Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News At One 20200729

Border. As many governments across europe are urging caution again, we will have the latest on all the travel plans. Also on todays programme. Millions of pounds are pledged to researchers to investigate why people from ethnic minority backgrounds are at greater risk of covid 19. The widow of pc Andrew Harper asks the Prime Minister for a Andrew Harper asks the Prime Ministerfor a retrial of Andrew Harper asks the Prime Minister for a retrial of the three teenagers convicted of killing him. More thani teenagers convicted of killing him. More than 1 million extra teenagers convicted of killing him. More thani million extra children should be entitled to Free School Meals says a review into food and healthy eating. Here are some curry for you. And the prince and the podcast. Prince william discusses football and Mental Health with peter crouch. And coming up, exeter chiefs consider a rebrand to remove all native American Imagery including its badger mascot after fa ns including its badger mascot after fans described them as harmful. Exeter chiefs consider a rebrand to remove all native American Imagery, including its badge and mascot, after fans described them as harmful. Good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. The government is insisting that coronavirus testing at airports isnt a Silver Bullet, and that there is no viable alternative to quarantine. The culture secretary Oliver Dowden has responded to comments from the head of heathrow airport, who suggested holiday makers could be tested as soon as they land in the uk, and again a few days later, to reduce how long they have to isolate. Since sunday, anyone entering the uk from spain must quarantine for m days leaving the travel plans of millions of people in chaos. Simon browning reports. The sudden reimposition of quarantine from spain has brought huge disruption. For the tens of thousands of british holiday makers who flout and will today be enjoying spains beaches now face two weeks of isolation on their return. The race is on to find an alternative who flew out. This morning the boss of heathrow who has been pressuring the government for weeks to start coronavirus testing and airports says it is the solution. We are calling for a double test. The first on arrival and the second after five days or eight days where people would stay in quarantine until they had had two test that showed they didnt have the disease, and then they would be allowed out earlier than would otherwise be the case. Trials to come countries like singapore and canada could get under way within weeks and airports say it is needed. The companies are losing money, passengers losing the confidence to book. We are hearing of thousands of jobs confidence to book. We are hearing of thousands ofjobs being lost as a result of covid. If we go on for another year with a blanket quarantine, is a small island nation, millions ofjobs will be lost. While nation, millions ofjobs will be lost. While while industry believes the answer is testing, the government has argued. You cant just test somebody and be sure they have the disease. It can incubate over a period of time so there is notjust a silver over a period of time so there is not just a Silver Bullet of testing immediately at the border, of course, but we are looking at and reviewing other measures we could ta ke reviewing other measures we could take to address this. But at this stage it is not the case we can simply test at the border and give people that assurance. There are around 600,000 brits holidaying across spain at the moment. The imposition of quarantine will have an impact on them all. Sam was due to start a newjob next week. Newly imposed isolation puts that in jeopardy. This is the only job i have had an offerfor, and to me and my family it is vital, its incredibly important. So, yeah, you can imagine the stress im feeling, probably along with hundreds, thousands of others. This morning tui extended its cancellation of holidays to the Canary Islands and balearic my islands. The government says quarantine measures are under co nsta nt says quarantine measures are under constant review. But as the holiday business closes its most popular destination the pressure grows to get airport testing in place, so we can go back to the beach. Simon browning, bbc news. The resurgence of the virus in europe has raised the prospect of borders being closed again, and further restrictions being imposed on uk travellers during what is usually the peak holiday season. 0nly weeks after lockdowns were eased, many governments are now urging caution. The World Health Organization has asked young people, in particular, across europe to act responsibly. Nick beake reports. Across europe, the authorities are on the lookout, and theyre worried by what they see. Covid cases are on the rise amid celebrations, not just here in barcelona but in many places, that some social restrictions have been lifted. Experts warn a second wave is not here yet, but people do need to be much better at keeping their distance. The trouble is learning to navigate this new world were in. It is not back to normal its back to finding the new normal ways to live with this virus to prevent it from rising, prevent the transmission from rising. On the belgian coast, they have long had to shelter from a blustery wind, but in 2020 protection also comes in the form of a face mask, the summer accessory everyone is wearing. And there are now new restrictions on how many people you can meet here outside of your household. In fact, here in brussels the belgian government is now warning there may have to be a second complete lockdown. But before that, if cases continue to rise, the British Government may put belgium in the same category as spain, and that would mean anyone coming from here to the uk has to quarantine when they arrive. Latest maps show the current hotspots in europe seen in dark red. Notably north east spain, luxembourg and the south eastern balkan region. The challenge is to keep outbreaks isolated. Although we call it a pandemic, and even within this country it is a series of lots of smaller epidemics all coalescing together. People are living in areas where there is virtually no disease. That doesnt mean to say it wont come back at some time, and you wont know that its come back until it has started making people ill. The British Government says it will take action quickly in response to new spikes in cases across europe. All governments on the continent are facing crucial decisions, as they try to protect their people, their visitors, and their economies decisions which can be a matter of life and death. Nick beake, bbc news, brussels. Our assistant Political Editor norman smith is in westminster. Everyone understands the travel industry is suffering hugely, norman, but do you get the sense the government is Standing Firm on all of this . Well, jane, im afraid im the better of rather unpalatable news, which is that the 14 day quarantine period stays for the foreseeable future, and that is not because the government is blind to the warnings from the travel industry or is death to the plight of holiday makers who doubt to know whether they can risk a holiday abroad, and others losing hundreds, even thousands of pounds, because theyre having to stay at home for 14 days. It is because Boris Johnsons prime overarching aim is to avoid a second surge in the virus in the uk. It is a safety first strategy, and his fear is these alternative proposals, they are not safe, and if we do have a second surge, then we will see more infections, more deaths, and they may have to be new restrictions which would be catastrophic for many, which would be catastrophic for any which would be catastrophic for many, many companies. I think, which would be catastrophic for many, many companies. Ithink, too, there is a . About the National Mood there is a question about the National Mood. Just as the government is trying to coax first night back out to send their children to school, return to work, to get offices encouraging employees in and get life back into our town centres, if there was a second surge then that is only going to compound what seems like the hesitancy and relu cta nce what seems like the hesitancy and reluctance of people to return to their previous life. I think, too, there is a reputational issue, and that, as Boris Johnson there is a reputational issue, and that, as borisjohnson knows, that, having faced tough questioning about his handling of the virus in the early days, he absolutely doesnt wa nt to early days, he absolutely doesnt want to face questions on why he allowed a second surge in the virus. Norman, thank you. Norman smith at westminster. The government is funding six urgent projects to try to understand why people from ethnic minorities are at greater risk from covid i9. Scientists are being giving millions of pounds to analyse data about health and social circumstances, as well as genetic risk factors. The research will also investigate whether Health Care Workers are particularly vulnerable. Heres our science correspondent, pallab ghosh. Rudresh pathak died of coronavirus last month. He was a consultant psychiatrist in boston, in lincolnshire. Dr pathak was on a ventilator for 70 days. Rudresh pathak died of coronavirus last month. I think that was one of the really difficult parts. When he was on a ventilator, we were told that in all likelihood he would probably die on the ventilator. However, you know, he battled on, he became better, and he came off the ventilator. Mid june he deteriorated, and suddenly, a week after that, he passed away. So far, more than 16,000 people have died from coronavirus. A disproportionate number of people who have died from coronavirus have been from ethnic minorities. The government has announced a series of studies to analyse the social circumstances, health and day to day activities of these groups, to try and understand what is going on. Research shows that ethnic minorities are more likely to die from covid i9. Indians are at 1. 5 times greater risk than the white population. For bangladeshis and pakistanis, its 1. 8. And the highest risk is with black people, at 1. 9. One study will closely follow 30,000 health and social care workers for a year, to assess the factors that lead to them becoming infected and falling seriously ill. Theyll be asked questions about their mental and physical health, as well as about their workplace routines. If we can find those practices which are also personal factors, which make people at increased risk, then we should be trying to protect them. Now that might be enhanced occupational risk assessments. It could perhaps be enhanced personal protective equipment for certain groups. And, also, if really high risk populations, perhaps they shouldnt be working on the front line with covid 19 patients. All the studies have to provide results within 12 months and will be shared with community groups, professional bodies and health regulators. Some of these studies may give us data before the 12 months is up, in which case immediately, as soon as we get any results, we will be hearing about them and seeing if there are any changes that we can make to reduce this risk in ethnic minority populations. Ethnic minorities are more likely to have jobs that bring them into contact with other people. The government hopes that the new research will help them identify the risks and make the changes needed to save lives. Pallab ghosh, bbc news. Mps say the governments decision to allow hospital patients in england to be discharged into care homes at the beginning of the pandemic was reckless and appalling. A report from the Public Accounts Committee accuses ministers of being slow to support social care. The government says it had been working closely with the sector. More details from our Health Correspondent richard galpin. 92 year old Samuel Wilson died in may, after testing positive for coronavirus following a nonessential procedure at a hospital in durham. Some in his family had thought it too risky to go there, but they say staff at the Melbury Court care home in the city where he had been living pushed for him to go. At least 25 people have died here, thought to be the highest number of deaths in any ca re the highest number of deaths in any care home in the uk, but durham cou nty care home in the uk, but Durham County council has strongly refuted the claim. Those working in the care home sector in the midst of the pandemic have faced acute difficulties. Inconsistent guidance from the government reportedly a majorfactor in all of from the government reportedly a major factor in all of this, but perhaps the deadliest error was the governments decision to move 25,000 patience from hospital into care homes, without them being tested for coronavirus. They wanted to discharge people from hospital who they described as medically fit but that didnt include having a covid test so people were being discharged to ca re test so people were being discharged to care homes with covid 19, and as we know, sadly, it spread and killed people in care homes, and this is something that wasnt properly thought through. The focus was so much on the nhs and hospitals which is the right thing to do of course ina pandemic is the right thing to do of course in a pandemic but there was not the similar focus in a pandemic but there was not the similarfocus on how in a pandemic but there was not the similar focus on how to support care homes also with ppe, which is something raced well before. The government had promised to protect the elderly and vulnerable in care homes with what it described as a ring of steel. Yet 19,000 people have died in care homes from coronavirus. Todays report by mps said the government was slow to support social care during the pandemic, and also said there was inadequate equipment. From the very outset, we were an afterthought, and some of the behaviour was reckless. Certainly, it wasnt conducive to keeping social care safe, which is where it should have been, as they we re where it should have been, as they were keeping the nhs safe. In response to this damning report, a spokesman for the department of health and social care said it had been working closely with the sector to develop guidance throughout the unprecedented global pandemic, and said a Long Term Plan was needed. But they have been calls for change for years, according to the mps report, which goes on to say that delays by successive governments have had a tragic impact. Richard galpin, bbc news. Hong kongs chief executive, carrie lam, has warned that the territory is on the brink of a large scale coronavirus outbreak, which could overwhelm hospitals. In a video to residents, shes urging people to stay indoors. Stephen mcdonell sent this report. Hong kong had been one of the worlds coronavirus bright spots. While elsewhere, the disease was taking hold, ravaging economies and prompting widespread shutdowns, the harbour city seemed to have this crisis well and truly under control. Not any more. An outbreak of locally spread infections has come from an unknown source and has kept building in clusters in different parts of the city. Forjust over a week, more than 100 new cases have been added to the official count every day. Then came this pre recorded announcement from hong kongs leader. Hong kong is facing a new wave of covid 19 infections. With an upsurge in local infected cases, many with yet unknown sources. We are on the verge of a Large Scale Community outbreak. Restaurants are back to Home Delivery only. Bars, gyms and other public spaces have been ordered to close again. Masks are mandatory. Translation you still have to wear it, even if its uncomfortable. You will be fined if you dont wear it and im scared of getting ill. Some medical specialists have called for much tighter border restrictions. The government has been criticised for exempting certain groups from the need to do 1a days of quarantine on arrival. This has included sailors, Airline Crews and even executives from large corporations. Then there is the political dimension to this. While hong kongs coronavirus situation cant be ignored, having a little over 100 cases a day is well short of the emergencies seen elsewhere. So, some analysts have asked if hong kongs leader, carrie lam, is overstating the danger in that city in order to use it as an excuse for postponing elections which are due later this year and could turn out badly for the government. Then again, maybe shes just trying to shock into action. Residents into action. Stephen mcdonnell, bbc news, beijing. Our top story this lunchtime. A call for coronavirus tests at uk airports, to reduce the time travellers have to spend in quarantine but the government says it isnt a Silver Bullet. Coming up from millions of pilgrims last year to just thousands over the next few days how coronavirus is affecting the hajj. Coming up on bbc news. A date for the diary. The fa reveals when the Community Shield will take place. Will it be arsenal or chelsea facing the champions at wembley . The widow of pc Andrew Harper, who was dragged to his death by thieves trying to steal a quad bike, has written to the Prime Minister asking for a retrial of the men convicted of killing him. The three teenagers will be sentenced for manslaughter on friday, after being cleared of murder at the old bailey last week. Heres our correspondent who followed the trial, helena wilkinson. Her report contains flash photography. Just four weeks after their wedding day lastjuly, pc harper was killed. After the verdicts last week, his widow said she was appalled at the outcome. The way in which andrew was robbed of his life we all know to be barbaric and inexplicable. Iam immensely disappointed with the verdict given today. Henry long, 19, along with Albert Bowers and jesse cole, both 18, seen here at their First Court Appearance were cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter. Pc harper got caught in a tow rope that had been pulling a quad bike the three had stolen. The officer was dragged away by the car for over a mile at speeds of over a0 miles an hour. In an open letter to the Prime Minister, his widow said, i will keep fighting on behalf of andrew, the future that was stolen from us and also their victims who find themselves in this unjust situation in the future. After all, who are we if we allow our legal system to fail us . What is this country if it does not provide justice for the innocent estimate during the trial, the judge ordered extra security measures due to fears of potentialjuror intimidation by associates of the defendants. Lizzie harper is calling for a retrial. The vice chair of the criminal Bar Association says it is too early to comment on the outcome of the trial. This case has not been concluded, the process is ongoing in the sentencing hearing is a vitally important part of the entire justice process. One should not detach the verdict in a case such as this from sentence. It is extremely rare for the verdicts of not guilty to be set aside. The three teenagers who killed pc harper are due to be sentenced on friday. More than a million extra School Children in england should be entitled to Free School Meals according to a review commissioned by the government, which says all families on universal credit should be included. The National Food strategy says it would help tackle what it describes as a slow motion disaster of poor eating habits. Simonjones reports. A nutritious diet is the foundation of equality and opportunity, according to the National Food strategy. It says more children need to be fed while at school to end the toxic connection between poor diet and child poverty, and insists the price would be well worth paying. You are looking at a couple of pounds per child per day and in the scheme of Everything Else that is going on, the amount that is being spent, this is a way of making sure there is not a scar on our society and that scar is a whole generation of children who have been left behind, it seems to me to be very good value. 1. 3 million schoolchildren in england currently receive Free School Meals. Pupils from households earning less than £7,a00 before benefits qualify for the scheme. Todays review is calling for the government to expand the programme to an additional 1. 5 million seven to 16 year olds. The cost, around £670 million per year. The importance of school meals was recently highlighted by the footballer, marcus rashford. He has posted pictures on social media this week of a visit to a charity fighting food poverty. That is after he forced a u turn from the government to ensure struggling families get food vouchers over the summer holidays. I think it obviously. This is only going to be successful throughout the summer period and then, you know, we have bought ourselves an extra six weeks of time to sort of plan and figure out what is next and how we keep taking steps forward because i dont want it to be. I dont want this to be the end of it, you know, because there are definitely more steps that need to be taken. One of the legacies of the coronavirus pandemic is likely to be a dramatic rise in poverty, unemployment and hunger, the report warns. The government says it will carefully consider its findings, accepting there is more to do to build a stronger food system for the future. Simon jones, bbc news. The rituals of the annual hajj pilgrimage are underway. Usually more than 2 million muslims from around the world travel to saudi arabia but, because of coronavirus, International Visitors are barred. Many british muslims are worried they wont be able to fulfill their religious duty. Our religion editor Martin Bashir reports. This family spent two years planning for the religious high point of their lives. It is a must for every muslim to perform the hajj, at least once in a lifetime. Its a very important part of my religion. They should have departed for mecca at the weekend. Instead, they are still in the midlands and time is of the essence. Because of imran we thought that i wasnt feeling comfortable for him to go on his own. So we thought wed join him. I suffered a major heart attack back in 201a. Im turning a0 next year. I feel fit and well enough at the moment, but who knows, this Time Next Year i might not be. And this might have been my only opportunity. A modern plague has disrupted an ancient pilgrimage. Last year, the hajj attracted more than two million pilgrims. This year, the coronavirus pandemic has forced the Saudi Arabian government to scale back, banning all foreigners from visiting the holy site. We still have to welcome the first worshippers yet. Its not officially opened. Sheik ibrahim mogra, an imam in leicester, is warning that the current quota system that allows a proportion of muslims from every nation to visit mecca each year, is likely to be reduced. Sadly, the virus is going to be with us for some time. And we have to prepare ourselves mentally, and also spiritually, for that point of disappointment. Because, inevitably, the quotas for britain will have to be reduced. Back at home, the patel family continues its devotions, but theres no hiding their sense of loss. Martin bashir, bbc news, leicester. Broadband use has surged over the last few months, as millions of us have been working from home, or using technology to keep in touch with loved ones. But many rural parts of the uk still struggle with slow speeds and the head of openreach says the government needs to act urgently. Heres our Technology Correspondent rory cellan jones. Its a new house set amongst fields outside lingfield in the surrey countryside, but since march john and Lisa Langford have had state of the art full fibre broadband. Without it they say, they wouldnt have been able to work from home during lockdown. Probably would have to find another place to work from, which would have been almost impossible, considering covid, so i think it would have made a really difficult situation. I think your challenge is, lisa has always worked from home, where suddenly i was working from home as well, trying to get myjob done and two teenagers trying to do schoolwork and all kinds of google hang outs and facetimes and all of that at the same time. So the number of connections would have significantly complicated trying to just get a job done. Lingfield is one of 250 towns and villages where bt openreach is unveiling plans to lay fibre cables right into homes a service the government says must be available to everyone by 2025. Butjust a few miles up the road in the village of blindley heath, no company has plans as yet to lay fibre. This resident isnt happy. Its intermittent. We have good days, we have bad days. Youll find on social media around here, people are talking about it all the time. I have been working at home since the 1ath of march now. I have to work at home. So on days when the broadband grinds to a halt, i cant work. The government has set this really challenging deadline to get state of the art broadband to everywhere, including remote places, which apparently includes this cul de sac. £5 billion is being made available to make that happen. The telecoms industry want ministers to get on with it. Its very important that the government very quickly lays out its plan to subsidise the build for the final 20 of homes, the hardest to reach 20 of homes across the nation. We need that plan now and we need to get kicked off on the build now. Until now, much of the uks Broadband Network has relied on copper wires, like these, in an Exchange Near lingfield. Replacing it all with fast fibre within five years is going to be quite a challenge. Rory cellan jones, bbc news, lingfield in surrey. Football, curry and lots of laughs that sounds like a perfect night in for many people. But how about at Kensington Palace with Prince William 7 hes taken part in Peter Crouchs latest podcast. Recorded before lockdown, the duke of cambridge talks about Mental Health in football, as our royal correspondent jonny dymond reports. So, theres some curry for you boys. Others laugh. By royal appointment, the prince has got the poppadoms in. Its not every day you get a takeaway to surroundings like these. Are you serious . The samrat was delivered to the palace . Yeah. A podcast, pints, and a curry though getting the delivery in did have its challenges. Theres an uber driver out there on the floor at the moment being frisked. They laugh. This was a very informal Prince William, remembering some big nights out, some really bad presents he had given his wife, and musing on his royal powers to hire and fire the england manager. Gareth southgates a very nice man, hes been very successful as england manager. If england had a disastrous run of form, could you sack him . Gareth would go, yeah. Wow. They laugh. But this wasnt all lads larking about around the table. For years now, Prince William has been talking about Mental Health and using sport as a way to get through to men who might not normally think about it. I dont know what it is, but you do notice that guys find it a bit more difficult to relax. We talk about physical fitness, we all want to go to the gym, stay fit, we never really talk about Mental Fitness and its kind of the same thing. We all have Mental Health. We all need to stay mentally fit, and no more so than professional athletes, who, under special circumstances, when youre playing for england, under huge pressure, youve got to have your head razor sharp as well as your feet, your legs, all that. This is Prince Williams goal, to make Mental Health something you can talk about at the match or over a curry. From sunday players to professionals, the prince