bbcuk--2020-06-29--Coronavirus: Author Michael Rosen told he 'might not wake up'

Author Michael Rosen has said doctors warned him he `` might not wake up '' shortly before putting him into an induced coma during Covid-19 treatment .
The We 're Going On A Bear Hunt writer , 74 , spent 47 days on a ventilator after being admitted to hospital in March .
He said doctors `` handed me a piece of paper and said you 've got a 50/50 chance '' , to which he asked `` are you telling me I might not wake up ? ''
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The ex-Children 's Laureate said he was told `` 'Yes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' He recalled : `` I think I was a bit light-headed but I remember thinking 'oh well a 50/50 chance ' .
I was quite sort of flippant to myself about it really . ''
• Vietnam 's British patient : ' I 'd be dead in any other country' Speaking on BBC Radio 4 's Today programme , he said at first he thought he had the flu or a mild form of the disease .
He told presenter Mishal Husain that `` things started moving very , very quickly '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested the levels of oxygen in his blood and told him `` you 've got to go to A & E now '' .
He later found out his respiratory system , liver and kidneys were failing , and looking back said he was `` probably two or three hours off departing this planet . ''
`` I was so near to going , '' he said .
`` It 's a reminder of how life is very impermanent . ''
Recalling the moment his wife told him how long he had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got quite upset about it ... That 's full of emotion for me , that people were just hanging in there . ''
His wife , radio producer Emma-Louise Williams , is now helping the author recover .
She used Twitter to update fans about her husband 's illness , describing his time on a ventilator as a `` long and difficult '' seven weeks .
Recalling the night she was first told her husband may have to be put on a ventilator , she said : `` My daughter and I came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We did think that Michael might go that night '' .
She said Rosen would spend another eight days breathing with the aid of a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ( CPAP ) mask but was later readmitted to intensive care .
Rosen has been left with a temporary hole in his neck after doctors performed a tracheostomy to allow the ventilator to supply oxygen to his body via a tube .
He described himself as `` feeble '' and `` lopsided '' after losing some vision and hearing on his left side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cardboard tubes full of porridge '' and currently uses a hospital-issued walking aid which he has named `` Sticky McStickstick '' .
In a specially recorded message for his young fans , he thanked them for their messages , and told them : `` It does look a little bit as if this illness can be beaten with kindness and care form the NHS . ''
The author , who was Children 's Laureate from 2007 to 2009 , is best known for works including Little Rabbit Foo Foo and Tiny Little Fly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hands was written to mark the 60th anniversary of the NHS .
It is now part of a book that 's being used to raise money for the health service .


bbcuk--2020-06-29--Brit Awards 2021 pushed back by three months

Next year 's Brit Awards have been pushed back by three months to May , to have a better chance of staging a full live ceremony featuring big pop stars .
The 41st edition of the music awards show was due to take place in February , as usual , at London 's O2 Arena .
But uncertainty around the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has prompted the music industry to delay it .
Organisers said they want `` outstanding production levels , superstar performances and live excitement '' .
Geoff Taylor , chief executive of The Brits and industry body the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the best way to achieve this in 2021 is to move the show back a few months to May .
`` We are already at work planning a spectacular event that will remind us how important music has been in getting us all through these difficult times . ''
The eligibility period for the awards will be altered , although music releases have continued during the pandemic .
Last year 's ceremony featured performances from pop stars including Billie Eilish , Dave , Lewis Capaldi and Lizzo .
Follow us on Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

Geoff Taylor, chief executive of The Brits and industry body the BPI, said: "We believe that the best way to achieve this in 2021 is to move the show back a few months to May.


bbcuk--2020-06-29--Welsh pupils return to school after three months

Some pupils are starting to return to schools in Wales for the first time since March .
It is hoped all pupils will be able to `` check in , catch up and prepare '' over the next three to four weeks ahead of the September term .
With strict social distancing measures and limited numbers in at a time , classrooms will look very different .
One headteacher said teachers were `` excited '' but had a `` degree of anxiety and apprehension '' as pupils returned .
Schools have been open throughout the lockdown , but only for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of key workers .
• Live : Schools start to welcome back some pupils Parents who choose not to send their children to school will not be fined and pupils who fall into the shielding category will carry on with home learning .
Not all schools will reopen to all pupils as planned today , with schools on Anglesey remaining closed for now after a coronavirus outbreak at a meat processing factory , and five schools in Blaenau Gwent remaining shut after issues with water supplies .
BBC Wales reporter Caleb Spencer has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents , pupils and teachers as they return .
Pupils entering the school will find their classroom environments very different ahead of what has been described as a `` new normal '' when the new school year begins in September .
Schools of all sizes have had to reorganise to reduce the infection risk .
Of the 530 pupils at the Roath school , just 95 will come through the gates today , after 90 % of parent and carers took up the offer for children to return to school .
The school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zones - rainbow , dream and heart zones - where pupils can only walk in one direction .
There are hand sanitiser stations on all building entrances and stickers guide children around the school .
Headteacher Geraldine Foley has taken around two `` wellbeing dogs '' , Rolly and Maisy , to speak to parents and children to make them feel comfortable about returning to school .
Martha , seven , who returned to school said : `` I was a bit nervous but excited .
I 'm excited to see my friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can we expect ?
Classrooms will look very different due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Here are some of the changes you can expect as children return over the next few weeks : • Smaller class sizes , with about a third of pupils in school at any one time • Social distancing , with fewer desks and pupils sitting apart • Pupils being encouraged to walk or cycle to school • Some schools may not provide lunches - pupils should take packed lunches Welsh Government guidance says there is `` no need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal protective equipment '' ( PPE ) unless providing `` intimate care '' to a child , such as helping them wash , eat or go to the toilet .
The Welsh Government said it expects that most pupils will have the chance to go to school at least three times before the summer break , but this depends on the individual school .
What do pupils think ?
At Ysgol Caereinion , in Powys , Year 12 students are taking in the changes in their school before they leave for the summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely different '' he was happy to be back , to `` get some work done , see my mates '' .
David said he thought they should not have come back until September , to give more time for the `` virus to go '' , but he said teachers had assured them it was safe .
Their classmate , Sarah , said : `` It 's a bit strange but I think it 's about getting back into a routine that a lot of kids now need .
`` If we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been really good to get back in to school .
She added : `` I do n't think staying at home any longer would be really necessary for a lot of kids from disadvantaged backgrounds we really need our education . ''
What do parents think ?
While many will be returning to school from today , it is up to parents to decide whether to send their children back during the pandemic .
Rachel Meredith , from Blaenau Gwent , said it was still `` too risky '' and she would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her daughter Isabelle , five , had pneumonia last year , and she said she would not `` I ca n't put her through that again '' .
In Porthcawl , Julie James said while it was important for her daughter to go back as she was doing her GCSEs , she was `` anxious '' about her returning to school .
`` She is apprehensive but excited , '' said Ms James , who said her daughter went to a Welsh medium school , but as the family can not speak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for three months .
`` The longer the lockdown has gone on the more demotivated she has been , '' she told Radio Wales Breakfast .
`` We are all a bit anxious for her to go back , but the school say they are social distancing and they have concentrated on cleanliness '' .
Ysgol Gynradd Cerrigydrudion , in Conwy , has set up one classroom in the school hall , while others will have a maximum of six pupils in each .
Online lessons will also continue , and they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school experience being `` blended learning '' for the considerable future , beyond September .
The village primary school normally has 80 children but now can admit a maximum of 26 pupils at a time , which includes children of key workers .
• Schools reopening - but not like you know it • Q & A : How will schools in Wales reopen ?
• Which places are back for three or four weeks ?
`` Our plan will hopefully allow a connection with each child that wishes to come back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edwards , who said they hoped to keep in contact with pupils whose parents did not send them in as a `` warm-up '' to September .
Headteacher Stephen Garthwaite , of Ysgol y Grango in Wrexham , said teachers had done all they could to make classrooms safe .
But he said about 25 % of pupils would not be returning yet , and there was a feeling of `` apprehension '' amidst the excitement today .
`` Things are very , very different , it 's not the school we left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anxiety and apprehension but generally we are very excited to see the pupils again , '' he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast .
What will happen in September ?
There are still lots of questions too as to what learning may look like in the next academic year and those in education will be looking to the education minister for what happens next .
Kirsty Williams said last week that she suspected blended learning was likely to continue `` for some time '' although she did not rule out a full return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of the UK ?
Wales is the only part of the UK to reopen primary and secondary schools to all pupils from today .
Secondary schools in England have been allowed to reopen for Years 10 and 12 since 15 June , but pupils in all year groups will not go back to school full-time in September .
In Scotland the aim is to reopen full-time with no physical distancing in August if coronavirus continues to be suppressed .
In Northern Ireland , the plan is for schools to fully reopen on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2m to 1m .

"Our plan will hopefully allow a connection with each child that wishes to come back to school," said head teacher Eirlys Edwards, who said they hoped to keep in contact with pupils whose parents did not send them in as a "warm-up" to September.


bbcuk--2020-06-29--Belfast teen found in drain 'was loved by everyone'

Noah Donahoe was a talented young man who was loved by everyone who knew him , his former basketball coach has said .
Michael Calo said the teenager 's death had `` devastated '' those he grew up with .
A body believed to be that of the missing Belfast teenager was found in a storm drain on Saturday , almost a week after he was last seen near the Shore Road in north Belfast .
Basketball coach Michael Calo said the 14-year-old was a gifted musician and athlete .
`` Noah was just such a nice young man , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` He was a lovely kid , a good athlete , a good musician , quite good at the cello , and just a really lovely young person . ''
Mr Calo 's twin sons , classmates of Noah 's at St Malachy 's College , played rugby and basketball and sang in the school choir with him .
`` They are devastated , like most of the kids Noah would have grown up with , '' he said .
He coached Noah when he played for Belfast Phoenix Basketball team .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ memory is now being discussed , Mr Calo said .
`` It would be something that could develop some money for charity , and I think that would be a nice memory to have of Noah , '' he added .
On Sunday , Noah 's family issued a statement thanking the community for `` the support , outpouring of love , and empathy we have received '' .
His family said : `` He was very special .
It is very hard to do justice or honour the extraordinary relationship Noah and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added : `` In his 14 years his mummy got so much from their special bond , he taught his mummy so much .
They were each other 's world . ''
The family said details of Noah 's funeral will follow .
Also on Sunday , hundreds of people , including members of Noah 's family and many of the volunteers who took part in searches , attended vigils for the teenager .
Sean McCarry , from Community Search and Rescue , told the BBC on Monday he had never experienced anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the most moving and humbling experiences that I have had , '' he said .
`` We were welcomed to the services , as Noah 's family was , exactly as we were welcomed in throughout the five or six days of the search , with open arms from everybody '' .
`` It was obvious to see that everybody there was there united together , completely united right across the whole of north Belfast '' .
Pastor Brian Madden , who spoke at a vigil , urged Noah 's teenage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
`` Do n't bottle it up , do n't hold it in , talk to someone , and be real , let it out , someone will listen to you , '' he told the BBC 's Good Morning Ulster programme .
Pastor Madden said the vigil had allowed a grieving community to come together and to pay their respects .
`` Every single person that knew him spoke so very highly of this young man .
It was incredible , '' he said .
Police said on Saturday that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play involved in the death .

"I don't know if his mother, whether you would take comfort from being here, or you wouldn't take comfort from being here. But I just want his family and his mother to know that they can come here if they feel they need to come here. My door is opened and they can be here with their thoughts."


bbcuk--2020-06-28--Coronavirus: Three surprising jobs you can do from home

Many people have had to switch suddenly to working from home during the coronavirus outbreak because of lockdown conditions .
Dougal Shaw has spoken to three people with jobs where face-to-face contact is usually seen as essential , but who have found working remotely to be surprisingly successful .
It ’ s a job that requires trust , intimacy and impeccable listening skills - but does it have to be done face-to-face ?
Shermeena Rabbi , 39 , is a speech therapist and businesswoman who lives in Essex .
She runs a team of 25 therapists who work with people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her clients are families with children who are autistic , or have Down ’ s Syndrome , or cerebral palsy .
Normally the team works in clinics and schools across London , but since lockdown they have had to do things remotely .
The therapist makes a video call from their home to the home of the client .
They call this teletherapy .
“ Because our work , especially with children , can be so personal , face-to-face , play-based and tactile , we wondered , ‘ How ’ s this going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reluctant , '' admits Shermeena .
Therapy sessions with children involve working on pronunciation , often by interacting with toys , symbols and books .
Therapists also tackle broader issues , like focusing attention , she explains .
As the therapists can not do the physical aspects of the therapy online , they ’ ve had to delegate this to parents , who wouldn ’ t always have been present at sessions .
However , that has actually turned out to be something surprisingly empowering and beneficial , says Shermeena .
She is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sessions have been .
“ For younger patients the digital screen is just part of normal life , ” she says .
It ’ s also nice to see patients in their home setting and it cuts down on travel costs for everyone , she adds .
• What 's it like to be laid off over Zoom ?
• What 's it like to start a new job when working remotely ?
The speech therapists use apps such as WhatsApp , Google Meet and FaceTime .
They follow professional tele-health guidelines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ microphone quality and the ability to see clearly the patient ’ s face , including lips and mouth .
The team meets daily at 2.30pm for their own `` fancy-a-cuppa '' video call , when they chat and share knowledge .
The consensus is they will continue to offer this alternative service even when lockdown eases , and they will downsize their physical premises .
Anna Wood , 40 , runs her own bridal dress boutique in the village of Long Buckby , Northamptonshire .
She had previously run several online enterprises but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ premises .
She took a break from work to get married – and this proved to be her moment of epiphany .
“ I never quite got the experience I wanted as a bride visiting boutiques , so I saw a gap in the market , ” she remembers .
She wanted to specialise in brides who “ feel overwhelmed by the process and need a helping hand on the journey ” , she says .
She liked her chosen location – on the first floor above a bakery on the High Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were visiting somewhere for a special appointment , but wouldn ’ t have to worry about passers-by looking through the window .
Her boutique opened in October 2018 and served nearly 100 brides before coronavirus struck .
Although Anna loves the space , lockdown has made her question things , and she is now thinking of phasing out the physical boutique once the lease runs out .
She says working with brides remotely during lockdown has been “ strange to get used to ” , but ultimately makes sense for her business , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things like rent , business rates and utility bills .
She can discuss potential dresses with customers by video call , sending them pictures , then organise fittings at designers ’ stores or the bride 's home ( as and when lockdown rules allow ) .
And lockdown has allowed her to focus on the part of the business she found most rewarding anyway - what she calls the bride coaching .
“ Not all brides go into marriage in a really happy place , some are quite anxious and have self-belief issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually do her pep talks in a separate part of the boutique - but she has found that this intimate part of the service can work surprisingly well online , in video calls .
People in the bridal industry have recognised for a long time that shopping was migrating online , but thought they would be immune because it is such a specialised , personalised service , says Anna .
But lockdown is making people realise you can get a satisfying personal service online too .
The new crop of brides in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grown up as digital natives , and are more than ready for this transition , she thinks .
Annabel Sheen , 30 , joined the Imperial War Museum in London in April .
The museum was closed to the public because of coronavirus .
Normally the building would have been the focus of her daily routine .
Her role is to bring collections to life - her speciality is making digital exhibits .
“ I have n't met any of my colleagues in person yet , I have n't even been given my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Working at a museum is all about getting to know the physical space , the exhibits and the curators there , so lockdown has been a big challenge .
“ Nearly everything I 'm working on is new content that was n't part of our team 's plan a few months ago , ” she adds .
For example , she has made this video - appropriately enough , in an age of Zoom calls - about British troops in the Far East sending recorded video messages to loved ones back home in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a problem , but interviewing the curator to add her expertise to the edit meant devising new work methods .
“ We have to interview curators via [ video platforms like ] Teams and ask them to record themselves on their smartphone rather than using a camera and proper audio equipment as we usually would , ” she says .
Although some bits had to be rejected in the edit , Annabel has been pleasantly surprised by the quality of work she ’ s been able to produce .
Public lectures that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have migrated online as well , and she has to help with the live broadcast of those too .
She is looking forward to finally being able to meet her team in person when lockdown eases and the museum opens .
“ For now , '' she says , `` I 'm just a pair of initials at the bottom of the screen in a big meeting.
” Have you had to get creative with your work in lockdown ?
You can contact business reporter Dougal Shaw

And lockdown has allowed her to focus on the part of the business she found most rewarding anyway - what she calls the bride coaching. “Not all brides go into marriage in a really happy place, some are quite anxious and have self-belief issues,” Anna says.


bbcuk--2020-06-29--Coronavirus doctor's diary: A 'dying' patient's miraculous recovery

When Mohammed Azeem arrived in Bradford Royal Infirmary he was in critical state , with far too little oxygen in his blood - at one point his oxygen levels were `` not compatible with life '' according to the intensive care specialist treating him .
But incredibly he survived , writes Dr John Wright .
Mohammed 's story is a miraculous one .
This 35-year-old taxi driver loved working out and lifting weights and never thought he would be at risk from the brutal effects of Covid-19 .
Once his breathing problems began , he was reluctant to call the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ myth then circulating in parts of the Asian community that people admitted to hospital were never discharged alive .
It was his friend , Haleem , who insisted on calling an ambulance and even helped to carry him into it , as by this stage he was unable to walk .
When Mohammed arrived in A & E it was clear that his life was in immediate danger .
This was a young man who was dying in front of us and he was whisked straight to the Intensive Care Unit .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day and his perilous journey was only just beginning .
He ended up in a coma in ICU for 48 days , and in hospital for 68 .
The doctor treating him throughout was ICU consultant Dr Michael McCooe , who describes him as the sickest young man he has ever seen .
A healthy person has blood oxygen saturation levels of 95 % or higher - in other words their red blood cells are carrying almost as much oxygen as possible ( 100 % ) .
Mohammed 's saturation levels were 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was after ventilation with undiluted oxygen .
Even when he was intubated in ICU it was a struggle to keep his oxygen levels above 80 % , the point below which there is a risk of damage to organs such as the heart and brain .
Prof John Wright , a doctor and epidemiologist , is head of the Bradford Institute for Health Research , and a veteran of cholera , HIV and Ebola epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa .
He is writing this diary for BBC News and recording from the hospital wards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next episode of The NHS Front Line on BBC Sounds or the BBC World Service • Or read the previous online diary entry : 'People think it 's over but it 's not' In fact , over the coming weeks Mohammed kept drifting away from his precious life .
Several times his oxygen saturation dropped to a level that Dr McCooe describes as `` incompatible with life '' .
The ICU team had numerous heart-breaking conversations with his family , preparing them for the worst , but Mohammed had other ideas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an ember of vitality that kept glowing .
Each time it looked as though it was about to extinguished it flickered back into flame .
`` We had a number of conversations with his family , almost daily conversations , where we were talking about the futility of what we were doing , '' says Michael McCooe .
`` We were n't saying we were giving up on him , but we just wanted them to know that we did n't hold up any hope that he was going to survive .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - and it was a real moment of hope for lots of people who looked after him , and for people who looked after Covid patients in general - he just started to turn around .
`` His blood gases got better , his oxygen requirements reduced and we were able to permanently keep him on his back .
`` We then had the concern about what he 'd be like when we woke him because he 'd had such low oxygen levels and the brain is susceptible to that .
But when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He was OK - his strength was surprisingly good for what he 'd been through .
Remarkably , he was able to engage with physio pretty quickly and from that point he just raced to recovery . ''
So when we cheered him off the ward after 10 gruelling weeks there was great celebration and joy .
As clinicians we are caring but rational scientists , so when small miracles happen it is hard not to be amazed .
Covid-19 has shown each of us great pain and suffering , but also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid patient I have written about , Mohammed Hussain - who imagined that he was caught up in a terrorist incident while being treated in intensive care - Mohammed Azeem had troubling dreams while sedated , and thought he had been shot three times with a Glock pistol .
When he came round , medical staff had to give him the tragic news that his mother , who had been brought into intensive care three days after him , had died .
`` I was pinching myself thinking it was a nightmare , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my dad straight away and my dad told me that it was true , my mum had died .
I thought this recovery will be 10 times harder now .
I 've lost everything . ''
At that point he had n't seen his wife and three children for seven weeks , so despite grieving for his mother he had that joyful reunion to look forward to .
And also the reunion with his friend , Haleem , a shopkeeper , whom he credits with saving his life , along with the staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close - their grandfathers shared a house when they first arrived in Bradford from Pakistan , and they have known each other all their lives - so Mohammed 's ordeal in hospital was an emotional ride for Haleem too , until he finally saw him on WhatsApp , not long before he was discharged .
`` For such a big stocky man who is so strong - we call him The Beast because he 's that strong - we could n't believe how ill he was .
It just broke my heart , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his friend was taken away in the ambulance .
`` That evening we got a call at 10pm to say he had an hour to live , and we were just praying for him , everyone came on to the street .
`` Every other week they were saying they were taking him off the machine , that he would n't survive this .
But he is so strong… his body has used every bit of strength to keep him alive . ''
Ramadan was difficult under lockdown , Haleem says , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems like a green light to life resuming . ''
You may also be interested in : Many Covid-19 patients continue to need care at home , once they leave hospital .
The story of Mary Blessington illustrates how the path to recovery can involve U-turns . '
A patient given hours to live who proved us wrong '

"We weren't saying we were giving up on him, but we just wanted them to know that we didn't hold up any hope that he was going to survive. And then to our utter shock and amazement - and it was a real moment of hope for lots of people who looked after him, and for people who looked after Covid patients in general - he just started to turn around.


bbcuk--2020-06-28--Coronavirus: 'It's safe to come back to Chinatown'

The Chinese Quarters of England have been among the hardest hit throughout lockdown , with dozens of family-run businesses forced to close or rebrand , as well as experiencing hate crimes linked to coronavirus .
The BBC went to Chinatown in Birmingham to see how it plans to bounce back on 4 July .
As the vibrant dragon weaved its way through the crowds - and torrential rain - to mark the Year of the Rat in January , the annual celebrations in Birmingham were noticeably quiet .
`` It was the Chinese community that stayed away , '' says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen what was happening in Wuhan and saw videos of people in body bags on social media .
A lot of people thought it was too dangerous to go out . ''
At the time , words like lockdown , furloughed and shielding were n't part of everyone 's day-to-day vocabulary .
But many Chinese people living in the UK had already begun self-isolating .
Panic-buying set in at Chinese supermarkets in the city weeks before the likes of Tesco and Sainsbury 's were cleared of toilet roll , hand gel and pasta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 bags of rice - you do n't get through that in a year , '' says Mr Wong .
`` It was like the end of the world . ''
Well before Boris Johnson ordered restaurants and cafes to close , businesses in Chinatown in Birmingham had already started to lose much of their regular custom .
Almost five months on , Mr Wong and fellow restaurant owners are considering how to entice people back when emotions - and fears - are still running high .
`` The Chinese people are still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says .
`` They experienced Sars in 2002 .
I saw one woman recently who had a face visor on and two masks as she walked around taking pictures with a selfie stick .
I was thinking 'do you think you are going somewhere radioactive ' ? ''
And then there is the fear that racism and xenophobia could keep people away because of China 's role in the pandemic .
`` There is definitely a stigma , '' Mr Wong says .
`` But Birmingham is very multicultural .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out and eat it . ''
The businessman owns Chung Ying - the restaurant named after his father ( Chung ) and mother ( Ying ) and which was the first Chinese restaurant to arrive in the area almost 40 years ago .
He is getting ready to open on 4 July .
Capacity inside will be down 60 % as he 's decided to place tables 3m apart to allow for people moving around .
Outside , builders are erecting a wooden roof on a new outdoor eating area .
There will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scanner , the ability to order electronically or use disposable menus , and staff will wear face shields .
`` I prefer them to masks , '' says Mr Wong .
`` You can see people talking , smiling - you can relate to a human . ''
Picnic benches that were outside will be replaced with proper tables .
`` It 's very important to me that we keep the experience of eating out , '' he adds .
Those benches will instead be set out on the pedestrianised area in nearby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fresco .
This is good news for Jeremy Mun , manager of small family restaurant Malaysian Delight .
It shut for `` three to four weeks '' at the start of lockdown .
`` We were a bit worried about the virus , '' says Mr Mun .
`` But after we realised it was not critical , we opened again . ''
Rebranding as a takeaway and delivery service was necessary to survive , although with some staff too scared to return , Mr Mun has been back cooking in the kitchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He 's now considering how the business will operate under social-distancing measures .
Slashing the 2m rule to 1m-plus has been `` a very big step for us '' says Mr Mun .
`` We have 20 tables , we were thinking we 'd cut it to 10 , or even have a partition to block parts off .
We have some ideas and we need to think about what 's right .
But we just need a bit more time . ''
Supermarket Wing Yip supplies the city 's restaurant and takeaway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there since he was 14 , when his father `` kicked him out of bed one summer holiday '' and told him he was needed at the family business .
Now the manager , he says his custom `` fell off a cliff '' at first , and he cut his opening hours right back .
But as more businesses have started to offer takeaways and deliveries , it is fully open again .
Mr Yip is cautious about the future , however .
`` They say it takes 90 days to build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go out ?
`` Independent restaurants and takeaways are the backbone of the hospitality industry .
Hopefully people will start to come back in time and confidence will build up . ''
Julia Robinson , manager of Southside Business Improvement District , which covers Chinatown and the Gay Quarter , is hopeful they will .
Eighteen of the area 's 80-plus businesses have signalled they will reopen for a `` soft launch '' on 4 July so far .
`` Everyone who is planning to open is being really sensible , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the council to allow us to close the streets and allow people to eat and drink outside , so that they can circulate really freely .
`` We 're going for a relaxed early-evening experience - the new normal is actually very exciting . ''
For the area as a whole , there is an uphill struggle ahead .
One restaurant , the Green Room , which for years served customers of the Birmingham Hippodrome , opposite , has stated it will not be reopening .
`` We fear there 's going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` There 's been two quarters of rent and service charges for businesses that have not had any income whatsoever .
Fifteen per cent of our businesses could not get any government help at all .
It 's going to be very , very challenging . ''
However , she adds that `` if anyone can do it , we can do it '' .
`` We are family businesses , Brummie families - we 're not big chains .
We really need the public to come and stand behind them and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wong , reassurance is key to enticing customers back .
`` We want to inspire confidence in people to start enjoying their normal lives , '' he says .
`` We want people to know that it is safe to come back to Chinatown . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• IMPACT : What the virus does to the body • RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can we lift restrictions ?
• ENDGAME : How do we get out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Midlands on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .
Send your story ideas to : newsonline.westmidlands @ bbc.co.uk

Slashing the 2m rule to 1m-plus has been "a very big step for us" says Mr Mun. "We have 20 tables, we were thinking we'd cut it to 10, or even have a partition to block parts off. We have some ideas and we need to think about what's right. But we just need a bit more time."


bbcuk--2020-06-29--Coronavirus: Schools investment, Leicester spike and testing boost

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus outbreak this Monday morning .
We 'll have another update for you at 18:00 BST .
Much of the focus this week will be on plans for the UK 's post-lockdown economic recovery .
As part of that , funding of £1bn for 50 major school building projects in England has been announced , with a further £560m for repairs to existing buildings .
Unions have broadly welcomed the move , but warned that billions more will be needed to fully address the problems schools face .
Government officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning to discuss how to deal with a spike in cases in the city .
Public Health England says 866 have been confirmed in the last two weeks .
The home secretary confirmed Leicester could be facing a local lockdown - we examine what that could look like .
The mayor has said the powers to impose one are not available .
Meanwhile , see the latest on the level of infection in your area .
From today , shops with on-street access and some workplaces such as factories will reopen in Scotland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small weddings and civil partnerships can take place outdoors , and the housing market can restart .
Scottish Premier League football teams can also recommence non-contact training .
Further restrictions are due to be lifted later this week - read more .
Pupils will start to return to schools in Wales on Monday for the first time since March .
Limited numbers will be allowed back over the next three or four weeks to `` check in , catch up and prepare '' for September .
All schools have social-distancing restrictions in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ units in the UK will more than double over the coming weeks .
The military are earmarked to staff many facilities as part of efforts to prevent a second wave of cases .
The government has been challenged over its testing capacity and the data given during the pandemic .
See more on how the system works .
Get a longer coronavirus briefing from the BBC in your inbox , each weekday morning , by signing up here .
You can find more information , advice and guides on our coronavirus page and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ page .
Plus , there 's a warning that people who fall seriously ill with coronavirus are at risk of developing PTSD .
Read more on that and on the process of recovery in general .
What questions do you have about coronavirus ?
In some cases , your question will be published , displaying your name , age and location as you provide it , unless you state otherwise .
Your contact details will never be published .
Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy .
Use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • HOSPITAL SPECIAL : The human stories behind the headlines • JESSE LINGARD 'S HOME WORKOUT : Can you keep up ?

Government officials will meet Leicester's mayor on Monday morning to discuss how to deal with a spike in cases in the city. Public Health England says 866 have been confirmed in the last two weeks. The home secretary confirmed Leicester could be facing a local lockdown - we examine what that could look like. The mayor has said the powers to impose one are not available. Meanwhile, see the latest on the level of infection in your area.


bbcuk--2020-06-29--Coronavirus: How would a local lockdown work in Leicester?

Leicester could be kept in the current stage of lockdown for another two weeks , because of a local surge in coronavirus cases .
But local politicians say it is unclear how restrictions can still be maintained in one area .
Local restrictions , or lockdowns , could be used in specific areas in England to counter localised coronavirus `` flare-ups '' .
The Joint Biosecurity Centre will work with local health teams `` to address local spikes in infections '' .
It is unclear whether a local lockdown would focus only on the exact location of an outbreak - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workplace - or would cover a whole area , such as a postcode , a town , or even a city .
Councils already have the power to lock down a premises if it presents a health hazard .
But the government has also hinted at the idea of locking down a whole city .
However , local politicians say they do not have the powers to enforce such measures , and have asked for more clarity .
A Department of Health spokeswoman said further guidance on containing local outbreaks would be published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurred at meat factories in Cleckheaton , West Yorkshire , Anglesey in Wales , as well as Leicester .
The factories were closed , with all staff told to self-isolate and get tested .
People who had been in contact with those who tested positive were asked to isolate for 14 days , while in Cleckheaton , those deemed healthy enough were later allowed to return .
Councils say the plan would be similar for schools .
If enough cases were detected , a school could be closed and all staff and pupils @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lifting lockdown : All you need to know • Why have there been so many outbreaks in meat plants ?
• Is a second wave of coronavirus on the way ?
Risk assessments could be carried out afterwards to decide when a premises might be reopened .
Public health officials have also suggested people in affected areas might receive council leaflets or be visited by local health workers or politicians to spread awareness .
Local lockdowns could also mean more widespread testing , according to Krishna Ramkhelawon , director of public health for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing would be to define the scope of an outbreak , and possibly test everyone in an area . ''
The city has seen a recent rise in positive cases of coronavirus .
In the two weeks to 23 June , there were 866 positive cases in the city - 29 % of the 2,987 who have tested positive since the pandemic began .
The cases are thought to be mostly among younger , working-age people living in the east of the city .
The government is now recommending maintaining the current lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , the city 's mayor has said local officials still do not have the information they need to maintain the lockdown in their area .
The Department of Health said there are now four mobile testing units in the city and thousands of home testing kits have been made available .
Could a whole area be locked down ?
Local councils say they do not currently have the power to do this .
Mayor of Greater Manchester , Andy Burnham , has said he `` struggles to see how it can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ singling out a particular area for restrictions would also cause tensions .
Short of barricading the streets , councils say they are not sure how they could enforce heavy restrictions such as travel bans in any single place .
Have other countries tried local lockdowns ?
In Germany , local authorities have the power to vary the level of restrictions in individual states , and a number of small lockdowns have been imposed recently .
On 23 June the state of North Rhine-Westphalia reimposed lockdown measures in two districts , after a spike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plant .
Bars , museums , cinemas and gyms were closed , stricter social distancing was reintroduced , and local residents were asked `` not to travel to other districts '' .
However , there has been resistance to this approach .
In Gottingen , police had to enforce quarantine on a tower block where 120 residents had tested positive .
Meanwhile in China , following a recent outbreak in Beijing , a local lockdown has been enforced in parts of the city .
People in medium or high-risk areas can not leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been cut , and schools , swimming pools and gyms closed .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • WHAT WE DO N'T KNOW How to understand the death toll • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
What has been said about the rest of the UK ?
Public Health Wales said that a local lockdown was under consideration after the recent outbreak in Anglesey .
However , First Minister Mark Drakeford said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lightly .
The Scottish government - for which public health teams work for the NHS , rather than councils - says it is developing a `` responsive system of community surveillance '' at a national , regional and local level to identify outbreaks quickly .
In Northern Ireland , the government says that any potential clusters or outbreaks will be handled using `` appropriate infection control '' in line with its normal guidelines for handling an outbreak of a disease .
Additional Reporting by : Ben Butcher and the Local Democracy Reporter Service

Find out how the pandemic has affected your area and how it compares with the national average by following this link to an in depth guide to the numbers involved.


bbcuk--2020-06-29--Ready but waiting: 'It will make people proud to live here again'

When I first moved back to the area I grew up in , I went around and asked people what the biggest issues in the community were right now .
One thing that came up a lot was kids hanging around and causing trouble .
This is something I 've heard since I was a teen .
I 'd be out on the streets with my mates because we 'd nowhere else to go .
And that 's pretty much what happens now .
`` There 's not really anything to do after school , '' 14-year-old Jennifer Adesanya tells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups of young people doing things that do n't look good for the local area .
`` But it 's not because they want to get involved in bad stuff .
There 's just nothing for them to do . ''
Gorton in Manchester is in the top 10 % most deprived neighbourhoods in England .
Action group End Child Poverty estimates more than half of the children here are living in poverty .
So many families simply ca n't afford to pay for a 12-week course for their kid to go and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do gymnastics .
To be honest it feels like not much has changed in the area in the past 20 years .
So when I was chatting to one of the stall owners on Gorton indoor market , I was pretty surprised to hear a new £6 million youth centre was opening this year .
`` There 's a feeling of excitement , a feeling of about time , '' its boss Adam Farricker tells me .
`` Something like this has been needed for a long time . ''
Adam grew up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stigma attached to the area - but it has great community strengths too .
`` It 's a tight-knit community and people look after each other , '' he says .
`` Young people have the same aspirations and the same potential as their peers across the rest of Manchester and across the country .
But they do n't have the same opportunities . ''
When I walked into Hide Out Youth Zone , the first thing I noticed was a colourful climbing wall which has a timer so you can race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is a boxing ring , a gym , a dance studio , a music and podcast recording studio , a training kitchen where you can learn to cook , chill out rooms with Xboxes plus rooms to host employment and career workshops .
I decided I wanted to be a journalist at the age of 15 after writing for my school 's newspaper .
So I know giving young people the chance to try out different activities could shape their entire lives .
Cherry Wilson is a proud northerner who recently moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where she grew up .
She studied journalism in Sheffield and was the first in her family to go to university .
Her passion is telling the stories of the people and communities behind the headlines , exploring issues that matter to them .
She has a great love for cups of tea , jerk chicken , chips and gravy and Coronation Street .
• Should I remove or reply to my racist Facebook friend ?
• Colourism : Do light-skinned black women have it easier in showbiz ?
Some of the walls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people from Manchester such as suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst and Oasis singer Liam Gallagher .
I 'm told one girl did want a lyric from Manchester rapper Aitch on the wall but it was just a bit too rude .
This made me laugh .
Every room is decorated with the symbol of Manchester - the bee - something us Mancs are very proud of .
`` The youth centre will help give young people the opportunities they need to grow in life , '' 16-year-old Alex Kennedy tells me .
She was part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that helped shape how Hide Out looks .
`` It 's something that will be really beneficial to help reduce knife crime , help reduce hate crime , keep people off the streets and doing things like drugs and drinking alcohol , '' she says .
Hide Out will be open seven days a week for young people aged eight to 19 - or 25 for those with additional needs - and costs £5 for a year 's membership and then 50p a visit .
Where was this when I was a kid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an impact a place like this could have on young people here .
But they will have to wait a bit longer .
The centre aims to have 1,000 visits a week - but so far it 's had none .
It was due to open in June but has had to abandon its plan because of lockdown and social distancing rules .
Hide Out is part of the charity OnSide Youth Zone network - which has 14 centres across the country from Wigan to Croydon - and they 're all still closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sessions , but it 's just not the same as face-to-face contact .
Having been on so many Zoom calls over the last few weeks , I can definitely relate to that .
So young people across the UK have no school and nowhere to hang out with friends .
As always , it 's those who at most at risk that are hardest hit .
I 've seen reports from the National Youth Agency and England 's children 's commissioner about the impact of coronavirus on young people and it 's grim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me : `` There are over one million young people with known needs that have been amplified by the pandemic and an estimated two million young people with emerging needs triggered or caused by COVID-19 . ''
There 's so many young people right now being exposed to gangs or stuck in abusive or overcrowded homes - with no place to escape .
But it 's not just the most vulnerable that are being affected by the pandemic .
`` I definitely feel in limbo , '' says Alex , who had her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There 's been extra responsibilities at home , helping my sisters with their school work and stuff .
`` This summer was supposed to be the best summer after finishing high school and I 'm probably not going to be able to go out . ''
I have a 10-year-old brother so I know how hard lockdown is on young people .
He misses having me around to play Monopoly Deal and Overcooked on the Nintendo Switch .
He answered one of those quizzes you see parents asking their kids and posting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hug first after lockdown , and he said me .
Hide Out boss Adam says his biggest worry for young people going through lockdown is the lack of socialising .
`` You 'll get some people who are dying to get out the house and they feel like they 're in prison , '' he says .
`` But the other risk is the young people who are not saying that 's an issue .
`` They 're quite happy to be locked down in the house and are just engaging digitally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' It 's obvious to me that places like Hide Out are going to have a big role to play in supporting young people when we come through this .
`` Everyone is going to want to go and try it out , '' says Jennifer .
`` It 's going to be a place for everyone to feel comfortable and to be themselves . ''
They aim to have between 2,000-3,000 members signed up by the end of the first year .
`` It 's going to make people proud for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proud to live in Gorton again , '' Alex adds .
Despite lockdown rules being relaxed on 4 July , so far there 's no official guidance from the government on when youth centres will be allowed to reopen .
But Adam is hopeful the young people here will bounce back from the crisis .
`` We 're Manchester are n't we ?
There 's not a better city in the country that was built to deal with crisis and come back from that better .
`` We know that these services are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 're here , we 're ready and we 're eager and passionate to get going and support these young people and allow them to support each other . ''

She studied journalism in Sheffield and was the first in her family to go to university. Her passion is telling the stories of the people and communities behind the headlines, exploring issues that matter to them. She has a great love for cups of tea, jerk chicken, chips and gravy and Coronation Street.


bbcuk--2020-06-28--'Talking to my white friend about race - for the first time'

Worldwide protests against police violence and racial injustice have led some black people to have conversations about racism with white friends for the first time .
Patrick George , 26 , a London chef is one of them .
It was late afternoon and Patrick was just about to walk out the door of his east London home when the call came .
It was Jim .
He wanted to talk about the march .
`` Bro , I 'm speechless , '' Jim said down the line .
`` I do n't ...
I do n't exactly understand what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four days since a viral video showing the death of George Floyd had triggered protests in the US , and outside the US embassy in London .
On TV and on social media , it looked as though the world had crashed out of the isolation of global coronavirus lockdown and was now suddenly out on the street .
George Floyd 's killing , for thousands of black people and others who rejected racism , was bigger than lockdown , and a desire to grieve together outweighed advice on social distancing .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some in the UK could n't understand why anger over American policing was reaching the streets here .
Patrick and Jim had known each other for years from playing football together , they were good friends .
They had never discussed racism .
`` Please explain it to me , '' Jim asked .
Patrick was six when his family moved to the UK from Jamaica .
They settled in Hackney , east London , where Patrick 's mother got a job as a hairdresser .
He and his brother and sister joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The family spoke Jamaican Patois , a language with several variations , many of which sound similar to English .
To an untrained ear it can sound like broken English .
While he understood everything that was being said to him , Patrick 's white teachers failed to decipher his accent .
In order to make himself clearer , Patrick raised his voice , speaking deliberately slow and loud .
He was immediately called out for being sarcastic and aggressive .
`` This attitude will not be tolerated , '' they told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be a bit smarter , they know exactly what they ca n't say to be obviously racist , but they 'll do it more subtly , '' Patrick says .
`` They 'll come for you in other ways . ''
He understood early on that some white adults felt threatened by him .
He was frequently stopped and searched by the police while walking around his estate , or to and from school .
It was something that he accepted .
But there was no problem with kids of his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learned that Patrick did n't know the rules of football , they taught him .
They also spent time running and sprinting with him , the same athletics he had enjoyed in Jamaica .
Those boyhood friends he keeps to this day .
`` In my group of friends , the boys are white , Indian , Chinese , Vietnamese and black , '' he says .
They grew up round the corner from each other , in neighbouring schools .
The boys dipped in out of each other 's homes and played @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes .
They got to know each other 's families , taking younger siblings under their wings .
`` We were tight from the beginning . ''
In group chats , playing football and nights out , they talked about most things .
But never racism .
Then at 17 , Patrick and his family moved further east , to Essex .
The community was less diverse , less integrated .
On their first day in the new city , a car drove past Patrick as he walked down a street , slowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out a large metal pole-like object that narrowly missed Patrick .
The driver yelled , `` Go back to where you come from you black [ expletive ] , '' and then the two sped off into the night , the sound of a revving engine , screeching tyres and noisy exhaust packaged up with their laughter .
You may also be interested in : Some of the students at the school where Jasmine Cochrane works in China found it hard to believe a black teacher .
The events of the last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Patrick 's first experience of unhidden bigotry .
From then on it would be something he encountered regularly .
`` When I became a young man , racism would chip in and out of my life , '' he says .
If it was n't overt abuse , it was criticising his tone or questioning his manner , accusing him of aggression - treatment he was prepared for from his childhood .
He experienced it in his first job , working in a kitchen at a high-end restaurant .
One of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and when Patrick slipped into Patois with him the chef immediately pulled him aside .
`` This is England , '' he barked .
`` Speak English . ''
His white friends in the kitchen could n't understand why Patrick was bothered by this - it was n't their identity that was being stifled .
Patrick decided not to explain it , it would be an exhausting conversation .
Work was work , and Patrick could live with what was expected of black men in the workplace .
But football was different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was a teenager , in local clubs .
In football , his passion for athleticism and the friendships from his childhood met .
Many of the boys would meet him at training .
But with football came prejudice .
`` Your blackness was seen immediately in football , certain managers would make automatic presumptions : 'You 're black , you must be quick .
I 'll put you as centre-back or right-back . '
`` Based on your skin colour , some positions would be automatically eliminated for you .
`` You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position , such as central attacking midfielder . ''
Then in the changing rooms , your body would be fetishised .
`` The same tired stereotypes about black men and their anatomy . ''
If he spoke up he 'd be accused of having `` a bad attitude '' .
`` And after a while , when these things add up , they chip away at you .
The daily reminders that you 're different , that you 're threatening , that you 're rude .
`` In England when you bring any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediate denial , there 's a defensiveness , there 's a 'Hey , it 's not bad like America , ' '' he says .
`` That 's what you face when you speak about it - that if it does n't end with a man being killed on camera , racism can not exist . ''
Jim had been quiet the whole time Patrick had been speaking .
When he spoke , his voice shook .
`` Why did n't you tell me all this before ? ''
`` I never felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Patrick replied .
`` Because it happened in front of you and you did n't see it . ''
`` I want to see it , '' Jim said .
The next week , he marched with Patrick for Black Lives Matter .
You may also be interested in : The difficulties faced by the children of migrant families brought up in the UK have been described as a potential `` second Windrush-style scandal '' .
It 's often not until they are finishing school that they realise they are not British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights as the children they 've grown up with .
Raised in the UK - barred from university

The difficulties faced by the children of migrant families brought up in the UK have been described as a potential "second Windrush-style scandal". It's often not until they are finishing school that they realise they are not British citizens and do not have the same rights as the children they've grown up with.


bbcuk--2020-06-28--Who needs Wimbledon? Strawberry sales soar

When Covid-19 forced summer events like Wimbledon to be cancelled , along with all weddings , strawberry growers worried about @ @ @ @ @ a surge in demand for eating strawberries at home means sales have leapt by one-fifth @ @ @

When Covid-19 forced summer events like Wimbledon to be cancelled, along with all weddings, strawberry growers worried about their sales. However, a surge in demand for eating strawberries at home means sales have leapt by one-fifth this year.
Video by Jeremy Howell, Nick Woolley and Sarah Corker


bbcuk--2020-06-29--Newspaper headlines: Coronavirus 'knife edge' as Sedwill stands down

Most of Monday 's papers lead on the departure of the UK 's top civil servant , Sir Mark Sedwill .
The Daily Express says the prime minister has taken an axe to the civil service by forcing Sir Mark from his job .
It 's one of a number of papers to picture Boris Johnson on his first day at No 10 , shaking hands with the cabinet secretary while his top aide , Dominic Cummings , looks on .
The Times believes Mr Johnson is trying to `` bend the government machine to his will '' .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the civil service to be a Brexiteer , according to the Daily Telegraph .
The paper says the frontrunner is Simon Case , the Duke of Cambridge 's former private secretary , who led the government 's review of social distancing restrictions .
The Sun says Mr Cummings sees the civil service as a `` cosy club guilty of group-think '' .
The Guardian believes Sir Mark was likely viewed as a `` Remainer at heart '' , who never recovered from warning that a no-deal Brexit would be a `` dire outcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sir Mark 's complain to the paper that he 's been made `` the fall guy '' in press briefings for mistakes made in the government 's handling of the coronavirus crisis .
Sir Bob Kerslake - a former head of the civil service - tells the paper an urgent independent inquiry should be held into the matter .
The Financial Times says there 's unhappiness in the military and security services about Sir Mark 's replacement in the role of national security adviser .
A senior Tory tells the paper officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Frost - currently the government 's chief EU trade negotiator - because they 're concerned he 's `` under-qualified '' .
The Daily Mail describes a `` bitter power struggle '' between the Sir Mark and Mr Cummings - who it says regarded Sir Mark as a roadblock to civil service reform .
And the paper says Mr Frost 's September start date has effectively set a hard deadline of August for trade negotiations with the EU to be finished .
The government reportedly hopes the deadline will heap pressure on EU leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a morning briefing direct to your inbox The Times says Mr Johnson will try to reset the political agenda with the announcement of a £1bn building programme for schools in England .
It 's part of a `` decade of investment '' to be promised in a speech tomorrow , according to the paper , with further spending due on hospitals , prisons and transport .
The Times ' editorial says it 's an opportunity for the government to show it can `` relaunch '' the nation after `` the shock of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it describes as a `` much-needed burst of positivity '' .
But it says there are serious questions about where the money will come from for what it describes as a `` Corbyn-esque splurge '' .
The Labour mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham - writing in the Daily Mirror - says northern England is `` about to find out '' whether Mr Johnson will put his money where his mouth is .
The Independent says it 's uncovered concern among health experts about the government 's decision to create large private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website has seen a letter to health chiefs by three senior NHS clinicians .
They warn that the 72-hour turnaround time at the so-called `` Lighthouse Labs '' is `` too slow to run an effective track and trace operation '' .
A government spokesperson insists to the Independent the testing programme has `` undoubtedly curbed the spread of the virus and saved lives '' .
Doctors warn the Daily Mail that patients might have to wait up to a year for hip and knee replacements because of coronavirus infection controls .
Hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their usual capacity , with a huge backlog of operations .
A leading orthopaedist tells the Mail there 's concern that some of those on the waiting list are being prescribed powerful opiate painkillers by GPs .
The Daily Telegraph says the government 's plan to reopen schools in September is under threat from head teachers who are `` refusing '' to fine parents who do n't send their children to lessons .
They 're reportedly planning to use a legal loophole that allows for absences under exceptional circumstances .
The Association of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Telegraph that many will feel sympathetic to parents who are scared for their children 's safety - and that bringing in fines in September would be `` unwise '' .
With the front-page headline `` We Are Not Amused '' the Sun says hikers and tourists are using the Queen 's Balmoral estate as an outdoor toilet .
Royal staff are said to be infuriated , and have published guidance for walkers on the estate 's Twitter account .
The paper says public toilets on the 50,000 acre plot have been closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment from Buckingham Palace .
And bells at thousands of churches and chapels across England are to ring out again after being silenced during lockdown , reports the Daily Telegraph .
Under guidelines agreed by the Church of England , the paper says , socially-distanced chimes can take place for a 15-minute period .
The Central Council of Bell Ringers tells the paper a full peal is therefore unlikely .
Under the guidelines , masks for bell-ringers will apparently be a `` personal choice '' .
The council thinks it will be `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the ropes are `` too slippery '' .

The Daily Telegraph says the government's plan to reopen schools in September is under threat from head teachers who are "refusing" to fine parents who don't send their children to lessons. They're reportedly planning to use a legal loophole that allows for absences under exceptional circumstances. The Association of School and College Leaders union explains to the Telegraph that many will feel sympathetic to parents who are scared for their children's safety - and that bringing in fines in September would be "unwise".


bbcuk--2020-06-29--Coronavirus: Face masks to be compulsory on NI public transport

A proposal to make face coverings mandatory on public transport in Northern Ireland is expected to be signed off later by Stormont ministers .
Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon had initially suggested the move take effect from Friday , 3 July .
But the measure comes into force in the Republic of Ireland today and has been in place in England and Scotland for weeks .
It is understood the executive could now change its proposed date .
This would ensure the same rules are in place for cross-border train and bus travel .
At present , the executive strongly recommends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public transport , or if visiting people indoors , where it can be more difficult to maintain social distancing .
It is believed ministers wanted more detail about how the wearing of face coverings would be enforced , before approving the proposal .
Ms Mallon has had discussions with unions and the police about the model of enforcement , which is likely to be similar to measures introduced in Scotland with spot checks by police and fines for those breaking the rules .
• How to make your own face mask • Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is understood ministers will also debate whether limits on numbers of people attending weddings and funerals can be increased .
Currently , the executive says no more than 10 people should attend .
It comes as Northern Ireland becomes the first part of the UK to move from 2m ( 6ft ) social distancing rules to 1m on Monday , with some conditions .
The move was agreed by the executive last week , ahead of the hospitality sector preparing to reopen fully on Friday .
A number of other changes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , including : • Places of worship can reopen on a wider basis across NI for indoor services - with social distancing and cleaning of hard contact surfaces • Elite athletes can train indoors and contact sport training can resume • Childminders can care for the children of four families at one time Last Thursday , the executive announced a series of additional indicative dates for the easing of the lockdown , with hairdressers able to reopen from 6 July .
Fr Michael Canny from the Derry diocese said people 's behaviour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church .
`` The biggest difference of all will be behaviours , like chatting to each other and we wo n't be able to shake hands and go face-to-face to hug them , '' he told the BBC .
`` I do n't think today is going to be the problem , it is when things progress and we go back to old habits . ''
Meanwhile charity BirthWise is calling on Health Minister Robin Swann to update maternity guidelines .
It carried out a small survey last week which it said found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrangements .
Due to coronavirus , partners are unable to attend maternity scan appointments and partner visits are limited .
The Department of Health said that current restrictions on appointments and visiting are being reviewed and guidance would be published soon .

She said it was "very important" that people continue "to observe social distancing and make sure that we keep people safe" but that it was also important "that people are able to come together and to witness".


bbcuk--2020-06-29--Cardiff trees planted to aid social-distancing vandalised

Trees placed on a Cardiff road to aid social distancing for pedestrians have been snapped in two by vandals .
Wellfield Road in Roath has had traffic measures put in place to widen pavement areas , including placing trees in planter pots in former parking spaces .
One person claimed they had seen two men snap the trees before midnight on Sunday .
Cardiff council 's leader called it a `` depressing start to the week '' .
Huw Thomas said in a tweet that although the trees were only temporary , `` we planned [ to ] re-plant these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Cardiff .
So sad . ''
`` And this comes on top of the tons of litter left at Roald Dahl Plass [ in Cardiff Bay ] on Friday .
What is wrong with some people ?
, '' he added .
The road had been closed between 06:00 and 16:00 BST on Sunday , to allow the work to go ahead .
Police were called to the scene late on Sunday but the suspects drove off as they arrived .
A nearby shop gave CCTV footage to officers .
The council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its targets for increasing pavement space in order to help pedestrians safely navigate the pavements , particularly with shops reopening last Monday .
The trees were an additional measure after claims people started removing cones from the parking spaces in order to park on the road .
• How our towns can meet social distancing rules • The street where shop owners just want to reopen Oliver Copleston , who described himself as a resident of Wellfield Road on Twitter , said he had seen two men arrive around 23:40 BST on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted : `` I know some people are n't happy with these changes but this is not ok. '' Four trees were damaged in total .
Each tree costs £1,500 not including the cost of labour to install it .
A Cardiff council spokesman said : `` It 's really disappointing to see these new trees , which were brought in to enhance the district , damaged in this way .
`` The affected trees were removed by council officers this morning and four new trees will now be re-ordered .
We will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing enquiries . ''

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bbcuk--2020-07-01--Hong Kong: UK makes citizenship offer to residents

Up to three million Hong Kong residents are to be offered the chance to settle in the UK and ultimately apply for citizenship , Boris Johnson has said .
The PM said Hong Kong 's freedoms were being violated by a new security law and those affected would be offered a `` route '' out of the former UK colony .
About 350,000 UK passport holders , and 2.6 million others eligible , will be able to come to the UK for five years .
And after a further year , they will be able to apply for citizenship .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kong were granted special status in the 1980s but currently have restricted rights and are only entitled to visa-free access to the UK for six months .
Under the government 's plans , all British Overseas Nationals and their dependents will be given right to remain in the UK , including the right to work and study , for five years .
At this point , they will be able to apply for settled status , and after a further year , seek citizenship .
The PM said Tuesday 's passing of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities was a `` clear and serious breach '' of the 1985 Sino-British joint declaration - a legally binding agreement which set out how certain freedoms would be protected for the 50 years after China assumed sovereignty in 1997 .
`` It violates Hong Kong 's high degree of autonomy and threatens the freedoms and rights protected by the joint declaration , '' he said .
`` We made clear that if China continued down this path we would introduce a new route for those with British National ( Overseas ) status to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave to remain with the ability to live and work in the UK and thereafter to apply for citizenship .
And that is precisely what we will do now . ''
The UK government has been raising concerns about the national security law and very publicly trying to pressure Beijing into a change heart .
That has clearly failed - so ministers are now fulfilling their promise to allow some three million British Overseas Nationals to come to the UK .
This is a significant move and the government wants to send a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more pressure now to rethink other elements of our relationship with China - not least the deal to allow Huawei to build parts of the UK 's 5G structures .
Many Tory MPs have been lobbying against that for some time - and this will only add to their concern .
Updating MPs on the details , Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said there would be no limit on numbers or quotas and the application process would be simple .
`` This is a special , bespoke , set of arrangements developed for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our historic commitment to the people of Hong Kong , '' he said .
Hong Kong 's new national security law , which targets secession , subversion and terrorism with punishments up to life in prison , came into effect on Tuesday .
Several people have already been arrested under the new powers , including a man carrying a pro-independence flag as police used pepper spray to disperse some protesters gathered to mark 23 years since British rule ended .
Critics say it effectively puts an end to the `` one country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Joint Declaration .
China has rejected criticism of its actions , saying they are internal matters .
The UK government has come under growing pressure to take a firm line with Beijing from MPs , who are worried about China 's increasingly assertive role regionally and the security implications of Chinese firm Huawei 's involvement in the UK 's 5G network .
Mr Raab said he wanted a positive relationship with China but Beijing had `` broken its promise '' to the people of Hong Kong through its `` flagrant assault '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful assembly .
Labour said it welcomed the government 's action but said there must be no discrimination on those allowed into the UK on the basis of income or other factors .
Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said the UK also had a responsibility to consider the welfare of those who were not able to re-locate or who wished to stay in Hong Kong .
She urged the government to work with its international partners , through the UN , to force an inquiry into police brutality in Hong Kong and also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commercial relationship with China .
`` For too long in relation to China we 've had no strategy at home and no strategy abroad .
I hope he can give us a commitment today that this marks the start of a very different era , '' she said .

"We made clear that if China continued down this path we would introduce a new route for those with British National (Overseas) status to enter the UK, granting them limited leave to remain with the ability to live and work in the UK and thereafter to apply for citizenship. And that is precisely what we will do now."


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Coronavirus: Local testing data to be shared with councils

Local authorities are to be given access to postcode-level data about the number of people testing positive for coronavirus in their areas after it was agreed with the Department of Health .
It comes after Leicester became the first city to have a local lockdown imposed following a rise in cases .
Labour leader Keir Starmer said there had been a `` lost week '' due to city officials not having full testing data .
The prime minister said the figures had been shared with all local authorities .
But , at Prime Minister 's Questions in the Commons , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only received full figures on Thursday .
Until now local authorities have not routinely had full access to the data on people who are tested for the virus in the community .
But the agreement , signed individually with councils over the past week , now gives them access to a digital dashboard which shows test results down to a postcode level .
Dr Jeanelle De Gruchy , president of the Association of Directors of Public Health , welcomed the news and said `` timely , high quality and consistent data '' would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Prof Azeem Majeed , from Imperial College London , said the country had been slow in areas of its Covid-19 , response and said the data-sharing agreement `` should have been in place some time ago '' .
On Monday , it was revealed Leicester 's seven-day infection rate was 135 cases per 100,000 people - three times that of the next highest city .
The local authorities in England with the next highest rate in the week to 21 June was Bradford with 69 cases per 100,000 people , followed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases per 100,000 respectively .
The city 's mayor , Sir Peter Soulsby , also criticised the government and PHE for being slow to share testing data - saying city officials had been trying to get figures `` for weeks '' .
The British Medical Association , which represents doctors in the UK , said providing local leaders with up-to-date information was `` vital '' in containing outbreaks , particularly as a contact-tracing app was not yet in place .
• Why has Leicester had a coronavirus spike ?
• Why has action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How will local lockdown rules be enforced ?
Officials are also keeping a close eye on Bedford , Blackburn with Darwen , Kirklees , Oldham , Rotherham and Tameside which seen 30 to 44.9 cases per 100,000 people .
Imperial College London 's Prof Neil Ferguson , who used to advise the government before he resigned for breaking lockdown rules , told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme it was `` inevitable '' there would be further local outbreaks adding that high rates of the virus in Bradford and Doncaster were `` clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr Chaand Nagpaul said Prime Minister Boris Johnson 's `` whack-a-mole strategy '' to tackle local outbreaks would be no use if the people leading the response were `` not given the most accurate up-to-date data '' .
Labour MP Yvette Cooper tweeted it was `` incomprehensible '' that health authorities in Wakefield , West Yorkshire , had also been trying to get hold of local data on swab test results of the wider population but had not been able to .
• SOCIAL DISTANCING : What are the rules now ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bars and restaurants reopen ?
• TESTING : Who can get a test and how ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
Sir Keir also criticised the speed of the government response in Leicester , saying it took 11 days from the announcement that cases were rising for the lockdown to be tightened .
Mr Johnson said the government had started taking action on 8 June , but `` unfortunately it did not prove possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , referring to another localised outbreak at a meat plant in West Yorkshire .
Across the rest of England , the lockdown is set to ease further on Saturday with the reopening of bars , restaurants and hair salons , but the BMA said it wanted the government to set metric `` trigger points '' for when action will be taken to reintroduce local and national restrictions .
The BMA said this metric should consider not only the regional reproductive number or R rate - the number of people that one infected person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus on to - but also the proportion of the population currently infected .
A government spokesperson said it had been working closely with local partners , providing the resources and tools needed to take swift action to deal with any new local spikes in infection .
It remains one of the most baffling aspects of the current approach .
Local authorities have not routinely been given information about their residents who test positive .
Even though they are intrinsically involved in the system as the local arm of the contact tracing service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the national system deems appropriate .
They have been asked to chase up the so-called complex cases - where people test positive in care homes , prisons or schools - so they get that information quickly .
But they have not been given real-time information about individual residents who test positive .
Local directors of public health say it has hampered their ability to look for patterns and clusters developing .
In theory , the national system should do this , but why not have a second pair of eyes ?
Especially one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
This is beginning to change - data sharing agreements have just been signed with local authorities and Public Health England has now set up a system that should do this in a comprehensive and speedy manner from now on .
But the fact it has not already and the experience of those on the ground in Leicester - where cases were going up for a number of weeks - suggests local outbreaks developing in the community may not yet have been spotted as quickly as they should .
Under the local lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shops in Leicester have been forced to shut and schools have closed , except for vulnerable pupils and children of `` critical workers '' .
People are also being advised not to travel in or out of the city .
The measures will last until at least 18 July and apply to the city centre and a number of suburbs .
New laws are not planned `` at this stage '' to stop people entering or leaving Leicester , Downing Street said , as local police weigh options for enforcing the lockdown .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people would have to be `` pretty daft '' to leave the lockdown area for a pint of beer when pubs reopened elsewhere .
`` This is a serious public health risk .
Do you want to bring that illness into contact with your mates or your family ? ''
he asked .
`` Certainly I would n't want to do that .
We do work really closely with all the neighbouring forces - we 've been communicating with them so they can understand . ''
He added : `` I 'd really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health experts in the country are saying stay at home and that seems pretty shrewd advice to me . ''
Meanwhile , the UK death toll rose by 176 , to 43,906 , according to the latest figures from the Department for Health and Social Care .
• THE FUTURE OF THE THEATRE INDUSTRY : Dame Judi Dench on the impact of coronavirus • TALKING HEADS : Imelda Staunton and Sarah Lancashire take on the much-loved monologues How have you been affected by the issues in this story ?
Please share your experiences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
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But the fact it has not already and the experience of those on the ground in Leicester - where cases were going up for a number of weeks - suggests local outbreaks developing in the community may not yet have been spotted as quickly as they should.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Murder arrest after Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry found dead in park

An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering two sisters in a park in London .
The bodies of Nicole Smallman , 27 , and Bibaa Henry , 46 , were found at Fryent Gardens in Wembley on 7 June , two days after a birthday party in the park .
Their family has been told in person about the arrest , the Met said .
The arrested man from south-London was taken into custody where he remains .
The sisters had met friends in the park at about 19:00 BST on 5 June to celebrate Ms Henry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an area of Fryent Gardens which was about a five-minute walk from the Valley Drive entrance .
Ms Smallman and Ms Henry are thought to have ended up alone by about 12:30 on 6 June .
Police said they were in `` good spirits '' and `` taking selfie pictures , listening to music and dancing with fairy lights '' until at least 01:13 .
Calls to them from family at 02:30 went unanswered , police said .
Extensive forensic work has finished at the park but smaller searches in outer areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,000 exhibits including property belonging to Ms Smallman and Ms Henry have been recovered and hours of CCTV collected , the Met said .
Det Ch Insp Simon Harding , said : `` Given the significance of this development , we visited the family in person today to inform them of the arrest .
`` Our thoughts remain with them at this very difficult time . ''
The arrest comes after two Met Police officers were suspended after `` inappropriate photos '' were taken of the crime scene .
The unnamed officers were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conduct ( IOPC ) on 22 June and have since been bailed .
Talking to the BBC last week , the girls ' mother Mina Smallman said the pictures `` dehumanised '' her children .
The IOPC said the pictures were allegedly `` shared with a small number of others '' , adding the Met was `` handling matters involving those members of the public who may have received those images '' .
The police watchdog is also separately investigating how the Met handled calls from worried family and friends of the sisters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ London news follow on Facebook , on Twitter , on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel .

The IOPC said the pictures were allegedly "shared with a small number of others", adding the Met was "handling matters involving those members of the public who may have received those images".


bbcuk--2020-07-01--UK firms slash 11,000 jobs in two days in retail and aviation

At least 11,000 people in the UK are set to lose their jobs after a raft of firms announced cuts in the past 48 hours .
The cuts are mainly being made by High Street retailers and in aviation - two of the sectors hardest hit by the coronavirus lockdown .
John Lewis has said it will close stores but has not confirmed how many jobs will go .
Topshop owner Arcadia and Harrods said they planned a total of 1,180 job cuts .
In the last 48 hours , UK job cuts that have been announced include : • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owner SSP Group • Up to 700 jobs from Harrods • John Lewis will close stores but has not confirmed how many jobs will go Bensons for Beds , Wrights Pies , tableware-maker Steelite international and Norwich Theatre Royal have also announced plans to reduce staff .
John Lewis 's plans were first shared with staff at the company , which is owned by its employees .
The number of stores and jobs which will go has yet to be decided .
Cuts could also include the smaller of its two head office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that we have too much store space for the way people want to shop now and we have shared this with our Partners , '' the company said in a statement .
`` As difficult as it is , it is highly unlikely we will reopen all our John Lewis stores .
However , no decision has been made and any details would be shared with Partners first by the middle of July . ''
The company is unlikely to pay its workers a bonus next year , it added .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March that it could close shops , as a plunge in profits forced it to cut staff bonuses to their lowest level in almost 70 years .
Separately , Upper Crust owner SSP Group says up to 5,000 jobs could go across its UK outlets and head office , as it struggles with the reduction in passenger travel .
It 's hard to keep up with the scale of job cuts and restructurings in retail and hospitality right now .
Businesses are being forced to cut costs dramatically to survive , so that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sign that these businesses are not expecting any quick economic rebound .
Instead , they 're planning for tough times to continue .
There are likely to be thousands more to come in the weeks and months ahead .
Even though non-essential shops have been open for more than two weeks now , with hospitality set to follow on Saturday , the scale of the latest job losses underlines the challenges these sectors are facing .
Aerospace giant Airbus says it plans to cut 15,000 jobs as it deals with the effects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut 1,700 jobs in the UK , along with thousands more in Germany , Spain and elsewhere .
EasyJet said on Tuesday it had begun consultations on plans to close bases at Stansted , Southend and Newcastle .
The Unite union said nearly 1,300 UK crew members faced losing their jobs , while pilots ' union Balpa said it had been told by EasyJet that 727 of its UK-based pilots were also at risk of redundancy .
About 600 workers will lose their jobs after shirtmaker TM Lewin announced on Tuesday it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
John Lewis , which also owns Waitrose , launched a review of the business , which it said would involve `` rightsizing '' its stores across both brands .
The luxury retailer Harrods has announced it is cutting up to 680 jobs because of the impact of the coronavirus .
In an email to staff , managing director Michael Ward said Harrods was slashing up to 14 % of its workforce of 4,800 people .
He wrote : `` With a heavy heart , today I need to confirm that due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we as a business will need to make reductions to our workforce . ''
He said it would take a `` drastic improvement in external conditions '' for Harrods to recover and return to growth .
`` The necessary social distancing requirement to protect employees and customers is having a huge impact on our ability to trade , while the devastation in international travel has meant we have lost key customers coming to our store and frontline operations , '' he added .
Mr Ward said the job cuts would come `` in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most affected by the challenges of lockdown '' .
Arcadia , owned by billionaire Philip Green , said 500 of its 2,500 head office workforce would be cut .
`` Due to the impact of Covid-19 on our business including the closure for over three months of all our stores and head offices , we have today informed staff of the need to restructure our head offices , '' the company said .

Coronavirus: UK firms slash more than 12,000 jobs in two days Published 1 July 2020
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Image source, Getty Images
More than 12,000 people in the UK are set to lose their jobs after a raft of firms announced cuts in the past 48 hours.
The cuts are mainly being made by High Street retailers and in aviation - two of the sectors hardest hit by the coronavirus lockdown.
John Lewis has said it will close stores but has not confirmed how many jobs will go.
Topshop owner Arcadia and Harrods said they planned a total of 1,180 job cuts.
Where are the cuts falling?
Other lay-offs that have been announced include:
WH Smith, Bensons for Beds, Wrights Pies, tableware-maker Steelite International, the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool and Norwich Theatre Royal have also announced plans to reduce staff.
Businesses have been hit hard since the UK went into lockdown on 23 March, and even though restrictions are gradually being eased, consumer demand remains depressed.
The government's furlough scheme will also start to be pared back from August, and firms are cutting jobs to control their costs.
What do employees say?
Image caption, James Phillips could be made redundant
James Phillips, a mechanical engineer, told the BBC he fears he could be made redundant.
He has been on furlough since March but has now been asked to attend a redundancy consultation meeting with his employer.
He said: "I'm three months away from having a baby, and I was about to sign for a mortgage this week on a new property, so it's impacted me massively, really. Everything's been put on hold."
Sue Hudson lost her job as a legal secretary at a solicitors in Bournemouth in April and has not found a job since.
"There are too many people chasing too few jobs," she told BBC Radio 5 Live. "It's very disheartening."
Why so many job losses now?
For most businesses, staffing is the highest cost, and many have been using the government's furlough schemes to keep workers on.
But the programme - which is paying 80% of the wages of more than 9 million workers - will start to be pared back from next month and will end in October.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Upper Crust owner SSP has announced 5,000 job cuts
As firms have to consult for 30-45 days when making redundancies, some will feel that now is the time to act.
"There is already a cost to the employer from just a month's time," said BBC business correspondent Simon Gompertz.
"Larger employers, planning bigger layoffs, will be eyeing that escalating wage bill and maybe thinking the sooner they move the better."
What have firms said?
In an email to staff, Harrods' managing director Michael Ward said the department store was making its cuts with a heavy heart.
"Due to the ongoing impacts of this pandemic, we as a business will need to make reductions to our workforce."
He said it would take a "drastic improvement in external conditions" for Harrods to recover and return to growth.
John Lewis, which was already looking to "right size" its business before the crisis, said it had not decided which shops would close.
"The reality is that we have too much store space for the way people want to shop now," the company said in a statement.
Topshop owner Arcadia, which is slashing a fifth of its head office staff, also blamed the pandemic for its cuts.
"Due to the impact of Covid-19 on our business including the closure for over three months of all our stores and head offices, we have today informed staff of the need to restructure our head offices," it said.
Does the government need to do more?
The reason the government has thrown tens of billions of pounds at trying to hold back the waves of unemployment is they realise that it does long-lasting damage to demand in the economy.
There is no doubt that the furlough scheme helped delay the impact, but this barrage of job cut announcements suggests the government is now struggling to turn the tide.
Boris Johnson described the virus as "still circling like a shark in our waters". It was an odd metaphor to use, considering the PM has previously praised the Mayor in Jaws for keeping the beaches open.
One thing seems certain: to combat the huge economic shock whose repercussions are being felt in airlines, factories and now high streets, the government will need a bigger boat than the £5bn of previously announced spending accelerated yesterday.
The pressure is now on Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Harrods said the "devastation in international travel" had meant it had lost "key customers"
Why is retail being hit so hard?
Retailers were already struggling before the coronavirus due to changes in shopping habits as consumers buy more online, as well as rising wages and business rates.
But the coronavirus crisis has placed huge pressure on an already weakened sector.
The vast majority of shops were told to shut in March when the UK went into lockdown, prompting a sharp fall in sales.
And while demand rebounded 12% in May, retail it remains well below pre-lockdown levels.
What about aviation?
Demand for air travel in April and May was down more than 90%, as airlines were hit hard by global lockdown measures and travel restrictions. And normal levels of demand are not expected to return for up to three years.
While planes aren't flying, airlines aren't making money, but they still have funds flying out of the door.
And firms that rely on airlines flying, such as commercial aerospace businesses, have decreased production.
Along with cuts at Airbus, Ryanair and EasyJet, British Airways has announced plans to slash 12,000 jobs - almost a quarter of its workforce.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--UK house prices 'in first annual fall for eight years'

UK house prices were 0.1 % lower in June than the same month a year ago - the first annual fall since December 2012 , according to the Nationwide .
The building society also said property values had dropped by 1.4 % compared with May as the coronavirus lockdown hit the housing market .
Sales plummeted and viewings halted when the sector was effectively frozen .
The Nationwide said the magnitude of the shock to the economy made a house price fall unsurprising .
It said the outlook for the housing market was `` highly uncertain '' in the coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the rest of the economy , has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic .
The lockdown meant activity slowed sharply , with sales at half the levels of a year earlier .
Viewings , sales and moves have now resumed in much of the UK , but buyers and sellers face fresh unease about job and income prospects , prompting some to rethink plans over property .
The Nationwide , which bases its figures on its own mortgage lending , said that house prices , on an annual basis , dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a 0.1 % fall in June as the effects of the shutdown were felt .
The typical home was now worth £216,403 , it said .
This will be welcomed by first-time buyers hoping for a consistent fall in house prices , although restrictions by lenders mean mortgages have become more difficult to secure .
`` With lockdown measures due to be eased in the weeks ahead , housing market activity is likely to edge higher in the near term , albeit remaining below pre-pandemic levels .
Nevertheless , the medium-term outlook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Robert Gardner , Nationwide 's chief economist .
He said that government measures to support the economy and jobs would dilute the potential impact of the pandemic on the housing market .
Prices in April , May and June were lower than the previous three months in Wales ( down 2.2 % ) and Northern Ireland ( down 0.5 % ) compared with rises in Scotland ( up 2.5 % ) and England ( up 0.4 % ) , the Nationwide said .
These figures can be relatively volatile owing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some areas .
Commentators said the rest of the year could be a test for the housing market .
`` The property market was never going to get through such a profound economic shock without taking a material hit , '' said Andrew Montlake , managing director at mortgage broker Coreco .
`` The second half of 2020 is going to be the real test for the property market , as government support for workers is slowly removed and we see a rise in unemployment .
The government and Treasury are going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek to keep people in jobs , which will clearly be pivotal to the future direction of house prices . ''

"The second half of 2020 is going to be the real test for the property market, as government support for workers is slowly removed and we see a rise in unemployment. The government and Treasury are going to be tested like never before as they seek to keep people in jobs, which will clearly be pivotal to the future direction of house prices."