bbcuk--2020-08-27--The Rest and Be Thankful: An infamous road through 'a mountain in torment'

The A83 runs for almost 100 miles from Loch Lomond to Campbeltown , at the foot of the Kintyre peninsula .
But there is one section , near the Rest and Be Thankful , which has become infamous for landslips , closures and long diversions .
James MacDonald and his family watched in horror as 30,000 tonnes of rock and mud churned its way down the side of the mountain towards them .
He later described the landslide as `` boiling with gyrations and spurts of water '' and the noise of an `` indescribable roar - the roar of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ road near Arrochar became impassable as the debris hurtled down , and flooded the Glen Croe valley below .
But this landslide is not the one that has closed the mountain road for the last three weeks ; nor was it then known as the A83 .
`` These landslips have always happened here , '' says Mary Haggarty .
`` They 've just become something that we 've learned to live with '' .
Mary , who chairs the local heritage group , has lived in Arrochar since her birth in 1942 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1913 states matter-of-factly that `` attendance [ is ] reduced this week owing to a landslip having occurred rendering the road impassable for those of the scholars who had to come by it '' .
`` It was n't such a big deal then - people just got out with shovels and cleared the roads themselves , '' Mary says .
`` And people would just use steamer ships to get to where they wanted to go . ''
But times , it seems , have changed .
`` There 's heavier traffic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in a rush to get to places , '' she says .
The A83 provides a vital link to towns such as Inveraray , Lochgilphead and Campbeltown and the Kintyre peninsula , and is used by 4,000 vehicles a day .
Mary 's great-grandfather John Bell was a roadman who was employed to maintain the track through Glen Croe as it snaked its way north to Inverary .
He worked the road in 1913 when it was hit by a landslide , and in 1926 another landslip almost carried away his house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't called the A83 .
For centuries the pass has been affectionately known as The Rest and Be Thankful , or simply The Rest .
The climb out of Glen Croe is so long and steep that it was traditional for travellers and drovers to rest at the top , and be thankful for having made the highest point ( 803 feet ) .
What had been just a valley track for centuries , started to become a road proper in 1743 in response to the Jacobite uprisings .
General George Wade recommended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of road which would link a series of military forts .
By the 1920s the track was in disrepair , and a London Times editorial lamented its maintenance as `` an impossible burden '' for the taxpayers of the Highland counties .
As a result , construction on a new road began in 1937 at a cost of £100,000 - that 's nearly £7m at today 's prices .
Construction continued despite the onset of World War Two and the new road - sitting 150 metres to the east of the old military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But while travellers may be thankful to reach the top , the slope above the pass has been restless .
Dr Andrew Finlayson - a geomorphologist from the British Geological Survey - attributes this to the steep slopes , the sediment on the hillsides , and spells of high rainfall .
When water gets into the sediment , this reduces its strength .
`` The glaciers that once flowed here have contributed to these conditions by eroding steeper slopes and piling up sediment high on the hillsides , '' he says .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no longer supported by the ice margins , so in places it can be susceptible to landsliding . ''
Most of the `` debris flow '' in the area took place in the first few centuries after the last glaciers melted - about 11,500 years ago .
`` The landscape now is much more stable than it was then , but we still see this episodic behaviour driven by rainfall events , '' he says .
On sunny days a series of small valleys , caused by previous landslides , cast shadows accentuating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beinn Luibhean .
It is here , near the base of the 858m high mountain , where The Rest has been carved into its side .
In recent years the road it has become infamous for the number of closures caused by landslips .
It was closed for 17 days in October 2007 , and since then nine more landslides have left the road impassable .
It was blocked in September 2009 , December 2011 , August 2012 , October 2013 , October 2014 , October 2015 , October 2018 - and twice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debris closed the road in January , and earlier this month it was blocked by 6,000 tonnes of debris - including `` car-sized boulders '' - after heavy rain .
When the The Rest is closed , the Old Military Road is still used to convoy vehicles up the pass in a single file .
Transport Scotland has invested more than £13.6m in landslide measures in the area .
This work is estimated to have helped keep The Rest open for 48 days when it would otherwise have closed .
This is just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wider maintenance of the A83 since 2007 .
The work includes four `` catchpits '' , which have now been completed , with a total capacity of almost 15,000 tonnes .
Mary Haggarty says any closures of the road now have a greater economic impact than they did when she was growing up - simply because Arrochar is now so reliant on tourism .
The losses associated with the 2007 landslide were estimated to be about £80,000 per day - which comes to £1.2m over the 15 day closure .
The road has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks as a result of the landslide on 5 August this year .
The Scottish government has asked Transport Scotland to speed up its work on providing a long-term solution to dealing with the problem .
Jim Young , a former chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers Scotland , says environmental shifts are now an additional challenge .
`` We know that in whatever form it may be - whether it 's heavier rainstorms , changing temperature - climate change is upon us and it will impact on various bits of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roads are the obvious one .
Whatever happens , we 've got to look at the whole infrastructure systems that support our society . ''

"We know that in whatever form it may be - whether it's heavier rainstorms, changing temperature - climate change is upon us and it will impact on various bits of our infrastructure," he says.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Flu: Why we still need to worry about it this winter

Health officials are trying to make sure everyone who needs a flu vaccine this autumn gets one .
Thirty million people will be offered the vaccine - the UK 's largest flu-immunisation programme to date .
The fear is the annual flu season will coincide with a coronavirus surge .
Flu - or influenza - is a very common , highly infectious disease , caused by a virus .
It can be deadly - particularly for older adults , very young children and people with underlying health conditions .
The average number of estimated deaths in England for the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11,000 - but there have been big variations each winter .
There were more than 22,000 estimated deaths in the 2017-18 season , but just short of 4,000 deaths in 2018-19 .
Can you get flu and coronavirus together ?
Theoretically yes , it is possible .
There 's some evidence that a double infection - of Covid-19 and flu together - could be more deadly than getting a single virus .
But there 's also a school of thought - yet to be proven in the case of coronavirus and flu - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent a second from entering the body at the same time .
What is clear is that a big flu season combined with coronavirus could overwhelm hospitals - especially if lots of NHS or care-home staff are off sick with flu .
Who should take extra care and why ?
The worry is that certain groups of people - the elderly , pregnant women and those with long-term health conditions - are at high risk of becoming seriously ill from both coronavirus and flu .
And while many healthy people can fight off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - most commonly a bacterial chest infection , which can develop into pneumonia .
Could things actually be better this year ?
Some countries in the southern hemisphere including South Africa and Australia - both nearing the end of their flu seasons - have reported lower levels of the illness than expected .
This could be partly because coronavirus lockdown measures - social distancing , masks and extra hand-washing - have also helped reduced the spread of flu .
But doctors say there 's no guarantee the UK flu season will follow the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and are urging people to be vaccinated .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) also warns of caution when interpreting trends .
In some countries , for example , reduced staffing levels during the Covid-19 pandemic could mean flu cases are not recorded in the same way as before .
Do I have flu or coronavirus ?
Many of the symptoms are similar for both viruses : Some people may also experience muscle aches , a headache , and possibly diarrhoea or vomiting .
And if you add in other common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sure what is making someone ill .
Remember , both flu and coronavirus can also be spread before people have any symptoms - or by people who do n't get symptoms at all .
Who can have a flu vaccine ?
In England , from September , it will be offered free to : • People who were required to shield from coronavirus - and anyone they live with • People with some medical conditions , including diabetes , heart failure and asthma • All primary school children and , for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Initially everyone aged over 65 , and then hopefully all over-50s Health officials in Scotland , Northern Ireland and Wales are planning to cover similar groups .
Doctors also want to increase vaccination levels in the most deprived areas and among people from ethnic minorities .
Many pharmacies will also offer the jab privately for about £20 .
But I 'm worried about going to my local GP surgery ?
Because of the pandemic , health staff are being urged to : • Consider asking people to wait in their cars until called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable Pregnant women may be offered jabs during antenatal appointments .
Are there enough supplies ?
The Department of Health and Social Care says it has ordered additional quantities of the adult vaccine to ensure demand does not outstrip supply .
Every year , the WHO looks at the current circulating flu strains before recommending what the next set of vaccines should contain .
But because the vaccines often have to be made six months in advance , they can only ever be a prediction .
Experts say it 's better to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ none at all - particularly during a pandemic .
What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• EASY STEPS : What can I do ?
• CONTAINMENT : What it means to self-isolate • UK LATEST : What 's the UK 's plan and what could happen next ?
• MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak

Who can get a free flu jab this winter? Published 2 November 2022
Image source, Getty Images
Health officials are urging people to get a flu vaccination this autumn, as flu starts to spread at a higher level than in a normal year.
Many southern hemisphere nations had their worst flu season for years, after the ending of Covid restrictions meant people mixed much more, and experts predict the same is likely to happen in the UK.
Having a vaccine will stop many people from becoming seriously ill, including children, and ease pressure on the health service.
Who will get a free flu jab?
In England, the flu vaccine is free for frontline health or social care workers, and those who:
are 50 and over
have certain health conditions
are pregnant
are in long-stay residential care
are the main carer for an older or disabled person
Adults aged 65 and over should be offered a vaccine with an extra ingredient that triggers a stronger response from the immune system.
A nasal spray form of the vaccine, which is more suitable for children, is being offered to:
2- and 3-year-olds
all primary school children
secondary school children in years 7, 8 and 9
children aged six months to 17 years with long-term health conditions
The oldest, youngest and the most vulnerable are being offered a jab first before other groups because they are at higher risk of complications.
If there's enough supply, pupils in years 10 and 11 will also be offered a dose.
For most people, the flu vaccine can be accessed via GPs, midwives and schools. Eligible patients can also book an appointment at a pharmacy.
About 26 million people in the UK are also being offered a booster jab against Covid. They may be offered flu and Covid jabs at the same time.
What about free flu jabs in the rest of the UK?
Health officials in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are offering jabs to broadly similar groups of people - with some variations.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Children are given the flu vaccine as a nasal spray
Can I pay for a flu jab?
Anyone can pay to have a private flu vaccine at pharmacies or some supermarkets, at a cost of about £15.
However, officials say vaccine supplies will be prioritised for those at greatest risk who are entitled to a free jab via the NHS.
The best time to get vaccinated is between late September and end of November because the flu season peaks in January or February, but it's still worth having it later.
How bad is flu and how long does it last?
For many, flu typically lasts about two weeks, and clears up on its own.
However, it can be very serious - particularly for older adults, very young children and people with underlying health conditions.
Pregnant women are advised to have the flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available, regardless of their stage of pregnancy.
Annual flu deaths vary each year, depending on the strain and other factors.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, More than 24,000 people died in England from flu and pneumonia in 2019
Symptoms - is it flu or Covid?
It can be hard to tell if you have flu or Covid as the symptoms can be similar, including:
fever
cough
tiredness
Some people also experience muscle-aches, a headache, sore throat or diarrhoea and vomiting with flu.
But these symptoms can be caused by other common winter viruses too.
Both flu and Covid can be spread before people have symptoms.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Social distancing reduced the spread of the flu last winter which has weakened people's immunity
Can I get Covid and flu at the same time?
Yes, in which case you are more likely to be seriously ill.
Research shows those infected with both viruses are more than twice as likely to die as someone with Covid alone.
What are the side-effects of the flu jab?
Most are mild and only last a day or two. They can include a slightly raised temperature, muscle-ache and a sore arm.
Allergic reactions are rare, but you should avoid the vaccine if you have previously had a bad response to a flu vaccine.
Those with egg allergies should ask their pharmacist or GP for a low-egg or egg-free vaccine.
It is best to avoid the vaccine if you are ill with a high temperature, and re-book for when you are fully recovered.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--The Papers: 'Secret' care deaths and UK ushered back to office

On the opinion pages of the Financial Times , Dan Senor , who was an adviser to Mitt Romey during @ @ @ @ @ , has his own take on Mr Trump .
He suggests his chances of re-election @ @ @ @ @ unrest in Wisconsin this week which was sparked by the shooting of a black man @ @ @ @ @ by police .
He says the `` mayhem amplifies Mr Trump 's law and order @ @ @ @ @ be enough to win over `` suburban swing voters '' who are concerned about the @ @

On the opinion pages of the Financial Times, Dan Senor, who was an adviser to Mitt Romey during the 2012 US election campaign, has his own take on Mr Trump. He suggests his chances of re-election have been boosted by the unrest in Wisconsin this week which was sparked by the shooting of a black man, 29-year-old Jacob Blake, by police. He says the "mayhem amplifies Mr Trump's law and order message", which may be enough to win over "suburban swing voters" who are concerned about the violence.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--'Bags of human bones' found in River Stour in Sudbury

Bags of bones , `` most likely '' to be human , have been found in a river .
Officers were called to the River Stour between Meadow Gates and Croft Bridge in Sudbury , Suffolk , at 16:35 BST on Thursday to inspect the find .
Suffolk Police said the bags , containing what they believed to be human remains , were discovered close to a submerged shopping trolley .
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Jones said it was `` very concerning '' and urged witnesses to come forward .
He said a `` large crime scene '' cordon would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr Jones said the find , spotted by a ranger , was `` most likely '' to be human remains and a Home Office post-mortem examination would be carried out .
He said : `` These kinds of incidents are very worrying we know for families of missing people .
`` It 's very concerning when something like this is found and in the early stages we have to keep a very open mind about what we have . ''
He said police want to speak to anyone who may have witnessed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the river in recent days .

"We would ask anyone with information about this discovery to make contact with the Major Investigation Team immediately. This includes anyone who believes they saw the bags in the river prior to yesterday afternoon, or saw the shopping trolley either in this location or elsewhere along the river."


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Coronavirus: Nine prohibition notices issued over guideline breaches

Police have issued prohibition notices to nine licensed premises in Northern Ireland for breaching the coronavirus guidelines .
The notice means the venue must close and remain shut until police are satisfied it can reopen safely .
The notices were served to places in Banbridge , Irvinestown , Roslea , Tempo , Coleraine , Bangor and Moy .
The health minister has said he wants to prioritise stronger legislation to deal with the issue .
On Thursday , Robin Swann said there had been a `` blatant disregard '' for Covid-19 regulations by some in the hospitality sector .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in NI lockdown ?
• Six deaths linked to Covid-19 in NI last week Bars with outside areas are able to serve alcohol on a table-service basis , while inside alcohol has to be served along with a meal , also on a table-service basis .
Earlier this week it was announced that indoor pubs which only serve alcohol , theatres and private members ' clubs could not reopen as planned due to the rise in cases of the virus .
There have been reports that pubs have been offering chips and cheeseboards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notices cover from early July to 24 August .
Hospitality Ulster chief executive Colin Neill said licensed premises which flout Covid-19 guidelines should be shut .
However he added that the current government guidance was `` too vague and lacks power '' .
`` Unfortunately the vast majority end up suffering because of these people , '' he said .
`` We have written to the health minister asking him to turn the guidance into legislation to make it enforceable and then come down heavily on anyone who breaches the regulations and puts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A prohibition notice requires a place to stop what enforcement officers consider to be unsafe activity - in this case , breaches of the Health Protection ( Coronavirus Restrictions ) Regulations NI 2020 .
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said officers were engaging with licensees over their responsibilities under the coronavirus regulations .
`` Where we receive complaints , we will engage with licensees around potential breaches of both the Licensing ( NI ) Order 1996 and the Health Protection ( Coronavirus Restrictions ) Regulations NI 2020 .
`` Where appropriate , advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the continued safe and peaceful enjoyment of services .
`` Our approach has always been engage , explain , encourage and enforcement with any emphasises on enforcement being fully considered with all our partners . ''
Ex-PSNI Det Supt Alan Mains told the BBC the police in NI have `` sufficient powers . ''
He said police were on the frontline and were working alongside the health service to save lives .
`` They want to take the public and licensee with them , '' he said .
`` They do n't want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who step outside the guidelines are bringing the licence trade into disrepute , '' he added .
On Thursday a video emerged of people dancing at a wedding at a venue promoted for maintaining Covid-19 safety standards .
The video was taken during a wedding at the Montalto Estate in Ballynahinch , County Down .
Covid-19 guidelines say there should be no communal dancing at weddings .
In the Republic of Ireland it is expected that gardaí ( Irish police ) will be given stronger powers to shut pubs not following public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pubs that are required to serve food and to maintain social distancing .
Under current guidelines , pubs Ireland must serve a substantial meal costing not less than €9 to remain open .
Meanwhile the latest weekly update from the Northern Ireland Statistical and Research Agency ( Nisra ) shows Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificates of six people in Northern Ireland in the week to 21 August .
Up to last Friday , that means there has been a total of 871 Covid-19 related deaths .

"We have written to the health minister asking him to turn the guidance into legislation to make it enforceable and then come down heavily on anyone who breaches the regulations and puts people's lives at risk.".


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Llangennech train fire: Environmental impact to be assessed

The full environmental impact of a train derailment which caused diesel to spill into an area of special scientific interest is to be assessed .
The freight train derailed and caught fire in Llangennech , Carmarthenshire , on Wednesday night .
Diesel spilled from the train into the Loughor Estuary , which is home to wildfowl and wading birds .
Natural Resources Wales ( NRW ) was not able to investigate the impact until the fire was put out on Friday morning .
But it said a `` significant volume '' of diesel had spilled , with some entering the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from NRW , said on Thursday that it was `` not safe '' for workers to get close enough to contain the spill while the fire was still burning .
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service finally extinguished the blaze at about 08:30 BST on Friday , just over 33 hours after the train derailed .
'It could have a devastating impact' The Loughor Estuary is part of the Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries Special Area of Conservation .
Richard Pryce , from the Llanelli Naturalists group , said the diesel spill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the local environment .
He said : `` The Loughor Estuary is a very important site for its birdlife .
It 's a European protection site , a special area of conservation , which means its of European significance because of the large populations of wildfowl and waders .
`` If there 's oil spilling into the estuary it could have a devastating effect on the birdlife there .
`` Diesel is very toxic to the environment so wherever it 's spilt , it can be a big problem . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cockle pickers .
Robert Griffiths , from the Burry Inlet Handgatherers Association , told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast the diesel spill will have a big impact on him and other cockle pickers financially .
He said : `` If you do n't work , you ca n't earn any money to pay your mortgages and your bills etc . ''
The freight train , carrying diesel , was travelling from Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire to Theale , near Reading , when it derailed at 23:20 on Wednesday night .
The subsequent fire led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crash site being evacuated from their homes , before being allowed to return on Thursday .
The two crew members on board the train were not injured .
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch ( RAIB ) said it was carrying out a preliminary examination and gathering evidence .
Why is the Loughor Estuary important ?
• The River Loughor 's estuary , along with the Burry Inlet to the west , is designated as a site of special scientific interest • Its habitat of tidal mudflats , saltmarsh - the largest continuous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important wildlife habitat • Species of wading birds and wildfowl include oystercatcher , curlew , lapwing , little egret , widgeon , dunlin , plover and teal • The estuary is known for its fishing grounds , for the likes of flounder , bass and mullet • Further west , the Burry Inlet 's cockle beds are well known , with the industry the third largest in Britain • In that same area is the WWT Llanelli wetland centre , a popular place for spotting wading birds and wildfowl and the 450 acres @ @ @

On Friday, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, which is examining the cause of the incident, said 10 wagons had derailed.In a statement it said the derailment and damage to the wagons had "resulted in a significant spillage of fuel and a major fire".


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Winchester High Street left underwater after heavy rain

Flooding has caused damage to shops and pavements as a city was deluged by heavy rain .
Winchester High Street was `` like a river '' on Thursday evening , leaving mud and debris on the road and in business premises , witnesses said .
The Environment Agency said more than half of the Hampshire city 's average August rainfall fell in 15 minutes .
Trains between Winchester and Micheldever have been diverted after a landslip blocked all rail lines .
Andy Roberts from the Environment Agency said the rain caused 15 minutes of `` complete havoc '' .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the road .
They could only see two metres in front of the car .
It was absolute carnage . ''
Mr Roberts said 35mm ( 1.4 inches ) of rain fell in 15 minutes , representing `` over half a month 's worth '' .
Debenhams worker Jimmy Milner said : `` It was beyond a mess .
It was like a river from 17:15 .
I was clearing my shop until about 20:00 last night .
It 's not been like that for a long , long time . ''
BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strewn with piles of carpets and soggy rubbish on Friday morning , while many shops had mud inside them .
Hampshire County Council tweeted that highway teams were out overnight checking manhole and drain covers were secure , with more heavy rain forecast .
A landslip blocked all rail lines between Winchester and Micheldever on Thursday evening .
South Western Railway said cancellations and delays were expected until the end of Friday .

Debenhams worker Jimmy Milner said: "It was beyond a mess. It was like a river from 17:15. I was clearing my shop until about 20:00 last night. It's not been like that for a long, long time."


bbcuk--2020-08-28--World's most expensive sheep sold for £368,000

A Texel lamb has become the world 's most expensive sheep after being sold for almost £368,000 at an auction in Scotland .
The six-month-old Texel lamb was sold in Lanark by Cheshire breeder Charlie Boden to a group of sheep farmers .
From an opening bid of just over £10,000 it quickly escalated into a bidding war between several parties at the Scottish National Texel Sale .
The price eclipsed the previous record of just over £230,000 set in 2009 .
Texel sheep come from a small island off the coast of the Netherlands and they regularly sell for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheep Society .
Named Double Diamond , the lamb was bought by a consortium of three farmers who hope to recoup their investment through breeding .
Jeff Aiken , farm manager of the Procter 's flock , who was one of the buyers , said : `` In the pedigree breed you start looking at the smaller characteristics of the sheep - the hair , the colour , the shape of the head . ''
Mr Aiken added : `` We had to pay that amount of money to get the genetics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not alter the fact that many sheep farmers are facing economic uncertainty .
Mr Aitken said : `` Do n't get me wrong , it is an obscene amount of money to pay for a sheep , and it definitely should not be a reflection on the farming community . ''
He added : `` There is only a small percentage of farmers that can afford to pay this kind of money . ''

Jeff Aiken, farm manager of the Procter's flock, and who was one of the buyers, said: "In the pedigree breed you start looking at the smaller characteristics of the sheep - the hair, the colour, the shape of the head."


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Missing mum and son, 7, found dead at home

A mother and her seven-year-old son have been found dead at their home in east London .
The Met Police @ @ @ @ @ identified as Yulia Gokcedag , 35 and her son Timur .
Post-mortem tests have been @ @ @ @ @ not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths .
Their bodies were found @ @ @ @ @ way into a property in Lockesfield Place , Isle of Dogs , on 13 August @ @ @ @ @ had been reported as missing to police the day before .
The Gokcedags were unresponsive @ @ @ @ @ the scene , police said .
Inquests into the deaths are set to be held @ @ @ @ @ on 16 December .
The Metropolitan Police said that its directorate of professional standards ( @ @ @ @ @ informed .
A referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct ( IOPC @ @ @ @ @ to the local professional standards unit which is now investigating .

Post-mortem tests have been carried out and police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Covid case could mean entire year group out of school

A single confirmed case of coronavirus in a school in England could mean sending home an entire year group , according to new government guidance .
It says a confirmed case could mean all the pupils in the same `` bubble '' having to isolate for 14 days .
In areas with a local lockdown , secondary pupils could be put on a rota of two weeks in and out of school .
The guidance , published on Friday night , comes just days before millions of pupils go back to school .
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson described it as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenario '' .
`` We hope that we wo n't have to implement the guidance set out today , '' said Mr Williamson .
`` Changes to school attendance will only be an absolute last resort . ''
• Heads reassure pupils : 'We are ready for you' Paul Whiteman , leader of the National Association of Head Teachers , said : `` Keeping schools open has to be the priority , but you do n't need a crystal ball to see that there will almost inevitably be some disruption in some areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that heads had been asking for weeks for this `` Plan B '' for what happens in the event of an outbreak - and `` another late night publication is fairly typical of what we 've become used to '' .
Meanwhile , Health Secretary Matt Hancock has not ruled out nationwide restrictions should England see a spike in coronavirus cases this winter .
Mr Hancock told The Times that a second wave was `` a very serious threat '' and that , under a `` reasonable worst-case scenario '' , Britain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 cases and a bad outbreak of seasonal flu as people spend more time indoors .
The new guidance sets out what would happen if there are coronavirus cases in a school - and what happens to schools in areas where there are higher levels of infection .
If there is a suspected case of a pupil or staff member , the school will continue while a test is carried out .
But the Department for Education says : `` If a case is confirmed , local public health officials will work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including asking all members of a pupil 's bubble to isolate for 14 days and access remote education . ''
A `` bubble '' could be a small number of children - but it could also be an entire year group - and it could mean all of those pupils having to leave school to isolate for 14 days and switch to distance learning .
The guidance says that a health protection team would decide which specific pupils are considered to have been in close enough contact to have to go into isolation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels of coronavirus cases , there will be a four-stage set of responses - which will all prioritise keeping primary school pupils in school full time .
The default setting will be Tier 1 - which will be where there are no particular problems , with the assumption that this will be the great majority of schools , where all pupils will attend full time .
If local public health and education officials decide there are too high levels of infection , schools could have a Tier 2 response , in which secondary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rota , in school for two weeks and then studying online from home for two weeks .
• GETTING ABOUT : Is it safe to use public transport ?
• BACK TO SCHOOL : Does my child have to return ?
The guidance says schools would only be affected in this way after `` all other measures have been exhausted '' - but it says this would help to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission .
A more severe response would be Tier 3 , in which most secondary pupils would study from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which all types of school would switch to studying from home , except for the children of key workers and vulnerable children .
Geoff Barton , leader of the ASCL head teachers ' union welcomed the contingency planning .
`` But to wait until the Friday night before most schools return is n't the government 's finest moment .
Obviously , schools have n't had any chance whatsoever to incorporate this into their planning and will now have to revisit the plans they have put in place .
`` In any event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right direction .
Obviously , everybody will be hoping that these back-up plans are n't needed and that schools are able to remain fully open . ''
Education staff and parents took to Twitter to express irritation at the timing .
`` The timing of this shows total disregard for schools , leaders and teachers .
It is utterly breathtaking that this is how we are repeatedly treated , '' said deputy head Daniel Sabato .
Claire Sheehan said : `` Our school waited until late this week to send guidance in case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government was `` full of the same people [ who ] wd send redundancy emails 530 fri '' , she said .
There were questions about what the advice meant .
`` As a sixth form college , our bubble would be half of the students .
Does that include all staff who have taught them too ?
Cause that could be all the staff , '' said geography teacher Claire Foulkes .
While head of geography Mark Enser asked : `` Staff in most secondaries are teaching across year group bubbles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teach the rest ? ''
`` I 'm a dinner lady , and the lunch hall is a communal area that face masks ca n't be worn in , '' said Trudi Gard .
`` The dinner ladies come into contact with all children from all bubbles .
If a child infects us , we infect everyone else . ''
• WILL COVID-19 CHANGE THE WORLD OF WORK FOR GOOD ?
: Is working from home a long-term solution ?
• GROUNDED WITH LOUIS THEROUX : How did these high-profile people cope with @ @

"If your child has any symptoms they're going to have to stay off school. In the past there's been a tendency to say, you can have some Calpol, maybe you can go in. But there's going to have to be a sea-change in how parents behave with their children," he said.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Coronavirus: Restrictions eased in parts of northern England

Tightened restrictions to stop the spread of Covid-19 are to be eased in parts of north-west England , allowing more than a million people to mix in different households .
From Wednesday rules will be relaxed in Bolton , Stockport , Trafford , Burnley , Hyndburn and parts of Bradford , Calderdale and Kirklees .
Measures were imposed in those areas at the end of July amid a rise in cases .
Current restrictions in Leicester remain until a review by 11 September .
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said : `` We brought in measures to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 're seeing the positive results of our local approach , and are able to bring in increasingly targeted measures . ''
Businesses which opened elsewhere in England on 15 August , including bowling alleys and indoor play areas , will also be able to reopen in the areas where rules are being relaxed .
Coronavirus cases per 100,000 population in Burnley halved during the week ending 20 August from 52 to 24.6 , while cases in Bolton and Stockport fell from 25.6 to 18.9 , and 23 to 15.1 respectively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 17.8 , the government said .
However , Andrew Western , Labour leader of Trafford Council , told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he believed it was `` premature '' to lift restrictions as the last few days have shown a `` slight increase '' in infection rates .
`` It was our view - in line with the expert advice from the council 's director of public health - that we should see evidence of a sustained reduction in Trafford 's infection numbers before calling for the lifting of local restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This action by government makes a mockery of the claims of locally led decision making and once again shows that local government is being ignored in spite of being on the front line of this crisis . ''
The easing of restrictions is good news for people in these areas - and good news for people everywhere in the UK .
It suggests the approach being taken is effective at containing local outbreaks .
The testing capacity the UK has means it is able to identify where infection rates start rising and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the encouraging signs are to do with much more than just this .
It is a testament to the way people react - working together locally to ensure the virus does not spread .
There are many more challenges to come .
Infection rates have crept up a little in recent weeks - and that is likely to continue into the autumn and winter .
But the fact that the areas with higher infection rates have been able to reverse the trend is a step in the right direction .
Conservative MP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Sale West and is chairman of the party 's 1922 committee , was in favour of lifting the measures .
The government has based its decision partly on the rate of cases up to 20 August which showed cases in Trafford had fallen .
However , latest data released on Friday showed Trafford recorded 25.3 cases per 100,000 people in the week to 25 August .
Restrictions will continue in the following areas : • A ban on two households mixing indoors will continue in Preston , the city of Manchester , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Tameside • In Oldham , Pendle and Blackburn , residents are also advised to avoid mixing with anyone from another household inside or outside .
• Some businesses and organisations will remain shut in Blackburn and Darwen .
• On top of the indoor gatherings restrictions , some leisure businesses will remain shut • The next review of these measures will take place by 11 September • The ban on indoor household gatherings remains in urban areas of Bradford , Dewsbury , Batley and parts of Calderdale • Some businesses and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bradford Shielding advice for clinical extremely vulnerable individuals remains across all of Blackburn with Darwen , and Leicester .
Tracy Brabin , Labour MP for Batley and Spen , welcomed the lifting of restrictions in Kirklees but said she was disappointed Batley was not included , adding residents there were `` understandably concerned '' .
This was echoed by councillor Shabir Pandor , leader of Kirklees Council , who said he was going to `` press the government to tell us how we can get Dewsbury and Batley lifted from these restrictions '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight for these communities '' .
`` In both Burnley and Hyndburn infection rates are significantly above the national average with an increasing rate in Hyndburn , '' he said .
`` There is a high volume of social , educational and commuting travel between these areas and Lancashire 's hotspots . ''
Birmingham , which became an `` area of enhanced support '' last week , has avoided a local lockdown after what West Midlands mayor Andy Street said was a `` remarkable '' turnaround .
Ramping up testing and a legally-enforced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped it avoid local restrictions .
Sandwell in the West Midlands and Swindon have moved up the Public Health England `` watchlist '' to become `` areas of enhanced support '' , meaning they will get additional resources to tackle a rise in cases .
Luton has moved down from `` enhanced support '' to an `` area of concern '' following a drop in cases .
Stoke-on-Trent is being added to the list for the first time as an `` area of concern '' , meaning there may be extra testing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care homes , and more communication about social distancing .
Trafford , Bolton , Stockport , Burnley , Hyndburn , Burnley , parts of Bradford , parts of Kirklees , and parts of Calderdale are moved down the list from `` intervention '' - the highest category on the watchlist - to `` enhanced support '' .

This was echoed by councillor Shabir Pandor, leader of Kirklees Council, who said he was going to "press the government to tell us how we can get Dewsbury and Batley lifted from these restrictions", adding he was "going to fight for these communities".


bbcuk--2020-08-29--Coronavirus: Winter plans revealed in leaked Sage report

A leaked government report suggests a `` reasonable worst case scenario '' of 85,000 deaths across the UK this winter due to Covid-19 .
The document also says while more restrictions could be re-introduced , schools would likely remain open .
But it says the report `` is a scenario , not a prediction '' and the data are subject to `` significant uncertainty '' .
However some are critical of the modelling and say some of it is already out of date .
The document , which has been seen by BBC Newsnight , was prepared for the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which aims to help the NHS and local authorities plan services , such as mortuaries and burial services , for the winter months ahead .
Among its key assumptions are that schools will remain open and that the government 's tracing , isolation , and quarantine measures will only be 40 % effective in cutting the spread of Covid outside households .
It also states that by November `` policy measures would be put in place to reduce non-household contacts to half of their normal pre March 2020 levels '' .
In other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - other than school closures - could be put in place .
According to the report these measures might be expected to remain in place until March 2021 .
• Health workers ' army to be trained to deliver Covid vaccine • Could there be a second wave ?
The model attempts to calculate excess deaths in England and Wales between July 2020 to March 2021 .
These are deaths over and above what would normally be expected during that period and are based on ONS data .
The model has been adjusted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been expected to die because they have other illnesses .
It said in England and Wales there could be 81,000 excess deaths due to Covid , plus 27,000 excess deaths from non-Covid causes .
In Scotland there could be 2,600 direct Covid deaths , and 1,900 in Northern Ireland .
In addition to excess deaths , the model also suggests how many people may need hospital treatment between November and March , including intensive care .
The figures , which the scientists say have a wide range of uncertainty , suggest around 2.4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( range : 0.0 % -8.9 % ) with 20.5 % of hospitalised patients going into ICU ( range : 1.5 % - 35.25 ) and 23.3 % ( range : 1.2 % - 43.3 % ) of all hospitalised patients dying .
The model also predicts an overall infection fatality ratio of 0.7 % ( 0.0 % - 9.7 % ) .
While the model is by no means a prediction and subject to `` significant uncertainty '' , the reasonable worst case scenario is used to inform government planning decisions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ modelling and believe some of the assumptions in the `` official sensitive '' model prepared for the Cabinet Office are wrong and the model is unhelpful given the wide range in possible scenarios .
Professor Carl Heneghan , from Oxford University , said some of the assumptions made in the model were `` implausible '' and that the report assumes that `` we 've learnt nothing from the first wave of this disease '' .
BBC Newsnight has also spoken to people in local authorities planning who say the wide range of possibilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know if Covid-19 will have little impact or lead to catastrophic extra pressures in the months to come .
Nigel Edwards , chief executive of the Nuffield Trust health think tank , said the report had `` very wide ranges '' of scenarios which make it `` quite difficult for people to work out exactly what they should be doing '' .
Professor Heneghan said these centralised big picture models were `` unhelpful '' and better local surveillance data was needed .
This is not the first `` worst case scenario '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last month a report , requested by the UK 's chief scientific adviser , Sir Patrick Vallance , suggested there might be about 120,000 new coronavirus deaths in a second wave of infections this winter , In response to Friday 's leaked report , a UK government spokesperson said : `` As a responsible government we have been planning and continue to prepare for a wide range of scenarios , including the reasonable worst case scenario .
`` Our planning is not a forecast or prediction of what will happen .
It reflects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all eventualities . ''
A spokesperson further stated that planning assumptions were being kept under review and amended as the scientific and medical advice on Covid-19 develops .
There have been more than 330,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far in the UK and more than 40,000 people have died .
You can watch Newsnight on BBC Two at 22:30 on weekdays .
Catch up on iPlayer , subscribe to the programme on YouTube and follow it on Twitter .

However, some are critical of the modelling and believe some of the assumptions in the "official sensitive" model prepared for the Cabinet Office are wrong and the model is unhelpful given the wide range in possible scenarios.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Essex lorry deaths: Ronan Hughes admits manslaughter

A man has admitted manslaughter after the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants found in a lorry container in Essex .
The men , women and children were discovered in a refrigerated trailer on 23 October in Grays .
Haulier Ronan Hughes , 40 , of Tyholland , County Monaghan , admitted manslaughter and conspiring to assist unlawful immigration at the Old Bailey .
A second man , Eamonn Harrison , 23 , of Mayobridge , County Down , denied 39 charges of manslaughter .
Mr Harrison also pleaded not guilty to conspiring to assist unlawful immigration and faces a trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to assist unlawful immigration charge spanned 1 May 2018 to 24 October 2019 , was described as `` a ringleader of a people smuggling ring '' .
His address in court was given as in County Armagh , Northern Ireland .
The bodies of the Vietnamese nationals were discovered at an industrial estate soon after the lorry arrived in the UK on a ferry from Zeebrugge in Belgium .
Ten teenagers , two of them 15-year-old boys , were among the dead .
An inquest heard their medical cause of death was asphyxia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gazmir Nuzi , 42 , of Barclay Road , Tottenham , north London , pleaded guilty to a single charge of assisting unlawful immigration on or before 11 October 2019 and 18 April 2020 .
Earlier this year , lorry driver Maurice Robinson , 25 , of Craigavon , County Armagh , pleaded guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration .
Mr Harrison now faces a trial expected to last five weeks starting on 5 October with three others .
Gheorghe Nica , 43 , of Langdon Hills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts of manslaughter and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration .
Valentin Calota , 37 , of Birmingham , and Christopher Kennedy , 23 , of County Armagh , Northern Ireland , have each denied conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration .
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The bodies of the Vietnamese nationals were discovered at an industrial estate soon after the lorry arrived in the UK on a ferry from Zeebrugge in Belgium.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Medal for hero dog Kuno who saved soldiers' lives in Afghanistan

A military dog who charged through enemy gunfire to save the lives of British soldiers fighting al-Qaeda in Afghanistan is to be awarded the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross .
During a raid , the Belgian Malinois named Kuno tackled a gunman and was hit by bullets in both back legs .
After losing one of his paws as a result , he became the first UK military dog to get custom-made prosthetics .
The four-year-old will receive the Dickin Medal from vet charity the PDSA .
Now retired and rehomed , Kuno - who was trained to detect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be awarded the medal for valour at a virtual ceremony in November .
Kuno and his handler had been deployed to support elite Special Boat Service ( SBS ) forces during a night raid targeting al-Qaeda extremists in Afghanistan last year when they came under attack .
The forces , pinned down by grenade and machine-gun fire from an insurgent , were unable to advance .
Kuno was sent in to break the deadlock .
Without hesitation , he charged through a hail of bullets while wearing night vision goggles to tackle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground and halting his attack .
Kuno ultimately changed the course of the mission and helped the forces successfully complete it .
But during the assault he was shot in both his hind legs and was treated by his handler and medics in a back of a helicopter as they made their way to safety .
He suffered severe injuries - including a bullet narrowly missing a main artery - and needed several life-saving operations before he could be flown back to the UK for further treatment .
Vets had to amputate part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent a life-threatening infection taking hold .
After returning to the UK on an RAF plane , he underwent extensive reconstructive surgery .
Just like injured soldiers , Kuno began a lengthy rehabilitation programme to restore function to his nerves and muscles , and is said to have particularly enjoyed his sessions on the hydrotherapy treadmill .
Within months , he was fitted with a custom-made prosthesis to replace his missing paw and an orthotic brace to help his injured limb .
Kuno , who was on his second deployment when he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dog to be fitted with such devices , which allow him to run and jump unencumbered - giving him many more happy years in retirement .
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said : `` Without Kuno , the course of this operation could have been very different , and it 's clear he saved the lives of British personnel that day .
`` This particular raid was one of the most significant achievements against al Qaeda in several years .
`` Kuno 's story reminds us not only of the dedicated service of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the great care that the UK Armed Forces provide to the animals that serve alongside them . ''
PDSA director general Jan McLoughlin said Kuno 's `` bravery and devotion to duty '' made him a `` thoroughly deserving '' recipient of the Dickin Medal .
The prestigious award was first introduced by the charity 's founder , Maria Dickin CBE , in 1943 .
It is the highest award any animal can achieve while serving in military conflict .
Kuno will become the 72nd recipient of the medal , with previous recipients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ II messenger pigeons , four horses and one cat .
Among them is Mali , an eight-year-old Belgian Malinois , who was injured by a grenade while protecting UK soldiers during a mission in Afghanistan in 2012 .
Another military dog , Conan , was injured during a US raid that killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi , the leader of the Islamic State group .
And a French police dog who died in a raid after the Paris attacks - which killed 130 people - was also honoured with the award .

Kuno, who was on his second deployment when he was injured, is the first UK military dog to be fitted with such devices, which allow him to run and jump unencumbered - giving him many more happy years in retirement.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Coronavirus: 'I was frozen out of furlough scheme'

The number of people claiming unemployment benefits has surged across the country since the start of the coronavirus pandemic .
But often it 's the most deprived areas that have been hit the hardest .
It 's the news Julie has waited 140 days to hear .
She 's been offered a 16-hour-a-week office job and it 's taken away her sleepless nights and worry of debt .
`` They said I could think about it .
I thought about it for all of 10 seconds and then the answer was yes , straight away ! ''
Julie had applied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was getting increasingly desperate .
She was n't being offered any interviews and was terrified as the debts started to mount .
`` I had no income .
I maxed my credit card , and both my and my husband 's overdrafts up to the top .
I got to the point… I just got so down , I broke .
I broke completely . ''
Having worked and paid taxes for almost 40 years , Julie had quit her office job in the middle of March to take up with a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing so , she fell victim to a loophole in the government 's hastily devised furlough scheme , which meant she could n't receive the 80 % salary support many others benefited from .
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`` I was absolutely devastated , I went from up here [ she points to the ceiling ] thinking 'Wow the government 's going to help us ' , to here [ she points to the floor ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job to another over a weekend . ''
Eventually , Julie found she was eligible for Jobseekers ' Allowance of £74 a week .
But money was tight .
She and her husband were living on his wage and deferring the council tax and utility bills .
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Even before Covid , unemployment was high in the area where Julie lives - Trimdon in Country Durham .
The north-east of England has the highest level of unemployment in the UK , at 5.4 % .
Trimdon itself is among the 20 % of poorest neighbourhoods in the country .
Jobs were already thin on the ground .
But new analysis shows the coronavirus crisis has hit areas such as Trimdon particularly hard .
The 32 local authorities with the highest levels of child poverty - widely seen as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffered some of the biggest rises in unemployment post coronavirus , according to research which the Joseph Rowntree Foundation ( JRF ) has shared with the BBC .
Julie became desperate .
Her family encouraged her to seek help and she was prescribed anti-depressants .
Then Julie realised she was n't alone in being frozen out of the Covid support system .
She began campaigning for herself and others in her position , joining Excluded UK - a volunteer organisation which says three million people have been excluded from meaningful support .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Julie feels a sense of unfairness - which she wants to raise with Chancellor Rishi Sunak .
After all , the Conservatives won last year 's election on the promise that they would return wealth to areas like those where Julie lives .
`` [ I feel ] discriminated against and not treated equal - that 's how I feel and I feel angry because of that .
It 's wrong , he can put it right , he can still fix it . ''
Trimdon is in Sedgefield , one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and won , by the Tories in December .
The constituency came to prominence as former Prime Minister Tony Blair 's seat and had been rock solid Labour , until last year .
Dave Innes , at the JRF , sympathises with Julie 's anger .
`` The government has restated its commitment to the levelling-up agenda .
It now has the chance to provide the skills and opportunities each part of our country needs to thrive , if it targets investment where it is needed most , '' he said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We have protected more than nine million jobs , supported the incomes of 2.7 million self-employed people and helped businesses across the UK get through the outbreak , '' it said in a statement to the BBC .
It says it acted `` quickly to deliver one of the most generous and comprehensive packages of support in the world worth an initial £160bn '' .
`` This support has helped the most deprived communities most and it has been widely recognised that without the actions of the government , our economy would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
Sixteen miles from Trimdon , close to the former steelworks in Redcar , gym owner Mike Hind recounts how the area has fared recently .
`` Teesside 's been hit massively over the last five to six years with the steel industry , with job losses… and do you know what ?
The people in Teesside are now standing up and saying together we 'll make sure that we 're all ok. '' In part , he is talking about his operation to feed and support vulnerable local people , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another `` red wall '' constituency won by the Tories from Labour in 2019 , has seen a marked rise in deprivation since the steel plant shut in 2015 with 2,200 jobs lost .
Alongside the running machines and weights benches of Mike 's gym , are bags of food , tins and cereal boxes .
`` If I had to go home tonight and sleep knowing that there 's still people suffering , and I chose to do nothing about it , I could n't live with myself . ''
Mike was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing from people suffering , he made it his mission to help the most vulnerable .
At the height of the UK epidemic , he and his team of fitness trainers and boxing coaches were handing out care packs seven days a week .
Some days Mike works 16-hour shifts .
He has witnessed how this crisis is changing .
`` As time 's gone on , more and more young people have come forward .
People who now are really suffering because of money , the effects Covid has had on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done anything like this before .
He 's been helped by the local Morrisons supermarket , but he 's paid for some of care packs from his own pocket .
In just a few months he and his team have delivered nearly 3,000 food and support packs .
`` People who 've been affected by Covid , they 're going to need help for the next 12 , 15 , 20 months .
I think we have to do something with them people . ''
Julie is also committed to helping others - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have been left with no financial support since lockdown .
She 's now inspiring other Excluded UK members to exercise to help with their mental health .
`` I feel a lot better , I feel a different person to what I was a few weeks back .
Just so much has happened , I 've been exercising , I 've been going to the gym , '' she said .
Julie has started her part-time office job , back with the company she was with as lockdown happened .
She is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got through the hardest time in her life .
`` [ I 'm ] really just making the most out of every little bit of help that I 've been given by everyone . ''
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"We have protected more than nine million jobs, supported the incomes of 2.7 million self-employed people and helped businesses across the UK get through the outbreak," it said in a statement to the BBC. It says it acted "quickly to deliver one of the most generous and comprehensive packages of support in the world worth an initial £160bn".


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Four arrested as manhunt for Imran Safi and search for three sons continues

Four men have been arrested as police continue to search for a father accused of abducting three young boys from their foster home in south London .
Imran Safi is said to have threatened a foster carer with a knife in Coulsdon last Thursday and taken Bilal , Mohammed Ebrar and Mohammed Yaseen .
The Met launched an urgent appeal seven days after the boys , aged six , five and three , were reported missing .
All four men arrested , aged between 21 and 41 , are said to know Mr Safi .
Detectives said all of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early hours of Friday on suspicion of being involved in the abduction of the three brothers .
The Met said all four remain at a police station in south London for questioning .
Ch Supt Dave Stringer said the latest four arrests brought police `` one step closer '' to finding Mr Safi .
`` Since we appealed for help yesterday afternoon we have received just over 30 calls from members of the public , '' he said .
`` I would really urge anyone from the Croydon , and now Ilford , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they saw these children , or their father , the evening of Thursday , 20 August and possibly the morning of Friday , 21 August . ''
Eight other people aged between 17 and 37 and based in Croydon have previously been arrested in connection with the abduction in the week since the alarm was raised and have been bailed to a later date .
An image of Mr Safi has been circulated to all ports and borders amid concerns he may attempt to take the boys abroad .
All three brothers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foster carer was inside the house on Coulsdon Road when they were taken , detectives said .
The foster carer , who told officers that Safi threatened her with a knife , did not suffer any serious physical injuries but was `` understandably distressed '' .
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"I would really urge anyone from the Croydon, and now Ilford, area to think long and hard about if they saw these children, or their father, the evening of Thursday, 20 August and possibly the morning of Friday, 21 August."


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Santander hit by online banking outage ahead of holiday weekend

Santander UK customers were unable to access their online accounts for several hours from Friday morning until mid-afternoon .
`` We are currently experiencing issues with customers logging in to Online Banking , '' the lender told customers via Twitter .
It comes ahead of a bank holiday weekend and monthly salary payments for millions of Britons .
The bank said the problem had now been sorted out .
`` We apologise for the problems some customers faced earlier today using our digital banking services , '' the lender said in a statement .
`` These have now been fixed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due today will have been processed . ''
It said debit cards , credit cards and cash machines should all have been working during the outage .
While outages that last less than a day will be a minor nuisance to most customers , there could be significant knock-on problems for those planning on large transfers ahead of big purchases , such as for a car or home .
Sophie Rivett , from Worcester , told the PA news agency she had problems paying her bills as she moved into a new house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am in the middle of moving house , had to borrow money from family . ''
Some frustrated customers left comments on the website Downdetector , which monitors IT issues on different services .
`` Phew .
Just got in and paid two bills .
Oh , the relief '' , said one user after it was reported the problem had been resolved .
`` But really - not good enough , Santander ... you do n't muck about with stuff at the end of the month .
How about some compensation @ @ @ @ @ @

"We apologise for the problems some customers faced earlier today using our digital banking services," the lender said in a statement. "These have now been fixed and we can confirm that any payments due today will have been processed."


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Llangennech train fire: Up to 750 tonnes of oil in derailed wagons

There are fears for wildlife after a train carrying up to 750 tonnes of diesel derailed , causing an oil spill at a scientifically important site .
The freight train derailed and caught fire in Llangennech , Carmarthenshire , on Wednesday night .
Ten wagons , each containing up to 75 tonnes of diesel , derailed , with oil spilling into the Loughor Estuary .
Natural Resources Wales ( NRW ) was not able to investigate the impact until the fire was put out .
NRW officers are now on site to advise on the containment and recovery of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the estuary .
The site of special scientific interest is home to wildfowl and wading birds .
Ben Wilson , NRW 's incident manager , said : `` We also have monitoring teams out assessing the extent of the pollution .
`` Initial modelling suggests that oil pollution is currently restricted to the upper reaches of the estuary around Loughor Bridge .
This is supported by observations on site .
We 've also seen significant amounts of oil three miles downstream from here .
`` We 're also keeping partner organisations and people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as farmers and cockle licence holders , informed of the situation . ''
On Friday , the Rail Accident Investigation Branch , which is examining the cause of the incident , said 10 wagons had derailed.In a statement it said the derailment and damage to the wagons had `` resulted in a significant spillage of fuel and a major fire '' .
At the time of the incident , the freight train was carrying 25 tank wagons , 10 of which derailed .
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday , just over 33 hours after the train derailed .
Bill Kelly , route director at Network Rail , said teams had now been granted `` limited access '' to the site .
`` The site has been extensively damaged .
We are dealing with a very complex setting , both industrially and also environmentally , '' he said .
`` But we have all the right specialist teams on the ground and we will continue to support our colleagues . ''
A spokesman for environmental risk reduction specialist Adler and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` mitigate further contaminants '' .
`` We 've had to gain access through the train , proving a bit difficult , but we 're in the middle of getting there , '' he said .
'It could have a devastating impact' The Loughor Estuary is part of the Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries Special Area of Conservation .
Richard Pryce , from the Llanelli Naturalists group , said the diesel spill could have a `` devastating impact '' on the local environment .
He said : `` The Loughor Estuary is a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a European protection site , a special area of conservation , which means it 's of European significance because of the large populations of wildfowl and waders .
`` If there 's oil spilling into the estuary it could have a devastating effect on the birdlife there .
`` Diesel is very toxic to the environment so wherever it 's spilt , it can be a big problem . ''
The area is also a significant site for cockle pickers .
Robert Griffiths , from the Burry Inlet Handgatherers Association , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have a big impact on him and other cockle pickers financially .
He said : `` If you do n't work , you ca n't earn any money to pay your mortgages and your bills etc . ''
Public Health Wales ( PHW ) said it was `` sensible to avoid contact with diesel or the water in contaminated areas '' .
PHW 's Andrew Kibble said diesel was unlikely to damage people 's health at low concentrations , or where exposure is for a short period of time , but urged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at concentrations well below those that cause harm , but high concentrations can cause dizziness , drowsiness and headaches , '' he said .
`` If you encounter odours move away from the area and into fresh air . ''
The train was travelling from Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire to Theale , near Reading , when it derailed at 23:20 on Wednesday night .
The subsequent fire led to 300 people in the area surrounding the crash site being evacuated from their homes , before being allowed to return on Thursday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were not injured .
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch ( RAIB ) said it was carrying out a preliminary examination and gathering evidence .
Why is the Loughor Estuary important ?
• The River Loughor 's estuary , along with the Burry Inlet to the west , is designated as a site of special scientific interest • Its habitat of tidal mudflats , saltmarsh - the largest continuous area in Wales - and rockpools offer important wildlife habitat • Species of wading birds and wildfowl include oystercatcher , curlew , lapwing , little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and teal • The estuary is known for its fishing grounds , for the likes of flounder , bass and mullet • Further west , the Burry Inlet 's cockle beds are well known , with the industry the third largest in Britain • In that same area is the WWT Llanelli wetland centre , a popular place for spotting wading birds and wildfowl and the 450 acres of grounds .


bbcuk--2020-08-28--PC Andrew Harper: Henry Long to appeal against manslaughter sentence

A man convicted of manslaughter over the death of PC Andrew Harper has lodged an appeal against his sentence .
The police officer sustained catastrophic injuries when he was dragged behind a getaway car driven by Henry Long in Berkshire last August .
Long , 19 , has now lodged an application with the Court of Appeal to challenge his 16-year jail sentence .
PC Harper 's mother said hearing about the appeal was `` another kick in the stomach that leaves us feeling awful '' .
PC Harper , 28 , from Wallingford , Oxfordshire , had been married @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 August last year .
Long , who was driving the vehicle , pleaded guilty to manslaughter but was acquitted of murder following a trial at the the Old Bailey along with his passengers Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole .
Their sentences have been referred to the Court of Appeal after the attorney general considered them to be `` unduly lenient '' .
Debbie Adlam , PC Harper 's mother , said : `` My family and I totally respect anyone 's right to appeal against their sentence .
We live in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news , coming as it does on the very last day that he had to put in his appeal , is simply another kick in the stomach that leaves us all feeling awful .
`` We will recover from this as we have to do but my thoughts today are absolutely with my heroic son who gave his life trying to protect others and those responsible for his loss will not live rent free in my head . ''
PC Harper 's wife , Lissie , said : `` This update comes as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two of them are also seeking leave to appeal against their conviction .
`` None of Andrew 's killers have shown any remorse .
So this is just carrying on the way that they are and have been throughout the past year .
`` It is upsetting - but just helps to drive my determination with my campaign calling for Harper 's Law . ''
Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole , both 18 , had already lodged appeal applications against their 13-year sentences and manslaughter convictions .
No date has been set for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday , Mrs Harper , 29 , said she was `` horrified '' by reports that her husband 's killers had received £465,000 in legal aid .
Mrs Harper is campaigning for Harper 's Law to ensure those who kill emergency workers are jailed for life .

"We will recover from this as we have to do but my thoughts today are absolutely with my heroic son who gave his life trying to protect others and those responsible for his loss will not live rent free in my head."


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Banksy funds boat to rescue refugees at sea

Banksy has funded a rescue boat to save refugees encountering danger in the Mediterranean Sea .
The boat , named the Louise Michel , was bought with proceeds from some of the Bristol street artist 's works .
It has already carried out a number of rescue missions , taking on board 89 people from a rubber boat on Tuesday , according to its Twitter account .
The vessel features a painting depicting a young girl holding on to a heart-shaped safety float .
Banksy repainted the former French Navy boat in distinctive white and pink and launched it under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louise Michel is named after a 19th Century French anarchist and is captained by a professional crew with a `` flat hierarchy and a vegan diet '' .
The vessel 's mission statement is `` to uphold maritime law and rescue anyone in peril without prejudice '' .
`` We on board the Louise Michel believe we are all individuals , nationality should not make a difference to what rights one has and how we treat each other , '' it says on its website .
`` We answer the SOS call of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to save their souls - but our own . ''
According to UN data , 443 people have died or gone missing attempting to cross the Mediterranean from north Africa so far in 2020 .
Just over 40,000 have arrived in Europe by sea during the same period .
Banksy 's representatives have been contacted for comment .

"We on board the Louise Michel believe we are all individuals, nationality should not make a difference to what rights one has and how we treat each other," it says on its website.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Coronavirus cases continue to level off in England - ONS

Cases of coronavirus are still levelling off in England , according to data from swab tests of thousands of people in random households .
Modelling by the Office for National Statistics estimates there are 2,200 new infections per day .
Following a low point in June in the percentage of people testing positive for the virus , there was a small increase in July .
This is staying stable for the week ending 20 August , the ONS says .
The ONS infection figures are based on tests on people whether they have symptoms or not , giving one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections are increasing .
Patients in hospitals , care homes or other institutional settings are not included in this data .
This study is one of a number aiming to provide information on coronavirus within the UK .
Positive tests for coronavirus in the UK are announced every day by the government , which are based on lab-confirmed cases from mass testing .
On Friday it was announced that nine more people had died from Covid-19 in the UK , with 1,276 new cases in 24 hours , down from Thursday 's rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily tally since mid-June .
The Covid Symptom study app , which has been downloaded by nearly four million people in the UK , suggests a low level of the virus within most of the population .
Run by researchers at King 's College London and the healthcare company ZOE , it estimates there were 1,292 daily new cases of the virus on average in the UK over the two weeks up to 22 August .
This is based on people logging their symptoms in the app and data from more than 8,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the UK is between 0.9 and 1.1 and the growth rate of infections is somewhere between shrinking by 2 % and growing by 1 % .
This estimate , which comes from the government 's scientific advisers , is a guide to the general trend rather than a description of what is happening today .
The reproduction number or R is the average number of people that one infected person passes the virus onto .

On Friday it was announced that nine more people had died from Covid-19 in the UK, with 1,276 new cases in 24 hours, down from Thursday's rise of 1,522 - which was the highest daily tally since mid-June.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Georgia: 'I'm a child of the UK rave scene'

Georgia Barnes was pretty much born on to the dancefloor .
Not literally , of course , that would be a health and safety issue .
But as the daughter of Neil Barnes from UK dance pioneers Leftfield , the 30-year-old spent her younger years soaking up electronic house beats at live gigs and festivals ; while cultivating a love of synth-pop sounds and beyond from around the world .
Now , after honing her craft as a drummer [ for Kate Tempest ] , producer and singer , the former record shop assistant is living up to the family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though , Georgia 's place on the BBC Sound of 2020 longlist , and subsequent nomination for this year 's Mercury Prize - for her euphoric second album Seeking Thrills - was all down to her own hard graft ( albeit a labour of love ) .
`` I went through a long process with this record after the first [ self-titled 2015 ] record came out , '' says Georgia , who scored a major club hit last year with About Work The Dancefloor .
`` I felt like I needed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little bit and then shut myself away and listen to lots of music , and particularly my roots of being a child of the UK rave scene .
`` I 've always had a fascination with dance music and always gone to clubs since I was a young age , and that 's the music that I felt really excites me - in that electronic world .
`` But I wanted to go back and discover its roots and really understand the form of music , and then I found the direction for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` A lot the lyrical content is inspired by just seeing people on dancefloors and witnessing dancefloor culture . ''
With dancefloors having been cruelly vacated for most of 2020 , due to Covid-19 concerns , Georgia has been spending her breakthrough year getting creative again at her home studio in north west London .
Anyone who tuned in to see her perform at Radio 1 's ( virtual ) Big Weekend will have seen the results , as she covered the room in aluminium foil and `` tried to create like this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strange spaceship '' .
`` I think people found it strange and intriguing going into people 's world 's in a different way , '' she notes , of the pandemic-era trend for replacement online gigs .
`` That 's where I saw live streaming was really great - to give people that kind of escapist moment during what was a very tough time .
It 's still a tough time , but I think now towards the end [ of lockdown ] live streaming needs to sort of rethink .
Maybe people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
What many people do want for sure is a return to the real live music experience , as soon as is safely possible .
And Georgia notes that it 's been a `` devastating '' time for some of the nation 's most-loved venues , and the networks of people around them .
• Why 2020 'is a write-off ' for gigs and festivals The rising star had been booked to perform at this weekend 's Reading and Leeds Festivals , which were cancelled along with other August bank holiday favourites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She says she was inspired to see the recent crowdfunding efforts which prevented her `` favourite venue in the whole UK '' - Sub Club in Glasgow , from going under .
`` It was amazing to see the whole dance community , even people outside the dance community , create this crowdfund and raise enough money for them to get over the first hurdle of this Covid journey .
To see that gave me real optimism , like 'OK , we can make a real difference here ' .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I think it 's about all coming together and helping one another ; hopefully we can do that . ''
Georgia worked with just a few other trusted producers/songwriters on Seeking Thrills , which arrived into the world in January ( before the virus had reduced our thrill-seeking capacities ) billed as `` the first great album of the decade '' , by The Evening Standard 's David Smyth .
Pitchfork 's Anna Gaca described the album as `` the work of a budding pop mind finding her own space on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NME opined that it `` captures the push and pull of the club with a writerly eye '' .
`` On her second album , a rhythmic rush of club-pop , the London producer extols the merits of clean living and a clear head , '' wrote Kitty Empire in The Guardian .
Clean living is hardly something you would associate with the 90s , when Georgia 's dad 's electronic outfit were helping to soundtrack the nation 's nightlife .
Barnes senior was twice listed for the Mercury himself with Leftfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the virus , there will be no `` outrageous night '' - as Georgia 's mum remembers the '95 event - to mark this year 's prize .
The Brit school graduate thinks her own generation of millennial artists , which includes fellow nominees Dua Lipa , Michael Kiwanuka and Stormzy , are less likely to be impressed by the `` excesses '' of that era anyway .
`` Obviously part of music is still hedonism and it 's being a bit on the peripheries of society , '' says Georgia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's really cool anymore to do what what they did in the 90s . ''
`` It would be pretty funny if you turned up on the table and there was an excess of champagne coming out , all sorts of drugs being consumed at the table and people having fights and winding each other up , and it 's just like carnage , '' she continues .
`` But I do n't think that 's cool anymore , especially during this time [ with a global pandemic and recession ] .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Arsenal youth team footballer , Georgia , says she will be forever grateful to her parents for teaching her the value of being self-sufficient .
Like being able to produce her own music in her room , for example .
`` I 've just been able to kind of steer my own ship , which is how I like it , '' she says .
Her dad is never directly involved in her music per se , but he does offer `` his honest opinion '' , when asked .
In recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ware track ; and fulfilling the childhood dream of appearing on a record alongside Gorillaz and New Order 's Peter Hook , Georgia also began work on a family music project , featuring her mum and brother .
In an ideal world , she 'd love for her fans to be embracing her new tunes , and each other , while out on a dancefloor somewhere .
In lieu of those right now , however , she offers the BBC an alternative listening suggestion instead .
`` I always love that scene in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lena Dunham has a bad day and then she puts [ Robyn 's track ] Dancing On My Own on - it 's like a headphones moment .
`` I just hope people stick their headphones on and feel like they can escape or they feel empowered to go and seek a thrill . ''
Seeking Thrills is out now .
Classic Reading + Leeds performances are available this weekend on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds .
The Mercury Prize winner will be revealed on 24 September , with coverage on BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"It was amazing to see the whole dance community, even people outside the dance community, create this crowdfund and raise enough money for them to get over the first hurdle of this Covid journey. To see that gave me real optimism, like 'OK, we can make a real difference here'.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--The last families who lived on St Kilda

The last families who lived on St Kilda

Early on the morning of 29 August 1930 , the last 36 residents began the evacuation from St Kilda , a group of islands 110 miles off the west coast of Scotland that had been lived on for thousands of years .
Three hours later , 13 men , 10 women and 13 children were aboard the ship that would take them away from their homes forever .
They left because they were concerned they would not last another winter on the barren North Atlantic archipelago , which was virtually cut off from the mainland for nine months of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For the 90th anniversary , author Liz Gifford has pieced together the stories of those who lived in each of the 16 cottages along the village street on Hirta .
The largest of the islands , it was the only one that was still inhabited in 1930 .
By the time of the evacuation there were only five surnames left in St Kilda , and two-thirds of the population were called either MacKinnon or Gillies .
Five-year-old Norman John Gillies lived at number 10 with his father John .
His mother Mary had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving birth to a daughter , who also died .
Mary developed appendicitis while on the island but , even though it was winter , a fishery cruiser was able to reach St Kilda and take her to the mainland .
She was in Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow for three months , and was even hoping to return to her family , when things suddenly took a turn for the worse .
Young Norman John , who died in Suffolk at the age of 88 , always retained clear memories of waving his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last time .
Ms Gifford says Mary 's death finally broke the islanders ' resolve to stay on St Kilda .
Another death , just a month before the evacuation , compounded the feelings of the islanders .
Mary - the eldest daughter of Anne Gillies , who lived at number 14 - died from TB .
Nurse Barclay , who was stationed on the island to monitor the health of the residents , had flagged down a passing trawler by waving sheets .
But by the time help arrived , Mary was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barclay was instrumental in petitioning the government to help with the evacuation of the island and the resettlement of its residents .
The only person who opposed the evacuation was Neil Ferguson , who lived at number 5 .
Ms Gifford says he was the only one to dig his croft ready for planting for a summer harvest , and was the last to leave his house , delaying for as long as he could the boat that would take them away .
Over the years the St Kildans had come into contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and had begun to rely more on imports of food , fuel and building materials .
Many young islanders had emigrated in the preceding decades as they saw there might be more opportunities in places such as Australia and Canada .
Traditionally one of the main sources of food was the hundreds of thousands of seabirds that nested on the high cliffs .
The men would go down on ropes to hunt fulmars and guillemots and collect the eggs .
`` They had a very specific hunter-gatherer lifestyle that was almost prehistoric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` By the time the evacuation came along there were n't enough able-bodied men left on the island to do the work . ''
For many people , life on St Kilda had become untenable .
Anne and Norman MacKinnon lived at number 1 with their eight children .
During the last winter on the island , the MacKinnon family came close to starving .
Norman was one of the first to say that he wanted to leave when Nurse Barclay suggested that the St Kildans would not be able to last another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Larachbeg in Morvern , but by 1936 four of the children had died from TB .
The family were rehoused in the Black Isle , where they planted trees for the forestry .
Despite there being no trees on St Kilda , quite a few of the men from the island ended up working in forestry .
They included Lachlan MacDonald , who lived at number 16 .
He had wanted to follow his brother Ewen to Glasgow , but could not leave their 67-year-old mother who was often in great pain from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep up with the work needed to support so many elderly people , weaving late into the night then rising in the morning to begin the crofting work , or going down on the cliffs to hunt birds in summer .
So many islanders had left that the traditional livelihoods of raising sheep for wool , spinning and weaving tweed , fishing and harvesting of seabird eggs and oil , were much harder to sustain .
Two of the older generation at the time of the evacuation were Finlay MacQueen , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who lived at 15 .
Finlay spoke little English and like most of the elderly St Kildans , he found it hard to adjust to life on the mainland after evacuation .
He managed to return to St Kilda for the summer a few times , as did his sister Anne , who was known as the Queen of St Kilda .
She had been widowed in 1926 when her husband Donald and three other St Kildans died from a bout of influenza that swept through the village .
Two of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time of the evacuation - John at number 10 and Donald John at Number 13 .
Another son , Neil , had already left the island for Glasgow .
Ms Gifford , who has written the booklet The Last Families on St Kilda , said she had wanted to match the names of the last residents to photos and the places where they lived .
`` I think you really need to know them cottage by cottage to understand what their life was like , '' she added .

For the 90th anniversary, author Elisabeth Gifford has pieced together the stories of those who lived in each of the 16 cottages along the village street on Hirta. The largest of the islands, it was the only one that was still inhabited in 1930.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Coronavirus: Will the 'eat out to help out scheme' be extended?

Which restaurants say they will offer the discount for longer ?
How has the Eat Out To Help Out scheme @ @ @ @ @ and drink anything ?
Which food and drink places are taking part ?
To be @ @ @ @ @ designated dining or drinking area , or access to one .
They must have been @ @ @ @ @ since at least 7 July 2020 .
What are the rules for eating out ?
@ @ @ @ @ help out ' introduced ?
Why has the scheme been criticised ?
When asked if @ @ @ @ @ messages , Care Minister Helen Whately said under healthy eating plans , large chain restaurants @ @ @ @ @ breakdowns of their meals , helping diners to make an `` informed choice '' .

Coronavirus: Will the 'eat out to help out scheme' be extended? Published 28 August 2020
Image source, Getty Images
The "eat out to help out" scheme, which gives diners up to 50% off their bill, is due to end on Bank Holiday Monday (31 August).
Designed to boost the struggling hospitality industry, 64 million discounted meals were ordered during the first three weeks of the scheme.
The Treasury has resisted calls to extend the scheme but several restaurants say they will carry it on at their own expense.
Which restaurants say they will offer the discount for longer?
Chains pledging to continue offering some form of discount include:
Pizza Pilgrims
Tesco Café
The Real Greek
Until 9 September:
Harvester
Toby Carvery
Stonehouse Pizza
A longer list - including independent venues taking part by region - can be found here.
This is separate from the government scheme, so the discounts on offer may vary or change.
How has the Eat Out To Help Out scheme worked?
The UK-wide government promotion gives people up to 50% off when eating - or drinking soft drinks - in a participating restaurant or other food establishment.
The maximum discount is £10 per person.
It is valid all day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday throughout August.
Food and drink appear on the menu at full price, but the restaurant takes the money off the bill before claiming it back from the government.
Image source, Getty Images
Can I eat and drink anything?
The discount is only on food and soft drinks that you intend to consume on the premises.
It does not apply to takeaways.
There is no limit on how many times you can use the discount, or for how many people, including children.
There's no minimum spend and you don't have to order food to be eligible. For example, a £3 coffee would cost £1.50 under the scheme.
The offer can be used in combination with any other promotions and discounts being offered by the venue.
Which food and drink places are taking part?
More than 83,000 businesses have signed up to the promotion. These include:
Restaurants (including those in hotels, leisure centres and holiday parks)
Cafes
Bars and pubs that serve food
Canteens
Food halls with a seating area
Members' clubs
Catering services, bed and breakfasts and mobile food vans are not eligible.
Image source, Getty Images
Lots of local independent pubs, restaurants and cafes have been taking part, as well as big chains.
To be eligible they must have a designated dining or drinking area, or access to one. They must have been registered with their local authority since at least 7 July 2020.
A search tool allows people to search for participating local venues within a five-mile radius.
The search tool may not include big chain restaurants taking part, a list of which can be found here. They include:
Ask Italian
Benugo
Bill's
Burger King
Caffe Nero
Costa Coffee
Cote Brasserie
Five Guys
Franco Manca
Giggling Squid
Honest Burgers
KFC
Leon
M&S Cafe
McDonald's
Nando's
Pizza Express
Prezzo
Pret a Manger
Starbucks
Subway
Turtle Bay
Wagamama
JD Wetherspoon
Zizzi
What are the rules for eating out?
Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants can now reopen indoors, with guidance issued for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on measures they must take to keep customers and staff safe.
These include social distancing, controlled access to toilets and the option of ordering food on apps.
Hospitality venues must also collect and keep the details of at least one person in your party for 21 days. This is in case they are needed for contact tracing.
You do not have to provide your details, but bars and restaurants have the right to refuse you service.
Why was 'eat out to help out' introduced?
Hospitality is one of the UK's biggest employers and has been hit especially hard by lockdown. In April, 80% of venues closed, and 1.4 million hospitality workers have been placed on furlough at some point since then.
Some venues have been able to provide a takeaway service during lockdown. But this often means lower average spending per head and fewer people employed.
The scheme has been used alongside other targeted help, such as a cut in VAT for hospitality and tourism businesses.
Why has the scheme been criticised?
Several fast-food chains have taken part in the scheme, which has drawn criticism from some anti-obesity campaigners. The National Obesity Forum, for example, has said it was a ''green light to promote junk food''.
The discount scheme sits alongside the government's healthy eating plan that bans "buy one get one free" deals on unhealthy food, amid growing evidence of a link between obesity and an increased risk from coronavirus.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--Coronavirus: 'Loopholes' warning over new house party law

Loopholes have been identified in new powers to allow police to disperse house parties , the body representing rank-and-file officers has said .
Police can now disperse indoor gatherings of more than 15 people from more than one household under powers announced by Nicola Sturgeon .
Scottish Police Federation ( SPF ) chairman David Hamilton has questioned how the powers would work in practice .
Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said they would be used as a `` last resort '' .
The new powers have been introduced to limit transmission of Covid-19 after health officials warned indoor gatherings could present @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current guidance , no more than eight people from a maximum of three different households should meet indoors .
The new law takes into account the varying size and composition of families and sets the limit for an indoor party at 15 people if more than one household is present .
• As-it-happened : FM and Chief Constable at the daily briefing But Mr Hamilton told BBC Radio 's Good Morning Scotland the SPF has raised a number of questions about the legislation with the Scottish government .
`` The legislation was only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of questions with that ... we 've identified a number of loopholes .
`` We did n't get any consultation on this at SPF , so we have a number of questions we 've put back to government , but hopefully we can work something out about what that means and what they 're meaning with this legislation .
`` We 'll also work with Police Scotland in terms of developing that operational guidance . ''
He said there were concerns about how officers will know how many people are inside at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify which households each attendee is from .
Mr Hamilton claimed the legislation , which came into force on Friday , would be seldom used and he described the new powers as being about `` messaging '' .
He said : `` Fundamentally , this is a messaging bit of legislation .
`` We do n't expect to see it being used frequently and we 'll continue with the approach of educating and engaging people without having to use powers . ''
Mr Hamilton later said officers `` would not hesitate '' to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such instances would be rare .
At the first minister 's daily briefing , Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said officers would always look to encourage people to do right the thing before turning to enforcement .
He said he would continue to work with the SPF and may talk to its representatives after the briefing .
• DEATHS : Who is dying and where ?
• RULES : What 's still closed in Scotland and why ?
• QUIZ : Test your knowledge of the coronavirus restrictions • FACE MASKS : When should @ @ @ @

"We didn't get any consultation on this at SPF, so we have a number of questions we've put back to government, but hopefully we can work something out about what that means and what they're meaning with this legislation.


bbcuk--2020-08-28--‘My son was stillborn and now I help other parents’

Tommy Ferguson 's son Joshua was stillborn in July 2009 .
His wife had been around 40 weeks pregnant , @ @ @ @ @ that point .
About one in every 225 births in the UK ends in stillbirth @ @ @ @ @ the death of a baby after 24 weeks of pregnancy .
There were 67 stillbirths @ @ @ @ @ 2019 .
Mr Ferguson says the first few months after losing their baby were the @ @ @ @ @ `` a very , very dark and difficult place '' .
But he realised he @ @ @ @ @ going to a meeting organised by Sands , the stillbirth and neonatal death charity .
@ @ @ @ @ Sands , which says it experienced a 30 % increase in demand for bereavement support @ @ @ @ @ you 're affected by the issues in this video , then help and support or @ @ @ @ @ BBC Action Line .

Tommy Ferguson's son Joshua was stillborn in July 2009. His wife had been around 40 weeks pregnant, with no problems up until that point.
About one in every 225 births in the UK ends in stillbirth, which is defined as the death of a baby after 24 weeks of pregnancy. There were 67 stillbirths recorded in Northern Ireland in 2019.
Mr Ferguson says the first few months after losing their baby were the hardest - he was in "a very, very dark and difficult place".
But he realised he could help others, after going to a meeting organised by Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity.
Sands NI received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to tailor support for people during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Ferguson now volunteers for the charity, which says it experienced a 30% increase in demand for bereavement support services during lockdown.
If you're affected by the issues in this video, then help and support or wider information is available via BBC Action Line.
Video journalist: Niall McCracken