Table of contents for V. 1322 in The Week

What happened Levelling up? The Government came under fire both from its opponents and some of its own MPs after it proposed a 1% pay increase for NHS workers in England. Unions described the figure as “pitiful”; the Royal College of Nursing called for a 12.5% rise and set up a £35m fund to support industrial action. Boris Johnson insisted the rise was as big as could be afforded and better than the pay freeze imposed on most of the public sector. But he left the door open to a compromise by noting that the deal wouldn’t be finalised until an independent pay review body reported back. Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, said staff should get at least the 2.1% rise planned before the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Chancellor, Rishi…

The waste crisis, with news that Tesco is rolling out collection points for hard-to-recycle soft plastics including crisp packets, pet food pouches and salad bags; and that the Government is planning to oblige manufacturers to sell spare parts for white goods, so that broken appliances can be mended more easily. MacKenzie Scott, the billionaire philanthropist and ex-wife of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, who revealed that she has remarried. Her new husband is Dan Jewett, a science teacher at her children’s school in Seattle. Jon Snow, who announced that he has become a father again, at the age of 73. The newsreader and his wife Dr Precious Lunga, a Zimbabwean-born academic, had been trying to start a family for years, he said, but she had had several miscarriages. This time they…

Following Oprah Winfrey’s interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, 48% of 18- to 24-year-olds in the UK said they sympathised more with the Sussexes than the royal family, along with 9% of over-65s. Only 15% of 18-to 24-year-olds side with the royal family; by contrast over 50% of over-65s do. YouGov/The Times 58% of Tory voters think the proposed 1% pay rise for NHS staff is too low. Opinium/The Observer 37% of Britons think schools are reopening too soon. 32% say the timing is right, and 25% think it is too late (Savanta ComRes/The Independent). Parents’ biggest concern with the return to school, cited by 22%, was large groups congregating at drop-off or pick-up times (Parent Ping/The Times).…

“A decade ago we bought a diesel car because it was supposedly better for the planet. Then we discovered the whole of the EU had been suckered by the lying German car industry, and instead of saving the planet our car was parping out nitrogen oxides and giving children lung conditions. OK, we thought, let’s go electric! Then we looked at the current battery range of cars and we thought hmm, maybe our next car then. In the meantime, we opted for a hybrid, a Hyundai Ioniq. Except now it seems hybrids use up to four times more fuel than they claim. There are lies, damn lies and the car industry, which conned us for having a conscience again.” Janice Turner in The Times…

The threat to democracy lies closer to home John Naughton The Observer Free world, watch out! China is poised to become a global leader in artificial intelligence and to use the technology against us. That was the warning imparted last week in a scary report on AI by the American National Security Commission, a body made up of tech industry “bigwigs” and Pentagon officials. Its entire report, says John Naughton, is suffused with “pathological anxiety” over the unfair advantage China’s tech companies enjoy in the AI race. As “instruments of state power”, they’ve unfettered access to detailed data on humans and their activities; so to level the playing field, says the report, US tech giants must become strategic partners of the US government. And there we have it: the familiar…

Workers from home have long reported being exhausted by endless video conference calls. Now researchers at Stanford University in California have concluded that “Zoom fatigue” is real – and pinpointed four reasons for it. One is the impact of seeing yourself all the time on screen. They say it’s like being followed around by someone holding a mirror. If someone suggested that in real life, “no one would consider” it. The second is the amount of eye contact involved. In normal meetings, people look around (at their notes, out the window, etc.); but on Zoom, everyone is looking at everyone, all the time. The third is that in Zoom meetings, people receive few or no verbal cues from the people they are addressing, which is stressful. Finally, video calls restrict…

“Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.” Leonardo da Vinci, quoted in The Daily Telegraph “Old age is the most unexpected of all things that happen to a man.” Leon Trotsky, quoted on The Browser “To live in a country in which politics is a second-order preoccupation is one of the luxuries of a wealthy democracy.” Philip Collins in the New Statesman “If you’re going to have a disaster, have a big one.” Katharine Hepburn, quoted in The Daily Telegraph “Imitation is the sincerest form of television.” US comedian Fred Allen, quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle “Keep your eyes wide open before marriage; half shut afterwards.” Benjamin Franklin, quoted on Inc.com “Live for the sensation of life, not for the story you tell about your life.” Philosopher John Gray,…

Pensioners must pay up To The Guardian Rishi Sunak missed an opportunity to put right an anomaly in the tax system. Individuals who carry on working after they have reached state pension age are exempt from paying national insurance. Sunak should have removed this exemption and taken it a step further by requiring all pensioners to pay NI if their income warrants it. This would have no impact on those solely reliant on the state pension, given that NI is payable only on incomes of more than £183 a week. But as Sunak well knows, it would be significant for well-off pensioners and result in them making a substantially higher contribution – undoubtedly a deterrent for a Tory chancellor. The extra funds could have been earmarked for the NHS and…

U can’t touch these Dan Hicks is not the first intellectual to “criticise the British Museum for retaining stolen African treasures”, says Nicola Woolcock in The Times. But he may well be the one with the most unlikely celebrity fan. In a new book, The Brutish Museums, the Oxford archaeology professor argues that in displaying the spoils of empire, Western museums “have become vehicles for a militaristic vision of white supremacy”. He cites as a prime example the British Museum’s custodianship of the Benin Bronzes, a series of 900 brass plaques and sculptures seized in a British attack on present-day Nigeria in 1897. Since writing the book, Hicks has received support from an unexpected quarter: the rapper MC Hammer, best known for his 1990 hit U Can’t Touch This. The…

Moderating wine intake can be a challenge, says Fiona Beckett in The Guardian. A bottle, once opened, can easily slip down, all the more so because of the knowledge that it won’t keep for long. Therefore, wine drinkers keen to reduce their alcohol intake should consider wines that are lower in alcohol to begin with. Historically, these were associated with greater sweetness, but technological advances mean it’s now possible to “get the flavour of a full-strength wine without the same alcohol hit”. An “impressive case in point” is New Zealand sauvignon blanc: the “full-flavoured” Brancott Estate Flight Sauvignon Blanc 2020 (£8.50; Sainsbury’s), for instance, is only 9% ABV. Generally, it’s best to favour cool regions when looking for lower-alcohol wines: vinho verde, made in the hills of northern Portugal, tends…

BT: call Oprah There haven’t been many good boardroom barneys during lockdown. But BT seems to be making up for lost time, said Nils Pratley in The Guardian. The company this week denied that the resignation of its chairman, Jan du Plessis, was triggered by a boardroom bust-up – reheating a story that would otherwise have been forgotten. “Any suggestion that he has impeded the transformation of BT is without foundation,” it added. BT also didn’t respond to reports of “a rift” between du Plessis and chief executive Philip Jansen, who allegedly threatened to resign unless the chairman, who prefers to take things more slowly, was put out to pasture. Shares fell 3%, “presumably out of bafflement or worry that the mini-drama is obscuring something more serious”. The episode…

The Celtic Tiger has come roaring back Paul Hannon The Wall Street Journal Only a handful of countries recorded any economic growth during the first calendar year of the pandemic. China notched up a 2.3% expansion. But beating that into a cocked hat, says Paul Hannon, was Ireland’s effort. The country’s statistics agency reports that gross domestic product increased by 3.4% in 2020 – one of the fastest growth rates in the world. The reason’s not hard to fathom. For years, Ireland has encouraged multinationals such as Facebook, Google, Pfizer and Merck to set up shop, lured by low corporate tax rates. That concentration of drug and tech talent “hit a sweet spot” during the pandemic, spurring Ireland’s goods exports to a record high. Behind that success, however, lies another…

WARM COPPER Google Trends data shows searches for ‘bathroom ideas’ doubled between early December and early January, with more and more people looking to recreate 2021’s key trends in their own homes. One popular look for the year ahead is copper appliances and installations. If you want to give your bathroom the same trendy aesthetic without shelling out on the high price tag, you could opt for a copper-effect bath. George Holland, bathroom design expert at Victorian Plumbing, says: “These baths come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so can easily be added to smaller spaces or en suites.” But, he adds: “Be wary of strong detergents or cleaning products, as these can cause damage to the material,” he says. “Use a soft cloth rather than a brush to…

Strulch is designed to stop weeds growing, to keep moisture in the soil during dry spells and to act as a deterrent to surface-feeding slugs and snails. Strulch is environmentally friendly, is made from locally produced straw and has a neutral pH, so can be used anywhere in the garden. The patented process replicates nature by preserving the straw and turning it brown. Strulch lasts on the surface for up to two years. Alex Hankey, trials team leader at RHS Garden Wisley, says “We’ve been using Strulch to mulch the large beds on the Trials Field at Wisley for many years, which is testament to its quality and durability. Not only does it have great decorative merit, but it also serves as a brilliant, long-lasting weed suppressant. It’s a lightweight…

If you can’t go to the Mediterranean, why not bring a bit of the Mediterranean home to your garden? There’s no doubt pizza ovens are becoming more popular — the smell of fresh dough, basil and mozzarella cooking in a woodfired oven will bring back those distant memories of far away. But it’s not only pizzas you can cook; vegetables, meats, poultry, fish —in fact anything you can grill or bake can be cooked in your pizza oven. Having supplied thousands of happy customers, Stoke on Trent-based Pizza Oven Supplies is fast becoming a major player in self-build pizza ovens. Its ovens come in four different sizes and are made from materials recycled from the pottery industry. Take a look at the website to see what you can create this…

Tinggly has a huge selection of cultural and adventurous experiences to choose from as well as thousands of luxurious hotel getaways in hundreds of different destinations around the world. From taking a spin in an Aston Martin V8 or enjoying a guided tour of the Globe Theatre to swimming with dolphins in Mauritius or snowmobile safaris in Finland — giving someone a Tinggly gift experience means so much more than just presenting them with material ‘stuff’. In fact, as experience selections can be purchased either as e-vouchers or as eco-friendly gift boxes, you’ll also be cutting out the plastic related to physical gifts and packaging. Another great thing about Tinggly gift experiences is that there’s NO expiry date. This means there’s lots of time to choose where to go and…

4 Your Long Hair is a unique concept and product for long hair developed with the help of the UK’s top authority on long hair at Long Hair in London. The company’s shampooing ethos is ‘protect, cleanse, feed and close.’ 4 Your Long Hair is formulated to help repair and maintain shoulder-length to long hair without using sulphates, silicones or parabens (so no carcinogenic ingredients). Follow the on-website tutorial for the best results. The products are salon quality and concentrated so you use small quantities and they last ages. When you use the detangle lotion, your daughters will love you forever (no more tears at hair wash time). Included in the twin pack is a deep treatment with a unique heat wrap to heat the hair and get the treatment…

ARTHR HEALTH AIDS Arthr is a company designing great-looking products that make living with arthritis easier. Health aids can be so ugly and medical-looking; apparently over half of people with arthritis have hidden their aids from friends and family, choosing instead to struggle without. Arthritis makes it difficult and painful to do the most basic things, like getting out of a car, unlocking a door or even getting onto the toilet. Arthr offers a range of products that meet these needs but also look good in homes. Arthr works with UK inventors to constantly come up with product solutions for people with arthritis, whether that be the Keywing Key Turner or Toilet Riser. arthr.com COMFYBALLS UNDERWEAR Comfort is king, and Comfyballs has you covered. The brand was conceived and designed…

“In 1990, Roy Greenslade was appointed editor of the Daily Mirror by the late Robert Maxwell,” said David Aaronovitch in The Times. That autumn the Provisional IRA adopted new tactics in their war to drive the British out of Northern Ireland. On 24 October, they forced Patsy Gillespie, a Catholic who worked at the Fort George Army base in Derry, into a van full of explosives, chained him to the seat and told him to drive to a checkpoint, where they blew him up, along with five soldiers. “I wonder how the newly promoted editor felt when he heard that story?” Because as Greenslade admitted in the latest edition of British Journalism Review, he was an IRA supporter – and has never recanted. He visited Northern Ireland, fell in love…

Piers Morgan, who resigned from Good Morning Britain after Ofcom received more than 41,000 complaints about him. Discussing the TV interview with the Duchess of Sussex, Morgan had said that he “didn’t believe a word” of her story. In particular, he’d questioned her claim that she’d sought help from the Palace for her mental health problems, and had been denied it. ITV’s chief executive, Dame Carolyn McCall, later stated that she “completely believed” the Duchess’s version of events. Joe Biden, after his beloved German Shepherd dogs were temporarily banished from the White House. Champ, 12, and Major, three, were sent back to Delaware after a “biting incident”.…

Harrogate, North Yorkshire Nightingale hospitals to close: Four of England’s seven emergency Nightingale hospitals are to close, some of them having never treated a patient. While the sites in London and Sunderland will now be used as vaccination centres, and Exeter’s will be used for diagnostic tests, the Harrogate, Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester (above) hospitals will close permanently. The hospitals were constructed last year, when Covid-19 cases were surging. But the NHS said they were only intended as an “insurance policy”, and that existing hospitals, having adapted to the crisis, had in the end been able to cope. Pudsey, West Yorkshire Laptops for pupils: A small IT company in West Yorkshire has repaired hundreds of old and broken laptops since the start of the third lockdown, for use by local…

Jared Harris on his father Although Richard Harris was one of the finest actors of his generation, he is largely remembered for his off-screen excesses. Yet it was no accident that he became known as a hellraiser. “Dad knew what he was doing,” says his son, the actor Jared Harris. “The box office would be going down on one of his films, so the producer would call and say, ‘Make headlines’, and he’d go out and he’d do it. The hellraising was part of an image he cultivated, sometimes to the detriment of being taken seriously in his career, which is a shame because he took acting very, very seriously. So did Peter O’Toole, so did Richard Burton – acting was massively important to them all, but sometimes their antics…

A karaoke singer was fined £2,748 by a London council – for his “terrible” renditions of Abba hits. Jason Harvey, 50, held a string of late-night karaoke parties, which prompted 150 complaints from his neighbours. “They sing, if that’s what you can call it, at the top of their voices,” said one. In his defence, he claimed he only “fired up the karaoke machine” on weekends, adding: “I admit I’m no singer, but I have a go. What are we expected to do, sit in our homes silently?” A huge ship was seen apparently hovering above the sea off the coast of Cornwall – thanks to a rare optical illusion known as superior mirage. The boat was spotted by walker David Morris near Falmouth. BBC meteorologist David Braine said the…

The threat to the Gulf Stream The Atlantic current system that underpins the Gulf Stream – and ensures Europe’s mild climate – is weaker now than it has been for 1,000 years, a study has found, and climate change is likely to be the cause. Further weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a “conveyor belt” which brings warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to the north Atlantic, could lead to more storms battering the UK, heatwaves across Europe, and rising sea levels on the east coast of the US. The AMOC has been measured directly since 2004; researchers studied sediments and Greenland ice cores to estimate historic patterns. They believe the current has already slowed 15% since 1950, and that if the planet continues to warm, it…

England began their fourth and final Test against India needing a win to tie the series, said Nick Hoult in The Daily Telegraph. In the challenging conditions of the subcontinent, that would have been an impressive achievement. Yet in the event, Joe Root’s side never looked like winning. Instead, they slumped to their third crushing defeat in as many Tests – this time by an innings and 25 runs. On an Ahmedabad pitch that was perhaps the most benign of the series, England’s batsmen again offered feeble resistance, said Ali Martin in The Observer. In their first innings, they managed 205, to which India responded with 365, thanks to an “audacious century” by their young keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant (who is emerging as the “modern heir to Adam Gilchrist”). Batting again,…

To The Daily Telegraph When he was in intensive care, NHS nurses saved the Prime Minister’s life. Little thanks have they received, with a 1% rise. The Government should think again. Hyder Ali Pirwany, Okehampton, Devon To The Daily Telegraph My husband had a scan in hospital this week. The nurse told him how grateful she was to have had a job during the Covid pandemic. Every NHS worker has done a magnificent job in this traumatic year. But they have been doing jobs. Why do they deserve a pay increase more than, say, delivery drivers or supermarket staff who have gone to work every day to keep our lives running smoothly? The less fortunate have lost jobs, businesses or homes, and may have suffered harm to their mental health.…

Elgar: Violin Concerto, Violin Sonata (cond. Simon Rattle) Erato £12.75 Having previously recorded Elgar’s Violin Concerto with Nigel Kennedy and Ida Haendel, says Hugh Canning in The Sunday Times, Simon Rattle has now tackled the work with the “leading French violinist of the day”, Renaud Capuçon. It’s an “outstanding release”. Capuçon makes “less of a meal of the beautiful andante” than Kennedy did, while “capturing the work’s authentic nostalgia with his scrupulous use of portamento and rubato”. But the real treat is the sublimely sad Sonata, with the pianist Stephen Hough. The “sheer beauty” of Capuçon’s playing is undeniable, said Andrew Clements in The Guardian. But Rattle’s unusually “interventionist” conducting of the LSO on the Concerto sometimes draws the attention away from the subtlety of Capuçon’s rendition. The upshot of…

BBC2’s ten-part series is a “gritty” fictionalised account of Sir John Franklin’s disastrous 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage, said Adam Sweeting on The Arts Desk. Based on a novel by Dan Simmons, and executive-produced by Ridley Scott, it gives the story of two ships trapped in Arctic pack ice an “extra ghastly twist” in the form of a ferocious, barely seen monster. There’s plenty of potential for silliness, but The Terror gets its teeth into you with its “unpleasantly plausible” depiction of naval life and its superb acting. The Arctic wastes, largely created by CGI, sometimes look awkwardly artificial, but nevertheless conjure a sense of fearful isolation. This “ageless” story is easily the most compelling drama of the year so far, said Ed Cumming in The Independent. What…

Best books… Carol Ann Duffy The poet, who is also the creative director of the Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University, chooses her favourite books. Her new anthology, Empty Nest: Poems for Families (Picador £14.99), is out now Literary lockdown has been a mixture of the old and the new. A lifetime favourite, lovingly revisited, is The Life of the Bee by Maurice Maeterlinck, 1901 (Dover Publications £8.49). This enchanting mixture of prose poem and intimate knowledge and observation of bees is language as joy. Now more than ever, its profound ecological and philosophical truths will leave no reader unchanged. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell, 2020 (Tinder Press £20). I was unable to put this down. A vivid recreation of Shakespeare’s family life during the plague, an exploration of bereavement and…

Spotify for homecooks Ckbk (ckbk.com) is a subscription service that bills itself as “Spotify for cookbooks”, says Ajesh Patalay in the FT. Having struck licensing deals with publishers, the London-based company provides full access to a fast-expanding library of hundreds of cookbooks. You can scour its database using multiple search criteria (ingredient, dish, cuisine, era, etc.), to “track down recipes at speed” . Why, you might think, would I pay almost £60 a year for such a service, when thousands of recipes are available online for free? One answer is that many of the books on Ckbk can’t be found anywhere else: around half are out of print. Its library includes such “insider gems” as M.F.K. Fisher’s How to Cook a Wolf (a favourite of Yotam Ottolenghi) and Josceline Dimbleby’s…

The best... stylish home office accessories House by John Lewis Tony Desk Lamp John Lewis’s compact anglepoise-style lamp is simple but classic. It has a painted finish that comes in various muted colours – this one is “lichen” – and has a five-year guarantee (£25; johnlewis.com). Petrified log stool These stools are made from hand-polished petrified wood, and each one is unique. They can be used as an extra place to sit, or as a side table (£565; andrewmartin.co.uk). Laptop brush Pocket-sized and foldable, this laptop brush can sweep away the dust and crumbs that gather in the crevices. One side has soft goat’s hair; the other, stiff boar bristle (£15; oxfordbrush company.com). Areaware concrete desk set Cast from solid concrete, this elegant desk set – consisting of a small…

US legislators were expected to give approval to the domestic $1.9trn relief package. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal predicted it would propel the economy to its fastest annual growth in nearly four decades – the average forecast for 2021 is now 5.95%. Reports of a rosier economic outlook helped propel the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which majors on “cyclical” sectors such as banks and commodities, to a near record high. But the tech-heavy Nasdaq slumped into correction territory before roaring back mid-week. The oil price shot to a 14-month high, above $70/barrel, after a Saudi Arabian crude facility – the largest in the world – was attacked by a drone launched by Yemeni rebels. The rise also reflects growing optimism about global recovery. The OECD forecast that the…

● Sunak’s tax raid Investors were quick to criticise Rishi Sunak’s corporation tax “raid”, which will see the rate that larger businesses pay rise by six points: from 19% now, to 25% in 2023, said the FT. The Treasury estimates the move – which marks the first time the tax has been raised since 1974 – will raise £17.2bn in 2025-6. But fund managers such as Richard Buxton of Jupiter said the increase amounted to a “sizeable bite” of business profits, which could “reduce the attraction of UK equities to both domestic and international investors”. Tax experts were equally downbeat, said Philip Aldrick in The Times. Chas Roy-Chowdhury, former head of tax at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, called it “a seriously bad idea”, predicting not just “profit-shifting” but…

Rupert Murdoch “The last of the old-school press barons” marked his 90th birthday this week, said the Irish Examiner. It’s probably safe to say “the world’s post offices” weren’t “swamped by birthday cards”. Although Murdoch is “one of the most significant figures of his time”, his career has been blighted by his indifference “to the common good”. Even so, the odds are that he enjoyed becoming a nonagenarian more than his 80th birthday, when “British detectives were knee-deep” in the nascent News Corp bribery and phone-hacking scandal. A decade on, “things are going rather better for the Australian-born tycoon”, said The Economist. The hacking scandal has “receded”; Fox News is still America’s most popular (if also its most despised) cable channel; and his “choicest assets” have been “sold to Disney…

More than half of British adults haven’t made a Will, according to the charity Will Aid. But the truth is, it’s not as intimidating as you might think. Get your finances in order and you can guarantee your possessions and assets are transferred seamlessly to your loved ones when you pass away — and help to reduce inheritance tax. Without a Will, your family may end up facing significant financial problems, emotional turmoil and drawn-out disputes, especially when it comes to murky factors such as unmarried couples and custodial issues for those under-18. “Most solicitors charge around £150 for the service, but via this charity-backed scheme, the fee is waived” It’s fortuitous, then, that it’s Free Wills Month. The scheme runs every March and sees over-55s granted free access to…

Many people have rediscovered their homes during the last few weeks and months. Beautifying the garden or balcony, redesigning the home office or setting up new streaming devices. Places where you can keep in contact with loved ones via video calls, stream videos or just game. However, wi-fi coverage doesn’t always reach that new favourite spot. MESH WI-FI IN ITS BEST FORM The latest devolo kits combine smart wi-fi functions with one another. Thanks to ‘Multi-User MIMO’, multiple wi-fi devices can be connected to fast internet simultaneously. This means that the wi-fi connection operates without any issues, even when the entire family is online, all at the same time. The ‘Access Point Steering’ function ensures that mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets are always connected to the strongest wi-fi…

Made with love for creating those special moments with family and friends (including four-legged ones), you’ll be the envy of everyone and it’ll fast become one of your favourite outdoor accessories. Stylish, original and classic, made to see you through years to come, choose from Strawberry Fields or Cornish Sands. If you can’t decide, why not order both? • Luxuriously soft, light gingham quilted pad, giving you comfort • Striking dotty, waterproof oilcloth keeping you cosy and dry • Robust and windproof, for breezy days • Thornproof fabric to help avoid rips and tears • Secure, secret pocket to keep your valuables hidden away • Folding case, with carry handles and integrated ties, for easy transporting T: 07971 018687 ralphandrose.co.uk SIMPLY VISIT THE WEBSITE AND USE CODE ‘THEGOODLIFE15’ FOR A…

The award-winning design of these Jubilee Kiosks by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott commemorated the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935. Produced from 1936 right through to the mid-1960s, these iconic cast-iron telephone boxes formed part of the British way of life. “ these iconic cast-iron telephone boxes formed part of the British way of life Also on offer from the Heritage Trading Company is a selection of original pillar and post boxes. Heritage Trading Company, PO Box 1107, Marlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 2YD T: 01628 485841 E: heritagetradingdjw@yahoo.co.uk…

Good health is key to enjoying a good life. And help is at hand with a new device that can not only build muscle strength but also help to increase bone strength and density. Marodyne LiV works by sending low-intensity vibrations into the body. As you step on the device, it automatically adjusts to your weight before delivering a targeted, low-magnitude mechanical signal set to stimulate your body’s stem cells to form bone. You simply need to stand on it for 10 minutes a day to see the benefit. Everyone in the household can use Marodyne LiV which also helps to boost circulation, ease aches and pains and bring about an overall sense of wellbeing. Fitness and active ageing expert Diana Moran BEM uses Marodyne LiV to help manage her…

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a complication of diabetes that affects the delicate part in the back of our eyes (retina), mainly due to uncontrolled blood sugar causing damage to the retinal vessels, which can lead to loss of vision if untreated. It’s also the leading cause of blindness worldwide in people aged 20 to 64 years. DR affects up to 80% of those who’ve had diabetes for 20 years or more; however, 90% of new cases could be reduced with proper treatment and monitoring of the eyes. THERE ARE TWO MAIN STAGES FOR DR 1. Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) usually has no symptoms. The only way to detect NPDR is by fundus examination. Small bleeding, microaneurysms, accumulation of lipoproteins and changes in retinal vessels can be seen. 2. Proliferative diabetic…

The Times’ births, marriages and deaths column briefly went viral last week, when a couple in London used it to announce the birth of a daughter – Triptych Alabama Bliss, sister to Hieronymus Vladimir Azax and Dionysus Cosmo Chaos. “I’m sure Triptych Alabama Bliss is the font I used on a particularly unsuccessful ad campaign in 2007,” wrote one Twitter user. “I think the name maketh the man,” said Triptych’s mother, Olivia. Cosmetic surgeons say that people being forced to look at themselves on video calls in lockdown is fuelling a surge in demand for surgery among men. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons says the 70% increase in requests for online consultations last year was driven by men.…

England’s £23bn test and trace system failed to make a “measurable difference” to the spread of the pandemic, the parliamentary spending watchdog has found. In a report published this week, the cross-party Public Accounts Committee said the £37bn set aside for the programme (with £23bn spent so far) represented “unimaginable” spending – equivalent to the annual budget of the Department for Transport. British taxpayers “cannot be treated like an ATM machine”, committee chair Meg Hillier said. The report noted the system’s failure to hit its targets; its reliance on consultants who are being paid up to £6,600 a day; and the fact that even when cases were rising, tracers had only had enough work to fill half their time.…

Cologne, Germany Spies defeated: Germany’s equivalent of MI5 suffered an embarrassing legal defeat last Friday, when a court ruled that it could not place the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) under surveillance. It had been widely reported that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) had decided to designate the AfD as an extremist organisation, a move that would have allowed the agency to spy on the AfD’s members. However, the AfD went to court in Cologne and was granted an injunction banning the BfV from adopting such a designation, pending a full legal hearing. It argued that the “extremist” tag would cause “irreparable damage” to its chances at the polls, including in this weekend’s regional elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. The anti-immigrant AfD is the third…

This week’s edition of Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs featured the actor Mark Strong 1 Spanish Stroll by Willy DeVille, performed by Mink DeVille 2 Are You Lonesome Tonight (Laughing Version) by Lou Handman & Roy Turk, performed by Elvis Presley 3* Helden by David Bowie & Brian Eno, performed by David Bowie 4 Police and Thieves by Junior Murvin & Lee “Scratch” Perry, performed by The Clash 5 (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards, performed by Devo 6 You’ve Got the Love (Eren’s Bootleg Mix) by Anthony B. Stephens, Arnecia Michelle Harris, John Bellamy, Eren Abdullah & Jamie Principle, performed by The Source featuring Candi Staton 7 Peter Piper by Run DMC, Paul Simon, Bob James, Craig Snyder & John Davis, performed by Run…

One thing about this hazy affair is not in doubt: that Salmond behaved inappropriately towards women who worked with him. Although the conclusion of the jury was that no crimes had been proven, his own lawyer conceded in court that the then first minister could have been a “better man”. The most serious charge, of sexual assault with intent to rape, was found “not proven” (rather than “not guilty”). Salmond admitted that a “sleepy cuddle” had taken place in his official residence, Bute House; that the woman had “a legitimate grievance” but that he had later apologised, and that the apology had been accepted. It was said in court that the civil service had taken steps to prevent women having to work alone with him at night. Another point that…

Scientists have used a beam of light ten billion times brighter than the Sun to illuminate the childhood of a 3.6-million-year-old hominid known as Little Foot. The remains of Little Foot – an upright ape from the genus Australopithecus – were excavated from the Sterkfontein Caves north of Johannesburg in 1997. Scientists spent 20 years extracting them from rock. Then, two years ago, Little Foot’s skull – priceless and also immensely fragile – was taken under armed guard across South Africa, and transported to Diamond Light Source, in Oxfordshire. There, streams of electrons accelerated to nearly the speed of light were used to create extraordinarily detailed X-ray images of the fossil. Among other things, these showed that Little Foot experienced two periods of hardship during her childhood, when she was…

Peter O’Toole’s Macbeth at The Old Vic in 1980 was a legendary car crash. Audiences were left in stitches at the production’s OTT absurdity; the critics were vicious – and O’Toole took it badly. Brian Blessed, who played Banquo, recalls finding him backstage on his knees after the reviews came in. “Brian, have you seen what they’ve written about me? I can’t take it.” Blessed cradled him, sang a lullaby and reassured him that he’d cancel the show. But as he turned away, O’Toole “followed me on all fours, like some demented ape, gripping me and saying, ‘I have to go on, Brian, please let me go on... If I don’t, I will die.’” Years later, O’Toole admitted: “My nose starts bleeding the minute I even think about the reviews.”…

For a while now, there has been excited talk in the athletics world about a revival in the fortunes of British middle-distance running, said Rick Broadbent in The Times. And further evidence of it emerged last Sunday in Poland, when a 19-year-old criminal psychology student from Wigan “became Britain’s youngest European indoor champion for 51 years”. Keely Hodgkinson, of Leigh Harriers, displayed superb “tactical nous” in the 800m to beat a field that included Joanna Józwik, a Pole who came fifth at the last Olympics, and former world indoor silver medallist Angelika Cichocka. What was particularly impressive about her victory was that she achieved it without leaving her “comfort zone”: last month in Vienna, she ran a considerably faster time in setting a new world under-20 indoor 800m record. Hodgkinson’s…

Astronauts are the ultimate modern heroes – taking unimaginable risks in environments the vast majority of mankind will never visit. Here are five of the best films about them: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Stanley Kubrick’s epic adaptation of an Arthur C. Clarke short story combines enigmatic symbolism with a brilliant vision of interstellar travel which has set the standard for space movies ever since. Gary Lockwood and Keir Dullea are the two astronauts threatened by a homicidal computer as they explore the outer limits. Capricorn One (1977) This mother of all conspiracy thrillers focuses on three astronauts who are coerced into faking a landing on Mars without ever leaving Earth. James Brolin, Sam Waterston and O.J. Simpson play the astronauts; Elliott Gould is the journalist who smells a rat.…

There’s tension over The Mystery Plays: Clarrie and Eddie have been cast, but not Susan. Things get more awkward when Susan belittles Clarrie’s acting skills. Harrison isn’t sure about playing Jesus; he thinks he should focus on work after missing the clues about Philip, but Kirsty persuades him. Harrison tells her that Philip has decided to plead guilty – maybe she can move on. Things are fraught between Phoebe and Rex over rewilding; Brian’s interfering isn’t helping. To Jazzer’s discomfort, Jim and Alistair throw a dinner for Jade to get to know her. Her barbed comments – and sniping at Jazzer – are too much for Jim. He lets fly and Jade storms out, leaving Jazzer annoyed. Jim later admits to Alistair that maybe he is a snob, but they’ll…

These mussels take flavour and texture to a whole different level, says Kwoklyn Wan. Salty, sweet, aromatic, juicy and soft, they hit your senses from every angle. Black bean mussels Serves 4 4 tbsp fermented Chinese black beans (available from a Chinese grocer or online) 1 onion, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated 1 green pepper, finely diced 2 tbsp vegetable oil ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp white pepper 1 tsp sugar 2 tbsp light soy sauce 500g (1lb 2oz) live fresh mussels • Soak the fermented black beans in 120ml of warm water for 10 mins, then drain and set aside. • Place a wok over a medium-high heat. Once smoking, add the oil and swirl around the wok, then add the onion and garlic and…

The musician who formed The Wailers with Bob Marley Bunny Wailer 1947-2021 Bunny Wailer, who has died aged 73, was the last surviving founder member of The Wailers – the group that propelled Bob Marley to superstardom, and helped popularise reggae worldwide. Formed when its three principals (the other being Peter Tosh) were in their teens, The Wailers started as a vocal group in the ska era: for their early records, they wore suits and their hair cropped, and sang in “smooth harmony”, said The New York Times. By the early 1970s, however, they had adopted loose garb and dreadlocks, and the slower, “muskier” tones of the new sound being developed in Jamaica. They were described as the Jamaican Beatles, and like the Fab Four, they had distinct identities and…

Top marks to Deliveroo for a timely arrival, said Alex Brummer in the Daily Mail. The restaurant delivery group announced plans to float in the UK “just hours” after Lord Hill served up his recipe for City reforms – becoming an instant exemplum of the whizzy tech-based IPO Hill hopes to put on the menu in London. Doubtless Deliveroo founder Will Shu was equally “anxious to capture the moment”. The pandemic “has been a boon to online hospitality”, and similar listings in New York, such as DoorDash, “have attracted generous premiums”. At its last fundraising in January, Deliveroo was valued at £5bn; the latest price projections suggest a spring bounce to £7bn. The key to delivering Deliveroo to London was “an easing of listing rules” relating to dual-class shares, meaning…

Recessions typically “hit men harder than women” because “they tend to disproportionately affect male-dominated industries such as construction and manufacturing”, said The Economist. Not this one. Covid-19 is credited with triggering America’s “first female recession in 50 years” because the pandemic has weighed so heavily on female-dominated sectors such as retail and hospitality. Thanks to differences in parental responsibilities, mothers have fared worst of all. The same pattern is seen around the world, said Poppy Wood in City AM. PwC’s latest Women in Work Index notes that “women’s economic empowerment” across OECD countries “is expected to decline for the first time in a decade”. PwC reckons “progress towards gender equality needs to be twice as fast as its historical rate” if the damage wrought by the “shecession” is to be…

The week’s best shares 1Spatial The Mail on Sunday This fast-growing digital mapping expert provides a much-needed service, collating location with essential geographic data. Undervalued, despite blue-chip clients and a growing US business, and with a promising order book. Buy. 35p. Croda Investors Chronicle Boosted production plans have bolstered the value of Croda’s contract with Pfizer/BioNTech by 25%. Dependable full-year results and multiple promising drug-delivery projects are further plusses. Buy. £63.20. Diploma The Times The technical products group has been exercising a policy of aggressive acquisitions, targeting rivals damaged by the knock-on effect of Covid. A return to elective surgery will boost the life sciences arm. One for a patient investor. Buy. £23.70. Halfords The Sunday Telegraph Having upped investment in tech and staff specialising in EVs, the motoring/cycling specialist…

After almost a year of workplace change, it’s perhaps no surprise that ‘cybercrime’ was the buzzword for 2020. Scammers were most likely to target older men with 20% of men over the age of 77 admitting that they’d been the victim of financial crime, according to the Great British Retirement Survey 2020. What’s more, only 43% of men and 42% of women ever received their money back, despite enhanced protection now available. Since the introduction of confirmation of payee last summer, banks should automatically tell you if a name matches an account number. Unless in the case of gross negligence, authorised push payment (APP) scams should also be covered under a voluntary code of practice. Still, it’s not always individuals who are targeted. Last year, some 70% of UK financial…

CHIP MONEY APP Chip is an easy-to-use app that helps you grow your savings automatically. Chip gives you access to the market’s best return (1.25% variable); calculates how much you can afford to save; saves that money for you; works to find you better interest rates from across the market; and gives you access to market-leading investment funds. getchip.uk ROYAL MARSDEN FREE WILL The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity funds pioneering research that’s working to develop life-saving treatments — giving hope to cancer patients in the UK and around the world. By leaving the charity a gift in your Will, you can help make a vital difference to the lives of cancer patients long into the future. The charity’s Free Will Service makes it easy to write or amend your Will…

Sundowner has been in the shading industry for more than 20 years collectively. Consequently, its expertise was gained from a mixture of internal and external shading manufacture, and a sail-making background. DESIGN After a visit to discuss and survey your requirements, Sundowner will create a design to help you understand and visualise the product you desire. SUPPLY From order to delivery, allow most products up to 30 days, though some will arrive even sooner. And Sundowner will always give you an accurate lead time before you make a purchase. INSTALL Whatever the size of your project, Sundowner’s friendly team of experts will ensure the complete installation is delivered completely safely, on time and with little or no inconvenience. STYLE Sundowner offers the United Kingdom the widest, smartest and most stylish…

The past year has given many of us the opportunity to appreciate our gardens like never before. They’ve provided us with much-needed sanctuary, enabling us to connect with nature and, as importantly, with friends we weren’t permitted to see inside. If you’re anticipating spending just as much time in your garden this year and want to add more than plants, ornamental ponds and decking, then investing in sculpture could be the next step. Garden sculpture has fdc traditionally been quite polarised, with classical gods sitting at one end and comedic gnomes at the other. But now choice abounds, with beautiful pieces to suit every taste, budget and landscape. If you’re a complete novice, start by familiarising yourself with what’s available, advises award-winning sculptor Andrew Kay, whose exquisite hand-forged wildlife artworks…

DEVOLO MESH WI-FI devolo’s Mesh WiFi kits combine smart wi-fi functions with one another. Thanks to multi-user MIMO, multiple devices can be connected to fast internet simultaneously, while the ‘access point steering’ function ensures mobile devices are always connected to the strongest wi-fi hotspot. Devolo uses the building’s own power line to transmit data, meaning walls and ceilings no longer block the wi-fi signal. devolo.co.uk STRULCH STRAW MULCH Strulch (straw mulch) is fast becoming the go-to product for professional and amateur gardeners. It stops weeds germinating, keeps moisture in the soil, improves soil structure and drainage and deters slugs and snails. A family business with recommendation from the Royal Horticultural Society. strulch.co.uk TINGGLY GIFT EXPERIENCES Since launching six years ago, Tinggly has sold more than two million gift experiences —…

EASipanel’s unique DIY wall panelling system makes it easy to achieve an on-trend but classic look to freshen up your home. Choose from two heights, add a dado rail, shelf or hooks and paint whatever colour you want to instantly update a room and add character and style. Made from high-quality, moisture-resistant MDF, EASipanel isn’t prone to shrinking or cracking like traditional soft woods and features a neat, seamlesss jointing system. Available in either tongue and groove and raised and fielded styles, this product is, not surprisingly, flying off the shelves. Transform your loft space, create a welcoming stairs and hallway area, give your kitchen that clean ‘Scandi’ style and let your bathroom have that makeover it deserves. Create a modern look in any home office, turn a garden room…

1 LUMEN This device monitors your metabolism by measuring the carbon dioxide in your exhaled breaths. From this, it can work out the levels of fats and carbs your body is using to produce energy. The connected app then provides you with personalised advice on when and what to eat. The aim is to improve metabolic flexibility — to aid weight loss, boost endurance or help build muscle. £349, lumen.me 2 SENSICA SENSIFIRM This ‘cellulite reduction and body contouring device’ offers radiofrequency skin tightening in a handheld tool, certified for use by the FDA. The heat generated in the body by the radiofrequency has been shown to break down fat cells and simultaneously trigger collagen synthesis to tighten skin. It can be used all across the body (but…

THE DIET PLATE WEIGHT-LOSS AID The Diet Plate is celebrating its 21st year of helping people to lose and manage their weight. It’s the world’s original portion plate, with published clinical trials to help control type 2 diabetes. Diet Plate has a new digital web app, found only on its website. The Diet Plate online teaches people how to balance their diet, lose weight and create their own diets tailored around what they love to eat. All Plates £19.99, Diet Plate online £1.98 per week. thedietplate.com 4 YOUR LONG HAIR HAIR CARE 4 Your Long Hair is a unique product for long hair developed with the help of the UK’s top authority on long hair: Long Hair In London. Its shampooing ethos is ‘protect, cleanse, feed and close’. 4 Your…

Dr Kare Tang is a consultant interventional cardiologist who practices in Essex and London. He sees many patients with chest discomfort presenting in the latter stages of heart disease or already having suffered a heart attack through not seeking previous medical attention on the assumption that it’s ‘indigestion’ or that ‘it’ll just go away’. Many of these patients require emergency admission when the condition worsens and may require emergency coronary stenting treatment to restore blood flow to the heart. Some patients may require coronary bypass surgery as a result of too many blockages, but there are also patients who are too ill to undergo surgery or would prefer to avoid major open heart surgery. Dr Tang is one of the few specialist cardiologists who can treat chronically occluded coronary ‘fuel…

Dr Russell-Jones is a very engaging internationally famous dermatologist with more than 35 years of experience in the NHS. He’s proficient in all aspect of dermatology, but has particular expertise in diagnosing and treating skin cancer, having run the Skin Tumour Unit at the Institute of Dermatology for many years and having established a regional melanoma service offering sentinel lymph node biopsy to patients with melanomas more than 1mm thick. He has more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, mainly in the field of cutaneous pathology, melanoma and skin lymphoma. He’s dual qualified, holding both FRCP (Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians) and FRCPath (Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists). He doesn’t offer a cosmetic dermatology service. Dr Russell-Jones now devotes his time to private practice and environmental issues. He’s…

NO STEAM Specially designed for people who wear glasses, MisfitMasks have been manufactured to help stop your specs misting up. NO FOG The unique design ensures the MisfitMask fits your face properly, with no pesky gaps that let air through to steam up your glasses. NO MIST MisfitMasks are made with top-quality fabrics that are incredibly light and soft — their ultra-absorbent properties mean Misfit-Masks keep your glasses clear. TRUSTPILOT REVIEWS “Just so, so good. I can see what I’m doing!” said Simon Brennan. “Does exactly what it claims to do — it’s made my life so much easier!” said Sandra Kemp. “I really hate having to wear a mask, but MisfitMasks almost make it a pleasure. Almost,” said Adrian Parker. Use discount code M13 for 10% off your order.…