theweekuk--2020-04-24--Will UK universities survive the lockdown?

Education ministers are clashing with Treasury counterparts over a proposed bailout package for universities , as vice-chancellors warn of bankruptcies at institutions in the Midlands and north of England .
New figures suggest that international student enrolments will drop significantly for the next academic year as a result of the coronavirus outbreak , cutting off a key source of income for UK universities .
What is the debate ?
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is arguing in favour of a stabilisation package that would offset losses experienced by universities as a result of the global pandemic .
But Chancellor Rishi Sunak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receptive ” to what they view as “ special pleading ” , arguing that universities should take other action before getting government assistance , the Financial Times reports .
Wolverhampton , Bolton and Sunderland universities are believed to be among the most financially vulnerable institutions .
An unnamed university leader asked : “ These universities are major employers in their regions , and all train nurses and other healthcare professionals – do we really want them to go to the brink of bankruptcy ?
” According to the newspaper , a cross-departmental meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support across government for a university bailout , but the Treasury remains the biggest obstacle .
In a bid to win over the doubters , the Department for Education ( DfE ) is pushing for universities to accept new controls on student numbers and to cut back on “ low-quality ” courses that generally send graduates off into low-paying jobs , The Guardian reports .
How great is the risk to higher education institutions ?
Universities are facing a worrying lack of certainty over the numbers of students expected to enrol at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September , with concerns growing in the wake of warnings from government advisers that social distancing measures are likely to remain in place in the UK until at least December .
The falling student numbers means falling revenues , with the loss of international students - who pay higher fees - hitting especially hard .
A recent British Council survey of potential students from India , one of the UK ’ s main sources of international students , found that 29 % had already cancelled their plans to study overseas or were likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the number of arriving Chinese students are expected .
A new study by the University and College Union ( UCU ) suggests that a total of up to £2.5bn in tuition fee income could be lost in the next academic year - with the greater part of that deficit resulting from the expected drop in overseas students .
“ The report estimates that there will be a 47 % decrease in international student enrolment in the next academic year due to coronavirus , costing the sector £1.5bn , ” says Times Higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jo Grady , has described the predicted drop in students and international fees as “ alarming ” .
“ Our world-renowned universities are doing crucial work now as we hunt for a [ coronavirus ] vaccine and will be vital engines for our recovery both nationally and in towns and cities across the UK .
It is vital that the government underwrites funding lost from the fall in student numbers , ” she said .
“ These are unprecedented times and without urgent guarantees , our universities will be greatly damaged at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Alistair Jarvis , chief executive of Universities UK , said the UCU report had “ helpfully ” highlighted the “ critical financial risks for the sector ” .
The organisation , an umbrella group for the sector , is urging the government to frontload promised increases in research funding , to compensate for the loss of other revenue and cross-subsidies .
Responding to the calls and growing concerns , a DfE spokesperson said : “ We understand the coronavirus outbreak poses significant financial challenges to the sector and are extremely grateful for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response .
“ The chancellor has announced an unprecedented package of support , including the coronavirus job retention scheme and a range of business loan schemes , to help pay wages , keep staff employed and support businesses whose viability is threatened by the outbreak .
“ We recently confirmed universities ’ eligibility for these schemes , and we are committed to working closely with the sector to understand the financial risks they might face , stabilise the admissions system , and help them access the support on offer .
”

Education ministers are clashing with Treasury counterparts over a proposed bailout package for universities, as vice-chancellors warn of bankruptcies at institutions in the Midlands and north of England.
New figures suggest that international student enrolments will drop significantly for the next academic year as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, cutting off a key source of income for UK universities.
What is the debate?
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is arguing in favour of a stabilisation package that would offset losses experienced by universities as a result of the global pandemic.
But Chancellor Rishi Sunak and his Treasury colleagues are “not receptive” to what they view as “special pleading”, arguing that universities should take other action before getting government assistance, the Financial Times reports.
Wolverhampton, Bolton and Sunderland universities are believed to be among the most financially vulnerable institutions.
An unnamed university leader asked: “These universities are major employers in their regions, and all train nurses and other healthcare professionals – do we really want them to go to the brink of bankruptcy?”
According to the newspaper, a cross-departmental meeting last week indicated that there was broad support across government for a university bailout, but the Treasury remains the biggest obstacle.
In a bid to win over the doubters, the Department for Education (DfE) is pushing for universities to accept new controls on student numbers and to cut back on “low-quality” courses that generally send graduates off into low-paying jobs, The Guardian reports.
How great is the risk to higher education institutions?
Universities are facing a worrying lack of certainty over the numbers of students expected to enrol at the start of the 2020-21 academic year in September, with concerns growing in the wake of warnings from government advisers that social distancing measures are likely to remain in place in the UK until at least December.
The falling student numbers means falling revenues, with the loss of international students - who pay higher fees - hitting especially hard.
A recent British Council survey of potential students from India, one of the UK’s main sources of international students, found that 29% had already cancelled their plans to study overseas or were likely to do so.


theweekuk--2020-04-24--Coronavirus: British sport faces bankruptcy the longer the lockdown lasts

Sport in the UK could find itself locked down until 2021 , claims The Daily Telegraph , in a warning that will send a chill through clubs , organisations and governing bodies .
With the calendar wiped out for the foreseeable future , many sports have been consoling themselves with the thought that come late summer things should be back to normal , but there are ominous signs from the government that it won ’ t be the case .
Health secretary Matt Hancock said yesterday that the country “ must keep the social distancing measures in place ” to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a message echoed by Nicola Sturgeon , Scotland ’ s First Minister .
The Telegraph says that sports are “ desperate for clarification over both that timeframe and how social distancing measures may specifically apply to participants and crowds ” , given that it ’ s the loss of gate revenue that threatens to devastate sport .
Among those most in danger of going to the wall are dozens of football clubs and as many as “ 15 Olympic and Paralympic sports ” .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The news that German football plans to relaunch the Bundesliga on 9 May behind closed doors received a muted response in England .
“ What is the point in football behind closed doors ?
” one senior figure in the professional game told the Telegraph .
“ OK , a few games to get the season finished [ but ] sooner or later , you have to stand back and think , ‘ What are we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief executive Paul Barber said he was “ shocked ” that the country could be asked to social distance until the end of the year , and maybe beyond for some age groups , saying : “ It concerns me hugely for football as a whole .
It will put many clubs in a very , very difficult financial position.
” Although a return to action even behind closed doors would be good news for the Premier League clubs , who would get money from broadcasters , lower down the football food chain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so how do clubs pay their staff ?
The Times says that “ the loss of matchday income would be huge - some clubs in the English Football League believe it would send many to the wall unless revenue could be found from another source ” .
The paper also highlights the impacts on other sports , notably rugby union , with the Rugby Football Union generating 85 % of its annual £213m income from matches held at Twickenham .
Uefa decision is good news for Liverpool and ECB to hold cricket crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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theweekuk--2020-04-24--Today’s back pages: Uefa decision is good news for Liverpool

Are we the champions ?
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp adorns the back page of The Daily Telegraph after Uefa ’ s decision that qualification for next season ’ s European competitions has to be based on “ sporting merit ” .
The Daily Mirror says that in making its decision , Uefa has “ effectively taken the possibility of a null and void Premier League season off the table ” , which it believes is good news for Liverpool .
Why ?
Because it means that should it not be possible to complete the 2019-20 season , then Liverpool will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the table when sport went into shutdown .
That also means , of course , they will qualify for next season ’ s Champions League along with Leicester City , Chelsea and Manchester City .
However , with City banned from European competition next season due to financial fair play irregularities , their place would be taken by Manchester United .
Sheffield United and Wolverhampton Wanderers would qualify for the Europa League , and if a points-per-game rule is applied then Arsenal would also do so ahead of Tottenham .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Times has a picture of Eric Dier on its back page and it ’ s one that has landed the Spurs and England star in hot water .
The photo shows Dier clambering over the seats to confront a fan who allegedly was abusing his brother , but whatever the reasons for entering the stands at the end of Tottenham ’ s FA Cup defeat to Norwich in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t impressed .
The FA said : “ Eric Dier has been charged with misconduct for a breach of FA Rule E3 .
It is alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder ’ s actions were improper and/or threatening.
” Dier , who was led away by stewards before he could get close to the fan , has until 8 May to respond .
The Daily Mail ’ s focus is on the growing crisis within cricket , specifically the uncertainty about the launch of The Hundred .
It was hoped within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) that the competition - designed to attract a new audience to the sport - would generate revenue of £51m this year , with £6.5m coming from ticket sales , £4m in sponsorship and £4m from overseas broadcast rights .
But the Mail says those projections lie in ruins after the coronavirus lockdown .
The ECB meets today to discuss the crisis and it ’ s expected to be announced that there will be no cricket played in the country before July at the earliest .
The Mail predicts that the launch of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but also questions its very future given the financial crisis that cricket finds itself in .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Are we the champions?
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp adorns the back page of The Daily Telegraph after Uefa’s decision that qualification for next season’s European competitions has to be based on “sporting merit”.
The Daily Mirror says that in making its decision, Uefa has “effectively taken the possibility of a null and void Premier League season off the table”, which it believes is good news for Liverpool.
Why? Because it means that should it not be possible to complete the 2019-20 season, then Liverpool will be crowned champions as they were top of the table when sport went into shutdown.
That also means, of course, they will qualify for next season’s Champions League along with Leicester City, Chelsea and Manchester City. However, with City banned from European competition next season due to financial fair play irregularities, their place would be taken by Manchester United.
Sheffield United and Wolverhampton Wanderers would qualify for the Europa League, and if a points-per-game rule is applied then Arsenal would also do so ahead of Tottenham.
British sport faces bankruptcy the longer the lockdown lasts
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Dier in the dock
The Times has a picture of Eric Dier on its back page and it’s one that has landed the Spurs and England star in hot water.
The photo shows Dier clambering over the seats to confront a fan who allegedly was abusing his brother, but whatever the reasons for entering the stands at the end of Tottenham’s FA Cup defeat to Norwich in March the Football Association (FA) aren’t impressed.
The FA said: “Eric Dier has been charged with misconduct for a breach of FA Rule E3. It is alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder’s actions were improper and/or threatening.”
Dier, who was led away by stewards before he could get close to the fan, has until 8 May to respond.
Cricket in crisis
The Daily Mail’s focus is on the growing crisis within cricket, specifically the uncertainty about the launch of The Hundred.
It was hoped within the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that the competition - designed to attract a new audience to the sport - would generate revenue of £51m this year, with £6.5m coming from ticket sales, £4m in sponsorship and £4m from overseas broadcast rights. But the Mail says those projections lie in ruins after the coronavirus lockdown.
The ECB meets today to discuss the crisis and it’s expected to be announced that there will be no cricket played in the country before July at the earliest.
The Mail predicts that the launch of the Hundred could be postponed until 2021 but also questions its very future given the financial crisis that cricket finds itself in.
Today’s sport headlines
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-04-24--The Week Unwrapped: Food, free speech and gold

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days .
In this week ’ s episode , we discuss : BBC Two ’ s The Restaurant that Burns Calories was met with backlash after being accused of “ triggering ” people with eating disorders .
But do the public health concerns over obesity justify it being aired ?
Are Brits particularly guilty of overeating ?
And are eating disorders being taken seriously enough ?
The UK had slipped two places to number 35 on the annual press freedom index , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and South Africa .
What 's the reason for the fall ?
Does the UK value a free press ?
And how will the coronavirus crisis affect journalists and media groups around the world ?
One of America 's biggest investment banks has just said that it expects the gold price to soar to $ 3,000 an ounce in the next 18 months , which would be more than 50 % above gold 's previous all-time high .
Is that reasonable ?
What would have to happen to drive the price that high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gold anyway ?
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player , Apple podcasts , SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts .

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days.
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
Calorie counting
BBC Two’s The Restaurant that Burns Calories was met with backlash after being accused of “triggering” people with eating disorders. But do the public health concerns over obesity justify it being aired? Are Brits particularly guilty of overeating? And are eating disorders being taken seriously enough?
Press freedom
The UK had slipped two places to number 35 on the annual press freedom index, below countries including Costa Rica, Ghana and South Africa. What's the reason for the fall? Does the UK value a free press? And how will the coronavirus crisis affect journalists and media groups around the world?
Golden investments
One of America's biggest investment banks has just said that it expects the gold price to soar to $3,000 an ounce in the next 18 months, which would be more than 50% above gold's previous all-time high. Is that reasonable? What would have to happen to drive the price that high? And what's the point of gold anyway?
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player, Apple podcasts, SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts.


theweekuk--2020-04-24--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 24 Apr 2020

Two NHS doctors have brought a legal action against the UK government over what they say is a lack of @ @ @ @ @ on when and how it should be used .
In a statement released by their @ @ @ @ @ wife Meenal Viz and Nishant Joshi - who are expecting a child - said : @ @ @ @ @ ’ s duty to protect its healthcare workers , and there is great anxiety amongst @ @ @ @ @ protocols that seem to change without rhyme or reason .
”

UK doctors bring legal action against government over lack of PPE
Two NHS doctors have brought a legal action against the UK government over what they say is a lack of protective kit and unclear guidance on when and how it should be used. In a statement released by their legal representatives, husband and wife Meenal Viz and Nishant Joshi - who are expecting a child - said: “It is the government’s duty to protect its healthcare workers, and there is great anxiety amongst staff with regards to safety protocols that seem to change without rhyme or reason.”


theweekuk--2020-04-24--Trump suggests disinfectant cure for coronavirus - five other weird ideas from world leaders

Doctors have dismissed Donald Trump ’ s suggestion that injections of disinfectant could cure the coronavirus as “ jaw-dropping ” .
Speaking at yesterday ’ s White House briefing , the US president said : “ I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute .
One minute !
And is there a way we can do something , by an injection inside or almost a cleaning ?
It sounds interesting to me.
” Experts have poured scorn on the idea .
Robert Reich , a professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are actively endangering the public ’ s health .
Boycott the propaganda .
Listen to the experts .
And please don ’ t drink disinfectant.
” Walter Shaub , the former director of the Office of Government Ethics , added : “ It is incomprehensible to me that a moron like this holds the highest office in the land.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– However , as The National reports , Trump is not the only world leader to suggest a novel way of beating the novel coronavirus .
The governor of the Mexican state of Puebla , Miguel Barbosa , says a culinary speciality made from turkey and mole , a traditional Mexican marinade , can act as a vaccine for Covid-19 .
He has previously claimed that poor people must be immune to Covid-19 because most of Mexico 's confirmed cases were people who could afford to travel internationally .
The president of Belarus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should n't be any panic ” because farm work can heal Covid-19 .
“ You just have to work , especially now , in a village , ” he said .
“ There , the tractor will heal everyone .
The fields heal everyone.
” The president of Tanzania says it is not by working on farms but by going to church that coronavirus will be beaten .
He told a congregation that coronavirus is satanic and can not survive in the body of Jesus Christ .
Meanwhile , over in Turkmenistan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat coronavirus by simply inhaling the smoke from a burning desert-region plant called Peganuma harmala .
None of these treatments have received backing from medical experts .

Doctors have dismissed Donald Trump’s suggestion that injections of disinfectant could cure the coronavirus as “jaw-dropping”.
Speaking at yesterday’s White House briefing, the US president said: “I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute! And is there a way we can do something, by an injection inside or almost a cleaning? It sounds interesting to me.”
Experts have poured scorn on the idea. Robert Reich, a professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley said: “Trump’s briefings are actively endangering the public’s health. Boycott the propaganda. Listen to the experts. And please don’t drink disinfectant.”
Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics, added: “It is incomprehensible to me that a moron like this holds the highest office in the land.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced takeon the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
However, as The National reports, Trump is not the only world leader to suggest a novel way of beating the novel coronavirus.
The governor of the Mexican state of Puebla, Miguel Barbosa, says a culinary speciality made from turkey and mole, a traditional Mexican marinade, can act as a vaccine for Covid-19. He has previously claimed that poor people must be immune to Covid-19 because most of Mexico's confirmed cases were people who could afford to travel internationally.
The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, says “there shouldn't be any panic” because farm work can heal Covid-19. “You just have to work, especially now, in a village,” he said. “There, the tractor will heal everyone. The fields heal everyone.”
The president of Tanzania says it is not by working on farms but by going to church that coronavirus will be beaten. He told a congregation that coronavirus is satanic and cannot survive in the body of Jesus Christ.
Meanwhile, over in Turkmenistan, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, says you can beat coronavirus by simply inhaling the smoke from a burning desert-region plant called Peganuma harmala.
None of these treatments have received backing from medical experts.


theweekuk--2020-04-24--India’s Muslims feel persecuted during coronavirus pandemic

Muslims in India are facing a fresh wave of Islamophobia during the coronavirus pandemic .
The nation ’ s 200 million Muslims have been targeted on the streets and online , and accused of spreading the virus .
CNN says this is “ playing into growing Hindu nationalism which in recent years has seen India 's Muslim societies increasingly marginalized ” .
The renewed surge of bigotry began after a Muslim missionary group , Tablighi Jamaat , held a conference in New Delhi , which turned into one of India 's biggest coronavirus hot spots .
This led to Muslims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Mehboob Ali , 22 , was on his way home from a Muslim missionary conference in central India when he was attacked in Harewali and forced to beg for his life .
Reporting on a video of the incident , NPR radio said : “ He 's shaking .
His hands and face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and threaten to douse him with fuel and set him on fire .
They accuse him of intentionally trying to spread the coronavirus.
” Mohammed Shukrdeen , a milk producer in the state of Punjab , said his community has been targeted by both residents and the authorities .
He said : “ First , no one wanted to buy milk from us , and second , local authorities would raid our houses.
” Mohammed Sakeb , who distributes ration kits to Muslim families , said he and his fellow volunteers now face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25-year-old volunteer was distributing rations to the worst affected Muslim families .
The police stopped him , did n't ask any questions and then started hitting him .
He had to run away , ” he said .
Meanwhile , hashtags blaming Muslims for the coronavirus have gained traction on social media , including # CoronaJihad , # CrushTablighiSpitters and # BioJihad .
“ We have observed a deliberate pattern to delegitimize the community , ” Alt News , an Indian non-profit fact-checking website , said .
In a post on social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calm .
He said : “ Covid-19 does not see race , religion , colour , caste , creed , language or border before striking .
Our response and conduct thereafter should attach primacy to unity and brotherhood .
We are in this together.
” However , many blame Modi for the resurgence in anti-Muslim feeling in India .
Many Muslims say his Hindu nationalist agenda has left them feeling like second-class citizens in their own country .
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has expressed “ deep concern ” about “ rising anti-Muslim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circles and on mainstream and social media platforms ” .

Muslims in India are facing a fresh wave of Islamophobia during the coronavirus pandemic.
The nation’s 200 million Muslims have been targeted on the streets and online, and accused of spreading the virus. CNN says this is “playing into growing Hindu nationalism which in recent years has seen India's Muslim societies increasingly marginalized”.
The renewed surge of bigotry began after a Muslim missionary group, Tablighi Jamaat, held a conference in New Delhi, which turned into one of India's biggest coronavirus hot spots. This led to Muslims being harassed across the country.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced takeon the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Mehboob Ali, 22, was on his way home from a Muslim missionary conference in central India when he was attacked in Harewali and forced to beg for his life. Reporting on a video of the incident, NPR radio said: “He's shaking. His hands and face are bloody. His attackers beat him and threaten to douse him with fuel and set him on fire. They accuse him of intentionally trying to spread the coronavirus.”
Mohammed Shukrdeen, a milk producer in the state of Punjab, said his community has been targeted by both residents and the authorities. He said: “First, no one wanted to buy milk from us, and second, local authorities would raid our houses.”
Mohammed Sakeb, who distributes ration kits to Muslim families, said he and his fellow volunteers now face harassment. “The other day a 25-year-old volunteer was distributing rations to the worst affected Muslim families. The police stopped him, didn't ask any questions and then started hitting him. He had to run away,” he said.
Meanwhile, hashtags blaming Muslims for the coronavirus have gained traction on social media, including #CoronaJihad, #CrushTablighiSpitters and #BioJihad. “We have observed a deliberate pattern to delegitimize the community,” Alt News, an Indian non-profit fact-checking website, said.
In a post on social media, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for calm. He said: “Covid-19 does not see race, religion, colour, caste, creed, language or border before striking. Our response and conduct thereafter should attach primacy to unity and brotherhood. We are in this together.”
However, many blame Modi for the resurgence in anti-Muslim feeling in India. Many Muslims say his Hindu nationalist agenda has left them feeling like second-class citizens in their own country.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has expressed “deep concern” about “rising anti-Muslim sentiments and Islamophobia within political and media circles and on mainstream and social media platforms”.


theweekuk--2020-04-24--Postman delivers mail addressed to ‘somewhere in Sheffield’

A postman has delivered a parcel with “ vital survival ” supplies to the correct recipient , even though it was addressed only to “ David Easson… somewhere in Sheffield ” .
The sender provided other clues on the envelope : “ Mr Essen ’ s wife ’ s name might be Helen , and the couple have a child , or a dog , or both.
” A $ 500,000 debt acquired from games of “ rock , paper , scissors ” is invalid , the Quebec Court of Appeal has ruled .
Edmund Mark Hooper is off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must be related to activities “ requiring only skill or bodily exertion on the part of the parties , ” rather than mere chance .
Hospital saves man 's life for the second time A New York man has beaten Covid-19 in the same hospital system that also saved his life as a baby .
Adam Lilling underwent an experimental pancreas surgery after he was born in March 1980 at Northwell Health ’ s Cohen Children ’ s Medical Center in Long Island .
Forty years later , Lilling spent six days at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 postman has delivered a parcel with “vital survival” supplies to the correct recipient, even though it was addressed only to “David Easson… somewhere in Sheffield”. The sender provided other clues on the envelope: “Mr Essen’s wife’s name might be Helen, and the couple have a child, or a dog, or both.”
Court cancels $500,000 rock, paper, scissors debt
A $500,000 debt acquired from games of “rock, paper, scissors” is invalid, the Quebec Court of Appeal has ruled. Edmund Mark Hooper is off the hook after the ruling that wagering contracts must be related to activities “requiring only skill or bodily exertion on the part of the parties,” rather than mere chance.
Hospital saves man's life for the second time
A New York man has beaten Covid-19 in the same hospital system that also saved his life as a baby. Adam Lilling underwent an experimental pancreas surgery after he was born in March 1980 at Northwell Health’s Cohen Children’s Medical Center in Long Island. Forty years later, Lilling spent six days at the hospital after catching the coronavirus.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced takeon the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-04-23--UK deficit to rise to peacetime record

UK deficit to rise to peacetime record

The UK ’ s budget deficit is set to increase to a level never before seen in peacetime , as government borrowing to cover the coronavirus cost burden skyrockets .
In a statement to financial markets , the Treasury said it would seek to raise £180bn over the next three months to allow it to meet its spending needs as tax revenues plunge .
This is on top of £45bn already planned for April .
The Financial Times reports that “ the government is likely to find willing buyers for the avalanche of gilts it will place on the market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ England has pledged to snap up £200bn in the secondary market under its latest and largest quantitative easing programme ” .
“ The government ’ s gilt sales to City investors and overseas asset managers are typically higher than the budget deficit – the annual shortfall between public spending and income from tax receipts – as it includes raising money to refinance existing government bonds , ” says The Guardian .
“ However , the vast increase in gilt sales suggests that borrowing is expected to balloon , as the state pays workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment benefits ” .
“ One reason is the huge cost of programmes such as furloughing , now expected to cost well north of £50bn , ” says BBC economics correspondent Andy Verity .
“ The other reason is that the government 's revenues - the tax it collects through income tax , VAT and national insurance - are collapsing .
If you shut down much of the economy , you also turn off the tap on much of the government 's tax income.
” The Office for Budget Responsibility ( OBR ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge to £273bn this financial year - 14 % of GDP , which “ would be the largest single year deficit since the Second World War ” , the Daily Express says .
The picture for the full financial year looks even bleaker .
The OBR estimates that the government might need to borrow up to £382bn for the year , about seven times what was expected pre-Covid .
“ That depends , though , on the shutdown being lifted sooner rather than later , ” says Verity .
The Resolution Foundation thinktank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown would require the government to raise around £500bn in financing this financial year .
“ It signals a massive challenge ahead for the government to claw back cash at a time when it is also , currently , determined to press ahead with its election agenda of ‘ levelling up ’ UK regions , ” says Sky News .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The UK’s budget deficit is set to increase to a level never before seen in peacetime, as government borrowing to cover the coronavirus cost burden skyrockets.
In a statement to financial markets, the Treasury said it would seek to raise £180bn over the next three months to allow it to meet its spending needs as tax revenues plunge. This is on top of £45bn already planned for April.
The Financial Times reports that “the government is likely to find willing buyers for the avalanche of gilts it will place on the market in coming months because the Bank of England has pledged to snap up £200bn in the secondary market under its latest and largest quantitative easing programme”.
“The government’s gilt sales to City investors and overseas asset managers are typically higher than the budget deficit – the annual shortfall between public spending and income from tax receipts – as it includes raising money to refinance existing government bonds,” says The Guardian. “However, the vast increase in gilt sales suggests that borrowing is expected to balloon, as the state pays workers’ wages and as more people claim unemployment benefits”.
“One reason is the huge cost of programmes such as furloughing, now expected to cost well north of £50bn,” says BBC economics correspondent Andy Verity. “The other reason is that the government's revenues - the tax it collects through income tax, VAT and national insurance - are collapsing. If you shut down much of the economy, you also turn off the tap on much of the government's tax income.”
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has warned that the budget deficit could surge to £273bn this financial year - 14% of GDP, which “would be the largest single year deficit since the Second World War”, the Daily Express says.
The picture for the full financial year looks even bleaker.
The OBR estimates that the government might need to borrow up to £382bn for the year, about seven times what was expected pre-Covid. “That depends, though, on the shutdown being lifted sooner rather than later,” says Verity.
The Resolution Foundation thinktank, meanwhile, calculates that a six-month lockdown would require the government to raise around £500bn in financing this financial year.
“It signals a massive challenge ahead for the government to claw back cash at a time when it is also, currently, determined to press ahead with its election agenda of ‘levelling up’ UK regions,” says Sky News.
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theweekuk--2020-04-23--Five-star food: ten main course recipes created by chefs from luxury hotels

Tired of toast , takeaways and tasteless home-cooked food ?
Then what you need to do is add some specials to your menu .
Thankfully chefs from a number of luxury hotel brands have come to the rescue and shared their favourite lunch and dinner recipes .
See below for these five-star main courses : Once the main course is finished , why not try some five-star desserts too ?
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Recipe by executive sous chef Luigi Ferraro at Four Seasons Hotel Doha .
• None In a saucepan , pour the oil and the chopped shallot , then add the rice and saffron and toast • Pour the broth a little at a time and cook slowly , at the end of regular cooking with salt and black pepper , stir in butter , grated parmesan cheese , chopped parsley , truffle oil , lemon juice and peel • Aside cook the mushrooms with oil , garlic , thyme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the base of the dish pour the risotto , complete with forest mushrooms , basil leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil .
Recipe by Tagine Moroccan Restaurant at the One & Only Royal Mirage Dubai .
• None Marinate the chicken for one hour with olive oil , onion , coriander , parsley , saffron , smen , salt , pepper and ginger powder • Start cooking the marinated chicken in a tagine ( or glass/ceramic oven dish ) for 45 minutes at 180°C ( with the yellow colouring ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and add the batch two then continue cooking for another ten minutes • The Chicken Tagine Makful is ready to be served Recipe by executive chef Mohammad Taheri at the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay .
• None Score salmon fillet and keep on the side • Simmer until the carrots are soft • Add in a blender and blend until smooth and season • Blanch the Dutch carrot and baby leek and sauté in butter and season • Pan fry the salmon fillet in olive oil , skin side down and finish cooking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medium rare • Remove the salmon from the oven , add butter and lemon and coat the salmon with butter • Plate the salmon as per picture and serve Recipe by Jason Wu , guest chef in residence at Hotel Esencia in Mexico .
• None Mix all salad ingredients in a bowl , serve on a pretty dish and top with a dash of sesame seeds , a few more coriander leaves and crispy tortilla strips • None Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth Recipe by chef Tristan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cambridge .
• To make the bolognaise sauce heat the butter in a large ovenproof saucepan , season the steak with salt a pepper and brown with the bacon for about 20 minutes • Finely chop the celery , garlic and onion , add to the pan , and continue to cook until softened • Stir in the tomato paste , bay leaf and thyme , fry gently for minute , add the wine and let bubble a little allowing the alcohol to evaporate • Dilute with stock , cover with greaseproof paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ checking every 30 minutes or so , add a little more stock if it starts to dry out • Once cooked allow to rest stir with a wooden spoon to break the tender meat into smaller chunks .
• To serve cook the spaghetti for two minutes less than it says on the packet reserving some of the cooking water , warm up the bolognaise sauce add a little of the pasta cooking water stir in the pasta and boil for a minute allowing the pasta to soak up the sauce • Serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , serve it with freshly grated Berkswell cheese , it ’ s slightly similar to parmesan which naturally works well too Recipe by chef Vito Mollica from Il Palagio restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel Florence .
• None In a pan , slowly melt the pig cheek until it becomes crispy .
Cook pasta in salted water ( plenty ) • While the pasta is cooking , beat the egg yolks with grated Parmesan cheese • Remove the pig cheek from the pan and set aside .
Add a little cooking water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mixing together until you get a nice emulsion • Saute the chopped asparagus , peas and fresh broad beans in a pan with the extra oil virgin olive , vegetables must be kept crunchy • Add the crispy pig cheek and a dash of pasta cooking water and remove by fire • Drain the fusilli al dente , pour them into the pan with the emulsion of water and fat of the pig cheek and let it cook for a minute to mix the flavours • Reduce the heat to a minimum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mixture and mix well You must have a nice cream , add a bit of cooking water if necessary • Remove from the fire and finish with the mix of vegetables and crispy pig cheek , the fresh Marzolino pecorino cheese cut into very small pieces and a sprinkle of ground pepper Recipe by chef Christian Le Squer at the Four Seasons Hotel George V , Paris .
• None Perfectly al dente noodles should be tossed in butter and parmesan and carefully laid out side by side to form the walls of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truffles , and cep mushrooms together with jus and place them in the timbale • Paint the exterior with more jus and top with a thin parmesan crust and delicately adorn with gold leaf Recipe recommended by Benjamin Ferra Y Castell , chef de cuisine at 101 Dining Lounge and Marina , One & Only The Palm Dubai .
The recommended song to play while cooking the recipe is La Paella by Jose Alberto .
• Cut chorizo in small dices of 5mm and thin slices • Peel the raw shrimps by keeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calamari in squares of 3cm • Put the olive oil in a paella pan and fry onions , bell peppers as well as few dices of chorizo in it • Once everything is cooked , add the rice until it gets glazed • Add all the spices and powders and fill it up with shrimp stock ; simmer by stirring until it is cooked • After 10 mins of simmering add the frozen peas • Finally add the tomato sauce and stir the paella occasionally • Garnish the paella with the pan-fired ingredients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top Recipe by chef Simon Attridge at Gleneagles in Scotland .
For the tenderstem broccoli and girolle mushrooms • None To start , pre-heat the oven to 160°C .
Next , add the barley , herbs , garlic and stock to a large pot .
Cover with a tight-fitting lid , or tin foil , then place in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes until the barley is cooked .
Once cooked , remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before folding through the lightly whipped cream and freshly grated truffle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and place in a hot roasting pan with a little rapeseed oil and brown , until evenly coloured on all sides .
Add the butter and thyme and baste the fillet until well-coated , then place it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes , until it is medium rare , making sure to baste every four minutes .
Remove from the oven and place on a cooling wire before pouring over the remaining butter from the pan and leaving the fillet to rest for ten minutes .
Once rested , carve into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and girolle mushrooms .
Boil a pan of salted water and blanch the broccoli until just cooked .
Add some butter to a frying pan and heat until foaming .
Add the girolle mushrooms and sauté .
Drain the broccoli and add to the pan , season with salt and pepper and heat through • To serve , place the barley on a serving platter , top with the sliced beef and arrange the broccoli and mushrooms .
Garnish with the freshly grated truffle and enjoy Recipe by executive chef Theo Randall at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • None 250g of fresh pasta dough ( see recipe of pasta in Rotolo di Spinachi recipe ) • 1 tsp of crushed fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar • None For the filling blanch the wild rocket , cima di rape or tender stem broccoli and swiss chard separately .
Place in a colander to cool down .
When cool , squeeze to extract any excess water .
Finely chop , heat a frying pan and add a tbsp of olive oil , 1 clove of crushed garlic and a tsp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 minute then add the chopped greens cook for 3 minutes so there is no moisture left .
Cool down and mix together with the fresh ricotta , Parmesan .
Check the seasoning and place into a piping bag • Roll out four pasta sheets 40cm long and 10cm wide .
Pipe even amounts of the filling with a gap of 4cm per filling .
Spray water over the pasta , then fold over .
Using your little fingers make divides between each portion of filling .
Cup your hands and press gently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release any excess air .
Using a pasta cutter with a zig zag edge , cut the ravioli .
Once cut , using you fingers make sure all the edges are sealed .
Repeat this process for each sheet of pasta .
Leave the ravioli in a fridge for at least 1 hour • In a pot of boiling salted water , cook the ravioli until they are al dente and add them to a hot saute pan that has melted butter and sage .
Take out the ravioli with a slotted spoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water .
Cook on a high heat so the pasta is tender but still has a bite but most importantly there is an emulsified sauce .
Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and black pepper ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Tired of toast, takeaways and tasteless home-cooked food? Then what you need to do is add some specials to your menu.
Thankfully chefs from a number of luxury hotel brands have come to the rescue and shared their favourite lunch and dinner recipes.
See below for these five-star main courses:
Saffron risotto with forest mushrooms
Chicken tagine makful
Tasmanian salmon fillet with Dutch carrot puree
Chinese chicken salad
British classic slow-cooked spaghetti bolognese
Spring carbonara
Spaghetti with ham, ceps and black truffle
Seafood and chicken paella
East Lothian beef, braised truffle barley and Scottish girolles
Ravioli Di Erbette
Once the main course is finished, why not try some five-star desserts too?
Bon appétit!
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Saffron risotto with forest mushrooms
Recipe by executive sous chef Luigi Ferraro at Four Seasons Hotel Doha.
Ingredients (serves four people)
1 teaspoon of saffron
320g carnaroli rice
40g extra virgin olive oil
20g butter
3g shallots
1 litre vegetable broth
2g parsley
100g porcini mushrooms
80g portobello mushrooms
100g brown mushrooms
2g truffle oil
4g peel and lemon juice
20g parmesan cheese
1g thyme
4g garlic
A pinch of salt and pepper
Method
In a saucepan, pour the oil and the chopped shallot, then add the rice and saffron and toast
Pour the broth a little at a time and cook slowly, at the end of regular cooking with salt and black pepper, stir in butter, grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, truffle oil, lemon juice and peel
Aside cook the mushrooms with oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper
Presentation
At the base of the dish pour the risotto, complete with forest mushrooms, basil leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Chicken tagine makful
Recipe by Tagine Moroccan Restaurant at the One&Only Royal Mirage Dubai.
Ingredients - batch No.1
2kg whole chicken
30g chopped garlic
800g chopped onion
20g dry coriander
20g fresh chopped parsley
30g ginger powder
20g salt
20g white pepper
40g smen (substitute: ghee)
1g saffron
1pc yellow colouring (optional)
1 litre chicken stock
Batch No.2
150g preserved lemon wedges
100g green olives
100g fresh tomato sliced
Method
Marinate the chicken for one hour with olive oil, onion, coriander, parsley, saffron, smen, salt, pepper and ginger powder
Start cooking the marinated chicken in a tagine (or glass/ceramic oven dish) for 45 minutes at 180°C (with the yellow colouring) and the chicken stock
Rectify seasoning and add the batch two then continue cooking for another ten minutes
The Chicken Tagine Makful is ready to be served
Picture: Bon Vivants Creative
Waldorf salad
Recipe courtesy of the Waldorf Astoria in New York.
Ingredients
One medium ripe apple
One stalk celery, chopped
A quarter cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Two cups lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
Method
Peel the apple and cut into halves. Remove core and slice halves a quarter-inch thick. Reserve four slices. Cut remaining slices into thin strips.
In a medium bowl, mix the celery, mayonnaise and apple strips; season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange on lettuce and top with apple slices.
Later versions of the salad commonly added chopped walnuts. If you’d like, toss a quarter cup of them in with the celery and apple.
Tasmanian salmon fillet with Dutch carrot puree
Recipe by executive chef Mohammad Taheri at the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay.
Ingredients
160g salmon fillet skin on
20ml olive oil
4in three coloured Dutch carrot
2 carrots, large
2 baby leeks
10g pomegranate
15ml lemon extra virgin olive oil
40g butter
20ml cream
60ml vegetable stock
¼ of a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Baby parsley to garnish
Method
Score salmon fillet and keep on the side
Make carrot puree
Dice large carrot, sauté in 20g butter, add stock and cream
Simmer until the carrots are soft
Add in a blender and blend until smooth and season
Blanch the Dutch carrot and baby leek and sauté in butter and season
Pan fry the salmon fillet in olive oil, skin side down and finish cooking in the oven for seven minutes to medium rare
Remove the salmon from the oven, add butter and lemon and coat the salmon with butter
Plate the salmon as per picture and serve
Chinese chicken salad
Recipe by Jason Wu, guest chef in residence at Hotel Esencia in Mexico.
Ingredients
180g shredded cabbage - green and red
200g shredded chicken breast
5g spring onion
1g coriander leaves (save a few for topping)
2g sesame seed mix - save a little for topping
25g roasted peanuts, lightly crushed
25g thin tortilla strips - crispy fried; save a few for topping
50g orange supreme segments
Sea salt and black pepper
Method
Mix all salad ingredients in a bowl, serve on a pretty dish and top with a dash of sesame seeds, a few more coriander leaves and crispy tortilla strips
For dressing (makes 250ml)
15g fresh garlic
5g fresh ginger
15ml sesame oil
100ml soy sauce
100ml rice vinegar
50g brown sugar
Method
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth
British classic slow-cooked spaghetti bolognese
Recipe by chef Tristan Welch from Parker’s Tavern in Cambridge.
Ingredients
600g braising steak
6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
4 cloves of garlic
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 generous tbsp tomato paste
4 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
1 medium onion
1 stick celery
1⁄2 bottle red wine
2 litres stock beef
1 tbsp butter
Method
Preheat your oven to 140C
To make the bolognaise sauce heat the butter in a large ovenproof saucepan, season the steak with salt a pepper and brown with the bacon for about 20 minutes
Finely chop the celery, garlic and onion, add to the pan, and continue to cook until softened
Stir in the tomato paste, bay leaf and thyme, fry gently for minute, add the wine and let bubble a little allowing the alcohol to evaporate
Dilute with stock, cover with greaseproof paper and place in the oven for 3hrs checking every 30 minutes or so, add a little more stock if it starts to dry out
Once cooked allow to rest stir with a wooden spoon to break the tender meat into smaller chunks.
To serve cook the spaghetti for two minutes less than it says on the packet reserving some of the cooking water, warm up the bolognaise sauce add a little of the pasta cooking water stir in the pasta and boil for a minute allowing the pasta to soak up the sauce
Serve hot and for an extra British touch, serve it with freshly grated Berkswell cheese, it’s slightly similar to parmesan which naturally works well too
Spring carbonara
Recipe by chef Vito Mollica from Il Palagio restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel Florence.
Ingredients
320g Fusilloro Verrigni pasta (or alternative pasta)
4 egg yolks
60g grated Parmesan cheese
200g pig cheek (guanciale)
8 asparagus cut into pieces
100g shelled peas
100g fresh shelled broad beans
20g extra virgin olive oil
60g fresh Marzolino Pecorino cheese
Ground pepper
Method
In a pan, slowly melt the pig cheek until it becomes crispy. Cook pasta in salted water (plenty)
While the pasta is cooking, beat the egg yolks with grated Parmesan cheese
Remove the pig cheek from the pan and set aside. Add a little cooking water to the fat of the pig cheek, mixing together until you get a nice emulsion
Saute the chopped asparagus, peas and fresh broad beans in a pan with the extra oil virgin olive, vegetables must be kept crunchy
Add the crispy pig cheek and a dash of pasta cooking water and remove by fire
Drain the fusilli al dente, pour them into the pan with the emulsion of water and fat of the pig cheek and let it cook for a minute to mix the flavours
Reduce the heat to a minimum, add the egg and Parmesan cheese mixture and mix well You must have a nice cream, add a bit of cooking water if necessary
Remove from the fire and finish with the mix of vegetables and crispy pig cheek, the fresh Marzolino pecorino cheese cut into very small pieces and a sprinkle of ground pepper
Serve immediately
Spaghetti with ham, ceps and black truffle
Recipe by chef Christian Le Squer at the Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris.
Ingredients
500g spaghetti (preferably homemade)
250g butter
100g Parmesan
80g “Prince of Paris” ham
120g mushrooms ou morilles
600g cream
80g dried mushrooms (morilles if possible)
Method
Perfectly al dente noodles should be tossed in butter and parmesan and carefully laid out side by side to form the walls of a rectangle
Glaze the ham, truffles, and cep mushrooms together with jus and place them in the timbale
Drizzle with truffled cream
Paint the exterior with more jus and top with a thin parmesan crust and delicately adorn with gold leaf
Seafood and chicken paella
Recipe recommended by Benjamin Ferra Y Castell, chef de cuisine at 101 Dining Lounge and Marina, One&Only The Palm Dubai. The recommended song to play while cooking the recipe is La Paella by Jose Alberto.
Ingredients (serves four)
320g Bomba rice
650ml shrimp stock (or seafood/fish/chicken stock)
30g chorizo
200g raw shrimps
60g calamari
50ml virgin olive oil
1 chicken fillet
75g white onions
50g red bell pepper
50g green bell pepper
50g frozen peas
4 padrón peppers
75g tomato sauce
4g curry powder
4g sweet pepper powder
1g turmeric powder
2g saffron pistil
20g lemon juice
4 lemon wedges
Method
Chop white onions and bell peppers
Cut chorizo in small dices of 5mm and thin slices
Peel the raw shrimps by keeping the head
Cut the chicken and calamari in squares of 3cm
Put the olive oil in a paella pan and fry onions, bell peppers as well as few dices of chorizo in it
Once everything is cooked, add the rice until it gets glazed
Add all the spices and powders and fill it up with shrimp stock; simmer by stirring until it is cooked
After 10 mins of simmering add the frozen peas
Finally add the tomato sauce and stir the paella occasionally
Pan-fry the chicken, shrimps, calamari, chorizo slices and padrón peppers separately
Garnish the paella with the pan-fired ingredients, lemon juice and lemon wedges on top
Ready to serve
East Lothian beef, braised truffle barley and Scottish girolles
Recipe by chef Simon Attridge at Gleneagles in Scotland.
Ingredients - for the truffle barley
200g pearl barley
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic
600ml vegetable stock
160ml whipping cream, whipped
20g fresh truffle, grated For the beef
600g beef fillet
100g unsalted butter
3 sprigs thyme
Rapeseed oil
For the tenderstem broccoli and girolle mushrooms
12 spears tenderstem broccoli
400g girolle mushrooms, cleaned and air dried
Salt, to taste
Method
To start, pre-heat the oven to 160°C. Next, add the barley, herbs, garlic and stock to a large pot. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, or tin foil, then place in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes until the barley is cooked. Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before folding through the lightly whipped cream and freshly grated truffle
Next, season the beef fillet and place in a hot roasting pan with a little rapeseed oil and brown, until evenly coloured on all sides. Add the butter and thyme and baste the fillet until well-coated, then place it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until it is medium rare, making sure to baste every four minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling wire before pouring over the remaining butter from the pan and leaving the fillet to rest for ten minutes. Once rested, carve into slices
Now prepare the tenderstem broccoli and girolle mushrooms. Boil a pan of salted water and blanch the broccoli until just cooked. Add some butter to a frying pan and heat until foaming. Add the girolle mushrooms and sauté. Drain the broccoli and add to the pan, season with salt and pepper and heat through
To serve, place the barley on a serving platter, top with the sliced beef and arrange the broccoli and mushrooms. Garnish with the freshly grated truffle and enjoy
Ravioli Di Erbette
Recipe by executive chef Theo Randall at the InterContinental London - Park Lane.
Ingredients (serves four)
250g of fresh pasta dough (see recipe of pasta in Rotolo di Spinachi recipe)
150g of wild rocket
200g of Swiss chard leaves, no stem
200g of cima di rape (turnip greens or tender stem broccoli)
250g of fresh ricotta cheese
75g grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove, crushed garlic
8 sage leaves
50g of unsalted butter
1 tsp of crushed fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar
Method
For the filling blanch the wild rocket, cima di rape or tender stem broccoli and swiss chard separately. Place in a colander to cool down. When cool, squeeze to extract any excess water. Finely chop, heat a frying pan and add a tbsp of olive oil, 1 clove of crushed garlic and a tsp of ground fennel seeds. Fry for 1 minute then add the chopped greens cook for 3 minutes so there is no moisture left. Cool down and mix together with the fresh ricotta, Parmesan. Check the seasoning and place into a piping bag
Roll out four pasta sheets 40cm long and 10cm wide. Pipe even amounts of the filling with a gap of 4cm per filling. Spray water over the pasta, then fold over. Using your little fingers make divides between each portion of filling. Cup your hands and press gently over each ravioli, push down to release any excess air. Using a pasta cutter with a zig zag edge,cut the ravioli. Once cut, using you fingers make sure all the edges are sealed. Repeat this process for each sheet of pasta. Leave the ravioli in a fridge for at least 1 hour
In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the ravioli until they are al dente and add them to a hot saute pan that has melted butter and sage. Take out the ravioli with a slotted spoon and add a ladle of the pasta water. Cook on a high heat so the pasta is tender but still has a bite but most importantly there is an emulsified sauce. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and black pepper
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-04-23--Will coronavirus signal the end of the handshake?

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The handshake could become one of many long-term cultural casualties of the coronavirus pandemic, which looks set to forever change how humans physically interact.
Earlier this month, Anthony Fauci, the US’s chief immunologist, told the Wall Street Journal that: “As a society, just forget about shaking hands, we don't need to shake hands. We’ve gotta break that custom, because as a matter of fact that is really one of the major ways you can transmit a respiratory-borne illness”.
“I don’t think we should ever shake hands ever again, to be honest with you” he said.
“If Fauci’s advice were to be taken en masse, it would mark a profound shift in human behaviour,” says the BBC. “After all, shaking hands has been the de facto greeting in international business, politics and society for the better part of a century. Its origins go back millennia.”
Yet “Fauci isn’t alone in his opinion of handshaking,” says CNBC.
Gregory Poland, director of the Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group and spokesperson for Infectious Diseases Society of America, told the news network he been trying to put an end to handshakes for nearly three decades.
“It’s an outdated custom,” he says. “Many cultures have learned that you can greet one another without touching each other.”
As the virus took hold around the world in March, The Guardian reported how different countries and cultures were changing their greeting habits.
Bumping elbows is one gesture that is becoming common. In China, loudspeakers told people to make the traditional gong shou gesture, a fist in the opposite palm, to say hello, while in Australia, Brad Hazzard, the New South Wales health minister, advised people to instead give each other a pat on the back. In Iran, it has become common for friends meeting to keep their hands in their pockets and tap their feet against each other as a greeting.
Another alternative suggested by Poland is tilting or bowing your head to greet another person. “When men greeted other people [back in the day], they raised tor tipped their hat,” he says.
There is even a Linkedln page calling for the end of the handshake.


theweekuk--2020-04-23--Is contact tracing the key to ending the lockdown?

The UK is to recruit and train thousands of coronavirus contact tracers in a bid to help end the lockdown and slowly lift the quarantine that has brought the economy to its knees.
“The discussion about exit strategies has largely focused on two capabilities that will be needed to prevent new outbreaks of infections once people go back to work — extensive testing to spot new infections and smartphone apps that can provide a record of an infected person’s recent locations,” says the Financial Times.
Under plans first revealed by The Times, around 15,000 recruits, including council staff and civil servants, will work alongside the new NHSX app that monitors people’s contacts digitally, as part of a three-tiered system to ensure that every infected person is isolated before they pass the virus on to others.
Due to be operational in a matter of weeks, when fully up and running experts expect to be able to track at least 80% of the people a coronavirus patient has come into contact with within 24 hours of diagnosis.
Yahoo News says “targeting specific people who may have come into contact with people who have had coronavirus would potentially allow more targeted quarantine measures than the current blanket lockdown. This could mean that strict lockdown measures could be relaxed as those who are infected or at a possible risk of having been infected are in quarantine”.
However, Politico says “contact tracing only works if you have the capacity to test each and every possible victim, of course — which is why Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s target to reach 100,000 tests a day by the end of the month is now so important”.
Countries that adopted the “test, trace, isolate” model early, namely South Korea, Singapore and Germany, have been some of the most successful in keeping the number of coronavirus cases and deaths down.
This raises further questions about the UK government’s strategy, given “contact tracing for coronavirus patients was abandoned more than a month ago as cases spiralled - despite clear warnings from the World Health Organization that tracing was the ‘backbone’ of fighting the outbreak”, the Daily Mail reports.


theweekuk--2020-04-23--Quiz of The Week: 18 - 24 April

Quiz of The Week: 18 - 24 April

As the global tally of coronavirus cases soars past 2.7m , the UK government ’ s chief medical adviser this week warned that it is “ wholly unrealistic ” to expect life to return to normal soon .
Chris Whitty told a Downing Street briefing that some preventative measures would need to stay in place in Britain until a vaccine or treatment was developed , in order to prevent a second wave of infections .
The announcement came as other health experts called for a public inquiry into whether the decision to go ahead with the Cheltenham Festival caused a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the area .
About 150,000 people attended the four-day event in March , which ended just ten days before lockdown measures began .
On a global scale , the coronavirus crisis is causing a “ hunger pandemic ” that threatens a famine of “ biblical ” proportions , the chief of the UN ’ s food relief agency has warned .
A glimmer of hope in the battle against the worldwide outbreak is emerging , however .
Scientists from Oxford University this week began coronavirus vaccine trials on humans , with researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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 non-coronavirus-related headlines over the past seven days ?
The Queen this week celebrated her 94th birthday , but requested that the traditional gun salute should not go ahead given current circumstances .
Meanwhile , the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge released a photograph of Prince Louis , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business-related news , US oil prices collapsed into negative figures amid falling global demand during lockdowns , and a shortage of storage space .
Meanwhile , tensions between the US and Iran are rising for the second time this year , with Donald Trump threatening to destroy Iranian gunboats that “ harrass ” American ships at sea .
The president has also threatened to suspend all immigration to the US under an executive order .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Back in the UK , new Labour leader Keir Starmer won plaudits for his first performance at the despatch box during the first virtual Prime Minister ’ s Questions .
In the world of sport , the Premier League is reportedly losing £9m a week as a result of the ongoing lockdown measures .
On a more light-hearted note , a new form of artificial intelligence has been developed that may be able to tell the difference @ @ @ @ @ @ @


theweekuk--2020-04-24--Sport shorts: Liverpool-Atletico Madrid tie to be investigated by health authorities

The Guardian reports that the Uefa Champions League tie between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid on 11 March will be investigated by public health authorities over a potential coronavirus rise in the city .
Anfield was at a 52,000 capacity for the match , including 3,000 fans from Spain which was already on partial lockdown .
Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson said : “ I have asked [ the city ’ s public health director ] Matt Ashton and his team to conduct a full investigation into any potential link between that match and the situation with coronavirus in the city .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ view as to whether that decision had an impact on the people of this city and I ’ ve asked Matt to work with the universities to see if the data can give us an indication of that.
” Liverpool could be on the verge of two major signings this summer .
According to Sky Sports RB Leipzig and Germany forward Timo Werner is ready to sign for the Anfield club if they pay his £52m release clause before it expires on 15 June .
Meanwhile , Sport Witness reports that Chelsea winger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over a free transfer .
3 .
Are we the champions ?
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp adorns the back page of The Daily Telegraph after Uefa ’ s decision that qualification for next season ’ s European competitions has to be based on “ sporting merit ” .
The Daily Mirror says that in making its decision , Uefa has “ effectively taken the possibility of a null and void Premier League season off the table ” , which it believes is good news for Liverpool .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher has not ruled out the rescheduled 4 October event only featuring elite runners .
He told The Guardian : “ We are trying to stay really agile and to keep scenario planning .
And at the moment , I don ’ t want to discount anything until it becomes really impossible.
” 5 .
Rugby player banned after signing for two clubs South African rugby union player Rohan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banned for two weeks after it was revealed he had signed contracts with two Premiership clubs , Sale and Gloucester .
The Daily Telegraph reports that Sale have also been given a suspended five-point deduction for their role in the saga .
England ’ s Test series against the West Indies , which was scheduled to start in June , has been postponed after cricket ’ s shutdown was extended until at least 1 July .
England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison said : “ As much as we remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this summer , we are in the midst of a worldwide crisis and our priority - over and above the playing of professional sport - will be to protect the vulnerable , key workers and society as a whole .
“ That ’ s why , simply put , there will be no cricket unless it ’ s safe to play .
Our schedule will only go ahead if government guidance permits.
” Sport in the UK could find itself locked down until 2021 in a warning that will send a chill through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Daily Telegraph says that sports are “ desperate for clarification over both that timeframe and how social distancing measures may specifically apply to participants and crowds ” , given that it ’ s the loss of gate revenue that threatens to devastate sport .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Football Association ( FA ) has charged Spurs and England international Eric Dier with misconduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confront a fan following the FA Cup defeat to Norwich in March .
The FA said : “ Eric Dier has been charged with misconduct for a breach of FA Rule E3 .
It is alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder ’ s actions were improper and/or threatening.
” Dier , who was led away by stewards before he could get close to the fan , has until 8 May to respond .
England women ’ s head coach Phil Neville has today confirmed that he will leave the role in the summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am looking forward to getting back to work with the team as soon as possible .
We have a fantastic squad of players and there is plenty to work on as we look to progress as a team going into 2021.
” The Cincinnati Bengals last night selected 23-year-old quarterback Joe Burrow as the No.1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft .
Heisman Trophy winner Burrow , who played college American football at Louisiana State , said : “ I knew I was going to have a really good season because I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , great coaches and we were going to work really hard .
But to jump up to number one overall is crazy to me .
It ’ s a dream come true.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

1. Anfield tie under investigation
The Guardian reports that the Uefa Champions League tie between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid on 11 March will be investigated by public health authorities over a potential coronavirus rise in the city.
Anfield was at a 52,000 capacity for the match, including 3,000 fans from Spain which was already on partial lockdown.
Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson said: “I have asked [the city’s public health director] Matt Ashton and his team to conduct a full investigation into any potential link between that match and the situation with coronavirus in the city.
“We want to come to a view as to whether that decision had an impact on the people of this city and I’ve asked Matt to work with the universities to see if the data can give us an indication of that.”
2. Werner and Willian in Reds’s sights
Liverpool could be on the verge of two major signings this summer. According to Sky Sports RB Leipzig and Germany forward Timo Werner is ready to sign for the Anfield club if they pay his £52m release clause before it expires on 15 June. Meanwhile, Sport Witness reports that Chelsea winger Willian is in “favourable” negotiations over a free transfer.
3. Are we the champions?
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp adorns the back page of The Daily Telegraph after Uefa’s decision that qualification for next season’s European competitions has to be based on “sporting merit”.
The Daily Mirror says that in making its decision, Uefa has “effectively taken the possibility of a null and void Premier League season off the table”, which it believes is good news for Liverpool.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
4. London Marathon could be elite-only
London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher has not ruled out the rescheduled 4 October event only featuring elite runners. He told The Guardian: “We are trying to stay really agile and to keep scenario planning. And at the moment, I don’t want to discount anything until it becomes really impossible.”
5. Rugby player banned after signing for two clubs
South African rugby union player Rohan Janse Van Rensburg has been fined and banned for two weeks after it was revealed he had signed contracts with two Premiership clubs, Sale and Gloucester. The Daily Telegraph reports that Sale have also been given a suspended five-point deduction for their role in the saga.
6. England vs. West Indies postponed
England’s Test series against the West Indies, which was scheduled to start in June, has been postponed after cricket’s shutdown was extended until at least 1 July.


theweekuk--2020-04-24--The new coronavirus research out this week: immunity rates and plasma treatments

As soon as a new coronavirus was identified in China at the end of last year , the world ’ s scientists set about investigating the threat it posed .
Each week we bring you a round-up of the progress they ’ ve made in understanding the spread of Covid-19 – and developing the vaccines , treatments and preventative measures that will bring it under control .
If epidemiologists could choose to uncover just one key insight about the Covid-19 outbreak , it would probably be a reliable count of how many people have already had the virus .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is safe to lift the lockdowns that have curtailed their citizens ’ personal lives and had a devastating effect on businesses and the global economy ” , the Financial Times reports .
A flurry of research papers published this week suggest the figure may vary sharply from place to place : • in a study of 3,000 people , 21.2 % of New York City residents and 13.9 % of people across New York State tested positive for Covid-19 antibodies , suggesting they have had the virus • in Los Angeles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 846 people found that only 4 % of people had antibodies • in the Netherlands , only 3 % of blood donors are testing positive for Covid-19 antibodies .
The sample size hasn ’ t been made public , but Dutch authorities have been aiming to test 10,000 blood samples a week since the end of March .
The findings indicate that even areas with high levels of infection are unlikely to have reached the point of herd immunity .
“ You would have hoped for 45 % or even 60 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Health Organization ( WHO ) told the American Association for the Advancement of Science .
“ That would mean that there is lots of silent transmission , and a lot of immunity in the population .
It now looks like , sadly , that ’ s not true.
” Australia ’ s ABC News reports that in Sweden – where mathematical modelling suggests that about a quarter of the population of Stockholm will have been infected by 1 May – epidemiologist Anders Wallensten has warned that being infected with the virus may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We don ’ t know that much about immunity yet , ” he told a press conference .
“ We will know more as more people are tested for antibodies , but also if more accounts of reinfection are reported.
” This message has been echoed by other researchers .
“ There ’ s a risk of really serious misinterpretation here , ” William Hanage , associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard University , told NBC News .
“ But the most basic conclusion – that quite a large number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not turning up in the official case counts – that ’ s extremely plausible and something we have been suspecting all along.
” Over the next year , the UK plans to test a representative sample of 300,000 people for coronavirus infection and immunity .
Despite Donald Trump ’ s enthusiasm for injecting disinfectant into coronavirus patients , doctors are focusing their efforts on treatments using blood plasma .
Hospitals in both the UK and the US are giving blood donated by people who have recovered from Covid-19 to patients seriously ill with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the antibodies they have built up will help to clear the virus in others , ” the BBC reports .
A trial is already under way in New York , where “ hundreds and hundreds of donors ” have come forward to help .
“ We ’ re hearing interesting positive case reports , ” Dr Michael Joyner , who is leading the project , told MarketWatch .
However , he warned , “ nobody tells you about your bad cases ” .
Results from the study will provide more comprehensive information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 Cornell University study has suggested that one way of lifting the lockdown while minimising the risk of infections would be for people to limit themselves to contact with a small group of people but no one else .
“ While social distancing measures clearly do flatten the curve , ” the paper concluded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strongly increase their efficiency , introducing the possibility of allowing some social contact while keeping risks low .
“ Limiting interaction to a few repeated contacts emerges as the most effective strategy , ” the authors say .


theweekuk--2020-04-24--Coronavirus: why the British economy is ‘collapsing at record pace’

Britain’s economy is collapsing at record pace amid a massive reduction in business activity and spiralling unemployment, and corporate confidence has suffered its largest quarterly drop on record.
Executives at Britain’s largest businesses “are braced for coronavirus to knock corporate revenues by more than a fifth this year”, says The Times.
Last month, a key index on economic confidence plunged to its lowest levels since the index began in 1998.
What has happened to the UK economy?
The IHS Markit’s “flash” purchasing managers’ index (PMI), which gives early estimates of private sector activity in the month, fell from 36 in March to 12.9 in April, reports The Times.
The fall was far more severe than economists had predicted – they had forecasted a drop to 31.4.
The employment index recorded a drop worse than the depths reached at the height of the financial crisis a decade ago, showing concerningly high levels of job losses despite the government’s job retention and self-employment income support schemes.
IHS Markit said that its figures were consistent with a 7% fall in GDP for the three months to the end of April.
But the actual decline is likely to be far worse, as the index does not cover two of the hardest hit areas of business: self-employed workers and the retail sector.
Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit, said: “The dire survey readings will inevitably raise questions about the cost of the lockdown and how long current containment measures will last…
“Business closures and social distancing measures have caused business activity to collapse at a rate vastly exceeding that seen even during the global financial crisis, confirming fears that GDP will slump to a degree previously thought unimaginable in the second quarter.”
The UK relies heavily on its services sector, which is another area hit hard by the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. Business activity in the services sector has fallen to 12.3 from 34.5 the previous month.
Ruth Gregory, senior economist at Capital Economics, said: “The eye-watering declines in April’s flash PMIs confirm the lockdown has pushed the economy into a recession of unprecedented speed and depth.


theweekuk--2020-04-24--Instant Opinion: Ryanair is ‘being mean again but we don’t really care’

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
Ryanair is being mean again but we don ’ t really care “ There is little moral equivalence between Ryanair being slow to offer refunds and [ Wetherspoons chairman Tim ] Martin ’ s callous treatment of his already poorly paid staff .
But for both companies , their value is not rooted in whether we perceive them to be good or bad moral actors but in the far simpler fact that they are cheap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their industries .
It is , too , much easier for the average consumer to boycott a company when we can switch to another with no financial cost , and without forsaking convenience .
There aren ’ t plenty of alternatives to Ryanair ; and Wetherspoon ’ s entire raison d ’ etre is that you ’ ll get much more bang for you buck than at an independent local.
” on a darker revelation behind the laughs Trump ’ s disinfectant idea is more than a silly soundbite “ All presidents enter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their knowledge of public policy .
Every modern one has worked reasonably hard or very hard to catch up .
Trump by all accounts ( including his own ) instead watches hours of cable news every day .
As I ’ ve said , there ’ s nothing wrong with presidents monitoring the media , even though they have much better sources of information .
It ’ s a good way to get outside the White House bubble and understand what other people are hearing .
But Trump appears to use cable news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to basic briefings.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Benny Gantz 's betrayal of his voters marks the ultimate end of the two-state solution “ Gantz , more Faustus than Lear , has repeatedly said that future land-grabs must have ‘ international consent ’ - now reduced to ‘ international discussions ’ - and we all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UN Resolution 242 .
Goodbye to the Oslo Agreement .
Goodbye to the two-state solution , to “ road maps ” and EU initiatives , to all the “ peace plans ” of Tony Blair - remember him ?
- and especially goodbye to decades of US presidential appeals to Israel for ‘ restraint ’ .
” 4 .
Diana Spechler in the New York Times on the line between art and pornography The nude selfie is now high art “ Though the debate about art versus pornography has never been settled , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nude selfies are art .
Some of us finally have time to make art , and this is the art we are making : carefully posed , cast in shadows , expertly filtered .
These aren ’ t garish below-the-belt shots under fluorescent lighting , a half-used roll of toilet paper in the background .
They are solicited or spontaneous .
They are gifts to partners in separate quarantines , friends who aren ’ t exactly friends , unmet Hinge matches and exes .
( Exes are popping up like Wack-a-Moles these days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ran out of patience with the press “ The case is eagerly awaited by those same tabloids : not just for the result , which will directly affect them , but for the opportunities it is likely to provide for courtroom drama .
Thomas Markle has signalled that he is prepared to give evidence against his daughter : in turn the duchess has said that she is prepared to reveal details of royal public funding to undermine the argument that her ‘ apparent wealth ’ means she has forfeited a right to privacy @ @

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Finn McRedmond in The Irish Times
on turning a blind eye to bad corporate behaviour
Ryanair is being mean again but we don’t really care
“There is little moral equivalence between Ryanair being slow to offer refunds and [Wetherspoons chairman Tim] Martin’s callous treatment of his already poorly paid staff. But for both companies, their value is not rooted in whether we perceive them to be good or bad moral actors but in the far simpler fact that they are cheap, accessible and largely democratising forces in their industries. It is, too, much easier for the average consumer to boycott a company when we can switch to another with no financial cost, and without forsaking convenience. There aren’t plenty of alternatives to Ryanair; and Wetherspoon’s entire raison d’etre is that you’ll get much more bang for you buck than at an independent local.”
2. Jonathan Bernstein on Bloomberg
on a darker revelation behind the laughs
Trump’s disinfectant idea is more than a silly soundbite
“All presidents enter the White House with significant gaps in their knowledge of public policy. Every modern one has worked reasonably hard or very hard to catch up. Trump by all accounts (including his own) instead watches hours of cable news every day. As I’ve said, there’s nothing wrong with presidents monitoring the media, even though they have much better sources of information. It’s a good way to get outside the White House bubble and understand what other people are hearing. But Trump appears to use cable news as a substitute, not a supplement, to basic briefings.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
3. Robert Fisk in The Independent
on Israel’s awkward coalition
Benny Gantz's betrayal of his voters marks the ultimate end of the two-state solution
“Gantz, more Faustus than Lear, has repeatedly said that future land-grabs must have ‘international consent’ - now reduced to ‘international discussions’ - and we all know what that means. Goodbye to UN Resolution 242. Goodbye to the Oslo Agreement. Goodbye to the two-state solution, to “road maps” and EU initiatives, to all the “peace plans” of Tony Blair - remember him? - and especially goodbye to decades of US presidential appeals to Israel for ‘restraint’.”
4. Diana Spechler in the New York Times
on the line between art and pornography
The nude selfie is now high art
“Though the debate about art versus pornography has never been settled, a case can be made that quarantine nude selfies are art. Some of us finally have time to make art, and this is the art we are making: carefully posed, cast in shadows, expertly filtered. These aren’t garish below-the-belt shots under fluorescent lighting, a half-used roll of toilet paper in the background. They are solicited or spontaneous. They are gifts to partners in separate quarantines, friends who aren’t exactly friends, unmet Hinge matches and exes. (Exes are popping up like Wack-a-Moles these days.)”
5. Valentine Low in The Times
on an acrimonious breakup
How Harry and Meghan ran out of patience with the press
“The case is eagerly awaited by those same tabloids: not just for the result, which will directly affect them, but for the opportunities it is likely to provide for courtroom drama. Thomas Markle has signalled that he is prepared to give evidence against his daughter: in turn the duchess has said that she is prepared to reveal details of royal public funding to undermine the argument that her ‘apparent wealth’ means she has forfeited a right to privacy.”


theweekuk--2020-04-24--How iPhone bug may allow hackers to access users’ data

A security flaw in Apple ’ s mobile operating system allows hackers to install software on iPhones without getting the victim to download an attachment or click on any links , according to new research .
Cybersecurity experts say hackers may have been exploiting the as-yet unfixed bug in the iPhone ’ s Mail app since January 2018 , The Times reports .
What are the hackers doing ?
Typically , “ an attack on a phone requires a user to download the malware ” , usually by clicking on a link in a message or on an attachment sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Yet in this case , hackers send a blank email to the user .
When the email is opened , a bug is triggered that causes the Mail app to crash , forcing the user to reboot it , ” says the newspaper .
During the reboot , hackers can reportedly access information on the device , and remotely modify or delete emails .
How was it discovered ?
The bug was discovered by San Francisco-based cybersecurity firm ZecOps , after researchers found suspicious lines of code on iPhones belonging to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Zuk Avraham , the company ’ s chief executive , told the newspaper that following months of investigations , his team realised that the code was connected to a previously unknown flaw in Apple ’ s email app .
ZecOps alerted Apple in March about the issue , he said .
Apple has since confirmed that a fix will be included in upcoming software updates , Reuters reports .
In a statement , the California-based tech giant said : “ We have thoroughly investigated the researcher ’ s report , and based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these issues do not pose an immediate risk to our users .
“ The researcher identified three issues in Mail , but alone they are insufficient to bypass iPhone and iPad security protections , and we have found no evidence they were used against customers.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Could your iPhone have been hacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research findings , ZecOps said that the firm ’ s experts had “ high confidence ” that the flaws may have been used in attacks conducted by “ an advanced threat operator ” .
However , most users probably have nothing to worry about .
The company added that “ it had found evidence that the bug was used to attack well-known targets including individuals from a Fortune 500 company in North America , an executive from a mobile carrier in Japan , employees of technology companies in Saudi Arabia and Israel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany ” , the BBC reports .
ZecOps did not disclose the identities of these alleged victims .

A security flaw in Apple’s mobile operating system allows hackers to install software on iPhones without getting the victim to download an attachment or click on any links, according to new research.
Cybersecurity experts say hackers may have been exploiting the as-yet unfixed bug in the iPhone’s Mail app since January 2018, The Times reports.
What are the hackers doing?
Typically, “an attack on a phone requires a user to download the malware”, usually by clicking on a link in a message or on an attachment sent by the hackers, explains The Times.
“Yet in this case, hackers send a blank email to the user. When the email is opened, a bug is triggered that causes the Mail app to crash, forcing the user to reboot it,” says the newspaper.
During the reboot, hackers can reportedly access information on the device, and remotely modify or delete emails.
How was it discovered?
The bug was discovered by San Francisco-based cybersecurity firm ZecOps, after researchers found suspicious lines of code on iPhones belonging to a client, The Washington Post reports.
Zuk Avraham, the company’s chief executive, told the newspaper that following months of investigations, his team realised that the code was connected to a previously unknown flaw in Apple’s email app.
ZecOps alerted Apple in March about the issue, he said.
Apple has since confirmed that a fix will be included in upcoming software updates, Reuters reports.
In a statement, the California-based tech giant said: “We have thoroughly investigated the researcher’s report, and based on the information provided, have concluded these issues do not pose an immediate risk to our users.
“The researcher identified three issues in Mail, but alone they are insufficient to bypass iPhone and iPad security protections, and we have found no evidence they were used against customers.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Could your iPhone have been hacked?
In a blog post explaining the research findings, ZecOps said that the firm’s experts had “high confidence” that the flaws may have been used in attacks conducted by “an advanced threat operator”.
However, most users probably have nothing to worry about.
The company added that “it had found evidence that the bug was used to attack well-known targets including individuals from a Fortune 500 company in North America, an executive from a mobile carrier in Japan, employees of technology companies in Saudi Arabia and Israel, a European journalist and an individual in Germany”, the BBC reports.
ZecOps did not disclose the identities of these alleged victims.