Ten Things You Need to Know Today: 7 November 2022
The Week’s daily digest of the news agenda, published at 8am
- 1. UK open to reparations
- 2. US keen on Putin talks
- 3. Williamson ‘threatened colleague’
- 4. ‘Dread’ as US approaches midterms
- 5. Cop sells rape joke merch online
- 6. Offshore property owning on the rise
- 7. Long Covid patients continue to suffer
- 8. Boy dies after fleeing fireworks
- 9. Andrew ‘cried when Charles banished him’
- 10. PM ‘disappointed’ with Hancock
1. UK open to reparations
Britain has paved the way to paying climate change reparations to developing countries by backing talks on the question at the Cop27 summit. Last night UK negotiators “backed a last-minute agreement to address ‘loss and damage’ payments to countries badly affected by climate-related disasters”. Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Maldives are among the nations pressing for compensation from richer countries responsible for most of the world’s pollution. Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak will tell the summit that “the fight against climate change can become “a global mission for new jobs and clean growth”.
Cop27: who’s attending and who’s giving it a miss
2. US keen on Putin talks
The White House has been privately telling Ukraine to indicate willingness to hold talks with Russia or risk losing support from other nations. The Washington Post said the request by the Biden administration “was not aimed at forcing Ukraine to the negotiating table”. Instead, it reflects US fears that Zelensky’s ban on talks with Putin had caused concern in parts of the world where the war’s effects on costs of food and fuel are felt most strongly. “Ukraine fatigue is a real thing for some of our partners,” an unnamed US official told the newspaper.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
How the Ukraine war started and how it might end
3. Williamson ‘threatened colleague’
A minister has claimed that Sir Gavin Williamson raised a sensitive aspect of her private life in an attempt to silence her while she was on the back benches. While the Tory MP was campaigning on an issue that was causing the government difficulty, Williamson is said to have visited her and issued a tacit threat. The MP said she is willing to discuss the issue with the party. Williamson’s allies denied that he had been trying to silence the MP and said that he had raised the issue in a “pastoral capacity”.
4. ‘Dread’ as US approaches midterms
US politicians have been making their closing arguments to voters two days before the midterm elections. Donald Trump has already cast doubt on the legitimacy of the forthcoming midterm election in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania. “Here we go again!” he wrote on social media. “Rigged Election!” Sky News’ international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn said “there’s a sense of dread about America’s future - and we should all worry”.
US midterms 2022: the process, polling and how results will affect 2024
5. Cop sells rape joke merch online
A serving police officer could face an investigation for selling merchandise featuring jokes about rape, according to the i news site. A website run by an officer in the South Wales Police sells police-related products featuring slogans such as “feel safe at night — sleep with a cop,” and a joke about rape alongside a cartoon of a woman in underwear. It also sells mugs featuring the phrase: “I should be out catching rapists and murderers”. South Wales Police said they were investigating the allegations.
6. Offshore property owning on the rise
Research shared with The Guardian showed that more than 138,000 residential and commercial properties in England and Wales are owned by offshore companies, with holdings in London worth a combined £55bn. Although the land registry lists about 94,000 property titles as owned by offshore companies, many include multiple properties on a single plot. “Each title owned by offshore companies includes, in reality, about 1.47 properties on average,” said the Wealth Chain Project.
7. Long Covid patients continue to suffer
Many long Covid patients are “still struggling with the effects of the virus “nearly three years after first getting infected”, reported The Mirror. A 66-year-old singing teacher is believed to be the longest-suffering Covid patient in the UK, while another patient, Nic Mitchell, first showed symptoms as far back as Christmas Day 2019. Around two million people in the UK are believed to have the condition.
Long Covid: symptoms, treatment and people most at risk
8. Boy dies after fleeing fireworks
A teenage boy has died after fleeing to a garden close to where one person reported up to 80 teens hurling fireworks, according to the Halifax Courier. The 17-year-old boy was found injured in the garden of a house in Vickerman Street, Halifax on Saturday evening and later died later in hospital. It is thought that the boy climbed over a fence and landed on top of a greenhouse. The greenhouse shattered and the broken glass severely injured the boy.
9. Andrew ‘cried when Charles banished him’
Prince Andrew wept when Charles told him shortly before the Queen died that he was permanently banned from royal duties, according to reports. During a face-to-face meeting described as “emotional and fraught”, the-then Prince of Wales ended his brother’s hopes of a return to public life. Andrew had believed that he could “still be of value” as a working member of the royal family despite his association with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A royal source said: “Andrew was totally blindsided. He is utterly bereft.”
Forgiving Prince Andrew: can the country ever move on?
10. PM ‘disappointed’ with Hancock
Rishi Sunak has joined the chorus of criticism aimed at Matt Hancock for joining I’m A Celebrity, saying that he was “very disappointed” at the decision. Speaking to The Sun, the prime minister said “it’s incumbent on politicians to earn people’s respect and trust” and “they do that by working hard for their constituents, as the vast majority of MPs do - that is why I was very disappointed with Matt’s decision”. Sunak said he “genuinely won't have time” to watch the ITV series.
Why Matt Hancock has signed up for I’m A Celebrity
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
It's not just ice quantity that climate change affects. It's also quality.
Under the Radar Ice is getting thinner and frailer
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
What's behind Trump's last-minute merch push?
Today's Big Question With just weeks to go before the election, Donald Trump is spending the waning days of his campaign hawking a suite of new products, from silver coins to cryptocurrency
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kamala Harris' plan to raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy
the explainer Tweaks, rather than sweeping overhauls, characterize the Democratic nominee's proposals
By David Faris Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 24, 2024
Daily Briefing Trump closes in on nomination with New Hampshire win over Haley, 'Oppenheimer' leads the 2024 Oscar nominations, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 23, 2024
Daily Briefing Haley makes last stand in New Hampshire as Trump extends polling lead, justices side with US over Texas in border fight, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 22, 2024
Daily Briefing DeSantis ends his presidential campaign and endorses Trump, the US and Arab allies push plan to end Gaza war, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 21, 2024
Daily Briefing Palestinian death toll reportedly passes 25,000, top Biden adviser to travel to Egypt and Qatar for hostage talks, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 20, 2024
Daily Briefing Grand jury reportedly convened to investigate Uvalde shooting response, families protest outside Netanyahu's house as pressure mounts for hostage deal, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 19, 2024
Daily Briefing Congress averts a government shutdown, DOJ report cites failures in police response to Texas school shooting, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 18, 2024
Daily Briefing Judge threatens to remove Trump from his defamation trial, medicine for hostages and Palestinians reach Gaza, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 17, 2024
Daily Briefing The US strikes Houthi targets in Yemen a third time, Trump's second sex defamation trial begins, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published