theweekuk--2020-04-29--What happened to Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen?

One of the richest men in Norway has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife .
Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen , 69 , wife of millionaire property and energy magnate Tom Hagen , vanished from their home in Lorenskog , east of Oslo , in October 2018 .
They had been married for 49 years , having been childhood sweethearts .
Police first thought she had been abducted and in January 2019 said a ransom demand had been received for her release .
The BBC reports that the case has “ gripped Norway , where kidnappings and murders are relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Falkevik Hagen disappeared , police said a ransom had been issued for her return .
Police did not disclose the amount demanded , but according to the BBC , Norwegian media revealed that it was for $ 10m ( £8m ) to be paid in the cryptocurrency monero .
Then , in June last year , police changed tack , saying that the case could in fact be murder .
Officers said there was “ no sign that Ms Falkevik Hagen was still alive and no contact with the alleged kidnappers ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exclude a “ staged kidnapping to hide [ the murder ] ” , Sky News says .
Police arrested Falkevik Hagen ’ s husband Tom yesterday on his way to work , The Times reports .
Tommy Broeske , who is leading the police investigation , said : “ The case is characterised by a clearly planned deception .
As other hypotheses have been weakened , suspicions against Tom Hagen have gradually been strengthened .
“ There was no kidnapping , no real negotiating counterpart or real negotiations .
There are indications of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
” Prosecutor Aase Kjustad Eriksson added : “ After now 18 months of investigation , police have come to a point where it has reason to suspect Tom Hagen of murder or conspiracy for murder.
” Hagen ’ s lawyer , Svein Holden , said his client “ strongly maintains that he has nothing to do with this ” .
The 70-year-old will appear in court later today but may not be charged until later in the legal process , a normal procedure in Norway .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– According to Norwegian business magazine Kapital , Hagen ’ s fortune is about 1.9bn kroner ( £150m ) , making him Norway ’ s 164th richest man .
He made his money from Elkraft AS , an electricity supplier he co-founded in 1992 , and property development .
The Daily Mail reports that he currently holds a 70 % stake in the firm , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a pre-nuptial agreement made in 1987 shows that Falkevik Hagen was entitled to just “ £15,000 of his £156m fortune along with a plot of land and a Citroen car if the couple divorced ” .
The agreement was also amended in 1993 , the Mail notes , “ to give Tom Hagen control over a property that Anne-Elisabeth had inherited from her parents ” .
However , the contract may not have stood up in court , with lawyers telling the paper that the “ agreement was so lopsided it might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I have seen many marriages through my practice , but rarely seen a marriage that appears so unbalanced , ” one lawyer said .
Another added : “ If she had tried to challenge this marriage agreement as part of a request for divorce , her husband would have been ripped apart by a court .
”

One of the richest men in Norway has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife.
Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen, 69, wife of millionaire property and energy magnate Tom Hagen, vanished from their home in Lorenskog, east of Oslo, in October 2018. They had been married for 49 years, having been childhood sweethearts.
Police first thought she had been abducted and in January 2019 said a ransom demand had been received for her release.
The BBC reports that the case has “gripped Norway, where kidnappings and murders are relatively rare”.
What happened?
In 2019, shortly after Falkevik Hagen disappeared, police said a ransom had been issued for her return.
Police did not disclose the amount demanded, but according to the BBC, Norwegian media revealed that it was for $10m (£8m) to be paid in the cryptocurrency monero.
Then, in June last year, police changed tack, saying that the case could in fact be murder.
Officers said there was “no sign that Ms Falkevik Hagen was still alive and no contact with the alleged kidnappers”. They added that they could not exclude a “staged kidnapping to hide [the murder]”, Sky News says.
Police arrested Falkevik Hagen’s husband Tom yesterday on his way to work, The Times reports.
Tommy Broeske, who is leading the police investigation, said: “The case is characterised by a clearly planned deception. As other hypotheses have been weakened, suspicions against Tom Hagen have gradually been strengthened.
“There was no kidnapping, no real negotiating counterpart or real negotiations. There are indications of a will to sidetrack [investigators].”
Prosecutor Aase Kjustad Eriksson added: “After now 18 months of investigation, police have come to a point where it has reason to suspect Tom Hagen of murder or conspiracy for murder.”
Hagen’s lawyer, Svein Holden, said his client “strongly maintains that he has nothing to do with this”.
The 70-year-old will appear in court later today but may not be charged until later in the legal process, a normal procedure in Norway.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Who is Tom Hagen?
According to Norwegian business magazine Kapital, Hagen’s fortune is about 1.9bn kroner (£150m), making him Norway’s 164th richest man.
He made his money from Elkraft AS, an electricity supplier he co-founded in 1992, and property development. The Daily Mail reports that he currently holds a 70% stake in the firm, which operates throughout Scandinavia.
The paper adds that a pre-nuptial agreement made in 1987 shows that Falkevik Hagen was entitled to just “£15,000 of his £156m fortune along with a plot of land and a Citroen car if the couple divorced”.
The agreement was also amended in 1993, the Mail notes, “to give Tom Hagen control over a property that Anne-Elisabeth had inherited from her parents”.
However, the contract may not have stood up in court, with lawyers telling the paper that the “agreement was so lopsided it might have been ‘ripped apart’”.
“I have seen many marriages through my practice, but rarely seen a marriage that appears so unbalanced,” one lawyer said. Another added: “If she had tried to challenge this marriage agreement as part of a request for divorce, her husband would have been ripped apart by a court.”


theweekuk--2020-04-29--Are HS2’s London tunnelling plans safe?

Are HS2’s London tunnelling plans safe?

The HS2 rail project faces further delays after a judge questioned plans to tunnel through London after claims it risks “ catastrophic ” damage to homes .
The High Court has ordered HS2 bosses to show evidence that the current proposals for the route into London Euston are safe .
What is the risk with tunnelling ?
London home owner Hero Granger-Taylor brought a High Court claim against the government-owned company leading the £106bn project , HS2 Ltd. She is concerned that the proposed three new tunnels into Euston could cause a “ massive structural collapse ” to a 120-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ station , reports The Times .
The court is being asked to rule the plans unlawful because of the risk of damage to the £3m grade II-listed homes just metres away from the wall on Park Village East , Camden .
“ The tunnel is designed to run as little as five feet below the retaining wall at the side of the West Coast mainline and it is feared that it could collapse , ” says The Times .
Colin Elliff , a specialist railway engineer and advocate for alternatives to HS2 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks , which is now being used to support the court case against HS2 .
His report says that HS2 has “ offered no credible evidence to show how the tunnel can be safely constructed immediately below the retaining wall ” , which weighs 130 tonnes per metre .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– What do HS2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been given a week to give reassurances to Granger-Taylor before a full court hearing on 13 and 14 May .
Justice Lang said that HS2 needed to more comprehensively explain the structure and support systems it would put in place to keep the tunnels safe and standing .
This includes results of analysis of the retaining wall showing how it would be protected from tunnelling below .
It must also include an environmental impact assessment report .
The statement should set out “ the up-to-date position on whether the ‘ three tunnels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court said .
Lawyers acting for Granger-Taylor said it was “ highly feasible ” that the plan could be thrown out by the court .
One of them , Jayesh Kunwardia , said : “ If , for whatever reason , HS2 Ltd is unable to deliver the required documentation , or clarify its position on the ‘ three tunnels ’ design more than five days before the hearing , it ’ s highly feasible that the HS2 scheme will be deemed by the court to pose a serious risk of causing great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HS2 Ltd released a statement denying its plans posed any risk to the wall or nearby homes .
“ We strongly dispute any suggestion that the current designs pose any threat to the structural integrity of the retaining wall at Park Village East and have provided robust evidence to the court to that effect .
We are currently considering the recent court order , ” it said .

The HS2 rail project faces further delays after a judge questioned plans to tunnel through London after claims it risks “catastrophic” damage to homes.
The High Court has ordered HS2 bosses to show evidence that the current proposals for the route into London Euston are safe.
What is the risk with tunnelling?
London home owner Hero Granger-Taylor brought a High Court claim against the government-owned company leading the £106bn project, HS2 Ltd.
She is concerned that the proposed three new tunnels into Euston could cause a “massive structural collapse” to a 120-year-old, 33ft retaining wall outside the London station, reports The Times.
The court is being asked to rule the plans unlawful because of the risk of damage to the £3m grade II-listed homes just metres away from the wall on Park Village East, Camden.
“The tunnel is designed to run as little as five feet below the retaining wall at the side of the West Coast mainline and it is feared that it could collapse,” says The Times.
Colin Elliff, a specialist railway engineer and advocate for alternatives to HS2, published a report last month into the risks, which is now being used to support the court case against HS2.
His report says that HS2 has “offered no credible evidence to show how the tunnel can be safely constructed immediately below the retaining wall”, which weighs 130 tonnes per metre.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
What do HS2 bosses have to do?
HS2 Ltd has been given a week to give reassurances to Granger-Taylor before a full court hearing on 13 and 14 May.
Justice Lang said that HS2 needed to more comprehensively explain the structure and support systems it would put in place to keep the tunnels safe and standing.
This includes results of analysis of the retaining wall showing how it would be protected from tunnelling below. It must also include an environmental impact assessment report.
The statement should set out “the up-to-date position on whether the ‘three tunnels’ design will proceed”, the court said.
Lawyers acting for Granger-Taylor said it was “highly feasible” that the plan could be thrown out by the court. One of them, Jayesh Kunwardia, said: “If, for whatever reason, HS2 Ltd is unable to deliver the required documentation, or clarify its position on the ‘three tunnels’ design more than five days before the hearing, it’s highly feasible that the HS2 scheme will be deemed by the court to pose a serious risk of causing great damage to properties in the area.”
HS2 Ltd released a statement denying its plans posed any risk to the wall or nearby homes.
“We strongly dispute any suggestion that the current designs pose any threat to the structural integrity of the retaining wall at Park Village East and have provided robust evidence to the court to that effect. We are currently considering the recent court order,” it said.


theweekuk--2020-04-29--School closures: the inequality problem

School closures: the inequality problem

The closure of schools is likely to widen the education gap between children in the north and south of England , MPs will warn the education secretary today .
In an open letter to Gavin Williamson , more than 50 MPs and peers from the North have called for urgent action to prevent the poorest pupils falling behind because of the coronavirus lockdown .
Sky News reports that two-thirds of secondary schools teaching the most disadvantaged communities are in the north of England , according to new figures .
The letter follows calls by Conservative MP Robert Halfon , chairman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a “ catch-up premium ” to help vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils when schools reopen , the BBC reports .
What are the MPs demanding ?
In the letter to Williamson , the MPs have called for a catch-up premium of at least £300m – equating to £700 for every pupil on free school meals .
This , they say , would fund 30 minutes of tuition three times a week for up to 12 weeks .
The letter said : “ The most disadvantaged children fall behind their peers over a long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widen the North ’ s disadvantage gap and with it the North-South education divide .
“ We need to deal with the consequences of this crisis for the most vulnerable in our society , and that must include children from low-income households.
” Sky News notes that signatories to the letter include Lord Jim O ’ Neill , who served as a Treasury minister under David Cameron , and some newly elected Tories in former “ red wall ” Labour seats .
According to Tes , Halfon had originally said that a per-pupil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disadvantaged pupils are “ adversely affected ” by school closures .
He also added that he feared the lockdown would “ sap their progress ” compared with that of their better-off classmates .
A Department for Education spokesperson said that the government has committed over £100m to support remote education , including providing devices and internet access .
The spokesperson added that schools are also continuing to receive additional funding in the form of the pupil premium – worth around £2.4bn per year – to support disadvantaged pupils .
“ We will do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whatever their background , falls behind as a result of coronavirus , ” the spokesperson said .
“ The department is considering , with a range of partner organisations , how best to support all pupils to make up for time out of school.
” Is there an inequality issue in the UK ?
The letter from MPs to the education secretary cites research by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership that says pupils in the North are most likely to be from the economic and ethnic groups who make the slowest progress at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures show that , despite some schools remaining open to teach the children of key workers and those who are most vulnerable , attendance was under 2 % of all students .
The broadcaster adds that accessing online lessons has also revealed an economic divide among children , with headteachers saying that in some schools up to 40 % of their pupils live in a home with no computer .
“ Closures in Britain could increase the gap in school performance between kids on school meals ( a proxy for economic disadvantage ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Economist adds .
Becky Francis , CEO of the Education Endowment Foundation , told the newspaper that over the past 10 years the gap between rich and poor students , measured by grades in tests , has narrowed by roughly 10 % .
“ But she thinks school closures could , at the very least , reverse this progress , ” the newspaper reports .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Is this an international issue ?
Around the world , 90 % of students have been impacted by school closures linked to the coronavirus pandemic , according to UNESCO , a UN agency .
“ Some countries are better placed than others to withstand such pressures , ” The Economist says .
“ The scale of pre-existing inequalities will be especially important.
” In places such as Denmark , Slovenia and Sweden , the paper notes , 95 % of 15-year-olds have access to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family background .
However , in America that is true for “ virtually all students in the wealthiest quartile but only three in four of those in the poorest ” .
Some countries have also adapted their closure policy to ensure that students do not miss out on vital schooling .
Finland , for example , started distance learning only when it was clear that almost every child would be able to take part .
The divide between pupils in the UK is outlined by Laura Nellums , assistant professor in global health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Richard Armitage , lecturer in clinical skills and early clinical professional development at the same university , in The Lancet .
“ Access to distance learning through digital technologies is highly unequal , and subsidised meal programmes , vaccination clinics , and school nurses are essential to child health care , especially for marginalised communities.
” As the Economist notes , there is also precedent for the impact of epidemic-triggered school closures on children .
“ West Africans readily recall the devastation caused by longer shutdowns , ” the paper reports .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remember how prolonged school closures during the Ebola outbreak in 2014 led to an increase in unplanned teen pregnancies and in related school dropouts.
” The World Food Programme ( WFP ) and UNICEF have urged national governments to prevent negative health consequences of the closures by ensuring that children do not miss out on school meals .
“ For millions of children around the world , the meal they get at school is the only meal they get in a day .
Without it , they go hungry , they risk falling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losing their best chance of escaping poverty , ” said WFP executive director David Beasley .
“ We must act now to prevent the health pandemic from becoming a hunger catastrophe .
”

The spokesperson added that schools are also continuing to receive additional funding in the form of the pupil premium – worth around £2.4bn per year – to support disadvantaged pupils.
A Department for Education spokesperson said that the government has committed over £100m to support remote education, including providing devices and internet access.
According to Tes , Halfon had originally said that a per-pupil funding model was needed as research suggests disadvantaged pupils are “adversely affected” by school closures. He also added that he feared the lockdown would “sap their progress” compared with that of their better-off classmates.
Sky News notes that signatories to the letter include Lord Jim O’Neill, who served as a Treasury minister under David Cameron, and some newly elected Tories in former “red wall” Labour seats .
“We need to deal with the consequences of this crisis for the most vulnerable in our society, and that must include children from low-income households.”
The letter said: “The most disadvantaged children fall behind their peers over a long summer holiday, and the shutdown will widen the North’s disadvantage gap and with it the North-South education divide.
In the letter to Williamson, the MPs have called for a catch-up premium of at least £300m – equating to £700 for every pupil on free school meals. This, they say, would fund 30 minutes of tuition three times a week for up to 12 weeks.
The letter follows calls by Conservative MP Robert Halfon, chairman of the Commons Education Select Committee, for a “catch-up premium” to help vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils when schools reopen , the BBC reports.
Sky News reports that two-thirds of secondary schools teaching the most disadvantaged communities are in the north of England, according to new figures.
In an open letter to Gavin Williamson, more than 50 MPs and peers from the North have called for urgent action to prevent the poorest pupils falling behind because of the coronavirus lockdown.
The closure of schools is likely to widen the education gap between children in the north and south of England, MPs will warn the education secretary today.
“We will do everything possible to make sure no child, whatever their background, falls behind as a result of coronavirus,” the spokesperson said. “The department is considering, with a range of partner organisations, how best to support all pupils to make up for time out of school.”
Is there an inequality issue in the UK?
The letter from MPs to the education secretary cites research by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership that says pupils in the North are most likely to be from the economic and ethnic groups who make the slowest progress at secondary school.
Sky News says official figures show that, despite some schools remaining open to teach the children of key workers and those who are most vulnerable, attendance was under 2% of all students.
The broadcaster adds that accessing online lessons has also revealed an economic divide among children, with headteachers saying that in some schools up to 40% of their pupils live in a home with no computer.
“Closures in Britain could increase the gap in school performance between kids on school meals (a proxy for economic disadvantage) and those not on school meals,” The Economist adds.
Becky Francis, CEO of the Education Endowment Foundation, told the newspaper that over the past 10 years the gap between rich and poor students, measured by grades in tests, has narrowed by roughly 10%.
“But she thinks school closures could, at the very least, reverse this progress,” the newspaper reports.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Is this an international issue?
Around the world, 90% of students have been impacted by school closures linked to the coronavirus pandemic, according to UNESCO, a UN agency.
“Some countries are better placed than others to withstand such pressures,” The Economist says. “The scale of pre-existing inequalities will be especially important.”
In places such as Denmark, Slovenia and Sweden, the paper notes, 95% of 15-year-olds have access to a computer at home, regardless of their family background. However, in America that is true for “virtually all students in the wealthiest quartile but only three in four of those in the poorest”.
Some countries have also adapted their closure policy to ensure that students do not miss out on vital schooling. Finland, for example, started distance learning only when it was clear that almost every child would be able to take part.
The divide between pupils in the UK is outlined by Laura Nellums, assistant professor in global health at the University of Nottingham, and Richard Armitage, lecturer in clinical skills and early clinical professional development at the same university, in The Lancet.
They write: “School closures impede learning and compound inequalities, disproportionately affecting disadvantaged children.
“Access to distance learning through digital technologies is highly unequal, and subsidised meal programmes, vaccination clinics, and school nurses are essential to child health care, especially for marginalised communities.”
As the Economist notes, there is also precedent for the impact of epidemic-triggered school closures on children. “West Africans readily recall the devastation caused by longer shutdowns,” the paper reports.
“Today’s older schoolchildren will still remember how prolonged school closures during the Ebola outbreak in 2014 led to an increase in unplanned teen pregnancies and in related school dropouts.”
The World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF have urged national governments to prevent negative health consequences of the closures by ensuring that children do not miss out on school meals.
“For millions of children around the world, the meal they get at school is the only meal they get in a day. Without it, they go hungry, they risk falling sick, dropping out of school and losing their best chance of escaping poverty,” said WFP executive director David Beasley.
“We must act now to prevent the health pandemic from becoming a hunger catastrophe.”


theweekuk--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: why cancer deaths may increase by a fifth

To keep reading The Week ’ s concise , refreshing and balanced take on the world , please register your @ @ @ @ @ use the details you have shared to manage your registration.You agree to the processing , @ @ @ @ @ of this information for the purpose of managing your registration as described in our Privacy @ @ @ @ @ the details you have shared to manage your newsletter subscription.You agree to the processing , @ @ @ @ @ of this information for the purpose of managing your subscription as described in our Privacy @ @ @ @ @ the information you have shared for carefully considered and specific purposes , where we believe @ @ @ @ @ to do so , for example to send you communications about similar products and services @ @ @ @ @ more about our legitimate interest activity in our privacy policy .
‘ We ’ includes @ @ @ @ @ Publishing ( UK ) Ltd brands as detailed here

Almost 18,000 more people with cancer may die over the next year in England as a result of the coronavirus crisis, according to a new analysis.
Researchers predict that an extra 6,270 people who have been newly diagnosed with cancer, and 17,915 already living with the disease, will die because of the pandemic - about 20% more than the usual total annual death toll.
What do the researchers say?
The new study, by experts at University College London (UCL) and Data-Can, a health data research hub for cancer diagnosis and treatment in the UK, is the first to quantify the potential impact of the coronavirus pandemic on cancer outcomes.
The analysis is based on information from the health records of more than 3.5 million patients in England and on weekly figures from major cancer centres in the UK.
A comparison of the data reveals a 76% average drop in urgent referrals from GPs for suspected cancer patients since the coronavirus crisis began.
“That is evidently very worrying as early diagnoses have been found to significantly improve cancer patients’ survival rates,” says the Financial Times.
The head of the NHS has previously said that early diagnosis increases patients’ chances of living by around 18 times.
The new study also found that attendance for chemotherapy has dropped by around 60% since the coronavirus hit the UK in February, despite NHS England insisting that cancer treatment “should continue unaffected” even as other non-urgent treatments are scaled back to save resources.
The reseachers predict that the total cancer death toll could rise from 89,576 to 107,491 in just one year as a result of the pandemic.
The Guardian reports: “While some of the projected additional deaths will be among people with cancer who contract Covid-19, others will occur because diagnosis was late or treatment such as chemotherapy was delayed, the researchers conclude.”
Why is this happening?
The new study suggests a range of possible reasons for the sharp decrease in referrals and treatment.
Co-author Professor Harry Hemingway, director of the UCL Institute of Health Informatics, said: “There are many factors operating here, including rapid changes to diagnosis and treatment protocols, social distancing measures, changes in people’s behaviour in seeking medical attention and [the] economic impact of Covid-19, as well as deaths due to Covid-19 infection.”


theweekuk--2020-04-29--What will global air travel look like after coronavirus?

We will use the details you have shared to manage your registration. You agree to the processing, storage, sharing and use of this information for the purpose of managing your registration as described in our Privacy Policy.
Would you like to receive The WeekDay newsletter ?
The WeekDay newsletter provides you with a daily digest of news and analysis.
We will use the details you have shared to manage your newsletter subscription. You agree to the processing, storage, sharing and use of this information for the purpose of managing your subscription as described in our Privacy Policy.
We will use the information you have shared for carefully considered and specific purposes, where we believe we have a legitimate case to do so, for example to send you communications about similar products and services we offer. You can find out more about our legitimate interest activity in our Privacy Policy.
If you wish to object to the use of your data in this way, please tick here.
'We' includes The Week and other Future Publishing Limited brands as detailed here.


theweekuk--2020-04-29--Are UK nations parting ways on coronavirus strategy?


theweekuk--2020-04-29--Champions League chaos follows French football decision

European football was thrown into chaos yesterday by two announcements that are likely to have far-reaching ramifications for the sport’s attempt to emerge from the coronavirus shutdown.
The first was the declaration by the French government that all professional sport is suspended in the country until September at the earliest.
In a stroke the hopes of restarting Ligue 1 vanished and according to The Daily Telegraph the decision left Uefa and the French football federation “stunned”. Quite why they should have been so surprised isn’t clear.
Although some schools and shops in France are scheduled to reopen next month there will be strict rules in place, such as the observation of the two metre social distance and the wearing of masks at all times.
The same regulations will apply on public transport when France emerges from its lockdown on 11 May.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Delusional
Did French football seriously think it would be able to resume - as some had declared - in June without these rules in place?
Globally, sport, particularly football, has yet to produce a solution as to how competitions can resume without flouting these fundamental health and safety measures.
The general public are unlikely to react favourably if they perceive post-lockdown there is one rule for them and another for football.
Furthermore, the French government was probably mindful of what happened on 11 March when Paris Saint-Germain played Borussia Dortmund in the Uefa Champions League. Although the match was played behind closed doors, thousands of fans congregated outside the Parc des Princes to celebrate long into the night.
Football authorities and clubs the world over are deluding themselves if they think such scenes won’t be repeated if matches resumed over the summer.
Too great a risk
The French government’s decision is the right one, according to Fifa’s chief doctor, who has expressed his belief that scrapping this season would be best for the sport.
“My proposal is if it is possible, avoid playing competitive football in the coming weeks,” said Michel d’Hooghe, the chair of Fifa’s medical committee.


theweekuk--2020-04-29--Today’s back pages: is the Premier League restart a pipe dream?

The Sun leads on its back page with the declaration from Fifa ’ s top doctor Michel d ’ Hooghe that football should forget about any resumption in the coming months and concentrate on starting afresh in September .
His comments will be an embarrassment for the British government who apparently have been quietly supportive of the idea of restarting the Premier League in order to lift the nation ’ s spirits .
But The Daily Telegraph says that “ many Premier League players are fearful of the health risks of games behind closed doors ” , and believe they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons .
That view is shared by some Premier League executives , says the Telegraph , which claims there is “ pressure from the government as politicians seek to lift morale amid mounting tension over lockdown measures ” .
With the government facing growing criticism about the lack of clarity over its lockdown measures , several clubs and Premier League officials suspect that government officials “ will use the resumption of top-flight football as a tool to deflect criticism ” .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Times says there is a revolt brewing over “ Project Restart ” , not just because of fears over player safety but also strong opposition in some quarters to the idea of matches being played at neutral grounds .
That is said to be a cornerstone of the project , in order to minimise the health risks , but many clubs argue that the “ sporting integrity of the competition could be undermined by teams losing home advantage ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough problems already , the Daily Star ’ s back page headline - “ Docs kick off over testing ” - covers a story that could cause more controversy for football and the government .
According to the paper the Premier League will conduct ( and pay for ) 1,000 coronavirus tests every week in order to reassure players remain safe when the season resumes .
But club doctors are “ voicing serious ethical concerns about the morality of testing players twice-a-week if the NHS are still in short supply ” .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delayed for a second time if the coronavirus crisis is still with us in 2021 .
The Times says a growing number of medical experts believe that it will be impossible to stage the Olympics if no vaccine for coronavirus has been introduced .
Yoshiro Mori , the president of the Tokyo Olympic committee , has made it clear that the summer of 2021 is make or break time for the Games , and that having already been moved from 2020 to next year there will be no repeat .
But the prognosis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times , quoting Kentaro Iwata , a professor of infectious disease at Kobe University .
“ I am very pessimistic about holding the Games next summer , ” he said “ Unless you hold the Games in a totally different structure such as [ with ] no audience or a very limited participation.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Prem restart fears
The Sun leads on its back page with the declaration from Fifa’s top doctor Michel d’Hooghe that football should forget about any resumption in the coming months and concentrate on starting afresh in September.
His comments will be an embarrassment for the British government who apparently have been quietly supportive of the idea of restarting the Premier League in order to lift the nation’s spirits.
But The Daily Telegraph says that “many Premier League players are fearful of the health risks of games behind closed doors”, and believe they are being rushed back for the wrong reasons.
That view is shared by some Premier League executives, says the Telegraph, which claims there is “pressure from the government as politicians seek to lift morale amid mounting tension over lockdown measures”.
With the government facing growing criticism about the lack of clarity over its lockdown measures, several clubs and Premier League officials suspect that government officials “will use the resumption of top-flight football as a tool to deflect criticism”.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Restart revolt
The Times says there is a revolt brewing over “Project Restart”, not just because of fears over player safety but also strong opposition in some quarters to the idea of matches being played at neutral grounds.
That is said to be a cornerstone of the project, in order to minimise the health risks, but many clubs argue that the “sporting integrity of the competition could be undermined by teams losing home advantage”.
And if there weren’t enough problems already, the Daily Star’s back page headline - “Docs kick off over testing” - covers a story that could cause more controversy for football and the government.
According to the paper the Premier League will conduct (and pay for) 1,000 coronavirus tests every week in order to reassure players remain safe when the season resumes.
But club doctors are “voicing serious ethical concerns about the morality of testing players twice-a-week if the NHS are still in short supply”.
Uncertain future for the Olympics
The Tokyo Olympics will be cancelled and not delayed for a second time if the coronavirus crisis is still with us in 2021.
The Times says a growing number of medical experts believe that it will be impossible to stage the Olympics if no vaccine for coronavirus has been introduced.
Yoshiro Mori, the president of the Tokyo Olympic committee, has made it clear that the summer of 2021 is make or break time for the Games, and that having already been moved from 2020 to next year there will be no repeat.
But the prognosis isn’t good, reports the Times, quoting Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious disease at Kobe University.
“I am very pessimistic about holding the Games next summer,” he said “Unless you hold the Games in a totally different structure such as [with] no audience or a very limited participation.”
Today’s sport headlines
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-04-29--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 29 Apr 2020

This year ’ s US presidential election will take place against the backdrop of never-before-seen circumstances , with a rising @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus and an economy reeling from the pandemic ’ s impact .
CNN reports that @ @ @ @ @ response to the virus has “ upended Republican plans for how to run against Democrats @ @ @ @ @ “ worried about November ’ s election ” .

Briefing: is Trump on course to win the 2020 election?
This year’s US presidential election will take place against the backdrop of never-before-seen circumstances, with a rising death toll from the new coronavirus and an economy reeling from the pandemic’s impact.
CNN reports that President Donald Trump’s response to the virus has “upended Republican plans for how to run against Democrats”, leaving the party “worried about November’s election”.


theweekuk--2020-04-29--Government expands coronavirus testing – am I eligible?

Coronavirus testing has opened for millions more people in England after the government loosened rules on who can apply .
“ Testing !
Testing !
Testing !
” says The Sun ’ s front page as it reports that care home residents and staff , people over 65 and those who must leave home to work are now entitled to a test .
Those eligible can arrange a test on the government ’ s test-booking website .
The BBC says the government ’ s latest move “ represents a massive expansion of who is eligible for testing - and means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing everyone to access a test if they have symptoms ” .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Downing Street is aiming to meet its target of 100,000 tests per day by tomorrow .
The government says just over 43,000 took place on Monday , but Health Secretary Matt Hancock bet an LBC presenter £100 yesterday that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mobile units were expanded rapidly .
Speaking at yesterday ’ s coronavirus briefing , Hancock said : “ From construction workers to emergency plumbers , from research scientists to those in manufacturing , the expansion of access to testing will protect the most vulnerable and help keep people safe.
” A Whitehall source told Sky News an additional 15 million Britons could now be eligible for coronavirus tests under the expanded programme , bringing the total now be eligible to 25 million .
The Guardian says the expansion of eligibility for testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ability to ease lockdown measures ” Eligibility for testing varies around the UK .
In Scotland , all patients over 70 who are admitted to hospital for any reason will now be tested for coronavirus .
Meanwhile , in Northern Ireland , testing has begun in some GP practices and will be expanded in hospitals and care homes .
Wales has a needs-based approach for NHS and “ critical ” non-NHS workers .


theweekuk--2020-04-29--Why are banks blocking lost holiday repayments?

Disappointed holidaymakers , trying to get their money back for trips disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic , are having their refund applications blocked by banks and credit card operators .
Tourists are currently owed an estimated £7 billion for unused holidays and flights but travel operators are offering credit notes or deferred bookings instead .
However , many customers are unwilling to accept either offer because they fear that the notes will be worthless if the companies go bust , or because they can not travel at a later date .
The Times says that tourists and the travel industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to guarantee the notes but ministers have failed to act .
Therefore , thousands of travellers have turned to their banks and card operators , who are legally obliged under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act , to refund eligible customers .
Customers who booked their holidays or flights on a credit card can legally claim back the cost from their bank if the cancellation constitutes a breach of contract .
But some are being told that they are either not eligible or that they must exhaust all avenues with their travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in law .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Some banks are also blocking their customers from making “ chargeback ” claims .
Customers of several lenders , including Halifax , Metro Bank and RBS , say that they have been told they are not eligible because they have been offered credit notes .
This approach contradicts the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amid anger over the stalling tactics , the Financial Ombudsman Service , which adjudicates on complaints between banks and their customers , said : “ We recognise this is an unprecedented situation but there is no reason not to process these claims as usual.
” Banking bosses say that the issues are “ cock up rather than conspiracy ” but Gareth Shaw , of Which ?
, said : “ There needs to be greater clarity and consistency about claiming through banks , and the industry should ensure that all customers have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Last week , Which ?
accused UK travel operators of breaking the law by refusing to pay out in 14 days .
It suggested “ extending the processing deadline to 28 days ” and for any vouchers to be “ guaranteed against insolvency and eventually redeemable for cash ” .

Disappointed holidaymakers, trying to get their money back for trips disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, are having their refund applications blocked by banks and credit card operators.
Tourists are currently owed an estimated £7 billion for unused holidays and flights but travel operators are offering credit notes or deferred bookings instead.
However, many customers are unwilling to accept either offer because they fear that the notes will be worthless if the companies go bust, or because they cannot travel at a later date.
The Times says that tourists and the travel industry both want the government to step in to guarantee the notes but ministers have failed to act.
Therefore, thousands of travellers have turned to their banks and card operators, who are legally obliged under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, to refund eligible customers.
Customers who booked their holidays or flights on a credit card can legally claim back the cost from their bank if the cancellation constitutes a breach of contract.
But some are being told that they are either not eligible or that they must exhaust all avenues with their travel company first, which is not required in law.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced takeon the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Some banks are also blocking their customers from making “chargeback” claims.
Customers of several lenders, including Halifax, Metro Bank and RBS, say that they have been told they are not eligible because they have been offered credit notes. This approach contradicts the guidance issued by Visa and Mastercard.
Amid anger over the stalling tactics, the Financial Ombudsman Service, which adjudicates on complaints between banks and their customers, said: “We recognise this is an unprecedented situation but there is no reason not to process these claims as usual.”
Banking bosses say that the issues are “cock up rather than conspiracy” but Gareth Shaw, of Which?, said: “There needs to be greater clarity and consistency about claiming through banks, and the industry should ensure that all customers have a fair chance of getting their money back.”
Last week, Which? accused UK travel operators of breaking the law by refusing to pay out in 14 days. It suggested “extending the processing deadline to 28 days” and for any vouchers to be “guaranteed against insolvency and eventually redeemable for cash”.


theweekuk--2020-04-29--Large asteroid to pass by Earth today

Large asteroid to pass by Earth today

An asteroid estimated to be 1.2 miles wide is expected fly by Earth today but it ’ s not expected to collide with the planet .
The asteroid , called 52768 ( 1998 OR2 ) , will pass within 3,908,791 miles of Earth , moving at 19,461 miles per hour .
Nasa says if it did strike our planet , the asteroid would be “ large enough to cause global effects ” .
French Nobel prize winner says Covid-19 was ‘ made in a lab ’ A French Nobel prize-winning scientist says Covid-19 was created in a lab .
Luc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2008 for his work on HIV , said “ the virus has come out of a laboratory in Wuhan , which has been specialising in these types of coronaviruses since the beginning of the 2000s ” .
He condemned scientists for doing “ the work of a sorcerer ’ s apprentice ” .
However , many experts have rubbished Montagnier ’ s claim , saying that it “ does not make sense ” .
The World Health Organization has also said that there is no evidence that the virus was created in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fish wash up on Mexican beach Thousands of fish have mysteriously washed up on a Mexican beach .
Video filmed at Acapulco beach in the south-western state of Guerrero shows the huge school of fish lying dead on the sand .
Local residents cheered their arrival on the beach because fish traders and markets have been closed during the lockdown .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

An asteroid estimated to be 1.2 miles wide is expected fly by Earth today but it’s not expected to collide with the planet. The asteroid, called 52768 (1998 OR2), will pass within 3,908,791 miles of Earth, moving at 19,461 miles per hour. Nasa says if it did strike our planet, the asteroid would be “large enough to cause global effects”.
French Nobel prize winner says Covid-19 was ‘made in a lab’
A French Nobel prize-winning scientist says Covid-19 was created in a lab. Luc Montagnier, who won the Nobel Prize in 2008 for his work on HIV, said “the virus has come out of a laboratory in Wuhan, which has been specialising in these types of coronaviruses since the beginning of the 2000s”. He condemned scientists for doing “the work of a sorcerer’s apprentice”. However, many experts have rubbished Montagnier’s claim, saying that it “does not make sense”. The World Health Organization has also said that there is no evidence that the virus was created in a lab in China.
Cheers as fish wash up on Mexican beach
Thousands of fish have mysteriously washed up on a Mexican beach. Video filmed at Acapulco beach in the south-western state of Guerrero shows the huge school of fish lying dead on the sand. Local residents cheered their arrival on the beach because fish traders and markets have been closed during the lockdown.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced takeon the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-04-28--What are the Scottish government’s recommendations on face masks?

The Scottish government has advised people to cover their faces while in some enclosed public spaces , such as shops and public transport .
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that though it was “ not a substitute ” for lockdown restrictions , there could be “ some benefit ” in wearing face covering in sites where coronavirus social distancing was tricky .
She said she was referring to cloth garments such as scarves rather than the “ medical grade facemasks ” like those used by health and care workers .
Sturgeon said : “ To be clear , the benefit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the virus but is not aware of that because they are not experiencing symptoms and thus not isolating completely .
“ Wearing a face covering in those circumstances may reduce the risk of that person transmitting the virus to others.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Scottish government ’ s advice states : “ When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is important that you wash your hands first and avoid touching your face .
“ After each use , you must wash the face covering at 60 degrees centigrade , or dispose of it safely.
” The guidance also states that masks are “ not being made mandatory and will not be enforced at this stage ” .
The BBC ’ s science editor , David Shukman , says “ dozens of governments are now urging - or ordering - their citizens to cover their faces in an effort to reduce this route @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set to be compulsory on public transport in Germany , and in stores in Austria .
Residents of Lombardy in Italy must cover their nose and mouth when outside .
But the Daily Express says the recommendation sees Sturgeon “ defy ” official coronavirus advice from Downing Street .
Number 10 said the government is still considering the scientific evidence for introducing similar advice .
“ Once a decision has been reached then we 'll announce it publicly , ” it said .
However , Michael Gove has revealed Britain is producing more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says suggests the advice “ will go UK-wide in the near future ” .

The Scottish government has advised people to cover their faces while in some enclosed public spaces, such as shops and public transport.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that though it was “not a substitute” for lockdown restrictions, there could be “some benefit” in wearing face covering in sites where coronavirus social distancing was tricky.
She said she was referring to cloth garments such as scarves rather than the “medical grade facemasks” like those used by health and care workers.
Sturgeon said: “To be clear, the benefit comes mainly in cases where someone might have the virus but is not aware of that because they are not experiencing symptoms and thus not isolating completely.
“Wearing a face covering in those circumstances may reduce the risk of that person transmitting the virus to others.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced takeon the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The Scottish government’s advice states: “When applying or removing the covering, it is important that you wash your hands first and avoid touching your face.
“After each use, you must wash the face covering at 60 degrees centigrade, or dispose of it safely.”
The guidance also states that masks are “not being made mandatory and will not be enforced at this stage”.
The BBC’s science editor, David Shukman, says “dozens of governments are now urging - or ordering - their citizens to cover their faces in an effort to reduce this route of infection”.
Face masks are set to be compulsory on public transport in Germany, and in stores in Austria. Residents of Lombardy in Italy must cover their nose and mouth when outside.
But the Daily Express says the recommendation sees Sturgeon “defy” official coronavirus advice from Downing Street.
Number 10 said the government is still considering the scientific evidence for introducing similar advice. “Once a decision has been reached then we'll announce it publicly,” it said.
However, Michael Gove has revealed Britain is producing more cloth face coverings, which The Sun says suggests the advice “will go UK-wide in the near future”.


theweekuk--2020-04-28--Apple iPhone SE 2020: reviews, specs, price and must-have accessories

Apple has released the 2020 version of the iPhone SE and it ’ s getting favourable reviews across the board for its price and technical specs .
Re-using the design of the iPhone 8 and tech from the iPhone 11 , the latest SE is the first budget handset to be rolled out by Apple since the original in 2016 .
It is released in three colours - white , black and ( PRODUCT ) RED - and three models .
The 64GB SE costs £419 ; the 128GB model is £469 ; and the 256GB model is £569 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ SE might be the “ most important phone Apple releases this year ” while TechRadar ’ s Gareth Beavis says the smart improvements make this “ one of the best iPhones Apple has ever made ” .
Here we look at everything about the Apple iPhone SE - specs , reviews and must-have accessories .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPhone SE — Apple All about the iPhone SE Expert Reviews , sister publication of TheWeek.co.uk , explain all the details about Apple ’ s new iPhone SE .
The 4.7in display is flanked by the same set of hefty bezels you remember from all those years ago ( 2017 , actually ) and supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 video playback .
Below it , you ’ ll find another relic of that bygone era : a Touch ID “ Home ” button , complete with a fingerprint sensor .
The cameras are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ d find on the iPhone 8 , but Apple explains that the new A13 processor equips the SE with the same neat tricks as the iPhone 11 .
That means Portrait mode and lighting , as well as Depth Control and Smart HDR .
The rear camera supports up to 4K video recording at 24fps , 30fps or 60fps .
The new iPhone SE supports wireless and – more crucially – fast charging .
According to Apple , it will hit 50 % charge in 30 minutes , although this requires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : from £419 for the 64GB version iPhone SE verdict : what the experts are saying “ The new iPhone SE might be the most important phone Apple releases this year .
The iPhone SE isn ’ t just a good deal - it ’ s a big deal .
For people clinging to ancient phones because new ones are too large , too expensive or too gimmicky , the iPhone SE is the right phone at the right time at the right price.
” “ This is the phone to get if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one that will last you a few years , but don ’ t want to pay a lot for it .
If you ’ re after ‘ decent but not top-end ’ performance , then that ’ s what the iPhone SE 2020 will offer you : there ’ s a good camera , enough power , a great App Store to plunder and a lighter-weight design than the current crop of iPhone 11 models .
Battery life could be better , the screen tech is starting to age , and some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but overall , the smart improvements make this – for the price – one of the best iPhones Apple has ever made.
” “ A brand-new iPhone , with Apple ’ s fastest smartphone chip .
Camera isn ’ t comparable to flagship phone cameras , but is still extremely capable .
Supports fast LTE and Wi-Fi 6 .
The Home button makes a comeback !
Wireless charging is a nice touch.
” “ Introducing the new iPhone SE , an iPhone for people who hate new iPhones .
OK , so I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the iPhone SE is a great phone .
It just isn ’ t meant for those of us who upgrade our phones every year or two… ” “ The new iPhone SE is all the phone most people need .
With a blazing-fast processor , a high-quality body , and solid connectivity for £419 , the 2020 iPhone SE sets a benchmark for midrange phones .
It uses a [ popular ] older iPhone body and a smaller screen to cut prices while giving you a super speedy experience and Apple ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a terrific and perfectly timed phone , easily worthy of our Editors ’ Choice.
” Coming in three colours - white , black and pink sand - this silicone case is designed to complement the SE .
It fits snugly over the volume buttons , side button and curves of the device without adding bulk .
As well as the silicone case , Apple has also released a leather case for the SE .
It also comes in three colours - midnight blue , black and ( PRODUCT ) RED .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French leather .
Apple says the Belkin InvisiGlass Ultra provides impressively durable and scratch-resistant screen protection for your iPhone and sets a new standard for glass screen protection .
AirPods are compatible with the iPhone SE with pricing as follows : ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Apple has released the 2020 version of the iPhone SE and it’s getting favourable reviews across the board for its price and technical specs.
Re-using the design of the iPhone 8 and tech from the iPhone 11, the latest SE is the first budget handset to be rolled out by Apple since the original in 2016.
It is released in three colours - white, black and (PRODUCT)RED - and three models. The 64GB SE costs £419; the 128GB model is £469; and the 256GB model is £569.
Chris Velazco of engadget believes the new SE might be the “most important phone Apple releases this year” while TechRadar’s Gareth Beavis says the smart improvements make this “one of the best iPhones Apple has ever made”.
Here we look at everything about the Apple iPhone SE - specs, reviews and must-have accessories.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
All about the iPhone SE
Expert Reviews, sister publication of TheWeek.co.uk, explain all the details about Apple’s new iPhone SE.
Display
The 4.7in display is flanked by the same set of hefty bezels you remember from all those years ago (2017, actually) and supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 video playback. Below it, you’ll find another relic of that bygone era: a Touch ID “Home” button, complete with a fingerprint sensor.
Cameras
The cameras are at first glance identical to the ones you’d find on the iPhone 8, but Apple explains that the new A13 processor equips the SE with the same neat tricks as the iPhone 11. That means Portrait mode and lighting, as well as Depth Control and Smart HDR. The rear camera supports up to 4K video recording at 24fps, 30fps or 60fps.
Charging
The new iPhone SE supports wireless and – more crucially – fast charging. According to Apple, it will hit 50% charge in 30 minutes, although this requires a separate 18W charger.
Specs: iPhone SE
Processor: Apple A13 Bionic
Storage: 64GB, 128GB or 256GB
Display: 4.7in Retina HD (1,334 x 750)
Camera (rear): 12MP f/1.8
Camera (front): 7MP
Battery: 13 hrs video playback (non-streamed)
Dimensions: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm (HWD)
Weight: 148g
Colours: white, black and (PRODUCT)RED
Price: from £419 for the 64GB version
iPhone SE verdict: what the experts are saying
Chris Velazco, engadget
“The new iPhone SE might be the most important phone Apple releases this year. The iPhone SE isn’t just a good deal - it’s a big deal. For people clinging to ancient phones because new ones are too large, too expensive or too gimmicky, the iPhone SE is the right phone at the right time at the right price.”
Gareth Beavis, TechRadar
“This is the phone to get if you just want a new iPhone, and one that will last you a few years, but don’t want to pay a lot for it. If you’re after ‘decent but not top-end’ performance, then that’s what the iPhone SE 2020 will offer you: there’s a good camera, enough power, a great App Store to plunder and a lighter-weight design than the current crop of iPhone 11 models. Battery life could be better, the screen tech is starting to age, and some upgraders will miss the headphone jack; but overall, the smart improvements make this – for the price – one of the best iPhones Apple has ever made.”
Lauren Goode, Wired
“A brand-new iPhone, with Apple’s fastest smartphone chip. Camera isn’t comparable to flagship phone cameras, but is still extremely capable. Supports fast LTE and Wi-Fi 6. The Home button makes a comeback! Wireless charging is a nice touch.”
Joanna Stern, The Wall Street Journal
“Introducing the new iPhone SE, an iPhone for people who hate new iPhones. OK, so I’m no Apple ad copywriter, but the iPhone SE is a great phone. It just isn’t meant for those of us who upgrade our phones every year or two…”
Sascha Segan, PC Magazine
“The new iPhone SE is all the phone most people need. With a blazing-fast processor, a high-quality body, and solid connectivity for £419, the 2020 iPhone SE sets a benchmark for midrange phones. It uses a [popular] older iPhone body and a smaller screen to cut prices while giving you a super speedy experience and Apple’s latest apps. It’s a terrific and perfectly timed phone, easily worthy of our Editors’ Choice.”
iPhone SE: must-have accessories
Silicone case: £39
Coming in three colours - white, black and pink sand - this silicone case is designed to complement the SE. It fits snugly over the volume buttons, side button and curves of the device without adding bulk.
Leather case: £45
As well as the silicone case, Apple has also released a leather case for the SE. It also comes in three colours - midnight blue, black and (PRODUCT)RED. It’s made from specially tanned and finished French leather.
Belkin InvisiGlass Ultra Screen Protection: £24.95
Apple says the Belkin InvisiGlass Ultra provides impressively durable and scratch-resistant screen protection for your iPhone and sets a new standard for glass screen protection.
AirPods
AirPods are compatible with the iPhone SE with pricing as follows:
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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--2020-04-28--Ministers flounder in face of Panorama accusations


theweekuk--2020-04-29--Sport shorts: Pochettino is Saudi-backed consortium’s ‘No.1 choice’ for Newcastle job

Sky Sports reports that the prospective new owners of Newcastle United want Mauricio Pochettino to be the club ’ s next manager .
Steve Bruce currently holds the position but he is only likely to remain in charge at St James ’ Park until the end of the season .
The Saudi-backed consortium which is in talks to take over Newcastle are keen to recruit “ No.1 choice ” Pochettino and are willing to pay the Argentine £19m a year .
Sky says the former Spurs manager wants to return to the Premier League and is “ known to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Auba could be sold for £30m Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be sold by Arsenal for just £30m , The Sun reports , because the Gunners are “ desperate ” not to lose their captain for nothing next year when his contract expires .
The Sun also leads on its back page with the declaration from Fifa ’ s top doctor Michel d ’ Hooghe that football should forget about any resumption in the coming months and concentrate on starting afresh in September .
His comments will be an embarrassment for the British government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the idea of restarting the Premier League in order to lift the nation ’ s spirits .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 4 .
Three more MotoGPs are off The June and July MotoGP races in Germany , Holland and Finland have been cancelled .
As things stand the opening 11 races of the MotoGP season are off and a revised calendar is not yet published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be in 2021 The next Tour de Yorkshire cycling event looks set to take place in 2021 .
After the event was postponed there were hopes it could take place later this year but Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive James Mason said : “ The longer this goes on the more likely it is that it will be next year .
There are too many imponderables as to when mass sporting events can take place again and they ’ re all backing up.
” England cricket star Moeen Ali has backed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hundred .
English cricket ’ s new 100-ball competition is due to start this summer but the sport is currently suspended until 1 July at the earliest because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Moeen , who is set to captain Birmingham Phoenix , said : “ It is better for it to be delayed .
As players , we want The Hundred played with all best players around the world available to come and play so it makes more sense that way .
“ It is probably going to be too much to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the season .
It would be hard work to squeeze in The Hundred as well .
It is such a big deal for us in this country and we want it to be played when everything is right and no problems around the world.
” Le Havre midfielder Pape Gueye has signed a five-year contract with Premier League side Watford .
The 21-year-old ’ s current deal expires this summer and he will officially become a Watford player from 1 July .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) president Thomas Bach says the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to next year will cost the organisation “ several hundred million dollars ” .
In an open letter Bach said : “ Although it is too early to give an exact figure , we already know that we have to shoulder several hundred million US dollars of postponement costs .
This is why we also need to look into and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for these postponed Games.
” 9 .
Vettel and Sainz to swap teams in 2021 ?
Sebastian Vettel could leave Ferrari for McLaren in 2021 with Carlos Sainz tipped to go the other way .
That ’ s according to German Formula 1 commentator Sascha Roos who said : “ Sebastian Vettel is not about money .
He is interested in having a successful car with the status he likes within the team .
McLaren is also going to have a Mercedes engine , which is not a bad thing .
It could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vettel , rather than having poor terms and being the less popular choice at Ferrari.
” Dr Brian McCloskey , a public health adviser to the World Health Organization , has told BBC Sport that hosting big sporting events this summer will be a “ challenge ” and that community events could be first to return after the lockdown .
He said : “ The bigger the match , the bigger the competition , the more complicated those mitigating actions will have to be - and therefore the less likely it is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local event - community football , community running - is much easier to see how that happens .
Bigger events will be a challenge this summer.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

1. Poch is ‘No.1 choice’ for Toon
Sky Sports reports that the prospective new owners of Newcastle United want Mauricio Pochettino to be the club’s next manager.
Steve Bruce currently holds the position but he is only likely to remain in charge at St James’ Park until the end of the season.
The Saudi-backed consortium which is in talks to take over Newcastle are keen to recruit “No.1 choice” Pochettino and are willing to pay the Argentine £19m a year.
Sky says the former Spurs manager wants to return to the Premier League and is “known to be interested in the role”.
2. Auba could be sold for £30m
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be sold by Arsenal for just £30m, The Sun reports, because the Gunners are “desperate” not to lose their captain for nothing next year when his contract expires.
3. Prem restart fears
The Sun also leads on its back page with the declaration from Fifa’s top doctor Michel d’Hooghe that football should forget about any resumption in the coming months and concentrate on starting afresh in September.
His comments will be an embarrassment for the British government who apparently have been quietly supportive of the idea of restarting the Premier League in order to lift the nation’s spirits.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
4. Three more MotoGPs are off
The June and July MotoGP races in Germany, Holland and Finland have been cancelled. As things stand the opening 11 races of the MotoGP season are off and a revised calendar is not yet published.
5. Tour de Yorkshire likely to be in 2021
The next Tour de Yorkshire cycling event looks set to take place in 2021. After the event was postponed there were hopes it could take place later this year but Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive James Mason said: “The longer this goes on the more likely it is that it will be next year. There are too many imponderables as to when mass sporting events can take place again and they’re all backing up.”
6. Moeen: Hundred should be delayed
England cricket star Moeen Ali has backed a delay for the inaugural season of The Hundred. English cricket’s new 100-ball competition is due to start this summer but the sport is currently suspended until 1 July at the earliest because of the coronavirus pandemic.


theweekuk--2020-04-29--News reporter caught on air with no trousers - and five other working-from-home fails

A US TV news reporter appeared live on Good Morning America – without any trousers .
Journalist Will Reeve , the son of Superman actor Christopher Reeve , was appearing on ABC News ’ s Good Morning America from his home during lockdown .
But he failed to realise that his self-framed shot showed that he wasn ’ t wearing the bottom half of his suit .
Reeve , 27 , was telling GMA ’ s anchors Michael Strahan and Amy Robach in their New York studio how pharmacies in the US have begun using drones to deliver prescriptions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewers were quick to point out that he appeared to have forgotten to put on any trousers .
Writing on Twitter , Reeve said : “ The camera angle , along with friends , family and several hundred strangers on social media made me rethink my morning routine .
Any sartorial tips from these people who are wearing a belt , trousers and shoes during their work video calls at home are most welcome.
” Reeve added that being caught short was “ hilariously mortifying ” – but he is by no means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working-from-home ’ s pitfalls .
Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething was last week forced to apologise after being caught swearing about a Labour colleague in a video conference .
Gething could be heard muttering “ What the f*** is the matter with her ?
” , in reference to Cardiff Central Assembly Member Jenny Rathbone .
We have the first great Parliamentary Zoom disaster , courtesy of @ vaughangething in the Welsh Assembly pic.twitter.com/bqa9rCxj6s The error was made after he left his microphone on by mistake in a virtual Welsh Assembly session conducted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and horror of the rest of the call .
Gething has since apologised to his colleague , tweeting : “ I ’ m obviously embarrassed about my comments at the end of questions today .
I ’ ve sent a message apologising and offered to speak to Jenny Rathbone if she wishes to do so.
” CNN reports that officials in Vallejo , California are calling for planning commissioner Chris Platzer to be removed after he was seen “ throwing a cat and drinking during a video meeting last week ” .
During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be viewed , the moderator asks Platzer for comment as a cat can be heard meowing in the background .
“ OK , well , I ’ d like to first introduce my cat , ” Platzer says , lifting up the cat to the camera before tossing it off camera .
Later in the call , Platzer is seen drinking “ what appears to be a bottle of beer ” , CNN adds .
He is then heard saying “ I ’ m going to call bullshit on you little bastards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the call .
Perhaps the most iconic moment in Professor Robert E. Kelly ’ s distinguished career came while he was appearing live on the BBC .
As Kelly , a professor of political science at Pusan National University in South Korea , discussed inter-Korean affairs with the BBC host , his children gatecrashed his office .
As his wife burst into the room to retrieve the children , Kelly and his family made TV history , becoming a classic of the “ working-from-home fail ” genre .
Kelly is a regular guest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be lying if they said that they don ’ t have their eyes trained on that door behind him whenever he appears on screen .
Another working-from-home error from the coronavirus era occurred when Lizet Ocampo , political director at People for the American Way , managed to turn herself into a potato during a Zoom call .
Ocampo , who is based in Washington , told Buzzfeed : “ Monday morning , we had our meeting and I usually try to do a camera , and when we started the meeting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I was so confused as to why I was a potato .
Of all the things I could be , why a potato ?
” Ocampo had previously used filters of potatoes for a light-hearted online meeting but had not realised they were still switched on .
She then couldn ’ t switch them off .
She might have got away with her error had one of her staff not screenshotted her boss ’ s misfortune and shared it on Twitter .
my boss turned herself into a potato on our Microsoft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out how to turn the setting off , so she was just stuck like this the entire meeting pic.twitter.com/uHLgJUOsXk — Rachele with an e but pronounced Rachel ( @ PettyClegg ) March 30 , 2020 Ocampo told Buzzfeed that she is “ just glad to be brightening people ’ s days in these strange times ” , adding : “ I hope folks are really taking it seriously to be safe and stay planted.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In a NSFW moment on Californian news network KCRA3 , reporter Melinda Meza inadvertently showed her husband in the shower .
The New York Post reports that Meza was filming herself “ cutting her bangs for a story about hairstylists during the coronavirus quarantine ” when the camera caught a little “ more than she bargained for ” .
Her husband , Mike de Lambert , was caught in a reflection in the background , apparently unaware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to viewers across the US state .

A US TV news reporter appeared live on Good Morning America – without any trousers.
Journalist Will Reeve, the son of Superman actor Christopher Reeve, was appearing on ABC News’s Good Morning America from his home during lockdown. But he failed to realise that his self-framed shot showed that he wasn’t wearing the bottom half of his suit.
Reeve, 27, was telling GMA’s anchors Michael Strahan and Amy Robach in their New York studio how pharmacies in the US have begun using drones to deliver prescriptions to patients during the coronavirus pandemic. But viewers were quick to point out that he appeared to have forgotten to put on any trousers.
Writing on Twitter, Reeve said: “The camera angle, along with friends, family and several hundred strangers on social media made me rethink my morning routine. Any sartorial tips from these people who are wearing a belt, trousers and shoes during their work video calls at home are most welcome.”
Reeve added that being caught short was “hilariously mortifying” – but he is by no means the first person to fall foul of working-from-home’s pitfalls.
Loose-lipped Labour minister
Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething was last week forced to apologise after being caught swearing about a Labour colleague in a video conference.
Gething could be heard muttering “What the f*** is the matter with her?”, in reference to Cardiff Central Assembly Member Jenny Rathbone.
We have the first great Parliamentary Zoom disaster, courtesy of @vaughangething in the Welsh Assembly pic.twitter.com/bqa9rCxj6s — Alain Tolhurst (@Alain_Tolhurst) April 22, 2020
The error was made after he left his microphone on by mistake in a virtual Welsh Assembly session conducted via Zoom – much to the amusement and horror of the rest of the call.
Gething has since apologised to his colleague, tweeting: “I’m obviously embarrassed about my comments at the end of questions today. I’ve sent a message apologising and offered to speak to Jenny Rathbone if she wishes to do so.”
California’s cat commissioner
CNN reports that officials in Vallejo, California are calling for planning commissioner Chris Platzer to be removed after he was seen “throwing a cat and drinking during a video meeting last week”.
During the meeting, which was recorded and can be viewed, the moderator asks Platzer for comment as a cat can be heard meowing in the background.


theweekuk--2020-04-29--Instant Opinion: Land Army needs to be easier for ‘workshy’ Brits to sign up

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
If we want a Land Army , it needs to be easy for ‘ workshy ’ Brits to sign up “ Many years ago you could just turn up at the farm , ask if there was a job , were shown the ropes and got cracking .
Nowadays , fruit farms tend to be far bigger enterprises , training is required , health and safety rules must be followed and swinging the lead is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be .
Let ’ s face it , students are not the most reliable employees so it is simpler for the growers to hire gang-masters to recruit many thousands of pickers overseas , complete all the paperwork and arrive with plane loads of people willing and able to work hard who are also happy to live together en masse .
Earlier this month , around 5,000 were brought in from Romania by charter flight despite the millions here who need a job.
” Trump is unravelling – even his supporters can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know what kind of disinfectant Donald Trump has been injecting , but the man does not appear to be well .
The president ’ s lethal medical musing has turned him into ( even more of ) a global laughing stock and the widespread ridicule has clearly bruised his fragile ego .
While Trump has never been a paradigm of calmness or competence , he has become increasingly irate and erratic in recent days .
Now even his diehard supporters seem to be cooling towards him .
Is the ‘ very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
Kate Murphy in The New York Times “ Their faces arranged in a grid reminiscent of the game show ‘ Hollywood Squares ’ , people are attending virtual happy hours and birthday parties , holding virtual business meetings , learning in virtual classrooms and having virtual psychotherapy .
But there are reasons to be wary of the technology , beyond the widely reported security and privacy concerns .
Psychologists , computer scientists and neuroscientists say the distortions and delays inherent in video communication can end up making you feel isolated , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you were already ) .
You might be better off just talking on the phone.
” Resistance to the new data colonialism must start now “ We are told this is a time of hard choices , a time when emergency tracking measures via our digital devices are necessary if any return to normal life post-COVID-19 is possible .
We are told that one part of the planet ( ‘ the East ’ ) had these surveillance measures imposed on them by authoritarian states , while the other part ( ‘ the West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opt in ’ to solutions which supposedly respect their privacy .
Even if the East/West contrast were not already an oversimplification , it illuminates little , because the very same dynamic underlies both approaches : a new colonial push to convert all of human life into streams of data for economic value and political power.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long-time Saudi dissident — Newcastle United have no idea what they ’ re getting into “ The notion that Newcastle United ’ s new owners would use their cash to transform the club into a football powerhouse along the lines of Manchester City is a pipe dream .
With the price of oil tumbling to below $ 20 per barrel , Saudi Arabia is bleeding money , and the twin shocks of oversupply and crashing demand in energy markets mean that this hemorrhaging will continue for some time to come .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will soon come under strong domestic pressure to devote their shrinking resources to the welfare of their own citizens , rather than to high-priced transfer fees .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Philip Johnston in The Telegraph
on fruit-picking and farm work
If we want a Land Army, it needs to be easy for ‘workshy’ Brits to sign up
“Many years ago you could just turn up at the farm, ask if there was a job, were shown the ropes and got cracking. Nowadays, fruit farms tend to be far bigger enterprises, training is required, health and safety rules must be followed and swinging the lead is not tolerated in the way it used to be. Let’s face it, students are not the most reliable employees so it is simpler for the growers to hire gang-masters to recruit many thousands of pickers overseas, complete all the paperwork and arrive with plane loads of people willing and able to work hard who are also happy to live together en masse. Earlier this month, around 5,000 were brought in from Romania by charter flight despite the millions here who need a job.”
2. Arwa Mahdawi in The Guardian
on blind loyalty
Trump is unravelling – even his supporters can’t ignore it now
“I don’t know what kind of disinfectant Donald Trump has been injecting, but the man does not appear to be well. The president’s lethal medical musing has turned him into (even more of) a global laughing stock and the widespread ridicule has clearly bruised his fragile ego. While Trump has never been a paradigm of calmness or competence, he has become increasingly irate and erratic in recent days. Now even his diehard supporters seem to be cooling towards him. Is the ‘very stable genius’ starting to unravel?”
3. Kate Murphy in The New York Times
on awkward pauses
Why Zoom is terrible
“Their faces arranged in a grid reminiscent of the game show ‘Hollywood Squares’, people are attending virtual happy hours and birthday parties, holding virtual business meetings, learning in virtual classrooms and having virtual psychotherapy. But there are reasons to be wary of the technology, beyond the widely reported security and privacy concerns. Psychologists, computer scientists and neuroscientists say the distortions and delays inherent in video communication can end up making you feel isolated, anxious and disconnected (or more than you were already). You might be better off just talking on the phone.”
4. Ulises Ali Mejias and Nick Couldry in Al Jazeera
on unhelpful simplifications
Resistance to the new data colonialism must start now
“We are told this is a time of hard choices, a time when emergency tracking measures via our digital devices are necessary if any return to normal life post-COVID-19 is possible. We are told that one part of the planet (‘the East’) had these surveillance measures imposed on them by authoritarian states, while the other part (‘the West’) has the chance to ‘opt in’ to solutions which supposedly respect their privacy. Even if the East/West contrast were not already an oversimplification, it illuminates little, because the very same dynamic underlies both approaches: a new colonial push to convert all of human life into streams of data for economic value and political power.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
5. Ali Al-Ahmed in The Independent
on an uneasy alliance
I’m a long-time Saudi dissident — Newcastle United have no idea what they’re getting into
“The notion that Newcastle United’s new owners would use their cash to transform the club into a football powerhouse along the lines of Manchester City is a pipe dream. With the price of oil tumbling to below $20 per barrel, Saudi Arabia is bleeding money, and the twin shocks of oversupply and crashing demand in energy markets mean that this hemorrhaging will continue for some time to come. The stewards of Saudi Arabia’s economy will soon come under strong domestic pressure to devote their shrinking resources to the welfare of their own citizens, rather than to high-priced transfer fees.”


theweekuk--2020-04-28--How coronavirus put the weekly shop back in vogue

The boss of Tesco says the weekly shop is back in fashion as consumers revert to making one big weekly trip to the supermarket .
Dave Lewis said Covid-19 social distancing measures mean consumers are shopping less frequently and bringing back the approach of a decade ago .
He said that although the number of transactions this month has nearly halved , the size of the average basket had doubled .
“ People are shopping once a week , a little like they did 10 or 15 years ago , rather than two , three or four times a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Data from Kantar supports Lewis ’ comments .
The retail consultancy said households made a “ record low ” number of trips to the supermarket in the 12 weeks to 19 April .
“ Grocery sales were £524m higher in the past four weeks than they were in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to life under lockdown , ” Kantar said .
On average , it explained , households shopped only 14 times for groceries over the past month , a record low and down from 17 in pre-pandemic times .
“ A drop in frequency was matched by a corresponding uplift in the amount spent on each trip to £26.02 - easily the highest figure ever recorded by Kantar and £7 greater than last year.
” Last month , Downing Street said that the recommendation members of the public should shop once a week was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after transport secretary Grant Shapps said people should only shop once a week to help stop the spread of coronavirus .
Speaking on BBC Breakfast , he had said : “ People know the rules that have been set , try and shop just once a week .
Just do the essentials , not everything else.
” A spokesperson for the prime minister later clarified that “ the guidance does not specify that ” .

The boss of Tesco says the weekly shop is back in fashion as consumers revert to making one big weekly trip to the supermarket.
Dave Lewis said Covid-19 social distancing measures mean consumers are shopping less frequently and bringing back the approach of a decade ago.
He said that although the number of transactions this month has nearly halved, the size of the average basket had doubled.
“People are shopping once a week, a little like they did 10 or 15 years ago, rather than two, three or four times a week that was happening before the crisis,” he said.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced takeon the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Data from Kantar supports Lewis’ comments. The retail consultancy said households made a “record low” number of trips to the supermarket in the 12 weeks to 19 April.
“Grocery sales were £524m higher in the past four weeks than they were in April 2019, as British consumers adapted to life under lockdown,” Kantar said.
On average, it explained, households shopped only 14 times for groceries over the past month, a record low and down from 17 in pre-pandemic times.
“A drop in frequency was matched by a corresponding uplift in the amount spent on each trip to £26.02 - easily the highest figure ever recorded by Kantar and £7 greater than last year.”
Last month, Downing Street said that the recommendation members of the public should shop once a week was not official guidance.
The statement came after transport secretary Grant Shapps said people should only shop once a week to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he had said: “People know the rules that have been set, try and shop just once a week. Just do the essentials, not everything else.”
A spokesperson for the prime minister later clarified that “the guidance does not specify that”.


theweekuk--2020-04-30--Is a Covid-19 global recession now inevitable?

Economists are predicting a deep global recession after official data shows that the US experienced its worst first-quarter GDP fall since the financial crisis a decade ago .
The American economy shrank by 4.8 % in the first three months of the year , a sharper fall than the 4 % forecast by analysts .
The Times reports that the fall comes amid warnings that Europe ’ s largest economy , Germany , is “ on track to fall into its worst recession since the end of the Second World War ” .
“ Taken together , ” the paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gloomy picture for the global economy ” .
What do the numbers say ?
After a decade of near continuous growth , Germany ’ s economy ministry has sharply downgraded its growth forecasts for the present year from 1.1 % to -6.3 % .
Peter Altmaier , the German economy minister , said : “ We will experience the worst recession in the history of the federal republic.
” The Guardian reports that Germany ’ s economic woe is in keeping with the wider eurozone economy , which fell by 3.8 % in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it halfway into recession .
“ The wider EU economy also suffered badly , with GDP shrinking by 3.3 % during the quarter , ” the paper adds .
France has already sunk into recession , with data showing the country ’ s GDP contracted by 5.8 % in the first three months of 2020 , “ the worst contraction since the Second World War ” , according to the Guardian .
Italy is also in recession , with GDP shrinking by 4.7 % in the first quarter of 2020 .
Nicola Nobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that this puts Italy ’ s economy at its lowest level since the early 2000s , meaning the pandemic has wiped out all Italy ’ s growth since the eurozone crisis .
Spanish GDP contracted by 5.2 % from January to March compared with the previous quarter , according to new figures from the nation ’ s National Statistics Institute .
The Guardian adds that it is Spain ’ s worst contraction since the current data series started in 1995 .
According to Reuters , the eurozone economy “ contracted at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the first three months of the year ” , while “ inflation slowed sharply as much economic activity in March came to a halt because of the Covid-19 pandemic ” .
The news agency cites an estimate by the European Union ’ s statistics office Eurostat , which claims “ economic output in the 19 countries sharing the euro in January-March was 3.8 % smaller than in the previous three months ” .
What about the UK ?
As The Economist notes , the coronavirus has triggered the UK ’ s “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The newspaper reports that “ official data from the Office for National Statistics will take time to catch up to the new reality , but survey data are startling ” .
The IHS Markit ’ s “ flash ” purchasing managers ’ index ( PMI ) , which gives early estimates of private sector activity in the month , fell from 36 in March to 12.9 in April .
The fall was far more severe than economists had predicted – they had forecasted a drop to 31.4 .
The employment index recorded a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the height of the financial crisis a decade ago .
Samuel Tombs , of economics consultancy Pantheon Macroeconomics , told the Economist : “ In a normal recession , if it was very bad , you might see a quarter-on-quarter drop of 2 % in GDP .
The second quarter this year will probably be down closer to 20 % .
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– What has the reaction been ?
Responding to the US ’ s GDP fall , Jerome Powell , chairman of the US Federal Reserve , said that economic activity would drop at an “ unprecedented rate ” in the second quarter .
Powell added that America ’ s central bank may need to provide additional support “ if the recovery is to be a robust one ” , says the Times .
Chris Rupkey , an analyst at MUFG , said : “ If the economy fell this hard in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a month of pandemic lockdown for most states , don ’ t ask how far it will crater in the second quarter because it is going to be a complete disaster.
” Gregory Daco , also of Oxford Economics , said : “ We believe the US economy will experience a peak-to-trough contraction of over 12 % as a result of the coronavirus outbreak – three times the size of the [ 2008 ] financial crisis and the sharpest contraction since the Second World War.
” Carsten Brzeski , chief economist at ING @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brace [ itself ] for worse to happen ” , adding that the fall in Eurozone activity came after only “ two weeks of lockdown and supply chain disruptions ” .

Economists are predicting a deep global recession after official data shows that the US experienced its worst first-quarter GDP fall since the financial crisis a decade ago.
The American economy shrank by 4.8% in the first three months of the year, a sharper fall than the 4% forecast by analysts.
The Times reports that the fall comes amid warnings that Europe’s largest economy, Germany, is “on track to fall into its worst recession since the end of the Second World War”.
“Taken together,” the paper adds, “the numbers paint a gloomy picture for the global economy”.
What do the numbers say?
After a decade of near continuous growth, Germany’s economy ministry has sharply downgraded its growth forecasts for the present year from 1.1% to -6.3%.
Peter Altmaier, the German economy minister, said: “We will experience the worst recession in the history of the federal republic.”
The Guardian reports that Germany’s economic woe is in keeping with the wider eurozone economy, which fell by 3.8% in the first quarter of 2020, putting it halfway into recession.
“The wider EU economy also suffered badly, with GDP shrinking by 3.3% during the quarter,” the paper adds.
France has already sunk into recession, with data showing the country’s GDP contracted by 5.8% in the first three months of 2020, “the worst contraction since the Second World War”, according to the Guardian.
Italy is also in recession, with GDP shrinking by 4.7% in the first quarter of 2020. Nicola Nobile, senior economist at Oxford Economics, said that this puts Italy’s economy at its lowest level since the early 2000s, meaning the pandemic has wiped out all Italy’s growth since the eurozone crisis.
Spanish GDP contracted by 5.2% from January to March compared with the previous quarter, according to new figures from the nation’s National Statistics Institute. The Guardian adds that it is Spain’s worst contraction since the current data series started in 1995.
According to Reuters, the eurozone economy “contracted at a record rate and by more than expected in the first three months of the year”, while “inflation slowed sharply as much economic activity in March came to a halt because of the Covid-19 pandemic”.