channel4uk--2020-06-24--FactCheck: business secretary wrong about testing figures

That was the claim from the business secretary , Alok Sharma , this morning on BBC Breakfast .
The Department for Business , Energy and Industrial Strategy has since told FactCheck that Mr Sharma meant to say that nearly 240,000 tests had been carried out – not that that number of people had been tested .
Mr Sharma did not clarify this in his BBC interview .
It ’ s an important distinction because we know that the number of tests carried out exceeds the number of people tested .
Mr Sharma made the claim during an interview with BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t been asked directly about testing , but was making a more general comment about the progress the government has made since the start of the pandemic : “ If you look at how far we have come in a matter of months , we ’ ve made sure we ’ ve got these six extra Nightingale hospitals , and a seventh due to open this month .
The testing process , you know , we had almost 240,000 people being tested on Monday .
These are remarkable things.
” The difference between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of people tested has been contentious throughout the crisis .
The slides published alongside the government ’ s daily press briefings ( including yesterday ’ s ) note that “ Some people are tested more than once ” , though it ’ s not clear how many people are currently retested each day .
Earlier in the crisis , the extent of retesting appeared very high : in late March , Public Health England said that 8,278 tests had been carried out on 4,908 individuals in England .
In April , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for this disparity was that the tests could have a “ false negative ” rate of up to 30 per cent .
This , the experts told us , meant that doctors might be repeating tests to confirm what they believed to be a case of coronavirus that hadn ’ t been picked up by a first or second test .
A spokesperson for Public Health England told FactCheck at the time : “ It would be unfair to say that the test is not very reliable , there will be numerous reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be retested throughout their patient journey.
” Since 29 May , the Department of Health has not published figures on the number of patients tested each day , saying : “ Reporting on the number of people tested has been temporarily paused to ensure consistent reporting across all pillars .
This is due to a small percentage of cases where the same person has had more than one test or tested positive more than once for COVID-19 in pillar 2 ” .
A similar caveat is still in place for the figures Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of people tested is “ unavailable ” .
The “ pillars ” they refer to are the different strands of the government testing policy .
Pillar 2 is “ swab testing for the wider population aged 5 and over ” .
On 2 June , the head of the UK Statistics Regulator , Sir David Norgrove , wrote to Matt Hancock about the testing figures .
In his letter , Sir David says : “ the notes to the daily [ press briefing ] slides rightly say that some people may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been widely reported that swabs carried out simultaneously on a single patient are counted as multiple tests.
” He ’ s referring to a report from 21 May in the Telegraph that said the Department of Health and Public Health England had confirmed that “ diagnostic tests which involve taking saliva and nasal samples from the same patient are being counted as two tests , not one.
” According to the Telegraph , “ this inflates the daily reported diagnostic test numbers by over 20 per cent ” .
Sir David ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not clear from the [ government ’ s ] published data how often that is the case .
Figures for the overall number of people being tested have previously been published but are not available in the published time series ” .
We don ’ t know whether the double-counting has continued .
The Department of Health was contacted for comment .
The business secretary , Alok Sharma , said this morning that 240,000 people had been tested on Monday for coronavirus .
But that figure relates to the number of tests carried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receiving them .
It ’ s an important distinction because we know that the number of tests carried out exceeds the number of people tested .
The government accepts that some people are tested more than once in a single day , though since the end of May , has not published figures telling us exactly how many .
According to a recent report in the Telegraph , officials admitted in late May that swabs taken from the mouth and nose of the same patient were counted as two tests .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case .

“We had almost 240,000 people being tested on Monday”
That was the claim from the business secretary, Alok Sharma, this morning on BBC Breakfast.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has since told FactCheck that Mr Sharma meant to say that nearly 240,000 tests had been carried out – not that that number of people had been tested. Mr Sharma did not clarify this in his BBC interview.
It’s an important distinction because we know that the number of tests carried out exceeds the number of people tested.
The claim
Mr Sharma made the claim during an interview with BBC Breakfast this morning.
He hadn’t been asked directly about testing, but was making a more general comment about the progress the government has made since the start of the pandemic: “If you look at how far we have come in a matter of months, we’ve made sure we’ve got these six extra Nightingale hospitals, and a seventh due to open this month. The testing process, you know, we had almost 240,000 people being tested on Monday. These are remarkable things.”
The background
The difference between the number of tests carried out and the number of people tested has been contentious throughout the crisis.
The slides published alongside the government’s daily press briefings (including yesterday’s) note that “Some people are tested more than once”, though it’s not clear how many people are currently retested each day.
Earlier in the crisis, the extent of retesting appeared very high: in late March, Public Health England said that 8,278 tests had been carried out on 4,908 individuals in England.
In April, FactCheck reported that experts believed the reason for this disparity was that the tests could have a “false negative” rate of up to 30 per cent. This, the experts told us, meant that doctors might be repeating tests to confirm what they believed to be a case of coronavirus that hadn’t been picked up by a first or second test.
A spokesperson for Public Health England told FactCheck at the time: “It would be unfair to say that the test is not very reliable, there will be numerous reasons patients in inpatient settings will need to be retested throughout their patient journey.”
Since 29 May, the Department of Health has not published figures on the number of patients tested each day, saying: “Reporting on the number of people tested has been temporarily paused to ensure consistent reporting across all pillars. This is due to a small percentage of cases where the same person has had more than one test or tested positive more than once for COVID-19 in pillar 2”.
A similar caveat is still in place for the figures Mr Sharma was talking about. Note that the number of people tested is “unavailable”.
The “pillars” they refer to are the different strands of the government testing policy. Pillar 2 is “swab testing for the wider population aged 5 and over”.
On 2 June, the head of the UK Statistics Regulator, Sir David Norgrove, wrote to Matt Hancock about the testing figures.
In his letter, Sir David says: “the notes to the daily [press briefing] slides rightly say that some people may be tested more than once and it has been widely reported that swabs carried out simultaneously on a single patient are counted as multiple tests.”
He’s referring to a report from 21 May in the Telegraph that said the Department of Health and Public Health England had confirmed that “diagnostic tests which involve taking saliva and nasal samples from the same patient are being counted as two tests, not one.”
According to the Telegraph, “this inflates the daily reported diagnostic test numbers by over 20 per cent”.
Sir David’s letter says: “it is not clear from the [government’s] published data how often that is the case. Figures for the overall number of people being tested have previously been published but are not available in the published time series”.
We don’t know whether the double-counting has continued.
The Department of Health was contacted for comment.
FactCheck verdict
The business secretary, Alok Sharma, said this morning that 240,000 people had been tested on Monday for coronavirus. But that figure relates to the number of tests carried out – not the number of people receiving them.
It’s an important distinction because we know that the number of tests carried out exceeds the number of people tested. The government accepts that some people are tested more than once in a single day, though since the end of May, has not published figures telling us exactly how many.
According to a recent report in the Telegraph, officials admitted in late May that swabs taken from the mouth and nose of the same patient were counted as two tests. It’s not clear whether that is still the case.


channel4uk--2020-06-25--Killer Mike: ‘I never thought in my lifetime I would see Confederate statues fall’

Run The Jewels – the American hip hop duo Killer Mike and EL-P – have a new album out , @ @ @ @ @ one of the musical moments of 2020 .
A fiery and powerful record – its @ @ @ @ @ and politics .
One of the tracks refers to the 2014 killing of Eric Garner @ @ @ @ @ New York police choked him to death .
The words “ I can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ at protests after the killing of George Floyd .
And Killer Mike made an emotional @ @ @ @ @ .
I spoke to the duo last night .
I was at home , Mike @ @ @ @ @ Atlanta and EL-P in his studio in New York .

Run The Jewels – the American hip hop duo Killer Mike and EL-P – have a new album out, and it’s becoming one of the musical moments of 2020.
A fiery and powerful record – its full of anger, energy and politics.
One of the tracks refers to the 2014 killing of Eric Garner – gasping for air as New York police choked him to death.
The words “I can’t breathe” have been repeated at protests after the killing of George Floyd. And Killer Mike made an emotional speech afterwards that went viral.
I spoke to the duo last night. I was at home, Mike was in his car in Atlanta and EL-P in his studio in New York.


channel4uk--2020-06-25--John Bolton interview: ‘Had I been in the Senate, I probably would have voted to impeach Trump’

We spoke to John Bolton himself – and began by asking him why he decided to take the job in @ @ @ @ @ first place .

We spoke to John Bolton himself – and began by asking him why he decided to take the job in the Trump administration in the first place.


channel4uk--2020-06-25--Healthcare after coronavirus: Inside St Barts Hospital as NHS prepares for life beyond Covid-19

On 30 January , the NHS declared a national major incident over the coronavirus outbreak , placing all hospitals on @ @ @ @ @ Channel 4 News has learned that it is preparing to lower this alert at the @ @ @ @ @ 149 more deaths were reported – but as the number of Covid patients who are @ @ @ @ @ face the challenge of bringing patients back in for elective surgeries and other vital treatments @ @ @ @ @ out .
Our health and social care editor Victoria Macdonald has been to St Bartholomew @ @ @ @ @ – the oldest in the country – to find out what the NHS looks like @ @

On 30 January, the NHS declared a national major incident over the coronavirus outbreak, placing all hospitals on an emergency footing.
But Channel 4 News has learned that it is preparing to lower this alert at the end of July.
Today 149 more deaths were reported – but as the number of Covid patients who are critically ill falls, hospitals face the challenge of bringing patients back in for elective surgeries and other vital treatments, while keeping the virus out.
Our health and social care editor Victoria Macdonald has been to St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London – the oldest in the country – to find out what the NHS looks like now.


channel4uk--2020-06-25--White House failed to stop publication of John Bolton book on Trump presidency

It ’ s an explosive account of his 17 months in the Trump administration – so explosive that the White @ @ @ @ @ being published .
In his new book – President Trump ’ s former National Security @ @ @ @ @ former boss of being unfit for office – including a deep lack of knowledge and @ @ @ @ @ happy with Mr Bolton though – for failing to testify during the Trump impeachment hearings @

It’s an explosive account of his 17 months in the Trump administration – so explosive that the White House tried to stop it being published.
In his new book – President Trump’s former National Security adviser John Bolton accuses his former boss of being unfit for office – including a deep lack of knowledge and preparedness.
Democrats are not happy with Mr Bolton though – for failing to testify during the Trump impeachment hearings.


channel4uk--2020-06-25--Climate advisers warn of surge in carbon emissions as UK lockdown ends

The UK is falling behind on its target to reach net zero emissions by 2050 , the government ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Committee on Climate Change announced today that we need urgent changes to how we work @ @ @ @ @ homes .
Our chief correspondent Alex Thomson joins us from Fishlake , in Yorkshire .

The UK is falling behind on its target to reach net zero emissions by 2050, the government’s watchdog has warned.
The Committee on Climate Change announced today that we need urgent changes to how we work, travel and build our homes.
Our chief correspondent Alex Thomson joins us from Fishlake, in Yorkshire.


channel4uk--2020-06-25--Major incident declared as thousands descend on Bournemouth beach

The Chief Medical Officer for England has warned people trying to enjoy this hot glorious sunshine that they must continue @ @ @ @ @ risk a rise in coronavirus cases .
His warning came as a major incident was @ @ @ @ @ as thousands of people flock to beaches – on what has been the hottest day @ @ @ @ @ .
Police and council leaders have pleaded with people to stay away – saying the @ @ @ @ @ was “ shocking ” .

The Chief Medical Officer for England has warned people trying to enjoy this hot glorious sunshine that they must continue following social distancing rules or risk a rise in coronavirus cases.
His warning came as a major incident was declared in three Dorset towns as thousands of people flock to beaches – on what has been the hottest day of the year so far.
Police and council leaders have pleaded with people to stay away – saying the irresponsible behaviour of some people was “shocking”.


channel4uk--2020-06-25--Senior Conservatives defend Robert Jenrick over property development allegations

Senior Conservatives have been rallying to the defence of the Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick – amid allegations over his role @ @ @ @ @ development by a wealthy Tory donor .
Mr Jenrick insisted he was motivated by the @ @ @ @ @ when he overruled planning inspectors to give Richard Desmond the go-ahead for the east London @ @ @ @ @ demanding “ straight answers ” about his involvement .

Senior Conservatives have been rallying to the defence of the Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick – amid allegations over his role in approving a contentious property development by a wealthy Tory donor.
Mr Jenrick insisted he was motivated by the need to build more homes when he overruled planning inspectors to give Richard Desmond the go-ahead for the east London scheme.
But Labour are demanding “straight answers” about his involvement.


channel4uk--2020-06-25--Brent MP says police misconduct allegations are ‘dehumanising’ for murder victims’ families

We spoke to MP Dawn Butler whose constituency borders the park where the sisters were found .

We spoke to MP Dawn Butler whose constituency borders the park where the sisters were found.


channel4uk--2020-06-25--Two Met police officers under criminal investigation for sending photos of murdered sisters

Two Metropolitan police officers have been arrested over serious allegations of misconduct in public office in connection with a homicide @ @ @ @ @ north-west London .
Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry were murdered a fortnight ago in Fryent @ @ @ @ @ News understands that the officers involved shared inappropriate photographs taken at the scene using an @ @ @ @ @ Independent Office for Police Conduct is also investigating how officers handled calls to police to @ @ @ @ @ .

Two Metropolitan police officers have been arrested over serious allegations of misconduct in public office in connection with a homicide investigation of two women in north-west London.
Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry were murdered a fortnight ago in Fryent Country Park.
Channel 4 News understands that the officers involved shared inappropriate photographs taken at the scene using an online messaging group.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is also investigating how officers handled calls to police to report the two women missing.


channel4uk--2020-06-25--Labour leader sacks Rebecca Long-Bailey for sharing article with anti-Semitic conspiracy theory

Rebecca Long-Bailey was sacked within hours of a tweet which shared an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory – as Sir Keir Starmer @ @ @ @ @ to rebuild relations with the Jewish community .
Jewish leaders have praised what they called @ @ @ @ @ decisive leadership and firm action ” .
But Ms Long-Bailey says the Labour leader refused @ @ @ @ @ in person before she was dismissed .

Rebecca Long-Bailey was sacked within hours of a tweet which shared an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory – as Sir Keir Starmer declared it undermined his effort to rebuild relations with the Jewish community.
Jewish leaders have praised what they called Sir Keir’s “decisive leadership and firm action”.
But Ms Long-Bailey says the Labour leader refused to discuss it with her in person before she was dismissed.


channel4uk--2020-06-26--What has changed one month on from George Floyd’s death?

It ’ s been a month since protests began in the United States over the death of George Floyd , @ @ @ @ @ police officer in Minneapolis .
Thousands of people of all races have taken to the @ @ @ @ @ to Chicago , Los Angeles and beyond .
They ’ ve been some of the @ @ @ @ @ in the country since the civil rights movement of the 1960s .
We look back @ @ @ @ @ that has spread across the world – and seen many defy lockdowns to make their @ @ @

It’s been a month since protests began in the United States over the death of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis. Thousands of people of all races have taken to the streets – from New York to Chicago, Los Angeles and beyond. They’ve been some of the largest and most sustained protests in the country since the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
We look back at the whirlwind of revolt that has spread across the world – and seen many defy lockdowns to make their voices heard.


channel4uk--2020-06-26--‘I believe the intersectionality of this movement is the desire for justice’ – writer Claudia Rankin

‘I believe the intersectionality of this movement is the desire for justice’ – writer Claudia Rankine on BLM protests

We ’ re joined by the acclaimed American writer and poet Claudia Rankine .
Her most recent work , Weather @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd , was published in the New York Time

We’re joined by the acclaimed American writer and poet Claudia Rankine. Her most recent work, Weather, about the death of George Floyd, was published in the New York Time


channel4uk--2020-06-26--Allegations of misconduct at sisters’ murder scene are ‘sickening and shocking’ – IOPC’s Sal Naseem

We spoke to Sal Naseem , the London Director of the Independent Office for Police Conduct ( IOPC ) , @ @ @ @ @ shared selfies taken at a murder scene .
Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman were killed @ @ @ @ @ Fryent Country Park in north-west London .
Last night this programme reported that two officers @ @ @ @ @ under investigation by the IOPC , after allegedly taking and sharing images of the scene @ @ @ @ @ Cressida Dick repeated her determination to find the killer of the two women – and @ @ @ @ @ the alleged actions of her officers .

We spoke to Sal Naseem, the London Director of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), about allegations that two officers shared selfies taken at a murder scene.
Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman were killed almost three weeks ago in Fryent Country Park in north-west London.
Last night this programme reported that two officers have been arrested and are under investigation by the IOPC, after allegedly taking and sharing images of the scene on a WhatsApp group.
Cressida Dick repeated her determination to find the killer of the two women – and apologised to their families for the alleged actions of her officers.


channel4uk--2020-06-26--Anglesey authorities hoping track and trace will help contain Covid-19 outbreak

Authorities in Anglesey are hoping their track and trace system will help contain an outbreak of coronavirus at a poultry @ @ @ @ @ workers have tested positive .
It comes as Wales ’ First Minister warned that easing @ @ @ @ @ put on hold if there were any more scenes of large disorder at beaches – @ @ @ @ @ out during a large gathering at Ogmore by Sea in the Vale of Glamorgan last @ @

Authorities in Anglesey are hoping their track and trace system will help contain an outbreak of coronavirus at a poultry processing plant, where 200 workers have tested positive.
It comes as Wales’ First Minister warned that easing any lockdown restrictions would be put on hold if there were any more scenes of large disorder at beaches – after images of scuffles breaking out during a large gathering at Ogmore by Sea in the Vale of Glamorgan last night.


channel4uk--2020-06-26--‘The feeling in Glasgow is just of horror that this could happen’ – Very Rev Kelvin Holdsworth

We ’ re joined by the Very Reverend Kelvin Holdsworth , Provost of St Mary ’ s Cathedral in Glasgow @

We’re joined by the Very Reverend Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow.


channel4uk--2020-06-26--Liverpool win Premier League for first time in 30 years

It ’ s taken them thirty years to become champions of England , but Liverpool have now won their first @ @ @ @ @ City ’ s defeat to Chelsea .
Manager Jurgen Klopp declared that ‘ as long @ @ @ @ @ everything is possible ’ .
Liverpool City Council have promised there will be a victory @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus is under control .

It’s taken them thirty years to become champions of England, but Liverpool have now won their first Premier League, after Manchester City’s defeat to Chelsea. Manager Jurgen Klopp declared that ‘as long as we stay humble, everything is possible’.
Liverpool City Council have promised there will be a victory parade – once the spread of coronavirus is under control.


channel4uk--2020-06-26--Youth advocate working with police to improve faith in the black community over stop and search

How to stop the breakdown of public trust in the authorities ?
One man in South London has taken what @ @ @ @ @ approach towards improving the police ’ s engagement with the BAME community .
Sayce Holmes @ @ @ @ @ youth advocate , was stopped in a search which he says was unfair .
At @ @ @ @ @ would get police officers ‘ in a room ’ so they could learn better ways @ @ @ @ @ a few weeks later , that is exactly what he has done .

How to stop the breakdown of public trust in the authorities?
One man in South London has taken what might be considered a radical approach towards improving the police’s engagement with the BAME community.
Sayce Holmes Lewis, who is a youth advocate, was stopped in a search which he says was unfair. At the time he promised he would get police officers ‘in a room’ so they could learn better ways to work. And just a few weeks later, that is exactly what he has done.


channel4uk--2020-06-26--SAGE professor on second Covid-19 peak: ‘The tide may already been turning’

We are joined by the epidemiologist Professor John Edmunds , who ’ s a member of the Government ’ s @ @ @ @

We are joined by the epidemiologist Professor John Edmunds, who’s a member of the Government’s SAGE advisory group.


channel4uk--2020-06-26--Gaps in way national and local track and trace systems working together, says Cumbria public health

Gaps in way national and local track and trace systems working together, says Cumbria public health director

Amid warnings that peoples ’ failure to maintain social distancing could lead to another wave of infections , an efficient @ @ @ @ @ one of the only tools available to help contain the spread .
But the public @ @ @ @ @ response in Cumbria has warned that there are gaps in the way national and local @ @ @ @ @ saying crucial information still isn ’ t being passed to those in charge at a @ @ @

Amid warnings that peoples’ failure to maintain social distancing could lead to another wave of infections, an efficient track and trace system is one of the only tools available to help contain the spread.
But the public health director leading the coronavirus response in Cumbria has warned that there are gaps in the way national and local systems are working together – saying crucial information still isn’t being passed to those in charge at a local level.


channel4uk--2020-06-26--Johnson warns people against ‘taking liberties’ with social distancing rules

Boris Johnson has warned people against “ taking liberties ” with social distancing rules , saying it could lead to @ @ @ @ @ serious spike ” in coronavirus infections .
Ministers have warned they will crack down if @ @ @ @ @ hot summer .
Three people were stabbed during a brawl on Bournemouth beach , where @ @ @ @ @ – leaving residents angry and afraid .

Boris Johnson has warned people against “taking liberties” with social distancing rules, saying it could lead to the danger of a “serious spike” in coronavirus infections.
Ministers have warned they will crack down if mass gatherings continue during the hot summer.
Three people were stabbed during a brawl on Bournemouth beach, where thousands of people flocked yesterday – leaving residents angry and afraid.


channel4uk--2020-06-26--Suspect shot dead by police after six injured in Glasgow stabbing attack

Six men , including a police officer , are being treated in hospital after a stabbing attack in the centre @ @ @ @ @ – the suspected attacker – is dead , after he was shot by armed police @ @ @ @ @ called it a “ dreadful afternoon for the city of Glasgow ” and praised the @ @ @ @ @ ’ d handled such a serious situation .

Six men, including a police officer, are being treated in hospital after a stabbing attack in the centre of Glasgow.
One person – the suspected attacker – is dead, after he was shot by armed police.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called it a “dreadful afternoon for the city of Glasgow” and praised the police for the way they’d handled such a serious situation.


channel4uk--2020-06-26--FactCheck: did Israeli secret service teach Floyd police to kneel on neck?

The killing of George Floyd , an unarmed black man , in Minneapolis last month prompted protests around the world after footage of his desperate final moments circulated online .
British actor , Maxine Peake , made the following claim in an interview published by the Independent newspaper on Thursday : The claim has attracted criticism from many commentators .
The Labour leader Keir Starmer sacked a member of his shadow cabinet , Rebecca Long-Bailey for sharing the article , which Mr Starmer said “ contained an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory ” .
Ms Long-Bailey said afterwards : “ In no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endorse every part of that article.
” Ms Peake later tweeted : “ I feel it ’ s important for me to clarify that , when talking to The Independent , I was inaccurate in my assumption of American Police training & its sources .
I find racism & antisemitism abhorrent & I in no way wished , nor intended , to add fodder to any views of the contrary.
” We ’ ve been looking into her original claim .
Here ’ s what we ’ ve found .
It seems Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on an article in the Morning Star from 1 June , which states : “ At least 100 Minnesota police officers attended a 2012 conference hosted by the Israeli consulate in Chicago , the second time such an event had been held.
” The article has been shared over 40,000 times on Facebook , according to analytics provided by the website Crowdtangle .
This description appears to be supported by a report from Minnesota Public Radio ( MPR ) at the time of the event .
By the MPR account , the conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put on by the Israeli consulate in Chicago , the FBI and Minnetonka police ” .
( Minnetonka is the neighbouring city to Minneapolis ) .
The Morning Star piece alleges that those attending the 2012 conference “ learned the violent techniques used by Israeli forces as they terrorise the occupied Palestinian territories under the guise of security operations.
” The article does not explicitly claim that Israeli forces taught American police to kneel on a person ’ s neck at the conference .
The only link to this tactic in the story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Golan , who told the paper : “ When I saw the picture of killer cop Derek Chauvin murdering George Floyd by leaning in on his neck with his knee as he cried for help and other cops watched , I remembered noticing when many Israeli soldiers began using this technique of leaning in on our chest and necks when we were protesting in the West Bank sometime in 2006.
” Ms Golan is quoted as saying : “ it is clear that they [ Israel ] share these methods when they train @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ in the US and other countries including Sudan and Brazil.
” The information in square brackets is from the Morning Star ’ s copy .
The article mentions a 2016 report by Amnesty which lists US police forces that have “ all traveled to Israel for training ” and “ thousands of others ” that “ have received training from Israeli officials here in the U.S. ” After yesterday ’ s controversy involving Maxine Peake and Rebecca Long-Bailey , Amnesty International told the New Statesman : “ the precise nature of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israeli officials is not something we ’ ve documented ” .
They added : “ Allegations that US police were taught tactics of ‘ neck kneeling ’ by Israeli secret services is not something we ’ ve ever reported ” .
Beyond the speculation of one activist , there is no information in the Morning Star article that would support the claim that the specific practice of kneeling on a person ’ s neck was taught to US police by Israeli forces .
Micky Rosenfield , the national spokesman for Israeli police , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no procedure that allows an officer of the Israel police dept to carry out an arrest by placing a knee on the neck of a suspect.
” The conference hosted by the Israeli consulate for US police officers took place in July 2012 .
We ’ ve seen evidence that “ neck restraints ” involving an officer ’ s leg were permitted by Minneapolis Police in 2010 , and perhaps even as early as 2002 .
Archived versions of the Minneapolis Police Department “ Use of Force Policy ” show that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” were written into the code in October 2002 .
You can see the dates on which the definitions of those terms were updated listed at the top in brackets in the excerpt below .
The earliest is 16 October 2002 .
Note that officers were permitted to use “ an arm or leg ” as part of a neck restraint in the definition authorised on 1 October 2010 .
It ’ s possible that this was also included in earlier definitions , including from 2002 , but we have been unable to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case , it ’ s clear that using a leg during a neck restraint was permitted by Minneapolis Police before the July 2012 conference hosted by the Israeli consulate .
So even if the “ neck kneel ” was included in that conference ( and we ’ ve seen no evidence that it was ) , it would not have been new information to the Minneapolis Police .
According to a 2002 newsletter from an organisation called Communities Against Police Brutality , Minneapolis Police used what they apparently described as a “ legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who died on 1 December that year .
It ’ s not clear whether the neck restraint involved an officer ’ s knee , but the newsletter says officers “ kneeled on [ Mr Burns ’ ] back ” in the incident .
And Minneapolis is not the only US city where “ neck kneeling ” has a long history .
A 1995 report on the death of Jonny Gammage in Pittsburgh describes how an officer “ stood and knelt on the back of Mr. Gammage ’ s neck ” .
In 2002 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by four police officers in Bloomfield , New Jersey .
In 2004 , Amnesty USA reported the testimony of Nina Paulino , a friend of Mr Villanueva , at the AIUSA National Hearings on Racial Profiling in New York City .
Ms Paulino is quoted saying that one of the officers “ put a knee on his neck ” .
Then there was the 2005 case of Donald Lewis .
In its summary of the “ background facts and issues ” , the US Supreme Court said an officer “ placed his knee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
A 2009 report from Amnesty on the death of Oscar Grant in the San Francisco Bay Area describes how “ one police officer pressed his knee onto the back of Oscar ’ s neck ” before another shot him .
The San Francisco Chronicle reported at the time that in footage of the incident , an officer is “ seen kneeling on Grant ’ s head ” .
Were Floyd officers at the 2012 Israeli conference ?
The Morning Star piece also notes that : “ It is unclear whether any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which Mr Floyd was killed attended the conference.
” We have not been able to verify this either .
While we know that Derek Chauvin – the officer charged with second-degree murder over George Floyd ’ s death – was employed by Minneapolis Police in 2012 , we haven ’ t seen any evidence he was at the conference .
Indeed , we don ’ t know whether any or all of those at the event came from the Minneapolis Police Department , or whether members of other Minnesota police forces took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 conference-goers were from the Minneapolis Police Department , on the basis of statistics alone , it ’ s unlikely he was one of them : at the time of the event , there were 820 officers on the force , according to their 2013 Annual Report .
What about the three other officers charged in connection with George Floyd ’ s death ?
Two ( J Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane ) had only joined the force as cadets in 2019 , so could not have attended .
The fourth officer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the force in 2009 and re-hired sometime during 2012 .
We don ’ t know whether he was employed by the Minneapolis Police Department at the time of the conference .
In the Independent interview , Ms Peake says the training was conducted by “ Israeli secret services ” .
According to Minnesota Public Radio , the 2012 conference was led by “ top-notch professionals from the Israeli police ” , including a “ police chief ” and a “ bomb tech specialist ” .
There is no mention of “ secret services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the event – this time from a 2014 book by Ali Abunimah , who is described in the book blurb as “ the most prominent Palestinian critic of Israel living in the United States ” – also suggests it was Israeli police , the not security services , who led the conference .
He writes : “ The Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest in Chicago , for example , sponsored two visits by Israeli police officials in 2012 to address hundreds of US law enforcement officials in St Louis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Milwaukee and Indianapolis ” .
Mr Abunimah cites a press release titled “ Israel Police Workshop Detailing Counter-terrorism Took Place in the Midwest in July ” from the Israeli Consulate as the source for this description .
Again , there is no reference to Israeli secret services having led the event .
American police have training sessions with many countries As the Morning Star article notes , it has been reported before that members of some US police forces have been trained by Israeli law enforcement .
Indeed , archived webpages from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America think tank ( JINSA ) document a number of conferences and training sessions for US police and federal agents run by Israeli officials as part of the Law Enforcement Exchange Program .
But Israeli forces are not unique in offering training sessions to American officers .
In 2015 , a delegation of US law enforcement officials travelled to Scotland for classes on nonviolent policing .
The Altoona Police Department in Wisconsin has an exchange programme with German forces .
It ’ s part of the wider “ STAR ” scheme , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and US officers .
Meanwhile , the International Police Association Exchange Program matches American police with their counterparts in “ many European countries , and elsewhere ” , which the IPA describes as “ a great learning experience for not only the foreign officer , but also their host agency , [ in the US ] too ” .
British actor Maxine Peake claimed yesterday : “ The tactics used by the police in America , kneeling on George Floyd ’ s neck , that was learnt from seminars with Israeli secret services.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a report in the Morning Star newspaper that 100 officers from Minnesota ( where George Floyd died ) attended a conference hosted by the Israeli consulate in 2012 .
The story has been shared over 40,000 times on Facebook .
The Morning Star piece does not explicitly claim that Israeli forces taught American police to kneel on a person ’ s neck .
The only link to this tactic in the article is made by an activist who says she saw Israeli forces use the technique in the West Bank from 2006 onwards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technique to other countries , including the US .
But Minneapolis Police Department rules permitted “ neck restraints ” that involved an officer ’ s leg in 2010 – some two years before the Israeli consulate conference .
It is possible that the same rules applied as early as 2002 .
So even if the technique was included in the Israeli conference ( and we ’ ve seen no evidence that it was ) , it would not have been new information to the Minneapolis Police .
Following yesterday ’ s controversy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Allegations that US police were taught tactics of ‘ neck kneeling ’ by Israeli secret services is not something we ’ ve ever reported ” .
FactCheck has not been able to verify whether any of the officers charged in connection with George Floyd ’ s death attended the 2012 conference .
FactCheck has been unable to verify the claim that “ Israeli secret services ” carried out training at the conference .
Two separate reports from the time of the conference say that it was led by senior Israeli police officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is true that some US police forces have been trained by Israeli law enforcement officials over the last two decades .
But we should remember that other countries , including the UK and Germany , have also run training and exchange schemes with American officers .
Ms Peake later tweeted : “ I feel it ’ s important for me to clarify that , when talking to The Independent , I was inaccurate in my assumption of American Police training & its sources .
I find racism & antisemitism abhorrent & I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to add fodder to any views of the contrary .
”

The killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis last month prompted protests around the world after footage of his desperate final moments circulated online.
British actor, Maxine Peake, made the following claim in an interview published by the Independent newspaper on Thursday:
“The tactics used by the police in America, kneeling on George Floyd’s neck, that was learnt from seminars with Israeli secret services.”
The claim has attracted criticism from many commentators.
The Labour leader Keir Starmer sacked a member of his shadow cabinet, Rebecca Long-Bailey for sharing the article, which Mr Starmer said “contained an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory”. Ms Long-Bailey said afterwards: “In no way was my retweet an intention to endorse every part of that article.”
Ms Peake later tweeted: “I feel it’s important for me to clarify that, when talking to The Independent, I was inaccurate in my assumption of American Police training & its sources. I find racism & antisemitism abhorrent & I in no way wished, nor intended, to add fodder to any views of the contrary.”
We’ve been looking into her original claim. Here’s what we’ve found.
The source
It seems Ms Peake’s original claim is based on an article in the Morning Star from 1 June, which states: “At least 100 Minnesota police officers attended a 2012 conference hosted by the Israeli consulate in Chicago, the second time such an event had been held.”
The article has been shared over 40,000 times on Facebook, according to analytics provided by the website Crowdtangle.
This description appears to be supported by a report from Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) at the time of the event. By the MPR account, the conference took place in Minneapolis and was “put on by the Israeli consulate in Chicago, the FBI and Minnetonka police”. (Minnetonka is the neighbouring city to Minneapolis).
Which techniques were taught?
The Morning Star piece alleges that those attending the 2012 conference “learned the violent techniques used by Israeli forces as they terrorise the occupied Palestinian territories under the guise of security operations.”
The article does not explicitly claim that Israeli forces taught American police to kneel on a person’s neck at the conference.
The only link to this tactic in the story is made by an activist, Neta Golan, who told the paper: “When I saw the picture of killer cop Derek Chauvin murdering George Floyd by leaning in on his neck with his knee as he cried for help and other cops watched, I remembered noticing when many Israeli soldiers began using this technique of leaning in on our chest and necks when we were protesting in the West Bank sometime in 2006.”
Ms Golan is quoted as saying: “it is clear that they [Israel] share these methods when they train police forces abroad in ‘crowd control’ in the US and other countries including Sudan and Brazil.” The information in square brackets is from the Morning Star’s copy.
The article mentions a 2016 report by Amnesty which lists US police forces that have “all traveled to Israel for training” and “thousands of others” that “have received training from Israeli officials here in the U.S.”
After yesterday’s controversy involving Maxine Peake and Rebecca Long-Bailey, Amnesty International told the New Statesman: “the precise nature of the training offered to US police forces by Israeli officials is not something we’ve documented”.
They added: “Allegations that US police were taught tactics of ‘neck kneeling’ by Israeli secret services is not something we’ve ever reported”.
Beyond the speculation of one activist, there is no information in the Morning Star article that would support the claim that the specific practice of kneeling on a person’s neck was taught to US police by Israeli forces.
Micky Rosenfield, the national spokesman for Israeli police, tweeted on 9 June: “There is no procedure that allows an officer of the Israel police dept to carry out an arrest by placing a knee on the neck of a suspect.”
And after this article was first published, the Israeli Embassy in London told FactCheck: “Any attempt to create a link between what took place in Minnesota with Israel is baseless and misguided.
“The said 2012 event in the Israeli Consulate was on counter-terrorism training that involved information sharing and explosive disarmament training. No arrest tactics were taught as part of the event. “
Minneapolis Police permitted ‘neck restraint’ with a leg before Israeli conference
The conference hosted by the Israeli consulate for US police officers took place in July 2012. We’ve seen evidence that “neck restraints” involving an officer’s leg were permitted by Minneapolis Police in 2010, and perhaps even as early as 2002.
Archived versions of the Minneapolis Police Department “Use of Force Policy” show that “neck restraints” and “choke holds” were written into the code in October 2002.
You can see the dates on which the definitions of those terms were updated listed at the top in brackets in the excerpt below. The earliest is 16 October 2002.
Note that officers were permitted to use “an arm or leg” as part of a neck restraint in the definition authorised on 1 October 2010. It’s possible that this was also included in earlier definitions, including from 2002, but we have been unable to find records of them.
In any case, it’s clear that using a leg during a neck restraint was permitted by Minneapolis Police before the July 2012 conference hosted by the Israeli consulate. So even if the “neck kneel” was included in that conference (and we’ve seen no evidence that it was), it would not have been new information to the Minneapolis Police.
According to a 2002 newsletter from an organisation called Communities Against Police Brutality, Minneapolis Police used what they apparently described as a “legal neck restraint” on Christopher Burns, who died on 1 December that year. It’s not clear whether the neck restraint involved an officer’s knee, but the newsletter says officers “kneeled on [Mr Burns’] back” in the incident.
And Minneapolis is not the only US city where “neck kneeling” has a long history.
A 1995 report on the death of Jonny Gammage in Pittsburgh describes how an officer “stood and knelt on the back of Mr. Gammage’s neck”.
In 2002, Santiago Villanueva died after being restrained by four police officers in Bloomfield, New Jersey. In 2004, Amnesty USA reported the testimony of Nina Paulino, a friend of Mr Villanueva, at the AIUSA National Hearings on Racial Profiling in New York City. Ms Paulino is quoted saying that one of the officers “put a knee on his neck”.
Then there was the 2005 case of Donald Lewis. In its summary of the “background facts and issues”, the US Supreme Court said an officer “placed his knee on Lewis’ upper back and neck”.
A 2009 report from Amnesty on the death of Oscar Grant in the San Francisco Bay Area describes how “one police officer pressed his knee onto the back of Oscar’s neck” before another shot him. The San Francisco Chronicle reported at the time that in footage of the incident, an officer is “seen kneeling on Grant’s head”.
Were Floyd officers at the 2012 Israeli conference?
The Morning Star piece also notes that: “It is unclear whether any of the officers involved in the incident in which Mr Floyd was killed attended the conference.”
We have not been able to verify this either.
While we know that Derek Chauvin – the officer charged with second-degree murder over George Floyd’s death – was employed by Minneapolis Police in 2012, we haven’t seen any evidence he was at the conference.
Indeed, we don’t know whether any or all of those at the event came from the Minneapolis Police Department, or whether members of other Minnesota police forces took part.
Even if all of the 100 conference-goers were from the Minneapolis Police Department, on the basis of statistics alone, it’s unlikely he was one of them: at the time of the event, there were 820 officers on the force, according to their 2013 Annual Report.
What about the three other officers charged in connection with George Floyd’s death?
Two (J Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane) had only joined the force as cadets in 2019, so could not have attended.
The fourth officer, Tou Thao, was laid off from the force in 2009 and re-hired sometime during 2012. We don’t know whether he was employed by the Minneapolis Police Department at the time of the conference.
‘Secret services’?
In the Independent interview, Ms Peake says the training was conducted by “Israeli secret services”.
According to Minnesota Public Radio, the 2012 conference was led by “top-notch professionals from the Israeli police”, including a “police chief” and a “bomb tech specialist”. There is no mention of “secret services” in their report.
Another account of the event – this time from a 2014 book by Ali Abunimah, who is described in the book blurb as “the most prominent Palestinian critic of Israel living in the United States” – also suggests it was Israeli police, the not security services, who led the conference.
He writes: “The Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest in Chicago, for example, sponsored two visits by Israeli police officials in 2012 to address hundreds of US law enforcement officials in St Louis, Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Kansas City, Milwaukee and Indianapolis”.
Mr Abunimah cites a press release titled “Israel Police Workshop Detailing Counter-terrorism Took Place in the Midwest in July” from the Israeli Consulate as the source for this description. Again, there is no reference to Israeli secret services having led the event.
American police have training sessions with many countries
As the Morning Star article notes, it has been reported before that members of some US police forces have been trained by Israeli law enforcement.
Indeed, archived webpages from the Jewish Institute for National Security of America think tank (JINSA) document a number of conferences and training sessions for US police and federal agents run by Israeli officials as part of the Law Enforcement Exchange Program.
But Israeli forces are not unique in offering training sessions to American officers.
In 2015, a delegation of US law enforcement officials travelled to Scotland for classes on nonviolent policing.
The Altoona Police Department in Wisconsin has an exchange programme with German forces. It’s part of the wider “STAR” scheme, which was founded in 1985 between West German and US officers.
Meanwhile, the International Police Association Exchange Program matches American police with their counterparts in “many European countries, and elsewhere”, which the IPA describes as “a great learning experience for not only the foreign officer, but also their host agency, [in the US] too”.
FactCheck verdict
British actor Maxine Peake claimed yesterday: “The tactics used by the police in America, kneeling on George Floyd’s neck, that was learnt from seminars with Israeli secret services.”
She seemed to be referring to a report in the Morning Star newspaper that 100 officers from Minnesota (where George Floyd died) attended a conference hosted by the Israeli consulate in 2012. The story has been shared over 40,000 times on Facebook.
The Morning Star piece does not explicitly claim that Israeli forces taught American police to kneel on a person’s neck. The only link to this tactic in the article is made by an activist who says she saw Israeli forces use the technique in the West Bank from 2006 onwards, and speculates that they taught the technique to other countries, including the US.
But Minneapolis Police Department rules permitted “neck restraints” that involved an officer’s leg in 2010 – some two years before the Israeli consulate conference. It is possible that the same rules applied as early as 2002. So even if the technique was included in the Israeli conference (and we’ve seen no evidence that it was), it would not have been new information to the Minneapolis Police.
Following yesterday’s controversy, Amnesty International issued a statement saying: “Allegations that US police were taught tactics of ‘neck kneeling’ by Israeli secret services is not something we’ve ever reported”.
FactCheck has not been able to verify whether any of the officers charged in connection with George Floyd’s death attended the 2012 conference.
FactCheck has been unable to verify the claim that “Israeli secret services” carried out training at the conference. Two separate reports from the time of the conference say that it was led by senior Israeli police officers. Neither mentions the intelligence agencies.
It is true that some US police forces have been trained by Israeli law enforcement officials over the last two decades. But we should remember that other countries, including the UK and Germany, have also run training and exchange schemes with American officers.
Ms Peake later tweeted: “I feel it’s important for me to clarify that, when talking to The Independent, I was inaccurate in my assumption of American Police training & its sources. I find racism & antisemitism abhorrent & I in no way wished, nor intended, to add fodder to any views of the contrary.”


channel4uk--2020-06-26--Series 5, Episode 9: Run the Jewels

Series 5, Episode 9: Run the Jewels

Atlanta-born Killer Mike and New Yorker El-P make up American hip hop duo Run the Jewels and they ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ ‘ Run the Jewels 4 ’ .
Despite being written last year , this fire-fuelled @ @ @ @ @ the world in 2020 .
In a two-person special episode , they talk to Krishnan @ @ @ @ @ the creative process , marijuana ( legal in their states ) , the U.S. election @ @ @ @ @ vitality of their new record RTJ4 .
You can listen to and subscribe to the @ @ @ @ @ .
Or on Spotify , Acast , CastBox and other good podcast apps .
So @ @ @ @ @ the big ideas changing the way we think , act and live – and how @ @ @ @ @ have as individuals .
A filmed version of each interview is available on our Channel @ @ @ @ @ hit subscribe to keep updated on when a new episode is published .

Atlanta-born Killer Mike and New Yorker El-P make up American hip hop duo Run the Jewels and they’ve just released their fourth album ‘Run the Jewels 4’. Despite being written last year, this fire-fuelled album highlights stark realities of the world in 2020.
In a two-person special episode, they talk to Krishnan about optimism, protest, the creative process, marijuana (legal in their states), the U.S. election, and the anger and vitality of their new record RTJ4.
Listen and subscribe
You can listen to and subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts here.
Or on Spotify, Acast, CastBox and other good podcast apps.
So join us as we explore the big ideas changing the way we think, act and live – and how much impact we can really have as individuals.
A filmed version of each interview is available on our Channel 4 News YouTube channel – hit subscribe to keep updated on when a new episode is published.


channel4uk--2020-06-27--Black Pound Day: supporting black businesses

We are being encouraged to spend money on businesses owned and run by black people today .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Black Pound Day which aims to redress the economic balance between communities .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ of ownership within the black community is a big driver of inequality .

We are being encouraged to spend money on businesses owned and run by black people today. It’s part of an initiative called Black Pound Day which aims to redress the economic balance between communities.
It’s founder says the lack of ownership within the black community is a big driver of inequality.


channel4uk--2020-06-27--Facebook to label ‘harmful’ posts as advertisers boycott platform

Facebook has responded to an advertisers ’ boycott by saying it will label and possibly remove harmful posts .
Facebook @ @ @ @ @ company would change its policies on hate speech and voter suppression but major advertisers , @ @ @ @ @ continued to join the boycott .

Facebook has responded to an advertisers’ boycott by saying it will label and possibly remove harmful posts.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company would change its policies on hate speech and voter suppression but major advertisers, including Coca Cola, have continued to join the boycott.


channel4uk--2020-06-27--Police officer stabbed in Glasgow attack in stable condition

The police officer who was stabbed during a knife attack at a Glasgow hotel yesterday is now in a stable @ @ @ @ @ was one of six people injured in the attack which took place over four floors @ @ @ @ @ in which a male suspect was fatally shot by police .
And , as our @ @ @ @ @ Israel reports , he told another resident at the hotel of violent intentions .

The police officer who was stabbed during a knife attack at a Glasgow hotel yesterday is now in a stable condition.
Constable David Whyte was one of six people injured in the attack which took place over four floors of the Park Inn Hotel in which a male suspect was fatally shot by police.
And, as our senior home affairs correspondent Simon Israel reports, he told another resident at the hotel of violent intentions.


channel4uk--2020-06-27--Travel changes ‘led more by economics than public health’, says Professor Devi Sridhar

We ’ re joined to discuss how feasible these plans are by Devi Sridhar , Professor of Global Public Health @ @ @ @ @ MP Huw Merriman who chairs the Transport Select Committee .

We’re joined to discuss how feasible these plans are by Devi Sridhar, Professor of Global Public Health at Edinburgh University and Conservative MP Huw Merriman who chairs the Transport Select Committee.


channel4uk--2020-06-27--Overseas holidays to be given green light from July as government relaxes restrictions

Foreign holidays have been given the green light after ministers confirmed the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days upon returning @ @ @ @ @ scrapped for some popular destinations .
Trips to France , Greece , Italy and Spain @ @ @ @ @ the Government confirmed it will revise the quarantine measures next week .
A traffic light @ @ @ @ @ requirement , with officials placing countries into green , amber and red categories based on @ @ @ @ @

Foreign holidays have been given the green light after ministers confirmed the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days upon returning to the UK will be scrapped for some popular destinations.
Trips to France, Greece, Italy and Spain look on the cards after the Government confirmed it will revise the quarantine measures next week.
A traffic light system will replace the quarantine requirement, with officials placing countries into green, amber and red categories based on the prevalence of coronavirus.


channel4uk--2020-06-28--Opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera sworn in as Malawi president after election rerun

Malawi ’ s opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera has been sworn in as the country ’ s new leader after a @ @ @ @ @ country ’ s presidential election .
Chakwera ’ s victory makes him the first opposition @ @ @ @ @ African nation after courts had annulled an election

Malawi’s opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera has been sworn in as the country’s new leader after a rerun of the southern African country’s presidential election.
Chakwera’s victory makes him the first opposition leader to take over an African nation after courts had annulled an election


channel4uk--2020-06-28--US virus cases surge as global infections pass 10 million

The world has passed a grim milestone .
More than 10 million people across the globe have tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ suggest that nearly half a million people have died from the virus worldwide .
The @ @ @ @ @ quarter of the world ’ s infections and , with cases in many areas continuing @ @ @ @ @ are reimposing restrictions .

The world has passed a grim milestone. More than 10 million people across the globe have tested positive for Covid-19.
The latest figures suggest that nearly half a million people have died from the virus worldwide.
The United States has seen a quarter of the world’s infections and, with cases in many areas continuing to rise, some states are reimposing restrictions.


channel4uk--2020-06-28--Priti Patel condemns ‘unacceptable’ mass gatherings

The Home Secretary Priti Patel has said that the rise of mass gatherings in recent days was “ unacceptable ” @ @ @ @ @ spike of coronavirus .
Police had to disperse crowds at music events in south London @ @ @ @ @ the Liver Building in Liverpool were set on fire on Friday as fans celebrated Liverpool @ @ @ @ @ .

The Home Secretary Priti Patel has said that the rise of mass gatherings in recent days was “unacceptable” and risks creating a deadly spike of coronavirus.
Police had to disperse crowds at music events in south London last night while parts of the Liver Building in Liverpool were set on fire on Friday as fans celebrated Liverpool’s Premier League win.


channel4uk--2020-06-28--UK’s top civil servant Sir Mark Sedwill to stand down

It has been announced that Britain ’ s most senior civil servant Sir Mark Sedwill is leaving his job .
@ @ @ @ @ this week after Downing Street refused to confirm he would be cabinet secretary next year @

It has been announced that Britain’s most senior civil servant Sir Mark Sedwill is leaving his job.
Speculation about his future mounted this week after Downing Street refused to confirm he would be cabinet secretary next year.


channel4uk--2020-06-28--Leicester could face local lockdown after virus spike

A surge in virus cases in Leicester could result in the city being the first area in the UK to @ @ @ @ @ .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has reportedly been examining legal aspects of such a move @ @ @ @ @ there was an upturn with 866 new cases recorded in the Leicester area just in @ @ @ @ @

A surge in virus cases in Leicester could result in the city being the first area in the UK to go into a local lockdown.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has reportedly been examining legal aspects of such a move after it was revealed that there was an upturn with 866 new cases recorded in the Leicester area just in the last two weeks.


channel4uk--2020-07-01--Governments pledge billions of dollars in aid for Syria

As if it couldn ’ t get any worse for the people of Syria , they now have Covid-19 and @ @ @ @ @ to the woes created by nine years of civil war .
Now , international donors @ @ @ @ @ at a virtual fundraising conference to support its troubled economy , which has seen food @ @ @ @ @ .

As if it couldn’t get any worse for the people of Syria, they now have Covid-19 and an economic collapse to add to the woes created by nine years of civil war.
Now, international donors have pledged $7.7 billion at a virtual fundraising conference to support its troubled economy, which has seen food prices jump by 200%.


channel4uk--2020-06-30--Thousands sign petition to bring charges against police who allegedly took murder scene selfies

Over 25,000 people have signed a petition calling for criminal charges to be brought against two police officers who allegedly @ @ @ @ @ scene of two women killed in north-west London .
Half-sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman @ @ @ @ @ Park earlier this month .
Their killer has not yet been apprehended .
The investigation @ @ @ @ @ last week after this programme reported that two police officers had been arrested and are @ @ @ @ @ in public office .
The Metropolitan Police has said it is “ horrified and disgusted @ @ @ @ @ Bibaa and Nicole ’ s mother Mina Smallman has accused the officers of dehumanising her @ @ @ @ @ been raised that officers did not act on reports the women were missing .
We @ @ @ @ @ the Bishop of Dover and a friend of Mina Smallman , and began by asking @ @ @ @ @ .

Over 25,000 people have signed a petition calling for criminal charges to be brought against two police officers who allegedly took selfies at the murder scene of two women killed in north-west London.
Half-sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman were murdered at Fryent Country Park earlier this month. Their killer has not yet been apprehended.
The investigation was thrown into the spotlight last week after this programme reported that two police officers had been arrested and are currently under investigation for misconduct in public office. The Metropolitan Police has said it is “horrified and disgusted by the allegations”.
Bibaa and Nicole’s mother Mina Smallman has accused the officers of dehumanising her daughters. Concerns have also been raised that officers did not act on reports the women were missing. We spoke to Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Bishop of Dover and a friend of Mina Smallman, and began by asking how the family is coping.


channel4uk--2020-06-30--‘Major failings’ by probation staff in release of serial rapist

An independent review into how a serial rapist was freed from prison to carry out a series of sex attacks @ @ @ @ @ major failings ” by an “ unstable ” team of inexperienced probation staff .
Joseph @ @ @ @ @ sentences in December for the attacks on 11 women and children last year .

An independent review into how a serial rapist was freed from prison to carry out a series of sex attacks has said there were “major failings” by an “unstable” team of inexperienced probation staff.
Joseph McCann was handed 33 life sentences in December for the attacks on 11 women and children last year.


channel4uk--2020-06-30--Leicester has ‘perfect storm’ to drive a pandemic – Dr Manish Pareek

Dr Manish Pareek is an associate professor of infectious diseases at the University of Leicester and a consultant at Leicester @ @ @ @ @ outbreak of the pandemic , he ’ s been researching the impact of ethnicity on @ @ @ @ @ .

Dr Manish Pareek is an associate professor of infectious diseases at the University of Leicester and a consultant at Leicester Royal Infirmary. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, he’s been researching the impact of ethnicity on how people recover from Covid-19.


channel4uk--2020-06-30--Trump facing renewed scrutiny over how much he knew about Russia Taliban claims

Donald Trump is facing renewed scrutiny over how much he knew about Russia allegedly paying the Taliban to kill US @ @ @ @ @ to now the White House has said the President was never briefed .
This is @ @ @ @ @ Carl Bernstein made further claims about the Trump administration ’ s relations with foreign governments @

Donald Trump is facing renewed scrutiny over how much he knew about Russia allegedly paying the Taliban to kill US troops in Afghanistan.
Up to now the White House has said the President was never briefed.
This is as the veteran Watergate journalist Carl Bernstein made further claims about the Trump administration’s relations with foreign governments.


channel4uk--2020-06-30--Chris Patten: Chinese government is behaving with ‘aggressive loutishness’

No one was available to speak to us from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office , but just before we came @ @ @ @ @ Lord Patten , the last British Governor of Hong Kong , and the pro-democracy campaigner @ @ @ @ @ by asking for her reaction to this new law .

No one was available to speak to us from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, but just before we came on air we spoke to Lord Patten, the last British Governor of Hong Kong, and the pro-democracy campaigner Bonnie Leung.
We began by asking for her reaction to this new law.


channel4uk--2020-06-30--China condemned after passing law to curtail Hong Kong protests

China has passed a law aimed at preventing a repeat of last year ’ s pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ international condemnation of the hastily-passed legal crackdown , which is already leading to anti-Beijing groups @ @

China has passed a law aimed at preventing a repeat of last year’s pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
There has been strong international condemnation of the hastily-passed legal crackdown, which is already leading to anti-Beijing groups disbanding.


channel4uk--2020-06-30--Johnson pledges to ‘build, build, build’, but is the money pledged as lofty as his ambitions?

The slogan is “ build , build , build ” .
The plan is to spend £5 billion on infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ rules .
Boris Johnson went to Dudley to explain how the government will help Britain @ @ @ @ @ .
He warned that an economic aftershock was about to break like a thunderclap over @ @ @ @ @ would mean that many of the jobs people had in January were not coming back @ @ @ @ @ Keir Starmer said the government ’ s plans did not match the scale of the @ @

The slogan is “build, build, build”. The plan is to spend £5 billion on infrastructure projects and to reform planning rules.
Boris Johnson went to Dudley to explain how the government will help Britain recover from the coronavirus crisis.
He warned that an economic aftershock was about to break like a thunderclap over the country.
And that would mean that many of the jobs people had in January were not coming back.
The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the government’s plans did not match the scale of the crisis.


channel4uk--2020-06-30--Leicester’s residents heading into another full lockdown

We ’ ve heard from the politicians and public health experts .
What about the people of Leicester who are @ @ @ @ @ full lockdown ?

We’ve heard from the politicians and public health experts.
What about the people of Leicester who are having to head into another full lockdown?


channel4uk--2020-06-30--Jeremy Hunt: ‘We should have mass testing of NHS and care staff’

We were hoping to ask the Prime Minister about the lockdown at his speech in Dudley today , but space @ @ @ @ @ we were not invited .
We also asked for the Health Secretary to appear on @ @ @ @ @ we were told he was not available .
Despite numerous requests , Matt Hancock has @ @ @ @ @ Channel 4 News for more than three weeks .
However , a short while ago @ @ @ @ @ Secretary Jeremy Hunt , who is now the Chair of the Health Select Committee .
@ @ @ @ @ whether he backed the local lockdown introduced in Leicester .

We were hoping to ask the Prime Minister about the lockdown at his speech in Dudley today, but space for journalists was limited and we were not invited.
We also asked for the Health Secretary to appear on the programme tonight, but we were told he was not available.
Despite numerous requests, Matt Hancock has not given an interview to Channel 4 News for more than three weeks.
However, a short while ago we spoke to former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who is now the Chair of the Health Select Committee.
We started by asking him whether he backed the local lockdown introduced in Leicester.


channel4uk--2020-06-30--UK’s first local lockdown imposed in Leicester after virus spike

As the rest of England prepares to go back to pubs and restaurants this weekend , in Leicester the doors @ @ @ @ @ city today has become the first to enter a local lockdown .
All non-essential shops @ @ @ @ @ Residents are being advised to stay home and only make essential journeys .
The Prime @ @ @ @ @ Leicester in a tweet for their forbearance in taking the measures needed to control the @ @

As the rest of England prepares to go back to pubs and restaurants this weekend, in Leicester the doors will remain closed.
The city today has become the first to enter a local lockdown.
All non-essential shops are closing or closed, Residents are being advised to stay home and only make essential journeys.
The Prime Minister thanked the people of Leicester in a tweet for their forbearance in taking the measures needed to control the virus.


channel4uk--2020-06-30--Pubs in England prepare to re-open, amid warnings of second wave

4 July is set to be “ independence day ” from the lockdown , for businesses such as pubs and @ @ @ @ @ now know how they are supposed to open safely , thanks to a tranche of @ @ @ @ @ But fears about a loosened lockdown prompted leading medical figures to warn of a second @ @ @ @ @ Starmer clashed with the Prime Minister over the readiness of the NHS ’ s track @ @ @ @ @ businesses such as gyms and theatres expressed fury that they are not being allowed to @ @

4 July is set to be “independence day” from the lockdown, for businesses such as pubs and hairdressers in England.
We now know how they are supposed to open safely, thanks to a tranche of detailed guidelines published overnight.
But fears about a loosened lockdown prompted leading medical figures to warn of a second wave of infections and Keir Starmer clashed with the Prime Minister over the readiness of the NHS’s track and trace system. Other businesses such as gyms and theatres expressed fury that they are not being allowed to reopen.


channel4uk--2020-06-29--New York group trying to turn experiences of imprisonment into something positive

The American dream has become the African American nightmare .
The words of one of the founders of a grassroots @ @ @ @ @ are trying to turn their experiences of imprisonment into something positive .
Instead of anger @ @ @ @ @ is rife with racism and class prejudice – they want to start the process of @ @ @ @ @ communities .
Talking alone will not create change , they say – but it ’ @ @ @ @ @ Washington correspondent Siobhan Kennedy went to the South Bronx to meet them .

The American dream has become the African American nightmare.
The words of one of the founders of a grassroots group called Holla – who are trying to turn their experiences of imprisonment into something positive.
Instead of anger against a system they say is rife with racism and class prejudice – they want to start the process of healing America’s fractured communities.
Talking alone will not create change, they say – but it’s a beginning. Our Washington correspondent Siobhan Kennedy went to the South Bronx to meet them.


channel4uk--2020-06-29--‘Time was squandered and we didn’t actually make the investments in healthcare and infrastructure’ –

‘Time was squandered and we didn’t actually make the investments in healthcare and infrastructure’ – Dr Amesh Adalja on Covid surge in US

The worrying new surge in new coronavirus cases in the United States is down to people ignoring public health advice @ @ @ @ @ masks , according to Anthony Fauci , the Trump administration ’ s top infectious diseases @ @ @ @ @ warned that moves by some states to ease lockdown restrictions quickly has become “ a @ @ @ @ @ The number of new cases reported each day in the US looked like it had @ @ @ @ @ in recent weeks , the number in some states has shot up again , with @ @ @ @ @ day on average .
More than 125,000 people have died from the disease .
We @ @ @ @ @ by Dr Amesh Adalja – an infectious disease specialist at the Johns Hopkins University Center @ @ @ @

The worrying new surge in new coronavirus cases in the United States is down to people ignoring public health advice on social distancing and face masks, according to Anthony Fauci, the Trump administration’s top infectious diseases official.
He’s warned that moves by some states to ease lockdown restrictions quickly has become “a recipe for disaster”.
The number of new cases reported each day in the US looked like it had peaked in April.
But in recent weeks, the number in some states has shot up again, with around 40,000 new cases a day on average.
More than 125,000 people have died from the disease.
We were joined from New York by Dr Amesh Adalja – an infectious disease specialist at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security.


channel4uk--2020-07-01--Thousands of jobs axed in Covid-induced downturn

Yesterday the Prime Minister was promising to “ build , build , build ” the country out of an ailing @ @ @ @ @ the carnage is in retail .
John Lewis , Topshop and Harrods cutting their workforces @ @ @ @ @ Upper Crust , best known for its baguettes , announced 5,000 jobs could go .
@ @ @ @ @ as EasyJet said it could pull out of Stansted , Southend and Newcastle airports .

Yesterday the Prime Minister was promising to “build, build, build” the country out of an ailing Covid-induced downturn.
Today the reality: axe, axe, axe – thousands of jobs.
Most of the carnage is in retail. John Lewis, Topshop and Harrods cutting their workforces. The company which owns Upper Crust, best known for its baguettes, announced 5,000 jobs could go.
Aviation was also hit again as EasyJet said it could pull out of Stansted, Southend and Newcastle airports.


channel4uk--2020-07-01--Five years after Cecil the lion was shot dead, trophy hunting continues

Warning : this report contains distressing images of animal cruelty .
Tomorrow will mark five years since Cecil the lion @ @ @ @ @ dentist .
The killing sparked an international outcry to ban lion trophy hunting .
The @ @ @ @ @ promises to ban it , but hunters continue to import , quite legally , lion @ @ @ @ @ Chief Correspondent Alex Thomson has spoken exclusively to the controversial safari tour operators who lead @ @ @

Warning: this report contains distressing images of animal cruelty.
Tomorrow will mark five years since Cecil the lion was shot by an American dentist. The killing sparked an international outcry to ban lion trophy hunting.
The UK government has made repeated promises to ban it, but hunters continue to import, quite legally, lion trophies into Britain.
Our Chief Correspondent Alex Thomson has spoken exclusively to the controversial safari tour operators who lead the hunts.


channel4uk--2020-07-01--‘Both sides to blame’ if EU and UK fail to agree trade deal – senior German MP Norbert Roettgen

Germany takes over the EU ’ s presidency from today , assuming the role at a key moment for the @ @ @ @ @ grapple not only with the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis but at a crunch @ @ @ @ @ which could threaten even more economic turmoil .
Expectations are high though – as it @ @ @ @ @ ’ s last chance to make her final mark before she stands down next year @ @ @ @ @ .

Germany takes over the EU’s presidency from today, assuming the role at a key moment for the bloc, as its members grapple not only with the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis but at a crunch time for Brexit negotiations, which could threaten even more economic turmoil.
Expectations are high though – as it will be Chancellor Angela Merkel’s last chance to make her final mark before she stands down next year after 16 years in office.


channel4uk--2020-07-01--Nearly a third of people have suffered health problems during lockdown because of poor housing

Lockdown has not been easy for anyone , but for millions of people it has meant being trapped in overcrowded @ @ @ @ @ rooms plagued by damp and mould 24 hours a day .
New research from the @ @ @ @ @ in three people across Britain have suffered mental or physical health problems during the crisis @ @ @ @ @ Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised more housing yesterday but will his plan come anywhere near @ @ @ @ @ sort of homes needed .
Jackie Long reports .

Lockdown has not been easy for anyone, but for millions of people it has meant being trapped in overcrowded flats, or living in rooms plagued by damp and mould 24 hours a day.
New research from the National Housing Federation says one in three people across Britain have suffered mental or physical health problems during the crisis because of poor housing.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised more housing yesterday but will his plan come anywhere near to building enough of the sort of homes needed. Jackie Long reports.


channel4uk--2020-07-01--‘I fear for my personal safety and security’ – Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigner Isaac Cheng

We spoke to Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat , who is chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee , and the pro-democracy @ @ @ @ @ began by asking Isaac how much he fears arrest for engaging in political activities .

We spoke to Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, who is chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the pro-democracy campaigner Isaac Cheng.
I began by asking Isaac how much he fears arrest for engaging in political activities.


channel4uk--2020-07-01--18-year-old man arrested over murders of sisters in London park

An 18-year-old man has been arrested over the nighttime murder of two sisters in a park in north-west London on @ @ @ @ @ and Bibaa Henry had been stabbed to death by someone who police believe was not @ @ @ @ @ 4 News reported last week that two Metropolitan police officers have been arrested and bailed @ @ @ @ @ what were described as “ inappropriate photos ” of the crime scene .
Our senior @ @ @ @ @ has the latest .

An 18-year-old man has been arrested over the nighttime murder of two sisters in a park in north-west London on 6 June.
Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry had been stabbed to death by someone who police believe was not known to them.
Channel 4 News reported last week that two Metropolitan police officers have been arrested and bailed after they took and shared what were described as “inappropriate photos” of the crime scene. Our senior home affairs correspondent Simon Israel has the latest.


channel4uk--2020-07-01--Hundreds arrested in Hong Kong protests as security law comes into effect

It ’ s 23 years since Hong Kong stopped being a British colony and returned to Chinese control , but @ @ @ @ @ Instead hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested , and thousands defied a police ban to @ @ @ @ @ China last night .
Today , the British government said the new laws were a @ @ @ @ @ violation of the handover treaty and promised a special visa system that could allow millions @ @ @ @ @ British National Overseas status to come to the UK .

It’s 23 years since Hong Kong stopped being a British colony and returned to Chinese control, but there were no celebrations.
Instead hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested, and thousands defied a police ban to oppose draconian legislation imposed by China last night.
Today, the British government said the new laws were a “clear and serious” violation of the handover treaty and promised a special visa system that could allow millions of Hong Kong citizens with British National Overseas status to come to the UK.


channel4uk--2020-07-01--Bradford enduring one of highest numbers of Covid cases

Public Health England ’ s figures show the towns and cities suffering the highest number of virus cases .
The @ @ @ @ @ Bradford , Barnsley and Rochdale .
Our North of England correspondent Clare Fallon is in @ @

Public Health England’s figures show the towns and cities suffering the highest number of virus cases.
The worst-affected regions after Leicester were Bradford, Barnsley and Rochdale.
Our North of England correspondent Clare Fallon is in Bradford.


channel4uk--2020-07-01--Labour accuses Johnson of being too slow to respond to Leicester Covid outbreak

Public Health England has published its report which led to Leicester becoming the first city in Britain to face a @ @ @ @ @ only started going back into lockdown yesterday and today Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused @ @ @ @ @ over what he said was a “ lost week ” .
The Prime Minister insisted @ @ @ @ @ swiftly and defended the sharing of testing figures with local officials .

Public Health England has published its report which led to Leicester becoming the first city in Britain to face a new lockdown.
The city only started going back into lockdown yesterday and today Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the Prime Minister of presiding over what he said was a “lost week”.
The Prime Minister insisted that action had been taken swiftly and defended the sharing of testing figures with local officials.
Darshna Soni is in Leicester.


channel4uk--2020-07-01--‘Not good enough for government to say everything that went into pandemic stockpile in 2009 was safe

‘Not good enough for government to say everything that went into pandemic stockpile in 2009 was safe’ – Labour’s Rachel Reeves

We were joined by Rachel Reeves , shadow minister for the cabinet office who has been dealing with the PPE @ @ @ @ @ .
We did ask for an interview with the Department of Health , but they @ @

We were joined by Rachel Reeves, shadow minister for the cabinet office who has been dealing with the PPE issue for the Labour Party.
We did ask for an interview with the Department of Health, but they declined.


channel4uk--2020-07-01--Safety fears over 85 million masks and respirators

In May , this programme revealed that 200 million items of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) in the UK @ @ @ @ @ time Covid-19 was declared a pandemic .
The government and Public Health England insisted at @ @ @ @ @ expired PPE had been tested and was safe to use .
But tonight we can @ @ @ @ @ been raised over 85 million expired surgical masks and respirators that were distributed to hospitals @ @ @ @ @ from the stockpile .
Millions have now been withdrawn from use .
Our Health and @ @ @ @ @ has the story .

In May, this programme revealed that 200 million items of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the UK stockpile had expired by the time Covid-19 was declared a pandemic.
The government and Public Health England insisted at the time that all the expired PPE had been tested and was safe to use.
But tonight we can reveal that safety concerns have been raised over 85 million expired surgical masks and respirators that were distributed to hospitals, care homes and GPs from the stockpile.
Millions have now been withdrawn from use.
Our Health and Social Care Editor Victoria Macdonald has the story.


channel4uk--2020-07-01--Revealed: Safety concerns over 85 million masks and respirators

The Department of Health has issued safety warnings , notices for disposal and distribution stoppages for more than 85 million masks and respirators , a Channel 4 News investigation has found .
The masks and respirators , many of which had passed their use by dates , were stored at the government ’ s Pandemic Stockpile in Haydock , Warrington and have been distributed to hospitals , care homes and GP surgeries since March .
Last week , the medical equipment regulator , the MHRA , issued guidance to the NHS stating that millions of Cardinal surgical masks , distributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ disposed of ” .
More than 67 million of these masks were in the stockpile .
In advice to health workers , the NHS stated : “ There is a risk to staff wearing the mask if the foam strip on the mask flakes and enters their airway or mouth ” .
In the investigation to be broadcast tonight , Channel 4 News has also discovered that safety warnings have been issued about 3M 1863 respirators which the government previously claimed were safe to use .
A confidential memo sent to healthcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain 3M respirators were “ sub-optimal ” .
It warned staff to check for signs of degradation , including “ grey nose foam band missing from mask ” , “ Degraded nose foam band – dry and crumbly ” and the “ inside layer coming away and creating loose fibres in mask and mouth ” .
There were 11.5m of these in the stockpile – most of which were expired at the start of the year .
Distribution of millions of Cardinal-branded respirators was also halted after staff reported problems with fit testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stockpile .
It is unclear how many were distributed before the masks were withdrawn .
On the 6th of June DHSC told Channel 4 News : “ DHSC took a decision in March 2020 not to further distribute the [ Cardinal ] respirators in agreement with HSE .
We had received reports in the same month that staff were unable to achieve a successful fit test with this respirator and thus for the reassurance of hospital staff a decision was taken to no longer deploy.
” But Channel 4 News has seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used – notably in the South West .
On 22nd June the Local Resilience Forum published a document stating they were “ now being fit tested across all providers in the SW region ” .
In total , approximately 85 million masks and respirators that were held in the stockpile have been affected .
Concerns were first raised about the safety of the PPE in March when frontline medical staff noticed that the equipment had passed its expiry date .
At the time Public Health England assured medical staff that the equipment had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe to use .
In March , just days before the lockdown was imposed , the government sent samples of expired 3M respirators to Inspec , an independent testing laboratory .
But the inspection report , released to Channel 4 News after 5 weeks of repeated requests , shows that just 49 specimens , out of 16 million held in the stockpile , were tested for filtration and a further 49 for breathability .
While all the tested samples fell comfortably within the legal limits , the report says the finding was “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was insufficient completely to verify compliance with the clause.
” John Cherrie , Principal Scientist of the Institute of Occupational Medicine , told Channel 4 News : “ The amount of testing that was done was really woefully inadequate .
I would have expected perhaps ten times as many tests as were carried out to be sure and that those tests should have been carried out clearly in a representative way from the stockpile .
“ It ’ s surprising that the national stockpiles are allowed to get into this rather ‘ out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have expected that they might have been better managed , and stock which was near to the end of its life or was outside its use date would have been disposed of and replaced .
“ I can ’ t see any strong evidence that suggests that the masks that were released were not suitable to protect individuals.. but the process they went through was not sufficient to be sure of that .
But there ’ s no evidence to say that people have been harmed by wearing these masks.
” INSPEC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tests , told us they were an “ accredited laboratory and as such the testing was performed as per the Customer ’ s instructions.
” PHE told us : “ The Health & Safety Executive agreed to a limited testing process .
The report shows a 100 % pass rate , which provided full assurance on their safety.
” The Department of Health and Social Care said : “ The quality of PPE released to the front line is critically important to us .
Rigorous checks were made to ensure products were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and all products purchased for the stockpile in 2009 met the essential safety requirements required by law .
“ As soon as we are alerted to any potential issues we take immediate action to ensure the safety of our health and care staff , and work to resolve those issues as quickly as possible .
”

The Department of Health has issued safety warnings, notices for disposal and distribution stoppages for more than 85 million masks and respirators, a Channel 4 News investigation has found.
The masks and respirators, many of which had passed their use by dates, were stored at the government’s Pandemic Stockpile in Haydock, Warrington and have been distributed to hospitals, care homes and GP surgeries since March.
Last week, the medical equipment regulator, the MHRA, issued guidance to the NHS stating that millions of Cardinal surgical masks, distributed by the company Medline, should be “disposed of”. More than 67 million of these masks were in the stockpile.
In advice to health workers, the NHS stated: “There is a risk to staff wearing the mask if the foam strip on the mask flakes and enters their airway or mouth”.
In the investigation to be broadcast tonight, Channel 4 News has also discovered that safety warnings have been issued about 3M 1863 respirators which the government previously claimed were safe to use. A confidential memo sent to healthcare workers in the South West stated that certain 3M respirators were “sub-optimal”.
It warned staff to check for signs of degradation, including “grey nose foam band missing from mask”, “Degraded nose foam band – dry and crumbly” and the “inside layer coming away and creating loose fibres in mask and mouth”.
There were 11.5m of these in the stockpile – most of which were expired at the start of the year.
Distribution of millions of Cardinal-branded respirators was also halted after staff reported problems with fit testing. There were 6.8m Cardinal-branded respirators in the stockpile. It is unclear how many were distributed before the masks were withdrawn.
On the 6th of June DHSC told Channel 4 News: “DHSC took a decision in March 2020 not to further distribute the [Cardinal] respirators in agreement with HSE. We had received reports in the same month that staff were unable to achieve a successful fit test with this respirator and thus for the reassurance of hospital staff a decision was taken to no longer deploy.”
But Channel 4 News has seen evidence the same respirators are still being used – notably in the South West. On 22nd June the Local Resilience Forum published a document stating they were “now being fit tested across all providers in the SW region”.
In total, approximately 85 million masks and respirators that were held in the stockpile have been affected.
Concerns were first raised about the safety of the PPE in March when frontline medical staff noticed that the equipment had passed its expiry date.
At the time Public Health England assured medical staff that the equipment had been “rigorously tested” and was safe to use.
In March, just days before the lockdown was imposed, the government sent samples of expired 3M respirators to Inspec, an independent testing laboratory.
But the inspection report, released to Channel 4 News after 5 weeks of repeated requests, shows that just 49 specimens, out of 16 million held in the stockpile, were tested for filtration and a further 49 for breathability.
While all the tested samples fell comfortably within the legal limits, the report says the finding was “limited” because “the testing requested was insufficient completely to verify compliance with the clause.”
John Cherrie, Principal Scientist of the Institute of Occupational Medicine, told Channel 4 News: “The amount of testing that was done was really woefully inadequate. I would have expected perhaps ten times as many tests as were carried out to be sure and that those tests should have been carried out clearly in a representative way from the stockpile.
“It’s surprising that the national stockpiles are allowed to get into this rather ‘out of date’ situation. And I would have expected that they might have been better managed, and stock which was near to the end of its life or was outside its use date would have been disposed of and replaced.
“I can’t see any strong evidence that suggests that the masks that were released were not suitable to protect individuals.. but the process they went through was not sufficient to be sure of that. But there’s no evidence to say that people have been harmed by wearing these masks.”
INSPEC, the laboratory hired to carry out the tests, told us they were an “accredited laboratory and as such the testing was performed as per the Customer’s instructions.”
PHE told us: “The Health & Safety Executive agreed to a limited testing process. The report shows a 100% pass rate, which provided full assurance on their safety.”
The Department of Health and Social Care said: “The quality of PPE released to the front line is critically important to us. Rigorous checks were made to ensure products were safe before being distributed to the frontline and all products purchased for the stockpile in 2009 met the essential safety requirements required by law.
“As soon as we are alerted to any potential issues we take immediate action to ensure the safety of our health and care staff, and work to resolve those issues as quickly as possible.”
This report was part of an in-depth project by the Channel 4 News Investigations team.