Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News 20240712

The uk government says it will strengthen the regional test and trace system as it cuts 6000 contact tracers in england by the end of the month. Lebanons president has asked the countrys government to stay on temporarily after all its ministers resigned amid mounting anger over last weeks massive explosion that devastated parts of beirut. Excuse me. Oh. This was the moment President Trump was led away from a live news briefing by Security Officials after an armed man was shot close to the white house. Hello and welcome if you re watching in the uk or around the world 7 and stay with us for the latest news and analysis from here and across the globe. Employment in the uk has seen the largest fall in over a decade as the coronavirus pandemic hits the jobs market. Thats according to new figures for april tojune from the office for national statistics. Responding to the figures, chancellor rishi sunak said hes always been clear, that he is unable to protect every job affected by coronavirus but that the government has a clear plan to protect, support and create jobs. Lets take a closer look at the figures. The number of people in the uk, on company payrolls, fell by 730,000 between march and july, according to the office for national statistics. But the uk Unemployment Rate remained at 3. 9 , largely unchanged on the year and the previous quarter. Unemployment has not surged as much as feared, because large numbers of firms have put employees on the government backed furlough scheme. Lets speak to our business presenter ben thompson. So, ben, a mixed picture, and a cliff ahead in october . Yeah, absolutely summed up correctly, you because what we are facing is the end of the Government Support scheme which some say are artificially supporting jobs that as soon as it is wound down will go, and therefore we will get the true extent of the job losses beyond 0ctober. Its fair to say many people right now are in wait and see mode. Lots of uncertainty about the jobs market, employers are trying to work out what demand will look like as far as they are concerned on how many staff they are concerned on how many staff they will need to employ to deliver they will need to employ to deliver the goods and services that they sell. And in some respects, thejob figures we have had to say are more interesting in what they dont tell us interesting in what they dont tell us in that what they do, because the headline rate of unemployed and has stayed steady but if you look at the number of People Company payroll, as he said, fallen by 730,000 since this crisis began, it suggests these people may or may not be coming back but significantly, its the biggest fall since the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009. Theres also been a big falloff in the number of self employed people, for example, they suggest, getting less protection because they are not able to resort to the furlough scheme as a sum employ people might be able to do. Theres also warnings that particularly young new entrants to thejobs particularly young new entrants to the jobs market, particularly young new entrants to thejobs market, graduates and school leavers, plus all the people who have been in the workforce for a long time, who are most likely to suffer the longer term impact of all of this. A little earlier i spoke to two people at both ends of the jobs market, alex is 22, and joyce who is 61, who have been telling me quite how difficult it is right now to find a newjob. Im still about four years of receiving a pension, and im going to need an income. I cant survive without that, sadly. I will be doing childcare for my grandson, like many grandparents are these days, so i can only work part time. Its pulled me back a little bit from seriousjob its pulled me back a little bit from serious job searching its pulled me back a little bit from seriousjob searching because im waiting to see what the situation is out there after all the following has gone on and see which companies are looking for staff. After all the furlough scheme stuff has happened. But dipping my toe in, its not looking great. I have to wait till about september and then really start looking seriously. Fingers crossed. Its a big hit, because you are baked up so much, you are told youre going to get a job out of the gates, and thats not the case for most people. There is a huge impact on peoples mental health, self esteem and confidence to get rejection after rejection. There is very dodgy recruitment processes where there is a lot of uncertainty and you are strung along. The key with that isjust it is inevitable that you will get a job and you have to keep pushing forward. Alex and joyce speak to me a little bit earlier, and alexs points that at some point, stick to it and you will find work but it is increasingly difficult out there right now. These figures also tell us right now. These figures also tell usa right now. These figures also tell us a little bit of an insight about how employers are starting to respond. Another measure of how much we are working as is the number of hours worked, because you could be in of hours worked, because you could beina of hours worked, because you could be inajob of hours worked, because you could be in a job at your employer could ask you to reduce hours to mark demand. The total hours worked fell by200 demand. The total hours worked fell by 200 million over the period which is the biggest fall since 1971. We might still be in a job but we are not working as much. At the same time, a number of people on the zero hours contract, where you dont get fixed amounts of work, you dont get fixed amounts of work, you dont get any benefits and you just paid for what you are, the number of people on those contracts exceeding 1 million for the first time. So it seems that businesses could be resorting to those sorts of methods to keep wage costs down. At the same time as you heard from joyce and alex, a very difficult time if you are looking for a job and even if youre inajob, are looking for a job and even if youre in a job, you are looking for a job and even if youre in ajob, you might find are looking for a job and even if youre in a job, you might find that youre in a job, you might find that you are working fewer hours than you did before. Svetla na ti kha novs kaya, the novice Opposition Leader who claims she won the disputed president ial election in belarus, has fled to neighbouring lithuania after admitting she was scared. In the past hour, shes released this video online in which she said leaving was a very difficult decision. She added that children are the most important thing we have in life. In belarus, president lukashenko ordered a cracked down on demonstrators across the capital, minsk, for a second night. One person has died and thousands have been arrested. 0ur correspondent Sarah Rainsford is following developments from moscow. It was an extremely tense night in minsk and across belarus last night. A second night of mass protest. I should underline that these scenes sometimes play out in other countries but this is not something that has ever happened before in belarus. The police have never used stun grenades and rubber bullets, never fired into the crowds like this before although they are known for containing much smaller protests but usuallyjust with their batons. This is unprecedented both in terms of its scale and in terms of the Police Response to it. It was all sparked by the disputed elections which svetla na tikhanovskaya, the opposition figurehead and candidate, said were rigged. Thats why these protests are taking place. We now know she has now fled to lithuania, she hasjust issued a tear filled statement on youtube saying it was a very difficult choice, she says she knows that some people will condemn her and hate her but she hopes that some will also understand that she had left. She didnt explain, but i have spoken to the foreign minister of lithuania he said she was detained for seven hours in belarus before complicated negotiations, a messy situation, he said, before she was able to get to lithuania and to safety. The Russian Health Ministry Says it has given Regulatory Approval to a locally developed vaccine for covid 19, after less than two months of testing on humans. President putin says he wants to start mass production of the drug soon. He added that his daughter had already been given the vaccine. Scotlands education secretary, john swinney, will explain later how he plans to address concerns over the way grades were awarded to pupils in exams which couldnt be taken. Teachers estimated pupils marks, which were then compared with their schools past performance. 125,000 grades were revised down after the Scottish Qualifications Authority applied a moderation technique to those results. There was particular criticism after higher pass rates for pupils in the most deprived data zones were reduced by 15. 2 , in comparison with 6. 9 for pupils from the most affluent backgrounds. It comes as scotlands pupils return to their classrooms for the First Time Since the start of lockdown nearly five months ago. Schools in the borders and shetland will be first to reopen with most local authorities following on wednesday. Physical distancing among students will not generally be required but hygiene and Safety Measures such as one way systems have been put in place. In england, universities are being told to keep places open for students if they appeal against a level results, which are due out on thursday. More on all of the stories in a moment, but lets speak to josh kennedy, who received his grades last week and will be going to glasgow university. Hes also a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament for renfrewshire north and west. Thank you for talking to us many congratulations on making the grade is that you needed. But i know a lot of your friends and also other young people you come across via your Youth Parliament role are not in as happy a position. Hello, thank you for having me on. No, i think theres been a really mixed bag of results and as you said, its really striking with all the talk about the attainment gap, there has been a double drop for the highest attaining pupils and the lowest pupils. And thats something the Scottish Government needs to address. The fact that they have acknowledged they had made a mistake is good but moving forward we really need to look into this alongside teachers and young people at the heart of the process, how we can fix this and make sure that young peoples futures are not in jeopardy. What are you expecting and what do you want to hear from john swinney when he gets it six nation of what they intend to do . swinney when he gets it six nation of what they intend to do . I think when he gives his indication of what they intend to do . I think an apology at very least, theres been no idea of how the results will be playing out and there has been a whole lot of Horror Stories, the communication from the sqa was not great. Even adults, the communications put out from the sqa was really inaccessible, never lined for young people. Itook was really inaccessible, never lined for young people. I took a lot of stress that cause a lot of stress and anxiety for young people. I think young people had been affected by this and the sqa need to get young people into talk about this, this cannot be a backroom deal. It needs to be something open with young people and teachers especially. So that things can be sorted and young people get the grades which are not reflective of schools or their postcode, but rather the actual ability and that the teachers rate a more reflective of that than the algorithm that has been used. You mention to the algorithm, the algorithm is deciding things like this are familiar to your generation must come as a shock to be subject to one like this and for everybodys feature to be subject to an like this. Its a shame, theres been a lot of talk about it being a postcode lottery. The fact that our peoples in more affluent areas were less likely to get the grades dropped is reflective of that. It is painful for pupils get the grades dropped is reflective of that. It is painfulfor pupils in less performative schools who might have got as in the exams but they have got as in the exams but they have been marked down on the previous performance of the school, thatis previous performance of the school, that is a failure and they need to remedy it. This needs to be done with young people at the centre, whether with the Young People Parliament or other youth groups in scotland, there needs to be transparency. We were staying in a moment to go about the english warnings, orurging to moment to go about the english warnings, or urging to vice chancellors of universities to keep places open for appeals that might come after the a level results. What is the situation in terms of people who wants to uni or other forms of collagen need these results sorted out . I understand in england that you can resit exams if you are not happy with your grade but that isnt possible in scotland, so we are wholly reliant on the appeal system which is why there is a lot of stress and anxiety around this. We have a situation where young people are in crisis because their places are in crisis because their places are in crisis because their places are injeopardy are in crisis because their places are in jeopardy and are in crisis because their places are injeopardy and i know a lot of universities and colleges have a low would mean this year because of that but some havent, young people are not sure what theyre going to do and this isnt helping anyone, especially through a pandemic. Lets hope this afternoon provides some a nswe is. Hope this afternoon provides some answers. Great to talk to you, thank you. Just align a breaking news before he gets back to the education story, eight line of bikinis. P 0 cruises say they are suspending the sailing suspension extending the suspension extending the suspension of sailings until the 8th of november. It is following the foreign and commonwealth advice to people to avoid cruising. The president of the company said, it is not advisable for us to continue cruising. So we will be cancelling the caribbean and south american adventure from aurora, and also south american crews. More bad news from p 0 cruises. In england, the universities minister has written to vice chancellors, urging them to hold open places for students who appeal against their a level results, when theyre released on thursday. Grades are being calculated using a similar system to the scottish one, although the education secretary, gavin williamson, insists its fundamentally fair. The former chief inspector of 0fsted, Sir Michael Wilshaw, explained what lessons can be learned from scotland. I think the mistakes are about not getting the balance right between the judgment of a youngsters performance on the basis of the history of the school, and the previous results of the school, and individual student performance. Unless that balance is a correct one, is a good one, then we are going to have a repeat of the scottish performance. Even in schools with a history of poor performance, there will be youngsters there who have worked very hard, youngsters who are very bright, who would have done well in that school, albeit with the school in difficulties. 0ur Political Correspondent Jonathan Blake is at westminster. A warning of a repeat of the scottish problem and i would suppose that was defence of the system followed by a u turn and apology. That was defence of the system followed by a u turn and apologym was and that is what ministers in england and wales and Northern Ireland will be keen to avoid as results come out over the next couple of days, the next week or so. So btec and a level results this week, gcse next week. Whilst what has happened in scotland is being addressed, it has only come after nothing short of an outcry, really, over how many grades were reassessed and ina over how many grades were reassessed and in a quarter of cases, as you say, revised down, making this an even more anxious and difficult time for students on whom, for whom so much is riding on these results. So we had the education secretary in england, gavin williamson, saying the system is fundamentally fair and most students will get the result they would have got had they sat exams. Nevertheless, it will be a nervous few days for those students who are awaiting the results. There will be an appeals process which the government is describing as robust, so government is describing as robust, so students unhappy with their grades will be able to take action against that, and potentially see them revised. And i think we had something of an anticipation that thatis something of an anticipation that that is going to happen in quite a lot of cases, from the universities minister who has written to universities saying that they should keep places open for students who could see their grades revised up. Thats after their initial results. Soa thats after their initial results. So a nervous few days and a difficult few days for students getting their results but also a testing time for the government, and the education system, as these results are handed out, looking ahead as well of course to the turn of schools ten schools and a couple of weeks. Lebanons outgoing Prime Minister has lashed out at what he calls the endemic corruption in his country that led to the catastrophic explosion in beirut. Announcing his resignation, hassan diab said he would follow the will of the people in holding those responsible to account. Many lebanese believe the countrys political system makes change extremely difficult, as paul hawkins reports. Fireworks and tear gas in beirut. It sums up lebanon at the moment. 0n the one hand there is joy that the countrys government has resigned. Translation today, we follow the will of the people to hold accountable those responsible for this disaster that has been hiding for seven days and their desire for change from the corrupt destructive state, the state of brokerages and theft, to the state of law and justice and transparency, to a country that represents its people. Respects its people. But also fear about what the future may bring. It is important that that the credible and transparent investigation determines the cause of the explosion and bring about the accountability demanded by the lebanese people. It is also important that reforms be implemented, so as to address the needs of the lebanese people for the longer term. But what are those reforms . Some believe that lebanons political system is part of the problem. Called a confessional system, it was designed so people from different religious communities get an equal and fair say in how the country is run. The president must be a mayonite christian, the parliamentary speaker a shia muslim. The Prime Minister, who has just resigned, must be a sunni muslim. While half of Parliament Seats must be christian, with the other half muslim or druce. Critics say the system promotes sectarian interests and patronage, in other words its not what you know, but who you know. This is a system that has been now in place for decades. There are a lot of interests at stake here. And people and groups are going to defend these interests and not going to give up the power that they have had for decades. Definitely a new government would be in place, who knows when . It usually takes month for the ruling elites to come together. So maybe the humanitarian disaster that unfolded last week and the economic crisis that has been going on since october, might maybe you know prove to be a catalyst for a quick formation of the government, though i dont think the government will be that much different from the one that has just resigned. Basically powerless and unable to make decisions. There is a running joke in lebanon that even without a government, you wouldnt notice much difference in peoples lives. But the longer the status quo lasts, the thinner thejoke gets. Im joined now by bujar hoxta, lebanon country director for care, which is providing support to those affected by the beirut explosion. Thank you forjoining us. What are you doing for the residents of beirut right now . Thank you for having me. At the moment we have a response that has started a0 hours after the explosion, we are doing the first response, providing food and hot meals, and looking at the other needs like shelter and non food items. At the same time were looking the recovery plans in the immediate future. And no port, because it was blown up, how do you get all of this in . So, we are working with vendors and suppliers that are throughout lebanon. In the first day, in the first 2a hours, what we had to do was quite a humanitarian effort. We had to go grocer to grocer to connect items to compose the first food parcel so there is an eminent need. Now we have some lenders, parcels for those in eminent need. Now we have lots of than this, we are trying to get a supply chain up and running, to try and get some supplies in that are of essential importance for are of essential importance lebanese. That sounds challenging enough, and if it wasnt challenging enough, and if it wasnt challenging enough, it is without a government that the resident of beirut trust. When it comes to that, care is impartial, it is nonpolitical, nonpartisan, nonsectarian organisation. So we need now, after the government resignation last night, cool heads and calm heads, composed people. Because lebanese are in need and we need to do our utmost in terms of that. They it has galvanised the Civil Society movements, lebanese are quite proactive in taking initiative. So there is a hope that we can still get the imminent needs met with the assistance we will get from the international community. As you look to the days and weeks ahead, what are your priorities and worries . The key priorities are food, health, shelter, and non food items which contain hygiene parcels, mainly because of covid 19. In lebanon there was already humanitarian crisis before the explosion, so should not lose the sight out of beirut, also other areas of lebanon will be in need. Half a millionjobs have been lost, 50 of the population live below the poverty line. We should not lose sight of that. The second main concern that comes to mind is the health, a lot of Health Facilities have been destroyed. We need to keep in mind that covid 19 cases have tripled and the Health System is about to collapse. We wish you the very best in tackling what is clearly an enormous challenge. In tackling what is clearly an enormous challengelj in tackling what is clearly an enormous challenge. I need a lot of luck, so thank you for having me. Privilege to talk to you. The uk government has defended the nhs test and trace system in england after it was announced that 6000 staff will be cut by the end of the month. The remaining 12,000 will work alongside local Public Health teams to reach more infected people and their contacts. The centralised call Centre System has been criticised for not tapping into local knowledge. The Health Minister edward argar insisted test and trace in england was a successful system. In the past ten weeks, our teams have made contact with a quarter of a million different people. Thats a significant effort, starting this from scratch and getting it up and running. What we are doing now is flexing it, on the basis of what we have learned from local lockdowns and how they work, we have always worked in Close Partnership with local authorities and this is about taking that partnership a step forward and strengthening it further. 0ur science correspondent pallab ghosh is in central london. A huge challenge for the government . Right, the minister saying that test and chase is a success, its a bit like saying that a test and trace system that nearly works like a spanner system that nearly works like a spanner that nearly fits, its no good to anyone. Test and traces got to reach 80 of all contacts. In the two months it has been working, its not gone much by 70 which is why the changes have been made. Its an interesting change because local Public Health officials would tell you and they maybe have told you already, they could have told you that in the first place. Having a centralised system is no substitute for having local knowledge, having boots on the ground and going door to door, collecting information. And thats a conclusion that to her credit baroness harding, who is head of test and trace, has come to, and decided there is no point lots of centralised people making phone calls or maybe just sitting around watching netflix which was may be the case at the beginning of the test and trace system. But that the resources on local knowledge and boots on the ground. They call it shoe leather epidemiology. Its an old system but its one that actually works. Epidemiology. Its an old system but its one that actually works. We are going to leave that, because i want to ask you about Something Else which is the news which is common in the past hour or so about russia, approving, or the Health Ministry approving, or the Health Ministry approving for regulation a covid 19 vaccine and the president putin saying his own daughter had taken the vaccine. What can one say . I think it needs treated with rick stein needs to be treated with exchange extreme. We. We need to treat any claim with extreme caution. Any vaccine can russia or elsewhere, needs to be taken along home. Needs to take a long time to be rolling out. Thats if we get one in the first place. In hong kong, people have queued to buy copies of the pro democracy newspaper apple daily following the arrest of its ownerjimmy lai, under a new National Security law imposed by china. The front page headline reads apple daily must fight on. The paper says more than half a million copies were printed, five times the usual number. Shares in mr lais Media Company have risen nine fold since his arrest on monday in a show of support from investors. President trump has praised the actions of the secret service after an armed man was shot close to the white house. Mr trump, who was holding a press conference at the time of the incident, was swiftly ushered away from the podium by a security agent. 0ur north america correspondent david willis reports. The nasdaq and the s p 500 and the dowjones are going to. A few minutes into a televised News Conference came this dramatic interruption. Excuse me . The president , breaking off mid sentence, only to be escorted from the briefing area in the west wing to the oval office. Nine minutes later, he and his team returned to the briefing room, with the president telling reporters, this time with a secret Service Agent standing guard at the door, the situation was under control. Thank you very much. There was a shooting. It was Law Enforcement shot someone. Seems to be the suspect, and the suspect is now on the way to the hospital. I cant tell you the condition of the suspect. There was nobody else injured. There was no other Law Enforcement injured. The Us Secret Service later confirmed what they called an officer involved shooting, giving us the address, the Eisenhower Executive Office building, which is next door to the white house. A second tweet revealed that a male suspect had been taken to hospital along with a secret Service Agent, but that at no time at the white house complex breached. The area remained sealed off for a while. The local Fire Department said later the suspect had sustained serious or possibly life threatening injuries. Although the motive remains unclear, officials are said to be investigating whether the individual in question had a history of mental illness. David willis, bbc news. Lets return to one of our main stories. Scotlands education secretary, john swinney, will explain today how he will address problems with the way School Pupils were awarded grades this year, in the absence of exams. The first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has apologised after the marks given to pupils were based partly on the past performance of their schools. Pupils in scotland have begun returning to school today, with schools in the borders and shetland the first to reopen with most others following on wednesday. Alexandra mackenzie has been to a school in kelso in the borders. Well here in kelso, at kelso high school, 600 pupils have come back. Theyre starting their first lesson in almost five months. The whole school has come back today. Some schools having staggered. Im joined by iain achson from the national pa rent by iain achson from the National Parent forum. It has been a government priority to fete the schools back, how concerned are you, what do you think about this . Not concerned at all. We have been fortu nate concerned at all. We have been fortunate here, the parent body had the chance to talk to the council and great dialogue with them. We had and great dialogue with them. We had a zoom call and the questions were a nswered a zoom call and the questions were answered and im confident all measures that can be taken have been taken. 600 kids now in that building, what kind of preparations have taken place to make it safe . Huge teams from the council have been involved and facilities and cleaning the cater, a huge amount of ca re cleaning the cater, a huge amount of care and preparation. Speaking to the head teacher and parents i think are confident that what can be done has been done. If i can turn to you, youre the parent chair here. You have a 1a year old daughter at the school, what was it like getting her ready for school today . It was exciting, it was nervous. She was quite anxious. It is a big step going back to school, especially the students who have had no contact with anyone other than their own households for five months. A lot of anxiousness, but so much excitement to get back and see their friends and get to their new time table. We have watched them walk in in groups, no face masks and there is some concern about the older kids not having to social distance. Are you worried. No, if there was a concern, i think the government would not be letting this happen. I have faith that they know what theyre doing when it comes to the older children. They have put in the school with say the younger sis they have put in the school with say the younger 51s and 12. I have faith it will work out. Thank you very much. As you said, the exams results, no exams were sat in scotland, this year, but thousands of pupils across the country are concerned, upset, angry that their results have been unfairly downgraded. John swinney will address the Scottish Parliament later on this afternoon. The first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, we heard her apologise yesterday. She said that they will fix it, that this will be up to the Scottish Government to fix. So everyone is waiting to hear from john swinney this afternoon. We are getting a line of breaking news from new zealand. It has recorded its First Community coronaviru infections in 102 days. We simultaneously have a line ona 102 days. We simultaneously have a line on a new zealand retirements village what has gone into lockdown after residents displayed symptoms of illness. This is the village palms retirement village in christchurch advising of the lockdown in a letter to family members. No further details immediately available. Im just hearing as well that the Prime Minister, Jacinta Ardern has confirmed cases from one family acquired from an unknown source. At the weekend, new zealand celebrated, well marked 100 Days Without Community Transmission and that of course has been a huge achievements for the people of new zealand and a source of pride. More on new zealand shortly. Now back to economic problems in the uk. Hundreds of live music and arts venues across the uk will light their buildings red today to draw attention to the impact of covid 19 on those working in the entertainment industry. The sector says its on the verge of collapse unless it receives urgent Financial Support from the government, as our arts correspondent Rebecca Jones reports. And we rely on each other. Cancelled due to coronavirus. And social distancing guidelines mean most gigs and festivals are unlikely to return before 2021. 0rganisers of the Red Alert Campaign say that means more than a Million People are at risk of losing theirjobs, from sound engineers to lighting designers. Theyve released interviews with celebrities who want to show their support. Many of these people are freelancers and so dont fall under sort of furlough schemes and so on. Right now theyre feeling the pinch very badly, and if we want live events and festivals to stay an important british business, then it needs to be supported. To draw attention to the situation, a boat will make its way down the thames tonight, passing organisations including the National Theatre and the tate gallery, which will be lit up in red. Nearly a00 other venues and Companies Across the uk will make a similar visual statement. Those taking part say while live streams, virtual festivals and even some socially distanced events provide an alternative, they are not going to sustain an Industry Worth £100 billion to the economy. Rebecca jones, bbc news. Jimmyjohnson is a freelance technician and founder of event show support cic a grassroots project to support people working in live events. Thank you forjoining us. What is your take on this . Well, yeah, as your take on this . Well, yeah, as you heard, we are all standing in solidarity with our colleagues to bring awareness to the Red Alert Campaign, along with some of our production associations to rise awareness. We are facing job losses. Some of our staff and colleagues dont have any work and we have had to lose around 80 staff and lost £250,000 of books. As a free lancer, i was out with the scripts, but we game toa i was out with the scripts, but we game to a grinding halt and since then there has been nothing. Is there any work at all . There are some little glimmers of hope, there is some small drive in events, but nothing like the size and scale due to the virus. That is having a huge impact to the industry and to the sector. So, what do you want the government to do for the sector . We just need to be heard really. We are the men in black. We are not used to being in front of camera, so todays about just hearing our story. Being in front of camera, so todays aboutjust hearing our story. We we re aboutjust hearing our story. We were one of the First Industries to stop and we will be one of the last to return, with some of the Companies Facing a few months left of liquidity, through to the next few months of further job of liquidity, through to the next few months of furtherjob losses. More support for free lances and the furlough scheme and carry that support through to next year to help us carry on support through to next year to help us carry on and continue to bring you live events int us carry on and continue to bring you live events in tfuture. Us carry on and continue to bring you live events in t future. Do you think the governments listening . You live events in t future. Do you think the governments listening . little bit. But we think today will raise that awareness. We are the men in black behind the scenes. For every art i was there are a00 staff and technicians from catering to Truck Drivers to riggers and even yourselves with the cameras and support. As you are aware, it is a lots of people affected. We hope our voice will be heard and the government will support the industry. Thank you. A line on new zealand, the Prime Minister has order auckland back into lockdown after four confirmed virus cases that we mentioned a few moments ago. Source unknown. 0ne family. We will keep you posted. In europe, the eus Health Agency has urged countries seeing an increase in cases, to reinstate curbs on peoples freedoms. A spike in tourism has led to a spike in new infections, as Tanya Dendrinos reports. Its not your average summer accessory, but this isnt your average summer. New measures came into effect in france on monday, with face masks becoming mandatory in tourist hotspots in paris. While many follow the rules, despite the threat of fines, others were more complacent. Translation no, i do have my mask, its somewhere, but youre right, i heard about it on a programme this morning, but people do this, were stupid. Were stupid, but its normal. The french dont like following orders. Greece took tough measures early and has re opened in hope of reviving even a small portion of the vital tourist economy. But measures are now being reintroduced, including a shutdown of some businesses in popular destinations between midnight and 7am for the next two weeks, while the country continues to closely monitor incoming travellers. Translation from august 17th for entry into greece, it will be mandatory to present a negative coronavirus test, which will have been performed up to 72 hours earlier for those travelling from the following countries sweden, the czech republic, belgium, spain and the netherlands. Spain now has the highest number of infections in europe, surpassing the uk with more than 320,000 confirmed cases and with close to 1,500 new infections diagnosed the last 2a hour period, authorities concede transmission isnt perfectly controlled, but argue this situation is stabilising. Translation transmission, although mainly due to the outbreaks, is also affected by a certain level of Community Transmission. As it well known, in certain regions of spain it is not perfectly controlled, but it is gradually decreasing. Europe, treading the tightrope and trying to strike the delicate balance of managing a dual health and economic crisis, struggling to maintain its grip. The government of mauritius has warned that a huge cargo ship which has been leaking oil after running aground last month is likely to break apart. The government declared an environmental emergency last week, but has been criticised for acting too slowly. Volunteers in mauritius have staged their own efforts to contain the thousand tonnes of oil which has spilled into the indian ocean. The Prime Minister of mauritius said his country should prepare for the worst. Translation we know that there are several cracks that are continuing to develop. And these cracks unfortunately mean that there is a major risk that the carrier breaks up into two. Kevin ruhomaun is the director of mauritus National Parks and conservation, and is currently monitoring at the Ile Aux Fouquets National Park. Thank you forjoining us. How worried are you about the possible break up of the ship . The ship at the moment is we are on one of the special parks on the reef in the south east bay. And at the moment, fortu nately, south east bay. And at the moment, fortunately, we had slight traces of oil on these islands. We worry that if the ship breaks up, and the oil is not yet all pumped out, then these islands, which have a unique biodiversity might be more affected. Up biodiversity might be more affected. Up to now, fortunately the effect on the islands has s been negligible. Is there any hope that more of the oil can be pumped out of the ship before it breaks up . Yeah, this operation is ongoing and the oil is being pumped out as im speaking to you. I suppose for those who are not familiar mauritius, it is worth you explaining just how very special its bioditerse have i and its biodiversity and coral reefs are. Im on one of the small islands on the south east and we are in the National Park and it harbours unique species found nowhere else in the world. And this population is quite genetically diverse from other populations that we have on other islands in the north, making this population very important. Actually, we have already plans to collect a few of the different individuals to be able to establish a safe population on the mainland, if ever there is a catastrophic impact we dont lose the species. The planning is on and by the end of the week we will have collected some specimens and took them out. You sound very practical and focussed on minimising the damage to a unique landscape and a unique sea scape, are you angry about this ship running aground on your coral reefs and endangering everything that is preshts to you . Precious. Ithink everything that is preshts to you . Precious. I think even is and the fa ct precious. I think even is and the fact is im responsible mainly for the mainland part and the impact is worse in the sea. My colleagues are working day and night monitoring the effects and the impacts and just in the vicinity we have the best National Marine park, which is also a site of international importance. Up a site of international importance. Up to now the slick is moving, or has been moving in the other direction and we have not noticed anything there. We have another side down the ship where, the ship wreck, which will protect it using booms and absorbers and up to now we have not noticed traces of oil in these sites. But in the lagoon and up the eastern coast, all along there is quite a lot of places that have heavy oil. We wish you all the best in getting that oil off the broken ship before it breaks up completely. Good luck to you. Thank you very much. The headlines on bbc news new zealands Prime Minister orders auckland into lockdown as the country sees new cases of coronavirus Community Transmission for the first time in over 100 days. More than 700,000 people in the uk have lost their jobs since the Coronavirus Crisis began in march the biggest quarterly decrease in over a decade. Belarus Opposition Leader has fled to lithuania, saying she was scared for her safety as unrest continues over sundays disputed president ial poll. A week on from the devastating blast in beirut that killed more than 200 people, and tens of thousands are now trying to rebuild their lives. One of them is rola stephan, a mother of five shes been out on the streets of the lebanese capital to assess the impact on her community. Today, after almost one week, this is whats happening were trying to move everything from the house, all the glass, all the shattered glass. Were trying to salvage some furniture. We cannot carry 12 floors down, so theyre throwing everything down. This is where the explosion happened. This is the view from my living area. Complete destruction. Im walking with my daughter to the ice cream place next door. I volunteered cleaning our streets. This is our ice cream place. And this is the owner. Elias . Hi this is what is left of our ice cream place. Those are the pictures of the clients. Youll find pictures of my children somewhere here. My children used to come and help. It was amazing. This is one of the survivors as well. They were here when it happened. This is near my house. You have a team working to put people in apartments that dont have any more homes. People are giving them their apartments to help people with no homes. This is an operation here. Other groups working. Giving water, support for people, food for people, helmets, brooms. Garbage bags, everything they need to help people. Amazing. Hi, how are you . This is our best speaker. I made him since day one of the revolution. This is my friend, who got injured on saturday. Its everywhere. We keep going . Yes. Love you guys. Hi i love these people. Theyre family now. They are amazing. This is beirut, this is the heart of beirut. This is a building near my house. Nothing remains. A few people i know died in there. Thats my son taking sandwiches and water for the army. There is no electricity, there is no water in most of the apartments here. Thats my son. Giving the army sandwiches and water. They say they need some more sandwiches. What happened here cannot be imagined in recent history. The only way to cure it is for the whole regime to step down with all its sponsors. You cannot expect the same people who got us here to fix it. These people need to go, for the lebanon we dream of to rise again. Please listen to us. One experience in beirut. With the growing need for many of us to wear face coverings could yours do with an upgrade . One french designer based in london was so concerned about the look of disposable masks, she took to creating more extravagant offerings adorned with anything from barbies to bits of lego. Heres her story. My name is Anne Sophie Cochevelou. Im a french costumier and fashion designer. And since the lockdown, ive been mainly focused on making bespoke masks. Theyre not like your ordinary face masks. I use lots of toys, i use lots of embellishment elements. So what i used to put in my work, like barbies, or dolls faces, ive integrated it in my masks. Basically, im kind of a hoarder. So i actually have lots of material for previous projects. First i was doing it forfun, because literally i had nothing else to do. And i was stuck at home. But then people had an interest in them. People wanted them for themselves, so i started making them forfriends, and then some people wanted to buy them from me because i have no other source of income. So i started putting them on my online shop. I think i have made about 200 masks. My style is kind of about making people smile and about connecting people together. People are really afraid to lose theirjobs or to be able to pay their rent. So at least seeing someone thats dressed up and has a colourful mask, it kind of made them smile a bit. French designer Anne Sophie Cochevelou there. I should just before i go mention the latest on new zealand. That has been happening in the last few minutes. The cases are in south auckland. The entire city going into three days of level 3 lockdown. Residents being told to stay at home and wear masks if they go out. The rest of new zealand moving to level 2. Youre watching bbc news. Now here is susan with the weather. The heat swelters on in the south of the uk. If youre looking for respite, it will take until the weekend for us to really clear this very warm and humid air. Another hot day for many and a chance of thunder storms. The bulk of the heat is to the south of the uk, but will feel warm in scotland with this front pushing its way in, heavy showers, surging out of Central Lowlands into the north west and further south a tail end of that feature destabilising things in the midlands, east anglia and the north east of england. We could see a thunder storm just about anywhere across england and wales through the afternoon as the heat builds. Very isolated, but there is so much energy in the atmosphere, if they do break out, they will be hum dingers, up break out, they will be hum dingers, up to 35 in the south east of england. Widely in the high 20s in england. Widely in the high 20s in england and wales. Mid 20s for scotland. Showers rattle on again, quite isolated over night in dmrals. England and wales. Northern ireland not faring too badly. Warm with seasony spells. More bearable. For the south of england, 19, 20 is our overnight lows. Into wednesday and another hot day in the south. But this is quite a significant change, later on on wednesday and to ta ke change, later on on wednesday and to take us into thursday, thundery showers becoming widespread from the south. Still talking about the mid 30s to the south of the uk. Mid 20s further north. The showers mark the arrival of this low pressure pushing up arrival of this low pressure pushing up across france arrival of this low pressure pushing up across france and eventually working its way north across the uk. You may think the rain is coming and the taechts will drop temperatures will drop. Well they will ease back, but ill it will be warm and humid and temperatures still in the high 20s in the south. Scotla nd still in the high 20s in the south. Scotland may stay dry. In terms of the actual relief by from the heat, it will take us until the weekend until that thundery weather has worked its through way and we switch toa worked its through way and we switch to a north westly air stream to cool off. This is bbc news withjoanna gosling with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. New zealands Prime Minister orders auckland into lockdown as the country sees new cases of coronavirus Community Transmission for the first time in over 100 days. As the first scottish pupils return to school scotlands education secretary will explain how he will fix the exam results row, after many students received grades far lower than expected. The Opposition Leader in belarus has fled to lithuania, saying she was scared for her safety, as unrest continues over sundays disputed president ial poll. More than 700,000 people in the uk have lost their jobs since the covid 19 crisis began in march the biggest fall in employment in over a decade. The uk government says it will strengthen the regional test and trace system as it cuts 6,000 contact tracers in england in a restructuring that will see tracers knock on doors. President putin says that russia has developed the worlds first covid 19 vaccine and says his own daughter has already taken it. Excuse me. Oh. This was the moment President Trump was led away from a live news briefing by Security Officials after an armed man was shot close to the white house. Hello and welcome if you re watching in the uk or around the world, and stay with us for the latest news and analysis from here and across the globe. Lets start with some breaking news. New zealand has announced its first locally transmitted Coronavirus Infections in more than 100 days, prompting the Prime Minister to issue a stay at home lockdown order for the countrys largest city. Jacinda ardern said four cases had been detected in a Single Family in auckland from an unknown source. Lets get moere from our correspondent, phil mercer in sydney. Very swift reaction to this to lock people down and try to stop further transmission. What is known about cases . Jacinda arden, new zealands Prime Minister, has always said throughout this pandemic that her government would go hard and go early. What we do know is that for positive cases have been confirmed in one family in south auckland. Auckland is the biggest city in new zealand. The ramifications of this will affect the entire country. The city of oakland will go to a stage three restrictions from midday on wednesday local time for three days. That means bars and restaurants will close and workers will have to stay at home unless they are in essential services. The rest of the country, the rest of new zealand will go to level two restrictions. So as we say, jacinda arden, the pm, going ha rd say, jacinda arden, the pm, going hard and going early once again. Say, jacinda arden, the pm, going hard and going early once againm is obviously a much hardier response than other countries have been doing. What is the reaction in the country to this strategy . Senior Health Officials say that this is a wake up call against any complacency. It has been over 100 days since any cases of Community Transmission of covid 19 have been reported in new zealand, and many new zealanders were getting used to life getting back to what it was before the pandemic. This will be an unpleasant reminder of the power of virus, and of course the challenge for new zealand authorities is to try and trace the source of these four infections. As we say, they are members of the same family. For people of the same family but a p pa re ntly people of the same family but apparently it involves various workplaces as well, so Contact Tracing will be of the essence as new zealand heads once again back into lockdown. After 100 days of no Community Transmission, obviously as you say, they are going to be keen to find out where this came from. What movement is there in and out of the country . Because new zealand has also got tighter restrictions on that than other countries. If you area that than other countries. If you are a Foreign National you cannot get into new zealand unless there are exceptional circumstances. For all intents and purposes, new zealand has shut its International Borders to non citizens for quite a long time now. Citizens can return, and permanent residents, and they have been subjected to mandatory hotel quarantine. Now the authorities of course have no indications as to when the International Borders will be reopened, but this, as we say, is the first case, or the first cases of Community Transmission in new zealand for well over 100 days. So zealand for well over 100 days. So zealand once again on alert for the coronavirus. The coronavirus. The city of auckland will go into a three day lockdown from wednesday. The rest of the country will go into level two restrictions, so new zealand is acting very quickly. The rest of the world will consider these numbers are to be very small. For a new cases of coronavirus, but in the new zealand context, it is enough to cause alarm and enough to cause the government to impose these sweeping restrictions very quickly. Thank you very much. Scotlands education secretary, john swinney, will explain later how he plans to address concerns over the way grades were awarded to pupils in exams which couldnt be taken. Teachers estimated pupils marks, which were then compared with their schools past performance. 125,000 grades were revised down after the Scottish Qualifications Authority applied a moderation technique a moderation technique to those results. There was particular criticism after higher pass rates for pupils in the most deprived data zones were reduced by 15. 2 , in comparison with 6. 9 for pupils from the most affluent backgrounds. It comes as scotlands pupils return to their classrooms for the First Time Since the start of lockdown nearly five months ago. Schools in the borders and shetland will be first to reopen with most local authorities following on wednesday. Physical distancing among students will not generally be required but hygiene and Safety Measures such as one way systems have been put in place. And in england, universities are being told to keep places open for students if they appeal against a level results, which are due out on thursday. More on that in a moment. First, Alexandra Mackenzie on the situation with results in scotland. No exams were sat in scotland this year, but thousands of pupils across the country are concerned, upset, angry that their results have been unfairly downgraded. John swinney will address at the Scottish Parliament later on this afternoon. The first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, we heard her apologise yesterday. She said that they will fix it, that this will be up to the Scottish Government to fix, so everyone is waiting to hear from john swinney later on this afternoon. Josh kennedy received his grades last week and will be going to glasgow university. Hes also a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament for renfrewshire north and west. He told us that it had been a very difficult time for many students. This has been a really stressful situation. I had a conditionalfor uni and a lot of young people dead, and this year there has been no kind of idea as to how results were going to play out. There have been a lot of Horror Stories leading up to it. Even the communication from the sqa wasnt great. Even as an adult, aduu wasnt great. Even as an adult, adult i have been speaking to, the communication being put out by the sk deciding how they were going to make up these results were inaccessible. This because a lot of stress and anxiety for those waiting on results they really needed. Now that a lot of young people have been adversely affected by this, the sqa need to get young people into talk about this. This cannot be a back room deal. This has to be something thatis room deal. This has to be something that is open with young people and teachers especially so that this can be sorted and young people are actually getting the grades that are not reflective of schools or their postcode but rather the actual ability, and i know that teachers grades are more reflective of that than the algorithm that has been used. In england, the universities minister has written to vice chancellors urging them to hold open places for students who appeal against their a level results, when theyre released on thursday. Grades are being calculated using a similar system to the scottish one, although the education secretary, gavin williamson, insists its fundamentally fair. The former chief inspector of 0fsted, Sir Michael Wilshaw explained what lessons can be learned from scotland. I think the mistakes are about not getting the balance right between the judgment of a youngsters performance on the basis of the history of the school, and the previous results of the school, and individual student performance. Unless that balance is a correct one, is a good one, then we are going to have a repeat of the scottish performance. Even in schools with a history of poor performance, there will be youngsters there who have worked very hard, youngsters who are very bright, who would have done well in that school, albeit with the school in difficulties. Employment in the uk has seen the largest fall in over a decade as the coronavirus pandemic hits the jobs market. Thats according to new figures for april tojune from the office for national statistics. Responding to the figures, chancellor rishi sunak said hes always been clear that he is unable to protect every job affected by coronavirus, but that the government has a clear plan to protect, support and create jobs. Lets take a closer look at the figures. The number of people in the uk, on company payrolls, fell by 730,000 between march and july, according to the office for national statistics. The uk Unemployment Rate remained at 3. 9 , largely unchanged on the year and the previous quarter. Unemployment has not surged as much as feared, because large numbers of firms have put employees on the government backed furlough scheme. Lets speak to our business presenter, ben thompson. Good morning. Good morning. Thank you very much. You are right. What is perhaps more interesting from these figures is what they dont actually tell us. That is because many have suggested that the furlough scheme, that is the governmentsJob Retention furlough scheme, that is the governments Job Retention scheme thatis governments Job Retention scheme that is paying a proportion of peoples salaries while they are unable to work, is perhaps artificially supporting the jobs market, and when that scheme is rewound down in october here in the uk, then we could see many more people facing redundancy. There is a real concern that as business now tries to readjust to the new normal, to the future with subdued demand, as the uk is likely to enter a recession. They are trying to work out now how many staff they need to deal with the demand they have sell the goods and services that they produce, and it is likely that they will need fewer staff than they currently have. It is interesting, in the report we have had this morning from the office of national statistics, they tell us that at both ends of the jobs market, there could be the most badly affected. New graduates, people leaving school may find it difficult to get onto thejobs ladder, may find it difficult to get onto the jobs ladder, and those at the other end who are may be approaching retirement age could find they are finding themselves at risk of redundancy much earlier than they would expect to be. They may find it ha rd to would expect to be. They may find it hard to find a job in the coming few yea rs. Hard to find a job in the coming few years. A little earlier, i spoke to two people at both ends. One was 22 year old alex who just graduated from University Last year, and joyce, who is a 61 and has had a 30 year career in the travel industry. Both of them are struggling to find work and say it has been pretty tough to find newjob. Im still about four years off receiving a pension, and im going to need an income. I cant survive without that, sadly. I will be doing childcare for my grandson, like many grandparents are these days, so i can only work part time. Its pulled me back a little bit from serious job searching because im waiting to see what the situation is out there after all the following has gone on and see which companies are looking for staff. After all the furlough scheme has happened. But dipping my toe in, its not looking great. I have to wait till about september and then really start looking seriously. Fingers crossed. Its a big hit, because you are bigged up so much, you are told youre going to get a job out of the gates, and thats not the case for most people. There is a huge impact on peoples mental health, self esteem and confidence to get rejection after rejection. There is very dodgy recruitment processes where there is a lot of uncertainty and you are strung along. The key is to just remember that, in the end, it is inevitable that you do get a job and youve just got to keep pushing forward. Alex and joyce speaking to me theyre little earlier. When we come to talk about the jobs market, we should be really clear that there are so many numbers bandied around, it is difficult to find out what is actually happening. You may see the figure of 220,000 fewer people on the payrolls or company payrolls over the last three months. That refers to just the last quarter up untiljune, that is as far as the latest official figures go. But if we look at the period including everything since lockdown, since this pandemic began, so taking it right back to march and looking at some anecdotal evidence forjuly as well, the figure is much worse. 730,000 fewer people working on a company payrolls sense all of this began, so that is why we get a sense of what might be happening, that come october, when firms have to make tough decisions about hiring or retaining staff, we may see the Unemployment Rate rises quite significantly. Remember estimates from the bank of england say it could more than double by more than seven and a half percent by the end of the year. 7. 5 . It is worth bearing in mind what companies are doing to mitigate the risk of having relatively expensive staff on the books. We have seen the number of people on a zero hours contracts, where they have no realjob security ora where they have no realjob security or a guaranteed number of hours a week, they just get or a guaranteed number of hours a week, theyjust get paid for what they work. The number of people on those contracts are exceeding 1 million for the first time. We have also seen the number of hours that are worked, so people who are in work but are may be being asked to work but are may be being asked to work fewer hours and being paid less for their job, work fewer hours and being paid less for theirjob, that also work fewer hours and being paid less for their job, that also following pretty significantly. The number of hours worked falling by more than 200 million, the biggest fall since 1971. That suggests some people are inajob 1971. That suggests some people are in a job still but working less. When we started to piece together these bits of data, it paints a picture of a jobs market that is really struggling and also facing a lot of uncertainty. We heard there from alex and joyce about the difficulty of finding work. If you wa nt difficulty of finding work. If you want any more detail on how this could affect you, what all of these numbers and statistics actually mean in the real economy, have a look at the bbc website. There is the news story theyre looking at all the numbers i have just story theyre looking at all the numbers i havejust stocked story theyre looking at all the numbers i have just stocked about, but there is a q and a section which cove rs but there is a q and a section which covers when furlough will end and what will happen at the end of the jobs retention scheme. Also includes details to whether you are eligible for government help, may be the universal Credit System or a jobseekers allowance. Check that out on the bbc website. Lots of details on there as well. Nonetheless, a really stark warning in these figures that we are going to see much worse before it gets better. For those who are in work, they may be working fewer hours but those who are out of work may find it increasingly difficult to find a newjob. Joanna. Thank you very much. An update on the headlines. The new zealand Prime Minister orders auckland into lockdown as the country sees new cases of covid 19 Community Transmission for the first time in more than 100 days. Scotlands education secretary will explain later how he will address student worries after many received grades for lower than expected in exams which couldnt be taken. The belarus Opposition Leader has fled to lithuania saying she was scared for her safety as unrest continues over sundays disputed president ial poll. We will stay with the situation in belarus. Svetla na ti kha novs kaya, the novice Opposition Leader who claims she won the disputed president ial election in belarus, has fled to neighbouring lithuania after admitting she was scared for her life. In the past hour, shes released this video online in which she said leaving was a very difficult decision. She added that children are the most important thing we have in life. In belarus, president lukashenko ordered a crack down on demonstrators across the capital, minsk, for a second night. One person has died and thousands have been arrested. Our correspondent Sarah Rainsford is following developments from moscow. It was an extremely tense night in minsk and across belarus last night. A second night of mass protest. I should underline that these scenes sometimes play out in other countries but this is not something that has ever happened before in belarus. The police have never used stun grenades and rubber bullets, never fired into the crowds like this before although they are known for containing much smaller protests but usuallyjust with their batons. This is unprecedented both in terms of its scale and in terms of the Police Response to it. It was all sparked by the disputed elections which svetla na tikhanovskaya, the opposition figurehead and candidate, said were rigged. Thats why these protests are taking place. We now know she has now fled to lithuania, she hasjust issued a tear filled statement on youtube saying it was a very difficult choice, she says she knows that some people will condemn her and hate her but she hopes that some will also understand that she had left. She didnt explain, but i have spoken to the foreign minister of lithuania he said she was detained for seven hours in belarus before complicated negotiations, a messy situation, he said, before she was able to get to lithuania and to safety. A couple of new developments coming through. The Eu Commission has said the eu belarus relationship is under review following that election, and writers are reporting that police in belarus are saying that more than 2000 people have now been detained after the protests on monday. The Russian Health Ministry Says it has given Regulatory Approval to a locally developed vaccine for covid 19 after less than two months of testing on humans. President putin says he wants to start mass production of the drug soon. He added that his daughter had already been given the vaccine. The World Health Organization and Russian Health authorities are discussing the process for possible who prequalification for the vaccine. Our science correspondent pallab ghosh says the news should be treated with extreme caution. The results of the trials have not been published. It is impossible to say how long any immune reaction lasts and it is impossible to say how safe it is. So i think that we need to treat any such claim with extreme caution. Any vaccine, whetherfrom russia or elsewhere, will take a long time to be fully tested, and even longer to be fully rolled out. That is assuming we get one in the first place. British and french ministers will hold talks in paris today to discuss how to reduce the number of people crossing the English Channel in small boats. Since thursday, more than 600 people have been intercepted making the journey. Our correspondent simonjones is in doverfor us. Well, just as the immigration compliance minister chris philp is heading off to that side of the channel once again this morning, we have had several groups of migrants making the journey in the opposite direction. We have seen the border force tow back a couple of dinghies, and weve also seen around 25 people being brought to shore in dover. That is the pressing issue that is going to be discussed at the talks in paris today. From the british side, the chief thing they want to do is to try and say to the french that they need to turn boats back at sea. The french are reluctant to do this for safety reasons. I think from the french, their chief goal is to get more finance from the British Government to enable them to increase surveillance along the coast of northern france. We are being told formally that these talks are really going to cement the agreement and cooperation between both sides, but i think behind the scenes, there are some real differences about the best approach. Britain and france both believe these crossings must come to an end because of the dangers involved crossing the busiest shipping lane in the world, but neither side agree on the best way to do that. Gulwali passarlay is a former refugee who came to this country aged 13, crossing the channel smuggled in the back of a refrigerated lorry. He now works as an advocate for refugees and is co founder of the charity my bright kite, which supports migrant children. Welcome, thank you very much for joining us. What is your reaction to the approach now been taken to the increased numbers crossing the channel is in small boats, a000 so far this year . Now the government is looking at the law and working with french authorities to try and stop this happening. My issue is that i dont see people crossing the channel, it is very dangerous and risky, but my problem is the government. Thinking about the border. I am glad they are thinking about these people as individuals, soi about these people as individuals, so i want the uk and france to reach an agreement where we have legal and safe routes for people to travel so they do not have to risk their lives. The problem we have is we talk about prevention but we do not do anything. This has not worked. We have offences in calais and we have been spending a lot of money on security but people still come, so we have to find ways and alternatives ways for them to come here safely so they do not have to put themselves in danger. You yourself to get here when you were 13, you left afghanistan at the age of 12 and she actually passed through Nine Countries on your way here. Why are you so determined to get to this country, and would anything have stopped you . To be honest, that is the line of questioning which is very u nfortu nate. Questioning which is very unfortunate. The reason i came here was because my brother was here. I found out along the way. Also, i was unwelcome across half of the world. I went to Nine Countries and the only country welcoming week was italy. By then, i knew my brother was in the uk so i continued the journey was that the Un Convention for refugees says you do not have to stay in diverse country. We are not pa rt stay in diverse country. We are not part of the regulation after december, so this argument of why people should stay in the first country, why should we expect the italian, french and greeks to take refugees and not be willing to take ourfairshare . Refugees and not be willing to take ourfair share . There refugees and not be willing to take ourfairshare . There are refugees and not be willing to take ourfair share . There are many reasons to come here, language reasons, family, people think britain has a great reputation of human rights and equality, but that is not in the truth to the full extent. People come here ultimately if they want to come here and we have to provide a legal and safe routes. It is our legal and moral obligation to do so. So how do you react to the language used by a group of mps who have written by the home secretary describing invading migrants being welcomed here and basically saying that they want this country to be a hostile environment . Iam country to be a hostile environment . I am disheartened. It is disappointing. Our representatives in parliament, they need to look in themselves and have humanity and the decency to say, im not saying we should take everybody, but let us ta ke should take everybody, but let us take ourfairshare. Should take everybody, but let us take our fair share. There should take everybody, but let us take ourfair share. There are millions people who are displaced in the world. Only a small tiny minority comes to europe, and an even smaller number comes to the uk, and we cannot expect the french to ta ke and we cannot expect the french to take in that many. The people in calais are there specifically to come here to the uk. We are not willing to provide humanitarian visas, not allowing them to have centres in france, so the police need to do theirjob mps need to do theirjob and show solidarity. This is about peoples lives. These are people who are desperate and have seen violence, they are fleeing from afghanistan, syria and iraq, sub saharan africa. We have in some ways, these conflicts in the first place. I would expect a lot more humanity from the mps that it is u nfortu nate we humanity from the mps that it is unfortunate we treat people as statistics and numbers. Take us back to the 12 year old boy you wear when you took the decision to leave the country that you knew, that she had grown up country that you knew, that she had grown up in. What were you like, what gave you the wherewithal to actually get up and go . To be honest, i didnt leave the country, i was supposed to flee. My country my i was supposed to flee. My country my parents sent me away. Every year, we have about 10,000 casualties in afghanistan. Nobody leaves their home and their families and loved ones forfun. We are leaves their home and their families and loved ones for fun. We are faced with situations and circumstances which are extraordinary and again and not everyone leaves, some people go to neighbouring countries, so a lot of afg ha ns go to neighbouring countries, so a lot of afghans are refugees in pakistan and syria. People who come to europe, they do so to come for a greater security and a great future. Iam greater security and a great future. I am lucky i survived when a lot of people didnt. I did not have a choice. I did not leave on my own well. I was forced to flee because of the situation and circumstances, and that is why many afghans and others across countries where there is conflict and war, they flee for their safety. Thank you very much for joining their safety. Thank you very much forjoining us. The uk government has defended the nhs test and trace system in england after it was announced that 6000 staff will be cut by the end of the month. The remaining 12,000 will work alongside local Public Health teams to reach more infected people and their contacts. The centralised call Centre System has been criticised for not tapping into local knowledge. The Health Minister edward argar insisted test and trace in england was a successful system. In the past ten weeks, our teams have made contact with a quarter of a million different people. Thats a significant effort, starting this from scratch and getting it up and running. What we are doing now is flexing it, on the basis of what we have learned from local lockdowns and how they work, we have always worked in Close Partnership with local authorities and this is about taking that partnership a step forward and strengthening it further. Im joined now by keith neal, emeritus professor in the epidemiology of Infectious Diseases at the university of nottingham. Welcome, thank you very much for joining us. So this new strategy is being described as Old Fashioned shoe leather epidemiology. Is it going to be more effective . Shoe leather epidemiology. Is it going to be more effective7m shoe leather epidemiology. Is it going to be more effective . It can only add to the number of cases and contacts only add to the number of cases and co nta cts we only add to the number of cases and contacts we get a hold of. I think theissueisit contacts we get a hold of. I think the issue is it has still been two factors. Not enough people are coming forward for testing when they have symptoms because they may not be severe enough, and that requires more publicity. Also one in four to one in five are not answering the phones. Hopefully if these people are contacted by local people, we can find out why they were un contactable in the first place. So when you say not enough people coming forward for testing when they have symptoms may be because the symptoms are not severe enough, they know obviously if they are found to be positive that that will have ramifications for all of those that they have been in contact with. Do you think that is a deterrent . If they are not that unwell, just to basically may be do the right thing and stay at home but not go further. I think if they actually isolate themselves without testing, we end up themselves without testing, we end up with the same net effect that they themselves wont be spreading it any further. There is a possibility that their contacts can continue to spread it in those cases, but if the household members also isolate, and that is most significant contact anyway, it is better than nothing. Is it possible to measure how much people are actually complying with that . No. Not without a tolerant harry terry and state chasing everybody up like some countries in South East Asia have been able to do. Totalitarian. Getting to the situation where there are going to be traitors knocking on doors, that is going to put a different message out there, isnt it, about how accountable people are going to be . I think accountable people are going to be . Ithink so, accountable people are going to be . I think so, and i think the worrying thing will be if they are not actually at home and certainly not isolating, because that means they are out potentially spreading it when they are knowingly infectious. Really, it is going to be interesting how they handle this, andi interesting how they handle this, and i think the other thing would be useful, even only from a small numbers, to identify why people didnt answer the phone in the first place. Also, if they are dialled from a local number, which i presume the local team will do first before sending people out. Do you think people have got complacent about covid 19 . People have got complacent about covid19 . I think it is beginning to be seen, because when you report the number of deaths which is really quite low, and there is the perception it is not actually as a serious people in for people under 30, particularly with no underlying conditions. The royal couege underlying conditions. The Royal College of paediatricians and child health has recommended there is no need to shield for the vast majority of children, even those with diseases. We did have of course the government yesterday saying that there is a report coming out later in the year that indicates that it is absolutely fine for kids to go to School Without risk of transmission. It has been mitigated a bit today by a report in the times saying that is the Public Health england report and actually they are concerned about how much children in secondary school might be spreading. how much children in secondary school might be spreading. I really dont think we know enough to be absolutely sure either way. I did a lot of work for the transmission of another disease which is spread by droplets, the same way we think covid 19 is a spread. Teenagers are great at spreading that to each other and are less good at spreading it to adults. Most of the transmission occurs in social settings rather than School Classrooms and playgrounds. Sorry to come in there, because it is so specific what you are talking about. It is confusing, because why would it discriminate depending on the age of those who were affected . Think you will see that the behaviours of when it comes to the disease i was studying, smoking and visits to night clubs are very significant factors and those are not an issue with seven year olds in the same way as they our 17 year olds. The same way as they our 17yearolds. Thank you very much. Professor of ap media allergy and Infectious Diseases at nottingham. Professor of epimediology and Infectious Diseases at nottingham. Hello this is bbc news. The headlines. Auckland is ordered into lockdown as new zealand sees new cases of coronavirus Community Transmission for the first time in over 100 days scotlands education secretary will explain how hell address student worries after many received grades far lower than expected, in exams which couldnt be taken the Opposition Leader in belarus has fled to lithuania, saying she was scared for her safety as unrest continues over sundays disputed president ial poll. More than 700,000 people in the uk have lost their jobs since the covid 19 crisis began in march the biggest fall in employment in over a decade president putin says that russia has developed the worlds first covid 19 vaccine and says his own daughter has already taken it. President trump has praised the actions of the secret service after an armed man was shot close to the white house. Mr trump, who was holding a press conference at the time of the incident was swiftly ushered away from the podium by a security agent. Our north america correspondent david willis reports. The nasdaq and the s p 500 and the dowjones are going to. A few minutes into a televised News Conference came this dramatic interruption. Excuse me . The president , breaking off mid sentence, only to be escorted from the briefing area in the west wing to the oval office. Nine minutes later, he and his team returned to the briefing room, with the president telling reporters, this time with a secret Service Agent standing guard at the door, the situation was under control. Thank you very much. There was a shooting. It was Law Enforcement shot someone. Seems to be the suspect, and the suspect is now on the way to the hospital. I cant tell you the condition of the suspect. There was nobody else injured. There was no other Law Enforcement injured. The Us Secret Service later confirmed what they called an officer involved shooting, giving us the address, the Eisenhower Executive Office building, which is next door to the white house. A second tweet revealed that a male suspect had been taken to hospital along with a secret Service Agent, but that at no time at the white house complex breached. The area remains sealed off for a while. The local Fire Department said later the suspect had sustained serious or possibly life threatening injuries. Although the motive remains unclear, officials are said to be investigating whether the individual in question had a history of mental illness. David willis, bbc news. Let mejust bring let me just bring you some details coming through from the russia of more news on that vaccine, the covid 19 vaccine that has been developed in russia after less than two months of testing. We hearing that it two months of testing. We hearing thatitis two months of testing. We hearing that it is being dubbed sputnik after the soviet satellite. Russia says that 20 countries have fielded a billion doses of that vaccine already. Pre ordered a billion doses. It is expected the vaccine will be produced in brazil, and that production would start in november, subject to Regulatory Approval. But the Industrial Production would start in september they are saying, so with the production happening in brazil, but that is, they are saying, subject to Regulatory Approval so president putin has said his own daughter has already had that vaccine. That news just through this morning from russia saying that they had developed the worlds first covid 19 vaccine and will soon start mass production. They are saying just in the past few moments starting in september and its going to be labelled sputnik for starting in september and its going to be labelled sputnikforforeign markets. Lets go back to one of our main news stories today. Scotlands education secretary, john swinney, will explain today how he will address problems with the way School Pupils were awarded grades this year, in the absence of exams. The first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has apologised after the marks given to pupils were based partly on the past performance of their schools. Pupils in scotland have begun returning to school today, with schools in the borders and shetland the first to reopen with most others following on wednesday. We can speak now to helen budge, director of Childrens Services for the Shetland Islands council. Welcome and thank you very much for joining us. So your pupils are among the first back. Tell us how its gone . Its going very well this morning. We are watching the young folk coming into the schools and off the buses and they are very excited. There is obviously some anxiety among some of those young folk too but generally the seem really pleased to be back after such a long time away. Whats being done to make the schools covid secure . We have some additional cleaners that we have employed so that we have day clea ners have employed so that we have day cleaners in the schools as well as the cleaning services that have been making things really ready for them. We have had risk assessments of the buildings. We have had some staff who had specific risk assessments. We have got ppe available should it be required, and we have social distancing mapped out so that that can help the young folk. We have got the dining arrangements set up so that thats ready and we have some one way systems in schools well, so the safety of our young folk is paramount this year. So when you say ppe is available if it is required, in what circumstances would it be used . For some of the young folk it is felt that they would be necessary when we are working with ones with Additional Support needs for example so that stuff in the young folk feel co mforta ble. So that stuff in the young folk feel comfortable. It is important that we have that available should it be necessary. have that available should it be necessary. Staff and the young folk. All teachers and parents fully bought into this . And l comfortable with how things are going to be . We have written to all parents, we have written to all staff and have also written to all staff and have also written to all peoples letting them know things would be slightly different. Yesterday over the staff we re different. Yesterday over the staff were back and we had meetings with them and head teachers help to take them and head teachers help to take them through on the anxieties they had and today it is very much about those young folk reconnecting with the teachers and the staff in schools to help listen to some of those anxieties so that we can alleviate the concerns they might have this morning. What are your concerns around what has been lost in the months in which the kids werent going to school . In the months in which the kids werent going to school . We have had the Remote Learning so we were able to do the Remote Learning so we were able todoa the Remote Learning so we were able to do a lot of learning for those young folk during that time. They have obviously been some folk that we re have obviously been some folk that were able to do more than others, and we want now to take time to reconnect with the young folk to look at where they are actually at and help them with that last learning that they may have experienced, so we have staff ready to. To ensure that they work to enhance that learning that they are now coming back. Just on the grades issue, john swinney is going to be explaining later what is going to be done to try to put things right where pupils have been let down by the system that was put in place to awards grades in the absence of them sitting exams. How have students in your area been affected . Very similarto your area been affected . Very similar to those across the whole of scotland. We have some young folk that have seen some of their grades been put down and we have also got some young folk that have seen a few of their grades put up, so we are in a similar position to those across scotland, the very place that they are considering this, but we are going to use the appeals procedure to support our young folk to get what they deserve. It sounds like, from what Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday, she said their owners shouldnt be on the kids, it should be on the government to put it right, which perhaps might indicate going back to teachers grades, we are guessing because we dont know what theyre going to say. There has been a push from some to say that is exactly what should happen. Do you think that should happen . exactly what should happen. Do you think that should happen . I think that would recognise the teacher judgment in what theyre doing and we said we want to see our young folk being recognised for the hard work they have put in during the past year. This is absolutely unprecedented times and anything we can do to support our young folk we absolutely would want do that. Helen, thank you very much indeed for joining helen, thank you very much indeed forjoining us. Lebanons outgoing Prime Minister has lashed out at what he calls the endemic corruption in his country that led to the catastrophic explosion in beirut. Announcing his resignation, hassan diab said he would follow the will of the people in holding those responsible to account. Many lebanese believe the countrys political system makes change extremely difficult as paul hawkins reports. Fireworks and tear gas in beirut. It sums up lebanon at the moment. On the one hand there is joy that the countrys government has resigned. Translation today, we follow the will of the people to hold accountable those responsible for this disaster that has been hiding for seven years and their desire for change from the corrupt destructive state, the state of brokerages and theft, to the state of law and justice and transparency, to a country that represents its people. To a country that respects its people. But also fear about what the future may bring. It is important that the credible and transparent investigation determines the cause of the explosion and bring about the accountability demanded by the lebanese people. It is also important that reforms be implemented, so as to address the needs of the lebanese people for the longer term. But what are those reforms . Some believe that lebanons political system is part of the problem. Called a confessional system, it was designed so people from different religious communities get an equal and fair say in how the country is run. The president must be a mayonite christian, the parliamentary speaker a shia muslim. The Prime Minister, who has just resigned, must be a sunni muslim. While half of Parliament Seats must be christian, with the other half muslim or druze. Critics say the system promotes sectarian interests and patronage, in other words its not what you know, but who you know. This is a system that has been now in place for decades. There are a lot of interests at stake here. And people and groups are going to defend these interests and not going to give up the power that they have had for decades. Definitely a new government would be in place, who knows when . It usually takes months for the ruling elites to come together. So maybe the humanitarian disaster that unfolded last week and the economic crisis that has been going on since october, might maybe you know prove to be a catalyst for a quick formation of the government, though i dont think the government will be you know that much different from the one that has just resigned. Basically powerless and unable to make decisions. There is a running joke in lebanon that even without a government, you wouldnt notice much difference in peoples lives. But the longer the status quo lasts, the thinner the joke gets. In hong kong, people have queued to buy copies of the pro democracy newspaper apple daily. Following the arrest of its ownerjimmy lai, under a new National Security law imposed by china. The front page headline reads apple daily must fight on. The paper says more than half a million copies were printed, five times the usual number. Shares in mr lais Media Company have risen nine fold since his arrest on monday in a show of support from investors. The government of mauritius has warned that a huge cargo ship which has been leaking oil after running aground last month is likely to break apart. The government of the indian oceon state declared an environmental emergency last week, but has been criticised for acting too slowly. Volunteers in mauritius have staged their own efforts to contain the thousand tonnes of oil which has spilled into the indian ocean. The Prime Minister of mauritius said his country should prepare for the worst. Translation we know that there are several cracks that are continuing to develop. And these cracks unfortunately mean that there is a major risk that the carrier breaks up into two. Kevin ruhomaun is director of the mauritius National Parks service he told us about the extent of the conservation effort currently underway. Is in one of the small islands on the south east of mauritius, and we are ata the south east of mauritius, and we are at a National Park which harbours unique species of reptiles found nowhere else in the world and this population is quite genetically diverse from other populations that we have in other islands, making this population extremely important. Actually, we already have plans to collect a few of the different individuals to be able to establish a safe population on the mainland, so that if ever there is a catastrophic impact on these islands we dont lose these species. The planning is on and by the end of the week we will have collected some specimens and taking them out, just asa specimens and taking them out, just as a precautionary measure. I am responsible mainly for the mainland pa rt responsible mainly for the mainland part of the work, and the impact is much worse in the sea, and my from the ministry had colleagues from the ministry had assured me they day and