Innholdsfortegnelse for V. 1071 i The Week

After the longest inquest in British legal history, a jury this week concluded that the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster were unlawfully killed. The ruling, which could pave the way for prosecutions, was greeted with a mixture of cheers and tears from relatives of the victims, who sang You’ll Never Walk Alone outside the court in Warrington. David Cameron called it a “landmark day” that had provided “long overdue justice”. The original 1991 inquest into Britain’s worst sporting disaster gave verdicts of accidental death. But an independent report in 2012 into the crush led to the quashing of those verdicts and the ordering of fresh hearings. More than 500 witnesses gave evidence to the new inquest over a period of two years. The jurors…

Child refugee votes MPs and peers are at odds about whether the UK should take in unaccompanied child refugees. On Monday, MPs voted narrowly against a Labour amendment to the Immigration Bill that would have required the Government to accept 3,000 children who have made it to Europe. But the following day, the Lords voted for a new amendment which forces the UK to take in children, but which doesn’t specify a number. MPs will now vote on this proposal. At least 95,000 unaccompanied children from the Middle East are thought to have reached the EU. Ministers say that taking them in could encourage more to make the journey, putting them at risk. Green belt development The number of houses to be built on England’s green belt has jumped by…

The joy of gay marriage Rufus Wainwright is a gay former crystal meth addict who, at 42, finds himself transformed into a family man. In 2011, the singer fathered a child by Leonard Cohen’s daughter, Lorca, a lifelong friend; a year later, he married his long-term boyfriend, Jörn Weisbrodt. Where previously Wainwright felt the institution of marriage “ran counter to the history of gay life”, now he is a huge fan. “I reached a point in my life when I needed it to be official, especially now that I had a child and wanted my husband to have a legal position,” he told Celia Walden in The Daily Telegraph. “Then, once the marriage came around, I did find that there was something incredibly profound and earth-shattering about professing your love…

Liberal judges who think they are superior Nick Cohen The Observer No one should pretend that human rights, that great invention of the Enlightenment, are always easy to live with, says Nick Cohen. They oblige us to treat men as brutal as Norwegian mass killer Anders Breivik with respect, “when all our human instincts fly against it”. But they must also “coexist” with that other great Enlightenment invention, democracy: that is to say, they must rest on public consent. And that principle is what the Norwegian justice system has egregiously failed to respect. A court in Oslo has just accepted Breivik’s plea that his solitary confinement amounted to “torture”, even though he has his own bedroom, gym and study; even though he has vowed to take hostage any prisoner he…

Dementia rate down for men Men are significantly less likely to develop dementia than they were two decades ago – probably because they’re leading healthier lives – scientists have found. By contrast, the rates for women are almost unchanged; probably because they had already made these lifestyle changes. Researchers at Cambridge University measured changes to the dementia incidence rate (the proportion of people developing the condition within a given period) by tracking two groups of over-65s, from the same parts of the UK, over separate three-year periods: 1991-94 and 2008-11. Men in the second cohort were 40% less likely to develop dementia than those in the first, whereas for women the fall was only 2.5%. “Men are becoming a bit more like women in terms of health patterns,” said Carol…

Malia Bouattia last week became the first Muslim woman to be elected as president of the National Union of Students (NUS). But rather than being welcomed as a breakthrough, the news generated “unprecedented discord”, said David Brown in The Times – because Bouattia, 28, stands accused of holding anti-Semitic and extremist views. She has in the past voiced her support for Palestinian militants, and in 2011 she described Birmingham University, where she studied, as “a Zionist outpost”, on the grounds that it has the “largest J-Soc” – Jewish society – in the country. She also blocked an NUS motion condemning Islamic State in 2013, arguing that it would encourage “blatant Islamophobia”. Many universities are now considering breaking away from the union. British Muslims in public life come in for a…

The nearly man triumphs For two decades, Richard Johnson was jump racing’s nearly man, says Cornelius Lysaght on BBC Sport online. “Easily the second most successful jump jockey of all time”, he had the misfortune to race in the same era as the great A.P. McCoy. McCoy “ruthlessly dominated” the sport, winning the champion jockey crown 20 years in a row; Johnson was perennially relegated to second place, and finished runnerup a staggering 16 times. But McCoy retired last year – and in his absence, Johnson has finally come out on top. The 38-year-old was in imperious form all season, winning 235 races, and last Saturday he was crowned champion. The sport has “moved into a new era”. Giving umpires the edge Hawk-Eye has transformed international cricket, says Simon Hughes…

To The Times In 1776, 13 independent American states decided to pool their sovereignty because they saw it was in their economic and political interests to do so, and that what united them was more important than the things that divided them. Boris Johnson accuses the US president of hypocrisy over Britain’s membership of the EU but has clearly forgotten his history. The clue is in the name, Boris: the United States. Chris Cory, Wootton, Isle of Wight To The Times Chris Cory says “the clue is in the name” regarding the formation of the US in 1776, but he (or she) fails to take account of an important point. The 13 colonies united in order to gain control of their own affairs and to free themselves from an unaccountable…

The Blade Artist by Irvine Welsh Jonathan Cape 288pp £12.99 The Week bookshop £10.99 (incl. p&p) Irvine Welsh’s 11th novel marks yet another outing for Begbie, the “unforgettable” psycho of Trainspotting, said Claire Lowdon in The Sunday Times. Having also featured in 2002’s Porno and 2012’s Skagboys, Begbie is now an “ostensibly reformed” artist living in California with a beautiful wife and two daughters. While it “might have been interesting to explore the head of a straightened-out psychopath”, Begbie soon returns to his old ways. This may be “what the fans want” – but it still feels “cynical”. Actually, Begbie’s resumption of “the old ultraviolence” isn’t the real problem, said Sarah Ditum in The Guardian. The Blade Artist’s larger flaw is that he has acquired the “internal monologue of a…

Sicily has always been an “irresistible destination for conquerors and settlers”, said Alastair Sooke in The Daily Telegraph. From the Phoenicians and the Greeks to the Normans and beyond, the civilisations that have arrived on the island have bestowed on it an unparalleled “multicultural richness”. This new exhibition at the British Museum brings together more than 200 objects spanning 4,000 years of Sicilian heritage – mostly ornaments, jewellery and sculptures left by Sicily’s many colonisers. The show is perhaps a little too keen to offer an idealised vision of a society adapting harmoniously to the arrival of migrants – a theme with clear contemporary relevance. It’s probably best to ignore this political subplot, “and simply marvel at Sicily’s outstanding past”. “The show concentrates on two eras,” said Matthew Collings in…

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, 2005 (Penguin £9.99). This is my Bible; I keep it next to my bed and reread it often. When I first read it, I realised I’d completely misinterpreted the world. Tolle has a remarkable gift for translating deep spiritual learnings into simple and accessible steps. Charles Dickens by Claire Tomalin, 2011 (Penguin £9.99). I am an obsessive Dickens fan – in fact, I almost bought a house in Bloomsbury because he’d lived there. I’ve read many biographies of Dickens but this is a flawless and brilliant study. He was a resolutely north London man and I’m a resolutely north London woman. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler, 1982 (Vintage £8.99). I think I’ve read every one of Anne Tyler’s books. She’s a…

Programmes The Silk Road In this threepart series, historian Sam Willis explores the history of the famous trade route. Sun 1 May, BBC4 9pm (60mins). Posh Neighbours at War Documentary lifting the lid on upmarket neighbourly spats. The cases include a lady in Kensington who upset local residents by painting giant red stripes on her house, and a couple whose garden operas have drawn complaints. Mon 2 May, C4 7.30pm (60mins). The Conspiracy Files: Who Shot Down MH17? When Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board, a storm of conspiracy theories was unleashed. This film attempts to sort fact from fiction. Tue 3 May, BBC2 9pm (60mins). Britain’s Billionaire Immigrants Documentary following Asian Anglophiles as they splash out on everything from Savile…

Pak choi with chilli, orange and pomegranate 4 pak choi 2 oranges 1 red chilli seeds of 1 pomegranate sesame oil, to coat sea salt, to season • Remove the outer leaves and then slice the pak choi in half. Rub the halves with sesame oil. • Zest the oranges; set aside the zest to use later. Cut the peel and pith off the oranges, then cut out the segments using a small, sharp knife between the membranes. Finely slice the chilli on the diagonal. • Preheat a large, heavy-based saucepan over a high heat until it is scalding hot. Carefully place the pak choi in the pan, flat-side down, and leave for 2-3 minutes, until it is starting to char. • Turn the pak choi over and leave for…

The Italian job Travel between Rome, Florence and Venice by firstclass rail, on a 6-day trip. From £1,155pp b&b, incl. flights and 2 tours. 020-7838 5892, www.wexas.com. Book by 15 August; travel until October. Slovenia’s Julian Alps Explore the Alps and the Triglav National Park from the 4-star Hotel Lek, Kranjska Gora. From £399pp half board, incl. Birmingham flights. 01483-791116, www.inghams.co.uk. Depart 4 June. Half-term in Malta A family of four (2 adults, 2 children) can enjoy 7 nights at the 4-star Canifor Hotel, Qawra, from £366pp half board (incl. Heathrow flights). 0800-1116292, www.lowcostholidays.com. Depart 29 May. Secluded Shropshire The Gatehouse, a fine Elizabethan gatehouse at Upton Cressett Hall, sleeps 4 in two luxury suites. A 3-night stay in May costs from £694. 01275-217575, www.staycationholidays.co.uk.…

The pound hit its highest level against the dollar since the announcement of the EU referendum ten weeks ago, indicating that forex traders believe the likelihood of Brexit is diminishing. The cost of hedging against substantial swings in sterling versus the dollar and euro also fell. The price of Brent crude bounced back above $45 after Saudi Arabia unveiled an ambitious plan to break its reliance on the fuel. Concerns reignited over China, where new bank loans and other forms of debt have risen sharply: debt grew at its fastest ever rate in Q1, soaring to Western levels of 237% of GDP, and raising the risk of a financial crisis. Apple reported its first quarterly revenue drop in 13 years, citing weakened iPhone sales: $50.6bn in revenues represents a 13%…

● Sell in May? It might be an archaism, but we seem strangely wedded to the old stock market maxim: “Sell in May and go away, don’t come back till St Leger Day” – a reference to the horse race, which falls in September. The logic dates back “to a golden age” of long summer holidays when market action was limited, said Dominic Frisby on MoneyWeek.com. We’re 24/7/365 these days, but the FTSE All-Share’s recent history suggests there is indeed “some kind of tradeable pattern”; the big problem lies in timing your re-entry. So what about this year? Markets could easily top after the big spring rally, and the June Brexit vote will mean volatility. But if the bookies are right, we can expect a Remain win, and with it…

Lakshmi Mittal What a difference eight years and a full-blooded rout in the steel industry makes, said The Huffington Post. The loss of wealth suffered by the ArcelorMittal magnate Lakshmi Mittal and his family is startling. In 2008, they topped The Sunday Times rich list with a fortune close to £28bn – “the biggest ever achieved by anyone on the list”. Now they’re worth just £7.12bn, having lost some £2.08bn in the past year alone. Mittal is the son of an industrialist, and steel has been his life since his childhood in India, said The Sunday Times. And he is more aware than most of the sector’s fluctuations. Even so, for the head of a family used to taking about £300m a year in dividends from its empire, the crisis…

This week’s crossword winner will receive an Ettinger (www.ettinger.co.uk) Brogue Collection nut coin purse, which retails at £150, and two Connell Guides (www.connellguides.com). ACROSS 1 Free consumption of food is what should keep you warm (3,7) 7 Money once used for a flatbottomed boat (4) 9 Moving on (8) 10 Write down what looks like closure of a modern gallery (6) 11 Perhaps a bowler goes round time and time again in addition (2,4) 13 Suffered pain and condition diagnosed? Not entirely (8) 14 More debating aroused by toplevel gathering (5,7) 17 Cook two hours pie and sauce - HP of course! (4-8) 20 Pussy bites thumb and jaw (4-4) 21 Plan used in briefs, say (6) 22 Try the Star for a bareback rider (6) 23 Second-class IT spares…

The first all-out strike in the history of the NHS took place this week. More than 20,000 junior doctors employed by NHS England (78% of all those who were due to work) walked out between 8am and 5pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, in protest at the imposition of a new contract by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. There had been four previous strikes over the same longrunning issue, but none had covered A&E services. Early reports suggested that the NHS had coped well, with senior doctors filling in for their colleagues; but more than 100,000 routine appointments and nearly 13,000 nonemergency operations were cancelled. Hunt claims that the new contract, designed to create a “truly seven-day NHS”, is essential for improving weekend care. It will lower pay at the weekend for…

Hanover, Germany Push for TTIP: President Obama used a visit to Germany last weekend to try to breathe new life into the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Speaking at the opening of a trade fair in Hanover, he and Angela Merkel called for negotiations – which began in July 2013 – to be concluded this year. Supporters of the massive trade agreement claim it would boost both the EU and US economies by around $100bn each, but opponents believe it would hand too much power to corporations, and weaken environmental protection and labour rights. Obama said he was “confident we will get this done”, while conceding that elections in the US as well as in France and Germany could cause delays. He also conceded that people are “unsettled” by…

When a man dressed in long white robes, and carrying a whip, was seen walking through a campus in Indiana, students were naturally alarmed – the area has a history of Ku Klux Klan activity – and a university official, Ethan Gill, emailed a warning. But it turned out the man was not a klansman, but a Dominican friar who had poppped out to buy some frozen yoghurt; and that his “whip” was a rosary. “Behold your klansmember...” Gill later posted a clarification on Facebook. Meanwhile, under the headline “to avoid confusion in the future”, the Dominicans tweeted a series of pictures of friars alongside other white-clad figures, including “man at the spa”, “child at Halloween”, and “Princess Leia”. A Chinese tycoon has been slammed for going out shopping with…

NIGERIA Kidnapped girls the world forgot The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Two years after the shocking kidnap of schoolgirls in Nigeria, the promises made for their rescue remain sadly unfulfilled, says Obiageli Ezekwesili. Hundreds of other women enslaved by militants of Boko Haram have been found, women we weren’t even told had been missing. But of the 219 schoolgirls from the Chibok community, there’s still no trace, apart from a video of 15 of them pleading with the government for their release; most likely a bid by their captors to exchange them for jailed militants. It’s largely the fault of Nigeria’s previous government, which remained “visibly uncooperative” with countries that offered help: one senior Western minister said dealing with it was the “single most frustrating” experience of his life. Alas,…

A 24-year-old man left paralysed following a diving accident six years ago has regained the use of his right hand thanks to a pioneering technology that sends signals from his brain directly to his muscles, bypassing his damaged spinal cord. A tiny chip implanted into Ian Burkhart’s motor cortex “reads” his neural messages and transmits them to a sleeve of electrodes on his forearm, which stimulates the muscles in his hand, fingers and wrist accordingly. He can now pour water, swipe a credit card and even play basic computer games. While people fitted with electrodes have previously been able to control robotic limbs, he is the first to control his own muscles. For now, Burkhart can only use his hand in a lab at Ohio State University. But scientists hope…

Actress Helen McCrory has little sympathy for celebrities who moan about being snapped by the paparazzi. McCrory, who lives in north London with her husband, the actor Damian Lewis, says that for most stars, it’s easy to keep out of the limelight: you just avoid high-profile venues. “I have no time for ‘Why were the paparazzi there when I was staggering out of the Ivy at midnight?’,” she told The Mail on Sunday. “There is a perfectly good Italian on the Holloway Road that the paps won’t be outside, so if you choose to go there, you can keep the paps away.” Teresa Gorman is to be immortalised as a mermaid. The former Tory MP, who died in 2015, was fascinated by Charles Darwin, and supported a charity that is…

“Life’s not fair, is it? Some of us drink champagne in the fast lane, and some of us eat our sandwiches by the loose chippings on the A597.” Victoria Wood, quoted in The Times “Nothing is so admirable in politics as a short memory.” J.K. Galbraith, quoted in The Sunday Times “Nothing has really happened until it is written down.” Virginia Woolf, quoted in The Spectator “Life is a moderately good play with a badly written third act.” Truman Capote, quoted in The Daily Telegraph “How little we know ourselves until we notice what we do.” Matthew Parris, in The Times “As a general rule, nobody has money who ought to have it.” Benjamin Disraeli, quoted on The Browser “You must come again when you have less time.” Walter Sickert,…

Rugby union Saracens beat Wasps 24-17 to reach the final of the European Rugby Champions Cup. They will face Racing 92, who beat Leicester 19-16 in their semi-final. Football Man Utd beat Everton 2-1 and Crystal Palace beat Watford 2-1 in the FA Cup semi-finals. Snooker Ronnie O’Sullivan was knocked out of the World Championship in the second round by Barry Hawkins. Tennis Rafael Nadal beat Kei Nishikori in the final of the Barcelona Open to equal Guillermo Vilas’s record of 49 career clay-court titles.…

Theatre The Flick Playwright: Annie Baker Director: Sam Gold Dorfman, National Theatre, London SE1 (020-7452 3000) Until 15 June Running time: 3hrs 15mins (including interval) The Flick, a low-key threehander set in a fleapit cinema in Massachussetts, arrives from New York garlanded with praise and the Pulitzer Prize, said Sarah Crompton on WhatsOnStage.com. It also boasts a reputation for daunting length. “Interval after one hour and 40 minutes” warns a sign on the way in. But don’t be put off. Those who “ignore the acclaim and leave halfway” will miss out on a “mighty achievement”. Nothing happens, and everything does, said David Jays in The Sunday Times. In a series of short scenes, both funny and sad, playwright Annie Baker pulls us into “the uneasy bonds between ushers and projectionist,…

Paul Winstanley at Alan Cristea Gallery Looking at British artist Paul Winstanley’s eerily empty paintings, you can’t help but shiver. He is best known for his depictions of deserted spaces, rendered in an almost photorealistic style so muted as to be ghostly. This new show at the Alan Cristea Gallery has its genesis in a series of photographs Winstanley took in empty art-school studios, which he then used as the basis for an extraordinary selection of prints and paintings. The white walls and simple fittings in the studios that Winstanley paints are offset by details that suggest they have only recently been vacated: splashes of bright yellow and green paint on the walls and floors hint at the buzzing activity that has taken place in these spaces. It’s a little…

Much of what is sold as Prosecco is “deeply ordinary”, says David Williams in The Observer. So it’s important to pick a really good one: here are three examples: Valdobbiadene Prosecco Spumante Superiore NV (£7.49; Aldi). This is a decent example of the big-foam and pear-drop character of cheaper prosecco; and its price also makes it a viable option for mixing with Campari or Aperol for a homemade spritz, or with puréed white peaches for a bellini. Taste the Difference Conegliano Prosecco Superiore 2014 (£10; Sainsbury’s). The pick of the high-street Proseccos, this has a classic style with a nice streak of freshening lemon sherbet to go with the sweet pear and relatively dry finish. Col Vetoraz Valdobbiadene Prosecco Frizzante 2014 (£17; Huntsworth Wine). Col Vetoraz wines have a touch…

Villa Della Pergola, Alassio, Italy With its long seafront promenade and curving strand, the Italian Riviera resort of Alassio was popular with British artists and writers 100 years ago; and this “gorgeous” hotel is a “patrician” remnant of its heyday, says Condé Nast Traveller. The 12 rooms are split between the 19th century main house – built by Scotsman General William Montagu Scott McMurdo – and a separate villa and apartment. All have been impeccably restored, with pastel walls, high ceilings, and wooden floors. There are fountains, wisteria-covered pergolas, and benches framed by climbing roses in the “vast” grounds. A butler serves supper, which is usually simple but always fresh. Doubles from £310. 00 39 018 264 6130, www.villadellapergola.com…

Writer and comedian who blazed a trail for women on TV Victoria Wood 1953-2016 Victoria Wood once topped a poll of People You’d Most Like To Live Next Door To, beating even the Queen Mother. “I should imagine she was very annoyed about that,” Wood noted dryly. And that, perhaps, sums up the wry appeal of the comedian, writer, actress and singer, who died last week aged 62, said Christopher Stevens in the Daily Mail. Rooting her comedy in the everyday, Wood specialised in self-mocking jokes and pithy, often sharp but never sneering observations about the mundane details of ordinary life: candlewick bedspreads, bad haircuts, disappointing sex and cellulite. “I looked up the symptoms of pregnancy,” she would quip, in her droll Lancastrian accent. “Moody, big bosoms, irritable... I’ve obviously…

The emissions scandal plaguing the motor industry stepped up a gear last week as some of the world’s largest carmakers were drawn into the “dieselgate” saga, said Julia Kollewe in The Guardian. The biggest casualty was the Japanese carmaker Mitsubishi, whose shares crashed 40%, wiping out $3.2bn, after it admitted manipulating test data to overstate the fuel efficiency of some models so they would record better mileage. Elsewhere, shares in Daimler, which owns Mercedes-Benz, were hit by news that the US Department of Justice has requested an investigation; and French anti-fraud investigators raided the offices of Peugeot. Overall, more than half a million more cars in Europe were recalled last week alone. “As anticipated, the wrongdoing looks like it goes well beyond VW,” said analyst Joe Rundle of ETX Capital.…

Britain leads the field in the “emerging area” of financial technology, or fintech, says David Prosser in The Times. The promise of these new tools and technologies is that they make it simpler and cheaper to manage your money. Here’s a look at who is offering what… Banking. Atom has just become the first mobile-based banking service to win a full banking licence; Mondo isn’t far behind. Both aim to replicate the services you might expect from traditional banks (minus chequebooks and branches) in a way optimised to run on your phone. Mortgages. Mortgage brokers can charge hefty fees; Trussle “promises to do much better”. It uses automation software to scour the market for the best deal and, because it charges lenders for referrals, there’s no cost to you. Once…

Who’s tipping what The week’s best buys Connect Group Investors Chronicle Connect’s news distribution business is resilient, the parcel freight arm is seeing soaring sales, and its click-andcollect service is prospering with clients including Asos and Amazon. Yields 6.1%. Buy. 152p. Matchtech Group Investors Chronicle The acquisition of Networkers International has expanded this specialist recruiter’s reach and enhanced its offering. Placements are in buoyant areas: infrastructure, automotive, engineering, IT and telecoms. Buy. 462.5p. Senior The Daily Telegraph The engineer is suffering slow trading in its car and truck parts division. But increasing orders in its aerospace arm, which supplies parts for Airbus and Boeing, should lead to rising revenues and profits. Buy. 237.2p. Sky The Times The pay-TV giant is a longterm investment in a growth market. Spiralling prices for…

Sir Philip Green knows a thing or two about rescuing businesses, said Alex Brummer in the Daily Mail. He’s the “King of the High Street” who revived the retail giant Arcadia – owner of brands including Topshop, Burton, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge – after buying it in 2002. But it has been a different story with British Home Stores (BHS). Turning around this “fusty” department store, best known for its “cheap school uniforms, dowdy women’s hats and inexpensive light fittings”, was always going to be a challenge in today’s retail climate. Green failed: having bought the 164-store chain for £200m in 2000, he ended up selling it a year ago for just £1. The store fared no better under its new owners, and this week went into administration, leaving…

In the event of Brexit, it wouldn’t just be trade policy that would need resetting. The EU’s policies cover everything from immigration and trade to farming, fisheries and regional development; its rules and regulations everything from consumer safety to working hours. In many cases, the UK would probably retain existing EU rules, at least in the short term. But it would also have big decisions to make: would it keep the current level of agricultural subsidies, for instance? Or would it decide to lower them, thereby making food cheaper for consumers, but damaging many farmers? Then there are the million-plus British expatriates living in other EU countries (who currently have the right to work, own property, claim benefits and get free health care in those countries), and the three million…

Voting for a president we don’t want Ruth Marcus The Washington Post Americans will shortly elect as president a person they dislike. It sounds “oxymoronic”, says Ruth Marcus, but that’s the message of the polls, assuming Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, and either Donald Trump or Ted Cruz wins the Republican one. Never before will a US general election ballot have featured such negatively viewed candidates. A new Wall Street Journal-NBC poll puts Trump’s net favourability rating at -41: a “breathtaking” 65% of voters see him negatively, versus 24% who have a positive view. Cruz’s score stands at -23, with 49% viewing him negatively and 26% positively. As for Clinton, her rating has slipped to -24 (with 56% against her and 32% pro). This is unprecedented. To put it…

Scientists are now so concerned about the effects of cannabis, they are calling for a global health campaign warning about its association with serious mental disorders including psychosis. Because cannabis is widely outlawed, such campaigns have been rare, but given the mounting evidence that the drug contributes to mental health problems, many experts believe that this needs to change. “It’s not sensible to wait for absolute proof that cannabis is a component cause of psychosis,” Sir Robin Murray, professor of psychiatric research at King’s College London, told The Guardian. “There’s already ample evidence to warrant public education around the risks of heavy use.” A particular source of concern is the growing prevalence of powerful skunk strains of cannabis. In 1999, only 15% of the cannabis seized by police in England…

David Bowie, Alan Rickman and now Victoria Wood and Prince. What on Earth is going on? That has been the cry on social media this week. But are more celebrities really dying than ever before? The short answer is yes – there have been a disproportionate number of “big-name” deaths this year, said Ben Chu in The Independent. But there is nothing odd, let alone sinister, about that. It’s human nature to see patterns in random events, but if you take a bag of rice, and throw it in the air, the grains won’t land evenly dispersed: some will land in clusters – and not because a malevolent rice reaper is at work. On the other hand, it wouldn’t be surprising if we saw a general upward trend in celebrity…

London Marathon: the refugee who’s going to the Olympics The London Marathon is “one of the great massparticipation events”, said Matthew Syed in The Times. Every year, more than 35,000 runners come together as “a mass of humanity”. United in concentration, they embrace this extraordinary opportunity to test their minds and bodies. And on Sunday, no one tested themselves more than Tsegai Tewelde, said Sean Ingle in The Guardian. It’s a miracle that he’s running at all: at the age of eight he was blown up by a landmine in war-torn Eritrea, and needed surgery to have shrapnel removed. But on Sunday, Tewelde – now 25 – “ran into the British Olympic squad”. He came 12th in his very first marathon to ensure a place in Rio this summer. When…

No need to panic To the Financial Times Your article on what Britain “must” do “the day after Brexit” is misconceived. The UK “must” do nothing. The sun will come up as usual; as sterling’s recent history shows, markets will quickly settle down. The procedures outlined in Article 50 of the European treaties (which foresee a country leaving the EU after two years of negotiations) only kick in when the UK formally submits its application to leave – which it is under no compulsion to do until it is ready. In the meantime, things continue as now. And, indeed, the UK assumes the presidency of the EU council in the second half of next year, which will make it possible to schedule and structure negotiations in such a way as…

by Catherine Fletcher Bodley Head 336pp £20 The Week bookshop £17 (incl. p&p) Alessandro de’ Medici, who ruled Florence from 1532 to 1537, lived a short life “packed with intrigue”, said Dan Jones in The Sunday Times. He was the bastard son of Lorenzo de’ Medici – dedicatee of Machiavelli’s The Prince – and most probably of a servant, or slave, of African descent: hence his nickname “il Moro” (“the Moor”). Yet neither Alessandro’s skin colour nor his illegitimacy proved an “obstruction to his advancement”. As duke of Florence, he governed “pitilessly”: his head of security was known as “the Butcher”, and he made so many enemies that he wore a “velvet doublet lined with fine chain mail”. Yet he also had a “popular touch”, playing “street football”, and “making…

Miles Ahead Dir: Don Cheadle 1hr 40mins (15) Unconventional biopic of a jazz genius “If you’re gonna tell a story,” Miles Davis purrs at the start of Miles Ahead, “you better come with some attitude.” And that’s precisely what Don Cheadle brings, as director and star, to his “fun, freewheeling” biopic of the great jazz trumpeter, said Robbie Collin in The Daily Telegraph. The film commences in the 1970s, when Davis was wrestling with a creative slump exacerbated by drug abuse. In the company of a naive journalist (Ewan McGregor), he sets out to recover a tape of his music stolen by an avaricious music executive (Michael Stuhlbarg). There are the obligatory flashbacks to earlier days, which take in Davis’s romance with his future wife Frances (Emayatzy Corinealdi); yet for…

Damien Hirst may have unwittingly poisoned gallery attendants at Tate Modern, it was claimed last week. The artist’s famous vitrines of pickled animals allegedly leaked dangerous levels of formaldehyde into the air during his five-month installation exhibition in 2012. A paper published by the Royal Society of Chemistry says scientists recorded air concentrations of the carcinogenic chemical at five parts per million – far above the 0.5ppm limit under EU regulations – in the gallery within ten metres of Mother and Child Divided (four tanks containing a bisected cow and calf), and four metres from a pickled sheep. Researchers posed as visitors and measured the air quality using electronic wristbands and modified iPhones. Hirst’s company, Science Ltd, said it was “baffled” by the results, pointing out that no complaints were…

Lynda’s withholding payment for the shepherd’s hut until Eddie remodels the chimney. Eddie’s worried as he has to repay the curtain fund that Alf pocketed. Pat snaps at Tom for sacking Jazzer, then starts sobbing, saying she’s lost Helen. Neil’s livid when Jolene tells him that Josh has been trying to sell the Fairbrothers’ eggs to The Bull. Anna Tregorran visits Helen, who repeats Rob’s mantra about her being an unfit mother. Anna tells Helen that she’s going to need more answers in order to help. Rob’s moved out of intensive care and insists on seeing Henry. Pat and Tony feel awkward in the hospital, but Henry’s excited. When Henry’s out of the room, Pat tries to talk about Helen. Ursula interrupts and tells Pat not to visit again. Lynda…

Anglo 30 St Cross Street, London EC1 (020-7430 1503) I know it’s only April, but we food critics are already mentally compiling our bestof-2016 lists, says Grace Dent in the London Evening Standard. Mine was looking short until I visited Anglo, a fabulous new opening in Farringdon. This place’s shtick – “British cuisine titivated and made modern” – might not be for your “uptight uncle who just wants his steak with something starchy”. But I fell in love with its “delicate and challenging” cookery “within 15 minutes of perching my bottom”. The pre-dinner snacks were phenomenal: a beetroot crisp and mousse, a scallop tartare in dashi, an “otherworldly” burnt leek tartlet. And the rest of the meal delivered on this promise: there was a “scattering” of grelot onion, St George’s…

New cars: “a crushing demonstration of luxury motoring” Being neither cheap nor flashy, Rolls-Royces were once considered cars for older drivers, said Stuart Gallagher in Evo. But in recent years, as the manufacturer has made headway in China and the Middle East, it has worked hard to appeal to a “more youthful” audience, and the average age of its buyers has dropped to 45. The Dawn – only the third Rolls-Royce convertible in half a century – represents a further push into that market. Though it’s a very expensive vehicle, said Richard Ingram in Auto Express, the Dawn is a deliberately everyday car; better suited to “boulevard cruising than back-road blasts”. It is “no slouch”, however. It boasts a 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12, and is capable of doing 0-62mph in less…

Glamping on a farm with kids A weekend in the country without TVs, iPads or games consoles can have a “profoundly therapeutic” effect. For a “gorgeous”, child-friendly setting, try Feather Down Farms, says Hattie Garlick in The Daily Telegraph. The brainchild of Luite Moraal (founder of Center Parcs), these are working farms that play host to “high-spec” glamping facilities. At Midgham Farm in Hampshire, that means log cabins with wood-burners for heat and cooking, proper beds with “crisp” linen, flushing loos and showers (on other farms these are usually housed in communal blocks). There’s a play area with rope swings and a “retired” tractor, and endless fun to be had brushing horses, collecting hens’ eggs and playing in the woods. A three-night, Friday-Monday stay at Midgham Farm starts at £495…

Saudi Aramco: powering reform Get ready for “one of the biggest initial public offerings ever”, said The Wall Street Journal. Saudi Arabia has confirmed plans to float its state-owned oil giant, Aramco, in Riyadh – and possibly London – in a listing likely to value it at more than $2trn. The kingdom plans to sell just 5% of Aramco, which produces 10% of the world’s oil supply every day. But even “that small fraction” could raise $100bn-$150bn, amounting to one of the biggest floats ever. The move is part of a wider shake-up of the economy – a strategy led by the country’s new “de facto ruler”, the deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. His ambitious aim is to “lay out a new economic trajectory for the country in an…

Javid’s for turning Dominic O’Connell The Sunday Times A portrait of Margaret Thatcher takes pride of place in Business Secretary Savid Javid’s office, says Dominic O’Connell. Let’s hope he turned it to the wall last week before unveiling his “big money offer” to save Tata Steel. Thatcher didn’t approve of handouts to uncompetitive industries: British coal, shipbuilding and carmaking all shrank or shut down completely on her watch, because foreign rivals were cheaper and often better. It’s the same story now in steel. Yet the Government has offered to take a 25% stake in Tata’s UK operations, and is dangling £1bn in “commercial” loans, and other “unspecified” grants, in the hope of attracting a new owner. The last time Whitehall did something like this was when “it tried and failed…