theweekuk--2020-03-30--Five key coronavirus questions that need to be answered

Almost three months have passed since the world ’ s first coronavirus-related death was reported , yet many key questions remain unanswered about the deadly infection and its effects .
As the global total of confirmed cases reaches almost three-quarters of a million , with more than 34,000 deaths , here are five of the biggest mysteries .
What is the death rate ?
As of Sunday night , the new coronavirus death rate - the percentage of people who die from the total confirmed to be infected - stood at 4.7 % .
“ However , 4.7 % is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” says the Financial Times .
“ Researchers warn that there are so many uncertainties - not least over the true number of infections - that it remains almost impossible to draw firm conclusions about the death rate.
” Without mass testing to find out the true number of coronavirus cases , the data on the virus is “ utterly unreliable ” , says John Ioannidis , a professor of epidemiology at Stanford University .
“ We don ’ t know if we are failing to capture infections by a factor of three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
Older people are believed to be more at risk of dying from the new coronavirus , which causes Covid-19 disease , but the World Health Organization ( WHO ) has warned that young people are “ not invincible ” either .
In Germany , which is leading Europe in testing citizens , the majority of infections have occurred in people aged between 15 and 59 , and the death rate is just 0.8 % - although experts have pointed out that the country also has a superior healthcare system .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatalities are among people who would have died from other causes if they had not been infected , says professor Neil Ferguson , director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London .
Ferguson told a UK parliamentary hearing last week that the proportion of new coronavirus victims who would have died anyway could be “ as many as half or two-thirds ” .
Can the weather affect the spread of the virus ?
Diseases such as flu and norovirus are well documented as hitting hardest in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tend to peak during the summer .
Little data is available about the last big coronavirus outbreak - the Sars epidemic in 2003 - because it was contained relatively quickly .
But a study conducted a decade ago by Kate Templeton , from the Centre for Infectious Diseases at the University of Edinburgh , found that three types of coronavirus showed “ marked winter seasonality ” .
The three viruses mainly caused infections between December and April , repeating the pattern of influenza .
A fourth type of coronavirus was far more sporadic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wane with the seasons .
“ There are some early hints that Covid-19 may also vary with the seasons , ” says the BBC .
A number of new , unpublished studies show that higher temperatures and tropical areas suffer a lower incidence of the new coronavirus .
However , without real data over a number of seasons , scientists are still making educated guesses .
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The question of whether someone who has had the new coronavirus can get infected again has yet to be answered conclusively .
In February , reports from Japan suggested that a woman in Osaka might have become reinfected with the virus , and anecdotal stories of reinfection have also emerged from China .
However , a study by the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing found that four monkeys who had been ill with the virus and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus , suggesting they were immune .
But there is no definitive answer on how long such immunity might last .
“ Some other viruses in the coronavirus family , such as those that cause common colds , tend to induce immunity that is relatively short-lived , at around three months , ” Peter Openshaw , from Imperial College London , told New Scientist .
“ Because [ the virus ] is so new , we do not yet know how long any protection generated through infection will last .
We urgently need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people who have recovered from infection to be sure.
” Why do children appear to be less to infection ?
The vast majority of coronavirus cases recorded to date have been in adults , with children largely avoiding infection , or - more likely - remaining asymptomatic .
In one of the largest studies of the coronavirus ’ s effect on children , Chinese researchers examined infection outcomes in more than 2,000 confirmed or suspected childhood Covid-19 cases .
The majority of the children tested had no symptoms at all , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same , coronavirus infections in children do pose a threat .
“ As with most things in this pandemic , the idea that coronavirus only threatens older people is an oversimplification , ” writes Jonathan Ball , a professor of molecular virology , in an article for The Guardian .
“ Younger people and children are less likely to die from coronavirus , but their mild symptoms could make them contagious carriers of the virus – and they are more difficult to spot.
” How did the outbreak begin ?
The new coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to humans from animals , but the exact origins of the current outbreak are unclear .
The beginnings of the pandemic have been traced back to a market in the Chinese city of Wuhan where live wild animals including marmots , birds , rabbits , bats and snakes were traded .
The Telegraph explains that such markets pose a “ heightened risk of viruses jumping from animals to humans ” , because hygiene standards are “ difficult to maintain if live animals are being kept and butchered on site ” .
“ Although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causes Covid-19 suggested it was similar to viruses seen in snakes , the hunt for the animal source of Covid-19 is still on , ” says Wired .
Bats and pangolins have also been suggested as the origin animal .


theweekuk--2020-03-30--Why the UK is planning coronavirus ‘reckoning’ with China

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A diplomatic row between the UK and China is growing over Beijing’s lack of transparency about the coronavirus outbreak.
Speaking on BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show yesterday, Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove appeared to blame the Chinese authorities for the UK’s lack of mass testing for the virus.
“We’ve been increasing the number of tests over the course of the last month… The first case of coronavirus in China was established in December of last year, but it was also the case that some of the reporting from China was not clear about the scale, the nature, the infectiousness of this,” Gove said.
Meanwhile, senior Downing Street officials told The Mail on Sunday that the Communist state faces a “reckoning” when the pandemic is over.
Echoing that warning in an article for the newspaper, Conservative grandee Iain Duncan Smith wrote: “For too long, nations have lamely kow-towed to China in the desperate hope of winning trade deals.
“But once we get clear of this terrible pandemic, it is imperative that we all rethink that relationship and put it on a much more balanced and honest basis.”
Tom Tugendhat, Tory chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, added his voice to the calls for tough new tactics with Beijing, telling The Telegraph: “It’s quite clear that the relationship with China has got to change.
“The idea that we can import cheap goods and not import the consequences of slave labour, of silencing opposition and government repression, including of the truth about pandemic outbreaks, is clearly not true.”
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However, the newspaper adds that there have also been “accusations that ministers are using China as a convenient scapegoat to deflect criticism from the government’s failure to ramp up testing [for coronavirus] in the way that many other countries have done”.
Ed Davey, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, is among those who have dismissed Gove’s claims, reports The Independent. “The evidence this was a serious virus was well documented through January into February. We need to understand precisely how ministers were responding, rather than feeble excuses that they didn’t know,” Davey said.
Nick Lowles, head of the Hope not Hate anti-racism group, also warned of “a steady stream of anti-Chinese rhetoric coming from government politicians as they try to deflect from any criticism of their own handling of the crisis”.
Gove told the BBC’s Marr that 10,000 people a day are being tested for Covid-19 in the UK, with the aim of increasing that daily rate to 25,000. However, he did not give a timeline for when all NHS and social care workers would have access to the tests.


theweekuk--2020-03-30--Strangest coronavirus quotes from world leaders: from vodka cures to ‘miracles’

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro (pictured) has tested positive for coronavirus, having previously dismissed the pandemic as being of little danger to Brazilians.
He took the test, his fourth, on Monday after developing symptoms, including a high temperature, the BBC says.
Bolsonaro has repeatedly talked down the risks of Covid, describing it as a “little flu”, saying he would not be seriously affected and opposing lockdowns which would hurt Brazil’s economy.
The South American nation has the second-highest number of Covid-19 cases and deaths in the world, after the US.
Bolsonaro is not alone in taking a dismissive attitude towards the pandemic, which has now killed more than half a million people worldwide. The Week rounded up some of the strangest comments by world leaders during the pandemic.
Jair Bolsonaro
Brazil’s controversial president made headlines in March by claiming “without evidence that Brazilians may have a natural immunity to the coronavirus” , reports Business Insider.
When asked during an interview whether he believed Brazil’s outbreak could get as bad as that in the US, he responded: “I don’t think it will reach that point. Especially because Brazilians have to be studied. They don’t get anything. You see the guy jumping into the sewer there, going out, diving, right? And nothing happens to him.
“I think a lot of people have already been infected in Brazil, a few weeks or months ago, and already have the antibodies that help not to proliferate it.”
Within months of those comments, Brazil passed the US to become the world’s worst-hit country in terms of both cases and deaths.
Alexander Lukashenko
The Belarusian leader ruled out lockdown measures like those seen elsewhere in Europe back in March and stuck to his guns, claiming that “the world has gone mad from the coronavirus”.
“This psychosis has crippled national economies almost everywhere in the world,” Lukashenko said.
His government has now reported more than 64,000 coronavirus cases and 443 deaths among the 9.5 million citizens of Belarus. Although some have claimed that the true infection figure “is much higher and accuse the government of a cover-up”, The Times reports.
Doubts were cast on Lukashenko’s recommended response to the outbreak in his country, where “shops and markets are bustling, theatres are staging premieres and the borders remain open”, according to the newspaper.


theweekuk--2020-03-30--‘I’m ambitious - I want to win trophies’: Harry Kane casts doubt on Spurs future

If there ’ s one thing that can be said of the coronavirus lockdown it ’ s that it has given us all time to take stock of our lives - and in the case of Harry Kane he is now pondering his future at Tottenham Hotspur .
The England captain turns 27 in July and yet for a player of his stature his trophy cabinet is dismally bare .
There were rumours last summer that the striker was weighing up his options after the pain of losing to Liverpool in the Champions League final , but he stayed loyal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp on Instagram , Kane has given his strongest indication yet that he could seek new pastures .
“ I love Spurs , I would always love Spurs , ” he told Redknapp in response to a question about his commitment to the north London club .
“ I have always said that if I don ’ t feel we are progressing as a team or going in the right direction , I am not someone to stay there for the sake of it.
” Shearer : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t win a trophy ’ ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– It ’ s no secret that Kane had an excellent working relationship with Mauricio Pochettino - the coach who nurtured him and who was sacked in November after Tottenham ’ s sluggish start to the season .
Jose Mourinho was appointed the new manager but results have not improved as Tottenham crashed out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prior to the suspension of football .
“ I am an ambitious player , I want to improve , I want to get better , I want to become one of the top , top players , ” explained Kane in what could be interpreted as a criticism of Tottenham under Mourinho .
“ It all depends on what happens to the team and how we progress as a team .
It is not a definite that I am going to stay there forever but it is not a no either .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on next season but you know me , I want to win team trophies.
” The Premier League has been in limbo since early March but reports in today ’ s newspapers suggest that a plan is being drafted to restart the competition in early June so as to finish the season by 12 July at the latest .
Asked whether such a plan was feasible or whether it would be best to abandon the season , Kane said : “ It ’ s a hard one… my personal opinion , I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season , but there needs to be a point where we say enough is enough .
There needs to be a limit .
“ The limit for me is the end of June .
Then we have to look at the options and look ahead to next season .
It would have such a knock-on effect for next season.
” As The Times points out , Kane 's view might be tainted by self-interest given that if the season - including the European competitions - was abandoned with all results void , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Champions League with the same clubs that qualified in 2018-19 .
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If there’s one thing that can be said of the coronavirus lockdown it’s that it has given us all time to take stock of our lives - and in the case of Harry Kane he is now pondering his future at Tottenham Hotspur.
The England captain turns 27 in July and yet for a player of his stature his trophy cabinet is dismally bare.
There were rumours last summer that the striker was weighing up his options after the pain of losing to Liverpool in the Champions League final, but he stayed loyal to Spurs.
But in a video interview with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp on Instagram, Kane has given his strongest indication yet that he could seek new pastures.
“I love Spurs, I would always love Spurs,” he told Redknapp in response to a question about his commitment to the north London club.
“I have always said that if I don’t feel we are progressing as a team or going in the right direction, I am not someone to stay there for the sake of it.”
Shearer: ‘Kane has to leave if Spurs don’t win a trophy’
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Mourinho’s mediocrity
It’s no secret that Kane had an excellent working relationship with Mauricio Pochettino - the coach who nurtured him and who was sacked in November after Tottenham’s sluggish start to the season.
Jose Mourinho was appointed the new manager but results have not improved as Tottenham crashed out of the FA Cup and the Champions League prior to the suspension of football.
“I am an ambitious player, I want to improve, I want to get better, I want to become one of the top, top players,” explained Kane in what could be interpreted as a criticism of Tottenham under Mourinho.
“It all depends on what happens to the team and how we progress as a team. It is not a definite that I am going to stay there forever but it is not a no either.
“We’ll see how we get on next season but you know me, I want to win team trophies.”
End of June deadline
The Premier League has been in limbo since early March but reports in today’s newspapers suggest that a plan is being drafted to restart the competition in early June so as to finish the season by 12 July at the latest.
Asked whether such a plan was feasible or whether it would be best to abandon the season, Kane said: “It’s a hard one… my personal opinion, I think we need to try and finish the season, but there needs to be a point where we say enough is enough. There needs to be a limit.
“The limit for me is the end of June. Then we have to look at the options and look ahead to next season. It would have such a knock-on effect for next season.”
As The Times points out, Kane's view might be tainted by self-interest given that if the season - including the European competitions - was abandoned with all results void, then next season Uefa would probably stage the Champions League with the same clubs that qualified in 2018-19.
Today’s back pages
Premier League players face strict lockdown to get season finished
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theweekuk--2020-03-30--Today’s back pages: Premier League players face strict lockdown to get season finished

The tabloids are agreed that the Premier League will be completed this season but supporters will have to watch on TV .
According to the Daily Mirror the Premier League powerbrokers “ want to squeeze the remaining games into a confined time frame during June ” so as to fulfil their broadcaster obligation .
But the matches would be played behind-closed-doors with Britain likely to remain in partial lockdown at least until September .
Although a definitive decision has not yet been reached , it is one of the proposals being examined between the Premier League , English Football League @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Association .
The Sun says that if such a scenario is implemented then players will live in hotels as if on tour .
“ Keeping a team isolated as a unit would make it easier to prevent Covid-19 from spreading , ” says the paper .
“ Players who have played at international tournaments would be used to the set-up , as they stay together in one hotel and only leave to train and play matches.
” The Premier League has apparently pencilled in early June as the date to resume matches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by mid-July .
Man Utd ‘ fully supports ’ the collective aim to finish the season ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Metro and The Times report the comments made by Tottenham striker Harry Kane who believes there should be an end of June deadline to get the season finished .
“ The further this season is pushed on , it would have such a big knock-on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Euros in 2021 , and even the World Cup 2022 , ” the England captain told pundit Jamie Redknapp on Instagram .
“ Football is secondary at the moment .
I know there still have to be plans in place and I ’ m sure everyone is trying to do that .
I know the Premier League will do everything they can to finish the season , and that they are looking at every option possible .
“ I think , for me , we do need to try to finish the season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point where enough ’ s enough .
“ Playing into July or August and pushing next season back , I don ’ t see too much benefit in that .
But obviously I don ’ t know too much about behind the scenes and financially .
“ Probably the limit for me is the end of June .
If the season ’ s not completed by the end of June we need to look at the options and just look forward to next season.
” The news that Aston Villa ace Jack Grealish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early on Sunday comes too late for most of the papers , although the Daily Express mentions it briefly on its back page .
Instead the incident is reported online with The Guardian saying that an “ investigation has been launched ” after a Range Rover crashed into parked cars in the Dickens Heath area of Solihull on Sunday just before 10am .
The paper adds that “ the driver left his details with a member of the public before leaving on foot ” .
The Sun splashes the story on its front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its coverage of the accident , alleging that video footage shows the Villa captain as “ unsteady and confused ” moments after his £80,000 Range Rover collided with a parked car .
The Sun says that far from leaving his details with a passer-by , the 24-year-old “ was seen arguing with onlookers at 8am yesterday amid claims he had partied all night at a pal ’ s flat despite the virus lockdown ” .
The day before the alleged contretemps , Grealish posted a video online in which he urged people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
West Midlands police have said they are aware of the accident and the driver of the vehicle “ will be spoken to by police in due course ” .
The latest industry to be affected by the lockdown is sports punditry , reports the Daily Mirror , with the paper claiming that Rio Ferdinand , Steve McManaman and Karen Carney are among the ex-players “ set to lose out financially ” as BT Sport tightens its belt .
Apparently Sky Sports is still paying the wages of its pundits , three weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but faced with the prospect of no live games for at least another two months , BT Sport “ are ready to slash their wage costs during the crisis ” .
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Premier League lockdown
The tabloids are agreed that the Premier League will be completed this season but supporters will have to watch on TV.
According to the Daily Mirror the Premier League powerbrokers “want to squeeze the remaining games into a confined time frame during June” so as to fulfil their broadcaster obligation.
But the matches would be played behind-closed-doors with Britain likely to remain in partial lockdown at least until September.
Although a definitive decision has not yet been reached, it is one of the proposals being examined between the Premier League, English Football League, Football Association and the Professional Footballers’ Association.
The Sun says that if such a scenario is implemented then players will live in hotels as if on tour.
“Keeping a team isolated as a unit would make it easier to prevent Covid-19 from spreading,” says the paper. “Players who have played at international tournaments would be used to the set-up, as they stay together in one hotel and only leave to train and play matches.”
The Premier League has apparently pencilled in early June as the date to resume matches and they hope to finish the season by mid-July.
Man Utd ‘fully supports’ the collective aim to finish the season
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Kane: finish season by end of June
Metro and The Times report the comments made by Tottenham striker Harry Kane who believes there should be an end of June deadline to get the season finished.
“The further this season is pushed on, it would have such a big knock-on effect for next season, with the Euros in 2021, and even the World Cup 2022,” the England captain told pundit Jamie Redknapp on Instagram.
“Football is secondary at the moment. I know there still have to be plans in place and I’m sure everyone is trying to do that. I know the Premier League will do everything they can to finish the season, and that they are looking at every option possible.
“I think, for me, we do need to try to finish the season. But there needs to be a point where enough’s enough.


theweekuk--2020-03-30--Coronavirus: Pressure on government grows as two doctors die

Pressure on the government to supply protective equipment for NHS staff is growing , following the deaths of the first British doctors from Covid-19 .
Amged El-Hawrani , a 55-year-old ear , nose and throat consultant , died on Saturday , while Adil El Tayar , 63 , an organ transplant specialist , passed away last week .
NHS medical director , Stephen Powis , described the deaths as “ a stark reminder to the whole country that we all must take this crisis seriously ” .
Meanwhile , The Guardian reports that “ as they mourned the death of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ groups attacked continuing shortages of protective equipment – from masks to gowns ” .
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Get your first six issues for £6 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Commenting on the shortage of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) , Chaand Nagpaul , chairperson of the British Medical Association council , said : “ The reality is that it is still not reaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frontline staff on the ground .
“ Doctors here will understandably be concerned when they see images in the media of their colleagues around the world treating patients in full overalls and full face protection , and asking why the same is not recommended or available here.
” Clothes manufacturers claim the government has wasted time ordering PPE for NHS staff , with fashion and textile firms insisting they could have begun making gowns and masks for front-line workers 10 days ago .
`` The government is dragging its heels and it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kate Hills from Make it British , a trade group .
Hills told the BBC .
“ Everyone in the whole world is looking for the PPE .
We need to look at local suppliers and mobilise supply here.
” According to Make it British , factories are receiving calls directly from local hospitals saying “ can you make us anything , we are desperate for any protective equipment , anything that you can provide ” .
Friends and famiy of El-Hawrani and El Tayar have paid tribute to the pair .
Pradeep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was angry at the loss of his friend , El-Hawrani .
“ Did it have to be this way ?
” , he said .
“ Such a waste of precious life.
” Tayar had spent his final days volunteering to stem the outbreak in an A & E department in the Midlands .
“ He wanted to be deployed where he would be most useful in the crisis , ” his cousin said .

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theweekuk--2020-03-30--Coronavirus: Officer shortage means police may ignore crimes

Police are to cut services and drop investigations as forces hit a range of “ tipping points ” due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Documents seen by The Times show a “ graduated withdrawal of service plan ” , in which officers will be redeployed to critical activities such as 999 calls and serious crime if forces reach “ black status ” ; the most severe level of interruption to ordinary services .
Blue status signifies business as usual , green means there has been a “ moderate , temporary impact ” and amber indicates there has been a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the paper reports .
Red means there has been a “ severe impact ” and black means “ critical impact ” in which the situation has moved beyond the capacity of the police to deliver “ essential ” critical activities .
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Get your first six issues for £6 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– A senior source told The Times : “ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basically can ’ t function .
You will either have to call in the army or request aid from other police forces .
It ’ s edge-of-the-cliff stuff .
I fear we will reach black in certain parts of this country , which is unprecedented .
“ It is possible arrests won ’ t be made .
A suspect ’ s journey through the custody suite involves 12 different people .
If a police force is on its knees they won ’ t be able to make those arrests.
” Earlier this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be told to focus on serious incidents and “ maintaining public order ” amid projected officer shortages .
The prime minister also told a press conference in early March there were “ long-established plans by which the police will , obviously , keep the public safe but they will prioritise those things that they have to do ” .
“ The army is of course always ready to back-fill as and when , but that is under the reasonable worst case scenario , ” Boris Johnson added .
The Times understands that at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ red status , in which most officers are redeployed to “ immediate , priority incidents ” .
With infection rates expected to soar among the police due to their wide interaction levels , sickness levels could rise to 20 % or 30 % next month .
Sources told the paper that forces would then begin to withdraw from a number of activities , including responding to offences such as theft , affray and cannabis dealing .
With pubs and bars shut , fewer people on the streets and no need to monitor football @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given some “ breathing space ” with which to prepare for the challenges ahead , writes The Times ’ crime and security editor , Fiona Hamilton .
Police were last week handed new powers , meaning they can issue a £60 fixed penalty to people found to be in breach of lockdown rules .
The fine lowers to £30 if paid within 14 days .
Second-time offenders will pay a £120 fixed penalty , doubling on each further repeat offence .


theweekuk--2020-03-30--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 30 Mar 2020

The US could be hit by millions of coronavirus cases , with the loss of up to 200,000 lives , @ @ @ @ @ disease expert has predicted .
Dr Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of @ @ @ @ @ told CNN that “ looking at what we ’ re seeing now , I would @ @ @ @ @ deaths ” , but added that “ it ’ s such a moving target that @ @ @ @ @ wrong ” .
The US has reported more than 142,000 cases so far , more @ @ @ @ @ the world , with almost 2,500 deaths .

US coronavirus death toll may reach 200,000, top scientist warns
The US could be hit by millions of coronavirus cases, with the loss of up to 200,000 lives, Washington’s top infectious disease expert has predicted. Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN that “looking at what we’re seeing now, I would say between 100,000 and 200,000… deaths”, but added that “it’s such a moving target that you can so easily be wrong”. The US has reported more than 142,000 cases so far, more than any other country in the world, with almost 2,500 deaths.


theweekuk--2020-03-30--Coronavirus triggers global condom shortage

A global condom shortage is the latest consequence of the coronavirus pandemic .
Malaysia ’ s Karex Bhd , which makes one in every five condoms globally , has been forced to shut factories due to distancing measures , causing a shortfall of 100 million condoms for some of the world ’ s biggest brands .
Britney admits she is not faster than Usain Bolt Britney Spears has put the internet ’ s mind at ease by confirming she can not run faster than Usain Bolt .
The pop singer said her previous claim to have run 100 metres in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fastest athlete on the planet - was “ obviously ” just a joke .
A mother has soaked her entire shopping hoard from Tesco in a bath .
Keen to clean her food shop before it went into the cupboards and fridge , she gave the whole lot a bubble bath .
The shopping included Greek yoghurts , tomatoes , tzatziki , feta cheese , broccoli , Pink Lady apples and a cauliflower .
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A global condom shortage is the latest consequence of the coronavirus pandemic. Malaysia’s Karex Bhd, which makes one in every five condoms globally, has been forced to shut factories due to distancing measures, causing a shortfall of 100 million condoms for some of the world’s biggest brands.
Britney admits she is not faster than Usain Bolt
Britney Spears has put the internet’s mind at ease by confirming she cannot run faster than Usain Bolt. The pop singer said her previous claim to have run 100 metres in less than six seconds - making her the fastest athlete on the planet - was “obviously” just a joke.
Mum soaks shopping in the bath
A mother has soaked her entire shopping hoard from Tesco in a bath. Keen to clean her food shop before it went into the cupboards and fridge, she gave the whole lot a bubble bath. The shopping included Greek yoghurts, tomatoes, tzatziki, feta cheese, broccoli, Pink Lady apples and a cauliflower.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For more outlandish tales and news to make you smile, sign up for our Tall Tales email–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


theweekuk--2020-03-29--Coronavirus: UK unemployment set to double as GDP collapses

Unemployment in Britain is expected to more than double in coming months , as economists warn that the impending rise will be even sharper than during the 2008 financial crisis .
Investment bank Nomura predicts an unemployment rate of 8 % in the April-June quarter , rising to 8.5 % in the following three months .
In January , the figure was 3.9 % It says the effects of the pandemic will be an economic hit “ multiple times that of the global financial crisis ” , despite government efforts to stabilise the economy with huge stimulus pledges .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an additional 1.4 million people unemployed and a total jobless level of 2.75 million , according to The Sunday Times .
Nomura also expects a drop in GDP of 13.5 % in the second quarter , more than six times the biggest quarterly fall during the financial crisis .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important business stories and tips for the week ’ s best shares - try The Week magazine .
Get your first six issues for £6 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Allan Monks , from JP Morgan , said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a threat to the strength of the economic recovery , even once social distancing measures are relaxed.
” The Resolution Foundation added that “ the country is already in the midst of an unemployment crisis that is building much faster than during the financial crisis ” .
Over the weekend , more than 2,000 jobs were put at risk as casual dining chain Carluccio ’ s reportedly lined up administrators .
The collapse of rent-to-own housing giant BrightHouse put a further 2,400 jobs in danger .
Monsoon Accessorize , the fashion chain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restructuring experts from FRP , according to The Guardian .
The proposed sale raises fears over a further 3,500 jobs .
Arcadia Group , owned by Philip Green , is pausing payments to its pension fund , while Debenhams is expected to furlough the vast majority of its 22,000 staff this week , The Sunday Times reports .
Airline industry chiefs have warned the aviation sector is “ entering the danger zone ” , the BBC says , with requests for state aid expected from Virgin Atlantic and others .
Dairy farmers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business because the price they are paid for milk has fallen , despite shortages in some supermarkets , the broadcaster adds .
“ This is going to be a global pandemic of unemployment , ” said David Blustein , a professor of counselling psychology at Boston College and the author of The Importance of Work in an Age of Uncertainty : The Eroding Work Experience in America .
“ I call it a crisis within a crisis , ” he told the BBC .

Unemployment in Britain is expected to more than double in coming months, as economists warn that the impending rise will be even sharper than during the 2008 financial crisis.
Investment bank Nomura predicts an unemployment rate of 8% in the April-June quarter, rising to 8.5% in the following three months. In January, the figure was 3.9%
It says the effects of the pandemic will be an economic hit “multiple times that of the global financial crisis”, despite government efforts to stabilise the economy with huge stimulus pledges.
The 8% rate would be the equivalent of an additional 1.4 million people unemployed and a total jobless level of 2.75 million, according to The Sunday Times.
Nomura also expects a drop in GDP of 13.5% in the second quarter, more than six times the biggest quarterly fall during the financial crisis.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important business stories and tips for the week’s best shares - try The Week magazine. Get your first six issues for £6–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Allan Monks, from JP Morgan, said: “A sustained rise in unemployment would clearly be a threat to the strength of the economic recovery, even once social distancing measures are relaxed.”
The Resolution Foundation added that “the country is already in the midst of an unemployment crisis that is building much faster than during the financial crisis”.
Over the weekend, more than 2,000 jobs were put at risk as casual dining chain Carluccio’s reportedly lined up administrators. The collapse of rent-to-own housing giant BrightHouse put a further 2,400 jobs in danger.
Monsoon Accessorize, the fashion chain, is also seeking a buyer with restructuring experts from FRP, according to The Guardian. The proposed sale raises fears over a further 3,500 jobs.
Arcadia Group, owned by Philip Green, is pausing payments to its pension fund, while Debenhams is expected to furlough the vast majority of its 22,000 staff this week, The Sunday Times reports.
Airline industry chiefs have warned the aviation sector is “entering the danger zone”, the BBC says, with requests for state aid expected from Virgin Atlantic and others.
Dairy farmers have also said they will go out of business because the price they are paid for milk has fallen, despite shortages in some supermarkets, the broadcaster adds.
“This is going to be a global pandemic of unemployment,” said David Blustein, a professor of counselling psychology at Boston College and the author of The Importance of Work in an Age of Uncertainty: The Eroding Work Experience in America.
“I call it a crisis within a crisis,” he told the BBC.


theweekuk--2020-03-29--Why did Trump backtrack on New York quarantine?

US President Donald Trump has said quarantining New York “ will not be necessary ” , after the state ’ s governor dismissed the idea as “ preposterous ” and “ anti-American ” .
Trump had earlier said that he was considering a short-term quarantine in New York , New Jersey and Connecticut , which the president described as coronavirus “ hot spots ” .
“ We 're thinking about certain things , ” he told reporters .
“ Some people would like to see New York quarantined because it ’ s a hotspot .
“ We might not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a possibility that sometime today we 'll do a quarantine , short-term , two weeks on New York .
Probably New Jersey , certain parts of Connecticut.
” Trump is under pressure to act after the US quickly developed into a battlefront in the coronavirus pandemic .
The US has more than 120,000 reported cases across the country , with more than 52,000 of them in New York state alone .
However , Trump later rowed back on the quarantine idea , announcing on Twitter that instead of quarantine , a “ strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York , New Jersey and Connecticut by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 .
Get your first six issues for £6 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– He said his latest decision was taken on the recommendation of the White House Coronavirus Task Force .
Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after officials had “ very intensive discussions ” with the president at the White House .
The response of New York governor Andrew Cuomo is also thought to have swayed Trump ’ s thinking .
Cuomo had said imposing quarantine would be “ preposterous ” and “ anti-American ” , reports the BBC .
“ I do n't even know what that means .
I do n't know how that could be legally enforceable ” the Democratic governor said .
“ And from a medical point view , I do n't know what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can tell you , I do n't even like the sound of it.
” Comparing the measures to those taken in Wuhan , the epicentre of the pandemic , Cuomo added that a quarantine would cause the stock market to crash in a way that would make it impossible for the US economy to “ recover for months , if not years ” .
Cuomo has become something of a television star during the pandemic , with CNN describing his press conferences as “ appointment viewing ” , noting that they form a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s briefings .
The broadcaster reports that where Cuomo projects “ competence and authority , with a dash of his idiosyncratic humour ” , Trump is “ meandering ” .


theweekuk--2020-03-29--Coronavirus: Michael Gove warns of longer lockdown as death toll rises

Michael Gove has warned the British public to prepare for a “ significant period ” of lockdown , in a signal that the government could extend restrictions beyond the three weeks initially announced by Boris Johnson .
Speaking on the BBC ’ s The Andrew Marr Show , Gove said : “ I can ’ t make an accurate prediction but everyone does have to prepare for a significant period when these measures are still in place.
” The warning came as England ’ s deputy chief medical officer , Jenny Harries , said that it could be six months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ normal ” .
Appearing at the daily coronavirus briefing , Harries said the government would review the lockdown measures for the first time in three weeks .
Harries said : “ We must not then suddenly revert to our normal way of living .
That would be quite dangerous .
If we stop then all of our efforts will be wasted and we could potentially see a second peak .
“ So over time , probably over the next six months , we will have a three-week review .
We will see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep that lid on - and then gradually we will be able to hopefully adjust some of the social distancing measures and gradually get us all back to normal.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 .
Get your first six issues for £6 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The government ’ s leading epidemiology adviser sounded a similarly cautious note , warning that the entire population may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to three months .
Neil Ferguson said that even when the lockdown is lifted , there would probably still be months of social distancing , adding : “ We 're going to have to keep these measures in place , in my view , for a significant period of time - probably until the end of May , maybe even early June .
May is optimistic.
” The warnings came as Boris Johnson sends a letter to every British household , warning that “ things will get worse before they get better ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go further ” if necessary .
Last Monday , the prime minister announced nationwide lockdown restrictions , ruling that people may only leave home to exercise once a day , to travel to and from work where “ absolutely necessary ” , to shop for essential items and to fulfil any medical or care needs .
The Sunday Times quotes cabinet sources as saying that two criteria would have to be met before the prime minister would lift the lockdown ; the number of new cases must be stable or falling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals must not be exceeded .
The latest UK figures offer a “ glimmer of hope , ” reports the Mail on Sunday , as infection rates dropped for the second day in a row .
However , with the death toll rising by 209 to 1,228 and infections up by 2,483 to 19,522 , the immediate picture remains grim .
Senior government figures have forecast that coronavirus could peak in April with approximately 5,700 deaths .
After this , they suggested , the lockdown measures could be steadily loosened .


theweekuk--2020-03-29--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 29 Mar 2020

Donald Trump has said quarantining New York “ will not be necessary ” , after the state 's governor argued @ @ @ @ @ “ preposterous ” .
Earlier , the US president had told the media he might @ @ @ @ @ York , and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut , to slow the spread of @ @ @ @ @ than 52,000 cases in New York .

Donald Trump backs down on quarantining New York
Donald Trump has said quarantining New York “will not be necessary”, after the state's governor argued that doing so would be “preposterous”. Earlier, the US president had told the media he might impose a quarantine on New York, and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut, to slow the spread of Covid-19. There are more than 52,000 cases in New York.


theweekuk--2020-03-28--Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 28 Mar 2020

Frontline health staff in England will begin being tested this weekend for the coronavirus , reports the BBC .
Following @ @ @ @ @ of tests , staff with symptoms or those who live with people who have symptoms @ @ @ @ @ with critical care doctors and nurses .
The number of people who have died with @ @ @ @ @ rose by 181 to 759 yesterday , with 14,543 confirmed cases .

Frontline NHS workers to start being tested for coronavirus
Frontline health staff in England will begin being tested this weekend for the coronavirus, reports the BBC. Following mounting criticism over a lack of tests, staff with symptoms or those who live with people who have symptoms will be checked - starting with critical care doctors and nurses. The number of people who have died with the virus in the UK rose by 181 to 759 yesterday, with 14,543 confirmed cases.


theweekuk--2020-03-27--Sport shorts: Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer is linked with Chelsea and Ajax player Abdelhak Nouri comes

Sport shorts: Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer is linked with Chelsea and Ajax player Abdelhak Nouri comes out of a coma

Bayern Munich and Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is being linked with Premier League club Chelsea .
According to German newspaper Bild , the 34-year-old has a contract with Bayern until 2021 but it ’ s questionable whether the two parties will agree on a new deal .
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard “ could be tempted to put in an offer ” , ESPN adds , if he is able to offload current No.1 Kepa Arrizabalaga .
Neuer captained Bayern in their 3-0 victory over the Blues in the Champions League round of 16 first leg on 25 February at Stamford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s goalkeeper when the country won the Fifa World Cup in 2014 .
2 .
United want season to be completed Manchester United have offered their “ full support ” for the completion of the 2019-20 season .
In a statement to fans the club said : “ The club fully supports the collective intent to complete the Premier League , Emirates FA Cup and the Uefa club competitions.
” As things stand United are fifth in the Premier League table with 45 points , three behind fourth-placed Chelsea .
United ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the top .
Premier League : could Saturday 3pm kick-offs go ‘ behind red button ’ ?
To all the health care workers around the world .
A little message from us to you ... % u2764 % uFE0F pic.twitter.com/1EuwvAdSSa Last night millions of people in the UK came together to “ clap for our carers ” and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was one of the many sporting figures to also praise the NHS staff and key workers on the frontline .
Klopp said : “ Myself , the staff and all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take this opportunity to deliver a message to say thank you to all the incredible people who work in the health services and all the health workers out there .
“ It ’ s unbelievable what you are doing and on behalf on all of us from LFC , I would like to say thank you , or how we would say in Germany - vielen dank.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ITV Sport has released extended highlights of “ The Decider ” at Anfield in 1989 .
As the broadcaster said on Twitter : “ Before ‘ Aguerooooooo !
’ there was ... ‘ It ’ s up for grabs now !
’ ” In one of English football ’ s most memorable finishes to a season Arsenal won the First Division title after victory at Anfield against Liverpool .
The Gunners needed to win by two goals and they did in dramatic fashion .
Classic sport to watch on TV and YouTube this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who turns 38 in July , is putting on a brave face despite the cricketing shutdown .
It had been assumed that this would be his last summer of Test cricket , but Anderson has vowed that he will play on until 2021 if he doesn ’ t get a chance to bowl a ball in the coming months .
He said : “ I ’ m still hungry to play , I ’ ve still got ambitions to play for England , so I think that ’ s going to keep me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so that whenever it is we play again I ’ m ready to go .
Whether it ’ s this summer or the winter [ England play five Tests in India ] my plan is to try and get back into that team.
” Ajax 's Abdelhak Nouri is communicating after waking up from a coma .
The 22-year-old sustained severe and permanent brain damage after suffering a cardiac arrhythmia attack in a pre-season friendly in 2017 6 .
Ajax ’ s Nouri comes out of a coma The family of Ajax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22-year-old has come out of a coma .
Nouri has been in a coma since suffering a cardiac arrhythmia attack during a pre-season match against Werder Bremen in July 2017 .
Although Nouri can communicate by raising his eyebrows he is unable to walk or talk .
His brother Abderrahim told Dutch TV : “ It ’ s going well with Appie , but what is good ?
He ’ s awake , he sleeps , he eats , he burps but he doesn ’ t get out of bed .
“ In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communication where he moves his eyebrows but he can ’ t keep it up for long .
“ Appie is aware of where he is .
It ’ s good for him to be in a familiar environment with his family .
We talk to him and watch football with him - he likes that .
Sometimes it gets very emotional but often there ’ s a smile .
That ’ s good for us.
” The 2020 NFL Draft will take place as scheduled from 23-25 April in Las Vegas , Nevada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media will not attend because of the coronavirus pandemic .
In a memo to franchises NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said : “ Everyone recognises that public health conditions are highly uncertain and there is no assurance that we can select a different date and be confident that conditions will be significantly more favourable than they are today .
“ I also believe that the draft can serve a very positive purpose for our clubs , our fans , and the country at large , and many of you have agreed.
” As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rugby Football Union ( RFU ) is bracing itself for a severe financial hit .
England head coach Eddie Jones has agreed to do his bit to ease some of the financial burden and it ’ s reported he has accepted a pay cut of more than 25 % , as have other senior members of the RFU board .
RFU chief Bill Sweeney said : “ Eddie is overseas at present .
When I contacted him regarding our executive pay reduction proposals he immediately agreed.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Following the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics , attention is now turning to the Tour de France , one of the most iconic events in the sporting calendar , which is scheduled to start in Nice on Saturday 27 June .
When asked if Le Tour would be scrapped , the French minister of sport Roxana Maracineanu mooted the outlandish idea that the race could be staged without spectators .
“ We have [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before , ” said Maracineanu .
“ Everyone understands the benefits of staying at home and therefore favouring the television show rather than the live show.
” Several newspapers claim that The Football Association ( FA ) will be challenged in court after results for the 2019-20 season were expunged for the third tier of non-league football and below .
Geoff Thompson , chairman of South Shields , is furious with the decision and according to Metro “ has threatened to sue ” the FA .
South Shields are 12 points clear of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promotion but that won ’ t now happen .
The headline on the back page of the Daily Express is “ see you in court ” , alongside a photo of Truro City manager Paul Wotton .
He too is allegedly considering legal action after hearing that his side , top of the BetVictor Southern Premier division , will be denied promotion .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial @ @

1. Neuer to replace Kepa?
Bayern Munich and Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is being linked with Premier League club Chelsea.
According to German newspaper Bild, the 34-year-old has a contract with Bayern until 2021 but it’s questionable whether the two parties will agree on a new deal.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard “could be tempted to put in an offer”, ESPN adds, if he is able to offload current No.1 Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Neuer captained Bayern in their 3-0 victory over the Blues in the Champions League round of 16 first leg on 25 February at Stamford Bridge. He was also Germany’s goalkeeper when the country won the Fifa World Cup in 2014.
2. United want season to be completed
Manchester United have offered their “full support” for the completion of the 2019-20 season.
In a statement to fans the club said: “The club fully supports the collective intent to complete the Premier League, Emirates FA Cup and the Uefa club competitions.”
As things stand United are fifth in the Premier League table with 45 points, three behind fourth-placed Chelsea. United’s big rivals Liverpool are 25 points clear at the top.
Premier League: could Saturday 3pm kick-offs go ‘behind red button’?
To all the health care workers around the world. A little message from us to you... ❤ pic.twitter.com/1EuwvAdSSa — Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 26, 2020
3. Klopp’s praise for healthcare workers
Last night millions of people in the UK came together to “clap for our carers” and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was one of the many sporting figures to also praise the NHS staff and key workers on the frontline.
Klopp said: “Myself, the staff and all the players of LFC would like to take this opportunity to deliver a message to say thank you to all the incredible people who work in the health services and all the health workers out there.
“It’s unbelievable what you are doing and on behalf on all of us from LFC, I would like to say thank you, or how we would say in Germany - vielen dank.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
4. ‘It’s up for grabs now!’
ITV Sport has released extended highlights of “The Decider” at Anfield in 1989. As the broadcaster said on Twitter: “Before ‘Aguerooooooo!’ there was... ‘It’s up for grabs now!’”


theweekuk--2020-03-27--52 ideas that changed the world - 41. The wheel

In this series , The Week looks at the ideas and innovations that permanently changed the way we see the world .
This week , the spotlight is on the wheel : A wheel is a circular block , usually made of a hard and durable material .
In the centre of the wheel is a hole for an axle , about which the wheel rotates .
Wheels are usually fixed below an otherwise static object to help it move .
They are commonly an element of a means of transportation , such as cars and bicycles , but have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The wheel is considered one of the most fundamental inventions that we use in everyday life , and it is one of the “ six simple machines ” that were defined by Renaissance artists .
How did it develop ?
A primitive understanding of the principles behind the wheel was said to have been reached in the Palaeolithic era ( 15,000 to 750,000 years ago ) by humans who realised round objects were easier to move than irregular ones .
If a cylindrical object – for instance , a fallen tree – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed moving , the job was made far easier .
But despite humans using rounded objects as a form of primitive wheel for thousands of years , it wasn ’ t until around 3500BC that humans began to make their own wheels .
Evidence suggests that the first human-made wheels were created as potter ’ s wheels .
It wasn ’ t until 300 years later , that someone had the bright idea to start using wheels to make chariots , says Smithsonian Magazine .
The oldest man-made wheel discovered dates back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ljubljana , Slovenia .
More than 1,000 years later , the Egyptians began to create spoked wheels to improve speed and manoeuvrability , reports History Answers .
Another thousand years later , Celtic people began using iron rims for greater strength .
The wheel then remained largely unimproved until around the 19th century , when Scottish engineer Robert William Thomson invented the pneumatic tyre .
This was a rubber wheel of compressed air , a design that paved the way for the car and bicycle tyres we use today .
Wire spoked wheels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be both stiff and light .
How did it change the world ?
The Sun newspaper says the wheel is often described as “ the most important invention of all time ” , saying “ it had a fundamental impact on transport and later on agriculture and industry ” .
The use of the wheel for transport is one of the earliest and most significant factors in globalisation .
It wasn ’ t until around AD600 that the wheel was used to create modes of transportation , even though it was being used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Richard Bulliet in his 1975 book , The Camel and the Wheel .
Use of the wheel has continued to revolutionise travel and transportation through to the present day .
The wheel was fundamental to the creation of the propeller and jet engine , both used in the development of the aeroplane .
It is used in trains , cars and now the scooters used by children and commuters .
Its use in agriculture is almost as important as its use in transportation .
“ For centuries , waterwheels and windmills helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas ; they drove grinding machines to produce flour ; they powered bellows and hammers in metal workshops , ” says the Sun .
The wheel also helped with construction .
The wheelbarrow , for example , is believed to have first appeared in ancient Greece somewhere between 600 and 400BC , saving workmen days of labour .

In this series, The Week looks at the ideas and innovations that permanently changed the way we see the world. This week, the spotlight is on the wheel:
The wheel in 60 seconds
A wheel is a circular block, usually made of a hard and durable material. In the centre of the wheel is a hole for an axle, about which the wheel rotates.
Wheels are usually fixed below an otherwise static object to help it move. They are commonly an element of a means of transportation, such as cars and bicycles, but have uses in agriculture, manufacturing and beyond.
The wheel is considered one of the most fundamental inventions that we use in everyday life, and it is one of the “six simple machines” that were defined by Renaissance artists.
How did it develop?
A primitive understanding of the principles behind the wheel was said to have been reached in the Palaeolithic era (15,000 to 750,000 years ago) by humans who realised round objects were easier to move than irregular ones.
If a cylindrical object – for instance, a fallen tree – was placed underneath a large object that needed moving, the job was made far easier.
But despite humans using rounded objects as a form of primitive wheel for thousands of years, it wasn’t until around 3500BC that humans began to make their own wheels.
Evidence suggests that the first human-made wheels were created as potter’s wheels. It wasn’t until 300 years later, that someone had the bright idea to start using wheels to make chariots, says Smithsonian Magazine.
The oldest man-made wheel discovered dates back to around 3200BC, and was found in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
More than 1,000 years later, the Egyptians began to create spoked wheels to improve speed and manoeuvrability, reports History Answers. Another thousand years later, Celtic people began using iron rims for greater strength.
The wheel then remained largely unimproved until around the 19th century, when Scottish engineer Robert William Thomson invented the pneumatic tyre. This was a rubber wheel of compressed air, a design that paved the way for the car and bicycle tyres we use today.
Wire spoked wheels combined with pneumatic tyres allowed wheels to be both stiff and light.
How did it change the world?
The Sun newspaper says the wheel is often described as “the most important invention of all time”, saying “it had a fundamental impact on transport and later on agriculture and industry”.
The use of the wheel for transport is one of the earliest and most significant factors in globalisation. It wasn’t until around AD600 that the wheel was used to create modes of transportation, even though it was being used for irrigation, milling and pottery, says Richard Bulliet in his 1975 book, The Camel and the Wheel.
Use of the wheel has continued to revolutionise travel and transportation through to the present day. The wheel was fundamental to the creation of the propeller and jet engine, both used in the development of the aeroplane.
It is used in trains, cars and now the scooters used by children and commuters.
Its use in agriculture is almost as important as its use in transportation. “For centuries, waterwheels and windmills helped irrigate fields or remove water from flooded areas; they drove grinding machines to produce flour; they powered bellows and hammers in metal workshops,” says the Sun.
The wheel also helped with construction. The wheelbarrow, for example, is believed to have first appeared in ancient Greece somewhere between 600 and 400BC, saving workmen days of labour.


theweekuk--2020-03-27--Reaction: Bob Dylan releases first new song in eight years

Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan is wowing both critics and fans with his first original new track in eight years .
Released without fanfare on his official website on Thursday evening , the 17-minute ballad , Murder Most Foul , retells the 1963 assassination of then-president John F. Kennedy and the “ death of the American dream ” , says The Telegraph ’ s music critic Neil McCormick .
The “ elegiac ramble ” - Dylan ’ s first original work since his acclaimed 2012 album Tempest - describes J.F.K .
“ being led to the slaughter like a sacrificial lamb … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was still in the car / shot down like a dog in broad daylight ” .
“ Dylan ’ s song was clearly not inspired by the coronavirus pandemic , yet its surprise release has been , ” says the newspaper .
A message on the 78-year-old ’ s website accompanying the track offers thanks to his fans for their support and loyalty , and urges them to “ stay safe , stay observant and may God be with you ” .
For a round-up of the most important stories from around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and balanced take on the week ’ s news agenda - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial subscription today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– What are the critics saying ?
Music journalists have been blown away yet again by Dylan , who in 2016 became the first songwriter to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature .
Rolling Stone ’ s Brian Hiatt praises the “ structural freedom and mesmerizing arrangement ” of this “ dizzying , utterly extraordinary ” new release .
What begins as a “ straightforward recounting of the assassination of John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an impressionistic , elegiac , increasingly apocalyptic journey through what feels like the entire Sixties ” , Hiatt continues .
The Guardian ’ s rock and pop critic Alexis Petridis describes Murder Most Foul as a “ dark , dense ballad for the end times ” and a “ fascinating portrait of [ Dylan ’ s ] obsession with J.F.K.
’ s assassination , rich with pop cultural detail and apocalyptic dread ” .
The Telegraph ’ s McCormick also gives the song a rave review , saying that the musician ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of weight to his voice and words ” compared with his earlier work .
“ The effect of all these thoughts and images piled relentlessly upon one another becomes increasingly intense and mesmeric , ” McCormick adds .
“ Dylan breaks the narrative timeline and conjures an almost hallucinatory vision of the impact of a national tragedy.
” The Times ’ Will Hodgkinson agrees that the song is a “ reflection on the death of innocence as much as the death of an American leader ” .
This new track is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as much as he hated the title , Dylan was , and essentially remains , the voice of his generation ” , Hodgkinson concludes .

Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan is wowing both critics and fans with his first original new track in eight years.
Released without fanfare on his official website on Thursday evening, the 17-minute ballad, Murder Most Foul, retells the 1963 assassination of then-president John F. Kennedy and the “death of the American dream”, says The Telegraph’s music critic Neil McCormick.
The “elegiac ramble” - Dylan’s first original work since his acclaimed 2012 album Tempest - describes J.F.K. “being led to the slaughter like a sacrificial lamb … they blew off his head while he was still in the car / shot down like a dog in broad daylight”.
“Dylan’s song was clearly not inspired by the coronavirus pandemic, yet its surprise release has been,” says the newspaper.
A message on the 78-year-old’s website accompanying the track offers thanks to his fans for their support and loyalty, and urges them to “stay safe, stay observant and may God be with you”.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
What are the critics saying?
Music journalists have been blown away yet again by Dylan, who in 2016 became the first songwriter to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Rolling Stone’s Brian Hiatt praises the “structural freedom and mesmerizing arrangement” of this “dizzying, utterly extraordinary” new release.
What begins as a “straightforward recounting of the assassination of John F. Kennedy” gradually “expands into an impressionistic, elegiac, increasingly apocalyptic journey through what feels like the entire Sixties”, Hiatt continues.
The Guardian’s rock and pop critic Alexis Petridis describes Murder Most Foul as a “dark, dense ballad for the end times” and a “fascinating portrait of [Dylan’s] obsession with J.F.K.’s assassination, rich with pop cultural detail and apocalyptic dread”.
The Telegraph’s McCormick also gives the song a rave review, saying that the musician’s “age and experience lend a different kind of weight to his voice and words” compared with his earlier work.
“The effect of all these thoughts and images piled relentlessly upon one another becomes increasingly intense and mesmeric,” McCormick adds. “Dylan breaks the narrative timeline and conjures an almost hallucinatory vision of the impact of a national tragedy.”
The Times’ Will Hodgkinson agrees that the song is a “reflection on the death of innocence as much as the death of an American leader”.
This new track is a “poignant, reflective reminder of why, as much as he hated the title, Dylan was, and essentially remains, the voice of his generation”, Hodgkinson concludes.


theweekuk--2020-03-27--Coronavirus: Refugee camps bracing for ‘devastating’ impact

The coronavirus outbreak could threaten the lives of hundreds of thousands of refugees, according to warnings from doctors, aid workers and the United Nations.
Refugees in camps are among millions already caught up in humanitarian emergencies and, experts have warned, they are at great risk of contracting the virus.
Which camps are vulnerable?
Refugee camps in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, as well as closer to home in Europe, are in significant danger from the virus.
The sprawling Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesbos was already under great stress before the emergence of coronavirus as a global threat.
The 20,000 people inhabiting the unsanitary and overcrowded camp, which was built for 3,000, now have to contend with a virus that can only be defeated by physical distancing and rigorous hygiene.
“The one thing that everyone is stressing in combating the coronavirus is to create social distance but that is precisely what is impossible for refugees,” said Deepmala Mahla, the regional director for Asia for CARE, the humanitarian aid agency. “Where do you go to create space? There is no space,” The New York Times reports.
“It’s a disaster – more than a disaster,” Salam Aldeen, founder of the Lesbos-based Team Humanity NGO, told The New Humanitarian.
“Hygiene and sanitation conditions are unsafe,” Boris Cheshrikov, the spokesperson in Greece for the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, told TNH. “Many cannot see a doctor as there are simply too few medical staff.”
In Syrian refugee camps, patients are dying from what looks like coronavirus, but doctors are unable to treat them because they don’t have the beds, protective gear or equipment.
Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, temporary home to around 860,000 Rohingya Muslims who fled persecution in Myanmar, authorities fear that the coming rainy season will lead to sewage overflowing and flooding of the makeshift shelters.
“We are scared that the virus is killing many people around the world,” Marjuna, an 18-year-old Rohingya refugee in the Kutupalong camp, told the New York Times. “We don’t know how to stop it.”
“If it came into the camp, it would be a disaster,” said Ahmadu Yusuf, a community leader in the Bakassi camp in northeastern Nigeria, whose inhabitants are mainly those who fled the terrorist group Boko Haram. “It would be more devastating than the insurgency that brought them here.”


theweekuk--2020-03-31--Sport shorts: Joe Root gets Ashes motivation watching The Test on Amazon and Wimbledon looks set to

Sport shorts: Joe Root gets Ashes motivation watching The Test on Amazon and Wimbledon looks set to be cancelled

England captain Joe Root has revealed that the Amazon Prime documentary about Australia ’ s cricket team is motivating him ahead of next year ’ s Ashes series .
The Test docu-series on Amazon follows a “ new era ” for the Australian team and includes scenes of them retaining the Ashes last summer .
Root told the BBC : “ It ’ s been a good motivator to get back and train , use it as a way of incentivising myself .
I resisted watching that for a good while .
I ’ ve started watching the first few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start down under in November 2021 .
Australia retained the urn following a 2-2 draw in England last year .
Best sports documentaries and TV shows to watch on Netflix and Amazon Joe Root is ready to take a pay cut as cricket faces up to a period of severe financial hardship .
A “ catastrophic reality ” is how the Independent describes a situation in which a ball is unlikely to be bowled before June .
On the question of pay cuts , England skipper Root said : “ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks there will be a discussion .
But I ’ m also aware they are discussions that will take place between the PCA [ Professional Cricketers ’ Association ] and the ECB .
That ’ s not my area of expertise .
“ I think we just have to concentrate on making sure we are as fit and as ready to go as we can be for whenever we get back to playing cricket.
” Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur have announced that 500 non-playing staff will have their pay cut by 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ protect jobs ” , Sky Sports reports .
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said : “ The club ’ s operations have effectively ceased , some of our fans will have lost their jobs and most will be worried about their future .
“ Yesterday , having already taken steps to reduce costs , we ourselves made the difficult decision - in order to protect jobs - to reduce the remuneration of all 550 non-playing directors and employees for April and May by 20 % utilising , where appropriate , the Government ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to review this position.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The English Premier League could restart as early as May in order to finish the season by 12 July .
In what it bills as an “ exclusive ” , the Daily Mail says that the EPL bosses have drawn up an “ ambitious plan to restart the season behind closed doors on the first weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be examined in detail during a conference call of the 20 clubs on Friday .
Chelsea youngster Mason Mount has been backed to become a star by arguably the biggest star of all , Lionel Messi .
Barcelona and Argentina captain Messi has partnered with Topps to produce an exclusive set of Champions League “ Greatest Moments ” football cards .
One category of card is “ youth of the rise ” and this is where Mount is featured .
Six-time Ballon d ’ Or winner Messi said of the Chelsea man : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the potential to be one of the best.
” German Tennis Federation vice-president Dirk Hordorff says Wimbledon chiefs will announce tomorrow that this summer ’ s grass-court grand slam is cancelled .
Hordorff said : “ The necessary decisions have already been made there and Wimbledon will decide to cancel [ on ] Wednesday .
There is no doubt about it .
This is necessary in the current situation.
” Whether the event will be rescheduled is unclear but being a grass tournament the window of opportunity is very slim and the probability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2020 .
WBO super-middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders has had his boxing licence suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control ( BBBofC ) after he uploaded a video online in which he gave tips to men about how to hit women .
The BBBofC said : “ We have suspended his boxer ’ s licence pending a hearing under the board ’ s misconduct regulation , at a time and venue to be confirmed as soon as possible.
” Saunders , who is due to fight Mexican star Canelo Alvarez this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t mean for anyone to get upset about it .
There are people dying all around the world with coronavirus and I was just trying to take the heat off that a little bit .
It clearly hasn ’ t done , my sense of humour is not everyone ’ s cup of tea.
” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– BBC Sport reports that more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the English Football Association ( FA ) to reconsider its decision to expunge the season .
All football below the National League ’ s three divisions is to end immediately but in an open letter the clubs say : “ Our concern is grounded primarily in the needless and inexplicable haste exercised in reaching the decision , coupled with a total lack of substantive dialogue or consultation with affected clubs .
“ We believe it is unacceptable that such a decision has been handed down to us in this manner .
We urgently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the aim to have the decision reconsidered.
” 9 .
Briatore : Max is better than Jos Former F1 team boss Flavio Briatore has revealed that he would have preferred Max Verstappen driving for him instead of the Red Bull star ’ s father Jos .
Verstappen senior drove for Benetton in 1994 and when asked by F1 ’ s Beyond The Grid podcast if Max was better than his dad Briatore said : “ No question .
The name is the same , but the driver is completely different… I tell the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wish I had your son in the car and not you !
’ ” Briatore : Hamilton and Verstappen are F1 ’ s only two stars A humbled Jack Grealish stares out on the back page of The Sun after the Aston Villa captain released a video in which he said he was “ deeply embarrassed ” after being filmed looking dishevelled at the scene of an accident on Sunday morning .
The tabloid , which broke the story of his car crash on its front page yesterday , says that despite his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put the kibosh on his proposed £70m move to Manchester United .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

1. The Test motivates Root England captain Joe Root has revealed that the Amazon Prime documentary about Australia’s cricket team is motivating him ahead of next year’s Ashes series. The Test docu-series on Amazon follows a “new era” for the Australian team and includes scenes of them retaining the Ashes last summer. Root told the BBC: “It’s been a good motivator to get back and train, use it as a way of incentivising myself. I resisted watching that for a good while. I’ve started watching the first few now.” The next Ashes series will start down under in November 2021. Australia retained the urn following a 2-2 draw in England last year. Best sports documentaries and TV shows to watch on Netflix and Amazon 2. Cricket stars face pay cut Joe Root is ready to take a pay cut as cricket faces up to a period of severe financial hardship. A “catastrophic reality” is how the Independent describes a situation in which a ball is unlikely to be bowled before June. On the question of pay cuts, England skipper Root said: “I’m sure at some point in the coming weeks there will be a discussion. But I’m also aware they are discussions that will take place between the PCA [Professional Cricketers’ Association] and the ECB. That’s not my area of expertise. “I think we just have to concentrate on making sure we are as fit and as ready to go as we can be for whenever we get back to playing cricket.” 3. Spurs cut non-playing staff wages Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur have announced that 500 non-playing staff will have their pay cut by 20% as part of furlough measures to “protect jobs”, Sky Sports reports. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: “The club’s operations have effectively ceased, some of our fans will have lost their jobs and most will be worried about their future. “Yesterday, having already taken steps to reduce costs, we ourselves made the difficult decision - in order to protect jobs - to reduce the remuneration of all 550 non-playing directors and employees for April and May by 20% utilising, where appropriate, the Government’s furlough scheme. We shall continue to review this position.” Skip advert
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 4. Premier League planning May return? The English Premier League could restart as early as May in order to finish the season by 12 July. In what it bills as an “exclusive”, the Daily Mail says that the EPL bosses have drawn up an “ambitious plan to restart the season behind closed doors on the first weekend of May”. Their proposal will be examined in detail during a conference call of the 20 clubs on Friday. 5. Messi’s high praise for Mount Chelsea youngster Mason Mount has been backed to become a star by arguably the biggest star of all, Lionel Messi. Barcelona and Argentina captain Messi has partnered with Topps to produce an exclusive set of Champions League “Greatest Moments” football cards. One category of card is “youth of the rise” and this is where Mount is featured. Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi said of the Chelsea man: “Having watched him play he has the potential to be one of the best.” 6. ‘No doubt’ Wimbledon will be cancelled German Tennis Federation vice-president Dirk Hordorff says Wimbledon chiefs will announce tomorrow that this summer’s grass-court grand slam is cancelled. Hordorff said: “The necessary decisions have already been made there and Wimbledon will decide to cancel [on] Wednesday. There is no doubt about it. This is necessary in the current situation.” Whether the event will be rescheduled is unclear but being a grass tournament the window of opportunity is very slim and the probability is that there will be no Wimbledon in 2020. 7. Saunders has boxing licence suspended WBO super-middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders has had his boxing licence suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) after he uploaded a video online in which he gave tips to men about how to hit women. The BBBofC said: “We have suspended his boxer’s licence pending a hearing under the board’s misconduct regulation, at a time and venue to be confirmed as soon as possible.” Saunders, who is due to fight Mexican star Canelo Alvarez this year, added: “I didn’t mean for anyone to get upset about it. There are people dying all around the world with coronavirus and I was just trying to take the heat off that a little bit. It clearly hasn’t done, my sense of humour is not everyone’s cup of tea.” Skip advert –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 8. Non-league clubs send open letter to the FA BBC Sport reports that more than 100 non-league clubs have called on the English Football Association (FA) to reconsider its decision to expunge the season.


theweekuk--2020-03-31--What does furloughing mean and who will miss out?

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a series of emergency measures for workers left without wages as a result of the coronavirus outbreak .
The government has pledged to help businesses pay the wages of furloughed workers who would otherwise have been laid off .
Furloughing is granting – or mandating – a leave of absence for a worker .
A furloughed worker is someone who remains employed in their regular job , but has been told to stop working .
The government has announced special arrangements for employees furloughed because of the coronavirus crisis .
What has the government made available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scheme , every employer in the UK is encouraged to keep their workers on with access to government support .
All UK employers can get support to continue paying 80 % of the salaries of employees ’ who would otherwise have been laid off during the coronavirus outbreak because employers could not cover staff costs .
If your employer makes you a furloughed worker , they can claim a grant of up to 80 % of your wages up to a cap of £2,500 per month .
Your employer can choose to top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of their own funds .
For full-time and part-time salaried employees , the employee ’ s actual salary before tax , as of 28 February 2020 , should be used to calculate the 80 % .
Any UK organisation with employees can apply , including : The scheme will also cover employees who were made redundant since 28 February 2020 , but have been re-hired by their employer after the government ’ s announcement of support .
Employees who are “ shielding ” in line with public health guidance – for instance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health conditions – can be placed on furlough .
Employees can not work for their employer while they are furloughed , even on a part-time or reduced-hours basis .
Who will miss out ?
Employees hired after 28 February 2020 can not be furloughed or claimed for in accordance with this scheme , says the government website .
That has led to some full-time workers who have recently changed jobs being sacked and left without pay because of the apparent loophole .
Sky News heard from “ dozens of workers who started new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cut-off point , meaning their employer can not claim the 80 % wage subsidy ” .
Software engineer Kuljit Athwal has worked full-time for 25 years but was laid off just weeks into a new job that he started three days after the 28 February cut-off .
“ I have three children under ten who are no longer going to school… my wife is a healthcare assistant in a pharmacy , so she works sometimes 12-hour shifts a day , ” he said .
“ This scheme was a lifeline for me… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came up for me when it did in January and I changed jobs just at the wrong moment in time.
” Tim Roache , general secretary of the GMB Union , said : “ If you ’ ve been working , paid your taxes , done everything you were supposed to but just happened to have changed jobs at the wrong time , it can ’ t be right that there ’ s no support.
” Labour ’ s shadow chancellor John McDonnell says he is pressing the government for action on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim ?
To access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme , employers must designate specific employees as “ furloughed workers ” and notify them of their status .
They will then have to apply through an online HMRC portal , which is expected to be made available by the end of April 2020 .
Employers can submit only one claim at least every three weeks , which is the minimum length an employee can be furloughed for .
Claims can be backdated until 1 March if applicable .
Once HMRC has received your claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it will make a BACS payment to a UK bank account .
Employers must then pay the employee all the grant that is received .


theweekuk--2020-03-31--Premier League: Lionel Messi tips Chelsea’s Mason Mount to be ‘one of the best’

Chelsea youngster Mason Mount has been backed to become a star by arguably the biggest star of all , Lionel Messi .
After spending last season on loan at Championship club Derby County , 21-year-old Mount has enjoyed a breakthrough year under Frank Lampard at Stamford Bridge .
He has scored six goals in 41 games for the Blues and also won six international senior caps for England .
Football.London reports that Barcelona and Argentina captain Messi has partnered with Topps to produce an exclusive set of Champions League “ Greatest Moments ” football cards .
One category of card @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and this is where Mount is featured .
Messi gives his comments on each player and on Mount ’ s card he gives the young midfielder the highest of praise .
Six-time Ballon d ’ Or winner Messi said of the Chelsea man : “ Having watched him play he has the potential to be one of the best.
” Premier League has ‘ ambitious ’ plan to resume season in May ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your trial today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Daily Telegraph reports that Alexis Sanchez ’ s loan spell at Inter Milan will come to an end .
Alexis has been a “ popular ” figure in the changing room at the San Siro but injuries have plagued his time in Italy .
Inter are poised to reject the chance to extend Alexis ’ s loan deal and the 31-year-old is likely to return to parent club Manchester United .
Alexis ’ s future at Old Trafford is a “ problem ” for United .
The Chilean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years left on his contract .
The Telegraph says the huge wage means there is “ little chance of another club looking to cover his salary on a loan ” .
According to the Daily Mirror Liverpool have “ zero interest ” in bringing Philippe Coutinho back to Anfield .
Brazilian Coutinho left Liverpool for Barcelona in January 2018 but has struggled to make an impact at the Camp Nou .
He is currently on loan at Bayern Munich and recent reports suggest he could return to the Premier League .
Manchester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the playmaker but Liverpool are out of the running .
The Mirror says this “ is a blow to the 27-year-old , who has admitted to friends that he made a big mistake in forcing his way out of the Merseyside club to join Barca ” .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise , balanced take on the week ’ s news - try The Week magazine .
Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Messi’s high praise for Mount
Chelsea youngster Mason Mount has been backed to become a star by arguably the biggest star of all, Lionel Messi.
After spending last season on loan at Championship club Derby County, 21-year-old Mount has enjoyed a breakthrough year under Frank Lampard at Stamford Bridge.
He has scored six goals in 41 games for the Blues and also won six international senior caps for England.
Football.London reports that Barcelona and Argentina captain Messi has partnered with Topps to produce an exclusive set of Champions League “Greatest Moments” football cards.
One category of card is “youth of the rise” and this is where Mount is featured.
Messi gives his comments on each player and on Mount’s card he gives the young midfielder the highest of praise.
Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi said of the Chelsea man: “Having watched him play he has the potential to be one of the best.”
Premier League has ‘ambitious’ plan to resume season in May
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Inter set to reject Alexis loan extension
The Daily Telegraph reports that Alexis Sanchez’s loan spell at Inter Milan will come to an end.
Alexis has been a “popular” figure in the changing room at the San Siro but injuries have plagued his time in Italy.
Inter are poised to reject the chance to extend Alexis’s loan deal and the 31-year-old is likely to return to parent club Manchester United.
Alexis’s future at Old Trafford is a “problem” for United. The Chilean forward earns a reported £500,000-a-week and has two years left on his contract.
The Telegraph says the huge wage means there is “little chance of another club looking to cover his salary on a loan”.
No Reds return for Coutinho
According to the Daily Mirror Liverpool have “zero interest” in bringing Philippe Coutinho back to Anfield.
Brazilian Coutinho left Liverpool for Barcelona in January 2018 but has struggled to make an impact at the Camp Nou. He is currently on loan at Bayern Munich and recent reports suggest he could return to the Premier League.
Manchester United and Chelsea have been linked with the playmaker but Liverpool are out of the running.
The Mirror says this “is a blow to the 27-year-old, who has admitted to friends that he made a big mistake in forcing his way out of the Merseyside club to join Barca”.
Today’s back pages
‘Covidiot’ Jack Grealish is fined by Aston Villa
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theweekuk--2020-03-31--Coronavirus and women’s bodies: the new rules

Changes in rules and services that disproportionately affect women and their bodies have been among the unforeseen consequences of the coronavirus outbreak .
Of the two sexes , men are proving more susceptible to Covid-19 , with higher mortality rates reported among males worldwide , but some of the indirect effects for women are also significant and potentially life threatening .
Women ’ s Aid has called for more resources from the UK government as the charity faces a surge in domestic violence cases as a result of the coronavirus lockdown - a trend that has also been reported in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It ’ s estimated that 1.6 million women in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse last year , and it ’ s overwhelmingly women who endure repeated attacks ( 83 % of victims of more than ten incidents are women ) , ” reports Prospect magazine .
“ The risk is that under self-isolation , controlling perpetrators will further restrict their partner ’ s freedoms and threaten their safety.
” In an article published in The Mail on Sunday at the weekend , Home Secretary Priti Patel clarified that anyone at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave their home to seek refuge .
She said : “ My message to every potential victim is simple : we have not forgotten you and we will not let you down .
And my message to every perpetrator is equally simple : you will not get away with your crimes.
” Pregnant women were unexpectedly placed in the “ vulnerable ” group by England ’ s chief medical officer on 16 March , and advised to reduce social contact for at least 12 weeks .
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women are still no more likely to contract coronavirus than the general population ” and that “ there is no evidence that pregnant women who get coronavirus are more at risk of serious complications than any other healthy individuals ” .
However , the evidence is limited , so pregnant women have been classed as vulnerable as a precautionary measure .
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Meanwhile , some hospital trusts have limited birthing options , including cancelling all home births and banning visitors - in some cases , even fathers - from hospital wards before and after labour .
The RCOG currently says that women should be encouraged to have an asymptomatic birth partner for their labour and birth , noting that this is “ known to make a significant difference to the safety and well-being of women in childbirth ” .
Despite such advice , hospitals in other countries including Ireland and France have also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than 300,000 people have signed a petition to protect women ’ s rights to have a birth partner during the coronavirus outbreak in the UK , amid fears that more British hospitals might follow suit .
In an article for The Guardian , BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Emma Barnett points out that despite being advised to stay at home , some pregnant women have been “ told to come back into work by their employers – including the riskiest of all , the NHS ” .
As Barnett says , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an uncomfortable decision : do they protect the lives of their unborn , or those seeking treatment ?
” A study by economics think-tank Autonomy found that in the UK , female workers account for more than three-quarters ( 2.5 million out of 3.2 million ) of the job roles that involve high risk of exposure to the new coronavirus , in fields such as social care , nursing and pharmacy .
The UK government has been flip-flopping over the rules on terminations .
On 23 March , the Department of Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relaxed during the lockdown to allow women to take pills to abort early pregnancies at home without travelling to a clinic - but then withdrew the reform just hours later .
Following pressure from the RCOG , Royal College of Midwives and the British Pregnancy Advisory Service , the department has now made another U-turn and says that women will be able to have home abortions following a phone or online consultation .
“ This measure will be on a temporary basis , ” a spokesperson said .
In a “ perverse contrast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to home abortions , “ consider the deeply unenviable position of those longing for a child , and already into a cycle of IVF , having their embryo transfers cancelled , in some cases just hours before ” , says Barnett in The Guardian .
In an investigation into the crisis , ITV News correspondent Paul Brand spoke to dozens of hopeful mothers and fathers who have had their fertility treatment postponed , with many women face depleting egg reserves with every month .
“ Each year in the UK , around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , resulting in around 20,000 births , ” Brand says .
“ If coronavirus closes clinics for just six months , half of those babies may never be born .
And if fertility has always been a game of luck , this crisis brings another cruel twist.
” In a final note of warning , he adds : “ The devastating reality is that the impact of coronavirus won ’ t just be measured by the number of lives lost , but by the number of lives which may never be created .
@