theweekuk--2020-07-22--Instant Opinion: Vladimir Putin ‘wants Scottish independence’

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
on the Kremlin ’ s plans for the union “ [ If Scotland votes to end the union , ] Britain would either be disarmed or humiliated and Nato would face losing one of its nuclear powers .
For Putin , this would represent not only the humbling of a prominent Western nation but the weakening of the international body he deems the greatest obstruction to Russia ’ s expansionist designs .
There is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independence-related and SNP-sympathetic content .
There is a reason it airs a weekly show fronted by a former first minister of Scotland and icon of Scottish nationalism .
There is a reason Sputnik chose Edinburgh for its UK headquarters .
It is the same reason that Iran also interfered in the 2014 referendum : destabilising a rival power , one that plays an important role in promoting democracy , the rules-based international order and American global leadership .
Our enemies see in the dismantling of the Union a chance to cut Britain down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this threat imperils not just our democracy but our national security.
” Labour ’ s return to sanity will goad the left “ Since Sir Keir was elected , the Corbyn left have been in retreat .
Their response to Rebecca Long Bailey ’ s dismissal was woefully weak , probably because even they could see that fighting over a Zionist conspiracy theory that the originator had withdrawn wasn ’ t the best territory .
But while clearly weaker than both they and lots of commentators estimated , the Corbyn left has not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment , and its place , and there will be a fight .
There will be skirmishes all over the battlefield , but I think the most likely place for the biggest engagement will come over foreign and security policy .
Traditionally , that is the issue Labour fights over .
The Labour Party from its early days was a coalition between the working class and trade unions on the one hand and middle-class liberal and socialist intellectuals on the other .
As a result , there has always been a strand of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and another strand that was more nationalistic and readier to support the use of arms.
” 3 .
Anand Menon , director of the UK in a Changing Europe and professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King 's College London , in The Daily Telegraph on getting ready for 31 December 2020 Preparing for the worst Brexit may prove an effective way of preparing for the best “ Signing any kind of agreement now would all but guarantee the Prime Minister the same kind of hero ’ s welcome .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemingly impossible not once , but twice , and in so doing will spare businesses already dreading the impact of Brexit the added problems implied by tariffs and quotas .
And of course both sides are consequent of the broader political implications .
In the event of no deal , it is all too easy to imagine relations between the UK and the 27 descending into a cycle of recrimination and counter-recrimination as each side blamed the other for failure ...
So yes , the Government might be warning us to get ready @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prove an effective way of making us get ready for the best ( which is not all that much better ) .
But let ’ s not kid ourselves .
There is time left for a deal to be done , and both sides will strive their utmost to make sure they do it.
” 4 .
Glen O ’ Hara , professor of modern and contemporary history at Oxford Brookes University , in The Guardian Are Dominic Cummings ’ visions anything more than just policy tourism ?
“ There ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cummings ’ famous blog posts , and quite some heft to his worldview .
Many of the individual elements are compelling .
Management is undoubtedly important , and Cummings is correct to stress its vital role in making things happen : time and again politicians say ‘ such and such will be so ’ , and boring old public policy experts go away thinking ‘ no it won ’ t ’ .
There are specifics on which he ’ s right .
His advocacy of pure research over so-called ‘ application ’ is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business of government , there is little doubt that Cummings ’ attacks on ‘ big procurement ’ – on outsourcing profit guzzlers such as Carillion and Capita – hit the mark .
But there are more than enough gaps to give one pause .
Given that Cummings ( along with cabinet office chief Michael Gove ) appears to be in charge of Whitehall , this might be thought at least a little worrying.
” 5 .
Gretchen Whitmer , governer of Michigan , in The New York Times “ Wearing a mask is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about protecting our loved ones from the spread of this deadly virus .
I know the president has begun to understand that — he wore a mask on his visit to the Walter Reed military hospital this month .
And on Monday , he tweeted that ‘ it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can ’ t socially distance.
’ I applaud his statement , and urge him to back it up by issuing a nationwide mask mandate like Michigan ’ s , requiring masks on public transport , indoors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six feet can not be maintained .
It allows exemptions for small children , when eating or drinking , communicating with a hearing-impaired person , officiating at a religious service and for those engaged in a public safety role .
The president has the chance to save tens of thousands of lives .
I am hopeful that he will seize this opportunity .
In the meantime , be smart , be safe and mask up , America .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Stephen Daisley in The Spectator
on the Kremlin’s plans for the union
Why Putin wants Scottish independence
“[If Scotland votes to end the union,] Britain would either be disarmed or humiliated and Nato would face losing one of its nuclear powers. For Putin, this would represent not only the humbling of a prominent Western nation but the weakening of the international body he deems the greatest obstruction to Russia’s expansionist designs. There is a reason Russia Today pumps out so much independence-related and SNP-sympathetic content. There is a reason it airs a weekly show fronted by a former first minister of Scotland and icon of Scottish nationalism. There is a reason Sputnik chose Edinburgh for its UK headquarters. It is the same reason that Iran also interfered in the 2014 referendum: destabilising a rival power, one that plays an important role in promoting democracy, the rules-based international order and American global leadership. Our enemies see in the dismantling of the Union a chance to cut Britain down to size. Continued government negligence of this threat imperils not just our democracy but our national security.”
2. Daniel Finkelstein in The Times
on abandoning Jeremy Corbyn’s foreign policy
Labour’s return to sanity will goad the left
“Since Sir Keir was elected, the Corbyn left have been in retreat. Their response to Rebecca Long Bailey’s dismissal was woefully weak, probably because even they could see that fighting over a Zionist conspiracy theory that the originator had withdrawn wasn’t the best territory. But while clearly weaker than both they and lots of commentators estimated, the Corbyn left has not gone away. It will pick its moment, and its place, and there will be a fight. There will be skirmishes all over the battlefield, but I think the most likely place for the biggest engagement will come over foreign and security policy. Traditionally, that is the issue Labour fights over. The Labour Party from its early days was a coalition between the working class and trade unions on the one hand and middle-class liberal and socialist intellectuals on the other. As a result, there has always been a strand of Labour opinion that was internationalist and pacifistic and another strand that was more nationalistic and readier to support the use of arms.”
3. Anand Menon, director of the UK in a Changing Europe and professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King's College London, in The Daily Telegraph
on getting ready for 31 December 2020
Preparing for the worst Brexit may prove an effective way of preparing for the best
“Signing any kind of agreement now would all but guarantee the Prime Minister the same kind of hero’s welcome. He will be the man who achieved the seemingly impossible not once, but twice, and in so doing will spare businesses already dreading the impact of Brexit the added problems implied by tariffs and quotas. And of course both sides are consequent of the broader political implications. In the event of no deal, it is all too easy to imagine relations between the UK and the 27 descending into a cycle of recrimination and counter-recrimination as each side blamed the other for failure... So yes, the Government might be warning us to get ready for the worst. This might, prove an effective way of making us get ready for the best (which is not all that much better). But let’s not kid ourselves. There is time left for a deal to be done, and both sides will strive their utmost to make sure they do it.”
4. Glen O’Hara, professor of modern and contemporary history at Oxford Brookes University, in The Guardian
on the PM’s free thinking chief advisor
Are Dominic Cummings’ visions anything more than just policy tourism?
“There’s a lot of profit to be had in Cummings’ famous blog posts, and quite some heft to his worldview. Many of the individual elements are compelling. Management is undoubtedly important, and Cummings is correct to stress its vital role in making things happen: time and again politicians say ‘such and such will be so’, and boring old public policy experts go away thinking ‘no it won’t’. There are specifics on which he’s right. His advocacy of pure research over so-called ‘application’ is persuasive. In terms of the actual business of government, there is little doubt that Cummings’ attacks on ‘big procurement’ – on outsourcing profit guzzlers such as Carillion and Capita – hit the mark. But there are more than enough gaps to give one pause. Given that Cummings (along with cabinet office chief Michael Gove) appears to be in charge of Whitehall, this might be thought at least a little worrying.”
5. Gretchen Whitmer, governer of Michigan, in The New York Times
on making mask wearing a ‘nationwide mandate’
Mask Up, America
“Wearing a mask is not a political statement; it is about protecting our loved ones from the spread of this deadly virus. I know the president has begun to understand that — he wore a mask on his visit to the Walter Reed military hospital this month. And on Monday, he tweeted that ‘it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can’t socially distance.’ I applaud his statement, and urge him to back it up by issuing a nationwide mask mandate like Michigan’s, requiring masks on public transport, indoors, or outdoors when a distance of six feet cannot be maintained. It allows exemptions for small children, when eating or drinking, communicating with a hearing-impaired person, officiating at a religious service and for those engaged in a public safety role. The president has the chance to save tens of thousands of lives. I am hopeful that he will seize this opportunity. In the meantime, be smart, be safe and mask up, America.”


theweekuk--2020-07-22--Beijing-linked hackers ‘tried to steal’ coronavirus vaccine data

Two Chinese men linked to Beijing ’ s intelligence service targeted vaccine development research during a six-year cybertheft campaign in @ @ @ @ @ of millions of dollars were hacked , US prosecutors claim .
Li Xiaoyu , 34 @ @ @ @ @ 33 , are alleged to have stolen data from a wide range of technology companies @ @ @ @ @ , including one unnamed “ UK artificial intelligence and cancer research firm ” , The @ @ @ @ @ Department of Justice ( DoJ ) says that the pair ’ s hacking operation was @ @ @ @ @ such as defence contractors , high-end manufacturing and solar energy companies ” and that they @ @ @ @ @ of China ’ s spy services and sometimes to enrich themselves ” , adds The @ @ @ @ @ ) .

Two Chinese men linked to Beijing’s intelligence service targeted vaccine development research during a six-year cybertheft campaign in which trade secrets worth hundreds of millions of dollars were hacked, US prosecutors claim.
Li Xiaoyu, 34, and Dong Jiazhi, 33, are alleged to have stolen data from a wide range of technology companies in countries across the world, including one unnamed “UK artificial intelligence and cancer research firm”, The Times reports.
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) says that the pair’s hacking operation was also “aimed at industries such as defence contractors, high-end manufacturing and solar energy companies” and that they sometimes “operated on behalf of China’s spy services and sometimes to enrich themselves”, adds The New York Times (NTY).
Having previously stolen information about “other Chinese intelligence targets like human rights activists”, the duo shifted their focus to trying to steal coronavirus vaccine research this year, the newspaper reports. It is not clear whether the Covid-related hacking was successful.
According to the DOJ indictment, when “they were stealing information of obvious interest” to the Chinese government, the hackers “were assisted by, and operated with the acquiescence of” the Ministry of State Security (MSS), China’s intelligence agency.
The indictment lists 11 criminal charges against Li and Dong, including conspiracies to commit computer fraud and theft, as well as multiple counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to The Times, the hackers “would often find a way into a network by looking for flaws in software products, especially vulnerabilities that had just been announced and for which most businesses had not had time to install an update to fix”.
Computer security expert Alan Woodward, a visiting professor at Surrey University’s Cyber Security Centre, told the paper that the aim with such a strategy is to “establish a toe hold using one of these vulnerabilities and then directly access data or establish a shell which provides you with your own direct access to the system”.
Announcing the charges against the two Chinese men, US Assistant Attorney General John Demers said that “China has now taken its place, alongside Russia, Iran and North Korea, in that shameful club of nations that provide a safe haven for cybercriminals in exchange for those criminals being ‘on call’ to work for the benefit of the state”, reports Al Jazeera.
The goal for Li and Dong was “to feed the Chinese Communist Party’s insatiable hunger for American and other non-Chinese companies’s hard-earned intellectual property, including Covid-19 research”, added Demers, who leads the DOJ’s National Security Division.


theweekuk--2020-07-22--Reaction: MI5 to get more powers following damning Russia report

Boris Johnson is set to give the Security Service ( MI5 ) more powers to combat foreign interference , after the government was accused of “ taking its eye off the ball ” over Russia .
The allegation was made by the Commons Intelligence and Security Committee ( ISC ) in a long-awaited report that says Downing Street “ directly avoided ” an investigation into allegations that agents of President Putin meddled in the Brexit vote .
What are the new powers ?
The prime minister is planning new anti-espionage laws that would make the UK a “ harder environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Times reports .
The legislation is expected to include the introduction of an official “ register of foreign agents ” like those used in the US and Australia .
Failure to register could result in a prison sentence or deportation , if the foreign spies are sniffed out .
Under the American Foreign Agents Registration Act , anyone working on behalf of foreign governments , officials and political parties must register with the US Department of Justice ( DoJ ) and file periodic reports about their activities , according to the DoJ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law in Britain follow warnings from the UK intelligence community ( UKIC ) that the nation ’ s counterespionage and counterterrorism legislation is inadequate , reports the Daily Mirror .
Former MI5 chief Andrew Parker told the ISC that foreign agents were currently able to operate with impunity in the UK .
Parker said that “ it is not an offence in any sense to be a covert agent of the Russian intelligence services in the UK ” and that under the existing legislation , spies could only be prosecuted if they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Official Secrets Act has become “ dusty and largely ineffective ” , leaving UK spy agencies “ with something which makes it very hard to deal with some of the situations we are talking about today in the realm of the economic sphere , cyber , things that could be more to do with influence ” , the cross-party group of MPs heard .
What has prompted the new powers ?
The ISC ’ s long-awaited Russia report , published on Monday , says that Britain ’ s government and intelligence agencies “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat of Russian interference in UK elections .
But No .
10 yesterday rejected fresh calls for an investigation into alleged Kremlin interference in the 2016 Brexit vote , saying that there was “ no evidence of successful interference in the EU referendum ” .
However , the ISC points out that no effort has been made to find such evidence .
“ This situation is in stark contrast to the US handling of allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election , where an intelligence community assessment was produced within two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unclassified summary being made public , ” says the report .
The review concludes that the UK has become a “ laundromat ” for dirty Russian money , with Putin-linked elites able to act with “ impunity ” , according to the Daily Mail .

Boris Johnson is set to give the Security Service (MI5) more powers to combat foreign interference, after the government was accused of “taking its eye off the ball” over Russia.
The allegation was made by the Commons Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) in a long-awaited report that says Downing Street “directly avoided” an investigation into allegations that agents of President Putin meddled in the Brexit vote.
What are the new powers?
The prime minister is planning new anti-espionage laws that would make the UK a “harder environment for adversaries to operate in”, The Times reports.
The legislation is expected to include the introduction of an official “register of foreign agents” like those used in the US and Australia. Failure to register could result in a prison sentence or deportation, if the foreign spies are sniffed out.
Under the American Foreign Agents Registration Act, anyone working on behalf of foreign governments, officials and political parties must register with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and file periodic reports about their activities, according to the DoJ website.
The plans to replicate the law in Britain follow warnings from the UK intelligence community (UKIC) that the nation’s counterespionage and counterterrorism legislation is inadequate, reports the Daily Mirror.
Former MI5 chief Andrew Parker told the ISC that foreign agents were currently able to operate with impunity in the UK.
Parker said that “it is not an offence in any sense to be a covert agent of the Russian intelligence services in the UK” and that under the existing legislation, spies could only be prosecuted if they were caught explicitly stealing official secrets.
The Official Secrets Act has become “dusty and largely ineffective”, leaving UK spy agencies “with something which makes it very hard to deal with some of the situations we are talking about today in the realm of the economic sphere, cyber, things that could be more to do with influence”, the cross-party group of MPs heard.
What has prompted the new powers?
The ISC’s long-awaited Russia report, published on Monday, says that Britain’s government and intelligence agencies “actively avoided” investigating or recognising the threat of Russian interference in UK elections.
But No. 10 yesterday rejected fresh calls for an investigation into alleged Kremlin interference in the 2016 Brexit vote, saying that there was “no evidence of successful interference in the EU referendum”.
However, the ISC points out that no effort has been made to find such evidence.
“This situation is in stark contrast to the US handling of allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, where an intelligence community assessment was produced within two months of the vote, with an unclassified summary being made public,” says the report.
The review concludes that the UK has become a “laundromat” for dirty Russian money, with Putin-linked elites able to act with “impunity”, according to the Daily Mail.


theweekuk--2020-07-22--Donald Trump wishes Ghislaine Maxwell well amid reports of joke about ‘randy Prince Andy’

Donald Trump has told reporters that he “ wishes Ghislaine Maxwell well ” following her arrest but does not “ know the situation ” regarding Prince Andrew ’ s alleged links to late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein .
The US president was responding to questions about whether Maxwell would “ turn in powerful men ” as part of a future plea deal with US prosecutors , The Telegraph says .
The British socialite has pleaded not guilty to six charges relating to her alleged role in grooming young girls for her close friend Epstein to abuse .
Speaking at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said that he hadn ’ t “ really been following ” the case but that he knew Maxwell after meeting her “ numerous times ” when she lived near his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida .
The president then declined to comment on Prince Andrew ’ s alleged relationship with Epstein , who died in an apparent suicide in his New York prison cell while awaiting trial last summer .
“ I don ’ t know the situation with Prince Andrew .
Just do n't know , not aware of it , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the emergence of footage dating from 2015 in which Trump described Epstein ’ s Little Saint James private island as “ an absolute cesspool ” before adding : “ Just ask Prince Andrew.
” And in a further twist , an ex-employee of Epstein has told The Sun that she walked in on her former boss and Maxwell joking over a “ secretly filmed clip ” of Prince Andrew with a topless woman .
“ I do not know who the girl was on the video but she was topless .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age was , ” said the 48-year-old woman , who says the footage was shot at Epstein ’ s £60m Manhattan home .
“ I couldn ’ t see all of Andrew so I don ’ t know if he was clothed or not .
It looked like it was filmed in a bedroom .
I don ’ t think Andrew knew he was being filmed.
” The woman - referred to under the false name of “ Tiffany Doe ” - claims that Maxwell then said : “ Oh , that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeffrey laughed at that and I of course immediately recognised who it was on the tape , ” said the former employee , who is working with US lawyers representing alleged victims of the late billionaire financier and Maxwell .

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theweekuk--2020-07-22--Conservatives to investigate MP who ‘invited 21-year-old intern to fool around’

The Conservative Party has launched an investigation into a Tory MP accused of inappropriate behaviour towards two junior parliamentary staff .
Rob Roberts , who was elected in the North Wales constituency of Delyn last year , is alleged to have invited a 21-year-old intern to “ fool around ” with him , in text messages seen by the BBC .
The 40-year-old MP has previously admitted to asking out and making “ inappropriate ” comments to a male Commons employee , “ who subsequently changed job ” , The Guardian says .
Confirming that an inquiry has been launched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that “ while Mr Roberts has apologised for his behaviour and has been undertaking safeguarding and social media protection training , we are clear such conduct is completely unacceptable ” .
The announcement yesterday followed opposition calls for action , with acting Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey tweeting : “ The Conservative Party must immediately remove the whip while they investigate , or they risk sending the message that this is acceptable conduct for a sitting MP.
” According to the BBC , Roberts ’ texts to the female intern , sent in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ picture on Twitter earlier .
Lovely legs.
” The woman told the MP that she was struggling with her mental health and was in an “ awful state ” , but Roberts reportedly replied that he was “ just thinking about fun times… Maybe if you thought of them too it might help you.
” He also told the intern not to “ ignore me when I ’ m making you feel better ” , adding that they could “ fool around with no strings , you might come and visit me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exchange , Roberts - who had recently separated from his wife before coming out as gay - said that he “ might be gay but I enjoy… fun times ” .
The woman told the broadcaster that his series of messages had made her feel “ incredibly sick ” .
“ I had had one of the worst days ever , and then I messaged him saying , ‘ I ’ m crying , I ’ m not OK ’ , and his solution to that was to proposition me , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party investigation , Roberts is “ believed to be subject to at least one complaint under Parliament ’ s independent grievance process ” , The Times reports .
And “ scrutiny of the politician has deepened after a Labour leader referred him to the MP watchdog ” , adds the Daily Mail .
Charlotte Nichols , MP for Warrington North , has tweeted that she reported Roberts “ via the third party reporting line over a month ago ” .
The Tory MP was also at the centre of another controversy in May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reports of a 40th birthday party at his family home .
“ Police broke up the celebration and two people were thrown out after officers arrived , ” the Daily Mail reports .
But Roberts “ pleaded ignorance when quizzed by reporters at his home , despite a silvery ‘ 40 ’ banner being visible behind him ” , according to the newspaper .

The Conservative Party has launched an investigation into a Tory MP accused of inappropriate behaviour towards two junior parliamentary staff.
Rob Roberts, who was elected in the North Wales constituency of Delyn last year, is alleged to have invited a 21-year-old intern to “fool around” with him, in text messages seen by the BBC.
The 40-year-old MP has previously admitted to asking out and making “inappropriate” comments to a male Commons employee, “who subsequently changed job”, The Guardian says.
Confirming that an inquiry has been launched, a Tory party spokesperson said yesterday that “while Mr Roberts has apologised for his behaviour and has been undertaking safeguarding and social media protection training, we are clear such conduct is completely unacceptable”.
The announcement yesterday followed opposition calls for action, with acting Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey tweeting: “The Conservative Party must immediately remove the whip while they investigate, or they risk sending the message that this is acceptable conduct for a sitting MP.”
According to the BBC, Roberts’ texts to the female intern, sent in April, included a message about her “picture on Twitter earlier. Lovely legs.”
The woman told the MP that she was struggling with her mental health and was in an “awful state”, but Roberts reportedly replied that he was “just thinking about fun times… Maybe if you thought of them too it might help you.”
He also told the intern not to “ignore me when I’m making you feel better”, adding that they could “fool around with no strings, you might come and visit me in London”.
Later in the exchange, Roberts - who had recently separated from his wife before coming out as gay - said that he “might be gay but I enjoy… fun times”.
The woman told the broadcaster that his series of messages had made her feel “incredibly sick”.
“I had had one of the worst days ever, and then I messaged him saying, ‘I’m crying, I’m not OK’, and his solution to that was to proposition me,” she said.
In addition to the Tory party investigation, Roberts is “believed to be subject to at least one complaint under Parliament’s independent grievance process”, The Times reports. And “scrutiny of the politician has deepened after a Labour leader referred him to the MP watchdog”, adds the Daily Mail.
Charlotte Nichols, MP for Warrington North, has tweeted that she reported Roberts “via the third party reporting line over a month ago”.
The Tory MP was also at the centre of another controversy in May, during lockdown, when police responded to reports of a 40th birthday party at his family home.
“Police broke up the celebration and two people were thrown out after officers arrived,” the Daily Mail reports.
But Roberts “pleaded ignorance when quizzed by reporters at his home, despite a silvery ‘40’ banner being visible behind him”, according to the newspaper.


theweekuk--2020-07-22--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 22 Jul 2020

Donald Trump has conceded that the US coronavirus crisis may “ get worse before it gets better ” .
The @ @ @ @ @ Americans to wear face coverings , saying “ they 'll have an effect ” and @ @ @ @ @ Previously , he had dismissed masks and suggested the virus might be treated by injecting @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s aides have encouraged him to adopt a more measured approach as virus @ @ @ @ @ .

Trump admits pandemic ‘will get worse before it gets better’
Donald Trump has conceded that the US coronavirus crisis may “get worse before it gets better”. The US president also asked all Americans to wear face coverings, saying “they'll have an effect” and show “patriotism”. Previously, he had dismissed masks and suggested the virus might be treated by injecting disinfectant. The BBC says Trump’s aides have encouraged him to adopt a more measured approach as virus caseloads spike across the US.


theweekuk--2020-07-22--Police investigate Fulham’s ‘doorstep dumper’

Police are investigating a man who was caught on CCTV excreting on the porch of a London flat .
Fulham residents were horrified when pictures of the incident were posted on a community page .
One said : “ Everyone is absolutely mortified by it .
The woman who shared it was shocked , she 's called him the ‘ doorstep dumper ’ .
” A man has nonchalantly stolen a three-foot , 40-pound dildo from a Las Vegas adult store in broad daylight .
“ He just picked it up and walked out with it , ” said a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for $ 1,250 at the Deja Vu Love Boutique .
Plans for the first ever “ floating hotel ” in Wales were ruined when the venue sank .
The waterfront in Swansea was to be the site of a £20-a-night hotel on a boat , with bar , restaurant , and coffee shop but the 42-metre MV Oliver Cromwell has sunk off Northern Ireland .
“ We 've put the plans for the floating hotel on hold , ” said one of team .
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theweekuk--2020-07-22--Debate: did the WHO go easy on China over coronavirus?

Mike Pompeo has claimed that head of the World Health Organization ( WHO ) failed to confront Beijing about Covid-19 after being “ bought by the Chinese government ” .
The Telegraph reports that during “ a private meeting ” with MPs in London , the US secretary of state alleged “ that Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , the organisation ’ s director-general , had struck a deal with China that helped him secure election ” .
“ When push came to shove , when it really mattered most ” during the subsequent pandemic , people died “ because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Pompeo .
Case for the prosecution : ‘ the WHO sided with China ’ Pompeo ’ s “ comments came as he began a trip to Europe to put pressure on the UK and America ’ s EU allies to take a tougher stance against China ” , says The Telegraph .
The US politician said the allegation against Tedros was based on a “ firm intelligence foundation ” , but refrained from “ offering evidence ” , says Politico .
A WHO spokesperson said yesterday that the UN health agency “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfounded allegations ” .
Nevertheless , both Tedros ( pictured above left , with Chinese President Xi Jinping ) and the organisation he leads have faced widespread criticism over their handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
Several weeks before Donald Trump and his administration started attacking the WHO , the agency was already being accused of an overly cosy relationship with Beijing .
From the outset , the WHO was “ an outspoken advocate for the Chinese government ’ s Covid-19 response ” , Michael Collins of the Council for Foreign Relations argued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ praising China ’ s “ openness to sharing information ” , Collins wrote , “ Chinese officials were busy arresting and punishing citizens for ‘ spreading rumours ’ about the disease , while online censors controlled the flow of information ” .
The WHO also endorsed Chinese government claims that turned out to be false , “ saying in mid-January , for example , that human-to-human transmission had not been proven ” , The New York Times reports .
More recently , the agency “ removed a warning against taking traditional herbal remedies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in mainland China ” , the newspaper adds .
Although the director-general of the WHO must always balance politics and public health , previous leaders - including former Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland - have been more willing to stand up to Beijing .
“ Tedros has never come close to doing what Brundtland did and calling China out , ” says The Guardian , referring to her decision during the 2003 Sars outbreak to accuse the East Asian superpower of endangering public health .
“ Instead , on 28 January , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jinping in Beijing , and two days later , he praised Chinese efforts to contain the disease , declaring that China is ‘ setting a new standard for outbreak control ’ , ” the paper reports .
“ That same day , 30 January , the WHO declared a Pheic [ public health emergency of international concern ] , and began issuing prescriptions to countries around the world.
” Case for the defence : ‘ the WHO played a bad hand well ’ While the WHO ’ s approach to China “ should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Africa Report , “ the countries attacking the Geneva-based institution would do well not to forget that it only has the means and powers that they wish to grant it ” .
The health agency is “ too modest in size ” , says the news site , and is critically underfunded , with an annual budget of just $ 5.6bn ( £4.4bn ) - less than a third of the sum already spent by the NHS on PPE during the Covid-19 outbreak .
“ If countries want a better performing WHO , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agency an adequate budget and act upon the decisions they adopt , ” Keiji Fukuda of the University of Hong Kong ’ s School of Public Health told global development news website Devex .
Part of the problem , says The Guardian , is that the organisation has little power to compel action .
“ The WHO is less like a military general or elected leader with a strong mandate , ” the paper explains , “ and more like an underpaid sports coach wary of ‘ losing the dressing room ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by charming , grovelling , cajoling and occasionally pleading with the players to do as they say.
” That means making compromises with powerful governments - and not just China .
“ In 2005 , the US prevented the WHO ’ s then director-general , the South Korean national Lee Jong-wook , from making a speech about the public health consequences of Hurricane Katrina , ” says The Africa Report .
“ Today , Beijing is suspected of controlling the organisation .
Essentially , no matter what it does , the WHO is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alarmist .
”


theweekuk--2020-07-22--How London became the European city of choice for Russia’s richest people

The UK has “ welcomed Russian money ” and asked “ few questions ” about the “ provenance of this considerable wealth ” , according to a newly published report about Russian influence in Britain .
The long-awaited review by the Commons Intelligence and Security Committee ( ISC ) found that successive UK governments have allowed foreign citizens into the country to launder the profits of illicit activities while gaining power and influence within politics , media and wider society .
Why have wealthy Russians come to the UK ?
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not always savoury ) business magnates found themselves in possession of enormous riches ” , says Tatler .
Rather than stay in Russia , where their newfound wealth – and even their lives – were at risk , “ they looked west , to the world ’ s financial capital – and London ’ s politicians welcomed them and their wallets with open arms ” , the magazine continues .
This willingness to overlook the origins of the new arrivals ’ riches was part of the appeal for many Russians .
The UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to Russian “ dirty money ” being laundered through London , according to a report released in 2018 by the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee .
In return , the UK financial sector became a “ major beneficiary of the massive flight of Russian cash ” , as Reuters reported at the time .
Many wealthy Russians were also drawn by “ the benefits of a more stable country ” , including “ property values , high-quality private education and a renowned judicial system ” , says The Times .
Others came in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
Within a generation , a number of Russian families have become fixtures of the British social scene , adds Tatler .
“ Where the parents may have been seen as parvenus , the progeny are unambiguously accepted as mainstays of high society – they decorate the pages of Bystanders both British and Russian , they ’ re regulars at Henley , Ascot and Annabel ’ s , ” according to the magazine .
Indeed , there are “ so many rich , showy , notorious Russians [ in London ] that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says The Washington Post .
“ Moscow-on-the-Thames ?
Londongrad ?
Take your pick.
” Will the ISC report diminish Russian influence in the UK ?
The ISC ’ s report will have “ a very important impact going forward ” , says Bill Browder , an anti-corruption campaigner who is the driving force behind the Magnitsky Act , a US law intended to put pressure on Russia ’ s political class through sanctions .
“ The importance of this report is not to relitigate the past but to create proper defences for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the ISC warns that Russian money is now so pervasive in Britain that its influence is “ the new normal ” .
Rather than eradicating it entirely , the MPs ’ “ pessimistic conclusion ” is that “ the most that Britain can now hope to do is to mitigate Russian influence ” , says The Times ’ leading article today .

US officials fear that imposing sanctions on Russia amid tensions with Ukraine will be impossible due to the UK’s refusal to stop illicit funds flowing into London.
Diplomatic sources told The Times that US State Department officials have repeatedly voiced “dismay and frustration” at successive government’s lack of willingness to clamp down on the arrival of suspect funds, especially in what they have termed “Londongrad”.
Joe Biden has been joined by a string of British ministers in his calls to slap a massive package of sanctions on Russia should it strike into Ukraine. But “the fear is that Russian money is so entrenched in London now that the opportunity to use it as leverage against Putin could be lost”, a source in Washington told the paper.
“Biden is talking about sanctioning Putin himself but that can only be symbolic. Putin doesn’t hold his money abroad, it is all in the kleptocrats’ names and a hell of a lot of it is sitting in houses in Knightsbridge and Belgravia right under your government’s noses.”
‘Welcome to Londongrad’
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, “a group of savvy (though not always savoury) business magnates found themselves in possession of enormous riches”, said Tatler.
Rather than stay in Russia, where their newfound wealth – and even their lives – were at risk, “they looked west, to the world’s financial capital – and London’s politicians welcomed them and their wallets with open arms”.
This willingness to overlook the origins of the new arrivals’ riches was part of the appeal for many Russians. The UK has simply “turned a blind eye” to Russian “dirty money” being laundered through London, according to a report released in 2018 by the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee.
In return, the UK financial sector became a “major beneficiary of the massive flight of Russian cash”, as Reuters reported at the time.
Many wealthy Russians were also drawn by “the benefits of a more stable country”, including “property values, high-quality private education and a renowned judicial system”, The Times reported.
Others came in search of social opportunities - and found them. Within a generation, a number of Russian families have become fixtures of the British social scene, added Tatler.
“Where the parents may have been seen as parvenus, the progeny are unambiguously accepted as mainstays of high society – they decorate the pages of Bystanders both British and Russian, they’re regulars at Henley, Ascot and Annabel’s,”.
Indeed, there are “so many rich, showy, notorious Russians [in London] that it has become a cliche”, said The Washington Post. “Moscow-on-the-Thames? Londongrad? Take your pick.”
Too late to change
While the true sum “invested by oligarchs in Britain is notoriously hard to track”, The Times said, the government has previously placed the figure at around £100bn a year. The anti-sleaze organisation Transparency International said that it has identified property worth £1bn bought with suspect funds from Russia.
And none of this takes into account the £2m the Conservatives are reported to have received “from donors with Russian links since Johnson became prime minister in 2019”.
“Campaigners have long warned that unless the fire hydrant of Russian dirty money flooding London were turned off it would become uncontrollable,” the paper reported.
And with sanctions against Russia now top of the agenda for the UK’s allies, successive governments may have left it “too late to untangle the web of Russian influence”.


theweekuk--2020-07-22--Is Spain set to join Portugal in exclusion from UK’s ‘quarantine-free holiday’ list?

UK holidaymakers heading to Spain for a post-lockdown break may be forced to quarantine for two weeks on their return , following a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in the Mediterranean nation .
Spain is currently on the 59-strong list of countries that Britons can visit without having to self-isolate when they get home .
But with more than 4,500 new Covid infections reported in Spain last weekend alone , Whitehall sources say that could be about to change , according to The Sun .
The number of coronavirus cases in Spain has tripled in the last three weeks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities say that around half of all the new outbreaks can be directly traced back to gatherings of families or to nightclubs and bars , The Telegraph reports .
And new data from the Carlos III Health Institute in Madrid shows that most of the new infections are among people aged between 15 and 29 , accounting for two in every ten cases , says Spanish newspaper El Pais .
Of a total of 25,600 cases analysed by researchers , 40 % of the infected patients were under the age of 40 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Spain had endured one of Europe ’ s strictest lockdowns , but since the restrictions were lifted in late June , many Spaniards have sought to make up for lost time by flocking back to public spaces .
The resurgence of social events has seen the number of Covid infections climb from just eight per 100,000 people at the end of June to 27 cases per 100,000 now , according to Health Ministry data .
“ Where measures have been relaxed is where these clusters appear , ” Health Minister Salvador Illa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gatherings of extended family and spaces associated with nightlife.
” How does Spain compare to the UK ?
The UK ’ s rolling average of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths is falling , as the Public Health England graph below shows .
Boris Johnson said last week that he hoped for a “ significant return to normality ” by Christmas .
But scientists say the prime minister is being overly optimist , reports New Scientist .
Jeremy Farrar , director of the Wellcome Trust and a member of the government ’ s Scientific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , yesterday told MPs : “ This infection is not going away , it ’ s now a human endemic infection.
” Even if we produce a successful vaccine or very good treatments , “ humanity will still be living with this virus for very many , many years… decades to come ” , he added .
How does Spain compare with the rest of Europe ?
More than 157,000 new coronavirus cases and 4,000 related deaths have been reported across Europe in the last seven days , according to the World Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is climbing in a number of the continent ’ s countries including Kyrgyzstan ( 335 % as of Wednesday afternoon ) ; Israel ( 111 % ) ; Montenegro ( 91 % ) ; Latvia ( 157 % ) ; and Estonia ( 108 % ) .
Other countries currently on the UK ’ s safe-to-visit list that have also reported a rising 14-day incident of infections include Cyprus ( 133 % ) , Luxembourg ( 139 % ) and Lithuania ( 156 % ) .
Portugal , which was left off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-week rate of -4 % .

UK holidaymakers heading to Spain for a post-lockdown break may be forced to quarantine for two weeks on their return, following a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in the Mediterranean nation.
Spain is currently on the 59-strong list of countries that Britons can visit without having to self-isolate when they get home.
But with more than 4,500 new Covid infections reported in Spain last weekend alone, Whitehall sources say that could be about to change, according to The Sun.
What’s happening Spain?
The number of coronavirus cases in Spain has tripled in the last three weeks, latest figures show.
The Spanish health authorities say that around half of all the new outbreaks can be directly traced back to gatherings of families or to nightclubs and bars, The Telegraph reports.
And new data from the Carlos III Health Institute in Madrid shows that most of the new infections are among people aged between 15 and 29, accounting for two in every ten cases, says Spanish newspaper El Pais.
Of a total of 25,600 cases analysed by researchers, 40% of the infected patients were under the age of 40, compared with 16.7% on 1 April.
Spain had endured one of Europe’s strictest lockdowns, but since the restrictions were lifted in late June, many Spaniards have sought to make up for lost time by flocking back to public spaces.
The resurgence of social events has seen the number of Covid infections climb from just eight per 100,000 people at the end of June to 27 cases per 100,000 now, according to Health Ministry data.
“Where measures have been relaxed is where these clusters appear,” Health Minister Salvador Illa said. “We are talking about gatherings of extended family and spaces associated with nightlife.”
How does Spain compare to the UK?
The UK’s rolling average of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths is falling, as the Public Health England graph below shows.
Boris Johnson said last week that he hoped for a “significant return to normality” by Christmas.
But scientists say the prime minister is being overly optimist, reports New Scientist.
Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust and a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), yesterday told MPs: “This infection is not going away, it’s now a human endemic infection.”
Even if we produce a successful vaccine or very good treatments, “humanity will still be living with this virus for very many, many years… decades to come”, he added.
How does Spain compare with the rest of Europe?
More than 157,000 new coronavirus cases and 4,000 related deaths have been reported across Europe in the last seven days, according to the World Health Organization.
And the 14-day incidence rate is climbing in a number of the continent’s countries including Kyrgyzstan (335% as of Wednesday afternoon); Israel (111%); Montenegro (91%); Latvia (157%); and Estonia (108%).
Spain’s 14-day incidence, meanwhile, is 155%.
Other countries currently on the UK’s safe-to-visit list that have also reported a rising 14-day incident of infections include Cyprus (133%), Luxembourg (139%) and Lithuania (156%).
Portugal, which was left off the original safe list, currently has a two-week rate of -4%.


theweekuk--2020-07-23--A year of Boris: how Johnson managed his first 12 months in the job

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Boris Johnson will celebrate the end of his first year as prime minister in Orkney, a part of the UK in which one storm is gathering as another appears to have passed.
It has been more than a month since the island’s last positive test for Covid-19, its ninth in total, and none of its 22,000 inhabitants are believed to have died from the disease.
But if Johnson was hoping for a respite from the pressures of office he will be disappointed. Yes Orkney, a group campaigning for an independent Scotland, has promised him “a proper islands welcome” - which may include a reminder that the pro-independence side is now ahead.
And a Black Lives Matter protest by a group called Orkney Oot Wae Racism will rake up more unfinished business from his first 12 months at the helm.
Phase 1: the Brexit deadlock
Johnson’s victory in the Conservative leadership election was announced on 23 July 2019. He had beaten Jeremy Hunt by 92,153 votes to 46,656 and took office as prime minister the next day.
“In his victory speech, Mr Johnson promised he would ‘deliver Brexit, unite the country and defeat Jeremy Corbyn’,” says the BBC. He managed two of the three, but not without a divisive struggle to break the Brexit deadlock he had inherited from Theresa May.
“Throughout the summer and early autumn, Johnson’s new administration was engaged in parliamentary guerrilla warfare with the ‘Gaukeward squad’ of Tory rebels, who wanted to avoid a no-deal Brexit,” says The Guardian.
The decisive moment came when the PM expelled David Gauke and eight other Conservative MPs, including former chancellor Philip Hammond, who had helped Labour thwart the government’s plan to leave the EU on 31 October.
Johnson, who had previously said he would rather “die in a ditch” than delay Britain’s departure, did at least manage to secure a deal with the EU, “albeit by accepting an Irish Sea border that he had previously rejected out of hand”, says the New Statesman.
That teed up an election campaign in which the PM contrasted his straightforward enthusiasm for Brexit against Jeremy Corbyn’s more convoluted message.
Phase 2: Brexit gets done
On 12 December last year, “Johnson’s Conservative Party crushed Labour in a devastating landslide victory”, says the Daily Express.


theweekuk--2020-07-23--Instant Opinion: ‘Don’t write off’ Trump’s 2020 re-election chances just yet

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
on how the electoral system could come to the president ’ s rescue “ Mr Trump has good reason to fear the result in November .
With little more than 100 days to go , he trails his Democratic opponent Joe Biden by a wide margin .
A recent average of polls by the website Real Clear Politics gives Mr Biden a lead of around 49 per cent to 41 per cent .
At this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidents in the last 50 years to trail their opponents by margins like this were Gerald Ford in 1976 , Jimmy Carter in 1980 and George HW Bush in 1992 .
All three lost .
[ But ] pollsters , even Democratic ones , caution that there are several reasons to resist an early coronation of Mr Biden ... President Trump could lose the popular vote by as much as 3 or even 4 percentage points and still win the electoral college thanks to the fact that almost all states allocate their electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest states the Democrats are likely to pile up massive popular numbers in California and New York while Mr Trump could win narrowly in Florida and Texas.
” on the PM ’ s first twelve months Boris Johnson ’ s 1st year in Downing Street has been an epic motion picture “ A few days ago , I asked someone who is by no means a political anorak but takes a sensible and proportionate interest in politics how long they thought Boris Johnson had been Prime Minister .
‘ Oh , about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think , ’ came the reply .
And going by the sheer number of epic moments his premiership has already encompassed that would be about right : just getting the keys to No 10 after multiple predictions that Tory MPs would block him ; being slaughtered by the Supreme Court ; stripping the likes of Ken Clarke and Nicholas Soames of the Tory whip ; getting the EU to re-open and amend the withdrawal agreement ; somehow persuading opponents who appeared to have him cornered to agree to a snap general election ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the EU ; losing a Chancellor ; getting divorced ; becoming a dad again ; nearly dying ; presiding over the worst viral pandemic in over a century and the disappearance of a fifth of the UK economy.
” There ’ s a hidden epidemic of racism in UK schools – but it ’ s finally coming to light “ I started school at my mother ’ s primary in Hackney , east London , until she fell badly ill and I was moved to my local primary in Edmonton , north London @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my mum ’ s hand to being handed to a childminder , from multicultural inner London to ( then ) white-working class outer suburb .
As almost the only Indian-origin kid at the new school , I went out on that first break into the playground to find what seemed like every single boy in the school hanging off the fence and chanting ‘ rubber lips , nigger lips ’ – and worse .
I was friendless , helpless .
This continued day after day , so I went to a teacher who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bored .
Again , the helplessness ... That was back in the 1980s , and I ’ d assumed things had got better .
In many places I ’ m sure they have , but to read this dossier is to see why in a poll published by ITV last week , 62 % of black Britons agreed that the education system had a culture of racism.
” on creativity becoming more intimate Lockdown has changed the way we consume culture and TV may never be the same again “ When the Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global lockdown became clear , theatre , television and film production came to a shuddering halt .
Performers and production crews were sent home , confined to their own individual households just like their audiences , with little indication of how creative industries could continue .
However , a new approach to creating content has begun to emerge from the ruins of normality .
Creative output has become more intimate , with a focus on individual experiences replacing high production values .
In some cases , artists are seizing the means of production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a small screen revolution , paving the way for permanent changes to the way we tell and share stories.
” 5 .
Esau McCaulley in The New York Times on weighing children ’ s safety against the need for freedom How to Give Children Joy , Even During a Pandemic “ This mixture of safety and peril and difficult decisions about a child ’ s freedom to play : It is familiar to me .
Covid-19 has given all parents a small taste of what it is like to be a Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threats because of the coronavirus has introduced all of America to what it is like to be perceived as a problem merely by our presence .
The major difference is that some of us do carry an unknown virus , while blackness is simply one manifestation of God ’ s creativity .
Nonetheless , the perceived danger has given others insight into what it is like for Black bodies , even children ’ s bodies , to be a source of fear .
Pandemic parenting involves a similarly challenging calculus that those of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have faced for centuries .
How do we balance the need to protect from danger with the desire to let them be young and free ?
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Gerard Baker in The Times
on how the electoral system could come to the president’s rescue
Don’t write off Trump’s re-election chances
“Mr Trump has good reason to fear the result in November. With little more than 100 days to go, he trails his Democratic opponent Joe Biden by a wide margin. A recent average of polls by the website Real Clear Politics gives Mr Biden a lead of around 49 per cent to 41 per cent. At this stage in the campaign the only incumbent presidents in the last 50 years to trail their opponents by margins like this were Gerald Ford in 1976, Jimmy Carter in 1980 and George HW Bush in 1992. All three lost. [But] pollsters, even Democratic ones, caution that there are several reasons to resist an early coronation of Mr Biden... President Trump could lose the popular vote by as much as 3 or even 4 percentage points and still win the electoral college thanks to the fact that almost all states allocate their electoral votes on a winner-takes-all basis. In the biggest states the Democrats are likely to pile up massive popular numbers in California and New York while Mr Trump could win narrowly in Florida and Texas.”
2. Patrick O’Flynn in The Daily Telegraph
on the PM’s first twelve months
Boris Johnson’s 1st year in Downing Street has been an epic motion picture
“A few days ago, I asked someone who is by no means a political anorak but takes a sensible and proportionate interest in politics how long they thought Boris Johnson had been Prime Minister. ‘Oh, about two and a half years I would think,’ came the reply. And going by the sheer number of epic moments his premiership has already encompassed that would be about right: just getting the keys to No 10 after multiple predictions that Tory MPs would block him; being slaughtered by the Supreme Court; stripping the likes of Ken Clarke and Nicholas Soames of the Tory whip; getting the EU to re-open and amend the withdrawal agreement; somehow persuading opponents who appeared to have him cornered to agree to a snap general election; winning it by a landslide; leaving the EU; losing a Chancellor; getting divorced; becoming a dad again; nearly dying; presiding over the worst viral pandemic in over a century and the disappearance of a fifth of the UK economy.”
3. Aditya Chakrabortty in The Guardian
on everday discrimination
There’s a hidden epidemic of racism in UK schools – but it’s finally coming to light
“I started school at my mother’s primary in Hackney, east London, until she fell badly ill and I was moved to my local primary in Edmonton, north London. It was topsy-turvy: from holding my mum’s hand to being handed to a childminder, from multicultural inner London to (then) white-working class outer suburb. As almost the only Indian-origin kid at the new school, I went out on that first break into the playground to find what seemed like every single boy in the school hanging off the fence and chanting ‘rubber lips, nigger lips’ – and worse. I was friendless, helpless. This continued day after day, so I went to a teacher who shrugged that they’d eventually get bored. Again, the helplessness... That was back in the 1980s, and I’d assumed things had got better. In many places I’m sure they have, but to read this dossier is to see why in a poll published by ITV last week, 62% of black Britons agreed that the education system had a culture of racism.”
4. Anna Cale in The Independent
on creativity becoming more intimate
Lockdown has changed the way we consume culture and TV may never be the same again
“When the Covid-19 pandemic hit and the inevitability of a global lockdown became clear, theatre, television and film production came to a shuddering halt. Performers and production crews were sent home, confined to their own individual households just like their audiences, with little indication of how creative industries could continue. However, a new approach to creating content has begun to emerge from the ruins of normality. Creative output has become more intimate, with a focus on individual experiences replacing high production values. In some cases, artists are seizing the means of production and distribution themselves. This could lead to a small screen revolution, paving the way for permanent changes to the way we tell and share stories.”
5. Esau McCaulley in The New York Times
on weighing children’s safety against the need for freedom
How to Give Children Joy, Even During a Pandemic
“This mixture of safety and peril and difficult decisions about a child’s freedom to play: It is familiar to me. Covid-19 has given all parents a small taste of what it is like to be a Black parent. Having our bodies as potential threats because of the coronavirus has introduced all of America to what it is like to be perceived as a problem merely by our presence. The major difference is that some of us do carry an unknown virus, while blackness is simply one manifestation of God’s creativity. Nonetheless, the perceived danger has given others insight into what it is like for Black bodies, even children’s bodies, to be a source of fear. Pandemic parenting involves a similarly challenging calculus that those of us who raise Black and brown children have faced for centuries. How do we balance the need to protect from danger with the desire to let them be young and free?”


theweekuk--2020-07-23--Yorkshire museum calls on curators to enter battle of the sculpted bums

Museum curators from around the globe have been invited by a Yorkshire Museum to help find the world ’ s “ Best Museum Bum ” .
The competition to find the statue or artwork with the most perfectly formed behind is the latest edition of the # CuratorBattle started by Yorkshire Museum , The Times reports .
The project , which has been taking place on social media , launched in April while most museums were closed due to the coronavirus lockdown .
Since June , followers of the hashtag # BestMuseumBum have seen entries flying in from respected institutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as galleries in Japan , the US , Canada and Lithuania .
By far the most popular contest in the # CuratorBattle series , the # BestMuseumBum competition has led museums and galleries to stake their claims for the “ best bee bottom , weaponised bum and the most impressive Tudor Bum ” , The Guardian says .
“ You can track Henry VIII ’ s burgeoning bottom through our collection of his combat armours ” tweeted the Royal Armouries , Leeds , accompanied by a picture of the monarch ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a modest 32in waist in 1520 to a whopping 51in booty by 1540 .
A 60 % increase in trunk junk.
” Other categories born out of the challenge include the most “ spectacularly tattooed behind ” and the best “ angular side bum ” .
Artwork depicting animals and plants not usually associated with having bottoms , most notably fish and mushrooms , also appeared .
A spokesperson for Yorkshire Museum told the Express and Star that the competition was “ a chance for museums big and small to share their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what essentially become global online exhibitions ” .
“ It ’ s great to see museums around the world sharing their cheekiest objects .
”

Museum curators from around the globe have been invited by a Yorkshire Museum to help find the world’s “Best Museum Bum”.
The competition to find the statue or artwork with the most perfectly formed behind is the latest edition of the #CuratorBattle started by Yorkshire Museum, The Times reports.
The project, which has been taking place on social media, launched in April while most museums were closed due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Since June, followers of the hashtag #BestMuseumBum have seen entries flying in from respected institutions including Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum as well as galleries in Japan, the US, Canada and Lithuania.
By far the most popular contest in the #CuratorBattle series, the #BestMuseumBum competition has led museums and galleries to stake their claims for the “best bee bottom, weaponised bum and the most impressive Tudor Bum”, The Guardian says.
Get a load of this 🍑 Whilst the cast of Michelangelo’s David caused quite the stir because of his very exposed front parts (cue fig leaf), the real cause for commotion is actually his butt. It’s so good we need a closer look #bestmuseumbum Learn more: https://t.co/ux0m1viCS8 pic.twitter.com/pUV7DH2U0U — V&A (@V_and_A) July 22, 2020
“You can track Henry VIII’s burgeoning bottom through our collection of his combat armours” tweeted the Royal Armouries, Leeds, accompanied by a picture of the monarch’s derriere. “The Tudor tubster went from a modest 32in waist in 1520 to a whopping 51in booty by 1540. A 60% increase in trunk junk.”
Other categories born out of the challenge include the most “spectacularly tattooed behind” and the best “angular side bum”.
Artwork depicting animals and plants not usually associated with having bottoms, most notably fish and mushrooms, also appeared.
A spokesperson for Yorkshire Museum told the Express and Star that the competition was “a chance for museums big and small to share their objects under a given theme to create what essentially become global online exhibitions”.
“It’s great to see museums around the world sharing their cheekiest objects.”


theweekuk--2020-07-23--What Delhi’s coronavirus outbreak can teach us about herd immunity

Almost a quarter of Delhi’s 28 million residents may have coronavirus antibodies, making the Indian capital one of the worst hit cities in the world, research has revealed.
A sample of 20,000 people carried out by India’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) found 23.4% had antibodies to the virus, with the majority of infections appearing to have been asymptomatic.
The pandemic last month hit Delhi hard, “pushing the city’s healthcare system to the brink of collapse” and causing many deaths as “hospitals ran out of beds and ventilators”, The Guardian says.
Latest figures show that India has the third highest number of Covid-19 cases in the world, with 1.2m confirmed infections and numbers rising by more than 40,000 a day.
And the “curve of infections is showing no sign of flattening”, with states across the country reintroducing local lockdowns and curfews in an effort to curb the virus’s spread, the paper adds.
The NCDC study suggests that around 180 million Indians, representing almost 15% of the population, may already have developed Covid-19 antibodies. Experts have heralded the discovery as “proof that India is hurtling towards herd immunity”, India Today says.
“Only around six per cent of Delhi's population tested positive for novel coronavirus, but one-fourth of Delhi got immunity. This is herd immunity. These people have immunity even without getting a vaccine,” Dr SK Sareen, director of the New Delhi-based Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, told India Today.
“Even as these self-acquired antibodies are yet to be titrated [measured], their presence means that these people were infected and managed to clear the virus,” Sareen added.
A severe lack of testing across India has been blamed for the wide discrepancy between reported cases and the number of people thought to have antibodies, The Telegraph says.
A senior Indian epidemiologist said the findings were “encouraging and could see its cities reach herd immunity by the end of August”.
“In a few weeks, Delhi will attain herd immunity,” Dr Jayaprakash Muliyil told The Hindu. “There are some questions on how long the immunity lasts. I think it will be a long-lasting immunity, but I cannot give you an exact number.”
Most scientists have said that herd immunity would only be reached when 60-70% of the community are protected against the virus, although recent studies have noted that the infection rarely spreads beyond about 20% of a local population.
However, Delhi’s government has said the doubt about the duration of the immune response means that “containment measures need to continue with the same rigour”. Research conducted in the UK found that patients who have recovered from Covid-19 may “lose their antibodies” to the disease within three months.
Scientists at King’s College London analysed more than 90 patients and healthcare workers at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, London and found antibodies that can defeat the virus peaked around three weeks after symptoms first appeared, before suddenly declining.
Other researchers have focused on T-cell immunity to Covid-19, which is thought to offer longer-lasting protection.


theweekuk--2020-07-23--Why everybody’s talking about Labour’s anti-Semitism whistleblower battle

Jeremy Corbyn faces legal action over the way the Labour party handled anti-Semitism in its ranks under his leadership .
New leader Keir Starmer clashed with his predecessor , Jeremy Corbyn , for the first time , declaring Labour to be “ under new management ” as the party agreed to pay “ substantial ” damages to seven anti-Semitism whistleblowers .
What is the dispute about ?
A group of Labour Party staffers appeared on a BBC Panorama special , Is Labour Anti-Semitic ?
, in July last year , criticising the then-leadership ’ s handling of anti-Jewish racism complaints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the whistleblowers as “ disaffected former staff ” with “ personal axes to grind ” , and accused them of trying to undermine Corbyn .
In response , seven of the whistleblowers - Kat Buckingham , Michael Creighton , Samuel Matthews , Dan Hogan , Louise Withers Green , Benjamin Westerman and Martha Robinson - took legal action and asked the Labour Party formally to apologise in court .
This week - with Labour now under Starmer ’ s leadership and Corbyn on the backbenches - the party said that it would pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was determined to root out anti-Semitism in the party .
“ Before the broadcast of the programme , the Labour Party issued a press release that contained defamatory and false allegations about these whistleblowers , ” the party said .
“ We acknowledge the many years of dedicated and committed service that the whistleblowers have given to the Labour Party as members and as staff .
We appreciate their valuable contribution at all levels of the party.
” The party added that it would “ unreservedly withdraw all allegations of bad faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it wanted to “ apologise unreservedly for the distress , embarrassment and hurt caused by their publication ” .
Labour also agreed to pay damages to the presenter of the programme , BBC journalist John Ware , after he was subject to “ false and defamatory ” comments by the Labour Party prior to the programme being aired .
Why is the settlement controversial ?
For Corbyn and his allies , the admission of wrongdoing through apologies and payments is viewed as the new party leadership forcing the previous one to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BBC ’ s assistant political editor Norman Smith said the payout was an “ extraordinary moment ” which demonstrated Starmer ’ s pledge to rid the party of anti-Semitism .
But Corbyn described the decision to settle the claims with an apology and “ substantial payments ” as “ disappointing ” , saying the party ’ s legal advice was that it “ had a strong defence ” .
The former Labour leader said the settlement “ risks giving credibility to misleading and inaccurate allegations ” about inaction over anti-Semitism in the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ political decision , not a legal one ” .
And Corbyn ’ s close ally Len McCluskey , the Unite union chief , told The Independent : “ Today ’ s settlement is a misuse of Labour Party funds to settle a case it was advised we would win in court.
” A senior Labour source added that Corbyn appeared to be determined not to be “ remotely supportive ” of Starmer , and accused him of attempting to deflect blame over his own failings , reports The Telegraph .
Jewish groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right decision , however , with the Jewish Labour Movement saying that “ it is a sad reflection of its historic role as the party of working people that Labour sought to pursue and silence its former employees for speaking out against racism.
” What will happen next ?
Though the Labour party has agreed to pay damages to the BBC ’ s Ware , the Panorama reporter is now taking separate legal action against Corbyn personally following his comments on Wednesday , his lawyer confirmed to The Huffington Post .
Mark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represented both Ware and the staffer whistleblowers in the legal action against Labour , said : “ I can confirm that I have been instructed to pursue cases.
” The affair is another blow to a the faction of the Labour Party hit last month by the sacking of Corbyn supporter Rebecca Long-Bailey , who was removed as shadow education secretary for sharing an article containing what Starmer ’ s office said was an “ anti-Semitic conspiracy theory ” .
The article in question was an interview with Maxine Peake in The Independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US police tactic of kneeling on a detainee ’ s neck was taught by the Israeli secret service .
Long-Bailey was the only notable Corbyn supporter to still have a top shadow cabinet job in the new regime , says The Guardian .
Labour ’ s handling of anti-Semitism complaints under Corbyn is also the subject of an ongoing inquiry by the Equality and Human Rights Commission .

Jeremy Corbyn faces legal action over the way the Labour party handled anti-Semitism in its ranks under his leadership.
New leader Keir Starmer clashed with his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn, for the first time, declaring Labour to be “under new management” as the party agreed to pay “substantial” damages to seven anti-Semitism whistleblowers.
What is the dispute about?
A group of Labour Party staffers appeared on a BBC Panorama special, Is Labour Anti-Semitic?, in July last year, criticising the then-leadership’s handling of anti-Jewish racism complaints.
A Labour Party spokesperson subsequently described the whistleblowers as “disaffected former staff” with “personal axes to grind”, and accused them of trying to undermine Corbyn.
In response, seven of the whistleblowers - Kat Buckingham, Michael Creighton, Samuel Matthews, Dan Hogan, Louise Withers Green, Benjamin Westerman and Martha Robinson - took legal action and asked the Labour Party formally to apologise in court.
This week - with Labour now under Starmer’s leadership and Corbyn on the backbenches - the party said that it would pay damages to the whistleblowers, adding that it was determined to root out anti-Semitism in the party.
“Before the broadcast of the programme, the Labour Party issued a press release that contained defamatory and false allegations about these whistleblowers,” the party said.
“We acknowledge the many years of dedicated and committed service that the whistleblowers have given to the Labour Party as members and as staff. We appreciate their valuable contribution at all levels of the party.”
The party added that it would “unreservedly withdraw all allegations of bad faith, malice and lying”, saying that it wanted to “apologise unreservedly for the distress, embarrassment and hurt caused by their publication”.
Labour also agreed to pay damages to the presenter of the programme, BBC journalist John Ware, after he was subject to “false and defamatory” comments by the Labour Party prior to the programme being aired.
Why is the settlement controversial?
For Corbyn and his allies, the admission of wrongdoing through apologies and payments is viewed as the new party leadership forcing the previous one to take the responsibility for the scandal.
The BBC’s assistant political editor Norman Smith said the payout was an “extraordinary moment” which demonstrated Starmer’s pledge to rid the party of anti-Semitism.


theweekuk--2020-07-23--Chinese consulate closed by Trump ‘was hotbed of spying’

A Chinese consulate in Texas , which Donald Trump ordered to be shut down yesterday , was a “ hotbed ” of foreign espionage , according to US officials .
The decision to close the Houston office was made “ without warning , and without explanation ” , the Daily Mail reports .
It became public hours after officials were spotted burning paperwork in the building ’ s courtyard .
Firefighters and police rushed to the scene , but were allegedly blocked from accessing the compound as staff continued to destroy documents and information .
It is unclear whether a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consulate has a history of engaging in “ subversive behaviour ” , a State Department policy analyst told The New York Times .
Describing it as the “ epicentre of research theft in the United States ” , David R. Stilwell said diplomats connected to the consulate , including the senior Chinese official stationed there , had used false identification to escort Chinese citizens through American airports .
The US State Department said China has “ engaged for years in massive illegal spying and influence operations throughout the United States against US government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Financial Times reports .
Daniel Hoffman , a former CIA station chief , said the espionage and closure were “ the bellwethers of a 21st-century cold war ” .
The Chinese Embassy in Washington rejected the US accusations as “ groundless fabrications ” .
Wang Wenbin , a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman , urged the US to reverse a decision which he said “ seriously violates international law and basic norms of international relations ” .
“ Infiltration and interference is never in the genes and tradition of China ’ s foreign policy @ @ @ @ @


theweekuk--2020-07-23--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 23 Jul 2020

The £10bn test-and-trace system described by Boris Johnson as “ world-beating ” is failing to contact thousands of people in @ @ @ @ @ England .
According to data obtained by The Guardian , in areas with the highest @ @ @ @ @ proportion of close contacts of infected people being reached is far below 80 % , @ @ @ @ @ and trace to be effective .

Test and trace failing in England’s worst-hit areas
The £10bn test-and-trace system described by Boris Johnson as “world-beating” is failing to contact thousands of people in the most affected parts of England. According to data obtained by The Guardian, in areas with the highest infection rates in England the proportion of close contacts of infected people being reached is far below 80%, the level required for test and trace to be effective.


theweekuk--2020-07-23--Venice limits numbers on gondolas due to ‘overweight’ tourists

Venice is limiting numbers allowed on gondolas because tourists have become increasingly heavy .
The new restriction will see the maximum capacity on the city ’ s iconic boats reduced from six passengers to five .
“ Over the last 10 years or so , tourists weigh more — and rather than having them step on a scale before they get on , we are limiting the number , ” said Andrea Balbi , the president of Venice ’ s Gondola Association .
Professor says Hitler had small penis and sweaty palms Adolf Hitler had a small penis , slept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defecated upon , according to a Harvard professor .
Dr Henry Murray said the Nazi leader was an “ utter wreck ” who was “ incapable of normal human relationships ” .
He also had sweaty palms and “ dead eyes , ” according to the professor .
A 13ft fish has washed up on a Mexican beach sparking fears of an impending earthquake .
The fish - known as the “ earthquake fish ” because they are sometimes seen days before an earthquake - were famously spotted in Japan just before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local said the fish that washed up in Mexico was “ dead and in an early state of decomposition ” .
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Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Venice is limiting numbers allowed on gondolas because tourists have become increasingly heavy. The new restriction will see the maximum capacity on the city’s iconic boats reduced from six passengers to five. “Over the last 10 years or so, tourists weigh more — and rather than having them step on a scale before they get on, we are limiting the number,” said Andrea Balbi, the president of Venice’s Gondola Association.
Professor says Hitler had small penis and sweaty palms
Adolf Hitler had a small penis, slept with his niece and liked to be defecated upon, according to a Harvard professor. Dr Henry Murray said the Nazi leader was an “utter wreck” who was “incapable of normal human relationships”. He also had sweaty palms and “dead eyes,” according to the professor.
Huge earthquake fish washed up in Mexico
A 13ft fish has washed up on a Mexican beach sparking fears of an impending earthquake. The fish - known as the “earthquake fish” because they are sometimes seen days before an earthquake - were famously spotted in Japan just before the deadly Fukushima earthquake in 2011. A local said the fish that washed up in Mexico was “dead and in an early state of decomposition”.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-07-23--Is the Official Secrets Act fit to counter 21st century espionage?

Britain ’ s most senior police officer and the former head of MI5 have called for the Official Secrets Act ( OSA ) to be bolstered due to the spying threat from hostile states .
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said the public should be worried about the threat from Russia , after the government and intelligence agencies were heavily criticised in the Commons Intelligence and Security Committee ( ISC ) ’ s long-awaited Russia report .
What is the Official Secrets Act ?
The Official Secrets Act is the piece of UK legislation that makes it an offence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disclosure of any information or document ” relating to security or intelligence .
“ The law is strictest for those working for the security and intelligence services , past and present , ” says the BBC .
“ Any unauthorised disclosure - under any circumstances - is a criminal offence , but the rules are different for Crown servants ( for example , civil servants , government ministers , the armed forces or police ) .
” A person does not have to sign the Official Secrets Act to be bound by it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it applies to them .
“ Government employees are usually informed they are subject to it in their contracts , ” says The Sun , although “ many are still asked to sign the act as a way of reinforcing its content ” .
Is it fit for purpose ?
Dick , Britain ’ s most senior police officer , said the OSA must be “ firmed up ” , and that prosecuting those who help hostile states is currently challenging because of the constraints of existing legislation , reports The Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' job to tackle hostile spies , it falls to the Met to pursue potential espionage and spying charges .
And Dick told LBC : “ Absolutely that legislation could be firmed up .
For example the sentences are short , some of the requirements to prove the offence are very difficult.
” Former MI5 chief Andrew Parker backed that view , telling the ISC that foreign spies were currently able to operate with impunity in the UK , because the current legislation meant only those caught stealing secrets red-handed could face justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not an offence in any sense to be a covert agent of the Russian intelligence services in the UK ” , adding that the Official Secrets Act has become “ dusty and largely ineffective ” , leaving UK spy agencies in a bind when it comes to espionage in the “ economic sphere , cyber [ and ] things that could be more to do with influence ” .
Nigel Inkster , former director of operations and intelligence for MI5 ’ s international sister agency SIS ( MI6 ) , agreed that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an individual for spying unless they were caught explicitly stealing secrets .
Speaking to the BBC , Inkster said : “ The 1911 Act – modified in 1989 – leaves the security services and police in a situation where , unless they can catch someone red-handed taking delivery of papers marked secret , it is really difficult to prosecute anybody for espionage.
” The government has promised to give intelligence agencies more powers after a critical report on its response to the Russian threat .
New legislation is expected to include the introduction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agents ” like those used in the US and Australia .
Failure to register could result in a prison sentence or deportation , if the foreign spies are sniffed out .
Inkster said that the new register is “ not going to stop countries like Russia from sending covert operatives to the United Kingdom to undertake intelligence operations ” , but added that “ it does make it possibly more realistic to prosecute the people who are supplying them with information ” .
Boris Johnson announced yesterday that new laws were coming on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , insisting that “ there ’ s no other government in the world that takes more robust steps to protect our democracy , to protect our critical national infrastructure and to protect our intellectual property from interference by Russia or by anybody else ” .
The Law Commission is already reviewing the Official Secrets Act , which was branded “ out of date ” by the ISC .
Recommendations by the Law Commission , likely to include tougher sentencing , are expected this year .

Britain’s most senior police officer and the former head of MI5 have called for the Official Secrets Act (OSA) to be bolstered due to the spying threat from hostile states.
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said the public should be worried about the threat from Russia, after the government and intelligence agencies were heavily criticised in the Commons Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC)’s long-awaited Russia report.
What is the Official Secrets Act?
The Official Secrets Act is the piece of UK legislation that makes it an offence for anyone to make a “damaging disclosure of any information or document” relating to security or intelligence.
“The law is strictest for those working for the security and intelligence services, past and present,” says the BBC. “Any unauthorised disclosure - under any circumstances - is a criminal offence, but the rules are different for Crown servants (for example, civil servants, government ministers, the armed forces or police).”
A person does not have to sign the Official Secrets Act to be bound by it, instead they can simply be notified that it applies to them. “Government employees are usually informed they are subject to it in their contracts,” says The Sun, although “many are still asked to sign the act as a way of reinforcing its content”.
Is it fit for purpose?
Dick, Britain’s most senior police officer, said the OSA must be “firmed up”, and that prosecuting those who help hostile states is currently challenging because of the constraints of existing legislation, reports The Times.
While it is the intelligence agencies' job to tackle hostile spies, it falls to the Met to pursue potential espionage and spying charges. And Dick told LBC: “Absolutely that legislation could be firmed up. For example the sentences are short, some of the requirements to prove the offence are very difficult.”
Former MI5 chief Andrew Parker backed that view, telling the ISC that foreign spies were currently able to operate with impunity in the UK, because the current legislation meant only those caught stealing secrets red-handed could face justice.
Parker warned that “it is not an offence in any sense to be a covert agent of the Russian intelligence services in the UK”, adding that the Official Secrets Act has become “dusty and largely ineffective”, leaving UK spy agencies in a bind when it comes to espionage in the “economic sphere, cyber [and] things that could be more to do with influence”.


theweekuk--2020-07-23--Why China - with its massive economy - receives £71m a year in UK foreign aid

MPs have requested a review into why the UK sent £71m in aid to China in a single year , despite the country having an economy five times the size of the UK ’ s .
Figures on British aid to China were “ buried ” in the Department for International Development ’ s ( DfID ) annual report , which was “ quietly put out this week as MPs go on their summer holiday ” , the Daily Mail says .
Why does Britain send aid money to China ?
China became the world ’ s second largest economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain - with the world ’ s fifth largest economy - should send it aid money seem counterintuitive .
However , DfID formally closed its old Chinese aid programme in March 2011 , replacing it with a development policy based on “ shared global development objectives , global public goods and poverty reduction , ” the department says on its website .
In practice , this means that the UK now spends money in China to help develop education , support human rights , combat illegal wildlife trade and promote green energy projects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forging alliances with the “ emerging powers ” a “ foreign and international development policy priority ” , and that China , “ by far the largest and fastest-growing emerging economy , is at the forefront of this effort ” .
Many of the programmes DfID supports in China are also intended to be two-way exchanges , including projects to improve food security in low-income countries , help increase resilience to disasters in Asia and build trade relationships with countries across Africa .
Why do MPs want a review ?
Former Conservative leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK was sending money to a country which was “ breaking every rule in the book ” .
He described the aid spending as “ utter madness ” and demanded an urgent review into London ’ s relationship with Beijing .
“ China is the second-largest economy in the world , and it is winning business all over the world by undercutting firms in the West , ” he added .
“ This makes it all the more urgent that we have a strategic review of the entirety of our relationship with and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort of nonsense spending on aid.
” Responding to the criticism , the government defended its aid programme by saying that the UK offers “ expertise and skills on shared challenges like climate change and health security ” .
“ Where there is mutual benefit , we invest money which supports UK interests and creates opportunities for UK business , ” a spokesperson added .
Will the UK ’ s aid spend be decreased ?
Britain is planning to cut its global aid budget by £2.9bn this year due to the economic damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced yesterday .
However , Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab insists the UK still intends to honour its commitment to spend 0.7 % of gross national income on international development .
Still , government sources told the Daily Mirror that a “ line by line ” review of aid projects has been carried out with the “ 40 most vulnerable countries ” prioritised for assistance .
Consequently , the “ axe would fall ” on China , the Daily Mail reports .
Labour MP Sarah Champion , chair of the Commons International Development Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just before the summer break .
“ If it is with immediate effect , do the projects know or will they find out via the media ?
” she wrote .
“ Is there an overarching strategy in place ?
Clearly there has been no consultation , but to release this news literally as parliament rises so there can be no scrutiny by MPs is poor practice .
”