Cover Page, 11 February 2021, Issue 266 Welcome to our latest edition. This week we lead with a comment on the state of the Union. We also consider the latest Covid-19 statistics, Myanmar’s history and current crisis, formal appointments v. informal appointments, why the Earth and not Mars is the Red Planet, the UK/Irish border
11 February 2021 Trouble in the Lowlands Sun setting on Union? By J.R. Thomas There is nothing like a one party state for provoking vicious fights. Not, of course, that Scotland is yet a one party state, not yet, but it is starting to resemble one in many key elements. Try getting a politically sensitive
11 February 2021 Lies, Damned Lies and Coronavirus Where do we go from here? by David Chilvers This week, we look at how the current wave of COVID-19 is progressing and how this might develop over the next few months. With the peak of this wave clearly passed, there is pressure from some parts of
11 February 2021 Myanmar Manoeuvres The history, the heroine, the holocaust and Hlaig. By Lynda Goetz It is now 10 days since the tanks rolled into Naypyidaw, capital of Myanmar. It was the day the new parliament was due to open, February 1st 2021. State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi was put under house arrest
11 February 2021 Using Judgement Ms Bingham’s appointment. By John Watson If you were asked to identify a high spot in the government’s performance recently, an obvious candidate would be the appointment of Kate Bingham to head up the vaccine procurement effort. Although she was already a member of the Vaccine Task force, her experience
11 February 2021 Seeing Red The ‘blue’ planet? By Neil Tidmarsh In Serbia last week, a pitch invasion repeatedly brought play to a halt during the soccer match between Radnicki 1923 Kragujevac and Kolubara Lazarevac. A dog kept on rushing onto the field and chasing and grabbing the ball. Eventually the referee had to resort
11 February 2021 Diary of a Corbynista Pots of Complicated Money by Don Urquhart 3 February A busy Message Board in response to several articles in Shawsheet 265. Here’s a selection: Flyboy: I’ve had an issue with the food delivery model for years since I have never understood how the person delivering the food could
11 February 2021 What did the Irish ever do for us? By Paul Branch The English are blessed with good neighbours with whom we share the depths of cultural and historical affinity, make full use of a common language and enjoy each other’s company. Being that much further away, and despite being separated by particularly
11 February 2021 Letter to the Editors from Chris Bird Dear Sirs I read Lynda Goetz’s article on greening the planet (“The Future” , Issue 263) with interest. I agree with much of what she said, however my concern is that green progress is not even thought about in Uganda where our charity, 3H,
