news--2020-06-15--Jaguar Land Rover to cut 1,100 jobs in the UK

Jaguar Land Rover will shed up to 1,100 agency staff , or contractors , across the UK as part of a `` transformation programme '' .
It comes as Britain 's biggest carmaker reported a £501m loss and a 31 % drop in sales in its fourth quarter - a period that saw many showrooms and factories across the world remain closed because of the coronavirus pandemic .
A spokesman for the company said : `` Through its ongoing transformation programme , Jaguar Land Rover is taking action to optimise performance and achieve further operational efficiencies to enable sustainable growth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business .
`` Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic , the company has taken the difficult decision to reduce the number of contract-agency employees in its manufacturing plants over the coming months . ''
The jobs will be cut from across the business 's UK manufacturing sites , a process that will begin at the end of July and last through the year .
The group has a UK workforce of around 32,000 and the cuts come after the loss of around 5,000 roles announced late last year .
Over recent weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Martin have had to cut jobs in an effort to survive the economic consequences of the pandemic .
JLR is reopening its UK and European factories but many are only running at low capacity .
The Castle Bromwich Jaguar plant is still closed .
Late last month , Sky News revealed that JLR was in talks with Whitehall about a massive taxpayer support package .

Jaguar Land Rover will shed up to 1,100 agency staff, or contractors, across the UK as part of a "transformation programme".
It comes as Britain's biggest carmaker reported a £501m loss and a 31% drop in sales in its fourth quarter - a period that saw many showrooms and factories across the world remain closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
A spokesman for the company said: "Through its ongoing transformation programme, Jaguar Land Rover is taking action to optimise performance and achieve further operational efficiencies to enable sustainable growth and safeguard the long-term success of our business.
"Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has taken the difficult decision to reduce the number of contract-agency employees in its manufacturing plants over the coming months."
Image: JLR is among a number of carmakers to have struggled during the pandemic
The jobs will be cut from across the business's UK manufacturing sites, a process that will begin at the end of July and last through the year.
The group has a UK workforce of around 32,000 and the cuts come after the loss of around 5,000 roles announced late last year.
Over recent weeks, other carmakers including Bentley and Aston Martin have had to cut jobs in an effort to survive the economic consequences of the pandemic.
JLR is reopening its UK and European factories but many are only running at low capacity. The Castle Bromwich Jaguar plant is still closed.
Late last month, Sky News revealed that JLR was in talks with Whitehall about a massive taxpayer support package.


news--2020-06-12--Black Lives Matter: Malcolm X's daughter says young protesters are 'much like' her father

The daughter of civil rights activist Malcolm X has told Sky News she believes this generation of young people are `` much like '' her father and will be `` sick and tired '' of racism .
Ilyasah Shabazz , an author and professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice , said those taking part in Black Lives Matter protests now are similar to those who called for change in the 1960s .
`` [ We must ] make sure we are accomplishing these goals so that when the marching , demonstrating and protests are over , it does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we do n't just find ourselves 50 years from now in the same space where Malcolm was 50 years ago , '' she said .
But Ms Shabazz said the seeds of change have already been planted .
`` My father said that it would be this generation that would get sick and tired , that they would recognise the people in power have misused it .
`` And that they will no longer sit by idly and allow these injustices to continue .
I saw many people 's protesting signs and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
She continued : `` I think that this generation of young people are much like my father .
They 're not going to be distracted by the things that do n't matter and they 're really thinking . ''
Malcolm X was the principal spokesperson for radical black Muslim group Nation of Islam , before he renounced the group and encouraged allyship with oppressed people globally .
He was assassinated in New York on 21 February 1965 .
Ms Shabazz said the civil rights movement is still fighting for many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but people should instead be able to live in peace .
`` The only way we 're going to get rid of this awful cancer is by getting involved and ending it , '' she said .
`` We should not have to spend our lives from the time we can walk to the time we perish fighting injustice . ''
George Floyd 's death had come at a time when everyone is `` more sensitive '' during the coronavirus pandemic , Ms Shabazz said .
`` It was just so awful .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ just rather matter-of-factly steal his life with his neck .
`` That is what you call the most wicked death ever . ''
Ms Shabazz said that while people are at home self-isolating , many have had the opportunity to question life - and that has made Mr Floyd 's death all the more devastating .
`` Life and death .
Am I going to live or am I going to survive ?
Is this how I 'm going to say goodbye to the world ? ''
she said .
`` And while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to live and who 's not , here is someone taking someone else 's life . ''
: : Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , and Spreaker Asked how she felt about President Donald Trump 's reaction to the protests , Ms Shabazz said it was good for people to be `` awakened '' to the `` kinds of people that actually exist out there '' .
`` To have him spewing some of the things that he says and then to see an officer steal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that continuing , people are understanding the challenges that blacks have experienced for the last 500 years , '' she said .
Race and Revolution : Is Change Going to Come ?
Sky News will broadcast a global debate show on Tuesday night at 8pm - looking at the issues raised by the Black Lives Matter protests , and examining institutional racism and how we fix it .
If you would like to be part of our virtual audience , and have a chance of putting a question to our panel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question to newsdebates @ sky.uk

The daughter of civil rights activist Malcolm X has told Sky News she believes this generation of young people are "much like" her father and will be "sick and tired" of racism.
Ilyasah Shabazz, an author and professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said those taking part in Black Lives Matter protests now are similar to those who called for change in the 1960s.
"[We must] make sure we are accomplishing these goals so that when the marching, demonstrating and protests are over, it doesn't just fall to the wayside and we don't just find ourselves 50 years from now in the same space where Malcolm was 50 years ago," she said.
Image: A man waves a Black Lives Matter flag during a protest in Atlanta, Georgia
But Ms Shabazz said the seeds of change have already been planted.
"My father said that it would be this generation that would get sick and tired, that they would recognise the people in power have misused it.
"And that they will no longer sit by idly and allow these injustices to continue. I saw many people's protesting signs and they said 'we are not our ancestors'."
Image: Malcolm X holding up a newspaper during a rally in New York City in 1963
She continued: "I think that this generation of young people are much like my father. They're not going to be distracted by the things that don't matter and they're really thinking."
Malcolm X was the principal spokesperson for radical black Muslim group Nation of Islam, before he renounced the group and encouraged allyship with oppressed people globally.
He was assassinated in New York on 21 February 1965.
Advertisement
Image: Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965
Ms Shabazz said the civil rights movement is still fighting for many of the things her father fought for, but people should instead be able to live in peace.
"The only way we're going to get rid of this awful cancer is by getting involved and ending it," she said.
"We should not have to spend our lives from the time we can walk to the time we perish fighting injustice."
George Floyd's death had come at a time when everyone is "more sensitive" during the coronavirus pandemic, Ms Shabazz said.
Image: Black Lives Matter protesters hold up a sign
"It was just so awful. It was absolutely horrendous that someone could just rather matter-of-factly steal his life with his neck.
"That is what you call the most wicked death ever."
Ms Shabazz said that while people are at home self-isolating, many have had the opportunity to question life - and that has made Mr Floyd's death all the more devastating.
"Life and death. Am I going to live or am I going to survive? Is this how I'm going to say goodbye to the world?" she said.
"And while we're even questioning who's going to live and who's not, here is someone taking someone else's life."
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
:: Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker
Asked how she felt about President Donald Trump's reaction to the protests, Ms Shabazz said it was good for people to be "awakened" to the "kinds of people that actually exist out there".
"To have him spewing some of the things that he says and then to see an officer steal someone's life the way he did and that continuing, people are understanding the challenges that blacks have experienced for the last 500 years," she said.
Race and Revolution: Is Change Going to Come?
Sky News will broadcast a global debate show on Tuesday night at 8pm - looking at the issues raised by the Black Lives Matter protests, and examining institutional racism and how we fix it.
If you would like to be part of our virtual audience, and have a chance of putting a question to our panel, please send your name, location and question to newsdebates@sky.uk


news--2020-06-15--Coronavirus: The reopening of shops felt like the beginning of the end for the 2m rule

The great unknown about the re-opening of non-essential retailers was whether people would be willing to set aside their fears of catching coronavirus in order to buy things that , by definition , they don ’ t need .
The evidence of queues around the country on the opening day is that they are , and that Britain remains , as Napoleon almost said , a nation of shoppers .
Long lines at stores including Primark , which has no online presence but great customer loyalty , suggest there is demand .
Retail analysts Springboard said footfall was up more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down a third on the same Monday last year .
So today may prove to be the start of a retail recovery , but anecdotally it felt like the beginning of the end for the two-metre rule .
A morning spent in and around Oxford Street in central London suggests that while retailers have bent over backwards to accommodate the approved distance , many have already moved to one metre .
As in supermarkets , distancing has a habit of breaking down once people are inside a shop , and so it proved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to non-essential retail if ever there was one , can not be blamed for a lack of effort in imposing the two-metre distance on customers .
Staff applauded the arrival of the first customers in 13 weeks when the doors opened at 11am - a moment that perhaps reflected the relief of people whose jobs may have felt a little more secure as a result .
The retail experience was new too , rebuilt around government guidelines .
Yellow markers on the floor and escalators denote the two-metre gap , hand sanitiser stations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fitting rooms are operating at reduced capacity , with unwanted items quarantined for 72 hours and surfaces wiped and steam cleaned after each customer has left .
Access has also been limited to 2,500 people at any one time , about a quarter of capacity on a busy day .
In practice , however , some shoppers were more rigorous about the rules than others .
The two-metre rule was often breached on the escalators , perhaps because people were facing the back of the person ahead of them .
Groups of younger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of them of school age but actively encouraged to go shopping by the same government that has abandoned its efforts to fully reopen the education system this academic year .
And plenty of shoppers were willing to encroach closer than two metres on others as they moved around the store .
Outside streets that have been truly deserted for months were again busy , though still a long way from the packed pavements that used to define London 's most famous shopping streets .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Spreaker And to walk a block north or south of the main retail routes was to be reminded that this is a country and an economy a long way from normality .
With offices still abandoned and bars and restaurants still closed , central London streets with low residential density are still largely abandoned .
It will take more than a day to demonstrate whether consumers are ready to lead a retail recovery .
But the effort to restart the economy without reawakening the virus is under way .

The great unknown about the re-opening of non-essential retailers was whether people would be willing to set aside their fears of catching coronavirus in order to buy things that, by definition, they don’t need.
The evidence of queues around the country on the opening day is that they are, and that Britain remains, as Napoleon almost said, a nation of shoppers.
Long lines at stores including Primark, which has no online presence but great customer loyalty, suggest there is demand.
Retail analysts Springboard said footfall was up more than 40 percent week-on-week, though still down a third on the same Monday last year.
So today may prove to be the start of a retail recovery, but anecdotally it felt like the beginning of the end for the two-metre rule.
Image: A shopper carries a variety of shopping bags on Oxford Street in London
A morning spent in and around Oxford Street in central London suggests that while retailers have bent over backwards to accommodate the approved distance, many have already moved to one metre.
As in supermarkets, distancing has a habit of breaking down once people are inside a shop, and so it proved on Monday.
Selfridges, a temple to non-essential retail if ever there was one, cannot be blamed for a lack of effort in imposing the two-metre distance on customers.
Staff applauded the arrival of the first customers in 13 weeks when the doors opened at 11am - a moment that perhaps reflected the relief of people whose jobs may have felt a little more secure as a result.
Advertisement
Image: The first customers react as they are filmed entering Selfridges department store
The retail experience was new too, rebuilt around government guidelines.
Yellow markers on the floor and escalators denote the two-metre gap, hand sanitiser stations have been installed around the store and fitting rooms are operating at reduced capacity, with unwanted items quarantined for 72 hours and surfaces wiped and steam cleaned after each customer has left.
Access has also been limited to 2,500 people at any one time, about a quarter of capacity on a busy day.
In practice, however, some shoppers were more rigorous about the rules than others.
The two-metre rule was often breached on the escalators, perhaps because people were facing the back of the person ahead of them.
Groups of younger shoppers moved together in close proximity, many of them of school age but actively encouraged to go shopping by the same government that has abandoned its efforts to fully reopen the education system this academic year.
Image: Shoppers wearing face masks are seen in Selfridges
And plenty of shoppers were willing to encroach closer than two metres on others as they moved around the store.
Outside streets that have been truly deserted for months were again busy, though still a long way from the packed pavements that used to define London's most famous shopping streets.
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
And to walk a block north or south of the main retail routes was to be reminded that this is a country and an economy a long way from normality.
With offices still abandoned and bars and restaurants still closed, central London streets with low residential density are still largely abandoned.
It will take more than a day to demonstrate whether consumers are ready to lead a retail recovery. But the effort to restart the economy without reawakening the virus is under way.


news--2020-06-15--Coronavirus: Race to buy COVID-19 vaccines as governments sign huge deals

Governments around the world are signing deals worth hundreds of millions of pounds for potential coronavirus vaccines .
Italy , Germany , the Netherlands and France agreed over the weekend to pay £662.5m for 300 million doses of AstraZeneca 's potential COVID-19 vaccines .
The contract with the British drugmaker , whose vaccine is among the first to reach mid-stage trials , will supply all EU countries - but not the UK - which is in a Brexit transition period until the end of 2020 .
An extra 100 million doses will be made available for the European countries to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italian health ministry .
France is said to want the doses split between countries based on their population .
European governments have been scrambling to secure orders of promising vaccines after concerns that the EU had not moved fast enough compared with others such as the US .
Experts have warned that a safe and effective vaccine could take at least 12 to 18 months .
The UK has invested more than £100m in vaccines development at the University of Oxford with AstraZeneca , and at Imperial College London .
The government has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access a vaccine from either lab should they prove successful - and 30 million doses could be provided as early as September But some scientists have warned it is best to hedge your bets , with Dr Charlie Weller , head of vaccines at the Wellcome Trust , telling Sky News : `` The frontrunners do n't necessarily mean they are the best options .
`` They are the first to get into clinical trial and give us data to understand the different approaches .
We will learn a huge amount from them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the best .
It means they are the first . ''
The US signed a £940m deal with AstraZeneca on 21 May - nearly a month before this weekend 's Europe deal - to provide 300 million doses .
And as early as mid-March , Donald Trump had reportedly offered German pharmaceutical company CureVac $ 1bn ( £790m ) to secure exclusive rights to a potential vaccine .
German ministers and the company 's main investor confirmed - and condemned - the offer , but CureVac 's CEO denied there ever being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Monday , the German government said it was taking a 23 % stake in CureVac .
State-owned KfW development bank will buy £265m in shares to give it `` financial security '' so it can remain in Germany .
Economy minister Peter Almaier said ministers would not exert influence on business decisions , with the main shareholder remaining as Dietmar Hopp , co-founder of business software company SAP .
In May , there were calls from French drugmaker Sanofi for a more collaborative European effort after its boss said doses it produced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rolled out research funding , would go to American patients first .
: : Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Apple podcasts , Google podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Sanofi chief executive Paul Hudson later toned down his comments , saying any vaccine would reach all parts of the world .
French President Emmanuel Macron is due to visit one of Sanofi 's vaccine plants in France on Tuesday and is expected to announce commitments on treatments and manufacturing capacities .

Governments around the world are signing deals worth hundreds of millions of pounds for potential coronavirus vaccines.
Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and France agreed over the weekend to pay £662.5m for 300 million doses of AstraZeneca's potential COVID-19 vaccines.
The contract with the British drugmaker, whose vaccine is among the first to reach mid-stage trials, will supply all EU countries - but not the UK - which is in a Brexit transition period until the end of 2020.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:42 AstraZeneca chief: Oxford 'moving very quickly' on vaccine
An extra 100 million doses will be made available for the European countries to buy, said a spokesman for the Italian health ministry.
France is said to want the doses split between countries based on their population.
European governments have been scrambling to secure orders of promising vaccines after concerns that the EU had not moved fast enough compared with others such as the US.
Experts have warned that a safe and effective vaccine could take at least 12 to 18 months.
The UK has invested more than £100m in vaccines development at the University of Oxford with AstraZeneca, and at Imperial College London.
The government has said Britain will be the first to access a vaccine from either lab should they prove successful - and 30 million doses could be provided as early as September
Advertisement
But some scientists have warned it is best to hedge your bets, with Dr Charlie Weller, head of vaccines at the Wellcome Trust, telling Sky News: "The frontrunners don't necessarily mean they are the best options.
"They are the first to get into clinical trial and give us data to understand the different approaches. We will learn a huge amount from them. But it doesn't mean they are the best. It means they are the first."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:56 Most COVID-19 vaccines 'may not work'
The US signed a £940m deal with AstraZeneca on 21 May - nearly a month before this weekend's Europe deal - to provide 300 million doses.
And as early as mid-March, Donald Trump had reportedly offered German pharmaceutical company CureVac $1bn (£790m) to secure exclusive rights to a potential vaccine.
Image: Professor Adrian Hill, director of Oxford University's Jenner Institute, is working on the AstraZeneca vaccine
German ministers and the company's main investor confirmed - and condemned - the offer, but CureVac's CEO denied there ever being an offer from the US president.
On Monday, the German government said it was taking a 23% stake in CureVac.
State-owned KfW development bank will buy £265m in shares to give it "financial security" so it can remain in Germany.
Economy minister Peter Almaier said ministers would not exert influence on business decisions, with the main shareholder remaining as Dietmar Hopp, co-founder of business software company SAP.
In May, there were calls from French drugmaker Sanofi for a more collaborative European effort after its boss said doses it produced in the US, which had rapidly rolled out research funding, would go to American patients first.
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
:: Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Sanofi chief executive Paul Hudson later toned down his comments, saying any vaccine would reach all parts of the world.
French President Emmanuel Macron is due to visit one of Sanofi's vaccine plants in France on Tuesday and is expected to announce commitments on treatments and manufacturing capacities.


news--2020-06-15--Jesse Jackson: 'Racism is bone-deep in Britain and America'

Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson has described racism as `` bone-deep '' in Britain and the US .
The Baptist minister and politician , who worked with Martin Luther King Jr , has urged for the history of countries in the Caribbean and Africa to be taught in British schools .
His comments come after the joint general secretaries of the National Education Union ( NEU ) sent a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the injustices and racial disparities highlighted by the coronavirus pandemic .
The letter called for immediate advice to employers in the education sector about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to embrace black history , and for new entrants to the teaching profession to be more diverse .
Speaking on a Black Lives Matter solidarity panel , hosted by the NEU , he said : `` The top universities in Britain have some obligation to include people of colour .
`` Why should there be a monopoly on intelligence ?
That 's a supremacist proposition .
When we learn together we grow together .
He added : `` Life is not a straight line , white folks do n't have a monopoly on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to include people of every level who bring different attributes to the education table .
`` Racism is bone-deep in Britain and America , race supremacy is the foundation , the lead race is supreme , blacks inferior .
`` The whole body of academic work and practical work are written around blacks being inferior whether they 're from India , the Caribbean or Africa , they 're inferior . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Labour MP Diane Abbott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said the UK education system has `` sought to stigmatise '' children from minority ethnic backgrounds .
The former shadow home secretary said : `` I believe strongly that we need a teaching workforce , particularly in our big cities , that looks like the children that it is trying to teach .
`` I believe it is very important that we continue to recruit , encourage and promote teachers of colour , not because only teachers of colour can teach children of colour , but because you ca n't be what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children need to see teachers of colour in the staff room to help them to believe the world of education is for them and also if you have more teachers of colour , it means an enriched experience for all children . ''
Mr Jackson recently told Sky News in an exclusive interview that while those who are protesting against racism face a big fight , they have more tools available to them than he did .
Comparing today 's battle with that faced by him and others all those decades ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have telecommunications in that time , we did n't have social media , we did n't have the right to vote .
`` It 's a bigger fight but we have more tools to fight . ''

Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson has described racism as "bone-deep" in Britain and the US.
The Baptist minister and politician, who worked with Martin Luther King Jr, has urged for the history of countries in the Caribbean and Africa to be taught in British schools.
His comments come after the joint general secretaries of the National Education Union (NEU) sent a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the injustices and racial disparities highlighted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Image: Rev Jesse Jackson delivers remarks during a vigil for Breonna Taylor
The letter called for immediate advice to employers in the education sector about racial disparities, for the school curriculum to embrace black history, and for new entrants to the teaching profession to be more diverse.
Speaking on a Black Lives Matter solidarity panel, hosted by the NEU, he said: "The top universities in Britain have some obligation to include people of colour.
"Why should there be a monopoly on intelligence? That's a supremacist proposition. When we learn together we grow together.
He added: "Life is not a straight line, white folks don't have a monopoly on information, we must figure out a way to include people of every level who bring different attributes to the education table.
"Racism is bone-deep in Britain and America, race supremacy is the foundation, the lead race is supreme, blacks inferior.
"The whole body of academic work and practical work are written around blacks being inferior whether they're from India, the Caribbean or Africa, they're inferior."
Advertisement
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Labour MP Diane Abbott, who also spoke on the panel, said the UK education system has "sought to stigmatise" children from minority ethnic backgrounds.
The former shadow home secretary said: "I believe strongly that we need a teaching workforce, particularly in our big cities, that looks like the children that it is trying to teach.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:18 'When we learn together we grow together'
"I believe it is very important that we continue to recruit, encourage and promote teachers of colour, not because only teachers of colour can teach children of colour, but because you can't be what you can't see.
"And children need to see teachers of colour in the staff room to help them to believe the world of education is for them and also if you have more teachers of colour, it means an enriched experience for all children."
Image: Diane Abbott says the teaching workforce needs 'to look like the children it is trying to teach'
Mr Jackson recently told Sky News in an exclusive interview that while those who are protesting against racism face a big fight, they have more tools available to them than he did.
Comparing today's battle with that faced by him and others all those decades ago, he said: "We didn't have telecommunications in that time, we didn't have social media, we didn't have the right to vote.
"It's a bigger fight but we have more tools to fight."


news--2020-06-15--Coronavirus: Oscars 2021 postponed by two months due to COVID-19 disruption

The Oscars ceremony has been pushed back two months due to the coronavirus pandemic .
It will now take place on 25 April next year , instead of 28 February .
It 's only the fourth time in more than 90 years that Hollywood 's big night has been postponed .
In a joint statement , Academy president David Rubin and chief executive Dawn Hudson said the delay would give filmmakers flexibility to complete and release their movies after COVID-19 halted projects around the world .
They said they hoped the extension would also avoid filmmakers being `` penalised for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eligibility has also been loosened by extending the deadline for award consideration beyond the usual 31 December .
Feature films will now need a release date between 1 January , 2020 and 28 February , 2021 .
The Oscars nominations will be announced on 15 March , with the nominees ' lunch on 15 April .
The long-awaited opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has also been postponed by four months - to 30 April .
: : Listen to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1938 due to the Los Angeles flood .
The second - a two-day delay - happened in 1968 after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr , while the third was for just a day in 1981 after an assassination attempt on former president Ronald Reagan .
This latest postponement also raises questions about the timelines of other major awards ceremonies , including the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards .
Karey Burke , president of ABC Entertainment , the network which broadcasts the Oscars , said it was `` uncharted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event would be a `` safe and celebratory '' occasion .

The Oscars ceremony has been pushed back two months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It will now take place on 25 April next year, instead of 28 February.
It's only the fourth time in more than 90 years that Hollywood's big night has been postponed.
In a joint statement, Academy president David Rubin and chief executive Dawn Hudson said the delay would give filmmakers flexibility to complete and release their movies after COVID-19 halted projects around the world.
They said they hoped the extension would also avoid filmmakers being "penalised for something beyond anyone's control".
Eligibility has also been loosened by extending the deadline for award consideration beyond the usual 31 December.
Feature films will now need a release date between 1 January, 2020 and 28 February, 2021.
The Oscars nominations will be announced on 15 March, with the nominees' lunch on 15 April.
The long-awaited opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has also been postponed by four months - to 30 April.
Advertisement
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
:: Listen to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
This Oscars were first delayed in 1938 due to the Los Angeles flood.
The second - a two-day delay - happened in 1968 after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr, while the third was for just a day in 1981 after an assassination attempt on former president Ronald Reagan.
This latest postponement also raises questions about the timelines of other major awards ceremonies, including the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Karey Burke, president of ABC Entertainment, the network which broadcasts the Oscars, said it was "uncharted territory" but vowed to ensure the event would be a "safe and celebratory" occasion.


news--2020-06-15--Coronavirus: Norway to delete all data collected from its contact-tracing app

Norway is to delete all of the data it captured through its COVID-19 contact-tracing app after the country 's data protection authority raised concerns .
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health ( NIPH ) said on Monday that it would be halting the coronavirus app following a warning from the country 's data protection watchdog .
Norway 's app was one of the first released by Western governments following the COVID-19 pandemic and relied on both Bluetooth connections and a centralised database of users ' GPS locations , which was stored for 30 days .
The app had been used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country and warn people who may have come into contact with someone who is infected .
A total of 8,628 people in the country had been infected as of Monday - 8,138 of whom have recovered , and 242 of whom have died .
On Friday , the country 's data protection authority ( DPA ) said that the low transmission rates in the country meant that the app was no longer a reasonable invasion of people 's privacy .
`` We do n't agree with the DPA 's evaluation , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data and put work on hold as a result of this , '' NIPH said in a statement .
`` We will as a result weaken an important part of our preparedness against a spread in infection , as we now lose time for development and testing of the app . ''
Officially known as Smittestopp , or Infection Stop , the app has been downloaded by 1.6 million of the 5.3 million people in Norway , but has fewer than 600,000 average daily users .
NIPH said : `` The pandemic is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the population , no vaccine , and no effective treatment .
`` Without the Smittestopp app , we will be less equipped to prevent new outbreaks that may occur locally or nationally . ''
In the UK , a trial version of the NHS contact-tracing app had been rolled out on the Isle of Wight , but has not been used across the rest of country amid delays and repeated setbacks .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock previously said the aim was to have the whole system up and running by the middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had then promised a `` world-beating '' system would be ready by 1 June , but the government 's lead for the app - Dido Harding - has now said it wo n't be available until the end of the month .

Norway is to delete all of the data it captured through its COVID-19 contact-tracing app after the country's data protection authority raised concerns.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) said on Monday that it would be halting the coronavirus app following a warning from the country's data protection watchdog.
Norway's app was one of the first released by Western governments following the COVID-19 pandemic and relied on both Bluetooth connections and a centralised database of users' GPS locations, which was stored for 30 days.
The app had been used by Norwegian authorities to track transmissions in the country and warn people who may have come into contact with someone who is infected.
A total of 8,628 people in the country had been infected as of Monday - 8,138 of whom have recovered, and 242 of whom have died.
On Friday, the country's data protection authority (DPA) said that the low transmission rates in the country meant that the app was no longer a reasonable invasion of people's privacy.
"We don't agree with the DPA's evaluation, but feel it is necessary to delete all data and put work on hold as a result of this," NIPH said in a statement.
"We will as a result weaken an important part of our preparedness against a spread in infection, as we now lose time for development and testing of the app."
Officially known as Smittestopp, or Infection Stop, the app has been downloaded by 1.6 million of the 5.3 million people in Norway, but has fewer than 600,000 average daily users.
Advertisement
NIPH said: "The pandemic is not over. We have no immunity in the population, no vaccine, and no effective treatment.
"Without the Smittestopp app, we will be less equipped to prevent new outbreaks that may occur locally or nationally."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 12:08 Government defends track and trace amid concerns
In the UK, a trial version of the NHS contact-tracing app had been rolled out on the Isle of Wight, but has not been used across the rest of country amid delays and repeated setbacks.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock previously said the aim was to have the whole system up and running by the middle of May.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had then promised a "world-beating" system would be ready by 1 June, but the government's lead for the app - Dido Harding - has now said it won't be available until the end of the month.


news--2020-04-19--Coronavirus: Restaurant finds long-lost wedding ring during lockdown renovations

A long-lost wedding ring has been returned to its rightful owner after it was found at a restaurant undergoing renovations during the coronavirus lockdown .
Three years ago , a New York man was enjoying a meal with his wife at a South Florida restaurant when his wedding ring slipped off his finger and through the wooden floorboards - apparently lost forever .
Since the coronavirus pandemic , Coconuts restaurant has only been serving takeaways , so manager Ryan Krivoy decided to replace the wooden patio deck .
When the decking was pulled up , he discovered a variety of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and $ 100 ( £80 ) bills .
He also spotted a silver wedding ring glistening through the piles of mud , engraved with the words `` Mike & Lisa 08-21-15 '' .
The restaurant 's marketing manager Sasha Formica decided to post a picture of the ring on Facebook , initially thinking it would not get a response .
However it was shared around 5,000 times before making its way to Mike and Lisa .
Three days after the Facebook post , the wife called to claim the ring , the Sun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , 'You 're not going to believe this , but I 'm Lisa , ' '' Ms Formica said .
Lisa even sent the restaurant pictures of her and her husband dining at the restaurant in 2017 as proof , explaining the ring had slipped off his greasy fingers and rolled between the wooden floorboards .
: : Listen to Coronavirus : In This Together on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or Spreaker Mr Krivoy said : `` We were cleaning up the debris down there and we noticed a bit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ring .
`` Once we washed it off , we realised there was an engraving on the inside . ''
The restaurant posted the ring back to the couple .
Mr Krivoy took the £100 bills and a rare coin from 1855 - that may be worth as much as $ 2,000 ( £1,622 ) - for the tip jar to share with the staff .

A long-lost wedding ring has been returned to its rightful owner after it was found at a restaurant undergoing renovations during the coronavirus lockdown.
Three years ago, a New York man was enjoying a meal with his wife at a South Florida restaurant when his wedding ring slipped off his finger and through the wooden floorboards - apparently lost forever.
Since the coronavirus pandemic, Coconuts restaurant has only been serving takeaways, so manager Ryan Krivoy decided to replace the wooden patio deck.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 11:53 This is what life on Earth looks like, April 2020
When the decking was pulled up, he discovered a variety of miscellaneous treasures, including a gold coin and $100 (£80) bills.
He also spotted a silver wedding ring glistening through the piles of mud, engraved with the words "Mike & Lisa 08-21-15".
The restaurant's marketing manager Sasha Formica decided to post a picture of the ring on Facebook, initially thinking it would not get a response.
However it was shared around 5,000 times before making its way to Mike and Lisa.
Three days after the Facebook post, the wife called to claim the ring, the Sun Sentinel reported.
"She called and said, 'You're not going to believe this, but I'm Lisa,'" Ms Formica said.
Advertisement
Lisa even sent the restaurant pictures of her and her husband dining at the restaurant in 2017 as proof, explaining the ring had slipped off his greasy fingers and rolled between the wooden floorboards.
:: Listen to Coronavirus: In This Together on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Spreaker
Mr Krivoy said: "We were cleaning up the debris down there and we noticed a bit of a sparkle, and we picked up a ring.
"Once we washed it off, we realised there was an engraving on the inside."
The restaurant posted the ring back to the couple.
Mr Krivoy took the £100 bills and a rare coin from 1855 - that may be worth as much as $2,000 (£1,622) - for the tip jar to share with the staff.


news--2020-04-19--Coronavirus: UK hospital deaths reach 16,060 after 596 more patients die

Another 596 people have died with coronavirus in UK hospitals - the smallest increase in nearly two weeks .
The Department of Health announced the latest increase , with 16,060 people with COVID-19 - the disease caused by coronavirus - now confirmed to have died in hospital across the four home nations .
NHS England announced another 482 deaths in hospitals in England , taking the country 's total to 14,400 .
Scotland saw a further 10 deaths , Wales 41 and Northern Ireland one .
Health authorities in England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland record their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the government 's total as they collate their numbers at different times throughout the day .
According to each home nation 's health authorities , the number of deaths in hospitals now stands at : The news comes as a delivery of 84 tonnes of desperately needed personal protective equipment for front line NHS staff was delayed .
The shipment - which includes 400,000 surgical gowns - was supposed to arrive today from Turkey .
Meanwhile , Boris Johnson has come under fire following claims his government missed a series of opportunities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemic in February and March .
: : Listen to the Sophy Ridge on Sunday podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker According to an investigation by The Sunday Times , dire warnings were ignored from scientists - and the UK lost `` a crucial five weeks in the fight to tackle the dangerous threat of coronavirus despite being in a perilously poor state of preparation for a pandemic '' .
The paper also highlighted the fact that Mr Johnson did not attend the first five emergency meetings in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK - something that was confirmed to Sky News at the start of March .
But Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove hit back , telling Sky 's Sophy Ridge on Sunday : `` The idea that the prime minister skipped meetings that were vital to our response to the coronavirus , I think is grotesque . ''

Another 596 people have died with coronavirus in UK hospitals - the smallest increase in nearly two weeks.
The Department of Health announced the latest increase, with 16,060 people with COVID-19 - the disease caused by coronavirus - now confirmed to have died in hospital across the four home nations.
NHS England announced another 482 deaths in hospitals in England, taking the country's total to 14,400.
Scotland saw a further 10 deaths, Wales 41 and Northern Ireland one.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:50 'Too early to lift UK lockdown'
Health authorities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland record their own daily figures, which may not tally with the government's total as they collate their numbers at different times throughout the day.
According to each home nation's health authorities, the number of deaths in hospitals now stands at:
England - 14,400
Scotland - 903
Wales - 475
Northern Ireland - 194
The news comes as a delivery of 84 tonnes of desperately needed personal protective equipment for front line NHS staff was delayed.
The shipment - which includes 400,000 surgical gowns - was supposed to arrive today from Turkey.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has come under fire following claims his government missed a series of opportunities to lessen the impact of the coronavirus epidemic in February and March.
Advertisement
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
:: Listen to the Sophy Ridge on Sunday podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
According to an investigation by The Sunday Times, dire warnings were ignored from scientists - and the UK lost "a crucial five weeks in the fight to tackle the dangerous threat of coronavirus despite being in a perilously poor state of preparation for a pandemic".
The paper also highlighted the fact that Mr Johnson did not attend the first five emergency meetings in the run-up to the outbreak in the UK - something that was confirmed to Sky News at the start of March.
But Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove hit back, telling Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "The idea that the prime minister skipped meetings that were vital to our response to the coronavirus, I think is grotesque."


news--2020-04-18--Coronavirus: UK joins global debate over how and when to ease lockdown measures

Britain has joined a worldwide debate over when and how to ease the lockdown as unemployment rises due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Virus-control measures to slow the spread of the new disease , for which there is no vaccine , have brought widespread hardship and taken a toll on the world 's economy .
In a joint statement on Saturday , a group of 13 countries - including Canada , Brazil , Italy , Germany and the UK - called for global cooperation to lessen the economic impact and protect global trade .
`` It is vital that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' they said .
The group - which also includes France , Indonesia , Mexico , Morocco , Peru , South Korea , Singapore and Turkey - said it was committed to `` work with all countries to coordinate on public health , travel , trade , economic and financial measures in order to minimise disruptions and recover stronger '' .
They also want to maintain `` air land and marine transportation links '' to ensure the continued flow of goods including medical equipment and aid , and the return home of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2.3 million people have been infected by the virus and at least 160,000 have died .
Governments around the world remain cautious about easing lockdown rules , despite the devastating effect on the economy .
The US did not join in the call among other world leaders as the debate has taken on partisan tones ahead of the presidential election in the autumn .
US governors have moved to ease lockdown restrictions in a bid to rescue their economies after feeling heat from protesters and President Donald Trump .
Protests against stay-at-home orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporters took place in several cities on Saturday , despite experts warning that moving too fast could prove disastrous .
It comes after the president urged them to `` liberate '' three states lead by Democratic governors .
Public health experts have warned that easing shutdowns must be accompanied by wider testing and tracing of infected people to prevent the virus from coming back .
Singapore , which was initially held up as a model for other nations after enforcing strict lockdown measures , reported a new daily record of 942 infections on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : : Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , and Spreaker The number of Singapore cases more than doubled in the past week alone after a surge of new infections among foreign workers staying in crowded dormitories , that now make up 60 % of the country 's infections .
Japan also reported 556 new cases on Saturday , with its total now over 10,000 .
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday that people were not adhering to social distancing rules .

Britain has joined a worldwide debate over when and how to ease the lockdown as unemployment rises due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Virus-control measures to slow the spread of the new disease, for which there is no vaccine, have brought widespread hardship and taken a toll on the world's economy.
In a joint statement on Saturday, a group of 13 countries - including Canada, Brazil, Italy, Germany and the UK - called for global cooperation to lessen the economic impact and protect global trade.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:06 UK set to reach 20k deaths next week
"It is vital that we work together to save lives and livelihoods," they said.
The group - which also includes France, Indonesia, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, South Korea, Singapore and Turkey - said it was committed to "work with all countries to coordinate on public health, travel, trade, economic and financial measures in order to minimise disruptions and recover stronger".
They also want to maintain "air land and marine transportation links" to ensure the continued flow of goods including medical equipment and aid, and the return home of travellers.
So far, more than 2.3 million people have been infected by the virus and at least 160,000 have died.
Governments around the world remain cautious about easing lockdown rules, despite the devastating effect on the economy.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:06 UK set to reach 20k deaths next week
The US did not join in the call among other world leaders as the debate has taken on partisan tones ahead of the presidential election in the autumn.
Advertisement
US governors have moved to ease lockdown restrictions in a bid to rescue their economies after feeling heat from protesters and President Donald Trump.
Protests against stay-at-home orders organised by small government groups and Trump supporters took place in several cities on Saturday, despite experts warning that moving too fast could prove disastrous.
It comes after the president urged them to "liberate" three states lead by Democratic governors.
Image: People in Minnesota protest against the state’s coronavirus-related lockdown measures
Public health experts have warned that easing shutdowns must be accompanied by wider testing and tracing of infected people to prevent the virus from coming back.
Singapore, which was initially held up as a model for other nations after enforcing strict lockdown measures, reported a new daily record of 942 infections on Saturday, pushing its total to 5,992.
:: Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker
The number of Singapore cases more than doubled in the past week alone after a surge of new infections among foreign workers staying in crowded dormitories, that now make up 60% of the country's infections.
Japan also reported 556 new cases on Saturday, with its total now over 10,000.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday that people were not adhering to social distancing rules.


news--2020-04-19--Coronavirus: 'Socially distanced' rescue mission after eight cut off by Isle of Wight rockfall

Eight people have been rescued on the Isle of Wight after they were cut off by a rockfall .
`` @ @ @ @ @ used in the aftermath of the incident at the popular seaside resort of Shanklin .
@ @ @ @ @ , firefighters , a lifeboat and a search and rescue helicopter were involved in the @ @ @ @ @ that there is nothing to suggest that any of the members of the public were @ @ @ @ @ stop the spread of COVID-19 .
Despite fears over the rockfall , no one was @ @ @ @ @ were out in two groups on exercise walks at the time .
HM Coastguard 's @ @ @ @ @ Hurden said : `` There is nothing to suggest these two separate groups were breaking @ @ @ @ @ were socially distancing each other on a walk near to their homes .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ has been injured in the incident and that people did the right thing by calling @ @ @ @ @ Coastguard . ''

Eight people have been rescued on the Isle of Wight after they were cut off by a rockfall.
"Socially distanced" procedures were used in the aftermath of the incident at the popular seaside resort of Shanklin.
HM Coastguard, the police, firefighters, a lifeboat and a search and rescue helicopter were involved in the operation.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:17 Lockdown: The dos and don'ts
Officials have stressed that there is nothing to suggest that any of the members of the public were breaching government guidelines designed to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Despite fears over the rockfall, no one was injured.
The eight people were out in two groups on exercise walks at the time.
HM Coastguard's senior maritime operations officer David Hurden said: "There is nothing to suggest these two separate groups were breaking lockdown rules.
"They were socially distancing each other on a walk near to their homes.
"We're thankful that no one has been injured in the incident and that people did the right thing by calling 999 and asking for the Coastguard."


news--2020-04-17--Coronavirus: Gaps in TV schedules mean we're going to have to get used to lo-fi TV for rest of 2020

The film and TV industry has been devastated by COVID-19 , with many productions halted , leaving people out of work .
This means a change not only to what is on our screens right now , but also what we can expect to see in the future .
O'Brien runs a production company with director Ken Loach making `` socially realistic films which are contemporary stories '' .
They were due to make a movie employing 50-60 people later this year , but it will now need to be re-written before shooting starts in 2021 .
She said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our stories will need to reflect that change…the film script we were going to make is no longer quite relevant in the way it was .
`` It 's quite difficult to tell a contemporary story about now without including something on the pandemic - it 's affecting all our lives and it will do for many years to come . ''
O'Brien said the most pressing issue for the industry was the plight of its workforce , the majority of whom are freelance and have seen livelihoods disappear overnight .
`` There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choosing between buying food and paying their rent and that 's certainly the case for a lot of people in the film industry . ''
However , not all production has been cancelled , and some TV shows are continuing .
The Graham Norton Show is back on air , albeit without an audience and with Norton using zoom to interview celebrities in their own homes .
Executive producer of the show and managing director of So TV , Graham Stuart , told Sky News they feel incredibly lucky to be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a colossal impact on the industry .
`` The main issue is staffing , because the revenue stops and you 've got to cut staff and that is happening at a huge rate . ''
He said the other major factor in the industry crisis was the fall in advertising revenue meaning that broadcasters were being forced to slash their broadcasting budgets .
Stuart said : `` It 's an issue which is going to affect us for a very long time . ''
He predicted that in the short term , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landscape , particularly in the second half of 2020 .
With no sport , big entertainment shows or dramas being made right now , there will be gaps in the schedules .
These types of programmes will also take time to bring back into production .
As a result , TV commissioners are now on the lookout for shows which can be made now or which can be turned around quickly when the lockdown ends .
Stuart said : `` There 's been a natural surge doing what we 've been doing with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring people in and of course having hosts and presenters working from their own homes .
`` There has been a lot of that pitched and I think quite a lot of that has been commissioned so you will be seeing more lo-fi programming in the near future . ''
Record-breaking audiences of over 24 million viewers tuned in to watch the Queen broadcast live , something Stuart said has proved `` the value of public service broadcasting to bind us all together '' .
He said : `` The fascinating aspect about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were reaching a point where the BBC as a public service broadcaster , as the jewel in the crown of British cultural society , was under a considerable amount of fire .
`` There were many questions from certain areas about the value of the BBC , 'did we need the BBC ? '
This situation has proved that there is the need for public service broadcasting .
A communal activity that people like to be together to share .
`` That 's definitely true in crisis but also post-crisis people will enjoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entertainment and the big dramas that bind us together . ''
CEO of the Film and TV Charity , Alex Pumfrey , is concerned with the present , and the plight of those working in the industry who are falling through the cracks , ineligible for government aid .
`` We think there are about 100,000 freelancers working within the sector , 93 % of them wo n't be working anymore and three out of four of them wo n't be eligible for any kind of government support . ''
Pumfrey told Sky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , anxious , concerned , forgotten and abandoned '' .
She said she already knew of individuals who will be forced to leave the sector for economic reasons .
`` We worry particularly about the young workforce , the diverse workforce .
As an industry , we 've worked hard over the last few years to make it more dynamic .
There will be some people who will be less able to manage this and I fear that will set us back enormously . ''
The Film and TV charity have set up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help those most in need which is open for applications until 22 April .
Money has been donated from organisations including the BFI , Netflix , BBC , Sky and WarnerMedia .
The plight of freelancers who fall through the gaps of the government 's financial schemes has been highlighted by an online video campaign Forgotten Freelancers .
It features pictures of thousands of people who work in the industry and are affected , with a clear message .
`` Our work life is precarious .
We 're not the stars of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And now all our work has stopped .
We are some of the thousands not eligible for any government schemes .
We have no money coming in .
Without urgent government help , this will be the end of the story for us . ''
Jane Merkin , who is behind the campaign , said she felt compelled to help `` people who are in a really dire situation and bring attention to those who feel forgotten '' .
Merkin said : `` Boris Johnson wanted parity for all workers and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have fallen through the government schemes and I want to highlight that . ''
Freelancers not eligible for government schemes include those who are recently self-employed and do not have a full year of accounts , as well as many employed on PAYE fixed-term contracts or through limited liability companies .

The film and TV industry has been devastated by COVID-19, with many productions halted, leaving people out of work.
This means a change not only to what is on our screens right now, but also what we can expect to see in the future.
Film producer Rebecca O'Brien told Sky News the pandemic was "a hugely significant cultural moment".
Image: Film producer Rebecca O’Brien works with director Ken Loach
O'Brien runs a production company with director Ken Loach making "socially realistic films which are contemporary stories".
They were due to make a movie employing 50-60 people later this year, but it will now need to be re-written before shooting starts in 2021.
She said: "The world has changed, so our stories will need to reflect that change…the film script we were going to make is no longer quite relevant in the way it was.
"It's quite difficult to tell a contemporary story about now without including something on the pandemic - it's affecting all our lives and it will do for many years to come."
O'Brien said the most pressing issue for the industry was the plight of its workforce, the majority of whom are freelance and have seen livelihoods disappear overnight.
"There are a lot of people who are choosing between buying food and paying their rent and that's certainly the case for a lot of people in the film industry."
Advertisement
Image: The Graham Norton Show executive producer Graham Stuart says more lo-fi TV is on the way
However, not all production has been cancelled, and some TV shows are continuing.
The Graham Norton Show is back on air, albeit without an audience and with Norton using zoom to interview celebrities in their own homes.
Executive producer of the show and managing director of So TV, Graham Stuart, told Sky News they feel incredibly lucky to be able to continue when the COVID-19 crisis has had such a colossal impact on the industry.
"The main issue is staffing, because the revenue stops and you've got to cut staff and that is happening at a huge rate."
He said the other major factor in the industry crisis was the fall in advertising revenue meaning that broadcasters were being forced to slash their broadcasting budgets.
Stuart said: "It's an issue which is going to affect us for a very long time."
He predicted that in the short term, we will see a very different TV landscape, particularly in the second half of 2020.
With no sport, big entertainment shows or dramas being made right now, there will be gaps in the schedules.
These types of programmes will also take time to bring back into production.
As a result, TV commissioners are now on the lookout for shows which can be made now or which can be turned around quickly when the lockdown ends.
Stuart said: "There's been a natural surge doing what we've been doing with Graham Norton which is using technology to bring people in and of course having hosts and presenters working from their own homes.
"There has been a lot of that pitched and I think quite a lot of that has been commissioned so you will be seeing more lo-fi programming in the near future."
Record-breaking audiences of over 24 million viewers tuned in to watch the Queen broadcast live, something Stuart said has proved "the value of public service broadcasting to bind us all together".
He said: "The fascinating aspect about where we are now is that we were reaching a point where the BBC as a public service broadcaster, as the jewel in the crown of British cultural society, was under a considerable amount of fire.
"There were many questions from certain areas about the value of the BBC, 'did we need the BBC?' This situation has proved that there is the need for public service broadcasting. A communal activity that people like to be together to share.
"That's definitely true in crisis but also post-crisis people will enjoy things like sport again, and large-scale entertainment and the big dramas that bind us together."
CEO of the Film and TV Charity, Alex Pumfrey, is concerned with the present, and the plight of those working in the industry who are falling through the cracks, ineligible for government aid.
Image: Filming of Sky Arts' Portrait Artist of the Year has had to be put on hold
"We think there are about 100,000 freelancers working within the sector, 93% of them won't be working anymore and three out of four of them won't be eligible for any kind of government support."
Pumfrey told Sky News that people "are feeling desperate, anxious, concerned, forgotten and abandoned". She said she already knew of individuals who will be forced to leave the sector for economic reasons.
"We worry particularly about the young workforce, the diverse workforce. As an industry, we've worked hard over the last few years to make it more dynamic. There will be some people who will be less able to manage this and I fear that will set us back enormously."
The Film and TV charity have set up an emergency fund with the BFI to help those most in need which is open for applications until 22 April.
Money has been donated from organisations including the BFI, Netflix, BBC, Sky and WarnerMedia.
Image: Many freelancers no longer have jobs but aren't eligible for government help
The plight of freelancers who fall through the gaps of the government's financial schemes has been highlighted by an online video campaign Forgotten Freelancers.
It features pictures of thousands of people who work in the industry and are affected, with a clear message.
"Our work life is precarious. We're not the stars of the screen. We're not highly paid. And now all our work has stopped. We are some of the thousands not eligible for any government schemes. We have no money coming in. Without urgent government help, this will be the end of the story for us."
Jane Merkin, who is behind the campaign, said she felt compelled to help "people who are in a really dire situation and bring attention to those who feel forgotten".
Merkin said: "Boris Johnson wanted parity for all workers and that has not happened because around 70% have fallen through the government schemes and I want to highlight that."
Freelancers not eligible for government schemes include those who are recently self-employed and do not have a full year of accounts, as well as many employed on PAYE fixed-term contracts or through limited liability companies.


news--2020-04-19--Coronavirus: Johannesburg township residents say 'lockdown will get us before COVID-19'

In the impoverished settlements that ring the city of Johannesburg , people wake at 2am in order to make an important decision .
They need to pick a queue , one of dozens of queues , which form in front of community centres , schools and local charities every single day .
Then , they wait to see if anyone delivers any food .
We saw these elongated chains of humanity as we drove down the roads and dirt tracks in a place called Diepsloot .
Queue members cheered and screamed when they saw my battered-looking car , mistaking our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a food distribution panel .
`` Since two o'clock we are here , '' said Themba Mirian , who occupied a position near the front of the queue at the community hall .
`` The old people are here and they are starving .
They just collapse because there is no food . ''
`` What are you feeding your children ? ''
I asked .
`` Nothing .
We live in a shack .
There are 10 of us in a shack .
How can we do the lockdown in a shack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-point in its five-week lockdown and in communities like Diepsloot it is really starting to hurt .
Most here work in the `` informal sector '' - they sell goods on the roadside , guard cars or recycle waste - but residents can not work when they have been ordered to stay indoors .
In the queue outside the local high school , a man called Alex Chauke was wildly applauded when he told me that the lockdown would get them before the coronavirus did .
`` If there 's not food we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's about hunger it 's not ( about ) corona now .
We need to survive . ''
The lip-curling anger that we witnessed in this impoverished township has turned into violence and looting in other parts of the country .
Dozens of shops and supermarkets have been broken into as frustrated residents take matters into their hands .
Human rights organisation Amnesty International is calling on governments in Southern Africa to offer subsidies and food provisions to the poor as a matter of urgency .
`` With inequality and unemployment so high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people live hand to mouth ... they can not afford to remain in lockdown for a week , let alone for a month , '' said Deprose Muchena , Amnesty 's director for East and Southern Africa .
Apart from the odd patrol of soldiers , there was little evidence of the South African government at work in Diepsloot - although we did find a local charity called Afrika Tikkun with some provisions to distribute .
We made the discovery by following a kilometre-long line to their front gate .
Through the fence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of vegetables on offer but it was clear that hundreds of people in the queue - perhaps the majority - would go home empty-handed .
I asked the general manager , Sipho Mamize , how they were faring .
''We got the food today and we are still ( telling ) our partners , our sponsors , the need is still there ... .
we have to hustle for next week . ''
`` I do n't want to be the person to tell ( the people outside ) there is nothing left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I have to do it , '' said Mr Mamize .
In a place like Diepsloot , the ache of an empty stomach takes priority over everything else , including the coronavirus pandemic .
But that 's something residents will deal with when they have to .

In the impoverished settlements that ring the city of Johannesburg, people wake at 2am in order to make an important decision.
They need to pick a queue, one of dozens of queues, which form in front of community centres, schools and local charities every single day. Then, they wait to see if anyone delivers any food.
We saw these elongated chains of humanity as we drove down the roads and dirt tracks in a place called Diepsloot.
Image: Residents in Diepsloot queue from early in the morning to get food
Queue members cheered and screamed when they saw my battered-looking car, mistaking our team for members of a charity or a food distribution panel.
"Since two o'clock we are here," said Themba Mirian, who occupied a position near the front of the queue at the community hall. "The old people are here and they are starving. They just collapse because there is no food."
"What are you feeding your children?" I asked.
"Nothing. We live in a shack. There are 10 of us in a shack. How can we do the lockdown in a shack?"
South Africa has passed the mid-point in its five-week lockdown and in communities like Diepsloot it is really starting to hurt.
Most here work in the "informal sector" - they sell goods on the roadside, guard cars or recycle waste - but residents cannot work when they have been ordered to stay indoors.
Advertisement
In the queue outside the local high school, a man called Alex Chauke was wildly applauded when he told me that the lockdown would get them before the coronavirus did.
"If there's not food we have to look for food, it's about hunger it's not (about) corona now. We need to survive."
The lip-curling anger that we witnessed in this impoverished township has turned into violence and looting in other parts of the country.
Dozens of shops and supermarkets have been broken into as frustrated residents take matters into their hands.
Image: Some in South Africa have resorted to looting to get food and essentials
Human rights organisation Amnesty International is calling on governments in Southern Africa to offer subsidies and food provisions to the poor as a matter of urgency.
"With inequality and unemployment so high across Southern Africa, the majority of people live hand to mouth... they cannot afford to remain in lockdown for a week, let alone for a month," said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty's director for East and Southern Africa.
Apart from the odd patrol of soldiers, there was little evidence of the South African government at work in Diepsloot - although we did find a local charity called Afrika Tikkun with some provisions to distribute.
We made the discovery by following a kilometre-long line to their front gate. Through the fence we spotted some of the 800 bags of vegetables on offer but it was clear that hundreds of people in the queue - perhaps the majority - would go home empty-handed.
I asked the general manager, Sipho Mamize, how they were faring.
''We got the food today and we are still (telling) our partners, our sponsors, the need is still there.... we have to hustle for next week."
"I don't want to be the person to tell (the people outside) there is nothing left," I said.
"Unfortunately, I have to do it," said Mr Mamize.
In a place like Diepsloot, the ache of an empty stomach takes priority over everything else, including the coronavirus pandemic.
But that's something residents will deal with when they have to.


news--2020-04-19--Coronavirus: 'Grotesque' to claim Boris Johnson 'skipped' five emergency COVID-19 meetings

It is `` grotesque '' to suggest that Prime Minister Boris Johnson `` skipped '' meetings on the government 's response to the coronavirus crisis , one of his senior ministers has told Sky News .
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove defended the PM after an investigation by The Sunday Times claimed the government missed a series of opportunities to lessen the impact of COVID-19 in the weeks leading up to the lockdown being imposed .
The paper also highlighted the fact that Mr Johnson did not attend the first five emergency meetings in the run-up to the coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed to Sky News at the start of March .
But Mr Gove hit back , telling Sky 's Sophy Ridge on Sunday : `` The idea that the prime minister skipped meetings that were vital to our response to the coronavirus , I think is grotesque . ''
He added : `` The truth is that there are meetings across government , some of which are chaired by the health secretary , some of which are chaired by other ministers , but the prime minister took all the major decisions .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened to the prime minister not long ago , nobody can say the prime minister is n't throwing heart and soul into fighting this virus .
`` His leadership has been inspirational at times and I think that actually nothing is more off-beam than the suggestion that the prime minister was anything other than energetic , determined , focused and strong in his leadership against this virus . ''
Mr Gove said Mr Johnson was `` recovering well '' after his time in intensive care with COVID-19 and was in `` cheerful spirits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had spoken with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab - who is deputising for Mr Johnson - and his instructions had been communicated to cabinet ministers .
Speaking later to the BBC , Mr Gove acknowledged that the PM was not at the first five COBRA meetings , but said this was not unusual .
`` Because most COBRA meetings do n't have the prime minister attending them , '' he explained .
The Sunday Times investigation claimed that ministers ignored dire warnings from scientists - and the UK lost `` a crucial five weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat of coronavirus despite being in a perilously poor state of preparation for a pandemic '' .
Government whistleblowers , scientists and emergency planners alleged there was a complacency at the heart of government in late January and February when it should have been urgently replenishing stockpiles .
: : Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Apple podcasts , Google podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Mr Gove said the investigation `` had one or two off-beam elements to it '' .
Asked specifically what was incorrect in The Sunday Times report , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go through here a point-by-point rebuttal of all the things in The Sunday Times story that are a little bit off-beam , but that will be done later . ''
A Downing Street spokesman hit back at the report , saying : `` Our response has ensured that the NHS has been given all the support it needs to ensure everyone requiring treatment has received it , as well as providing protection to businesses and reassurance to workers .
`` The prime minister has been at the helm of the response to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period for the whole nation . ''
But Labour 's Jonathan Ashworth labelled Mr Gove 's `` off-beam '' response `` possibly the weakest rebuttal of a detailed expose in British political history '' .
The shadow health secretary said the PM had `` serious questions '' to answer .
He told Sky 's Sophy Ridge on Sunday : `` None of us expect the impossible , we understand that mistakes will be made in a crisis of this nature , but there are serious questions as to why the prime minister skipped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the whole world could see how serious this was becoming .
`` And we know that serious mistakes have been made , we know that our front line NHS staff do n't have the PPE [ personal protective equipment ] , that they 've been told this weekend that they wo n't necessarily have the gowns which are vital to keep them safe .
`` We know that our testing capacity is not at the level that is needed .
`` We know that the ventilators that many hospitals have received are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big questions as to whether we went into this lockdown too slowly , and now we hear the prime minister missed five meetings at the start of this outbreak .
`` It suggests that early on he was missing in action . ''

It is "grotesque" to suggest that Prime Minister Boris Johnson "skipped" meetings on the government's response to the coronavirus crisis, one of his senior ministers has told Sky News.
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove defended the PM after an investigation by The Sunday Times claimed the government missed a series of opportunities to lessen the impact of COVID-19 in the weeks leading up to the lockdown being imposed.
The paper also highlighted the fact that Mr Johnson did not attend the first five emergency meetings in the run-up to the coronavirus outbreak in the UK - something that was confirmed to Sky News at the start of March.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:50 'Too early to lift UK lockdown'
But Mr Gove hit back, telling Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "The idea that the prime minister skipped meetings that were vital to our response to the coronavirus, I think is grotesque."
He added: "The truth is that there are meetings across government, some of which are chaired by the health secretary, some of which are chaired by other ministers, but the prime minister took all the major decisions.
"I think that anyone who considered what happened to the prime minister not long ago, nobody can say the prime minister isn't throwing heart and soul into fighting this virus.
"His leadership has been inspirational at times and I think that actually nothing is more off-beam than the suggestion that the prime minister was anything other than energetic, determined, focused and strong in his leadership against this virus."
Mr Gove said Mr Johnson was "recovering well" after his time in intensive care with COVID-19 and was in "cheerful spirits".
He added that the PM had spoken with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab - who is deputising for Mr Johnson - and his instructions had been communicated to cabinet ministers.
Advertisement
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:35 UK lockdown for 'at least' three more weeks
Speaking later to the BBC, Mr Gove acknowledged that the PM was not at the first five COBRA meetings, but said this was not unusual.
"Because most COBRA meetings don't have the prime minister attending them," he explained.
The Sunday Times investigation claimed that ministers ignored dire warnings from scientists - and the UK lost "a crucial five weeks in the fight to tackle the dangerous threat of coronavirus despite being in a perilously poor state of preparation for a pandemic".
Government whistleblowers, scientists and emergency planners alleged there was a complacency at the heart of government in late January and February when it should have been urgently replenishing stockpiles.
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
:: Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Mr Gove said the investigation "had one or two off-beam elements to it".
Asked specifically what was incorrect in The Sunday Times report, he said: "I won't go through here a point-by-point rebuttal of all the things in The Sunday Times story that are a little bit off-beam, but that will be done later."
A Downing Street spokesman hit back at the report, saying: "Our response has ensured that the NHS has been given all the support it needs to ensure everyone requiring treatment has received it, as well as providing protection to businesses and reassurance to workers.
"The prime minister has been at the helm of the response to this, providing leadership during this hugely challenging period for the whole nation."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:42 UK lockdown: Could public patience run out?
But Labour's Jonathan Ashworth labelled Mr Gove's "off-beam" response "possibly the weakest rebuttal of a detailed expose in British political history".
The shadow health secretary said the PM had "serious questions" to answer.
He told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "None of us expect the impossible, we understand that mistakes will be made in a crisis of this nature, but there are serious questions as to why the prime minister skipped five COBRA meetings throughout February, when the whole world could see how serious this was becoming.
"And we know that serious mistakes have been made, we know that our front line NHS staff don't have the PPE [personal protective equipment], that they've been told this weekend that they won't necessarily have the gowns which are vital to keep them safe.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:15 PM praises NHS staff who cared for him
"We know that our testing capacity is not at the level that is needed.
"We know that the ventilators that many hospitals have received are the wrong types of ventilators and there are big questions as to whether we went into this lockdown too slowly, and now we hear the prime minister missed five meetings at the start of this outbreak.
"It suggests that early on he was missing in action."


news--2020-04-19--Coronavirus: Free laptops for disadvantaged pupils during lockdown

Free laptops and tablets will be offered to children from disadvantaged backgrounds across England to help them study at home during lockdown .
With schools closed due to the coronavirus pandemic , the equipment will make learning from home more achievable for those kids who are most in need .
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said 4G routers will also be given to families who do n't already have mobile or broadband internet .
Young people will be eligible for the devices if they do n't already have one and either have a social worker or are care leavers , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead of GCSEs next year .
Once schools reopen , schools and colleges will be able to keep the equipment , according to the Department for Education .
In another move to make remote learning more accessible , a new national online academy providing 180 online lessons per week is also being launched on Monday .
The Oak National Academy has been created by 40 teachers from some of the UK 's top schools in just two weeks .
Virtual classes will cover a broad range of subjects including maths , arts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reception to Year 10 .
The government has said schools will remain shut until the scientific advice around COVID-19 changes .
Mr Williamson said : `` By providing young people with these laptops and tablets and enabling schools to access high quality support , we will enable all children to continue learning now and in the years to come .
`` We hope this support will take some of the pressure off both parents and schools by providing more materials for them to use . ''
: : Listen to the All Out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The government said it would also make funding of £1.6m available immediately for the NSPCC to expand and promote its national helpline for adults .
The charity 's chief executive Peter Wanless welcomed the support , but highlighted the need for people to be on the lookout for signs of child abuse and neglect during lockdown .
Mr Wanless said : `` The NSPCC helpline is a crucial cog in the child protection system and this funding will enable us to increase awareness of our team of experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capability to provide a safe and confidential space for adults concerned about children during the coronavirus crisis . ''

Free laptops and tablets will be offered to children from disadvantaged backgrounds across England to help them study at home during lockdown.
With schools closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the equipment will make learning from home more achievable for those kids who are most in need.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said 4G routers will also be given to families who don't already have mobile or broadband internet.
Image: Schools will remain closed until scientific advice changes
Young people will be eligible for the devices if they don't already have one and either have a social worker or are care leavers, or are disadvantaged children in year 10, ahead of GCSEs next year.
Once schools reopen, schools and colleges will be able to keep the equipment, according to the Department for Education.
In another move to make remote learning more accessible, a new national online academy providing 180 online lessons per week is also being launched on Monday.
The Oak National Academy has been created by 40 teachers from some of the UK's top schools in just two weeks.
Virtual classes will cover a broad range of subjects including maths, arts and languages for children ranging in age from reception to Year 10.
The government has said schools will remain shut until the scientific advice around COVID-19 changes.
Advertisement
Mr Williamson said: "By providing young people with these laptops and tablets and enabling schools to access high quality support, we will enable all children to continue learning now and in the years to come.
"We hope this support will take some of the pressure off both parents and schools by providing more materials for them to use."
:: Listen to the All Out Politics podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
The government said it would also make funding of £1.6m available immediately for the NSPCC to expand and promote its national helpline for adults.
The charity's chief executive Peter Wanless welcomed the support, but highlighted the need for people to be on the lookout for signs of child abuse and neglect during lockdown.
Mr Wanless said: "The NSPCC helpline is a crucial cog in the child protection system and this funding will enable us to increase awareness of our team of experts across the country and to expand their capability to provide a safe and confidential space for adults concerned about children during the coronavirus crisis."


news--2020-04-17--For first time in nine years, astronauts will be sent into space from the US

NASA has announced that SpaceX will launch astronauts into orbit from US soil next month after nine years of complete dependence on Russia .
SpaceX plans to end the drought by sending astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space station on 27 May .
Lift off will be from Florida 's Kennedy Space Center on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 4.32pm local time .
It marks the first time a rocket will carry astronauts into orbit from the US since NASA 's last space shuttle flight in 2011 .
Mr Hurley served as pilot on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spacecraft commander for SpaceX 's Dragon crew capsule .
`` On May 27 , @ NASA will once again launch American astronauts on American rockets from American soil !
`` , NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted on Friday .
: : Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , and Spreaker It is too soon to know whether the coronavirus pandemic will prompt crowd restrictions at the launch .
Russia , the US and China are the only three countries to have launched people into orbit since 1961 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company .
SpaceX successfully conducted its first test flight of a Dragon crew capsule a year ago , sending the capsule - minus the crew - to the space station .
However , the returned capsule was accidentally destroyed during ground testing at Cape Canaveral , further delaying the astronaut launch .
The length of Mr Hurley and Mr Behnken 's mission is still under review , according to NASA , but they are expected to spend weeks , perhaps months , helping to maintain the orbiting lab .
Meanwhile , NASA is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a Russian rocket .
Russian Soyuz capsules have been used for crew transportation to and from the space station since 2011 .
SpaceX has been using Falcon 9 rockets to launch cargo to the space station in the company 's original Dragon capsules since 2012 .
Boeing is working to launch astronauts under NASA 's commercial crew programme , but suffered a major setback following last December 's botched test flight .
The aerospace company plans to repeat the test flight again this autumn .

NASA has announced that SpaceX will launch astronauts into orbit from US soil next month after nine years of complete dependence on Russia.
SpaceX plans to end the drought by sending astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space station on 27 May.
Lift off will be from Florida's Kennedy Space Center on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 4.32pm local time.
Image: NASA Astronauts Doug Hurley (L) and Bob Behnken will be sent on the mission on 27 May
It marks the first time a rocket will carry astronauts into orbit from the US since NASA's last space shuttle flight in 2011.
Mr Hurley served as pilot on the last shuttle mission and will be the spacecraft commander for SpaceX's Dragon crew capsule.
"On May 27, @NASA will once again launch American astronauts on American rockets from American soil!", NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted on Friday.
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
:: Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker
It is too soon to know whether the coronavirus pandemic will prompt crowd restrictions at the launch.
Russia, the US and China are the only three countries to have launched people into orbit since 1961 - and SpaceX would be the first company.
Advertisement
SpaceX successfully conducted its first test flight of a Dragon crew capsule a year ago, sending the capsule - minus the crew - to the space station.
However, the returned capsule was accidentally destroyed during ground testing at Cape Canaveral, further delaying the astronaut launch.
The length of Mr Hurley and Mr Behnken's mission is still under review, according to NASA, but they are expected to spend weeks, perhaps months, helping to maintain the orbiting lab.
Meanwhile, NASA is in the process of buying another seat on a Russian rocket.
Russian Soyuz capsules have been used for crew transportation to and from the space station since 2011.
SpaceX has been using Falcon 9 rockets to launch cargo to the space station in the company's original Dragon capsules since 2012.
Boeing is working to launch astronauts under NASA's commercial crew programme, but suffered a major setback following last December's botched test flight.
The aerospace company plans to repeat the test flight again this autumn.