bbcuk--2020-09-18--How the Kanneh-Masons hope to demystify classical music

They may be among Britain 's most gifted musical siblings , but the Kanneh-Masons insist they are just like any other family .
`` We were playing a lot of football over lockdown , '' says eldest brother , violinist Braimah , 22 .
`` There were a lot of disputes over whether the ball had crossed the line or not .
I 'd say when we are playing a game that 's when the arguments start . ''
Mariatu , 11 , a cellist and pianist , says being the youngest - and the shortest - definitely has its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the family home in Nottingham .
`` I 'm quite small and everyone just barges past me and it 's quite stressful sometimes and people always pull me aside by my head which I find annoying . ''
When they are playing music , however , the classically trained brothers and sisters are , according to sister Isata , 24 , `` more respectful '' .
`` We slip into a more professional mood , '' says the pianist who earlier this month made her BBC Proms debut at the Royal Albert Hall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record their first album as a family , Carnival , which will be released by their record label Decca on 6 November .
`` It felt like a lovely thing to make a recording at the ages that we are now , as a snapshot of where we are at the moment , '' says cellist Sheku , 21 , who played at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex .
But there was another reason .
They decided they wanted to record Carnival of the Animals , by the French @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of movements is dedicated to animals including lions , elephants and fish .
Sheku , who was the first black winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition in 2016 , explains why .
`` We all grew up listening to albums like Peter and the Wolf ( Sergei Prokofiev 's symphonic fairy tale ) as children .
We remembered being so inspired by that and so we wanted to make our version . ''
They were keen for the album to be aimed squarely at children .
It is all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ music , especially for young people .
`` Classical music is n't seen as that accessible to many children , '' says Isata .
`` We feel there should be more classical music aimed at children . ''
The Kanneh-Masons know they were lucky .
`` We went to two amazing state schools that really supported music and encouraged us to continue music outside of school as well , '' says sister Jeneba 18 , who plays piano and cello and has been awarded a scholarship to the Royal College of Music .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that kind of opportunity at their school and I think especially now , when music is n't really seen as a priority in schools , we really want it to go back to one of the main priorities .
`` For us it 's been really amazing and it 's helped us become the musicians that we are today . ''
In the meantime they hope the album will help .
In the same way that Peter and the Wolf uses characters and a story to introduce children to different instruments in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And that is where the author of War Horse , Michael Morpurgo , comes in .
He was `` thrilled '' to be asked to write poetry to accompany the recording .
`` I was very surprised because I 'm not strictly speaking a poet , '' he says .
But he was so inspired he ended up writing 15 new poems and reads many of them on the album .
And while he wanted to work `` with this extraordinary group of young musicians '' , he also wanted to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live in we are fast destroying and we have exploited these creatures .
And I wanted this to come out , not so it 's heavy , but so it 's part of the tale .
`` So for instance , when I wrote a poem about a tortoise I related that very clearly to the way we live our lives and I was conscious of the fact that we need to slow down .
`` I know I need to slow down , '' adds the former Children 's Laureate .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tortoise to us all . ''
And the poem is one of several on the album performed by the Oscar-winning actress Olivia Colman ( six poems read by her alone , plus two with Morpurgo ) .
But while the Kanneh-Mason family and Morpurgo spent two days recording their parts at Abbey Road Studios in London they met the star of The Favourite and The Crown `` virtually , over Zoom '' , explains Braimah .
`` Olivia Colman was recording from a mini studio from her house in Norfolk . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unique imprint on the album .
They have recorded their own arrangement of Bob Marley 's Redemption Song , marking 40 years since its release in 1980 .
`` We knew we wanted something that was solely ours or something that was specific to the seven of us , '' says Isata .
`` We all have such a connection with Bob Marley and his music and I think it 's just nice to have that kind of contrast on an otherwise classical album . ''
It was Jeneba who came up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listening to that particular song the most during lockdown and it was the piece that we could have the most fun with and improvise around all the different chords . ''
`` Sadly they did n't ask me to play Redemption Song , '' says Morpurgo .
`` That 's because I only got Grade One on the violin - approximately 65 years ago . ''
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And while he wanted to work "with this extraordinary group of young musicians", he also wanted to be involved because "the natural world we live in we are fast destroying and we have exploited these creatures. And I wanted this to come out, not so it's heavy, but so it's part of the tale.


bbcuk--2020-09-17--Quiz of the week: Who scored the Premier League's opening goal?

It 's the weekly news quiz - how closely have you been paying attention to what 's been going on @ @ @ @ @ past seven days ?
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It's the weekly news quiz - how closely have you been paying attention to what's been going on in the world during the past seven days?


bbcuk--2020-09-17--What maths is involved in stirring a cup of tea?

A man who has thought a lot about the maths behind stirring cups of tea has won one of the @ @ @ @ @ prizes .
Professor Sir Martin Hairer from Imperial College in London won the 2021 Breakthrough @ @ @ @ @ complex maths to simple situations - like stirring a cup of tea .
He says @ @ @ @ @ £2.3m winnings on a house and hopes the prize will inspire others to develop a @ @ @ @ @

A man who has thought a lot about the maths behind stirring cups of tea has won one of the world's most lucrative academic prizes.
Professor Sir Martin Hairer from Imperial College in London won the 2021 Breakthrough Prize for Mathematics by applying complex maths to simple situations - like stirring a cup of tea.
He says he plans to spend his £2.3m winnings on a house and hopes the prize will inspire others to develop a passion for maths too.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--The Papers: Hospitals plan for second spike, and more testing

Many of Friday 's papers look ahead to what could come next for the UK as coronavirus cases surge - with stories on potential lockdown measures and hospital preparations .
One scientist who is a member of the government 's scientific advisory committee , Sage , tells the paper that this way the measure would have only a limited impact on education .
Another official says there is a very strong reluctance at the top of government to go anywhere near another national shutdown - but suggests ministers might have to .
It says the threat of further restrictions now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the paper 's top story reports that hospitals and councils have been told to find extra beds for coronavirus patients within two weeks as the NHS braces itself for a second spike in cases .
The idea is to make sure there 's somewhere for people to recover in isolation - so they are not sent straight back to care homes with dire results .
According to the paper , the government is also drawing up a traffic light system for applying restrictions .
`` Amber '' , it says , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' - suggesting face coverings will be legally required in more settings than they are now .
It says it would inflict a colossal cost in terms of economy , jobs , health and quality of life - arguing this would be too much of a price to pay to `` eradicate a virus harming a tiny fraction of the population '' .
It argues the chaos surrounding testing and the condemnation of the Internal Market bill has led even Mr Johnson 's supporters to question whether he is up to the job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem lies in what it says is his `` notorious inattention to detail '' - and it calls on him to strengthen his cabinet .
It has heard from a scientist who toured the facilities and was - in his words - `` appalled '' by what he saw .
He describes how they 've failed to set up automatic processes - and says they 're using 20 different types of tube for swabs .
The Department of Health says many of the claims are false and inaccurate and points out capacity is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its highest ever level .
It labels her `` Baroness Bungle '' after she told MPs yesterday that scientific modelling had underestimated the demand created by schools reopening .
`` Why not use common sense ? ''
asks the paper before adding : `` Bugs always spread like wildfire when the autumn term starts '' .
It says the cost of litigation and compensation - following poor care of mothers and babies - is almost twice the combined pay of all the labour doctors in England 's hospitals .
Writing in the paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyers immediately get involved when tragedies happen - hindering the health service 's ability to learn from mistakes .
The warning from the Democratic presidential nominee , Joe Biden , that he wo n't allow peace in Northern Ireland to become a casualty of Brexit is picked up by several papers .

That's because the National Audit Office has found that at least £50bn worth of banknotes have disappeared from circulation - the equivalent of more than £1,000 for each adult in the country.


bbcuk--2020-09-17--Crohn's patient 'vomits 30 times a day' and has cardiac arrests

In this year alone she has had three cardiac arrests and had to be revived using a defibrillator .
Her family have launched an appeal to raise money for a pioneering operation and have so far raised £15,000 of their £20,000 target .
The young mother , who grew up in Langport in Somerset , but now lives in Southampton , was eventually unable to keep down any food or liquids , no matter how little she ate or drank , or how slowly she did so .
`` My days are pretty bleak .
I still have to try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplement drinks along with my food , '' she said .
`` When you vomit as much as I do you , you lose potassium and that 's what will bring this all to an end . ''
Miss Elliott is 5ft 4ins ( 1.63m ) tall and now weighs just 5st 7lb ( 35kg ) .
The potassium levels in her body drop so low that her heart can not beat properly .
She suffered her first cardiac arrest in January this year and has had two more since and on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be restarted with a defibrillator .
Miss Elliott 's condition has seen her hospitalised nine times this year .
After one of the serious incidents she was put into an induced coma to minimise the risk of brain damage .
Alongside Crohn 's disease Miss Elliott , who has a son Alfred , aged five , also has upper intestinal failure , which means her body rejects food and liquid as a foreign body , complicating her condition .
`` I 'm not the only person in the world like this but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this extreme . ''
Ruth Wakeman , Director at Crohn 's and Colitis UK , said no two cases of the condition were the same .
In desperation Miss Elliott 's family put out an appeal on Facebook asking if anyone knew of potential treatments for her severe form of Crohn 's .
Experts there claimed they would be able to use technology to investigate her case in a more in-depth way than has been possible in the UK .

The young mother, who grew up in Langport in Somerset, but now lives in Southampton, was eventually unable to keep down any food or liquids, no matter how little she ate or drank, or how slowly she did so.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Bobby Storey funeral: Mourners asked to attend police interviews

Mourners at the funeral of veteran republican Bobby Storey who have been identified as potentially having breached coronavirus regulations have been asked to speak to police .
Police said they contacted a number of people , inviting them to attend voluntary interviews with officers at a local police station .
Those who have received the letters have 14 days to respond .
The funeral caused a damaging row in the Stormont Executive .
Hundreds of people lined the streets of west Belfast for the funeral in June and it was also attended by senior Sinn Féin representatives , including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Finance Minister Conor Murphy .
Their attendance sparked a row at Stormont , with other parties accusing Sinn Féin of breaching the coronavirus restrictions and undermining the executive 's message on Covid-19 .
Both Ms O'Neill and Mr Murphy have denied breaching social distancing measures while at the funeral .
It is not yet known if they are among the individuals who have been contacted by police .
The investigation into the events surrounding the funeral of Mr Storey is being led by Deputy Chief Constable Mark Webster of Cumbria Constabulary .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus health regulations .
DCC Webster said : `` An initial number of letters were issued to individuals who were identified as having been present on 30 June in potential breach of the Health Protection Regulations . ''
Earlier this month the Ms O'Neill acknowledged Stormont 's public health messaging was `` undermined '' by the controversy surrounding the funeral .
She said she regretted what happened and wanted to `` rebuild trust '' with the public .
`` It was never my intention that that would happen , but it did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I want to rebuild trust with the public , as we have the most challenging time ahead of us . ''
The statement led to the re-introduction of joint coronavirus briefings with the First Minister Arlene Foster which had stopped in the wake of the funeral after Mrs Foster said she could no longer share a platform with the deputy first minister .

The statement led to the re-introduction of joint coronavirus briefings with the First Minister Arlene Foster which had stopped in the wake of the funeral after Mrs Foster said she could no longer share a platform with the deputy first minister.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Rhondda Cynon Taf lockdown: Hospital cases 'rapidly changing'

Patients needing hospital covid care are increasing in the locked-down county of Rhondda Cynon Taf , say doctors .
Strict new rules came into force on Thursday evening after a spike in Covid-19 cases there .
Its 240,000 residents are not be able to enter or leave the county without a reasonable excuse .
Health officials say hospital admissions will increase further if people ignore the latest restrictions .
The local authority became the second council area to enter a local lockdown in Wales , following Caerphilly last week .
`` It 's a very rapidly changing picture , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board , which covers Rhondda Cynon Taf ( RCT ) , Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend .
`` At this time last week , we really did n't have any significant cases in the hospital , but that 's changed . ''
He said they were now dealing with a `` handful '' of cases .
`` We always knew that once community transmission got sustained , we will begin to pick up cases in the hospital , '' he told BBC Radio Wales ' Breakfast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we expected .
It 's probably going to increase in the hospital now if we do not to take additional measures , but we are doing so at this point . ''
Health officials said the initial wave of infections appears to have been in younger people .
`` But it 's only a matter of time before it seeps into the older population , who are more likely to be vulnerable , who are more likely to become ill if they do get it , and therefore end up in hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Wales warned on Thursday that `` there may be more deaths in the coming days '' with both RCT and Caerphilly county in local lockdowns .
Figures released on Thursday revealed more than half of all Covid-19 hospital admissions in Wales were in the Aneurin Bevan health board area , which covers Caerphilly and Newport , and Cwm Taf Morgannwg .
Wales ' Health Minister Vaughan Gething said there had been a `` rapid '' rise in cases in RCT , with 82.1 infections per 100,000 people over the past seven days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was 21.4 per 100,000 .
Wednesday 's rate of positive tests for the past week in RCT was 5.1 % - the highest in Wales .
Mr Gething previously warned a positive rate of 4 % across Wales would trigger a national lockdown .

"What is undoubtedly the case is that a group of people went to Doncaster and many of them came back infected with coronavirus, and in the local contact tracing effort that has had to be taken into account in explaining and accounting for the rise in the numbers of coronavirus in the RCT area.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--De Montfort students blackface photo disciplinary action taken

A university has taken disciplinary action after photos of some of its students wearing what appears to be blackface surfaced online .
Leicester 's De Montfort University said it had finished its investigation into the photos shared on social media - but refused to say what action was taken .
And one graduate said the university had failed to grasp `` how upsetting and inappropriate '' the photos were .
The photos , which the BBC has chosen not to publish , show a group of male students in suits and ties on an end-of-season sports club night out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the university said was fake tan .
The photos first began to be shared in early June by someone who said they had been sent to her black friend , prompting the university to investigate .
In a statement , De Montford university said : `` Many of our community and beyond were understandably deeply upset by these photographs and by the association with 'blackface ' and 'blacking up ' .
`` [ We ] recognise this behaviour fell far short of what we expect from students at the institution . ''
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , with little detail on the punishment and fears the students got off lightly .
Rosie Vacciana-Browne , a 21-year-old recent graduate , said : `` Ultimately for me the statement given was not sufficient after three months .
`` It was n't an association with blackface - it was blackface .
It seems they are n't grasping how upsetting and inappropriate the incident was .
`` The feeling is the university might have just had a strong word which really is not enough . ''
The BBC contacted the university for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more , or to confirm what had happened to the students in the photos .

The photos first began to be shared in early June by someone who said they had been sent to her black friend, prompting the university to investigate.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Covid: UK seeing second wave, says Boris Johnson

The UK is `` now seeing a second wave '' of Covid-19 , Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said , adding : `` It 's been inevitable we 'd see it in this country . ''
Mr Johnson said he did not `` want to go into bigger lockdown measures '' but that tighter social distancing rules might be necessary .
It is understood a new three-tiered set of restrictions is being considered .
The plan would aim to avoid a national lockdown but could stop household-to-household contact .
The first tier would be the level of measures currently in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - with social distancing the key aspect .
The second tier would involve what is currently being imposed in north-east of England - curfews on hospitality venues and a ban on meetings between households .
The final third tier would involve stricter lockdown measures .
If this plan is put into action , `` Tier two '' restrictions are expected to be imposed on a region-by-region basis , but it is thought likely that they could eventually cover almost all of the UK .
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said it was `` increasingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the capital will need to follow areas such as the north-east of England and come under additional measures .
• Can a 'circuit break ' halt the second Covid wave ?
• What are the rules for meeting friends and family ?
• Covid symptoms : Is it a cold , flu or coronavirus ?
• UK coronavirus cases up by 4,322 on Friday An account of a meeting at which the three-tier measures were discussed has been shared with the BBC .
It explained the government 's shielding policy was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision could come soon on further measures to protect the vulnerable .
Any further shielding decisions are expected to take a much more tailored approach than before .
With the virus expected to be more severe over the winter , officials are looking at bringing in measures that could last until the spring .
Earlier , BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the government was considering a short period of tighter rules across England that could be announced in the next week , which could involve closing hospitality venues .
It comes as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 cases .
Public Health England 's medical director Yvonne Doyle warned of `` far worse things to come '' as the UK recorded widespread growth of the virus across the country .
`` Clearly when you look at what is happening , you 've got to wonder whether we need to go further than the rule of six that we brought in , '' the prime minister said , referring to measures introduced on Monday .
He added that `` the British people have done an amazing job - they 've brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that `` people find it difficult to keep this up , it 's difficult to maintain that discipline for a long time '' .
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• GLOBAL SPREAD : How many worldwide cases are there ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
Speaking in Oxfordshire , Mr Johnson said the government would keep `` everything under review '' but a second national lockdown was `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We want to keep schools open , '' he said .
`` We want to keep the economy open as far as we possibly can , we want to keep businesses going . ''
Mr Johnson added : `` The only way we can do that is , obviously , if people follow the guidance . ''
'UK 's trajectory is not written in stone' The question is no longer where we are , but where we are heading .
Yes , the number of people infected , in hospital with Covid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at far lower levels than at the peak .
Scientists will quibble about the exact definition of a `` second wave '' , but all data points to rising numbers of infections .
The government 's science advisers say the number is now doubling every week .
If those trends continue then infections could go from the estimated 6,000-a-day to more than 100,000 by mid-October .
It is that trajectory , which is not written in stone , the government is trying to change .
There are questions for politicians , from whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to improving Test and Trace .
But , with evidence suggesting only one in five people are following the self-isolation rules when they get sick , there are also questions for all of us .
The government has also been considering what it called a `` circuit-break '' approach , which could involve re-introducing restrictions in public spaces for a period of a few weeks to suppress the spread of the virus .
Schools and workplaces would stay open .
Ideas suggested by the government 's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ( Sage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitality sector .
Millions of Britons are now living under stricter coronavirus measures , with London Mayor Sadiq Khan saying the capital should not wait `` for this virus to again spiral out of control before taking action '' .
New measures to curb the spread of the virus have been introduced across parts of the North West , Midlands and West Yorkshire .
This includes Lancashire ( excluding Blackpool ) , Merseyside and the Cheshire boroughs of Warrington and Halton .
Additional restrictions are also being put in place in Wolverhampton , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all parts of Bradford , Kirklees and Calderdale .
Some areas of West Yorkshire had already been subject to restrictions implemented at the start of August but they were eased .
They are now subject to these new rules .
In total , nearly 4.7 million people will be affected by the new restrictions , which ban separate households from meeting each other at home or in private gardens .
• A rapid test can accurately diagnose a coronavirus infection within 90 minutes without needing a specialist laboratory , scientists say • Personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes until next March , as part of a government coronavirus plan for NHS England this winter • The R number , which measures how quickly the virus is spreading , has risen to between 1.1 and 1.4 from between 1.0 and 1.2 last week , the government said .
It means on average 10 infected people will infect between 11 and 14 people , so the epidemic is growing • British retail sales have continued to increase for the fourth consecutive month , boosted by spending on household goods and DIY , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Year 's Eve firework display will not be taking place this year , Mayor of London Sadiq Khan told LBC • Northern Ireland 's health minister has described three Van Morrison songs protesting against coronavirus lockdowns as `` dangerous ''

"Clearly when you look at what is happening, you've got to wonder whether we need to go further than the rule of six that we brought in," the prime minister said, referring to measures introduced on Monday.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Covid restrictions in London 'increasingly likely'

Measures to slow the spread of Covid-19 in London are becoming `` increasingly likely '' , its mayor has said .
Sadiq Khan made the announcement after holding an emergency meeting with London council leaders , the government and Public Health England .
He said he was extremely concerned by evidence of the accelerating speed with which coronavirus was spreading in the city .
Mr Khan said the situation was being made worse by uncertainty over the lack of testing capacity in the capital .
'We should not wait' He said : `` It is increasingly likely that , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required to slow the spread of the virus .
`` We will be considering some of the measures which have already been imposed in other parts of the UK .
`` I am of the firm view that we should not wait , as happened six months ago , for this virus to again spiral out of control before taking action . ''
The number of cases per 100,000 people over seven days is reported to have increased in London from 18.8 to about 25 .
Londoners have been urged to be as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by following social distancing rules , washing hands and wearing face coverings .
Mr Khan said : `` The best thing for both public health and the economy is new restrictions imposed early , rather than a full lockdown when it 's too late - but the government must urgently ensure there is a fully functioning testing system . ''
The sharp rise in UK cases over the last two weeks comes amid ongoing problems with the government 's test and trace programme , leading to people struggling to access tests The government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as how many can be processed in the lab each day - is higher than ever

Mr Khan said: "The best thing for both public health and the economy is new restrictions imposed early, rather than a full lockdown when it's too late - but the government must urgently ensure there is a fully functioning testing system."


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Coronavirus: Care home visitors to be supervised at all times

People visiting residents in care homes should be supervised at all times to ensure social distancing , according to a government winter plan for Covid-19 .
It says visits must be limited and in `` areas of intervention '' they must be stopped altogether .
Support for care homes in the plan includes free personal protective equipment until next March .
Councils say the initiative is welcome , but there are significant gaps in funding .
Writing to the heads of local authorities , Care Minister Helen Whately said `` now is the time to act '' to protect care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important for the wellbeing of residents and loved ones '' but that extra precautions are needed .
• Care homes in England to get £546m extra funding They include regular assessments by local authorities of whether visiting is safe in a particular area , with visits immediately halted in places listed as an `` area of intervention '' , Public Health England 's highest category of alert where local lockdown rules are imposed .
In every care home , visitors should be supervised `` at all times '' to ensure they keep to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures , the plan says .
Before the publication of the plan , Age UK said some people are `` dying of sadness '' in care homes because they have been cut off from loved ones for a prolonged period of time .
Care homes in England were allowed to reopen again for family visits in July - as long as local authorities and public health teams said it was safe .
A similar reopening of homes followed in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland .
However , many homes have not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over visitors or banning them completely .
The government has previously announced care homes would get £546m to try to reduce transmission of the virus as part of its winter plan .
The money will help to pay care workers their full wages when they are self-isolating , and ensures carers only work in one care home , reducing the spread of the virus .
BBC social affairs correspondent Alison Holt said that for a sector still reeling from the high number of deaths , `` this plan is important '' .
Providing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognises the steep increase in the cost of supplies , she said .
And a new role of chief nurse for social care , which will be created under the plan , `` should also provide a stronger national voice for the sector '' .
But while welcoming the plan , some directors of council care services have said it does not address the need to pay care staff better .
It also does not provide the funding needed to meet the expected increase in demand , particularly for home care , over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons the government would do `` whatever is humanly possible '' to protect care homes `` so they are a place of sanctuary this winter '' .
Ministers have also promised to make people in care homes a priority for coronavirus tests - along with the NHS - amid ongoing issues with the UK 's testing system .
• SCHOOLS : What will happen if children catch coronavirus ?
• YOUR QUESTIONS : We answer your queries • SOCIAL LIFE : Is it safe to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Are they are at risk with schools reopening ?
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• SUPPORT BUBBLES : What are they and who can be in yours ?
Coronavirus swept through UK care homes during the peak of the outbreak , with tens of thousands of deaths .
Almost 30,000 more care home residents in England and Wales died during the coronavirus outbreak than during the same period in 2019 , Office for National Statistics figures published in July show .
But only two-thirds were directly attributable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there were just over 66,000 deaths of care home residents in England and Wales between 2 March and 12 June this year , compared to just under 37,000 deaths last year .

Before the publication of the plan, Age UK said some people are "dying of sadness" in care homes because they have been cut off from loved ones for a prolonged period of time.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Coronavirus: 'Widespread virus growth across the country'

There is widespread growth of the epidemic across the country and the R number has risen to between 1.1 and 1.4 , say the government 's scientific advisers .
Officials are warning of `` far worse things to come '' as cases are thought to exceed 6,000 a day in England .
And the scientist behind the Covid Symptom Study app said it appeared to be `` the start of a second wave '' .
The developments come as new England-wide restrictions are being discussed .
At least 13.5 million people , roughly one-in-five of the UK population , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cases of the virus and hospital admissions for Covid-19 are doubling every seven to eight days in the UK .
On Friday , there were 4,322 new lab-confirmed cases of the virus - a rise of nearly 1,000 on yesterday .
Although deaths remain at a very low level , Sage , the scientific body which advises the UK government on the epidemic , says the rise in the R number `` shows that we are moving to wider spread growth in transmission at a faster rate '' .
The R ( reproduction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected person passes the virus on to .
If it 's above 1 , numbers of cases increase very quickly .
The sharp rise in UK cases over the last two weeks comes amid ongoing problems with the government 's test and trace programme , leading to people struggling to access tests .
• Covid symptoms : Is it a cold , flu or coronavirus ?
Yvonne Doyle , medical director at Public Health England said there were `` clear signs the virus is now spreading widely across all age groups '' , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the increase in rates of admission to hospital and intensive care among older people '' .
In Scotland , Nicola Sturgeon said greater restrictions might be needed to `` interrupt '' the spread of the virus .
Tighter measures are already in force in the west of Scotland .
The ONS infection survey , which tests thousands of people in random households whether they have symptoms or not , estimated there were around 6,000 new infections a day in the week to 10 September - up from 3,200 the week before .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North West and London , and children aged two to 11 and young people aged 17 to 34 had most positive tests .
Where is this trajectory heading ?
The government 's scientific advisers are clear coronavirus is no longer a local problem contained to hotspots .
Instead the rise in cases is now `` widespread '' across the UK .
Cases may be doubling every week , but they were quadrupling every week before lockdown and are currently at much lower levels than at the peak .
But the concern is where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question of trajectory .
If cases continue to double every week then the situation can rapidly get out of hand , that is why the government is contemplating a `` circuit break '' to control the spread .
But this is not just a question of government action , there is a responsibility on all of us .
Sage documents say only one in five people are fully self-isolating at home when they get symptoms .
The Covid Symptom Study app , which tracks the health of four million people in the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases of Covid every day over the last two weeks .
Latest figures from the app show a rise in cases in London for the first time since June .
Prof Tim Spector , professor of genetic epidemiology at King 's College London and app founder , said it was `` a worrying picture '' , adding it appears `` to be the start of a second wave '' .
ONS data from Wales suggests Covid-19 cases there are currently `` relatively stable '' - with an estimated one in 2,000 people testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drakeford said infection rates had risen from 20 per 100,000 to 35 per 100,000 in the past week and he was keeping a `` close watch '' on cases in Newport and Merthyr Tydfil .
• SOCIAL DISTANCING : What are the rules now ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
• YOUR QUESTIONS : Our answers on the `` rule of six '' • LOCAL LOCKDOWNS : What happens if you have one ?

Cases of the virus and hospital admissions for Covid-19 are doubling every seven to eight days in the UK. On Friday, there were 4,322 new lab-confirmed cases of the virus - a rise of nearly 1,000 on yesterday.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Labour Party: Starmer aims to build trust with 'new leadership' slogan

On the eve of their first `` virtual '' party conference , Labour have unveiled their new slogan : `` A New Leadership '' .
It replaces `` Under New Management '' , a phrase Sir Keir Starmer has been using since July , initially at Prime Minister 's Questions , to distance himself from the previous leadership 's position on Russia and national security .
Sir Keir 's strategists feel that this was a little too backward-looking - defining him simply as Not Jeremy Corbyn - and that the new form of words will have wider appeal .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the short slogan 's shoulders .
Pleased to meet you , hope you guessed my name ... First , it is designed to contrast favourably with Boris Johnson 's leadership - and build on Sir Keir 's sustained attempt to portray the current government as lacking competence .
Second , it dovetails with Labour 's plan to `` introduce '' Sir Keir to the country .
This intended phase of his leadership , it is felt , has n't been fully realised due to the coronavirus crisis .
And insiders stress his `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different from Mr Corbyn 's - but from Tony Blair and Gordon Brown , too .
He may be helped in this when an internal inquiry - under the chairmanship of barrister Martin Forde , and independent from the party hierarchy - reports later this year .
It is likely to call for a change in the party 's `` culture '' , with criticisms of both staunch opponents and supporters of the Corbyn era .
This will allow Sir Keir to claim he is making a fresh start .
You 've got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be deployed to try to eliminate a negative .
While he may not have been fully introduced to the electorate , the good news for Sir Keir Starmer is that his personal ratings are positive .
For example , at the start of this month YouGov 's polling suggested 42 % of voters felt he was doing a good job as Labour leader while far fewer - 26 % - felt he was doing badly .
That said , for 32 % of voters the jury is out - hence the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The bad news for Starmer is that while he has made a relatively positive impression since becoming Labour leader in March , the party has been lagging behind the Conservatives in most polls .
As one Labour insider put it : `` The brand has been trashed . ''
The aim now is to bring the party 's standing closer to Starmer 's .
All around me are familiar faces ...
So the new branding - which will be used on party platforms and online content - is intended to convey a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Connected event - the party 's virtual conference - starts on Saturday , and will aim to give a platform to some of the shadow cabinet who are seen as potentially strong performers , including Angela Rayner , Lisa Nandy , and Nick Thomas-Symonds .
There will be major speech from the Shadow Chancellor , Anneliese Dodds .
It 's hoped the new team will become more familiar faces to voters in the months ahead .
So much for the personnel .
The late Tony Benn used to say `` it 's about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm told there will be announcements over the next few days .
But the main purpose of the event will be to set out a vision rather than get dragged into the detail four years from an election .
Although it 's a virtual conference , the party leader will get out and about to deliver his speech on Tuesday .
He will be in Yorkshire - possibly in a seat that survived the Conservative onslaught on the Red Wall , but pretty close to the debris .
He will make it clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin on this territory .
But while regaining the trust of those who , until recently , backed the party is an essential pre-condition for winning power , Starmer knows it wo n't be enough on its own .
So seats which to the Conservatives at Labour 's earlier election defeats , such as those in south-east England , will also be his focus .
Hopes of recovery also depend on doing at least a bit better in Scotland , which he visited for the first time since becoming leader this week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stem further losses in next year 's Holyrood election .
Although Starmer 's strategists are emphasising fresh , forward-facing leadership , it seems clear that when he delivers his speech , the greatest contrast will be with the Corbyn era .
He will set out his vision for the UK - the kind of country he wants to see , the kind of country it can be .
He wo n't be as much waving the Red Flag as the Union Jack .
He will try to convince those who have abandoned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much in common .
So there will be an emphasis on patriotism .
And the content is likely to be influenced by the Labour leader 's director of policy Claire Ainsley , former head of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation think tank and author of the New Working Class .
She has said values espoused by `` working-class '' voters span the Remain/Leave divide and can be summarised thus : `` Family , fairness , hard work and decency '' , or as one commentator put it , `` flag , forces , family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nature of `` the working class '' has changed as the economy has changed , as identity politics - rather than social class - have become more prominent .
The new working class , she says , are more diverse and respond to signals that a political party is `` on their side '' , rather than appeals to old class labels .
So expect to witness Starmer the signalman in his conference speech .
Some on the party 's left , however , fear that Starmer is on the wrong track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard to build up credibility against the Conservatives - but worry about a lack of inspiration .
Others simply want to see more evidence that his talk of `` values '' is not a precursor to ditching some of the radical policies both he and the party previously espoused .
The Socialist Campaign Group 's membership includes Jeremy Corbyn , the former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell , and the former shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott .
It will be holding a `` virtual rally '' of around 2,500 Labour members during the conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frontbencher Richard Burgon , told the BBC : `` It is important that the party uses the conference to go beyond criticizing the government 's incompetence - and now lays out the policies to defend people hit hard by this unprecedented job and public health crisis . ''
Starmer 's supporters say he has a `` relentless '' focus on winning .
That will mean not just putting the party under new leadership , but about how that leadership is exercised .
So far he has been radical in shaking up his shadow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party 's backroom operation .
The bigger challenge , in due course , will be in selecting a small number of symbolic policies to signal to voters where he stands - and abandoning others .
His support amongst members appears to be wide , but this process will reveal whether it 's deep .
Keir Starmer 's Conservative opponents have already made up his mind about his leadership .
A spokesman said he `` offered the same tired and out of touch politics as Jeremy Corbyn '' .
Starmer 's team will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing - and reach a different conclusion in due course .

The bad news for Starmer is that while he has made a relatively positive impression since becoming Labour leader in March, the party has been lagging behind the Conservatives in most polls.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--More Afghan interpreters eligible to settle in UK after rule change

Dozens more Afghan interpreters who worked with British forces in Afghanistan will be eligible to settle in the UK following a government decision to expand a relocation scheme .
About 450 interpreters moved to the UK with their families under the original scheme , announced up in 2013 .
But some of those who were ineligible said they were targeted by the Taliban .
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said expanding the scheme was `` the honourable thing to do '' .
Under the original scheme only those who had worked with the British on the frontline for a year or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , were eligible to apply .
This meant hundreds of Afghan interpreters who had worked for British forces in Helmand before they left in 2014 did not qualify for resettlement in the UK , leading to criticism from MPs and some former British military personnel .
• US soldier brings Afghan to live with him Now , following discussions between the defence and home secretaries , the government has announced an expansion of the resettlement scheme .
It means that Afghan interpreters who worked on the frontline with British troops for 18 months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December 2014 , but then resigned , will also be eligible to apply to resettle in the UK along with their families .
Mr Wallace and Home Secretary Priti Patel announced the expansion of the relocation scheme on a joint visit at Stanford Military Training Area in Norfolk , where they saw British troops prepare for a deployment to Kabul working alongside former Afghan interpreters who are now living in the UK .
Mr Wallace described the rule change as a `` thank you '' to the interpreters for their loyal service .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be eligible to apply to resettle under the new rules .
Ms Patel said : `` It 's right that we do right by them , the very people that have served alongside our forces in one of the most hostile and difficult places in the world . ''
Mr Wallace and Ms Patel met Dost , a former Afghan interpreter taking part in the training who had already claimed asylum in the UK .
Dost did not qualify under the initial scheme .
He had worked in Helmand as an interpreter for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resign when he received threats from the Taliban .
One of his colleagues had also been kidnapped and killed .
In 2010 , he made his own way to the UK , via Turkey and France , to claim asylum .
But under the new rules he would now be eligible to apply to resettle in the UK .
He said he was `` very happy '' that the relocation scheme was being expanded , but added he was still worried about the safety of those left behind .
The expanded relocation scheme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for British forces .
Any interpreter who fled to a third country will not be eligible to apply .
Those who worked for British forces for less than 18 months will also not qualify .
The BBC has spoken to one Afghan interpreter who worked for the Army in Helmand for seven months in 2010 .
We have given him an alias to protect his identity .
`` Ali '' is now living in Kabul .
He moved there with the help of the British embassy after he received threats from the Taliban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islamic State group make no distinction as to how long you worked for western military forces like the British .
He says they `` will kill you because you have worked for the infidel '' .
The risk , Ali says , is the same for anyone who worked for the coalition , no matter how long .
Britain does have a separate scheme for those who have suffered `` intimidation '' , which in theory allows Afghan interpreters to be resettled in the UK .
But while a number of former interpreters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within Afghanistan , none has yet been moved to the UK under the intimidation scheme .
Mr Wallace and Ms Patel insist that door is not closed .
They say each individual will still be assessed on a case by case basis .
While former interpreters like Ali welcome the expansion of the resettlement scheme , they still fear for the future .
There are hopes for the peace talks now taking place with the Taliban .
But those talks have also seen hundreds of Taliban fighters released from prison .
For Ali @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not gone away .

It means that Afghan interpreters who worked on the frontline with British troops for 18 months or more, between May 2006 and December 2014, but then resigned, will also be eligible to apply to resettle in the UK along with their families.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Coronavirus: Devolved leaders urge PM to help aerospace sector

The first ministers of the devolved nations have called for `` urgent '' UK government intervention to help the struggling aerospace sector .
Scotland 's Nicola Sturgeon , Mark Drakeford of Wales and Arlene Foster from Northern Ireland have signed a joint letter .
They believe a task force should be launched to help the industry , which has been hit hard by coronavirus .
The BBC has asked the UK government for a response .
The letter is also signed by leaders of the Unite union which brought the politicians together for the initiative .
Unite says tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ associated industries are on the `` brink of being lost forever '' .
In May , MPs were told up to 8,000 jobs could go in the aerospace sector in Wales .
Scotland has also been hit hard with more than 1,200 jobs likely to go at companies such as Rolls Royce and GE Caledonian .
In Northern Ireland Bombardier , Collins Aerospace and Thompson Aero have announced plans to lay off more than 1,300 staff .
The political leaders said the creation of an aerospace task force `` would be a positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added such a move would show `` all our governments remain committed to working together in order to preserve this sector that is hugely important to the whole of the UK '' .
And they stressed the need to act quickly , warning : `` Urgent intervention is now required to preserve capability and avert further damaging losses . ''
The proposed task force would include `` active participation '' from the governments in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland , as well as unions and companies working in the sector .
Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the closure of the furlough scheme at the end of October , there is a real possibility of significant job losses across the UK .
`` We have repeatedly called for the UK government to reconsider its position and to extend the scheme , especially for sectors that have been particularly hard-hit like aerospace . ''
She added `` sector-specific approaches '' were necessary to prevent a `` severe '' long term impact .
The Scottish government has already set up an aerospace response group to help the industry address the challenges posed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scottish secretary of Unite , said : `` Tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs and those supported by the aerospace sector in the supply-chain are on the brink of being lost forever .
`` It 's clear that many of the measures required to support the sector reside with the UK government , which is why we are collectively asking the prime minister to immediately establish a UK aerospace task force to coordinate support . ''
He added the situation in Scotland alone `` risks a £185 million blow to the economy @ @

"It's clear that many of the measures required to support the sector reside with the UK government, which is why we are collectively asking the prime minister to immediately establish a UK aerospace taskforce to co-ordinate support."


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Brexit: Amal Clooney quits government envoy role over law break plan

Amal Clooney has quit her role as the UK 's envoy on press freedom `` in dismay '' at the government 's willingness to break international law over Brexit .
The human rights lawyer said it was `` lamentable '' for Boris Johnson to be contemplating overriding the Brexit agreement he signed last year .
She could not tell others to honour legal obligations when the UK `` declares it does not intend to do so itself '' .
The PM says he does not want to use the powers in the Internal Market Bill .
But he says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the power to protect the UK and , particularly , Northern Ireland if trade talks fail and the EU acts `` unreasonably '' .
In her resignation letter , Mrs Clooney , who is married to Hollywood actor George Clooney , said she had accepted the job last year because of the UK 's historic role in upholding the international legal order .
• NI told to start work on checkpoints at sea ports • Why Brexit is still a big issue But she said the government 's attempts to pass the Internal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurdle in the Commons last week , made her position `` untenable '' .
She said she had decided to quit after speaking to foreign secretary Dominic Raab and getting `` no assurance that any change of position is imminent '' .
She added : `` It is lamentable for the UK to be speaking of its intention to violate an international treaty signed by the prime minister less than a year ago .
`` It has become untenable for me , as Special Envoy , to urge other states to respect and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it does not intend to do so itself . ''
Mrs Clooney was appointed by Jeremy Hunt , Mr Raab 's predecessor , during the final months of Theresa May 's government and continued in the role after Boris Johnson took over in No 10 .
She was the deputy chair of the high-level panel of legal experts which works with the UK and Canadian governments on their campaign to promote media freedom around the world .
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer , who used to practice in the same barristers ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had taken the right decision .
`` I know Amal and she is a first class lawyer .
I 'm not surprised that she has quit because , like others , she 's concluded that there is a conflict between a breach of international law - which the government seems intent on - and our reputation as a country in the world that abides by the rule of law , '' he said .
Her resignation adds to a growing list of senior legal figures who have quit their roles in disquiet at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resigned as Advocate General for Scotland on Wednesday , saying he found it `` increasingly difficult to reconcile '' his obligations as a lawyer with provisions in the legislation .
The government 's most senior legal adviser - Sir Jonathan Jones , permanent secretary to the government legal department - had already resigned , as had the UK 's envoy for the protection of religious freedoms , Tory MP Rehman Chishti .
The EU has demanded the government removes sections of the Bill which would give the UK the power to override agreements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ireland and Britain and subsidies for NI companies .
Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has admitted the powers , if they were ever used , would break the UK 's treaty obligations under international law in a `` specific and limited '' way .
The prime minister has sought to quell a potential rebellion by Tory MPs next week by promising critics that the Commons will get a specific vote on the powers before the government can use them .
But former Conservative leader Lord Howard has said the PM needs to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of principle and he doubted whether the Lords would back the bill as it stands .

"I know Amal and she is a first class lawyer. I'm not surprised that she has quit because, like others, she's concluded that there is a conflict between a breach of international law - which the government seems intent on - and our reputation as a country in the world that abides by the rule of law," he said.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Covid in Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon issues warning over tougher rules

`` Hard but necessary '' decisions on further Covid restrictions may need to be taken to prevent another full-scale lockdown , Nicola Sturgeon has warned .
The first minister said the next few days would be `` critical '' in deciding which steps would be taken to stop the spread of Covid-19 in Scotland .
She said `` greater restrictions '' might be needed to `` interrupt '' that spread .
And she said the introduction of more national restrictions would have to be considered .
Ms Sturgeon said the virus was on the rise and was spreading `` quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid another full-scale lockdown , doing nothing almost certainly is n't an option , '' she said .
`` We have to consider now whether some national restrictions - we have national restrictions in place already , the six-two rule is a national restriction - do we need to have more national restrictions ? ''
• More than 100 people told to isolate by tracing app The new rule limiting social gatherings to a maximum of six people from two households came into effect on Monday .
There are currently tighter local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scotland which prevent people visiting each others ' homes .
Tougher rules are being introduced in several parts of England , and the UK government is believed to be considering imposing fresh restrictions on the whole of England .
Ms Sturgeon told her daily briefing that there had been 203 positive tests in Scotland in the past 24 hours , and that one person who tested positive had died .
That took the total number of deaths in Scotland under the measurement being used to 2,502 .
`` The bottom line here is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the first minister said .
`` Cases are rising quite rapidly .
The percentage of tests is not as high as March but is rising .
And the R number is now above one . ''
Ms Sturgeon said she had met a group of senior Scottish government officials to assess the situation and that discussions would take place with the four UK nations in the coming days .
She has asked the prime minister to stage a Cobra meeting this weekend , although it is understood that UK government has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The virus could get out of our grip again but it has n't happened yet and we have time to prevent it from happening , '' she said .
`` That is down to the government and all of us . ''
Ms Sturgeon warned that the country was following the path of France , which four weeks ago was in the same position that Scotland is now .
It is now seeing 10,000 new cases a day , with hundreds of people in intensive care and the number of deaths increasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interrupt that and do n't end up where they are now , '' she said .
`` We are facing the risk again of exponential growth in Covid .
`` No-one wants to see another full-scale lockdown .
`` And above all we want to keep schools and childcare open because we know how important that is to the education and to the broader wellbeing of children and young people . ''
Ms Sturgeon asked people to abide by the current rules .
`` It may well be that if we are to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to do more in the next few weeks , '' she added .
`` This weekend will be critical in the assessment of how best to do that . ''
The leader of the Scottish Conservatives said he would support the introduction of any measures needed to help defeat the virus .
Douglas Ross told BBC Scotland that every available option should be considered .
`` We have seen the issues that we have if we do n't get on top of it , and if we do n't make the difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
`` So everything that has to be done must be done to ensure we do n't get a second wave of this pandemic that puts pressure on our hospitals and our NHS again .
`` I support everything that can be done to support beating this terrible pandemic . ''
Ms Sturgeon has also urged people to take part in a UK-wide Covid infection survey .
Up to 15,000 people in Scotland will be tested every fortnight .
Households will be randomly selected for the survey and invited to participate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own tests and some will be asked to provide blood samples .
The tests will continue for up to a year and will help scientists see how many people are infected with the virus over time and how many people will ultimately have the infection .
• IMPACT : How is the pandemic affecting life in Scotland ?
• CASES : Where are the latest cases in Scotland ?
• QUIZ : How well do you know the Covid restrictions ?
• BACK TO SCHOOL : Can a school insist on a Covid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes next - and when ?

"The virus could get out of our grip again but it hasn't happened yet and we have time to prevent it from happening," she said. "That is down to the government and all of us."


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Admiral boss gives staff £10m as retirement farewell

A boss is giving his staff £10m as a thank-you to mark his retirement .
The gift from Admiral 's Chief Executive David Stevens and his wife Heather will be shared between 7,500 staff in south Wales and 3,000 overseas .
Full-time workers will get £1,000 with part-time staff receiving £500 .
Mr Stevens , who co-founded the Cardiff-based motor insurance company with his wife in 1991 , said he was `` proud and fortunate to have worked with a such a special group of people '' .
`` Saying thank you to all Admiral staff in this way is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
`` Their hard work and dedication has allowed Admiral to grow from a start-up to over 11,000 staff worldwide .
`` And all of this while remaining a great place to work .
Thank you from myself and my wife to everyone at Admiral . ''
It follows a similar gesture by former chief executive - and fellow co-founder - Henry Engelhardt who gave a £1,000 retirement thank you to full-time staff back in 2016 , which at the time came to about £7m .
Mr Stevens is being succeeded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Focatilis .
Admiral was launched selling car insurance over the phone in Cardiff with a team of just 57 .
Its other UK offices are in Swansea and Newport , with overseas sites in Spain , Italy , France , Canada , the US and India .

It follows a similar gesture by former chief executive - and fellow co-founder - Henry Engelhardt who gave a £1,000 retirement thank you to full-time staff back in 2016, which at the time came to about £7m.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--'Voluntary lockdown' plea to St Andrews University's students

Principal Sally Mapstone has written to the students , asking them to `` remain in your rooms as much as possible '' .
She has also asked them not to party or go to bars and restaurants , and to avoid mixing with people outside their households .
In her `` urgent and important message '' to students , Ms Mapstone said she appreciated that some people may think her actions were `` premature '' .
But she said society had `` acted too slowly in the past '' and that thousands of people had died unnecessarily as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that rates of covid infection are surging again in various parts of this country , and it is very likely that we are very close to a form of further national lockdown , '' she wrote .
`` The first minister of Scotland has today spoken of the urgent need to interrupt the chain of transmission of the virus .
`` In these circumstances , I am writing to all of our students to ask you to please observe a voluntary lockdown this weekend , effective from 7pm this evening . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend would be postponed , including all planned sports activity , society activity and events at the Byre Theatre , main library and chapel .
`` There is no evidence that the virus is surging in our community .
Rather it is because as a country we are now in a very fast-moving phase where early intervention is key , and hours make a difference .
`` We will be keeping this situation under close review all weekend , and I will keep you informed of any further measures that may be necessary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from government over or just after the weekend . ''
`` It 's not in reaction to something , it 's before the situation worsens .
I think that 's the trend in Scotland - to act before the situation escalates . ''
It is understood that the group was made up of students who were adhering to social distancing guidelines , and who left the area when requested .
`` I understand the need , of course , and I 'm glad that St Andrews is taking pre-emptive action .
But giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a complete lockdown , in my opinion , is quite unfair on the student population in general , '' he said .
`` If you look at the region , at least as far as I am aware , there has been no rise in cases whatsoever .
I think it has lowest in Scotland .
I think some things can be manged better . ''
`` We 've seen throughout this pandemic that it 's really important to take early action and that taking action early has generally avoided loss of life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has avoided more strict and longer-lasting restrictions later on , '' he said .

"We will be keeping this situation under close review all weekend, and I will keep you informed of any further measures that may be necessary. We expect further information and intervention from government over or just after the weekend."


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Bedfordshire dogs thefts: Police release suspect images

Police have released images of a number of men wanted in connection with the theft of dogs worth `` about £50,000 '' .
Eight dogs were stolen from a kennels at Wilden in Bedfordshire on Sunday night , leaving the business owner `` devastated '' Det Insp Ian Holden of Bedfordshire Police said the men `` may be able to assist with our investigation '' .
A black Labrador , two cocker spaniels and four English springer spaniels were taken from the kennels .
Four of the dogs belonged to the kennel owner , who did not want to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the final dog was boarding .
The thieves scaled a 12-foot ( 3.6m ) fence , smashed a fire door and took 10 minutes to steal the dogs , the business owner said .
Bedfordshire police said there had been `` a surge in puppy thefts , as the price of dogs has almost doubled in some cases '' since lockdown .
Det Insp Holden appealed for anyone who recognised the men in the CCTV images to come forward , as well as anyone who had recently been offered a dog .

Det Insp Holden appealed for anyone who recognised the men in the CCTV images to come forward, as well as anyone who had recently been offered a dog.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Covid: Can a 'circuit break' halt the second wave?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the UK is `` now seeing a second wave '' of Covid-19 .
Expanding `` local '' restrictions mean more than 13 million people ( one-fifth of the UK population ) have extra curbs on their lives .
And the surge in cases is not contained to just the hotspots , but is widespread across the UK .
Local restrictions do not suppress a virus that is spreading outside of those areas .
It is against this backdrop the government is deciding what to do next .
One idea is a `` circuit-break '' - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions for everyone to curb the spread of coronavirus .
So why might a circuit break be needed and what could it achieve ?
Take 6,000 cases a day , double them every week - as the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ( Sage ) suggests is happening - and by mid-October you have more than 100,000 infections a day as we did at the peak .
That is not sophisticated disease modelling , it is not written in stone and measures such as the `` rule of six '' should slow the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sense of how quickly a small problem can be become a huge one .
A circuit break is all about trying to change that trajectory .
`` The evidence is hospitalisations are increasing , it is a worry and the concern is what happens if we do n't do something , '' Dr Mike Tildesley , from the University of Warwick , told me .
He is part of the government 's disease modelling group of scientists , called SPI-M , which has been discussing circuit-breakers this week .
Dr Tildesley added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ none of us want this , but we 're stuck between a rock and a hard place .
`` However , with a managed short-term lockdown you buy yourself some time . ''
A bout of tighter restrictions should result in cases falling instead of rising , but how far they drop is uncertain and will depend on how severe the restrictions are .
It is suggested schools and workplaces would remain open , but the hospitality sector ( think bars and restaurants ) would be hit .
This is not Lockdown 2.0 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't want intensive care units filling up again , but you also have increased options at lower levels of the virus , '' said Dr Adam Kucharski , another SPI-M member and researcher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine .
When levels of the virus are low , it is easier to spot outbreaks and use highly targeted measures , that are less disruptive than national ones , to curb the spread of Covid-19 .
Dr Kucharski told the BBC : `` As cases and hospitalisations increase , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is doing as Test and Trace ca n't pick it all up , you do n't know where the outbreak is .
`` That 's the difference , options decline substantially as cases rise . ''
• LOCAL LOCKDOWNS : What happens if you have one ?
• GLOBAL SPREAD : How many worldwide cases are there ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
Circuit breaks have been used in other countries .
The temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a circuit break that gave contact tracers the time to get on top of their outbreak .
In the UK , a break could buy time to improve the government 's beleaguered Test and Trace programme , which is already struggling with current levels of coronavirus .
But the problem is once the circuit break is over , cases would begin to rise again .
`` You may find yourself in a cycle of short-term lockdowns until you have an exit strategy like a vaccine or herd immunity , '' Dr Tildesley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Spring , when coronavirus should be easier to contain and we may have a vaccine , is still a very long way away .

Covid: What is a circuit-breaker could one fight the virus? Published 20 November 2020
Image source, Reuters
Northern Ireland is going to start a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown on Friday 27 November.
It follows the use of a 17-day "firebreak" to try to stem Covid cases in Wales.
What is a circuit-breaker?
A circuit-breaker is a tight set of restrictions designed to reverse the tide of the epidemic and bring the number of cases down.
The rules could feel a lot like the original national lockdown - but crucially a circuit-breaker is for a fixed period of time.
The hope is they are less damaging - to the economy and people's mental health - than a longer lockdown, because people can plan ahead more easily.
How far Covid rates drop would depend on how severe the restrictions were, and how much we stick to them.
The UK as a whole has not yet had a circuit-breaker, with the nations opting to introduce their own measures.
During Wales's circuit-breaker:
People had to stay at home
Pubs, restaurants and non-essential shops were shut
Primary schools and younger years in secondary schools stayed open
Hotels, hairdressers and beauticians all closed
From next Friday in Northern Ireland:
People will have to stay at home
All non-essential shops will close
Pubs and restaurants can offer takeaway services
Schools will remain open
What would a circuit-breaker achieve?
Dr Adam Kucharski, a researcher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "The overarching aim is you don't want intensive care units filling up again, but you also have increased options at lower levels of the virus."
The government's test-and-trace programme is currently only reaching half of infected people's close contacts in some areas, the BBC has learned.
Dr Kucharski said: "As cases and hospitalisations increase, there is less information on what the outbreak is doing, as test and trace can't pick it all up, you don't know where the outbreak is."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, The BBC's Laura Foster explains what a circuit breaker is and how it could help tackle Covid-19
How long does a circuit-breaker need to be?
The minimum duration is seen as two weeks.
Anything shorter and the risk is people who are infected just before the start of the circuit-breaker may still be able to spread the virus when it ends.
The longer the circuit-breaker, the more it would reduce cases - but the greater the other impacts on society.
When would we know if a circuit-breaker was working?
Not until after it was lifted.
It can take a week between being infected and developing symptoms, the same again between getting sick and needing hospital treatment, and up to a month before people die.
All of these lags mean the statistics on deaths and hospital admissions are expected to look worse throughout the whole of a circuit-breaker.
It is only later that the benefits begin to trickle through.
What effect did the Wales one have?
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Watch how the case rates have changed in the past six weeks across Wales
Wales' 17-day firebreak ended on 9 November.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said the chief medical officer's analysis was the evidence was now "good enough" to show it did "succeed".
He said the number of Covid patients in hospital was "stabilising" and the R number - the number of people someone infects - in Wales the following week "could have been below one".
After Wales' firebreak ended, restaurants, pubs, gyms all reopened and infection rates generally fell the following week in most places.
What happens after a circuit breaker?
Cases will go up again unless something fundamentally changes.
"With a managed short-term lockdown, you buy yourself some time," says Dr Mike Tildesley, from the University of Warwick.
"But you may find yourself in a cycle of short-term lockdowns until you have an exit strategy like a vaccine or herd immunity."
Has it been used anywhere else?
Yes.
The state of South Australia has just entered a six-day lockdown to try to curb an outbreak - its first in six months.
Israel used a circuit-breaker in October after its "traffic-light" system did not get infections under control.
A temporary lockdown in New Zealand, which successfully allowed contact tracers to get back on top of the outbreak there, can be seen as a circuit-breaker even though it was not called that.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--‘Another lockdown would be disastrous for our business’

A resurgence of coronavirus has led the government to impose new restrictions on millions of people across the UK .
For many restaurants , pubs and bars , the new rules have come just as business is picking up once again .
`` Another lockdown would be disastrous for our business , '' the boss of a bar chain , Martin Wolstencroft , has said .
`` We 've done so well to get through the national lockdown , we reopened on 4 July with measures in place , we rebuilt.. and it 's really frustrating . ''
Mr Wolstencroft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bars and bar restaurants in Leeds , Manchester and Newcastle .
Its Newcastle site is affected by the new restrictions announced on Friday , which require bars and pubs to shut between 22:00 and 05:00 .
•Covid : New restrictions in North West , Midlands and West Yorkshire New rules limiting gatherings to six people have also impacted his business , leading to 3,000 bookings being cancelled at Arc Inspirations ' Manchester venues since the restriction came into effect a week ago .
Mr Wolstencroft is now really worried about Christmas - traditionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospitality industry : `` We were projecting our sales to be 20 % down for the rest of the year without another lockdown .
`` But over Christmas , if there are more measures in place , we will be in excess of 50 % down , '' he says .
We need that sales and profit which helps us through the rest of the year . ''
He says many customers are struggling to understand the increased regulations , and the uncertainty is making things worse for hospitality firms .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to manage a business when you do n't know what and when is going to happen in the future , '' he says .
According to trade group UK Hospitality , the British hospitality sector is now `` on a knife-edge '' , and 1 million people employed in the industry remain at risk of losing their jobs .
`` Despite the boost delivered by the Eat Out to Help Out scheme , consumer confidence is still low and it takes a further beating whenever lockdowns or restrictions are mentioned , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nicholls .
`` If lockdowns or restrictions are needed , they need to be formulated carefully , and come with government support , to minimise the damage to business . ''
She stresses that even having a hospitality venue close just an hour earlier `` has a huge impact '' on its business .
'It makes no sense to close pubs again' Peter Borg-Neal is the chairman of Oakman Inns , a chain of 25 pubs and hotels spread across Hertfordshire , Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire .
He does n't think that people socialising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause for the virus spreading , when `` yesterday there were only nine cases in the entire county [ Buckinghamshire ] , out of half a million people '' .
According to data from real estate adviser Altus Group , the new curfew and restrictions of sales of food and drink to table service will affect one in 10 pubs in England .
`` If the government wants to enforce further rules than it needs to be very specific - if the individual pub or restaurant does n't comply , well close them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Do n't pick on the people who are working really hard to get the economy moving again , working really hard to protect their customers and their employees . ''
Mr Borg-Neal wants the government to provide businesses with even more financial support if the hospitality industry has to be closed once again , or many will not survive .
And he thinks a blanket policy to close restaurants , pubs and bars will have unintended consequences .
`` If they close all the pubs , what will happen ?
Students will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bottle of cider , '' he stresses .
`` It will be far , far worse .
It makes no sense on public health grounds to close pubs . ''
'People are coming back because they feel safe' While many hospitality firms are unhappy with the government 's restrictions , some are in favour of it , like The Steam Packet pub in Chiswick , London , which is owned by pub chain Brunning and Price .
`` We 've suffered in terms of numbers as we 're a small pub , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they feel safe , '' pub manager Jonathan Gillespie tells the BBC .
`` We will follow the government 's regulations as they 've made people feel safe . ''
He is worried about the future , but says it is difficult to predict what will happen : `` I am concerned about the impact it will have on my business but I do n't know what it will look like .
Mr Gillespie says his business is good at finding solutions to difficult challenges , and will continue to do so .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and drinks from a hatch , you can buy fish and chips or a pint and take it to go sit by the river and socially distance , '' he says .
`` That 's something that 's really helped our business . ''

"But over Christmas, if there are more measures in place, we will be in excess of 50% down," he says. We need that sales and profit which helps us through the rest of the year."


bbcuk--2020-09-18--'We had to find a way of getting open' - launching a music venue in a pandemic

With most gig venues still stuck in a dark and silent stasis , and coronavirus restrictions getting tighter , it 's an unlikely time for new venues to be opening their doors .
Craig Pennington has been busy measuring out socially-distanced `` pods '' on the floor of Future Yard in Birkenhead .
When indie band She Drew The Gun launch the venue to a sell-out crowd of 45 people later , each pair of fans will be allocated a pod in which they can stand and watch - but not dance , sing along or cheer .
If opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risky enough , doing so amid the Covid-19 crisis - especially with cases rising again - is a logistical migraine and a licence to lose money .
`` Launching a live music venue in the midst of a global pandemic is not something I 'd advise , '' Pennington says with a wry laugh .
And yet he 's going ahead .
He got the keys to the building in January , before Covid was really on the radar , initially planning to open in April with a capacity of 350 .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ venues to reopen in England with social distancing in August , Pennington did n't want to wait much longer .
As well as hosting gigs , Future Yard will offer training for 16- to 24-year-olds in the live music industry , and rehearsal and recording spaces for new local artists .
`` It 's just really important that we could get open , '' Pennington said on Thursday .
`` That comes with great pressures financially and also operationally , but it 's something we feel like we 've got to do .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mothballed and waited to the point where it made absolute financial sense , potentially it could have been years before we opened .
`` Our primary motivation is to really think how we can use a venue like Future Yard to be a positive influence for the local community .
We 're here to use music as a powerful lever for social change .
This is a moment when we 're needed more than ever , so we just had to find a way of getting open . ''
On Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new restrictions for Merseyside , among other areas .
From Tuesday , people from different households wo n't be allowed to meet in private homes or gardens .
They can still meet in pubs , bars and entertainment venues , but those venues must have table service and close by 10pm .
Pennington is undeterred .
Future Yard has tables ( made from milk crates ) in the pods , and the bands will just finish earlier .
He 's planning more socially-distanced shows next month , as long as restrictions are n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced a string of concerts for the new year - by which time he hopes the venue will be able to relax its rules .
`` If you look at our listings for next year , there 's a lot of stuff in there where we 're going to need a dancefloor , '' he says .
`` I do n't think those shows will happen if we 're still in the same situation we are now with the level of social distancing because I do n't think they 'll be viable , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to do them . ''
• Nightclubs and DJs 'left in the corner to rot' • 'The rug can be pulled any time , ' say indie stars For now , government guidelines say venues must discourage communal dancing , singing along , shouting , cheering or chanting .
`` It clearly comes with challenges , '' Pennington admits .
The pods are marked out on the floor , rather than being separated by physical screens .
Other safety measures range from staggered arrival times to an app to order drinks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A ventilation system will change the air 20 times per hour .
Fans must wear face masks , but may remove them to drink - which may in reality be very often .
If people get carried away and blur the social distancing boundaries - we all know people can - the venue has `` overstaffed heavily on stewards '' , Pennington says .
But he wants to police it with a `` light touch '' .
He adds : `` The key is about trusting your audiences and working with them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure they know what to expect .
We think we 've done that .
There 's just a real appetite to come out and enjoy a live music experience .
If you 're doing that in a safe and controlled way , the audience will go with you on it . ''
One venue that has already opened recently is the NE Volume Bar in Stockton-on-Tees , Teesside , where 32 people can sit at 11 socially-distanced tables .
The full capacity should be 110 .
So far , they have hosted a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acoustic sets .
`` It 's still a good atmosphere , '' says co-owner Adam Allcock .
`` People are n't standing up and going wild .
Our customer base is quite nice .
They 're there for the music , so they want to listen to the music anyway .
It 's all been going fine .
No-one 's had to be told to settle down or stay in their seat or anything like that . ''
Another venue , Strange Brew in Bristol , is also opening this weekend .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus wrecked their plans .
Allcock and his brother Lee got the keys to NE Volume Bar one day before lockdown .
They initially opened as a bar when allowed to in July , then staged the first gig on 4 September .
`` We had to open it because we did n't get any funding , to bring some money in instead of just outgoings , '' he says .
`` We get messages every day of people looking for tickets , but we just obviously ca n't fit them in with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the zone in the north-east where new restrictions were introduced on Thursday , forcing an outdoor venue in Newcastle , the 2,500-capacity Virgin Money Unity Arena , to close prematurely .
It had been the only major UK venue to be staging regular gigs .
Mark Davyd , chief executive of the Music Venues Trust , says 84 of the organisation 's 900 members have staged some live music so far since lockdown , but just 13 are doing so regularly .
`` There are these local lockdowns and restrictions , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comprehensive , '' he says .
`` It 's a developing picture .
We do n't know quite where it 's going to go to yet . ''
And the long-term future remains uncertain for many grassroots venues .
Since lockdown , 11 have announced they are closing permanently - although nine of those have since been taken over by new operators .
Davyd says another nine are expected to announce their intentions to close .
`` They 're all still in a fairly precarious position right the way across the UK , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MVT venues want to reopen in some form by the end of October , when furlough ends .
Some hope to do so with emergency government funding , while others just want to get back up and running for the sake of their communities and crews , he says .
Beyond the uncertainty over being allowed to reopen , there is the question of whether it makes financial sense to do so .
`` The short answer frankly is no , '' he says .
`` The slightly longer answer is , financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why they would be doing it .
They really are community-run and community-led spaces . ''
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"If you look at our listings for next year, there's a lot of stuff in there where we're going to need a dancefloor," he says. "I don't think those shows will happen if we're still in the same situation we are now with the level of social distancing because I don't think they'll be viable, and the artists and agents won't want to do them."


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Puppy prices soar during coronavirus lockdown

The price of puppies has more than doubled during lockdown with dogs costing almost £1,900 on average .
Popular breeds have seen even sharper price increases , and puppies are often selling for £3,000 or more , according to a leading online marketplace .
Animal welfare charities have warned high prices could encourage `` puppy farming '' , smuggling or dog theft .
They are also concerned that it could lead to a dog welfare crisis as people return to work away from the home .
Interest in getting a pet rose hugely after lockdown in late March , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their prices .
Figures from the Pets4Homes website , based on about 150,000 adverts , showed the average price being asked from March to September was £1,883 .
During the same period last year the average price was £888 .
Cocker spaniels saw the highest year-on-year inflation ( 184 % ) followed by Jack Russells ( 180 % ) , cockapoos ( 168 % ) and border collies ( 163 % ) .
Cavapoos - a cavalier spaniel and poodle crossbreed - now cost about £2,800 on average while English or American bulldogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1,600 dogs on the website are currently priced in excess of £3,000 .
'She wanted to send me the puppy by courier' Since leaving her parents ' home a year ago Joanna Birrell has been desperately missing Poppy and Mila , the two Eurasier dogs she grew up with .
Joanna is now living in Elderslie in Renfrewshire , where she works from home .
As she is unlikely to return to the office any time soon , she thought now would be a good time to get a puppy .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I moved out - Mila , Poppy and me were like sisters , '' she said .
`` I 'm always in the house so it would be a chance to get out with the dog .
I need a reason to get out . ''
Nine years ago when her parents bought Mila they paid about £500 .
Three years later Poppy cost them £1,000 .
When Joanna started looking for puppies the prices came as a shock .
`` All the prices are £2,000 to £3,000 - or more , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offered to sell her a puppy for £3,500 but Joanna soon became suspicious .
`` She was n't a registered breeder - it turned out to be a puppy farm , '' she said .
`` She would n't let me travel down to see the dog .
She wanted to send it to me by courier - so alarm bells started ringing . ''
Joanna has now found a recommended breeder willing to reserve her a pup from a future litter .
She has agreed to pay about £2,000 .
Lee Gibson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and June visits to the website peaked at 20 million a month - double last year 's figure .
He said : `` I think people had more time at home - and with their children .
They knew they could put the time and effort into training a dog .
And secondly , there was a need for companionships .
For many people lockdown has been a lonely time . ''
The website acts as an online marketplace , with the dog breeders themselves determining what prices to charge .
`` During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase in the numbers of puppies available - so it 's simply the economics of supply and demand , '' he said .
Claire Calder , from the Dogs Trust rescue charity , said lockdown had created a `` perfect storm '' for puppy sales with many people thinking this is the ideal time to take on a pet - but she 's worried about the future .
`` We 're expecting a dog welfare crisis further down the line - an increase in abandonment as people go back to work , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also means that some people may find they ca n't afford to look after a dog . ''
Another danger is that high prices will further encourage the illegal importation of puppies or heavily pregnant dogs from smuggling hotspots in eastern or central Europe .
Even at the height of lockdown , she says it was `` business as usual '' for puppy smugglers - with dozens of rescued pups coming into the charity 's care .
Six puppies found in the back of a van which arrived in Dover from Romania had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in oil .
Smuggled puppies are often in poor health or poorly socialised because of their early life experiences .
Last month two spaniel puppies were found dying by the roadside in Lockerbie , Dumfries and Galloway .
It 's believed they had been brought into the country at the port of Cairnryan , then dumped by puppy traffickers when they became unwell during the journey .
Many dogs advertised for sale are not what they seem - the Dogs Trust calls this `` dogfishing '' and offers this advice : • Always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their home and make sure to visit more than once , even if it is via video call due to coronavirus restrictions .
• Never pay a deposit up-front without seeing the puppy in person .
• Ask lots of questions and make sure you see all vital paperwork , such as a puppy contract - which gives lots of information about their parents , breed , health , diet , the puppy 's experiences and more .
• If you have any doubts or feel pressured to buy , as hard as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report the seller to Trading Standards .
Mike Flynn , from the Scottish SPCA animal charity , foresees another problem as new dog owners return to work .
`` Many of these puppies will have grown up with people at home all the time , '' he said .
`` Then all of sudden that comes to an end and dogs become bored or anxious because they 're used to people being there .
`` Canine behaviourists are going to be in for a busy time . ''
The coronavirus restrictions disrupted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now back up and running and he 's hoping would-be dog owners will consider taking on an adult dog .
`` Every dog we rehome is vet-checked - you know you 're going to get a healthy animal .
There are always unwanted dogs in the system , often through no fault of their own , perhaps because their owner is unable to look after them anymore . ''
The latest data suggests interest in owning a dog is starting to plateau with website traffic returning to more normal levels .
Whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be seen .

He said: "I think people had more time at home - and with their children. They knew they could put the time and effort into training a dog. And secondly, there was a need for companionships. For many people lockdown has been a lonely time."


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Coronavirus: Second wave coming as UK's R number rises

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Friday evening .
We 'll have another update for you on Saturday morning .
1 .
Second wave of virus hitting the UK PM Boris Johnson has said the UK is `` now seeing a second wave '' of coronavirus , adding that `` it 's been inevitable '' .
He said he did not want to put the country into another national lockdown but tighter social distancing restrictions might still be necessary .
It is understood a new three-tiered set of rules is being considered , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments come after tighter restrictions were announced for Lancashire , Merseyside , parts of the Midlands and West Yorkshire , to come into force from Tuesday .
2 .
Virus growth now 'widespread across the country' Scientists say there is now widespread growth of the virus across the UK and the R number has risen to between 1.1 and 1.4 .
The R ( reproduction ) number describes how many people each infected person passes the virus on to .
If it 's above 1 , numbers of cases increase very quickly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ far worse things to come '' with cases thought to be exceeding 6,000 a day in England .
`` Hard but necessary '' decisions on further Covid restrictions may need to be taken to prevent another full-scale lockdown in Scotland , Nicola Sturgeon has warned .
The first minister said the next few days would be `` critical '' in deciding which steps would be taken to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the country .
Ms Sturgeon said the virus was on the rise and was spreading `` quite rapidly '' , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed to `` interrupt '' that spread .
There will be no New Year 's Eve fireworks in London to ring in 2021 , after the mayor revealed the display had been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic .
About 100,000 people normally pack the streets around Victoria Embankment for the annual event , which is watched by about 12 million people on TV .
However , Sadiq Khan told LBC that `` we simply ca n't afford to have numbers of people congregating '' , adding that officials were instead `` working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comfort and safety of their living rooms on TV '' .
With many people working from home during lockdown , and the prospect of returning to the office seeming a long way off , some people like Joanna Birrell thought it would be a good time to get a puppy .
But the demand has been so great that many breeders raised their prices , with the cost of puppies more than doubling .
Figures from the Pets4Homes website , based on about 150,000 adverts , showed the average price being asked for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ During the same period last year the average price was £888 .
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With many people working from home during lockdown, and the prospect of returning to the office seeming a long way off, some people like Joanna Birrell thought it would be a good time to get a puppy. But the demand has been so great that many breeders raised their prices, with the cost of puppies more than doubling. Figures from the Pets4Homes website, based on about 150,000 adverts, showed the average price being asked for from March to September was £1,883. During the same period last year the average price was £888.


bbcuk--2020-09-18--Coronavirus: Shielding unlikely in second Covid-19 wave

Shielding will not necessarily return during a second wave of coronavirus , the Welsh Government has suggested .
Those most vulnerable to Covid-19 had been asked to stay inside since the beginning of the pandemic .
The 130,000 people who received letters were then told they could stop shielding from 16 August .
The government has said the situation now is `` very different '' , despite a recent rise in cases and fears of a second wave .
And the UK government has said it should be a `` last resort '' .
But Derek Cummings , who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice makes him feel he is taking important health decisions into his own hands .
Mr Cummings , from Cwmparc in Rhondda Cynon Taf - which is currently under a local lockdown - said : `` I do n't think they 've got a handle on it .
`` [ They ] make it up as they go along - if it comes down to people like me using common sense .
There 's not enough advice to save our lives .
`` Shielding means isolation , and the loneliness that can bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the safest way ahead . ''
The Welsh Government did say while it has not `` set arbitrary rates '' to trigger the reintroduction of shielding , it can be considered further down the line alongside other interventions .
• Why many are still shielding ... With no end in sight • Second wave of Covid-19 is hitting UK - PM '' When we initially advised those who were extremely vulnerable to adopt shielding measures earlier this year , the Wales-wide position was very different , '' a spokesman said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wales .
There were no measures in place in any sectors of society to reduce the spread of the virus and no rules or regulations in place .
`` Things are different now - asking people to stay isolated at home entirely is not the best option at the moment and could cause more harm to people 's mental and physical health .
`` We have seen a rapid increase in cases in some parts of Wales , but this has not changed the specific advice to people in the shielding population at @ @ @ @

"[They] make it up as they go along - if it comes down to people like me using common sense. There's not enough advice to save our lives.