theweekuk--2020-05-14--‘Weaponising Covid-19’: police warn of coughing and spitting attacks

Police have shared video footage showing people using the Covid-19 coronavirus as a “ weapon ” by coughing and spitting at officers and other front-line workers .
West Midlands force released the videos in a “ stark warning ” to offenders as three men were jailed for such attacks , the London Evening Standard reports .
Thomas Wilson , 19 , was sentenced to six months on Monday after threatening to spit in the face of a female police officer as she attempted to detain him for allegedly spitting at a lorry driver during a road rage row in Coventry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jailed for 42 weeks at Birmingham Crown Court after spitting at a shopkeeper who banned him from the store for shoplifting , and 54-year-old Anthony Evans was sentenced to 16 weeks after spitting in a police officer ’ s face in a separate incident in the city .
Reports of similar attacks have risen sharply during the pandemic , with a recent survey of shopworkers by the Usdaw union revealing that spitting and other forms of abuse by customers has doubled in recent months .
Meanwhile , police are examining CCTV footage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ticket office worker at London ’ s Victoria Station who later died of Covid-19 .
A witness to the attack on Belly Mujinga , 47 , told The Guardian that the suspect “ looked like a lawyer or something ” and that he had asked “ why we weren ’ t in the ticket office ” .
The witness added that the suspect then said , “ I have the virus ” , before spitting and coughing in Mujinga ’ s direction .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Amid growing calls for tougher laws to tackle the disturbing trend , the government is considering new penalties for assaults on emergency workers , The Telegraph reports .
Under current laws , “ coughs or spits directed at key workers - or threats to do so - can be considered crimes if they were meant to harm or cause fear , with criminals charged with common assault ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Wales , common assault can carry a prison sentence of up to six months , while anyone convicted of an attack against emergency workers going about their duties can be jailed for up to two years .
However , a source told The Telegraph that Home Secretary Priti Patel is now considering doubling the maximum sentence for assaults on emergency workers and issuing new sentencing guidelines .
A spokesperson for the Police Federation said : “ We have seen some vile and disgusting acts by a minority , weaponising Covid-19 by spitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therefore absolutely right and proper that the home secretary is clear that those who do so should feel the full weight of the law .
Those responsible for weaponising the virus are the lowest of the low .
”


theweekuk--2020-05-14--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 14 May 2020

The World Health Organization has warned that the Covid-19 coronavirus may never be wiped out entirely but instead become endemic @ @ @ @ @ Dr Mike Ryan said : “ It is important to put this on the table @ @ @ @ @ just another endemic virus in our communities , and this virus may never go away.
@ @ @ @ @ if a vaccine is found , controlling the new coronavirus will require a “ massive @ @ @

WHO says Covid-19 ‘may never go away’
The World Health Organization has warned that the Covid-19 coronavirus may never be wiped out entirely but instead become endemic like HIV. Emergencies director Dr Mike Ryan said: “It is important to put this on the table: this virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities, and this virus may never go away.” He added that even if a vaccine is found, controlling the new coronavirus will require a “massive effort”.


theweekuk--2020-05-13--New face masks feature hole for cocktail straw

A US artist has designed a face mask featuring a small slot for a straw so that the wearer can sip cocktails .
Ellen Macomber told the New York Post that she is not a health expert and that her masks should not be considered the best form of prevention against the Covid-19 coronavirus .
But “ anything is better than nothing ” , added Macomber , who is selling the masks online .
Ikea is reminding customers that masturbation is not permitted in its stores , after a video emerged online featuring a partially undressed woman entertaining herself while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unidentified branch in China .
“ We resolutely oppose and condemn this kind of behaviour , and immediately reported it to the police in the city of the suspected store , ” the multinational retailer said in a statement .
Doctors examining a Brazilian man with “ severe low back pain ” discovered he had three kidneys .
A CT scan showed that the 38-year-old had “ a normal-appearing left kidney and two fused kidneys in the pelvis ” .
Having a trio of the organs is “ relatively uncommon ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

A US artist has designed a face mask featuring a small slot for a straw so that the wearer can sip cocktails. Ellen Macomber told the New York Post that she is not a health expert and that her masks should not be considered the best form of prevention against the Covid-19 coronavirus. But “anything is better than nothing”, added Macomber, who is selling the masks online.
Ikea reminds customers not to masturbate in-store
Ikea is reminding customers that masturbation is not permitted in its stores, after a video emerged online featuring a partially undressed woman entertaining herself while sitting on various types of furniture in an unidentified branch in China. “We resolutely oppose and condemn this kind of behaviour, and immediately reported it to the police in the city of the suspected store,” the multinational retailer said in a statement.
Medics discover Brazilian man has three kidneys
Doctors examining a Brazilian man with “severe low back pain” discovered he had three kidneys. A CT scan showed that the 38-year-old had “a normal-appearing left kidney and two fused kidneys in the pelvis”. Having a trio of the organs is “relatively uncommon”, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
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theweekuk--2020-05-14--Reaction: WHO warns that Covid-19 ‘may never go away’

The World Health Organization has triggered a spate of speculation about the world ’ s future by warning that the new coronavirus may never be wiped out entirely .
Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday , the UN health agency ’ s emergencies director Dr Mike Ryan said that “ it is important to put this on the table : this virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities , and this virus may never go away ” .
And even if a vaccine is found , keeping the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus under control would require @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
The Daily Mail reports that if Covid-19 really is here to stay , governments will face “ a balancing act between economic sustainability and containing the contagion .
It can be distilled to this : how many coronavirus deaths are acceptable to get an economy moving ?
” Underlining that point , The Telegraph says : “ Governments around the world are struggling with the question of how to reopen their economies while still containing the virus , which has infected more 4.3 million people and led to more than 296,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ryan ’ s assessment as “ curmudgeonly ” , but concedes that “ most people in the world have not yet been exposed to Covid-19 , which means the world is still in a very vulnerable spot ” .
WalesOnline sums up the situation as “ truly depressing ” , adding : “ Unless there is a vaccine , it could be four or five years before enough people have had Covid-19 that it becomes just another endemic virus.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– As The Brussels Times notes , “ more than 100 [ vaccine ] projects are in the running around the world and about ten clinical trials are under way ” .
But the European Medicines Agency this week said that even in an “ optimistic ” scenario , a vaccine would not be available for at least 12 months , the news site reports .
Euronews puts a more positive spin on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously novel diseases such as HIV have never disappeared , “ effective treatments have been developed to allow people to live with the disease ” .

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theweekuk--2020-05-14--Instant Opinion: coronavirus lockdown ‘turning us into a nation of spies’

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The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Jenni Russell in The Times
on the nation’s new pastime: curtain twitching
Lockdown is turning us into a nation of spies
“It’s been a revelation to discover how ready Britons are to spy on, report and judge those around them in this pandemic. Almost 200,000 reports of lockdown breaches had been made to the police by the end of April, exhausting many forces’ capacity to respond. Several forces pleaded with the public to deal directly with transgressions themselves, if they could do so safely, involving police only for the most serious ones. It’s all the more curious because for the past couple of decades there’s been a public reluctance to be seen to judge others. People who have complained about any aspect of someone’s behaviour — loud music, aggression, scanty clothing, obese airline passengers taking up too much space — have generally found public ire turned on them instead. They’ve been accused of body shaming, slut shaming, interfering in something that’s nothing to do with them. Everyone must do as they please and only vile busybodies would even notice. But given license in lockdown to join in the observance of it, we Britons have exploded with indignation, retribution and dislike.”
2. Kim Fox, a consultant cardiologist, Stephen Westaby, a consultant cardiac surgeon and Karol Sikora, a consultant oncologist, in The Daily Telegraph
on the need to the NHS to resume normal service
The non-Covid death toll is rising. We cannot wait months for the NHS to return to normal
“It has been clear for some time that the health service’s efforts to cope with Covid-19 have had a profound impact on the health outcomes of patients suffering from other conditions. What we are witnessing is nothing less than a ‘parallel epidemic’ as thousands of people have been denied or chosen to avoid treatment for illnesses such as heart disease, stroke and cancer because of fears over Covid-19. In this context, the suggestion that hospitals may not return to normal for many months is an alarming one. The lockdown in the UK started on March 23 with ONS statistics showing a very obvious deterioration. In four weeks in April, there were approximately 40,000 extra deaths compared with what would normally be expected at this time of year; 30,000 of these were attributed to Covid-19 while 10,000 were not. There may be some discrepancies in these statistics, but the overall trend is clear: while Covid-19 related deaths have increased to an alarming degree, so too have deaths from non Covid-19 related causes. How can we have allowed this to happen?”
3. James Moore in The Independent
on putting the safety of children first
A rare, coronavirus-linked inflammatory disease is spreading among children. Reopening schools now would be ludicrous
“Some spectacularly stupid narratives have emerged from the pandemic that Britain is at the European epicentre of. The ones surrounding schools are a case in point. They make it very clear that it isn’t just on matters concerning Brexit that this country and its government excel themselves in all-round s**t-headery. The story goes something like this: Teachers, and especially teaching assistants who get paid 39p and a packet of fruit gums if they’re lucky, aren’t really people so we can send the kids back because they’re clear; they don’t get Covid-19. So let’s chuck ‘em in together, and let them do what kids do; get mucky, hug each other, spit at each other, and sometimes at their teachers and teaching assistants (who aren’t people, see above). They need to learn! And (more to the point) get out from under our feet. If that means their educators have to take one for the team, so be it. This is a war, dammit. Except, it seems that maybe children can get burned by the virus. Rarely, it should be said. Covid-19 is a much bigger issue for their grandparents (and we seem to have forgotten that they’re people too). But it has recently emerged that a number of kids are getting hit, and in a quite nasty way, from a rare inflammatory disease that can prove fatal.”
4. Simon Wren-Lewis in The Guardian
on economic scaremongering and the austerity that follows
The scare stories about government debt are back. Ignore them
“The lessons from what happened 10 years ago are simple and clear. There should be no discussion about the deficit until interest rates and inflation start rising substantially because of excess domestic demand. Only then will we know that the recovery is complete. As we do not know what kind of recovery from the pandemic we will have, talking about what is needed to balance the books is premature because we just do not know how much is required. Indeed such talk may in itself harm the recovery, because people spend less if they think tax rises are coming. Am I overreacting to just one leaked document? If political reports are correct, we have already seen Treasury pressure persuade Johnson to relax lockdown before he should have. As premature lockdown just delays the day people feel secure to start spending on social consumption again, Sunday’s announcement reflected short-term penny pinching with a much bigger long-term cost. Which sounds very similar to austerity to me. We must not let this happen again.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
5. Charlotte Charles in The Washington Post
on her fight for justice following the death of Harry Dunn
An American driver fled home after killing my son in Britain. I want her to return and face justice.
“The British police have done their job and charged her with causing death by dangerous driving. But the U.S. Embassy in Britain advised her to leave the country. The British government requested her extradition, but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected the request in January. The State Department called the extradition request itself ‘an egregious abuse.’ Is this the way to treat your closest ally? Anne’s husband may well be a U.S. intelligence officer, but that does not put her above the law of a friendly country. Although the maximum sentence for the crime she is charged with is 14 years, it is seldom imposed, and then only in cases of serious negligence resulting in death, such as speeding or texting while driving. If the court found that Harry’s death was an accident (which it surely was), and given that Anne has three children to look after, it would be possible for her to receive a noncustodial sentence if Harry’s father and I were prepared to forgive her and ask for mercy. Months ago, our lawyer told hers that we were prepared to do just that. So why didn’t Anne come back to Britain?”


theweekuk--2020-05-14--How coronavirus could break up the UK

How coronavirus could break up the UK


theweekuk--2020-05-14--‘A little flu’: how two Latin American giants sleepwalked into coronavirus carnage

Brazil and Mexico have both recorded their highest daily coronavirus death tolls to date, as the outbreak sweeps across Latin America.
In Brazil, where President Jair Bolsonaro has dismissed Covid-19 as “a little flu”, a tally of 881 deaths in 24 hours was reported on Tuesday night, says The Guardian.
The country has recorded a total of more than 190,000 confirmed cases, but experts believe the real number is far higher.
“Brazil is only testing people who end up in the hospital,” said Domingo Alves of the University of Sao Paulo Medical School. “It’s hard to know what’s really happening based on the available data. We don’t have a real policy to manage the outbreak.”
Mexico also reported a record total of Covid-19 fatalities on Tuesday, at 353, as anger grew in both countries over the authorities’ response to the pandemic.
Pandemic politics
President Bolsonaro has “shrugged off the pandemic’s increasing death toll” and has failed to introduce a national lockdown even though Brazil is the worst-hit country on the continent, says The Guardian.
The far-right politician “has repeatedly downplayed the threat of the coronavirus and criticised governors and mayors for adopting strict restrictions to curb its spread”, adds the BBC.
Alexandre Telles, president of Brazil’s Sinmed doctors union, has accused Bolsonaro of being “totally irresponsible” in his handling of the outbreak. “It is a posture that disrespects life and the Brazilian population,” Telles said. “I don’t see the curve of the disease reducing without us enforcing social distancing measures.”
The Mexican government has also been accused of failing to take the crisis seriously. The authorities have given the go-ahead for construction, mining and car manufacturing work to resume on 18 May, and for some schools and businesses to reopen.
The lifting of the lockdown comes amid claims that officials “have tallied more than three times as many fatalities in the capital than the government publicly acknowledges”, reports The New York Times, which adds: “Mexico appears to be vastly underreporting suspected deaths from coronavirus.”
“It’s like we doctors are living in two different worlds,” Dr Giovanna Avila, who works at Mexico City’s Hospital de Especialidades Belisario Dominguez, told the newspaper.


theweekuk--2020-05-14--Could heat-tolerant algae save coral reefs from climate change?

Scientists have developed heat-developed algae in a breakthrough that could help save endangered coral reeds .
The development has been revealed just months after Australia saw its third mass bleaching event in five years , amid record-high ocean temperatures at the Great Barrier Reef , as The Guardian reported at the time .
Coral bleaching occurs when rising sea temperatures cause corals to expel the colourful Symbiodiniaceae microalgae that live in their tissues and supply them with nutrients .
As the algae is expelled , the corals lose their colour and starve to death .
But scientists at Australia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( CSIRO ) have discovered that coral reefs could survive if the heat tolerance of their resident algae was raised , reports New Scientist .
Researchers from the national science agency and the University of Melbourne heated Symbiodiniaceae algae to 31°C in a laboratory for four years to train the organism to tolerate higher water temperatures .
Over time , the algae evolved genetic changes that mean it could have greater heat resistance .
The researchers then took coral larvae from the Great Barrier Reef and mixed it with either standard algae or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 31°C for one week .
The coral with the “ non-trained ” algae quickly bleached , but the coral with the heat-resistant algae remained healthy .
Madeleine van Oppen of Melbourne University told The Times : “ We found that the heat tolerant microalgae are better at photosynthesis and improve the heat response of the coral animal .
“ These exciting findings show that the microalgae and the coral are in direct communication with each other .
We ’ re putting all our efforts into this now in case we need it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the future.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Scientists have developed heat-developed algae in a breakthrough that could help save endangered coral reeds.
The development has been revealed just months after Australia saw its third mass bleaching event in five years, amid record-high ocean temperatures at the Great Barrier Reef, as The Guardian reported at the time.
Coral bleaching occurs when rising sea temperatures cause corals to expel the colourful Symbiodiniaceae microalgae that live in their tissues and supply them with nutrients. As the algae is expelled, the corals lose their colour and starve to death.
But scientists at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have discovered that coral reefs could survive if the heat tolerance of their resident algae was raised, reports New Scientist.
Researchers from the national science agency and the University of Melbourne heated Symbiodiniaceae algae to 31°C in a laboratory for four years to train the organism to tolerate higher water temperatures. Over time, the algae evolved genetic changes that mean it could have greater heat resistance.
The researchers then took coral larvae from the Great Barrier Reef and mixed it with either standard algae or the heat-resistant algae before heating both blends to 31°C for one week. The coral with the “non-trained” algae quickly bleached, but the coral with the heat-resistant algae remained healthy.
Madeleine van Oppen of Melbourne University told The Times: “We found that the heat tolerant microalgae are better at photosynthesis and improve the heat response of the coral animal.
“These exciting findings show that the microalgae and the coral are in direct communication with each other. We’re putting all our efforts into this now in case we need it to have it ready as an intervention in the future.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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--2020-05-13--Best whiskies for World Whisky Day

Best whiskies for World Whisky Day

In these dark and uncertain times , with the world on lockdown , a little of what George Bernard Shaw nicknamed “ liquid sunshine ” may be just what the doctor ordered .
And , with this Saturday marking World Whisky Day , what better excuse to crack open a bottle of your favourite scotch or bourbon ?
The Week Portfolio has rounded up some of our favourites for you to try in the comfort of your own home in celebration of usquebaugh or the “ water of life ” .
We aren ’ t judgemental here , so all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with ice , a dash of water or a mixer .
Where one of those is best , we have let you know .
A blend of whiskies from around the globe that , according to its producer , “ celebrates a truly global flavour and the way the world really drinks whisky ” .
World Whisky Blend combines samples from 14 different countries - including Scotland and the US - to produce a light , fresh drink with a spicy palette and hints of brown sugar .
This whisky is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ straight or with a single ice cube , in part due to its light flavour .
However , 50ml mixed with around 150ml of either soda or tonic water also makes for a mean highball that would please even more seasoned drinkers .
Slightly darker than the World Whisky Blend , the Teeling is aged initially in bourbon casks for up to six years , before spending a further six months in Central American rum barrels .
The aging process gives it a dried fruit character , which when combined with a caramel-like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Another that we best enjoyed straight , the Teeling ’ s creamy vanilla palette combines nicely with ginger ale for those looking for a suitable mixer .
Starward has quickly established itself as one of Australia 's leading whisky distillers , aided by a series of exceptional limited edition releases , which have ranked highly in international competitions .
Their Wine Cask whisky , which was finished in Australian red wine casks , was awarded best Australian single malt at the 2017 World Whiskies Awards , while Solera - a twice-distilled single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year in the same competition .
This year 's limited edition is the Starward Tawny , so named because it is fully matured in Tawny fortified wine barrels .
The flavour , as you would expect , has taken on plenty of fruit from the Port casks , including dried apricots and figs , as well as spice and nuts .
The result : a spectacular dram , perfect for after-dinner sipping .
A single malt from the heart of the American whisky trail , Balcones is a real treat .
Warm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whisky than the World Whisky Blend , the Staward , or the Teeling , more suited to a regular whisky drinker or perhaps a newcomer that is a fan of tannin-heavy red wines .
Undertones of honey and vanilla make for a smooth experience , which we would wholeheartedly recommend trying straight or wish a tiny dash of water rather than opting for a more elaborate mixer .
Over at The Week Portfolio , we are a pretty well-travelled bunch .
The job requires frequent trips ( in normal circumstances ) and if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is that you can get this whisky anywhere in the world .
Whether you are in Cambodia to Kansas , Botswana or Berlin , Johnny Walker Black is always behind the bar .
It ’ s not the flashiest or best whisky in the world , but like an old friend , it never fails to pick you up .
It ’ s affordable , a damn smooth blend and with a 12-year statement is a huge step up from other whiskies in the same price bracket .
From the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Boutique-y Whisky Company ’ s 10-year-old Säntis is the first batch of Swiss single malt from the Säntis distillery in Appenzell .
The distillery sits on top of a Swiss ski slope and has produced a fine whisky artfully combining a nose of toasted brown sugar and sticky treacle with an earthy , but sweet , palette .
We tried this one straight and had no complaints , but found it came to life when combined with a little maple syrup and some bitters for a perfect Smoked and Salted .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is at the pricier end of our recommendations , but this delightful Swisskey is well worth the price tag .
It also features the best label we have seen for a while , on which Santis distillery owner , Karl Locher , appears dressed as Bond villain Blofeld and screaming : “ Let your hangovers be particularly unpleasant and humiliating !
” With your help Locher , we will do our best .
Yes , Jack Daniels is an obvious choice .
And yes , JD and coke is disgusting and only drunk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your prejudice aside for a moment , because JD ’ s signature single barrel offering is not the drink of horrible early-20s hangovers .
With a sweet , simple flavour profile , the whisky is built on the bones of the standard Jack Daniel ’ s Old No .
7 offering .
But the Single Barrel Select boasts a more refined flavour , with a more rounded and balanced palette , combining toasted oak and banana chip flavours .
This one we tried both with straight , with a dash of water and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a “ Gentleman and Ginger ” .
All worked well , though if you are following the JD recipe , increasing the measure of whisky ever so slightly is recommended .
A personal favourite , as well as something pretty special that won ’ t break the bank , this sought-after single malt is famed for its heavy , smoky and peaty palette .
Typically for an Islay whisky , this Lagavulin has a richness and a dryness that may be a little too much for some , but is a treat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing .
Pairing perfectly with a salty blue cheese , this mouthful of malt and Sherry provides truckfuls of fruity sweetness .
Striking too is its incredible aroma , “ it smells like gasoline ” was one friend ’ s review , that fills the nose just as the flavours dominate the palette .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit special .
The year this Glenrothes single malt was distilled , the Beatles broke up , the Boeing 747 made its first commercial flight to London and Apollo 13 launched on its ill-fated journey into space .
That year is 1970 , the release of this whisky completing a trilogy of Glenrothes Single Malts .
The first , from 1968 , was released in 2018 , and the second from 1969 in 2019 .
Silky smooth and seriously spicy , this whisky is not one for beginners , but is a real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procure a bottle .
With a thick vanilla finish and smoky palette , the Glenrothes is real whisky royalty .
We can only imagine it would go well with a mixer , but couldn ’ t bring ourselves to dilute this one .
No ice or water was involved in the tasting of this show-stopping tipple .

For more than 240 years whisky has been produced by the Bowmore Distillery on the Isle of Islay in Scotland. Although this legendary distillery has a couple of centuries’ experience in producing outstanding drams, it’s certainly not resting on its laurels. Partnerships have been a key strategy in taking Bowmore to new markets, and such collaborations include the Black Bowmore DB5 1964 whisky with Aston Martin and an al-fresco pop-up restaurant, Solas, at The Savoy hotel in London.
Bowmore’s newest limited-edition whisky is “The Changeling”, a duo of single malts (22-years-old and 33-years-old) which have been created by master blender Ron Welsh in collaboration with acclaimed graphic artist Frank Quitely, who has illustrated for Marvel and DC Comics. Through Quitely’s “inspiring creative lens”, the whisky tells the story of the “most thrilling and captivating myths and legends” from Bowmore’s Islay home.
Quitely’s striking illustrations and the inspiration behind the collaboration certainly tell a unique story. But what about the whisky itself? We tested The Changeling 22-years-old which was nurtured in American Oak hogsheads for 20 years and matured in white port casks for a further two. The result is an intense whisky which has an incredible nose, with floral and sweet flavours followed by peat smoke and spice. A warming – but not too overpowering – finish adds to the richness.
With this new spectacular collaboration, the magical character of Islay has come alive once again – and Bowmore has a new chapter in its long storied history. It may just become the stuff of legend...
The Changeling is available exclusively in select global travel retail outlets at an RRP of $440 for the 22-years-old and $3,300 for the 33-years-old.


theweekuk--2020-05-15--Instant Opinion: the time to ‘relax London’s lockdown’ is now

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 right route out of Britain ’ s lockdown It ’ s time to relax London ’ s lockdown and trust the capital to return to work “ Locking down London made sense when it seemed like the city was going to be the next Lombardy and a 5,000-bed makeshift hospital was being built to accommodate thousands ( who , as it turned out , never arrived ) .
But it makes less sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus is well under control .
If the virus stays below 50 cases a day , as the Cambridge model predicts , it is surely safe - at very least - for Londoners to visit their parents or neighbours .
Relaxing the rules does carry a risk of resurgence , but then there ’ s also the harm caused by lockdown .
The children denied schooling .
The women caught in the trap of domestic abuse .
The hundreds dying of avoidable causes at a time when hospitals lie half-empty .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Londoners have had Covid and will be - as far as the science can establish - unlikely to get it again .
The conventional wisdom is that 60 per cent is needed for collective , or “ herd ” immunity - a point where the virus dies because it runs out of susceptible people to infect ...
It ’ s time to try it in London .
Let companies offer ( but not demand ) that people can start to come back to the office .
Let schools come back , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open , but ask them to observe social distancing.
” on the end of Boris Johnson ’ s career-long honeymoon period How long until Johnson 's vote-winning optimism collides with reality ?
“ In today ’ s Britain , it ’ s much harder to promise , as Johnson did yet again this week , that under him the country “ can be stronger and better than ever before ” .
Divided by Brexit and devolution , struggling economically even before the lockdown , the UK is an increasingly risky place for politicians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a danger of them sounding deluded and absurd .
Johnson ’ s cheery nationalism may backfire in ways that [ Ronald ] Reagan ’ s never did .
We ’ re not there yet .
But during crises voters can turn on governments suddenly .
It ’ s usually forgotten that for the first two months of the 1978-9 winter of discontent , Britain ’ s last experience of protracted national disruption , Jim Callaghan ’ s Labour government continued to lead the Conservatives in some polls .
But as the crisis dragged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s control , the government ’ s ratings collapsed and never fully recovered .
If that happens to Johnson , the disconnect between his popularity and his political abilities will stop being a mystery that columns like this try to solve .
His long hold over voters and the media , ever since he won the mayoralty in usually Labour-supporting London 12 years ago , will be seen as a bit of a con – like an enticing but dodgy company that eventually went bust.
” on the PM ’ s new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new battle of the bulge “ The idea of the prime minister leading Britain in a battle against the bulge is surprising , to say the least .
One of the constants of his political career has been his objection to ‘ nanny state ’ interventions .
He overshadowed David Cameron ’ s first conference as Tory leader by supporting mothers who were pushing pies through school railings in protest at attempts to make their children eat healthy school dinners .
He complained about booster seats , saying that as children he and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like peas in a rattle ’ and it did them no harm .
As recently as last year ’ s Tory leadership contest , he was attacking the so-called sugar tax for being ineffective and hitting the poor hardest .
Johnson ’ s change of heart has been driven by the now undeniable link between coronavirus and obesity .
He is convinced that the reason he ended up in intensive care was because of his weight .
The prime minister has been heard to remark , ‘ It ’ s all right for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease .
I am told he has lost at least a stone since leaving hospital .
But in the prime minister ’ s case the personal is political.
” on the migrants fighting for their lives in modern Britain When the world crumbles , migrant lives are shattered – after being threatened with deportation , I know “ Given the UK ’ s current hostile environment policies , undocumented migrants , asylum seekers , and refugees do not have the right to access healthcare .
Currently , there is no firewall between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This means migrants without a visa are at risk of not receiving medical treatment , being charged for medical procedures and/or being deported .
Recent data has shown that black , indigenous and people of colour ( BIPOC ) are disproportionately affected by Covid-19 .
It is fair to speculate that the actual numbers could be higher when we consider the fact that many migrants without a visa will not seek medical help out of fear of being detained and/or being deported .
We have already seen the devastating consequences of hostile environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being denied to black UK citizens who belonged to the Windrush generation .
Over 100 organisations and 60 MPs have called on the government to end NHS charging and to stop sharing data with the Home Office and provide free and safe access to healthcare for everyone .
Countries like Ireland and Portugal have already made these reassurances .
Yet the UK government is refusing to listen to these pleas .
On the contrary , more powers have been given to a government that will continue to put BIPOC lives at risk.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important stories from around the world - and a concise , refreshing and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 5 .
Paul Krugman in The New York Times on ‘ virus trutherism ’ in the US “ Clearly , the Trump administration and its allies have already decided that we ’ re going to reopen the economy , never mind what the experts say .
And if the experts are right and this leads to a new surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be to reconsider the policy , it will be to deny the facts .
Indeed , virus trutherism - insisting that Covid-19 deaths are greatly exaggerated and may reflect a vast medical conspiracy - is already widespread on the right .
We can expect to see much more of it in the months ahead .
At one level , this turn of events shouldn ’ t surprise us .
The U.S. right long ago rejected evidence-based policy in favor of policy-based evidence — denying facts that might get in the way of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed since Stephen Colbert famously quipped that ‘ reality has a well-known liberal bias .
’ ”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Fraser Nelson in The Daily Telegraph
on the right route out of Britain’s lockdown
It’s time to relax London’s lockdown and trust the capital to return to work
“Locking down London made sense when it seemed like the city was going to be the next Lombardy and a 5,000-bed makeshift hospital was being built to accommodate thousands (who, as it turned out, never arrived). But it makes less sense if, as it now seems, the virus is well under control. If the virus stays below 50 cases a day, as the Cambridge model predicts, it is surely safe - at very least - for Londoners to visit their parents or neighbours. Relaxing the rules does carry a risk of resurgence, but then there’s also the harm caused by lockdown. The children denied schooling. The women caught in the trap of domestic abuse. The hundreds dying of avoidable causes at a time when hospitals lie half-empty. By some estimates, about 20 per cent of Londoners have had Covid and will be - as far as the science can establish - unlikely to get it again. The conventional wisdom is that 60 per cent is needed for collective, or “herd” immunity - a point where the virus dies because it runs out of susceptible people to infect... It’s time to try it in London. Let companies offer (but not demand) that people can start to come back to the office. Let schools come back, at least for the under-16s. Let restaurants open, but ask them to observe social distancing.”
2. Andy Beckett in The Guardian
on the end of Boris Johnson’s career-long honeymoon period
How long until Johnson's vote-winning optimism collides with reality?
“In today’s Britain, it’s much harder to promise, as Johnson did yet again this week, that under him the country “can be stronger and better than ever before”. Divided by Brexit and devolution, struggling economically even before the lockdown, the UK is an increasingly risky place for politicians to be bullish about. There is a danger of them sounding deluded and absurd. Johnson’s cheery nationalism may backfire in ways that [Ronald] Reagan’s never did. We’re not there yet. But during crises voters can turn on governments suddenly. It’s usually forgotten that for the first two months of the 1978-9 winter of discontent, Britain’s last experience of protracted national disruption, Jim Callaghan’s Labour government continued to lead the Conservatives in some polls. But as the crisis dragged on, and seemed increasingly beyond Callaghan’s control, the government’s ratings collapsed and never fully recovered. If that happens to Johnson, the disconnect between his popularity and his political abilities will stop being a mystery that columns like this try to solve. His long hold over voters and the media, ever since he won the mayoralty in usually Labour-supporting London 12 years ago, will be seen as a bit of a con – like an enticing but dodgy company that eventually went bust.”
3. James Forsyth in The Times
on the PM’s new public health project
Boris Johnson launches a new battle of the bulge
“The idea of the prime minister leading Britain in a battle against the bulge is surprising, to say the least. One of the constants of his political career has been his objection to ‘nanny state’ interventions. He overshadowed David Cameron’s first conference as Tory leader by supporting mothers who were pushing pies through school railings in protest at attempts to make their children eat healthy school dinners. He complained about booster seats, saying that as children he and his siblings bounced around the car ‘like peas in a rattle’ and it did them no harm. As recently as last year’s Tory leadership contest, he was attacking the so-called sugar tax for being ineffective and hitting the poor hardest. Johnson’s change of heart has been driven by the now undeniable link between coronavirus and obesity. He is convinced that the reason he ended up in intensive care was because of his weight. The prime minister has been heard to remark, ‘It’s all right for you thinnies,’ when discussing the disease. I am told he has lost at least a stone since leaving hospital. But in the prime minister’s case the personal is political.”
4. Furaha Asani in The Independent
on the migrants fighting for their lives in modern Britain
When the world crumbles, migrant lives are shattered – after being threatened with deportation, I know
“Given the UK’s current hostile environment policies, undocumented migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees do not have the right to access healthcare. Currently, there is no firewall between the NHS database and the Home Office. This means migrants without a visa are at risk of not receiving medical treatment, being charged for medical procedures and/or being deported. Recent data has shown that black, indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) are disproportionately affected by Covid-19. It is fair to speculate that the actual numbers could be higher when we consider the fact that many migrants without a visa will not seek medical help out of fear of being detained and/or being deported. We have already seen the devastating consequences of hostile environment policies in BIPOC communities with medical treatment being denied to black UK citizens who belonged to the Windrush generation. Over 100 organisations and 60 MPs have called on the government to end NHS charging and to stop sharing data with the Home Office and provide free and safe access to healthcare for everyone. Countries like Ireland and Portugal have already made these reassurances. Yet the UK government is refusing to listen to these pleas. On the contrary, more powers have been given to a government that will continue to put BIPOC lives at risk.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
5. Paul Krugman in The New York Times
on ‘virus trutherism’ in the US
Covid-19 Reality Has a Liberal Bias
“Clearly, the Trump administration and its allies have already decided that we’re going to reopen the economy, never mind what the experts say. And if the experts are right and this leads to a new surge in deaths, the response won’t be to reconsider the policy, it will be to deny the facts. Indeed, virus trutherism - insisting that Covid-19 deaths are greatly exaggerated and may reflect a vast medical conspiracy - is already widespread on the right. We can expect to see much more of it in the months ahead. At one level, this turn of events shouldn’t surprise us. The U.S. right long ago rejected evidence-based policy in favor of policy-based evidence — denying facts that might get in the way of a predetermined agenda. Fourteen years have passed since Stephen Colbert famously quipped that ‘reality has a well-known liberal bias.’”


theweekuk--2020-05-15--Coronavirus alarm bells ring in Africa

Coronavirus alarm bells ring in Africa

A quarter of a billion people across the African continent are likely to be infected with the Covid-19 coronavirus over the next year, a new World Health Organization report warns.
And health experts predict that while low rates of obesity and a youthful population will result in “a lower rate of transmission and viral spread” than in Europe, Africa’s death toll may reach up to 190,000.
After escaping the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, several African countries are now recording a steady increase in Covid-19 infection rates.
Although Tanzania has not reported figures for infections or deaths since 29 April, alarming reports are emerging from the country’s biggest city.
The “risk of contracting Covid-19 in Dar es Salaam is extremely high”, with evidence of “exponential growth of the epidemic” in the city and beyond, the US embassy in Tanzania said in a statement posted on Twitter earlier this week.
“Many hospitals in Dar es Salaam have been overwhelmed,” the embassy added.
Tanzania’s president has accused journalists of exaggerating the threat, but “videos of night burials have emerged on social media and triggered panic”, The Times reports. “Senior members of the cabinet are also suspected to have died after contracting the virus.”
In South Africa, the picture is very different. “A combination of mass screening, targeted testing and a draconian lockdown” have kept infections in check, says Nigeria’s Business Day newspaper.
In fact, South Africa’s tally of Covid-19 deaths so far has been “more than compensated for” by steep drops in homicides and road traffic fatalities, adds Australia’s News.com.au.
The Covid-19 death toll now stands at 238, in a country with roughly the same population as Italy and the UK - but daily deaths are creeping up and lockdown fatigue is growing. “A wave of infections at some point this year is almost inevitable,” says The Guardian. “All the state can do is delay it.”
Elsewhere on the continent, the outlook is mixed.
Botswana and Namibia have reported just one death between them. But in Nigeria, where the official death toll is 167, “scores of mysterious deaths” in the north of the country “have sparked speculation that coronavirus may be moving untracked through Africa’s most populous nation”, the Financial Times reports.
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theweekuk--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: is it fair to compare countries’ death tolls?

Boris Johnson has defended Downing Street ’ s decision to ditch its daily death tallies for different countries at coronavirus briefings , arguing that comparing the figures while the crisis is still unfolding is “ premature ” .
The prime minister hit back after Labour leader Keir Starmer criticised the “ baffling ” U-turn , pointing out that the data has been used by Johnson “ for seven weeks to reassure the public ” .
Brandishing a copy of the government ’ s international comparisons chart at Prime Minister ’ s Questions on Wednesday , Starmer replied : “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer is it ’ s pretty obvious for seven weeks when we weren ’ t the highest number in Europe they were used for comparison purposes , as soon as we hit that unenviable place they ’ ve been dropped.
” There are significant differences in how death figures are reported by different countries .
Some of the tallies only include deaths in hospitals , whereas other countries - such as the UK - now include deaths in care homes and the wider community .
In the US , the Centers for Disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states to begin recording untested but likely coronavirus deaths in their counts in mid-April - a decision that was criticised by some experts , as USA Today reported at the time .
Business Insider says that the Trump administration is pressuring the CDC to change its counting method , as the confirmed US death toll soars to almost 87,000 , according to latest figures - by far the highest total in the world .
By contrast , Italy only counts the deaths of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 .
The same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who die at home or in care homes are usually not tested , according to The Telegraph .
Fernando Simon , Spain ’ s national coronavirus emergency response chief , acknowledged last month that the “ real number of deaths is hard to know ” , amid warnings that the true total could be many thousands higher than official data suggests .
Neighbouring France has factored nursing home deaths into its reported coronavirus deaths , but not fatalities in the wider community - although the government plans to add this latter category to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports .
Meanwhile , China is facing growing criticism over “ an apparent cover-up ” of its death numbers , says the Daily Mail .
Downing Street removed China from its international comparison charts in late April amid widespread scepticism over the data provided by Beijing .
Addressing reporters at Downing Street last week , Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said : “ There are different ways of counting deaths , as we know .
We ’ ve had that debate in this country .
We now publish data that includes all deaths in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do that.
” An analysis by the Financial Times suggests that the global Covid-19 death toll may be almost 60 % higher than reported in official counts .
The year-on-year comparison of death figures for March and April found a “ 50 % rise in overall mortality relative to the historical average for the locations studied… In all the countries analysed except Denmark , excess deaths far outnumbered the official coronavirus death tolls.
” So should death tolls be compared ?
“ I ’ m not sure that the international comparisons work unless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measuring in the same way , ” Raab insisted last week .
However , David Spiegelhalter , a professor of the public understanding of risk at Cambridge University , suggests that it may be useful to compare overall death rates of countries - not just coronavirus deaths .
“ The only unbiased comparison you can make between different countries is by looking at all-cause mortality , ” he told the FT. “ There are so many questions about the rise we ’ ve seen in death that have not got Covid on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inevitably linked in some way to this epidemic.
” The newspaper analysis of deaths tallies for the past two months found that in Italy ’ s Lombardy region , the original epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in Europe , more than 13,000 excess fatalities were recorded in the official statistics for the nearly 1,700 municipalities for which data is available .
This is a 155 % rise on the historical average and far higher than the 4,348 coronavirus deaths reported in the region .
As well as varying methods for recording deaths , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates is differences in how countries have responded to the pandemic .
Professor Martin McKee from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine told Euronews that the main reason why the UK death toll is so high is that the government was too slow in implementing a lockdown .
“ It ’ s actually quite simple , ” Professor McKee said .
“ If we look at the countries that responded quickly and got in at the very beginning , they 're the ones that have managed to contain the epidemic.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries are fighting the same version of the new coronavirus .
Scientists have discovered that the virus has already mutated several times as it has spread across the world , and different variants have taken root in different places .
“ Researchers in Germany identified three main genetic groups of the virus in April , which they named A , B and C , ” says The Guardian ’ s science editor Ian Sample .
“ Groups A and C are mostly found in Europeans and Americans , while group B is most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind a study conducted at the New Mexico-based Los Alamos National Laboratory have suggested that a more virulent form of the virus , known as Spike D614G , “ began spreading in Europe in early February ” , reaching the US soon after .


theweekuk--2020-05-15--Boris Johnson and Theresa May under fire for ‘failing to protect’ civil servants in Brexit wars

Theresa May and Boris Johnson let civil servants “ hang out to dry ” after the service was bombarded with criticism over Brexit , an investigation has found .
Whitehall sources including officials , ministers and special advisers spoke anonymously to the Institute for Government ( IfG ) in a bid to “ shine a light on the behind-the-scenes experience of some of those involved in one of the most controversial chapters in British political history ” , says The Guardian .
The independent think-tank ’ s findings reveal “ the difficult decision-making and sheer exhaustion suffered by officials ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadline on 29 March 2019 , adds the newspaper , which reports that Whitehall sources “ heavily criticised May ’ s relationship with the civil service ” .
May is alleged to have “ allowed her chief Europe adviser Sir Olly Robbins ‘ to become a target for political attacks ’ over her Brexit policy ” , says ITV News .
“ The prime minister was notably silent , ” says the IfG in a newly published report .
“ She offered no support to her key adviser , who was taking personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her policy decisions.
” The Guardian says that according to Whitehall insiders , Johnson also used “ the weapon of silence ” when civil servants came under attack .
The think-tank ’ s report notes that the PM “ placed officials in an immensely difficult position by implying that he would break the law to take the UK out of the EU without a deal on 31 October 2019 ” .
“ Excessive secrecy on Brexit ” was another complaint .
The IfG describes civil servants “ huddling round ” a single printout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ anxiety about leaks ” .
The report also tells of staff “ having to go to dark rooms to access documents on secure computers , and how a generous offer of ‘ firebreak ’ holiday after the second no-deal deadline on 12 April 2019 led to droves quitting their jobs ” rather than face further “ Brexit bedlam ” , The Guardian adds .
IfG researcher Maddy Thimont Jack said : “ Brexit demonstrated the very best of the civil service… But the task is still not complete and the tensions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministers and officials - have not necessarily gone away.
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Theresa May and Boris Johnson let civil servants “hang out to dry” after the service was bombarded with criticism over Brexit, an investigation has found.
Whitehall sources including officials, ministers and special advisers spoke anonymously to the Institute for Government (IfG) in a bid to “shine a light on the behind-the-scenes experience of some of those involved in one of the most controversial chapters in British political history”, says The Guardian.
The independent think-tank’s findings reveal “the difficult decision-making and sheer exhaustion suffered by officials” in the run-up to the first Brexit deadline on 29 March 2019, adds the newspaper, which reports that Whitehall sources “heavily criticised May’s relationship with the civil service”.
May is alleged to have “allowed her chief Europe adviser Sir Olly Robbins ‘to become a target for political attacks’ over her Brexit policy”, says ITV News.
“The prime minister was notably silent,” says the IfG in a newly published report. “She offered no support to her key adviser, who was taking personal and professional attacks as a result of her policy decisions.”
The Guardian says that according to Whitehall insiders, Johnson also used “the weapon of silence” when civil servants came under attack. The think-tank’s report notes that the PM “placed officials in an immensely difficult position by implying that he would break the law to take the UK out of the EU without a deal on 31 October 2019”.
“Excessive secrecy on Brexit” was another complaint. The IfG describes civil servants “huddling round” a single printout of a complicated no-deal tariff schedule because of “anxiety about leaks”.
The report also tells of staff “having to go to dark rooms to access documents on secure computers, and how a generous offer of ‘firebreak’ holiday after the second no-deal deadline on 12 April 2019 led to droves quitting their jobs” rather than face further “Brexit bedlam”, The Guardian adds.
IfG researcher Maddy Thimont Jack said: “Brexit demonstrated the very best of the civil service… But the task is still not complete and the tensions that Brexit exposed - particularly, between ministers and officials - have not necessarily gone away.”
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theweekuk--2020-05-15--The Week Unwrapped: CGI influencers, razor wire and Pinochet

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days .
In this week ’ s episode , we discuss : This week a major US talent agency signed its first ever `` virtual client '' , a CGI character named Lil Miquela .
Named as one of Time 's 25 most influential people , Miquela has more than 2 million followers on instragram .
But is she , as her creators argue , less fake than many of her real-life social media peers ?
The bank holiday weekend saw record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Channel .
But with Spain currently dismantling the razor wire fence along the border with Morocco , the migrants arrive at a time when “ fortress Europe ” is rethinking its walls .
Sebastian Pinera , Chile ’ s rightwing president , has appointed a new minister for women ’ s rights and gender equality – Macarena Santelices , the great-niece of Augusto Pinochet .
Under Pinochet 's dictatorship , hundreds of women were raped and sexually tortured .
The appointment has sparked outrage from many Chilean women , but Santelices has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions .
Does this mark a turning point for a country whose past still casts a lingering shadow over its future ?
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player , Apple podcasts , SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts .

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days.
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
CGI influencers
This week a major US talent agency signed its first ever "virtual client", a CGI character named Lil Miquela. Named as one of Time's 25 most influential people, Miquela has more than 2 million followers on instragram. But is she, as her creators argue, less fake than many of her real-life social media peers?
Razor wire
The bank holiday weekend saw record irregular migrants arrive in the UK via the Channel. But with Spain currently dismantling the razor wire fence along the border with Morocco, the migrants arrive at a time when “fortress Europe” is rethinking its walls.
Pinochet
Sebastian Pinera, Chile’s rightwing president, has appointed a new minister for women’s rights and gender equality – Macarena Santelices, the great-niece of Augusto Pinochet. Under Pinochet's dictatorship, hundreds of women were raped and sexually tortured. The appointment has sparked outrage from many Chilean women, but Santelices has insisted she must be judged on her actions. Does this mark a turning point for a country whose past still casts a lingering shadow over its future?
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player, Apple podcasts, SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts.


theweekuk--2020-05-15--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 15 May 2020

Teachers can legally refuse to return when schools reopen due to health risks , one of the UK ’ s @ @ @ @ @ .
The NASUWT is threatening legal action to defend teachers against being forced back into @ @ @ @ @ Stringent guidance has been issued for the NHS , for care homes and for employers @ @ @ @ @ is unacceptable that this has not been the case for schools , ” it says @

Union says teachers can legally refuse to return to school
Teachers can legally refuse to return when schools reopen due to health risks, one of the UK’s leading teaching unions has declared. The NASUWT is threatening legal action to defend teachers against being forced back into schools in June. “Stringent guidance has been issued for the NHS, for care homes and for employers across the UK. It is unacceptable that this has not been the case for schools,” it says.


theweekuk--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: why are men less likely to wear face masks?

A new study has found that men in the US are less likely to wear face masks. “Men more than women agree that wearing a face covering is shameful, not cool, a sign of weakness and a stigma; and these gender differences also mediate gender differences intentions to wear a face covering,” said a researcher.
Zoom sued after church meeting hacked with porn
A US church is suing Zoom after a hacker bombarded an online bible study with porn. During the class, arranged by the Saint Paulus Lutheran Church, in San Francisco, the computer screens of the mostly elderly attendes were “hijacked” and “control buttons disabled” while pornographic video was streamed, according to a federal lawsuit.
US military pilot had 2014 encounter with suitcase-sized UFO
The US military has released more details about its pilots' encounters with UFOs. Newly released “hazard reports” offer more information about a 2014 encounter between a US pilot and an “unknown aircraft” which was “approximately the size of a suitcase, and silver in colour”. During the encounter, a navy jet “passed within 1,000 feet” of the object but the pilot could not work out the identity of the aircraft. Some people have suggested the aircraft could have been something “extra-terrestrial”.
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theweekuk--2020-05-14--Quiz of The Week: 9 - 15 May

Quiz of The Week: 9 - 15 May

This week began with confusion after Boris Johnson announced a “ relaxation ” of the UK ’ s lockdown rules that left most people scratching their heads .
But hopes were raised that the restrictions might be eased more quickly amid reports that an unnamed English city has been selected for a mass coronavirus testing experiment .
The housing market is already back in business after estate agents got the go-ahead to reopen from Wednesday , but experts are warning that property prices are likely to be volatile as the pandemic takes its economic toll .
Those financial fears were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has warned that the UK is likely to face a “ significant recession ” as a result of to the disruption caused by Covid-19 .
To find out how closely you ’ ve been paying attention to the latest developments in the pandemic , and other global events , put your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week : Need a reminder of some of the other headlines over the past seven days ?
Just as night follows day , Donald Trump this week took exception to journalists ’ questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a press briefing organised to celebrate his handling of the coronavirus on the same day that the coronavirus death toll in the US passed 80,000 .
However , the president is nothing but resourceful when it comes to changing the subject , a tactic he almost pulled off by floating his mysterious “ Obamagate ” theory .
In other world news , at least 19 Iranian sailors were killed when a new anti-ship missile being tested in the Gulf of Oman hit a support vessel - an error that has raised questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s armed forces amid fluctuating tensions with the US .
Over in Latin America , Brazilian and Mexican leaders continued to downplay the coronavirus crisis , even as both countries ’ death tolls hit record highs .
Meanwhile , the World Health Organization warned that coronavirus “ may never go away ” - a prediction that means customers at a newly launched drive-through strip club in Oregon may be confined to their cars for the foreseeable future .
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theweekuk--2020-05-14--52 ideas that changed the world - 47. Relativity

In this series , The Week looks at the ideas and innovations that permanently changed the way we see the world .
This week , the spotlight is on relativity : The theory of relativity describes two connected scientific theories developed by the physicist Albert Einstein : special relativity and general relativity .
Collectively , relativity is the idea the laws of physics are the same for everyone , everywhere .
Special relativity is the rule that the speed of light is constant for everyone , in contrast to the speed of most other things in the universe , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving .
Light will always travel at an unvarying speed of 186,000 miles a second , “ no matter how fast an observer is moving or how fast a light-emitting object is moving ” , explains science writer Dan Falk in article for NBC News .
After developing this theory , Einstein factored acceleration into his ideas , and came up with the theory of general relativity .
This theory determines that massive objects cause a distortion in space and time , which is felt as gravity .
The bigger an object , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Or as Falk puts in , “ just as gravity can stretch or warp space , it can also dilate time ” .
How did it develop ?
Before Einstein ’ s theory of relativity , scientists generally viewed the universe according to Isaac Newton ’ s three laws of motion , which date back to the 1680s .
These laws can be summarised as : the universe keeps absolute time ; object move through absolute space ; and the universe looks the same to all observers regardless of how they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might see events unfolding differently from different ( sometimes moving ) angles , “ the fundamental description of the unfolding events would remain the same , and the laws of physics derived by these individuals would have literally the same form ” , says Krzysztof Bolejko , a cosmologist at the University of Sydney , in an article on The Conversation .
However , by the 19th century , scientists ’ extensive research into electricity , magnetism and light led many to conclude that not everything in the universe played by Newton ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maxwell ’ s publication of equations relating to these three phenomena , under the banner “ electromagnetism ” , convinced many that the observer ’ s status - moving or not - was more important than previously thought .
This shift in understanding led to the Lorentz transformations , a set of equations developed in the early 20th century that “ formally express the relativity concepts that space and time are not absolute ; that length , time , and mass depend on the relative motion of the observer ; and that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constant and independent of the motion of the observer or the source ” , says Encyclopaedia Brittanica .
These equations got Einstein thinking about whether it was time and space that were absolute or the invariance of the laws of physics .
He decided that it was the laws of physics that could not change , settling on the idea that all laws of physics should have the same form in all frames of reference - his theory of special relativity .
But Einstein realised that his ideas - combined with existing theories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just time and space that were relegated to secondary ( and variable ) things , but also geometry .
“ Einstein realised that space is like a stretchy sheet of fabric that warps when objects are on it , ” says Science World .
And he reached a “ striking conclusion : what we perceive as gravity is just a consequence of the motion through the space-time .
The larger the curvature of the space-time the stronger gravity is ” , says Bolejko on The Conversation .
Einstein ’ s equations setting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were published in 1915 , and are the foundation of the theory of general relativity .
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Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– How did it change the world ?
The theory of relativity is one of the most important discoveries of the 20th century , and “ the implications of Einstein ’ s most famous theory are profound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ this theory is still considered to be the most important idea in modern physics ” , adds the BBC .
Relativity drove scientific understanding “ inexorably towards a picture of the universe that persists to this day ” , says Bolejko .
And the theory also has many practical uses .
The principle of relativity is the foundation of Faraday ’ s Law , which states that a changing magnetic field creates an electric current .
“ Since this is the core principle behind transformers and electric generators , anyone who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relativity , ” Thomas Moore , a professor of physics at California ’ s Pomona College , told Live Science .
GPS navigation also relies on the theory of relativity to work .
“ Without the proper application of relativity , GPS would fail in its navigational functions within about two minutes , ” says James S. McDonnell , a professor of physics at Washington University , in an article on Physics Central .
“ So the next time your plane approaches an airport in bad weather , and you just happen to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physics ?
’ think about Einstein and the GPS tracker in the cockpit , helping the pilots guide you to a safe landing .
”


theweekuk--2020-05-14--Turn your home into a luxury spa

Turn your home into a luxury spa

Summer is around the corner .
And yet , for the moment , your travel plans must not extend beyond the end of your garden .
So you might as well make the most of it .
One option is to turn your potting shed into your own private , luxury spa retreat .
“ We ’ ve all been in isolation lately , but it doesn ’ t have to be all bad , ” says Hannah Elliott in Bloomberg Businessweek .
There ’ s “ a good kind ” of isolation that some spend good money to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and restores rather than aggravates ” – think of sensory deprivation tanks .
The Evolution Float Pod , from US-based Superior Float Tanks ( $ 28,900 – UK delivery available ) , is the best .
“ We are the top float manufacturer for a few reasons , not just aesthetics , ” Johnny Huber , Superior Float Tanks ’ vice-president of sales , tells MoneyWeek .
The filtration engine is “ designed to handle almost any contamination ” .
That means , unlike other options on the market , “ our customers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the saltwater ” .
And while the company in Virginia counts “ the military , sports teams , clinics and corporations ” among its clients , it has noticed one side-effect of the lockdown .
“ Our residential market is actually exploding right now , due partly , of course , to the virus and such.
” Another option is a barrel sauna .
“ Originating in Finland in the 12th century , the sauna room has become an iconic addition to spas across the world , ” notes Doncaster-based UK Saunas on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now able to bring wooden saunas to your outdoor space.
” You don ’ t have to take it as far as billionaire Jack Dorsey .
In a podcast last year the Twitter founder said he spends three periods of 15 minutes each evening in a wooden , barrel-shaped sauna set to a temperature of 220˚F ( 104˚C ) .
That claim seems unlikely , says Nick Bilton in Vanity Fair .
In the 2010 World Sauna Championship in Finland ( “ yes , that ’ s a thing ” ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after six minutes at 230˚F and one spent six weeks recovering in hospital .
The other died .
Still , done sensibly , time in a sauna is supposed to aid circulation and relieve muscle tension .
UK Saunas sells a two-seater barrel sauna for £2,195 .
Your garden spa will also , of course , need a hot tub .
Some of the hot tubs on the market “ require lengthy installations ” , says Sarah-Jane Butcher for T3 magazine , others you can simply “ plug and play ” .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lighting and even sound systems .
“ Ensure you have plenty of space to fit the hot tub , as well as easy access to the power source and enough room to safely get in and out.
” The Canadian Spa Cambridge Hot Tub ( £4,994.99 , robertdyas.co.uk ) has 33 jets and features a high-quality amplifier and aromatherapy system .
If you have a garden big enough , Canadian Spa even does a 16-foot-long version , the Swim Spa , for £17,999 – part hot tub , part miniature swimming pool .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @

Summer is around the corner. And yet, for the moment, your travel plans must not extend beyond the end of your garden. So you might as well make the most of it. One option is to turn your potting shed into your own private, luxury spa retreat. “We’ve all been in isolation lately, but it doesn’t have to be all bad,” says Hannah Elliott in Bloomberg Businessweek. There’s “a good kind” of isolation that some spend good money to have imposed, a kind that “calms and restores rather than aggravates” – think of sensory deprivation tanks.
The Evolution Float Pod, from US-based Superior Float Tanks ($28,900 – UK delivery available), is the best. “We are the top float manufacturer for a few reasons, not just aesthetics,” Johnny Huber, Superior Float Tanks’ vice-president of sales, tells MoneyWeek. The filtration engine is “designed to handle almost any contamination”. That means, unlike other options on the market, “our customers should never need to change or dump the saltwater”. And while the company in Virginia counts “the military, sports teams, clinics and corporations” among its clients, it has noticed one side-effect of the lockdown. “Our residential market is actually exploding right now, due partly, of course, to the virus and such.”
The Evolution Float Pod © Superior Float Tanks
Another option is a barrel sauna. “Originating in Finland in the 12th century, the sauna room has become an iconic addition to spas across the world,” notes Doncaster-based UK Saunas on its website. “Today, you are now able to bring wooden saunas to your outdoor space.” You don’t have to take it as far as billionaire Jack Dorsey. In a podcast last year the Twitter founder said he spends three periods of 15 minutes each evening in a wooden, barrel-shaped sauna set to a temperature of 220˚F (104˚C). That claim seems unlikely, says Nick Bilton in Vanity Fair.
In the 2010 World Sauna Championship in Finland (“yes, that’s a thing”), two competitors had to be pulled out after six minutes at 230˚F and one spent six weeks recovering in hospital. The other died. Still, done sensibly, time in a sauna is supposed to aid circulation and relieve muscle tension. UK Saunas sells a two-seater barrel sauna for £2,195.
Your garden spa will also, of course, need a hot tub. Some of the hot tubs on the market “require lengthy installations”, says Sarah-Jane Butcher for T3 magazine, others you can simply “plug and play”. They come with different jet speeds, mood lighting and even sound systems. “Ensure you have plenty of space to fit the hot tub, as well as easy access to the power source and enough room to safely get in and out.” The Canadian Spa Cambridge Hot Tub (£4,994.99, robertdyas.co.uk) has 33 jets and features a high-quality amplifier and aromatherapy system. If you have a garden big enough, Canadian Spa even does a 16-foot-long version, the Swim Spa, for £17,999 – part hot tub, part miniature swimming pool.
This article was originally published in MoneyWeek


theweekuk--2020-05-14--Wine of the week: a joyous Bojo and a classic white Burg

I love this outfit and I knew exactly what to expect as this wine approached my olfactory gear .
I also knew I would approve of its flavour , too , but , of course , I never pre-judge .
The surprise came when the aroma actually sought me out rather than the other way around .
The next fillip was the buoyancy and purple-hued freshness , with energy and vitality flooding in from all angles , which should mirror the weather at this time of year and also lift our collective moods ( and by golly we need that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a benchmark Côte de Brouilly , an epic Beaujolais Cru , one of the kings of wines , and yet it wears a tiny price tag for a creation with this level of gravitas and joy .
This wine region should be front and centre of every wine collection right now because it is bargain-priced , drinking now and it goes with everything you are cooking in your kitchen !
And while you ’ re shopping with Lea & Sandeman , why not load up with the white equivalent of my ebullient red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Burgundy , Mâconnais , France ( £13.95 , Lea & Sandeman ) is a good , old , classic , infantryman white Burg , from the heart of the Mâconnais .
Sourced from a wonderful plot of vines in Mâcon-Davayé , this is a stylish and gentle Chardonnay with enough zip to sip before you take your place at the table as well as enough mid-palate pizzazz to continue drinking with a perfectly roasted chicken or pan-fried Dover sole .
2018 Côte de Brouilly , Les Grillés , Domaine Chevalier-Métrat , Beaujolais , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each by the case , Lea & Sandeman , 020-7244 0522 , leaandsandeman.co.uk Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition ’ s Communicator of the Year ( matthewjukes.com ) This article was originally published in MoneyWeek

I love this outfit and I knew exactly what to expect as this wine approached my olfactory gear. I also knew I would approve of its flavour, too, but, of course, I never pre-judge. The surprise came when the aroma actually sought me out rather than the other way around. The next fillip was the buoyancy and purple-hued freshness, with energy and vitality flooding in from all angles, which should mirror the weather at this time of year and also lift our collective moods (and by golly we need that right now).
This beauty is a benchmark Côte de Brouilly, an epic Beaujolais Cru, one of the kings of wines, and yet it wears a tiny price tag for a creation with this level of gravitas and joy. This wine region should be front and centre of every wine collection right now because it is bargain-priced, drinking now and it goes with everything you are cooking in your kitchen!
And while you’re shopping with Lea & Sandeman, why not load up with the white equivalent of my ebullient red pick. 2018 L&S White Burgundy, Mâconnais, France ( £13.95, Lea & Sandeman) is a good, old, classic, infantryman white Burg, from the heart of the Mâconnais. Sourced from a wonderful plot of vines in Mâcon-Davayé, this is a stylish and gentle Chardonnay with enough zip to sip before you take your place at the table as well as enough mid-palate pizzazz to continue drinking with a perfectly roasted chicken or pan-fried Dover sole.
2018 Côte de Brouilly, Les Grillés, Domaine Chevalier-Métrat, Beaujolais, France – £14.50, reduced to £12.95 each by the case, Lea & Sandeman, 020-7244 0522, leaandsandeman.co.uk
Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s Communicator of the Year (matthewjukes.com)
This article was originally published in MoneyWeek


theweekuk--2020-05-15--Matt Damon adopted by village in ‘fairytale’ Irish lockdown

Matt Damon has described his delight at being adopted by the people of a “ fairytale ” Irish village after taking up residence during the coronavirus lockdown .
The Hollywood actor has “ gone native ” in Dalkey , a seaside resort southeast of Dublin , after arriving in March with his wife and their three youngest children to film historical thriller The Last Duel , directed by Ridley Scott , says The Guardian .
Locals have taken Damon under their wing after he decided to stay despite production being suspended , rallying against outsiders asking questions about their A-list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Damon ” , adds The New York Times .
In fact , most residents have pretended not to recognise the Oscar winner .
“ I think it ’ s an Irish thing , ” local novelist Denise Deegan told the US newspaper .
“ We don ’ t want anyone who is a celebrity to think that we are in any way sycophantic.
” But Damon has been less shy , phoning in to a Dublin radio station this week after hearing presenters Graham O'Toole and Nathan O ’ Reilly appealing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says the BBC .
Describing his new Irish life to the Spin 1038 DJs , Damon says : “ It feels like a fairytale .
When I first came in , people were saying : ‘ Well , Bono lives over there , Enya lives over there.
’ It ’ s been incredible .
This is one of the most beautiful places we ’ ve ever been.
” The actor - reportedly living in Formula 1 star Eddie Irvine ’ s house - added that he had been having FaceTime chats with Bono @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U2 frontman had mentioned the radio station ’ s interview plea .
Damon also told the DJs that he was a “ little worried ” about returning to the US because “ we don ’ t have adequate [ Covid-19 ] testing ” .
“ Obviously what ’ s going on in the world is horrible , but I ’ ve got my whole family , I ’ m with my kids and we have teachers with us because we were planning on missing school for about eight weeks , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his wife , Argentinian-born Luciana Barroso , felt “ guilty ” after having “ what nobody else has , which is live human beings teaching our kids ... We ’ ve got this set-up in this incredible place .
It ’ s absolutely gorgeous .
“ Even in the 2km lockdown , we ’ ve got trees and woods and ocean .
I can ’ t think of any place you ’ d rather be in a 2km radius of .
”

Matt Damon has described his delight at being adopted by the people of a “fairytale” Irish village after taking up residence during the coronavirus lockdown.
The Hollywood actor has “gone native” in Dalkey, a seaside resort southeast of Dublin, after arriving in March with his wife and their three youngest children to film historical thriller The Last Duel, directed by Ridley Scott, says The Guardian.
Locals have taken Damon under their wing after he decided to stay despite production being suspended, rallying against outsiders asking questions about their A-list guest and dubbing him “Matt O’Damon”, adds The New York Times.
In fact, most residents have pretended not to recognise the Oscar winner. “I think it’s an Irish thing,” local novelist Denise Deegan told the US newspaper. “We don’t want anyone who is a celebrity to think that we are in any way sycophantic.”
But Damon has been less shy, phoning in to a Dublin radio station this week after hearing presenters Graham O'Toole and Nathan O’Reilly appealing for him to join them on air, says the BBC.
Describing his new Irish life to the Spin 1038 DJs, Damon says: “It feels like a fairytale. When I first came in, people were saying: ‘Well, Bono lives over there, Enya lives over there.’ It’s been incredible. This is one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever been.”
The actor - reportedly living in Formula 1 star Eddie Irvine’s house - added that he had been having FaceTime chats with Bono, who lives nearby, and that the U2 frontman had mentioned the radio station’s interview plea.
Damon also told the DJs that he was a “little worried” about returning to the US because “we don’t have adequate [Covid-19] testing”.
“Obviously what’s going on in the world is horrible, but I’ve got my whole family, I’m with my kids and we have teachers with us because we were planning on missing school for about eight weeks,” he continued.
Damon said that he and his wife, Argentinian-born Luciana Barroso, felt “guilty” after having “what nobody else has, which is live human beings teaching our kids... We’ve got this set-up in this incredible place. It’s absolutely gorgeous.
“Even in the 2km lockdown, we’ve got trees and woods and ocean. I can’t think of any place you’d rather be in a 2km radius of.”


theweekuk--2020-05-15--The fatal viruses that the world has learned to live with

The World Health Organization has warned that Covid may never be wiped out entirely but instead become a virus with which the world has to learn to live .
The health agency ’ s emergencies director Dr Mike Ryan told a press briefing this week that “ it is important to put this on the table : this virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities , and this virus may never go away ” .
So what other major viruses are affecting communities worldwide ?
The question of whether another flu pandemic will strike the world is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to global health experts .
“ The threat of pandemic influenza is ever-present , ” said WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as the UN health agency launched a global influenza-fighting strategy last year .
“ We must be vigilant and prepared – the cost of a major influenza outbreak will far outweigh the price of prevention.
” Each year brings an estimated billion flu cases , of which between three million and five million are severe , resulting in 290,000 to 650,000 deaths , according to WHO .
Pandemic flu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animal ” , says CNN ’ s chief medical correspondent , Sanjay Gupta .
“ Unlike seasonal flu , pandemics occur when a completely new or novel virus emerges , ” Gupta explains .
“ The result is something mankind has never seen before : a pathogen that can spread easily from person to defenceless person , our immune systems never primed to launch any sort of defence.
” Delivering WHO ’ s predictions for Covid-19 at a virtual press briefing in Geneva this week , director-general Ryan noted that “ HIV has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatments have been developed to allow people to live with the Aids-causing virus .
Contracting HIV was once a death sentence , but people with the infection can now “ live a near-normal life ” thanks to antiretroviral therapy ( ART ) treatments that reduce the amount of the virus in the blood to undetectable levels , says the NHS .
A landmark study in 2014 “ looked at over 58,000 instances of sex without a condom , where one partner was HIV positive and one was HIV negative ” , and found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couples where the HIV positive partner was on effective treatment ” , the Terrence Higgins Trust charity reports .
And the results of recent research projects around the world have raised hopes of a cure for HIV , with reports of patients being cleared of the virus .
Sexual health experts say the current coronavirus lockdown restrictions may also offer a “ once-in-a-lifetime ” to end HIV transmission .
Current tests are unable to give definitive results for up to a month after potential exposure to HIV , but while people are having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has chance to catch up with infections .
“ If we can now find the remaining people with HIV through testing and put them on treatment , we could remove anyone who is infectious from the population with long-lasting effects , ” London-based HIV specialist Alan McOwan told The Guardian .
“ We won ’ t get this two-month window of no sex again.
” Malaria remains one of the most dangerous diseases in the world , with an estimated 228 million cases and 405,000 deaths as result of the parasite in 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world ’ s population is at risk from malaria , in regions including Southeast Asia , Eastern Mediterranean , Western Pacific and the Americas .
But by far the worst-affected region is Africa , which accounts for 93 % of malaria cases and 94 % of malaria deaths .
Partial immunity develops in humans over years of exposure , but young children remain vulnerable .
In 2018 , under-fives accounted for 67 % ( 272,000 ) of all malaria deaths worldwide .
However , researchers in Kenya hope they may be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after discovering a microbe carried by some mosquitos that prevents the insects from being infected with malaria parasites - and by extension , from transmitting the deadly disease to humans .
“ The data we have so far suggest it is 100 % blockage , it ’ s a very severe blockage of malaria , ” Dr Jeremy Herren , from the Nairobi-based International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology , told the BBC .
While relatively rare , Ebola has an extremely high fatality rate , at around 50 % on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 % to 90 % in previous outbreaks .
The 2014-16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the biggest since the virus was discovered in 1976 , killing more than 11,300 people , according the US Centers for Disease Control .
However , a vaccine , rVSV-ZEBOV , was shown to be effective in a 2015 trial in Guinea , the epicentre of the West African outbreak .
This vaccine has been used in the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo , which was declared in August 2018 , reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures from the DRC Ministry of Health , nearly 3,500 Ebola cases and 2,277 deaths had been reported as of 19 April .
“ In 2020 , the number of cases recorded per week has declined dramatically , with just a handful of cases recorded throughout January and February , ” says MSF .
But “ the outbreak is not yet over and there is a continued need for vigilance ” , the international medical charity adds .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Like malaria , dengue is a viral infection spread by mosquitos in certain regions , including Asia , the Americas and the Caribbean .
“ The global incidence of dengue has grown dramatically in recent decades , ” says the WHO website .
About half of the world 's population is now at risk , with an estimated 100 million to 400 million infections each year , according to the health agency .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after about a week without causing any lasting problems ” , says the NHS .
“ But in rare cases it can be very serious and potentially life threatening.
” Although the number of dengue cases reported to WHO has soared from 505,430 cases in 2000 to 3,312,040 in 2015 , the death rate is far lower than with malaria , at 960 and 4,032 for each of those respective years .


theweekuk--2020-05-15--Reaction: government said care homes were safe despite experts’ Covid-19 warnings

Downing Street is under pressure to explain why the government failed to warn the care sector about the risks of @ @ @ @ @ reveal that a quarter of deaths in UK care homes in the past two months @ @ @ @ @ .
According to Office for National Statistics data for March and April , care homes @ @ @ @ @ a total of 45,899 deaths , of which 12,526 ( 27 % ) mentioned Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ The publication of the figures coincides with reports that ministers were warned of a serious @ @ @ @ @ ” of coronavirus through care homes two weeks before the government advised that it was @ @ @ @ @ residents would be infected .


theweekuk--2020-05-16--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 16 May 2020

Donald Trump has vowed that the US will reopen “ vaccine or no vaccine ” .
The US president also @ @ @ @ @ named “ Operation Warp Speed ” , but stated that even without a jab , @ @ @ @ @ to their lives as normal .
“ In many cases they do n't have vaccines @ @ @ @ @ flu comes and you fight through it , ” he said .
“ Other things @ @ @ @ @ and they go away .
”

Trump says US is reopening with or without a vaccine
Donald Trump has vowed that the US will reopen “vaccine or no vaccine”. The US president also launched a vaccine project, named “Operation Warp Speed”, but stated that even without a jab, Americans must begin to return to their lives as normal. “In many cases they don't have vaccines and a virus or a flu comes and you fight through it,” he said. “Other things have never had a vaccine and they go away.”


theweekuk--2020-05-17--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 17 May 2020

Boris Johnson has acknowledged the “ complex ” easing of England 's coronavirus lockdown is causing “ frustration ” .
@ @ @ @ @ Sunday , he said that he trusted the “ good sense of the British people @ @ @ @ @ rules and thanked the public for “ sticking with us ” so far , but @ @ @ @ @ were needed during the next phase of the response .

Johnson admits ‘frustration’ over coronavirus strategy
Boris Johnson has acknowledged the “complex” easing of England's coronavirus lockdown is causing “frustration”. Writing in the Mail on Sunday, he said that he trusted the “good sense of the British people” to observe the new rules and thanked the public for “sticking with us” so far, but added that more complicated messages were needed during the next phase of the response.