bbcuk--2020-06-02--House prices see largest monthly fall for 11 years, says Nationwide

House prices fell 1.7 % in May from the previous month , the largest monthly fall for 11 years , according to the Nationwide .
Annual house price growth halved from 3.7 % to 1.8 % , as the coronavirus crisis hit market activity .
The latest HMRC data showed that residential property transactions fell 53 % in April compared with 2019 .
`` The medium-term outlook for the housing market remains highly uncertain , '' the Nationwide warned .
`` We have already seen a sharp economic contraction as a result of the necessary measures adopted to suppress the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robert Gardner , Nationwide 's chief economist .
But he pointed out that the raft of policies adopted to support the economy should `` set the stage for a rebound once the shock passes '' and help limit long-term damage .
`` These same measures should also help ensure the impact on the housing market will ultimately be less than would normally be associated with an economic shock of this magnitude , '' he predicted .
The figures are based on Nationwide 's lending data , do not include cash purchases , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the very low levels of activity .
Yet , the big month-to-month drop in Nationwide 's house price index in May - the largest since February 2009 - `` is just the start of a protracted decline over the remainder of this year , '' warned Samuel Tombs , chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics .
Before the pandemic struck the UK , the housing market had been steadily gathering momentum , the Nationwide said .
Activity levels and price growth were edging up thanks to continued robust labour market conditions , low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backdrop following the general election .
`` Behavioural changes and social distancing are likely to impact the flow of housing transactions for some time , '' Mr Gardner said .
Recent Nationwide research suggested that one in eight people had put off moving because of the lockdown .
But the majority saw the current situation as a temporary pause in the market , with would-be buyers planning to wait six months on average before looking to enter the market .
Early indicators of housing demand have picked up since in-person property viewings were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pantheon Macroeconomics .
It said the daily volume of Google searches for the three main property portals had increased to be just 13 % below its pre-lockdown level , having been down 50 % in April .
`` Relatively few people likely will be forced to sell their homes , given that mortgage payment holidays are easily available and home ownership has declined , '' said Mr Tombs .
`` Nonetheless , the huge size of the blow from Covid-19 to households ' incomes and the deterioration in consumers ' confidence suggests that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predicted a 5 % fall in prices by the end of the third quarter of the year .
Separate figures from the Bank of England show how the mortgage market decelerated sharply alongside the house sales shutdown .
Some 15,848 mortgage approvals for house purchases were recorded in April - about 80 % below February levels before the coronavirus crisis took hold , the Bank said .
This was around half the number of approvals taking place in the trough during the financial crisis , and the lowest since the figures started in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lesser extent during the month , to 34,400 , some 34 % lower than in February .
The UK 's financial watchdog has confirmed the support firms should give to mortgage customers who are either coming to the end of a payment holiday or who are yet to request one .
The Financial Conduct Authority ( FCA ) said last month that homeowners struggling financially due to coronavirus would be able to extend their mortgage payment holiday for a further three months , or cut payments .
On Tuesday , it confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holiday have until 31 October 2020 to do so .
Meanwhile the current ban on lender repossessions of homes will be continued to 31 October .
`` The measures we have confirmed today will mean anyone who needs to can get help from their lender , if they are still struggling to pay their mortgage due to coronavirus , '' said Christopher Woolard , interim chief executive at the FCA .
`` It is important that if a consumer can afford to re-start mortgage payments , it is in their best interests to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their firm about the best option available for them . ''
On Friday , the Nationwide 's chief executive , Joe Garner , argued that it would be prudent for extensions to mortgage holidays to be marked temporarily on a borrower 's credit file .
However , the FCA said the current guidance - that taking a deferral should not have a negative impact on a borrower 's credit file - should continue .
The regulator pointed out that lenders could still use details obtained from other sources , such as bank account @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether to grant other loans .
• VACCINE : How close are we to finding one ?
• SCHOOLS : When will children be returning ?
• EXERCISE : What are the guidelines on getting out ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters

"The measures we have confirmed today will mean anyone who needs to can get help from their lender, if they are still struggling to pay their mortgage due to coronavirus," said Christopher Woolard, interim chief executive at the FCA.


bbcuk--2020-06-02--Barnsley hospital stoma patient's right to die

A judge is considering whether a man with a history of bowel problems should be allowed to die because he does not want to live with a stoma .
The man , in his 30s , is sedated in intensive care in Barnsley Hospital after undergoing major surgery .
A stoma is an opening in the abdomen and a bag is attached to collect faeces or urine .
The patient has already made a written `` advanced decision '' saying he would not want to live with a permanent stoma .
Hospital bosses have asked judge Mr Justice Hayden to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best interests .
The judge said the man should not be identified as he considered evidence at a virtual Court of Protection hearing on Monday .
The court rules on people who lack the mental capacity to make their own decisions .
The patient would need a permanent stoma to survive .
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust cares for the man and has asked for a ruling .
The man 's parents said at the hearing their son 's wishes should be respected and he should be allowed to die .
The man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' a temporary stoma fitted following previous surgery .
Mr Justice Hayden said many people lived `` perfectly full lives '' with a stoma and he has `` a good-ish prospect of recovery '' but the man had delivered a `` consistent '' message .
`` There is pretty powerful evidence that life for him lost its spice when he had a stoma . ''
Sarah Castle , the Official Solicitor whose office helps vulnerable people in litigation , said the man should be allowed to die .
The trust said it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the judge 's decision .
A ruling is expected in the next few days .
Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .
Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news @ bbc.co.uk .

A judge is considering whether a man with a history of bowel problems should be allowed to die because he does not want to live with a stoma.


bbcuk--2020-06-02--MPs to vote on future of virtual Commons

MPs will vote on the future of virtual proceedings later , amid a row over how Commons business can take place safely .
The government says virtual tools allowing members to debate and vote digitally have been ineffective and will be `` better done face-to-face '' .
But critics say the government plan will exclude vulnerable MPs and those with caring responsibilities .
MPs will meet at 13:30 BST to decide , using a temporary voting process .
They will be asked to queue up outside the Commons chamber before entering in order to observe social distancing .
• MPs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person The cross-party Procedure Committee has tabled an amendment to the government 's plan to enable the Commons Speaker to authorise electronic voting and allow MPs unable to get to the chamber to participate `` digitally '' .
It has the support of the opposition , as well as some Conservative MPs .
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has joined calls to ensure MPs can work remotely , saying it would place MPs who are shielding or self-isolating because of age , disability , health conditions or pregnancy `` at a significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The watchdog 's chief executive , Rebecca Hilsenrath , added : `` We urge the government to agree a revised proposal that upholds the principles of equality and human rights , and ensures the Parliament shows leadership to the rest of the country in inclusive workplaces , especially when the decisions which result affect us all . ''
Tory MP Henry Smith told BBC Breakfast virtual proceedings had `` curtailed my ability on behalf of my constituents to scrutinise the government '' .
He added : `` We ca n't put our system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the rest of the country starts to unlock , I think it 's only right that MPs should as well . ''
But Labour 's shadow Commons leader , Valerie Vaz , told the same programme the government had put forward the proposals `` without any chance for anyone to work out a proper solution '' , and there would be a `` whole range of issues about a group of people travelling across the country '' to get to Westminster , possibly spreading the virus .
Tory MP Robert Halfon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also told BBC News scrapping virtual proceedings was `` democratically unjust '' for MPs who could not return to Parliament , leaving them as `` parliamentary eunuchs '' .
He added : `` This stern and unbending attitude of the powers that be is unfortunately why many people sometimes have problems with the Conservative Party . ''
And the SNP 's Pete Wishart said he could not get from his rural constituency in Perthshire to London to participate , calling it an `` utterly bizarre '' decision by the government which risked `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United Kingdom '' .
The Speaker , Sir Lindsay Hoyle , has warned of the risk of `` deadlock '' over the government 's plans , urging MPs to agree on a solution to allow all members to take part .
The so-called hybrid proceedings have been in place since mid-April .
The measures were initially due to end on 12 May , but MPs agreed to a motion from the government to extend them until 21 May - the start of the Whitsun recess .
In a letter to MPs , Sir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decide how to conduct its business and its votes in the future , but this could only be done in person , because the previous `` hybrid '' arrangements have formally lapsed .
However , the usual practice of voting in corridors either side of the main chamber - the division lobbies - has been ruled unsafe by Public Health England , leaving the Commons in potential limbo as it returns from the Whitsun recess .
Sir Lindsay proposed an unprecedented process for the decision , in which MPs will have to queue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before slowly filing into the chamber to cast their vote .
He said any vote - which will see MPs start their journey in Westminster Hall , the oldest part of the Palace of Westminster - would take about half an hour .
`` I have had to devise a temporary way forward to break the deadlock - because the House must be able to have its say , '' he said .
`` It is not perfect , it will take time , and members will need to be patient , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the safest method I can think of to enable members and supporting staff to maintain social distancing . ''
The current set-up has seen a maximum of 50 MPs allowed in the Commons chamber , with up to 120 taking part via video conferencing technology .
But writing for the Politics Home website , Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said the virtual set-up `` is no longer necessary , '' and physical working would make the Commons `` much more effective '' .
`` Politics is better done face-to-face , even if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet away , '' he added .
He also said work was under way with Commons authorities to determine how MPs shielding at home or with health conditions `` can safely continue to contribute '' .
It is understood the government sees the pairing convention - under which absent MPs from opposing parties have their votes cancelled out - as a way to account for MPs who are not able to vote in person .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• RISK AT WORK : How exposed is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long does it take to get better ?

But Labour's shadow Commons leader, Valerie Vaz, told the same programme the government had put forward the proposals "without any chance for anyone to work out a proper solution", and there would be a "whole range of issues about a group of people travelling across the country" to get to Westminster, possibly spreading the virus.


bbcuk--2020-06-01--Iraq war: All but one war crimes claim against British soldiers dropped

British soldiers who have been accused of committing war crimes in Iraq are unlikely to face criminal prosecution .
Independent investigators were asked to look at thousands of allegations made against the British military after the invasion of Iraq in 2003 .
But the director of the Service Prosecution Authority ( SPA ) said just one remaining case was being examined .
Andrew Cayley said the `` low level '' of offending and lack of credible evidence had led most cases to be dismissed .
Speaking to BBC Radio 4 's Law in Action programme , Mr Cayley said most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very early stage because of the lack of credible evidence or because the offending was `` at such a very low level '' .
More than 1,000 cases were made by former lawyer Phil Shiner and his firm Public Interest Lawyers ( PIL ) .
In 2017 he was struck off as a solicitor after a tribunal found him guilty of misconduct and dishonesty , including false accounts about the actions of UK soldiers .
Mr Cayley said seven remaining cases had been referred to the SPA , but in six of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges should be brought .
One case is still being considered , but Mr Cayley admitted that it is now `` quite possible '' that none of the original allegations will lead to a prosecution .
Mr Cayley also said he is confident a separate investigation being conducted by the International Criminal Court ( ICC ) in the Hague will conclude this year without further action being taken .
In 2014 , ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda re-opened a preliminary examination of cases involving alleged British abuses in Iraq .
Mr Cayley said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon be completed without any further action .
He said : `` My sense is these matters are coming to a conclusion ; she will close the preliminary examination this year in respect of Iraq and the United Kingdom . ''
The cloud hanging over British service personnel accused of wrongdoing has already left a bitter taste and contributed to political pressure to do more to protect soldiers on the battlefield from criminal and civil prosecution for alleged actions which took place years ago .
Earlier this year the government presented a bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it calls `` vexatious claims '' against armed forces deployed overseas .
The bill proposes a five-year time limit on any criminal prosecution unless compelling new evidence is brought to light .
In a statement , the Ministry of Defence said it was strongly opposed to service personnel and veterans being subjected to the threat of repeated investigations and potential prosecutions .
Veterans minister Johnny Mercer said the bill was introduced `` to reduce the uncertainty currently faced by service personnel and veterans in relation to historic allegations '' - and aimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end up in a situation like this again '' .
But human rights groups and some lawyers have already expressed concern - saying the legislation could place the military above the law , and undermine existing international conventions .
David Greene , vice-president of the Law Society , said a balance must be struck to ensure charges are only brought when warranted .
But he added : `` The argument behind time limits for British service personnel deployed overseas is that there has been a rise in historic prosecutions .
Based on Andrew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an assertion is lacking . ''

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Law in Action programme, Mr Cayley said most of those cases were sifted out at a very early stage because of the lack of credible evidence or because the offending was "at such a very low level".


bbcuk--2020-06-02--NHS operations in Scotland down 83% in April

The number of planned operations carried out in Scottish hospitals in April fell by more than 80 % , official @ @ @ @ @ Scotland stats show the extent of the disruption to normal NHS work to cope with @ @ @ @ @ 3,406 operations took place in April , compared with 20,192 the previous month - an @ @ @ @ @ figures also show the number of operations carried out was 87.5 % down on April @ @ @ @ @ the Scottish government announced that it was to `` gradually restart '' NHS services which @ @ @ @ @ .
The NHS services likely to be prioritised by health boards include : • Outpatient @ @ @ @ @ macular degeneration , paediatrics and respiratory services Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said : `` We @ @ @ @ @ cautious and phased approach to resuming services to ensure the virus continues to be suppressed @ @ @ @ @ leader Richard Leonard said : `` I am concerned that this framework provides a lack @ @ @ @ @ dates to reopen services , and a vague approach to moving forward . ''

But Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said: "I am concerned that this framework provides a lack of detail and commitment to dates to reopen services, and a vague approach to moving forward."


bbcuk--2020-06-02--Boris Johnson's East Sussex school to close due to Covid-19

A prep school which Prime Minster Boris Johnson attended is to shut permanently due to the pressures of coronavirus .
Ashdown House in Forest Row , East Sussex , teaches children from the ages of seven to 13 and charges fees of up to £9,500 per term .
It is a feeder for prominent public schools such as Eton , and will close at the end of this academic year .
The Cothill Trust , which runs the school , said the decision had been made with `` an incredibly heavy heart '' .
Founded in 1843 , the school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 years , from 1969 , an inquiry heard .
More than a decade ago it was bought by The Cothill Trust , which had been working to turn the school around .
Tom Beardmore-Gray , chief executive of the trust said : `` The impact of the coronavirus has changed everything . ''
In a statement released to parents , Mr Beardmore-Gray said when the trust took over the school in 2009 , the trustees were aware some `` very significant challenges needed to be addressed '' and were `` united '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the school running .
Mr Beardmore-Gray added : `` However , given the challenges the sector as a whole is now facing , it is not possible to maintain this support . ''
The school will be closing at the end of this academic year , and pupils supported in finding alternative provision , the trust said .
Boris Johnson attended the school in 1975 , six years after the first allegations of sexual abuse of pupils were made .
Martin Haigh , who taught at the school between 1973 and 1975 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 years for 11 sex offences against boys at the school and possession of indecent images of children .
Allegations of abuse had been made against at least seven Ashdown House staff , involving 15 complainants , but Haigh was the only one convicted .

In a statement released to parents, Mr Beardmore-Gray said when the trust took over the school in 2009, the trustees were aware some "very significant challenges needed to be addressed" and were "united" in doing all they could to keep the school running.


bbcuk--2020-06-02--Deer rescued from sea by fisherman off Cornwall

A deer has been pulled from the sea off Cornwall by a passing fisherman .
The roe deer managed to get itself in to trouble about a mile off the shore of Porthleven .
Skipper Jeremy Richards , who said he believed the animal had fallen from nearby cliffs , came to the rescue when he spotted a seal slowly moving in on the bewildered animal .
The deer has been safely released back in to woodland by the RSPCA .
Mr Richards was handline fishing when he spotted something floating on the water 's surface .
`` I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean we 're used to seeing the odd sunfish or the occasional shark , perhaps a dolphin , but it had a very different look to it '' , he said .
`` The closer I got , it got a bit spooked , but I could see that about five , ten metres behind it , there was a huge , great seal , a monstrous great thing , and it appeared to be keeping itself between the little deer and the shore . ''
Mr Richards managed to latch on to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aboard his boat .
`` He was really , really tired , '' the fisherman said .
`` He seemed to settle quite quickly .
I just talked to him for a second or two and he seemed to realise that I was trying to help him . ''
The deer was escorted back to the shore by his fisherman friend where he was handed over to the RSPCA .
`` He got a bit feisty , he seemed to like the boat as his new home , '' Mr Richards said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was released in to nearby woodland by the animal charity .

"The closer I got, it got a bit spooked, but I could see that about five, ten metres behind it, there was a huge, great seal, a monstrous great thing, and it appeared to be keeping itself between the little deer and the shore."


bbcuk--2020-06-02--Coronavirus: What are the UK travel quarantine rules?

A two-week quarantine period for anyone arriving in the UK will be enforced from 8 June , with further details expected on Tuesday .
More than 200 travel companies have written to Home Secretary Priti Patel asking for the new rules to be scrapped , while some MPs have also voiced concerns .
What are the new quarantine rules ?
Passengers arriving in the UK by plane , ferry or train - including UK nationals - will have to provide an address where they will remain for 14 days .
There is a £100 penalty for anyone found to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visits will be used to check they are following the rules .
Those in England could be fined up to £1,000 if they fail to self-isolate , while governments in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland can also impose penalties .
Passengers will be asked to drive in their own car to their destination , where possible .
If they do n't provide an address , the government will arrange accommodation .
They must not go to work , school , or public areas , or use public transport or taxis .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they need essential support , and should not go out to buy food or other essentials where they can rely on others .
Why are the measures being introduced now ?
The government says the measures are to `` keep the transmission rate down and prevent a devastating second wave '' .
It hopes quarantine measures will lower the risk of infection being reintroduced from other countries .
The measures will be reviewed every three weeks to check they remain `` effective and necessary '' .
Do the quarantine rules apply to everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are exempt , including : • Medical and care professionals travelling to the UK to provide essential healthcare • Anyone arriving from the Republic of Ireland , the Channel Islands , or the Isle of Man • Seasonal agricultural workers if they self-isolate on the property where they are working More groups may be added to this list over time .
Initially , it was suggested the rules would also not apply to travellers from France .
However , the government later insisted the quarantine measures will also apply to them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' is being considered by the government .
This would be an arrangement where countries with low coronavirus levels could agree to exempt one another 's residents from quarantine .
However , some countries , such as Spain , have said the UK 's coronavirus figures have to improve before residents are allowed in .
Do other countries have quarantine rules ?
Anyone travelling to another country may also have to enter quarantine at their destination .
Fourteen-day quarantine rules apply in destinations including Italy , Greece , Canada , the UAE , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduced screening measures such as temperature checks , and entry restrictions .
In Spain , only UK citizens with permanent resident status can enter .
From 1 July , passengers from some countries will be allowed in without quarantining , but this does n't include the UK .
• Arrivals in Italy must carry a form explaining their reason for travel , avoid public transport and report to health authorities • The US only has 13 airports open for international flights • Canada has barred most foreign nationals and airlines must carry out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arab Emirates has strict entry rules for foreign residents • UK citizens need a special exemption visa to travel to Australia • The New Zealand border is closed to almost all arrivals What has the response been ?
More than 200 travel companies have written to the government calling for the current quarantine plans to be quashed .
And MPs in the newly-formed Future of Aviation group have written to the transport secretary asking for airbridges to be prioritised .
UK airlines fear the measures will have a devastating impact on their industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which represents various airlines , said quarantine `` would effectively kill off air travel '' .
The British Ports Association , which represents ferry companies , has also spoken out against the measures - calling them `` overzealous '' .
• Travel insurance advice from the Association of British Insurers What other measures have been put in place ?
The government guidance says all flight passengers should remain at least 2m ( 6ft ) apart from other people wherever possible and consider wearing a face covering .
People travelling through Manchester , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been told to cover their faces and wear gloves .
Some temperature screening trials will also be conducted at Stansted .
Heathrow , one of the world 's busiest airports , is already trialling large-scale temperature checks .
Air France says passengers will be temperature-checked before flying .
The carrier has also made face masks compulsory - similar to several US airlines .
Will airlines still be flying ?
EasyJet will restart a `` small number '' of flights on 15 June , with all passengers and cabin crew told to wear face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of its flights from 1 July , subject to travel restrictions being lifted and safety measures being brought in at airports .
British Airways is reviewing its plans to run 50 % of its schedule from July , because of the new quarantine rules .
• SCHOOLS : When will children be returning ?
• EXERCISE : What are the guidelines on getting out ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?

What Covid tests do I still need to travel abroad? Published 11 February 2022
Image source, Getty Images
Fully vaccinated people travelling to the UK no longer have to take any Covid tests - either before departure or on arrival.
The prime minister has announced that he intends to remove England's remaining Covid restrictions at the end of the month.
What changes have come into force for vaccinated travellers?
Fully vaccinated travellers (two doses) and under-18s no longer need to take a test either before or after they arrive in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
To qualify as vaccinated, non-UK travellers must have received their jabs in a country or territory with "approved proof of vaccination". This now covers most countries in the world, with more - including China - due to join on 11 February.
What if I'm unvaccinated?
Unvaccinated travellers still have to show proof of a negative Covid test taken two days before departure.
They must also take a post-arrival PCR test two days after arrival. This must be booked before travelling to the UK and bought privately from a government-approved list of providers.
If this is positive, they need to self-isolate.
However, unvaccinated travellers no longer have to self-isolate on arrival, or take a test on day eight.
What other rules are still in force?
All unvaccinated travellers to the UK must complete a passenger locator form before departure.
How do I prove vaccinations and test results at the UK border?
Digital Covid passes showing your vaccination status can be downloaded to your phone, whether you're in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Test results can be in the form of a printed document, or an email or text on your phone. They must be in English, French or Spanish.
European Union residents can use the EU Digital Covid Certificate to show their vaccination status or test results.
Since 3 February, 12 to 15-year-olds in England have also been able to prove their vaccination status via the digital NHS pass.
What about other countries' rules?
You are responsible for checking the entry requirements for any other countries you wish to visit, as well as the local Covid restrictions which are in force. These can change quickly.
Many UK families have cancelled half-term trips to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands because children over 12 must be double vaccinated to enter.
Very few countries allow unrestricted access to those who have not been vaccinated.
It is thought more than 80 holiday destinations around the world still require all UK travellers to take a pre-departure PCR test before arrival.
UK-issued Covid passes can be used throughout the EU to show proof of vaccination - either digitally, or as a printed download (as long as it is dated after than 1 November 2021).


bbcuk--2020-06-02--England's lockdown in pictures

England's lockdown in pictures

Empty streets , home-made haircuts and a giant NHS thank you cut into a field .
These are among the @ @ @ @ @ the nation 's lockdown , according to Historic England .
More than 3,000 pictures were @ @ @ @ @ a week-long appeal , with the final selection being added to the Historic England archive @ @ @ @ @ also entered pictures into the archive as well as choosing favourites from the public submissions @ @ @ @ @ call-out was the first time the public had been asked to capture photographs for the @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The fascinating response to our Picturing Lockdown call-out sheds light on our collective @ @ @ @ @ and provide a snapshot into this unusual time that will be accessible for future generations @ @ @ @ @ , '' Claudia Kenyatta , director of regions , said .

"The fascinating response to our Picturing Lockdown call-out sheds light on our collective and individual experiences of lockdown and provide a snapshot into this unusual time that will be accessible for future generations to see and learn from," Claudia Kenyatta, director of regions, said.


bbcuk--2020-06-01--Lockdown break-ups and job changes boost rentals

Lockdown break-ups , job losses and urgent relocations are thought to have led to a surge in the rental sector .
Demand for lettings in Great Britain is up by 22 % compared to last year , according to property giant Rightmove .
Experts say the lifting of lockdown restrictions has released `` two months of pent-up tension '' in the market .
The supply of new rents is not keeping up with demand , however , prompting fears the surge will push up costs and leave some struggling to find homes .
According to data provided by Rightmove , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the height of the lockdown .
The restrictions prevented house viewings , surveys and searches from taking place , while removal companies were also temporarily closed .
People were urged to stay in their current homes during lockdown unless absolutely necessary .
Evictions were put on hold until 25 June .
Since estate agents were allowed to reopen on 13 May though , demand for rental homes has increased at a quicker rate than the sales market , according to Rightmove .
Many people have been left with an `` immediate housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , housing expert Miles Shipside said .
The sector is also coping with a backlog of people who have had to cancel planned moves during lockdown .
Chloe Arnold and her housemate DJ Branch are two of hundreds searching for properties in Bristol , which has emerged as one of the most-searched-for places on Rightmove after moving home was allowed again .
`` It 's been really difficult if I 'm honest , '' said Chloe , 25 , who works in recruitment .
`` A lot of the time landlords want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen the biggest surge in demand for new rental properties with a 34 % increase compared to last year , according to Rightmove .
It classed demand as the number of times website visitors clicked through to the details of a property listed online .
`` One of the reasons it has been tough is because a lot of the houses are n't doing viewings , '' Chloe said .
`` Obviously because of the social distancing , a lot of the places we are looking at , you have to decide whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tour .
`` It 's so easy to miss things that way .
In Bristol a lot of places have a problem with damp you are n't going to see on a video tour . ''
Former banker Renecia Thompson , 35 , and her four-year-old daughter moved from Anguilla in the Caribbean to the West Midlands before Christmas .
As she had only just received her National Insurance number by the time lockdown was imposed , she had been unable to find work .
She was turned down by eight landlords because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay with a friend during lockdown .
`` I was in competition with others who were in a better financial position than me , '' she said .
`` Some landlords would n't even talk to me . ''
Renecia has recently been accepted for a house in Wolverhampton after putting out a plea for a property on the Gumtree website .
Wednesday 27 May saw more than six million people visit the Rightmove website , its busiest day ever .
`` They may need to move for a job , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In this environment we are in now , there is a need for people with specialist jobs to be in a certain place - just think about the Nightingale hospitals that have sprung up .
`` Where some people have enjoyed lockdown , others ' relationships have n't survived it and this has had knock-on consequences .
`` There could be people who need to move because of job losses too .
`` And working from home has left a lot of people looking for a change in surroundings .
`` Effectively we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to be satisfied . ''
However , supply is struggling to match demand .
The number of new rental listings on Rightmove is 4 % below 2019 levels .
It dropped to a level of 64 % below during the week of 6 April .
Landlords are `` exiting the market '' Mr Shipside says , due to Covid-19 and the uncertainty over tenants being able to afford rent .
Thinktank the Resolution Foundation found one in eight renters were struggling with housing costs as a result of coronavirus .
`` They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those with the best references and who can move in immediately .
Those whose credit record is not the best tend to lose out , '' Mr Shipside said .
More people bidding for fewer properties was almost certain to push up the prices of rented accommodation , he said .
Estate agents , having closed for two months , are now reporting an increased workload to manage the backlog of people needing new homes .
`` The number of new listings for sales has gone through the roof , but when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough stock , '' said Stephen Groves , who runs the Home estate agents in Greater Manchester .
`` Days of working from nine to 5.30 have long gone .
I was doing emails at 11 last night - everything just takes a lot longer , '' he said .
While his company is offering virtual appointments to prospective tenants , the ability to offer house viewings has been restricted .
Staff members have to wear Personal Protective Equipment ( PPE ) during them and homes must be cleaned before and after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 20 and 30 viewing of a property in a day , we are now doing four where the home is still tenanted , '' he said .
`` Understandably people do n't want people coming to visit their homes because of the virus . ''
However , some who opted to sign an agreement on the strength of a virtual viewing have seen the benefit .
Husband and wife Paul and Poppy Carr of High Wycombe needed to move out of their two-bedroomed apartment quickly but they could not go for any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opted for a video tour of a new flat and negotiated a £200 reduction in their rent - partly because they noticed a de-humidifier in one room .
`` I was really surprised by the quality of the virtual viewing , '' said Poppy , aged 25 , a researcher who works in London .
`` We could see that it had been recently renovated and they had already done a deep clean .
`` I think we were lucky really because we got in there before demand boomed . ''
More about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data journalism available to news organisations across the media industry , as part of a partnership between the BBC and the News Media Association .
For the full dataset , click here .
Read more about the Local News Partnerships here .
Did your housing situation change in lockdown ?
Are you struggling to find somewhere to rent ?
Share your experience by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us in the following ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

"They may need to move for a job," said Rightmove's Mr Shipside. "In this environment we are in now, there is a need for people with specialist jobs to be in a certain place - just think about the Nightingale hospitals that have sprung up.


bbcuk--2020-06-02--Coronavirus: Lake District visitors pose 'significant problems'

Lake District visitors have caused `` significant problems '' - blocking roads with parked cars and leaving the ground strewn with rubbish , police have said .
Cumbria Police said National Trust wardens and National Park Rangers had filled 130 bags with rubbish , including `` toilet waste '' , left at beauty spots .
Abandoned cars stopped emergency vehicles getting through some roads at the weekend , the force added .
They also said camping , banned under lockdown rules , had been `` a problem '' .
Police urged visitors to respect the area and act responsibly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ barbecues and lighting fires `` at a time of extreme fire risk '' .
Assistant Chief Constable Andrew Slattery said a survey carried out by the National Park Authority found 68 % of those polled had not visited the Lake District before .
He said : `` As the lockdown measures are eased across the country and foreign holidays are not available , many people are choosing to visit the Lakes and Dales but we appeal to all visitors to respect the environment and the local communities .
`` With so many travelling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and most toilets are still closed , it is vital that people behave in a responsible and considerate manner . ''
`` Roads blocked by parked cars and piles of discarded bottles and barbecues on the lakeshores are not acceptable . ''
Owners of the Haweswater reservoir said they were `` appalled , shocked and saddened '' by the state campers left the reservoirs in .
They said trees had been felled , dry-stone walls damaged and barbecues and litter left .
• SCHOOLS : When will children be returning ?
• EXERCISE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
• RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram .
Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria @ bbc.co.uk .

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


bbcuk--2020-06-02--Coronavirus: The London hospital hit by a 'tidal wave' of patients

As the UK stared down the barrel of a coronavirus epidemic in early March , the biggest fear was that hospitals would be swamped and incapacitated by a tsunami of patients .
It happened in Wuhan and northern Italy .
The NHS largely pulled through , but there were still times hospitals became overwhelmed .
One of those was when a London hospital became suddenly engulfed with victims .
On 19 March , night-shift staff at Northwick Park Hospital in north-west London awoke to discover their workplace was so overwhelmed with Covid patients that a critical incident had been declared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news and thought 'oh my goodness ' , '' said consultant Tariq Husain .
`` I 'd had messages from colleagues during the day saying it was getting really busy , we needed extra help , we 've got such a volume of patients .
`` It was that realisation that everything we feared was becoming reality .
`` It was shocking and almost unbelievable that it was happening . ''
Six weeks earlier , at the end of January , Brexit was the only story in town .
Coronavirus was still a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Northwick Park , which specialises in tropical diseases , was soon asked by Public Health England to start screening people coming into the UK from Wuhan who were showing signs of coronavirus .
The hospital 's location makes it easy to access from Heathrow Airport - similar protocols were used during the Ebola outbreak five years earlier .
By mid-February , the extent of the global spread of coronavirus was impossible to ignore .
In Italy , the number of cases crept up slowly at first and then rapidly accelerated - a textbook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching the news from abroad closely .
`` I love Italy and go to Italy several times a year - I had actually cancelled a holiday that we had booked for the end of March , '' head of facilities Yvonne Smith said .
`` So taking a particular interest in that and seeing the pictures of the intensive care units there was quite sobering , and you knew you were going to have to prepare yourself for something like that . ''
Yvonne , from Kent , looks after non-clinical roles within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ porters , patient transport and laundry workers all fall under her remit .
`` It 's been extremely challenging because it has been so new and you do n't know what to expect .
It was a challenge managing all those groups of staff I look after in terms of making them safe at work , but making them feel confident in the job roles that they had . ''
Battle plans were drawn up in case Northwick Park experienced a similar onslaught to the one in northern Italy .
A pod was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing symptoms of coronavirus were assessed there .
A specialist from the infectious disease department would don full PPE and come to test them .
Inside the hospital , training exercises and preparations were just as rigorous .
Some day-to-day tasks had to be scaled back .
`` We mapped out a patient coming in as a live scenario and how we would have to adapt , '' A & E nurse consultant John Ross said .
`` Then we just trained and trained and trained for a good 10 or 12 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change because of the threat coming in with Covid . ''
John , from Inverness , explained that initial precautions against the virus were focused on identifying those patients who had travelled from China , Iran or Italy .
`` For us , it was changing every single day .
Which part of the world they were from and how much risk they had .
I think Italy was when we really had to focus and get even more prepared - we kept saying in our training sessions that it was not likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepared . ''
John knew that if a coronavirus wave was destined for the capital , the boroughs served by Northwick Park - Harrow , Brent and Ealing - would be likely to be hit hard .
`` We saw what happened in Italy , '' John recalled .
`` We know there is a very dense population here , we know the demographics , we know a lot of our patients have cardiac and respiratory problems - a lot of diabetes - so it was always at the back of our minds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't going to happen but you have to be prepared for it . ''
All of their intense training was about be put to the test .
'It hit us like a tonne of bricks' On 3 March , `` wash your hands '' was the mantra at the Downing Street briefing - although Prime Minister Boris Johnson explained he had been continuing to shake people 's hands .
It was on this day the government published a detailed coronavirus action plan .
Ten miles from Downing Street , a patient turned up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to London from Iran .
`` We knew Covid was coming , '' said Dr Rachel Tennent , who specialises in respiratory medicine .
`` It had been in the news since January and we were preparing around February .
`` Then it hit us like a tonne of bricks .
It hit us hard and fast - the epicentre of the outbreak in the UK . ''
When a further two patients tested positive for coronavirus , the hospital triggered a set of rapid changes .
Surgeons were obliged to give up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the A & E department was divided up .
`` I remember meeting up here on Sunday 8 March - how we are going to keep staff and patients safe ? ''
Rachel said .
`` We decided to create different pathways , negative going to one area of the department and people with respiratory problems who might be positive to the other .
`` We had to move a lot of wards and staff around - stuff that would usually take six months to a year happened in a week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ being admitted to Northwick Park was increasing and , within days , staff found themselves dealing with a crisis .
`` We had an exponential increase , '' Rachel said .
`` On Monday 9 March we opened our respiratory assessment area wards and within two days those wards were full .
`` Then on the third day another ward was opened and then we started cohorting patients with respiratory problems in side rooms .
By the end of that second week we were up to a full ward and then another one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global epidemic by the World Health Organisation on 11 March .
The virus was by now spreading across London , and Public Health England 's modelling suggested cases were doubling in the capital every five days .
At Northwick Park , they were seeing the number of cases double every two days .
`` It increased at a very , very rapid rate , '' Rachel explained , adding that new advice from China was that early intubation of patients was the way forward .
Risks are attached to every intubation as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , further exposing staff .
At this point , 44-year-old consultant Tariq Hussain had a tough conversation with his family after he was asked to take a senior role in Northwick Park 's critical care response to Covid-19 .
`` It was n't an easy call to make .
You end up sacrificing a lot of things , '' Tariq said , although he knew that taking on the role was the right thing to do .
The gravity of the situation was by this stage clear , with confirmed infections in Harrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five to 112 in a week .
`` We saw all kinds of patients - patients who have been admitted to ICU have been relatively fit and well , with a few diabetes , high blood pressure cases , but otherwise reasonably well , '' Tariq said .
`` But certainly not just elderly ; we had people in their 20s , 30s and upwards from there .
`` There have been relatively few Caucasians and a high proportion of Asian patients , which is the cohort of people around here .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the news about the scale of the pandemic , particularly in China .
`` We never thought we 'd quite reach the point of such a huge volume of patients requiring admission to intensive care . ''
`` Patients would initially go into side rooms , '' head of facilities Yvonne Smith said .
`` Every time a Covid patient vacated that room it would need a full clean .
`` So our normal terminal cleans will average 20 or 25 a day .
At our absolute peak that went up to 96 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described the surge of patients at this stage as a `` tidal wave '' .
It was about to crash down , as Northwick Park ran out of space for the sick .
'We need help' On 19 March , the prime minister said it would take 12 weeks to turn the tide against coronavirus .
At the same time an executive meeting was being held at Northwick Park , where a critical incident was declared .
`` We had a lot of patients and more coming in than we could match the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' head of nursing Trish Mukherjee said .
As part of the critical incident protocol , patients were shuttled to other hospitals to alleviate the pressure .
`` The whole point about the critical incident is for that help within the area , '' Dr Rachel Tennent said .
`` You do n't want people dying in a busy hospital when 30 miles up the road no-one has even got it , so the whole point is to share the access to ventilators . ''
Northwick Park became the first UK hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident - only Watford General has taken the same action , although Weston General also saw its resources pushed to the very limit .
Medical director Dr Martin Kuper was one of those involved in the decision to declare an emergency at Northwick Park .
`` I think it was right for us to do so , '' he said .
`` We had an awful lot of patients and we needed some help here . ''
To stem the flow of coronavirus cases , the UK was put into lockdown on 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotspots emptied , while hospital beds and morgues continued to fill .
At the peak of the crisis at Northwick Park , 126 patients in the hospital 's NHS trust area died with coronavirus in one week - every one of them with no family present .
`` Yes , the deaths were going up , '' head of nursing Trish Mukherjee said , `` but the most difficult part was that relatives were n't there and we had to stay with the patients and hold their hand and be there for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult in itself . ''
Emma Leahy , a nurse from Limerick , has the task of using a tablet computer to connect patients with loved ones at home .
`` We continue to care throughout all different parts of their stays in intensive care , '' she said .
`` Seeing a patient who we have cared for a month to be able to wake up and say 'thank you for looking after me ' , and seeing their children say 'ca n't wait to see you , Dad ' - this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' One of the people Emma has nursed is Jal Makai , a father of four from Northolt , who was taken to Northwick Park on 3 April after collapsing on the toilet .
In hospital , his condition worsened and within three days of being admitted he was hooked up to a ventilator .
He spent a month on it .
His kidneys failed and he was unable to walk or hear out of one ear .
`` Without these guys at the NHS I 'd be gone , very simple , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point my wife thought that was it , I was gone . ''
He added : `` When you do open your eyes there is someone here .
Always - maybe even more than one .
They are angels .
They put themselves in harm 's way - they should be getting paid more than footballers .
`` If it was n't for them I would n't see my kids again , very simple . ''
At about the same time Jal was admitted , NHS veteran of 35 years Chris Bown took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West University Healthcare NHS Trust , which is responsible for Northwick Park .
`` The striking thing for me is , having finished a job in the NHS as a CEO in mid-January , was that the NHS that I left in mid-January was not the NHS I returned to at the end of March , '' he said .
`` It fundamentally had to shift and change to meet this devastating pandemic .
`` I was really quite shocked to see the impact this was having but equally reassured that , despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this trust were absolutely doing their utmost to manage very difficult circumstances with great compassion . ''
Every survival story during the pandemic has provided a much-needed morale boost for staff - and they have even had one of their own .
Nurse Alicia Borja spent a month in the hospital with coronavirus and was eventually applauded out of Northwick Park by the colleagues who helped save her .
Alicia is recovering at home but will be back to help care for others with the virus that almost killed her .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients and that is amazing , '' Trish said .
`` It was lovely to see Alicia recover so well and to see her go home .
`` I got to look after her , I got to speak with her , hold her hand and talk about normal things .
`` Seeing her be applauded out was just an overwhelming joy . ''
There is now relative calm at Northwick Park .
Covid patients are still coming in but at nowhere near the volume experienced a few weeks ago .
On the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ break from chatting with patients and families to reflect .
`` The last few weeks have been emotional , '' she said .
`` It has been a rollercoaster and it 's made me realise we take things for granted - and it 's something I wo n't be doing any more . ''
`` Our work is being recognised , '' Emma added .
`` I never really knew my neighbours , they did n't really know me . ''
`` They did n't know I was a nurse and the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my neighbours and we 've clapped for carers every Thursday together and it has just brought this sense of community and the feeling that we are all in this together . ''
`` North-west London is where the wave crashed in Covid and we were the hardest hit first , '' medical director Martin Kupar said .
`` The reasons for that , our boroughs , Brent , Ealing and Harrow , have a high rate of Covid .
`` We do n't know why that is - it is certainly a diverse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of travel as well .
There are also socio-economic reasons . ''
He said that patients numbers did not double again at Northwick Park after the critical incident was declared .
More than two months on , staff now fear a second wave .
`` We were the place that was hit first but it would have carried on - the lockdown was essential .
Nothing else can help you reduce the numbers , '' he said .
`` It seems likely that there will be upstrokes of waves as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase is likely to be slower than the first time round , which is when there were no restrictions on people .
`` I do n't think we 've had a similar crisis in my lifetime in the NHS and I think the staff have been amazing . ''
Many staff are being encouraged to take time off .
`` Of course we are on standby in case anything increases , '' CEO Chris Bown said .
`` But we are seeing that the numbers of admissions and deaths through Covid-19 have decreased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all learning a great deal from this and we always need to be prepared if there is going to be a second wave - which we really hope there is n't - but we are now making sure staff take as much annual leave and training as we are in a bit of a dip right now . ''
• ' I found out I had cancer on the day of lockdown' It 's now almost three months since the first confirmed coronavirus patient was admitted to the hospital .
Even though the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is a sense of triumph in the unity , compassion and resilience shown by staff at Northwick Park .
Exhausted nurses , doctors , cleaners and porters are cautiously optimistic they have overcome the biggest challenge of their working lives - but remain wary of a return to the all-consuming fight against an invisible enemy .

"Clearly, we are all learning a great deal from this and we always need to be prepared if there is going to be a second wave - which we really hope there isn't - but we are now making sure staff take as much annual leave and training as we are in a bit of a dip right now."


bbcuk--2020-06-02--Coronavirus: Quarantine plan, NI hotels and Commons 'deadlock'

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus outbreak this Tuesday morning .
We 'll have another update for you at 18:00 BST .
Plans to introduce a 14-day quarantine for the majority of people entering the country , including UK nationals , will be put before Parliament later , but the BBC has learned the government is already considering ways to relax it .
Critics , including Conservative MPs , fear it 'll do huge damage to the aviation , travel and hospitality industries .
So-called `` air bridges '' are among the ideas being looked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy and what it means for your summer holiday .
As debate rages around international travel , the domestic tourism sector in Northern Ireland has received a boost .
The country has become the first in the UK to set a firm date for hotels and other accommodation to reopen - 20 July .
Each nation is taking its own decisions when it comes to easing lockdown and police powers to enforce those rules that remain vary too .
Our home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani explains them all .
The House of Commons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to allow all members , including those with health conditions , to continue to take part in Parliament .
The government wants to end the existing virtual proceedings and return to physical sittings , but that 's opposed by large number of MPs .
A decision will be taken later .
The charity has announced it 'll begin reopening its network of charity shops in England from 15 June .
There are fears , though , of a deluge of donations .
Beyond shops , we 're all wondering how some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What 's the future of religious worship with ongoing social distancing ?
Or something as simple as going for a swim ?
Elsewhere in Europe , galleries and museums are starting to reopen , so what lessons could the UK 's equivalents learn ?
It 's three months since the first person in the UK died after testing positive for coronavirus .
To pay tribute to all of those who 've lost their lives , BBC Breakfast commissioned Hussain Manawer to write and perform a poem .
Get a longer coronavirus briefing from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekday morning , by signing up here .
You can find more information , advice and guides on our coronavirus page and get the latest from our live page .
Plus , what is it like to work in a hospital suddenly engulfed with victims ?
The BBC 's Thomas Mackintosh talks to some of those who know - the staff at London 's Northwick Park .
What questions do you have about coronavirus ?
In some cases , your question will be published , displaying your name , age and location as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ otherwise .
Your contact details will never be published .
Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy .
Use this form to ask your question : If you are reading this page and ca n't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or send them via email to YourQuestions @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include your name , age and location with any question you send in .
• HOSPITAL SPECIAL : The human stories behind the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Can you keep up ?

As debate rages around international travel, the domestic tourism sector in Northern Ireland has received a boost. The country has become the first in the UK to set a firm date for hotels and other accommodation to reopen - 20 July. Each nation is taking its own decisions when it comes to easing lockdown and police powers to enforce those rules that remain vary too. Our home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani explains them all.


bbcuk--2020-06-02--The Infinite Monkey Cage: BBC radio show trials virtual audience

This week , amid the coronavirus pandemic , the BBC has recorded its first programme with a live audience listening from home .
Could this be the new normal for radio comedy shows ?
`` Can you give us a cheer so we know you 're there ?
That 's great !
Now can you laugh as if I just said something really hilarious ? ''
It 's Monday evening , and Radio 4 producer Sasha Feachem is warming up the audience ahead of a recording of science comedy show The Infinite Monkey Cage .
But we , the audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radio theatre as we normally would be .
Instead we 've tuned in over Zoom to hear a new episode of the programme being recorded virtually .
For the next hour or so , it 's our job to react to whatever the panellists are saying - starting with a quick sound check that sees us clapping , cheering and ( fake ) laughing .
Behaving as if you 're a member of a big crowd when you 're sitting at home feels strange .
But there 's no doubt it adds something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programmes recently - namely , atmosphere .
`` That was wonderful , '' presenter Robin Ince says as the programme gets going .
`` The idea that there are loads of people sitting alone in their house just applauding , and everyone in their street is going 'Oh my god , is it 8pm on Thursday already ? '
'' The Infinite Monkey Cage is the perfect show on which to test out a virtual audience .
You can imagine the show 's dedicated fans being delighted to take part in a recording @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it wo n't be a major disaster if it does n't work .
Because Monkey Cage is a science programme and not exclusively a comedy show , there is n't the constant reliance on laughter there would be on The Now Show , Dead Ringers or Just A Minute .
Ince and co-host Brian Cox tell the at-home audience the episode will combine space , genetics and archaeology , with guests including comedian Sara Pascoe , biological anthropologist Alice Roberts and archaeologist Sarah Parcak .
And with that , we 're off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ancient Egypt , undiscovered civilisations in Africa and how much Neanderthal DNA is present in humans today .
All the guests appear on screen as part of a group Zoom meeting - with the audience represented , appropriately , by an image of an empty auditorium .
But in every other way , it 's just like a normal episode of The Infinite Monkey Cage .
As audience members we can hear each others ' reactions to what the panel says , which itself encourages us to laugh or clap more .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's not clear how many of us there are .
But even a crowd with fewer than 100 people in it is enough to add some much-needed pace and momentum .
There 's only one technical hitch in the whole recording , which comes just as Parcak is discussing early erotic poetry .
`` One of my favourite things to do if I 'm teaching an archaeology class around Valentine 's Day is to read ancient Egyptian love poetry - and it will turn your ears purple , '' she laughs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were extraordinarily expressive of love .
They talk about having their hearts broken , cheating husbands , the same stuff we read today - it 's glorious . ''
At this point , producer Sasha has to interrupt the recording briefly to fix a technical problem with one of the microphones .
`` Is n't that typical ! ''
jokes Ince .
`` Just as we get to the filth .
Typical BBC , is n't it ? ''
Fortunately things get back on track and Parcak picks up with a tale of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can hear the audience laughing heartily as she describes Egyptian papyrus that featured drawings of dancing lions or cats playing games on one side and erotic drawings on the other .
`` That 's essentially the internet now - it 's half porn and half cats playing the piano , '' jokes Pascoe , prompting much laughter from the virtual crowd .
• How TV shows are coping without studio audiences This recording is the first proper attempt by the BBC to recreate what live comedy used to be like , before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have struggled to maintain their usual momentum recently , including Have I Got News For You and The Graham Norton Show .
While the quality of the writing and the interviews on these recent episodes may be as strong as ever , the jokes still fall flat when met with the sound of silence .
And so , depending on what the finished product is like once it 's edited , Monkey Cage could provide a blueprint of how comedy shows will sound for the next few months or more .
The episode @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be released as a podcast next week , lasts a little over an hour and will be chopped down to about 30 minutes .
It 's hard to predict how it will sound on air .
During the recording the noise of other audience members is relatively quiet in the mix , so as not to drown out the panellists .
But when everything is mixed for broadcast , and the audience can be heard at normal volume , it 's likely the presence of a crowd will make a significant difference .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is better , funnier and livelier with a virtual audience .
It 's not perfect , and certainly not as good as the real thing .
But until some kind of normality can resume , it works perfectly well for now .
As Ince puts it : `` What a strange , beautiful thing it is .
We 're alone but we 're together . ''
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"That was wonderful," presenter Robin Ince says as the programme gets going. "The idea that there are loads of people sitting alone in their house just applauding, and everyone in their street is going 'Oh my god, is it 8pm on Thursday already?'"


bbcuk--2020-06-02--Coronavirus: What might swimming pools be like after lockdown?

Swimmers may have to arrive in their costumes and the number of people in lanes be limited when pools reopen , to allow for social distancing .
For the time being indoor and outdoor pools must remain shut , despite the easing of some lockdown restrictions , It 's thought chlorine in swimming pools will kill coronavirus but Swim England has warned a `` stricter regime '' will still be needed when they do reopen .
The body has warned 500 pools in England could close permanently .
Pools in England can not reopen before 4 July under the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the advice also says people should not swim at the beach without a lifeguard present .
In Scotland , indoor leisure facilities will not be able to open until the country moves to phase three of its plan for easing the lockdown and they will be subject to physical distancing and hygiene measures .
A provisional date for reopening pools is also yet to be given in Wales and Northern Ireland , where indoor leisure centres will remain closed until step four of its lockdown plan .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IMPACT : What the virus does to the body • RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can we lift restrictions ?
• ENDGAME : How do we get out of this mess ?
But as the weather has warmed up , people have headed to beaches , with three people seriously injured while jumping off a cliff into the sea at Durdle Door in Dorset on Saturday .
In London , the Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park was forced to close after attempting to reopen last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water should kill the virus , but preventing it from spreading in changing rooms and other areas around pools remains a concern .
Swim England chief executive Jane Nickerson said guidance was still being finalised but that people might be asked not to use changing rooms , and pools could be told to limit how many people could be in the water at a time .
She told The Times people might have to arrive `` beach ready '' in their costumes .
Olympic gold-medallist Duncan Goodhew , who is president of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today programme there were 5,000 public pools in England , 10 % of which might not be able to reopen with social-distancing measures as they were `` old , inefficient and expensive to run '' .
He said : `` A little like a restaurant , it becomes very difficult economically to make it work because you 're just not getting the volume of people through . ''
Swim England has called for financial support from the government to help ensure pools are financially viable as the lockdown eases .
Ms Nickerson said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major financial challenges for pool operators , all of whom saw their income disappear overnight , and who will be faced with the dilemma of opening pools against the backdrop of less footfall and increased environmental costs . ''
Mr Goodhew , who won gold at 100m breaststroke gold in Moscow in 1980 , added : `` It 's really important the pools open because there are many , many people out there , some people who are disabled or have bad hips , etc , who can not do any other exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of quality of life , we 've got to get them open . ''
Prof Keith Neal , emeritus professor of epidemiology of infectious diseases at the University of Nottingham , said chlorine was `` very easily able to inactivate most viruses including Covid-19 '' , but `` the main problem will be the social distancing , mostly the changing rooms '' .
Swim England is working with Public Health England on advice for pools reopening , which will be published on 15 June .
Among the issues which will be covered are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing .
The Swimming Teachers ' Association is also liaising with the government on measures for after the lockdown .
Chief executive Dave Candler said there was no `` one-size fits all '' answer to personal hygiene and social distancing measures for the industry - which would `` most likely mean smaller classes in the interim '' .
Are you a keen swimmer looking forward to getting back in the pool ?
What are your thoughts on these measures ?
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms & conditions and privacy policy .

Ms Nickerson said: "We know there will be major financial challenges for pool operators, all of whom saw their income disappear overnight, and who will be faced with the dilemma of opening pools against the backdrop of less footfall and increased environmental costs."


bbcuk--2020-06-01--Coronavirus: What's it like to be laid off over Zoom?

When travel start-up Pana held a meeting for all of its employees over Zoom , they explained that some staff would be laid off , and that there would be two further calls that morning - one at 09:00 for those who would be laid off , and one at 09:45 for those who would not .
Employees would know which meeting they were attending by the invites they would have received by email .
Sales executive Ruthie Townsend was invited to join the 09:00 call but , due to the shock of the news , she could not remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be laid off , and which was for those being retained .
`` Because it was such a highly stressful situation , it was hard to process what was going on so I got mixed up .
I joined the 09:00 call as that was the invite I had , and once I realised that I was being laid off , I quickly turned off my video , '' she says .
Ms Townsend was on the call with 15 of her colleagues , and executives from the company then walked these employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the next steps .
The company , based in Denver , Colorado , had been hit by the collapse in travel due to the coronavirus outbreak .
But there had been a feeling that redundancies would be a last resort , and Ms Townsend had no idea what was coming that morning .
That kind of shock is unfortunately commonplace at the moment , as companies are slashing staff numbers to cope with the economic fallout from the coronavirus .
Before the crisis managers would usually have met staff face-to-face , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video-conferencing tools , such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams ( MS Teams ) , are being used to replicate the formality of the meeting .
Chris Malone , an audio visual technician at events company Sparq in the UK , feared for his role when it was explained to him that a HR representative would be on his next MS Teams call along with his line manager .
His instincts proved correct , as he was told he was going to be laid off .
For him , the use of a video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more awkward than an in-person meeting or telephone call .
`` I think if you were doing it over the phone , it would mean you do n't have to look at someone but when you have the video call , you get dressed up to make it feel formal and to look presentable .
`` Even though it is a video call , the pressure is there - and as you 're not in the room with them there is n't a natural chemistry , connection or body language you can read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit of a delay , you 're waiting for someone else to say something , '' he says .
However , Mr Malone believes that a one-to-one video call is still the best way a business can break the unfortunate news to an employee in the current circumstances .
For Ms Townsend , there were pros and cons to having more than 15 people on the same call as her .
`` I do n't think any way of making someone redundant over video conference is going to be ideal .
If it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be really hard and then your boss is going to see all of your emotions .
I liked the group setting because I turned off my video , and I did n't have to say anything , '' she says .
However , she believes that the group setting prevented her from asking important questions at the time .
• The little lights now packing a deadly punch • Why some face masks are more effective than others • Get ready for the 'Holy Grail ' of computer graphics Sarah Evans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that communication prior to any announcement is key for employers .
`` What many big businesses can do is conduct large meetings on Zoom , to make an announcement to the same people at the same time , so there 's no miscommunication going around , '' she says .
This would make it clear that redundancies or the furlough scheme are being considered for employees , and would also make clear what this means for the business , and how they intend to follow-up with individuals .
It is key for employers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the information , ask questions and give people the opportunity to voluntarily be made redundant or furloughed .
`` In redundancy cases , that would be at least a couple of meetings to go through opportunities to avoid redundancy and consider alternatives , and there 's no reason why all of this ca n't be done on Zoom , '' she says .
The use of video , phone call or in-person , is not a legal matter ; it 's merely a matter of etiquette .
However , the group call , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US , would not be allowed in the UK .
`` That would n't cut it in UK law , as you have a right to individual consultation .
There 's nothing wrong with a group call to announce potential redundancies but you should n't be making people redundant in the same video call , '' Ms Evans says .
If this were the way a UK employer had acted , the employee might then have a case for unfair dismissal .
The option to record video calls could also prove problematic in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partner at law firm Corker Binning , explains that , generally speaking , anyone should ask for consent before recording a call of any kind .
However , regardless of whether consent was asked for , given or not given , a recorded conversation could still be admissible in an unfair dismissal case .
`` Whoever wants to use the evidence has to be able to prove that it had been properly recorded and was genuine but it would be a matter for the court or tribunal to decide whether that evidence should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And those wanting to snoop on people by deliberately joining a Zoom call where someone else is being made redundant would most definitely be breaking the law - as there are a number of criminal offences about intercepting communications in the regulations .
While video may create new problems , it is the best replacement for a meeting in person .
`` It will feel more uncomfortable to look someone in the eye , and the level of emotional frustration and anger will be more visible , but it is essential to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fair and transparent way to another person , '' says Stuart Duff , an expert on the psychology of leadership at business psychology consultancy Pearn Kandola .

"I don't think any way of making someone redundant over video conference is going to be ideal. If it's one-on-one, it's still going to be really hard and then your boss is going to see all of your emotions. I liked the group setting because I turned off my video, and I didn't have to say anything," she says.


bbcuk--2020-06-01--Cleddau Bridge disaster: 50th anniversary of fatal collapse

It was meant to be a £2m symbol of a booming economy - but it would prove to have a fatally flawed design that would cause devastation .
On a hot 2 June , 1970 , a 150-tonne section of the part-built Cleddau Bridge crashed onto the village below .
Amid the rubble , four workers had been killed and five injured in a disaster that was to change bridge building .
Now there are calls for a stolen memorial plaque to be replaced as part of the 50th anniversary .
PC Phil Lloyd had just begun his shift at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fire siren sounded at 14:16 BST .
`` I presumed it was just another chimney fire as usual , '' he said .
`` But when I went into the switchboard the operator told me my mother-in-law was on the phone .
She shouted , 'The bridge has come down ! '
.
`` I told her to stop being so dull but she said there was hell to pay down there . ''
His mother-in-law , Ivy Lewis , lived in Pembroke Ferry , on the south side of the river @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begun being built across the estuary the previous year .
With the development of local oil refineries , industries and the nearby Milford Haven port , a bridge was needed to cut out a 20-mile round-trip for vehicles .
PC Lloyd and his sergeant were the first to arrive at the village , where they were met with a scene of `` utter pandemonium '' .
`` The whole section of the bridge had come down and was resting at a 45-degree angle in her garden , '' said Mr Lloyd .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house and her sister 's house which is where the bridge came down .
`` It had completely demolished my auntie 's coal shed and outside toilet but thankfully she had gone to town to have her hair done .
`` People were just walking around in a daze while lots more started arriving - it was mayhem .
`` One man had been killed at the scene and two others were taken to hospital but died later .
Then when the bridge was lifted , we found another man underneath . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks keeping the site secure as shocked onlookers flocked to view the aftermath .
It was later discovered the diaphragm above the pier of the bridge had not been thick enough and buckled as a 230-foot ( 70m ) box-section was cantilevered out .
Construction was immediately halted , though within 18 months , other box-section bridges collapsed in Australia and Germany with deadly consequences .
An inquiry made a number of safety recommendations , including 500ft ( 152m ) of extra steel to strengthen the Cleddau Bridge , but confidence among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were high and the residents were furious , '' said Mr Lloyd .
`` They formed an action group , chaired by my father-in-law , and they wanted the bridge moved but you ca n't suddenly change the direction of a construction that big .
`` My mother-in-law was very shaken up and for some time afterwards she wanted to move house .
But eventually things settled down and she lived there until she died . ''
A memorial plaque to William Baxendale , George Hamilton , James Thompson and local man Evan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the disaster .
However the steel plaque was reported stolen in August 2017 and has never been recovered .
`` I 'm disgusted that it was taken and that it has never been replaced .
It 's a very simple thing that should be done for the 50th anniversary , '' said Mr Lloyd .
Pembroke Dock town council said it was in the process of commissioning a new plaque , having been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic .
When the Cleddau Bridge eventually opened in 1975 it was the largest unsupported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs of £12m were even discussed in the House of Commons .
Rules implemented in the wake of the disaster laid the foundations for a new standard in box girder bridge design and the Cleddau collapse was regarded as the last major bridge disaster in the UK .
Now 74 , the memory of that day remains vivid for Mr Lloyd .
His son Steve now lives in his mother-in-law 's house , while he built a new property next door - in the shadow of the bridge .
Problems have persisted with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bridge , including a sandbag that crashed through a roof , and a splattering of colour when the bridge is painted .
But each year , on 2 June , Mr Lloyd offers a moment 's thought to those who died .
He said : `` I always look up at the bridge and think , 'There it is in all its glory - though there was n't much glory 50 years ago ' . ''

"One man had been killed at the scene and two others were taken to hospital but died later. Then when the bridge was lifted, we found another man underneath."


bbcuk--2020-06-02--George Floyd death: Why US protests resonate in the UK

Over the weekend thousands of people chanted `` Black Lives Matter '' across the UK - at protests in London , Manchester and Cardiff .
They were marching in support of protesters in America angered by the death of George Floyd on 25 May .
He died nearly 4,000 miles away from the UK in Minnesota , but his death was felt here in our black community too .
That 's why people like Shayne defied UK government coronavirus guidance and went out to protest on the weekend .
`` We did n't expect that many people to turn up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the 20-year-old tells Radio 1 Newsbeat .
`` The general vibe was electric because you could literally see that everybody was hurt . ''
'When one is hurt , we 're all hurt' Shayne says she and her friends wore military boots to the London protest and were impressed to see lots of other women dressed like members of the Black Panther movement .
`` There were a lot of black women with their natural hair out , '' she says .
`` We wanted to show we 're proud of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't have to hide our blackness to stay alive . ''
Shayne says although George Floyd was killed in the US , `` we know that it happens here too '' , citing the case of Mark Duggan .
He was a 29-year-old who was shot and killed in 2011 while police in London were trying to arrest him under suspicion of planning an attack and being in possession of a gun .
His death sparked riots in London , where police officers are four times more likely to use force against black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the UK .
An inquest jury in 2014 found that Mark Duggan was lawfully killed .
In 2016 , ex-Aston Villa footballer Dalian Atkinson died when he was restrained by police and Tasered in Telford , Shropshire .
Rasharn Charles died in hospital due to a cardiac arrest and obstructed airway during restraint from police officers in 2017 .
Last week a public inquiry was announced into the death of Sheku Bayoh in police custody in Scotland in 2015 .
Protesters in London held signs bearing their names , and the names @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after encounters with British police , at the weekend .
`` It 's just very frustrating , I 'm very angry and very tired .
To constantly be hearing about black people being aimlessly killed for no reason is draining , '' Shayne says .
`` We have our issues within the black community but we are still very united .
`` The prejudice that black people in America face is the same prejudice we face here .
When one is hurt , we 're all hurt , because it could have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have led to violent clashes between protesters and police .
The police officer who was seen with his knee on George Floyd 's neck for nine minutes during his arrest for using a fake $ 20 note has been charged with murder .
Eyram Kiakia , who 's 20 and has a YouTube channel speaking about the UK Black Lives Matter movement , says she became more upset about the death of George Floyd the more she learned about his life .
`` I watched a few seconds of when they were kneeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to finish watching it , I was really upset , '' she tells Newsbeat .
`` What upset me more was watching the videos of him as an activist and him being vocal about certain things in his community , they upset me more than the video of the police killing him . ''
Eyram says people think the UK is more progressive on race than America , `` when actually it is n't '' .
The UK Home Office was accused of racism following the Windrush scandal - when black people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrongly told they were here illegally and deported or threatened with deportation .
`` Race clearly played a part in what occurred , '' the long-awaited review into what happened said earlier this year .
The Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 and the Windrush scandal were mentioned by rapper Dave when he called Prime Minister Boris Johnson racist during a performance at the Brit Awards after winning album of the year - causing Home Secretary Priti Patel to defend the PM .
Eyram says racism in the UK is institutionalised and also evident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are more likely to be excluded than White British pupils - and the workplace .
`` There 's a lot of more covert things that have happened to us and still happen to us , like when we were in school they policed black people 's hair , we were n't allowed certain hairstyles or colours even though our white counterparts were able to dye their hair any colour , '' she says .
`` In the workplace , there 's always micro-aggressions .
Everyone I know has experienced some sort of ignorant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employee or even an employer .
`` Just because it 's so subtle and it 's not overt , it does n't mean it 's not racist . ''
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

"There's a lot of more covert things that have happened to us and still happen to us, like when we were in school they policed black people's hair, we weren't allowed certain hairstyles or colours even though our white counterparts were able to dye their hair any colour," she says.


bbcuk--2020-06-02--Hussain Manawer's poem in tribute to coronavirus victims

It was three months ago that the first person in the UK passed away from coronavirus .
Now the death @ @ @ @ @ 39,000 .
For families grieving throughout this pandemic they 've had to mourn at a @ @ @ @ @ been able to say the goodbyes they wanted or hug their loved ones .
To @ @ @ @ @ commissioned Hussain Manawer to write and perform a poem .

It was three months ago that the first person in the UK passed away from coronavirus. Now the death toll stands at more than 39,000. For families grieving throughout this pandemic they've had to mourn at a social distance and haven't been able to say the goodbyes they wanted or hug their loved ones.
To pay tribute, BBC Breakfast commissioned Hussain Manawer to write and perform a poem.


bbcuk--2020-06-02--The Papers: 'Revolt' over plan to quarantine arrivals to UK

The hostility towards the government 's plans to impose a 14-day quarantine on people coming into the UK makes the front of the Daily Telegraph .
It reports the `` troubled policy '' has been championed by the prime minister 's chief aide , Dominic Cummings , but he has lost the battle within the government and the measure could be phased out just weeks after being introduced .
Boris Johnson , it says , is now personally in favour of `` air bridges '' instead - allowing people to jet to and from low-risk countries .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are believed to oppose the quarantine plan , with tourism chiefs warning that it could put thousands of companies out of business .
The Sun says the measure will kill tourism and business arrivals , pointing out Gatwick Airport currently has just 23 passengers a day .
Meanwhile , the Daily Mail asks why Britain is imposing a quarantine , when other European countries are lifting theirs .
Ministers insist their decisions have been based on the latest scientific advice .
Many front page pictures try to capture the new reality faced by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ England .
`` Small steps into a new normal , '' is the Daily Mirror 's headline alongside a photo of a teacher wearing a protective mask and apron as she takes the temperature of a girl arriving for class .
The i newspaper shows children working on separate desks more than two metres apart .
The Telegraph describes how children had to practise `` helicopter arms '' , rotating them to make sure no-one was too close to them .
It adds : `` Teddy bears were placed in quarantine and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... welcome to school in post-lockdown Britain . ''
The Times says that concerned parents kept up to 60 % of children who were eligible to return to primary school in England at home .
However , the Mail thinks this was `` quite an achievement '' in the face of what it describes as the `` scaremongering of teaching unions and their cheerleaders on the Left '' .
The children who did attend are pictured socially distancing in the playground .
In the Telegraph 's Matt cartoon , a boy proudly shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pinned to his chest .
`` I got this for not joining in or sharing , '' he says .
`` One metre is enough ! ''
exclaims the Daily Mail on its front page .
It reports on a study funded by the World Health Organisation that says there is roughly a 1.3 % chance of contracting the virus when two metres away from an infected person .
However , says the Mail , if you halve this gap to one metre the risk is only raised to 2.6 % .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from business to relax the social distancing rules .
The Sun suggests that adopting a one metre rule would pave the way for pubs to reopen , and it pictures what they could look like .
Its model suggests drinkers would have to follow a one-way system , bar staff would be behind perspex screens and only cashless payments would be accepted .
The Mirror warns that with no vaccine , sticking to the two metre rule is the best protection against an unseen deadly enemy .
The lockdown measures may have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traders at Camden Market in north London had a very slow start on Monday .
By lunchtime , none of the stallholders who spoke to the paper had made a sale .
Sign up for a morning briefing direct to your inbox The idea that a second wave of coronavirus could overwhelm the NHS faces serious questioning from Prof Hugh Pennington , one of the country 's leading experts on bacteria .
Writing in the Telegraph he argues the notion comes almost entirely from the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic - and Covid 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out there has not yet been a second wave in China , South Korea or New Zealand .
Meanwhile , in an editorial , the Times argues that the NHS needs reform - even before the pandemic ends .
It says health service staff deserve praise for their work and sacrifices , but the crisis has highlighted several problems including rationing , outdated buildings which will prevent effective social distancing and staff shortages .
The paper believes some of the difficulties could be solved with more money - but it calls for radical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bringing health and social care together .
The i newspaper 's editor predicts the United States faces a `` long , angry summer '' .
Oliver Duff , like many other commentators , draws a comparison between the current unrest and the rioting that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968 .
The Guardian believes that against the backdrop of 100,000 coronavirus deaths a `` dangerous '' moment looms for America .
It says the chaotically handled pandemic and the economic fallout has already disproportionately affected African Americans - long before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands of the police .
The green-fingered are being called upon to spot the next Japanese knotweed menace , according to the Telegraph .
It reports the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland wants keen gardeners to keep an eye on species which show signs of invasiveness , and report them using a special app .
The paper recalls how Japanese knotweed originated as an ornamental garden plant , before it started causing havoc to homes and waterways .
And if the lockdown 's been enough to make you go grey , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It covers an American study which found that hair can return to its natural colour - by putting an end to stress .
The authors found a man in his 30s saw his hair go back to being dark again , when he went on holiday for a couple weeks ; while a 30-year-old woman who went grey when her marriage was ending returned to her normal colour once it was over .
It prompts the paper to ask : `` Could a divorce make your greys go away ? ''
• CORONAVIRUS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenes of the NHS

The authors found a man in his 30s saw his hair go back to being dark again, when he went on holiday for a couple weeks; while a 30-year-old woman who went grey when her marriage was ending returned to her normal colour once it was over. It prompts the paper to ask: "Could a divorce make your greys go away?"


bbcuk--2020-06-02--Coronavirus: Tory MPs demand evidence for five-mile travel advice

Eleven Conservative MPs have called on Welsh ministers to explain the `` scientific basis '' behind the decision to allow more activity outdoors - but only locally .
On Monday people in Wales were given the right to go outdoors and meet others from another household .
But they can only be within their local area - five miles as a `` general rule '' .
The Welsh Government said any changes to lockdown are based on the latest `` scientific and medical advice '' .
First Minister Mark Drakeford said the decision aimed to reduce the risk of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavily criticised by Senedd Welsh Conservatives , who have accused the Welsh Government of ignoring the needs of rural communities .
Scientific advisors to the Conservative UK government have expressed concern at the speed lockdown is being eased in England .
In England , the UK government has allowed for unlimited travel and for groups of six to meet .
A letter penned by Ynys Mon MP Virginia Crosbie , and signed by all Welsh Tory MPs barring the Welsh Secretary Simon Hart and Wales Office minister David TC Davies , asked for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and interpretation of it `` given that in England there is no restriction on how far you can travel '' .
It asked if `` delays in linking up to the UK testing portal and delays in rolling out Wales ' own track and trace digital platform impacted the reluctance to lift measures '' .
Contact tracing began on Monday , although an IT system to support it will not be in place until next week .
The letter also asked if any assessment had been done of the public health impact of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and of any mental health and educational impacts from delaying reopening the economy .
• What do the latest lockdown rules mean ?
• Figuring out the stats on coronavirus in Wales • Q & A : Is testing in Wales following the science ?
Ms Crosbie said : `` As a former scientist , I appreciate just how much the evidence needs to inform decision-making , especially at such a crucial time for people 's health in Wales .
`` However , when decisions made in Wales are markedly different to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fair that people in my constituency of Anglesey and across Wales understand the evidence upon which those conclusions were arrived . ''
Plaid Cymru Arfon MP Hywel Williams said Welsh Tory MPs `` would be better employed looking to ensuring the health and safety of their constituents rather than posturing in order to ape England '' .
A paper from the Welsh Government 's Technical Advisory Cell , which provides scientific advice to ministers , said allowing outdoor contact with members of other households `` would have no more than a very small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It said it could `` probably be safely allowed before contact tracing is in place '' .
A Welsh Government spokeswoman said : `` We review the coronavirus regulations every 21 days as required by law .
`` This review is based on a range of factors , including the latest scientific and medical advice from our expert advisers ; how the virus is behaving in Wales and compliance with the regulations .
The Technical Advisory Cell provides scientific advice about the impact any changes to restrictions is likely to have on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The clear and strong view of both the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies and the World Health Organisation is that governments should introduce changes one step at a time ; the impact of these changes should be monitored and , if we are able to continue to slow the spread of the virus , we will introduce further changes at the next review date .
`` Our approach to any easing of the restrictions will continue to be cautious and we will put people 's health and wellbeing at the forefront @ @

"The clear and strong view of both the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies and the World Health Organisation is that governments should introduce changes one step at a time; the impact of these changes should be monitored and, if we are able to continue to slow the spread of the virus, we will introduce further changes at the next review date.


bbcuk--2020-06-02--Jack and Jill nursery: Boy, 17, denies sex assaults

A 17-year-old boy has denied sexually assaulting eight children at a nursery and raping one child .
The alleged offences @ @ @ @ @ Jill Childcare in Torquay , Devon , between 10 and 29 July 2019 .
The @ @ @ @ @ be named for legal reasons , has also been charged with two counts of rape @ @ @ @ @ .
He appeared via video link at Exeter Crown Court before Judge Timothy Rose to @ @ @ @ @ The boy is charged with one count of raping a child , 13 counts of @ @ @ @ @ and the two separate rapes which he is accused of committing between 2014 and 2015 @ @ @ @ @ children at Jack and Jill Childcare in Shiphay , Torquay , were contacted by police @ @ @ @ @ investigation was launched .
The nursery closed after the owners resigned their Ofsted registration in @ @ @ @ @ been released on bail and a two week trial is set to begin on 21 @ @

The boy is charged with one count of raping a child, 13 counts of sexual touching against eight children and the two separate rapes which he is accused of committing between 2014 and 2015.