Transcripts For BBCNEWS Outside Source 20200526

That so i felt the only option left to me was to resign from government. Applause. After a two month coronavirus closure the New York Stock Exchange, reopens its trading floor. June 15th has been labelled a european d day for tourism with many countries starting to relax their borders then. Greece is allowing Domestic Travel to its islands from today were there, with a special report. And some none coronavirus news well look into new research on why the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs was so catastrophic. Welcome. Calls for the british Prime Ministers top adviser, Dominic Cummings to resign continue to grow inside Boris Johnsons own party. The journey mr cummings made during lockdown to isolate at his parents farm in durham with his family, continues to draw fire despite his lengthy public explanation yesterday. At todays downing street briefing, the Health Secretary matt hancock announced that 134 people had died from coronavirus in the uk but instead of talking more from coronavirus in the uk in the last 2a hours. From coronavirus in the uk but instead of talking more from coronavirus in the uk about the fall in coronavirus deaths, the Health Secretary found himself saying he would look at reviewing fines issued during the lockdown to people travelling for childcare. However shortly after the briefing Laura Kuenssberg was told by a government source matt hancock did not announce a review of fines of people in lockdown just that he meant that he would pass concerns raised by martin the vicar on to his colleagues. The former conservative chief whip, mark harper, and former attorney Generaljeremy Wright are among at least 30 conservative mps whove said publicly that Dominic Cummings should step down. But the backlash began with the resignation ofjunior minister douglas ross, who was the under secretary of state for scotland. In a statement he said. He spoke to the bbc later in the day. Those were decisions others didnt feel they were able to make if they were following the government guidance and there was also one element that ijust cant reason and that is if you are struggling with your vision, you dont tend to get in a car and drive for 30 minutes and then drive 30 minutes back again. That was the area i really couldnt defend and as a government minister, you must be willing to defend the government policy and with the government are saying and i wasnt able to do that so i felt the only option left for me was to resign for government. Dominic cummings told media yesterday that four days after the Prime Minister told the British Public they must stay home, his wife became unwell, possibly with covid i9 symptoms. He went home to visit her, then returned to work. The guidance at the time was if you think your partner has coronavirus, you must stay home and isolate as a household for 14 days. That evening, mr cummings says they got in a car and drove 400km to durham, to his parents home, to isolate there. During that time, they took their son to hospital in durham, fearing he had coronavirus. This happened at a time when london was a hotspot for the outbreak and durham was not. Then towards the end of their 14 day isolation, mr cummings drove to barnard castle, 30 miles from his parents home, with his wife and child. He says that that 60 mile round trip with his family was to test his driving was fine before heading back to london, because he had been having problems with his vision. During that trip, mr cummings was spotted by a retired chemistry teacher, who has been speaking exclusively to bbc radio newcastle. When the guardian story broke, ijust thought well, in this me, it well, goodness me, it mustve been the person i saw. I did not think too much about it but people started stories in the press saying that he had been there and other people denying it and saying he was stuck in his house all the time, so i looked up online in history and found that those dates for that matched dates for that matched when he was meant to be there. And i read the article and i e mailed the person that ran it and gave them the number plate. It couldve been somebody else but obviously they said the number plate was was his. And that confirms the story. Not very keen on a great deal of publicity. I just disagree to people saying he had been stuck in. It didnt seem quite correct. Did you feel vindicated when you were at least acknowledged . Yes, i felt vindicated. I dont know if they would have mentioned it if i had not actually said anything. Lets speak to our uk Political Correspondent rob watson. You and i had a conversation this time yesterday. The pressure hasnt relaxed since cummings briefing, is the 30 mps enough to pushjohnson into scrapping his adviser . Yes. The political crisis continues no doubt i think the biggest of mr johnson part of my political career so johnson part of my political career so far. I think whether or not mr cumming survives depends on the dynamics of the party while the rebellion continues there will be pressure for mrjohnson to remove him. Buti pressure for mrjohnson to remove him. But i think actually whether or not mrcummings goes, him. But i think actually whether or not mr cummings goes, i think permanent damage will have been done to the Prime Minister and his standing with the government. First of all, you have the public, a lot of all, you have the public, a lot of public anger at the government. But also they are laughing and mocking the government for what they see as double standards. And i think theres also this seed of doubt within the conservative, is their election and referendum winning hero really not very good at being Prime Minister. We have to get all of this into perspective. Mrjohnson has an enormous majority of 80 and no doubt the conservative party will rally around him and the agenda will move on and the government is not about to collapse. But i dont think anybody doubt this will do serious damage to the reputation lasting damage. As you said, his cabinets to buy the Prime Minister chief adviser and so has the Prime Minister, stay with us. We want to give some more information about the man that is Dominic Cummings. He came up with that slogan take back control. Dominc cummings came up with the slogan take back control while running the leave campaign to take the uk out of the European Union. He then devised the get brexit done campaign that got Boris Johnson into power with a landslide majority in parliament. During his statement yesterday mr cummings sited Media Attention as one reason why he chose not to isolate at his home in london. Conservative mp miriam cates says his controversial status should be considered whenjudging his actions during lockdown. We know that he is controversial and his home has become a target. Before wejudge him too harshly, he himself has said that not everybody would make the same decisions and the same circumstances, but before wejudge him too harshly, we must respect his right as a parent to protect his child in what were quite difficult circumstances, compared to what the rest of us are facing. Everybody is facing tough circumstances, absolutely. But this was an exceptional circumstance. However the anger over Dominic Cummings has hit borisjohnsons popularity hard, as this pollster explains. We have been doing a daily tracker. We have been tracking opinion about the coronavirus and all things associated with it. This is before the lockdown. The data that we gathered yesterday shows that the government approval and that of the Prime Minister have plummeted. Both in our negative, Boris Johnson is i, but that has come down from highs of plus 40, definitely plus 30, comfortably throughout the pandemic. So there has been a quite swift change in public opinion. Borisjohnson still refusing to get rid of Dominic Cummings. Rob, we are broadcasting only here in the uk but to viewers around the world on bbc world news. Many people looking at the outside might be wondering who is in charge and the government the moment. Borisjohnson is in charge and the government the moment. Boris johnson reluctant is in charge and the government the moment. Borisjohnson reluctant to get rid of this man . Thats why is borisjohnson . Get rid of this man . Thats why is Boris Johnson . They mailed be wondering that. I dont think it would be an exaggeration to say that alongside borisjohnson, would be an exaggeration to say that alongside Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings is the most important man in british politics. I dont think many people in british politics would actually dispute that. Why is borisjohnson holding would actually dispute that. Why is Boris Johnson holding on would actually dispute that. Why is borisjohnson holding on to him . Three reasons i think. Firstly, mr johnson friends would say he is a loyal person. Again, as you suggested earlier, mr cummings is more thanjust suggested earlier, mr cummings is more than just an adviser. He is the man and the brains behind the success man and the brains behind the success of the Vote Leave Campaign. It was the brains behind mr johnsons election victory. It is often thought that while mrjohnson is the fabulous salesman that it is mrcummings who is the fabulous salesman that it is mr cummings who really does the details and has the big vision and the strives to get policies through. There is a third reason as well. This is kind of important actually, the if you think about mrjohnsons operation to downing street, it is the Vote Leave Campaign revisited which was as we have discussed headed by Dominic Cummings. That is more thanjust headed by Dominic Cummings. That is more than just about leaving the European Union. It is a radical project for remaking the uk for governing in a different much better that way. So a lot of people say the project was crazy given that britain was to fit the richest country in the world is seen as one of the sa nest the world is seen as one of the sanest in europe before the referendum, this is a serious project and i think there is a certain fear that if mr cummings was to go, that may be the rest of the Vote Leave Team would go and that project from a renewal of britain would be a mistake because clearly given the massive amount of political hit and capital that Boris Johnson is spending, itjust tells you how important this mr cummings this to him in the operation. Plenty to think about. I have no doubt that you and i will speak about this again in the coming days. For now, thank you. The floor of the New York Stock Exchange has reopened for business for the first time in two months. Its been closed since the end of march, as new york city became a hotspot in the pandemic. The us president tweeted. The president of the New York Stock Exchange told the bbc thered been no pressure from the Trump Administration to reopen. I have had no pressure from any Government Official throughout this period of time. I will say the government at the city state and federal level has been very constructive and supportive throughout this process. They were very supportive in the early days in march, and our plans to continue to operate as we were learning new information and very supportive during their shutdown and very supportive during the reopening. Under the measures, only a quarter of the normal number of traders will be allowed to return to work. Theyve had to sign a waiver that prevents them from suing the Stock Exchange if they get infected at the exchange. But our correspondent in new york Samira Hussain told us it was a good day for traders. For those traders that were very keen to get back onto the floor and to try and get some sort of semblance of normal, this is certainly the day for them. But remember there is only about 100 or so remember there is only about 100 or so traders regulators and operational staff that are allowed into the building and even fewer than that that are allowed onto the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. And the way it looks actually on the floor is very different than business as usual. Everybody is wearing a mask. Everybody is wearing a mask. Everybody subjected to temperature checks. You are not allowed to get within six feet or two metres of another person. No handshaking. And for anybody who has seen me do any live hits from the floor of the exchange, you will remember how busy it can get. And so keeping that distance and not having as many people on the floor itjust means that look like a very different place than what we have been used to. Stay with us on 0ustide source, still to come well take you to the greek islands and barbados as we take a look at how across the world, the Tourism Industry is trying to bounce back from the pandemic. The rnli is calling on the government to restrict access to britains beaches until they can put lifeguards back on patrol. Theyve been off duty due to lockdown restrictions. But as those ease, crowds have been flocking to beaches. Yesterday two people died in separate incidents on the cornish coast. Heresjon kay. The rml i have issued a statement today, published an open letter saying they are doing everything they can to get lifeguards back onto they can to get lifeguards back onto the beach is like this but they say it is really difficult, training of their staff to save lives at a time ofa their staff to save lives at a time of a pandemic saving life safely at a time of social distancing. Rnli. They they say it will take different types of equipment and training and they will not be back ina training and they will not be back in a normal way for some time and well in a normal way for some time and we ll start in a normal way for some time and well start this weekend and parts of england and then expended around the uk over the weeks ahead as various nations change their lockdown procedures. Some people here are reassured by that but others say the weather is forecast to be good, it is half term here, a lot of people still very anxious. This is 0utside source live from the bbc newsroom. Calls for the british Prime Ministers top adviser, Dominic Cummings to resign continue to grow inside Boris Johnsons own party. European countries are taking more steps to get the continent back to some kind of new normal as the fight against coronavirus pivots to opening up economies. June 15th has been labelled a european d day for tourism with many countries starting to relax their borders, to get the vital tourist season going. Germany has proposed allowing travel to 31 european countries, from june 15th while italys foreign minister says the government is working on a plan for the whole of the European Union to re open to tourism together. Heres Luigi Di Maio speaking on italian tv. Translation we must allow especially to italian tourist structures of very high level to be able to receive foreign terrorist, june 15 isa able to receive foreign terrorist, june 15 is a little european d day for tourism. Foreign tourism. These are some of the latest pictures from italy. The archaelogical site of pompeii has reopened. But with very few visitors. A0 people are allowed in at one time, every 15 minutes. But on reopening day only a handful of people wandered through the ancient ruins. Next lets look at spain where foreign travellers will no longer have to quarantine afterjuly the 1st. The Spanish Government says the worst is behind the country and its looking forward to welcoming tourists. Guy hedgecoe is in madrid. The feeling seems to be from the government that all the tourist season, which is so important for spain and makes up about 12 of gdp, although the early part of the season has been pretty much totally wiped out, it was the safeguard the peak season which froze from july to august. And so i want to make sure that spain is seen as a completely safe country by the time thatjuly comes around. That is the idea. And so comes around. That is the idea. And so it is decided on the strategy of opening up the country from july which is it later than some other countries for example like greece for other countries around the southern mediterranean, but the feeling is that they can make sure there is some kind of peak tourism season here in spain. Next to greece where restrictions on Domestic Travel have been eased. Quentin sommerville is on the island of milos. tx vt Quentin Sommerville is on the island of milos. Athens is sending a flotilla to fight a pandemic. The greek islands are reopening. Among the first to call, a high speed deployment of doctors with a mission. These islands have been a safe haven from the pandemic, with no confirmed cases of covid 19. These medics from the mainland want to make sure it stays that way. Its an annual expedition to the remotest parts of the aegean, with special purpose this year. We will be in contact with the government. Whenever they need us, we will come here to check if there is any case of covid infection. The mayor of sikinos welcomes them ashore. Were greeted with elbow bumps, instead of handshakes. There are enough tests for whoever wants them. There are only 250 people on this island, and none of them have been tested for covid 19 until today. The village was built on a hilltop to safeguard it from pirates. Theyre hoping its isolation continues to offer protection. Greece has had only 172 deaths from covid 19, and is leaving lockdown faster than expected. Ba rs a nd restau ra nts reopened yesterday. Hilary and david brown live here. We spend so much time here, we love it here. So even if there wasnt the pandemic and we were told to go home, we still wouldve chosen to stay here. Its safer. Theres no pandemic in the cyclades. Only i think two in syros, and one in. Mykonos. Mykonos, and thats it. Father theodorus leads the way. These tests are essential as greece prepares to welcome back Foreign Tourists in the coming months. Today is the first day that everything comes back to normal, including restaurants and all the borders and ships. So we are concerned about everything being as planned in the best possible way. Greece is emerging from the pandemic earlier than others not unscathed, but in better shape than most. Isolation is a way of life here, but so too is tourism. The health of the islanders depends on both. Quentin somerville, bbc news, the southern aegean. A lot of tourists planning to visit europe during the summer will be heading to the same place the beach. But have a look at this filmed by a french Environmental Organisation in the mediterranean sea. You can see masks and latex gloves on the sea bed. The groups founder posted the footage online, and warned it could be the start of a new type of pollution. In barbados, borders remain shut but the current daily curfew from 8pm to 5am will be lifted next week, as the government looks to reopen the economy. Barbados has reported only 92 cases of covid 19 and seven deaths, but the impact of the crisis on tourism, has been massive. The bbc has been speaking to the Prime Minister. We are trying to balance lives and livelihoods like everywhere else. I listen to your report earlier about europe. We are in deep conversation with each other on a Common Public Health protocol. Within the region. We are also having discussions with the airlines in the cruise industry, but we are not going to be driven by a date. We will be driven by a satisfaction that we have say protocols they keep our workers safe and keep our people safe and keep our visitors safe. Lets move away from coronavirus, to the final days of the dinosaurs. A clear picture is now emerging of why the asteroid that struck earth 66 million years ago was so catastrophic. Let me show you this animation. Created to illustrate the findings of the Research Carried out by scientists into the 200km wide crater the space object left under mexicos yucatan peninsula. The study finds that it hit the worst possible place on the planet at the most lethal angle, wiping out 75 of all species including the dinosaurs. Lets speak tojonathan amos. Except i may get excited about the scientific developments. In terms of one to ten, how does this rate for you . I know you get excited. Or 12. It is a staggering event. Scientist have been investigating it for a number of years. They have drilled into what is the remains of this writer as you said. Period half and in mexico and happen to the gulf of mexico. What they have learned in the last two years, it blows your mind really. When this object hit the earth come a whole and the christ. 30 km deep. Instantaneously. And then that rock is turning to fluid. And it bounced back. It bounced back up in a matter of minutes into a mountain and taller than Mount Everest was up that colla pses than Mount Everest was up that collapses well to leave the structure that we now see the floor the go. Created a hole in the crest of the earth. Because they have been drilling into it and while computer models, they reconstructed everything they can tell this object came from the northeast, amazing, six sigma years ago. They can tell that he came from the northeast and that he came from the northeast and that he came from the northeast and that he hit the angle of 60 degrees. Thats 66 million degrees ago. Why that matter . It matters because the way that he came in, it destroyed rocks that were really bad for the climate. 66 million years ago. They make sure that most of the gases that were in those rocks went high into the atmosphere and that change the climate and the worst possible way. And unfortunately, the dinosaurs cannot survive it. So we are excited to learn an awful lot more about what change the planet and as you know, the dinosaurs went but the memos came. That is us. Maybe it was a good thing. Extraordinary and detailed this research as you said. Involving a number of people and taking a lengthy amount of time. Give me an idea of how theyre able to gather such detailed information. We kind of knew from the rock record that there was this mass extinction 66 million negative ago. But nobody knew the cause. 66 million years ago. Until a few decades ago they found the structure on the floor of the gulf of mexico. Then they started drilling into it and they pulled the rocks up in the rocks to hold them in your hand, ive done this, they are kept in germany, they look quite unlike anything youve seen look quite unlike anything youve seen before. They are all smashed up and there is a lot of glass, rock that has melted. And then set very quickly. And of course i wouldve produced a huge tsunami, the water that was covering this peace of christ on the planet surface, it wouldve rushed outwards and then waited came rushing back. This pa rt waited came rushing back. This part of the earth. Imagine the worst possible tsunami and then times that many times over. Crust of the planet. You start to get a picture of what this catastrophic event must have been like. But the more i write about it, and listen to the people that do it, and do the research, the more it seems to blow my mind. And the more we listen to you and bring it to lie for us, thank you so much. A detailed coverage of this on the bbc news website. Best bring it to life. The plenty more to come. See you soon. Hello there. Its been another Sunny Afternoon for the vast majority of us, although there was a little bit more in the way of cloud at times across parts of wales and Northern England. This is a reservoir in the locksley valley near sheffield. You can see some of that cloud here on our satellite picture. This stripe of cloud, this diagonal is a very weak cold front. Its not been bringing any rain, but it separates the really warm air that we have in the south from the slightly fresher air we have to the north of the uk. 0vernight there will be little overall change, although we could see a few mist and fog patches forming around the coastal hills of the southwest of england. Itll be a warm night for the southern areas of england and wales, with temperatures 13 14 celsius for cardiff and london. Further north, into single figures for the north of wales and north england, scotland, and Northern Ireland. But over the next few days, the warm air we have in the south gets drawn northwards so it will start to warm up for scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland over the next few days. Now for wednesday, many of us will start off on a bright note. Perhaps murkier initially in the southwest before we see the sunshine later on in the day. Thicker cloud for Northern Ireland will bring an odd patch of rain and maybe some damp weather getting into the far west of scotland. Otherwise, it is dry weather with with sunshine. The highest temperatures across england and wales at this stage, but as i say, it will be getting warmer further north as we go towards the next few days. Some of that warmer air will be wafting its way northwards on thursday, boosting the temperatures. A weak weather front across the far north of scotland, meanwhile, bringing a little bit of rain here, but not amounting to much. The rain will clear as we head into the afternoon. Then brighter skies work into central and southern scotland for this day, a much sunnier day and Northern Ireland. Weve got more of that warm sunshine across england and wales with temperatures probably peeking around 26 27 celsius. Turning warmer north, as well, with highs of 22 celsius in edinburgh. We end the week like this, with all of us seeing a sunny day on friday. The onshore winds keeping things a little bit fresh around some of our eastern coastal areas so temperatures, for example, around the hull and norwich area around 18 19 celsius. Still warm in the sunshine, weve just got some high temperatures a bit further west, 26 celsius in cardiff. The weekend looks fine, as well, with the High Pressure still with us. More dry weather, temperatures widely into the low to mid 20s with sunshine. Thats your weather. This is bbc world news, the headlines. Ajunior minister resigns over the uk governments handling of Dominic Cummings and his family trip during lockdown. The Prime Ministers chief adviser says he does not regret the journey. Nearly a0 conservative mps are calling for mr cummings to go over his interpretation of the rules but ministers continue to insist he acted reasonably. The uk governments been asked if it will review fines given to families who breached lockdown to get childcare. Europe looks to relax border restrictions ahead of the tourist season. In greece, restrictions on Domestic Travel have been eased with people allowed to move around the country. And a warning to latin america now is not the time to ease restrictions, as coronavirus deaths rise rapidly in brazil. Lets return now to todays downing street briefing,