Names and faces
■ Axl Rose, the lead singer of U.S. rock band Guns N’ Roses, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have engaged in an escalating social-media exchange that’s gone viral. With no context to explain the insult, the singer initiated the back-and-forth by using a vulgar epithet to describe Mnuchin in a post on his verified Twitter account. Mnuchin, who has played a key role in assembling the U.S. economic response to the coronavirus, then commented by asking what Rose had done to help the U.S. Rose had tweeted: “It’s official! Whatever anyone may have previously thought of Steve Mnuchin he’s officially an a**hole.” Mnuchin’s response from his verified Twitter account: “What have you done for the country lately?” Rose has recently tweeted about the importance of lockdowns to contain the coronavirus, and a subsequent retort to Mnuchin’s question suggested this might have been one of his issues with the Treasury chief. In a second tweet, Rose indicated criticism of officials with public responsibility advocating travel. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump said: “We have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon.” Tensions between Rose and the administration pre-dated the exchange with Mnuchin. In 2018, the singer highlighted his band’s opposition to playing Guns N’ Roses music at Trump rallies and events. That usage has continued. A Guns N’ Roses version of the song “Live and Let Die” featured in Trump’s visit to a Honeywell International Inc. plant earlier this week.
■ A new work by the elusive street artist Banksy, honoring health workers, has been unveiled at a British hospital. The framed picture, titled Game Changer, depicts a young boy sitting on the floor playing with a nurse superhero toy. Batman and Spiderman action figure toys lie in a wastepaper basket next to the boy. The nurse figure, complete with a cape and a face mask, wears an apron featuring a red cross — the only spot of color in the black-and-white work. The piece has been placed on display in a corridor at Southampton General Hospital in southern England Wednesday. The artist left a note for hospital workers, saying: “Thanks for all you’re doing. I hope this brightens the place up a bit, even if [it’s] only black and white.” Health officials said it was a “massive boost to morale” for everyone at the hospital, which has seen at least two members of staff die after contracting the new coronavirus. “It will be really valued by everyone in the hospital as people get a moment in their busy lives to pause, reflect and appreciate this piece of art,” said Paula Head, chief executive of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. The artwork will be auctioned later to raise money for national health charities, a spokeswoman for Banksy said.