inews--2020-04-22--Notes from an Apocalypse: How one man found hope amid the doom-mongers prepping for the end of the w

Notes from an Apocalypse: How one man found hope amid the doom-mongers prepping for the end of the world

Notes from an Apocalypse : How one man found hope amid the doom-mongers prepping for the end of the world A book about doomsday preppers is more timely than its author intended Children of Men ( pictured ) paints a bleak picture of the future ( Photo : Universal Pictures ) The kind of scenarios depicted in dystopian horrors like the BBC ’ s relentlessly dismal Threads or blockbuster Children of Men were never going to turn O ’ Connell into Vin Diesel or The Rock , action heroes wandering through destruction .
“ I ’ d rather be gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laughs .
“ I don ’ t think I have that survival resilience.
” A “ crash diet ” of apocalyptic films , books and YouTube wormholes led him to the prairies of South Dakota , the Scottish Highlands , New Zealand ’ s rolling hills and the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in search of answers , meeting with the people preparing for - or at least hoping to profit from - the worst of the worst-case scenarios .
Prepping for the end of days Nuclear attacks , climate catastrophe , meteor impacts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the survivalist or “ prepper ” community as SHTF ( shit hits the fan ) situations - are what keeps these people up at night .
While their motivations and resources may differ , Notes from an Apocalypse ’ s cast - from the American preppers sharing videos of their survival bags stuffed with hunting knives and crowbars , right-wing conspiracy theorists hoping to colonise a new USA on the surface of Mars to Silicon Valley billionaires quietly installing panic rooms in luxury New Zealand bunkers and fearful environmentalists - are all united @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end is nigh - and probably sooner than you think .
Mark O'Connell 's Notes from an Apocalypse is a sensitive exploration of the end of the world The spectre of death , or at least impending doom , was the driving force behind O ’ Connell ’ s first book , the excellent To Be a Machine .
The Wellcome Prize-winning book saw him criss-cross the world to follow transhumanists , the philosophical movement dedicated to the pursuit of harnessing technology in a bid to enhance human life and ‘ solve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be drawn between transhumanists and the preppers waiting for the end of the world , O ’ Connell observes , insofar as both groups are fixated on the future .
“ As with transhumanism , the apocalypse occupies a position of metaphor - if the apocalypse as a , quote-unquote vision of the future , is really a way of processing the terrors and fantasies about the present . ''
The end of the world is all around us - you just have to look for it While Hollywood is hell-bent on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abandoned cities amid civilisational collapse , in actuality , humans have been experiencing apocalypses for millennia , O ’ Connell points out .
“ Throughout human history there have been isolated apocalypses all the time , and there ’ s a feeling we ’ re going through one of those periods now .
Hopefully , the level of mass death will not be anything like the Plague , or in Ireland , obviously , there ’ s always a tendency to hark back to the 19th century to the famine , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deserted city of Pripyat , in Chernobyl , Ukraine .
The blackboard reads : 'No return , farewell Pripyat ' ( Photo : Getty ) As long as life continues the apocalypse will be an on-going concern because humans are story-telling creatures that want to point towards a kind of conclusion : whether that ’ s hopeful or terrifying .
When asked during a virtual book launch for the title how the book ’ s subjects will be coping with the current pandemic , O ’ Connell quips : “ I think they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse , for everything to descend into savagery .
Probably the fact that civilisation has not collapsed is a bit of a disappointment.
” Mark O'Connell travelled the world to find out how people are steeling themselves for the apocalypse ( Photo : Rich Gilligan/Granta ) Being locked into the absolute darkness of an underground decommissioned weapons storage shelter in the South Dakota ’ s Black Hills , stumbling across seance-like arrangements of rotting toys in a former classroom in the abandoned Ukrainian city of Pripyat and staking out the luxury estate tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Elon Musk and was long-rumoured to inject himself with the blood of young men in a bid to live longer ) purchased to see out the end of days sound far from mentally relaxing .
Of all O ’ Connell ’ s explorations , it was a retreat to Alladale Wilderness Reserve around 90 minutes north of Inverness that left the most lasting impression .
One of the last remaining wild regions in the British Isles , Alladale represents “ the intimate equation between civilisation and environmental devastation ” .
Tech billionaire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in New Zealand , and has spoken extensively of his plans for the end of the world ( Photo : Getty ) That ’ s not to say the great outdoors entirely divested O ’ Connell of his morally-induced visions of catastrophe .
“ The future is every bit as dark at the end of the book and my attitude towards it has not particularly changed , and it still seems like a terrifying thing , ” he muses .
“ There ’ s a note of hope in there , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fragile .
By the end I was more capable of experiencing time with my family and in my life without letting it become overshadowed by this overbearing presence of the darkness of the future.
” Acknowledging the world ’ s darkness without letting it overwhelm him has allowed O ’ Connell to shed his state of perpetual anxiety , a trajectory he calls “ charting from movement from cynicism to ... something beyond cynicism.
” There ’ s a lovely passage towards the book ’ s conclusion when , writing about his infant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fragility overwhelms him , “ it would also be true , and maybe even truer , to say that her existence has deepened my investment in the world , my sense of the ever-present possibility of joy , of the future as a fertile realm of possibility , of life.
” Because it ’ s hope , however tentative , that encourages us to keep going .
Even when it seems like the end of the world .

When author Mark O’Connell started writing Notes from an Apocalypse three years ago, documenting the determined people preparing for the end of days, the possibility of a pandemic gripping the world seemed as remote as his subjects’ wild conspiracy theories.
A particularly harrowing YouTube video of a starving polar bear triggered the Irish writer’s long-dormant obsession with the apocalypse, first kindled by an uncle enthusiastically demonstrating a potential nuclear exchange between Russia and the United States with a couple of clementines. Combined with his ethical and moral guilt at bringing a son (and later, daughter) into an increasingly unpredictable, precarious world, the result is a nuanced and carefully-observed argument between holding out hope for the future and giving into the crushing hopelessness of reality.
“It’s particularly weird, of course, publishing a book on this topic now,” O’Connell says, speaking from his home in Dublin. “Everyone wants their book to be timely, but I think I’ve overshot the mark a fair bit. I don’t give pandemics that much space in it – at the time I was writing it climate change was the form I imagined the apocalypse taking, and still do.”
The kind of scenarios depicted in dystopian horrors like the BBC’s relentlessly dismal Threads or blockbuster Children of Men were never going to turn O’Connell into Vin Diesel or The Rock, action heroes wandering through destruction. “I’d rather be gone in the first act,” he laughs. “I don’t think I have that survival resilience.” A “crash diet” of apocalyptic films, books and YouTube wormholes led him to the prairies of South Dakota, the Scottish Highlands, New Zealand’s rolling hills and the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in search of answers, meeting with the people preparing for – or at least hoping to profit from – the worst of the worst-case scenarios.
Prepping for the end of days
Nuclear attacks, climate catastrophe, meteor impacts, civil uprisings – scenarios generally known among the survivalist or “prepper” community as SHTF (shit hits the fan) situations – are what keeps these people up at night. While their motivations and resources may differ, Notes from an Apocalypse’s cast – from the American preppers sharing videos of their survival bags stuffed with hunting knives and crowbars, right-wing conspiracy theorists hoping to colonise a new USA on the surface of Mars to Silicon Valley billionaires quietly installing panic rooms in luxury New Zealand bunkers and fearful environmentalists – are all united by the singular, presiding fear that the end is nigh – and probably sooner than you think.
The spectre of death, or at least impending doom, was the driving force behind O’Connell’s first book, the excellent To Be a Machine. The Wellcome Prize-winning book saw him criss-cross the world to follow transhumanists, the philosophical movement dedicated to the pursuit of harnessing technology in a bid to enhance human life and ‘solve death’. There are clear parallels to be drawn between transhumanists and the preppers waiting for the end of the world, O’Connell observes, insofar as both groups are fixated on the future. “As with transhumanism, the apocalypse occupies a position of metaphor – if the apocalypse as a, quote-unquote vision of the future, is really a way of processing the terrors and fantasies about the present.”
The end of the world is all around us – you just have to look for it
While Hollywood is hell-bent on conditioning us to expect unhinged gangs looting abandoned cities amid civilisational collapse, in actuality, humans have been experiencing apocalypses for millennia, O’Connell points out. “Throughout human history there have been isolated apocalypses all the time, and there’s a feeling we’re going through one of those periods now. Hopefully, the level of mass death will not be anything like the Plague, or in Ireland, obviously, there’s always a tendency to hark back to the 19th century to the famine,” he explains.
“These apocalypses do happen, and that sounds quite callous – shit happens – and of course it’s not, but people do live through apocalyptic scenarios. When we talk about these things, there actually are people who are undergoing situations that we would consider apocalyptic.”
As long as life continues the apocalypse will be an on-going concern because humans are story-telling creatures that want to point towards a kind of conclusion: whether that’s hopeful or terrifying. When asked during a virtual book launch for the title how the book’s subjects will be coping with the current pandemic, O’Connell quips: “I think they are probably waiting for it to get worse, for everything to descend into savagery. Probably the fact that civilisation has not collapsed is a bit of a disappointment.”
It was, by O’Connell’s own admission, a difficult book to write: “The anxieties I began with were real and it probably wasn’t a great idea, psychologically speaking, to dive into them headfirst as a topic – it’s just the way I’m wired, I guess.”
Being locked into the absolute darkness of an underground decommissioned weapons storage shelter in the South Dakota’s Black Hills, stumbling across seance-like arrangements of rotting toys in a former classroom in the abandoned Ukrainian city of Pripyat and staking out the luxury estate tech oligarch Peter Thiel (who co-founded PayPal with Elon Musk and was long-rumoured to inject himself with the blood of young men in a bid to live longer) purchased to see out the end of days sound far from mentally relaxing. Of all O’Connell’s explorations, it was a retreat to Alladale Wilderness Reserve around 90 minutes north of Inverness that left the most lasting impression. One of the last remaining wild regions in the British Isles, Alladale represents “the intimate equation between civilisation and environmental devastation”.
The writer was deeply moved to discover he had something to learn from simply being still in nature, listening to the tinny whine of a mosquito while watching clouds scud overhead. “The minute I start talking about these things, I catch myself rolling my eyes,” he explains, apologetically, sounding embarrassed. “But I learned things that surprised me. I’ve taken [spending time at length in nature] with me, and I’ve done it a couple of times since.”
Life finds a way
That’s not to say the great outdoors entirely divested O’Connell of his morally-induced visions of catastrophe. “The future is every bit as dark at the end of the book and my attitude towards it has not particularly changed, and it still seems like a terrifying thing,” he muses. “There’s a note of hope in there, but it’s tentative and it’s fragile. By the end I was more capable of experiencing time with my family and in my life without letting it become overshadowed by this overbearing presence of the darkness of the future.”
Acknowledging the world’s darkness without letting it overwhelm him has allowed O’Connell to shed his state of perpetual anxiety, a trajectory he calls “charting from movement from cynicism to…something beyond cynicism.” There’s a lovely passage towards the book’s conclusion when, writing about his infant daughter, he remarks that although her fragility overwhelms him, “it would also be true, and maybe even truer, to say that her existence has deepened my investment in the world, my sense of the ever-present possibility of joy, of the future as a fertile realm of possibility, of life.” Because it’s hope, however tentative, that encourages us to keep going. Even when it seems like the end of the world.
Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back, by Mark O’Connell, is published by Granta (£14.99)


inews--2020-04-22--Normal People's Paul Mescal: 'I'm most proud of how sex is portrayed in this series'

Normal People 's Paul Mescal : ' I 'm most proud of how sex is portrayed in this series' The star of the adaptation of Normal People talks about portraying teenage love , ‘ chemistry ’ auditions and earning Sally Rooney 's approval Within a minute or so of speaking to Paul Mescal about playing Connell in the feverishly anticipated adaptation of Sally Rooney ’ s novel , Normal People , he uses the word “ pressure ” three times .
There is the “ huge amount of pressure ” to do justice to Rooney ’ s writing ; the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes from being on set ; and finally , the “ pressure of anticipation ” , as Mescal waits to find out how audiences react to the 12-part BBC Three series .
The novel , which quietly meshes together the lives of Irish students Connell and Marianne ( played by 21-year-old Londoner Daisy Edgar-Jones ) , as they progress from school in Co Sligo to Trinity College Dublin , seemed to move people in a profound and , for many , unprecedented way .
It was longlisted for both the Booker Prize and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as being included in one newspaper ’ s list of the 100 best books of the 21st century .
Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones in BBC Three 's adaptation of Normal People ( Photo : BBC/Element Pictures/Hulu ) What did he make of it ?
“ If you ’ re ever lucky enough to experience what Connell and Marianne have ... ” He trails off .
“ They are relationships that come few and far between in anybody 's life and they are things to be protected and cherished .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of nourishment and care .
The focus is on an extraordinary relationship , which I think we 'd all be lucky to have in our lifetime . ''
Paul Mescal as Connell in episode one of Normal People ( Photo : BBC/Element Pictures/Hulu ) During a break , Mescal popped out for a cigarette and bumped into Edgar-Jones .
“ I came back up and I was like , ‘ She looks how I imagined it.
’ And then my main memory of meeting Daisy was doing the very first scene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s eating the ice cream and I was like , ‘ Oh , this feels like we ’ re actually talking to each other rather than acting.
’ '' Even during the conversations we were having about Connell and Marianne , we were on the same page .
We were n't talking about our characters in isolation , we were talking about them in the context of each other .
In my gut , I always thought it was going to be Daisy . ''
The two are perfectly cast .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfect .
The simplicity of Rooney ’ s writing translates beautifully to screen , where a single glance or word blocks out everything else .
When they meet at a houseparty after months without seeing each other , Connell tells Marianne he used to think he could read her mind .
“ I don ’ t know , maybe that ’ s normal , ” he says .
She pauses .
“ It ’ s not.
” Watching Normal People , it sometimes feels as if Connell and Marianne are the only characters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and white .
Mescal , who like Connell was brought up in the west of Ireland , played Gaelic football to a high standard and later studied at Trinity College Dublin , brings just the right amount of sensitivity to the role of Connell , the good-looking sporty type , who is actually happiest with his head in a book .
“ Connell is a far more intellectual being than I am , ” he laughs .
Edgar-Jones , meanwhile , captures all of Marianne ’ s bristling insecurities , which only soften @ @ @ @ @ @ @ author Sally Rooney , who also co-scripted six episodes of this adaptation It helps to have Rooney ’ s blessing , too .
Mescal says he “ quite eagerly reached out over Twitter ” when the writer was in Dublin .
Rooney , who co-scripted six of the episodes , agreed to meet for coffee .
“ It was basically just me opposite her telling her how brilliant I thought she was , ” says Mescal .
“ She was incredibly generous and I kind of realised in hindsight , that was me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she bestowed , and that just gave me loads of confidence going into shooting.
” The fizzing on-set atmosphere is , in part , down to Mescal and Edgar-Jones becoming good friends off-screen .
“ It was a really joyous time to go into work with your newfound best friend , ” he says .
“ I have realised , the older you get , the less people come in and out of your lives .
It 's great to meet somebody who I 'm on the same page with that I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing the job that I do . ''
This seems as good a moment as any to talk about sex .
There is a lot of it in Normal People and the sex scenes in the first four episodes are as intimate as any I have seen on British television .
Filmed in an almost claustrophobic fashion , they are clumsy and breathless , sweet and uncomfortable , tender and joyous – all of the things that teenage sex should be .
There was an intimacy coordinator on set , but Mescal attributes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort of permanence they have – to his relationship with Edgar-Jones .
“ We really trusted each other and we felt safe in each other ’ s company , ” he says .
`` That translates on screen .
In essence , there is functional chemistry in those scenes .
“ I think the reason these scenes feel different [ in Normal People ] is that the sex is fundamental to the story , ” says Mescal .
“ The scenes are absolutely needed .
They are there to further our understanding of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Marianne ’ s heads .
Often the sex scenes come at a joyous moment in their relationship , one that has to be communicated physically and not just in this intellectual back and forth.
” When the pair first have sex in Connell ’ s bedroom , while his mum is out , it is intially confusing and strained , as Connell fumbles with Marianne ’ s top , which she can ’ t get over her head .
“ It ’ s a bit tight , ” he half-laughs .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she replies .
And then Connell tells Marianne that they can stop at any point , if she is feeling uncomfortable .
“ It won ’ t be awkward , you just say.
” It is a quiet affirmation of confidence and trust that goes way beyond the physical .

Within a minute or so of speaking to Paul Mescal about playing Connell in the feverishly anticipated adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel, Normal People, he uses the word “pressure” three times. There is the “huge amount of pressure” to do justice to Rooney’s writing; the “different form of pressure” that comes from being on set; and finally, the “pressure of anticipation”, as Mescal waits to find out how audiences react to the 12-part BBC Three series.
Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that a young actor – Mescal is only 24 – is feeling the strain ahead of his first big on-screen role. But I think we all know this is slightly different. Normal People, published in 2018, means a lot – really, an awful lot – to thousands of readers.
The novel, which quietly meshes together the lives of Irish students Connell and Marianne (played by 21-year-old Londoner Daisy Edgar-Jones), as they progress from school in Co Sligo to Trinity College Dublin, seemed to move people in a profound and, for many, unprecedented way. It was longlisted for both the Booker Prize and Women’s Prize for Fiction, as well as being included in one newspaper’s list of the 100 best books of the 21st century.
But Normal People is not a novel defined by these sorts of successes. Rooney’s portrayal of young love was simply drawn but, for a generation used to communicating online and dating via apps, it spoke to our need for deeper human connection. Reading it was like watching two puddles seep into one another.
We all, I suspect, feel protective of Normal People – as if Rooney was speaking to us and us alone – and fear that any adaptation might damage the delicate images conjured up inside our head.
So yes, there is pressure and then there is this kind of pressure. “Bringing a really remarkable novel into a visual medium is slightly terrifying,” admits Mescal from his home in east London. “People have really clear ideas, and rightfully so, about who these characters are.”
Mescal remembers reading the book while performing in a production at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, prior to auditioning for the part of Connell. “I was reading it literally side-stage, putting it down and walking on,” he says. “I read it over the course of two days.”
What did he make of it? “If you’re ever lucky enough to experience what Connell and Marianne have…” He trails off. “They are relationships that come few and far between in anybody’s life and they are things to be protected and cherished. They are also difficult things; they require a lot of nourishment and care. The focus is on an extraordinary relationship, which I think we’d all be lucky to have in our lifetime.”
Unsurprisingly, then, directors Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald’s search for the right actors to play Connell and Marianne was a drawn-out process, featuring countless auditions, as well as “chemistry reads” to ensure there was sufficient, well, chemistry between the leads.
Mescal recalls reading through scenes with about 10 actors who were auditioning for the part of Marianne. “Clearly at that level, it’s not about talent, it’s about [finding the right fit],” he says. “I was thinking, ‘People aren’t putting a foot wrong here,’ but sometimes it feels like they’re closer to the part than others.”
During a break, Mescal popped out for a cigarette and bumped into Edgar-Jones. “I came back up and I was like, ‘She looks how I imagined it.’ And then my main memory of meeting Daisy was doing the very first scene of the first episode when she’s eating the ice cream and I was like, ‘Oh, this feels like we’re actually talking to each other rather than acting.’
“Even during the conversations we were having about Connell and Marianne, we were on the same page. We weren’t talking about our characters in isolation, we were talking about them in the context of each other. In my gut, I always thought it was going to be Daisy.”
The two are perfectly cast. In fact, the whole thing is pretty much perfect. The simplicity of Rooney’s writing translates beautifully to screen, where a single glance or word blocks out everything else. When they meet at a houseparty after months without seeing each other, Connell tells Marianne he used to think he could read her mind. “I don’t know, maybe that’s normal,” he says. She pauses. “It’s not.” Watching Normal People, it sometimes feels as if Connell and Marianne are the only characters in colour against a background of black and white.
Mescal, who like Connell was brought up in the west of Ireland, played Gaelic football to a high standard and later studied at Trinity College Dublin, brings just the right amount of sensitivity to the role of Connell, the good-looking sporty type, who is actually happiest with his head in a book. “Connell is a far more intellectual being than I am,” he laughs. Edgar-Jones, meanwhile, captures all of Marianne’s bristling insecurities, which only soften when Connell is around.
It helps to have Rooney’s blessing, too. Mescal says he “quite eagerly reached out over Twitter” when the writer was in Dublin. Rooney, who co-scripted six of the episodes, agreed to meet for coffee. “It was basically just me opposite her telling her how brilliant I thought she was,” says Mescal. “She was incredibly generous and I kind of realised in hindsight, that was me going to receive her blessing, which she bestowed, and that just gave me loads of confidence going into shooting.”
The fizzing on-set atmosphere is, in part, down to Mescal and Edgar-Jones becoming good friends off-screen. “It was a really joyous time to go into work with your newfound best friend,” he says. “I have realised, the older you get, the less people come in and out of your lives. It’s great to meet somebody who I’m on the same page with that I wouldn’t have met if I wasn’t doing the job that I do.”
This seems as good a moment as any to talk about sex. There is a lot of it in Normal People and the sex scenes in the first four episodes are as intimate as any I have seen on British television. Filmed in an almost claustrophobic fashion, they are clumsy and breathless, sweet and uncomfortable, tender and joyous – all of the things that teenage sex should be.
There was an intimacy coordinator on set, but Mescal attributes the power of these moments – the sort of permanence they have – to his relationship with Edgar-Jones. “We really trusted each other and we felt safe in each other’s company,” he says. “That translates on screen. In essence, there is functional chemistry in those scenes.
“I think the reason these scenes feel different [in Normal People] is that the sex is fundamental to the story,” says Mescal. “The scenes are absolutely needed. They are there to further our understanding of what’s going on in Connell and Marianne’s heads. Often the sex scenes come at a joyous moment in their relationship, one that has to be communicated physically and not just in this intellectual back and forth.”
When the pair first have sex in Connell’s bedroom, while his mum is out, it is intially confusing and strained, as Connell fumbles with Marianne’s top, which she can’t get over her head. “It’s a bit tight,” he half-laughs. “I didn’t think it through,” she replies. And then Connell tells Marianne that they can stop at any point, if she is feeling uncomfortable. “It won’t be awkward, you just say.” It is a quiet affirmation of confidence and trust that goes way beyond the physical.
“It can be a really healthy, really sexy thing to be honest and open in a relationship,” says Mescal. “It doesn’t make the scene any less sexy or any less palatable to an audience but it just re-frames the whole idea. It’s not about steamy sex scenes. It’s about trying to represent sex that people recognise.
“One of the things I’m most proud about is the portrayal of sex from a young person’s perspective. It’s really refreshing.”
For all the earlier talk of pressure, I’m left feeling that Mescal is going to take all of this in his stride just fine. Even so, he must be aware that things are about to change very dramatically. “I’m consciously trying to remain calm,” he says. “I don’t know what Monday two weeks from now looks like and that makes me slightly nervous.”
And then he laughs, adding: “At various intervals, Daisy and I are screaming at each other over the phone, like, ‘What is going on?’”
Normal People is available on BBC Three from Sunday, and BBC One on Monday at 9pm


inews--2020-04-22--Covid-19: Serie A training may resume in days after clubs vote to complete 2019-20 season

Covid-19 : Serie A training may resume in days after clubs vote to complete 2019-20 season Serie A clubs voted unanimously to complete the current season 'if the government allows it to take place' Scenes like these may be more frequent when the Serie A season resumes : Sassuolo play Brescia Calcio on 9 March 2020 in an empty stadium to limit the spread of coronavirus in Italy ( Getty Images ) All sport has been suspended and Italy put in complete lockdown since 9 March , as it tackles one of the most devastating coronavirus outbreaks in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine is set to expire on Monday 4 May , and there are hopes that players could get back to work under strict conditions on that date .
The 20 clubs that make up Serie A displayed a rare gesture of unity on Tuesday when they unanimously voted in favour of the completion of the 2019-20 season ahead of Spadafora ’ s summit .
But any hopes of a resumption date being confirmed were dashed when the politician released a statement explaining that he must first consult with his government colleagues .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different positions that emerged , ” he said .
“ Over the coming days , after a meeting with the health minister and the technical scientific committee , we will issue updated regulations regarding the possibility and circumstances of restarting training sessions.
” Italy 's Minister for Sport and Youth Policies Vincenzo Spadafora ( AFP via Getty Images ) The video conference , which lasted more than two hours , was attended by representatives from the Italian FA , Serie A , B and C , the player , coach and referee unions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Italian FA ’ s medical-scientific committee .
It came less than 24 hours after a Serie A general assembly confirmed “ the intention to complete the 2019/20 football season , if the government allows it to take place ” .
The topic of how to ensure the health of players and staff has caused lively debate and several clubs had stated their opposition to the season resuming , while Brescia president Massimo Cellino went one step further .
The former Leeds United owner , who revealed that he had tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outspoken opponents to Serie A restarting .
“ I will simply not let my team play , ” he told Giornale di Brescia on 12 April .
“ This isn ’ t just idle provocation .
They can dock points if they want , I take all the responsibility for that.
” Further fuel was thrown onto the fire by Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku , who claimed in an interview that “ 23 out of 25 players were ill ” in January , adding that “ everyone was coughing and had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s comments reportedly went down badly with his employers , who reported only four cases of flu among their players during that period , and the Belgian subsequently apologised .
It suggests the full sanitisation of training centres , where players will stay permanently , thorough medical testing of the squad and staff , restricted training groups and the enforcement of social distancing for the first week .
If a member of the team were to test positive , they would immediately be put into self-isolation .
The Italian FA is determined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there has been no indication of when the government might allow competitive games to be staged again as the country continues its battle with the virus .
Many questions have been raised about the resumption plans , chiefly how the health of players can truly be guaranteed and whether 4 May is too early to restart .

ROME — A decision on when Serie A clubs will be allowed to resume training is expected within days, after Italy’s sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora held a summit with Italian football authorities yesterday.
All sport has been suspended and Italy put in complete lockdown since 9 March, as it tackles one of the most devastating coronavirus outbreaks in the world.
The decree that enforces the nationwide quarantine is set to expire on Monday 4 May, and there are hopes that players could get back to work under strict conditions on that date.
The 20 clubs that make up Serie A displayed a rare gesture of unity on Tuesday when they unanimously voted in favour of the completion of the 2019-20 season ahead of Spadafora’s summit.
But any hopes of a resumption date being confirmed were dashed when the politician released a statement explaining that he must first consult with his government colleagues.
“I listened with great attention to the different positions that emerged,” he said. “Over the coming days, after a meeting with the health minister and the technical scientific committee, we will issue updated regulations regarding the possibility and circumstances of restarting training sessions.”
The video conference, which lasted more than two hours, was attended by representatives from the Italian FA, Serie A, B and C, the player, coach and referee unions, the federation of sport doctors and the Italian FA’s medical-scientific committee.
It came less than 24 hours after a Serie A general assembly confirmed “the intention to complete the 2019/20 football season, if the government allows it to take place”.
The league body added that any resumption would be “in compliance with medical protocols for the protection of players and all professionals”.
The topic of how to ensure the health of players and staff has caused lively debate and several clubs had stated their opposition to the season resuming, while Brescia president Massimo Cellino went one step further. The former Leeds United owner, who revealed that he had tested positive for Covid-19, was one of the most outspoken opponents to Serie A restarting. “I will simply not let my team play,” he told Giornale di Brescia on 12 April. “This isn’t just idle provocation. They can dock points if they want, I take all the responsibility for that.”
Further fuel was thrown onto the fire by Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku, who claimed in an interview that “23 out of 25 players were ill” in January, adding that “everyone was coughing and had a fever.”
The former Manchester United man’s comments reportedly went down badly with his employers, who reported only four cases of flu among their players during that period, and the Belgian subsequently apologised.
Read more: Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid should never have happened
On Sunday, the Italian FA looked to provide some answers by submitting a training protocol to the government.
Details of the document, put together by the Italian FA’s medical-scientific committee, were published by Gazzetta dello Sport.
It suggests the full sanitisation of training centres, where players will stay permanently, thorough medical testing of the squad and staff, restricted training groups and the enforcement of social distancing for the first week.
If a member of the team were to test positive, they would immediately be put into self-isolation. The Italian FA is determined to see the season completed, but there has been no indication of when the government might allow competitive games to be staged again as the country continues its battle with the virus.
Although the situation has eased slightly in Italy recently, hundreds continue to lose their lives every day and thousands of new cases are registered daily.
Many questions have been raised about the resumption plans, chiefly how the health of players can truly be guaranteed and whether 4 May is too early to restart.
The football authorities hope, perhaps optimistically, to return to closed-door games at the end of May, which would begin a frantic run of fixtures every three or four days.
There are still 12 Serie A rounds to be completed, 13 for some teams, while the Coppa Italia semi-final second legs are yet to be played and five teams are still involved in European competitions.
For now, the wait for a definitive answer goes on.


inews--2020-04-23--Cured by Dr Jeffrey Rediger, review: Author investigates the phenomenon of spontaneous healing

Cured by Dr Jeffrey Rediger , review : Author investigates the phenomenon of spontaneous healing Rediger suggests that alternative treatments , including prayer , might help cure some terminal illnesses — but mistakes anecdote for data In the late 19th century , a young physician named William Coley came to hear of a case that could only be described as a medical miracle .
A man had presented with an egg-sized tumour on his left cheek .
Surgeons operated , but the tumour regenerated , this time as a grape-like mass below his ear .
So they operated again , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cancer , it grew back .
Eventually , the patient caught an infection and suffered an excruciatingly high fever .
It appeared his time was up .
Yet he survived , and by the time his fever was over , the cancer had disappeared , too ; he had experienced a “ spontaneous remission ” .
Intrigued by the idea that the body ’ s own response to the infection could somehow flush cancer out as well , Coley decided to perform an early clinical trial on his own patients .
Rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he injected them with dead bacteria , triggering a controlled fever – and it appeared to provoke remission in a surprising number of people .
Although Coley ’ s method did not catch on , doctors are now returning to this approach with cutting-edge immunotherapies that encourage the immune system to wage war on tumours .
Despite Coley ’ s insights , many doctors still dismiss the vanishingly rare cases of spontaneous remission as mere outliers , unworthy of serious reflection .
But in his new book Cured , the US psychiatrist Jeffrey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secrets to good health , describing these apparent miracles as “ black boxes that haven ’ t been unpacked by medical science ” .
We meet Claire , a retiree with aggressive pancreatic cancer ; Matt and Pablo , who both appeared to have terminal brain tumours ; and Mirae , with metastatic melanoma .
All failed to respond to medical treatments – but saw their symptoms vanish .
Rediger argues that they achieved this by changing their diets to nutrient-dense foods , cultivating more loving relationships , prayer and letting go of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Unfortunately , Rediger mistakes anecdote for data , and prevention for cure .
While there are convincing studies to show that dietary change , mindfulness and social connection can reduce the risk of developing chronic disease , there is next to no evidence that these measures can trigger full remission from an illness such as terminal cancer .
For every Pablo , Matt , Mirae , or Claire , there may be thousands of people who make life changes but still succumb to disease .
Just think of Steve Jobs , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ switched to an extreme vegan diet and acupuncture – a decision that might have cost him his life .
If we were to rely on anecdote alone for clues to a long life , we could just as easily point to the centenarians who claim that daily whisky chases away illness .
That ’ s why we need large clinical trials that compare rates of remission in people taking these interventions and people who don ’ t .
Rediger does acknowledge this fact , but argues ( unconvincingly ) that such scientific tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong commitment from each patient , a line of reasoning that smacks of the “ special pleading ” that is also common among believers in the paranormal .
Despite these serious misgivings about Rediger ’ s message and the ways in which it could be interpreted by desperate patients , he does raise some valuable questions .
He makes a strong argument for personalised medicine that pays more attention to patients ’ unique circumstances .
He also describes fascinating research on the therapeutic benefits of compassion , showing that patients in hospices often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perhaps , to the emotional support .
For evidence-based clues to beating the medical odds , however , Cured is disappointing .
If cases of spontaneous remission are “ black boxes ” , as Rediger claims , then most of their secrets remain firmly inside – and we can only hope that future research will unlock them .

The rate of UK unemployment increased in the three months to June even as pay grew at the fastest rate since records began, new figures show.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the unemployment rate hit 4.2 per cent during the quarter, up 0.3 percentage points from the previous three-month period.
It is the highest since the three months to October 2021, the ONS said, and brings the measure above pre-pandemic levels.
The statisticians said regular pay, which excludes bonuses, reached 7.8 per cent compared to a year earlier.


inews--2020-04-23--Strictly Keep Dancing Challenge 2020: how to take part in the BBC Big Night In event tonight, and th

Strictly Keep Dancing Challenge 2020: how to take part in the BBC Big Night In event tonight, and the dance routine explained

Strictly Keep Dancing Challenge 2020 : how to take part in the BBC Big Night In event tonight , and the dance routine explained The challenge 'basically involves everyone at home learning a new dance routine' The Big Night In is designed to celebrate the acts of kindness , humour and the spirit of hope and resilience that is keeping the nation going during the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic .
It will see Children in Need and Comic Relief coming together for the first time to host a special night of television , offering `` some light relief and entertainment '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The show will see appearances from some of the country ’ s favourite famous faces , and the BBC say it will also include `` big surprises , ‘ money can ’ t buy ’ prizes , live music performances ( from the artists ’ homes ) and many of your favourite faces coming together . ''
One of the show 's big components - announced during a technically disastrous segment of The One Show - is the Keep Dancing Challenge .
What is the Keep Dancing Challenge ?
`` We are launching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Come Dancing presenter Tess Daly revealed on the 14 April edition of The One Show .
Daly was supposed to be joined by her Strictly co-presenter Claudia Winkleman via the magic of webcam , but technical issues saw to it that audiences could n't hear one half of the duo .
Both Daly and Winklemen saw the funny side , and as the latter could not be heard , it was up to Daly to deliver the news as she stifled her laughs .
How do I get involved ?
The Keep Dancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance to be coached through a Strictly-style routine with help of the show 's professionals - all while following current social distancing advice .
Fifteen second segments of the dance will be aired each night on The One Show , and will be posted across social media .
Fans are then encouraged to film themselves tackling the routine , and upload their clips either to the Strictly website , or by using social media and the hashtag # KeepDancingChallenge to upload their submissions .
Select videos from the challenge will aired during The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on BBC One on Thursday 23 April .
At the time of writing , the first two parts of the Keep Dancing routine have been uploaded to social media .
In the second part it was down to Diane Buswell and Gorka Marquez to show us the steps .
What else will the Big Night In entail ?

The Big Night In is designed to celebrate the acts of kindness, humour and the spirit of hope and resilience that is keeping the nation going during the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic.
Recently, we brought you news of the BBC’s first Big Night In.
It will see Children in Need and Comic Relief coming together for the first time to host a special night of television, offering “some light relief and entertainment” during these most uncertain of times.
The show will see appearances from some of the country’s favourite famous faces, and the BBC say it will also include “big surprises, ‘money can’t buy’ prizes, live music performances (from the artists’ homes) and many of your favourite faces coming together.”
One of the show’s big components – announced during a technically disastrous segment of The One Show – is the Keep Dancing Challenge.
Here’s everything you need to know about it:
What is the Keep Dancing Challenge?
“We are launching the Keep Dancing Challenge,” Strictly Come Dancing presenter Tess Daly revealed on the 14 April edition of The One Show.
The challenge “basically involves everyone at home learning a new dance routine with the help of our brilliant Strictly professional dancers.”
Daly was supposed to be joined by her Strictly co-presenter Claudia Winkleman via the magic of webcam, but technical issues saw to it that audiences couldn’t hear one half of the duo.
When Alex Jones and It Takes Two’s Gethin Jones tried speaking to the pair, Winkleman’s feed was entirely muted.
Both Daly and Winklemen saw the funny side, and as the latter could not be heard, it was up to Daly to deliver the news as she stifled her laughs.
How do I get involved?
The Keep Dancing Challenge gives members of the public a chance to be coached through a Strictly-style routine with help of the show’s professionals – all while following current social distancing advice.
Fifteen second segments of the dance will be aired each night on The One Show, and will be posted across social media.
Fans are then encouraged to film themselves tackling the routine, and upload their clips either to the Strictly website, or by using social media and the hashtag #KeepDancingChallenge to upload their submissions.
Select videos from the challenge will aired during The Big Night In when it is broadcast on BBC One on Thursday 23 April.
What have I missed?
At the time of writing, the first two parts of the Keep Dancing routine have been uploaded to social media.
The first part saw Janette Manrara and Aljaž Skorjanec guiding viewers though the opening steps of an energetic Jive-style routine.
In the second part it was down to Diane Buswell and Gorka Marquez to show us the steps.
Each Strictly dancer has been assigned 10 seconds of the routine to choreograph – all set to Dua Lipa’s recent single, ‘Physical’.
What else will the Big Night In entail?
Despite promises of a packed roster of celebs and musical performances, the live broadcast will respect “all current social isolating government protocols” – which means guests will be appearing via webcam from their own homes.
Arguably the biggest name set to make an appearance for Big Night In is Peter Kay, who’ll be making something of a comeback; it will be Kay’s first public appearance since 2017.
Lenny Henry, Matt Baker, Zoe Ball and Paddy McGuinness will all co-host together – at a distance of two metres or more – and Catherine Tate will also be on hand, while Gary Barlow will be performing.


inews--2020-04-23--40 William Shakespeare quotes we still use every day to mark the Bard's 456th birthday

40 William Shakespeare quotes we still use every day to mark the Bard 's 456th birthday Whether you have ever been in a pickle or caught a cold , sent someone packing or had too much of a good thing , you owe a debt to Shakespeare An ice cream van with a picture of William Shakespeare plys for trade near the Royal Shakespeare Company 's theatre on the banks of the River Avon ( Photo : Getty ) Whether you have ever been in a pickle or caught a cold , sent someone packing or had too much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debt to the Bard .
On what would have been his 456th birthday , we look at the quotes from Shakespeare plays which have survived as popular phrases for four centuries : 9 .
`` Though this be madness , yet there is method in it [ There 's method in my madness ] '' Hamlet 'Kill with kindness ' : Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton kneel in a scene from the film 'The Taming of the Shrew ' 1973 .
( Photo : Liaison ) Actors from Shakespeare 's Globe performs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Photo : Dan Kitwood/Getty Images ) A portrait of William Shakespeare is pictured in London , on March 9 , 2009 .
The portrait , painted in 1610 , is believed to be the only surviving picture of William Shakespeare painted in his lifetime .
( Photo : Getty )

Shakespeare’s legacy lives on in our everyday language.
Whether you have ever been in a pickle or caught a cold, sent someone packing or had too much of a good thing, you owe a debt to the Bard.
On what would have been his 456th birthday, we look at the quotes from Shakespeare plays which have survived as popular phrases for four centuries:
1. “Break the ice”
The Taming of the Shrew
2. “Dead as a door nail”
Henry VI, Part II
3. “With bated breath”
Merchant of Venice
4. “The be-all and the end-all”
Macbeth
5. “Faint-hearted”
Henry VI, Part I
6. “Wild-goose chase”
Romeo and Juliet
7. “Laugh yourself into stitches”
Love’s Labour Lost
8. “I will wear my heart upon my sleeve”
Othello
9. “Though this be madness, yet there is method in it [There’s method in my madness]”
Hamlet
10. “Spotless reputation”
Richard II
11. “Laughing-stocks”
The Merry Wives of Windsor
12. “Eaten me out of house and home”
Henry IV, Part II
13. “In a pickle”
The Tempest
14. “Send him packing”
Henry IV, Part I
15. “Too much of a good thing”
As You Like It
16. “I have not slept one wink”
Cymbeline
17. “Flesh and blood”
Hamlet
18. “Truth will out”
Merchant of Venice
19. “Lie Low”
Much Ado About Nothing
20. “Jealousy is the green-eyed monster”
Othello
21. “The world is mine Oyster”
The Merry Wives of Windsor
22. “Catch a cold”
Cymbeline
23. “Love is blind”
The Merchant of Venice
24. “A heart of gold”
Henry V
25. “As good luck would have it”
The Merry Wives of Windsor
26. “Brave new world”
The Tempest
27. “Refuse to budge an inch”
Measure for Measure/ The Taming of the Shrew
28. “To thine own self be true [Be true to yourself]”
Hamlet
29. “A dish fit for the Gods”
Julius Caesar
30. “Devil incarnate”
Titus Andronicus/Henry V
31. “Forever and a day”
As You Like It
32. “Full circle”
King Lear
33. “Good riddance”
Troilus and Cressida
34. “In my heart of hearts”
Hamlet
35. “Play fast and loose”
King John
36. “Milk of human kindness”
Macbeth
37. “Fair play”
The Tempest/King John/Troilus and Cressida
38. “Set my teeth on edge”
Henry IV, Part I
39. “Kill with kindness”
The Taming of the Shrew
40. “Zany”
Love’s Labour’s Lost


inews--2020-04-23--After Life season 2: Netflix release date and time, cast and everything else about the new series fr

After Life season 2: Netflix release date and time, cast and everything else about the new series from Ricky Gervais

After Life season 2 : Netflix release date and time , cast and everything else about the new series from Ricky Gervais With only his pet dog to live for , Tony says and does whatever he wants The second series of the Netflix show once again follows journalist Tony ( played by Gervais ) , who is suicidal following the death of his wife , Lisa ( Kerry Godliman ) .
What is After Life about ?
With only his pet dog to live for , Tony says and does whatever he wants , as he no longer cares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Season 2 , we see Tony decide to try and become a better friend and colleague .
He realises that everyone is grappling with their own problems - especially after learning the Tambury Gazette , where he works , faces possible closure - but he 's still really struggling with grief .
Despite its heavy subject matter , After Life is far from being nihilistic or pessimistic about the world .
It ’ s almost sunnily optimistic , with a touching faith in the redeeming goodness of others ; those hoping for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Office or Extras might be disappointed . '
I wanted it to be real' '' I thought , ‘ That ’ s perfect .
I can create a character that can say all the things that polite people are afraid to say ; he ’ s got nothing to lose ’ .
He can ’ t be threatened by human resources , ‘ cos he goes , ‘ I ’ ll kill myself ’ .
” Gervais knows full well that some people might be offended by his comedy , but said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make [ After Life ] a vigilante thing ; I wanted it to be real and I wanted it to be a comedy . ''
`` Even though it was dark , and I wanted people to feel sorry for him and I wanted it to be real , '' he said .
In reference to a memorable scene in series one when Tony walks past the local school and threatens a kid with a hammer , Gervais said , `` that ’ s what also makes you want to root for this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - even kids.
” “ Parents have told me , ‘ The thing with the hammer ?
I ’ ve wanted to do that ’ .
“ It ’ s like , if your kid ’ s being bullied , the rules go out the window . ''
Who else is in the cast ?
When can I watch it ?

The second season of Ricky Gervais‘ surprisingly heartfelt grief comedy After Life has arrived on Netflix.
The second series of the Netflix show once again follows journalist Tony (played by Gervais), who is suicidal following the death of his wife, Lisa (Kerry Godliman).
Here’s everything you need to know about it:
What is After Life about?
With only his pet dog to live for, Tony says and does whatever he wants, as he no longer cares about what happens to him.
In Season 2, we see Tony decide to try and become a better friend and colleague.
He realises that everyone is grappling with their own problems – especially after learning the Tambury Gazette, where he works, faces possible closure – but he’s still really struggling with grief.
Despite its heavy subject matter, After Life is far from being nihilistic or pessimistic about the world.
It’s almost sunnily optimistic, with a touching faith in the redeeming goodness of others; those hoping for a new cringe-comedy classic along the lines of The Office or Extras might be disappointed.
‘I wanted it to be real’
The idea for the show came from reactions to Gervais’ divisive stand-up.
“You can’t make a joke that someone, somewhere, won’t find offensive, so you shouldn’t try,” he told Yorkshire Evening Post.
“I thought, ‘That’s perfect. I can create a character that can say all the things that polite people are afraid to say; he’s got nothing to lose’. He can’t be threatened by human resources, ‘cos he goes, ‘I’ll kill myself’.”
Gervais knows full well that some people might be offended by his comedy, but said he “didn’t want to make [After Life] a vigilante thing; I wanted it to be real and I wanted it to be a comedy.”
“Even though it was dark, and I wanted people to feel sorry for him and I wanted it to be real,” he said.
“To start a sitcom with a woman in chemo leaving a message and you know she’s dead – that’s not Terry and June.”
In reference to a memorable scene in series one when Tony walks past the local school and threatens a kid with a hammer, Gervais said, “that’s what also makes you want to root for this man who’s nasty to everyone – even kids.”
“Parents have told me, ‘The thing with the hammer? I’ve wanted to do that’. “It’s like, if your kid’s being bullied, the rules go out the window.”
Who else is in the cast?
Gervais has surrounded himself with considerable comic talent once again in Season 2.
Diane Morgan is cast against type as the office hippie, Ashley Jensen plays the nurse Tony fancies and Joe Wilkinson is the oddball postman.
Roisin Conaty plays the local sex worker.while Paul Kaye is an unconventional psychotherapist, and Penelope Wilton the bereaved widow with whom Tony shares a graveyard bench.
When can I watch it?
After Life series 2 launched on Netflix on Friday 24 April.
If you need to catch up on the first series, Season 1 is available in full on Netflix now.


inews--2020-04-23--St George's Day 2020: how a Google Doodle is marking England's dragon-slaying patron saint today

The famous Google Doodle is honouring St George 's Day on the anniversary of St George 's death 23 April marks an important day for many , as it is St George 's Day - even the iconic Google Doodle is celebrating the life and death of the patron saint .
This is what you need to know about St George , from who he was and why he is celebrated - and how the Google Doodle is remembering him .
If you click on the Google Doodle , you ’ ll be taken to a Google search page with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is everything you need to know about who he is and why the anniversary of his death is celebrated around the world .
He was a soldier who rose up through the ranks in the Roman army and eventually became a personal guard to the Emperor Dicoletian .
St George is best known for slaying a dragon .
According to myth , a dragon guarded the only well in the town of Silene , and whenever residents needed water , they had to offer a human sacrifice to the dragon .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Silene , it was a princess who had been chosen to be sacrificed to the dragon .
It was on that day that St George slayed the dragon , saved the princess and granted the people of Silene free access to the water well .
Legend has it that the people of Silene were so grateful to St George that they converted to Christianity .
It is believed that St George was ultimately executed for refusing to make a sacrifice in the honour of the pagan gods , therefore becoming a Christan martyr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Flags bearing the St George ’ s cross ( a large red cross on a white background ) are traditionally flown from houses and buildings , with some people also displaying the flag on a badge or patch .
The Church of England rules that no saints ’ day should be celebrated between Palm Sunday and the Sunday after Easter , so if the 23 April happens to fall during this time , the day of celebrations is deferred until after this period of time has closed .

23 April marks an important day for many, as it is St George’s Day – even the iconic Google Doodle is celebrating the life and death of the patron saint.
This is what you need to know about St George, from who he was and why he is celebrated – and how the Google Doodle is remembering him.
What is today’s Google Doodle?
Today, Thursday 23 April 2020, the Google Doodle celebrates St George.
The logo is represented by a horse, a knight sitting by a fireplace, toasting bread on his sword and a dragon.
If you click on the Google Doodle, you’ll be taken to a Google search page with lots of information about St George.
This is everything you need to know about who he is and why the anniversary of his death is celebrated around the world.
Who was St George?
St George was born sometime around the year 280 in the country we now call Turkey.
He was a soldier who rose up through the ranks in the Roman army and eventually became a personal guard to the Emperor Dicoletian.
St George is best known for slaying a dragon. According to myth, a dragon guarded the only well in the town of Silene, and whenever residents needed water, they had to offer a human sacrifice to the dragon.
On the day that St George was visiting Silene, it was a princess who had been chosen to be sacrificed to the dragon. It was on that day that St George slayed the dragon, saved the princess and granted the people of Silene free access to the water well.
Legend has it that the people of Silene were so grateful to St George that they converted to Christianity.
It is believed that St George was ultimately executed for refusing to make a sacrifice in the honour of the pagan gods, therefore becoming a Christan martyr, during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian.
His tomb was found in the Christan pilgrimage site of Lod.
How do people celebrate St George’s Day?
People around the world celebrate St George’s Day on 23 April, the anniversary of his death.
Flags bearing the St George’s cross (a large red cross on a white background) are traditionally flown from houses and buildings, with some people also displaying the flag on a badge or patch.
St George’s Day parades and medieval-themed events are common across England, with many pubs usually holding celebratory promotions.
The Church of England rules that no saints’ day should be celebrated between Palm Sunday and the Sunday after Easter, so if the 23 April happens to fall during this time, the day of celebrations is deferred until after this period of time has closed.
What other countries celebrate St George?
St George is known as an international saint, and many countries across the globe celebrate him every year.
Venice, Genoa, Portugal, Ethiopia, Catalonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Russia and more also claim St George as a patron saint.


inews--2020-04-23--B&Q stores opening near me: Full list of the 75 branches to open with coronavirus social distancing

B&Q stores opening near me: Full list of the 75 branches to open with coronavirus social distancing measures

B & Q stores opening near me : Full list of the 75 branches to open with coronavirus social distancing measures Full list of the 75 B & Q branches to open with coronavirus social distancing measures The DIY stores closed on 25 March and since then customers have only been able to use home delivery and click and collect services to buy items .
The chain has confirmed that a range of social distancing measures will be in place in all of the reopened stores .
These include two metre floor markers , limiting the number of customers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newly installed perspex screens at the tills .
This is the full list of stores now open : A spokesperson for B & Q said : `` As an essential retailer , we ’ re committed to providing the best possible service to support customers ’ home improvement needs at this difficult time , while keeping customers and colleagues safe .
`` Having watched other essential retailers support social distancing in their stores , we are now following their best practice and are re-opening some stores with strict social distancing measures in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of customers in store at any one time , with customers typically queueing before entering stores .
All stores will also have a designated queuing area outside and these will have two metre markers in order to help remind everyone to respect each other ’ s personal space .
The stores will have two metre floor markers throughout the store and the chain has installed perspex screens at the checkouts .
Only products that you can shop and take away in-store on the day are available to customers .
Services such as kitchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timber cutting and key cutting are not available for the time being .
The chain is continuing to offer their Click+Collect service at diy.com , but this may take several days for orders to be ready , and may be temporarily unavailable at busy times .
B & Q added : `` In recognition of the importance of Trade customers being able to carry out repairs and maintenance for their customers , TradePoint is available at all re-opened stores and our Trade customers are also able to purchase products online at trade-point.co.uk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to follow the Government ’ s social distancing guidelines , to shop responsibly only for what is necessary and to be patient whilst we give them the best possible service in the safest possible way . ''

B&Q is reopening a further 61 stores from Wednesday April 22, after initially opening 14 branches last weekend.
The DIY stores closed on 25 March and since then customers have only been able to use home delivery and click and collect services to buy items.
The chain has confirmed that a range of social distancing measures will be in place in all of the reopened stores.
These include two metre floor markers, limiting the number of customers in store at any one time, and newly installed perspex screens at the tills.
This is the full list of stores now open:
Aberdeen
Bamber Bridge
Basildon
Blackpool
Bolton
Bury
Cardiff
Cardiff (Culverhouse Cross)
Cheetham Hill
Chester
Chiswick
Coventry (Brandon Road)
Crewe
Croydon
Darnley
Dearne Valley
Derby
Doncaster
Dundee
East Kilbride
Edinburgh
Enfield
Erdington
Exeter
Fareham
Farnborough
Gillingham
Glasshoughton
Gloucester
Great Western Rd
Great Yarmouth
Grimsby
Halesowen
Hartcliffe
Havant
Huddersfield
Ipswich
Leeds
Leicester
Meir Park
Milton Keynes
New Malden
Newtownabbey
North Shields
Northampton
Norwich
Nottingham
Nursling, Paisley
Peterborough
Plymouth
Queens Road
Reading
Romford
Scotswood
Slough
Solihull
Southend
St Andrews Quay
St.Helens
Stockport
Stockton
Sutton
Sutton in Ashfield
Swansea
Trafford Park
Wallasey
Warrington
Washington
Watford
Wednesbury
West Thurrock
Wigan
Yeading
York (Hull Road)
Social distancing measures, customer limits and queuing areas
A spokesperson for B&Q said: “As an essential retailer, we’re committed to providing the best possible service to support customers’ home improvement needs at this difficult time, while keeping customers and colleagues safe.
“Having watched other essential retailers support social distancing in their stores, we are now following their best practice and are re-opening some stores with strict social distancing measures in place.
The chain is limiting the number of customers in store at any one time, with customers typically queueing before entering stores.
All stores will also have a designated queuing area outside and these will have two metre markers in order to help remind everyone to respect each other’s personal space.
The stores will have two metre floor markers throughout the store and the chain has installed perspex screens at the checkouts.
Only products that you can shop and take away in-store on the day are available to customers.
Services such as kitchen and bathroom design, paint mixing, timber cutting and key cutting are not available for the time being.
B&Q are currently only accepting card and contactless payments.
The chain is continuing to offer their Click+Collect service at diy.com, but this may take several days for orders to be ready, and may be temporarily unavailable at busy times.
Customers can also place orders for contact-free home delivery for a limited range of products.
B&Q added: “In recognition of the importance of Trade customers being able to carry out repairs and maintenance for their customers, TradePoint is available at all re-opened stores and our Trade customers are also able to purchase products online at trade-point.co.uk.
“We’re urging all customers to follow the Government’s social distancing guidelines, to shop responsibly only for what is necessary and to be patient whilst we give them the best possible service in the safest possible way.”


inews--2020-04-23--Twelfth Night cast: who stars in the National Theatre Live play with Tamsin Greig, and what time to

Twelfth Night cast: who stars in the National Theatre Live play with Tamsin Greig, and what time to watch free on YouTube tonight

Twelfth Night cast : who stars in the National Theatre Live play with Tamsin Greig , and what time to watch free on YouTube tonight English actress and comedian Tamsin Greig , 53 , takes on the iconic role of Malvolia in Shakespeare 's famous play about mistaken identity “ A ship is wrecked on the rocks , ” the plot outline reads .
“ Viola is washed ashore but her twin brother Sebastian is lost .
Determined to survive on her own , she steps out to explore a new land .
When is Twelfth Night on and where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subscribe to watch it and RSVP to see the first showing .
It will then be available on demand until 30 April at 7pm .
Who stars in this adaptation ?
“ I wanted to find out more about the ridiculousness in Malvolia , ” she told The Guardian of the role .
“ Sometimes people develop coping strategies that make them foolish .
Malvolia is a deeply wounded human being who becomes OCD and bullies the other people in the household in order to cope .
She meets her match in Feste.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Bagnold Summer UK Premiere in 2019 ( Photo : Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for BFI ) You may recognise her from sitcom Black Books , in which she played Fran Katzenjammer , Green Wing , in which she starred as Dr Caroline Todd and Episodes , in which she performed the role of Beverly Lincoln .
She also currently stars in the popular Julian Fellowes ' drama Belgravia as Anne Trenchard .
What other plays are set to be streamed ?

The theatres might be closed, but the stage is set on Youtube for another thrilling National Theatre Live production to premiere online.
This week, subscribers can RSVP to see a new twist on Shakespearian comedy Twelfth Night directed by Simon Godwin.
“A ship is wrecked on the rocks,” the plot outline reads. “Viola is washed ashore but her twin brother Sebastian is lost. Determined to survive on her own, she steps out to explore a new land.
“So begins a whirlwind of mistaken identity and unrequited love.”
Here’s everything you need to know about it.
When is Twelfth Night on and where can I watch it?
Twelfth Night went live on Thursday 23 April at 7pm BST via the National Theatre Live YouTube channel.
You must subscribe to watch it and RSVP to see the first showing. It will then be available on demand until 30 April at 7pm.
The running time is 210 minutes.
Who stars in this adaptation?
English actress and comedian Tamsin Greig, 53, takes on the iconic (and gender flipped) role of Malvolia in the play.
“I wanted to find out more about the ridiculousness in Malvolia,” she told The Guardian of the role. “Sometimes people develop coping strategies that make them foolish. Malvolia is a deeply wounded human being who becomes OCD and bullies the other people in the household in order to cope. She meets her match in Feste.”
You may recognise her from sitcom Black Books, in which she played Fran Katzenjammer, Green Wing, in which she starred as Dr Caroline Todd and Episodes, in which she performed the role of Beverly Lincoln. She also currently stars in the popular Julian Fellowes’ drama Belgravia as Anne Trenchard.
Other members of the cast include Daniel Rigby (Flowers/ Jericho/Black Mirror), Doon Mackichan (Smack the Pony), Daniel Ezra (The Missing/Undercover) and Tamara Lawrence (Undercover).
What other plays are set to be streamed?
From Thursday 30 April, viewers can tune in to watch the premiere of Benedict Cumberbatch playing the eponymous lead in Nick Dear’s adaptation of Frankenstein.
The following Thursday another Shakespeare classic, Antony and Cleopatra, will be streamed.


inews--2020-04-23--'I’m taking a massive step back in my life': Three women on how they have already been impacted fina

'I’m taking a massive step back in my life': Three women on how they have already been impacted financially by coronavirus

' I ’ m taking a massive step back in my life ' : Three women on how they have already been impacted financially by coronavirus Young women are disproportionately likely to work in sectors that have been hit hardest by lockdown According to the Women ’ s Budget Group ( WBG ) , young women are disproportionately likely to work in the sectors that have been hit hardest by the lockdown .
Women are also more likely to be low paid and in insecure employment .
Their report , Crises Collide : Women and Covid-19 , looks at how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It warns black , Asian and minority ethnic ( BAME ) women , women with disabilities and single mothers , who were already at an economic disadvantage , will be particularly affected by this crisis .
A woman wears a facemask as a precaution against the coronavirus as she walks near St Thomas ' Hospital in central London on April 9 , 2020 ( Photo by ISABEL INFANTES/AFP via Getty Images ) Some have called for the general public to wear face masks ( Photo : Getty ) ' I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after this' '' It ’ s a typical migrant story .
My mum and brother moved here about six years ago and they were sharing a flat .
About three months ago my brother moved to Germany to become a flight attendant .
Then the lockdown came and right now he is very unsure about what is going to happen with his own position .
My mum and I were both helping my brother to pay bills in Germany .
And then my mum was due to move to a more affordable place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended up extending the contract .
So between my mum and I , we are trying to fund the place and also help my brother.
” 'Having to give up my room would be heartbreaking' “ If lockdown continues for another couple of months , I don ’ t know what I ’ ll do .
I haven ’ t told my landlords that I ’ ve been furloughed yet .
They very kindly let me off of last month ’ s rent , so at the end of March I didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are such lovely people so I am hoping if I speak to them there may be a resolution .
It ’ s difficult to say .
But if the worst comes to the worst , I ’ m going to have to pack up my stuff and come to my mum ’ s . '
I 've been made redundant and vacancies are few and far between '

Before coronavirus, many women were already living in unstable or unsuitable housing, working in precarious jobs, on zero-hour contracts or relying on benefits which did not cover their rent and living costs. After a decade of punishing austerity measures, some women were already skipping meals to ensure their children could eat.
We are yet to see the full scale of the effects coronavirus will have on the economy, but the financial impact is already being widely felt, especially by those are the sharpest end of this crisis.
While Government schemes have allowed some workers to be furloughed on 80 per cent of their salary, some self-employed people and those in insecure or temporary work are unable to access this help and can only turn to Universal Credit. Others have had to accept pay cuts for doing the same amount of work – or more.
According to the Women’s Budget Group (WBG), young women are disproportionately likely to work in the sectors that have been hit hardest by the lockdown. Women are also more likely to be low paid and in insecure employment. Their report, Crises Collide: Women and Covid-19, looks at how women will be impacted by the crisis. It warns black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) women, women with disabilities and single mothers, who were already at an economic disadvantage, will be particularly affected by this crisis.
Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, director of Women’s Budget Group, said: “Our analysis on the gendered impact of Covid-19 shows that women are facing the highest risks of exposure and economic shocks to the pandemic.”
The Young Women’s Trust has launched an emergency fund for women aged 18 to 30 who are hardest hit by the crisis. The charity has teamed up with Women’s Aid, Women’s Resource Centre and Women for Refugee Women, who will act as referral partners.
Women who are referred to the fund because they are struggling to cover the cost of essentials such as food, housing costs and bills will receive £150 each. YWT has donated more than £85,000 to the fund and is hoping to raise a further £50,000 towards it. You can donate to the fund here.
Furloughing and sudden job losses have meant hopes of buying first homes are now down the drain, low-cost non-essential products are suddenly an unaffordable luxury, and even being able to pay rent is now a worrying prospect for some.
We are now in the fourth week of a UK wide lockdown which has had a huge impact on a number of industries and will likely affect pay and career opportunities for months to come. i spoke to three women who are earlier in their careers about how the coronavirus outbreak has already impacted them financially, and what they plan to do in the longer term.
‘I don’t know if I’ll have a job after this’
Iulia
Iulia, 29, is currently working but is expecting to be furloughed. She has had to leave her rented accommodation to move in with her mother, who works in a hospital.
She works in student services and earns about £1,500 each month.
“Right now I am with my mum, but I usually live in Hertfordshire,” she says. “If I was going to be earning 80 per cent, it would be a bit of a stretch, so when I left I gave up my room. I don’t know if I will have a job after being furloughed.
“My mum works in the kitchens at the hospital here. I didn’t want my mum to get pneumonia alone if she got coronavirus, so I moved here for a month, and then by the time I left it looked like we were going to go into lockdown for a while, and I foresaw I might not [have a job to] go back to, so I gave up my room.
“If I am furloughed and then moved onto a part-time contract, I don’t know if I’ll be able to afford to move back.
“I only moved to the UK a year and a half ago, so I don’t have a lot of support in terms of my own network, or savings.
“It’s a typical migrant story. My mum and brother moved here about six years ago and they were sharing a flat. About three months ago my brother moved to Germany to become a flight attendant. Then the lockdown came and right now he is very unsure about what is going to happen with his own position. My mum and I were both helping my brother to pay bills in Germany. And then my mum was due to move to a more affordable place by herself in June, but we ended up extending the contract. So between my mum and I, we are trying to fund the place and also help my brother.”
‘Having to give up my room would be heartbreaking’
Amie
Amie, 30, lives in Oxfordshire and has been furloughed from her job in sales, which she recently started. Her pay would normally include her base hourly wage, which was close to minimum wage, and any commission she earned on top.
She is particularly worried about being able to pay her £475 per month rent, which will take up a large proportion of her 80 per cent furlough pay.
“I’m a lodger in a house with a couple. I’m staying with my mum at the minute because my mental health hasn’t always been great, so when the lockdown happened we made the decision for me to stay here,” she says.
“Come the end of the month when I have to pay rent, I’m concerned about what I am going to be able to afford. It’s especially hard because I could just about afford my expenses and my bills on that base wage, but now with it cut to 80 per cent, that’s even worse.
“The day I got paid I cancelled my Amazon Prime, my Spotify, Glossy Box – I’ve tried to be realistic, I totally understand they are luxuries.
“If lockdown continues for another couple of months, I don’t know what I’ll do. I haven’t told my landlords that I’ve been furloughed yet. They very kindly let me off of last month’s rent, so at the end of March I didn’t have to pay anything. They are such lovely people so I am hoping if I speak to them there may be a resolution. It’s difficult to say. But if the worst comes to the worst, I’m going to have to pack up my stuff and come to my mum’s.
“There is no renters’ support. People with a mortgage can take a mortgage break [from payments] – great. But what about those of us who rent?
“I think it’s very difficult for the Government and some of the things Rishi Sunak has set out have been amazing. But I think there could have been more done looking at certain groups of people, definitely.
“I feel like I’m taking a massive step back in my life. When I got this job, I felt like I was taking a great step forward, and then this has happened and it’s like a door has been slammed in my face. I totally get why it has happened, and I’m ok with that, but it’s hard. If I have to leave my accommodation that will be heartbreaking.”
‘I’ve been made redundant and vacancies are few and far between’
Tina*
Tina, 28, and her partner are spending lockdown in Suffolk with her partner’s parents. She works in the travel industry and she and her entire team have been made redundant since the lockdown due to coronavirus.
Tina lives with her parents in London and pays them rent. “My parents don’t earn, so my payment to them is covering the mortgage,” she explains. This has made losing her job so suddenly even more worrying.
She has worked in the travel industry since she graduated and is concerned about her future job prospects given how hard it has been hit by coronavirus.
“Because we were made redundant at quite a difficult time, I can imagine that a lot of travel companies aren’t hiring for this period,” she says. “Because I went straight into travel from graduating, it’s where my skill set is. The financial difficulty really is a) such a drastic action from the company, B) that with the government furlough scheme in place I’m surprised they didn’t utilise the lifeline from the Government to support us financially.
“I think the Government has done a lot, but the schemes that they have released do have loopholes. For example, with the furlough scheme, the gatekeepers to the scheme are the employers. Even people made redundant from 28 Feb could have gone back to their old employers and asked to be rehired and put me on furlough. Some employers were doing that as a gesture of goodwill to help people during this difficult time. My company outright said no and didn’t really provide a reason for this.
“Before this happened, we were looking for a flat to buy in London. We wanted to put a deposit down, and now we can’t. I think that will be on pause for a year or two now.
All of this has made her plans for the future uncertain, she adds. “All of the jobs I am applying for are in London, but vacancies are few and far between. A lot have contacted me to say they are withdrawing their vacancy. That’s the reality at the moment.
“I think the coronavirus has created really difficult conditions for the travel industry and for roles in future. So I’m looking at it as a chance for a career change as well.
“I’ve always wanted to do something I have passion [for], and one thing that has really been brought to light with the coronavirus is the importance of frontline workers and practical jobs. I also really enjoy writing.”
* Name has been changed


inews--2020-04-23--BP Portrait Award 2020: Scotland National Galleries attendant shortlisted for prestigious painting p

BP Portrait Award 2020: Scotland National Galleries attendant shortlisted for prestigious painting prize

Gallery assistant Michael Youds ' painting portrays the owner of an Edinburgh retro records store shuttered during lockdown Three artists are in the running for the £35,000 prize , which will open as a virtual exhibition on the National Portrait Gallery website next month ( Photo : Tolga AKMEN / AFP Getty Images ) A poignant painting by a gallery attendant depicting the owner of an Edinburgh independent record store , shuttered during the lockdown after 30 years , has made the shortlist for the BP Portrait Award 2020 .
Three artists are in the running for the £35,000 prize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exhibition on the National Portrait Gallery website next month .
Labour of Love by Blackburn painter Michael Youds , shows Tommy “ the Mad Hatman ” Robertson , owner of Backtracks retro music and games store , an Edinburgh institution for more than 30 years .
Youds works as a gallery attendant at the National Galleries of Scotland but is also an award-winning artist in his own right .
“ I wanted the viewer to feel like they are inside the shop and maybe a little overwhelmed , not knowing what to focus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Visually , Tommy is engaging and the background is equally interesting .
You could probably find something different in the painting each time you looked at it.
” The title Labour of Love refers to the UB40 album cover in the bottom left hand corner of the painting and Robertson ’ s passion for music .
UB40 's Labour of Love album is nestled behind Tommy Robertson © Michael Youds The Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh has said it will no longer show the BP Portrait Award exhibition , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We recognise the need to do all we can to address the climate emergency , '' National Galleries Scotland said .
Night Talk by Thai artist Jiab Prachakul portrays close friends Jeonga Choi , a designer from Korea , and Makoto Sakamoto , a music composer from Japan , who are pictured in a Berlin bar on an autumn evening .
The portrait explores notions of individual identity and how perceptions of selfhood can change over time .
Sergey Svetlakov ’ s Portrait of Denis : Actor , Juggler and Fashion Model , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who offered his services as a paid model .
Portrait of Denis : Actor , Juggler and Fashion Model by Sergey Svetlakov , 2019 © Sergey Svetlakov Dr Nicholas Cullinan , National Portrait Gallery director , said : “ I hope that staging a virtual exhibition will provide us with the opportunity to bring the very best in contemporary portrait painting to an even wider audience . ''

A poignant painting by a gallery attendant depicting the owner of an Edinburgh independent record store, shuttered during the lockdown after 30 years, has made the shortlist for the BP Portrait Award 2020.
Three artists are in the running for the £35,000 prize, which will open as a virtual exhibition on the National Portrait Gallery website next month.
Labour of Love by Blackburn painter Michael Youds, shows Tommy “the Mad Hatman” Robertson, owner of Backtracks retro music and games store, an Edinburgh institution for more than 30 years.
Gallery assistant shortlisted
Youds works as a gallery attendant at the National Galleries of Scotland but is also an award-winning artist in his own right.
Backtracks sells second-hand records, instruments and video games, and Youds said he wanted to celebrate its eclectic individuality.
“I wanted the viewer to feel like they are inside the shop and maybe a little overwhelmed, not knowing what to focus their attention on,” he said.
“Visually, Tommy is engaging and the background is equally interesting. You could probably find something different in the painting each time you looked at it.”
The title Labour of Love refers to the UB40 album cover in the bottom left hand corner of the painting and Robertson’s passion for music.
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh has said it will no longer show the BP Portrait Award exhibition, which has previously toured the city.
“We recognise the need to do all we can to address the climate emergency,” National Galleries Scotland said.
Night Talk
Night Talk by Thai artist Jiab Prachakul portrays close friends Jeonga Choi, a designer from Korea, and Makoto Sakamoto, a music composer from Japan, who are pictured in a Berlin bar on an autumn evening.
The portrait explores notions of individual identity and how perceptions of selfhood can change over time.
Sergey Svetlakov’s Portrait of Denis: Actor, Juggler and Fashion Model, shows an aspiring actor in St Petersburg, who offered his services as a paid model.
The prize winners will be announced on Tuesday 5 May on the National Portrait Gallery’s social media channels.
Dr Nicholas Cullinan, National Portrait Gallery director, said: “I hope that staging a virtual exhibition will provide us with the opportunity to bring the very best in contemporary portrait painting to an even wider audience.”
“The BP Portrait Award is tasked with finding and recognising portrait paintings that combine technical accomplishment and a demonstration of insight and empathy for the subject and sitter.”


inews--2020-04-23--The Other’s Gold by Elizabeth Ames, review: debut novel about four college friends and their misdeme

The Other’s Gold by Elizabeth Ames, review: debut novel about four college friends and their misdemeanours leaves a bad taste in the mouth

The Other ’ s Gold by Elizabeth Ames , review : debut novel about four college friends and their misdemeanours leaves a bad taste in the mouth Ames ' novel clearly draws inspiration from Meg Wolitzer 's 'The Interestings ' , but it throws up too many ethical and narrative problems Elizabeth Ames ’ debut novel begins with four young women pulled together as unlikely roommates in their first year of college .
Lainey is a biracial adoptee , brought up by supportive liberal parents , who throws herself into political activism .
Margaret , beautiful enough to stop people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower-middle-class Midwest household and struggles to keep her grades up .
Ji Sun is quiet , dresses like a monochrome abstract painting and is the scion of a wealthy Korean family .
Finally there is Alice , an East Coast wasp , pre-med and member of the rowing team .
This unlikely quartet forms an instant , close-knit bond .
Ames charts their friendship through their giddy college years in New England and on into the bumpier terrain of adulthood , where marriage and motherhood come to the fore .
It is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some brilliant books , including Mary McCarthy ’ s The Group and Meg Wolitzer ’ s The Interestings .
And in its early chapters , The Other ’ s Gold promises readers many of the same pleasures – namely , the opportunity to watch these characters reconcile their youthful ambitions and desires with the realities of adult life , while maintaining the ties that bind them .
This might have been a rich portrait of four intertwined lives that Ames describes as having “ transcended the usual alchemy of optimism and obligation that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a graduate of the University of Michigan MFA program , deserves credit for attempting to shape her narrative around more than just the passing of time .
Her conceit – that each protagonist will , in turn , make a “ terrible mistake ” that rocks the stability of the group – is enticing .
When these so-called “ mistakes ” play out , however , after some pretty heavy-handed foreshadowing – “ neither one of them would be able to wear [ a certain perfume ] again after what happened in Connecticut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after what Margaret did , and more sour after what the rest of them failed to do ” – they are revealed to be less excusable blunders , and more disturbing criminal acts that should , in a fairer world , be punishable by law .
The Other 's Gold by Elizabeth Ames , published by ONE That Ames makes no effort to acknowledge how the cushions of wealth and privilege save her characters from the disruptions of any real retribution leaves a slightly bad taste in the mouth .
But even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throws up , it doesn ’ t deliver on narrative terms , either .
The characters never face any real reckoning , in relation to their own appalling behaviour or their collusion in each other ’ s crimes .
The cumulative effect – by the end of the book , the gang has , between them , perpetrated and covered up both sexual and physical child abuse – left me reeling , and not , I suspect , in the way Ames might have hoped for .

Elizabeth Ames’ debut novel begins with four young women pulled together as unlikely roommates in their first year of college.
Lainey is a biracial adoptee, brought up by supportive liberal parents, who throws herself into political activism. Margaret, beautiful enough to stop people in their tracks, hails from a lower-middle-class Midwest household and struggles to keep her grades up. Ji Sun is quiet, dresses like a monochrome abstract painting and is the scion of a wealthy Korean family. Finally there is Alice, an East Coast wasp, pre-med and member of the rowing team.
This unlikely quartet forms an instant, close-knit bond. Ames charts their friendship through their giddy college years in New England and on into the bumpier terrain of adulthood, where marriage and motherhood come to the fore.
It is a tried-and-tested trope, which draws inspiration from some brilliant books, including Mary McCarthy’s The Group and Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings. And in its early chapters, The Other’s Gold promises readers many of the same pleasures – namely, the opportunity to watch these characters reconcile their youthful ambitions and desires with the realities of adult life, while maintaining the ties that bind them.
This might have been a rich portrait of four intertwined lives that Ames describes as having “transcended the usual alchemy of optimism and obligation that kept friendships intact”.
Ames, a graduate of the University of Michigan MFA program, deserves credit for attempting to shape her narrative around more than just the passing of time. Her conceit – that each protagonist will, in turn, make a “terrible mistake” that rocks the stability of the group – is enticing.
When these so-called “mistakes” play out, however, after some pretty heavy-handed foreshadowing – “neither one of them would be able to wear [a certain perfume] again after what happened in Connecticut. Something turned acrid in the bottles after what Margaret did, and more sour after what the rest of them failed to do” – they are revealed to be less excusable blunders, and more disturbing criminal acts that should, in a fairer world, be punishable by law.
That Ames makes no effort to acknowledge how the cushions of wealth and privilege save her characters from the disruptions of any real retribution leaves a slightly bad taste in the mouth. But even if you overlook the ethical problems this novel throws up, it doesn’t deliver on narrative terms, either. The characters never face any real reckoning, in relation to their own appalling behaviour or their collusion in each other’s crimes.
The cumulative effect – by the end of the book, the gang has, between them, perpetrated and covered up both sexual and physical child abuse – left me reeling, and not, I suspect, in the way Ames might have hoped for.
The Other’s Gold by Elizabeth Ames is published by ONE (£12.99)