I take a look at some of the interesting news out there and give my opinions on it. I pick out the key points from the news articles.

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Post author By Charlie January 26, 2021
Look at the News – Netherlands Riots, India-China
Clash, Scottish Independence and More
theweeklyrambler.com/look-at-the-news-netherlands-riots-india-china-clash-scottish-independence-and-more/
Today I am taking a bit of a different approach to showing the new, instead of lots of text I
am going to try and narrow down news into the main points as best I can from articles I
have read. I may include some of my own opinions after all as that is what a blog is all
about – it’s about expressing your views, and that’s really what I want to get better at
doing.
UK Today in Coronavirus
What Jobs have Highest COVID-19 Death Rates?
Data reveals that men in low-skilled jobs, or in caring, leisure or other services roles
had highest rates of death from Coronavirus in England and Wales from March-
December 2020.
The Office for National Statistics revealed 7,961 COVID-related deaths in working
age population (20-64 years) registered between 9th March-28th December 2020.
Two-thirds of these deaths among men – 5,128.
Men in elementary occupations, such as processing plants, security guards, chefs
and taxi drivers worst effected (699 deaths). Caring, leisure and other service
occupation come after that (258 deaths).
Female worker COVID-related deaths are highest in assembly line and routine
machine operation jobs, and care workers and home carers.
Rates of COVID-related deaths in male and femalee social care workers are
statistically significantly higher than the wider working population.

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Nurses, nursing auxiliaries and assistants also have elevated rates of COVID-related
deaths.
Moderna to Test Vaccine Against South African Variant
Moderna has said it will test the jab against the South African variant of the virus.
It comes after other tests showed a six-fold reduction of the ability of antibodies,
that are produced in response to the vaccine, to kill the new version of the virus.
In response to this Moderna will test a third dose on top of the two routine doses to
see if it will boost the immune response.
The company also made a new tweaked version of the vaccine with genetic material
from South Africa variant.
UK has ordered 17 million doses of the Moderna vaccine which will begin being
delivered in the Spring.
Tests showed these vaccines are still effective against the England-Kent variant of
the virus, which has became the dominant variant in the United Kingdom, which is
far more contagious and possibly even a bit more deadly.
Netherland’s Anti-curfew Riots
The Netherland’s has faced a third night of protests against new strict coronavirus
measures, such as a curfew being introduced, the first seen since World War 2.
Just like previous nights, some of these protests turned to rioting and looting in a
number of cities, with riot police having to be used to bring back control. Tear gas
and water cannon have been used.
Rioters have looted shops and businesses, thrown fireworks, rocks, smashed
windows and attacked vehicles and police. During the weekend a temporary COVID-
19 testing station was also burned down.
Hundreds have already been arrested over the previous two nights of rioting and at
least 70 more were arrested on the third night. Further protests and in-turn rioting
are expected in the coming days.
It is suspected that social media, such as Telegram, are being used to organise and
call for riots. Politicians, including the caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte has
denounced the rioting as criminal behaviour, and not protests.
My Opinion: Obviously I do not support any rioting and agree that it is simply criminal
behaviour. Protests are more of a sticky situation due to the coronavirus, but I’d say large-
scale protests at most are not responsible due to the risk of increasing the spread from
having so many people together. There can be other safer ways of protesting such as via
online or by coordinating complaints and petitions to politicians and other officials. Once

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the vaccine is widespread I may come around to supporting reasonable protests if there
was no movement towards the gradual reduction of coronavirus-related restrictions. The
rioting seen is merely opportunistic hooliganism that has little to do with being simply
annoyed at coronavirus restrictions, in the end such people are only harming their own
community and economy.
Project Mosquito – New unmanned combat aircraft
New unmanned combat aircraft project in Northern Ireland, supporting 100 jobs.
Aircraft nicknamed loyal wingman, costing £30 million of government investment.
Project being lead by Spirit AeroSystems in Belfast.
Aircraft designed to fly at high-speeds alongside fighter jets. Aircraft will be armed
with missles, surveillance, and electronic warfare technology
The aircraft will be the first uncrewed platform. It will be able to target and shoot
down enemy aircraft and survive surface-to-air missiles.
Project will aim to produce full-scale flight-test programme by 2023.
My Opinion: My views on such things are, is it going to be used simply for defense or in
useless wars elsewhere? I am strongly anti-war and so I purely hope such an aircraft will
only be used in defensive capacity, but I am highly skeptical this will remain the case. I’d
rather government investment go to things that further benefit far more people
economically. The aircraft does sound cool of course and it sounds like an exciting
futuristic project, but I’m not going to be happy about something made to kill and maim
in some foreign country.
India-China Clash
Indian officials confirmed that Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed along the
countries’ disputed border, amidst a months-long standoff.
Indian security officials say on Wednesday that at least 18 Chinese soldiers tried to
cross into Indian-claimed territory but were blocked by Indian soldiers, leading to
clashes using sticks and stones.
Indian army says the clash was a minor face-off and was resolved by local
commanders via established protocols.
Violence took place in Naku La area of Sikkim, only 4-days before the two countries
held talks on Sunday to end tensions in the Ladakh Region.
Talks concluded with aim to push for early disengagement of frontline troops.

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My Opinion: My view of this as with any possible conflict is hope for an entirely peaceful
conclusion and not a war. I do know of the war they had fought previously which went
badly for India. But any such war could easily become very large and out of control
between two such powerful nations effecting the region very badly and even having
possible global impacts, for all interests involved no one in their right mind wants to see a
devastating war over a piece of land, much of which are really just remote mountainous
land in the middle of nowhere. It is one of two dangerous flashpoints related to India, the
other being between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.
Nicola Sturgeon Seeking Legal Referendum on Scottish Independence
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said Boris Johnson is afriad of democracy for
refusing to allow a 2nd referendum on Scottish Independence.
Boris Johnson has stated he thinks there should be a 40-year gap from the 2014
Scottish referendum until the next one.
11-point plan revealed for path to a legal referendum.
SNP wants to have a legal referendum held after the pandemic if there is pro-
independence majority after May Scottish parliament elections.
UK Government attempts to block legality of referendum in courts will be vigorously
opposed.
For now polls show support for Scottish independence, in some cases by 52-48
ironically.
Opposition parties claim SNP is putting independence ahead of pandemic response.
My Opinion: Whether I support Scottish independence or not is irrelevant to the fact that
a legal referendum is very unlikely to be granted and that ultimately I believe the SNP’s
11-point plan will fail, even if voters still support independence and give the SNP another
majority after the May elections. I think that Boris Johnson should give them a
referendum since polls show many want one and that there is favour for independence
itself, but it is clear he very likely will not. So it is perhaps time for the SNP to take a
stronger stance and push towards a referendum purely themselves, committing to holding
an advisory referendum at the very least would be a step in that direction to really show
the UK Government and others that people want independence in Scotland. I would
obviously be sad to see Scotland leave the union, it would be a massive loss for both sides,
but unfortunately BREXIT has made the situation more definitive on the question of
independence for many in Scotland. But I think the SNP needs to realize they need to do
much, much more towards their goal, rather than trying to get a unionist jurisdiction to
side with them.
Italian Prime Minister Conte Resigns

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The country’s President announced Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has resigned, as
was expected since yesterday.
Conte had survived two confidence votes last week, but lost absolute majority in the
Senate yesterday after the former Prime Minister and centrist ally Matteo Renzi
defected.
What that meant is legislative decisions and other actions on the coronavirus would
now be harder for Conte’s government to pass.
Conte’s centre-left coalition had lasted for 16 months but had faced continued
internal disagreements – it came together after the previous 15-month-long
government he headed with the populist 5-star Movement in coalition with the
controversial right-wing party League of Matteo Salvini fell apart.
The coalition fell apart after Matteo Salvini pulled support from the coalition in a
failed bid to win the premiership himself and lead the country.
Conte will now lead a caretaker government as the country’s President attempts to
form a new government – if the president is unable to do so he may dissolve
parliament for early fresh elections.
It is possible the country’s President could again ask Conte to form a new coalition
and it could be possible that former Prime Minister Silvio Belursconi’s bloc may be
involved in such a coalition – Belursconi has been one of Italy’s longest serving
leaders in modern times but he was marred by corruption.
My Opinion: I do not have too many informed views on Italian politics and so I will
mostly be observing. Obviously what’s most important for the country as any is to focus
on the coronavirus pandemic and find ways to get their economy back on track for the
future, which has been devastated by the pandemic. I will be interested to see if there is an
election, how it may turn out for 5-star and League and if they’d be able to form a
government again, a prospect that frightens many Euro-friendly liberals. Seeing Mr.
Belursconi reenter government for a 3rd time would also be quite something.
I hope you enjoyed this new version of looking into events. I believe the whole point of
many blogs is to express your views and feelings of subjects of politics and world affairs
and so that is what I am doing here, rather than just stating news like what I had been
doing – and only slipping a few small bits of opinion in from time to time.
I also like this more simplified bullet-point format of the key parts.
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