Lately, it can seem as though Britain is crumbling around us. A number of schools in England have had to close while hundreds of others will have to do without buildings that are at risk of collapse, the government announced this week, leaving thousands of pupils facing a return to lockdown-era remote learning.
The culprit? Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), a “crumbly” material widely used in building from the 1950s until the mid-1990s. Ministers are under pressure to explain why they waited until now to announce the decision – just days before the new school year begins – when the risks of RAAC have been known since 2018.
Meanwhile, a new international database revealed that Britain spends up to eight times more than its European neighbours on new road and rail projects – but still suffers from “dire” transport infrastructure. And the failure to build adequate energy infrastructure has left the UK with rocketing bills.
One man may be more familiar than most with these problems. In 2021, the then transport secretary Grant Shapps announced a review of the national road and railways policy, but this has not been completed. Shapps has since changed jobs four times – as of this week, he is the new defence secretary, his fifth cabinet position in less than a year. He also served as transport secretary, home secretary, business secretary and energy security secretary.
To find out how closely you’ve been paying attention to the latest developments in the news and other global events, put your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week.
1. Which country beat England for the first time ever last weekend, in a Rugby World Cup warm-up match at Twickenham?
Georgia
Portugal
Fiji
Uruguay
2. A military coup took place in which African country this week, just after its general election results were declared?
Gabon
Mali
Burkina Faso
Niger
3. UK cinema chain Curzon is launching what initiative for customers?
“BYOB Biopics”
“Dog Day Afternoons”
“Marvel for morons”
“Baby-friendly 3D”
4. A truck crashed in Burlington, Ontario, spilling crates containing millions of which insect?
Ants
Termites
Locusts
Bees
5. Burger King is facing a lawsuit, with customers claiming that its advertising is misleading over the size of its what?
Big King XL
Double Quarter Pounder King
Whopper
Chicken Royale
6. North Korea says it has fired two ballistic missiles to simulate strikes on which country?
South Korea
Japan
United States
Taiwan
7. Soaring demand for weight-loss wonder drugs Wegovy and Ozempic has boosted which country’s economy?
Sweden
Denmark
Norway
Finland
8. The England women’s team of which sport will receive the same match fees as the men’s team?
Football
Rugby union
Cricket
Chess
9. France has banned what item of clothing worn by some Muslim girls from state schools?
The hijab
The abaya
The burqa
The niqab
10. Which Asian country is trying to tempt more young people into marriage, with a financial reward if the bride is aged 25 or younger?
Japan
South Korea
Singapore
China
1. Fiji
England were left in “utter disarray” ahead of the World Cup, said Reuters, after they “slumped” to a 30-22 defeat against Fiji at Twickenham – their first ever defeat to the Pacific islanders. England coach Steve Borthwick’s team selection was questioned after Marcus Smith and Joe Marchant, who both started on the bench, came on to score late on.
2. Gabon
A group of military officials in Gabon announced on television that they had seized power, and put the incumbent president Ali Bongo under house arrest. There has been a “domino effect of political uprisings” across West Africa since 2020, said Ali Rogin at PBS, with coups also taking place in Mali, Chad, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Niger.
3. “Dog Day Afternoons”
Curzon is introducing “Dog Day Afternoons” to allow cinema-goers to bring their four-legged friends into screenings – provided they do not sit on the seats. While most cinemas only allow guide and service animals, the Picturehouse chain and some independent cinemas also offer pet-friendly screenings.
4. Bees
Police warned drivers in Burlington near Toronto to keep their car windows closed after a truck spilled crates carrying five million bees onto a road. Speaking to the BBC, beekeeper Michael Barber said he was confronted with a “pretty crazy cloud of bees” when he arrived at the scene. For more stories from the stranger side of life, sign up to our Tall Tales newsletter.
5. Whopper
A group of American customers are suing Burger King, claiming the pictures it uses to advertise the Whopper burger have ingredients that “overflow over the bun”. The plaintiffs are each seeking “at least $5m in damages”, The Daily Telegraph said, arguing that the false advertising is “so blatant” it is a “breach of contract”.
6. South Korea.
North Korea said it had fired two ballistic missiles to simulate nuclear strikes on military targets in South Korea. The launches came just hours after Washington flew long-range bombers for drills with its allies in a “show of force against the North”, said The Associated Press. State media described the tests as a warning against the US deployment of strategic bombers to the region.
7. Denmark
Novo Nordisk, which developed and produces Ozempic and Wegovy, has seen its share price triple in three years thanks to soaring demand for the weight-loss drugs. The pharmaceutical company now has a higher market value than Denmark’s GDP.
8. Cricket
The England women’s cricket team is set to receive the same match fees as their male counterparts, starting with their current series against Sri Lanka. The value of their central contracts, however, is still vastly below the men’s.
9. The abaya
France has announced a ban on abayas in state schools. The long, loose garment, worn in many Gulf and Middle East countries, is “a religious gesture”, the education minister Gabriel Attal said, so the ban is in line with “laïcité” (secularism), a cornerstone of French policy – although “no text requires Muslim women to wear it”, according to Euronews.
10. China
Changshan county in eastern China is offering couples a “reward” of 1,000 yuan ($137) if the bride is aged 25 or younger. It is the latest incentive to try to encourage young people to get married, amid rising concern over a declining national birthrate in the country. Find out more with The Week Unwrapped podcast.
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Harriet Marsden is a writer for The Week, mostly covering UK and global news and politics. Before joining the site, she was a freelance journalist for seven years, specialising in social affairs, gender equality and culture. She worked for The Guardian, The Times and The Independent, and regularly contributed articles to The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The New Statesman, Tortoise Media and Metro, as well as appearing on BBC Radio London, Times Radio and “Woman’s Hour”. She has a master’s in international journalism from City University, London, and was awarded the "journalist-at-large" fellowship by the Local Trust charity in 2021.
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