An Australian activewear firm has been fined £2.6m (5m Australian dollars) for claiming its clothing “eliminated” and stopped the spread of Covid-19. Lorna Jane had advertised that its clothing used “a groundbreaking technology” called LJ Shield to prevent the “transferal of all pathogens”. However, in a ruling, a judge said the company’s claim was “exploitative, predatory and potentially dangerous”. Lorna Jane said it accepted the court’s ruling. The company maintained that it had been misled by its own supplier. “A trusted supplier sold us a product that did not perform as promised,” said Lorna Jane chief executive Bill Clarkson. “They … Continue reading Firm fined £2.6m for claiming clothes prevent Coronavirus

China has rejected terms proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to further investigate the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. WHO head Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on China to be more co-operative about the early stages of the outbreak, including with audits of laboratories. Zeng Yixin, deputy health minister, said it showed “disrespect for common sense and arrogance towards science”. He said the plan was politicised and that China could not accept it. The WHO was only able to send a team of experts to Wuhan, the city where the virus was first detected in December 2019 and in … Continue reading Enough Of China Bashing: China rejects WHO plan for second phase of virus origin probe

YouTube says it has removed videos posted by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, because they spread misinformation about coronavirus. The tech giant said its decision was not based on ideology or politics, but on its content policies. Since the start of the pandemic, the president has spoken out against lockdowns, masks and vaccinations. The president’s office has not commented on YouTube’s decision, which affects 15 videos, local media say. His channel features weekly national addresses, and conversations with ministers about various issues – some of which are live-streamed. According to news outlet O Globo, one video shows Eduardo Pazuello, Brazil’s former … Continue reading YouTube removes Bolsonaro videos for Coronavirus misinformation

A 39-year-old man allegedly used a rope made from bed sheets to shimmy down from a fourth floor hotel room and flee Australian quarantine, police said.A 39-year-old man was arrested and charged after he fled his hotel room while under direction to return to Queensland. The man arrived in Western Australia from Brisbane on Monday afternoon, but didn’t meet the exemption requirements needed to enter the state, which currently has strict border rules in place, according to a statement from the Western Australia Police Force. The man was told to leave Western Australia within 48 hours and was sent to a quarantine … Continue reading LOL: Man flees Australian quarantine using a bed sheet

Stock markets across the world have dropped on fears that increasing numbers of Covid-19 cases will hamper economic recovery. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index was down by around 1% in Tuesday’s trade to hit its lowest level in six months. In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled by more than 2%, while major indexes in the UK and mainland Europe also fell. New cases are rising in some countries, fuelled by the Delta variant. Japanese shares are now down for a fifth session in a row over concerns about the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant and … Continue reading Asia follows global shares slide amid recovery fears

Controversial British commentator Katie Hopkins will be deported from Australia for bragging about flouting hotel quarantine rules, says the government. Ms Hopkins, who has often drawn anger for racist remarks, had entered the country to star in TV show Big Brother Australia. On Friday she posted a video from her Sydney hotel room where she joked about putting frontline staff at risk. Her comments sparked widespread condemnation. In the video, Ms Hopkins said she planned to “lie in wait” for workers to deliver food to her room so she could open the door “naked with no face mask”. She also … Continue reading Katie Hopkins to be deported from Australia over quarantine rules

Two vaccination centres have been ransacked in France amid protests over the government’s introduction of tougher coronavirus rules. One site in south-east France was vandalised and flooded with fire hoses on Friday night, authorities said. A day later, another clinic in the south-west was partially destroyed in what local media called an arson attack. The incidents came on a weekend of demonstrations against Covid-19 measures. On Saturday, more than 100,000 people took to the streets across France to denounce rules designed to tackle rising infections. The controversial measures include mandatory vaccination for health workers and health passes to access most public … Continue reading Covid vaccination centres vandalised in France

Karaoke lounges have become Singapore’s latest virus cluster, making up for a majority of the 56 cases the country recorded on Wednesday. The figure is the highest daily total Singapore has seen in 10 months, Some 41 cases have been linked to these lounges, which typically see hostesses interact with customers. The lounges were closed months ago as part of lockdown measures, but several obtained licenses to operate as food and beverage outlets instead. The latest cluster comes as Singapore gradually eases virus restrictions, allowing people to meet in larger groups and rolling back some dining restrictions. A total of … Continue reading Singapore sees cases spike in large karaoke lounge cluster

Police in Paris fired tear gas and made arrests as they tried to disperse demonstrators, many of them sceptical of vaccines, the so-called “anti vaxxers“, who marched throughout France over new coronavirus restrictions. Some of the protests began as early as Wednesday morning in Paris as the annual military parade for the traditional Bastille Day parade, watched by President Emmanuel Macron, was taking place along the Champs-Elysees. The protests went on into Wednesday night, with protesters captured on video clips posted on social media, also aiming fireworks at police. The demonstrators, many of them unmasked, are unhappy at the decision announced … Continue reading French police fire tear gas as anti-vaccine protest turns violent

In an effort to combat an increasing number of Delta variant covid-19 cases, France is set to introduce tighter restrictions affecting cultural activities beginning July 21. From that date, it will become mandatory for those over 12-years-old to show the official EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate (or “health pass”) to access all cultural and leisure venues where more than 50 people are gathered. This will include cinemas, live theater, amusement parks, concerts and festivals, French president Emmanuel Macron announced in an address to the nation this evening. These new measures will not affect the Cannes Film Festival which is currently in full swing and has required the health … Continue reading French cinemas to require ‘Health Pass’ from July 21

All health care workers in France must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by September or risk not being paid, the government has announced. The requirement applies to doctors, nurses, office staff and volunteers. President Emmanuel Macron has also said that from next month, health passes will need to be shown to access places like shops, bars, cinemas and long-distance train journeys in France. The passes show the holder has been jabbed, or had a recent negative test. “I am aware of what I am asking of you, and I know that you are ready for this commitment, this is part, … Continue reading France makes vaccinations mandatory for all health workers

The Australian city of Sydney has recorded its highest daily rise in Covid-19 cases in months, despite being nearly two weeks into a lockdown. The city in the state of New South Wales reported 38 cases on Thursday- taking its outbreak of the Delta variant to about 370 cases. Authorities say household visits and meet-ups between friends were still driving the virus’ spread. They have pleaded with residents to follow the rules more strictly. “We just need people to stop interacting for this lockdown to work,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Thursday, which saw the highest figures in a … Continue reading Australia’s Sydney sees highest case numbers in months despite lockdown