Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison has met national leaders for emergency talks on how to tackle a spike in Covid-19 infections. An outbreak in Sydney linked to the highly contagious Delta variant has grown to 128 cases. Cases have also been recorded in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia.

Officials say it is a “critical time”. Australia has kept case numbers low with border closures and lockdowns. Reports say the emergency meeting considered measures such as mandatory vaccinations for care home workers and new quarantine rules. This is the first time in months that cases have emerged in multiple parts of the country at the same time. “I think we’re entering a new phase of this pandemic, with the more contagious Delta strain,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told ABC News ahead of the meeting of the Covid-19 response committee. (BBC)…[+]

Canada has recorded its highest ever temperature as the country’s west and the US Pacific north-west frazzle in an unprecedented heatwave. Lytton in British Columbia soared to 46.6C (116F) on Sunday, breaking an 84-year-old record, officials said. A “heat dome” of high pressure parked over the region has set new records in many other areas. The US and Canada have both warned citizens of “dangerous” heat levels that could persist this week. Experts say that climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. However, linking any single event to global warming is complicated. The high pressure zone is huge, from California right up to Canada’s Arctic territories and stretching inland through Idaho. There has been a run on air-conditioners and fans, and cooling shelters have sprung up. Some bars and restaurants – and even at least one swimming pool – were deemed too hot to function.(BBC)…[+]

The US Senate has struck an agreement for a $1.2tn (£860bn) infrastructure bill in what could herald a legislative victory for President Joe Biden. “We have a deal,” said the president after meeting the cross-party group of senators at the White House. The eight-year plan includes funding for roads, bridges, the power grid, public transport and internet. But the deal is far from done as Mr Biden said it depended on the passage of another, bigger spending bill. At the White House on Thursday, Mr Biden praised the group of five Republican and five Democratic senators whom he met earlier, and promised the package would generate “millions” of jobs. The investments are long overdue, said Mr Biden, who has persisted with the cross-party negotiations despite the impatience and scepticism of some in his Democratic party.(BBC)…[+]

Amazon and Google are under investigation over concerns fake five star reviews on their websites could be misleading shoppers. The Competition and Markets Authority is also worried that “law-abiding businesses” who sell over Amazon and Google may be losing out to firms using false recommendations. Amazon and Google could face court action for breaking consumer law. Both firms say they have resources and policies in place to stop fake reviews. The CMA has launched the formal probe after an initial investigation last year examined whether online companies were doing enough to protect consumers. Online shopping has soared during the Covid pandemic as retailers deemed as “non-essential” have been forced to close physical shops during periods of lockdown.(BBC)…[+]