theweekuk--2020-06-04--Black Lives Matter protests: do British police have a race problem?

Thousands of people attended protests in London , Cardiff and Manchester yesterday in solidarity with demonstrations in the US over the death of African-American George Floyd in police custody last week .
In a joint statement released ahead of the rallies , the National Police Chiefs Council ( NPCC ) said : “ We stand alongside all those across the globe who are appalled and horrified by the way George Floyd lost his life .
Justice and accountability should follow.
” The council said that officers in Britain were “ trained to use force proportionately , lawfully and only when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We strive to continuously learn and improve .
We will tackle bias , racism or discrimination wherever we find it.
” Is racism a problem in the UK police force ?
The Metropolitan Police force was famously branded “ institutionally racist ” in 1999 by retired High Court judge William Macpherson , who led the public inquiry into the fatal stabbing of black teenager Stephen Lawrence in 1993 .
Last year , Macpherson told the BBC that while police had taken steps the right direction in the two decades since his report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obviously a great deal more to be done ” .
Raw statistics bear out his claim .
According to an analysis of Home Office internal data last year , black people are 40 times more likely than white people to be stopped and searched by police in the UK .
Black , Asian and minority ethnic people ( BAME ) are also significantly more likely to be falsely accused of shoplifting than white people , according to the findings of an ICM survey of more than 3,000 Britons in 2018 .
Further signs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the issuance of fines for alleged violations of coronavirus lockdown regulations .
A recent analysis of NPCC data by journalists from Liberty Investigates and The Guardian found that BAME people were 54 % more likely than white people to be fined in London .
Across England , BAME people account for at least 22 % of lockdown fines , despite only accounting for about 15 % of the population .
“ For years there has been extensive evidence that police powers are used to disproportionately and unfairly to target black and Asian communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coordinator of the Network for Police Monitoring .
“ It comes as little surprise that these figures indicate racial profiling has continued and even accelerated under the lockdown.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– How else do BAME people appear to be targeted ?
BAME people are also massively overrepresented in the prison system , accounting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Lammy report , an independent review into the treatment of BAME people in the criminal justice system chaired by Labour MP David Lammy .
And more than 40 % of young people in custody are from BAME background .
In fact , “ there is greater disproportionality in the number of black people in prisons here than in the United States ” , the report says .
Non-white people are also more than twice as likely to die in police custody , says Inquest.org.uk , a charity concerned with state-related deaths in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lecturer in sociology and criminology at Southampton University , says that “ the policing of black British culture claims a long history ” .
“ It might take another Black Lives Matter moment to wake up to police racism and recognise that when policing is part of the problem , it can ’ t also be the solution to violent crime , ” Fatsis wrote in a 2018 article on The Conversation .
“ This is not just ‘ horrible stuff that happens in America ’ , ” concludes The Guardian ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the Floyd protests .
“ Black people know we need to dismantle the same system here .
”

7. 9 June 2020: what would US police reform look like?
5. 3 June 2020: how the US race protests spread around the world
2. 28 May 2020: what we know about the death of George Floyd
British police were twice as likely to fine young black and Asian men for breaking coronavirus lockdown rules than their white peers, new figures have shown.
National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) analysis of fixed-penalty notices issued under the new coronavirus laws found that BAME people were 1.6 times more likely to be fined than white people.
And young BAME men were issued with fines at twice the rate of young white men, reports The Guardian.
Some 17,039 fines were issued between 27 March and 25 May, equalling three fines per 100,000 people. But black people were fined at a rate of 4.6 per 100,000, and Asian people at a rate of 4.7 per 100,000.
Earlier this month, a group of 40 MPs and peers wrote a letter to the NPCC saying penalties had been handed out in an “inconsistent and discriminatory” way, amid racial and regional disproportionality, reports The Independent.
NPCC chair, Martin Hewitt, said that the figures raised alarms: “While it is a complex picture, it is a concern to see disparity between white and black, Asian or ethnic minority people.
“Each force will be looking at this carefully to assess and mitigate any risk of bias – conscious or unconscious – and to minimise disproportionate impact wherever possible.”
Is racism a problem in the UK police force?
The Metropolitan Police force was famously branded “institutionally racist” in 1999 by retired High Court judge William Macpherson, who led the public inquiry into the fatal stabbing of black teenager Stephen Lawrence in 1993.
Last year, Macpherson told the BBC that while police had taken steps the right direction in the two decades since his report was published, “there’s obviously a great deal more to be done”.
Raw statistics bear out his claim. According to an analysis of Home Office internal data last year, black people are 40 times more likely than white people to be stopped and searched by police in the UK.
Black, Asian and minority ethnic people (BAME) are also significantly more likely to be falsely accused of shoplifting than white people, according to the findings of an ICM survey of more than 3,000 Britons in 2018.


theweekuk--2020-06-04--Autopsy report reveals George Floyd had coronavirus

George Floyd had the Covid-19 coronavirus when he died during an arrest by Minneapolis police that has sparked nationwide race @ @ @ @ @ confirmed .
A newly published 20-page report from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner ’ s @ @ @ @ @ tested positive for Covid-19 in early April , and was still infected at the time @ @ @ @ @ , “ the infection was not listed as a factor ” in the 46-year-old ’ @ @ @ @ @ .
The post-mortem examination was carried out on 26 May , the day after Floyd @ @ @ @ @ by white police officer Derek Chauvin , who knelt on his neck for more than @ @ @

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theweekuk--2020-06-04--Coronavirus: how a medieval Spanish town became a Covid hotspot

In crowded cities , the risk of contracting Covid-19 is obvious - yet in tranquil rural towns , the threat may be more insidious .
Northern Spain ’ s “ scenic wine region of La Rioja , with its scattered hilltop villages , might have seemed a less-than-likely location for coronavirus to take root ” , says The Telegraph .
“ But with more than 4,000 confirmed cases amongst a population of just 315,000 , La Rioja has the highest concentration of positives amongst all of Spain ’ s regions.
” Indeed , outside of “ the confined spaces of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been at its most lethal in a handful of southern European country towns ” , The Guardian reports .
Among those hardest hit is La Rioja ’ s Santo Domingo , which has a death rate of 550 per 100,000 people .
That compares with 67 in London , according to latest figures from Public Health England .
“ We became the Chernobyl of coronavirus , ” Maria Jose Duenas , an economist who lives in the Spanish town , told The Telegraph .
“ Everyone knows someone who has died.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– No one really knows why the new coronavirus spread so quickly in the region .
The Spanish government was guilty of a “ lack of transparency ” , says The Guardian , “ but there is no sign of other major mistakes in Santo Domingo that are not widely shared elsewhere ” .
As in many other places , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat .
As late as 12 March , the Los Angeles Times described rumours of an outbreak in La Rioja as a “ plague ” of misinformation .
“ Business owners and local politicians are eager to promote the image of a tranquil town whose residents continue with their normal lives , ” the newspaper said .
A few days later , however , the Spanish government imposed one of Europe ’ s strictest lockdowns .
Children were not allowed to leave home for 45 days and all outside exercise was banned .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ religion ’ s central role in Santo Domingo de la Calzada , it is not surprising that some blamed the church , ” says The Guardian .
They may have good reason .
“ On 17 February , a group of 46 parishioners had set out by coach to visit Rome and Florence , ” the paper says .
Having dropped off a bottle of rioja wine for Pope Francis , they “ returned via northern Italy on 22 February , just as the first cases were being reported there ” .
Others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an older religious route .
Santo Domingo sits on an old pilgrim pathway , the Camino de Santiago , that attracts more than 350,000 walkers per year from all over the world .
About half of them pass through the town .
“ In early March , local doctors had lobbied for part of the route to be closed , but this didn ’ t happen until the nationwide lockdown was imposed , ” The Guardian reports .
Although Santo Domingo and its neighbours have been hit hard by Covid-19 , they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
“ La Rioja has brought its R transmission ratio well under one , has no patients in intensive care and has registered less than 30 new cases in the past two weeks , ” The Telegraph reported last weekend .
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theweekuk--2020-06-05--Coronavirus: how smelling tests could nose out undetected Covid-19 cases

Scientists are calling for smelling tests to be installed in workplaces and airports worldwide as a means to identify people infected with coronavirus .
A new study on Covid-19 symptoms suggests that smell is a stronger indicator of Covid-19 than fever .
And the researchers , from Kings ’ College London ( KCL ) , believe this finding should be utilised to “ detect new cases , reduce infections and save lives ” , reports The Times .
In a letter to The Lancet , the team say that according to their analysis , testing for loss of smell and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of cases that otherwise would have been missed ” .
The scientists based the study on data from 3.7 million users who logged symptoms on the Covid Symptom Study app .
Of 76,260 users who tested positive for Covid-19 up to 19 May , 28.5 % never reported a fever or cough , while 16 % reported loss of smell but not a fever or cough .
The researchers concluded that smell and taste was the strongest single predictor of being infected , with 65 % of those who tested positive reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested negative .
Study leader Professor Tim Spector , a professor of genetic epidemiology , told The Times that the “ data suggests that low-cost so-called ‘ smell the difference ’ screening tests ... would capture a larger number of positive cases than temperature sensors do ” .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Loss of smell has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus since the outbreak reached Europe , but was only added to the UK government ’ s official list of symptoms on 18 May .
“ Ear , nose and throat doctors had been warning for weeks that more symptoms should be included , ” the BBC reported at the time .
The government ’ s guidance on Covid-19 recommends that people who experience anosmia - the loss of or a change in normal sense of smell or taste - should stay at home for seven days in order to reduce the risk @ @ @ @ @ @


theweekuk--2020-06-05--NHS doctor resigns in protest at Dominic Cummings coronavirus scandal

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A senior doctor is protesting against Dominic Cummings’ continuing presence in No. 10 by resigning from the NHS.
London cardiology registrar Dr Dominic Pimenta fears that Cummings’ behaviour in breaching coronavirus lockdown rules, and Boris Johnson’s refusal to fire his right-hand man over the scandal, “could help trigger a second wave of coronavirus”, The Guardian reports.
Pimenta warned last month that Cummings’ refusal to resign “spits in the face” of nationwide efforts to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak. In a tweet posted shortly after it emerged that the Downing Street aide drove from London to Durham with his family during lockdown, the medic tweeted: “If he doesn’t resign, I will.”
This is me right now heading back into the covid ICU I’ve worked for the last two months. This stuff is hot and hard work. Haven’t seen my parents since January. Frankly, Cummings spits in the face of all our efforts, the whole #NHS. If he doesn’t resign, I will. pic.twitter.com/1EfzeuOHnq — Dr Dominic Pimenta MD (@DrDomPimenta) May 24, 2020
Announcing that he is now quitting the health service, Pimenta said his decision was influenced by the “laughable fairy-tale” explanation given by Cummings for the breach, and by the prime minister’s continuing support of his top adviser.
In a statement shared with The Guardian, Pimenta argued that while the public and NHS staff have made sacrifices during the pandemic, “Cummings’ transgressions… and the subsequent doubling-down of ministers, including the prime minister, defending those actions, rewriting and threatening the rules of the lockdown to accommodate one man who simply won’t admit what he did was wrong, threaten to undo all that good, all that sacrifice”.
“A right and moral government would have asked for Cummings’ resignation,” he added.
Pimenta says he now plans to dedicate his time to the charity Heroes, which he founded in March to help provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to front-line NHS staff.
Responding to Pimenta’s resignation, Professor Andrew Goddard, the president of the Royal College of Physicians, said it was “very sad that a colleague has felt the need to resign during this crisis”.
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Meanwhile, in a separate show of anger over the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, protesters this morning staged a “die-in” outside Cummings’ north London home, Sky News reports.
Around 20 people wearing face masks lay down in the street while holding up signs with messages including “over 50,000 dead while you're playing king of the castle”.


theweekuk--2020-06-05--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 5 Jun 2020

The government ’ s coronavirus test-and-trace system , designed to prevent a second wave , is not expected to work @ @ @ @ @ or October , reports The Guardian .
During a webinar , Tony Prestedge , the @ @ @ @ @ NHS scheme , said the programme would be “ imperfect ” at first but “ @ @ @ @ @ autumn .
An app to complement the system is now due by the end of @ @ @ @ @ than planned .

Test-and-trace system ‘won't be at full speed for months’
The government’s coronavirus test-and-trace system, designed to prevent a second wave, is not expected to work at full speed until September or October, reports The Guardian. During a webinar, Tony Prestedge, the chief operating officer of the NHS scheme, said the programme would be “imperfect” at first but “world class” by the autumn. An app to complement the system is now due by the end of June, a month later than planned.


theweekuk--2020-06-04--Where you can travel after coronavirus lockdown

As much of the world emerges from lockdown , would-be travellers are starting to look for the ideal post-coronavirus holiday @ @ @ @ @ unlikely to return to normal for some time - the Foreign Office still advises against @ @ @ @ @ and British quarantine rules will apply on return - a few destinations are preparing to @ @ @ @ @ .
A remote location and tiny population shielded Iceland from the worst of the Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ action brought the country ’ s small outbreak under control .
From 15 June , @ @ @ @ @ its tourism-dependent economy by offering visitors exemption from a two-week quarantine if they take a @ @ @ @ @

As much of the world emerges from lockdown, would-be travellers are starting to look for the ideal post-coronavirus holiday destinations.
The Foreign Office currently advises against all but essential trips, but the government is expected to announce that this blanket warning will be relaxed from 6 July.
Compulsory quarantine for inbound travellers from countries deemed “safe” will also be lifted from 6 July, meaning more people can head off on their holidays.
Iceland
A remote location and tiny population shielded Iceland from the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic, and swift government action brought the country’s small outbreak under control. From 15 June, it is hoping to kick-start its tourism-dependent economy by offering visitors exemption from a two-week quarantine if they take a coronavirus test on arrival.
Sample itinerary: The Luxury Arctic Travel Company offers tailor-made trips combining five-star accommodation and a taste of Iceland’s wild side. Itineraries can include 4x4 and snowmobile adventures, helicopter tours, glacier trekking and horseriding - or a more genteel sojourn at the Blue Lagoon.
More on Iceland: The Week Portfolio’s guide to the Golden Circle
Madeira
Visitors to the Portuguese island of Madeira can avoid quarantine by presenting a negative Covid-19 test certificate issued no more than 72 hours before arrival - and from 1 July, tests have been offered free to all arrivals.
Sample itinerary: At the far western fringe of Europe, Madeira could easily pass for Brazil with its densely forests, dramatic beaches and subtropical climate. The year-round balmy climate made it a traditional destination for those seeking a sedate place to winter, but a thriving adventure sports scene is attracting a younger crowd. The brand new Savoy Palace hotel, with its five restaurants and 360-degree rooftop bar, is an opulent base.
More on Madeira: 72-hour guide to the best of the Portuguese islands
Italy
Despite the seriousness of its Covid-19 outbreak, Italy opened its border to visitors from the UK and EU on Wednesday, becoming the first European country to do so. It does not require tests or time in quarantine for incoming visitors. Most attractions, including the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Leaning Tower of Pisa are open and restrictions on travel between regions have been lifted.


theweekuk--2020-06-04--52 ideas that changed the world - 50. Money

In this series , The Week looks at the ideas and innovations that permanently changed the way we see the world .
This week , the spotlight is on money : Money is a verifiable and accepted medium of exchange used in transactions for goods and services , or as a measure or store of value .
The two main forms of money used today are cash and bank deposits .
Cash takes the form of notes and coins , while bank deposits are held electronically .
In the UK , 96 % of money is now held electronically , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the Bank of England .
Early forms of money were usually “ commodity money ” - a currency that had a link to an item of tangible market value such as gold .
But , since the 1930s , most money has been “ fiat money ” , which is not convertible to gold or any other item .
How did it develop ?
Before the invention of money , goods were procured through bartering .
People would simply swap something they had - for example , food - in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But around 3,000 to 4,000 years ago , communities began exploring more efficient systems of exchange .
Around 1,000BC , China began to manufacture bronze and copper coins , which often contained holes so that they could be strung together like a chain .
Outside of China , the first coins made of precious metals were created in around 500BC .
Round , silver coins stamped with the forms of gods or rulers to mark their authenticity appeared in Lydia ( present-day Turkey ) , and under the Greek , Persian and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Romans , says the US Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS ) .
Because these coins were made of precious metals , they had inherent value - that is , they were the first form of “ commodity money ” .
Paper money developed centuries later , in different places at different times .
China ’ s Song Dynasty was one of the first to introduce paper money , in the 11th century .
This new system originated from merchant deposit notes used by merchants during the Tang Dynasty in order to reduce the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large transactions , explains Hans Christian Ekne in an article on The Capital platform .
This form of money was used for centuries in China before use of banknotes took hold in Europe , in the 17th century .
However , by then , China had learned a painful lesson in the potential dangers of relying on paper money .
“ The production of paper notes had grown until their value plummeted , prompting inflation to soar .
As a result , China eliminated paper money entirely in 1455 and wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” says Time magazine .
Skipping forward to recent times , plastic money cards were first introduced to the UK in 1966 , after the first credit cards were issued by Bank of America in 1958 .
The first cards has the account number embossed on the front of the plastic card , and when the account holder made a payment , this number was swiped onto a slip of paper which they then signed , as the Cashfloat blog explains .
The first experiments with electronic cash payments took place in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cards - which allow customers to use a unique code number rather than a signature to authorise purchases - were introduced to the UK in 2004 .
Contactless payments followed in 2007 , and quickly became a commonly used and accepted form of payment .
Contactless has seen a further boom during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic , because of the risks associated with handling cash , reports The Independent .
As well as these standard methods of payment , forms of so-called digital currency have been developed over the past decade or so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly popular - and unlike fiat currency , “ Bitcoin is created , distributed , traded , and stored with the use of a decentralised ledger system known as a blockchain ” , says Investopedia .
Indeed , the future of physical money appears uncertain , with some experts suggesting countries such as the UK could be completely cashless society in as little as two years , reports the Daily Express .
But not everyone is convinced .
Although the popularity of digital payments is likely to increase , there ’ s no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cash ” says The Scotsman .
“ While cash may have replaced cows , seashells and cheese , it ’ s perhaps not quite ready to give way to digital currencies just yet.
” How did it change the world ?
Money is one of the most significant inventions - for good and bad - in human history .
“ It facilitates exchange as a measure of value ; it brings diverse societies together by enabling gift-giving and reciprocity ; it perpetuates social hierarchies ; and finally , it is a medium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kusimba , a professor of anthropology at Washington D.C ’ s American University , in an article on The Conversation .
By making transactions between people and organisations far more efficient , money allowed for the globalisation of our world today .
No society could completely sustain itself on its existing resources , and money gave a way for different groups to trade resources .
Trade , alliances and wars all came out a desire to command resources through the medium of money .
It also enabled the movement of people , making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible for the first time .
“ The instruments of trade and finance are inventions , in the same way that creations of art and discoveries of science are inventions - products of the human imagination , ” The New Yorker concludes .
“ Paper money , backed by the authority of the state , was an astonishing innovation , one that reshaped the world .
”

In this series, The Week looks at the ideas and innovations that permanently changed the way we see the world. This week, the spotlight is on money:
Money in 60 seconds
Money is a verifiable and accepted medium of exchange used in transactions for goods and services, or as a measure or store of value. The two main forms of money used today are cash and bank deposits. Cash takes the form of notes and coins, while bank deposits are held electronically.
In the UK, 96% of money is now held electronically, with just 4% held in cash, according to the Bank of England.
Early forms of money were usually “commodity money” - a currency that had a link to an item of tangible market value such as gold. But, since the 1930s, most money has been “fiat money”, which is not convertible to gold or any other item.
How did it develop?
Before the invention of money, goods were procured through bartering. People would simply swap something they had - for example, food - in exchange for something else that they needed. But around 3,000 to 4,000 years ago, communities began exploring more efficient systems of exchange.
Around 1,000BC, China began to manufacture bronze and copper coins, which often contained holes so that they could be strung together like a chain.
Outside of China, the first coins made of precious metals were created in around 500BC. Round, silver coins stamped with the forms of gods or rulers to mark their authenticity appeared in Lydia (present-day Turkey), and under the Greek, Persian and Macedonian empires, and later under the Romans, says the US Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
Because these coins were made of precious metals, they had inherent value - that is, they were the first form of “commodity money”.
Paper money developed centuries later, in different places at different times. China’s Song Dynasty was one of the first to introduce paper money, in the 11th century. This new system originated from merchant deposit notes used by merchants during the Tang Dynasty in order to reduce the amount of physical coinage needed to make large transactions, explains Hans Christian Ekne in an article on The Capital platform.


theweekuk--2020-06-04--Quiz of The Week: 30 May - 5 June

Quiz of The Week: 30 May - 5 June

An emotionally charged week has seen anger over the death of African-American man George Floyd sparking worldwide protests against racial discrimination and police brutality .
The demonstrations began in Floyd ’ s home city of Minneapolis but quickly spread across the US and then to Europe and beyond .
Donald Trump has been condemned for responding to the unrest in the US with threats of military force , while in the UK , protests led by Black Lives Matters activists in London , Cardiff and Manchester have shone the spotlight on the country ’ s own race issues .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the streets , health officials and political leaders cautioned that the mass gatherings could trigger a second wave of Covid-19 infections .
The warning came as the UK registered more deaths in one day than all of the European Union members states combined , as Downing Street ’ s own scientific advisers said that lockdown measures were being lifted too early .
To find out how closely you ’ ve been paying attention to the latest developments in the pandemic , and other global events , put your knowledge to the test with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reminder of some of the other headlines over the past seven days ?
More than 17 years after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann , prosecutors in Germany have identified a new suspect in the case .
Officials also said that Madeleine is “ assumed to be dead ” and that the suspect - a 43-year-old German currently in prison for child sex offences - is being investigated on suspicion of murder .
In other world news , Boris Johnson announced plans to offer a route to citizenship for Hong Kongers caught up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while Sweden ’ s chief health official admitted that his country ’ s controversial decision not to impose a strict coronavirus lockdown had led to too many deaths .
Meanwhile , health experts across the world continue to debate the levels of social distancing required to curb the spread of the virus , with the UK government facing growing calls to reduce its two-metre rule to one metre .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-06-05--MI5 says coronavirus Chinese laboratory theory is ‘fake news’

MI5 bosses have dismissed claims that the new coronavirus was made in a Chinese lab as “rumour and conspiracy”, according to intelligence sources.
The Security Service believes ongoing reports that Covid-19 was created deliberately are “fake news” and are comparable to “claims made by the anti-vaccination movement”, says The Times.
The rebuttal comes after Richard Dearlove, former head of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), told The Telegraph that he believed the global pandemic may have begun with the accidental release of the virus from a Chinese laboratory.
In an interview with the newspaper’s Planet Normal podcast, Dearlove said: “I do think this started as an accident. It raises the issue, if China ever were to admit responsibility, does it pay reparations? It will make every country in the world rethink how it treats its relationship with China and its leadership.”
But both current and former intelligence chiefs in the UK and US have dismissed the lab theory.
Andrew Parker, the ex-director of MI5, told a webinar with the Royal Society of Medicine that he was “not aware of any convincing evidence that it is anything other than what people think it is: from live [animal] markets”.
And intelligence sources say that new MI5 chief Ken McCallum shares his predecessor’s views, reports The Times.
Meanwhile, the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence has released a statement saying that US intelligence agencies agree “with the wide scientific consensus that the Covid-19 virus was not man-made”, reports the South China Morning Post.
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Much of the speculation that Covid-19 may have escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, in the Chinese city where the global outbreak began, can be traced back to “right-wing bloggers and conservative media pundits”, says USA Today.
However, as the BBC points out, “there is no evidence of any kind the Sars-CoV-2 virus (which causes Covid-19) was released accidentally from a lab”.


theweekuk--2020-06-05--Instant Opinion: ‘no room for mistakes’ with just 10% of Brits immune to coronavirus

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
1 .
Rupert Beale , head of the cell biology of infection laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute in London , in The Guardian on the danger of a deadly second wave Less than 10 % of Britons are immune to coronavirus .
There 's no room for mistakes “ Fundamentally , it is not just the government that has to get this right – it is all of us .
If we want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we must behave with personal integrity and responsibility .
There will be mistakes , and no doubt there will still be hypocrisy and incompetence .
These are human characteristics from which no government will ever be entirely free .
What matters now is that suppressing the virus is the correct approach – and that we have the means to carry it out ...
The absolute worst thing we can do is give up hope .
I wouldn ’ t despair too much about pictures of crowds .
The virus transmits less well outdoors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ metres apart , and it ’ s irresponsible not to – for any reason , even for highly justified protests .
We can not afford to mess this up.
” on the new hope for justice in a decade old case Let ’ s hope this is end of the McCanns ’ ordeal “ The phrase ‘ Scotland Yard detectives are due to fly to Portugal tomorrow ’ must now be one of the most familiar news lines in Britain .
Almost anyone out of school will instantly know what it means .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the case of Madeleine McCann .
And having been heard so many times over the last , long 13 years , it is likely to be greeted with scepticism , since all the other stories and leads have turned to dust .
But perhaps this time it ’ s different .
Possibly the German paedophile named as Christian Brückner is , finally , the answer to the mystery .
As I write this , news updates on the story are making my Apple watch vibrate every few minutes .
The German authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that Madeleine should be assumed to be dead , even though Scotland Yard detectives are being more circumspect .
The man is said to have been in the area at around the time Madeleine disappeared in 2007 , was known for committing burglaries , and was already on the list of 600 or more potential suspects who were investigated .
All circumstantial but perhaps a fragment of someone ’ s memory has been jogged after all this time .
For the sake of the family , I hope so.
” 3 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the NYT ’ s decision to publish a controversial opinion piece “ The value of airing Cotton ’ s argument has to be weighed against the message The Times sends , in this incendiary moment , by including it within the bounds of legitimate debate .
Everyone agrees that The Times draws those boundaries .
The question is where .
I could be wrong , but I don ’ t believe The Times would have published a defense of family separation by former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen during the height of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the senior Trump aide Stephen Miller about the necessity of curbing nonwhite immigration .
In both cases , I ’ m pretty sure the liberal inclination to hear all sides would have smacked up against sheer moral abhorrence .
It ’ s important to understand what the people around the president are thinking .
But if they ’ re honest about what they ’ re thinking , it ’ s usually too disgusting to engage with .
This creates a crisis for traditional understandings of how the so-called marketplace of ideas functions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis that has the country on fire.
” on the Conservative ’ s failure to prioritise the economy How is the so-called party of business struggling to get Britain back to work ?
“ Bill Bryson wrote in Notes From A Small Island that the British would have managed communism far better than the Russians .
Apart from a few wistful vegetarians with Che Guevara t-shirts in Lit Crit lectures at University , I have always doubted that this is an endorsement many Brits would delight in hearing .
Yet since pseudo-socialism on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are not the nation of capitalist crusaders we perhaps once thought we were .
The English in particular have shown in successive elections that they want pro-wealth , pro-business governance purporting a Protestant work ethic and rejected the stifling over-regulation of centrified continental control from Brussels in a referendum .
Yet here we are , having tasted three months of furlough , watching the so-called party of business yank their hair out trying to get the nation up and running again.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– on the disenfranchisement of Britain ’ s disabled community Disabled people like me are being ignored by the government just when we need the most help “ Amid the coronavirus pandemic , a substantial portion of our community is facing a crisis that this country ’ s government is wilfully ignoring .
Ten of the sector ’ s leading charities sought to address the issue by prodding it into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through their umbrella body , the Disability Charity Consortium .
The money they need to pay for services that have never been in higher demand is drying up , which has left disabled Britons sailing up shit creek without a boat or a paddle .
Some of the smaller ones may go bust .
The consortium moved only after a determined effort to raise the issue with ministers behind closed doors drew a blank .
This shouldn ’ t surprise anyone .
Boris Johnson ’ s government seems more interested in disenfranchising Britain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanding they attend the House of Commons to vote rather than doing it remotely when they are supposed to be shielding themselves and/or family members from the pandemic , than it is in paying attention to the plight of the nation ’ s disabled people .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Rupert Beale, head of the cell biology of infection laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute in London, in The Guardian
on the danger of a deadly second wave
Less than 10% of Britons are immune to coronavirus. There's no room for mistakes
“Fundamentally, it is not just the government that has to get this right – it is all of us. If we want to preserve our economy and our NHS, we must behave with personal integrity and responsibility. There will be mistakes, and no doubt there will still be hypocrisy and incompetence. These are human characteristics from which no government will ever be entirely free. What matters now is that suppressing the virus is the correct approach – and that we have the means to carry it out... The absolute worst thing we can do is give up hope. I wouldn’t despair too much about pictures of crowds. The virus transmits less well outdoors. But we should be keeping two metres apart, and it’s irresponsible not to – for any reason, even for highly justified protests. We cannot afford to mess this up.”
2. David Aaronovitch in The Times
on the new hope for justice in a decade old case
Let’s hope this is end of the McCanns’ ordeal
“The phrase ‘Scotland Yard detectives are due to fly to Portugal tomorrow’ must now be one of the most familiar news lines in Britain. Almost anyone out of school will instantly know what it means. That there’s a possible development in the case of Madeleine McCann. And having been heard so many times over the last, long 13 years, it is likely to be greeted with scepticism, since all the other stories and leads have turned to dust. But perhaps this time it’s different. Possibly the German paedophile named as Christian Brückner is, finally, the answer to the mystery. As I write this, news updates on the story are making my Apple watch vibrate every few minutes. The German authorities in Braunschweig have been confident enough to say that Madeleine should be assumed to be dead, even though Scotland Yard detectives are being more circumspect. The man is said to have been in the area at around the time Madeleine disappeared in 2007, was known for committing burglaries, and was already on the list of 600 or more potential suspects who were investigated. All circumstantial but perhaps a fragment of someone’s memory has been jogged after all this time. For the sake of the family, I hope so.”
3. Michelle Goldberg in The New York Times
on the NYT’s decision to publish a controversial opinion piece
Tom Cotton’s Fascist Op-Ed
“The value of airing Cotton’s argument has to be weighed against the message The Times sends, in this incendiary moment, by including it within the bounds of legitimate debate. Everyone agrees that The Times draws those boundaries. The question is where. I could be wrong, but I don’t believe The Times would have published a defense of family separation by former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen during the height of that atrocity, or a piece by the senior Trump aide Stephen Miller about the necessity of curbing nonwhite immigration. In both cases, I’m pretty sure the liberal inclination to hear all sides would have smacked up against sheer moral abhorrence. It’s important to understand what the people around the president are thinking. But if they’re honest about what they’re thinking, it’s usually too disgusting to engage with. This creates a crisis for traditional understandings of how the so-called marketplace of ideas functions. It’s a subsidiary of the crisis that has the country on fire.”
4. Alexandra Phillips in The Daily Telegraph
on the Conservative’s failure to prioritise the economy
How is the so-called party of business struggling to get Britain back to work?
“Bill Bryson wrote in Notes From A Small Island that the British would have managed communism far better than the Russians. Apart from a few wistful vegetarians with Che Guevara t-shirts in Lit Crit lectures at University, I have always doubted that this is an endorsement many Brits would delight in hearing. Yet since pseudo-socialism on steroids descended during lockdown, it seems we are not the nation of capitalist crusaders we perhaps once thought we were. The English in particular have shown in successive elections that they want pro-wealth, pro-business governance purporting a Protestant work ethic and rejected the stifling over-regulation of centrified continental control from Brussels in a referendum. Yet here we are, having tasted three months of furlough, watching the so-called party of business yank their hair out trying to get the nation up and running again.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
5. James Moore in The Independent
on the disenfranchisement of Britain’s disabled community
Disabled people like me are being ignored by the government just when we need the most help
“Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a substantial portion of our community is facing a crisis that this country’s government is wilfully ignoring. Ten of the sector’s leading charities sought to address the issue by prodding it into action via an anguished plea for help through their umbrella body, the Disability Charity Consortium. The money they need to pay for services that have never been in higher demand is drying up, which has left disabled Britons sailing up shit creek without a boat or a paddle. Some of the smaller ones may go bust. The consortium moved only after a determined effort to raise the issue with ministers behind closed doors drew a blank. This shouldn’t surprise anyone. Boris Johnson’s government seems more interested in disenfranchising Britain’s elderly and disabled MPs by demanding they attend the House of Commons to vote rather than doing it remotely when they are supposed to be shielding themselves and/or family members from the pandemic, than it is in paying attention to the plight of the nation’s disabled people.”


theweekuk--2020-06-05--Reaction: German police reveal ‘sordid’ crimes of new Madeleine McCann suspect

The German suspect being investigated over Madeleine McCann ’ s disappearance is a rapist called Christian Bruckner who is in prison for an attack in Portugal two years before she vanished , according to multiple sources .
Launching a fresh appeal for help in finding out what happened to Madeleine , the German authorities yesterday said that she is “ assumed to be dead ” and that a 43-year-old German man was being investigated on suspicion of murder .
They declined to name the suspect , in accordance with laws in Germany , where the media is referring to him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hans Christian Wolters - a state prosecutor in Braunschweig , Lower Saxony , where Bruckner is in jail - said the suspect was “ a multiple sexual predator already convicted of crimes against little girls ” , the Daily Mail reports .
A number of publications including The Times and The Telegraph say sources close to the investigation into Madeleine ’ s disappearance have confirmed that Bruckner is the prime suspect - a claim that Scotland Yard has refused to confirm or deny .
Investigators have reportedly placed Bruckner in Praia da Luz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when Madeleine was abducted from a resort in the Algarve region .
In December last year , Bruckner was sentenced to seven years in prison for the rape of a 72-year-old US woman in Praia da Luz in September 2005 .
He also beat and whipped his victim , who told investigators : “ I felt he enjoyed torturing me.
” Bruckner , who was already serving time for drugs , has denied the rape and “ has launched a legal challenge against his conviction that will be considered by the European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Independent .
According to The Times , he “ became a suspect in Madeleine ’ s abduction in 2017 when he confessed to a friend in a pub after her face was shown on TV during an appeal marking ten years since her disappearance ” .
“ A source said the friend tipped off German police , who informed the Met , ” reports the newspaper , which adds that “ Bruckner , who police said lived on the Algarve between 1995 and 2007 , is understood not to be cooperating with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bruckner who was 14 years old at the time of McCann ’ s abduction told The Times that he was “ an oddball who kept to himself ” , adding : “ You just get a bad feeling about someone.
” The German had a reputation as a bit of a “ flash Harry ” , says The Telegraph , “ driving a fancy Jaguar and always wearing a smart shirt and jacket ” .
But “ far from being a successful entrepreneur on the Algarve , Bruckner was in reality a sadistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and thefts from hotels and holiday homes and from drug trafficking ” , the paper continues .
Madeleine ’ s parents , Kate and Gerry , believe the latest developments in the investigation into her disappearance are “ potentially very significant ” , reports The Guardian , which says that investigators ’ public appeal for information has “ led to new tip-offs ” .
Clarence Mitchell , a spokesperson for the McCann family , said that in the 13 years since the three-year-old disappeared , there had never been a time “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on one individual ” .

The German suspect being investigated over Madeleine McCann’s disappearance is a rapist called Christian Bruckner who is in prison for an attack in Portugal two years before she vanished, according to multiple sources.
Launching a fresh appeal for help in finding out what happened to Madeleine, the German authorities yesterday said that she is “assumed to be dead” and that a 43-year-old German man was being investigated on suspicion of murder. They declined to name the suspect, in accordance with laws in Germany, where the media is referring to him only as Christian B.
However, Hans Christian Wolters - a state prosecutor in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, where Bruckner is in jail - said the suspect was “a multiple sexual predator already convicted of crimes against little girls”, the Daily Mail reports.
A number of publications including The Times and The Telegraph say sources close to the investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance have confirmed that Bruckner is the prime suspect - a claim that Scotland Yard has refused to confirm or deny.
Investigators have reportedly placed Bruckner in Praia da Luz on the night of 3 May 2007, when Madeleine was abducted from a resort in the Algarve region.
In December last year, Bruckner was sentenced to seven years in prison for the rape of a 72-year-old US woman in Praia da Luz in September 2005. He also beat and whipped his victim, who told investigators: “I felt he enjoyed torturing me.”
Bruckner, who was already serving time for drugs, has denied the rape and “has launched a legal challenge against his conviction that will be considered by the European Court of Justice”, reports The Independent.
According to The Times, he “became a suspect in Madeleine’s abduction in 2017 when he confessed to a friend in a pub after her face was shown on TV during an appeal marking ten years since her disappearance”.
“A source said the friend tipped off German police, who informed the Met,” reports the newspaper, which adds that “Bruckner, who police said lived on the Algarve between 1995 and 2007, is understood not to be cooperating with the inquiry”.
A British neighbour of Bruckner who was 14 years old at the time of McCann’s abduction told The Times that he was “an oddball who kept to himself”, adding: “You just get a bad feeling about someone.”
The German had a reputation as a bit of a “flash Harry”, says The Telegraph, “driving a fancy Jaguar and always wearing a smart shirt and jacket”.
But “far from being a successful entrepreneur on the Algarve, Bruckner was in reality a sadistic sexual predator funding his lifestyle through burglaries and thefts from hotels and holiday homes and from drug trafficking”, the paper continues.
Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry, believe the latest developments in the investigation into her disappearance are “potentially very significant”, reports The Guardian, which says that investigators’ public appeal for information has “led to new tip-offs”.
Clarence Mitchell, a spokesperson for the McCann family, said that in the 13 years since the three-year-old disappeared, there had never been a time “I can recall [the police] focusing on one individual”.


theweekuk--2020-06-05--George Floyd protests: how dangerous are US riot-control weapons?

Donald Trump and his attorney general have been accused of violating the US Constitution by deploying force against peaceful protesters outside the White House .
The American Civil Liberties Union and other civil rights groups have filed a lawsuit in response to what they describe as a “ shameless , unconstitutional , unprovoked , and frankly criminal attack on protesters ” that “ shakes the foundation of our nation ’ s constitutional order ” .
Protests across the US sparked by the death of George Floyd have shone a spotlight on the country ’ s heavily militarised police forces and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The demonstrators outside the White House on Monday “ were gassed , shot with rubber bullets and forcefully cleared ” on the orders of Attorney General William Barr so that “ Trump could walk to St. John ’ s church , the so-called Church of the Presidents ” , The Guardian reports .
So what are the dangers of using these types of control methods ?
Police forces across the US “ have attempted to quell unrest spurred by the death of George Floyd by firing rubber bullets into crowds , even though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can disable , disfigure and even kill ” , reports NBC News .
Also known as baton rounds or kinetic impact projectiles , rubber bullets often contain a metal core .
And according to a 2017 study published in the British Medical Journal , they can be lethal .
The review of medical reports found that of 1,984 people struck by rubber bullets , 53 were killed and a further 300 suffered permanent disability .
The study ’ s authors concluded that rubber bullets “ do not appear to be appropriate weapons for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Law enforcement officials shy away from describing crowd-dispersing chemical tools as tear gas , ” says the Associated Press fact-checking team .
“ It evokes police gassing citizens or the horrors of war .
But giving those tools a more antiseptic name does not change the reality on the ground.
” Trump has denied that tear gas was used outside the White House this week , but police involved in the operation “ acknowledged deploying a pepper compound , which the CDC [ Centers for Disease Control ] and other scientific organisations list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the news agency reports .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Handbook of Toxicology of Chemical Warfare Agents says tear gases come in many forms , including CS gas and capsaicin-based pepper sprays , all of which “ cause irritation of mucous membranes of the eyes , respiratory tract , and skin ” .
Although rarely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chemical agents can “ cause long-term harm by making people more susceptible to contracting influenza , pneumonia and other illnesses ” , ProPublica reports .
All types of tear gas are “ banned internationally in warfare , yet they are still legal for domestic police forces ” , Vox notes .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually used for crowd control , but US police have fired them in isolated incidents connected with the George Floyd protests .
“ In Atlanta , police officers enforcing a curfew stopped two college students in a car , fired Tasers on them and dragged them out of the vehicle , ” The New York Times reports .
Intended as a non-lethal alternative to firearms , Tasers have nevertheless resulted in more than 1,000 deaths in the US alone , according to a Reuters investigation .
In 2009 , after several lawsuits , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid firing its stun gun ’ s electrified darts at a person ’ s chest ” , the news agency reports .
Also known as stun grenades , flash-bangs burst with a 160-180 decibel explosion intended to disorientate and repel rioters .
At short range they can be deadly , causing burns and death , although most such documented cases involve indoor use during police raids rather than crowd-control situations .
Even outside , the blast wave from the grenade can damage eardrums and lung tissue .
“ The North Carolina Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ‘ mass death and destruction ’ , ” Vox reports .


theweekuk--2020-06-05--Track-and-trace: what did the government promise and when?

NHS bosses fear that the coronavirus test-and-trace system will not be fully functioning until as late as October , according to reports .
The Guardian says that Tony Prestedge , the chief operating officer of the NHS scheme , admitted in a webinar to staff last week that the system would be “ imperfect ” at launch , only reaching world-class operational levels in three to four months .
The disclosure comes as scientists warn that “ lockdown measures should not be eased until the test-and-trace service is well established ” , the newspaper adds .
When is the system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launched in England and Scotland last week , with thousands of so-called contact tracers texting , emailing or calling people who test positive for Covid-19 to ask who else they have spent time around .
However , the roll-out of the NHS contact-tracing app has been delayed until later this month .
A pilot scheme of the app was launched on the Isle of Wight in early May .
Matthew Gould , chief executive of the health service ’ s tech NHSX , said the app will launch across the rest of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time if the test proves success , reports The Telegraph .
The app was originally due to be ready to launch alongside the manual track-and-trace system .
According to The Guardian , a video recorded on 27 May – a day before the government announced the scheme was launching – shows chief operating officer Prestedge telling staff : “ We know it will be imperfect , we know it will be clunky but we ask you to help us improve the service.
” The project should be “ world-class by the time that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October time ” , adds Prestedge , a senior banker who was drafted in to help run the programme .
Meanwhile , a leaked email from the boss of Serco - one of the main companies contracted to deliver the system - reveals how he feared the scheme would get off to a bumpy start , but hoped it would “ cement the position of the private sector ” in the NHS supply chain .
In a message forwarded to his staff , chief executive Rupert Soames said : “ There are a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would like to see us fail because we are private companies delivering a public service .
I very much doubt that this is going to evolve smoothly , so they will have plenty of opportunity to say I told you so.
” .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– What has been promised so far ?
17 April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was announced in Parliament by Health Secretary Matt Hancock .
The minister said the UK would need to increase its ability to isolate new Covid-19 cases and trace their contacts before lockdown could be eased , as Bloomberg reported at the time .
“ We do need to have comprehensive test , track and trace in place as soon as possible and we need to get the technology right , ” Hancock told the House of Commons Health Committee , chaired by his predecessor Jeremy Hunt .
“ We need to have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resource , and obviously we need to have the testing and we ’ re ramping that up as well.
” 20 May : Boris Johnson told MPs that the test-and-trace operation would be “ world-beating ” , reports ITV News .
“ We will have a test , track and trace operation that will be world-beating , and yes , it will be in place by 1 June , ” the prime minister said .
27 May : The NHS Test and Trace system was launched .
Hancock said : “ As we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight against coronavirus , we will be able to replace national lockdowns with individual isolation and , if necessary , local action where there are outbreaks .
“ NHS Test and Trace will be vital to stopping the spread of the virus .
It is how we will be able to protect our friends and family from infection , and protect our NHS .
This new system will help us keep this virus under control while carefully and safely lifting the lockdown nationally.
” 3 June : Johnson told MPs that “ as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and trace system… thousands of people are now following our guidance , following the law , and self-isolating to stop the spread of the disease ” .
The PM also hit back at criticisms by Labour leader Keir Starmer that a “ critical element ” of the system is missing , reports Metro .
“ I ’ m afraid he ’ s casting aspersions on the efforts of tens of thousands of people who have set up a test , track and trace system in this country from a standing start .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the prime minister insisted during the stand-off at Prime Minister ’ s Questions .
5 June : Business Minister Nadhim Zahawi says the track-and-trace app will “ be running as soon as we think it is robust ” .
“ The app , we are working flat out .
We want to make sure it actually does everything it needs to do and will be in place this month…I can ’ t give you an exact date , it would be wrong for me to do so , ” Zahawi told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the app would be rolled out nationwide this month , he said : “ I ’ d like to think we ’ d be able to manage by this month , yes .
”

NHS bosses fear that the coronavirus test-and-trace system will not be fully functioning until as late as October, according to reports.
The Guardian says that Tony Prestedge, the chief operating officer of the NHS scheme, admitted in a webinar to staff last week that the system would be “imperfect” at launch, only reaching world-class operational levels in three to four months.
The disclosure comes as scientists warn that “lockdown measures should not be eased until the test-and-trace service is well established”, the newspaper adds.
When is the system expected?
Th new test-and-trace system was launched in England and Scotland last week, with thousands of so-called contact tracers texting, emailing or calling people who test positive for Covid-19 to ask who else they have spent time around.
However, the roll-out of the NHS contact-tracing app has been delayed until later this month.
A pilot scheme of the app was launched on the Isle of Wight in early May. Matthew Gould, chief executive of the health service’s tech NHSX, said the app will launch across the rest of the UK in two or three weeks’ time if the test proves success, reports The Telegraph.
The app was originally due to be ready to launch alongside the manual track-and-trace system.
According to The Guardian, a video recorded on 27 May – a day before the government announced the scheme was launching – shows chief operating officer Prestedge telling staff: “We know it will be imperfect, we know it will be clunky but we ask you to help us improve the service.”
The project should be “world-class by the time that we are moving towards the September or October time”, adds Prestedge, a senior banker who was drafted in to help run the programme.
Meanwhile, a leaked email from the boss of Serco - one of the main companies contracted to deliver the system - reveals how he feared the scheme would get off to a bumpy start, but hoped it would “cement the position of the private sector” in the NHS supply chain.
In a message forwarded to his staff, chief executive Rupert Soames said: “There are a few, a noisy few, who would like to see us fail because we are private companies delivering a public service. I very much doubt that this is going to evolve smoothly, so they will have plenty of opportunity to say I told you so.”.


theweekuk--2020-06-04--The Week Unwrapped: sad doctors, paedophile hunters and cashless China

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days .
Why are UK doctors depressed ?
Why is a paedophile claiming vigilantes violated his rights ?
And will China have a future without cash ?
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 : A case has come before the Supreme Court this week which is expected to rule on whether the covert activities of paedophile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights .
Is vigilantism ever justified ?
What compels paedophile hunters to act in the first place ?
And do paedophiles have a right to privacy ?
China is trialling its new digital currency .
Some say it 's about convenience – mobile payments are already widely used across China .
Others argue that it 's all about giving the government even more control over the population .
Either way , could this be the first step towards a truly cashless society ?
British doctors are suffering a burnout pandemic in the face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the pressure to make life-or-death decisions .
But mental health problems were common among doctors before Covid-19 ’ s arrival - so why has it taken the pandemic for us to notice ?
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. Why are UK doctors depressed? Why is a paedophile claiming vigilantes violated his rights? And will China have a future without cash?
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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:
Paedophile hunters
A case has come before the Supreme Court this week which is expected to rule on whether the covert activities of paedophile hunters are legal and compatible with human rights. Is vigilantism ever justified? What compels paedophile hunters to act in the first place? And do paedophiles have a right to privacy?
Cashless China
China is trialling its new digital currency. Some say it's about convenience – mobile payments are already widely used across China. Others argue that it's all about giving the government even more control over the population. Either way, could this be the first step towards a truly cashless society?
Sad doctors
British doctors are suffering a burnout pandemic in the face of PPE shortages, rising sick leave and the pressure to make life-or-death decisions. But mental health problems were common among doctors before Covid-19’s arrival - so why has it taken the pandemic for us to notice?
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player, Apple podcasts, SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts.


theweekuk--2020-06-06--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 6 Jun 2020

There are fears that coronavirus may be starting to spread again in the north-west and the south-west of England after @ @ @ @ @ number ’ may have surpassed one - the point at which the epidemic takes off @ @ @ @ @ medics and scientists have called on Boris Johnson to order a public inquiry to prepare @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus this winter .

Fears of second wave grow as ‘R number’ rises again
There are fears that coronavirus may be starting to spread again in the north-west and the south-west of England after scientists said the ‘R number’ may have surpassed one - the point at which the epidemic takes off again. Meanwhile, leading medics and scientists have called on Boris Johnson to order a public inquiry to prepare Britain for a second wave of the coronavirus this winter.


theweekuk--2020-06-07--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 7 Jun 2020

Uncertainty over Brexit is set to worsen economic havoc caused by the coronavirus pandemic .
With just three weeks left @ @ @ @ @ to agree to an extension to the transition period of up to two years , @ @ @ @ @ at ING , said : “ Markets are beginning to brace for no extension to @ @ @ @ @ the possibility that neither side can agree on a trade deal this year .
”

Brexit uncertainty set to deepen economic chaos
Uncertainty over Brexit is set to worsen economic havoc caused by the coronavirus pandemic. With just three weeks left for Britain and the EU to agree to an extension to the transition period of up to two years, James Smith, an economist at ING, said: “Markets are beginning to brace for no extension to the transition period, and the possibility that neither side can agree on a trade deal this year.”


theweekuk--2020-06-08--What are the differences between British and US police tactics?

Shocking footage of US police officers deploying “ military style ” tactics against demonstrators at the George Floyd protests has led to comparisons with policing practices in other countries .
In other nations “ including many in Europe , the police practices that are causing outrage in the United States are either entirely banned or are far more strictly regulated ” , reports The Washington Post .
In countries such as UK , police training “ may focus on how to use space and time to reduce a threat ” , says the newspaper .
By contrast , crisis intervention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afterthought ” during training in the US , according to Paul Hirschfield , an associate professor of sociology at New Jersey ’ s Rutgers University .
Indeed , US officers have relied on “ escalated use of force to try to police the protests ” triggered by Floyd ’ s death , says Jennifer Cobbina , an associate professor in criminal justice at Michigan State University .
Pointing to the use of anti-riot weapons such as tear gas , rubber bullets and flash grenades , Cobbina told Wired that the US police response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s militarised tactics - and it ’ s used on protesters who are actually protesting police violence ” .
Officers in the US are “ much more militarised than [ other ] western countries ” , agrees University of Arizona professor Jennifer Earl , who studies police and protests .
“ We do on average have more aggressive policing than our peers , ” Earl told The Washington Post .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– As the BBC reported in the wake of Extinction Rebellion protests in 2019 , police in the UK appear to take the view that “ attempting to carry out mass arrests ” during any protests “ could cause trouble ” .
“ By ‘ waiting it out ’ , they hope that the demonstrations might gradually wind down of their own accord , ” according to the broadcaster .
However , over in the US , police have instead attempted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the Floyd protests , says Wired .
Ed Maguire , a professor of criminology at Arizona State University , told the news site that “ the research suggests pretty routinely that when police over-respond to these events , they tend to escalate rebellion and defiance , rather than de-escalating it .
So we recommend a more measured approach .
”

Shocking footage of US police officers deploying “military style” tactics against demonstrators at the George Floyd protests has led to comparisons with policing practices in other countries.
In other nations “including many in Europe, the police practices that are causing outrage in the United States are either entirely banned or are far more strictly regulated”, reports The Washington Post.
In countries such as UK, police training “may focus on how to use space and time to reduce a threat”, says the newspaper.
By contrast, crisis intervention and de-escalation “tends to be an afterthought” during training in the US, according to Paul Hirschfield, an associate professor of sociology at New Jersey’s Rutgers University.
Indeed, US officers have relied on “escalated use of force to try to police the protests” triggered by Floyd’s death, says Jennifer Cobbina, an associate professor in criminal justice at Michigan State University.
Pointing to the use of anti-riot weapons such as tear gas, rubber bullets and flash grenades, Cobbina told Wired that the US police response has been “incredibly heavy-handed, it’s militarised tactics - and it’s used on protesters who are actually protesting police violence”.
Officers in the US are “much more militarised than [other] western countries”, agrees University of Arizona professor Jennifer Earl, who studies police and protests.
“We do on average have more aggressive policing than our peers,” Earl told The Washington Post.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
As the BBC reported in the wake of Extinction Rebellion protests in 2019, police in the UK appear to take the view that “attempting to carry out mass arrests” during any protests “could cause trouble”.
“By ‘waiting it out’, they hope that the demonstrations might gradually wind down of their own accord,” according to the broadcaster.
However, over in the US, police have instead attempted to “terrify people with military tactics” during the Floyd protests, says Wired.
Ed Maguire, a professor of criminology at Arizona State University, told the news site that “the research suggests pretty routinely that when police over-respond to these events, they tend to escalate rebellion and defiance, rather than de-escalating it. So we recommend a more measured approach.”


theweekuk--2020-06-08--Black Lives Matter: what does ‘defund the police’ mean?

The Minneapolis police department is to be dismantled as anger over the killing of George Floyd fuels calls for reformation of law enforcement systems in countries worldwide .
The Minnesota city ’ s council has voted to create a “ new model of public safety ” following Floyd ’ s death last month , which has triggered Black Lives Matters ( BLM ) protests across the globe , reports the BBC .
The decision comes as growing numbers of demonstrators adopt the rally cry of “ defund the police ” , amid mounting allegations of racism and brutality by law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police ’ mean ?
The principle behind the idea is that funding given to police forces should be reduced or withdrawn , with the money redirected to community programmes .
Advocates say that “ government budgets and ‘ public safety ’ spending should prioritise housing , employment , community health , education and other vital programmes , instead of police officers ” , reports The Guardian .
This defunding does not mean completely disbanding police units , however .
The concept exists on a spectrum based on reimagining what public safety looks like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctoral candidate in sociology at Yale University .
It also means dismantling the idea that police are “ public stewards ” who are meant to protect communities , he told CNN .
Many black Americans feels that people of colour are at risk from police , according to McHarris , who says he grew up in a neighborhood where there were “ real , discernible threats of gun violence ” yet only ever sought help from members of his community .
What is the current state of US police funding ?
The cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from $ 42.3bn ( £33.4bn ) in 1977 to $ 114.5bn ( £90.4bn ) in 2017 , according to an analysis of latest census data conducted for Bloomberg Businessweek .
“ Despite the rising dollar amounts , policing has consistently made up about 3.7 % of state and local budgets since the 1970s , ” says the news site .
However , ” crime has been trending downward for years ” .
And in some areas , authorities spend far greater portions of their budgets on law enforcement .
In Philadelphia , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ £773m ) on police and prisons , which amounts to 20 % of the general fund , reports The Guardian ’ s US correspondent Sam Levin .
In Los Angeles , the mayor has pushed for a policing funding increase that would make the budget more than half of the general fund .
“ In moments of crisis , people want services and resources that go directly to help people rather than police that surveil , brutalise and kill us , ” Melina Abdullah , co-founder of the LA chapter of BLM , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US election ?
Some Democratic members of Congress , including popular left-wingers Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Ilhan Omar , have added their voices to demands to defund police .
But recent polling on race and justice in the US found less than a fifth of Americans want police funding to be cut , says former Bill Clinton adviser Douglas Schoen in an article for the The Hill .
Republicans would be quick to exploit any suggestion that Democrats are weak on crime .
Donald Trump has already accused “ socialists ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding from police departments , and claims presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is set to back such cuts .
“ The Radical Left Democrats new theme is ‘ Defund the Police ’ , ” Trump tweeted last week .
“ Remember that when you do n't want Crime , especially against you and your family .
This is where Sleepy Joe is being dragged by the socialists .
I am the complete opposite , more money for Law Enforcement !
# LAWANDORDER.
” But contrary to the US president ’ s claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than defunding , The Independent says .
“ I ’ ve long believed we need real community policing .
And we need each and every police department in the country to undertake a comprehensive review of their hiring , their training , and their de-escalation practices , ” Biden said in a speech in Philadelphia last week in which he criticised Trump ’ s response to the nationwide unrest .
“ And the federal government should give them the tools and resources they need to implement reforms .
”


theweekuk--2020-06-08--Senior detective argues Madeleine McCann investigation was flawed from the start

Dr Graham Hill , visiting research fellow at the school of law at the University of Leeds and former senior police officer , on the failings of the Madeleine McCann investigation .
News that a 43-year-old German man is now the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case appears – at last – to be a significant development .
The information from the German authorities and the Metropolitan Police Service indicates that in May 2007 this man was living and frequenting Praia da Luz , Portugal , and possibly committing burglaries at holiday complexes to fund his itinerant lifestyle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was convicted of sexual offences against children in Germany and was therefore a known convicted sex offender in 2007 .
This raises several questions : was he known to the Portuguese investigation team at the time ?
If so , when did his name enter their system and what did they do to implicate or eliminate him from their enquiry ?
When was his name passed on to the UK investigation team ?
These are questions at the forefront of my mind as I think back to my time in Portugal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ days when I arrived in Praia da Luz in May 2007 .
I had been sent to Portugal as part of the UK ’ s Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre ( CEOP ) response to Madeleine ’ s disappearance .
I was a detective superintendent and senior investigating officer ( SIO ) with knowledge about predatory child sexual abusers and non-familial child abduction .
After being briefed at the British Consulate regarding Madeleine ’ s disappearance , I met with Gerry and Kate McCann at their holiday apartment and we discussed the Portuguese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could have led to their daughter ’ s disappearance .
Understandably , the McCanns were trying to come to terms with the situation they found themselves in .
During our discussion , Gerry asked me directly if I thought his daughter was still alive , and I pointed out that if she had been abducted – statistically – she would by now be dead .
The majority of children who are murdered after being abducted by someone unknown to them are dead within three to six hours .
It was a difficult conversation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused the McCanns remained throughout .
The following day I went to the police station in Praia da Luz and spoke with several of the lead Portuguese investigators .
They were all very polite but it was clear from their attitude and response that they didn ’ t welcome what they considered to be UK interference in a Portuguese crime .
At that time , they were also receiving advice from Leicestershire Police ( the McCanns ’ home police force ) supported by the then UK National Police Improvement Agency ( NPIA ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the lack of urgency surrounding the investigation and it was difficult to establish any detailed information around what direction the investigation was taking .
Over the next few days , whenever I suggested certain courses of action that they might wish to consider , the Portuguese police either dismissed it out of hand or I was informed that it had already been done without result .
As the days went by , I became more and more frustrated and I relayed this back to CEOP in my telephone conversations and daily written @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the growing media presence , trying to get and impart information and having meetings cancelled at the last minute because investigators were too busy , it was still unclear to me whether many of the key investigative tasks had been adequately completed .
For example , I had serious misgivings about the quality of the search strategy , the recording of full-time and casual staff at the holiday complex , identification of all known suspected and convicted sex offenders living or frequenting the area , and other significant or relevant crimes in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Portuguese investigative approach to Madeleine ’ s disappearance was flawed and not fit for purpose when set against what we would have been done in a similar investigation in the UK .
This was reflected time and time again in my verbal and written reports and the “ fiasco ” was regularly reported on in the press .
Disappointingly , as the investigation progressed there was also a certain amount of inter-agency rivalry between the UK agencies involved , which resulted in a fraught working relationship .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In the years since Madeleine ’ s disappearance , I have also raised my concerns as to whether agencies across Europe are still any better prepared for these types of investigations .
When an investigation team doesn ’ t gather information or act in a timely and systematic fashion , the investigation gets away from them and this dramatically reduces the chances of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then , and even more so now having studied the behaviour of non-familial child abductors and murderers in-depth as a criminologist , is that the first 24 to 48 hours of a child abduction investigation – often referred to as the “ golden hours ” – are critical to its successful outcome .
It requires strong , dynamic leadership supported by clear defensible decision making .
This must be backed up by systems and structures designed to collect and evaluate information quickly .
At the same time , information must be retained in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revisited at appropriate times as the investigation moves forward and alternative lines of enquiry are considered .
Non-familial child abduction attracts vast amounts of media attention .
High-profile cases often attract national media coverage and cases where the child is murdered become , what is called in criminology , “ mega-homicides ” .
These cases can attract worldwide attention and generate vast amounts of information .
The potential for this information to overwhelm even the best-prepared investigation agency during the early hours or days of an inquiry is considerable .
For this reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systematic approach to core policing functions to deal with the complexity .
And it is vital to have a thorough , well documented investigation strategy .
These investigations also require highly skilled and experienced investigators who have the ability to make defensible decisions based upon reliable information and create investigative strategy and policy that can stand the test of hindsight .
A failure to do so can have serious consequences .
Three years after Madeleine ’ s disappearance , in 2010 , I conducted and wrote CEOP ’ s internal review of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Home Office .
The review contained observations and recommendations that , after repeated requests from the McCanns , led to the Met being tasked to establish their own investigation , Operation Grange .
The information timeline , when fully known , may offer clarity and explanations to many of the questions that have been swirling around this case since 2007 .
But these explanations may also raise more uncomfortable questions about the effectiveness of the initial police inquiry and the competence of the people who led it .
I only hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of closure for the McCanns .
Dr Graham Hill , visiting research fellow at the School of Law , University of Leeds .
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

Dr Graham Hill, visiting research fellow at the school of law at the University of Leeds and former senior police officer, on the failings of the Madeleine McCann investigation. News that a 43-year-old German man is now the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case appears – at last – to be a significant development. The information from the German authorities and the Metropolitan Police Service indicates that in May 2007 this man was living and frequenting Praia da Luz, Portugal, and possibly committing burglaries at holiday complexes to fund his itinerant lifestyle. It also appears that as a teenager he was convicted of sexual offences against children in Germany and was therefore a known convicted sex offender in 2007. This raises several questions: was he known to the Portuguese investigation team at the time? If so, when did his name enter their system and what did they do to implicate or eliminate him from their enquiry? When was his name passed on to the UK investigation team? These are questions at the forefront of my mind as I think back to my time in Portugal. Madeleine McCann had been missing for several days when I arrived in Praia da Luz in May 2007. I had been sent to Portugal as part of the UK’s Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre (CEOP) response to Madeleine’s disappearance. I was a detective superintendent and senior investigating officer (SIO) with knowledge about predatory child sexual abusers and non-familial child abduction. After being briefed at the British Consulate regarding Madeleine’s disappearance, I met with Gerry and Kate McCann at their holiday apartment and we discussed the Portuguese police investigation strategy and possible scenarios that could have led to their daughter’s disappearance. Understandably, the McCanns were trying to come to terms with the situation they found themselves in. Skip advert During our discussion, Gerry asked me directly if I thought his daughter was still alive, and I pointed out that if she had been abducted – statistically – she would by now be dead. The majority of children who are murdered after being abducted by someone unknown to them are dead within three to six hours. It was a difficult conversation, but I was struck by how focused the McCanns remained throughout.
The following day I went to the police station in Praia da Luz and spoke with several of the lead Portuguese investigators. They were all very polite but it was clear from their attitude and response that they didn’t welcome what they considered to be UK interference in a Portuguese crime. At that time, they were also receiving advice from Leicestershire Police (the McCanns’ home police force) supported by the then UK National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA). From the outset I was struck by the lack of urgency surrounding the investigation and it was difficult to establish any detailed information around what direction the investigation was taking. Over the next few days, whenever I suggested certain courses of action that they might wish to consider, the Portuguese police either dismissed it out of hand or I was informed that it had already been done without result. Flawed investigation As the days went by, I became more and more frustrated and I relayed this back to CEOP in my telephone conversations and daily written reports. After ten exasperating days avoiding the growing media presence, trying to get and impart information and having meetings cancelled at the last minute because investigators were too busy, it was still unclear to me whether many of the key investigative tasks had been adequately completed. For example, I had serious misgivings about the quality of the search strategy, the recording of full-time and casual staff at the holiday complex, identification of all known suspected and convicted sex offenders living or frequenting the area, and other significant or relevant crimes in the local area. My professional opinion was that the Portuguese investigative approach to Madeleine’s disappearance was flawed and not fit for purpose when set against what we would have been done in a similar investigation in the UK. This was reflected time and time again in my verbal and written reports and the “fiasco” was regularly reported on in the press. Skip advert Disappointingly, as the investigation progressed there was also a certain amount of inter-agency rivalry between the UK agencies involved, which resulted in a fraught working relationship. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ‘Golden hours’ wasted In the years since Madeleine’s disappearance, I have also raised my concerns as to whether agencies across Europe are still any better prepared for these types of investigations.


theweekuk--2020-06-08--Reaction: Black Lives Matter protesters tear down ‘toxic’ slave trader statue

Boris Johnson has condemned the toppling of a Bristol statue of slave trader Edward Colston during anti-racism protests that the prime minister says have been “ subverted by thuggery ” .
Writing on Twitter on Sunday evening , Johnson said that while “ people have a right to protest peacefully ” , the destruction of property is a “ betrayal of the cause they purport to serve ” .
The Times reports that “ police faced questions for failing to intervene ” as protesters dumped the statue into Bristol Harbour after using ropes to pull over the Grade II-listed monument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The toppling came as protesters in London defaced a statue of Winston Church in Parliament Square , with the words “ was a racist ” painted under the wartime prime minister ’ s name .
Home Secretary Priti Patel has described the “ acts of public disorder “ as “ utterly disgraceful “ vandalism by a “ thuggish minority ” .
And former chancellor Sajid Javid , who grew up in Bristol , tweeted : “ I detest how Edward Colston profited from the slave trade .
But , THIS IS NOT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Avon and Somerset Police told the BBC that while the destruction of the Colston statue - which was also daubed with paint - would be investigated , Colston was “ a historical figure that ’ s caused the black community quite a lot of angst over the last couple of years ” .
“ Whilst I am disappointed that people would damage one of our statues , I do understand why it ’ s happened , it ’ s very symbolic , ” Bennett added .
Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees agreed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will divide opinion , as the statue itself has done for many years ” .
But “ it ’ s important to listen to those who found the statue to represent an affront to humanity ” , Rees said .
The bronze effigy was erected back in 1895 and has “ long been a focal point for anger at the city ’ s role in the slave trade and the continued commemoration of those who were involved in it ” , reports The Guardian .
A petition calling for its removal had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the toppling yesterday “ could be seen as a watershed moment ” for Bristol , according to The Times ’ s Midlands correspondent Neil Johnston .
The Daily Mail says the attack on the monument by a “ masked mob ” at the “ lawless and reckless ” protest carries “ echoes of the fall of Saddan Hussein ” .
Historian and Bafta-winning filmmaker David Olusoga has also drawn comparisons with the fall of the Iraqi dictator .
In a tweeted response to a post describing the toppling as criminal damage , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you said when they pull [ ed ] down the statue of Saddam Hussein ?
” Speaking to the BBC , Olusoga argued that “ removing statues is not erasing history… Statues are about adoration .
They ’ re about saying , ‘ This man was a great man who did great things.
’ That 's not true .
He was a slave trader and a murderer.
” However , Olusoga added that the statue should have been taken down “ peacefully ” and put in a museum - an opinion shared by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( was ) the Edward Colton statue in Bristol pic.twitter.com/HHFRDx4RUR - this needs to go into a museum where it belongs with full explanation to why it got pulled down ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Colston was born to a wealthy merchant family in Bristol in 1636 and went on to work for the Royal African Company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trader .
“ During his time at the company , between 1680 and 1692 , about 84,000 African men , women and children were transported as slaves to tobacco and sugar plantations in the Caribbean and the Americas , ” says The Times .
The Guardian adds that slaves were “ were branded on the chest with the company ’ s initials , RAC ” and crammed “ into ships to maximise profit ” .
“ Unhygienic conditions , dehydration , dysentery and scurvy killed more than 20,000 during the crossings and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newspaper reports .

Boris Johnson has condemned the toppling of a Bristol statue of slave trader Edward Colston during anti-racism protests that the prime minister says have been “subverted by thuggery”.
Writing on Twitter on Sunday evening, Johnson said that while “people have a right to protest peacefully”, the destruction of property is a “betrayal of the cause they purport to serve”.
The Times reports that “police faced questions for failing to intervene” as protesters dumped the statue into Bristol Harbour after using ropes to pull over the Grade II-listed monument and then rolling it down the street.
The toppling came as protesters in London defaced a statue of Winston Church in Parliament Square, with the words “was a racist” painted under the wartime prime minister’s name.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has described the “acts of public disorder“ as “utterly disgraceful“ vandalism by a “thuggish minority”.
And former chancellor Sajid Javid, who grew up in Bristol, tweeted: “I detest how Edward Colston profited from the slave trade. But, THIS IS NOT OK.”
However, Superintendent Andy Bennett of Avon and Somerset Police told the BBC that while the destruction of the Colston statue - which was also daubed with paint - would be investigated, Colston was “a historical figure that’s caused the black community quite a lot of angst over the last couple of years”.
“Whilst I am disappointed that people would damage one of our statues, I do understand why it’s happened, it’s very symbolic,” Bennett added.
Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees agreed that “the removal of the Colston statue will divide opinion, as the statue itself has done for many years”.
But “it’s important to listen to those who found the statue to represent an affront to humanity”, Rees said.
The bronze effigy was erected back in 1895 and has “long been a focal point for anger at the city’s role in the slave trade and the continued commemoration of those who were involved in it”, reports The Guardian.
A petition calling for its removal had been signed by more than 11,000 people, and the toppling yesterday “could be seen as a watershed moment” for Bristol, according to The Times’s Midlands correspondent Neil Johnston.


theweekuk--2020-06-08--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 8 Jun 2020

People dying at home alone of Covid-19 have sometimes not been found for up to two weeks , say doctors @ @ @ @ @ of the disease have gone undetected for so long that their bodies have started to @ @ @ @ @ elderly say the news shows the vulnerability of isolated older people living on their own @

Isolated Covid-19 victims not found for weeks after death
People dying at home alone of Covid-19 have sometimes not been found for up to two weeks, say doctors. In some cases victims of the disease have gone undetected for so long that their bodies have started to decompose. Campaigners for the elderly say the news shows the vulnerability of isolated older people living on their own.