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LONDON (AP) — The British government faced accusations of hypocrisy on Saturday after the revelation that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s top adviser, Dominic Cummings, traveled more than 250 miles to his parents’ house during a nationwide coronavirus lockdown.
The Guardian and Mirror newspapers reported that Cummings, who lives in London, was seen at the property in Durham, northeast England, at the end of March. A lockdown that began March 23 stipulated that people should remain at their primary residence, leaving only for essential local errands and exercise, and not visit relatives. Anyone with symptoms was told to completely isolate themselves.
Durham Police said that officers went to a house on March 31 and “explained to the family the guidelines around self-isolation and reiterated the appropriate advice around essential travel.†Police did not mention Cummings by name.
Johnson’s office said in a statement that Cummings made the trip because his wife was showing coronavirus symptoms, he thought he was likely to also get sick, and relatives had offered to help look after the couple’s young son. It said Cummings stayed in a house “near to but separate from†his extended family.
Downing St. said Cummings believed he had behaved “reasonably and legally.â€
Cummings, a contentious figure who has a spiky relationship with the media, was one of the architects of the successful “Brexit†campaign to take Britain out of the European Union, and later was appointed Johnson’s top aide.
The government has previously said that Cummings spent some time off work with coronavirus symptoms. He is one of a slew of senior British government figures to contract COVID-19, including the prime minister, who spent three nights in intensive care at a London hospital.
Cummings, 48, is one of several senior U.K. officials who have been accused of flouting the lockdown rules that they advocated for the rest of the country.
Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson stepped down as a government scientific adviser earlier this month after a newspaper disclosed that his girlfriend had crossed London to stay with him during the lockdown. In April, Catherine Calderwood resigned as Scotland’s chief medical officer after twice traveling from Edinburgh to her second home.
Dave Penman, the leader of civil servants union the FDA, said “the prime minister needs to understand how heartbreaking this lockdown has been for so many families and the sacrifices that have been made up and down the country.†He said Johnson must explain why “it looks like there is one rule for those at the center of government and one rule for rest of the country.â€
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NBA great Patrick Ewing has tested positive for the coronavirus and is now in isolation in hospital, he announced on Friday.
“This virus is serious and should not be taken lightly,†tweeted the 57-year-old Basketball Hall of Famer who now coaches the Georgetown University men’s basketball program.
“I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones,†he wrote. “Now more than ever, I want to thank the healthcare workers and everyone on the front lines. I’ll be fine and we will all get through this.â€
I want to share that I have tested positive for COVID-19. This virus is serious and should not be taken lightly. I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones. pic.twitter.com/a2fMuhIZyG
— Patrick Ewing (@CoachEwing33) May 22, 2020
Ewing enjoyed a successful playing career at the New York Knicks in the 1980s and ’90s. He is “the only member of the Georgetown men’s basketball program to have tested positive for the virus,†Georgetown Athletics said in a statement, adding he is now “under care and isolated at a local hospital.â€
The Knicks wished Ewing well on Twitter:
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A women wearing a face mask walks by the Eiffel Tower in Paris | Philippe Lopez/AFP via Getty Images
People coming from EU countries with quarantine measures for incoming travelers will be asked to self-isolate.
France will introduce a two-week quarantine for travelers who don’t exhibit coronavirus symptoms starting on May 25, according to the French interior ministry.
The measures will apply to returning French citizens and permanent residents arriving from outside the European Union and the European Economic Area, which includes the U.K. and Switzerland. Travelers from within this area will not be asked to quarantine, unless they come from a country that has imposed quarantine measures on incoming travelers, such as Spain and the U.K.
The two-week self-isolation period will be voluntary. “Travelers are called upon to show good citizenship and a sense of responsibility in order to implement this health precaution,” the French interior ministry said in a statement issued late Friday.
For those arriving from within the EU, some restrictions have also been relaxed. Crossborder workers, international transporters and people traveling for family reasons — such as for child care reasons or to lend urgent assistance to a relative — will be allowed to access the territory. Seasonal workers and posted workers whose work cannot be postponed will also be allowed into the country, according to the ministry.
France will progressively reopen border points and wind down “static controls” to facilitate the fluidity of traffic while ensuring the implementation of the restrictions remaining in place until June 15, the ministry said. It is also working on reciprocal travel permits with neighboring countries.
Rym Momtaz contributed reporting.
President Donald Trump went after Fox News on Twitter yet again on Friday, this time invoking its late CEO and chairman Roger Ailes.
Trump, in response to a Fox News poll showing him trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden nationwide, first suggested the network should “fire their Fake Pollster.â€Â
In a second tweet, Trump said he hoped Ailes — who left the network in 2016 amid a sexual misconduct scandal that cost the network millions of dollars in settlements ― is “looking down and watching what has happened to this once beautiful creation!â€
Trump on Thursday complained that Fox “is doing nothing to help Republicans, and me, get re-elected on November 3rd.â€
On Monday, he moaned Fox News “is no longer the same.â€Â
“We miss the great Roger Ailes,†he tweeted of his former ally, who advised on his 2016 campaign. Ailes died in 2017. “You have more anti-Trump people, by far, than ever before,†said Trump, adding: “Looking for a new outlet!â€Â
Trump has faced criticism from the network’s hosts over his fumbled response to the coronavirus pandemic. Neil Cavuto this week blasted Trump’s claim about taking an unproven drug to protect from the coronavirus.
Chris Wallace on Friday also fact-checked Trump’s false statements about mail-in voter fraud. However, its primetime personalities, such as Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, often use their shows to stump for the president. Trump’s latest attack, and his invocation of Ailes, were too much for many on Twitter to bear:
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More women than men have found themselves suddenly unemployed. Fiona Gulin is among the lucky ones who believes she can cope without dipping into super.
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A man walks in front of a European Commission building in Brussels | Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images
The EU’s so-called frugal four — Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden — are pushing for a “loans for loans” approach for the bloc’s coronavirus recovery fund, according to a position paper seen by POLITICO.
France and Germany on Monday called for a €500 billion recovery fund that would give cash to EU countries impacted by the economic fallout of the coronavirus crisis. The proposal would allow the European Commission to borrow cash on financial markets, then distribute money as grants.
In their non-paper, the frugals, who came out against the Franco-German plan, argue for a European Recovery Fund that is based on a “modernized EU budget” and ensures countries are “better prepared for the next crisis.”
The recovery fund should be temporary and one-off, with a sunset clause after two years, and should not lead to debt mutualization, according to the paper.
Such a fund would allow loans to be made on favorable terms to member countries in need, while “limiting the risk to all Member States and providing sound incentives.” Loan recipients should carry out structural reforms to make their economies more resilient, the four countries said.
If the EU’s recovery fund is linked to the bloc’s long-term budget, as the current proposals suggest, it will need the approval of all EU countries.
The European Commission is expected to unveil its proposal for a Recovery Instrument and revamped 2021-2027 EU budget on Wednesday. Commission officials have indicated the proposed recovery plan would include a mix of loans and grants.
Lili Bayer contributed reporting.Â
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reportedly planning to reduce the involvement of Chinese company Huawei in Britain’s 5G network in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. Johnson has also asked officials to draft a strategy to reduce China’s involvement in British infrastructure to zero by 2023, the Daily Telegraph has reported.
The prime minister is expected to use less reliance on China as a means to boost trade talks with US President Donald Trump in the aftermath of Britain’s departure from the European Union, according to the newspaper. Earlier on Friday, The Times reported that Johnson has instructed civil servants to make plans to end Britain’s reliance on China for vital medical supplies and other strategic imports. Beijing has been facing mounting international criticism over its handling of the coronavirus outbreak, which began in China before spreading to the rest of the world.
“He (Johnson) still wants a relationship with China but the Huawei deal is going to be significantly scaled back. Officials have been instructed to come up with a plan to reduce Huawei’s involvement as quickly as possible,†a source was quoted by the Telegraph as saying. Huawei and Downing Street did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The development would be a change of direction for Britain, which in late April confirmed it would allow Huawei to have a role in building the country’s 5G phone network.
Britain decided in January to allow Huawei into what the government said were non-sensitive parts of the network, capping its involvement at 35 per cent. The United States has raised security concerns about Huawei equipment, and warn that allies that use it in their networks risk being cut off from valuable intelligence-sharing feeds.
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Jenna Bush Hager paid an emotional and heartfelt tribute to former White House butler Wilson Roosevelt Jerman, who died last weekend, describing him as “the loveliest†person who made the official residence feel like a real home.Â
Jerman died at the age of 91 after contracting the coronavirus. He served 11 presidents, from Dwight Eisenhower to Barack Obama, during his 55-year career at the White House. He retired in 2012.
The “Today†show host Bush Hager, the daughter of former President George W. Bush, reflected on Jerman’s impact on her family to co-host Hoda Kotb on Thursday’s episode.
“He was the loveliest. I think ‘lovely’ is a word that can kind of be overused. But he was always smiling,†she said. “You know, it’s interesting because people will say, ‘Gosh, how was the White House? Did it feel like home?’ And the reason why it felt like home was because of people like him.â€
Bush Hager recalled telling former first lady Michelle Obama, when showing her around the White House, that the staff would become part of their family. At the funeral of another butler who she called “Smiley,†Bush Hager said Obama approached her and said she now knew what she meant.
“Smiley made my girls feel like this place was a home,’†Jenna remembered Obama telling her. “And Mr. Jerman did that in tenfold. We loved him. He was beloved by my family, and he will be so missed.â€
Check out the interview here:
Bush Hager’s parents, former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, also described Jerman as “a lovely man.â€Â
Michelle Obama, who included a photograph of Jerman in her bestselling memoir “Becoming,â€Â praised him for his “kindness and care†and for helping “make the White House a home for decades of First Families, including ours.â€
“His service to others ― his willingness to go above and beyond for the country he loved and all those whose lives he touched ― is a legacy worthy of his generous spirit,†Obama added in a statement. “We were lucky to have known him. Barack and I send our sincerest love and prayers to his family.â€
Former first lady Hillary Clinton also honored Jerman for making “generations of first families feel at home.â€
Bill and I were saddened to hear of the passing of Wilson Roosevelt Jerman at the age of 91 from COVID-19. Jerman served as a White House butler across 11 presidencies and made generations of first families feel at home, including ours. Our warmest condolences to his loved ones.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 21, 2020
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While the eastern states remain in the grips of a cold snap, Western Australia is preparing for a rare cyclone expected to hit tomorrow.
Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia are in for a cold weekend as they recover from two consecutive cold fronts earlier in the week.
On the other side of Australia, Cyclone Mangga is forecast to bring a violent storm to Perth.
Here is a breakdown of this weekend’s weather in all states and territories around the country.
New South Wales is also feeling the wrath of the cold snap – leaving rain, hail, snow and strong winds across the state.
Sydney is in for a cold and rainy Saturday with a maximum temperature of just 17C and a minimum of 10C with showers expected throughout the day.
A severe weather warning is in place for surfers today due to vigorous southerly winds and large southerly surf to exposed parts of the New South Wales coastline. This low is expected to linger in the region over the next few days before slowly moving away.
Damaging surf is expected in Metropolitan, Illawarra and South Coast regions while damaging winds could hit Wollongong, Bulli, Port Kembla, Kiama, Huskisson and Ulladulla.
Large swells have already hit Sydney beaches with surfers and swimmers being warned of dangerous conditions.
Melbourne is forecast to experience another icy weekend with a low of 9C today and 10C on Sunday with the chance of showers over both days.
Like NSW, Victoria is still feeling the bite of the cold front with snow forecast on Mt Hotham today.
Areas including Latrobe Valley, Ballarat, Wangaratta and Horsham could all experience temperatures below 5C as the wintry weather continues.
Queenslanders are waking up to a chilly morning..
An icy blast of record temperatures plummeting as much as 11 degrees below average.
Just weeks out from Winter, forecasters say it could be one of the coolest days of the year.
Brisbane’s temperatures could sink as low as 11C today with a maximum of 17C.
Widespread rain is forecast around the state including in Carins, Townsville, and Mackay and Rockhampton.
West Australians have been urged to reconsider their intrastate travel plans this weekend as the remnants of a rare, out-of-season cyclone hurtle towards the state.
Tropical Cyclone Mangga is impacting the Cocos Keeling Islands before heading towards the north-west of WA and tracking down the west coast.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said the system was likely to weaken to below cyclone intensity when it reached Australia, but it would still be considered a once-in-a-decade storm, producing wind gusts up to 130 kilometres per hour and heavy rainfall.
The severe weather is expected to hit the upper part of the west coast on Sunday morning and extend down the coast during the day to reach the Perth metropolitan area and the south coast during Sunday afternoon and evening.
South Australia is experiencing the tail end of two consecutive cold fronts earlier in the week.
Adelaide will be sunny with a possible shower and a maximum of 16C today and Sunday.
Isolated showers and cool temperatures are forecast around the state including in Mt Gambier and Clare.
Maximum temperatures are expected to stay below 20C for the entirety of SAÂ today with the highest maximum temperature expected in Coober Pedy which could reach 18C.
Below-average temperatures and windy conditions are forecast in the NT today.
Darwin will stay relatively warm in comparison to the rest of the state with a minimum of 19C and maximum of 26C today.
Meanwhile, Alice Springs could experience morning frost with a minimum of 1C today.
Showers and cloudy conditions are forecast around Tasmania this weekend .
Hobart could see rain later today with a maximum temperature of 16C today and 13C tomorrow.
