bbcuk--2020-09-24--Coronavirus: 'We're Australian but we're trapped in the UK'

Last Thursday , Andrew Leslie , 52 , woke up at 04:30 BST at his east London home for his mother 's funeral .
It was taking place some 10,000 miles away in Sydney , Australia .
Australia 's strict coronavirus rules left Andrew , an IT worker , unable to get a flight home in time .
He had no choice but to say a `` surreal '' goodbye to his beloved 92-year-old mum , Helen , via an online live stream .
`` I really can not describe the sadness and grief I 've felt over the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were only 24 hours from being home , '' Andrew says .
When his mother was taken to hospital after a fall four weeks ago , Andrew and his wife , Anu , 49 , searched for flights to Australia , only to find that by the time they could fly there , and finish Australia 's mandatory two-week quarantine , they would still be `` weeks too late '' to see his mother .
Heartbroken at being separated from his mum and four siblings in Australia , Andrew and Anu recorded video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before she died .
• Australia virus cases 'set to be lowest in months' '' We told her how much we loved and missed her , and talked about some of the happy memories we 'd had together , '' he says .
After a `` very emotional '' funeral , Andrew is still struggling to come to terms with his mother 's death .
`` I do n't know if we 've really dealt with it from here , it just feels too detached '' .
Andrew 's experience is one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and separation - after Australia adopted some of the toughest travel restrictions in the world .
In March , its government urged Australian citizens and residents living overseas who wanted to return home to do so as soon as they could .
Days later , the country closed its borders to everyone except Australian citizens and permanent residents .
The government has restricted people from leaving the country without an exemption , and few are given .
All arrivals into Australia must quarantine in a designated hotel for 14 days , at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ £1,650 ) per adult .
Australia also brought in strict limits on the number of arrivals allowed to enter the country - with a cap of about 4,000 people per week .
And airlines - who must comply with the caps - have been regularly cancelling flights and tickets .
About 27,000 Australians stranded overseas have registered with the government to come home , Australian officials have said .
But earlier this month , the Board of Airline Representatives of Australia - which represents airlines - estimated there were likely to be 100,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK .
For Sandi James , a PhD researcher , qualified psychologist and teacher , what was supposed to be a 10-day working trip to Dublin has turned into months of being stranded in the UK with no job or stable accommodation .
Sandi , 51 , travelled from Australia to a conference in Dublin in March , where her wife Jennifer , 54 , joined her from Thailand .
Sandi was then due to travel to Malaysia for work - but says hours before she could board the plane , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same that month .
Sandi travelled to London after being offered a room to stay in while she was waiting to return to Australia .
She tried to book a flight home in April , but the earliest she could get one was 6 July .
With no job or permanent place to live , she phoned the Australian High Commission in London for help , but says they told her to contact a local council about homeless accommodation .
`` I hung up the phone .
I just could n't speak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The Commission did not respond to the BBC 's request for a response to this claim .
After her first flight was cancelled , Sandi was unable to take another last minute flight and says she has `` given up '' on trying to get back to Australia .
Sandi , who is currently staying in a hostel in Bristol , says the whole ordeal has severely damaged her mental health .
She has now started the expensive process of applying for an ancestry visa in the UK , in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring Jennifer here .
`` I am stuck here alone , and am really struggling .
I ca n't do this on my own anymore , I need her . ''
For first-time mum Carly McCrossin , 38 , every day her five-month-old daughter , Ailish , grows is a heart-wrenching reminder that her family back in Australia are missing out on those special moments .
`` I was getting so upset , because I would be putting away her new-born clothes , '' she says , `` and bringing out the three-month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to fly to the UK before Carly gave birth .
But during a `` horrible '' phone call , Carly and her husband , who live in south London , agreed she should n't come to the UK , fearing she may get stranded here - a decision they had just hours to make before the borders closed .
Unable to `` do nothing '' , she has launched a new campaign , with the aim of chartering a plane to fly other lockdown babies to Australia to meet their families .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carly has begun the `` slow process of getting things to happen '' , including talking to airlines and charter companies .
So far the cheapest private charter quote came in at about €900,000 ( £497,000 ) for a return .
The Australian government is due to review the caps on people coming into the country on 24 October and recently said it will increase capacity to about 6,000 people per week .
But many stranded Australians say this is not enough .
And it could be too late for Carly .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in October for three months before returning to the UK in January .
Instead she 's left looking at baby clothes that no longer fit her daughter .
`` I just kept asking myself , how has my mum not seen my baby ? ''

When his mother was taken to hospital after a fall four weeks ago, Andrew and his wife, Anu, 49, searched for flights to Australia, only to find that by the time they could fly there, and finish Australia's mandatory two-week quarantine, they would still be "weeks too late" to see his mother.


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Britpop: Photographer Kevin Cummins revisits the 90s

Twenty-five years since Blur and Oasis battled for chart supremacy , renowned music photographer Kevin Cummins has put the heady days of Britpop centre stage in a new book .
The Manchester-born snapper recalls fights , flags and the scene 's fall from grace .
As jobs go , it is a tough one - photographing a band when only one member has made it to the shoot .
Dispatched to Amsterdam to picture the then up-and-coming Oasis in 1994 , Cummins was greeted by a lone Gallagher brother .
Expecting to be told singer Liam , guitarist Bonehead and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dutch city 's famous party scene , songwriter Noel gave an altogether blunter response : `` They 've been deported . ''
`` They 'd had a scrap on the ferry overnight , '' Cummins remembers .
`` Noel had gone to bed , the rest of them had a fight with some football fans and were kept on the boat and sent back to England .
`` So that was my introduction to them .
I had to drag Noel out and photograph him by the poster for the gig they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'd actually turned up and get paid for it .
`` It never really changed .
I once flew to LA to do a piece with them for [ music magazine ] NME when they were playing somewhere in Hollywood .
Within 10 minutes they 'd had two fights on stage then Liam claimed he 'd lost his voice and that was the end of it .
`` There was always a bit of tension [ between Noel and Liam ] .
If you 've got a brother you know what it can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of your own family not to get involved in other people 's squabbles . ''
Oasis would go on to become one of the biggest bands of the decade - figureheads of the resurgence of UK guitar groups with a catalogue of anthemic hits and record-breaking concerts .
Their rise to stardom - and that of contemporaries Blur , Suede and Pulp - provided a soundtrack to a changing of the guard in the pop charts .
Cummins , whose camera work had been gracing the covers and inside pages of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the story in the newly released While We Were Getting High : Britpop and the 90s .
Taking its title from a line in the Oasis track Champagne Supernova , it has seen him narrow down 25,000 frames on negatives and transparencies to a few hundred with an array of images that would no doubt have adorned the bedroom walls of many music-loving teenagers .
A corduroy-clad Jarvis Cocker , cigarette-smoking Justine Frischmann and Damon Albarn sitting astride a Lambretta scooter are all featured .
The book also includes contributions from the aforementioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anderson , Echobelly 's Sonya Aurora Madan and Martin Rossiter of Gene .
Reflecting on that time , a quarter of a century on , Gallagher tells Cummins his band were responsible for pushing indie into the mainstream and that he found the Britpop tag `` a bit demeaning '' .
`` Oasis were n't part of any scene , '' he says .
`` Blur and Suede had their foot in the door long before what came to be known as Britpop was even a thing .
`` We literally smashed it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invent a collective so every other [ band ] could ride on our coattails . ''
Its beginnings were not immediately obvious though , says Cummins , who ironically relocated to London in 1987 just before all eyes turned to his home city as Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses led the `` Madchester '' craze .
The 66-year-old says his Britpop pictures were aided by bands who `` understood the value of a good front cover '' .
`` The early gestation of a music scene is apparent when you look back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not sure where it 's going .
It was certainly a lot calmer photographing Lush and co after spending about two years on the road with the Mondays .
`` With Oasis , I watched them try to kick lumps out of each other and then they 'd get back into position and we 'd do the photos so it was a bit unusual .
`` Blur just enjoyed themselves .
They 'd always do what I needed them to do .
`` Similarly with Suede , actually .
I went to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple of times and they were prepared to do things to make a good photograph .
They 'd grown up looking at the NME and they wanted to work at it to make sure what they were giving you were really great pictures .
`` On tour , if the mood is n't right I sit back and wait .
I do n't feel I 've got to be taking pictures all the time and I do n't think I 've got to be telling them jokes .
There 's always a level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ album topped the charts in early 1993 , but it would be the following year when the excitement and hype around Britpop began to soar with the arrival of Blur 's Parklife and Oasis ' debut album Definitely Maybe .
When , in August 1995 , the NME 's front cover billed an upcoming singles battle between the latter two groups as a British Heavyweight Championship fight , the wider media immediately took notice .
On BBC One 's Six O'Clock News , presenter John Humphrys described it as the `` biggest chart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` the music industry has n't seen anything like it since The Beatles fought it out with The Rolling Stones in the 60s '' .
As interest peaked over the next 12 months following the release of ( What 's the Story ) Morning Glory ?
, Oasis found themselves playing Wonderwall and Do n't Look Back in Anger to a quarter of a million adoring fans across two nights at Knebworth in Hertfordshire .
Tabloids and `` lads ' mags '' such as Loaded and FHM , which focused on booze and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to the phenomenon with many in the media and even the government talking up `` Cool Britannia '' and the rebirth of British pop culture .
The union flag became a celebratory backdrop on magazine covers So wide was Britpop 's cultural impact , Prime Minister Tony Blair invited the Oasis man to Downing Street as part of a celebration of creative industries shortly after taking up residence in Downing Street in 1997 .
Those associations were problematic for some musicians , though , as Anderson tells Cummins in the book .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ complex , '' the singer says .
`` When we started writing those songs in 1991 it felt thrilling and against the grain but [ it ] soon became a jingoistic , beery cartoon when the money moved in .
`` I think it 's aged terribly .
The faint whiff of nationalism and misogyny , the Men Behaving Badly and Loaded culture is so at odds with modern concepts it feels clumsy and almost anachronistic now .
`` It was an indication of the blithe optimism of Cool Britannia that people managed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In today 's political climate exactly the same act would be seen as deeply troubling . ''
While liking much of the music , Cummins admits he shares similar concerns .
`` I did n't really like the way Loaded magazine got hold of Britpop or the whole 'lad and ladette ' movement .
A lot of that was quite unedifying .
`` If you went to an Oasis or Blur gig , initially it would be quite mixed and then it just becomes blokes chucking pints of piss around .
`` Britpop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them all to Downing Street .
That was the kiss of death .
The whole point of youth movements is that they 're anti-establishment . ''

"Similarly with Suede, actually. I went to the [United] States with them a couple of times and they were prepared to do things to make a good photograph. They'd grown up looking at the NME and they wanted to work at it to make sure what they were giving you were really great pictures.


bbcuk--2020-09-25--Why Little Mix insisted on aftercare for the contestants on their talent show

Little Mix say they insisted on aftercare for contestants on their reality show , after seeing how the music industry treats young artists .
`` We did n't have that , really , on the show that we came from , '' says Leigh-Anne Pinnock , referring to the band 's tenure on The X Factor .
`` We want to make sure that they 're looked after properly and support them , '' adds Jade Thirlwall .
The band have been open about the effects of fame on their mental health .
Nelson authored an award-winning documentary last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weight and appearance chipped away at her self-confidence , leading to a failed suicide attempt .
Pinnock recently opened up about her personal experiences of racism within the music industry , while Perrie Edwards has revealed she struggled with anxiety and panic attacks .
• Jesy Nelson : Online trolls made me want to die • Little Mix 's Perrie Edwards on pop , panic attacks and knitting Speaking to the Radio Times earlier this week , the band said they were essentially left to cope on their own after winning the eighth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` You do get thrown into it without a second to think about anything , which can be a lot to deal with , '' Nelson told the magazine .
`` We never had anyone checking on us to see how we were doing mentally , it was all just go , go , go .
I personally do n't feel like there was anyone who cared . ''
`` When we won , we were n't even allowed to spend time with our families to celebrate , '' Pinnock added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ now about mental health , but people still just see the pop , the smiles and the stage , and they do n't really understand what goes on .
I kind of wish there was a lot more help along the way . ''
Modest TV , which is producing the band 's talent show , Little Mix : The Search , confirmed that contestants have access to `` a full-time welfare team and clinical psychologists '' before , during and after filming .
Once they are living in `` bubble families '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also receive online meditation sessions , and socially-distanced workouts with personal trainers .
Psychological support will also be offered after the show has gone off air .
A BBC spokesperson added : `` Planning around care for members of the public taking part in and competing in our programmes is always a core part of our production process and we have BBC editorial guidelines to help protect those taking part . ''
The plans cover everything `` from initial casting through to pre-production , to after care beyond transmission , '' they added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personally involved in contestants ' welfare , too .
`` We can really be honest with them about the things they might go through along the way , '' said Thirlwall .
`` [ We ] have been there and done it and can talk them through it and be a shoulder to cry on - which is so essential .
`` Also in terms of social media , we can talk them through what it takes to grow a thick skin - because as soon as you step into the limelight , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' 'Not too much ego' The Search , premieres on BBC One this weekend , and sees the Brit Award-winners putting together a series of groups , who will compete for a support slot on Little Mix 's arena tour next year .
Contestants are auditioned in a pastel-pink studio , with Little Mix offering advice on diction and stage presence before deciding who goes through to the next round .
The successful singers then receive a crash course in vocal harmonies and choreography , before a make-or-break performance in front of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each audition show , Little Mix have built a brand new band from scratch - from a rap / R & B group to a traditional boyband , and a five-piece who play their own instruments .
In the opening episodes , some of the male contestants are staggeringly cocksure .
`` Can I come over and give you a kiss ? ''
asks Adam , an electrician , who maintains direct eye contact with the band while singing Lewis Capaldi 's Hold Me While You Wait .
`` I 'm feeling saucy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audition ; while another hopeful declares : `` You guys are all way hotter in real life '' .
Adam , a waiter , even arrives at his audition with a tray of cocktails for the band .
`` I 've never seen confidence like it in my life , '' says comedian Chris Ramsey , who will host the show 's live episodes .
`` Some of these guys are 16 and they 're winking at you , they 're working the room . ''
`` The eye contact was so intense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was like , 'Oooh , OK ' .
But we love that , especially for a boyband .
They need to be charismatic .
Not too much ego , though . ''
`` There 's a fine line , '' agrees Jade .
`` And you 've got to make sure they 're teetering on the line and not stepping over it .
`` But I think , as well , for us , as mentors , it 's really important we put them in their place if we 've got any issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the TV talent show process themselves , Little Mix took their role as judges very seriously .
`` There 's nothing worse than walking into an audition , '' says Jesy Nelson .
`` It 's terrifying - to the point where , my first audition , I do n't even remember it because it became a blur .
I was that scared .
`` So it was so important for us to make them feel as relaxed as possible . ''
For Jade , it was important that the contestants who did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't left stranded .
`` We got turned away quite a few times [ so ] we want to make sure that they 're looked after properly and support them . ''
`` We want to encourage them to try again and come back , '' adds Leigh-Anne .
`` Just because you get one no , that does not mean by any means it is over . ''
`` We really do give advice and constructive criticism .
I feel like they have a good experience on the show even if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something they can take away with them . ''
• Flaws and all : Little Mix rate seven years of photos The Search was originally supposed to debut on BBC One in March , before the coronavirus pandemic struck , effectively ruling out the live shows where the winners would be decided .
However , the auditions had already been filmed , and the bands were created months ago .
With the show about to resume , Perrie says she hopes the contestants have used the downtime wisely .
`` They could use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ or ] record stuff for the fanbase they 're hopefully about to create .
If you want it , you have to work hard for it now , no matter what the circumstances are . ''
After five hit albums and record sales of more than 50 million , `` hard work '' is the band 's mantra .
And it 's one of the three key things they 've been looking for in their new charges .
`` First and foremost , more than anything , is chemistry , '' says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interesting with this show , is they 've auditioned [ and ] they 've got insane vocals , then they get put in a group dynamic and they just do n't click . ''
`` If you 're in a group , the dynamic has to just work , '' adds Leigh-Anne.
`` We were very lucky that we all just got on .
It does n't always happen - which is the one thing I am scared about . ''
`` So there 's chemistry - and obviously you 've got to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And last of all ?
`` No big egos . ''
`` If you 're going to work in a group , you ca n't have one person who 's constantly wanting to be better than everybody else , '' says Jade .
`` When we first got put together we made a conscious decision to always be equal , and I think that 's one of the reasons we 've lasted so long - there 's no-one trying to outdo anyone else '' .
Little Mix : The Search startson BBC One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"We can really be honest with them about the things they might go through along the way," says Jade. "[We] have been there and done it and can talk them through it and be a shoulder to cry on - which is so essential.


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Mercury Prize-winner Michael Kiwanuka: 'I am not an imposter'

Michael Kiwanuka has won the 2020 Mercury Prize for his complex , poetic third album , Kiwanuka .
In this interview , originally published in November 2019 , the singer explains how he overcame crippling self-doubt to make the record of his career .
`` I wo n't change my name , no matter what they call me , '' sings Michael Kiwanuka on his latest single , Hero .
Over the years , the London-born singer has been called a lot of things .
`` Michael Kiwa-nin-nin-nooko , Michael Keena-wooka , Michael Kawaski ...
Anything other than Michael Kiwanuka @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he topped the Sound of 2012 poll seven years ago .
`` Once , on my dressing room , there were like five ' n 's - Kiwanininininanuku ! ''
As a young musician , he was repeatedly told to choose a new name to make him `` more marketable '' .
Now , with cool self-assuredness , he 's called his third album Kiwanuka .
All in capitals .
Accompanied by a portrait of the singer dressed as a Tudor-era African king .
You could interpret that as arrogance or pride , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The album title is `` a statement to myself '' , says Kiwanuka .
A reminder that he conquered his crippling self-doubt .
`` I 've always had imposter syndrome , '' says the singer .
`` I was always waiting for someone to find me out and go , 'We see that you 're not actually that good and it 's all going to crumble ' . ''
It did n't matter that his last album , 2016 's Love & Hate , went to number one and was nominated for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heart , the album 's stunning , symphonic opening track , was placed over the opening titles of Big Little Lies , earning him international recognition .
`` It was frustrating because I thought [ success ] would have a different effect , '' he says , `` but what it did was almost the opposite .
I was overwhelmed by the response to the record . ''
He began to believe the album 's producers , Danger Mouse and Inflo , were the real talent - and that his own contributions were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good and I look up to them so much , I started to think , 'Maybe I 'm actually just average and they 're the reason why it 's popular , ' '' he says .
`` And because the album did well , it amplified those feelings , in an odd way .
I started to really get scared about it . ''
Kiwanuka 's depleting confidence started to affect his work , especially when he started recording Love & Hate 's follow-up .
`` There 'd be times working on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about my abilities and what I can bring to the table .
I 'd think , 'If they hear this , they 'll probably say , 'Oh , I 'm not working with him again ' .
`` But about a year-and-a-half ago , I got tired of that way of thinking .
I just went , 'This is n't helping anyone , least of all me . '
'' As his confidence returned , it fuelled a burst of creativity : Kiwanuka 's self-titled third album is a gorgeous , slow-burning trip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won a clutch of four and five-star reviews .
`` One of the greatest albums of the decade , '' declared The Guardian .
`` A compassionate , career-defining masterpiece , '' agreed Q Magazine .
Rolling Stone , meanwhile , noted it felt `` like a proper old-fashioned album , '' designed to be heard in one sitting , with each track bleeding into the next through musical interludes and sampled dialogue .
Kiwanuka hopes listeners will get `` lost and immersed '' in the music , the way he used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was at school , I loved The Score by The Fugees .
It had all these skits and songs and musical motifs that would come back .
I remember being 12 and feeling I was in another world .
`` That was one of the ambitions for this record : How can I keep people engaged , especially in a time of playlists , where album listening is a rare thing ?
`` So there 's no fade outs or pauses between songs .
If you press play when you 're cleaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the whole duration and you wo n't even know when the song has changed . ''
The album rewards your undivided attention , especially on headphones , as Kiwanuka colours and shades his songs with laid-back beats , torrid guitars , majestic strings , harps , brass , percussion , convulsive jazz chords and call-and-response gospel hooks .
The influences he draws on are impeccable : Gil Scott Heron 's wordplay , Prince 's vari-speeded vocals , the fuzz-tone guitar of Funkadelic 's Eddie Hazel and the heated-up-and-stretched-out grooves of Issac Hayes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think there 's a reference to Hot Buttered Soul in every song I 've tried to do over the last five years , '' he confesses .
`` I love that album . ''
At the centre of it all is Kiwanuka 's voice , full of warmth and resonance and humanity .
He 's at his most emotive on Piano Joint , a song about the healing power of love that was inspired by his wife , Charlotte .
`` I 've been a married man for three years and there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just so solid .
`` It 's so therapeutic to know there 's two of you on the same team .
That kind of love is the thing that gets me through the difficulties . ''
The 32-year-old says he 's become something of a homebird over the last three years , making touring life a perplexing prospect .
`` On the first album , my flat was just in boxes .
I did n't care about being a home at all , '' he says .
`` I was like , 'Send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'll be fine ! '
And although I love it just as much as I did then , it 's way harder to leave .
`` Home life is fun , you know ?
We 'll be like , 'Shall we book this holiday ? '
or 'Shall we paint the walls ? '
`` The little things that do n't seem that big , that everyone can do , become really fun .
It just gives you another side of life that anyone can attain , and it 's just beautiful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I definitely recommend it . ''
The couple recently moved to Southampton , a far cry from Muswell Hill , where Kiwanuka had lived since he was a child , born to Ugandan parents who 'd fled Idi Amin 's regime .
Their leafy suburb of North London was predominantly white , leaving the youngster with a sense of otherness and un-belonging that informed his 2016 single Black Man In A White World .
He says he never experienced `` blatant '' racism in the UK - but that does n't mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America , everything 's so much more polarised and amplified , but the things I went through are more way more subtle , '' he says .
`` It 's more like you go to a university and there 's there 's no black people , there 's no black teachers , no black people in places of leadership .
Or you go to a record label - nobody .
So it 's not necessarily , ' I hate you , I 'm shooting , I 'm killing you in the streets , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
It 's that sort of ingrained , unconscious racism that he sings about on Hero : The people who told him to change his name were worried his records would be pigeon-holed as `` world music '' , but they never considered they were asking him to erase his identity .
`` A name is a powerful thing , '' he muses .
`` You do n't get more 'you ' than your birth name , your given name . ''
His refusal to adopt a pseudonym was a small act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reflect on the far greater sacrifices made by civil rights activists ; comparing the murder of Black Panther chairman Fred Hampton with recent US police shootings .
`` I was looking at pictures on my phone of Fred Hampton and I was just moved by how young he was when he got killed , '' says the singer .
`` And then I started thinking of the musical icons who died young , too .
And I had the idea of , like , to become a hero , do you need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have so much good to give that it 's too much for the world , and you get shot down - whether you 're Bob Marley or John Lennon or Fred Hampton , or whoever it is ?
`` The words came out pretty quick at that point .
I finally had something to sing about . ''
But while the subject matter of Kiwanuka 's third LP gets pretty heavy , there 's always a shaft of light - evidence of the singer 's hope and humanity , rooted in the Christian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole life '' .
It 's there in the sample of US civil rights activists staging peaceful sit-ins at segregated cafes in the 1950s : `` You cause no violence .
You have no angry words , [ projecting ] the idea that here sits beside me another human being . ''
And it 's there in the uplifting final track , Light , where Kiwanuka sweeps away his anxiety as he sings : `` Shine your light over me / All of my fears are gone '' .
`` I finally accepted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm an artist and a songwriter and I love it , '' he smiles .
`` That 's when I decided to call the album Kiwanuka - because there 's no hiding from that .
`` This is who I am , rain or shine .
I am completely myself .
I am not an imposter . ''
Kiwanuka is out now .
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"And then I started thinking of the musical icons who died young, too. And I had the idea of, like, to become a hero, do you need to be a martyr? Do you have so much good to give that it's too much for the world, and you get shot down - whether you're Bob Marley or John Lennon or Fred Hampton, or whoever it is?


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Jobs Support Scheme: How is furlough changing?

What is the Job Support Scheme ?
This is almost the same as the 80 % offered under furlough scheme @ @ @ @ @ work at least a third of their hours , instead of none .
After three @ @ @ @ @ increase the minimum number of hours worked .
What does the scheme mean for firms @ @ @ @ @ on the firm 's payroll since at least 23 September .
They can be moved @ @ @ @ @ , or work different hours .
Each working arrangement must cover at least seven days @ @ @ @ @ is on offer ?
Can I be made redundant while on furlough ?
What is @ @ @ @ @ introduced ?
Can I work if I 've been furloughed ?
How popular has the @ @ @ @ @ still get sick pay and a bonus ?
Although employers now have to pay towards @ @ @ @ @ not also have to top up salaries that no longer reach the minimum wage .

Covid: What will happen when furlough ends? Published 30 September 2021
Image source, Getty Images
The furlough scheme, which protected millions of jobs during the pandemic, is being wound up at the end of September.
How did furlough work?
The government has been paying towards the wages of people who couldn't work, or whose employers could no longer afford to pay them, up to a monthly limit of £2,500.
At first it paid 80% of the wages, but in August and September it paid 60%, with employers paying 20%.
How many people are still on it?
The most recent figures show 1.6 million people were on furlough at the end of July - the lowest level since the start of the pandemic and 340,000 fewer than a month earlier.
Nearly one million workers were expected to still be on the scheme at the end of September, according to research by the Resolution Foundation.
The numbers have dropped as the economy reopened. In May 2020, nearly nine million people were on furlough.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, High numbers of workers in restaurants and hotels were furloughed
Will unemployment rise when it ends?
Some employers with workers on furlough may find they cannot afford to keep them on when furlough ends.
International travel, and other businesses which depend on it, are still seriously disrupted. Some furloughed workers in these areas may lose their jobs.
Many forecasters, including the Bank of England, are expecting a small rise in unemployment.
What if I'm made redundant?
If you were made redundant while on furlough, you have a number of legal rights.
The selection process must be fair, you must be given notice, and you are entitled to tax-free redundancy pay.
If you've been made redundant - or been told that you will soon be made redundant - there are three main types of financial support that you may be entitled to:
You might be able to claim a combination of these benefits.
The amount of help you get depends on your personal circumstances, including the amount of national insurance contributions you made while you were employed.
You may be entitled to extra money if you have children or are a carer, or have a disability or health condition. You may also be entitled to help with housing costs.
There is lots of free benefits guidance and advice available, including:
What has furlough cost?
The government says 11.6 million jobs have been supported by the scheme.
From March 2020 to the end of September 2021, the cost of furlough will come to about £66bn, according to estimates from the Office for Budget Responsibility.
That's a huge sum, around one fifth of the money the government has spent on the response to Covid.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, launched the furlough scheme in March 2020
However, the scheme has undoubtedly helped to save millions of jobs.
At the start of the pandemic it was feared that more than one in 10 workers would become unemployed.


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Ryan Reynolds: Wrexham school friends 'predicted' arrival

When two students shared a joke about drawing naked men , little did they know it would attract a Hollywood star and help revive their local football club .
School friends Shannon May and Lois Morus made the ( unlikely ) prediction that actor Ryan Reynolds would one day attend a life-drawing class in Wrexham .
Eight years later and the Deadpool star has replied to them on social media after it was announced he is in talks to invest in Wrexham FC .
`` I ca n't believe it .
It 's hilarious and a little nuts , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rob McElhenney are interested in investing £2million in Wrexham , which plays in the fifth-tier of English football .
So far it is unclear why the Hollywood A-lister is interested in a non-league club in north Wales .
However it could date back to a social media conversation when Shannon was telling Lois about an `` awkward '' life-drawing class with a `` naked 40-year-old male model '' as part of her art course in a Wrexham college .
Reynolds ' responses , in which he said he had `` waited eight years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 130,000 likes and left football fans scratching their heads over the 6 Underground star 's interest in the club .
`` It would be insane if those messages were what got Ryan Reynolds to Wrexham , '' said Shannon , 26 , who now lives in Wirral .
`` I ca n't wrap my head round it .
I 've had so many messages that it 's gone crazy .
You can see everyone is very excited .
`` We 're looking to move back to the area , so this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who now lives in Carmarthen , said the news was `` fantastic '' for Wrexham .
`` I could n't even remember the conversation at first , but who knew then it would come true .
I 've even had people asking me for the lottery numbers , '' she said .
`` I 'm not really a football fan but I 'm a fan of Ryan Reynolds so maybe I could be convinced to go if he 's there .
`` North-east Wales does n't get a lot of attention so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's putting Wrexham on the map . ''
A total of 1,223 Wrexham Supporters Trust members - over 95 % of those asked - voted for the move and 31 against at a special general meeting on Tuesday .
Final approval from members for a deal would see the trust relinquish some control of running the club .
BBC broadcaster , author and life-long Wrexham fan Bryn Law welcomed the news but said some supporters may be wary of the `` bizarre '' twist .
`` Some may think it 's too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will vote for this to help the club move in the right direction .
`` Now these guys are getting involved , who knows what could happen ?
Hopefully they will have a day trip to Llangollen or to Snowdonia , they 'll fall in love with the place and the £2m will turn into £4m . ''

"Now these guys are getting involved, who knows what could happen? Hopefully they will have a day trip to Llangollen or to Snowdonia, they'll fall in love with the place and the £2m will turn into £4m."


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Chancellor Rishi Sunak announces new Job Support Scheme

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a new Job Support Scheme to start in November .
The six-month scheme will replace @ @ @ @ @ will pay part of workers ' wages who have lost hours .
The chancellor also @ @ @ @ @ for the self-employed on `` similar terms '' to the existing job support scheme .

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a new Job Support Scheme to start in November.
The six-month scheme will replace furlough and means the government will pay part of workers' wages who have lost hours.
The chancellor also said he was extending help for the self-employed on "similar terms" to the existing job support scheme.
Chancellor unveils Job Support Scheme


bbcuk--2020-09-24--NHS Covid-19 app: How to install and use it

People living in England and Wales are being urged to download the government 's contact-tracing app following its official release @ @ @ @ @ to self-isolate for 14 days if it detects they were nearby someone who has the @ @ @ @ @ how to install it on Android smartphones and iPhones .

People living in England and Wales are being urged to download the government's contact-tracing app following its official release.
NHS Covid-19 instructs users to self-isolate for 14 days if it detects they were nearby someone who has the virus.
This video shows how to install it on Android smartphones and iPhones.
Read more


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Labour: Dodds reaction to Sunak Job Support Scheme

The shadow chancellor says half of her 40 requests for targeted wage support for workers have been “ rebuffed ” @ @ @ @ @ the chancellor announced his job support scheme , Anneliese Dodds said it was a “ @ @ @ @ @ now ” .
She said the delay will have “ impacted on business confidence ” @

The shadow chancellor says half of her 40 requests for targeted wage support for workers have been “rebuffed” by the government.
After the chancellor announced his job support scheme, Anneliese Dodds said it was a “relief this government has U-turned now”.
She said the delay will have “impacted on business confidence”.
Chancellor unveils Job Support Scheme


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Covid-19: Dad lost weight to attend daughter's birth

Gavin Jackson was warned to lose weight or miss the birth of his daughter .
He was told his hypertension @ @ @ @ @ higher risk of catching coronavirus .
He spoke to BBC Breakfast about what losing weight @ @ @ @

Gavin Jackson was warned to lose weight or miss the birth of his daughter.
He was told his hypertension could put him at a higher risk of catching coronavirus.
He spoke to BBC Breakfast about what losing weight meant to him.


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Newspaper headlines: 'Job fears' despite chancellor's 'rescue plan'

© 2020 BBC .
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites .
Read about our approach @ @ @ @

It says Mr Sunak's new slogan, "Live Without Fear", sets out an approach that could not be in greater contrast to the "latest draconian crackdown" announced by Mr Johnson - who is described as being reduced to a "political piggy in the middle", forced to mediate between two cabinet factions divided over the need for another lockdown.


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Coronavirus: Delays to trials 'prolong trauma' for victims

Victims of crime say delays to court cases caused by coronavirus are preventing them from processing the trauma of their abuse .
New figures show the backlog of crown court cases in England and Wales reached 42,707 in June , a 25 % increase compared to the same period last year .
One woman said she had not `` been able to properly live '' while she waited for her case to be heard .
The Ministry of Justice ( MoJ ) said it was investing in courts and more staff .
Between April and June there were 124 crown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first quarter .
Alex - not their real name - was assaulted in an alleged transphobic attack in 2019 .
The start of the trial of their accused has been pushed back twice as courts deal with coronavirus restrictions .
They have not been given a new court date .
`` I do n't want to think about it , but I 'm forced to .
It 's always there it 's hanging over me , '' Alex said .
They said after the attack they were too scared to go outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get me to leave the house because I could n't leave the house . ''
Since then Alex said their mental health has improved .
But the delay to their court date `` prolongs the feeling of isolation and suspicion '' .
`` If you ca n't have confidence in legal proceedings where 's the confidence I wo n't be assaulted again ?
`` I ca n't help but fight a sense that if it really mattered it would get done . ''
Almost half of all courts were closed in March 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop the spread of coronavirus .
Other hearings were able to take place using remote technology , with courts prioritising which cases to hear .
Some jury trials in England and Wales resumed in May , after almost two months on hold .
Nearly all courts are now open to the public again .
A series of `` Nightingale Courts '' have been also been held in theatres and hotels to help ease the backlog .
Sam - not their real name - worries any more delays will mean her trial , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual abuse at the hands of a group of men , will collapse .
Three days before the proceedings were due to start in the summer , the case was pushed back to mid-2021 .
It has since been brought forward to the start of 2021 .
`` I have worked so hard to get my perpetrators convicted , '' she said .
`` My home life now revolves around the case .
I have n't been able to properly live .
I need justice so I can process the trauma again .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of feelings about times when I was abused .
The trauma is so fresh .
`` I 'm having more flashbacks and more paranoia than ever . ''
Claire Waxman , London 's Independent Victims commissioner , said delays were due to `` a lack of investment in our courts '' .
She is helping support both Sam and Alex .
`` It has simply taken far too long for Covid safety measures to be implemented in courts , '' Ms Waxman said .
`` It 's unacceptable that there have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other workplaces have achieved this within a matter of days .
`` I am also seriously concerned that the increasing delays mean that victims will decide to opt-out of the criminal justice process altogether , denying them the justice they deserve . ''
An MoJ spokesperson said : `` We are seeing positive early signs stemming from our work to keep the justice system moving during the pandemic .
`` The number of outstanding magistrates ' cases are falling , while crown courts are listing more than 100 jury trials per week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are investing an additional £80m in our courts , with eight more Nightingale Courts , 1,600 new staff and more technology to boost our capacity . ''

Three days before the proceedings were due to start in the summer, the case was pushed back to mid-2021. It has since been brought forward to the start of 2021.


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Covid in Scotland: Curfew for bars and restaurants takes effect

Pubs and restaurants will have to shut their doors at 22:00 on Friday as a new curfew comes into force .
The first minister warned that any premises that do not comply risk being shut down completely .
The curfew is part of a series of new measures to bring down the rate of coronavirus transmission .
On Thursday , students at Scottish universities were told not to visit hospitality venues this weekend following a spate of outbreaks .
Universities Scotland said students who go to parties or socialise with anyone outside their accommodation risk losing their place at university @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country , with many more self-isolating .
• Scottish university students banned from going to pubs • Ban on meeting in houses extended across Scotland • Curfew could be 'fatal blow ' to some pubs and bars The hospitality curfew comes a week after the `` rule of six '' came into effect in Scotland , limiting all gatherings , including those in pubs and restaurants , to no more than six adults from two households .
Venues are also forbidden from playing background music , must enforce strict rules on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' details for track and trace data .
Willie Macleod , of UKHospitality in Scotland , said the latest restrictions were a `` potentially fatal blow '' for many business .
It follows a nationwide ban on visiting other households which took effect on Wednesday .
The measure was already in force for more than 1.75 million people in Glasgow and some neighbouring areas .
Nicola Sturgeon said all of these measures were necessary to get the virus under control before winter .
A further 465 positive tests were reported across Scotland on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newly tested .
The figures are in part driven by outbreaks at a number of universities , where many students in halls of residences in Glasgow , Dundee , Aberdeen and Edinburgh have been told to self-isolate .
A total of 172 Glasgow University students have so far tested positive , with 600 in isolation , while all 500 residents at the Parker House halls in Dundee have been told to quarantine .
And 120 cases of coronavirus have been identified in an outbreak at Edinburgh Napier University .
• RULES : What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LOCKDOWN : Six months that changed our lives • CASES : Where are the latest cases in Scotland ?
• NUMBERS : Four key figures to watch out for

The hospitality curfew comes a week after the "rule of six" came into effect in Scotland, limiting all gatherings, including those in pubs and restaurants, to no more than six adults from two households.


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Coronavirus: Arts sector money finally agreed in Covid package

Long-awaited Covid-19 funding to support Northern Ireland 's arts sector has been approved by the Stormont Executive .
It was signed off by ministers as part of a wider £165m financial package on Thursday .
There will also be an additional £40m to support the operation of Northern Ireland 's 11 councils .
Finance Minister Conor Murphy said he hoped the money would have the `` greatest possible impact '' .
`` I 'm sure the executive would like to see a broad spread of support for the arts , to ensure venues can open when they can but also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he told Stormont 's press briefing on Thursday .
`` It 's a vital part of our cultural life and a tourism attraction . ''
Funding of £33m had been received by the executive in July from Westminster to support theatres and venues , which have not been told yet when they will be able to reopen in Northern Ireland .
About £4m had previously been allocated , but ministers needed to approve how the rest would be spent , as part of wider financial allocations to Stormont departments seeking Covid-19 funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcement and said it would help offset some of the `` devastating financial consequences '' for those in the sector .
`` We are heartened to see that the majority of the funding announced is aimed at helping our core arts and cultural organisations , as well as artists and creative practitioners , get through this crisis to year-end , '' said the body .
The organisation said it had been in contact with the Department for Communities to outline the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the sector , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Department for Communities has yet to finalise details of how much money some schemes will receive .
Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín said her officials were `` finalising proposals for a suite of funding schemes '' to ensure the money was distributed quickly , fairly and to maximise its impact .
`` I want to get this funding issued at the earliest opportunity , '' she said .
Mr Murphy also outlined extra support for business , infrastructure , schools and local councils .
Over £29m will go towards `` business interventions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry and a holiday-at-home voucher scheme .
These plans were first reported by BBC News NI earlier this month .
Further support will be provided for skills and youth training , the minister said .
Northern Ireland 's local government councils will receive £40m to help them continue to `` provide essential services and support those in need '' .
Other support outlined by the executive include £14.6m for the A6 flagship road project , and £15m to NI Water for several projects .
There are also allocations for schools , with £9.2m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as £1m for pre-school settings and £200,000 for Special Educational Needs ( SEN ) support .
• £3.5m for higher and further education Personal Protective Equipment ( PPE ) Mr Murphy said the executive recognised the health service will require additional funding to continue the fight against Covid-19 and is holding £600m `` centrally '' pending an assessment of costs .
A further £55m is also being held centrally for sectoral interventions including support for the bus , coach and taxi industry and to cover any future PPE requirements .
Last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party ( DUP ) had blocked the `` vital funding proposals '' from getting on to the agenda .
It is understood the finance minister was in discussions with the DUP earlier this week about reaching agreement to allow the proposals to be raised at Thursday 's meeting .

"We are heartened to see that the majority of the funding announced is aimed at helping our core arts and cultural organisations, as well as artists and creative practitioners, get through this crisis to year-end," said the body.


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Covid: Cardiff 'could go into local lockdown'

Cardiff council leader Huw Thomas has warned of potential restrictions on travel and different households mixing .
He told a virtual meeting of the authority that over the past seven days , the area has seen 38.2 cases per 100,000 people .
Mr Thomas said the city was on the verge of entering the Welsh Government 's `` red zone '' .
He said if that was to happen `` then I fully expect that we will be implementing further restrictions as we have seen elsewhere '' in south Wales .
Cardiff is home to 366,903 people and would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed .
People living in Caerphilly , Rhondda Cynon Taf , Bridgend , Blaenau Gwent , Merthyr Tydfil and Newport can not leave their areas without a reasonable excuse .
Should Cardiff follow them into lockdown , it would mean more than a 1.2 million people - about a third of Wales ' population - would be under tighter restrictions than the rest of the country .
Conservative councillor Jayne Cowan asked Mr Thomas if Cardiff would be put into a local lockdown in the next 48 hours .
He replied : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the morning and make a decision based on that '' .
It comes as Caerphilly 's lockdown has been confirmed for at least a further seven days .
Mr Thomas said restrictions could be introduced `` at speed '' and could include a ban on households meeting or travel outside of Cardiff .
The council leader said the coronavirus test positivity rate stood at 3.8 % , which exceeds the government 's amber threshold of 2.5 % .
There has been a sharp rise in hospital emergency attendance in the past week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infection `` most frequently found within household settings '' .
`` Our test trace and protect data suggests this is particularly in cases where family bubble rules have been breached , and also where people are mixing in indoor home settings and not following the rule of six , '' he said .
`` The truth is that indoor mixing with people not in extended households in homes , cafes , bars and restaurants is happening far too frequently . ''
Mr Thomas said there had been a significant rise in those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Any new restrictions would need to be introduced by the Welsh Government .
Mr Thomas said he met First Minister Mark Drakeford and Health Minister Vaughan Gething prior to Thursday night 's council meeting .
The threshold for foreign countries to be added to the list of destinations where people need to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in the UK is 20 cases per 100,000 .
Welsh Conservative health spokesman , Andrew RT Davies , tweeted that a `` if such a decision is imminent , it 's incumbent on the Welsh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of financial support for the many businesses ( particularly hospitality ) that will be devastated by the news '' .
He said a blanket lockdown of the city `` really is n't local '' .
Rhun ap Iorwerth , Plaid Cymru health spokesman , said : `` It 's deeply concerning that the virus has gotten a hold again to the extent in which tighter restrictions are being considered in more and more areas , and that this now includes our capital city , our most populated area , is a sign of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shutting pubs slightly earlier is n't going to be enough - the Welsh government must think of a suite of new steps , which are perhaps stricter but for a shorter period , in order to control these new spikes . ''

"Our test trace and protect data suggests this is particularly in cases where family bubble rules have been breached, and also where people are mixing in indoor home settings and not following the rule of six," he said.


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Coronavirus: Working from home 'costs central London £2.3bn'

Data from the Centre for Economics and Business Research ( CEBR ) underlined how spending in businesses near central London workplaces had been `` lost or displaced '' between March and July .
This week new government restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of Covid-19 saw working at home recommended again .
Satyam Patel , who has run the Corner Shop in Bow Lane for 35 years , said he now saw 50 customers a day compared with 800 before lockdown .
`` Trade 's down 90 % , it 's very demoralising , '' he said .
`` You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen and where you 're going to end up .
`` You do n't see regular customers anymore .
There are so many customers you do n't see and you wonder where they are and how they are . ''
The CEBR looked at Google mobility data , which showed the number of people going to work in London in April during the height of the lockdown was 77 % lower than before the crisis .
It also used research by the payment app iZettle and data from Nationwide Building Society to calculate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near their place of work before lockdown .
Nina Skero , chief executive of the CEBR , said : `` During the months of March to July virtually everybody that could was working from home , so we estimate that the lost spending during that period was more than £500m per month because all of the spending on restaurants , hairdressers and other services was almost entirely lost as people were confined to their homes . ''
JMW Solicitors , which is based in the City , brought 40 % of its office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with productivity .
Lee Adams , a partner in the firm , said : `` The number of ideas that come out when you have people collaboratively working in the same space are just much more tangible than perhaps emails flying around or zoom calls that are a bit more stilted . ''
But with the government guidance having changed the company said it would be looking at its policies again .

Nina Skero, chief executive of the CEBR, said: "During the months of March to July virtually everybody that could was working from home, so we estimate that the lost spending during that period was more than £500m per month because all of the spending on restaurants, hairdressers and other services was almost entirely lost as people were confined to their homes."


bbcuk--2020-09-25--Police officer shot dead at Croydon Custody Centre

A police officer has been shot dead at Croydon Custody Centre in south London .
The male officer was shot in the chest when a man , who was being detained , produced a weapon during a search .
The suspect then turned the gun on himself .
The officer was treated at the scene overnight but died in hospital .
A 23-year-old man is in a critical condition after being treated for gunshot wounds .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said `` We owe a huge debt to those who risk their own lives to keep us safe . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said : `` My deepest condolences go to the family , friends and colleagues of the police officer who was killed in Croydon last night . ''
The suspect has been arrested on suspicion of murdering the officer , who is believed to have been a few weeks away from retirement .
No police firearms were discharged during the incident at about 02:15 BST at the Windmill Road centre , the Met Police said .
The officer 's family are being supported by specialist officers .
Asked about how someone could enter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a former Met Police superintendent , said : `` It depends if that person was arrested outside the police station and has been transported in a vehicle .
`` There are circumstances where someone might turn up at the custody suite area itself and be led straight through .
`` So not knowing all the details - how this person got into the secure area of the station or whether it 's outside the building or in the yard - we just need time to try and find out what has happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the moment . ''
Yogarajah Emmanuel , 43 , who runs a shop opposite the custody suite , said he woke up at 02:30 BST to the sound of sirens .
`` I looked out of my window and could see three ambulances , '' said Mr Emmanuel .
`` There was noise and all of a sudden one ambulance from inside the car park came out and sped off .
`` This morning I heard it was a police officer and just felt so sad .
They are all very good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they come to my shop . ''
The Reverend Catherine Tucker , who was at the centre earlier , said : `` The action taken against the police is really unacceptable but I also feel sorry for the perpetrator .
`` Sadly , I am not surprised there has been a shooting in Croydon .
`` There are tensions between the police and young people particularly in relation to stop and search and the way the police relate to the community . ''
Met Commissioner Cressida Dick described the loss of her colleague @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are currently supporting his family and also have a dedicated team providing support to the officers and those in the custody centre who witnessed the shooting , '' she said .
`` When a colleague dies in the line of duty the shockwaves and sadness reverberates throughout the Met and our communities .
Policing is a family , within London and nationally , and we will all deeply mourn our colleague . ''
This appalling incident in Croydon appears to be absolutely unique - an officer shot by a man who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shock felt today underlines how rare it is for police officers in the UK to lose their life in the line of duty .
The Metropolitan Police officer shot dead in Croydon is the 17th from the force to have been killed by a firearm since the Second World War .
But since the beginning of the 20th Century only 73 police officers have been shot and killed by criminals in the UK , excluding all deaths in Northern Ireland .
The majority of those deaths - more than 50 - have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other parts of the world are often puzzled why British constables are not routinely armed .
But the fact is that there are very few criminal guns in circulation - and the culture of policing has never seen it as acceptable to be universally armed .
However , Tasers are increasingly a common sight in the UK - and a massive survey of police officers recently found three-quarters would carry one of the less-than-lethal devices on the frontline , if given the choice .
Home Secretary Priti Patel said she was `` deeply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been shot and killed in the line of duty .
`` This is a sad day for our country and another terrible reminder of how our police officers put themselves in danger each and every day to keep the rest of us safe , '' she added .
Ken Marsh , chairman of the Met Police Federation , said : `` The murder of a colleague on duty is utterly devastating news .
`` Officers across London are in shock and sick to their stomachs at the nature of his death .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers make the ultimate sacrifice whilst fulfilling their role .
When that happens we will ensure their bravery and sacrifice is never forgotten . ''
The incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct ( IOPC ) , which will lead an independent investigation .
Its investigators were at the scene on Friday .
The Met continues to investigate the officer 's murder .

Police officers in other parts of the world are often puzzled why British constables are not routinely armed. But the fact is that there are very few criminal guns in circulation - and the culture of policing has never seen it as acceptable to be universally armed.


bbcuk--2020-09-25--Covid: Coronavirus cases in England up 60% in a week

Coronavirus cases in England have risen by 60 % in the past week , Office for National Statistics ( ONS @ @ @ @ @ were an estimated 9,600 new cases a day in England in the week to 19 @ @ @ @ @ a day in the previous week .
Infections rates are highest in the north west @ @ @ @ @ .
The population-wide estimates are based on testing a representative sample of people with or @ @ @

An Office for National Statistics (ONS) survey estimated there were 9,600 new cases a day in England in the week to 19 September - up from 6,000 the week before and three times that being picked up by general testing.


bbcuk--2020-09-25--Covid: Jobs scheme 'won't stop major rise in unemployment'

Rishi Sunak 's new jobs support scheme will slow but not stop , `` major '' job losses , influential think tank the the Resolution Foundation has warned .
The chancellor said he hoped the new plan , announced on Thursday , would `` benefit large numbers '' .
But the Resolution Foundation said the fact firms had to pay employees for hours not worked meant many would have `` little or no incentive '' to use it .
The plan `` will not significantly reduce the rise in unemployment , '' it said .
The Job Support Scheme , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will see workers get three quarters of their normal salaries for six months .
To be eligible , employees must work for at least one-third of their normal hours .
For the hours not worked , the government and employer will each pay one-third of the remaining wages .
Torsten Bell , chief executive of the Resolution Foundation , said the higher contribution required from firms , compared to the furlough scheme , meant the new Job Support Scheme `` will not live up to its promise to significantly reduce the rise in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for example , that it would cost a firm £1,500 to employ one full-time worker on £17,000 , but more than £2,000 a month to employ two half-time workers on the same full-time equivalent salary .
One full-time worker on £10,000 would cost £800 a month , compared with £1,100 a month for two half-time workers .
• Kuenssberg : No hiding now - for Sunak or businesses The government has stressed the scheme has been gratefully received in many quarters .
The chief secretary to the Treasury , Steve Barclay , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flexibility of being able to tailor how much time employees are working as we go through uncertainty of winter months '' .
Mr Barclay said the scheme has been `` so warmly welcomed '' by the likes of the CBI , FSB , business leaders and trade unions , as well as sectors such as aerospace and hospitality , He said that businesses want to retain their skills and expertise of the labour market , and `` wanted the ability to bring people back on a part time basis '' .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ households could face an income loss of £1,000 from next April - at a time when unemployment could still be at its highest level in a generation .
It said that a single adult homeowner earning £20,000-a-year would face an income reduction of around 19 % if they worked a third of their previous hours on the jobs support scheme , compared with a 70 % drop were they to lose their job completely and move onto Universal Credit .
However , employees only benefit from the Job Support Scheme ( JSS ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the scheme is far less generous for firms which gives them little or no incentive to use it , the Foundation said .
Meanwhile , industries hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic are facing further uncertainty after missing out on help in the chancellor 's new emergency jobs scheme .
Hospitality , events and retail workers and businesses have expressed concern , as have those on zero-hours contracts .
Rishi Sunak said employees must be in `` viable '' jobs to benefit from the wage top-up scheme .
This means people working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nightclubs - may lose out as there is n't any work .
Mr Sunak said he hoped the new plan , announced on Thursday , would `` benefit large numbers '' , but warned the government `` ca n't save every job '' .
Opposition politicians have called for more emphasis on training for workers losing their jobs .
Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds told the BBC a national training strategy was needed `` so that when people become unemployed , they can hopefully be retrained with new skills '' .
The Lib Dems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of focus on training .
She told the BBC that while the jobs plan was described as a `` bridge for the economy '' , she wanted to know `` where will it take us ? ''
How will the Job Support Scheme work ?
• The government will subsidise the pay of employees who are working fewer than normal hours due to lower demand • It will apply to staff who can work at least a third of their usual hours • Employers will pay staff for the hours they work • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the government and the employer will each cover one third of the lost pay • The grant will be capped at £697.92 per month • All small and medium-sized businesses will be eligible • Larger business will be eligible if their turnover has fallen during the crisis • It will be open to employers across the UK even if they have not used the furlough scheme • It will run for six months starting in November • FURLOUGH : What happens when the scheme ends ?
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• SOCIAL DISTANCING : What are the rules now ?
• COVID-19 IN WINTER : What will the effect be on the SARs-CoV-2 virus ?
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However, employees only benefit from the Job Support Scheme (JSS) where employers choose to use it, and the scheme is far less generous for firms which gives them little or no incentive to use it, the Foundation said.


bbcuk--2020-09-25--Covid-hit university students: 'Why have they sent us here?'

Students caught up in a spate of Covid outbreaks have questioned why university halls were allowed to open .
They have been told not to visit pubs or restaurants this weekend or go home after hundreds of students across Scotland tested positive for the virus .
However , many have called the outbreaks inevitable given students were encouraged back to campus .
The Scottish government said all efforts were focused on stopping further transmission of the virus .
One of the worst affected halls is Glasgow University 's Murano Street residences where at least 172 students have tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lucy Owens , a student living in the Murano complex and who has coronavirus , questioned why students had been brought back given so much learning had moved online .
She asked on the BBC 's Good Morning Scotland programme : `` What are we paying for ?
I could do everything I am doing from my house , so why have they sent us here ?
`` I know we 're making the most of this accommodation because we 're stuck in it all day but we 're not really making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Putting two thousand students into such a confined area , something like this was bound to happen . ''
• Scottish university students told not to go to pubs • PPE to pee and running out of food • University outbreaks 'should have been predicted' Fellow student Nell Manson said keeping students out of pubs and restaurants was not the answer .
She said : `` More things will be happening in accommodations .
`` In pubs and restaurants there are lots of social distancing measures , you ca n't even get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It lends itself to people socialising in other ways where there 's not such strict rules . ''
Tessa Morrison , 17 , who is studying politics at Glasgow University , said she has had a positive Covid diagnosis and is living with 10 other people , some of whom also have the virus .
The students all have their own rooms but share two bathrooms and one kitchen .
She said it was `` difficult to avoid people '' in this setup , adding , `` They should have waited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come here , I do think they are just trying to make money off us being in halls and they knew this was inevitably going to happen . ''
There are currently about 250,000 students in Scotland , with up to 35,000 living in university halls and 10,000 in private halls .
Covid outbreaks have been reported at halls of residence in Glasgow , Dundee , Aberdeen and Edinburgh .
Helen Kirkpatrick 's daughter is a second year student at Glasgow 's Strathclyde University and is staying in private halls .
She said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has found out that all classes will be online for the first semester .
`` She 's signed an agreement and paid a lot of money to stay there and what for ?
Now she is essentially imprisoned ?
`` She could have studied at home - I think the Scottish government could have handled this a lot better . ''
Universities in Scotland have agreed to introduce a `` yellow card , red card '' system for breaches of student discipline that put students and others at risk , which could result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead said this , and curbs on going to hospitality this weekend , was about trying to stop the virus spreading .
He said : `` This is an ask of the student population of Scotland from universities .
The Scottish government support that , but the universities are asking the students jointly across Scotland this weekend - given we 've got a number of outbreaks of the virus and some campuses across Scotland - to have the weekend off from socialising out-with the households . ''
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible , it 's a very tough time for them . ''
Mr Lochhead added that `` it 's not stigmatising students , it 's not about saying they 're particularly to blame for what 's happening . ''
• RULES : What are the restrictions in Scotland ?
• LOCKDOWN : Six months that changed our lives • CASES : Where are the latest cases in Scotland ?
• NUMBERS : Four key figures to watch out for • ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS : Who can I meet , and where ?

She said it was "difficult to avoid people" in this setup, adding, "They should have waited until at least Christmas to let us come here, I do think they are just trying to make money off us being in halls and they knew this was inevitably going to happen."


bbcuk--2020-09-25--Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank expecting a baby, Buckingham Palace says

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank are expecting a baby early next year , Buckingham Palace has announced .
A tweet from the Royal Family account said the couple were `` very pleased '' to announce the news .
It added : `` The Duke of York and Sarah , Duchess of York , Mr and Mrs George Brooksbank , The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are delighted with the news . ''
The tenth in line to the throne married Mr Brooksbank at St George 's Chapel in Windsor Castle in October 2018 .
Posting a photo of herself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of some baby shoes , the princess said the couple were `` so excited '' .
The couple 's baby will be the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh 's ninth great-grandchild .
Their eighth - the Duke and Duchess of Sussex 's son , Archie Mountbatten-Windsor - was born last May .
Eugenie 's parents , Prince Andrew and Sarah , Duchess of York , will become grandparents for the first time .
The baby boy or girl will be born 11th in line to the throne .
Because the child will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Royal Family - and drinks executive Mr Brooksbank has no royal status - he or she will be plain Master or Miss Brooksbank , with no royal title .
This could change if the Queen decided to give Mr Brooksbank an earldom or issue Letters Patent to amend the rules .
Princess Eugenie and Mr Brooksbank - who is European brand manager for Casamigos Tequila , co-founded by George Clooney - met when skiing in Switzerland in 2010 .
Their wedding was watched on an extended episode of ITV 's This Morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , giving the channel its best ratings for the timeslot since William and Kate 's marriage in 2011 .
Celebrities including Cara Delevingne and Robbie Williams were among the 850 guests , with an additional 1,200 members of the public invited to follow proceedings from the grounds .
Princess Eugenie 's wedding dress - designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos - featured a low back , at her request , to show a scar from surgery she had to correct scoliosis when she was 12 .
The Duke and Duchess of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Princess Charlotte , acted as pageboy and bridesmaid .
Eugenie 's sister , Princess Beatrice , married her property tycoon Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi , at a small private ceremony in Windsor in July .
She had been due to marry in May but coronavirus delayed the plans .

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bbcuk--2020-09-25--Tesco joins Morrisons to limit sales of some items

Tesco has become the latest supermarket to place limits on the number of items shoppers can buy , following a similar move by rival Morrisons .
It has introduced a three-items per customer limit on flour , dried pasta , toilet roll , baby wipes and anti-bacterial wipes .
The supermarkets are acting to prevent a repeat of the panic-buying that led to shortages in March .
Tesco said it had `` introduced bulk-buy limits on a small number of products '' .
It said this was `` ensure that everyone can keep buying what they need '' .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of stock to go round , and we would encourage our customers to shop as normal , '' it said .
The supermarket has introduced additional limits for a small number of products online , such as rice and canned veg .
Morrisons introduced a limit of three items per customer on some ranges on Thursday , including toilet rolls and disinfectant products .
It said stock levels `` were good '' , but it wanted to `` make sure they were available for everyone '' .
In March , UK supermarkets were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from panic-buying around the height of the pandemic .
Many introduced limits on the number of certain items that customers could buy , such as flour , pasta or toilet roll .
Enhanced measures introduced in recent weeks have not triggered stock-piling by customers , according to several supermarkets approached by the BBC earlier this week .
Asda said it still had good availability in-store and online , while Waitrose said it had `` good levels '' of stock and that it had also looked at the items people bought early in lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would like to reassure customers that there is no need to worry about buying more than they need , '' a spokesperson said .
An Iceland spokesperson said : `` There are no shortages and there will be no shortages so long as people continue to shop responsibly for what they actually need . ''
The British Retail Consortium said supply chains were good and has urged consumers to `` shop as you normally would '' .
Director of food and sustainability at the BRC , Andrew Opie , said : `` Supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we do not anticipate any issues in the availability of food or other goods under a future lockdown .
`` Nonetheless , we urge consumers to be considerate of others . ''
Aldi boss Giles Hurley has written to customers saying : `` There is no need to buy more than you usually would .
I would like to reassure you that our stores remain fully stocked and ask that you continue to shop considerately . ''

Aldi boss Giles Hurley has written to customers saying: "There is no need to buy more than you usually would. I would like to reassure you that our stores remain fully stocked and ask that you continue to shop considerately."


bbcuk--2020-09-25--County lines raids: 1,000 arrests and £1.2m drugs seized

More than 1,000 people have been arrested and an estimated £1.2m worth of drugs seized in a police crackdown on so-called `` county lines '' gangs .
Young and vulnerable people are used as couriers to move drugs and cash between cities and smaller towns .
Police said raids in the past week , involving all 43 regional forces in England and Wales , had been the most successful of their kind .
Almost 200 weapons and £526,000 in cash were also seized .
During a week-long operation , police forces also shut down about 10 % of the phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug dealing .
County lines is the term used to describe criminal gangs who move illegal drugs from big cities to more rural locations and sell them via dedicated mobile phone lines .
It is a `` business model '' which now dominates the drug trade , according to BBC home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds .
Investigators said restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic and a better understanding of mobile phone data had helped them target the drug dealers operating the lines .
Nikki Holland , director of investigations with the National Crime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today programme : `` Drugs dealers were a lot more visible on empty trains and on roads that are less busy so it was much easier to be able to spot the drugs dealers . ''
She added the police forces had worked with phone companies to share intelligence with each other and now had a `` greater understanding '' of how phone lines are used when they are passed on from one group to another .
By liaising with law enforcement overseas the NCA had been able to `` choke the supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • The discovery of an estimated £876,000 worth of cocaine , £87,000 worth of crack cocaine and £234,000 worth of heroin • 102 `` deal line '' devices , linked to phone numbers used to buy drugs , were shut down • 1,551 vulnerable people were contacted by police for safeguarding purposes • 69 referrals to the National Referral Mechanism as potential victims of human trafficking/modern slavery • Visits to 861 cuckooed addresses - a practice where drugs gangs take over the homes of vulnerable people to sell drugs Key to the county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in smaller towns but controlled by gang leaders in cities like London , Birmingham and Liverpool .
The gangs send bulk text messages to customers informing them of what is on offer , with cocaine and heroin the most common drugs for sale .
Gangs then have to transport the drugs to the areas where they are sold , often using young or vulnerable people , who are enticed or threatened into being involved .
The phones used are usually pay-as-you-go , but police are obtaining communications data from network providers and analysing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work out who controls the line .
The evidence is so strong , defendants often plead guilty without going to trial , police said .
Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Graham McNulty , the National Police Chiefs ' Council ( NPCC ) lead for county lines , said : `` We know now what a county lines phone looks like . ''
Home Secretary Priti Patel said the results of the operation were `` hugely impressive '' and tackling county lines was a `` priority '' for the government .
She said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crucial work '' .
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She added the police forces had worked with phone companies to share intelligence with each other and now had a "greater understanding" of how phone lines are used when they are passed on from one group to another.


bbcuk--2020-09-25--Northampton letter from grandad arrives 22 years late

A mother-to-be has received an unexpected letter from her deceased grandad 22 years after he posted it .
Zoë Fierro , from Northampton , opened the thank you note from Ronald Smith , from Long Buckby , who died in 1999 .
The 44-year-old was left in tears and it `` completely threw '' her as she recognised his handwriting straight away .
`` It feels like a real hello from him , 'hi I 'm still around , everything is good ' , '' she said .
When the letter , that had a second class stamp on it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw the handwriting and thought umm that looks like my grandfather 's writing , '' she said .
As he died 21 years ago she was left amazed and thought 'it ca n't be grandad 's writing , is someone playing a joke ? '
.
She skipped right to the end to check and it was signed 'love from grandad ' .
It was a thank you letter , it was posted in June 1998 a few weeks after Mr Smith 's birthday in May .
It was franked 4 June 1998 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 miles ( 18km ) away from Long Buckby , she said .
For your card and vouchers , very much appreciated .
We were very pleased of your success in your college exams ( workshops ) .
`` It completely threw me , it just seemed like such a surreal thing to happen , how is he doing this now ?
`` It was just lovely , the recognition of his writing just came so easy . ''

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said although it was "difficult to speculate" it believed it was likely "it was put back into the postal system by someone recently, rather than being lost or stuck somewhere in the network".


bbcuk--2020-09-25--UK borrowing soars in August as Covid costs mount

The UK government borrowed £35.9bn in August as tackling the economic fallout of pandemic took its toll on the public finances , official figures show .
The figure - the difference between spending and tax income - was £30.5bn more than it borrowed in August last year .
The increase meant that the borrowing figure hit its highest amount for August since records began in 1993 .
Borrowing between April and August totalled £173.7bn - also a record .
August 's monthly borrowing figure was , however , less than economists had predicted at £38bn , according to Pantheon Macroeconomics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ONS ) also revised down its estimate for UK borrowing in July , by more than £11bn , to £15.4bn , demonstrating how difficult tracking the economy during the pandemic can be .
It also said that total UK debt passed £2 trillion for the first time in history in August , rather than in July as previously thought .
In August , debt hit £2.024tn , £249.5bn more than the same time in 2019 .
That figure now exceeds the size of the UK economy , the highest level of debt seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK economist at Capital Economics , said that rising borrowing figures were down to the government absorbing `` much of the cost of the Covid-19 crisis '' .
The government has been forced to cover a wide range coronavirus-related costs - from the furlough scheme and bailouts for rail firms to business rates holidays and VAT cuts for hospitality and tourism .
It has also set aside £500m to cover the cost of the `` Eat Out to Help Out '' scheme , where diners got a state-backed 50 % discount on meals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Mondays , Tuesdays and Wednesdays in August .
• Uncertainty as industries miss out on job support But `` the big picture is that fiscal support will fade over the autumn causing many more job losses to be realised '' , Mr Wishart added .
The latest figures from the ONS show that while billions have been pumped into propping up the economy , tax receipts have dropped sharply .
The amount collected by central government in taxes dropped to £37.3bn in August , which is £7.5bn less than a year before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax and income tax collected fell `` considerably '' , the ONS said .
It was another month of heavy government borrowing - though many economists thought it would be even more .
As always , the outlook will depend on specific spending and tax measures and the strength of the economy .
The leading headline from the chancellor 's announcement yesterday was the coming replacement of the furlough scheme with the less generous Job Support Scheme .
That will curb spending compared with extending the furlough scheme , though it 's almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another of his measures - the extension of the VAT cut for hospitality and tourism - will reduce tax revenue .
The resurgence in Covid cases and the renewed restrictions intended to contain the pandemic are likely to cast a shadow over the economic recovery .
Some economists expect the economy to stagnate for the rest of the year .
To the extent that does happen , it will undermine tax revenue .
The new figures came the day after Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a series of extensions to existing coronavirus programmes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is due to finish at the end of October .
Under the new wage `` top-up '' scheme , if bosses bring back workers part-time , the government will help top up their wages to at least three-quarters of their full-time pay .
Philip Shaw , chief economist at Investec Bank , said that the government 's borrowing figures may `` partly correct themselves '' next year as a number of the chancellor 's measures expire .
Mr Shaw pointed out though that in order to bring down debt , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make on fiscal policy '' .
But `` with the focus currently on trying to maintain the recovery , this is not the time , '' he added .
Looking ahead , the ONS said that the chancellor was likely to borrow about £370bn in the 2020 financial year .

It has also set aside £500m to cover the cost of the "Eat Out to Help Out" scheme, where diners got a state-backed 50% discount on meals and soft drinks up to £10 each on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in August.


bbcuk--2020-09-25--Covid: Royal accounts show potential £35m shortfall due to pandemic

The impact of lockdown on visitor numbers to venues such as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle will lead to an estimated £15m loss of income over the next three years , the Keeper of the Privy Purse said .
And a 10-year £369m budget to refurbish Buckingham Palace is expected to be £20m short , Sir Michael Stevens added .
He said the royal household had `` no intention '' of asking for extra funding .
Sir Michael said the royal household would try to manage the `` financial challenges '' of the pandemic `` through our own efforts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ royal staff was implemented in April and there is also a halt on recruitment , with only business-critical posts being filled , though staff have not been furloughed .
• Harry and Meghan to make shows with Netflix The financial report covers the 12 months to 31 March - shortly after the UK government brought in restrictions on daily life , to curb the spread of coronavirus .
Other details revealed in the report include : • The Duke and Duchess of Sussex 's high-profile tour of southern Africa was the most costly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at nearly £246,000 , including planning trips for royal staff • Expenses for a two-day visit by the Prince of Wales to Oman to pay his condolences following the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said included a charter flight which cost £210,345 • The Duke of York took a charter flight to Northern Ireland to attend the Royal Portrush Golf Club 's Open championship , which cost £15,848 • Funding for the Cambridges and Sussexes contributed to a £5.6m bill for the Prince of Wales in 2019-2020 , up 11 % on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sovereign Grant from the Treasury increased to £82.4m in 2019-20 , up £200,000 on the previous year .
It includes £33m set aside for major work to update the electrical cabling , plumbing and heating at Buckingham Palace .
All major expenditure areas have increased , from payroll ( up £1.2m to £24.4m ) , to travel ( up £700,000 to £5.3m ) , and housekeeping and hospitality ( up £300,000 to £2.6m ) .
According to a senior Palace source , Prince Harry and Meghan have made a `` substantial contribution '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage , estimated at £2.4m in 2018-19 .
The payment will be disclosed in next year 's report .
The Sovereign Grant is funded by profits from the Crown Estate - a multibillion-pound property portfolio that ranges from London 's Regent Street to Ascot Racecourse .
The estate is managed by an independent organisation , with any profit paid to the Treasury for the benefit of all UK taxpayers .
Republic , a campaign group calling for the abolition of the monarchy , said the Sovereign Grant was `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The group 's chief executive , Graham Smith , said : `` A 15 % increase in travel costs when hospitals ca n't deliver the very best care to every person in need , when teachers are struggling to pay for the necessary books and equipment and the police are stretched to breaking point is scandalous . ''
Separate accounts published last week show the Crown Estate had a £345m profit for the Treasury for the last financial year but there were concerns about the future financial impact of Covid-19 .
The Royal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to running the opening of royal residences such as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle , to supplement the Sovereign Grant .
But closures due to the lockdown are likely to cause its income to fall by tens of millions .

The group's chief executive, Graham Smith, said: "A 15% increase in travel costs when hospitals can't deliver the very best care to every person in need, when teachers are struggling to pay for the necessary books and equipment and the police are stretched to breaking point is scandalous."


bbcuk--2020-09-25--Government 'got into a tizzy' about civil servants home working

The government has `` wasted '' three weeks of Whitehall bosses ' time by twice changing its advice on civil servants working from home , a union says .
FDA leader Dave Penman said ministers had got themselves into a `` tizzy '' and had suggested staff were `` lazy '' .
In March , civil servants were told to work from home if possible , but earlier this month ministers said 80 % should come in once a week or more by October .
But , with Covid cases up , they reverted to the previous advice this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` productivity '' and `` cohesiveness '' within the Civil Service as the pandemic continues .
• Work from home 'if you can ' , says minister • Civil servants 'must get back to offices quickly' • Campaign to encourage workers back to offices Over the summer , with city-centre businesses such as shops and cafés suffering because of a lack of commuters , the government encouraged companies to bring more people back into the office where it was made safe .
Downing Street argued that civil servants should set an example to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usual workplace in greater numbers .
And , at the start of this month , Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill and Alex Chisholm , chief operating officer of the Civil Service , wrote to permanent secretaries , who run government departments , telling them they should `` now move quickly to seek to bring more staff back into the office in a Covid-secure way '' .
Mr Penman , whose FDA union represents senior civil servants , accused the government of putting `` political pressure '' on itself by briefing the media that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to offices - and then having to be seen to rectify this .
At the start of the coronavirus crisis , permanent secretaries had `` transformed their staff from being 95 % office-based to 95 % home-based in three weeks , while delivering the furlough scheme for the country '' , he said .
`` They did amazing work turning it around and then they got told to reverse much of it in the same timeframe .
Well , that 's going to hit productivity , the important things that government needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 're back to where we were in the first place .
At the same time you have civil servants being called lazy .
It 's all been such a waste of time and goodwill . ''
Huffpost reported this week that Home Office staff in central London had been told to bring in packed lunches , because the time it took to get through Covid-19 checks and security .
`` Ministers got themselves into a tizzy and ended up with this target of 80 % , '' said Mr Penman .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They did n't think it through . ''
The Cabinet Office , the Whitehall department which supports the prime minister , declined to comment on Mr Penman 's remarks .
But official guidance states that civil servants in `` essential '' services should `` continue to go into work where necessary in a Covid-secure workplace '' .
It adds that permanent secretaries `` know their departments best '' and will work with cabinet ministers to decide which colleagues should `` continue to attend the workplace to support ministers and maintain full delivery of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be kept under review to ensure `` safe working '' and that `` Civil Service productivity and cohesiveness do not falter at this crucial time '' , it adds .
• TESTING : What tests are available ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• GLOBAL SPREAD : How many worldwide cases are there ?
• TEST AND TRACE : How does it work ?

"They did amazing work turning it around and then they got told to reverse much of it in the same timeframe. Well, that's going to hit productivity, the important things that government needs to be doing.


bbcuk--2020-09-24--Covid-19 restrictions: 'South Asian weddings should have 400 guests - not 15'

The new 15-guest limit would be `` out of the question '' for South Asian weddings , according to an events manager who has lost all his bookings since March .
The change came as the government outlined a new set of restrictions aimed at limiting another rise in cases of the coronavirus .
`` The average wedding you have 300 to 400 people , in some cases that pushes up to 1,500 ... people book at least a year-and-a-half in advance , '' said Mr Javed , who had 54 weddings planned for 2020 .
The sales manager said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no new bookings since March as people were `` cautious '' about weddings being able to go ahead .
Mr Javed , who has been furloughed , said the prime minister 's announcement this week `` crippled us even more '' .
`` It 's very hard managing the bride and groom , they 're emotionally stressed , we 're the bearers of bad news , they 're feeling the strain as well , '' he said .
`` Restaurants allow track and trace , face coverings , these could be in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be socially-distanced , we can make sure people sit in their bubble , '' Mr Javed said .
`` I do n't see the difference between the restaurant and a wedding , you would still be Covid secure ... the logic does n't make any sense . ''
The last wedding the company had was at the end of January , with 1,400 people in attendance .
`` We 're a year behind with our sales - we 've had to move everything to next year , over 52 weddings , 52 weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much space to add new ones . ''
She postponed for exactly a year but said she was still unsure if her `` quite small and intimate '' 320-guest wedding would be able to take place next year .
`` We do n't want to reduce it further , we just really want to get married , when you 've been waiting so long , it 's so hard to give up your dream , '' Ms Nicholls , 26 , said .
`` It 's a hard decision , do I give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't live together or go on holiday until we get married , so it 's really hard . ''

"We don't want to reduce it further, we just really want to get married, when you've been waiting so long, it's so hard to give up your dream," Ms Nicholls, 26, said.