20 August 2019

The Guardian: No 10 furious at leak of paper predicting shortages after no-deal Brexit

The leaked document, detailing preparations under Operation Yellowhammer, argues that the most likely scenario is severe extended delays to medicine supplies and shortages of some fresh foods, combined with price rises, if there is a no-deal Brexit on 31 October.

It said there would be a return to a hard border on the island of Ireland before long and a “three-month meltdown” at ports unable to cope with extra checks. Protests could break out across the UK, requiring significant police intervention, and two oil refineries could close, with thousands of job losses, according to the documents. [...]

Despite the document, leaked to the Sunday Times, being dated to earlier this month when Johnson was already in post, the senior No 10 source said: “This document is from when ministers were blocking what needed to be done to get ready to leave and the funds were not available. It has been deliberately leaked by a former minister in an attempt to influence discussions with EU leaders.

19 August 2019

WorldAffairs: Ratcheting up the Pressure: Assessing the Risks of Trump's Iran Policy

In May 2018, President Trump withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, and re-imposed crippling economic sanctions against Tehran. Iran responded by restarting elements of its nuclear program and sponsoring militant attacks against US interests and allies in the Middle East. Trump claims he will keep the pressure on until Iran agrees to a better nuclear deal, while Iranian leaders insist they will not negotiate under duress. Colin Kahl, Steven C. Házy senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies' Center for International Security and Cooperation and former national security advisor to the vice president of the United States, speaks with WorldAffairs CEO Jane Wales about Trump's Iran strategy and how it risks igniting war with the country.

Today in Focus: Meghan: why all the hate against the Duchess of Sussex?

The outpouring of bile against the Duchess of Sussex has been impossible to miss in recent weeks, whether it is stories of her contributing to human rights abuses through eating avocados, or opinion pieces criticising her for guest editing Vogue or being ‘snobbish’. But many commentators have noted another tone to some of the criticism, one of misogyny and racism.

Victoria Murphy has been covering the young royals for years and joins Anushka Asthana to discuss how Meghan has adapted to life in Britain and the royal family. She points to a rich history of intense tabloid criticism that most members of the monarchy have been through in recent years.

Also today: Malachi O’Doherty, the author of Fifty Years On, argues that despite the turmoil of the past half a century, Northern Ireland should not be defined by the Troubles.

ARTiculations: Should all Toilets be Gender Neutral?




Rare Earth: Zog: King of the Bloodfeud

Be you a Hatfield, a Black Donnelly, Alexander Hamilton or Zog, vendettas are an unfortunately common part of human existence. And while as an individual, our needs for vengeance are personal and deep, they're often at odds with society. Justice is not a universal concept.

Blood feuds end in blood. It's right there in the name.