theweekuk--2020-11-02--US election: the states Donald Trump and Joe Biden need to win to take the White House

US voters are heading to the polls on Tuesday as the presidential election race nears the finishing line .
The winner of the hard-fought contest between Donald Trump and Joe Biden is unlikely to be declared on the night , owing to the high number of Americans voting via postal ballots as a result of the coronavirus pandemic .
But we could get a good indication of who is going to take the White House if a number of key states are won with a large enough margin .
Here are the key battleground states to keep an eye on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Oval Office , Democratic candidate Biden needs to secure 38 electoral votes more than the 232 that Hillary Clinton won in 2016 .
The states below have a combined total of 70 electoral votes and were all taken by Trump in 2016 .
So if Biden can win these four key swing states , he will probably be on the road to beating the incumbent .
Four years ago , Trump beat Clinton in this southwestern state by 91,234 ballots , winning 11 key electoral college votes .
But in 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Team Biden , with a poll of likely voters conducted by The New York Times and Siena College giving the former vice-president a six-point lead over the president .
As of April this year , Arizona ’ s registered voters included 1,370,887 Republicans ( 34.89 % ) and 1,277,242 Democrats ( 32.51 % ) , while the GOP holds a string of key state roles including governor and attorney general .
In the 2018 midterm elections , Democrat Senator Kyrsten Sinema won the so-called Sun Belt state , a seat that had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 2013 .
The Republicans had previously held the senior senator position since 1995 .
“ The average poll overall has Biden up by four points ” in Arizona , CNN reports .
“ So Trump needs a larger than average polling error in a state where there hasn ’ t been a tradition of polling errors favouring Republicans.
” The site of one of the most controversial election moments in recent history , during the 2000 battle between George W. Bush and Al Gore , Florida may mark a vital victory for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunshine State .
The adage goes that the further north in Florida you travel , the further south - meaning more conservative - you go politically .
Overall , Republicans have often fared well in the state , but the NYT poll has Biden leading by three points .
Trump won Florida in 2016 , snatching 29 electoral votes after beating Clinton by 112,911 .
Over the weekend , both he and Biden descended on Florida for last-minute rallys , with the Democrat telling supporters : “ You hold the power .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The president , meanwhile , warned that Biden ’ s plan is “ to deliver punishing lockdowns ” to combat the pandemic .
“ He ’ s going to lock you down , ” Trump told his backers .
“ At the end of the day , I think if Pennsylvania goes , so will go the country , ” the state ’ s Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro recently told Politico .
“ We are the keystone state.
” The NYT has Biden leading by six points in Pennsylvania , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making it a must-win if he is to take the election .
Indeed , according to FiveThirtyEight ’ s presidential forecast , Pennsylvania is “ by far the likeliest state to provide either President Trump or Joe Biden with the decisive vote in the electoral college ” .
The website ’ s model says that Trump has an 84 % of winning the presidency if he carries the state - where the US Constitution was written - while Biden has a 96 % of winning if Pennsylvania goes blue .
The state voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 .
But in the last election , it was one of three so-called “ blue wall states ” - along with Michigan and Wisconsin - won by Trump .
In 2008 and 2012 , Barack Obama won Wisconsin , but in 2016 , Trump took the state by just 23,000 votes .
A total of 93,000 black voters in the city of Milwaukee did not cast their ballot four years ago , a phenomena that Obama ’ s close ally will be hoping is not repeated .
Polling suggests Biden currently has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving him a one-point lead over his Republican rival .
A separate poll by CNN/SSRS will also give the blue side of the state hope , showing Biden leading by eight points .
With ten electoral college votes , the state is another key building block in a winning coalition .
And with Trump only edging to victory in 2016 , Biden has reason to be hopeful .
The “ Missouri bellwether ” is an unscientific phenomenon that has seen the state vote for the final winner in all but three US presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voted for the losing candidate in 1956 , 2008 and 2012 , before backing Trump in 2016 .
FiveThirtyEight ’ s polling average gives Trump a 7.4-point lead in the current contest - leaving Democrats hoping that the state has its sight set wrong for a fourth time .


theweekuk--2020-11-02--Instant Opinion: the most important election of a lifetime

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The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Stephen Collinson on CNN
on a crucial moment in US history
This could be the most important election of a lifetime
“Trump has made clear that becoming the first impeached president to win re-election would cause him to unleash a far purer form of his hardline nationalist ideology, and he may be all but unstoppable in his effort to fully weaponize the institutions of the US government to his own goals and whims. Vindicated by victory, the President would likely double down on crusades against ‘elites’ and warnings that White America is in danger of being overwhelmed by changing demographics.”
2. Nick Timothy in The Daily Telegraph
on the need to change the game
The difficult truth is the Government has no strategy for ending this damaging cycle of lockdowns
“The same problems will remain. A government uncertain of its objective will unavoidably find itself uncertain in its policies. But without a successful test-and-trace scheme, and without mass daily testing, as soon as we started to live normally again, an increase in the reproduction rate became inevitable and so, too, did this lockdown. Now we face restrictions that will surely run beyond December 2 and in all likelihood well into next year. If we want to break the cycle, we need to change the game.”
3. Sean O’Grady in The Independent
on the late foreign correspondent
Fearless and inquisitive, Robert Fisk was the best of The Independent and independent journalism
“He was sometimes a little stubborn and eccentric, and he had his detractors, naturally enough. Yet he deserved his reputation both as a reporter who knew a story when he sniffed it, and as a ‘writer’, if that’s not too pretentious a term. Fisk was one of the few hacks I ever knew who referred to himself in the third person - as in ‘well, what would Old Fisk say about that?’ In his case it was indulged gladly because we - his commissioning editors and his vast audience of readers, from presidents and emirs down - really did want to know what Old Fisk had to say. Plus, he could be pretty charming if he wanted.”
4. Ian Birrell in The Times
on the problem with aid
BBC must follow its own rules and axe Comic Relief
“Yet any notion that the poverty industry is populated by saints has been torn asunder by revelations of sex abuse and fat-cat profiteering. Meanwhile, the BBC ignores rising concerns over naive western aid policies damaging democracy, fostering corruption and fuelling conflict. Far from displaying impartiality, the corporation is a key player on one side of a politically charged debate as well as an active participant in a contentious government policy. This was wrong before Davie issued his new guidelines. Now he simply looks hypocritical if he does not follow his own rules by canning Comic Relief and ending all promotion of the aid sector.”
5. Devi Sridhar in The Guardian
on the example of east Asian and African nations
The evidence is clear: if countries act together, they can suppress Covid
“Rather than acting alone, the UK needs to partner with its neighbours in Europe to agree a common regional approach. African countries have worked well regionally, as have those in east Asia and the Pacific. A cooperative strategy seems like a distant possibility now, but with a truly hard winter ahead for Europe, it may become more feasible in the spring. Countries may realise that the only way forward is together, and an elimination strategy (to stop community transmission within national borders) is the least-worst path through this crisis for their economies and societies. Integrity, competence, kindness, compassion, empathy, vision and hard work: these seem to be the core traits of the leaders who have won the trust of their populations and led their countries effectively through this crisis.”


theweekuk--2020-11-02--Jewish family fighting to reclaim £18m painting accuse officials of bias

A Jewish family suing a Dutch museum for the return of an £18m painting bought from the Nazis in 1940 have accused officials of showing bias .
The family ’ s lawyers “ told an Amsterdam court there was an ‘ appearance of partiality and a conflict of interest ’ within the Netherlands ’ restitutions committee which advises on the return of art lost by Jewish families ” , The Guardian reports .
The committee ruled two years ago that Amsterdam ’ s Stedelijk Museum could keep Bild mit Hausern ( Painting with Houses ) , by Russian abstract artist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ artwork from Robert Lewenstein at a knock-down price five months into the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands , when he and his wife had already fled to France .
Nevertheless , the committee said that Lewenstein had freely chosen to sell the painting and the museum had bought it in good faith .
“ To label the auction of works of art belonging to the Lewenstein family as voluntary is bizarre , ” lawyer Simon van der Sluijs , representing Lewenstein ’ s heirs , told a court in the Netherlands capital .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germans started looting art .
Pressure and coercion and the justified fear that lived among the Jews were used.
” According to the family , four of the seven members of the restitutions committee are either members of the Stedelijk Museum ’ s business club or work at an office that sponsors the institution .
A spokesperson for the museum denied any conflict of interest , insisting that all of the committee members were “ competent and able to assess the case ” .
None had a financial interest in the museum or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the representative said .
In March , another family “ complained to the Dutch culture minister that the committee in charge is not showing respect to families ‘ traumatised ’ by the Holocaust ” , as The Telegraph reported at the time .
Descendants of Johanna Margarete Stern-Lippmann , who was killed in Auschwitz , are trying to reclaim another Kandinsky painting , also now owned by the Stedelijk Museum .
A ruling is expected in the Lewenstein case on 16 December .

A Jewish family suing a Dutch museum for the return of an £18m painting bought from the Nazis in 1940 have accused officials of showing bias.
The family’s lawyers “told an Amsterdam court there was an ‘appearance of partiality and a conflict of interest’ within the Netherlands’ restitutions committee which advises on the return of art lost by Jewish families”, The Guardian reports.
The committee ruled two years ago that Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum could keep Bild mit Hausern (Painting with Houses), by Russian abstract artist Wassily Kandinsky. The institution bought the artwork from Robert Lewenstein at a knock-down price five months into the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, when he and his wife had already fled to France.
Nevertheless, the committee said that Lewenstein had freely chosen to sell the painting and the museum had bought it in good faith.
“To label the auction of works of art belonging to the Lewenstein family as voluntary is bizarre,” lawyer Simon van der Sluijs, representing Lewenstein’s heirs, told a court in the Netherlands capital. “Immediately after the invasion, the Germans started looting art. Pressure and coercion and the justified fear that lived among the Jews were used.”
According to the family, four of the seven members of the restitutions committee are either members of the Stedelijk Museum’s business club or work at an office that sponsors the institution.
A spokesperson for the museum denied any conflict of interest, insisting that all of the committee members were “competent and able to assess the case”. None had a financial interest in the museum or had ever been employed by it, the representative said.
In March, another family “complained to the Dutch culture minister that the committee in charge is not showing respect to families ‘traumatised’ by the Holocaust”, as The Telegraph reported at the time.
Descendants of Johanna Margarete Stern-Lippmann, who was killed in Auschwitz, are trying to reclaim another Kandinsky painting, also now owned by the Stedelijk Museum.
A ruling is expected in the Lewenstein case on 16 December.


theweekuk--2020-11-02--Coronavirus: can Boris Johnson get his Covid-19 lockdown through Parliament?

Boris Johnson is staring down the prospect of a Tory rebellion over his plans to implement a second national lockdown @ @ @ @ @ have “ blasted the measures ” , which come into effect on Thursday , and @ @ @ @ @ will “ ruin lives ” , The Sun reports .
By contrast , Keir Starmer @ @ @ @ @ back the harsher rules in order to curb rising Covid-19 infection rates .
But with @ @ @ @ @ , Johnson is being forced to take on his own backbenchers in a Commons clash @ @ @ @ @ Brady is among the Tory MPs lining up to criticise the introduction of the fresh @ @

Boris Johnson is staring down the prospect of a Tory rebellion over his plans to implement a second national lockdown in England.
Conservative MPs have “blasted the measures”, which come into effect on Thursday, and are warning that the restrictions will “ruin lives”, The Sun reports. By contrast, Keir Starmer has said that Labour will back the harsher rules in order to curb rising Covid-19 infection rates.
But with many Tories proving less amenable, Johnson is being forced to take on his own backbenchers in a Commons clash today.
Uncivil war
Senior Conservative Graham Brady is among the Tory MPs lining up to criticise the introduction of the fresh lockdown. Brady told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour that it will be “immensely damaging to people’s livelihoods, is deeply depressing and is causing a huge toll in terms of people’s mental health and family relationships”.
The rebel Tory - who chairs the influential 1922 Committee - vowed to vote against the plan, adding that “if these kinds of measures were being taken in any totalitarian country around the world, we would be denouncing it as a form of evil”.
Former cabinet minister Esther McVey has also said that she will vote against the new restrictions. “The ‘lockdown cure’ is causing more harm than Covid,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “The world cannot be put on hold, and the government must stop pressing the pause and stop button for the whole nation on a whim.”
Despite such criticisms, Johnson will today insist that there is “no alternative” to returning the country to a lockdown like that imposed in March - with the exception of keeping schools open this time around.
The prime minister will tell Parliament that without the tough new measures, deaths from coronavirus over the coming winter could be “twice as bad or even worse” than in the first wave.
No. 10 is hoping that Johnson’s Commons statement will “ease unrest” among his backbenchers ahead of a vote on the measures on Wednesday, says ITV News.
According to Politico London Playbook’s Alex Wickham, the PM will also “personally lead meetings with Tory rebels in Downing Street alongside other senior ministers, scientific advisers and officials” over the coming days, in an effort to win round the skeptics.
Rebel demands
The chances of the fresh lockdown laws failing to get through Parliament are very low as long as Starmer continues to support the plan. But Johnson is unlikely to want to rely on Labour to swing the parliamentary arithmetic.
One of the key issues on the table for the Tory doubters is a guarantee of a vote on any extension to the lockdown beyond 2 December, when the current proposed regulations would expire.


theweekuk--2020-11-02--Coronavirus: Nigel Farage to rebrand Brexit Party to protest Covid-19 lockdown

Nigel Farage is returning to the political spotlight to relaunch the Brexit Party as an anti-lockdown party called Reform UK .
Announcing their plans in an article in The Telegraph , Farage and former Brexit Party chair Richard Tice say that lockdowns “ cause more harm than good ” and that only the elderly and most vulnerable should be isolated in order to provide “ focused protection ” from Covid-19 .
The rest of the population should “ get on with life ” , allowing the young to “ act as warriors ” by creating a “ shield of protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they write .
“ We must put Covid-related deaths into perspective - around 1,600 people die every day in the UK , for some reason or other .
The truth is this horrible illness is only very dangerous for a tiny minority of people , ” Farage and Tice add .
Their new political venture will alarm Conservative MPs who are “ scarred by the way that Farage ’ s previous Eurosceptic parties - the UK Independence Party and the Brexit Party - sapped support for the Tory party at previous elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief political correspondent Christopher Hope .
Farage reportedly hopes to field Reform UK candidates at May ’ s local elections , when the Tories are contesting thousands of shire seats , as well as policing and crime commissioner positions .
He is also expected to stand candidates at the next general election , scheduled to take place in 2024 .
The former UKIP leader told Hope that he expects to find support among people whose businesses have been damaged or destroyed by the lockdown .
There is “ a massive political hole at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the pandemic has highlighted “ how badly governed we are ” .
Farage set up the Brexit Party ahead of last year ’ s European Parliament elections , winning 29 seats - the most of any UK party .
Speaking about Reform UK , he said : “ Brexit is the beginning of what we need .
Brexit gives us self-governance - we now need to have good self-governance.
” According to the Daily Mail , “ hundreds of thousands of pounds ” has already been pledged for the rebadged party .

Nigel Farage is returning to the political spotlight to relaunch the Brexit Party as an anti-lockdown party called Reform UK.
Announcing their plans in an article in The Telegraph, Farage and former Brexit Party chair Richard Tice say that lockdowns “cause more harm than good” and that only the elderly and most vulnerable should be isolated in order to provide “focused protection” from Covid-19. The rest of the population should “get on with life”, allowing the young to “act as warriors” by creating a “shield of protection” in the form of herd immunity, they write.
“We must put Covid-related deaths into perspective - around 1,600 people die every day in the UK, for some reason or other. The truth is this horrible illness is only very dangerous for a tiny minority of people,” Farage and Tice add.
Their new political venture will alarm Conservative MPs who are “scarred by the way that Farage’s previous Eurosceptic parties - the UK Independence Party and the Brexit Party - sapped support for the Tory party at previous elections”, says The Telegraph’s chief political correspondent Christopher Hope.
Farage reportedly hopes to field Reform UK candidates at May’s local elections, when the Tories are contesting thousands of shire seats, as well as policing and crime commissioner positions. He is also expected to stand candidates at the next general election, scheduled to take place in 2024.
The former UKIP leader told Hope that he expects to find support among people whose businesses have been damaged or destroyed by the lockdown. There is “a massive political hole at the moment”, Farage claims, and the pandemic has highlighted “how badly governed we are”.
Farage set up the Brexit Party ahead of last year’s European Parliament elections, winning 29 seats - the most of any UK party. Speaking about Reform UK, he said: “Brexit is the beginning of what we need. Brexit gives us self-governance - we now need to have good self-governance.”
According to the Daily Mail, “hundreds of thousands of pounds” has already been pledged for the rebadged party.


theweekuk--2020-11-02--US election: Joe Biden lines up 4,000 lawyers in Florida amid vote recount fears

Joe Biden has 4,000 lawyers standing by or already working in Florida in case Donald Trump calls for a vote recount in the so-called Sunshine State .
The Democratic presidential nominee and his party have been arranging “ outsize financial and legal resources ” to “ either avert or prepare for ” a recount , which would automatically be triggered if the final margin between the two contenders in the pivotal state is half a percentage point or less , New York Magazine reports .
As part of a push to secure a clear victory in Florida , Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitoring officials who have been counting the state ’ s early votes , as well as keeping a close eye on canvassing boards .
“ The Biden team clearly understands that in the Trump organisation , they ’ re not just going up against someone who challenges the rule of law but who does not believe in the rule of law , ” Fernand Amandi , a veteran Florida pollster and strategist , told the mag .
Democrats are still haunted by the legal tussling between George W. Bush and Al Gore in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Supreme Court handing the state and the presidency to Bush .
Fears have risen that tomorrow ’ s election could also descend into chaos after Trump reportedly told confidants that he plans to declare victory on Tuesday night if it looks like he ’ s “ ahead ” , Axois says .
The president has publicly vowed that his campaign would challenge either the results or post-election day vote-counting in several states .
Biden has a healthy national lead in the latest polls , but his advantage is narrower in key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House .

Joe Biden has 4,000 lawyers standing by or already working in Florida in case Donald Trump calls for a vote recount in the so-called Sunshine State.
The Democratic presidential nominee and his party have been arranging “outsize financial and legal resources” to “either avert or prepare for” a recount, which would automatically be triggered if the final margin between the two contenders in the pivotal state is half a percentage point or less, New York Magazine reports.
As part of a push to secure a clear victory in Florida, Biden’s attorneys are examining ballot designs and monitoring officials who have been counting the state’s early votes, as well as keeping a close eye on canvassing boards.
“The Biden team clearly understands that in the Trump organisation, they’re not just going up against someone who challenges the rule of law but who does not believe in the rule of law,” Fernand Amandi, a veteran Florida pollster and strategist, told the mag.
Democrats are still haunted by the legal tussling between George W. Bush and Al Gore in Florida in 2000. The conflict ended with the Supreme Court handing the state and the presidency to Bush.
Fears have risen that tomorrow’s election could also descend into chaos after Trump reportedly told confidants that he plans to declare victory on Tuesday night if it looks like he’s “ahead”, Axois says.
The president has publicly vowed that his campaign would challenge either the results or post-election day vote-counting in several states.
Biden has a healthy national lead in the latest polls, but his advantage is narrower in key states that could decide who takes the White House.


theweekuk--2020-11-02--Second lockdown will plunge UK into ‘double-dip’ recession, economists warn

The looming lockdown for England will undo the economic progress made over the summer and push Britain into a double-dip recession , according to revised forecasts from leading economists .
Back in April , the first full month of the first lockdown , the UK economy shrank by a record 20.4 % .
Now , experts are warning that the tighter restrictions announced by Boris Johnson on Saturday will “ obliterate the country ’ s fragile economic recovery ” , The Times reports .
Many are predicting that the final-quarter GDP will shrink by as much as 8 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Johnson when he was London mayor , told The Guardian that the contraction could be as high as 10 % .
Howard Archer , chief economic adviser at forecasting group EY Item Club , agrees that there is “ little doubt ” a new national lockdown will “ cause the economy to contract in the fourth quarter and very possibly by an appreciable amount ” .
Paul Dales , economist at Capital Economics , added : “ The recovery has been quite good and we were making progress but it will go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Bank of England policymakers are expected to agree to inject up to £100bn into the economy when they meet this week .
The nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee ( MPC ) was already poised to announce “ gloomier economic forecasts ” even before the prime minister announced the drastic tightening of restrictions to tackle rising Covid-19 infection rates , The Guardian reports .
The MPC is said to favour quantitative easing to stimulate the economy - a process in which the Bank creates a form of electronic money that can be used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from April to September was nearly four times the £54.5bn borrowed in the whole of the last full financial year .
Meanwhile , debt has already hit £2.06trn , equivalent to 103.5 % of GDP and a 60-year high .

The looming lockdown for England will undo the economic progress made over the summer and push Britain into a double-dip recession, according to revised forecasts from leading economists.
Back in April, the first full month of the first lockdown, the UK economy shrank by a record 20.4%. Now, experts are warning that the tighter restrictions announced by Boris Johnson on Saturday will “obliterate the country’s fragile economic recovery”, The Times reports.
Many are predicting that the final-quarter GDP will shrink by as much as 8%. And Gerard Lyons, an economic adviser to Johnson when he was London mayor, told The Guardian that the contraction could be as high as 10%.
Howard Archer, chief economic adviser at forecasting group EY Item Club, agrees that there is “little doubt” a new national lockdown will “cause the economy to contract in the fourth quarter and very possibly by an appreciable amount”. Paul Dales, economist at Capital Economics, added: “The recovery has been quite good and we were making progress but it will go into complete reverse in a short while.”
Bank of England policymakers are expected to agree to inject up to £100bn into the economy when they meet this week. The nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was already poised to announce “gloomier economic forecasts” even before the prime minister announced the drastic tightening of restrictions to tackle rising Covid-19 infection rates, The Guardian reports.
The MPC is said to favour quantitative easing to stimulate the economy - a process in which the Bank creates a form of electronic money that can be used to purchase UK government bonds.
Government borrowing from April to September was nearly four times the £54.5bn borrowed in the whole of the last full financial year. Meanwhile, debt has already hit £2.06trn, equivalent to 103.5% of GDP and a 60-year high.


theweekuk--2020-11-02--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 2 Nov 2020

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancasrer Michael Gove has denied that he was the cabinet minister who leaked details @ @ @ @ @ three days before No .
10 intended to announce them .
The Daily Telegraph says @ @ @ @ @ ” , “ incandescent ” and “ raging ” after , as one source put @ @ @ @ @ very chatty ” and released details of the government ’ s plans .
Asked by @ @ @ @ @ Marr if he leaked the information , Gove replied : “ No .
”

Michael Gove denies being the cabinet leaker
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancasrer Michael Gove has denied that he was the cabinet minister who leaked details of the new Covid restrictions three days before No. 10 intended to announce them. The Daily Telegraph says Boris Johnson was “furious”, “incandescent” and “raging” after, as one source put it, “someone got very chatty” and released details of the government’s plans. Asked by the BBC’s Andrew Marr if he leaked the information, Gove replied: “No.”


theweekuk--2020-10-30--US election: what can we learn about Trump-Biden from George Bush v. Al Gore?

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theweekuk--2020-10-30--Best electric shavers to keep your ‘Mo’ looking sharp

Men worldwide are growing moustaches to raise money and awareness of male health issues as part of the annual Movember event - and it ’ s easier than ever to groom that facial fuzz thanks to the great range of electric razors available .
A “ Mo ” can come in all shapes and sizes , so the Movember website features a handy style guide to help you “ choose the moustache that will grace your face ” .
As the site notes , the “ first few days , even weeks , can be uncomfortable ” , but “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all , remember that “ a great Mo comes down to grooming ” .
Here are some of the best electric razors on the market to help you shape and maintain the perfect tash .
This Philips shaver features a BeardAdapt Sensor that checks the hair density 15 times per second and automatically adapts the shaver to your facial fur .
Choose from three personal shave settings to suit your skin , and use the click-on facial cleansing brush and beard styler to complete your look .
The OneBlade is designed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hair , with four length settings ranging from 0.5mm to 5mm and a fast-moving cutter ( 200x per second ) .
Featuring a pop-up trimmer for sideburns and moustaches , this Braun model is a quality budget option that can provide enough power from one shave after just five minutes of charging .
The Braun Series 9 has five shaving elements that capture more hair in one stroke for a flawless finish .
The titanium-tipped blades won ’ t struggle with longer stubble , making it a good option for irregular shavers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the user ’ s face .
For those with more intricately styled facial hair , this versatile device comes with four clip-on heads , including a beard trimmer and nose and ear hair trimmer , as well as 16 differently sized guide combs .

Men worldwide are growing moustaches to raise money and awareness of male health issues as part of the annual Movember event - and it’s easier than ever to groom that facial fuzz thanks to the great range of electric razors available.
A “Mo” can come in all shapes and sizes, so the Movember website features a handy style guide to help you “choose the moustache that will grace your face”. As the site notes, the “first few days, even weeks, can be uncomfortable”, but “ignore the itching” and most important of all, remember that “a great Mo comes down to grooming”.
Here are some of the best electric razors on the market to help you shape and maintain the perfect tash.
Philips Series 9000 Prestige Wet & Dry Electric Shaver
This Philips shaver features a BeardAdapt Sensor that checks the hair density 15 times per second and automatically adapts the shaver to your facial fur. Choose from three personal shave settings to suit your skin, and use the click-on facial cleansing brush and beard styler to complete your look.
£330; boots.com
Philips OneBlade QP2520 Hybrid Trimmer
The OneBlade is designed to trim, edge and shave any length of hair, with four length settings ranging from 0.5mm to 5mm and a fast-moving cutter (200x per second).
£40; superdrug.com
Braun Series 3 Wet & Dry electric shaver 3040s
Featuring a pop-up trimmer for sideburns and moustaches, this Braun model is a quality budget option that can provide enough power from one shave after just five minutes of charging.
£55; argos.co.uk
Braun Series 9 Electric Shaver 9390cc
The Braun Series 9 has five shaving elements that capture more hair in one stroke for a flawless finish. The titanium-tipped blades won’t struggle with longer stubble, making it a good option for irregular shavers, and built-in responsive technology adapts to the user’s face.
£250; argos.co.uk
Wahl Aqua Blade Multigroomer
For those with more intricately styled facial hair, this versatile device comes with four clip-on heads, including a beard trimmer and nose and ear hair trimmer, as well as 16 differently sized guide combs.
£100; selfridges.com


theweekuk--2020-11-03--Instant Opinion: the UK needs Joe Biden ‘to fix America’

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. William Hague in The Daily Telegraph
on a pivotal election
We don’t need Biden to be our best friend. We need him to fix America
“In Britain we will have to accept from the beginning that Biden, if elected, will want to show that he is very different from Trump. When he looks at Europe, he will not want it to fall apart. He will be worried that Emmanuel Macron faces an uphill struggle to be re-elected in France and needs visible support, and that Germany faces a huge unknown over who follows Angela Merkel. He will accept the fact of Brexit but not think it was a good idea. So his priorities and body language towards Britain and Europe will be different from Trump, and he will in any case regard the Asia-Pacific region as having become vastly more important. We British should acknowledge this and get over it, rather than retreat into an agony of wondering how influential we are.”
2. Mohammed Hanif in The Guardian
on America’s need for a new mascot
It’s not just Trump – to much of the world, the US is a bully whoever is in charge
“Trump makes the US look bad, makes the US look too white, makes the US speak bad English, makes the US look ill-mannered, greedy, overweight. But as far as many of us around the world are concerned, even if he loses, it’s not a sign that the US is about to change; it really just heralds a bit of a makeover. The US needs a lean mascot, someone who wears better suits, who is not as overtly racist. US presidents are like the boss who goes to work terrorising his employees but comes home to spread sunshine and love. Deal with Trump by all means, lock the door and throw away the key. Elect the person you believe will save the US soul – but don’t send him out into the world to save us.”
3. Dr Sandesh Gulhane in The i
on long-term coronavirus consequences
Long Covid is having a devastating impact on my patients’ lives – some can’t walk to the toilet unassisted
“We need to stop thinking of Covid as a disease that is like the flu or a cold, a disease that does not affect the young or fit and a disease that we are over reacting to. We saw from the first wave the death it causes and we are now seeing the longer-term effects in some cases. I am a fit and healthy 38-year-old but I am scared of contracting Covid-19 and the long-term consequences it may have on my life and that of my family. We must enforce the rules that we have and after the full lockdown we must return to simple and clear rules, so that we all know what to do. Let us work together to stop the spread of the virus.”
4. Hugo Rifkind in The Times
on the Brexit Party’s rebrand
Don’t dismiss the return of Nigel Farage
“Farage has always had a keen ear for political opportunity, but his skill lies in knowing the message that an audience will want to hear. If there is a difference between that and actual reality, maybe he genuinely doesn’t comprehend it. Here, his message is that lockdown is brutal and unfair, and ruinous for the physical and mental health of many, and that businesses will go to the wall, and that jobs will be lost. It is a message with resonance, because it is true. Everybody knows this, though. None of it has any bearing on whether or not we need to stay at home to avoid swamping the NHS. You either see that, or you’re trying hard not to.”
5. Qais Hussain in The Independent
on Tory racism
It is time for an investigation into Islamophobia in the Conservative Party
“It was disheartening that Conservative MPs, such as Michael Gove, had the audacity to talk about antisemitism in the Labour Party, while refusing to talk about Islamophobia in their own party. There is strong evidence that the Conservative Party is rife with Islamophobia. A YouGov poll for anti-racism charity Hope Not Hate found that 40 per cent of Conservative members want to reduce the number of Muslims coming to Britain, nearly half would prefer not to have a Muslim prime minister, 54 per cent believe Islam is a threat to the British way of life, and two thirds of members believe the far-right conspiracy theory that parts of UK are under Sharia law.”


theweekuk--2020-11-03--Trump vs. Biden: how to spot the early signs of the winner on US election night

Voters are heading to polling stations across the US today to pick their next president in a once-in-a-lifetime election .
@ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump is hoping to repeat his victories in the states that he took from @ @ @ @ @ In the blue corner , Joe Biden has gone all out to woo back the @ @ @ @ @ four years ago .
The final result is expected to come down to a few @ @ @ @ @ victor will need to build a winning coalition .
So what potential early indicators of @ @ @ @ @ should you be looking out for as the results come in ?
Owing to the @ @ @ @ @ results in a total of just eight of the 50 US states are likely to @ @ @ @ @ to the White House .


theweekuk--2020-11-03--Mystery British businessman bets $5m on Trump in ‘largest political wager ever’

A British gambler is hoping to prove US election pundits wrong after placing a $ 5m ( £3.9m ) bet at odds of 37/20 on Donald Trump winning the presidential race .
As US voters go the polls today , The Sun reports that the unnamed “ fluttering financier ” placed his big-bucks wager with a private bookmaker on the Caribbean island of Curacao after speaking to “ Trump camp insiders ” .
A betting industry source told the newspaper that “ word of this bet has done the rounds and we think it ’ s the biggest ever made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the identity of the mystery businessman , who is reported to be a “ rich former banker who is based offshore ” .
Whoever he is , the high-stakes gambler “ could walk away with almost $ 15m ” ( £11.6m ) if his “ hunch is successful ” , says the Daily Mail .
Another mystery punter is hoping that won ’ t be the case , after betting £1m on Joe Biden to win the election , according to British bookmaker Betfair Exchange .
If the Democratic challenger secures the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK-based gambler will take home £1.4m .
Biden remains favourite to win the election , but bookmakers say there has been a late flurry of bets on Trump .
Ladbrokes reports that over the past week , three in four of all bets were for the Republican to secure a second term .
A spokesperson for the betting giant said that although “ Biden looks home and hosed , even at the eleventh hour punters are continuing to back Trump at the odds on offer ” .
That pattern is being repeated over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the money bet on the election over the last day backing a Trump victory .

A British gambler is hoping to prove US election pundits wrong after placing a $5m (£3.9m) bet at odds of 37/20 on Donald Trump winning the presidential race.
As US voters go the polls today, The Sun reports that the unnamed “fluttering financier” placed his big-bucks wager with a private bookmaker on the Caribbean island of Curacao after speaking to “Trump camp insiders”. A betting industry source told the newspaper that “word of this bet has done the rounds and we think it’s the biggest ever made on politics”.
Speculation is growing about the identity of the mystery businessman, who is reported to be a “rich former banker who is based offshore”. Whoever he is, the high-stakes gambler “could walk away with almost $15m” (£11.6m) if his “hunch is successful”, says the Daily Mail.
Another mystery punter is hoping that won’t be the case, after betting £1m on Joe Biden to win the election, according to British bookmaker Betfair Exchange. If the Democratic challenger secures the keys to the White House, the UK-based gambler will take home £1.4m.
Biden remains favourite to win the election, but bookmakers say there has been a late flurry of bets on Trump.
Ladbrokes reports that over the past week, three in four of all bets were for the Republican to secure a second term. A spokesperson for the betting giant said that although “Biden looks home and hosed, even at the eleventh hour punters are continuing to back Trump at the odds on offer”.
That pattern is being repeated over at Paddy Power, with 93% of the money bet on the election over the last day backing a Trump victory.


theweekuk--2020-11-03--Everything we know so far about the Vienna terror attack

Austrian police are hunting for at least one “ heavily armed and dangerous ” gunman following an attack in Vienna that left five people dead and more than a dozen injured , the authorities have confirmed .
Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said one of the attackers , who was shot dead by police , was an Islamic State sympathiser .
The suspect “ was armed with an assault rifle and wearing a fake suicide vest ” , Sky News reports .
It remains unclear how many other attackers got away .
The shooting rampage began at 8pm local time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came into force .
“ Many people were out enjoying bars and restaurants which are now closed until the end of November , ” says the BBC .
The first shots were fired “ outside the main synagogue ” , the first of “ six locations in central Vienna ” to be targeted , Reuters reports .
This morning , police officers are reviewing 20,000 videos of the attack that have been shared with the authorities by members of the public .
People have been asked not to post footage online , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least four gunmen firing what looked like assault rifles indiscriminately as they advanced through the square ” , The Times reports .
“ One clip showed a gunman in a black hat and a white jacket shooting a bystander outside a shop and then returning to shoot the victim with a pistol.
” A spokesperson for Vienna ’ s health service “ confirmed that they were dealing primarily with gunshot wounds , but also with stab wounds ” , says The Guardian .
Two men and two women died in the attack , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A further seven people have life-threatening injuries , the Austria Press Agency reports , and ten more are in hospital with “ moderate to minor injuries ” .

Austrian police are hunting for at least one “heavily armed and dangerous” gunman following an attack in Vienna that left five people dead and more than a dozen injured, the authorities have confirmed.
Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said one of the attackers, who was shot dead by police, was an Islamic State sympathiser. The suspect “was armed with an assault rifle and wearing a fake suicide vest”, Sky News reports.
It remains unclear how many other attackers got away.
The shooting rampage began at 8pm local time, a few hours before new Covid-19 restrictions came into force. “Many people were out enjoying bars and restaurants which are now closed until the end of November,” says the BBC.
The first shots were fired “outside the main synagogue”, the first of “six locations in central Vienna” to be targeted, Reuters reports.
This morning, police officers are reviewing 20,000 videos of the attack that have been shared with the authorities by members of the public.
People have been asked not to post footage online, but “videos on social media showed at least four gunmen firing what looked like assault rifles indiscriminately as they advanced through the square”, The Times reports.
“One clip showed a gunman in a black hat and a white jacket shooting a bystander outside a shop and then returning to shoot the victim with a pistol.”
A spokesperson for Vienna’s health service “confirmed that they were dealing primarily with gunshot wounds, but also with stab wounds”, says The Guardian.
Two men and two women died in the attack, along with the gunman killed by police. A further seven people have life-threatening injuries, the Austria Press Agency reports, and ten more are in hospital with “moderate to minor injuries”.


theweekuk--2020-11-03--Will Hollywood ditch Johnny Depp over High Court ‘wife-beater’ ruling?

Show-business pundits are predicting that Johnny Depp ’ s career is set to tank after the actor lost his libel claim against The Sun over an article describing him as a “ wife beater ” .
The Hollywood star sued over a 2018 column written by the tabloid ’ s executive editor Dan Wootton which referred to “ overwhelming evidence ” that Depp attacked his now ex-wife Amber Heard during their two-year marriage .
But the High Court ruled yesterday that the allegations of violence were “ substantially true ” .
In the wake of that verdict , “ Depp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to The Telegraph ’ s film critic Robbie Collin , who says the actor ’ s name “ lies indelibly blackened , and his professional prospects in tatters ” .
Public relations expert Mark Borkowski agrees , telling The Times that the ruling has left an “ indelible stain ” on Depp ’ s character that will bar him from family films .
“ His brand had a sort of edge and that edge now has turned to something that is really ugly and abusive , ” Borkowski said .
The Guardian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s reputation , “ following one of the most widely followed libel trials of the century , will be extensive ” , while the Daily Mirror warns that he “ faces being cast into Hollywood wilderness ” .
As Sky News reports , during the court case “ the world was made privy to the actor ’ s lifestyle of eye-watering excess : drug binges , blackouts , trashed properties , graphic insults in texts , writing on walls in blood ” .
But not everyone is convinced that the A-lister is facing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mary Clarke has launched an online “ support campaign ” for Depp and tweeted yesterday that she believes “ he will be vindicated ” , the Irish Independent reports .
Clarke ’ s husband , Pogues singer Shane MacGowan , has also backed the actor , with whom he has been friends for more than 30 years .
In a videoed message to Depp , MacGowan said : “ Ride on bro , rock on ... be the giant that you are .
You ’ re above all of that shit .
Love @ @ @

Show-business pundits are predicting that Johnny Depp’s career is set to tank after the actor lost his libel claim against The Sun over an article describing him as a “wife beater”.
The Hollywood star sued over a 2018 column written by the tabloid’s executive editor Dan Wootton which referred to “overwhelming evidence” that Depp attacked his now ex-wife Amber Heard during their two-year marriage. But the High Court ruled yesterday that the allegations of violence were “substantially true”.
In the wake of that verdict, “Depp’s career is finished”, according to The Telegraph’s film critic Robbie Collin, who says the actor’s name “lies indelibly blackened, and his professional prospects in tatters”.
Public relations expert Mark Borkowski agrees, telling The Times that the ruling has left an “indelible stain” on Depp’s character that will bar him from family films. “His brand had a sort of edge and that edge now has turned to something that is really ugly and abusive,” Borkowski said.
The Guardian says that the damage to Depp’s reputation, “following one of the most widely followed libel trials of the century, will be extensive”, while the Daily Mirror warns that he “faces being cast into Hollywood wilderness”.
As Sky News reports, during the court case “the world was made privy to the actor’s lifestyle of eye-watering excess: drug binges, blackouts, trashed properties, graphic insults in texts, writing on walls in blood”.
But not everyone is convinced that the A-lister is facing a major demotion. Irish journalist Victoria Mary Clarke has launched an online “support campaign” for Depp and tweeted yesterday that she believes “he will be vindicated”, the Irish Independent reports.
Clarke’s husband, Pogues singer Shane MacGowan, has also backed the actor, with whom he has been friends for more than 30 years. In a videoed message to Depp, MacGowan said: “Ride on bro, rock on... be the giant that you are. You’re above all of that shit. Love you.”


theweekuk--2020-11-03--Have the UK and EU made a Brexit breakthrough on fishing rights?

Hopes that a Brexit deal is about to be struck have been dashed after EU sources rubbished reports that the bloc has “ caved ” to the UK on key fishing rights .
European officials hit back at claims in The Telegraph that Brussels negotiators have conceded on a long-standing UK demand that future fishing opportunities be calculated on the basis of zonal attachment .
The concession would significantly increase the amount of fish caught in UK waters by British boats and allow London to claim victory in its goal of taking back control of the country ’ s fishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reports are “ far off the mark ” and that fishing is still very much an open issue at this week ’ s talks in Brussels .
“ [ The UK government ] can ’ t sell a deal to their voters that doesn ’ t include tangible prospects for their fisherman .
Unless the fishermen can be told what they will be allowed to catch , there won ’ t be a deal , ” an unnamed diplomat told the newspaper .
Brussels has warned that without a deal on fishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struck with Britain .
Responding to the breakthrough claims , a Downing Street spokesperson said : “ We ’ re not commenting on ongoing negotiations , but our position on fisheries has been clear from the start.
” The issue rests on the question of who will have the right to catch what and in which waters when the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December .
Boats from member states land about eight times more fish in UK waters than British fishing crews do in EU waters , but the UK is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Economics aside , fishing has long been “ an emotional issue ” too in the UK ’ s relationship with the bloc , explains the BBC , and Brexiteers “ see it as a symbol of sovereignty that will now be regained ” .

Hopes that a Brexit deal is about to be struck have been dashed after EU sources rubbished reports that the bloc has “caved” to the UK on key fishing rights.
European officials hit back at claims in The Telegraph that Brussels negotiators have conceded on a long-standing UK demand that future fishing opportunities be calculated on the basis of zonal attachment.
The concession would significantly increase the amount of fish caught in UK waters by British boats and allow London to claim victory in its goal of taking back control of the country’s fishing industry.
But EU sources insist that the reports are “far off the mark” and that fishing is still very much an open issue at this week’s talks in Brussels.
“[The UK government] can’t sell a deal to their voters that doesn’t include tangible prospects for their fisherman. Unless the fishermen can be told what they will be allowed to catch, there won’t be a deal,” an unnamed diplomat told the newspaper.
Brussels has warned that without a deal on fishing, no future trade agreement can be struck with Britain. Responding to the breakthrough claims, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “We’re not commenting on ongoing negotiations, but our position on fisheries has been clear from the start.”
The issue rests on the question of who will have the right to catch what and in which waters when the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December. Boats from member states land about eight times more fish in UK waters than British fishing crews do in EU waters, but the UK is dependent on the European export market.
Economics aside, fishing has long been “an emotional issue” too in the UK’s relationship with the bloc, explains the BBC, and Brexiteers “see it as a symbol of sovereignty that will now be regained”.


theweekuk--2020-11-03--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 3 Nov 2020

Grayson Perry is under attack after saying the economic fallout of Covid-19 will clear galleries of “ dead wood ” @ @ @ @ @ Magazine , Perry said : “ I think every part of life has probably got @ @ @ @ @ needs trimming.
” An unnamed artist told The Guardian that “ Perry ’ s views @ @ @ @ @ do not help the “ very real struggle of arts workers trying like everyone else @ @ @ @ @ .

Grayson Perry says pandemic will clear arts of ‘dead wood’
Grayson Perry is under attack after saying the economic fallout of Covid-19 will clear galleries of “dead wood”. Speaking to Arts Society Magazine, Perry said: “I think every part of life has probably got a bit of fat that needs trimming.” An unnamed artist told The Guardian that “Perry’s views from his ivory tower” do not help the “very real struggle of arts workers trying like everyone else to survive this pandemic”.


theweekuk--2020-11-03--Whale’s tail sculpture saves train from crashing

A sculpture of a whale ’ s tail has saved a train that crashed through a barrier in the Netherlands .
A transport operator in the city of Rotterdam said the subway train jumped the tracks and barged through a set of buffers .
It would have crashed 30 feet to the ground below had it not landed atop one of two whale tail sculptures next to the tracks .
A family dog in China went on a 62 mile quest to be reunited with her owners after escaping the temporary care she had been left in .
After the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , her owners said : “ Ping An , you have worked hard .
You just stay home from now on .
[ We ] would never send you away.
” Top Gear host Paddy McGuinness has broken the record for the world ’ s fastest electric ice cream van at the Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire .
His ice cream truck , dubbed Mr Nippy , reached a top speed of 80.04 miles per hour beat the previous record of 73.921 mile per hour , which was set in March by Edd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

A sculpture of a whale’s tail has saved a train that crashed through a barrier in the Netherlands. A transport operator in the city of Rotterdam said the subway train jumped the tracks and barged through a set of buffers. It would have crashed 30 feet to the ground below had it not landed atop one of two whale tail sculptures next to the tracks.
Dog walks 62 miles to find owners
A family dog in China went on a 62 mile quest to be reunited with her owners after escaping the temporary care she had been left in. After the golden retriever, Ping An, arrived home, her owners said: “Ping An, you have worked hard. You just stay home from now on. [We] would never send you away.”
Top Gear host in world record win
Top Gear host Paddy McGuinness has broken the record for the world’s fastest electric ice cream van at the Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire. His ice cream truck, dubbed Mr Nippy, reached a top speed of 80.04 miles per hour beat the previous record of 73.921 mile per hour, which was set in March by Edd China.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-11-05--US election: what were the biggest issues for voters in Trump vs. Biden?


theweekuk--2020-11-05--Coronavirus: Oxford vaccine ‘may be rolled out within weeks’ - but UK faces jab shortages


theweekuk--2020-11-05--Instant Opinion: ‘class war’ US election ‘a wake-up call for Boris Johnson’

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
on a warning from the US America ’ s class war election should be a wake-up call for Boris Johnson “ So what are the lessons for Boris Johnson ?
The first is to realise that the politics of the West are now all about class and education .
The Tories can only win again if they maintain or increase their grip of working-class voters .
That means , among other things , a Covid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to permanent impoverishment .
The second lockdown is a mistake .
Johnson must put his new core voters first , not the professional classes and their Zoom meetings .
That also means doubling down on the anti-crime agenda , on Brexit , on human rights reform , on abolishing the BBC licence fee .
The Tory working class base doesn ’ t want to pay more for green energy , and they hate the Government ’ s awful , anti-car roads policies .
Second , Johnson needs a pro-growth , pro-entrepreneurial agenda : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if his reforms would be undone by Biden.
” Don ’ t underestimate the threat to American democracy at this moment “ This grave threat comes from the president ’ s false declaration of victory , despite no evidence that he had won the election , and with millions of valid votes yet to be counted .
He referred to any suggestion that he had lost as ‘ a fraud on the American public ’ .
In one breath , he declared that ‘ we want all voting to stop ’ and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots to be found at four in the morning.
’ This conflation of voting after election day and counting votes after election day – a standard practice in every election – is deeply misleading and deeply dangerous .
In this respect , its damage is far worse than many of the many fibs Trump has made while in office .
His suggestion is a direct lie , one that comes while millions of voters look to him to understand who our legitimate president will be.
” What went wrong for Biden with Latinos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swallow “ Many Democrats have come to see Cubans as a lost cause , painting them as too traumatized by communism to make rational voting decisions .
However , this theory doesn ’ t hold up when we consider that the Cuban-American vote was turning blue , voting in record numbers for Obama twice and then for Clinton in 2016 , who surpassed Obama ’ s numbers in heavily Cuban areas .
But much has changed over the last four years that has made the Democratic Party less compatible with Miami Latinos .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have come close to nominating a presidential candidate who called himself socialist , the increasing prominence of figures such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez make many Latinos nervous .
Then there are Venezuelans , who are quickly increasing their numbers in the state as their country experiences the second-worst refugee crisis in the world.
” 4 .
Gail Collins in The New York Times Well , That Was Scary “ OK , perhaps not exactly what you were hoping for .
Election night wasn ’ t a real thriller for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it looks as if we ’ re going to be counting votes for … quite a while .
Will everybody still be talking about it at Thanksgiving dinner ?
If so , be careful not to invite your cousin in Pennsylvania who forgot to vote .
The postelection fog was so thick that we occasionally lost track of some details — like , say , who was winning .
Never did get a final word , but Joe Biden certainly seems to be doing better when it comes to little details like getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who you can feel free to refer to as ‘ the long-shot contender , ’ has responded exactly the way you ’ d expect — declaring victory while waving around lawsuits.
” “ When a politician walks on stage craving a response from the crowd , visibly charged by their laughter or applause , making them feel delightfully complicit in what is unfolding between them , that is a radically different experience from the solemn lecture that a more remote personality — think Gordon Brown or Iain Duncan Smith — might deliver .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes successful character flaw is that in the West it is only a plausible path to power for a particular group : confident , socially privileged white men .
Imagine a woman being elected to the highest office because she was an entertaining joker , lousy on the details , indifferent to facts , forgetful and untrustworthy but likeable and — to her supporters — fun .
Imagine her having an unknown number of children by an unknown number of men , some of whom she doesn ’ t see , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man or woman winning the presidency or the prime ministership on the same basis .
You can ’ t .
It is unthinkable .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Allister Heath in The Daily Telegraph
on a warning from the US
America’s class war election should be a wake-up call for Boris Johnson
“So what are the lessons for Boris Johnson? The first is to realise that the politics of the West are now all about class and education. The Tories can only win again if they maintain or increase their grip of working-class voters. That means, among other things, a Covid policy that doesn’t condemn them to permanent impoverishment. The second lockdown is a mistake. Johnson must put his new core voters first, not the professional classes and their Zoom meetings. That also means doubling down on the anti-crime agenda, on Brexit, on human rights reform, on abolishing the BBC licence fee. The Tory working class base doesn’t want to pay more for green energy, and they hate the Government’s awful, anti-car roads policies. Second, Johnson needs a pro-growth, pro-entrepreneurial agenda: Trump was better at this, even if his reforms would be undone by Biden.”
2. Corey Brettschneider in The Guardian
on the election aftermath
Don’t underestimate the threat to American democracy at this moment
“This grave threat comes from the president’s false declaration of victory, despite no evidence that he had won the election, and with millions of valid votes yet to be counted. He referred to any suggestion that he had lost as ‘a fraud on the American public’. In one breath, he declared that ‘we want all voting to stop’ and that ‘we don’t want any ballots to be found at four in the morning.’ This conflation of voting after election day and counting votes after election day – a standard practice in every election – is deeply misleading and deeply dangerous. In this respect, its damage is far worse than many of the many fibs Trump has made while in office. His suggestion is a direct lie, one that comes while millions of voters look to him to understand who our legitimate president will be.”
3. Germania Rodriguez Poleo in The Independent
on the Democrat’s miscalculation
What went wrong for Biden with Latinos? The answer might be hard to swallow
“Many Democrats have come to see Cubans as a lost cause, painting them as too traumatized by communism to make rational voting decisions. However, this theory doesn’t hold up when we consider that the Cuban-American vote was turning blue, voting in record numbers for Obama twice and then for Clinton in 2016, who surpassed Obama’s numbers in heavily Cuban areas. But much has changed over the last four years that has made the Democratic Party less compatible with Miami Latinos. While ten years ago the party would not have come close to nominating a presidential candidate who called himself socialist, the increasing prominence of figures such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez make many Latinos nervous. Then there are Venezuelans, who are quickly increasing their numbers in the state as their country experiences the second-worst refugee crisis in the world.”
4. Gail Collins in The New York Times
on a closer than expected race
Well, That Was Scary
“OK, perhaps not exactly what you were hoping for. Election night wasn’t a real thriller for a whole lot of people, and now it looks as if we’re going to be counting votes for … quite a while. Will everybody still be talking about it at Thanksgiving dinner? If so, be careful not to invite your cousin in Pennsylvania who forgot to vote. The postelection fog was so thick that we occasionally lost track of some details — like, say, who was winning. Never did get a final word, but Joe Biden certainly seems to be doing better when it comes to little details like getting the most votes. Donald Trump, who you can feel free to refer to as ‘the long-shot contender,’ has responded exactly the way you’d expect — declaring victory while waving around lawsuits.”
5. Jenni Russell in The Times
on gendered scrutiny
Character flaws only matter if you’re a woman
“When a politician walks on stage craving a response from the crowd, visibly charged by their laughter or applause, making them feel delightfully complicit in what is unfolding between them, that is a radically different experience from the solemn lecture that a more remote personality — think Gordon Brown or Iain Duncan Smith — might deliver. The depressing fact about this particular and sometimes successful character flaw is that in the West it is only a plausible path to power for a particular group: confident, socially privileged white men. Imagine a woman being elected to the highest office because she was an entertaining joker, lousy on the details, indifferent to facts, forgetful and untrustworthy but likeable and — to her supporters — fun. Imagine her having an unknown number of children by an unknown number of men, some of whom she doesn’t see, as well as numerous affairs. Imagine a black man or woman winning the presidency or the prime ministership on the same basis. You can’t. It is unthinkable.”


theweekuk--2020-11-05--UK ‘brinkmanship’ risks ending chances of Brexit deal, Barnier claims

Britain ’ s brinkmanship in negotiations could pave the way to a no-deal Brexit , the European Union ’ s chief negotiator Michel Barnier has warned .
Speaking to national ambassadors in Brussels , Barnier said that “ very serious divergences ” remain between the EU and UK ’ s positions on fisheries , governance and trade , Reuters says .
An unnamed EU diplomat told the news agency that “ the UK does not seem to be engaging sufficiently on key issues ... given this situation a no-deal outcome still can ’ t be excluded ” .
The EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s British counterpart , is “ keeping the most politically sensitive dossiers ” of the talks “ open to create leverage ” , The Times reports .
Negotiations resume in London on Sunday , with Johnson and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen expected to meet for crunch talks if an agreement is not reached by the end of next week .
Ratifying any deal could take up to six weeks , so both sides are keen to agree terms by November 16 in order to honour the December 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Financial Times , Barnier told MEPs in a separate meeting this week that the two parties are not “ on a trajectory for a deal ” .
Barnier cited the unwillingness of British negotiators to budge on topics like “ non-regression ” from labour and environmental standards , viewed by insiders as one of the easier level-playing-field issues , the FT adds .
In a tweet , Frost yesterday said : “ Progress made , but I agree with Michel Barnier that wide divergences remain on some core issues .
We continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK sovereignty .

Britain’s brinkmanship in negotiations could pave the way to a no-deal Brexit, the European Union’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier has warned.
Speaking to national ambassadors in Brussels, Barnier said that “very serious divergences” remain between the EU and UK’s positions on fisheries, governance and trade, Reuters says.
An unnamed EU diplomat told the news agency that “the UK does not seem to be engaging sufficiently on key issues... given this situation a no-deal outcome still can’t be excluded”.
The EU fears Lord David Frost, Barnier’s British counterpart, is “keeping the most politically sensitive dossiers” of the talks “open to create leverage”, The Times reports.
Negotiations resume in London on Sunday, with Johnson and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen expected to meet for crunch talks if an agreement is not reached by the end of next week.
Ratifying any deal could take up to six weeks, so both sides are keen to agree terms by November 16 in order to honour the December 31 deadline. However, according to the Financial Times, Barnier told MEPs in a separate meeting this week that the two parties are not “on a trajectory for a deal”.
Barnier cited the unwillingness of British negotiators to budge on topics like “non-regression” from labour and environmental standards, viewed by insiders as one of the easier level-playing-field issues, the FT adds.
In a tweet, Frost yesterday said: “Progress made, but I agree with Michel Barnier that wide divergences remain on some core issues. We continue to work to find solutions that fully respect UK sovereignty.


theweekuk--2020-11-05--Why everybody’s talking about Donald Trump’s US election legal threats

With Joe Biden needing to win just one more state to take the White House , an increasingly desperate Donald Trump last night launched a volley of tweeted allegations of voter fraud as his legal team jumped into action .
The president prematurely declared victory in the election early on Wednesday morning , before claiming that a surge in support for Biden in key swing states was the result of fraudulent counting practices .
The increase in Biden ’ s vote share came as mail-in postal ballots were counted , but the Trump campaign has launched legal action against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Michigan .
After Trump ’ s early leads began to shorten as mail-in ballots - the majority of which were submitted by Biden supporters - were counted , the president claimed his Democratic opponents were “ trying to steal the election ” .
“ Last night I was leading , often solidly , in many key states , in almost all instances Democrat run and controlled , ” he tweeted .
“ Then , one by one , they started to magically disappear as surprise ballot dumps were counted .
VERY STRANGE.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court ruling protecting the counting of mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania “ will allow rampant and unchecked cheating ” , adding : “ We have claimed , for Electoral Vote purposes , the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( which won ’ t allow legal observers ) the State of Georgia , and the State of North Carolina , each one of which has a Big Trump lead.
” Trump is correct when he says that at the time of writing he held considerable leads in each of these states , but millions of votes were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result , Twitter has flagged up the president ’ s comments as “ misleading about an election or other civic process ” .
What legal action has Trump already taken ?
In a “ series of rapid-fire announcements throughout the day ” , Trump campaign officials announced plans to ask courts to halt vote-counting until more access is granted for Republican observers in Michigan and Pennsylvania , The Washington Post reports .
The incumbent ’ s lawyers have also sought to intervene in litigation pending before the Supreme Court over Pennsylvania ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile in Georgia , the Trump campaign is suing election officials , alleging that ballots arriving after the 7pm deadline “ may have been mixed in with eligible ballots and improperly counted ” , says the newspaper says .
Team Trump yesterday filed a suit to require all Georgia counties to separate any and all late-arriving ballots .
The campaign has cited one Republican poll observer in the state who reportedly “ witnessed 53 late absentee ballots being illegally added to a pile of votes in Chatham County ” , adds the BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has little chance of succeeding in court , while Al Jazeera suggests that “ Trump ’ s legal efforts will amount to little more than a last-ditch effort to try and find a way to victory as the president ’ s path on the electoral map narrows ” .
His team has already sued to attempt to halt the counting of mail-in ballots in Nevada , requesting further access to the counting process .
The Supreme Court of Nevada denied the suit .
What can Trump actually do ?
Trump ’ s gripes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been widely denounced as “ baseless ” by news outlets .
And CNN is warning that the president ’ s actions “ undermine US credibility ” across the globe .
Few pundits doubt that most of Trump ’ s legal challenges are likely to be thrown out by any high court .
However , one avenue remains open to the president : state-wide recounts .
As per US electoral law , candidates are able to file a formal request for a recount if certain criteria are met .
These criteria vary from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has said the president will formally request a recount in Wisconsin , which most observers called for Biden on Wednesday evening .
If current numbers hold , Trump also meets the criteria to request recounts in Georgia and Nevada , but not in the key states of Pennsylvania or Michigan .
In the 2016 election between Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton , Wisconsin was the subject of a recount after Trump won the state by a very small margin .
The recount saw Trump ’ s lead extended by 131 votes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign ’ s post-election lawsuits this time round are “ giving us flashbacks to 2000 ” too , when a highly controversial Florida recount took place during the battle for the White House between Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush .
Bush won the state by just 537 votes from a total of six million cast - a 0.001 % margin , thought to be the smallest in US history .
A recount could have swung the result in Gore ’ s favour , but was halted by the Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handing Bush both the state and the election .


theweekuk--2020-11-05--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 5 Nov 2020

Rishi Sunak and the Bank of England are expected to announce a new package of measures to boost the economy @ @ @ @ @ second lockdown .
The chancellor will confirm that furloughed workers will receive 80 % of @ @ @ @ @ their business is mandated to shut , The Telegraph says , while The Bank of @ @ @ @ @ preparing to pump an extra £100bn into the economy .

Rishi Sunak prepares new economic support
Rishi Sunak and the Bank of England are expected to announce a new package of measures to boost the economy as Britain heads into a second lockdown. The chancellor will confirm that furloughed workers will receive 80% of their wages so long as their business is mandated to shut, The Telegraph says, while The Bank of England is rumoured to be preparing to pump an extra £100bn into the economy.


theweekuk--2020-11-05--Dead candidate wins election in North Dakota

A candidate who died in October appears to have been elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives on Tuesday. Weeks before the polls closed, David Andahl, 55, died of Covid-19. But his name was left on the ballot paper and he received 35% of the vote. “He had a lot of feelings for his county,” his mother said.
Kentucky elects French bulldog
A Kentucky town has elected a French bulldog. The Rabbit Hash Historical Society, which holds elections for a canine “mayor” every three years, said the dog, named Wilbur, took the office with 13,143 votes, the highest total since the elections began in 1998. There are no reports of the other canine candidates disputing the result.
Astronomers detect radio signals from space
Astronomers say they have detected mysterious blasts of radio energy from within our own galaxy. Fast radio bursts (FRBs) last only a fraction of a second, but can be 100 million times more powerful than the Sun. Speculation is afoot over the source of the signals but most experts say they appear to have come from a magnetar, a star with a very powerful magnetic field.


theweekuk--2020-11-04--Why Donald Trump declared victory when he has not won the US election

After a highly unpredictable US election campaign that has been upended by coronavirus and the Black Lives Matter protests , results day is following a familiar script .
“ President Trump has told confidants he ’ ll declare victory on Tuesday night if it looks like he ’ s ‘ ahead ’ , ” US news website Axios reported last weekend .
“ That ’ s even if the electoral college outcome still hinges on large numbers of uncounted votes in key states like Pennsylvania.
” This morning , as the count continued in Pennsylvania , Donald Trump did exactly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to win this election , ” he said from the White House early on Wednesday .
“ Frankly , we did win this election… As far as I ’ m concerned , we already have won it.
” Trump ’ s claim is based on partial results - and even they give Joe Biden the edge .
According to latest figures from The Guardian , the Democratic challenger is leading the race for electoral college votes by 238 to 213 .
However , states worth a total of 87 electoral college votes are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in these races Trump might suspect that his position will weaken as more ballots are counted .
“ Due to the pandemic , many Democratic voters in the potentially decisive states of Georgia , Wisconsin , Pennsylvania , and Michigan cast their ballots by mail , ” says Slate .
And “ it was always expected that a big block of pro-Biden ballots would be counted in the hours and days after election night ” .
Yet in what The New York Times describes as “ a reckless attack on the democratic process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these votes would represent “ a major fraud ” .
According to Axios , the president and his advisers have been “ laying the groundwork for this strategy for weeks ” , with the aim of planting the idea that the “ Democrats would have ‘ stolen ’ the election ” .
In fact , vote-counting usually drags on long after the polls close , even when the result is decisive .
“ Election results are never truly final on the night of the election , ” says Business Insider .
News networks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returns , but “ in every election , including in 2016 , many states ended up counting a substantial proportion of their ballots after election day ” .
What is “ remarkable ” is that Trump may end up undermining his own victory , says CNN .
“ It appears that the president has a good chance of winning outstanding states in Pennsylvania , Wisconsin , Georgia , North Carolina and Michigan , which could hand him a second term .
”


theweekuk--2020-11-04--Instant Opinion: ‘America, what the hell happens now?’

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The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Marina Hyde in The Guardian
on the end of optimism
OK, America, so what the hell happens now?
“Of course, the 2020 US presidential election situation is still very much developing, and by the time you read this, there could be a lot of hostages to fortune. Or even just hostages. Rule nothing out. Nothing, perhaps, except moral optimism. People used to say that irony died when Henry Kissinger won the Nobel peace prize – but the real victim was actually the Nobel peace prize. It’s hard not to think something of an order of magnitude is now true of the US presidency, which forever after this time will be seen as a job that a man of the character of Donald Trump was able to get. Maybe even twice – or as near as dammit.”
2. Stephen Collinson on CNN
on the president’s early intervention
Trump’s call to halt vote counts is his most brazen swipe at democracy yet
“President Donald Trump’s demand for vote counting to stop in an election that is still undecided may have been his most extreme and dangerous assault on the institutions of democracy yet in a presidency replete with them. Trump’s remarks essentially amounted to a demand for the legally cast votes of American citizens not to be recorded in a historic act of disenfranchisement. His rhetorical broadside was also notable because it came at a moment of huge tension in a deeply divided nation - a time when a president, even one whose political fate is in the process of being written - could be expected to call for calm.”
3. Daniel Finkelstein in The Times
on what the results so far tell us
America’s political and cultural divide is widening
“Yet Donald Trump’s pretty robust electoral performance — and it is that, whatever the final result — is still striking. What it means is that you can say crass things, be obviously boastful, behave in an erratic fashion, be completely undignified, lose members of staff all the time and insult them as they leave, tweet eccentric rants using capital letters, get impeached and still be a competitive candidate to retain office. It is not that Trump’s voters fail to notice this behaviour, and some of them are embarrassed by it. But they feel that whatever he is, he is on their behalf. And that matters more to them than democratic and liberal norms.”
4. Janet Daley in The Daily Telegraph
on the Democrats failings
This worst possible US election outcome could very soon begin to look like civil war
“The trap for liberals and the Democratic party was that in attacking him and his character, they were also seen to be rejecting his economic solutions – and that made them appear to be indifferent to the desperation of rust belt America and the concerns of large numbers of struggling middle class people. What would have happened if the Democrats had shown more interest in those policies? Instead of insisting that everything that Trump was proposing had to be tainted by his repugnant behaviour – which will certainly become more egregious if he manages to win a second term – why couldn't they ask themselves why his programme had so much appeal for precisely the sort of blue collar Americans that they used to regard as their own?”
5. Tom Peck in The Independent
on a lack of closure
America had the chance to draw a definitive line under Donald Trump’s presidency – and has turned it down
“If populism, authoritarianism, racism, vulgarity, misogyny and all the dismal rest of it slipped in through America’s back door four years ago, then that is how it will leave again. It has not been defenestrated. Its baggy suits and elongated ties are not strewn over the front lawn. If there is to be a separation, it will be an amicable one, and quite possibly only temporary. There may yet be no separation at all... Broad brush strokes were what was required. Clear and certain narratives. The rejection of all this should not have come down to the nitty gritty. Barack Obama called it the most important election of his lifetime. It was equally important it had a clear answer, but that did not happen.”


theweekuk--2020-11-04--US election: what happened overnight and what to keep an eye on now

Donald Trump and Joe Biden ’ s election battle looks set to go to the wire as results continue rolling @ @ @ @ @ key swing states .
In a big boost for the incumbent , Trump has retained @ @ @ @ @ , where around 65 % of votes have been counted so far .
But a @ @ @ @ @ White House are still open to Biden , who has secured a key win in @ @ @ @ @ know so far ?
This hard-fought election is far closer than pollsters had predicted .
@ @ @ @ @ is that by Trump in Florida , which carries 29 electoral college votes .

Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s election battle looks set to go to the wire as results continue rolling in from a number of key swing states.
In a big boost for the incumbent, Trump has retained Florida and leads in Pennsylvania, where around 65% of votes have been counted so far.
But a number of routes to the White House are still open to Biden, who has secured a key win in Arizona.
What do we know so far?
This hard-fought election is far closer than pollsters had predicted.
The biggest win so far is that by Trump in Florida, which carries 29 electoral college votes. With almost all of the votes tallied, media outlets have called the state for the president with a lead of just over three points.
Pulling off a “remarkable turnaround”, Trump managed to attract “conservative Cuban-American voters and other Latino groups” at a rate that swung the result his way, despite middling gains for Biden among white Floridians, The New York Times reports.
Victory in the Sunshine State was a “big though not huge” moment for Team Trump, “mainly because it would have been all but impossible for him to win back the White House without capturing this state’s 29 Electoral College votes again”, the paper adds.
But Biden has won Arizona, becoming the first Democratic candidate to take the state since Bill Clinton in 1996. The win has given Biden “some leeway”, after he “suffered early setbacks in his efforts to oust Trump in Florida and probably other southern states”, says The Times.
With Arizona’s 11 electoral college votes, Biden can now get over the line and win the White House without winning Pennsylvania, after Fox News, CNN and NBC News all called Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District in his favour, The Hill reports.
This route would require Biden to win Wisconsin and Michigan too. But whether he has pulled off that double may remain unclear until later this week.
In Michigan, which has 16 electoral college votes, “counting the millions of mail-in ballots couldn’t begin until election day and may take several days to complete”, The Washington Post says.


theweekuk--2020-11-04--BBC to investigate Princess Diana 1995 tell-all interview

The BBC is launching an inquiry into Earl Spencer ’ s claim that journalist Martin Bashir used fake bank statements to land his infamous Panorama interview with Princess Diana , the broadcaster has announced .
In what the Daily Mail describes as a “ humiliating U-turn ” , a BBC spokesperson said that while the televised chat took place back in 1995 - two years before the princess died in a car crash - “ we absolutely will investigate , robustly and fairly , substantive new information ” .
The BBC has asked Earl Charles Spencer to “ share further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview , in which Diana famously said there were “ three of us in this marriage ” .
However , Spencer has refused to cooperate with the inquiry , insisting that he wants an independent probe instead .
Diana ’ s brother has previously dismissed an internal inquiry conducted by the BBC in 1996 , after the forgery allegations first emerged , as a “ whitewash ” .
The scandal has been reignited by “ two television documentaries marking the 25th anniversary of the interview ” that included evidence from a freelance graphic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statements , The Times reports .
In what Spencer claims was an act of “ yellow journalism ” - a term for sensationalist and unethical reporting - Bashir is alleged to have won Diana ’ s trust through “ sheer dishonesty ” using the documents , which “ entirely wrongly , purported to show that two senior courtiers were being paid by the security services for information ” about her , says The Guardian .
New BBC director-general Tim Davie has apologised for the use of fake bank statements .
But the broadcaster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the original inquiry was a handwritten statement in which Diana “ said she had not seen the mocked-up documents and that they had played no part in her decision to take part in the interview ” , The Times reports .
Bashir is currently seriously ill with Covid-19 but the BBC has promised to launch the new probe into the interview - watched by 23 million people when it was first broadcast - after he has recovered .

The BBC is launching an inquiry into Earl Spencer’s claim that journalist Martin Bashir used fake bank statements to land his infamous Panorama interview with Princess Diana, the broadcaster has announced.
In what the Daily Mail describes as a “humiliating U-turn”, a BBC spokesperson said that while the televised chat took place back in 1995 - two years before the princess died in a car crash - “we absolutely will investigate, robustly and fairly, substantive new information”.
The BBC has asked Earl Charles Spencer to “share further information” relating to Bashir’s interview, in which Diana famously said there were “three of us in this marriage”. However, Spencer has refused to cooperate with the inquiry, insisting that he wants an independent probe instead.
Diana’s brother has previously dismissed an internal inquiry conducted by the BBC in 1996, after the forgery allegations first emerged, as a “whitewash”.
The scandal has been reignited by “two television documentaries marking the 25th anniversary of the interview” that included evidence from a freelance graphic designer who allegedly made the fake bank statements, The Times reports.
In what Spencer claims was an act of “yellow journalism” - a term for sensationalist and unethical reporting - Bashir is alleged to have won Diana’s trust through “sheer dishonesty” using the documents, which “entirely wrongly, purported to show that two senior courtiers were being paid by the security services for information” about her, says The Guardian.
New BBC director-general Tim Davie has apologised for the use of fake bank statements. But the broadcaster says that the key piece of information in the original inquiry was a handwritten statement in which Diana “said she had not seen the mocked-up documents and that they had played no part in her decision to take part in the interview”, The Times reports.
Bashir is currently seriously ill with Covid-19 but the BBC has promised to launch the new probe into the interview - watched by 23 million people when it was first broadcast - after he has recovered.


theweekuk--2020-11-04--Brexit: Boris Johnson misses EU deadline to explain ‘limited and specific’ law-breaking

The UK is facing further legal action from the European Union after Boris Johnson missed the bloc ’ s deadline to explain why he is planning to renege on parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement in the event of no-deal .
The European Commission sent a “ letter of formal notice ” to the UK on 1 October over Johnson ’ s Internal Market Bill , which breaches elements of the divorce treaty signed earlier this year .
But Brussels confirmed yesterday that the deadline to respond to that letter has now passed - which means that legal action against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sub-plot to the ongoing Brexit drama ” , The Independent reports .
“ Brussels says the dispute has to be resolved if Britain wants a free trade agreement , which is being negotiated in intensive parallel talks between the two sides , ” the newspaper adds .
The prime minister had signed up to the union ’ s customs code as part of the agreement , but has since argued that the UK should be exempt from certain rules in the event of no-deal .
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bill breaks international law in a “ limited and specific ” way .
Last night , a European Commission spokesperson said : “ To date , I can confirm that the EU has received no reply from the UK , therefore we are considering next steps , including issuing a reasoned opinion [ of the European Court of Justice ] .
” Asked why London had not responded , a Downing Street spokesperson said : “ We are committed to working through the Joint Committee process to find a satisfactory outcome for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priority .
We will respond to the next stages of this process in due course , as required .
”

The UK is facing further legal action from the European Union after Boris Johnson missed the bloc’s deadline to explain why he is planning to renege on parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement in the event of no-deal.
The European Commission sent a “letter of formal notice” to the UK on 1 October over Johnson’s Internal Market Bill, which breaches elements of the divorce treaty signed earlier this year.
But Brussels confirmed yesterday that the deadline to respond to that letter has now passed - which means that legal action against the UK will proceed in a “sub-plot to the ongoing Brexit drama”, The Independent reports.
“Brussels says the dispute has to be resolved if Britain wants a free trade agreement, which is being negotiated in intensive parallel talks between the two sides,” the newspaper adds.
The prime minister had signed up to the union’s customs code as part of the agreement, but has since argued that the UK should be exempt from certain rules in the event of no-deal. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis admitted in the Commons in September that the bill breaks international law in a “limited and specific” way.
Last night, a European Commission spokesperson said: “To date, I can confirm that the EU has received no reply from the UK, therefore we are considering next steps, including issuing a reasoned opinion [of the European Court of Justice].”
Asked why London had not responded, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “We are committed to working through the Joint Committee process to find a satisfactory outcome for both sides. That is our overriding priority. We will respond to the next stages of this process in due course, as required.”


theweekuk--2020-11-04--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 4 Nov 2020

Donald Trump has hung on to the crucial state of Florida , with most votes counted there , as results @ @ @ @ @ US in a tight presidential election .
The president is expected to hold 21 states @ @ @ @ @ predictions .
Joe Biden has told supporters in Delaware : “ I believe we ’ @ @ @ @ @ this election.
” Trump has tweeted that “ they are trying to steal the election @ @

Trump wins in Florida as election goes to the wire
Donald Trump has hung on to the crucial state of Florida, with most votes counted there, as results come in from across the US in a tight presidential election. The president is expected to hold 21 states and to outperform pollsters’ predictions. Joe Biden has told supporters in Delaware: “I believe we’re on track to win this election.” Trump has tweeted that “they are trying to steal the election”.