inews--2020-04-21--Manjeet Singh Riyat: Tributes paid to Derby A&E consultant after he dies of coronavirus aged 52

Manjeet Singh Riyat : Tributes paid to Derby A & E consultant after he dies of coronavirus aged 52 'Manjeet was the first A & E consultant from the Sikh community in the country' Manjeet Singh Riyat , an emergency medicine consultant at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton , was described as a `` widely respected '' colleague and as `` the father '' of the emergency department in Derby .
He was also said to be `` instrumental '' in building the emergency medicine service in Derbyshire over the past two decades .
He is the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the Nursing Notes website , at least 100 health and care workers have passed away in the pandemic .
However Simon Clarke , minister of state for regional growth and local government , said on Tuesday that 49 NHS staff had died in the coronavirus fight .
`` Their service and their sacrifice will never be forgotten and we will look into every one of those cases to understand what has happened , I can give that total assurance , '' he told BBC Breakfast .
Gavin Boyle , chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Mr Riyat was a `` widely respected consultant '' , adding : `` Manjeet was the first A & E consultant from the Sikh community in the country and was instrumental in building the emergency medicine service in Derbyshire over the past two decades .
`` He was an incredibly charming person and well-loved .
Manjeet knew so many people here across the hospital ; we will all miss him immensely , '' said Mr Boyle .
Colleagues also shared their memories of working with Mr Riyat .
Dr Sonia Adesara said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` My memories of him was a jovial [ and ] full of life , compassionate doctor , '' she added .
Mr Riyat trained in emergency medicine at Leicester Royal Infirmary and Lincoln County Hospital .
He was also one of the UK 's first clinical research fellows and `` contributed to the birth of academic emergency medicine , '' according to Susie Hewitt , an emergency medicine consultant at the Royal Derby Hospital .
In 2003 , he became one of four consultants in emergency medicine at the Derbyshire Royal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became part of the Royal Derby Hospital - and the first person from the Sikh community to be appointed this role in the UK .
Ms Hewitt said of her colleague : `` Manjeet ’ s passion for teaching and contribution to medical education was a constant thread during his career .
As Derby College tutor for emergency medicine , he oversaw the training of junior doctors from multiple specialties in the emergency department .
Manjeet also spent 17 years serving as an educational supervisor to dozens of regional emergency medicine trainees and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trainees in difficulty for the Deanery . ''
`` He was consistently generous with his remarkable clinical knowledge to everyone in the team .
He had that rare gift of maintaining constant joy in the intellectual challenge of clinical medicine combined with gentle kindness and compassion for his patients . ''
`` For many , Manjeet was considered the father of the current emergency department in Derby and many more will reflect on how his inspiration has shaped their own careers .
“ Finally , Manjeet was fiercely proud of his wife and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and exploits of the boys with equal good humour .
He always kept sight of what is really important in life and set an example by living life in keeping with his high standards and strong values .
He will be hugely missed , '' she added .

Tributes have been paid to the country’s first A&E consultant from the Sikh community after he died of Covid-19.
Manjeet Singh Riyat, an emergency medicine consultant at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, was described as a “widely respected” colleague and as “the father” of the emergency department in Derby.
He was also said to be “instrumental” in building the emergency medicine service in Derbyshire over the past two decades.
The father-of-two, 52, passed away on Monday at the Royal Derby Hospital where he worked, said the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust (UHDB).
He is the latest NHS worker to die after contracting coronavirus. According to the Nursing Notes website, at least 100 health and care workers have passed away in the pandemic. However Simon Clarke, minister of state for regional growth and local government, said on Tuesday that 49 NHS staff had died in the coronavirus fight.
“Their service and their sacrifice will never be forgotten and we will look into every one of those cases to understand what has happened, I can give that total assurance,” he told BBC Breakfast.
‘Incredibly charming person’
Gavin Boyle, chief executive of the UHDB NHS Trust, said Mr Riyat was a “widely respected consultant”, adding: “Manjeet was the first A&E consultant from the Sikh community in the country and was instrumental in building the emergency medicine service in Derbyshire over the past two decades.
“He was an incredibly charming person and well-loved. Manjeet knew so many people here across the hospital; we will all miss him immensely,” said Mr Boyle.
Colleagues also shared their memories of working with Mr Riyat. Dr Sonia Adesara said she met him during her medical training. “My memories of him was a jovial [and] full of life, compassionate doctor,” she added.
‘Contributed to birth of academic emergency medicine’
Mr Riyat trained in emergency medicine at Leicester Royal Infirmary and Lincoln County Hospital. He was also one of the UK’s first clinical research fellows and “contributed to the birth of academic emergency medicine,” according to Susie Hewitt, an emergency medicine consultant at the Royal Derby Hospital.
In 2003, he became one of four consultants in emergency medicine at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary – which closed in 2009 and became part of the Royal Derby Hospital – and the first person from the Sikh community to be appointed this role in the UK.
Three years later he became head of service for the emergency department.
Ms Hewitt said of her colleague: “Manjeet’s passion for teaching and contribution to medical education was a constant thread during his career. As Derby College tutor for emergency medicine, he oversaw the training of junior doctors from multiple specialties in the emergency department. Manjeet also spent 17 years serving as an educational supervisor to dozens of regional emergency medicine trainees and took particular pride in his work supporting trainees in difficulty for the Deanery.”
But she said Mr Riyat was “most at home as a highly visible shop floor emergency medicine consultant”.
“He was consistently generous with his remarkable clinical knowledge to everyone in the team. He had that rare gift of maintaining constant joy in the intellectual challenge of clinical medicine combined with gentle kindness and compassion for his patients.”
‘Inspiration’
“For many, Manjeet was considered the father of the current emergency department in Derby and many more will reflect on how his inspiration has shaped their own careers.
“Finally, Manjeet was fiercely proud of his wife and two sons and often shared the achievements and exploits of the boys with equal good humour. He always kept sight of what is really important in life and set an example by living life in keeping with his high standards and strong values. He will be hugely missed,” she added.
Mr Riyat was also the lead examiner for the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s (RCEM) fellowship exam.
Manjeet was the Lead examiner for our Fellowship exam. He put so much into his role and there are so many trainees and now Consultants who benefited from his support. The specialty, his team and RCEM will miss him very much @RCollEM @UHDBTrust @RCEMdean @EmilyBeet1 https://t.co/p9ScihaVDH — Katherine Henderson (@RCEMpresident) April 20, 2020
The college’s president Katherine Henderson said: “He put so much into his role and there are so many trainees and now consultants who benefited from his support.
“The specialty, his team and RCEM will miss him very much.”


inews--2020-04-21--When is the NFL Draft 2020? Date, UK start time, first round pick order and this year's best prospec

When is the NFL Draft 2020? Date, UK start time, first round pick order and this year's best prospects

When is the NFL Draft 2020 ?
Date , UK start time , first round pick order and this year 's best prospects The biggest event in American football 's off-season goes online as the sport deals with the fallout of the coronavirus crisis NFL draft 2020 is go .
Despite the coronavirus crisis engulfing the US and indeed most of the world , the biggest event in American football 's off-season will still go ahead , albeit not quite like we 've known it before .
With Las Vegas on lockdown , the league has been forced to host @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams looking set to log-in via video conference call .
That will present a unique challenge to teams in terms conducting the draft under time pressure and they will also be hampered by the lack of in-person interviews and pro days .
Scouts , front-office execs and head coaches will hsave been busier than ever studying video tape from last year 's college football championships and undertaking Zoom or Skype calls in order to assess the top prospects .
Sky Sports Action will also be broadcasting `` The Draft Kick Off 2020 '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday and at 3pm on Saturday .
The Arizona Cardinals chose Kyler Murray as the # 1 pick in the 2019 NFL draft ( Getty Images ) Each of the 32 teams in the NFL gets one pick in each of the seven rounds of the draft .
In order to keep the league competitive , the team with the worst record last year gets the first pick in each round , followed by the team with the second worst record and so on with the defending Super Bowl champions picking last .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ draft position at any time before and during the draft - either for a player already on their roster or for a current or future draft position .
There are also up to an additional 32 “ compensatory free agent ” picks spread across the end of round 3-7 .
These allow teams who have lost free agents to another team to use the draft to try to fill the void .
Once the draft begins , teams are put `` on the clock '' and must pick their player within a certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make their choice in the first round , seven minutes for the second round , five minutes for rounds 3-6 and four minutes in round 7 .
Zac Taylor 's Bengals had a miserable record of 2-14 last year ( Getty Images ) Ohio State defensive end Chase Young looks set to be picked early in the 2020 NFL Draft ( Getty Images ) Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow , star of the LSU Tigers in 2019 , is expected to be snapped up by the Cincinnati Bengals as the first pick of @ @ @ @ @

NFL draft 2020 is go. Despite the coronavirus crisis engulfing the US and indeed most of the world, the biggest event in American football’s off-season will still go ahead, albeit not quite like we’ve known it before.
With Las Vegas on lockdown, the league has been forced to host this year’s draft remotely – with teams looking set to log-in via video conference call.
That will present a unique challenge to teams in terms conducting the draft under time pressure and they will also be hampered by the lack of in-person interviews and pro days. Scouts, front-office execs and head coaches will hsave been busier than ever studying video tape from last year’s college football championships and undertaking Zoom or Skype calls in order to assess the top prospects.
Here’s everything you need to know:
Key details
Dates: 23-25 April
Round 1: Thurs 23 April
Thurs 23 April Rounds 2-3: Fri 24 April
Fri 24 April Rounds 4-7: Sat 25 April
How to watch: The draft will be shown on Sky Sports Action.
Times: Coverage of the draft begins at 12am for round 1 (midnight on Thursday BST), 12am for rounds 2-3 (Friday night) and 5pm for rounds 4-7 (Saturday afternoon).
Sky Sports Action will also be broadcasting “The Draft Kick Off 2020” preview show from 6pm on Thursday and Friday and at 3pm on Saturday.
i’s guide to NFL Draft 2020
How the NFL draft works
Each of the 32 teams in the NFL gets one pick in each of the seven rounds of the draft.
In order to keep the league competitive, the team with the worst record last year gets the first pick in each round, followed by the team with the second worst record and so on with the defending Super Bowl champions picking last.
However, teams can also trade their draft position at any time before and during the draft – either for a player already on their roster or for a current or future draft position.
There are also up to an additional 32 “compensatory free agent” picks spread across the end of round 3-7. These allow teams who have lost free agents to another team to use the draft to try to fill the void.
Once the draft begins, teams are put “on the clock” and must pick their player within a certain timeframe. They have 10 minutes to make their choice in the first round, seven minutes for the second round, five minutes for rounds 3-6 and four minutes in round 7.
NFL draft 2020 – first round picks
Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow (QB, LSU) Washington Redskins: Chase Young (DE, Ohio) Detroit Lions: Jeff Okudah (CB, Ohio) New York Giants: Andrew Thomas (T, Georgia) Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa (QB, Alabama) Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert (QB, Oregon) Carolina Panthers: Derrick Brown (DT, Auburn) Arizona Cardinals: Isaiah Simmons (LB, Clemson) Jacksonville Jaguars: CJ Henderson (CB, Florida) Cleveland Browns: Jedrick Wills (OT, Alabama) New York Jets: Mekhi Beckton (OT, Louisville) Las Vegas Raiders: Henry Ruggs III (WR, Alabama) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tristan Wirfs (OT, Iowa) from San Francisco San Francisco 49ers: Javon Kinlaw (DC, South Carolina) from Tampa Bay Denver Broncos: Jerry Jeudy (WR, Alabama) Atlanta Falcons: AJ Terrell (CB, Clemson) Dallas Cowboys: CeeDee Lamb (WR, Oklahoma) Miami Dolphins: Austin Jackson (OT, USC) Las Vegas Raiders: Damon Arnette (CB, Ohio State) Jacksonville Jaguars: K’Lavon Chaisson (LB, LSU) Philadelphia Eagles: Jalen Reagor (WR, TCU) Minnesota Vikings: Justin Jefferson (WR, LSU) Los Angeles Chargers: Kenneth Murray (LB, Oklahoma) from New England New Orleans Saints: Cesar Ruiz (C, Michigan) San Francisco 49ers: Brandon Aiyuk (WR, Arizona State) from Minnesota Green Bay Packers: Jordan Love (QB, Utah State) from Miami Seattle Seahawks: Jordyn Brooks (LB, Texas Tech) Baltimore Ravens: Patrick Queen (LB, LSU) Tennessee Titans: Isaiah Wilson (T, Georgia) Miami Dolphins: Noah Igbinoghene (CB, Auburn) from Green Bay Minnesota Vikings: Jeff Gladney (CB, Texas Christian) from San Francisco Kansas City Chiefs: Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB, LSU)
Top prospects
Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, star of the LSU Tigers in 2019, is expected to be snapped up by the Cincinnati Bengals as the first pick of the 2020 NFL draft.
Burrow leads a strong class of quarterbacks, with the likes of Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama), Jordan Love (Utah), Justin Herbert (Oregon) and Jake Fromm (Georgia) all likely to be picked early.
Ohio State defensive end Chase Young is also widely expected to go in the first round along with teammate Jeff Okudah, a cornerback.
Also look out for Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons, Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown and Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton and the deep pool of wide receiver talent this year, led by Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb and Alabama pair Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III.
You can scroll through a comprehensive list of draft prospects on the NFL’s website here and watch a run down of the top 50 in the video here.


inews--2020-04-21--Coronavirus UK deaths 41% than initial figures, ONS data says - with record high mortality for time

Coronavirus UK deaths 41% than initial figures, ONS data says - with record high mortality for time of year

Coronavirus UK deaths 41 % than initial figures , ONS data says - with record high mortality for time of year The number of weekly deaths in care homes has doubled to 2,456 , according to the ONS New data from the Office of National Statistics has revealed that 18,516 people died of all causes in England and Wales in the week ending 10 April , making it the largest number for the time of year in modern record .
The death toll from coronavirus was 41 per cent higher than the figure in the daily total released by Government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of weekly deaths in care homes has doubled to 2,456 since the first Covid-19 related deaths were registered in the England and Wales .
The ONS data collects all deaths related to coronavirus , including those in care homes , hospices and at home .
As a result , it has significantly increased the disease 's overall death toll up to 11 days ago .
The provisional number of deaths registered in the week is 2,129 higher than the previous week , and 7,996 higher than the five-year average for the week - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than might statistically be expected for the time of year .
Of the 18,516 deaths , 33.4 per cent included a reference to Covid-19 in the registration , meaning that the virus may directly have contributed to 6,213 additional deaths .
In London , which has been hit hardest by the outbreak , more than half of all death registrations mentioned coronavirus , while in the West Midlands , which has also suffered heavy impact , the number is above the national level at 37 per cent .
There were no coronavirus deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the week in question , with the number increasing through the age brackets and peaking with victims aged between 75 and 84 .
The death rate continues to be higher among men than women , most markedly in the 75-to-84 age bracket .
This is consistent with expectations based on data from elsewhere , including the early WHO study in China .
The doubled rate of deaths in care homes is accompanied by an increase in proportion of deaths , up from 22.4 per cent of total deaths before the first coronavirus fatality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now .
The ONS will begin to publish data on care home deaths from coronavirus specifically from 28 April on , it said in its summary .
The report only covers England and Wales for now , although Northern Ireland and Scotland could be included in data in the future .
The ONS collects all data where coronavirus is mentioned on the death certificate rather than limiting its scope to cases where there has been a positive test .
The data is currently running 11 days behind because of the time it takes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential lag in registering and processing deaths themselves .
In the most recent national data from the Department of Health and Social Care yesterday , 449 people had died as of 9am on 20 April , with the running total of hospital deaths among patients who had tested positive sitting at 16,509 .

New data from the Office of National Statistics has revealed that 18,516 people died of all causes in England and Wales in the week ending 10 April, making it the largest number for the time of year in modern record.
The death toll from coronavirus was 41 per cent higher than the figure in the daily total released by Government based on hospital reports.
The number of weekly deaths in care homes has doubled to 2,456 since the first Covid-19 related deaths were registered in the England and Wales.
The ONS data collects all deaths related to coronavirus, including those in care homes, hospices and at home. As a result, it has significantly increased the disease’s overall death toll up to 11 days ago.
The provisional number of deaths registered in the week is 2,129 higher than the previous week, and 7,996 higher than the five-year average for the week – meaning that almost 8,000 more people died than might statistically be expected for the time of year.
Of the 18,516 deaths, 33.4 per cent included a reference to Covid-19 in the registration, meaning that the virus may directly have contributed to 6,213 additional deaths.
London’s outbreak
In London, which has been hit hardest by the outbreak, more than half of all death registrations mentioned coronavirus, while in the West Midlands, which has also suffered heavy impact, the number is above the national level at 37 per cent.
There were no coronavirus deaths among those aged 14 and under in the week in question, with the number increasing through the age brackets and peaking with victims aged between 75 and 84.
The death rate continues to be higher among men than women, most markedly in the 75-to-84 age bracket. This is consistent with expectations based on data from elsewhere, including the early WHO study in China.
The doubled rate of deaths in care homes is accompanied by an increase in proportion of deaths, up from 22.4 per cent of total deaths before the first coronavirus fatality to 26.6 per cent of all deaths now.
The ONS will begin to publish data on care home deaths from coronavirus specifically from 28 April on, it said in its summary.
The report only covers England and Wales for now, although Northern Ireland and Scotland could be included in data in the future.
11 days behind
The ONS collects all data where coronavirus is mentioned on the death certificate rather than limiting its scope to cases where there has been a positive test.
The data is currently running 11 days behind because of the time it takes to collect, as well as the potential lag in registering and processing deaths themselves.
In the most recent national data from the Department of Health and Social Care yesterday, 449 people had died as of 9am on 20 April, with the running total of hospital deaths among patients who had tested positive sitting at 16,509.
The UK now has the fifth most deaths in the world, after the United States, Spain, Italy and France.


inews--2020-04-21--Next Newcastle manager: 5 contenders to replace Steve Bruce after the takeover

Next Newcastle manager : 5 contenders to replace Steve Bruce after the takeover Although he will be given until the end of the season to prove himself , Bruce may quickly find himself under pressure from the new owners Although some supporters have expressed concern over the club 's prospective new owners , there will not be many Newcastle fans lamenting the departure of Mike Ashley .
Manager Steve Bruce may be one of the few to do so .
The 59-year-old thought that the opportunity to manage his boyhood club had passed him by having twice been linked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still making his way in his second career .
What the post-Ashley future has in store for Bruce , though , is anyone 's guess .
Amanda Staveley 's Saudi-backed consortium are closing in on a £300m takeover of the club and Yasir Al-Rumayyan , who is set to become Newcastle chairman , has his sights set on qualifying for Europe and winning trophies .
When new owners enter a football club , the manager in place is more than often than not , the employee whose role is most precarious .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given until the end of the season to prove his credentials to his new bosses , which hardly sounds like a ringing endorsement .
Rafa Benitez would be welcomed back at St James ' Park with open arms ( Picture : Getty ) However , while there were justifiable question marks over Keegan and Shearer 's credentials , there are n't when it comes to Rafa Benitez given his CV , recent success in charge of the club and existing relationship with the Toon Army .
Failing to secure Benitez 's long-term future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest blunders .
The Spaniard led Newcastle to promotion from the Championship and kept them afloat in the Premier League in back-to-back seasons despite modest investment in the squad .
In August , Benitez cited a 'lack of trust ' and 'unfulfilled promises ' as factors behind his decision to leave the club and move to Dalian Yifang in China .
Under new owners with grand aims for the future , the allure to return to the north east could prove too strong for Benitez to resist .
Mauricio Pochettino has admitted he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Premier League again ( Picture : Getty ) It is questionable whether Pochettino would feel the need to prove himself at another club embarking on the start of a long-term project having done so at Spurs for five years , however .
Pochettino had been tipped to make a move to one of Europe 's super-clubs at the height of his time as Spurs boss , but with no top jobs available perhaps now would represent Newcastle 's best chance of getting him .
At times , Howe has worn the expression of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his team 's slide towards the drop-zone .
Yet while Howe has been questioned at times in recent months , the fact that a club the size of Bournemouth 's has survived so long in the Premier League is testament to his man-management and coaching abilities .
Only Burnley 's Sean Dyche has been in his current job longer than Howe in the Premier League and if he feels now is the time to take on a fresh challenge it would be interesting to see how he 'd fare with greater resources at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take over from Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool but lacks Premier League experience in the dugout ( Picture : Getty )

Although some supporters have expressed concern over the club’s prospective new owners, there will not be many Newcastle fans lamenting the departure of Mike Ashley. Manager Steve Bruce may be one of the few to do so.
The 59-year-old thought that the opportunity to manage his boyhood club had passed him by having twice been linked to the job in the early 2000s while still making his way in his second career.
However, last summer it was a case of third time lucky for Bruce as Ashley finally handed him the reigns at St James’ Park, in spite of plenty of opposition to his appointment from Newcastle supporters.
What the post-Ashley future has in store for Bruce, though, is anyone’s guess. Amanda Staveley’s Saudi-backed consortium are closing in on a £300m takeover of the club and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, who is set to become Newcastle chairman, has his sights set on qualifying for Europe and winning trophies.
When new owners enter a football club, the manager in place is more than often than not, the employee whose role is most precarious. It has been reported that Bruce will be given until the end of the season to prove his credentials to his new bosses, which hardly sounds like a ringing endorsement.
Should Bruce be relieved from his duties, who may the new regime target as his replacement?
Rafa Benitez
Making popular managerial appointments can backfire spectacularly as Ashley knows only too well having turned to club legends Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer early on in his 13-year reign.
However, while there were justifiable question marks over Keegan and Shearer’s credentials, there aren’t when it comes to Rafa Benitez given his CV, recent success in charge of the club and existing relationship with the Toon Army.
Failing to secure Benitez’s long-term future on Tyneside was one of Ashley’s biggest blunders. The Spaniard led Newcastle to promotion from the Championship and kept them afloat in the Premier League in back-to-back seasons despite modest investment in the squad.
In August, Benitez cited a ‘lack of trust’ and ‘unfulfilled promises’ as factors behind his decision to leave the club and move to Dalian Yifang in China. Under new owners with grand aims for the future, the allure to return to the north east could prove too strong for Benitez to resist.
Read more: Newcastle United should be banned from transfers until furlough money is paid back
Massimiliano Allegri
Persistently linked with a move to the Premier League, Massimiliano ‘Max’ Allegri was believed to be on Arsenal’s shortlist after the departures of both Arsene Wenger in 2018 and Unai Emery in 2019.
Allegri has a stellar reputation after winning domestic double with Juventus for four consecutive seasons between 2015-2018 and AC Milan’s last Serie A title in 2011.
The 52-year-old has managed seven separate clubs during a 17-year managerial career but is yet to test his methods outside of Italy.
Landing Allegri would be a significant coup for Newcastle given the Italian’s reputation and perhaps the chance to transform the fortunes of a sleeping giant would entice him to finally leave his homeland.
Mauricio Pochettino
Another high-profile manager linked with the post at Newcastle is former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, who has been out of work since his shock sacking by Daniel Levy in November.
Pochettino performed miracles in north London, establishing Spurs as a consistent top-four team in the Premier League and a force in the Champions League – aims that Newcastle’s prospective owners have for the club.
It is questionable whether Pochettino would feel the need to prove himself at another club embarking on the start of a long-term project having done so at Spurs for five years, however.
Pochettino had been tipped to make a move to one of Europe’s super-clubs at the height of his time as Spurs boss, but with no top jobs available perhaps now would represent Newcastle’s best chance of getting him.
Eddie Howe
Much like Pochettino appeared to reach the end of his natural cycle at Spurs, so the same has been said of Eddie Howe and Bournemouth during a difficult campaign.
At times, Howe has worn the expression of a man unsure of how to halt his team’s slide towards the drop-zone. Yet while Howe has been questioned at times in recent months, the fact that a club the size of Bournemouth’s has survived so long in the Premier League is testament to his man-management and coaching abilities.
Only Burnley’s Sean Dyche has been in his current job longer than Howe in the Premier League and if he feels now is the time to take on a fresh challenge it would be interesting to see how he’d fare with greater resources at Newcastle.
Steven Gerrard
As much as Steven Gerrard has spoken about sticking with Rangers in the long-term, cracks in the wall have started to appear during a season in which Celtic are running away with the title again.
After the Gers were surprisingly knocked out out of the Scottish Cup by Hearts in March, Gerrard admitted that he had ‘real serious thinking [to do] in the next 24-48 hours’ thus plunging his future into doubt.
Although Rangers have ultimately fallen short in stopping Celtic’s relentless charge towards ten in a row, Gerrard has most certainly improved the club’s fortunes in Europe, proven by their place in the last-16 of the Europa League.
Gerrard’s ultimate goal will be to return to Anfield to manage Liverpool but he may have to prove himself at another Premier League club first. Backed with significant funds and a vociferous home support, Newcastle would be as a good a place to start.


inews--2020-04-21--'We have no idea how we are going to survive financially': loophole in 'settled status' scheme leave

'We have no idea how we are going to survive financially': loophole in 'settled status' scheme leaves EU nationals blocked from Universal Credit

'We have no idea how we are going to survive financially ' : loophole in 'settled status ' scheme leaves EU nationals blocked from Universal Credit Government accused of breaking terms of Brexit Withdrawal Agreement after EU nationals refused access to Unviseral Credit A poster , aimed at EU citizens living in the UK , encourages EU nationals to apply to the Government 's post-Brexit EU settlement scheme ( Photo : Getty Images ) 'We are having a baby in May' The group has written to the Home Secretary ( Photo : Getty ) 'Those with pre-settled status have extra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been rejected from applying for Universal Credit during coronavirus ( Photo : Getty ) Mr Piper explained : “ If it have pre-settled status and I lose my job or have not been working in a while and go to a job centre , they will say , ‘ Sorry your pre-settled status doesn ’ t give you access to benefits , you need to pass these other tests instead to show you are working or trying to get a job ’ .
They are an extra burden to people… you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' “ It is a problem that existed before Covid-19 , he said .
“ But the issue has been exacerbated and amplified because of it , '' he said .
“ It ’ s too early to say how may people it impacts , but the bottom line is more people alerting their jobs , and more people are going to claim benefits , and in and amongst those there are going to be EU citizens . ''
' I do n't know how to pay my rent '

A loophole in the Universal Credit application process has left many EU nationals with pre-settled status without any form of Government support during the coronavirus crisis, despite being eligible for the benefit.
European citizens who have lived in the UK less than five years can apply for pre-settled status, which allows them to remain in the country with the same rights as UK citizens until they are resident long enough to apply for settled status.
They are still eligible to receive Universal Credit but, unlike those with settled status, they have to prove their “right to reside”, such as by being a jobseeker or worker.
As a result, some who have lost jobs or work due to the Covid-19 lockdown have found themselves unexpectedly rejected by the system and left without any income or access to funds.
‘The Government measures don’t protect me’
Robert (not his real name) is one of the people affected by this issue. He, his pregnant partner and their child moved to the UK in 2019 where, after being granted pre-settled status, he began work as a self-employed trader.
After the coronavirus pandemic hit he found himself without any clients and, as he set up his sole trader company after 6 April 2019, he is not eligible to receive help through the new Government measures.
“There is a big uncertainty of not knowing when I will be going back to work as a self-employed or finding a way to pivot my job to generate income,” he said.
“In the meantime, I have to pay rent, bills and buy food for my family without fear of any financial difficulties under this crisis.
“I know that the UK Government is doing its best to support citizens during this unprecedented time and under these difficult circumstances. However, a recently announced package of measures by the Government to support the self-employed on 26 March is not covering me.”
‘We are having a baby in May’
He applied for his only remaining option – Universal Credit – but, due to his pre-settled status, did not match the criteria.
“My Universal Credit application was rejected on the basis that I have failed the habitual residence test because I am a ‘jobseeker’,” he said. “My wife is pregnant to our second child and we are expecting the delivery of our baby boy in mid-May.
“This supposed to be a very exciting time for our family, however under these uncertain circumstances it’s a very fearful and stressful for us as we have no idea how we are going to survive financially in the coming weeks or months.”
Robert got in touch with the Citizens’ Advice Bureau but was told he would have had to work a minimum of three months before being eligible for Universal Credit.
He also contacted his local council to apply for a reduction in council tax but was told that they cannot reduce it because his Universal Credit claim had already been refused.
‘Those with pre-settled status have extra hurdles’
A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions said any EU national can make a claim for Universal Credit and are able to access benefits in the UK on the same basis as they were before.
But campaign group The3Million believe Robert is one of many who are struggling to access benefits nonetheless.
Luke Piper, policy officer at The3Million said: “The settled status scheme was set up to give people the rights of the Withdrawal Agreement and, under that, the right to be treated equally to British citizens. Included in that are equal rights to access help from the state.
“The problem is they are not. The way the law works is that people with pre-settled status have extra hurdles and have to go through and extra tests before they can access benefits. And this is acutely felt at the moment because people have lost their jobs and incomes.”
Those with pre-settled status would have their rights protected, but they do not automatically qualify as a resident when it comes to welfare. Anyone seeking Universal Credit must pass the “habitual residence test” to prove they are resident in the UK in order to receive funds.
Covid ‘exacerbated’ the issue
Mr Piper explained: “If I have pre-settled status and I lose my job, or have not been working in a while, and go to a job centre, they will say, ‘Sorry your pre-settled status doesn’t give you access to benefits, you need to pass these other tests instead to show you are working or trying to get a job’. They are an extra burden to people… they have to meet this higher legal threshold.”
He said the group has been aware of this issue for some time but, because of the current situation, felt it was becoming more urgent and decided to contact the European Commission and UK Government.
“It is a problem that existed before Covid-19,” he said. “But the issue has been exacerbated and amplified because of it,” he said. “It’s too early to say how may people it impacts, but the bottom line is more people ale losing their jobs, and more people are going to claim benefits and, amongst those, there are going to be EU citizens.”
The campaign group said another EU national who contacted them for help is a musician who lost their job in January 2020 and, in the current crisis, cannot get new clients.
‘I don’t know how to pay my rent’
Alex (not his real name) was also rejected for Universal Credit and his account was closed meaning he is now unable to appeal against the decision, the group said.
Alex said: “I literally don’t know how I am going to manage paying the rent at the end of the month. I have applied for Universal Credit but my claim was closed as I only have pre-settled status and I failed the habitual residency test.
“My journal on Universal Credit account is also closed so I cannot appeal against that decision.”
Currently more than a million EU nationals living in the UK hold pre-settled status and The3Million said it is concerned that this issue could be impacting scores of others who are yet to come forward.
The group have written to Home Secretary Priti Patel and Work and Pensions Secretary Thérèse Coffey, warning the current difficulties EU nationals are facing are a violation of the Withdrawal Agreement and the UK’s promise to protect the rights of EU citizens living in the country.
In the letter, the group outlined the purpose of the EU Settlement Scheme was to ensure that anyone granted any status would be treated in accordance with the Withdrawal Agreement which “sets out that citizens granted status as part of the UK’s obligations under the citizens’ rights part will have protection from discrimination and be treated equally to British citizens”.
EU citizens wrongly denied equal treatment set out Withdrawal Agreement Yesterday we sent letter to the Secretary of State for the Home Department & Secretary of State for Work and Pensions raising the issue of EU citizens not being able to get the help they need, incl. benefits pic.twitter.com/tyxntQhimY — the3million (@the3million) April 20, 2020
Breach of Brexit deal
“This is required by Article 23 of the Withdrawal Agreement, and specifically includes access to social assistance,” the letter adds. “We have written confirmation from the European Commission that anyone granted such status is entitled to the rights as set out in Part II of the Withdrawal Agreement.”
“Whilst citizens with Settled Status via the EU Settlement Scheme pass the right to reside test, citizens with pre-Settled Status do not. Some of their applications are refused,” the group said. “This is the effect of Regulation 9(3)(c)(i) of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013. This regulation aims to deny citizens with EU Settlement Scheme status equal rights with British citizens.
“The outcome is that citizens with pre-settled status – who have been granted the legal right to reside in the UK – are being discriminated against compared to British citizens. This appears to be in contravention of the UK’s obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement, in particular Article 23.”
Co-founder Maike Bohn said: “The UK is not delivering what was agreed under the Withdrawal Agreement. People aren’t able to get the help they need, including benefits. That is so important in times of crisis like Covid where families are facing great hardship.
“The UK’s incorrect implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement potentially leaves thousands of EU citizens destitute, without a safety net. We urge the government to remove all bureaucratic hurdles for EU citizens.”
A Government Spokesman said: “It’s wrong to suggest people are not getting Universal Credit because of their pre-settled status. EU citizens in the UK are able to access benefits and services in the UK on the same basis as they were before.
“We have made an unequivocal guarantee to EU citizens in the UK by protecting their rights in UK law through the Withdrawal Agreement Act and the EU Settlement Scheme.”


inews--2020-04-21--Coronavirus: Struggling John Lewis and Waitrose furloughed 14,000 staff as ousted boss gets £1m payo

Coronavirus: Struggling John Lewis and Waitrose furloughed 14,000 staff as ousted boss gets £1m payout

Coronavirus : Struggling John Lewis and Waitrose furloughed 14,000 staff as ousted boss gets £1m payout The employee-owned firm said the payout was in respect of her notice period , contributions to her legal fees and career development support John Lewis Partnership ( JLP ) , which owns the department store and supermarket chains , said that it was taking action to preserve cash to help the businesses weather the storm .
It said 14,000 staff had been furloughed under the Government ’ s job-retention scheme , largely because of the closure of all 50 John Lewis branches .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a payoff of almost £1m to its former managing director .
According to the group ’ s latest annual report , Paula Nickolds , who was ousted from the department stores in January after failing to arrest a fall in trading , received £939,773 .
The employee-owned firm said the payout was in respect of her notice period , contributions to her legal fees and career development support .
It also confirmed an £892,362 pay packet given to Rob Collins , the managing director of Waitrose , who stepped down in October when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come after hundreds of redundancies at the business , including 400 job losses linked to the closure of Waitrose stores and the loss of 75 head office roles .
Chairwoman Dame Sharon White said customers were ‘ buying more Scrabble but fewer sofas ’ Last month , JLP ’ s new chairwoman Dame Sharon White , who took over in February , outlined a plan to return the group to growth , including “ right-sizing ” its store estate and slimming down its head office .
She said that in an effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had cut its marketing spend by £100m , shelved investment plans and was buying less stock .
It is also trying to negotiate rent reductions , while executives are taking 20 per cent pay cuts for three months .
“ The partnership has been trading for nearly a century , ” Dame Sharon wrote in a letter to staff .
“ It has survived a world war and bombings , economic crashes and crises .
Thanks to you , we shall also come through Covid-19 too and emerge stronger.
” Dame Sharon said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff will would receive a one-off bonus of £200 in recognition of their hard work during the crisis .
All furloughed workers will also receive full pay until the end of May , when they will move on to the Government ’ s 80 per cent pay scheme .
The cost-cutting comes after a plunge in trading at John Lewis .
Shop closures pushed some sales online but customers are buying cheaper items .
“ We are buying more Scrabble but fewer sofas , ” Ms White wrote .
Sales at John Lewis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January and the slump has accelerated to a 17 per cent decline since mid-March .
Waitrose , on the other hand , has recorded sales growth of 8 per cent since January , with soaring demand for items such as rice , pasta , long-life milk , home baking goods , frozen foods and cleaning products .

John Lewis and Waitrose have furloughed 14,000 staff in an effort to cut costs during the pandemic.
John Lewis Partnership (JLP), which owns the department store and supermarket chains, said that it was taking action to preserve cash to help the businesses weather the storm. It said 14,000 staff had been furloughed under the Government’s job-retention scheme, largely because of the closure of all 50 John Lewis branches.
However, it emerged that John Lewis handed a payoff of almost £1m to its former managing director. According to the group’s latest annual report, Paula Nickolds, who was ousted from the department stores in January after failing to arrest a fall in trading, received £939,773.
The employee-owned firm said the payout was in respect of her notice period, contributions to her legal fees and career development support.
£1m payout
It also confirmed an £892,362 pay packet given to Rob Collins, the managing director of Waitrose, who stepped down in October when the group was restructured.
The payouts come after hundreds of redundancies at the business, including 400 job losses linked to the closure of Waitrose stores and the loss of 75 head office roles.
Last month, JLP’s new chairwoman Dame Sharon White, who took over in February, outlined a plan to return the group to growth, including “right-sizing” its store estate and slimming down its head office.
She said that in an effort to save money during the pandemic, JLP had cut its marketing spend by £100m, shelved investment plans and was buying less stock. It is also trying to negotiate rent reductions, while executives are taking 20 per cent pay cuts for three months.
“The partnership has been trading for nearly a century,” Dame Sharon wrote in a letter to staff. “It has survived a world war and bombings, economic crashes and crises. Thanks to you, we shall also come through Covid-19 too and emerge stronger.”
Bonus for staff
Dame Sharon said that all frontline John Lewis and Waitrose staff will would receive a one-off bonus of £200 in recognition of their hard work during the crisis.
All furloughed workers will also receive full pay until the end of May, when they will move on to the Government’s 80 per cent pay scheme.
The cost-cutting comes after a plunge in trading at John Lewis. Shop closures pushed some sales online but customers are buying cheaper items. “We are buying more Scrabble but fewer sofas,” Ms White wrote.
Sales at John Lewis have fallen by 7 per cent since January and the slump has accelerated to a 17 per cent decline since mid-March.
Waitrose, on the other hand, has recorded sales growth of 8 per cent since January, with soaring demand for items such as rice, pasta, long-life milk, home baking goods, frozen foods and cleaning products.
Earlier this year, JLP cut staff bonuses to the lowest level for 60 years after profits slumped by 23 per cent in 2019.


inews--2020-04-21--Coronavirus travel advice: Airlines including British Airways and Ryanair 'breaking the law' by dela

Coronavirus travel advice: Airlines including British Airways and Ryanair 'breaking the law' by delaying refunds

Coronavirus travel advice : Airlines including British Airways and Ryanair 'breaking the law ' by delaying refunds Consumer group Which ?
has taken aim at major operators including British Airways , Ryanair and TUI Multiple Ryanair customers have complained that the airline has asked them to accept a voucher valid for 12 months , or to join a refund queue and wait for their money back ( Photo : ANDREAS ARNOLD/DPA/AFP/Getty ) The nation ’ s 20 biggest airlines and travel operators are “ openly breaking the law ” by delaying refunds for cancelled trips or denying customers the opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a consumer rights group has claimed .
Which ?
has taken aim at major carriers including British Airways and Ryanair , and package holiday providers such as TUI and loveholidays after receiving “ thousands ” of complaints and requests for help from people struggling to secure a refund for their cancelled travel .
Not one of the UK ’ s 10 largest airlines is refunding passengers who have had flights cancelled within the legal time frame , it found .
Denied Boarding Regulations state that passengers due to fly with an airline based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are flying from an airport in the UK or EU , are protected if their flight is cancelled , and should be refunded within seven days .
Multiple Ryanair customers have complained that the airline has asked them to accept a voucher valid for 12 months , or to join a refund queue and wait for their money back until the coronavirus outbreak has passed , Which ?
said .
Some British Airways passengers have reported that after being unable to complete refund forms online they were directed to a phone line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer .
BA said : `` If a customer 's flight has been cancelled , they should call us to discuss their options .
They can rebook , refund or choose to take a voucher to fly at a later date .
Refunds can be requested at any point up to 12 months after the start date of the journey.
” Where travel operators are concerned , one firm , Loveholidays , allegedly told customers it would only be able to provide voucher credit for cancelled holidays , and would not be processing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the world ’ s largest holiday company , failed to proactively offer refunds after cancelling trips on mass - though it has now amended its policy , Which ?
said .
The Package Travel Regulations state that customers whose package holidays are cancelled by the tour operator in these circumstances should receive a full refund within 14 days of the cancellation .
However , the Association of British Travel Agents is advising travel operators that customers may be offered a “ refund credit note ” instead of an immediate cash refund , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still legally binding .
Loveholidays said : “ We are issuing fully Atol-protected credit notes which customers can then exchange for cash refunds after a definite date if they do not wish to use them.
” TUI said it was contacting customers “ to help them amend their holiday to a future season ” .
It conceded that travellers are permitted to cancel their holidays and receive a full refund instead of rebooking but noted : “ There is a delay in this process due to the large volumes of customers impacted .
@

The nation’s 20 biggest airlines and travel operators are “openly breaking the law” by delaying refunds for cancelled trips or denying customers the opportunity to request their money back altogether, a consumer rights group has claimed.
Which? has taken aim at major carriers including British Airways and Ryanair, and package holiday providers such as TUI and loveholidays after receiving “thousands” of complaints and requests for help from people struggling to secure a refund for their cancelled travel.
Ryanair complaints
Not one of the UK’s 10 largest airlines is refunding passengers who have had flights cancelled within the legal time frame, it found. Denied Boarding Regulations state that passengers due to fly with an airline based in the UK or EU, or who are flying from an airport in the UK or EU, are protected if their flight is cancelled, and should be refunded within seven days.
Multiple Ryanair customers have complained that the airline has asked them to accept a voucher valid for 12 months, or to join a refund queue and wait for their money back until the coronavirus outbreak has passed, Which? said.
Ryanair did not respond to a request for comment.
No answer at BA
Some British Airways passengers have reported that after being unable to complete refund forms online they were directed to a phone line so busy that often there is no answer.
BA said: “If a customer’s flight has been cancelled, they should call us to discuss their options. They can rebook, refund or choose to take a voucher to fly at a later date. Refunds can be requested at any point up to 12 months after the start date of the journey.”
TUI cancellations
Where travel operators are concerned, one firm, Loveholidays, allegedly told customers it would only be able to provide voucher credit for cancelled holidays, and would not be processing refunds any time soon, while TUI, the world’s largest holiday company, failed to proactively offer refunds after cancelling trips on mass – though it has now amended its policy, Which? said.
The Package Travel Regulations state that customers whose package holidays are cancelled by the tour operator in these circumstances should receive a full refund within 14 days of the cancellation.
However, the Association of British Travel Agents is advising travel operators that customers may be offered a “refund credit note” instead of an immediate cash refund, even though the Package Travel Regulations are still legally binding.
Loveholidays said: “We are issuing fully Atol-protected credit notes which customers can then exchange for cash refunds after a definite date if they do not wish to use them.”
TUI said it was contacting customers “to help them amend their holiday to a future season”. It conceded that travellers are permitted to cancel their holidays and receive a full refund instead of rebooking but noted: “There is a delay in this process due to the large volumes of customers impacted.”
@kt_grant


inews--2020-04-21--Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery PHEVs hit the road

New plug-in hybrid version of Land Rover groups compact SUVs launch with promise of up to 200mpg and EV-only range of up to 41 miles The pair of compact SUVs join the 48V mild hybrid versions of the Evoque and Discovery Sport , as well as the plug-in hybrid versions of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport .
Sharing the same platform and drivetrain , the new models promise an all-electric range of up to 41 miles , economy of more than 200mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 32g/km to help bring them into more wallet-friendly tax brackets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starts at £43,850 and the Discovery Sport at £45,370 .
Evoque trims include S , SE and HSE in standard or R-Dynamic guise while the Discovery Sport is available in R-Dynamic S , SE and HSE specifications .
The Range Rover Evoque PHEV offers EV-only range of up to 41 miles ( Photo : Land Rover ) Powering both cars is a three-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a 80kW electric motor integrated into the rear axle .
Combined output for the four-wheel-drive system is a healthy 305bhp , meaning 0-60mph takes just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seconds for the Discovery Sport .
Both models can reach up to 84mph under electric power alone , after which the motor decouples to reduce drag and aid economy .
The electric rear axle drive is powered by a 15kWh battery stored beneath the rear seats .
In the Evoque this is said to offer up to 41 miles of pure electric driving while in the slightly larger Discovery Sport the EV-only range is 38 miles .
As with most hybrids , selectable drive modes let the driver choose between pure-electric running , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and electric motors as required , and a battery saver mode which uses only the petrol engine in order to preserve charge .
Cleverly , if you enter a route into the sat nav , the cars will use GPS data to determine the most efficient use of the hybrid system to maximise efficiency .
The Incontrol Remote app allows owners to manage charge and cabin pre-conditioning via their phone ( Photo : Land Rover ) Charging via the 7kW on-board system takes between 30 minutes on a 32kW DC rapid charger and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socket .
A standard home AC wallbox will replenish the battery in around an hour and a half .
Official testing puts the Evoque ’ s WLTP figures at up to 201.8mpg with CO2 emissions of 32g/km , meaning a benefit in kind tax rate of six per cent for certain derivatives .
The Discovery Sport can ’ t quite match that , with economy of 175.5mpg and emissions of 36g/km , which combined with its shorter EV range means a 10 per cent BIK rate .
Both cars are compatible with Land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which allows owners to monitor and control the car ’ s charging , setting a start or finish time as well as preconditioning the cabin temperature ahead of a journey .
Charging the Land Rover Discovery Sport PHEV takes around a hour and a half on a home AC wallbox ( Photo : Land Rover )

Land Rover has launched two new plug-in hybrid models, bringing electrification to its Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque line-ups.
The pair of compact SUVs join the 48V mild hybrid versions of the Evoque and Discovery Sport, as well as the plug-in hybrid versions of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport.
Sharing the same platform and drivetrain, the new models promise an all-electric range of up to 41 miles, economy of more than 200mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 32g/km to help bring them into more wallet-friendly tax brackets.
Badged as P300e, the Evoque starts at £43,850 and the Discovery Sport at £45,370. Evoque trims include S, SE and HSE in standard or R-Dynamic guise while the Discovery Sport is available in R-Dynamic S, SE and HSE specifications.
Powering both cars is a three-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a 80kW electric motor integrated into the rear axle. Combined output for the four-wheel-drive system is a healthy 305bhp, meaning 0-60mph takes just 6.1 seconds for the Evoque and 6.2 seconds for the Discovery Sport.
Both models can reach up to 84mph under electric power alone, after which the motor decouples to reduce drag and aid economy.
The electric rear axle drive is powered by a 15kWh battery stored beneath the rear seats. In the Evoque this is said to offer up to 41 miles of pure electric driving while in the slightly larger Discovery Sport the EV-only range is 38 miles. As with most hybrids, selectable drive modes let the driver choose between pure-electric running, an automated hybrid that combines the petrol and electric motors as required, and a battery saver mode which uses only the petrol engine in order to preserve charge.
Cleverly, if you enter a route into the sat nav, the cars will use GPS data to determine the most efficient use of the hybrid system to maximise efficiency.
Charging via the 7kW on-board system takes between 30 minutes on a 32kW DC rapid charger and just under seven hours on a three-pin socket. A standard home AC wallbox will replenish the battery in around an hour and a half.
Official testing puts the Evoque’s WLTP figures at up to 201.8mpg with CO2 emissions of 32g/km, meaning a benefit in kind tax rate of six per cent for certain derivatives. The Discovery Sport can’t quite match that, with economy of 175.5mpg and emissions of 36g/km, which combined with its shorter EV range means a 10 per cent BIK rate.
Both cars are compatible with Land Rover’s InControl Remote smartphone app, which allows owners to monitor and control the car’s charging, setting a start or finish time as well as preconditioning the cabin temperature ahead of a journey.
The Range Rover Evoque PHEV and Land Rover Discovery Sport PHEV are both available to order now.


inews--2020-04-21--Asthma and coronavirus: Inhaler sales spike as asthmatics seek to protect themselves

Asthma and coronavirus : Inhaler sales spike as asthmatics seek to protect themselves Requests for products used to relieve symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have jumped Pharmacies have witnessed a surge in demand for inhalers over the past two months as people with asthma and other respiratory conditions have sought to protect themselves during the Covid-19 pandemic .
Requests for products used to relieve symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) jumped 326 per cent from January to March , one online pharmacy has reported .
The company UK Meds said it received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , up from 1,115 in January as asthma sufferers requested supplies to help reduce the risk of experiencing attacks triggered by the respiratory virus .
Boots has also observed a sharp uptick in demand for puffers at the end of March , when the UK went into lockdown , though the pharmacy chain said it currently had a “ good supply ” of the most commonly prescribed inhalers .
“ There was a large spike in demand at the end of March and all community pharmacies have seen a large increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retailer said .
Boots has asked customers to avoid “ over ordering ” inhalers or other medicines and to request only their usual supply to help ensure as many people as possible can access the products they need .
The charity Asthma UK said it had been contacted by members of the public who had struggled to obtain the medicine they needed .
“ Some people with asthma have told us that they are having difficulty in getting hold of inhalers , in particular Clenil Modulite 100 micrograms , ” said charity spokeswoman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Health and Social Care had informed the organisation it was not aware of any medicine shortages , and the problem was most likely due to local supply issues .
“ We have been told that Clenil Modulite 100 micrograms is now back in stock , but availability may be slightly limited over the coming weeks as it has not been in stock for long , ” Ms MacFadyen added .

Pharmacies have witnessed a surge in demand for inhalers over the past two months as people with asthma and other respiratory conditions have sought to protect themselves during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Requests for products used to relieve symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) jumped 326 per cent from January to March, one online pharmacy has reported.
Inhalers in demand
The company UK Meds said it received 4,348 requests for the medical devices in March, up from 1,115 in January as asthma sufferers requested supplies to help reduce the risk of experiencing attacks triggered by the respiratory virus.
Boots has also observed a sharp uptick in demand for puffers at the end of March, when the UK went into lockdown, though the pharmacy chain said it currently had a “good supply” of the most commonly prescribed inhalers.
“There was a large spike in demand at the end of March and all community pharmacies have seen a large increase in patients ordering repeat prescriptions,” the retailer said.
“This includes people replacing used or out of date inhalers.”
Boots: don’t ‘over order’
Boots has asked customers to avoid “over ordering” inhalers or other medicines and to request only their usual supply to help ensure as many people as possible can access the products they need.
The charity Asthma UK said it had been contacted by members of the public who had struggled to obtain the medicine they needed.
“Some people with asthma have told us that they are having difficulty in getting hold of inhalers, in particular Clenil Modulite 100 micrograms,” said charity spokeswoman Sarah MacFadyen.
She said the Department of Health and Social Care had informed the organisation it was not aware of any medicine shortages, and the problem was most likely due to local supply issues.
“We have been told that Clenil Modulite 100 micrograms is now back in stock, but availability may be slightly limited over the coming weeks as it has not been in stock for long,” Ms MacFadyen added.
@kt_grant


inews--2020-04-21--When will lockdown end in the UK? From testing to vaccines, four experts explain how it could end

When will lockdown end in the UK ?
From testing to vaccines , four experts explain how it could end From mass testing to ranking jobs based on importance , there are a number of possible ways forward Italy , Spain and Austria are taking the first tentative steps out of lockdown , with Germany soon to follow .
In Italy , forestry workers and IT manufacturers are back at work , while Austria is re-opening parks and small shops .
We asked four experts their views on how and when the UK might exit the lockdown .
Here is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too early to say if people who have recovered from Covid-19 have developed protective immunity .
Until these studies are concluded , we must take every precaution to avoid re-exposure .
This is because in some infections , such as dengue virus , re-infection can result in more severe disease .
We don ’ t know yet if this is the case for SARS-CoV-2 , the coronavirus behind COVID-19 .
Matt Hancock addresses the public during the Downing Street briefing on Tuesday Do we have time to refine our vaccines thoroughly ?
Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead to rapid vaccine development and the pressure to release vaccines with verified safety profiles but questionable efficacy .
Candidate vaccines that pass safety tests in young , healthy volunteers will probably have reduced efficacy in vulnerable groups who struggle to raise protective immunity , such as the elderly and people with compromised immune systems .
'The Government ca n't wait for a vaccine' Instead , they keep their fingers crossed that the restrictions alone will be enough .
The prospect of additional periodic lockdowns may seem very disagreeable .
In reality , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internationally coordinated scheduling of future lockdowns might be preferable to announcements of emergency lockdowns at a week ’ s notice or less – as happened when the British government implemented the lockdown .
'Those in the most important jobs should return to work first' It is now clear that when the peak of the first wave has passed , most of us – perhaps more than 80 % – will not have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and will still be vulnerable to being infected , passing on the infection or becoming ill. Everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be key , and testing for recovery from infection ( antibodies ) should play a role for health and care workers .
No one is even pretending that enough tests will be available for a full release from lockdown .
Without saturation testing , releasing the lockdown will need to be gradual ( and potentially reversible ) in order to prevent a second wave .
To limit the number of susceptible people being exposed , difficult decisions will need to be made about who can return to work .
Those who can continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do so .
Department stores are among those closed during the coronavirus lockdown - how many will reopen ?
( Photo : OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images ) Jobs will need to be ranked in order of degree of importance to society and the economy .
Those in the most important jobs should return to work first .
Workplaces able to practise social distancing will be safer than those that require workers to be close together .
Temperatures may be taken at the factory gates or office entrance .
Mass gatherings will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and restaurants , theatres and cinemas greatly limited .
These steps will create controversy , create winners and losers , and risk social cohesion .
Governments ( national and local ) will need to prepare the public for these incremental steps , articulate an orderly series of lockdown releases , and be seen by the public to have clean hands in these decisions rather than favouring political donors , regions or pressure groups .
Safely releasing the lockdown will be much more difficult than imposing it .
'There will need to be more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to perform extensive testing for the virus – using the so-called PCR test on throat or nose swabs – out in the community , not just in hospitals where most of the testing in the UK is now focused .
And that won ’ t be easy .
We will have to move from performing tens of thousands of tests a week to literally hundreds of thousands if we are going to be able to identify where and when the virus re-emerges and stop it spreading more widely .
The first option is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious disease or , worse still , be an easy vehicle for transmission onto other more vulnerable people .
Similarly , option two will require there to be wide-scale testing using an accurate antibody test .
It will also assume that those people are protected .
Whatever the government does , it will have to be backed up by more extensive testing – and building that capacity will take time .

Italy, Spain and Austria are taking the first tentative steps out of lockdown, with Germany soon to follow. In Italy, forestry workers and IT manufacturers are back at work, while Austria is re-opening parks and small shops. We asked four experts their views on how and when the UK might exit the lockdown. Here is what they said.
Zania Stamataki, senior lecturer and researcher in viral immunology, University of Birmingham
It’s too early to say if people who have recovered from Covid-19 have developed protective immunity. Until these studies are concluded, we must take every precaution to avoid re-exposure. This is because in some infections, such as dengue virus, re-infection can result in more severe disease. We don’t know yet if this is the case for SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus behind COVID-19.
It would be unwise to return to business as usual when the lockdown ends. We suffered great losses and we ought to learn from this pandemic. We need fast and accessible testing for virus surveillance, and we need sensible strategies to contain small outbreaks without compromising vital services.
Do we have time to refine our vaccines thoroughly? Our urgency to end the global quarantine will lead to rapid vaccine development and the pressure to release vaccines with verified safety profiles but questionable efficacy. Candidate vaccines that pass safety tests in young, healthy volunteers will probably have reduced efficacy in vulnerable groups who struggle to raise protective immunity, such as the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.
It is critical to carefully plan how to protect people at high risk of severe complications. We should retain privileged access time to services such as early supermarket shopping hours and extend this facility to other vital services, such as hospital appointments.
‘The Government can’t wait for a vaccine’
Beatrice Heuser, professor of international relations, University of Glasgow
As they are announcing the end of lockdown, and its substitution by extensive restrictive measures, governments are remaining silent about the highly likely need for one or more further lockdowns if these measures are not enough to prevent a renewed surge of infections.
The measures that most European countries will continue to impose include the continued closure of restaurants, cafes and bars, no mass gatherings, no tourism, instead mass testing and wearing of masks, intrusions on civil liberties by tracking and isolating infected individuals.
Governments have discarded the ideal option, from a health point of view, of continuing lockdown until a vaccine or other effective treatment is found. But they could still go for a stop-and-go option with scheduled future lockdowns alternating with “open” periods in which the above restrictions nonetheless apply, as we argue in our new report.
Instead, they keep their fingers crossed that the restrictions alone will be enough. The prospect of additional periodic lockdowns may seem very disagreeable. In reality, however, a planned, regionally and internationally coordinated scheduling of future lockdowns might be preferable to announcements of emergency lockdowns at a week’s notice or less – as happened when the British government implemented the lockdown.
‘Those in the most important jobs should return to work first’
David Hunter, professor of epidemiology and medicine, University of Oxford
It is now clear that when the peak of the first wave has passed, most of us – perhaps more than 80% – will not have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and will still be vulnerable to being infected, passing on the infection or becoming ill. Everyone agrees that testing for the virus will be key, and testing for recovery from infection (antibodies) should play a role for health and care workers. No one is even pretending that enough tests will be available for a full release from lockdown.
Without saturation testing, releasing the lockdown will need to be gradual (and potentially reversible) in order to prevent a second wave. To limit the number of susceptible people being exposed, difficult decisions will need to be made about who can return to work. Those who can continue to work effectively from home should continue to do so.
Jobs will need to be ranked in order of degree of importance to society and the economy. Those in the most important jobs should return to work first. Workplaces able to practise social distancing will be safer than those that require workers to be close together. Temperatures may be taken at the factory gates or office entrance. Mass gatherings will be banned, and congregating in pubs and restaurants, theatres and cinemas greatly limited.
These steps will create controversy, create winners and losers, and risk social cohesion. Governments (national and local) will need to prepare the public for these incremental steps, articulate an orderly series of lockdown releases, and be seen by the public to have clean hands in these decisions rather than favouring political donors, regions or pressure groups. Safely releasing the lockdown will be much more difficult than imposing it.
‘There will need to be more extensive testing’
Jonathan Ball, professor of virology, University of Nottingham
Coming out of lockdown won’t be easy. The virus hasn’t gone away – we’ve simply slowed the spread. As soon as social distancing measures are relaxed we can expect the virus to bounce back, and it’s controlling this rebound that will prove key. So how can we return to normality without giving the virus free rein again? Testing will be key.
We will need the capacity to perform extensive testing for the virus – using the so-called PCR test on throat or nose swabs – out in the community, not just in hospitals where most of the testing in the UK is now focused. And that won’t be easy. We will have to move from performing tens of thousands of tests a week to literally hundreds of thousands if we are going to be able to identify where and when the virus re-emerges and stop it spreading more widely.
Another possibility is to have a phased relaxation, allowing those less vulnerable to developing severe Covid-19 to return to work first, or perhaps lifting sanctions on people known to have already been infected and who have hopefully built up a degree of immunity.
The first option is not without risk and anyone can suffer serious disease or, worse still, be an easy vehicle for transmission onto other more vulnerable people. Similarly, option two will require there to be wide-scale testing using an accurate antibody test. It will also assume that those people are protected. Whatever the government does, it will have to be backed up by more extensive testing – and building that capacity will take time.
Zania Stamataki, Senior Lecturer in Viral Immunology, University of Birmingham; Beatrice Heuser, Professor of International Relations, University of Glasgow; David Hunter, Richard Doll Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine, University of Oxford, and Jonathan Ball, Professor of Molecular Virology and Director of the Centre for Research into Global Virus Infections, University of Nottingham
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


inews--2020-04-21--Coronavirus lockdown: We need a laugh, even if it is fake — a history of canned laughter

Coronavirus lockdown : We need a laugh , even if it is fake — a history of canned laughter With no live studio audiences during lockdown , canned laughter , a divisive and often misunderstood tool , might just help I don ’ t know about you , but I could do with a laugh at the moment .
Any opportunity to watch an entertaining television comedy show could prove the tonic we all need .
It might be one of the crucial things to help us see through a very strange period .
However , there is a problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually broadcast in front of mass audiences , and with this now denied , are the empty chairs and lack of atmosphere going to ruin the experience ?
“ Canned laughter ” , a divisive and often misunderstood tool , might just help .
Audiences are unpredictable , they often laugh at the wrong time and sometimes not at all .
As the writer Jennifer Keishin Armstrong noted , Douglass got around this in pre-recorded shows by editing and adjusting the recorded laughter , and by repositioning it in just the right places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and burst of recorded laughter , audiences at home felt strangely compelled to laugh along .
Sophie Scott , a cognitive neuroscientist , explains that “ adding laughter to a joke , increases the humour value , no matter how funny or unfunny the joke is ” .
Scott and her researchers created an experiment using canned laughter and “ dad jokes ” to make their point .
Famously bad , participants found themselves tittering even at the worse ones .
Paul Merton films Have I Got News For You from his home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scriptwriter Michael J. Buchanan-Dunne , suggests that although canned laughter continued to be used through the 60s and 70s : `` Canned laughter did not have enough range to authentically convey such a complex human emotion , therefore when it was used it lacked subtlety , spontaneity , naturalism and quite often logic . ''
Buchanan-Dunne says that canned laughter is not used anymore , despite many ( TV critics included ) thinking that it still is .
A 30-minute comedy show with a live audience takes hours to be recorded , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaction .
If anything ends up sounding false these days it is simply because of audience exhaustion .
Many shows are recorded “ as-live ” , to be slightly edited and honed for broadcast later .
This can lead to a slightly unnatural quality in the sound of the laughs that begin or cut off at the right moment , with everyone laughing perfectly unison .
The original intention of Douglass , with precise sound manipulation , lives on .
Channel 4 show , The Last Leg , a live comedy show that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events , was one of the first to brave the new territory of playing to an empty audience .
It ’ s difficult getting laughs from the pandemic , but The Last Leg gave it their best shot and made a Laff Box a very visible part of the show .
With host Adam Hill in charge of a series of buttons assigned to laughs , clapping , groans , and cricket sounds , for any jokes that fell flat .
It felt like business as usual with laughs a plenty – even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sounds .
Have I Got News For You — but no laughs The same can not be said for the BBC show Have I Got News For You , which felt lost .
Without the fullness of audience participation , the topical news quiz show comes across as little more than a celebrity video conference .
They ’ ve had little choice but to put the show on in isolation and it doesn ’ t matter how charismatic the host , it could do with something extra to help it fare better .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ return temporarily to our screens , it ’ s an unenviable choice facing programme producers whether to use it or not .
Whatever the case , present circumstances mean we are going to need entertaining shows , and we ’ re going to need laughter , real or canned .

I don’t know about you, but I could do with a laugh at the moment. Any opportunity to watch an entertaining television comedy show could prove the tonic we all need. It might be one of the crucial things to help us see through a very strange period.
However, there is a problem. TV shows and situation comedies are usually broadcast in front of mass audiences, and with this now denied, are the empty chairs and lack of atmosphere going to ruin the experience? “Canned laughter”, a divisive and often misunderstood tool, might just help.
The term “canned laughter” is often attributed to American sound engineer Charley Douglass who devised the technique in the late 50s.
Audiences are unpredictable, they often laugh at the wrong time and sometimes not at all. As the writer Jennifer Keishin Armstrong noted, Douglass got around this in pre-recorded shows by editing and adjusting the recorded laughter, and by repositioning it in just the right places.
The Laff box
Douglass was keen to perfect the method, and is also credited for creating the “Laff Box” – a device that allowed a collection of recorded reactions to be falsely inserted into a show.
With each press of the button and burst of recorded laughter, audiences at home felt strangely compelled to laugh along. Sophie Scott, a cognitive neuroscientist, explains that “adding laughter to a joke, increases the humour value, no matter how funny or unfunny the joke is”. Scott and her researchers created an experiment using canned laughter and “dad jokes” to make their point. Famously bad, participants found themselves tittering even at the worse ones.
While Douglass may have pioneered a device to please television executives the world over, however, audiences were slowly becoming aware that the laughter was fake.
Fake laughs
Novelist and scriptwriter Michael J. Buchanan-Dunne, suggests that although canned laughter continued to be used through the 60s and 70s: “Canned laughter did not have enough range to authentically convey such a complex human emotion, therefore when it was used it lacked subtlety, spontaneity, naturalism and quite often logic.”
For a while though the insertion of fake laughter meant writers and producers were guaranteed a response to the material whether it was good or not.
Buchanan-Dunne says that canned laughter is not used anymore, despite many (TV critics included) thinking that it still is. A 30-minute comedy show with a live audience takes hours to be recorded, and the audience is worked hard for their reaction. If anything ends up sounding false these days it is simply because of audience exhaustion. Many shows are recorded “as-live”, to be slightly edited and honed for broadcast later. This can lead to a slightly unnatural quality in the sound of the laughs that begin or cut off at the right moment, with everyone laughing perfectly unison. The original intention of Douglass, with precise sound manipulation, lives on.
Channel 4 show, The Last Leg, a live comedy show that dares to find laughs from weekly topical events, was one of the first to brave the new territory of playing to an empty audience. It’s difficult getting laughs from the pandemic, but The Last Leg gave it their best shot and made a Laff Box a very visible part of the show. With host Adam Hill in charge of a series of buttons assigned to laughs, clapping, groans, and cricket sounds, for any jokes that fell flat. It felt like business as usual with laughs a plenty – even when jokes were met with the cricket sounds.
Have I Got News For You — but no laughs
The same can not be said for the BBC show Have I Got News For You, which felt lost. Without the fullness of audience participation, the topical news quiz show comes across as little more than a celebrity video conference. They’ve had little choice but to put the show on in isolation and it doesn’t matter how charismatic the host, it could do with something extra to help it fare better.
If recorded laughter is indeed going to return temporarily to our screens, it’s an unenviable choice facing programme producers whether to use it or not. Whatever the case, present circumstances mean we are going to need entertaining shows, and we’re going to need laughter, real or canned.
Charlie Watts, Principal Lecturer, University of Portsmouth
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


inews--2020-04-21--Coronavirus lockdown: Dealing with economic shock could 'cost UK £250bn'

The mammoth effort to cushion the economy from the coronavirus pandemic could cost Britain nearly £250bn this year - equivalent to £4,000 for every citizen .
As hotels , pubs and restaurants warned they faced a “ bloodbath ” because of the lockdown , tens of thousands more companies applied for the wages of “ furloughed ” staff to be paid by the state .
The scale of the impact on the economy of the emergency measures will fuel demands for ministers to spell out their plans for easing the restrictions imposed on business a month ago .
The calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Philip Hammond , who argued that ministers should begin “ reopening the economy ” to avoid lasting damage from the shutdown .
Ministers have announced 24 initiatives - including the job retention scheme , grants for small business and help for the self-employed - in response to coronavirus .
The Centre for Policy Studies ( CPS ) , a centre-right think tank , calculated the combined cost of the bail-out plans would be £126.7bn this year .
Chancellor Rishi Sunak launched the state aid programme for workers last month ( Photo : 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Treasury - as income tax , National Insurance , corporation tax and VAT payments slump during the lockdown - will cost the country another £119bn .
Robert Colvile , its director , said : “ The Government has acted throughout this crisis to save lives and protect livelihoods .
But while it is clear to everyone that extraordinary times require extraordinary measures , they also incur extraordinary cost.
” Kate Nicholls , the chief executive of UKHospitality , told MPs that up to one third of the UK 's hotels , bars and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without increased help from the Government .
She called for rent payments which have accumulated during the outbreak to be deferred and for the furlough scheme , which is currently due to end in June , to be extended for businesses which could be forced to continue social distancing measures into the winter .
“ If we don ’ t get that intervention on rent and we are forced to remain closed until Christmas , I think you could put a third of the sector at risk , ” she told the Commons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 185,000 companies asked for help from the Government 's furlough scheme on Monday , its first day in operation .
The applications covered 1.3m jobs and committed the government to a bill of £1.5bn to cover 80 per cent of employees ' wages over three months .
Figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed that record numbers were in work at the beginning of the year before the lockdown was order .
It found that 76.6 per cent of people aged 16 to 64 were in paid work in the three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 76.4 per cent in the previous quarter .
Unemployment was estimated at 4 per cent , a slight increase .

The mammoth effort to cushion the economy from the coronavirus pandemic could cost Britain nearly £250bn this year – equivalent to £4,000 for every citizen.
As hotels, pubs and restaurants warned they faced a “bloodbath” because of the lockdown, tens of thousands more companies applied for the wages of “furloughed” staff to be paid by the state.
The scale of the impact on the economy of the emergency measures will fuel demands for ministers to spell out their plans for easing the restrictions imposed on business a month ago.
The calls were backed by the former Chancellor, Philip Hammond, who argued that ministers should begin “reopening the economy” to avoid lasting damage from the shutdown.
Ministers have announced 24 initiatives – including the job retention scheme, grants for small business and help for the self-employed – in response to coronavirus.
The Centre for Policy Studies (CPS), a centre-right think tank, calculated the combined cost of the bail-out plans would be £126.7bn this year.
Tax receipts falling
Lower receipts for the Treasury – as income tax, National Insurance, corporation tax and VAT payments slump during the lockdown – will cost the country another £119bn.
The combined £245.7bn bill could push Britain’s borrowing to around £300bn, the CPS argued.
Robert Colvile, its director, said: “The Government has acted throughout this crisis to save lives and protect livelihoods. But while it is clear to everyone that extraordinary times require extraordinary measures, they also incur extraordinary cost.”
Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of UKHospitality, told MPs that up to one third of the UK’s hotels, bars and restaurants were at risk of closing permanently without increased help from the Government.
She called for rent payments which have accumulated during the outbreak to be deferred and for the furlough scheme, which is currently due to end in June, to be extended for businesses which could be forced to continue social distancing measures into the winter.
Furlough scheme applications
“If we don’t get that intervention on rent and we are forced to remain closed until Christmas, I think you could put a third of the sector at risk,” she told the Commons treasury select committee.
The Treasury disclosed that 185,000 companies asked for help from the Government’s furlough scheme on Monday, its first day in operation.
The applications covered 1.3m jobs and committed the government to a bill of £1.5bn to cover 80 per cent of employees’ wages over three months.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed that record numbers were in work at the beginning of the year before the lockdown was order.
It found that 76.6 per cent of people aged 16 to 64 were in paid work in the three months ending in February, up from 76.4 per cent in the previous quarter. Unemployment was estimated at 4 per cent, a slight increase.


inews--2020-04-21--Captain Tom Moore receives so many 100th birthday cards the Royal Mail has introduced special measur

Captain Tom Moore receives so many 100th birthday cards the Royal Mail has introduced special measures The 99-year-old has raised more than £27 million so far for NHS Charities Together Captain Tom Moore and his daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore speak via videolink during the official opening of the NHS Nightingale hospital ( Photo : Getty ) War veteran and fundraiser extraordinaire Captain Tom Moore has been sent so many birthday cards already the postal service has had to take special measures to cope with them .
The 99-year-old has raised more than £27 million so far for NHS Charities Together by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his 100th birthday on 30 April .
He became the biggest ever fundraiser in Just Giving 's history , the website told i .
His dedication , doing 10 laps at a time with the aid of his walking frame at his home Marston Moretaine , Bedfordshire , struck a chord across the globe .
Now his newfound fame has seen the South Midlands Mail Centre deluged with more than 25,000 cards for the captain and it is preparing for far more .
Centre manager Stephen James said : `` None of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so much mail . ''
World War II veteran Captain Tom Moore , 99 , poses with his walking frame doing a lap of his garden ( Photo : Getty ) The former army officer ’ s efforts have inspired one six-year-old boy from Bristol to take on his own walking challenge .
Frank Mills , who has spina bifida , only started walking 18 months ago but is now doing 10 metres a day with the aid of his walking frame and has already raised more than £70,000 for NHS Charities Together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also motivated many in the entertainment and arts world .
And a music lecturer from the University of Southampton is offering an unusual service to housebound musicians – bespoke compositions for any instrument .
The associate professor of composition in music said : `` We see all over the place that the lockdown is leading both to social kindness and new forms of creative projects that make sense at this time .
`` I have been delighted with all the requests , getting more than I expected .
Getting the video performances is @ @ @ @ @

War veteran and fundraiser extraordinaire Captain Tom Moore has been sent so many birthday cards already the postal service has had to take special measures to cope with them.
The 99-year-old has raised more than £27 million so far for NHS Charities Together by completing 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday on 30 April. He became the biggest ever fundraiser in Just Giving’s history, the website told i.
His dedication, doing 10 laps at a time with the aid of his walking frame at his home Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, struck a chord across the globe.
Opening NHS Nightingale Harrogate
Now his newfound fame has seen the South Midlands Mail Centre deluged with more than 25,000 cards for the captain and it is preparing for far more.
Centre manager Stephen James said: “None of the team have ever known one person receive so much mail.”
Staff have had to re-programme sorting machines to re-route his mail into a dedicated collection box.
Next week Royal Mail will be using a special postmark on stamped mail wishing Captain Tom a happy 100th birthday.
The former army officer’s efforts have inspired one six-year-old boy from Bristol to take on his own walking challenge.
Walking for the NHS
Frank Mills, who has spina bifida, only started walking 18 months ago but is now doing 10 metres a day with the aid of his walking frame and has already raised more than £70,000 for NHS Charities Together.
Meanwhile, the coronavirus pandemic has also motivated many in the entertainment and arts world.
And a music lecturer from the University of Southampton is offering an unusual service to housebound musicians – bespoke compositions for any instrument.
Dr Matthew Shlomowitz has so far written 19 pieces for instruments ranging from recorders to cellos.
The associate professor of composition in music said: “We see all over the place that the lockdown is leading both to social kindness and new forms of creative projects that make sense at this time.
“I have been delighted with all the requests, getting more than I expected. Getting the video performances is the best part.”