NHS News
Stories of the Week ending 30 September:
Brexit this week took its usual twist and turns. The EU almost seemed irrelevant as we began party conference season and the battle lines are drawn not only between political parties but also between Leave and Remain.
On the one hand, Jacob Rees-Mogg wanted the whole country to enjoy a magical Disney happy-ever-after Brexit.
Elsewhere, Brexit took a potentially unexpected turn. Just as The Soros Foundation takes Hungary to court over human rights violations, Conservative MEPs get a personal thank you from far right Hungarian PM Viktor Orban for their support in standing against proposed EU sanctions. Michael Gove also refused to condemn Orban although later Conservative MEPs were ordered to ‘distance themselves’ from the Hungarian leader.
The Labour Party started the conference season in spectacular fashion. Keir Starmer firmly launched Labour’s stance on a final say on the Brexit deal and a possible 2nd Referendum. But that wasn’t all. A range of social and economic policies either made Labour a government in waiting for some of the Press whilst others simply saw ‘an insane Marxist’ programme.
Labour also claimed Theresa May’s government ‘the most divided ever’ as various leadership candidates lined up in what was called ‘a Tory beauty parade’ to take over from the PM.
Also much was made of the government’s Northern Powerhouse Minister and how little he had actually been up north.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, clashed with Theresa May over Conservative Austerity. After the Archbishop criticised the Government for failing the poor and deserting a section of society, May responded with ‘work is the best way out of poverty’.
As an example of austerity and the failure of Universal Credit, a very alarming story highlighted how a couple violently induced a miscarriage because of Government benefit cuts.
Two of the most icon and important species – whales and bees – featured heavily this week in disappointing news.
Benny the beluga whale was spotted lost and in the Thames estuary. This rare event was greeted with curiosity and wonder by some of the Press whilst others saw Benny as an omen representing a global catastrophe no-one is talking about.
It was bad news too for killer whales. In yet another potential man-made extinction, half the killer whale population will die from a man-made chemical banned more than 40 years ago.
The news wasn’t good for bees either. The world’s most popular weed killer harms them and other studies show they become addicted to harmful and deadly pesticides.
This week saw a truly amazing scientific breakthrough when paralysed patients were able to walk again using an implant that responds to their thoughts.
And yes, in other amazing news, it seems our star signs really do control our destiny.
Life expectancy is shortening in the UK. For the first time children’s life expectancy is shorter than their parents.
Whilst Donald Trump and Theresa May talked up a post Brexit deal, he also managed to bring laughter to the world at the UN.
Stories of the week 23 September 2018
This week wasn’t a week full of good news for optimistic Brexiters in the ongoing negotiations.
The IMF laid out the harsh economic consequences for the UK in the event of a no deal Brexit. Although supported by Philip Hammond, arch Brexiters like Rees-Mogg were quick to dismiss the claims.
In more bad news, Jaguar Land Rover confirmed moving to a three day work with jobs to go in the event of a No Deal Brexit. Other car manufacturers, Honda and Toyota, also warned of difficulties if the UK were to ’crash out of Europe’.
Adding to Brexiter troubles, French president Emmanuel Macron branded Brexiters liars who ‘predicted easy solutions and quit the next day’. Something that was, of course, denied by Brexiters themselves.
In more unsettling news for Brexit and the Prime Minister Theresa May, EU leaders rejected her ‘Chequers Plan’ outright at a European summit. European leaders thought the plan was unworkable and believed that May’s own uncompromising approach forced them to do the same.
Coke and cannabis? Coke have decided to gate crash the booing cannabis product market. Coke announced they were ‘in serious talks’ to develop a cannabis-based ‘wellness’ drink. The company decided to launch into the market given the potential of cannabis products around the world and the rapid rate of product development in the category. Cannabis is becoming increasingly used for its anti-inflammatory capabilities and its restorative powers.
Very disturbing news this week on the future of mankind from a man-made problem. Scientists have discovered that toxic air pollution particles can reach the womb having been found in the placentas of pregnant women.
With conflict in Yemen driven largely by Saudi Arabia, Save the children are reporting a humanitarian disaster on a grand scale with 5 million children at risk of starvation.
Good news
Good news? Well, at least ironic news.
Despite all the crucial and world-changing news the Press usually focus on, every so often the news includes more light-hearted stories that are just too good to miss. This week was a good week for those types of stories and here they are.
The author of ‘How to Murder Your Husband’ followed her own instructions and was actually charged with murdering her own husband.
The NHS have been accused of insensitivity after it was revealed that a recent TV advertisement depicting nurses looking after patients featured a song ‘about euthanasia’ playing in the background.
Think technology is so up-to-date? Well, it seems swiping on Tinder is addictive because of a famous psychological experiment in 1948 that ‘transformed pigeons into gamblers’.
