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A Democratic Texas official in the US's third most populous county has overruled the Republican governor's ban on mask mandates, and says students in Harris County schools will have to wear a mask. Governor Greg Abbott signed an executive order last month banning mask and Covid-19 vaccination mandates, declaring that it would promote 'individual right and responsibility' in the Lone Star State. But Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo - whose role is equivalent to an executive position like a mayor, rather than a judicial one - announced Thursday that all students in schools and childcare centers from Pre-K to 12th grade to wear a mask in school. Harris County includes the Houston Independent School District - the state's largest district - which has 276 schools and 196,943 students. It came as the Indian 'Delta' variant wreaks havoc on the area.  In Harris County, there are more than 32,000 active cases, largely brought on by the highly contagious variant.   &#

Speaker maker Sonos has won the first round of its battle with Google, with a trade judge finding that the tech giant violated five patents. U.S. International Trade Commission Judge Charles Bullock on Friday announced his preliminary findings, ruling that Google should not be allowed to import products that violate Sonos's intellectual property. Sonos's share price jumped seven percent on the news.  He did not detail the reasoning for his decision, but ruled that Google had violated a statute of the Tariff Act of 1930. The law aims to prevent unfair competition through actions such as the import of products that infringe on U.S. patents, trademarks or copyrights. Google Home devices are made in China.  Speaker maker Sonos on Friday won the first round of its legal battle with Google, seeking to ban imports of some Google devices to the U.S. over patent infringement claims. Pictured: A Sonos home speaker device and a Google Home device Sonos's share price rose seven percen

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the city's top cop have both mispronounced slain officer Ella French's name, in a series of blunders as they clash with front line officers over the deadly shooting.  Lightfoot called her 'Ella Franks' Thursday night, and Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown called her 'Ella Fitzgerald' twice earlier this week.   That's on top of denying French an honor guard bagpipe procession from the hospital to the morgue, a customary and symbolic act of respect for an officer killed in the line of duty.   French, 29, was gunned down in a shootout while conducting what seemed like a routine traffic stop on Saturday.  Her partner, who has not been named, was wounded but survived.  After French was pronounced dead at the hospital on Saturday night, French's body was transported by ambulance to the medical examiner's office, and fellow officers were prepared to line the streets and play the bagpipes.   But First Dep

Sydneysiders will face a string of new Covid restrictions including a ban on leaving the city as authorities vow to close 'singles bubble' loopholes and issue tougher fines for rule breakers - but Gladys Berejiklian won't budge on limiting outdoor exercise. A NSW government cabinet meeting on Friday evening agreed current restrictions weren't doing enough to curb the Indian delta strain outbreak after 390 cases were recorded earlier that day. The crisis meeting came as a worrying new list of Covid exposure sites across the state was revealed - and fragments of the virus were found in the outback town of Broken Hill where there are no known cases.    From Monday, residents living in Greater Sydney will need a permit to leave the region - and anyone found breaching public health orders will be be fined $5,000 - instead of the $1,000 previously handed out. A $320 cash payment will be offered to anyone who needs to isolate after taking a Covid test - and who will lose money

The new head of the NHS has issued an impassioned appeal for the public to come forward for cancer checks amid fears thousands are still staying away to avoid being a 'burden'. Amanda Pritchard said the health service was 'open and ready to treat people' and warned Britons could be risking their lives if they did not consult GPs about symptoms. A new NHS 'help us, help you' campaign will launch nationwide on Monday across billboards, TV and social media.  It will seek to raise awareness of the key signs of lung, abdominal and urological cancers and encourage those affected to come forward. The new head of the NHS has issued an impassioned appeal for the public to come forward for cancer checks amid fears thousands are still staying away to avoid being a 'burden'. Amanda Pritchard said the health service was 'open and ready to treat people' and warned Britons could be risking their lives if they did not consult GPs about symptoms A new NHS 'h

Tonya Fea, 49, faces three months in prison after she admitted to drowning her 10-week-old golden retriever named Jenny in a pond because she didn't want to pay veterinarian bills A New Jersey woman faces three months in prison after she admitted to drowning her 10-week-old golden retriever named Jenny in a pond because she didn't want to pay veterinarian bills.  Tonya Fea, of Jefferson Township, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty on Thursday - over two years after she drowned the puppy in April 2019.   The dog was discovered submerged in a cage, which had been weighted down with a glass vase at a nearby West Milford pond, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office. 'I panicked,' the 49-year-old mother of three told the judge when asked for a reason why she put the dog in the water. 'What was the reason for the panic?' Judge Marilyn Clark replied.  'You say you panicked, but you had a vet appointment that morning and you chose not to take the dog

The bucolic peace of an English village has been shattered by a spate of attacks by vandals using… baked beans. Cans of the beans have been poured through letterboxes and over cars in picturesque Wonersh, Surrey – and residents are fed up. Now police are urging anyone with information to spill the beans. A mystery felon has been throwing baked beans over a car in the village of Wonersh, Surrey The miscreant has dumped beans on doorsteps and poured them through the letterboxes of houses Police said: 'Local officers have received reports of incidents in Wonersh where beans and other food have been poured on to residents’ front doors and cars overnight. The victims are understandably distressed by this unacceptable behaviour' In one crime scene photo posted on Surrey Police’s Waverley Beat Facebook page, four empty cans of Heinz beans lie discarded near a doorstep with some of their contents on the ground nearby. In another, baked beans deposited on the roof a grey car are seen dr

A car insurance certificate issued to Winston Churchill 90 years ago is up for sale at £1,500. It gave him permission to drive his Wolseley Landaulette between January 1 and June 28 in 1931, when he was 56 – his 'wilderness years'. At the time, the then-56 year old was going through his 'wilderness years' while serving as the MP for Epping in opposition.  The one-page document, issued by the Alliance Assurance Company Ltd, will be auctioned today by Henry Aldridge & Son in Devizes, Wiltshire. It records his car registration number YP 4107 but does not disclose the cost of his insurance.  Churchill was a 'petrol head' who bought his first car, a French Mors, aged 26 in 1901.  In 1911 he purchased a Napier 15hp Landaulette in 'Marlborough blue' from a racing driver for £600 - £54,000 in today's money.  A car insurance certificate issued to Winston Churchill 90 years ago is up for sale at £1,500. It gave him permission to drive his Wolseley Landaule

Amazon  is the most expensive shop for DIY tools compared with leading hardware stores, Which? has found. A basket of 18 popular tools cost £206 from the online retailer – and just £151 at B&Q. Homebase and Screwfix came second and third, at £163 and £165, with Toolstation and Wickes making up the rest of the list. A survey of 6,000 shoppers, also by Which?, found that Amazon received five stars for value for money Consumer champion Which? also found huge price differences between individual items in the basket, which included a handsaw, a toolbox, and masking tape. The prices were tracked over the year to May 2021 at all six chains. A Bosch multi-construction TCT drill bit that cost an average of £4.11 at B&Q was £9.30 at Amazon. But a survey of 6,000 shoppers, also by Which?, found that Amazon received five stars for value for money.  Respondents were also asked to rate their experiences on factors including product range and quality, and customer service. Screwfix and Toolst