theweekuk--2020-05-07--Instant Opinion: is virtual parliament really providing proper scrutiny?

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
1 .
Jess Philllips , Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley , in The Independent on the shortcomings of dialing in to the Commons I ’ m worried about what a Zoom parliament really means for proper debate and scrutiny “ I understand all of the reasons why this digital parliament has to happen and I support them .
The speaker and the parliamentary authorities have done all they can to give it a chance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeling that the level of scrutiny currently afforded by these very time-limited sessions of questions and statements from ministers is accidentally convenient for the government ... Let ’ s hope we can trust the government in this crisis not to use this opportunity to push things through without proper scrutiny – after all , they have never done anything like unlawfully closing parliament to suggest that they don ’ t want parliamentary scrutiny before .
Oh… ” on whether the government is truly ‘ following the science ’ Despite the Ferguson fiasco , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second major blunder “ Our Government is yet again pursuing a political strategy in the shadows .
One that risks releasing the economy from the deep freeze , only to bludgeon it to smithereens .
And one that makes a mockery of ‘ the science ’ .
Having petrified the public to the point where it is overwhelmingly against lifting lockdown , keen to avoid ethical arguments over lives versus livelihoods , and mindful of its failure to rapidly create the infrastructure that would allow the immune or the low-risk to return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lift lockdown as little and as slowly as possible .
But by failing to open up schools quickly enough and by enforcing an arbitrary two metre rule ( stricter than Germany , France and Spain ) we risk pursuing the most commercially ruinous social distancing strategy in Europe.
” After coronavirus , black and brown people must be at the heart of Britain ’ s story “ It ’ s beyond ironic that black and Asian people in Britain underpinned the creation of the institutions that so often define Britishness , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postwar era also laid the foundations for the inadequate access to healthcare , housing and secure labour that must be part of the reason why minorities are so disproportionately affected by today ’ s coronavirus crisis .
Britain has long needed a new social contract , a new consensual agreement between the government and the governed , that sets out updated values and expectations .
Maybe now – as even a Conservative government is forced to be radically redistributive , with conditional bailouts offering the prospect of more fiscally and socially responsible business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of Britain ’ s identity once more – we might get one .
The difference between this moment and the social contract of 75 years ago , is that this time the service and sacrifice of ethnic minority people in Britain is impossible to ignore .
It ’ s clear that racial injustice deserves a central place in our new settlement.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– on the judging of the Pulitzer prizes “ In the absence of traditional public examinations this time of year , as a result of you know what , here ’ s a little history quiz for you .
What year marked the creation of the United States ?
Most of you will probably answer 1776 , the year of the Declaration of Independence .
Credit might also be given if you said 1788 , the date of the ratification of the constitution .
A smarty-pants inclined to take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1756 and the outbreak of the Seven Years ’ War , which depleted His Majesty ’ s Treasury and required tax increases that impelled the American colonists to rebellion .
But you ’ d all be wrong .
The correct date , apparently , is 1619 ... Until quite recently this was a provocative , if mildly eccentric , argument that might have had some merit in generating a proper appreciation for the indubitably dark role race has played through American history .
But to the cultural elites nowadays it ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the explanation as to why the country is in such political ferment.
” 5 .
Nicholas Kristof in The New York Times on the dangers of blind optimism “ When Michael T. Osterholm , a prominent epidemiologist , heard that the White House coronavirus task force was ‘ ramping up ’ its work this month , he was elated .
Maybe now the United States would finally tackle the virus with the seriousness needed .
Then he realized that he had misheard .
The task force wasn ’ t ‘ ramping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
‘ I was in shock , ’ said Osterholm , a professor at the University of Minnesota .
‘ We ’ re just in the second inning.
’ The White House plan to disband the task force is in characteristic disarray , with President Trump reversing course on Wednesday and saying that the task force would continue but change its focus .
The confusion perfectly reflects the incoherence of the American ‘ strategy ’ toward Covid-19 .
Vice President Mike Pence had earlier said that the disbanding of the task force was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve made ’ against the virus .
Hmm .
It ’ s actually the virus that has made tremendous progress , eclipsing heart disease to become the No .
1 cause of death in the United States .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Jess Philllips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, in The Independent
on the shortcomings of dialing in to the Commons
I’m worried about what a Zoom parliament really means for proper debate and scrutiny
“I understand all of the reasons why this digital parliament has to happen and I support them. The speaker and the parliamentary authorities have done all they can to give it a chance. However I cannot help the niggling feeling that the level of scrutiny currently afforded by these very time-limited sessions of questions and statements from ministers is accidentally convenient for the government... Let’s hope we can trust the government in this crisis not to use this opportunity to push things through without proper scrutiny – after all, they have never done anything like unlawfully closing parliament to suggest that they don’t want parliamentary scrutiny before. Oh…”
2. Sherelle Jacobs in The Daily Telegraph
on whether the government is truly ‘following the science’
Despite the Ferguson fiasco, No 10 is about to make its second major blunder
“Our Government is yet again pursuing a political strategy in the shadows. One that risks releasing the economy from the deep freeze, only to bludgeon it to smithereens. And one that makes a mockery of ‘the science’. Having petrified the public to the point where it is overwhelmingly against lifting lockdown, keen to avoid ethical arguments over lives versus livelihoods, and mindful of its failure to rapidly create the infrastructure that would allow the immune or the low-risk to return to normal life, No 10 is determined to lift lockdown as little and as slowly as possible. But by failing to open up schools quickly enough and by enforcing an arbitrary two metre rule (stricter than Germany, France and Spain) we risk pursuing the most commercially ruinous social distancing strategy in Europe.”
3. Afua Hirsch in The Guardian
on reimagining the country’s image post-coronavirus
After coronavirus, black and brown people must be at the heart of Britain’s story
“It’s beyond ironic that black and Asian people in Britain underpinned the creation of the institutions that so often define Britishness, not least the NHS. Yet that same postwar era also laid the foundations for the inadequate access to healthcare, housing and secure labour that must be part of the reason why minorities are so disproportionately affected by today’s coronavirus crisis. Britain has long needed a new social contract, a new consensual agreement between the government and the governed, that sets out updated values and expectations. Maybe now – as even a Conservative government is forced to be radically redistributive, with conditional bailouts offering the prospect of more fiscally and socially responsible business, and the NHS becoming an emotional part of Britain’s identity once more – we might get one. The difference between this moment and the social contract of 75 years ago, is that this time the service and sacrifice of ethnic minority people in Britain is impossible to ignore. It’s clear that racial injustice deserves a central place in our new settlement.”


theweekuk--2020-05-07--French athlete ‘caught coronavirus in October’

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Doctors have told a French athlete that she probably contracted Covid-19 at an event in Wuhan last October - a month before China first detected the outbreak.
Elodie Clouvel, an Olympic silver medal-winning pentathlete, told RTL Radio that she had “symptoms I hadn’t had before” after returning from China, where the first known coronavirus infection has reportedly been traced back to 17 November.
“We weren’t worried because we were not talking about it [Covid-19] yet… but we had contact with the military doctor recently who told us that he thought we had it because many people on the team fell ill,” said Clouvel.
The claim has “bolstered speculation that the coronavirus may have been present in the Chinese city several weeks before it was declared”, The Times reports.
Several other athletes who competed at the World Military Games, held between 18 and 27 October, have also confirmed that they subsequently fell ill. One told French TV channel BFM that he “had a fever, had difficulty breathing and remained bedridden for at least three days”.
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Earlier this week, a French doctor claimed that he had found Covid-19 in a blood sample taken last December. Professor Yves Cohen, head of intensive care at the Avicenne hospital in Paris, said the infected patient had not travelled outside France before testing positive - suggesting that the new coronavirus was already circulating in the country much earlier than previously thought.
Cohen has called for new tests on blood samples taken from the athletes during and after the games in China.


theweekuk--2020-05-07--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 7 May 2020

Donald Trump has described the coronavirus as the “ worst attack ” ever on the United States .
The president @ @ @ @ @ worse than Pearl Harbor , this is worse than the World Trade Center .
There @ @ @ @ @ like this.
” Trump is considering punitive actions against China over its early handling of @ @ @ @ @ he is trying to distract from his failings .

Trump says Covid-19 ‘worse attack than Pearl Harbor’
Donald Trump has described the coronavirus as the “worst attack” ever on the United States. The president said: “This is worse than Pearl Harbor, this is worse than the World Trade Center. There's never been an attack like this.” Trump is considering punitive actions against China over its early handling of the emergency but Beijing says he is trying to distract from his failings.


theweekuk--2020-05-06--Doctor says NHS applause is leading to spike in injuries

An A & E medic is warning that the weekly nationwide clap for NHS staff has resulted in a spike in accidents and injuries .
Dr Richard Pilling , a consultant surgeon in Yorkshire , says there have been “ interesting little peaks in accident rates ” following the rounds of applause on Thursday nights .
In one incident , a woman fell and cut her knee .
Dr Pilling urges people to “ be a bit more cautious ” .
Covid-19 test kits get positive results from goat and pawpaw The president of Tanzania has blamed the rise in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on faulty imported test kits , after samples taken from a goat and a pawpaw returned positive results .
President John Magufuli ’ s government has faced criticism after he asked Tanzanians to simply pray the panemic away .
A worker at a New Jersey cemetery was left trapped in a grave after the sides collapsed on him while he was measuring the 8ft-deep hole .
The 59-year-old gravedigger was up to his knees in dirt for around half an hour during the incident at Hillside Cemetery in Lyndhurst .
Colleagues who heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prematurely buried worker , who was taken to hospital with chest and back pain .
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An A&E medic is warning that the weekly nationwide clap for NHS staff has resulted in a spike in accidents and injuries. Dr Richard Pilling, a consultant surgeon in Yorkshire, says there have been “interesting little peaks in accident rates” following the rounds of applause on Thursday nights. In one incident, a woman fell and cut her knee. Dr Pilling urges people to “be a bit more cautious”.
Covid-19 test kits get positive results from goat and pawpaw
The president of Tanzania has blamed the rise in coronavirus cases in the East African nation on faulty imported test kits, after samples taken from a goat and a pawpaw returned positive results. President John Magufuli’s government has faced criticism after he asked Tanzanians to simply pray the panemic away.
Gravedigger buried alive in New Jersey
A worker at a New Jersey cemetery was left trapped in a grave after the sides collapsed on him while he was measuring the 8ft-deep hole. The 59-year-old gravedigger was up to his knees in dirt for around half an hour during the incident at Hillside Cemetery in Lyndhurst. Colleagues who heard his cries for help finally freed the prematurely buried worker, who was taken to hospital with chest and back pain.
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theweekuk--2020-05-07--Premier League doctors ‘seriously concerned’ over Project Restart

A coalition of Premier League club doctors have written to football officials to voice fears over the potential risks of recommencing the English top flight during the coronavirus pandemic .
At least four doctors have contacted the league ’ s chief medical adviser , Mark Gillett , with questions about “ protocols designed to guarantee a safe return to training and , should government advice allow , full competition ” , The Guardian reports .
At least one of the doctors is known to have “ serious concerns ” about “ whether football can be made safe in the near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medical specialists are due to talk to players and managers from every Premier League team next week in a bid “ to ease fears about the dangers of resuming the season ” , according to The Times .
But in the meantime , the group of club doctors have complied a list of questions for Premier League authorities , including concerns over the “ issue of liability insurance should someone in their care become seriously ill or even die ” , the newspaper says .
In an email to the league , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how can we ‘ approve ’ guidelines that still carry risk of death ?
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 season has been suspended since 13 March in a bid to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus , but is set to resume behind closed doors under plans dubbed “ Project Restart ” .
Should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ league plans to air live most of the almost 200 remaining matches in the Premier League and Championship from June .
The government is understood to support the plan , with Dominic Raab saying that the return of professional football would “ lift the spirits of the nation ” .

A coalition of Premier League club doctors have written to football officials to voice fears over the potential risks of recommencing the English top flight during the coronavirus pandemic.
At least four doctors have contacted the league’s chief medical adviser, Mark Gillett, with questions about “protocols designed to guarantee a safe return to training and, should government advice allow, full competition”, The Guardian reports.
At least one of the doctors is known to have “serious concerns” about “whether football can be made safe in the near future”, the newspaper says.
Medical specialists are due to talk to players and managers from every Premier League team next week in a bid “to ease fears about the dangers of resuming the season”, according to The Times.
But in the meantime, the group of club doctors have complied a list of questions for Premier League authorities, including concerns over the “issue of liability insurance should someone in their care become seriously ill or even die”, the newspaper says.
In an email to the league, they reportedly ask: “As doctors, how can we ‘approve’ guidelines that still carry risk of death?”
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The season has been suspended since 13 March in a bid to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, but is set to resume behind closed doors under plans dubbed “Project Restart”.
Should appropriate safety procedures be agreed, the league plans to air live most of the almost 200 remaining matches in the Premier League and Championship from June.
The government is understood to support the plan, with Dominic Raab saying that the return of professional football would “lift the spirits of the nation”.


theweekuk--2020-05-07--Will coronavirus bring down Vladimir Putin?

Vladimir Putin is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his first inauguration as Russian president, but the milestone comes at a treacherous moment for the former KGB agent.
In a blow to the Russian premier, a new survey by independent pollster Levada-Center has found that fewer than half of respondents - 46% - believe the Russian government has responded adequately to the coronavirus pandemic.
And Putin’s personal approval has dipped to 59% - still high by the standards of most world leaders, but a historic low for the Russian president.
How bad is coronavirus in Russia?
Russia yesterday reported more than 10,000 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus for the fourth day in a row, bringing the country’s total number of confirmed infections to 177,160.
The tally of deaths linked to the virus rose to 1,625 on Thursday, after 88 people died overnight.
Russia was “always going to struggle if a large outbreak occurred in the country, and experts predicted one almost certainly would due to the country’s proximity to China and tightly packed cities, including the capital, Moscow”, says Vox.
With those predictions now being borne out, Russia has the world’s fastest growing number of coronavirus infections, according to latest figures.
The capital has been hit particularly hard, with up to 2% of the population believed to be infected, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Saturday. If correct, that would mean more than 240,000 infected people in the city - four times more than the official tally, reports The Guardian.
Hospitals across the country “are at breaking point” owing to “a chronic lack of basic medical equipment, including personal protective clothing (PPE), as well as eligible medical staff”, says the Daily Express.
The Ministry of Emergencies has warned of an “acute shortage” of ventilators, as regional authorities are told they face waits of up to three months for deliveries of PPE.
Is Putin in danger?
The Kremlin insists that volatile approval ratings are par for the course during a crisis such as that currently engulfing the world.
“It’s understandable that in such a difficult situation when people are losing their businesses, people are losing their salaries, people are suffering from staying at home, with their children, people are suffering from not being able to send their children to school. This is the reality we have to deal with,” Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesperson, told CNBC.


theweekuk--2020-05-07--Reaction: world criticises UK as Covid-19 death toll reaches highest in Europe

The UK has overtaken Italy as the European nation hardest hit by the Covid-19 coronavirus, fuelling international condemnation of Boris Johnson’s response to the pandemic.
According to latest figures, the UK death stood at 30,150 as of Thursday morning, compared with 29,684 in Italy. Only the US has reported more fatalities linked to the virus, at more than 73,000.
Even before the UK tally topped the Italian total, The Sydney Morning Herald had condemned Downing Street’s handling of the outbreak as the “biggest failure in a generation”.
Mike Rann, a former Australian high commissioner to the UK, told the newspaper that the initial response was a “shambles of mixed messaging, poor organisation and a complacent attitude that what was happening in Italy wouldn’t happen here”.
The New Yorker is equally scathing, accusing the UK authorities of reacting with a “curious mixture of superiority and fatalism” that proved to be “calamitous”.
Despite the UK’s “internationally respected public-health apparatus”, the government “dithered” as the coronavirus crisis unfolded in other parts of Europe, says the news magazine.
Prior to the implementation of the UK lockdown on 23 March, the virus was “able to circulate more or less freely” during a “directionless” ten-day period when “soccer matches and horse-racing festivals went ahead” and “Johnson joked about shaking people’s hands”.
The result, says The New Yorker, was that “thousands of people became infected and later died”.
Left-wing Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera agrees that in taking too long to act, the UK “lost the advantage that fate and Italy gave it”.
“The two great British virtues – understatement and grace under fire - have turned out to not be a blessing,” continues the paper, adding that the worsening situation is “like a nightmare from which you cannot awake, but in which you landed because of your own fault or stupidity”.
The Guardian reports that officials in Greece have “watched London’s handling of the crisis with disbelief”, not least over the government’s apparent strategy of pursuing so-called “herd immunity”.
Greek newspaper Ethnos goes so far as to claim that Johnson “essentially asked Britons… to accept death”.
Many critics have pointed to the prime minister’s periods of absence throughout the crisis, with French newspaper Les Echos noting that he “declined to attend five emergency committee meetings and instead enjoyed 12 joyful days of vacation”.
“Boris Johnson will need all his dynamism as his country plunges further into crisis,” the paper says.
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Closer to home, Irish commentators have expressed dismay at reports that the UK lockdown may be relaxed as early as next week.
“Ministers of slim talent have bumbled through daily briefings and now big-business Conservative donors are impatient to reverse a shutdown so contrary to Brexiteer dreams,” writes Fionnuala O’Connor in The Irish News.
“Boris Johnson needs all his showman’s tricks now to sell the phasing out of a lockdown which was less than effective, at least in part, because of his stubborn libertarianism.”


theweekuk--2020-05-06--Quiz of The Week: 2 - 7 May 2020

Quiz of The Week: 2 - 7 May 2020

The UK this week became the first country in Europe to record more than 30,000 coronavirus deaths , fuelling criticism of the government ’ s response to the pandemic .
The US is the only other country in the world to have reported more deaths linked to Covid-19 , at almost 75,000 .
News that the UK death toll has passed that in Italy - previously the worst-hit European nation - came as one of Boris Johnson ’ s most senior scientific advisors , Neil Ferguson , was forced to resign after being found to have flouted lockdown regulations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vocal proponent of social distancing yet repeatedly allowed his married lover to visit his London home .
Meanwhile , UK and US intelligence agencies have warned other medical researchers about an increase in cyberattacks on facilities working on a coronavirus vaccine .
Intelligence officials have also quashed claims that Covid-19 was created in a lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan , the epicentre of the outbreak - although many conspiracy theorists remain unconvinced .
To find out how closely you ’ ve been paying attention to the latest developments in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week : Need a reminder of some of the other headlines over the past seven days ?
Leaked documents revealed the proposals being considered by the government for getting the UK back to work , as Chancellor Rishi Sunak warned that the cost of the coronavirus wage-subsidy scheme is “ unsustainable ” .
Over in the US , President Donald Trump was forced to deny links to two Americans reported to have been arrested for their part in an “ inept ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader Nicolas Maduro .
One of the detained Americans had provided security for Trump ’ s rallies in 2018 , but the president insists that the alleged military operation in Venezuela last Sunday “ had nothing to do with our government ” .
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theweekuk--2020-05-08--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 8 May 2020

The Bank of England says Britain could take a year to return to normal after suffering its deepest recession for @ @ @ @ @ It forecast that the economy will sink by as much as 25 % in the @ @ @ @ @ the steepest fall since 1706 .
The crisis is expected to put a stop on @ @ @ @ @ to shut and halt the property market .

Bank of England says economic recovery could take a year
The Bank of England says Britain could take a year to return to normal after suffering its deepest recession for more than three centuries. It forecast that the economy will sink by as much as 25% in the three months to June – the steepest fall since 1706. The crisis is expected to put a stop on household spending, force businesses to shut and halt the property market.


theweekuk--2020-05-07--The Week Unwrapped: Salaries, sorties and dropshippers

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days .
In this week ’ s episode , we discuss : The US women ’ s soccer team has lost its court battle for equal pay .
As sports across the world are on hold , will the momentum slow for women ’ s teams striving for equal footing with men ’ s teams ?
And what does the pandemic mean for the gender pay gap across business more broadly ?
Amid all the wartime rhetoric around coronavirus , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still going on around the world .
Were British forces right to conduct deadly bombing raids against Isis targets in Iraq , while the UN calls for a global ceasefire ?
And does military action count as “ essential work ” ?
The Canadian ecommerce company Shopify reported a 50 % rise in revenues this week , and a record share price that values it at $ 80bn .
The coronavirus pandemic has led to a huge increase in demand for the simple online shopping software it sells - and some traditional retailers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give them a new way of getting their products to customers .
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player , Apple podcasts , SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts .

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days.
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
Salaries
The US women’s soccer team has lost its court battle for equal pay. As sports across the world are on hold, will the momentum slow for women’s teams striving for equal footing with men’s teams? And what does the pandemic mean for the gender pay gap across business more broadly?
Sorties
Amid all the wartime rhetoric around coronavirus, it is easy to forget that military operations are still going on around the world. Were British forces right to conduct deadly bombing raids against Isis targets in Iraq, while the UN calls for a global ceasefire? And does military action count as “essential work”?
Dropshippers
The Canadian ecommerce company Shopify reported a 50% rise in revenues this week, and a record share price that values it at $80bn. The coronavirus pandemic has led to a huge increase in demand for the simple online shopping software it sells - and some traditional retailers and manufacturers are hoping that it will give them a new way of getting their products to customers.
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player, Apple podcasts, SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts.


theweekuk--2020-05-09--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 9 May 2020

The Queen has paid tribute to Britain 's lockdown spirit in a speech on the 75th anniversary of VE Day @ @ @ @ @ which the Daily Mail described as “ electrifying ” , she said those who fought @ @ @ @ @ would admire the nation ’ s response to the pandemic .
She added : “ @ @ @ @ @ ; they are filled with the love and the care that we have for each @ @ @

Queen says British streets are ‘filled with love and care’
The Queen has paid tribute to Britain's lockdown spirit in a speech on the 75th anniversary of VE Day. During the address, which the Daily Mail described as “electrifying”, she said those who fought in the Second World War would admire the nation’s response to the pandemic. She added: “Our streets are not empty; they are filled with the love and the care that we have for each other.”


theweekuk--2020-05-10--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 10 May 2020

Barack Obama has criticised Donald Trump over his response to the coronavirus crisis .
The president described the US handling @ @ @ @ @ an absolute chaotic disaster ” .
He added that there has been a “ mindset @ @ @ @ @ in it for me ” and “ to heck with everybody else , ” in @ @ @ @ @ than 77,000 people have now died and the US has 1.2m confirmed cases - both @ @ @ @ @ .

Obama describes Trump's handling of virus as a ‘disaster’
Barack Obama has criticised Donald Trump over his response to the coronavirus crisis. The president described the US handling of the pandemic as “an absolute chaotic disaster”. He added that there has been a “mindset” of “what's in it for me” and “to heck with everybody else,” in the US government. More than 77,000 people have now died and the US has 1.2m confirmed cases - both the highest in the world.


theweekuk--2020-05-11--Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic seeking investors to avoid collapse

Around “ a dozen ” investors are reportedly circling Virgin Atlantic as Richard Branson ’ s embattled airline seeks a £500m rescue from the government .
According to The Times , senior management at Virgin - “ part of a sector that has been brought to its knees by the coronavirus ” - will make presentations to a range of investors this week , while also continuing talks with the Treasury and UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps .
The airline has “ ruled nothing out ” in its fight for survival and is understood to be “ keen to negotiate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and public sectors ” , the newspaper adds .
Sky News ’ s city editor Mark Kleinman says that the airline has also put administrators on standby to handle a potential administration .
The move “ does not mean that insolvency is inevitable , but reflects the legal obligation of Virgin Atlantic ’ s directors to prepare for such an outcome ” , Kleinman explains .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– London-born tycoon Branson owns a 51 % stake in the company , with the remainder held by Delta Airlines .
As The Times notes , the proposed government bailout has attracted criticism as Branson has “ an estimated personal fortune of £4bn and lives on a tax haven in the British Virgin Islands ” .
Last week , Virgin Atlantic revealed plans to cut 3,150 members of its 10,000-strong workforce , and to close its operations at Gatwick Airport .
The carrier had previously asked its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave between March and May , as part of cost-cutting measures as the industry reels from the effects of coronavirus travel restrictions .

Around “a dozen” investors are reportedly circling Virgin Atlantic as Richard Branson’s embattled airline seeks a £500m rescue from the government.
According to The Times, senior management at Virgin - “part of a sector that has been brought to its knees by the coronavirus” - will make presentations to a range of investors this week, while also continuing talks with the Treasury and UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.
The airline has “ruled nothing out” in its fight for survival and is understood to be “keen to negotiate a financial injection from both the private and public sectors”, the newspaper adds.
Sky News’s city editor Mark Kleinman says that the airline has also put administrators on standby to handle a potential administration.
The move “does not mean that insolvency is inevitable, but reflects the legal obligation of Virgin Atlantic’s directors to prepare for such an outcome”, Kleinman explains.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
London-born tycoon Branson owns a 51% stake in the company, with the remainder held by Delta Airlines.
As The Times notes, the proposed government bailout has attracted criticism as Branson has “an estimated personal fortune of £4bn and lives on a tax haven in the British Virgin Islands”.
Last week, Virgin Atlantic revealed plans to cut 3,150 members of its 10,000-strong workforce, and to close its operations at Gatwick Airport.
The carrier had previously asked its staff to take eight weeks of unpaid leave between March and May, as part of cost-cutting measures as the industry reels from the effects of coronavirus travel restrictions.


theweekuk--2020-05-11--Instant Opinion: Boris Johnson is no longer prime minister of the whole UK

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 collapse on the UK ’ s unified coronavirus response Boris Johnson is no longer a prime minister of the whole United Kingdom – but you won ’ t see him admit it “ The UK is over , at least so far as the fight to defeat the coronavirus is concerned , and our national unity is the latest casualty of this ‘ devilish illness ’ , as the first minister of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d never think that , though , watching his UK-wide broadcast – or indeed much of the media reporting is concerned .
According to Johnson there is a new plan for ‘ the whole country ’ and although he has ( loaded word ) ‘ consulted ’ the four nations of the UK , ‘ I believe that as prime minister of the United Kingdom – Scotland , England , Wales , Northern Ireland , there is a strong resolve to defeat this together ’ .
Well , Boris , you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but devolved administrations have much more than a right to be ‘ consulted ’ ( or ignored ) by you ; they have a complete veto so far as their own territories are concerned .
If they don ’ t wish to change the rules or the messaging , or both , then they won ’ t .
And , indeed , they have not.
” 2 .
Nicola Sturgeon , Scotland ’ s First Minister , in The Daily Telegraph on her plan to deviate from Boris Johnson ’ s Covid-19 plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson ’ s vague and imprecise ‘ Stay Alert ’ slogan “ We are making real progress in tackling the pandemic – but that progress is fragile and could all too easily be undone .
That is why I am reiterating , in the strongest possible way , that the message to people here in Scotland remains Stay at Home - unless you have to go out for food , medicine , exercise or to do essential work that can ’ t be done at home .
The public have responded magnificently to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is too soon to change that message .
The new slogan introduced by the Prime Minister for the people of England , to ‘ Stay Alert ’ , is , I am afraid to say , vague and imprecise , and dilutes the crystal clear call for people to remain at home .
Clarity of message is vital , and for that reason I have asked the UK government not to deploy their Stay Alert ad campaign in Scotland.
” on the power of Britain ’ s nationalist mythology We can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s face up to what ’ s happened to Britain “ In England in particular , there is a strand of the national culture expressed by the mixture of hectoring optimism and insularity of the rightwing press , and reducible to the idea that the supposed British way of doing anything is necessarily the best .
Even now , 21st-century politics is still less about hardened matters of success and failure than these expressions of culture and history , and the sides they force people to take .
Britain was led into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ludicrous idea that subjecting ourselves to self-harm would somehow awaken the Blitz spirit and revive past glories .
Amid Friday ’ s juxtaposition of the 75th anniversary of VE day and a deepening sense of national crisis , as well as solemn remembrance , there was inevitably some of the same stuff .
These things play into deep elements of the English psyche , shot through with the lingering traces of deference and always ready to be manipulated by Tory politicians.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– on Britain ’ s need for a Brexit extension This is no time to be stubborn about Brexit “ Something ... has diminished over the course of the past couple of months : our faith that British institutions , primarily the government , have the skills to handle a no-deal Brexit .
We have heard endless swagger about how Britain would be fine on WTO terms , with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dynamism to shape this new ‘ global Britain ’ .
The no-deal dream is built on the idea of British exceptionalism .
But the failings of recent months , whether on PPE , testing , quarantining or government messaging , have dented that hubris .
The world has been shocked by the government ’ s handling of this crisis .
The international press scorns its ‘ complacent ’ , ‘ incompetent ’ , ‘ negligent ’ approach .
Do we really have the commanding authority necessary to draw up a load of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must plead with our government to climb down and extend the talks .
The withdrawal agreement allows for an extension of one or two years ; we should go for two .
As only a single extension is allowed , let us go for the maximum.
” 5 .
Charles M. Blow in The New York Times on the creeping danger of widespread hunger “ I now think a lot about children like the one I was and families like the one I had in this era of pandemic , when unfathomable job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when schools where poor children ate free lunches are closed , where there are now regular news stories of food banks being inundated with desperate families in need of help .
As a Brookings report last week detailed : ‘ By the end of April , more than one in five households in the United States , and two in five households with mothers with children 12 and under , were food insecure .
In almost one in five households of mothers with children age 12 and under , the children were experiencing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hungry .
They already are .
And , hunger is not a thing that you simply become inured to .
It makes people desperate , and desperation , on the scale that it will likely occur because of this pandemic , is dangerous .
The effect of this pandemic on the vulnerable isn ’ t limited to America .
This is likely to be a world crisis of hunger and instability .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Sean O’Grady in The Independent
on the collapse on the UK’s unified coronavirus response
Boris Johnson is no longer a prime minister of the whole United Kingdom – but you won’t see him admit it
“The UK is over, at least so far as the fight to defeat the coronavirus is concerned, and our national unity is the latest casualty of this ‘devilish illness’, as the first minister of the Province of England calls it. You’d never think that, though, watching his UK-wide broadcast – or indeed much of the media reporting is concerned. According to Johnson there is a new plan for ‘the whole country’ and although he has (loaded word) ‘consulted’ the four nations of the UK, ‘I believe that as prime minister of the United Kingdom – Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, there is a strong resolve to defeat this together’. Well, Boris, you can ‘believe’ all you like, but devolved administrations have much more than a right to be ‘consulted’ (or ignored) by you; they have a complete veto so far as their own territories are concerned. If they don’t wish to change the rules or the messaging, or both, then they won’t. And, indeed, they have not.”
2. Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, in The Daily Telegraph
on her plan to deviate from Boris Johnson’s Covid-19 plan
I will not sign up to Boris Johnson’s vague and imprecise ‘Stay Alert’ slogan
“We are making real progress in tackling the pandemic – but that progress is fragile and could all too easily be undone. That is why I am reiterating, in the strongest possible way, that the message to people here in Scotland remains Stay at Home - unless you have to go out for food, medicine, exercise or to do essential work that can’t be done at home. The public have responded magnificently to that appeal over recent weeks but it is too soon to change that message. The new slogan introduced by the Prime Minister for the people of England, to ‘Stay Alert’, is, I am afraid to say, vague and imprecise, and dilutes the crystal clear call for people to remain at home. Clarity of message is vital, and for that reason I have asked the UK government not to deploy their Stay Alert ad campaign in Scotland.”
3. John Harris in The Guardian
on the power of Britain’s nationalist mythology
We can’t hide behind the bunting – let’s face up to what’s happened to Britain
“In England in particular, there is a strand of the national culture expressed by the mixture of hectoring optimism and insularity of the rightwing press, and reducible to the idea that the supposed British way of doing anything is necessarily the best. Even now, 21st-century politics is still less about hardened matters of success and failure than these expressions of culture and history, and the sides they force people to take. Britain was led into the disaster of Brexit by people successfully sowing the ludicrous idea that subjecting ourselves to self-harm would somehow awaken the Blitz spirit and revive past glories. Amid Friday’s juxtaposition of the 75th anniversary of VE day and a deepening sense of national crisis, as well as solemn remembrance, there was inevitably some of the same stuff. These things play into deep elements of the English psyche, shot through with the lingering traces of deference and always ready to be manipulated by Tory politicians.”


theweekuk--2020-05-11--Coronavirus: how relaxing lockdown rules has impacted Europe

Millions of Europeans are welcoming the easing of stay-at-home orders , as countries across the Continent take tentative steps towards lifting lockdowns .
Officials will be monitoring the impact of the relaxations , with leaders ready to hit the pause button if coronavirus infection rates begin to climb once again in their countries .
So just which restrictions are being lifted - and how have the changes affected the number of Covid-19 cases being recorded ?
Germany is weeks into a phased reopening of its economy that began on 20 April , when small shops were allowed to reopen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to open their doors since last week , and schools have been partially reopened for young children and those taking exams .
Other year groups are due to return to school gradually over the summer term .
The government has also granted permission for people from two separate households to meet up with each other , but big public events such as festivals and concerts will remain banned until at least the end of August .
However , Bundesliga football matches will restart behind closed doors on 16 May - the first of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the pandemic suspended team sports across the Continent .
Germany has seen a slight rise in its R value - the average number of people that one infected person will go on to infect - since the authorities began relaxing the restrictions .
The R value reached around 1.1 in Germany on Saturday , but officials warned of “ insecurities ” in predicting a long-term trend , reports Deutsche Welle .
France has also begun to lift strict lockdown measures that have been in place since 17 March .
From this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without certificates of permission , and to travel up to 100km ( 62 miles ) from their homes by car , says the BBC .
Longer trips still require a certificate , and commuters travelling in the Paris rush hour still need their employer ’ s authorisation or a compelling reason to travel .
Four “ red zones ” - including Paris - will remain under a stricter lockdown , with parks , gardens and schools for children aged between 11 and 18 staying shut .
But in “ green zones ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen from today , while schools for 11- to 15-year-olds will open again on 18 May .
A limit of 15 pupils will be applied in classrooms , and masks will be required for older children .
Schools for 15- to 18-year-olds will not open until June , at the earliest .
All shops other than Paris shopping centres can now open , as can leisure centres and cemeteries , and gatherings of fewer than ten people are permitted .
On 1 May , France ’ s public health chief said the R @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 0.5 to between 0.6 and 0.7 on average as a result of the “ progressive return to activity ” .
But , crucially , the value remains below 1 - and “ officials are not solely relying on the R , instead reviewing several indicators to decide when to loosen restrictions , ” says The Telegraph .
After implementing one of the toughest lockdowns in Europe , the Spanish authorities began a phased lifting of the measures on 4 May .
Restrictions will continue be eased in two-week blocks until 10 June , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reversed if cases spike .
Schools will partially reopen from 26 May to allow for revision classes and state exams , but a full reopening is not expected until September .
From today , customers can order a beer in a terrace bar , but bars and restaurants will not fully reopen until 10 June .
Cinemas , theatres and exhibitions will be allowed to open at 30 % capacity from 26 May .
Churches and mosques can also open at partial capacity as of this week , and groups of up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes or outdoors - to the delight of many .
“ We have already set a date for dinner on Wednesday , just ten of us .
I can ’ t wait to touch someone , to kiss and be kissed , ” 66-year-old Beatriz Gonzalez , who lives in the city of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands , told The Guardian .
Spanish officials are now monitoring the country ’ s R value , which stood at below 1 as of the end of April .
Ireland ’ s lockdown has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with residents only permitted to exercise within 1.2 miles of their homes .
But the country is planning to start relaxing lockdown laws from 18 May , when outdoor workers such as construction workers and gardeners will be allowed to return to their jobs .
Creches and nurseries will reopen for the children of essential workers from 29 June , and for all workers from 20 July .
However , schools will not reopen until September .
Social visits between households will be allowed from 8 June , and from 29 June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 20km ( 12-mile ) radius of their homes .
Weddings , baptisms and small social gatherings will be allowed from 20 July , but only for family and close friends , reports the BBC .
Small shops selling non-essential items will be allowed to reopen from 8 June , and larger shops can open their doors from 29 June .
Speaking in Dublin on Sunday , the Irish Health Service Executive ’ s chief clinical officer , Dr Colm Henry , said that an estimated 10,000-plus lives had been saved and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the lockdown measures , reports the Irish Mirror .
“ The R value is dipping well below 0.8 .
If that R value had remained at 2.4 , we would have been seeing on 7 May 12,000 deaths instead of almost 1,200 , ” Henry said .
Over the border in Northern Ireland , Arlene Foster announced that the R value in her country is currently at around 0.8 or 0.9 , reports The Irish News .
That compares with an R value in England of between 0.5 and 0.9 , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raab last week .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Italy was one of the earliest countries in Europe to be hit by the Covid-19 coronavirus , with thousands of people infected before the severity of the crisis was fully understood .
However , as the outbreak in Italy eases , the authorities have lifted earlier measures preventing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes .
Since early May , citizens have been permitted to travel longer distances and to visit their relatives in small numbers .
Visiting people in other regions is still banned .
From 18 May , shops , museum and libraries will be allowed to open , and sports teams to train together .
Bars , restaurants , hair dressers and beauty salons are set to fully reopen from 1 June .
But schools will remain closed until September .
Italian officials are using the R value as their key guidance in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place .
As of 2 May , the key figure stood at around 0.7 .
“ It ’ s important not to let down our guard , ” said Silvio Brusaferro , president of the Italian Higher Health Institute .
Sweden is something of an anomaly in Europe , because “ strictly speaking , there was no real lockdown , so Sweden does not have much to remove ” says the BBC .
Restaurants , bars , schools and businesses have remained open throughout the pandemic , although a ban on gatherings of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late March .
Whether Sweden ’ s relaxed approach has paid off is questionable .
The country has recorded more than 3,200 deaths , by far the highest per capita number compared with the other Nordic countries .
And while the Swedish economy has weathered the coronavirus storm better than most so far , experts say that may not prove to be the case in the long term .
“ Early figures for Sweden ’ s gross domestic product in the first quarter of 2020 , released this week , suggested that at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than much of the EU as it recorded a decline of just 0.3 % , compared with a 3.8 % fall for the eurozone , ” reports the Financial Times .
“ But economists argue that Sweden is unlikely in the long term to escape the severe economic pain of the rest of Europe .
The European Commission forecasts that Sweden ’ s GDP will fall by 6.1 % this year .
”

Millions of Europeans are welcoming the easing of stay-at-home orders, as countries across the Continent take tentative steps towards lifting lockdowns. Officials will be monitoring the impact of the relaxations, with leaders ready to hit the pause button if coronavirus infection rates begin to climb once again in their countries. So just which restrictions are being lifted - and how have the changes affected the number of Covid-19 cases being recorded? Germany Germany is weeks into a phased reopening of its economy that began on 20 April, when small shops were allowed to reopen. Stores of all sizes have been permitted to open their doors since last week, and schools have been partially reopened for young children and those taking exams. Other year groups are due to return to school gradually over the summer term. The government has also granted permission for people from two separate households to meet up with each other, but big public events such as festivals and concerts will remain banned until at least the end of August. However, Bundesliga football matches will restart behind closed doors on 16 May - the first of the major European leagues to kick off since the pandemic suspended team sports across the Continent. Germany has seen a slight rise in its R value - the average number of people that one infected person will go on to infect - since the authorities began relaxing the restrictions. The R value reached around 1.1 in Germany on Saturday, but officials warned of “insecurities” in predicting a long-term trend, reports Deutsche Welle. France France has also begun to lift strict lockdown measures that have been in place since 17 March. From this week, citizens are allowed to go out without certificates of permission, and to travel up to 100km (62 miles) from their homes by car, says the BBC. Longer trips still require a certificate, and commuters travelling in the Paris rush hour still need their employer’s authorisation or a compelling reason to travel. Skip advert Four “red zones” - including Paris - will remain under a stricter lockdown, with parks, gardens and schools for children aged between 11 and 18 staying shut.
But in “green zones”, primary schools and nurseries are starting to reopen from today, while schools for 11- to 15-year-olds will open again on 18 May. A limit of 15 pupils will be applied in classrooms, and masks will be required for older children. Schools for 15- to 18-year-olds will not open until June, at the earliest. All shops other than Paris shopping centres can now open, as can leisure centres and cemeteries, and gatherings of fewer than ten people are permitted. However, bars and restaurant remain closed. On 1 May, France’s public health chief said the R value in the country had risen from 0.5 to between 0.6 and 0.7 on average as a result of the “progressive return to activity”. But, crucially, the value remains below 1 - and “officials are not solely relying on the R, instead reviewing several indicators to decide when to loosen restrictions,” says The Telegraph. Spain After implementing one of the toughest lockdowns in Europe, the Spanish authorities began a phased lifting of the measures on 4 May. Restrictions will continue be eased in two-week blocks until 10 June, but the plan may be paused or reversed if cases spike. Schools will partially reopen from 26 May to allow for revision classes and state exams, but a full reopening is not expected until September. From today, customers can order a beer in a terrace bar, but bars and restaurants will not fully reopen until 10 June. Cinemas, theatres and exhibitions will be allowed to open at 30% capacity from 26 May. Churches and mosques can also open at partial capacity as of this week, and groups of up to ten people are allowed to meet in homes or outdoors - to the delight of many. “We have already set a date for dinner on Wednesday, just ten of us. I can’t wait to touch someone, to kiss and be kissed,” 66-year-old Beatriz Gonzalez, who lives in the city of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, told The Guardian. Skip advert Spanish officials are now monitoring the country’s R value, which stood at below 1 as of the end of April. Ireland Ireland’s lockdown has been even stricter than that in England, with residents only permitted to exercise within 1.2 miles of their homes. But the country is planning to start relaxing lockdown laws from 18 May, when outdoor workers such as construction workers and gardeners will be allowed to return to their jobs.


theweekuk--2020-05-11--Reaction: Boris Johnson faces ‘backlash’ over coronavirus lockdown exit plan

Boris Johnson is under fire after revealing a “ conditional plan ” to relax the UK ’ s lockdown rules that includes allowing people in England to spend more time outdoors from Wednesday .
In a televised speech from Downing Street on Sunday , the prime minister said that a new “ Covid Alert System ” with five levels of severity would dictate how quickly the restrictions could be eased , but that people who can not do their job from home should return to work while avoiding public transport .
The address was “ immediately condemned as being divisive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Guardian .
A decision to “ drop the ‘ stay at home ’ message in favour of advice to ‘ stay alert ’ was met with a chorus of disapproval from the leaders of Scotland , Northern Ireland and Wales ” , the newspaper adds , with Nicola Sturgeon warning that the “ imprecise ” message could have “ catastrophic ” consequences north of the border .
Johnson said that he had “ reached a consensus ” with the devolved governments over the UK ’ s exit plan , but the Scottish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing about the new slogan until she read about it in Sunday newspapers ” , according to The Telegraph .
The findings of a new YouGov poll suggests that the wider public are also feeling somewhat confused , with just three in ten Britons saying they know what the new “ stay alert , control the virus , save lives ” message is asking them to do .
And the nation appears to be split about the decision to relax the lockdown rules , with the move supported by 44 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 43 % were opposed .
Labour leader Keir Starmer is calling for greater clarity from the government on the new guidelines , saying that the prime minister “ appears to be effectively telling millions of people to go back to work ” without the necessary guidance .
“ We haven ’ t got the guidelines , and we don ’ t know how it ’ s going to work with public transport , so there ’ s a huge number of questions arising out of this , ” Starmer said .
The Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a backlash from union leaders and some businesses over the lack of detail in the road map ” .
Made UK , which represents British manufacturers , has expressed concerns that businesses may be “ punished ” for violating social distancing rules .
“ In many parts of manufacturing , people will need to work much more closely than two metres apart , ” said Made UK chief executive Stephen Phipson .
“ It is vital that the guidance is explicit about how this may be achieved safely.
” This call was echoed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretary of the Trades Union Congress , who said : “ The government still hasn ’ t published guidance on how workers will be kept safe .
So how can the prime minister - with 12 hours ’ notice - tell people they should be going back to sites and factories ?
” However , some business leaders have responded more positively to Johnson ’ s speech , with the Confederation of British Industry ( CBI ) saying that the plan is the “ first glimmer of light for our faltering economy ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s director general , said : “ A phased and careful return to work is the only way to protect jobs and pay for future public services.
” Johnson ’ s speech has also won applause from The Times ’ political sketch writer Quentin Letts , who says that “ most fair observers will surely reckon he did this pretty well ” , offering “ just a hint of release from the national imprisonment ” .
“ His script , delivered slowly and with heavy shoulder shuffles , had a couple of distinctive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flourish-free address , its seriousness striking , ” Letts adds .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– But fellow commentator Piers Morgan remains unimpressed and has delivered what the Daily Mirror describes as a “ scathing attack ” on the PM .
Returning to his duties as Good Morning Britain host today after testing positive for coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ except I feel extremely frustrated by what I watched last night .
I don ’ t know where it leaves us and I don ’ t understand the sequence of events here .
“ Boris Johnson clears 15 minutes of prime time , Sunday night television to address the nation .
And you expect when you get that amount of time on a Sunday night at seven o ’ clock you would get loads of great detail that clears everything up .
“ Instead we got a load of his usual flim-flam , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhetoric .
But when it gets to the detail , I don ’ t know where it leaves us.
” Politico agrees that despite the “ somber ” tone of Johnson ’ s speech , “ those looking for clarity will likely have been disappointed ” .
“ The plan offers hope to the fiscal hawks who have been pushing the prime minister to open up the economy , ” the news site says .
“ However , the statement , along with a new government slogan urging people to ‘ stay alert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who accuse Johnson of failing to be precise.
” Further details of the PM ’ s plan will be set out in a 50-page document to be tabled in Parliament this afternoon .


theweekuk--2020-05-11--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 11 May 2020

Scientists say they have found evidence of mutations in some strains of coronavirus that suggest the pathogen may be adapting @ @ @ @ @ of more than 5,300 coronavirus genomes from 62 countries by researchers at the London School @ @ @ @ @ revealed mutations in some that may help the virus spread more quickly .
The development @ @ @ @ @ teams working on a vaccine .

Scientists fear coronavirus is mutating to humans
Scientists say they have found evidence of mutations in some strains of coronavirus that suggest the pathogen may be adapting to humans. An analysis of more than 5,300 coronavirus genomes from 62 countries by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine revealed mutations in some that may help the virus spread more quickly. The development will be watched closely by teams working on a vaccine.


theweekuk--2020-05-10--Harry Potter books salvaged from skip to sell for thousands

Three first-edition Harry Potter novels saved from a skip are expected to fetch £18,000 at auction .
A teacher retrieved the books after they were thrown out in a tidy-up at her school in Buckinghamshire .
Among them is a rare hardback first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher ’ s Stone , one of only 500 in the first-print run .
A woman has told of her surprise after being asked to show her dog ’ s driving licence in order to get access to his Facebook profile .
Emily Doucet , from Seattle , explained on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of my dog ’ s Facebook account that I created in 2010 and they won ’ t let me back in unless I send over a copy of his driver ’ s license.
” Facebook said it does not allow people to have profiles for their pets , and that owners should create a page for them instead .
Police found a suspect who was hiding in a bush after hearing him fart .
Officers from Nottingham Police chased the wanted man into some woods , where his guilty gust gave the game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Sun : “ I was almost out of wind running but luckily the suspect still had some .
I heard him letting rip and followed the noises to a bush.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Three first-edition Harry Potter novels saved from a skip are expected to fetch £18,000 at auction. A teacher retrieved the books after they were thrown out in a tidy-up at her school in Buckinghamshire. Among them is a rare hardback first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, one of only 500 in the first-print run.
Facebook asks for dog’s driving licence
A woman has told of her surprise after being asked to show her dog’s driving licence in order to get access to his Facebook profile. Emily Doucet, from Seattle, explained on Twitter: “I’m locked out of my dog’s Facebook account that I created in 2010 and they won’t let me back in unless I send over a copy of his driver’s license.” Facebook said it does not allow people to have profiles for their pets, and that owners should create a page for them instead.
Fugitive’s fart gets him nicked
Police found a suspect who was hiding in a bush after hearing him fart. Officers from Nottingham Police chased the wanted man into some woods, where his guilty gust gave the game away. One of the officers told The Sun: “I was almost out of wind running but luckily the suspect still had some. I heard him letting rip and followed the noises to a bush.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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--2020-05-11--Is coronavirus really mutating to become more dangerous?


theweekuk--2020-05-11--Russia accuses US of Moon ‘invasion’

Russia accuses US of Moon ‘invasion’

A US “ invasion ” of the Moon to launch Donald Trump ’ s proposed lunar mining project could be “ another Afghanistan or Iraq ” , Russia has warned .
The Times reports that officials in Washington are working on a “ legal blueprint for mining on the Moon that could involve Canada , Japan and some European countries , as well as the United Arab Emirates ” - but not Russia .
Nasa is pumping tens of billions of dollars into the so-called Artemis project , which aims to establish the “ sustainable exploration ” of the Moon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head of Russia ’ s Roscosmos space agency , has tweeted that “ the principle of the invasion is the same , be it the Moon or Iraq ” .
“ Create a coalition of the willing and then , without UN or even Nato , move forward to the goal .
But this will only result in a new Afghanistan or Iraq , ” he wrote .
Sergei Ryabkov , Russia ’ s deputy foreign minister , added : “ It continues the line that the US pursues on Earth - he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against us.
” Meanwhile , Roscosmos deputy head Sergei Savelyev has compared the lunar mining mission to colonialism , reports The Moscow Times .
“ There have already been examples in history when one country decided to start seizing territories in its own interests and everyone remembers how that turned out , ” Savelyev said .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that efforts to establish international jurisdiction over celestial bodies , such as the 1979 Moon Treaty , have “ failed to muster support from space-faring countries ” including both the US and Russia .
The 1979 Treaty proposes setting up an “ international regime ” or “ framework of laws ” that apply to the Moon and to other celestial bodies within the Solar System .

A US “invasion” of the Moon to launch Donald Trump’s proposed lunar mining project could be “another Afghanistan or Iraq”, Russia has warned.
The Times reports that officials in Washington are working on a “legal blueprint for mining on the Moon that could involve Canada, Japan and some European countries, as well as the United Arab Emirates” - but not Russia.
Nasa is pumping tens of billions of dollars into the so-called Artemis project, which aims to establish the “sustainable exploration” of the Moon by 2028.
But Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia’s Roscosmos space agency, has tweeted that “the principle of the invasion is the same, be it the Moon or Iraq”.
“Create a coalition of the willing and then, without UN or even Nato, move forward to the goal. But this will only result in a new Afghanistan or Iraq,” he wrote.
Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, added: “It continues the line that the US pursues on Earth - he who is not with us, is against us.”
Meanwhile, Roscosmos deputy head Sergei Savelyev has compared the lunar mining mission to colonialism, reports The Moscow Times.
“There have already been examples in history when one country decided to start seizing territories in its own interests and everyone remembers how that turned out,” Savelyev said.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Deutsche Welle reports that efforts to establish international jurisdiction over celestial bodies, such as the 1979 Moon Treaty, have “failed to muster support from space-faring countries” including both the US and Russia.
The 1979 Treaty proposes setting up an “international regime” or “framework of laws” that apply to the Moon and to other celestial bodies within the Solar System.


theweekuk--2020-05-11--Healthcare firm advised by Tory MP handed £133m coronavirus contract ‘unopposed’

A healthcare company that employs Conservative MP Owen Paterson as a paid consultant has been awarded a £133m contract to produce coronavirus testing kits without any other firms being invited to bid for the work, according to reports.
Documents seen by The Guardian say that Randox Laboratories was handed the massive contract by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) “without prior publication of a call for competition”.
The deal was agreed under “fast-track” arrangements “that enable public bodies dealing with the pandemic to give contracts to commercial companies” without inviting other tenders, the newspaper adds.
In the official notice of the contract, the DHSC reportedly said there was no other way of obtaining the urgently needed testing kits and associated services.
The register of MPs’ financial interests states that Paterson has been a consultant to Randox since August 2015 and is paid “£8,333 a month for a monthly commitment of 16 hours”.
When asked if Paterson had lobbied for the testing kits contract, a government source told The Guardian that the DHSC was “unable to comment on the personnel matters of other organisations”.
Paterson did not respond to a request for comment from the newspaper.
Meanwhile, a statement from Randox pointed out that the company “is only one partner within a multi-partner, national testing programme. The programme is being run and coordinated by the Department of Health and Social Care and they would be best placed to comment on the overall programme.”
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News of the contract comes weeks after Buzzfeed revealed that Randox been selling a “rapid Covid-19 home testing kit” online for £120 to consumers and private clinics. Paterson - who was reportedly self-isolating with coronavirus symptoms at the time - declined to comment to the news site on his involvement with the firm.
Documents obtained by The Guardian last year found that Paterson had also held meetings with officials and a government minister asking them to take steps that would benefit Randox and another film that he advises, Lynn’s Country Foods.


theweekuk--2020-05-11--When will the world run out of new movies and TV shows?

Netflix has dismissed fears about a shortage of new TV shows and movies as filming grinds to a halt during the coronavirus pandemic - but not everyone is convinced .
Indeed , industry experts have warned that the streaming service , its rivals and conventional TV broadcasters and film companies the world over may only have enough new programming stockpiled for another few months of new releases .
So what is the situation ?
In a bid to reassure both viewers and investors , Netflix bosses last month insisted that the service has a stockpile of shows in reserve because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far ahead of broadcast .
However , during an appearance on CNN , the company ’ s chief content officer Ted Sarandos admitted that a longer-term hiatus in production could cause problems .
“ We ’ re pretty far ahead , so we don ’ t see any disruption in our output over the next few months , ” Sarandos said .
“ You know , maybe later in the year if this progresses longer we ’ ll start feeling some of that as the production side isn ’ t operating.
” Concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entire television industry , with Netflix ’ s network and cable rivals “ stopping even currently airing seasons short after just a couple weeks into the shutdown ” , says Forbes .
The cinema industry has been equally disrupted , with the global film release schedule “ upended by the pandemic ” , adds The Guardian .
The UK film industry alone is expected to lose £400m in ticket sales , based on equivalent figures from 2019 , “ as 52 million cinema-goers stay at home ” during the coronavirus lockdown , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ box-office revenue losses stood at around $ 7bn ( £5.7bn ) by mid-March , according to the Hollywood Reporter - a figure that could increase to $ 17bn ( £13.8bn ) by the end of May , warns the World Economic Forum .
The spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus has halted production on film sets worldwide , from Bollywood to Hollywood and further afield .
Despite the company ’ s reassurances , Netflix has also ceased almost all filming , with high-value productions including hit show Stranger Things on hold , along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Johnson , reports Bloomberg .
One of the key problems for the industry is the uncertainty surrounding how long lockdown measures around the world may stay in place .
“ No one knows how long it will be until we can safely restart physical production in various countries , ” Netflix said in a letter to shareholders in April .
“ And , once we can , what international travel will be possible , and how negotiations for various resources ( e.g.
, talent , stages and post-production ) will play out.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
In the absence of guarantees from many governments on when lockdowns will be fully lifted , entertainment producers including the BBC and Tyler Perry have discussed the idea of quarantining casts and crews together .
Such measures would “ involve more sacrifice on the part of the cast and crew not seeing their families for a longer period of time ” , Michael Jackman , executive vice president at FilmNation Entertainment , told Fortune magazine .
“ But we will treat it like we are on a film shooting in a remote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shoot.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Despite the significant impact on the coronavirus pandemic on the industry , signs of recovery are emerging in some places where lockdowns are being eased .
In Australia , production is already resuming on long-running soap opera Neighbours – with extras being used sparingly , actors social distancing on set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make characters appear closer together .
In an article for The Guardian , costume designer Kristin M. Burke insists that “ reports of the death of the film industry have been greatly exaggerated ” .
Despite production schedules being thrown out , soaring insurance costs and ongoing unemployment among many actors and crews , “ the feeling across the industry is one of cooperation – we are all in this together , and we will work with each other to get ourselves back on our feet ” , Burke says .
After all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry loves nothing more than a good comeback ” .

Netflix has dismissed fears about a shortage of new TV shows and movies as filming grinds to a halt during the coronavirus pandemic - but not everyone is convinced.
Indeed, industry experts have warned that the streaming service, its rivals and conventional TV broadcasters and film companies the world over may only have enough new programming stockpiled for another few months of new releases.
So what is the situation?
In a bid to reassure both viewers and investors, Netflix bosses last month insisted that the service has a stockpile of shows in reserve because new programmes are commissioned and produced so far ahead of broadcast.
However, during an appearance on CNN, the company’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos admitted that a longer-term hiatus in production could cause problems.
“We’re pretty far ahead, so we don’t see any disruption in our output over the next few months,” Sarandos said. “You know, maybe later in the year if this progresses longer we’ll start feeling some of that as the production side isn’t operating.”
Concerns about potential programming gaps are growing across the entire television industry, with Netflix’s network and cable rivals “stopping even currently airing seasons short after just a couple weeks into the shutdown”, says Forbes.
The cinema industry has been equally disrupted, with the global film release schedule “upended by the pandemic”, adds The Guardian.
The UK film industry alone is expected to lose £400m in ticket sales, based on equivalent figures from 2019, “as 52 million cinema-goers stay at home” during the coronavirus lockdown, the newspaper reports.
Globally, total box-office revenue losses stood at around $7bn (£5.7bn) by mid-March, according to the Hollywood Reporter - a figure that could increase to $17bn (£13.8bn) by the end of May, warns the World Economic Forum.
An industry on pause
The spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus has halted production on film sets worldwide, from Bollywood to Hollywood and further afield.
Despite the company’s reassurances, Netflix has also ceased almost all filming, with high-value productions including hit show Stranger Things on hold, along with a movie starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, reports Bloomberg.
One of the key problems for the industry is the uncertainty surrounding how long lockdown measures around the world may stay in place.


theweekuk--2020-05-12--The tourbillon: watchmaking’s most complicated complication?

Of all the complications that can adorn a wristwatch , the tourbillon is perhaps one of the most curious .
The whirring , oscillating mechanical feature , which often emerges from the surface of a watch ’ s dial , these days serves no real purpose other than to dramatically increase a watch ’ s price .
But once upon a time this was not the case .
The tourbillon was originally invented to make pocket watches more accurate .
The turning oscillator , in theory , aimed to counter the impact of gravity on a gentleman ’ s timepiece @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the day in a single position : upright in one ’ s pocket .
Once watches moved to the wrist , however , this problem ceased to exist - yet tourbillons have remained extremely popular with fans of haute horology , and can add hundreds of thousands of pounds , or more , to a watch ’ s price .
This year , Breguet , the brand that invented the feature , has released a new tourbillon watch : a blue-dialled version of its Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique .
In celebration of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up with the company ’ s CEO Marc Hayek to find out more about the brand ’ s connection to the unusual complication .
What is Breguet 's connection to the tourbillon ?
Among other genius inventions , Abraham-Louis Breguet is the creator of the tourbillon , which he patented on June 26 , 1801 , or rather on 7 Messidor , year IX , since at the time the Republican calendar was still in force in France .
What does a tourbillon do and how does it work ?
At a time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body , Abraham-Louis Breguet took great pains to devise a way of negating the effects of the Earth ’ s attraction on the functioning of the oscillator and , on the basis of this , improving the chronometric accuracy of the movement .
Then the idea came to him to incorporate the balance wheel and spring as well as the escapement ( lever and escape wheel ) in a mobile casing rotating on itself .
Breguet devised the name “ tourbillon ” for the double rotation of this cage and its parts in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planetary system rotating around a single axis .
Fantastic in its design , captivating in its function , the invention has never ceased to command respect , right from when it was first presented to the present day .
What is new in the Blue Version of the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique ?
For the first time Breguet has adorned the dial of its extra-thin self-winding tourbillon with a touch of deep blue , by using the traditional grand feu enamel technique .
Tourbillons aside , which complications do you admire on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find most useful ?
Watching to a moon-phase indication never stops to be mesmerising .
It has something mystical with a touch of poetry .
Considering the practical side , I find it useful to have the date indication on my watch .
In the age of quartz watches and smart devices , why should people be interested in the history of mechanical horology ?
Except that all watches ( mechanical , quartz or smart ones ) give time , they have nothing else in common .
Today , everything seems so normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an accurate timepiece with the technologies they had 250 years ago ?
Watchmakers were more like scientists !
This rich history and legacy is strengthening from generation to generation and there is no reason this should ever come to an end .
What is the value of something that is handmade over something made by a machine ?
Nowadays where everything has to be made quickly with no tolerance for even a tiny defect , handmade craft keeps an authentic charm , which no machine can replace .
A creation made by hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Two timepieces will never be exactly the same but isn ’ t it wonderful to keep uniqueness in such a standardised world ?
Will tourbillons still be being made in 100 years time ?
Even though I am not a soothsayer , I wish to believe that there still will be watch lovers in a century who understand the complexity of such a complication .
Moreover , the tourbillon is linked to one of the greatest watchmakers of all time .
Carrying a tourbillon is like having a part of the history @ @ @ @ @ @

Of all the complications that can adorn a wristwatch, the tourbillon is perhaps one of the most curious.
The whirring, oscillating mechanical feature, which often emerges from the surface of a watch’s dial, these days serves no real purpose other than to dramatically increase a watch’s price. But once upon a time this was not the case.
The tourbillon was originally invented to make pocket watches more accurate. The turning oscillator, in theory, aimed to counter the impact of gravity on a gentleman’s timepiece, which would usually spend the majority of the day in a single position: upright in one’s pocket.
Once watches moved to the wrist, however, this problem ceased to exist - yet tourbillons have remained extremely popular with fans of haute horology, and can add hundreds of thousands of pounds, or more, to a watch’s price.
This year, Breguet, the brand that invented the feature, has released a new tourbillon watch: a blue-dialled version of its Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique. In celebration of the release, The Week Portfolio caught up with the company’s CEO Marc Hayek to find out more about the brand’s connection to the unusual complication.
What is Breguet's connection to the tourbillon?
Among other genius inventions, Abraham-Louis Breguet is the creator of the tourbillon, which he patented on June 26, 1801, or rather on 7 Messidor, year IX, since at the time the Republican calendar was still in force in France.
What does a tourbillon do and how does it work?
At a time when timepieces were worn vertically on the body, Abraham-Louis Breguet took great pains to devise a way of negating the effects of the Earth’s attraction on the functioning of the oscillator and, on the basis of this, improving the chronometric accuracy of the movement.
Then the idea came to him to incorporate the balance wheel and spring as well as the escapement (lever and escape wheel) in a mobile casing rotating on itself. Breguet devised the name “tourbillon” for the double rotation of this cage and its parts in reference to the long-forgotten notion of a planetary system rotating around a single axis. Fantastic in its design, captivating in its function, the invention has never ceased to command respect, right from when it was first presented to the present day.
What is new in the Blue Version of the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique?
For the first time Breguet has adorned the dial of its extra-thin self-winding tourbillon with a touch of deep blue, by using the traditional grand feu enamel technique.
Tourbillons aside, which complications do you admire on a watch most? And which do you find most useful?
Watching to a moon-phase indication never stops to be mesmerising. It has something mystical with a touch of poetry. Considering the practical side, I find it useful to have the date indication on my watch.
In the age of quartz watches and smart devices, why should people be interested in the history of mechanical horology?
Except that all watches (mechanical, quartz or smart ones) give time, they have nothing else in common. Today, everything seems so normal but imagine what it meant to develop an accurate timepiece with the technologies they had 250 years ago? Watchmakers were more like scientists! This rich history and legacy is strengthening from generation to generation and there is no reason this should ever come to an end.
What is the value of something that is handmade over something made by a machine?
Nowadays where everything has to be made quickly with no tolerance for even a tiny defect, handmade craft keeps an authentic charm, which no machine can replace. A creation made by hand gives a soul and a unique history. Two timepieces will never be exactly the same but isn’t it wonderful to keep uniqueness in such a standardised world?
Will tourbillons still be being made in 100 years time?
Even though I am not a soothsayer, I wish to believe that there still will be watch lovers in a century who understand the complexity of such a complication. Moreover, the tourbillon is linked to one of the greatest watchmakers of all time. Carrying a tourbillon is like having a part of the history of watchmaking on the wrist.
For more, visit breguet.com