Friday, May 21, 2021
Thursday, May 20, 2021
Martin Bashir Leaves BBC amid Inquiry into His Interview with Princess Diana
The journalist Martin Bashir has left the British Broadcasting Corporation, as it prepares to publish the findings of an investigation into accusations that he used dishonest tactics to secure a major 1995 television interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.
In an email to colleagues on Friday, Jonathan Munro, the BBC’s deputy director of news, said that Mr. Bashir had stepped down from his position as the BBC’s religion editor and was leaving the corporation.
“He let us know of his decision last month, just before being readmitted to hospital for another surgical procedure on his heart,” Mr. Munro wrote. “Although he underwent major surgery toward the end of last year, he is facing some ongoing issues and has decided to focus on his health.”
Mr. Bashir, 58, could not be immediately reached for comment. The BBC reported in November that he had been recovering from quadruple heart bypass surgery and complications from Covid-19, which he had contracted earlier in the year. » | Michael Levenson | Friday, May 14, 2021
Former BBC chiefs told to expect criticism in Diana interview inquiry »
Stench of Death Pervades Rural India as Ganges Swells with Covid Victims
THE GUARDIAN: Stigma and cost of wood leave families with no choice but to immerse their dead in river
There was a time before when the Ganges was “swollen with dead bodies”.
In 1918, when the great flu pandemic swept through India and killed an estimated 18 million people, the water of this river – upon which so many lives depended – was filled with the stench of death.
And so it is again. India’s official death toll from the coronavirus pandemic may be just over a quarter of a million, but experts believe the real figure to be up to five times higher, and the bodies that have begun washing up in India’s holiest river have become haunting representations of the uncounted Covid dead.
On Wednesday, India reported another record number of deaths, 4,529, as the virus continued to spread out of the big cities and into rural areas. » | Hannah Ellis-Petersen and Saurabh Sharma in Ghazipur |Thursday, May 20, 2021
There was a time before when the Ganges was “swollen with dead bodies”.
In 1918, when the great flu pandemic swept through India and killed an estimated 18 million people, the water of this river – upon which so many lives depended – was filled with the stench of death.
And so it is again. India’s official death toll from the coronavirus pandemic may be just over a quarter of a million, but experts believe the real figure to be up to five times higher, and the bodies that have begun washing up in India’s holiest river have become haunting representations of the uncounted Covid dead.
On Wednesday, India reported another record number of deaths, 4,529, as the virus continued to spread out of the big cities and into rural areas. » | Hannah Ellis-Petersen and Saurabh Sharma in Ghazipur |Thursday, May 20, 2021
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
Navy Pilots Describe Encounters with UFOs
Any Amount of Alcohol Consumption Harmful to the Brain, Finds Study
THE GUARDIAN: UK study of 25,000 people finds even moderate drinking is linked to lower grey matter density
There is no safe amount of alcohol consumption for the brain, with even “moderate” drinking adversely affecting nearly every part of it, a study of more than 25,000 people in the UK has found.
The study, which is still to be peer-reviewed, suggests that the more alcohol consumed, the lower the brain volume. In effect, the more you drink, the worse off your brain.
“There’s no threshold drinking for harm – any alcohol is worse. Pretty much the whole brain seems to be affected – not just specific areas, as previously thought,” said the lead author, Anya Topiwala, a senior clinical lecturer at the University of Oxford. » | Natalie Grover | Tuesday, May 18, 2021
First they came for the smokers; now, it’s they’re coming for the drinkers! They have beaten the c*** out of smokers for years. They have driven them into the margins of society. They have kept saying that there is no amount of cigarette-smoking that is safe. The message above has a familiar ring to it! This is the start! Meat-eaters are being targetted, too; but that’s a story for another day.
For years, I was a proud and happy smoker. I never smoked out of addiction; I always smoked for pleasure. And I used to get so much pleasure from a cigarette. However, they have made life impossible for smokers: they have increased the price of a pack of cigarettes so much that the cost of a pack far outweighs the pleasure you can get from them. Add to that, when you buy cigarettes, there is nowhere you can go to smoke them, except in your own home. This leads to confinement and loneliness for many.
I have solved the problem by giving up smoking and drinking! I am now a non-smoking teetotaller. It was an easier transition to make than I once thought it would be. Life will never be the same; but then life isn’t the same as it used to be because people aren’t the same. People have lost all sense of joie de vivre.
For those people who still smoke and drink: Enjoy the pleasures whilst you still can! The way things are going, all pleasures in life will be banned by the health police, the health Nazis. – © Mark
There is no safe amount of alcohol consumption for the brain, with even “moderate” drinking adversely affecting nearly every part of it, a study of more than 25,000 people in the UK has found.
The study, which is still to be peer-reviewed, suggests that the more alcohol consumed, the lower the brain volume. In effect, the more you drink, the worse off your brain.
“There’s no threshold drinking for harm – any alcohol is worse. Pretty much the whole brain seems to be affected – not just specific areas, as previously thought,” said the lead author, Anya Topiwala, a senior clinical lecturer at the University of Oxford. » | Natalie Grover | Tuesday, May 18, 2021
First they came for the smokers; now, it’s they’re coming for the drinkers! They have beaten the c*** out of smokers for years. They have driven them into the margins of society. They have kept saying that there is no amount of cigarette-smoking that is safe. The message above has a familiar ring to it! This is the start! Meat-eaters are being targetted, too; but that’s a story for another day.
For years, I was a proud and happy smoker. I never smoked out of addiction; I always smoked for pleasure. And I used to get so much pleasure from a cigarette. However, they have made life impossible for smokers: they have increased the price of a pack of cigarettes so much that the cost of a pack far outweighs the pleasure you can get from them. Add to that, when you buy cigarettes, there is nowhere you can go to smoke them, except in your own home. This leads to confinement and loneliness for many.
I have solved the problem by giving up smoking and drinking! I am now a non-smoking teetotaller. It was an easier transition to make than I once thought it would be. Life will never be the same; but then life isn’t the same as it used to be because people aren’t the same. People have lost all sense of joie de vivre.
For those people who still smoke and drink: Enjoy the pleasures whilst you still can! The way things are going, all pleasures in life will be banned by the health police, the health Nazis. – © Mark
New York Investigation into Trump Organization Now Criminal, Says Attorney General
THE GUARDIAN: State joins Manhattan attorney general in launching ‘active’ probe into allegations the former president falsified property values to boost income
The New York attorney general’s office has opened a criminal investigation into Donald Trump’s company, increasing the legal risk for the former president and his family.
Attorney general Letitia James has been investigating whether the Trump Organization falsely reported property values to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits.
The announcement on Tuesday night marked another escalation of the legal jeopardy Trump faces four months after leaving office, taking to three the number of known criminal investigations into the former Republican president. » | Reuters | Wednesday, March 19, 2021
The New York attorney general’s office has opened a criminal investigation into Donald Trump’s company, increasing the legal risk for the former president and his family.
Attorney general Letitia James has been investigating whether the Trump Organization falsely reported property values to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits.
The announcement on Tuesday night marked another escalation of the legal jeopardy Trump faces four months after leaving office, taking to three the number of known criminal investigations into the former Republican president. » | Reuters | Wednesday, March 19, 2021
EU to Ask UK to Respect Citizens’ Rights after Mistreatment Scandals
THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Message to Boris Johnson comes after citizens with UK job interviews say they were locked up
EU leaders will call on Boris Johnson to respect the rights of their citizens in the wake of scandals over their treatment in the UK, including their detention in removal centres, according to a leaked draft statement seen by the Guardian.
The message to the British prime minister will follow a first discussion of EU-UK relations between the 27 heads of state and government since the ratification of the trade and cooperation agreement struck last Christmas Eve.
“The European Council calls on the UK to respect the principle of non-discrimination among member states and the rights of EU citizens,” the leaders are due to say, adding that the deals agreed with Downing Street must be implemented in full.
There is growing concern within EU capitals over the UK government’s approach to their nationals, including those whose rights are guaranteed by the tortuously negotiated Brexit withdrawal agreement. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Wednesday, May 19, 2021
EU leaders will call on Boris Johnson to respect the rights of their citizens in the wake of scandals over their treatment in the UK, including their detention in removal centres, according to a leaked draft statement seen by the Guardian.
The message to the British prime minister will follow a first discussion of EU-UK relations between the 27 heads of state and government since the ratification of the trade and cooperation agreement struck last Christmas Eve.
“The European Council calls on the UK to respect the principle of non-discrimination among member states and the rights of EU citizens,” the leaders are due to say, adding that the deals agreed with Downing Street must be implemented in full.
There is growing concern within EU capitals over the UK government’s approach to their nationals, including those whose rights are guaranteed by the tortuously negotiated Brexit withdrawal agreement. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Wednesday, May 19, 2021
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Coming Out Story: We're Not in Cairo Anymore [2012]
But I can't.
Last January, I left Egypt with a heavy heart. I traveled to America, leaving behind my family, friends, and compatriots who were in the midst of embarking on a heroic journey toward self-determination. Despite the sound of gunshots in the streets and the images of Anderson Cooper being struck repeatedly over the head on CNN, I left hopeful that I would return to find a more tolerant and equal society. While I benefited from a life of privilege being Omar Sharif's grandson, it was always coupled with the onerous guilt that such a position might have been founded upon others' sweat and tears.
One year since the start of the revolution, I am not as hopeful.
The troubling results of the recent parliamentary elections dealt secularists a particularly devastating blow. The vision for a freer, more equal Egypt — a vision that many young patriots gave their lives to see realized in Tahrir Square — has been hijacked. The full spectrum of equal and human rights are now wedge issues used by both the Supreme Council of the Egyptian Armed Forces and the Islamist parties, when they should be regarded as universal truths.
I write this article despite the inherent risks associated because as we stand idle at what we hoped would be the pinnacle of Egyptian modern history, I worry that a fall from the top could be the most devastating. I write, with healthy respect for the dangers that may come, for fear that Egypt's Arab Spring may be moving us backward, not forward.
And so I hesitantly confess: I am Egyptian, I am half Jewish, and I am gay. » | Omar Sharif Jr | Friday, March 16, 2012
Omar Sharif Jr. »
Monday, May 17, 2021
Yotam Ottolenghi Visits Crete
Channel 4 (More4), the TV station in the UK, presents the series "Ottolenghi's Mediterranean Island Feast". In this episode (first broadcast 21 November 2013) Yotam Ottolenghi visits Crete and explores its rich and complex culinary history.
In the ancient capital of Heraklion, Yotam makes a variation of the Cretan meze dakos, a marriage of tomatoes, crumbled feta, olives and oregano. In the fishing port of Agios Nikolaos, he marries octopus marinaded in wine with tender baby squid, stuffed with tomatoes and okra. On a trip inland, Yotam uses feta for a cheesecake with a ripe cherry compote. He also prepares a feast of spit-roasted pork souvlaki, served with his twist on tzatziki.
Our very own Victoria 'Tola' Trzeciak was the location fixer for this show... bravo Tola!
In the ancient capital of Heraklion, Yotam makes a variation of the Cretan meze dakos, a marriage of tomatoes, crumbled feta, olives and oregano. In the fishing port of Agios Nikolaos, he marries octopus marinaded in wine with tender baby squid, stuffed with tomatoes and okra. On a trip inland, Yotam uses feta for a cheesecake with a ripe cherry compote. He also prepares a feast of spit-roasted pork souvlaki, served with his twist on tzatziki.
Our very own Victoria 'Tola' Trzeciak was the location fixer for this show... bravo Tola!
Secrets of Longevity May Lie in Long-lived Smokers, a ‘Biologically Distinct’ Group with Extraordinary Gene Variants
THE WASHINGTON POST: Jeanne Calment, the French doyenne believed to be oldest person in the world when she died at the extreme age of 122, was known for three things: her quick wit, her fondness for bicycling around the small city where she grew up -- and the fact that she was a daily smoker.
Before her death in 1997, Calment was often asked the secret to her good health. She would respond with a laugh and describe how she would frequently consume two pounds of chocolate a week, drank generous amounts of port wine and became a smoker at age 21.
At a time when public health messages emphasize just how important it is to carefully balance diets and fitness regimes in order to live long lives, Calment is a reminder of that no matter what we do there may always be a part of our health that is beyond our control. » | Ariana Eunjung Cha | Thursday, September 19, 2015
Before her death in 1997, Calment was often asked the secret to her good health. She would respond with a laugh and describe how she would frequently consume two pounds of chocolate a week, drank generous amounts of port wine and became a smoker at age 21.
At a time when public health messages emphasize just how important it is to carefully balance diets and fitness regimes in order to live long lives, Calment is a reminder of that no matter what we do there may always be a part of our health that is beyond our control. » | Ariana Eunjung Cha | Thursday, September 19, 2015
Island Where People Live Longer Than Anyone on Earth | 60 Minutes Australia
Tiny Traces of DNA Found in Cave Dust May Unlock Secret Life of Neanderthals
THE OBSERVER: Advanced technique used to recover genetic material may help solve the mystery of early man
Scientists have pinpointed major changes in Europe’s Neanderthal populations – from traces of blood and excrement they left behind in a Spanish cave 100,000 years ago.
The discovery is the first important demonstration of a powerful new technique that allows researchers to study DNA recovered from cave sediments. No fossils or stone tools are needed for such studies. Instead, minuscule traces of genetic material that have accumulated in the dust of a cavern floor are employed to reveal ancient secrets.
The power of cave dirt DNA analysis is the scientific equivalent of “extracting gold dust from the air”, as one researcher put it, and has raised hopes that it could transform our understanding of how our predecessors behaved. » | Robin McKie, Science editor | Sunday, May 16, 2021
Scientists have pinpointed major changes in Europe’s Neanderthal populations – from traces of blood and excrement they left behind in a Spanish cave 100,000 years ago.
The discovery is the first important demonstration of a powerful new technique that allows researchers to study DNA recovered from cave sediments. No fossils or stone tools are needed for such studies. Instead, minuscule traces of genetic material that have accumulated in the dust of a cavern floor are employed to reveal ancient secrets.
The power of cave dirt DNA analysis is the scientific equivalent of “extracting gold dust from the air”, as one researcher put it, and has raised hopes that it could transform our understanding of how our predecessors behaved. » | Robin McKie, Science editor | Sunday, May 16, 2021
On the Scrappy Fringes of French Politics, Marine Le Pen Tries to Rebrand
LA TRINITÉ-SUR-MER, France — It was the setting for a straightforward origin story, or so it seemed. Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader aiming to be France’s next president, came to launch her latest campaign in the seaside resort where her firebrand father once announced his own bid for the presidency from the family home.
But the recent trip to the family base at La Trinité-sur-Mer in western France, where Ms. Le Pen posed for selfies with admirers, schmoozed with oystermen and took TV journalists on boat rides, was a critical part of a rebranding effort toward respectability.
Steering the motorboat was Florent de Kersauson, a prominent businessman who, after decades of backing center-right candidates, was switching to Ms. Le Pen’s National Rally. By embracing Mr. de Kersauson, a former senior executive at the telecommunications giant Alcatel, Ms. Le Pen latched on to the kind of establishment figure who could help persuade voters that her party was more than a scrappy, family business. And maybe even assuage doubts about her competence to move into the Élysée Palace.
“The National Rally, formerly the National Front, has gone from being a protest movement to an opposition movement, and is now a government movement,” Ms. Le Pen said. » | Norimitsu Onishi | Sunday, May 16, 2021
Cameron, Alexander, Osborne, Clegg: How the Austerity ‘Quad’ Sold Their Souls
It was excruciating. To watch a former British prime minister before a committee of MPs last week trying to explain away his aggressive lobbying of ex-colleagues on behalf of Greensill, which has since collapsed into insolvency, was as humiliating as it was distressing. That we are citizens of a country whose former leader can behave in such a way is shocking. He claimed that lobbying for Greenshill was consistent with a commitment to public service. Really?
Worse was the glaring mismatch between the former puritan apostle of austerity – we are all in this together – and the compromising of such values. And not only him. In varying degrees, the other three members of the coalition quad – chancellor George Osborne, deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and chief secretary Danny Alexander, who together imposed “peak austerity” between 2010 and 2015 – have all walked away from the public square only to raise major questions about how their new lives are consistent with their old and thus the credibility of what all politicians say as they vie for support. Our democracy is the weaker. » | Will Hutton | Sunday, May 16, 2021
Sunday, May 16, 2021
The Observer View on the Spread of the Indian Variant in the UK
THE OBSERVER: The government’s slow response to ban travel to and from India has put the UK at risk
‘Data, not dates.” This was the approach Boris Johnson promised to take when he announced the roadmap out of lockdown for England in February. So far, the data has allowed the prime minister to meet the target dates for each phase of relaxing of social restrictions. Infection rates are the lowest they have been since last August; the number of people in hospital with Covid has dropped dramatically and vaccination is proceeding apace.
Yet as we stand on the cusp of the next easing of social restrictions, happening across England, Wales and most of Scotland tomorrow, there are worrying signs that the B.1.617.2 variant first detected in India is spreading quickly in some parts of the country. In Bolton, infection rates are 10 times higher than the English average. They may not yet justify a nationwide slowing in easing restrictions but they are worrying and require a rapid localised response to contain outbreaks. This mixed picture is a bitter pill to swallow. For weeks, the national mood has justifiably been one of relief; psychologically, it has felt like the end is in sight. The majority of British adults have now had one jab, offering them a good level of protection against Covid. Yet it was always clear that the biggest risk of a serious third wave would be from the spread of a variant that is more transmissable [sic], more likely to cause serious illness or with a greater degree of vaccine resistance. Scientists are now confident that B.1.617.2 is at least as transmissable [sic] as the B.1.1.7 variant originally detected in Kent, which contributed to the terrible death rates we saw in the second wave, and quite possibly more so. If this is the case, the race between the virus and the vaccine rollout will become more loaded in the former’s favour: modelling suggests that hospital admissions could increase significantly beyond what was seen in the second wave if B.1.617.2 proves to be much more transmissible [sic]. » | Observer editorial | Sunday, May 16, 2021
‘Data, not dates.” This was the approach Boris Johnson promised to take when he announced the roadmap out of lockdown for England in February. So far, the data has allowed the prime minister to meet the target dates for each phase of relaxing of social restrictions. Infection rates are the lowest they have been since last August; the number of people in hospital with Covid has dropped dramatically and vaccination is proceeding apace.
Yet as we stand on the cusp of the next easing of social restrictions, happening across England, Wales and most of Scotland tomorrow, there are worrying signs that the B.1.617.2 variant first detected in India is spreading quickly in some parts of the country. In Bolton, infection rates are 10 times higher than the English average. They may not yet justify a nationwide slowing in easing restrictions but they are worrying and require a rapid localised response to contain outbreaks. This mixed picture is a bitter pill to swallow. For weeks, the national mood has justifiably been one of relief; psychologically, it has felt like the end is in sight. The majority of British adults have now had one jab, offering them a good level of protection against Covid. Yet it was always clear that the biggest risk of a serious third wave would be from the spread of a variant that is more transmissable [sic], more likely to cause serious illness or with a greater degree of vaccine resistance. Scientists are now confident that B.1.617.2 is at least as transmissable [sic] as the B.1.1.7 variant originally detected in Kent, which contributed to the terrible death rates we saw in the second wave, and quite possibly more so. If this is the case, the race between the virus and the vaccine rollout will become more loaded in the former’s favour: modelling suggests that hospital admissions could increase significantly beyond what was seen in the second wave if B.1.617.2 proves to be much more transmissible [sic]. » | Observer editorial | Sunday, May 16, 2021
The Observer View on the Israel-Palestine Conflict
THE OBSERVER: It’s time for the international community to address this crisis with greater honesty about the key players and solutions
The sudden rekindling of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the ensuing horrors, is a shameful reminder of the international community’s almost criminal neglect of the crisis. There have been no substantive peace talks for more than a decade. Donald Trump’s “deal of the century” was a cruel sham. Efforts now under way to engineer a ceasefire, or what is called a “sustainable calm”, amount to applying a sticking plaster to a deeply felt, long-festering wound.
This story of neglect, cementing in place injustices and inequities stretching back to the 1948 Palestine war, made a new explosion of violence all but inevitable. It has played into the hands of extremists on both sides who seek victories, not peace. It threatens the future of Israel and Palestine and regional stability. The events of the past week have rendered the prospect of a lasting settlement more distant than ever. » | Observer editorial | Sunday, May 16, 2021
The sudden rekindling of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the ensuing horrors, is a shameful reminder of the international community’s almost criminal neglect of the crisis. There have been no substantive peace talks for more than a decade. Donald Trump’s “deal of the century” was a cruel sham. Efforts now under way to engineer a ceasefire, or what is called a “sustainable calm”, amount to applying a sticking plaster to a deeply felt, long-festering wound.
This story of neglect, cementing in place injustices and inequities stretching back to the 1948 Palestine war, made a new explosion of violence all but inevitable. It has played into the hands of extremists on both sides who seek victories, not peace. It threatens the future of Israel and Palestine and regional stability. The events of the past week have rendered the prospect of a lasting settlement more distant than ever. » | Observer editorial | Sunday, May 16, 2021
Charles to Open Up Palaces to the Public When He Becomes King – Reports
THE GUARDIAN: Prince of Wales is said to want Buckingham Palace, Sandringham and other royal homes to go from ‘private spaces to public places’
The Prince of Wales reportedly plans to give people greater access to the royal palaces when he becomes king.
Charles wants Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, Windsor Castle, Sandringham and Balmoral to be transformed from “private spaces to public places”, according to the Sunday Times.
The newspaper said the heir to the throne wants these royal residences to open more widely for longer periods during the year.
Charles is reportedly speaking to the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other royals about the plans.
The newspaper said Charles is considering opening Buckingham Palace and gardens throughout the year when he is king, including when he is in residence. » | PA Media | Sunday, May 16, 2021
The Prince of Wales reportedly plans to give people greater access to the royal palaces when he becomes king.
Charles wants Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, Windsor Castle, Sandringham and Balmoral to be transformed from “private spaces to public places”, according to the Sunday Times.
The newspaper said the heir to the throne wants these royal residences to open more widely for longer periods during the year.
Charles is reportedly speaking to the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other royals about the plans.
The newspaper said Charles is considering opening Buckingham Palace and gardens throughout the year when he is king, including when he is in residence. » | PA Media | Sunday, May 16, 2021
Saturday, May 15, 2021
Thousands Join London Protest against Violence in Gaza
THE GUARDIAN: Jeremy Corbyn and Palestinian ambassador address crowd and call for UK government to act
Thousands of people marched through central London on Saturday to express solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
Organisers said immediate action is needed from the UK government to help end the brutal violence.
At least 139 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip, including 39 children, after a spiral of violence that began with the attempted eviction of Arabs from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem. In Israel at least seven people have been killed, including one child.
Saturday is the Palestinian Nakba day, the anniversary of the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Arabs from their homes more than 70 years ago. » | Damien Gayle | Saturday, May 15, 2021
Thousands of people marched through central London on Saturday to express solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
Organisers said immediate action is needed from the UK government to help end the brutal violence.
At least 139 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip, including 39 children, after a spiral of violence that began with the attempted eviction of Arabs from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem. In Israel at least seven people have been killed, including one child.
Saturday is the Palestinian Nakba day, the anniversary of the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Arabs from their homes more than 70 years ago. » | Damien Gayle | Saturday, May 15, 2021
Johnson ‘Must Think Again on Plans to Relax Covid Rules’
THE OBSERVER: Top adviser warns of India variant impact as scientists urge delay in lockdown changes
Boris Johnson was under mounting pressure on Saturday to reconsider Monday’s relaxation of Covid rules in England because of the threat posed by the India variant. His own advisers and independent health experts raised fears that it could lead to a surge in hospital admissions, especially among young adults.
From Monday people will be able to meet in groups of up to 30 outdoors, while six people or two households will be permitted to meet indoors. Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants will be allowed to serve customers indoors. Indoor entertainment such as museums, cinemas and children’s play areas can also open along with theatres, concert halls, conference centres and sports stadiums. » | Denis Campbell, Toby Helm and David Connett | Saturday, May 15, 2021
Boris Johnson was under mounting pressure on Saturday to reconsider Monday’s relaxation of Covid rules in England because of the threat posed by the India variant. His own advisers and independent health experts raised fears that it could lead to a surge in hospital admissions, especially among young adults.
From Monday people will be able to meet in groups of up to 30 outdoors, while six people or two households will be permitted to meet indoors. Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants will be allowed to serve customers indoors. Indoor entertainment such as museums, cinemas and children’s play areas can also open along with theatres, concert halls, conference centres and sports stadiums. » | Denis Campbell, Toby Helm and David Connett | Saturday, May 15, 2021
Beneath Joe Biden’s Folksy Demeanor, a Short Fuse and an Obsession With Details
WASHINGTON — The commander in chief was taking his time, as usual.
It was late March, and President Biden was under increasing pressure to penalize President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for election interference and the biggest cyberattack ever on American government and industry. “I have to do it relatively soon,” he said to Jake Sullivan, his national security adviser.
Mr. Biden had already spent the first two months of his presidency debating how to respond to Mr. Putin, and despite his acknowledgment in March that he needed to act quickly, his deliberations were far from over. He convened another meeting in the Situation Room that stretched for two and a half hours, and called yet another session there a week later.
“He has a kind of mantra: ‘You can never give me too much detail,’” Mr. Sullivan said.
Quick decision-making is not Mr. Biden’s style. His reputation as a plain-speaking politician hides a more complicated truth. Before making up his mind, the president demands hours of detail-laden debate from scores of policy experts, taking everyone around him on what some in the West Wing refer to as his Socratic “journey” before arriving at a conclusion.
Those trips are often difficult for his advisers, who are peppered with sometimes obscure questions. Avoiding Mr. Biden’s ire during one of his decision-making seminars means not only going beyond the vague talking points that he will reject, but also steering clear of responses laced with acronyms or too much policy minutiae, which will prompt an outburst of frustration, often laced with profanity. » | Michael D. Shear, Katie Rogers and Annie Karni | Friday, May 14, 2021
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