Innholdsfortegnelse for V. 1191 i The Week

What happened Preparing for “no deal” The Brexit Secretary, Dominic Raab, last week released the first batch of contingency plans to prepare the UK for the consequences of leaving the EU next March without an agreement. The 24 technical advisory papers – the first of about 80 to be published by the end of the month – cover sectors such as banking, clinical trials, nuclear research, foreign aid and organic food. Among the potential threats they highlight are disruption to British expatriates’ access to pensions and bank accounts, to medical supplies, and to the import of Danish sperm to fertility clinics. Raab said a deal was the Tories’ “overriding priority”, but insisted that even a disorderly exit would leave Britain better off in the long term. Hours later, however, Chancellor…

London’s beer drinkers, with the arrival in the City of Speedway Stout – believed to be the most expensive draught beer in Britain. The coffee-flavoured beer, which is brewed in the US, is on sale at the Craft Beer Co. in Old Street for £22.50 a pint. Mobike, the Chinese bike hire firm, which announced that it was seriously considering pulling out of Manchester because so many of its dockless bikes (which can be picked up and parked anywhere) are being stolen, vandalised or dumped in canals. The firm says that it’s losing 10% of its 2,000-strong fleet in the city every month, and that it is having similar problems in Newcastle. Tom Cruise, after Lee Child – the author of the bestselling Jack Reacher novels – revealed that he’d…

Paris Hulot quits: President Macron suffered a major blow on Tuesday when his popular environment minister, Nicolas Hulot, announced during a live radio interview – and with no forewarning – that he was leaving the government. Hulot has long been famous in France as an environmentalist and TV presenter, and had turned down invitations to join the government from the three previous presidents. When Macron persuaded him to come on board, it was seen as a boost to his centrist movement. But on Tuesday, Hulot said he’d grown frustrated that only “small steps” were being taken on climate change, and that he had felt “all alone” in the government on green issues. Rome Migrant row: Matteo Salvini, Italy’s far-right deputy PM – who is seen by analysts as the country’s…

“Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey is a magnificent blend of sober Romanesque and luminous Gothic. But the moment you enter, you’re greeted with purple lighting and organ music borrowed from Hammer House of Horror, as if no visitor could be interested in the beauty of the architecture. The abbey was constructed when religion was imposed in insufferable ways; yet it also inspired magnificence in art and architecture, and wonder at those creations. That religion in the West has been sapped of much of its power is welcome; that it has been replaced in part by a culture that Disneyfies wonder is something to lament.” Kenan Malik in The Observer…

Statistics that could drive us to drink Ben Chu The Independent Last week, The Lancet published a major new study on the health risks of alcohol, says Ben Chu, and it’s fair to say the temperance movement hasn’t had a boost like this since prohibition. “The safest level of drinking,” the study concluded on the basis of its findings, “is none.” The UK, said one of its authors, now needs to rethink its alcohol guidelines. Really? It sounds horribly alarming – until you actually read the study results. What they show is that while non-drinkers have a 0.914% chance of developing an alcohol-associated illness in the course of a year, the risk for those who have a single daily drink is 0.918%. And “two drinks a day raises the risk…

Shocking rise in type 2 diabetes The number of children and young people requiring specialist treatment for type 2 diabetes – which is strongly associated with obesity – has risen 40% in only three years. Health experts described the finding as a “disaster”, and warned that children with the condition can expect to have years knocked off their lives. “Their chances of getting serious complications will be far greater than an adult with type 2, because they will have had that diabetes for several more decades,” Professor Naveed Sattar, of the University of Glasgow, told The Independent. “They will be more obese to begin with, their sugar control is worsening faster, and we don’t tend to give them statins at a young age to protect their hearts – we don’t…

Football fans have been left aghast by a revelation from Michael Owen: the former England striker has never drunk a cup of tea or coffee. Owen, who made the admission in a fans’ Q&A for Joe.com, offered no explanation as to why he had shunned the hot beverages, but said he had recently learnt “how to make” tea. The 38-year-old also admitted his dislike for films. “I was forced to watch about ten when I was a kid,” he said. “Can’t stand them.” Of the movies he could recall sitting through – Cool Runnings, Heat, Rocky, Jurassic Park (twice) and Ghost – Owen said Cool Runnings was his favourite. Margaret Thatcher has been hailed as a feminist icon by an unlikely source: the multi-platinum-selling US rapper Nicki Minaj (above). “Sometimes…

Ireland experienced its second visit by a serving pope last weekend, said Fintan O’Toole in The Guardian – and what a contrast it was to the first. When John Paul II visited the republic in 1979, over 80% of its inhabitants still attended weekly mass. Some 1.25 million people, a third of Ireland’s population at the time, flocked to Dublin’s largest park for the papal mass. Today, weekly mass attendance is about 35%, and only 200,000 or so people gathered to hear Pope Francis preside over mass at the same spot. While most Irish people were still glad to welcome Francis, his two-day visit was overshadowed by anger over the Catholic Church’s systematic covering up of child abuse by priests, and its past cruel treatment of “fallen” women and children…

On Saturday, “one of the greatest tales in rugby league history” was written at Wembley, said Mike Keegan in The Mail on Sunday. For the first time, the Challenge Cup – the sport’s oldest competition – was won by a team from outside England: Catalans Dragons, who hail from the French city of Perpignan. In a “brutal” final, the side overcame Warrington Wolves to win 20-14. What a “remarkable story”, said Chris Irvine in The Sunday Times. Only ten months ago, Catalans’ very existence was “under threat”: they were one loss away from relegation from the Super League, rugby league’s top division. And they made a terrible start to this season, winning only two of their first 11 matches. But they prevailed last weekend, thanks to a cast of heroes:…

Football Liverpool went top of the Premier League for the first time since 2016 following their 1-0 win over Brighton. Manchester City drew 1-1 with Wolves. Tottenham beat Manchester United 3-0. Rugby union New Zealand beat Australia 40-12, with Beauden Barrett scoring four tries. Wasps fly-half Jimmy Gopperth was ruled out for up to nine months, following anterior cruciate ligament surgery. Chris Ashton, the Sale and England wing, received a seven-week ban for making a tip tackle in a pre-season friendly against Castres.…

Calling time on projects To The Daily Telegraph Forty years ago, I had the privilege of hearing a lecture by Professor F. Warren McFarlan, of Harvard Business School, on the subject of large projects that trundled into failure long after all involved could see the impending disaster. He made it clear that the fear of owning up to or taking responsibility for “sunk cost” is what terrifies management, bureaucrats and politicians into continuing while knowing that failure is certain. By admitting it, they may be blamed or punished for it – whereas continued spending may allow them to move on before the sky falls in. Looking at the billions of sunk costs looming over HS2, smart meters, Hinkley Point, Universal Credit, Type 45 destroyers and other government-sponsored disasters, I believe…

1. The Art of The Week: Ten Years of McBill Covers by Howard McWilliam £12.99 2. Wilding: The Return of Nature to a British Farm by Isabella Tree £20.00 £18.00 3. Ma’am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown £9.99 £7.99 4. Arnhem: The Battle for the Bridges, 1944 by Antony Beevor £25.00 £22.00 5. Notes from the Cevennes: Half a Lifetime in Provincial France by Adam Thorpe £16.99 £15.99 6. Munich by Robert Harris £8.99 £6.99 7. Arlott, Swanton and the Soul of English Cricket by Stephen Fay, David Kynaston £20.00 £18.00 8. Hidden Nature by Alys Fowler £9.99 £7.99 9. The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After Midlife by Jonathan Rauch £18.99 £16.99 10. Where Poppies Blow by John Lewis-Stempel £9.99 £7.99…

Best books… Emma Thompson Emma Thompson, the actress and screenwriter, picks six comic books by women. Her latest film, The Children Act, based on the novel by Ian McEwan and directed by Richard Eyre, is out now The Guilty Feminist by Deborah Frances-White, 2018 (Virago £14.99). Everything you ever wanted to know about feminism but were afraid to ask. Kind, necessary wisdom with good gags. I am stunned by the community her podcast has created among young women who are feminists but still shave their legs. And old ones whose legs have finally forgotten how to grow hair. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, 1817 (Wordsworth £2.50). Gentle, probing, sharp, bitter and sweet all at once. Isabella is one of the finest comic characters ever created. Henry Tilney was my first…

The price of prime wine-producing land is soaring, says David Williams in The Observer. As a result, many winemakers, particularly younger ones without a family domaine, are migrating to the “suburbs” – and making some great bottles. Owing to émigrés arriving from more celebrated Burgundian regions further north, Mâconnais wines “have never been better”. And as Domaine Cordier Mâcon Aux Bois d’Allier, France 2016 (£13.50; thewinesociety.com) – a “superbly rich, shimmering chardonnay – shows, they still offer excellent value”. In the northern Rhône, Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie syrahs are in high demand. “But the wines of Saint-Joseph, the region’s second-largest appellation,” such as Cave de Saint-Désirat Saint-Joseph, France 2016 (£15.99; Waitrose), “also offer a succulent, pepper-savoury, violets-and-blackberry allure.” Henry Pellé Les Bornes Menetou-Salon, France 2017 (£14.50; Oddbins). In the Loire Valley,…

Sculpture safari in Kenya The problem with safaris is all the downtime, says Lisa Hogan in The Sunday Times. Just what are you supposed to do with yourself between dawn and dusk game drives? Well, there’s lounging by the pool… “or you could spend the time trying to sculpt an elephant out of plasticine”. Borana Lodge, not far from Mount Kenya, has an artist who teaches classes in animal sculpture. Turns out it’s not as easy as it looks. You head out on horseback to look for inspiration in the wild – a giraffe, or a flamingo perhaps – then try to render it in plasticine. Immersing yourself “so deeply in the animals and the art” is rewarding, and you can take home a piece cast in bronze. You’ll never…

Wonga: reversal of fortunes Once a “poster child” for the excesses of the payday loan industry, the pendulum has swung all the way for Wonga, said Richard Partington in The Guardian. The company, which recently got a £10m emergency cash injection from investors, is on the verge of collapse following a deluge of compensation claims: it has reportedly lined up accountants Grant Thornton to handle a potential administration. The claims relate to loans taken out before 2014, when public outrage at what MPs called “legal loan-sharking” prompted regulators to cap the cost of credit, pushing smaller firms out of the market. Wonga, which charged annualised interest of 1,509%, was first in the firing line. Campaigners claimed it was targeting “vulnerable customers with slick marketing”; the Archbishop of Canterbury accused it…

Congress must nix Trump’s Nafta deal Editorial Financial Times Donald Trump’s updated Nafta agreement with Mexico “will do more harm than good”, and neither Congress nor Canada should be bounced into backing it, says the FT. It isn’t anything like a comprehensive updating of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and its most substantive part, on cars, is “at best ineffectual and at worst destructive”. The knock-on effect of imposing trade restrictions on complex supply chains will be to create damaging distortions down the line, with US consumers the ultimate losers. Just as disturbing, however, “was the way the deal was done”. In abandoning its promises to negotiate trilaterally, Mexico has “weakened Canada’s bargaining power and put it under intense pressure to join the deal”. After a year in which…

Controversy of the week Is Labour set for a split? “The gun is now visibly smoking,” said The Daily Telegraph. After all the accusations of anti-Semitism made against Jeremy Corbyn, we have damning evidence: a 2013 video in which he said that “Zionists” – by which he means “Jews”, say critics – despite “having lived in this country for a very long time, probably all their lives, don’t understand English irony”. That these remarks were made by a famously humourless man is itself ironic – but the suggestion that Jewishness prevents a person from being “100% English in character” isn’t remotely funny. If a Tory said the same of a racial minority, Labour would call for their head. There’s been talk of moderates splitting from Labour: if this doesn’t make…

Scotland’s former first minister Alex Salmond has launched legal action against the Scottish government over its handling of sexual harassment allegations made against him. The claims – which he denies – date back to 2013 and were made by two women earlier this year, but only became public last week. They have been handed to Police Scotland. Salmond has called for an inquiry into how details of the complaints were leaked in what he calls a “flagrant” breach of confidentiality. Opposition parties, however, want “full transparency” in the investigation, and have demanded to know what was said at several meetings Salmond had with his successor, Nicola Sturgeon, to discuss the accusations.…

A North Yorkshire fish and chip shop has translated its menu to Mandarin to cope with the coachloads of Chinese tourists visiting it every week. Staff at Scotts Fish and Chips on the A64 near York say they serve more than 100 Chinese tourists a week, and that they have seen a huge increase in bookings by Chinese tour guides offering the “fish and chip experience” over the past two years. The shop’s owner, Tony Webster, suspects the trend was sparked by China’s President Xi sharing a fish and chip meal with David Cameron on a visit to the UK in 2015. Antisocial passengers on crowded trains go to great lengths to keep the train seat next to them free; now an American company has come up with a product…

FRANCE How citizens could learn to love Brussels Les Echos (Paris) The EU could learn a thing or two from the French about how to encourage the arts. France has long led the way when it comes to cultural innovations, says Mario D’Angelo. In 1982, culture minister Jack Lang launched the Fête de la Musique, an annual day for free concerts. It is now celebrated in some 120 countries. The French state also nurtures culture through subsidies and tax breaks – French cinema has been a particular beneficiary. But until now it has always directed money at the producers, not the consumers, of art. Our president, Emmanuel Macron, has no such scruples: to redeem a campaign pledge, his government has rolled out a new “culture pass” – a multimillion-euro app…

The oldest and thickest sea ice in the Arctic has started to break up, reports The Daily Telegraph. The stretch off the north coast of Greenland was until recently known as “the last ice area”, because it was expected to be the last to remain frozen. This year, though, in a phenomenon never previously recorded, the ice has broken up twice, owing to warm winds and heatwaves in the northern hemisphere, and has been pushed further from the coast than at any time since satellite records began in the 1970s. The discovery may mean that scientists have to alter their predictions about which parts of the Arctic will best withstand global warming; in the meantime, there are fears about the consequences of the melting for polar bears and other Arctic…

This time last year it was an empty stretch of forest, a place where elephants roamed, said Fay Griegson in The Sunday Times. Today, Cox’s Bazar, which lies inside Bangladesh on the border with Myanmar, is a makeshift metropolis of tarpaulins and bamboo – “a monument to the persecution of an entire people”. The world’s largest refugee camp, it houses almost a million Rohingya – the Muslim minority who have lived for generations in Myanmar, but whom the country’s Buddhist majority see as interlopers from Bangladesh, and who last year fled here in vast numbers to escape the gang rape and mass murder inflicted on them by the Burmese army in their home state of Rakhine. Now, on the anniversary of that brutal military crackdown, a UN report accuses Myanmar’s…

An aspiring Hollywood star goes to a hotel room to meet an older, more powerful industry figure – only to be plied with alcohol and pressured into sex. It’s a dismally familiar story, said Bari Weiss in The New York Times. But in its latest version, there’s a twist: the alleged abuser is not only a woman, but a leading light in the #MeToo movement. We now know that while Asia Argento, the Italian actress and director, was being lauded for her bravery in speaking out against Harvey Weinstein, she was paying off a former child actor, Jimmy Bennett, who’d accused her of performing a sex act on him when he was 17 (underage in California). The facts are unclear, and these cases can be complex; and so Rose McGowan…

There was a time when Sebastian Vettel was simply “untouchable”, said Giles Richards in The Guardian. Between 2010 and 2013, he ruled over Formula One, winning four world championships on the trot. And, ominously for his rivals, his Belgian Grand Prix victory on Sunday was reminiscent of those triumphs. The Ferrari driver was “clinical and flawless”: he finished 11 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton, reducing Hamilton’s championship lead to 17 points. Vettel is an enormously talented driver, said Andrew Benson on BBC Sport online. But it was his car that made the difference. Although Hamilton had taken pole position, the Ferrari’s superior traction and “greater straight-line speed” allowed Vettel to “sweep into the lead” early on. Over the summer, both Ferrari and Mercedes – Hamilton’s team – upgraded their engines,…

Côteaux Bourguignons Domaine Truchetet 2015, France I fell in love with this on the first sip. It’s a delightful blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay, the backbone of Beaujolais. From the exceptional 2015 vintage, Bourgogne Passetoutgrains is not that well known beyond France, which is a pity because the combination of these two grape varieties gives it a freshness with a bit of zing. Very enjoyable by itself, with enough body to go with light food and even fish. Ique Malbec, Bodegas Foster, 2014, Argentina Named after owner Enrique Foster, this is a pure expression of the Malbec grape, which is now the dominant variety in Argentina. From the famous Mendoza region, no oak is used, so it has a delightful smoothness with a hint of violets. Very moreish and…

To the Financial Times Every day I open my copy of the Pink ’Un expecting the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up as I read the latest instalment from the FT House of Brexit Horrors, but imagine my surprise when I read yesterday’s headlines: “Goldman in £1.2bn property deal” and “Investor appetite defies Brexit”. Some of your journalists are reporting that Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank have both just signed new 25-year leases in the City, with Goldman’s head of international operations quoted as saying: “The development of Plumtree Court and our signing of a long-term lease demonstrates our continued commitment to London.” So much, then, for chief executive Lloyd Blankfein’s tweet last year that he prefers Frankfurt. Have all concerned not read the script? Neither…

The photographer Lee Miller (1907-77) was an extraordinary figure who “thrived in adversity”, said Hettie Judah in the I newspaper. Born in New York, she started as a fashion model before deciding that she would rather be behind the lens herself. In the late 1920s, she moved to Paris and soon became a “fixture” of the avant-garde set, working as an apprentice to the surrealist Man Ray (later her lover) while also developing her own, unique artistic style. She later worked as a fashion photographer and a war correspondent, eventually settling in Sussex with Roland Penrose, the English surrealist. As this “spirited” exhibition makes clear, Miller became a central force of surrealism in this country, her home a hotspot for its exponents. The show, which presents a large number of…

Harrison is worried people resent him for arresting Freddie, especially now he has been committed to Crown Court for sentencing. Phoebe tries to persuade Lily to begin university life without Russ and let him work out his notice period, but Lily is convinced their new life together will be amazing. Jim tells Alistair that he is being short-changed in his divorce with Shula. He is also concerned that Alistair will start gambling again. Hannah implies that Ed should sell his prize-winning ram to fund a new home on the Beechwood development; she thinks Emma and Neil are abusing their parish council positions so that Emma can buy one of the houses. Tom gives Natasha the tour of Bridge Farm, and she is impressed by the farm’s effort to sell high-quality…

Tips of the week… how to go camping with children ● Arrive as early in the day as you can, so you get a better pitch and aren’t struggling to put the tent up while the kids wait to eat. ● Get them to help you put the tent up. It’s fun, and though it may take you longer, real time doesn’t exist while camping. ● Roll up daily outfits – a T-shirt, shorts, pants, socks – and secure them with an elastic band. Then just pull one out each day, to avoid the usual scrabbling around and tipping upside down of bags in tents. ● Even if the weather forecast is good, pack hats, warm socks and waterproofs. ● Take games they can play with other children on the…

Whitby 2-night offer Stay 2 nights at the luxurious Raithwaite Estate, with complimentary dinner on your first night, from £160pp b&b (based on two sharing). 01904-717362, superbreak.com Arrive 8 October. Self-catering in Skiathos Seven nights at the modern Galini Apartments, with the beach just a 10-minute stroll away, cost from £479pp, including Manchester flights. 020-8758 4758, sunvil.co.uk. Depart 28 September. Marvellous Madeira Set on a cliff overlooking the ocean, the Roca Mar Hotel offers a 7-night stay from £600pp b&b, including East Midlands flights. 020-8492 6868, olympicholidays.com. Depart 1 October. Dominican Republic break Spend 7 nights at the 4-star Sunscape Dominican Beach Punta Cana resort, on an all-inclusive basis, from £763pp including Bristol flights. 020-3451 2720, firstchoice.co.uk. Depart 4 October.…

The US stock market hit a new high and shares jumped globally after President Trump struck a new trading deal with Mexico, easing trade war fears. The pressure is now on Canada, which faces exclusion from the former trilateral Nafta trading group, to strike a deal. The pound fell to a one-year low against the euro as traders reacted to PM Theresa May’s observation that a no-deal Brexit “wouldn’t be the end of the world”. Chancellor Philip Hammond said it would wipe 8% off the value of the UK economy and leave public borrowing £80bn a year higher. Business gave a mixed reaction to the Government’s first tranche of 24 technical notices on the consequences of a no-deal scenario. Companies would face a blizzard of red tape and may be…

Vrroooom Vintage Aston Martin models have often made great investments for their owners. Now ordinary punters can grab a slice of the action. The owners of the British sports car-maker – an Italian private equity fund and a group of Kuwaiti investors –have announced plans to float a tranche of the company’s shares in London, valuing it at between £4bn and £5bn, said Peter Campbell in the FT. CEO Andy Palmer described the float as “a monumental moment”. It’s certainly that, said Alex Brummer in the Daily Mail. It says something about “the durability and prestige” of the Aston Martin marque that it has survived no fewer than seven bankruptcies. And the time looks ripe to float. “The appetite for investment in luxury cars is demonstrated by Ferrari, which is…

Yusaku Maezawa The billionaire founder of Japanese retailer Start Today has come up with a startling idea to sell more clothes online. To tackle the perennial problem of how you “try before you buy”, says Elaine Moore in the FT, Maezawa, 42, has shipped out hundreds of thousands of stretchy “Zozosuits” that gauge the wearer’s body shape. This costly move has contributed to a 26% drop in profits and may completely backfire if “bashful shoppers” don’t prove keen to wriggle into an “unforgiving bodysuit”, photographing themselves from every angle and uploading the pics onto the company’s app. “Who needs to go through all that for a slightly more fitted T-shirt?” Might it not be simpler to consider “a more retro solution” for trying on clothes – good old bricks and…

Procter & Gamble has applied to trademark several popular acronyms including “LOL” (laugh out loud) and “WTF” (what the f***). The firm, which owns a range of household brands including Fairy Liquid, applied for the trademarks in the US. If successful, it could use the acronyms to market soaps, detergents and other products to a younger generation of consumers. In what was billed as “the biggest event in internet history”, 18,000 people turned up to the Manchester Arena last week to watch two feuding YouTubers slug it out in the boxing ring. KSI and Logan Paul, who are not professional boxers, were watched by millions more online. In the event, a draw was declared, and a potentially lucrative rematch was set for February.…

Ahead of November’s midterm elections in the US, the Democrats hold a six-point lead over the Republicans, with the parties on 44% and 38% respectively. The Democrats have led in the polls since Trump’s election in 2016, but the size of their lead has varied wildly. In January, a poll gave the party a 12-point lead. YouGov/The Independent 53% of British Asians say they’ve “toned down” their Asian identity or altered their behaviour to fit in. ComRes/BBC Asian Network 54% of adults in Britain’s northeast – which voted by a 16-point margin to leave the EU – would back a fresh vote if Theresa May fails to secure a deal with Brussels; 22% would prefer MPs to have the vote. YouGov/The Independent…

Parenting with a Python Camilla Cleese’s father, John, had a novel way of dealing with her childhood tantrums, says Emine Saner in The Guardian. He’d “act like a gorilla: literally get on all fours. I’d get so embarrassed I’d immediately shut up.” Born to Cleese’s second wife, the actress Barbara Trentham, Camilla grew up mainly in the US, and at 34 is very much a Californian. “I used to have a British accent and I think it really irritated my dad when I started sounding American – so I ran with it.” She and her mother moved home several times after her parents’ divorce, and she struggled at first to make friends – which helped her on the path to becoming a comedian herself. “The one nice thing about moving…

One problem with a tattoo is that it’s so hard to remove if you fall out of love with it. When you get one, an ink-carrying needle is driven into the skin up to 150 times a second. The pigment initially settles just below the surface, but over time it seeps into the skin, leaving the tattoo faded and harder to remove. Laser removal technology is more effective than it once was, but still requires several agonising sessions. And it typically costs hundreds of pounds, whereas getting a tattoo inked costs as little as £40. Even so, US plastic surgeons reported a 39% increase in the treatments between 2014 and 2015, but many regretful tattoo owners prefer to amend the designs with yet more ink. The other problem is the…

The zombie apocalypse isn’t due to socialism Francisco Toro The Washington Post US conservative commentators are having a field day over the economic collapse of my homeland Venezuela, says Francisco Toro. Behold the perils of socialism, they crow. It’s an obnoxious spectacle, not only because it’s nasty to see people exploiting your country’s suffering, but because these cries are “lazy” and “wrong”. Since the turn of the century, almost every nation in South America has elected a socialist president at some point. Socialists have taken power in the continent’s largest economy (Brazil) as well as its poorest (Bolivia), its most capitalist (Chile), its most stable (Uruguay) and its most unstable (Ecuador). Some have performed well, others badly, but none of these cases suggest an “automatic link between socialism and the…

One in six maternity units in the UK do not offer women caesarean sections on request, in contravention of Nice guidelines, a charity has found. The guidelines state that women who request a C-section without medical grounds should be given one if “after discussion and offer of support” they make an informed choice that a vaginal birth is not “an acceptable option”. But when Birthrights looked into the matter, they concluded that 22 of the 148 trusts that responded to a freedom of information request about their policy did not offer caesareans on request. Some of the 22 had an explicit policy of not doing so; others were unclear on their elective C-sections policy – but were found not to have carried any out in 2016-17. In total, only 26%…

It’s that time of year again, said Jon Andrews in The Guardian. GCSE results are in, and we’ve seen the usual photos of delighted students jumping for joy. But how pleased should they be? Grade inflation has long been a problem in our education system – if virtually everyone has A*s and As, it’s impossible to differentiate between students. That’s why, back in 2013, Michael Gove, then the education secretary, unveiled a major overhaul of the GCSE system for schools in England. His grand plan was to make exams harder – with tougher questions and almost no coursework – and to introduce a new 1-9 grading system, under which the top grade (9) would be a tier above the existing A*. That new system was introduced last year for maths…

“Human beings can easily destroy every elephant on Earth, but we are helpless against the mosquito.” Isaac Asimov quoted on Quartz “History teaches us that the certainty with which a prediction is made stands in inverse proportion to the likelihood of it coming to pass.” Craig Brown in The Mail on Sunday “People say that life is the thing, but I prefer reading.” Logan Pearsall Smith, quoted in The Times “The struggle for a free intelligence has always been a struggle between the ironic and the literal mind.” Christopher Hitchens, quoted in The Guardian “When ambition ends happiness begins.” Writer Thomas Merton, quoted in The Observer “Find what you love and let it kill you.” Charles Bukowski, quoted in The Daily Telegraph “Your world is only as small as you…

When the Forbes list of the world’s highest-earning female athletes was released last week, it was no surprise to see Serena Williams at the top, said Michael Emons on BBC Sport online. “But you may not have recognised the name of the woman in seventh place”: P.V. Sindhu, a 23-year-old badminton player from India. With earnings of £6.6m last year, she was ahead of Simona Halep, who tops the tennis world rankings, and Angelique Kerber, this year’s Wimbledon champion. What’s particularly striking about Sindhu’s position on the list is just how little of that money comes from badminton: her on-court winnings last year added up to a relatively meagre £387,000. The remaining £6.2m came from sponsorship; only Williams and Maria Sharapova earned more from it. Sindhu isn’t necessarily the best…

I have been buying wines from Andrew Gordon for nearly 30 years — firstly when he was sales director of Corney & Barrow and latterly from him at Private Cellar in Cambridgeshire, which he founded in 2005. For one reason or another, I hadn’t made the journey there until this summer, when I took the train to Ely to visit the glorious cathedral, before making my way to Private Cellar. This thriving business has ten senior staff specialising in all the major wine regions of the world. This means that virtually every vineyard on their lists has been visited by a staff member, who then keeps in touch with the wine makers both in their country of origin and when they come to Britain for private dinners and tastings. All…

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 150 years ago, her publisher requested that Alcott write ‘a girls’ book’. Knowing that, contrary to society’s expectations, girls often had to be brave, resourceful and bold, that the private lives of girls were colourful and surprising, Alcott wrote a book in which girls would recognise themselves. When she was finished she declared that it was better than she expected: ‘Not a bit sensational, but simple and true...’ Includes the sequel Good Wives. £14.99 £12.99 The Bourbon Bible by Eric Zandona Bourbon is booming, and this is the ultimate guide to the ultimate drink. Eric Zandona - spirits specialist at the American Distilling Institute - explores 140 of the finest bourbons in the world, from the big-name classics to tiny craft distilleries, with flavour…

The style is “eerily familiar”, says Lucy Bannerman in The Times; the frock coat looks “vaguely French”. But Portrait of Edmond Belamy (pictured), which is going on sale in Christie’s in New York in October, isn’t the work of Cézanne or an old master. It’s art made by a computer. Obvious, a Paris-based collective, have built an algorithm that has “learnt” – having been fed 15,000 portraits – how to paint, testing its efforts against another piece of software programmed to distinguish man-made from machine-made images. The results have so impressed Nicolas Laugero Lasserre, the renowned French collector, that he has bought one. And last week, Christie’s announced that the Belamy portrait would become the first artificial intelligence artwork to go under the hammer. Estimated price: $10,000. “At the beginning…

The Plague Spanish drama set in 16th century Seville. Former soldier Mateo Núñez returns to a city decimated by pestilence to extract the son of a dead friend. Begins with a double bill. Sat 1 Sept, BBC4 21:00 (50mins). Vanity Fair Sumptuous new adaptation of Thackeray’s novel, starring Olivia Cooke as the likeable but villainous Becky Sharp. Sun 2 Sept, ITV1 21:00 (65mins). Joy of Al In this documentary, Professor Jim Al-Khalili argues that rather than worrying about being replaced by machines, we should be rejoicing in their potential to improve our lives. Tue 4 Sept, BBC4 21:00 (60mins). Films The Lego Movie (2014) In a world made entirely of Lego, a happy-go-lucky construction worker finds himself caught up in a mysterious adventure. Sun 2 Sept, ITV1 13:20 (115mins). The…

Anchovy roast peppers with smoky tomato beans Serves 4 2½ tbsps extra virgin olive oil 4 red or orange pointed peppers (green ones don’t work for this) 10 anchovies in olive oil 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced ½ tsp chilli flakes ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper 400g tin butter beans in water, rinsed and drained large bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only 6 ripe cherry tomatoes, sliced juice of ½ lemon pinch of smoked paprika 4 slices sourdough bread (optional, for mopping up juices) • Preheat the oven to 200°C then lightly grease a large roasting tray with ¼ tbsp of the oil. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise, remove seeds then place cut side up in the tray. Tear or slice each anchovy in half lengthwise…

Auto Express This plug-in hybrid version of the Range Rover Sport has a four-cylinder petrol engine combined with a powerful electric motor. It pulls away effortlessly, gliding between traffic lights, and “nothing screams luxury like the sound of silence”. It’s a great option, but it does cost a few thousand more than the diesel, and on a financial level, it may not be a sensible purchase for everyone. Autocar The PHEV is slightly less practical than other Range Rovers. The batteries take the boot down from 522 litres to 446, and there’s no seven-seater option. However, the already impressive interior quality has improved slightly with this model, as has the infotainment system. In general, the PHEV feels bigger on the road than some of its rivals, but it is not…

University Arms, Cambridge In the 1960s, this “Regency-style hotel”, built in 1834, went through a “midlife crisis”, says Neville Hawcock in the Financial Times. A modernist renovation left the building clad with a drab “zigzag” facade. Now, 50 years on, its “classical frontage” has been reinstated and its interior has been gutted to create an elegant, traditional 192-bedroom hotel that “abounds in quirky, witty touches”. The university is a “keynote” in the decor, but this is no “theme-park pastiche”: it’s cosy and charming, with 12 suites named after “illustrious” Cambridge figures – “Turing, Woolf, Darwin” among them. Doubles from about £205. 01223-606066, universityarms.com .…

The Vietnam veteran who twice ran for the White House John McCain 1936-2018 Shot down over Hanoi in October 1967 and taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese, John McCain survived five brutal years in the notorious “Hanoi Hilton” to become one of America’s most respected Republican politicians and statesmen. Latterly, the Arizona senator, who has died aged 81, had also emerged as one of Donald Trump’s fiercest Republican critics. In July 2015, he accused the reality TV star of “firing up the crazies”. Trump hit back by dismissing the Vietnam veteran’s war record: “He is a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured.” Their feud continued when Trump took office: one of McCain’s last political acts – after he’d been diagnosed with brain cancer –…

“Not many companies produce a quarter of a century of 10% dividend growth,” says Alistair Osborne in The Times. “But that’s boring Bunzl for you.” The distributor of all those “thrill-a-minute things you throw away” – paper cups, supermarket packaging – has just produced another decent set of half-year results. Bunzl’s skill lies in “topping up organic growth with choice buys of family firms”: it has acquired more than 150 in the past 14 years. Yes, it would be good for the planet if supermarkets slashed their packaging. But in the meantime, Frank van Zanten, Bunzl’s CEO, “can only distribute what’s around”. And he’s managing it in “traditional blip-free style”.…

Boosting personal productivity is a perennial challenge, says the FT. Here’s what our guinea-pigs made of some techniques: The five-hour day Cutting back to five hours makes people “happier and more productive” according to the US entrepreneur Stephan Aarstol, who introduced the concept to his paddle-board business in 2015. The idea has spread – but, says Pilita Clark, it’s tricky if you have to deal with outsiders. “I failed to stick to five hours of work once in the entire week.” The Pomodoro Technique This is named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer that management consultant Francesco Cirillo used to counter his own procrastination, says Helen Barrett, and its premise is simple. “Decide on the task, set the timer for 25 minutes and focus on the job; when the timer rings,…

Who’s tipping what The week’s best shares Auto Trader Shares The online car marketplace is motoring ahead with a new joint venture with Cox Automotive to launch a wholesale digital platform. Assuming the move gets competition clearance, it will open up a new market. Buy. 377.1p. CVS Group Shares The vet services group has been a “long-term predator” in its sector, but may itself prove easy prey in the current round of M&A. After a spate of trading problems, shares look temptingly weak. Buy. 926.5p. Live Nation The Sunday Telegraph This concert and festivals group offers touring artists a “one-stop shop” service. Its recent move to close two of its ticket resale websites should help squeeze ticket touts out of the market. Buy. $49.48. On The Beach Daily Mail Berenberg…

“Meeting Diana Rigg prompted me to wild excess with the wine list. Afterwards I discovered I had forgotten every word she said” Almost three decades ago, as a newspaper editor, I asked a young job applicant why he had quit his previous employment, serving Nigel Dempster’s famous or infamous Daily Mail gossip column. He replied that he suffered a Damascene moment of revelation and repentance on returning from lunch to find the bibulous diarist presiding over a sweepstake among colleagues about the size of his own private parts. That conversation took me back to my own misspent youth in Dempster’s trade. Mercifully, I could not remember any event in our office as grotesque as that which the disillusioned interviewee described. But my emotional Irish colleague Mary Kenny once emptied a…

“We learnt to deploy boundless cheek, forever asking oneself how far one could reasonably go, then taking a step further” his seasonal holiday, four days thereafter. This was a gesture of undisguised malice towards Wintour’s pampered protégé. Phone calls from Switzerland were too expensive for me to dare to contact the great man at home. Instead, I trawled the Sunny Bar at the Kulm Hotel, the headquarters of British Cresta riders, borrowing small sums to sustain me over new year. Back in London, the auction houses leaked to us an endless succession of stories, both about their clients and each other. Hell had no fury like a Christie’s man with his knife into a Sotheby’s one, or vice versa. I enjoyed the assignments to gatecrash parties, though was handicapped by…