theweekuk--2020-07-08--Samoan man serves five more years in jail than he had to

A man in Samoa spent nearly five extra years in prison because no one realised that his two sentences should have been served concurrently , not consecutively .
Sio Agafili should have been released in 2015 but the mistake was only noticed by supreme court justice Leiataualesa Daryl Clarke last week .
“ I lost count of the days , ” said Agafili .
“ I don ’ t remember much about when I should be out , I just know I had to serve my time.
” A tourist has been serving a sentence of a different kind - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 110 days because of coronavirus lockdown measures .
Roman Trofimov , from Estonia , was refused entry in March because visas were no longer being issued to arrivals .
He says his passport was taken from him , leaving him stranded .
For a while he slept on the floor in waiting areas , but after week he was given a room with a bed .
He lives off food donated by airport staff .
The hotel based in a train on a bridge More pleasant accommodation can be found in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been created in a train permanently parked on a bridge .
Kruger Shalati consists of 24 rooms in retired ( and refurbished ) railway carriages over the Sabie River in Kruger National Park .
Stays at the hotel , which include meals and guided game drives to see the park ’ s wildlife , begin at £415 per night .
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A man in Samoa spent nearly five extra years in prison because no one realised that his two sentences should have been served concurrently, not consecutively. Sio Agafili should have been released in 2015 but the mistake was only noticed by supreme court justice Leiataualesa Daryl Clarke last week. “I lost count of the days,” said Agafili. “I don’t remember much about when I should be out, I just know I had to serve my time.”
Man lives in Philippines airport for 110 days
A tourist has been serving a sentence of a different kind - he's lived in a Filippino airport for 110 days because of coronavirus lockdown measures. Roman Trofimov, from Estonia, was refused entry in March because visas were no longer being issued to arrivals. He says his passport was taken from him, leaving him stranded. For a while he slept on the floor in waiting areas, but after week he was given a room with a bed. He lives off food donated by airport staff.
The hotel based in a train on a bridge
More pleasant accommodation can be found in a luxury hotel in South Africa that has been created in a train permanently parked on a bridge. Kruger Shalati consists of 24 rooms in retired (and refurbished) railway carriages over the Sabie River in Kruger National Park. Stays at the hotel, which include meals and guided game drives to see the park’s wildlife, begin at £415 per night.
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theweekuk--2020-07-08--Are Chechen assassins roaming Europe - and is Vladimir Putin involved?

A Chechen blogger has been shot dead in Vienna in the latest in a series of killings of dissidents from the Russian republic .
The victim is believed to be Mamikhan Umarov , “ who has been living in exile for nearly 20 years ” and “ had a popular YouTube blog where he was critical of the Chechen government ” , says The Telegraph .
According to The Times , Austrian police believe the attack on Saturday night “ was a contract killing ordered from Russia ” .
His death comes less than a month after Germany formally accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Zelimkhan Khangoshvili , a rebel commander during the 1999-2009 Chechen war , was shot in the head in a park in Berlin in August 2019 .
Vladimir Putin has denied any Russian involvement in Khangoshvili ’ s death , and the Russian embassy in Vienna has declined to comment on the latest attack .
There seems little doubt , though , that someone is hunting former Chechen rebels and also bloggers who have criticised Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov - a man described as “ Putin ’ s protege ” by The Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blogger Tumso Abdurakhmanov survived a hammer attack in the Swedish town of Gavle • in January , Chechen opposition leader Imran Aliyev died in Lille , after being stabbed 135 times • in September 2017 , a car bomb in Kiev killed Ali Timayev , a Chechen fighter with Georgian citizenship .
Ukraine has also accused Russia of involvement in at least three other attacks against Chechens , one of them fatal , on its soil • between 2003 and 2015 , at least eight Chechens were killed in Turkey , and several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these cases , including the killing of Khangoshvili in Berlin , the assassins appear to have been issued with “ valid documents in the name of a fake persona , along with the full registration of such non-existing persons in all government databases ” , says Bellingcat .
This “ could not have been done without the direct involvement of the Russian State ” , the investigative website concludes .
But in other cases , the orders may have come not from Moscow but rather Grozny , the Chechen capital .
After “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” , The Telegraph explains , the Kremlin “ struck a deal with a rebel leader who ruled the region until he was assassinated in 2004 .
The rebel leader ’ s son , Ramzan Kadyrov , has been at the helm since then , creating a fiefdom that he rules with an iron fist.
” As Kadyrov has settled scores and consolidated power , assassinations have been “ carried out on the Chechen leader ’ s whim ” and with no involvement from Moscow , the New Statesman reports .
While Putin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the ever-simmering Chechen conflict ” , he has little control over the “ bearded warlord ” , the magazine adds .
“ Moscow doesn ’ t really have a say , ” according to Russian security analyst Mark Galeotti .
“ Moscow elevated Kadyrov , funds Kadyrov , and allows Kadyrov to continue - but in some ways they , too , are hostages to him .
”

A Chechen blogger has been shot dead in Vienna in the latest in a series of killings of dissidents from the Russian republic.
The victim is believed to be Mamikhan Umarov, “who has been living in exile for nearly 20 years” and “had a popular YouTube blog where he was critical of the Chechen government”, says The Telegraph.
According to The Times, Austrian police believe the attack on Saturday night “was a contract killing ordered from Russia”.
His death comes less than a month after Germany formally accused the Russian government of ordering another killing. Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a rebel commander during the 1999-2009 Chechen war, was shot in the head in a park in Berlin in August 2019.
Vladimir Putin has denied any Russian involvement in Khangoshvili’s death, and the Russian embassy in Vienna has declined to comment on the latest attack.
There seems little doubt, though, that someone is hunting former Chechen rebels and also bloggers who have criticised Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov - a man described as “Putin’s protege” by The Washington Post.
Recent attacks include:
• in February, Chechen blogger Tumso Abdurakhmanov survived a hammer attack in the Swedish town of Gavle
• in January, Chechen opposition leader Imran Aliyev died in Lille, after being stabbed 135 times
• in September 2017, a car bomb in Kiev killed Ali Timayev, a Chechen fighter with Georgian citizenship. Ukraine has also accused Russia of involvement in at least three other attacks against Chechens, one of them fatal, on its soil
• between 2003 and 2015, at least eight Chechens were killed in Turkey, and several others survived attacks.
In some of these cases, including the killing of Khangoshvili in Berlin, the assassins appear to have been issued with “valid documents in the name of a fake persona, along with the full registration of such non-existing persons in all government databases”, says Bellingcat. This “could not have been done without the direct involvement of the Russian State”, the investigative website concludes.
But in other cases, the orders may have come not from Moscow but rather Grozny, the Chechen capital.
After “two devastating separatist wars in the 1990s”, The Telegraph explains, the Kremlin “struck a deal with a rebel leader who ruled the region until he was assassinated in 2004. The rebel leader’s son, Ramzan Kadyrov, has been at the helm since then, creating a fiefdom that he rules with an iron fist.”
As Kadyrov has settled scores and consolidated power, assassinations have been “carried out on the Chechen leader’s whim” and with no involvement from Moscow, the New Statesman reports. While Putin trusts Kadyrov to “keep a lid on the ever-simmering Chechen conflict”, he has little control over the “bearded warlord”, the magazine adds.
“Moscow doesn’t really have a say,” according to Russian security analyst Mark Galeotti. “Moscow elevated Kadyrov, funds Kadyrov, and allows Kadyrov to continue - but in some ways they, too, are hostages to him.”


theweekuk--2020-07-08--Are Egypt and Ethiopia heading for a water war?

A long-running dispute between Ethiopia and Egypt over the construction of a new mega dam on the Nile River is threatening to erupt into a war between the two countries .
Abiy Ahmed , Ethiopia ’ s prime minister , warned yesterday that his country is ready to mobilise “ millions ” of troops if necessary .
Meanwhile , Egypt has threatened “ consequences ” if the government in Addis Ababa tries to use Nile waters to fill Ethiopia ’ s new dam without agreeing a treaty .
What is the dam plan ?
Ethiopia is preparing to start filling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Renaissance Dam , which will be Africa ’ s biggest hydroelectric power plant .
The dam is half a century in the making and can hold 74 billion cubic metres of water - more than the volume of the entire Blue Nile , the tributary in the northern Ethiopia highlands from where 85 % of the Nile ’ s waters flow .
Once filled , the $ 4bn ( £3bn ) dam is expected to produce 6,000 megawatts of electricity , doubling Ethiopia ’ s current power supply .
While hydroelectric power stations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filling the new dam will affect the flow of water downstream .
The reservoir will eventually hold half the river ’ s annual flow , in an expanse bigger than Greater London .
The slower the reservoir is filled , the less the impact on the level of the river .
Ethiopia wants to do it in six years , but Egypt has suggested a timetable of 12 to 21 years so that the level of the river does not drop dramatically , the BBC reports .
“ We have a plan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and we will start generating power with two turbines on December 2020 , ” Ethiopia ’ s Water Minister Seleshi Bekele said last September .
But Egypt is threatening “ consequences ” if Ethiopia does so without first agreeing a treaty to control the dam ’ s future operation .
Why is it so contentious ?
The project will connect millions of Ethiopians to the electricity grid for the first time , and is also regarded as a symbol “ of the country ’ s evolution from a symbol of famine and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerhouse ” , says The Times .
But in creating the dam , Ethiopia is viewed by Egypt as challenging its historic claim to dominance over the Nile , and its strong cultural association with the river .
“ Over 90 % of the country ’ s 100 million people live along the Nile or in its vast delta .
The river , long seen as an Egyptian birthright , supplies most of their water .
They fear the dam will choke it off , ” says The Economist .
Addressing a UN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to discuss the issue , Egypt ’ s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said : “ Survival is not a question of choice , but an imperative of nature.
” Cairo is also concerned that Addis Ababa could use its control of the Nile ’ s waters for leverage in future disputes , or to assert power .
Are the two countries heading to war ?
Talks between Egypt , Sudan and Ethiopia over the dam have been going on for four years but little progress has been made .
“ There are many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed upon and almost all the legal provisions have not been agreed upon , ” Mohammed Nasr-Eldin Allam , former Egyptian minister for water resources , told The Times .
“ Ethiopia imagines that it will be in a position of strength after building the dam , and that by controlling the flow of the Nile water it can force the downstream countries to submit to their will , including accepting a lower water share.
” The lack of agreement has triggered growing use of wartime rhetoric and threats .
Even Ethiopia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prize-winner , has warned : “ No force can stop Ethiopia from building a dam .
If there is need to go to war , we could get millions readied.
” And Egypt has not held back either .
During a recent visit to an air base , President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi told pilots to “ be prepared to carry out any mission on our borders or , if necessary , outside our borders ” .
Lieutenant-general Birhanu Jula Gelalcha , Ethiopia ’ s deputy chief of staff , responded : “ Egyptians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too well how we conduct war whenever it comes.
” If war does come , it could be a one-sided affair .
“ Egypt ’ s military spend last year was $ 11.2bn ; Ethiopia ’ s was a fraction of that , at $ 350m , ” according to The Times .

A long-running dispute between Ethiopia and Egypt over the construction of a new mega dam on the Nile River is threatening to erupt into a war between the two countries.
Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia’s prime minister, warned yesterday that his country is ready to mobilise “millions” of troops if necessary.
Meanwhile, Egypt has threatened “consequences” if the government in Addis Ababa tries to use Nile waters to fill Ethiopia’s new dam without agreeing a treaty.
What is the dam plan?
Ethiopia is preparing to start filling the reservoir behind its nearly finished Grand Renaissance Dam, which will be Africa’s biggest hydroelectric power plant.
The dam is half a century in the making and can hold 74 billion cubic metres of water - more than the volume of the entire Blue Nile, the tributary in the northern Ethiopia highlands from where 85% of the Nile’s waters flow.
Once filled, the $4bn (£3bn) dam is expected to produce 6,000 megawatts of electricity, doubling Ethiopia’s current power supply.
While hydroelectric power stations do not consume water, however, filling the new dam will affect the flow of water downstream. The reservoir will eventually hold half the river’s annual flow, in an expanse bigger than Greater London.
The slower the reservoir is filled, the less the impact on the level of the river. Ethiopia wants to do it in six years, but Egypt has suggested a timetable of 12 to 21 years so that the level of the river does not drop dramatically, the BBC reports.
“We have a plan to start filling on the next rainy season, and we will start generating power with two turbines on December 2020,” Ethiopia’s Water Minister Seleshi Bekele said last September.
But Egypt is threatening “consequences” if Ethiopia does so without first agreeing a treaty to control the dam’s future operation.
Why is it so contentious?
The project will connect millions of Ethiopians to the electricity grid for the first time, and is also regarded as a symbol “of the country’s evolution from a symbol of famine and war to Africa’s burgeoning economic powerhouse”, says The Times.
But in creating the dam, Ethiopia is viewed by Egypt as challenging its historic claim to dominance over the Nile, and its strong cultural association with the river.


theweekuk--2020-07-09--Six-a-year anti-HIV injection ‘more effective’ than daily pill

A groundbreaking new drug injected every two months to prevent HIV is more effective than the daily pills currently used to protect again infection with the virus , researchers have announced .
In trials involving thousands of people across seven countries , long-acting injectable drug cabotegravir , developed by GlaxoSmithKline-owned ViiV Healthcare , was found to be 66 % more effective than Truvada , the most commonly used daily pill , ABC News reports .
As The New York Times notes , “ additional options for prevention are sorely needed ” , with around 1.7 million new HIV infections recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are unable or unwilling to take a daily pill ” to prevent infection - a strategy known as pre-exposure prophylaxis ( PrEP ) - “ particularly in low-income countries where the coronavirus pandemic is disrupting services and access to antiretroviral drugs ” , says the newspaper .
The trials of the anti-HIV jab involved “ 4,570 cisgender men and transgender women ( people who were born male but identify as a woman ) who had sex with men ” , says ABC News .
The participants were randomly assigned to receive Truvada , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injections .
Over the course of the three-and-a-half-year study , 39 participants who had taken Truvada became HIV positive , compared with only 13 who got cabotegravir injections , according to the HIV Prevention Trials Network , a scientific collaborative that led the research .
“ This is a game changer - we can really impact HIV acquisition for people at risk , ” said Dr Carlos del Rio , a professor at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta who was involved in the study .
Harvard University researcher Dr Rochelle Walensky described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Aids 2020 Conference , as “ revolutionary ” .
“ It ’ s exciting to have another pharma company in the PrEP mix , ” she added .
“ This will create competition and ideally drives costs down .
”

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theweekuk--2020-07-09--Government spent £10bn on botched test-and-trace system

Taxpayers have had to stump up £10bn for a test-and-trace system that is still not fully operational , it has emerged .
The Treasury also revealed that it spent £15bn on PPE during the pandemic “ amid scrutiny of the government ’ s procurement process ” , The Telegraph says .
“ Campaigners blasted officials for an enormous waste of taxpayers money ” after PPE , coronavirus testing and contact tracing programmes were shown to have “ accounted for almost four-fifths of extra health spending ” , the paper reports .
Labour MP Meg Hillier , chair of Parliament ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials have “ questions to answer ” about the track-and-trace programmes , which “ won ’ t be supporting the unlocking of the economy for some time to come ” .
Matthew Lesh , head of research at the Adam Smith Institute , added that the amount spent on the programmes was “ astonishing ” .
The government has been “ ploughing huge sums of money into the track and trace system ” despite it “ still failing to catch coronavirus cases ” , The Sun reports .
Only 75 % of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were passed on to the NHS system “ were reached by tracers and asked to share information of their contacts ” , the paper says .
And of the contacts who were contacted and told they may be infected with coronavirus , only 73 % could be reached and asked to self-isolate .
The NHS app intended to support the system was later ditched after it failed to detect most contacts .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the government would work with tech giants Apple and Google to launch a functional app .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ launch a public inquiry into spending on the coronavirus response .
Hillier has “ warned the government would have to justify the huge price of PPE amid intense scrutiny over its procurement strategy ” , The Telegraph says .


theweekuk--2020-07-09--US Election 2020: what might Kanye West’s policies be?

Kanye West is pushing ahead with his bid to become US President , after cutting ties with Donald Trump in his latest interview .
Talking to Forbes magazine , West said he was “ taking the red hat off ” and would run for president under the banner of “ the Birthday Party - because when we win it ’ s everybody ’ s birthday ” .
The multi-Grammy Award winning rapper also criticised the Democratic nominee , Joe Biden , saying he was not “ special ” enough to be president .
“ Obama ’ s special .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West is special .
America needs special people that lead .
Bill Clinton ?
Special .
Joe Biden ’ s not special , ” he said .
West , who has already missed the deadline to appear on the presidential ballot in some states , has an 80-1 chance of victory , according to Oddschecker .
If he were to overcome those odds and enter the White House , here ’ s what a West presidency would look like ?
West set out an anti-abortion stance on religious grounds , saying he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the word of the Bible ” .
He also posted and then deleted a pro-life tweet calling six-month fetuses “ souls ” that “ deserve to live ” , feeding an ongoing spat with pro-abortion group Planned Parenthood .
He has previously said the group is run by “ white supremacists to do the Devil ’ s work ” , the Daily Mail reports .
Asked about the development of a Covid-19 vaccine , West said : “ It ’ s so many of our children that are being vaccinated and paralysed… So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re going to fix covid is with a vaccine , I ’ m extremely cautious .
That ’ s the mark of the beast .
“ They want to put chips inside of us , they want to do all kinds of things to make it where we can ’ t cross the gates of heaven.
” Rejecting medical science , West said coronavirus was “ all about God .
We need to stop doing things that make God mad.
” West is keen to return “ fear and love of God ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to schools despite the supposed separation of church and state in the US .
“ Reinstate in God ’ s state , in God ’ s country , the fear and love of God in all schools and organisations and you chill the fear and love of everything else , ” he said .
“ So that was a plan by the Devil to have our kids committing suicide at an all-time high by removing God , to have murders in Chicago at an all-time high because the human beings working for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools .
That means more drugs , more murders , more suicide.
” West almost immediately received the public backing of eccentric Tesla chief Elon Musk , who replied to his presidential announcement on Twitter with a message of support .
West told Forbes : “ We ’ ve been talking about this for years… I proposed to him to be the head of our space programme.
” West told Forbes that his support for Trump - and the reason he wore a Make America Great Again cap - was “ as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the black community… other than the fact that I like Trump hotels and the saxophones in the lobby ” .
He said he was confortable taking black votes from the Democratic nominee , thus helping Trump : “ I ’ m not denying it , I just told you .
To say that the black vote is Democratic is a form of racism and white supremacy.
” In response to the killing of George Floyd and subsequent protests , West said he intended to end police brutality , but added that “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He has criticised Black History Month as “ torture porn ” and said : “ One time I talked to Jared Kushner , who was saying , ‘ We don ’ t have Black leaders , we just have hustlers.
’ Why ?
Because they killed all the Black leaders.
” The rapper has previously made widely criticised comments about race , referring to the enslavement of African Americans as “ a choice ” by the enslaved .
“ When you hear about slavery for 400 years ... for 400 years ?
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you was there for 400 years , all of y ’ all ?
” he said during an appearance on entertainment site TMZ in 2018 .
“ We ’ re mentally imprisoned.
” He added that “ right now we 're choosing to be enslaved ” .
He said he opposes the death penalty , quoting the bible : “ ‘ Thou shalt not kill.
’ I ’ m against the death penalty.
” West ’ s foreign policy is still to be confirmed , with the rapper telling Forbes : “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m focused on protecting America , first , with our great military .
Let ’ s focus on ourselves first.
” But despite his reluctance to discuss foreign policy , he did profess admiration for China , says the Los Angeles Times .
“ I love China .
I love China .
It ’ s not China ’ s fault that disease .
It ’ s not the Chinese people ’ s fault .
They ’ re God ’ s people also .
I love China .
It changed my life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave me such a wide perspective .
My mom as an English professor taught English in China when I was in fifth grade.
” Like West ’ s foreign policy , his domestic fiscal policy is also still missing some detail .
On taxes , West said “ I haven ’ t done enough research on that yet .
“ I will research that with the strongest experts that serve God and come back with the best solution .
And that will be my answer for anything that I haven ’ t researched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m going to use that earplug .
”


theweekuk--2020-07-09--Dominic Cummings touring top military sites ahead of security overhaul

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Dominic Cummings is to tour five of the UK’s most highly classified military sites in preparation for a major shake-up of the country’s defence and intelligence services.
The prime minister’s chief advisor has requested to visit the Porton Down military research labs, the Special Boat Service at Poole in Dorset and SAS quarters in Hereford, according to emails seen by the Sydney Morning Herald.
The Rapid Capabilities Office in Farnborough and the defence intelligence unit stationed at RAF Wyton are also on Cumming’s tour itinerary. And Boris Johnson’s right-hand man has already visited MI6 and MI5 in London, the Australian newspaper reports.
Cummings’s central role in an “integrated review” of Britain’s foreign policy, defence and security policies, to be published in the autumn, prompted an invitation from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to tour the sites, says The Times.
“The idea is to showcase some of the MoD’s flagship operations to an adviser who has complained that military procurement ‘has continued to squander billions of pounds’ and who has written in his personal blog of the potential for drone warfare,” The Guardian adds.
The leaked emails suggest that the upcoming tour “was deemed sufficiently important by Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, that he and his special adviser wanted to arrange its outline themselves before handing over to officials”, the newspaper reports.
“The secretary of state explicitly does not wish anyone to engage No. 10 or Dominic Cummings on this,” one email said. “It is for [Ben Wallace’s special adviser] and the secretary of state to engage in the first instance before delegating to officials.”
Cummings’ involvement has raised eyebrows in both military and political circles.
Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran told Daily Mirror that “it is utterly unprecedented that the unelected chief adviser to the prime minister is visiting some the UK most secret bases and establishments.”
But Downing Street has hit back at criticism of Cummings and his “green” pass clearance, which allows the aide access to top-secret military intelligence.
“He is the prime minister’s senior adviser,” a spokesperson said. “You would expect he regularly visits government sites and meets ministers.”


theweekuk--2020-07-09--Reaction: will Rishi Sunak’s £30bn rescue package stave off summer of discontent?

Rishi Sunak yesterday revealed a £30bn economic aid package that will push the total bill for the government ’ s coronavirus relief measures to £188.7bn - far more than last year ’ s entire health spend .
The chancellor ’ s newly unveiled plan takes the cost of nursing the economy through the pandemic to a total that equates to 9.4 % of GDP , The Times reports .
That spend “ far exceeds other Whitehall budgets ” , including the £140bn paid out for health and social care in the last financial year , the newspaper adds .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end in October • • Jobs Retention Bonus of £1,000 to be paid to businesses for every furloughed employee kept on as staff until at least January 2021 • • A £2bn “ kickstart scheme ” to create paid six-month job placements for 16- to 24-year-olds • • VAT cut from 20 % to 5 % from 13 July until 12 January 2021 for food and non-alcoholic drinks in restaurants , pubs and cafes • • An “ eat out to help out ” scheme offering a 50 % discount for every diner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Monday to Wednesday during August • • Increase in the stamp duty threshold from £125,000 to £500,000 on residential properties sold in England and Northern Ireland between 8 July 2020 and 31 March 2021 .
Sunak was “ unapologetic ” about the spending spree , “ warning MPs that more would be needed to address ‘ profound economic challenges ’ caused by the virus and lockdown ” , says The Times .
Conservative MPs applauded the chancellor ’ s “ bold ” plan following his mini Budget on Wednesday .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parker , “ all the talk was about whether they had just been watching the next prime minister ” .
But “ economic experts , trade unions and Labour questioned whether [ Sunak ’ s ] ‘ plan for jobs ’ had done enough to tackle the looming crisis ” , with warnings that the big-spending chancellor will have to “ act far more decisively to prevent mass unemployment this autumn ” , The Guardian reports .
Unite union general secretary Len McCluskey said that with redundancy notices “ already flying around like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put a stop to this with policies as bold and as necessary as the Jobs Retention Scheme ” .
Meanwhile , Garry Young , a deputy director of the National Institute for Economic and Social Research , said that Sunak ’ s newly unveiled measures “ look to be badly timed and could precipitate a rapid increase in unemployment ” .
“ The incentives offered to employers look too small to be effective , ” Young added .
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development , a Paris-based think-tank , warned on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Britain could increase to almost 15 % of the working population , from the current rate of 3.9 % , if the country is hit by a second wave of coronavirus .
With the threat of a fresh surge in infections ever present , Torsten Bell , chief executive of the Resolution Foundation think tank , said that “ this economic crisis is likely to be with us until a vaccine is found ” .
Sunak “ should expect to be returning with further measures to support the economy in the autumn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MPs have also voiced reservations .
Sunak ’ s predecessor , Sajid Javid - a fiscal conservative who was ousted from 11 Downing Street by Boris Johnson - called on the chancellor “ to ensure that the country was not exposed to sharply rising borrowing costs when interest rates rose ” , The Times reports .
Steve Baker , former chair of the European Research Group , noted that the plans were “ quite expensive ” , and raised concerns about inflation .
Fellow Tory MP Edward Leigh argued that “ there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding that “ sooner or later they are subject to fraud and market distortion ” .
This Tory resistance to the big-spending plans may come as no surprise , says the BBC ’ s political editor Laura Kussenberg , who notes that “ many of the measures run against traditional Tory instincts ” .
“ And there isn ’ t a whiff of how any of it will be paid for for at least another couple of months , ” she adds .

Rishi Sunak yesterday revealed a £30bn economic aid package that will push the total bill for the government’s coronavirus relief measures to £188.7bn - far more than last year’s entire health spend.
The chancellor’s newly unveiled plan takes the cost of nursing the economy through the pandemic to a total that equates to 9.4% of GDP, The Times reports.
That spend “far exceeds other Whitehall budgets”, including the £140bn paid out for health and social care in the last financial year, the newspaper adds.
The latest key measures announced include:
• Confirmation that the furlough scheme will end in October
• Jobs Retention Bonus of £1,000 to be paid to businesses for every furloughed employee kept on as staff until at least January 2021
• A £2bn “kickstart scheme” to create paid six-month job placements for 16- to 24-year-olds
• VAT cut from 20% to 5% from 13 July until 12 January 2021 for food and non-alcoholic drinks in restaurants, pubs and cafes
• An “eat out to help out” scheme offering a 50% discount for every diner, up to £10 per person, from Monday to Wednesday during August
• Increase in the stamp duty threshold from £125,000 to £500,000 on residential properties sold in England and Northern Ireland between 8 July 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Sunak was “unapologetic” about the spending spree, “warning MPs that more would be needed to address ‘profound economic challenges’ caused by the virus and lockdown”, says The Times.
Conservative MPs applauded the chancellor’s “bold” plan following his mini Budget on Wednesday. According to the Financial Times’ political editor George Parker, “all the talk was about whether they had just been watching the next prime minister”.
But “economic experts, trade unions and Labour questioned whether [Sunak’s] ‘plan for jobs’ had done enough to tackle the looming crisis”, with warnings that the big-spending chancellor will have to “act far more decisively to prevent mass unemployment this autumn”, The Guardian reports.
Unite union general secretary Len McCluskey said that with redundancy notices “already flying around like confetti”, the chancellor needed “to put a stop to this with policies as bold and as necessary as the Jobs Retention Scheme”.


theweekuk--2020-07-09--Zoo workers warned after penguin poo discovery

Penguins can fire poo a distance of four feet , a new study has concluded .
Japanese researchers found that the birds ’ muscular pressure reaches 28 kilopascals , “ significantly higher than the pressure the average human can exert when defecating ” , says Ars Technica , and can send droppings around 1.2 metres at a pace of 4.5 mph .
The researchers warned staff at zoos to be extra careful when approaching these animals , in case they come under fired .
A petrol-driven wheelbarrow has broken a speed record by reaching 36mph .
Kevin Nicks put together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to create the fastest barrow in history .
The 55-year-old gardener has a track record of curious feats : he is also the proud owner of the world ’ s fastest shed .
A turtle that used a Lego wheelchair to recover from an injury has been released into the wild .
When it was first discovered two years a go , it had a broken shell and underwent surgery in which metal bone plates , sewing clasps and surgical wire were used to keep its shell together .
Turtles take longer to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ metabolism is slower .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Penguins can fire poo a distance of four feet, a new study has concluded. Japanese researchers found that the birds’ muscular pressure reaches 28 kilopascals, “significantly higher than the pressure the average human can exert when defecating”, says Ars Technica, and can send droppings around 1.2 metres at a pace of 4.5 mph. The researchers warned staff at zoos to be extra careful when approaching these animals, in case they come under fired.
Petrol wheelbarrow breaks speed record
A petrol-driven wheelbarrow has broken a speed record by reaching 36mph. Kevin Nicks put together a moped engine and a broken wheelbarrow to create the fastest barrow in history. The 55-year-old gardener has a track record of curious feats: he is also the proud owner of the world’s fastest shed.
Turtle released after Lego wheelchair treatment
A turtle that used a Lego wheelchair to recover from an injury has been released into the wild. When it was first discovered two years a go, it had a broken shell and underwent surgery in which metal bone plates, sewing clasps and surgical wire were used to keep its shell together. Turtles take longer to heal than many other creatures because their metabolism is slower.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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--2020-07-09--Instant Opinion: it’s up to women ‘to save Britain’s economy’

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 ‘ girl power ’ needed to save the nation It is up to us women to save Britain ’ s economy “ The oncoming recession is going to take many casualties , with men the primary victims , accounting for three quarters of those likely to lose jobs .
This is partly down to the fact that women are paid far less and are more likely to work part time , insulating factors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that as the recession abates , women represent a major market opportunity and should be central to spurring recovery .
If Dishy Rishi really wants to make us swoon over him may I suggest he turns the green recovery into the Girls ’ recovery .
Just imagine how much healthier our economy would be if we had truly equal pay in a world that embraced our powers of persuasion rather than pilloried them .
With every night a ladies ’ night we will have the economy up and running again in no time.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ loved ones Care workers with coronavirus face an awful choice : live in poverty or risk killing your patient “ The UK ’ s sick pay scheme is the meanest in the industrialised world .
When ill , one might usually splutter through a working day and keep earning , but to do so now is to risk spreading death .
‘ I ’ m being forced to make a choice , ’ says [ care worker ] Grace .
‘ Either I live in poverty or I kill my client.
’ ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months risking their lives to protect other people ’ s loved ones , yet their sector has spent decades stripping them of their employment rights , status and professional dignity .
Just as in food-processing plants , distribution centres and textile factories , this all happened right in front of the rest of us – government ministers , journalists and the public .
Poverty sick pay and universal credit have never been good enough , but , as long as the issue affected just those workers , nothing was done .
Now those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the rest of us : the question is , what are we going to do about it ?
” If it does n't find a political home , the collectivism of lockdown will be washed away like pavement chalk “ An extraordinary collectivism sprang up in response to the pandemic .
The very idea of lockdown – of personal sacrifice for the common good – is itself an act of collectivism .
We saw thousands of Covid-19 mutual aid groups mushrooming across the country , 750,000 signing up to be NHS volunteers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or support hot meals schemes for hospital staff .
Tabloids mocked ‘ covidiots ’ , but far more commonplace was people ready to help in crisis , act together and be a part of something bigger .
Yet our shifting priorities and newfound sense of community have no voice in the current political climate .
Demand for dramatic change bubbles up from the grassroots , but needs a parliamentary drive and politicians pumping these ideas into our air supply.
” 4 .
Phoebe Danziger , a practising , in The New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if People Don ’ t Take It “ As a pediatrician , I meet with all kinds of parents who have concerns about vaccines generally ; many have told me they won ’ t trust a coronavirus vaccine , and that they and their children won ’ t take it , at least in the short term .
They question the safety of a vaccine developed on an accelerated timeline , and in the shadows of political pressure — a concern that has also been raised by staunchly pro-science , pro-vaccine experts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy theory that microchips will be implanted into the vaccine .
As repeated measles outbreaks demonstrate , we haven ’ t done a great job addressing people ’ s concerns about vaccines .
And if we don ’ t learn from our failed response to them , a coronavirus vaccine program will be doomed.
” “ The truth is that our biases are mostly conscious and we are far from ashamed of them .
Who needs unconscious bias training when they consciously elect a president like Donald Trump ?
Did that ever look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or gender equality ?
Nobody who voted for a man who said “ Grab them by the pussy ” was unaware of what they were doing .
And as Sir Keir will soon discover , training his unconscious won ’ t help him deal with the fact that ‘ defund the police ’ is a daft slogan which most people take to mean ‘ don ’ t give money to the police ’ and therefore rightly won ’ t support .
It ’ s a good idea to confront your own conscious biases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society in which people consciously learn from each other and aren ’ t afraid to change their minds is a healthy one .
It remains a basic principle that — unless you are a sadomasochist — you should try to treat others as you would want them to treat you .
Consciousness and conscience should march together .
You don ’ t need a training programme to teach you that .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Alexandra Phillips in The Daily Telegraph
on the ‘girl power’ needed to save the nation
It is up to us women to save Britain’s economy
“The oncoming recession is going to take many casualties, with men the primary victims, accounting for three quarters of those likely to lose jobs. This is partly down to the fact that women are paid far less and are more likely to work part time, insulating factors against redundancy. Yet it is clear that as the recession abates, women represent a major market opportunity and should be central to spurring recovery. If Dishy Rishi really wants to make us swoon over him may I suggest he turns the green recovery into the Girls’ recovery. Just imagine how much healthier our economy would be if we had truly equal pay in a world that embraced our powers of persuasion rather than pilloried them. With every night a ladies’ night we will have the economy up and running again in no time.”
2. Aditya Chakrabortty in The Guardian
on those who look after our loved ones
Care workers with coronavirus face an awful choice: live in poverty or risk killing your patient
“The UK’s sick pay scheme is the meanest in the industrialised world. When ill, one might usually splutter through a working day and keep earning, but to do so now is to risk spreading death. ‘I’m being forced to make a choice,’ says [care worker] Grace. ‘Either I live in poverty or I kill my client.’... Care workers have spent the past three months risking their lives to protect other people’s loved ones, yet their sector has spent decades stripping them of their employment rights, status and professional dignity. Just as in food-processing plants, distribution centres and textile factories, this all happened right in front of the rest of us – government ministers, journalists and the public. Poverty sick pay and universal credit have never been good enough, but, as long as the issue affected just those workers, nothing was done. Now those precarious working conditions pose a lethal threat to the rest of us: the question is, what are we going to do about it?”
3. Rachel Shabi in The Independent
on preserving Britain’s Covid spirit
If it doesn't find a political home, the collectivism of lockdown will be washed away like pavement chalk
“An extraordinary collectivism sprang up in response to the pandemic. The very idea of lockdown – of personal sacrifice for the common good – is itself an act of collectivism. We saw thousands of Covid-19 mutual aid groups mushrooming across the country, 750,000 signing up to be NHS volunteers and others rallying to help food banks or support hot meals schemes for hospital staff. Tabloids mocked ‘covidiots’, but far more commonplace was people ready to help in crisis, act together and be a part of something bigger. Yet our shifting priorities and newfound sense of community have no voice in the current political climate. Demand for dramatic change bubbles up from the grassroots, but needs a parliamentary drive and politicians pumping these ideas into our air supply.”
4. Phoebe Danziger, a practising pediatrician, in The New York Times
on convincing vaccination skeptics
A Coronavirus Vaccine Won’t Work if People Don’t Take It
“As a pediatrician, I meet with all kinds of parents who have concerns about vaccines generally; many have told me they won’t trust a coronavirus vaccine, and that they and their children won’t take it, at least in the short term. They question the safety of a vaccine developed on an accelerated timeline, and in the shadows of political pressure — a concern that has also been raised by staunchly pro-science, pro-vaccine experts. A few families even buy into the conspiracy theory that microchips will be implanted into the vaccine. As repeated measles outbreaks demonstrate, we haven’t done a great job addressing people’s concerns about vaccines. And if we don’t learn from our failed response to them, a coronavirus vaccine program will be doomed.”
5. David Aaronovitch in The Times
on confronting our prejudices
Sorry Keir, unconscious bias training is bunk
“The truth is that our biases are mostly conscious and we are far from ashamed of them. Who needs unconscious bias training when they consciously elect a president like Donald Trump? Did that ever look like anything but a blow against racial or gender equality? Nobody who voted for a man who said “Grab them by the pussy” was unaware of what they were doing. And as Sir Keir will soon discover, training his unconscious won’t help him deal with the fact that ‘defund the police’ is a daft slogan which most people take to mean ‘don’t give money to the police’ and therefore rightly won’t support. It’s a good idea to confront your own conscious biases, prejudices and prior assumptions. A society in which people consciously learn from each other and aren’t afraid to change their minds is a healthy one. It remains a basic principle that — unless you are a sadomasochist — you should try to treat others as you would want them to treat you. Consciousness and conscience should march together. You don’t need a training programme to teach you that.”


theweekuk--2020-07-09--Why Boris Johnson’s Brexit border plan is causing cabinet concern

The government ’ s post-Brexit plan for the UK border could lead to smuggling , lawsuits and damage to Britain ’ s reputation , International Trade Secretary Liz Truss has warned fellow cabinet ministers .
In a letter leaked to Business Insider , Truss tells Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove that proposals due to come into force at the end of this year are “ very concerning ” .
She also warns that the plan “ could call into question Northern Ireland ’ s place in the UK customs territory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What are the UK ’ s plans for the border ?
Although Britain formally left the EU on 31 January , cross-border trade has continued unaffected under the terms of the Brexit transition deal , which lasts until the end of the year .
From 1 January 2021 , however , the UK will be outside the EU customs union and will be expected to monitor trade at its own border .
Detailed government proposals are expected to be presented next week , but Boris Johnson has already given businesses an outline of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on goods entering the UK will not apply until July next year , ” leaving a six-month gap between the end of EU regulations and the start of the new customs regime , The Guardian reported last month .
The plan was welcomed by industry leaders , who said they needed time to adapt to what the newspaper describes as “ the most dramatic change to international trading since 1993 when the single market was introduced ” .
The international trade secretary ’ s “ explosive letter ” was provoked by Downing Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU preferential treatment ” between January and July next year , says The Telegraph .
This would “ breach WTO rules if there is no UK-EU free trade agreement in place ” , because the international body requires that the same trading terms to be offered to all countries not covered by such a deal , the newspaper explains .
Truss also seems unconvinced that border arrangements would prevent smuggling , even after the six-month grace period .
“ I would like assurances that we are able to deliver full control at these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in place from January to mitigate the risk of goods being circumvented from ports implementing full controls , ” she wrote .
Truss ’ s letter “ confirms fears that several ministers have been making things up as they go , with a lack of awareness of the real-world consequences of border policies they ’ ve had four years to develop ” , said Labour ’ s Rachel Reeves , the shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and shadow Cabinet Office minister .
The Irish border proved to be a sticking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Theresa May ’ s Brexit deal and Johnson ’ s revised offer .
“ While both the EU and UK agreed to the withdrawal agreement at the beginning of the year , ” says The Independent , “ disputes about how it should be implemented in practice have emerged in the months since.
” Truss ’ s letter implies that all goods arriving in Northern Ireland could have EU tariffs applied by default , since the system for applying UK or EU tariffs as appropriate will not be in place .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fuel concerns in Northern Ireland that businesses in the province will face significant new costs as of next year , ” says Business Insider .
According to The Independent , Truss ’ s comments “ echo concerns from Brussels , which says Mr Johnson ’ s plans not to impose controls on goods travelling from Northern Ireland to Great Britain do not stand up to scrutiny and amount to backsliding on what he signed up to in January ” .

The government’s post-Brexit plan for the UK border could lead to smuggling, lawsuits and damage to Britain’s reputation, International Trade Secretary Liz Truss has warned fellow cabinet ministers.
In a letter leaked to Business Insider, Truss tells Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove that proposals due to come into force at the end of this year are “very concerning”.
She also warns that the plan “could call into question Northern Ireland’s place in the UK customs territory”, The Irish Times reports.
What are the UK’s plans for the border?
Although Britain formally left the EU on 31 January, cross-border trade has continued unaffected under the terms of the Brexit transition deal, which lasts until the end of the year.
From 1 January 2021, however, the UK will be outside the EU customs union and will be expected to monitor trade at its own border. Detailed government proposals are expected to be presented next week, but Boris Johnson has already given businesses an outline of the measures.
“Full border controls on goods entering the UK will not apply until July next year,” leaving a six-month gap between the end of EU regulations and the start of the new customs regime, The Guardian reported last month.
The plan was welcomed by industry leaders, who said they needed time to adapt to what the newspaper describes as “the most dramatic change to international trading since 1993 when the single market was introduced”.
Why is Truss unhappy?
The international trade secretary’s “explosive letter” was provoked by Downing Street’s plan to “give the EU preferential treatment” between January and July next year, says The Telegraph.
This would “breach WTO rules if there is no UK-EU free trade agreement in place”, because the international body requires that the same trading terms to be offered to all countries not covered by such a deal, the newspaper explains.
Truss also seems unconvinced that border arrangements would prevent smuggling, even after the six-month grace period.
“I would like assurances that we are able to deliver full control at these ports by July 2021 and that plans are in place from January to mitigate the risk of goods being circumvented from ports implementing full controls,” she wrote.
Truss’s letter “confirms fears that several ministers have been making things up as they go, with a lack of awareness of the real-world consequences of border policies they’ve had four years to develop”, said Labour’s Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and shadow Cabinet Office minister.
What about Northern Ireland?
The Irish border proved to be a sticking point in the negotiations that led to Theresa May’s Brexit deal and Johnson’s revised offer.
“While both the EU and UK agreed to the withdrawal agreement at the beginning of the year,” says The Independent, “disputes about how it should be implemented in practice have emerged in the months since.”
Truss’s letter implies that all goods arriving in Northern Ireland could have EU tariffs applied by default, since the system for applying UK or EU tariffs as appropriate will not be in place.
“This section of the letter is likely to fuel concerns in Northern Ireland that businesses in the province will face significant new costs as of next year,” says Business Insider.
According to The Independent, Truss’s comments “echo concerns from Brussels, which says Mr Johnson’s plans not to impose controls on goods travelling from Northern Ireland to Great Britain do not stand up to scrutiny and amount to backsliding on what he signed up to in January”.


theweekuk--2020-07-09--Hong Kong: what is the Lamcao movement?

Hong Kong: what is the Lamcao movement?

Desperate activists in Hong Kong are striking back against China ’ s tough new security laws in the territory by threatening “ mutual destruction ” .
The protest movement is known as Lamcao - which translates from Cantonese as “ if we burn , you will burn with us ” .
Members of the Lamcao , or laam caau ( pronounced “ lahm tsow ” ) , movement are pushing for autonomy for Hong Kong and the destruction of the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP ) .
“ Frustrated with the futility of peaceful street demonstrations , they are resorting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and are willing to put their beloved city and their own futures on the line to bring down the communist regime on the mainland , ” says The Times .
“ The hope is that a new , free city will rise from the ashes.
” “ Essentially , Lamcao is our way to strike back at the Chinese Communist Party , ” a protester who asked to be identified as Finn told Quartz .
Lamcao is “ a bargaining move for Hong Kong against a major power in the world… if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will use our own leverage to bring CCP down with us ” .
The protesters believe that the growing unrest over Beijing ’ s new security laws presents a chance to seize autonomy for Hong Kong ’ s 7.5 million residents , following years of broken promises since the UK handed the territory back to China in 1997 .
“ We have already wasted decades bargaining for our promised freedoms , ” said Finn .
“ Once you realise that there is no way back and the veneer of freedom in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the only real answer.
” What have the protestors done ?
In a bid to put pressure on the China-backed Hong Kong government , the protesters initially “ tried to paralyse Hong Kong airport , sought international sanctions against the territory , and attempted to hurt the city ’ s financial system , though without much success ” , says The Times .
But the activists are now counting on Beijing to do the dirty work for them , by fuelling a backlash among fed-up Hongkongers .
“ To the Chinese Communist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suppress Hong Kong , to destroy Hong Kong so that Hong Kong people realise the political reality , ” an unnamed protester told the newspaper .
“ The idea is to tear down the illusion of prosperity that the government and the Chinese Communist Party have been trying to sell to the Hong Kong people here , to eventually let people know that we do not have any space to retreat and surrender , ” the protester added .
“ As long as they try to suppress Hong Kong people ’ s voices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” What are their chances of success ?
Whether a small group of Hong Kong protestors will be able to topple the powerful and authoritarian CCP regime is questionable .
But the young people of the Lamcao movement remain undaunted .
“ We don ’ t think China has a fair chance to win against the free world , ” one activist told The Times , adding that Hong Kong could be a catalyst for the fall of the regime on the mainland .
“ It ’ s a trigger point to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warning international observers that allowing China to take control of Hong Kong could encourage President Xi Jinping ’ s regime to become even more expansionist .
“ If the world turns its back and forgets Hong Kong , the threat to freedom and universal values will continue and will eventually come back to haunt those that turned a blind eye .
Be aware or be next , ” said one protester .
But some anti-CCP Hongkongers are weary of the Lamcao movement .
Benny Tai , a legal scholar who started the Occupy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says mutual destruction has already begun .
“ It actually is sad , because they do not see any other way out .
Rather than being pushed off the cliff , they now want to see who can survive when both parties fall off the cliff , ” he wrote in an article for Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily .
Pro-Beijing lawmakers appear to be worried too .
Priscilla Leung , member of Hong Kong ’ s Basic Law Committee , released a music video last month urging citizens to reject the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Hong Kong Free Press website reported at the time .
“ Hong Kong has already been broken to bits , we ’ ll lose everything , do you still want mutual destruction , ” Leung sings .

Desperate activists in Hong Kong are striking back against China’s tough new security laws in the territory by threatening “mutual destruction”.
The protest movement is known as Lamcao - which translates from Cantonese as “if we burn, you will burn with us”.
Who are Lamcao?
Members of the Lamcao, or laam caau (pronounced “lahm tsow”), movement are pushing for autonomy for Hong Kong and the destruction of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“Frustrated with the futility of peaceful street demonstrations, they are resorting to a ‘mutual destruction’ ideology and are willing to put their beloved city and their own futures on the line to bring down the communist regime on the mainland,” says The Times.
“The hope is that a new, free city will rise from the ashes.”
“Essentially, Lamcao is our way to strike back at the Chinese Communist Party,” a protester who asked to be identified as Finn told Quartz. Lamcao is “a bargaining move for Hong Kong against a major power in the world… if we are not allowed to be autonomous, we will use our own leverage to bring CCP down with us”.
The protesters believe that the growing unrest over Beijing’s new security laws presents a chance to seize autonomy for Hong Kong’s 7.5 million residents, following years of broken promises since the UK handed the territory back to China in 1997.
“We have already wasted decades bargaining for our promised freedoms,” said Finn. “Once you realise that there is no way back and the veneer of freedom in the past has peeled off then taking action is the only real answer.”
What have the protestors done?
In a bid to put pressure on the China-backed Hong Kong government, the protesters initially “tried to paralyse Hong Kong airport, sought international sanctions against the territory, and attempted to hurt the city’s financial system, though without much success”, says The Times.
But the activists are now counting on Beijing to do the dirty work for them, by fuelling a backlash among fed-up Hongkongers.
“To the Chinese Communist Party, we urge them to further suppress Hong Kong, to destroy Hong Kong so that Hong Kong people realise the political reality,” an unnamed protester told the newspaper.


theweekuk--2020-07-10--Instant Opinion: the year is 2022 - so ‘what does life look like’?

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
It ’ s 2022 .
What Does Life Look Like ?
“ It ’ s 2022 , and the coronavirus has at long last been defeated .
After a miserable year-and-a-half , alternating between lockdowns and new outbreaks , life can finally begin returning to normal .
But it will not be the old normal .
It will be a new world , with a reshaped economy , much as war and depression reordered life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and companies that were vulnerable before the virus arrived have disappeared .
Dozens of colleges are shutting down , in the first wave of closures in the history of American higher education .
People have also changed long-held patterns of behavior : Outdoor socializing is in , business trips are out .
And American politics — while still divided in many of the same ways it was before the virus — has entered a new era .
All of this , obviously , is conjecture .
The future is unknowable .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defining events of our time.
” 2 .
Billy Bragg , musician and activist , in The Guardian on how speech is only free when everyone has a voice ‘ Cancel culture ’ doesn ’ t stifle debate , but it does challenge the old order “ The ability of middle-aged gatekeepers to control the agenda has been usurped by a new generation of activists who can spread information through their own networks , allowing them to challenge narratives promoted by the status quo .
The great progressive movements of the 21st century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lives Matter ; # MeToo ; Extinction Rebellion .
While they may seem disparate in their aims , what they have in common is a demand for accountability .
Although free speech remains the fundamental bedrock of a free society , for everyone to enjoy the benefits of freedom , liberty needs to be tempered by two further dimensions : equality and accountability .
Without equality , those in power will use their freedom of expression to abuse and marginalise others .
Without accountability , liberty can mutate into the most dangerous of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s road to No 10 gets bumpy from here “ It is already possible to see how at some future critical moment in this pandemic , or when there is an electoral reverse or constitutional crisis , Mr Johnson could become the latest victim of Conservative Party ruthlessness .
There are pitfalls for the chancellor , though .
Mr Johnson is dangerously competitive .
Soon , it will also be possible for opponents to label the chancellor Mr Unemployment .
Often the Tory frontrunner doesn ’ t win and for all the spin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 11 right now , it won ’ t always be .
A small but vicious band of Johnson ultra-loyalists will defend their man and their power .
All that fun is to come .
But it is worth pausing for a moment to admire the manner in which someone who just a year ago was serving as parliamentary under-secretary of state for local government rose to become the likely next prime minister.
” on a president losing grip at the worst possible time I ’ ve documented Trump every day of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in free-fall “ The more Trump follows his instincts , the further he seems to fall .
He has stumbled before during his term .
But after watching every day of his presidency since he was sworn in on that grey day in January 2017 , this correspondent sees a president in free-fall .
He has no message for voters on why they should hand him a second term .
His potential legal problems mounted Thursday when the Supreme Court ruled his office does not grant him automatic immunity from a Manhattan district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and financial records .
His poll numbers are dismal .
The virus is spreading again like wildfire .
On issues from wearing masks to guard against Covid-carrying droplets ejected from our fellow humans to flying the Confederate flag to whether coronavirus is even that serious to the real state of the virus-hobbled economy , Trump ’ s know-it-all approach to life leaves him more and more isolated.
” on an obscured truth about Britain ’ s care chaos The real story behind Britain ’ s Covid care home crisis isn ’ t what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still , that their business model depends on being able to pay people less than supermarkets do .
Their complaint about Brexit , even now , is that it makes it harder for them to import cheap labour and keep wages down .
Their bigger concern should be what the Covid crisis has shown about their ability to protect those in their care .
Deciding what to do about care homes is , we ’ re told , high up on Boris Johnson ’ s list – but the more important point is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If there is to be a second wave of Covid , it ’ s pretty clear what ought to happen : care home workers should be isolated and put up in a hotel if needs be .
And – needless to say – forbidden from working from multiple homes .
It will cost , but looking after the elderly can ’ t be done on the cheap .
The last few months have proved , yet again , the real price of low-cost care .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. David Leonhardt in The New York Times
on the post-coronavirus future
It’s 2022. What Does Life Look Like?
“It’s 2022, and the coronavirus has at long last been defeated. After a miserable year-and-a-half, alternating between lockdowns and new outbreaks, life can finally begin returning to normal. But it will not be the old normal. It will be a new world, with a reshaped economy, much as war and depression reordered life for previous generations. Thousands of stores and companies that were vulnerable before the virus arrived have disappeared. Dozens of colleges are shutting down, in the first wave of closures in the history of American higher education. People have also changed long-held patterns of behavior: Outdoor socializing is in, business trips are out. And American politics — while still divided in many of the same ways it was before the virus — has entered a new era. All of this, obviously, is conjecture. The future is unknowable. But the pandemic increasingly looks like one of the defining events of our time.”
2. Billy Bragg, musician and activist, in The Guardian
on how speech is only free when everyone has a voice
‘Cancel culture’ doesn’t stifle debate, but it does challenge the old order
“The ability of middle-aged gatekeepers to control the agenda has been usurped by a new generation of activists who can spread information through their own networks, allowing them to challenge narratives promoted by the status quo. The great progressive movements of the 21st century have sprung from these networks: Black Lives Matter; #MeToo; Extinction Rebellion. While they may seem disparate in their aims, what they have in common is a demand for accountability. Although free speech remains the fundamental bedrock of a free society, for everyone to enjoy the benefits of freedom, liberty needs to be tempered by two further dimensions: equality and accountability. Without equality, those in power will use their freedom of expression to abuse and marginalise others. Without accountability, liberty can mutate into the most dangerous of all freedoms – impunity.”
3. Iain Martin in The Times
on Rishi’s rapid rise
Sunak’s road to No 10 gets bumpy from here
“It is already possible to see how at some future critical moment in this pandemic, or when there is an electoral reverse or constitutional crisis, Mr Johnson could become the latest victim of Conservative Party ruthlessness. There are pitfalls for the chancellor, though. Mr Johnson is dangerously competitive. Soon, it will also be possible for opponents to label the chancellor Mr Unemployment. Often the Tory frontrunner doesn’t win and for all the spin that everything is lovely between Nos 10 and 11 right now, it won’t always be. A small but vicious band of Johnson ultra-loyalists will defend their man and their power. All that fun is to come. But it is worth pausing for a moment to admire the manner in which someone who just a year ago was serving as parliamentary under-secretary of state for local government rose to become the likely next prime minister.”
4. John T Bennett in The Independent
on a president losing grip at the worst possible time
I’ve documented Trump every day of his presidency — and now he’s in free-fall
“The more Trump follows his instincts, the further he seems to fall. He has stumbled before during his term. But after watching every day of his presidency since he was sworn in on that grey day in January 2017, this correspondent sees a president in free-fall. He has no message for voters on why they should hand him a second term. His potential legal problems mounted Thursday when the Supreme Court ruled his office does not grant him automatic immunity from a Manhattan district attorney’s subpoena seeking his tax and financial records. His poll numbers are dismal. The virus is spreading again like wildfire. On issues from wearing masks to guard against Covid-carrying droplets ejected from our fellow humans to flying the Confederate flag to whether coronavirus is even that serious to the real state of the virus-hobbled economy, Trump’s know-it-all approach to life leaves him more and more isolated.”
5. Fraser Nelson in The Daily Telegraph
on an obscured truth about Britain’s care chaos
The real story behind Britain’s Covid care home crisis isn’t what you think
“Care homes argue, still, that their business model depends on being able to pay people less than supermarkets do. Their complaint about Brexit, even now, is that it makes it harder for them to import cheap labour and keep wages down. Their bigger concern should be what the Covid crisis has shown about their ability to protect those in their care. Deciding what to do about care homes is, we’re told, high up on Boris Johnson’s list – but the more important point is what lessons can be learned now. If there is to be a second wave of Covid, it’s pretty clear what ought to happen: care home workers should be isolated and put up in a hotel if needs be. And – needless to say – forbidden from working from multiple homes. It will cost, but looking after the elderly can’t be done on the cheap. The last few months have proved, yet again, the real price of low-cost care.”


theweekuk--2020-07-10--Review: four Airbnb bookings you might have seen on TV

Fans of the hit BBC series Killing Eve know that Villanelle , an assassin played by Jodie Comer , is a “ total monster ” , but she ’ s also got “ one awesome apartment ” , says Stacey Leasca for Travel and Leisure .
And the space is no Hollywood set , but a real apartment located in Barcelona and available for rent .
Its “ low-key ” listing describes it as a “ very spacious and unusual Art Nouveau ‘ Modernista ’ flat with reception hall , studio , two bedrooms , glassed gallery , kitchen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living room ” .
The building was built for the Ramos family in 1906 , hence the name Casa Ramos , and it is located in the central Plaza Lesseps .
The apartment also has access to the building ’ s garden and private swimming pool , and comes with a private balcony with “ killer views ” .
The team behind Killing Eve aren ’ t the only ones attracted to the flat ’ s detailed ceiling mouldings , floor-to-ceiling windows and mid-century modern decor .
Filmmakers Alan Parker , Pedro Almodovar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here too .
Good news for fans of the gritty new Netflix thriller White Lines , about a Manchester DJ found dead on the island of Ibiza , says Ted Thornhill for the Mail Online .
The home of character Marcus Ward , played by British actor Daniel Mays , is available for holiday rentals .
Villa Can Pirata , as the luxury seafront property is called in real life , is actually located in Cala d ’ Or on the neighbouring Balearic island of Majorca .
It can accommodate up to ten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bathrooms .
There is a swimming pool and the villa enjoys direct access to the pier .
Villa Can Pirata also has private terraces and a porch with a lounge and dining area .
It is located away from the main touristy area , yet still within easy reach of the restaurants and bars .
An old farmhouse in the Italian countryside Most of the BBC drama series Normal People is set between Dublin and Sligo in Ireland , but viewers also see the on-off relationship between Marianne ( played by Daisy Edgar-Jones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfold against the backdrop of a beautiful Italian villa , says Ella Alexander for Harper ’ s Bazaar .
“ There ’ s an excruciatingly awkward al-fresco dinner in the villa ’ s garden , a huge argument in a rustic kitchen , and an intimate , streamy moment in one of the pleasingly sparse bedrooms.
” That villa , an old farmhouse , is Il Casale , and it has been owned by the same family for 150 years .
It lies close to the “ pretty ” village of Sant ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s drive north of Rome .
There are two bedrooms , one bathroom and a swimming pool with views over the countryside .
Behind the scenes of reality TV The ten participants of Netflix ’ s reality TV dating show Too Hot to Handle are crammed into one bedroom at Casa Tau on Punta Mita , on the southwest coast of Mexico , says Kara Godfrey in The Sun .
You , however , can choose any of the 12 bedrooms on the five-villa estate , which includes a master suite .
Built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tau has ocean views , a gym , spa , Jacuzzi , and a private path to the nearby sandy beach .
There is also a chef on a hand , a butler and a 12-person team of waiting staff to serve you drinks as you lounge by the infinity pool .
The contestants on the show aren ’ t allowed to take advantage of what the area has to offer , but guests enjoy access to the three beach clubs , golf course and tennis court .
None of this comes cheap @ @ @ @

Fans of the hit BBC series Killing Eve know that Villanelle, an assassin played by Jodie Comer, is a “total monster”, but she’s also got “one awesome apartment”, says Stacey Leasca for Travel and Leisure.
And the space is no Hollywood set, but a real apartment located in Barcelona and available for rent. Its “low-key” listing describes it as a “very spacious and unusual Art Nouveau ‘Modernista’ flat with reception hall, studio, two bedrooms, glassed gallery, kitchen, bathroom, dining room, and separate living room”.
The building was built for the Ramos family in 1906, hence the name Casa Ramos, and it is located in the central Plaza Lesseps. The apartment also has access to the building’s garden and private swimming pool, and comes with a private balcony with “killer views”.
The team behind Killing Eve aren’t the only ones attracted to the flat’s detailed ceiling mouldings, floor-to-ceiling windows and mid-century modern decor. Filmmakers Alan Parker, Pedro Almodovar and Wim Wenders have apparently all filmed here too.
From £232 per night, airbnb.co.uk
©Airbnb
A thriller villa in the Balearics
Good news for fans of the gritty new Netflix thriller White Lines, about a Manchester DJ found dead on the island of Ibiza, says Ted Thornhill for the Mail Online.
The home of character Marcus Ward, played by British actor Daniel Mays, is available for holiday rentals. Villa Can Pirata, as the luxury seafront property is called in real life, is actually located in Cala d’Or on the neighbouring Balearic island of Majorca.
It can accommodate up to ten guests in five bedrooms, with four bathrooms. There is a swimming pool and the villa enjoys direct access to the pier. Villa Can Pirata also has private terraces and a porch with a lounge and dining area. It is located away from the main touristy area, yet still within easy reach of the restaurants and bars.
£1,151 a night, airbnb.co.uk
©Airbnb
An old farmhouse in the Italian countryside
Most of the BBC drama series Normal People is set between Dublin and Sligo in Ireland, but viewers also see the on-off relationship between Marianne (played by Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal) unfold against the backdrop of a beautiful Italian villa, says Ella Alexander for Harper’s Bazaar.
“There’s an excruciatingly awkward al-fresco dinner in the villa’s garden, a huge argument in a rustic kitchen, and an intimate, streamy moment in one of the pleasingly sparse bedrooms.”
That villa, an old farmhouse, is Il Casale, and it has been owned by the same family for 150 years. It lies close to the “pretty” village of Sant’Oreste, just under an hour’s drive north of Rome. There are two bedrooms, one bathroom and a swimming pool with views over the countryside.
Around €50 a night, airbnb.co.uk
©Netflix
Behind the scenes of reality TV
The ten participants of Netflix’s reality TV dating show Too Hot to Handle are crammed into one bedroom at Casa Tau on Punta Mita, on the southwest coast of Mexico, says Kara Godfrey in The Sun. You, however, can choose any of the 12 bedrooms on the five-villa estate, which includes a master suite.
Built less than two years ago, Casa Tau has ocean views, a gym, spa, Jacuzzi, and a private path to the nearby sandy beach. There is also a chef on a hand, a butler and a 12-person team of waiting staff to serve you drinks as you lounge by the infinity pool.
The contestants on the show aren’t allowed to take advantage of what the area has to offer, but guests enjoy access to the three beach clubs, golf course and tennis court. None of this comes cheap, mind you.
Around £12,115 a night airbnb.co.uk
This article was originally published in MoneyWeek


theweekuk--2020-07-10--Rishi Sunak: the next Tory leader in waiting?

As recently as six months ago , few outside of the Westminster bubble had heard of Rishi Sunak .
But since taking over from his mentor Sajid Javid at 11 Downing Street , Sunak has seen his status rocket amid widespread approval of his handling of the coronavirus economic fallout .
Indeed , a poll last week put the free-spending chancellor ’ s approval rating “ ahead of everyone in the government – including Boris Johnson ” , The Telegraph reports .
The first Hindu to lead the Treasury , Sunak is a first-generation immigrant born in Southampton to Yashvir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a GP , while Usha , originally from Tanzania , ran a local pharmacy .
The now chancellor attended Winchester College boarding school , where he was head boy , before reading politics , philosophy and economics at Oxford .
After a career as an investment banker , Sunak entered politics in 2015 , when he took over from former Tory leader William Hague as the MP for Richmond in Yorkshire .
Sunak faced a significant challenge in winning over the constituency .
Local farmers who spoke to Tatler ’ s Ben Judah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their new Conservative candidate with “ that infamous turn of phrase , ‘ I ’ m not racist , but… ’ ” .
But such comments didn ’ t deter Sunak , “ who once joked that he and his wife made up the entire immigrant population of the constituency ” , says The Day .
“ Sunak ’ s billionaire father-in-law , NR Narayana Murthy , [ was ] so enthusiastic about Sunak ’ s parliamentary career that he ’ d flown in , and had even been leafleting on his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” according to Judah .
Until July last year , Sunak was a junior minister in the Ministry of Housing , Communities and Local Government .
But after a stint as chief secretary to the Treasury during which he was widely praise , Sunak was in the perfect position to take over when Javid got the boot in February .
The subsequent coronavirus outbreak in the UK has seen Sunak attempting to steer the country through crisis .
This week we announced a £30bn economic aid package that will push the total bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures to £188.7bn - far more than last year ’ s entire health spend .
Many Conservative MPs now see the chancellor as the front runner to succeed Johnson as prime minister - and some would like the succession to come “ sooner rather than later ” , says Mutaz Ahmed in an article for Reaction .
An unnamed senior Tory backbencher told the news website : “ He ’ s very assiduous about keeping up with MPs .
He sends texts around and does the rounds .
You ’ d assume all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s actually rare .
You have to be very ambitious.
” Sunak ’ s stint in the City working for hedge funds and billionaires could prove to be a stumbling block , however .
“ I ’ m always suspicious of bankers who become politicians , ” a Tory insider said .
All the same , most Conservative MPs have applauded the chancellor ’ s “ bold ” approach in tackling the coronavirus crisis .
According to the Financial Times ’ political editor George Parker , following Sunak ’ s mini Budget this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Commons chamber “ was about whether they had just been watching the next prime minister ” .
Sunak has also “ struck a chord ” with many voters , writes Reaction ’ s Ahmed .
“ Not just because he was offering over £300bn in government support , but also because of the way it was delivered .
“ The chancellor looked straight into the lens and spoke with empathy and compassion , two characteristics the public does not always associated with the upper echelons of the Conservative Party.
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t only down to cash and charm .
Behind the policy and personality is a team shaping “ Brand Rishi ” with the help of television designers , marketing gurus and strategists , The Times reports .
And their marketing bombardment appears to be working .
Sunak is currently enjoying the “ best ratings for a chancellor since Gordon Brown , a comparison that may give him pause to reflect on how rapidly things can change ” , says the newspaper .


theweekuk--2020-07-10--Why violent protests have broken out in Belgrade

Protesters have clashed with police in Belgrade in a third consecutive night of violence triggered by plans to reintroduce strict lockdown measures to tackle a surge in coronavirus infections .
The protests “ began peacefully on Tuesday evening and included students and families , angered by a move to re-impose a weekend curfew ” , the BBC reports .
But “ Wednesday ’ s rally saw protesters hurl flares and other objects at police ” , who responded with tear gas in “ choatic scenes ” in front of the Serbian capital ’ s parliament , adds The Guardian .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were injured and dozens of civilians were arrested ” as some activists attempted to force their way into the parliament building , says Radio Free Europe .
In an apparent bid to quell the violence , President Alexander Vucic announced on Wednesday that the planned curfew was to be scrapped .
But the protests have become linked to a wider pro-democracy movement in Serbia , with demonstrators who took to the streets once again last night accusing Vucic of curbing freedoms in the Balkan state .
The unrest follows demonstrations in May during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Resistance ” movement told the Voice of America news agency that “ we think that this is a dictatorship we are living in nowadays ” .
This week ’ s round of unrest has been marked by “ brutal political violence ” , with videos circulating on social media showing police beating protestors .
A man who “ became the public face of Serbian frustration on the first night of the unrest ” has “ accused police of using nightsticks , tear gas , and other weapons against unarmed protesters ” , Voice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the man , identified as Petar Djuric , went viral after “ he announced to a live camera through tears of anger that his father had died at Belgrade ’ s Zemun Hospital after waiting three days for a ventilator despite Serbian officials ’ assurances there would be no shortage of such lifesaving equipment ” , according to the news agency .
“ Dad , this is for you , ” Djuric shouted repeatedly , before rejoining the protests .
President Vucic has challenged Djuric ’ s version of events and claimed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups and “ foreign secret services ” were behind the violence on the streets .

Protesters have clashed with police in Belgrade in a third consecutive night of violence triggered by plans to reintroduce strict lockdown measures to tackle a surge in coronavirus infections.
The protests “began peacefully on Tuesday evening and included students and families, angered by a move to re-impose a weekend curfew”, the BBC reports. But “Wednesday’s rally saw protesters hurl flares and other objects at police”, who responded with tear gas in “choatic scenes” in front of the Serbian capital’s parliament, adds The Guardian.
“Scores of police officers and protesters were injured and dozens of civilians were arrested” as some activists attempted to force their way into the parliament building, says Radio Free Europe.
In an apparent bid to quell the violence, President Alexander Vucic announced on Wednesday that the planned curfew was to be scrapped.
But the protests have become linked to a wider pro-democracy movement in Serbia, with demonstrators who took to the streets once again last night accusing Vucic of curbing freedoms in the Balkan state.
The unrest follows demonstrations in May during which protesters from the “Citizens’ Resistance” movement told the Voice of America news agency that “we think that this is a dictatorship we are living in nowadays”.
This week’s round of unrest has been marked by “brutal political violence”, with videos circulating on social media showing police beating protestors.
The second night of Belgrade protests: as brutal as it gets, folks. Mentions of draconian penalties for those arrested, and Huawei-brand facial recognition cameras used to identify those who avoid getting trampled over by 30+ officers. https://t.co/mKx83dZ4lM — Aleksandar Brezar (@brezaleksandar) July 8, 2020
A man who “became the public face of Serbian frustration on the first night of the unrest” has “accused police of using nightsticks, tear gas, and other weapons against unarmed protesters”, Voice of America reports.
Snimak koji je obeležio večerašnji protest: "Ćale, ovo je za tebe..." pic.twitter.com/kpEK5T8dhj — TV N1 Beograd (@n1srbija) July 8, 2020
Video footage of the man, identified as Petar Djuric, went viral after “he announced to a live camera through tears of anger that his father had died at Belgrade’s Zemun Hospital after waiting three days for a ventilator despite Serbian officials’ assurances there would be no shortage of such lifesaving equipment”, according to the news agency.
“Dad, this is for you,” Djuric shouted repeatedly, before rejoining the protests.
President Vucic has challenged Djuric’s version of events and claimed at a press conference on Wednesday that right-wing groups and “foreign secret services” were behind the violence on the streets.


theweekuk--2020-07-10--The Week Unwrapped podcast: Vaccines, animal labour and psychological ads

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– To get six free issues of The Week magazine and a moleskine notebook visit theweek.co.uk/offer and enter promo code : pod25 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In this week ’ s episode , we discuss : Researchers have announced a breakthrough in HIV prevention : a highly effective new drug administered via an injection every two months rather than in pill form every day .
With infection rates plateauing , could such a drug finally end the HIV/AIDS epidemic four decades after it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made from coconuts picked by monkeys that activists say are exploited and abused .
Meanwhile , the authorities in Myanmar are struggling to care for thousands of unemployed captive elephants no longer needed to haul logs following a deforestation crackdown .
So does working for humans ever work out for animals ?
“ You 've got a loyalty problem ... they whisper about you.
” A group of never-Trump Republicans has taken its attack on the president to a new level , with an advert described by war studies expert Lawrence Freedman as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ad make Trump more unstable , and could it change political advertising forever ?
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.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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:
HIV eradication
Researchers have announced a breakthrough in HIV prevention: a highly effective new drug administered via an injection every two months rather than in pill form every day. With infection rates plateauing, could such a drug finally end the HIV/AIDS epidemic four decades after it began?
Animal labour
UK supermarkets are boycotting products made from coconuts picked by monkeys that activists say are exploited and abused. Meanwhile, the authorities in Myanmar are struggling to care for thousands of unemployed captive elephants no longer needed to haul logs following a deforestation crackdown. So does working for humans ever work out for animals?
Targeted ads
“You've got a loyalty problem... they whisper about you.” A group of never-Trump Republicans has taken its attack on the president to a new level, with an advert described by war studies expert Lawrence Freedman as psychological warfare”. So will the ad make Trump more unstable, and could it change political advertising forever?
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player, Apple podcasts, SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts.


theweekuk--2020-07-10--Cabinet Office gives officials ‘guide to the thinking’ of Dominic Cummings

Dominic Cummings is well known for handing out unsoliciting reading tips to journalists and Downing Street officials .
But fresh on the heels of reports that Boris Johnson ’ s controversial aide has ordered fellow government advisors to read two books on “ how to predict the future ” , The Times has revealed that “ the civil service has a reading list of its own ” .
According to inside sources , senior officials ask colleagues who work on projects with Cummings to read a 20-page synopsis of his many blog posts “ as a guide to the thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man ” .
The document includes summaries of “ his views on data ( good ) , Whitehall ( bad ) and reprogramming the apex of decision-making authority ( unfathomable ) ” , says the newspaper .
The synopsis was reportedly drawn up last summer by Civil Service Learning , which coordinates training in Whitehall , but officials have been told to refresh their memories of the contents ahead of expected reforms being overseen by Cummings .
A source said : “ We were all sent it ages ago but we were encouraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basically a summary of all of Dominic Cummings ’ s blogs and the key things he believes in.
” The claims that civil servants have been encouraged to wrap their heads around Cummings ’ worldview comes as a fourth senior official quits in the space of five months , as the promised Whitehall overhaul “ appeared to be gaining momentum ” , The Telegraph reports .
Richard Heaton , the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice , has announced his intention to stand down in the next few weeks , just days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as “ speculation ” .
Cummings has long been a critic of the civil service , arguing that it is “ too London-centric ” and “ that bureaucracies behaved in a way that ended up forcing ‘ someone with a start-up mentality ’ to leave ” , the paper says .

Dominic Cummings is well known for handing out unsoliciting reading tips to journalists and Downing Street officials.
But fresh on the heels of reports that Boris Johnson’s controversial aide has ordered fellow government advisors to read two books on “how to predict the future”, The Times has revealed that “the civil service has a reading list of its own”.
According to inside sources, senior officials ask colleagues who work on projects with Cummings to read a 20-page synopsis of his many blog posts “as a guide to the thinking of the prime minister’s right-hand man”.
The document includes summaries of “his views on data (good), Whitehall (bad) and reprogramming the apex of decision-making authority (unfathomable)”, says the newspaper.
The synopsis was reportedly drawn up last summer by Civil Service Learning, which coordinates training in Whitehall, but officials have been told to refresh their memories of the contents ahead of expected reforms being overseen by Cummings.
A source said: “We were all sent it ages ago but we were encouraged to read it again. It is basically a summary of all of Dominic Cummings’s blogs and the key things he believes in.”
The claims that civil servants have been encouraged to wrap their heads around Cummings’ worldview comes as a fourth senior official quits in the space of five months, as the promised Whitehall overhaul “appeared to be gaining momentum”, The Telegraph reports.
Richard Heaton, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice, has announced his intention to stand down in the next few weeks, just days after dismissing reports of his impending departure as “speculation”.
Cummings has long been a critic of the civil service, arguing that it is “too London-centric” and “that bureaucracies behaved in a way that ended up forcing ‘someone with a start-up mentality’ to leave”, the paper says.


theweekuk--2020-07-10--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 10 Jul 2020

The BBC is encouraging staff to include their preferred pronouns in email signatures , to make transgender and non-binary colleagues @ @ @ @ @ guidance , posted on the corporation ’ s intranet , says adding pronouns at the @ @ @ @ @ example , if they prefer to be referred to as he , she or they @ @ @ @ @ , proactive step that we can all take to help create a more inclusive workplace @ @

BBC suggests staff include gender pronouns in their emails
The BBC is encouraging staff to include their preferred pronouns in email signatures, to make transgender and non-binary colleagues feel more welcome. New guidance, posted on the corporation’s intranet, says adding pronouns at the foot of emails - for example, if they prefer to be referred to as he, she or they - is a “small, proactive step that we can all take to help create a more inclusive workplace”.


theweekuk--2020-07-10--Trucker fights off snake at 70mph

Trucker fights off snake at 70mph

An Australian trucker who was trying to fight off a highly poisonous snake while driving at 70mph along a busy road was pulled over by police on suspicion of speeding .
A spokesman said later : “ Although the traffic officer had heard his fair share of excuses for speeding , he soon realised this was not just another colourful tale and promptly sought medical assistance.
” A father who was fishing with his six-year-old son called the police when they reeled in a World War II-era bomb .
Ben Austin said he and his son , Finley , were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Dorking when they hooked the item .
“ As soon as I pulled it up , I was like ‘ what is that ?
’ I thought ‘ this is a bomb ’ .
My son was trying to grab it and pull it up and I said , ‘ no , this is a real bomb.
’ ” There was confusion earlier this week as bright white lights appeared in the sky over Leicester .
Witnesses say the lights appeared at about 11.30pm .
“ After about 30 seconds of me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned a red colour , ” one said .
A spokeswoman from the UK Meteor Observation Network said : “ These look like sprites to me : transient luminous events which are quite rare .
”

An Australian trucker who was trying to fight off a highly poisonous snake while driving at 70mph along a busy road was pulled over by police on suspicion of speeding. A spokesman said later: “Although the traffic officer had heard his fair share of excuses for speeding, he soon realised this was not just another colourful tale and promptly sought medical assistance.”
Fisherman catches world war two bomb
A father who was fishing with his six-year-old son called the police when they reeled in a World War II-era bomb. Ben Austin said he and his son, Finley, were on a bridge over the River Mole in Dorking when they hooked the item. “As soon as I pulled it up, I was like ‘what is that?’ I thought ‘this is a bomb’. My son was trying to grab it and pull it up and I said, ‘no, this is a real bomb.’”
Red and white lights spotted in Leicester
There was confusion earlier this week as bright white lights appeared in the sky over Leicester. Witnesses say the lights appeared at about 11.30pm. “After about 30 seconds of me noticing them and taking a picture they turned a red colour,” one said. A spokeswoman from the UK Meteor Observation Network said: “These look like sprites to me: transient luminous events which are quite rare.”