theweekuk--2020-05-29--52 ideas that changed the world - 49. Ecology

In this series , The Week looks at the ideas and innovations that permanently changed the way we see the world .
This week , the spotlight is on ecology : Ecology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of interactions between natural systems .
“ One core goal of ecology is to understand the distribution and abundance of living things in the physical environment , ” says American non-profit organisation the Khan Academy .
It investigates the “ patterns in nature [ that ] are driven by interactions among organisms as well as between organisms and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two main factors - biotic , which is living-organism-related , and abiotic , which considers nonliving or physical systems .
How did it develop ?
Ecology developed as a prominent strand of scientific investigation only in the second half of the 20th century , but ecological thinking has been around for millennia , says the Environment and Ecology website .
A form of ecology started with the Ancient Greeks , around 2,400 years ago .
Theophrastus , a friend and associate of Aristotle , first described the interrelationships between organisms and their environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Modern ecology arguably started with the publication of The Oeconomy of Nature by Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus in 1749 .
Linnaeus made the argument “ that if one looks closely at nature it is clear that even the simplest organisms have an important role to play in this natural economy ; that no living thing is useless , ” says Encyclopedia.com .
German explorer and scientist Alexander von Humboldt advanced these beliefs , devising the theory that nothing in nature could be studied in isolation and all phenomena were connected .
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the field of ecology , and “ it is often held that the roots of scientific ecology may be traced back to Darwin ” , says Environment and Ecology .
“ On the Origin of Species is full of observations and proposed mechanisms that clearly fit within the boundaries of modern ecology… and the term ecology was coined in 1866 by a strong proponent of Darwinism , Ernst Haeckel.
” The 20th century brought huge leaps forward in the scientific study of plants and their environments , through groups of botanists in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European botanists concerned themselves with the study of the composition , structure , and distribution of plant communities .
The American botanists studied the development of plant communities , or succession , ” says Encyclopedia Britannica .
The British ecologist and conservationist Arthur Tansley developed the view that “ since plants exist in communities the ecologist should be concerned with the structure of communities , or ‘ plant sociology ’ ” , says Oxford Reference .
Tansley then coined the term “ ecosystem ” in 1935 , recognising that it was not possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment .
“ Ecosystem ecology became one of the principal forces in ecology in the 1960s and 1970s and the basis of a new theoretical ecology termed ‘ systems ecology ’ , ” says Encyclopedia.com .
Human ecology has become a distinct and important field of study in recent years , as more weight is given to the consideration that humans are a major ecological factor .
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Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– How did it change the world ?
Ecology helps us understand the environment and humans ’ relationship with it , something “ that is vital for food production , maintaining clean air and water , and sustaining biodiversity in a changing climate ” , says the British Ecological Society .
The human ecological impacts of climate change are key to understanding the future of the human species , and harnessing that understanding could be critical for human longevity , adds Dr Roger Rosenblatt in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we have accomplished in the fields of medicine and public health could be undermined if we do not pay attention to these rapid environmental changes , ” says Rosenblatt .
“ By staying engaged in the natural world , we can help to prevent the collapse of the biological systems upon which we all depend.
” Ecological research can also feed into the prevention of human disease .
Earlier this month , scientists in Kenya discovered a microbe carried by some mosquitos that prevents the insects from being infected with malaria parasites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deadly disease to humans .
As well as its importance to human survival , understanding ecology is important to nature conservation and the survival of a broad range of species .
“ Ecology allows us to understand the effects our actions have on our environment , ” says Conserve Energy Future .
“ With this information , it helps guide conservation efforts by first showing the primary means by which the problems we experience within our environment begin and by following this identification process , it shows us where our efforts would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foundation of “ how we can use Earth ’ s resources in ways that leave the environment healthy for future generations ” , says the Ecological Society of America .
Without ecological understanding , we could not protect humans , animals , the environment - it matters now and will continue to matter .


theweekuk--2020-05-30--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 30 May 2020

Protests have been held in at least 20 US cities over the death of unarmed black man George Floyd at @ @ @ @ @ police officer in Minneapolis .
Hundreds of people rallied outside the White House , which @ @ @ @ @ yesterday .
The former officer has been charged with murder and manslaughter .
He is @ @ @ @ @ court in Minneapolis for the first time on Monday .

Protests continue in US as officer is charged with murder
Protests have been held in at least 20 US cities over the death of unarmed black man George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis. Hundreds of people rallied outside the White House, which was briefly put under lockdown yesterday. The former officer has been charged with murder and manslaughter. He is is due to appear in court in Minneapolis for the first time on Monday.


theweekuk--2020-05-31--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 31 May 2020

Vulnerable people who have been asked to remain indoors since the coronavirus lockdown began are to be allowed outdoors once @ @ @ @ @ by the government as “ extremely clinically vulnerable ” will be able to go outside @ @ @ @ @ or , if they live alone , to meet with one person from another household @ @ @ @ @ thank everyone who has followed the shielding guidance , ” said the PM .

Shielded to be allowed out again from Monday
Vulnerable people who have been asked to remain indoors since the coronavirus lockdown began are to be allowed outdoors once a day. Those classed by the government as “extremely clinically vulnerable” will be able to go outside with members of their household or, if they live alone, to meet with one person from another household. “I want to thank everyone who has followed the shielding guidance,” said the PM.


theweekuk--2020-06-01--Instant Opinion: the Right ‘plans to profit from the pandemic’

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The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Quinn Slobodian, associate professor of history at Wellesley College, in The Guardian
on the disaster capitalists circling the crisis
How the libertarian Right plans to profit from the pandemic
“It’s easy to imagine how a particular breed of investor could see this pandemic as an opportunity that will accelerate existing trends. The loose attachments that investors feel towards this or that nation will grow even looser as capital becomes more mobile, and a sorting process will separate the productive few nations from the malingering many. States that don’t fall in line with the demands of this investor class will be starved by the voluntary expatriation of the wealthy, with their assets and abilities in tow. If you assume this is merely a pessimistic vision, you’d be wrong. In fact it accords with a long-cultivated ideology that Srinivasan shares with a group of like-minded venture capitalists and entrepreneurs who subscribe to variations of the radical libertarian philosophy known as ‘anarcho-capitalism’. The idea at its root is that a wealthy class of investors and entrepreneurs should be free to exit nation states and form new communities whose members can choose which rules (and tax laws) they’re governed by – as if those rules were products on a store shelf.”
2. Jennifer Senior in The New York Times
on the relationship between the White House and violent police
What Trump and Toxic Cops Have in Common
“In his first Inaugural Address, and hopefully his last, Donald Trump talked about American carnage. He got it this week. What we couldn’t have known in January 2017 is that he wasn’t here to save us from this carnage, but to perpetuate it; that incitement wasn’t just a feature of his campaign, but of his governance. When historians look back at the Trump era, they may very well say his presidency was encapsulated by this moment, when a sadistic cop knelt on the neck of an African-American man for almost nine minutes in plain view and the streets exploded in rage. Derek Chauvin was by no means the first cop to gratuitously brutalize and lynch an African-American. But he embodied something essential about Trumpism: It’s us versus them. That’s the poison ethos at the heart of police brutality, and it’s the septic core of our 45th president’s philosophy. Neither a toxic cop nor Donald Trump sees himself as a servant of all the people they’ve sworn to protect. They are solely servants of their own. Everyone else is the enemy.”
3. Steven Fielding in The Spectator
on whether the Labour leader could borrow from the Johnson playbook
Could Keir Starmer become a populist politician?
“It might seem unlikely that the Labour leader can emerge as a populist, but that is only because we are accustomed to a particular right-wing and nationalist version of the elite/people divide. Historically the Labour Party has often dipped its toes in populist waters. As one 1944 party document declared, ‘Labour Politics are the People’s Politics’. The ‘people’ of which Labour then spoke were the productive and ‘useful’ members of society willing to contribute to Britain’s development... In the mid-1960s Harold Wilson revived this progressive populism by famously declaring that the energies of blue and white-collar workers were being held back by an incompetent elite that only controlled company board rooms because of privileged family connections. According to Wilson the enemies of the people were the unproductive, those who either through interest or incompetence stood between a virtuous people and their rightful reward... It helped turn a podgy economist with a penchant for big cigars and whose natural world was the Oxford Senior Common Room into a sassy, pipe-smoking tribune of the people. Thanks to Johnson, Starmer also has the opportunity to undergo a similar, unlikely, transformation should he wish to seize it.”
4. Claire Foges in The Times
on the Tories’ need to debate their manifesto pledges
Tories shouldn’t protect their sacred cows
“A category four tornado tears through the Little Blatherington summer fête, sending marquees sailing through the air and sweeping up stalls like confetti. Out crawls the vicar from the wreckage, insisting that the wonky vegetable competition must go ahead as planned: ‘We’re not going to be blown off course!’ These were also the words of Boris Johnson last week when he assured the liaison committee that despite the pandemic and its trail of economic destruction, pledges made before last year’s election would not be blown off course. The prime minister’s promise: ‘We are going to meet all of our manifesto commitments.’ As you were! Some will admire his defiance. This is a country that fetishises the Keep Calm and Carry On slogan; central to national pride is the belief that plucky Britain can thumb its nose at world-devastating events and continue as before. But there is determination, and there is delusion. The Conservative manifesto was written in a different age. It is a document from the Before Times, before whole sectors lay comatose, before nearly a quarter of employees were furloughed, before the government was borrowing over £60 billion in a single month.”


theweekuk--2020-06-01--Is Britain easing coronavirus lockdown too soon?

Ten weeks after Prime Minister Boris Johnson told people across the UK to “ stay at home ” , England is taking a leap into the unknown with a major easing of lockdown restrictions .
From today , pupils are returning to primary schools , groups of up to six people can meet for barbecues , and anyone can leave their home without having a “ reasonable excuse ” .
Restrictions are also being lifted in Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland to allow people from different households to meet outside .
Business Secretary Alok Sharma told the BBC that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and “ phased ” steps to return to normal life , and that the process was “ not a dash ” .
But many public health officials and members of Downing Street ’ s Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies ( Sage ) are warning that the lockdown is being eased too soon .
What have the scientists said ?
Senior public health officials made a last-minute plea on Sunday night for the government to abandon the lifting of the restrictions .
The Association of Directors of Public Health ( ADPH ) said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported by the science ” and that it was clear “ the public is not keeping to social distancing as it was ” .
ADPH president Jeanelle de Gruchy said her colleagues across England were “ increasingly concerned that the government is misjudging the balance of risk between more social interaction and the risk of a resurgence of the virus , and is easing too many restrictions too quickly ” , reports The Guardian .
Dr Jenny Harries , the deputy chief medical officer for England , emphasised that the public “ really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message ” of taking sensible measures to avoid infection .
“ As we move forward with the easing of our lockdown restrictions , we encourage people to maintain all focus on maintaining social distancing , ” she told press at the government ’ s daily briefing .
Harries ’ call echoes that made last week by Sage member John Edmunds , a professor of infectious disease modelling at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine .
Addressing reporters , Edmunds said that “ we can not relax our guard by very much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European .
“ I think at the moment , with relatively high incidence and relaxing the measures and also with an untested track and trace system , I think we are taking some risk here , ” he added .
Peter Openshaw , an immunologist on the government ’ s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group , has also warned that “ unlocking too fast carries a great risk ” , and that the nation needs “ to proceed with great , great care at this point ” , reports The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peak ?
Speaking to Sky News on Monday morning , Business Secretary Sharma said : “ The one thing that no one wants to see is a second spike.
” But that spike may prove unavoidable , according to the World Health Organization ’ s top official in Europe , who has said that a second deadly wave of Covid-19 is expected to hit Europe this winter .
In a stark warning to countries easing lockdown restrictions , Dr Hans Kluge , director for the WHO European region , told The Telegraph that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not celebration ” .
Sage experts have predicted that a second peak could come sooner than winter , thanks to the easing of the measures .
Newly published minutes from a 5 May meeting show that members of the advisory group suggested easing lockdown was “ highly likely ” to push the R value above 1 , meaning that numbers of new coronavirus cases will rise , reports The Sun .
The peak danger point was identified as Phase 4 , “ which could kick in around August 15 , and would involve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September , most leisure facilities being open and most people being back at work ” , says the newspaper .
The documents state : “ As things currently stand , Phase 4 of the modelled options is highly likely to push R above 1 .
This phase of the option involves more extensive relaxing of measures across a range of areas.
” Patrick Vallance , the government ’ s chief scientific adviser , told a Downing Street press conference last week that the R rate was somewhere between 0.7 and 0.9 .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lockdown easing , Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has acknowledged that “ this is a sensitive moment ” , reports Metro .
But he added : “ We can ’ t just stay in lockdown for ever .
We have got to transition.
” Could there be regional lockdowns ?
If a rise in cases suddenly becomes apparent , the government plans to impose local lockdowns in a staggered unlocking of the country and the economy .
“ It may be that actually easing lockdown is perfectly OK in areas like London which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and where the epidemic seems to have been virtually passed in many parts of the community , with a few exceptions , ” government adviser Openshaw told The Andrew Marr Show .
“ But up north , it ’ s still a very large number of cases .
I think we need to be more subtle about the geography and we need to look at the particular areas where it may be appropriate to ease lockdown .
Maybe there needs to be a bit more subtlety to the way in which lockdown is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ host Marr that the government had the means to shut down certain areas if coronavirus cases became unmanageable at a local level .
“ What we really want to avoid is any re-entering of the lockdown .
If there ’ s any uptick in one particular locality or one particular setting , we ’ ve got the ability to take targeted measures , ” Raab said .
Regional lockdowns have been used in other countries including France , where the greater Paris area was among four regions that remained under stricter lockdown measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from restrictions , as The Guardian reported last month .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– How do Brits feel about heading outside ?
While most European countries have seen the public heading back to resturants and bars , polling data suggests that Britons are wary of being released from lockdown too soon .
In early May , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that fewer than one in five respondents believed the time was right to consider reopening schools , restaurants , pubs and stadiums .
Just 11 % of those quizzed thought the authorities should consider reopening restaurants , with 78 % against the idea .
Only 9 % said it would be correct to consider reopening pubs , with 81 % against , and just 7 % said mass gatherings such as sports events or concerts should resume , with 84 % against .
More recently , YouGov polling shows that Brits have also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with 48 % of respondents saying they were afraid of the illness on Saturday , compared with 45 % a week earlier .
However , the percentage of people who feared infection was as high as 53 % on 21 May - suggesting that the nation is slowly becoming more accustomed to the threat .

Ten weeks after Prime Minister Boris Johnson told people across the UK to “stay at home”, England is taking a leap into the unknown with a major easing of lockdown restrictions. From today, pupils are returning to primary schools, groups of up to six people can meet for barbecues, and anyone can leave their home without having a “reasonable excuse”. Restrictions are also being lifted in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to allow people from different households to meet outside. Business Secretary Alok Sharma told the BBC that the government was taking “very cautious” and “phased” steps to return to normal life, and that the process was “not a dash”. But many public health officials and members of Downing Street’s Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage) are warning that the lockdown is being eased too soon. What have the scientists said? Senior public health officials made a last-minute plea on Sunday night for the government to abandon the lifting of the restrictions. The Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) said that the rule changes were “not supported by the science” and that it was clear “the public is not keeping to social distancing as it was”. ADPH president Jeanelle de Gruchy said her colleagues across England were “increasingly concerned that the government is misjudging the balance of risk between more social interaction and the risk of a resurgence of the virus, and is easing too many restrictions too quickly”, reports The Guardian. Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer for England, emphasised that the public “really, really need to stick to the message” of taking sensible measures to avoid infection. “As we move forward with the easing of our lockdown restrictions, we encourage people to maintain all focus on maintaining social distancing,” she told press at the government’s daily briefing. Skip advert Harries’ call echoes that made last week by Sage member John Edmunds, a professor of infectious disease modelling at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Addressing reporters, Edmunds said that “we cannot relax our guard by very much at all”, reports The New European. “I think at the moment, with relatively high incidence and relaxing the measures and also with an untested track and trace system, I think we are taking some risk here,” he added.
Peter Openshaw, an immunologist on the government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group, has also warned that “unlocking too fast carries a great risk”, and that the nation needs “to proceed with great, great care at this point”, reports The Times. How likely is a second peak? Speaking to Sky News on Monday morning, Business Secretary Sharma said: “The one thing that no one wants to see is a second spike.” But that spike may prove unavoidable, according to the World Health Organization’s top official in Europe, who has said that a second deadly wave of Covid-19 is expected to hit Europe this winter. In a stark warning to countries easing lockdown restrictions, Dr Hans Kluge, director for the WHO European region, told The Telegraph that it was “time for preparation, not celebration”. Sage experts have predicted that a second peak could come sooner than winter, thanks to the easing of the measures. Newly published minutes from a 5 May meeting show that members of the advisory group suggested easing lockdown was “highly likely” to push the R value above 1, meaning that numbers of new coronavirus cases will rise, reports The Sun. The peak danger point was identified as Phase 4, “which could kick in around August 15, and would involve all kids heading back to school in September, most leisure facilities being open and most people being back at work”, says the newspaper. The documents state: “As things currently stand, Phase 4 of the modelled options is highly likely to push R above 1. This phase of the option involves more extensive relaxing of measures across a range of areas.” Skip advert Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, told a Downing Street press conference last week that the R rate was somewhere between 0.7 and 0.9. As the UK now enters Phase 2 of the lockdown easing, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has acknowledged that “this is a sensitive moment”, reports Metro. But he added: “We can’t just stay in lockdown for ever. We have got to transition.” Could there be regional lockdowns? If a rise in cases suddenly becomes apparent, the government plans to impose local lockdowns in a staggered unlocking of the country and the economy. “It may be that actually easing lockdown is perfectly OK in areas like London which were hit early and hit hard, and where the epidemic seems to have been virtually passed in many parts of the community, with a few exceptions,” government adviser Openshaw told The Andrew Marr Show.


theweekuk--2020-06-01--Reaction: US rocked by ‘worst race riots since the 1960s’

The US has been rocked by a sixth day of violence as curfews in at least 40 cities fail to quell protests triggered by the death of George Floyd .
Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to streets across the country on Sunday amid growing anger over the killing of the unarmed African-American man by police in Minneapolis last week during an arrest over an alleged fake $ 20 bill .
Derek Chauvin , a police officer filmed pressing his knee into Floyd ’ s neck for more than eight minutes , was charged with third-degree murder on Friday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ she is divorcing him , saying that she is “ devastated ” by Floyd ’ s death .
The nationwide protests mark “ the most widespread disorder triggered by racism since the 1960s ” , says The Times , which reports that peaceful demonstrations have “ descended into looting and clashes with the authorities ” , with the National Guard and police officers firing “ tear gas and rubber bullets into crowds ” .
Around 4,100 protesters were arrested in cities across the country over the weekend , according to the Associated Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd ’ s death , it remains unclear whether tensions nationwide are calming or escalating ” , says The Washington Post .
In the capital city , President Donald Trump was taken by Secret Service agents to an underground bunker at the White House on Friday evening , after protests “ erupted near the presidential residence ” , the newspaper reports .
A crowd pulled an American flag off St. John ’ s Episcopal Church , where presidents have historically worshipped , as “ police officers periodically sprayed pepper bullets and tear gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , opposite the presidential residence .
The protests outside the White House echo scenes across the US .
The Times reports that looters in more than 20 Californian cities broke into businesses , carrying away “ clothes , mobile phones , TVs and other electronics ” , while officials in Philadelphia said that protesters had thrown rocks and petrol bombs at police .
In Santa Monica and Long Beach , police fired tear gas and other projectiles at protesters blocking a main shopping road , after a number of buildings and businesses were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , a tanker “ drove through thousands of people marching on a Minneapolis highway ” , before “ protesters dragged the driver from the cab and beat him ” , according to The Telegraph .
Authorities said that police had arrested the driver , who suffered non-life-threatening injuries , following the “ disturbing ” incident .
Police nationwide have come under “ intense scrutiny and criticism ” over their “ heavy-handed tactics ” , which include “ attacking and arresting protestors and members of the media ” , says The Guardian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NYT ) puts it , “ facing protests over use of force , police respond with more force ” .
Social media sites have been flooded with videos that appear to show police using violence against protestors , including footage of cops in New York City driving their vehicles into a crowd of protesters .
In Atlanta , two officers have been fired and three placed on desk duty over excessive use of force on Saturday night .
The incident came to light after a video appeared on Fox News showing a group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a man , with a woman in the passenger seat .
The officers are seen pulling the woman out to zip-tie her and then appear to use a stun gun on the man , who shows no signs of resisting .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 NYT reports that following Trump ’ s “ when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” tweet last week , the president is now using Twitter “ to criticise local Democratic leaders for not doing more to control the protests ” .
In one message , Trump said that he would be “ designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization ” - a reference to a loose global collective of “ anti-facist ” activists .
However , he has “ resisted calls to address the tensions roiling the country ” , says the newspaper .
Other US political leaders have been urging demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protests could trigger a second wave of the new coronavirus .
More than 100,000 Americans have already died as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak , according to latest figures , with people of colour particularly hard hit .
Demonstrators have also been protesting outside US embassies in London , Berlin and Copenhagen , as outrage over Floyd ’ s killing spreads across the world .
In London , thousands of activists chanting “ black lives matter ” broke social-distancing rules to march on Downing Street and Trafalgar Square yesterday .

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theweekuk--2020-06-01--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 1 Jun 2020

Nasa astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken have arrived at the International Space Station following a historic launch from Florida @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday .
The pair disembarked to join the Russian and American crew already on @ @ @ @ @ capsule attached to the bow section of the orbiting lab more than 260 miles above @ @ @ @ @ the capsule - supplied and operated by Elon Musk ’ s company SpaceX - marks @ @ @ @ @ has sent astronauts into space from US soil in nine years .

US astronauts dock at International Space Station
Nasa astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken have arrived at the International Space Station following a historic launch from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center on Saturday. The pair disembarked to join the Russian and American crew already on the ISS after their Dragon capsule attached to the bow section of the orbiting lab more than 260 miles above China. The launch of the capsule - supplied and operated by Elon Musk’s company SpaceX - marks the first time that Nasa has sent astronauts into space from US soil in nine years.


theweekuk--2020-06-01--Monkeys escape with coronavirus samples

Monkeys escape with coronavirus samples

Thieving monkeys in India triggered fears of a further spread of the new coronavirus after snatching blood samples from Covid-19 tests. The monkeys grabbed the three samples from a health worker in Meerut, near Delhi, and then escaped up nearby trees. The theft sparked worries that the stealing simians could spread the pandemic in the local area, but the authorities have since confirmed that the sample boxes have been recovered undamaged.
Cobbler sells long shoes for social distancing
A cobbler in Romania is selling huge shoes to help people enforce Covid-19 social distancing rules. Grigore Lup says that if two people wear his special shoes, which come in a European size 75, they will be one-and-a-half metres apart when facing each other. “You can see it on the street, people are not respecting social distancing rules,” added Lup, who has been making leather shoes for 39 years.
Scorpion hides in bunch of bananas
A Hampshire couple were shocked to discover a scorpion native to Florida hiding in a bunch of bananas they had purchased in their local Lidl supermarket. “I realised it was a scorpion straight away and was a bit freaked out,” Matt Fry told The Sun. “I put it in a jar and made a bit of a home for it in the spare bedroom and gave it some food just in case. I even named it Simon the Scorpion.” Simon was taken in by Surrey and Hampshire Reptile Rescue.
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theweekuk--2020-06-01--Illegal migrants to be used as ‘whistle-blowers’ to convict traffickers

The National Crime Agency ( NCA ) is hoping to turn illegal immigrants into “ whistle-blowers ” by offering to handle immigration offences “ more sensitively ” for those who help police .
Rob Richardson , the head of the organisation ’ s human trafficking unit , told The Times that prosecutions are difficult to secure unless victims go on the record .
But NCA bosses hope to achieve more arrests and convictions by giving illegal workers the chance to improve their odds of being able to stay in the UK if they speak out .
Although the offer is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adds the newspaper , Richardson says there is “ a balance to be had ” .
“ If people are in exploitative situations or are being exploited , we have a duty of care to them as well , ” he said .
“ If an immigration offence has been committed that would have to be investigated , but it would be investigated sensitively.
” In early May , the BBC reported a coronavirus “ lockdown spike ” in migrants intercepted crossing the English Channel into the UK .
On the Friday of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boats carrying 145 people were stopped - a new record for a single day .
A further 82 were intercepted in the following 24 hours .
Tho migrants picked up by Border Force officials claimed to be Iranian , Iraqi , Kuwaiti , Syrian and Afghan nationals , according to the broadcaster .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down on traffickers , Robinson said the NCA had feared that the closure of many service businesses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic would see “ illegal workers being abandoned onto the streets by gangs who had no use for them ” .
However , intelligence and local police reports suggest that trafficked workers have been moved into other jobs , including sexual exploitation on “ pay-per-view video sites ” .
Richardson said : “ Organised crime moves to where there is an opportunity to make money .
If it can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will move elsewhere .
”

The National Crime Agency (NCA) is hoping to turn illegal immigrants into “whistle-blowers” by offering to handle immigration offences “more sensitively” for those who help police.
Rob Richardson, the head of the organisation’s human trafficking unit, told The Times that prosecutions are difficult to secure unless victims go on the record. But NCA bosses hope to achieve more arrests and convictions by giving illegal workers the chance to improve their odds of being able to stay in the UK if they speak out.
Although the offer is not a “get-out-of-jail-free card”, adds the newspaper, Richardson says there is “a balance to be had”.
“If people are in exploitative situations or are being exploited, we have a duty of care to them as well,” he said. “If an immigration offence has been committed that would have to be investigated, but it would be investigated sensitively.”
In early May, the BBC reported a coronavirus “lockdown spike” in migrants intercepted crossing the English Channel into the UK. On the Friday of the May Day bank holiday, eight boats carrying 145 people were stopped - a new record for a single day. A further 82 were intercepted in the following 24 hours.
Tho migrants picked up by Border Force officials claimed to be Iranian, Iraqi, Kuwaiti, Syrian and Afghan nationals, according to the broadcaster.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Outlining the new plan to crack down on traffickers, Robinson said the NCA had feared that the closure of many service businesses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic would see “illegal workers being abandoned onto the streets by gangs who had no use for them”.
However, intelligence and local police reports suggest that trafficked workers have been moved into other jobs, including sexual exploitation on “pay-per-view video sites”. Richardson said: “Organised crime moves to where there is an opportunity to make money. If it cannot make money where it is, it will move elsewhere.”


theweekuk--2020-06-01--Tory polling stabilises as Labour whip resigns over lockdown breach

Latest polls suggest that public outrage over Dominic Cummings ’ lockdown breach is receding , with the Conservatives ’ lead over Labour widening to ten points in the past week .
The Tories ’ image has “ nosedived ” since early April , with voters increasingly viewing the ruling party as “ out of touch and incompetent ” , says The Times .
But while the government has faced widespread criticism over its handling of the coronavirus crisis , support for the Conservatives has risen to 45 % , up one point from the beginning of last week , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Labour is on 35 % , down three points since the start of last week .
However , the ten-point lead held by the Tories is well below the 15-point gap that the party enjoyed before the Cummings scandal .
And when asked by YouGov who would make the best prime minister , 37 % of respondents said Boris Johnson , while 32 % said Keir Starmer .
The five-point gap in the latest poll , conducted last Friday and Saturday , marks a significant narrowing compared with a survey 11 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12-point lead over the Labour leader .
The result is likely to “ fuel consternation in Conservative circles , where Labour is viewed as an increasingly serious threat ” under Starmer ’ s leadership , says The Times .
Labour ’ s drop in the polls comes after party whip Rosie Duffield resigned from her front-bench post .
Duffield quit after The Mail on Sunday revealed that she had broken lockdown regulations in April by meeting with her married boyfriend , TV director James Routh , while he was still living with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had also spend time together at Duffield ’ s home , which they are now sharing .
In a statement , Duffield said : “ My partner and I have been attempting to navigate a difficult personal situation as responsibly as possible .
I apologise that during that process , we breached the guidelines .
”

Latest polls suggest that public outrage over Dominic Cummings’ lockdown breach is receding, with the Conservatives’ lead over Labour widening to ten points in the past week.
The Tories’ image has “nosedived” since early April, with voters increasingly viewing the ruling party as “out of touch and incompetent”, says The Times.
But while the government has faced widespread criticism over its handling of the coronavirus crisis, support for the Conservatives has risen to 45%, up one point from the beginning of last week, according to a YouGov poll for the newspaper.
Labour is on 35%, down three points since the start of last week. However, the ten-point lead held by the Tories is well below the 15-point gap that the party enjoyed before the Cummings scandal.
And when asked by YouGov who would make the best prime minister, 37% of respondents said Boris Johnson, while 32% said Keir Starmer. The five-point gap in the latest poll, conducted last Friday and Saturday, marks a significant narrowing compared with a survey 11 days earlier, in which Johnson commanded a 12-point lead over the Labour leader.
The result is likely to “fuel consternation in Conservative circles, where Labour is viewed as an increasingly serious threat” under Starmer’s leadership, says The Times.
Labour’s drop in the polls comes after party whip Rosie Duffield resigned from her front-bench post.
Duffield quit after The Mail on Sunday revealed that she had broken lockdown regulations in April by meeting with her married boyfriend, TV director James Routh, while he was still living with his wife. The newspaper said the couple had also spend time together at Duffield’s home, which they are now sharing.
In a statement, Duffield said: “My partner and I have been attempting to navigate a difficult personal situation as responsibly as possible. I apologise that during that process, we breached the guidelines.”


theweekuk--2020-06-01--George Floyd: the charges against Derek Chauvin explained

The family of George Floyd are demanding that tougher charges be brought against the US police officer accused of killing the arrested man by kneeling on his neck for more than eight minutes .
Derek Chauvin was charged on Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter - two felonies where intent is a key element - over the death of African-American Floyd , which has triggered protests across the US .
However , CNN says that Floyd ’ s family and their lawyer , Benjamin Crump , are upset that the fired Minneapolis Police Department officer “ wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and are demanding that the authorities change the charges .
Under Minnesota law , third-degree murder is defined as causing the death of a person “ by perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind ” .
The offence carries a sentence of no more than 25 years or a fine of no more than $ 40,000 ( £32,000 ) , or both .
The news site says that the charges are not more serious because “ prosecutors had to prove that [ Chauvin ] wanted to kill ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest over an alleged fake $ 20 bill .
CNN legal analyst Laura Coates , a former assistant US attorney for the District of Columbia , said that the prosecutor will have looked at “ what a reasonable police officer would have done ” , as well as whether “ this officer intended to get up this morning or have that interaction with Mr. George Floyd and cause his death ” .
In other words , prosecutors “ appear to believe Chauvin ’ s actions were unintentional but the law still recognises them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The New York Times reports that police department records show that Chauvin had previously faced 18 internal affairs complaints , “ 16 of which were closed without discipline ” .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In an interview with CBS News ’ s Face the Nation , the Floyd family ’ s lawyer said that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder .
Crump said : “ We believe [ Chauvin ] knew who George Floyd was.
” Crump claims the Floyd family was “ notified by the owner of a club that Derek Chauvin was an off-duty police officer where George Floyd was a security guard , and so they had to overlap ” .


theweekuk--2020-06-01--Coronavirus: why are stocks markets booming in the middle of a pandemic?

The coronavirus pandemic has triggered countless job losses worldwide , with consumer spending at a standstill and thousands of businesses set to be shuttered forever .
Yet US stock markets are near all-time highs and other world markets are recovering steadily .
So what is behind the unexpected disconnect between Wall Street and the high street ?
Despite the US approaching its steepest downturn since the Great Depression , the country ’ s stock indices are nearing all-time highs , with valuations closer to the 2000 dot-com bubble than the depths of 1929 .
Indeed , “ having risen a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trough , stocks looked set to kick off June with more gains ” , Reuters reports .
Economists point to a range of different drivers for investors ’ confidence .
Diane Swonk , chief economist at Grant Thornton , believes that “ many investors still see the world through pre-pandemic-tinted lenses ” .
Many expect the recovery to follow similar patterns to those that came after previous recessions , ” and don ’ t see the much larger and longer-term challenges created by Covid-19 ” , Swonk writes in a Foreign Policy article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mohamed A. El-Erian , chief economic advisor at Allianz , has a different take .
According to El-Erian , investors believe - falsely - that right now they simply can ’ t lose .
“ They win if - based on the notion that stock markets can see past the short term - the economy quickly returns to normal ; they also win if it doesn ’ t , given that the US Federal Reserve has repeatedly demonstrated that it is both willing and able to backstop markets , ” he writes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into account the economic and business fundamentals of each company - and many companies are going to continue to struggle , even after coronavirus lockdowns in countries across the globe are fully lifted , El-Erian says .
The New York Times , meanwhile , attributes the broad rise to “ bargains and bravery ” .
Or to put it another way , investors in search of good deals are buying while the market is low .
“ We will never get these prices again , ” said Cole Smead , a portfolio manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also a “ fear of missing out , ” the newspaper adds .
“ As shares rise , professional money managers feel pressure to buy stocks to protect their reputations.
” According to Business Insider , the reason stock markets are rising now is that investors think the economy has already bottomed .
“ Investors think April was the low point for the economy and things could start to improve – or at least not get worse – from here , ” the news site says .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– What does a rising stock market tell us ?
“ No one has a crystal ball , ” says David Taylor , business reporter for Australia ’ s ABC News .
“ You could argue , however , that the share market is the closest you might get to one in this world.
” The reason for this , Taylor says , is simple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stock represents what analysts believe the company will be worth in a few months ’ or year ’ time .
It ’ s not what it ’ s worth based on its earnings today.
” But what a rising stock market doesn ’ t speak to is the health of an economy .
“ Wall Street types like to believe that the price of the stocks they peddle somehow represents the value of a business or the state of the economy .
Nonsense , ” economics reporter Eduardo Porter writes in Foreign Policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to conclude that markets believe this recession will be V-shaped , with the economy ready to bounce back sharply in a few months .
Markets have no clue .
And it likely won ’ t be so rosy , ” he concludes .

The coronavirus pandemic has triggered countless job losses worldwide, with consumer spending at a standstill and thousands of businesses set to be shuttered forever.
Yet US stock markets are near all-time highs and other world markets are recovering steadily. So what is behind the unexpected disconnect between Wall Street and the high street?
What has happened?
Despite the US approaching its steepest downturn since the Great Depression, the country’s stock indices are nearing all-time highs, with valuations closer to the 2000 dot-com bubble than the depths of 1929.
Indeed, “having risen a whopping 35% from a late March trough, stocks looked set to kick off June with more gains”, Reuters reports.
Why are stocks rebounding?
Economists point to a range of different drivers for investors’ confidence.
Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton, believes that “many investors still see the world through pre-pandemic-tinted lenses”.
Many expect the recovery to follow similar patterns to those that came after previous recessions, ”and don’t see the much larger and longer-term challenges created by Covid-19”, Swonk writes in a Foreign Policy article that compiles various experts’ views.
Mohamed A. El-Erian, chief economic advisor at Allianz, has a different take. According to El-Erian, investors believe - falsely - that right now they simply can’t lose.
“They win if - based on the notion that stock markets can see past the short term - the economy quickly returns to normal; they also win if it doesn’t, given that the US Federal Reserve has repeatedly demonstrated that it is both willing and able to backstop markets,” he writes.
Unfortunately, this belief fails to take into account the economic and business fundamentals of each company - and many companies are going to continue to struggle, even after coronavirus lockdowns in countries across the globe are fully lifted, El-Erian says.
The New York Times, meanwhile, attributes the broad rise to “bargains and bravery”.
Or to put it another way, investors in search of good deals are buying while the market is low.
“We will never get these prices again,” said Cole Smead, a portfolio manager at the Smead Value Fund.
There is also a “fear of missing out,” the newspaper adds. “As shares rise, professional money managers feel pressure to buy stocks to protect their reputations.”


theweekuk--2020-06-01--Ten defining images of the George Floyd race protests

The killing of unarmed African-American man George Floyd by police has triggered the worst rioting seen in the US since the 1960s .
Floyd died last week after a police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest in Minnesota over an alleged fake $ 20 bill .
Demonstrations , some of them violent , reached a crescendo this weekend .
• In the past six days , protests have taken place in 75 cities • Across the US , more than 4,400 people were arrested this weekend .
Outside the White House , “ police fired tear gas and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1,000 chanting protesters ” , the Associated Press reports .
• More than 5,000 members of the National Guard , the US military reserve , have been “ activated ” in at least 18 states • Curfews have been imposed in 40 states , “ but people have largely ignored them , leading to tense stand-offs ” , says the BBC • As Floyd ’ s death causes outrage in other countries , a protest in London ’ s Trafalgar Square yesterday saw 23 people arrested “ for a series of offences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN reports .
Many of the protesters wore the slogan “ I can ’ t breathe ” , the phrase Floyd repeated in the moments before he died on Monday 25 May ( Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty ) The day after the killing , protests began outside Hennepin County Government Plaza in central Minneapolis .
The demonstrations started peacefully but soon turned violent .
( Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty ) As tensions grew , riot police were drafted in to Minneapolis and several other US cities ( Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty ) On Thursday , the third night of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the southeast of Minneapolis was set on fire ( Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty ) Police had fled the building before the fire took hold ( Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty ) After the rioting began , the National Guard was mobilised in an attempt to restore order ( Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty ) ... but protests have continued .
Here , a man is helped by fellow demonstrators after inhaling tear gas ( Stephen Maturen/Getty ) Tear gas was also fired in Detroit , and in many other cities across the US ( Seth Herald/AFP/Getty ) In Washington D.C. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secure bunker on Friday night as protests outside the White House raged out of control ( Eric Baradat/AFP/Getty )


theweekuk--2020-06-02--Instant Opinion: Red Wall towns ‘won’t forgive a no-deal Brexit’

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
on the Conservatives ’ new heartlands “ Even Remainers like me now accept that Brexit has happened .
It can not be reversed , but it is surely in the national interest that this transformation of Britain ’ s relationship with its biggest trading partner takes place in an orderly fashion .
The consequences of forcing through a no-deal Brexit just as the country is heading into what Rishi Sunak , the chancellor , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve never seen ’ would be devastating .
Brexiteers compare it to “ ripping off the plaster ” but it is more like infecting an open wound , causing long-term self-inflicted harm .
What is more , the Tories ’ new supporters in red wall seats would be among the worst affected .
Already the industrial heartlands are at the sharp end of a surge in job losses , with workers being made redundant in large numbers and vacancies shrinking as a result of the lockdown .
A report by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend , warned of the ‘ severe economic disruption ’ that would face the northwest and the Midlands if the Covid-19 crisis was compounded by a no-deal Brexit .
The imposition of tariffs could force up the cost of living , which would have a disproportionate impact on the lowest paid.
” 2 .
Jamelle Bouie in The New York Times on the failings of President Trump ’ s Nixonian election pitch You Can ’ t Be the ‘ President of Law and Order ’ if You Thrive on Chaos “ In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but abdicated leadership , retreating to a presidential bunker while he orders the nation ’ s governors to repress demonstrations .
‘ You have to dominate or you ’ ll look like a bunch of jerks , you have to arrest and try people , ’ Trump said in a Situation Room phone call with the governors .
‘ It ’ s a movement , if you don ’ t put it down it will get worse and worse .
The only time its successful is when you ’ re weak and most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did attempt to speak to the nation , through Twitter of course , it was to promise violent retribution against protesters .
‘ These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd , and I won ’ t let that happen , ’ he said , adding that ‘ when the looting starts , the shooting starts , ’ a phrase first used in 1967 by Walter Headley , the chief of police in Miami , also in reference to stopping protests and civil unrest .
A ‘ law-and-order ’ campaign just isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is anyone who occupies a similar position to Nixon in this campaign , it ’ s Joe Biden , the vice president to a still-popular former president who is running as the candidate of normalcy and stability.
” 3 .
Gordon Brown , former prime minister of the United Kingdom , in The Guardian on how the world ’ s leadership has gone missing The G20 should be leading the world out of the coronavirus crisis – but it ’ s gone awol “ If coronavirus crosses all boundaries , so too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the G20 , which calls itself the world ’ s premier international forum for international economic cooperation and should be at the centre of waging that war , has gone awol – absent without lending – with no plan to convene , online or otherwise , at any point in the next six months ... No country can eliminate infectious diseases unless all countries do so .
And it is because we can not deal with the health nor the economic emergency without bringing the whole world together that Donald Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few favoured leaders in Washington in September – is no substitute for a G20 summit .
His event would exclude Africa , the Middle East , Latin America and most of Asia , and would represent only 2 billion of the world ’ s 7 billion people .
Yet the lesson of history is that , at key moments of crisis , we require bold , united leadership , and to resist initiatives that will be seen as ‘ divide and rule ’ .
So , it is time for the other 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and avert what would be the greatest global social and economic policy failure of our generation.
” 4 .
Vince Cable , former leader of the Liberal Democrats , in The Independent on the decision to grant protesters an escape plan Allowing Hong Kongers to settle in the UK is a brave step – but China ’ s retaliation is disappointing “ The basis of business-like relations with China over the last four decades has been a separation between the economic and the political .
Deng Tsao Ping , the architect of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than his successors that the Communist Party would remain in charge and would countenance no threats to its monopoly of power , either in Beijing or via the back door of Hong Kong .
Nonetheless there was ample room for cooperation over economic matters where capitalism and the Chinese Communist Party had a common interest in rising prosperity in China and globally .
That cooperation and sense of shared interests is now breaking down - particularly in Hong Kong .
A more subtle and self-confident Chinese leadership would have made a virtue of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests , of desisting from sending in the army , and by letting local elections to largely powerless councils take their course.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 .
Ben Habib , chairperson of Brexit Watch and former Brexit Party MEP , in The Daily Telegraph on the necessary terms of Britain ’ s EU departure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the heart of the Brexit deal ?
“ The UK ’ s negotiating team , tasked with concluding future trading arrangements , has done a first class job in socking it to the EU .
David Frost leading the team has so far been superb in his robust rejection of EU demands to bind the UK into their laws on state aid , employment , the environment , competition and tax matters ( the so called level playing field ) .
He has stood firm on British fishing .
He has rebuffed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Brexiteers are delighted by his performance .
In spite of such positive rhetoric I must warn of a brewing constitutional crisis .
It comes in the form of the Northern Irish Protocol , the Prime Minister ’ s solution to the Northern Irish Backstop which had so vexed Mrs. May ’ s administration .
This Protocol was agreed by the Prime Minister last October under severe pressure with a disintegrating government to get some form of agreement in place with the EU .
It is the cuckoo ’ s egg in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , amongst other things , during the General Election but those warnings seemingly fell on deaf ears .
I put this down to Brexhaustion .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Rachel Sylvester in The Times
on the Conservatives’ new heartlands
Red Wall Tories won’t forgive a no-deal Brexit
“Even Remainers like me now accept that Brexit has happened. It cannot be reversed, but it is surely in the national interest that this transformation of Britain’s relationship with its biggest trading partner takes place in an orderly fashion. The consequences of forcing through a no-deal Brexit just as the country is heading into what Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, has predicted will be a ‘recession like we’ve never seen’ would be devastating. Brexiteers compare it to “ripping off the plaster” but it is more like infecting an open wound, causing long-term self-inflicted harm. What is more, the Tories’ new supporters in red wall seats would be among the worst affected. Already the industrial heartlands are at the sharp end of a surge in job losses, with workers being made redundant in large numbers and vacancies shrinking as a result of the lockdown. A report by the Social Market Foundation, published at the weekend, warned of the ‘severe economic disruption’ that would face the northwest and the Midlands if the Covid-19 crisis was compounded by a no-deal Brexit. The imposition of tariffs could force up the cost of living, which would have a disproportionate impact on the lowest paid.”
2. Jamelle Bouie in The New York Times
on the failings of President Trump’s Nixonian election pitch
You Can’t Be the ‘President of Law and Order’ if You Thrive on Chaos
“In the face of unrest, Trump has all but abdicated leadership, retreating to a presidential bunker while he orders the nation’s governors to repress demonstrations. ‘You have to dominate or you’ll look like a bunch of jerks, you have to arrest and try people,’ Trump said in a Situation Room phone call with the governors. ‘It’s a movement, if you don’t put it down it will get worse and worse. The only time its successful is when you’re weak and most of you are weak.’ When he did attempt to speak to the nation, through Twitter of course, it was to promise violent retribution against protesters. ‘These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen,’ he said, adding that ‘when the looting starts, the shooting starts,’ a phrase first used in 1967 by Walter Headley, the chief of police in Miami, also in reference to stopping protests and civil unrest. A ‘law-and-order’ campaign just isn’t available to Trump. If there is anyone who occupies a similar position to Nixon in this campaign, it’s Joe Biden, the vice president to a still-popular former president who is running as the candidate of normalcy and stability.”
3. Gordon Brown, former prime minister of the United Kingdom, in The Guardian
on how the world’s leadership has gone missing
The G20 should be leading the world out of the coronavirus crisis – but it’s gone awol
“If coronavirus crosses all boundaries, so too must the war to vanquish it. But the G20, which calls itself the world’s premier international forum for international economic cooperation and should be at the centre of waging that war, has gone awol – absent without lending – with no plan to convene, online or otherwise, at any point in the next six months... No country can eliminate infectious diseases unless all countries do so. And it is because we cannot deal with the health nor the economic emergency without bringing the whole world together that Donald Trump’s latest counterproposal – to parade a few favoured leaders in Washington in September – is no substitute for a G20 summit. His event would exclude Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and most of Asia, and would represent only 2 billion of the world’s 7 billion people. Yet the lesson of history is that, at key moments of crisis, we require bold, united leadership, and to resist initiatives that will be seen as ‘divide and rule’. So, it is time for the other 19 G20 members to demand an early summit, and avert what would be the greatest global social and economic policy failure of our generation.”
4. Vince Cable, former leader of the Liberal Democrats, in The Independent
on the decision to grant protesters an escape plan
Allowing Hong Kongers to settle in the UK is a brave step – but China’s retaliation is disappointing
“The basis of business-like relations with China over the last four decades has been a separation between the economic and the political. Deng Tsao Ping, the architect of modern China, was no less clear than his successors that the Communist Party would remain in charge and would countenance no threats to its monopoly of power, either in Beijing or via the back door of Hong Kong. Nonetheless there was ample room for cooperation over economic matters where capitalism and the Chinese Communist Party had a common interest in rising prosperity in China and globally. That cooperation and sense of shared interests is now breaking down - particularly in Hong Kong. A more subtle and self-confident Chinese leadership would have made a virtue of not rising to the provocation of violent protests, of desisting from sending in the army, and by letting local elections to largely powerless councils take their course.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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. Ben Habib, chairperson of Brexit Watch and former Brexit Party MEP, in The Daily Telegraph
on the necessary terms of Britain’s EU departure
Do ministers realise the brewing constitutional crisis at the heart of the Brexit deal?
“The UK’s negotiating team, tasked with concluding future trading arrangements, has done a first class job in socking it to the EU. David Frost leading the team has so far been superb in his robust rejection of EU demands to bind the UK into their laws on state aid, employment, the environment, competition and tax matters (the so called level playing field). He has stood firm on British fishing. He has rebuffed all Michel Barnier’s egregious demands. Brexiteers are delighted by his performance. In spite of such positive rhetoric I must warn of a brewing constitutional crisis. It comes in the form of the Northern Irish Protocol, the Prime Minister’s solution to the Northern Irish Backstop which had so vexed Mrs. May’s administration. This Protocol was agreed by the Prime Minister last October under severe pressure with a disintegrating government to get some form of agreement in place with the EU. It is the cuckoo’s egg in our withdrawal arrangements. I repeatedly warned about it, amongst other things, during the General Election but those warnings seemingly fell on deaf ears. I put this down to Brexhaustion.”


theweekuk--2020-06-02--Reaction:  Trump threatens George Floyd protestors with military force

Donald Trump has threatened to send in “ heavily armed ” military to “ dominate the streets ” following a week of nationwide violence and protests triggered by the killing of an unarmed black man by police in Minneapolis .
George Floyd died on 25 May after white police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest over an alleged fake $ 20 bill .
The death has triggered nationwide demonstrations and fuelled anger over racism and police brutality against black Americans .
Calling for calm in an address to the nation for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump said : “ I am mobilising all available federal resources , civilian and military , to stop the rioting and looting , to end the destruction and arson , and to protect the rights of law-abiding Americans.
” In what The Independent describes as a “ brazen move ” , he then walked across neighbouring Lafayette Park to St. John ’ s Church , after uniformed US secret service and police officers , backed by National Guard troops , fired tear gas at peaceful protesters near the White House .
Posing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump blamed the rioting in cities across the nation on “ professional anarchists ” and “ violent mobs ” whose actions were an “ offence to humanity and a crime against God ” .
“ There was no talk of police reforms or the root causes of the protests that began last week at any point in the evening ’ s proceedings , ” said the BBC ’ s North America reporter Anthony Zurcher .
“ Instead , he said he was the ‘ president of law and order ’ - a sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the ongoing crisis will be an escalation of force.
” “ You may think it ’ s only a small thing that the military used helicopters to intimidate American civilians in the nation 's capital , ” tweeted Walter Shaub , former director of the US Office of Government Ethics .
“ It ’ s not .
A line was crossed tonight .
There will be other lines .
This is Trump conditioning them to cross those lines.
” This fear was echoed by Steve Schmidt , a political strategist who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schwarzenegger and John McCain .
“ Watching Trump preen in front of St. John ’ s , moments after he threatened to deploy the American military against the American people , with a Bible held above his head , I remembered this quote , ‘ when fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross ’ , ” Schmidt wrote in a Twitter post .
Or as California ’ s Democratic senator Kamala Harris put it , “ Donald Trump just tear-gassed peaceful protesters for a photo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite Trump ’ s warnings , two people were fatally shot in Chicago , taking the total number of people killed during the national unrest to 11 , reports the Daily Mail .
“ There is no obvious end point to the unfolding crisis .
After months of the coronavirus and days of civil unrest , Americans are bracing themselves for more chaos in the days and weeks ahead , ” says Edward Keenan , Washington bureau chief of the Toronto Star .
The “ George Floyd murder exposes rotten racism in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state-backed Global Times .
“ In a year of elections that are particularly important for Trump , votes from the black community do not matter that much , ” says the newspaper .
“ After all , Trump won just 8 % of African-American voters four years ago .
Black voters are always the base of the Democratic Party .
So as protests escalate across the country , Trump played the same old political games.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Over in Europe , an editorial in France ’ s Le Monde paints a picture structural racism and brutality by police and others against black Americans in the US .
“ The list is too long to give here of these black American men of all ages , who are too often victims of encounters with the police that turn out badly ; of the trigger-happy in a country where firearms are routinely carried as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” says the newspaper .


theweekuk--2020-06-02--Coronavirus: should we socially distance at two metres or one?


theweekuk--2020-06-02--Government fails in bid to distance Dominic Cummings from sex discrimination case

Government lawyers have tried unsuccessfully to remove Dominic Cummings ’ name from a sex discrimination claim brought by Sajid Javid ’ s former special adviser .
The demand that Cummings be removed was rejected after barristers for Sonia Khan , Javid ’ s ex-media adviser , “ successfully argued that the behaviour of Boris Johnson ’ s chief aide was pivotal to the case ” , The Guardian reports .
The failed intervention “ will be seen as an attempt by the government to protect Cummings from further controversy ” , says the newspaper .
Public anger over the prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cummings for breaching lockdown rules has already seen more than 1.1 million people signing a petition calling for the aide to get the boot .
Cummings ’ inclusion as a respondent in the employment tribunal case means he could be made personally liable for part of any damages award .
Whitehall sources told The Guardian that he plans to fight the claim , after the government ’ s solicitors failed to get his name replaced as a respondent with that of the Cabinet Office .
Despite Downing Street ’ s efforts , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to give evidence ” in the case , which also includes an unfair dismissal claim , Daily Mail reports .
Cummings fired Khan last August and had her escorted out of No .
10 by armed police , in what The Sunday Times ’ political editor Tim Shipman described as a “ mafia-style hit ” .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came after Cummings discovered that Khan was still in contact with her old boss , Philip Hammond , and his former aide Poppy Trowbridge , both of whom had publicly opposed a no-deal Brexit .
Whitehall sources told Shipman that Cummings had behaved like a “ thug ” , and predicted an inquiry into whether he had followed the correct procedures .
The PM ’ s right-hand man is reported to have demanded that Khan hand over her phone , before stripping her of her security pass and summoning the police .
Khan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Javid and Johnson , with the then chancellor only learning of his adviser ’ s sacking after the event .
Responding to the latest reports about the tribunal case , a Downing Street spokesperson said : “ We don ’ t comment on ongoing legal matters .
”

Government lawyers have tried unsuccessfully to remove Dominic Cummings’ name from a sex discrimination claim brought by Sajid Javid’s former special adviser.
The demand that Cummings be removed was rejected after barristers for Sonia Khan, Javid’s ex-media adviser, “successfully argued that the behaviour of Boris Johnson’s chief aide was pivotal to the case”, The Guardian reports.
The failed intervention “will be seen as an attempt by the government to protect Cummings from further controversy”, says the newspaper. Public anger over the prime minister’s decision not to sack Cummings for breaching lockdown rules has already seen more than 1.1 million people signing a petition calling for the aide to get the boot.
Cummings’ inclusion as a respondent in the employment tribunal case means he could be made personally liable for part of any damages award. Whitehall sources told The Guardian that he plans to fight the claim, after the government’s solicitors failed to get his name replaced as a respondent with that of the Cabinet Office.
Despite Downing Street’s efforts, the PM’s closest aide is “expected to give evidence” in the case, which also includes an unfair dismissal claim, Daily Mail reports.
Cummings fired Khan last August and had her escorted out of No. 10 by armed police, in what The Sunday Times’ political editor Tim Shipman described as a “mafia-style hit”.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 sacking came after Cummings discovered that Khan was still in contact with her old boss, Philip Hammond, and his former aide Poppy Trowbridge, both of whom had publicly opposed a no-deal Brexit.
Whitehall sources told Shipman that Cummings had behaved like a “thug”, and predicted an inquiry into whether he had followed the correct procedures.
The PM’s right-hand man is reported to have demanded that Khan hand over her phone, before stripping her of her security pass and summoning the police.
Khan’s dismissal also triggered a row between Javid and Johnson, with the then chancellor only learning of his adviser’s sacking after the event.
Responding to the latest reports about the tribunal case, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “We don’t comment on ongoing legal matters.”


theweekuk--2020-06-02--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 2 Jun 2020

More than 1,000 war crime accusations made against the British military in Iraq have been dismissed , with only one @ @ @ @ @ , the head of the Service Prosecution Authority has revealed .
Andrew Cayley says independent @ @ @ @ @ against British troops following the 2003 invasion but concluded that no charges should be brought @ @ @ @ @ owing to the “ low level ” of offending and lack of credible evidence .
@ @ @ @ @ presented a bill aimed at stopping what it calls “ vexatious claims ” against Armed @ @ @ @ @

Trump threatens to send in military to quell protests
Donald Trump has threatened to send in the military to crush civil unrest in the US over the death of African-American man George Floyd in police custody. The US president said that if cities and states failed to control the protests, he would deploy the army and “quickly solve the problem for them”. Police in Washington D.C. used tear gas to disperse peaceful protesters near the White House yesterday so that Trump could be photographed in front of a church.


theweekuk--2020-06-02--Britain being overrun by ‘randy rodents’

Britain is being “ overrun ” by “ sex mad ” rats , reports the Daily Star .
There has been a 79 % increase in visits to Rentokil ’ s site after a warm winter provided the perfect breeding ground for “ randy rodents ” .
A spokesman said the numbers could get even higher because unoccupied office buildings across the country could be providing rodents with an opportunity to breed in peace .
Ancient Israelites used cannabis as part of their religious rituals , according to researchers who found residue of the herb at a nearly 3,000-year-old shrine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Tel Arad temple , in the Negev Desert .
An archaeologist said the material contained traces of cannabis and animal dung , probably used to help the plant burn .
City may outlaw looking at your phone while walking A Japanese city is planning a bill to make looking at your phone while walking illegal .
Politicians in the city of Yamato , in Kanagawa Prefecture , are set to vote on new legislation that would ban staring at a device while walking .
They say there has been an increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staring at their mobiles .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Britain is being “overrun” by “sex mad” rats, reports the Daily Star. There has been a 79% increase in visits to Rentokil’s site after a warm winter provided the perfect breeding ground for “randy rodents”. A spokesman said the numbers could get even higher because unoccupied office buildings across the country could be providing rodents with an opportunity to breed in peace.
Did ancient Israelites smoke cannabis and animal dung?
Ancient Israelites used cannabis as part of their religious rituals, according to researchers who found residue of the herb at a nearly 3,000-year-old shrine. Traces were found on an altar at the Tel Arad temple, in the Negev Desert. An archaeologist said the material contained traces of cannabis and animal dung, probably used to help the plant burn.
City may outlaw looking at your phone while walking
A Japanese city is planning a bill to make looking at your phone while walking illegal. Politicians in the city of Yamato, in Kanagawa Prefecture, are set to vote on new legislation that would ban staring at a device while walking. They say there has been an increase in the number of accidents involving people staring at their mobiles.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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--2020-06-01--25 years of The Week

25 years of The Week

It ’ s our 25th anniversary here at The Week , and it ’ s been quite an eventful quarter of a century for the magazine .
We ’ ve printed more than 1,280 issues , and have gone from analysing a few dozen newspapers and magazines every seven days to more than 200 .
The Week has covered seven general elections , two global economic crises , six world cups and four royal weddings ; we ’ ve followed landmark events from the rise of New Labour to the Brexit vote , from the impeachment of Bill Clinton to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9/11 to the London Olympics .
Through all this time , we ’ ve always known one thing – we wouldn ’ t be here without our readers .
To celebrate the occasion and thank you for reading The Week , we ’ ve put together a special anniversary page full of bonus content including : • None Get the inside story - Find out how the magazine began with our Founding Editor Jeremy O'Grady , then go behind the scenes as Howard McWilliam creates our brilliant cover art .
• None The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team sit down to discuss what goes into making every issue of The Week in the latest edition of our podcast .
• None Competition time - We have two brilliant competitions for you , enter to win £150 to spend on our specially curated selection of wine at The Week Wines , plus we ’ re giving you the exclusive opportunity to win an original portrait by Howard McWilliam .
We hope you enjoy exploring , and thank you for reading The Week .

It’s our 25th anniversary here at The Week, and it’s been quite an eventful quarter of a century for the magazine.
We’ve printed more than 1,280 issues, and have gone from analysing a few dozen newspapers and magazines every seven days to more than 200.
The Week has covered seven general elections, two global economic crises, six world cups and four royal weddings; we’ve followed landmark events from the rise of New Labour to the Brexit vote, from the impeachment of Bill Clinton to the election of Donald Trump and from 9/11 to the London Olympics.
Through all this time, we’ve always known one thing – we wouldn’t be here without our readers. To celebrate the occasion and thank you for reading The Week, we’ve put together a special anniversary page full of bonus content including:
Get the inside story - Find out how the magazine began with our Founding Editor Jeremy O'Grady, then go behind the scenes as Howard McWilliam creates our brilliant cover art.
The Week Unwrapped celebrates - Our award-winning editorial team sit down to discuss what goes into making every issue of The Week in the latest edition of our podcast.
Competition time - We have two brilliant competitions for you, enter to win £150 to spend on our specially curated selection of wine at The Week Wines, plus we’re giving you the exclusive opportunity to win an original portrait by Howard McWilliam.
We hope you enjoy exploring, and thank you for reading The Week.


theweekuk--2020-05-29--Four barbecues to get your summer sizzling

The Weber Genesis II is a popular all-round model , gives you plenty of cooking space and is “ probably the best you can get ” , says Joseph Green in Mashable .
It features porcelain-enamelled “ flavouriser bars ” , designed to create a barbecue taste while protecting the burners from juices or grease .
There are two side tables for keeping your utensils close , hooks to keep them tidy on the back , and a front-mounted control panel that allows for easy use .
It ’ ll set you back £1,179 , but all the features might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at johnlewis.com Kamado cookers impart a “ delicious smokey flavour to everything they cook ” , says Brian Bennett on Cnet , and are perfect for creating “ true steakhouse steaks and wood-fired pizzas ” .
The Big Green Egg is the best all-rounder .
It pretty much runs itself and , as the name suggests , it is big , “ giving you lots of space to grill , smoke and cook to your heart ’ s desire ” .
There ’ s a reason it is loved by Michelin-starred chefs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blumenthal ’ s Everdure Cube is essentially a metal box that you put charcoal in , but the stylish and highly impressive portable barbecue remains a best buy , says Derek Adams in T3 .
The walls are raised an inch above the grill so your sausages won ’ t roll off and there ’ s a heat guard fitted to the bottom so it won ’ t scorch the grass or ruin the patio table .
This is a “ proper barbecue that is also properly portable ” , unlike some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a romantic picnic for two .
£149 , johnlewis.com The best for smoked meats Bring your local steakhouse home with the Traeger Timberline 850 .
“ The barbecue uses wood pellets to fire up the heat and allows you to smoke , slow-roast and grill your food for an authentic smokey barbecue flavour , ” says Luke Edwards on Ideal Home .
It is accompanied by a smartphone app , which is filled with hints and tips on how to cook a selection of recipes .
The barbecue is excellent for smoking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unit at a steady 180˚C until the meat probe signals the food is cooked .
£1,999 , thebbqshop.co.uk This article was originally published in MoneyWeek

For the BBQ connoisseurs who have everything, Sub-Zero & Wolf’s outdoor range could be on the menu this summer.
Available in sizes from 76cm to 137cm and starting from £7,320, the gas grills can be bought either as a stand-alone cart or built-in. Sub-Zero & Wolf grills are designed using double-walled, water and rust-resistant Marine grade stainless steel and can be powered by natural gas or LP.


theweekuk--2020-06-02--George Floyd protests: are journalists being targeted by police at US riots?

US police have been accused of repeatedly targeting journalists reporting at demonstrations across the US over the killing of African-American George Floyd .
The most high-profile incidents include the arrest of a CNN crew led by reporter Omar Jimenez while broadcasting live on air in Minneapolis on 29 May - four days after Floyd ’ s death at the hands of a police officer was caught on camera in the Minnesota city .
Dozens of other journalists have also been harassed or assaulted by police in other US cities , with some reporters apparently “ swept up in indiscriminate efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says The Washington Post .
“ But in a number of incidents , journalists were injured , harassed or arrested even after identifying themselves as reporters.
” Indeed , members of the media have been attacked by law enforcement officers in at least 50 separate incidents since the protests began , according to investigative journalism website Bellingcat .
“ In these examples , journalists have been shot with rubber bullets , targeted with stun grenades , tear gassed , physically attacked , pepper sprayed and arrested , ” says the website .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far higher , with the US Press Freedom Tracker tweeting that “ we ’ re now investigating over **100** press freedom violations at the many # GeorgeFloyd protests around the country ” .
Whether the attacks and arrests are intentional or simply part of a vigorous crackdown on protesters remains unclear .
According to The New York Times , some people in the media think the violence by police is a by-product of Donald Trump ’ s attacks on the press throughout his presidency .
“ Many reporters , photographers and press advocates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers in recent days reflected an erosion of trust in the news media that has seeped into law enforcement under President Trump , who has deemed critical coverage of his administration ‘ fake news ’ and has frequently labelled some news organisations and journalists with variants of the phrase ‘ enemies of the people ’ , ” the paper reports .
The Poynter Institute for Media Studies agrees , arguing that “ attacks on media covering the protests are simply following the president ’ s rhetoric ” .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Regardless of the intent behind such incidents , “ they have the effect of impeding the news - hampering the public ’ s ability to see and judge the behaviour of officials who are accountable to them ” , says The Independent .
“ Journalists are there as representatives of the public , and if law enforcement is attacking them , they can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurts everybody , ” Sarah Matthews , a staff attorney for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press , told The New York Times .
What happens next ?
In an open letter to police , media groups including the Society of Professional Journalists , Reporters Without Borders and the National Press Club have called on law enforcement officers to end violence against journalists .
“ You must persuade your colleagues , commanders and chiefs , and the mayors and governors who direct them , to halt the deliberate and devastating targeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the letter says .
Attacks such as the ones witnessed over the past seven days will keep happening unless the public is made aware of them , according to Francine Prose , former president of the Pen America writers ’ association .
“ We can ’ t stop paying attention and , more important , calling attention to the importance of the free press and to the horrors of racism , ” Prose says in an article for The Guardian .
“ The mistake was always to think that it can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has and – unless we remain aware and vocal – it most certainly will again .
”

US police have been accused of repeatedly targeting journalists reporting at demonstrations across the US over the killing of African-American George Floyd.
The most high-profile incidents include the arrest of a CNN crew led by reporter Omar Jimenez while broadcasting live on air in Minneapolis on 29 May - four days after Floyd’s death at the hands of a police officer was caught on camera in the Minnesota city.
Dozens of other journalists have also been harassed or assaulted by police in other US cities, with some reporters apparently “swept up in indiscriminate efforts by authorities to disperse crowds”, says The Washington Post. “But in a number of incidents, journalists were injured, harassed or arrested even after identifying themselves as reporters.”
Indeed, members of the media have been attacked by law enforcement officers in at least 50 separate incidents since the protests began, according to investigative journalism website Bellingcat.
“In these examples, journalists have been shot with rubber bullets, targeted with stun grenades, tear gassed, physically attacked, pepper sprayed and arrested,” says the website.
Other sources claim the number of incidents is far higher, with the US Press Freedom Tracker tweeting that “we’re now investigating over **100** press freedom violations at the many #GeorgeFloyd protests around the country”.
Are journalists being deliberately targeted?
Whether the attacks and arrests are intentional or simply part of a vigorous crackdown on protesters remains unclear.
According to The New York Times, some people in the media think the violence by police is a by-product of Donald Trump’s attacks on the press throughout his presidency.
“Many reporters, photographers and press advocates said the treatment of journalists by police officers in recent days reflected an erosion of trust in the news media that has seeped into law enforcement under President Trump, who has deemed critical coverage of his administration ‘fake news’ and has frequently labelled some news organisations and journalists with variants of the phrase ‘enemies of the people’,” the paper reports.
The Poynter Institute for Media Studies agrees, arguing that “attacks on media covering the protests are simply following the president’s rhetoric”.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
And the impact?
Regardless of the intent behind such incidents, “they have the effect of impeding the news - hampering the public’s ability to see and judge the behaviour of officials who are accountable to them”, says The Independent.
“Journalists are there as representatives of the public, and if law enforcement is attacking them, they can’t do their job, and that hurts everybody,” Sarah Matthews, a staff attorney for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, told The New York Times.
What happens next?
In an open letter to police, media groups including the Society of Professional Journalists, Reporters Without Borders and the National Press Club have called on law enforcement officers to end violence against journalists.
“You must persuade your colleagues, commanders and chiefs, and the mayors and governors who direct them, to halt the deliberate and devastating targeting of journalists in the field,” the letter says.
Attacks such as the ones witnessed over the past seven days will keep happening unless the public is made aware of them, according to Francine Prose, former president of the Pen America writers’ association.
“We can’t stop paying attention and, more important, calling attention to the importance of the free press and to the horrors of racism,” Prose says in an article for The Guardian. “The mistake was always to think that it can’t happen here, because it can, it has and – unless we remain aware and vocal – it most certainly will again.”


theweekuk--2020-06-02--How the tuberculosis jab could lead to a coronavirus vaccine

As the Covid-19 coronavirus spread across Europe in February and March , a surprising pattern emerged : countries with high @ @ @ @ @ to be succumbing more slowly .
“ Eastern Europe has been less affected than the @ @ @ @ @ Germany less than western Germany , ” says The Economist .
The distribution coincides with @ @ @ @ @ , which notes that “ universal tuberculosis vaccination policies were widely spread in the countries @ @ @ @ @ ” , including the old East Germany .
Scientists have emphasised that correlation does not @ @ @ @ @ other possible explanations for the pattern of infection - but some researchers now believe that @ @ @ @ @ a role to play in fighting Covid-19 .


theweekuk--2020-06-02--Who are Antifa and are they terrorists?

Who are Antifa and are they terrorists?

Donald Trump has threatened to designate Antifa as a terrorist group in response to the activists ’ alleged roles in the violent protests sweeping across the US .
However , despite the president ’ s tweeted warning , “ the US government has no existing legal authority to label a wholly domestic group in the manner it currently designates foreign terrorist organisations ” , reports CNN - meaning Antifa supporters should be safe for the time being .
But who or what is Antifa and is there any truth behind Trump ’ s claim ?
According to New York City-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for anti-fascists - is a “ a loose collection of groups , networks and individuals who believe in active , aggressive opposition to far right-wing movements ” .
The movement has a logo showing a double flag , usually in black and red , but has no central leadership .
Al Jazzera agrees that Antifa is an “ amorphous movement ” , rather than “ an organisation as Trump often says it is ” .
The movement ’ s members “ tend to be grouped on the leftward fringes of the US political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , anarchists , communists or anti-capitalists ” , says the news site .
Some Antifa groups date the origins of the movement to fights against European fascists in the 1920s and 1930s , the BBC reports .
Mark Bray , author of Antifa : The Anti-Fascist Handbook , says the modern American Antifa movement began in the 1980s with a group called Anti-Racist Action .
The collective came under the media spotlight following clashes between white supremacists and their opponents in Charlottesville , Virginia , in August 2017 .
Al Jazzera says that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideologies , there is little binding the Antifa movement ’ s adherents together .
Some focus on environmental causes or the rights of indigenous groups , others for the rights of LGBT activists.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Why does Trump call them terrorists ?
“ Willingness to use violence marks out Antifa from many other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s followers sometimes “ directly and sometimes physically confronting the far-right on the streets ” , says the BBC .
This view is echoed by ADL , which says that “ when Antifa show up , as they frequently do , they can increase the chances that an event may turn violent ” .
Antifa activists also focus “ on harassing right-wing extremists both online and in real life ” , adds the anti-hate organisation .
US law enforcement officials have publicly voiced concerns about “ Antifa actors and the violence that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Al Jazeera reports .
In November 2017 , FBI director Christopher Wray told a congressional hearing that the bureau was pursuing “ a number of what we would call anarchist extremist investigations , where we have properly predicated [ people ] who are motivated to commit violent criminal activity on kind of an Antifa ideology ” .
With a fresh wave of unrest now engulfing the US in response to the police killing of George Floyd , CNN reports that Attorney General Bill Barr has also “ pointed to far-left groups as responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .