Take five: A news summary for anxious times
The Flock's weekly round-up is back by popular demand...
Apologies to those who accidentally received a draft email last night due to my fat thumbs! From next week, these summaries will be for paying subscribers only – but today, as a special bank holiday treat, the first one is free. If you like what you see, please consider supporting my work by clicking below.
For almost two years on The Flock, I summarised each week’s news – both good and bad – from a feminist perspective.
The resulting round-up aimed to keep us all informed without the need to dive headfirst into the anxiety of 24-hour rolling coverage – and this week, overwhelmingly, you told me you wanted them back. So, today, I’m delighted to present to you my new and, I hope, improved news round-up.
From now on, every Friday, I’ll encourage you to take five to get yourself up to date on the week’s developments, providing you with a concise view of five news stories you need to know about, five good news stories to counteract the negativity, and five extra links to the long-reads, columns, interviews or other pieces of writing that have gotten my brain ticking over each week.
So, with that little explainer out of the way, let’s crack on, shall we?
The headlines
1. Johnson amends ministerial code amid no confidence vote speculation
A vote on Boris Johnson’s political future could take place as soon as next week, according to speculation mounting at Westminster.
It comes after the PM rewrote the ministerial code to remove the assumption that MPs who breach it should resign. His revision also deleted all references to “honesty”, “integrity”, “transparency” and “accountability”.
2. First Rwanda deportation flight scheduled despite refugee hunger strikes and suicide warning
Priti Patel has confirmed the first flight deporting refugees from the UK to Rwanda will take off on June 14, despite a number of reported suicide attempts within the community threatened with removal.
Home Office officials now admit the flight could be grounded, with multiple legal challenges expected over the coming days.
Yesterday, officials wrote to at least 17 refugees, threatening them with faster deportation if they didn’t end their hunger strike.
3. Third Met Police child strip search case under investigation
The police watchdog has confirmed it is investigating a third reported case of Met police officers strip searching a child.
The latest investigation follows the invasive searches of two menstruating teenage girls, known as Child Q and Olivia, by the force.
Read more here
4. Johnny Depp awarded $10m in defamation suit against Amber Heard
Johnny Depp was this week awarded more than $10 million in damages after a jury ruled he was defamed by Amber Heard when she described herself as a victim of domestic abuse – without naming him – in a 2018 newspaper column.
Heard was simultaneously awarded $2 million in damages after the jury found she had also been defamed when Depp’s lawyer called her abuse claims a “hoax”.
Read more here
5. 25,000 NHS beds lost in last decade, report reveals
Almost 25,000 NHS beds have been lost over the last ten years, leading to “unsafe” occupancy levels in Britain’s hospitals, a new report has warned.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine said cutbacks since 2010-11 were now causing “real patient harm”, leading to “grim” rises in waiting times for ambulances, emergency care and operations.
Read more here
The good news
1. Australia’s ‘greenslide’ election heralds new era of climate accountability
Australia’s new prime minister says the country could become a global renewable energy superpower following his electoral ‘greenslide’.
Anthony Albanese, who was elected late last month following a record breaking three years of bushfires and floods, has vowed to preside over a huge shift in climate policy.
2. HPV screening to safely reduce frequency of smear tests
Patients across the UK will now be able to leave five years between smear tests thanks to improved testing for HPV, which causes the majority of cervical cancers.
It’s after data from 1.3 million women showed reducing the frequency of tests from every three years did not lead to an increase in cancers missed.
Read more here
3. Male Afghan TV stars don masks in response to Taliban ban on women showing faces
Male journalists in Afghanistan this week covered their faces on TV in a show of solidarity for their female colleagues that has since gone viral.
It came after the Taliban introduced new laws banning female anchors from appearing uncovered on screen, regardless of their religion or beliefs.
Read more here
4. 2022 Goldman Environmental Prize celebrates world’s climate pioneers
A Nigerian environmental lawyer who took on Royal Dutch Shell over devastating climate damage – and won – has been named among the six recipients of this year’s prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize.
Chima Williams was joined on the winners list by five other activists who between them have prevented damaging energy projects, changed laws and helped to defund fossil fuel exploration.
Read more here
5. Coffee drinkers live longer – even if they have a sweet tooth
A morning coffee habit could cut the risk of an early death by up to 31 per cent, a study of more than 170,000 Brits has found.
Research has revealed that people who enjoy up to 3.5 cups of coffee per day live longer than non-drinkers, even if they add a small amount of sugar.
Read more here
The best of the rest
1. The Amber Heard-Johnny Depp trial was an orgy of misogyny
2. Gynecology Has a Pain Problem: Our discomfort is routine. What if it didn’t have to be?
3. ‘People woke up and realised this is real’: Blue states are readying for a Post-Roe world
5. Why the rich world’s fertility problem will force a rethink on immigration
(Note: You can read this for free by downloading the FT Edit app.)
So, what do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this new format…
Thanks for bringing this back - it was the highlight of the week to read the news through a different lens (rather than through the mainly make lead major news outlets)!
My first time getting the newsletter and I love it! Looks like the perfect combination of thoughtful and positive to read through in the sun later <3