As many students as possible will be offered rapid result covid tests and universities will allocate travel slots for them to leave. Ido i do truly think this is the key. I think the students, not only in leicester, but across the country, are ina leicester, but across the country, are in a real predicament right now. Well be live in leicester, where testing is already underway. Also this lunchtime. Reassurance from government scientists that were ready to move if a vaccine gets approval but no guarantees over when things get back to normal. Together we stand together we stand. No dissenting voices. All of hong kongs pro democracy lawmakers resign after beijing disqualified four of their colleagues. Music last post as Armistice Day is marked across the country, the centenary of the burial of the unknown warrior is commemorated at a special service. And ruff justice the sniffer dogs being drafted in to prisons to help combat drug abuse behind bars. And coming up on bbc news, calls for more diversity at the top of the fa as chairman greg clarke is forced to step down after using offensive and outdated language. Good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. Good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. More than a Million University students in england and wales will take part in an evacuation operation to get them home for christmas. Student life has been dramatically different because of coronavirus and some universities have already raised concerns about the plans. Under the proposals in both england and wales, universities will allocate travel slots and as many students as possible will also be offered rapid result covid tests. Details are also due from scotland this afternoon. Meanwhile, englands deputy chief medical officer said he cannot say whether life will be back to normal by easter and there will be no compromise on safety when a vaccine is rolled out. Theres also new evidence that the north of england has been hit harder than the rest of country during the coronavirus pandemic. Well have more on all of these developments. First, the plan for students to return home for christmas, our correspondent dan johnson is in leicester. Yes, they have been piloting mass testing here because it is important to get everybody back for christmas. If you think back to the start of term, there was all that upset, isolation, disruption and the disappointment and there had been a huge question mark hanging over the Christmas Holidays because there was the potential risk that the students would be taking back to their families something much nastier than a pile of dirty washing. Now the idea is that, after the current lockdown ends, the risk would be reduced and there is a window of opportunity to get people on the move, and that is with the added reassurance of mass testing as well. If you could please take this swab, and follow poster one on the wall. Take a test before heading home, thatis take a test before heading home, that is the message to students and these are the quick turnaround swabs being trialled. They take their own sample here and hand it over to be analysed. It is the same kind of mass testing rolled out in liverpool last week, giving results in around an hour, and it is planned for all University Campuses by the end of the month. It is really important for me to get home for christmas. I think it would be a shame to be stuck here on my own. I am in a studio flat so it would be nice to see other people, physically and see my family. I do truly think this is the key. Ithink my family. I do truly think this is the key. I think students, my family. I do truly think this is the key. Ithink students, not my family. I do truly think this is the key. I think students, not only in leicester but across the country, are ina in leicester but across the country, are in a real predicament right now. I have been going on about it but Mental Health is at an all time low and students are really, really struggling and its oh so important. These tests will be voluntary but the government expects large numbers to come forward. We have seen that the majority of students have abided by the rules and regulations, so i fully expect that students will take up fully expect that students will take up any offers that we put on the table because they dont want to endanger theirfamilies table because they dont want to endanger their families in any way and we have outlined a programme that says a plan that is as safe as possible for them to be able to do that. If they are clear, a week has been set aside, right after englands lockdown, being called a student travel window, when universities will stagger departures to limit transport pressure and stop a sudden exodus. First, they need to scale up this Pilot Project and make enough tests available. We are now offering testing is a key step to making students feel reassured they can go home at christmas. I guess this white flatpack structure can be rolled out almost anywhere and the training can hopefully be given to staff so any university can do this. The same sort of testing will be offered in wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to set out similar guidance. Students testing positive will have to follow normal isolation rules, but the idea is they can do that, recover and still make it home in time. If not, there is a promise they will be looked after. It is really, really important that we stress that stu d e nts important that we stress that students who are still with us will be looked after. We feed our students, we do their laundry for them, we provide learning spaces, we provide activities for them when they are self isolating. We keep all of our libraries and study spaces open over the christmas period. Any teaching that isnt already online will be, so that learning can continue from home, but there are other big challenges, getting more than a million young people on the move again across the country. And how many tests will be made available . Will there be enough . How many students will come forward . And what will be the impact of positive cases being confirmed . What will be the impact of positive cases being confirmed . How many people will have to isolate . What about do for student households and halls of residence . There are lots of questions but the advice is that this is the safest way to get stu d e nts this is the safest way to get students home for christmas. I dont know what is on your present list, simon, but lots of students may be hoping for a negative lateral flow test before the of the month. Dan, thank you very much for that. Senior medical experts are insisting Safety Standards wont be lowered in the pursuit of a coronavirus vaccine. Pfizer announced on monday that trials had shown its vaccine to be 90 effective. But speaking this morning, englands deputy chief medical officer, wasnt able to say when a vaccine might help people return to life as normal. Heres our Health Correspondent dominic hughes. An effective vaccine for the coronavirus the news for the coronavirus is the news the world has been waiting for and, assuming the vaccine developed by the Drug Companies pfizer and biontech, receives the final approval for use, attention is turning to the practicalities of delivery. Far from simple, with a vaccine that needs to be stored at 70 degrees centigrade below freezing. The logistical challenge was recognised at a briefing today by senior nhs leaders. So there will be some form of mass vaccination approach. There will be some form of mobile, pop up vaccination centres. There will be the standard methods of delivery that weve seen that we see and work successfully every year for flu, and there will also have to be some domiciliary and home visits. There are some concerns, too, from gps who are expected to deliver the vaccine. With Services Already strained by the pandemic, gp leaders worry about how they will cope. There is talk also of training up, say, our receptionists, so weve got a larger workforce who can give the vaccines. There may well be a call go out for retired gps, retired nurses, come in and help us. We are going to need a massive workforce for this. Weve never done anything like this before, so its going to be all hands to the pump. Communities across the uk have suffered. Later today, its likely the number of deaths linked directly to covid i9 will hit 50,000. The wider number for all deaths related to the pandemic, including those who died as a result of missing out on treatment during lockdown, will be much bigger. But a report today says the north of england has seen a disproportionate burden in terms of deaths, mental well being and financial security, an existing health and wealth gap made worse by the pandemic. In the longer term, we do need to think very much about how we properly level up the regions and reduce regional inequalities, particularly in the economy and in terms of how we improve public health, particularly in the north. There is now some hope that a corner has been turned in the fight against covid i9 and, from englands deputy chief medical officer, reassurance that a vaccine developed in record time was notjust effective, but safe, too. My mum is 78 and i have already said to her, mum, already said to her, mum, make sure when you are called, you are ready, be ready to take this up, this is really important for you, because of your age, and just be ready to be called. The challenge now is to get this new vaccine and others that may soon follow, out into the communities that need them so badly. Dominic hughes, bbc news. Our Political CorrespondentJonathan Blake is at westminster. To pick up that last point, the message is that that is still a huge challenge. A huge challenge, simon. The week may have started with the announcement of a breakthrough in the search for a successful vaccine against covid i9, but any sense that ministers were able to pause and breathe a sigh of relief, i think, we re breathe a sigh of relief, i think, were short lived, because, as you have heard, there are huge logistical challenges if, and it remains a big if, this vaccine is approved for public use, in delivering it to those who need it most and the population at large as well. There are concerns about getting students safely home in time for christmas. And, niggling criticism of the government still today, about its approach to private contracts and individualjobs that it has handed out during this pandemic. So keir starmer at Prime Ministers questions accusing the government of a basic lack of accountability and transparency, which borisjohnson accountability and transparency, which Boris Johnson denied accountability and transparency, which borisjohnson denied and suggested labours lack of enthusiasm for the private sector was a criticism in itself. And then you have tory backbenchers organising themselves into groups, challenging the governments response to the pandemic as a whole and opposed any further National Lockdown is. All of those challenges before we even start to talk about brexit. Trade talks there hanging in the balance, the deadline december the balance, the deadline december the 31st. The balance, the deadline december the sist. It the balance, the deadline december the 31st. It is going to be a long six weeks until christmas. Jonathan blake, thank you. All opposition lawmakers in hong kong are resigning after four of their members were expelled from the territorys legislature. Beijing has given the hong kong authorities the power to remove anyone deemed a threat to national security. The territorys chief executive, carrie lam, has said the expulsions are lawful and reasonable but opposition politicians say the legislature is now fake. The foreign secretary, dominic raab, has called the developments a further assault on freedom which undermines hong kongs long term stability. Long term stability. Stephen mcdonell reports. The pro democracy camp is leaving hong kongs legislature en masse. From tomorrow, there will only be a couple of potentially dissenting voices left in its mini parliament. My mission as a legislator to fight for democracy, freedom in the chamber cannot be continued. But i would certainly promise that i would go along before the people in hong kong, continue to fight for the core values of hong kong, freedom, democracy. And we should never give up. The mass resignation was triggered by the hong kong governments dismissal of four legislators judged to have been disloyal to the motherland. They were removed using new powers granted by beijing. Only half the members of the Legislative Council were ever directly elected. The other half selected by a stacked pro beijing committee. This has led to tensions with pro democracy politicians struggling to find ways to oppose ever more draconian laws. Hong kongs leader says the new powers given to her by beijing to remove opposition politicians deemed to be unsuitable will pave the way for a political system dominated by patriots. Translation if they are unable to uphold the basic law and to support the hong kong sar, of course they are not qualified to be legislators. Here in beijing today, the communist Party Leadership passed a law allowing their surrogates in hong kong to remove undesirable opposition politicians. Within hours, it was being used and like so many changes recently, it will alter that city forever. From now on, the executive branch of government can remove members of the legislative branch at will and whats more, under this law, it is all that without the involvement of the courts. Stephen mcdonell, bbc news, beijing. Lets speak to our Diplomatic Correspondent james landale. James, internationally, this may not be popular but is there anything anyone can do . Well, immediately, they protest. We have seen a very strong statement from the foreign secretary saying very clearly that what has happened this morning as a further assault on hong kongs high degree of autonomy and freedom, a continued campaign to harass, stifle and destroy democratic opposition. Lord patten has said it is another example of the Chinese Communist party trampling on what is left of democracy in hong kong. There are things that can be done in the short term, the British Government could summon the chinese ambassador, that has been requested and suggested by foreign secretary shadow foreign secretary lisa nandy. They could think more about sanctions on certain individuals in hong kong, we know the Foreign Office are already thinking about this, about actions taken that are in breach of human rights in hong kong and other parts of china, but i think the really interesting question is what liberal democracies around the world can do more to contain china. In their telephone call yesterday, the Prime Minister and President Biden talked about the importance of strengthening democracy and there is a growing feeling now, notjust in the west but also in is, say what more can we do to share information and to try and contain china, so there is a cost for actions that have taken place such as in hong kong today president elect biden. Our top story this lunchtime. Hopes for a family christmas as plans are outlined to get University Students in england and wales home for the holidays coming up after the resignation of chairman greg clarke more calls for real change at the top of the fa. Coming up on bbc news. The final countdown to the masters is on with Augusta National preparing to host the final major of this calendar year in unprecedented circumstances. People across the uk have observed a two minute silence to mark Armistice Day. The prince of wales and the duchess of cornwall led the countrys commemorations with an appearance at a special service to mark the centenary of the burial of the unknown warrior. Our royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell reports. It occupies a place of honourjust inside the main entrance to Westminster Abbey. It is the grave of the unknown warrior, and for 100 years it has symbolised a nations loss. It was on this Armistice Day anniversary in 1920 that the body of an unidentified serviceman was brought from the First World War battlefields of northern france. It was carried through london on a gun carriage and borne into the abbey for burial among the kings, watched by a congregation of 1000 bereaved wives and mothers. 100 years later, social distancing had limited the abbey congregation to just 80. Everyone wore a mask. Led by the prince of wales and the duchess of cornwall, they gathered to honour the one grave which represents every husband, son, or daughter, lost in war. Here, words fail us. Here, we remember. Here, we dare to hope. Big ben chimes the hour. In Westminster Abbey and at different places around the nation, at 11 oclock, silence was observed. Music last post. As a bugler sounded the last post at the cenotaph, the prince of wales placed a wreath of laurel leaves at the grave. Choir sing. The poet laureate read from his tribute to the unknown warrior. All this for a soul without name or rank or age or home. Because you are the son we lost and your rest is ours. In his sermon, the archbishop of canterbury spoke about comradeship and shared sacrifice, whether in a world war or a global pandemic. When, as we have this year, weve faced deep uncertainties and difficulties, we do notjust look after ourselves. We make a stand for our families, for our friends and neighbours. We look out for our loved ones, close and far. Because we know that none of us are safe. Until all are safe. The union flag which had covered the warriors coffin, was borne to the abbeys altar and a prayer was said for all those who have served others during the pandemic. From the aftermath of a world war and the grave of an unknown warrior, a reminder of individual sacrifice and a nations resilience. Nicholas witchell, bbc news. Our royal correspondent Sarah Campbell is at Westminster Abbey. Lockdown meant that for Westminster Abbey as a place of worship it had to get special permission to hold this ceremony today and at 11 oclock with the two minute silence people were quite outside as they would have been across the rest of the country. This was the final major event in remembrance week, a week that has been like no other. The public could not come in as at the cenotaph on sunday, we had a minimum number of Service Personnel and despite the limitations, the social distancing and masks, there has been determination this year to make sure that this kind of event can still go ahead. They have been smaller in scale but equally powerful. That being said i think eve ryo ne powerful. That being said i think everyone is hoping this will prove to bea everyone is hoping this will prove to be a unique year and that next year numbers of the public and vetera ns year numbers of the public and vete ra ns ca n year numbers of the public and veterans can come together in person to remember. Sarah campbell, thank you. A Consortium Led by rolls royce has said a project to build a fleet of Small Nuclear power stations in the uk could create 6,000 jobs. Components would be manufactured at factories in the midlands and north of england. The scheme requires £200 million from the government, but the group says the power stations would help the uk meet its target for net zero carbon emissions. Funeral ceremonies are being held for the palestinian negotiator and politician saeb erekat, who died yesterday after contracting coronavirus. The palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas hosted an official ceremony for mr erekat in ramallah. His coffin was then taken for burial in jericho, where mr errekat lived. Three days of mourning are being held in the palestinian territories. President Electjoe Biden has said Donald Trumps refusal to concede the us election is an embarrassment. Mr trump took to twitter again insisting he would ultimately win the race despite all major Us Tv Networks forecasting his defeat. Meanwhile the challenges of coronavirus continue with a record 200,000 new infections registered across the United States yesterday. Gary odonoghue is in washington for us. The coronavirus is top of the agenda for the president elect . Thats right, pretty much every state has now shown an increase in numbers, many are starting to impose lockdown measures again, places like illinois, wisconsin, where the rate is going up quite significantly. The president Electjoe Biden has set up this Coronavirus Task force effectively to kind of shadow what is happening officially but the problem is hes not in charge until january the 20th and so there is just a limited amount that he can do. The federal government for its pa rt do. The federal government for its part is do. The federal government for its pa rt is really do. The federal government for its part is really not saying anything very much and the centers for Disease Control have issued new guidelines on things like the wearing of masks saying they protect both the wearer and other people which is a change in tone. Meanwhile of course joe which is a change in tone. Meanwhile of coursejoe biden is trying organise his transition and there has been i think for some people some worrying developments with the firing of the defence secretary and i dont people at the pentagon with just these 60 odd days to go and people are wondering what that might augur. Gary odonoghue, thank you. There are calls for the Football Association to improve inclusion and diversity after the resignation of its chairman yesterday. Greg clarke quit after he used outdated and offensive language on race while giving evidence to a parliamentary select committee. Many people in the sport have called for the fa to use the crisis as an opportunity for real change. Our sports News Reporter laura scott reports. Its time for change. Only last month, the fa launched a leadership diversity code, and the man at the helm, greg clarke, saw it as his responsibility to deliver change. But, in an appearance in front of mps yesterday that lasted less than an hour, he used unacceptable and outdated language to describe black players, which led to this. I deeply apologise for it. He also voiced what was described by the charity kick it out as a grisly compilation of stereotypes, including about south asians and their supposed career preferences, gay footballers making a life choice and young female players not liking to be hit hard with the ball. And soon after, he was gone. In his resignation statement, he said, im deeply saddened that i have offended those Diverse Communities in football that i and others worked so hard to include. The condemnation has been widespread, but what many now want to see is a sign of positive change. Him being in that position, you know, ultimately you are supposed to know better. In life to move forward, you have to progress. Im hoping that now within six months, i want to see where we are at. Mr clarke still holds influential roles at uefa and fifa. Meanwhile, the fa is under pressure to follow a robust recruitment process, having Just Announced targets for the game of 15 of new hires in Senior Leadership roles being black, asian, or of mixed heritage. Its about getting the right person, making sure the opportunity is there for people. Its a chance for the fa to stick to the remit of the code we set up only two weeks ago. The governing body will be judged on how it handles this latest scandal. A number of crises had already engulfed english football and the fa will now have to find the leadership to take it forward. Laura scott, bbc news. Police are warning that the second lockdown in england is making more young people vulnerable to being groomed and recruited by extremist groups. The north east Counter Terrorism unit says extremists have used the pandemic to spread hate, disinformation and encourage violence online. Emma glasbey reports from bradford on the efforts there to stop young people being radicalised. Lockdown part two. Again, were told to stay at home. Again, some will be isolated. As the pandemic continues, people have so many more questions, more concerns. Online activity is soaring. But theres now a warning of a growing risk online that Vulnerable People could be targeted by extremists and radicalised. I am concerned. The first lockdown shows us that there was an increase. And ive got no doubt that that will repeat this time. Counterterrorism police say theyre seeing more extremist groups online exploiting the pandemic. Misinformation from a raft of groups with different backgrounds. So extreme right wing groups talking about accelerationism this is the concept that society is breaking down and that theyre going to call to people to come out and commit more crime in order to accelerate that. Similarly, daesh and alqaeda have used this as an opportunity to say, look, Emergency Services are really stretched right now, so lets go forward, this is the time for attack. And calling for activists to actually arm themselves and attack members of the public. In the midst of coronavirus, its harder to work with communities, but its also vital. We cant close our eyes to whats going on around the world. And unfortunately, tensions are rising in communities. This is the mothers against Radicalisation Programme in bradford, part of the governments prevent strategy. These mums are ambassadors in their communities. Theyre talking about the risks of extremists targeting young people. Weve seen things that have been circulating on whatsapp. Posted out to people. Weve seen things on social media platforms. And weve seen that division. I think we need to continue having honest conversations, because if we dont have these conversations now, that hate and that concern isjust going to fuel up in people. Syca tells me the course is about raising awareness with mums and communities, especially around the risks of young people being groomed. I have a good, strong bond with my children, but that brought me closer, because my two sons, they have special needs. Something you dont think of as a mum with children especially, you dont think, wait a minute, anybody can take advantage of my child. Talk of divisions and tensions can add to anxiety at a difficult time. But those tackling extremist views say we have to confront it and make sure people look out for those at risk. Emma glaseby, bbc news, bradford. Drug use inside prisons is a persistent and growing problem. Now authorities are calling in extra help. In the coming weeks, sniffer dogs are being sent to some of the most challlenging jails in england and wales. 170 newly trained dogs capable of sniffing out heroin, cocaine, cannabis, and the zombie drug spice will be used to improve security. Our reporterjohn owen has been to see the dogs in training and at work. Well done, lovely. Good boy in training for duty, the Detection Dogs destined to sniff out crime, on the inside. With their ultrasensitive noses, these canine investigators are capable of finding drugs, alcohol and even mobile phones, as they demonstrated while searching these mock cells at a Training Facility in suffolk. And their extraordinary abilities have made them a key part of a government drive to increase security in prisons across england and wales. Violent crime in prisons has risen dramatically in recent years. And so too have discoveries of prohibited items like drugs and weapons that are thought to fuel that violence. In response, the government has embarked on a £100 million plan to crack down on criminality behind bars. And as part of that effort, 176 newly trained sniffer dogs are being sent to some of the uks most notorious prisons. But the scale of the challenge is stark. In fact, according to the ministry ofjustice, there were 267 prisoner on prisoner assaults per 1000 prisoners in england and wales in 2019 to 20. Meanwhile, over the last several years, discoveries of contraband like alcohol, mobile phones, drugs, weapons and tobacco have all increased. The mount prison in hertfordshire is one of ten prisons where the new sniffer dogs are set to be deployed, and dogs are already an essential part of prison life here. The dogs are the first line of security in a jail. Monty is my passive dog and hes found large quantities of cannabis, tobacco, heroin. Every visitor to the prison is searched with a passive Detection Dog like monty