This is bbc news, with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. Here, the labour party calls for next years a level and gcse exams in england to be pushed back to help pupils cope with the impact of coronavirus. The government says its too early to decide. It is far to early to be saying were going to postpone things or cancel things, as the labour party seem to be saying. I think that is the wrong approach. What we should actually be doing at this moment is focusing on getting our schools back in the saddle, running again, so young people can resume their education. Its a complete abrogation of their responsibilities if government ministers are going to allow things to go to the wire again next summer. That creates huge distress for students, as we saw the other day, and even more chaos for universities. The first commercial flight from israel to
the United Arab Emirates has taken off from tel aviv, marking a major step in the normalising of relations between the two countries. Its five years to the day that the german chancellor declared that her country could absorb vast numbers of migrants. We look back at what happened next and the week that changed europe. Getting workers in england back into the office the uk government is launching a Campaign Amid fears of the impact of empty city centres. And after 64 million government subsidised restaurant meals are served in the uk in august, the eat out to help out scheme ends today, with many businesses calling for an extension. Hello and welcome if youre watching in the uk or around the world, and stay with us for the latest news and analysis from here and across the globe. Here in the uk, labour has called for next summers a level and gcse exams in england to be delayed by up to two months, to allow pupils more time to catch up on lost teaching time after schools were closed during the pandemic. The shadow education secretary kate green said pupils in years 11 and 13 had a mountain to climb to prepare for exams after months away from the classroom. The uk government have insisted exams will go ahead next year, whatever the timings. Our Political Correspondent helen catt reports. It has only been a few weeks since this years students got theirfinal grades, but what to do about next years exams is a question thats already testing politicians, and its one theyre under pressure not to flunk. Labours answer, delay gcses and a levels in england
until at leastjune to make up for lost teaching time. It says otherwise pupils will have a mountain to climb. The macro we really feel it is important that young people first when planning the next iss assessments, giving as long as possible for teaching and learning to ta ke possible for teaching and learning to take place, to make up for the disruption they have suffered in the school year we have just had and while i hope there wont be disrupted in the coming year, i think we have to accept it is quite possible that there may be periods where children have to be out of school for a time. Quual, which sets the rules for exams in england, has made changes to what students have to do for subjects such as English Literature and geography to allow more flexibility. It has a ready consulting on putting back exams but has not made a decision. The reality is, we want to get schools back, we want students to be sitting their exams as normal next year. The precise timing and the approach of that will be something
that the department for education, quual and others will decide, working with schools. It is far too early to be saying you are going to postpone or cancel things as the labour party seemed to be saying, i think that is the wrong approach. What we should be doing at this moment is focusing on getting schools back in the saddle and running again so young people can resume their education. The Scottish Government is also consulting on possible changes to highers and nationals. Whatever decisions are made, the pressure is on for plans to be put in place quickly so that pupils know what they are working towards. Helen catt, bbc news. Robert halfon is a conservative mp and chair of the commons education select committee. He joins us from harlow. Thank you forjoining us. We have heard from George Eustice this morning, the cabinet minister, saying it is far too early to be deciding on this. Do you agree . think it is important that exams ta ke think it is important that exams take place next year. What should happen, as schools reopen, is that
schools should do assessments of the pupils, as much as is feasibly possible, to look at how much catch up possible, to look at how much catch up is needed by the pupils and make that Data Available to the department for education and the releva nt department for education and the relevant regulators, quual, perhaps ofsted as well. And then i think the government need to come to a decision about this by october because schools, pupils, parents need stability and clarity in terms of whether or not exams are going to go ahead and if they are going to be delayed. From your perspective, clearly you are saying there is information to be gathered but is your instinct to be exams ought to be pushed back a little . We just dont know until we see just how much catch up is needed. They have missed so many weeks of school, havent they come it is going to be obvious they are behind. They have missed six months of learning but i think a proper assessment needs to be made. It may be that exams are
delayed for a few weeks but i think the assessment should be done first to find out exactly how much catch up to find out exactly how much catch up is needed, extra tuition, extra Mental Health and well being support, how the government catch up programme, the £1 billion, is being used to help pupils. Once we find that out, i think a decision should be made for sure by october. M that out, i think a decision should be made for sure by october. If the decision is made that exams need to be pushed back, we are already hearing the practicalities of that are extremely challenging around marking and the impact that delaying the results might have on pupils moving on to university or six form college. Whatever decision is made, it is probably going to be challenging, even if the exams are kept at the traditional date, because of the catch up needed for pupils who have not been learning for one reason or another. This is not going to be easy and my hope is if it is delayed, it willjust be a few weeks rather than months. But i
do think the decision needs to be made in october so that there is clarity and consistency and stability for everybody involved in education but particularly the pupils. Clearly we are looking ahead but as it comes to school now, people going back to school, we have heard from teachers who are concerned and University Lecturers who are saying it is not the time to be opening universities. What is your message to people going back to school, in a teaching environment, lecturers or teachers who are concerned about schools opening up . First of all, to thank all the teachers and support staff across our education, colleges, schools, universities, that have done Everything Possible to try to get children learning again. I dont think there is anything more important at this point in time in our country. We have to get children back to school. We know there is minimal risk to children. This has been confirmed by the chief medical officer. In fact, the chief medical
officer. In fact, the chief medical officer has said there are bigger risks for children staying at home. So we need to get kids learning again. We are hitting their development and we dont want an epidemic of educational poverty in our country and many children suffering from Mental Health and safeguarding issues by remaining at home. Children and students getting back to study is one issue. Adults, of course, getting back to work is another and your government saying that they are launching an Advertising Campaign to encourage people back into the workplace. Is the timing right to be opening up schools and offices . We have always got to be guided by the science, and of course, we need our cities to be vibrant again. But my preference is, where possible, just to let the employers decide. They know best as to whether or not their employees need to be in the office. They may be saving hundreds of thousands of pounds by not having to pay for huge
office blocks or property which they can then invest back into their business and actually, hire more people with the extra money and possibly cut prices. I think this is quite a complex issue and i think what we should do is let employers decide, wherever possible. Robert halfon, thank you very much indeed. The chair of the commons education select committee, there. A commercial flight has left israel bound for the United Arab Emirates its a first, after the two countries agreed to normalise relations. The word peace has been freshly painted on the side of the plane, in arabic, english and hebrew. An israeli delegation is onboard, as well as us aides who helped broker the agreement. President trumps son in law and middle east adviser, jared kushner, is one of the senior americans on the flight. Heres what he said earlier. The first commercial flight in history between israel to a gulf arab country. While this is a historic flight, we hope that this will start
an even more historicjourney for the middle east and beyond. I prayed yesterday at the wall that muslims and arabs from throughout the world will be watching this flight, recognising that we are all children of god, and that the future does not have to be predetermined by the past. This is a very hopeful time, and i believe that so much peace and prosperity is possible in this region and throughout the world. The bbcs tom bateman is injerusalem. Put this in some context for us, just how significant a development of this is. It is certainly an historic moment, having a direct commercialflight historic moment, having a direct commercial flight from israel to the United Arab Emirates and incidentally, another point, the flight incidentally, another point, the flight is now in saudi airspace, over saudi arabia which is again a
first, saudi and other country that does not recognise israel all have formal diplomatic relations and has not allowed israeli airliners into its airspace ever. A significant moment that tells you about the warming of ties between the gulf arab warming of ties between the gulf ara b states warming of ties between the gulf arab states and israel, encapsulated now in this normalisation agreement thatis now in this normalisation agreement that is due to be signed in the coming weeks between the emirates and the israelis. This is only the third arab country in history to formalise its relations, to recognise and have diplomatic relations with them. The significance of that, why is it happening now . It is all to do with President Trump who has really tried to tilt policy in the middle east away from the iranian and consolidate the position of the arab gulf states alongside israel, forming a front against israel. In addition to that, you will have economic ties and a sense of diplomacy now, embassies in either
country in israel and the emirates so that is a significant moment for israel and the arab world historically and it has happened as a by product, really, of the Peace Process that President Trump had tried to get going between israel and the palestinians. It was seen as deeply weighted towards the israelis. The palestinians com pletely israelis. The palestinians completely boycotted it and they are really enraged by this decision of the emirates to formalise relations with israel. They say it breaks with decades of consensus by the arab world that it would not recognise israel all formalise relations until there was a two state solution between the sides, until israel had ended its occupation of palestinian territories. The palestinians have described this move is a betrayal. So given the complexities of course that date back so long in the region, how optimistic are people that this symbolic they will become something more meaningful . Symbolic day. It has been broadly welcomed by the vast majority of
israelis, save for some on the ultranationalist israelis, save for some on the ultra nationalist right wing, those who are advocates of the settlement project in the occupied west bank. Some of those believe that Benjamin Netanyahu, some of those believe that Benjamin Neta nyahu, the some of those believe that Benjamin Netanyahu, the israeli prime minister, has sold out by doing this because it has meant a temporary suspension to his plans to formally annexed part of the occupied west bank. The emirates are pleased with it, perhaps a bit less so publicly speaking about their delight at it as the israelis have but it certainly helps them in terms of trade, raising their significance in the arab world but also crucially, they want to buy more weapons and more powerful weapons from the United States and this is something President Trump has wanted and it seems like it may help them further down that path. As for President Trump, this is a big win for him, going into a president ial election with big domestic problems that time, he can, like Many American president s want to do, tout himself asa president s want to do, tout himself as a middle east peacemaker. Tom, thank you. The uk government is launching its drive to get workers back into the office amid fears of the impact of empty city centres. The campaign is set to promote the positive impact of working alongside colleagues rather than remotely from home. Im joined now by susan michie, director of the centre for Behaviour Change at ucl. She also is a participant in Government Advisory Group sage and the alternative expert group, independent sage. Thank you forjoining us. Is the time right to get workers slowly back into the office . We are in a situation in which the transmission, the daily transmission has been rising over the last few weeks, and has significantly jumped over the last week. We are also facing the opening up of schools, which everybody celebrates, and we want not only schools to open up but stay open. We are also facing universities starting with people
travelling all over the country and indeed, all over the world, including from high risk areas. And we have the way theyre changing, getting colder and damper, which the virus likes the weather changing. And we are in a situation where we still dont have a functioning test, trace and isolate system through the country that can jump on the kind of outbreaks that inevitably will occur when schools and universities open up when schools and universities open up againforthe when schools and universities open up again for the new term. So on top of all of this, to suggest that people should be going back into work and back onto Public Transport when it is not needed, i dont think is the right time and we should wait and review the outcomes of the other changes before thinking about doing this. Quite clearly, your answer to my question is no, it is not the right time. But some people are saying the issue is there are people at home who would benefit from some interaction with colleagues who are holed up in tiny parents, working on
la pto ps, holed up in tiny parents, working on laptops, and meanwhile tiny pa rents, laptops, and meanwhile tiny parents, working on laptops and meanwhile, city centres are weathering and the economy that relies on Office Workers is dying. How do you respond to the balancing act . Absolutely, i think it is really important that people should be given a choice of working commune ellie where it is possible commune ellie where it is possible. I dont think it has to be the case that everyone goes back to what we did before and travels, sometimes one or two hours each way to get to city centres for work. It is bad for their physical and Mental Health and bad for the Planetary Health with all the carbon emissions. What could be envisaged is really developing regions and areas, local neighbourhoods, by creating working hubs, the way that the creative industries, the it industry, is already doing, taking over, say, and buildings that are not being or can be repurposed. That allows people to have a real flexibility of working
at home may be sometimes, and going into work with others on other days. These could be themed according to areas of work by employers, rather than spending huge amounts of money in the centre of cities, could then rent in the centre of cities, could then re nt 5 pa ces in the centre of cities, could then rent spaces according to need and quite flexibly. That would help to regenerate the economies of local parts of cities which in many cases are dying. I think it would really help with social cohesion and people investing in their neighbourhoods and developing them. I think it would be a win win. And developing them. I think it would be a winwin. Looking long term, lots of people are talking about the impact all of this change might have on the way we work and where we work. Do you see some positives that could come out of this . I do. In a situation where so many people have suffered and lost and inequalities have increased, i think there are rays of hope, if the government seizes the challenge and thinks creatively, to be able to make cities and towns work much
better for people and for localities. I think it is something where people could have more flexibility and work as much, if not more productively, be able to get their Work Life Balance right, and will end up with a healthier, happier, and therefore more productive society, with hopefully less conflict and other problems that we have seen. In the meantime, for those who are being asked to go back into their existing offices, we heard from the tuc earlier who have concerns about covid safety in workplaces and whether employers are doing enough. What is your view on that . I think the report that independent sage put out last week, and it is not alternative, as you said, it is very much comp lament due to the governments sage committee, on the safe return to work that has been supported by the
british society of Occupational Health and the tuc, it lays out what needs to be done in terms of ensuring that workplaces are safe, that inspections take place, that people can have a place where they can complain if they feel it is not safe when they return. All of these things are needed to be put into place before people can return and really feel safe. We know that the more people have contact with other people, the longer periods of time, and also, indoors, the more the virus is going to go from one person to another and the more the transmission will increase. We need much more than the government has currently done to ensure that their health and safety executive and other organisations are properly resourced. So it is notjust a hope that employers will make workplaces covid safe but it is a mandatory expectation with sanctions if it doesnt happen and inspections to ensure that it is happening. Thank
you forjoining us. The headlines on bbc news. The labour party calls for next years a level and gcse exams in england to be pushed back to help pupils cope with the impact of coronavirus. The government says its too early to decide the first commercial flight from israel to the United Arab Emirates has taken off from tel aviv, marking a major step in the normalising of relations between the two countries. And its five years to the day that the german chancellor declared that her country could absorb vast numbers of migrants from syria, afghanistan and iraq. One of the uks biggest airlines, tui, has been accused of ignoring its own Coronavirus Travel rules on a flight carrying seven passengers whove since tested positive for covid 19. All 193 people on the flight have been told to self isolate
with some other passengers now reporting symptoms. Stephanie whitfield was a passenger on the flight, she spoke to bbc breakfast about her experience. It was quite scary, to be honest. As soon as we boarded we realised that many of the passengers hadnt really been educated about the wearing of facemasks. Many of them were wearing them around their chins and underneath their noses. They were taking them off to talk to fellow passengers and walking down the aisle with their mask off to speak to others. And was anybody raising concerns about that on the flight, and what were the cabin crew doing . The cabin crew, obviously, were offering a limited Cabin Service due to the pandemic. So they werent as present as perhaps they might have been on a normal flight or during normal times. But they did raise it with a couple of people. But i was sat next to a gentleman who had the
mask around his chin for the duration of the flight. Cabin crew did not raise it with him. So what was the response of obviously you are a bit distressed, knowing what you know now about that flight. Have you developed any symptoms since coming back . I know a number of people have tested positive for the virus and everybody from that flight has been told to self isolate. Yes. Weve developed very mild symptoms and were taking a test tomorrow. My husband and i decided during the flight that we would self isolate anyway regardless of government advice. We decided that prior to the news breaking. Were glad now obviously that we did. Were hoping weve just got a cold at the moment. But as i said, we are taking the test tomorrow just to be on the safe side. In a statement, tui said it was their policy that all passengers comply with Covid Protocols for the duration of the flight including wearing face masks. It said that the safety and well being of passengers and crew was its highest priority. Two men have been arrested at Stansted Airport under the terrorism act. Raf typhoon fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a plane arriving at the airport from vienna. The pair were detained shortly after the flight landed around 7 oclock last night. Essex police say their enquiries are ongoing. British police say theyll do everything within their power to prosecute people who organise illegal raves. More than 3,000 people attended an unlicensed music event on the edge of the Brecon Beacons in wales this weekend, and two organisers have since been fined £10,000 each. In norfolk, police were hit with bottles and cans as they shut down a rave in thetford forest. Its been five years since germany opened its doors to hundreds of thousands of people seeking asylum in europe. It was a moment that has left a lasting impression on the country,
and Angela Merkels decision still divides opinion today. Our berlin correspondentjenny hill was at Munich Railway station five years ago as migrants began to arrive. Shes been back to bavaria to meet some of those involved. Applause. We can do this, said Angela Merkel. Its five years since germany opened its doors and its arms to tens of thousands of people. Many more would follow, hoping for the same warm welcome. I was proud of germany because germany did not hesitate to help the refugees. Carmen, who speaks arabic, was among the many volunteers who came to munich station to help. When we look back and the situation today, all the doomsday scenarios did not become true. We could not have closed our doors. And it brought change to every part of germany. In abensberg, a conservative bavarian town, they had to accommodate and integrate around 200 refugees. Translation i still think it was a bit much for someone to sit in berlin and say we could manage, knowing full well it was up to each and every local mayor to have to manage. If other eu countries had shared the burden, we would not have had this level of political tension. If i could turn back time, i would ask much more of europe. Instead, anger, fear in the german streets, fuelled by high profile migrant crime, the Sexual Assault of women in cologne, or the terror attack on a berlin christmas market. As Angela Merkel battled a backlash, the far right flourished. It is now an established part of german politics. But during that time, mohammed, who arrived in 2015, built a new life. He learned german, got
a job, had a family. Translation it is like my home. Everything is good. We have residency, like normal people. We have work. It is a good country and we have good neighbours. I like it a lot. But the story is not over not for those still trying to come to europe, and not for those we met in this specially built refugee home on the edge of the city. Javid tells us he was 16 when he arrived in germany. He is 21 now and still waiting permission to stay. I dont want to leave, he tells us in german. My future is here. What we witnessed here in 2015 was extraordinary. The euphoria, the drama, the anger have now faded, but you can still feel the consequences of that moment. It changed politics, it changed society, and many of the people who arrived back then have begun to put down roots and they too will shape
this countrys future. Hundreds of migrants have been rescued trying to cross into europe over the weekend. Many are still at sea on rescue boats waiting for safe harbour. Including one funded by the artist banksy. On sunday, this fishing boat carrying 370 people was escorted to the italian island of lampedusa. They were met at the port by a Demonstration Organised by the far right, anti immigrant league party. The migrants underwent temperature checks before being taken to an Emergency Reception Centre which now houses some 1,160 people. The local mayor says thats ten times its planned maximum capacity. In the wake of the covid 19 crisis, huge numbers of people have been left facing a precarious future, either without a job or with very little job security. New stats from one of the uks
leading investment platforms has found that 13 of people have fallen victim to a financial scam in their lifetime, and there are fears that these Uncertain Times could cause more people to fall prey to scammers. Im joined now by myronjobson, personal finance campaigner at interactive investor. Thank you forjoining us. Tell us more about the survey. We have conducted the survey over the past six months, and thousands of uk consumers have been involved in it, to getan consumers have been involved in it, to get an idea of how people feel at this time and what their fears and worries are. We asked a question about financial scams because we understand this is a problem facing many people and as you said, 13 of the respondents said they had fallen victim to a financial scam at some point in their life. But this rises to 20 for those aged over 77 which really shows that elderly people,
u nfortu nately really shows that elderly people, unfortunately seem to be more susceptible to financial scams. One interesting thing we found is that investment fraud and current account fraud are the most common types of scams that people full victim to. Tell us a bit more about those two kinds of fraud and what they tend to entail. So, you know, investment fraud entails scammers promising amazing returns, in return for Investors Cash but unfortunately, these promises dont come to fruition. Often, investors get a big fat zero. We always tell people to be wary of things that seem too good to be true. There is a common saying investment that there is no such thing as a free lunch, you have to work hard for your money to work ha rd work hard for your money to work hard for you and in terms of current account fraud, this is where people gain access to your account, usually
bya gain access to your account, usually by a phishing correspondence by sms or e mail where they get your personal information, purporting to be from your bank and then they ask you to update your account details and that is how they get your information but once they get the information, they will access your account and then unfortunately steal money from your account so people need to be aware of the scams. Your concern is that with covid and people in lockdown, people facing job insecurity, they are perhaps more at risk than they have been before . Yes, most definitely, it is so unfortunate, unfortunately, a lot of people have seen a loss in their usual income during these months, or worse, a loss of theirjobs because businesses are struggling. So these individuals seem to be more susceptible to those too good to be true offers and they should just really watch out. It is quite interesting, we have seen scammers trying to take advantage of Financial Support grants that the government has been offering, so they sent e mails to individuals
saying that they
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