Disadvantaged and BAME pupils lost more learning in lockdown and need urgent support, researchers say

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Urgent support must be targeted at disadvantaged pupils and schools in areas of high deprivation, researchers have said, as figures reveal the gap in England between some pupils and their wealthier peers widened by 46% in the school year severely disrupted by the coronavirus lockdown.

As the school year begins for most pupils in England and Wales, the authoritative study by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), based on interviews with more than 3,000 teachers and heads at more than 2,000 schools, revealed that disadvantaged and black and minority ethnic (BAME) children had gone backwards compared with their better-off peers since March.

Historian talks of ‘hugely emotional moment’ statue of Bristol slave trader was toppled

One of Britain’s most prominent historians, David Olusoga, has admitted he “desperately” wanted to join the protesters who tore down the statue of the slave owner Edward Colston in his home town of Bristol.

The broadcaster and historian said the dumping of the statue in Bristol’s harbour in June, part of the Black Lives Matter protests, was the most remarkable event of the summer.

David Lammy came to the singer’s defence while Naomi Campbell also showed support

Adele has faced accusations of cultural appropriation after sharing an Instagram picture showing her wearing a traditional African hairstyle while marking what would have been Notting Hill Carnival.

In the photograph, the 32-year-old chart-topping act wore a string bikini decorated with the Jamaican flag and had her hair in Bantu knots – small coiled buns typically associated with people of African descent.

After successful trials, weight-loss plan will be rolled out to 5,000 more patients

Thousands of people will be offered a soup-and-shakes weight-loss plan on the NHS to tackle the rise of type 2 diabetes.

A successful trial of the low-calorie diet and lifestyle plan has already taken place. The government said the programme will now be expanded to reach 5,000 more patients in 10 areas.

UK among the countries in spotlight after spending more than £2.5bn on outsourcing

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The UK has spent more than £2.5bn on services and equipment related to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to fresh analysis that raises concerns about “opaque” contracts around the world wasting money and putting lives at risk.

A report by the Open Contracting Partnership and Spend Network found governments had spent $130bn (£97bn) on pandemic-related contracts, including on PPE (personal protective equipment) and other medical supplies, out of an annual procurement spend of nearly $13tn.

Marks & Spencer joins booming online food shopping sector with former Waitrose partner

The first deliveries of Marks & Spencer’s groceries will reach customers on Tuesday as its online shopping venture with Ocado begins.

The retailer is belatedly entering the online food shopping sector, which has enjoyed explosive growth during the coronavirus pandemic, by making more than 6,800 products exclusively available through Ocado.

Pieces of bone were turned into ornaments, and may have been placed on display

Bronze age Britons remembered the dead by keeping and curating bits of their bodies, and even turning them into instruments and ornaments, according to new research on the remains.

Archaeologists found that pieces of bone buried with the dead were often from people who had died decades earlier, suggesting their remains had been kept for future generations, as keepsakes or perhaps for home display.

Hong Kong to launch mass testing; India’s economy shrinks nearly 24%; Spain cases jump 23,000 since Friday. Follow the latest

• US tops 6m cases as some states post record daily totals
• When will a coronavirus vaccine be ready?
• Portugal may go back on UK’s quarantine list as cases rise
• World map: which countries have most cases?
• See all our coronavirus coverage

12.53am BST

The World Health Organization has urged governments to engage with people demonstrating against Covid-19 restrictions and listen to their concerns, but stressed protesters needed to understand the virus was dangerous.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus voiced understanding for the growing frustration felt as people continue to have to deal with restrictions eight months into the pandemic.

12.26am BST

Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s continuing live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, with me, Alison Rourke.

The World Health Organization’s boss, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says “no country can just pretend the pandemic is over”, warning that “opening up without having control is a recipe for disaster”.

Data also shows up to 75% of all deaths in care facilities globally were of people with dementia

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People with dementia accounted for a quarter of all Covid-related deaths in England and Wales, and three-quarters of all deaths in care facilities globally, data shows.

The London School of Economics and University College London are looking at the mortality rate of those with dementia in a regularly updated report. According to their research, up to 75% of Covid-19 deaths globally in care facilities are those with dementia as an underlying condition.

Family and friends will support nearly one in four purchases in 2020, against one in five last year

Nearly one in four home purchases this year will be backed by the “bank of mum and dad” – up from fewer than one in five in 2019 – as buyers struggle with the economic fallout from the Covid-19 crisis.

Financial help provided by the bank of mum and dad, encompassing parents, grandparents, other family and friends, will be a driving force behind the recovery of Britain’s housing market. Those able to assist will lend an average of £20,000 towards a deposit on a home, said researchers from insurer Legal & General (L&G) and economics consultancy Cebr.

1. The 10 Senate seats most likely to flip in 2020  CNN
2. How Covid-19 could affect the 2020 Senate elections  Vox.com
3. Here's *exactly* how Democrats win the Senate  CNN
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1. Immunity concern over some COVID-19 vaccines  Reuters
2. AstraZeneca Starts U.S. Final-Stage Trial of Covid-19 Vaccine  Bloomberg
3. Coronavirus Russia: Teachers’ union warns staff could be forced to take unproven Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine  The Independent
4. Scientists see downsides to top COVID-19 vaccines from Russia, China  Reuters
5. Experts Raise Doubts Over Top COVID-19 Vaccines From China, Russia  NDTV
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1. The airline industry is ditching change fees because it’s desperate for people to fly  The Verge
2. United's CEO Sent an Email at 3:30 in the Morning. It's a Lesson in Emotional Intelligence  Inc.
3. United says it will drop widely scorned ticket-change fees  Yahoo News
4. United Airlines scraps ticket-change fees for domestic flights in bid to win over customers  CNBC
5. Delta follows United Airlines in waiving ticket change fees permanently  CNBC Television
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1. Adele's hair and bikini spark cultural-appropriation debate  Los Angeles Times
2. Adele Faces Backlash For Bantu Knots & Jamaican Flag Bikini  Access
3. Is It Fine When It's a Fave? Adele's Bantu Knots Reveal the Subjectivity of the Appropriation vs. Appreciation  The Root
4. ‘Eh, Hello!?’: Singer Adele accused of cultural appropriation for Bantu knots Notting Hill carnival Instagram post  RT
5. Adele CRITICIZED For Cultural Appropriation  Clevver News
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1. All you need to know about today's Deadline  MLB.com
2. MLB trade deadline tracker: Blue Jays land Robbie Ray – Monday's rumors, deals  MSN Money
3. On the morning of trade deadline, prices still high for Yankees  Yahoo Sports
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Mayor Mario Kranjac of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, said the bill covered police presence and their overtime hours.

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The mayor of Portland, Ted Wheeler, launched a searing attack against Donald Trump on Sunday, saying the US president is inciting violence in his city. 'It's you [Trump] who have created the hate and division,' Wheeler said. Trump responded to the comments with a series of counterattacks on Twitter

• Fatal shooting in Portland as Trump supporters confront BLM protesters

Often touted as an easy solution to overwatering, the practice of placing ice cubes in orchids has become a ‘comedy horticultural moment’

One piece of houseplant folklore resurfaces from time to time: that we should water our plants with ice cubes.

For years everything from Reader’s Digest to Reddit offered up ice cubes as the trick to keeping potted friends alive. Recently the theory has returned thanks to a pair of meme pages.

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- In the past, Beijing has responded to wild swings in its stock markets with regulatory crackdowns. This time is likely to be different. That’s why investors should see gyrations as wide as 3,000% in shares on Shenzhen’s ChiNext market as a sign of emerging maturity.The 18 companies that made their trading debuts on the Nasdaq-like board last week rose an average of 200%, under revamped rules that remove limits on price moves for newly listed stocks. Previously, shares were restricted to a maximum increase of 44% or a decline of 36% on their first day of trading. For existing stocks, the daily limit on price movements has been doubled to 20% from 10%.China’s market reforms have been a stop-start process. Regulators have repeatedly sought to liberalize, only to step in when gut-wrenching volatility and wild speculation test their resolve. That pattern has played out repeatedly over decades, from the suspension of green-bean futures in 1995 to the government’s unsuccessful attempt to stem the collapse of a stock bubble in 2015.Officials’ distrust of unfettered market forces and determination to impose guardrails has produced distortions. One reason why new listings tend to soar is that pricing of initial public offerings is artificially depressed. Unofficial rules cap price-earnings ratios at 23. The result can be parabolic increases in stocks perceived to have the hottest growth prospects. In 2016, China Film Co. rose the permitted 44% on its debut and then by the 10% maximum for the next 11 trading days.The latest loosening of constraints might appear to confirm regulators’ worst fears of chaotic markets that expose small investors to the risk of socially divisive losses and ultimately undermine market integrity. With the ChiNext training wheels removed, Contec Medical Systems Co. spiked as much as 2,932% on its debut last Monday, before finishing with a gain of 1,061%. Yet there are reasons to believe that China may stay the course this time.For one thing, the government is under increasing pressure to create a viable alternative venue for technology companies as the environment for Chinese enterprises in the U.S. sours. The Trump administration has proposed delisting Chinese companies that fail to meet U.S. audit standards by 2022 . While Chinese regulators have offered concessions in an attempt to break the impasse, there’s no guarantee that a resolution will be reached.That’s the context in which China is easing bureaucratic restraints and moving to a freer system with the potential to create a deeper, more liquid and more vibrant market at home. Besides relaxing price curbs, ChiNext — like its sister market in Shanghai, the Star board — has moved to a registration-based IPO system. This moves the Chinese market closer to the listing mechanism used by Nasdaq. Instead of the securities regulator acting as a gatekeeper and vetting companies before they are allowed to list, the registration system permits any company meeting certain criteria to pitch to investors provided all relevant information is disclosed.Authorities have already shown a greater tolerance for volatility since the Star board started operations in July last year. The first 25 companies to go public on the Shanghai tech-focused market surged an average of 140%. Companies in strategic industries favored by the government, such as chipmaking and biotech, have done even better. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., the world's biggest IPO so far this year, rose more than 200% on its July 16 debt. Jack Ma’s Ant Group, which is planning a $30 billion joint IPO in Shanghai and Hong Kong, may create even more fervor.The enthusiasm generated by the ChiNext and Star markets is an indictment of how authorities have managed listings on the Shenzhen and Shanghai main boards. Regulatory oversight has allowed political considerations to influence the process. The result has been share markets that too often have been moribund, stuffed with plodding (though well-connected) state-owned enterprises that struggle to capture the imagination of investors. Faced with that failure, officials have sought to micro-manage demand, even shutting down the IPO market completely on occasion.Officials are right to be concerned about extreme price movements in a young and exuberant market where herd behavior is rife and manipulation may be relatively easy. The accounting scandal at Nasdaq-listed Luckin Coffee Inc. is a reminder of the unscrupulous behavior that can flourish even among high-flying companies. Experience shows, though, that heavy-handed bureaucratic controls aren’t the answer.A combination of U.S. hostility and domestic necessity is finally pushing China’s stock market in the direction it needs to go. It may not look like it yet, but this is progress.\--With assistance from Zhen Hao Toh and Jia Qi Li. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Nisha Gopalan is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering deals and banking. She previously worked for the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones as an editor and a reporter.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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1. Democrats Blast End Of In-Person Election Security Briefings  NPR
2. Schiff responds to Trump's accusation of security leaks  CNN
3. Ratcliffe defends halting election briefings, accuses members of Congress of leaking classified information  Fox News
4. Trump intel chief defends briefings ban, Democrats raise subpoena threat  Reuters
5. Trump administration unleashes a new effort to undermine election integrity  CNN
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1. Mayors Of College Towns Brace For The Economic Impact Of Remote Learning  NPR
2. Over 1,000 students have tested positive for Covid-19 at University of Alabama since classes resumed  CNN
3. More than 1,000 University of Alabama students test positive for COVID-19 since classes resumed  Fox News
4. Alabama updates COVID numbers, more than 1,000 students positive since return  AL.com
5. Colleges crack down on student behavior as virus threatens more closures  POLITICO
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1. Tate McRae Performs "You Broke Me First" | 2020 MTV VMAs  MTV
2. 19 Photos From the 1999 VMAs That'll Blow Your Mind  MSN Money
3. Keke Palmer Through the Years: From Nickelodeon Star to MTV VMAs Host and Beyond  Us Weekly
4. Lady Gaga Debuted Waist-Length Pink Hair Ahead of the VMAs — See the Photo  Allure
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1. Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore’ Ties for Most Weeks at No. 1 in 2020 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart  Billboard
2. Taylor Swift Sends Sweet Handwritten Card to Fan About to Get His PhD: 'A Moment Worth Celebrating'  PEOPLE
3. Taylor Swift sends a sweet handwritten note to fan getting his PhD: It's important to celebrate great moments  PINKVILLA
4. If 'Folklore' Turned You On to Taylor Swift, These Are the Deep Cuts You'll Like  Billboard
5. Taylor Swift Keeps ‘Folklore’ At No. 1 For A Fifth Week As Nas And The Killers Land New Top 10 Albums  Forbes
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1. 2020 BMW Championship leaderboard, grades: Jon Rahm drains insane 66-foot putt to win in a playoff  CBSSports.com
2. John Rahm (64) makes birdie bomb to defeat Dustin Johnson in BMW playoff  Golf Channel
3. Jon Rahm drains wild 66-foot birdie to beat Dustin Johnson in a playoff at the BMW Championship  Yahoo Sports
4. Soon-to-be dad Rory McIlroy bounces back at BMW Championship  MSN Money
5. WATCH: Dustin Johnson makes absurd, winding 43-foot putt to force playoff at 2020 BMW Championship  CBSSports.com
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Demonstrations in Germany and UK against coronavirus restrictions; Australian opposition calls for wider care home inquiry; Turkey sees two-month high in cases. Follow all the developments live

• UK care homes still denied Covid test despite minister’s pledge
  
• New York: pandemic lays bare city’s problems
• Germany: far-right extremists try to storm Reichstag
• World map: which countries have most cases?

12.53am BST

AFP is reporting from Rome:

Three Nigerian migrants attacked staff in a military hospital in Rome after testing positive for Covid-19, the defence ministry said Saturday.

12.29am BST

And in Victoria, Australia’s worst-affected state.

#COVID19VicData for 30 August, 2020. There were 114 new cases detected in Victoria yesterday. Sadly we report 11 lives lost - condolences to all affected. More information will be available later today via our media release. pic.twitter.com/4voh37S3oM

Achuar people blame illegal logging for spread and are asking international community for aid

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Climate change and multinational corporations have long posed a threat to the people of the Amazon rainforest. Now, however, the region’s indigenous tribes face an even more immediate danger: coronavirus.

Despite living deep in the heartland of Ecuadorian rainforest, the indigenous Achuar tribal people have fallen victim to the pandemic. Over the last several weeks, Covid-19 has struck at the heart of the Achuar community in Ecuador, which is made up of 13,000 people living in 88 groups over 800,000 hectares (3,000 sq miles) along the Pastaza River basin. A further 15,000 Achuar are based in neighbouring Peru.

Eat out to help out saw busy restaurants and extra spending generally, but looming job losses could mean the whole nation tightening its belt

Britain loves a bargain – even, as it turns out, during a global health emergency. Dismissed as a gimmick at first, the government’s eat out to help out scheme has proved hugely popular, dishing up more than 64 million discounted meals so far – equivalent to almost one for every person in the UK – since its launch a month ago.

When the scheme finishes on Monday, chancellor Rishi Sunak, will be able to say that his policy successfully encouraged people back into restaurants, pubs and cafes between Mondays and Wednesdays in August, serving up a much-needed boost to the economy, and to the embattled hospitality sector in particular.

(Bloomberg) -- Mick Mulvaney, a Trump administration veteran who served as acting White House chief of staff, is launching a hedge fund that aims to bet on financial services stocks.Mulvaney is starting the enterprise, Exegis Capital, with investor Andrew Wessel, a former portfolio manager at Sterling Capital Management. The pair discussed their plan at length in a podcast interview with S&P Global Market Intelligence released on Aug. 25.The long-short fund will capitalize on the duo’s knowledge of major regulatory changes that impact the financial services industry, they said on the podcast.Mulvaney, a former congressman, was appointed in March as the special U.S. envoy to Northern Ireland. He was Trump’s acting chief of staff for more than a year and also served as director of the Office of Management and Budget and acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.Attempts to reach Mulvaney by phone and text outside of normal business hours weren’t successful.Mulvaney, 53, isn’t the only former Republican politician getting into finance recently. Former House Speaker Paul Ryan said earlier this month he’d serve as chairman for a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, with hopes of raising about $300 million.Mulvaney remains closely connected to the administration, though, as special envoy. People in that role have in the past facilitated the negotiation and implementation of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said when announcing Mulvaney’s appointment on March 11.Special envoys are permitted to hold positions outside of government in some cases, Politico reported, citing a former State Department official.In the podcast interview, Mulvaney touted his knowledge of the CFPB, an agency responsible for monitoring consumer protections in the financial sector that was part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reforms, as an asset for the new venture.“How the CFPB works has huge impact on lenders if you can understand things in advance, and understand how the system works,” he said. “You have to understand how Washington works.”That understanding will be useful no matter who wins the presidential election in November, he said.“It’s going to work a certain way under a Biden administration, and I think we know how that works. And it’s going to work a different way under a second term of a Trump administration.”(Updates with Mulvaney comments from 10th paragraph.)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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With another round of funding, Robinhood has seen its valuation surge to $11.2 billion. Its not surprising considering the fact that the company added 3 million new customer accounts at the beginning of fiscal year 2020. As markets continue to trade near all-time-highs, retail investor interest remains elevated. Capital preservation is one of the most important objectives when selecting stocks to buy for beginners.Initial losses might scare new investors from markets that have consistently been able to beat most asset classes in the long term. Even if there is a correction, it would provide an opportunity for entry for the long term.Laura Gonzalez, Ph.D., associate professor of Finance at California State University in Long Beach, outlined the strategy for beginners.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips"Beginning investors need to keep in mind that the opportunity to enter the financial markets is based on institutional and regulatory protections, as well as the need to time the entry," she said. "The goal is to buy low, minimize fees and let long term diversified investments take care of market fluctuations. There is no need to invest large amounts. The key is to start small, strategically, and don't wait until middle age."I see the keywords as attractive valuations, long-term exposure and a diversified portfolio. * 9 Gold Stocks to Buy That Still Have Room to RunLet's look at four stocks to buy for beginners. These names are worth holding in the core portfolio for the next few years. * Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) * Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) * Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) * AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE:AZN) Stocks to Buy for Beginners: Costco Wholesale (COST)Source: ilzesgimene / Shutterstock.com In the list of stocks to buy for beginners, COST stock is among my top picks. The stock has a beta of 0.69 and is a perfect defensive stock for beginners. In addition, the company currently has a dividend payout of $2.80 per share and dividends are likely to increase in the coming years.In terms of business, Costco currently has 55.8 million households as members. Further, the company generated $3.5 billion in cash fees in the last 12-months. With 91% renewal rate in U.S. and Canada, there is clear cash-flow visibility.Another important growth factor is that Costco started building a presence in China. The company has ample financial headroom for aggressive growth. In the coming years, cash fees should continue to trend higher.The company's focus on e-commerce is also delivering results. For the 48-weeks ended Aug. 2, the company reported 46.1% growth in e-commerce sales on a year-over-year basis. With all these positives, COST stock has been on an uptrend.I believe the positive momentum is likely to sustain and beginners can consider gradual exposure to the stock. Apple (AAPL) Click to EnlargeSource: mama_mia / Shutterstock.com AAPL stock is another name that should be among the top stocks to buy for beginners. The stock has surged by 146% in the last year, but I believe that there is more juice in the rally.Recently, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives raised the stock's target price to $600 with a bull case target price of $700. With AAPL stock currently trading around $500, there is ample scope for upside.The first reason to like Apple is that the company is a cash-flow machine. For the first nine months of the year, the company generated operating cash flow of $60 billion. The company also has nearly $200 billion in cash and equivalents. This leaves ample scope for shareholder value creation through dividends and share repurchase.In addition, the company's financial flexibility allows investment in innovation and inorganic growth. Recently, the company acquired a virtual reality firm that creates immersive Zoom calls. Apple is also more diversified with strong growth in services and wearable segment of business. * 9 Gold Stocks to Buy That Still Have Room to RunOverall, with healthy earnings growth, focus on innovation and continued shareholder value creation, AAPL stock is worth holding. Lockheed Martin (LMT)Source: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com LMT stock is another name that has a beta of less than one. In addition, the company offers a dividend of about $9.60. With the defense sector immune to cyclical swings in the economy, Lockheed Martin is a core portfolio stock.As of second quarter of 2020, Lockheed Martin reported an order backlog of $150 billion. Recently, the company won a $62 billion contract for F-16 foreign military sales. As the order backlog swells, the company has clear revenue and cash-flow visibility. The recent foreign military sales contract is also significant as the company's sales diversify beyond the United States.I also like the fact that LMT stock is currently trading at a price-earnings-ratio of 16.4. With the S&P 500 Index trading at a P/E of 29.8, the stock is relatively attractive. Further, the stock has been in an extended consolidation zone with returns of 4.8% in the last one year. I would not be surprised if there is a break-out on the upside. AstraZeneca PLC (AZN)Source: Shutterstock AZN stock is another name that has a significantly low beta of 0.26 and is worth considering for beginners. The stock also pays an annual dividend of $1.40. I also like AZN stock as the company gives new investors exposure to the pharmaceuticals sector, which has been in limelight since the novel coronavirus pandemic.Besides being a front-runner in the race for the Covid-19 vaccine, there are other reasons to like AstraZeneca from a business perspective. The company has a strong late-stage pipeline of drugs and that will translate into strong growth in the coming years.Its worth noting that the new medicines segment delivered 45% growth in the first half of 2020 with the oncology division delivering 31% growth. If the development remains positive related to the Covid-19 vaccine, earnings growth can accelerate in the coming year.Overall AZN stock is worth holding in the portfolio and offers protection against market volatility besides growth visibility. I also expect the company's dividend to increase in the coming years.Faisal Humayun is a senior research analyst with 12 years of industry experience in the field of credit research, equity research and financial modelling. Faisal has authored over 1,500 stock specific articles with focus on the technology, energy and commodities sector. As of this writing, Faisal Humayun did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * Why Everyone Is Investing in 5G All WRONG * America's 1 Stock Picker Reveals His Next 1,000% Winner * Revolutionary Tech Behind 5G Rollout Is Being Pioneered By This 1 Company * Radical New Battery Could Dismantle Oil Markets The post 4 Perfect Stocks to Buy for Beginners appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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1. Maddow about Trump's speech: "A lot of it was wrong — factually wrong"  Salon
2. 'The Five' highlight 'powerful' moments from Trump's RNC speech  Fox News
3. Trump to hold rally in New Hampshire after wrapping up RNC  CBS News
4. The five most terrifying performances by women at the RNC – ranked!  The Guardian
5. RNC rebutted Biden's claims Trump is not inclusive: Stirewalt | Livin' the Bream podcast  Fox News
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1. Photos: The “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks” March on Washington  Vox.com
2. New march on Washington embraces history on fraught anniversary of King's speech  Reuters
3. Tucker Carlson Claims BLM Is a “Hoax” As Thousands March on Washington  Vanity Fair
4. The March on Washington: A legacy lost  The Hill
5. Thousands march on Washington calling for racial justice | WNT  ABC News
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1. 4 people at RNC in Charlotte test positive for COVID-19, officials say - Business Insider  Business Insider
2. Four people tested positive for COVID-19 at Republican National Convention in Charlotte  CBS News
3. How the conventions impact the election | The 2020 Fix  Washington Post
4. Four people at Republican convention in Charlotte test positive for Covid-19  POLITICO
5. Four at RNC in Charlotte test positive for coronavirus  The Hill
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1. 'Great friend': World leaders react to Japan PM Abe's resignation  Al Jazeera English
2. Trump promises phone call to 'great friend' Shinzo Abe  New York Post
3. In race to replace Japan's Abe, loyalist Suga emerges as strong contender  Reuters
4. Shinzo Abe was a better ally than we deserved  The Washington Post
5. Shinzo Abe’s Legacy  The Wall Street Journal
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France racks up post-lockdown high in new infections; Australian state sees 18 deaths and 94 cases; India sets new daily record with more than 77,000 cases. Follow all the updates live

• Global report: India sets new daily case record
• Repatriating 100,000 stranded Australians could take six months
• Locals rediscover streets and beaches absent of foreign tourists
  
• UK businesses offer incentives to lure back office workers
  

1.00am BST

In the US, the University of Alabama has reported that an additional 481 students have tested positive for Covid-19, according to AP.

That brings the college to a total of more than 1,000 infections since its students returned to campus.

12.51am BST

Queenslanders are waking up today to the reality of extended restrictions after two new cases were diagnosed yesterday in Pimpama.

As of 8am today, restrictions in the Australian state will be extended to the Gold Coast.

1. Lou Holtz defends calling Biden 'Catholic in name only' during RNC remarks after criticism from Notre Dame  Fox News
2. Notre Dame distances itself from Lou Holtz after RNC speech  New York Post
3. Catholics vs. COVID - Daily Notre Dame COVID-19 Update  Fighting Irish Wire
4. Notre Dame sending students back to class after virus outbreak  AOL
5. Notre Dame to reopen university to in-person classes after two-week COVID-19 shutdown  Chicago Tribune
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1. Trump torches Democrats: How can they lead a country they want to tear down?  Fox News
2. Kamala Harris promises national mask mandate if elected  New York Post
3. RNC live coverage: Trump accepts party nomination on final night  NBC News
4. Kamala Harris to host star-studded online fundraiser with Hollywood elite  New York Post
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1. Elon Musk unveils V2 of the Neuralink brain-machine interface surgery bot  Engadget
2. LIVE: Progress update on Elon Musk's Neuralink, a brain-machine interface company  Bloomberg QuickTake News
3. Elon Musk Is About to Show Off His Neuralink Brain Implant  WIRED
4. Elon Musk’s Neuralink demo shows a brain-machine interface in action  Vox.com
5. How to watch Elon Musk’s Neuralink demo at 6PM ET / 3PM PT today  The Verge
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1. Nvidia RTX retrospective: What two years of ray tracing and DLSS got us  PCWorld
2. NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3090, RTX 3080, RTX 3070 Specs Leak Out, Will Utilize 7nm Process Node – Up To 350W Flagship, 24 GB VRAM, 19.5 Gbps GDDR6X Speeds  Wccftech
3. Zotac Seemingly Leaks RTX 3000-Series Ampere Graphics Cards  Tom's Hardware
4. What to Expect From Nvidia's Next-Gen RTX 3080 GPUs - IGN  IGN
5. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Custom Graphics Cards Listed Online – Colorful RTX 3090 Vulcan-X OC & ASUS ROG STRIX RTX 3090 OC  Wccftech
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1. Leonard Cohen’s Reps Say They Specifically Declined GOP Requests to Use ‘Hallelujah’ at Convention  Variety
2. Trump blasphemes Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' (twice, no less) at RNC  Yahoo News
3. Do Republicans Know “Hallelujah” Is About Sex? – Mother Jones  Mother Jones
4. Why Trump has to stop playing ‘God Bless America’ and ‘Hallelujah’  Forward
5. Rough week for "Hallelujah," huh?  The A.V. Club
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1. Honoring Lute Olson, a players' coach and a class act  ESPN
2. In Memory of Lute Olson  Arizona Wildcats
3. Brown: Remembering Lute Olson’s Impact on Iowa Basketball  Hawkeye Nation
4. Goodbye to a Legend: UArizona coach Lute Olson dies at 85  KVOA Tucson News
5. My Ode to Lute  Stadium
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

1. Jared Kushner says NBA players lucky to be rich enough to 'take a night off from work'  JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
2. Jared Kushner takes swipe at NBA protests, invites LeBron James to White House | New York Post  New York Post
3. Marc Short, Jared Kushner dismiss significance of NBA boycotts  MSN Money
4. Watching fans support LeBron James by dunking on Jared Kushner was so delightful  For The Win
5. My last open letter to Jared Kushner  The Washington Post
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

• President expected to portray Joe Biden as a radical
• Republicans have rarely mentioned shooting of Jacob Blake
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1.13am BST

Trump will deliver his nomination acceptance speech on the White House’s South Lawn to a crowd of more than 1,000 people.

Reporters at the White House noted audience members’ chairs were close together with little physical distance, and few attendees wore masks, raising concerns about the spread of coronavirus. (Although the event is outdoors, which will likely help to limit transmission of the virus.)

Seating on the White House South Lawn for ⁦@realDonaldTrump⁩ #RepublicanConvention speech. Chairs are close together, there is little social distance, and most people are not wearing masks. The Trump campaign says precautions against the #coronavirus have been taken. pic.twitter.com/qlpWRTzYM1

Something I never thought I’d see: a political convention ready to gavel in at the White House pic.twitter.com/tLUEtfmtSZ

WH has been transformed into a sort of campaign rally meets Republican National Convention site.

Never before have the lines between the WH & the Trump campaign been more blurred.

Also, I wasn’t COVID tested so not clear that attendees will be. And, there is no mask mandate. pic.twitter.com/lBQUmC9wTS

1.03am BST

Hello, live blog readers, and welcome to the final night of the Republican National Convention.

The three previous nights have led up to tonight’s main event, when Donald Trump will once again accept the Republican presidential nomination.

President to accept presidential nomination as protests continue over police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha

Donald Trump plans to offer a blistering critique of his Democratic rival Joe Biden, painting the nominee as radical and extreme, as he accepts the Republican presidential nomination in a speech on Thursday night.

Trump’s speech is the main event of the party’s national convention and is expected to last for about an hour. Over the past four days, speakers at the convention have included a White House aides to Trump, his family members, and a few statewide elected politicians. Their speeches have varied but broadly they have all argued that Biden is a leftist radical that would bring ruination to the country and Trump is the only person who can stop it.