theweekuk--2020-04-03--Coronavirus testing: five things we still don’t know

Opposition parties are calling for the UK government to explain how a new target to increase coronavirus testing tenfold within a month is to be achieved .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has pledged that 100,000 tests will be carried out each day in England by the end of April - despite currently failing to reach the interim goal of 10,000 per day .
The question of how those numbers can be ramped up so quickly is just one of many surrounding the issue on coronavirus testing in the UK .
How will the government ramp up testing ?
Labour has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans are vague and short on detail .
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth has called for clarification on how many of the planned 100,000 tests would be blood tests , and how testing will play a role in the lockdown “ exit strategy ” .
The UK is lagging behind many other countries including Germany , which is carrying out around 70,000 tests a day , “ all for active cases of Covid-19 ” , says The Guardian .
Speaking at the government ’ s daily briefing on Thursday following a week in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that although the UK was starting from a “ lower base ” , the ultimate target of 250,000 tests a day - first announced on 18 March - was still valid .
But outgoing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said : “ The fact that we are not yet even testing 10,000 people a day is very , very serious indeed .
There are almost half a million [ front-line ] people working in the NHS and the care sector .
Even they have not yet been tested .
It is ludicrous .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of testing.
” What would testing mean for the NHS ?
According to the health secretary , about 35,000 front-line NHS workers are currently off work because they have had coronavirus symptoms , or live with someone who has .
Hancock has promised that testing will be expanded from hospital patients and medics to more NHS staff , other key workers and finally more people in the community .
The plan is to employ tests for live cases of the virus and also tests for antibodies , which would show whether a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has antibodies against it in their blood , meaning they are likely to be resistant to reinfection .
If NHS workers test positive for antibodies , they will probably be considered immune and allowed back to work .
Paul Hunter , professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia , told The Guardian that antibody testing for front-line medical workers would also be crucial for allocating personal protective equipment in the safest way .
How will the government work with the private sector ?
The government plans to team up with commercial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establish more swab testing .
Hancock yesterday said that “ companies like Amazon and Boots ” were helping to “ build from scratch a network of new labs and testing sites across the country ” .
The new strategy follows criticism of the government for failing to work with the private sector after the outbreak first began .
“ The government is shifting from an Apple to an Android approach : it had preferred a central standardised product .
Now it is asking companies to collaborate with open-source operating procedures , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hancock has “ effectively committed to setting up a new industry between ‘ pharmaceutical giants ’ and ‘ small diagnostics companies ’ , but there is industry scepticism about if this is possible ” .
Hancock says that the government is considering issuing a form of “ immunity certificate ” to people who undergo Covid-19 antibody testing and appear to be resistant to the virus , so that they can “ get back , as much as possible , to normal life ” .
But some critics “ fear that this could lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not had the virus , and that people might even deliberately try to get infected in order to obtain an immunity certificate ” , says The Guardian , which adds that fraud could also be a problem .
Meanwhile , Eleanor Riley , professor of immunology and infectious disease at the University of Edinburgh , told the BBC that such certificates could give people a “ sense of false security ” about the threat posed by the virus .
Public Health England ( PHE ) official Professor John Newton , who is leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admits there is some uncertainty over people who have had Covid-19 can become infected again .
“ The question of whether that immunity is enough to stop you being infected at all , or getting serious disease , is something that we need to discover as time goes on , ” Newton said .
“ I think we have to be optimistic that it will give some immunity , but we ’ re just not quite sure how much at the moment.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Who is to blame for the current lack of testing ?
In the face of widespread anger about the government ’ s handing of the crisis , Hancock has admitted that mistakes have been made .
“ There will be criticisms made , and some of them will be justified , ” he told Thursday ’ s press conference .
Some critics have also slated PHE for not placing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing .
But the health agency “ has rejected criticism that it had been trying to do all the testing itself and was too inflexible in which chemicals were allowed to be used , suggesting that it was the responsibility of ministers to find private capacity for more tests ” , The Guardian reports .
Professor Paul Cosford , PHE emeritus medical director , has responded that the health body ’ s role is to “ make sure our labs are doing what they need to do ” in terms of testing hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conservative backbenchers have expressed concern about the political consequences for the government .
According to the newspaper , a former supporter of Boris Johnson in last year ’ s leadership contest said : “ I think the government could get blown away if people are still inside after Easter and there is no progress on testing.
” “ The fact that there ’ s not mass testing now is inexcusable , ” another unnamed Conservative MP complained .
“ There are some in my party who are trying to blame PHE , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who get the blame if the economy collapses because we can ’ t test NHS workers , ” a further Tory MP is quoted as saying .
“ The death toll will become totemic .
If we get thousands of people dying every day for several days , who knows where this will go .
It is frightening , and the prime minister looks like he doesn ’ t know what to do .
”


theweekuk--2020-04-03--Could the Premier League play out the season in China?

Football fans may have a better idea by the end of today when , if at all , they might see the return of the Premier League .
The league ’ s 20 clubs will hold a video conference to discuss the possibility of a resumption , but according to BBC Sport it ’ s “ accepted by all that there is no hope of professional games being played immediately after the current 30 April deadline ” .
One of two scenarios is expected : either the restart date will be pushed back to late May or , following the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ league will be suspended indefinitely .
A week ago that would have been the most pressing matter for Premier League clubs but of even greater significance during today ’ s conference call will be how to respond to the tsunami of negative publicity that has engulfed the top-flight of English football this week .
On Wednesday MP Julian Knight , the chair of the Digital , Culture , Media and Sport committee , accused the Premier League of “ living in a moral vacuum ” , and those sentiments were echoed by Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yesterday when he said the Premier League players should “ take a pay cut and play their part ” .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In response to the growing criticism , the Professional Footballers ’ Association ( PFA ) released a statement which bristled with defiance : “ We are aware of the public sentiment that the players should pay non-playing staff ’ s salaries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that - as businesses - if clubs can afford to pay their players and staff , they should.
” It ’ s reported that the PFA want to examine clubs ’ accounts before agreeing to any wage cuts because , according to The Sun , “ they remain suspicious of many club owners , who are seeking to use this crisis to wriggle out of their contractual obligations ” .
Nonetheless the confusion and delay will likely lead to further criticism with the Daily Mail reporting that a YouGov poll this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe Premier League players should accept a wage cut or deferral .
BBC Sport says that the Premier League is acutely aware it is caught in the midst of a public relations disaster and one measure it might announce today to “ correct some of the negative publicity ” is to offer stadiums and medical staff to the National Health Service .
With football unlikely to resume before June , this short-term measure would help restore their standing among fans and the wider public .
What won ’ t help the Premier League @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one covered by many of today ’ s online publications that clubs are contemplating completing the season in China .
The report , which was first carried by The Athletic , says an unnamed club wants the proposal discussed at today ’ s meeting .
“ The country that keeps getting proposed is China , ” one club ’ s chief executive told The Athletic .
“ If we were to pick up the Premier League and move it to another part of the world right now we ’ d get absolutely slaughtered.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , given that the country is waging a fierce propaganda war to help the world forget how the coronavirus pandemic started , but football fans may not be quite so enamoured of the idea .
What pundits are saying about the wage war “ Football ’ s mega-wealthy really need to understand which way the wind is blowing because there ’ s a hurricane heading their way and it ’ s about to blow the whole house down .
The general public is looking for a scapegoat and the players are currently losing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would not take much [ for EPL players ] to sound human , to explain how they would like just 10 % of their income to help those whose livelihoods are imperilled .
Instead the silence has been deafening.
” “ Coronavirus is an enhancer and it has already made the debate over footballers ’ salaries a defining issue of this new age… [ PFA chairman Gordon ] Taylor should take heed .
This is not a battle he can win , certainly not for hearts or minds.
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Football fans may have a better idea by the end of today when, if at all, they might see the return of the Premier League.
The league’s 20 clubs will hold a video conference to discuss the possibility of a resumption, but according to BBC Sport it’s “accepted by all that there is no hope of professional games being played immediately after the current 30 April deadline”.
One of two scenarios is expected: either the restart date will be pushed back to late May or, following the example of Spain and France, the league will be suspended indefinitely.
Negative publicity
A week ago that would have been the most pressing matter for Premier League clubs but of even greater significance during today’s conference call will be how to respond to the tsunami of negative publicity that has engulfed the top-flight of English football this week.
On Wednesday MP Julian Knight, the chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee, accused the Premier League of “living in a moral vacuum”, and those sentiments were echoed by Health Secretary Matt Hancock at a press conference yesterday when he said the Premier League players should “take a pay cut and play their part”.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Stand-off
In response to the growing criticism, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) released a statement which bristled with defiance: “We are aware of the public sentiment that the players should pay non-playing staff’s salaries.
“However, our current position is that - as businesses - if clubs can afford to pay their players and staff, they should.”
It’s reported that the PFA want to examine clubs’ accounts before agreeing to any wage cuts because, according to The Sun, “they remain suspicious of many club owners, who are seeking to use this crisis to wriggle out of their contractual obligations”.
Nonetheless the confusion and delay will likely lead to further criticism with the Daily Mail reporting that a YouGov poll this week revealed that 92% of the public believe Premier League players should accept a wage cut or deferral.
PR disaster
BBC Sport says that the Premier League is acutely aware it is caught in the midst of a public relations disaster and one measure it might announce today to “correct some of the negative publicity” is to offer stadiums and medical staff to the National Health Service.


theweekuk--2020-04-03--Today’s back pages: Gary Lineker calls for patience over Premier League pay cut debate

One story dominates the back pages and that is the ongoing furore about footballers ’ wages , or more particularly those of the Premier League ’ s finest .
Last night Health Secretary Matt Hancock became the latest politician to join the chorus of criticism at the fact that clubs have started to furlough non-playing staff while continuing to pay their players six-figure salaries .
Speaking at the daily government briefing , Hancock said : “ I think everybody needs to play their part in this national effort and that means Premier League footballers too .
“ Given the sacrifices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my colleagues in the NHS , who have made the ultimate sacrifice and gone into work and caught the disease and have sadly died , I think the first thing Premier League footballers can do is make a contribution ; take a pay cut and play their part.
” But Gary Lineker has sprung to the defence of the players , reports Metro , with its “ give players a chance ” headline .
The former England striker turned pundit is quoted as saying : “ My inkling is footballers will take pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities , they will make donations in whatever way they can , and I think we need to be a little bit patient with them.
” According to The Sun , Lineker , has done his bit for the crisis by donating £300,000 to the British Red Cross .
The Daily Mirror and the Sun are among the papers to report on the war of words between the Professional Footballers ’ Association ( PFA ) and the Premier League clubs with the former accusing the latter of exploiting the situation for their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been told “ some Premier League players want to come out publicly and form their own response while offering financial support ” .
The Times says that players have been failed by a lack of leadership from the PFA and they must now “ stand up for themselves ” by announcing their willingness to take pay cuts .
Could the Premier League play out the season in China ?
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The news that England rugby head coach Eddie Jones has extended his contract makes many of the back pages .
The Sun calls it a “ tasty deal ” , although it doesn ’ t go into the financial specifics of the package that was agreed before sport shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Metro says that Jones decided to commit himself to another two years as coach - taking him to the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France - because he has “ unfinished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pleased that Jones is staying at the helm , declaring : “ Strap yourself in for more of the Eddie Jones rollercoaster.
” The paper ’ s rugby correspondent , Owen Slot , remarks : “ Jones is actually convinced that he can take the team forward and that , together , they have real potential to achieve great things.
” According to The Daily Telegraph , the terms of the contract , which will make Jones England ’ s longest serving head coach , were agreed in January and there “ has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ £750,000 salary ” .
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Football’s civil war
One story dominates the back pages and that is the ongoing furore about footballers’ wages, or more particularly those of the Premier League’s finest.
Last night Health Secretary Matt Hancock became the latest politician to join the chorus of criticism at the fact that clubs have started to furlough non-playing staff while continuing to pay their players six-figure salaries.
Speaking at the daily government briefing, Hancock said: “I think everybody needs to play their part in this national effort and that means Premier League footballers too.
“Given the sacrifices people are making, including some of my colleagues in the NHS, who have made the ultimate sacrifice and gone into work and caught the disease and have sadly died, I think the first thing Premier League footballers can do is make a contribution; take a pay cut and play their part.”
But Gary Lineker has sprung to the defence of the players, reports Metro, with its “give players a chance” headline.
The former England striker turned pundit is quoted as saying: “My inkling is footballers will take pay cuts, they will help out in communities, they will make donations in whatever way they can, and I think we need to be a little bit patient with them.”
According to The Sun, Lineker, has done his bit for the crisis by donating £300,000 to the British Red Cross.
The Daily Mirror and the Sun are among the papers to report on the war of words between the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and the Premier League clubs with the former accusing the latter of exploiting the situation for their own financial ends.
The Mirror claims it’s been told “some Premier League players want to come out publicly and form their own response while offering financial support”.
The Times says that players have been failed by a lack of leadership from the PFA and they must now “stand up for themselves” by announcing their willingness to take pay cuts.
Could the Premier League play out the season in China?
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Eddie’s new deal
The news that England rugby head coach Eddie Jones has extended his contract makes many of the back pages.
The Sun calls it a “tasty deal”, although it doesn’t go into the financial specifics of the package that was agreed before sport shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Metro says that Jones decided to commit himself to another two years as coach - taking him to the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France - because he has “unfinished business”.
The Times is evidently pleased that Jones is staying at the helm, declaring: “Strap yourself in for more of the Eddie Jones rollercoaster.”
The paper’s rugby correspondent, Owen Slot, remarks: “Jones is actually convinced that he can take the team forward and that, together, they have real potential to achieve great things.”
According to The Daily Telegraph, the terms of the contract, which will make Jones England’s longest serving head coach, were agreed in January and there “has not been a significant uplift in his £750,000 salary”.
Today’s sport headlines
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theweekuk--2020-04-03--Iran denies Trump claim that it is planning Iraq attacks

Iran has denied Donald Trump ’ s claim that its proxies are planning a “ sneak attack ” on US bases in Iraq .
The US president had claimed on Wednesday that “ upon information and belief , Iran or its proxies are planning a sneak attack on US troops and/or assets in Iraq ” .
Writing on Twitter , the president added : “ If this happens , Iran will pay a very heavy price , indeed !
” Al Jazeera quotes a US official claiming that the potential attack was expected to be more menacing than previous rocket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is not immediately clear what intelligence Trump had obtained to prompt his public statement .
Tehran has responded to Trump ’ s claim by saying it only ever acts in self-defence and has no proxies in Iraq , only allies .
The claim prompted the Iranian foreign minister , Javad Zarif , to hit back , tweeting : “ Don ’ t be mislead [ sic ] by usual warmongers ... Iran has FRIENDS : No one can have MILLIONS of proxies .
Unlike the US which surreptitiously lies , cheats & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Zarif added : “ Iran starts no wars , but teaches lessons to those who 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– CBS News says it was among the most charged rhetorical exchanges since the US strike in January on Iranian general Qassim Soleimani .
The assassination of Soleimani , described as “ one of biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” by experts , set up a tense stand-off between the two countries .
This culminated following a retaliatory strike in early January , in which Iran launched more than a dozen missiles at US and coalition military sites in Iraq .
The Iranian army chief of staff , Mohammad Bagheri , has stated that more recent attacks on US bases in Iraq were nothing to do with Tehran , but simply “ a natural response by the Iraqi people ” .
The latest war of words comes as Trump is under growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the coronavirus outbreak .
The Guardian reports that senior Democrats in Congress , the former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes , and outlets such as The New York Times and the Washington Post , have all joined the chorus calling for a humanitarian response to the pandemic .
The latest Iranian health ministry figures showed the total number infected by coronavirus had reached 50,469 , with the number of deaths at 3,160 .
Early in March , The New York Times reported that satellite images of mass graves in the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemic is even more serious than the authorities are admitting .

Iran has denied Donald Trump’s claim that its proxies are planning a “sneak attack” on US bases in Iraq.
The US president had claimed on Wednesday that “upon information and belief, Iran or its proxies are planning a sneak attack on US troops and/or assets in Iraq”. Writing on Twitter, the president added: “If this happens, Iran will pay a very heavy price, indeed!”
Al Jazeera quotes a US official claiming that the potential attack was expected to be more menacing than previous rocket assaults, though The Guardian notes that it is not immediately clear what intelligence Trump had obtained to prompt his public statement.
Tehran has responded to Trump’s claim by saying it only ever acts in self-defence and has no proxies in Iraq, only allies.
The claim prompted the Iranian foreign minister, Javad Zarif, to hit back, tweeting: “Don’t be mislead [sic] by usual warmongers... Iran has FRIENDS: No one can have MILLIONS of proxies. Unlike the US which surreptitiously lies, cheats & assassinates.”
In a warning to Washington, Zarif added: “Iran starts no wars, but teaches lessons to those who 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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
CBS News says it was among the most charged rhetorical exchanges since the US strike in January on Iranian general Qassim Soleimani.
The assassination of Soleimani, described as “one of biggest developments in the Middle East for decades” by experts, set up a tense stand-off between the two countries.
This culminated following a retaliatory strike in early January, in which Iran launched more than a dozen missiles at US and coalition military sites in Iraq.
The Iranian army chief of staff, Mohammad Bagheri, has stated that more recent attacks on US bases in Iraq were nothing to do with Tehran, but simply “a natural response by the Iraqi people”.
The latest war of words comes as Trump is under growing domestic pressure to relax sanctions on Iran during the coronavirus outbreak.
The Guardian reports that senior Democrats in Congress, the former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, and outlets such as The New York Times and the Washington Post, have all joined the chorus calling for a humanitarian response to the pandemic.
The latest Iranian health ministry figures showed the total number infected by coronavirus had reached 50,469, with the number of deaths at 3,160.
Early in March, The New York Times reported that satellite images of mass graves in the city of Qom suggest Iran’s coronavirus epidemic is even more serious than the authorities are admitting.


theweekuk--2020-04-03--Reaction: Matt Hancock promises 100,000 coronavirus tests a day

The Health Secretary Matt Hancock has set the government a new target of carrying out 100,000 coronavirus tests a day in England by the end of April .
Announcing a “ five-pillar ” testing plan , Hancock said the new target includes swab tests , which are already in use , and blood tests , which are yet to be launched .
The target was announced at yesterday ’ s daily conference , alongside five points designed to combine to deliver the new aim .
These are : • Using commercial partners , such as universities and private businesses like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing • Introducing antibody blood tests to check whether people have already had the virus • Surveillance to determine the rate of infection and how it is spreading across the country • Building a British diagnostics industry , with help from pharmaceutical giants The BBC reports that there are currently around 10,000 tests being carried out a day , however , the government has come under fire for not increasing the number of tests more quickly .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Following Hancock ’ s announcement yesterday , Labour ’ s shadow health secretary , Jonathan Ashworth , welcomed the new daily target , but said it was “ not the 250,000 Boris Johnson promised ” .
Hancock said the government still hopes to hit the 250,000 target .
The BBC ’ s health correspondent , Nick Triggle , writes that “ key questions remain ” , pointing out that “ the ability to hit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government ’ s hands ” .
The Times says companies have “ responded with scepticism ” to Hancock ’ s promise “ to create a British diagnostics industry from scratch in the coming weeks ” .
Keith Plumb , a chemical engineer on the board of trustees at the Institution of Chemical Engineers , told Sky News : “ I would n't say it was a completely empty promise but the task is very great - the proverbial ‘ herculean task ’ .
” Anthony Costello , former director of the World Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustainable development at University College London , told The Guardian it is “ good that they are galvanising the scientific community to help and it ’ s good that they are setting a target for 25,000 tests per day by the end of April ” .
“ Nonetheless , none of these strategies address the fundamental problem of stopping the spread of the virus , ” Costello added .
Eleanor Riley , professor of immunology and infectious disease at the University of Edinburgh , was also less than convinced , saying there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hancock ’ s plan , “ but still precious little detail ” .
However , the five pillar plan was not met with total skepticism .
Mark Harris , professor of virology at the University of Leeds , said the five pillars “ seems like the right approach ” , while Charlie Swanton , chief clinician at Cancer Research UK , said the plan “ all sounds very sensible ” .
As of yesterday morning , the UK had 33,718 confirmed coronavirus patients , with 2,921 deaths so far .
The number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ globally , with 742,000 active cases , 209,000 recovered patients and 51,500 deaths .

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theweekuk--2020-04-03--Man gets magnets stuck in nose during coronavirus experiment

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An astrophysicist has got magnets stuck up his nose while trying to invent a device that stops people touching their faces during the coronavirus outbreak. Daniel Reardon, a research fellow at Melbourne’s Swinburne University, was building a device that rings an alarm on facial contact, when the magnets got stuck. They were removed at hospital.
Cop wears coronavirus helmet to scare public
A policeman in India is wearing a helmet made to look like the coronavirus to frighten people into staying at home. With the country on a 21-day lockdown to limit the spread of Covid-19, Rajesh Babu said: “The helmet is an attempt to do something different.”
Study finds mice show emotions on faces
Mice show their emotions on their faces, according to a study. Nadine Gogolla of the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology trained a computer to read the rodents’ emotions. She said: “A happy mouse tends to move every part of their face towards the stimulus, towards the front. And they stick their tongue out and smack their lips.”
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theweekuk--2020-04-03--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 3 Apr 2020

Calls are growing for Premier League players to take a pay cut during the coronavirus crisis .
The demand comes @ @ @ @ @ put non-playing staff on furlough , which means they will only get 80 % of @ @ @ @ @ handing full pay cheques to footballers and managers .
Senior figures for the league are @ @ @ @ @ proposed blanket reduction in players ’ wages of up to 25 % .
Backing the @ @ @ @ @ Hancock said : “ I think everybody needs to play their part in this national @ @ @ @ @ League footballers too .
”

Premier League considering players’ pay cut
Calls are growing for Premier League players to take a pay cut during the coronavirus crisis. The demand comes as a number of clubs put non-playing staff on furlough, which means they will only get 80% of their salary, while still handing full pay cheques to footballers and managers. Senior figures for the league are meeting today to discuss a proposed blanket reduction in players’ wages of up to 25%. Backing the plan, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “I think everybody needs to play their part in this national effort and that means Premier League footballers too.”


theweekuk--2020-04-02--Donald Trump’s top medical advisor receives deaths threats


theweekuk--2020-04-02--Cash timebomb: UK businesses ‘cannot wait weeks’ for financial aid

A majority of British businesses are facing a cash shortfall in the coming months , prompting fears the continued coronavirus lockdown could lead to mass insolvencies .
A survey of around 600 British businesses found 62 % had no more than three months of cash left to cover running costs , with companies across the country suffering from a sharp and significant fall in domestic and overseas sales as lockdown measures bring many firms close to collapse .
A third of firms surveyed by the British Chamber of Commerce ( BCC ) were set to furlough at least 75 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government pay 80 % of employee salaries to avoid businesses making staff redundant .
Yet “ despite the government ’ s efforts to cushion the economic blow and the Bank of England lowering interest rates to provide cheap financing ” , The Guardian reports , “ almost one million small businesses across Britain are feared to be at risk of collapsing within the next month as they struggle to secure emergency cash ” .
“ The coronavirus pandemic has taken a heavy toll on business and economic activity across the UK , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The majority of firms can not wait weeks or months for help to arrive .
There ’ s no escaping the scale of the challenge UK businesses are facing.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important business stories and tips for the week ’ s best shares - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The BBC adds that seperate research , carried out by the Corporate Finance Network , found that nearly a fifth of all small and medium-sized businesses in the UK are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to survive the next four weeks .
In a bid to help firms survive the lockdown , the Chancellor Rishi Sunak said that businesses would be able to apply directly to their local bank for Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans ( CBILs ) of up to £5m .
The chancellor pledged that “ any good business in financial difficulty who needs access to cash to pay their rent , the salaries of their employees , pay suppliers , or purchase stock , will be able to access a government-backed loan , on attractive terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that “ thousands of struggling firms can ’ t get through to their banks by phone or , when they do , are being told by the banks they 're not eligible ” .
Banks have come under heavy fire amid claims of unfair lending tactics under the scheme , with the Daily Mirror reporting that “ some are said to have demanded personal guarantees from business owners while others try to apply high interest rates once the interest rate-free first year is over ” .
City A.M. says Sunak is now reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talks with lenders , with Sky News adding the reformed scheme would offer loans as interest-free and charge-free for the first year as long as companies can prove their businesses are viable and they can pay back the loan .


theweekuk--2020-04-02--Scientists begin testing two coronavirus vaccines

Scientists in Australia have begun testing two potential coronavirus vaccines, marking a “critical milestone” in the fight to bring the global pandemic under control.
The vaccines, made by Oxford University and US company Inovio Pharmaceutical, have been cleared for animal testing by the World Health Organization.
The first human trial for a coronavirus vaccine took place in the US last month, the BBC reports. But Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) says its tests will be the first pre-clinical trials of the vaccines using an animal model – in this case ferrets, which contract the coronavirus as humans do.
The Guardian adds that approximately 35 companies and academic institutions around the world are currently racing to create a vaccine.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
“Normally it takes about one-to-two years to get to this point and we’ve in fact shortened that to a period of a couple of months,” Rob Grenfell from CSIRO told reporters.
“This unprecedented speed is thanks in large part to early Chinese efforts to sequence the genetic material of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19,” says The Guardian.
“China shared that sequence in early January, allowing research groups around the world to grow the live virus and study how it invades human cells and makes people sick.”
Another factor is access to existing research combating similar viruses, particularly severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers).
According to Yahoo Finance, scientists elsewhere are also trialling existing drugs used to treat conditions such as Ebola, HIV, malaria and tuberculosis in order to establish if they could be used against the coronavirus.
“The ideal vaccine would be safe, easy to administer, simple and cheap to manufacture, and provide long-term protection against Covid-19,” write Kylie Quinn and Damian Purcell on The Conversation.
“But, to begin with, we’d even be happy with a vaccine that could reduce the amount of virus generated during a typical infection. If an infected person is making less virus, they are less likely to infect others. Less virus could also reduce the amount of damage caused by an infection in the patient.”
The first results from animal tests could be revealed as early as June, scientists say, and if successful, the vaccines could then be moved into clinical trials that could be conducted at labs elsewhere.
“At that point, the race to get the medicine into the general market could be accelerated, but experts warn it would still involve a minimum 18-month timeline to meet regulatory tests and standards,” says the BBC.


theweekuk--2020-04-02--Quiz of the Week: 28 March - 3 April

Quiz of the Week: 28 March - 3 April

The second week of the UK ’ s lockdown has seen the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the country reaching more than 2,900 , with the number of confirmed cases nearing 34,000 as of Friday morning .
Experts have predicted a spike in those numbers in the coming weeks , but stress that the expected increases do not signal that social distancing measures are not working .
Tensions have been growing over the enforcement of the lockdown , with a former Supreme Court judge warning that Britain risks resembling a “ police state ” if the police become overzealous in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it emerged that a woman had been fined £660 fine for “ loitering between platforms ” at Newcastle Central Station after refusing to tell officers why she was travelling .
Following pressure from legal professionals , a review of the case has established that she “ was charged under the incorrect section of the Coronavirus Act 2020 ” , British Transport Police have since said in a statement .
Meanwhile , latest figures show that almost a million people in Britain have applied for universal credit benefits in the two weeks since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teeters in the face of the pandemic , scientists remain split over whether warmer weather will halt the spread of the Covid-19 virus .
With the crisis continuing to dominate the headlines , test how closely you ’ ve been paying attention to the latest developments and other global events with our Quiz of The Week .
Need a reminder of some other important stories from the past seven days ?
Former European Commission president Jacques Delors warned that the coronavirus pandemic could put the EU in “ mortal danger ” unless steps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states .
That fear was echoed by Nathalie Tocci , a former adviser to the EU foreign policy chief , who described the response to the pandemic as “ a make-it-or-break-it moment for the European project ” .
In non-coronavirus UK news , the chief inspector of probation has backed an experimental drug rehabilitation treatment that sees heroin addicts given free supplies of the Class A narcotic in an effort to reduce reoffending .
On a lighter note , new Netflix documentary Tiger King is proving a major hit with viewers , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of characters from the world of big cat breeding .


theweekuk--2020-04-03--Sport shorts: Premier League clubs to consult players over 30% pay cut and season will not resume at

Sport shorts: Premier League clubs to consult players over 30% pay cut and season will not resume at start of May

English Premier League clubs will consult with players over taking a possible 30 % pay cut amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Following a meeting of all 20 clubs the Premier League also confirmed : • None the season won ’ t resume at the start of May • None £20m will be donated to the NHS • None a £125m solidarity payment will be made to the English Football League and National League A statement said : “ It was acknowledged that the Premier League will not resume at the beginning of May - and that the 2019/20 season will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appropriate to do so .
“ In the face of substantial and continuing losses for the 2019/20 season since the suspension of matches began , and to protect employment throughout the professional game , Premier League clubs unanimously agreed to consult their players regarding a combination of conditional reductions and deferrals amounting to 30 % of total annual remuneration.
” In regards to the payments to the lower leagues and NHS , the EPL added : “ Discussions also took place regarding financial relief for clubs in the short term and while there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be put in place to immediately deal with the impact of falling cash flow .
“ Critically , the League unanimously voted to advance funds of £125m to the EFL and National League as it is aware of the severe difficulties clubs throughout the football pyramid are suffering at this time .
“ In consultation with the Department for Digital , Culture , Media and Sport , the Premier League is immediately committing £20m to support the NHS , communities , families and vulnerable groups during the Covid-19 pandemic .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NHS and funds to enable clubs to refocus their efforts and develop significant outreach programmes to help communities , including those most in need .
This funding will enable both immediate and longer-term support during the crisis.
” Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville has blasted Health Secretary Matt Hancock for calling out Premier League footballers to cut their pay amid the coronavirus crisis .
Sky Sports pundit Neville has assisted the NHS by allowing the use of two hotels he co-owns in Manchester and in response to Hancock ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I wish I was a player for 10 more mins .
The PL players are more than likely working on a proposal to help clubs , communities and The NHS .
“ It takes longer than 2 weeks to put together .
Matt Hancock calling them out when he can ’ t get tests in place for NHS staff is a f @ @ @ @ @ g cheek !
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– It ’ s been revealed that Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil forward Neymar has made an anonymous £775,000 donation to help fight the Covid-19 coronavirus .
The donation will be split between Unicef and a solidarity fund in his home country .
Brazilian TV presenter Chris Flores said : “ He preferred not to publicly disclose [ the donation ] , so we ’ re telling everyone , because as soon as we pull the ear , we also talk when the person does something nice .
“ We have this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We really think it ’ s a very cool , very positive attitude , and one that serves as an incentive for other sportsmen , for other personalities.
” Warwickshire County Cricket Club have announced that Edgbaston Stadium will be donated to the Department of Health and Social Care to create a drive-through Covid-19 testing station .
The cricket ground ’ s main on-site car park will be used to regularly test NHS staff who are working in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands region .
Neil Snowball , chief executive of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is a small part to play in the grand scheme of things , we are pleased that our stadium can be utilised to support the fantastic efforts being made by all of our NHS staff in response to the coronavirus crisis.
” 5 .
Could Joshua vs. Fury happen this year ?
Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua is “ extremely interested ” in a mega-fight against Tyson Fury - if a deal can be reached with Deontay Wilder to step aside .
Fury defeated Wilder in the Las Vegas rematch in February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fight contract for a third duel between the duo .
However , due to the coronavirus pandemic Fury vs. Wilder III is now expected to take place in October and Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev on 20 June is also likely to be delayed .
Speaking to Sky Sports , Joshua ’ s promoter Eddie Hearn said : “ The one positive that could come out of this for boxing is you might find people jumping into bigger fights sooner , rather than later , because of course , their activity has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 June as a pencilled date for Anthony Joshua .
That ’ s likely to be delayed .
I think that ’ s pretty straightforward and obvious .
Hopefully until the end of July .
But if it starts kicking on beyond that , then you get to a situation where if Joshua is only going to box once this year , he would very much like that to be against Tyson Fury .
“ The situation is a little bit out of our hands in that , if Bob Arum and Al @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wait a little bit , we would absolutely love to go into that fight next.
” Cricket star Ben Stokes will join a number of Formula 1 drivers in Sunday night ’ s F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix .
Stokes will race alongside Alex Albon for Red Bull and they will take on rivals including Ferrari ’ s Charles Leclerc , McLaren ’ s Lando Norris and Williams ’ s George Russell .
Played on the official 2019 F1 video game , the race will start at 8pm on Sunday and is live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s YouTube channel .
McLaren Formula 1 driver and avid gamer Lando Norris has a new hair do after making good on a promise to shave his head for charity .
The 20-year-old last week took part in Twitch ’ s “ Stream Aid ” event where he played F1 2019 , Rocket League and iRacing to raise money for the Covid-19 Solidarity Respond Fund .
Briton Norris promised to cut his locks if he could raise more than $ 10,000 ( £8,147 ) - and thanks to generous donations from fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( £1,629 ) .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Rugby Football Union has confirmed that Newcastle Falcons will be promoted back to the Premiership next season .
BBC Sport reports that the Championship table has been decided by a “ best playing record formula ” and Newcastle have won all 15 league games in the 2019-20 season .
Newcastle will replace Saracens , who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s top division because of salary cap breaches .
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba remains keen on signing for Real Madrid this summer .
The French World Cup winner has a desire to work with Real head coach Zinedine Zidane and 90min says his “ priority ” is to secure a switch to Spain .
Real have regularly been linked with the 27-year-old , as have his former club Juventus .
Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are also “ monitoring his situation ” but Real remains his first choice .
One story dominates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing furore about footballers ’ wages , or more particularly those of the Premier League ’ s finest .
Gary Lineker has sprung to the defence of the players , reports Metro , with its “ give players a chance ” headline .
The former England striker turned pundit is quoted as saying : “ My inkling is footballers will take pay cuts , they will help out in communities , they will make donations in whatever way they can , and I think we need to be a little bit patient with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

1. EPL holds pandemic crisis meeting English Premier League clubs will consult with players over taking a possible 30% pay cut amid the coronavirus pandemic. Following a meeting of all 20 clubs the Premier League also confirmed: the season won’t resume at the start of May
£20m will be donated to the NHS
a £125m solidarity payment will be made to the English Football League and National League A statement said: “It was acknowledged that the Premier League will not resume at the beginning of May - and that the 2019/20 season will only return when it is safe and appropriate to do so. “In the face of substantial and continuing losses for the 2019/20 season since the suspension of matches began, and to protect employment throughout the professional game, Premier League clubs unanimously agreed to consult their players regarding a combination of conditional reductions and deferrals amounting to 30% of total annual remuneration.” In regards to the payments to the lower leagues and NHS, the EPL added: “Discussions also took place regarding financial relief for clubs in the short term and while there is no single solution, measures are to be put in place to immediately deal with the impact of falling cash flow. “Critically, the League unanimously voted to advance funds of £125m to the EFL and National League as it is aware of the severe difficulties clubs throughout the football pyramid are suffering at this time. “In consultation with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Premier League is immediately committing £20m to support the NHS, communities, families and vulnerable groups during the Covid-19 pandemic. “This includes a direct financial contribution to the NHS and funds to enable clubs to refocus their efforts and develop significant outreach programmes to help communities, including those most in need. This funding will enable both immediate and longer-term support during the crisis.” 2. “F@@@@@g cheek”: Neville hits back at Hancock Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville has blasted Health Secretary Matt Hancock for calling out Premier League footballers to cut their pay amid the coronavirus crisis. Skip advert Sky Sports pundit Neville has assisted the NHS by allowing the use of two hotels he co-owns in Manchester and in response to Hancock’s comments he said on Twitter: “I wish I was a player for 10 more mins. The PL players are more than likely working on a proposal to help clubs, communities and The NHS.
“It takes longer than 2 weeks to put together. Matt Hancock calling them out when he can’t get tests in place for NHS staff is a f@@@@@g cheek!” –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 3. Neymar makes £775,000 donation It’s been revealed that Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil forward Neymar has made an anonymous £775,000 donation to help fight the Covid-19 coronavirus. The donation will be split between Unicef and a solidarity fund in his home country. Brazilian TV presenter Chris Flores said: “He preferred not to publicly disclose [the donation], so we’re telling everyone, because as soon as we pull the ear, we also talk when the person does something nice. “We have this information, I brought it to you. We really think it’s a very cool, very positive attitude, and one that serves as an incentive for other sportsmen, for other personalities.” 4. Edgbaston to be drive-through testing station Warwickshire County Cricket Club have announced that Edgbaston Stadium will be donated to the Department of Health and Social Care to create a drive-through Covid-19 testing station. The cricket ground’s main on-site car park will be used to regularly test NHS staff who are working in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands region. Neil Snowball, chief executive of Warwickshire CCC, said: “Whilst it is a small part to play in the grand scheme of things, we are pleased that our stadium can be utilised to support the fantastic efforts being made by all of our NHS staff in response to the coronavirus crisis.” 5. Could Joshua vs. Fury happen this year? Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua is “extremely interested” in a mega-fight against Tyson Fury - if a deal can be reached with Deontay Wilder to step aside. Fury defeated Wilder in the Las Vegas rematch in February and there’s a clause in the fight contract for a third duel between the duo. Skip advert However, due to the coronavirus pandemic Fury vs. Wilder III is now expected to take place in October and Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev on 20 June is also likely to be delayed. Speaking to Sky Sports, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said: “The one positive that could come out of this for boxing is you might find people jumping into bigger fights sooner, rather than later, because of course, their activity has been slowed. “We’ve got 20 June as a pencilled date for Anthony Joshua. That’s likely to be delayed. I think that’s pretty straightforward and obvious. Hopefully until the end of July. But if it starts kicking on beyond that, then you get to a situation where if Joshua is only going to box once this year, he would very much like that to be against Tyson Fury.


theweekuk--2020-04-03--One million coronavirus cases: what the figures tell us


theweekuk--2020-04-03--What will be on the new Labour leader’s to-do list?

The new leader of the Labour Party will be announced tomorrow, following months of voting by members to decide who will succeed Jeremy Corbyn.
The remaining contenders for the role have been whittled down to Rebecca Long-Bailey, Lisa Nandy and Keir Starmer, the favourite to win the contest.
The result will be announced both online and in the media mid-morning on Saturday.
But what will be top of the agenda for the next Labour leader after they take office?
Respond to the coronavirus pandemic
The most pressing issue in the new Labour leader’s plan for the future will be their party’s role in tackling the coronavirus crisis.
Former Conservative leader William Hague says it would be “constitutionally correct” for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to brief the new Labour chief directly on the government’s strategy to contain the virus.
“Really, the leader of the opposition is owed explanations from the government about what they’re doing,” Hague told The Times.
Citing the example of the delays surrounding Covid-19 testing, Hague said that “you probably want the leader of the opposition to have a good understanding of what the bottlenecks are and what the difficulties are. Otherwise he’s going to be putting you under pressure to do things that you can’t do.”
Leadership contender Nandy has also called for cooperation between the parties, floating the idea of a “national Cobra” emergency committee comprising government ministers, opposition politicians and devolved governments.
Not everyone agrees, however. In an article for The Guardian, the Spectator’s deputy political editor Katy Balls suggests that many of Starmer’s supporters believe that that “once in place, there is still a limit to the role a Labour leader ought to play in this”.
“The thinking: either the government handles the crisis well – in which case there is little they can do,” she continues. “Or it falls short – in which case it is going to have to own that regardless of what any opposition leader says or does.”
Appoint a shadow cabinet
A strong shadow cabinet “needs unity, loyalty, diversity, accountability and strong media performers to be the message carriers for the party”, says the LabourList news website.


theweekuk--2020-04-03--Instant Opinion: ‘the Tories will have to own this crisis’

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
on who the buck stops with after the pandemic passes Blaming Labour wo n't work this time – the Tories will have to own this crisis “ One of the problems a party faces when it is in power for a long time is that blaming the opposition for the mess it allegedly left behind no longer cuts it .
The Conservatives have been in power for a decade .
They will eventually be held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was for this crisis .
Questions will arise : was the NHS equipped to cope with a pandemic ?
The years ahead of the financial crisis saw the biggest sustained increase in health spending since the creation of the NHS in 1948 ; the years since 2010 have seen the smallest increases .
Was the welfare system in a better shape to cope with the sharp contraction of the economy in 2008 , or in 2020 ?
... For the right , this is the second major economic crisis in little more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second time the state has needed to come to the rescue of an economic system where the gap between rich and poor has widened , corporations pay as little tax as they can get way with , too little attention is paid to the climate emergency , and a large proportion of the workforce is one paycheck from penury .
For the left , it should be an open goal.
” on the oppportunities thrown up by crisis This is the time to build a better , fairer world “ Trillions of dollars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming months .
Even if we bounce back quickly we will still spend decades paying off that debt .
We will have to decide who should bear the burden .
Should tomorrow ’ s generations bear the majority of the cost , as would be the case under the present tax system ?
And shouldn ’ t big business be doing its bit too ?
Many companies pay little or no tax and will carry on doing so until politicians agree on an international tax system fit for the 21st century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crash , that conversation feels more urgent .
Only international summits have any chance of fixing this , or for that matter other burning issues .
Climate change , for instance .
Or that as population growth in the developing world dwarfs that of the developed world , we are destined to face recurrent refugee crises for decades to come .
With the right institutions we could manage and police migration and frontiers ; we could address climate change and develop a carbon tax that worked for everyone.
” 3 .
Michelle Goldberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s son-in-law has no business running the US ’ s coronavirus response Jared Kushner Is Going to Get Us All Killed “ Even now , it ’ s hard to believe that someone with as little expertise as Kushner could be so arrogant , but he said something similar on Thursday , when he made his debut at the White House ’ s daily coronavirus briefing : ‘ People who have requests for different products and supplies , a lot of them are doing it based on projections which are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at exactly three things in his life .
He was born to the right parents , married well and learned how to influence his father-in-law .
Most of his other endeavours - his biggest real estate deal , his foray into newspaper ownership , his attempt to broker a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians - have been failures .
Undeterred , he has now arrogated to himself a major role in fighting the epochal health crisis that ’ s brought America to its knees .
‘ Behind the scenes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ said a Politico headline on Wednesday .
This is dilettantism raised to the level of sociopathy.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– on deploying the army to boost safety efforts The problem with army enforced lockdowns in the time of COVID-19 “ As with institutions , the security forces are not a problem per se .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts of the world as peacekeepers in protection of civilian sites and in response to natural disasters .
We can not , however , pretend that the military - not only in the countries mentioned above - has a good reputation if they have clamped down on communities numerous times in the past .
In India , Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a lockdown of the whole country , an estimated 1.3 billion people , and authorities have said civilians risk being shot at if they do not comply with the lockdown order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been under lockdown for political reasons since August 2019 , what does this mean ?
Is it possible to explain to people , and to expect them to understand , that suddenly the lockdown is meant to protect them and the rest of the country from a pandemic ?
In many countries , there is an historic trust deficit between the military and communities.
” on journalism failing to perform in the public interest We don ’ t need ‘ gotcha ’ journalism now “ Of course there is , and must be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people asking awkward questions .
But asking awkward , difficult questions is a different thing from asking the wrong questions , or asking questions which are ill-informed .
And perhaps , during an epidemic unprecedented in our lifetimes , and in which very difficult decisions must be made based on highly complex scientific calculations , that kind of gotcha journalism is no longer a public service but a public nuisance .
Journalism is at a difficult enough juncture , and there are many people in the trade who know a great deal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped if its most prominent representatives stopped giving off the impression of thinking that the primary problem with real experts is that they don ’ t listen to journalists enough .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Larry Elliot in The Guardian
on who the buck stops with after the pandemic passes
Blaming Labour won't work this time – the Tories will have to own this crisis
“One of the problems a party faces when it is in power for a long time is that blaming the opposition for the mess it allegedly left behind no longer cuts it. The Conservatives have been in power for a decade. They will eventually be held to account over how prepared the UK was for this crisis. Questions will arise: was the NHS equipped to cope with a pandemic? The years ahead of the financial crisis saw the biggest sustained increase in health spending since the creation of the NHS in 1948; the years since 2010 have seen the smallest increases. Was the welfare system in a better shape to cope with the sharp contraction of the economy in 2008, or in 2020?... For the right, this is the second major economic crisis in little more than a decade. It’s the second time the state has needed to come to the rescue of an economic system where the gap between rich and poor has widened, corporations pay as little tax as they can get way with, too little attention is paid to the climate emergency, and a large proportion of the workforce is one paycheck from penury. For the left, it should be an open goal.”
2. Ed Conway, in The Times
on the oppportunities thrown up by crisis
This is the time to build a better, fairer world
“Trillions of dollars will be spent propping up our economies in the coming months. Even if we bounce back quickly we will still spend decades paying off that debt. We will have to decide who should bear the burden. Should tomorrow’s generations bear the majority of the cost, as would be the case under the present tax system? And shouldn’t big business be doing its bit too? Many companies pay little or no tax and will carry on doing so until politicians agree on an international tax system fit for the 21st century. Suddenly, after a multi-trillion-dollar economic crash, that conversation feels more urgent. Only international summits have any chance of fixing this, or for that matter other burning issues. Climate change, for instance. Or that as population growth in the developing world dwarfs that of the developed world, we are destined to face recurrent refugee crises for decades to come. With the right institutions we could manage and police migration and frontiers; we could address climate change and develop a carbon tax that worked for everyone.”
3. Michelle Goldberg in The New York Times
on why Trump’s son-in-law has no business running the US’s coronavirus response
Jared Kushner Is Going to Get Us All Killed
“Even now, it’s hard to believe that someone with as little expertise as Kushner could be so arrogant, but he said something similar on Thursday, when he made his debut at the White House’s daily coronavirus briefing: ‘People who have requests for different products and supplies, a lot of them are doing it based on projections which are not the realistic projections.’ Kushner has succeeded at exactly three things in his life. He was born to the right parents, married well and learned how to influence his father-in-law. Most of his other endeavours - his biggest real estate deal, his foray into newspaper ownership, his attempt to broker a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians - have been failures. Undeterred, he has now arrogated to himself a major role in fighting the epochal health crisis that’s brought America to its knees. ‘Behind the scenes, Kushner takes charge of coronavirus response,’ said a Politico headline on Wednesday. This is dilettantism raised to the level of sociopathy.”


theweekuk--2020-04-03--Coronavirus: UK to launch ‘virtual parliament’

The UK government is to set up a virtual parliament to allow MPs to ask questions about Downing Street’s response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The decision follows what Sky News describes as an “unprecedented intervention” on Wednesday by House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, who argued that MPs should be able to quiz government departments and ministers from home until they return to Westminister.
Parliament was shut down a week early for the Easter break in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus, and questions remain over whether MPs will be allowed to return when the recess officially ends on 21 April.
In an open letter to Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, Hoyle argued that a previous trial of virtual select committee hearings had been successful, and said he had asked officials to investigate how they would apply similar technology for use in the chamber, The Guardian reports.
Hoyle wrote: “Once the house returns, if we are still in the grip of the crisis where the physical presence of members, or too many members, in the palace is not appropriate, I am keen that they should be able to participate in key parliamentary proceedings virtually, for example oral questions, urgent questions, statements.
“The House Service has already trialled some virtual select committee evidence sessions with witnesses, and I have asked officials to investigate how they would apply similar technology to the types of business listed above.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 speaker’s proposal was welcomed by opposition politicians including Labour MP Charlotte Nichols, who tweeted: “In a time of national crisis, MPs have more questions than we have answers and limited ways to raise these with ministers when parliament is in recess to advocate for our constituents as effectively as they deserve.”
Rees-Mogg subsequently confirmed that the technology would be in place by the time MPs are due to return later this month.
“Parliament’s role of scrutinising government, authorising spending and making laws must be fulfilled and in these unprecedented times that means considering every technological solution available,” the Commons leader said. “We are exploring options with the parliamentary authorities in readiness for parliament’s return.”
The move may pose significant technical challenges, however.
As the BBC notes, the Palace of Westminster - parts of which date back to the Middle Ages but which was rebuilt in the Victorian era - “was not created for technological innovations”.
By contrast, both the Welsh and Scottish assemblies were build in the 21st century and are more suitable for video links and potential remote voting.


theweekuk--2020-04-02--Quiz of The Week: 28 March - 3 April

Quiz of The Week: 28 March - 3 April


theweekuk--2020-04-04--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 4 Apr 2020

The wife of Jeremy Corbyn has hit out at his critics on his last day as leader of the party @ @ @ @ @ had been “ incredibly hard ” for her to watch her husband vilified by the @ @ @ @ @ watch him be attacked by his own party .
She added : “ The brutal @ @ @ @ @ had pulled together , we would have been ready to lead the country .
”

Jeremy Corbyn's wife speaks out on his final day as leader
The wife of Jeremy Corbyn has hit out at his critics on his last day as leader of the party. Laura Alvarez said it had been “incredibly hard” for her to watch her husband vilified by the media and harder still to watch him be attacked by his own party. She added: “The brutal irony is that if we had pulled together, we would have been ready to lead the country.”