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    The Week UK Issue 1414

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    Willas Bruscatto Jr.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 56
    Will Iran’s The last of the The prince protesters topple Dambusters , and the foiled the regime? a ~ far-right putsch AL THE WEEK DDoS aD THE BEST OF THE BRITISH AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA aa % = The royal media war is Evuuva-vevel Aone sNetflix epic Page 20 ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT MATTERS, theweek.co.uk LOOK BEYOND Beit above or below the surface, exploring the unknown is, by nature, unpredictable. To unveil its mysteries, two things are needed, A steadfast willingness to push one’s limits always further ‘And a strong, unwavering ally to fuel your confidence. Over the past 70 years, we have constantly perfected the Submariner to make it the tool watch of reference for the pione world. Yet you need not swim 300 metres deep, or endure 30 bars of pressure, to field-test it Diving into the unknown can be an exhilarating experience, in any circumstance. All it rally takes is to look beyond the surface. The Submariner. ‘of the marine ‘#Perpetual Re quelll ee 4 NEWS What happened Drafting in the Army As talks to avert strike action by raihway ‘workers and nurses broke down this week, ministers were preparing to enlist the help of the Armed Forces to ease disruption to public services. Some 750 military personnel will be drafted in to replace ambulance workers, who are duc to hol their rst strike day nex vec in England and Wales. A further 600 will be deployed to check passports at airports, where Border Force staff are due to beain a series of eight walkouts starting on 23 December and lasting until the 31st. Passengers at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Cardiff were warned to expect delays ‘The head of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Pat Cullen, accused Health Secretary Steve Barclay of “belligerence”, for refusing to discuss pay. The tunion is seeking a I centage points above the RPT inflation rate ~ although Cullen has suggested that she is flexible on thar. Mick Lynch, head of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), said ministers had sabotaged talks by demanding that more trains run ‘without guards, Hle warned that rail strikes could continue “indefinitely” unless ministers backed down on this issue. What happened Dashed hopes in Qatar England's footballers returned home from Qatar this week, after their World Cup campaign ended with a narrow 2-1 defeat to France at the quarter-final stage. Ina tightly contested match at the Al Bayt Stadium near Doha on Saturday night, England had come close to forcing extra time against the reigning world champions, with captain Harry Kane missing an 84th-minute penalty which would have leveled the scores at 2-2. Gareth Southgate said it had been his team’s best performance against a major nation in his six years as England manager. “But we've fallen shore” he aumited. Southgate was this week considering his future, saying that he felt “conflicted” over whether to stay in his post, having found “large parts Of the last 18 months difficult”, With a semi-final te against Morocco at stake, Saturday’s game was watched by a peak audience of 23 million viewers on ITV. ‘A.13-yearold git with Tel Toukaomia has been declared ‘cancer free, ater being given pioneering gene therapy. ‘Alyssa, from Leicester had ‘undergone chemotherapy ‘and had a bone marrow. ‘transplant, but neither had ‘worked. With no further ‘treatments available, her prospects looked bloak. But ‘she was then invited to take part in a wore-first clinical ‘ial, which Involved her being It wasn’t all bad ‘Thousands of tickets for concerts and plays in London willbe given away next year to,people who are normally, ‘unable to afford cultural ‘outings. Some ofthe capitals leading institutions, including the National Theatre and the Barbican, have signed upto tho new Ticket Bank scheme, which ‘wil work with food banks and ‘other charities to ensure thet The main stories ‘Mail workers protest in London Southgate: restoring pride What the editorials said ‘The unions are behaving disgracefully, said The Daily ‘Telegraph. The RMT has rejected a “decent pay offer” of a 9% rise over two years because militants are “opposed to modernisation”. Nurses have pushed for a 19% rise that even Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, has implied was unaffordable. Ministers must press ahead with Jaws to guarantee the provision of minimum service levels, Walkouts by nurses, ambulance drivers ~ and possibly junior doctors too ~ are the ast thing this country needs, said the Daily Mail. We've just gone through hugely ‘damaging lockdowns to “save the NHS®. Is it too much to ask that we revert to “the original arrangement whereby the NHS saves us”? Its the Government that’s being inflexible here, said The Guardian, By proposing new anti- strike laws that won't get through the Lords, and would come too late to affect today’s strikes anyway, its just trying to look tough. What it should be doing is gerting round a table with the unions. “In Seotland, an offer of a 7.5% rise to nurses, some way below that sought by the unions, was enough to avoid strike action.” The Tories mythologise Margaret Thatcher’ toughness, but they forget that she was also a “pragmatis” who, in 1979, gave public sector workers, 2.25% pay rise co avert a second “winter of discontent” What the editorials said England's football fans are used to disappointment, said The Independent. The men’s national team haven't won a major ‘oummament since 1966, and extinga World Cup at the quarterfinal stage isa wearingly famiarfeling. "But this time i fel rather different.” England had France ratled for large parts ofthis match, and on another night, they might well have triumphed. “The team did not tndervthelm, ether in apitde or artude”. and were a match for one of the world’s bes sides. Kane's penalty miss was “truly agonising”, said ‘The Sun on Sunday. But Southgate’s young team acquitted themselves brilliantly, and return as, “defeated heroes”. There's no disarace in this “earlie-than-hoped departure”, agreed The Times. This tournament, after al, has been replete with shock exit: Brazil crashed out to Croatia; Spain and Portugal were knocked out by Morocco; Germany didn’t make it out ofthe group stage. “Southgate, Kane and this remarkable group of players should not be too hard on themselves. They have done their country proud.” ‘A border collie from Nuneaton hhas been dubbed the “eco dog” by locals, because of his ‘enthusiasm for collecting plastic ‘waste, Scruff, whois 13, had ‘lways enjoyed picking up botias on his walks, but hed ‘quickly drop them again ~ Until his owners realised hie potential, and tained him to bring the bottes to thar, to bbe recycled. They estimate that ‘Scruff has cleared the area of, 1,000 battes tis year alone, {roe or pay-what-you-can tickets {are allocated to those most in ‘need. The tickets willbe those that are lef uneold ven an infusion of donted eels that had been “base edited” to hunt down the eancorous eae without attacking each other Within ‘a month, she had gone into remission. The team at Great Ormond ‘Strost now plan to recruit ten more patients for further tials, He should be “working forthe council”, said owner David Grant, given he can root out as ‘many a8 18 bots por walk, THE WEEK 17 December 2022 ...and how they were covered NEWS 5 What the commentators said “To describe Britain a being in the grip of a wave of public sector strikes isn’t quite accurate,” said Ross Clark in The Spectator. The 115,000 Royal Mail workers who walked out this week: are not public sector workers. Nor are the train drivers and guards. They're all employees of private companies. Clearly, the privatisation of public services hasn't quelled “union militancy ‘What is has done, though, is enable ministers to distance themselves from strikes in an unhelpful way. It was obvious at the TUC’s annual gathering in October that union leaders ‘were spoiling for a fight, said Maggie Pagano on Reaction. Mark Serwotka, boss of the PCSU, told a mecting that he wanted to coordinate national strike action to defeat the Government, Ministers should have been alive to this threat and started either negotiating with the unions ‘over their pay demands or putting the ease for why they were wrong. As its, they're only reacting now, with token gestures, apparently inthe hope that voters blame union leaders for this winter’s disruption and “soon forget the impact ofthe strikes on theie lives ‘The Government is gambling that neither unions nor their members will have the money t0 What next? Miners are to announce aa package of new anti-strike ‘measures in the new year, reports The Times. Among, other things, these would increase the threshold for strike action from 40% of all ible members to 50%; and le the minimum notice period for industrial action from the current 14 days. Hotels, restaurants and pubs expect more than a third of keep strike action going much beyond Christmas, said Tom Calver in The Sunday ‘Times. And they could be right. Unions typically provide about £50 a day to theit striking members. The RCN, which is in better financial shape than most unions, itasa £50m strike fund, so could potenally pay fora millon working days But with almost half-a-million union members, the money wont last long Holding out againse the pay demands may work politically, but it doesn't “make sense economically”, said Martin Wolf in the FT. The fact i, the pay of many public sector workers, including nurses, is too low. Thats evident from chronic staff shortages: in September, there were 47,496 registered nursing vacancies in the NHS in England. Our “social fabri is fraying”. Ifthe Government isn’t prepared to ‘while expecting services 1o be maintained, le alone improve, is plainly dishonest.” raise taxes to fix that, it should admit as much. “Letting inflation reduce real pay, “Did 3a calla" | these businesses their bookings to be cancelled this month, says The Guardian, which is when hospitality businesses usually ring up athird of their annual sales. les estimated that che strikes will cost about £1.5bn. What the commentators said Like the Lionesses at the European Championship in the summer, Southgate’s young team showed the nation’s better side at this World Cup, said Sean Ingle in The Guardian. As the country lurches “from crisis to crisis”, the “collective identity” and competence shown by ‘manager and players offer a “blueprine” that politicians would do well to follow. Fans certainly seemed to respond in kind. Nota single England supporter was areted in Doha; the ream exit wasn’t followed by the usual “calls for blood”; and though Kane came in for abuse online, there wasn't online racist abuse on the scale we've seen before, For all this, Southgate deserves rel ei tuo Lic The Snes Yo eve ae obs Hee (ee page 32); bat he isnot only arguably the most “successful England men’s coach in half-a~ Century he is also an authentic rok model: He is “the apex Centrist dade restraint personified”, said Oliver Dutt in’The i Paper. Le’ hope his influence rubs off on the rest of us Enough “sugar coating”, said Henry Winter in The Times. “Where is the fury?” The FA may have responded to this latest “tournament trauma” with a “shrug”. But “with a squad worth north of £1,Sbn” and elite facilities at their disposal, England should be beating the world’s best. Yes, Southgate restored “pride in the shire”, and the players deserve credit. But if England's ‘men are to end their 56-year trophy drought, the FA’ culture of tolerating “the same pain, again and again” must be banished. The agony of this defeat is all roo familiar, sai) Matthew Syed in ‘The Sunday Times. Bur the idea that sadness is inherently a bad thing. is misplaced. Happiness, afterall, “is not possible without unhappiness”; and matches where “everyone feels like the French atthe final whistle, and nobody ever feels like the English” would suck the joy from football. A painful defeat? Certainly ~ but pain is “part of the rich tapestry of life”. Ifyou programmed s euparemari computer to gonorate a news item to capture the interest of columnists, it would probably ome up with something lke last wook’s story about the nav chatbot ChatGPT (see page 21) Journalists love to get ther teeth into stories about new techn and how it might affect the world. In her column inthe FT last woek, for instance, Helen Thomas ‘examined the looming cisruption to employment that will result from green innovations (see page 114, Buta ropon about a futuristic piece of artificial intelligence that can write convincing articles. and potentially ronder journalists surplus to requirements? Well, that really demands attention. “To be fair, ChatGPT does seem unnervingly proficient. Things have clearly moved on a long way from 2017, whan dovelopors used a predictive algorithm to generate a chapter of a new Harry Potter ‘ovel. The resulting chapter, titled “Harry Potter and the Portrait of What Looked Like s Large Pile of ‘Ash’, was enjoyably surreal. Sample passage: “They looked atthe door, screaming about how closed it was and asking ito be replaced with a small orb. The password was ‘BEEF WOMEN’, Hermione cried” ChatGPT is in a different league to that, although it til has plenty of imitations land bind spots, which commentators have taken great dalight in exposing over te past week. Journalists jobs are safe for now. But givan the speed with wich Al technology is. ‘ ‘veloping the days of poking fun at these bots are surely numbered. Harry Nicolle ve tw nds acto by Roya Mal net week’ sue may anv lt. To access ag eton sarc ‘The Week" Inthe APP Store or Googe Psy and denniad the ap. Ten login wth your Cuslmor Number. You can algo access the maga onine ting your Customer Numba here: magacietheweekso uk Subscrpions: 033033 8494, sutsciponsstroweeh.co.k. What next? “The English men’s team will be back in action on 23 Marc, when they are iue to play Italy in Naples inthe frst of eight tures in their campaign to qualify for Euro 2024, Also in their group are Malta, North ‘Macedonia and Ukraine, Several England! players have said that they hope Southgate, who is under contract until late 2024, will remain manager. I hae leaves, Leicester City ‘manager Brendan Rodgers, Newcastle's Eddie Howe, and ex-Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino have all been tipped as possible replacements. 17 December 2022 THE WEEK 6 NEWS Politics Controversy of the week Britain’s new coalmine “The Government's decision to approve the first new deep coalmine in Britain in 30 years “reveals an unpleasant truth”, said The Observer. “It demonstrates, with brutal clarity, that No. 10 has no credible green agenda and does not understand ‘of care about the climatic perl our world is facing.” The ‘Woodhouse colliery, near Whitehaven in Cumbria is projected to produce nearly three million tonnes of coking coal (used in steelmaking, not electricity generation) per year. Over its 30-year lifespan, this will generate some 250 million tonnes of (CO2. Yer in the teeth of ferce objections from environmental campaigners and others, and following years of planning disputes, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove waved it through last week. This “seriously tarnishes the UK's reputation as a global eader and opens us up to wel-justified changes of hypocrisy”. Briain has been leading the push to phase out coal. Now i will again become a “supplier of dirty fuel to the planet”. ‘The proposed Woodbouse colliery “There is nothing dicty about coal as far as Whitehaven is concerned,” said Robert Hardman in the Daily Mail. This isa proud old pit town, desperate for investment and regeneration, and the local reaction to the news has been euphoric. The mine will by some estimates create 500 jobs, and perhaps 1,500 more in the supply chain. Iris claimed that 90% of locals support it. I's not as ifthe Coal will be burt in power stations; i will he used to make stel, which we're going to need for “all those wind turbines and electric cars". Surely if better to produce our own coking Coal, said David Frost in The Daily Telegraph ~than to ship it halfway round the worl, from Australia or America. ‘The reaction from Labour and the environmentalists has been “hysterical”. Labous in theory, wants to make Britain “energy independent”. Can it not see that you need coal to make steel? “That is “the drug pusher's argument”, said Cat Rutter Pooley in the FT: “Fits not our coal it will be someone eles”. But if you accept that, the case is unconvincing, Most of the coal is likely to be exported as there isnt much call for it in Britain. Its sulphur content is too hhigh for British Stee! — producers have to mect stringent limits - while the other big UK produces, Tata Steel, says it will only use coking coal for about a decade longer. Both are aiming to phase out coal altogether, by moving to lower-emission technologies such as electric are furnaces or natural gas —and, eventually, hydrogen. Ukimately, the mine may not go ahead, sid Ben Spencer inThe Sunday Times. Ie will have to pas through a “labyrinthine approval process". Labous, which is likely to form the next government, ays i will block the project. The risks of investing are huge: the UK has clear, legally binding net-zer0 Tas, which the mine violates in spirit, if not according to the leter of the law fits slated to close in 2049, a year ahead of the net-zero target date). For all these reasons, “it is unlikely ever to be dug”. ‘The NHS in dectine Fewor pationts are being ‘rested by the NHS than before the pandemic, despite having more funding and ‘more staff, a report has found. Produced by the Institute fr Fiscal Studies, the report warns that Covid ‘may have dealt a “lasting blow’ to the service, It found that although there were 8% more nurses, 9% more consultants and 15% more Junior doctors in the third {quarter ofthis year than in 2018, thare were 14% fewar ‘outpatient appointments land 11% fewer elective ‘admissions. The authors say thare may be many reasons {or this, ineluding a rising ‘number of people needing complex care, doctors working less overtime, end potioneske” ereated by the esis in socal care. Tough migrant policy PM Rishi Sunak Ras ‘promised to introduce now laws that will ensure that ‘migrants who arrive i Britain irregular will have no Fight to remain: they will be detained, ang either sent home or to Rwanda, he sad His five-point plan includes a deal to fast-track deportations, ‘of Albanian migrants, and a pledge to clear the bscklog (f82,601 asylum claims by the end of next year. High Court judgment on the legality ofthe Rwanda policy is expected next week, is Good week for: Spirit of the age pave, astray cat from Doha, who is coming home, even if Copprrigs ictonmybes| |) football isvts The magic wot adopted a ar enol mascot ky pdmed ig dstaor ofthe England squads and players promiped o bring him back the Stroman" toinsude anyone UK.f tcy won the trophy. They dt win, bt So ours ater who “identifies as female the team left their hotel for the airport, Dave was photographed though they may have been en route to a vet to start his four months’ quarantine, seidtonavea diferensex ing Charles, as the fist coin faring his porta entered 28 ag cieltion- The S-pece pice etures his porta created by ‘woman elected sculptor Martin Jennings, facing left; the late Queen's faces right. Sooo ond amomanutowas Bad week for: ncaa get Authors, with news that the median sclf-cmployed income for a fas int updated ts flume autor as alent jst £7,000 per annum ow fom {12,330 m 2006, The Authors Liectsing And Coleing Society ‘The University of Bighton survey also revealed that men earn 41% more than women, up has adviced sa otto refer from 33% in 2016, and that white authors earn more than twice {othe “Chistmas” break, as much as minority ethnic ones (though the sample size for the buttocallit “the winter latter group was relatively small). losure period” instead. ‘Sam BankmanFried, the former boss of the bankrupt Aecording to anine page cryptocurrency exchange FTX, who was arrested in the Bahamas. chuevelangutae ‘The US had cater led charges against the 30-year-old {olocturers, "Christmas" ames Cameron, afer his $2507 sequel t0 2009 Araar received is “Christian-centric”. Staff decidedly mixed reviews. Although some loved The Way of Water, Wworgalso advieod not to "The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw descried it a8. a movie of “pic ‘ask "What is your Chistian tyeeness” chat had landed like a “massive, pointless whale”, while name? butto use “aiven” in The Times, Kevin Maher said it was @ "visually spectacular” Se TMT but “tedious and overstretched” retread of the original fil. THE WEEK 17 December 2022 Poll watch 14% of British adults say that owing to what theyve “seen and heard” about the Duke and Duchess of ‘Sussex's Netflix series, they hhavo a more nogative view ‘of the couple. 34% said they hhad a nogative view already, ‘and that ithas not changed. 4% say they now have a ‘more positive view of the ‘couple. 11% said they had a posttve view already and it has not changed, YouGov Only 35% of UK adults say they would ike to live 10 be 100. Men are keener ‘on the idea than women (43% to 28%) IososiFT {17% of adults who voted Conservative in 2019 say they plan to vote for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party inthe next election, YouGovThe Times Europe at a glance Paris Republicans swing right: An arch- conservative known for his anti-immigrant views has been elected leader of Les Republicains, suggesting thatthe party is making a decisive shift to the righ. Les Républicains (and its predecessors) governed France for much ofits postwar hiscory, bue was last in power under [Nicolas Sarkozy, over a decade ago, and it is now squeezed between Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance and the farright ‘National Rally. In April's presidential election, its candidate scored just 4% of the vores. Observers say the choice of Eric Giorti—a eurosceptic MP who once called for France to have its own Guantnamo Bay ~ suggests its days asa centre-right Gaullist party are over. The 57-year-old ‘was selected in a ballot of 62,000 members He has vowed to keep the party firmly in ‘opposition to Macron, though its 62 MPs area key swing voting bloc that Macron needs to advance his legislative agenda Paris ‘Condom giveaway: France has announced plans to make condoms freely available in pharmacies for 18- to 25-yearolds, as part of efforts to curl the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and the number of ‘unwanted pregnancies. Unveiling the policy, President Macron deseribed it as “revolution in contraception”, and said thar the country needed to work on its sex education programmes, Iris estimated that the rate of sexually transmitted diseases in France rose by 30% in both 2020 and 2021. Since earlier this year, contraception hhas been offered free to women up to the age of 26 (previously, it was free up to 18), and young women can also get free “momning after” pills but in order to be reimbursed for the cost of condoms, men hhad to have a prescription from a midwife ‘oF doctor. The policy will come into force next year Rome Cake shooting: A frend of lalian PM Giorgia Meloni was among theee peopl killed last, Fewhea a man opened fre ona meeting of apartment block residents in a cae in Rome. The S7-yearold suspect is sid to have been | embroiled ina dispute with the residents? i # association, some of whose members ‘managed 0 overpower him before police feived, "eis not right odie ie thi” ‘wrote Meloni on social cvedia, where she posted a recent photograph of herself with J ee ind, Nicoletta Golsano. There has heen no suggestion that the attack was = politically motivated. ‘Caton up with day news at theweek.eo.0k Brussels EU arrests: A Greek MEP was arrested on Friday after police raided Several properties in Brussels and seized €1.5m in cash. Eva Kaili, who was one of 14 vice-presidents in the Parliament, was one of four people detained on suspicion of using their parliamentary positions ro advance the Inceres of a Gulf state, identified in Belgian media as Qatar. She has been charged with money laundering and corruption. She has denied all wrongdoing, as has Qatar, Nevertheless, MEPs vored this week to strip her af her VP role, by 625 t0 ‘one. Agreements now under scrutiny include one that gave Qatar Airways unlimited access to EU markets, NEWS 7 Moscow Opposition figure jailed: A prominent Russian opposition figure, Ilya Yashio, has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in jail for spreading false information designed to discredit” the Russian army, the longest sentence yet handed down #0 a critic of Vladimie Putin's invasion of Ukraine. One of only a few well-known, Kremlin critics to have remained in Russia, hhe was arrested after posting online testimony about the alleged murder and torture of civilians in the Ukrainian town, of Bucha. Explaining ealier this year why he had not lef the country after Putin effectively criminalised any criticism of the war, Yashin said “anti-war voices sound louder and more convincing if the person remains in Russia”. ~~ ‘Salerno, Italy Safe harbour: Italy allowed more than 500 ‘migrants to come ashore in two southern ports last week, prompting speculation that its new right-wing government has softened is line on immigration. The migrants had been picked up by two rescte ships, the Geo Barents and the Humanity Ty hich were permitted to dock in Salerno and Bari after several days at sea, The interior minister, Matteo Piantedosi, said the decision was made because bad weather was putting lives at risk. He said thar there had been no ‘change in the policy that has led to several such vessels being refused safe harbour in Italian ports since October, when PM Giorgia Meloni came to power. But observers have noted divisions over the igsue in her coalition government, with Antonio Tajani, che Forza Italia foreign ‘minister, pushing for a more humanitarian approach to avoid a nift wth EU alles. Bakhmut, Ukraine “The “meat grinder” in Donetsk: The focus of che ground war in Ukraine has shifted to the city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk, where fighting, ongoing for months, has recently intensified. Swathes ofthe city have been reduced to rubble, and nine-tenths ofits £80,000 inhabitants have fled, asthe two sides battle over a frontline that has barely shifted since May. One commencator has referred to it as Ukraine's “Stalingrad”, another asa “meat grinder”. Casualties on both sides are believed to be running in the order of dazens or even hundreds a day, with Russian reinforcements ~ many from the Wagner mercenary group ~arriving in waves. Miltary experts say the cost to Russia outweighs any operational benefit that could derive from capturing the city, and speculate that Moscow is simply desperate fora victory, following its Fbumiliating defeats in Kharkiv and Kherson this aucurnn, 17 Desember 2022 THE WEEK Houston, Texas Mission accomplished: Nasa’ Orion spacecrat splashed down off the coast of Mexico this week, having suecessfully completed its 1.4-million mile, 26-day journey around the Moon, The Artemis 1 mission was unmanned, but was intended co test hardvvare and collect data to prepare for sending astronauts to the surface ofthe Moon in 2025 or 2026. (On its re-entry through Earth's atmosphere, it hit speeds of 24,500mph, and withstood 2,760°C heat. “Ie time to celebrate ~ then we gotta get ready for Artemis I,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of Nasa’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston. California Fusion breakthrough: Scientists have hailed a “momentous” breakthrough in the drive to recreate nuclear fusion ~ the process that powers the Sun. Proponents of the technology say nuclear fusion (achieved by forcing _— together pairs of light atoms) could provide a nearlimitless supply of clean energy. But in experiments it has always taken more energy to achieve fasion than the fusion has produced ~ until now. According to the results released this week, researchers a the US government’ Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory used 2.1 megajoules of energy to achieve a return of 2.5 megajoules. That is only enough to boi afew kettles, and it could be decades before fusion can be used to power homes — but experts said the results sill represent a major step forward. Lackland Air Force Base, Texas Prisoner swap: The US basketball player Brittney Griner flew home to Texas last week, having been freed froma jail in Russia in exchange forthe release from US custody ofthe Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. A double Olympic gold medallist, Griner had been jailed for nine years for drugs smuging: she had been Stopped at a Moscow airport with vape ‘cartridges containing cannabis oil in her Tuggage, President Biden celebrated her release, but was criticised for freeing Bout, aka the “Merchant of Death”, who'd been serving a 25-year term in the US. The exchange took place in Abu Dhabi Washington DC Marriage protections: The US congress has passed a bill that protects the rights of same-sex and interracial couples to marry ‘The Respect for Marriage Act, which won bipartisan support in both houses, prohibits states from denying the validity of ‘a marriage legally performed in another state on the basis of sex, race of ethnicity, Democrats had started pushing for the bill after the conservative-dominated supreme court overtumed Roe v. Wade ~ raising fears that other landmark rulings, such as Obergefell ¥. Hodges (2015), which requires all states ro grant same-sex marriages, might also be successfully challenged. President Biden signed the bill into law at an event this week, Lima Deadly protests: At least seven people have been killed in a wave of protests in Peru triggered by the arrest and impeachment ofthe lefese former president Pedro Castillo, who had been in power since July 2021. To the fury of many of his supporters, Castillo ‘was removed from office last week for seeking to dissolve the ‘opposition-controlled congress, hours before a vote on his Impeachment for alleged cozruption. He was replaced by hs VP, ina Boluarte~ who became the country’s sixth president in six years, and its frst female lender. Boluarte tried to calm tensions by proposing to bring elections forward by two years, 0 2024, to lite avail. This week, protesters fought running battles with police and stormed the airport in Peru’s second city, Arequipa. ‘THE WEEK 17 December 2022 The world at a glance ‘Washington De Lockerbie suspect held: A former Libyan intelligence official appeared in court in Washington DC this week, accused of preparing the bomb thar brought down Pan Am flight 103 over the Scortish town of Lockerbie on 21 December 1988. All 259 people on the Bocing 747 were killed, along with 11 people on the ground; 190 of the dead were US citizens. The US Department of Justice had revealed at the weekend that it had custody of Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi. Ie did not reveal how hae had arrived in the US, but sources in Libya told The Guardian that he had been seized from his home in Tripoli by forces loyal to 4 notorious Iocal militia leader. Marimi was charged by the US i 2020. Until now the only person convicted over the bombing was ‘Absdelbaset al-Megeahi, He was released from jail in Scotland on ‘compassionate grounds in 2009, and died of cancer in 2012. Buonos Airos Corruption scandal: Argentina's vice-president, Cristina Fernnder de Kirchner, was sentenced to six years in jail last week by a federal ‘court. The lefewinger had been accused of creating a kick-back scheme in which lucrative public works contracts were granted to friends during her presidency, from 2007 to 2015, She was ‘one of seven people convicted in the case, Her opponents have long branded her a “thief” and in a protest outside her house this year, she narrowly avoided being assassinated when her assailane’s ‘gun jammed. De Kirchner, who insists she is innocents unlikely to be jailed any time soon. Her role bestows immunity, and she is set to begin an appeals process that could take years. The world at a glance Antsiraka, Madagascar |MH370 clue: Evidence has come to light that Malaysia Airlines light MH370, which vanished over the Indian Ocean in 2014, may have been deliberately crashed by one ofits pilots. The conjecture is hased ‘on an inspection ofa landing-gear door found last month in the possession of a Madagascan fisherman. Blaine Gibson, fan American who has led the search for ‘MEI370 debris, and Richard Godley, 1 British engineer contend that the damage to the door shows the landing gear was intentionally lowered before impact with ‘water, to increase the risk ofthe airliner breaking up. The findings have prompeed calls fora further investigation int the fate of the 239 people presumed to have died on board, including Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, who is believed to have suffered from clinical depression. Kishishe, DRC Village massacres: AUN investigation hhas confirmed that more than 130 civilians were ‘massacred in two villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo late last month. Atleast 102 men, 17 women and 12 children were executed in Kishishe and Bambo on 29 and 30 ‘November by the M23 militia, which last year launched a campaign in the mineral- rich eastern part of the country, and now controls a large part of the territory. ‘The resulting conflict has displaced nearly 400,000 people since March, and triggered a diplomatic ersis: the DRC, the US land UN experts say that M23 — with ‘members drawn largely from local Tutsi communities ~ are backed by the Tutsi= dominated regime of neighbouring F Roanda~ a claim Rwanda denies. Tehran Protesters killed: Iran announced last week that ithad hanged 23-yearold Mohsen Shekari, who was accused of blocking a seveee in Tehran and wounding, fa member of the regime's Bas rlitia It was the first knowa execution of 1 person arrested in the protests that have ‘swept Iran in the past three months. A second protester was hanged this week for allegedly killing two Basij members in Mashhad. Rights groups say'as many as 21 other protesters have been charged with ‘offences likely to carry the death penalty, Xi Jinping was given lavish ‘welcome on his visit to Saudi Arabia last ‘week. Saudi jets painted the sky the colours of the Chinese flag, a8 Xi hailed fa “new era” in relations between the two States, and signed a deal with Prince Mohammed bin Salman to boost bilateral trade. This contrasts with the cool reception given to President Biden when he visited in Jul, ina failed attempeto secure Saudi cooperation over the war in Ukraine. ‘There is some concern in Washington about the strengeh of the allegiance ofits long-standing ally in the Middle East NEWS 9 Hong Kong Lai sentenced: Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media tycoon, has been sentenced t0 more ‘than five years in jail on fraud charges. His crime is to have rented 0.16% of the office space owned by his company, Next Digital, this consultancy firm, in violation of the lease, an offence that usually incurs merely a fine, The 75-year-old dem also faces a potential life sentence for ‘conspiring to collude with foreign forces, ‘one of many charges brought 3 tunder the sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing in the wake of anti-government procests that rocked the city in 2019 and 2020. Lai’s tial for collusion was meant to begin this week, acy activist inst him but his British lawyer, Tim Owen, has boen denied a visa extension and forced to leave Hong Kong. Its possible Lai may now be ‘extradited to the mainland for the teal. Seoul ‘Age change: South Koreans will all become a year or two younger this, Jane, when che country’s ‘System of recording age comes into line with most of the rest of the world’s, Currently, babies in South Korea are deemed to he ‘one at birth, with another year added each 1 January {tneaning chat some are almost immediately two). ‘To add to the complexity, other ageing systems are used for entering military service, smoking and buying alcohol. The new lav reforming che system is designed 10 simplify it and reduce Tegal disputes, aa ‘Auckland, New Zealand Baby W judgment: In a landmark ruling Jase week, a high-court judge placed ‘guardianship of a six-month-old baby, Known as “Baby W", with dactors until he recovers from open-heart surgery. The baby’s parents had medical custody removed after they refused consent to his receiving blood from Covid-vaccinated donors. The health authorities argued that it was impractical to ave a “directed donor” and would set a dangerous precedent, The case has been closely followed by anti-vax groups. 17 Desember 2022 THE WEEK 10 NEWS Tho warping effect of fame Billie Piper has been famous since she was 15 fist as a singer, and later as an actress, says Rebecea Nicholson in ‘The Guardian, Now, at 40, she loves what she does, but not its impact, “Fame is aviful,” she says. “Irs gross. Irs such a dark thing, And ic will change your everyday experience of life in a way that is depressing, frankly, Christmas decorations and ‘everything lit up," she told Alice Thomson in The Times. For many of us lin Ukraine) 's going to be just a very small (Christmas meal, there won't be any lavish decorations on the ‘tee or presents, we can't use ‘00 much energy.” What would she most like from Britain for Christmas ~ generators, coats, love and sympathy, a welcome inmy expecience of When for refugees? "Everything, Timagine some of my happiest, please,” she says, simply. "But and my freesttimes, most weapons before anything.” of them are pre-fame.” Being famous aot only changes the Jack Grealish's good heart individual Piper saysit has England fans were puzzled made her more guarded, and last month when Jack Grealish her children say she behaves performed an odd wrigaly differently when she's in ance to celebrate his World that world” ~ it also changes the people you meet. “If you're treated well its disproportionate,” she says. “If you're treated badly, its disproportionate. There are very few people who can be normal around it, oF normal around you. Ie makes for 2 very warped world.” Cup goal against Iran. Later, he revealed that he was keeping ‘a promise to a 12-yearold fan who has cerebral palsy, says ‘Miguel Delaney in The Independent. Grealsh had met Finlay Fisher through ‘a charity, and he says he just Wanted to do “a nice thing” for the boy ~ because his lle sister has cerebral palsy 0, A first lady's Christmas wish so he has a sense of what ‘When Ukraine's first lady, Finlay might be going through; Olena Zelenska, flew to the plus he reckoned it might win UK to address the Houses of Parliament last month, she found it hard to adjust to the bustling, festive capital. Ina sgrand, centrally heated room, surrounded by peers in suits and polished shoes, Zelenska described Ukraine's bombed hospitals and abandoned schools; the rape ofits women and girs; and the mutilation ofits young men in freezing trenches, “Its painful to be here diving round London seeing Finlay new friends at school. ‘The footballer has a reputation for being a bit ofa lad ~and he admits that it is not unearned. But on the other hand, he likes doing nice things for other people. “Thats just the way ve been brought up. know Tye been brought up well Tye gota good heart I think Thave. Obviously P've done stupid stuff in my life, but think everything that I do ‘good is from my heart.” Castaway of the week ‘This week's edition of Radio 4's Desert Island Dises featured the Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett 4. Symphony No. 5 in C:Sharp Minor: Il by Gustav Mahler, performod by the Berlin Philharmon Craucio Abbado 2 _Bésame Mucho by Consuelo Velirqu ‘Te Los Panchos. 3+ Tannhauser: Pilgrims” Chorus by Richard Wagner, performed by the New Symphony Orchestra of London and Norman Luboft Choir, conducted by Leopold Stokowskt ‘4 GoTell the Womon by Warren Elis, Martyn Casey, James Sclavunos and Nick Cave, performed by Grinderman 8 Froofby John Harold Arnold Bramwell performed by |Am Kloot 6 low the Wind Southerly, arranged by Gerald Moore, performed, by Kethleen Ferrer 17. The Little Weaver Bird, writen and performed by Molly Dako 8 L'1Darln’by Neil Hot, performed by the Count Basie Orchestra Book: Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit Lunaury time (as much 9s Ineed) "Cheer falowedonly ne record THE WEEK 17 December 2022 People Inher early days atthe BBC, Vanessa Feltz had to fight hard to avoid boing pigeonholed, says Chris Godtrey in The Guardian, Her career there started when she was invited onto a local radio show called Jewish London to discuss 8 piece she'd written in The Jewish Chronicle. She kept being invited back, and in 1989 she was asked ‘to present tho show. Sho was thrilled atthe time, but lator, she tied to branch out, “Isai “Please could | erase over? Do you think you might try me on a human show, rather than a Jewish show?" The reply, she says, was in effect:""Oh, I don't think youtd cross over. You're a Jew ~just stayin your lane.” Naturally, she was affronted. "Id read English literature at Cambridge! | hadn't ot a Europesn Fiddler on the Rooftype accent and also you couldn't se me, so they couldn't eay | looked Jewish.” twas only when her bose met ‘ barman who loved her show that he conceded she might hava, “mainstream” appeal, She finaly left the BBC last year. She is 60, {and given what she had seen atthe BBC, she figured she'd beter jump before she was pushed. Now she is at TalKTV, and its a difforont world. "They haven't sai | have to be 23 with a certain log length and 2 cartain boobage. Nobody hae said, Put a veil over the ‘camera and some Vaseline because Vanessa's coming And I didn't {eel the same atthe BBC. So glory, glory to Rupert Murdoch and ‘thank you, Mr Murdoch, very much indeed for having me.” ‘Viewpoint: Farewell Miserable towns “Colchester has heen reveled robe omposeror Bei” Britain's most miserable town inthe | yncis Twin oats and Blue VoWer died annual ONS sirvey of happiness. Well, | #4 ue VoWet ced it may be tra that nothing much has happened there since the Romans left. | Dame Beryt Grey OH, But then I looked at the next four Star of postwar Beth places classed as miserable ~ Redditch, | Ballet died 10December, Norwich, Tunbridge Wells, Lambeth | #98495 and noticed there is nothing that | Wet Lowis-Stt, Tinks them. Not average age, income, — | sist, broadeast scenery, facilities or lack of. Nor does anything link our happiest places: “Torridge, Pendle and Lichfield. And none of the miserable towns were terribly miserable last year. I suspect there i a simple reason for thse the lis is bollocks. Doesnt the ONS have anything moze useful to do?” Rod Liddle in The Sunday Times Lord Young of araffham (CH, Pe, DL, businessman and Tory poten, died 8 December, aged £0. Who should you trust with your family’s finances? The biggest? Or the best. Not all wealth managers are created equal. 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Do your research. © Christopher @ Ward _chrstopherward.com a Briefing NEWS 13 To eight billion and beyond ‘There are now more than eight billion people on Earth — and the population is set to increase further How fast has the population grown? Staggeringly fast, particularly in the past ‘two centuries. In 10,000BC, in the late Stone Age, the world was home to an estimated four million peoples by the birth of Christ, that had reached about 200 million. Even as recently as 1700, ‘when Britain was on the cusp of the Industrial Revolution, the world’s population stood ar only around 600 million. Bur since then, there has been an explosion. The global population reached ‘one billion around 1800; then almost two billion a century later. It was still only 2.5 billion in 1950. Over the past century, the growth rate has been extraordinary: the UN Population Division projected thar the world population surpassed eight billion om 15 November ~ having hit six billion in 1999 and seven billion in 2011, that good news? I is “a story of triumph”, according to the UN Population Fund. Population growth has been driven by improvements in public health; declines in infant mortality and deaths in childbieth; xl the Green Revolution that has greatly increased agricultural production, Since Thomas Malthus's dice warnings in the late 18th century, many have worried that ballooning numbers ‘would lead to famine and strife over searce resources, yer global living standards are now higher than they have ever been, Life expectancy at birth has risen from around 32 in 1900 to 47 in 1950, and co 73 in 2020. The world population even continued to grow during the Covid pandemic, which killed at least six million people, and perhaps as many as 15 million Will it keep growing? For the time being, yes ~ at least in most places ~ although the global population as a whole is now actually growing at is slowest rate since 1950. But according, to the UN, it’ still on course to hit 8.5 billion by 2030, and 9.7 billion around 2050, before peaking at about 10.4 billion by the 2080s. More than half ‘of the projected increase up to 2050 is forecast to be concentrated in ust eight countries: the DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, ‘Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines Lagos will be part of avast “megalopolis” by 2100 ‘most of the coming population growth, (On the other hand, living standards and consumption are also growing fast ~ if ‘unevenly ~in these nations, and increased urbanisation and climate change could pose many difficulties What difficulties are they? Developing world megacties are already severely affected by rising temperatures and other environmental issues: flooding, igrowing demand for scarce water, air pollution (in Dhaka, home to 22 million people, it slashes seven years off life expectancy). Shortages of food and water are common across lange swathes of the world, and are contributing t0 {geopolitical tension in Africa, Nations with a growing working-age population often boom economically (this is known as the “demographic dividend”). But if young people's material aspirations cannot be met, it can cause instability: countries that experience “youth bulges” are more likely to experience revolution and political violence than countries that do not. ‘Why will populations stop growing? ‘Most societies go through the “demographic transition”: as they develop and educate their citizens (particularly women), they shift from high birth rates and high death rates to low birth rates and low death rates. (China has already transitioned: itis expected to decrease by 48 million, ot 2.7%, by 2050, thanks in part to its ‘one-child policy; while India is expected ro surpass itas the ‘world’s most populous country with about 1.4 billion people next year The global fertility rate has more than halved since the 1950s to 2.3 births per woman. In 61 mostly rich countries, the LUN forecasts that populations will fall by atleast 1% by 2050, Across Europe, fertility rates are now below the replacement level (about 2.1 children pee woman). In South Korea, the ferility rave has dipped below one, and in Japan itis just above one. Several nations are likely to see theie populations decline by more than 15% by 2050: including Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine. Aare falling populations worrying? and Tanzania. disproportionate amount of the forecasted growth will be concentrated in sub:Saharan Africa, including in megacitis (se box). This, of course, poses serious ecological and social challenges. What sort of challenges? “The environmental impact of another wo billion people will be vast. The UN’ Intergovernmental Pane! on ‘Climate Change has identified global population growth as one of the two main drivers of rising CO emissions, warning that it will make it" much harder” to keep global warming below the relatively safe target of, °C. tis often pointed out that i is not population growth per se that drives increased emissions and environmental destruction, but rather associated levels of consumption. And poorer countries with relatively low Ievels of consumption will acount for The West African megalopolis Nowher isthe worle’s population forecast to grow faster in the coming decades than in Africa. The continantis currently heme to 1.4 lion poopio; but by the middle ofthis century, demographers think that figure will have almost doubled. And by 2100, the UN ‘rojects that A\rica’s population will have climbed to ‘39 billion people - or about 40% of all humanity ‘Avast number of these people wil inhabit a 600-mile “stretch of Wiest African cosetine between Lagos in Nigeria and Abidjan inthe Ivory Coast, says Howard W. Franch in The Guardian. Already densely populated, ‘this area (which also encompasses the southern coasts ‘of Ghana, Togo and Benin] is forecast to become a ‘and sprawling group of urban I'dwarf those found inthe US, India and even China. In just over a decade, it wil contain an ‘estimated 51 millon people; and by the end of the century, itis forecast to be home toa etaggeting 500 rilion, making it the largest zone of dense habitation ‘on Earth, I this population growth is managed ‘ficiently, says Daniel Hoormwvog, a scholar of urbanisation at Ontario Tech University it could {rensform the region into an economic powerhouse, "Butt it develops badly... hell could break loose. ‘They have obvious economic side effets falling numbers mean gaps in the workforce, and slower growth or even falls in output. These can be plugged with immigration, but at ‘cost, arguably, to social cohesion. At the same time, the world’s population is ageing: the proportion of people 65 and older is projected to rise from 10% now, to 16% by 2050, Increases in spending on healthcare and pensions wil be nceded as richer ‘countries contend with declining and rapidly ageing populations. That, in turn, could lead to what demographer Wolfgang Lutz cals the “low-fertity trap hypothesis”, whereby low fertility passes itself through the ‘generations as rising tax burdens make people more reluctant to have ildren because chey struggle to meet their own aspirations, The challenge is to find a demographic goldilocks zone: not to0 many, Not 100 Few, 17 Desember 2022 THE WEEK 14 NEWS Time for you to vanish, my lords and ladies [Andrew Rawnsley The Observer Green growth will cause jobs to wither Helen Thomas Financial Times The dishonesty that dwells in bleeding hearts Juliet Samuct ‘The Daily Telegraph Sanctions don’t work? Oh, yes they do Simon Nixon The Times THE WEEK 17 December 2022 Best articles: Britain “No one would invent it, but it kind of works.” That’ the line you always hear from apologists for the House of Lords, says Andrew Rawnsley: Complacent nonsense. The Lords “doesn't work and must be fixed”. Ifthe chaotic premierships of Boris Johnson and Lia Truss proved anything, it chat the upper house provides no adequate check on rubbish laws and unconstitutional behaviour. ‘Another common excuse for inaction is that Lords reform is a “boring” topic people don’t care about. Not so: pols show voters are “very troubled by the decayed stare of their institutions”. With reason: its embarrassing that while the US relies on 100 senators, Britain has an upper chamber of some 800 members, some ‘owing their place to birth, many more to connections. The place is stulfed with “cronies, toadies and donors”, a swelling "mob of :mediocrties who serve not the public interest” but their own. One * semi-serious” objection to reform is thar a more legitimate Lords ‘might lead to legislative gridlock berween it and the Commons. [But that’s an argument fora careful dlincation of powers, not for sticking with a manifestly unsatisfactory status quo. To hear ministers tll it it won't be at all hard to wean ourselves ‘off fossil fuels, and switch to an electric-powered economy. Losses from obsolete sectors will be more than offset by new “green jobs": infact, the Government aims to create two million by 2030, The big problem with that rasy vision, says Helen Thomas, is thatit underplays the huge dislocation that lies in store: the green revolution will prove a job killer. Take the switch to electric ‘cars, ince they have fewer parts than petrol-powered vehicles (no exhausts, gear boxes or radiators), they'll require fewer workers 1 assemble ~ 40% fewer, according to Jim Farley, CEO of Ford ‘Same goes for switching the UK's stel blast furnaces to electric the number of jobs there wil likely fall by some 45%. True, we'll ‘need lots of new skilled workers to install renewables and reteofit, ‘houses wich insulation: but once we've found and trained them and they've carried out their vital task, demand will fall away. ‘And then what? Make no mistake, the transition to net zero ‘poses as much of a “social challenge” as a technological one. I don’t know which is worse, says Juliet Samuel: the passivity ‘or the sanctimony. The settled view among the great and good seems to he that we should just accept the rising number of ‘migrants crossing the Channel on boats (an estimated 47,000 ‘will make the trip chs year). They're only making the hazardous journey, declare senior clergy and so-called “centrists", because we haven't provided them with *safe and legal routes” to enter the UK. It bohoves us, then, to provide those who do reach our shores with decent lodgings and help to settle in; not to do so is “cruel”, This stance sounds humane, but its fundamentally dishonest. I's blind o two basic facts: that the very news outlets they condemn. “Te liberal lefe went the other way, and decided the couple were “heroes of social justice, said fan Dune in The i Pape, which is equally absurd. Some of what they sy ‘makes no sens. For instance, Meghan claims she had no idea that she’ have to curtsey tothe Queen (she says she thought it was 4 "joke", then mocks the procedure). What kind of station did she think she was entering when she opted to marey prince? She says she was given no preparation for royal if, sai Jennie Bond in the Daily Mirror. that is true (and royal insiders say itis no), Harty is partly to blame. He should have taken more time toexplainto her, for instance, cht inthe Firm, there sa hierarchy “and that she'd have to conform tit, however stulying that might be. Harey was steugling with i himself, said Tanya Gold ‘on UnHerd; and in Meghan, he found someone strong enough t0 take him away. Buc hes ony half fee, because he is sill a prince, “with all the expectations” ofa prince, and sill relying on the “attention without merit” that his eoyal status bestows, He may hhaye moved to California, but he has no tavlled all that fa. hher “husband's cousin"; David Nicholls was sympathetic, too, "The one where the bookshop staf kindly pretended to be customers 0 | wouldh't feel too bad, that stays with me,” he tweeted, Pick of the week's (TT ‘When a debut author named Chelsea Banning vented on “Twitter about only two people turning up to her book signing, ‘host of esteeling writers were quick to empathise. “At ‘my first Salem's Lot signing, {Thad one customer,” tweeted King. A fat kid who ley bud, do you know ‘where there's some Nazi books?” The Pachinko author Min Jin Loe recalled a reading that was attended only by Kathy Burko has had a dificult few years, but she admits that one thing this year realy cheered her up: Will Smiths slap at the Oscars. She was, that sounds awful. But sort of loved it.I mean, it was out of ‘order and he f*ked it up for himsetf more than anybody ‘else. But ust loved seeing the England's footballers were put through their paces in Doha, ot least by their own winger, Bukayo Sako, who filmed himself ambushing teammates with on-the-spot spelling tests. Inne viral clip, Saka asks «Jack Grealsh to spell "thythm”. “RHYM-TH", says Grealish a8 Saka laughs. In another video, he challenges James Maddison jesthotic”. "AE-S-TE- Saka (who gota string of As and Asin his GCSEs). Asked about *Saka’s Spaling School" fon an England team video, Saka, 21, admitted: “tm not civing them an easy time.” faces of these Astor who didn’t know what the fk to do without an agent telling them!” THE WEEK 17 December 2022 Talking points China: a “screeching” Covid U-turn ‘What we saw in China last week was "not so much ashifein gear asa screeching hand-brake turn said fan Willams in The Spectator, Shaken by protests involving everyone from factory ‘workers tothe urban elite, Xi JFinping’s government abruptly announced an end to most of the countey’s draconian Covid restictions Having spent three years “insiling fear” ofthe ¥irus in che population, and Suppressing it spread via “brutal Tockdovens”, compulsory mass testing, enforced quarantines and intrusive surveillance, the authorities have suddenly changed ther line: cis now time to stare living with the virus. Even the phrase "er0-Covid” has been dropped from state media, But in Bejing’ anxiety to change course at full throttle it risks replacing its “hysteric alarmism” over Covid-19 with a disastrous complacen For along time, the zero-Covid policy allowed most Chinese people to live a normal existence while the economy hummed along nicely, said ‘The Economist. But then the Omicron variant started to spread, and “more and more people” ‘were ensnared in strict controls. The economy ‘was suffering, and public anger was reaching worrying level. At that point, a more open {government would have laid out che steps for gradual easing of the restrictions. But President Xtis rushing i, in the depths of winter, just Y Xis moving 00 fastt ‘weeks before Lunar New Yeas, when hundreds of millions of people will be on the move. The country does not have enough intensive-care beds to cope with a major outbreak; and crucially, only 40% of over-80s have been vaccinated (including booster) said Winston Mok in the South ‘China Morning Post. Given how fast Omicron spreads, there’ every chance of a catastrophic ‘wave of disease like the one that overwhelmed Hong Kong last March, Thousands died there. (On the mainland, that could ‘mean “hundreds of thousands of deaths". Xi's climbdown “feels like a historic milestone”, said Nicholas Kristof in The New York Times. Popular protests in modern China have typically resulted in harsh crackdowns delivering not more freedom, but less So this was a very ‘unusual outcome, particulary given that the protesters were often explicitly critical of Xi ‘The easing may prove costly in human life, but the events of recent weeks showw that China's yearning for broader liberties “can no more be extinguished than a virus”. The takeaway from these protests may be that “resistance works”, agreed Michael Schuman in The Atlantic. As Covid cases surge, danger looms ~ for the Communist Party, and for the president. “In China where Xi Jinping wants all the power and glory, he'll also get all the blame.” Intelligent chatbots: the coming revolution Something happened on 30 November that could rank among the seminal moments in ‘modern technology”, said The Times. It sounds ‘unremarkable enough: Openal, a San Francisco company, released a chabot. But it was a long ‘way from the average customer service bot, of ceven from Siri and Alexa. ChatGPT is the ‘most sophisticated chatbor yet, and it has left observers “slack jawed at its capabilities”. Imagine a piece of artificial intelligence (Al) that thas instantaneous access to the sum of human knowledge, and can synthesise it into language. I-can write esays, articles, scrips, contracts, ‘computer code, jokes, poems and marketing pitches. Ir ean compose a reasonable haiku on the Great Fire of London, or design a respectable syllabus for an MBA course, Its “paradise for the cheating student”, “Essays are dead,” wrote ‘one scientist. Some think that it could aso kill ‘off Google's search engine: where Google gives 4 series of links, ChatGPT gives a comprehensive answer. It could revolutionise education, professional serviees and consumer behaviour. In short, i could “change the way we live”. So this is how the AI revolution arrives, said Ed ‘Cumming in The Daily Telegraph. Not in “the form of killer robots or dystopian autocracies", bt inthe form of a chatbot. ChatGPT uses a large language model. That means, to put it simply, chat it works by scouring vast amounts, of text on the internet, and analysing is sequences. Then, when asked a question, it answers by finding the information that best fits a given prompt “and rendering i in clear if wooden English”. In the past, it was manual labourers who had the most to fear from rmechanisation, said Hugo Rifkind in The Times. But in the next industrial revolution, any job that involves synthesising data will be under threat: accountants, doctors, lawyers. A "slow-motion, bomb” is going off under the professions. ChatGPT is a brilliant tool for mimicking human language, said Kenan Malik in The (Observer. It looks for statistical regularities in banks of text, “learns what words and phrases are associated with others”, and so predicts how words and sentences should fit together. But it doesn’t actually understand anything: it can write good essays, but it also reproduces the errors ofthe text it has been trained on. And it makes its ovin mistakes, It has claimed that “if one woman can produce one baby in nine ‘months, nine women can produce one baby in fone month”. Its computer code looks good, but is often faulty In short, “it a fluent bullshitter”, ChatGPT is an “astonishing” device, and will be a useful tool. But let's keep some perspective here: humans will be needed for a while yet NEWS 21 Wit & Wisdom “The best way to have 4 good idea is to have Tots of ideas.” (Chemist Lins Pauling,

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