The Prime Minister warns that coronavirus is likely to spread in the uk in the coming days and weeks ahead. Preparations for a possible rise in cases as borisjohnson gathers ministers for an emergency meeting. A plan of action will be announced tomorrow. As and when, if and when it starts to spread, as im afraid it looks likely that it will, we are in a position to take the steps that will be necessary. Well have the latest developments. Also on the programme. The wrangling begins post brexit trade talks get underway in brussels. This is Windows Security server. Microsoft windows. Right, yeah, its got microsoft. So youre microsoft, yeah . And a bbc investigation uncovers the criminal call centres in india ripping off thousands of people
around the world. And misery continues for homeowners after another stormy weekend with dozens of flood warnings still in place. And coming up on bbc news. Confirmation that anthonyjoshua will defend his world heavyweight titles on 20thjune, with the fight expected to be against kubrat pulev. Good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. The Prime Minister says britain needs to be prepared for the coronavirus to spread. He said the virus is a problem thats likely to become more significant for the uk in the days and weeks ahead. He was speaking after chairing an emergency meeting of ministers this morning. A plan of action for the uk to deal with the new virus
will be announced tomorrow. The number of confirmed cases rose to 36 over the weekend with 13 announced yesterday the biggestjump in a single day. More than 11,000 people have been tested in the uk. Our Health CorrespondentSophie Hutchinson reports. 0fficials arriving this morning for the emergency cobra meeting on the growing threat of the coronavirus. It was chaired by the Prime Minister. Its aim was to produce a plan to tackle what is now highly likely to become a widespread transmission of the virus in the uk. Wash your hands people need a plan so wash your hands people need a plan so that as and when, if and when, it starts to spread, as im afraid it looks likely that it will, we are in a position to take the steps that will be necessary, that will be reasonable and possible, to contain the spread of the disease. And as
faras we can. The spread of the disease. And as far as we can. And also to protect the most vulnerable. The uk has seen a surge in the number of cases of coronavirus with at least 36 people now infected. 0ne coronavirus with at least 36 people now infected. One of them is being treated here at the Princess Alexandra hospital in harlow in essex. Its not clear how they became infected. They hadnt travelled to a hotspot abroad. Another infected person is a teacher from this school, Wimbledon College in london, which was closed today for a week. And this pub in haslemere in surrey was being deep clea n haslemere in surrey was being deep clean today after one of their customers tested positive for the virus. Of course the increase in numbers of people we have seen affected, both in this country and other countries in europe and in southeast asia, do i think make it likely now that we will see in due course widespread transmission in the uk. What we dont know is exactly how widespread that will be. This morning the European Commission raise the official risk level for coronavirus after the latest figures showed 38 eu citizens have now died from the virus. The risk level has risen from moderate to high for people in the European Union. In other words, the virus continues to spread. Around 86,000 people have now been infected, and as the virus continues to spread from its epicentre in china, there is a growing acknowledgement of the potential impact on the uk. Scotlands first minister, who attended this mornings cobra meeting, explained why it is so important to do Everything Possible to curb the virus. It is particularly potent with coronavirus because there is no treatment or vaccine yet for this infection, so it is particularly important that we ta ke it is particularly important that we take all of the steps we can to
contain the infection and to do everything we can to prevent it taking hold. And as the uk prepares for a wider outbreak, dozens of britons who have been stuck in tenerife are now finally on their way home. But they face a further 11 daysin way home. But they face a further 11 days in self isolation once they get back. Sophie hutchinson, bbc news. 0ur assistant Political Editor norman smith is in downing street. The Prime Minister speaking earlier saying it should be business as usual at the moment but saying they are very much prepared to take this in hand if there is a wider transmission. I think the name of the game today was all about reassurance, just trying to calm things down a little bit, to reassure people that, yes, the Prime Minister is involved and on top of the situation after facing some criticism for not calling cobra earlier and reassuring people the nhs is well prepared and there are contingency measures if the
situation gets worse. We didnt actually get a worked out battle plan today, we are told that will have to wait until tomorrow. I think that tells us that ministers are very wary of being stampeded into taking out unnecessarily disruptive or economically damaging measures. In short, they want to avoid causing any sort of panic, which is why we heard from the Prime Minister is saying today, yes, by all means wash your hands and used tissues properly but go about your life as normal. I think thats the overarching message. Similarly, we have been told that the budget will go ahead as planned next week. To some extent the government has been helped, i think, in that message by the fact the opposition parties seem to be holding back from playing politics with this. But all that is coupled with this. But all that is coupled with the knowledge that the chances are the virus is going to spread. The Prime Minister has said it is likely to get significantly worse,
this outbreak, over the days and weeks ahead. So however much ministers do want to avoid headlines about closing schools or restricting travel, those may be the sorts of options they soon have to look at. Norman smith, thank you. Thank you. This the virus is continuing to spread in asia. 0ur china correspondent robin brant is in hong. In indonesia, which has been a mystery so far in this part of the world, reporting no cases, and it has a quart of a billion people, but today we had the first two confirmed cases there. The suspicion in indonesia is that they have had more but it has gone unreported. Going north to south korea, that has seen the largest number of cases outside Mainland China. They have more than 4000 cases there and today we had a very vivid image of a man who heads
a Christian Church sect which has seen a Christian Church sect which has seen the concentration of the biggest number of cases in south korea, some of its members visited wuhan in china. Today he sought forgiveness by saying he had not played any wilful part, his church, in trying to spread the virus in south korea, and at one point he was kneeling in front of reporters to show how contrite he was. I have to say that man is facing murder charges at the mode from south korean authorities. Here in china, some good news with authorities reporting the lowest increase in new cases in the last 24 hours but also new deaths, going up by 42. But all of those according to the government centred in that province of hubei, with no new deaths anywhere else across Mainland China according to the government. As the government urges against complacency we have new figures confirming just how serious the impact has been on the economy here, the worlds second largest economy, with factory orders
injanuary, largest economy, with factory orders in january, confirming the largest economy, with factory orders injanuary, confirming the latest survey, confirming officialfigures on saturday, going off the edge of a cliff in january. Robin brant, thank you. Our Health Editor hugh pym is here. Public Health England and the Prime Minister are both indicating a further spread of coronavirus in the uk is likely. The action plan that we will get tomorrow, what can we expect . It will be set out in detail tomorrow. We have some ideas over the weekend which will not be denied about what might be in it, short term measures to get them through parliamentary legislation, for example to allow schools to have larger class sizes if teachers are off sick. And measures to get doctors and nurses who have retired, get them back in the nhs and registered quickly. That needs some new regulation. Thats a short term measure. We will be looking out for clues for the longer term, at what point they start to trigger other measures like closing public
gatherings, possibly following the example of france, which has already banned indoor gatherings of more than 5000 people. Its a delicate balance. Norman was saying, between not wanting to worry people, and taking pre emptive action so people understand it might happen. For the Prime Minister to be saying, it is likely to spread, and public Health England saying the transmission will accelerate, is a recognition that this is probably actually going to happen at some stage. As the mantra goes, happen at some stage. As the mantra o happen at some stage. As the mantra goes, we have heard from whitehall sources, prepare for the worst and work towards the best possible outcome. Hugh pym, thank you. Theres a bbc news special on tonight on bbc one. Rachel burden and fergus walsh will be answering all of your questions in coronavirus everything you need to know. Thats tonight at 7 30pm on bbc one. Negotiations between the uk and the eu are getting under way in brussels this lunchtime, as part of attempts to agree a post brexit trade deal. Ahead of the talks,
the British Government has also published its objectives for a Free Trade Agreement with the united states. Adam fleming is in brussels. Its a long road ahead, but i suppose its one with a pretty drastic deadline. The government is certainly wanting to send a message that it certainly wanting to send a message thatitis certainly wanting to send a message that it is full steam ahead for a country that has just taken back control of its trade policy for the first time in decades. That document, that wish list for negotiations with the united states, and the Prime Ministers chief europe adviser david frost are turning upa europe adviser david frost are turning up a few moments ago in brussels to start negotiations for a big trade deal with the eu as well. He will sit down in the next hour with michel barnier, the eu chief negotiator, staying on from the divorce talks to oversee the future relationship. The real Technical Work will start tomorrow when 100 british officials will break out into 11 different working groups covering trade and goods, services, energy and transport. There are a
few big hurdles though. To point out to big areas of disagreement, to what extent should this Free Trade Agreement with the eu include eu laws and eu standards . And how exactly laws and eu standards . And how exa ctly d o laws and eu standards . And how exactly do you manage the relationship and is there a role for the European Court ofjustice . Those arejust the European Court ofjustice . Those are just two of the very big issues to grapple with. The two sides have agreed to take stock injune. Some say it might not be 0ctober until we getan say it might not be 0ctober until we get an idea of how well things have gone. Adam fleming, thank you. Fishing is likely to be a key Sticking Point in the negotiations. The uk says it wants to take back control of waters that have been shared with eu countries and the eu says its own fishermen must not end up any worse off. Damian grammaticas has been investigating why fish could prove such a difficult issue and is in the danish port of frederikshavn. Iam. Its i am. Its one of the big promises from the brexit referendum, that uk
fishermen would be able to catch more fish in uk waters. The Current Situation is that around half the catch by value there is taken by uk boats and half by others. What the eu side say is that no, nothing should change because those historic fishing patterns stretch back way before the eu and they say that uk benefits because it is able to sell its fish over into eu markets. But here there are thousands ofjobs at sta ke here there are thousands ofjobs at stake and thats why this is such a difficult issue, as we found just up the coast in the port of skagen. Laden with more than £1 million worth of fish, caught on just one trip, the asbjorn. The boat is danish, the fish in the hold, blue whiting, were caught in irish waters. But soon it will be the season to trawl uk seas, exactly the areas the uk says it alone will control after brexit. For these big danish fishing boats,
access to uk waters is crucial. About 40 of their catches comes from there. And its why denmark and the eu are saying if the uk wants a trade deal, then it has to allow this fishing to continue. The saying is they will take back control. We dont know what that means. Go back to what . In history, we have been able to fish in the north sea and uk water for all times. Sand eel in this area here. That history of sharing these rich fishing grounds, mapped now by danish trawlers, is the reason the eu says its not ready to give up either its access to uk waters or its part of the catch here. I cant really accept the argument of handing anything back to the uk as danish fishermen have been operating in those waters for centuries. And the eu has a weapon in this fight over fish tariffs. This factory alone produces
800 million herring fillets a year. The uk could catch the herring, but if the eu puts a tax on imports, where will the uk sell all this fish . The biggest volumes of herring will be consumed in europe, and not that much in the uk. So if the uk insists on catching more herring, its still got to sell it over here . Yeah, thats how i see it, at least. 0r english people have to learn to eat herring. A lot of it in the uk, brexit has been painted as a chance to revive coastal towns. In skagen, the fear is brexit might hollow the economy out. Fishing supports 3000 jobs here. Its what this community is built on, too. We have a fish as a monument because its so much a part of our dna. Dna that goes back to viking times. The mayor, birgit hansen, says both sides need to avoid new hostilities. We have to find some sort
of agreement where we can come and fish in the seas that are connecting us, and the british fishermen can sell their fish and they can do it right. When it comes to trade, fishing is only a tiny part of all the exchanges between the uk and the eu, but its an emotive one, and failure to agree could scupper an overall deal. And the real leather reach the eu has is saying that if it doesnt get access for its fishing boats, then all uk businesses might suffer in access to the eu market. Back to you. So, what does each side want and how are the talks likely to pan out . 0ur reality check correspondent chris morris explains. Theres been some pretty tough talk before these negotiations have even started thats not surprising, theres a lot at stake. In fact, things could well get worse over the next few weeks. There are plenty of
gloomy predictions. Both sides would like to end up with a free trade deal with no tariffs, or taxes, and no quotas on goods crossing borders. But how do you prevent unfair competition between businesses in the uk and the eu, which could allow one side to undercut the other . Thats whats known as the level playing field, and some version of it appears in most trade deals. But the eus demands in this negotiation are particularly strict. It wants the uk to follow eu rules in the future on state aid thats things like the amount of subsidies governments are allowed to give to businesses. And it wants the uk to stick close to current eu rules on issues such as workers rights and the environmental regulations that businesses have to follow. But the uk rejects all of that. Leaving the eu, the government says, means no alignment with eu rules. We will maintain high standards, ministers argue, but they will be our standards, not yours. The uk says we just want the same kind of trade deal that youve negotiated with other big economies like canada orjapan. The eu says thats not possible the uk is a special case because its much closer to the eu, and the two economies are far more intertwined. So now we have both sides accusing the other of breaking promises on a key issue. The eu says its all about protecting its single market, the uk says its all about regaining real sovereignty. There are plenty of other difficult issues to negotiate as well fisheries for example, and the role of courts in resolving any trade disputes in the future. Different interpretations about future arrangements for northern ireland, painstakingly negotiated in the withdrawal agreement, could also become another flashpoint. So it does come down to an issue of trust which is really important in trade negotiations. You need to have some confidence that the other side isnt going to go back on its word. At the moment, trust is in slightly short supply, but its still worth remembering that after the shouting stops, both sides want both sides need to strike a deal. The time is coming up to 20 past one. Our top story this lunchtime. The nhs prepares for a major outbreak as the Prime Minister gathers ministers for an emergency meeting on how to deal with the virus. As and when, if and when it starts to spread, as im afraid it looks likely that it will, we are in a position to take the steps that will be necessary. Coming up on bbc news. 0rganisers of the six nations will meet later to discuss the remainder of the tournament following the outbreak of the coronavirus. Irelands match against italy in dublin has already been called off. Turkeys president erdogan is to hold talks with vladimir putin
on thursday, in an attempt to find a diplomatic solution to the worsening crisis in syria. Last week dozens of turkish troops were killed in Idlib Province sparking a retaliation against russian backed Syrian Government forces. Turkey also said it could no longer cope with the amount of refugees streaming out of syria, and opened its borders to those migrants wishing to reach europe. Jonah fisher reports from the greek side of the turkish border. The route overland to europe has been given new life by turkeys president. This road runs very close to the border between greece and turkey. A there are a couple of official crossing points which are now closed and heavily protected, but there are, weve been told, plenty of other places along this stretch where people can get through. As the icy rain falls, we come across a family group from afghanistan. Pawns in a geopolitical crisis, and now shivering and alone. They tell us theyve been bussed up to the border by the turkish authorities, and then crossed into greece by cutting the barbed wire on the borderfence. Further down the road, we find a group of west africans. They say they walked along a dirt track to get here, evading tear gas and border guards. We want to go over to germany. We dont want to stay here in greece, you understand . Yeah. We want a better life for us, ourfamilies, thats why we cross, you know . Then, as the clock approached midnight, we came across four young migrants from the middle east. You guys have come from iraq, and youve come from syria . As we started to talk, men with their faces covered and no insignia arrived. The migrants were put in the back of a van which had no number plates. Excuse me, where do they get taken now . To the police station. And what will happen to them . Im not a sergeant, 0k . Im not an officer, 0k . 0k. White mica greece has announced that anyone caught illegally crossing will not have their asylum claim process but will be sent straight back. Arriving by sea is the hardest route to stop, and also the most dangerous for the migrants. This morning, a boat capsized as it approached the island of lesbos. Most were rescued, but a small boy drowned. The door to the European Union is not wide open or easy to find, but there are still ways to get in. Jonah fisher, bbc news,
in northern greece. Have you ever had one of those phone calls at home telling you something is wrong with your computer and it needs to be sorted out immediately . Well, a bbc investigation has found that criminal call centres in india are targeting uk consumers with fake warnings about a Security Breach on their computers. Panorama obtained recordings of 70,000 calls made from a centre in delhi. But the owner of the call Centre Denies its a scam. Rajini vaidyanathan has the story. These cctv images take us right inside a criminal call centre in the indian capital, delhi. Its running a scam which is ripping off thousands of people around the world. Your computer has been locked up. A fake pop up sent to computers, telling victims to call a microsoft helpline. This is Windows Security server, microsoft windows. Right. Yeah, its got microsoft, so youre microsoft, yeah . That would be 899. Bloody hell
where do i find that sort of money . They are then charged hundreds of pounds by the fraudsters to fix a problem that wasnt there in the first place. He kept throwing in, you know, these nine people have been trying to use child porn, which, you know, scared the life out of me. And thatjust kept frightening me again, so i actually believed that i had to buy a firewall, some sort of firewall, just to save my computer and save my name, really. Panorama was given the footage by an online vigilante whos hacked into dozens of illegal call centres in india. He goes by the name ofjim browning. Disrupting criminal organisations, and some of those organisations can literally make millions of us dollars per month. Jim browning records some of his calls with the fraudsters. In this one, the scammer falsely claims to be in california. Are you in sanjose or not . Definitely, sir. 0k, can you name me one restaurant in san jose without looking at google . Why should i tell you these questions, sir . Well, i bet you are looking at google right now. Im not doing that, sir. The call centres making about £300,000 a month. The owner denies its a scam. But weve got the recordings of 70,000 calls, and they show customers are being ripped off. So, how much do you have on your card . I got about 90 quid. You only have £90 . Yeah. But the payment is for £150. I was going to use £150 to buy some shopping with today, so thats beggared that as well, so. Indias call Centre Business is one many rely on, but it also has a dark side, which is heard but rarely seen. Rajini vaidyanathan, bbc news, delhi. And there is more on that
story in panorama spying on the scammers thats tonight at 8. 30pm on bbc one. A senior architect from the company which designed the Grenfell Tower refurbishment admitted they were inexperienced in refurbishing tall buildings. He also told the inquiry that fire regulations had become difficult to interpret. Our Home Affairs Correspondent tom symonds is at the hearing in west london. The first witness in this long process was a director of an Architects Firm called studio e, which did the refurbishment, and the question was about the firms experience to do the job. He was asked what experience he had, and he said, it was not in our normal experience. An e mail was released between two people at the firm that admitted it was a little green on process and technology. He said that the Tenant Management Organisation running the building did not ask
whether studio e had the relevant skills, knowledge and experience, and he said the only member of staff who had worked on a similar project did notjoin for a couple of years into the project. So, that was the balance of the questioning, but the hearing started with an interruption. This is what happened. I am clear what you mean. Studio e architects ltd. Its a disgrace these people have been used. Its a disgrace. Youre going to have to learn to behave here. That was three protesters who shouted at the chairman of the enquiry that this was a whitewash and a cover up, because they feel that there should not be an enquiry but a Police Investigation and prosecutions. There is a Police Investigation, but they are a concern is that some witnesses have been given a commitment that they wont be prosecuted on the basis of any evidence they give to this enquiry. They say that his immunity from prosecution. It probably isnt, because the police are carrying out their own investigation and can use
their own investigation and can use their own investigation and can use their own evidence as well as some of the evidence which is being gathered during this process. Tom, thank you. Pete buttigieg the 38 year old former mayor from indiana has ended his bid for the white house. He was the first openly gay president ial candidate from a major party and despite a successful start, his campaign lost momentum in recent weeks. His announcement comes ahead of super tuesday in which democrat voters in 14 states will decide who they want to take on donald trump in novembers president ial election. Israelis are voting in an unprecedented third general election in less than a year, with the Prime Minister fighting for his political survival. Neither Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main challenger, benny gantz, was able to put together majority coalitions following the last two election and final opinion polls suggested the latest round is too close to call. Mr netanyahu is seeking re election two weeks before he is due to stand trial on corruption charges. A new law introducing a minimum alcohol price in wales dozens of homes in east yorkshire
are still flooded after the recent bad weather. In east cowick, flood water is still several feet deep in places after the flood plains surrounding the river aire overflowed into the village. Danny savage is there. You can always tell how bad a flood is by looking at it and thinking, are we going to get around it in wellingtons or do we need waders . And this is something you need waders to move around in. It gets deeper and deeper the further you go back here. As it disappeared round the corner, there are even more houses seriously flooded. The rain which caused this is a distant memory and fell over a week ago, but it has taken so long to wash down through the river system and get onto the flood plains, and then the flood plains got too full, so the water ove rflowed flood plains got too full, so the water overflowed into these towns and villages here. Snaith, nearby, is also affected. You talk to people here and they say the waters were still rising until yesterday. They feel it had stabilised overnight and
it is slowly dropping away now, but only very slowly, and theres a feeling it will take days and days before the water drops away sufficiently for people to get back into their houses. You stand here, you can smell the water. Its not dirty as such. Its fairly clean, but it has got kerosene in it because that is the heating fuel that all of the houses here use at this time of year, and there are thousands of litres of kerosene that have lea pt back thousands of litres of kerosene that have leapt back into this water, making it smell, giving it a film, flowing into the houses and causing more damage. People here are very upset, of course. In one one man told me it was heartbreaking. It will be awhile before they can it all. Time for a look at the weather. Heres darren bett. February was the wettest on record across the uk. March has started on across the uk. March has started on a quieter note, and through the rest of today and tomorrow, may be for
the next few days, sunshine and showers. A