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Jan 01 1970 GMT00:33
captions
The virus that causes Covid-19 can survive for up to 28 days on surfaces such as the glass on mobile phones, stainless steel, vinyl and paper banknotes, Australian scientists have found.
The national science agency, the CSIRO, said Sars-CoV-2 lasted longer on smooth surfaces rather than porous surfaces such as cotton, also surviving longer at lower temperatures.
However, the experiment was done in a dark area, nullifying the effects of UV light which is known to reduce the life of the virus on surfaces.
The research may help explain the apparent persistence and spread of Sars-CoV-2 in cool environments and how that might be better addressed.
Jan 01 1970 GMT00:33
captions
Nigeria has dissolved an infamous police unit plagued with allegations of extrajudicial killings and abuse after days of protests against police brutality.
Protests were held at the weekend across Lagos and other cities in Nigeria, after online graphic footage emerged of abuses by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, commonly called Sars.
The unit was set up in 1992 to address rising violent crime, but many have accused it of gradually mirroring the groups they were set up to stop.
The announcement was greeted with a mixture of euphoria that action has been taken and frustration that the government's measures didn't go far enough.
Amnesty International’s director in Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, said the announcement "fell short of demands for accountability and justice for abuses committed by the unit and police in general."
Jan 01 1970 GMT00:33
captions
The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, has issued a rare apology for his failure to guide the country through difficult times worsened by the coronavirus crisis.
Speaking at a military parade in Pyongyang to mark the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ party, Kim said he sympathised with the North Korean people before removing his glasses and wiping away tears.
“Our people have placed trust, as high as the sky and as deep as the sea, in me, but I have failed to always live up to it satisfactorily,” he said, according to a translation of his comments in the Korea Times.
Analysts suggest Kim is feeling pressures on his leadership. North Korea has seen trade with China, by far its biggest economic partner, fall dramatically due to the closure of borders in response to the pandemic. But Pyongyang insists it has not recorded a single case of the virus.
Years of international sanctions in response to Kim’s nuclear and missile programmes, plus damage inflicted by natural disasters, have only added to his difficulties.
Jan 01 1970 GMT00:33
captions
What challenges will young people across the UK face in the aftermath of brutal funding cuts to youth services?
Our latest documentary celebrates the imagination and resourcefulness of young children across the UK - by understanding the outdoor games they invent, inherit and play.
Tap the link in bio to watch the full film.
Made with the support of the BFI Doc Society Fund, @bfinetwork and @thedocsociety.
Director Charlotte Regan (@crcharlotte )
Producer Theo Barrowclough (@theobarrowclough )
Production companies: @dmcfilmofficial fficial @knucklehead_hq
Jan 01 1970 GMT00:33
captions
More than 1,200 members of the US literary community have signed a letter expressing support for trans and non-binary people in the US and Canada.
Author Maureen Johnson, who initiated the letter, said that while “letters do not fix things”, they are “designed to a) show support and b) bring awareness to an issue. In this case, the issue is transphobia in the publishing discourse and community.”
The gesture follows a similar initiative from authors in the UK and Ireland last month.
Both letters come in the wake of a fierce row over JK Rowling's comments on trans rights.
Jan 01 1970 GMT00:33
captions
With another week of coronavirus headlines drawing to a close, we thought a fresh update would be timely.
While the pandemic is continuing to make things difficult for many, some of today's updates are of a positive nature.
Let us know what sort of Covid news you'd like to see on any future updates, by leaving a comment below.
As always, you can follow our full coverage at gu.com.
Jan 01 1970 GMT00:33
captions
The UN's @worldfoodprogramme has been awarded this year's Nobel peace prize for its efforts to combat hunger and improve conditions for peace in war-hit areas.
The Rome-based organisation, which says it helps around 97 million people in about 88 countries each year, was also praised for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of conflict.
According to the WFP, one in nine people worldwide still don't have enough to eat.
Jan 01 1970 GMT00:33
captions
The World Trade Organization is on the verge of a historic appointment - as the shortlist for its new director-general has been narrowed to two women.
The final choice is between South Korean trade minister Yoo Myung-hee and Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The winning candidate is faced with a number of pressing problems, and WTO will need to decide who is best equipped to solve them.
Okonjo-Iweala, who has served two terms as Nigeria’s finance minister, is the outsider candidate that can give the organisation fresh momentum.
Yoo's experience in government stretches back 25 years. She has worked on a number of bilateral trade deals, including those with the US and the UK.
The successful candidate is expected to be announced early next month.
Jan 01 1970 GMT00:33
captions
Think you can come up with a solution to repair the planet by 2030? Read on...
Five £1m prizes will be awarded each year for the next 10 years, aiming to provide at least 50 solutions to some of the world’s environmental problems.
Prince William, who launched the Earthshot prize today, said he was inspired by his father, Prince Charles, and @DavidAttenborough, who is one of the judges of the prize.
Individuals, people-powered movements, businesses cities, and countries can all be nominated.
Follow the link in bio to find out more.
Jan 01 1970 GMT00:33
captions
This is the moment a drone captured professional surfer Matt Wilkinson’s narrow escape from a great white shark measuring about 2.5 metres.
The footage was taken by a lifeguard off the coast of Sharpes Beach at Ballina in Australia who was then able to broadcast a warning from the aircraft’s speakers.
Jan 01 1970 GMT00:33
captions
In 2016, a flagship sugar reduction programme was launched in England. Its mission was to reduce childhood obesity levels by introducing a voluntary target for the food industry to remove 20% of sugar by 2020.
It's now 2020 and the food industry has only cut 3% of sugar from supermarket, cafe and restaurant products over the last three years, according to a damning report from Public Health England.
While sugar reduction in soft drinks and breakfast cereals has been successful, there is "little or no reduction" in many other food categories. Sugar levels in chocolate and sweets are unchanged and the sales have gone up.
The 20% target now seems impossible to reach without further taxes or other compulsory measures.
@DiabetesUK has called for the government to be brave, saying the voluntary approach isn't working.
Jan 01 1970 GMT00:33
captions
In the first and only vice-presidential debate of the 2020 US election campaign, Kamala Harris and Mike Pence clashed over the Trump administration's handling of, and response to, the growing coronavirus pandemic.
.
Separated from Pence by plexiglass barriers, Democratic vice-presidential nominee @kamalaharris said the US had witnessed "the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country".
.
Over the course of 90 minutes, Harris assailed Trump over his stewardship of the American government, denouncing his administration’s response to the various crises affecting the nation, from the racial injustice protests to the wildfires devastating the west coast, as well as his taxes and personal conduct in office.
.
But she said no failure was as great as the president’s mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing economic fallout.
.
Harris charged that the president misled the country about the severity of the virus when it first began to spread earlier this year: "They knew, and they covered it up."
.
Speaking directly to the camera, Harris said, "They knew what was happening, and they didn't tell you."
.
.
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44,727
934
Oct 08 2020 GMT06:43
captions
In the first and only vice-presidential debate of the 2020 US election campaign, Kamala Harris and Mike Pence clashed over the Trump administration's handling of, and response to, the growing coronavirus pandemic.
.
Separated from Pence by plexiglass barriers, Democratic vice-presidential nominee @kamalaharris said the US had witnessed "the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country".
.
Over the course of 90 minutes, Harris assailed Trump over his stewardship of the American government, denouncing his administration’s response to the various crises affecting the nation, from the racial injustice protests to the wildfires devastating the west coast, as well as his taxes and personal conduct in office.
.
But she said no failure was as great as the president’s mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing economic fallout.
.
Harris charged that the president misled the country about the severity of the virus when it first began to spread earlier this year: "They knew, and they covered it up."
.
Speaking directly to the camera, Harris said, "They knew what was happening, and they didn't tell you."
.
.
analysis
This post got 193% more likes
compared to @guardian's average. It uses 900% more hashtags
and its caption is 75% longer
26,422
300
Oct 08 2020 GMT18:00
captions
The World Trade Organization is on the verge of a historic appointment - as the shortlist for its new director-general has been narrowed to two women.
The final choice is between South Korean trade minister Yoo Myung-hee and Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The winning candidate is faced with a number of pressing problems, and WTO will need to decide who is best equipped to solve them.
Okonjo-Iweala, who has served two terms as Nigeria’s finance minister, is the outsider candidate that can give the organisation fresh momentum.
Yoo's experience in government stretches back 25 years. She has worked on a number of bilateral trade deals, including those with the US and the UK.
The successful candidate is expected to be announced early next month. analysis
This post got 73% more likes
compared to @guardian's average. It uses 100% less hashtags
and its caption is 11% longer
22,015
498
Oct 12 2020 GMT11:57
captions
The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, has issued a rare apology for his failure to guide the country through difficult times worsened by the coronavirus crisis.
Speaking at a military parade in Pyongyang to mark the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ party, Kim said he sympathised with the North Korean people before removing his glasses and wiping away tears.
“Our people have placed trust, as high as the sky and as deep as the sea, in me, but I have failed to always live up to it satisfactorily,” he said, according to a translation of his comments in the Korea Times.
Analysts suggest Kim is feeling pressures on his leadership. North Korea has seen trade with China, by far its biggest economic partner, fall dramatically due to the closure of borders in response to the pandemic. But Pyongyang insists it has not recorded a single case of the virus.
Years of international sanctions in response to Kim’s nuclear and missile programmes, plus damage inflicted by natural disasters, have only added to his difficulties. analysis
This post got 44% more likes
compared to @guardian's average. It uses 100% less hashtags
and its caption is 52% longer
comments
44,727
934
Oct 08 2020 GMT06:43
captions
In the first and only vice-presidential debate of the 2020 US election campaign, Kamala Harris and Mike Pence clashed over the Trump administration's handling of, and response to, the growing coronavirus pandemic.
.
Separated from Pence by plexiglass barriers, Democratic vice-presidential nominee @kamalaharris said the US had witnessed "the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country".
.
Over the course of 90 minutes, Harris assailed Trump over his stewardship of the American government, denouncing his administration’s response to the various crises affecting the nation, from the racial injustice protests to the wildfires devastating the west coast, as well as his taxes and personal conduct in office.
.
But she said no failure was as great as the president’s mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing economic fallout.
.
Harris charged that the president misled the country about the severity of the virus when it first began to spread earlier this year: "They knew, and they covered it up."
.
Speaking directly to the camera, Harris said, "They knew what was happening, and they didn't tell you."
.
.
analysis
This post got 187% more likes
compared to @guardian's average. It uses 900% more hashtags
and its caption is 75% longer
19,394
886
Oct 09 2020 GMT18:00
captions
More than 1,200 members of the US literary community have signed a letter expressing support for trans and non-binary people in the US and Canada.
Author Maureen Johnson, who initiated the letter, said that while “letters do not fix things”, they are “designed to a) show support and b) bring awareness to an issue. In this case, the issue is transphobia in the publishing discourse and community.”
The gesture follows a similar initiative from authors in the UK and Ireland last month.
Both letters come in the wake of a fierce row over JK Rowling's comments on trans rights. analysis
This post got 172% more likes
compared to @guardian's average. It uses 100% less hashtags
and its caption is 14% shorter
22,015
498
Oct 12 2020 GMT11:57
captions
The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, has issued a rare apology for his failure to guide the country through difficult times worsened by the coronavirus crisis.
Speaking at a military parade in Pyongyang to mark the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ party, Kim said he sympathised with the North Korean people before removing his glasses and wiping away tears.
“Our people have placed trust, as high as the sky and as deep as the sea, in me, but I have failed to always live up to it satisfactorily,” he said, according to a translation of his comments in the Korea Times.
Analysts suggest Kim is feeling pressures on his leadership. North Korea has seen trade with China, by far its biggest economic partner, fall dramatically due to the closure of borders in response to the pandemic. But Pyongyang insists it has not recorded a single case of the virus.
Years of international sanctions in response to Kim’s nuclear and missile programmes, plus damage inflicted by natural disasters, have only added to his difficulties. analysis
This post got 53% more likes
compared to @guardian's average. It uses 100% less hashtags
and its caption is 52% longer