Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News At One 20201218

Yesterday and it is child care issues in january. Cyber hackers have gained access to two us departments which manage the countrys nuclear stockpile. Long covid doctors are urged to follow up with patients who may still suffer symptoms months after contracting the virus. And like father, like son wayne rooney announces his 11 year old has signed with Manchester United. And coming up in sport on bbc news, englands world cup winning captain calls it a day. Katy daley mclean, who won the trophy in 2014, retires from international rugby. Good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. Borisjohnson hasnt ruled out a third lockdown in england after christmas because of a rise in Coronavirus Infections in many parts of the uk. London and the east midlands have now overtaken the north of england for the number of infections. Health leaders across the uk warn that if the pandemic isnt brought under control, hospitals will be overwhelmed. Northern ireland and wales have already announced post christmas lockdowns, while millions more people in england are to move into tier 3 tomorrow. Ministers in scotland have refused to rule out further measures. Our Health Correspondent katharine da costa has the latest. Sport gosport in hampshire, one of the areas in the south preparing to enter tier 3 from tomorrow, joining two thirds of england living under the highest level of restrictions. Parts of the south east, east of england and london are seeing a rapid rise in new infections and hospital admissions. Health leaders are worried. They are faced with 10 fewer beds due to social distancing, staff off sick or self isolating, with some now having to cancel nonurgent operations even before we hit the peak winter months. We are now at a really dangerous point to where we are finding it really difficult to get ambulances off loaded. There are no cubicles to put patients into because there are no beds on the wards. All of that cycle is back to, theres an ambulance outside an ed that cant go out to the next patient who needs it. Latest official figures show cases were rising across the uk in the week to last saturday, with infections now hire in london and the east midlands than in the north of the country. There has been stark warnings that mixing over the festive period could lead to a third wave. The four nations have agreed not to ban christmas but have each issued strict guidance for smaller, shorter gatherings. To protect the nhs, Northern Ireland has announced it willjoin wales in starting a new lockdown after christmas. The whole system is 104 overcapacity and that has been consistent for the last few weeks. We have failed over the last eight weeks to make the harsh decisions and bring in the severe restrictions we needed and as a result, the Health Service is being overwhelmed as we speak. The Scottish Government has also said tougher restrictions may be needed, and in england, the government has not ruled out another lockdown. Obviously, we are hoping very much that we will be able to avoid anything like that, but the reality is that the rates of infection have increased very much in the last few weeks. Here, where i am in the north west, in bolton, they have actually done a fantasticjob in bringing it down. With around 18,000 Covid Patients in hospitals across the uk, there is concern we could pass the peak of the first wave within weeks. The fear is too much mixing now could pile on the pressure in the new year, when hospitals are at their busiest. Catherine de costa, bbc news. Northern ireland will enter a full lockdown on boxing day. Chris page is in belfast. Drastic measures, what is the response . Yes, as you can see in belfast city centre, it feels pretty busy at the moment but in six days time, it is all going to be pretty different. The close of trading on christmas eve, when the shops shut, they wont be reopening again until february, the lockdown decided on by the devolved government will last until six weeks and there will be a review after four so all hospitality businesses and Leisure Facilities we re businesses and Leisure Facilities were closed, and Contact Services like hairdressers will all be closed for that time. During the first week, the measures will be even tougher, essential shops, the likes of supermarkets, will have to close at 8pm and people will be told to stay at home unless they have a very good reason not to, between 8pm and 6am. Also, organised sport will be banned for that week running from boxing day to the 2nd of january. The devolved government has said it had no option but to bring in these measures. They have painted a very alarming picture of rising infection rates and hospitals under extreme pressure. The deputy first minister, michelle oneill, said if the lockdown was not brought in, the Health Service would be completely crushed in january. Health service would be completely crushed injanuary. Independent retailers have said this will cost thousands more job losses and Hospitality Industry has said many of its businesses wont make it out the other side but on the whole, speaking to people in belfast today, most of them say they recognise there is a huge problem here, and that a new lockdown is needed in order to save lives and protect the Health Service. Chris page in belfast, thank very much. Our Health Editor hugh pym is here. The last point is key, pressure on the nhs driving so many decision. Yes, right across the uk, we have been hearing about the situation in Northern Ireland, there are, and earlier, across other parts of the uk. The government raw in each nation will be advised by Health Officials governments in each nation. The Health Officials will have the same message, that if you dont do something to stop the rise in infections, there could be a severe problem injanuary and that is what borisjohnson will be told by Health Officials in whitehall, and that is why he is not ruling out and that is why he is not ruling out a lockdown in england sometime after the festive season. Jeane freeman, the festive season. Jeane freeman, the Health Minister in scotland has again not ruled out taking tougher action following wales and Northern Irelands decisions to lockdown soon after boxing day and from that period onwards. What the real worry is, is that it is very pressurised now. We heard from the Royal College of emergency medicine about difficulties finding space for patients in a e, real crowding and pressure there. This is when normally things are going reasonably well before the flu season. All that is still to come injanuary, that is the worry, what happens when people start coming in with more respiratory conditions . It will get colder and you have got the flu, likely, in january and colder and you have got the flu, likely, injanuary and february, plus covid. The real worry is something has to be done fairly soon to stop the pressure getting to intense for the nhs in all parts of the uk. Thank you forjoining us. Hugh pym, there. Head teachers and unions have criticised the governments plans to carry out mass covid testing in secondary schools in england. They say yesterdays announcement that most secondary pupils will study online for the first week of next term, while schools set up a testing scheme, has come too late. Charlotte wright reports. It is the last week of term for pupils across the country, but as classmates wind down for christmas, teachers in england say they are scrambling to make arrangements for the governments new testing plan forjanuary. We are still making sense of this whole thing at the moment. The rhetoric is very much battle of britain but the reality, im afraid, feels a bit more like dads army. We tried to make sense of this this morning and we are hoping to make progress today and to make sure first and foremost that ourfamilies make sure first and foremost that our families understand what is going to happen. The idea is that primary schools in england will go straight back on the first day of term but in secondary schools, only year 11 and i3 term but in secondary schools, only year 11 and 13 will be allowed into the classroom, the others will learn remotely, until the 11th of january, while schools set up a rapid covid testing scheme. What we want to do injanuary, testing scheme. What we want to do in january, as few testing scheme. What we want to do injanuary, as few bills come back into school, we want to use that as an opportunity as peoples come back into school, we want to use that as an opportunity to test them, particularly in the high infection areas and that is where we will be focusing most, testing them so they can go back to school and stay back in school safely. Are you expecting schools to reopen on the fourth or 5th ofjanuary . But the announcement was not made until thursday and appearing before the Public Accounts Committee just hours earlier, the permanent secretary at the department for education was unable to give any details. It is ludicrous that we have, we are at the end of term, the final day for any school in england is tomorrow and you are sitting here today and you cant tell us any more detail about what might happen on the fourth or 5th of january next year. I entirely accept this is very difficult for people but. It is notjust difficult, its impossible. Today, teaching unions say making these arrangements will be a huge logistical effort. We have got a thousand children and they all have to be tested twice in they all have to be tested twice in the first week. Where are we going to get those staff from . And some pa rents to get those staff from . And some parents agree. It was sprung on us yesterday, so it is childcare in the new year, if both of them go back or if only one of them goes back, we dont know yet. A similar scheme has been announced for wales, where a full return to the classroom is expected by the 18th of january. The government is confident it will be a success. We are sure that the 11 million lateral flow tests will be available in schools from the 11th of january next year, it is a massive logistical exercise, we are testing, asi logistical exercise, we are testing, as i said, 5. 5 Million Secondary School students. This is a very good news story and it is all about making sure we can keep schools open. But withjust making sure we can keep schools open. But with just hours left of the autumn term, some teachers and pa rents tell the autumn term, some teachers and parents tell us they are sceptical. Charlotte right, bbc news. The eus chief brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has told the European Parliament that talks about a trade deal with the uk have reached a moment of truth. Borisjohnson has said today that the talks are looking difficult, and has called on the eu to, come to the table with something themselves. Jonathan blake reports. Look the last steps towards the summit . The Prime Minister met engineering apprentices in boldon this morning as post brexit trade talks continued. For a deal to be done, he said the eu needed to compromise and make the next move. Our door is open. We will keep talking but i have to say that things are looking difficult and theres a gap needs to be bridged. The uk has done a lot, i think, to try to help and we hope that our eu friends will see sense and come to the table with something themselves, and that is really where we are. First thing this morning, the eu chief negotiator can Michel Barnier, gave the European Parliament an update on the chances of a deal. His tea m update on the chances of a deal. His team was striving for an agreement, he said, but it was a serious and sombre situation. Translation he said, but it was a serious and sombre situation. Translatiosz he said, but it was a serious and sombre situation. Translation it is the moment of truth. We have very little time remaining, just a few hours. To work through these negotiations in a usefulfashion. If we wa nt negotiations in a usefulfashion. If we want this agreement to enter into force on the 1st of january. There isa force on the 1st of january. There is a chance of getting an agreement but the path to such an agreement is very narrow. And steel, fishing is a major sticking point, how much access major sticking point, how much a ccess ca n major sticking point, how much access can eu boats have to uk waters, and how much will they be allowed to catch . It is a tiny part of the overall economy but an issue thatis of the overall economy but an issue that is politically potent for countries on both sides. Parliament may have closed down for christmas but mps are on standby to return in person or remotely to approve any agreements that emerge. Time is now very tight but there is still time, and while both sides are still talking, there is still the chance that a deal can be done. In the meantime, westminster and the uk waits to see what the brexit endgame will bring. Jonathan blake, bbc news. Nick beake is in brussels. The Prime Minister here says it is up the Prime Minister here says it is up to the eu to come to the table with something. How is that going down where you are . Well, you get the feeling that now more than ever, neither side wants to weaken their negotiating position so we are getting more tough talk. We heard Michel Barnier say this is the moment of truth, the fine a few hours. He can see a narrow pathway toa hours. He can see a narrow pathway to a deal but he also reminded eve ryo ne to a deal but he also reminded everyone that the unity and strength of the European Union is more important than any future relationship with the uk. He talked about fishing once again and some people might think it is very odd that it seems to have all come down to this but we have known all along that this is a very politically sensitive and significant topic, even though fishing makes up a very small part of both the uk and eu economies. Michel barnier says he wa nts economies. Michel barnier says he wants long term security for the fishing fleets of the eu. Of course, borisjohnson fishing fleets of the eu. Of course, Boris Johnson says fishing fleets of the eu. Of course, borisjohnson says that every independent coastal nature needs to be able to control its waters. He says the eu really needs to change its position fundamentally if there is to be a deal. Members of the European Parliament to get a vote on any agreement that is reached. They are saying that they want to see something agreed by sunday to give them time to sign off. The deadline that everyone is still working to is the end of this year, that is the one that really counts. It is hard to know where were heading. Some people have hope there may be a deal over the weekend. If that is the case and the direction of travel, i can tell you both sides are keeping it very at the moment. Neither wants to give anything away. Thank you for joining us. Such a thing the departments in charge of the uss Nuclear Stockpiles say that hackers have gained access to their networks. The Us Energy Department and the National Nuclear Security Administration are the latest Government Agencies known to have been targeted in a massive cyber attack. Heres our security correspondent gordon corera. Washington is reeling from a Cyber Espionage campaign whose scale keeps growing every day, as more and more organisations are found to have been compromised. It all began in march, when hackers got into a Texas Based Company called solarwinds, and implanted whats called a back door into the orion software, which it sells to its customers. The software was then installed by at least 18,000 customers around the world including the us military, the state department, nasa, and the white house. This allowed the hackers to potentially steal data, like e mails, over a period of months before it was discovered in the last few weeks. Its now emerged that other targets include the National Laboratories and Security Team that looks after Nuclear Weapons although theres no implication that the hackers could gain control over nuclear material. Us sources say they believe the Russian Intelligence Services are behind the highly sophisticated hack, although moscow has denied any part. My guess is that this is going to get worse before it gets better. The fsb the Russian Intelligence Service always use multiple layers of attacks. Whether its only bad or catastrophic will be. Well know in time, but its bad. Microsoft have now said they have seen additional follow on attacks on their customers mainly in the us, but in at least one case in the uk. The uks Cyber Security agency, the national Cyber Security centre, is urgently investigating how far the government, companies and organisations here may also have been hit. The full scale of the campaign is still unknown, and it may take some time for that to become clear, but the concern will be that defences were not good enough, and the damage may be hard to estimate. Gordon corera, bbc news. The time is 1 18pm. Our top story this lunchtime. Borisjohnson says he cant rule out a third lockdown in england after christmas because of a rise in Coronavirus Infections, with the numbers testing positive in london and the east midlands have now overtaken the north of england. Coming up. It was one of the most highly anticipated video games of all time so why, just days from christmas, has sony stopped selling cyberpunk . Coming up on bbc news, all the sport, including no quick fix at arsenal. Their manager gives his assessment following the clubs worst start to a top flight season in more than a0 years. People in hospital with coronavirus should be offered a follow up appointment after six weeks to check for symptoms of so called long covid, according to new guidance given to doctors. Its thought about one in ten patients could be struggling to shake off symptoms including shortness of breath, joint pain and dizziness for more than three months. Our Health Reporter jim reed has more. Tess waring fell sick in the first wave of the virus. It took months for her to get her strength back. Even now, she sometimes struggles for breath. Its eight months since i caught this, you always think in life, things always change anyway, but sometimes you are thinking, this is just part of growing older. But, fundamentally, no, ifeel change in that, like, my breathing is much more of an issue than it used to be. The tiredness has been much more intense. Its thought about one in ten patients with the virus may develop what is known as long covid, lasting for more than 12 weeks. New guidance for doctors today, lists 28 possible symptoms from fatigue and nausea, through to chest pain and dizziness. It seems to hit all age groups including young people, people who seem to sometimes just get a mild infection with covid, although people who have a more severe infection are more likely to get it. We know that it happens more often in people who have got pre existing Health Conditions like diabetes or heart disease, but we dont really understand why some people seem to get it, and some people dont. The new guidance says patients should now be offered a full consultation if they have been in hospital, or they have symptoms lasting longer than eight weeks. Follow up consultation. They can then be referred on for rehabilitation if needed. Those with breathing problems should be offered a chest x ray to chest for lung damage. I do believe that the help is imperative, for people to understand how to manage their symptoms, for sure, so if everyone could get that sort of help, that would be amazing. The nhs said it is spending £10 million on more than 60 new long covid clinics in england. Doctors say more funding is likely to be needed to deal with the long term impact of the disease. Jim reed, bbc news. In turner prize vaccine has been approved in the united states. President grant has tweeted in the last hour to say that distribution can begin immediately. President top. The company should be able to begin shipping millions of doses. The us has just begin shipping millions of doses. The us hasjust begun rolling out the Pfizer Biontech jab. The us has of course recorded more coronavirus deaths than any other country. Six months after a court ruled the practice unlawful, a bbc investigation has found that tens of thousands of adverts for rental properties are putting a blanket ban on accepting people who receives benefits. The vast majority of places on websites such as spareroom and openrent said recipients of housing benefit need not apply for the property. Michael buchanan reports. This is the kitchen, the living room and my bedroom all in one. So there is a little bathroom and then my sons room. It is small and uncomfortable, but despite her best efforts, emma cant find a new home. For two years, the teaching assistant has tried to move herself and charlie to somewhere bigger. Charlie, eat your dinner, please. But she has been repeatedly refused a new place because she is on benefits. If i have got references to show that i pay my rent every month on time, and i have done that for seven years, there shouldnt be any reason why someone isnt renting to me and the fact that they will still use housing benefit. You know, it is very clear stigmatisation. It is very a clear discriminatory measure. Bbc analysis of these popular websites shows that tens of thousands of properties are being denied to benefit claimants, despite a court injuly ruling such blanket bans are unlawful and discriminatory. On both spareroom and openrent, over 80 of ads say they wont accept tenants on housing benefit. And if you are a landlord with a place to rent, the websites will allow you to explicitly say that you dont want anybody on benefits. The Charity Shelter has campaigned for years to end housing discrimination and instigated the court action this summer. I think people like openrent and spareroom really need to wake up to this. This is unlawful. They need to be refusing to carry adverts that are badged as no dss on their websites and that is it. Theres no excuses for it. Theyjust need to clean up their act now. In a statement, openrent say that they let more than 25,000 properties to people on benefits this year, and are trying to combat prejudice by educating its users. Spareroom told us it was in the process of removing the option for landlords to List Properties as being unavailable to benefit claimants. For emma and charlie, the long search for a new home has brought stress and frustration, with seemingly no end in sight. It is very demoralising and dehumanising. I will go through phases of trying to kind of find somewhere and then obviously, i will stop trying because i will feel upset about the whole thing. You know, it is a massive rejection, like, a rejection of your whole self and position in society. The law is clearly on their side. Theyjust need a landlord who is willing to give them a chance. Michael buchanan, bbc news. More than 5,000 jobs are being created in the drive to speed up the uks broadband networks. Bt openreach says it needs the new staff as it steps up work on the £12 billion project. Sony has stopped selling one of the most highly anticipated video games of all time, just days after its release, because of technical problems. The company is offering a refund to anyone whos already bought cyberpunk 2077 for the playstation following complaints that it keeps crashing and freezing. The issues have wiped more than a billion pounds off the value of the games creator, cd projekt which said it should have paid more attention to making it play better. With more of england moving into tier 3, and Northern Ireland announcing a lockdown after christmas day, efforts to contain the pandemic are intensifying. Across the uk, people are being urged to show restraint in the coming weeks. Ros atkins has been looking at how our individual actions can affect the spread of the virus. This is not going to be christmas as we know it, and across europe, governments are asking people to help contain the virus. It is about trying to reduce that contact and making sure that everybody is as cautious and as personally responsible as possible. But, is rule breaking causing the covid 19 surge, and is there a risk that Rule Breakers become a lightning rod for the upset that this pandemic is understandably causing . I sought out four uk perspectives from a behavioural scientist, an epidemiologist, a data analyst and a radio host. Shelagh fogarty presents a phone in show on lbc, and often shares her frustration at people not Wearing Masks properly on public transport. The reason i hold people like that in genuine, bone deep content, is, i think we have a duty to one another, as much as we have a duty to ourselves. Shelaghs is a widespread concern. But how can we assess rule breaking . Robert cuffe is head of statistics for bbc news. His advice is, dont see this in black and white. If you are supposed to self isolate on your own, in your bedroom, there are a variety of ways you can not comply with that. It can be taking a walk in a park alone at night, or it could be going to starbucks. We also know that circumstances drive different behaviour. A uk survey looked at attitudes to quarantine after foreign holidays. 10 of people said they wouldnt do it at all, and that rose to 20 if they needed to work, and to 25 if they needed to care for someone. There is also a broader belief that, over time, people have struggled to stick to the guidance. This is soho in london in september. In october the who said it is easy and natural to feel demotivated and apathetic and to experience fatigue, and this is borisjohnson around the same time. Everybody got a bit kind of, you know, complacent. Not everyone agrees it is about complacency, but can we at least say rule breaking is increasing . Behavioural scientist professor susan michie says no. It has kept really pretty steady since the summer. So, despite people saying they are fed up, bored, you know, this is really difficult, this is tough, what you see is that people are still wanting to adhere, and, by and large, adhering. If thats the case, why, then, is there so much attention on Rule Breakers . The professor says that if something irritates us, we are much more likely to notice it. Epidemiologist is clear that rule breaking matters. So, things that might seem like minor transgressions at the individual level, added together at the population level, are the things that are really driving transmission, and driving this pandemic. Which is why that connection between each persons actions and the state of the pandemic remains central to many governments messages this christmas. Ros atkins with that report. Like father, like son parents are often proud when their children follow in their footsteps and wayne rooney is no different. Hes taken to social media to annouce that his 11 year old, kai, has signed with Manchester United. Katie gornall reports. They say the apple never falls far from the tree. Earlier this year, kai rooney, the eldest son of wayne rooney, showed off his skills in a video his father posted on social media. Now, in another proud day for the rooney family, the 11 year old has signed for Manchester Uniteds academy. He is following in some big footsteps. Wayne rooney is uniteds record goal scorer. To rooney . Having spent 13 years at the club following his move from everton. During his career at old trafford, the former england striker scored 253 times. Just by virtue of his dads name, doors were always bound to open. Hes been brought up in a football environment, so even though he is still extremely young, i think it was kind of inevitable that he was always going to be in this situation of having the opportunity to join united. Rooneys four sons have grown up seeing what success in football can bring, but heading down the same path as your parent has its challenges. Kasper schmeichel is a premier League Winner with leicester, but has always faced comparisons to his father peter, a Manchester United legend. This is wayne rooney at the same age as kai is now, appearing as a mascot in the merseyside derby. Even back then, he seemed destined to make it. His son will want to make a name for himself. Katie gornall, bbc news. If youre dreaming of a white christmas, spare a thought for these travellers injapan. More than 1,000 people in 600 vehicles are stuck on a major road, nearly two days after it became impassable because of record snowfall. One driver said hed been in his carfor a0 hours. Another said hed run out of supplies and was having to eat the snow