bbcuk--2020-01-28--Beeching rail cuts: Fund to restore lines goes ahead amid criticism

A government fund is to be launched later to help restore historic railway lines closed more than 50 years ago under the so-called Beeching cuts .
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps will visit Fleetwood to announce £21.9m for two railway lines and a New Stations Fund .
The £500m fund was promised in the Tory election manifesto in November .
But Labour called the plan `` meaningless '' , adding that £500m would reopen just 25 miles of railway .
And the Rail , Maritime and Transport union ( RMT ) described the funds as a `` drop in the ocean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on new £8m railway station Work is not being started on restoring the historic railway lines .
Instead the government is giving funding to develop proposals for two lines - £1.5m to the Ashington-Blyth-Tyne line in Northumberland , and £100,000 to the Fleetwood line in Lancashire .
Communities will also be able to apply for some of the remainder of the £500m pot to restore their lines .
What were the Beeching cuts ?
Roughly 5,000 miles of track were closed and more than 2,300 stations were axed in the 1960s , mainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report .
The aim was to cut the mounting debts of the nationalised British Rail by removing duplicated routes and closing the least-used branch lines of the railway .
This became known as the Beeching cuts .
The plans drew huge opposition from rural local communities , which campaigned and successfully prevented some routes and stations from closing .
What is the government planning to do ?
In Tuesday 's visit to the Fleetwood and Poulton-le-Fylde line , which was closed in 1970 , Mr Shapps is expected to say work is beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beeching cuts '' by investing in transport links to help local economies flourish , and ensure that regions `` are better connected '' .
Mr Shapps told BBC Breakfast the Fleetwood and Ashington lines were `` just the start '' and added : `` We want to see this whole country linked up with railways , or light railways where appropriate .
`` One station I visited recently has the reach of 57,000 people .
As we start to open up these stations along these Beeching lines and recreate those lines , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
That 's what we intend to do . ''
People in Fleetwood , a town of 25,000 that is hemmed in on the Lancashire coast , told us unanimously that reopening their defunct rail line to nearby Poulton-le-Fylde would be a good thing .
They say their town has lost so much over the years and they hope that restoring the railway would help regenerate the area and cut congestion on the roads .
The government is currently falling over itself to back policies that improve regional connectivity around the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the regional airline Flybe .
But today 's announcement is only a tentative step towards recreating a functioning railway to Fleetwood .
An assessment of the economic and social case will now be carried out .
The funding - £100,000 - is peanuts for now .
If the assessment is positive , more money will follow .
However , even £500m ( the total funding pledged for reopening lines cut during the Beeching era ) is not a big sum of money in railway infrastructure terms .
Michael Byng , a railway construction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Skipton line near Leeds would cost around £368m on its own .
He believes that reopening the rail line to Fleetwood , which does have a tram that runs along the coast to Blackpool , would not be money well spent and other options like improving the connectivity of the tram itself should be considered .
What reaction has there been ?
Commenting on the proposals , shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said : `` The Conservatives claim to have been reversing Beeching cuts since 2017 despite not reopening an inch of track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fantastic policy but this is meaningless without a serious funding commitment of billions of pounds .
`` The timing of this announcement is also suspicious and seems designed to distract from the imminent collapse of the Northern Rail franchise . ''
Mick Cash , general secretary of the RMT was similarly sceptical about the government 's plans .
`` RMT welcomes any investment in our railways but £500m is a drop in the ocean compared to what 's really required to connect our abandoned communities and reverse decades of cuts to infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The first step is to end the chaos , profiteering and fragmentation of privatisation .
Anything else is just window dressing and no one will be fooled . ''
But Brian Crawford , chairman of the Poulton & Wyre Railway Society , said restoration of the disused railway line to Fleetwood from Poulton-le-Fylde could make the coastal town a `` major tourist destination '' .
`` The line from Euston to Fleetwood opened up in 1840 and was the first railway to connect any coastal resort at that time .
`` There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to work and the other one is to make Fleetwood a major tourist destination .
It has a fantastic seafront but without a railway , we do n't seem to get that many visitors , '' he told the BBC 's Today Programme .
Do you have a question about the government 's rail plans ?
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and privacy policy .
Use this form to ask your question :

He also believes that reopening the rail line to Fleetwood, which does have a tram that runs along the coast to Blackpool, would not be money well spent and other options like improving the connectivity of the tram itself should be considered.


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Coronavirus: Britons in China want more support from UK

Britons in parts of China affected by the new coronavirus have criticised the lack of government support for returning home .
UK citizens in Wuhan and surrounding areas said that while other countries prepared evacuations , they had been been given little information .
The US and Japan are sending planes to Wuhan to evacuate their citizens .
Downing Street says the Foreign Office is `` urgently exploring options '' for British nationals to leave the region .
Up to 300 British people are thought to be trapped in the city of Wuhan and Hubei province , where the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have started .
The virus has caused more than 100 deaths and has now spread across China and to at least 16 countries around the world .
• Coronavirus : How worried should we be ?
Kharn Lambert 's grandmother arrived in Wuhan for a short visit , but is now unable to return home .
Mr Lambert told the BBC her medication is running low .
He said : `` Why is it possible that the American government , the French government , the Japanese government , can make these deals with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the city - but the UK government ca n't ? ''
Canadian Lauren Williams is expecting a baby with her British husband , Tom , in a month .
She said she is worried that it is not currently known how the virus might affect a pregnant woman .
Mr Williams said : `` Just advice would be great and very clear direction about what 's happening so we can make plans . ''
A Downing Street spokesman said details of plans for British citizens to leave Hubei province `` are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will confirm them `` as soon as they can '' .
Asked about plans to repatriate Britons , Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the BBC : `` We are working on it . ''
One of the issues facing the UK government was identifying exactly how many British citizens needed to be repatriated , said Mr Shapps .
He said : `` One of the things we 're asking people to do is to contact the consulate there to make them aware . ''
The consulate is gathering all the information on British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help repatriate where appropriate '' , Mr Shapps said .
But Jason Neil and Sophie Hunt , who moved to Wuhan to teach English and have now spent more than five days in their apartment , said they contacted the embassy and received little response .
`` We have contacted the embassy , we 've emailed them and tried to ring them , and we got a really useless automated email response back from the embassy , saying not to go to Hubei , '' said Ms Hunt .
`` We 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' On Monday , the Foreign Office said it was `` working to make an option available for British nationals to leave Hubei province due to the heavy travel restrictions and increased difficulty of accessing consular or medical assistance '' .
`` The safety and security of British nationals is our number one priority , '' a spokesman said .
Kathleen Bell , who has lived in Wuhan for two years , said the city is now a `` surreal '' place to be .
`` Everything is in lockdown , the bridges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's not really a lot of movement , '' she told BBC Radio 5 Live .
She said some people had ventured out to walk the streets after several days of confinement .
`` Yesterday evening , people were calling from their windows singing to each other in the tall buildings , '' she said .
Leaving the city is not easy , with the Chinese government requiring a two-week quarantine period for any evacuees , Ms Bell said .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Monday that anyone from the UK who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two weeks was being asked to `` self-isolate , to stay indoors and to avoid contact with other people '' .
He said that although coronaviruses are not usually spread by people who are not displaying symptoms , officials can not be `` 100 % certain '' that this is the case with the new virus .
More than 1,400 people have returned to the UK from Wuhan since 10 January and are being asked to isolate themselves for 14 days from the date they left China .
Only 10 % of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplied an email address to their airline and have been contacted with advice on what to do if they feel ill. Mr Hancock said Public Health England officials are trying to trace the others .
Learn more about the new virus • Your questions : You asked , we answered • The story explained : How worried should we be ?
• Wuhan profiled : The city now in lockdown • In detail : Follow all our coverage here

It said testing for coronavirus involved taking samples from the patient's nose, throat and deeper respiratory tract and sending them to a laboratory which could provide a result within 24 hours.it later said it was not in a position to comment on individual cases and would not provide rolling updates on tests.


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Watchdog queries impact of £46m 'Get Ready for Brexit' campaign

A multi-million pound publicity blitz to prepare the public for leaving the EU appears to have had little impact , a spending watchdog has said .
The National Audit Office said £46m was spent on the `` Get ready for Brexit '' campaign ahead of the UK 's expected departure at the end of last October .
But the campaign was halted three days before the UK was supposed to leave after the EU granted another extension .
The NAO said it was `` not clear '' it left people `` significantly better prepared '' .
But the Cabinet Office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preparations , said to have not done anything in the run-up to the 31 October deadline would have risked `` significant and unnecessary disruption '' .
The department estimated the campaign reached had 99.8 % of the population , with every member of the public having the opportunity to see the range of billboard , print , TV and online adverts 55 times .
• Varadkar : EU will have stronger team in trade talks • 'Get ready for Brexit ' campaign launches The publicity drive was ordered by Boris Johnson after he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his `` do or die '' promise to leave by 31 October .
It ran for nearly two months before being halted on 28 October - after the PM was forced by Parliament to request a further three-month delay .
The campaign encouraged people and businesses to visit the government 's main gov.uk website to answer questions and receive advice on preparing for the UK 's exit from the bloc .
Among those specifically targeted were British citizens who were intending to travel to Europe in the days and weeks after Brexit and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The watchdog said the numbers of people looking for information about Brexit did not notably change as a result - ranging from 32 % and 37 % during the campaign , to 34 % when it stopped .
`` At short notice , the Cabinet Office successfully corralled multiple government departments to work together effectively and launched this complex campaign at great speed , '' said the NAO 's chief executive , Gareth Davies .
`` However , it is not clear that the campaign resulted in the public being significantly better prepared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the watchdog had acknowledged the campaign increased public awareness of the action they needed to take to be ready to leave the EU .
`` Not undertaking the campaign would have risked significant and unnecessary disruption to businesses and to people 's lives , '' the Cabinet Office said .
The UK will leave the EU at 23:00 GMT on Friday 31 January .
It will continue to follow EU rules until the end of 2020 under the terms of an 11-month transition period .

But the Cabinet Office, which is in charge of Brexit preparations, said to have not done anything in the run-up to the 31 October deadline would have risked "significant and unnecessary disruption".


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Insurer Aviva apologises to mistaken Michaels

Several thousand Aviva customers have received an apology after the insurer mistakenly called them all Michael .
The company , which has millions of customers , blamed a `` temporary technical error '' for the incorrect emails .
It stressed that the wrong name in the email greeting was the only mistake and no personal details had been compromised .
Michael has recently slipped in popularity among baby names .
• Do we judge people by what they are called ?
One accidental Michael , a life insurance customer whose real name is Andrew , said he was worried that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The irony is I had n't noticed the original 'Michael ' email , it was this follow up that caught my eye , '' he said .
`` Getting a first name wrong is one thing , but what if it was my data - my address or policy information - being sent to someone else instead ? ''
Aviva said customers , of any name , should not be concerned as there were no wider privacy issues .
`` We sent out some emails to existing customers , which , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ error in our mailing template , mistakenly referred to customers as 'Michael ' , '' a spokeswoman for the company said .
`` We 've apologised to these customers and reassured them that the only error in the email was the use of the incorrect name as a greeting .
There was no issue with personal data ; the remainder of the email and its content was correct . ''
Michael was one of the 10 most popular boys ' baby names in England and Wales , from the 1930s to the 1980s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since , falling well behind the likes of Oliver , George , and Harry .
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) show 869 babies born in England and Wales in 2018 were named Michael .
That left the forename 74th in the rankings of boys ' names , down six on the previous year , but falling 22 places compared with 2008 .
It remains a popular second forename in Scotland , ranked 10th for boys in 2019 , but was ranked 72nd as a first name @

"We've apologised to these customers and reassured them that the only error in the email was the use of the incorrect name as a greeting. There was no issue with personal data; the remainder of the email and its content was correct."


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Concerns over new 'menopause delay' procedure

Experts have raised concern over a new medical procedure that claims to allow women to delay the onset of the menopause by over a decade .
Its long-term safety and success remains untested - but some women have already paid at least £6,000 for the procedure .
Prof Simon Fishel , the leading IVF expert behind ProFam , the Birmingham-based company that has created the procedure , says it increases their chances of having a baby in later life and can combat health issues associated with the menopause - such as heart conditions and bone weakening .
The procedure involves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the ovaries - which is then formed into tiny strips and frozen .
They can then be thawed , and grafted back into the body .
According to the private doctors providing the procedure , if the patient wants the section of the ovary put back inside her to help her have a child , it can be reinserted near her fallopian tube later in life .
If her wish is to slow down the menopause , it can be placed in a site where there is good blood supply - usually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the initial procedure to remove part of the ovary is carried out , Prof Fishel says , the greater the benefits - as there will be more eggs and the ovary will be more `` hormone-packed '' .
But so far , only nine women have had the procedure .
Prof Fishel accepts the procedure is `` experimental '' as a whole but says its component parts are not .
A similar procedure has been used successfully by doctors to help women at risk of losing their ovarian function as a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` enough information '' to say the procedure is safe .
But Dr Melanie Davies , who chairs Fertility Preservation UK , warns against `` healthy women going through surgery that would not otherwise be needed ... in the hope of preserving future fertility and hormone replacement '' .
`` We know that fertility can be restored in a proportion of women that have had cancer , '' she says .
`` But no healthy women have gone through this yet and there is no evidence that graft will last more than 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of limited help for hormone replacement . ''
Existing hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ) is `` well researched and widely available for women who choose to take it '' , Dr Davies says .
And for women who want to increase their chances of having a baby later in life egg freezing is a `` far better established procedure '' than Prof Fishel 's `` unproven technique '' .
Dr Davies , sits on the British Menopause Society 's Medical Advisory Committee , which says the potential impact of removing ovarian tissue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , requires `` further assessment and evaluation '' - and Prof Fishel 's has a number of `` limitations '' .
Not all women want treatment to relieve symptoms of the menopause but options are available .
The main treatment is hormone replacement therapy , which can relieve many associated symptoms , especially hot flushes and night sweats - although it is not advisable for some .
Further steps can also be taken : • eating a balanced diet , low in fat and high in calcium , to strengthen bones and protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce anxiety and stress and guard against heart disease • not drinking too much , to reduce hot flushes Source : NHS and Dr Heather Currie , former chair of the British Menopause Society Despite the concerns , Prof Simon Fishel 's own daughter , Savannah , 22 , is keen to pursue the procedure .
She is `` definitely not wanting to pop out babies anytime soon '' , Savannah tells the BBC 's Today and Victoria Derbyshire programmes .
`` One thing I 'm definitely not focused on now is having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I love my job and there 's so many other things I want to do before then .
`` I do n't want in the back of my mind that if I do want kids , I 've got to get it done now , get a ring on my finger . ''
Follow the BBC 's Victoria Derbyshire programme on Facebook and Twitter - and see more of our stories here .

According to the private doctors providing the procedure, if the patient wants the section of the ovary put back inside her to help her have a child, it can be reinserted near her fallopian tube later in life.


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Ilford stabbings: Man, 29, charged with GBH

A man has been charged following the deaths of three men who were stabbed in an east London street fight .
Sandeep Singh , 29 , from Romford , has been charged with conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm ( GBH ) and causing GBH with intent , the Met Police said .
Narinder Singh Lubhaya , 29 , Harinder Kumar , 30 , and 37-year-old Malkit Singh Dhillon , who was also known as Baljinder Singh , died following a fight in Seven Kings , Ilford , on 19 January .
All three were Indian nationals .
The Met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another altercation the previous evening at the nearby Krystel Banqueting venue , with the clash spilling out on to the High Road .
It is thought those involved were from Sikh and Hindu communities and known to each other .
Scotland Yard previously said the three deaths were not thought to be gang-related .
Gurjeet Singh , 29 , of South Park Crescent , Ilford , was charged on 21 January with possessing an offensive weapon in a public place .
He appeared at Redbridge Magistrates ' Court on Wednesday and remains under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A second man arrested over the deaths has since been eliminated from the investigation .
Sandeep Singh , of Montpelier Gardens , Chadwell Heath , will appear at Redbridge Magistrates ' Court later .

The Met Police believes five men were involved in another altercation the previous evening at the nearby Krystel Banqueting venue, with the clash spilling out on to the High Road.


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Tesco cat Pumpkin defies Norwich supermarket 'ban'

A cat `` banned '' from entering his favourite supermarket is up to his old tricks and has been seen lounging on the self-service checkouts .
Ginger tom Pumpkin became an `` unexpected item in the bagging area '' of a Tesco branch near Norwich when he was spotted on the scanner on Sunday .
Almost 2,000 people follow the adventures of the mischievous moggy , who usually abides by the ban and stays outside the front door .
Tesco said it would encourage him out .
The six-year-old cat had been a regular in the Thorpe Marriott branch for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took action last November , saying `` although we love the little ginger cat who visits ... a food store is n't the best place for a cat to be , so our colleagues gently encourage him to go out when he tries to come in '' .
A spokesman said it was not really possible for a store to ban a cat and admitted Pumpkin would probably continue his visits .
Although he is not really welcome inside , Pumpkin is seen most days loitering outside the sliding doors of the shop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives .
Many of his Facebook fans make the trip specifically in the hope of bumping into him .
However , on Sunday night Pumpkin the puss was back in his favourite place , relaxing on the self-serve scanner .
A shopper who spotted him posted a photograph which now has dozens of comments , including many people celebrating the disobedient cat as a `` rebel '' .
You may also like : Pumpkin 's owner Jo Harding often pops to the shop after work and finds her wayward moggy outside .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your tea '' and he will trot after her .
However , his favourite place to hang out is still the shop and she does not think he will change his behaviour .
Reacting to the latest photograph of him , she said : `` Pumpkin is taking no notice of his ban . ''

The six-year-old cat had been a regular in the Thorpe Marriott branch for well over a year before the shop took action last November, saying "although we love the little ginger cat who visits... a food store isn't the best place for a cat to be, so our colleagues gently encourage him to go out when he tries to come in".


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Suspension of NI MoTs 'could last months'

It could take weeks , or possibly months , to replace defective lifts at MoT centres in Northern Ireland , the Driver and Vehicle Agency has said .
Most MoT tests for cars and light vehicles in Northern Ireland have been suspended with immediate effect .
An inspection of vehicle lifts in NI 's MoT centres previously detected `` signs of cracking '' in 48 of 55 lifts .
Paul Duffy , chief executive of the agency , said each of the 55 lifts could cost £30,000 to £40,000 to replace .
He said an insurance inspector who examined some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was not satisfied with the work done .
As a result the agency was not comfortable that the rest of the lifts were safe to use , he said .
He apologised to all those affected but he said safety was his priority .
Tests on heavy goods vehicles and buses will continue .
MoT exemption certificates lasting four months will be issued so motorists are able to drive .
However , these can not be issued for four-year-old cars or taxis .
This is because four-year-old cars have never been through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not have a certificate to extend , while taxis are covered by different legislation .
Mr Duffy said the heavy goods vehicle lanes at test centres would be used for taxis and four-year-old cars , and the DVA would begin processing them on Tuesday .
He also said extending the opening hours of centres would be considered .
Mr Duffy said it was too early to say whether the lifts could be repaired or would have to be replaced , but there was a possibility they may need to be replaced .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` it 's likely to be weeks - I 'm not ruling out months , at least weeks '' .
`` I think the most important thing is that our staff and customers are coming into a safe environment , '' he said .
Thousands of MoTs had already been cancelled after the cracks in lifts were detected .
The suspension was announced on Monday night .
On Tuesday morning , officials from the Department for Infrastructure briefed the NI Assembly 's Committee for Infrastructure on the situation .
`` What we 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your appointment , '' the department 's Julie Thompson said .
`` We will contact directly customers with taxis or four-year-old cars to bring them in .
`` So it 's a much clearer message , I think , for the public because it is less fluid now in terms of where we are at . ''
Ms Thompson said exemptions issued to customers would be updated on the DVA system which would in turn be picked up by DVLA systems in Swansea responsible for car taxing .
`` They will automatically pick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that used to say January is now saying April or May or whatever the date may be , '' she said '' So that 's happening automatically in the background . ''
She said that the status of each of the 55 vehicle lifts was being assessed .
`` We will then be looking at is the answer to this about replacing parts , about replacing whole lifts and how do we deal with that and that 's being done as a matter of urgency , '' she said .
Malcolm Tarling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said insurance companies would be pragmatic .
`` I think the key thing here is to talk to your insurer , let them know these quite unusual circumstances and get hold of one of those exemption certificates as well , '' he said .
`` Insurers are going to keep a very close eye on the situation and they are going to be guided by the advice the authorities in Northern Ireland are giving out . ''
Unlike in the rest of the UK , MoT tests in Northern Ireland must be carried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first signs of cracking on the vehicle lifts were discovered during an inspection of the Larne MoT centre in November 2019 .

"The second review will be carried out by an external expert which we are currently in the process of appointing and will provide me with independent advice on the steps that need to be taken to return our MOT centres urgently to a position where a full testing service can be provided."


bbcuk--2020-01-28--IBS trial to test amitriptyline as potential common treatment

A medical trial is being held to see if a drug developed as an anti-depressant could become a common treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome ( IBS ) .
Amitriptyline has sometimes been prescribed to people with IBS when other treatments have been ineffective .
But experts said they needed to know more about why the drug helps before it can become more widely used .
A group of 500 volunteers is now being recruited from GP surgeries around Bristol , Leeds and Southampton .
According to charity the IBS Network , the condition affects about 12 million people in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients can experience abdominal pain , bloating and constipation , among other symptoms .
Experts at the University of Bristol are leading the medical trial , which is called Atlantis .
The 500 test patients will be given either amitriptyline or a placebo tablet for six months and their symptoms and mood checked regularly .
Dr Matthew Ridd , a GP and a senior researcher at the University of Bristol , is co-ordinating the research .
He said : `` I have prescribed it [ amitriptyline ] occasionally in my practice but there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a treatment .
There just is n't the research to be sure .
`` Our exact understanding of the biological mechanism of how it works is imperfect .
`` We need this research to know if it can be another tool in our toolbox as a first line of treatment . ''
Dr Rudd said the Atlantis trial , which also involves the University of Leeds and the University of Southampton , would be the biggest of its type .
The volunteers will be recruited through a network of 75 GP surgeries in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to be signed off by their doctor before taking part .
Jeff Finnie began suffering from IBS after losing weight when he took up running .
The 51-year-old from Swindon said his problems started when he dropped from 14 to 11 stone ( 89kg to 70kg ) .
He said : `` It was around that time that I started getting really bad eczema on my elbows and scalp and also bad stomach cramps and bloating on a regular basis .
`` The cramps felt as if someone had a knife sticking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blade , it was really bad . ''
Mr Finnie said his doctor was baffled and eventually he was sent for a colonoscopy .
To his relief , any form of cancer was ruled out and he was told he had IBS .
But , he said , he was told he needed to learn to live with the condition .
He eventually managed to ease the symptoms by changing his diet , cutting out dairy products in particular .
Mr Finnie now runs marathons and uses his sponsorship money to raise awareness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speak up more about the condition we face day in day out , '' he said .
`` It 's never going to go away and you are going to have to deal with it yourself and get to grips with your body and work out your triggers and relief . ''

"It's never going to go away and you are going to have to deal with it yourself and get to grips with your body and work out your triggers and relief."


Obituary: Nicholas Parsons

Nicholas Parsons ' early acting experience as a comedy straight man made him ideal as the unflappable presenter of one of BBC Radio 4 's longest-running programmes , Just A Minute .
For more than 50 years , he asked his guests to speak without hesitation , repetition or deviation on topics as diverse as burglars , Birmingham and biscuits in bed .
Each week , Parsons tried , sometimes unsuccessfully , to keep a bevy of celebrity panellists in check including Clement Freud , Derek Nimmo , Paul Merton , Sheila Hancock and the show 's undoubted scene-stealer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invariably immaculate in blazer and flannels , Parsons ' smooth tones on Just a Minute and , more particularly , his sugary image on Sale of the Century , made him a dapper reminder of a bygone age and a ripe target for other comedians .
Christopher Nicholas Parsons was born on 10 October 1923 in Grantham , Lincolnshire , the son of a GP .
His father 's patients included the Thatcher family , although there is no definitive proof , as has been suggested , that Dr Parsons delivered the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his autobiography as `` the unconventional child of conventional parents '' .
His early schooling was hampered by dyslexia and the insistence of his teachers that he should write with his right hand , despite being born left-handed .
He was also hampered by a stammer which he finally managed to overcome .
He had early ambitions to be an actor but his parents opposed the idea , his mother believing show business was fit only for `` drunks and low-lifes '' .
Instead , a few strings were pulled through family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Clydeside to train as an engineer .
Thrown into a tough working environment , he was forced to resort to jokes and impersonations to win over the Glasgow shipbuilders who regarded him as a posh boy .
The experience helped launch his show business career .
Illness prevented him taking up an offer to join the merchant navy during the war but , by this time , he had begun taking small parts in local theatres around Glasgow where he also did impressions .
Moving to London , he worked in repertory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage , and at the Windmill Theatre as a comic .
He appeared in various radio shows including Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh .
His big breakthrough came when he began working as a straight man for Arthur Haynes , whose ITV show had made him the most popular comedian in Britain .
Parsons excelled as the authority figure in sketches during which Haynes , often in his normal role as a tramp , railed against the establishment .
Many of the scripts were written by Johnny Speight , the creator of Till Death Us Do Part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began to perceive him as a threat and the pair parted company shortly after an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show .
In 1960 , he voiced the character of Tex Tucker in the television puppet series , Four Feather Falls , produced by Gerry Anderson who would later go on to make Thunderbirds .
Just A Minute first aired on 22 January 1967 .
Parsons had originally wanted to be a panellist but the BBC insisted his experience as a comedy straight man made him ideal for the position of chairman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he once said , `` you know how to throw out the lines so the comic will have a good springboard to come back .
You also know how to take a joke at your expense . ''
It remained one of the hallmarks of the show as Parsons , with varying degrees of success , dealt with panellists such as Kenneth Williams , whose treatment of his chairman ranged from toadying sycophancy to outright abuse .
Later stars like Paul Merton and Stephen Fry kept the regular audience of two million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missed a recording in the first five decades that he fronted the show , remained the butt of a series of gentle jokes .
Sale of the Century made him one of Britain 's most familiar faces .
Announcer John Benson 's `` And now from Norwich , it 's the Quiz of the Week '' was the introduction to a show that originally ran for 12 years from 1971 .
With its glamorous `` shop assistants '' and the fixed grin of its host , the programme became one of the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with up to 20 million people tuning in .
Parsons robustly rejected suggestions that his appearance on the programme amounted to dumbing down .
`` I 'm proud of the fact I helped create a huge success , '' he said .
`` You do n't buck success . ''
However , he later admitted the programme had made his career take something of a dip because people assumed he was now just a quiz master .
Parsons continued his straight man role when he joined the Benny Hill Show in 1969 where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later put himself at the mercy of Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson in The Comic Strip Presents , in which he appeared as himself .
This willingness to share the joke , appearing on television programmes like Have I Got News for You , playing a vampire 's victim in a 1989 episode of Doctor Who and narrating the Rocky Horror Show all helped him accrue a definite cult status , and a surprisingly youthful fan base .
He was also successful away from the microphone .
He set up his own production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wrote two volumes of autobiography and made it into the Guinness Book of Records in 1978 for the longest ever after-dinner speech , more than 11 hours .
He was also a regular at the Edinburgh Fringe where his Nicholas Parsons ' Happy Hour featured his own stand-up routine and a series of guests , many of them budding performers encouraged by Parsons .
However , his annual star turn at the Fringe was cancelled in 2019 after Parsons was admitted to hospital .
He was due to perform four sold-out shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just A Minute with what the BBC said was a `` bad back '' .
It was only the second time he had missed a taping in the panel show 's 52-year history .
Parsons was fanatical about cricket , both as a player and supporter , and was a president of the Lord 's Taverners .
He also served as rector of the University of St Andrews and was a prominent supporter of the Liberal Democrats .
He married the actress Denise Bryer in 1954 .
The couple divorced in 1989 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was once asked what drove him to continue working at an age when most people would have been happy to potter about in the garden .
He said he did it because it was fun .
`` You ca n't take yourself seriously .
I learned that being a straight man .
That 's what I do on Just a Minute - laugh at myself and they make jokes at my expense .
But that 's what life 's about , is n't it ?
Having fun . ''

He was also successful away from the microphone. He set up his own production company that made short films for cinema, wrote two volumes of autobiography and made it into the Guinness Book of Records in 1978 for the longest ever after-dinner speech, more than 11 hours.


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Huawei: Is it a security threat and what is its role in UK 5G?

Huawei is one of the world 's biggest mobile phone makers .
It 's also at the centre of a row over cyber-security and the next-generation 5G phone networks being built .
The UK is set to make a difficult decision about whether to allow the Chinese tech giant to be part of its 5G network .
Huawei was founded in 1987 in Shenzhen , southern China , by Ren Zhengfei , a former army officer .
It started making communications equipment for mobile phone networks and is now a global leader , employing 180,000 workers .
Huawei is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with 18 % of the market - ahead of Apple and others .
Which countries are concerned about Huawei ?
At the heart of the debate is a simple question : can the West trust Huawei or will using its equipment leave communication networks , and our own mobile phones , vulnerable ?
The US says Huawei could be used by China for spying , via its 5G equipment .
It points to Mr Ren 's military background and Huawei 's role in comms networks to argue it represents a security risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's army , the People 's Liberation Army , for nine years until 1983 .
He is also a member of China 's Communist party .
But Huawei says this is not relevant : `` When Ren Zhengfei was a young man , you needed to be a CPC member to have any position of responsibility . ''
Washington has banned US firms for doing business with Huawei , and wants its allies to ban it from their 5G networks .
Australia and New Zealand have joined the US .
Germany has put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until the next EU summit in March .
If the UK uses Huawei equipment this may hit vital UK-US trade talks .
The US has warned it could risk future security co-operation .
But if the UK bans Huawei from 5G , it could face Chinese retaliation .
5G : What are the issues ?
Many countries are preparing to move from 4G to more advanced 5G mobile networks .
Download speeds 10 times faster than today will radically change how we work , communicate and stream videos .
In principle , controlling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ networks could give Huawei the capacity to spy or disrupt communications during any future dispute .
This is important , as more things - from self-driving cars to fridges , baby monitors and fire alarms become connected to the internet .
The concern is that state-sponsored hackers could use these devices , which often have weaker security features , as back doors into strategically vital networks .
For instance , this could make it possible to shut down a rivals ' power stations .
What role could Huawei have in the UK ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be used for the `` periphery '' of the UK 's 5G network - but not its more strategically sensitive core .
The core is essentially the phone network 's heart and brain .
It is where voice and other data is routed to ensure it gets to its where it needs .
This involves making sure users can only access the services they have paid for , sending a call to the right radio tower , delivering SMS messages , or keeping track of usage to calculate bills .
The core @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( RAN ) or the periphery - made up of the base stations and antennas used to link our mobile devices to the core .
Some say this is what Huawei should be involved in .
But others worry this boundary between the core and periphery will disappear in future , as more operations are carried out closer to users .
They say it will no longer be possible to keep Huawei out of a network 's most sensitive areas .
Is Huawei spying on us ?
The US argues China 's 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must `` support , co-operate with and collaborate in national intelligence work '' , means Beijing could force Huawei to do its bidding .
Huawei says it 's never been asked to spy and `` would categorically refuse to comply '' .
It adds : `` We would never compromise or harm any country , organization , or individual , especially when it comes to cyber security and user privacy protection . ''
Is my phone spying on me ?
Your phone , whoever makes it , is tracking you in various ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to agree .
And you 're in charge of what it learns .
For instance , depending on what permissions you 've granted your apps , it may track how often you visit certain websites or whether you use it to buy stuff .
If you use a Huawei phone , it 's very unlikely the firm 's handing your data to the Chinese government , though it is possible .
In the same way , technically , data from a Google Pixel phone could be handed over to the US government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huawei 's licence for Android - the operating system for most of the world 's phones , aside from Apple 's iPhone .
If your Huawei phone was issued before the ban it will receive Android updates , but newer models wo n't .
However Huawei is trying to work around this .
Are there alternatives to Huawei for 5G ?
US buyers will almost certainly favour kit from US companies , such as Cisco , Juniper Networks , or Qualcomm .
In Europe , 5G manufacturers include Sweden 's Ericsson and Finland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going Huawei-free is a challenge as the country 's been using its equipment since 2005 .
Even if the UK were to ditch Huawei , it can not just rip up existing 4G infrastructure .
It would cost a fortune and risk delaying 5G for years .
To monitor the company , the UK has set up the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre , which comes under the National Cyber Security Centre It says it has never found evidence of malicious Chinese state activity , but that it has identified some serious defects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ competence .
The UK says risks will need to be managed , and it will have several 5G suppliers to avoid depending on one firm .
How do you pronounce Huawei ?
As Huawei is from Guangdong province where Cantonese is the main dialect , the firm says its name should be pronounced `` wah-way '' .
However , some Mandarin speakers argue that the name is pronounced `` hwah-way '' .
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us @ @ @ @ @ @

If you use a Huawei phone, it's very unlikely the firm's handing your data to the Chinese government, though it is possible. In the same way, technically, data from a Google Pixel phone could be handed over to the US government.


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Northern Rail: Your tales of 'atrocious' service

Northern Rail passengers have faced chaos since May 2018 when new timetables were introduced .
This week a decision is expected from the government on whether the firm will lose its franchise over `` unacceptable delays '' .
BBC Radio 5 Live has been speaking to people in Buckshaw Village , near Chorley in Lancashire .
It 's a place that did n't exist 20 years ago , but which relies on Northern Rail .
Buckshaw was built on land which was formerly one of Britain 's largest munitions sites , Chorley 's Royal Ordnance Factory .
More than 4,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its residents commute into Preston and Manchester during the day .
The village was designed to be sustainable , and cycle lanes and public transport were integrated into the building plans .
A new train station , Buckshaw Parkway , opened in 2011 .
Ian Smith , 47 , is a civil servant who lives in Buckshaw Village .
He takes the early train every morning to Manchester Victoria .
Ian says he loves Buckshaw and its `` fantastic facilities '' , but says the train service into Manchester is `` lacking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trains , '' he says , `` and for the money that you pay for a ticket to go to Manchester , I think the actual service is atrocious . ''
For Ian , the main issue is the late running of trains , which delays him arriving at work .
He says the information on platforms and apps is incorrect .
`` It puts you in a negative mood before you start your day , '' he says .
Stacey Worthington lives in nearby Chorley , but commutes out of Buckshaw Village @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She takes the early train to avoid the rush hour and allow herself to get back in time to pick her children up from school .
`` The past two years have not been great , '' she says , `` I get a half six train and you just turn up and it 's cancelled .
Next one 's 10 past seven so immediately then I 'm 40 minutes late for work . ''
`` It 's been better recently with newer trains and more carriages . ''
Stacey has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the time at work is tricky : `` If the train 's late or it 's cancelled , I 'm knackered .
So I 've got to then start trying to get after-school care , which instantly costs me £20 . ''
`` I 'm paying £1,900 a year for a season ticket from Buckshaw to Manchester .
You might get a seat , you might not .
You might get a train , you might not . ''
Alexandra Evans , 38 , lives in Buckshaw and is the regional manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travels a lot with work and her husband works locally - primarily for childcare reasons as Alexandra never knows if her train will get her back in time .
She estimates about 90 % of journeys she takes are delayed .
`` You have the anxiety of getting to the train station , finding a car parking space , finding a seat… and then walking into the station .
`` I 'll be honest the first thing I do in the morning is walk to the board to see if my train is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't understand the impact on somebody 's work day and the stress that 's caused before you even start work . ''
Paula Murray , 34 , is the manager of the village nursery .
She lives nearby but has to be on hand to stay late if any parents are delayed getting home .
The nursery opens early to allow people to get to work but it 's pick-up that 's a problem , because people often do n't have family living nearby .
She said : `` Last night when someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long as we needed to really ... it can have a massive effect .
`` We 've had [ staff ] in the years before who 've missed driving lessons , meals with family . ''
Paula is a mum herself and nearly missed a parents ' evening because another parent was late picking up their child : `` It can have a massive , massive knock-on effect . ''
For Sam Holt , 44 , there 's a `` feeling of dread '' about his commute from Buckshaw Village .
He runs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes in to Manchester three times a week .
`` It 's a nightmare , '' he says , `` You ca n't rely on the information . ''
Sam says when a train arrives on time `` there 's almost a collective clapping on the platform because it 's like , hey , it got here ! ''
He says he now sometimes allows an hour extra to get home , `` that 's a decent chunk of your day if you add that up across a working year .
That 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unreliability has a knock-on effect for business owners .
John Quinton-Barber , 49 , owns a PR agency in Manchester city centre with about 30 staff .
He 's put everyone on flexitime , allowing his workers to start from home or clock on later in the day , because he could n't rely on people arriving on time due to the late running trains .
He says the policy 's been a huge success .
`` I do n't want my colleagues being worried that their train is delayed and they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I see every day a message from one of my colleagues ' I 'm going to be 10/15 minutes late , because Northern have n't arrived or because there 's issues with the trains . '
`` As an employer , we are taking the heat because of our dysfunctional railway . ''
He feels frustrated having `` to pick up the pieces of a broken Network Rail network in the north '' .
The BBC approached Northern Rail for comment , but has yet to receive a response .

"I don't want my colleagues being worried that their train is delayed and they have to get in a certain time. I see every day a message from one of my colleagues 'I'm going to be 10/15 minutes late, because Northern haven't arrived or because there's issues with the trains.'


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Work, protest and play on the streets of Hackney

During the 1970s and first half of the 80s photographer Neil Martinson recorded the lives of those who lived and worked in Hackney , east London .
At that time , children still played in the street and on old bomb sites yet to be developed .
Indeed , some of the pictures were taken when Martinson himself was still at school , using a Zenith-E camera , which he describes as `` everything a boy could want from a camera '' .
`` It had lots of knobs and dials and they all had a satisfying clunk when operated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a place to leave , with its crumbling council estates and high unemployment .
`` Yet there was vitality and resilience among local people .
`` Few people owned their own homes .
`` There were no gated communities and no gastropubs .
`` Students , radicals and artists started to move into Hackney .
`` It was an exciting time to be a photographer and activist . ''
`` It was common to see children playing on the streets in the 1970s , '' says Martinson .
`` The lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave children a freedom that seems quite remote now .
My own memory was of going out to play all day long and my parents having no idea of where I was or what I was doing . ''
Hackney Archive : Work and Life 1971-85 , by Neil Martinson , is published by Hoxton Mini Press .

Image caption,
"It was common to see children playing on the streets in the 1970s," says Martinson. "The lack of traffic, and very different attitudes, gave children a freedom that seems quite remote now. My own memory was of going out to play all day long and my parents having no idea of where I was or what I was doing."


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Are your houseplants bad for the environment?

Cultivating an indoor plant is thought to have positive effects on mental health and wellbeing , and a snap of a succulent is a sure way to get some Instagram likes .
But just how green are your fingers ?
From cutting down on `` plant miles '' to reusing plastic pots , British gardeners , botanists and environmental campaigners have shared ways to keep your horticultural hobby sustainable .
Houseplants are on the rise , according to the Royal Horticultural Society ( RHS ) , which says average sales in the second half of last year were up 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Watch : Can plants breathe new life in your office ?
• Wellbeing and air purifying : the truth about houseplants The trend has been attributed to eco-friendly , health-conscious millennials who want to bring the great outdoors into their inner-city flats and nurture something `` real '' in an increasingly virtual world .
About four in five 16 to 24-year-olds own at least one houseplant and a fifth of owners bought them to boost their health and wellbeing , a RHS survey suggests .
If they can get some good photos along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hashtag # plantsofinstagram has been used more than 4 million times .
With the craze has sprung up a number of specialist online retailers that deliver straight to your door .
Patch , which says it is London 's biggest online plant retailer , is one example .
It gives its plants nicknames like `` Chaz '' and `` Big Ken '' to endear them to prospective `` plant parents '' .
Chief executive Freddie Blackett says that part of the appeal is that plants make people feel `` calmer , happier and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plants are grown in the Netherlands and shipped to the UK as and when they are ordered , which avoids excess plants being shipped .
But ordering online could wrack up `` plant miles '' , says Fay Kenworthy , co-founder of PlantSwap , a Sheffield-based community initiative that encourages people to trade plants locally .
`` As many plants are brought in from overseas , their transportation represents a significant ecological footprint , '' she says , noting that while most come from Holland , orchids can be shipped from Indonesia and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zimbabwe .
`` You may have decided to reduce your international travel to protect the environment but your plants are still shipping across the world . ''
Shipping from abroad is n't too much of a concern for botanist and BBC presenter James Wong , the proud owner of 500 houseplants .
`` You 're going to be [ ordering plants ] on a much smaller scale compared to outdoors , so , by definition , it 's going to have a lower carbon footprint , '' he says .
He argues that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact than multiple trips to the garden centre in a car , and that many UK buyers live closer to Amsterdam than British-based suppliers .
He adds that growing certain plants in hotter climates and shipping them to the UK can eliminate the need for heated greenhouses closer to home .
However , Wong agrees that exchanging unwanted plants , cuttings , and seedlings at plant swaps is a sustainable option for houseplant buyers .
Another benefit , according to Ms Kenworthy , is that it avoids the excess packaging that comes with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pots can be a `` nightmare '' to recycle , says anti-plastic campaigner Amy Meek , 16 .
Only about 10 % of local authorities in the UK accept them , according to analysts at the Waste & Resources Action Programme ( WRAP ) .
Sometimes they are not collected because they are considered contaminated .
But many are also made from black plastic , which often can not be detected by sorting machines at recycling centres , and so end up in landfill or incinerated .
Many local authorities reject even non-black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the development of more easily-recyclable taupe pots and even biodegradable pots .
The Horticultural Trades Association and RHS Gardens offer plant pot recycling or `` take back '' schemes , and B & Q says it is trialling a recycling scheme .
Miss Meek , who runs environmental charity Kids Against Plastic with her younger sister , Ella , wants buyers to think about plants ' packaging .
She encourages people to ask : `` Will I be able to I use it again , or is there somewhere else I could look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using more sustainable packaging or one that could be used for longer ? ''
But being a sustainable houseplant buyer is not just about keeping tabs on how a plant is delivered - it is also about what it is grown in .
The main problem for botanist Dr Trevor Dines is the use of peat in composts .
The earthy substance , found in waterlogged areas in the UK , is made of decomposed plant matter and can take thousands of years to form .
`` Commercial extraction can remove over 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' says Dr Dines , of British conservation charity Plantlife .
He encourages people to check with retailers about the use of peat , or to stick to plants that do n't need it , like orchids or cacti .
But hang on , do n't houseplants clean the air ?
Because plants take in CO2 and emit oxygen , it would n't be unreasonable to assume that they offset any environmental damage by cleaning the air .
PhD research carried out by Curtis Gubb , an environmental consultant , found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of CO2 in a room - but how much depends on the type of plant , how many there are , how light the room is and how much water is in the soil .
`` The amount the plant is watered affects its ability to function and remove CO2 , in the same way as with people - if you 're dehydrated or have drank too much water you will not function as well , '' he says .
Dracaena `` Golden Coast '' plants and peace lillies performed best in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still need to buy a lot of them - even installing a vertical garden or `` green wall '' - and have extra lighting in order for them to reduce CO2 levels .
So , are houseplants bad for the environment ?
Wong says that everything we do has a carbon footprint and that , in the scheme of things , people should n't `` freak out '' about their environmental impact .
However , he advises that if buyers want to be as sustainable as possible , they should talk to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid buying houseplants that are `` designed to die '' like Poinsettias and sprayed cacti , and propagate plants from cuttings and seeds to offset any environmental concerns .
`` Not that those things are a huge issue , '' he says .
`` But every little bit helps . ''

She encourages people to ask: "Will I be able to I use it again, or is there somewhere else I could look to buy these plants from that are using more sustainable packaging or one that could be used for longer?"


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Brexit: Tears and relief as the UK's MEPs bid farewell

As the clock strikes 23:00 GMT on Friday , 31 January , the 73 MEPs who represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the European Parliament will bid farewell to their roles .
For some of them , there is only delight and relief as the UK approaches Brexit .
For others , there have been tears and goodbye hugs .
`` How I am feeling is how somebody feels when you have a redundancy and a bereavement at the same time , '' says Green MEP Molly Scott Cato , who has represented south-west England since 2014 .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` grim , grim week '' , she says , during a break from packing up her Strasbourg office .
But , in contrast , Brexit could not have come soon enough for Jake Pugh .
`` We are delighted , '' says the Brexit Party MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber .
`` We were hired to be fired . ''
He is one of 29 Brexit Party MEPs who were elected in last May 's European elections - a vote many considered as confirmation of the UK 's desire to leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought hope , however , for pro-EU Liberal Democrat MEPs who also enjoyed a successful campaign , winning 16 seats .
They entered the parliament wearing yellow `` stop Brexit '' t-shirts .
Nine months on there remains a clear divide over Brexit among the MEPs , but the politicians appear united about a feeling of pride at what they have achieved .
• Will MEPs get pensions and other frequent questions '' There has been so much warmth and comradeship , '' says Labour 's Seb Dance of his final week in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sad about the whole thing . ''
The Labour MEP for London had previously campaigned for another vote on the UK 's membership of the EU .
Speaking to the BBC as he dashes between trains in Paris , he says he is proud of the things that `` never got the headlines '' during his six years in the role .
He highlights his involvement in the European Parliament 's special inquiry committee into the Volkswagen emissions scandal .
Ms Scott Cato says she is proud of her work on the issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the use of antibiotics in farms .
The European Parliament is a `` real parliament '' , she says , expressing her frustration with the UK 's first-past-the-post system - which means that parties like hers struggle to get people elected in Westminster .
`` We do n't get the parliamentary representation we should have . ''
Green Party colleague Magid Magid says there is a sense of sadness , but he feels `` truly grateful and humble for this amazing opportunity '' .
Mr Pugh says he `` fully recognises there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are sad to be leaving '' but , he says , the EU `` has some real issues '' .
`` However cynical I was about the EU before I got here , it is way worse than I thought , '' he says .
The Eurozone is a `` disaster '' , he says , and MEPs in Brussels and Strasbourg `` are very remote from their electorate '' .
Brexit is `` really good news for the younger generation '' , he says , adding that he has pursued Brexit for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same freedom he had growing up .
It 's clear that view is shared among his colleagues , a number of whom shared their delight on Twitter at leaving the parliament building in Strasbourg for the final time .
Belinda de Lucy says leaving no more taxpayers ' money will be wasted `` on this ridiculous vanity project '' , while Ben Habib says he will not give the parliament `` a second thought '' after leaving .
`` I 'm actually just relieved that a democratic mandate 's been realised , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I wo n't miss being in this institution ... but of course I have been privileged and enjoyed being here for this historic moment . ''
And John Longworth , the former Brexit Party MEP turned Conservative , says that his time in the European Parliament has `` reinforced '' his view that the `` whole set-up is bizarre , bureaucratic and wasteful '' .
They say that they are proud at having achieved what they set out to do - Brexit .
But even arch-Brexiteer Nigel Farage - who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1999 - called his time in European Parliament `` an amazing journey '' .
He told his LBC radio show he will miss the `` drama '' and being `` shouted at by ( European Parliament Brexit co-ordinator ) Guy Verhofstadt '' and `` mocked by hundreds many times over '' .
The UK 's newly vacated parliament seats will be spread out among the EU 's 27 remaining countries - Spain and France will gain five more seats in a process that takes into account the population of a country .
From @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer have to regularly do the four and a half hour journey from London to Strasbourg , via Paris , or the two-hour trip to Brussels .
But many of the pro-EU MEPs are hoping that they can keep the close ties formed with the bloc .
`` We have built up relationships with colleagues , lots of them were in tears - not just Brits , '' Labour 's Richard Corbett says .
It has been a sad and emotional time , he adds .
But this is also tinged with `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Wednesday will be the final time that the UK 's MEPs sit in Brussels - when the Parliament is expected to rubber-stamp Boris Johnson 's withdrawal deal taking the UK out of the EU .
As a party is held in London 's Parliament Square to celebrate Brexit on Friday , a vigil is expected to be held in Brussels .
Some MEPs will then move on to other jobs - the Brexit Party 's Jake Pugh says he will return to his business .
Others are not sure yet what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain European relationships .
Labour 's Seb Dance says he has a `` few ideas '' but `` nothing 100 % '' , adding `` I 'm just really proud to have been an MEP '' .

Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.


bbcuk--2020-01-28--'I left a house party and got crushed under a car'

Annie Butt started her night at a house party , and ended it crushed underneath a car .
In September 2018 , the college student , then 19 , was flung out of the vehicle in a high-speed crash , before it came to a stop on top of her .
She broke 24 bones .
A fellow partygoer , Hayden Brown , who had been driving , lost control and crashed into two police officers , one of whom lost a leg .
Brown - a road safety technician - fled , leaving all three of them in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that night had also driven after drinking and taking cocaine , wants others to learn from her mistakes .
Here , in her own words , she recalls what happened and reflects on how it has changed her attitude to life .
'It was meant to be a chilled night' It was Saturday night and I was at home in bed .
I had no plans to go out when my friends invited me to a woman 's house party in Maidenhead where I live .
I felt pressured to come out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good time .
My friend Stuart was there and his twin brother , Hayden , arrived later on .
At around 5am , Stuart , Hayden , a guy called Charlie and I popped out to get more booze .
The party host said Hayden could borrow her car and drive us .
But when all four of us got in , Hayden and I decided to swap around the corner as I felt I had been drinking less and was in a better state to drive .
That night Hayden had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inhaling nitrous oxide balloons .
I drove to petrol stations and shops looking for alcohol .
On the way back Hayden got back behind the wheel to drive us .
He seemed OK for the short drive back , and we did n't want the host to know somebody else had been driving her car .
I got in the back with his twin brother , but then he [ Hayden ] started to show off and start speeding to make the traffic light at a railway bridge .
In the back we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he did n't listen .
The car was going so fast , and as soon as we got out of the tunnel I saw a police car .
It was like being in a videogame .
When I woke up I was screaming in unimaginable pain .
The car had hit a taxi , spun into the police car and flipped on to its side .
I was lying in the road and the car was on top of my legs .
My life flashed past me .
I thought I was going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amputated' I had 24 broken bones .
My pelvis was shattered , ribs cracked , collarbone broken , I had spinal fractures and a broken leg .
For a couple of weeks I could not move , and I later caught [ the superbug ] MRSA .
Being in hospital for those six weeks was horrible .
I felt trapped , it was like being under that car again .
And I was an hour away from home .
My mum had to come down every day to the hospital in Oxford .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ carer .
In hospital I also learnt the car had crashed into two police officers doing a traffic stop on a taxi , seriously injuring them .
PC Wai-man Lam suffered leg injuries and has post-traumatic stress disorder .
Sgt Tom Dorman had his leg amputated due to his injuries .
I felt like I was being interrogated by police in hospital , and I ended up having a panic attack .
It was not until eight months later that I was no longer under investigation .
When Hayden 's trial started in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nervous about giving evidence in court as a witness .
But when I got to court only then I realised his whole defence was that I was driving at the time of the crash , even though my medical records prove it was impossible .
I was terrified , but knew I had to do it for everyone that got hurt .
You might also like : • ' I am not paying £40 for short back and sides' • 'They think disability is almost worse than being dead' • 'The first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the jury delivered their verdict , finding him guilty of three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving , I burst out in tears .
I was happy because we finally got justice , and it felt like I was finally believed after being accused by him .
It was also nice to speak to PC Lam and Sgt Dorman and tell them how sorry I was over the situation .
I could have forgiven Hayden if he was sorry , but he had no remorse at all .
I find it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he did .
The judge gave him the maximum sentence .
But I do n't think five years was enough .
The law needs to be changed .
He has ruined lives and put us through horrible torment .
'Drink and drug-driving is not worth it' I am now disabled and can not fully put my heel down to the ground to walk .
I need further operations on my leg and part of my skin is numb to touch .
Despite this , I am trying to change my life in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible and trying to get my life on track .
I guess it was an epiphany .
I 'm also looking forward to starting university .
Thinking back , I should never have got in the car in the first place or driven it .
I should have just gone home .
I was extremely lucky to escape with my life .
Drink and drug-driving is not worth it - you have to think about other people .
The police officers did not deserve it , and they got hurt in the process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the time .
It will never leave me .

In the back we were telling him to slow down but he didn't listen. The car was going so fast, and as soon as we got out of the tunnel I saw a police car.


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Berkshire parents seek diagnosis for son's unknown syndrome

The parents of an 18-month-old boy with an unknown syndrome have spoken of their pain at not knowing how they @ @ @ @ @ long he may live .
Ethan Warman has impaired growth , preventing him from being @ @ @ @ @ crawl .
He also has restricted vision and an under-active thyroid .
His parents , @ @ @ @ @ , say they have taken Ethan to 70 hospital appointments since he was born , @ @ @ @ @ been unable to diagnose his condition .

The parents of an 18-month-old boy with an unknown syndrome have spoken of their pain at not knowing how they can help him or how long he may live.
Ethan Warman has impaired growth, preventing him from being able to sit up or crawl. He also has restricted vision and an under-active thyroid.
His parents, Ian and Amanda from Slough, say they have taken Ethan to 70 hospital appointments since he was born, but so far doctors have been unable to diagnose his condition.
Video journalist: Adam Paylor


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Don Cameron: The Scot shaping the history of hot air balloons

For more than half a century , Scotland-born Don Cameron has been a pioneer in the world of hot air @ @ @ @ @ flew western Europe ’ s first modern hot air balloon in 1967 , before founding @ @ @ @ @ the basement of his flat .
The company has since become one of the world @ @ @ @ @ making hundreds of balloons each year .
It is the market leader in special-shaped balloons @ @ @ @ @ Darth Vader , Vincent van Gogh and a dinosaur .

For more than half a century, Scotland-born Don Cameron has been a pioneer in the world of hot air balloons.
He built and flew western Europe’s first modern hot air balloon in 1967, before founding his company Cameron Balloons from the basement of his flat.
The company has since become one of the world's largest balloon manufacturers, making hundreds of balloons each year.
It is the market leader in special-shaped balloons, producing the likes of Darth Vader, Vincent van Gogh and a dinosaur.
Video by Morgan Spence


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Can anyone call themself a therapist or a counsellor?

A BBC investigation has uncovered there are no laws against anyone operating as a therapist , psychotherapist or a counsellor @ @ @ @ @ online courses allow you to cheat to complete them , meaning qualifications are often meaningless @ @ @ @ @ has been uncovering the impact of this lack of regulation .
If you have been @ @ @ @ @ issues raised , support and advice is available via BBC Action Line .

A BBC investigation has uncovered there are no laws against anyone operating as a therapist, psychotherapist or a counsellor in the UK.
Cheap online courses allow you to cheat to complete them, meaning qualifications are often meaningless.
BBC reporter Jordan Dunbar has been uncovering the impact of this lack of regulation.
Producer: Katie Inman
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised, support and advice is available via BBC Action Line.
You can hear more about this issue in The Next Episode's podcast Anyone Can Call Themselves A Therapist


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Newspaper headlines: Prince Andrew 'snubs FBI' and the Holocaust remembered

Tuesday 's papers make uncomfortable reading for the Duke of York , with many picking up on his alleged lack of cooperation with the US police inquiry into the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein .
`` Why wo n't Andrew speak to us ? ''
is the front page headline of the Daily Mail , summarising the FBI 's complaint .
The Daily Mirror talks of a `` snub '' .
The Sun mocks up a missing person poster for Prince Andrew .
Under distinguishing features it say `` inability to sweat , likes pizza , unemployed '' .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prince ? ''
Buckingham Palace said the prince 's legal team was dealing with the issue .
A `` poignant pilgrimage back into the pit of hell '' is how the Mirror describes the journey made by Auschwitz survivors on the 75th anniversary of the death camp 's liberation .
Many papers carry pictures of the elderly survivors as they laid wreaths and lit candles .
They walked , in the words of the Mail 's Robert Hardman , with the `` tungsten resolve of those who have known the depths of man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see it again '' .
Jonathan Freedland in the Guardian said their ranks had become `` thinner and more frail with the passage of time '' - but they 'd returned because of the fear `` that the moral force of Auschwitz might be fading '' .
In an editorial , the Financial Times warns about the rising scourge of modern anti-Semitism .
It attacks those who undermine respect for objective truth and create the swamp in which intolerance , ignorance and prejudice breed .
The dilemma facing Boris Johnson over Huawei @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Charles Moore in the Daily Telegraph is steadfastly against allowing the company to build 5G - warning China is a `` hostile power '' and that Huawei is an `` arm of the state '' .
The Sun says the new technology could run everything from the power grid to driverless cars and factories .
What happens , it asks , if a hostile China then shuts the network down ?
It urges the prime minister to say no .
But the Times thinks Mr Johnson should resist US pressure and allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It argues Mr Johnson should n't get drawn into America 's trade war against China - but should send a signal to the world that Britain has not taken back control from Brussels in order to be told what to do by Mr Trump .
Meanwhile , the Independent thinks the prime minister is facing a major Conservative backlash over Huawei .
The FT highlights how another tricky dilemma could soon face the government , predicting a clash between the UK and the EU over fish and financial services .
The paper says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unless it opens its coastal waters to EU boats .
In its lead , the Times says a Brussels diplomatic document reveals that the the EU wants its judges to be able to rule on any post-Brexit agreement with the UK .
The paper says Downing Street sources have rejected the proposal , arguing such provisions do n't feature in other trade deals signed by the EU .
Get news from the BBC in your inbox , each weekday morning The BBC 's highest-paid star , Gary Lineker , tells the Guardian that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voluntary charge .
He suggests it should be charged at a higher rate to subsidise elderly and poorer viewers , but admits he does n't know the logistics of how such a system would work .
The paper says the comments are likely to cause dismay at the corporation as it faces a battle with the government over its future .
Comments by Chartered Management Institute head Ann Francke , calling for curbs on men discussing football and cricket at work , to BBC Radio 4 's Today programme have been seized on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times - which puts the story on its front page - says the former sports minister , Tracey Crouch , was one of those to dismiss the idea that such chatter alienates female staff .
The Daily Star says Ms Francke has faced a backlash - arguing it is patronising to suggest women do n't get involved in conversations about sport .
The Telegraph believes the rows about Brexit risk being dwarfed by a dispute about the grammar on the 50 pence marking the UK 's withdrawal from the EU .
The back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosperity and friendship with all nations '' - but there 's no comma after `` prosperity '' .
The author , Sir Philip Pullman - labelled in several papers as a Remainer - has attacked the absence of the serial or Oxford comma and called on all `` literate '' people to boycott the coin .
But other authors say the Oxford comma is a convention you can choose to follow , and argue Sir Philip is wrong .
The Times reports the Cambridge classicist , Dame Mary Beard , has questioned whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paintings are just `` soft porn for the elite '' .
She says artworks that feature nudes such as Titian 's Venus of Urbino - which shows a naked young woman reclining on a couch - were commissioned by men to be enjoyed by men .
The Telegraph says the academic has questioned the worth of wall-to-wall nudity in places such as the National Galley and wants the public to think more critically about the works .
A UK explorer is pictured in the Antarctic on a throne made of ice blocks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after he became the first Briton to climb the world 's remotest mountain .
The Mail says Leo Houlding battled more than 1,200 miles ( 1,930km ) across Antarctica to reach the jagged peak called Spectre .
He had to endure a wind-chill of -73C ( -99F ) and survived a brush with death when his sled fell into a crevasse .
The Mirror pictures him at the top of the snowy peak - `` summit special '' is its headline .

In its lead, the Times says a Brussels diplomatic document reveals that the the EU wants its judges to be able to rule on any post-Brexit agreement with the UK. The paper says Downing Street sources have rejected the proposal, arguing such provisions don't feature in other trade deals signed by the EU.


bbcuk--2020-01-28--East Croydon railway station stabbing leaves boy dead

A teenager has been stabbed to death at a busy railway station in south London .
Louis Johnson , 16 , was found with stab wounds at East Croydon station , just after 16:45 GMT on Monday , police said .
Emergency crews , including the air ambulance , were called but he died at the scene .
Formal identification is yet to take place .
Det Insp Sam Blackburn , of British Transport Police , said the `` senseless killing '' happened `` at an extremely busy time of the day '' .
`` For such a young man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is truly devastating , '' he added .
`` The incident was over within a matter of 40 seconds , but I know many other passengers or members of the public would have seen what happened .
`` If you have not already spoken with police , please get in touch . ''
The force said the teenager entered the station via a ticket barrier and met the suspect who immediately pulled out a knife and stabbed him .
Det Insp Blackburn said : `` Alongside the Met , we 'll be increasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we have authorised additional Section 60 stop and search powers . ''
A Section 60 gives police officers the right to search people within a certain area if they think a person may be carrying a weapon or , in this case , a murder weapon .
Monday night 's murder has n't necessarily come as a shock to local residents , but the scale of the violence involved seems to have had an impact .
One woman who lives close to the scene of the attack told me she saw a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this has not been confirmed , shortly before the attack .
`` Croydon ai n't safe '' , as one resident put it .
Knife crime has become a normal part of life , they say .
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was `` deeply saddened '' by what happened .
Croydon Central MP Sarah Jones said she was `` heartbroken '' .
`` Our first thoughts are with the family and friends who are facing what nobody ever should , '' she said .
`` I pay tribute to the work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their efforts .
`` This brutal loss of a young life is another reminder that tackling violence must be our highest priority at every level of government and across our communities .
`` I will not stop campaigning on this until our children are safe on our streets . ''

"The incident was over within a matter of 40 seconds, but I know many other passengers or members of the public would have seen what happened.


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Scotland's most and least deprived areas named

Parts of Greenock town centre have ranked highest for levels of deprivation in Scotland , according to official figures .
It sits at the top of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD ) - a measure considering seven criteria including income and health .
Ferguslie Park in Paisley was named as the most deprived area in the previous index , but this time was ranked third .
Stockbridge , in Edinburgh , has been named as having the least deprivation .
The findings , which are published by the Scottish government every four years , involve ranking 6,976 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas , across Scotland based on levels of income , employment , health , education , housing , access to services and crime .
Overall scores are then calculated for each datazone .
Carntyne West and Haghill , in Glasgow , was the second most deprived .
It was followed by part of Ferguslie Park , which was named as the most deprived area in the previous two indexes .
Another part of Ferguslie Park was also in the top 10 most-deprived areas .
Edinburgh and Aberdeen each had four of the 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire also having one area each in the 10 least-deprived areas .
The statisticians who put together the index say that `` deprived '' does not just mean `` poor '' or `` low income '' .
It can also mean people have fewer resources and opportunities , for example in health and education .
One area may score well on educational outcomes for example , but have poor health and access to services .
The most-deprived areas for each criteria : • Income - Falkirk town centre and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income • Employment - Glasgow 's Shettleston north was measured to have the most deprivation • Health - The area most-deprived in terms of health was again in Glasgow , this time it was part of Possil Park • Education - Craigneuk , in Wishaw , was calculated to be the most-deprived in the education ranking • Access - Rannoch and Aberfeldy , in Perth and Kinross , came at the top for most-deprived in terms of access • Crime - An area in the south of Glasgow city centre was the worst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the south side of Glasgow , was judged to be the most-deprived in the housing category Maps produced by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation highlight the differences between areas .
Those locations coloured dark red are in the most-deprived 10 % in Scotland .
Dark blue represents the least-deprived 10 % .
The maps below show the colour of each data zone graded from dark red through orange to yellow , light blue and dark blue .

Ms Campbell said: "We are tackling the underlying causes of poverty... [and] we will continue to work in partnership with local government, the third sector and communities themselves to do all we can to tackle the causes of inequality and support the regeneration of our towns and cities."


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Brexit: What will happen to NI after 31 January?

The UK will leave the EU on Friday night .
What are the implications for Northern Ireland ?
What happens on Friday ?
At 23:00 GMT the UK , including Northern Ireland , will legally leave the EU .
The UK will no longer be represented in EU institutions and Northern Ireland 's three MEPs will no longer sit in the European Parliament .
In that sense Brexit will be `` done '' but there will be little practical impact because a transition period will immediately begin .
What is the transition ?
It is a standstill period in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to follow EU rules and contribute to the EU budget .
Its purpose is to provide a breathing space in which the long-term relationship , including a trade deal , can be negotiated .
It will only last until the end of 2020 and the prime minister has promised it will not be extended .
The trading relationship between the EU and UK will be unchanged during the transition period .
Northern Ireland 's trading relationship with the rest of the UK will also stay as it is now during the transition .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ what sort of trade deal the two sides can achieve in the next 11 months , but they will also have to negotiate the details of their broad agreement on Northern Ireland .
What has been agreed on Northern Ireland ?
After Brexit , Northern Ireland will be outside the EU while the Republic of Ireland will remain inside .
The UK and EU agreed this should not lead to new checks or controls on goods crossing the border between the two parts of Ireland .
To achieve this , Northern Ireland will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and manufactured goods , while the rest of the UK will not .
Additionally , the whole of the UK will leave the EU 's customs union but Northern Ireland will continue to enforce the EU 's customs code at its ports .
This will mean some new checks and processes for goods moving between Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK .
The UK and EU now have to negotiate the nature and extent of those checks .
During the election campaign , the prime minister insisted that for goods moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be `` '' no forms , no checks , no barriers of any kind '' .
The EU is equally clear the deal means NI to GB goods trade will face a new administrative process known as an exit declaration .
The prime minister has also told MPs that goods moving from GB to NI will remain `` unfettered '' .
But the EU has said there will have to be new checks , particularly on food products .
Clearly , this is all going to have to be negotiated .
Who will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the whole withdrawal deal will be overseen by a joint committee of the EU and UK .
It will be led on the EU side by a member of the European Commission and on the UK side by a government minister .
There will also be a specialised committee focussing solely on the Northern Ireland part of the deal .
It will be able to receive proposals from the north-south bodies set up under the Good Friday Agreement .
As part of the recent deal to restore devolution in Northern Ireland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministers in their delegation at meetings of these committees .
However , that will only apply in certain circumstances .
Stormont ministers will be invited when the committees are discussing Northern Ireland-specific matters and the meetings are also attended by the Irish government as part of the EU 's delegation .
There will also be a joint consultative working group which seems like it will be the main way for business groups and other stakeholders to have an input .
What are the trickiest Northern Ireland issues ?
Northern Ireland will remain part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deal .
But goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain and deemed `` at risk '' of being moved to the Republic of Ireland would be subject to EU tariffs .
The tariff payment could be claimed back if it can be shown the goods were consumed in Northern Ireland .
There will have to be agreement on what goods are `` at risk '' .
Northern Ireland businesses will be pushing to have as few products as possible at risk , but the EU may take a more cautious line .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be designed and be ready for implementation .
A large part of the tariff issue could be eliminated if , in the wider negotiation , the UK and the EU can agree a zero-tariff trade deal covering all goods .
Zero tariffs means no GB-made goods entering Northern Ireland would be at risk .
However , the issue would not be eliminated entirely if the UK and the EU have different tariff policies with third countries .
It 's also important to remember that a trade deal will not replicate the EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently a member .
Customs declarations will , in future , have to be made for shipments of commercial goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland .
The negotiations will focus on how to make those customs processes as frictionless as possible .
What if there is no trade deal at the end of the transition ?
A no-trade-deal Brexit would affect Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in very different ways .
England , Scotland and Wales would face tariffs and other trade barriers with the EU .
That 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Republic of Ireland and by extension the EU .
There would not be a hard land border , however , it would mean significant trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK .

Much of the focus has been on what sort of trade deal the two sides can achieve in the next 11 months, but they will also have to negotiate the details of their broad agreement on Northern Ireland.


bbcuk--2020-01-28--School curriculum overhaul for Wales published

The final version of the new curriculum for Wales has been published , as schools prepare for a complete overhaul of how children are taught .
It follows a consultation in 2019 on the complete reform of the system for the first time in more than 30 years .
Teaching unions said the current state of school funding did not match the aspiration of the new curriculum .
The changes will be introduced in 2022 for all children currently in year three or below .
The curriculum does not set out a detailed plan for exactly what schools should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be in secondary schools where subjects will be incorporated into six `` areas of learning and experience '' .
The curriculum sets out `` what matters '' and `` progression steps '' for each learning area .
How will the new curriculum work ?
Education Minister Kirsty Williams said she expected to publish the curriculum 's implementation plan after Easter .
`` Schools should not rush into trying to plan for this… Schools should take space and time to understand the model of the curriculum , '' she said .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prepare the profession . ''
An extra inset training day has been introduced this academic year and for the next two years to help schools prepare , along with £39m for training teachers .
The only mandatory subjects in the curriculum are : Head teachers and nurseries will have discretion over how much English children learn up to the age of seven after Welsh language campaigners and unions raised concerns about a previous plan to make English compulsory in Welsh-medium nurseries .
There will still be annual national reading and numeracy tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Watchdog Qualifications Wales is consulting on `` reshaping qualifications to complement the new curriculum '' until February 7 , and there are major questions about how exams at 16 will work in the context of the broader sort of education the new curriculum is meant to introduce .
One of the `` pioneer schools '' which has been trialling ideas for the new curriculum is Maesteg School .
Pupils in year seven are studying expressive arts through the theme of a `` zombie apocalypse '' - bringing together creative writing , music , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wound using clay and paints .
Penny Pearson trained as an art teacher and is working on the project .
`` We do a mixture of music , drama , art and then we try and incorporate dancing .
`` They 're picking up different skills they can use in later life - these life skills , being resilient , how to think outside the box , communication , team work , collaborative learning and all these elements , '' she said .
Eleven-year-old Harvey explained how they had been using flour , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marks on their arms .
`` It 's really cool because you show off what you 're capable of .
So if you 're a good artist you can show off your art skills , if you 're a good creator you can create whatever . ''
Evan , also aged 11 , particularly enjoyed creating music to `` defeat '' the zombies .
Head teacher Helen Jones is enthusiastic about the new curriculum and the chance to experiment with new ways of teaching , but said she was aware of the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exams .
She said one of the challenges was training teachers to think more broadly than their specialist subject area and create more opportunities for children to learn life skills .
`` What makes my teachers a little nervous is there 's less in books .
More of what the children learn is carried round with them rather than produced in extensive writing in books . ''
Sheridan Edwards from Abergwynfi near Maesteg has four children aged 13 , 11 , four , and five months old .
She had not previously heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in place for her youngest children .
However , based on the experience of her older son and daughter she provisionally liked the sound of the reforms .
`` Now it 's all about grades , it 's all about pressure and tests .
My oldest children come home and all they do is moan .
`` They are intelligent and come to it naturally - it 's just the pressure , '' she said .
She thought the reforms could make school more fun and inviting and help children with subjects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edwards said she was `` all for '' getting children ready for real life after school .
`` I think there still needs to be tests and there does still need to be some sort of structure , but I do think they will be able to learn more because it 's a more relaxed environment . ''

"I think there still needs to be tests and there does still need to be some sort of structure, but I do think they will be able to learn more because it's a more relaxed environment."


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Midrar Ali: Doctors can withdraw treatment, judge rules

Doctors can withdraw treatment for a brain damaged baby at the centre of a legal battle , a High Court @ @ @ @ @ Mary 's Hospital in Manchester said four-month-old Midrar Ali is brain dead and want to @ @ @ @ @ parents wanted medics to continue treating their son , saying he was showing `` signs @ @ @ @ @ Justice Lieven ruled in favour of the hospital , which said it wanted `` to @ @ @ @ @ dignified death '' .
Midrar was starved of oxygen and suffered brain damage when the @ @ @ @ @ of his birth .
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust , which runs St Mary 's @ @ @ @ @ remained on a ventilator since and has never breathed .
It said his organs were @ @ @ @ @ Midrar was `` undignified '' .

"The facts of the case are tragic and one can only have the greatest sympathy for what the parents are going through," she said.


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Huawei: MPs attack government over decision for 5G networks

MPs have attacked the government 's decision to allow Huawei technology to be used in the UK 's 5G mobile networks .
Some called for an outright ban during a debate in the Commons , arguing even limited access put UK security at risk .
But Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the decision followed a `` rigorous '' review by security experts and `` tight restrictions '' would be in place .
They include a ban on using the Chinese firm 's technology in so-called `` core '' parts of the network .
The firm 's kit will also only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 35 % of the network 's peripheral equipment .
Huawei has always denied it would help the Chinese government attack one of its clients .
Its vice president , Victor Zhang , welcomed the UK 's decision , saying it would `` result in a more advanced , more secure and more cost-effective telecoms infrastructure that is fit for the future '' .
• What is Huawei and how could it be a security threat ?
• Huawei : What is 5G 's core and why protect it ?
Boris Johnson has sought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's involvement in a phone call with President Donald Trump .
Downing Street said the prime minister had `` underlined the importance of like-minded countries working together to diversify the market and break the dominance of a small number of companies '' .
Mr Trump has yet to comment publicly on the UK 's decision although the White House has said it is `` disappointed '' and a number of US politicians have warned of the possible repercussions .
Giving a statement to MPs , Mr Raab said : `` I hope the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are to achieve our digital connectivity ambitions , it is absolutely imperative that we trust the safety and security of our telecom networks .
`` Risk can not be eliminated in telecoms .
But it is the job of government , Ofcom and industry to work together to ensure we reduce our vulnerabilities and mitigate those risks . ''
However , his statement did not reassure a raft of MPs from all sides of the House who criticised the move .
Former Conservative cabinet minister David Davis said `` the only way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , while his backbench colleague Julian Lewis said Huawei was `` intimately linked with the Chinese communist state and its deeply hostile intelligence agency '' .
The SNP 's John Nicholson said the firm 's technology was `` not safe '' to use and the government had `` chosen low cost over security '' .
His colleague , Carol Monaghan , said she did not know if it was `` naivety or arrogance preventing the UK government from seeing the high risk being presented to security '' .
Earlier , Labour 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticised the government for `` failing to invest in home-grown alternatives to Huawei '' , which she claimed put them in the `` ludicrous position of having to choose between the UK 's security concerns and our infrastructure needs '' .
That issue was raised by a number of MPs , including the DUP 's Sammy Wilson , who asked for assurances from Mr Raab that `` in future [ the UK will ] not be as dependent on foreign technology '' .
Tory Iain Duncan Smith said it `` beggars belief '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light when the UK had `` a cyber war going on with China '' .
He urged the government to ensure it was `` driven out '' of the UK market as soon as possible .
The foreign secretary admitted there were only three major vendors that made kit suitable for 5G networks - Huawei , Ericsson and Nokia - and it was a `` market failure that needs to be addressed '' .
He added : `` The government is developing an ambitious strategy to help diversify the supply chain .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tools at the government 's disposal , including funding . ''
It 's only six weeks since Boris Johnson stormed to victory in the general election - winning with an 80-strong majority - but the honeymoon is over and the prime minister now has serious government business to attend to .
The coming few weeks demand some big decisions from Mr Johnson and his cabinet .
Huawei was the first - but what are the others ?
Find out here .
Despite the backlash in Parliament , other MPs have welcomed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Theresa May said the government had made `` the decision that protects our national security but also recognises the interests of economy . ''
Former Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said it seemed to be a `` sensible compromise '' and Huawei technology could be used as long as the government was `` sensible , cautious and following the advice of the intelligence agencies '' .
Labour 's Kevan Jones a former member of the Intelligence and Security Committee - also told MPs he had seen nothing to suggest the decision would compromise the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies .
The hope within government is that the restrictions imposed on Huawei will be enough to avoid a major breakdown in relations with the United States and appease critical Tory MPs .
At the same time , however , it 's hoped the restrictions will be sufficiently light touch not to delay the roll-out of super fast broadband - thereby compromising Boris Johnson 's election pledge to `` level up '' living standards outside of London and the south .

Former Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said it seemed to be a "sensible compromise" and Huawei technology could be used as long as the government was "sensible, cautious and following the advice of the intelligence agencies".