What the papers have said in the week ending 12 June 2021
While G7 leaders and their partners vied for photo-shots in Cornwall and Public Health specialists and politicians wrestled with decisions over Covid-19, there have been other great questions to address
- Philip Ball explains that the lives we lead are not predetermined by our genetic code: it is more complicated than that. 20 years after the human genome was first sequenced, dangerous gene myths abound | Philip Ball | The Guardian
- Arguments about determinism and miracles exercised Bayes, Price and Hume 250 years ago – mathematics, religion and science. We learn also that Bayesian mathematics is used to predict the spread of coronavirus. A sound tool stands the test of time. The Guardian view on the god of science: a divine but rational disagreement | Editorial | The Guardian
- A Treatise on Miracles by History’s Most Famous Atheist – Issue 4: The Unlikely – Nautilus
Christianity’s other headlines related to the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the former Roman Catholic Kamloops Residential Indian School in British Columbia Pope Francis stops short of apology over deaths in ex-Catholic school in Canada | Pope Francis | The Guardian
And the Bishop of Manchester’s declaration that he believes that church leaders who countenance gay conversion should be taken to court C of E bishop backs prosecution of those who defy ‘gay conversion’ ban | Anglicanism | The Guardian
Concern about what has felt like an underhand scheme to share patients’ data by NHS digital is being addressed: The NHS data grab: why we should be concerned about plans for GPs’ records | Letters | The Guardian
Anxieties about the vulnerability of the internet to errors and mischief have not been calmed by the experience of a major shutdown (‘outage’) apparently caused by one innocent individual simply updating their settings: Major internet outage ‘shows infrastructure needs urgent fixing’ | Internet | The Guardian
There is more on the inhumane treatment of Windrush victims: Windrush victim wrongly threatened with forced return to Jamaica in final years, report finds | Windrush scandal | The Guardian
- Even people known to be nearing the end of their lives are dealt with in a hostile environment: Benefits claimants suffering under end-of-life DWP rule | Benefits | The Guardian
Concern that young people are being coerced into marriage has mobilised support for a change of law that will mean that marriage will not be legally allowed under the age of 18 years. There are relatively few marriages of youngsters in the age bracket 16 and 17 (1,673). 13,335 people aged 65+ were married during 2017 Government pledges to raise legal age of marriage to 18 in England and Wales | Child marriage | The Guardian
The number of abortions in England and Wales has risen to 209,917 in 2020 – the highest rate (21.9/1000) is amongst women aged 30-34. It is rare – and the rate has fallen dramatically to 6.9/1000 to women under 18. Record number of women in England and Wales had abortions in 2020 | Abortion | The Guardian
Signs of hope as communities rally to preserve local facilities: ‘It’s a lifeline’: Cumbrian villagers raise £200,000 to save last shop | Cumbria | The Guardian
A chance finding reveals more about life in Roman Britain: Shackled skeleton identified as rare evidence of slavery in Roman Britain | Roman Britain | The Guardian
Noel Conway died at home when his ventilator was switched off by consent Noel Conway, assisted dying campaigner, dies at home aged 71 | Assisted dying | The Guardian
Vigorous exercise may increase the risk of Motor Neurone Disease in predisposed individuals Scientists link intense exercise with MND risk in some people | Medical research | The Guardian
The FDA has approved licence for Aducanumab – a monoclonal antibody against amyloid – for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, under restrictions. This news has not been met with unbounded enthusiasm by the research and clinical community, for the FDA found the case not proven only a few months ago. There is no new data but re-analysis of parts of the data. There are massive financial considerations FDA approves first new Alzheimer’s drug in almost 20 years | Alzheimer’s | The Guardian
The earth still goes round the sun, and the moon goes round the earth – sometimes they get into line Solar eclipse 2021: UK skygazers enjoy view of crescent sun | Solar eclipses | The Guardian
David Jolley
