theweekuk--2020-12-04--Books of the Week: A Promised Land, Oh Happy Day, Olga

Barack Obama delivers “ frank confessions of his uncertainties and doubts ” in an account of his rise to power and the beginning of his presidency .
Australian-born Carmen Callil challenges Britain ’ s “ snotty imperial delusions ” in a sweeping and heartfelt family memoir .
And Bernhard Schlink , author of The Reader , creates another “ study of memory ” and of Germany ’ s tortured history .
On the cover of this book there ’ s a “ beaming portrait ” of America ’ s 44th president , looking “ serenely confident ” , said Jennifer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It stands at odds with the 700 pages inside .
Although Barack Obama begins this memoir on a note of brisk certainty , as he describes his spectacular political rise , it settles , after 200 pages , into a measured account of the first two-and-a-half years of his presidency .
The former president displays little interest in “ reputation-burnishing and legacy-shaping ” .
Instead , he offers “ frank confessions of his uncertainties and doubts ” .
The man whose slogan was once “ the audacity of hope ” tells a story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more about the forces that inhibit it ” .
Obama emerges from these pages as a “ compulsive introvert ” , said Tony Allen-Mills in The Sunday Times – someone who subjects “ every decision to endless analysis from every angle ” .
Even the one undisputed triumph of his presidency – the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden , with which this volume concludes – “ provokes anguished hand-wringing ” as he wonders why it was impossible to bring a similar “ unity of effort ” to bear on “ educating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Such “ worthiness ” eventually becomes “ overwhelming ” .
I disagree , said Sam Leith in The Spectator : it ’ s precisely the book ’ s focus on the minutiae of decision-making that makes it so fascinating .
Although Obama is known for his “ hopey changey ” rhetoric , he emerges here as a “ steely political operator ” : less an idealist , more a “ cool , conscientious ” pragmatist .
As such , his book is a “ superbly engaging study in realpolitik ” .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie , also in The New York Times .
For one thing , Obama ’ s writing is gorgeous .
He meets a nun whose face is as “ grooved as a peach pit ” ; he questions whether his is a “ blind ambition wrapped in the gauzy language of service ” .
And he writes beautifully about his family .
It ’ s hardly surprising that A Promised Land is “ impressive as a work of political literature ” , said Gary Younge in The Guardian : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can “ turn a phrase ” .
For all that , at 700 pages , “ the book is too long ” , particularly when there are so many omissions .
Obama devotes just a couple of sentences to his use of drone strikes ; “ the prosecution of twice as many whistle-blowers as all his predecessors combined is not mentioned ” .
Perhaps he will expand upon such matters in Volume Two – but I wouldn ’ t hold out too much hope .
Carmen Callil , the Australian-born publisher who founded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain ’ s “ snotty imperial delusions ” , said Peter Conrad in The Observer .
“ Her new book completes that endeavour.
” A sweeping and heartfelt family memoir , it tells the stories of several of her ancestors who started new lives in Australia in the 19th century .
Many of these forebears came from the Midlands , where they laboured in the textile industry .
Callil vividly reconstructs their appallingly grim lives : the “ lice-infested and incestuously congested beds ” they slept on ; the hard work on “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They emigrated , she shows , for various reasons .
One character , a canal navvy , was deported for stealing a small quantity of hemp ; he later became a successful gold miner .
Two other relatives set sail to become domestic servants .
Life in Australia was rarely straightforward , but it offered opportunities that didn ’ t exist back home .
This accounts for Callil ’ s title : escaping England was a “ happy day ” .
This book shines a “ merciless ” light on many murky aspects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ysenda Maxtone Graham in The Times : the “ sadistic floggings ” meted out to convicts ; the plundering of Australia ’ s indigenous lands by British invaders .
The book ’ s wider goal is to “ make us furious about the British empire ” – and sometimes Callil pushes this agenda too far , along with heavy-handed suggestions of parallels with today .
Generally , though , she ’ s such a “ forceful writer ” that we willingly follow her wherever she takes us – whether that ’ s to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leicestershire , or to the then-undeveloped bush-land north of Sydney , with its wondrous “ birdsong and plumage ” .
Meticulously researched and compellingly written , Oh Happy Day is an “ impressive work ” .
Novel of the week Olga by Bernhard Schlink ( trans .
Charlotte Collins ) The German novelist Bernhard Schlink is best known for his 1995 bestseller The Reader , about an illiterate former concentration camp guard , said Arjun Neil Alim in the London Evening Standard .
His new novel , Olga , is another “ study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s tortured history .
The protagonist , Olga , is an orphan born in Bismarck ’ s Prussia who grows up in Pomerania and falls in love with an aristocratic neighbour , Hubert .
Through this pair , Schlink examines different sides of the German character : idealism , exploration and conquest in Hubert ; and stubborn individualism in Olga .
Fast-paced and ambitious , this is a work that makes you “ appreciate the power of history ” .
Its time span is epic , said Lucy Popescu in The Observer : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wars before ending his narrative in the 1950s .
We guess there will be “ major reveals ” at the end – but frustratingly , they aren ’ t all that surprising , because Schlink has already given strong hints as to what they will be .
Olga is “ too predictable to truly satisfy ” .
To order these titles or any other book in print , visit theweekbookshop.co.uk , or speak to a bookseller on 020-3176 3835 .
Opening times : Monday to Saturday 9am-5.30pm and Sunday 10am-4pm .

Barack Obama delivers “frank confessions of his uncertainties and doubts” in an account of his rise to power and the beginning of his presidency. Australian-born Carmen Callil challenges Britain’s “snotty imperial delusions” in a sweeping and heartfelt family memoir. And Bernhard Schlink, author of The Reader, creates another “study of memory” and of Germany’s tortured history.
Book of the week A Promised Land by Barack Obama
On the cover of this book there’s a “beaming portrait” of America’s 44th president, looking “serenely confident”, said Jennifer Szalai in The New York Times. It stands at odds with the 700 pages inside. Although Barack Obama begins this memoir on a note of brisk certainty, as he describes his spectacular political rise, it settles, after 200 pages, into a measured account of the first two-and-a-half years of his presidency. The former president displays little interest in “reputation-burnishing and legacy-shaping”. Instead, he offers “frank confessions of his uncertainties and doubts”. The man whose slogan was once “the audacity of hope” tells a story “less about unbridled possibility, and more about the forces that inhibit it”.
Obama emerges from these pages as a “compulsive introvert”, said Tony Allen-Mills in The Sunday Times – someone who subjects “every decision to endless analysis from every angle”. Even the one undisputed triumph of his presidency – the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden, with which this volume concludes – “provokes anguished hand-wringing” as he wonders why it was impossible to bring a similar “unity of effort” to bear on “educating our children or housing the homeless”. Such “worthiness” eventually becomes “overwhelming”. I disagree, said Sam Leith in The Spectator: it’s precisely the book’s focus on the minutiae of decision-making that makes it so fascinating. Although Obama is known for his “hopey changey” rhetoric, he emerges here as a “steely political operator”: less an idealist, more a “cool, conscientious” pragmatist. As such, his book is a “superbly engaging study in realpolitik”.
But it’s so much else besides, said Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, also in The New York Times. For one thing, Obama’s writing is gorgeous. He meets a nun whose face is as “grooved as a peach pit”; he questions whether his is a “blind ambition wrapped in the gauzy language of service”. And he writes beautifully about his family. It’s hardly surprising that A Promised Land is “impressive as a work of political literature”, said Gary Younge in The Guardian: we’ve always known that Obama can “turn a phrase”. For all that, at 700 pages, “the book is too long”, particularly when there are so many omissions. Obama devotes just a couple of sentences to his use of drone strikes; “the prosecution of twice as many whistle-blowers as all his predecessors combined is not mentioned”. Perhaps he will expand upon such matters in Volume Two – but I wouldn’t hold out too much hope.


theweekuk--2020-12-04--Albums of the Week: Music Played by Humans, Good News, Carnival of the Animals

Take That singer Gary Barlow releases his first solo effort for seven years and it ’ s a sparkling tribute to the big band era .
Megan Thee Stallion , the “ breakout star of 2020 ” , makes a thrilling debut with Good News .
And The Kanneh-Masons ’ s “ delightful ” new recording of Saint-Saëns ’ s Carnival of the Animals proves that talent runs in the family .
Gary Barlow may not have true “ artistic heft ” , said Neil McCormick in The Daily Telegraph - but the Take That singer is an “ old-fashioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His first solo effort for seven years is a sparkling tribute to the big band era .
It ’ s packed with top-notch collaborators ( Beverly Knight , Michael Bublé ) and has enough Barlow-penned “ showstoppers to make Frank Sinatra turn green ” with envy .
The orchestrations and lavish big band arrangements are joyous ; the melodies “ expansive enough to exercise ” Barlow ’ s impressive vocal range , while “ smart lyrics counterbalance his instinct towards sentimentality ” .
Take that , Robbie !
Barlow finished the album @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de Lisle in The Mail on Sunday .
And it has turned out to be a tribute not just to swing ’ s “ 1940s heyday ” , but to a “ vanished age that ended only eight months ago , when violinists and trumpeters could make a living without having to drive a supermarket van ” .
The album is “ good fun .
And it should make for a memorable gig – one day.
” A TikTok dance craze based on her multimillion-selling hit single Savage , plus a recent Time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Megan Thee Stallion the “ breakout star of 2020 ” , said Will Hodgkinson in The Times .
Now , with this “ superb ” debut album , she boldly “ claims her place in the pantheon of classic hip-hop ” acts .
Her “ energy and ultra-sharp flow ” recall the 1990s golden age of hip-hop far more than its “ present mood of Autotuned lethargy ” , while her “ outrageous boasts and crude innuendo are tempered with a lot of humour ” .
This is a thrilling debut , agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ easy flow , hard barbs and a magnetic persona ” , Megan Thee Stallion casts herself as the “ successor to hip-hop ’ s old-school heroes ” – and pulls it off with “ phenomenal ” ease .
Her lyrics teem with “ sharp and funny lines ” and “ shrivelling putdowns ” .
And she ’ s as much at home “ snarling ” over the 1980s gangsta rap of Girls in the Hood as she is with Beyoncé ’ s voice weaving around hers on Savage Remix .
Good news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Animals When Sheku Kanneh-Mason released his recording of Elgar ’ s Cello Concerto , I was “ struck by the beautiful tact of his playing , as well as its brilliance ” , said Ivan Hewett in The Daily Telegraph .
This “ delightful ” new recording of Saint-Saëns ’ s Carnival of the Animals , featuring all six of his siblings , “ proves it runs in the family ” .
Each piece is full of character but not exaggerated , and with an “ unforced , winning charm ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new poems , by Michael Morpurgo , for each of the animals – which gives “ new life ” to the much-loved children ’ s classic .
Morpurgo read the texts himself , with “ splendid assistance ” from Olivia Colman , said Geoff Brown in The Times .
Other “ gifted outsiders ” , including clarinettist Mark Simpson and percussionist Adrian Spillett , provide stellar musical support .
The whole thing “ sparkles , from the lion ’ s roaring bass crescendo through the solitary gliding of Sheku ’ s swan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out also for the witty “ musical expansion ” of Morpurgo ’ s story Grandpa Christmas , and a burst of Bob Marley .

Take That singer Gary Barlow releases his first solo effort for seven years and it’s a sparkling tribute to the big band era. Megan Thee Stallion, the “breakout star of 2020”, makes a thrilling debut with Good News. And The Kanneh-Masons’s “delightful” new recording of Saint-Saëns’s Carnival of the Animals proves that talent runs in the family.
Gary Barlow: Music Played by Humans
Gary Barlow may not have true “artistic heft”, said Neil McCormick in The Daily Telegraph - but the Take That singer is an “old-fashioned entertainer of the very best kind”. His first solo effort for seven years is a sparkling tribute to the big band era. It’s packed with top-notch collaborators (Beverly Knight, Michael Bublé) and has enough Barlow-penned “showstoppers to make Frank Sinatra turn green” with envy. The orchestrations and lavish big band arrangements are joyous; the melodies “expansive enough to exercise” Barlow’s impressive vocal range, while “smart lyrics counterbalance his instinct towards sentimentality”. Take that, Robbie!
Barlow finished the album before the first lockdown, said Tim de Lisle in The Mail on Sunday. And it has turned out to be a tribute not just to swing’s “1940s heyday”, but to a “vanished age that ended only eight months ago, when violinists and trumpeters could make a living without having to drive a supermarket van”. The album is “good fun. And it should make for a memorable gig – one day.”
Universal £11
Megan Thee Stallion: Good News
A TikTok dance craze based on her multimillion-selling hit single Savage, plus a recent Time magazine cover, has made Texas rapper Megan Thee Stallion the “breakout star of 2020”, said Will Hodgkinson in The Times. Now, with this “superb” debut album, she boldly “claims her place in the pantheon of classic hip-hop” acts. Her “energy and ultra-sharp flow” recall the 1990s golden age of hip-hop far more than its “present mood of Autotuned lethargy”, while her “outrageous boasts and crude innuendo are tempered with a lot of humour”.
This is a thrilling debut, agreed Alexis Petridis in The Guardian. With “easy flow, hard barbs and a magnetic persona”, Megan Thee Stallion casts herself as the “successor to hip-hop’s old-school heroes” – and pulls it off with “phenomenal” ease. Her lyrics teem with “sharp and funny lines” and “shrivelling putdowns”. And she’s as much at home “snarling” over the 1980s gangsta rap of Girls in the Hood as she is with Beyoncé’s voice weaving around hers on Savage Remix. Good news, indeed.
300 Entertainment £8 [mp3]
The Kanneh-Masons: Carnival of the Animals
When Sheku Kanneh-Mason released his recording of Elgar’s Cello Concerto, I was “struck by the beautiful tact of his playing, as well as its brilliance”, said Ivan Hewett in The Daily Telegraph. This “delightful” new recording of Saint-Saëns’s Carnival of the Animals, featuring all six of his siblings, “proves it runs in the family”. Each piece is full of character but not exaggerated, and with an “unforced, winning charm”. And there’s the bonus of new poems, by Michael Morpurgo, for each of the animals – which gives “new life” to the much-loved children’s classic.
Morpurgo read the texts himself, with “splendid assistance” from Olivia Colman, said Geoff Brown in The Times. Other “gifted outsiders”, including clarinettist Mark Simpson and percussionist Adrian Spillett, provide stellar musical support. The whole thing “sparkles, from the lion’s roaring bass crescendo through the solitary gliding of Sheku’s swan to the high-spirited finale”. Look out also for the witty “musical expansion” of Morpurgo’s story Grandpa Christmas, and a burst of Bob Marley.
Decca £11


theweekuk--2020-12-04--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 4 Dec 2020

NHS staff will no longer get the Covid-19 vaccine first after what The Guardian describes as a “ drastic rethink @ @ @ @ @ prioritised .
Hospitals will begin by immunising care home staff and hospital inpatients and outpatients @ @ @ @ @ news comes at the same time as warning of a third wave of Covid-19 in @ @ @ @ @ over Christmas .

NHS staff de-prioritised for Covid vaccine
NHS staff will no longer get the Covid-19 vaccine first after what The Guardian describes as a “drastic rethink” over who should be prioritised. Hospitals will begin by immunising care home staff and hospital inpatients and outpatients aged over 80. The news comes at the same time as warning of a third wave of Covid-19 in January after restrictions are eased over Christmas.


theweekuk--2020-12-04--Adolf Hitler wins local election in Namibia

A politician in Namibia named after Adolf Hitler says he has no plans for world domination after romping to a sweeping victory in local elections .
Adolf Hitler Uunona , 54 , was elected by the town of Ompundja with 85 % of the vote .
“ It was a perfectly normal name for me when I was a kid , ” he told a German newspaper .
“ It was n't until I grew older , that I realised that this man wanted to subjugate the whole world and killed millions of Jews.
” A bottle containing hand-written letters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a century after being hidden .
The milk bottle , which was found buried under the floor in the Roslyn Grist Mill in New York , dates back to 1917 .
It contains number of rare coins , and two letters , one written in English and one in Italian - which eventually made its way back to the author 's granddaughter .
Ohio bans travel to and from Ohio The authorities in Ohio are recommending that people in Ohio avoid traveling to Ohio .
The official coronavirus guidance also recommends that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-quarantine in Ohio for 14 days .
“ Obviously , outside of The Matrix or a Christopher Nolan movie , this is physically impossible , ” says a local news station .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

A politician in Namibia named after Adolf Hitler says he has no plans for world domination after romping to a sweeping victory in local elections. Adolf Hitler Uunona, 54, was elected by the town of Ompundja with 85% of the vote. “It was a perfectly normal name for me when I was a kid,” he told a German newspaper. “It wasn't until I grew older, that I realised that this man wanted to subjugate the whole world and killed millions of Jews.”
Messages in bottle found 103 years on
A bottle containing hand-written letters and rare coins has been discovered more than a century after being hidden. The milk bottle, which was found buried under the floor in the Roslyn Grist Mill in New York, dates back to 1917. It contains number of rare coins, and two letters, one written in English and one in Italian - which eventually made its way back to the author's granddaughter.
Ohio bans travel to and from Ohio
The authorities in Ohio are recommending that people in Ohio avoid traveling to Ohio. The official coronavirus guidance also recommends that those entering Ohio after traveling from Ohio self-quarantine in Ohio for 14 days. “Obviously, outside of The Matrix or a Christopher Nolan movie, this is physically impossible,” says a local news station.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-12-03--Discover the sound of time with Jaeger-LeCoultre

Timekeeping and sound have long been linked – even if in our modern , digital age that nexus doesn ’ t quite , erm , chime .
The word “ clock ” itself is derived from “ cloche ” , the old French world for “ bell ” , which has roots in “ clocca ” , Latin for the sound of a chime .
In medieval Europe , those chimes – emanating from the town hall and turret clocks at the village church – divvied up daily life , and even when mechanical timepieces became more widespread , audible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prior to the invention of radium , which came into major use around World War I , it was the only way to tell the time at night , ” says watch writer and historian James Dowling .
Indeed , urban legend has it that minute repeater chiming watches - the ne plus ultra of complicated timepieces and plaything of the rich - came about as a sybaritic way to tell time in the dark .
This year , the storied watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre is celebrating watchmaking ’ s link to sound with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series of sound-related exhibitions around the world .
Sound famously reverberates throughout the maison ’ s 187-year history - and in fact , even predates its watches .
A family of blacksmiths , the LeCoultres in the early 1800s had built up a name making peigne or metal combs that were used in music boxes , a forte of Switzerland ’ s Valleìe de Joux region ( and home to Jaeger-LeCoultre ) .
Today , a lovely 1825 music box with a LeCoultre peigne can be seen in the maison ’ s museum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the notes that make up the melody – all cut from a single piece of metal that strike hundreds of pins on a rotating barrel .
Small machines were used to cut the blades – in tiny , descending lengths – but tuning had to be done by ear .
“ There were no measuring instruments for the sound and it was all tuned by listening to the blades and having the exact notes correspond to the melody , ” says Steìphane Belmont , Jaeger-LeCoultre ’ s patrimony director .
“ Only when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was tuned or not.
” That maniacal focus on precision , quality and , of course , developing ever-better measuring instruments for which to deliver such accuracy , eventually led to the establishment of Jaeger-LeCoultre the watchmaker .
Founder Antoine LeCoultre was pretty obsessed with instruments himself : a decade after setting up shop , he invented the Millionometre , the first device to measure the micron to refine the manufacture of watch parts .
Unsurprisingly , Jaeger-LeCoultre ’ s unique roots in music boxes and watchmaking saw the minute repeater become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after debuting its first one in 1870 , by 1900 the house had some 100 minute repeaters to its name ( and more than 200 chiming watch calibres ) .
Many were innovation firsts .
There was the three-hammer minute repeater in 1880 that , instead of two hammers , now sounded a low note for the hours , a high note for the minutes and a three-note bell for quarters .
“ So instead of a ding , there ’ d be a ding-ding , ” Belmont explains .
“ It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just as important as the mechanics , as seen in a marvellous circa 1890 Jacquesmarts pocket watch that depicts two figures striking bells that chime the hour , quarter-hour and minutes .
Enamelwork , guillocheì , repousseì ( a low relief technique for which metal is hammered from its reverse side ) and an 18 carat yellow and pink gold case - not to mention a portrait of a woman on the back - topped off the automaton ’ s meticulous craftsmanship .
A year later , the house invented the silent strike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chime , essentially eliminating background buzz for more quality sound .
As the Jazz Age came into full swing , the minute repeater took pride of place in grand complications , joining a perpetual calendar and chronograph - not to mention metiers d ’ art like skeletisation , enamelling and engraving - in the likes of Jaeger-LeCoultre ’ s gorgeous Leìpine pocket watch from 1928 .
Post World War II saw life change radically , both socially and technologically – and Jaeger-LeCoultre played its part in 1950 with the debut of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memo , for memory , and vox , voice ) .
And while alarm timepieces were nothing new - Eterna had invented a wristwatch model in 1908 , and even Jaeger-LeCoultre had made the first alarmed table clock a year later - the Memovox broke ground .
“ Before , watchmakers had added modules to existing watches to make the alarm , whereas the Memovox was designed from the start as an alarm watch , ” says Dowling .
Such innovation captured the imagination , making the Memovox a must-have item for businessmen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you up , remind you of important meetings , even of your car-parking time to avoid fines and , in 1959 , Jaeger-LeCoultre invented a diving watch that could ping underwater .
“ It was probably one of the world ’ s first smartwatches , ” says Belmont .
“ It was a mechanical watch with a function that could be used for different purposes.
” The Memovox still resonates today – signature school-bell chime and all – and this year two new models have been added .
The caseback is now transparent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mechanism in all its glory – namely those 77 hammer strikes per second – while a new timer function enables setting of the alarm based on the number of hours due to elapse ( versus based on a particular time ) .
Resounding stuff .

Timekeeping and sound have long been linked – even if in our modern, digital age that nexus doesn’t quite, erm, chime. The word “clock” itself is derived from “cloche”, the old French world for “bell”, which has roots in “clocca”, Latin for the sound of a chime. In medieval Europe, those chimes – emanating from the town hall and turret clocks at the village church – divvied up daily life, and even when mechanical timepieces became more widespread, audible timekeeping was still relied on. “Prior to the invention of radium, which came into major use around World War I, it was the only way to tell the time at night,” says watch writer and historian James Dowling. Indeed, urban legend has it that minute repeater chiming watches - the ne plus ultra of complicated timepieces and plaything of the rich - came about as a sybaritic way to tell time in the dark.
That maniacal focus on precision, quality and, of course, developing ever-better measuring instruments for which to deliver such accuracy, eventually led to the establishment of Jaeger-LeCoultre the watchmaker. Founder Antoine LeCoultre was pretty obsessed with instruments himself: a decade after setting up shop, he invented the Millionometre, the first device to measure the micron to refine the manufacture of watch parts.
Unsurprisingly, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s unique roots in music boxes and watchmaking saw the minute repeater become something of a house speciality, and after debuting its first one in 1870, by 1900 the house had some 100 minute repeaters to its name (and more than 200 chiming watch calibres). Many were innovation firsts. There was the three-hammer minute repeater in 1880 that, instead of two hammers, now sounded a low note for the hours, a high note for the minutes and a three-note bell for quarters. “So instead of a ding, there’d be a ding-ding,” Belmont explains. “It was a much nicer melody.”
Post World War II saw life change radically, both socially and technologically – and Jaeger-LeCoultre played its part in 1950 with the debut of the Memovox alarm watch (a mashup of memo, for memory, and vox, voice). And while alarm timepieces were nothing new - Eterna had invented a wristwatch model in 1908, and even Jaeger-LeCoultre had made the first alarmed table clock a year later - the Memovox broke ground. “Before, watchmakers had added modules to existing watches to make the alarm, whereas the Memovox was designed from the start as an alarm watch,” says Dowling. Such innovation captured the imagination, making the Memovox a must-have item for businessmen on the move: it could wake you up, remind you of important meetings, even of your car-parking time to avoid fines and, in 1959, Jaeger-LeCoultre invented a diving watch that could ping underwater. “It was probably one of the world’s first smartwatches,” says Belmont. “It was a mechanical watch with a function that could be used for different purposes.”
The Memovox still resonates today – signature school-bell chime and all – and this year two new models have been added. The caseback is now transparent, allowing one to enjoy the chiming mechanism in all its glory – namely those 77 hammer strikes per second – while a new timer function enables setting of the alarm based on the number of hours due to elapse (versus based on a particular time). Resounding stuff.


theweekuk--2020-12-03--Quiz of The Week: 28 November - 4 December

Britain took a big step forward this week towards achieving Boris Johnson ’ s promised “ world-beating ” status in tackling the Covid pandemic , by becoming the first country to approve the Pfizer/BioNtech coronavirus vaccine for general use .
The government has already ordered 40 million doses of the jab , amid hopes that a mass inoculation programme will finally spell the end of virus-related economic strife and restrictions on liberties .
As health bosses prepare to roll out the vaccine , the government is now reportedly planning to enlist the help of “ sensible celebrities ” for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theories that may put people off having the jab .
To find out how closely you ’ ve been paying attention to the latest developments in the pandemic , and other global events , put your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week : Need a reminder of some of the other headlines over the past seven days ?
Elsewhere in Europe , warnings have emerged that Emmanuel Macron will use France ’ s veto in the European Parliament to block a Brexit deal if Paris is unhappy with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perhaps Hungarian MEP Jozsef Szajer was trying to take his mind off the negatiations when he attended what the right-wing politician has described as a “ private party ” in Brussels .
But Szajer - whose ruling Fidesz party has enacted repressive anti-gay legislation - was forced to resign from the European Parliament this week after being busted along with 24 naked men at the alleged orgy , by police called to investigate reports of a breach of Belgium ’ s Covid-19 curfew .
Over in the US , Donald Trump is reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot water by issuing pre-emptive pardons for them before departing the White House , after daughter Ivanka was interviewed under oath over the alleged misuse of his 2017 presidential inauguration funds .
In more light-hearted news , remember that metal monolith that turned up in Utah last week ?
Well , now another one has appeared on a hillside in Romania .
Where the next one will pop up is anybodies guess , however .

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theweekuk--2020-12-04--The Week Unwrapped podcast: Jared’s mission, puberty and a telescopic loss

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– To get six free issues of The Week magazine and a moleskine notebook visit theweek.co.uk/offer and enter promo code : POD25 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In this week ’ s episode , we discuss : With Donald Trump ’ s time in office coming to a close , he appears desperate to cement his legacy in the Middle East , be it one defined by unprecedented stability or new levels of chaos .
So with senior adviser Jared Kushner heading on an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week , is Trump about to leave his mark ?
The High Court has issued a landmark judgement making it harder for children under the age of 16 with gender dysmorphia to be prescribed puberty blockers .
The case was brought by Keira Bell who was given the drugs in her teens , but later decided to detransition .
Campaigners against the ruling say it will make it harder for children suffering intense discomfort to access the treatment they need .
So what comes next for those transgender children ?
On Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rico was destroyed when its 900-ton receiver collapsed onto the 1,000ft reflector dish below .
Its loss was a sad day for astronomers , less because of its scientific relevance - it has been superseded by other telescopes - but because of its cultural place in the history of their field .
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player , Spotify , Apple podcasts , SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts .

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––To get six free issues of The Week magazine and a moleskine notebook visit theweek.co.uk/offer and enter promo code: POD25–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
Kushner on tour
With Donald Trump’s time in office coming to a close, he appears desperate to cement his legacy in the Middle East, be it one defined by unprecedented stability or new levels of chaos. So with senior adviser Jared Kushner heading on an 11th-hour trip to Saudi Arabia and Qatar this week, is Trump about to leave his mark?
Puberty battle
The High Court has issued a landmark judgement making it harder for children under the age of 16 with gender dysmorphia to be prescribed puberty blockers. The case was brought by Keira Bell who was given the drugs in her teens, but later decided to detransition. Campaigners against the ruling say it will make it harder for children suffering intense discomfort to access the treatment they need. So what comes next for those transgender children?
Arecibo down
On Tuesday, the vast Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico was destroyed when its 900-ton receiver collapsed onto the 1,000ft reflector dish below. Its loss was a sad day for astronomers, less because of its scientific relevance - it has been superseded by other telescopes - but because of its cultural place in the history of their field.
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player, Spotify, Apple podcasts, SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts.


theweekuk--2020-12-04--Coronavirus: how war-torn Yemen managed to become Covid-free

Yemen is used to being singled out , but rarely for the right reasons .
One of the world ’ s poorest and least stable countries , Yemen seems an unlikely place for a coronavirus success story - yet official figures back that narrative .
“ In one of the most baffling turn of events in a pandemic that has constantly turned up surprises , ” says The Times , “ the disease has apparently disappeared from Yemen as fast as it came.
” Six months ago , the international community feared the worst for the Middle East nation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and with deadlier consequences in Yemen , ” the BBC reported in June .
“ Almost three years before the advent of Covid-19 , the UN declared Yemen the most needy place on Earth , ” the broadcaster added - and that was before a civil war dislodged the country ’ s president and unleashed a wave of bloodshed as rebel factions battled government loyalists .
Aid workers believed that Covid-19 would tear through a country in which millions of people had no access to toilets or clean water , let alone healthcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dengue fever already ran rampant .
Some were “ forecasting a 90 % infection rate ” , according to The Guardian .
By late summer , however , hope was beginning to emerge .
“ There ’ s no corona in Yemen , ” a resident in the capital Sana ’ a told Alex Crawford of Sky News in September .
Most Yemenis seemed to agree , and in the “ bustling ” old city “ literally no one ” was wearing a face mask .
Even so , Crawford concluded , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country - which is suffering the world ’ s largest humanitarian disaster - has managed to bring it under control ” .
Now , though , international observers seem more hopeful .
“ So far the war-torn country appears to have emerged relatively unscathed by the pandemic , reporting just 2,124 cases and 611 deaths ” as of last week , says The Guardian .
While testing and data collection are “ almost nonexistent ” , the paper adds , doctors and health officials say “ the virus is not a pressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true death toll is higher , but not by an order of magnitude .
Research conducted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine put the number of excess deaths at 2,100 by the end of September .
Most of these fatalities are thought to have occurred early in the pandemic .
Why the outbreak has subsided remains unclear .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) “ pours cold water on claims that so many people have already caught the disease that Yemen has become the first sizeable nation to acquire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other theories seem no more credible , with the decline in Covid cases attributed to everything from recreational drug use to age demographics .
“ There ’ s a firm belief here that quat - which gives the user an amphetamine ‘ high ’ - can help ward off the crippling disease , ” says Sky News .
A doctor quoted in The Guardian “ says ‘ high morale ’ and a population that skews young have kept Yemenis safe ” .
Youth and the absence of obesity almost certainly helped , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the herd immunity theory is feasible ” , The Times reports .
The WHO is planning to take blood from 2,000 people to check for antibodies , but the UN health agency ’ s local head is convinced that a second wave is on the way .
“ Herd immunity is something that ’ s achieved from vaccination , ” says Altaf Musani .
“ The challenge is still to break transmission .
”

Yemen is used to being singled out, but rarely for the right reasons.
One of the world’s poorest and least stable countries, Yemen seems an unlikely place for a coronavirus success story - yet official figures back that narrative.
“In one of the most baffling turn of events in a pandemic that has constantly turned up surprises,” says The Times, “the disease has apparently disappeared from Yemen as fast as it came.”
Six months ago, the international community feared the worst for the Middle East nation. “Coronavirus could spread faster, wider and with deadlier consequences in Yemen,” the BBC reported in June.
“Almost three years before the advent of Covid-19, the UN declared Yemen the most needy place on Earth,” the broadcaster added - and that was before a civil war dislodged the country’s president and unleashed a wave of bloodshed as rebel factions battled government loyalists.
Aid workers believed that Covid-19 would tear through a country in which millions of people had no access to toilets or clean water, let alone healthcare - and in which cholera, malaria and dengue fever already ran rampant. Some were “forecasting a 90% infection rate”, according to The Guardian.
By late summer, however, hope was beginning to emerge. “There’s no corona in Yemen,” a resident in the capital Sana’a told Alex Crawford of Sky News in September.
Most Yemenis seemed to agree, and in the “bustling” old city “literally no one” was wearing a face mask. Even so, Crawford concluded, “it is difficult to believe that the country - which is suffering the world’s largest humanitarian disaster - has managed to bring it under control”.
Now, though, international observers seem more hopeful. “So far the war-torn country appears to have emerged relatively unscathed by the pandemic, reporting just 2,124 cases and 611 deaths” as of last week, says The Guardian.
While testing and data collection are “almost nonexistent”, the paper adds, doctors and health officials say “the virus is not a pressing concern”. Other measures suggest the true death toll is higher, but not by an order of magnitude.
Research conducted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine put the number of excess deaths at 2,100 by the end of September. Most of these fatalities are thought to have occurred early in the pandemic.
Why the outbreak has subsided remains unclear. The World Health Organization (WHO) “pours cold water on claims that so many people have already caught the disease that Yemen has become the first sizeable nation to acquire herd immunity”, says The Times.
Other theories seem no more credible, with the decline in Covid cases attributed to everything from recreational drug use to age demographics. “There’s a firm belief here that quat - which gives the user an amphetamine ‘high’ - can help ward off the crippling disease,” says Sky News. A doctor quoted in The Guardian “says ‘high morale’ and a population that skews young have kept Yemenis safe”.
Youth and the absence of obesity almost certainly helped, but “some doctors here insist that the herd immunity theory is feasible”, The Times reports.
The WHO is planning to take blood from 2,000 people to check for antibodies, but the UN health agency’s local head is convinced that a second wave is on the way. “Herd immunity is something that’s achieved from vaccination,” says Altaf Musani. “The challenge is still to break transmission.”


theweekuk--2020-12-04--Podcasts of the Week: horror, hip-hop and lockdown parenting

“ Oh , the comfort of stories with a beginning , a middle and an actual , definite end !
” said Miranda Sawyer in The Observer .
That , and more , is what you get with Julian Simpson ’ s “ genuinely spooky ” and totally riveting The Lovecraft Investigations , on BBC Radio 4 .
The Shadow Over Innsmouth , inspired by H.P .
Lovecraft ’ s novella , began last month , and I ’ m loving it so much I ’ ve “ begged the publicist for more episodes ” .
Newcomers , though , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series , The Case of Charles Dexter Ward and The Whisperer in Darkness .
The production is exemplary , the storytelling deft , and the acting exquisite .
Investigators Matthew Heawood and Kennedy Fisher are “ played so brilliantly by Barnaby Kay and Jana Carpenter that they ’ ve started to feel like real people ” .
No spoilers , “ but I wouldn ’ t listen while holding a full paint pot , for instance ” .
Hip-Hop Saved My Life is a popular interview-based podcast by comedian Romesh Ranganathan and producer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , series opens with the London rapper Kojey Radical , who proves a “ fantastic ” guest , said Francesca Angelini in The Sunday Times .
He ’ s “ straight-talking , funny ” and insightful , and as ever there ’ s “ plenty of excellent , often overlooked tracks ” to enjoy .
Another treat for hip-hop fans is Louder Than a Riot , said Hannah Verdier in The Guardian .
This “ superlative ” podcast traces the “ collision of rhyme and punishment in America ” .
NPR ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incendiary rap lyrics encourage criminality , and investigate rumours of a “ secret meeting in the early 1990s where privately owned prison authorities promised a kickback for music industry executives who promoted rap music ” .
It ’ s riveting stuff .
I ’ m not entirely sure whether Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe ’ s Lockdown Parenting Hell is a “ comedy podcast , or a confessional ” , said Charlotte Runcie in Prospect .
Either way , if you ’ re a parent , it ’ s likely to “ come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a light-hearted show in which the two comics , who both have young children , discuss the triumphs and tribulations of this difficult year with the likes of Peter Crouch , Jo Brand , Jonathan Ross and Isy Suttie .
On a far more sombre note , I recommend On the Marie Curie Couch , said Runcie .
This “ creative and interesting ” podcast features well-known people in “ therapeutic conversation ” with Jason Davidson , a bereavement support expert .
His guests include Alison Steadman , Jane Horrocks and Hugh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sensitively about their own experiences of grief ” , and give their thoughts on coping with bereavement and serious illness .
What is Jared Kushner up to ?
How will a new court ruling affect young trans people ?
And why was a great telescope left to rot ?
Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days .

Podcasts can offer a “brilliant insight” into parenting, said My Baba magazine. Whether it’s “tackling the day-to-day challenges” of bringing up children or “picking up some new parenting techniques”, there are podcasts out there that cover all relevant topics. One of the UK’s top parenting podcasts is “Not Another Mummy Podcast”, hosted by Alison Perry. She chats to a different guest each episode about parenting and family issues, and previous guests include Dr Rangan Chatterjee and Emma Bunton.
One would expect that the audience for Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe’s “Parenting Hell” would be mostly new dads, said Stuart Heritage in The Guardian. In fact, the comedians’ winning mix of “piss-taking and genuine introspection” has drawn a wide listenership. “If you worked on a desk next to them, there’s a chance that the non-stop banter would drive you up the wall, but in weekly, hour-long chunks it is an absolute delight”.
“The Scummy Mummies” is a broadly similar offering from two other comedians, Ellie Gibson and Helen Thorn. They are excellent company; they make you feel “part of their gang”; and their podcast is a “played-for-laughs confessional, dealing with the sort of subject matter that you’d only share with friends you really trust”. Podcasts that teach you to be a better parent are often “quite unbearable”, but Dr Maryhan Baker’s “How Not to Screw Up Your Kids” covers a vast range of parenting issues with wit and empathy, and steers well clear of “irritating idealism”. You’re “still going to screw your kids up a bit, but this might provide some damage limitation”.
“Happy Mum, Happy Baby” with Giovanna Fletcher is a “must-listen” for any parent seeking “solidarity and support”, said Amelia Jones on Metro. In “warm yet frank” and “non-judgemental” conversations with other high-profile mums and dads, Fletcher continues the conversation about motherhood that began in her bestselling book of the same title. Hosted by Zoe Blaskey, “The Motherkind” podcast is “an invitation to ditch the guilt, anxiety and feelings of overwhelm” to find the “calm” amid the “chaos”.
Hosted by lesbian mum Lotte Jeffs and gay dad Stu Oakley, “Some Families” is the UK’s first LGBTQ+ parenting podcast, said GQ, and each episode features a guest with a “unique, often jaw-dropping story”. A “source of support” for queer parents, and “insight for allies”, this is “well worth your data”.


theweekuk--2020-12-05--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 5 Dec 2020

The Jamaican government has confirmed that one of the prisoners deported from the UK to Jamaica on Wednesday has tested @ @ @ @ @ man is being held in isolation at a hospital in the capital , Kingston .
@ @ @ @ @ been accused of “ deeply insulting and patronising ” behaviour by victims of the Windrush @ @ @ @ @ calling for deportation flights to be stopped as “ do-gooding celebrities ” .

Jamaican deportee tests positive for coronavirus
The Jamaican government has confirmed that one of the prisoners deported from the UK to Jamaica on Wednesday has tested positive for Covid-19. The man is being held in isolation at a hospital in the capital, Kingston. Meanwhile, Priti Patel has been accused of “deeply insulting and patronising” behaviour by victims of the Windrush scandal after she described those calling for deportation flights to be stopped as “do-gooding celebrities”.


theweekuk--2020-12-06--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 6 Dec 2020

Twice as many people as normal are expecting to spend Christmas alone this year , according to a poll in @ @ @ @ @ over-64s , the figure has risen from 7 % to 14 % – or 1.7 @ @ @ @ @ % of adults say they will spend Christmas with their parents , down from 35 @ @ @ @ @ The data has raised concerns about a “ silent epidemic of loneliness ” .

Queen may reveal when she has had coronavirus vaccine
The Queen may “let it be known” that she has received the coronavirus vaccine once she and the Duke of Edinburgh have had the jab. Although royal aides feel it is a “personal decision” and “private matter” to have the vaccine it is also thought that the Queen’s public backing would be seen as a powerful counter to the anti-vaccination movement.


theweekuk--2020-12-07--Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul exhibition bout a ‘low blow for boxing’

Floyd Mayweather will once again lace up his gloves and return to the boxing ring - this time for a “ special exhibition ” bout against YouTube star Logan Paul on 20 February .
Mayweather , 43 , retired from professional boxing with an undefeated record of 50-0 and is “ widely considered the greatest fighter of his generation ” , says the Daily Mail .
In 2017 the American beat MMA star Conor McGregor in a boxing match , then in 2018 he defeated Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa after just 140 seconds in an exhibition which was worth a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Money ” Mayweather ’ s fight against McGregor was “ one of the richest bouts in boxing history ” , says the BBC .
And according to Forbes he was ranked the highest-paid sports star from 2010 to 2019 after raking in $ 915m ( £698.3m ) during the decade .
His next challenge , against the internet sensation , is expected to be another money-spinner for pay-per-view sales .
It will be streamed live on Fanmio with PPV costing $ 24.99 ( £18.80 ) .
Paul , who has 22.6 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously - with both bouts against British social media personality KSI .
The first fight , an amateur white-collar boxing match , ended in a majority draw .
Then in his professional debut Paul lost the rematch .
Despite his short fighting career Paul stoked the possibility of a bout against Mayweather after trash talking the boxing legend .
Last month he warned he would “ snap this f -- ker in half ” , TMZ Sports reported at the time .
“ Let me tell you this , if I caught Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whoop his ass !
No question , ” Paul said .
“ MMA ?
Octagon ?
Whoop his ass !
The only place I think Floyd is safe obviously is the boxing ring , but to be honest , I don ’ t give a f*ck !
I don ’ t give a f*ck !
I would fight Floyd anytime , anywhere , any place .
Doesn ’ t f*ckin ’ matter to me.
” Now that Paul ’ s got his wish , the February fight is “ going to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says The Athletic ’ s Mike Coppinger .
With the trash talking starting even before the announcement was made , the lead-up to the exhibition has the potential to drive “ a lot of people nuts ” , Coppinger tweeted .
‘ Boxing is no longer about talent ’ While it will make a lot of money for the fighters , promoters and TV networks , there are many critics against the bout .
UFC president Dana White has been left less than impressed by the exhibition fight , the Mail reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Nelk Boys , White said : “ When people ask me what ’ s the state of boxing right now , that ’ s where it ’ s at .
Didn ’ t that kid get beat up by the f*****g video game kid from England and now he ’ s going to fight Floyd Mayweather ?
” Yahoo combat columnist Kevin Iole says Mayweather vs. Paul is just another “ low blow ” to the boxing world .
Iole wrote : “ No thank you , Floyd Mayweather .
Hard pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to turn boxing into a farce .
Paul is a cruiserweight who will have roughly a 50-pound weight advantage .
But he ’ ll have about as much of a chance of winning the fight as he would beating Usain Bolt in a 100-metre dash .
“ Mayweather and Paul are showing yet again that boxing is no longer about talent , training , conditioning and winning one ’ s fights .
Rather , it ’ s name recognition and treading on celebrity .
”

Floyd Mayweather will once again lace up his gloves and return to the boxing ring - this time for a “special exhibition” bout against YouTube star Logan Paul on 20 February.
Mayweather, 43, retired from professional boxing with an undefeated record of 50-0 and is “widely considered the greatest fighter of his generation”, says the Daily Mail.
In 2017 the American beat MMA star Conor McGregor in a boxing match, then in 2018 he defeated Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa after just 140 seconds in an exhibition which was worth a reported $9m (£6.7m).
“Money” Mayweather’s fight against McGregor was “one of the richest bouts in boxing history”, says the BBC. And according to Forbes he was ranked the highest-paid sports star from 2010 to 2019 after raking in $915m (£698.3m) during the decade.
His next challenge, against the internet sensation, is expected to be another money-spinner for pay-per-view sales. It will be streamed live on Fanmio with PPV costing $24.99 (£18.80).
Trash talk
Paul, who has 22.6 million subscribers on YouTube, has fought twice previously - with both bouts against British social media personality KSI. The first fight, an amateur white-collar boxing match, ended in a majority draw. Then in his professional debut Paul lost the rematch.
Despite his short fighting career Paul stoked the possibility of a bout against Mayweather after trash talking the boxing legend. Last month he warned he would “snap this f--ker in half”, TMZ Sports reported at the time.
“Let me tell you this, if I caught Floyd in a real fight, street fight, whoop his ass! No question,” Paul said. “MMA? Octagon? Whoop his ass! The only place I think Floyd is safe obviously is the boxing ring, but to be honest, I don’t give a f*ck! I don’t give a f*ck! I would fight Floyd anytime, anywhere, any place. Doesn’t f*ckin’ matter to me.”
Now that Paul’s got his wish, the February fight is “going to make these guys a lot of money”, says The Athletic’s Mike Coppinger. With the trash talking starting even before the announcement was made, the lead-up to the exhibition has the potential to drive “a lot of people nuts”, Coppinger tweeted.
‘Boxing is no longer about talent’
While it will make a lot of money for the fighters, promoters and TV networks, there are many critics against the bout.
UFC president Dana White has been left less than impressed by the exhibition fight, the Mail reports. In a video posted on Twitter by Nelk Boys, White said: “When people ask me what’s the state of boxing right now, that’s where it’s at. Didn’t that kid get beat up by the f*****g video game kid from England and now he’s going to fight Floyd Mayweather?”
Yahoo combat columnist Kevin Iole says Mayweather vs. Paul is just another “low blow” to the boxing world.
Iole wrote: “No thank you, Floyd Mayweather. Hard pass, Logan Paul. This is starting to turn boxing into a farce. Paul is a cruiserweight who will have roughly a 50-pound weight advantage. But he’ll have about as much of a chance of winning the fight as he would beating Usain Bolt in a 100-metre dash.
“Mayweather and Paul are showing yet again that boxing is no longer about talent, training, conditioning and winning one’s fights. Rather, it’s name recognition and treading on celebrity.”


theweekuk--2020-12-07--Playing Cupid during Covid: Tinder reveals Britain’s top chat-up lines of the year

Locked-down singletons have “ adapted and got creative ” in their bid to find love during the Covid pandemic - and their chat-up lines and topics have branched off in some unexpected directions too , according to Tinder .
The online dating giant ’ s newly published Year in Swipe report reveals double-digit increases in use of the app ’ s messaging and swipe features from the end of February , “ with more daters than ever relying on meeting people virtually ” , says the Daily Mail .
By “ looking at a year ’ s worth of Tinder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new trends including “ coronavirus-themed pick-up lines , bragging about success on TikTok , and showing support for the Black Lives Matter movement ” , the newspaper adds .
The most-mentioned celebrities in flirty conversations between Tinder users in the UK were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle , Tiger King stars Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin , and perhaps rather more surprisingly , Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings .
Hot topics of discussion included the NHS and , less surprisingly , Eat Out to Help Out .
Mentions of Tiktok have also increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year , with some singletons showing off their dance moves in their own videos , or trying to attract potential mates by bragging that they ’ re “ TikTok famous ” .
And BLM mentions in Tinder users ’ biographies increased by 55 times from last year , overtaking use of the term “ hook-up ” .
Amid the furore surrounding the US presidential election , mentions of the word “ vote ” has doubled in 2020 - “ because you know what ’ s sexier than voting ?
Nothing , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic has also dominated the flirty virtual chat .
Use of the emjoi wearing a face mask spiked , along with the shrugging emoji , the rainbow emoji and the BLM fist in the air emoji .
An “ entire new breed of chat-up lines took the app by storm in March ” too , as references to “ quarantine and chill ” increased rapidly , says the Mail .
But among the most memorable chat-up lines of 2020 has to be “ it ’ s a long drive to Barnard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me ?
” - a reference to the former Downing Street aide ’ s infamous lockdown trip .

Locked-down singletons have “adapted and got creative” in their bid to find love during the Covid pandemic - and their chat-up lines and topics have branched off in some unexpected directions too, according to Tinder.
The online dating giant’s newly published Year in Swipe report reveals double-digit increases in use of the app’s messaging and swipe features from the end of February, “with more daters than ever relying on meeting people virtually”, says the Daily Mail.
By “looking at a year’s worth of Tinder profiles”, the company has identified new trends including “coronavirus-themed pick-up lines, bragging about success on TikTok, and showing support for the Black Lives Matter movement”, the newspaper adds.
The most-mentioned celebrities in flirty conversations between Tinder users in the UK were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Tiger King stars Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, and perhaps rather more surprisingly, Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings.
Hot topics of discussion included the NHS and, less surprisingly, Eat Out to Help Out. Mentions of Tiktok have also increased eight-fold on Tinder since the start of the year, with some singletons showing off their dance moves in their own videos, or trying to attract potential mates by bragging that they’re “TikTok famous”.
And BLM mentions in Tinder users’ biographies increased by 55 times from last year, overtaking use of the term “hook-up”.
Amid the furore surrounding the US presidential election, mentions of the word “vote” has doubled in 2020 - “because you know what’s sexier than voting? Nothing,” says the Tinder report.
Inevitably, the coronavirus pandemic has also dominated the flirty virtual chat.
Use of the emjoi wearing a face mask spiked, along with the shrugging emoji, the rainbow emoji and the BLM fist in the air emoji.
An “entire new breed of chat-up lines took the app by storm in March” too, as references to “quarantine and chill” increased rapidly, says the Mail.
But among the most memorable chat-up lines of 2020 has to be “it’s a long drive to Barnard Castle, who’s Cumming with me?” - a reference to the former Downing Street aide’s infamous lockdown trip.


theweekuk--2020-12-07--Why is Black Lives Matter being described as a ‘political movement’?

Environment Secretary George Eustice has sparked fresh debate about Black Lives Matters after refusing to condemn football fans who booed Millwall players for “ taking the knee ” .
Responding to questions about the incident at Saturday ’ s game between Millwall and Derby County , Eustice told Sky News that “ the issue of race and racial discrimination is something that we all take very , very seriously ” .
But he added : “ Black Lives Matter , capital B , L and M , is actually a political movement that is different to what most of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for racial equality .
“ Each individual can take their own choices about how they reflect this .
I know a number of people feel quite strongly and have taken that approach.
” The Football Association has condemned Millwall fans for booing their own players for taking a knee , which “ all elite teams have done since the police killing of George Floyd in the United States in May ” , says The Times .
And a man was later arrested over a series of “ abusive ” Facebook messages posted during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , a statement issued by Millwall FC - a team that has “ historically been synonymous with racism ” , according to Vice - said the club was “ dismayed and saddened ” by Saturday ’ s events .
Eustane is not the first to criticise the BLM movement , however .
In an article in The Telegraph in June , ex-Brexit Party MEP Alexandra Phillips described the group as a “ neo-Marxist movement with various far left objectives ” .
These objections include “ defunding the police… dismantling capitalism and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Western-prescribed nuclear family structure ” , Phillips wrote .
The official BLM website describes the movement as a “ black-centered political will and movement building project ” with more than 40 chapters whose “ members organise and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on black communities by the state and vigilantes ” .
BLM UK , formed in 2016 , did list “ the dismantling of capitalism as a goal during recent fundraising on the Go Fund Me website ” , The Times reports .
However , the US Office of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is neither “ partisan or political ” , a ruling that has “ cleared the way ” for US federal employees to support the movement while on duty by wearing BLM insignia , says USA Today .

Environment Secretary George Eustice has sparked fresh debate about Black Lives Matters after refusing to condemn football fans who booed Millwall players for “taking the knee”.
Responding to questions about the incident at Saturday’s game between Millwall and Derby County, Eustice told Sky News that “the issue of race and racial discrimination is something that we all take very, very seriously”.
But he added: “Black Lives Matter, capital B, L and M, is actually a political movement that is different to what most of us believe in, which is standing up for racial equality.
“Each individual can take their own choices about how they reflect this. I know a number of people feel quite strongly and have taken that approach.”
The Football Association has condemned Millwall fans for booing their own players for taking a knee, which “all elite teams have done since the police killing of George Floyd in the United States in May”, says The Times. And a man was later arrested over a series of “abusive” Facebook messages posted during the match, the BBC reports.
Meanwhile, a statement issued by Millwall FC - a team that has “historically been synonymous with racism”, according to Vice - said the club was “dismayed and saddened” by Saturday’s events.
Eustane is not the first to criticise the BLM movement, however.
In an article in The Telegraph in June, ex-Brexit Party MEP Alexandra Phillips described the group as a “neo-Marxist movement with various far left objectives”.
These objections include “defunding the police… dismantling capitalism and the patriarchal system [and] disrupting the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure”, Phillips wrote.
The official BLM website describes the movement as a “black-centered political will and movement building project” with more than 40 chapters whose “members organise and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on black communities by the state and vigilantes”.
BLM UK, formed in 2016, did list “the dismantling of capitalism as a goal during recent fundraising on the Go Fund Me website”, The Times reports.
However, the US Office of Special Counsel has said that the movement is neither “partisan or political”, a ruling that has “cleared the way” for US federal employees to support the movement while on duty by wearing BLM insignia, says USA Today.


theweekuk--2020-12-07--‘Avoid these hotels’: Britannia chain ranked worst in UK for eighth year running

Even in the midst of a global pandemic , the Britannia hotel chain has failed to “ clean up its act ” , according to a new Which ?
report .
The consumer group ’ s latest annual survey of the UK ’ s largest hotel chains has seen Britannia landing the bottom spot for the eighth consecutive year , with an overall score of just 37 % .
Britannia “ plumbed new depths ” with one-star ratings in most categories , Which ?
says .
The budget hotel brand was the only chain to get one star for cleanliness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , with a former Britannia guest describing their accommodation as a “ dirty hovel ” .
And “ despite being one of the UK 's cheapest chains , with rooms costing an average of £58 per night , guests still only gave Britannia one star for value for money ” , Sky News reports .
Which ?
says that its undercover inspectors found “ stained towels , stray hairs and pillows flimsier than bookmarks ” at the company ’ s Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone .
“ A germ simulation experiment demonstrated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the watchdog continues .
“ The situation at Britannia ’ s Brighton seafront hotel , the Royal Albion , wasn ’ t much better .
Swab tests revealed traces of enterococci , bacteria found in faeces , on the toilet seat and bathroom door handle.
” Which ?
Travel editor Rory Boland said : “ It appears that not even a global pandemic could force Britannia to clean up its act .
At best , it ’ s drab and dated , and at worst it ’ s downright filthy .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our survey , our message is loud and clear - avoid these hotels.
” In a message on the Britannia website , the firm insists that a wide range of measures are in place to help customers and staff “ stay safe ” during the coronavirus pandemic .
Responding to the survey results , a spokesperson said : “ We are totally committed to providing a safe environment for visitors .
We have so far spent around £2m on Covid-19 precautions , but we accept there is more to do.
” Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bottom of the table ” include Mercure ( 60 % ) and Days Inn ( 63 % ) , although cleanliness was not a cause for concern at either brand ’ s properties , Which ?
reports .
By contrast , “ this year ’ s success story ” was Sofitel , which finished top of the survey with an overall score of 86 % .
The luxury chain got five-star ratings in most categories , including the quality of its bedrooms and bathrooms .

Even in the midst of a global pandemic, the Britannia hotel chain has failed to “clean up its act”, according to a new Which? report.
The consumer group’s latest annual survey of the UK’s largest hotel chains has seen Britannia landing the bottom spot for the eighth consecutive year, with an overall score of just 37%.
Britannia “plumbed new depths” with one-star ratings in most categories, Which? says. The budget hotel brand was the only chain to get one star for cleanliness in the poll of more than 4,000 people, with a former Britannia guest describing their accommodation as a “dirty hovel”.
And “despite being one of the UK's cheapest chains, with rooms costing an average of £58 per night, guests still only gave Britannia one star for value for money”, Sky News reports.
Which? says that its undercover inspectors found “stained towels, stray hairs and pillows flimsier than bookmarks” at the company’s Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone.
“A germ simulation experiment demonstrated worrying lapses in cleaning between guests,” the watchdog continues. “The situation at Britannia’s Brighton seafront hotel, the Royal Albion, wasn’t much better. Swab tests revealed traces of enterococci, bacteria found in faeces, on the toilet seat and bathroom door handle.”
Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said: “It appears that not even a global pandemic could force Britannia to clean up its act. At best, it’s drab and dated, and at worst it’s downright filthy.
“And after eight years at the bottom of our survey, our message is loud and clear - avoid these hotels.”
In a message on the Britannia website, the firm insists that a wide range of measures are in place to help customers and staff “stay safe” during the coronavirus pandemic.
Responding to the survey results, a spokesperson said: “We are totally committed to providing a safe environment for visitors. We have so far spent around £2m on Covid-19 precautions, but we accept there is more to do.”
Other hotel chains “left languishing near the bottom of the table” include Mercure (60%) and Days Inn (63%), although cleanliness was not a cause for concern at either brand’s properties, Which? reports.
By contrast, “this year’s success story” was Sofitel, which finished top of the survey with an overall score of 86%. The luxury chain got five-star ratings in most categories, including the quality of its bedrooms and bathrooms.


theweekuk--2020-12-07--Coronavirus: UK to kickstart world’s first Covid vaccination rollout in less than 24 hours

Batches of the world ’ s first coronavirus vaccine are arriving at dozens of UK hospitals as medics prepare to administer the first doses to patients tomorrow .
With the world watching the launch of the immunisation programme , early images from south London show staff “ unloading doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab from boxes at Croydon University Hospital before placing them in freezers on the site ” , Sky News reports .
People aged over 80 will be the first to get the jabs - which must be stored at temperatures of about minus 70C - but have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not called up to receive the vaccine this month ” , the broadcaster adds .
Urging eligible patients to “ hang fire ” if they have not yet been invited to be immunised , NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson said that “ for the vast , vast , vast majority of people , this will be done in January , February and March ” .
Once vaccinated , patients will be given immunisation cards that list the vaccine name , date of immunisation and batch number of each of the doses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ keep this record card in your purse or wallet ” .
As The Guardian reports , the rollout of the vaccine is the “ largest and most complex vaccination campaign in the country ’ s history ” .
NHS staff worked “ through the weekend to prepare immunisation clinics and compile lists of who should be invited to have the jab first ” , the paper adds .
And “ to ensure no vaccine or time is wasted , spare appointments will be offered to those healthcare workers who are at @ @ @ @ @ @ @


theweekuk--2020-12-07--Brexit countdown: the key events to follow in deal or no-deal week

Boris Johnson is embarking on the biggest test of his premiership as forces collide this week to reveal just how his pledge to “ get Brexit done ” will pan out in practice .
A year after his general election victory , Johnson is preparing for further phone talks with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen , after another two days of negotiations between the UK ’ s chief negotatior David Frost and his EU counterpart Michel Barnier in Brussels .
Politico ’ s London Playbook reports that today ’ s call is expected to take place “ in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislative maneuvering in Westminster .
Here are the other crunch events coming up in this action-packed week .
As Politico reports , “ the controversial Internal Market Bill is back in the Commons this afternoon ” .
MPs are set to vote on House of Lords amendments that “ stripped out the international-law-breaking elements that would override the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement ” , the site continues .
How that vote goes will have consequences for the conversation between Johnson and von der Leyen , as they battle to “ break the post-Brexit trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Another potential stumbling block in negotiations may be the introduction of the Taxation Bill , which is due to go before the Commons on Tuesday if no Brexit deal is on the table by then .
BBC economics editor Faisal Islam writes that “ in an echo of the controversy over the Internal Market Bill ” , the Bill contains “ clauses that provide the power to disarm the effect of certain parts of the Withdrawal Deal ” .
A second reading of the Taxation Bill is scheduled to take place on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ showdown vote ” , says London Playbook .
Given the angry response of the EU to the Internal Market Bill , tabling the Taxation Bill could set the fuse for another round of fireworks .
According to the Financial Times , EU figures have “ baulked at the idea that the bloc could find itself in the final stages of negotiating a treaty ” while Johnson “ moves to contravene its existing deal ” .
A big day in Brussels as the EU holds its final European Council summit of the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bloc to sign off any Brexit deal at this last meeting of 2020 , but whether there will be anything to agree remains to be seen .

Boris Johnson is embarking on the biggest test of his premiership as forces collide this week to reveal just how his pledge to “get Brexit done” will pan out in practice.
Politico’s London Playbook reports that today’s call is expected to take place “in the early evening”, following key legislative maneuvering in Westminster. Here are the other crunch events coming up in this action-packed week.
Monday
As Politico reports, “the controversial Internal Market Bill is back in the Commons this afternoon”.
MPs are set to vote on House of Lords amendments that “stripped out the international-law-breaking elements that would override the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement”, the site continues.
How that vote goes will have consequences for the conversation between Johnson and von der Leyen, as they battle to “break the post-Brexit trade deal stalemate”, says the BBC.
Tuesday
Another potential stumbling block in negotiations may be the introduction of the Taxation Bill, which is due to go before the Commons on Tuesday if no Brexit deal is on the table by then.
BBC economics editor Faisal Islam writes that “in an echo of the controversy over the Internal Market Bill”, the Bill contains “clauses that provide the power to disarm the effect of certain parts of the Withdrawal Deal”.
Wednesday
A second reading of the Taxation Bill is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, setting the scene for another “showdown vote”, says London Playbook.
Given the angry response of the EU to the Internal Market Bill, tabling the Taxation Bill could set the fuse for another round of fireworks. According to the Financial Times, EU figures have “baulked at the idea that the bloc could find itself in the final stages of negotiating a treaty” while Johnson “moves to contravene its existing deal”.
Thursday
A big day in Brussels as the EU holds its final European Council summit of the year. The plan had been for the bloc to sign off any Brexit deal at this last meeting of 2020, but whether there will be anything to agree remains to be seen.


theweekuk--2020-12-07--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 7 Dec 2020

Donald Trump ’ s lawyer Rudy Giuliani says he is “ recovering quickly ” after testing positive for Covid-19 and @ @ @ @ @ The 76-year-old former mayor of New York thanked his “ friends and followers ” for @ @ @ @ @ the latest member in Donald Trump ’ s inner circle to contract the disease that @ @ @ @ @ people in the US .
“ Get better soon Rudy , we will carry on @ @ @ @ @ president wrote on Twitter .

Rudy Giuliani ‘recovering’ after catching Covid-19
Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani says he is “recovering quickly” after testing positive for Covid-19 and being sent to hospital. The 76-year-old former mayor of New York thanked his “friends and followers” for their concern. He is the latest member in Donald Trump’s inner circle to contract the disease that has killed more than 280,000 people in the US. “Get better soon Rudy, we will carry on!!!” the president wrote on Twitter.


theweekuk--2020-12-07--Instant Opinion: ‘We’re all paying the price’ of hard Brexit

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
Hard remainers wouldn ’ t accept a soft Brexit .
Now we ’ re all paying the price “ A series of tragic mistakes were made .
Rather than try to convince leavers , continuity remainers increasingly made the argument that the referendum result was illegitimate because of Russian interference , questionable Facebook advertising and bogus promises .
Rather than win over leavers , these campaigners succeeded only in patronising them , making fellow remainers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope that the referendum result could be reversed , rather focusing energy on fighting for a close relationship with the EU following Britain ’ s departure .
All attempts at compromise were maligned by the official remain campaigns .
Whatever Labour ’ s failures , its position on Brexit was genuinely driven by a fear of alienating leave voters who were disproportionately concentrated in marginal seats that the party needs to keep and win to have a chance of forming a government .
Every possible option other than a second referendum – or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British people – was toxified.
” The Human Rights Act is not infallible “ The Government does not have any preconceived ideas about the review ’ s findings , but we are looking for options and there are some specific areas where we would like to see a focus – including whether the Act can result in judges being drawn , unduly , into matters of policy as well as law and whether they have struck the right balance between re-writing Acts of a Parliament and making a declaration of incompatibility .
Reviewing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undertaking .
These are complex matters of law that interact with our most basic rights .
It is precisely because we want to ensure that the Act protects those rights in the most effective way that this Review is taking place.
” For anyone wishing for a better future , normalcy is the enemy “ We know that Covid-19 did not emerge in a vacuum .
Climate change altered the way we relate to and interact with other species on earth and made conditions more favourable for the spread of infectious diseases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearing the end of this deadly pandemic , there appears to be a rush to return to a ‘ normal ’ that paved the way for this public health emergency .
In China , the first country to shut down and one of the earliest to start reopening , the dramatic improvements in air quality seen as manufacturing and transportation largely came to a halt in the first few months of the year have now vanished .
As all other countries rush to return to economic growth to make up for the lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks being on the cards .
Faced with mounting deaths and personal disarray , it is easy to wish to turn the clocks backwards .
And yet , there is no logic in trying to fix a problem by doubling down on the mistakes that caused it in the first place.
” An assassination in Tehran — that ’ s all about Joe Biden “ In a plot worthy of the best spy thriller , Dr Mohsen Fakhrizadeh , the father of Iran ’ s nuclear programme , was gunned down on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried out with ruthless efficiency , taking all of three minutes , seemingly conducted by remote-controlled car and weapons .
To add to the James Bond lustre of the hit , just days before Iran ’ s three chief adversaries met publicly for the first time in Neom , Saudi Arabia .
It is not known what Benjamin Netanyahu ( Prime Minister of Israel ) , Mike Pompeo ( US Secretary of State ) and Mohammed bin Salman ( Crown Prince and de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia ) spoke about .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , my guess is that it wasn ’ t the weather.
” Should we judge Roald Dahl ’ s work by his appalling anti-Semitism ?
“ Roald Dahl died in 1990 .
So why does it matter today that he was an anti-Semite ?
Why has his family apologised thirty years on ?
And should his work be cancelled as a result ?
Or , to paraphrase the bible , should the sins of the author be visited upon the third and fourth generations who profit from his work ?
In September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dahl ’ s Tales of the Unexpected to avoid paying royalties to an anti-Semite , making Dahl the third person whose work was excluded from the still-young state ’ s airwaves after Wagner and Strauss .
Dahl had just published a book review considered to be so aggressively anti-Semitic that Paul Johnson described it in The Spectator the following month as ‘ the most disgraceful item to appear in a respectable British publication for a very long time ’ .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Owen Jones in The Guardian
on mistakes and missteps
Hard remainers wouldn’t accept a soft Brexit. Now we’re all paying the price
“A series of tragic mistakes were made. Rather than try to convince leavers, continuity remainers increasingly made the argument that the referendum result was illegitimate because of Russian interference, questionable Facebook advertising and bogus promises. Rather than win over leavers, these campaigners succeeded only in patronising them, making fellow remainers angrier about Brexit and giving them false hope that the referendum result could be reversed, rather focusing energy on fighting for a close relationship with the EU following Britain’s departure. All attempts at compromise were maligned by the official remain campaigns. Whatever Labour’s failures, its position on Brexit was genuinely driven by a fear of alienating leave voters who were disproportionately concentrated in marginal seats that the party needs to keep and win to have a chance of forming a government. Every possible option other than a second referendum – or even stopping Brexit altogether without consulting the British people – was toxified.”
2. Robert Buckland QC in The Daily Telegraph
on revision and review
The Human Rights Act is not infallible
“The Government does not have any preconceived ideas about the review’s findings, but we are looking for options and there are some specific areas where we would like to see a focus – including whether the Act can result in judges being drawn, unduly, into matters of policy as well as law and whether they have struck the right balance between re-writing Acts of a Parliament and making a declaration of incompatibility. Reviewing the Human Rights Act is a huge undertaking. These are complex matters of law that interact with our most basic rights. It is precisely because we want to ensure that the Act protects those rights in the most effective way that this Review is taking place.”
3. Lorenzo Marsili in Al Jazeera
on refusing to turn back time
For anyone wishing for a better future, normalcy is the enemy
“We know that Covid-19 did not emerge in a vacuum. Climate change altered the way we relate to and interact with other species on earth and made conditions more favourable for the spread of infectious diseases. And yet, as we are finally nearing the end of this deadly pandemic, there appears to be a rush to return to a ‘normal’ that paved the way for this public health emergency. In China, the first country to shut down and one of the earliest to start reopening, the dramatic improvements in air quality seen as manufacturing and transportation largely came to a halt in the first few months of the year have now vanished. As all other countries rush to return to economic growth to make up for the lost time, a free-for-all for polluters now risks being on the cards. Faced with mounting deaths and personal disarray, it is easy to wish to turn the clocks backwards. And yet, there is no logic in trying to fix a problem by doubling down on the mistakes that caused it in the first place.”
4. John Hulsman in City A.M.
on sci-fi slaughter
An assassination in Tehran — that’s all about Joe Biden
“In a plot worthy of the best spy thriller, Dr Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the father of Iran’s nuclear programme, was gunned down on the outskirts of Tehran. The attack was carried out with ruthless efficiency, taking all of three minutes, seemingly conducted by remote-controlled car and weapons. To add to the James Bond lustre of the hit, just days before Iran’s three chief adversaries met publicly for the first time in Neom, Saudi Arabia. It is not known what Benjamin Netanyahu (Prime Minister of Israel), Mike Pompeo (US Secretary of State) and Mohammed bin Salman (Crown Prince and de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia) spoke about. But given the assassination of Fakhrizadeh just days later, my guess is that it wasn’t the weather.”
5. Jonathan Sacerdoti in The Spectator
on a dark past
Should we judge Roald Dahl’s work by his appalling anti-Semitism?
“Roald Dahl died in 1990. So why does it matter today that he was an anti-Semite? Why has his family apologised thirty years on? And should his work be cancelled as a result? Or, to paraphrase the bible, should the sins of the author be visited upon the third and fourth generations who profit from his work? In September 1983, Israeli TV stopped broadcasting Roald Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected to avoid paying royalties to an anti-Semite, making Dahl the third person whose work was excluded from the still-young state’s airwaves after Wagner and Strauss. Dahl had just published a book review considered to be so aggressively anti-Semitic that Paul Johnson described it in The Spectator the following month as ‘the most disgraceful item to appear in a respectable British publication for a very long time’.”


theweekuk--2020-12-07--North vs. South: how coronavirus has widened Britain’s wealth gap

The coronavirus pandemic has deepened the inequalities between people living in the south of England and those in the north and Midlands , new research shows .
The newly published State of the North report from the Institute for Public Policy Research ( IPPR ) reveals proportionally higher levels of unemployment and child poverty in northern regions , despite Boris Johnson ’ s pledge at last year ’ s election to “ level up ” the UK .
“ Covid-19 has thrown our long-term inequities and lack of resilience into a stark spotlight , ” says the think tank .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ old order would be unsustainable and – for many – unacceptable.
” What did the IPPR find ?
The IPPR says the North is “ experiencing levels of unemployment not seen since 1994 ” as a result of the pandemic , with areas subjected to the harshest Tier 3 Covid restrictions suffering the most .
“ In October , 657,900 people claimed unemployment-related benefits in the north of England , with Tier 3 Blackpool , Middlesbrough and Hull among the hardest hit , ” the report says .
“ That is almost double @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were 340,220 northern claimants.
” The report says that rates of child poverty are also higher in the North , affecting one in three children , while the gender and ethnicity pay gap is wider and life expectancy is below the average for England .
Although the hardship is disproportionately affecting the North , however , areas of the South are also feeling the ill effects of the pandemic .
Of all the English regions , London has seen the biggest year-on-year increase in unemployment benefit claimants , with an extra 302,910 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 5 % rise .
By contrast , the southwest of England has seen one of the lowest annual percentage increases in joblessness , at just 2.9 % .
Why lies behind the differences ?
The report suggests that the disparities are down to a “ one size fits all ” approach to compensating coronavirus-affected areas that fails to take into account historic differences between the North and South .
A “ decade of austerity has eroded resilience ” across the North and “ severely hampered its ability to deal with the social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” , the authors say .
The publication of that verdict comes after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham ( pictured top ) accused Boris Johnson of playing a “ game of poker with people ’ s lives ” by forcing the city back into the highest Covid restrictions in October .
Burnham warned that local people faced “ a winter of real hardship ” , after ministers pushed the region to accept less than the £65m requested “ to prevent poverty , to prevent hardship , to prevent homelessness ” .
Johnson has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backbenches , with a number of the Tory intake who won seats in the “ Red Wall ” in last December ’ s election calling on the government to honour its pledge to invest in northern regions .
What is being done ?
Responding to the IPPR report , a spokesperson for HM Treasury insisted that the government is “ totally committed to levelling up opportunities across the whole of the UK as we build back better ” .
Downing Street is taking “ significant steps with new investment in green technologies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North , setting out plans for freeports , and investing £100bn in infrastructure to boost growth ” , the spokesperson added .
The measures are part of Johnson ’ s plan for a “ green industrial revolution ” , which the prime minister says will create up to 250,000 jobs in green energy , many of which will be in the North , Midlands , Scotland and Wales .
But despite the plans , IPPR North director Sarah Longlands is warning that with “ Brexit is just around the corner ” , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the status-quo - which has failed so many Northerners - would be unacceptable ” .
“ The government was elected on a promise to ‘ level up ’ places like the North , ” she said .
“ But one year on , they don ’ t have a plan to reduce inequalities between and within regions in England , and the inadequate , centrally controlled , competitive ‘ levelling up ’ fund announced in the spending review simply won ’ t cut it .
“ We need to challenge old , reductive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve failed to create the conditions for a good life for everyone in the North .
”

The coronavirus pandemic has deepened the inequalities between people living in the south of England and those in the north and Midlands, new research shows.
The newly published State of the North report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) reveals proportionally higher levels of unemployment and child poverty in northern regions, despite Boris Johnson’s pledge at last year’s election to “level up” the UK.
“Covid-19 has thrown our long-term inequities and lack of resilience into a stark spotlight,” says the think tank. “A recovery that simply restores the old order would be unsustainable and – for many – unacceptable.”
What did the IPPR find?
The IPPR says the North is “experiencing levels of unemployment not seen since 1994” as a result of the pandemic, with areas subjected to the harshest Tier 3 Covid restrictions suffering the most.
“In October, 657,900 people claimed unemployment-related benefits in the north of England, with Tier 3 Blackpool, Middlesbrough and Hull among the hardest hit,” the report says. “That is almost double the number in October 2019, when there were 340,220 northern claimants.”
The report says that rates of child poverty are also higher in the North, affecting one in three children, while the gender and ethnicity pay gap is wider and life expectancy is below the average for England.
Although the hardship is disproportionately affecting the North, however, areas of the South are also feeling the ill effects of the pandemic.
Of all the English regions, London has seen the biggest year-on-year increase in unemployment benefit claimants, with an extra 302,910 people signing up for income support - a 5% rise.
By contrast, the southwest of England has seen one of the lowest annual percentage increases in joblessness, at just 2.9%.
Why lies behind the differences?
The report suggests that the disparities are down to a “one size fits all” approach to compensating coronavirus-affected areas that fails to take into account historic differences between the North and South.
A “decade of austerity has eroded resilience” across the North and “severely hampered its ability to deal with the social and economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic”, the authors say.
The publication of that verdict comes after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham (pictured top) accused Boris Johnson of playing a “game of poker with people’s lives” by forcing the city back into the highest Covid restrictions in October.