Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News At One 20200914

Fires burn across three states on the west coast of america, devastating the land, and the lives, of tens of thousands of people. Britain in lockdown a new exhibition of portraits chosen by the duchess of cambridge goes live. And coming up on bbc news. The fifa corruption saga continues, as disgraced former secretary generaljerome valcke and paris st germain chief Nasser Al Khelaifi go on trial in switzerland. Good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. The rule of six has come into force today in different forms across the uk in an effort to tackle rising coronavirus infections. The rule places further restrictions on social gatherings, with a limit of six people in england, and similar limits in scotland and wales. The policing minister has encouraged people to report those who break the rules. It comes amid more complaints about the difficulty of getting tests for the virus. Matt hancock says they are dealing with the problems. A further 3,330 positive cases were recorded in the uk on sunday the third consecutive day with more than 3,000 with five more deaths reported. This morning, the labour leader, sir keir starmer, has announced he is self isolating after a member of his family developed possible symptoms of the virus. Heres our health correspondent, anna collinson. For some this weekend was a time to make the most a being with friends, meeting in large groups was against the rules but from today it is against the law for social gatherings to include more than six people. Those who refuse to comply could be fined. The police will be encouraging and explaining the situation. We hope that at that stage most people will comply. And if they fail to comply, obviously fixed penalty notices can be issued but what we saw in the first phase of the lockdown is enormous compliance. The british people recognised we had to Work Together to get on top of these numbers. With corona infections on the rise, england, scotland and wales announced the so called rule of six last week. It was meant to clarify things for the public with concerns and variations across the uk will leave people confused. In england and scotland, it applies both indoors and outdoors but in scotland the six must be from two households only. In wales come up to 30 people can socialise outside. In scotland and wales, children are not included in the six but they are in england. Large groups are still allowed in gyms, places of worship and add covid to secure weddings and funerals while in Northern Ireland, six people from two households can meet indoors and up to 15 can gather outside. This morning another reminder why the measures are needed. Desperate to avoid scenes like this, doctors in england are warning a second peak of covid i9 in the coming months is their number one concern. They told the British Medical Association that if it happens, confusing Public Health messaging and problems with test and trace would be to blame. What we have at the moment, because we are not having the ability to test people, is we dont know who has the infection and that is spreading on a daily basis and every day counts. This infection can double in terms of the numbers infected injust a few days and that is the biggest priority doctors say it needs to happen today. The government says it is testing hundreds of thousands of people every day but some people are still struggling to get tests so lets see what happens when i try it now. We have tried this multiple times, different locations, said i was an essential worker, nonessential worker, and almost every time we have the same message, the service is currently very busy, try again later. Even if you are successfully getting a test, some people have been sent to sites hundreds of miles away and there have been multiple reports of people being refused a test because they have not received a relevant qr code. If you have symptoms, come forward and get a test. We are dealing with a couple of people having to travel to bath and we are putting in the extra resources to deal with that. With concerns about tobin spreading in the uk notjust globally, it confirmed keir starmer isa globally, it confirmed keir starmer is a self isolating with a member of his household showing possible symptoms travelling too far. 0ur health editor, hugh pym, is here. Testing, this seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence of real problems. Thats right, it was ten days ago when it emerged you had to drive long distances for testing and at the time, the Health Secretary matt hancock said there were operational challenges and they would be addressed but as you have seen in that piece, there are people going online and are still struggling to even get a booking, never mind something close to home. There is clearly something not quite right and this morning the Scottish First minister Nicola Sturgeon said she has a very serious concern about the backlog of tests and capacity which appears to have built up in the uk wide system. There is a uk network of la bs wide system. There is a uk network of labs which works with all the devolved administrations and each of them has their own testing system as well. Clearly there are problems but the government line at westminster is they are trying to increase capacity because there has been such a bigjump in capacity because there has been such a big jump in demand. Capacity because there has been such a bigjump in demand. Huge pressure on the government and more evidence of what a difficult political decision they face with this. There is an ongoing debate about whether lockdown was too late in the uk, it was delayed longer than it should have been, and an e mail sent by a sir patrick vallance, the chief scientific adviser, in response to how to deal with enquiries by the sunday times in may said he had argued stronger than anyone, he believed, and had had a telling off from others including the chief medical officer chris whitty and cabinet secretary at the time, sir mark said well, implying that there we re mark said well, implying that there were differences of opinion about that crucial decision about lockdown and that debate will continue no doubt. Thank you very much. In wales, new restrictions on face coverings have come into force. 0ur correspondent tomos morgan is in cardiff. What other measures . Up until now the Welsh Government have adopted an approach that to me to do with the best way to deter spreading the virus in Public Places but with the r rate increasing here, they have said they want everybody to wear a mask when they go into a public space like shops and you might be able to see people behind me wearing them here in tardis. They have a lwa ys them here in tardis. They have always believed that was the better approach and have been reluctant to introduce masks until now but they feel they have to do that here in cardiff. With one area of wales already in a local lockdown and another to a final warning and now a fourth area increasing their rates significantly, the question for the Welsh Government and other devolved governments really as well is how far they will have to roll back on easing and will they work more so together in a joint approach to make sure the message to the public is simplified so that everyone across the uk nations is doing the same thing to deter the spread of the virus . Tomos, thank you very much. Mps will debate the controversial tomos, thank you very much. Internal market bill this afternoon. Parts of the legislation would give the government the power to break International Law by breaching the brexit treaty signed with the european union, but ministers say its necessary to protect trade if talks with the eu fail. David cameron has become the latest former Prime Minister to raise his concerns, and a conservative mp has left his role as a government envoy in protest at the bill. Iain watson reports. It would be understandable if some mps get flashbacks to last years brexit battles here in parliament, amid talk of rebellion there is a vote tonight on a bill that would allow the government break International Law by ignoring a part of the deal it struck with the eu last year. Today David Cameron became the fifth former Prime Minister to express his concerns. Passing an act of parliament and then going on to break an International Treaty obligation is the very, very last thing you should contemplate. It should be an absolute final resort so i do have misgivings about what is being proposed. Downing street are not too worried about previous occupants of number 10 who campaigned to remain in the eu is speaking out now. But this man causes them a bigger problem. An ardent brexiteer who is the government a senior law officers when it struck its deal last year. He says he cannot support Boris Johnson in the vote tonight. He says he cannot support Boris Johnson in the vote tonightlj he says he cannot support Boris Johnson in the vote tonight. I find myself in a very sad position. Im a strong supporter of this government, a strong supporter of brexit but for me, the crossing of unimportant boundaries is when a government says it is going to break the law. And a treaty signed. The government has described its controversial move as an insurance policy. It says in trade talks with the eu, brussels was threatening to put up barriers to food expert notjust was threatening to put up barriers to food expert not just to was threatening to put up barriers to food expert notjust to the continent but between britain and Northern Ireland and the policing minister said there are circumstances where the letter of the law could be ignored. International treaties are as much about the spirit and intent as they are about the letter of the law. They want contemplated that this situation would occur, and i have yet to hear a compelling solution, if you like, to that practical issue we are being faced with that hopefully it will never occur, but that might occur in the future, and why we should shouldnt have an insurance policy for that pond at the eu is denying it would use any pa rt of the eu is denying it would use any part of the deal to blockage trade between britain and Northern Ireland and the dispute over subsidies. Labour said they would vote against the government tonight as well. He is making a mistake reneging on a treaty, that will have reputational damage for the uk. Here we are, on the world stage, the first time in many years on our own the world stage, the first time in many years on oui own and the world stage, the first time in many years on our own and what is the first thing we do . We greet that mick would break a treatment from treaty. The government has an 80 seat majority so for all the sound and fury directed at borisjohnson, it doesnt signify a potential defeat. You heard from the former attorney general geoffrey cox saint he could not support the government tonight but now another lawyer turned conservative mp, rehman chishti, the Prime Ministers special envoy on religious freedom, has resigned from the post and says he was a big supporter of brexit but cannot support breaking International Law and that is a measure of the disquiet among some of the government usual supporters about what they are doing. But there is no sense that the government is ready to concede or compromise and farfrom ready to concede or compromise and far from it. Ready to concede or compromise and farfrom it. In the ready to concede or compromise and far from it. In the last few minutes it has been confirmed that was johnson himself will lead the debate on this issue in parliament this afternoon Boris Johnson. On this issue in parliament this afternoon borisjohnson. Some of those who disagree with him might just sit out the vote or abstain but more of a challenge in a week because yet another former lawyer, bob neill, chair of a cross Party Justice committee, is going to be trying to change the government legislation, proposing that Parliament Rather than government ministers would have the final say over breaking International Law. Again, if Boris Johnson over breaking International Law. Again, if borisjohnson does not concede, i think he will face a bigot rebellion but that 80 seat majority bigger rebellion, downing street are not in any mood to compromise. So what is in the bill, and why is it so contentious . 0ur reality check correspondent, chris morris, is here. The overall aim of this legislation is to ensure the uk internal market continues to function seamlessly once the uk has left the eu single market, and its shared rules and regulations. But it has created huge controversy. Most obviously, when it comes to the Northern Ireland protocol, which was agreed by borisjohnson last year to avoid the return of a hard border with the republic of ireland. The protocol is part of the brexit withdrawal agreement, which took the uk out of the eu last january. But this new legislation gives ministers the power to ignore some of the legal obligations it contains. The need for businesses to complete export declaration forms, for example, when sending goods from Northern Ireland to great britain. And the need for the uk to inform the eu of any state aid decisions, government subsidies for business, that affect trade in Northern Ireland. The government admits that these new ministerial powers would break International Law but only, it says, in a very specific and limited way to protect british interests. A bill which gives ministers explicit permission to break the law, though, by ignoring a recently signed treaty in this way, is unprecedented. The eu calls it a serious breach of International Law and says the legislation must be changed. A significant number of Senior Tories seem to agree, but the government says it wont budge. And if thats not enough for parliament to get its teeth into, there are massive rows looming about devolution. To give just one example, the internal market bill gives uk ministers power to spend money in policy areas that are the responsibility of the devolved governments in scotland, wales and Northern Ireland. The uk government says its new Uk Shared Prosperity Fund is good news. But when that money used to come from the eu, it was largely the devolved governments that decided how it was spent. Now theyre complaining of a power grab. Some of the Biggest Challenges in the Brexit Process cant be ignored any more. Chris, thank you very much. 0ur correspondent nick beake is in brussels. I think it would be, it is interesting we heard over the weekend, from the president of the European Council saying the International Credibility of britains signature was at risk, if britains signature was at risk, if britain does deals and goes back on them, what is the world make of that . 0ver them, what is the world make of that . Over the weekend we saw a bit ofa that . Over the weekend we saw a bit of a spat on twitteder between the two lead negotiators for both sides when it comes to the trade deal, because remember, as well as this Political Drama we have seen, the big issue here is trying to get a trade deal between the eu, and the uk. Now, talks are continuing this week, they are informal talk, there could be a meeting later in the week between Michel Barnier and david frost, who are the representative leaders of the two sides. Why does this matter getting a trade deal . Because if there isnt one, when it comes to january ist there will for the first time in a0 years be ta riffs the first time in a0 years be tariffs on things moving between two side so it is an important team. Thank you very much. The head of the trade Union Congress has called on the government to extend its Job Retention scheme, in order to protect those at risk of being made redundant. The scheme is due to end next month, but in a speech to this years virtual conference, frances 0grady said state support needed to continue for longer. The pandemic isnt scheduled to end in october, so neither should state support for jobs. So much better to keep people working, paying their taxes, spending their wages, helping to rebuild the economy. Perhaps this government needs reminding about what mass unemployment does to a country. Relatives of those who died in the Manchester Arena bombing have begun speaking about their loved ones at the Public Inquiry into the attack. 22 people were killed when salman abedi detonated a bomb at the arena in may 2017. Fiona trott is listening to the inquiry and sent this report. My name is martyn hett. I absolutely adore coronation street. The showman and social media star. This is how martyn hetts family want him to be remembered. Im a coronation street superfan and a Deidre Barlow enthusiast. His father paul recorded this tribute for the inquiry. Due to martyns huge social media following, we have been asked many, many times by people, is martyn hett your son . And we reply, with all the pride in the world, yes, martyn is our son. Illjust get that out the way now. Martyns story was the first to be heard in this inquiry. Over the next two weeks, all families are being given the opportunity to speak. This is a critically important chapter in the oral evidence hearings of this Public Inquiry. Its purpose is to recognise and more over firmly establish the deceased and their families as central to this process. Each family has decided the manner in which the evidence should be presented, and each pen portrait is deeply affecting. The impact of that night is indescribable. As part of this inquiry, the families are also learning more about how the Emergency Services responded. The hearing was told in the a0 minutes after the explosion, only one paramedic had gone into the area where the bomb went off, and fire crews arrived over two hours later. This was salman abedi wandering around the arena before the attack. He is carrying the bomb on his back. The inquiry was told he was reported to officials, but no action was taken. He killed 22 people that night. Each with their own story and tributes that need to be heard. Fiona trott, bbc news, manchester. Our top story this lunchtime. New restrictions on social gatherings come into effect across britain, but there are concerns about the difficulty of getting a coronavirus test. A potential new treatment for covid i9 using artificial antibodies is about to be tested in uk hospitals. Coming up on bbc news. A first grand slam title for dominic thiem. He beat Alexander Zverev in the mens final of the us open, and says his whole life has been dedicated to this moment. Whats being described as a promising new treatment for covid i9 is about to be tested in uk hospitals. The therapy uses artificial antibodies called mono clonal antibodies, and will be given to about 2,000 patients to see if its effective at fighting the virus. 0ur science correspondent Rebecca Morelle has more. Antibodies are the warriors of the immune system, playing a vital role by attacking the coronavirus. Now they are being harnessed in a promising new treatment. Currently there are very few medicines to help covid i9 patients. The most successful was discovered by the uks recovery trial. Now it will be testing antibodies made in a laboratory called monoclonal antibodies. They will be given to thousands of patients in uk hospitals to see if they work. I think the reason the monoclonal antibodies are so exciting is that this is the first type of treatment that is targeted for this specific virus. There are lots of good reasons for thinking it might well be effective stopping the virus from reproducing, stopping the virus from causing damage, improving survival for patients. We need to know, and the way to know is to do the trials. How does this work . When a person is infected with coronavirus, they produce antibodies. These attach to the spike of the virus, blocking it from entering our cells. We make hundreds of different types of antibodies so scientists sifted through them to find the best at sticking to the virus. They chose two because they both attach to slightly different parts of the spike. So if the virus mutates and the structure changes, at least one will still work. Both antibodies are then multiplied in the lab and produced in huge quantities. They are then mixed together and given to the patient, immediately boosting their own immune response. Monoclonal antibodies are expensive. They are a relatively new type of medicine but they are used for other diseases including some types of cancer. The us company regeneron behind this Covid Treatment have used the technology to successfully treat ebola. There are high hopes. We are very excited about our antibody combination. These highly potent neutralising antibodies really will help boost that immune response and will always be needed, even when a potent vaccine is available, because there are going to be underserved populations that we dont want to neglect. With covid cases rising, new treatments will be essential. The recovery trial will tell us if the promise of monoclonal antibodies turns into a reality. Rebecca morelle, bbc news. Its a British Company Whose Technology is at the heart of most smartphones as well as many other devices. But there are fears that Chip Designer Arm Holdings sale to an American Firm could mean many jobs going abroad. The cambridge based company is being sold by its japanese owners for more than £30 billion to nvidia one of arms clients. Rory cellan jones is our technology correspondent. We may not have heard of the name but we know about its products . Yes, simon, arm is probably the most exciting and Important Technology firm that has surfaced in the uk over the last 30 year, it is the kind of company in fact that the government is talking about needing to have in the future, we dont have many Global Technology powerhouse, of course it was sold originally in 2016, to japans soft bank and there we re 2016, to japans soft bank and there were guarantees thatjobs would stay in the uk, they have been kept. The concern now is it is being acquired bya concern now is it is being acquired by a company nvidia which is in the same field, it is the worlds most powerful chip maker. Arms klein, 500 client, it has been described at the switzerland of the chip world, they rely on access to its technology, some may be concern they will no longer get that. Arms co founder has said this is a disaster, this deal, it almost is certain the headquarters will be moved to the united states. I have spoken to the boss of nvidia, he said he will guarantee it stays in the uk and there will be major investment in an Artificial Intelligence centre in cambridge, lots of questions still to be asked, the government being asked to intervene in this deal. Thank you. Thank you. President lukashenko of belarus is in russia for talks with vladimir putin. Moscow has offered support for his regime despite weeks of mass protests over the disputed election there. 0ur correspondentjonah fisher is in minsk. What is he getting in moscow, a pat on the back a slap on the wrist . Or. On the back a slap on the wrist . Or. He is going to sochi but he doesnt go into talks in good shape, because he spent the last five weeks deploying his Security Forces on the streets here, to try and stop demonstrations taking place, calling for him to go, but he has not managed to do so. Yesterday there we re managed to do so. Yesterday there were more than 100,000 people on the streets calling for him to go. So products products, the man in charge here for the last 26 years, alexander lu kashenko needs here for the last 26 years, Alexander Lukashenko needs the support of russia and putin more than ever. What might president putin be asking of him . Well, russia has long wanted to deepen the already close relationship between russia and belarus, so there may well be a push for greater integration possibly belarus giving up integration possibly belarus giving up some of its sovereignty in return for president Alexander Lukashenko being able to hang on in power, it is also possible that having seen what has been taking place here on the streets of minsk, having seen how unpopular alexander lu kashenkos behind closed doors discussion in moscow are already turning to a possible replacement for him, president putin doesnt want to reward the demonstrators here by allowing one of the opposition figures who have merged to come in and take over, but no doubt there will have been some talks taking place as to find someone who in the months to come could take over from a very damaged president Alexander Lukashenko. Thank you. Thank you. Political leaders on americas west coast have accused President Trump of being in denial about climate change, as three states battle unprecedented wildfires. More than 30 people have died in california, oregon, and washington states in recent weeks. Mr trump has blamed the crisis on poor forest management. Simonjones reports. Some of the biggest fires the west coast has ever witnessed, raging now for three weeks. The scale and the sheer number of them pushing firefighters to their limits. High winds are now threatening to fan the flames even further. An eerie quiet has descended on berry creek in california where the fires have been extinguished, but its still too dangerous for residents to return, they just have to wait out of town. But they are the lucky ones, some didnt get out alive. In this city in oregon, some people have been allowed back, but to a scene of complete devastation. The valentine family are left sifting through what was once their home. The clement family moved to berry creek after their previous home was destroyed by the huge fire of 2018. Now they have seen it happen again. I said better get out now and when i came around the bend, everything was on fire. Just. Entire hillsides and so i ended up driving through and you could not see 50 feet. The community is rallying around. Going through this again isnt easy, but at least some knew what to expect. It may turn bad, so grab everything important this time. Dont expect to come back, because, you know, you may not. And we ended up not. President trump will visit the area today with a row over the cause of the fires raging. He blames poor forest management, democrats say its down to climate change. But for firefighters, the immediate concern is saving lives. Simon jones, bbc news. A new digital exhibition of photographs taken by people during lockdown has been launched by the National Portrait gallery. The project was led by the duchess of cambridge and involved more than 30,000 photos. Its designed to capture the resilience of the british people at one of the most challenging periods of our history. Sarah campbell has been taking a look. Moments captured on camera during lockdown, every picture telling a story. Titled be safe daddy, a cuddle between a father and daughter before his next shift working as a paramedic. Loved ones separated by glass in last precious moments, and empty three year old leos mother, who took the picture, said she experienced panic and a fear that this would be the new normal. This was a project initiated by the duchess of cambridge herself a keen photographer and she, along with four other judges, had the job of whittling the thousands of entries to just 100. I felt really strongly that i really wanted to try and create a portrait of the nation that sort of captures the fears and the hopes and, you know, the feelings of the nation at this really extraordinary time. The images convey the difficulties faced by so many. Kerry hayles from bridgend, after three hours working in ppe, titled her portrait this is what broken looks like. In the first kiss, a father captures the moment his newborn son tries to kiss his mother despite the plastic barrier. The judging process itself was really interesting and very moving and obviously going through those images and seeing all those different stories, some of which are, you know, joyful and heart warming, some of which are profoundly moving or even harrowing, it is something that i think has really stayed with all of us. A Rainbow Playground at a school in norfolk, short cut features a tense diy haircut using dog clippers, and taken by big sister marcella, home schooling in dagenham. Congratulating all those who submitted a portrait, the queen has said in a statement that she had been inspired to see how the photographs have captured the resilience of the british people at such a challenging time. Sarah campbell, bbc news. Time for a look at the weather. It is hot, ben. Yes, indeed simon, for most of us very warm weather today, certainly for the time of year but the weekend brought something very different across the north west of scotland. Heavy