theweekuk--2020-01-20--What is in the Russia report being suppressed by No. 10?

Boris Johnson is under pressure to publish a government investigation into Russian interference in recent UK elections .
According to The Guardian , the Scottish National Party ’ s Commons leader Ian Blackford has written to the prime minister urging him to “ begin appointing members of Parliament ’ s Intelligence and Security Committee ” ( ISC ) – a move necessary to allow the controversial document to be released .
But what exactly is in the Russia report and why is it so controversial ?
The review was initially written by the ISC , and was then sent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October , according to the cross-party group ’ s chair at the time , the then Conservative MP Dominic Grieve .
It is based on analysis from Britain ’ s intelligence agencies and third-party experts including former MI6 officer Christopher Steele .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 does it say ?
The ISC was examining allegations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including during the 2016 referendum on EU membership , when Johnson was a leading campaigner for Leave .
Moscow has denied such claims .
Reuters says the report “ concluded Russian interference may have had an impact on the Brexit referendum ” but that the effect was “ unquantifiable ” .
According to The Sunday Times , the report names nine Russian oligarchs and business people who have donated money to the Conservative Party , including Alexander Temerko , who formerly worked for the Kremlin ’ s Defence Ministry .
Temerko reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has described Johnson as a “ friend ” .
Major Tory donor Lubov Chernukhin , wife of former Putin ally Vladimir Chernukhin , is also said to be mentioned in the report .
“ She paid £160,000 in return for a tennis match with Johnson and has donated more than £450,000 in the last year alone , ” The Sunday Times reported last November .
Why hasn ’ t it been published yet ?
Opponents of the Government have accused Downing Street of sitting on the report “ because it might contain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party , says Reuters .
PoliticsHome adds that Britain ’ s intelligence agencies are reportedly “ furious ” at the delay .
Even former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has described the UK government ’ s handling of the matter as “ shameful ” and “ inexplicable ” , claiming the public “ deserve to know what is in that report ” .
Downing Street has denied suppressing the report , and said it was checking for any classified information it might contain when the election was called last year .
No .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is delaying its release until the new ISC has been appointed , “ a task that falls to Johnson after consulting with other parties ” , says the Guardian .
In his letter to the PM , the SNP ’ s Blackford says : “ It is unacceptable that your government has repeatedly and intentionally failed to take steps to establish the committee and has sought to escape scrutiny on vital issues .
The public interest and the imperative is and has always been clear : lift your sanction on publishing this report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so that it can be immediately published .
”

Boris Johnson is under pressure to publish a government investigation into Russian interference in recent UK elections.
According to The Guardian, the Scottish National Party’s Commons leader Ian Blackford has written to the prime minister urging him to “begin appointing members of Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee” (ISC) – a move necessary to allow the controversial document to be released.
But what exactly is in the Russia report and why is it so controversial?
Who wrote the report?
The review was initially written by the ISC, and was then sent to the prime minister for approval on 17 October, according to the cross-party group’s chair at the time, the then Conservative MP Dominic Grieve. It is based on analysis from Britain’s intelligence agencies and third-party experts including former MI6 officer Christopher Steele.
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What does it say?
The ISC was examining allegations of Russian activity aimed at the UK, including during the 2016 referendum on EU membership, when Johnson was a leading campaigner for Leave. Moscow has denied such claims.
Reuters says the report “concluded Russian interference may have had an impact on the Brexit referendum” but that the effect was “unquantifiable”.
According to The Sunday Times, the report names nine Russian oligarchs and business people who have donated money to the Conservative Party, including Alexander Temerko, who formerly worked for the Kremlin’s Defence Ministry. Temerko reportedly gifted more than £1.2m to the party and has described Johnson as a “friend”.
Major Tory donor Lubov Chernukhin, wife of former Putin ally Vladimir Chernukhin, is also said to be mentioned in the report.
“She paid £160,000 in return for a tennis match with Johnson and has donated more than £450,000 in the last year alone,” The Sunday Times reported last November.
Why hasn’t it been published yet?
Opponents of the Government have accused Downing Street of sitting on the report “because it might contain embarrassing revelations” about Johnson and his party, says Reuters.
PoliticsHome adds that Britain’s intelligence agencies are reportedly “furious” at the delay. Even former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has described the UK government’s handling of the matter as “shameful” and “inexplicable”, claiming the public “deserve to know what is in that report”.
Downing Street has denied suppressing the report, and said it was checking for any classified information it might contain when the election was called last year. No. 10 has since cleared the report but is delaying its release until the new ISC has been appointed, “a task that falls to Johnson after consulting with other parties”, says the Guardian.
In his letter to the PM, the SNP’s Blackford says: “It is unacceptable that your government has repeatedly and intentionally failed to take steps to establish the committee and has sought to escape scrutiny on vital issues. The public interest and the imperative is and has always been clear: lift your sanction on publishing this report and re-establish the Intelligence and Security Committee so that it can be immediately published.”


theweekuk--2020-01-20--What does the future hold for Archie Mountbatten-Windsor?

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to begin a new life in North America along with their son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor .
And that means the eight-month-old is likely to have a very different upbringing to those of his cousins , Prince George , Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis .
So how might such a childhood look ?
As The Telegraph notes , Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made it clear from the off that they wanted to bring up their son as a “ private citizen ” .
As such , he is simply “ Master ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Majesty magazine ’ s managing editor Joe Little believes this was an early indication that the couple might step back from their roles as senior royals .
“ The fact Archie isn ’ t Earl of Dumbarton or styled HRH makes me wonder whether this wasn ’ t already part of a wider masterplan , ” Little says .
If the untitled young royal is to be educated in Canada , “ it would break a long tradition of British Royals at British schools ” , says The Telegraph , which notes that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the family who attended Eton .
The newspaper suggests that instead , Archie might find himself “ rubbing shoulders with well-heeled expats at international school ” .
According to the Daily Mail , Canada offers 91 independent schools , including Lakefield College School “ which bills itself as ‘ the best day and boarding ’ establishment in the country , and is steeped in royal history ” .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Although the Sussexes plan to divide their time between Canada and the UK , education consultant Edward Williams thinks Archie will only be enrolled at school in one of the two countries .
“ Students of any age crave consistency , structure and discipline , ” Williams told the Mail .
“ It ’ s necessary not just for their academic growth but their social and emotional health.
” And if his parents decide that school should be in Canada , the seventh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to speak differently to the members of his wider family , says University of British Columbia sociolinguist Stefan Dollinger .
“ He ’ s going to talk to other Canadian kids , so he ’ s most likely to acquire a standard Canadian accent , ” Dollinger told CBC Radio .
In the meantime , the couple will probably continue to shield their baby from the public spotlight , predicts royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams .
“ They will undoubtedly regulate all Archie ’ s appearances as they see fit , ” he told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports that a “ source who knows the Queen ” says the monarch will be “ very sad to have barely seen Archie , and that he will miss out on growing up with his cousins and wider family ” .
But at least there is one aspect of living in Canada that Archie is already enjoying , according to The Sun .
Prince Harry revealed this week that his son , who has been in North America since before Christmas , “ saw snow for the first time the other day and @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to begin a new life in North America along with their son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
And that means the eight-month-old is likely to have a very different upbringing to those of his cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. So how might such a childhood look?
As The Telegraph notes, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made it clear from the off that they wanted to bring up their son as a “private citizen”. As such, he is simply “Master” Archie, rather than a prince.
Majesty magazine’s managing editor Joe Little believes this was an early indication that the couple might step back from their roles as senior royals. “The fact Archie isn’t Earl of Dumbarton or styled HRH makes me wonder whether this wasn’t already part of a wider masterplan,” Little says.
If the untitled young royal is to be educated in Canada, “it would break a long tradition of British Royals at British schools”, says The Telegraph, which notes that Prince Harry is among the many members of the family who attended Eton.
The newspaper suggests that instead, Archie might find himself “rubbing shoulders with well-heeled expats at international school”.
According to the Daily Mail, Canada offers 91 independent schools, including Lakefield College School “which bills itself as ‘the best day and boarding’ establishment in the country, and is steeped in royal history”.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Although the Sussexes plan to divide their time between Canada and the UK, education consultant Edward Williams thinks Archie will only be enrolled at school in one of the two countries.
“Students of any age crave consistency, structure and discipline,” Williams told the Mail. “It’s necessary not just for their academic growth but their social and emotional health.”
And if his parents decide that school should be in Canada, the seventh in line for the throne is likely to speak differently to the members of his wider family, says University of British Columbia sociolinguist Stefan Dollinger.
“He’s going to talk to other Canadian kids, so he’s most likely to acquire a standard Canadian accent,” Dollinger told CBC Radio.
In the meantime, the couple will probably continue to shield their baby from the public spotlight, predicts royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams. “They will undoubtedly regulate all Archie’s appearances as they see fit,” he told the Daily Express.
The Sunday Times reports that a “source who knows the Queen” says the monarch will be “very sad to have barely seen Archie, and that he will miss out on growing up with his cousins and wider family”.
But at least there is one aspect of living in Canada that Archie is already enjoying, according to The Sun. Prince Harry revealed this week that his son, who has been in North America since before Christmas, “saw snow for the first time the other day and thought it was bloody brilliant”.


theweekuk--2020-01-20--Rotherham abuse: outcry over anonymity for police officer

The MP for Rotherham says she finds it “ difficult to believe ” that anonymity has been granted to a police officer mentioned in a report on failings in the treatment of sex abuse victims in the town .
Sarah Champion also called on South Yorkshire Police to make “ dramatic changes ” following the release of the report by the Independent Office for Police Conduct ( IOPC ) .
The watchdog looked at several complaints made by a Rotherham woman who was abused as a child for several years .
Investigators found that a senior officer - who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victim ’ s father that “ racial tensions ” meant nothing could be done to address the abuse allegations , according to the BBC .
The unnamed officer allegedly said that the sexual abuse of girls by Pakistani grooming gangs had been “ going on ” for 30 years , but that “ with it being Asians , we can ’ t afford for this to be coming out ” .
The IOPC report , leaked to The Times , upheld the woman ’ s complaints , saying that “ police took insufficient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ police failed to adequately deal with offenders ” .
South Yorkshire Police said on Saturday that it accepted the findings .
The force “ could not be contacted for comment ” about Champion ’ s remarks , says the BBC .
The Labour MP says the inquiry is the latest in a series of investigations that showed “ victims ” and survivors were let down by paid professionals ” .
A 2014 report by Professor Alexis Jay found that at least 1,400 children were subjected to sexual abuse in Rotherham between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which included rapes of girls as young as 11 , beatings , and children being threatened with guns , were carried out by large groups of men , most of whom were reportedly of Pakistani heritage .
Commenting on the IOPC ’ s review , Champion said : “ Apparently now South Yorkshire Police don ’ t actually know who the officers were that repeatedly let down this survivor , which I find incredibly difficult to believe .
“ I think what we as a town need to see , and definitely for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to see cases of misconduct .
They need to see people held to account.
” That view was echoed by Sammy Woodhouse , who was abused as a teenager .
She said : “ How we were viewed , how we were treated , failed , ignored , blamed ... unfortunately that ’ s not a thing of the past , it ’ s still happening today .
“ We ’ ve started to now see perpetrators that have committed the rapes and the abuse being held to the account , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I feel that we constantly hit a brick wall and I don ’ t think anybody will be ever held to account .
”

The MP for Rotherham says she finds it “difficult to believe” that anonymity has been granted to a police officer mentioned in a report on failings in the treatment of sex abuse victims in the town.
Sarah Champion also called on South Yorkshire Police to make “dramatic changes” following the release of the report by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
The watchdog looked at several complaints made by a Rotherham woman who was abused as a child for several years. Investigators found that a senior officer - who has not been identified - had told the victim’s father that “racial tensions” meant nothing could be done to address the abuse allegations, according to the BBC.
The unnamed officer allegedly said that the sexual abuse of girls by Pakistani grooming gangs had been “going on” for 30 years, but that “with it being Asians, we can’t afford for this to be coming out”.
The IOPC report, leaked to The Times, upheld the woman’s complaints, saying that “police took insufficient action to protect you from harm” and “police failed to adequately deal with offenders”.
South Yorkshire Police said on Saturday that it accepted the findings. The force “could not be contacted for comment” about Champion’s remarks, says the BBC.
The Labour MP says the inquiry is the latest in a series of investigations that showed “victims” and survivors were let down by paid professionals”.
A 2014 report by Professor Alexis Jay found that at least 1,400 children were subjected to sexual abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013. The attacks, which included rapes of girls as young as 11, beatings, and children being threatened with guns, were carried out by large groups of men, most of whom were reportedly of Pakistani heritage.
Commenting on the IOPC’s review, Champion said: “Apparently now South Yorkshire Police don’t actually know who the officers were that repeatedly let down this survivor, which I find incredibly difficult to believe.
“I think what we as a town need to see, and definitely for the survivors to get closure, they need to see cases of misconduct. They need to see people held to account.”
That view was echoed by Sammy Woodhouse, who was abused as a teenager. She said: “How we were viewed, how we were treated, failed, ignored, blamed... unfortunately that’s not a thing of the past, it’s still happening today.
“We’ve started to now see perpetrators that have committed the rapes and the abuse being held to the account, but yet whenever when it comes to professionals I feel that we constantly hit a brick wall and I don’t think anybody will be ever held to account.”


theweekuk--2020-01-20--Instant Opinion: ‘The Queen was right to put the Firm first’

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
The Queen was right to put the Firm first “ Every tribe needs rituals and celebrations to punctuate life , make us grateful for what we have , bring jollity , levity and togetherness .
In families we have birthdays , weddings , parties .
In communities we have street events , festivals .
For a nation to feel like a coherent entity it needs its communal events too .
Outside major sporting events like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the central medium through which this is achieved .
The cast of characters don ’ t matter too much .
What matters is that there is a living reason for the castles and carriage rides , the pageantry and trumpetry , the black stallions and billowing Union Jacks , the Red Arrows flypasts and roaring Spitfires , the sights and evocative sounds that periodically lend this country a certain magic .
You may have heard the expression “ room meat ” , ( people invited to parties just to fill the room ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ tradition meat ’ .
We need human centrepieces to give us a reason for all the pomp and ceremony.
” Harry and Meghan will now have to compete for airtime with other A-listers , and they may struggle “ The couple will need to craft an interesting , ongoing life away from their Royal duties and the extraordinary access that affords them , to keep them visible , relevant - and worth interviewing .
Being famous for being famous has a short shelf-life.
” If we want to keep Scotland in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fight for it “ The problem with refusing to allow the SNP to hold another referendum is that it allows Sturgeon the easy argument of process – ‘ arrogant Westminster denies Scottish people a voice ’ – instead of the hard argument for independence .
I fear that the longer this goes on , the more support for independence will grow .
Which is unfortunate , because the case for independence is weaker than ever .
It can not now be denied that the immediate effect of breaking away will be to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public spending and taxes raised in Scotland is bigger than in the rest of the UK , and the difference is covered because our national taxes are shared on the socialist principle of need .
“ The traditional media might still understand elections in terms of speeches , campaign launches and set-piece interviews .
But as evidenced by Boris Johnson ’ s victory after weeks of eluding any meaningful scrutiny , this is not where politics really happens any more .
Facebook offers a dual enticement to campaigns and candidates : you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and also be assured that you are using the most effective means of political communication anyone has ever invented.
” 5 .
Jeremy Cliffe in the New Statesman on America ’ s place in the world The US ’ s problem is that it is too big to be constrained by the world but now too small to dominate it “ Much of what is classed as Trumpism is something broader : the birth pangs of a new form of American power that is not down or out but contested and unsure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hegemonic power and squandered it by hubristically trying to reshape the Middle East rather than preparing for a rising China .
It will be in a semi-hegemonic position for the rest of the century .
China will overtake the US economy soon but will lag behind American military spending for a long time .
We may even be closer , in years , to India overtaking the US economy than to the fall of the Berlin Wall .
In other words , the world system will be unstable for the entire 21st century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for is that democratic international institutions – the only long-term solution to geopolitical rivalries – gain power and influence over the course of the century .
Therein lies humanity ’ s best hope.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a weekly round-up of the best articles and columns from the UK and abroad , try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Clare Foges in The Times
on Megxit
The Queen was right to put the Firm first
“Every tribe needs rituals and celebrations to punctuate life, make us grateful for what we have, bring jollity, levity and togetherness. In families we have birthdays, weddings, parties. In communities we have street events, festivals. For a nation to feel like a coherent entity it needs its communal events too. Outside major sporting events like the Olympics, the royal family is the central medium through which this is achieved. The cast of characters don’t matter too much. What matters is that there is a living reason for the castles and carriage rides, the pageantry and trumpetry, the black stallions and billowing Union Jacks, the Red Arrows flypasts and roaring Spitfires, the sights and evocative sounds that periodically lend this country a certain magic. You may have heard the expression “room meat”, (people invited to parties just to fill the room); the royal family are really just ‘tradition meat’. We need human centrepieces to give us a reason for all the pomp and ceremony.”
2. Martin Townsend in The Daily Telegraph
on celebrity
Harry and Meghan will now have to compete for airtime with other A-listers, and they may struggle
“The couple will need to craft an interesting, ongoing life away from their Royal duties and the extraordinary access that affords them, to keep them visible, relevant - and worth interviewing. Being famous for being famous has a short shelf-life.”
3. John Rentoul in The Independent
on Scottish independence
If we want to keep Scotland in the UK, we are going to have to fight for it
“The problem with refusing to allow the SNP to hold another referendum is that it allows Sturgeon the easy argument of process – ‘arrogant Westminster denies Scottish people a voice’ – instead of the hard argument for independence. I fear that the longer this goes on, the more support for independence will grow. Which is unfortunate, because the case for independence is weaker than ever. It cannot now be denied that the immediate effect of breaking away will be to make Scotland poorer. The gap between public spending and taxes raised in Scotland is bigger than in the rest of the UK, and the difference is covered because our national taxes are shared on the socialist principle of need.
4. John Harris in The Guardian
on political advertising
Trump’s greatest ally in the coming election? Facebook
“The traditional media might still understand elections in terms of speeches, campaign launches and set-piece interviews. But as evidenced by Boris Johnson’s victory after weeks of eluding any meaningful scrutiny, this is not where politics really happens any more. Facebook offers a dual enticement to campaigns and candidates: you can spend no end of money spreading falsehoods, and also be assured that you are using the most effective means of political communication anyone has ever invented.”
5. Jeremy Cliffe in the New Statesman
on America’s place in the world
The US’s problem is that it is too big to be constrained by the world but now too small to dominate it
“Much of what is classed as Trumpism is something broader: the birth pangs of a new form of American power that is not down or out but contested and unsure. Washington had a limited period of hegemonic power and squandered it by hubristically trying to reshape the Middle East rather than preparing for a rising China. It will be in a semi-hegemonic position for the rest of the century. China will overtake the US economy soon but will lag behind American military spending for a long time. We may even be closer, in years, to India overtaking the US economy than to the fall of the Berlin Wall. In other words, the world system will be unstable for the entire 21st century. The best that progressives can wish for is that democratic international institutions – the only long-term solution to geopolitical rivalries – gain power and influence over the course of the century. Therein lies humanity’s best hope.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a weekly round-up of the best articles and columns from the UK and abroad, try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-01-20--F1: is Lewis Hamilton set to sign a new contract with Mercedes?

After months of speculation linking him with a move to Ferrari in 2021 , reports in Italy claim that Lewis Hamilton is set to stay with Mercedes and sign a new two-year deal .
British driver Hamilton is out of contract at the end of 2020 and it was revealed last month that he had held informal talks with Mercedes ’ s main rivals .
However , Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the 35-year-old is on the verge of extending his contract with Mercedes and will continue to drive for the champions in 2021 and 2022 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s annual salary will remain at about €45m ( £38.4m ) .
Ferrari have recently signed Charles Leclerc to a new five-year contract until 2024 and GrandPrix247.com reports that Hamilton ’ s options for 2021 and beyond have “ become limited ” .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Six-time world champion Hamilton has sent a warning to his rivals ahead of the new season .
Going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Schumacher ’ s record of seven world titles , Hamilton says he will be a “ machine ” and on “ another level ” , Sky Sports reports .
Posting a picture at his home , Hamilton said on Instagram : “ I am at peace when I ’ m here , can focus and build my mind and body so that I can come back year on year .
I ’ m going to be a machine this year , on another level than ever before.
” Mercedes have announced that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a shakedown at Silverstone on 14 February .
In a news release the Silver Arrows said : “ We are delighted to announce that our 2020 Formula One car will run for the very first time on Friday 14 February for its initial shakedown run at the Silverstone International Circuit - 75 days after the last Grand Prix of 2019 in Abu Dhabi and 30 days before the new season kicks off in Australia.
” Mercedes follow Ferrari , Renault , McLaren and Alpha Tauri in confirming the launch date of their 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Barcelona from 19-21 February and 26-28 February .
The first grand prix of 2020 will be held in Melbourne , Australia , on Sunday 15 March .
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Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Hamilton to stay at Mercedes?
After months of speculation linking him with a move to Ferrari in 2021, reports in Italy claim that Lewis Hamilton is set to stay with Mercedes and sign a new two-year deal.
British driver Hamilton is out of contract at the end of 2020 and it was revealed last month that he had held informal talks with Mercedes’s main rivals.
However, Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the 35-year-old is on the verge of extending his contract with Mercedes and will continue to drive for the champions in 2021 and 2022.
Journalist Luigi Perna says that Hamilton’s annual salary will remain at about €45m (£38.4m).
Ferrari have recently signed Charles Leclerc to a new five-year contract until 2024 and GrandPrix247.com reports that Hamilton’s options for 2021 and beyond have “become limited”.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Lewis: I will be a machine
Six-time world champion Hamilton has sent a warning to his rivals ahead of the new season.
Going into the 2020 campaign aiming to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world titles, Hamilton says he will be a “machine” and on “another level”, Sky Sports reports.
Posting a picture at his home, Hamilton said on Instagram: “I am at peace when I’m here, can focus and build my mind and body so that I can come back year on year. I’m going to be a machine this year, on another level than ever before.”
Valentine’s Day shakedown
Mercedes have announced that they will reveal their 2020 car with a shakedown at Silverstone on 14 February.
In a news release the Silver Arrows said: “We are delighted to announce that our 2020 Formula One car will run for the very first time on Friday 14 February for its initial shakedown run at the Silverstone International Circuit - 75 days after the last Grand Prix of 2019 in Abu Dhabi and 30 days before the new season kicks off in Australia.”
2020 car launch dates
Mercedes follow Ferrari, Renault, McLaren and Alpha Tauri in confirming the launch date of their 2020 F1 car.
Pre-season testing takes place in Barcelona from 19-21 February and 26-28 February. The first grand prix of 2020 will be held in Melbourne, Australia, on Sunday 15 March.
Confirmed car launch dates
Ferrari: 11 February
Renault: 12 February
McLaren: 13 February
Mercedes: 14 February
Alpha Tauri: 14 February
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theweekuk--2020-01-20--Why everyone’s talking about Isabel dos Santos

Africa ’ s richest woman amassed a $ 2.2bn ( £1.7bn ) fortune through corruption and exploitation of her home country of Angola , newly leaked documents suggest .
More than 700,000 files from the business empire of Isabel dos Santos have been obtained by the Platform to Protect Whistle-blowers in Africa ( PPLAAF ) anti-corruption charity and shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists ( ICIJ ) .
The so-called “ Luanda Leaks ” reportedly show how decades of improper deals made dos Santos rich - and left the Southern African nation poor .
Known as “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the businesswoman is the eldest child of Angola ’ s former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos , who ruled the country from 1979 to 2017 .
Africa ’ s first female billionaire , dos Santos now spends much of her time in London , from where she controls a portfolio of interests across Africa and Europe that include banking , telecoms , TV , cement , diamonds , alcohol , supermarkets and real estate , reports The Guardian - one of 37 media organisations that have analysed the leaked documents .
It has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Santos visited Angola , where she was already under investigation by the government for alleged corruption before the files were published .
At the beginning of January , Angola ’ s attorney general announced a freeze on the assets of dos Santos , her husband Sindika Dokolo , and their chief adviser , as Bloomberg reported at the time .
The authorities claimed that the couple ’ s dealings had “ harmed ” and cost the state more than $ 1bn ( £770m ) in losses .
What are the latest allegations ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 715,000 emails , charts , contracts , audits and accounts - contains evidence that suggests Dos Santos and husband Dokolo , a businessman and art collector , benefitted from preferential deals and lucrative transactions with the Angolan state that were worth hundreds of millions of dollars .
Among the allegations are that state oil company Sonangol sold the couple a stake in Portuguese oil corporation Galp that is now worth €750m ( £640m ) , but that their company “ only had to pay 15 % of the price upfront ” , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned into a low-interest loan from Sonangol ” , the BBC reports .
Dos Santos also served as chair of Sonangol , during which time $ 115m ( £89m ) of payments to consultancy firms appeared to have been “ routed through a Dubai company controlled by her associates ” , says The Guardian .
Angolan prosecutors launched a criminal investigation in September into her actions while helming the oil firm .
The leaked documents also suggest that a “ business venture with the state diamond company allegedly resulted in $ 200m ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an ailing Swiss jewellery brand partly owned by Dokolo ” , the newspaper reports .
In addition , President dos Santos is said to have given Dokolo the right to buy some of Angola ’ s raw diamonds at a drastically reduced price .
Sources told BBC Panorama that the state may have suffered losses of almost $ 1bn as a result of the deals .
Another claim resulting from the leak is that two dos Santos companies and their subcontractors were planning to collect up to $ 500m ( £385m ) in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Angolan capital , Luanda .
However , the payment was later cancelled by the new president , because of “ over-invoicing ” and “ disproportionate compensation ” .
In total , the leaks have highlighted about 400 companies , many offshore , that appear to be connected to dos Santos and Dokolo .
Dos Santos and her husband have denied the allegations against them and claim the leaks are tied to a politically motivated witch-hunt by the Angolan authorities .
The businesswoman told the BBC that computers belonging to her employees and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ There is an orchestrated attack by the current government that is completely politically motivated , it ’ s completely unfounded .
“ I can say my holdings are commercial , there are no proceeds from contracts or public contracts or money that has been deviated from other funds.
” Dokolo said that the government ’ s claims amounted to “ armageddon ” and risked damaging the Angolan economy , which he claimed had benefitted from the business deals of him and his wife .
“ We have worked and invested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
Former president dos Santos has also denied allegations of wrongdoing .
In an open letter , the ex-leader said he had “ not transferred to himself , or to any other entity , money from the state ” .
But not everyone is convinced .
“ These are the classic symptoms of a captured state , ” said Steve Goodrich , a senior research manager at charity Transparency International UK .
“ Here we have industry and politics all in one family , with no apparent separation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which handled auditing and accounts for Dokolo companies in Malta , Switzerland and the Netherlands , has said that it is conducting an internal investigation “ in response to the very serious and concerning allegations ” and had “ taken action to terminate any ongoing work for entities controlled by members of the dos Santos family ” , The Guardian reports .
Meanwhile , dos Santos ’ s name has been removed from a list of participants due to meet in the Swiss resort of Davos this week for the World Economic Forum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political leaders .
The organisers said they were “ re-evaluating ” her sponsorship of the event through her company Unitel , the biggest mobile phone provider in Angola .

Africa’s richest woman amassed a $2.2bn (£1.7bn) fortune through corruption and exploitation of her home country of Angola, newly leaked documents suggest.
More than 700,000 files from the business empire of Isabel dos Santos have been obtained by the Platform to Protect Whistle-blowers in Africa (PPLAAF) anti-corruption charity and shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
The so-called “Luanda Leaks” reportedly show how decades of improper deals made dos Santos rich - and left the Southern African nation poor.
Who is Isabel dos Santos?
Known as “the princess” in her home country, the businesswoman is the eldest child of Angola’s former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled the country from 1979 to 2017.
Africa’s first female billionaire, dos Santos now spends much of her time in London, from where she controls a portfolio of interests across Africa and Europe that include banking, telecoms, TV, cement, diamonds, alcohol, supermarkets and real estate, reports The Guardian - one of 37 media organisations that have analysed the leaked documents.
It has been more than a year since dos Santos visited Angola, where she was already under investigation by the government for alleged corruption before the files were published.
At the beginning of January, Angola’s attorney general announced a freeze on the assets of dos Santos, her husband Sindika Dokolo, and their chief adviser, as Bloomberg reported at the time. The authorities claimed that the couple’s dealings had “harmed” and cost the state more than $1bn (£770m) in losses.
What are the latest allegations?
The Luanda Leaks - a cache of 715,000 emails, charts, contracts, audits and accounts - contains evidence that suggests Dos Santos and husband Dokolo, a businessman and art collector, benefitted from preferential deals and lucrative transactions with the Angolan state that were worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Among the allegations are that state oil company Sonangol sold the couple a stake in Portuguese oil corporation Galp that is now worth €750m (£640m), but that their company “only had to pay 15% of the price upfront”, with the remaining €63m (£54m) “turned into a low-interest loan from Sonangol”, the BBC reports.
Dos Santos also served as chair of Sonangol, during which time $115m (£89m) of payments to consultancy firms appeared to have been “routed through a Dubai company controlled by her associates”, says The Guardian.


theweekuk--2020-02-17--Sport shorts: Man Utd mourn Munich hero Harry Gregg and F1 Drive to Survive season two trailer is re

Sport shorts: Man Utd mourn Munich hero Harry Gregg and F1 Drive to Survive season two trailer is released

Manchester United have paid tribute to former goalkeeper Harry Gregg who has died at the age of 87 .
Hailed as a hero of the 1958 Munich air disaster , Gregg rushed to the aid of his team-mates and fellow passengers following the plane crash in which 23 people were killed .
In their obituary , United said of the Northern Irishman : “ Harry was one of the greatest goalkeepers to have played for Manchester United and also one of the greatest men .
“ A survivor of the Munich Air Disaster in February 1958 , Gregg ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the man ’ s heroic bravery and spirit .
“ Having escaped the crash with just a bloodied nose , he went back into the wreckage to pull out those who were trapped .
He rescued a 20-month-old child , a pregnant woman and attempted to revive Matt Busby .
“ Harry ’ s achievements and actions mean he will never be forgotten at Old Trafford.
” Pep Guardiola has pledged his loyalty to Manchester City in the wake of the club ’ s two-season ban from the Uefa Champions League .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Juventus , the Spaniard will not invoke the break clause he has in his contract and will honour the final year of a deal that expires at the end of next season .
Tottenham are up to fifth in the Premier League table after a 3-2 win at Aston Villa yesterday .
Son Heung-min scored twice at Villa Park - his second coming in the fourth-minute of stoppage time .
Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld made up for his ninth-minute own goal by equalising on 27 minutes .
Tottenham ’ s north London rivals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gunners beat Newcastle 4-0 with goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang , Nicolas Pepe , Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette at the Emirates Stadium .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 4 .
Blues vs. Reds at the Bridge In tonight ’ s Premier League fixture Chelsea host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge ( 8pm , live on Sky Sports ) .
Chelsea will give a late fitness test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s new signing Odion Ighalo is in the squad and could make his debut for the Red Devils .
After a disastrous campaign in 2019 ROKiT Williams Racing are hoping to make a fresh start this year with the launch of their new car , the FW43 .
Deputy team principal Claire Williams said : “ We are all committed to re-building Williams and returning the team to competitiveness .
As such , our 2020 campaign is about making progress .
The fighting spirit is still very much alive , and this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we get back to where we want to be.
” F1 : Williams are ready to fight in the new FW43 - pictures , video and reactions Video of Formula 1 : Drive To Survive Season 2 | Official Trailer | Netflix The popular Formula 1 : Drive to Survive documentary series will return to Netflix on 28 February .
The ten-part second season looks back at the 2019 F1 campaign and sees Mercedes and Ferrari join the line-up for the first time .
Last night ’ s NBA All-Star game featured an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Los Angeles Lakers icon Bryant , his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed last month in a helicopter crash in California .
LeBron James ’ s team beat Giannis Antetokounmpo ’ s team 157-155 in Chicago .
In the match Team Giannis wore Bryant ’ s No.24 while Team LeBron wore Gianna ’ s No.2 .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Australian golfer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two shots yesterday to seal his first PGA Tour victory since 2016 .
The 39-year-old finished on 11-under-par while world No.1 Rory McIlroy was three shots back .
Scott said : “ It ’ s a very special win this week .
They ’ re not coming easy for me these days so I ’ m going to savour this one .
It ’ s a great way to start [ 2020 ] .
This has to be my year .
I can ’ t afford to let the next 10 years slip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen now.
” Faf du Plessis is no longer captain of South Africa ’ s Test and T20 teams .
The 35-year-old has stood down with immediate effect and is replaced by Quinton de Kock , the Proteas ’ s one-day skipper .
Du Plessis said : “ As the team heads into a new direction with new leaders and a young crop of players , I feel it will be in the best interests of South African cricket to relinquish the captaincy in all formats .
“ This was one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain fully committed to supporting Quinton , Mark [ Boucher , head coach ] and my team-mates as we continue to rebuild and re-align as a group.
” “ Magnificent Morgan ” is the headline in The Guardian as the paper lauds the heroics of England ’ s captain in blasting his side to victory in a thrilling Twenty20 encounter with South Africa at the Wanderers .
Skipper Eoin Morgan smashed an astonishing ( and unbeaten ) 57 runs from just 22 balls as he chased down South Africa ’ s daunting total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ describes as a “ stunning victory ” .
Morgan stars as England win T20 series and Guardiola is ‘ destined ’ for Juventus ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

1. Harry Gregg: one of United’s ‘greatest men’
Manchester United have paid tribute to former goalkeeper Harry Gregg who has died at the age of 87.
Hailed as a hero of the 1958 Munich air disaster, Gregg rushed to the aid of his team-mates and fellow passengers following the plane crash in which 23 people were killed.
In their obituary, United said of the Northern Irishman: “Harry was one of the greatest goalkeepers to have played for Manchester United and also one of the greatest men.
“A survivor of the Munich Air Disaster in February 1958, Gregg’s actions on that terrible day are testament to the man’s heroic bravery and spirit.
“Having escaped the crash with just a bloodied nose, he went back into the wreckage to pull out those who were trapped. He rescued a 20-month-old child, a pregnant woman and attempted to revive Matt Busby.
“Harry’s achievements and actions mean he will never be forgotten at Old Trafford.”
2. Pep will stay loyal to City
Pep Guardiola has pledged his loyalty to Manchester City in the wake of the club’s two-season ban from the Uefa Champions League.
Despite rumours linking Guardiola to Italian giants Juventus, the Spaniard will not invoke the break clause he has in his contract and will honour the final year of a deal that expires at the end of next season.
Guardiola pledges loyalty despite Champions League ban
3. North London rivals celebrate
Tottenham are up to fifth in the Premier League table after a 3-2 win at Aston Villa yesterday.
Son Heung-min scored twice at Villa Park - his second coming in the fourth-minute of stoppage time. Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld made up for his ninth-minute own goal by equalising on 27 minutes.
Tottenham’s north London rivals Arsenal were also celebrating yesterday. The Gunners beat Newcastle 4-0 with goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nicolas Pepe, Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette at the Emirates Stadium.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
4. Blues vs. Reds at the Bridge
In tonight’s Premier League fixture Chelsea host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge (8pm, live on Sky Sports).
Chelsea will give a late fitness test to striker Tammy Abraham while United’s new signing Odion Ighalo is in the squad and could make his debut for the Red Devils.
5. Williams launch the FW43
After a disastrous campaign in 2019 ROKiT Williams Racing are hoping to make a fresh start this year with the launch of their new car, the FW43.


theweekuk--2020-02-17--Angela Rayner vs. Andrew Marr: what Britain thinks of immigration

The BBC ’ s Andrew Marr yesterday accused Labour deputy leadership candidate Angela Rayner and her party of being “ out of touch ” with their voters when it comes to immigration .
The shadow education secretary and MP for Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester appeared on The Andrew Marr Show calling for a fair and transparent system after Brexit .
Noting that Rayner had lost 5,000 constituency votes in the December election after Labour committed to maintaining and extending freedom of movement in the EU , Marr said : “ It ’ s a painful , hard lesson for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of touch with your own voters when it comes to immigration.
” So is he right ?
A YouGov poll in the lead-up to last year ’ s election found that voters ’ priorities had changed since the previous general election in 2017 .
While Brexit and health were still seen as the two most important issues facing the country , immigration dropped from third place three years ago to sixth place last year .
Among Labour voters , only 7 % said immigration was a top priority in 2019 .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an in-depth “ Diagnosis of Defeat ” for Labour , after polling more than 10,000 people and conducting 18 focus groups in former Labour seats in January .
Of those who voted for Labour in 2017 but did not in 2019 , 53 % said they did not want Jeremy Corbyn to be prime minister .
The second-biggest reason for abandoning Labour , for 40 % , was that voters did not believe the party could deliver on its promises .
Another 37 % said the party “ no longer seems to represent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned away from the party because they “ wanted to get Brexit done ” .
There was some anecdotal evidence to support Marr ’ s claim in the focus-group feedback .
Ashcroft said : “ Though they were not clear on the policy detail , many also felt Labour had an unduly soft approach to immigration.
” Quotes from respondents included “ It ’ s ‘ come in , come in !
’ Too much of an open-door policy ” and “ They seem to want to open the borders for everybody.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Another poll of 1,015 people , carried out by Survation on Brexit Day last month , asked voters what they thought should happen to immigration once the UK leaves the EU .
A decrease in immigration was backed by 50 % of voters , while 38 % said it should stay the same and only 12 % said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insisted the feedback she had heard from her constituents was that “ they didn ’ t think that we had a coherent policy on Brexit ” and “ they wanted a fair system on immigration ” .
She added : “ They didn ’ t say they wanted to end freedom of movement , they said they want a fair system.
” Rayner , who is standing against Rosena Allin-Khan , Richard Burgon , Dawn Butler and Ian Murray in the deputy leadership race , refused to say whether she would fight to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she won .
However , she said : “ I ’ ll be fighting to make sure we have a fair system that ’ s transparent , that recognises that our country has always had immigration and it ’ s always been a positive for this country .
”

The BBC’s Andrew Marr yesterday accused Labour deputy leadership candidate Angela Rayner and her party of being “out of touch” with their voters when it comes to immigration.
The shadow education secretary and MP for Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester appeared on The Andrew Marr Show calling for a fair and transparent system after Brexit.
Noting that Rayner had lost 5,000 constituency votes in the December election after Labour committed to maintaining and extending freedom of movement in the EU, Marr said: “It’s a painful, hard lesson for the Labour Party – but maybe you are out of touch with your own voters when it comes to immigration.”
So is he right?
Pre-election priorities
A YouGov poll in the lead-up to last year’s election found that voters’ priorities had changed since the previous general election in 2017. While Brexit and health were still seen as the two most important issues facing the country, immigration dropped from third place three years ago to sixth place last year. Among Labour voters, only 7% said immigration was a top priority in 2019.
Post-election analysis
Last week, Tory pollster Lord Ashcroft published an in-depth “Diagnosis of Defeat” for Labour, after polling more than 10,000 people and conducting 18 focus groups in former Labour seats in January. Of those who voted for Labour in 2017 but did not in 2019, 53% said they did not want Jeremy Corbyn to be prime minister. The second-biggest reason for abandoning Labour, for 40%, was that voters did not believe the party could deliver on its promises. Another 37% said the party “no longer seems to represent people like me” and 30% turned away from the party because they “wanted to get Brexit done”.
There was some anecdotal evidence to support Marr’s claim in the focus-group feedback. Ashcroft said: “Though they were not clear on the policy detail, many also felt Labour had an unduly soft approach to immigration.”
Quotes from respondents included “It’s ‘come in, come in!’ Too much of an open-door policy” and “They seem to want to open the borders for everybody.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Future of immigration
Another poll of 1,015 people, carried out by Survation on Brexit Day last month, asked voters what they thought should happen to immigration once the UK leaves the EU. A decrease in immigration was backed by 50% of voters, while 38% said it should stay the same and only 12% said it should be increased.
However, Rayner insisted the feedback she had heard from her constituents was that “they didn’t think that we had a coherent policy on Brexit” and “they wanted a fair system on immigration”.
She added: “They didn’t say they wanted to end freedom of movement, they said they want a fair system.”
Rayner, who is standing against Rosena Allin-Khan, Richard Burgon, Dawn Butler and Ian Murray in the deputy leadership race, refused to say whether she would fight to maintain or extend freedom of movement if she won. However, she said: “I’ll be fighting to make sure we have a fair system that’s transparent, that recognises that our country has always had immigration and it’s always been a positive for this country.”


theweekuk--2020-02-17--Elton John: what is walking pneumonia?

Elton John: what is walking pneumonia?

Sir Elton John had to be helped off stage in Auckland last night in tears because he was too ill with “ walking pneumonia ” to carry on performing .
The 72-year-old singer told fans he was “ disappointed , deeply upset and sorry ” .
The audience rose to give him a standing ovation as he left the Mount Smart Stadium stage , says Sky News .
The singer later wrote to fans : “ I want to thank everyone who attended tonight 's gig in Auckland .
“ I was diagnosed with walking pneumonia earlier today , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best show humanly possible .
“ I played and sang my heart out , until my voice could sing no more .
I 'm disappointed , deeply upset and sorry .
I gave it all I had.
” Elton is making a farewell world tour and has another two shows lined up in Auckland this week , which promoters have said will go ahead .
The American Lung Association ( ALA ) calls it a “ non-medical term for a mild case of pneumonia ” .
The symptoms are usually mild enough for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without the need for bed rest or a hospital visit , hence the term “ walking ” .
The term is more common in the US than the UK .
Pneumonia is the swelling of the tissue in one or both lungs and is usually caused by a bacterial infection , says the NHS .
“ At the end of the breathing tubes in your lungs are clusters of tiny air sacs .
If you have pneumonia , these tiny sacs become inflamed and fill up with fluid , ” it explains .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coughing , fever , chest pain , chills and headache , says the ALA .
The NHS adds chest pain , difficulty breathing and a loss of appetite .
Less common symptoms are coughing up blood , joint or muscle pain or feeling disoriented .
The NHS says to visit your doctor “ if you feel unwell and you have typical symptoms of pneumonia ” .
It suggests urgent medical attention for “ rapid breathing , chest pain or confusion ” .
How can you avoid pneumonia ?
Most cases of pneumonia in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easily passed from person to person .
The NHS recommends avoiding smoking or misusing alcohol .
To avoid spreading infection , it recommends covering the mouth and nose when sneezing , throwing away used tissues quickly and washing hands frequently .
Yes – and , on the NHS , it will usually be offered to those in high-risk groups .
As well as smokers , these include babies and very young children , elderly people , people with weakened immune systems and people with cystic fibrosis or other health conditions .

Sir Elton John had to be helped off stage in Auckland last night in tears because he was too ill with “walking pneumonia” to carry on performing.
The 72-year-old singer told fans he was “disappointed, deeply upset and sorry”. The audience rose to give him a standing ovation as he left the Mount Smart Stadium stage, says Sky News. The singer later wrote to fans: “I want to thank everyone who attended tonight's gig in Auckland.
“I was diagnosed with walking pneumonia earlier today, but I was determined to give you the best show humanly possible.
“I played and sang my heart out, until my voice could sing no more. I'm disappointed, deeply upset and sorry. I gave it all I had.”
Elton is making a farewell world tour and has another two shows lined up in Auckland this week, which promoters have said will go ahead.
What is ‘walking pneumonia’?
The American Lung Association (ALA) calls it a “non-medical term for a mild case of pneumonia”. The symptoms are usually mild enough for sufferers to carry on their normal routines without the need for bed rest or a hospital visit, hence the term “walking”. The term is more common in the US than the UK.
Pneumonia is the swelling of the tissue in one or both lungs and is usually caused by a bacterial infection, says the NHS. “At the end of the breathing tubes in your lungs are clusters of tiny air sacs. If you have pneumonia, these tiny sacs become inflamed and fill up with fluid,” it explains.
What are the symptoms?
They include coughing, fever, chest pain, chills and headache, says the ALA. The NHS adds chest pain, difficulty breathing and a loss of appetite. Less common symptoms are coughing up blood, joint or muscle pain or feeling disoriented.
The NHS says to visit your doctor “if you feel unwell and you have typical symptoms of pneumonia”. It suggests urgent medical attention for “rapid breathing, chest pain or confusion”.
How can you avoid pneumonia?
Most cases of pneumonia in the UK are bacterial and are not easily passed from person to person. The NHS recommends avoiding smoking or misusing alcohol. To avoid spreading infection, it recommends covering the mouth and nose when sneezing, throwing away used tissues quickly and washing hands frequently.
Is there a pneumonia vaccine?
Yes – and, on the NHS, it will usually be offered to those in high-risk groups. As well as smokers, these include babies and very young children, elderly people, people with weakened immune systems and people with cystic fibrosis or other health conditions.


theweekuk--2020-02-17--Post-Brexit trade talks: what each side wants

The UK ’ s chief Brexit negotiator will today set out Britain ’ s ambitions for its future trading relationship with the EU .
David Frost will say that the UK must be granted a trade deal on the same terms as the EU has given to Canada , South Korea and Japan .
But the French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has warned the UK the two sides would “ rip each other apart ” to gain advantage in trade negotiations .
What the UK wants The UK government says it wants a trade deal based on “ friendly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Frost ’ s speech in Brussels on Monday , a Downing Street spokesperson said : “ Our approach is clear – we are not asking for anything special , bespoke or unique , but are looking for a deal like those the EU has struck previously with other friendly countries like Canada .
“ We want a relationship based on friendly co-operation between sovereign equals , one centred on free trade and inspired by our shared history and values.
” Boris Johnson has been clear that his preference for the UK ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union is a “ Canada-style ” deal that would eliminate most tariffs between the UK and EU but keep border checks in place .
Like Canada , the UK should be free to strike trade deals with non-EU nations around the world , says Johnson .
However , Canadian financial services do not have full access to the European market .
In 2018 , financial services contributed £132bn to the UK economy – 6.9 % of total economic output .
And analysis by the Treasury estimates that the UK economy would be 4.9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 years than it would be if it had remained in the EU .
Keir Starmer , shadow Brexit secretary and Labour leader frontrunner , said in 2018 that Labour would vote down a Canada-style deal , says The Guardian .
At the weekend the government again cited Canada as one of the previous deals the EU had struck without requiring regulatory alignment .
It also mentioned the South Korea deal , where the EU removed 99.5 % of tariff lines , and Japan 's deal , where it removed 99 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was forced to sign up to regulatory alignment , EU state aid rules or workers and environmental rights enforceable through arbitration , says City AM .
Johnson has said that if the UK can not get a Canada-style trade deal with the EU , then it would accept an “ Australia-style ” deal – a euphemism for no deal at all .
Last week , European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she was “ surprised ” to hear Johnson talk of an “ Australian model ” .
“ Australia without any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partner .
But the European Union does not have a trade agreement with Australia .
We are currently trading on WTO [ World Trade Organization ] terms , ” she said .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– What the EU wants Speaking at a security conference in Munich on Sunday , Le Drian said the UK and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of issues .
“ I think that on trade issues and the mechanism for future relations , which we are going to start on , we are going to rip each other apart , ” he said .
“ But that is part of negotiations , everyone will defend their own interests.
” The French foreign minister also said it will be tough for the UK to honour Johnson ’ s pledge to get a trade deal with the EU by the end of the year , says the BBC .
Von der @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have both publicly doubted the UK ’ s aim to get a trade deal over the line in 2020 .
The EU might also be resistant to a Canada-style deal with the UK .
The original 2017 agreement between the EU and Canada was met with street protests across Europe , with Italy threatening not to ratify the deal because it didn ’ t protect EU interests .
The EU has warned that the UK can ’ t keep its “ high quality ” market access if it diverges from EU social and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU ’ s demands that the UK abide by EU rules on tax and workers ’ rights as unreasonable and ridiculous , a government source told The i newspaper .
The prime minister said in a speech earlier this month that there was “ no need ” for the UK to follow EU rules in order to reach a trade agreement .
The bloc is likely to fight hard over fishing rights , with the EU likely to insist member states keep access to UK waters as part of any agreement .
Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an “ independent coastal state ” and will control its own fisheries .

The UK’s chief Brexit negotiator will today set out Britain’s ambitions for its future trading relationship with the EU.
David Frost will say that the UK must be granted a trade deal on the same terms as the EU has given to Canada, South Korea and Japan.
But the French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has warned the UK the two sides would “rip each other apart” to gain advantage in trade negotiations.
What the UK wants
The UK government says it wants a trade deal based on “friendly co-operation between sovereign equals”.
Ahead of Frost’s speech in Brussels on Monday, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “Our approach is clear – we are not asking for anything special, bespoke or unique, but are looking for a deal like those the EU has struck previously with other friendly countries like Canada.
“We want a relationship based on friendly co-operation between sovereign equals, one centred on free trade and inspired by our shared history and values.”
Boris Johnson has been clear that his preference for the UK’s future trading relationship with the European Union is a “Canada-style” deal that would eliminate most tariffs between the UK and EU but keep border checks in place.
Like Canada, the UK should be free to strike trade deals with non-EU nations around the world, says Johnson.
However, Canadian financial services do not have full access to the European market. In 2018, financial services contributed £132bn to the UK economy – 6.9% of total economic output.
And analysis by the Treasury estimates that the UK economy would be 4.9% smaller under a Canada-style deal after 15 years than it would be if it had remained in the EU.
Keir Starmer, shadow Brexit secretary and Labour leader frontrunner, said in 2018 that Labour would vote down a Canada-style deal, says The Guardian.
At the weekend the government again cited Canada as one of the previous deals the EU had struck without requiring regulatory alignment.
It also mentioned the South Korea deal, where the EU removed 99.5% of tariff lines, and Japan's deal, where it removed 99% of them.
None of the three countries was forced to sign up to regulatory alignment, EU state aid rules or workers and environmental rights enforceable through arbitration, says City AM.


theweekuk--2020-02-17--F1: Williams are ready to fight in the new FW43 - pictures, video and reactions

After a disastrous campaign in 2019 ROKiT Williams Racing are hoping to make a fresh start this year with the launch of their new car , the FW43 .
Last season the Grove-based team finished rock-bottom of the Formula 1 constructors ’ championship , winning just one point from 21 races .
Going into the 2020 season Williams have a new driver with Nicholas Latifi replacing Robert Kubica .
Canadian Latifi , 24 , steps up from his test and reserve role to partner Britain ’ s George Russell , who has been retained for another year .
With a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams says the team are committed to rebuilding the famous F1 brand and are ready to fight in 2020 .
She said : “ This year marks a fresh start for the team .
We have spent time addressing our areas of weakness and have ensured that we have the right people , structures , procedures and resource in place to deliver competitive race cars .
“ We are all committed to re-building Williams and returning the team to competitiveness .
As such , our 2020 campaign is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still very much alive , and this year , everyone will continue that fight until we get back to where we want to be.
” Following the official launch of the FW43 , Williams will now head to pre-season testing starting on Wednesday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain .
The first test takes place from 19-21 February and the second test is from 26-28 February .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– What Williams bosses say about the FW43 “ The team at the factory have been working incredibly hard on the development of the car for the 2020 season .
We have paid significant attention to understanding the problem areas of the FW42 and we have carefully chosen parts of the car to develop , those that would give us the most performance for the resources we have .
“ The main concept behind the FW43 is that it is a continuous development of the FW42 , with no fundamental concept changes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we are on the right path will be the level of correlation we have between the tool kit we use to design the car and what the track data is telling us .
“ There has been a healthy development rate in the wind tunnel , and we have found reasonable improvements in the cooling efficiency .
The team has addressed the mechanical issues that affected it in 2019 , these include the brakes and the overall weight of the car .
We have made some good progress across these areas and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the season.
” “ The initiatives that we put in place to drive performance across all disciplines within the engineering department are evident in the design and development of the FW43 .
It ’ s been great to see the hard work starting to pay off .
“ The decision to retain some of the core architecture of the FW42 means there has been less resource invested in developing new concepts , which in turn has rewarded the design team with greater bandwidth to optimise their work , evident in both packaging and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key parameters , it has allowed for an uninterrupted development programme within Aerodynamics in order to maximise the efficiency of the resources .
“ As we head towards the pre-season tests and then onto the race season , the most important measure will be the progress relative to our peers , along with our intention of continuing our recent record of reliability .
“ Later this week , we will be looking at our single timed lap pace , our long run pace and the feedback from the drivers to understand where we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have teams , both at the track and back at Grove , that will be delving into all aspects that define that lap time during the pre-season tests to ensure we are in the best possible place ahead of the first race in Australia.
” Here she is !
Now time to see what she % u2019s like on track ...
There it is !
The FW43 % uD83D % uDE0D Can % u2019t wait to hop in later today to get my first taste behind the wheel !
# WeAreWilliams # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pic.twitter.com/WM0dIRokjy Fingers crossed she 'll be really competitive as well % uD83E % uDD1E % uD83D % uDD25 # F1 # GR63 # TeamGR63 # GeorgeRussell # GeorgeRussell63 pic.twitter.com/630B4WuV3O I am very much in love @ WilliamsRacing % uD83D % uDE0D # FW43 % uD83D % uDD34 % u26AA % uFE0F % uD83D % uDD35 pic.twitter.com/kySDmmBsnh Not the best sponsors to let take over the car but as long as its fast who cares !
# fw43 is here let 's hope it 's a podium making car % uD83D % uDE01 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
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After a disastrous campaign in 2019 ROKiT Williams Racing are hoping to make a fresh start this year with the launch of their new car, the FW43.
Last season the Grove-based team finished rock-bottom of the Formula 1 constructors’ championship, winning just one point from 21 races.
Going into the 2020 season Williams have a new driver with Nicholas Latifi replacing Robert Kubica. Canadian Latifi, 24, steps up from his test and reserve role to partner Britain’s George Russell, who has been retained for another year.
With a new car and a new driver, Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams says the team are committed to rebuilding the famous F1 brand and are ready to fight in 2020.
She said: “This year marks a fresh start for the team. We have spent time addressing our areas of weakness and have ensured that we have the right people, structures, procedures and resource in place to deliver competitive race cars.
“We are all committed to re-building Williams and returning the team to competitiveness. As such, our 2020 campaign is about making progress. The fighting spirit is still very much alive, and this year, everyone will continue that fight until we get back to where we want to be.”
Following the official launch of the FW43, Williams will now head to pre-season testing starting on Wednesday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain.
The first test takes place from 19-21 February and the second test is from 26-28 February.
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What Williams bosses say about the FW43
Doug McKiernan, design director
“The team at the factory have been working incredibly hard on the development of the car for the 2020 season. We have paid significant attention to understanding the problem areas of the FW42 and we have carefully chosen parts of the car to develop, those that would give us the most performance for the resources we have.
“The main concept behind the FW43 is that it is a continuous development of the FW42, with no fundamental concept changes to the layout. The most important indicator that we are on the right path will be the level of correlation we have between the tool kit we use to design the car and what the track data is telling us.


theweekuk--2020-02-17--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 17 Feb 2020

French police have raided the offices of one of the country ’ s biggest publishers in a search for material @ @ @ @ @ the heart of a paedophile scandal .
Investigators scoured the Paris premises of the Gallimard @ @ @ @ @ bid to find unpublished writings by Gabriel Matzneff , who has been charged with rape @

Storm Dennis: defences ‘built in wrong place’
The Times reports that councillors in south Wales have been fiercely critical of the government response to Storm Dennis, saying that flood defences were built in Yorkshire where the rainfall was not as serious as it was further south. One councillor said it had been left to residents and the local council to “get people to safety”.


theweekuk--2020-02-17--Man City boss Pep Guardiola pledges loyalty despite Champions League ban

Pep Guardiola has pledged his loyalty to Manchester City in the wake of the club ’ s two-season ban from the Uefa Champions League .
According to The Times , the Spaniard has “ informed the Manchester City board and his players that he intends to carry on as manager ” .
The news will come as a huge relief to the City chiefs , who were reportedly “ stunned ” at the severity of the punishment handed down last week by Uefa .
Not only are the reigning English champions suspended from European competition for two years but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after being found guilty of breaking financial fair play ( FFP ) rules between 2012 and 2016 .
Although City will challenge the ban in the Court of Arbitration for Sport ( CAS ) , it ’ s expected that the best they can hope for is a one-season reduction , and that will still leave a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the Etihad .
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Start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says that despite rumours at the weekend linking Guardiola to Juventus , the Spaniard will not invoke the break clause he has in his contract and will honour the final year of a deal that expires at the end of next season .
The papers say that Guardiola addressed the squad at the club ’ s training ground on Saturday and urged his players to use the ban as a motivation for the rest of the season .
City play away at Real Madrid next week in the first leg of their Champions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they host West Ham in the Premier League .
Guardiola will speak to the press about that match tomorrow - and inevitably most of the questions will be about the ban - but The Times expects him to confirm he will not be leaving the club .
Meanwhile , the Daily Mail says that a number of star players are also staying loyal to the club - for the moment .
Raheem Sterling is known to be on the radar of Real Madrid but the England frontman ’ s agent , Aidy Ward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is solely focused on Manchester City and will not be distracted by any talk of transfers at the moment.
” The future of Sterling and his team-mates will probably hinge on the outcome of City ’ s appeal , although when exactly their case will be heard is unclear .
The Daily Express adds : “ It remains a possibility that CAS won ’ t be able to reach a verdict before the start of next season .
In that situation , if the ban were to be upheld , it would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force in the 2021-2022 season.
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Pep Guardiola has pledged his loyalty to Manchester City in the wake of the club’s two-season ban from the Uefa Champions League.
According to The Times, the Spaniard has “informed the Manchester City board and his players that he intends to carry on as manager”.
The news will come as a huge relief to the City chiefs, who were reportedly “stunned” at the severity of the punishment handed down last week by Uefa.
Not only are the reigning English champions suspended from European competition for two years but they were also slapped with a £25m fine after being found guilty of breaking financial fair play (FFP) rules between 2012 and 2016.
Although City will challenge the ban in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), it’s expected that the best they can hope for is a one-season reduction, and that will still leave a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the Etihad.
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Man of honour
But The Times says that despite rumours at the weekend linking Guardiola to Juventus, the Spaniard will not invoke the break clause he has in his contract and will honour the final year of a deal that expires at the end of next season.
The papers say that Guardiola addressed the squad at the club’s training ground on Saturday and urged his players to use the ban as a motivation for the rest of the season.
City play away at Real Madrid next week in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash, and on Wednesday they host West Ham in the Premier League.
Guardiola will speak to the press about that match tomorrow - and inevitably most of the questions will be about the ban - but The Times expects him to confirm he will not be leaving the club.
Sterling staying
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail says that a number of star players are also staying loyal to the club - for the moment.
Raheem Sterling is known to be on the radar of Real Madrid but the England frontman’s agent, Aidy Ward, told the Mail: “Raheem is solely focused on Manchester City and will not be distracted by any talk of transfers at the moment.”
The future of Sterling and his team-mates will probably hinge on the outcome of City’s appeal, although when exactly their case will be heard is unclear.
The Daily Express adds: “It remains a possibility that CAS won’t be able to reach a verdict before the start of next season. In that situation, if the ban were to be upheld, it would be suspended for one year and come into force in the 2021-2022 season.”
Today’s newspaper back pages
Del Piero says Guardiola is ‘destined’ for Juventus
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theweekuk--2020-02-17--Today’s back pages: Eoin Morgan stars as England win thrilling T20 series and Pep Guardiola is ‘dest

Today’s back pages: Eoin Morgan stars as England win thrilling T20 series and Pep Guardiola is ‘destined’ for Juventus

“ Magnificent Morgan ” is the headline in The Guardian as the paper lauds the heroics of England ’ s captain in blasting his side to victory in a thrilling Twenty20 encounter with South Africa at the Wanderers .
Skipper Eoin Morgan smashed an astonishing ( and unbeaten ) 57 runs from just 22 balls as he chased down South Africa ’ s daunting total of 222 in what The Daily Telegraph describes as a “ stunning victory ” .
It was a fitting climax to a wonderful T20 series in which all three matches went down to the wire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,207 runs accumulated across the games are the most in any three-match series in the history of T20 internationals .
i Sport believes that England ’ s performances have laid down a marker for the T20 World Cup which begins in October in Australia .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Several papers have the smiling face of Tottenham marksman Son Heung-min on their back pages after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped his side see off Aston Villa with a 3-2 win to move into fifth spot in the Premier League .
The Daily Star sings his praises , as do The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph , while Metro ’ s main focus is the comments of Spurs boss Jose Mourinho .
Asked in the post-match interview about Manchester City ’ s two-season Champions League ban , Mourinho cheekily mooted the idea that the Sky Blues should also be stripped of their 2018 league title , which would mean his then Manchester United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With the Sky Blues in turmoil , several papers continue to analyse what the Champions League ban may mean for the Man City players and head coach Pep Guardiola .
The Daily Star and Daily Express both claim that the City gaffer is being eyed up by Italian giants Juventus , a club he was first linked to last year .
“ Juve made for you ” screams the back page of the Star , which also carries comments from club legend Alessandro Del Piero declaring that it is Guardiola ’ s “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Italian champions .
Speaking at the Laureus Sports Awards in Germany , Del Piero added : “ Every club in the world would love him as a coach and I would love to see Pep in Italy.
” Meanwhile , the Daily Mail reports that City chiefs believe Guardiola and his stars will remain loyal to the club despite the ban from European football .
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@ @ @ @ @

England seal T20 series win
“Magnificent Morgan” is the headline in The Guardian as the paper lauds the heroics of England’s captain in blasting his side to victory in a thrilling Twenty20 encounter with South Africa at the Wanderers.
Skipper Eoin Morgan smashed an astonishing (and unbeaten) 57 runs from just 22 balls as he chased down South Africa’s daunting total of 222 in what The Daily Telegraph describes as a “stunning victory”.
It was a fitting climax to a wonderful T20 series in which all three matches went down to the wire.
The BBC points out that the 1,207 runs accumulated across the games are the most in any three-match series in the history of T20 internationals.
i Sport believes that England’s performances have laid down a marker for the T20 World Cup which begins in October in Australia.
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Nice one, Son
Several papers have the smiling face of Tottenham marksman Son Heung-min on their back pages after the South Korean’s two goals helped his side see off Aston Villa with a 3-2 win to move into fifth spot in the Premier League.
The Daily Star sings his praises, as do The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph, while Metro’s main focus is the comments of Spurs boss Jose Mourinho.
Asked in the post-match interview about Manchester City’s two-season Champions League ban, Mourinho cheekily mooted the idea that the Sky Blues should also be stripped of their 2018 league title, which would mean his then Manchester United side would be crowned retrospective champions.
Pep to Turin?
With the Sky Blues in turmoil, several papers continue to analyse what the Champions League ban may mean for the Man City players and head coach Pep Guardiola.
The Daily Star and Daily Express both claim that the City gaffer is being eyed up by Italian giants Juventus, a club he was first linked to last year.
“Juve made for you” screams the back page of the Star, which also carries comments from club legend Alessandro Del Piero declaring that it is Guardiola’s “destiny” to take the reins of the Italian champions.
Speaking at the Laureus Sports Awards in Germany, Del Piero added: “Every club in the world would love him as a coach and I would love to see Pep in Italy.”
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reports that City chiefs believe Guardiola and his stars will remain loyal to the club despite the ban from European football.
Today’s sport headlines
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theweekuk--2020-02-17--Storm Dennis: what do flood warnings and alerts mean?

Storm Dennis has set a record for flood alerts , with more than 300 flood warnings still in place across the UK .
The current warnings include five severe warnings in England , which mean there is a danger to life .
Over the weekend , some areas were struck by winds over 90mph while more than a month 's worth of rain fell in 48 hours .
Although the worst of Storm Dennis has passed , weather experts have warned the UK can still expect more wet and windy conditions into the coming week .
A man died after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Swansea valley although police believe the incident was not directly linked to the weather .
Hundreds of people were moved from their homes .
In South Wales , Herefordshire and Worcestershire , a major incident has been declared as the rivers burst their banks leaving homes and businesses submerged in flood waters .
The north Atlantic storm caused nearly 600 flood warnings and alerts in England alone on Sunday , more than any other day on record .
Dozens more were in place across Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland .
Flood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locals should be prepared .
Flood Warnings are the next step up – they mean flooding is expected and immediate action is required .
Severe Flood Warnings mean there is a danger to life .
On Monday morning , Severe Flood Warnings were in place in several areas , including the River Teme at Eardiston , the River Teme at Little Hereford and Ashford Carbonel and the River Wye at Blackmarstone , Hereford .
Flood Warnings were in place in 282 areas while 346 locations were facing Flood Alerts .
There were 189 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Force – meaning they had Flood Warnings or Flood Alerts removed in the last 24 hours .
You can check the warnings and alerts currently in place here .
There is advice on how to prepare if your home is at risk of flooding here .

Storm Dennis has set a record for flood alerts, with more than 300 flood warnings still in place across the UK.
The current warnings include five severe warnings in England, which mean there is a danger to life.
Over the weekend, some areas were struck by winds over 90mph while more than a month's worth of rain fell in 48 hours. Although the worst of Storm Dennis has passed, weather experts have warned the UK can still expect more wet and windy conditions into the coming week.
A man died after being pulled from a swollen river in the Swansea valley although police believe the incident was not directly linked to the weather. Hundreds of people were moved from their homes.
In South Wales, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, a major incident has been declared as the rivers burst their banks leaving homes and businesses submerged in flood waters.
The north Atlantic storm caused nearly 600 flood warnings and alerts in England alone on Sunday, more than any other day on record. Dozens more were in place across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Flood Alerts mean that flooding is possible and locals should be prepared. Flood Warnings are the next step up – they mean flooding is expected and immediate action is required. Severe Flood Warnings mean there is a danger to life.
On Monday morning, Severe Flood Warnings were in place in several areas, including the River Teme at Eardiston, the River Teme at Little Hereford and Ashford Carbonel and the River Wye at Blackmarstone, Hereford.
Flood Warnings were in place in 282 areas while 346 locations were facing Flood Alerts. There were 189 areas with Flood Warnings No Longer In Force – meaning they had Flood Warnings or Flood Alerts removed in the last 24 hours.
You can check the warnings and alerts currently in place here. There is advice on how to prepare if your home is at risk of flooding here.


theweekuk--2020-02-17--What is eugenics and why are Tory aides interested in it?

Boris Johnson is under pressure to sack a 27-year-old adviser who praised the merits of eugenics .
It has been revealed that Andrew Sabisky , who was appointed by Dominic Cummings , the prime minister ’ s chief adviser , said in 2016 : “ Eugenics are about selecting ‘ for ’ good things .
Intelligence is largely inherited and correlates with better outcomes : physical health , income , lower mental illness.
” Eugenics refers to the belief and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population by excluding genetic groups judged to be inferior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be superior .
As Kenan Malik wrote in The Guardian , eugenicists believe the state should “ encourage the ‘ enlightened ’ to have more children and discourage the lower orders , whether the poor , the disabled or the immigrant , from breeding ” .
This controversial concept began with Plato but has in more recent terms been linked to Nazi Germany and then the white supremacy movement .
Sabisky ’ s comments are potentially embarrassing for the government and there has already been criticism from within the Conservative Party .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Would a minister survive if remarks like that came to light ?
” However , Cummings himself has written about eugenics .
In a 2013 blogpost , he cited research that concluded that discovering “ genes responsible for general cognitive ability and specific abilities and disabilities ” would “ enable truly personalised education including early intervention for specific learning difficulties ” .
Cummings also highlighted a study from the geneticist Robert Plomin , which he said showed 70 % of a child ’ s educational performance came down to “ heritability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When forced to confront such scientific developments , the education world and politicians are likely to handle them badly partly because there is such strong resistance across the political spectrum to accepting scientific evidence on genetics.
” Turning to education , Cummings argued that : “ a child 's performance has more to do with genetic makeup than the standard of his or her education ” .
Writing in New Scientist , Steven Rose , Emeritus Professor of Biology , said Cummings beliefs were “ sheer fantasy ” .
In response to controversy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cummings insisted that he had “ warned of the dangers of public debates being confused by misunderstanding of such technical terms ” .
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theweekuk--2020-02-17--Man buries McDonald's meal and eats it 14 months later

A man has eaten a McDonald 's meal more than a year after he had buried it a friend 's garden .
Matt Nadin , who ate the meal 14 months after the purchase , said : “ The burger actually was n't too bad .
It was soggy underneath and the lettuce tasted gone off but the meat was just hard .
The milkshake had gone kind of fizzy and tasted weirdly like a fruit smoothie.
” The weirdest things seized by US customs Live pigeons and tarantulas , a pig ’ s head and a man disguised as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the strangest things seized by Customers and Border Protection officers in the US .
Egyptian mummy linen and black market bologna have also been seized at the border , say the authorities .
Why taking your phone to the loo is a bad idea Half of British adults take their mobile phone with them into the toilet , according to a new study .
People in Leeds , London , Belfast and Birmingham were likeliest to take their phones with them to the toilet .
But doing so presents a risk that phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faeces to their mouths .
The research also found that that 40 % of us have dropped an item down the toilet or the sink - with mobile phones and jewellery the most common items .
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A man has eaten a McDonald's meal more than a year after he had buried it a friend's garden. Matt Nadin, who ate the meal 14 months after the purchase, said: “The burger actually wasn't too bad. It was soggy underneath and the lettuce tasted gone off but the meat was just hard. The milkshake had gone kind of fizzy and tasted weirdly like a fruit smoothie.”
The weirdest things seized by US customs
Live pigeons and tarantulas, a pig’s head and a man disguised as a car seat – these are among the strangest things seized by Customers and Border Protection officers in the US. Egyptian mummy linen and black market bologna have also been seized at the border, say the authorities.
Why taking your phone to the loo is a bad idea
Half of British adults take their mobile phone with them into the toilet, according to a new study. People in Leeds, London, Belfast and Birmingham were likeliest to take their phones with them to the toilet. But doing so presents a risk that phone users will migrate harmful germs from their faeces to their mouths. The research also found that that 40% of us have dropped an item down the toilet or the sink - with mobile phones and jewellery the most common items.
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