news--2020-04-23--Coronavirus: 'Very special' doctor Medhat Atalla dies after contracting COVID-19

A `` very special '' doctor who cared for elderly people on three continents during his career has died after contracting coronavirus .
Dr Medhat Atalla , 62 , was a consultant geriatrician at Doncaster Royal Infirmary , where he passed away .
The hospital said he was a `` hugely popular and respected colleague '' and a `` truly gentle gentleman '' who affected the lives of `` so many in such a positive way '' .
`` He will be hugely missed by us all , '' senior staff added as they thanked colleagues for doing `` all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him as he bravely battled COVID-19 '' .
Dr Atalla arrived in Britain from Egypt about 20 years ago and cared for many elderly patients in hospitals in the north of England .
Hundreds of people paid tribute to the consultant on Facebook , with one saying she `` sat crying '' as she read the news , adding that he was a `` real NHS hero '' .
Someone else said he was `` such a kind and gentle soul '' .
One member of staff said on the trust 's Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Your ward rounds were absolute gold , so much time spent listening to patients & giving them a reassuring squeeze when so many of us felt too rushed for time .
`` You made them smile so much & your empathy did not go unnoticed .
An enormous loss to geriatrics . ''
Dr Tim Noble , medical director , and Richard Parker OBE , chief executive of Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals , said : `` It is with immense sadness that we inform you that our colleague , Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment for COVID-19 at Doncaster Royal Infirmary .
`` Dr Atalla became a full-time member of our trust in 2014 , when he was appointed as a consultant geriatrician on our Gresley Unit .
We were fortunate to have worked with him for many years prior to this , since his arrival in the United Kingdom in the early 2000s . ''
They added : `` A hugely popular and respected colleague , Dr Atalla was a very special human being who practised medicine across three continents throughout his career , affecting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive way .
`` He was a truly gentle gentleman and he will be hugely missed by us all .
`` As a Trust , we share our deepest sympathies with Dr Atalla 's brother and sister , and loved ones in Egypt , and we ask that the media respect their wishes during this extremely challenging time . ''
Dr Atalla is the second member of staff at Doncaster Royal Infirmary to die after being diagnosed with coronavirus , after plaster technician Kevin Smith .

A "very special" doctor who cared for elderly people on three continents during his career has died after contracting coronavirus.
Dr Medhat Atalla, 62, was a consultant geriatrician at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, where he passed away.
The hospital said he was a "hugely popular and respected colleague" and a "truly gentle gentleman" who affected the lives of "so many in such a positive way".
"He will be hugely missed by us all," senior staff added as they thanked colleagues for doing "all they could to care for and support him as he bravely battled COVID-19".
Image: Plaster technician Kevin Smith was another member of staff at Doncaster Royal Infirmary who died with COVID-19
Dr Atalla arrived in Britain from Egypt about 20 years ago and cared for many elderly patients in hospitals in the north of England.
Hundreds of people paid tribute to the consultant on Facebook, with one saying she "sat crying" as she read the news, adding that he was a "real NHS hero".
Someone else said he was "such a kind and gentle soul".
One member of staff said on the trust's Facebook page: "RIP you wonderful man.
"Your ward rounds were absolute gold, so much time spent listening to patients & giving them a reassuring squeeze when so many of us felt too rushed for time.
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"You made them smile so much & your empathy did not go unnoticed. An enormous loss to geriatrics."
Dr Tim Noble, medical director, and Richard Parker OBE, chief executive of Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals, said: "It is with immense sadness that we inform you that our colleague, Dr Medhat Atalla, has passed away following treatment for COVID-19 at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.
"Dr Atalla became a full-time member of our trust in 2014, when he was appointed as a consultant geriatrician on our Gresley Unit. We were fortunate to have worked with him for many years prior to this, since his arrival in the United Kingdom in the early 2000s."
They added: "A hugely popular and respected colleague, Dr Atalla was a very special human being who practised medicine across three continents throughout his career, affecting the lives of so many in such a positive way.
"He was a truly gentle gentleman and he will be hugely missed by us all.
"As a Trust, we share our deepest sympathies with Dr Atalla's brother and sister, and loved ones in Egypt, and we ask that the media respect their wishes during this extremely challenging time."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 6:36 Life in Lockdown: North of England
Dr Atalla is the second member of staff at Doncaster Royal Infirmary to die after being diagnosed with coronavirus, after plaster technician Kevin Smith.


news--2020-04-23--Coronavirus: Toddler hears for the first time after aid switched on remotely by audiologists

An 18-month-old girl has been able to hear for the first time after medics became the first in the country to switch on a cochlear implant remotely .
Audiologists at the University of Southampton set up a link-up over the internet in order to allow the device to be turned on for youngster Margarida Cibrao-Roque , despite their clinic being closed to patients .
Professor Helen Cullington , of the university 's auditory implant service , conducted the switch-on from her home linking remotely with Margarida 's parents at their home in Camberley , Surrey , after the coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She said : `` Usually we do the switch-on of a cochlear implant at our clinic at the university but , with some technical creativity and some advice from colleagues in Australia , we were able to do everything necessary over the internet .
`` The session went really well and everyone was thrilled with the outcome . ''
A cochlear implant is an electronic device which uses microphones on an external speech processor to pick up sound , which is then transmitted as electrical signals to an internal device placed inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The brain interprets these signals as sound .
When an implant is switched on , levels of electrical stimulation are set by starting very slowly and gradually building up , monitoring the child or adult 's reactions all the time .
The response of the hearing nerve is also measured to help set levels - especially for young children who can not tell audiologists how loud a sound is .
Prof Cullington said : `` At switch-on , a child begins wearing their processors for the first time , and they are able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` However , it takes a long time to get used to this and - especially in babies and children who have never heard before - the brain has to learn to understand these sounds . ''
A university spokesman said : `` With some ingenious thinking , the team worked out a way to conduct their tests over the internet - connecting two computers , utilising specialist software and hardware and monitoring progress via video link . ''
Margarida has been deaf since birth due to Ushers syndrome type one - a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of abnormalities of the inner ear - as well as by a cleft palate which can affect hearing .
Her mother , Joana Cibrao said : `` The Southampton team , they were amazing .
I can not praise them enough really , the effort of the team - they were just brilliant and they made it happen .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker '' The possibility of Margarida calling me Mummy one day would mean the world .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter , to play with her , she will be able to watch TV , things that you take for granted she does n't have , so you know , this is a victory really . ''
Margarida 's father , Paulo Roque , added : `` We are trying to give the best that we can for her and so we 've opened a big window for Margarida now .
All we need to do is take time , step by step and we will get there , definitely . ''

An 18-month-old girl has been able to hear for the first time after medics became the first in the country to switch on a cochlear implant remotely.
Audiologists at the University of Southampton set up a link-up over the internet in order to allow the device to be turned on for youngster Margarida Cibrao-Roque, despite their clinic being closed to patients.
Professor Helen Cullington, of the university's auditory implant service, conducted the switch-on from her home linking remotely with Margarida's parents at their home in Camberley, Surrey, after the coronavirus outbreak prevented them from going to the hospital.
Image: The 18-month-old is now able to hear for the first time
She said: "Usually we do the switch-on of a cochlear implant at our clinic at the university but, with some technical creativity and some advice from colleagues in Australia, we were able to do everything necessary over the internet.
"The session went really well and everyone was thrilled with the outcome."
A cochlear implant is an electronic device which uses microphones on an external speech processor to pick up sound, which is then transmitted as electrical signals to an internal device placed inside the inner ear during an operation. The brain interprets these signals as sound.
When an implant is switched on, levels of electrical stimulation are set by starting very slowly and gradually building up, monitoring the child or adult's reactions all the time.
The response of the hearing nerve is also measured to help set levels - especially for young children who cannot tell audiologists how loud a sound is.
Image: Audiologists at the University of Southampton wearing their COVID-19 protective gear
Prof Cullington said: "At switch-on, a child begins wearing their processors for the first time, and they are able to hear what is around them.
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"However, it takes a long time to get used to this and - especially in babies and children who have never heard before - the brain has to learn to understand these sounds."
A university spokesman said: "With some ingenious thinking, the team worked out a way to conduct their tests over the internet - connecting two computers, utilising specialist software and hardware and monitoring progress via video link."
Image: Prof Helen Cullington linking up with Margarida to remotely switch on her cochlear implant
Margarida has been deaf since birth due to Ushers syndrome type one - a condition which leads to hearing loss because of abnormalities of the inner ear - as well as by a cleft palate which can affect hearing.
Her mother, Joana Cibrao said: "The Southampton team, they were amazing. I cannot praise them enough really, the effort of the team - they were just brilliant and they made it happen.
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"The possibility of Margarida calling me Mummy one day would mean the world.
"We will be able to speak with our daughter, to play with her, she will be able to watch TV, things that you take for granted she doesn't have, so you know, this is a victory really."
Margarida's father, Paulo Roque, added: "We are trying to give the best that we can for her and so we've opened a big window for Margarida now. All we need to do is take time, step by step and we will get there, definitely."


news--2020-04-23--Transgender children to be 'protected' from 'irreversible decisions'

Transgender children may be banned from accessing medical intervention that can not be reversed , the equalities minister has signalled .
Liz Truss said she wanted to `` protect '' under 18s with gender dysphoria from making `` irreversible decisions '' .
Under the existing Gender Recognition Act , a trans person has to undergo a two-year waiting period and a review from a specialist panel before being able to change their gender legally .
A public consultation was set up two years ago into changing the law but the government 's response has yet to be published .
Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this summer but hinted at its recommendations .
`` I believe strongly that adults should have the freedom to lead their lives as they see fit , '' she told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday .
`` But I think it 's very important that while people are still developing their decision-making capabilities that we protect them from making those irreversible decisions .
`` Of course some of these policies have been delayed by the specific issues around COVID-19 but I can assure you that alongside the COVID-19 work , our officials continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen . ''
The charity Mermaids , which supports children questioning their gender along with their parents , said it would be `` extraordinary '' if Ms Truss introduced `` a new form of inequality into British medical practice '' .
It said NHS statistics show the number of people who have regrets after having undergone the surgery is `` very low '' .
`` The process by which young , trans people access medical interventions is already subject to a number of safeguards , '' a spokesperson for the charity said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 16 would typically have access to any form of gender-affirmation surgery and those aged 16 and 17 are subject to the same safeguards any young person would be when making decisions around surgery . ''

Transgender children may be banned from accessing medical intervention that cannot be reversed, the equalities minister has signalled.
Liz Truss said she wanted to "protect" under 18s with gender dysphoria from making "irreversible decisions".
Under the existing Gender Recognition Act, a trans person has to undergo a two-year waiting period and a review from a specialist panel before being able to change their gender legally.
Image: A consultation was launched on reforming the law two years ago
A public consultation was set up two years ago into changing the law but the government's response has yet to be published.
Ms Truss vowed her response would be released this summer but hinted at its recommendations.
"I believe strongly that adults should have the freedom to lead their lives as they see fit," she told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday.
"But I think it's very important that while people are still developing their decision-making capabilities that we protect them from making those irreversible decisions.
"Of course some of these policies have been delayed by the specific issues around COVID-19 but I can assure you that alongside the COVID-19 work, our officials continue to do those things to make them happen."
Image: The Mermaids charity said the number of people who regret the surgery is 'very low'
The charity Mermaids, which supports children questioning their gender along with their parents, said it would be "extraordinary" if Ms Truss introduced "a new form of inequality into British medical practice".
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It said NHS statistics show the number of people who have regrets after having undergone the surgery is "very low".
"The process by which young, trans people access medical interventions is already subject to a number of safeguards," a spokesperson for the charity said.
"No young person under the age of 16 would typically have access to any form of gender-affirmation surgery and those aged 16 and 17 are subject to the same safeguards any young person would be when making decisions around surgery."


news--2020-04-23--Coronavirus: William, Kate and family wear blue in Clap for our Carers tribute

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined the nation in applauding frontline NHS workers risking their lives in the coronavirus pandemic .
William and Kate were joined by their three children , Prince George , Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis , in their salute to healthcare staff in the weekly Clap for our Carers event .
Charlotte , four , began clapping before the rest of the family - who were all dressed in blue to honour the NHS - in the fifth week of the nationwide tribute .
People across the country have been showing their gratitude to all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8pm from their doorsteps , windows and gardens in the form of clapping , banging on pots and pans and even setting off fireworks .
Annemarie Plas , who started the Clap for our Carers movement in the UK , told Sky News she hopes the appreciation for carers continues after the lockdown eases because they are the `` backbone of society '' .
Prince Charles and wife Camilla , Duchess of Cornwall , were also featured in a video posted on their official Twitter account clapping for carers outside the front door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Earlier , Prince William starred in a Blackadder sketch with Stephen Fry for the BBC 's The Big Night In , in aid of Comic Relief and Children in Need .
The duke played himself opposite Fry , who was in character as Lord Melchett .
William is a big fan of Blackadder - the comedy romp through history that also starred Rowan Atkinson and Sir Tony Robinson - and was keen to take part in the sketch when asked by the BBC .
Love Actually director and co-writer Richard Curtis penned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minutes and featured William and Fry chatting over a video call ahead of the Clap for our Carers tribute .
When asked about home schooling , William said `` it 's a bit of a nightmare , really '' .
The duke later admitted he was missing watching soaps , asking : `` Have you seen anything good on TV - it 's hell without EastEnders . ''
When Melchett warned him the time for the applause was not far off , William said : `` On my way , let me just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socks , and my shoes . ''
Looking down , he added : `` And my trousers . ''
A few moments after the sketch ended , a door opened and out came William and his family to applaud .
Dominic Raab also joined in with the applause in Westminster on Thursday .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Mr Raab , who is deputising for Boris Johnson while he recovers from coronavirus , tweeted : `` The weekly # ClapForCarers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the UK unites in moments of crisis .
`` By coming together we will beat this virus . ''

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined the nation in applauding frontline NHS workers risking their lives in the coronavirus pandemic.
William and Kate were joined by their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, in their salute to healthcare staff in the weekly Clap for our Carers event.
Charlotte, four, began clapping before the rest of the family - who were all dressed in blue to honour the NHS - in the fifth week of the nationwide tribute.
Image: Prince George, six, and Princess Charlotte, four, clap for NHS workers
Image: The Cambridges wore blue for the tribute
People across the country have been showing their gratitude to all health and care workers every Thursday at 8pm from their doorsteps, windows and gardens in the form of clapping, banging on pots and pans and even setting off fireworks.
Annemarie Plas, who started the Clap for our Carers movement in the UK, told Sky News she hopes the appreciation for carers continues after the lockdown eases because they are the "backbone of society".
Prince Charles and wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, were also featured in a video posted on their official Twitter account clapping for carers outside the front door of their Scottish home in Birkhall.
Earlier, Prince William starred in a Blackadder sketch with Stephen Fry for the BBC's The Big Night In, in aid of Comic Relief and Children in Need.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:10 How Clap For Our Carers first started
The duke played himself opposite Fry, who was in character as Lord Melchett.
William is a big fan of Blackadder - the comedy romp through history that also starred Rowan Atkinson and Sir Tony Robinson - and was keen to take part in the sketch when asked by the BBC.
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Love Actually director and co-writer Richard Curtis penned the pre-recorded skit that ran for almost two minutes and featured William and Fry chatting over a video call ahead of the Clap for our Carers tribute.
When asked about home schooling, William said "it's a bit of a nightmare, really".
The duke later admitted he was missing watching soaps, asking: "Have you seen anything good on TV - it's hell without EastEnders."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:28 Camilla and Charles clap for our carers
When Melchett warned him the time for the applause was not far off, William said: "On my way, let me just see if I can just find my socks, and my shoes." Looking down, he added: "And my trousers."
A few moments after the sketch ended, a door opened and out came William and his family to applaud.
Dominic Raab also joined in with the applause in Westminster on Thursday.
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Mr Raab, who is deputising for Boris Johnson while he recovers from coronavirus, tweeted: "The weekly #ClapForCarers and #NHSHeroes is a brilliant demonstration of how the UK unites in moments of crisis.
"By coming together we will beat this virus."


news--2020-04-22--Robert Webb: 'Emergency heart surgery? It's the best thing that's happened in years'

Six months ago , Robert Webb 's life was hanging in the balance .
So perhaps it should come as no surprise , as he publishes his debut novel on World Book Night , that the comedian and actor is `` refocusing '' his career .
Webb was in the middle of filming when a routine medical check revealed he had a massive problem with his heart .
It suddenly made sense of symptoms he 'd put down to his addiction to alcohol and cigarettes .
Webb tells Sky News : `` I was thinking about early death all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew I was treating my body quite badly .
`` That was n't the reason that I have the heart prolapse .
It 's a birth defect , a congenital thing .
`` But it 's linked in my mind and it 's certainly linked in the way it 's been reported , because you ca n't say , ' I was drinking heavily and smoking a lot , and I had this problem with my heart ' , without people quite reasonably linking the two things together . ''
Referring to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , Webb says the diagnosis came as a complete shock .
`` I had absolutely no idea , I just thought , 'This is what it feels like when you 're 47 years old .
You 're tired all the time ' .
It turned out my heart just was n't working at all properly .
`` It was having to do really weird things to keep the show on the road .
It had grown in size and had become a strange shape .
`` The cardiologist said that was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It 's amazing it kept going as long as it did .
It was very close to it just packing up… '' Such a diagnosis would be a major life event for anyone , but for Webb there was an added poignancy to the discovery .
His first novel , Come Again , is about a recently widowed woman whose husband drops dead from a brain tumour he did n't know he had , but which had been growing since he was a child .
Of course , it 's pure fiction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the comparison seems striking .
Although Webb wrote the novel long before discovering he himself had a congenital condition , he admits the parallel with his time-travelling romance can be seen as `` kind of spooky '' .
But rather than simply a coincidence , Webb puts it down to intuition : `` These ideas come from your brain , and your brain is aware of what 's going on in your body more than your consciousness . ''
Far from feeling negative about the experience , Webb says it has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very lucky indeed .
It 's the best thing that 's happened to me in years .
`` It forces you to be very grateful .
I 've been absolutely re-blessed by all the good things that I already had going on , a lovely wife and two great kids , and a job that I always wanted to do . ''
As far as drinking and smoking go , Webb says he is now teetotal .
`` When you come out of hospital , the absolute last thing you want to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or do anything that 's going to cause any harm .
You come out with this newfound respect , if not affection , for your own internal organs . ''
He says now when he looks at a glass of wine , `` all I can see is a face full of poison that I went to some trouble to learn to enjoy '' .
The operation , which took place in November , `` almost certainly extended my life '' .
Filming of the second series of comedy Back with David Mitchell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for four months to allow for his surgery and recovery , then got back on track .
But not for long .
The seemingly cursed production ground to a halt for a second time just three days before it was due to wrap due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Webb jokes : `` It 's not been a very lucky shoot .
I 'm sure we 'll get back in and then the London tsunami will hit and then we 'll get another two scenes done before that . ''
On a more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in getting treatment before COVID-19 hit the UK .
`` My mended heart goes out to anybody still waiting for treatment .
There will be lots of people who were expecting quite important , if not urgent operations… '' I just remember that that was the worst part , the two-and-a-half-week wait in between seeing the cardiologist and the operation .
It was horrible because I was just wandering around the house trying not to have a heart attack . ''
An enthusiastic partaker of Clap For Carers , Webb is `` out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a maniac '' .
He has also written for the forthcoming book Dear NHS : 100 Letters To Say Thank You , in support of the health service as it battles COVID-19 .
The contribution is another nod to Webb 's sideways step from actor to author , which he describes as a `` refocusing '' rather than a complete career change .
`` I 'm never going to stop acting .
I could n't afford to retire even if I wanted to , and I certainly do n't want to .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I 've always been a writer-performer and for me , it 's kind of the same thing .
I 've never really tried to separate them . ''
He also jokes that it would `` scare and upset '' his agent .
But he insists , it 's not that much of a shift : `` At the moment , this feels like the best way for me to entertain people , which is always what I wanted to do .
I 'm just doing it through books now .
`` Certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is write another novel as opposed to trying to think of an idea for a sitcom or a radio show . ''
Is it a way , I suggest , to step away from Jeremy Usbourne , the Peep Show character that made him famous ?
Webb says not : `` I 'm very happy to be associated with Peep Show because I 'm the biggest ever Peep Show fan .
If people think I 'm Jez , then that 's absolutely fine . ''
Laughing , he adds : `` From an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think I 'm Jez , that 's because I 'm a good actor . ''
It turns out the light-bulb moment for writing his novel actually came to him while he was filming Peep Show back in 2012 .
`` I was sitting in Jeremy 's car waiting for the lighting guys to re-rig and it just sort of came to me .
It 's one of the last times Jez is in his VW Golf because he 's driving Mark to a wedding . ''
While clearly fond of the character , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always easy to play .
`` On paper , he 's a real s*** .
He 's not a very nice man .
The challenge was to make him watchable and to find those moments where he has puppyish enthusiasm or he 's very vulnerable .
`` He has these rare moments of self-awareness where he realises it 's not going to work out for him , and I 'd emphasise those .
But also , when he 's behaving appallingly , he 's very funny .
`` He was just a terrific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happy [ to have played him ] .
I 'm not trying to kill Jez at all . ''
As well as the fame and recognition , it turns out playing Jez also had a hidden benefit .
Webb recalls a moment during the book tour for his memoir , How Not To Be A Boy , when he overheard a member of the audience comment : `` He 's much smarter than I thought . ''
Instead of being offended , Webb reasons : `` If I 'd been playing Sherlock for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audience going , 'He 's much stupider than I thought ' .
So , it 's good that it 's that way around , really . ''
So , is Webb concerned that Come Again will be seen as just another celebrity novel ?
He says he hopes people will read more into it than that , in the same way that his 2017 autobiography was n't a traditional celebrity memoir .
`` I could n't just talk about my rags-to-riches tale , because the rags were n't that ragged , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says .
`` I was n't famous enough to write a book that dull .
It had to be about something . ''
Webb says his drive to write was urgent : `` I had to get the memoir out of the way so that my first novel would n't be this hopelessly autobiographical thing with all real people in it . ''
With Come Again serendipitously published on World Book Night , it 's less serendipitous that all the country 's book shops are now closed due to coronavirus .
: @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Webb is philosophical : `` There are bigger calls on people 's sympathy at the moment than struggling authors .
But it 's hard to publish a book into a brick wall of pandemic monomania , it 's not easy to get heard . ''
Instead of physical appearances , Webb will now take part in a series of online events to showcase his book , including # ReadingHour , which aims to bring the nation together during this time of isolation .
Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fiction , Come Again draws from its author 's experience .
The novel , while starting in the present day , whizzes back to 1992 , Webb 's own Freshers ' Week .
He says the 1990s are a time people automatically associate with `` Blair and Britpop '' , but those did n't come until later .
John Major was in power for the majority of the decade , which Webb refers to as `` the golden age of boredom '' .
Despite only using the word once , he says Brexit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stick of rock '' .
Notably , Webb 's town of birth , Boston in Lincolnshire , has gained fame as Britain 's most pro-Brexit town .
He describes the sort of nostalgia referenced in the book as : `` Wanting to go back in time to a period that never really existed , rather than face up to the problems of the present . ''
In the book , Webb also refers to contemporary figures in politics , but says he had reservations .
`` Theresa May was prime minister when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third draft it was Boris Johnson .
I thought , 'Is it okay I 'm naming him as prime minister , and naming Trump as president , because who knows what 's going to happen between now and April 2020 ? '
`` But it turns out that was n't the big change in store , it was a massive public health crisis… '' Referring to the prime minister 's COVID-19 diagnosis , Webb admits , `` I say one or two disobliging things about Boris Johnson [ in the book ] .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's monomania , but one of the reasons I was glad that he pulled through was because I was so rude about him in the novel .
`` To be clear , that was n't the only reason I did n't want him to die , but it was definitely one of them . ''
The prime minister has since recovered , but it 's fair to guess the novel 's publishers , Canongate , probably had a few sleepless nights over the PM 's less than complimentary mentions in the book .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unprecedented rate due to the pandemic , it 's increasingly tricky for novelists and commentators alike to capture the moment without being immediately out of date .
Looking back to a more predictable time , how does Webb think Peep Show stars Jez and Mark Corrigan would have coped with imposed lockdown ?
`` In a way , the whole series was about lockdown .
All great sitcoms are about characters being stuck together .
`` Some of the best episodes are when Mark and Jez are physically trapped with each other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other on the Quantock Hills [ in Somerset ] or when they 're stuck with each other in the Nether Zone , the bit between the front door and the locked flat , and they 're just forced to talk to each other for half an hour .
`` But I do n't know how they 'd cope [ with real lockdown ] .
I mean , they just would n't . ''
After running for nine series across 12 years , could there ever be a Peep Show reboot ?
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I are so blessed to make it into our mid or late 60s or even older , it 'll be funny to see Mark and Jeremy in old age in the same flat , having the same arguments with the music .
`` So , yes , it would be fun if we got a chance to do the old guys version .
But until then , no .
Peep Show as we know it is finished . ''
When I suggest he and Mitchell could create some new Peep Show content @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during lockdown , Webb is less than keen .
`` It 's like five times the effort watching any kind of video conferencing footage , because the audio is rubbish , and the video is rubbish .
People start shouting in a way that 's just bizarre .
And who 's going to write it ?
I 'm not .
No .
Just no . ''
So that would be a no then .
As for celebrities sharing uplifting snippets of song throughout the pandemic , we 're also unlikely to see Webb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It 's ghastly .
They all look like they were off their meds , like something really disconnected and bad was happening in their minds .
`` I thought I could do something really daft and maybe I will , but my off-key version of Abide With Me is going to have to wait .
I 'm not going to be doing anything heartfelt . ''
Indeed , such is his dislike of video conferencing , Webb admits that despite pleas from his publisher , he 's even been avoiding lockdown video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see someone famous turning up and you 're immediately making judgements about what you can see in the background .
It 's just a nightmare . ''
And for Webb , lockdown Zoom parties with friends also have hidden dangers .
`` One of my friends , who 's very energetic and does this kind of thing , organised a quiz , and there were eight of us in household teams .
I got halfway through before I realised they were simulating the conditions of a pub and all boozing away .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drink any more that was n't ideal .
So , I just made my excuses .
I do n't do the quiz anymore .
`` It took me a long time to figure this out .
But in many ways , despite lockdown , staying in is not a new experience for me at the moment . ''
World Book Night will be giving away 5,000 free audiobooks to members of the public today , and 50,000 books to organisations including hospitals , care homes , youth centres and mental health groups and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's debut novel Come Again is out today .

Six months ago, Robert Webb's life was hanging in the balance.
So perhaps it should come as no surprise, as he publishes his debut novel on World Book Night, that the comedian and actor is "refocusing" his career.
Image: Webb discovered his heart murmur while filming the second series of Back with David Mitchell. Pic: Channel Four
Webb was in the middle of filming when a routine medical check revealed he had a massive problem with his heart.
It suddenly made sense of symptoms he'd put down to his addiction to alcohol and cigarettes.
Webb tells Sky News: "I was thinking about early death all the time, for years, because I knew I was treating my body quite badly.
"That wasn't the reason that I have the heart prolapse. It's a birth defect, a congenital thing.
"But it's linked in my mind and it's certainly linked in the way it's been reported, because you can't say, 'I was drinking heavily and smoking a lot, and I had this problem with my heart', without people quite reasonably linking the two things together."
Referring to his heart murmur as a "lurking menace", Webb says the diagnosis came as a complete shock.
"I had absolutely no idea, I just thought, 'This is what it feels like when you're 47 years old. You're tired all the time'. It turned out my heart just wasn't working at all properly.
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"It was having to do really weird things to keep the show on the road. It had grown in size and had become a strange shape.
"The cardiologist said that was the weirdest looking heart he'd ever seen. It's amazing it kept going as long as it did. It was very close to it just packing up…"
Image: Webb and his wife Abigail Burdess, pictured at the British Comedy Awards in 2012
Such a diagnosis would be a major life event for anyone, but for Webb there was an added poignancy to the discovery.
His first novel, Come Again, is about a recently widowed woman whose husband drops dead from a brain tumour he didn't know he had, but which had been growing since he was a child.
Of course, it's pure fiction, and there's a twist. But the comparison seems striking.
Although Webb wrote the novel long before discovering he himself had a congenital condition, he admits the parallel with his time-travelling romance can be seen as "kind of spooky".
But rather than simply a coincidence, Webb puts it down to intuition: "These ideas come from your brain, and your brain is aware of what's going on in your body more than your consciousness."
Far from feeling negative about the experience, Webb says it has been life-changing: "I feel very, very lucky indeed. It's the best thing that's happened to me in years.
"It forces you to be very grateful. I've been absolutely re-blessed by all the good things that I already had going on, a lovely wife and two great kids, and a job that I always wanted to do."
Image: Webb was in his first year at university in 1992
As far as drinking and smoking go, Webb says he is now teetotal.
"When you come out of hospital, the absolute last thing you want to do is have a drink or a cigarette or do anything that's going to cause any harm. You come out with this newfound respect, if not affection, for your own internal organs."
He says now when he looks at a glass of wine, "all I can see is a face full of poison that I went to some trouble to learn to enjoy".
The operation, which took place in November, "almost certainly extended my life".
Filming of the second series of comedy Back with David Mitchell, which had been put on hold for four months to allow for his surgery and recovery, then got back on track. But not for long.
Image: Webb admits Back has 'not been a very lucky shoot'. Pic: Back/Channel Four
The seemingly cursed production ground to a halt for a second time just three days before it was due to wrap due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Webb jokes: "It's not been a very lucky shoot. I'm sure we'll get back in and then the London tsunami will hit and then we'll get another two scenes done before that."
On a more serious note, he acknowledges his luck in getting treatment before COVID-19 hit the UK.
"My mended heart goes out to anybody still waiting for treatment. There will be lots of people who were expecting quite important, if not urgent operations…
"I just remember that that was the worst part, the two-and-a-half-week wait in between seeing the cardiologist and the operation. It was horrible because I was just wandering around the house trying not to have a heart attack."
Image: Peep Show ran for nine series across 12 years. Pic: Pete Dadds /Eyevine
An enthusiastic partaker of Clap For Carers, Webb is "out there on Thursday nights clapping away like a maniac". He has also written for the forthcoming book Dear NHS: 100 Letters To Say Thank You, in support of the health service as it battles COVID-19.
The contribution is another nod to Webb's sideways step from actor to author, which he describes as a "refocusing" rather than a complete career change.
"I'm never going to stop acting. I couldn't afford to retire even if I wanted to, and I certainly don't want to. It's always been my first love.
"I've always been a writer-performer and for me, it's kind of the same thing. I've never really tried to separate them."
He also jokes that it would "scare and upset" his agent.
But he insists, it's not that much of a shift: "At the moment, this feels like the best way for me to entertain people, which is always what I wanted to do. I'm just doing it through books now.
"Certainly, the next thing I'll do is write another novel as opposed to trying to think of an idea for a sitcom or a radio show."
Is it a way, I suggest, to step away from Jeremy Usbourne, the Peep Show character that made him famous?
Image: Webb as Jeremy Usbourne on the set of Peep Show in 2007
Webb says not: "I'm very happy to be associated with Peep Show because I'm the biggest ever Peep Show fan. If people think I'm Jez, then that's absolutely fine."
Laughing, he adds: "From an artistic point of view, if people think I'm Jez, that's because I'm a good actor."
It turns out the light-bulb moment for writing his novel actually came to him while he was filming Peep Show back in 2012.
"I was sitting in Jeremy's car waiting for the lighting guys to re-rig and it just sort of came to me. It's one of the last times Jez is in his VW Golf because he's driving Mark to a wedding."
While clearly fond of the character, he admits permanent man-boy Jez wasn't always easy to play.
"On paper, he's a real s***. He's not a very nice man. The challenge was to make him watchable and to find those moments where he has puppyish enthusiasm or he's very vulnerable.
"He has these rare moments of self-awareness where he realises it's not going to work out for him, and I'd emphasise those. But also, when he's behaving appallingly, he's very funny.
"He was just a terrific character. I'm very, very happy [to have played him]. I'm not trying to kill Jez at all."
Image: Jez was "terrific but not always easy", Webb says
As well as the fame and recognition, it turns out playing Jez also had a hidden benefit.
Webb recalls a moment during the book tour for his memoir, How Not To Be A Boy, when he overheard a member of the audience comment: "He's much smarter than I thought."
Instead of being offended, Webb reasons: "If I'd been playing Sherlock for 12 years, I might hear the audience going, 'He's much stupider than I thought'. So, it's good that it's that way around, really."
So, is Webb concerned that Come Again will be seen as just another celebrity novel?
He says he hopes people will read more into it than that, in the same way that his 2017 autobiography wasn't a traditional celebrity memoir.
"I couldn't just talk about my rags-to-riches tale, because the rags weren't that ragged, and the riches aren't that rich," he says. "I wasn't famous enough to write a book that dull. It had to be about something."
Webb says his drive to write was urgent: "I had to get the memoir out of the way so that my first novel wouldn't be this hopelessly autobiographical thing with all real people in it."
With Come Again serendipitously published on World Book Night, it's less serendipitous that all the country's book shops are now closed due to coronavirus.
:: Listen to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Webb is philosophical: "There are bigger calls on people's sympathy at the moment than struggling authors. But it's hard to publish a book into a brick wall of pandemic monomania, it's not easy to get heard."
Instead of physical appearances, Webb will now take part in a series of online events to showcase his book, including #ReadingHour, which aims to bring the nation together during this time of isolation.
Of course, like any good work of fiction, Come Again draws from its author's experience.
The novel, while starting in the present day, whizzes back to 1992, Webb's own Freshers' Week.
He says the 1990s are a time people automatically associate with "Blair and Britpop", but those didn't come until later.
John Major was in power for the majority of the decade, which Webb refers to as "the golden age of boredom".
Despite only using the word once, he says Brexit "runs through the novel like a stick of rock".
Notably, Webb's town of birth, Boston in Lincolnshire, has gained fame as Britain's most pro-Brexit town.
Image: (L-R) Webb, fellow comedian Matt Holness and Mitchell as students at Cambridge
He describes the sort of nostalgia referenced in the book as: "Wanting to go back in time to a period that never really existed, rather than face up to the problems of the present."
In the book, Webb also refers to contemporary figures in politics, but says he had reservations.
"Theresa May was prime minister when I started the book, and by the third draft it was Boris Johnson. I thought, 'Is it okay I'm naming him as prime minister, and naming Trump as president, because who knows what's going to happen between now and April 2020?'
"But it turns out that wasn't the big change in store, it was a massive public health crisis…"
Referring to the prime minister's COVID-19 diagnosis, Webb admits, "I say one or two disobliging things about Boris Johnson [in the book]. I hope this is a forgivable author's monomania, but one of the reasons I was glad that he pulled through was because I was so rude about him in the novel.
"To be clear, that wasn't the only reason I didn't want him to die, but it was definitely one of them."
The prime minister has since recovered, but it's fair to guess the novel's publishers, Canongate, probably had a few sleepless nights over the PM's less than complimentary mentions in the book.
However, with world events changing at an unprecedented rate due to the pandemic, it's increasingly tricky for novelists and commentators alike to capture the moment without being immediately out of date.
Image: It will be a case of third time lucky for Back post-lockdown. Pic: Back
Looking back to a more predictable time, how does Webb think Peep Show stars Jez and Mark Corrigan would have coped with imposed lockdown?
"In a way, the whole series was about lockdown. All great sitcoms are about characters being stuck together.
"Some of the best episodes are when Mark and Jez are physically trapped with each other, like when they're stuck with each other on the Quantock Hills [in Somerset] or when they're stuck with each other in the Nether Zone, the bit between the front door and the locked flat, and they're just forced to talk to each other for half an hour.
"But I don't know how they'd cope [with real lockdown]. I mean, they just wouldn't."
After running for nine series across 12 years, could there ever be a Peep Show reboot?
"We've always said that if David and I are so blessed to make it into our mid or late 60s or even older, it'll be funny to see Mark and Jeremy in old age in the same flat, having the same arguments with the music.
"So, yes, it would be fun if we got a chance to do the old guys version. But until then, no. Peep Show as we know it is finished."
Image: Mitchell and Webb have been making comedy together for years
When I suggest he and Mitchell could create some new Peep Show content to share with fans on social media during lockdown, Webb is less than keen.
"It's like five times the effort watching any kind of video conferencing footage, because the audio is rubbish, and the video is rubbish. People start shouting in a way that's just bizarre. And who's going to write it? I'm not. No. Just no."
So that would be a no then.
As for celebrities sharing uplifting snippets of song throughout the pandemic, we're also unlikely to see Webb adding his voice to that trend.
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"It's ghastly. They all look like they were off their meds, like something really disconnected and bad was happening in their minds.
"I thought I could do something really daft and maybe I will, but my off-key version of Abide With Me is going to have to wait. I'm not going to be doing anything heartfelt."
Indeed, such is his dislike of video conferencing, Webb admits that despite pleas from his publisher, he's even been avoiding lockdown video vlogs about his book.
Image: Webb as Christopher Wren in Horrible Histories. Pic: Lion Television
"You see someone famous turning up and you're immediately making judgements about what you can see in the background. It's just a nightmare."
And for Webb, lockdown Zoom parties with friends also have hidden dangers.
"One of my friends, who's very energetic and does this kind of thing, organised a quiz, and there were eight of us in household teams. I got halfway through before I realised they were simulating the conditions of a pub and all boozing away.
"For somebody who's trying not to drink any more that wasn't ideal. So, I just made my excuses. I don't do the quiz anymore.
"It took me a long time to figure this out. But in many ways, despite lockdown, staying in is not a new experience for me at the moment."
World Book Night will be giving away 5,000 free audiobooks to members of the public today, and 50,000 books to organisations including hospitals, care homes, youth centres and mental health groups and prisons later in the year.
Webb's debut novel Come Again is out today.


news--2020-03-13--Coronavirus: Satellite shows fall in pollution over northern Italy amid lockdown

Pollution over parts of Italy is dramatically falling as the entire country is placed in lockdown in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
Data obtained from the European Space Agency 's satellites shows nitrogen dioxide levels have reduced sharply over northern Italy , the region at the epicentre of COVID-19 infections in the country .
Nitrogen dioxide is a harmful gas emitted when fossil fuels are burnt at high temperatures , most commonly at power plants and in motor vehicles .
The initial lockdown of northern Italy is likely to have led to a slowdown in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causing a drop in emissions .
The Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite operated by the European Space Agency and European Commission was launched to monitor air pollution levels in cities and towns across the globe .
NASA previously published satellite images which showed a similar phenomenon over China , when large swathes of that country was placed in lockdown to stem the spread of the disease .
Italy has since has shut all shops except food stores , pharmacies and stores selling `` essential '' items , to try and stop the spread of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pollution levels in Italy is likely to be noticed across the country in the coming days as economic activity falls further in the region .
Bergamo , in the Lombardy region near Milan , is among the Italian towns worst affected by coronavirus .
It has more than 2,000 confirmed cases - recording a jump of over 300 cases in 24 hours - and almost 150 deaths from COVID-19 , the disease caused by coronavirus .
Doctors in the area have said they can not cope with the rate of infected patients , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .

Pollution over parts of Italy is dramatically falling as the entire country is placed in lockdown in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Data obtained from the European Space Agency's satellites shows nitrogen dioxide levels have reduced sharply over northern Italy, the region at the epicentre of COVID-19 infections in the country.
Nitrogen dioxide is a harmful gas emitted when fossil fuels are burnt at high temperatures, most commonly at power plants and in motor vehicles.
The initial lockdown of northern Italy is likely to have led to a slowdown in economic activity as fewer people travel, causing a drop in emissions.
Twitter Twitter , 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 Twitter 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 Twitter cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
The Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite operated by the European Space Agency and European Commission was launched to monitor air pollution levels in cities and towns across the globe.
NASA previously published satellite images which showed a similar phenomenon over China, when large swathes of that country was placed in lockdown to stem the spread of the disease.
Italy has since has shut all shops except food stores, pharmacies and stores selling "essential" items, to try and stop the spread of COVID-19.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:30 COVID-19: The Scientific Advice
Data showing a fall in air pollution levels in Italy is likely to be noticed across the country in the coming days as economic activity falls further in the region.
Bergamo, in the Lombardy region near Milan, is among the Italian towns worst affected by coronavirus.
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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:12 'Italy has abandoned us' over coronavirus
It has more than 2,000 confirmed cases - recording a jump of over 300 cases in 24 hours - and almost 150 deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus.
Doctors in the area have said they cannot cope with the rate of infected patients, likening the virus to an "earthquake".


news--2020-05-11--Coronavirus: Liverpool set to be champions as Premier League rules out voiding season

Premier League clubs have been warned by the FA that the 2019/20 season must be decided on sporting merit - ruling out the possibility of the season being declared null and void .
Whichever way Premier League clubs vote on how to proceed , the future must include promotion and relegation , clubs were told .
This means that runaway league leaders Liverpool will almost certainly claim their first top tier title in 30 years .
But it remains unknown whether they will be able to play out their remaining fixtures or if the season will be curtailed .
Jurgen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from securing the trophy but the three relegation positions are still undecided , with the 20 clubs divided over plans to resume the season - known as Project Restart .
The government has said elite sport could resume behind closed doors as early as June if further progress is made in limiting the spread of coronavirus .
The idea of the season being null-and-voided was officially ruled out by an FA intervention at a teleconference meeting of Premier League executives on Monday .
Sky News understands they were told in a message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season must be decided by sporting merit , whether that is by using a points-per-game formula based on past matches , or by completing the outstanding fixtures .
The removal of the possibility of the season being declared null and void will be welcomed by Leeds , West Bromwich Albion and Fulham , the teams at the top of the Championship .
They had feared that the bottom six Premier League clubs could refuse to play out the remaining fixtures unless the threat of relegation was removed .
Project Restart is the code @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to resume games by 12 June at the earliest , and in stadiums with no fans , pending government approval .
The government will also be asked to reconsider its requirement for games to be held in neutral grounds after clubs expressed concern that this removal of `` home advantage '' undermines the integrity of the competition .
Sky News understands the government is open-minded about the possibility of playing games home and away , but the decision hinges on advice given by officials , including the Sports Grounds Safety Authority .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of eight to 10 neutral venues was the only way the campaign could be finished in a way which satisfies the government and emergency services amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
Mark Roberts , the head of national football policing , said those clubs quibbling about the conditions in which the season could be finished should `` get a grip '' .
A vote on Project Restart is likely to be delayed until next week at the earliest as talks between the 20 clubs continue .

Premier League clubs have been warned by the FA that the 2019/20 season must be decided on sporting merit - ruling out the possibility of the season being declared null and void.
Whichever way Premier League clubs vote on how to proceed, the future must include promotion and relegation, clubs were told.
This means that runaway league leaders Liverpool will almost certainly claim their first top tier title in 30 years.
Image: Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool team will almost certainly claim the Premier League title
But it remains unknown whether they will be able to play out their remaining fixtures or if the season will be curtailed.
Jurgen Klopp's side are just six points away from securing the trophy but the three relegation positions are still undecided, with the 20 clubs divided over plans to resume the season - known as Project Restart.
The government has said elite sport could resume behind closed doors as early as June if further progress is made in limiting the spread of coronavirus.
The idea of the season being null-and-voided was officially ruled out by an FA intervention at a teleconference meeting of Premier League executives on Monday.
Sky News understands they were told in a message by FA Chairman Greg Clarke that the season must be decided by sporting merit, whether that is by using a points-per-game formula based on past matches, or by completing the outstanding fixtures.
The removal of the possibility of the season being declared null and void will be welcomed by Leeds, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham, the teams at the top of the Championship.
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They had feared that the bottom six Premier League clubs could refuse to play out the remaining fixtures unless the threat of relegation was removed.
Project Restart is the code name given to the Premier League's plan to resume games by 12 June at the earliest, and in stadiums with no fans, pending government approval.
The government will also be asked to reconsider its requirement for games to be held in neutral grounds after clubs expressed concern that this removal of "home advantage" undermines the integrity of the competition.
Sky News understands the government is open-minded about the possibility of playing games home and away, but the decision hinges on advice given by officials, including the Sports Grounds Safety Authority.
Image: Southampton's cordoned off St Mary's Stadium
Clubs were told last month that the use of eight to 10 neutral venues was the only way the campaign could be finished in a way which satisfies the government and emergency services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mark Roberts, the head of national football policing, said those clubs quibbling about the conditions in which the season could be finished should "get a grip".
A vote on Project Restart is likely to be delayed until next week at the earliest as talks between the 20 clubs continue.


news--2020-05-11--Coronavirus: Ministers finalise reinsurance scheme to rescue supply chains

Ministers are finalising a multibillion pound plan to prop up industry supply chains amid fears that the withdrawal of cover during the coronavirus pandemic would intensify the UK 's economic downturn .
Sky News has learnt that Whitehall officials and senior figures from the insurance industry could finalise a scheme within days to provide a taxpayer-funded guarantee to trade credit insurance contracts for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis and its immediate aftermath .
An executive at one trade credit insurer said a deal could be struck as soon as the middle of this week , although they cautioned that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to conclude .
The industry has proposed a reinsurance scheme , under which the government would share with insurers the risk of providing cover to supply chains , according to insiders .
A sudden spike in insolvencies arising from the coronavirus outbreak would exacerbate the risk of such insurance contracts being pulled .
Trade credit insurers offer crucial protection to companies against the risk that customers will not pay for goods .
Without it , suppliers often demand payment for goods upfront , exacerbating the strain on an already struggling company 's cashflow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ credit insurance sector , which include Atradius , Coface and Euler Hermes , therefore play a critical role in sectors that they help to finance , such as manufacturing and retail .
Industry sources said the Treasury and Department for Business , Energy and Industrial Strategy ( BEIS ) were in close co-operation about a reinsurance scheme .
Business Secretary Alok Sharma has held a series of talks with insurers to hammer out an agreement .
The Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority are also understood to be involved in the discussions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that any government guarantee would add billions of pounds to the cost of the various emergency support packages announced since March .
A reinsurance scheme would be similar to those adopted in other European countries , including Germany , in recent weeks .
Such a model has been recommended by the industry on the basis that it would be more effective than a top-up scheme used by the government during the 2008 banking crisis .
The Treasury declined to comment on Monday , while a spokesman for the Association of British Insurers referred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` Businesses that buy trade credit insurance are protecting themselves against firms they do business with becoming insolvent and not being able to pay their bills .
It added that insurers last year paid out £315m to help firms cope with bad debts .
`` Insurers work closely with their customers , discussing with them where credit limits can be adjusted to help avoid bad debts , but this can not happen where there is likely to be a sharp rise in insolvencies across many business sectors , such as from COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meant , the ABI added , that the availability of trade credit insurance `` is likely to be severely reduced in the future '' .
`` We want to avoid this , so we are discussing with the Government the scope for temporary state support to ensure that businesses can continue to obtain cover that meets their needs .
`` Many European governments are discussing with trade credit insurers how to support firms and maintain the supply chain and we have proposed a reinsurance scheme .
`` This would see insurers continuing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ credit limits to customers , with the government acting as a reinsurer of last resort . ''

Ministers are finalising a multibillion pound plan to prop up industry supply chains amid fears that the withdrawal of cover during the coronavirus pandemic would intensify the UK's economic downturn.
Sky News has learnt that Whitehall officials and senior figures from the insurance industry could finalise a scheme within days to provide a taxpayer-funded guarantee to trade credit insurance contracts for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis and its immediate aftermath.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:01 No pubs or hair cuts until 4 July at the earliest, says Raab
An executive at one trade credit insurer said a deal could be struck as soon as the middle of this week, although they cautioned that the details could yet take significantly longer to conclude.
The industry has proposed a reinsurance scheme, under which the government would share with insurers the risk of providing cover to supply chains, according to insiders.
A sudden spike in insolvencies arising from the coronavirus outbreak would exacerbate the risk of such insurance contracts being pulled.
Trade credit insurers offer crucial protection to companies against the risk that customers will not pay for goods.
Without it, suppliers often demand payment for goods upfront, exacerbating the strain on an already struggling company's cashflow.
The big players in the trade credit insurance sector, which include Atradius, Coface and Euler Hermes, therefore play a critical role in sectors that they help to finance, such as manufacturing and retail.
Industry sources said the Treasury and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) were in close co-operation about a reinsurance scheme.
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Business Secretary Alok Sharma has held a series of talks with insurers to hammer out an agreement.
The Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority are also understood to be involved in the discussions.
The trade credit insurance executive estimated that any government guarantee would add billions of pounds to the cost of the various emergency support packages announced since March.
A reinsurance scheme would be similar to those adopted in other European countries, including Germany, in recent weeks.
Such a model has been recommended by the industry on the basis that it would be more effective than a top-up scheme used by the government during the 2008 banking crisis.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:28 'Go to work if you can't work from home'
The Treasury declined to comment on Monday, while a spokesman for the Association of British Insurers referred to a previous statement, which said: "Businesses that buy trade credit insurance are protecting themselves against firms they do business with becoming insolvent and not being able to pay their bills.
It added that insurers last year paid out £315m to help firms cope with bad debts.
"Insurers work closely with their customers, discussing with them where credit limits can be adjusted to help avoid bad debts, but this cannot happen where there is likely to be a sharp rise in insolvencies across many business sectors, such as from COVID-19," the ABI added.
This meant, the ABI added, that the availability of trade credit insurance "is likely to be severely reduced in the future".
"We want to avoid this, so we are discussing with the Government the scope for temporary state support to ensure that businesses can continue to obtain cover that meets their needs.
"Many European governments are discussing with trade credit insurers how to support firms and maintain the supply chain and we have proposed a reinsurance scheme.
"This would see insurers continuing to offer cover, with limited reduction in credit limits to customers, with the government acting as a reinsurer of last resort."


news--2020-05-11--Coronavirus: Strip club offers drive-thru service during US lockdown

A strip club in Portland , Oregon , has found a novel way to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic .
The Lucky Devil Lounge transformed itself into Lucky Devil Eats , which has dancers deliver food , and Food 2 Go-Go , a drive-up service where takeout orders come with an in-car experience that includes performances , music and lights under canopies .
After closing in March under stay-at-home orders , owner Shon Boulden decided on 17 March to transform the business .
`` I was like , 'OK , well let 's keep the kitchen open , ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep the cooks working at least , and let 's open up the kitchen to food deliveries . ''
Almost overnight , Lucky Devil put about a dozen of its employees back to work .
They wear masks and gloves and get their temperatures taken each day they 're at work .
`` When quarantine shutdowns started happening , I was very anxious about my future and my financial security with my family , '' said one dancer , Elle Stranger .
`` I am the sole caregiver for my small family , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been really lucky to pivot . ''
The operation evolved to include takeout , with dancers entertaining customers as they drive - slowly - through the lounge 's disco-lit car park before getting their food to go .
`` It feels really , really good to socialise , even from a distance , '' Ms Stranger said .
Mr Bouldon said he wanted to replicate some of the club 's indoor experience without being too lewd .
: : Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Apple podcasts , Google podcasts , Spotify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Mr Boulden said .
`` We wanted people to be able to take photos and videos and share this story on their [ Instagram ] Stories , too , because it 's just going to be a fun thing . ''
Lucky Devil is ineligible for federal coronavirus relief because it 's an adult business , he said , but he found a way to keep it going .
`` The main service that we 're providing with this food delivery is a little bit of fun , a little bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of just entertainment at our doorstep , '' Mr Bouldon said .

A strip club in Portland, Oregon, has found a novel way to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Lucky Devil Lounge transformed itself into Lucky Devil Eats, which has dancers deliver food, and Food 2 Go-Go, a drive-up service where takeout orders come with an in-car experience that includes performances, music and lights under canopies.
After closing in March under stay-at-home orders, owner Shon Boulden decided on 17 March to transform the business.
Image: Tips are collected in a bucket at the drive-thru strip club
"I was like, 'OK, well let's keep the kitchen open,'" he said. "Let's keep the cooks working at least, and let's open up the kitchen to food deliveries."
Almost overnight, Lucky Devil put about a dozen of its employees back to work. They wear masks and gloves and get their temperatures taken each day they're at work.
"When quarantine shutdowns started happening, I was very anxious about my future and my financial security with my family," said one dancer, Elle Stranger. "I am the sole caregiver for my small family, but I was lucky. I've been really lucky to pivot."
The operation evolved to include takeout, with dancers entertaining customers as they drive - slowly - through the lounge's disco-lit car park before getting their food to go.
"It feels really, really good to socialise, even from a distance," Ms Stranger said.
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Mr Bouldon said he wanted to replicate some of the club's indoor experience without being too lewd.
:: Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
"There's no nudity," Mr Boulden said. "We wanted people to be able to take photos and videos and share this story on their [Instagram] Stories, too, because it's just going to be a fun thing."
Lucky Devil is ineligible for federal coronavirus relief because it's an adult business, he said, but he found a way to keep it going.
"The main service that we're providing with this food delivery is a little bit of fun, a little bit of hope, and a little bit of just entertainment at our doorstep," Mr Bouldon said.


news--2020-05-11--Coronavirus: Branson ignites Galactic stake sale to raise $500m for Virgin fight

Sir Richard Branson has moved to sell a big stake in the Virgin Galactic space tourism venture - worth more than half a billion dollars - to create a coronavirus fighting fund for his Virgin Group .
It was confirmed that up to 25 million shares in US-listed Virgin Galactic were being readied for sale - with a combined current market value of around $ 504m ( £405m ) .
It represents 22 % of his holding in Virgin Galactic , meaning the entire stake is currently worth more than $ 2bn .
`` Virgin intends to use any proceeds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , holiday and travel businesses that have been affected by the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 , '' the statement said .
Virgin Atlantic Airways is at the top of the priority list for help as the tycoon has warned the airline will collapse without financial support .
Frantic rounds of rescue talks have been held with the UK government as Virgin Atlantic seeks a £500m loan and a government guarantee on further sums owed to it by credit card companies .
It has already announced plans to cut more than 3,000 jobs under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Sky News - that also includes slashing its fleet .
Virgin Group has also already seen Virgin Australia fall into a process called voluntary administration , putting thousands of jobs at risk .
The sale of shares in Virgin Galactic is a statement of commitment from Sir Richard to his wider business empire - sectors badly hit by pandemic disruption .
It comes amid calls from some quarters that he should use more of his personal wealth to prop up Virgin Atlantic , which is also part-owned by Delta .
Virgin Galactic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ merger deal , has been a big success story ever since with shares up almost 70 % in the year to date ahead of Monday 's opening , when the stock fell by up to 6 % .
It is hoping commercial flights can begin following final tests on its reusable spacecraft due this year .
They can carry six passengers on a 90-minute trip to the edge of space with tickets already selling for up to $ 250,000 .

Sir Richard Branson has moved to sell a big stake in the Virgin Galactic space tourism venture - worth more than half a billion dollars - to create a coronavirus fighting fund for his Virgin Group.
It was confirmed that up to 25 million shares in US-listed Virgin Galactic were being readied for sale - with a combined current market value of around $504m (£405m).
It represents 22% of his holding in Virgin Galactic, meaning the entire stake is currently worth more than $2bn.
Image: Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity completes a test flight
"Virgin intends to use any proceeds to support its portfolio of global leisure, holiday and travel businesses that have been affected by the unprecedented impact of COVID-19," the statement said.
Virgin Atlantic Airways is at the top of the priority list for help as the tycoon has warned the airline will collapse without financial support.
Frantic rounds of rescue talks have been held with the UK government as Virgin Atlantic seeks a £500m loan and a government guarantee on further sums owed to it by credit card companies.
It has already announced plans to cut more than 3,000 jobs under an immediate survival plan - first revealed by Sky News - that also includes slashing its fleet.
Virgin Group has also already seen Virgin Australia fall into a process called voluntary administration, putting thousands of jobs at risk.
The sale of shares in Virgin Galactic is a statement of commitment from Sir Richard to his wider business empire - sectors badly hit by pandemic disruption.
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It comes amid calls from some quarters that he should use more of his personal wealth to prop up Virgin Atlantic, which is also part-owned by Delta.
Virgin Galactic, which floated last year through a merger deal, has been a big success story ever since with shares up almost 70% in the year to date ahead of Monday's opening, when the stock fell by up to 6%.
It is hoping commercial flights can begin following final tests on its reusable spacecraft due this year.
They can carry six passengers on a 90-minute trip to the edge of space with tickets already selling for up to $250,000.


news--2020-05-11--Coronavirus: Car components supplier Arlington calls in administrators

A supplier of components to carmakers including Ford , Jaguar Land Rover ( JLR ) and Nissan has been forced to call in administrators , underlining the growing strain exerted by the coronavirus outbreak on Britain 's automotive industry .
Sky News has learnt that Arlington Automotive Group , which employs nearly 600 people at sites across the UK , appointed Duff & Phelps to handle an insolvency process late last week .
The appointment , which will be confirmed publicly later on Monday , makes it the first sizeable British car industry supplier to succumb to the COVID-19 crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and makes and assembles engineered vehicle systems .
It operates from locations including in Birmingham , Coventry , Derby , Reading and Stourport .
Executives are said to be examining a plan to reduce the number of sites as they seek to ensure a viable business emerges from the coronavirus outbreak .
Arlington 's customers also include Aston Martin , Bentley , the maker of London 's black cabs and Alexander Dennis , the bus manufacturer .
It was unclear how many of the company 's employees were facing redundancy , although some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dealing a blow to Arlington 's skilled workforce .
Bosses are nevertheless confident of using the administration process to secure investment to salvage Arlington 's long-term future .
Responding to an enquiry from Sky News , Mark Franckel , Arlington International chief executive , said : `` The UK group has longstanding and deep rooted relationships with its customers and I am confident that the restructured business will be a key supplier to the automotive industry moving forwards , particularly our thermostat technology which is widely used in the rapidly growing hybrid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK entities which have been placed into administration are subsidiaries of Arlington International Group , which comprises operations in Brazil , China , France and the US .
It also has joint ventures in India and Turkey .
None of the overseas ventures are affected by the UK restructuring , although Arlington 's sister company in Germany has also been going through an insolvency process as the coronavirus pandemic exerts its toll on the global automotive sector .
A series of acquisitions made by the UK-based business in recent years included one in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overhauling it proving too much during a period of collapsing revenues .
Continuing uncertainty over the outcome of Brexit talks between the UK and the European Union , and their consequences for car industry tariffs , have also played a part in recent declines in Arlington 's UK revenues .
Its collapse into administration comes days after figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed an almost-total crash in new vehicle sales in April .
The 4,321 cars bought last month represented the lowest industry number since 1946 .
Some carmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to restart production at UK plants this month .
Privately owned , Arlington Automotive Group was formed in 2013 when it bought three factories which had been operated by Remploy , the government agency which helped disabled people find work .
Remploy was wound up eight years ago when ministers said they would switch the funding allocated to it away from factory subsidies to direct assistance for eligible workers .
Allan Graham , one of the joint administrators at Duff & Phelps , said : `` The financial issues faced by the group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car registrations have fallen dramatically and the complexity of supply chains in the sector have led to a sudden halt to manufacturing . ''
`` The UK group is underpinned by its strong core operating sites and post coronavirus will with its technology , engineering and manufacturing base it will be well positioned to take advantage of the evolving car market . ''

A supplier of components to carmakers including Ford, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Nissan has been forced to call in administrators, underlining the growing strain exerted by the coronavirus outbreak on Britain's automotive industry.
Sky News has learnt that Arlington Automotive Group, which employs nearly 600 people at sites across the UK, appointed Duff & Phelps to handle an insolvency process late last week.
The appointment, which will be confirmed publicly later on Monday, makes it the first sizeable British car industry supplier to succumb to the COVID-19 crisis.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:01 No pubs or hair cuts until 4 July at the earliest, says Raab
Arlington manufactures thermostats for cars, and makes and assembles engineered vehicle systems.
It operates from locations including in Birmingham, Coventry, Derby, Reading and Stourport.
Executives are said to be examining a plan to reduce the number of sites as they seek to ensure a viable business emerges from the coronavirus outbreak.
Arlington's customers also include Aston Martin, Bentley, the maker of London's black cabs and Alexander Dennis, the bus manufacturer.
It was unclear how many of the company's employees were facing redundancy, although some job losses are understood to be likely, dealing a blow to Arlington's skilled workforce.
Bosses are nevertheless confident of using the administration process to secure investment to salvage Arlington's long-term future.
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Responding to an enquiry from Sky News, Mark Franckel, Arlington International chief executive, said: "The UK group has longstanding and deep rooted relationships with its customers and I am confident that the restructured business will be a key supplier to the automotive industry moving forwards, particularly our thermostat technology which is widely used in the rapidly growing hybrid and electric car markets."
The UK entities which have been placed into administration are subsidiaries of Arlington International Group, which comprises operations in Brazil, China, France and the US.
It also has joint ventures in India and Turkey.
None of the overseas ventures are affected by the UK restructuring, although Arlington's sister company in Germany has also been going through an insolvency process as the coronavirus pandemic exerts its toll on the global automotive sector.
A series of acquisitions made by the UK-based business in recent years included one in Germany, with the subsequent costs of overhauling it proving too much during a period of collapsing revenues.
Continuing uncertainty over the outcome of Brexit talks between the UK and the European Union, and their consequences for car industry tariffs, have also played a part in recent declines in Arlington's UK revenues.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:28 'Go to work if you can't work from home'
Its collapse into administration comes days after figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed an almost-total crash in new vehicle sales in April.
The 4,321 cars bought last month represented the lowest industry number since 1946.
Some carmakers, including JLR, have announced plans to restart production at UK plants this month.
Privately owned, Arlington Automotive Group was formed in 2013 when it bought three factories which had been operated by Remploy, the government agency which helped disabled people find work.
Remploy was wound up eight years ago when ministers said they would switch the funding allocated to it away from factory subsidies to direct assistance for eligible workers.
Allan Graham, one of the joint administrators at Duff & Phelps, said: "The financial issues faced by the group have been compounded by coronavirus, new car registrations have fallen dramatically and the complexity of supply chains in the sector have led to a sudden halt to manufacturing."
"The UK group is underpinned by its strong core operating sites and post coronavirus will with its technology, engineering and manufacturing base it will be well positioned to take advantage of the evolving car market."


news--2020-04-02--Coronavirus: Cough and cold medicine prices hiked by 10.7%

Retailers hiked the price of cough and cold medicines by 10.7 % last week according to a snapshot analysis of the impact of coronavirus on the economy .
Data from the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) using online prices set by a number of UK retailers showed the sharp increase for the week ending 29 March compared to the week before .
It was the most marked rise among a set of `` high-demand products '' that saw increased demand from consumers during the early stages of the pandemic .
A new , continuous cough is one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other items saw much more modest price increases , with pet food and paracetamol up by just over 2 % while handwash and toilet rolls were up only marginally .
A few of the products such as antibacterial wipes , baby food and pasta saw prices fall slightly .
Overall , the basket of 22 high-demand products saw prices on average rise by 1.1 % .
The report did not give an explanation about why some of the prices had risen .
Britain 's competition watchdog has previously raised concerns that businesses might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example by charging excessive prices .
The supermarket industry has been a beneficiary of higher revenues during the early part of the pandemic , with figures this week showing shoppers spent £1.9bn on stockpiling groceries ahead of the UK lockdown .
Companies have responded by expanding delivery operations and in some cases taking on thousands of extra staff , as well as providing measures to try to help the most vulnerable customers and NHS workers .
The ONS data was part of a wider analysis of the initial impact of the pandemic across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , for 3,642 businesses surveyed over the period from 9 March to 22 March , 27 % said they were reducing staffing in the short term .
Those figures suggested an even bigger impact to come as it was only on 20 March that Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered a shutdown of much of the UK economy .
The British Chambers of Commerce , a business lobby , separately reported that almost half of British companies expect to lay off 50 % or more of their workforce temporarily .
Liliana Danila , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` Retailers have seen an increase in demand as individuals take precautions to reduce the spread of coronavirus .
ONS data shows that retailers have gone further during these difficult times by protecting customers from rising costs in the supply chain , even lowering prices where they can .
`` For some high demand products retailers have discouraged over purchasing by removing promotions , returning products to standard price . ''

Retailers hiked the price of cough and cold medicines by 10.7% last week according to a snapshot analysis of the impact of coronavirus on the economy.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) using online prices set by a number of UK retailers showed the sharp increase for the week ending 29 March compared to the week before.
It was the most marked rise among a set of "high-demand products" that saw increased demand from consumers during the early stages of the pandemic.
A new, continuous cough is one of the main symptoms of the virus.
Other items saw much more modest price increases, with pet food and paracetamol up by just over 2% while handwash and toilet rolls were up only marginally.
A few of the products such as antibacterial wipes, baby food and pasta saw prices fall slightly.
Overall, the basket of 22 high-demand products saw prices on average rise by 1.1%.
The report did not give an explanation about why some of the prices had risen.
Britain's competition watchdog has previously raised concerns that businesses might seek to exploit the situation - for example by charging excessive prices.
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The supermarket industry has been a beneficiary of higher revenues during the early part of the pandemic, with figures this week showing shoppers spent £1.9bn on stockpiling groceries ahead of the UK lockdown.
Companies have responded by expanding delivery operations and in some cases taking on thousands of extra staff, as well as providing measures to try to help the most vulnerable customers and NHS workers.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:47 One million sign up for Universal Credit
The ONS data was part of a wider analysis of the initial impact of the pandemic across the UK economy.
It also showed that, for 3,642 businesses surveyed over the period from 9 March to 22 March, 27% said they were reducing staffing in the short term.
Those figures suggested an even bigger impact to come as it was only on 20 March that Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered a shutdown of much of the UK economy.
The British Chambers of Commerce, a business lobby, separately reported that almost half of British companies expect to lay off 50% or more of their workforce temporarily.
Liliana Danila, economist at the British Retail Consortium, said: "Retailers have seen an increase in demand as individuals take precautions to reduce the spread of coronavirus. ONS data shows that retailers have gone further during these difficult times by protecting customers from rising costs in the supply chain, even lowering prices where they can.
"For some high demand products retailers have discouraged over purchasing by removing promotions, returning products to standard price."