theweekuk--2020-10-28--Why everybody’s talking about Emmanuel Macron’s clash with the Muslim world

Three weeks ago , Emmanuel Macron was coming under fire from French conservatives after suggesting that teaching Arabic in schools could help combat radical Islam .
Less than a month later , the French president is embroiled in a diplomatic stand-off with Muslim countries angry about a crackdown on Islam in his avowedly secular republic .
Macron ’ s about-turn follows the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty , who was murdered after presenting cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad to pupils during a class about freedom of speech .
But the dispute runs deeper than the killing , laying bare France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ triggering calls for a boycott of French products in a string of Muslim-majority countries .
Tackling radical Islam is a longstanding policy of the French president , with advisers close to Macron telling Politico that he has “ not shied away from addressing the problem of radical Islam in several speeches ” .
The issue is also a hot-button issue with the public , who have witnessed 27 terrorist attacks since the deadliest assault on French soil in Paris five years ago .
Multiple shooting and grenade attacks around the Stade de France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dead in the capital , in an attack described by former president François Hollande as an “ act of war ” .
Macron last week said that his government had “ stepped up actions ” after the latest attack , adding that “ it ’ s not about making new statements , we know what we need to do ” .
But the seeds of many Muslims ’ outrage lie in a speech delivered two weeks before Paty ’ s murder .
On 2 October , Macron told a Paris audience that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ describing Islam as “ a religion that is in crisis today all over the world ” .
He spoke of a need to “ free Islam in France from foreign influences ” and build an “ Islam des Lumières ” , meaning “ Islam of Light ” .
A fortnight later , however , Macron ’ s comments would be thrown into sharp relief by Paty ’ s murder at the hands of a young Muslim of Chechen origin .
In the immediate aftermath of the murder , French authorities launched “ dozens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed a major mosque and shut down some Muslim aid groups , ” The New York Times reports .
But it is Macron ’ s words that have triggered anger more than the conventional security response .
“ Two French cities , Toulouse and Montpellier , projected Charlie Hebdo caricatures including that of the Islamic prophet on the walls of their regional council buildings as a gesture of defiance ” , The Guardian says , while Macron told a vigil in the capital that France “ would not give up cartoons ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ which ten staff were killed in 2012 after they printed images of the Prophet Muhammed , also stoked anger , publishing a cartoon of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the front page of its online edition on Tuesday night .
Erdogan , a self-modelled defender of Sunni Muslims , was one of the most vocal critics of Macron ’ s comments , describing the treatment of Muslims in France as “ a lynch campaign similar to that against Jews in Europe before World War Two ” .
The claim that Islam was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was “ a signal flare to a particularly dangerous process that produce very grave results for European Muslims ” .
The Turkish president was joined by Islamic leaders across the Middle East , with the front page of a hardline Iranian newspaper labelling Macron the “ Demon of Paris ” .
On the streets of Dhaka , Bangladesh , he was decried as a leader who “ worships Satan ” and his effigy was burned .
“ Tens of thousands of people ” joined Erdogan ’ s calls for “ a boycott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports .
“ Macron is one of the few leaders who worship Satan , ” senior Islami Andolan leader Ataur Rahman told protesters , while another of the group ’ s leaders , Nesar Uddin , described France as “ the enemy of Muslims ” , adding : “ Those who represent them are also our enemies.
” France has withdrawn its ambassador from Turkey and issued “ security warnings for France ’ s citizens in majority-Muslim states ” , The Guardian says .
But the planned dissolution of pro-Hamas group known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ directly involved ” in the assassination of Paty , will extend the dispute .
The relationship between France and its five million Muslim citizens is a complicated one .
Tensions have “ simmered ” since September , when Charlie Hebdo republished cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed on the eve of the trial of 14 people involved in the terror attack on its offices .
But the issue runs deeper than satirical magazine covers .
France is determined to maintain its tradition of laïcité - or secularism - and has a “ history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
Its tradition of political cartooning has jarred with Islamic bans on idolotry , and triggered the murders of Charlie Hebdo staff and Paty .
The country ’ s anti-religious streak , “ originally designed to counter the power of the Roman Catholic Church ” , says The Telegraph , has increasingly found a new target .
The country has at times “ struggled to accept Muslims as they come ” , Vox says , leading to disputes over the wearing of headscarves in both public schools and professional settings .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : these values of liberty , secularism and democracy can not remain just words , ” one demonstrator in Paris told French television at a demonstration honouring Paty .
And France ’ s unwavering commitment to these values was on show in politician ’ s statements after the murder .
But in order uphold them safely , Macron will need to combat an issue that Politco says has been a “ lightning rod issue ” in France for decades : how to clamp down on Islamist extremist without isolating the wider Muslim community @ @ @ @

Three weeks ago, Emmanuel Macron was coming under fire from French conservatives after suggesting that teaching Arabic in schools could help combat radical Islam.
Less than a month later, the French president is embroiled in a diplomatic stand-off with Muslim countries angry about a crackdown on Islam in his avowedly secular republic.
Macron’s about-turn follows the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty, who was murdered after presenting cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad to pupils during a class about freedom of speech.
But the dispute runs deeper than the killing, laying bare France’s complex relationship with Islam and triggering calls for a boycott of French products in a string of Muslim-majority countries.
‘Islam de Lumières’
Tackling radical Islam is a longstanding policy of the French president, with advisers close to Macron telling Politico that he has “not shied away from addressing the problem of radical Islam in several speeches”.
The issue is also a hot-button issue with the public, who have witnessed 27 terrorist attacks since the deadliest assault on French soil in Paris five years ago. Multiple shooting and grenade attacks around the Stade de France and the Bataclan Theatre left 131 people dead in the capital, in an attack described by former president François Hollande as an “act of war”.
Macron last week said that his government had “stepped up actions” after the latest attack, adding that “it’s not about making new statements, we know what we need to do”. But the seeds of many Muslims’ outrage lie in a speech delivered two weeks before Paty’s murder.
On 2 October, Macron told a Paris audience that he planned to combat “seperatism”, describing Islam as “a religion that is in crisis today all over the world”. He spoke of a need to “free Islam in France from foreign influences” and build an “Islam des Lumières”, meaning “Islam of Light”.
A fortnight later, however, Macron’s comments would be thrown into sharp relief by Paty’s murder at the hands of a young Muslim of Chechen origin.
‘Demon of Paris’
In the immediate aftermath of the murder, French authorities launched “dozens of raids against suspected Islamic extremists, closed a major mosque and shut down some Muslim aid groups,” The New York Times reports. But it is Macron’s words that have triggered anger more than the conventional security response.


theweekuk--2020-10-29--‘Stick to the football’: activist Marcus Rashford responds with hat-trick

When he’s not busy campaigning for children to receive free school meals, Marcus Rashford can be found kicking a ball around for Manchester United and England.
It turns out that the 22-year-old is not just a successful activist, but he’s also pretty good at playing football, too.
Off the pitch, Rashford has seen his petition to end child food poverty hit more than one million signatures. And on the pitch on Wednesday night he played a starring role in Man Utd’s 5-0 win over RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
Appearing as a 63rd-minute substitute, Rashford netted a “quickfire hat-trick” for his first treble in senior football, Sky Sports says.
It was quite a response for the youngster who has been accused by some of “virtue signalling” and told to “stick to the football”.
With his hat-trick coming in a 16-minute spell, Rashford “displayed his powers at multi-tasking - showing it is possible to be a campaigner at the same time as a goalscorer”, BBC Sport reports.
Speaking after the game United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: “Marcus has showed he can keep focusing on what’s important on and off the pitch at the moment. He did really well today coming off the bench.”
In a tweet Rashford said he “can’t stop smiling” after scoring a first hat-trick for his boyhood club and seeing the petition milestone of one million signatures.
3⃣ goals 1⃣6⃣ minutes 1⃣0⃣3⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣ signatures Can’t stop smiling, I’ve waited a long time for that. Just wish the fans were in to experience it with me ♥https://t.co/FvvpO6JYWX#ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY pic.twitter.com/QJGJxSzTlj — Marcus Rashford (@MarcusRashford) October 28, 2020
United and Flo help out
Rashford launched his petition to “end child food poverty” on 15 October, but a motion by the Labour Party to extend free school meals over holidays until Easter 2021 was voted down by MPs in the Commons last week.
Despite the vote, Rashford has continued his fight against the government and this week he has flooded his Twitter timeline with retweets of charities, schools and companies who have supported his campaign.
Rashford’s own club is one of many to back his initiative. In a statement Manchester United and the Manchester United Foundation announced a partnership with FareShare that will see 5,000 meals cooked and delivered to local school children this week.
Organisations of all sizes and people of all ages are behind Rashford. Last night he signed off Twitter with a message to his 3.7 million followers to read a story about 89-year-old Flo Osborne.
The great-great-grandmother has rallied to Rashford’s calls and has baked hundreds of pies to help to feed hungry kids during half term, The London Economic reports.
When asked about Rashford’s “lovely idea” she said: “I saw it on the news and I thought, that’s lovely. I have been baking pies throughout lockdown to help vulnerable people in the community, and I love doing it. It keeps me going, and gives me something to do. But I thought, I would love to help the little ones, too.”


theweekuk--2020-10-29--Meghan Markle granted nine-month delay in Mail on Sunday privacy case

Meghan Markle has been granted a nine-month delay in her privacy trial against The Mail on Sunday .
A High Court judge agreed to the delay , which was not opposed by the paper ’ s publishers , after hearing confidential reasons from Markle ’ s lawyers as to why it was needed .
Markle had applied for a summary judgment in her legal action , in a move that would have avoided her being called as a witness .
Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex argued in court today that a judge should rule on the case without the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A ten-day trial was set to take place in London ... with the 39-year-old possibly expected to give evidence in the witness box , ” The Sun reports .
“ The duchess might be hoping to avoid giving evidence during the trial , therefore steering clear of being cross-examined ” , the paper adds .
The American is suing Associated Newspapers , publisher of The Mail on Sunday and MailOnline , over an article from 2019 that reproduced parts of a handwritten letter sent to her estranged father , Thomas Markle .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is making the application because she believes she has an “ overwhelmingly strong case ” .
The source added that they “ do not believe that the defence ’ s case has a chance of succeeding ” and therefore believe it should be “ determined on a summary basis.
” A court may give summary judgment if it is agreed that a claimant or defendant has no real prospect of succeeding in a trial .
The duchess is suing over five articles which reproduced parts of a handwritten letter she sent to her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of one article read : “ Revealed : The handwritten letter showing true tragedy of Meghan ’ s rift with father she says has ‘ broken her heart into a million pieces ’ .
”

Meghan Markle has been granted a nine-month delay in her privacy trial against The Mail on Sunday.
A High Court judge agreed to the delay, which was not opposed by the paper’s publishers, after hearing confidential reasons from Markle’s lawyers as to why it was needed.
Markle had applied for a summary judgment in her legal action, in a move that would have avoided her being called as a witness. Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex argued in court today that a judge should rule on the case without the need for a full trial.
“A ten-day trial was set to take place in London... with the 39-year-old possibly expected to give evidence in the witness box,” The Sun reports. “The duchess might be hoping to avoid giving evidence during the trial, therefore steering clear of being cross-examined”, the paper adds.
The American is suing Associated Newspapers, publisher of The Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, over an article from 2019 that reproduced parts of a handwritten letter sent to her estranged father, Thomas Markle.
A source told The Times that the duchess is making the application because she believes she has an “overwhelmingly strong case”. The source added that they “do not believe that the defence’s case has a chance of succeeding” and therefore believe it should be “determined on a summary basis.”
A court may give summary judgment if it is agreed that a claimant or defendant has no real prospect of succeeding in a trial.
The duchess is suing over five articles which reproduced parts of a handwritten letter she sent to her father in August 2018. The headline of one article read: “Revealed: The handwritten letter showing true tragedy of Meghan’s rift with father she says has ‘broken her heart into a million pieces’.”


theweekuk--2020-10-29--US election: why the price of soybeans could swing the Senate for the Democrats

Joni Ernst , the Republican senator from Iowa , won her seat by nine points in 2014 .
And her home state backed Donald Trump for president by the same margin four years ago .
Yet she now finds herself locked in “ an unexpectedly close reelection fight ” , Vox reports - and one which may come down to the price of soybeans .
During a televised debate last week , Ernst was asked at what price soybean farmers would break even .
She hesitated , “ delivered a long response about trade policy ” , says CNN , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about $ 5.50 ( £4.20 ) ” - just over half the actual figure .
In other settings , such a slip might be forgiven , says The Times .
“ If you are the Republican senator for the heavily rural state of Iowa , however , ignorance in this field is a big mistake.
” It didn ’ t help that her Democratic challenger , Theresa Greenfield , “ nailed an answer about the price of corn during the same debate ” , adds CNN .
Ernst ’ s soybean snafu may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is re-elected next week but also which party controls the Senate for the next two years ” , says The Times , “ with significant ramifications , especially if Joe Biden defeats President Trump.
” However , says CNN , “ a bigger challenge for Ernst could be the headwinds she is encountering ” from the president himself , who may well lose in Iowa .
Ernst has allied herself closely with Trump : she was the only senator up for re-election who spoke at his convention in August and has claimed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mate in 2016 .
Her hopes - and that of the Republican majority in the Senate - may now depend on another forecasting error .
The race appears to be neck and neck , says The Times , but “ polls in 2016 overstated Democratic support by 4.3 points and in the 2018 midterms by 3.7 points ” .

We will use the details you have shared to manage your registration. You agree to the processing, storage, sharing and use of this information for the purpose of managing your registration as described in our Privacy Policy.
Would you like to receive The WeekDay newsletter ?
The WeekDay newsletter provides you with a daily digest of news and analysis.
We will use the details you have shared to manage your newsletter subscription. You agree to the processing, storage, sharing and use of this information for the purpose of managing your subscription as described in our Privacy Policy.
We will use the information you have shared for carefully considered and specific purposes, where we believe we have a legitimate case to do so, for example to send you communications about similar products and services we offer. You can find out more about our legitimate interest activity in our Privacy Policy.
If you wish to object to the use of your data in this way, please tick here.
'We' includes The Week and other Future Publishing Limited brands as detailed here.


theweekuk--2020-10-29--Coronavirus: ‘missing data’ makes it impossible to know if test-and-trace works

To keep reading The Week ’ s concise , refreshing and balanced take on the world , please register your @ @ @ @ @ use the details you have shared to manage your registration.You agree to the processing , @ @ @ @ @ of this information for the purpose of managing your registration as described in our Privacy @ @ @ @ @ the details you have shared to manage your newsletter subscription.You agree to the processing , @ @ @ @ @ of this information for the purpose of managing your subscription as described in our Privacy @ @ @ @ @ the information you have shared for carefully considered and specific purposes , where we believe @ @ @ @ @ to do so , for example to send you communications about similar products and services @ @ @ @ @ more about our legitimate interest activity in our privacy policy .
‘ We ’ includes @ @ @ @ @ Publishing ( UK ) Ltd brands as detailed here


theweekuk--2020-10-29--Halloween 2020: events and things to do

Halloween 2020: events and things to do

This year has been a frightening one , but if you ’ re up for a few more scares then there ’ s many fun ways to celebrate Halloween .
From spooky cabaret shows and online Jack the Ripper tours to scary films and Dia de los Muertos feasts , there ’ s something for everyone ( and every tier ) .
DesignMyNight picks out the best things to see and do this Halloween .
This Halloween weekend Proud Embankment has turned its two-story cabaret club into a sinister space , hosting an All Stars extravaganza featuring Denise Van Outen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guests are invited to settle into the supernatural soiree before enjoying a welcome drink and a three-course menu during the titillating show .
Expect a stage spilling with talent and some ghostly surprises along the way .
The Forbidden Forest Cinema is one of this year ’ s best Halloween events .
In traditional pop-up fashion , it ’ s disappearing on 8 November , giving you a limited time to enjoy the spooky experience .
The movies you can watch include the likes of Hocus Pocus , Beetlejuice and Ghostbusters .
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing in place , it ’ s another reason to stay out late and swap your sofa for the big screen .
For meat aficionados , temper needs no introduction .
This Covent Garden restaurant specialises in barbecued meats , and to celebrate Halloween the team have created a Dia de los Muertos feasting menu .
Starting with a complimentary margarita , things will heat up with smoked short rib tacos , before moving onto smoked pork and white hominy pozole with a side of coal roasted plantain and mole negro .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dessert is a slab of boozy rum banoffee .
If your hometown falls into the Tier 3 category or you just can ’ t leave the house as often as you like to , there ’ s another way to get your booze fix this Halloween .
The Cocktail Man has rustled up a very special and limited edition cocktail for All Hallow ’ s Eve and it includes four blood orange margarita serves .
Packaging premium tequila , blood orange liqueur and slices of dehydrated blood orange , you can raise a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Halloween cocktail recipes you can make - and enjoy - at home The Vaults are hidden underneath Waterloo station and the team are known for their unusual and politically-charged storytelling events .
This new socially distanced theatrical show , which is inspired by Shel Silverstein ’ s poem Billy Markam And The Devil , written for Playboy in 1977 , will take its audience to the ring of hell to watch the devil get hitched .
The catch ?
Ticket holders have to lie , cheat and sin their way into the chapel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like things you ’ d entertain small children with , but Sonic says different .
Tony Middleton is the prestigious winner of the Magic Circle ’ s Stage Magician of the Year , and this Halloween you have the chance to sit in on his intimate show in the drawing room of one of London ’ s five-star hotels .
For just over an hour , the mastermind will talk you through magic ’ s history before submerging you in some mind-boggling feats .
Various dates from 31 October ; From £35-£65 ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , London , W1J 0BH ; designmynight.com For many cities across the UK , going out for Halloween just isn ’ t an option this year , but not all is lost .
There are a handful of unique online events that can entertain you in the comfort of your own home .
Jack the Ripper should need no introduction , but if you ’ re unfamiliar with the hair-raising tale , this virtual murder mystery will get you clued up in no time .
Join the experience to untangle the truth from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the East London legend .
Dirty Martini is a reliable bar to lean on come Halloween .
Each and every year , without fail , the team creates a handful of limited edition cocktails for the spooky season and 2020 is no different .
Book a table and pick between Heaven Sent or the Devil ’ s Advocate .
If you ’ re a fan of rum , the latter comes mixed with Bacardi Spiced rum , Chambord , raspberry , vanilla , citrus and a couple of drops of Ms Better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the best Halloween events in London and across the UK , visit DesignMyNight.com or follow on Instagram and Facebook ; @ DesignMyNight

This year has been a frightening one, but if you’re up for a few more scares then there’s many fun ways to celebrate Halloween.
From spooky cabaret shows and online Jack the Ripper tours to scary films and Dia de los Muertos feasts, there’s something for everyone (and every tier).
DesignMyNight picks out the best things to see and do this Halloween.
Cabaret All Stars - London
This Halloween weekend Proud Embankment has turned its two-story cabaret club into a sinister space, hosting an All Stars extravaganza featuring Denise Van Outen. Opening its doors at 6pm, guests are invited to settle into the supernatural soiree before enjoying a welcome drink and a three-course menu during the titillating show. Expect a stage spilling with talent and some ghostly surprises along the way.
31 October; Tickets £45-£130; 8 Victoria Embankment, WC2R 2AB; designmynight.com
Forbidden Forest Cinema - London
The Forbidden Forest Cinema is one of this year’s best Halloween events. In traditional pop-up fashion, it’s disappearing on 8 November, giving you a limited time to enjoy the spooky experience. The movies you can watch include the likes of Hocus Pocus, Beetlejuice and Ghostbusters. With cinemas exempt from the 10pm rule and social distancing in place, it’s another reason to stay out late and swap your sofa for the big screen.
Until 8 November; Tickets from £19.50; Unit 8 Copeland Park & Bussey Building, 133 Copeland Road, London, SE15 3SN; popupscreens.designmynight.com
Dia de los Muertos Feast - London
For meat aficionados, temper needs no introduction. This Covent Garden restaurant specialises in barbecued meats, and to celebrate Halloween the team have created a Dia de los Muertos feasting menu. Starting with a complimentary margarita, things will heat up with smoked short rib tacos, before moving onto smoked pork and white hominy pozole with a side of coal roasted plantain and mole negro. Finishing the meal as it started, dessert is a slab of boozy rum banoffee.
30-31 October; Tickets from £55; Yard 5 Mercer Walk Mercers, London WC2H 9FA; designmynight.com
The Cocktail Man - UK-wide delivery
If your hometown falls into the Tier 3 category or you just can’t leave the house as often as you like to, there’s another way to get your booze fix this Halloween. The Cocktail Man has rustled up a very special and limited edition cocktail for All Hallow’s Eve and it includes four blood orange margarita serves. Packaging premium tequila, blood orange liqueur and slices of dehydrated blood orange, you can raise a toast to the spirits at home.


theweekuk--2020-10-29--Britain’s death toll could hit ‘85,000 in second Covid wave’, leaked Sage documents reveal

The UK could face another 85,000 deaths during the second wave of coronavirus , according to leaked government advice .
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ( Sage ) documents , leaked to The Spectator , suggest that fatalities could remain high long after Christmas , potentially until March 2021 .
Drawn up in late July , the report outlines a scenario in which deaths remain above 500 a day for at least three months , peaking at 800 a day .
During the first wave , deaths remained at more than 500 a day for five weeks , peaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasonable worst case scenario ” adds that while thousands of deaths this autumn and winter may be directly caused by Covid-19 , a further 27,000 excess deaths from other conditions , such as those caused by “ lack of NHS capacity ” , can also be expected , the magazine says .
The UK reported another 310 deaths yesterday , bringing the toll to 45,365 .
With a number of European countries heading back into lockdown , pressure is growing on the government to place the whole of England under Tier 3 restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There is “ grave concern ” among Boris Johnson ’ s Downing Street team that Britain is now faring even worse than Sage models had anticipated , The Telegraph says .
The experts forecast that in February , around 25,000 hospital beds will be filled by coronavirus patients .
However , Professor Mark Walport , a Sage adviser , this week said the grim milestone could be reached by the end of November .
Meanwhile , Imperial College London has warned that the pandemic has reached a “ critical ” stage in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month and the fastest increases in the south , Sky News reports .


theweekuk--2020-10-29--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 29 Oct 2020

A German-developed Covid vaccine could be ready to distribute in the UK before Christmas , according to The Times .
@ @ @ @ @ doses for 20 million people and are anticipating that some will be available for use @ @ @ @ @ shown to be successful .
The first doses of the jab , which is backed @ @ @ @ @ for the elderly and vulnerable .

Vaccine could be ready in UK by Christmas
A German-developed Covid vaccine could be ready to distribute in the UK before Christmas, according to The Times. Ministers have already bought enough doses for 20 million people and are anticipating that some will be available for use immediately if the drug is shown to be successful. The first doses of the jab, which is backed by Pfizer, are earmarked for the elderly and vulnerable.


theweekuk--2020-10-29--Student says Woolworths hoax ‘wasn’t meant to get this big’

A sixth-form student has been revealed to be the mastermind behind the hoax story that Woolworths was reopening .
On Tuesday , several prominent news outlets , including Mail Online and the Daily Mirror , reported that the chain was returning to high streets based on the word of a typo-strewn Twitter account with fewer than 1,000 followers .
The 17-year-old from York told The Guardian : “ The experiment wasn ’ t meant to get that big.
” Woman posed as prosecutor and dropped charges against herself A New Hampshire woman posed as a prosecutor and then dropped charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told .
Lisa Landon allegedly used the authority ’ s electronic system to drop the charges and submit fake documents in three separate criminal cases last year .
She faces one charge of false personation and six counts of falsifying physical evidence .
A museum has won a Guinness World Record after 205,000 Lego bricks were assembled into a bridge 111 feet long .
The Ironbridge Gorge Museums teamed up with the Institution of Civil Engineers to construct the huge bridge .
A spokesperson for the museum said : “ We wanted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 sixth-form student has been revealed to be the mastermind behind the hoax story that Woolworths was reopening. On Tuesday, several prominent news outlets, including Mail Online and the Daily Mirror, reported that the chain was returning to high streets based on the word of a typo-strewn Twitter account with fewer than 1,000 followers. The 17-year-old from York told The Guardian: “The experiment wasn’t meant to get that big.”
Woman posed as prosecutor and dropped charges against herself
A New Hampshire woman posed as a prosecutor and then dropped charges against herself, a court has been told. Lisa Landon allegedly used the authority’s electronic system to drop the charges and submit fake documents in three separate criminal cases last year. She faces one charge of false personation and six counts of falsifying physical evidence.
Lego bridge lands museum a world record
A museum has won a Guinness World Record after 205,000 Lego bricks were assembled into a bridge 111 feet long. The Ironbridge Gorge Museums teamed up with the Institution of Civil Engineers to construct the huge bridge. A spokesperson for the museum said: “We wanted to attract and inspire children.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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--2020-10-29--Instant Opinion: Donald Trump ‘sealed his fate with women’

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
With ‘ husbands ’ remark , Trump has sealed his fate with women “ As President Donald Trump pleaded for the support of suburban women at a Michigan rally , he argued that he deserved their votes because ‘ we ’ re getting your husbands back to work.
’ Before these comments , it was n't entirely clear that Trump was a sexist ; he did put some women in powerful positions in his administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by appealing to suburban women to support him because he 's helping their husbands , Trump suggested he believes the workplace is the proper domain of men .
This is textbook sexism.
” Priti Patel has blood on her hands .
Her condolences mean nothing “ Priti Patel and Boris Johnson have expressed their condolences , making sure that both of their apologies refer to the ‘ ruthless criminals ’ or ‘ callous criminals ’ who they attribute to be at the helm of these tragic losses .
In both cases , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British government bears responsibility for .
Their apologies have become as rehearsed as the faux compassion that they show .
These words ring incredibly hollow given the government ’ s barbaric stance on asylum seekers and those seeking refugee .
Words mean nothing without actions to back them up.
” Tackling the BBC ’ s endemic bias will be a mammoth task “ It seems having a non Left-wing comedian has become a new form of tokenism .
Since the rise of alternative comedy in the Eighties , the BBC has never moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tory-bashing comics .
Only ‘ anti woke ’ Geoff Norcott seems to have broken through this barrier .
Norcott is a funny man but so too are Andrew Doyle , Leo Kearse and Dominic Frisby .
You would be forgiven for never having heard of them unless you are a comedy circuit regular .
And how on earth did the jaw-droppingly biased Roadkill drama get commissioned ?
With its grotesque caricature of a Tory minister and ludicrous plot line about secret plans to privatise the NHS – surely this is the most inane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to air on British TV.
” Tory MPs are right : the north needs a renaissance – but it ’ s got to be green “ You see , the neglect of the north and the climate emergency are two problems in search of a common solution .
A debate about how we reshape the post-pandemic economy should be welcomed , even if it is coming from the Tory benches .
Across the globe , the coronavirus has underlined how states can mobilise vast resources to confront an unprecedented crisis when the will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required the suppression of economic activity , the climate emergency seeks to reorientate that activity away from fatally harming the only home our species has .
That means replacing the skilled , secure jobs stripped away from northern communities by deindustrialisation.
” Kim Kardashian ’ s birthday posts were beyond insensitive – but what did we expect ?
“ Nobody can begrudge someone looking to appreciate the small things during the pandemic – like marking your birthday .
But this was not small , in any sense .
Kardashian is far from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic .
Throughout lockdown , stars from Arnold Schwarzenegger , to Ellen Degeneres and the Beckhams have shared the interiors of their estates , discussing the struggles of quarantine with their swimming pools , gyms and sizeable acreage of land in view while the rest of us chumps tried to clear enough space in our living rooms for a Joe Wicks session ( and that will have been a luxury for some ) .
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Kara Alaimo on CNN
on presidential sexism
With ‘husbands’ remark, Trump has sealed his fate with women
“As President Donald Trump pleaded for the support of suburban women at a Michigan rally, he argued that he deserved their votes because ‘we’re getting your husbands back to work.’ Before these comments, it wasn't entirely clear that Trump was a sexist; he did put some women in powerful positions in his administration and in the Trump Organization. But by appealing to suburban women to support him because he's helping their husbands, Trump suggested he believes the workplace is the proper domain of men. This is textbook sexism.”
2. Maighna Nanu on HuffPost
on the home secretary’s guilt
Priti Patel has blood on her hands. Her condolences mean nothing
“Priti Patel and Boris Johnson have expressed their condolences, making sure that both of their apologies refer to the ‘ruthless criminals’ or ‘callous criminals’ who they attribute to be at the helm of these tragic losses. In both cases, they abdicate culpability from a situation that the British government bears responsibility for. Their apologies have become as rehearsed as the faux compassion that they show. These words ring incredibly hollow given the government’s barbaric stance on asylum seekers and those seeking refugee. Words mean nothing without actions to back them up.”
3. Robbie Gibb in The Daily Telegraph
on bias in public broadcasting
Tackling the BBC’s endemic bias will be a mammoth task
“It seems having a non Left-wing comedian has become a new form of tokenism. Since the rise of alternative comedy in the Eighties, the BBC has never moved culturally away from the dominance of Left-wing Tory-bashing comics. Only ‘anti woke’ Geoff Norcott seems to have broken through this barrier. Norcott is a funny man but so too are Andrew Doyle, Leo Kearse and Dominic Frisby. You would be forgiven for never having heard of them unless you are a comedy circuit regular. And how on earth did the jaw-droppingly biased Roadkill drama get commissioned? With its grotesque caricature of a Tory minister and ludicrous plot line about secret plans to privatise the NHS – surely this is the most inane, inaccurate and biased prime time drama to air on British TV.”
4. Owen Jones in The Guardian
on an environmental revolution
Tory MPs are right: the north needs a renaissance – but it’s got to be green
“You see, the neglect of the north and the climate emergency are two problems in search of a common solution. A debate about how we reshape the post-pandemic economy should be welcomed, even if it is coming from the Tory benches. Across the globe, the coronavirus has underlined how states can mobilise vast resources to confront an unprecedented crisis when the will is there. While the virus has required the suppression of economic activity, the climate emergency seeks to reorientate that activity away from fatally harming the only home our species has. That means replacing the skilled, secure jobs stripped away from northern communities by deindustrialisation.”
5. Harriet Hall in The Independent
on celebrity foolishness
Kim Kardashian’s birthday posts were beyond insensitive – but what did we expect?
“Nobody can begrudge someone looking to appreciate the small things during the pandemic – like marking your birthday. But this was not small, in any sense. Kardashian is far from the first celebrity to be so staggeringly tone-deaf during the pandemic. Throughout lockdown, stars from Arnold Schwarzenegger, to Ellen Degeneres and the Beckhams have shared the interiors of their estates, discussing the struggles of quarantine with their swimming pools, gyms and sizeable acreage of land in view while the rest of us chumps tried to clear enough space in our living rooms for a Joe Wicks session (and that will have been a luxury for some).”


theweekuk--2020-10-29--Brexit countdown: what needs to be agreed and can Boris Johnson get a deal over the line?

Brexit talks have today moved from London to Brussels , with both sides stepping up efforts to flesh out the framework of an agreement in the next week .
After days of talks in the capital , Lord David Frost and the rest of the UK ’ s negotiating team are “ now expected to stay there until 4 November as they try to hammer out a deal ” , Politico says .
The change of scenery comes after last week ’ s reports that three phone calls between EU and UK officials had “ unlocked ” talks and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed .
What needs to be agreed ?
Despite the relatively small size of Britain ’ s fishing industry , which consists of just 12,000 fishermen , it is still proving a major sticking point in talks .
The EU wants to preserve the arrangement that grants fishermen on the continent the same access rights to UK waters , whereas the UK wants “ the Europeans to accept that Britain has left their club ” , The New York Times says .
“ The face of Brexit will be the face of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tell them that their interests were protected , ” France ’ s Europe minister , Clement Beune , said on Wednesday , alluding to the issue ’ s symbolic importance .
“ There is no reason for us to give in to British pressure ” he added .
The two sides are also still struggling to resolve differences relating to “ level playing field ” guarantees and conditions for business and governance , the Financial Times reports .
However , the Daily Express says both parties “ have started work on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing field and are edging closer to finalising a joint document covering state aid ” .
“ The UK and EU have also moved closer to deciding essential aspects of how any accord will be enforced ” the paper adds .
Negotiations have now entered the “ tunnel ” phase , with both sides eager to get stuck into the finer detail away from the gaze of the media , The Guardian reports .
EU officials have said that mid-November is now the deadline for a deal “ for there to be time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Channel ” , the paper adds .
According to Bloomberg , the EU ’ s mantra of “ nothing is agreed until everything is agreed ” is holding firm despite a clear willingness from both sides to reach a deal .
Negotiators on both sides of the channel believe a political intervention from Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron is increasingly likely , as a consequence of the EU linking British access to transport and energy markets on the continent to fishing .
“ Will we get a deal ?
I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be on the table ” European Council President Charles Michel told reporters yesterday .
“ You know the most difficult topics , and we are working to try to find solutions ... it ’ s not possible for me to assess what will happen in the next days or in the next two weeks.
” Britain is hoping German Chancellor Angela Merkel will help broker a compromise , with one Whitehall source telling the Daily Mail : “ We are relatively optimistic but that doesn ’ t mean it won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government was dialled up a notch this week after YouGov poll found that 57 % of Britons would blame Boris Johnson if no-deal was the final outcome of talks .
Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they felt that the government has “ generally failed ” in fulfilling its negotiating objectives .
The poll came as the head of the UK ’ s leading employers ’ organisation also “ stepped up pressure on the government to conclude trade talks ” , The Guardian says .
Confederation of British Industry Director General Carolyn Fairbairn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to move on from the “ suspended animation ” of the past four years , adding that “ a deal is enormously better than no deal ” .

Brexit talks have today moved from London to Brussels, with both sides stepping up efforts to flesh out the framework of an agreement in the next week.
After days of talks in the capital, Lord David Frost and the rest of the UK’s negotiating team are “now expected to stay there until 4 November as they try to hammer out a deal”, Politico says.
The change of scenery comes after last week’s reports that three phone calls between EU and UK officials had “unlocked” talks and the parameters for subsequent negotiations had been mutually agreed.
What needs to be agreed?
Despite the relatively small size of Britain’s fishing industry, which consists of just 12,000 fishermen, it is still proving a major sticking point in talks. The EU wants to preserve the arrangement that grants fishermen on the continent the same access rights to UK waters, whereas the UK wants “the Europeans to accept that Britain has left their club”, The New York Times says.
“The face of Brexit will be the face of our fisherman, so we must be able to tell them that their interests were protected,” France’s Europe minister, Clement Beune, said on Wednesday, alluding to the issue’s symbolic importance. “There is no reason for us to give in to British pressure” he added.
The two sides are also still struggling to resolve differences relating to “level playing field” guarantees and conditions for business and governance, the Financial Times reports.
However, the Daily Express says both parties “have started work on the text of an agreement on the level playing field and are edging closer to finalising a joint document covering state aid”. “The UK and EU have also moved closer to deciding essential aspects of how any accord will be enforced” the paper adds.
What’s the mood music?
Negotiations have now entered the “tunnel” phase, with both sides eager to get stuck into the finer detail away from the gaze of the media, The Guardian reports. EU officials have said that mid-November is now the deadline for a deal “for there to be time for parliamentary ratification on both sides of the Channel”, the paper adds.


theweekuk--2020-10-30--Spanish coronavirus mutation blamed for Europe’s second wave

Europe ’ s second wave of coronavirus was accelerated by a new viral mutation that emerged from a cluster of farms in northern Spain , according to research published today by a Swiss university .
The new variant , first detected in June , “ has spread rapidly through much of Europe ” , the Financial Times reports , “ and now accounts for the majority of new Covid-19 cases in several countries - and more than 80 % in the UK ” .
The study ’ s lead author , University of Basel evolutionary geneticist Emma Hodcroft , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” transmitted the 20A.EU1 mutation of the virus into the local population , where it was picked up by visitors from across the continent .
“ What we think happened is that rising cases in Spain combined with that increase in holiday travel allowed the virus to move to many different countries across Europe and , when it got there , it was able to spread quite successfully , ” she told BBC Radio 4 ’ s Today programme .
The theory “ raises questions about whether the spiralling second wave - which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into national shutdowns - could have been averted by improved screening at airports and borders ” , says the Daily Mail .
Viruses naturally mutate as they spread through the population , often without noticeably changing their effect on humans .
Occasionally , however , a new variant will emerge which is either more or less dangerous .
Scientists “ are now rushing to examine the behaviour of the variant to establish whether it may be more deadly or more infectious than other strains ” , the Financial Times reports - although so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it presents a greater threat .
And while flu mutates so quickly that immunity to one strain may offer no protection against another , coronavirus appears to be more stable .
“ We really don ’ t think that mutations have any impact on any immunity someone might have from being infected , or on a vaccine , ” Hodcroft said .


theweekuk--2020-10-30--The Week Unwrapped podcast: TikTok tills, crypto banks and green cash

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– To get six free issues of The Week magazine and a moleskine notebook visit theweek.co.uk/offer and enter promo code : POD25 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In this week ’ s episode , we discuss : The social video platform TikTok is teaming up with the Canadia payment company Shopify to create ads with built-in online stores , making it easy - perhaps too easy - for app users to spend their money .
Or , given the youth of the TikTok user @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money .
In two cryptocurrency-related stories , Paypal that users will be able to buy Bitcoin on its platform - although not to use it directly in purchases - and the investment bank JPMorgan said its own digital currency , JPM Coin is now being used commercially by a big client for the first time .
Both developments seem like a step into the mainstream for digital currencies - but both come with heavy caveats .
The “ Attenborough effect ” has reached the world of personal finance , where it is reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environmentally responsible investments .
The asset manager Liontrust , for example , said its sustainable funds had trebled from £2.5bn to £7.5bn since 2017 .
And it ’ s not just about doing good : financial advisers say environmentally responsible companies are more likely to be resilient and could have better prospects for long-term growth .
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player , Spotify , Apple podcasts , SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts

1. Bitcoin explained: what is it and how can you buy one?
Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––To get six free issues of The Week magazine and a moleskine notebook visit theweek.co.uk/offer and enter promo code: POD25–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
TikTok purchases
The social video platform TikTok is teaming up with the Canadia payment company Shopify to create ads with built-in online stores, making it easy - perhaps too easy - for app users to spend their money. Or, given the youth of the TikTok user base, to spend their parents’ money.
Crypto gets a job
In two cryptocurrency-related stories, Paypal that users will be able to buy Bitcoin on its platform - although not to use it directly in purchases - and the investment bank JPMorgan said its own digital currency, JPM Coin is now being used commercially by a big client for the first time. Both developments seem like a step into the mainstream for digital currencies - but both come with heavy caveats.
Green investments
The “Attenborough effect” has reached the world of personal finance, where it is reportedly driving a significant increase in interest in environmentally responsible investments. The asset manager Liontrust, for example, said its sustainable funds had trebled from £2.5bn to £7.5bn since 2017. And it’s not just about doing good: financial advisers say environmentally responsible companies are more likely to be resilient and could have better prospects for long-term growth.
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player, Spotify, Apple podcasts, SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts


theweekuk--2020-10-30--What comes next for Labour after the suspension of Jeremy Corbyn?

After Jeremy Corbyn yesterday became the first former Labour leader to be suspended from the party in its 130-year history , a full-scale civil war between the party ’ s left and more moderate members lining up behind Keir Starmer has been set in motion .
Starmer faces a “ battle for Labour ’ s soul ” after his former boss had the party whip removed , prompting a battle that one figure on the Labour left told The Times will “ consume the leader for the next four years ” .
Len McClusky , a close Corbyn ally and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest donor Unite , described Corbyn ’ s suspension as a “ grave injustice ” , warning Starmer that “ a split party will be doomed to defeat ” at the next general election .
Rumours of a split in the party emerged almost immediately , with Corbyn urging his supporters to stay put , The Guardian says .
Corbyn told his backers to “ stay in the party and argue the case for economic and social justice ” , the paper adds , while John McDonnell , the ex-shadow chancellor , called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calm ” .
Corbyn has quite an “ army behind him ” and has “ amassed a war chest of £350,000 ” which he could use to take legal action against the party , The Telegraph reports .
Meanwhile , Momentum , the pro-Corbyn campaign group , announced that it is to hold a “ Stand with Corbyn ” online rally this evening , saying “ the suspension of Jeremy Corbyn by the Labour Party leadership is a naked attack on the left that undermines the fight against anti-Semitism ” .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in anger at the decision , a snap YouGov poll reveals support for the suspension among the general public and Labour members .
A total of 58 % of respondents said the suspension was justified , with only one in eight ( 13 % ) saying it was wrong .
Among Labour members , 41 % backed removing the whip , while 26 % said they disagreed with the move .
Across Conservative and Liberal Democrat voters , there was overwhelming support for suspending the ex-leader .
Starmer campaigned on a pledge to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the BBC ’ s Laura Kuenssberg says this could be quite a task after Corbyn ’ s comments .
“ Corbyn ’ s forced exit once again exposes the divides in the party that Sir Keir promised to bring together , ” she said .
“ The scars from Labour ’ s years of infighting are still fresh , and prone to tear .
”

After Jeremy Corbyn yesterday became the first former Labour leader to be suspended from the party in its 130-year history, a full-scale civil war between the party’s left and more moderate members lining up behind Keir Starmer has been set in motion.
Starmer faces a “battle for Labour’s soul” after his former boss had the party whip removed, prompting a battle that one figure on the Labour left told The Times will “consume the leader for the next four years”.
Len McClusky, a close Corbyn ally and general secretary of the party’s biggest donor Unite, described Corbyn’s suspension as a “grave injustice”, warning Starmer that “a split party will be doomed to defeat” at the next general election.
Rumours of a split in the party emerged almost immediately, with Corbyn urging his supporters to stay put, The Guardian says. Corbyn told his backers to “stay in the party and argue the case for economic and social justice”, the paper adds, while John McDonnell, the ex-shadow chancellor, called for the Labour left to “stay calm”.
Corbyn has quite an “army behind him” and has “amassed a war chest of £350,000” which he could use to take legal action against the party, The Telegraph reports.
Meanwhile, Momentum, the pro-Corbyn campaign group, announced that it is to hold a “Stand with Corbyn” online rally this evening, saying “the suspension of Jeremy Corbyn by the Labour Party leadership is a naked attack on the left that undermines the fight against anti-Semitism”.
However, while members of the party have erupted in anger at the decision, a snap YouGov poll reveals support for the suspension among the general public and Labour members. A total of 58% of respondents said the suspension was justified, with only one in eight (13%) saying it was wrong.
Among Labour members, 41% backed removing the whip, while 26% said they disagreed with the move. Across Conservative and Liberal Democrat voters, there was overwhelming support for suspending the ex-leader.
Starmer campaigned on a pledge to bring unity back into the party ranks, but the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg says this could be quite a task after Corbyn’s comments.
“Corbyn’s forced exit once again exposes the divides in the party that Sir Keir promised to bring together,” she said. “The scars from Labour’s years of infighting are still fresh, and prone to tear.”


theweekuk--2020-10-30--US election: counting votes and declaring winner could take ‘up to nine days’

The result of the US election might not be known until nine days after the polls shut after the Supreme @ @ @ @ @ allowing counting to continue after election day .
Despite attempts by Republicans to block late @ @ @ @ @ the right for delayed postal votes to be counted for nine days after the polls @ @ @ @ @ of North Carolina , and for three days in Pennsylvania , a state seen by @ @ @ @ @ victory .
Only three of the six key swing states that will most likely determine @ @ @ @ @ North Carolina , and Arizona - are “ in a good place to count most @ @ @ @ @ night or soon afterward ” , Vox reports .


theweekuk--2020-10-30--Podcasts of the Week: from Danny Dyer to French & Saunders

There are “ big bucks ” to be earned from podcasts these days , said Fiona Sturges in the FT – and increasingly it is celebrities with millions of Instagram followers who top the podcast charts .
The latest celebs to cash in on the boom are EastEnders actor Danny Dyer and his 21-year-old daughter , the reality TV star Dani .
In Sorted with the Dyers , their new advice podcast from Spotify , the pair do little more than “ pop to their garden annex , read out some emails and chat about family life ” .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s great .
Danny makes a wonderfully no-nonsense agony uncle , while Dani “ plays the soft-hearted foil , expressing love and sympathy for their correspondents , however daft their problems ” .
You might not “ rely on them if your life was falling apart ” , but the Dyers are warm and funny , and they make great company .
For something far more serious and expert , try the psychotherapist Philippa Perry ’ s Families in Crisis from Audible , said James Marriott in The Times .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s “ brilliant ” graphic novel about a kleptomaniac barrister in therapy , and was hoping to find her podcast just as “ comfortably diverting ” .
But while it is certainly gripping , it is not at all comfortable .
The episodes I listened to tackled anorexia , heroin addiction , alcoholism and the challenges involved in adopting traumatised children .
“ At times I found myself scrabbling to hit pause because it was all getting too horrible.
” But when I could “ bear to listen , I was thoroughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you “ can ’ t take too much horrible ” , listen to the anorexia and adoption episodes first .
“ Both offer glimmers of hope.
” In a year that has presented great challenges and stresses for many of us , sometimes all you want from a podcast is light relief and silliness , said Hannah Verdier in The Guardian .
French & Saunders : Titting About provides both those things in spades .
It ’ s a funny , mischievous , uplifting podcast from Audible that Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using strong language and adult content ” .
In it , the comic duo chat about topics ranging from sex education to the seven deadly sins .
I found listening to them discuss such inconsequential subjects as organising their diaries or “ trying to blag double school dinners ” to be “ a joy ” .
And the finale , in which they “ imagine creating a parody of Fleabag and Killing Eve with Kathy Burke , should be a new show in itself ” .
Also recommended is Timeghost , in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as “ cultural commentators ” Martin Bain-Jones and Craig Children , giving their “ buttoned-up take on the hot topics of the moment ” .
Are social purchases too easy ?
Is Bitcoin joining the mainstream ?
And can David Attenborough get us to invest in the environment ?
Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days .

There are “big bucks” to be earned from podcasts these days, said Fiona Sturges in the FT – and increasingly it is celebrities with millions of Instagram followers who top the podcast charts. The latest celebs to cash in on the boom are EastEnders actor Danny Dyer and his 21-year-old daughter, the reality TV star Dani. In Sorted with the Dyers, their new advice podcast from Spotify, the pair do little more than “pop to their garden annex, read out some emails and chat about family life”. But here’s the strange thing: it’s great. Danny makes a wonderfully no-nonsense agony uncle, while Dani “plays the soft-hearted foil, expressing love and sympathy for their correspondents, however daft their problems”. You might not “rely on them if your life was falling apart”, but the Dyers are warm and funny, and they make great company.
For something far more serious and expert, try the psychotherapist Philippa Perry’s Families in Crisis from Audible, said James Marriott in The Times. I came to it having just read Perry’s “brilliant” graphic novel about a kleptomaniac barrister in therapy, and was hoping to find her podcast just as “comfortably diverting”. But while it is certainly gripping, it is not at all comfortable. The episodes I listened to tackled anorexia, heroin addiction, alcoholism and the challenges involved in adopting traumatised children. “At times I found myself scrabbling to hit pause because it was all getting too horrible.” But when I could “bear to listen, I was thoroughly compelled”. My tip: if you “can’t take too much horrible”, listen to the anorexia and adoption episodes first. “Both offer glimmers of hope.”
In a year that has presented great challenges and stresses for many of us, sometimes all you want from a podcast is light relief and silliness, said Hannah Verdier in The Guardian. French & Saunders: Titting About provides both those things in spades. It’s a funny, mischievous, uplifting podcast from Audible that Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders bill as “two fat old women using strong language and adult content”. In it, the comic duo chat about topics ranging from sex education to the seven deadly sins. I found listening to them discuss such inconsequential subjects as organising their diaries or “trying to blag double school dinners” to be “a joy”. And the finale, in which they “imagine creating a parody of Fleabag and Killing Eve with Kathy Burke, should be a new show in itself”.
Also recommended is Timeghost, in which comedians Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller pose as “cultural commentators” Martin Bain-Jones and Craig Children, giving their “buttoned-up take on the hot topics of the moment”.
The Week Unwrapped podcast: TikTok tills, crypto banks and green cash
Are social purchases too easy? Is Bitcoin joining the mainstream? And can David Attenborough get us to invest in the environment? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days.


theweekuk--2020-10-30--Coronavirus: hospital admissions in England surge 33% as Covid infections spiral

Patients being admitted to hospital with Covid-19 have increased by a third in England , with the sharpest rise in the south east , NHS data has revealed .
During the week to 25 October , there were 6,661 people admitted to hospital with coronavirus across the country , a 33 % increase from 5,009 the previous week .
The number of patients treated on a bed with a mechanical ventilator was up by 25 % , the official figures show .
In the south east , the number of hospital admissions rose by 53.3 % , from 276 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients receiving ventilator treatment up by 68.6 % .
There was also a significant rise in the east of England , where admissions rose by 52.2 % , with the number of ventilator patients increasing by 36.8 % .
Although total new admissions for Covid patients remained highest in the Midlands , the north west , the north east and Yorkshire , the rate of admissions has “ surged ” in regions that have not been placed under the strictest lockdown measures , The Times says .
Nottinghamshire has moved into tier three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection rates , with West Yorkshire to follow suit on Monday .
The number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals in Nottinghamshire is 40 % higher than the previous peak in April .
“ Even a well-organised NHS and care system will struggle to cope , ” the county ’ s public health director , Jonathan Gribbin said .
Ministers have refused to rule out the introduction of Tier 4 restrictions .
There were an additional 280 deaths within 28 days of a first positive Covid-19 test recorded yesterday , bringing the overall total @ @ @


theweekuk--2020-10-30--Books of the Week: Friends and Enemies, Himalaya, The Silence

This week ’ s must-reads include Barbara Amiel ’ s “ gob-smackingly honest ” and “ hilariously bitchy ” memoir ; a “ hugely ambitious ” and wide-ranging study of the Himalayas by writer and climber Ed Douglas ; and an “ uncanny ” novel by Don DeLillo which imagines a mass electrical wipeout set in 2022 .
Barbara Amiel , the wife of the disgraced former newspaper magnate Conrad Black , is “ ruthless , cruel and thrillingly unself-aware ” , said Anna van Praagh in the London Evening Standard .
Yet having read her “ gob-smackingly honest ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admit I can ’ t help liking her .
It centres , of course , on the couple ’ s spectacular fall from grace in the early 2000s , when Black , who then owned The Daily Telegraph and The Spectator , was revealed to have been “ cooking the books ” .
From leading lives of extraordinary opulence , the pair became social pariahs – and Black ended up spending three years in prison .
But this “ sorry histoire ” isn ’ t the sole focus of Amiel ’ s memoir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” childhood , first in north London and then in Canada , and describes her adult life before meeting Black ( there was a successful career in journalism , and three prior husbands ) .
Amiel , now nearly 80 , has “ led one helluva life ” .
And she describes it superbly in this “ brilliant book ” .
“ What a divinely bonkers book this is , ” said Camilla Long in The Sunday Times – “ a crazed page-turner as written from the inside by Marie Antoinette ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
Not content with simply describing her many enemies , Amiel lists them all – by continent – at the back : “ the many evil lawyers , industrialists , socialites and supposedly bent judges , who either dropped the couple or queued up to destroy them ” .
Although candid about her excesses , she seems bewildered at all the fuss .
She admits spending tens of thousands on bedsheets , but trills : “ I never asked the prices – I mean , how much can sheets be ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dramas and the lovers – among them , the charismatic publisher Lord Weidenfeld , to whom she recalls giving “ oral pleasure ” as a means to “ avoid actual body-to-body contact ” .
Like her husband , Amiel writes in “ dense , pompous sentences ” , and at 608 pages , this book sometimes “ feels like thrashing your way through a thick , oversexed jungle ” .
But there ’ s “ extraordinary ” fun to be had along the way .
I can ’ t say I found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TLS .
Amiel ’ s account of her “ horrendous ” childhood is fascinating : her father committed suicide ; other family members were “ terminally selfish ” .
The rest is “ dominated by her full-throttle resentment ” .
The result is “ verbose , distracted and irritating ” .
Ed Douglas is a writer and climber who has explored most of the Himalayas , said Mick Brown in The Daily Telegraph .
This experience animates his “ hugely ambitious ” new book , a study of the region that takes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – and which cuts through many enduring myths .
Central to Douglas ’ s survey is Tibet , a territory whose remoteness and beauty has long led it to be idealised as a “ sort of Shangri-La ” .
Douglas shows that its history is less “ magical ” than often supposed – before China invaded in 1950 , it was an oppressive theocracy more than an Eden devoted to spiritual enlightenment .
The sections on mountaineering history are especially strong , said Hugh Thomson in The Times .
Douglas conveys the wonder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region who , having been used to the “ small , concentrated ” Alps , felt as if they ’ d “ left a solar system and found a galaxy ” .
He is good , too , on the no-nonsense British climbers of more recent times who regarded the Himalayas as mere “ rocks to be conquered ” .
This is a wide-ranging account , and the level of detail can seem overwhelming – but overall , Himalaya is a “ magisterial ” study of the “ greatest mountains on Earth ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Don DeLillo Don DeLillo ’ s slim new novel begins inside a passenger jet in 2022 , said Claire Allfree in the London Evening Standard .
New Yorkers Jim and Tessa are returning from a holiday in Paris , when suddenly the screen in front of Jim goes blank .
The scene shifts to the apartment of their friends Max and Diana , who are expecting to watch the Super Bowl .
“ The giant TV screen turns grey and silent ” , and Diana can ’ t get her phone to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” , it emerges , has suspended communication – bringing normal life to a halt .
Having miraculously survived their emergency landing , Jim and Tessa make their way on foot to Max and Diana ’ s apartment , where they sit around staring at the blank screen and talking “ like characters in a dystopian Chekhov play ” .
Although The Silence is “ minor DeLillo ” , it ’ s still an “ uncanny ” work from a writer who has long “ given voice to America ’ s deepest fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrary , DeLillo ’ s feted abilities as a seer seem to have deserted him here , said Jon Day in the FT. His vision feels clichéd and “ indistinct ” , and there ’ s a sense of “ belatedness ” to it .
His characters talk about technology in an oddly old-fashioned way : “ Activate your tablet , ” Tessa commands Jim .
It ’ s missing the point to look for realism in DeLillo , said Anne Enright in The Guardian .
His characters don ’ t talk like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compelling and human ” all the same : their voices have a “ ritualised urgency ” .
The Silence feels prescient .
“ As we all learned during lockdown , apocalypse is not always interesting ” : large parts of it involve sitting around doing nothing .
DeLillo has got it right again .
To order these titles or any other book in print , visit theweekbookshop.co.uk , or speak to a bookseller on 020-3176 3835 .
Opening times : Monday to Saturday 9am-5.30pm and Sunday 10am-4pm .

“What a divinely bonkers book this is,” said Camilla Long in The Sunday Times – “a crazed page-turner as written from the inside by Marie Antoinette”. It is “hilariously bitchy and bitter”. Not content with simply describing her many enemies, Amiel lists them all – by continent – at the back: “the many evil lawyers, industrialists, socialites and supposedly bent judges, who either dropped the couple or queued up to destroy them”. Although candid about her excesses, she seems bewildered at all the fuss. She admits spending tens of thousands on bedsheets, but trills: “I never asked the prices – I mean, how much can sheets be?” On and on she ploughs, through the dramas and the lovers – among them, the charismatic publisher Lord Weidenfeld, to whom she recalls giving “oral pleasure” as a means to “avoid actual body-to-body contact”. Like her husband, Amiel writes in “dense, pompous sentences”, and at 608 pages, this book sometimes “feels like thrashing your way through a thick, oversexed jungle”. But there’s “extraordinary” fun to be had along the way.
Barbara Amiel, the wife of the disgraced former newspaper magnate Conrad Black, is “ruthless, cruel and thrillingly unself-aware”, said Anna van Praagh in the London Evening Standard . Yet having read her “gob-smackingly honest” memoir, I’ve got to admit I can’t help liking her. It centres, of course, on the couple’s spectacular fall from grace in the early 2000s, when Black, who then owned The Daily Telegraph and The Spectator, was revealed to have been “cooking the books”. From leading lives of extraordinary opulence, the pair became social pariahs – and Black ended up spending three years in prison. But this “sorry histoire” isn’t the sole focus of Amiel’s memoir. She also recounts her “terrible” childhood, first in north London and then in Canada, and describes her adult life before meeting Black (there was a successful career in journalism, and three prior husbands). Amiel, now nearly 80, has “led one helluva life”. And she describes it superbly in this “brilliant book”.
This week’s must-reads include Barbara Amiel’s “gob-smackingly honest” and “hilariously bitchy” memoir; a “hugely ambitious” and wide-ranging study of the Himalayas by writer and climber Ed Douglas; and an “uncanny” novel by Don DeLillo which imagines a mass electrical wipeout set in 2022.
I can’t say I found that, said Richard Davenport-Hines in the TLS. Amiel’s account of her “horrendous” childhood is fascinating: her father committed suicide; other family members were “terminally selfish”. The rest is “dominated by her full-throttle resentment”. The result is “verbose, distracted and irritating”.
Constable 608pp £25; The Week bookshop £19.99
Himalaya by Ed Douglas
Ed Douglas is a writer and climber who has explored most of the Himalayas, said Mick Brown in The Daily Telegraph. This experience animates his “hugely ambitious” new book, a study of the region that takes in history, mountaineering, religion and culture – and which cuts through many enduring myths. Central to Douglas’s survey is Tibet, a territory whose remoteness and beauty has long led it to be idealised as a “sort of Shangri-La”. Douglas shows that its history is less “magical” than often supposed – before China invaded in 1950, it was an oppressive theocracy more than an Eden devoted to spiritual enlightenment.
The sections on mountaineering history are especially strong, said Hugh Thomson in The Times. Douglas conveys the wonder of the first Victorian explorers in the region who, having been used to the “small, concentrated” Alps, felt as if they’d “left a solar system and found a galaxy”. He is good, too, on the no-nonsense British climbers of more recent times who regarded the Himalayas as mere “rocks to be conquered”. This is a wide-ranging account, and the level of detail can seem overwhelming – but overall, Himalaya is a “magisterial” study of the “greatest mountains on Earth”.
Bodley Head 592pp £25; The Week bookshop £19.99
Novel of the week The Silence by Don DeLillo
Don DeLillo’s slim new novel begins inside a passenger jet in 2022, said Claire Allfree in the London Evening Standard. New Yorkers Jim and Tessa are returning from a holiday in Paris, when suddenly the screen in front of Jim goes blank. The scene shifts to the apartment of their friends Max and Diana, who are expecting to watch the Super Bowl. “The giant TV screen turns grey and silent”, and Diana can’t get her phone to work. A “mass electrical wipeout”, it emerges, has suspended communication – bringing normal life to a halt. Having miraculously survived their emergency landing, Jim and Tessa make their way on foot to Max and Diana’s apartment, where they sit around staring at the blank screen and talking “like characters in a dystopian Chekhov play”. Although The Silence is “minor DeLillo”, it’s still an “uncanny” work from a writer who has long “given voice to America’s deepest fears about the future”.
On the contrary, DeLillo’s feted abilities as a seer seem to have deserted him here, said Jon Day in the FT. His vision feels clichéd and “indistinct”, and there’s a sense of “belatedness” to it. His characters talk about technology in an oddly old-fashioned way: “Activate your tablet,” Tessa commands Jim. It’s missing the point to look for realism in DeLillo, said Anne Enright in The Guardian. His characters don’t talk like normal people, but they are “compelling and human” all the same: their voices have a “ritualised urgency”. The Silence feels prescient. “As we all learned during lockdown, apocalypse is not always interesting”: large parts of it involve sitting around doing nothing. DeLillo has got it right again.
Picador 128pp £14.99; The Week bookshop £11.99
The Week bookshop
To order these titles or any other book in print, visit theweekbookshop.co.uk, or speak to a bookseller on 020-3176 3835. Opening times: Monday to Saturday 9am-5.30pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.


theweekuk--2020-10-30--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 30 Oct 2020

Labour 's decision to suspend Jeremy Corbyn could cost the party the next election , according to Len McCluskey , @ @ @ @ @ After the whip was withdrawn from Corbyn for saying that the scale of anti-Semitism in @ @ @ @ @ overstated , ” the union leader warned : “ A split party will be doomed @ @ @ @ @ shadow chancellor John McDonnell described Corbyn 's suspension as “ profoundly wrong ” , but @ @ @ @ @ said it was “ the right decision following Corbyn ’ s shameful reaction to the @ @ @ @

Union chief: Corbyn suspension could cost election
Labour's decision to suspend Jeremy Corbyn could cost the party the next election, according to Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite. After the whip was withdrawn from Corbyn for saying that the scale of anti-Semitism in Labour had been “dramatically overstated,” the union leader warned: “A split party will be doomed to defeat.” The former shadow chancellor John McDonnell described Corbyn's suspension as “profoundly wrong”, but former Labour minister Margaret Hodge said it was “the right decision following Corbyn’s shameful reaction to the EHRC report”.


theweekuk--2020-10-30--Cathedral livestreams memorial service for stray cat

Southwark Cathedral has conducted a memorial for a beloved stray cat that wandered into the building in 2008 and lived there for 12 years .
The dean of the cathedral produced a live stream of the service of thanksgiving in memory of Doorkins Magnificat , who died last month .
A pregnant woman has stopped to cast her vote in the US election on her way to hospital to give birth .
The woman was in labour when she asked her husband to pull over so she could fulfil her civic duty .
A poll worker at the Orange County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ We are very , very busy , but when something like that happens it just makes our day.
” A man who showered pedestrians with banknotes has been arrested on drugs charges .
Police say the 29-year-old , named Bo , was “ in a trance ” as he threw the a large number of notes from his 30th floor apartment in Chongqing , south-western China .
He ended up throwing away 200,000 renminbi - approximately £23,000 .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Southwark Cathedral has conducted a memorial for a beloved stray cat that wandered into the building in 2008 and lived there for 12 years. The dean of the cathedral produced a live stream of the service of thanksgiving in memory of Doorkins Magnificat, who died last month.
Woman in labour stops to vote
A pregnant woman has stopped to cast her vote in the US election on her way to hospital to give birth. The woman was in labour when she asked her husband to pull over so she could fulfil her civic duty. A poll worker at the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office in Orlando said: “We are very, very busy, but when something like that happens it just makes our day.”
Man arrested after throwing banknotes
A man who showered pedestrians with banknotes has been arrested on drugs charges. Police say the 29-year-old, named Bo, was “in a trance” as he threw the a large number of notes from his 30th floor apartment in Chongqing, south-western China. He ended up throwing away 200,000 renminbi - approximately £23,000.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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--2020-10-30--Instant Opinion: the BBC cannot police ‘virtue-signalling’

The Week ’ s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media , with excerpts from each .
‘ Virtue-signalling ’ can ’ t be policed , and the BBC is doomed if it tries “ Everybody should be allowed to express their opinion in private – except ‘ privacy ’ today paradoxically means potentially broadcasting your view to the whole world .
The BBC is in an invidious position : by attempting to create the appearance of neutrality through coercion , it runs the risk of appearing more tyrannical than even the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the boundaries of a life lived on and offline is something we all must come to terms with , but requesting employees request permission to attend protests , or banning online political speculation and commitments seems dangerously strict .
Better to trust that people have good reasons for what they say and do , and let them speak freely – even if they ’ re simply saying things to show how ‘ virtuous ’ they would like you to think they are.
” An end to Labour ’ s antisemitism controversy seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the publication of the EHRC report is not the end of this sorry period in the history of the Labour party .
By their very nature , legal and institutionally focused documents of this kind can not resolve political arguments over divisive phenomena such as antisemitism .
[ It ] can sometimes be fought , marginalised and even suppressed through legal means .
Individuals can be suspended and expelled .
But it can not be understood through legalistic and institutional research alone .
Rather , this requires attention to deeper patterns in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups can not always be traced back to explicit ideologies : it may be woven into the everyday realities of how people treat each other , or into the unspoken assumptions in an organisation about what counts as ‘ normal ’ behaviour.
” on the problem with altruism Communities shouldn ’ t be forced to step in to help when the government won ’ t “ Despite us having the sixth-largest economy in the world , charity has such an established , vital place in our culture and is responsible for crucial provision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do their bit and feel good about the change it contributes to when they do .
But where basic societal functions are concerned , like the NHS being adequately funded and children being fed , the Government should be doing more so the public don ’ t have to .
We have enough to worry about right now .
If the Government is convinced they have the ‘ right approach ’ and free school meals is in hand , why aren ’ t they telling these organisations and kind souls that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help , and especially not in these circumstances ?
It ’ s almost like they know their intervention alone won ’ t be enough.
” 4 .
Ron Suskind in The New York Times on what happens next “ None of these officials know what will happen in the future any better than the rest of us do .
It is their job to fret over worst-case scenarios , and they ’ re damn good at it .
I can ’ t know all their motives for wanting to speak to me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a desire to make clear that the alarm bells heard across the country are ringing loudly inside the administration too , where there are public servants looking to avert conflict , at all costs .
It is possible , of course , that this will be an Election Day much like all other Election Days .
Even if it takes weeks or months before the result is known and fully certified , it could be a peaceful process , where all votes are reasonably counted , allowing those precious electors to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The anxiety we ’ re feeling now could turn out to be a lot of fretting followed by nothing much , a political version of Y2K .
Or not.
” 5 .
Will Self in The New European On moving on from music “ But about four years ago I realised that even this last redoubt of sound was under attack by… silence .
I stopped playing music while I did routine desk work cooking and other domestic tasks .
I no longer played it on the rare occasions that I drove .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ took much of an interest in what was happening in the ‘ world of music ’ at all .
All of this made me feel almost guilty when the pandemic struck and lights were switched off at clubs , pubs and concerts halls the length and breadth of the land .
Was this , I wondered , a strange case of morphic resonance retroacting into the past ?
Had my preternaturally sensitive ears perhaps anticipated the gathering soundlessness – much as an audience senses it , and so falls suddenly silent – thereby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as to protect me from the sadness and disillusionment so many other have experienced , deprived of their musical balms and stimulants ?
”

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.
1. Nina Power in The Daily Telegraph
on restrictive strictness
‘Virtue-signalling’ can’t be policed, and the BBC is doomed if it tries
“Everybody should be allowed to express their opinion in private – except ‘privacy’ today paradoxically means potentially broadcasting your view to the whole world. The BBC is in an invidious position: by attempting to create the appearance of neutrality through coercion, it runs the risk of appearing more tyrannical than even the most fanatical social-justice warrior. The blurring of the boundaries of a life lived on and offline is something we all must come to terms with, but requesting employees request permission to attend protests, or banning online political speculation and commitments seems dangerously strict. Better to trust that people have good reasons for what they say and do, and let them speak freely – even if they’re simply saying things to show how ‘virtuous’ they would like you to think they are.”
2. Keith Kahn-Harris in The Guardian
on a long road ahead
An end to Labour’s antisemitism controversy seems as far away as ever
“So the publication of the EHRC report is not the end of this sorry period in the history of the Labour party. By their very nature, legal and institutionally focused documents of this kind cannot resolve political arguments over divisive phenomena such as antisemitism. [It] can sometimes be fought, marginalised and even suppressed through legal means. Individuals can be suspended and expelled. But it cannot be understood through legalistic and institutional research alone. Rather, this requires attention to deeper patterns in the culture. Sociologically, abuse of minority groups cannot always be traced back to explicit ideologies: it may be woven into the everyday realities of how people treat each other, or into the unspoken assumptions in an organisation about what counts as ‘normal’ behaviour.”
3. Marcus Raymond in Metro
on the problem with altruism
Communities shouldn’t be forced to step in to help when the government won’t
“Despite us having the sixth-largest economy in the world, charity has such an established, vital place in our culture and is responsible for crucial provision. People donating money and time want to do their bit and feel good about the change it contributes to when they do. But where basic societal functions are concerned, like the NHS being adequately funded and children being fed, the Government should be doing more so the public don’t have to. We have enough to worry about right now. If the Government is convinced they have the ‘right approach’ and free school meals is in hand, why aren’t they telling these organisations and kind souls that it isn’t their civic duty to help, and especially not in these circumstances? It’s almost like they know their intervention alone won’t be enough.”
4. Ron Suskind in The New York Times
on what happens next
The Day After Election Day
“None of these officials know what will happen in the future any better than the rest of us do. It is their job to fret over worst-case scenarios, and they’re damn good at it. I can’t know all their motives for wanting to speak to me, but one thing many of them share is a desire to make clear that the alarm bells heard across the country are ringing loudly inside the administration too, where there are public servants looking to avert conflict, at all costs. It is possible, of course, that this will be an Election Day much like all other Election Days. Even if it takes weeks or months before the result is known and fully certified, it could be a peaceful process, where all votes are reasonably counted, allowing those precious electors to be distributed based on a fair fight. The anxiety we’re feeling now could turn out to be a lot of fretting followed by nothing much, a political version of Y2K. Or not.”
5. Will Self in The New European
on giving up a simple pleasure
On moving on from music
“But about four years ago I realised that even this last redoubt of sound was under attack by… silence. I stopped playing music while I did routine desk work cooking and other domestic tasks. I no longer played it on the rare occasions that I drove. And I confess, I no longer took much of an interest in what was happening in the ‘world of music’ at all. All of this made me feel almost guilty when the pandemic struck and lights were switched off at clubs, pubs and concerts halls the length and breadth of the land. Was this, I wondered, a strange case of morphic resonance retroacting into the past? Had my preternaturally sensitive ears perhaps anticipated the gathering soundlessness – much as an audience senses it, and so falls suddenly silent – thereby enacting a sort of front-guard action so as to protect me from the sadness and disillusionment so many other have experienced, deprived of their musical balms and stimulants?”


theweekuk--2020-10-30--US election: what can we learn about Trump-Biden from George Bush vs. Al Gore?

A tight election result , neither candidate willing to back down and an American public divided over who should be in the Oval Office .
An election 20 years ago , fought between George W. Bush and his Democratic rival Al Gore could provide a template for what will happen in the days following the vote - especially if the result is too close to call .
During the 2000 election , Bush and Gore ended up slogging out their battle for the White House in the Supreme Court , after the number of votes for each candidate were simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ wild election night ” on 7 November - during which the key state of Florida was called first for Gore then for Bush , leading Gore to concede , only to rescind his concession soon afterwards - “ accusations of fraud and voter suppression , calls for recounts and the filing of lawsuits ensued ” , History.com says .
The public would later learn that Gore won the national popular vote by 543,895 , but with the electoral college in play , he trailed Bush after Florida announced that its 25 electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the state ’ s first count , Bush led by 0.1 % , meaning a machine recount of all votes cast was required .
Florida ’ s election laws required a second tally if the margin of victory was under 0.5 % .
By 10 November , the machine recount was complete , and Bush appeared to have won the state by 327 votes out of the six million cast .
But court challenges were immediately launched against the legality of the recount in several counties .
These were herd first by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being elevated to the US Supreme Court .
On 12 December , one of the most controversial Supreme Court decisions in American history said the recount should stand , handing Florida to Bush .
The ruling gave Bush a 271-266 lead at the electoral college and Gore conceded .
So what does a two-decade-old Supreme Court judgement have to do with the election next week ?
The battle over whether to allow postal votes to be counted after election day has put Bush vs. Gore back on the agenda .
Justice Brett Kavanaugh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Supreme Court , cited the case in his explanation of why he voted to deny the request for counts to continue in the key state of Wisconsin , in a move The Washington Post says “ was triggering for Democrats and voting rights activists ” .
“ It ’ s not every day we see a member of the Supreme Court citing Bush v. Gore , ” said Sherrilyn Ifill , president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund told the paper .
According to Supreme Court reporter Robert Barnes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the Supreme Court would like to avoid ” .
In other words , Barnes continues , the court does not want a “ central role in the drawn-out recount of the vote ” like the one seen in Florida twenty years ago .
“ Federal judges , [ Kavanaugh ] wrote , should not change state voting rules close to elections ” , The New York Times reports , which “ to some it felt uncomfortably close to the idea that the Supreme Court might play a starring role in deciding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggest that is unlikely , with Biden boasting a commanding lead over Trump across key swing states , “ but there is no doubt that the court is increasingly drawn into partisan battles over election procedures ” , The New York Times adds .
Given Trump ’ s efforts to discredit mail votes without evidence , and his refusal to state whether he will leave the White House if defeated , the notion that the election could be won or lost in the courts is not impossible .
The decision to hand Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first US president to win the White House without the popular vote since Benjamin Harrison in 1888 .
Trump pulled of the same feat in 2016 and is unlikely to balk at the chance to do so again .
“ It would be very , very proper and very nice if a winner were declared on 3 November instead of counting ballots for two weeks , which is totally inappropriate , and I don ’ t believe that that ’ s by our laws , ” Trump told reporters as he left the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim about the legality of counting votes is incorrect , but the president doubled-down on the sentiment in a tweet labelled misleading , when he said : “ Big problems and discrepancies with Mail In Ballots all over the USA .
Must have final total on November 3rd.
” “ In a normal election year , Bush vs. Gore would be the worst-case scenario for those hoping for a smooth transition of American power.
” CNBC says .
But this fractious election cycle “ has created the conditions for a battle that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida two decades ago ” .
If Trump decides to contest the vote , a “ chief concern is that the legal drama could play out simultaneously in multiple crucial states ” , the broadcaster continues .
This would mean that the outcome would remain up in the air , with voters on both sides left to stew over who will take the White House in the meantime .
Nathaniel Persily , a democracy scholar at Stanford Law School , told CNBC “ that the 2020 election was already going to be litigious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the high-stakes nature of the race ” .
“ In the event that the election is effectively tied ... then we have a version of Bush v. Gore on steroids .
”


theweekuk--2020-10-30--Quiz of The Week: 24 - 30 October

Quiz of The Week: 24 - 30 October

To keep reading The Week ’ s concise , refreshing and balanced take on the world , please register your @ @ @ @ @ use the details you have shared to manage your registration.You agree to the processing , @ @ @ @ @ of this information for the purpose of managing your registration as described in our Privacy @ @ @ @ @ the details you have shared to manage your newsletter subscription.You agree to the processing , @ @ @ @ @ of this information for the purpose of managing your subscription as described in our Privacy @ @ @ @ @ the information you have shared for carefully considered and specific purposes , where we believe @ @ @ @ @ to do so , for example to send you communications about similar products and services @ @ @ @ @ more about our legitimate interest activity in our privacy policy .
‘ We ’ includes @ @ @ @ @ Publishing ( UK ) Ltd brands as detailed here

This week kicked off with news that Boris Johnson is planning another climbdown over free school meals, adding to the ever-expanding list of government U-turns.
After Manchester United star Marcus Rashford again whipped up public support for the scheme, Downing Street insiders said that the prime minister is looking to boost its funding over the Christmas period.
On the opposition benches, infighting has exploded in the Labour Party following the publication of the much-anticipated Equality and Human Rights Commission report into anti-Semitism.
Ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was suspended from the party after rejecting the report’s findings, which said that the party broke equality laws and was responsible for anti-Semitic discrimination under his leadership.
To find out how closely you’ve been paying attention to the latest developments in 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?
In France, Emmanuel Macron provoked the ire of a string of Muslim-majority countries following his response to a string of terror attacks, including the murder of school teacher Samuel Paty.
The US election campaign also entered its final full week, with Joe Biden still leading in most national and swing state polls. In an unusual development, one of the Republican’s most promising senators came unstuck during a town hall meeting over the price of soybeans, in a slip that could help swing the Senate for the Democrats.
Meghan Markle was granted a delay in her privacy trial with The Mail on Sunday. The request was granted after the High Court judge heard “confidential reasons” from Markle’s lawyers as to why it was needed.
And a student embarrassed a number of journalists with a hoax story about former high street favourite Woolworths reopening its doors.


theweekuk--2020-10-31--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 31 Oct 2020

Boris Johnson is considering new national lockdown restrictions from next week amid concerns that hospitals across the country are being @ @ @ @ @ of alarming new data , the prime minister is expected to hold a press conference @ @ @ @ @ new measures , under which everything could be closed except essential shops and “ educational @ @ @ @ @ could be introduced on Wednesday and remain in place until December 1 .

Boris Johnson may impose national lockdown next week
Boris Johnson is considering new national lockdown restrictions from next week amid concerns that hospitals across the country are being overwhelmed. In the face of alarming new data, the prime minister is expected to hold a press conference on Monday to announce the new measures, under which everything could be closed except essential shops and “educational settings”. The lockdown could be introduced on Wednesday and remain in place until December 1.


theweekuk--2020-11-01--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 1 Nov 2020

The final weekend of campaigning for the White House has seen the two candidates target key states .
Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ Obama in Michigan , said the US was “ done with the chaos ” of @ @ @ @ @ , Trump said in Pennsylvania there would be a “ great red wave ” of @ @ @ @ @ has a solid lead in the polls , his advantage is narrower in swing states @

Biden and Trump spend final weekend in key swing states
The final weekend of campaigning for the White House has seen the two candidates target key states. Joe Biden, joined by ex-President Barack Obama in Michigan, said the US was “done with the chaos” of the Trump administration. However, Trump said in Pennsylvania there would be a “great red wave” of Republican victories. Although Biden has a solid lead in the polls, his advantage is narrower in swing states.