bbcuk--2020-10-07--Islamic State 'Beatles' in court over US hostages' deaths

Two ex-British alleged Islamic State ( IS ) suspects have appeared in a US court charged over the killing of four American hostages .
Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh are accused of belonging to an IS cell dubbed `` The Beatles '' involved in kidnappings in Iraq and Syria .
The pair appeared via video link from prison at a hearing in a federal court in Alexandria , Virginia .
The men , who had been in US custody in Iraq , previously denied the charges .
A detention hearing and arraignment were scheduled for Friday but the lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grew up in London , said he might ask for a delay to allow time to go over the charges with the defendants .
US Assistant Attorney General John Demers told a press conference the charges were `` the result of many years of hard work in pursuit of justice '' for the four Americans who died - James Foley , Steven Sotloff , Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig .
• Relatives of British IS hostage braced for trial • UK sends US evidence on IS 'Beatles' • Watch : In the Face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims , he said : `` Although we can not bring back your children , we will do all that we can do : obtain justice for them , for you , and for all Americans . ''
He added : `` These men will now be brought before a United States court to face justice for the depraved acts alleged against them in the indictment . ''
The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison .
The pair are alleged to have been members of an IS gang - nicknamed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to their British accents - which was responsible for the death of hostages in Iraq and Syria in 2014 .
Some of the victims - who included American journalists and UK and US aid workers - were beheaded and their deaths filmed and broadcast on social media .
James Foley 's mother , Diane Foley , said the charges were `` only a first step '' and that she was `` praying that justice will be served '' .
She added that she hoped the trial might `` implicate others '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elsheikh , originally from west London , were previously stripped of their UK nationality .
The charges they face are : • Conspiracy to murder United States citizens outside of the United States • Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists - hostage taking and murder - resulting in death • Conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation resulting in death The IS group 's alleged ringleader , Mohammed Emwazi , known as `` Jihadi John '' died in a drone strike in 2016 .
Referring to his death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faced a different kind of American resolve - the mighty reach of our military , which successfully targeted him in an air strike several years ago '' .
The assistant attorney general was asked by reporters whether the death penalty was not being sought solely because the UK government had made it a requirement in return for its co-operation .
`` The attorney general decided that we should provide the death penalty assurance in order to get the British evidence and see that justice could be done more expeditiously than if we had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the courts in the United Kingdom , '' Mr Demers said .
`` The decision was to try to keep the option ( of seeking the death penalty ) open at first but ultimately that did n't work . ''
Last month the UK sent evidence to the US following assurances the two men would not face the death penalty .
Mr Demers added : `` We decided that if we were going to do this case , we were going to tell the fullest story we could of what these defendants did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the strongest case possible .
And with the British evidence I think we can do that very well . ''
Ms Foley said she was `` hugely grateful '' the death penalty was not being sought , as she wanted alleged IS members to have `` an opportunity to come to terms with what they 've done '' .
FBI director Christopher Wray told the press conference : `` We mourn not only our American victims but also the British victims David Haines and Alan Henning , and victims of all nations who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Isis . ''
Mike Haines , whose aid worker brother David was killed by the IS cell in 2014 , said he was relieved `` the fate of these two men is closer to being decided but this is just the beginning '' .
`` The pain we experienced as families was excruciating when we lost our loved ones and the last three years have been a long , horrible waiting game , '' he said .
`` It was a big win for us knowing that the US courts would be taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years since they were first detained . ''
British photojournalist John Cantlie was kidnapped with Mr Foley , and his fate is still unknown .
It has taken nearly eight years to reach this moment - from the day that James Foley and John Cantlie were taken hostage in Syria to the reading out of the indictment against two of the alleged perpetrators , both now in US custody .
The eight charges against them are so serious that each one carries a maximum sentence of life in prison .
The defendants have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged involvement in the murder of US and British hostages .
But both the US and British governments appear confident that there is a strong case for the prosecution .
Over the course of the coming trial the court is likely to hear some harrowing testimony from those who survived IS captivity - men whose freedom was ransomed in exchange for millions of Euros while their fellow prisoners from the US and Britain suffered horrific deaths at the hands of their captors .
IS once controlled 88,000 sq km ( 34,000 sq miles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to eastern Iraq and imposed its brutal rule on almost eight million people .
The liberation of that territory exposed the magnitude of the abuses inflicted by the jihadist group , including summary killings , torture , amputations , ethno-sectarian attacks , rape and sexual slavery imposed on women and girls .
Hundreds of mass graves containing the remains of thousands of people have been discovered .
UN investigators have concluded that IS militants committed acts that may amount to war crimes , crimes against humanity and genocide .

Mr Demers added: "We decided that if we were going to do this case, we were going to tell the fullest story we could of what these defendants did and we were going to put on the strongest case possible. And with the British evidence I think we can do that very well."


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Coronavirus: Nottinghamshire residents told not to mix indoors

`` The rapid and sustained increase in the numbers of positive cases is a serious cause for concern and the @ @ @ @ @ city are a clear sign that action is needed now across the whole of Nottingham @ @ @

"The rapid and sustained increase in the numbers of positive cases is a serious cause for concern and the very dramatic rates in the city are a clear sign that action is needed now across the whole of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Brexit: 'Put cards on table' over trade deal, says EU

European Council President Charles Michel has said it is `` time for the UK to put its cards on the table '' over a post-Brexit trade deal .
He tweeted the comment after a call with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier on Wednesday .
Formal talks between the two sides ended last week , but officials are still trying to come to an agreement .
No 10 said , during the call , the PM had `` reiterated that any deal must reflect what the British people voted for '' .
Mr Johnson also said that `` businesses and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms of our future relationship '' .
Earlier , Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said the negotiations gave him `` cause for steady optimism '' .
But the UK 's chief negotiator , Lord David Frost , said `` big gaps '' remained between the teams - namely on government subsidies for businesses and fishing rules - with fishing `` the most difficult issue '' left .
• 'Time and space there ' to resolve NI Brexit issues • What are the sticking points in Brexit trade talks ?
Both sides have said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to be signed off before the end of the so-called transition period - where the UK has continued to follow EU rules while negotiations take place - on 31 December .
Speaking to a Lords Committee on Wednesday , Lord Frost stood by an earlier statement from the PM , which said the UK could walk away from negotiations if an agreement is n't reached by 15 October .
If a deal is not in place by the end of the year , the UK will go on to trade with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which critics fear could damage the economy .
Lord Frost said the government would be `` content '' to trade with the bloc this way , saying : `` We believe we will prosper if we do so . ''
But he said the UK would `` obviously very much prefer to have '' a deal .
In his tweet , Mr Michel said the EU would also `` prefer a deal '' but added : `` Not at any cost . ''
Mr Johnson also held a video call with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday , where the pair `` agreed the importance '' of finding a post-Brexit trade deal .
They agreed progress has been made in the final formal talks , but said `` significant gaps '' remained - instructing their chief negotiators to `` work intensively '' to try and bridge those gaps .
The extended talks are taking place in London this week , and will continue in Brussels next week , No 10 confirmed .
Meanwhile , Mr Michel will travel to Dublin on Thursday for a a meeting with Irish @ @ @ @

Both sides have said an agreement must be reached this month in order to be signed off before the end of the so-called transition period - where the UK has continued to follow EU rules while negotiations take place - on 31 December.


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Wilfried Zaha racist abuse: Boy, 12, 'extremely remorseful'

Last updated on .From the section Crystal Palace A 12-year-old boy was `` extremely remorseful '' after sending racist messages to Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha , police said .
Ivory Coast winger Zaha , 27 , had called for `` action '' , `` education '' and `` change '' after the abuse on social media .
Police say he backed their approach , which involved the use of anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out .
The boy was arrested after Zaha revealed the messages before a defeat at Aston Villa in July .
A West Midlands police spokesperson told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremely remorseful for his actions and has received education sessions as part of the restorative justice process .
`` This was victim-supported and led by Kick It Out .
`` The sessions provided a greater understanding of equality , diversity , discrimination and what is unacceptable behaviour .
`` They also highlighted the impact of hate crime on others and further punishments if he re-offends .
We continue to work with the boy and there has been no repeat offending since . ''
Zaha thanked fans in July for their `` love and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand that whatever your age , your behaviour and your words come with consequences and you can not hide behind social media , '' he said .
`` It is important that social media companies do as they did and seek out these individuals and remove them . ''

Last updated on .From the section Crystal Palace
Zaha had called for education and change after the abuse in July
A 12-year-old boy was "extremely remorseful" after sending racist messages to Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha, police said.
He has received education sessions "as part of the restorative justice process" following the incident.
Ivory Coast winger Zaha, 27, had called for "action", "education" and "change" after the abuse on social media.
Police say he backed their approach, which involved the use of anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out.
The boy was arrested after Zaha revealed the messages before a defeat at Aston Villa in July.
A West Midlands police spokesperson told BBC Sport: "The boy was extremely remorseful for his actions and has received education sessions as part of the restorative justice process.
"This was victim-supported and led by Kick It Out.
"The sessions provided a greater understanding of equality, diversity, discrimination and what is unacceptable behaviour.
"They also highlighted the impact of hate crime on others and further punishments if he re-offends. We continue to work with the boy and there has been no repeat offending since."
Jenas wants social media companies to do more to tackle racism
Zaha thanked fans in July for their "love and support".
"People need to understand that whatever your age, your behaviour and your words come with consequences and you cannot hide behind social media," he said.
"It is important that social media companies do as they did and seek out these individuals and remove them."


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Essex lorry deaths: Gheorghe Nica admits people-smuggling role

He told jurors : `` Obviously , any time you fill an airtight container with a large number of people @ @ @ @ @ left for hours and hours , with no means of escape and no means of @ @ @ @ @ - well , it is fraught with danger . ''

He told jurors: "Obviously, any time you fill an airtight container with a large number of people, where they will be left for hours and hours, with no means of escape and no means of communication with the outside world - well, it is fraught with danger."


bbcuk--2020-10-07--UK backs sanction threats over Navalny poisoning

The UK has joined France and Germany in threatening sanctions against Russia for the poisoning of Alexey Navalny .
Dominic Raab said evidence that the opposition leader was poisoned by a military grade nerve agent developed by Russia was now `` undeniable '' .
The foreign secretary said the UK stood `` side by side '' with France and Germany , who have also threatened sanctions .
Mr Navalny collapsed on a flight on 20 August but has made a recovery after treatment in Berlin .
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed on Tuesday that nerve agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ samples taken from the Kremlin critic .
Earlier , France and Germany accused Russia of `` involvement and responsibility '' for the poisoning and announced they would seek to impose EU sanctions on those responsible for what they called `` this crime and breach of international norms '' .
In a statement , Mr Raab said : `` Despite having a clear case to answer , the Russian authorities continue to make no credible attempt to investigate this attack .
`` There is no plausible explanation for Mr Navalny 's poisoning other than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack . ''
He added : `` We will work together with our international partners to take forward sanctions targeting Russian officials and others who are considered responsible for this crime as well those involved in the development of the Novichok chemical weapons programme . ''
Mr Navalny told BBC Russian earlier this week that recovering from nerve agent was a long haul , with sleepless nights and clumsy movements .
But he said he was `` doing much , much better '' and insisted that eventually he would go back to Russia @

He added: "We will work together with our international partners to take forward sanctions targeting Russian officials and others who are considered responsible for this crime as well those involved in the development of the Novichok chemical weapons programme."


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Covid: Taskforce to look at virus testing for UK arrivals

People arriving in the UK from abroad may soon be able to end their 14-day self-isolation early , as part of plans to be considered by a new taskforce .
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the taskforce will look at introducing a Covid-19 testing system for travellers to the UK .
People would have to pay for their own tests to avoid impacting NHS capacity .
Airline and airport bosses reiterated calls to replace quarantine altogether , with a comprehensive testing system .
The aviation industry has struggled with the drop in passenger numbers since the start of the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lobbying for testing at ports and airports - something ministers have rejected .
Anyone arriving to the UK from abroad must currently self-isolate for two weeks , unless they have come from an exempt destination .
The plans to be considered by the Global Travel Taskforce include giving travellers the option of paying for a coronavirus test a few days after they arrive .
A negative result would mean people could end their quarantine period early .
The taskforce will also consider whether people could self-isolate before travelling abroad , instead of upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airline or owned a travel agency I do n't think you 'd be jumping for joy .
You would probably be relieved that the government has eventually done what you 've been calling for for months and given a firmer commitment to testing , as a way to allow people to avoid quarantining for the full 14 days .
But Heathrow had a facility for taking passengers ' saliva swabs ready to go in mid-August .
That facility now appears redundant because the government has rejected the scientific rationale behind testing passengers at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that asymptomatic people who recently caught the virus could still produce negative results .
And even though ministers have made their firmest commitment yet to privately-funded testing , travel bosses will , to some extent , be pulling their hair out that key details still have n't been worked out .
Namely , after how many days of quarantine would someone be able to pay for a test ?
Between five and eight days is what the government is considering .
What airlines really want is the option of people having a test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With a second test after you arrive in the UK that could reduce quarantine even further .
The government has crucially indicated that it 's willing to explore that idea .
But aviation bosses just want ministers to get on with it - the creation of a taskforce was n't the announcement they wanted on Wednesday .
Announcing the plans , Mr Shapps said : `` The current measures at the border have saved lives .
Our understanding of the science now means we can intensify efforts to develop options for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel sector .
`` This new taskforce will not only help us move towards safer , smoother international travel as we continue to battle this virus but will also support global connectivity - helping facilitate more Covid-secure travel whilst protecting the population from imported cases . ''
Mr Shapps and Health Secretary Matt Hancock will lead the taskforce to consider : • How a testing regime for international arrivals could be implemented , including exactly when passengers would be tested • How to raise consumer confidence to support the recovery of international travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other non-testing means '' could boost travel The group is expected to report back to No 10 in November .
Officials from Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland will all be involved in the taskforce 's work .
But as health matters are devolved , decision making and implementation may differ across the four nations .
• Why is n't the UK testing travellers on arrival ?
While industry figures called the announcement a `` step in the right direction '' , many also reiterated their belief that a testing programme should replace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Airways added : `` Although every step to improve the current situation is welcome , we do not believe quarantine is the solution .
The best way to reassure people is to introduce a reliable and affordable test before flying . ''
Karen Dee , chief executive of the Airport Operators Association - a trade association for UK airports - said : `` We believe that from a health perspective a testing regime can be far preferable to just relying on quarantine . ''
And a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said : `` Removing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open up the skies and enable the UK 's economic recovery to take off . ''
One airline trade body says testing people before they travel - an idea known as `` pre-departure testing '' - was becoming the `` international norm '' and should be adopted in the UK too `` as soon as practically possible '' .
`` Aviation is at a critical juncture and we have no time to lose , '' added Airlines UK 's chief executive , Tim Alderslade .
Many industry figures also called for the taskforce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just recommendations - within weeks .
A joint statement from the CEOs of Easyjet , Heathrow , Manchester Airports Group ( MAG ) and Virgin Atlantic said a testing regime must be in place by early November because without `` rapid '' action , `` the UK will fall even further behind our competitors and the economic recovery will fail to get off the ground '' .
Almost 900 jobs are at risk at MAG 's three UK airports - Manchester , London Stansted and East Midlands Airport - after the pandemic resulted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• 'Hundreds of thousands ' of airline jobs at risk Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said the government had been `` incompetently slow to react '' .
`` They 've had months to set up a taskforce , months to look into airport testing and months to sort out the flaws of their quarantine proposals , '' the Labour MP added .
He also called for a financial support package for the aviation sector .
• THE DELIGHTS OF COMMUNAL COOKING : How cooking kept me sane in university lockdown • LOVE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the addictive new series starring Anna Kendrick

A joint statement from the CEOs of Easyjet, Heathrow, Manchester Airports Group (MAG) and Virgin Atlantic said a testing regime must be in place by early November because without "rapid" action, "the UK will fall even further behind our competitors and the economic recovery will fail to get off the ground".


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Hockey player Luke Hobson's death 'accidental'

`` As a result it was n't known how Luke died and no effort was made by the police or @ @ @ @ @ North Hertfordshire District Council to resolve that and dig a bit deeper and find out @ @ @ @ @

"As a result it wasn't known how Luke died and no effort was made by the police or the health and safety at North Hertfordshire District Council to resolve that and dig a bit deeper and find out what had happened."


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Drag Race UK star Crystal suing Laurence Fox

Crystal said : `` An accusation of paedophilia is one of the oldest homophobic tropes , and it was very @ @ @ @ @ at me , not just by Mr Fox , but also his many followers who @ @ @

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bbcuk--2020-10-07--Skywatchers set for Draconid meteor shower

October is set to be a bumper month for spotting shooting stars in the night sky .
The Draconid meteor shower is set to reach its peak on Wednesday evening .
It 's estimated that around five shooting stars should be visible overhead every hour ; the event will be visible in UK skies .
Meteor showers are usually associated with comets ; as these balls of ice and dust orbit the Sun , clouds of dust and ice are released .
Meteor showers , or shooting stars , can be seen when the Earth passes through streams of tiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you miss the Draconids , there is the chance to see other meteor showers later in the month .
What are the Draconids ?
The shooting stars are named after Draco , the dragon constellation .
They are generated as the Earth passes through the debris from the Giacobini-Zinner comet .
How to see the Draconid meteor shower The Draconids are expected to be most spectacular on 6/7 and 7/8 October .
While most other meteor showers are best seen in the early hours , the Draconids are best seen in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place with a good , clear view of the stars , ideally in an area with little light pollution .
What other treats are in store for stargazers ?
The Orionid meteor shower is building slowly to a peak , which occurs this year on the night of 20/21 October .
The Orionids are named because they appear to come from the direction of the constellation Orion .
They are associated with the famous Halley 's comet .
In addition , there is the Taurid meteor shower , which appears to originate near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peak over 9-10 October and 10-11 November in 2020 .

The Orionids are named because they appear to come from the direction of the constellation Orion. They are associated with the famous Halley's comet.


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Covid-19 in the UK: How many coronavirus cases are there in your area?

There have been more than 500,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far in the UK and more than 40,000 people have died , government figures show .
However , these figures include only people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus and other measures suggest the number of deaths is higher .
Find out how the pandemic has affected your area and how it compares with the national average .
If you ca n't see the look-up click here .
New cases continue to rise after data problem On Wednesday , the government announced 14,162 confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figure - but the overall trend is still rising steeply .
Over the weekend the government confirmed 35,833 new cases - around 16,000 of these were positive tests from earlier in the week which had not been reported in the daily figures due to a data processing problem .
It means that although the case numbers looked relatively stable last week - they were , in fact , continuing to rise .
The government says all the missing confirmed cases have now been added to the total .
After a steady decline since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases started rising again in July , with the rate of growth increasing sharply from the end of August .
Sage , the body which advises the UK government , says it is still `` highly likely '' the epidemic is growing exponentially across the country .
The official number of cases during the first peak underestimated the number of people with coronavirus , as widespread testing was not available until mid-May .
With hospital admissions also now rising again , the latest government data shows 410 patients receiving mechanical ventilation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the figures vary considerably across the UK , with admissions highest in North West England and the North East and Yorkshire .
An estimate from the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) , released on Friday , suggests that roughly one in 500 people in England had coronavirus in the week ending 24 September , only slightly down on the previous week .
Based on tests in households for current infection , the ONS survey is thought to give one of the most accurate pictures of whether or not new cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotspots ?
There are several local hotspots in the UK that have seen cases spike in recent weeks .
The orange areas on the map below are those currently seeing the highest number of cases per 100,000 people .
Extra restrictions have been introduced in many areas of the UK - including across the whole of Scotland and Northern Ireland .
On Wednesday , the Scottish government announced a further tightening of restrictions across the country 's central belt , which includes Edinburgh and Glasgow .
All pubs and restaurants are to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shops are being asked to return to 2m distancing and face coverings are being made compulsory in more indoor settings , like work canteens and corridors .
Additional measures have also been imposed in parts of Wales , Northern Ireland and areas in the Midlands , Lancashire , Merseyside , West Yorkshire and north east England .
You can see a full breakdown of the areas under extra restrictions and the types of rules in place here .
While daily cases are rising quite quickly now , the rise in deaths has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths on Wednesday - the highest total since June .
Of these deaths , three were in Wales , one in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland - the remainder were in England .
In August , the government 's death toll in England was reduced by 5,340 following a review of the way coronavirus deaths are counted .
New rules mean deaths anywhere in the UK are included in the coronavirus total only if they occurred within 28 days of a positive test .
Previously in England , all deaths after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen the majority of UK deaths from Covid-19 .
Using the 28-day cut-off , there have been more than 37,000 .
• What do the stats tell us in Wales ?
• TESTING : What tests are available ?
• JOBS : What is the job support scheme ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• GLOBAL TRACKER : Where are the virus hotspots ?
• YOUR QUESTIONS : We answer your queries Overall death toll could be more than 60,000 When looking at the overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ count deaths in three different ways .
Government figures count people who tested positive for coronavirus and died within 28 days .
But there are two other measures .
The first includes all deaths where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate , even if the person had not been tested for the virus .
The most recent figures suggest there had been more than 57,000 deaths by 25 September .
The third method looks at all UK deaths over and above the number usually expected for the time of year - known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death toll was more than 65,000 by 25 September .
There were 10,861 deaths registered in the UK in the week ending 25 September , less than 2 % above the expected level for this time of year .
It was the third week in a row that Covid-19 registered deaths had risen across the UK - a total of 234 involved coronavirus , up from a low of 83 three weeks ago .
But the total is still far below the peak of 9,495 seen in April .
What is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` R number '' is the average number of people an infected person will pass the disease on to .
If R is below one , then the number of people contracting the disease will fall ; if it is above one , the number will grow .
On Friday , the government raised its estimate for the R number across the whole of the UK to between 1.3 and 1.6 .
The estimate for England is 1.2-1.6 , while for Scotland it is 1.3-1.7 .
The estimate for Wales is 1.0-1.4 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government has said in the past that the R number is one of the most important factors in making policy decisions .

Based on the survey, the estimated peak of the pandemic, in cases if not in deaths, was in late March 2022, where at one point about 4.9 million people were thought to have the virus. However, the survey did not capture the first wave of the pandemic, with trials only beginning in England in April 2020.


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Coronavirus: Specialist 'long Covid' clinics to be set up in England

People with `` long Covid '' symptoms will be offered specialist help at clinics across England , the head of NHS England has announced .
Sir Simon Stevens said there were `` tens of thousands , probably hundreds of thousands '' of patients affected .
People with relatively mild coronavirus infections as well as those who have been treated in intensive care can have persistent health problems for months .
The most common symptom of long Covid is crippling fatigue .
But breathlessness , joint pain , anxiety , brain fog and many other symptoms have also been reported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those infected with the virus could be affected .
• 'Long Covid ' : Why are some people not recovering ?
• More help needed for 'long Covid ' patients , GPs warn • 'My fatigue was like nothing I 've experienced before' • She 's fit , young , and has been ill with Covid for months Sir Simon said £10m would be invested this year in setting up long-Covid clinics in every area across England , to provide one-stop services for physical and mental health issues .
Patients will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memory problems or mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety .
They can then be referred to other specialist clinics if required .
• research on 10,000 patients to better understand the condition Dundee student Evie Connell , 23 , was going to the gym four times a week before she caught the virus , in March .
Her symptoms were mild at first - a migraine , cough and temperature .
But they did not go away .
And months later , she had a racing heart rate and worrying chest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I would come home and go to bed and sleep , then get up just in time to work again the next day , '' Evie says .
`` I could n't tell you anything I did outside of going to work . ''
• TESTING : How do I get a virus test ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• YOUR QUESTIONS : We answer your queries • TREATMENT : How close are we to helping people ?
• VACCINE : How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Evie was signed off work after her GP referred her to a Covid rehab team at her local hospital , where she is seeing a physiotherapist who is teaching her how to pace herself .
`` It 's completely changed my life , '' she says of long Covid .
Now back at university , Evie has to take breaks during classes because she can not concentrate .
And she has been unable to focus on reading a book in six months .
`` I do n't know when I 'll ever go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she says .
`` I 'm just hoping I can get back to work soon , otherwise the money will run out . ''

Evie was signed off work after her GP referred her to a Covid rehab team at her local hospital, where she is seeing a physiotherapist who is teaching her how to pace herself.


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Coronavirus: Can I go on a half-term break in the UK?

• A medical test that can show if a person has had the coronavirus and now has some immunity .
The test detects antibodies in the blood , which are produced by the body to fight off the disease .
• Someone who has a disease but does not have any of the symptoms it causes .
Some studies suggest some people with coronavirus carry the disease but do n't show the common symptoms , such as a persistent cough or high temperature .
• The first part of the UK 's strategy to deal with the coronavirus , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and trace anyone who had been in close contact with them .
• One of a group of viruses that can cause severe or mild illness in humans and animals .
The coronavirus currently sweeping the world causes the disease Covid-19 .
The common cold and influenza ( flu ) are other types of coronaviruses .
• A fine designed to deal with an offence on the spot , instead of in court .
These are often for driving offences , but now also cover anti-social behaviour and breaches of the coronavirus lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a chart to show numbers of new coronavirus cases .
If a lot of people get the virus in a short period of time , the line might rise sharply and look a bit like a mountain .
However , taking measures to reduce infections can spread cases out over a longer period and means the `` curve '' is flatter .
This makes it easier for health systems to cope .
• A person whose body can withstand or fend off a disease is said to be immune to it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease caused by the coronavirus , Covid-19 , for example , it is thought they can not catch it again for a certain period of time .
• The third part of the UK 's strategy to deal with the coronavirus , which will involve attempts to lessen the impact of a high number of cases on public services .
This could mean the NHS halting all non-critical care and police responding to major crimes and emergencies only .
• The NHS 's 24-hour phone and online service , which offers medical advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in England and Wales are advised to ring the service if they are worried about their symptoms .
In Scotland , they should check NHS inform , then ring their GP in office hours or 111 out of hours .
In Northern Ireland , they should call their GP .
• Keeping away from other people , with the aim of slowing down transmission of a disease .
The government advises not seeing friends or relatives other than those you live with , working from home where possible and avoiding public transport .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrict daily life while it deals with a crisis .
This can involve closing schools and workplaces , restricting the movement of people and even deploying the armed forces to support the regular emergency services .
• These can be used by government ministers to implement new laws or regulations , or change existing laws .
They are an easier alternative to passing a full Act of Parliament .
• Any sign of disease , triggered by the body 's immune system as it attempts to fight off the infection .
The main @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dry cough and shortness of breath .

UK holidays: What are the rules? Published 17 August 2021
Image source, Getty Images
Going abroad is not straightforward at the moment, so many people are choosing to holiday in the UK this summer.
What are the current rules?
Can I go on holiday anywhere in the UK?
You can travel freely between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, unless you have to self-isolate because you have Covid symptoms or have tested positive.
All holiday accommodation - including hotels, hostels, B&B, caravans and boats - can operate across the UK.
If you have to cancel a trip because of Covid, you may be entitled to a refund or to rearrange for a later date, but this will depend on the terms and conditions of your booking, so you will need to discuss this with your holiday provider.
Anyone planning a trip to the Scottish islands is asked to take two lateral flow tests - one on the day of travel and one three days before.
People travelling to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK are also advised to test before departure and after arrival, but this is not law.
Some UK cruise operators are insisting passengers do a rapid test before boarding. Saga and P&O have said all cruise passengers must be fully vaccinated.
Image source, Getty Images
Can I stay with people I don't live with?
There is no longer any requirement for social distancing, and no limits on how many people can stay together in holiday accommodation or private homes in England, Scotland or Wales.
However people are still advised to meet others outdoors or in well-ventilated spaces wherever possible.
There are still some restrictions in place in Northern Ireland:
10 people from three households can meet and stay indoors in private dwellings and holiday accommodation
Unlimited households can meet outdoors
Social distancing of 1m (3ft) remains for many indoors activities, including restaurants, retail and shopping centres
No social distancing laws outdoors, or on public transport, but 1m (3ft) recommended
The Northern Ireland Executive is due to discuss easing remaining restrictions at its next meeting on 1 September.
Image source, Getty Images
Do I have to wear a mask on holiday?
Face coverings are no longer required by law in England, although the government "expects and recommends" that they are worn in crowded and enclosed spaces.
However, a number of transport operators in England are still asking customers to wear masks, as are a number of shops and supermarkets.
Wearing a face covering remains compulsory in many public indoor spaces in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, including on public transport, so you will be expected to use a mask on any cross-border plane, train or bus journey, unless you are exempt.
Image source, Getty Images
Are all visitor attractions open?
Museums, galleries, amusement parks, leisure centres, cinemas, theatres, stately homes and gardens can open across the UK.
However, some venues are still not operating at full capacity, and you may need to pre-book tickets, so you should check before you visit.
You may still be asked to wear a face covering or physically distance from other people.
Businesses in Wales are required to carry out risk assessments to decide if social distancing measures are still needed.
Indoor hospitality venues in Scotland must continue to collect customer contact details. Organisers of outdoor events for more than 5,000 people and indoor events for more than 2,000 have to apply for permission to go ahead.
Nightclubs are still closed in Northern Ireland.
Image source, Getty Images
What are the rules for visiting the Common Travel Area?
The Common Travel Area (CTA) is a term which covers the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
Travel within the CTA is not considered international travel.
Fully vaccinated adults or under-18s travelling from the UK to other CTA destinations may not need to do any travel-related testing or quarantine on arrival, but the rules do vary, so you need to check before arranging a trip.
Read the rules for journeys to Ireland
Read the rules for journeys to the Isle of Man
Read the rules for journeys to Jersey
Read the rules for journeys to Guernsey (also Alderney, Sark and Herm)
As long as you've not been outside the CTA in the previous 10 days, you do not have to complete a passenger locator form, take any Covid tests or quarantine on your return to the UK.
Image source, Getty Images
What are the rules for travelling abroad?
Foreign travel is allowed, but people must follow different rules about testing and quarantine according to the traffic light status of their destination country.


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Covid rules: What are the new coronavirus restrictions?

Adults can play organised indoor sports in groups of six or fewer .
Children 's sports remain exempt ( as @ @ @ @ @ It will still be possible for larger groups to take part in organised ( team @ @ @ @ @ only if official Covid-safe guidelines are followed .

If you test positive for Covid you are no longer legally required to self-isolate, but you are advised to stay at home and avoid contact with others for at least five full days.


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Scotland Covid pub closures: 'It'll be really tough'

You 're a month in to your first year at university and you 've just had bombshell news - all the pubs are closing .
How would you feel ?
Annoyed ?
`` I 'm thinking if we make sacrifices now , it 'll hopefully that means we can all go home at Christmas , '' 18-year-old Maya tells Radio 1 Newsbeat from her halls at the University of Edinburgh .
Scotland 's first minister , Nicola Sturgeon , has just announced new coronavirus restrictions .
They will mean all licenced pubs and restaurants in the central belt - including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more than two weeks .
But Maya , for one , is feeling relatively calm about the whole thing : `` I think it 's probably necessary because the virus has spread so fast here lately .
`` It is a shame , though , because it leaves us with not very much to do , especially at uni . ''
In the rest of Scotland , pubs will be allowed to stay open , but can only serve alcohol outdoors .
Nicola Sturgeon has described it as a `` short , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in infection '' .
• Covid : Pubs and restaurants in central Scotland to close Maya thinks it 's justified , too - even if it does mean traditional uni life will be stalled .
`` Most of us turned 18 during lockdown so we 've never had experience going to clubs , so it 'll just be a new thing for us when they open again , '' she says .
People in Scotland are already banned from socialising with other households inside homes .
`` I 've not seen my family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September , '' Maya says .
`` They were going to come down next week and see me , but it does n't look like that 's going to happen now .
`` If they do come , I ca n't go into the hotel and see them - we could only go to the shop really .
`` So it looks like it 'll be at Christmas when we 're next together… if I 'm allowed home , that is . ''
As you might expect , however , this announcement has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Group , which includes many of the the country 's best known pubs and restaurants , has accused the first minister of `` effectively signing a death sentence '' for many businesses .
And Ellen , who 's 25 and from Glasgow , does n't think it 'll even work .
`` I 'm working from home so going out at the weekend socialising with my friends is a massive part of my life and not being able to do that is going to be really tough , '' she says .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from drinking outside of their homes and I worry that younger people will just have a lot more house parties .
`` Not being able to have a place to go and drink is quite a dangerous thing and I think in Scotland people will just go drink in parks and stuff , which will defeat the purpose of closing the pubs . ''
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

"I've not seen my family since moving in at the start of September," Maja says. "They were going to come down next week and see me, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen now.


bbcuk--2020-10-07--GlaxoSmithKline tells staff to turn off Covid app at work

And in the frequently asked questions section of its guidance , the government specifically addresses the question of what to @ @ @ @ @ to be Covid-secure , saying the app is still an important tool in the fight @ @ @ @ @ the NHS track where and how quickly it is spreading .

And in the frequently asked questions section of its guidance, the government specifically addresses the question of what to do if workplaces are deemed to be Covid-secure, saying the app is still an important tool in the fight against the virus, helping the NHS track where and how quickly it is spreading.


bbcuk--2020-10-08--Coronavirus: How A&E is coping in the pandemic

With coronavirus cases rising across the country , more people are finding themselves in hospital needing treatment .
The figure @ @ @ @ @ by 25 % earlier this week , and extra restrictions have been introduced in some @ @ @ @ @ curb the spread of the virus .
The BBC has been given exclusive access to @ @ @ @ @ the A & E department at the East Surrey Hospital in Redhill , to see @ @ @ @ @ the measures they have in place in their continued fight against Covid-19 .

With coronavirus cases rising across the country, more people are finding themselves in hospital needing treatment.
The figure for daily hospital admissions jumped by 25% earlier this week, and extra restrictions have been introduced in some parts of the UK to curb the spread of the virus.
The BBC has been given exclusive access to film a 12-hour shift at the A&E department at the East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, to see how medics are coping and the measures they have in place in their continued fight against Covid-19.
Reporting by Mark Norman, health correspondent
Filmed by Andrew Marshall


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Artist Duncan Grant erotic drawings kept under bed worth £2m

For over 70 years the erotic drawings of British artist Duncan Grant have been shrouded in mystery .
It was @ @ @ @ @ has a current value of around £2m , had been destroyed in the 1960s .
@ @ @ @ @ is now being returned to Charleston , the country retreat of the famed artistic set @ @ @ @ @ known as the Bloomsbury Group .
This film was made as part of BBC Arts @ @ @ @ @ is celebrating museums as they emerge from the Covid-19 lockdown .

For over 70 years the erotic drawings of British artist Duncan Grant have been shrouded in mystery.
It was believed the collection, which has a current value of around £2m, had been destroyed in the 1960s.
But it wasn't and is now being returned to Charleston, the country retreat of the famed artistic set of the 1920s and 30s known as the Bloomsbury Group.
This film was made as part of BBC Arts #MuseumPassion week, which is celebrating museums as they emerge from the Covid-19 lockdown.
Video journalist: Alex Stanger
Reporter: Rebecca Jones


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Newspaper headlines: PM 'considering closing pubs' as virus 'surges'

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

The editorial in the Daily Express asks the prime minister to lead the country in "an open and honest debate on what sacrifices we are prepared to make," while Leo McKinstry urges Mr Johnson to channel the spirit of his hero, Winston Churchill, to win the war against the virus.


bbcuk--2020-10-07--David Lammy MP criticises Twitter over 'death threat' tweet

A spokesman said : `` All lines of inquiry were explored as far as possible , however , due to @ @ @ @ @ social media account living outside the UK and the fact we were unable to obtain @ @ @ @ @ individual from Twitter , we were unable to continue the investigation . ''

A spokesman said: "All lines of inquiry were explored as far as possible, however, due to the owner of the suspected social media account living outside the UK and the fact we were unable to obtain the subscription details of the individual from Twitter, we were unable to continue the investigation."


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Covid in Scotland: Hospitality 'death knell' fears over new rules

New coronavirus restrictions will `` sound the death knell '' for some of Scotland 's hospitality business , industry leaders have warned .
In central Scotland where the infection rate is highest , pubs and restaurants will close for more than two weeks .
Elsewhere , hospitality venues will have reduced opening hours and be barred from selling alcohol inside .
The Scottish government said businesses would receive an additional £40m of government support .
• Pubs and restaurants in central Scotland to close • What are the new lockdown rules in Scotland ?
The new temporary measures come into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are expected to last until 25 October .
Pubs and restaurants will be closed in five health board areas - Greater Glasgow and Clyde , Lanarkshire , Forth Valley , Lothian and Ayrshire and Arran - where about 3.4 million people live .
Elsewhere in Scotland , hospitality venues can open inside from 06:00 until 18:00 to sell soft drinks and food , and customers can be served alcohol in outside areas only until 22:00 .
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned that without such measures , by the end of October infections could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the pandemic in March , prompting a more intense lockdown .
She accepted the restrictions would be hard on businesses , especially as employers ' contributions to the furlough scheme have increased , but said £40m would be made available to support the sector .
Many businesses and industry leaders , however , reacted with dismay , complaining of a lack of consultation and claiming that hospitality was being unfairly singled out .
Liz Cameron , chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce , said : `` These measures will sound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitality sector , especially pubs and bars .
`` Restaurants and hotels , whilst remaining open , will also be constrained on what they can provide and this will place a large dent in their already reduced income . ''
She said redundancies could rise as a result of the measures .
Rules for the five health boards areas • All licensed premises - with the exception of hotels for residents - will be required to close indoors and outdoors , although takeaways will be permitted • Cafes which do not have an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open until 18:00 • Snooker and pool halls , indoor bowling alleys , casinos and bingo halls will also close in the five health board areas for two weeks from 10 October • Contact sports for people aged 18 and over will be suspended for the next two weeks - with an exception for professional sports • Indoor group exercise activities will not be allowed , although the current rules will remain in place for under 18s and gyms can remain open for individual exercise • Outdoor live events will not be permitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be no travel ban in any of the areas , but people in the central belt have been urged to avoid public transport unless it is `` absolutely necessary '' .
And they have also been advised not to travel outside of the health board area they live in if they do not need to .
Rules for the rest of Scotland • Pubs , restaurants and cafes are being barred from selling alcohol indoors from 18:00 on Friday until 25 October • They can open inside from 06:00 until 18:00 to sell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able to sell alcohol for outside areas until 22:00 Stephen Montgomery of the Scottish Hospitality Group , which represents several restaurant and bar groups , said : `` The first minister has effectively signed a death sentence for many businesses across the Scottish hospitality industry . ''
He added there would be a `` catastrophic '' economic cost .
The Food and Drink Federation Scotland said it was `` extremely disappointed '' with the restrictions , while Scotland Food and Drink said the action was a `` hammer blow '' .
Andrew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Businesses in Scotland , said : `` Without sufficient support from government , today 's moves could mean last orders for many independent pubs and restaurants .
`` They 'll also cause a significant knock-on impact on our tourism sector , on our hospitality supply chain , and on those that operate in our night-time economy like taxi drivers and takeaways . ''
' I 'm at the end of my tether' One pub owner said he was struggling to reassure his staff .
Michael McHugh , who owns Alexander 's Bar in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm at the end of my tether now .
`` I 'm finding it harder and harder to continually support my staff and say 'do n't worry your jobs are safe ' ... how can you run a business when every other week you 're getting shut down ? ''
Another restaurateur told the BBC it `` was a bit gutting ... but it is what it is '' .
She said it was a shame for the staff who had only recently returned to work , to then have their shifts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - only for the businesses to be shut down again .
Shops across Scotland will be asked to return to 2m physical distancing from this weekend , and to reintroduce measures such as one-way systems .
David Lonsdale , Scottish Retail Consortium director , said many businesses would be baffled at the request `` in the absence of any evidence which shows shops are a source of infection '' .
He added : `` These additional restrictions may make it impractical for some to trade at all for this period , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed support for these viable businesses . ''
Many public health experts , however , backed the changes and said they were a necessary step .
Gabe Docherty , chairman of the Scottish Directors of Public Health , said : `` The measures announced by the first minister today focused on those areas which are associated with increased risk of transmission , and have the full support of the Scottish Directors of Public Health .
`` The accelerating number of cases in a number of NHS Boards demonstrates the need for immediate action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in these areas over past few weeks , and the potential for further transmission across wider parts of Scotland .
`` Taking action now to restrict the spread of Covid in our communities will save lives , help protect our NHS , and - as we begin to see a reduction in transmission - avoid the need for more extensive restrictions . ''
Use the form below to send us your questions and we could be in touch .
In some cases your question will be published , displaying your name , age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unless you state otherwise .
Your contact details will never be published .
Please ensure you have read the terms and conditions .

He said: "It is not extra resources we have had from the UK government, we have had to dig deep into our own resources to find the money to support the hospitality sector through what I accept is going to be a difficult period for them.


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Coronavirus: Health appeals 'falling on too many deaf ears'

NI 's Health Minister Robin Swann has said he is concerned that appeals to abide by coronavirus regulations are `` falling on too many deaf ears '' .
Mr Swann was speaking after 828 new cases of the virus were confirmed in Northern Ireland on Wednesday .
One further death was also confirmed by the Department of Health .
The minister said that the increase in infections was outpacing the increase in testing .
Speaking at Wednesday 's Stormont press briefing , Mr Swann accused those breaching the rules and guidance of giving `` a two-fingered salute '' to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's what I would now call wilful complacency , '' he added .
`` It beggars belief that some people would object to wearing face coverings - it 's just a piece of cloth , but it does make a difference . ''
In the last seven days , 4,417 people have tested positive for the virus - 1,084 of those have been in the Belfast City Council area , 609 in Newry , Mourne and Down and 959 in the Derry City and Strabane area .
Pubs , restaurants and hotels in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tighter coronavirus restrictions since Monday .
The minister said the executive had the `` toughest of calls to make '' in terms of imposing further restrictions .
But he warned that he could not `` shy away from action if it is needed to save lives '' and stop hospitals from becoming overwhelmed with patients .
`` One hundred and six Covid inpatients are in our hospitals across Northern Ireland .
This day a month ago , there were 16 , '' said the minister .
There are also 14 patients in intensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chief Scientific Adviser Prof Ian Young said Northern Ireland 's R-number - the rate that represents the number of individuals who , on average , will be infected by a single person with coronavirus - is currently about 1.5 .
He also said he believed misunderstandings about Covid-19 and its impact on young people were perceived to have led to a lack of compliance in recent weeks .
NI 's Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride said the rate of the increase of infections in Northern Ireland was `` alarming '' .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in two weeks ' time hospital admissions would be `` as high as they were back in March '' , during the first wave of the pandemic .
`` It 's our actions in the coming days that will determine how bad the situation becomes , '' he added .
`` It 's too easy to forget how quickly the figures rise .
`` It 's not the flu - to all those armchair experts out there , stop peddling the myth that most people will make a speedy recovery . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of contacts they have on a daily basis and to continue to follow social distancing and hand hygiene advice .
Prof Young also said the majority of the transmission of the virus was community-based .
He added that it was often difficult to identify the exact source of transmission , but he said of clusters they had identified , more than half of them were associated with the hospitality sector .
Statistics ca n't be ignored The latest Covid-19 figures are a throwback to March .
The first `` wave '' hit Northern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 106 men and women admitted to hospitals with Covid symptoms .
The day before , 24 March , it was 84 - strangely if you look at today 's figures , they are virtually the same .
Yesterday we reported that there were 85 inpatients , today that figure has jumped to 106 .
These statistics ca n't be ignored .
Health officials and politicians have spent the morning poring over these latest numbers , whatever way they are interpreted , they paint a grim and worrying picture .
In one month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men and women .
That 's several wards .
A majority of patients are being cared for in the Mater .
In 12 hours an additional nine patients have been admitted to the Mater , five are ventilated .
Trust managers are working on the basis that admissions will continue to rise and potentially double on a daily basis from now on over the next couple of months .
While the number of hospital beds are down , so are staff able to turn up to work .
Last week almost 300 were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms or having been in contacted with a positive case .
Clearly Northern Ireland now needs a longer-term and consistent plan to deal with the virus .
Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride also confirmed that the Department of Health is not `` unpausing shielding at this time '' .
The shielding period was paused at the end of July , when the number of cases was much lower .
Dr McBride said it remained the case , but he urged everyone who had previously been shielding to be `` extremely cautious at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing we can do is get levels of community transmission down , '' he added .
`` We took a broad-brush blanket approach last time , if a decision is taken to unpause it then we will have to assess that… there may be new groups we identify who may be at greater risk than previously anticipated , that work is going on at a UK-wide level . ''
He added that the executive needed to be mindful of the harms of shielding , including separation from family and friends .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths have been reported and another 611 people have tested positive for the virus .
It brings the Republic 's overall death toll to 1 , 816 .
Ireland 's Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan told Wednesday 's Covid briefing that the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) is `` deeply concerned about the changing path of this infection '' .
`` Covid-19 is spreading in our community in a very worrying manner .
We have to break these chains of transmission , '' he added .
There are currently 156 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 25 of whom are in critical care .
Speaking earlier at Stomont 's Executive Committee , Deputy First Minister Michele O'Neill said Northern Ireland was in a `` very grave situation '' over Covid-19 .
Michele O'Neill said the the latest figures she said they would `` startle '' people .
`` Not to be alarmist , but we are in a very grave situation '' she told MLAs .
But , she added the Executive had not yet arrived at a decision on what do do .
First Minister Arlene Foster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' adding there 's never been a more important time for the executive to work together .
She told the committee : `` I think people are fed up with Covid-19 .
I know I am fed up with Covid-19 '' .
Mrs Foster said she understood people were looking at the number of deaths and hospitalisations and saying `` I do n't know what we 're worried about '' , but she added the executive was not `` crying wolf '' .

"We took a broad-brush blanket approach last time, if a decision is taken to unpause it then we will have to assess that… there may be new groups we identify who may be at greater risk than previously anticipated, that work is going on at a UK-wide level."


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Disability hate crime: Only four charges in Wales in a year

Only four people were charged with a hate crime against disabled people in Wales last year despite 268 complaints made to police , figures show .
Research by two disability charities shows this type of hate crime is increasingly taking place online .
A mother from Monmouthshire said she had been left feeling `` broken '' after a man said her autistic son was `` frightening '' his daughter .
Welsh police forces say they take all forms of hate crime very seriously .
The Leonard Cheshire and United Response charities found only 1.5 % of complaints led to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summons in the 2019-20 financial year , compared to 3.4 % in 2018-19 .
The figures , obtained under the Freedom of Information Act , also reveal an 84 % rise in reported disability hate crime taking place online .
Dyfed-Powys Police has seen reports of online hate crime against disabled people treble between 2019 and 2020 .
South Wales Police did not respond to repeated requests for the information , the charities said .
Alice Legg and a number of her children have autism .
She said they had been subjected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call us offensive names like 'retard ' and 'spastic ' and make us feel like we should n't be part of the community , '' said Ms Legg , from Monmouth .
In one incident , she said her eldest son Adam , who is severely autistic , was left feeling `` isolated from the community '' after a man told her he was `` frightening '' his daughter .
`` Being told that your son is frightening to other people because of his condition is pretty awful , '' she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident she considered to be a hate crime to police , but she did not feel it had been taken seriously .
`` I was made to feel like I was just being a nuisance , '' she said .
Gwent Police said in that instance no offences were committed but added : `` The victim was spoken to by our hate crime officer and has been referred to the Connect Gwent Victims ' Hub for support . ''
'Nothing came of it' Dan Biddle was one of the worst-injured survivors of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biddle , who now lives in Abergavenny , lost both legs , an eye , his spleen and is deaf in one ear after Mohammad Sidique Khan detonated a bomb on the Edgware Road tube train .
He told BBC Wales about two incidents where he was the victim of abuse because of his disability .
One one occasion , Mr Biddle said he was called a `` lazy bastard '' at the local rubbish tip while his wife was emptying the car of waste .
Despite his wife 's best efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuse continued .
Mr Biddle reported it to the police but said `` nothing came of it '' because witnesses would not provide evidence .
In a separate incident , he said two schoolgirls `` threatened to tip me out of my wheelchair and stab me '' .
He reported the matter to police and it was dealt with through restorative justice .
Mr Biddle said hate crime against disabled people was often due to resentment borne out of a lack of understanding .
He said it was not given equivalence in law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and called for victims to make sure it was recorded as a hate crime .
There are calls for the Welsh Government to introduce tougher legislation to combat online hate crime .
`` As a charity that advocates for digital inclusion , we want to ensure that the internet is a safe place for disabled people , '' said Glyn Meredith , director of Leonard Cheshire Cymru .
`` Given the recent Covid-19 pandemic , many disabled people have been confined to their homes , with only digital technology to keep them connected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meredith said the Welsh Government `` needs to demonstrate its commitment to online safety for disabled people '' by introducing legislation similar to Scotland 's Hate Crime and Public Order Bill .
A Welsh Government spokeswoman said hate crime legislation was a matter for the UK government , but it would `` use every lever available '' to combat hate crime , including by providing funding for advocacy and support for victims .
She added : `` No person in Wales should have to tolerate prejudice or hate crime .
We are committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime are supported and perpetrators are held to account . ''
What do Wales ' police forces say ?
North Wales Police said it took disability hate crime `` extremely seriously '' and had two officers dedicated to encouraging the reporting of such crimes .
The force urged victims to come forward .
Gwent Police said it had a team of hate crime support officers who received additional training to support victims , offer advice and signpost victims to other organisations that may be able to offer further support .
It said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` still do not reflect the lived experiences of people in Gwent '' and urged victims to get in touch .
South Wales Police called on people to report all hate crimes and `` hate incidents '' to help the force `` build up a picture '' and allow officers to `` offer support and advice to those affected '' .
It added that `` not all hate incidents will amount to criminal offences '' .
Dyfed-Powys Police has been asked to comment .

Ms Legg said she had reported another incident she considered to be a hate crime to police, but she did not feel it had been taken seriously.


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Julia Rawson murder trial: Woman 'killed in flat of horrors'

Jurors were told she would have seen swords and spiders mounted on the walls of the flat , reptiles kept @ @ @ @ @ many gory face masks '' of horror film characters made by Mr Maynard-Ellis .

Despite Mr Maynard-Ellis telling a psychiatrist his only interest in serial killers or sadism was in the context of a criminology course, Mr Khalil said jurors would "already have realised just how closely his account of what he did to Julia matches his years of violent fantasy".


bbcuk--2020-10-08--Covid-19: New restrictions to be announced for parts of England 'within days' - Jenrick

Helen Stokes-Lampard , chair of the academy , said : `` Given the recent dramatic spike in both the number @ @ @ @ @ it is clear that we could soon be back to where we were in April @ @ @ @ @ extremely careful . ''

But pressed on whether the government would publish evidence on the issue, Mr Jenrick told the BBC: "It is commonsensical that the longer you stay in pubs and restaurants, the more likely you are to come into contact with other individuals.


bbcuk--2020-10-08--Covid deaths three times higher than flu and pneumonia

`` Since 1959 , which is when ONS monthly death records began , the number of deaths due to influenza @ @ @ @ @ eight months of every year have been lower than the number of Covid-19 deaths seen @ @ @ @ @ 2020 . ''

The figures show that Covid-19 is a bigger risk to people than flu, partly because there is a vaccine that protects those at risk against the flu strain circulating every year. The coronavirus is a brand new infection and there is, as yet, no vaccine.


bbcuk--2020-10-08--Coronavirus: Year-long waits for NHS care at highest since 2008

The service also continued to fail to achieve its target of reaching 80 % of people who test positive to @ @ @ @ @ contacts - and also fell short of then contacting 80 % of the close contacts @ @ @ @

It pointed out more patients were starting to be seen - although there are now warnings service may have to be cut back on again as admissions for Covid continue to rise.


bbcuk--2020-10-07--Government to pay £2m to settle coronavirus testing case

The UK has agreed to settle a lawsuit over how it selected an IT contract for coronavirus testing at its Lighthouse labs .
The BBC understands that the settlement will cost the government up to £2m .
British company Diagnostics AI claimed it lost out to a European rival UgenTec despite spotting some positive coronavirus cases its rival missed .
It sued the government over the decision , claiming the selection process was `` unfair and unlawful '' .
Lighthouse labs are a UK-wide network of specialist coronavirus laboratories managed by the government and run by private firms .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pitched to analyse the test results .
• Coronavirus : How to get a Covid test • Coronavirus : 'Children of the 90s ' team to study exposure in young people The dispute was due to be played out in court .
It would have meant a public examination of the accuracy and speed of the testing system , at a time when it has come under serious criticism .
But the government has decided to settle the case and will pay Diagnostics AI compensation and most of its legal fees .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government has refuted the claims made by Diagnostics AI , saying they are `` inaccurate '' .
`` The tests are reliable and effective , the laboratories that undertake them have been reviewed and assessed by experts and the percentage of false negatives or positives is tiny , '' said a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson .
`` This was a commercial dispute over a software contract where a number of factors were considered before it was awarded , which is still subject to final agreement over costs . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ £1m , the BBC understands the settlement including legal costs could amount to around £2m .
Swabs are taken from people at testing sites or home tests and treated with a chemical process that produces a graph .
The software is used to determine whether the graphs show the sample was positive or negative for coronavirus .
Diagnostics AI claimed UgenTec 's analysis of a trial run of 2,000 samples was flawed .
In some cases , it claimed UgenTec found negative coronavirus results , when the results were actually positive or inconclusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went with and decided to pay for missed around 50 out of 800 positive [ results ] , so that 's around one in 15 , or so , one in 16 - to be precise - positives , '' Diagnostics AI 's chief executive Aron Cohen told the BBC .
`` Obviously when that translates to hundreds of thousands of samples a day , that 's potentially thousands of missed positives going out every day .
So that was really worrying for us . ''
UgenTec in return claimed that no patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a trial run .
`` We provide crucial covid interpretation services to the Lighthouse Labs to help them manage the vast amounts of data they generate .
These claims are inaccurate and misleading , '' UgenTec 's chief executive Steven Verhoeven told the BBC .
`` None of these samples refer to actual results given to patients or the public and to imply any public health impact is wrong .
Live tests were not being supported by our software at the time which was in the process of being implemented .
As illustrated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confidence in our software and the services we provide . ''
Two non-profit companies owned and funded by the government were also sued by Diagnostics AI - namely UK Biocentre and Medicines Delivery Catapult ( MDC ) , which ran the process to decide which company to use .
Court papers show that between 31 March and 14 April , Diagnostics AI repeatedly requested information about exactly what services were required and how their bid would be evaluated .
Diagnostics AI say it never received the information it asked for .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both providers were given the same information .
When the two bids were being considered in early April , the UK was facing what Boris Johnson had called a `` moment of national emergency '' .
In such urgent circumstances , the law does make provision for the government to buy services without a competitive process , if certain conditions are met .
However , it is understood that both Diagnostics AI and Ugentec had been recommended to UK Biocentre , and so a decision was made to evaluate both offers .
Diagnostics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flawed , but UK Biocentre insists it was fair to both bidders .
A spokesperson for UK Biocentre said : `` The allegations are groundless ; this was a commercial dispute .
The software in question is being used widely in the Lighthouse Laboratories , in some NHS laboratories and abroad .
`` External quality assurance has confirmed that the polymerase chain reaction ( PCR ) testing in the Lighthouse Laboratories , of which the automated diagnostic software forms part , is performing well . ''
A spokesperson for MDC also provided the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full results of evaluation identified UgenTec as a safe and quality provider , able to deliver in high volumes , and with a comprehensive support system in place .
It has performed superbly over the past six months , analysing over eight million test results for the nation .
The litigation was purely a commercial dispute . ''
The BBC understands that investigations were carried out into the claims made by Diagnostics AI , but concluded that concerns over the safety of UgenTec 's software were unsubstantiated .
However Mr Cohen disagrees : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of money .
And they 're paying this out , you know , to avoid it at least in part , to avoid having to have these issues aired in court , and to have discussions over the accuracy of the testing . ''

"None of these samples refer to actual results given to patients or the public and to imply any public health impact is wrong. Live tests were not being supported by our software at the time which was in the process of being implemented. As illustrated by independent tests, we have every confidence in our software and the services we provide."


bbcuk--2020-10-08--Carole Packman murder: Appeal against killer's release rejected

Upholding its original ruling , the board said : `` It does not follow that because [ Causley ] has @ @ @ @ @ not disclosing the whereabouts of the body that he will cause them serious harm if @ @ @

Upholding its original ruling, the board said: "It does not follow that because [Causley] has shown callousness to them by not disclosing the whereabouts of the body that he will cause them serious harm if released."


bbcuk--2020-10-08--'Rare' Sir Isaac Newton work found on bookshelf sells for £22k

`` It 's two volumes and if there 's one page missing , it all goes out the window so @ @ @ @ @ collate it and spent 40 nervous minutes until I closed the second volume and said @ @ @ @ @ £15k . ''

"It's two volumes and if there's one page missing, it all goes out the window so they came and watched me collate it and spent 40 nervous minutes until I closed the second volume and said it's complete and worth £15k."


bbcuk--2020-10-07--The friends who drove a bus behind the Iron Curtain

In the summer of 1968 , a group of friends adapted a double-decker bus and took it on a journey to Eastern Europe .
Sponsored by two Scotch whisky-makers , they encountered Soviet tanks , a Romanian beer shortage and a perilous Yugoslavian mountain pass .
The bus was an old Reading Transport Corporation AEC Regent MkII - a model that now has its own Wikipedia page and a loyal following .
Long past its corporate usefulness , the bus was lined up with an assortment of discarded relics outside a garage in Spittalfield , a small town north of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his friend Dave Stickland had vague plans for some sort of summer road trip .
Driving past the garage one May day in 1968 the students spotted the buses and , on a whim , stopped to price up a single-decker .
Single-deckers turned out to be an impossibly expensive £400 .
But , just as they were leaving , the garage foreman called them back and offered them a less in-demand double-decker for half that .
Buying such a large vehicle was `` a ridiculous idea '' , so they declined and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then we got back to the university and the word got around and all of a sudden people wanted to give me some money to buy it . ''
The trip was on .
The Southall-built gem of British engineering was about to meet continental Europe .
Seats were taken out to make way for mattresses donated by their university , St Andrews .
Pieces of carpet were procured , and Wendy Scott , one of a dozen or so travelling companions , made curtains for the upper deck - both for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarters , to give the five female students on board some privacy .
Sleeping arrangements were something the local press was particularly interested in .
They installed a little cooker and rigged up a makeshift shower using water heated by the engine 's cooling system piped along a sunken walkway to the back of the bus .
There was no loo , just a stockpile of toilet roll and an acceptance that any call of nature would have to be answered al fresco .
`` We tried to make it comfortable , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newcastle .
`` We tried to make it liveable in , because we knew we were going to have to sleep in it .
You know , no hotels or anything .
We were going to have to sleep in this bus for 10 weeks . ''
Sometimes they 'd sleep outside if the weather allowed .
`` You 'd wake up in the morning at the top of the pass , climb up , and you 'd look down and there would be Ian , playing the pipes - the bagpipes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What else do you want in this life ? ''
It is n't easy to pin down exactly how many of them there were to start with .
Enough for an eightsome reel folk dance on the ferry from Dover to Dunkirk , at least .
Wendy remembers 13 , Ian thinks about 15 .
But it hardly matters since they had a habit of picking people up along the way , so their numbers constantly fluctuated .
An American GI , on holiday in Munich , was so distracted by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stayed .
A couple of Austrians joined them in Vienna and did n't leave for a month .
One - Klem - turned out to be a chef and skilful in the `` kitchen '' at the back of the bus , with its tiny gas cooker .
`` We had mussels and we had chickens and we had - oh - we had wonderful meals , '' says Wendy , looking wistful .
They picked the mussels straight from the sea .
The chickens , bought live from a market , ran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Klem he could n't keep live chickens .
`` Well , they wo n't be live for long , '' he 'd replied .
Two days before they reached Rome , Klem bought some snails as a present for his mother and housed them in a big bucket .
The next morning they were everywhere .
In Cluj , in northern Romania , they were flagged down by a British commercial traveller who turned out to be good at sourcing beer during what was then a national shortage .
When the same problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Bucharest , they were wise to it .
`` By that time we knew that the only way to buy beer here was to wait at the gates of the brewery until a truck came out , then follow it to its destination and produce a little hard currency , '' says Ian .
The group had persuaded the Scotch whisky company Teachers to part with £79 - about £1,400 in today 's money - in return for an advert on the side of the bus and a promise to hand out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and German .
The now defunct whisky-maker Ainslie 's also gave them £10 .
`` I remember going down the autobahn , when we were stuck on the autobahn , handing out leaflets , '' Wendy says .
Some of the traffic hold-ups were self inflicted , however .
In Split they took out a low-hanging overhead power cable , shorting the local transport system .
`` There was a bright flash and a bang and I noticed that the trolley-buses which had been climbing up the road to the left had ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It seemed best not to stop just then . ''
Driving in Istanbul was also a `` nightmare '' of narrow streets clustered with people , wheelbarrows , donkey carts and overhanging balconies .
One street got narrower and narrower until they could go no further .
`` The balconies were right up against the upper deck of the bus , '' Ian remembers .
`` We had to back out - uphill - causing huge traffic perturbations . ''
By this time the bus was already quite battered , having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low-hanging branches and tunnels of a Europe not yet accustomed to vehicles the height of a double-decker .
The bus had stuck fast under a bridge on the road to Nuremberg , having cleared it in the opposite direction by little more than a centimetre .
They 'd deflated the tyres , backed out and tried again in the middle of the road , with someone walking in front , as `` the bus eased its way through '' , says Ian .
He now drives a more manoeuvrable Peugeot saloon around his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one August day half way through their trip , Ian and the bus came very close to falling off the side of a mountain .
The road was far too narrow .
Rock protruding from one side forced him so far out the bus wheels skimmed the cliff edge .
`` Locals stood in front of the bus trying to persuade us not to proceed , '' remembers Ian 's friend Margaret Hills , another member of this band of St Andrew 's University students .
`` The track was unmade , rubble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one side and a precipitous drop on the other . ''
But Ian remembers something a little less urgent and clearly it had seemed safe to proceed .
Yes , there was some arm-waving , he says .
`` But this was n't unusual so we thought nothing of it . ''
Wendy got off and watched as Ian inched forwards .
`` It was so scary , '' she says .
She pauses and says it again , because once clearly does n't do it justice .
`` It was SO scary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the side . ''
This wo n't surprise anyone familiar with the Cakor Pass , a perilous mountain road through Kosovo , then part of Yugoslavia .
But Ian had been lulled into a false sense of security by the road 's name , E27 , which sounded like a major road .
It soon deteriorated into a gravel track with hairpin bends around a steep gorge .
`` Some prayers were said even by the atheistic members of the company , '' Ian says .
`` If I had known any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way I would have dared to attempt E27 . ''
Survival achieved and driving done for the day , they would park up anywhere and everywhere : beaches , lay-bys and , on one occasion , a forest outside Munich that turned out to be an army rifle range .
A bridge near the Danube in Vienna seemed nice until the local drug addicts started to congregate .
They visited so many places that Wendy - now a seasoned traveller - ca n't remember them all .
Pondering clear evidence they went to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stephen 's Cathedral , she says she has `` no recollection of it at all '' .
Her diary says they went , `` so I 've definitely been there '' , she says , not sounding particularly convinced .
Ian - the journey 's mastermind - had ridden some of the route the previous year on a motorbike and sidecar with Dave .
He knew all the best places to go , says Margaret , who now lives in Sandhurst in Berkshire .
`` We would be roasting to death in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pier on the most beautiful lake where we could jump in and cool off , '' she says .
`` I remember being driven through a city in similar stifling heat and being dropped off at a swimming pool which was the coldest I had ever experienced .
How on earth did he know that was there ?
No wi-fi or Google then . ''
Ian will accept no praise , admitting only to having had `` some reasonable maps '' .
They had to be careful with their hard currency , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controls aimed at keeping the economy stable meant the maximum sum of money British travellers could take out of the country was £50 .
Western jeans and biros turned out to be a good alternative to cash and the friends discovered a hospital in Kavala in Greece which paid for blood donations .
At £5 and 10 shillings for half a pint - about a tenth of their allowance - it seemed `` an awful lot of money '' , says Wendy .
Also keen not to spend more than they had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid a tax on passengers travelling into Yugoslavia .
After the Greek border post , they would get off the bus and walk , pretending to be hitchhikers , only getting back on once past the Yugoslav control point .
`` What we did not realise was that there were several kilometres between the two posts , so the hitchhikers got a very rough deal and arrived back at the bus sweaty and in an understandably very bad mood , '' Ian says .
The border crossings were not always easy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ searched .
In Bulgaria , officials suspected they were transporting contraband .
`` I was made to drive over an inspection pit which gave me a useful - and the only - opportunity to check out the underside of the bus while the border guards looked for drugs or whatever , '' Ian remembers .
Crossing the Iron Curtain into Hungary was difficult and slow , but for different reasons that only became apparent later , he says .
Seeing large numbers of Russian tank transporters they were `` very aware '' something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they did n't know what and they did n't stay long .
A few weeks later , on the night of 20-21 August , Hungary joined four other Warsaw Pact countries - Poland , Bulgaria , East Germany and the Soviet Union - in invading Czechoslovakia .
The friends had just avoided Operation Danube , a Soviet military clampdown on the Prague Spring - a four-month attempt by Czechs to take back some control of their country from Moscow .
By the time the tanks were preparing to cross the border Ian and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , crossing the Channel on the Dunkirk-to-Dover ferry .
Wendy was soon back in Dundee with sixpence in her pocket and the first 7,500 miles of what was to become a lifetime of travelling .
Ian 's relationship with the bus lasted a little longer .
In early September 1968 he drove it one last time , back over to Aalst in Belgium to a man who 'd wanted to buy it when they 'd first passed through the city two months previously .
It ended up as the winning float in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if Cliff Richard fans find this whole story reminiscent of his 1963 film Summer Holiday - with the bus , the group of friends , the singing , the dancing and the occasional perilous Yugoslavian mountain track - Ian does n't .
The film entirely passed him by and he still has n't seen it .
Some of Ian Jack 's recollections have been taken from a talk given by him in 2017 .
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Send your story ideas to @ @ @ @

The bus had stuck fast under a bridge on the road to Nuremberg, having cleared it in the opposite direction by little more than a centimetre. They'd deflated the tyres, backed out and tried again in the middle of the road, with someone walking in front, as "the bus eased its way through", says Ian. He now drives a more manoeuvrable Peugeot saloon around his home city of Cambridge.


bbcuk--2020-10-08--Concern over UK cattle slaughtered in Middle East

Livestock from the UK is being shipped to the Middle East and slaughtered in `` dreadful , terrifying '' ways , animal welfare charities claim .
Over the summer , the charities tracked cattle on long journeys via Spanish fattening farms and ports .
In footage , shared with the BBC , a dead bullock at an abattoir in Lebanon in August is seen to have a UK ear-tag .
The Department for Environment , Farming and Rural Affairs ( Defra ) said it was committed to improving animal welfare .
UK livestock is protected by EU laws during transport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third countries for slaughter or fattening where welfare standards are lower .
But undercover filming by Animals International and the German Animal Welfare Foundation ( AWF ) provided video evidence suggesting British livestock is being re-sold in Europe to the Middle East .
One UK bullock , believed to be from Northern Ireland , is recorded at the port of Cartagena in Spain in July before being loaded onto a vessel destined for Libya .
`` In 30 years of working , nothing compares with the horrors of a slaughter house in North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Peter Stevenson from Compassion in World Farming .
`` Footage from the facility in Lebanon shows the same , awful methods we have seen before , '' he said .
`` Animals are hacked at repeatedly until they die .
Often they are winched up by a leg or their tendons are slashed to disable them . ''
Animals International said it was `` appalling '' to find British cattle being killed in Lebanon by `` poorly equipped , untrained workers , while fully conscious and terrified '' .
The charity found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sail from Cartagena to Libya or Lebanon .
A landmark veterinary report into the transport of livestock in 2016 concluded that animals suffered every day at sea in filthy , cramped conditions .
Calves in particular were found to die frequently of disease , thirst or heat-related illnesses .
The former Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said : `` It is stomach-churning to think of cattle from the UK being subjected to such horrific treatment .
`` This footage should be a wake-up call , '' she said .
`` Now we have left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban live exports for slaughter or fattening . ''
The UK currently exports some livestock to third countries for breeding .
EU rules , which apply in the UK until at least January , limit the number of hours animals can travel without being rested and also the density of stock .
They also require various vet checks at borders .
Unweaned male calves are by-products of the dairy industry .
The UK exported around 17,000 last year to Spain , the majority from Northern Ireland .
However , consignments have fallen this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop shipping calves through the port of Ramsgate in Kent .
Having reached Spain calves are typically fattened on farms before being slaughtered or re-exported .
At a facility in Catalonia in June , charity workers say they filmed a UK calf that had been moved outside of its pen and left to die .
Maria Boada , an AWF vet , who gathered the footage , said : `` The calf was suffering from a respiratory illness , which is common after long , stressful journeys with little food or milk replacement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calves are seen as disposable due to their low value and ready availability . ''
Recent Lords amendments to the Agriculture Bill to ban live exports have been defeated .
A Defra spokesman said : `` Now that we have left the EU , we will be taking forward the manifesto commitment to end excessively long journeys for animals going to slaughter and fattening . ''
A spokesperson for the National Farmers Union said it had developed its own proposals for a live export assurance scheme .
`` We will be looking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so that we can maintain this important trade under the highest standards of animal welfare , '' the spokesperson said .

The UK currently exports some livestock to third countries for breeding. EU rules, which apply in the UK until at least January, limit the number of hours animals can travel without being rested and also the density of stock. They also require various vet checks at borders.


bbcuk--2020-10-08--Covid-19: Fines being 'factored in wedding costs'

`` Weddings increasingly feature [ amongst illegal gatherings ] and I do n't know of people who had to put @ @ @ @ @ spring now feel that they 've got to get on with it , '' said @ @ @

"Weddings increasingly feature [amongst illegal gatherings] and I don't know of people who had to put off their wedding in the spring now feel that they've got to get on with it," said Baroness Hughes.


bbcuk--2020-10-07--UK passport photo checker shows bias against dark-skinned women

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