trump’s move to designate antifa, a group of far-left activists, a terrorist organization.
“President Trump has been fighting culture wars since he announced his candidacy in 2015,†said Garrett Ventry, a former Republican Senate aide. “The president believes that it is a win when he engages in these fights, it ignites his base.â€
But as one outside adviser stressed, the national turmoil this weekend also highlights the “divisive nature†of the president’s politics at a time when “he and his re-election campaign could really use some ‘uniter in chief’ and ‘healer in chief’ type headlines.â€
Internet service provider Aussie Broadband has just launched access the NBN’s latest and fastest consumer NBN speed tier, a 1Gbps service offering unlimited downloads at speeds of up to 1000Mbps, and selling for a surprisingly affordable AU$149 a month.
With a download speed of 1Gbps, this brand new 1000/50 tier is set to be four times faster than what was previously available to consumers, with top speeds formerly maxing out at 250Mbps.
Given Aussie Broadband is the first in the market to offer NBN 1000, the ISP has warned it’s as yet unable to provide definitive numbers on peak evening speeds, with managing director Phillip Britt saying it is a “best effort serviceâ€.
“We think that the plan should achieve off-peak speeds of up to 80-90%, depending on the technology type,†says Britt.
“For the moment, we will be advising customers our peak evening speeds for our 250Mbps plans as a baseline until we have collated enough data from our own network testing.â€
With the peak evening speeds for Aussie Broadband’s NBN250 plans currently listed as 215Mbps, that means you’ll be getting these speeds at the very least – but it’ll likely be a lot faster.
Even if the peak evening speed is just 215Mbps, this NBN 1000 plan will far outpace Aussie Broadband’s NBN 100 deal, which promises a typical evening speed of 86Mbps.
Can you get it?
Before rushing to sign up though, there are a couple of caveats you should be aware of. Namely, the plan is only available on two types of NBN connection – fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) and hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC). And while all FTTP connections can sign up for 1000Mbps, that speed will only work with a select subset of HFC installations – estimated to be roughly 7% of the total.
To see what’s available in your area, check your address on Aussie Broadband’s website – note that you may need to select ‘Build your own’ to see the higher-speed 250Mbps and 1000Mbps plans.
Aussie is also recommending eligible customers get themselves a Wi-Fi router that will be able to cope with the super-fast speeds, going so far as to suggest the Google Nest Wifi, as standard modems may not be able to handle distribution of that higher download bandwidth around the home.
If you’re connected via HFC but have found you can’t access that 1000Mbps tier, there is some slightly consoling news: Aussie Broadband has dropped the prices on its 250Mbps plans to make them more competitive with this new 1Gbps offering.
Aussie Broadband may be the first in the market to offer NBN 1000, but that hasn’t stopped the telco from offering an incredibly competitive plan. For download speeds of up to 1Gbps and upload speeds approaching 50Mbps, you’ll pay just AU$149 a month. Aussie has rightly cautioned potential customers that it’s yet to determine definitive numbers on peak evening speeds, though they’ve put forward 215Mbps as its baseline, so you’ll at the very least get that. Overall, if you’re connected to the NBN through FTTP or one of the lucky 7% of HFC users, this is an insanely good deal.View Deal
If you suspect you or a family member has coronavirus you should call (not visit) your GP or ring the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
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Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said resuming contact training has made a “massive difference†for the Premier League leaders. (Reuters/File Photo)
