What the papers said in the week ending 19 June 2021
World direction:
The fact that world leaders said a lot of the right things at the G7 conference is encouraging, for the words must reflect their thinking. There is frustration that the fine words have not been interpreted into binding resolutions – but we will be patient. G7 reaffirmed goals but failed to provide funds needed to reach them, experts say | G7 | The Guardian
Care Homes:
The significance of care homes and how they, their residents and staff have been affected by, and dealt with during Covid-19, continue to hold headlines: The evidence is clear – there was no excuse for Hancock’s care homes strategy | William Hanage | The Guardian
There is a much wider appreciation of the importance of care homes and their vulnerability when things go wrong, and their precarious funding arrangements which make it so difficult for them to respond to additional pressures. The next chapter in this story relates to the wish to protect all staff from the infection whilst resecting their individual rights Covid jabs to become mandatory for care home staff in England | Coronavirus | The Guardian
- Mandatory Covid jabs for care workers in England unworkable, warn bosses | Social care | The Guardian
- Mandatory vaccinations for care workers and the blame game | Letters | The Guardian
Amongst the indirect impacts of Covid-19, hospitals have not been able to give time and space to operations for other conditions, leaving people open to suffering and preventable deaths Hospitals undertook 1.6m fewer operations last year because of Covid | NHS | The Guardian
Next pandemic
Focus remains, internationally, on Covid-19 but attention must also be paid the next crisis which is upon us – This is too much heat and too little water. There are ways to reduce the impact of these, but action will need collaborative understanding and action: ‘The next pandemic’: drought is a hidden global crisis, UN says | Drought | The Guardian
- Climate change | Environment | The Guardian
- Record-shattering heat wave bakes western US, raising drought and fire concerns | Climate crisis in the American west | The Guardian
- UK failing to protect against climate dangers, advisers warn | Climate change | The Guardian
Hazards of design:
There are warnings from services for children that the currently favoured model of provision via multiple independent agencies does not work well Children neglected by a profit-making system | Letters | The Guardian
Similar lessons come from a review of failings which allowed the Manchester Bomber to remain unchallenged, though presenting behaviour for all to see Manchester Arena bomber should have been identified as threat, inquiry finds | Manchester Arena attack | The Guardian
- We surely know that services for older people are currently provided to just this same pattern. Time for review and revision in all these settings and more
Risks of modernisation:
The increased popularity of cycling has led to expansion of the memberships of cycling clubs. The Clarion Club, established 1894 by a Labour church in Birmingham, counted amongst its early activist members Keir Hardy. The club has remained associated with socialist views, reflected in its motto. This is to be changed because of objections from new members. Not everyone is happy Keir Hardie’s cycling club jettisons socialism | Socialism | The Guardian
Other matters:
While some statues are being pulled down, their appeal to fans remains: Vera Lynn’s family to launch fundraising appeal for memorial to singer | East London and West Essex Guardian Series (guardian-series.co.uk)
Suggestions of how time during the pandemic has been used to good effect have revealed just some of the things which older people are doing: How Guardian-reading over-70s are staying active | Letters | The Guardian
Some encouraging news that the Home Office can be persuaded of the virtue of allowing people to stay in this country: Home Office abandons plans to deport Osime Brown to Jamaica | Immigration and asylum | The Guardian
We are using less cash: Cashless society draws closer with only one in six payments now in cash | Sterling | The Guardian
The sentience of other creatures does not stop at vertebrates: MPs: Octopuses feel pain and need legal protection – BBC News
Authors who have been part of our childhood are now seen to have held racist views. English Heritage recognises Blyton and Kipling’s racism – but blue plaques to stay | Books | The Guardian
Libraries are pooling their funds and expertise to keep the Honresfield Library in this country: UK libraries and museums unite to save ‘astonishing’ lost library from private buyers | Manuscripts and letters | The Guardian
Science is bidding to claim the definitive cure for hiccup: Drinking straw device is instant cure for hiccups, say scientists | Science | The Guardian
Young scouts have a new badge to study, which does not rely on campfires or the outdoors Savings to bitcoin: cubs and beavers to launch badge for money skills | Consumer affairs | The Guardian
This week we lost Kenneth Kaunda Kenneth Kaunda obituary | Zambia | The Guardian
David Jolley
