theweekuk--2020-11-26--Diego Maradona obituary: ‘I did not cheat - it was cunning, craftiness’

In his 60-year life Diego Maradona was described as many things. A “genius” for his skills on the football pitch. A “hero” to millions of people, from Buenos Aires to Naples. And a “villain” for his activities away from the field.
He was also labelled a “cheat” for the “Hand of God” goal scored for Argentina against England in the 1986 Fifa World Cup - a tournament in which he starred in and would go on to lift the trophy.
Former England striker and now TV pundit Gary Lineker was playing in that quarter-final clash at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Lineker scored for England in the game, but it was Maradona who took the headlines with two goals.
The first was the controversial handball, but minutes later his second, a mazy run and finish, has gone down in World Cup folklore. It was declared “Goal of the Century” by FIFA.com voters in 2002.
A wonderful clip of @GaryLineker meeting up with Diego Maradona again in 2006. Respect. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/y8nJFRUpzR — Football Tips (@footballtips) November 25, 2020
‘No, I don't think it’s cheating’
The goals and performance summed up Maradona’s genius. And twenty years later, the match - and its controversial moment - was a big topic of discussion when the two goalscorers came face-to-face again.
In the 2006 BBC documentary, When Lineker Met Maradona, the Argentine ace was questioned if the goal was handball or if it was the “hand of God”. Lineker asked: “In England it would be regarded as cheating, saying you knew that it was not fair play, how do you see that?”
Maradona replied: “No, I don't think it’s cheating, it’s cunning. Is it cheating handling the ball? Oh no, no, no it’s not cheating. I don’t think it’s cheating, I believe it’s a craftiness.”
Some England fans will never forgive Maradona for his handball goal, but most have paid their respects to the 60-year-old following his death from a heart attack.
On Twitter Lineker paid tribute to the brilliant No. 10, saying: “By some distance the best player of my generation and arguably the greatest of all time. After a blessed but troubled life, hopefully he’ll finally find some comfort in the hands of God. #RipDiego.”
‘Flawed football icon’
As well as being one of the greatest players ever to grace a football pitch, away from the field Diego Armando Maradona lived a roller-coaster life.


theweekuk--2020-11-26--Experts give their verdict on Rishi Sunak’s spending review

“ The health emergency is not yet over , and the economic emergency has only just begun.
” With a global pandemic for a backdrop , Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a short-term spending review for the year 2021 .
With a freeze on public sector pay , an economy declining more than it has in 300 years and no mention of Brexit , experts from across the country share their reactions .
Rishi Sunak announced £280 billion in his spending review to be spread across several sectors , with little mention of Brexit or the climate crisis .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million for rough sleepers , £2 billion for transport and £3 billion to local councils .
This came in the context of the highest levels of borrowing “ in peacetime ” .
What was most stark was that the government cut more channels to growth than it did create them .
This spending review focused on short-term government spending policy “ plasters ” , with considerations of longer-term sustainability measures .
The most important question in the review was how bad economic forecasts are looking .
Economic output is expected to contract by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result for 300 years .
With no expectations to match our pre-crisis trend level until late 2022 and the “ natural level of unemployment ” not being met until 2024 , this is indeed dire .
There was an undertone in the chancellor ’ s comments that , to improve the economy ’ s health , his response should target real growth through indirectly supporting the productive “ supply ” capacity of the economy – the amount businesses and workers can produce .
There was also a formal acceptance that deeply ingrained structural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for years , should also be at the forefront of a “ reform ” effort .
At the heart of the crisis is the uneven effect it has on regions and communities .
So introducing a levelling up fund and an infrastructural bank based in the north of England is a welcome approach .
Then there was contradiction on wages .
He announced measures to protect wages of those who earn lower incomes , citing that this could fuel some “ marginal ” growth , whilst also accepting that this recession has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else .
Yet by freezing public sector wages ( except for NHS nurses and doctors ) , Sunak restricted a source of economic stimulus at the time we need it most .
Private sector wages decline quicker and do not pick up the demand slack , while public sector wages can act as an “ automatic stabiliser ” in a downturn because they typically grow more quickly during recessions .
The freeze will also have a worse affect on regions with a higher proportion of public sector jobs , which are the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While effective economic support is vital , it must be part of a wider plan to get the economy going again , restarting growth and supporting job creation .
Early on in his speech , the chancellor stated that , despite the pandemic , the UK still has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe .
But this statement is highly misleading as , in the UK , people in precarious and insecure work – such as those on zero-hours contracts – are considered employed .
Indeed , these types of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on people ’ s lives – yet a ban on them has been ignored by the government .
But the headline statement of the day was the pay freeze for all public sector workers – apart from nurses and doctors in the NHS .
The chancellor talked of restraining public sector pay levels to retain consistency with the private sector .
Yet compared to the private sector , public sector pay has fallen drastically in the past decades .
Employees in the public sector , especially frontline services , have worked incredibly hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freeze would likely affect worker morale and performance .
The pay freeze will be interpreted as a lack of recognition and appreciation for the work public sector employees are doing .
There is also the risk that this will affect frontline staff ’ s mental health – which has already been impacted during the pandemic .
The government needs well motivated workers to rebuild the economy that has been hit hard by Covid-19 .
But this will not be achieved by damaging the morale of workers .
There ’ s also the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some years , been struggling to recruit and retain staff in areas like the NHS and teaching , and this pay freeze will most likely exacerbate difficulties with recruitment and retention of workers .
In this sense , it seems the government still hasn ’ t learnt its lesson from the impact of the two-year pay freeze imposed across the public sectors in 2010 , that resulted in increased gender inequality and widened the gender pay gap .
With the UK economy in its steepest decline for centuries , while a pay freeze @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s likely to create more problems in the long run .
Jonquil Lowe , senior lecturer in economics and personal finance , The Open University Income is the key driver of personal finances .
The chancellor has announced an income freeze for all public sector workers apart from NHS doctors and nurses and a small flat-rate increase of £250 for those earning less than £24,000 a year .
The lowest earners who are on the national living wage or minimum wage will also see an increase in their hourly rate from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But this still trails behind the “ real ” living wage that people are estimated to need to meet their living costs of £9.50 an hour ( £10.85 in London ) .
The income tax personal allowance and national insurance thresholds and bands are being increased from April in line with inflation ( 0.5 % ) .
This will give most benefit to people on modest earnings .
The government has also confirmed that changes to the retail prices index ( RPI ) , a commonly used measure of inflation , will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This will see the formula for calculating RPI brought into line with the more commonly used consumer price index ( CPI ) that typically records inflation rates around 1 % a year lower than RPI .
The retired , in particular , will be affected , if they have private pensions and annuities that are “ increased ” each year in line with the RPI .
On the spending side of household budgets , the spending review confirmed funding for the government ’ s ten point plan for green recovery recently announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the big push towards electric vehicles , this includes encouraging homes – whose heating and cooking account for around a fifth of the UK ’ s carbon dioxide emissions – to give up their gas boilers in favour of ground and air-heat pumps .
But it seems likely that , even with the current Green Homes Grant , most households will eventually find they need to invest heavily in “ greening ” their home heating system – though running costs thereafter may be lower .
Overall , personal finances are likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years as the government starts to bring its finances back to more sustainable levels .
But at last it seems this government is taking the need to tackle climate change seriously , which is important as the green industrial revolution holds the promise of jobs and incomes to replace those lost in the pandemic .
Anupam Nanda , professor of urban economics and real estate , University of Manchester Infrastructure is key for unlocking economic opportunities and supporting prosperity .
Infrastructure investments tend to have very long-term implications for the economy and society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emphasis on using infrastructure spending to support and accelerate economic recovery from the pandemic .
Sunak has tried to address concerns of funding inequality across and within regions with the creation of a £4 billion “ Levelling Up Fund ” .
Local areas can bid directly for support for projects from this fund .
Using national and regional infrastructure investments to close the regional inequality gap is welcome , as areas such as the north of England continue to suffer heavily from the ongoing pandemic .
However , whether this is enough remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the fund is administered .
The creation of a new infrastructure bank – to be headquartered in the north of England – is good news .
This will replace the UK ’ s involvement with the European Investment Bank and , by encouraging private sector involvement in infrastructure projects , will lead to more streamlined investment .
The spending review also placed emphasis on green and digital infrastructure and renewable energy use .
This is very much needed .
Much will depend on the choices and types of specific infrastructure projects , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , regional and local investment .
The success of these projects will rely on skill development and cooperation across the government departments and agencies involved .
It will also demand collaboration across all government levels , down to local authorities .
Alex de Ruyter , professor of economics and Director of the Centre for Brexit Studies , Birmingham City University For this fiscal year , the government is still very obviously in “ whatever it takes ” mode .
That remains partially true in certain areas for 2021-22 , although in other respects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scale back support .
Total support due to Covid-19 is estimated to be around £280 billion this financial year .
The largest portion is job support – an estimated £53.7 billion on the furlough scheme and a further £19.6 billion on support for the self-employed .
A total of £113 billion has been allocated to government departments , of which almost half is for health .
A further substantial amount goes directly to the devolved administrations , who have the power to decide how it is spent .
However , this is misleading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent on Covid-related procurement rather than frontline services .
Test and trace , operated by the private sector , has been allocated £22 billion ( a very large increase from the initial £12 billion ) .
A further £15 billion is for personal protective equipment ( PPE ) , which is eye-catching given the government ’ s poor record in getting value for money on this .
Likewise £2.7 billion is being spent on developing and procuring vaccines .
Next year sees Covid-related support scaled back to a “ mere ” £55 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contingency .
The additional recovery money for the NHS seems miserly – that only £1 billion is being spent on addressing the backlog for elective treatments is particularly concerning .
Funding for councils – £5.4 billion in 2020-21 and £3 billion in 2021-22 – likewise seems tiny relative to increases in demand .
All of the money will be borrowed , although the spending review suggests this won ’ t be a problem , with government spending on debt interest actually expected to fall very substantially over the next few years .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United Kingdom ’ s place in the world ” , and that the UK will remain “ open and outward looking ” .
However , the financial resources required to make a convincing case for a global Britain were lacking .
Rishi Sunak said the foreign aid budget would be cut to 0.5 % of national income ( down from 0.7 % ) in 2021 , as retaining the current budget would be “ difficult to justify to the British people ” .
Some of these savings , however , will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon after that there would be £24 billion investment in defence over the next four years , “ allowing us to provide security not just for our country but around the world ” .
Although it is not stated as such , it would seem there has been a reduction to the foreign aid budget in order to provide savings to boost defence investment .
Neither of these announcements came as a surprise , as the prime minister signalled “ the biggest defence investment since the end of the cold war ” on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defence of the realm must come first ” .
There is no doubt that this is a serious escalation of investment and a demonstration that defence secretary Ben Wallace and chief of the defence staff General Sir Nick Carter have convinced the Prime Minister to confirm four-year funding for the military .
What will be prioritised for investment ?
Current suggestions are that the money is for a national cyber force , a space command and an artificial intelligence agency .
An even larger question is for what grand strategic purpose these capabilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , tough decisions will need to be made in terms of pursuing savings elsewhere in the force .
As Michael Clarke , former director general of the Royal United Services Institute thinktank put it , which older areas of the armed forces are going to “ have to be cut to be able to afford the new bells and whistles ” ?
Moreover , will the British people think these eye-watering costs are justified in the age of Covid and when the government is set to borrow £394 billion this year alone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

With the UK economy in its steepest decline for centuries, while a pay freeze may seem like a good solution, it’s likely to create more problems in the long run. Personal finance and pensions Jonquil Lowe, senior lecturer in economics and personal finance, The Open University Income is the key driver of personal finances. The chancellor has announced an income freeze for all public sector workers apart from NHS doctors and nurses and a small flat-rate increase of £250 for those earning less than £24,000 a year. The lowest earners who are on the national living wage or minimum wage will also see an increase in their hourly rate from April of 19p to £8.91 an hour. But this still trails behind the “real” living wage that people are estimated to need to meet their living costs of £9.50 an hour (£10.85 in London). The income tax personal allowance and national insurance thresholds and bands are being increased from April in line with inflation (0.5%). This will give most benefit to people on modest earnings. The government has also confirmed that changes to the retail prices index (RPI), a commonly used measure of inflation, will go ahead – though not until 2030. This will see the formula for calculating RPI brought into line with the more commonly used consumer price index (CPI) that typically records inflation rates around 1% a year lower than RPI. The retired, in particular, will be affected, if they have private pensions and annuities that are “increased” each year in line with the RPI. Skip advert On the spending side of household budgets, the spending review confirmed funding for the government’s ten point plan for green recovery recently announced by the prime minister. In addition to the big push towards electric vehicles, this includes encouraging homes – whose heating and cooking account for around a fifth of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions – to give up their gas boilers in favour of ground and air-heat pumps. But it seems likely that, even with the current Green Homes Grant, most households will eventually find they need to invest heavily in “greening” their home heating system – though running costs thereafter may be lower. Overall, personal finances are likely to come under pressure over the next few years as the government starts to bring its finances back to more sustainable levels. But at last it seems this government is taking the need to tackle climate change seriously, which is important as the green industrial revolution holds the promise of jobs and incomes to replace those lost in the pandemic. Infrastructure and levelling up Anupam Nanda, professor of urban economics and real estate, University of Manchester
Infrastructure is key for unlocking economic opportunities and supporting prosperity. Infrastructure investments tend to have very long-term implications for the economy and society. Today’s announcements have put emphasis on using infrastructure spending to support and accelerate economic recovery from the pandemic. Sunak has tried to address concerns of funding inequality across and within regions with the creation of a £4 billion “Levelling Up Fund”. Local areas can bid directly for support for projects from this fund. Using national and regional infrastructure investments to close the regional inequality gap is welcome, as areas such as the north of England continue to suffer heavily from the ongoing pandemic. However, whether this is enough remains to be seen and will depend on how the fund is administered. The creation of a new infrastructure bank – to be headquartered in the north of England – is good news. This will replace the UK’s involvement with the European Investment Bank and, by encouraging private sector involvement in infrastructure projects, will lead to more streamlined investment. Skip advert The spending review also placed emphasis on green and digital infrastructure and renewable energy use. This is very much needed. Much will depend on the choices and types of specific infrastructure projects, as well as the mixture of national, regional and local investment. The success of these projects will rely on skill development and cooperation across the government departments and agencies involved. It will also demand collaboration across all government levels, down to local authorities. Covid-19 Alex de Ruyter, professor of economics and Director of the Centre for Brexit Studies, Birmingham City University For this fiscal year, the government is still very obviously in “whatever it takes” mode. That remains partially true in certain areas for 2021-22, although in other respects the government is very much looking to scale back support. Total support due to Covid-19 is estimated to be around £280 billion this financial year. The largest portion is job support – an estimated £53.7 billion on the furlough scheme and a further £19.6 billion on support for the self-employed. A total of £113 billion has been allocated to government departments, of which almost half is for health. A further substantial amount goes directly to the devolved administrations, who have the power to decide how it is spent. However, this is misleading, since the vast majority is being spent on Covid-related procurement rather than frontline services. Test and trace, operated by the private sector, has been allocated £22 billion (a very large increase from the initial £12 billion).


theweekuk--2020-11-26--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 26 Nov 2020

Joe Biden has ratcheted up the pressure on Boris Johnson to agree a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union @ @ @ @ @ there can be no hard border on the island of Ireland .
The president-elect said @ @ @ @ @ and EU figures to restate his opposition to a hard border , adding the “ @ @ @ @ @ north and south once again being closed is just not right ” .

Joe Biden fires Brexit warning at Boris Johnson
Joe Biden has ratcheted up the pressure on Boris Johnson to agree a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union, reiterating his belief that there can be no hard border on the island of Ireland. The president-elect said he had talked to Johnson and EU figures to restate his opposition to a hard border, adding the “idea of having a border north and south once again being closed is just not right”.


theweekuk--2020-11-26--Culled ‘zombie minks’ rise from graves in Denmark

The bodies of minks culled in Denmark due to the pandemic are rising from their mass graves .
More than 10 million of the furry creatures were killed when a vaccine-resistant mutation of Covid-19 broke out on farms .
Now , thanks to gasses released during the decaying process , the minks have expand and pushed out of the ground .
One Twitter user wrote that 2020 is “ the year of the zombie mutant killer minks ” .
Justin Trudeau has been pranked by Russian phone callers impersonating climate campaigner Greta Thunberg .
During the call , the fake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump is “ doing everything to kill us ” , and Trudeau replies : “ I understand your words.
” However , when Greta begins to talk about South Park , Trudeau realises he is being pranked and wraps up the call .
A UFO has been caught on camera hovering above Stonehenge .
Tash Minto and Tony Waterhouse were driving on the A303 just outside Mere , Wiltshire , when they noticed a huge glowing disc .
“ Tony said it was definitely little green men , ” said Tash .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are out there , they won ’ t be very little .
I think they ’ ll be giants , ” she added .
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Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The bodies of minks culled in Denmark due to the pandemic are rising from their mass graves. More than 10 million of the furry creatures were killed when a vaccine-resistant mutation of Covid-19 broke out on farms. Now, thanks to gasses released during the decaying process, the minks have expand and pushed out of the ground. One Twitter user wrote that 2020 is “the year of the zombie mutant killer minks”.
Pranksters fool Trudeau with Greta impersonation
Justin Trudeau has been pranked by Russian phone callers impersonating climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. During the call, the fake Greta tells the Canadian prime minister that Donald Trump is “doing everything to kill us”, and Trudeau replies: “I understand your words.” However, when Greta begins to talk about South Park, Trudeau realises he is being pranked and wraps up the call.
‘Little green men’ hover above Stonehenge
A UFO has been caught on camera hovering above Stonehenge. Tash Minto and Tony Waterhouse were driving on the A303 just outside Mere, Wiltshire, when they noticed a huge glowing disc. “Tony said it was definitely little green men,” said Tash. “Personally I think, if they are out there, they won’t be very little. I think they’ll be giants,” she added.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-11-26--Why everyone’s talking about about post-lockdown tiers - and which areas will face toughest rules

The government has revealed which parts of the UK will face the highest level of Covid restrictions when the nationwide lockdown ends next week - with just three areas deemed safe enough to enter Tier 1 .
London and Liverpool will be put into Tier 2 , while Manchester , Hull and Newcastle are among “ swathes of the North set to face the toughest coronavirus restrictions ” in Tier 3 , The Telegraph reports .
Cornwall , the Isle of Wight and Isle of Scilly are the only regions in the Tier 1 category .
How are the tiers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will remain in place across all regions , such as an 11pm closing time for pubs and restaurants , the new tier system dictates which other restrictions are imposed in each area .
Based on advice from the government ’ s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ( Sage ) , the tiers are decided according to the following factors : • total case numbers • cases in over 60s • the rate at which infections are rising or falling • percentage of positive tests • current and projected pressure on local NHS services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Health Secretary Matt Hanock said : “ We have taken into account advice from Sage on the impact of the previous tiers to strengthen the measures in the tiers , and help enable areas to move more swiftly into lower tiers.
” However , the tiers plan has been criticised by Labour leader Keir Starmer , who told MPs that introducing the scheme without a working test-and-trace system was a “ major risk ” , The Guardian reports .
Which areas are in which tier ?
Just 1 % of England ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come the end of lockdown .
London will enter Tier 2 , in which household mixing is only permitted outside - dealing another “ blow to the capital ’ s hospitality industry ” , says The Telegraph .
Joining London in Tier 2 will be Liverpool and most of the Southeast and Southwest of England .
But many other major cities and huge chunks of the country are facing Tier 3 rules , including Newcastle , Sunderland , Lancashire , Blackpool , Blackburn , Birmingham , Coventry , Solihull and Bristol .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Greater Manchester , where Mayor Andy Burnham has fought a bitter battle with the government over funding for the North of the country .
Other Tier 3 areas include parts of Yorkshire and Gloucestershire and all of Staffordshire , Warwickshire , Derbyshire , Nottinghamshire , Leicestershire , Lincolnshire , all of Yorkshire , the Tees Valley and Kent .
You can confirm your local status by checking the government ’ s full list of local restrictions tiers by area .

The government has revealed which parts of the UK will face the highest level of Covid restrictions when the nationwide lockdown ends next week - with just three areas deemed safe enough to enter Tier 1.
London and Liverpool will be put into Tier 2, while Manchester, Hull and Newcastle are among “swathes of the North set to face the toughest coronavirus restrictions” in Tier 3, The Telegraph reports. Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and Isle of Scilly are the only regions in the Tier 1 category.
How are the tiers calculated?
While a number of measures will remain in place across all regions, such as an 11pm closing time for pubs and restaurants, the new tier system dictates which other restrictions are imposed in each area.
Based on advice from the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), the tiers are decided according to the following factors:
• total case numbers• cases in over 60s• the rate at which infections are rising or falling• percentage of positive tests• current and projected pressure on local NHS services
In a statement to the Commons today, Health Secretary Matt Hanock said: “We have taken into account advice from Sage on the impact of the previous tiers to strengthen the measures in the tiers, and help enable areas to move more swiftly into lower tiers.”
However, the tiers plan has been criticised by Labour leader Keir Starmer, who told MPs that introducing the scheme without a working test-and-trace system was a “major risk”, The Guardian reports.
Which areas are in which tier?
Just 1% of England’s population will be in Tier 1 come the end of lockdown. London will enter Tier 2, in which household mixing is only permitted outside - dealing another “blow to the capital’s hospitality industry”, says The Telegraph.
Joining London in Tier 2 will be Liverpool and most of the Southeast and Southwest of England.
But many other major cities and huge chunks of the country are facing Tier 3 rules, including Newcastle, Sunderland, Lancashire, Blackpool, Blackburn, Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull and Bristol.
The top level of restrictions will also apply to Greater Manchester, where Mayor Andy Burnham has fought a bitter battle with the government over funding for the North of the country.
Other Tier 3 areas include parts of Yorkshire and Gloucestershire and all of Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, all of Yorkshire, the Tees Valley and Kent.
You can confirm your local status by checking the government’s full list of local restrictions tiers by area.


theweekuk--2020-11-26--Coronavirus: age cap in Oxford vaccine trials casts doubt over results

Oxford University and AstraZeneca are facing questions over their promising vaccine trial results after health officials revealed that key information about the ages of the test subjects was omitted .
During the Phase 3 trial , one group of test subjects was inoculated with two doses of the vaccine , spaced a month apart , while a second group was administered with a half-dose followed by a full one .
In the first group , the protection rate was found to be 62 % , but data from the second group showed that the vaccine was effective 90 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wide discrepency has puzzled scientists .
But they may now have their answer , after researcher Moncef Slaoui , who is spearheading the US ’ s vaccine distribution programme , told reporters that the age of participants in the second group “ was capped at 55 ” , Bloomberg reports .
No age breakdown was given in the reporting of the results , which have been cast into doubt over the omission of the most at-risk age demographics .
Former Pfizer research and development president Geoffrey Porges researchers “ said he thought it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approval in the US after the company ‘ tried to embellish their results ’ by highlighting higher efficacy in a ‘ relatively small subset of subjects in the study ’ ” , the Financial Times reports .
Meanwhile , David Salisbury , an associate fellow of the global health programme at Chatham House , told The Telegraph : “ You ’ ve taken two studies for which different doses were used and come up with a composite that doesn ’ t represent either of the doses .
I think many people are having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this week by AstraZeneca that the half-dose was administered by error during the trials will add to “ questions about whether the vaccine ’ s apparently spectacular efficacy will hold up under additional testing ” , says The New York Times - which suggests that AstraZeneca ’ s “ spotty disclosures have eroded confidence ” in the jab .

Oxford University and AstraZeneca are facing questions over their promising vaccine trial results after health officials revealed that key information about the ages of the test subjects was omitted.
During the Phase 3 trial, one group of test subjects was inoculated with two doses of the vaccine, spaced a month apart, while a second group was administered with a half-dose followed by a full one. In the first group, the protection rate was found to be 62%, but data from the second group showed that the vaccine was effective 90% of the time.
The reason for the wide discrepency has puzzled scientists. But they may now have their answer, after researcher Moncef Slaoui, who is spearheading the US’s vaccine distribution programme, told reporters that the age of participants in the second group “was capped at 55”, Bloomberg reports.
No age breakdown was given in the reporting of the results, which have been cast into doubt over the omission of the most at-risk age demographics.
Former Pfizer research and development president Geoffrey Porges researchers “said he thought it was unlikely the AstraZeneca jab would get approval in the US after the company ‘tried to embellish their results’ by highlighting higher efficacy in a ‘relatively small subset of subjects in the study’”, the Financial Times reports.
Meanwhile, David Salisbury, an associate fellow of the global health programme at Chatham House, told The Telegraph: “You’ve taken two studies for which different doses were used and come up with a composite that doesn’t represent either of the doses. I think many people are having trouble with that.”
And the admission earlier this week by AstraZeneca that the half-dose was administered by error during the trials will add to “questions about whether the vaccine’s apparently spectacular efficacy will hold up under additional testing”, says The New York Times - which suggests that AstraZeneca’s “spotty disclosures have eroded confidence” in the jab.


theweekuk--2020-11-26--US election: is there any limit to who Donald Trump can pardon before leaving White House?

Donald Trump has pardoned his former national security adviser for lying to the FBI during Special Counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election .
In a tweet yesterday , the president said that “ it is my Great Honor to announce that General Michael T Flynn has been granted a Full Pardon ” .
Flynn was forced to resign after just 24 days in the White House when it emerged that he had deceived the White House about a meeting with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak before Trump took office .
“ A trusted Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flynn subsequently admitted to having had contact with Kislyak before later attempting to retract his confession , The Guardian reports .
Trump has already granted clemency to his long-time ally Roger Stone , who was sentenced to more than three years in prison after being found guilty of obstruction , lying to Congress and witness intimidation during the Mueller investigation .
Flynn , meantime , “ had not been sentenced ” , but his presidential pardon has “ prompted widespread criticism ” , says the newspaper .
But regardless of such opposition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of key aides before he leaves office in January .
As Reuters reports , “ a pardon is not reviewable by other branches of government and the president does not have to give a reason for issuing one ” - meaning that Trump could in theory issue them to anyone he chooses in the final days of the presidency .
A presidential pardon “ wipes out a criminal conviction ” , but is not absolute and only applies to federal crimes , the news agency continues .
So Trump could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the criminal investigation being conducted by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance , a state prosecutor ” .
Vance is currently pursuing an investigation into allegations of “ hush money ” payments made by ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen to two women , an adult-film star and a former Playboy model , who claim they had sexual encounters with the US leader .
Contrary to popular belief , Trump also can not pardon himself .
“ Most lawyers believe that the Supreme Court - even a conservative one - would never let a president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ That would be an admission that one man is above the law - the president .
And America fought a revolutionary war against that concept.
” However , if the long arm of the law was getting a little too close for comfort , Trump could resign from the Oval Office and get Vice President Mike Pence - who would replace him as president - to issue a pardon for him .

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theweekuk--2020-11-27--Instant Opinion: ‘Trump 2024? It could happen’

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 Return of the Thing “ Smart money would bet that Trump will at least gesture toward 2024 sometime soon .
The reasons for this , beyond the poll numbers , must include the frame of mind reflected in his refusal to concede his 2020 defeat and his devotion to the wild notion that he was somehow cheated out of a second term .
Beyond mere pig-headedness , Trump ’ s go-down-with-the-ship pose aligns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the notion that he is unconventional , combative and relentless .
It also allows him to shift from one powerful mythic native , that of the ‘ Mr .
Smith Goes to Washington ’ outsider who would ‘ drain the swamp ’ of politics , to a new one that would make him a noble victim who , like the movie character Rocky , bravely returns to the ring.
” 2 .
Pamela Paul in The New York Times How to cry with a mask on and other 2020 dilemmas “ Recently , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thinking about the lesser challenges of the mask .
Not the should-you-or-shouldn ’ t-you , which is settled science at this point , but the specific problem of how to cry with a mask on .
This was especially pressing for me because , as an incorrigible weeper — it doesn ’ t matter if I ’ m a third friend twice removed — I was streaming tears before the service had begun .
But the mask posed a new challenge : How to blow my nose discreetly and with enough frequency that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a big wet splotch in the middle , surely a repellent look during a raging pandemic ?
How to lift my mask to do the requisite wiping without someone looking askance ?
” Don ’ t snark – this ‘ Brexit festival ’ may turn out to be just the tonic we need “ I ’ d rather chew my arm off than celebrate Brexit itself , but something more interesting is going on beneath the surface of a project that this week unlocked another £29m of government money and has quietly made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ horrendously bleak year for the arts .
And if it works , there ’ s a useful lesson here for the left about telling a modern , upbeat , inclusive national story – something any aspirant prime minister must learn to do – without being either painfully jingoistic or embarrassingly naff.
” The answer to Matt Hancock ’ s question about why British people work when sick is simple “ ‘ Why in Britain do we think it 's acceptable to go into work if you have flu symptoms or a runny nose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ All of which would amount to a reasonable enough question , were it not that the answer to it should be staring Matt Hancock , and any other UK politician , in the face .
People in Britain go to work when they are unwell mainly because they can not afford not to ; and the reasons they can not afford it are directly related to changes in the UK labour market consciously made and encouraged by Matt Hancock ’ s party and its ideological allies over a period of 40 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Statesman The Conservative discontent over tiers is a problem of Boris Johnson ’ s own making “ The difficult truth for the government is that the need to continue very tough restrictions across the whole of England is partly due to the planned loosening of restrictions for the Christmas period , when large numbers of people will be cramped together in confined spaces with poor ventilation and lots of booze – and that ’ s just the train journey there and back .
Johnson ’ s big problem is that he struggles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk the language of shared sacrifice .
But that makes it impossible for him to adequately explain , let alone sell , to his MPs a policy that , at its heart , is based upon shared sacrifice and can only be understood through the sharing of bad news .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Michael D’Antonio on CNN
on the Return of the Thing
Trump 2024? It could happen
“Smart money would bet that Trump will at least gesture toward 2024 sometime soon. The reasons for this, beyond the poll numbers, must include the frame of mind reflected in his refusal to concede his 2020 defeat and his devotion to the wild notion that he was somehow cheated out of a second term. Beyond mere pig-headedness, Trump’s go-down-with-the-ship pose aligns with his political brand, which emphasizes the notion that he is unconventional, combative and relentless. It also allows him to shift from one powerful mythic native, that of the ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’ outsider who would ‘drain the swamp’ of politics, to a new one that would make him a noble victim who, like the movie character Rocky, bravely returns to the ring.”
2. Pamela Paul in The New York Times
on modern problems
How to cry with a mask on and other 2020 dilemmas
“Recently, at a funeral, I got to thinking about the lesser challenges of the mask. Not the should-you-or-shouldn’t-you, which is settled science at this point, but the specific problem of how to cry with a mask on. This was especially pressing for me because, as an incorrigible weeper — it doesn’t matter if I’m a third friend twice removed — I was streaming tears before the service had begun. But the mask posed a new challenge: How to blow my nose discreetly and with enough frequency that I didn’t wind up with a big wet splotch in the middle, surely a repellent look during a raging pandemic? How to lift my mask to do the requisite wiping without someone looking askance?”
3. Gaby Hinsliff in The Guardian
on Great British naffness
Don’t snark – this ‘Brexit festival’ may turn out to be just the tonic we need
“I’d rather chew my arm off than celebrate Brexit itself, but something more interesting is going on beneath the surface of a project that this week unlocked another £29m of government money and has quietly made a point of hiring freelancers during a horrendously bleak year for the arts. And if it works, there’s a useful lesson here for the left about telling a modern, upbeat, inclusive national story – something any aspirant prime minister must learn to do – without being either painfully jingoistic or embarrassingly naff.”
4. Joyce McMillan in The Scotsman
on national work ethic
The answer to Matt Hancock’s question about why British people work when sick is simple
“‘Why in Britain do we think it's acceptable to go into work if you have flu symptoms or a runny nose, thus making your colleagues ill?’ All of which would amount to a reasonable enough question, were it not that the answer to it should be staring Matt Hancock, and any other UK politician, in the face. People in Britain go to work when they are unwell mainly because they cannot afford not to; and the reasons they cannot afford it are directly related to changes in the UK labour market consciously made and encouraged by Matt Hancock’s party and its ideological allies over a period of 40 years.
5. Stephen Bush in the New Statesman
on the PM’s problem
The Conservative discontent over tiers is a problem of Boris Johnson’s own making
“The difficult truth for the government is that the need to continue very tough restrictions across the whole of England is partly due to the planned loosening of restrictions for the Christmas period, when large numbers of people will be cramped together in confined spaces with poor ventilation and lots of booze – and that’s just the train journey there and back. Johnson’s big problem is that he struggles to deliver bad news and is unwilling to talk the language of shared sacrifice. But that makes it impossible for him to adequately explain, let alone sell, to his MPs a policy that, at its heart, is based upon shared sacrifice and can only be understood through the sharing of bad news.”


theweekuk--2020-11-27--WHO tasks team of top scientists with tracing origins of Covid-19

The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has revealed the line-up of a crack team of experts who will travel to China on a mission to trace the origins of the virus that has devastated countries worldwide .
The ten scientists include England ’ s ex-deputy chief medical officer John Watson and “ will work with Chinese experts to investigate how Covid-19 jumped from animals to humans ” , reports The Telegraph .
An initial virtual meeting was held at the end of October between the WHO team and their Chinese counterparts , who have since maintained contact through “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Ryan , head of the UN health agency ’ s emergencies programme .
“ We fully expect and have reassurances from our Chinese government colleagues that the trip… will be facilitated as soon as possible in order that the international community can be reassured of the quality of the science , ” he added .
“ We need to start where we found the first cases - and that is in Wuhan in China - and then we need to follow the evidence after that wherever that leads.
” The WHO identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ priority research area ” back in February , but “ has been quick to temper expectations ” about how quickly the project will be concluded , says The Telegraph .
As the Daily Mail notes , “ it took more than a year for scientists to prove Mers , another coronavirus , originated in camels in Saudi Arabia ” , and “ even longer ” to track Sars back to bats in a cave in southern China .
The Covid hunters will begin their mission at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the original epicenter of the disease ” , the paper adds .


theweekuk--2020-11-27--Boris Johnson battles to quell Tory MPs’ anger after putting 99% of UK into top Covid tiers

Boris Johnson is facing a fresh wave of criticism from his own MPs after announcing that 99 % of the population of England will have to continue living under strict coronavirus restrictions when lockdown ends next week .
The vast majority of areas across the country will be placed in either Tier 2 or Tier 3 - in both of which the mixing of households indoors will effectively remain banned .
Around 32 million people - 57.3 % of the population - will fall into Tier 2 , while 23.3 million people - 41.5 % of the population - will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Isle of Wight and the Scilly Isles have been deemed safe enough to be in Tier 1 .
Amid widespread criticism of the plan , “ senior Conservative MPs ” are warning that the prime minister will “ face a large revolt when the government ’ s plan is put to a vote in the Commons next week ” , the London Evening Standard reports .
The rebels are calling on the government to publish the evidence behind the decisions , along with projections of the impact that they these tightened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the economy .
In an apparent bid to quell the growing anger among his MPs , Johnson last night emphasised that the allocation of tiers will be reviewed every 14 days , starting from 16 December .
Addressing the nation at a Downing Street press conference , he insisted that “ your tier is not your destiny ” and that “ every area has the means of escape ” .
But as former Conservative chief whip Mark Harper pointed out in a tweet : “ Unfortunately , just after the PM said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical officer , said Tier 2 would only hold infections level , and Tier 1 would see them go up .
“ That rather suggests if you ’ re in Tier 2 , it is your destiny - at least until the spring.
” Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner offered a more blunt assessment , tweeting : “ ‘ Your Tier is not your destiny ’ .
I really wish Boris Johnson would just stop it with this patronising guff .
“ My constituents have been in local lockdown since July and you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the actual criteria for going into Tier 3 and how we can leave Tier 3 .
”

Boris Johnson is facing a fresh wave of criticism from his own MPs after announcing that 99% of the population of England will have to continue living under strict coronavirus restrictions when lockdown ends next week.
The vast majority of areas across the country will be placed in either Tier 2 or Tier 3 - in both of which the mixing of households indoors will effectively remain banned.
Around 32 million people - 57.3% of the population - will fall into Tier 2, while 23.3 million people - 41.5% of the population - will fall into Tier 3. Only Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and the Scilly Isles have been deemed safe enough to be in Tier 1.
Amid widespread criticism of the plan, “senior Conservative MPs” are warning that the prime minister will “face a large revolt when the government’s plan is put to a vote in the Commons next week”, the London Evening Standard reports.
The rebels are calling on the government to publish the evidence behind the decisions, along with projections of the impact that they these tightened rules will have on both infection rates and the economy.
In an apparent bid to quell the growing anger among his MPs, Johnson last night emphasised that the allocation of tiers will be reviewed every 14 days, starting from 16 December. Addressing the nation at a Downing Street press conference, he insisted that “your tier is not your destiny” and that “every area has the means of escape”.
But as former Conservative chief whip Mark Harper pointed out in a tweet: “Unfortunately, just after the PM said this, Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, said Tier 2 would only hold infections level, and Tier 1 would see them go up.
“That rather suggests if you’re in Tier 2, it is your destiny - at least until the spring.”
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner offered a more blunt assessment, tweeting: “‘Your Tier is not your destiny’. I really wish Boris Johnson would just stop it with this patronising guff.
“My constituents have been in local lockdown since July and you still haven’t explained to them the actual criteria for going into Tier 3 and how we can leave Tier 3.”


theweekuk--2020-11-27--Is Russia set to snatch Belarus’s independence right under the EU’s nose?

Russia ’ s role in the ongoing crisis in Belarus is causing increasing concern in Europe after the Kremlin urged President Alexander Lukashenko to press ahead with constitutional reforms that could pull his country further into Moscow ’ s orbit .
Lukashenko met with Russia ’ s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday in Minsk for talks over a pledge made to Vladimir Putin in September that Belarus ’ s Constitution would be reformed .
The Russian minister reportedly told Lukashenko that Putin had “ confirmed everything that you previously agreed with him ” - although it is “ unclear exactly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” , says The Times .
Prior to the decline of democracy in Hungary and Poland , Belarus was long described as Europe ’ s only authoritarian dictatorship .
Lukashenko has led the country since 1994 , claiming victories in elections widely believed to have been rigged .
But his grasp on power is now being challenged following elections in August , with thousands of protesters taking to the streets of cities across the nation to demand his resignation .
Lukashenko claims to have won a sixth term in office with more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rival candidates having performed well in pre-election polls .
Amid the ongoing unrest , Russia has moved in to offer help to Lukashenko .
Moscow and Minsk have maintained close formal ties since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 , forming the two-party “ Union State ” supranational organisation eight years later .
The Kremlin is now pressing Belarus to enact legislative changes paving the way for “ closer integration under which it could be forced to surrender its independence ” , The Times reports .
With Lukashenko desperate to avoid being ousted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures and the EU fear that he may abandon his nation ’ s standing “ in return for Russian support during the protests ” .
The EU has been heavily criticised in the past for its response to Russian interference in nations on the fringes of its borders , including Ukraine , Georgia and Armenia .
The power struggle in this third country , in particular , is a source of major concern among European leaders , with Putin achieving a significant victory as the broker of a peace treaty over the disputed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia , the Russian president has “ succeeded in considerably expanding Russia ’ s military presence in the strategically important Southern Caucasus region ” , says the Atlantic Council .
And “ crucially , he has done so without encountering any Western pushback ” .
The unchecked advance should “ set alarm bells ringing in other ex-Soviet republics ” , including Belarus , the think tank adds .
What can the EU do ?
Several Western leaders have refused to recognise the results of the latest elections in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , who took her husband ’ s place in the presidential race after he was arrested and jailed .
Tikhanovskaya claims that she won the election , but was forced to flee to EU member state Lithuania after her family was reportedly threatened .
The EU has also slapped sanctions on Lukashenko and a number of his allies , citing “ election rigging and a violent police crackdown on demonstrators ” , The Moscow Times reports .
In response , Lukashenko has accused Western countries of facilitating the protests and plots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Lukashenko this week , Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov claimed the West is “ using dirty methods of so-called colour revolutions , including manipulating public opinion , supporting forces that are openly anti-government and promoting their radicalisation ” .
According to the European Council on Foreign Relations ( ECFR ) , Russia has three key goals to achieve during the ongoing crisis in Belarus .
Firstly , Moscow wants to “ ensure a process of constitutional reform takes place ” , controlled by Moscow , says the think tank .
But Putin ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suit ” Lukashenko , who is used to ruling with impunity .
As such , the second goal for Russia is said to be to “ diversify the number of figures and organisations inside Belarus it can work with ” , including political parties and public associations .
Strengthening these relationships will deprive “ Lukashenka of his monopoly position and his veto over decision-making ” , says the ECFR .
And thirdly , “ Russian will be trying to deepen its economic representation in Belarus .
The country ’ s shrinking economy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian oligarchy will remain one of the few sources of foreign exchange for the Belarusian government.
” As negotiations between the two nations continue , exiled opposition leader Tikhanovskaya has insisted that Lukashenko has no right to sign any deal with Russia on Belarus ’ s future .
“ He has lost the support of the Belarusian people , ” she said yesterday .
“ We have always advocated and continue to advocate friendly relations with Russia .
But independence and sovereignty can not be bargained .
”

Russia’s role in the ongoing crisis in Belarus is causing increasing concern in Europe after the Kremlin urged President Alexander Lukashenko to press ahead with constitutional reforms that could pull his country further into Moscow’s orbit.
Lukashenko met with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday in Minsk for talks over a pledge made to Vladimir Putin in September that Belarus’s Constitution would be reformed.
The Russian minister reportedly told Lukashenko that Putin had “confirmed everything that you previously agreed with him” - although it is “unclear exactly to what agreements Mr Lavrov was referring”, says The Times.
Russian diplomacy
Prior to the decline of democracy in Hungary and Poland, Belarus was long described as Europe’s only authoritarian dictatorship. Lukashenko has led the country since 1994, claiming victories in elections widely believed to have been rigged.
But his grasp on power is now being challenged following elections in August, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets of cities across the nation to demand his resignation. Lukashenko claims to have won a sixth term in office with more than 80% of the vote, despite rival candidates having performed well in pre-election polls.
Amid the ongoing unrest, Russia has moved in to offer help to Lukashenko.
Moscow and Minsk have maintained close formal ties since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, forming the two-party “Union State” supranational organisation eight years later.
The Kremlin is now pressing Belarus to enact legislative changes paving the way for “closer integration under which it could be forced to surrender its independence”, The Times reports.
With Lukashenko desperate to avoid being ousted, the paper says, Belarusian opposition figures and the EU fear that he may abandon his nation’s standing “in return for Russian support during the protests”.
Watching from the sidelines
The EU has been heavily criticised in the past for its response to Russian interference in nations on the fringes of its borders, including Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia.
The power struggle in this third country, in particular, is a source of major concern among European leaders, with Putin achieving a significant victory as the broker of a peace treaty over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.


theweekuk--2020-11-27--Five British MPs escaped death after Iran diplomat ‘smuggled bomb on flight’

Five MPs cheated death after an Iranian diplomat smuggled a bomb onto a commercial flight for a planned attack in Paris , according to court documents .
The agent had intended to use the “ Mother of Satan ” explosive device at a rally in the French capital that was attended by a 35-strong delegation of British politicians and officials , The Sun reports .
The same type of bomb was used in the Manchester Arena attacks and during the 2015 massacre in Paris .
Conservative MPs Bob Blackman , Matthew Offord , David Amess and Theresa Villiers and Labour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in June 2018 , along with other high-profile guests including Donald Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani .
But the target of the plot was Maryam Rajavi , the head of an exiled Iranian opposition group .
Blackman told the newspaper that had the device been detonated , “ the US would undeniably have declared war on Iran - and it was only because the plot was foiled , World War Three was averted ” .
The Iranian alleged to have masterminded the plot , Asadollah Assadi , was “ an undercover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Vienna from Tehran in his baggage ” , Politico reports .
According to court papers , Assadi carried the bomb in a diplomatic bag , exempt from security searches , on an Austrian Airlines flight , and then drove the device to Luxembourg .
But the terror plot was foiled when a married couple allegedly tasked with then transporting the device to France and carrying out the bombing were arrested in Brussels .
Assadi was arrested at a petrol station in Germany , while driving back into Austria .
He goes on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Amir Saadouni and Nasimeh Naami , and a fourth man .
Assadi ’ s lawyers have argued that he is protected by diplomatic immunity and should not have been arrested .
Iran has “ denied any connection to the alleged bomb plot ” , which Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has described as a “ false flag ” operation .
The case will have “ grave ramifications for EU-Iran relations , renewing attention on Tehran ’ s record of state-sponsored terrorism ” at a time when European leaders are hoping to revive the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says Politico .

Five MPs cheated death after an Iranian diplomat smuggled a bomb onto a commercial flight for a planned attack in Paris, according to court documents.
The agent had intended to use the “Mother of Satan” explosive device at a rally in the French capital that was attended by a 35-strong delegation of British politicians and officials, The Sun reports. The same type of bomb was used in the Manchester Arena attacks and during the 2015 massacre in Paris.
Conservative MPs Bob Blackman, Matthew Offord, David Amess and Theresa Villiers and Labour’s Roger Godsiff attended the rally, in June 2018, along with other high-profile guests including Donald Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani. But the target of the plot was Maryam Rajavi, the head of an exiled Iranian opposition group.
Blackman told the newspaper that had the device been detonated, “the US would undeniably have declared war on Iran - and it was only because the plot was foiled, World War Three was averted”.
The Iranian alleged to have masterminded the plot, Asadollah Assadi, was “an undercover intelligence operative who brought the explosive device to Vienna from Tehran in his baggage”, Politico reports.
According to court papers, Assadi carried the bomb in a diplomatic bag, exempt from security searches, on an Austrian Airlines flight, and then drove the device to Luxembourg. But the terror plot was foiled when a married couple allegedly tasked with then transporting the device to France and carrying out the bombing were arrested in Brussels.
Assadi was arrested at a petrol station in Germany, while driving back into Austria.
He goes on trial in Antwerp today alongside the couple, Amir Saadouni and Nasimeh Naami, and a fourth man.
Assadi’s lawyers have argued that he is protected by diplomatic immunity and should not have been arrested. Iran has “denied any connection to the alleged bomb plot”, which Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has described as a “false flag” operation.
The case will have “grave ramifications for EU-Iran relations, renewing attention on Tehran’s record of state-sponsored terrorism” at a time when European leaders are hoping to revive the Iran Nuclear Deal alongside president-elect Joe Biden, says Politico.


theweekuk--2020-11-27--Books of the Week: Kiss Myself Goodbye, Klopp: My Liverpool Romance, Leave the World Behind

Ferdinand Mount sets out to uncover the true identity of his charismatic and mysterious Aunt Munca .
Liverpool-born novelist Anthony Quinn writes a “ love letter ” to his team and its manager .
And Rumaan Alam ’ s panic-filled novel describes the “ strange happenings ” and terrifying events spreading through America .
In this “ unusual and beautifully written book ” , Ferdinand Mount tells the story of his exotic , charismatic and mysterious Aunt Munca , said Roland White in The Sunday Times .
Betty , as she mostly called herself ( Munca was a nickname derived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” mouse , Hunca Munca ) , was the wife of Mount ’ s paternal uncle Greig ( known as Unca ) .
As a boy , Mount often spent holidays with these “ raffish relatives ” ( pictured ) , who owned a Rolls and a Mercedes , kept a permanent suite at Claridge ’ s ( which they called “ The Pub ” ) , and hobnobbed with Diana Dors and Nanette Newman .
But he became aware that his aunt was not all she seemed .
Details about her past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were rumours that her brother , Buster , was , in fact , her son .
Decades later , long after her death , Mount set about discovering who she really was – an investigation which led him to conclude that she “ never told the truth about anything ” .
Mount ’ s quest to uncover his aunt ’ s identity is painstaking , said Claire Lowdon in The Spectator .
But the results are “ genuinely incredible ” .
He learns that Munca wasn ’ t the daughter of the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ( as she was listed in Debrett ’ s ) .
She didn ’ t grow up in the Philippines , as she claimed ; she was born in Sheffield , to teenage parents .
She herself became a mother at 16 , worked as a typist , and went on to have three bigamous marriages .
Even her name was a lie : she was actually called Eileen .
As he fleshes out the details of her life , Mount provides , along the way , a “ generous , eclectic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – with excursions into topics such as motor racing and the RAF .
It all adds up to “ the most gripping book I ’ ve seen all year .
I laughed .
I gasped .
I read it so greedily that I had to force myself to slow down towards the end.
” And you emerge from it sneakily admiring Aunt Munca , who , if nothing else , tried to “ live life to the full ” , said Frances Wilson in The Daily Telegraph .
Nonetheless , her deceit profoundly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter , Georgie , who , like Estella in Great Expectations , was “ raised to drive men to distraction ” .
Her suitors included Max Hastings and Norman Lamont .
Aged 20 , she became engaged to Mount ’ s friend David Dimbleby , but Aunt Munca scuppered the union ( Mount suspects because she feared the journalist would discover her lies ) .
After that , Georgie moved abroad , and never married .
Witty , moving and beautifully crafted , Kiss Myself Goodbye is a “ masterclass ” in bringing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ novelist Anthony Quinn has been a fan of the city ’ s football club ( well , one of them ) since making his first trip to Anfield aged eight , said Blake Morrison in The Guardian .
His “ highly enjoyable ” new book is partly an account of that devotion , and partly a “ love letter ” to the club ’ s current manager .
When Jürgen Klopp arrived at Liverpool in 2015 , the Reds hadn ’ t won the League since 1990 – much to the chagrin of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incremental improvements have worked magic .
In 2019 , Liverpool won the Champions League ( and finished second in the domestic race ) , and this year finally triumphed in the League .
However , as Quinn elegantly shows , he hasn ’ t just brought success to Anfield , “ but fun , wit , passion , humanity , tactical brilliance and a remarkable set of teeth ” .
Without ever quite becoming a biography , this book “ fleshes out ” its subject , said Hannah Jane Parkinson in The Observer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forest , Klopp became a “ diligent if only goodish footballer ” , before finding his vocation as a manager , first at Mainz , then at Borussia Dortmund ( which he guided to two Bundesliga wins ) .
His approach is unusual in combining “ tactical nous ” – most famously , his philosophy of gegenpressing , or counter-pressing – with a strong commitment to pastoral care : he is renowned for his extravagant bear hugs .
And he can be very funny : asked once to “ put his finger ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he replied , “ I only have ten fingers.
” Quinn “ pleasurably ” slots vignettes from his own life into the narrative – such as his Merseyside boyhood – and most of the time he ’ s a charming companion , despite a weakness for bad puns ( “ All you need is Lovren , ” for instance ) .
This book works for a simple reason : he is “ a delightful writer writing about a delightful subject ” .
Novel of the week Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unspecified cataclysm taps brilliantly into the “ generalised panic ” of 2020 , said Alex Preston in The Observer .
Amanda and Clay are well-heeled New Yorkers who rent a home on Long Island .
One night , a black couple knock on the door and introduce themselves as its owners : Amanda catches herself thinking that it didn ’ t seem “ like the sort of house where black people lived ” .
Such concerns , however , are pushed aside : the visitors bear tidings of “ strange happenings ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ go down , and the novel turns into something unexpected : a “ smart , gripping and hallucinatory ” account of “ terrifying events taking place across America ” .
It ’ s a good thing that it takes this dramatic “ left turn ” , because until then it hadn ’ t been much good , said John Self in The Times .
Early on , Alam ’ s writing is “ obstructively fussy ” .
( If someone says they ’ re starving , do we need to be told it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Once “ panic takes hold ” , however , the prose improves – and the novel turns into a satisfying disaster story that offers something “ to terrify everyone ” .
To order these titles or any other book in print , visit theweekbookshop.co.uk , or speak to a bookseller on 020-3176 3835 .
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Mount’s quest to uncover his aunt’s identity is painstaking, said Claire Lowdon in The Spectator . But the results are “genuinely incredible”. He learns that Munca wasn’t the daughter of the “late John Anthony Baring of New York” (as she was listed in Debrett’s). She didn’t grow up in the Philippines, as she claimed; she was born in Sheffield, to teenage parents. She herself became a mother at 16, worked as a typist, and went on to have three bigamous marriages. Even her name was a lie: she was actually called Eileen. As he fleshes out the details of her life, Mount provides, along the way, a “generous, eclectic history of the early 20th century” – with excursions into topics such as motor racing and the RAF. It all adds up to “the most gripping book I’ve seen all year. I laughed. I gasped. I read it so greedily that I had to force myself to slow down towards the end.”
In this “unusual and beautifully written book”, Ferdinand Mount tells the story of his exotic, charismatic and mysterious Aunt Munca, said Roland White in The Sunday Times . Betty, as she mostly called herself (Munca was a nickname derived from Beatrix Potter’s “bad” mouse, Hunca Munca), was the wife of Mount’s paternal uncle Greig (known as Unca). As a boy, Mount often spent holidays with these “raffish relatives” (pictured), who owned a Rolls and a Mercedes, kept a permanent suite at Claridge’s (which they called “The Pub”), and hobnobbed with Diana Dors and Nanette Newman. But he became aware that his aunt was not all she seemed. Details about her past didn’t add up; there were rumours that her brother, Buster, was, in fact, her son. Decades later, long after her death, Mount set about discovering who she really was – an investigation which led him to conclude that she “never told the truth about anything”.
Ferdinand Mount sets out to uncover the true identity of his charismatic and mysterious Aunt Munca. Liverpool-born novelist Anthony Quinn writes a “love letter” to his team and its manager. And Rumaan Alam’s panic-filled novel describes the “strange happenings” and terrifying events spreading through America.
And you emerge from it sneakily admiring Aunt Munca, who, if nothing else, tried to “live life to the full”, said Frances Wilson in The Daily Telegraph. Nonetheless, her deceit profoundly damaged others – most tragically her adopted daughter, Georgie, who, like Estella in Great Expectations, was “raised to drive men to distraction”. Her suitors included Max Hastings and Norman Lamont. Aged 20, she became engaged to Mount’s friend David Dimbleby, but Aunt Munca scuppered the union (Mount suspects because she feared the journalist would discover her lies). After that, Georgie moved abroad, and never married. Witty, moving and beautifully crafted, Kiss Myself Goodbye is a “masterclass” in bringing long-buried secrets to light.
Bloomsbury 272pp £20; The Week Bookshop £15.99
Klopp: My Liverpool Romance by Anthony Quinn
The Liverpool-born novelist Anthony Quinn has been a fan of the city’s football club (well, one of them) since making his first trip to Anfield aged eight, said Blake Morrison in The Guardian. His “highly enjoyable” new book is partly an account of that devotion, and partly a “love letter” to the club’s current manager. When Jürgen Klopp arrived at Liverpool in 2015, the Reds hadn’t won the League since 1990 – much to the chagrin of their fans. Since then, his incremental improvements have worked magic. In 2019, Liverpool won the Champions League (and finished second in the domestic race), and this year finally triumphed in the League. However, as Quinn elegantly shows, he hasn’t just brought success to Anfield, “but fun, wit, passion, humanity, tactical brilliance and a remarkable set of teeth”.
Without ever quite becoming a biography, this book “fleshes out” its subject, said Hannah Jane Parkinson in The Observer. After growing up in the Black Forest, Klopp became a “diligent if only goodish footballer”, before finding his vocation as a manager, first at Mainz, then at Borussia Dortmund (which he guided to two Bundesliga wins). His approach is unusual in combining “tactical nous” – most famously, his philosophy of gegenpressing, or counter-pressing – with a strong commitment to pastoral care: he is renowned for his extravagant bear hugs. And he can be very funny: asked once to “put his finger” on why his team had lost, he replied, “I only have ten fingers.” Quinn “pleasurably” slots vignettes from his own life into the narrative – such as his Merseyside boyhood – and most of the time he’s a charming companion, despite a weakness for bad puns (“All you need is Lovren,” for instance). This book works for a simple reason: he is “a delightful writer writing about a delightful subject”.
Faber 208pp £12.99; The Week Bookshop £9.99
Novel of the week Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
This “breathtaking” novel about an unspecified cataclysm taps brilliantly into the “generalised panic” of 2020, said Alex Preston in The Observer. Amanda and Clay are well-heeled New Yorkers who rent a home on Long Island. One night, a black couple knock on the door and introduce themselves as its owners: Amanda catches herself thinking that it didn’t seem “like the sort of house where black people lived”. Such concerns, however, are pushed aside: the visitors bear tidings of “strange happenings”. Phones, internet and TV stations soon go down, and the novel turns into something unexpected: a “smart, gripping and hallucinatory” account of “terrifying events taking place across America”.
It’s a good thing that it takes this dramatic “left turn”, because until then it hadn’t been much good, said John Self in The Times. Early on, Alam’s writing is “obstructively fussy”. (If someone says they’re starving, do we need to be told it’s “hyperbole”?) Once “panic takes hold”, however, the prose improves – and the novel turns into a satisfying disaster story that offers something “to terrify everyone”.
Bloomsbury 256pp £14.99; The Week Bookshop £11.99
The Week Bookshop
To order these titles or any other book in print, visit theweekbookshop.co.uk, or speak to a bookseller on 020-3176 3835. Opening times: Monday to Saturday 9am-5.30pm and Sunday 10am-4pm


theweekuk--2020-11-27--Quiz of The Week: 21 - 27 November

Quiz of The Week: 21 - 27 November

The week kicked off with some much-needed good news as Boris Johnson confirmed plans to ease Covid restrictions across the UK over Christmas .
Up to three households will be able to mix indoors over the festive period .
But in less happy tidings , the prime minister also announced that strict tier restrictions would kick in after lockdown ends on 2 December , and remain in place until spring .
Chancellor Rishi Sunak also dampened the national mood by unveiling a cuts-heavy spending review , amid the biggest contraction of the UK economy in 300 years .
There was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as newly published figures revealed a drastic decline in Labour Party membership , with the exodus led by supporters of former leader Jeremy Corbyn .
Many are angry that despite being reinstated by the party as an MP following his recent suspension in an anti-Semiticism row , Corbyn has yet to have the whip restored .
To find out how closely you ’ ve been paying attention to the latest developments in the Covid crisis and other global events , put your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other headlines over the past seven days ?
Pfizer , Moderna and AstraZeneca-Oxford all confirmed the completion of vaccine trials , with efficacy rates of up to 95 % .
But doubts have been raised over AstraZeneca ’ s data after discrepencies between the test groups were revealed .
Across the pond , Donald Trump came as close as he has since election day to formally conceding defeat , and finally gave the General Services Administration the go-ahead to start preparing president-elect Joe Biden to take office .
Back in Europe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK met to discuss how to revive the Iran Nuclear Deal once Biden is in the White House .
The agreement was brokered by the victorious Democrat ’ s former boss Barack Obama , but Donald Trump withdrew the US from the treaty in 2018 .


theweekuk--2020-11-27--Albums of the Week: J.S. Bach – Goldberg Variations, Shadow of Fear, Hey u x

London-based virtuoso Pavel Kolesnikov has the “ Midas touch ” as he tackles a baroque masterpiece .
Shadow of Fear , one of the finest electronic albums released this year , is up there with Cabaret Voltaire ’ s best .
And after snaring a TikTok viral hit , Benee looks destined to be anything but a flash in the pan .
Just when you thought there were enough recordings of Bach ’ s Goldberg Variations , another comes along that makes the music sound ” fresh off the page ” , said Erica Jeal in The Guardian .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baroque masterpiece on a modern Yamaha piano , but the tone is “ soft , rounded and woody , more reminiscent of a fortepiano than a concert grand ” .
It is a “ revelatory ” recording which combines intense interiority with almost “ kittenish ” bursts of playfulness : the variations “ soar as if new ” .
Whether he is playing baroque , classical or contemporary romantic , the 31-year-old Russian has the “ Midas touch ” , said Hugh Canning in The Sunday Times .
His playing here has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encounter , imbued with terpsichorean grace and delight ” .
He “ revels in the jig-like rhythmic momentum of Variation 7 ” , and in the adagio of Variation 25 , his playing approaches “ the sublime ” .
There are countless great accounts of this music on harpsichord and piano , but this one is “ magisterial ” , essential listening .
You might have thought age would have mellowed Cabaret Voltaire , those “ pioneers of electronic music who have been sound-tracking industrial decay since 1973 ” , said Will Hodgkinson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence of Shadow of Fear , the Sheffield band ’ s “ deeply absorbing ” first album since 1994 , the opposite is true .
The “ clanging , metronomic ” Be Free features an ominous voice warning that “ the city is falling apart ” , while the “ primitive techno ” of Night of the Jackal is “ tense enough to induce a panic attack ” .
The sole survivor of the band ’ s original line-up is Richard H. Kirk , and the sound he has created for this “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the proto-acid house magnificence of the band ’ s early ’ 80s ” heyday , said Guy Oddy on TheArtsDesk .
Shadow of Fear has “ real depth and soul ” , offering “ raw and disorientating electronica , dub and motorik sounds with bags of punk attitude and a dancefloor-heavy vibe ” .
It ’ s up there with Cabaret Voltaire ’ s best , and is one of the finest electronic albums released this year .
New Zealander Stella Bennett ’ s breakthrough track Supalonely became a global lockdown smash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on TikTok , said Michael Cragg in The Observer .
Dance videos set to a brief loop from Supalonely were viewed 5.8 billion times , and the song itself racked up 2.1 billion streams .
It ’ s a cracking pop tune , and like the majority of songs on Bennett ’ s “ endearingly careworn debut ” album – a “ genre-hopping ” treat that mixes “ woozy alt-rock ” with “ louche hip-hop ” with a “ wheezy take on disco ” – it manages to be both “ breezy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viral hit is the new holy grail in pop music , ” said Ludovic Hunter-Tilney in the FT .
But Benee , 20 , looks destined to be anything but a flash in the pan .
Over 13 tracks , she moves “ fluently through different styles , from the daydream-like haze of A Little While to sharply scored dance music on Sheesh .
“ With its imaginative songcraft and deft sense of performance , Hey u x points to a bright future , the upside of a TikTok-dominated world of pop .
@

London-based virtuoso Pavel Kolesnikov has the “Midas touch” as he tackles a baroque masterpiece. Shadow of Fear, one of the finest electronic albums released this year, is up there with Cabaret Voltaire’s best. And after snaring a TikTok viral hit, Benee looks destined to be anything but a flash in the pan.
Pavel Kolesnikov: J.S. Bach – Goldberg Variations
Just when you thought there were enough recordings of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, another comes along that makes the music sound ”fresh off the page”, said Erica Jeal in The Guardian. The London-based virtuoso Pavel Kolesnikov has tackled the baroque masterpiece on a modern Yamaha piano, but the tone is “soft, rounded and woody, more reminiscent of a fortepiano than a concert grand”. It is a “revelatory” recording which combines intense interiority with almost “kittenish” bursts of playfulness: the variations “soar as if new”.
Whether he is playing baroque, classical or contemporary romantic, the 31-year-old Russian has the “Midas touch”, said Hugh Canning in The Sunday Times. His playing here has the “joy and freshness of a new encounter, imbued with terpsichorean grace and delight”. He “revels in the jig-like rhythmic momentum of Variation 7”, and in the adagio of Variation 25, his playing approaches “the sublime”. There are countless great accounts of this music on harpsichord and piano, but this one is “magisterial”, essential listening.
Hyperion £11.50
Cabaret Voltaire: Shadow of Fear
You might have thought age would have mellowed Cabaret Voltaire, those “pioneers of electronic music who have been sound-tracking industrial decay since 1973”, said Will Hodgkinson in The Times. But on the evidence of Shadow of Fear, the Sheffield band’s “deeply absorbing” first album since 1994, the opposite is true. The “clanging, metronomic” Be Free features an ominous voice warning that “the city is falling apart”, while the “primitive techno” of Night of the Jackal is “tense enough to induce a panic attack”.
The sole survivor of the band’s original line-up is Richard H. Kirk, and the sound he has created for this “fine” album is a “return to the proto-acid house magnificence of the band’s early ’80s” heyday, said Guy Oddy on TheArtsDesk. Shadow of Fear has “real depth and soul”, offering “raw and disorientating electronica, dub and motorik sounds with bags of punk attitude and a dancefloor-heavy vibe”. It’s up there with Cabaret Voltaire’s best, and is one of the finest electronic albums released this year.
Mute; £12
Benee: Hey u x
New Zealander Stella Bennett’s breakthrough track Supalonely became a global lockdown smash in March, thanks to its ubiquity on TikTok, said Michael Cragg in The Observer. Dance videos set to a brief loop from Supalonely were viewed 5.8 billion times, and the song itself racked up 2.1 billion streams. It’s a cracking pop tune, and like the majority of songs on Bennett’s “endearingly careworn debut” album – a “genre-hopping” treat that mixes “woozy alt-rock” with “louche hip-hop” with a “wheezy take on disco” – it manages to be both “breezy and broken”.
“Snaring a TikTok viral hit is the new holy grail in pop music,” said Ludovic Hunter-Tilney in the FT. But Benee, 20, looks destined to be anything but a flash in the pan. Over 13 tracks, she moves “fluently through different styles, from the daydream-like haze of A Little While to sharply scored dance music on Sheesh. “With its imaginative songcraft and deft sense of performance, Hey u x points to a bright future, the upside of a TikTok-dominated world of pop.”
Republic; £8


theweekuk--2020-11-27--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 27 Nov 2020

Donald Trump has signalled that he will leave the White House if Joe Biden is formally confirmed as the next @ @ @ @ @ college - as he is legally obliged to do .
The Republican told the media @ @ @ @ @ ” to concede and he repeated unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud .
Biden leads Trump @ @ @ @ @ under the electoral college system , with most vote tallies now certified by states .
@ @ @ @ @ vote by more than six million .

Trump says he’ll go if electoral college crowns Biden
Donald Trump has signalled that he will leave the White House if Joe Biden is formally confirmed as the next US president by the electoral college - as he is legally obliged to do. The Republican told the media it would be “hard” to concede and he repeated unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud. Biden leads Trump by 306 votes to 232 under the electoral college system, with most vote tallies now certified by states. Biden also leads the popular vote by more than six million.


theweekuk--2020-11-27--Policeman sacked after scanning carrots to buy doughnuts

A policeman who scanned a barcode for carrots worth 7p to purchase a £9.95 box Krispy Kreme doughnuts has been sacked for gross misconduct .
Although constable Simon Read told a disciplinary panel he had made an honest mistake at the self-service checkout of Tesco Extra in Wisbech , Cambridgeshire , the panel found his version of events was “ lacking in credibility ” .
Since the incident , the officer has received prank calls offering him doughnuts .
Amazon says it is “ really sorry ” after customers who had pre-ordered the new PlayStation 5 instead received deliveries of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Punters have resorted to social media to espress their disappointment at the mistaken deliveries .
An Elvis impersonator charged at police when they came to arrest him for an unrelated offence during a live-streamed gig .
Dean Holland was delivering an online performance from his home in Leeds when police in face masks burst in .
After lunging at one officer , Holland asked : “ What the f*** ?
” An officer tells him : “ We 've been trying to get in for 20 minutes.
” An officer then tells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holland replies : “ I am calm.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

A policeman who scanned a barcode for carrots worth 7p to purchase a £9.95 box Krispy Kreme doughnuts has been sacked for gross misconduct. Although constable Simon Read told a disciplinary panel he had made an honest mistake at the self-service checkout of Tesco Extra in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, the panel found his version of events was “lacking in credibility”. Since the incident, the officer has received prank calls offering him doughnuts.
Amazon customers receive cat food instead of PS5
Amazon says it is “really sorry” after customers who had pre-ordered the new PlayStation 5 instead received deliveries of cat food, grills and foot massagers. Punters have resorted to social media to espress their disappointment at the mistaken deliveries.
Elvis impersonator arrested during livestream
An Elvis impersonator charged at police when they came to arrest him for an unrelated offence during a live-streamed gig. Dean Holland was delivering an online performance from his home in Leeds when police in face masks burst in. After lunging at one officer, Holland asked: “What the f***?” An officer tells him: “We've been trying to get in for 20 minutes.” An officer then tells him to “calm down” and Holland replies: “I am calm.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-11-26--Josh Smith talks Louis Vuitton

Josh Smith talks Louis Vuitton

At Louis Vuitton , typography has long made headlines .
The heritage brand ’ s way with words – and characters , numbers and symbols – dates back to 1896 .
It was then , at the turn of the 19th century , that Georges Vuitton first introduced the maison ’ s Monogram : its geometric design originally inspired by Japanese heraldic Mon emblems , Louis Vuitton ’ s graphic repeat pattern alternates the Parisian business ’ two interlocking initials with four-petaled flowers and quatrefoils shapes .
Artistic collaborations are another Louis Vuitton speciality and it is through these link-ups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has come in new guises .
Japanese multimedia artist Takashi Murakami has cast the storied pattern in candy colours ; in 2007 , American painter Richard Prince unveiled a washed-out , sun-bleached version , superimposed with the writings of his Jokes series of paintings .
Britart names Jake and Dinos Chapman paired the Monogram with a menagerie of wild animals ( giraffes , elephants , a teeth-baring lion ) ; Stephen Sprouse spelt “ Louis Vuitton ” in neon hues with a spray-painterly finish .
It was Louis Vuitton ’ s famous signature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Louis Vuitton to dream up his version of the Capucine handbag as part of its Artycapucine collection , the American artist homed in on the brand ’ s storied Monogram .
But , short of interpreting the motif , Smith instead did away with it completely .
Produced in a limited edition of 200 , his Capucine bag spells “ Josh Smith ” in vibrant , confident brushstrokes .
Only the accessory ’ s escutcheon-like LV insignia clasp has been left in place .
“ I think it ’ s the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” says Smith about inscribing the brand ’ s design with his own tag .
“ Louis Vuitton puts its name on all its stuff , so I feel like my name should float on top of theirs .
That ’ s the whole point , like , ‘ Who is this Josh Smith guy ?
’ ” Smith was born on the Japanese island of Okinawa ; his father served in the US Army and so the family moved between stations , before eventually calling Knoxville , eastern Tennessee home .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miami University ( Oxford , Ohio ) and the University of Tennessee .
In 1998 , he arrived in New York , where he has been working and living since .
Today at his Brooklyn studio , Smith finishes richly coloured canvasses ; his semi-abstract work has captured motifs including fish , sunsets , skeletons and turtles .
Smith has exhibited widely : his 2003 debut solo show has been followed by worldwide exhibitions opening in London , Zurich , Melbourne and Geneva .
Pittsburgh ’ s Carnegie Museum of Art and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York are just two of the many international public collections that hold Smith ’ s creations , which in addition to paintings can take the shape of collages , ceramics and printed matter .
New York ’ s Museum of Modern Art has collected several of Smith ’ s works , including an untitled 2008 painting emblazoned with the artist ’ s name in blue and black brushstrokes .
The artist originally struck out with his name paintings at the turn of the millennium and its these much-collected works that inspired his Louis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some painters make a big abstract mess , others draw faces , and I paint my name , ” says Smith .
“ If people ask me why I paint my own name , I just say , ‘ Well , it ’ s much better than so many other things ’ .
” There ’ s a happy-making quality to Smith ’ s Capucine bag .
A vivid colour palette clashes cardinal reds with a lime green tone ; the letter 'S ' takes the shape of undulating , sweeping brush strokes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot pink colour .
Smith says : “ Fortunately , I have a simple name , with nice shapes – O ’ s and S ’ s and J ’ s – that nicely fill up a canvas or a page , or in this instance , a bag.
” A marquee design , Louis Vuitton first unveiled its top-handle Capucine with its Fall 2013 collection .
The accessory is christened after the rue des Capucines , the Paris address of Louis Vuitton ’ s first boutique opened in 1854 .
Last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , extending carte blanche to contemporary artists to reimagine an emblematic LV accessory .
It ’ s an ambitious undertaking : in 2019 , Louis Vuitton worked with six artists including Yale School of Art trained Tschabalala Self and Los Angeles based creative Alex Israel .
Swiss artist Urs Fischer delivered his all-white Capucine with naturalistic and hand-made mini sculptures of everyday groceries – an egg , a tomato and a mushroom all featured – which could be extended from the bag 's base using a gilt brass chain .
In Louis Vuitton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creative whimsy belies artisanal mastery .
Among this year ’ s collection of six Artycapucine bags is a kaleidoscope-like formation by Beatriz Milhazes achieved through complex lambskin marquetry and a patch-worked camouflage pattern of laser-cut leather , dreamt up Chinese artist Zhao Zhao .
Jean-Michel Othoniel finessed his cream raffia Capucine with black hand-embroidered silk satin ; its design resembling a futuristic suit of armour , Liu Wei ’ s black and silver bag features black Plexiglas handles .
Then , there is Henry Taylor ’ s design , which is fronted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Young Master portrait , its original acrylic on canvas make-up translated into leather marquetry following experiments in 2D and 3D printing .
“ Working with [ Louis Vuitton ’ s ] design and crafts teams was the real luxury for me , ” says Smith .
“ They ’ re like nothing else.
” Smith ’ s own Capucine is free from animal-derived products such as leather .
Instead , it is fashioned from materials the artist uses in his own practice : the bag ’ s outer is linen-cotton canvas , printed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paintings which had previous been embroidered using a white thread , to replicate brushstrokes .
Once printed , the linen-cotton canvas was then embroidered again , with stitches following the nine letters that make up the artist ’ s full name .
Open the Capucine to reveal its eye-catching silk lining , which is printed with Smith ’ s Palm # 3 painting .
Other choice details include a pale pear tree-wood handle and ten silver-tone staples fastened along the bag ’ s body , in a nod to an artist ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basics , exploring the natural materials that I use in my work – wood , canvas , metal staples , ” Smith explains .
“ It was fascinating to see the Louis Vuitton crafts team let these new materials in and embrace the idea of leather alternatives .
I wanted the bag to be as durable as the leather versions , while being a lighter object.
” Smith ’ s Louis Vuitton masterpiece is now for sale via the brand ’ s boutiques and website ( £6,250 ; louisvuitton.com ) .
At his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bag ’ s legacy .
“ With this bag , I can imagine two people meeting for cocktails and my name becoming a conversation starter , like , ‘ What ’ s that on your bag ?
’ , ” says Smith .
“ If that develops into friendly conversation , then it ’ s a success , because my aim is to relay the joy of living .
”

At Louis Vuitton, typography has long made headlines. The heritage brand’s way with words – and characters, numbers and symbols – dates back to 1896. It was then, at the turn of the 19th century, that Georges Vuitton first introduced the maison’s Monogram: its geometric design originally inspired by Japanese heraldic Mon emblems, Louis Vuitton’s graphic repeat pattern alternates the Parisian business’ two interlocking initials with four-petaled flowers and quatrefoils shapes.
Artistic collaborations are another Louis Vuitton speciality and it is through these link-ups that the brand’s best-loved Monogram has come in new guises. Japanese multimedia artist Takashi Murakami has cast the storied pattern in candy colours; in 2007, American painter Richard Prince unveiled a washed-out, sun-bleached version, superimposed with the writings of his Jokes series of paintings. Britart names Jake and Dinos Chapman paired the Monogram with a menagerie of wild animals (giraffes, elephants, a teeth-baring lion); Stephen Sprouse spelt “Louis Vuitton” in neon hues with a spray-painterly finish.
It was Louis Vuitton’s famous signature that also intrigued Josh Smith. Invited by Louis Vuitton to dream up his version of the Capucine handbag as part of its Artycapucine collection, the American artist homed in on the brand’s storied Monogram. But, short of interpreting the motif, Smith instead did away with it completely. Produced in a limited edition of 200, his Capucine bag spells “Josh Smith” in vibrant, confident brushstrokes. Only the accessory’s escutcheon-like LV insignia clasp has been left in place. “I think it’s the most obnoxious or provocative decision, really,” says Smith about inscribing the brand’s design with his own tag. “Louis Vuitton puts its name on all its stuff, so I feel like my name should float on top of theirs. That’s the whole point, like, ‘Who is this Josh Smith guy?’”
Smith was born on the Japanese island of Okinawa; his father served in the US Army and so the family moved between stations, before eventually calling Knoxville, eastern Tennessee home. A trained printmaker, Smith also studied at Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) and the University of Tennessee. In 1998, he arrived in New York, where he has been working and living since. Today at his Brooklyn studio, Smith finishes richly coloured canvasses; his semi-abstract work has captured motifs including fish, sunsets, skeletons and turtles. Smith has exhibited widely: his 2003 debut solo show has been followed by worldwide exhibitions opening in London, Zurich, Melbourne and Geneva. Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York are just two of the many international public collections that hold Smith’s creations, which in addition to paintings can take the shape of collages, ceramics and printed matter.
New York’s Museum of Modern Art has collected several of Smith’s works, including an untitled 2008 painting emblazoned with the artist’s name in blue and black brushstrokes. The artist originally struck out with his name paintings at the turn of the millennium and its these much-collected works that inspired his Louis Vuitton creation. “You know, some painters make a big abstract mess, others draw faces, and I paint my name,” says Smith. “If people ask me why I paint my own name, I just say, ‘Well, it’s much better than so many other things’.”