bbcuk--2020-06-04--George Floyd death: Thousands join Birmingham protest

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Birmingham to protest about the death of George Floyd in US police custody .
Mr Floyd , an African-American , died on 25 May when a white police officer continued to kneel on his neck after he pleaded he could not breathe .
Thousands of people marched in London on Wednesday after the death sparked global protests against racism .
The Birmingham protest started outside the library but later moved through the city to the police 's headquarters .
West Midlands Police said an estimated 4,000 people took part and there were no arrests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and made their voices clearly heard , but there were no arrests and no disorder , '' a force spokesman said .
Protest organisers UK Is n't Innocent said Britain had `` a duty to stand in solidarity with the US while exposing the inner workings of racism and police brutality in the UK '' .
`` We are tired and we have been tired for too long , '' lead organiser Hannah Ringane said .
`` We have been taught that we wo n't be treated the same as everyone else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aggressors . ''
Carol Smith , who was among the demonstrators , said : `` My grandchildren were born here , they have to have a different world to the world I have .
`` They have to realise they have a right to be here , and they have a right to equality , just like everyone else who do n't look like them .
`` I ca n't give you the answer to racism .
I did n't create it , people who look like me did n't create it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but changes for the world .
These are the things that are demanded now . ''
Aston Villa and England defender Tyrone Mings - who was targeted with racist abuse while playing for his country against Bulgaria last year - indicated he would join demonstrators , urging his followers online to `` stand for what 's right '' .
• Latest news and updates from the West Midlands People were originally due to gather in Victoria Square outside the council house , but when it became clear the numbers would be too large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Although it was billed as a stand-in demonstration , protesters moved on from the square and marched towards Lloyd House , the headquarters for West Midlands Police , shouting `` justice now '' and calling for an end to police brutality .
In the past month , the Independent Office for Police Conduct has begun nine investigations into West Midlands Police connected to alleged excessive use of force on black men and two officers have been suspended .
Ch Insp Sarah Tambling , from the force , said she was `` really pleased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the city .
Although some people have begun to leave , many more are continuing to arrive .
The atmosphere has been good , with whole families coming to express their solidarity with the demonstrators .
A handful of police liaison officers have kept a respectful distance and the crowds have remained peaceful .
The younger generation in particular have made banners with clever slogans , while several older onlookers , especially from the Afro-Caribbean community , have been overcome with emotion when they see the size of the crowd .
Birmingham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but encouraged protesters to maintain social distancing .
`` The city of Birmingham has a long and proud history of standing up to racism and to prejudice , and that is why today we stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement , '' said Labour councillor and cabinet member for social inclusion John Cotton .
Four Minneapolis police officers have been charged over 46-year-old Mr Floyd 's death , including Derek Chauvin who faces a second-degree murder charge .
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"They have to realise they have a right to be here, and they have a right to equality, just like everyone else who don't look like them.


bbcuk--2020-06-04--'Tens of thousands' of heart procedures delayed by pandemic

The postponement of tens of thousands of hospital procedures is putting the lives of people with long-term heart conditions at risk , according to the British Heart Foundation .
The coronavirus pandemic has created a backlog which would only get larger as patients waited for care , it said .
People with heart disease are at increased risk of serious illness with Covid-19 , and some are shielding .
In the last two weeks , cardiology services have started again in England .
The BHF estimates that 28,000 procedures have been delayed in England since the outbreak of coronavirus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedures , including the implanting of pacemakers or stents , widening blocked arteries to the heart , and tests to diagnose heart problems .
People now waiting for new appointments would already have been waiting for treatment when the lockdown started , the charity said , as it urged the NHS to support people with heart conditions `` in a safe way '' .
Sarah Miles , 45 , a former nurse from Somerset , has been ill for some time with heart failure , after a heart attack and cardiac arrest when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several recent appointments cancelled , including a procedure to correct abnormal heart rhythms she had already waited six months for , and an assessment for a new heart .
`` It makes you feel anxious and alone , '' she says , having been shielding from the virus because of her high risk of complications .
Yet the last thing she wants to do is complain .
`` I understand the practicalities but it 's worrying me that there is no plan - no-one is keeping me informed or anything .
`` Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors need extra time to arrange it . ''
A nurse would normally come to her house , where she is sleeping in the front room , to carry out blood tests - but that has n't happened .
`` I have n't had any follow-up after being in hospital in February either , '' she says .
She is no longer able to walk very far and the hope of a heart transplant keeps her going , but that 's likely to be a long way off .
`` I 'm just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowing that 's the worst . ''
• A & E visits in England down to record low • 'More than two million in UK wait for cancer care' The NHS scaled back services in many areas and redeployed staff in order to stop the health service from being overwhelmed by patients with Covid-19 .
This led to drops in cancer referrals , routine operations and visits to A & E - and there were concerns that seriously ill people were being put off seeking treatment .
`` People with heart and circulatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dying from Covid-19 , and their lives should not be put at even greater risk by missing out on treatment for their condition , '' said Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan , associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation .
`` If hospital investigations and procedures are delayed too long , it can result in preventable permanent long-term complications , such as heart failure . ''
A survey of 1,409 adults with heart and circulatory conditions carried out by BHF with YouGov found that during the crisis , a third had struggled to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % had had a planned test or procedure postponed or cancelled .
Some of the most urgent heart procedures have taken place during the epidemic .
But although cardiology services have started again , it is not yet clear how long patients will have to wait to for rescheduled appointments .
An NHS spokesperson said : `` Now we are through the first peak of the virus , the NHS is safely bringing back other services , as clearly many people will have worried about seeking help during the outbreak '' .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and encouraging that actually now the number of people coming to A & E for cardiac conditions is back to the levels we would normally expect '' .
The NHS was also `` significantly increasing rehab care for everyone suffering after-effects of the virus '' .

"People with heart and circulatory diseases are already at increased risk of dying from Covid-19, and their lives should not be put at even greater risk by missing out on treatment for their condition," said Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation.


bbcuk--2020-06-05--Coronavirus: Outbreak exercise showed ‘clear gap’ in readiness

An exercise simulating a coronavirus outbreak in Scotland , which was shared with a UK government advisory group , showed a `` clear gap '' in preparedness , the BBC has learned .
A report into `` Exercise Iris '' revealed frontline staff `` unease '' over personal protective equipment and `` the need for substantive progress '' .
The exercise simulated an outbreak of Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome .
The Scottish government says its findings were shared with attendees .
Middle-East respiratory syndrome ( MERS-CoV ) is a coronavirus like SARS-Cov-2 but has different characteristics .
Like the novel coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key symptoms include fever and a cough .
However , transmission rates are believed to be far lower and fatality rates are much higher .
BBC News has learned an exercise was undertaken simulating an outbreak of the disease in 2018 and requested the findings under the Freedom of Information Act in April .
The Scottish Government has now published a report of its findings .
The outcomes were shared with the expert committee that advises the UK government on pandemics , the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group ( Nervtag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iris '' was a tabletop exercise which took place at a hotel in Stirling on 12 March 2018 and involved health boards , Health Protection Scotland , the Scottish Ambulance Service and NHS 24 , the telephone advice service .
Exercise discussions revealed concerns around the availability of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) and underlined `` the need for substantive progress on PPE use within Scotland '' , according to the report .
`` Issues around PPE are not unique to a MERS-CoV outbreak '' , it said .
The report conclusions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frontline staff over the lack of clarity on PPE availability , training and testing .
`` This is a clear gap in Scotland 's preparedness for MERS-CoV and other outbreaks and needs to be addressed as soon as possible . ''
The report also warns of the demands of contact tracing .
One scenario in the exercise features `` escalating resource requirements for contact tracing and follow up '' .
As a result , health boards were asked to consider the impact of extensive contact tracing .
`` It feels like a lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , chair of public health at Edinburgh University and a member of the Scottish Government COVID-19 Advisory Group .
`` On the positive side it 's good that these exercises were conducted , because it meant that they were thinking beyond flu , they were thinking about coronaviruses .
`` But on the negative side it 's surprising , it seems that SAGE ( Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ) members were unaware or at least did n't discuss this exercise in their thinking in January or February , which would have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an eventual outbreak '' .
`` It 's the whole purpose of these exercises , to learn from them '' , she added .
A report detailing the findings of an exercise simulating pandemic influenza called `` Exercise Cygnus '' , which was run in England in October 2016 , was also not published .
• PUBLIC TRANSPORT : Is it safe to travel ?
• FACE MASKS : Should I be wearing one ?
• RISK AT WORK : How exposed is your job ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the MERS coronavirus exercise says Public Health England held a previous exercise in 2016 `` which identified a series of actions for improvement '' .
At two meetings , in June and December 2018 , Nervtag asked for the report into the exercise to be circulated within the group .
Minutes of a meeting from June 2019 , when the report was shared , say `` most of the recommendations have now been implemented or are in the process of being implemented '' by Health Protection Scotland 's resilience group .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with all attendees .
`` The output from this exercise has been considered in line with wider work on health protection preparedness carried out through the Scottish Health Protection Network '' , it said .
The Department for Health and Social Care said : `` As the public would expect , we regularly test our preparedness for emergencies - allowing us to rapidly respond to this unprecedented crisis . ''

"But on the negative side it's surprising, it seems that SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) members were unaware or at least didn't discuss this exercise in their thinking in January or February, which would have been crucial in making steps to actually prepare for an eventual outbreak".


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Coronavirus: Black health expert did not lead BAME report

A government review into coronavirus risk factors was not led by the health official said to be in charge .
Public Health England announced the inquiry , which investigated the impact of the virus on different ethnic groups , would be led by black surgeon Prof Kevin Fenton .
But the BBC understands the report was led and written by Prof John Newton , head of the UK 's testing programme .
PHE said Prof Fenton `` contributed '' to the review .
It added that he led on community engagement , although this work was not included in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The public health body did not confirm whether responses from at least 1,000 organisations and individuals contributing to the review would be published amid concerns sections of the draft report had been removed .
• Why are more BAME people dying from coronavirus ?
The rapid review , launched in May , confirmed that people from black , Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds were dying at disproportionately higher rates than white Britons .
PHE 's original announcement said Prof Fenton would `` lead the review , supported by a wide group including [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Phillips '' .
And speaking on Thursday , equalities minister Kemi Badenoch said Prof Fenton 's involvement was an example of `` diversity in leadership '' .
`` It 's one of the reasons why we asked Professor Kevin Fenton , who is a black surgeon , to lead on this review , '' she told MPs .
Patrick Vernon , a social justice campaigner who has recently lost a family member to coronavirus , said the black community felt `` misled '' by Prof Fenton 's involvement and that `` trust had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has said 'black lives matter ' but valuable time has been wasted , '' he said .
`` We 've lost confidence in the process and want an independent public inquiry . ''
In May , Prof Fenton told the Royal Society of Medicine at an event attended by the BBC that he had consulted at least 1,000 individuals as part of the government 's review .
`` The issues of racism , trust , discrimination and stigma are certainly coming up loud and clear from so many of our [ community ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Writing on Twitter after the report 's publication on Tuesday , Prof Fenton thanked `` fellow PHE scientists '' who had `` led this phase of the work '' .
He added engagement with `` individuals , communities , professionals and leaders '' would play `` an invaluable part in this next phase '' .
PHE originally said its findings would `` inform actions to mitigate the risks it presents '' - but did not explicitly describe the review itself as a two-stage process .
In a statement , PHE said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review `` alongside a wide variety of PHE colleagues '' .
`` Professor Fenton has been engaging with a significant number of individuals and organisations within the BAME community over the past couple of months , to hear their views , concerns and ideas about the impact of the virus on their communities .
`` The valuable insight he has gathered will inform the important work the Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch is now taking forward . ''
Both the government and Prof Fenton were approached for comment .

"Professor Fenton has been engaging with a significant number of individuals and organisations within the BAME community over the past couple of months, to hear their views, concerns and ideas about the impact of the virus on their communities.


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Vaccine summit exceeds target to raise almost £7bn

Almost £7bn has been raised to immunise 300 million children at a virtual global vaccine summit hosted by the UK .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said up to eight million lives would be saved as a result of the funds pledged at the Gavi vaccine summit on Thursday .
The money will help immunise children against diseases like polio , diphtheria and measles over five years .
Mr Johnson said the triumph of humanity over disease was the `` greatest shared endeavour of our lifetimes '' .
The summit raised funds for Gavi , a global alliance of public and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world 's poorest communities .
Pledges by more than 50 countries and individuals like billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates saw the total surpass an initial target of $ 7.4bn ( almost £6bn ) .
Mr Gates donated $ 1.6bn ( £1.3bn ) from his foundation and Mr Johnson pledged £1.65bn over the next five years , making the UK the organisation 's biggest donor .
The summit comes as the world continues to struggle to get to grips with the coronavirus pandemic .
Mr Johnson urged other world leaders to `` unite to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever again '' .
`` Just as we have great military alliances like Nato ... where countries collaborate on building their collective military defence , so we now need that same spirit of collaboration and collective defence against the common enemy of disease , '' he said .
International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan later said she believed the UK was capable of delivering a coronavirus vaccine to those who need it `` at speed '' when one becomes available .
US President Donald Trump made a surprise appearance at the virtual global vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severed ties with the UN 's health agency , the World Health Organization , stopping around $ 400m ( £317m ) in support , after accusing it and China of mishandling the outbreak .
There was international criticism of the decision , particularly because it was made in the middle of a global pandemic .
But at the summit , Mr Trump struck a different tone in what was a very brief and seemingly very off-the-cuff , pre-recorded message .
`` As the coronavirus has shown , there are no borders , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's mean , it 's nasty but we 're going to take care of it together ... .
We will work hard , we will work strong ... good luck , let 's get the answer . ''

"It will require a new international effort to co-operate on the surveillance and the sharing of information - data is king - that can underpin a global alert system, so we can rapidly identify any future outbreak. And it will mean a radical scaling-up of our global capacity to respond."


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Coronavirus: Watchdog to investigate racial inequalities

The human rights watchdog will investigate racial inequalities `` laid bare '' by the coronavirus outbreak .
The Equalities and Human Rights Commission will examine `` the loss of lives and livelihoods '' of people from different ethnic minorities .
This week a report found that people from ethnic minorities are at a higher risk of dying from coronavirus .
Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch has said work is under way to find out the reasons for the greater risk .
However speaking in the House of Commons , she rejected claims that `` systemic injustice '' is the cause of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from coronavirus in England .
She also told MPs the UK was '' one of the best countries in the world to be a black person '' .
• Why are more BAME people dying from coronavirus ?
The Equalities and Human Rights Commission ( EHRC ) says its inquiry aims to address `` serious issues that have yet to be fully answered '' and will provide evidence-based recommendations .
Announcing the investigation , watchdog chair David Isaac said : `` Now is a once in a generation opportunity to tackle long-standing entrenched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused action to tackle race inequality across Britain will we become a fair country in which every individual can reach their full potential .
`` This inquiry is part of our long-term strategic approach to tackle the structural inequalities that the coronavirus pandemic has laid bare . ''
The EHRC inquiry will be able to compel government departments to provide evidence to the inquiry and its terms of reference will be published in a few weeks , once race equality leaders have been consulted on the proposals .
This comes after thousands took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The demonstrations were triggered by the death of George Floyd - an African-American man who died on 25 May when a white police officer continued to kneel on his neck after he pleaded he could not breathe .
On Tuesday , a Public Health England report found that the impact of coronavirus is `` disproportionate '' for Asian , Caribbean and black ethnicities .
It said if you strip out age and sex , people of Bangladeshi ethnicity have twice the risk of death than people of white British ethnicity .
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Asian , Caribbean and other Black ethnicity had between a 10 % and 50 % higher risk of death when compared to white British people .
Responding to the report , Health Secretary Matt Hancock said `` much more work '' needed to be done to understand `` what 's driving these disparities '' .
Meanwhile , Met Police data revealed that a disproportionate number of ethnic minority groups were fined for alleged breaches of the lockdown in London .
Shadow women and equalities Marsha de Cordova welcomed the inquiry saying : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light on these inequalities , but the government has consistently failed to take action to save BAME people 's lives during this pandemic .
`` Now is the time to take steps to tackle systemic racism , discrimination and injustice in Britain . ''
A government spokeswoman said further work with the government 's racial disparity unit will `` develop our understanding and shape our ongoing response to coronavirus '' .
`` The government is committed to levelling up and spreading opportunity around this country .
This will be a hugely important part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , '' she added .

The EHRC inquiry will be able to compel government departments to provide evidence to the inquiry and its terms of reference will be published in a few weeks, once race equality leaders have been consulted on the proposals.


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Climate computing power 'needs more cash'

A top climate scientist has called for more investment in climate computing to explain the UK ’ s recent topsy turvy weather .
Prof Tim Palmer from Oxford University said there were still too many unknowns in climate forecasting .
And in the month the SpaceX launch grabbed headlines , he said just one of the firm 's billions could transform climate modelling .
And long-term trends in rising temperatures aren ’ t in doubt .
But Prof Palmer says many puzzles remain unsolved : take the recent topsy-turvy weather in the UK , with the wettest February on record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May was sunniest UK month on record Meteorologists were astounded by this unprecedented weather somersault – and especially by the amazing amount that May sunshine exceeded the previous record .
This year ’ s figure was 13 % higher than the previous record – that ’ s like the winner of the 100 metres leaving opponents 13 metres behind .
Some point the blame on manmade climate change , but the Met Office says , as yet , there ’ s no strong evidence for that .
Prof Palmer told BBC News : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to have more knowledge of how climate change is affecting weather patterns like this .
“ Was climate change implicated in the recent weird weather ?
We don ’ t know.
” He agrees that space observations have massively improved our understanding of the climate .
But he complains : “ It is very frustrating to see space get quite so much attention when we can ’ t be sure what will happen to the climate on Earth .
“ If only we could secure one of their billions for computer modelling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So what do we know so far about recent British weather weirdness ?
But many issues are still uncertain : take the recent topsy turvy weather in the UK , with the wettest February on record followed by the sunniest Spring .
Well , here ’ s what ’ s clear : the strong jetstream to the south-west of England through the winter locked in place the succession of Atlantic storms that drenched the UK .
The Met Office successfully predicted the wet winter in its seasonal forecast , but failed to predict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the jetstream was looped over the UK , holding the sunny weather in place .
In a global climate chicken-and-egg debate there ’ s the question of why the jetstream behaved this way .
Some scientists believe it ’ s being affected by conditions in the Arctic , which is warming faster than anywhere on the planet , because of greenhouse gases .
But this is disputed .
Prof Palmer said the jetstream appeared to be influenced by a climate phenomenon known as the Indian dipole – an irregular oscillating current in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blamed for the wildfires in Australia .
But what ’ s influencing the Indian dipole ?
Or is it completely natural ?
Scientists know ocean currents on the other side of the world can influence our weather – but did water round the Chagos Archipelago really prompt a “ barbecue spring “ in grateful lockdown Britain ?
“ There are very strange things going on in the tropics , ” Prof Palmer added .
“ The question is , ‘ is it natural ?
’ and we ’ re not yet sure.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate models over recent years and remove the heating element of CO2 emissions from the mathematical puzzle .
That should offer a better understanding of British weather at least .
Prof Palmer admits it ’ s surprising this exercise wasn ’ t done sooner .
But of all the uses of extra cash for climate research , he thinks the most useful spending on climate research might be to unlock the secret of clouds – one of the most intractable climate mysteries .
If warmer weather leads to more low-level clouds , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Earth .
If it leads to more high-level clouds , that will trap in heat .
In fact , Prof Palmer said , one recent cloud modelling exercise suggested that if we ’ re unlucky , global temperatures may rise by 5C after CO2 levels are doubled – a level utterly inhospitable to humans .
The conclusion was previously ruled out under different analysis .
“ We need to understand these processes better , ” he says .
“ Normally in science you learn about the system under study by doing laboratory experiments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is no lab experiment you can do .
“ The climate model is the only tool we have to understand what future is in store for humanity as a result of climate change .
“ Space observations tell us what is happening now , but climate models tell us about what will happen next year , next decade , next century .
”

Prof Palmer admits it’s surprising this exercise wasn’t done sooner. But of all the uses of extra cash for climate research, he thinks the most useful spending on climate research might be to unlock the secret of clouds – one of the most intractable climate mysteries.


bbcuk--2020-06-04--BBC to broadcast Royal Opera House reopening concert

The BBC is to broadcast the Royal Opera House 's first post-lockdown performance across TV and radio later this month .
The concert , which will take place without a live audience , is scheduled for 13 June , hosted by the venue 's director of music Antonio Pappano .
It will feature a dance premiere by Wayne McGregor , resident choreographer of the Royal Ballet , as well as music by Britten , Handel and Butterworth .
Radio 3 will air the show on 15 June , with TV highlights later in the month .
Like all cultural venues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed in March , when the government banned gatherings to stop the spread of coronavirus .
Since then , the venue 's income has dropped by 60 % , chief executive Alex Beard said last month .
The reopening performance will also be free to watch on YouTube and Facebook , with subsequent concerts on 20 and 27 June available to view live and on demand for £4.99 .
The BBC 's coverage was announced by director general Tony Hall as part of a raft of cultural commissions .
Peter Capaldi will play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 drama marking the 250th anniversary of the German composer 's birth , while BBC Four will present a `` major new series '' about his life .
A performance of his opera Fidelio , filmed at the Royal Opera House before it closed its doors , will also be broadcast .
The musical family of royal wedding cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason will feature in a new BBC One film , culminating in a lockdown concert from their home ; while BBC Four will profile conductor Bernard Haitink on his 90th birthday .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a number of performances will be made available on iPlayer from opera houses that have had to shut their doors during the lockdown .
Among them will be Barber of Seville from Glyndebourne , Turn of the Screw and The Marriage of Figaro from Garsington , and a performance of Opera North 's La Traviata filmed from backstage .
Lord Hall said the BBC would also expand its Culture In Quarantine programme , with `` unique projects focused on museums and galleries '' and the release of archived concerts from the BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a severe impact on the UK 's creative industries , which prior to lockdown were worth £100bn per year , '' the director general said .
`` The BBC wants to do all it can to bring British creativity to the widest possible audience .
That 's why we are working with cultural organisations and artists to make that happen . ''
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"We need all our creativity and resolve to get through this, alongside a catalysing and vital investment from Government. Together we can ensure that a generation of talent is not lost to history, and the UK's creative sector can continue to play its full role in our cultural lives."


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Mandy Houghton: Man, 72, charged with Nelson woman's murder

A man has been charged with the murder of a woman found dead in her home .
The body of @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday in her home in Victory Close , Nelson , where she lived alone @ @ @ @ @ A post-mortem examination concluded she died of head injuries .
Paying tribute , her family @ @ @ @ @ soul '' who `` would n't hurt a fly '' .
Alan Fare , 72 @ @ @ @ @ , is due to appear at Preston Magistrates ' Court on Friday .
In a @ @ @ @ @ family said she was a `` much-loved mum , sister and grandma '' .

The body of 58-year-old Mandy Houghton was discovered on Wednesday in her home in Victory Close, Nelson, where she lived alone, Lancashire Police said.


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Coronavirus lockdown wildlife recordings appeal

Scientist want people to send them their wildlife experiences under the coronavirus lockdown .
They are keen to hear recordings of dawn choruses , animals in unusual places , and views of the night sky without pollution .
The Earth Project is a global citizen science study co-ordinated by scientists across UK universities .
It hopes to showcase how nature has capitalised on reduced human activity during the pandemic .
The researchers want the public to help them capture a globally representation of what we experienced on the ground during lockdown .
• Carney : 'We ca n't self-isolate from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create a useful shared library of baseline experiences for the public , reminding us in the future of what life and our relationship with nature could be when global public mobility and many pollution-generating activities are reduced , '' explained Phil Manning from the University of Manchester .
The team acknowledges that `` significant sacrifices '' will have to be made by everyone in order to reduce our impact on the planet 's climate system , and to move towards the sustainable use of the Earth 's natural resources .
It is hoped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with nature during lockdown , and the recollection of those experiences , will help build the case for behaviour changes to help shift us towards sustainability .
During the lockdown , wildlife reclaiming the streets of towns and cities during lockdown have made headlines around the world .
For example , goats that normally keep themselves to themselves in the hills surrounding Llandudno , Wales , ventured into the town 's deserted streets .
People have also reported that they have been able to hear birdsong more clearly without the constant hum of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Earth Project team , which consists of concerned citizens alongside scientists from multiple UK universities , including Bangor , Belfast , Durham , Manchester and Plymouth .
Prof Manning told BBC News that the recordings of birdsong , night skies and nature calls will be made available online for everyone to enjoy and to relive the better moments of life under lockdown .
`` The survey results will help provide an overview of people 's observations and thoughts on the environment before , during and after lockdown , '' he observed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and summarised and then made available along with the database on our website during the late Summer and Autumn of 2020 . ''
He said that it was hoped that the findings of the survey could encourage behaviour change and help shape policies and strategies that could deliver greener and sustainable lifestyles .
`` The Earth Project… has the potential to provide a snapshot of what happened to the environment and wildlife when human activity is drastically reduced or simply managed in a more sustainable way , '' Prof Manning said .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will ask people whether they are willing to make changes to their behaviour to help improve the world around them .
Prof Manning added : `` This information will be evaluated in our inclusive Earth Project think-tank and , hopefully , this could impact future behaviour and guide those who make policy decisions .
`` The Earth Project has the potential to help catalyse humankind to a sustainable future . ''
You can access the Earth Project -Live website here .

"We are hoping to create a useful shared library of baseline experiences for the public, reminding us in the future of what life and our relationship with nature could be when global public mobility and many pollution-generating activities are reduced," explained Phil Manning from the University of Manchester.


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Coronavirus: Who should wear a face mask or face covering?

Face coverings are to become compulsory for people using public transport in England from Monday 15 June .
They are already recommended in some enclosed spaces - like public transport and shops - when social distancing ( staying more than 2m apart ) is n't possible .
What are the new rules ?
The move to compulsory face coverings on buses , trains , ferries and planes will coincide with a further easing of lockdown restrictions .
From 15 June , ministers want more non-essential retailers to open and some secondary school pupils to return to classes .
This could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and make social distancing more difficult .
Announcing the new rules , Transport Secretary Grant Shapps stressed people should : • Continue working from home if they can do so • Avoid public transport if they ca n't work from home • Avoid the rush hour if they have to take public transport Some passengers will be exempt from the new rules : Mr Shapps said passengers should wear `` the kind of face covering you can easily make at home '' .
Surgical masks should be kept for medical uses .
Maintaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added , remain the `` most critical things to do '' .
How will the new rules be enforced ?
Mr Shapps said it would be a `` condition of travel '' to wear a face covering and people could be refused travel - and even fined - if they did n't follow the rules .
He said British Transport Police would enforce the regulation if necessary - but he hoped most travellers would comply .
Details of the rules will be displayed at stations .
Transport staff will also wear face coverings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ England has said you should wear face coverings : • On public transport and in some shops , where social distancing ca n't be observed • In other enclosed spaces where you come into contact with others you do n't normally meet It also stresses that personal face coverings : • Do not replace social distancing - which should still be observed • Should not be confused with surgical masks or respirators , which should be left for healthcare staff and other workers who need them • Should not be worn by very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breathing while wearing a face covering What about the rest of the UK ?
In Scotland , it is recommended that you consider using face coverings in limited circumstances - such as public transport - as a precautionary measure .
In Northern Ireland , people should have face coverings in enclosed spaces for short periods of time , where social distancing is not possible .
Currently , the Welsh government does not ask for people to wear non-clinical face coverings - saying it is a `` matter of personal choice '' .
Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) currently says only two groups of people should wear protective masks , those who are : • caring for people suspected to have coronavirus It says medical masks should be reserved for healthcare workers .
Masks are not generally recommended for the public because : • they can be contaminated by other people 's coughs and sneezes , or when putting them on or removing them • frequent hand-washing and social distancing are more effective • they might offer a false sense of security But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit at all for the general public - it 's just that the scientific evidence is weak .
Homemade cloth face-coverings can help reduce the risk of transmission in some circumstances - they might help stop the spread of coronavirus by people who are contagious but have no symptoms ( known as asymptomatic transmission ) .
Scientists in Singapore suggest that risk is especially high in the 24-48 hours before an infected person is even aware they might have the disease .
Coronavirus is spread by droplets that can spray into the air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sneeze .
These can enter the body through the eyes , nose and mouth , either directly or after touching a contaminated object .
What face masks are used by health workers ?
The most protective mask is an FFP3 or , alternatively , an N95 or an FFP2 .
NHS staff in lower-risk situations can wear a surgical mask .
This includes healthcare workers within one metre of a patient with possible or confirmed Covid-19 .
These staff may be in hospitals , primary care , ambulance trusts , community care settings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supposed to get a face covering ?
There is lots of advice online about how to make them .
• How to make your own face mask Suggestions include using common household items , such as cotton fabric from old T-shirts or bedding .
The government has published advice on how to wear and make your own cloth face covering which says : • A cloth face covering should cover your mouth and nose while allowing you to breathe comfortably • It can be as simple as a scarf or bandana that ties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or use hand sanitiser before putting it on and after taking it off and after use • Avoid touching your eyes , nose , or mouth at all times and store used face coverings in a plastic bag until you have an opportunity to wash them What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise

What are the latest rules for face coverings and masks? Published 16 March 2022
Image source, Reuters
Rules around face coverings are easing across the UK, but they are still required in some settings.
Heathrow Airport and a number of airlines are relaxing their rules on masks.
But Nicola Sturgeon has said face coverings must still be worn in Scotland after all other legal requirements are lifted on 21 March.
What is the situation in Scotland?
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that Scotland's rules on face coverings will remain in place until April, due to a rise in Covid cases.
All other restrictions on businesses and services will move from legal requirement to guidance on 21 March.
The rules on masks will be reviewed again on 29 March, and are expected to be converted to guidance by 4 April.
At the moment, masks must be worn in most indoor public spaces including public transport, shops and gyms (although they can be temporarily removed when exercising).
They are mandatory in pubs and restaurants when not seated or dancing, as well as in the workplace in communal areas and canteens.
They no longer have to be worn by secondary school students in the classroom - but are still required in "indoor communal areas" like corridors.
Under-12s are exempt.
What is the situation in England?
Masks are no longer legally required in most public spaces - although they are still recommended in some situations:
What is the situation in Wales?
Face coverings are no longer required in classrooms and some venues such as museums and cinemas.
However, they will still need to be worn in shops, salons, hairdressers, health and social care settings and on public transport.
The Welsh government has said it intends to lift all remaining Covid regulations by the end of March.
What is the situation in Northern Ireland?
Mask-wearing is no longer legally enforced in Northern Ireland.
However, face coverings are still recommended in certain places, such as enclosed public spaces and health and social care settings.
How much can I be fined for not wearing a mask?
In Wales, the penalty for a first offence is £60, with the fine doubling for each subsequent offence - up to a maximum of £1,920. Repeat offenders can also be prosecuted in court where fines are unlimited.
In Scotland, the police can issue a penalty notice of up to £60 for breaking the law on mask-wearing.
Why use a face covering?
Evidence suggests transmission mainly happens indoors, where people are close together.
Covering the nose and mouth reduces the spread of coronavirus droplets from coughs, sneezes and while speaking.
The main purpose is to protect others, although there is some evidence they offer protection to wearers.
What sort of face covering is best?
It should:
have a nose wire
have at least two or three layers of material
fit snugly over mouth, nose and chin


bbcuk--2020-06-05--Sitting In Limbo: Brother turns Windrush scandal into a very personal TV drama

Anthony Bryan had lived and worked in Britain for 50 years when he was suddenly detained and almost deported .
His brother has now told his story in a feature-length TV drama that brings home the impact of the Windrush scandal .
Anthony Bryan 's story has been told in newspaper articles and a TV documentary and at a damning House of Commons hearing - but a TV drama has the power to really plunge you into a person 's life .
In BBC One 's Sitting In Limbo , we follow Bryan , a painter-decorator who had never been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is told he can no longer work , before being arrested in his London home , detained for five weeks and booked on a plane to Jamaica , a country he had n't visited since 1965 , when he was eight .
Patrick Robinson , who plays Bryan , says : `` When I read the script , I was in tears easily halfway through and blubbing at the end , knowing that I wanted to be involved in this piece , because it made me feel . ''
Bryan was one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Windrush scandal - people who had moved from the Caribbean to the UK , mostly as children , and became collateral damage as the government created a `` hostile environment '' towards immigration .
The government has said more than 160 people may have been wrongly detained or deported .
More than 1,270 claims have been made to a compensation scheme .
An independent review found there was a `` profound institutional failure '' which turned thousands of people 's lives upside down , and Home Secretary Priti Patel said `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am truly sorry for the actions that span decades '' .
`` It broke me , '' Bryan said of the ordeal in a 2019 BBC documentary , which is being repeated five days after the drama .
His younger brother , novelist Stephen S Thompson , used his first-hand insight to write the script for Sitting In Limbo .
He originally heard about the arrest from Bryan 's partner Janet .
`` My first thought was , that 's a bit strange because I 've never known him to be in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
`` And then she mentioned the word 'immigration ' .
And that made it even more strange .
`` First it was shock , then horror , and then like , OK , how do we become practical about this ?
How are we going to get him out ? ''
Bryan had to prove he really had arrived in the 60s and been in the UK ever since .
The Home Office thought he was lying , he told MPs in 2018 .
He was detained twice and feared he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visited him in Jamaica .
Only a last-minute intervention by an immigration lawyer in 2017 prevented his deportation .
Bryan was `` very stoic '' throughout , Thompson says .
`` Obviously , he 's been traumatised by it .
He could n't quite believe it , like all of us .
`` He gets to that point where he thinks , OK , well , it must be a mistake .
He has quite a lot of faith in - or he had quite a lot of faith in - the system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fair play .
`` He refuses even till this day to feel embittered , or to take it too personally or to see it as fundamentally an issue of race . ''
Even so , the current backdrop of protests about systemic racism in the UK as well as the US is likely to give Monday 's broadcast added potency .
`` Initially , I think he was disappointed and hurt and felt like he was being treated like a criminal by his own country when he 'd done nothing wrong , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of disappointment is probably the underlying emotion .
How could this country that he believed in so much let him down so badly ? ''
Bryan was heavily involved when Thompson was working on the script .
The writer had to ask his brother and Janet to open up about the emotions they went through at the time .
`` It 's not easy to dredge that stuff up again , '' Thompson says , adding that the softly-spoken Bryan is naturally `` quite private '' .
`` But without that emotional content @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same .
So that was the most difficult thing for me because they had to relive it , or at least talk about it in a very explicit way , whereas like I said , they 're not really those types .
`` So even though he 's my brother , I guess we kind of had to build that trust as we went along . ''
Patrick Robinson , who 's best known for playing Ash in the BBC 's Casualty , remembers being `` outraged '' when the scandal broke in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , however - a friend 's brother , who had been in the UK since he was five months old , was not allowed to come back after a trip to Jamaica , meaning he missed his mother 's funeral .
`` When you hear more about it , you just think , that could be me or my brother , '' Robinson says .
`` So yes , it 's outrageous and sadly par for the course to do with bureaucracy and government , especially the British government . ''
Robinson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain in the late 1950s or early 60s .
He was born in the UK , but older siblings had travelled with their mother and father .
He learned a lot about the history of Caribbean immigration to the UK when narrating a documentary about the Windrush generation in the late 1990s .
For instance , he learned that Conservative Health Minister Enoch Powell - later notorious for his `` rivers of blood '' speech - recruited women from the British Empire to work as nurses in the NHS in the early 60s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that 's what 's missing for me in terms of the narrative that people do n't really know , '' Robinson says .
The actor got to know the real Anthony Bryan `` a little bit '' during the course of filming .
`` He 's a very cool guy , '' he says .
`` He 's pretty dignified and that 's how he was , I believe , throughout the whole experience that he had . ''
The drama includes scenes of Bryant with friends in a local club in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's research involved going under cover to `` shadow '' him one night .
`` I just slipped in there and watched him for an hour before I made myself known to him in the club .
That was great .
And he was very loved , genuinely , as I watched people come up to him and hang out and chat . ''
Despite the extensive reporting of the Windrush scandal - not least when it led to Home Secretary Amber Rudd 's resignation in 2018 - Robinson thinks the TV drama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the personal toll .
`` I hope that it will make people think .
You hope they 're entertained .
You hope they feel , '' he says .
`` In order to try to understand other people , you just have to imagine yourself in their shoes .
And what the film can do is put you there . ''
Sitting in Limbo is on BBC One at 20:30 BST on Monday , and then on BBC iPlayer .
The Unwanted : The Secret Windrush Files is on BBC Two at 20:15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPlayer .

"But without that emotional content, it just wouldn't be the same. So that was the most difficult thing for me because they had to relive it, or at least talk about it in a very explicit way, whereas like I said, they're not really those types.


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Madeleine McCann: False turns and a final breakthrough?

The disappearance of Madeleine McCann in May 2007 was a shocking family tragedy .
A perfect holiday became the most awful event imaginable .
And 13 years on , still no answers .
For all the years that she has been missing , her parents - and a small group of British police officers who took over the case in 2011 - have not given up hope of finally discovering what happened .
Now , with a potentially astonishing new lead on a known sex offender from Germany , the question is whether they are , finally , close to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On 3 May 2007 Madeleine was on holiday with her siblings and parents , Kate and Gerry McCann , in an apartment in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz .
Her parents were eating dinner with friends a short walk from the apartment - and when Mrs McCann went back to check on the three sleeping children , she discovered Madeleine was gone .
Through the night , local police and volunteers began to search .
As the hours ticked by , more and more people gave up their holidays and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • In pictures : The search for Madeleine McCann But within days , the first of a series of major wrong turns arguably hampered the investigation .
He became the centre of an erroneous police inquiry - and enormous attention from the British press .
But he had nothing to do with the disappearance - and 11 British newspapers eventually paid him £600,000 in libel damages after wrecking his life .
And a month after Madeleine 's disappearance , the Portuguese investigation was stalling .
There was an appeal for information on an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but a police chief admitted potentially vital forensic evidence had not been secured in the apartment .
The chance of finding fingerprints , DNA or fibres linking the scene to an abductor were lost .
By July , the local Portuguese police were at a dead end .
They asked the UK to help - and a team of experienced search detectives and sniffer dogs were flown in .
The British team went back to basics with an agonisingly meticulous search , the gold standard for murder inquiries in the UK .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in September 2007 , with Madeleine 's parents still in turmoil , the local police suddenly named them as suspects .
There was no evidence to support that supposition , and that line of inquiry was later abandoned .
Naming the parents as suspects felt to many observers at the time as a desperate clutching at straws by an investigation on the rocks .
And 14 months after Madeleine McCann disappeared , the Portuguese authorities shelved its inquiry as unsolved .
The McCanns , from Rothley , Leicestershire , were convinced their daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre , experts in the trafficking of children into sexual abuse , became involved and in the following years tried to keep interest alive with artist 's images of what Madeleine would now look like as she grew up .
In 2011 , the McCanns lobbied then Prime Minister David Cameron to do more , and a senior Scotland Yard team were asked to review thousands of pages of evidence .
That decision may prove the crucial turning point .
The Metropolitan Police ended up with a list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out more about and ultimately 41 potential suspects .
Behind the scenes a tantalising lead began to emerge .
Stranger kidnaps of children are rare .
They tend to involve calculating abusers who have thought carefully about how they will do it .
People who have a plan and know the area where they will strike .
Detectives reasoned that if Madeleine was kidnapped , the culprit could be German or Dutch - the two other predominant nationalities in the resort , along with British and Portuguese .
In 2013 the German equivalent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeal asking for any information about two German-speaking men at Praia da Luz .
That TV appeal led to a tip-off to German federal detectives , although it is not clear what it was or whether an individual was named .
Then , around the 10th anniversary of Madeleine 's disappearance , the German Federal Police received more information that did identify a man who set alarm bells ringing , someone whose name had been known to Scotland Yard .
According to the German Federal Police , the man is a sex offender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predator '' - who has been convicted of offences against girls and is currently in prison .
He is also known to be a burglar , with experience of breaking into apartments .
Between 1995 and 2007 he was living a transient lifestyle in the Algarve and odd-jobbing in catering .
At the same time , he is believed to have burgled holiday apartments and hotels and dealt drugs .
They now know that this man was close to the McCann holiday apartment at the critical time on the night she disappeared in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone call from an unknown person .
He had been using two vehicles , a VW camper van and a Jaguar , with the British-made car having been re-registered to another person the day after Madeleine disappeared .
He has also been connected to two properties , one of which German police have described as a hideaway for stolen goods .
Both homes are small , villas on quiet country lanes .
One is a 10 minute drive from Praia da Luz .
The other lies just over a mile away - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mile from grassy land where British police carried out an extensive search in 2014. Who is the suspect ?
Neither German investigators nor Scotland Yard will confirm that name , but German media have identified him as Christian B .
Did this man take Madeleine McCann ?
Was a dangerous sexual offender effectively hiding in plain sight in the middle of a peaceful holiday town ?
It would not be the first time - almost everywhere in the world there are stories of predatory offenders locating themselves in resorts .
At the moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But one thing is certain in the minds of the German police who may unlock this tragedy .
They believe Madeleine McCann is dead .
And while her disappearance has always been a missing person inquiry in the UK - in Germany , this is now a hunt for the final clues that could catch a murderer .

The UK's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, experts in the trafficking of children into sexual abuse, became involved and in the following years tried to keep interest alive with artist's images of what Madeleine would now look like as she grew up.


bbcuk--2020-06-03--'You audition for a show only for it to get cancelled’

Elliot Swann caught his mum spying through the kitchen window as he practised ballet in their garden .
Despite still being physically closed , ArtsEd , the London-based acting conservatory where Elliot studies musical theatre , has powered on virtually since the start of the coronavirus lockdown .
Alongside classmates on Zoom meetings , Elliot , 21 , drills voice practices and dance moves on the garden decking , and taps away in the bathroom of his parents ' house in Hampshire .
But will there be any work for him and his fellow students after they graduate this summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , acting students around the world are making their first foray into the business , performing in person for agents , casting directors and producers , hoping to sign on with a talent agency , or even pick up their first paid work .
But with theatres still closed , and TV and movie filming on hold , the acting world is currently an industry on pause .
`` All of our work has stopped , '' says James Calleri , who casts Broadway and regional theatre in New York as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has just been cleared . ''
Mr Calleri , who also runs the graduate acting programme at New York 's Columbia University , would normally have taken graduating students on an industry tour of Los Angeles back in April .
They would have performed for some of the big showbiz decision makers .
But all Columbia 's acting school showcases were cancelled , indefinitely .
`` We were going to push to September , but the problem is that theatres are so debilitated right now , '' Mr Calleri says .
`` They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to be like after lockdown . ''
Any auditions that are still taking place have moved to home recordings or `` self tapes '' that are emailed off .
Back in Hampshire , Elliot has made it though five rounds of recalls for a West End show .
`` The good thing is you get a second chance , '' he says .
`` You can watch it back , and if you want , you can do it again . ''
Elliot 's professors are also happy to give feedback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out , something that would not be possible with in-person auditions .
`` The [ movie and TV ] businesses have been moving auditions to self tapes for some time , but I think plays and musicals will head that way too , even after the virus , '' says Chris Hocking , the principal of ArtsEd .
`` Everyone is trying to help these graduates .
We have worked hard so that the students have industry contact throughout their training . ''
What continues for Elliot is a waiting game .
An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win the job .
`` Especially now , '' he says , `` because everything is extended .
And many tours have had to cancel because of the lockdown .
`` There is every chance you might be auditioning for a show , you could get cast , and then a couple of weeks later they 'll say , ' I 'm really sorry , it 's been cancelled . '
'' Elliot knows he is lucky to be getting seen .
Many new graduates are not getting any industry face-time .
Racheal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Acting , says their graduates were due to have a final day of performance for agents and casting directors back in March .
But a day before the show , the lockdown restrictions were announced , and it was cancelled .
`` Some students had signed , but others had not , and would have been hoping for more opportunities , as we had two musicals left to perform , '' she says .
The staff at Guildford have continued to do everything possible to get self tapes to agents .
Luckily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in an effort to support this year 's graduates , but there is very little work available .
`` I really feel for these students , whose introduction to the industry is so compromised , '' says Ms Owens .
A missed in-person performance can make life especially difficult for young actors with an offbeat style , or unusual looks , that might not come across well in a short self tape , plus resumé ( CV ) and headshot .
Such performers are more likely to win over agents and casting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young actors impress , however they are able to audition , how long will it be before the industry can return to some sort of normal ?
James Calleri wonders how the practical experience of going to the theatre would work with social distancing .
Producers might sell out a 1,200-seat Broadway theatre , but if 600 people sit in every other seat in order to socially distance , shows will fail to recoup costs , he points out .
In smaller theatres , social distancing would be impossible .
`` The class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , '' he says .
`` I feel like the industry knows that and hopefully will try and look out for them . ''
More from the BBC 's series taking an international perspective on trade : • How coronavirus is changing the adverts you see • How can the car industry hope to recover ?
• Seed sales soar as more of us become budding gardeners Alex Butler , who runs the New York boutique agency Henderson Hogan , warns his recent signings that things are n't going to get better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'Look , if you are in this for the long haul , come to the city , get your apartment , your day job and your classes set up .
Once things go back , we can gear up . '
'' But it could be a long wait .
Mr Butler says he would love for Broadway to reopen in September but fears curtains may not rise until next year .
Still , he thinks that sometime down the road , if young actors coming out of school this year can hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audition for these shows .
`` People working on Broadway might decide they are done with the business , or if they are touring , their spouses wo n't want them to go on the road anymore , '' he says .
New York casting director Alison Franck , who casts Broadway , touring and regional musical theatre shows , says that actors have always needed to be creative and resilient .
Those attributes are needed now more than ever , because many will struggle to get agents straight away .
`` These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their own , '' she says .
`` And I think the ones who figure this out may often end up being more successful in the long run . ''
Elliot understands how hard the current situation is , but he is ready to dig in .
He believes the industry will come back `` stronger than ever '' .
Acting has been his dream for his whole life .
`` I 'm absolutely in it for the long haul , '' he says .

"We were going to push to September, but the problem is that theatres are so debilitated right now," Mr Calleri says. "They don't even know what their life is going to be like after lockdown."


bbcuk--2020-06-04--UK's big zoos at risk of closure

UK's big zoos at risk of closure

Behind the scenes at empty London Zoo London Zoo might have closed its doors because of coronavirus , but zookeepers @ @ @ @ @ .
They took us on a virtual tour of the zoo to meet some amazing @ @

The Covid crisis has put the survival of the Chester Zoo at risk, the attraction has said.
It has been closed to visitors since 21 March, and like other large zoos, has been told by the government to prepare to stay shut "indefinitely".
Zoo keeper James Edwards showed BBC science correspondent Victoria Gill around the deserted zoo.
Filmed and edited by Rob Wood


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Mandatory face coverings on public transport in England

Coronavirus : What is a vaccine and how is one made ?
We look at the work needed to create @ @ @ @ @ might be ready for the coronavirus .

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced face coverings will be mandatory on public transport in England from 15 June.
Mr Shapps said "every precaution" must be taken as passenger numbers are expected to increase when lockdown measures are further eased.
He said the requirement "does not mean surgical masks...it means the kind of face covering you can easily make at home."


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Coronavirus: Rehab hospital welcomes patients

The Seacole Centre in Surrey opened to cater for Covid patients and others who need help with their recovery .
@ @ @ @ @ hospital of its kind in England and is on the same site as the former @ @ @ @ @ Court .
The BBC 's Sima Kotecha has been inside to meet some of the @ @

The Seacole Centre in Surrey opened to cater for Covid patients and others who need help with their recovery.
It’s the only hospital of its kind in England and is on the same site as the former military rehab centre, Headley Court.
The BBC's Sima Kotecha has been inside to meet some of the patients.


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Newspaper headlines: Suspect in Madeleine case 'unmasked' in papers

The eurozone 's economy is going to get a boost , reports the Financial Times , after the European Central @ @ @ @ @ an extra €600bn ( £540bn ) of bonds and cut growth forecasts .
The paper @ @ @ @ @ to help the zone during the pandemic , `` was bigger than most economists had @ @ @ @ @ the paper reports countries including Turkey , Greece , Spain and Portugal are keen to @ @ @ @ @ with the UK as soon as next month .

According to the paper, a senior executive who was brought in to help run the NHS programme told staff the scheme was "imperfect" and "clunky", just days before it was launched by the government.


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Alex Hepburn: 'Sex conquest' texts 'prejudicial' at rape trial

A cricketer who was convicted of rape has argued texts detailing a sexual conquest game should not have been used as evidence at his trial .
Alex Hepburn , 26 , was found guilty at a retrial in 2019 on charges relating to an attack at a flat in Worcester in 2017 and jailed for five years .
His barrister challenged his conviction at the Court of Appeal , arguing the WhatsApp messages were prejudicial .
A reserved judgement will be written and handed down in due course .
Australian-born Hepburn was convicted of one count of oral rape on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his Worcestershire teammate Joe Clarke .
Speaking after Hepburn 's conviction , the woman said she had been left with post-traumatic stress disorder .
During the retrial in April 2019 , WhatsApp messages were seen by jurors relating to a sexual conquest competition involving Hepburn and his teammates .
At London 's Court of Appeal , David Emanuel QC , representing Hepburn , argued the messages did not refer to having sex without consent and should not have been used .
He said they did not support `` the idea propagated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desperate to win the game this year that he would ignore true consent '' and argued their use had been prejudicial .
• Latest news and updates from the West Midlands Hepburn was cleared of another count of raping the same woman and Mr Emanuel told the Appeal Court the verdicts were `` inconsistent '' .
The CPS argued the WhatsApp messages were used in evidence `` to shine a light on the appellant 's state of mind '' .
`` This was n't a bit of boyish banter , '' Miranda Moore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crown Court last year , Judge Jim Tindal branded the WhatsApp group `` a pathetic sexist game '' .
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .
Send your story ideas to : newsonline.westmidlands @ bbc.co.uk

He said they did not support "the idea propagated by the Crown, that he was so desperate to win the game this year that he would ignore true consent" and argued their use had been prejudicial.


bbcuk--2020-06-04--George Floyd's death 'so similar' to Sheku's

The sister of a man who died in police custody in Fife says the video of George Floyd 's death in the US brought back memories of her brother .
Sheku Bayoh never regained consciousness after he was restrained by police in Kirkcaldy in May 2015 .
Protests over the death of Mr Floyd , who was being restrained by police , have resonated with the family .
Like George Floyd 's family , Kadi Johnson believes her brother would not have died as he did if he was white .
She told BBC Scotland she could not even watch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by police in Minneapolis .
The officers who restrained Mr Bayoh have always denied any wrongdoing .
Ms Johnson said : `` I could just see my brother , the way he was handled by the police .
And it just brought me so much anger and pain , I relived the whole situation again .
I was angry and hurt . ''
She could see similarities : `` George Floyd cried ' I ca n't breathe ' , the same thing happened to Sheku .
He cried ' I ca n't breathe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should our black brothers die in the hands of our police who are supposed to protect us ? ''
• George Floyd : What happened in the final moments of his life Asked if she felt Mr Bayoh would have been treated differently if he was white , his sister said : `` Definitely .
If he was a white man that is not the way his life would have ended .
There is no doubt about it .
`` We have seen other police officers handling white people who have committed severe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some of them are not even in jail , they are in hospital .
But my brother had to die . ''
• Sheku Bayoh police officers will be allowed to retire Mr Bayoh was 32 years old when he died .
He was found to have suffered 23 separate injuries .
The officers involved have always denied any wrongdoing .
No prosecutions were made and Mr Bayoh 's death will now be the subject of a public inquiry .
Ms Johnson said : `` If he was behaving erratically the police are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did they not use that to save my brother ?
`` If my brother broke the law he should have been dealt with accordingly .
If excessive force was used then that is not acceptable . ''
Back in 2015 , police in Kirkcaldy had responded to calls about a man behaving erratically with a knife .
By the time they got there Sheku Bayoh was not carrying a weapon .
He had taken the drugs MDMA and Flakk .
Police used CS spray and leg restraints and batons to subdue him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms Johnson said he had everything to live for : `` He should n't have died the way he died .
`` He had so many plans .
He lived for his boys and wanted to see them grow up .
`` But all that was taken away from him .
His mother cries every day . ''
George Floyd 's story has caused a global outcry , and Sheku Bayoh 's family wish his death had too .
His friends wanted to take to the streets the day it happened but , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the authorities .
She said : `` We had to keep our cool .
We trusted in the authorities because they promised they would do the right thing . ''
But scenes of protesters taking to the streets stirred the younger members of her family .
She said : `` We are black people but we are not bad people .
We contribute a lot to society so why do our children have to feel afraid walking in the streets .
`` My children and nieces and nephews are angry .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were angry and hurt , remembering their uncle and how he died .
`` Enough is enough . ''
Ms Johnson joined with the family lawyer Aamer Anwar , Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf and Labour MSP Anas Sarwar to issue a joint statement urging those demanding justice for George Floyd to protest digitally due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The joint statement highlighted UK Government statistics showing BAME lives have been disproportionately impacted by Covid-19 .
It said that due to the `` fragility '' of Scotland 's situation easing out of lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest .
A nurse , Ms Johnson also said she would not be attending Black Lives Matter protests planned for Sunday as the danger of the spread of coronavirus was still too great .
Humza Yousaf said : `` I fully understand and feel the anger , and the sadness , that leads people to want to gather together and to show solidarity and community at this time .
`` Unfortunately , the threat of Covid-19 is still with us and I must urge people not to attend mass gatherings , which pose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even with social distancing in place . ''

Asked if she felt Mr Bayoh would have been treated differently if he was white, his sister said: "Definitely. If he was a white man that is not the way his life would have ended. There is no doubt about it.


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Coronavirus: Stormont gives green light to more lockdown easing

The easing of more lockdown restrictions in Northern Ireland has been given the green light by the Stormont Executive .
The move , which was expected , was dependent on the R-number staying below one when ministers met on Thursday .
From Monday , vulnerable people advised to shield will be allowed outdoors .
Large retailers including car showrooms and shops in retail parks can also reopen , and outdoor weddings with 10 people present will be allowed .
The executive has also confirmed that from Monday , anyone who enters Northern Ireland from outside the Common Travel Area will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last week , ministers said the R-number in Northern Ireland was sitting at 0.9 .
The R-number , or reproduction number , is the average number of people that one coronavirus-infected person will pass the virus on to .
• What am I allowed to do as the lockdown eases ?
On Thursday the Department of Health said it estimated that the R-number in Northern Ireland is currently between 0.7 and 0.9 , enabling ministers to move ahead .
One more Covid-19 related death in Northern Ireland was recorded by the department on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 535 .
The number of fatalities from the virus will ultimately be higher when all deaths in the community are recorded .
Government statistics agency Nisra recorded 716 Covid-linked deaths in Northern Ireland by 22 May .
The executive 's five-step Pathway to Recovery does not include a timetable for each of the phases , but the agreement means Northern Ireland will have implemented some parts of step two in the blueprint .
Measures that the executive will allow from 8 June include : • Small weddings and civil partnership ceremonies permitted outdoors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ present ; • People can leave home to attend to the needs or welfare of an animal - for example to access a range of services , including dog grooming ; • Hotels , tourist accommodation and bed and breakfasts will be able to take advance bookings , ahead of a planned reopening in July ; • About 80,000 people advised to shield can go outdoors with their household ; or if they live alone they can meet one person from another household .
Ministers have stressed that people and businesses must still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staying 2m ( 6ft ) apart .
Easing 'not a free for all' Northern Ireland 's recovery from lockdown will not be `` calendar led '' , and it is likely aspects of different steps of the Pathway to Recovery could take effect at the same time , First Minister Arlene Foster has said .
Speaking at the executive 's daily press briefing on Thursday , she said there was a `` palpable sense of relief '' that Northern Ireland was emerging slowly from lockdown .
`` But we must not lose our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Robin Swann warned that amending some regulations did not mean a `` free for all '' .
`` We 've taken a big step today in what is available to the people of Northern Ireland , '' he added .
`` Keep working with us and tackling the virus the way we have been , so we can get to a place that 's a lot more enjoyable for people . ''
In other developments on Thursday : • The Republic of Ireland is expected to move to the next phase of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the taoiseach ( Irish PM ) has said ; • The commissioner for older people in Northern Ireland has expressed concern about the lack of social contact in care homes ; • The number of people attending emergency departments in NI dropped by almost a third in the first few weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic ; • People who take part in street protests are putting themselves and others `` at risk '' from Covid-19 , the Public Health Agency has warned .
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said she was pleased people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to leave their homes from Monday - but urged them to protect themselves .
`` We do need your help in the time ahead , '' she added .
`` Your compliance will help us get things done much more quickly and we wo n't have to reverse any of the restrictions we 've been able to lift . ''
The executive also appealed to the public to avoid attending `` dangerous '' large gatherings , after concerns were raised about safety at a rally held in Belfast on Wednesday , protesting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are alternative ways to protest and I encourage people to explore those alternative ways , '' said the first minister .
On Thursday evening , the Diocese of Down and Connor said it would resume funeral services and requiem masses with immediate effect , limiting the numbers attending to 10 and observing social distancing .
Churches were closed in March in order to stop the spread of coronavirus .
Could face coverings become mandatory in NI ?
In England , the government has announced wearing face coverings on public transport will become compulsory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stormont 's Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon said she would meet Justice Minister Naomi Long and Chief Scientific Adviser Prof Ian Young on Thursday evening , about the options `` to protect operators and passengers '' .
Ms Mallon will meet Translink , NI 's public transport operator , along with unions , on Friday to agree a way forward .
In Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland , face coverings are recommended for people using public transport or in enclosed indoor public areas where social distancing is not possible , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed that from Monday , anyone who enters Northern Ireland from outside the Common Travel Area will be required to self-isolate for 14 days .
The Common Travel Area covers the United Kingdom , Republic of Ireland , Isle of Man and the Channel Islands .
The regulations will include fines of up to £1,000 for anyone who breaches them .
Mrs Foster added that the laws would also apply to anyone arriving into Dublin or other parts of the Republic of Ireland , and then travelling into Northern Ireland .
There would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between ministers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland , said Mr Swann .
`` We 've an electronic form that will be filled out at the point of arrival no matter where you land or arrive on this island , '' he added .
A similar quarantine requirement is already in place in the Republic of Ireland .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• CONTAINMENT : What it means to self-isolate • HEALTH MYTHS : The fake advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Visual guide to the outbreak

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bbcuk--2020-06-04--Coronavirus: Debenhams issues plea to save shops in Wales

Debenhams has written to the Welsh Government asking it to take urgent action to save four of its stores and `` many hundreds of jobs '' .
The retail giant collapsed into administration for the second time in a year in April after coronavirus ramped up the pressures facing the business .
Deals with landlords mean 120 UK stores will reopen when lockdown eases .
The firm wants Welsh ministers to review rates .
Officials said they would respond to the request `` in due course '' .
Debenhams has continued to trade online since entering administration again on 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process called a company voluntary arrangement to obtain rent cuts and allow it to close shops .
The company warned at the end of April that four of its Welsh stores - Newport , Cardiff , Swansea and Llandudno - were in jeopardy because of the Welsh Government 's decision not to extend business rate relief to properties with a rateable value of more than £500,000 .
Since then , Debenhams has struck deals with local councils to defer payment of the rates for those stores until March 2021 .
These stores are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifts restrictions on non-essential retailers , but the long-term future remains uncertain .
Last week the chairman of Debenhams ' parent company , Mark Gifford , wrote to the Welsh Government 's Finance Minister Rebecca Evans asking her to give permission for an online tribunal to review the business rates .
`` With your support for holding tribunals online , the administrators would be in a position to reopen all the remaining Welsh stores , saving many hundreds of jobs in Wales , '' he said .
`` We urge the Welsh Government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgency , we are ready to reopen all of our Welsh stores when trading restrictions are lifted . ''
As well at these four at-risk stores , Debenhams also has shops in Carmarthen , Llanelli , Merthyr Tydfil , Bangor and Wrexham .
Mr Gifford said because Debenhams has negotiated changes to its lease arrangements , the tribunal review would result in a significant reduction in business rates and lead to earlier payments of those rates to Welsh Government .
The letter said such tribunals can not be held at the moment because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Welsh Government steps in and agrees that tribunals could be held online '' .
• Coronavirus : What do that stat in Wales tell us ?
A Welsh Government official said : `` While we know how important Debenhams stores are to our town centres , this is a business facing its third insolvency process in 12 months .
`` It is simply not credible to suggest our decisions about rate relief will cause Debenhams to fail .
`` Taxpayers are already providing more than £1m in rates relief support to Debenhams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Is it safe to travel ?
• FACE MASKS : Should I be wearing one ?
• RISK AT WORK : How exposed is your job ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?

The company warned at the end of April that four of its Welsh stores - Newport, Cardiff, Swansea and Llandudno - were in jeopardy because of the Welsh Government's decision not to extend business rate relief to properties with a rateable value of more than £500,000.


bbcuk--2020-06-04--Coronavirus lockdown 'led to alcohol relapse'

A woman in alcoholism recovery has said the `` lack of connection '' caused by the coronavirus lockdown led to a relapse .
Grace , whose real name is not being used , said it came at the wrong time while she was still early in recovery .
Grace , who is from County Durham and in her 20s , said she found added pressure very difficult and resumed drinking , sometimes starting in the morning .
Charities have expressed concern a new wave of people may develop alcohol misuse issues during the pandemic .
Grace , who lives in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are different kinds of circumstances arising off the back of the virus .
`` It was really painful ... and there were a lot of jokes flying around online about alcoholism and drinking .
`` [ For me ] was not just a little bit extra on a night , it was waking up on a morning and sinking the bottles in the house , then hiding them under the duvet in case someone came up and saw .
`` When there 's a lack of connection - it 's difficult .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recovery for a week .
`` It 's not the best situation to be in , but I think , with resources , that will improve '' , she said .
Research commissioned by Alcohol Change UK after lockdown began in March found while one in three of those surveyed had reduced how often they drank , or stopped entirely , 21 % were drinking more frequently .
Jan Larkin , Turning Point 's lead psychologist , described the data as an `` interesting snapshot '' .
`` It 's risky for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much , but we do expect an increase in referrals as we continue to come out of lockdown , where people have developed more of a drinking problem . ''
She urged people to seek help if needed : `` There is no threshold - anybody can refer themselves , drinking any amount that they see as problematic '' .
More from Grace can be heard in episode one of Unusual Times , available to listen to on BBC Sounds .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the body • RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can we lift restrictions ?
• ENDGAME : How do we get out of this mess ?

"[For me] was not just a little bit extra on a night, it was waking up on a morning and sinking the bottles in the house, then hiding them under the duvet in case someone came up and saw.


bbcuk--2020-06-05--Virus cases down to 5,600 a day, household survey suggests

The number of people infected with coronavirus in homes in England has fallen to 5,600 a day , from 8,000 last week , statisticians suggest .
The estimate is based on swab tests of 19,000 people in 9,000 households by the Office for National Statistics .
Some scientists have said reaching a low level of cases was key to easing the lockdown further .
Test and trace programmes were introduced in England and Scotland last week to track contacts of new cases .
The ONS study of adults and children in private households suggests there are 39,000 new infections a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one in 1,000 people had coronavirus in the community between 17 and 30 May , not counting those staying in hospitals or care homes .
This is down from last week 's estimate of one in 400 .
The figures for England are based on a small number of positive swab tests - 21 people in 15 households - so there is some margin for error .
But because everyone in the household is tested , whether they have symptoms or not , the results are thought to be a more accurate picture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the virus .
Based on last week 's ONS estimate of 8,000 daily infections , some scientists advising the government warned against relaxing lockdown measures too quickly .
They said waiting until cases fell further would make the virus easier to control , and give test and trace programmes more chance of succeeding .
• Dementia deaths up in first months of pandemic • NHS virus tracing app 'in place by end of month' On the basis of this study , `` the number of people in England testing positive has decreased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
The results show that only 29 % of those who tested positive for coronavirus said they had any symptoms at the time of the test .
Those working outside the home were more likely to test positive for the virus than home-workers , with healthcare workers and social care workers at highest risk of being infected .
Another type of test - which looks for antibodies , which build up when the bodies fights infection - were carried out on 885 people in households as part of the same study .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in England have previously had a coronavirus infection at some point .
• SCHOOLS : When will children be returning ?
• EXERCISE : What are the guidelines on getting out ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?

But because everyone in the household is tested, whether they have symptoms or not, the results are thought to be a more accurate picture of how many people are currently infected by the virus.


bbcuk--2020-06-05--Coronavirus: Kate Garraway opens up on husband's battle with 'evil virus'

TV presenter Kate Garraway has said it is `` a miracle '' her husband is still alive after his `` extraordinary battle '' with the `` evil '' coronavirus .
Speaking on ITV 's Good Morning Britain , Garraway confirmed her partner Derek Draper was put into an induced coma with the virus , nearly 10 weeks ago .
The broadcaster said it had felt more like 10 years , but that she was `` grateful that he 's still here '' .
She confirmed he is now free of the virus but in a critical condition .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it 's wreaked extraordinary damage to his body and we do n't know if he can recover from that , '' she said .
`` It 's affected him from the top of his head to the tip of his toes . ''
Garraway is the co-anchor of ITV 's Good Morning Britain , as well as a presenter on Smooth Radio , while Draper is an author and former Labour political aide .
She told the ITV programme she was putting on a brave face for the sake of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and still enjoyed `` moments of joy '' and silliness with them , as her husband would have wanted .
But she suffered a big emotional crash two weeks ago , as `` you ca n't stay like that forever '' .
`` I just have to think , I need to make them feel safe , they 've lost for the time being - let 's pray - their dad and he 's their world , so they need to see that their mum is OK , '' said Garraway .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope and massive positivity and will never give up on that because Derek is the core of our lives , but at the same time I have absolute uncertainty , '' she added .
The TV personality , who has appeared on I 'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and Strictly Come Dancing , added : `` And it 's not just me by the way , it 's his mum and dad and his sisters and everybody who loves him - all his friends , we 're all going through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't know because they 've never seen this before .
One doctor said to me that he 's the worst-affected person that he 's had to treat , who 's lived .
`` They talk about an evil virus , and it is . ''
Garraway stressed she `` did n't want to scare people '' , as the damage her husband has sustained is `` incredibly rare '' .
However , she noted how doctors and nurses - who she described as being `` extraordinary `` - were now starting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consequences connected to the virus .
`` This is a war Derek is fighting and tens of thousands of others '' , she went on .
`` It 's an absolute miracle that he 's here .
`` I keep saying I know I 've had a miracle but if I could just have one more , and he could just make that next step - I know I 'm pushing my luck . ''
Back at the end of March , she said she and Draper thought he might be suffering with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had no persistent cough or temperature - two of the main official symptoms of the disease .
He has no underlying health conditions .
He soon developed a splitting headache and numbness in his right hand and began struggling to breathe .
After consulting ITV 's Dr Hilary Jones , Garraway decided to phone for an ambulance .
Once in hospital he was eventually placed in a coma , at his own request , to give his lungs a rest , as he felt he was suffocating .
Garraway said before he went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'You 've saved my life ' .
I think he thought I persuaded the doctors to put him in the coma .
But obviously I had n't .
`` He said , 'you 've saved my life , and I do n't just mean now , I mean everything .
Being married to you and the children ' .
`` Then I said , ' I love you , I love you , ' and the doctors said , 'he 's gone , he 's under , ' and that was it - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to him . ''
He was only supposed to be in the coma for three to five days , but remains in one 10 weeks later .
At one stage the doctors described him as being `` off the scale with infection '' , she said .
`` It 's incredible what they 've done with a disease that nobody knows how to cure , '' added Garraway .
While the doctors are still unable to say whether Draper will recover or not - or how soon - the presenter is certain that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to return to normality .
Billy will return to Year 6 of school next week while Darcey will have some intensive home-schooling with her mother as teacher .
`` It 's about really trying to carry on with life when you do n't know life is certain , '' Garraway said .
`` And I know that 's what a lot of people are going through . ''
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If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

The TV personality, who has appeared on I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and Strictly Come Dancing, added: "And it's not just me by the way, it's his mum and dad and his sisters and everybody who loves him - all his friends, we're all going through that."


bbcuk--2020-06-05--Brexit: No significant progress in trade talks, says Michel Barnier

The latest UK-EU talks on post-Brexit trade have ended without `` significant areas of progress '' , EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said .
He added : `` I do n't think we can go on like this forever . ''
The UK has until the end of June to ask for the `` transition period '' - keeping it in the single market and customs union - to be extended into next year , but the government has ruled this out .
The talks come ahead of a `` high-level '' summit later this month .
The two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's negotiation stance .
And businesses - hit by the coronavirus pandemic - have raised concerns over a possible `` cliff-edge '' break to the UK 's remaining access to the EU single market at the end of the year with no replacement deal .
• Bank boss tells lenders to be ready for no-deal Brexit risk • UK warns 'very little progress ' made in EU trade talks Mr Barnier said he had to `` speak the truth '' about how negotiations - currently carried out online - were going , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the sides meet in person , from later this month .
He accused the UK of `` continuing to backtrack '' on commitments it made in the Political Declaration signed with the EU , adding that it should be treated with `` full respect '' .
Downing Street has accused the EU of making a series of `` unbalanced '' demands binding the UK to EU laws and standards to an unprecedented degree for a trade deal .
The two sides are also in dispute over fisheries , with the UK resisting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British waters .
UK chief negotiator David Frost has said he hopes a meeting later this month , at which both sides are due to review progress , could give `` new impetus '' to talks .
A date for the summit , expected to feature Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen , has not yet been fixed .
The UK left the EU on 31 January .
The transition period lasts until 31 December and keeps the UK bound to most EU rules .
The sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free-trade deal , needed if they want to do business without tariffs , quotas or other barriers in future .

On the contrary, both sides insisting loudly that their position will not waver (on all issues linked to national sovereignty for the UK; on all issues linked to the single market for the EU) is also a way of trying to reassure audiences back home that their interests will be protected, while privately considering what compromises they're prepared to make.


bbcuk--2020-06-05--Coronavirus: Government under fire for cheap loans to big firms

The government has been criticised for handing out more than £16bn in cheap loans to well-known firms such as John Lewis and Tottenham Hotspur .
Of that , £1bn was lent to a German chemicals giant , while the UK 's biggest airlines have borrowed almost £2bn .
But senior Labour MP Margaret Hodge has called the loans `` a flagrant abuse of public money '' .
In response , the Treasury said the loan scheme was helping to protect hundreds of thousands of jobs .
The Bank of England 's Corporate Covid Financing Facility ( CCFF ) was set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big impact on the UK economy through the crisis .
It is one of a number of schemes designed to lend money to businesses affected by the pandemic .
The list of 53 firms that have used the facility includes some household names such as M & S , Asos and Nissan .
Airlines Ryanair and EasyJet each borrowed £600m , while British Airways owner IAG and Wizz Air were lent £300m each .
That has prompted complaints from environmental campaigners who say the money should have been lent with conditions attached .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chancellor , the prime minister , economists and the public said they should not be given - billions in cheap and easy loans to keep them polluting , without any commitments to reduce their emissions or even keep their workers on the payroll , '' said Fiona Nicholls from Greenpeace .
BA plans to make 12,000 staff redundant , Ryanair has said it will cut 3,000 jobs and 4,500 roles could be axed at EasyJet .
The biggest single loan was handed to German company BASF , which is the world 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employs around 850 people in the UK .
`` We should see a lot more public benefit from all this public money , '' Ms Nicholls said .
Dame Margaret said supporting businesses to protect jobs was the right thing to do .
`` But I have huge doubts on whether splashing billions of pounds of government finance on large corporations represents good value for money for hard-working taxpayers , '' she said .
She said a lot of companies that had accessed the scheme were based abroad or owned by billionaires .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ shockingly '' due to hand out dividends this year .
She called the scheme `` a blatant misuse of the public purse '' , adding : `` The taxpayer has been taken for a ride . ''
A Treasury spokesman said : `` The Corporate Covid Financing Facility is a key part of [ coronavirus ] support , directly protecting hundreds of thousands of jobs , supporting some of our biggest companies ' cashflows and enabling then to support their suppliers . ''

"Airlines have been given exactly what the chancellor, the prime minister, economists and the public said they should not be given - billions in cheap and easy loans to keep them polluting, without any commitments to reduce their emissions or even keep their workers on the payroll," said Fiona Nicholls from Greenpeace.