A week that began with controversy looks set to end on equally divisive terms after a Durham police force investigation found that Dominic Cummings did break lockdown regulations by driving to Barnard Castle, but will not face punishment.
More than 60 Conservative MPs, including two whips and a string of ex-cabinet ministers, have now called on the prime minister to take action against Cummings. But, despite huge damage to his polling numbers, Boris Johnson has so far remained loyal to his chief Downing Street adviser.
If the PM is keeping his head clear during these testing times, it may be because of his new exercise regime - boosted by the Queen giving him permission to run in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
For the rest of us, Johnson this week hinted that pubs may open “sooner than July”, so it’s not all bad.
To find out how closely you’ve been paying attention to the latest global events, put your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week:
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Need a reminder of some of the other headlines over the past seven days?
Elsewhere in the UK, controversy is also brewing over the Saudi-backed takeover of Newcastle United Football Club, while the banking industry issued a warning that extending the mortgage holiday scheme is not in the “best interests” of the public.
Tensions are growing between India and China after a number of spats between troops on the border between the two nations. According to Foreign Policy, while incidents between the two rising superpowers are not uncommon, “we should be worried” about these latest skirmishes.
Rioting broke out in the US following the death of an unarmed black man while he was being forcefully detained by police. The story sparked widespread condemnation after footage showing George Floyd begging for help went viral.
Research revealed a link between dementia and “severe Covid-19”, while in the animal kingdom, scientists made a breakthrough that could help unlock the secret of human speech.
And, in a story that will leave you speechless, a Bolivian pan flute orchestra remains stranded in the grounds of a “haunted” German castle. The musicians have been holed up in the Renaissance-style estate since the start of the coronavirus crisis and, making matters worse, the castle is surrounded by wolves.
