theweekuk--2020-06-12--Instant Opinion: no room for nuance in the ‘age of self-righteous identity politics’

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
on the need for black and white answers in 21st century politics Nuance is no good in this age of self-righteous identity politics “ The word ‘ gaslighting ’ derives from a 1938 play by Patrick Hamilton about a sinister and controlling husband , but has been popularised more recently as part of the new lexicon of social justice .
It means to manipulate a person using psychological trickery until they begin to question their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because I feel increasingly gaslit by the very generation that so rightly abhors this behaviour .
Like the befuddled wife in Hamilton ’ s play , I am almost afraid to trust the evidence of my own senses .
Things that once seemed , and still seem , self-evident facts have now been recast as faulty thinking , with no room for nuance or disagreement .
Anyone who persists in clinging to wrong thoughts is ridiculed , threatened , berated and ostracised : a perfect template of the gaslighter ’ s art.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to mention J.K. Rowling , predatory men and the nuance we 're all missing out “ Predatory men aren ’ t waiting for anyone ’ s permission .
That ’ s… kind of their thing , really .
In the hypothetical world described by Rowling , predatory men are eagerly waiting to be granted access to bathrooms to finally assault as many women and girls as they want .
But here ’ s the thing : if someone ’ s predatory tendencies are such that they have decided to attack women and/or girls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think that they ’ re currently being held back by some kind of rule keeping them out of the premises ?
This makes no sense .
It also has nothing - absolutely nothing - to do with trans people or their rights ...
In the meantime , I will say this : trans rights are human rights .
Someone ’ s struggle doesn ’ t come at the expense of your own .
And for heaven ’ s sake , let people use the bathroom in peace.
” on tips from abroad for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fix the schools crisis “ The process of recovery needs some dramatic and specific attention .
In some cases , the rules about a child repeating a year could be relaxed .
It may be better for some children simply to begin the year over again .
As unpopular as testing is , it is vital .
All children who are beginning secondary school in the autumn should be tested , to assess what maths and English help they may need .
Once the need is defined , the best way to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mentoring .
The government should establish a national tutoring service with help targeted in maths and in English , offered in the final year of primary school and the first years of secondary school , the critical phase for learning .
Lee Elliot Major , professor of social mobility at Exeter University , has shown that good tuition can boost a child ’ s learning by the equivalent of five months during a single academic year ...
It is astonishing that , months into this crisis , there is no evident plan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown sitting at home alone doing nothing more than cause trouble for himself .
It ’ s not that hard to work out what must be done and not impossible to do it.
” 4 .
Simukai Chigudu , associate professor of African politics at the University of Oxford , in The Guardian on the years-long campaign to topple a controversial statue As one of Oxford ’ s few black professors , let me tell you why I care about Rhodes “ [ Cecil ] Rhodes ’ imperialism gave rise to a pattern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on racial domination in political , economic and social spheres .
In Rhodesia , 8 million disenfranchised black people eked out a living at subsistence level or below it , while 250,000 white people , barely 3 % of the population , owned more than half of the country ’ s available land , and virtually all of its business and industry , before independence from colonial rule in 1980 .
Education , healthcare and housing were all segregated , with white people enjoying levels equivalent to those in western Europe or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then , is no mere physical artefact .
It is imbued with a noxious history .
Its presence at Oriel College reframes Rhodes ’ conquest as munificence to the university and fails to recognise the exploitation of African labour from which his estate was built .
It belongs in a museum , where it can be properly historicised .
More importantly , in 2015 and now , the calls for the removal of such statues open up discussions about how we talk about the dynamics of race and racism , inclusion and exclusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– “ Millions of Americans have experienced the coronavirus pandemic directly , as they or their loved ones suffered through infection .
But for most of us , the experience is defined by weeks and months on end stuck at home .
The shut-ins are testing the safety of our home environments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feature of American life - easy access to firearms - could form a deadly brew ... Several myths cloud public understanding of the connection between guns and suicide .
Perhaps the most pernicious is the idea that people who really want to end their lives will find a way to do it , making the presence or absence of a gun somewhat irrelevant .
Decades of research on suicide tell a different story .
Suicide attempts are often impulsive , prompted by fleeting crises .
A vast majority of people who attempt suicide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ die in a future suicide .
But whether attempters get that second chance at life depends a lot on the method they use , which in turn depends on what is readily at hand .
Firearms afford few second chances .
In sum , methods matter .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Jemima Lewis in The Daily Telegraph
on the need for black and white answers in 21st century politics
Nuance is no good in this age of self-righteous identity politics
“The word ‘gaslighting’ derives from a 1938 play by Patrick Hamilton about a sinister and controlling husband, but has been popularised more recently as part of the new lexicon of social justice. It means to manipulate a person using psychological trickery until they begin to question their own sanity. It’s funny, because I feel increasingly gaslit by the very generation that so rightly abhors this behaviour. Like the befuddled wife in Hamilton’s play, I am almost afraid to trust the evidence of my own senses. Things that once seemed, and still seem, self-evident facts have now been recast as faulty thinking, with no room for nuance or disagreement. Anyone who persists in clinging to wrong thoughts is ridiculed, threatened, berated and ostracised: a perfect template of the gaslighter’s art.”
2. Clemence Michallon in The Independent
on the issues J.K. Rowling failed to mention
J.K. Rowling, predatory men and the nuance we're all missing out
“Predatory men aren’t waiting for anyone’s permission. That’s… kind of their thing, really. In the hypothetical world described by Rowling, predatory men are eagerly waiting to be granted access to bathrooms to finally assault as many women and girls as they want. But here’s the thing: if someone’s predatory tendencies are such that they have decided to attack women and/or girls in public bathrooms, what makes us think that they’re currently being held back by some kind of rule keeping them out of the premises? This makes no sense. It also has nothing - absolutely nothing - to do with trans people or their rights... In the meantime, I will say this: trans rights are human rights. Someone’s struggle doesn’t come at the expense of your own. And for heaven’s sake, let people use the bathroom in peace.”
3. Philip Collins in The Times
on tips from abroad for the prime minister
How Boris Johnson can fix the schools crisis
“The process of recovery needs some dramatic and specific attention. In some cases, the rules about a child repeating a year could be relaxed. It may be better for some children simply to begin the year over again. As unpopular as testing is, it is vital. All children who are beginning secondary school in the autumn should be tested, to assess what maths and English help they may need. Once the need is defined, the best way to help is to give pupils individual tuition and mentoring. The government should establish a national tutoring service with help targeted in maths and in English, offered in the final year of primary school and the first years of secondary school, the critical phase for learning. Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at Exeter University, has shown that good tuition can boost a child’s learning by the equivalent of five months during a single academic year... It is astonishing that, months into this crisis, there is no evident plan. The education secretary seems to have spent lockdown sitting at home alone doing nothing more than cause trouble for himself. It’s not that hard to work out what must be done and not impossible to do it.”
4. Simukai Chigudu, associate professor of African politics at the University of Oxford, in The Guardian
on the years-long campaign to topple a controversial statue
As one of Oxford’s few black professors, let me tell you why I care about Rhodes
“[Cecil] Rhodes’ imperialism gave rise to a pattern of settler colonialism in Southern Africa predicated on racial domination in political, economic and social spheres. In Rhodesia, 8 million disenfranchised black people eked out a living at subsistence level or below it, while 250,000 white people, barely 3% of the population, owned more than half of the country’s available land, and virtually all of its business and industry, before independence from colonial rule in 1980. Education, healthcare and housing were all segregated, with white people enjoying levels equivalent to those in western Europe or the United States. Rhodes’ statue, then, is no mere physical artefact. It is imbued with a noxious history. Its presence at Oriel College reframes Rhodes’ conquest as munificence to the university and fails to recognise the exploitation of African labour from which his estate was built. It belongs in a museum, where it can be properly historicised. More importantly, in 2015 and now, the calls for the removal of such statues open up discussions about how we talk about the dynamics of race and racism, inclusion and exclusion, and being and belonging in Britain.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
5. David Studdert, Matthew Miller and Garen Wintemute in The New York Times
on a post-corona crisis that has been brewing for decades
Coronavirus Could Make America’s Gun Problem Even Deadlier
“Millions of Americans have experienced the coronavirus pandemic directly, as they or their loved ones suffered through infection. But for most of us, the experience is defined by weeks and months on end stuck at home. The shut-ins are testing the safety of our home environments. Stress and isolation combined with another feature of American life - easy access to firearms - could form a deadly brew... Several myths cloud public understanding of the connection between guns and suicide. Perhaps the most pernicious is the idea that people who really want to end their lives will find a way to do it, making the presence or absence of a gun somewhat irrelevant. Decades of research on suicide tell a different story. Suicide attempts are often impulsive, prompted by fleeting crises. A vast majority of people who attempt suicide survive and do not go on to die in a future suicide. But whether attempters get that second chance at life depends a lot on the method they use, which in turn depends on what is readily at hand. Firearms afford few second chances. In sum, methods matter.”


theweekuk--2020-06-12--Quiz of The Week: 6 - 12 June

Quiz of The Week: 6 - 12 June

First one statue fell , and now others look set to follow like dominos .
Before Black Lives Matter protesters toppled a bronze effigy of 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol on Sunday , few would have predicted that the week would end with campaigners drawing up a list of statues targeted to suffer a similar fate .
Councils across the country are also pledging to review controversial monuments in their areas , with London Mayor Sadiq Khan launching a Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm .
Over in the US , the BLM movement has a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The growing calls to rethink or even abolish the policing system follows attacks on peaceful protesters by law enforcers across the country - tactics that are thrown into harsh relief when compared with the actions of UK police at similar demonstrations .
To find out how closely you ’ ve been paying attention to the latest developments in the pandemic , and other global events , put your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week : Need a reminder of some of the other headlines over the past seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ J.K. Rowling is in hot water after tweeting a series of messages labelled “ transphobic ” by critics .
And the row took a further twist when Rowling defended her comments in an essay in which she also reveals herself to be a victim of sexual and domestic assault .
Meanwhile , Brexit talks between Britain and the EU hit the skids over much disputed fishing regulations .
The UK government is facing further hostility at home too , after an ex-adviser suggested that locking down a week earlier would have significantly reduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In other international dust-ups , the EU accused Russia and China of spreading coronavirus disinformation , while Moscow warned the US against including Beijing in upcoming nuclear disarmament talks .
Despite the various rows , there has been some cause for celebration .
Prince Philip marked his 99th birthday while shielding with the Queen in Windsor Castle .
And the rest of the country may soon have reason to raise a toast as well , with pubs set to reopen later this month under a new government plan to “ save the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
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theweekuk--2020-06-12--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 12 Jun 2020

Donald Trump has threatened to “ take back ” a district where protesters have been given free rein in Seattle @ @ @ @ @ on Monday after days of violent confrontation with demonstrators .
Although Washington state leaders told @ @ @ @ @ meddle in their affairs , Trump said the area had been overtaken by “ domestic @ @ @ @ @ says demonstrations in the area have been largely peaceful since officers withdrew .

Trump threatens police-free district in Seattle
Donald Trump has threatened to “take back” a district where protesters have been given free rein in Seattle. Officers abandoned the precinct on Monday after days of violent confrontation with demonstrators. Although Washington state leaders told the US president not to meddle in their affairs, Trump said the area had been overtaken by “domestic terrorists”. The BBC says demonstrations in the area have been largely peaceful since officers withdrew.


theweekuk--2020-06-12--Health chiefs tell New Yorkers to use walls during sex

The New York City Department of Health has issued an imaginative document on how to have safer sex in the Covid-19 era .
In one tip , it advises readers : “ Be creative with sexual positions and physical barriers , like walls , that allow sexual contact while preventing close face to face contact.
” Asked for more information on this , the Department said : “ We trust our audience and New Yorkers are creative enough to know what this means.
” Scientists have described a 13-foot tall crocodile that weighed half a ton and walked upright on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Professor Martin Lockley , of the University of Colorado Denver , said the creature had a huge skull , powerful jaws and sharp teeth .
“ They were giants , ” he said .
An alarming dust cloud was released after a tower at Hinkley Point C nuclear plant appeared to collapse .
Witnesses say they heard an explosion at the 35-metre , 5,000-tonne tower .
However , energy supplier EDF has denied that a blast occurred .
In a statement the company said no one had been hurt .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The New York City Department of Health has issued an imaginative document on how to have safer sex in the Covid-19 era. In one tip, it advises readers: “Be creative with sexual positions and physical barriers, like walls, that allow sexual contact while preventing close face to face contact.” Asked for more information on this, the Department said: “We trust our audience and New Yorkers are creative enough to know what this means.”
Professor says 13-foot crocodile walked upright
Scientists have described a 13-foot tall crocodile that weighed half a ton and walked upright on two legs 120 million years ago. Professor Martin Lockley, of the University of Colorado Denver, said the creature had a huge skull, powerful jaws and sharp teeth. “They were giants,” he said.
‘Explosion’ and dust cloud at nuclear plant
An alarming dust cloud was released after a tower at Hinkley Point C nuclear plant appeared to collapse. Witnesses say they heard an explosion at the 35-metre, 5,000-tonne tower. However, energy supplier EDF has denied that a blast occurred. In a statement the company said no one had been hurt.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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--2020-06-12--The Week Unwrapped: Alcohol, furlonteering and swimming in sewage

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days .
Why are South Africa ’ s hospitals overflowing ?
Should furloughed staff be working for free ?
And why are British beaches still not clean ?
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– To get six free issues of The Week magazine and a moleskine notebook visit theweek.co.uk/offer and enter promo code : pod25 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In this week ’ s episode , we discuss : Hospitals in South Africa are dealing with a big influx of patients this week - not patients with coronavirus , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alcohol-related accidents and violence .
The cause of the sudden rise is the lifting of a ban on the sale of alcohol imposed when the country ’ s lockdown began in March .
That measure was very effective - but also very unpopular .
Hundreds of furloughed staff have been using their leave from work to donate their time and skills to struggling charities .
But critics say a growing number of start-ups are now cashing in on so-called `` furlonteering '' to get free labour , funded by the taxpayer .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this underreported practice , and is it ethical ?
The quality of bathing water at Britain ’ s beaches is among the lowest in Europe , as water companies continue to discharge raw sewage into rivers and other waterways .
What ’ s meant to be an emergency dispensation to release untreated wastewater was exercised 140,000 times in 2018 , and there are fears that the very wet weather this winter may have exacerbated the problem .
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player , Apple podcasts , SoundCloud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ podcasts .

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. Why are South Africa’s hospitals overflowing? Should furloughed staff be working for free? And why are British beaches still not clean?
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––To get six free issues of The Week magazine and a moleskine notebook visit theweek.co.uk/offer and enter promo code: pod25–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
Coronavirus and alcohol
Hospitals in South Africa are dealing with a big influx of patients this week - not patients with coronavirus, but people who’ve been injured in alcohol-related accidents and violence. The cause of the sudden rise is the lifting of a ban on the sale of alcohol imposed when the country’s lockdown began in March. That measure was very effective - but also very unpopular.
Furlonteering
Hundreds of furloughed staff have been using their leave from work to donate their time and skills to struggling charities. But critics say a growing number of start-ups are now cashing in on so-called "furlonteering" to get free labour, funded by the taxpayer. So what are the other potential costs of this underreported practice, and is it ethical?
Swimming in sewage
The quality of bathing water at Britain’s beaches is among the lowest in Europe, as water companies continue to discharge raw sewage into rivers and other waterways. What’s meant to be an emergency dispensation to release untreated wastewater was exercised 140,000 times in 2018, and there are fears that the very wet weather this winter may have exacerbated the problem.
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player, Apple podcasts, SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts.


theweekuk--2020-06-11--52 ideas that changed the world - 51. Islam

In this series , The Week looks at the ideas and innovations that permanently changed the way we see the world .
This week , the spotlight is on Islam : Islam is an Abrahamic religion which teaches that there is only one God ( Allah ) and that the Prophet Mohammed is God ’ s messenger .
It is the second largest religion in the world by followers , with 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide - nearly a quarter ( 24.1 % ) of the total global population , according to the Pew Research Center .
The fundamental principle of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the will of Allah - the word “ Islam ” means “ submission ” to the word of God .
Allah ’ s will is made known through the sacred scriptures , the Koran , which Allah revealed to Mohammed .
Muslims worship in mosques and worship Islam by praying and reciting the Koran .
Ramadan , the ninth month of the Islamic calendar , is observed by Muslims worldwide as a time of fasting , prayer , reflection and community .
During the month , Muslims do not eat or drink between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devote themselves to their faith and come closer to Allah , says the BBC .
Eid al-Fitr - the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast - is a special festival that marks the end of Ramadan , and starts when the first sight of the new moon is seen in the sky at the end of the month .
How did it develop ?
Mohammed was born in Mecca , Saudi Arabia , in around AD570 .
Muslims believe that in around AD610 , an angel visited him and recited to him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 613 , Mohammed began preaching the word of Allah around Mecca , teaching that there was no other God and that life should be lived in complete submission to the will of Allah .
In 622 , Mohammed left Mecca for Medina , on a journey known as the Hijra - the event that marks the beginning of year 1 in the Muslim calendar , says History World .
Mohammed continued to preach based on the initial visitation by the archangel Gabriel and on other revelations that followed throughout his lifetime .
Where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mohammed and his allies overcame those who opposed him - sometimes through military means , according to Biography.com .
By 630 , most of the Meccan population had converted to Islam .
When Mohammed died , in 632 , he was buried at al-Masjid an-Nabawi ( the Mosque of the Prophet ) , one of the first mosques that he built in Medina .
Despite his death , Islam continued to spread quickly .
“ A series of leaders , known as caliphs , became successors to Mohammed .
This system of leadership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruler , became known as a caliphate , ” says the Sky History channel website .
During the reign of the first four caliphs , Muslims took over large portions of the Middle East , including Syria , Palestine , Iran and Iraq .
Islam also reached Europe , Africa , and Asia .
The caliphate system eventually evolved into the Ottoman Empire , which was inspired and sustained by Islam and Islamic institutions .
The empire controlled large regions in the Middle East from about 1517 until 1917 , when the First @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declining , Ottoman reign .
However , Islam went through a period of reform and revival in the colonial period , with many states ultimately achieving political independence with a Muslim identity “ that they interpreted in various ways and implemented within such domains as law , education , and moral conduct ” , say Encyclopaedia Brittanica .
But the relationship between the state and Islam was the source of tension in many countries , and remains so today .
In the late part of the 20th century , many Arab countries saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Islam should guide social and political as well as personal life .
This political form of Islam saw “ many Arab states transformed into secular military dictatorships , [ with ] social movements of all ideological stripes largely repressed ” , says Al Jazeera .
“ The challenges that the latest iteration of Islamist activism faces are the same ones that confront political parties of all ideological stripes , ” the news site adds .
“ Namely , how to ensure that governments represent the interests of the majority of their citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dangers of vast economic inequality and lack basic rights of freedom and security than at any other time in the recent past.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– How did it change the world ?
People from the Islamic world have had a significant impact on the cultural , scientific , technological , academic and philosophical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ From coffee to cheques and the three-course meal , the Muslim world has given us many innovations that we take for granted in daily life , ” according to The Independent .
Muslim inventions are currently being used in the fight against the Covid-19 coronavirus .
Everything from soap and medical alcohol to the concept of quarantine originate from Muslim societies , says the Urban Muslimz news site .
Muslim doctors also invented the idea of hospitals , in accordance with Mohammed ’ s teachings that “ God never inflicts a disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” , and that “ God has sent down the disease and the cure , and He has appointed a cure for every disease , so treat yourselves medically ” .
The Muslim world has a significant impact on international relations and diplomacy too , with some of the most influential and wealthiest countries in the world run by Muslim leaders under Islamic law .
For example , Qatar - a majority Muslim country , with Islam as the state religion - has the highest gross national income ( GNI ) per capita @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rival by more than $ 20,000 , reports USA Today .

In this series, The Week looks at the ideas and innovations that permanently changed the way we see the world. This week, the spotlight is on Islam:
Islam in 60 seconds
Islam is an Abrahamic religion which teaches that there is only one God (Allah) and that the Prophet Mohammed is God’s messenger.
It is the second largest religion in the world by followers, with 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide - nearly a quarter (24.1%) of the total global population, according to the Pew Research Center.
The fundamental principle of Islam is that its followers submit to the will of Allah - the word “Islam” means “submission” to the word of God. Allah’s will is made known through the sacred scriptures, the Koran, which Allah revealed to Mohammed.
Muslims worship in mosques and worship Islam by praying and reciting the Koran.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is observed by Muslims worldwide as a time of fasting, prayer, reflection and community. During the month, Muslims do not eat or drink between dawn and sunset, in order to devote themselves to their faith and come closer to Allah, says the BBC.
Eid al-Fitr - the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast - is a special festival that marks the end of Ramadan, and starts when the first sight of the new moon is seen in the sky at the end of the month.
How did it develop?
Mohammed was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in around AD570. Muslims believe that in around AD610, an angel visited him and recited to him the word of Allah.
In about 613, Mohammed began preaching the word of Allah around Mecca, teaching that there was no other God and that life should be lived in complete submission to the will of Allah.
In 622, Mohammed left Mecca for Medina, on a journey known as the Hijra - the event that marks the beginning of year 1 in the Muslim calendar, says History World.
Mohammed continued to preach based on the initial visitation by the archangel Gabriel and on other revelations that followed throughout his lifetime. Where he met resistance to his ideas, Mohammed and his allies overcame those who opposed him - sometimes through military means, according to Biography.com.


theweekuk--2020-06-12--Coronavirus: six months of Covid complacency that took the US to two million cases

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theweekuk--2020-06-12--A tragedy in pictures:  three years since the Grenfell Tower disaster

This Sunday is the third anniversary of the day the UK woke to news that Grenfell Tower in London had caught alight in the country ’ s worst residential fire since the Second World War .
“ Residents of tower blocks and other homes across the UK will be asked to stream a bright green light ” from their windows , The Guardian says , while the bells of St Paul ’ s and Southwark cathedrals will toll 72 times as the bereaved and survivors of Grenfell Tower remember the disaster .
Planned vigils at the base of the burned-out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus crisis .
Instead an online service featuring faith leaders and a recording of You ’ ll Never Walk Alone by the musician Marcus Mumford will go ahead .
The fire began just before 1am on Wednesday 14 June 2017 , when a fridge-freezer caught fire on the fourth floor of the 24-storey block of flats in North Kensington , West London .
More than 250 firefighters and 70 fire engines were sent from stations across London in efforts to control the fire and rescue residents .
Over 100 London Ambulance Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attended .
The vicious fire spread via the building ’ s exterior cladding , burning for around 60 hours before finally being extinguished .
Once extinguished , all that remained of the tower block was a charred skeleton , looming over one of London ’ s richest boroughs .
On 15 June , Theresa May , who was then prime minister , visited the site .
She met members of the emergency services , but not victims and mourners .
On 17 June , between 50 and 60 people stormed Kensington and Chelsea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that people made homeless by the fire needed help , the BBC reported at the time .
That anger turned into the Justice4Grenfell campaign , a group calling for an investigation into the building ’ s construction , as well as support for the victims .
An inquiry into the fire was launched , led by retired judge Sir Martin Moore-Bick .
The inquiry was criticised from the outset for a lack of diversity among its panellists .
One year on from the fire , a “ Walk of Truth ” was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It coincided with the tower being lit up green , a colour that has come to represent the Justice4Grenfell campaign .
The tower still stands over London , wrapped in protective sheeting emblazoned with the words “ Forever in our Hearts ” .
The inquiry into the fire is ongoing , but was put on hold in March this year because of the coronavirus outbreak .
As of March 2020 , one household made homeless in the disaster was still living in a hotel , while six households were in temporary homes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ high-risk residential buildings ” are still clad in the same material that caused the fire to spread so rapidly .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

This Sunday is the third anniversary of the day the UK woke to news that Grenfell Tower in London had caught alight in the country’s worst residential fire since the Second World War.
“Residents of tower blocks and other homes across the UK will be asked to stream a bright green light” from their windows, The Guardian says, while the bells of St Paul’s and Southwark cathedrals will toll 72 times as the bereaved and survivors of Grenfell Tower remember the disaster.
Planned vigils at the base of the burned-out tower block have been cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis. Instead an online service featuring faith leaders and a recording of You’ll Never Walk Alone by the musician Marcus Mumford will go ahead.
The fire began just before 1am on Wednesday 14 June 2017, when a fridge-freezer caught fire on the fourth floor of the 24-storey block of flats in North Kensington, West London.
More than 250 firefighters and 70 fire engines were sent from stations across London in efforts to control the fire and rescue residents. Over 100 London Ambulance Service crews on at least 20 ambulances also attended.
The vicious fire spread via the building’s exterior cladding, burning for around 60 hours before finally being extinguished.
Once extinguished, all that remained of the tower block was a charred skeleton, looming over one of London’s richest boroughs.
On 15 June, Theresa May, who was then prime minister, visited the site. She met members of the emergency services, but not victims and mourners.
On 17 June, between 50 and 60 people stormed Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall as members of the public said that people made homeless by the fire needed help, the BBC reported at the time.
That anger turned into the Justice4Grenfell campaign, a group calling for an investigation into the building’s construction, as well as support for the victims.
An inquiry into the fire was launched, led by retired judge Sir Martin Moore-Bick. The inquiry was criticised from the outset for a lack of diversity among its panellists. One year on from the fire, a “Walk of Truth” was held by those calling for justice.
It coincided with the tower being lit up green, a colour that has come to represent the Justice4Grenfell campaign.
The tower still stands over London, wrapped in protective sheeting emblazoned with the words “Forever in our Hearts”. The inquiry into the fire is ongoing, but was put on hold in March this year because of the coronavirus outbreak.
As of March 2020, one household made homeless in the disaster was still living in a hotel, while six households were in temporary homes, according to Justice4Grenfell. At least 20,000 “high-risk residential buildings” are still clad in the same material that caused the fire to spread so rapidly.
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theweekuk--2020-06-12--Fact check: is PPE causing an environmental pandemic?

Conservationists are warning that the Covid-19 pandemic is sparking a surge in ocean pollution , with single-use personal protective equipment ( PPE ) washing up on shorelines and littering seabeds .
In the UK alone , more than a billion items of PPE such as masks and gloves were given out to NHS staff between the end of February and mid-April , according to the BBC .
Because hospital-grade PPE can only be used once , in order to avoid the risk of spreading infection , healthcare workers are getting through huge amounts , says Carly Fletcher , a researcher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in an article on The Conversation .
And because most PPE is not recyclable or biodegradable , much of the discarded gear is being dumped into our oceans .
“ Waterlogged masks , gloves , hand sanitiser bottles and other coronavirus waste are already being found on our seabeds and washed up on our beaches , joining the day-to-day detritus in our ocean ecosystems , ” says the World Economic Forum .
French clean-up charity Operation Mer Propre is among a growing number of conservation groups calling for action by governments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ jellyfish , ” the organisation ’ s Laurent Lombard said in a Facebook post last month .
University College London ’ s Plastic Waste Innovation Hub has calculated that if every person in the UK alone used one single-use face mask each day for a year , it would create 66,000 tonnes of contaminated plastic waste .
The group of researchers are urging the public to wear reusable , rather than single-use , masks where possible .
For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Conservationists are warning that the Covid-19 pandemic is sparking a surge in ocean pollution, with single-use personal protective equipment (PPE) washing up on shorelines and littering seabeds.
In the UK alone, more than a billion items of PPE such as masks and gloves were given out to NHS staff between the end of February and mid-April, according to the BBC.
Because hospital-grade PPE can only be used once, in order to avoid the risk of spreading infection, healthcare workers are getting through huge amounts, says Carly Fletcher, a researcher in sustainability at the Manchester Metropolitan University, in an article on The Conversation.
And because most PPE is not recyclable or biodegradable, much of the discarded gear is being dumped into our oceans.
“Waterlogged masks, gloves, hand sanitiser bottles and other coronavirus waste are already being found on our seabeds and washed up on our beaches, joining the day-to-day detritus in our ocean ecosystems,” says the World Economic Forum.
French clean-up charity Operation Mer Propre is among a growing number of conservation groups calling for action by governments. “There risks being more masks than jellyfish,” the organisation’s Laurent Lombard said in a Facebook post last month.
University College London’s Plastic Waste Innovation Hub has calculated that if every person in the UK alone used one single-use face mask each day for a year, it would create 66,000 tonnes of contaminated plastic waste.
The group of researchers are urging the public to wear reusable, rather than single-use, masks where possible.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
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--2020-06-12--‘Wi-Fi router’ or ‘duck’s bill’: Playstation 5 design unveiled to mixed online reviews

Gamers have been offering their verdicts on the new Playstation 5 after Sony offered a sneak peek of the upcoming next-generation games console - and not everyone is impressed .
The new machine is due to be released alongside Microsoft ’ s rival Xbox Series X over the Christmas period .
Sony is also showing off a raft of new PS5 games , include Spider-Man and Resident Evil sequels , a Ratchet and Clank game subtitled “ Rift Apart ” , Gran Turismo 7 , and Horizon Zero Dawn follow-up Horizon Forbidden West .
But while fans are excited about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is focused on the console ’ s design .
Although Sony says the PS5 is its “ most striking design yet ” , people on Twitter “ are very split on whether they like or hate the look of the box ” , freelance games critic Laura Kate Dale told the BBC .
Many gamers claim the new console resembles a Wi-Fi router .
Mom , can we have # PlayStation5 ?
No , we already have # PlayStation5 at home # Playstation 5 at home : pic.twitter.com/nvOH3nTBAX The machine has also been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a coffee machine and even the Eye of Sauron from the Lord of the Rings films , reports The Independent .
However , the new rival Xbox is coming in for a fair share of ridicule too , adds Creative Bloq , a design-focused blog .
Indeed , when Microsoft first revealed its new console , so many people likened the design to a fridge that the company felt compelled to tweet a clarification .
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Gamers have been offering their verdicts on the new Playstation 5 after Sony offered a sneak peek of the upcoming next-generation games console - and not everyone is impressed.
The new machine is due to be released alongside Microsoft’s rival Xbox Series X over the Christmas period. Sony is also showing off a raft of new PS5 games, include Spider-Man and Resident Evil sequels, a Ratchet and Clank game subtitled “Rift Apart”, Gran Turismo 7, and Horizon Zero Dawn follow-up Horizon Forbidden West.
But while fans are excited about the new game titles, conversation online is focused on the console’s design.
Although Sony says the PS5 is its “most striking design yet”, people on Twitter “are very split on whether they like or hate the look of the box”, freelance games critic Laura Kate Dale told the BBC.
Many gamers claim the new console resembles a Wi-Fi router.
The machine has also been compared to a duck’s bill, a coffee machine and even the Eye of Sauron from the Lord of the Rings films, reports The Independent.
However, the new rival Xbox is coming in for a fair share of ridicule too, adds Creative Bloq, a design-focused blog.
So are you guys getting the Mini Fridge or the Wifi Router? pic.twitter.com/vO0i0lA4Xq — Lqve (@SadisticLqve) June 11, 2020
Indeed, when Microsoft first revealed its new console, so many people likened the design to a fridge that the company felt compelled to tweet a clarification.
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theweekuk--2020-06-12--What is gaslighting - and what does Priti Patel have to do with it?

Priti Patel has insisted that she “ will not be silenced ” after a group Labour MPs accused her of using her own experiences of racism to “ gaslight other minority communities ” .
In a letter to the Home Secretary , 30 opposition MPs from black , Asian and minority ethnic ( BAME ) backgrounds claim that her response to the ongoing Black Lives Matter demonstrations seeks to undermine protesters ’ concerns .
“ We write to you ... .
to highlight our dismay at the way you used your heritage and experiences of racism to gaslight the very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities across the UK , ” the politicians say .
Patel hit back on Twitter , insisting that she would not change her approach to BLM because it does not “ conform to their view of how ethnic minorities should behave ” .
The word gaslighting “ derives from a 1938 play by Patrick Hamilton about a sinister and controlling husband , but has been popularised more recently as part of the new lexicon of social justice ” , says The Telegraph ’ s Gemima Lewis .
These days , it refers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubt their own experiences , and “ typically refers to intimate relationships ” , says Stephan Lewandowsky , chair of cognitive psychology at the University of Bristol .
“ It ’ s a way of controlling someone by creating false narratives – for example , that they are irrational or crazy , ” Lewandowsky writes in an article on The Conversation .
“ If such lies are repeated constantly , victims may get confused and start believing there really is something wrong with them.
” Gaslighting also takes place in public and political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When it comes to politics , the signs are similar .
You may feel confused and alone in the world , assuming nobody understands your point of view and that it must therefore be wrong.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– How did the Patel row begin ?
The accusation of gaslighting was levelled at Patel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Commons on Monday .
Labour MP Florence Eshalomi called on the home secretary to “ act now ” to resolve “ structural inequality , discrimination and racism ” , as demonstrators take to streets across the UK to demand action on racism following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
The black Labour MP for Vauxhall voiced doubts as to whether Patel could “ actually understand the anger and frustration ” felt by protesters .
Patel replied : “ Well , on that basis , it must have been a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was frequently called a Paki in the playground , a very different home secretary who was racially abused in the streets or even advised to drop her surname and use her husband ’ s in order to advance her career .
“ So , when it comes to racism , sexism , tolerance for social justice , I will not take lectures from the other side of the House.
” However , in their letter responding to her comments , the Labour MPs argue that “ being a person of colour does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forms of racism ” .
Shadow minister for community cohesion Naz Shah tweeted : “ Shared feelings allow us to show solidarity not gaslight other minority communities.
” “ The only silence we don ’ t need is inaction , ” adds Shah , who is calling on the government to implement the recommendations of recent reports into the Windrush scandal and criminal justice reform .
“ If # Blacklivesmatter then don ’ t just talk the talk , walk the walk , ” she concludes .

Priti Patel has insisted that she “will not be silenced” after a group Labour MPs accused her of using her own experiences of racism to “gaslight other minority communities”.
In a letter to the Home Secretary, 30 opposition MPs from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds claim that her response to the ongoing Black Lives Matter demonstrations seeks to undermine protesters’ concerns.
“We write to you.... to highlight our dismay at the way you used your heritage and experiences of racism to gaslight the very real racism faced by black people and communities across the UK,” the politicians say.
Patel hit back on Twitter, insisting that she would not change her approach to BLM because it does not “conform to their view of how ethnic minorities should behave”.
What is gaslighting?
The word gaslighting “derives from a 1938 play by Patrick Hamilton about a sinister and controlling husband, but has been popularised more recently as part of the new lexicon of social justice”, says The Telegraph’s Gemima Lewis.
These days, it refers to the act of psychologically manipulating someone to doubt their own experiences, and “typically refers to intimate relationships”, says Stephan Lewandowsky, chair of cognitive psychology at the University of Bristol.
“It’s a way of controlling someone by creating false narratives – for example, that they are irrational or crazy,” Lewandowsky writes in an article on The Conversation. “If such lies are repeated constantly, victims may get confused and start believing there really is something wrong with them.”
Gaslighting also takes place in public and political life, he says, adding: “When it comes to politics, the signs are similar. You may feel confused and alone in the world, assuming nobody understands your point of view and that it must therefore be wrong.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
How did the Patel row begin?
The accusation of gaslighting was levelled at Patel following a heated exchange in the House of Commons on Monday.
Labour MP Florence Eshalomi called on the home secretary to “act now” to resolve “structural inequality, discrimination and racism”, as demonstrators take to streets across the UK to demand action on racism following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The black Labour MP for Vauxhall voiced doubts as to whether Patel could “actually understand the anger and frustration” felt by protesters.
Patel replied: “Well, on that basis, it must have been a very different home secretary who as a child was frequently called a Paki in the playground, a very different home secretary who was racially abused in the streets or even advised to drop her surname and use her husband’s in order to advance her career.
“So, when it comes to racism, sexism, tolerance for social justice, I will not take lectures from the other side of the House.”
However, in their letter responding to her comments, the Labour MPs argue that “being a person of colour does not automatically make you an authority on all forms of racism”.
Shadow minister for community cohesion Naz Shah tweeted: “Shared feelings allow us to show solidarity not gaslight other minority communities.”
“The only silence we don’t need is inaction,” adds Shah, who is calling on the government to implement the recommendations of recent reports into the Windrush scandal and criminal justice reform.
“If #Blacklivesmatter then don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk,” she concludes.


theweekuk--2020-06-13--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 13 Jun 2020

Donald Trump is rescheduling a rally that was to be held on June 19 out of “ respect ” for @ @ @ @ @ the end of slavery in the US .
There had been an outcry over the @ @ @ @ @ hold his campaign rally on the holiday .
Trump said he rescheduled after “ many @ @ @ @ @ and supporters reached out to suggest that we consider changing the date ” .

Donald Trump reschedules rally from slavery holiday
Donald Trump is rescheduling a rally that was to be held on June 19 out of “respect” for Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the US. There had been an outcry over the president’s decision to hold his campaign rally on the holiday. Trump said he rescheduled after “many of my African American friends and supporters reached out to suggest that we consider changing the date”.


theweekuk--2020-06-14--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 14 Jun 2020

More than 100 people were arrested during a day of clashes in central London , says the Metropolitan Police .
@ @ @ @ @ , some of whom were far-right activists , and a man was seen urinating next @ @ @ @ @ Keith Palmer , who was killed in the 2017 Westminster attack .
Meanwhile , a @ @ @ @ @ were held in London and around the country .

More than 100 arrests during violence at London protest
More than 100 people were arrested during a day of clashes in central London, says the Metropolitan Police. Police were attacked by demonstrators, some of whom were far-right activists, and a man was seen urinating next to a memorial of PC Keith Palmer, who was killed in the 2017 Westminster attack. Meanwhile, a number of peaceful anti-racism protests were held in London and around the country.


theweekuk--2020-06-15--Rayshard Brooks: what newly released footage of the fatal shooting shows


theweekuk--2020-06-15--Beijing coronavirus outbreak: what can we learn from China’s response to feared ‘second wave’?

Beijing has entered a second lockdown after almost 80 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the city following more than 50 days without a new infection .
“ The risk of the epidemic spreading is very high , so we should take resolute and decisive measures , ” a city government spokesperson said on Monday , after announcing that the Chinese capital has entered “ an extraordinary period ” .
What is happening in Beijing ?
China ’ s National Health Commission confirmed one new Covid-19 case on Thursday , six on Friday , 36 on Saturday , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BBC .
The fresh outbreak came after more than seven weeks without any new confirmed infections .
Three other provinces - Liaoning , Hebei and Sichuan - have also reported confirmed or suspected cases connected to Beijing .
How did the new outbreak start ?
The new infections have been linked to the Xinfadi wholesale food market , in Beijing ’ s southern Fengtai district .
The virus was detected on chopping boards there used for imported salmon , prompting the authorities to shut down the market on Friday as local supermarkets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports the Chinese state-run Global Times .
Samples taken from the market have shown traces of the virus on both imported fish and meat , reports The Guardian .
The chief epidemiologist of China ’ s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention , Zeng Guang , has told state media that the coronavirus strain found in Beijing is not the same as that circulating in the rest of the country .
“ It is found that the virus came from Europe and the preliminary assessment is that the virus came from overseas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus came into this market , ” added Yang Peng , an epidemiologist with the Beijing city government .
What are the authorities doing ?
Around 10,000 staff at the Xinfadi market are being tested for Covid-19 , and lockdown restrictions were imposed in 11 surrounding neighbourhoods following the closure of the site on Friday .
On Monday , another ten neighbourhoods around the market were restricted , according to state media .
No visitors or deliveries are allowed in the affected communities , but residents can come and go .
Schools and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordered to shut , and the re-opening of primary schools in the city , originally scheduled for today , has been postponed , reports the Global Times .
In addition , three people have been sacked : the general manager of the market , the deputy head of the Fengtai district government , and the local party secretary for Fengtai ’ s Huaxiang township .
And the authorities have ordered all companies to tell any employees who have visited the Xinfadi market , or had contact with people who have , to quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that as of Sunday , more than 70,000 people linked to the market had been tested for the virus , of whom 59 are confirmed to be infected .
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Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Is this a second wave ?
The number of reported new cases “ may not sound huge at the moment ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stephen McDonnell , but “ after more than 50 days with no cases at all , the authorities [ in Beijing ] are worried this could easily turn into a full-blown coronavirus second wave in the city ” .
Al Jazeera reports that officials “ are calling for increased testing and sampling to prevent the virus from spreading ” .
But not everyone seems worried .
On Sunday , Global Times editor Hu Xijin tweeted : “ There is no way Beijing becomes Wuhan 2.0 “ The world will see China ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including government ’ s strong leadership , respect to science , public ’ s willingness to cooperate and nationwide coordination of control measures .
We will win again .
”

Beijing has entered a second lockdown after almost 80 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the city following more than 50 days without a new infection.
“The risk of the epidemic spreading is very high, so we should take resolute and decisive measures,” a city government spokesperson said on Monday, after announcing that the Chinese capital has entered “an extraordinary period”.
What is happening in Beijing?
China’s National Health Commission confirmed one new Covid-19 case on Thursday, six on Friday, 36 on Saturday, and a further 36 on Sunday, reports the BBC.
The fresh outbreak came after more than seven weeks without any new confirmed infections. Three other provinces - Liaoning, Hebei and Sichuan - have also reported confirmed or suspected cases connected to Beijing.
How did the new outbreak start?
The new infections have been linked to the Xinfadi wholesale food market, in Beijing’s southern Fengtai district.
The virus was detected on chopping boards there used for imported salmon, prompting the authorities to shut down the market on Friday as local supermarkets pulled the fish from their shelves, reports the Chinese state-run Global Times.
Samples taken from the market have shown traces of the virus on both imported fish and meat, reports The Guardian.
The chief epidemiologist of China’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Zeng Guang, has told state media that the coronavirus strain found in Beijing is not the same as that circulating in the rest of the country.
“It is found that the virus came from Europe and the preliminary assessment is that the virus came from overseas. But it is not clear how the virus came into this market,” added Yang Peng, an epidemiologist with the Beijing city government.
What are the authorities doing?
Around 10,000 staff at the Xinfadi market are being tested for Covid-19, and lockdown restrictions were imposed in 11 surrounding neighbourhoods following the closure of the site on Friday.
On Monday, another ten neighbourhoods around the market were restricted, according to state media. No visitors or deliveries are allowed in the affected communities, but residents can come and go.
Schools and nurseries near the market have also been ordered to shut, and the re-opening of primary schools in the city, originally scheduled for today, has been postponed, reports the Global Times.
In addition, three people have been sacked: the general manager of the market, the deputy head of the Fengtai district government, and the local party secretary for Fengtai’s Huaxiang township.
And the authorities have ordered all companies to tell any employees who have visited the Xinfadi market, or had contact with people who have, to quarantine at home for 14 days. Officials say that as of Sunday, more than 70,000 people linked to the market had been tested for the virus, of whom 59 are confirmed to be infected.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Is this a second wave?
The number of reported new cases “may not sound huge at the moment”, says the BBC’s China correspondent Stephen McDonnell, but “after more than 50 days with no cases at all, the authorities [in Beijing] are worried this could easily turn into a full-blown coronavirus second wave in the city”.
Al Jazeera reports that officials “are calling for increased testing and sampling to prevent the virus from spreading”.
But not everyone seems worried. On Sunday, Global Times editor Hu Xijin tweeted: “There is no way Beijing becomes Wuhan 2.0
“The world will see China’s powerful capacity in controlling the epidemic, including government’s strong leadership, respect to science, public’s willingness to cooperate and nationwide coordination of control measures. We will win again.”


theweekuk--2020-06-15--Instant Opinion: ‘Racists think England is theirs’

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
on the need to ‘ take back control ’ from right-wing bigots Racists think England is theirs .
It ’ s time to show them it is not “ ‘ The English need to rediscover who and what they are , to reinvent an identity of some sort better than the battered cliche-ridden hulk which the retreating tide of imperialism has left them , ’ wrote the Scots theorist and academic Tom Nairn in 1977 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those far-right thugs piling into London and chanting ‘ In-ger-land ’ , there lies an imperative : to fight the populists and racists on their most treasured ground , and contest their archaic , hateful view of the country they think they speak for .
This is not about the inanities of patriotism , but an understanding of the place we all call home , and how we interpret what is happening right now .
As I watched that very different crowd throw Edward Colston into Bristol harbour , I thought of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great anti-racists The Clash , and two lines sung in anger and sadness that capture a challenge still unmet : ‘ This is England .
This is how we feel.
’ ” on a Britain most Brits ‘ simply can not recognise ’ Extremists speak for nobody in this unwanted culture war “ In summary , a statue of the man who defeated fascism was defaced by anti-racism campaigners and then ‘ defended ’ by fat drunken fascists .
I can imagine most of us would prefer to sit this culture war out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mayhem in Parliament Square caused by the fight over Churchill ’ s monument , one ITV reporter saw an indictment of the entire country .
He said , ‘ the lines that divide us are more deeply drawn and dangerous than ever ’ .
Excuse me : no .
It is highly impertinent to assume that what a mob of violent protesters thinks in any way reflects opinion in modern Britain , but this is the game our broadcast media plays .
They take the most extreme views , amplify them and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only two choices available – as if the only options in life are madness or lunacy.
” Boris Johnson using oldest trick in Tory book by playing statue wars “ Cynical and a proven liar , unprincipled Boris Johnson is using the oldest trick in the Tory book by deciding to play statue wars .
Unlikely to ever be on a plinth of his own , this incompetent Prime Minister will do anything to divert public attention from his Government ’ s disastrously world-beating pandemic record .
OECD experts are predicting the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major economy on top of the globe ’ s highest excess death toll .
It is a poisonous double-whammy our country can not afford .
Johnson is a toppled Neville Chamberlain , not the reincarnated Winston Churchill of his dreams ... Man of letters Dr Johnson ’ s damning declaration that ‘ patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel ’ fits the plastic patriot PM in the 21st century , just as much as it did in the 18th as William Pitt self-consciously clothed himself in the flag to deflect criticism.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s issue Let ’ s not expand ‘ hate crime ’ even further “ This lack of clarity about what misogyny means could turn the hate crime of misogyny into a grudge vehicle for the # MeToo generation to settle scores and bother the police with incidents that are not worthy of their time .
Which leads to the final test this fails : it is not enforceable .
Yes , there would be a scattering of cack-handed follow-ups , Humberside police-style , but in general the police are ( or should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with non-crime incidents ...
Instead of changing the law to make misogyny a hate crime , we must do better at using existing law to prosecute and punish those who hurt women and girls .
There has , to date , been one single successful conviction for female genital mutilation ( FGM ) in the UK .
Rape charges , prosecutions and convictions in England and Wales are at their lowest levels in more than a decade ; the number of prosecutions completed fell by 33 per cent over the year 2018-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sex defence ’ , which has allowed dozens of men to claim that women died not as a result of murder but because consensual violent sex went wrong .
It is in these areas that we should be pushing for more resources where required and more action where needed , not creating a new law that would open the floodgates to the reporting of trivial incidents.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 5 .
Michael E. O ’ Hanlon , senior fellow at the Brookings Institution , in The New York Times on how Bush ’ s Iraq War survival contains lessons for 2020 Joe Biden Needs to Learn an Urgent Lesson From the 2004 Election “ In spring 2004 , it looked like a tight race , and the challenger led the incumbent in some early polls .
Yet Mr. Bush ultimately won the fall election by some three million popular votes and by an Electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The economy was not in collapse at that time , as it is today .
But the nation ’ s top national safety and security problem — the Iraq war — was in a bad state and getting worse ... What should this historical analogy instruct the Biden team to do in 2020 ?
At least one thing seems clear : In choosing a vice-presidential candidate , Mr. Biden should prioritize how his political partner will help him develop , articulate and ultimately carry out a forward-looking , comprehensive plan for the chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. John Harris in The Guardian
on the need to ‘take back control’ from right-wing bigots
Racists think England is theirs. It’s time to show them it is not
“‘The English need to rediscover who and what they are, to reinvent an identity of some sort better than the battered cliche-ridden hulk which the retreating tide of imperialism has left them,’ wrote the Scots theorist and academic Tom Nairn in 1977. In the weekend’s spectacle of those far-right thugs piling into London and chanting ‘In-ger-land’, there lies an imperative: to fight the populists and racists on their most treasured ground, and contest their archaic, hateful view of the country they think they speak for. This is not about the inanities of patriotism, but an understanding of the place we all call home, and how we interpret what is happening right now. As I watched that very different crowd throw Edward Colston into Bristol harbour, I thought of the final single put out by those great anti-racists The Clash, and two lines sung in anger and sadness that capture a challenge still unmet: ‘This is England. This is how we feel.’”
2. Tim Stanley in The Daily Telegraph
on a Britain most Brits ‘simply cannot recognise’
Extremists speak for nobody in this unwanted culture war
“In summary, a statue of the man who defeated fascism was defaced by anti-racism campaigners and then ‘defended’ by fat drunken fascists. I can imagine most of us would prefer to sit this culture war out – but on Saturday night, surveying the mayhem in Parliament Square caused by the fight over Churchill’s monument, one ITV reporter saw an indictment of the entire country. He said, ‘the lines that divide us are more deeply drawn and dangerous than ever’. Excuse me: no. It is highly impertinent to assume that what a mob of violent protesters thinks in any way reflects opinion in modern Britain, but this is the game our broadcast media plays. They take the most extreme views, amplify them and present them as if they were the only two choices available – as if the only options in life are madness or lunacy.”
3. Kevin Maguire in the Daily Mirror
on a prime minister deploying diversion tactics
Boris Johnson using oldest trick in Tory book by playing statue wars
“Cynical and a proven liar, unprincipled Boris Johnson is using the oldest trick in the Tory book by deciding to play statue wars. Unlikely to ever be on a plinth of his own, this incompetent Prime Minister will do anything to divert public attention from his Government’s disastrously world-beating pandemic record. OECD experts are predicting the UK will endure the costliest slump of any major economy on top of the globe’s highest excess death toll. It is a poisonous double-whammy our country cannot afford. Johnson is a toppled Neville Chamberlain, not the reincarnated Winston Churchill of his dreams... Man of letters Dr Johnson’s damning declaration that ‘patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel’ fits the plastic patriot PM in the 21st century, just as much as it did in the 18th as William Pitt self-consciously clothed himself in the flag to deflect criticism.”
4. Claire Foges in The Times
on how criminalisation can detract from women’s issue
Let’s not expand ‘hate crime’ even further
“This lack of clarity about what misogyny means could turn the hate crime of misogyny into a grudge vehicle for the #MeToo generation to settle scores and bother the police with incidents that are not worthy of their time. Which leads to the final test this fails: it is not enforceable. Yes, there would be a scattering of cack-handed follow-ups, Humberside police-style, but in general the police are (or should be) far too busy to deal with non-crime incidents... Instead of changing the law to make misogyny a hate crime, we must do better at using existing law to prosecute and punish those who hurt women and girls. There has, to date, been one single successful conviction for female genital mutilation (FGM) in the UK. Rape charges, prosecutions and convictions in England and Wales are at their lowest levels in more than a decade; the number of prosecutions completed fell by 33 per cent over the year 2018-19. Then there is the odious ‘rough sex defence’, which has allowed dozens of men to claim that women died not as a result of murder but because consensual violent sex went wrong. It is in these areas that we should be pushing for more resources where required and more action where needed, not creating a new law that would open the floodgates to the reporting of trivial incidents.”
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5. Michael E. O’Hanlon, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, in The New York Times
on how Bush’s Iraq War survival contains lessons for 2020
Joe Biden Needs to Learn an Urgent Lesson From the 2004 Election
“In spring 2004, it looked like a tight race, and the challenger led the incumbent in some early polls. Yet Mr. Bush ultimately won the fall election by some three million popular votes and by an Electoral College tally of 286 to 251. The economy was not in collapse at that time, as it is today. But the nation’s top national safety and security problem — the Iraq war — was in a bad state and getting worse... What should this historical analogy instruct the Biden team to do in 2020? At least one thing seems clear: In choosing a vice-presidential candidate, Mr. Biden should prioritize how his political partner will help him develop, articulate and ultimately carry out a forward-looking, comprehensive plan for the chief threat facing the country today.”


theweekuk--2020-06-15--Racism inquiry: Boris Johnson sparks anger with BAME ‘victimisation’ comment

Boris Johnson has prompted both applause and criticism by announcing a new government inquiry into racial inequalities that he says is aimed at ending “the sense of victimisation” felt by Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups.
Responding to the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests in countries worldwide, the prime minister said that “a cross-governmental commission” was being launched to look into discrimination against BAME people in the UK criminal justice system, education and health, reports The Guardian.
Revealing the plan in an opinion piece in The Telegraph, Johnson wrote: “No one who cares about this country can ignore the many thousands of people who have joined the Black Lives Matter movement to protest peacefully, as most of them have, in the last few days.
“It is no use just saying that we have made huge progress in tackling racism. There is much more that we need to do; and we will.”
But while rights groups have welcomed the move, Johnson provoked anger with separate, pre-recorded comments about the new commission in which he said: “What I really want to do as prime minister is change the narrative so we stop the sense of victimisation and discrimination.”
Labour’s shadow women and equalities secretary Marsha de Cordova described the comment as “condescending”.
“That the prime minister now says he wants to ‘change the narrative… so we stop the sense of victimisation and discrimination’ is condescending and designed to let himself and his government off the hook,” de Cordova said.
Simon Woolley, chair of the government’s Race Disparity Unit, said that he was “pleased that our PM has clearly acknowledged the deep-seated and persistent racial inequality in education, health and the criminal justice system”.
However, “the use of the word victimisation is an unnecessary distraction and to some will be seen as unhelpful”, Woolley added.
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The commission will report directly to Johnson and will be overseen by Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch, according to The Telegraph. An independent chair will lead the commission, which will comprise people from “a mix of ethnic, social and professional backgrounds”, a source told the newspaper.
Johnson’s commission plan comes almost three years after his predecessor Theresa May published the findings of the government’s “Race Disparity Audit”, PoliticsHome notes.


theweekuk--2020-06-15--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 15 Jun 2020

Boris Johnson has announced a new commission to look at all “ aspects of inequality ” and declared there is @ @ @ @ @ need to do ” to tackle racism .
However , he has come under fire @ @ @ @ @ end “ the sense of victimisation ” .
Marsha de Cordova , the shadow women @ @ @ @ @ the phrase was “ condescending ” .

Johnson criticised for phrasing as he launches race commission
Boris Johnson has announced a new commission to look at all “aspects of inequality” and declared there is “much more that we need to do” to tackle racism. However, he has come under fire for saying he wants to end “the sense of victimisation”. Marsha de Cordova, the shadow women and equalities secretary, said the phrase was “condescending”.


theweekuk--2020-06-15--Woman hatches ducklings from Waitrose eggs

A woman has hatched three ducklings from eggs she bought in Waitrose .
Charli Lello from Hertfordshire said she put the Clarence Court eggs in an incubator as an experiment to pass the time after being furloughed .
After they hatched , she said the ducklings would live “ a very happy life ” with her pet chickens .
She has named the trio Beep , Peep and Meep .
Drive-thru KFC turns away man on horse and cart A traveller says he felt “ humiliated ” after KFC refused to serve him at a drive-through that he entered on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bell , 55 , appeared at the kiosk window , a manager said he would have to leave for health and safety reasons .
A KFC spokesman said : “ We ’ re not looking to stir up trouble but the safety of our guests is really important.
” A book has been returned to a Dutch library some 39 years late .
The book was recently put back to the Gelderland Zuid library after being checked out in February 1981 .
Luckily for the borrower , the library caps fines at €5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter account posted : “ Sometimes , as a library employee , you can not believe your eyes.
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A woman has hatched three ducklings from eggs she bought in Waitrose. Charli Lello from Hertfordshire said she put the Clarence Court eggs in an incubator as an experiment to pass the time after being furloughed. After they hatched, she said the ducklings would live “a very happy life” with her pet chickens. She has named the trio Beep, Peep and Meep.
Drive-thru KFC turns away man on horse and cart
A traveller says he felt “humiliated” after KFC refused to serve him at a drive-through that he entered on a horse and cart. When Ian Bell, 55, appeared at the kiosk window, a manager said he would have to leave for health and safety reasons. A KFC spokesman said: “We’re not looking to stir up trouble but the safety of our guests is really important.”
Library book returned 39 years late
A book has been returned to a Dutch library some 39 years late. The book was recently put back to the Gelderland Zuid library after being checked out in February 1981. Luckily for the borrower, the library caps fines at €5 (£4.45). The library's Twitter account posted: “Sometimes, as a library employee, you cannot believe your eyes.”
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theweekuk--2020-06-12--The art world goes online with virtual auctions

“ Pandemics , sadly , are nothing new , ” as Bonhams points out .
The auction house in New York is holding an online sale of two pages containing Sir Isaac Newton ’ s handwritten notes on Flemish physician Jan Baptist van Helmont ’ s treatise Tumulus Pestis ( The Tomb of the Plague ) .
Van Helmont had practised in Antwerp during the plague of 1605 , during which time he had searched for a cure .
“ Combining powdered toad with the excretions and serum made into lozenges and worn about the affected area , drove away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Newton noted carefully in around 1667 .
But perhaps the best advice , much as now , was simply that “ places infected with the Plague are to be avoided ” .
Newton ’ s notes fetched $ 81,325 , including the buyer 's premium , last Wednesday .
Auction houses , galleries and art fairs have all heeded that latter advice .
But while the “ big-name auction houses may be making great strides online… there is a lot to make up for since the Covid-19 pandemic took its toll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gerlis in the Financial Times .
May is usually an important month in the art-market calendar .
But this May , sales totals worldwide fell 97 % at the big three action houses , Christie ’ s , Sotheby ’ s and Phillips , to just $ 93m from $ 2.9bn in May of last year , according to analysts Pi-eX .
“ This is the lowest public auction total ever recorded for the month by the database ( which tracks from 2007 ) , ” says Gerlis .
It wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specialists RM Sotheby ’ s showed online auctions can work by setting a record for the highest price fetched for a car at an online auction .
On 29 May , it brought the virtual hammer down on a very real 2003 Ferrari Enzo at $ 2.6m , including fees .
Another Ferrari , a 1985 288 GTO , sold for $ 2.3m at the same sale .
There was also good news for art fairs .
“ Frieze New York , the city ’ s first test of whether a virtual art @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online , wound down… [ in May ] with surprisingly strong results , suggesting that the schmooze-centric art market may never be the same ” again , says Robin Pogrebin in The New York Times .
Sales from the fair were “ solid ” .
It may even be that an online virtual element becomes the norm in the art market .
On 29 June , Sotheby ’ s will be holding its high-profile New York evening sales of Impressionist , modern and contemporary art – from London ( a rendering of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ auctioneer , Oliver Barker , will stand in an empty room , facing a bank of screens on which colleagues around the world will bid on behalf of clients .
Up for grabs is a $ 60m Francis Bacon triptych .
“ This will be the very first time that I have taken to the rostrum in London in order to conduct a New York sale , ” says Barker .
“ [ It ] will usher in a very exciting new era of marquee auctions ... in which the best of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the very latest auction technology.
” This article was originally published in MoneyWeek

“Pandemics, sadly, are nothing new,” as Bonhams points out. The auction house in New York is holding an online sale of two pages containing Sir Isaac Newton’s handwritten notes on Flemish physician Jan Baptist van Helmont’s treatise Tumulus Pestis (The Tomb of the Plague).
Van Helmont had practised in Antwerp during the plague of 1605, during which time he had searched for a cure. “Combining powdered toad with the excretions and serum made into lozenges and worn about the affected area, drove away the contagion and drew out the poison,” Newton noted carefully in around 1667. But perhaps the best advice, much as now, was simply that “places infected with the Plague are to be avoided”. Newton’s notes fetched $81,325, including the buyer's premium, last Wednesday.
Auction houses, galleries and art fairs have all heeded that latter advice. But while the “big-name auction houses may be making great strides online… there is a lot to make up for since the Covid-19 pandemic took its toll on live events”, says Melanie Gerlis in the Financial Times. May is usually an important month in the art-market calendar. But this May, sales totals worldwide fell 97% at the big three action houses, Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Phillips, to just $93m from $2.9bn in May of last year, according to analysts Pi-eX. “This is the lowest public auction total ever recorded for the month by the database (which tracks from 2007),” says Gerlis.
It wasn’t all bad news, however. Car specialists RM Sotheby’s showed online auctions can work by setting a record for the highest price fetched for a car at an online auction. On 29 May, it brought the virtual hammer down on a very real 2003 Ferrari Enzo at $2.6m, including fees. Another Ferrari, a 1985 288 GTO, sold for $2.3m at the same sale.
There was also good news for art fairs. “Frieze New York, the city’s first test of whether a virtual art gathering forced by the pandemic could survive online, wound down… [in May] with surprisingly strong results, suggesting that the schmooze-centric art market may never be the same” again, says Robin Pogrebin in The New York Times. Sales from the fair were “solid”. It may even be that an online virtual element becomes the norm in the art market.
On 29 June, Sotheby’s will be holding its high-profile New York evening sales of Impressionist, modern and contemporary art – from London (a rendering of the event is pictured top). The auctioneer, Oliver Barker, will stand in an empty room, facing a bank of screens on which colleagues around the world will bid on behalf of clients. Up for grabs is a $60m Francis Bacon triptych. “This will be the very first time that I have taken to the rostrum in London in order to conduct a New York sale,” says Barker. “[It] will usher in a very exciting new era of marquee auctions... in which the best of the established live auction formats is married with the very latest auction technology.”
This article was originally published in MoneyWeek


theweekuk--2020-06-15--George Floyd protests: how Russia and China are exploiting US race riots

Riots in the US sparked by the killing of George Floyd have fuelled international condemnation of racism and police brutality in Donald Trump ’ s America .
But while most international leaders are calling for peace , Russia and China are seizing on the opportunity to mock and goad the US and its president .
What has Russia said ?
Ivan Kurilla , an expert on Russian-American relations at the European University in St Petersburg , claims that Russian officials are “ enjoying ” and exploiting the protests as an excuse to criticise the US and push their own propaganda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NYT ) .
Pointing to saturation coverage of the US riots on Russian state television , Kurilla said : “ The Kremlin line is that peaceful protests always escalate into riots .
They want to portray all peaceful protesters as criminals .
This is why they use all these pictures from the US.
” President Vladimir Putin has said the US protests reveal deep internal crises in the rival nation , reports Russian news agency Tass .
“ What has happened [ in the US ] is the manifestation of some deep domestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TV interview last week .
“ It seems to me that the problem is that group party interests in this case are placed above the interests of the entire society and the interests of people.
” Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry has lamented “ a real tragedy , an American tragedy ” , and demanded that the US protect the rights of its citizens instead of criticising Moscow .
The US “ simply can not have any questions for others in the coming years ” , said a ministry spokesperson .
Meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctioned by the United States as a violent brute responsible for torture and extrajudicial killings , said this week that he was ‘ horrified ’ by the brutality of the American police ” , says the NYT .
Following the first weekend of rioting in the US , Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian urged the US to end racial discrimination and protect the lawful rights of minorities , as The Guardian reported at the time .
“ The death of George Floyd reflects the severity of racial discrimination and police brutality in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ How come US politicians called rioters in Hong Kong heroes , but when it ’ s happening in America they ’ re labelled thugs ?
” Zhao has shared numerous tweets about the demonstrations , including a post in which Russia ’ s deputy representative to the UN accuses the US of double standards .
“ Why US denies China ’ s right to restore peace and order in HK while brutally dispersing crowds at home ?
” wrote Dmitry Polyanskiy .
Fellow ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying has posted “ I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s last words – above a screenshot of her US counterpart criticising the Chinese crackdown in Hong Kong .
Accusations of hypocrisy have also been levelled by Hu Xijin , editor-in-chief of the state-run Global Times newspaper .
“ US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi once called the violent protests in Hong Kong ‘ a beautiful sight to behold.
’ … US politicians now can enjoy this sight from their own windows , ” he wrote soon after the unrest first began .
Indeed , Hu has been one of the leading Chinese voices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a series of tweets and editorials .
“ Mr President , don ’ t go hide behind the secret service , ” he tweeted last month .
“ Go to talk to the demonstrators seriously .
Negotiate with them , just like you urged Beijing to talk to Hong Kong rioters.
” Other Chinese media has been equally critical .
State TV has aired endless images of the violence while accusing the US of mishandling both the demonstrations and the coronavirus pandemic , reports Washington D.C.-based news site NPR .
One broadcaster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask themselves , on what grounds do they spew their sanctimonious nonsense ?
Shouldn ’ t they ask the American people for forgiveness ?
”

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theweekuk--2020-06-15--Black Lives Matter: which slavery-linked blue plaques could be ‘toppled’?

Blue plaques commemorating the lives of notable people are to be reviewed for “ problematic connotations ” in response to the targeting of other memorials by anti-racism campaigners .
English Heritage has told The Times that all 950 of the preservation charity ’ s plaques in London will be assessed to weed out those that celebrate figures who were racist or linked to the slave trade .
The aim is to offer “ contextualising digital content ” for the plaques on the English Heritage website and the Blue Plaque app , although there are “ no plans - at present @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plaques themselves ” , a spokesperson said .
The charity “ also wants to recognise more people from ethnic minorities in the capital and put up plaques that commemorate their history ” , according to the Daily Mail .
Although which existing plaques will be impacted by the review remains to be seen , the list might include Bernard Montgomery , the general who led British troops to victory at the Battle of El Alamein .
Montgomery was a hard-line imperialist who described “ the African ” as “ complete savage ” who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country himself ” .
Robinson Crusoe author Daniel Defoe , the author of adventure novel could also face a reckoning , says The Times .
A businessman as well as a writer , Defoe held shares in the slave-trading Royal African Company and wrote that the slave business was “ essential to Britain ’ s interests ” .
Other figures whose plaques might be named and shamed in the review include German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer , who has been described as a proponent of “ scientific racism ” , and Scouts founder Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Poole Quay in Dorset has been a source of controversy owing to his links to the Nazis and the Hitler Youth .
Baden-Powell ’ s effigy was due to be removed by the local council last week , but is still in place “ after a crowd of people , many in Scout uniform , stood around the statue to prevent it being taken down ” , The Guardian reports .

Blue plaques commemorating the lives of notable people are to be reviewed for “problematic connotations” in response to the targeting of other memorials by anti-racism campaigners.
English Heritage has told The Times that all 950 of the preservation charity’s plaques in London will be assessed to weed out those that celebrate figures who were racist or linked to the slave trade.
The aim is to offer “contextualising digital content” for the plaques on the English Heritage website and the Blue Plaque app, although there are “no plans - at present - to provide additional information at the plaques themselves”, a spokesperson said.
The charity “also wants to recognise more people from ethnic minorities in the capital and put up plaques that commemorate their history”, according to the Daily Mail.
Although which existing plaques will be impacted by the review remains to be seen, the list might include Bernard Montgomery, the general who led British troops to victory at the Battle of El Alamein.
Montgomery was a hard-line imperialist who described “the African” as “complete savage” who “is quite incapable of developing the country himself”.
Robinson Crusoe author Daniel Defoe, the author of adventure novel could also face a reckoning, says The Times. A businessman as well as a writer, Defoe held shares in the slave-trading Royal African Company and wrote that the slave business was “essential to Britain’s interests”.
Other figures whose plaques might be named and shamed in the review include German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, who has been described as a proponent of “scientific racism”, and Scouts founder Robert Baden-Powell.
The latter’s statue on Poole Quay in Dorset has been a source of controversy owing to his links to the Nazis and the Hitler Youth.
Baden-Powell’s effigy was due to be removed by the local council last week, but is still in place “after a crowd of people, many in Scout uniform, stood around the statue to prevent it being taken down”, The Guardian reports.


theweekuk--2020-06-15--Coronavirus: why antibody tests may miss a quarter of cases