Brief. Me - November 22, 2024 1:31 am
In today’s briefing update, we look at the differing take on the turmoil at Downing Street which dominates today’s front pages. Plus, the PM’s warning on Brexit and Royal anger over The Crown.
In our special feature, we find out why cases are rising in Europe and how news sources are reporting it.
We also take a lot at the latest Covid-19 cases and global updates.
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The Observer says the reported power struggle at the heart of Boris Johnson’s government continues to dominate Sunday’s papers. The Observer says new No 10 press secretary Allegra Stratton was left “in tears all morning” following reports Downing Street’s outgoing communications director Lee Cain had criticised her.
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The Sunday Telegraph says Downing Street has hit back at “vicious and cowardly” attacks on Ms Symonds. The paper says a “war of words” between Mr Johnson, Mr Cummings and Mr Cain was sparked by a bitter row – fuelled by Ms Symonds’ antipathy towards them. One insider also tells the Telegraph “no decision is ever final” because the PM appears to need to consult his partner – but another source says this claim is “laughable”.
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The Sunday Mirror calls it “turmoil in Downing Street” as the paper alleges allies of chief advisor Dominic Cummings used the phrase “Princess Nut Nuts” as a “cruel nickname” for Mr Johnson’s fiance Carrie Symonds.
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The other front pages
The Sunday Express says the PM has promised backbench Tories there will be “no backsliding on Brexit” amid the departure of Vote Leave architects Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain from Downing Street.
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The Mail on Sunday says Prince Charles is among the royals angry at the new series of Netflix drama The Crown. Friends of Charles say the drama is “trolling on a Hollywood budget”. Sources rage to the paper that “fiction is presented as fact” in the TV epic, which it says promotes a “twisted version of events”. The Crown’s 4th series is released on Sunday.
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UK Weather Forecast
Sunday 15 November 2020
Sunrise 07:24
Sunset 16:12
Today
Today will be cloudy for most with plenty of showers, some heavy in nature. There will also be opportunity for some brighter spells too. Windy for all, strongest over the south coast and Channel.
Tonight
This evening, showers will continue however begin to die out in the southern half of the UK, leaving clearer spells. But showers will persist in north and west Scotland for some time. Windy.
Tweet of the Day
Now Des O'Connor. 🙁 Never took himself too seriously, which I always liked. That generation of variety stars are slowly slipping away.
Treat of the week
Msmen/Rghaif/Marokkaanse pannenkoek
Renaissance
“You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.”
A bit of Nostalgia from our entertainment people
Featured Story
GLOBAL COVID-19 TODAY
CORONAVIRUS CASES: 54,375,266
DEATHS: 1,318,966
RECOVERED: 37,928,740
TIME says Europe’s second wave is being driven by two countries, they say “Belgium and the Czech Republic are currently reporting about 146 and 115 new daily cases per 100,000 people, respectively, according to TIME’s coronavirus tracker, which compiles data from Johns Hopkins University. That’s dramatically higher than the E.U. average of 33 per 100,000.”
“Experts speaking to TIME say they can’t point to anything specific that has made the Czech Republic or Belgium unique among E.U. states in their handling of the pandemic, instead attributing the rise in cases to a combination of factors, and the relatively arbitrary nature by which a virus spreads through populations.”
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HealthLine asks why Europe’s cases are surging back to March figures and looks at what’s ahead for the US.
“What’s happening in Europe — and why — shares many parallels with the continued spread of the new coronavirus in the United States.
Unlike the situation in March, though, what’s happening in Europe isn’t necessarily a sign of what’s going to happen in the United States in the coming weeks or months, experts say.
In some ways, they note, what’s happening overseas has already happened and is still happening here.
They note there are still plenty of lessons to take from the current European COVID-19 spike, including how people react to restrictions, how to travel safely, and how to reopen (or not reopen) schools.”
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NBC News says President Trump tried to justify what’s happening in the US by pointing to Europe. They say he’s wrong.
“I think that it is unfair to compare the U.S. with Europe and say, ‘Oh, but they’re doing it badly, as well,'” said William Hanage, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Although Europe’s case numbers are rising faster right now, Hanage said the total numbers of U.S. deaths and cases per capita since the pandemic began are still considerably higher — “and it’s basically been continuing to go up and up and up.”
It’s difficult to talk about Europe as a whole when the European Union and the recently departed United Kingdom comprise 28 countries, each with its own health care system, laws and social norms. Similarly, the U.S. response has differed greatly across the 50 states.
Nicola Stonehouse, a professor of molecular virology at the University of Leeds in England said that when Trump compares the U.S. to Europe, he is merely showing that his country belongs alongside the continent’s fellow strugglers — rather than its relative success stories.
Global Covid-19 updates
India has reported 41,100 new cases of coronavirus during the past 24 hours, taking the country’s overall tally since the pandemic began to 8.79 million.
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Pakistan has seen the highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases since mid-July, recording more than 2,400 new cases, according to official data.
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South Korea has reported 208 new coronavirus cases, marking the eight straight day of triple-digit increases, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
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The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany has increased by 16,947 to 790,503, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed.
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Mexico’s health ministry has reported 5,860 new infections in the country and 635 deaths, bringing the official totals to 1,003,253 cases and 98,259 deaths.
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Australia’s triumph in reining in the virus while infections spiral up in many parts of the world had made the country a “victim of our own success,” as Australians overseas want to come home, a cabinet minister said.
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Brazil has reported 38,307 new virus cases of the infection, the Health Ministry said, bringing the total to 5,848,959.
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North Dakota has become the 35th US state to require face coverings be worn in public, as governors across the country grapple with a surge in infections that threatens to swamp their healthcare systems.
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Elon Musk has said he “most likely” has a moderate case of the virus, as he continued to question the accuracy of the tests.
sports news
Turkish Grand Prix build-up: cars crash going to grid as Hamilton nears history
Nations League 2020-21: Who needs what in final group games?
North Macedonia vs Estonia. UEFA Nations League Group C2.
2:00pm, Sunday 15th November 2020.
Philip II Arena.
Slovakia vs Scotland. UEFA Nations League Group B2.
2:00pm, Sunday 15th November 2020.
Stadion Antona Malatinskeho.