bbcuk--2020-07-30--Coronavirus: Cardiff scientists helping crack virus genetic code

Scientists in Wales are leading global efforts to decipher and track changes to the genetic code of coronavirus .
Little variations in the code could have a big impact on whether the virus becomes more or less infectious and could determine how effective any future vaccine might be .
Samples from 6,000 people - more than a third of those who have tested positive in Wales - have been sequenced .
The science is also helping clamp down on local outbreaks But the amount of data collected in Wales make it third in the world to the United States and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nottingham , Leicester , Liverpool and Sheffield are among those involved .
The Cardiff-based team - already experts in tracking flu - is said to be `` punching above its weight '' in understanding the world 's biggest modern pandemic .
What does the science do ?
Covid-19 genetic code is made up of about 30,000 bases or letters - a combination of ATGCs , which make up the blueprint .
As the viruses copy themselves within cells , and go on to infect others , tiny errors can occur in the code @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientists are providing valuable insights into how the virus works , changes and spreads .
The results from thousands of positive tests in Wales are fed into the UK 's Covid-19 genetic consortium and international databases .
What has it told us about the pandemic in Wales ?
Joanne Watkins , lead biomedical scientist at PenGu , said she was `` elated '' when the process worked first time and they were able to analyse the first positive case , which was sourced from northern Italy .
`` We knew it was potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was good to know and it was following what we were also seeing in the rest of the UK .
`` You can see how it 's moving across the country and across the world and how it subtly changes , and from those changes you can see perhaps if the virus becomes more virulent or whether it stops the virus from being as successful . ''
She said by tracking changes in the virus it might also help in the development of vaccines .
Prof Tom Connor , bioinformatics lead at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was `` phenomenal '' but it also pointed to the challenge for the rest of the world to keep up .
He said it was not just the amount of data being collected in Wales but the close working with those in the health service fighting the outbreak .
`` We can integrate the genome data into local outbreaks , hospitals and national surveillance , '' he said .
`` That 's simply not achievable in most of the rest of the world and we 've had quite a few people on social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We really have something quite special . ''
• Coronavirus : What do the stats tell us in Wales ?
• Cracking the secrets of how bats survive viruses How do they decipher the code ?
Positive samples of Covid from 10 labs are delivered to the unit based at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff .
A series of high-tech machines convert the ribonucleic acid ( RNA ) of the virus into DNA then make multiple copies of it .
Other machines then read the code and analyse it .
Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said : `` The genomic information of any living organism can tell us an awful lot about that particular pathogen or individual - for us it 's the coronavirus .
We can look and interrogate the virus at a very granular level to discover what its secrets may be .
`` We can look to see if we can develop better diagnostic tests , for example , because diagnostic tests are very much based on what the sequence is .
If there 's a change in the sequence it could affect your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' How is genomic analysis helping the fight against Covid-19 ?
It can help better understand local outbreaks - so if there is an outbreak in a meat factory , it can analyse to find out if that particular strain was introduced by one person or from multiple sources .
If the virus has been introduced by several people it indicates community transmission is the source and the response should focus on the wider area.. Small changes in the genetic code could lead to different forms of the virus behaving differently .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fed into research exploring how one mutation changes a spike protein on the virus increasing its infectivity .
Many of the current efforts to develop a vaccine are based on information from the first sequencing of Covid-19 by Chinese scientists in early January .
When vaccines begin to be introduced , genomic analysis could help determine effectiveness .
Scientists hope they can sequence the virus to ensure it ca n't escape or evade the vaccine .
Predicting the effects of a potential second wave Knowing what variants of Covid-19 are circulating , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wales and the UK during the first wave , can help experts predict future waves .
It can also generate more accurate estimations of the R number - the reproductive rate .
Analysis from PenGu has already fed into the UK 's top science advisory group Sage , including on community transmission versus hospital transmission and how the virus came into the UK .
How is the team gearing up for winter ?
The team are already experts in tracking variations in the usual respiratory viruses like flu that circulate in winter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ new and significant challenges .
`` A major concern is people could get multiple things at once so they could be getting flu and Covid at the same time .
That 's a real concern as it might produce more severe outcomes , '' said Prof Connor .
`` The caveat is all the things we do to stop the spread of Covid also stops the spread of other respiratory pathogens .
`` So what we 'll be doing in Wales as part of our surveillance strategy for winter is not just look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other viruses . ''
Health Minister Vaughan Gething said Wales had built a `` world-class genomics system '' which was helping understand and track outbreaks and supporting responses locally .
`` Importantly , genomic analysis forms part of our circuit breakers : points where an immediate lockdown will happen and early warning indicators to let the Welsh Government know when a spike in cases could be on the way , '' he added .


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Coronavirus: How can I use the 'eat out to help out scheme'?

Diners will soon be able to get money off their bill on certain days in August to encourage a return to cafes , pubs and restaurants .
It 's hoped the `` eat out to help out '' scheme will provide a boost to the struggling hospitality industry , now that the national lockdown is easing .
But the scheme , which has been launched alongside the government 's healthy eating strategy , has faced criticism from some anti-obesity campaigners .
How does the scheme work ?
The promotion gives people a discount of up to 50 % when eating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurant or other food establishment .
It is valid all day Monday , Tuesday and Wednesday from 3 to 31 August , in all parts of the UK that are not in a local lockdown .
The maximum discount available is £10 per person when you eat or drink in .
Food and drink will appear on the menu at full price , and the restaurant will deduct the money off the bill and claim it back from the government .
How do I get the discount ?
The discount is only available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to consume on the premises , and can be used as many times as you like .
There is no limit on how many people can use the discount in one party , and it includes children .
Participating venues are supposed to offer the full 50 % discount all day Monday to Wednesday and across the whole food and soft drink menu .
There 's no minimum spend and you do n't have to order food to be eligible , for example a £3 coffee would cost £1.50 under the scheme .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with any other promotions and discounts being offered by the venue .
• Can my boss force me to go back to work ?
Which food and drink places are taking part ?
More than 53,000 businesses have signed up to the promotion , which covers participating : • Restaurants ( including those in hotels leisure centres and holiday parks ) Lots of local , independent pubs restaurants and cafes are taking part , as well as big chains .
Establishments can choose whether to sign up , and can join the scheme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ register online and will be able to claim the money back and have it refunded within five working days , To be eligible they must have a designated dining or drinking area , or access to one , and have been registered with their local authority since at least 7 July 2020 .
Businesses that have used the furlough scheme can apply .
A search tool allows people to search for participating local venues within a five-mile radius .
This may not pick up chain restaurants taking part in the scheme , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They include : What is not included ?
The discount can not be used on alcoholic drinks , service charges or food for a private function or event .
As the idea is to encourage people to eat in , establishments that are takeaway-only are not eligible .
Neither are catering services , bed and breakfasts or mobile food vans .
Businesses must have the facilities for people to dine in to take part , so venues offering informal seating in an area that does not belong to them are not included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out ' being introduced ?
To help get struggling cafes , restaurants and pubs back on their feet .
Hospitality is one of the biggest employers in the UK and has been hit especially hard by the lockdown measures .
In April 80 % of venues closed , and 1.4 million hospitality workers have been placed on furlough , the highest proportion of any sector .
Some venues have been able to provide a takeaway service during lockdown .
But this often means lower average spending per head and fewer people employed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some businesses .
In August , when many premises will have reopened , the government hopes diners will be enticed in by the discount on offer .
It also wants it to boost confidence in going out , and increase footfall at the quieter end of the week .
A recent survey suggested that many Britons felt uncomfortable about eating at a restaurant .
The Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) said just over two-in-10 adults were happy to have a sit-down meal .
The scheme is being used alongside other targeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for hospitality and tourism businesses .
Why has the scheme been criticised ?
Several fast-food chains are taking part in the scheme , which has drawn criticism from some anti-obesity campaigners .
The National Obesity Forum , for example , has said it would be a `` green light to promote junk food '' .
The discount scheme sits alongside the government 's healthy eating plan that bans `` buy one get one free '' deals on unhealthy food , amid growing evidence of a link between obesity and an increased risk from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was promoting mixed messages , Care Minister Helen Whately told LBC Radio that under the healthy eating plans , large chain restaurants will have to publish calorie breakdowns of their meals , helping diners to make an `` informed choice '' .

Coronavirus: Will the 'eat out to help out scheme' be extended? Published 28 August 2020
Image source, Getty Images
The "eat out to help out" scheme, which gives diners up to 50% off their bill, is due to end on Bank Holiday Monday (31 August).
Designed to boost the struggling hospitality industry, 64 million discounted meals were ordered during the first three weeks of the scheme.
The Treasury has resisted calls to extend the scheme but several restaurants say they will carry it on at their own expense.
Which restaurants say they will offer the discount for longer?
Chains pledging to continue offering some form of discount include:
Pizza Pilgrims
Tesco Café
The Real Greek
Until 9 September:
Harvester
Toby Carvery
Stonehouse Pizza
A longer list - including independent venues taking part by region - can be found here.
This is separate from the government scheme, so the discounts on offer may vary or change.
How has the Eat Out To Help Out scheme worked?
The UK-wide government promotion gives people up to 50% off when eating - or drinking soft drinks - in a participating restaurant or other food establishment.
The maximum discount is £10 per person.
It is valid all day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday throughout August.
Food and drink appear on the menu at full price, but the restaurant takes the money off the bill before claiming it back from the government.
Image source, Getty Images
Can I eat and drink anything?
The discount is only on food and soft drinks that you intend to consume on the premises.
It does not apply to takeaways.
There is no limit on how many times you can use the discount, or for how many people, including children.
There's no minimum spend and you don't have to order food to be eligible. For example, a £3 coffee would cost £1.50 under the scheme.
The offer can be used in combination with any other promotions and discounts being offered by the venue.
Which food and drink places are taking part?
More than 83,000 businesses have signed up to the promotion. These include:
Restaurants (including those in hotels, leisure centres and holiday parks)
Cafes
Bars and pubs that serve food
Canteens
Food halls with a seating area
Members' clubs
Catering services, bed and breakfasts and mobile food vans are not eligible.
Image source, Getty Images
Lots of local independent pubs, restaurants and cafes have been taking part, as well as big chains.
To be eligible they must have a designated dining or drinking area, or access to one. They must have been registered with their local authority since at least 7 July 2020.
A search tool allows people to search for participating local venues within a five-mile radius.
The search tool may not include big chain restaurants taking part, a list of which can be found here. They include:
Ask Italian
Benugo
Bill's
Burger King
Caffe Nero
Costa Coffee
Cote Brasserie
Five Guys
Franco Manca
Giggling Squid
Honest Burgers
KFC
Leon
M&S Cafe
McDonald's
Nando's
Pizza Express
Prezzo
Pret a Manger
Starbucks
Subway
Turtle Bay
Wagamama
JD Wetherspoon
Zizzi
What are the rules for eating out?
Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants can now reopen indoors, with guidance issued for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on measures they must take to keep customers and staff safe.
These include social distancing, controlled access to toilets and the option of ordering food on apps.
Hospitality venues must also collect and keep the details of at least one person in your party for 21 days. This is in case they are needed for contact tracing.
You do not have to provide your details, but bars and restaurants have the right to refuse you service.
Why was 'eat out to help out' introduced?
Hospitality is one of the UK's biggest employers and has been hit especially hard by lockdown. In April, 80% of venues closed, and 1.4 million hospitality workers have been placed on furlough at some point since then.
Some venues have been able to provide a takeaway service during lockdown. But this often means lower average spending per head and fewer people employed.
The scheme has been used alongside other targeted help, such as a cut in VAT for hospitality and tourism businesses.
Why has the scheme been criticised?
Several fast-food chains have taken part in the scheme, which has drawn criticism from some anti-obesity campaigners. The National Obesity Forum, for example, has said it was a ''green light to promote junk food''.
The discount scheme sits alongside the government's healthy eating plan that bans "buy one get one free" deals on unhealthy food, amid growing evidence of a link between obesity and an increased risk from coronavirus.


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Coronavirus: What are the UK's travel rules and which countries can you visit?

The UK government has warned people planning a foreign holiday that `` no travel is risk-free '' at the moment , and says they should factor in the risk of having to self-isolate for 14 days upon their return .
It follows a decision at the weekend - which caught many holidaymakers by surprise - to reintroduce quarantine for people entering the UK from Spain .
How does the government decide which countries are on the quarantine list ?
The Joint Biosecurity Centre ( JBS ) - the body set up by the government to monitor coronavirus - advises which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and which should be exempt .
The JBS looks at range of factors , including : • an estimate of the proportion of the population that is currently infectious Why were the rules changed for Spain ?
Spain was removed from the list of exempt countries following `` a significant change over the last week in both the level and pace '' of coronavirus cases , the UK government said .
The Covid-19 infection rate in the country is currently 39.4 cases per 100,000 , according to the European Centre for Disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK 's rate of 14.6 .
People already in Spain can stay for the remainder of their holiday , but must self-isolate for two weeks after returning .
The rules apply to travellers arriving in the UK from anywhere in Spain .
For those with holidays coming up , the Foreign and Commonwealth Office ( FCO ) is advising against all but essential travel to any part of Spain , despite calls for the Canary and Balearic Islands to be exempt from quarantine rules .
Where can I go without quarantining when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from quarantine if they arrive in England , Wales and Northern Ireland from countries which - according to the government - pose a `` reduced risk '' from coronavirus .
These include : Andorra , Antigua and Barbuda , Aruba , Australia , Austria , Bahamas , Barbados , Belgium , BES Islands , Croatia , Curaçao , Cyprus , Czech Republic , Denmark , Dominica , Estonia , Faroe Islands , Fiji , Finland , France , French Polynesia , Germany , Greece , Greenland , Grenada , Guadeloupe , Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jamaica , Japan , Latvia , Liechtenstein , Lithuania , Macau , Malta , Mauritius , Monaco , Netherlands , New Caledonia , New Zealand , Norway , Poland , Réunion , San Marino , Seychelles , South Korea , St Barthélemy , St Kitts and Nevis , St Lucia , St Pierre and Miquelon , Slovakia , Slovenia , St Vincent and the Grenadine , Switzerland , Taiwan , Trinidad and Tobago , Turkey , Vatican City , Vietnam Those entering the UK from the common travel area - the Republic of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Isle of Man - have always been exempt from the quarantine rules .
The 14 British Overseas Territories are also exempt .
Health measures like quarantine are set by each UK nation separately .
Wales and Northern Ireland have introduced quarantine exemptions for the same countries as England .
Scotland is also allowing exemptions , and has updated its own list of countries with which it is now allowing travel without quarantine .
Which other countries are not on the list ?
You will still have to isolate for 14 days if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada , the US , much of Central or South America , and some countries in Africa , the Middle East and Asia .
Travellers from Sweden , Portugal , Russia and anywhere else not on the list also have to quarantine .
The list will be kept under review , and the government says it `` will not hesitate '' to remove a country if conditions worsen there , as it has done with Spain .
Equally , further restrictions may be placed on UK travellers if its infection rate rises .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Travellers leaving the UK could still face restrictions - including quarantine - when they arrive in one of the exempted countries .
About half the countries and territories on the list have restrictions for arriving UK visitors .
These include : • Antigua and Barbuda requires Britons arriving by air to submit a negative coronavirus test from the past 7 days • New Zealand has barred almost all foreign travellers from visiting , while Australia requires an exemption visa if you are not a resident or a citizen • Visitors to Iceland can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or go into quarantine • You are not allowed to enter Cyprus if you have been in the UK in the last 14 days .
This may change on 1 August , the Cypriot government has indicated .
But these restrictions may change .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health

On 24 December, the UK banned travel from South Africa amid concerns over another new strain of the virus linked to that country. People who have transited through South Africa in the past 10 days will also be banned. However, UK and Irish nationals as well as the UK visa holders and permanent residents are exempt, but they will have to self-isolate for 10 days on arrival.


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Coronavirus holidays: You're finally abroad, but was it worth it?

Queuing to get a socially-distanced sunbathing spot on the beach .
Wearing your face mask to the hotel bar .
Finding out halfway through your trip that you 'll have to quarantine when you get home .
People are going abroad for holidays for the first time in months , but as the coronavirus pandemic rages on , is it worth the hassle ?
Several plans have fallen through for Grace Wilding so far this summer .
The 19-year-old trainee teacher had been looking forward to a big family holiday in a villa in Spain , but they postponed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ catch the virus .
Grace and her boyfriend Alfie Archer , 18 , had also booked a trip to Cape Verde , but it was cancelled due to the pandemic .
The couple did n't want to lose the opportunity to soak up some sun on their first summer holiday together , and they felt that the virus posed a low risk to them as young and healthy people - so they began hunting for a last-minute deal .
`` I 'd say I feel safer here than home definitely .
The same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them here , '' says Grace from her hotel in Playa de las Americas , Tenerife .
The Liverpool Hope University student from Halton , Cheshire , says she was glad to hear flight attendants reminding people to wear face masks on the plane , and that she waited patiently in line for temperature checks at the airport in Tenerife , and happily shared her details with local contact tracers .
In Grace and Alfie 's hotel , everyone wears face coverings at all times until they reach their rooms , sun loungers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the masks in the heat can be a bit of a nuisance at times , but this is the climate we 've decided to put ourselves in so we will abide by the rules like everyone else , '' she says .
In restaurants `` you 're greeted with hand sanitiser before you sit down '' , she says .
And the couple has mostly steered clear of going to the beach , where officials make people queue up to get a sunbathing spot that 's a safe distance from other holidaymakers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer so far , more of Grace 's plans were scuppered when the UK 's quarantine rules changed for Spain - including the Canary Islands - while they were away .
Grace and Alfie are now having to self-isolate for 14 days after returning to the UK .
• Where can I go on holiday and what are the restrictions ?
• What are my holiday travel and insurance rights ?
• Spain quarantine : 'We found out three minutes after landing' Grace admits the couple would n't have gone to Tenerife if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine when they came back .
Alfie worries about the two weeks of income he will lose , because he is a joiner so can not work while isolating .
But Grace remains upbeat .
She says the news meant they enjoyed the holiday `` probably even more '' as they made the most of their last days of relative freedom before flying home .
`` I would n't hold back on booking another holiday , '' Grace adds .
`` The world ca n't stop for any longer , in my opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family holiday over the phone , his voice is partly drowned out by the sound of his sons shouting and playing at their rented apartment in Lake Como , Italy .
`` They 're having a fantastic time , '' he laughs .
The family of five , from Hereford , have been to water parks , on day trips , and spent a lot of time at the pool they share with others in the apartment block .
Ben , who works for Vodafone as a customer solutions architect , says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their holiday at all .
They 've even taken a mini-break from social distancing .
Ben , 39 , and his wife Nadia , 37 , decided they would n't be too strict on their children adhering to Italy 's one-metre rule during the 11-day holiday , so they have mixed with other young families staying in the complex .
Ben says this does n't mean they have completely given up on social distancing and the adults are remaining wary around each other .
But he says three-year-old Cooper has `` absolutely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and so the rules have also been relaxed for his older brothers Ashton , 10 , and Carter , eight .
The only time the pandemic brought the mood down was during the Osbornes ' journey to their idyllic destination .
The worst part was navigating the not-so-idyllic Luton Airport , which Ben describes as a `` nightmare '' .
He recalls only one shop was open - Boots - and that it was difficult to find any empty seats in the airport because so many were cordoned off .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , he says .
The family wore face coverings but did have to sit next to strangers , without any social distancing .
The Osbornes have been to Lake Como before , and are enjoying the fact there are far fewer Brits than usual .
`` We quite like to go away to experience different cultures , [ so ] what 's really nice is I 've not heard any English language , '' Ben says .
He adds that it 's a blessing to not have to queue for the supermarket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the UK .
The only visible signs of the virus , to Ben , were people wearing face coverings in shops , and mandatory swimming caps in the pool .
`` If someone had plonked us here and we did n't know about coronavirus , we would n't know the difference .
You honestly would n't know that there 's a pandemic . ''
Julie Grinter 's friends told her she was `` completely mad '' for deciding to go ahead with her three-week holiday to Portugal , after the country failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government 's quarantine-free list .
But Julie , 50 , points out that you could catch coronavirus in the supermarket at home , let alone on a plane .
`` You ca n't stay inside for the rest of your life so you 've got to take the precautions and get on with life , '' she says .
The choice of destination might have horrified Julie 's friends , but she and her partner Matthew Boulden , 52 , felt extremely safe .
After flying to Lisbon they went on a road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost the only tourists , wherever they went .
`` It 's just absolutely deserted .
There 's just nobody there , '' says Julie , who works for a consultancy firm in the City of London .
The couple ate out regularly , and while most dining was outside to help reduce the spread of the virus , Julie points out that the Portuguese climate meant that was never a problem .
Impeccable service , high hygiene standards , free drinks from grateful waiters , and chats with less-than-busy chefs all added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'd stumbled into a luxurious private dining experience .
But Julie from Surbiton , south-west London , admits the solitude was n't always a relief .
Tourism is a major industry in Portugal and is popular with British holidaymakers , with almost three million UK visitors a year .
The restaurants often lacked `` a bit of atmosphere '' , she says , adding that the staff were anxious for the future , and owners were `` hacked off '' and `` obviously devastated '' that their country still has not made it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` You do feel massively sorry for them because they are just desperate for business , '' she says .
Portugal 's border is open to British citizens , but the UK government advises against travel to most parts unless the trip is essential .
On arrival to the mainland , travellers have to do a health screening , and those going to Madeira , Porto Santo or the Azores must take a coronavirus test on arrival or before travelling .
Cheap flights , deserted beaches and a free cocktail or two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she 's spending her 14 days of isolation persuading her previously horrified friends that Portugal is the place to be in a pandemic .
`` If you can just work from home when you get back , it 's ideal . ''
For Adam Welch , a self-imposed month of minimal social contact at home in Kirkham , Lancashire , is the price he 's paying for a five-night getaway to Croatia .
The 18-year-old and three friends have formed a temporary household bubble at an Airbnb in Split .
In order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to one another , or to anyone else on their return to the UK , the friends agreed to minimise their social contact with anyone for 14 days before going away and 14 days after getting back .
`` I just think it comes down to thinking of other people , '' Adam says .
The pandemic led to exams and celebrations being cancelled in Adam 's final year of college , so the sacrifice of semi-quarantine will be worth it to `` let my hair down '' on holiday , he says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the start of the year , 'if you go on holiday you have to isolate for 14 days afterwards in your house ' , I 'd be like : 'no way .
I ca n't do that , it sounds so hard ' .
But now it just sounds easy . ''
So far in Split , the four friends have enjoyed eating out , going out for drinks , exploring the city , and snorkelling off picture-perfect beaches .
People have to wear masks in shops and on public transport in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing at all , Adam says .
While it 's weird to see , he adds , it 's a nice break from the rules and regulations in place in the UK .
In the hiatus between finishing college and starting university in York in September , Adam admits he 's tempted by Croatia 's nightclubs , which are open albeit with some additional cleaning measures to combat the spread of the virus .
But Adam says the `` lads ' holiday '' will be a more muted affair than it would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of the day , we 're in a nice apartment , we can just get some drinks from a shop and stuff like that , and chill out with each other .
We can definitely have a really good time and we do n't have to go clubbing . ''
England , Wales , Northern Ireland and Scotland have separate , albeit similar , lists of destinations that are exempt from the quarantine rule .
For some of the most popular warm weather hotspots among Brits , we 've got more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're there .
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But Julie from Surbiton, south-west London, admits the solitude wasn't always a relief. Tourism is a major industry in Portugal and is popular with British holidaymakers, with almost three million UK visitors a year. The restaurants often lacked "a bit of atmosphere", she says, adding that the staff were anxious for the future, and owners were "hacked off" and "obviously devastated" that their country still has not made it on to the UK's quarantine-free lists. "You do feel massively sorry for them because they are just desperate for business," she says.


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Argos catalogue: Life lessons from the 'book of dreams'

`` No end to the horror . ''
`` Christmas cancelled . ''
That 's how millennials and boomers have been lamenting the loss of the Argos catalogue .
One Twitter user even wrote that it was his entire childhood .
But what is the so-called `` book of dreams '' and why are people getting worked up about it ?
What is an Argos catalogue ?
A brief history lesson Twice a year word went round that the new Argos catalogue was out - a big moment for anyone who grew up or shopped in the 1970s , 1980s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the nearest thing to Amazon was a hefty book crammed full of pictures , enticing words and equally enticing prices .
Drop it down on the kitchen table and it created a louder thump than the phone directory .
Jewellery always seemed to be at the front but younger readers knew the toys and fun household gadgets were towards the back .
Toys and games advertised on the TV in the run-up to Christmas were cross-referenced in the Argos catalogue and parents were pestered .
And how many adults left hopeful hints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ page ?
Argos stores themselves were a mind-blowing mystery .
Using the kind of cheap plastic pen that even bookmakers might turn their nose up at , customers filled in an unfathomably long code number on a slip of paper , negotiated their way past the tills , then went to the shop counter to wait as your item was sent up from the stockroom - a place that must have had Tardis-like dimensions to hold such vast quantities of stock .
Within minutes , you were away .
There was no need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parcel or rate your seller .
The only action required was to grab yet another copy of the famed catalogue to take home , to start the process again .
Now that you 've got your head around the idea , here are six things people say they gained from the Argos catalogue - the memories they still cherish , and the life lessons learned .
Every family has its festive traditions , and for many the Argos catalogue was a massive part of the build-up to the most wonderful time of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defining feature of some people 's formative years , all year round .
The Argos catalogue taught generations of children to aim high , even if those aspirations were n't particularly realistic .
Others seem to think it helped them manage their expectations , especially when Father Christmas did n't show up with the goods or the Argos branch was out of stock .
Turns out Mr Frosty was a sore subject .
Others think it taught them the value of good old-fashioned graft - and a sense of accomplishment .
And for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just a book or even a festive tradition - it helped them think outside the box .
From nurturing their creativity ... ... to deepening their understanding of the human experience .

Argos stores themselves were a mind-blowing mystery. Using the kind of cheap plastic pen that even bookmakers might turn their nose up at, customers filled in an unfathomably long code number on a slip of paper, negotiated their way past the tills, then went to the shop counter to wait as your item was sent up from the stockroom - a place that must have had Tardis-like dimensions to hold such vast quantities of stock.


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Porridge director Sydney Lotterby leaves 'true legacy of laughter'

Tributes have been paid to the Bafta-winning TV comedy director and producer Sydney Lotterby , who has died aged 93 .
Lotterby made British comedy classics including Porridge , Last Of The Summer Wine and Yes Minister .
The director was also known for As Time Goes By , Butterflies , May To December and Open All Hours .
BBC director general Lord Tony Hall said he will be `` hugely missed '' , but leaves `` a true legacy of laughter '' .
`` Sydney Lotterby was n't just part of the golden age of British comedy - he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out as real icons of the period , '' said Lord Hall .
BBC Entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba described him as `` a giant of a golden TV age '' .
The influential TV-maker collected four Bafta awards for comedy , during an illustrious career - for Porridge , Going Straight and Yes Minister .
Such is the enduring appeal of the prison-based comedy , starring Ronnie Barker ; the BBC commissioned a revival , with Kevin Bishop playing the grandson of Barker 's character Fletch .
Speaking to The Stage and Television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modestly put his success down to good fortune .
`` Absolute luck , '' he said , when asked about his association with such comedy gold .
`` And I 'll prove it . ''
`` Last of the Summer Wine was n't my programme at all , '' he continued , `` It was Jimmy Gilbert 's .
He became the boss , somebody had to do and it fell to me .
`` Porridge was pure luck .
A long time ago - it must have been 1972 - Jimmy was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two directors on a series built around Ronnie Barker and called Seven of One .
`` Ronnie had just started to be talked about and I happened to fall for the script called Prisoner and Escort .
That became Porridge . ''
`` Yes Minister was done as a pilot in the early months of last year , '' he added .
`` Then came the election and there 's an embargo on political programmes at election time .
`` Five of the scripts had been written and a director had been brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Then it came back this year , there was no director and I happened to be around .
Lotterby began his career at the BBC as a cameraman in the 1950s , and worked his way up .
His first directing credit was in 1960 , for two episodes of Charlie Drake .
He later went on to direct Twist !
, Sykes And A ... - starring Eric Sykes and Hattie Jacques - and On The Margin .
As a producer he was also responsible for much-loved shows such as Up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and A Gentlemen 's Club , all of which led to him being appointed an OBE in 1994 .
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bbcuk--2020-07-30--Locked-down award hopefuls - Bafta stars pictured at home

They say there 's no place like home , and that turned out to be the case for this year 's Bafta TV Awards nominees , who took part in the event 's first-ever virtual photo shoot , from their humble abodes .
Photographer Rankin directed the socially distanced shoot via a series of video calls , with the help of the families and friends of the listed acting stars .
`` Despite the limitations , we have created a memorable series of photographs and it has been a real honour to capture some of the biggest TV stars in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said Rankin .
`` To be able to virtually connect , direct , shoot and deliver these portraits without any physical interaction has been a fun challenge and our TV celebrities put on quite the performance for us ! ''
Earlier this month , Stephen Graham ( above ) was nominated in the leading actor category , for his role in The Virtues , and he was captured marking the achievement by leaping in the air off a trampoline .
This year 's ceremony will be broadcast from behind closed doors due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with Richard Ayoade hosting proceedings from a closed studio .
All the winners on the night will give their acceptance speeches virtually - so let 's consider this to be a dress rehearsal , shall we ?
Check out a selection of some of the other best snaps below .
Glenda Jackson was nominated in the leading actress category , for her role in Elizabeth Is Missing .
But she celebrated in a much more serene manner than Graham , with a nice cup of tea .
Suranne Jones is up against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performance in Gentleman Jack .
She was similarly chilled about the whole thing ( perhaps as she 's evidently won one before , for Doctor Foster ) and was pictured reading a newspaper in an armchair in her garden shed .
Guz Khan does n't look like he 's got time to read the paper or put the kettle on .
The actor , who is up for best male performance in a comedy programme for Man Like Mobeen , was shown being ambushed by his children bearing water pistols .
Youssef Kerkour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his performance in the comedy-drama , Home .
His daughter was notably absent from his portrait , but that did n't stop him from taking a well-earned rest among her toys in his tuxedo .
Wonder what 's in the bottle though ?
Naomi Ackie needed to phone a friend to decide what shoes to wear on the big night ( in ) .
She 's up for best supporting actress for her work on The End of the F****** World .
We 'd go with the gold ones , for what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominated for best male performance in a comedy programme for Sex Education .
He does not need schooling though in the art of how to pull off a black and white suit in your back yard .
Samantha Morton is also in her finery , in front of some fetching butterfly print wallpaper .
Her performance in I Am Kirsty finds her on the list for best leading actress .
Best supporting actor nominee Will Sharpe went for a relatively understated set-up .
Just a simple black background , a leather couch and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's listed for his part on the show Giri/Haji - which is Japanese for `` Duty/Shame '' .
Last but not least , Katie McGlynn is on the shortlist for the must see moment prize , for Sinead Osbourne 's death in Coronation Street .
Her pose on a lawn mower in a cream gown was also one of the must see moments from Rankin 's unique portrait collection .
The Bafta TV Awards will air on BBC One at 19:00 BST on Friday 31 July .
Follow us on Facebook , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

They say there's no place like home, and that turned out to be the case for this year's Bafta TV Awards nominees, who took part in the event's first-ever virtual photo shoot, from their humble abodes.


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Charlie Elphicke: Why did it take so long to bring ex-MP to justice?

Former Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke has been convicted of sexually assaulting two women nearly a decade apart - but one of his victims had reported his actions to senior party figures nearly a year before police were called .
Why did it take so long to bring him to justice ?
After a late-night vote went against the Conservative government in April 2016 , Charlie Elphicke was drowning his sorrows by sharing a bottle of champagne with a parliamentary worker .
As they sat in Westminster , the MP for Dover lunged at her , groped her breast , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had pushed him away , he told her : `` Oh , I 'm naughty sometimes , are n't I . ''
Weeks later , the then-45-year-old attacked her again , running his hand up the inside of her thigh .
The woman , in her 20s , feared the impact that speaking out would have on her fledgling career , but eventually confided in Conservative party whips , Southwark Crown Court had heard .
Anne Milton , the deputy chief whip who interviewed the woman in December 2016 , told the BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was safe .
`` She was very distressed , there was no doubt about it , '' she said , adding that she directed the woman to counselling services and suggested she visit a doctor to seek sick leave .
Elphicke was interviewed by the party and strenuously rejected the allegations .
The woman was told there was nothing more that could be done by the party or House of Commons ' authorities - at the time , there was no overarching management structure or complaints procedure for parliamentary workers .
`` There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had concerns about the way they had been treated , either by MPs or other members of staff , '' said Mrs Milton .
`` It was a very unsatisfactory situation .
It was terrible to me that there was no independent process for members of staff .
I was acutely aware that I could not be judge and jury on the facts before me .
`` Essentially it always comes down to one word against the other , which is why there needs to be proper process . ''
Mrs Milton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for dealing with Elphicke when they spoke again in January 2017 : talk to police or begin an employment tribunal .
Feeling drained and dispirited , the court was told the young parliamentary worker pursued neither course .
But , unbeknownst to her , a second woman had been battling with similar feelings for more than a decade .
When allegations about the now-convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein came to light in October 2017 , victims and survivors of abuse and misconduct in other industries around the world began to share their experiences as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among them was a list of allegations against MPs which was published online which eventually lead to Elphicke being suspended by the Conservatives on 4 November and `` serious allegations '' were referred to police .
Watching the news coverage about the Dover MP was a woman who had been left `` hysterical '' by his actions against her in 2007 .
The court heard Elphicke , then a lawyer and prospective parliamentary candidate , pushed her on to a sofa , placed his knee between her leg and tried to kiss her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chased her , chanting : `` I 'm a naughty Tory . ''
The woman had confided in friends and family at the time but decided not to take the matter to the police .
The court heard she was distressed when she saw her attacker on TV after he was elected to Parliament in 2010 but it was only after reading about the Westminster misconduct scandal that she went to the police on 14 November 2017 .
When officers contacted Conservative party whips , they soon discovered the parliamentary worker 's allegations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed to support the prosecution , motivated by the idea she might help protect future victims .
After hearing the two women 's accounts , which were described by the prosecution as `` strikingly similar '' , a jury convicted Elphicke of all three counts .
He will be sentenced on 15 September .
June 2007 - Elphicke assaults a woman in her 30s while a prospective parliamentary candidate April 2016 - As a serving MP , he assaults a parliamentary worker in Westminster January 2017 - A complaint is made to police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the allegations fearing the impact on her career October 2017 - Allegations against Harvey Weinstein are revealed , leading to the # MeToo movement and a list of allegations against MPs published online 14 November 2017 - The 2007 victim goes to the police , who are directed towards the parliamentary worker by Tory whips December 2018 - Elphicke has whip restored ahead of a confidence vote in Theresa May July 2019 - Elphicke is charged with sexual assaults and is again suspended by the Conservatives December 2019 - Natalie Elphicke is elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jennifer Temkin , a professor of law at City University , said the publication of the MP abuse allegations was vital in encouraging other victims to speak out .
`` It is a very important part of how the criminal justice system works [ and ] it 's particularly important in sexual assault cases , where other women and other men hear about what has happened and this gives them the courage to come forward .
The # MeToo movement will have helped some victims to find the courage to report .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the only person to have suffered at the hands of a particular perpetrator this is likely to assist her decision-making as to whether to report or remain silent .
It is extremely common for victims to report years after the event as these experiences tend not to go away .
`` When it comes to the actual prosecution , of course a jury is likely to be swayed by the fact it is not just one person saying this .
It does add to the weight and credibility of the witnesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions were brought to the attention of his colleagues , an independent panel has been set up to scrutinise allegations involving politicians and their employees working at the House of Commons .
Mrs Milton said it had been `` distressing '' to see behaviour continue that `` should have changed 20 or 30 years ago '' and hopes it will help end the sort of abuse in the workplace that should have been stamped out decades ago .
`` We have got to do everything we can to make sure that change continues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to create a safe environment in which people can report allegations , '' she said .
The Conservative party has been contacted for comment .
Amy Leversidge , assistant general secretary of the FDA , a union representing civil servants and parliamentary staff , said the parliamentary worker assaulted by Elphicke was part of an `` incredibly courageous and brave '' group that spoke out .
A `` critical mass '' of allegations showed sexual misconduct in Westminster was not the result of `` just one bad apple , '' she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this culture of deference there - this culture that allowed bullying , harassment and sexual harassment to thrive , '' she added .

The woman had confided in friends and family at the time but decided not to take the matter to the police. The court heard she was distressed when she saw her attacker on TV after he was elected to Parliament in 2010 but it was only after reading about the Westminster misconduct scandal that she went to the police on 14 November 2017.


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Liberal Democrats: Is targeting the 'yellow halo' key to party's success?

The election of a new Liberal Democrat leader in less than a month 's time will mark another watershed moment for the party .
The party 's 120,000 or so members , who will start voting on Thursday , have a choice between acting leader and former cabinet minister Sir Ed Davey and rising star Layla Moran .
Whoever wins will become the fourth permanent Lib Dem leader in the past five years and take over a party still re-grouping after being chastened at the ballot box for the third election in a row .
After a Stop Brexit election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` car crash '' , the Lib Dems ended up with 11 MPs in December , one fewer than in 2017 , and without a leader after Jo Swinson 's defeat .
• Davey and Moran in race to be next Lib Dem leader Despite her best efforts , and those of her predecessors Vince Cable and Tim Farron , the party has yet to truly recover - in electoral terms - from its trouncing in 2015 after five years in government with the Conservatives .
Ms Moran has said it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the party after `` 10 years of decline '' and it needs to restore `` trust and credibility '' with voters still angry about its record in government as well as its opposition to Brexit .
But Sir Ed , who served as energy secretary under David Cameron , said there were no `` quick fixes '' for the party and it had to rebuild from the ground up .
A new study by think tank UK in a Changing Europe - entitled What Next For the Lib Dems ?
- warns that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as good as it gets for what used to known as the `` third party '' in British politics .
The influential research body says the party 's post-2015 levels of representation in the Commons - which excluding defections have ranged from eight to 13 - bear a clear resemblance to those achieved by the old Liberal Party in the 1950s through to the 1970s , and risk becoming the `` new normal '' .
`` In short , while they may escape extinction , long-term paralysis looks like a distinct possibility , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Professor Tim Bale , Aron Cheung and Dr Alan Wager .
Ms Swinson 's shock defeat in East Dunbartonshire was another painful reminder for the party that - unlike the Conservatives and Labour - it does not have any safe seats in Westminster .
But the research also hints at a more promising outlook for the Lib Dems than the headline numbers suggest and grounds for optimism for whoever wins the leadership contest .
As the authors put it , the `` new electoral geography of the post-Brexit era '' presents opportunities as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the makings of a `` new electoral coalition '' that could bring it future success .
The next leader , it says , has a `` genuine opportunity to grow the party once again if they make the right strategic calls '' .
The party , it says , should draw encouragement from its 2019 result , which showed it had become politically competitive in more places than in 2017 and in new areas of the country as well .
The Lib Dems finished second in 91 seats last year - more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the party came from a mile behind to leapfrog Labour in many constituencies .
While the party is nowhere near its 2010 levels of support , when it won more than 30 % of the vote in 140 seats , it is within `` reasonable touching distance '' of winning many more seats next time around .
Just as significantly , many of those target seats are concentrated in areas of England where the party has struggled in the past .
The old south-west of England heartland built by former leader Paddy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` yellow halo of electoral strength '' - stretching from south-west London and eastern Surrey to Oxfordshire , Hampshire and Cambridgeshire .
Both Ed Davey and Layla Moran are based in this area and it includes traditional targets , such as Wimbledon Guildford and Winchester , as well as seats never held by the party , such as Esher and Walton , Woking and Wantage .
While the Lib Dems remain a force across much of Scotland , which accounts for a third of their Westminster seats , in England they have `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past decade , the report says .
The party is struggling to make headway in the big Northern cities and towns like Burnley , Redcar and Rochdale where they once had MPs .
But , on the flip side , this southern bias may help the party to pursue a `` core vote '' approach at the next election - which some Lib Dem strategists have long believed is the best way to win and retain seats .
Targeting the graduate vote could be crucial , it argues , given the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dem support and levels of educational attainment in the `` yellow halo '' .
Almost all the party 's seats and future targets are in the top 50 % in terms of the number of graduates living there , while it either holds or is a close second in 30 % of the 64 seats in the top ten of relative graduate numbers .
These voters , the report argues , could potentially propel the Lib Dems to victory in a host of seats next time around , the majority of which are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategy presupposes that this group 's dislike of the Conservatives , fuelled by Brexit , and distrust of Labour , exacerbated by Jeremy Corbyn 's leadership , remains a decisive factor come the next election in 2024 .
As Sir Keir Starmer seeks to re-position his party , the old fault line within the Lib Dems about the scope for co-operation with Labour is likely to open up again .
Both leadership candidates have said the Lib Dems must be a `` progressive alternative '' to the two main parties and retain a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the environment or identity politics .
Ms Moran said talk of a formal alliance with Labour was premature , while the majority of its MPs were opposed to electoral reform for UK elections .
But she suggested the two parties could work together to maximise the non-Conservative vote at the next election , with Labour campaigning less `` vociferously '' in seats where her party were the main challengers .
But the memories of the coalition years mean any attempt to resurrect the Ashdown and Charles Kennedy-era policy of so-called equidistance between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard .
And then there are the basic realities of the electoral map .
The report points out that there are just nine seats in the entire country where Lib Dems are the key challengers to Labour , while there are no Lib Dem MPs whose main electoral threat comes from Sir Keir Starmer 's party .
While the ingredients are in place for a `` symbiotic '' relationship with Labour nationally , the report warns too cosy a relationship could lead to a backlash locally , where for many Lib Dem councillors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All politics is local , but ... Liberal Democrat politics is more local than most , '' the report concludes .
`` For some of them , the building of some kind of progressive alliance nationally will be far lower down their list of priorities than taking on and beating Labour locally . ''

A new study by think tank UK in a Changing Europe - entitled What Next For the Lib Dems? - warns that their current electoral position might possibly be as good as it gets for what used to known as the "third party" in British politics.


bbcuk--2020-07-29--Stonehenge: Sarsen stones origin mystery solved

The origin of the giant sarsen stones at Stonehenge has finally been discovered with the help of a missing piece of the site which was returned after 60 years .
A test of the metre-long core was matched with a geochemical study of the standing megaliths .
Archaeologists pinpointed the source of the stones to an area 15 miles ( 25km ) north of the site near Marlborough .
English Heritage 's Susan Greaney said the discovery was `` a real thrill '' .
The seven-metre tall sarsens , which weigh about 20 tonnes , form all fifteen stones of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lintels of the outer circle , as well as outlying stones .
The monument 's smaller bluestones have been traced to the Preseli Hills in Wales , but the sarsens had been impossible to identify until now .
The return of the core , which was removed during archaeological excavations in 1958 , enabled archaeologists to analyse its chemical composition .
No-one knew where it was until Robert Phillips , 89 , who was involved in those works , decided to return part of it last year .
Researchers first carried out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sarsens at Stonehenge which revealed most shared a similar chemistry and came from the same area .
They then analysed sarsen outcrops from Norfolk to Devon and compared their chemical composition with the chemistry of a piece of the returned core .
English Heritage said the opportunity to do a destructive test on the core proved `` decisive '' , as it showed its composition matched the chemistry of sarsens at West Woods , just south of Marlborough .
Prof David Nash from Brighton University , who led the study , said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harness 21st century science to understand the Neolithic past , and finally answer a question that archaeologists have been debating for centuries .
`` Each outcrop was found to have a different geochemical signature , but it was the chance to test the returned core that enabled us to determine the source area for the Stonehenge sarsens . ''
Ms Greaney said : `` To be able to pinpoint the area that Stonehenge 's builders used to source their materials around 2,500 BC is a real thrill .
`` While we had our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Marlborough Downs , we did n't know for sure , and with areas of sarsens across Wiltshire , the stones could have come from anywhere .
`` They wanted the biggest , most substantial stones they could find and it made sense to get them from as nearby as possible . ''
Ms Greaney added the evidence highlights `` just how carefully considered and deliberate the building of this phase of Stonehenge was '' .

"While we had our suspicions that Stonehenge's sarsens came from the Marlborough Downs, we didn't know for sure, and with areas of sarsens across Wiltshire, the stones could have come from anywhere.


bbcuk--2020-07-29--'Boris bikes': The facts behind 10 years of London's cycle hire scheme

It is 10 years since the first bikes belonging to London 's cycle scheme were used on the streets of the capital .
A decade on , BBC News takes a look behind the handlebars .
While the cycles are still known by many as `` Boris Bikes '' , it was Mr Johnson 's predecessor Ken Livingstone who set up a feasibility study into the creation of a cycle hire scheme in London , having been inspired by one in Paris .
The scheme was launched by Mr Johnson on 30 July 2010 , when he announced that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with thousands of gleaming machines '' , which would `` become as commonplace on our roads as black cabs and red buses '' .
Since their launch , the bikes had been hired an impressive 93,299,451 times by 30 June this year , according to figures from Transport for London ( TfL ) .
On 9 July 2015 when the entire Tube network was closed because of a strike , bikes were hired 73,094 times , making it the busiest day since the scheme began .
The day which had the fewest hires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Presumably it was cold and miserable that day .
The occasional famous face has been spotted using one to get around the capital .
For some it may have been a photo opportunity , but for others they were just a convenient mode of transport .
Actor , bodybuilder and former politician Arnold Schwarzenegger joined then-mayor Mr Johnson for a trundle in March 2011 , then went solo for another trip around the capital in June 2015 .
The comedian Russell Brand made use of one of the bikes during an anti-austerity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And slightly more randomly , movie baddie the Predator was pictured cycling across Westminster Bridge .
Perhaps it was searching for Arnie .
When the scheme began there were 350 docking stations and 5,000 bicycles .
These days there are 781 docking stations and , with another 1,700 new cycles set to join the ranks , there will soon be more than 14,000 of them on the streets .
The scheme now covers 100 sq km ( 38.6 sq miles ) of London , making it one of the largest cycle hire schemes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machines The sturdy aluminium bikes have three-speed gears , a bell and a basket .
The first ones were fitted with dynamo-powered lights but late 2017 saw the introduction of new cycles that feature a gel saddle , tyres with puncture prevention , improved lighting and Bluetooth .
Of the bikes first rolled out 10 years ago , 3,993 are still on the road today , although their parts will have been replaced to ensure they are safe and working well .
A total of 6,654 cycles have been decommissioned since the scheme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've been lost , stolen or damaged beyond repair .
The scheme works by users taking a bike from a docking station and then being able to leave it at any of those in the capital - assuming there is a space free .
Initially , only signed up members who paid an annual fee and had a fob which was sent to them through the post could hire the bikes .
The technology soon changed and while yearly membership is still available , users are also able to just turn up at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app to hire bikes .
Barclays initially sponsored the scheme , which was worth £5m a year and led to the bikes being given their original blue livery .
In February 2015 , it was announced that Santander would take over sponsorship and the following year the bikes became red .
It also meant they gained their current official name - Santander Cycles .
Back in 2010 , people paid an annual fee of £45 to be a member along with a usage charge if a bike was taken out for more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hour it cost £1 , 90 minutes cost £4 , and 24 hours cost £50 .
Annual membership these days costs £90 a year .
Journeys less than 30 minutes long are still not paid for but it costs £2 for every 30 minutes after that .
Those using hire and ride without membership pay £2 , which allows them to make an unlimited number of journeys of up to 30 minutes within a 24-hour period .
Journeys that take longer than 30 minutes cost £2 for each extra 30 minutes .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of people using the bikes over the past few months .
May saw the busiest week in the scheme 's history , with 363,000 hires made between the 25th and 31st of that month .
Cycles have been hired more 50,000 times in a day on 10 occasions in the past two months .
Over the decade before this year , that had only happened twice .
In September 2015 , Bournemouth-based Baz Bignall rode a London cycle scheme bike from John O'Groats to Land 's End for charity .
Fortunately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hire .

The occasional famous face has been spotted using one to get around the capital. For some it may have been a photo opportunity, but for others they were just a convenient mode of transport.


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Coronavirus: Can the chancellor save the economy from Covid-19?

Coronavirus vaccine : How close are we ?
The BBC looks at the work needed to create a coronavirus vaccine @ @ @ @ @ ready .

31 July 2020:
This video examined the Chancellor's plan to save the UK economy from the effects of coronavirus.
In doing so it sought to present the array of 'superpowers' available to him- in the form of a comic book.
While we don't think that readers would take this at face value, on reflection we think the illustrations struck the wrong note and we've removed the video.


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Lockdown tightened in parts of northern England

Separate households will not be allowed to meet indoors in Greater Manchester , East Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire @ @ @ @ @ Health Secretary Matt Hancock explains why he came to the decision to tighten restrictions in @ @ @ @ @ .

Separate households will not be allowed to meet indoors in Greater Manchester, East Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire from midnight on Thursday.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock explains why he came to the decision to tighten restrictions in some parts of the country.


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Brain tumour patient Matty gives thanks for 800 letters

A boy with a brain tumour who has received 800 letters , postcards and messages from around the world during @ @ @ @ @ helped to keep his spirits up .
Matty , 15 , from Leicestershire , has @ @ @ @ @ Peake , Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy and TV presenters Ant and Dec , as @ @ @ @ @ in a campaign started by his aunt .
Matty 's mum Alison said her son @ @ @ @ @ after his cancer relapsed for a third time - had found lockdown a struggle .
@ @ @ @ @ diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2016 , said he looked forward to receiving his @ @ @ @

A boy with a brain tumour who has received 800 letters, postcards and messages from around the world during lockdown has thanked everyone who helped to keep his spirits up.
Matty Hatton, 15, from Leicestershire, has received messages from astronaut Tim Peake, Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy and TV presenters Ant and Dec, as well as hundreds of well-wishers in a campaign started by his aunt.
Matty's mum Alison said her son - who has been shielding after his cancer relapsed for a third time - had found lockdown a struggle.
The teenager, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2016, said he looked forward to receiving his post every day.
Video journalist: Harris Millar


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Coronavirus: Brits, Balearics and battered businesses

The coronavirus pandemic has hit the Spanish island of Ibiza hard , with much of its clubbing industry forced to @ @ @ @ @ businessman Luke Peppe talks about the impact of the slump in tourism and why he @ @ @ @ @ Bank project .

The coronavirus pandemic has hit the Spanish island of Ibiza hard, with much of its clubbing industry forced to close down.
British ex-pat businessman Luke Peppe talks about the impact of the slump in tourism and why he's founded the Ibiza Food Bank project.
Produced by Katy Hastings and Paul Riseley


bbcuk--2020-07-31--'I helped Black Lives Matter without protesting'

Three people have been telling the BBC how they 've been supporting Black Lives Matter , and educating their friends @ @ @ @ @ out to protest .
Joshua Smith , from Bath , made a poem and created @ @ @ @ @ his friends and family on white privilege and race .
Paul Shonowo , from London @ @ @ @ @ for black owned business to help grow the black economy .
And Beverley Momenabadi , @ @ @ @ @ video with young people to highlight the injustices of racism .

Three people have been telling the BBC how they've been supporting Black Lives Matter, and educating their friends and family, without going out to protest.
Joshua Smith, from Bath, made a poem and created a project to help educate his friends and family on white privilege and race.
Paul Shonowo, from London, started creating free websites for black owned business to help grow the black economy.
And Beverley Momenabadi, from Wolverhampton, made a video with young people to highlight the injustices of racism.
Video journalist: Simone Stewart


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Coronavirus: The pain of a losing a loved one in lockdown

Three people whose relatives died from coronavirus have shared how they struggled to grieve while the UK was in lockdown @ @ @ @ @ Warburton and Atiq Rehman were unable to visit loved ones in hospital or say goodbye @ @ @ @ @ Lewis , who has set up an online group for people who have lost family @ @ @ @ @ said losing her dad was `` one of the hardest things that I 'll ever @ @ @ @ @ '' .
`` The natural reaction to come together when someone passed away was basically @ @ @ @ @ '' For details of where to find advice and support , visit BBC Action Line @ @ @ @ @ of England on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter .
If you have a story suggestion @ @ @ @

Three people whose relatives died from coronavirus have shared how they struggled to grieve while the UK was in lockdown.
Debbie Lewis, Sue Warburton and Atiq Rehman were unable to visit loved ones in hospital or say goodbye at their funerals.
Ms Lewis, who has set up an online group for people who have lost family and friends to coronavirus, said losing her dad was "one of the hardest things that I'll ever go through in my lifetime".
"The natural reaction to come together when someone passed away was basically taken away from us."
For details of where to find advice and support, visit BBC Action Line
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Newspaper headlines: 'North in lockdown 2', and dementia 'can be halted'

`` You really can beat dementia '' is the headline in the Daily Mail .
It says a major study @ @ @ @ @ of cases in the UK may be avoided or delayed by `` eating less , @ @ @ @ @ alcohol and cigarettes '' .
It says the study suggests these lifestyle habits - along @ @ @ @ @ be responsible for 340,000 of Britain 's 850,000 dementia cases .

The government is said to have intervened to reduce fears that the children may grow up to become terrorists and target the UK. The paper says "fewer than five" youngsters have been identified and they will be put into care when they return.


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Jackson Carlaw quits as Scottish Conservative leader

Jackson Carlaw has resigned as the leader of the Scottish Conservatives after only six months in the job .
Mr Carlaw said he had come to the `` painful conclusion '' that he was not the best person to lead the case for Scotland remaining in the UK ahead of next year 's Holyrood election .
He said he had therefore decided to stand down with immediate effect .
Mr Carlaw succeeded Ruth Davidson as the party 's leader in February after previously acting as her deputy .
He had also served as acting leader while Ms Davidson was on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son , and again after her resignation in August of last year .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Mr Carlaw had been a `` tremendous servant '' to the party for more than four decades .
Mr Johnson added : `` As an activist , deputy chairman , deputy leader and leader , he has given his all and deserves our thanks for his efforts .
`` It is a mark of his commitment to the cause that he chooses to stand aside at this time and I offer my best wishes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The BBC understands that former Scotland Office minister Douglas Ross - who quit his ministerial post earlier this year over Dominic Cumming 's trip to Durham - is being urged to stand for the leadership .
A senior party source said : `` Douglas is the stand out talent in the party '' .
It is also understood that some Scottish Conservatives have discussed the possibility that Ms Davidson - who is still an MSP - could stand in for Mr Ross at First Minister 's Questions until the Scottish Parliament election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope to win a seat .
Mr Carlaw said he been `` thinking hard '' about his role as party leader over the summer months , and had come to the conclusion that a `` younger and fresher voice '' was needed .
He added : `` Nothing is more important to me than making the case for Scotland 's place in the United Kingdom , '' he said .
`` I believe the Scottish Conservative and Unionist party is the most important voice in Scotland for setting out that positive argument .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the way of doing so .
`` In the last few weeks , I have reached a simple if painful conclusion - that I am not , in the present circumstances , the person best placed to lead that case over these next vital months in Scottish politics prior to the Holyrood elections . ''
His resignation was announced just hours after he faced First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in her weekly question session in the Scottish Parliament .
Jackson Carlaw 's resignation comes completely out of the blue and has taken many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eastwood MSP took over as interim leader 11 months ago , when Ruth Davidson resigned , but thanks to Brexit and December 's general election the formal leadership contest did not conclude until February .
This means as recently as six months ago , Mr Carlaw was arguing in his typically energetic style that he was the best person to lead the Scottish Tories .
Now , somewhat abruptly , he has decided he was n't after all .
Yes , our world has changed enormously in the intervening time , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened to inspire such speedy self-reflection .
With the Holyrood elections now months away and the SNP riding high in the polls , this comes at an acutely difficult moment for Mr Carlaw 's party .
They will have to move quickly if the next leader is to have their feet properly under the table by the time they have to face the electorate as a whole .
The Scottish Conservatives are currently the second largest party at Holyrood , but are facing a battle to prevent the pro-independence SNP winning a majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carlaw said he was confident that he was leaving the party `` in good heart and , crucially , with time to elect a new leader so he or she can prepare for the elections next year '' .
He said the party would continue to `` unequivocally speak up for all those Scots who do not want to go back to more division , but instead want our country to move on , as part of the United Kingdom , able to rise to the challenges of the future '' .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that cause hard for these next few vital months as a loyal member of my party . ''
Mr Carlaw also said he intended to stand again for his Eastwood seat in the election next May .
Ms Sturgeon tweeted her best wishes to Mr Carlaw , saying that `` leadership is a tough business and I 'm sure his decision was n't easy '' .
She added : `` We 've crossed swords politically on many occasions , but worked constructively on some issues too - he has , eg , been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complications . ''

He said the party would continue to "unequivocally speak up for all those Scots who do not want to go back to more division, but instead want our country to move on, as part of the United Kingdom, able to rise to the challenges of the future".


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Covid-19: Tracing app is released for NI

Northern Ireland has become the first part of the UK to launch an app for tracking and tracing coronavirus .
Named StopCOVID NI , it has several features for logging details of those experiencing symptoms of the virus .
The app will run alongside a phone-based contact tracing programme already in place and will identify those at risk of infection .
It has been released for download from Apple 's App Store and on Google Play .
StopCOVID NI will be officially launched on Friday but became available to download on Thursday afternoon .
Within an hour of its release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their mobile phones .
Northern Ireland Health Minister Robin Swann said that the more people that downloaded the app , the more effective a tool it would be in the local coronavirus response .
`` This could be the most important thing you do all year , '' he said .
`` It could prevent you from spreading the virus to people you care about . ''
How does it work ?
After a positive Covid-19 test result , a person will receive a unique code by text message .
That message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ code if they use the app .
Entering the code will trigger a `` Bluetooth handshake '' , allowing the app to notify any other user who has been nearby for long enough to be at risk of infection .
`` There will be some people who wo n't be able to or wo n't want to use the app , and that 's okay , '' said Dan West , the chief digital information officer at the NI Department of Health .
`` The more people who do use it , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole community .
We can say that for sure . ''
The app is intended for over-18s initially because of a conflict between data protection laws and the need for identifiable safeguarding consent .
The Health and Social Care Board is meeting the children 's commissioner , the information commissioner 's office and the Children 's Law Centre to find a way through that .
There 's been a lot of talk of the importance of getting contact tracing apps to work across borders - but between them Northern Ireland and the Republic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Their apps , built by the same developer , were designed to be compatible but what was vital was an agreement to share databases of the people who test positive for the virus .
What we still do n't know is whether the app will work - as yet .
There 's not enough evidence from around the world to show that a technology-driven approach to contact tracing is effective .
But the NHS in England , which abandoned its first app to switch to the decentralised model used by StopCOVID NI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Northern Ireland .
What about the border ?
Robin Swann previously said his department was working with its counterpart in the Republic of Ireland .
The ambition was to have the two systems work in tandem , so information about contacts who need to be traced can be shared by both governments .
Both apps have been designed by the same company , Nearform .
On Thursday one more death was recorded in the Republic of Ireland , taking its death toll to 1,764 .
An additional 85 confirmed cases were also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health .
The contact tracing programme has been operational in Northern Ireland since mid-May .
It involves people with a positive test result being contacted by phone .
The people they have been within 2m of for 15 minutes or more are called and advised about isolating or being tested if they have symptoms .
The app is an add-on to that , to help with contact tracing , and alert those who may not be easily contacted .

"There will be some people who won't be able to or won't want to use the app, and that's okay," said Dan West, the chief digital information officer at the NI Department of Health.


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Coronavirus in Wales: Up to 30 can meet outdoors from Monday

The rules on how many people can meet outdoors in Wales will be eased next week , the Welsh Government has announced .
Since early June outdoor meetings have been restricted to just two households .
But from Monday groups of up to 30 can meet , and it will not matter how many households they are from .
It is one of a package of measures in First Minister Mark Drakeford 's latest review of Wales ' coronavirus restrictions , to be announced later .
Children under 11 will no longer have to maintain a 2m distance from each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of lower rates of transmission in their age group .
Indoor bowling alleys , auction houses and bingo halls will be able to resume trading the same day , alongside indoor pubs , restaurants and cafes .
The Welsh Government warned businesses faced `` action '' if they ignored social distancing measures `` designed to keep Wales safe '' .
An announcement for gyms is also expected - the first minister has said he would be `` very keen '' to see them reopen .
When lockdown was imposed in March any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegal .
In June that was eased , and people from two different households were allowed to meet outside .
Ministers have been more relaxed about activities outside after scientific advice said the virus was likely to decay quickly when exposed to sunlight .
• First minister 'very keen to allow gyms to reopen' • Will people be rushing back to the gym ?
The Welsh Government has been slower than other parts of the UK in lifting restrictions , and Welsh Labour ministers have emphasised a cautious approach .
But as coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown rules - including the travel ban and the enforced closure of non-essential shops - were removed .
At the same time measures such as contact tracing have been stepped up , with the hope that more testing will allow outbreaks to be isolated and stopped in their tracks .
Mr Drakeford said on Thursday that he hoped spikes would be dealt with `` on a local basis '' rather than returning to the national restrictions imposed in March .
The Welsh Conservatives called earlier in the week for people to be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theatres and bingo halls to be reopened and for indoor weddings to be permitted .
The party 's Darren Millar said freedoms `` have or are being safely restored in other parts of the UK and people in Wales should be able to enjoy them too '' .
Plaid Cymru said any easing of restrictions needed to be accompanied by a `` robust mechanism to stamp out coronavirus outbreaks '' .
Rhun ap Iorwerth said recent turnaround times for tests did not fill him with `` confidence that Welsh Government will be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The coronavirus lockdown in Wales is controlled by the Welsh Government , while the UK government in London has been dealing with the equivalent rules in England .

However "weighing it all up and knowing that the Wrexham spikes are contained to particular sites at the moment, we think it's right to allow people in Wrexham to benefit from these steps ahead as well as everybody else", he said.


bbcuk--2020-07-30--Freezer bodies murder accused is 'registered sex offender'

A man accused of murdering two women and storing their bodies in a freezer is a registered sex offender who once `` married '' a 14-year-old girl , a court has heard .
Zahid Younis , 35 , is accused of killing Henriett Szucs and Mihrican Mustafa and hiding their remains , which were discovered at his flat in April 2019 .
Prosecutors say he subjected both women to `` very significant violence '' .
Mr Younis denies two counts of murder at Southwark Crown Court .
The defendant , of Vandome Close , Canning Town , had been convicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a child , prosecutor Duncan Penny QC said .
Mr Younis met the girl when she was 12-years-old , began a sexual relationship with her a year later , the court heard .
In 2004 - when the girl was 14 - they were `` married in an Islamic ceremony '' at an east London mosque .
She became pregnant with his child the following year .
Mr Penny said : `` During that period in her childhood he would often hit her , with his hands and whatever objects were laying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their relationship his behaviour towards her was controlling and abusive '' , jurors were told .
The court heard Mr Younis later pleaded guilty to the sexual offence as well as common assault , receiving a prison sentence of 30 months .
After leaving prison , the defendant had started a relationship with a 17-year-old girl who he locked indoors and abused , both physically and sexually .
Jurors were told he had made the girl `` wear a burka when her mother and sister visited , to cover the bruises she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girl later used a visit to her family 's home to call police , who launched an investigation which led to the defendant being jailed again in 2008 .
Mr Younis admitted two offences of wounding and one of assault occasioning actual bodily harm .
On that occasion he was sentenced to a total of 4 years and 11 months ' imprisonment .

In 2004 - when the girl was 14 - they were "married in an Islamic ceremony" at an east London mosque. She became pregnant with his child the following year.


bbcuk--2020-07-31--Coronavirus: PM postpones lockdown easing in England

The further easing of coronavirus restrictions - due to come in this weekend - has been postponed for at least @ @ @ @ @ has said .
Speaking in Downing Street , Boris Johnson warned the prevalence of the @ @ @ @ @ likely to be rising for the first time since May . ''
Wedding receptions of @ @ @ @ @ meant to be allowed as part of the changes but can not yet happen .
@ @ @ @ @ mandatory in more settings , such as museums .
The rethink follows new restrictions for @ @ @ @ @ England , after a spike in virus cases .

Asked whether it was safe for England's schools to fully reopen to all pupils in the autumn, he said it was a "difficult balancing act" but "we have probably reached near the limit, or the limits, of what we can do in terms of opening up society."


bbcuk--2020-07-31--Coronavirus: Visiting people at home banned in parts of northern England

Millions of people in parts of northern England are now facing new restrictions , banning separate households from meeting each other at home after a spike in Covid-19 cases .
The rules impact people in Greater Manchester , east Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire .
The health secretary told the BBC the increase in transmission was due to people visiting friends and relatives .
Labour criticised the timing of the announcement - late on Thursday night .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told BBC Breakfast the government had taken `` targeted '' action based on information gathered from contact tracing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of the transmission is happening between households visiting each other , and people visiting relatives and friends '' .
• Pubs and restaurants to reopen in Leicester • What are the latest social distancing rules ?
• How many confirmed cases are there in your area ?
The new lockdown rules , which came into force at midnight , mean people from different households will not be allowed to meet in homes or private gardens .
They also ban members of two different households from mixing in pubs and restaurants , although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit such hospitality venues .
The changes come as Muslim communities prepare to celebrate Eid this weekend , and nearly four weeks after restrictions were eased across England - allowing people to meet indoors for the first time since late March .
The same restrictions will apply in Leicester , where a local lockdown has been in place for the last month .
However , pubs , restaurants and other facilities will be allowed to reopen in the city from Monday , as some of the stricter measures are lifted .
There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not gone away and it still thrives on close human contact .
The more we come together the easier it will spread .
We have seen this happen as national lockdowns have been lifted from Europe , to the US , to Australia and more .
Better testing means we can now spot where cases are starting to spike .
The warning signs are in the data with cases climbing in areas like Manchester , Trafford , Salford and Tameside .
The hope is the government has acted quickly enough to suppress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before it becomes a national problem .
It is now the turn of millions of people in northern England to take the hit , but these local lockdown-tightening measures could happen anywhere .
This is the `` new normal '' as we buy time until a vaccine is developed .
The health secretary said the move was not an attempt to curtail Eid celebrations after Miqdaad Versi , from the Muslim Council of Britain , said the restrictions were likely to have a `` large impact '' on Muslim families celebrating Eid .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ programme whether the measures were announced late on Thursday night to stop the celebrations from taking place , Mr Hancock said : `` No , my heart goes out to the Muslim communities in these areas because I know how important the Eid celebrations are . ''
Also on the Today programme , Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham suggested that the rise in transmission had been caused in part by gatherings `` in multi-generational households '' .
Asked whether he meant predominantly the Asian population of Greater Manchester , Mr Burnham replied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that . ''
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer , while welcoming the measures , condemned the government 's decision to announce the changes on Twitter just after 21:00 BST on Thursday as `` a new low for the government 's communications during this crisis '' .
The government published details of the new restrictions two hours after the health secretary tweeted the announcement , and then released further guidance on the changes on Friday morning .
Ministers have said police forces and councils will be given powers to enforce the new rules .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Darwen , Burnley , Hyndburn , Pendle , Rossendale , Bradford , Calderdale , Kirklees and Leicester can not mix with other households ( apart from those in their support bubbles ) in private homes or gardens • People in those areas can only go to pubs , restaurants and other hospitality venues with other members of their household • From Monday in Leicester , restaurants , cafes , bars and hairdressers can open but leisure centres , gyms and pools will remain closed • Cinemas and museums will also be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religious ceremonies will be able to take place • The borough of Oadby and Wigston on the outskirts of Leicester is taken out of local lockdown • Also , gyms and leisure centres will remain closed in Blackburn , but they will be able to reopen in Luton - both towns saw the lifting of restrictions paused last week • SOCIAL DISTANCING : What are the rules now ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• FACE MASKS : When should you wear one ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and how ?
• BUBBLES : How do they work and who can be in yours ?
Some local Conservative MPs questioned the government 's decision to apply the measures to the whole of Greater Manchester , which includes 10 local authority areas - Bolton , Bury , Manchester , Oldham , Rochdale , Salford , Stockport , Tameside , Trafford and Wigan .
William Wragg , MP for Hazel Grove in Stockport , tweeted that Greater Manchester was `` not one homogeneous area '' and treating all 10 boroughs the same was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government always warned it would slam on the brakes if it had to .
Now it has - on an unprecedented scale , with two-and-a-half hours notice .
And snatched with a rebuke from the health secretary for England - Matt Hancock - who repeatedly said this was necessary because some in the areas affected had failed to stick to social distancing rules .
I 'm told the change comes without a time limit , but will be reviewed every week .
And do n't be surprised if the government , from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case that this could happen elsewhere too if people are cavalier about the rules .
And yet , in Leicester , the local , more severe restrictions imposed there are to be eased .
The baby steps back towards normality are going to be hesitant and faltering ; messy in their detail and messy in their geography .
The virus has robbed us of many things .
It continues to rob us of any certainty .
The current rules for the rest of England allow two households - up to a maximum of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Wales , indoor meetings between different households are still not allowed , but two households of any size can join up in an `` extended household '' .
In Northern Ireland , groups of up to 10 people from four different households can meet indoors , while in Scotland , up to eight people from three different households can meet indoors .
On Thursday , a further 38 people in the UK died , bringing the total number of Covid-19 associated deaths to 45,999 .
And 846 cases were reported - the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a month .
• 'GUIDED BY SCIENCE ' : A dangerous gamble with people ’ s lives or a sound scientific approach ?
• I MAY DESTROY YOU : The groundbreaking drama making headlines in lockdown Do you live in one of the affected areas ?
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Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme whether the measures were announced late on Thursday night to stop the celebrations from taking place, Mr Hancock said: "No, my heart goes out to the Muslim communities in these areas because I know how important the Eid celebrations are."


bbcuk--2020-07-31--Shamima Begum: Bid to return in citizenship fight goes to Supreme Court

The case of Syrian runaway Shamima Begum , who is fighting to return to the UK , will go to the Supreme Court .
The Court of Appeal decided that the case raised a point of law of public importance that only the Supreme Court can resolve .
Earlier this month , three Court of Appeal judges ruled Ms Begum should be allowed back to London to fight for the return of her citizenship .
The government said that decision was deeply flawed .
Ms Begum , now 20 , was one of three schoolgirls who left London to join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 .
After she was found in a refugee camp in 2019 , her British citizenship was revoked by former Home Secretary Sajid Javid on security grounds .
• Who is Shamima Begum and how do you lose your citizenship ?
• The women and children no-one wants Separately , the court has revealed that the Sun newspaper will be referred to the Attorney General after it obtained a copy of the Court of Appeal 's draft judgement - or its `` essential contents '' - in advance of it being handed down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given to the parties involved on 9 July .
Lady Justice King , the head of the panel of three judges , said they were referring the newspaper to the Attorney General because of a potential contempt of court in publishing a story about the judgement before it was announced in court .
The judge also granted Ms Begum 's lawyers permission to challenge a decision that the absence of a fair and effective appeal over the citizenship decision did not necessarily mean it should be restored - subject to the Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sir James Eadie , representing the Home Office , said earlier there was a `` big issue at stake '' in the case , to decide what should happen when someone can not have a fair appeal over being stripped of their citizenship as a `` result of going abroad and aligning with terrorist groups '' .
He said it was `` an issue of real pressing public importance '' which was `` perhaps the central democratic issue of our times '' .

Draft judgements are typically shared among a tight group of those involved in a case so that corrections can be made and, where necessary, to allow them to prepare for their next move. The draft in this case also included confidential information about Ms Begum's situation that the court had already decided should not be made public.


bbcuk--2020-07-31--Barry Bennell: Ex-football coach admits more sexual offences

Former football coach and serial paedophile Barry Bennell has pleaded guilty to nine sexual offences .
The 66-year-old former Crewe Alexandra coach and Manchester City scout , also known as Richard Jones , entered the pleas at Chester Crown Court .
He admitted nine offences , including indecent assault , in relation to two complainants between 1979 and 1988 .
Bennell is currently serving a 31-year sentence after being convicted of 50 child sexual offences .
The former football talent spotter was described as the `` devil incarnate '' by a judge after he was convicted in 2018 of abusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1979 and 1991 .
Judge Patrick Thompson said he would have to put himself in the position of the previous judge and decide how much extra he could have imposed had he been aware there were two more complainants .
He added : `` It is important the two victims have the opportunity to come to court . ''
Bennell appeared at the court via videolink from from HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire .
Eleanor Laws QC , defending , asked that Bennell not be required to attend court in person for his sentencing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well '' and `` vulnerable because of his health '' .
Bennell 's 2018 trial at Liverpool Crown Court heard he was a `` predatory paedophile '' who preyed on young footballers he was supposed to be coaching .
Many later came forward to give evidence against him .
Some said they felt they could never recover from the abuse they suffered .
Bennell was previously convicted of of child abuse on three other occasions .
He received jail sentences in the UK and in the US in 1995 , 1998 and 2015 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 October .

Judge Patrick Thompson said he would have to put himself in the position of the previous judge and decide how much extra he could have imposed had he been aware there were two more complainants.


bbcuk--2020-07-31--Coronavirus infections rising in England

Coronavirus infections are rising in England , Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) figures suggest .
A sample of households in England , excluding care homes and hospitals , were swabbed to test for current infection .
The ONS says daily cases have risen from an estimated 2,800 to 4,200 since last week .
However there is not enough data to suggest a higher proportion of positive tests in any particular region .
Although it is an estimate based on a relatively small number of people , the ONS 's estimates of daily cases are higher than those reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Care because they include people without symptoms who would not otherwise have applied for a test .
Confirmed cases reported by the government for the same period were between 339 and 721 daily over the same period ( 20- 26 July ) .
About 350,000 people were newly tested for coronavirus , not including those who were tested as part of the ONS 's surveillance study .
These are tests involving a nose and throat swab which can diagnose a current active coronavirus infection .
They do not show if someone has had @ @ @ @ @ @

Deaths are death registrations where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. Source: ONS, NRS and NISRA – updated weekly. Although the numbers of deaths per 100,000 people shown in the charts above have not been weighted to account for variations in demography between local authorities, the virus is known to affect disproportionately older people, BAME people, and people from more deprived households or employed in certain occupations.
Cases include positive tests of people in hospital and healthcare workers (Pillar 1) and people tested in the wider population (Pillar 2). Public health bodies may occasionally revise their case numbers. Northern Ireland only publish new figures on weekdays. Average is a median average of rates per area in each UK nation. Source: UK public health bodies - updated daily.