bbcuk--2020-02-14--Coastal erosion: The homes lost to the sea

As sea level rise , a senior figure in the Environment Agency says he wants the country to start `` @ @ @ @ @ areas should be protected and which should not .
Science editor David Shukman has been @ @ @ @ @ to save and where to retreat .

As sea level rise, a senior figure in the Environment Agency says he wants the country to start "difficult conversations" about which areas should be protected and which should not.
Science editor David Shukman has been investigating the dilemma of where to save and where to retreat.


bbcuk--2020-02-15--The Papers: China HS2 talks and 'pioneering police scheme'

A `` pioneering '' police scheme has reduced reoffending rates in a `` landmark '' trial experts say could transform @ @ @ @ @ with violent crime , according to the Guardian .
The paper says more than 2,660 @ @ @ @ @ experiment where they avoided prosecution if they joined a rehabilitation programme for issues such as @ @ @ @ @ abuse .
The first results of the trial found a 15 % drop in reoffending @ @ @ @ @ who took part in the scheme compared with those who did not , the paper @ @

"City claim to have a clear body of evidence that they have done no wrong", writes Matthew Dunn, "although now it seems they are resigned to the fact it will take an independent body to recognise that".


bbcuk--2020-02-14--Hospital's 'gross failings' led to pressure sores death

A double amputee suffered fatal pressure sores caused by `` gross and obvious failings '' in her hospital treatment .
Janet Prince , from Nottingham , developed the sores after being admitted to Queen 's Medical Centre ( QMC ) in July 2017 .
Nottingham Coroner 's Court had heard Ms Prince was taken to QMC in Nottingham with internal bleeding on 15 July 2017 .
The patient was left on a trolley in the emergency department for nine hours and even though she and daughter Emma Thirlwall said she needed to be given a specialist mattress , she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures of any kind were implemented during that period of more than nine hours to reduce the risk of pressure damage , even though it should have been easily apparent to those treating her that [ she ] needed such measures to be in place , '' Mr Clow said .
Ms Prince was later transferred to different wards , but a specialist mattress was only provided for her a few days before she was discharged on 9 August , by which time Mr Clow said her wounds `` had progressed to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage four ) including a wound with exposed bone '' .
Mr Clow said there were `` serious failings '' over finding an appropriate mattress and other aspects of her care while at the QMC , including `` a gross failure '' to prevent Ms Prince 's open wounds coming into contact with faeces .
Once she left hospital Ms Prince 's wounds `` did not completely heal at any time '' , said Mr Clow , who praised Ms Thirlwall for providing her mother with a standard of care `` considered to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible in the community '' by district nurses visiting her .
Ms Prince 's condition was extensively monitored up to her death , with the `` complex and difficult '' nature of her wounds requiring a number of specialists to work together .
`` It proved hard for Mrs Prince to get a clear treatment plan and both she and some of the clinicians involved felt that she was being passed from pillar to post , '' Mr Clow said .
Ms Prince 's health declined in December 2018 and she died at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the immediate cause of her death was `` severe pressure ulcers '' , with bronchopneumonia a contributory factor .
Recording a death by `` natural causes , contributed to be neglect '' , he said he was `` troubled by the lack of evidence '' of any changes to wound management at NUH .
NUH medical director Keith Girling apologised for the failings in Ms Prince 's care , claiming the trust had `` learnt a number of significant lessons from this very tragic case '' .
Ms Thirlwall said her mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding she was `` one of a kind '' who never let her injuries stop her from living `` a fun and active life '' .
`` It was heartbreaking to see and hear her in agony , '' she said .
`` She was sick , lifeless and her leg stumps had started to turn black .
`` Those images will stick in my mind forever , and that 's something no daughter should ever have to deal with . ''
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook , Twitter , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eastmidsnews @ bbc.co.uk .

"No specific measures of any kind were implemented during that period of more than nine hours to reduce the risk of pressure damage, even though it should have been easily apparent to those treating her that [she] needed such measures to be in place," Mr Clow said.


bbcuk--2020-02-14--Stormont: Names of special advisers and salaries published

The Stormont parties have named the special advisers ( Spads ) who will work with the new executive ministers .
They include former MLAs and serving councillors .
Compared to the period before the suspension of Stormont , the total number of advisers has been reduced and their average salaries are lower .
There are a total of 14 Spads , compared to 16 before the suspension of Stormont .
The average salary for special advisers at January 2017 was £72,681 .
Their average salary now will be about £10,000 lower at £62,750 .
The Department of Finance has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now £876,498 .
The total annual salary pay bill in 2017 was £1,162,894 .
Some of the advisers are already well known in politics - they include the DUP 's Emma Little-Pengelly in the Executive Office , who until recently was the MP for south Belfast , and Alastair Ross , a former DUP MLA .
Who 's among the new Spads ?
Some of the better-known names on the list include : • Emma Little-Pengelly : Former DUP MLA , appointed as a Spad for the Executive Office on a salary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DUP MLA , appointed as a Spad for the Department for the Economy on a salary of about £65,000 • Dara O'Hagan : Former Sinn Féin MLA , appointed as a Spad in the Executive Office on a salary of about £78.000 • Peter Martin : DUP councillor , appointed as a Spad in the Department of Education on a salary of about £60,000 • Ronan McGinley : Former Sinn Féin councillor , appointed as a Spad for Department of Communities on a pay band one salary of up to a maximum of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ councillor , appointed as a Spad to the Executive Office on a pay band one salary of up to a maximum of £54,999 The role of special advisers , or Spads , came under the spotlight during the Renewable Heat Incentive ( RHI ) inquiry .
It exposed how they exerted huge influence , in some cases effectively running departments .
Now the new advisers will operate under a new code of conduct , aimed at making sure they are under ministerial control .
The salaries reflect the role of the adviser , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether they are working for the first and deputy first minister or on more complex cross-departmental work .
You can read the full list of the special advisers and their salaries on the Department of Finance website .

Some of the advisers are already well known in politics - they include the DUP's Emma Little-Pengelly in the Executive Office, who until recently was the MP for south Belfast, and Alastair Ross, a former DUP MLA.


bbcuk--2020-02-14--Lewys Crawford inquest: Antibiotics delay contributed to death

Doctors ' failure to give antibiotics to a three-month-old boy who died of sepsis `` significantly contributed '' to his death , an inquest has found .
Lewys Crawford , from Cardiff , died of meningococcal septicaemia at the University Hospital of Wales in 2019 .
There was a seven-hour delay between his admission to hospital and him being given antibiotics .
The inquest found there were `` multiple missed opportunities '' in his care and the health board has apologised .
A jury , at the hearing in Pontypridd , found Lewys died as a result of `` natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cardiff hospital and there were `` gross failures '' in his care .
Speaking outside the court , Lewys 's parents said the whole process had been `` horrific '' and doctors could have saved their son 's life if he had been given antibiotics in time .
`` This process has been about getting justice for Lewys and thankfully measures have been put in place at the health board to ensure what happened to Lewys is n't repeated under any circumstances , '' his father Aidan Crawford said .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learnt and that no other family has to go through what we went through with Lewys .
`` Lewys will be forever missed and loved dearly by us and all the family .
We will all cherish our memories of the short time we had with him '' .
• ' I do feel like they killed our son' When he was admitted in March 2019 , nurses immediately suspected Lewys had sepsis but doctors did not , the inquest had heard .
He should have been given antibiotics within an hour of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven hours for him to receive the drugs , after being initially wrongly diagnosed with a viral illness .
Lewys was finally diagnosed with sepsis about eight hours after he arrived at hospital just after 20:00 GMT .
The inquest heard there were several missed opportunities to administer life-saving antibiotics .
Expert witness Prof Parviz Habibi told the jury that , on the balance of probabilities , if Lewys had been given antibiotics within the first three-and-a-half hours of his admission , he would have survived .
On Thursday , Jennifer Evans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death , apologised to his parents .
There were 20 patients in paediatric A & E at the time , and two children were `` more unwell '' than him , the hearing had been told .
The jury spokesman said there was `` a failure to treat Lewys with antibiotics '' , and this `` significantly contributed to Lewys ' death '' .
He said there was a `` gross failure up to and including 23:30 on 21 March '' .
Coroner Graeme Hughes told the inquest there were `` no systemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the evidence .
Ruth Walker , executive nurse director at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board , apologised for the `` failings in the treatment and care we provided to Lewys '' .
`` This is an extremely tragic case and everyone at the health board extends their sincere and heartfelt sympathies to his family , '' she said .
Ms Walker said action was already being taken to address some of the improvements identified in an internal investigation carried out following Lewys 's death .
`` We would like to reassure his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can to make sure that the necessary improvements are undertaken , '' she added .
`` This will help ensure that the right treatment pathways are in place , and followed , for all patients that come into our care that we suspect may have sepsis . ''

He should have been given antibiotics within an hour of being seen, but it took about seven hours for him to receive the drugs, after being initially wrongly diagnosed with a viral illness.


bbcuk--2020-02-14--Major incident declared as Yorkshire braced for flooding

A major incident has been declared in parts of West Yorkshire as communities prepare for further flooding for the second weekend running .
Amber and yellow warnings are in place for parts of West and North Yorkshire from Saturday into Sunday .
Hundreds of homes and businesses , many in the Calder Valley , are still feeling the effects of Storm Ciara .
Anxieties have been heightened by the weather forecast and Kirklees Council urged people to be prepared .
It has declared a major incident , meaning it has drawn up a detailed plan on how it will work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flooding and keep people as safe as possible .
It comes after about 100mm of rain fell in a 12-18 hour period last weekend , leading to 550 homes and 600 businesses being flooded in Calderdale .
The area was devastated by flooding at Christmas in 2015 and millions of pounds were invested in flood defences .
However , some - including a £30m scheme in Mytholmroyd - are still under construction , prompting criticism that work is taking too long .
Calderdale councillor Scott Patient said people were `` understandably very anxious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weather .
Government 'must pick up the pace ' on flooding In pictures : The 2015 North of England flooding The Environment Agency said a gold command meeting was being held to look at where resources needed to be prioritised and it was liaising with the Army to help implement temporary flood defences .
Adrian Gill , flood manager from the agency , said he understood people 's frustrations around the work but said it was `` moving at pace '' .
He added : `` We will work the blue light services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do whatever we can to reduce that flood risk , but often there 's a limit to what we can do in such a short period of time . ''
Mr Patient , cabinet member for climate change and environment , said teams had been been going door-to-door to make sure people were prepared .
`` We are telling people what to do in the short-term , to check their existing flood defences and to be aware of the flood action plan .
`` Obviously there 's a lot of anxiety but people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with it . ''
Graham Mynott , executive director at Hebden Bridge Town Hall , said people were `` hunkering down and waiting to see what happens '' .
He said steps which businesses had undertaken since 2015 - including installing hard floors and raising electricity circuitry - had largely worked and many were trading again after last weekend 's damage .
Calderdale Council said teams were working around the clock to prepare for the storm and community hubs will remain open throughout the weekend .
Kirklees Council said an emergency centre would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ putting all its resources into ensuring people were safe .
Meanwhile , North Yorkshire County Council said sandbag stocks were being replenished and teams were clearing out drains at known hotspots .
Nigel Smith , head of highways operations , urged drivers not to ignore flood warnings or road closures , adding : `` Last weekend there were instances of people removing signs and driving into flood water . ''

He added: "We will work the blue light services and military if we need to to do whatever we can to reduce that flood risk, but often there's a limit to what we can do in such a short period of time."


bbcuk--2020-02-16--Storm Dennis: Major incidents declared in south Wales and Herefordshire

Major incidents have been declared in south Wales and parts of England , as Storm Dennis batters the UK .
South Wales Police has been dealing with `` multiple '' landslides and floods - some trapping residents .
Homes have also been flooded , while police in Worcestershire are searching for a person who is feared to have been swept into the River Teme .
More than 700 flood warnings and alerts are in place across the UK , as of 23:45 GMT on Sunday .
There are currently eight severe flood warnings in England , which mean there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do I stop my trampoline flying off in a storm ?
• What do we know about Storm Dennis ?
A record number of flood warnings and alerts were issued for England on Sunday , according to John Curtin , the Environment Agency 's head of floods and coastal management - reaching a combined total of 624 by Sunday night .
He said `` the saturated ground conditions '' left by last weekend 's Storm Ciara has `` driven '' the severe flooding seen across the UK over the past 24 hours .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ landslides , according to South Wales Police .
Dramatic video footage emerged of a landslide tearing down a mountain in Tylorstown , Rhondda Cynon Taf , south Wales , on Sunday morning .
Jessica Falk Perlman , who is on holiday with her family in Crickhowell , Powys , to celebrate her mother 's 60th birthday , told BBC Radio 5 Live that firefighters woke them at 04:00 GMT to tell them they were being evacuated because the River Usk had burst its banks .
But water quickly came flooding into their holiday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their evacuation .
`` The door of our house burst open and water came flooding in right up to the top of the stairs which was quite nerve wracking at the time , '' she said .
`` It 's well over the front door of the house , it 's flooded all the way up to the ceiling . ''
Amy Price , 20 , said her family were trapped in the upstairs of their home in Llanover , Monmouthshire , because water on the ground floor had reached as high as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started rising about 1am and at 3am it started coming into the house , '' she said .
`` We started sweeping the water away and then at 6am the river started coming over the bank . ''
South Wales Police said emergency services were working with local organisations to ensure the safety of people in communities cut-off by flooding , and to minimise damage and disruption .
Emergency centres have been set up for those who have been displaced .
Assistant chief constable Jennifer Gilmer praised rescue workers ' professionalism and advised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A man 's body was recovered from the River Tawe near Trebanos in the Swansea Valley but Dyfed-Powys Police later said his death was not linked to the extreme weather .
It is not being treated as suspicious .
West Mercia Police said a man had been rescued from the River Teme close to Eastham Bridge , Worcestershire , and taken to hospital by ambulance but that a woman was still missing .
The search for the woman has been called off until Monday .
Meanwhile , in Herefordshire , the council said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Environment Agency and health partners to assist residents .
It urged people to avoid unnecessary travel and check on their neighbours , and said `` rest centres '' are being set up for those who need to be evacuated .
Sarah Bridge , 55 , compared Storm Dennis to a tornado and said water had flooded her home in Pontrilas in Herefordshire despite specialist flood doors , reaching her knees .
`` It 's heartbreaking , '' she said .
`` The kitchen is completely flooded , I can hear things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident has also been declared after flooding at properties in Lowdham in Nottinghamshire .
Properties were also flooded in Tenbury Wells , Worcestershire - and residents were urged to take `` extreme care '' by the area 's Environment Agency manager .
A major incident has been declared by police following flooding in Shropshire .
Severe flood warnings , posing a danger to life , are in place at the Teme river in Ludlow , Shropshire .
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News 's Sophy Ridge that the UK government was `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weather conditions .
He said it had put £2.4bn into defences over a six-year spending period up until next year , and would allocate £4bn for the next six-year period .
New Environment Secretary George Eustice denied that the government had been caught off guard by the floods caused by Storm Dennis .
He told Sky News : `` We 'll never be able to protect every single household just because of the nature of climate change and the fact that these weather events are becoming more extreme , but we 've done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant sum of money , and there 's more to come . ''
Of the flood warnings , more than 200 apply in England , more than 20 in Wales , and more than 10 in Scotland - where two people had to be rescued after their car was swept off the road near Newcastleton .
In Scotland , the Forth and Tay road bridges have been closed to all traffic .
Winds battered most of Scotland on Sunday with a Met Office warning in place until 11am on Monday .
In York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ River Ouse could come close to record levels seen in 2000 .
Across the UK road , rail and air travellers also face disruption .
About 170 flights were cancelled on Sunday morning , affecting at least 25,000 passengers .
Storm Dennis caused disruption for 19 train companies , according to National Rail , with routes suspended across south Wales and in parts of England and Scotland .
Highways England said strong winds had closed part of the M48 Severn Bridge eastbound , while flooding closed part of the M54 and A-roads in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Gloucestershire .
Amber warnings for rain and yellow warnings for wind are in place for most of the country into Sunday evening .
This means flooding could cause a danger to life , power cuts are expected and there is a good chance transport links will continue to be impacted .
Wind gusts reached 91mph on Saturday , according to the Met Office .
• The Army helped residents shore up flood defences in Ilkley and Calder in West Yorkshire • The body of a man was pulled from the sea off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not link his death to Storm Dennis • A second body was found by the RNLI after a seven-hour search in `` rough seas '' for a man who fell from a fuel tanker off the coast of Margate Last weekend Storm Ciara brought as much as 184mm of rain and gusts reaching 97mph .
It also caused hundreds of homes to be flooded and left more than 500,000 people without power .
For more information , check the BBC Weather website and your BBC Local Radio station for regular updates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Get in touch by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
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He told Sky News: "We'll never be able to protect every single household just because of the nature of climate change and the fact that these weather events are becoming more extreme, but we've done everything that we can do with a significant sum of money, and there's more to come."


bbcuk--2020-02-16--Caroline Flack: Laura Whitmore attacks trolls over friend's death

Presenter Laura Whitmore has paid tribute to her `` vivacious '' and `` loving '' friend Caroline Flack , who was found dead in her London flat on Saturday .
Fighting back tears on her BBC Radio 5 Live show , she said the former Love Island host `` loved to love '' .
She also appealed to listeners to `` be kind '' to others and said she wanted to use her platform to `` call people out '' .
`` To paparazzi and tabloids looking for a cheap sell , to trolls hiding behind a keyboard - enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Flack 's family said on Saturday that she had taken her own life .
The 40-year-old had been `` under huge pressure '' since she was accused of assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton in December , her management company said .
If you or someone you know needs support for issues about emotional distress , these organisations may be able to help .
Burton , who did not support the ongoing case against Flack , wrote an emotional tribute to the presenter on Instagram on Sunday , promising the star he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that he would `` try [ to ] make you proud everyday '' .
`` I am so lost for words I am in so much pain I miss you so much I know you felt safe with me you always said I do n't think about anything else when I am with you and I was not allowed to be there this time I kept asking and asking , '' the 27-year-old tennis player wrote .
He concluded : `` I love you with all my heart . ''
Bail conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Burton ahead of her trial next month .
ITV cancelled the scheduled broadcasts of Love Island on Saturday and Sunday but said that the show would return on Monday night with a tribute to its former presenter `` who will be forever in our hearts '' .
Whitmore , who took over presenting Love Island following Flack 's arrest , said her friend `` loved to laugh '' and had the `` most infectious chuckle '' .
`` I 'm not going to pretend she was perfect , but is anyone ?
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scrutiny of the media .
`` Caroline loved to love .
That 's all she wanted .
Which is why a show like Love Island was important to her , because the show is about finding love , friendship , having a laugh .
The problem was n't the show .
The show ... is loving and caring and safe and protected .
`` The problem is , the outside world is not .
Anyone who has ever compared one woman against another on Twitter , knocked someone because of their appearance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have made mean , unnecessary comments on an online forum - they need to look at themselves , '' she said .
Whitmore said she had been debating whether she `` should , would or could come on air today '' but she wanted to talk about her friend `` to give her the respect she deserves '' .
She said she had also been harassed for `` just doing her job '' and `` words affect people '' .
`` So to listeners - be kind .
Only you are responsible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put out in the world , '' she said .
She then played Angels by Robbie Williams , saying her friend , who she met at V-festival about 10 years ago , loved music and loved to dance , and the song always reminded her of Flack because she `` danced so beautifully to it on Strictly '' .
`` Caroline , I 'm so sad for you , for your family .
I 'm angry that you saw this as your only option as I know how much love and support you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't know that , '' she said just before she played the song .
`` I am not sure when , but I know I 'll see you on the dance floor again and I hope you are at peace and know that you are loved . ''
Flack had co-hosted The X Factor and won Strictly Come Dancing in 2014 , as well as presenting ITV 's Love Island .
Following her death , an ITV spokeswoman said she was a `` much-loved member of the Love Island team '' .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The presenter stood down from the dating show after she was charged with assault in December .
She denied the charges .
Her management company has criticised the Crown Prosecution Service for refusing to drop charges , even though Burton said he did not want the case to go ahead .
The CPS said it would not comment on the specifics of the case `` given the tragic circumstances '' .
Former chief prosecutor Nazir Afzal said his impression was that the case had been determined to be a serious case , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should proceed with `` regardless of what the victim thought '' .
Responding to reports that the ambulance service was called to the star 's address the day before she was found dead , a London Ambulance spokesperson said : `` We were called shortly after 22:30 on 14 February to a residential property in north London .
`` Crews attended and , following a clinical assessment , the person was not taken to hospital .
Due to patient confidentiality we can not comment further . ''
A petition on the online site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Law '' , which calls for new laws around media regulation in the wake of the presenter 's death , has attracted more than 110,000 signatures .
Honey Lancaster-James , a TV psychologist who worked with celebrity contestants on an early series of Love Island , said it was important not to `` point the finger of blame '' .
`` There are often a number of factors , and a number of things that have led to a deterioration in mental health , '' she said .
Other celebrities and ex-Love Island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , describing her death as `` heartbreaking '' .
Her co-presenter on The X Factor and The Xtra Factor , Olly Murs , said he `` always knew how fragile '' she was and his heart was `` forever broken '' because she was `` like a sister '' and they were `` friends for life '' .
`` This will hurt forever , love you cazza , Your Ols , '' he said .

"I am so lost for words I am in so much pain I miss you so much I know you felt safe with me you always said I don't think about anything else when I am with you and I was not allowed to be there this time I kept asking and asking," the 27-year-old tennis player wrote.


bbcuk--2020-02-16--Caroline Flack: Love Island episode cancelled on Sunday

ITV has cancelled Sunday 's edition of Love Island following the death of the show 's former host Caroline Flack .
The show , now in its sixth series , had been due to air at 21:00 GMT .
A lawyer for Flack 's family said she had taken her own life .
Flack was replaced as host of the show after being charged with assault last year .
An ITV statement said it had decided not to air Sunday 's show `` out of respect for Caroline 's family '' , adding `` all of us are absolutely devastated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew Caroline well and held her in great affection .
All of us are absolutely devastated at this tragic news , '' the statement read .
`` After careful consultation between Caroline 's representatives and the Love Island production team , and given how close we still are to the news of Caroline 's tragic death we have decided not to broadcast tonight 's Love Island out of respect for Caroline 's family .
`` Love Island will return tomorrow night which will include a tribute to Caroline who will be forever in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first winter series , which is being filmed in South Africa , is due to end on Sunday , 23 February .
Channel 4 confirmed shortly after the presenter 's death that it would not broadcast its forthcoming show The Surjury , which was to have been hosted by Flack .
A spokeswoman said : `` We are shocked and saddened to hear the tragic news about Caroline Flack .
Our deepest sympathies go out to Caroline 's family and friends .
`` Under the circumstances , we have decided not to broadcast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or someone you know needs support for issues about emotional distress , these organisations may be able to help .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .


bbcuk--2020-02-16--Heathrow Airport apologises for IT failure disruption

Heathrow Airport has apologised for disruption after the west London hub was hit by `` technical issues '' .
One passenger said the situation was `` utter chaos '' after a problem with the airport 's IT system saw staff called in to help passengers get to gates on the second day of the half-term weekend .
At about 22:25 GMT on Sunday , Heathrow said the issues had been resolved and `` systems are returning to normal '' .
British Airways , the biggest airline at Heathrow , has cancelled 20 flights .
In a tweet , Heathrow Airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has now been resolved and Heathrow 's systems are returning to normal .
`` We apologise for the inconvenience caused .
`` Our teams will continue to monitor our systems and be on hand to provide assistance to passengers as we work to resume our regular operations . ''
Air traffic control was not affected by the technical failures , but the IT issues , which came on a busy day for family travel , have further compounded delays triggered by bad weather across the weekend .
Sam Mills , who was travelling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , explained how when he arrived at the airport shortly after lunchtime on Sunday the flight boards were not updating .
`` I was continually getting 'Delayed ' messages on the board , with no gate information for my flight , '' he told the BBC .
`` A BA representative informed me that it should update before my flight , and not to worry . ''
`` But as soon as the gate did pop up [ on the board ] - it told me the flight had departed , without me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now , I am stranded .
There 's a line of people about 300ft in both directions at the British Airways service desk .
We have n't been told any information from anybody . ''
Caitlin Gould , who travelled to London from Cornwall on Sunday morning , has been waiting for a flight to Munich with Lufthansa since 16:00 GMT , after her British Airways flight was cancelled .
She said the staff were `` really helpful ... if you can find them '' .
`` At the gate there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BBC , adding that everyone was dependant on white boards to find out where they should be .
`` None of the online information matches up with any of the boards .
People are walking around with signs trying to find people to take them to the plane . ''
British Airways said the cancellations were the result of Heathrow 's IT issues combined with the existing disruption caused by Storm Dennis .
It added that anyone on a cancelled flight would be entitled to a refund or could be re-booked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In response to a customer on Twitter , the airline wrote : `` We 're aware Heathrow Airport is currently experiencing a technical issue that is impacting some of their IT systems across the airport , affecting a number of airlines .
`` We are working with them to resolve the issue as a priority and apologise for the delay to our customers . ''
BA has experienced two high-profile IT failures in recent years .
In August last year , more than 100 flights had to be cancelled and a further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involving two separate systems , one dealing with online check-in and the other with flight departures .
The airline also suffered a major computer failure over the spring bank holiday weekend in May 2017 , which saw 726 flights cancelled and tens of thousands of passengers left stranded .
Have your travel plans been affected due to the IT failure disruption at Heathrow ?
Get in touch by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

In August last year, more than 100 flights had to be cancelled and a further 200 were delayed after an IT glitch involving two separate systems, one dealing with online check-in and the other with flight departures.


bbcuk--2020-02-17--Met Office forecasters set for 'billion pound' supercomputer

Ever wondered why your village was suddenly flooded by a thunderstorm the weather forecasters had n't mentioned ?
Or why they failed to warn you about the dense fog shrouding your home in the morning ?
The fact is that predicting the `` big picture '' of future conditions has got a lot better - Storm Dennis was spotted six days before it arrived .
But getting local forecasts right - street by street and hour by hour - is still a massive challenge .
And that might now change as the Met Office secures the help of a supercomputer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling more data , more rapidly , and running it through simulations of the atmosphere more accurately .
Already the Met Office is pulling in more than 200 billion observations from satellites , weather stations and buoys out in the ocean every single day , and that 's set to increase .
And working out if a summer downpour will flood your home or one down the road requires more and more processing power .
`` We 'll be streets ahead of anybody else , '' according to Penny Endersby , chief executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 'll make a difference to every individual , every government department , every industry as people see forecasts becoming steadily better . ''
It 'll be the biggest investment in the 170-year history of the organisation and will dwarf the £97m bill for the current supercomputer .
In the new project , the billion-plus cost will cover not just the hardware itself but all the running costs too over a ten-year period .
There 'll be a first stage installation , which should be six times more capable than the supercomputer used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there 'll be a major upgrade to increase performance by a further three times .
What will the supercomputer actually do ?
It 'll run what the Met Office calls its `` digital twin '' of the Earth 's atmosphere , a highly detailed `` model '' of everything from the winds to the temperatures to the pressures .
To create this simulated picture of our weather , the globe is divided into grid squares .
These have become smaller as the technology has advanced - and the smaller the better because that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the model of Earth is divided up into a grid of squares that are 10km across .
The UK gets more detailed treatment : its squares are 1,500m across .
London is studied with the aid of even smaller squares - 300m wide - mainly to improve the accuracy of forecasts for the airspace above the big airports .
And the ambition , when the new supercomputer is up and running , is to operate at an even sharper resolution , down to a scale of 100m .
Will it really make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believes it will .
There 's huge demand for better forecasting - from the military to the power companies to organisers of big outdoor events .
It could guide Environment Agency teams deploying mobile flood barriers or help the National Grid balancing fluctuations in wind and solar power .
And the prospect of rising global temperatures fuelling new and more dangerous extremes of weather makes accuracy all the more important .
There has been a huge improvement in recent years - every passing decade has seen forecasts reach a whole day further into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is as accurate as a one-day forecast 40 years ago .
So will the new computing power continue that advance ?
Penny Endersby prefers not to be make any promises .
`` I wo n't hang my hat on getting another day in the next decade , '' she says .
`` But it will make our forecasts more accurate , more timely and more localised . ''
And the government has calculated what that could mean in hard cash : that for every pound invested , there should be £19 in economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate change ?
That 's the aim , with the digitally-simulated atmosphere also run far into the future to explore the effects of a hotter world .
The effects of the rise of 1C over the past 150 years are still not fully understood , let alone those of bigger increases to come .
It should mean researchers can add more detail to their projections , weaving in factors such as the way nitrogen reacts with the carbon in the air .
And as the UK moves towards its target of net zero @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chance to explore different options for how the country uses the land .
For example , what will the effects be of planting new forests or protecting peat bogs or growing more biofuels ?
Wo n't the new supercomputer itself add to carbon emissions ?
Like any huge IT installation , it 'll certainly need a massive supply of electricity .
That 's why the Met Office is inviting the potential providers to come up with low-carbon options .
And that 's led to a radical idea .
The last 14 Met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK - and the new one might not be .
Around half of the processing work - the research devoted to climate change - could be located in countries blessed with easy sources of clean energy .
Iceland with its geothermal sources and Norway with its hydropower are both possibilities .
The offer is only open to countries in the European Economic Area - locating the facility on another continent has been ruled out because of the time lag in using a distant connection .
Invitations to the IT industry to bid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will go out near the end of the year .
And the start date for the new machine will be sometime in late 2022 .

Met Office forecasters set for 'billion pound' supercomputer Published 17 February 2020
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Image source, Met Office Image caption, Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis have both caused widespread wind and flooding damage
Ever wondered why your village was suddenly flooded by a thunderstorm the weather forecasters hadn't mentioned?
Or why they failed to warn you about the dense fog shrouding your home in the morning?
The fact is that predicting the "big picture" of future conditions has got a lot better - Storm Dennis was spotted six days before it arrived.
But getting local forecasts right - street by street and hour by hour - is still a massive challenge.
And that might now change as the Met Office secures the help of a supercomputer project costing £1.2bn.
Better forecasting means handling more data, more rapidly, and running it through simulations of the atmosphere more accurately.
Already the Met Office is pulling in more than 200 billion observations from satellites, weather stations and buoys out in the ocean every single day, and that's set to increase.
And working out if a summer downpour will flood your home or one down the road requires more and more processing power.
Image source, Met Office Image caption, The Met Office's existing supercomputer
"We'll be streets ahead of anybody else," according to Penny Endersby, chief executive of the Met Office.
"Ultimately it'll make a difference to every individual, every government department, every industry as people see forecasts becoming steadily better."
It'll be the biggest investment in the 170-year history of the organisation and will dwarf the £97m bill for the current supercomputer.
In the new project, the billion-plus cost will cover not just the hardware itself but all the running costs too over a ten-year period.
There'll be a first stage installation, which should be six times more capable than the supercomputer used now.
And then five years later there'll be a major upgrade to increase performance by a further three times.
What will the supercomputer actually do?
It'll run what the Met Office calls its "digital twin" of the Earth's atmosphere, a highly detailed "model" of everything from the winds to the temperatures to the pressures.
Image source, Met Office Image caption, The new supercomputer will be six times more capable than the current one
To create this simulated picture of our weather, the globe is divided into grid squares.
These have become smaller as the technology has advanced - and the smaller the better because that means more accuracy.
At the moment, the model of Earth is divided up into a grid of squares that are 10km across.
The UK gets more detailed treatment: its squares are 1,500m across.
London is studied with the aid of even smaller squares - 300m wide - mainly to improve the accuracy of forecasts for the airspace above the big airports.
And the ambition, when the new supercomputer is up and running, is to operate at an even sharper resolution, down to a scale of 100m.
Will it really make a difference?
The Met Office certainly believes it will. There's huge demand for better forecasting - from the military to the power companies to organisers of big outdoor events.
It could guide Environment Agency teams deploying mobile flood barriers or help the National Grid balancing fluctuations in wind and solar power.
Image source, Met Office Image caption, Original supercomputer installed at the Met Office in Dunstable in 1959
And the prospect of rising global temperatures fuelling new and more dangerous extremes of weather makes accuracy all the more important.
There has been a huge improvement in recent years - every passing decade has seen forecasts reach a whole day further into the future.
A five-day forecast now is as accurate as a one-day forecast 40 years ago.
So will the new computing power continue that advance? Penny Endersby prefers not to make any promises.
"I won't hang my hat on getting another day in the next decade," she says. "But it will make our forecasts more accurate, more timely and more localised."
And the government has calculated what that could mean in hard cash: that for every pound invested, there should be £19 in economic benefit.
And will it help with climate change?
That's the aim, with the digitally-simulated atmosphere also run far into the future to explore the effects of a hotter world.
The effects of the rise of 1C over the past 150 years are still not fully understood, let alone those of bigger increases to come.
It should mean researchers can add more detail to their projections, weaving in factors such as the way nitrogen reacts with the carbon in the air.
And as the UK moves towards its target of net zero emissions by 2050, there'll be a chance to explore different options for how the country uses the land.
For example, what will the effects be of planting new forests or protecting peat bogs or growing more biofuels?
Won't the new supercomputer itself add to carbon emissions?
Like any huge IT installation, it'll certainly need a massive supply of electricity.
That's why the Met Office is inviting the potential providers to come up with low-carbon options.
And that's led to a radical idea. The last 14 Met Office computers have all been housed in the UK - and the new one might not be.
Around half of the processing work - the research devoted to climate change - could be located in countries blessed with easy sources of clean energy.
Iceland with its geothermal sources and Norway with its hydropower are both possibilities.
The offer is only open to countries in the European Economic Area - locating the facility on another continent has been ruled out because of the time lag in using a distant connection.
Invitations to the IT industry to bid for the project are being drawn up and will go out near the end of the year.


bbcuk--2020-02-16--SNP calls for scrutiny after government reshuffle

The government should be scrutinised by MPs over changes to its teams in Downing Street , the SNP has said .
Earlier this week , No 10 confirmed it would be merging its team of special advisers with those at the Treasury .
The move led to the resignation of former Chancellor Sajid Javid , who refused to fire his own aides .
The SNP 's Ian Blackford said key figures - including the PM 's chief adviser Dominic Cummings - should now appear before the Liaison Committee .
The panel , which is made up of the chairs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tasked with holding the government and its ministers to account over public policy .
In a letter to the clerk of the committee , Mr Blackford wrote : `` It is substantially in the public interest to summon those involved in designing these changes - we should know their purpose and intent .
`` Dominic Cummings ... has been widely reported as the main catalyst for these alterations and so it 's right that he is the first to be summoned and required to answer questions on this matter . ''
Mr Javid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No 11 ahead of the government reshuffle on Thursday , despite reported tensions between him and Mr Cummings .
However , in a surprise move , the former chancellor quit his post , saying `` no self-respecting minister '' could accept the condition of getting rid of his staff .
In a letter to the PM , Mr Javid urged Mr Johnson to `` ensure the Treasury as an institution retains as much credibility as possible '' .
He has now been replaced by the former Chief Secretary to the Treasury , Rishi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advisers into a Downing Street unit has led to significant concern among some who believe it will limit the ability of the chancellor to resist demands from the prime minister .
Now the SNP are calling on the Liaison Committee to look into the change , saying it amounts to a fundamental re-ordering of how the government operates and functions .
Committees do have the power to summon witnesses - although it would be highly unusual for the prime minister 's key adviser to appear so publicly , and the committee has not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's unlikely Dominic Cummings will appear .
But the call for him to do so is illustrative of the fact many at Westminster are concerned about the influence of Mr Johnson 's advisers , and the changes they are involved in overseeing .
In his letter , Mr Blackford said : `` It is crucial that key appointed officials , responsible to the prime minister , are compelled to give evidence on these changes - in full , in detail and in public .
`` I hope parliament 's Liaison Committee is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of public interest and transparency . ''
The BBC has contacted Downing Street for comment .

Committees do have the power to summon witnesses - although it would be highly unusual for the prime minister's key adviser to appear so publicly, and the committee has not met since the election. Frankly, it's unlikely Dominic Cummings will appear.


bbcuk--2020-02-17--Coronavirus: Bicester Village 'having a tough time'

While February is typically a quiet time for the Oxfordshire retail village , staff the BBC spoke to said visitor numbers were much lower than usual .
Cut-price handbags and coats draw thousands of Chinese tourists to the retail outlet each year .
But the number of those diagnosed with coronavirus in China has spiked , and this has taken its toll on popular tourist destinations .
Eager shoppers , many of them from Asia and the Middle East , wear face masks and apply hand sanitizer on the Thursday morning train .
Mixed in with commuters , some snack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bags .
But fashion buyer Xia Yae says she has noticed a `` lot less people '' travelling to the retail village in the last two weeks .
Purchasing designer items for South Korean clients from brands including Gucci , Yves Saint Laurent and Burberry , Xia says that Bicester retailers are having a `` tough time '' .
`` Usually , fashion buyers would be restricted on how many discounted items they can buy .
But now , they 're allowed to buy as many as they want - the retailers clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she adds .
More than seven million people visited Bicester Village in 2019 , according to its owner Value Retail .
It was established in 1995 by American Scott Malkin , and reported sales of £259m in 2018 .
The Hwang family are visiting Bicester as part of their week-long holiday to London .
The daughter says the family `` are n't worried '' about the Coronavirus outbreak .
They are looking forward to searching through discounted items in Burberry .
Being able to claim back the 20 % VAT available to non-EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional red uniforms resembling those of bellboys , Bicester Village `` hosts '' greet them as they arrive and help other tourists buy tickets for travel .
Announcements in Mandarin and Arabic are made over the tannoy as the train pulls in .
Tourists make their way through a neon walkway and past an empty car park to the 160 shops on-site .
Few shoppers walk along the artificial streets between pastel-coloured storefronts .
A shop assistant at one store says they are `` concerned '' about how reliant Bicester Village is on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese visitors to the UK go shopping during their trips , according to research by VisitBritain .
In total , there were 415,000 visits from China to the UK in the 12 months to September 2019 , the tourism body says .
Staff say Chinese tourists are the biggest group for the luxury shop .
They add that the last two weeks have been `` quiet '' , estimating the branch has seen a drop of about 85 % in the number of Chinese customers entering the store .
They say : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Storm Ciara also meant a lot of the trains and coaches from London were cancelled .
It 's really scary . ''
Another sales advisor at the high fashion label Balenciaga says the last week has been `` very quiet '' in the shop .
Many of the people the BBC spoke to requested not to be named as they do not have permission to speak to the press .
He says he uses hand sanitizer every five minutes .
Stations are placed at the back of the store for staff , away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retail assistants outnumber customers .
They huddle for chats near the doors of Givenchy , Diesel and Karl Lagerfeld .
Four staff members in Burberry wear surgical masks , and tell the BBC they 've been `` advised not to speak to journalists '' .
The complex is privately owned and restricts filming .
The BBC was asked not to speak to `` guests '' by security at the site .
Dominic Hare , chief executive of the nearby Blenheim Palace , is hoping that any shortfall in visitor numbers will eventually be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to ensure that these are visits deferred , not deleted . ''
Mr Hare said that in the meantime they were `` working hard to attract people from short-haul markets , as well as the UK .
`` We 're optimistic we can make it up from the local audience - and that 's important because the jobs in the wider economy depend on us , and we depend on them too . ''
For now , Bicester Village shoppers seem happy enough as they wander down the makeshift streets .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are fewer people to fight for bargains .
Its owner Value Retail has not yet responded to the BBC 's request for comment .

"Usually, fashion buyers would be restricted on how many discounted items they can buy. But now, they're allowed to buy as many as they want - the retailers clearly need to make more money," she adds.


bbcuk--2020-02-16--Plans of COP26 venue in Glasgow published in error

Detailed diagrams of the site of a UN summit to be held in Glasgow later this year were accidentally put online .
The COP26 climate conference is being planned for November and as part of the tendering process the UK government uploaded them in error .
The Mail on Sunday highlighted the mistake and described it as an `` astonishing security breach '' .
The UK government said it was continuing to work with Police Scotland to make sure the event was secure .
It was understood the documents , which have since been removed , did not show detailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the buildings .
However , they are not typically shared publicly .
The newspaper claims that an unsecured website contained 19 files including plans for `` every area of the event space 's buildings room by room '' , including things like sprinkler valve rooms and the power hub .
About 30,000 people , including some 200 world leaders , are expected to attend COP26 .
Police Scotland has previously warned that the cost of providing security could be more than £200m - partly because the force will need to bring in officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A spokeswoman for the UK government said : `` We are continuing to work very closely with Police Scotland and the relevant authorities to ensure COP26 is a secure and welcoming event for all participants . ''
The Scottish government said it had been made aware of the issue by the UK government but that it was confident the event would be secure and welcoming .
The conference is due to be held at the Scottish Events Campus between 9 and 19 November , but there have been concerns about spiralling costs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments have been at loggerheads over planning for the event .
• It 's a UN-led annual meeting set up to assess progress on tackling climate change • COP stands for Conference of the Parties .
The parties in question are countries that have ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC ) • The UNFCCC is an international environmental treaty that came into force on 21 March 1994 • The first COP meeting took place in Berlin , Germany , in 1995 • COP26 , in November , will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Glasgow to agree a new , long-term deal on rising temperatures • It 's seen as particularly important because the Madrid COP last year left a raft of complex issues unresolved • How much warmer is your city ?
• What is your diet 's carbon footprint ?
• Where we are in seven charts

The conference is due to be held at the Scottish Events Campus between 9 and 19 November, but there have been concerns about spiralling costs amid claims that the UK and Scottish governments have been at loggerheads over planning for the event.


bbcuk--2020-02-16--Emma Drew: Bride dies hours after Valentine's Day wedding

A woman with terminal cancer died just hours after she married her partner on Valentine 's Day .
Emma Drew , 45 , tied the knot with Daniel Smith at her home on Friday , a week after being told nothing more could be done to treat her condition .
The wedding was brought forward and the day was organised by her family and friends , with everything from the rings to the cake gifted through donations .
The ceremony in North Cerney was described as `` simple and beautiful '' .
It had been due to take place on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February , but was moved forward again after Emma 's condition deteriorated .
Diana Barrell , who helped organise the wedding , thanked everyone who had gifted items and made donations to ensure it could go ahead .
She said the primary school teacher had `` slipped away surrounded by the love of her family '' hours after the ceremony .
`` Emma was loved by everyone in the community .
She was a beautiful person inside and out and will be sorely missed , '' she said .
The planned wedding party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday went ahead at the wish of Emma 's family , and about 100 people attended to celebrate her life and share memories .

The wedding was brought forward and the day was organised by her family and friends, with everything from the rings to the cake gifted through donations.


bbcuk--2020-02-17--'Legal high' sellers ordered to pay back £500,000

Two drug dealers have been ordered to pay back more than £500,000 of profits from selling so-called `` legal highs '' .
Financial investigators pursued the two men , Stuart Percival and James Powell , for the money raised from the sale of psychoactive substances online .
After a four-year pursuit , the men admitted the six-figure sum in their bank account was acquired unlawfully .
Percival , 33 , paid £303,320 last year and Powell , 31 , paid back £270,093 in 2018 .
• What exactly are legal highs ?
Legal restrictions meant the recovery could not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so-called legal highs came into force across the UK in 2016 when the Psychoactive Substances Act came into force .
The money was recovered by the Civil Recovery Unit , a specialist team of solicitors and financial investigators instructed by the Scottish government .
Jennifer Harrower , procurator fiscal for specialist casework , said : `` Stuart Percival and James Powell profited from the reckless sale of novel psychoactive substances , benefiting from money they were not entitled to .
`` Civil recovery is a vital tool for disrupting crime in Scotland and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target those who try to profit from crime .
`` The large sum of money recovered from these individuals will be reinvested into our communities through Cashback for Communities . ''

"Civil recovery is a vital tool for disrupting crime in Scotland and one of the many ways we can target those who try to profit from crime.


bbcuk--2020-02-16--Extinction Rebellion activists block Cambridge roads

Climate activists have begun a week-long street blockade - prompting a police force to use emergency powers to shut off roads .
Members of Extinction Rebellion claim they had sent warnings to Cambridge University , and the city and county councils , to meet a series of demands .
It comes two days after a meeting had to be abandoned when a protester abseiled into the council chamber .
A spokeswoman said the blockade would remain in place until 23 February .
The group says it wants the university to `` cut ties '' with fossil fuel companies , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assembly on climate justice '' to be established in Cambridge .
It also wants the city 's public transport system to be more reliant on green energy .
Activists have set up a camp on Trumpington Road , blocking entry to the city from Fen Causeway during the half-term week .
Police have created diversions for traffic and public transport accessing the city centre , with a number of bus stops suspended .
A University of Cambridge spokeswoman said hundreds of its researchers `` are working hard to develop real solutions to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The university respects the right to protest and free speech , and demonstrates its commitment to serve society by making ground-breaking discoveries and developing ideas that will support the rapid decarbonisation of the global economy in a way that is practical , ethical and equitable , '' she added .
In November , the university launched Cambridge Zero , led by Dr Emily Shuckburgh , one of the UK 's leading climate scientists .
Activist Amelia Halls , 21 , said : `` On 1 January we issued three demands of the institutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causing a disruption - but it 's not enough to plant a load of trees and say by a certain time we 'll be carbon neutral - it 's not soon enough . ''
Supt James Sutherland , of Cambridgeshire Police , said : `` We review all reports of protest both spontaneous and planned .
`` We have to strike a balance between the need to allow peaceful protest within the city and the disruption that the protest itself causes . ''

"The university respects the right to protest and free speech, and demonstrates its commitment to serve society by making ground-breaking discoveries and developing ideas that will support the rapid decarbonisation of the global economy in a way that is practical, ethical and equitable," she added.


bbcuk--2020-02-17--Welsh alcohol minimum pricing awareness campaign starts

A campaign is being launched to remind shoppers and retailers of the start of minimum alcohol pricing in Wales .
From 2 March , retailers will have to charge at least 50p a unit , meaning a typical bottle of wine would not cost less than £4.69 .
The law will be effective from 2 March , after its introduction was delayed because of objections from Portugal .
A report found alcohol sales in Scotland dropped after a similar system started there in May 2018 .
Adverts on social media , radio and online will be in place from Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Welsh Government said it would mainly be targeting retailers in the campaign .
The Public Health Minimum Price for Alcohol Wales Act 2018 tells retailers to use a formula for working out minimum pricing .
The objections by Portugal over fears the law would make the country 's wines `` less competitive '' delayed its implementation .
It was also one of five countries who objected in 2013 to the Scottish Government 's plans , along with France , Italy , Spain and Bulgaria .
• Alcohol sales fall in first year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European free trade law by discriminating against imported alcohol products , saying the policy was illegal , unfair and ineffective .
The Welsh Government said the harm caused by alcohol was a `` major public health issue '' leading to over 500 deaths a year .
`` The policy targets harmful drinking and focuses on low cost , high strength products , '' a spokesman said .
Neither England nor Northern Ireland currently have plans to set a limit .

It was also one of five countries who objected in 2013 to the Scottish Government's plans, along with France, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria.


bbcuk--2020-02-17--'I reinvented the hair tie from my uni halls'

The BBC 's weekly The Boss series profiles different business leaders from around the world .
This week we speak to Sophie Trelles-Tvede , chief executive and founder of the hair accessories company Invisibobble .
For most students , founding a company would probably be the last thing on their mind when they 're hungover .
Back in 2011 , Swiss entrepreneur Sophie Trelles-Tvede was finding her feet as a first-year student at Warwick University , but she was feeling unfulfilled .
`` Studying in the UK was my dream , and I had worked so hard to get there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadlines were n't due until summer , so all of the work was back-loaded .
`` We were just about to go into the Christmas holidays , but I felt like I did n't deserve them at all , '' she says .
To combat this `` numb '' feeling , Sophie , then 18 , went to an `` anything but clothes '' night at the students ' union , where partygoers wear costumes they 've made out of random items .
Sophie , now 27 , says : `` As I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spotted this old , disused telephone on my wall .
I unplugged the [ spiral ] cord , and tied my hair up with it . ''
The `` light bulb moment '' as Sophie describes it , came the next morning .
`` I woke up hungover , but with no headache at all , even though I had been getting them regularly .
The hair tie did n't pull , or leave a dent in my hair . ''
Sophie called her then boyfriend , and now business partner , Felix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on creating a prototype - a spiral hair tie - over the Christmas break , financing the project themselves .
`` We asked a guy who produced telephone cord to strip out the wire , and solder it into a round shape .
Sophie adds : `` The first box was terrible !
But I thought to myself : 'There 's still something to this ' . ''
Gathering feedback and tweaking the product over months , Sophie settled on transparent packaging with three spiral hair ties in each £5 ( $ 6.25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so important to me .
I wanted buying an Invisibobble to be a fun experience - like buying an eye-shadow palette , rather than toilet paper ! ''
The two decided to switch to a larger producer in China in 2012 in order to produce the hair ties in bulk .
They started selling products online that year , as well as to hairdressers .
Sales grew quickly , and Invisibobble went international in 2013 .
Pairing up with distributors around the world , the firm started shipping to 12 countries .
Although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` People were initially really dismissive of my product .
I was laughed off because it was 'just a hair accessory ' .
`` My flatmates would laugh at my Instagram posts about the business , or if I was creating an invoice on one of the uni computers . ''
But by the time Sophie 's graduation rolled around in 2014 , Invisibobble had an annual turnover of more than €6m ( $ 6.6m ; £5m ) .
`` People still could n't believe that Invisibobble could be a full-time job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , the careers counsellor told me to apply for jobs in HR after she found out that I wanted to work solely on my business . ''
Sophie noticed a shift in in 2016 , after she and her business partner Felix were listed on the Forbes Under 30 European entrepreneurs in retail list .
`` That 's when people started taking us seriously , '' she says .
Sophie says this is the moment when Invisibobble really started `` strategising '' .
`` We put a product on the market , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt super-weird .
But we had never taken a moment to step back and think about the bigger picture . ''
A few instances of Invisibobble being copied caused Sophie to change tack .
`` In every market , the same thing would happen , '' she says .
`` We 'd overperform , then another label creates a cheaper version .
`` Now , it 's too risky to just come up with an idea in the shower .
We have to be the most innovative hair accessory , and we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaigns . ''
It seems to be paying off for the company which now has its headquarters in Munich , while the products are manufactured in South Korea and Germany as well as China .
Invisibobble , which now also sells hair bands and hair clips , reported sales of €20m ( $ 21.7m , £16.6m ) last year .
It is today sold across more than 100,000 locations including in chains CVS , Walgreens and Sephora in its largest market , the US .
More than 100,000 people now follow the brand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used the social media platform to speak out about bad working practices she saw in China during a 2018 trip .
`` All of our production was running smoothly in China , our factories were fully audited , '' she says .
`` But we thought we 'd visit some [ new ] factories to see if we could learn anything from what other companies are doing there . ''
`` Mothers would have children on their laps while they were soldering hair ties together , then putting labels on them for huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
After visiting eight different factories in China , Sophie decided not to explore any of them as options , sticking with Invisibobble 's existing audited manufacturers .
She says : `` It made me realise , the most important thing is that we need to grow sustainably . ''
Although Invisibobble 's best-selling product , its spiral hair tie , is made from plastic , the company says it 's made from one single material , polyurethane .
It says this makes the product fully recyclable .
`` We also want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsibly .
By fixing a higher price point than traditional hair ties , we try to encourage that , '' Sophie adds .
Having grown a successful company , Sophie now has advice for young entrepreneurs : `` Start now ! ''
• ' I remember the roaches walking across the floor' • The medieval knight who went into space • Dan Aykroyd : From battling spirits to selling them Younger entrepreneurs like Sophie have `` at least two advantages '' , according to Vangelis Souitaris , professor of entrepreneurship at City University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the passion , energy and creativity of youth .
Second , they have little to lose .
`` They generally do n't have children or a mortgage to worry about , so during or immediately after university is a good time to take the leap and found a business . ''
Sophie says that if you have a good idea `` somebody else will do it if you do n't '' .
`` Also , if you start a business as a student , you can take a risk because you do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to set up a company .
The worst case is - it does n't work out . ''

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bbcuk--2020-02-17--Can we fix our way out of the growing e-waste problem?

`` I was a kid of the early 80s , when electronic items were quite expensive and were supposed to last for ages . ''
Francesco Calo has been learning how to fix his broken TV at a repair event in Tooting , south London .
It might seem a simplistic idea - but repair initiatives such as this one could be part of a solution to the growing amount of electrical and electronic waste .
This waste is becoming a huge problem .
The 50 million tonnes of e-waste generated every year will more than double to 110 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fastest growing waste stream in the world , according to the author of a UN report .
Francesco says the staggering volume of e-waste was one of the main reasons he wanted to get involved in fixing broken gadgets .
He enlisted the help of volunteers at the Restart Project in London .
Other , similar projects exist in the UK and around the world .
`` This project allows you to reduce waste , extend the life of objects , and it helps people who can not afford to get rid of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he says .
`` The issue of electronic waste is overlooked , as electronic items that could be fixed easily go to waste instead , contributing to pollution and increasing the demand for components like rare earth elements , which can have a damaging impact on the environment when sourced . ''
Dr Ruediger Kuehr , of the United Nations University , which produces the UN 's Global E-Waste Monitor , told the BBC that despite having ambitious collection targets in place , `` world-wide collections are stagnating or even decreasing '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monitor is due to be published in April , but with only 41 countries producing official e-waste statistics , the fate of the majority of the waste is `` simply unknown '' , according to Prof Ian Williams of the University of Southampton .
`` In countries where there is no national e-waste legislation in place , e-waste is likely treated as other or general waste .
This is either land-filled or recycled , along with other metal or plastic wastes , '' he says .
But e-waste from discarded electrical and electronic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A significant contributor to e-waste is the release of toxins from mining and manufacturing .
The rare earth elements being mined are currently crucial components in high-tech electronics , but they are hazardous to extract .
`` There is the high risk that the pollutants are not taken care of properly , or they are taken care of by an informal sector and recycled without properly protecting the workers , while emitting the toxins contained in e-waste , '' Prof Williams says .
By far the biggest contributors to the level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , vacuum cleaners , washing machines and fridges .
But the rapidly-growing `` Internet of things '' - internet-connected gadgets - is expected to generate e-waste at a faster rate , as connectivity becomes embedded into everyday items .
There are rules on the management of e-waste .
Sellers of electrical and electronic equipment ( EEE ) within the European Union must provide ways for customers to dispose of their old household device when they sell them a new version of the same product .
And in October 2019 , the EU adopted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means that from 2021 firms will have to make appliances longer-lasting , and will have to supply spare parts for machines for up to 10 years .
The UK government has pledged to `` match and even exceed EU eco product regulations '' post-Brexit .
Several high-profile electronics companies have faced criticism over a lack of availability of spare parts or upgrades , or alleged built-in obsolescence .
In 2017 , Apple admitted that it had deliberately slowed down some models of the iPhone as they aged .
Customers had suspected this was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple said it was to prolong the life of customers ' devices .
In 2018 , the company introduced its Daisy robot , used to disassemble iPhones to recover and recycle minerals .
In November 2019 , owners of Sonos products criticised the speaker manufacturer for no longer issuing software updates for some of its older models .
Affected customers were offered discounts on newer devices in return for recycling their existing product .
Increasingly , investors are only looking at companies that are committed to helping create a cleaner global economy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ AXA Investment Managers , says that e-waste is `` a significant and growing issue '' .
`` We 're starting to see companies that , I think , are very mindful of their reputation investing quite heavily here .
They recognise the reputational damage of not doing so . ''
But some consumers are taking matters into their own hands - literally .
And they do n't want new devices .
Back at the Restart Project in London - part of a wider repair movement of community based projects around the world - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screen at the cost of `` a few pennies '' for a new diode , and the help of one of the volunteers .
He tells the BBC he is thinking of becoming a volunteer fixer in the future .
`` I love the idea of watching and learning to fix , rather than simply having your item fixed .
`` I always try to extend the lease of life of the electronic items I own ... by using old mobile phones as music players , or old tablets as digital frames .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fix , but Prof Williams thinks this type of action plays a small , but important , role in tackling what he calls the e-waste `` tsunami '' .
`` I think that the repair cafes , the reuse clubs , and people who are trying to prolong the life of electronic equipment - they definitely have a role , '' he says .
`` But the truth is that one in five people - at best - are going to be motivated to do that , so for the remaining four out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems in place that are convenient , that match their lifestyles and enable us to get the electronic equipment back ... into the next item . ''

"But the truth is that one in five people - at best - are going to be motivated to do that, so for the remaining four out of five, we need to put systems in place that are convenient, that match their lifestyles and enable us to get the electronic equipment back... into the next item."


bbcuk--2020-02-17--Egg-freezing: What's the success rate?

Egg-freezing: What's the success rate?

The fertility expert , Lord Robert Winston , appeared on BBC Radio 4 's Today programme to discuss the campaign to relax the current ten-year limit on freezing eggs .
Lord Winston , who is professor of fertility studies at Imperial College London , warned that it was `` a very unsuccessful technology '' and said : `` The number of eggs that actually result in a pregnancy after freezing is about 1 % . ''
He later clarified he was referring to live births .
But the body which regulates fertility treatment in the UK - the Human Fertilisation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ puts the success rate at closer to one in five - a far better chance than the one in a hundred Lord Winston suggests .
So , why the different figures ?
It 's because the two are measuring the success rate based on different stages of fertility treatment .
An IVF cycle involving frozen eggs goes something like this : • Eggs which were previously frozen and stored are thawed • The ones that survive the thawing will be fertilised with sperm • Eggs that are successfully fertilised start to develop into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , usually one or two ( up to a maximum of three for women over 40 ) will be transferred to the womb Lord Winston 's 1 % figure was referring to the proportion of all frozen eggs thawed for use in fertility treatment which result in a pregnancy and subsequent live birth .
Data from the HFEA from 2016 , given to him in response to a question in the House of Lords , puts the pregnancy rate at 1.8 % .
There was no data on live births available for 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question , but looking at 2015 data , 2 % of all thawed eggs ended up as pregnancies and 0.7 % as live births .
The HFEA measures success based on how many embryos ( developed from frozen eggs ) result in a live birth .
Using this measure , 19 % of IVF treatments using a patient 's own frozen eggs were successful in 2017 .
Both measures miss out some information If you 're thinking of freezing your eggs , you probably want to know how likely you are to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But looking at the success rate for each individual egg ( the much lower number ) ignores the fact that a round of IVF will involve several eggs .
And there 's an expected `` attrition '' that happens through the course of treatment , explains Dr Sarah Martins Da Silva , an NHS gynaecologist and lecturer in reproductive medicine at the University of Dundee .
`` Not every egg makes an embryo , not every embryo makes a pregnancy and not every pregnancy makes a baby , '' she says .
From @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into an embryo , to transferring the embryo into a womb , eggs are lost at each stage , and there is never any intention that every egg in a treatment cycle will be used .
But the HFEA data only looks at the birth rate once an embryo is transferred - and not every treatment cycle will result in an embryo .
That means the HFEA 's success rate could be lower if it included women whose IVF cycle fails even before an embryo can be implanted In 2016 , when Lord @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,204 eggs were thawed - but we do n't know how many women or rounds of IVF that represents • Of these , 590 eggs ( 49 % ) were fertilised • Of the 590 eggs fertilised , 179 ( 30 % ) were transferred back to a patient • Out of the embryos transferred , 22 resulted in a pregnancy ( 13 % ) • That year , 6,199 were frozen but these are unlikely to be the same eggs being thawed There is more recent data on embryo transfers , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above data on thawing and fertilisation .
And this still does n't tell you about the success rate for individual women .
That 's an average , but within that group some women may have all the eggs she thawed survive , while others may have none .
Your chances of becoming pregnant also heavily depend on your age at the time your eggs were frozen , and your general health .
Women who were under 35 at the time their eggs were frozen have the highest number of births per treatment cycle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this rate declines with age .
So , a younger , healthier woman could have a higher chance than 19 % .
The 19 % figure will also include egg freezing cycles funded by the NHS for medical reasons ( about one fifth of the total ) .
Most of these will be women who are already unwell - often using egg-freezing to preserve the possibility of having children after going through fertility-damaging treatments like chemotherapy - and so might have a lower chance of pregnancy .
Jara Ben Nagi is a doctor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a private clinic which only deals with healthy women freezing their eggs for `` social '' rather than medical reasons .
She says her clinic has a birth rate of 27 % for a full treatment cycle - the same rate that was found in a Spanish study of more than a thousand healthy women using social egg freezing .
The HFEA also points out that very small numbers of women in the UK who freeze their eggs actually go back to use them , so it 's difficult to draw too firm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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The 19% figure will also include egg freezing cycles funded by the NHS for medical reasons (about one fifth of the total). Most of these will be women who are already unwell - often using egg-freezing to preserve the possibility of having children after going through fertility-damaging treatments like chemotherapy - and so might have a lower chance of pregnancy.


bbcuk--2020-02-17--Brit Awards: 10 memorable moments ahead of 40th ceremony

Lewis Capaldi and Dave are leading the nominations at this year 's Brit Awards , which will see Jack Whitehall once again host the ceremony .
The number of awards has been cut , as organisers promise more music and fewer acceptance speeches .
It 's the 40th Brit Awards ceremony in total - the first ceremony actually took place in 1977 , but it did n't become an annual event until 1982 .
The Brits have provided many memorable moments over the decades .
Here are 10 moments that will be kept for the archives .
Madonna had the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when she closed the 2015 Brit Awards with a lavish performance of her new single , Living For Love .
The star 's long , flowing cape did not detach as rehearsed earlier in the day .
As a result , the dancer who was supposed to sweep the gown away actually swept Madonna off her feet and down a flight of stairs with a sickening thud .
Madonna proved her professional status by picking herself back up and carrying on as if nothing had happened .
`` I had little bit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my head , '' she later recalled on The Jonathan Ross Show .
`` And I had a man standing over me with a flashlight until about 3am to make sure I was compos mentis . ''
Queen frontman Freddie Mercury made his final public appearance while collecting an outstanding contribution award at the 11th Brit Awards in 1990 .
Fans were used to seeing the dynamic singer dominate the stage but , on the night , guitarist Brian May spoke on behalf of the group .
A gaunt-looking Mercury ended the speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , goodnight '' .
It was n't public knowledge at the time that the star had been diagnosed with Aids three years earlier .
Even the band were n't informed at first .
`` We actually did n't know what was wrong for a very long time , '' guitarist Brian May later recalled .
`` We never talked about it and it was sort of unwritten law that we did n't .
He just told us that he was n't up to doing tours , and that 's as far as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a day after making his diagnosis public .
3 .
`` Theresa May , where 's the money for Grenfell ? ''
Stormzy closed the 2018 ceremony with a rebuke to then-prime minister Theresa May for her handling of the Grenfell Tower Fire .
In a furious rap , he demanded : `` Theresa May , where 's the money for Grenfell ? ''
He then accused the government of hoping the public would forget about the disaster , adding : `` You 're criminals , and you got the cheek to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some jail time , you should pay some damages .
We should burn your house down and see if you can manage this . ''
At the time , the government said it had pledged £58.9m for Grenfell , of which £30m had been spent .
A year after the tragedy , Theresa May wrote in the Evening Standard that `` the initial response was not good enough '' .
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott was happily watching Fleetwood Mac play Go Your Own Way at the 1998 Brits when Danbert Nobacon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leapt onto his table and emptied a bucket of iced water over him and his wife .
`` That 's for the Liverpool dockers ! ''
he screamed , in reference to New Labour 's inaction over a two-year labour strike in Merseyside .
Chumbawamba had previously opened the ceremony by performing their hit single Tubthumping , changing a section of the lyrics to : `` New Labour sold out the dockers just like they sold out the rest of us '' .
Prescott called the incident an `` utterly contemptible '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nobacon was handed to police by his fellow band-member , Alice Nutter .
He was later released after the Welsh politician declined to make a formal complaint .
Fourteen years later , Prescott got his revenge on Twitter , following the news that Chumbawamba had split up .
Adele has a lot of history with the Brits .
She brought the ceremony to a standstill with her performance of Someone Like You in 2011 , and was memorably cut off during an acceptance speech to make way for Blur the following year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about came in 2016 , when the Tottenham-born musician lent her voice to the # FreeKesha movement during her acceptance speech .
Picking up the award for best female , Adele announced : `` I 'd like to thank my label for embracing the fact that I 'm a woman and being encouraged by it .
And I 'd also like to take this moment to publicly support Kesha . ''
At the time , the Kesha was embroiled in a legal battle with her producer , Dr Luke , who she 'd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He denied the `` false and shocking accusations '' and counter-sued for defamation and breach of contract .
The case is still rumbling on .
Kesha 's case preceded the # MeToo movement - but the music industry is still struggling to address issues of sexual harassment and gender equality .
This year 's Brits have been criticised for a lack of female nominees , with no women being shortlisted for the night 's main prize , album of the year .
• Why were n't more women nominated for a Brit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remembers , even though it was edited out of the TV show .
In 1996 , Michael Jackson dropped into the Brits for an understated , low-key performance of his quietly contemplative single Earth Song .
Oh , alright then , it was totally nuts .
Jackson portrayed himself as a Christ-like figure , offering succour to the pleading children and adults that surrounded him as he howled a bombastic , seven-minute song about environmental disaster .
When the star stepped onto a crane and soared above the audience , Pulp 's Jarvis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on stage , looked around in disdain , then turned his back on the audience and wiggled his bum .
Asked to explain the incident later that week , the singer responded : `` I was just sitting there and watching it and feeling a bit ill , because he 's there doing his Jesus act .
`` I just thought : 'The stage is there , I 'm here and you can actually just do something about it and say this is a load of rubbish if you wanted ' . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` sickened , saddened , shocked , '' and , just in case you had n't got the point , `` upset and angry '' .
But other audience members took Cocker 's side .
When the musician was taken to a nearby police station for allegedly punching and knocking over three of the children on-stage with him , comedian Bob Mortimer , a former solicitor , offered to represent him .
Men Behaving Badly 's Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey staged a `` Free Jarvis '' campaign outside .
The next day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest was completely justified .
`` I think he did it because the show was so awful , '' he told BBC News .
`` The whole sentiment of the show was so self-inflating . ''
Bjork has won the best international female category more often than any other artist , taking the title four times over the last 26 years .
She 's never been completely comfortable with the accolade , though .
In 1996 , as Goldie presented her with the trophy , she bashfully buried herself in his jacket before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Two years later , she came prepared with a speech .
`` I am , '' she said solemnly , `` a grateful grapefruit '' .
Jack Whitehall took over as Brits host in three years ago , and instantly made the role his own with a series of savage one-liners .
`` If you like Adele songs but find them too upbeat you 're in for a treat , '' he announced in 2018 .
`` Sam Smith is performing . ''
A year later , referencing Westlife 's comeback , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border with Ireland does n't sound so bad '' .
But he drew the most attention by taunting Good Morning Britain presenter , Piers Morgan , over his clash with girl group Little Mix .
`` Piers Morgan did n't like that picture where you stripped off naked , '' he informed the band .
`` Which is weird because , you know , voluptuous breasts and four chins - it must be like looking in the mirror for him . ''
Whitehall and Morgan sparred about the joke later ; but eventually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Good Morning Britain .
In late 2007 and early 2008 , Amy Winehouse 's personal life was threatening to overshadow her musical talent .
With her husband in prison , the star 's concerts became increasingly shambolic .
She appeared drunk or exhausted or both , slurring her words and bursting into tears between songs .
Then , in January , video footage emerged that allegedly showed the star smoking crack cocaine .
She was quickly admitted to rehab ; and all future performances were scrapped .
A month later , on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appearance was still listed on the running order as `` TBA '' .
But when she joined Mark Ronson on stage for a celebratory version of Valerie , it felt like the old Amy was back .
Dressed in a tartan bodice , with a gravity-defying beehive , she coiled her distinctive voice around the melody with a sense of pure joy .
It remains one of her best televised performances ; and was rewarded with the loudest applause of the night .
She went on to perform her own single Love Is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was n't nominated for any prizes that evening , she went on to win record and song of the year at the Grammys in LA .
Geri Halliwell 's `` favourite outfit ever '' became an icon of British pop - but it was n't the star 's first choice for the Spice Girls ' 1997 Brit Awards performance .
Ginger Spice was originally meant to wear a black Gucci dress , but had a last-minute change of heart .
`` Two nights before , Geri said , 'You know what , Emma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dress I 'm wearing , I 've got a much better idea , '' recalled stylist Emma Poole in an interview with The Telegraph .
`` I 'm going around to my sister 's , she 's got these Union Jack tea-towels , I 'm going to make a dress . '
'' Her hunch paid off .
Halliwell was on the cover of every newspaper the following morning , and Harpers Bazaar declared the garment one of the top 10 most sensational dresses of all time .
But did you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't continue the patriotic theme ?
Instead , it carried a giant CND logo .
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"We actually didn't know what was wrong for a very long time," guitarist Brian May later recalled. "We never talked about it and it was sort of unwritten law that we didn't. He just told us that he wasn't up to doing tours, and that's as far as it went."


bbcuk--2020-02-16--Queen reprise 22-minute Live Aid set at Fire Fight Australia concert

US singer Adam Lambert has joined Queen to reprise the band 's legendary 1985 Live Aid set for 75,000 people at a huge benefit concert in Sydney .
The 22-minute set was part of a 10-hour fundraising event organised to raise A $ 10m ( £5.15m ; $ 6.71m ) for communities devastated by bushfires .
`` As Aussies we bear together ... because it turns out the people at the top do n't , '' the host Celeste Barber said .
Recent fires have killed at least 33 people , destroying thousands of homes .
In New South Wales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have brought blazes under control .
But in the last few months more than 11 million hectares of land - an area comparable to the size of England - has been affected across all of Australia 's states and territories .
On Sunday , Olivia Newton-John and Alice Cooper joined local stars 5 Seconds of Summer , Tina Arena and Delta Goodrem for the Fire Fight Australia gig .
Joining Queen 's Brian May and Roger Taylor on stage , Lambert filled in for the late Freddie Mercury as the band performed hits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ga , We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions .
• How much rain did it take to put out the NSW fires ?
• 'Urgent help ' needed for 113 species after fires Lambert , a former American Idol contestant who has previously toured with Queen , said it was a `` real honour '' to perform the band 's full Live Aid set for the victims of Australia 's bushfires .
The set at the 1985 fundraising concert at London 's Wembley Stadium for famine relief is seen as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rock band .
It was recreated for the 2018 film Bohemian Rhapsody .
Australia has always had a fire season , with naturally occurring blazes sparked during the dry summer , but this year 's has been unprecedented in the scale and intensity of the fires .
Prime Minister Scott Morrison 's government has come in for harsh criticism for its response to the disaster .
Profits from the event will be passed on to rural fire services , communities affected by bushfires and animal welfare groups .
Among those attending was Dalene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bay , who told Reuters news agency : `` [ I want to be ] part of the people who helped to try and bring things back together and bring smiles .
Yeah be part of that healing stuff that happens with community . ''
Another concert-goer , bank worker Karen Adams , said : `` We 're in Sydney so we could n't even get down there to help , which was heartbreaking .
And I work in a bank and so many families have lost everything so we 're here to @ @ @ @ @

In New South Wales, the worst-hit state, heavy rains have brought blazes under control. But in the last few months more than 11 million hectares of land - an area comparable to the size of England - has been affected across all of Australia's states and territories.


bbcuk--2020-02-15--Caroline Flack's career highlights in pictures

TV presenter Caroline Flack , who has died at the age of 40 , starred on some of Britain 's @ @ @ @ @ is a selection of photos that capture her career highlights .
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Image caption,
She took part in Let's Dance for... Comic Relief with Joe Swash in 2011. The pair also presented I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here Now!


bbcuk--2020-02-15--Boo Radleys bassist Tim Brown on moving from Top of the Pops to teaching

There were unlikely Premier League Champions in the shape of Blackburn Rovers and the Clintons flew in to Northern Ireland for a high-profile visit .
Meanwhile , Britpop was dominating the airwaves with the battle between Blur and Oasis capturing the public 's imagination in a way not seen since the Beatles and the Rolling Stones dominated the charts 30 years earlier .
But what became of some of the other bands of the era ?
What about the Boo Radleys ?
The musicians behind one of the most instantly catchy ear-worms of that year or any year - Wake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , outside Liverpool , the band steered a course towards stardom with the release of their career-making single in February 1995 .
In the blink of an eye they were playing Top of the Pops , Glastonbury and festivals right across Europe .
Even today , the song still regularly turns up on radio stations across the globe .
Which it makes it all the more unusual that the band 's bass player has been hiding in plain sight for the past 16 years , teaching at a St Louis Grammar School in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brown , the 25 years since his band 's heyday has gone `` in the blink of an eye '' .
`` It does n't seem that long ago , '' he said .
`` We thought we were living the dream especially when it came to Top of the Pops .
`` Top of the Pops was everything .
When you came on the stage and all the young girls were singing a song that was released just a week ago you thought 'this was it ' .
`` We were rock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millionaires .
`` But it does n't work out like that . ''
Tim has fond memories of the band 's big moments , not least their `` biggest one '' playing Glastonbury for the second time , this time on the main stage , with `` tens of thousands of people going made for the hit , for Wake Up '' .
When the band wound up , he spent time producing others music before retraining as a teacher .
This was what eventually saw him trade the urban surroundings of Liverpool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mourne Mountains .
`` We 'd moved to Liverpool and that was where I met my wife , '' he said .
`` She was studying there .
So all those years later we returned to Northern Ireland .
`` My first day , when I drove over the Mourne Mountains to the school , was a bit shocking .
And you do n't appreciate it after all these years , just how beautiful the area is .
Especially as we have dogs and enjoy walking up the mountains .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because he 's not in a world-famous band any more , does n't mean he 's not putting his skills to use - at St Louis , Tim helps young students produce original music .
Although many of them are aware that he enjoyed some success as a musician , it comes as a shock to hear that he played Glastonbury twice .
The mention of Top of the Pops , which last aired in 2006 , is met with confusion .
As A-Level student Orla says : `` I know the name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't know what it is . ''
Talk about a wake-up call .
But in the ever-shifting musical landscape , things can slip out of fashion pretty quickly - and back in just as quick .
That 's why some of the Boo Radleys are coming together to record some new music to mark 25 years since their biggest days .
They 'll be recording in the heart of the Mournes , a place that can deliver the most beautiful mornings of them all .

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bbcuk--2020-02-16--Storm Dennis: In pictures

Storm Dennis: In pictures

Many will be able to relate to Rupert the cocker spaniel 's experience on Saturday morning as he went for @ @ @ @ @

Image caption,
A woman looks out of her window as ducks swim past in floodwater after the River Severn burst its banks in Bewdley, west of Birmingham