theweekuk--2020-05-01--The Week Unwrapped: Dreams, Zooms and executions

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days .
In this week ’ s episode , we discuss : Since lockdown began people around the world have been reporting that they are experiencing intensely vivid dreams in a phenomenon which has been labelled “ quarandreaming ” .
Are intense dreams anything to worry about , and what can be done to stop them ?
Couples in locked-down New York are rushing to tie the knot on Zoom , after the state passed an executive order allowing marriage licenses to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducted using “ audio-video technology ” .
So will this blossoming love for virtual weddings survive the coronavirus pandemic - and if so , why ?
Saudi Arabia this week announced that they will no longer execute people who committed crimes as minors , in a further push to modernise the ultra-conservative kingdom by its Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman .
But with Amnesty International already decrying the move as insufficient , is this another PR stunt doomed to fail ?
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get you get your podcasts .

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days.
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
Quarandreams
Since lockdown began people around the world have been reporting that they are experiencing intensely vivid dreams in a phenomenon which has been labelled “quarandreaming”. Are intense dreams anything to worry about, and what can be done to stop them?
Zoom weddings
Couples in locked-down New York are rushing to tie the knot on Zoom, after the state passed an executive order allowing marriage licenses to be issued remotely and ceremonies to be conducted using “audio-video technology”. So will this blossoming love for virtual weddings survive the coronavirus pandemic - and if so, why?
Executions
Saudi Arabia this week announced that they will no longer execute people who committed crimes as minors, in a further push to modernise the ultra-conservative kingdom by its Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. But with Amnesty International already decrying the move as insufficient, is this another PR stunt doomed to fail?
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player, Apple podcasts, SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts.


theweekuk--2020-05-01--Reaction as ‘breathless’ Boris Johnson claims UK is ‘past peak’ of coronavirus

Concern has been expressed over the health of Boris Johnson following his first daily Downing Street briefing since he recovered from the coronavirus .
The Daily Mail says Johnson “ raised fears for his health ” with a “ breathless ” briefing that saw him “ lean on his lectern ” and speak with “ strained inhalations ” .
Sky News adds that Johnson was “ lacking the trademark high energy that has become the hallmark of his political performance ” .
The Mirror agrees , describing Johnson as “ weary looking ” .
Body language expert Judi Jame told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ grimly unsmiling face with clamped lips… and the way he folded both arms onto the lectern to lean on them both suggested he 's still a way from complete recovery ” .
The Guardian was less forgiving .
John Crace wrote that “ breathless Boris ” was “ left floundering ” as he faced a “ foe he ca n't outbluster ” .
“ The Boss may be back , but the man who longed to be the new Churchill isn ’ t even the old Boris , ” he continued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s come up against a power greater than himself ; coronavirus is so far immune to almost everything .
In a straight contest between coronavirus and bullshit , the coronavirus wins every time.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The briefing saw Johnson claim that the UK is “ past the peak and on the downward slope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country would have to wait until next week to hear more about his “ comprehensive plan ” setting out “ how we can continue to suppress the disease and at the same time restart the economy ” .
After previously downplaying the benefits of face-masks in day-to-day life , he said that face coverings “ will be useful both for epidemiological reasons but also for giving people confidence they can go back to work ” as the UK emerges from lockdown .
He defended his government ’ s handling of the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning lessons every day – but I do think that , broadly speaking , we did the right thing at the right time.
” Johnson also pledged that he will not make public spending cuts in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic , saying that austerity would “ not be part of our approach ” .
However , his claims that his government has been successful in its response to the pandemic have been greeted with widespread derision .
A Labour MP accused the PM of living in a “ fantasy land ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clarke objected to “ the stone-deaf insensitivity of characterising a shattering death toll , with all the grief and pain that entails , as somehow ‘ not ’ a tragedy because it ’ s below 500,000 deaths ” .

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theweekuk--2020-05-01--Fears grow Brexit talks could collapse in June

Brexit talks with the European Union could collapse in June unless Brussels abandons its demands for a common fisheries policy and a level playing field , says a source close to the UK ’ s negotiating team .
The source told The Guardian that only “ limited progress in bridging the gaps between us ” had been made at last week ’ s talks , but there was “ confidence that progress can be made quite quickly ” .
He added that he was “ quite positive ” over the chances of a trade deal before the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transition period ends .
Boris Johnson is expected to take a more active role in trying to help unblock talks if there is no breakthrough in the months ahead .
However , Brussels says Johnson is backtracking on promises to uphold common standards on the environment , health and workers ’ rights – known as the level playing field .
That issue and disagreements over fishing are now key obstacles .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– An EU diplomat said : “ Everybody knows that the UK is the world of betting men , but betting alone won ’ t result in a trade agreement .
The continent is as engulfed by Covid as the UK , so I wouldn ’ t bank on leaders having much time to cater to British fancy .
“ Recovery comes first and last , and a trade deal with the UK is of course a necessary element , but not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Another Brussels figure said : “ If No .
10 doesn ’ t change its negotiating approach , we will very likely be looking at a no-deal scenario.
” Downing Street has repeatedly rejected calls for it to ask for an extension to the transition period to avoid such an outcome .
However , leading UK business figure Gopichand Hinduja said earlier this week that there will be an extension .
He said : “ In my view , now that the Prime Minister is back in 10 Downing Street , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My instinct is that it ’ s going to be extended .
”


theweekuk--2020-05-01--Man wins $1m on lottery twice in one day

A man in Colorado won two $ 1m Powerball jackpots in a single day after playing the same numbers for 30 years .
Colorado Lottery officials said of the unnamed double-winner : “ Joe B likes to play one play of his own numbers , and a couple more plays with Quick Picks.
” When asked how he and his wife plan to spend the win , the lucky player said : “ The Boss has plans for it.
” A news anchor in Spain has been accused of cheating on his girlfriend after viewers spotted a semi-naked woman strolling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ segment from home .
Alfonso Merlos later apologised , saying : “ If you think that my attitude has not been correct or that there are things that I have not done well , I have no problem asking for forgiveness , although my goal was not to harm someone else.
” An emu has been found wandering loose in Washington state .
The authorities said a group of disc golfers spotted the bird while they were playing at High Bridge Park in Spokane .
The Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appealing to the owner to come and collect it .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 man in Colorado won two $1m Powerball jackpots in a single day after playing the same numbers for 30 years. Colorado Lottery officials said of the unnamed double-winner: “Joe B likes to play one play of his own numbers, and a couple more plays with Quick Picks.” When asked how he and his wife plan to spend the win, the lucky player said: “The Boss has plans for it.”
News anchor in hot water over mystery woman
A news anchor in Spain has been accused of cheating on his girlfriend after viewers spotted a semi-naked woman strolling behind him as he filmed a live segment from home. Alfonso Merlos later apologised, saying: “If you think that my attitude has not been correct or that there are things that I have not done well, I have no problem asking for forgiveness, although my goal was not to harm someone else.”
Emu found loose in Washington state
An emu has been found wandering loose in Washington state. The authorities said a group of disc golfers spotted the bird while they were playing at High Bridge Park in Spokane. The Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service are now looking after the bird and are appealing to the owner to come and collect it.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced takeon the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-05-01--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 1 May 2020

Improvements in air quality during coronavirus lockdowns have resulted in 11,000 fewer deaths across Europe over the past month , @ @ @ @ @ .
Researchers at the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air ( CREA @ @ @ @ @ the significant reduction in air travel and road traffic are comparable to “ everyone in @ @ @ @ @ month ” .

UK ‘unlikely to meet 100,000 daily tests deadline’
Boris Johnson yesterday admitted that his government was almost 20,000 short of its target of carrying out 100,000 coronavirus tests a day by the end of April. Latest figures show that a total of 81,611 coronavirus tests were carried out on Wednesday, up by 30,000 on the previous 24 hours - but it will not be clear whether ministers have met their goal until later today. Conceding that the deadline was likely to be missed, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said: “Even if we don’t hit it, we will in the next few days. I think it was right to set an ambitious target... the direction of travel is the most important thing.”


theweekuk--2020-04-30--How coronavirus could shape the news

How coronavirus could shape the news

Coronavirus risks decimating the media landscape , leaving fewer national and local news outlets to counter the ever-growing problem of fake news and misinformation .
Polls have revealed widespread mistrust at how the mainstream media , and newspapers in particular , have covered the government ’ s response to the pandemic , but “ this is a grim and long-standing issue , [ and ] it doesn ’ t mean trust in journalism is suddenly ‘ collapsing ’ through this crisis , as per the narrative that ’ s been allowed to take hold , ” says Politico .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the British , the longer-term effects of the current crisis look set to have far wider ramifications .
Many media outlets , especially local newspapers , were already struggling before the pandemic struck , “ now the virus is taking this crisis to a new level , ” writes David Leonhardt in the New York Times .
“ The rapid shrinking of the economy — at the fastest pace since the Great Depression — has led to a further decline in advertising .
Some newspapers that were on the brink may not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been laid off , ” he says .
The Financial Times says Britain ’ s newspaper industry is facing an “ unprecedented crisis ” , with national newspaper sales falling by more than a fifth between the middle and end of March , according to data from distributor Smiths News .
Enders Analysis , which forecasts a 50 % fall in advertising revenues this year , estimates the total potential cost to the industry at about £650m once circulation declines are included .
National newspapers including The Telegraph , the Financial Times and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record levels of traffic and engagement from online readers .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Local newspaper groups have been hit particularly hard , with more than 50 titles across Britain no longer appearing in print .
Writing on Medium , Josh Sterns warns of a dangerous knock-on effect , with the erosion in local news tied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resulting in fewer people running for office , less voting and a rise in polarisation and political corruption .
“ Local newspapers are basically little machines that spit out healthier democracies , ” Joshua Benton , director of the Nieman Journalism Lab , writes .
“ The coronavirus pandemic presents the greatest threat to the global news industry since the 2008 economic crash , ” says Press Gazette .
“ At the same time , our industry has never been more vital .
With fake news proliferating on social media , access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter of life and death.
” Amid concerns the sector is struggling to survive the pandemic , the UK government has pledged to bring forward plans to remove value added tax from the sale of digital newspapers .
Until now , digital publications had been charged VAT at 20 % .
By contrast , physical books and newspapers have been VAT-exempted for decades as governments had considered them a public good .
Yet “ if journalism is to be saved as an essential public good a lot more needs to be done – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but by the technology companies that have benefited from a disfunctional market and by the newspaper industry itself , too ” writes Jane Martinson in The Guardian .
“ Unless action is swift , the post-Covid media landscape will be a bleak place in which valuable journalism gets lost in a maelstrom of misinformation , ” Martinson says .
“ One where an ‘ infodemic ’ of anything goes online becomes the eventual norm .
”

Coronavirus risks decimating the media landscape, leaving fewer national and local news outlets to counter the ever-growing problem of fake news and misinformation.
Polls have revealed widespread mistrust at how the mainstream media, and newspapers in particular, have covered the government’s response to the pandemic, but “this is a grim and long-standing issue, [and] it doesn’t mean trust in journalism is suddenly ‘collapsing’ through this crisis, as per the narrative that’s been allowed to take hold,” says Politico.
While journo-bashing has long been a favourite pastime of the British, the longer-term effects of the current crisis look set to have far wider ramifications.
Many media outlets, especially local newspapers, were already struggling before the pandemic struck, “now the virus is taking this crisis to a new level,” writes David Leonhardt in the New York Times.
“The rapid shrinking of the economy — at the fastest pace since the Great Depression — has led to a further decline in advertising. Some newspapers that were on the brink may not survive. And many more journalists have been laid off,” he says.
The Financial Times says Britain’s newspaper industry is facing an “unprecedented crisis”, with national newspaper sales falling by more than a fifth between the middle and end of March, according to data from distributor Smiths News.
Enders Analysis, which forecasts a 50% fall in advertising revenues this year, estimates the total potential cost to the industry at about £650m once circulation declines are included. National newspapers including The Telegraph, the Financial Times and The Guardian have furloughed staff, despite record levels of traffic and engagement from online readers.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Local newspaper groups have been hit particularly hard, with more than 50 titles across Britain no longer appearing in print.
Writing on Medium, Josh Sterns warns of a dangerous knock-on effect, with the erosion in local news tied to a drop in civic engagement, resulting in fewer people running for office, less voting and a rise in polarisation and political corruption.
“Local newspapers are basically little machines that spit out healthier democracies,” Joshua Benton, director of the Nieman Journalism Lab, writes.
“The coronavirus pandemic presents the greatest threat to the global news industry since the 2008 economic crash,” says Press Gazette. “At the same time, our industry has never been more vital. With fake news proliferating on social media, access to quality news and information can be a matter of life and death.”
Amid concerns the sector is struggling to survive the pandemic, the UK government has pledged to bring forward plans to remove value added tax from the sale of digital newspapers.
Until now, digital publications had been charged VAT at 20%. By contrast, physical books and newspapers have been VAT-exempted for decades as governments had considered them a public good.
Yet “if journalism is to be saved as an essential public good a lot more needs to be done – not just by government with public money, but by the technology companies that have benefited from a disfunctional market and by the newspaper industry itself, too” writes Jane Martinson in The Guardian.
“Unless action is swift, the post-Covid media landscape will be a bleak place in which valuable journalism gets lost in a maelstrom of misinformation,” Martinson says. “One where an ‘infodemic’ of anything goes online becomes the eventual norm.”


theweekuk--2020-04-30--Eurozone economy shrinks at record rate

Eurozone economy shrinks at record rate

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theweekuk--2020-04-30--UK set for coronavirus ‘staycation’ boom

UK tourist hotspots could experience a huge boom this summer, as limited freedom to travel abroad and reduced holiday budgets mean more people opt for a “staycation”.
“Tourism accounts for 10% of the EU's economic output, and the 27 member states must now decide how to resume public movement both within their countries and beyond,” says the BBC.
Germany, which has been among the most successful countries in Europe in keeping coronavirus cases down, has extended its warning against worldwide travel until 14 June. Meanwhile, visitors to Spain, which welcomes a large number of British tourists each year, can currently only enter if they can prove they have an essential reason to visit.
Croatian Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli has called for “tourist corridors” to be created between EU countries, with epidemiologists deciding the rules for movement.
Yet international air travel will remain a far less attractive proposition for the foreseeable future.
The Sun reports that “passengers could face a four-hour wait to get airborne, a reduced schedule and prices hiked up in a post-lockdown world”.
“Air travel could become more of a luxury as airlines sticking to distancing rules may need to pull up the fares to cover the cost of less travellers,” it adds.
“Even if lockdowns are lifted, leisure travel abroad is likely to be severely hampered by restrictions or risk-averse holiday-goers wary of another wave of infections,” says The Telegraph.
It means a return to the seaside holiday enjoyed by most Britons before the advent of cheap air travel and package holidays in the 1960s and 70s, with new statistics from CabinBookers revealing that 90% of UK holidaymakers are planning to take a domestic holiday once the coronavirus lockdown restrictions have been lifted.
According to the research eight in 10 people said their “appreciation for UK beauty spots had increased while under lockdown”, while 86% of holiday hunters are on the lookout for countryside escapes rather than the usually popular city breaks.
With 44% of those surveyed saying their interest in staying in the UK for a holiday was a direct result of having a lower budget due to the financial impact of the crisis, “the likes of holiday lets and camping sites in the Lake District and Cornwall could also benefit from Britons scaling back their holiday plans as incomes are squeezed” says the Telegraph.
“The promise of future domestic tourism is good news for the UK’s travel industry, usually worth £88 billion annually to the economy, which has taken a huge hit since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis,” says the Daily Express.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-04-30--Quiz of The Week: 25 April - 1 May 2020

Quiz of The Week: 25 April - 1 May 2020

The number of confirmed Covid-19 deaths in the UK shot up this week to more than 26,000 , as fatalities outside hospitals are included in daily official figures for the first time .
The total reached by the new method of reporting is around 17 % higher than previous data showed , and includes an additional 3,811 deaths recorded since the start of the outbreak .
Of these , around 70 % were outside hospital settings .
As scientists worldwide seek coronavirus cures , experts in the US are exploring using female sex hormones as a treatment to boost men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to figures from the UK Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) , men are twice as likely to die from the disease than women in all older age groups .
To find out how closely you ’ ve been paying attention to the latest developments in the pandemic , and other global events , put your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week : Need a reminder of some of the other headlines over the past seven days ?
Officials in the US say they have “ clear-cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can cut the duration of coronavirus symptoms .
Clinical trials in hospitals worldwide found that remdesivir , originally developed as a treatment for Ebola , reduced Covid-19 recovery times by an average of four days .
However , experts have warned that remdesivir is not a “ magic bullet ” for the disease , despite reports that the US Food and Drug Administration is planning to announce an emergency-use authorisation for the drug .
In non-coronavirus-related news , Saudi Arabia ’ s Human Rights Commission ( HRC ) has announced that the kingdom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens who commit crimes as minors .
News of the royal decree came just two days after the country ’ s General Commission for the Supreme Court effectively abolished flogging as a punishment .
Back in the UK , meanwhile , Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds announced the birth of their son .
The baby was born at a London hospital on Wednesday .


theweekuk--2020-05-01--Coronavirus: the businesses flourishing in the pandemic

The coronavirus outbreak continues to keep the doors to most British businesses closed, fuelling fears that the UK is teetering on the brink of a major economic recession.
Restaurants, pubs and bars will remain closed for the foreseeable future, even when other retailers may be given permission to start trading once more.
Three former chancellors have warned the British economy may never fully recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
Labour’s Alistair Darling, who was chancellor during the global economic crisis that began in 2008, said: “I’m afraid this is much, much worse because we’re not yet in control of events.”
But despite the economy suffering, some businesses have benefited from the virus outbreak. Technology, home workout and gardening companies are all profiting from the new state of play.
Exercise equipment
Companies supplying exercise equipment that people can use in lieu of their normal gym workouts are seeing an increase in demand.
Everything from roller skates to turbo trainers and bodyweight workout systems have come sprinting and lunging into fashion, with people keen to try new workouts thanks to the extra time on their hands.
John Lewis says it has seen a “significant uplift” in home gym equipment and other fitness product sales since lockdown.
Toby Clark, from Mintel market research, told the BBC his teams are seeing reports of “really high sales of home exercise equipment, as people try to compensate for the fact that they now can’t get to the gym”.
Bicycle manufacturers are doing particularly well, as people are more keen to try out ways of travelling that risk less exposure to the coronavirus.
Video calling platforms
Somewhat unsurprisingly, a big winner from the lockdown are video calling companies like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype.
And “many smaller players such as Friday, FreeConferenceCall, Brandlive, Bluescape and LogMeIn are also experiencing dramatic demand for their services, according to TechCrunch.
Zoom reported on 22 April that it had seen a 50% surge in daily users, though later updated its statement to say it had 300 million daily meeting participants rather than users, The Verge reports.
User numbers aside, “the company’s sales and share price are already up over 50% in 2020,” writes Michael Wade, professor of innovation and strategy at IMD Business School in Switzerland, on The Conversation. “Webex from Cisco and Skype and Teams from Microsoft are also seeing major upticks in sales,” Wade adds.
Home and garden
People are spending more time stuck in the house, resulting in a big increase in people making little home and garden improvements.


theweekuk--2020-05-01--The new coronavirus research out this week: vaccines and immunity


theweekuk--2020-05-01--Coronavirus: why BAME death rate is more than twice that of whites


theweekuk--2020-05-01--Lifting lockdown: what the UK can learn from other countries

Boris Johnson has said the UK is “ past the peak and on the downward slope ” of the coronavirus outbreak - and pledged to set out a “ comprehensive plan ” on how the nationwide lockdown may be lifted .
Speaking on Thursday at the government ’ s daily briefing , the prime minister thanked the public for their “ massive collective effort ” and said he would be explaining next week “ how we can get our economy moving , our children back to school and into childcare , and thirdly how we can travel to work and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The dates and times of each individual measure will be very much driven by where we are in the epidemic , what the data is really saying , and we are getting in a lot more data every day now and in the course of the next few days , ” he added .
And , no doubt , Downing Street will also be examining how other countries across the world have been lifting their lockdown measures .
On 6 April , Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced that Austria could expect a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his government became the first in the EU to reveal plans for easing lockdown measures , according to Politico .
Since 14 April , non-essential shops with a floor space of less than 400 square metres have been allowed to reopen , along with DIY stores and garden centres .
And all larger shops , shopping centres and hairdressers are permitted to open their doors from today .
Pubs will be allowed to open again from 15 May , with a maximum of four people per table , and hotels from 29 May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Health Minister Rudolf Anschober has warned that the coronavirus crisis is not over and that the government could reimpose the restrictions at any time to prevent a second wave of infections .
The Austrian authorities last month made it mandatory to wear face masks in public , and social distancing rules and limits on gatherings remain in place .
Johnson has already hinted that the UK may adapt some similar measures .
“ As part of coming out of the lockdown , I do think face coverings will be useful , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for epidemiological reasons but also for giving people confidence that they can go back to work.
” Germany has also taken steps to ease coronavirus lockdown measures , allowing some shops , schools and other public places to reopen since 20 April .
But the government is considering reintroducing the restrictions after the coronavirus R value – which indicates how contagious a virus is - crept up above 1 , the threshold that marks whether new infections are rising or falling .
Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that Germany ’ s hospitals will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the R value rises even slightly more - suggesting a second lockdown is inevitable .
On Thursday night , Patrick Vallance , the UK government ’ s chief scientific advisor confirmed that the R value in the UK was currently between 0.6 to 0.9 .
“ There isn ’ t a perfect answer of what it should be but the wrong answer is anything above 1 , ” added Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty .
A UK government source familiar with Downing Street ’ s exit strategy plans told The Telegraph : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more than Germany at the moment.
” South Korea hit a new milestone on Thursday , with no new domestic cases of coronavirus recorded for the first time since February .
The breakthrough comes despite the government in Seoul relaxing some of its social distancing guidelines .
Further restrictions are expected to be eased in the coming days if the caseload maintains a decline , reports The Guardian .
Parliamentary elections in the East Asian nation went ahead in April , but the authorities “ took safety measures , including requiring voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casting ballots ” , says the newspaper .
According to Yoon Tae-ho , South Korea ’ s director general for public health policy , “ 29 million voters participated in the 15 April parliamentary election… Not one case related to the election has been reported during the 14 days of incubation period.
” Experts say the country has managed to bring the coronavirus outbreak under control without severe lockdown measures by implementing a massive testing campaign and intensive contact tracing .
Right-wingers in the US are staging massive demonstrations across the country against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violate their civil liberties .
“ We believe that the state governor has gone beyond his constitutional authority in shutting down businesses and ordering people to stay at home , ” protest organiser Tyler Miller said at a rally in Washington State .
Lockdown measures differ from state to state , of which around 20 are reporting protests by crowds ranging from a few dozen people to thousands , says the BBC .
On Thursday night , armed demonstrators entered the capitol building in Michigan and demanded that the Democratic governor lift strict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even though the US has recorded almost 1.1 million coronavirus infections - more than any other country - with more than 62,000 related deaths .
In early April , President Donald Trump predicted that the outbreak could claim 60,000 US lives , but the White House released a new predictive model this week that projects more than 74,000 deaths by 4 August – with an estimated range of up to 130,000 deaths , reports Metro .
Hubei Province , the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak , went into strict lockdown on 23 January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the restrictions in recent weeks .
Most people in China are returning to work in their offices , although a number of Chinese provinces have suggested “ 2.5-day weekends to encourage consumer spending ” , reports the BBC .
Temperature checks are still being conducted on people entering many buildings , and social distancing is being maintained in many public spaces .
Office worker Gao Ting , from Wuhan , told the broadcaster about her experiences after going back to work on 29 March .
“ There were a lot of people on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her first commute back .
“ Everyone wore masks.
” But apart from that , it was business as usual , she added .
China is now “ focused on avoiding a devastating second wave of infections as it returns to a semblance of pre-pandemic life ” , reports Bloomberg , which adds that “ distanced school desks , compulsory face masks and tracking apps are being deployed from the financial hub of Shanghai to the frigid northern province of Heilongjiang ” .
The Swiss government implemented a significant relaxation of restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardware shops , beauty salons and florists are now permitted to open , and hospitals , dentists and physiotherapists are able to resume non-essential procedures .
Schools and remaining retail premises will reopen on 11 May , providing the country ’ s infection rate remains stable .
“ On 8 June , Switzerland ’ s secondary schools and higher learning institutions will also be allowed to reopen , as will its libraries , zoos and museums , ” says the World Economic Forum website .
Spain is another of the countries that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , leading the authorities to impose one of the toughest coronavirus lockdowns in Europe .
Restrictions have been in place since 14 March , but are set to be lifted on 4 May .
During the first stage of a four-phase exit plan , hairdressers and other businesses that operate by appointment can open , and restaurants will be allowed to offer takeaway services , says The Independent .
In the next stage , to come into effect on 11 May , bars will be permitted to reopen their terraces , but will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity .
Advancing through the following stages will depend on factors such as how the rate of infection evolves , the number of intensive care beds available and compliance with distancing rules , Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has cautioned .
“ We are starting to glimpse an outcome that will be a reward for the huge collective effort made over the past weeks , ” Sanchez said this week , but added that the “ virus is still lurking ” .
“ If you love Italy , keep your distance , ” Italian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , in a warning against complacency as coronavirus fatalities rose by 260 - the country ’ s lowest day-to-day increase since 14 March .
Conte thanked citizens for the sacrifices they had made after almost seven weeks under lockdown , but warned that a gradual lifting of the restrictions would be about “ co-existing with the virus ” .
“ You must always respect the safe distance of at least one metre , ” he added .
“ Even within the family setting .
Experts tell us that one out of four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ context.
” From 4 May , Italians will be able to travel within their regions to visit relatives , so long as face masks are worn , but movement between regions will still be banned unless for work , health or other emergency purposes , reports The Guardian .
Parks and public gardens will also reopen and people will be permitted to go for walks or other forms of outdoor exercise so long as they maintain physical distancing and carry a document citing the reason for leaving their home .
Public transport will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and face masks will be mandatory .
Museums , galleries , libraries and retailers will reopen on 18 May , and bars , restaurants and hairdressers from 1 June .

Boris Johnson has said the UK is “past the peak and on the downward slope” of the coronavirus outbreak - and pledged to set out a “comprehensive plan” on how the nationwide lockdown may be lifted. Speaking on Thursday at the government’s daily briefing, the prime minister thanked the public for their “massive collective effort” and said he would be explaining next week “how we can get our economy moving, our children back to school and into childcare, and thirdly how we can travel to work and make life in the workplace safer”. “The dates and times of each individual measure will be very much driven by where we are in the epidemic, what the data is really saying, and we are getting in a lot more data every day now and in the course of the next few days,” he added. And, no doubt, Downing Street will also be examining how other countries across the world have been lifting their lockdown measures. Austria On 6 April, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced that Austria could expect a “resurrection after Easter”, as his government became the first in the EU to reveal plans for easing lockdown measures, according to Politico. Since 14 April, non-essential shops with a floor space of less than 400 square metres have been allowed to reopen, along with DIY stores and garden centres. And all larger shops, shopping centres and hairdressers are permitted to open their doors from today. Pubs will be allowed to open again from 15 May, with a maximum of four people per table, and hotels from 29 May, reports Yahoo! Finance. However, Health Minister Rudolf Anschober has warned that the coronavirus crisis is not over and that the government could reimpose the restrictions at any time to prevent a second wave of infections. Skip advert The Austrian authorities last month made it mandatory to wear face masks in public, and social distancing rules and limits on gatherings remain in place. Johnson has already hinted that the UK may adapt some similar measures. “As part of coming out of the lockdown, I do think face coverings will be useful,” he said this week.
“Both for epidemiological reasons but also for giving people confidence that they can go back to work.” Germany Germany has also taken steps to ease coronavirus lockdown measures, allowing some shops, schools and other public places to reopen since 20 April. But the government is considering reintroducing the restrictions after the coronavirus R value – which indicates how contagious a virus is - crept up above 1, the threshold that marks whether new infections are rising or falling. Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that Germany’s hospitals will be overwhelmed by the end of June if the R value rises even slightly more - suggesting a second lockdown is inevitable. On Thursday night, Patrick Vallance, the UK government’s chief scientific advisor confirmed that the R value in the UK was currently between 0.6 to 0.9. “There isn’t a perfect answer of what it should be but the wrong answer is anything above 1,” added Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty. A UK government source familiar with Downing Street’s exit strategy plans told The Telegraph: “People are talking about South Korea much more than Germany at the moment.” South Korea South Korea hit a new milestone on Thursday, with no new domestic cases of coronavirus recorded for the first time since February. The breakthrough comes despite the government in Seoul relaxing some of its social distancing guidelines. Further restrictions are expected to be eased in the coming days if the caseload maintains a decline, reports The Guardian. Parliamentary elections in the East Asian nation went ahead in April, but the authorities “took safety measures, including requiring voters to wear masks and plastic gloves when casting ballots”, says the newspaper. According to Yoon Tae-ho, South Korea’s director general for public health policy, “29 million voters participated in the 15 April parliamentary election… Not one case related to the election has been reported during the 14 days of incubation period.” Skip advert Experts say the country has managed to bring the coronavirus outbreak under control without severe lockdown measures by implementing a massive testing campaign and intensive contact tracing. US Right-wingers in the US are staging massive demonstrations across the country against social distancing restrictions, which many claim violate their civil liberties. “We believe that the state governor has gone beyond his constitutional authority in shutting down businesses and ordering people to stay at home,” protest organiser Tyler Miller said at a rally in Washington State. Lockdown measures differ from state to state, of which around 20 are reporting protests by crowds ranging from a few dozen people to thousands, says the BBC.
On Thursday night, armed demonstrators entered the capitol building in Michigan and demanded that the Democratic governor lift strict coronavirus lockdown orders. The protests continue even though the US has recorded almost 1.1 million coronavirus infections - more than any other country - with more than 62,000 related deaths. In early April, President Donald Trump predicted that the outbreak could claim 60,000 US lives, but the White House released a new predictive model this week that projects more than 74,000 deaths by 4 August – with an estimated range of up to 130,000 deaths, reports Metro. China Hubei Province, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, went into strict lockdown on 23 January, and has only begun to lift the restrictions in recent weeks. Most people in China are returning to work in their offices, although a number of Chinese provinces have suggested “2.5-day weekends to encourage consumer spending”, reports the BBC. Temperature checks are still being conducted on people entering many buildings, and social distancing is being maintained in many public spaces. Office worker Gao Ting, from Wuhan, told the broadcaster about her experiences after going back to work on 29 March. “There were a lot of people on the subway,” she said of her first commute back. “Everyone wore masks.” But apart from that, it was business as usual, she added. China is now “focused on avoiding a devastating second wave of infections as it returns to a semblance of pre-pandemic life”, reports Bloomberg, which adds that “distanced school desks, compulsory face masks and tracking apps are being deployed from the financial hub of Shanghai to the frigid northern province of Heilongjiang”. Switzerland The Swiss government implemented a significant relaxation of restrictions on 27 April. Skip advert Businesses including hairdressers, hardware shops, beauty salons and florists are now permitted to open, and hospitals, dentists and physiotherapists are able to resume non-essential procedures. Schools and remaining retail premises will reopen on 11 May, providing the country’s infection rate remains stable. “On 8 June, Switzerland’s secondary schools and higher learning institutions will also be allowed to reopen, as will its libraries, zoos and museums,” says the World Economic Forum website. Spain Spain is another of the countries that have been hit especially hard by the pandemic, leading the authorities to impose one of the toughest coronavirus lockdowns in Europe. Restrictions have been in place since 14 March, but are set to be lifted on 4 May.


theweekuk--2020-04-30--Quiz of The Week: 25 April - 1 May

Quiz of The Week: 25 April - 1 May


theweekuk--2020-05-02--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 2 May 2020

Commuters will be asked to take their temperature before leaving home under new proposals being considered to make public transport @ @ @ @ @ Ministers are also reviewing the two-metre social distancing rule in the hope that relaxing the @ @ @ @ @ and schools to reopen .
The Daily Telegraph says there is growing evidence that coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ the air .

Ministers consider fever checks for commuters
Commuters will be asked to take their temperature before leaving home under new proposals being considered to make public transport safer after the lockdown. Ministers are also reviewing the two-metre social distancing rule in the hope that relaxing the restriction could allow more businesses and schools to reopen. The Daily Telegraph says there is growing evidence that coronavirus does not transmit well in the air.


theweekuk--2020-05-03--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 3 May 2020

Boris Johnson clains “ contingency plans ” were made while he was ill in hospital with coronavirus .
Speaking to @ @ @ @ @ the prime minister said : “ I was not in particularly brilliant shape and I @ @ @ @ @ plans in place .
The doctors had all sorts of arrangements for what to do @ @ @ @ @ ” He says he was given “ litres and litres of oxygen ” .

PM says ‘contingency plans’ were in place when he was ill
Boris Johnson clains “contingency plans” were made while he was ill in hospital with coronavirus. Speaking to the Sun on Sunday, the prime minister said: “I was not in particularly brilliant shape and I was aware there were contingency plans in place. The doctors had all sorts of arrangements for what to do if things went badly wrong.” He says he was given “litres and litres of oxygen”.


theweekuk--2020-05-04--Coronavirus: will rents be frozen?

Coronavirus: will rents be frozen?

More than a million private tenants may be left homeless after losing their jobs unless the government implements a rent freeze , a think tank has warned .
The left-leaning New Economics Foundation ( NEF ) says that a three-month rent suspension would protect an estimated 1.2 million people who live in privately let homes and “ who will miss out from the government ’ s Covid-19 job retention scheme ” , reports The Guardian .
A total of 5.6 million may face “ severe financial hardship ” after being made redundant , having their hours cut or because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheme , the newspaper adds .
Concerns are growing after Housing Minister Christopher Pincher confirmed last month that rent increases were still permitted during the lockdown , reports the London Evening Standard .
Pincher said that the Coronavirus Act contained measures to protect both private and social tenants , including rent holidays , the unfreezing of the Local Housing Allowance , and the extension from two months to three of the period before a landlord is allowed to file an eviction notice against a tenant .
Meanwhile , landlords are being supported with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– But despite the government measures , campaign groups are predicting a spike in homelessness and evictions .
And many renters are concerned about falling into debt to pay back missed rent in the coming months .
Caitlin Wilkinson , policy manager at campaign group Generation Rent , told the Evening Standard : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raise rents in the midst of a pandemic .
“ The government ’ s own advice is to stay home and avoid moving house if possible - meaning tenants faced with a rent hike have very little choice but to stay put and accept it .
”


theweekuk--2020-05-04--Did coronavirus reach Europe last year?

Did coronavirus reach Europe last year?

The Covid-19 coronavirus may have reached Europe as early as December - one month before the first officially confirmed case , a French doctor has claimed .
Yves Cohen , head of intensive care at the Avicenne hospital in Paris , has “ caused a stir ” by alleging that repeat coronavirus tests on samples from patients admitted for pneumonia in December and January have come back with one positive result , The Telegraph reports .
The positive sample was taken on 27 December from a 53-year-old man who had not travelled to China , he told French news channel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s first confirmed Covid-19 case was believed to be in a man diagnosed in Bordeaux on 24 January .
The suggestion has “ sparked further doubt on the spread of the coronavirus ” and “ sent shockwaves through the French scientific community ” , says the Daily Express .
“ We ’ ve reanalysed all negative tests on people who were diagnosed with pneumonia .
Of the 24 patients , we had one positive result for Covid-19 , ” said Cohen , who claims that the test was repeated several times to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is well and has fully recovered ” , he added .
The BBC says that Cohen has reported the case to regional health authorities and “ called for other negative tests from the same period to be re-examined ” .
France has been planning to begin lifting lockdown restrictions from 11 May , with children returning to school , some businesses reopening and people allowed to travel within ( 60 miles ) of their homes .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-05-04--Coronavirus: the UK’s contact tracing plan explained


theweekuk--2020-05-04--Instant Opinion: Britain failing to protect ‘poor and powerless’ from coronavirus

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
on Britain ’ s failure to protect its key workers What is Britain ’ s wealth for if we can ’ t protect key workers in a pandemic ?
“ There comes a point when we must stop and appraise what it means to be a civilised country , what it means to be a wealthy one .
That point is when a man who is carrying the aged , the sick and the vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite worrying that he is not receiving basic protection in a pandemic .
That point is when a nation ’ s health service is so cash-strapped that it has to hire private companies whose worst case scenario isn ’ t the needless death of a worker ; it ’ s a loss to shareholders .
“ The economic prosperity we have in the UK has been accumulated through years of aggressive liberalisation and privatisation , sacrificing the health , safety , dignity and lives of others .
To Britain ’ s vulnerable precariat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long time .
To them , the crisis was always here .
As their deaths swell Britain ’ s mortality toll , we can no longer look at ourselves as a nation and see any metric of affluence that we should be proud of.
” The economy needs to move out of London “ The UK economy is skewed towards services and the capital .
If you wanted to depict this economic model in a single picture , it would show a branch of Pret a Manger somewhere in central London .
Hardworking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ London , sell quick coffees and sandwiches to people , also not from London , who work in nearby offices creating , buying and selling intangible things to other people who get their coffee from other branches of Pret .
“ That model has been a great , if imperfect , success .
But while I miss my morning coffee on the way to the office keenly , I can ’ t avoid the conclusion that the Pret economy is extremely vulnerable to the virus and will be very hard , if not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ form in the next phase .
And perhaps we shouldn ’ t try to .
There is a real opportunity to use the crisis to deliver on two big goals that predate the virus and which will remain necessary after the worst of it has gone .
An achievable goal of government in post-Covid Britain should be an economy which is less skewed towards London and which emits far less carbon.
” 3 .
Charles M. Blow in The New York Times on the race disparity laid bare by the pandemic “ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inequalities , but also exacerbate them .
America has never been comfortable discussing the inequalities that America created , let alone addressing them .
America loves a feel-good , forget-the-past-let ’ s-start-from-here mantra .
But , this virus is exploiting these man-made inequalities and making them impossible to ignore .
It is demonstrating the incalculable callousness of wealth and privilege that would willingly thrust the less well off into the most danger for a few creature comforts .
This crisis is exposing the class savagery of American democracy and the economic carnage that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christopher Snowdon , h ead of lifestyle economics at the Institute for Economic Affairs , in The Daily Telegraph on the need to end the lockdown Lift lockdown now or normalise a chilling authoritarianism unprecedented in peacetime “ The Coronavirus Act has given the Government powers that are without precedent in peacetime , including the authority to close any building .
The lesser known Health Protection ( Coronavirus , Restrictions ) ( England ) Regulation , which are the legal basis for the lockdown , are even more draconian .
Their principal stipulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a gathering in a public place of more than two people ’ and ‘ no person may leave the place where they are living without reasonable excuse ’ .
The list of ‘ reasonable excuses ’ is short .
“ Whilst the public understands the need for these extraordinary measures as a temporary response to Covid-19 , the trampling of civil liberties is so extreme that it is imperative that they be repealed , in full , as soon as possible .
When should that be ?
We should never forget that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lockdown when he announced it on television on 23 March was to prevent NHS services being overwhelmed by Covid-19 patients .
There was no suggestion that the lockdown should remain in place until the virus was stamped out entirely , nor until other countries had eradicated it , nor until a vaccine had become available.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus will change our shopping habits Coronavirus Is Going To Change Our Relationship With Food Forever “ By the time you have finished reading this article , over 12,000 tons of food will have been lost or wasted across the global supply chain .
It ’ s a staggering figure ; the inanity made all the more jarring by the current climate : hundreds of thousands of deaths , millions of jobs lost and people facing desperate situations the world over .
Yet , when you hold our food system up to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see how we got here ... Food became a commodity we no longer valued or respected – easy come , easy go .
Then coronavirus arrived .
”


theweekuk--2020-05-04--Coronavirus linked to rare inflammatory disease in children – here’s what we know

Jeremy Rossman , honorary senior lecturer in virology and president of Research-Aid Networks , University of Kent , on the rare disease in children that could have a coronavirus-link .
The UK Paediatric Intensive Care Society sent out an alert on April 27 about an increase in cases of severe Covid-19-related illness in children .
Since then , 19 cases have been identified in children in the UK and 100 cases have been identified in five other countries ( US , France , Italy , Spain and Switzerland ) .
This is a new situation and only minimal information is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very few cases and the vast majority of Covid-19 infections in children are still very mild .
The new reports are of children showing inflammation of multiple organs and particularly the blood vessels and heart .
Symptoms appear to include severe abdominal pain and gastrointestinal illness , though some also have fever and skin rashes .
This is a very severe illness that requires treatment in intensive care , though there have not been any reported fatalities .
The syndrome appears to be similar to Kawasaki disease , which involves inflammation of blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in children under the age of five years and can lead to coronary artery aneurysms and permanent heart damage , if not treated .
The syndrome is treated with intravenous immunoglobulin ( an antibody ) , aspirin and steroids , in severe cases .
We don ’ t know what causes Kawasaki disease , but it is thought to be a combination of genetics and the immune response to an infection .
It is not clear at present if this new syndrome is caused by Covid-19 and what the relation to Kawasaki disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused by Covid-19 ?
In the UK , some of the critically ill children showed active Covid-19 infections , though a few did not appear to be infected .
It is thought this may be simply because these children has already cleared their infection , a theory that is supported by finding Covid-19 antibodies in some of the children that tested negative for the virus .
This suggests that the new syndrome may be an inflammatory reaction that occurs during the recovery period after the Covid-19 infection has mostly resolved .
A similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease , where respiratory infections may trigger the disease .
Infection with some variants of another , typically mild type of coronavirus , HCoV-229E , is seen more often in patients with Kawasaki disease , though no infection has ever been proven to cause Kawasaki disease .
There has been one published report of a six-month-old girl who was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease and Covid-19 , though it was not known if the infection caused the disease .
She was treated with immunoglobulin and high-dose aspirin .
She made a complete recovery .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is – suggests a link between Covid-19 and the inflammatory syndrome in children .
However , at present , there is not enough evidence to say that this syndrome is caused by Covid-19 .
We do know that in adults , Covid-19 causes significant inflammation in many organs of the body .
This inflammation plays a role in some of the most severe Covid-19 disease .
It has also been shown that the virus can infect endothelial cells that line blood vessels , causing blood vessel inflammation .
In many ways , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in children , though it is not known if these are caused by similar processes .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– What are the risks and what should I do ?
Current data shows that Covid-19 can infect children , but that children under 19 typically show very mild disease .
Those under ten have the lowest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The report of this new inflammatory syndrome in children is worrying , but the risk of Covid-19 to young children remains very low .
Parents are advised to continue being alert for any signs of severe illness in their children , especially shortness of breath or difficulty breathing .
It is now also recommended to be alert for abdominal pain and gastrointestinal distress , especially when combined with fever or a rash .
If you have any concerns about your child ’ s health , please call your doctor or the emergency services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in virology and president of Research-Aid Networks , University of Kent .
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .


theweekuk--2020-05-04--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 4 May 2020

US President Donald Trump says the US will have a vaccine for the coronavirus before 2021 .
“ We are @ @ @ @ @ going to have a vaccine at the end of the year , by the end @ @ @ @ @ he told Fox News .
Boris Johnson will describe the race to develop a vaccine @ @ @ @ @ shared endeavour of our lifetimes ” , as he joins fellow world leaders today in @ @ @ @ @ global response to Covid-19 .

Trump says US will have coronavirus vaccine by 2021
US President Donald Trump says the US will have a vaccine for the coronavirus before 2021. “We are very confident that we're going to have a vaccine at the end of the year, by the end of the year,” he told Fox News. Boris Johnson will describe the race to develop a vaccine as “the most urgent shared endeavour of our lifetimes”, as he joins fellow world leaders today in a virtual summit on the global response to Covid-19.


theweekuk--2020-05-03--Secret files reveal the UK’s hotspots for UFO sightings

RAF files showing the top UK hotspots for spotting UFOs have been released following a Freedom of Information request .
The paperwork lists more than 620 sightings across the UK between 1959 and 2009 .
London and Kent are the top spots , followed by Derbyshire , Lancashire and Essex .
Most of the sightings were between 8pm and 1am .
An aquarium in Japan has asked people to video-call its eels to keep them company during lockdown .
After noticing the eels were looking sad , bosses at Tokyo ’ s Sumida Aquarium are launching a three-day “ emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face-showing festival ” , in order to prevent the fish from “ forgetting the existence of humans ” .
People are asked to wave or call out to the eels for five minutes at a time , during two time slots a day .
Leicester man becomes oldest to cross Atlantic alone A 72-year-old man from Leicester has claimed the world record for the oldest person to row across the Atlantic solo .
Graham Walters nearly missed out on the accolade after he was blown off course six miles from shore , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coastguard just off Antigua .
He said he will not attempt the crossing again , adding : “ I am sad in a way that it was the last one.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

RAF files showing the top UK hotspots for spotting UFOs have been released following a Freedom of Information request. The paperwork lists more than 620 sightings across the UK between 1959 and 2009. London and Kent are the top spots, followed by Derbyshire, Lancashire and Essex. Most of the sightings were between 8pm and 1am.
Aquarium requests video calls for lonely eels
An aquarium in Japan has asked people to video-call its eels to keep them company during lockdown. After noticing the eels were looking sad, bosses at Tokyo’s Sumida Aquarium are launching a three-day “emergency event”, known as the “face-showing festival”, in order to prevent the fish from “forgetting the existence of humans”. People are asked to wave or call out to the eels for five minutes at a time, during two time slots a day.
Leicester man becomes oldest to cross Atlantic alone
A 72-year-old man from Leicester has claimed the world record for the oldest person to row across the Atlantic solo. Graham Walters nearly missed out on the accolade after he was blown off course six miles from shore, and was forced to call for help from the coastguard just off Antigua. He said he will not attempt the crossing again, adding: “I am sad in a way that it was the last one.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-05-04--VE Day stories: victory, defeat - and nice knickers

Friday is the 75th anniversary of VE Day , when Germany ’ s surrender brought an end to the Second World War in Europe .
Official commemorations of the historic date have been curtailed by the coronavirus outbreak - which also echoes the fear and uncertainty felt during the six-year conflict .
Alongside celebrations at home , the lockdown provides an opportunity for those who lived through the War to reflect on their experiences .
While for some VE Day brought pure joy , for others the end of hostilities was a bittersweet experience .
Robert Garner was with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a near-fatal bullet wound to the neck , in May 1945 .
“ I was still under a lot of medication , ” Garner , now 94 , tells The Times .
“ The sergeant-major came up to me and said , ‘ You ’ re going to London.
’ I said , ‘ What for ?
’ And he replied , ‘ You ’ re going to be part of the victory parade - the War is over.
’ ” He and a few other soldiers had been chosen for a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way past cheering crowds in Trafalgar Square , along the Mall and past Buckingham Palace .
For Garner - a private in 1st Battalion , the Suffolk Regiment - the highlight was seeing the future Queen .
“ She was in her ATS [ Auxiliary Territorial Service ] uniform on the parade route and was sitting on the bonnet of a War Office vehicle , ” he says .
“ We went by in the truck and I said , ‘ Look , there ’ s Princess Elizabeth , ’ and we all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to whistle and I said , ‘ Don ’ t do that , we ’ ll get into trouble.
’ But she waved back at us .
We were very pleased - we realised who it was because she was so elegant.
” Elsie Sharpe of the Wrens , or Women of the Royal Navy Service , missed the big VE Day celebrations because she was “ on a charge ” after getting back late to her camp in Blackpool , having missed her bus and being forced to make the five-mile journey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sit near the exit while they were all going out to parties , ” she tells BBC Radio Manchester .
It was a chance to reflect on what might have been - particularly the missed opportunity to meet American soldiers .
“ If we went out with our lot , nothing against them but you had to climb in lorries , ” she says .
“ You would put your nice knickers on , but you had to put navy ones over the top because of all that climbing in lorries .
Whereas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nice transport and you didn ’ t have to do that sort of thing.
” For some other members of the Armed Forces , the victory parties seemed even more remote .
“ Millions of Britons were still away from their homes , including about 400,000 men serving in India and Southeast Asia , and tens of thousands more with the huge British fleet now serving alongside its vastly more powerful American allies in the Pacific , ” says Daniel Todman , professor of modern history at Queen Mary University of London , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The war with Japan was then expected to last about another 18 months .
The prospect of further service in the Far East loomed over those who had just fought in Europe , and those already in action against the Japanese had little reason to celebrate .
“ As one soldier , recording a filmed message to his family from Burma , put it : ‘ Take a good look at me , you ’ ll not be seeing me for a long time.
’ ” On the other side In Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defeat .
“ We were at rock bottom and everything was kaputt , ” Jorg Sonnabend , who was 11 on VE Day , tells The Times .
“ We still had hope that some miracle would happen .
We had grown up in the Nazi era and we didn ’ t know any different.
” He describes complicated emotions : hope , fostered by Nazi leaders , of a miraculous victory , as well as fear of Russian atrocities and uncertaintainty about what would happen next .
“ We were happy about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we could sleep again because there were no more air raids , ” says Sonnabend , who for weeks had spent his nights in a public air-raid shelter with his mother in the west of Berlin .
“ But I can honestly say that no one at that time felt that what was happening was a liberation.
” Better late than never Ian Severn was also uncertain about what the future held , for two reasons .
As a six-year-old in the Derbyshire village of Somercotes , the War was just the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him - and , more pressingly , “ at the point of victory I was struck down with scarlet fever ” .
He tells Radio Times : “ My lasting memory is seeing my parents looking desperately anxious outside No .
25 , an illuminated V for victory sign improvised from Christmas lights shining in the front window , as the ambulance doors closed and off I went for what turned out to be six weeks ’ quarantine in a wholly new and altogether strange environment .
For me , VE Day had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homecoming I had after those six long weeks in hospital ...
I was led in at the front door which opened straight into the front room - always , reserved for special ‘ family events ’ .
“ Everyone who mattered was there , and I clearly remember the tears in my grandma ’ s eyes as they all fussed around .
I felt like a king but above all , just overjoyed and grateful in my six-year-old way to be home again .
”

“I had to sit near the exit while they were all going out to parties,” she tells BBC Radio Manchester .
Elsie Sharpe of the Wrens, or Women of the Royal Navy Service, missed the big VE Day celebrations because she was “on a charge” after getting back late to her camp in Blackpool, having missed her bus and being forced to make the five-mile journey by foot.
“They were all going to whistle and I said, ‘Don’t do that, we’ll get into trouble.’ But she waved back at us. We were very pleased - we realised who it was because she was so elegant.”
“She was in her ATS [Auxiliary Territorial Service] uniform on the parade route and was sitting on the bonnet of a War Office vehicle,” he says. “We went by in the truck and I said, ‘Look, there’s Princess Elizabeth,’ and we all waved.
He and a few other soldiers had been chosen for a “victory truck” that would make its way past cheering crowds in Trafalgar Square, along the Mall and past Buckingham Palace. For Garner - a private in 1st Battalion, the Suffolk Regiment - the highlight was seeing the future Queen.
Robert Garner was with the British Army in France, recovering from a near-fatal bullet wound to the neck, in May 1945. “I was still under a lot of medication,” Garner, now 94, tells The Times . “The sergeant-major came up to me and said, ‘You’re going to London.’ I said, ‘What for?’ And he replied, ‘You’re going to be part of the victory parade - the War is over.’”
Alongside celebrations at home , the lockdown provides an opportunity for those who lived through the War to reflect on their experiences. While for some VE Day brought pure joy, for others the end of hostilities was a bittersweet experience.
Official commemorations of the historic date have been curtailed by the coronavirus outbreak - which also echoes the fear and uncertainty felt during the six-year conflict.
Friday is the 75th anniversary of VE Day, when Germany’s surrender brought an end to the Second World War in Europe.
It was a chance to reflect on what might have been - particularly the missed opportunity to meet American soldiers.
“If we went out with our lot, nothing against them but you had to climb in lorries,” she says. “You would put your nice knickers on, but you had to put navy ones over the top because of all that climbing in lorries. Whereas with the Americans, they put on nice transport and you didn’t have to do that sort of thing.”
Victory delayed
For some other members of the Armed Forces, the victory parties seemed even more remote. “Millions of Britons were still away from their homes, including about 400,000 men serving in India and Southeast Asia, and tens of thousands more with the huge British fleet now serving alongside its vastly more powerful American allies in the Pacific,” says Daniel Todman, professor of modern history at Queen Mary University of London, in an article for The Guardian.
“The war with Japan was then expected to last about another 18 months. The prospect of further service in the Far East loomed over those who had just fought in Europe, and those already in action against the Japanese had little reason to celebrate.
“As one soldier, recording a filmed message to his family from Burma, put it: ‘Take a good look at me, you’ll not be seeing me for a long time.’”
On the other side
In Germany, people were coming to terms with defeat. “We were at rock bottom and everything was kaputt,” Jorg Sonnabend, who was 11 on VE Day, tells The Times. “We still had hope that some miracle would happen. We had grown up in the Nazi era and we didn’t know any different.”
He describes complicated emotions: hope, fostered by Nazi leaders, of a miraculous victory, as well as fear of Russian atrocities and uncertaintainty about what would happen next.
“We were happy about the War being over in the sense that we could sleep again because there were no more air raids,” says Sonnabend, who for weeks had spent his nights in a public air-raid shelter with his mother in the west of Berlin. “But I can honestly say that no one at that time felt that what was happening was a liberation.”
Better late than never
Ian Severn was also uncertain about what the future held, for two reasons. As a six-year-old in the Derbyshire village of Somercotes, the War was just the “normal” state of things for him - and, more pressingly, “at the point of victory I was struck down with scarlet fever”.
He tells Radio Times: “My lasting memory is seeing my parents looking desperately anxious outside No. 25, an illuminated V for victory sign improvised from Christmas lights shining in the front window, as the ambulance doors closed and off I went for what turned out to be six weeks’ quarantine in a wholly new and altogether strange environment. For me, VE Day had definitely been deferred!
“What a homecoming I had after those six long weeks in hospital... I was led in at the front door which opened straight into the front room - always, reserved for special ‘family events’.
“Everyone who mattered was there, and I clearly remember the tears in my grandma’s eyes as they all fussed around. I felt like a king but above all, just overjoyed and grateful in my six-year-old way to be home again.”


theweekuk--2020-05-04--Reaction: Joe Biden sexual assault accuser pulls out of TV interview

A former Senate staffer who claims Joe Biden sexually assaulted her has reportedly cancelled an interview with Fox News after receiving death threats .
Tara Reade pulled out of the TV appearance after the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate denied the allegations against him , which date back to 1993 .
On Friday , in his first television interview about the claims , Biden told MSNBC ’ s Mika Brzezinski : “ It is not true .
I am saying unequivocally , it never , never happened.
” Despite his rebuttal , The New York Times says that while there “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s story , “ there aren ’ t good reasons not to hear her out ” .
She had been due to speak to Fox News on Sunday , but just hours earlier The New York Times ’ Lisa Lerer tweeted that Reade had cancelled after both she and her family were threatened .
Reade later retweeted that tweet , reports Slate .
The interview would have been “ a coup for the conservative network , and give its on-air hosts a club with which to beat a mainstream media that can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t book Ms Reade ” , says The New York Times .
Commentators have pointed to similiarities between the case and the sexual assault accusations levelled at Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court confirmation hearings , as well as “ four years ago , when more than a dozen women accused President Trump of sexual misconduct and assault ” , notes The Hill .
But “ that is where the similarities end ” , says the Washington D.C.-based news site .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Republicans “ have wasted little time accusing Democrats of hypocrisy , citing their near-uniform outrage ” in the cases of Kavanaugh and Trump , reports The Washington Post .
But in contrast to those two men , Biden both wanted his accuser to be heard and rebutted her accusations “ head-on and in an unequivocal manner ” , says The Hill .
And nor has the former vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discredit Reade , or attempted to undermine or question her motives ” , continues the site , which adds : “ Democrats wholeheartedly support the notion that survivors of sexual misconduct and violence should have the opportunity to tell their stories , regardless of politics and political party.
” So will Reade have an opportunity to tell her side of the story ?
At least two of her former colleagues have corroborated aspects of her claims against then-senator Biden to the Associated Press , and seven other women came forward last year to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inappropriate displays of affection .
Given that body of evidence , “ the Democratic National Committee should move to investigate the matter swiftly and thoroughly , with the full cooperation of the Biden campaign ” , says The New York Times ’ Editorial Board .
“ Even if certainty isn ’ t possible in this matter , the American people deserve at least the confidence that he , and the Democratic Party , have made every effort to bring the truth to light , ” the opinion piece concludes .


theweekuk--2020-05-04--TikTok videos: police officers and NHS staff told to ‘stop prancing around’


theweekuk--2020-05-05--Oxford University refuses to remove ‘harmful’ course reading

The University of Oxford has dismissed a student union motion to ban discriminatory material from its reading lists .
In a statement , the university said that while students might be “ confronted with views that some find unsettling , extreme or offensive ” , free speech was the “ lifeblood of a university ” , reports The Times .
The Oxford University Student Union passed a motion last week condemning “ hateful material ” in mandatory teaching , as university newspaper The Oxford Student reported at the time .
The policy - titled “ Protection of Transgender , Non-binary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Students from Hatred in University Contexts ” - was put forward by Alex Illsley , co-chair of Oxford ’ s LGBTQ+ campaign .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– But while students backed the proposed ban , many Oxford academics criticised the motion in scathing posts on social media .
Richard Dawkins , an emeritus fellow at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ sanctimoniously woke busybodies ” , adding that “ this juvenile nonsense is not only incredibly foolish , it is pathetically derivative ( from America ) .
Glad to say Oxford will have no truck with it.
” Professor Jeff McMahan , an expert in moral philosophy , told the university ’ s new independent newspaper The Oxford Blue that the SU motion was a “ grave mistake ” .
“ The only way to deal with arguments with conclusions with which one disagrees is to determine why they are wrong and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to refute them by counterargument , ” he said .

The University of Oxford has dismissed a student union motion to ban discriminatory material from its reading lists.
In a statement, the university said that while students might be “confronted with views that some find unsettling, extreme or offensive”, free speech was the “lifeblood of a university”, reports The Times.
The Oxford University Student Union passed a motion last week condemning “hateful material” in mandatory teaching, as university newspaper The Oxford Student reported at the time.
The policy - titled “Protection of Transgender, Non-binary, Disabled, Working Class and Women Students from Hatred in University Contexts” - was put forward by Alex Illsley, co-chair of Oxford’s LGBTQ+ campaign.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
But while students backed the proposed ban, many Oxford academics criticised the motion in scathing posts on social media.
Richard Dawkins, an emeritus fellow at the university, tweeted that the campaigners were “sanctimoniously woke busybodies”, adding that “this juvenile nonsense is not only incredibly foolish, it is pathetically derivative (from America). Glad to say Oxford will have no truck with it.”
Professor Jeff McMahan, an expert in moral philosophy, told the university’s new independent newspaper The Oxford Blue that the SU motion was a “grave mistake”.
“The only way to deal with arguments with conclusions with which one disagrees is to determine why they are wrong and to explain it to others – that is, to refute them by counterargument,” he said.


theweekuk--2020-05-05--Instant Opinion: Coronavirus has left Brits scared to go outside

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , @ @ @ @ @ on Brits ’ need for reassurance Coronavirus has left Britons scared to go outside .
@ @ @ @ @ ?
“ Basically : I don ’ t trust big-brained business types who seem to @ @ @ @ @ economy ’ with ‘ let more low-paid workers take bigger risks so bosses can make @ @ @ @ @ do I really trust the government which got it wrong on locking down to get @ @ @ @ @ .
And I don ’ t trust the 5G protesters , either .
Who

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Joel Golby in The Guardian
on Brits’ need for reassurance
Coronavirus has left Britons scared to go outside. And can you blame us?
“Basically: I don’t trust big-brained business types who seem to conflate ‘open up the economy’ with ‘let more low-paid workers take bigger risks so bosses can make money again’... Nor do I really trust the government which got it wrong on locking down to get it right on opening up. And I don’t trust the 5G protesters, either. Who do I trust? I’m staring at Raab in the storm gutter again, still unblinking. It’s not him either. Nor is it Johnson with the single balloon. Perhaps this is how the fear will manifest itself over the coming weeks and months, as a new social movement defined by mistrust: paranoid stay-indoorsers, waiting for a triple-lock all-clear from the World Health Organization before they venture onto a bus again. It could be months after the economy opens up before people dare to go properly outside again. I’m not sure, after all this, government messaging alone is going to convince them.”
2. Rachel Sylvester in The Times
on Labour’s new voter demographic
Labour needs to woo the new working class
“Class war is in fact alive and well at Westminster. During the 2008 Crewe & Nantwich by-election, Labour activists dressed in top hats and tails to ridicule the Tory candidate. Gordon Brown claimed that the Conservatives’ inheritance tax policy had been ‘dreamt up on the playing fields of Eton’ while last year the Labour conference voted to abolish private schools... This is the territory on which the next election will be fought, particularly once the full economic impact of Covid-19 works its way through society, deepening the divides. Sir Keir Starmer knows that his party will never get back into power if it remains a liberal metropolitan clique, popular in Hampstead but out of touch with Hull. Last week he began a virtual tour of the many constitutencies that the party needs to regain, holding Zoom meetings in Bury and the Tees Valley. The departure of Jennie Formby as general secretary shows he is determined to have a clean break with the past. ‘His priority is to restore people’s trust in Labour as a party that will listen,’ says an aide.”
3. Rowan Pelling in The Daily Telegraph
on the post-coronavirus world
Will post-lockdown existence really be a life worth living?
“I’m beginning to object to the current usage of the world ‘relaxed’. All around you hear people discussing the fact lockdown restrictions will be relaxed, which conjures up pictures of people chilling on a picnic rug or flopping on a sofa with their besties. In actual fact there’s nothing the least bit relaxing about the next stage of human interaction. As far as I can gather it still involves masks and a stringent attempt to keep yourself metres away from anyone who’s not close family. There’s talk of restaurants having tables floating like estranged lifeboats, yards apart, in case the iceberg of Covid-19 sinks the outing. You’ll have to queue to get into all shops, so goodbye aimless browsing, as the gimlet eye of those who wait will be trained upon dawdlers. No cricket or rounders in the park, no group trips to the cinema, no crowds at sporting events and no throngs on our beaches.”
4. Tom Peck in The Independent
on what the pandemic tells us about China
Coronavirus proves it – the failing, flailing west is incapable of thinking about the China question
“How we respond to China is knotty. The question as to whether coronavirus came from a lab is unlikely to ever be known, in the sense that it is highly unlikely that it did, but that conclusion will never be universally accepted. That it suppressed information and was wilfully misleading about human-to-human transmission, is almost certainly true. The consequences of that, for human life, are vast, but there is precious little the wider world can do about it... Ultimately, China’s future can only be decided by its own people, and that is the most nuanced question of all. They have been growing progressively more affluent, after decades of self-inflicted stagnation, which itself fuelled the terrific US economic boom of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Though coronavirus will be quite the setback, the trajectory is nevertheless upward, and, generally speaking, global history doesn’t show that rising affluence suppresses a desire for political and human rights. The opposite tends to be true.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
5. Syon Bhanot, behavioral and public economist at Swarthmore College, in The New York Times
on surviving lockdown
You’re Stronger Than Your Quarantine Fatigue
“Quarantine fatigue - exhaustion and waning discipline surrounding the restrictions to daily life needed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus - is entirely understandable. Staying home is stressful, boring and, for many, financially devastating... A few weeks further in, our resolve has continued to wear. Public spaces like parks and beaches are seeing increased foot traffic. It’s hard to scroll through Instagram without seeing social media posts documenting walks and meetups with friends, unconvincingly tagged as ‘socially distanced.’ The idea of loosening isolation to make room for ‘quarantine buddies’ and ‘expanded social distancing pods’ - in which ‘a couple of families or a group of friends’ agree to socialize together - is taking hold. As understandable as these urges may be, we can’t give in. Those of us who are able must continue to stay home.”