bbcuk--2020-09-03--Coronavirus: Portugal to be added to Scottish quarantine list

Passengers arriving in Scotland from Portugal after 04:00 on Saturday will have to self-isolate for 14 days , the Scottish government has confirmed .
French Polynesia has also been added to Scotland 's quarantine list .
And travellers from Gibraltar have been warned that the territory was `` high up our watch list '' by Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf .
Earlier this week Scotland announced similar quarantine restrictions for travellers from Greece .
Ministers said they considered targeting regions of Portugal with the quarantine rule but ultimately decided a `` whole country approach '' was necessary .
Mr Yousaf said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before embarking on non-essential travel during the pandemic .
`` With Scotland 's relatively low infection rate , importation of new cases is a significant risk to public health , '' he added .
`` I would also encourage people who have returned to Scotland from Portugal or French Polynesia in the last few days to be particularly careful in their social contacts and to ensure they stick to the FACTS .
`` I am also concerned by the level of infections in Gibraltar and we will be monitoring the situation there very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in regular discussions with the other three governments in the UK .
`` We continue to closely monitor the situation in all parts of the world and base the decisions we make on the scientific evidence available , '' he said .
`` The requirement for travellers to quarantine for 14 days on arrival from a non-exempt country is vital to help prevent transmission of the virus and to suppress it - not doing so poses a significant risk to wider public health across Scotland . ''
When Derek Burt 's mother was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she asked for `` one more trip '' - a holiday with her family .
With trips to Florida and Croatia already cancelled , when quarantine restrictions were lifted two weeks ago they settled on Portugal .
Although the virus rates seemed on the high-side , he `` assumed the government knew what they were doing '' and would not return the country to the quarantine list .
`` How stupid was I to show any faith in our countries ' decision-makers ? ''
he said .
They have had an amazing week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fulfil her wish to watch her grandchildren playing in the pool of their villa .
But now the family from Dunfermline in Fife is racing to get home to beat the new restrictions that come into force at 04:00 on Saturday .
Mr Burt said he is `` incredibly frustrated '' by the decision of the Scottish and Welsh governments , describing it as a `` complete shambles '' .
The decision follows the Welsh government 's announcement that travellers to Wales from six Greek islands and mainland Portugal would have to isolate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrivals to England and Northern Ireland will not be subject to the same restrictions .
The UK government and Stormont have decided not to add Portugal to its quarantine list despite a rise in cases .
It means tourists can travel to England and Northern Ireland from Greece and Portugal without restrictions .
The seven-day infection rate in Portugal has increased from 15.3 to 23 per 100,000 people .
A seven-day rate of 20 per 100,000 is the threshold above which the UK government generally considers triggering quarantine conditions .
Holidaymakers have only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Portugal without quarantine restrictions since 22 August , when it was added to the government `` exemptions '' list.. People arriving to Scotland from Greece since 04:00 on Thursday have had to begin isolating after quarantine measures were introduced .
Ministers blamed the decision on a `` significant rise '' in coronavirus cases being brought into Scotland from people who had been to Greece .
The moves have been criticised by leading figures in the aviation industry , who have compared job losses in the industry to the demise of the coal industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see Covid-19 testing at airports so passengers can leave quarantine early .
• IMPACT : How is the pandemic affecting life in Scotland ?
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"I would also encourage people who have returned to Scotland from Portugal or French Polynesia in the last few days to be particularly careful in their social contacts and to ensure they stick to the FACTS.


bbcuk--2020-09-03--Coronavirus: Executive calls for extension of furlough scheme

Stormont 's finance minister has written to the Treasury calling for an extension to the job retention scheme .
The executive supported Conor Murphy 's proposal following its meeting on Thursday .
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said she hopes drink-only pubs in NI will receive a new indicative date to reopen next week .
The initial date has been postponed twice due to a rise in transmission of the virus in NI in recent weeks .
The government 's coronavirus furlough scheme began winding down this week , with companies using the scheme now having to contribute to workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than 200,000 workers in Northern Ireland were furloughed after the lockdown began in March .
Department for the Economy officials have previously warned that the end of the furlough scheme could cause more difficulties for employment in Northern Ireland .
Speaking at Stormont , Ms O'Neill said the executive had `` limited fiscal powers '' and needed the scheme to be extended in order to support workers .
`` We 're going to have thousands of people without employment in the coming weeks and months , '' she said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support people , there 's no magic money tree for the executive .
`` We 're facing into the winter it will be so difficult with Brexit and coronavirus ongoing . ''
First Minister Arlene Foster told BBC Newsline she hoped the prime minister would `` listen to our plea '' .
`` It 's very important that we recognise the impact the scheme has had , we believe it needs to be looked at on a sector-by-sector basis , and we have to have a safety net for certain sectors , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoped the executive would be able to make an announcement about support for the coach and taxi industry next week .
Asked when she would resume joint press briefings with the deputy first minister , Mrs Foster said she was `` hugely frustrated '' they had not resumed .
Ms O'Neill 's attendance at the funeral of senior republican figure Bobby Storey in June brought them to an abrupt halt , after she faced accusations of breaching coronavirus guidelines .
Mrs Foster said she still wanted Sinn Féin to `` acknowledge there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the executive 's messaging , before joint briefings can resume .
The deputy first minister had said she was still delivering the same message as Mrs Foster , even if they are not delivering it jointly .
Ms O'Neill also announced a new indicative date for soft play areas in NI to reopen - 14 September - although it will need to be ratified by the executive nearer the time .
Their initial date to reopen of 7 August was scrapped due to concerns about cleaning and maintenance of such areas .
Executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 on pubs in NI , although no decision was taken on whether drink-only pubs can reopen yet .
A previous indicative date of 1 September for reopening the so-called `` wet pubs '' was abandoned last week .
Ministers discussed what kind of financial support might be provided to the wet pubs if they remain closed and whether a tougher enforcement regime should be introduced .
But Ms O'Neill said there was still `` a lot of work '' to be done .
One argument made by the hospitality industry is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which flout the regulations might enable more pubs which abide by the rules to open .
Appearing before Stormont 's health committee on Thursday , Mr Swann responded to the increase in prohibition notices issued by the PSNI .
Twenty-three notices have been issued since bars were allowed to reopen in Northern Ireland on 3 July .
Mr Swann welcomed the move and said a return to `` simple messaging '' from the executive had been working too .
`` We 've always had powers and regulations but it was about the enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now that step is being taken by the PSNI , it reinforces the messaging . ''
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The first and deputy first ministers were also expected to hold an online meeting with Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove and the Scottish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ongoing Brexit trade deal talks .
A meeting of Stormont 's agriculture and environment committee on Thursday was told that Northern Ireland businesses have still yet to receive answers to more than 60 questions to government about the impact of Brexit .
Representatives of farmers , food processing and supermarkets told MLAs that time was running out and clarity was needed quickly .
The Northern Ireland Business Brexit Working Group warned consumers could face reduced choice and greater cost .
• What is yet to open in NI under Covid regulations ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has not changed in NI lockdown ?
Welcoming the announcement of £355m in government funds to help businesses deal with red tape like customs paperwork was welcome news , however , issues such as claims there will be unfettered access for NI produce entering the Great Britain market , still need to be addressed .

"It's very important that we recognise the impact the scheme has had, we believe it needs to be looked at on a sector-by-sector basis, and we have to have a safety net for certain sectors," she said.


bbcuk--2020-09-03--Marine energy: Wales urged to be 'world leader'

Wales could be a world leader in marine energy and should make the industry a priority , a former energy minister has said .
Lord Peter Hain , who served under Tony Blair in 2001 , said there was `` massive untapped potential '' around the Welsh coast .
He urged a mix of Welsh government and private investment to drive it forward .
A new industry report has identified 16 marine energy developers , with the hope of 3,000 jobs over the next 10 years .
The projects include a new £590m lagoon announced for Flintshire .
What is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Power has not given up hope for its £1.3bn project in Swansea Bay , despite the UK government saying it was not value for money .
Swansea Bay City Region has plans for a Dragon Island energy island , with underwater and solar power .
Dragon Island hopes to be financially sustainable by persuading big customers , such as local authorities or universities , to pledge to buy decades of electricity up front .
Outside a hanger by the water 's edge at Pembroke Dock , huge steel structures are waiting to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placed on the seabed next spring .
Bombora moved its operations from Australia to Wales in 2017 to and is now in the final stages of its £17m project to harness wave energy .
Its 1.5 megawatt ( MW ) mWave technology , a `` low impact '' renewable wave energy converter , will sit 11m below the surface of the sea off East Pickard Bay near Freshwater West .
`` It sits on the sea bed , completely invisible when you are on the beach or the coast .
As waves go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing air through the device , through a turbine that generates electricity , '' said Madeline Cowley of Bombora .
`` We are halfway through construction .
The project will be ready to go next year . ''
• Clean energy to power all new Welsh homes from 2025 • Is the hydrogen tech 'revolution ' hope or hype ?
The company plans to export the knowledge its developed in Wales to marine projects across the world , adding to the 26 local jobs it has already created .
It is also developing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would need either a subsidy for the electricity or public money for the next stage of its project .
Minesto has developed the first of its type of energy generation in the world on Anglesey , where the firm has testing its technology in the sea .
Five years in the making , it works like an underwater kite and is now being deployed off the Faroe Islands .
The company has 80MW plans but believes with the Irish Sea , there are gigawatts worth of energy potential if the conditions are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development manager Osian Roberts believes the project is feasible as `` climate change does not stand still '' and the firm would look to both the UK and Welsh governments for any revenue support for `` emerging technologies such as ourselves '' .
He added : `` Fossil fuel has to stop .
Going into renewable energy , I think for people 's conscience , it is really important and for the world it is really important '' .
• Mostyn Seapower plans a £590m lagoon built of boulders and aggregates over four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 12.2km ) enclosed area with eight turbines operating on tidal variation in Dee Estuary • Flood protection for low-lying land , covering A548 coast road and main Crewe to Holyhead railway • Aims to produce 298 gigawatt-hours ( GWh ) of electricity - one GWh is enough to power about one million homes for one hour Jim O'Toole , managing director of Port of Mostyn , said building will not start until 2023 and the site should be producing electricity by late-2027 .
`` We think the small scale makes it an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projects can learn from and that will benefit all technology in Wales , '' he added .
• Five key questions about energy after Covid-19 • Britain goes coal free as renewables edge out fossil fuels What are the economic arguments ?
There are two wave and tidal stream demonstration zones , seabed agreements in place for three separate wave and tidal stream projects and a number of proposals for significant tidal range projects .
Industry body Marine Energy Wales - in its latest report out on Thursday - said there had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projects in Wales over the past year and thinks the sector could have an export market worth an estimated £76bn by 2050 .
Jessica Hooper , programme manager at Marine Energy Wales , said it showed the positive impact marine energy was having `` particularly in coastal regions such as Anglesey and Pembrokeshire that are most in need of economic regeneration '' .
Like most new technologies though , it is the development stage that is particularly expensive .
Onshore and offshore wind needed substantial subsidies initially but are now considered to produce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to agree a guaranteed price - or strike price - for the electricity they generate .
This acts as a subsidy in the expensive early days , topping up the market price , but as the technology develops and the price tends to fall , subsidies are no longer needed .
But Michelle Davies , head of clean energy and sustainability at lawyers Evershed Sutherland , said the economic climate was a barrier .
`` Banks and funds are telling UK government that they will not be able to fund the energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it will be prohibitively expensive due to the dynamics of the UK market . ''
Meanwhile , the price of energy has fallen because of the economic impact of coronavirus .
Ms Davies added : `` Green growth and the energy transition is a huge opportunity in the UK but it wo n't happen at scale without first an understanding by government of the dynamics of the market and secondly , according to an overwhelming majority of those funding and financing the energy transition who responded to our survey , government helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been a big backer of tidal energy and even quit his role as shadow Welsh secretary in 2012 to throw his weight behind a Severn barrage .
He said there was a `` vast untapped potential '' for Wales to be a `` world leader '' in the technology .
`` Other governments across the world have chosen particular technologies , particular industries , and invested in them .
And that means Welsh government investment as well as private investment to really drive this forward .
`` Unless you have a combination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harness this huge energy resource , it 's not going to develop .
If that happens , it could be fantastic . ''
Asked about timing , with the economy facing recession , he said : `` This is not a time to sit back and wait for a few years to come , when the economy picks up again , this is to make sure the economy picks up soon by investing now . ''
Energy Minister Lesley Griffiths said she considered marine and offshore renewable energy would play a `` fundamental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the recovery from the pandemic .
`` I have written urging the UK government to work with the devolved nations to ensure their financial support mechanisms for energy deliver for the whole of the UK , '' she added .

Ms Davies added: "Green growth and the energy transition is a huge opportunity in the UK but it won't happen at scale without first an understanding by government of the dynamics of the market and secondly, according to an overwhelming majority of those funding and financing the energy transition who responded to our survey, government helping with the solution."


bbcuk--2020-09-03--Man who killed women and hid them in freezer guilty

A convicted sex offender has been found guilty of murdering two women whose bodies were found in his freezer .
The remains of Henriett Szucs and Mihrican Mustafa were discovered at Zahid Younis 's flat in Canning Town , east London , in April 2019 .
Prosecutors at Southwark Crown Court said Younis preyed on the vulnerable women , subjecting them to `` very significant violence '' .
He received a life sentence , with a minimum jail term of 38 years .
• How warnings about Heni and Jan 's killer were missed The four-week trial heard police made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the defendant at his home following a call about his welfare .
He was not in but officers gained entry and noticed the lockable freezer , around which flies were gathering .
Ms Szucs , 32 , originally from Hungary , was last seen alive in 2016 and was killed shortly before the defendant bought the freezer in November that year , the court heard .
Younis 's second victim , 38-year-old Ms Mustafa , was last heard from in May 2018 .
Ms Szucs and Ms Mustafa were `` vulnerable women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ periods of homelessness and drug addiction , the court heard .
Jurors were told Younis purchased the freezer shortly after killing Ms Szucs `` for the sole purpose '' of concealing her body .
The nature of the crime scene meant a cause of death could not be established , but the scientific evidence showed that the women had been subjected to serious violence before their deaths .
They had both suffered numerous rib fractures while Ms Szucs had sustained `` dreadful '' head injuries and Ms Mustafa 's sternum and larynx had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harding said the freezer had been forced open by one of the officers on `` an old-fashioned police hunch '' about what was inside it .
He said : `` He broke open the freezer and discovered what could only be seen , at the time , as only one body .
`` It actually took the freezer being taken away and X-rayed for it to be seen there was another body underneath that .
It was a gruesome discovery for the officers . ''
Det Ch Insp Harding described Ms Szucs as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before and was preyed upon by Younis .
She moved in with him - although Younis denied having a long-term relationship with her - and `` we have shown that she was really in love with him in her own way '' , the detective said .
`` She wrote him letters that we found .
Unfortunately to him , she did not mean anything . ''
The court heard that Younis has several previous convictions for assaulting partners .
A BBC investigation has identified a series of issues relating to the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girl told police that Younis had attacked her with a hammer and crowbar , after falsely imprisoning her .
No further action was taken .
• In 2007 , 26 charges against Younis relating to two young teenage girls were discontinued after a judge directed that a jury should clear him of many of the offences following evidence from one of the victims .
• In 2008 , a plea agreement resulted in several charges against Younis being discontinued , including rape and sexual assault .
• In 2016 , Ms Szucs was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of trafficking after she was thrown from a block of flats by a man - not Younis - who was on bail for allegedly raping her .
The CPS had declined to authorise a rape charge after it was first reported in February 2015 .
The Met Police lost contact with her as she fell under the control of Younis .
• The Met 's missing person inquiry into Ms Mustafa - which started in 2018 - did not examine vital phone evidence , which would have shown contact with Younis around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the subject of an internal Scotland Yard inquiry after her family made a series of complaints .
Younis , known as `` Boxer '' , denied murder but did admit putting the women in the freezer , pleading guilty to two counts of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a body .
He claimed he was out when Ms Szucs died at his flat and did not tell police because he was `` panicking '' .
The jury was told he paid a man to help him get Ms Szucs ' body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later blackmailed him into putting Ms Mustafa 's corpse in the same place .
Jurors deliberated for over 16 hours before returning majority verdicts .
Younis showed no emotion as the verdicts were read out while members of Ms Mustafa 's large family , who attended every day of the three-week trial , said `` yes '' in the public gallery .
Her older sister , Mel Mustafa , said : `` Thank you God , thank you . ''
The defendant refused to return to court from the cells for sentencing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an `` arch deceiver '' who had `` spent a lifetime destroying lives '' .
She added he had shown no remorse about killing `` two beautiful and creative women '' and he might never be released from prison .
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She moved in with him - although Younis denied having a long-term relationship with her - and "we have shown that she was really in love with him in her own way", the detective said.


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Coronavirus quarantine rules: Differences across UK 'confusing', Grant Shapps says

Differences in UK quarantine rules are `` confusing '' for travellers , Grant Shapps has admitted , as the four nations take varying approaches to international travel .
The transport secretary acknowledged people 's frustrations , as Scotland and Wales asked arrivals from Portugal and parts of Greece to isolate , but England and Northern Ireland held off .
Wales ' rules , including only six Greek islands , began at 04:00 BST on Friday .
Some holidaymakers from England who anticipated a change in quarantine rules said they spent hundreds of pounds to get home early .
While Wales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Scotland from Portugal and French Polynesia will also have to self-isolate from 04:00 on Saturday .
Scotland has already reintroduced quarantine for arrivals from Greece .
The measures will affect those who reside in Wales and Scotland but return to the UK via England .
Portugal , Greece and French Polynesia are still on England and Northern Ireland 's lists of travel corridors .
• What are the UK 's quarantine rules ?
• Can I still go on holiday to Portugal or Greece ?
• Will I get my money back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Mr Shapps told BBC Breakfast the difference in quarantine rules was similar to the way lockdown had been applied across the UK .
`` It is similar , unfortunately , with the quarantining where we look at the data and then we do speak , but , I 'm afraid , quite often come to slightly different outcomes , which I appreciate is confusing for people , '' he said .
He described Portugal as being on a `` borderline '' , adding that `` the opinion of England and Northern Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week '' .
Mr Shapps told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme Scotland `` sort of jumped the gun '' by introducing restrictions for arrivals from the whole of Greece .
`` I 'm very keen and do try to coordinate ... with the other administrations so we can both announce at the same time , and ideally both announce the same things , and this week that did n't work out , '' he said .
The seven-day infection rate in Portugal has increased from 15.3 to 23 per 100,000 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Shapps explained that cases per 100,000 people was just one measure taken into account by the UK 's Joint Biosecurity Centre , with the test positivity rate also a factor .
The proportion of tests proving positive in Portugal was lower than it was when quarantine restrictions were lifted last month , Mr Shapps added .
But the minister warned : `` As I constantly say… we will have to move quickly if the figures change . ''
The latest quarantine rules introduced in Wales , which also apply to travellers from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crete , Mykonos , Zakynthos , Lesvos , Paros and Antiparos .
Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething told Today that Wales has seen 30 coronavirus cases from four different flights from Zakynthos , two of which landed in England .
`` I did not feel that there was any course of action other than taking some form of action , '' he said .
Scotland reintroduced self-isolation measures for arrivals from Greece earlier in the week , and has since added Portugal and French Polynesia to its list of countries requiring quarantine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase in test positivity and cases per 100,000 in Portugal , '' said Scottish justice minister Humza Yousaf .
It may look confusing and it may leave holidaymakers and other travellers scratching their heads as to why the quarantine rules are different depending on where you live in the UK .
But this is devolution in action .
The new emergency coronavirus legislation introduced earlier this year gave the devolved administrations new powers to tackle the pandemic , adding to their existing control over many domestic issues .
Their chief medical officers give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they do confer with their counterparts and through UK-wide committees .
Edinburgh , Cardiff and Belfast have already shown a willingness to move at their own pace over easing lockdown restrictions and reopening schools .
With the R number ( the speed at which the virus is spreading or receding ) rising above the overall UK level in Scotland , it is perhaps no surprise that Holyrood wants to take its own initiatives on quarantine .
The much-publicised flight from Greece to Cardiff , with several cases traced to passengers , is another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken action .
Greece 's rate overall is below the 20 cases per 100,000 threshold , at 13.8 in the seven days to 2 September , down from 14.9 a week earlier .
Northern Ireland will not make further changes to quarantine rules at present , its department of health said .
The variety of rules across the four UK nations has drawn criticism from industry experts and holidaymakers .
`` The quarantine policy is in tatters , '' said Paul Charles , chief executive of travel consultancy firm The PC Agency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ different approaches . ''
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• YOUR QUESTIONS : We answer your queries In a normal year , more than two million Britons visit Portugal .
Most head to the Algarve in the south , drawn by sunny Atlantic beaches , picturesque fishing villages and golf courses .
Some holidaymakers have told the BBC they paid as much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Portugal in anticipation of the rules changing .
Kelly , from Birmingham , and her family changed their flights home from the Algarve from Saturday to Friday at a cost of £900 to avoid potential quarantine because she did not want her children to miss out on two weeks of school .
`` It 's cost us a lot more money and it 's money we did n't need to spend now , '' she says .
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"It is similar, unfortunately, with the quarantining where we look at the data and then we do speak, but, I'm afraid, quite often come to slightly different outcomes, which I appreciate is confusing for people," he said.


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Coronavirus: Leeds expected to become 'area of concern'

People in Leeds must make a `` collective effort '' to avoid further coronavirus restrictions , councillors have warned .
The city is expected to be added to Public Health England 's weekly watchlist as an `` area of concern '' after its seven-day infection rate rose to 29.4 cases per 100,000 people .
If cases continue to rise , more stringent measures could be imposed .
Council leader Judith Blake said it was `` a pivotal moment in our efforts to control the spread of the virus '' .
`` Nobody wants to see further restrictions on life in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The harsh reality is that if our infection rate continues to rise as it has been , we will be left with no alternative '' .
• What happens if I 'm in an area on the watchlist ?
• More news and stories from Yorkshire The council said 44 new cases were identified in Leeds on Wednesday and Ms Blake said there were a `` range of things '' behind the rising numbers .
She added : `` This is a rise in all different wards across the city , particularly in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September is a critical time , we have our schools going back and then we have significant numbers of students travelling from all over the country and beyond to come back to our universities . ''
Other parts of West Yorkshire have been subject to tighter coronavirus restrictions for several weeks .
Local businesses expressed concern over the impact of a potential local lockdown in Leeds .
Nico Pantu , owner of Grimm Tattoo Studio , said : `` If Leeds is to go back into lockdown , for us it could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affect the whole city and most likely leave lasting damage to Leeds and its wide range of independent businesses . ''
James Dixon , who owns the Doghouse Bar and 212 Cafe Bar , said : `` My concern is whether it will frighten people off again and ruin footfall for the bars , when we 've literally just got back them to a position where we 're managing .
`` My worry would be if there 's a local lockdown , are people going to not go out ?
That will destroy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support from the government and council ?
Probably not .
`` It 's not their fault but if we have to keep shutting over the next year or so , I 'm going to get the point where I 'm just not going bother anymore because we 'll just accumulate debt and then you end up just working to pay off debt . ''
West Yorkshire is a densely populated metropolitan county and some parts of it have been subject to restrictions because of coronavirus for a few weeks already .
Leeds has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were n't high but that 's changed .
The latest seven-day infection rate shows the city has 29.4 cases per 100,000 people , with 44 new cases on Wednesday .
The local authority now expects it to be added to Public Health England 's weekly watchlist of areas of concern .
This does n't mean any further restrictions at this stage but they could be imminent if infection rates continue to rise .
Leeds , unlike neighbouring Bradford , has avoided stricter measures because its infection rates were much lower .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up until 30 August , up from 167 in the week up until 23 August .
The city is now expected to be listed as an `` area of concern '' for the first time when the government watchlist is published later .
As an area of concern , Leeds would be subject to increased monitoring and could face additional measures if infection rates do not fall .
Officers issued seven fines to organisers of illegal events over the Bank Holiday weekend .
Prof Robert West , from University College London 's Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the city were `` inevitable '' following local outbreaks across West Yorkshire .
He said : `` The problem is that this remains a very infectious virus and what that means is that if you 're near someone , with someone who has it , there 's a good chance you 'll get it . ''
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Last month , the council said it was introducing `` a series of targeted preventative steps '' following a cluster of cases in parts of Leeds .
However the most recent rise is not isolated to specific parts of the city .
A range of measures are now expected to be introduced including additional mobile testing units , door knocking in areas of high prevalence , and officials will work with bars , venues and restaurants to make sure they follow Test and Trace guidelines .
The authority will also work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discourage gatherings and house parties , as well as working with schools , colleges and universities to try and ensure a safe return to education .
People have been urged to follow guidance on social distancing , hand-washing , and wearing face masks while those with symptoms of the virus have been told to stay at home .
The council 's public health director Victoria Eaton said it was `` imperative we do all we can to contain the spread of this virus and protect one another at this crucial time for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .
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"It's not their fault but if we have to keep shutting over the next year or so, I'm going to get the point where I'm just not going bother anymore because we'll just accumulate debt and then you end up just working to pay off debt."


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Co-op to create 1,000 jobs and open 50 new stores

Grocery chain the Co-op is opening 50 new stores and creating 1,000 new jobs this year .
The new roles come on top of the 1,000 posts it added during lockdown as demand from shoppers increased .
The extra jobs announced today will be spread across the new shops and 15 stores that are being enlarged .
The Co-op said its research had found that 70 % of adults have relied on their local convenience store for food and other goods in recent months The retailer also said that it had expanded its online shop .
The Co-op currently employs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,600 stores .
The new stores will open in areas such as Wrexham , London , Poole , Leeds and Guildford .
Meanwhile up to 12 new Co-op franchise stores are also set to launch this year , including at Oxford Brookes University and Stirling University , with more university locations planned for 2021 .
`` We continually look for new locations , sites which are definitively convenient in their community , '' said David Roberts , managing director of Co-op Property .
• 'Three quarters of UK does grocery shopping online' • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permanent He said more than 100 of the Co-op 's outlets would receive major makeovers as part of a £130m investment programme .
The chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores , James Lowman , said : `` This commitment to investing in stores in the coming months is testament to the importance of the convenience sector . ''
The grocery sector has seen a surge in demand during the pandemic , and the big supermarket chains have also been creating jobs .
Last month , Tesco said it would create 16,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` exceptional growth '' in its online business .
While the grocery sector has done well , other parts of the economy have been hit hard by the pandemic .
It was announced on Friday that 540 workers at Nationwide Accident Repair Services have lost their jobs after the struggling business was sold to RunMyCar in a pre-packaged administration .
As part of the deal 30 of Nationwide 's sites have been shut .
Founded in 1993 in Witney , Oxfordshire , the business operated 115 garages across the country , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , servicing the accident repair market for UK insurers .
But the company suffered a substantial decline in business during lockdown as millions of motorists stayed off the road .
`` As with many other businesses , the group had to weather major financial fallout due to the economic impact of Covid-19 , which meant that trading volumes were significantly reduced , '' said Rob Lewis , joint administrator at PwC .
`` Against that backdrop , the sale announced today reflects a significant positive outcome for the business , and we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including apprentices , mechanics and technicians .
`` Sadly we have had to make 540 staff redundant . ''

"As with many other businesses, the group had to weather major financial fallout due to the economic impact of Covid-19, which meant that trading volumes were significantly reduced," said Rob Lewis, joint administrator at PwC.


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Strictly 2020 line-up: Pop star HRVY joins this year’s contestants

Pop star HRVY has been confirmed as the 11th celebrity contestant on this year 's Strictly Come Dancing .
The 21-year-old , whose real name is Harvey Leigh Cantwell , has more than a billion combined streams to his name .
The 2020 series will begin in October but will be shorter than usual , and judge Bruno Tonioli will have a reduced role amid coronavirus restrictions .
HRVY was revealed as a contestant on the Kiss breakfast show and said he was `` so thankful to be taking part '' .
The singer has a social media following of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BBC Radio 1 's Big Weekend in Middlesbrough last year .
He rose to fame after uploading his music videos to Facebook .
He has since sold out UK and European tours and his debut album will be out later this year .
`` Being on Strictly is going to be such an amazing experience and I 'm so thankful to be taking part this year , '' he said .
`` I think my mum is more excited that she 'll be able to see me every Saturday night now ! ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be staying in a hotel for two weeks ahead of pre-recording all the the group dances , and that the contestants will be able to rehearse , perform and go home to their family each night - following government guidelines .
The contestants so far ...
This story will be updated as new contestants are unveiled Maisie Smith is an actress and singer is best known for playing Tiffany Butcher-Baker in EastEnders .
`` Get me in those sequins , '' she said , reacting to the news of her announcement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the Strictly fancy dress box this winter ! ''
Before storming into Albert Square as Bianca 's daughter , Tiffany , Smith made her acting debut in the 2008 film , The Other Boleyn Girl - alongside Scarlett Johansson and Eddie Redmayne .
Her role in the long-running BBC soap saw her scoop the award for best dramatic performance from a young actress , at the 2009 British Soap Awards .
Jamie Laing returns to the show this year , after having to pull out of last year 's series before it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became a household name in 2011 on the Channel 4 reality show , Made in Chelsea , and this year launched his own podcast , 6 Degrees from Jamie and Spencer , alongside Spencer Matthews .
He also founded the sweets brand , Candy Kittens , in 2012 .
`` Here we go again , hopefully this time I can last long enough so my mum can see me dance , '' said Laing .
He added : `` The reason I 'm doing it , is to make my mum proud but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her even more disappointed .
Let 's change that this year , ca n't wait !
! ''
JJ Chalmers ' career as a Royal Marine Commando was cut short after he suffered life-changing injuries following an IED explosion in Afghanistan .
The blast crushed an eye socket , burst his eardrums , destroyed his right elbow , blew off two fingers on his left hand and left holes in his legs .
After years of rehabilitation , including more than 30 operations , he went on to compete in the 2014 Invictus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team and took home three medals .
He later embarked on a career in broadcasting , presenting coverage of the Rio Paralympics and anchoring BBC One 's coverage of the Invictus Games .
Comparing Strictly to his military experience , he told ITV 's Lorraine : `` I 'm always looking for a challenge , I 'm always looking to push myself outside of my comfort zone . ''
Despite his injuries , Chalmers said he wanted to be treated like `` any other contestant '' and did n't want any `` special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with they 've got their work cut out , '' he added .
Bill Bailey is an comedian , actor and musician is known for appearances on TV shows like QI , Black Books and Never Mind the Buzzcocks .
`` In these strange times we 're living through , it feels right to do something different and take on a new challenge , '' he said in a statement .
`` I have n't been to stage school and learnt to dance .
I have n't lived for the dance ...
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I 'm caretaker of the dance , '' he joked .
`` It 's going to be quite a challenge but then that 's what this is about , taking on a new skill . ''
Bailey , 55 , made his name on the stand-up circuit before becoming a regular panel show guest , TV and film actor , documentary presenter , and host of the BBC sketch show Is It Bill Bailey ?
He is also a classically-trained musician and has published a guide to British birds .
On Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live gig for six months , The Daily Telegraph said he `` remains one of the funniest , most brilliantly original comedians in the UK '' .
Clara Amfo , who hosts BBC Radio 1 's late morning slot , aid she `` could n't wait to fully embrace '' the experience of Strictly .
In recent years , Amfo has presented coverage of Glastonbury , the Brit Awards , Radio 1 's Big Weekend , the Bafta TV Awards and The Proms .
`` As we know this year has been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something I know we all enjoy , '' she said .
`` So to be taught by a pro and live a fantasy is something that I ca n't wait to fully embrace , see you on the dancefloor ! ''
Ranvir Singh is Good Morning Britain 's political editor and occasional host , and also appears on other ITV programmes including Loose Women , Tonight and Eat , Shop , Save .
She is about to start co-hosting a new Sunday morning show , All Around Britain .
Singh said she felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of taking part , likening it to `` embarking on a rollercoaster '' .
She previously worked as a producer and reporter for the BBC for 12 years , and presented BBC North West Tonight .
Singh said : `` The initial feeling of being confirmed for Strictly is one of complete terror - feels like embarking on a rollercoaster , where you really want to do it but you are equally scared .
`` Hopefully after the first dance I will feel exhilarated rather than sick ! ''
Olympic boxer Nicola Adams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becoming the first contestant to be part of a same-sex pairing .
She told BBC Breakfast she was the one who suggested having a female partner when producers asked her to take part .
• Strictly to feature first ever same-sex pair '' I think it 's really important , '' she said .
`` It 's definitely time for change .
Adams won a gold medal for Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics , and again in Rio in 2016 .
She retired from the sport last year .
Award-winning actress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a range of acting roles , including Maddie in Jonathan Creek and DCI Janine Lewis in Blue Murder .
She has also starred in Kiss Me Kate , Life Begins and Life of Riley .
However , arguably her most famous role was playing Dorothy in the hit 90s sitcom Men Behaving Badly .
She recently presented the documentary series Extraordinary Homes for BBC Two .
Quentin said she was `` thrilled and terrified in equal measure to be taking part '' in this year 's Strictly Come Dancing .
He played as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Dallas Cowboys .
Bell then played for the Houston Texans , where he was named a recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award , one of the league 's highest honours .
He finished his professional career with the New York Giants .
Bell now co-hosts The Jason & Osi Podcast with another former NFL star , Osi Umenyiora , and the pair appear as pundits on the NFL Show on the BBC .
`` Strictly is the epitome of British television and this year , more than ever , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participating , '' he said .
`` Strictly was the first show I ever watched when I moved to the UK and I 'm a massive fan .
My six-year-old daughter never got the chance to see me run out on the field at an NFL game but she is very excited about me taking to the dance floor .
I hope I can do her proud . ''
Singer and actor Max George shot to fame as a member of boy band The Wanted .
His former bandmate , Jay McGuiness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
George said he was `` buzzing to be on Strictly this year '' , joking : `` I 'm not really one for the dance floor , but I take a lot of comfort in the fact that Jay McGuiness set The Wanted 's bar so low . ''
The Wanted had two number one singles in the UK - All Time Low and Glad You Came - with the latter reaching the top three in the US Billboard chart .
After The Wanted took a break , Max moved to Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starred in the sixth season of Glee as Clint .
He recently returned to music as a solo artist .
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If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk

"I haven't been to stage school and learnt to dance. I haven't lived for the dance... I'm not really Lord of the Dance. I'm caretaker of the dance," he joked. "It's going to be quite a challenge but then that's what this is about, taking on a new skill."


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Jane Garvey to leave Woman's Hour

Jane Garvey to leave Woman's Hour

Broadcaster Jane Garvey is to leave Woman 's Hour at the end of the year , the BBC has confirmed .
Garvey has presented the programme , which offers a female perspective on the world , since 2007 .
She will now go on to host her own new Radio 4 series in the new year .
`` It 's been a real privilege to play a small part in the history of this very special radio programme , '' she said , adding how proud she was of its relationship with its listeners .
`` On one unforgettable day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning , and Mary J Blige in the afternoon .
There 's no other job like it , '' she said .
`` But famous people are not the reason people engage with Woman 's Hour .
It 's because the programme still talks about the subjects and challenges no one else goes near .
I 'm very proud of our relationship with the audience and the trust they place in us . ''
'Thrilled that she will stay' During her time on the show , Garvey helped to mark important legal changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women 's suffrage , and the 50th anniversary of the Abortion Act .
She interviewed Sally Challen , who was freed from prison when coercive control became a crime , and actor Rose McGowan , about her experiences with Harvey Weinstein and the # Metoo movement .
Radio 4 controller Mohit Bakaya said `` few '' people `` can match the brilliance of Jane Garvey , '' when it comes to `` the art of radio presenting '' .
`` And whilst I understand that she feels it is time to move on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Hour , I am thrilled that she will stay on the network , '' he said .
Garvey 's new 09:00 programme will begin in April 2021 , and will see her interview `` people with extraordinary stories '' .
The podcast she also co-hosts with Fi Glover , entitled Fortunately… with Fi and Jane , will move to the broadcast schedule from January 2021 as well .
Earlier this summer , Garvey 's colleague Dame Jenni Murray announced she was to leave the show after 33 years .
Dame Jenni is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show 's 74-year history .
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If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk

"But famous people are not the reason people engage with Woman's Hour. It's because the programme still talks about the subjects and challenges no one else goes near. I'm very proud of our relationship with the audience and the trust they place in us."


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Feargal Sharkey accuses Thames Water of sewage 'dumping'

Singer Feargal Sharkey has criticised a water company for `` dumping '' thousands of hours ' worth of sewage in a river .
The former Undertones front man , a `` life-long fly fisherman '' , said the 12,734 hours of dumping in the River Kennet last year was `` utterly shocking '' and potentially illegal .
Thames Water acknowledged the duration of sewage discharge but said it was due to storms and so was `` heavily diluted '' .
It added discharges into rivers stopped flooding in homes and streets .
Sharkey , who fronted punk band The Undertones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solo career in the 1980s , said : `` The UK Government was taken to court in 2012 regarding dumping sewage and allowing water companies to dump sewage into rivers .
`` The court ruled that that should not be allowed to happen , and in fact ruled that it should only possibly ever happen in what the court referred to as 'exceptional circumstances ' .
`` Using Thames Water 's own monitoring data , we now know that last year they spent 12,734 hours dumping sewage into the River Kennet .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the exceptional circumstances were ? ''
On Twitter , Sharkey described the 46-mile river - a Site of Special Scientific Interest ( SSSI ) which runs from Malborough , Wiltshire , to Woolhampton , Berkshire - as `` one of the rarest habitats on earth '' .
A Thames Water spokesman said : `` We work hard to minimise storm discharges , while also looking at how we can improve the system for the future , including reducing groundwater infiltration and increasing capacity .
`` We 've also invested heavily in monitoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and help us plan improvements . ''
He added sewage discharges were not `` the only sources of pollutants '' but that `` animal faeces from livestock and wildlife , along with run-off from farms and roads , also contribute to the hazards '' .
Sharkey said : `` In Thames Water you 're talking about a company that has paid billions of pounds in dividends to shareholders .
Perhaps they should have spent some of that money in maintaining and upgrading their sewage networks . ''

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bbcuk--2020-09-04--Staffs school shuts with confirmed Covid-19 case

A school in Staffordshire has closed to pupils due to a confirmed case of Covid-19 .
The JCB Academy in Rocester , which welcomed pupils back at the end of last month , asked children to stay at home on Friday .
In an email to parents , seen by the BBC , the school said it was investigating a `` single case '' of the disease .
It added there was no need for parents to be `` unduly concerned '' .
The letter does not clarify whether the case involves a pupil or a member of staff .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Health England an investigation was under way and further information would follow once that had been completed .
The email also asked parents to book a coronavirus test if their son or daughter displayed any symptoms and to keep them and any siblings at home until the test result had been received .
In the meantime , lessons will be available to pupils online .
The school previously shared a list of measures that would in place after reopening , which included pupils wearing masks in the corridors , having hand sanitiser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 6.5ft ) away from teachers .
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"Through track and trace, academy staff have worked throughout the day to contact the families of students believed to have been in contact with the individual who has tested positive.


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Brexit: UK 'sleepwalking into disaster' over border plans, hauliers warn

The UK is `` sleepwalking into a disaster '' over its border plans for the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December , road hauliers have warned .
Groups representing truckers have written to ministers warning of `` severe '' disruption to supply chains .
Rod McKenzie , from the Road Haulage Association , said the government should `` act now before it 's too late '' .
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said they were working to ensure the `` best systems are in place '' at the border .
The government has also given itself powers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local approval .
But Mr McKenzie told BBC News : `` It is a real case of the government sleepwalking to a disaster with the border preparations that we have , whether it is a deal or no-deal Brexit at the end of December .
• Why Brexit is still a big issue • What are the sticking points in Brexit trade talks ?
`` The supply chain on which we are all dependent to get the things we need could be disrupted and there is a lack of government focus and action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` When we are trying to emerge from the crisis of Covid , if we then plunge straight into a Brexit-related crisis , that will be a really difficult moment and we need real pace .
`` The difference here is between a disaster area and a disaster area with rocket boosters on . ''
Labour 's shadow cabinet office minister , Rachel Reeves , said the government `` must urgently come forward with a plan to put workable solutions in place '' .
The UK left the European Union on 31 January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK continues to follow some of the bloc 's rules - remains in place until 31 December while the two sides negotiate a trade agreement .
However , trade talks have been taking place since March and both sides have complained of little progress being made .
If a deal is not agreed and ratified by parliaments by the end of the year , the UK will go into 2021 trading with the bloc on World Trade Organization rules , which critics fear cause issues at the border .
In a letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , seen by Bloomberg , eight logistics organisations - including the Road Haulage Association - raised concerns over IT systems , the funding to train up customs agents and the pace of physical infrastructure being built .
They asked for an `` urgent roundtable meeting '' with Mr Gove , Chancellor Rishi Sunak and the transport secretary , saying supply chain must be protected ahead of a potential second wave of the coronavirus pandemic .
Mr Shapps said he regularly met the Road Haulage Association and wanted to reassure them `` planning for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't stopped '' during the coronavirus outbreak .
He told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme he `` could not pre-empt the outcome '' of trade talks with the EU , which he conceded created `` some uncertainty '' .
But , he said the government had kept supply changes going throughout the pandemic and `` we are absolutely confident we will do that again in the future '' .
Why could trade be disrupted ?
On 1 January 2021 , the way that UK businesses trade with the EU will fundamentally change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traders to clear , including the need to fill in customs declarations - forms with detailed information on goods being imported and exported .
For the first six months of this new era - and whatever the outcome of the negotiations between the UK and the EU - goods entering the UK will not have to complete these processes , as they normally would , at the border .
Instead , the government is giving businesses time to file their paperwork and pay the duties they owe after the goods have entered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to mitigate the risk of delays for goods coming into the UK .
However , for goods being exported the concern is greater .
The EU has said it will impose its normal controls .
And on the UK side , key systems to manage the flow of lorries at the UK border and make sure consignments are cleared to proceed to the EU are not up and running .
The concern among the industry is that this could lead to lorries being refused entry onto ferries headed for the EU , long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the UK 's trade with the EU flows and slow down and disrupt the supply chains between UK and EU businesses .
In short , it becomes hard to conduct business as usual if you ca n't get your goods to the customer .
Shane Brennan , chief executive of the Cold Chain Federation - another of the groups who wrote the letter - acknowledged the government was carrying out work on the necessary systems now .
But he said there was `` no time to get these systems in place to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He told BBC News : `` The supply chain leaders will try to do everything they can to avoid shortages on the shelves , but at its worst , at the extreme , these sorts of situations will lead to food shortages . ''
Earlier this week , the EU 's chief negotiator , Michel Barnier , said the UK was risking leaving the transition period without a deal unless it began to compromise .
He said he was `` worried and disappointed '' about the lack of concessions from his British counterpart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal meeting on Tuesday .
No 10 said it was `` clear '' that a deal `` will not be easy to achieve '' .
The logistics industry letter came as the government gave itself powers to grant emergency planning permission for it to build temporary lorry parks and inspection posts in 29 councils areas across England , without the need for local approval .
The government said the lorry parks , which can stay in place until the end of 2025 , would contribute to `` an orderly transition to the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and would help to address the impact coronavirus may have had on port operators ' ability to provide the necessary infrastructure themselves , in time for the end of the transition period .
Areas affected by the law change - brought about through a statutory instrument - include Cheshire , Lincolnshire , Liverpool , Devon , East Sussex .

"That's why it is vital that people who have questions about what they need to do get onto our government websites … look at what they need to do to prepare, and certainly, we will help them.


bbcuk--2020-09-04--HS2 rail project work begins with pledge of 22,000 jobs

Construction work on HS2 officially begins on Friday , with companies behind the controversial high-speed rail project expecting to create 22,000 jobs in the next few years .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said HS2 would `` fire up economic growth and help to rebalance opportunity '' .
He endorsed the rail link in February , with formal government approval granted in April despite lockdown .
But critics said HS2 will also cost jobs , and vowed to continue protesting .
HS2 is set to link London , Birmingham , Manchester and Leeds .
It is hoped the 20-year project will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK 's economy through investment in transport links outside London .
HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Thurston said the reality of high-speed journeys between Britain 's biggest cities had moved a step closer .
When the project was mooted in 2009 , it was expected to cost an estimated £37.5bn and when the official price tag was set out in the 2015 Budget it came in at just under £56bn .
But an official government report has since warned that it could cost more than £100bn and be up to five years behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it as a `` vanity project '' and say the money would be better spent on better connections between different parts of northern England .
Others , such as the Stop HS2 pressure group , say it will cause considerable environmental damage .
• When will HS2 open and how much will it cost ?
The prime minister said HS2 was at the heart of government plans to `` build back better '' and would form `` the spine of our country 's transport network '' .
`` But HS2 's transformational potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` By creating hundreds of apprenticeships and thousands of skilled jobs , HS2 will fire up economic growth and help to rebalance opportunity across this country for years to come . ''
HS2 's main works contractor for the West Midlands , the Balfour Beatty Vinci Joint Venture , has said it expects to be one of the biggest recruiters in the West Midlands over the next two years .
Up to 7,000 skilled jobs would be required to complete its section of the HS2 route , it said , with women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and skills investment .
• Another joint venture partner , EKFB , said it would recruit more than 4,000 people over the next two years for its section from Long Itchington Wood site in Warwickshire south to the Chiltern tunnel portals • Skanska Costain Strabag , Balfour Beatty Vinci Systra , Align JV and Mace Dragados JV , based in Greater London , will collectively recruit more than 10,000 • HS2 Ltd itself is already directly recruiting for 500 new roles over the next three months , with the majority based in Birmingham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the railway would be `` transformative '' for the UK .
`` With the start of construction , the reality of high speed journeys joining up Britain 's biggest cities in the North and Midlands and using that connectivity to help level up the country has just moved a step closer , '' he added .
Campaign group Stop HS2 said Boris Johnson and others who hail the creation of 22,000 jobs are `` rather less keen to mention that HS2 is projected to permanently displace almost that many jobs '' .
Stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Trying to spin HS2 as a job creation scheme is beyond desperate .
Creating 22,000 jobs works out at almost £2m just to create a single job . ''
But speaking on the BBC 's Breakfast programme , Transport Secretary Grant Shapps disputed those figures .
`` I ca n't see how there 's an argument that making it easier to get about this country is somehow going to destroy jobs , quite the opposite in fact .
It 's clearly going to make the economy level up '' , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that have found themselves too disconnected before and join it together . ''
Stop HS2 chairwoman Penny Gaines called the project `` environmentally destructive '' to wildlife : `` This is why there are currently hundreds of activists camped out along the HS2 route .
We do n't expect them to go away any time soon . ''
However , the Northern Powerhouse Partnership ( NPP ) , which fights for investment in the regional economy , said such major infrastructure projects are transformative and called for the planned extensions of HS2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Increasing capacity on the North 's rail network and better connecting our towns and cities will be vital in the economic regeneration of the Northern Powerhouse - both now and long in the future , '' said Henri Murison , director of the NPP .
This is an important symbolic move for HS2 , but in the real world it changes very little .
Work preparing for the new line - demolishing buildings and clearing sites for example - has already been going on for the past three years .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also begun .
But the arguments over whether or not the railway should actually be built are continuing to rage .
The government has long insisted that it will help re-balance the country 's economy , by promoting investment outside London .
It now says the jobs created by the scheme will support the post-Covid recovery .
But opponents claim that lockdown has undermined the case for HS2 - by showing how easily people can work remotely , and how little business travel is really needed .
Same dispute , new arguments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the ground .

"I can't see how there's an argument that making it easier to get about this country is somehow going to destroy jobs, quite the opposite in fact. It's clearly going to make the economy level up", he said.


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Court threat to housebuilders over leasehold ‘trap’

Four of the UK 's largest housebuilders are being investigated after `` troubling evidence '' was uncovered over the way leaseholds were sold .
Barratt Developments , Countryside Properties , Persimmon Homes and Taylor Wimpey face action from the Competition and Markets Authority ( CMA ) .
Buyers have argued that they were caught in a leasehold trap , with rising ground rents and unfair fees .
The CMA has demanded information from the developers and could go to court .
Andrea Coscelli , chief executive of the CMA , said : `` It is unacceptable for housing developers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Everyone involved in selling leasehold homes should take note : if our investigation demonstrates that there has been mis-selling or unfair contract terms , these will not be tolerated . ''
The watchdog said there was troubling evidence of potentially unfair terms and mis-selling .
The difference between a freeholder and a leaseholder Someone who owns a property outright , including the land it is built on , is a freeholder .
With a leasehold , the person owns a lease which gives them the right to use the property .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's permission for any work or changes to their homes .
When a leasehold flat or house is first sold , a lease is granted for a fixed period of time , typically between 99 and 125 years , but sometimes up to 999 years - although people may extend their lease or buy the freehold .
But leasehold house owners are often charged expensive ground rent as well as fees if they want to make changes to their homes .
A leasehold house can also be difficult to sell .
What is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in England and Wales have been sold as leaseholds , with the buyer getting a mortgage to live in the property , but also having to pay ground rent to the owners of the freehold .
Buyers of new homes discovered that they were tied into contracts that saw ground rents become hugely more expensive , with the freehold sometimes having been sold on to a third-party .
Some also faced large fees when they planned to add an extension to their property or even basic home improvements .
It prompted campaigners to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with an estimated 100,000 people affected .
The CMA has found that some some leasehold buyers were being hit with ground rents that doubled every decade , and said that others were wrongly told that they were unable to buy the freehold on a site .
The watchdog said it also had concerns over mis-selling , such as pressure being put on potential buyers to complete a house purchase quickly .
Some were also told that they would be able to buy the freehold for a small sum , only to later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pounds .
This left many people in a position of never being able to sell .
Pediatric nurse Katie Kendrick bought her `` forever '' home in Cheshire six years ago .
She said she was told she could buy the freehold for between £2,000 and £4,000 two years later , only for it to be sold on to an investment company which quoted her more than £13,000 .
Her experience led her to set up the National Leasehold Campaign , which has 18,000 members - many of whom gave evidence to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage of the CMA investigation as a `` massive step forward '' .
`` Thousands of leaseholders face continued uncertainty from the leasehold scandal and its long-term financial burden .
It is time these developers do the right thing .
Their profits and executive bonuses prove they can afford to put things right , '' she said , on behalf of the campaign group .
She added that she hoped the investigation `` shamed developers and investors into action '' .
Barratt Developments , one of the four housebuilders named by the CMA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed to putting its customers first and will continue to co-operate with the CMA whilst it completes its investigation . ''
Taylor Wimpey said it would continue to co-operate fully with the CMA .
Persimmon said it stopped selling leasehold houses in 2017 where it owned the land freehold .
`` Any customers of a Persimmon leasehold property in the last six years have been given the right to buy their lease at below market value and many have done so , '' it said .
Countryside Properties said it was `` committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our customers '' .
What happens next ?
The CMA has written to the four developers demanding information about how they operated .
It is also telling other firms to review their policies .
The watchdog is investigating certain firms who bought freeholds from these developers and have continued to use the same `` unfair leasehold contract terms '' .
It could tell firms to change the way they sell leasehold deals , and could go to court .
Previously , it has said those affected could be refunded .
It added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans for the leasehold market , including supporting the move to ban the sale of new leasehold houses and reduce ground rents for new leases to zero .
NAEA Propertymark , which represents estate agents , said : `` For too long housebuilders and developers have not been transparent enough about what it means to buy a leasehold property , leaving many in financial difficulty as they have become trapped in confusing contracts with their freeholder . ''
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said : `` Shameful practices of the kind set out by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing market and we are going to put an end to them .
`` I want to see homeowners who have been affected by crippling ground rents swiftly obtain the justice and redress they deserve .
`` Developers and freeholders must rectify the problems and ensure these disgraceful practices never happen again . ''

The watchdog said it also had concerns over mis-selling, such as pressure being put on potential buyers to complete a house purchase quickly. Some were also told that they would be able to buy the freehold for a small sum, only to later find this cost increase to many thousands of pounds.


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Emily Hartridge: Deflated tyre 'caused YouTuber's e-scooter crash'

A YouTuber killed in an e-scooter crash lost control due to an underinflated tyre , a coroner has concluded .
TV presenter Emily Hartridge , 35 , died instantly from multiple traumatic injuries when she was thrown under a lorry in Battersea .
Dr Fiona Wilcox said the scooter being `` unsuitably driven , too fast '' and the lack of air in the tyre had caused the crash .
A record of inquest document seen by the BBC said the death was accidental .
Ms Hartridge , from Hambledon in Hampshire , was believed to have been the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a crash involving an e-scooter .
Her `` 10 Reasons Why '' videos on sex , relationships , love , gender and mental health , reached a YouTube audience of more than 354,000 subscribers .
She was on her way to a fertility clinic when she died near Queenstown Road roundabout on 12 July 2019 .
• When can I ride an e-scooter legally ?
The inquest into her death was held remotely at Westminster Coroner 's Court due to the coronavirus pandemic .
In her conclusions , senior coroner Dr Wilcox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an electric scooter on Queenstown Road when she lost control after passing over an inspector hatch in the cycle lane and was thrown under the path of an HGV .
`` She died instantly of injuries sustained by the HGV driving over her .
`` The scooter was being unsuitably driven , too fast and with an underinflated tyre and this caused the loss of control and her death . ''
Ms Hartridge 's boyfriend Jake Hazell had bought the scooter for her as a present .
In February , he told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was constantly reminded of her death as he `` sees them on the road all the time '' .
Mr Hazell also said he did not blame the lorry driver for her death .
Mr Hazell said : `` For those who knew Emily she was just incredible - such an amazing person to be around and to call her my girlfriend was literally the best I felt in my life .
`` But what she has taught me has got me through .
I feel close to her , I still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouTube and continue her message that it is OK to have a tough time . ''
• When can I ride an e-scooter legally ?
• Nearly 100 e-scooter users stopped in one week At the time of Ms Hartridge 's accident , e-scooters were illegal to ride in the UK - unless on private land with landowner 's permission .
But , on 1 August rental e-scooters became legal on roads in Great Britain in a bid to ease pressure on public transport amid the coronavirus crisis .
Guidance for e-scooter-for-hire firms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( DfT ) - but under the new rules the vehicles were still banned on pavements , would be limited to 15.5mph and it was recommended riders wore helmets .
The Met Police said nobody had been arrested over Ms Hartridge 's death .
The use of privately-owned e-scooters in London is illegal on public roads , but if you stand on any street corner it wo n't be long before you see them .
E-scooter usage has overtaken the regulation and many are of poor quality .
But policy is shifting - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some areas like Milton Keynes , of rental e-scooters that means there are minimum safety standards and requirements .
It wo n't be long before those trials end up in London with many of the big operators jostling for that contract .
If those trials are deemed successful - who knows ?
For more London news follow on Facebook , on Twitter , on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel .

"But what she has taught me has got me through. I feel close to her, I still do the Instagram, still do the YouTube and continue her message that it is OK to have a tough time."


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Transport Secretary Grant Shapps: Different quarantine rules can be 'confusing'

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has admitted differences in UK quarantine rules are `` confusing '' for travellers .
He said @ @ @ @ @ as Scotland and Wales required Portugal and French Polynesia arrivals to isolate , while England @ @ @ @ @ .

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has admitted differences in UK quarantine rules are "confusing" for travellers.
He said he understood the frustration, as Scotland and Wales required Portugal and French Polynesia arrivals to isolate, while England and Northern Ireland held off.


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Newspaper headlines: Demand to get UK 'flying again' and BBC's social media 'crackdown'

Inside , it pictures Heathrow 's empty Terminal 5 .
The paper 's editorial dismisses the quarantine policy as damaging and misconceived - saying it has hung a `` closed '' sign on Britain .
The paper reports that the former health secretary Jeremy Hunt and ex-transport secretaries Lord Adonis and Chris Grayling have joined the voices calling for the rules to be changed .
Concerns are raised about the NHS Test and Trace programme , which is described as `` flawed and dangerous '' by a senior figure in British Medical Association in the i Dr Peter English says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if people are required to travel miles to get tests , they wo n't bother .
The Daily Mirror says its analysis suggests that just 45 % of contacts were being reached by call centre staff at the end of August .
While Huffpost UK asks whether the label , NHS Test and Trace , undermines the health service 's brand .
It suggests the tag be dropped given its performance , saying it is n't formally part of the NHS .
With the formal start of construction work on the HS2 rail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the multi-billion-pound project has passed the `` point of no return '' .
The Daily Express says the prime minister is hoping it will fire up economic growth , with the creation of 22,000 jobs .
The Express concedes the scheme is `` controversial '' but argues that with the economy reeling , `` this is not the time to put on the brakes '' .
According to the FT , the French president decided against giving people money to boost consumer spending , like Germany , figuring that people 's incomes had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused on structural reform .
It suggests the investment programme will help France meet its climate goals while encouraging job creation .
The Times is among several papers to report a claim by the National Crime Agency that Facebook , YouTube and other social media sites have refused to remove web pages linked to suspected migrant traffickers .
And the Times declares that `` Women are at their best in the morning '' after research carried out by some male academics in Pennsylvania suggests that women 's circadian rhythms may be the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Daily Mirror , the report also claims women cope better with shift work -- making them better suited to jobs with anti-social hours , such as doctors and cabin crew members .

The Sun is not convinced. It questions the value of "pumping £106bn we don't have into a commuter rail line when half the country may end up working from home". The tabloid suggests improving the UK's broadband might be a smarter investment.


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Coronavirus: 'Scotland jumped the gun on Greece quarantine'

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has claimed Scotland `` jumped the gun '' by adding Greece to the quarantine list .
On Wednesday , the Scottish government moved Greece to the list of countries from where returning travellers have to self isolate for 14 days .
Mr Shapps also said that adding Portugal had caused `` confusion '' and that Scotland and Wales had not taken the latest data into consideration .
Quarantine for travellers coming from Portugal begins at 04:00 on Saturday .
French Polynesia was also added to the list from 04:00 the same day .
Scotland 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We continue to closely monitor the situation in all parts of the world and base the decisions we make on the scientific evidence available . ''
Speaking on the BBC 's Today programme , Mr Shapps said : `` On Wednesday the Scots - without using the joint bio-security centre data for this particular decision - decided that people from Greece would be excluded , and jumped the gun on that .
`` It is their right to do it but it does n't make the overall message any clearer . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Greece came into force at 04:00 on Thursday .
The ruling also affects those coming in to English airports from those countries on the list , before travelling to Scotland .
He said that the devolved administrations had their own laws and regulations and it was not dissimilar to seeing the lockdown rules applied differently in different parts of the UK during the coronavirus crisis .
He said `` ideally '' the UK government would try to co-ordinate with the other administrations on travel announcements but that this week `` it did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now split on its rules for Portugal .
Quarantine for Welsh travellers began at 04:00 on Friday , Scots have to self-isolate from 04:00 on Saturday and English returners are not subject to any requirements to self isolate .
Portugal , Greece and French Polynesia are still on England and Northern Ireland 's lists of travel corridors .
Mr Shapps also claimed that the Scottish and Welsh governments may have made decisions on Portugal without seeing all the data .
He said : `` The Welsh administration had not noticed or not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percentage number of cases which test positive .
That is really important because what we do n't want to do is exclude countries for doing the right thing in carrying out lots of tests .
`` When we brought Portugal into the travel corridor they had a test positivity rate of 1.8 % but this week it was 1.6 % , so the number had fallen . ''
He described Portugal as being on a `` borderline '' , adding that `` the opinion of England and Northern Ireland is that it did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When Derek Burt 's mother was diagnosed with MND six weeks ago , she asked for `` one more trip '' - a holiday with her family .
With trips to Florida and Croatia already cancelled , when quarantine restrictions were lifted two weeks ago they settled on Portugal .
Although the virus rates seemed on the high-side , he `` assumed the government knew what they were doing '' and would not return the country to the quarantine list .
`` How stupid was I to show any faith in our countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have had an amazing week , and his mother was able to fulfil her wish to watch her grandchildren playing in the pool of their villa .
But now the family from Dunfermline in Fife is racing to get home to beat the new restrictions that come into force at 04:00 on Saturday .
Mr Burt said he is `` incredibly frustrated '' by the decision of the Scottish and Welsh governments , describing it as a `` complete shambles '' .
The seven-day infection rate in Portugal has increased from 15.3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the world 's coronavirus hotspots ?
A seven-day rate of 20 per 100,000 is the threshold above which the UK government generally considers triggering quarantine conditions .
Holidaymakers have only been able to travel from Scotland to Portugal without quarantine restrictions since 22 August , when it was added to the government `` exemptions '' list .
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said the Scottish government was in regular discussions with the other three governments in the UK .
`` The requirement for travellers to quarantine for 14 days on arrival from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmission of the virus and to suppress it - not doing so poses a significant risk to wider public health across Scotland , '' he said .
The moves have been criticised by leading figures in the aviation industry , who have compared job losses in the industry to the demise of the coal industry in the 1980s .
Mike Tibbert , vice president of Scottish Passenger Agents ' Association ( SPAA ) accused the Scottish government of playing games , with its `` half announcements and teasers '' He said : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public need consistency and clear , well timed messaging .
`` But the toing and froing on the safe list versus quarantine is actually distracting from the main issue which is the total lack of immediate support for the travel sector and the complete absence of a strategic plan to save future travel .
`` Once lost , our connectivity to the rest of the world - and consequently theirs to us - will disappear .
And once this happens and we lose flight routes , it will be years before we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the pandemic affecting life in Scotland ?
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He said: "The Welsh administration had not noticed or not seen a second figure which is the percentage number of cases which test positive. That is really important because what we don't want to do is exclude countries for doing the right thing in carrying out lots of tests.


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Brett Savage: 'Ministry of Defence failed our Army veteran son'

The parents of an Army veteran who is believed to have taken his life say he was failed by the Ministry Of Defence .
Brett Savage , who was 32 and served in Afghanistan , had previously told BBC News NI that the army was not doing enough to help young soldiers when they returned to civilian life .
His body was found at his home in Newtownards at the weekend .
His parents Noel and Dolores Savage said that the Army `` did nothing '' to help their son .
`` We are totally and utterly heartbroken , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my world .
He would 've done anything for anyone , he was so kind . ''
But he struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) when he left the Army .
`` The doctor said that he could be walking down the street and it could be a noise or a smell and it would set him off , '' explained his mother .
`` He just could n't control it .
`` When they go back from tours like that , they should have someone who can help them deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 've seen and been through .
There 's nothing , they 're just left .
`` I feel very sad for all the ones who are going through all of this and I hope that if what happened to Brett is made public it 'll maybe help somebody else and maybe the Army will step back and think of what to do when they 're in these situations .
`` When they 're in the Army , they have their meals at certain times , do things at set times , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have that .
`` They ca n't cope with all the anger and emotions and what they 've been through so they really do need some counselling and help .
There is no help . ''
Veterans ' charity Beyond The Battlefield was a huge support for Brett Savage , his family say .
`` All the Army do is count Brett like a number , '' his father Noel said .
`` When he came back [ from war ] with the problems , I would n't let him go back and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him back so he ended up going AWOL . ''
His father told BBC News NI that he carried `` his demons '' and on bad days he would `` lock himself away and watch Star Wars from start to finish or some movies '' .
`` That 's how he got through those couple of bad days and then he would bounce in to us , asking his mum what there was to eat .
`` The demons had gone then , until the next time .
`` Unfortunately they kept coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fathom his demons that he carried , and he carried them big time .
Unfortunately they got him in the end .
`` We thought he was OK .
He did say he would never do what he did . ''
Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster 's Nolan Show on Friday , Ulster Unionist MLA and former soldier Doug Beattie spoke about his relationship with Mr Savage .
He said his death was `` devastating '' and that suicide was not just a problem in the military , but was `` societal '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together with him in the Royal Irish Regiment in Afghanistan , and Mr Savage was later under his command as an army reservist in Belfast .
`` He was a young , fit man , a good-looking guy .
Really enjoyed life , had many friends .
Was sociable , personable .
A really great soldier .
Kind hearted , '' he said .
`` I also saw how the demons were affecting him , I saw how his mental health degraded over time .
We attempted at times to try and give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : 'Was there one more thing that I could do ?
Could I have reached out to him for a cup of coffee ?
Could I give him a phone call ? '
`` There will be people out there who knew Brett who will be saying exactly the same as me . ''
Mr Beattie said the possibility of the minister of defence working with the families of soldiers to help facilitate their return from combat was something that should be considered .
In 2016 , Brett Savage took part in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The programme examined some of the mental health challenges facing many young soldiers in Northern Ireland after they returned from recent wars .
The then 29-year-old reflected on his own post-war struggles after his military service with the Royal Irish Regiment in Afghanistan ended .
He said : `` I did n't expect my life to be like this now .
Never .
You know , I ca n't sleep and stuff .
Stupid things remind me of things . ''
Johnny Mercer , the Minister for Defence , People and Veterans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' by Mr Savage 's death .
`` PTSD is a serious and debilitating condition .
There is a range of help available , and I am determined to do all I can to make sure that veterans know where they can turn to in times of need . ''
The Ministry of Defence said it would be inappropriate to comment further until the coroner had concluded their investigation .
The chief executive officer of Beyond the Battlefield , a Northern Ireland-based veterans ' charity which supported Mr Savage , described his death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Mr Savage had initially come to the charity seeking help and proceeded to assist the charity by reaching out to other veterans who were struggling after their military service ended .
His funeral service will take place in Newtownards on Friday , not far from the local war memorial .
Floral tributes have been placed at the memorial , one of them remembering Brett Savage as `` a warrior '' .
For information and support on mental health , access the BBC Action Line .

"I feel very sad for all the ones who are going through all of this and I hope that if what happened to Brett is made public it'll maybe help somebody else and maybe the Army will step back and think of what to do when they're in these situations.


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Coronavirus: Tourist 'seething' after Wales quarantine changes

A Welshman on holiday in Greece said he was `` seething '' that he and his family must isolate for two weeks while tourists from England do not have to .
Jonathan , from Cardiff , said he was considering booking a hotel in England to avoid quarantining .
The Welsh government said arrivals from mainland Portugal , Gibraltar , French Polynesia and six Greek islands must isolate for two weeks .
It is the first time travel rules have differed in the four UK nations .
• Greece ?
Portugal ?
Spain ?
What are the quarantine rules ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Portugal or Greece ?
Wales followed Scotland by adding mainland Portugal , where infections have been rising , to its list of countries with quarantine restrictions , although rules came into place at 04:00 BST on Friday , while rules in Scotland come into place on Saturday .
Wales has also added the Greek islands of Crete , Mykonos , Zakynthos ( also known as Zante ) , Lesvos , Paros and Antiparos , following a flight from Zakynthos to Cardiff last Tuesday which has seen more than 20 people test positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to quarantine regardless of whether they arrive at an English or Welsh airport .
The UK government announced on Thursday there would be no change to England 's quarantine exemption list .
Jonathan , who is on holiday in Chania , Crete , said : `` It 's the lack of consistent messaging and management across the whole UK government I 'm really angry about now - and the fact they 've announced it at five o'clock UK time , so at 19:00 they 've said 'you 've got until 04:00 tomorrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean , what ?
Am I supposed to charter a private jet to try and get me and my family home ?
`` I 'm almost at the point where I 'm thinking I 'm just going to book a Premier Inn or something in Bristol - if it costs me five or six hundred pounds I do n't really care , I can afford it , I 'll do it and stay there and I 'll just live my life as normal . ''
Gareth Francis , from Beddau , Rhondda Cynon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Faro , Portugal , also criticised the decision to implement the quarantine rules so quickly , rather than giving people time to get home and avoid quarantining .
`` My major disappointment with all of this is that over the last five weeks , people have been given until 04:00 to travel home on the Saturday , '' he said .
`` It has implications financially and practically .
I 'm going to miss two weeks ' work , my wife is going to miss the best part of a week 's work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is also on holiday in the Algarve in Portugal , said adding a quarantine for the whole mainland was unnecessary when most of the cases concentrated in other areas .
`` I feel very aggrieved by it .
We do appreciate when we made the decision that things could change at any given time , but our decision was based on when Denbighshire alone had more deaths than Portugal , so that 's why we made our decision to come out here , '' he said .
`` I emailed Vaughan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'has anyone been out to the Algarve to see what 's happening here ? '
Because the cases in the Algarve are very low . ''
Speaking on the BBC 's Today programme , Health Minister Vaughan Gething said he was acting on the advice of the Joint Biosecurity Centre ( JBC ) , after more than 30 cases in Wales were linked to four different flights last week .
`` Seeing a rising tide of infections coming in from that list of [ Greek ] islands , having that direct experience in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher risk to UK public health from the JBC , I did not feel that there was any course of action other than taking some form of action , '' he said .
`` It 's not for me to explain why others have n't done that , but I 'm very clear that we 're following that advice and keeping Wales safe . ''
Grant Shapps , the UK government 's transport secretary , which sets travel rules for England , acknowledged that the differences between the four nations was confusing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people not to have a single rule , but we do have this devolved approach throughout the United Kingdom and I can only be responsible for the English part of that , '' he said .
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"I feel very aggrieved by it. We do appreciate when we made the decision that things could change at any given time, but our decision was based on when Denbighshire alone had more deaths than Portugal, so that's why we made our decision to come out here," he said.


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Hoo fire: 'Huge explosion' as fire rages at industrial unit

A large fire has broken out in an industrial building and people have been evacuated from the nearby area .
One resident of Hoo Marina , close to the blaze on Vicarage Lane , described hearing a `` huge explosion '' and an eyewitness said the `` place shook '' .
Kent Fire and Rescue Service said about 200 people had been removed from the area and advised others to keep windows and doors closed .
Five crews remain at the scene after the blaze started at about 04:40 BST .
Mark Woodward , the incident commander for the fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to store animal welfare equipment and some Liquefied Petroleum Gas ( LPG ) cylinders had exploded in the blaze .
The Hoo Marina resident who heard the `` huge explosion '' said : `` There 's a chemical holding facility there , and it appears that 's what 's gone up . ''
He said a friend told him he had seen electricity pylons melting in the heat before the power went out .
Another eyewitness told BBC Radio Kent he heard `` two massive bangs '' at about 05:00 .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the whole place shook , '' he said .
`` All I could see in the background was a red ball of fire and we were all told to evacuate . ''
Mr Woodward said the blaze had been `` well contained '' and the fire service was `` considering how best to extinguish it '' .
UK Power Networks confirmed it had sent engineers to the area at 10:00 after receiving reports of an interruption to power supplies .
Roads in the area have been closed off by Medway Council while emergency @ @ @ @ @ @

At 18:30 BST three fire engines were still at the scene, with firefighters saying they would remain for another one or two days.


bbcuk--2020-09-04--Coronavirus: Civil servants 'must get back to offices quickly'

The government has urged Whitehall bosses to `` move quickly '' to get more staff back into the office .
In a letter seen by the BBC , it says it is `` strongly encouraging '' attendance through rota systems , arguing this would be `` hugely beneficial '' .
It follows criticism that too few civil servants working from home because of coronavirus have returned to their desks , despite the easing of lockdown .
But unions have described the government 's attitude as outdated .
They say most civil servants should expect to keep working from home until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they fear an increased risk of catching coronavirus when back with colleagues .
Analysis of mobile phone data last month suggested only 17 % of UK workers had returned to the office .
This was despite official encouragement for private and public sector employees in England to do so where possible .
The government says it wants 80 % of civil servants to be able to attend their usual workplace at least once a week by the end of September .
And Prime Minister Boris Johnson has asked officials for a weekly update @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests are available ?
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In the letter , sent to permanent secretaries - the highest officials - in government departments , Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill and Alex Chisholm , chief operating officer of the Civil Service , say that `` getting more people back into work in a Covid-secure way will improve the public services we deliver '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen a reduced level of social interaction among our colleagues , with the loss of some of the spontaneous interaction and cross-fertilisation between teams that drives innovation and sustained common purpose . ''
But they say staff safety `` remains our paramount concern '' , and that workplace returns will be discussed with unions and staff groups .
The letter goes on : `` Departments which are still below their departmental constraints should now move quickly to seek to bring more staff back into the office in a Covid-secure way , and take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month and increased public transport availability . ''
The FDA union , which represents senior civil servants , said this week that it estimated 30 % to 40 % would be able to return to the office by the end of the year .
Leader Dave Penman accused ministers of `` sounding like Luddites '' in an era when technology made home working easier .
And Mark Serwotka , general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union , said he was prepared to consider industrial action `` as a last resort '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` put at risk '' .

The letter goes on: "Departments which are still below their departmental constraints should now move quickly to seek to bring more staff back into the office in a Covid-secure way, and take advantage of the return to schools this month and increased public transport availability."