UK soldier and two Americans killed in rocket attack in Iraq - BBC News

Three people have been killed after a base hosting US and UK troops in Iraq was hit by a rocket attack.

At least 12 people were injured in the attack on the Taji military camp, north of Baghdad.

US military sources said an American soldier, an American contractor and a British soldier were killed. No names have yet been released.

Tension has been high since the US killed senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in January.

A retaliatory Iranian strike on al-Asad - another base hosting US troops - on 8 January left more than 100 soldiers suffering from traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

However, both Iran and the US appeared then to want to draw a line under the matter and there have been no major flare-ups since.

• What is the future for US troops in Iraq?
• Soleimani: Who was Iran's 'rock star' general?

A statement from the US-led coalition in Iraq and Syria confirmed that 18 rockets had struck the base and three coalition personnel had been killed.

In an earlier tweet, a spokesman for the coalition said the attack happened at 19:35 local time (16:35 GMT) on Wednesday. He added that an investigation had been launched.

The UK Ministry of Defence said in a statement that the British soldier who was killed was a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

"The service person's family have been informed and have requested a period of privacy before further details are released," the statement said.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace called the attack a "cowardly and retrograde act".

He said his thoughts were with the families of those killed or injured, adding: "We shall not forget their sacrifice and will ensure those who committed these acts face justice."

Earlier, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the attack was "deplorable".

"The foreign secretary has spoken to the US secretary of state and we will continue to liaise with our international partners to fully understand the details of this abhorrent attack," he said.

No-one has said they were responsible for the attack and the US and UK have not yet attributed blame. But, in the past, Washington has accused Iran-backed factions in Iraq of carrying out similar strikes.

There have been reports of retaliatory air strikes elsewhere in Iraq, close to the Syrian border, but these have not been confirmed.

Why is Iraq drawn into the US-Iran confrontation?

Tensions between the arch-foes intensified last year, after Iran-backed militia fighters targeted US military and civilian personnel in a series of rocket attacks. There were also unclaimed air strikes in Iraq targeting militia facilities and Iranian officials.

In late December, a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base killed a US civilian contractor.

The US blamed the powerful Kataib Hezbollah militia, which is part of the paramilitary Popular Mobilisation force. It carried out air strikes on its bases in western Iraq and eastern Syria that left at least 25 fighters dead.

The US embassy in Baghdad was then attacked by crowds of protesters and President Donald Trump warned Iran it would "pay a very big price".

On 3 January, Mr Trump authorised a drone strike near Baghdad airport that killed Soleimani - commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Quds Force and architect of Iranian policy in the Middle East - and Kataib Hezbollah leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

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Five days later, Iran launched ballistic missiles at Iraqi bases hosting US forces. The attack did not kill any troops but more than 100 were later diagnosed with concussion.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said the missile attack was "a slap in the face" for the US and vowed to end the American presence in the region.

What is the status of US troops in Iraq?

There are about 5,000 US military personnel and hundreds more from other countries in Iraq as part of a global coalition against the jihadist group Islamic State (IS).

The coalition is tasked with advising and assisting Iraqi security forces trying to prevent a resurgence of IS, which was defeated militarily in Iraq in 2017 but still has thousands of militants in the country.

On Sunday, two US soldiers were killed during a raid on an IS hideout in the Qarachogh mountains of central Iraq.

The coalition's forces remain in Iraq at the government's invitation, but the Iraqi parliament has passed a bill demanding that the invitation be rescinded.

The UK, meanwhile, has 400 troops based in the Middle East and works alongside US forces in the region.

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2020-03-12 05:08:21Z
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Coronavirus: Biggest daily rise as UK cases reach 460 - BBC News

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK has now reached 460, after the biggest rise in a single day.

Six patients with coronavirus have died in hospitals in the UK - the latest was a man in his early 80s in Watford who had underlying health conditions.

NHS England plans to expand the number of people it can test in a day to 10,000, up from 1,500.

It comes as the World Health Organization upgraded the status of the outbreak to a pandemic.

It is expected that confirmation of positive test results will be sped up in the UK with most people receiving them within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, a 53-year-old British woman has become the first person with Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, to die in Indonesia, according to local media reports.

It is not clear whether the woman - who was reportedly critically ill with multiple health conditions - died due to the virus.

On Wednesday, the Department of Health confirmed there had been 83 more cases since Tuesday. In all, 27,476 people have been tested so far.

Later, Wales confirmed four new cases.

There are now 387 confirmed cases in England, 36 in Scotland, 18 in Northern Ireland and 19 in Wales.

Scotland and Wales have also seen their first cases of community transmission - meaning the virus was contracted in the UK and is unrelated to travel.

Of the cases in England, London has the highest number, with 104. South-east England is the next highest infected area, with 60 cases, followed by south-west England with 44 cases.

Earlier, Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered the Budget and pledged the NHS would get "whatever resources it needs" during the crisis - whether it needed "millions of pounds or billions".

He said workers who fell ill would be able to get a sick note by ringing 111 rather than visiting a GP, and people who were self-employed who were off work because of the virus would be eligible for benefits from day one.

For businesses, Mr Sunak promised a temporary coronavirus loan scheme to help small and medium-sized companies and said the government would rebate firms with up to 250 people for the cost of statutory sick pay.

• At-a-glance: Budget key points

Advice to tourists in Italy

The Foreign Office has issued a travel update for British nationals in Italy, urging all remaining tourists to contact their airline operators and return back to the UK.

People were still able to leave Italy without restrictions and airports were still open, the Foreign Office added.

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Italy is the European country worst-hit by the coronavirus outbreak, with the whole of the country currently in lockdown.

Earlier this week, tourist Hannah Butcher from Newbury, who was in Rome, said it was "the weirdest holiday" she had ever been on, with one-in one-out rules to get into shops and families having to sit apart in restaurants.

The UK is currently in the "contain" phase of its four-part plan to deal with coronavirus, which causes the disease Covid-19.

Later on Wednesday, Boris Johnson is expected to welcome tech companies including Facebook, Google, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon to No 10 to discuss efforts to tackle fake news about coronavirus and how to keep the public informed.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock will also give a statement to MPs.

In other developments:

• About 135 British passengers and crew members from the Grand Princess cruise ship in the port of Oakland, California - which was quarantined after an outbreak of coronavirus on board - will land in Birmingham later on Wednesday. They will be tested and, if the results are negative, go into self-isolation
• The bank Barclay's is deep cleaning its London office in Canary Wharf after an employee tested positive
• The chief executive of NHS England Sir Simon Stevens announced plans to invite "up to 18,000 third year undergraduate nurses to help out on the frontline"
• Uber has said any driver or delivery person with coronavirus will receive "financial assistance for up to 14 days" - although it is not clear how much
• Conservative health minister Nadine Dorries and one of her staff members have tested positive for the virus. A Labour MP and a constituent who came in to contact with the minister are self-isolating. The government said there were no plans to test any ministers or the prime minister, Boris Johnson
• The Bank of England earlier announced an emergency cut in interest rates from 0.75% to 0.25% in response to the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak
• Manchester City's Premier League match against Arsenal on Wednesday has been postponed as several Arsenal players are in self-isolation after coming into contact with Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis, who tested positive for the virus
• Ireland has recorded its first coronavirus-related death, after a patient died in the east of the country on Wednesday

---

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2020-03-11 16:26:36Z
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Coronavirus: Biggest daily rise as UK cases reach 456 - BBC News

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK has now reached 456, the biggest rise in a single day.

The Department of Health confirmed there had been 83 more cases since Tuesday. Six patients with coronavirus have died in hospitals in the UK.

It comes as NHS England plans to expand the number of people it can test in a day to 10,000, up from 1,500.

Confirmation of positive test results will also be sped up with most people receiving them within 24 hours.

The latest person to die with the virus in the UK was a man in his early 80s in Watford who had underlying health conditions.

Meanwhile, a 53-year-old British woman has become the first person with Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, to die in Indonesia, according to local media reports.

It is not clear whether the woman - who was reportedly critically ill with multiple health conditions - died due to the virus.

According to the latest figures from the Department of Health, so far 27,476 people have been tested in the UK as of 9:00 GMT on Wednesday.

The figures show 387 of the confirmed cases are in England, 36 are in Scotland, 18 are in Northern Ireland and 15 are in Wales.

It is the largest day on day jump, with cases more than doubling in four days.

Of the cases in England, London has the highest number, with 104. South-east England is the next highest infected area, with 60 cases, followed by south-west England with 44 cases.

Earlier, Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered the Budget and pledged the NHS would get "whatever resources it needs" during the crisis - whether it needed "millions of pounds or billions".

He said workers who fell ill would be able to get a sick note by ringing 111 rather than visiting a GP, and people who were self-employed who were off work because of the virus would be eligible for benefits from day one.

For businesses, Mr Sunak promised a temporary coronavirus loan scheme to help small and medium-sized companies and said the government would rebate firms with up to 250 people for the cost of statutory sick pay.

• At-a-glance: Budget key points

Advice to tourists in Italy

The Foreign Office has issued a travel update for British nationals in Italy, urging all remaining tourists to contact their airline operators and return back to the UK.

People were still able to leave Italy without restrictions and airports were still open, the Foreign Office added.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Italy is the European country worst-hit by the coronavirus outbreak, with the whole of the country currently in lockdown.

Earlier this week, tourist Hannah Butcher from Newbury, who was in Rome, said it was "the weirdest holiday" she had ever been on, with one-in one-out rules to get into shops and families having to sit apart in restaurants.

The UK is currently in the "contain" phase of its four-part plan to deal with coronavirus. Health Secretary Matt Hancock is due to give a statement to MPs later.

In other developments:

• About 135 British passengers and crew members from the Grand Princess cruise ship in the port of Oakland, California - which was quarantined after an outbreak of coronavirus on board - will land in Birmingham later on Wednesday. They will be tested and, if the results are negative, go into self-isolation
• The bank Barclay's is deep cleaning its London office in Canary Wharf after an employee tested positive
• The chief executive of NHS England Sir Simon Stevens announced plans to invite "up to 18,000 third year undergraduate nurses to help out on the frontline"
• Uber has said any driver or delivery person with coronavirus will receive "financial assistance for up to 14 days" - although it is not clear how much
• Conservative health minister Nadine Dorries and one of her staff members have tested positive for the virus. A Labour MP and a constituent who came in to contact with the minister are self-isolating. The government said there were no plans to test any ministers or the prime minister, Boris Johnson
• The Bank of England earlier announced an emergency cut in interest rates from 0.75% to 0.25% in response to the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak
• Manchester City's Premier League match against Arsenal on Wednesday has been postponed as several Arsenal players are in self-isolation after coming into contact with Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis, who tested positive for the virus

---

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Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

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2020-03-11 14:14:26Z
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Boris Johnson won't be tested despite UK health minister contracting coronavirus - CNN

Nadine Dorries, who attended a reception with the PM and his fiancé Carrie Symonds in Downing Street last Thursday, said in a statement on Tuesday that she had been diagnosed with the virus and is in self-isolation.

A government source said on Wednesday Johnson would not be tested, as he was displaying no symptoms and had not come in close contact with Dorries at the event. They pointed out the current medical advice claims you would need to be within 2 meters of someone carrying the infection, which Johnson at no point was.

Health officials are now racing to trace those who have had contact with Dorries, who has kept a busy diary of engagements in and around the UK's political center.

"I can confirm I have tested positive for Coronavirus," Dorries, a junior health minister, said in a statement released through the Department of Health. "As soon as I was informed I took all the advised precautions and have been self-isolating at home."

"It's been pretty rubbish but I hope I'm over the worst of it now," Dorries added on Twitter. "More worried about my 84yo mum who is staying with me and began with the cough today. She is being tested tomorrow."

Her diagnosis also raises questions about whether Britain's Parliament will need to be temporarily shut down. Officials confirmed to CNN that there are still no plans to take such a step.

Dorries was at an International Women's Day event in Downing Street last week alongside the Prime Minister and his partner, several other MPs and staffers.

The effort to identify all those who have been in contact with Dorries has led officials to advise another lawmaker, Labour's Rachael Maskell, to go into self-isolation after she met with the minister.

"Thankfully I am asymptomatic. It is so important that we all follow all public health advice," Maskell said on Twitter Wednesday.

Dorries also sent a message to the Conservative MPs' WhatsApp group telling them that a member of her staff has fallen ill, PA Media news agency reported.

The UK's health secretary Matt Hancock, whose department has been leading Britain's coronavirus response, told lawmakers on Monday that he was against closing down Parliament as the outbreak spreads.

"Parliamentary scrutiny is incredibly important and I will do all that I can to ensure that Parliament remains open," Hancock said. Most MPs are expected on the estate on Wednesday, as the UK's annual budget is revealed.

Dorries' diagnosis comes as the UK's coronavirus cases near 400. Six people have died of the virus in the country.

Johnson on Monday set out his government's plan to tackle the outbreak, announcing a £46 million ($59 million) funding package to fight the spread.

But Johnson has resisted calls to follow a more drastic approach such as introducing a lockdown and banning public events.

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2020-03-11 13:05:00Z
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Boris Johnson won't be tested despite UK health minister contracting coronavirus - CNN

Nadine Dorries, who attended a reception with the PM and his fiancé Carrie Symonds in Downing Street last Thursday, said in a statement on Tuesday that she had been diagnosed with the virus and is in self-isolation.

A government source said on Wednesday Johnson would not be tested, as he was displaying no symptoms and had not come in close contact with Dorries at the event. They pointed out the current medical advice claims you would need to be within 2 meters of someone carrying the infection, which Johnson at no point was.

Health officials are now racing to trace those who have had contact with Dorries, who has kept a busy diary of engagements in and around the UK's political center.

"I can confirm I have tested positive for Coronavirus," Dorries, a junior health minister, said in a statement released through the Department of Health. "As soon as I was informed I took all the advised precautions and have been self-isolating at home."

"It's been pretty rubbish but I hope I'm over the worst of it now," Dorries added on Twitter. "More worried about my 84yo mum who is staying with me and began with the cough today. She is being tested tomorrow."

Her diagnosis also raises questions about whether Britain's Parliament will need to be temporarily shut down. Officials confirmed to CNN that there are still no plans to take such a step.

Dorries was at an International Women's Day event in Downing Street last week alongside the Prime Minister and his partner, several other MPs and staffers.

The effort to identify all those who have been in contact with Dorries has led officials to advise another lawmaker, Labour's Rachael Maskell, to go into self-isolation after she met with the minister.

"Thankfully I am asymptomatic. It is so important that we all follow all public health advice," Maskell said on Twitter Wednesday.

Dorries also sent a message to the Conservative MPs' WhatsApp group telling them that a member of her staff has fallen ill, PA Media news agency reported.

The UK's health secretary Matt Hancock, whose department has been leading Britain's coronavirus response, told lawmakers on Monday that he was against closing down Parliament as the outbreak spreads.

"Parliamentary scrutiny is incredibly important and I will do all that I can to ensure that Parliament remains open," Hancock said. Most MPs are expected on the estate on Wednesday, as the UK's annual budget is revealed.

Dorries' diagnosis comes as the UK's coronavirus cases near 400. Six people have died of the virus in the country.

Johnson on Monday set out his government's plan to tackle the outbreak, announcing a £46 million ($59 million) funding package to fight the spread.

But Johnson has resisted calls to follow a more drastic approach such as introducing a lockdown and banning public events.

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2020-03-11 12:20:33Z
52780658011563

UK health minister tests positive for coronavirus, days after attending gathering with Boris Johnson - CNN

Nadine Dorries, who attended a reception with the Prime Minister and his fiancé Carrie Symonds in Downing Street last Thursday, said in a statement on Tuesday that she had been diagnosed with the virus and is in self-isolation.

Health officials are now racing to trace those who have had contact with Dorries, who has kept a busy diary of engagements in and around the UK's political center.

"I can confirm I have tested positive for Coronavirus," Dorries, a junior health minister, said in a statement released through the Department of Health. "As soon as I was informed I took all the advised precautions and have been self-isolating at home."

"It's been pretty rubbish but I hope I'm over the worst of it now," Dorries added on Twitter. "More worried about my 84yo mum who is staying with me and began with the cough today. She is being tested tomorrow."

Her diagnosis also raises questions about whether Britain's Parliament will need to be temporarily shut down. Officials confirmed to CNN that there are still no plans to take such a step.

Dorries was at an International Women's Day event in Downing Street last week alongside the Prime Minister and his partner, several other MPs and staffers.

The effort to identify all those who have been in contact with Dorries has led officials to advise another lawmaker, Labour's Rachael Maskell, to go into self-isolation after she met with the minister.

"Thankfully I am asymptomatic. It is so important that we all follow all public health advice," Maskell said on Twitter Wednesday.

Dorries also sent a message to the Conservative MPs' WhatsApp group telling them that a member of her staff has fallen ill, PA Media news agency reported.

The UK's health secretary Matt Hancock, whose department has been leading Britain's coronavirus response, told lawmakers on Monday that he was against closing down Parliament as the outbreak spreads.

"Parliamentary scrutiny is incredibly important and I will do all that I can to ensure that Parliament remains open," Hancock said. Most MPs are expected on the estate on Wednesday, as the UK's annual budget is revealed.

Dorries' diagnosis comes as the UK's coronavirus cases near 400. Six people have died of the virus in the country.

Johnson on Monday set out his government's plan to tackle the outbreak, announcing a £46 million ($59 million) funding package to fight the spread.

But Johnson has resisted calls to follow a more drastic approach such as introducing a lockdown and banning public events.

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2020-03-11 11:17:18Z
52780658011563

UK interest rates cut in emergency move - BBC News

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The Bank of England has announced an emergency cut in interest rates to shore up the economy amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Policymakers reduced rates from 0.75% to 0.25%, taking borrowing costs back down to the lowest level in history.

The Bank said it would also free up billions of pounds of extra lending power to help banks support firms.

It comes as the chancellor is expected to announce further measures to support growth and jobs in the Budget later.

'Maximum impact'

Mark Carney, the outgoing governor of the Bank of England, said policymakers had seen a "sharp fall in trading conditions", including spending on non-essential goods.

"The Bank of England's role is to help UK businesses and households manage through an economic shock that could prove large and sharp, but should be temporary," he said.

• Live: Follow latest from the Budget

He said the Bank's co-ordinated action on Budget day was designed to have "maximum impact".

Mr Carney stressed that the economic damage caused by the coronavirus remained unclear. However, he suggested that the UK economy could shrink in the coming months.

He said early evidence from China suggested that the world's second largest economy was on course to contract in the first quarter.

Other nations were experiencing a "similar shift", he said.

"I would emphasise the direction is clear, though the orders of magnitude are still to be determined."

While the Bank's last emergency rate cut was in October 2008, Mr Carney said the virus was unlikely to inflict the damage seen during the financial crisis.

"There is no reason for it to be as bad as 2008 if we act as we have, and if there is that targeted support," he said.

Virus spread

The emergency rate cut comes as a sixth person died from the virus in the UK, which has a total of 382 cases.

The latest person to die was a man in his early 80s who had underlying health conditions.

Meanwhile, Manchester City's Premier League match against Arsenal on Wednesday has been postponed as "a precautionary measure" because of the outbreak.

A number of Arsenal players are in self-isolation after coming into contact with Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis, who tested positive for the virus..

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has pledged to help the UK battle the impact of the coronavirus, saying the NHS will get "whatever resources it needs" during the crisis, while he is also expected to unveil measures to boost the self-employed and small businesses who are left out of pocket.

Meanwhile, NHS England said it was scaling up its capacity for testing people for the infection, with the number of cases set to rise.

How will the rate cut affect your finances?

The sudden cut in the Bank rate will immediately reduce the mortgage bill of a minority of homeowners. Others will have to wait to see how their home loan provider reacts at a time when mortgage rates are already at very low levels.

Little will change for savers, who have had to endure years of low returns anyway. They may take heart from the fact this is a temporary measure from the Bank.

Most people are, of course, savers and borrowers.

As well as concern over their physical health from coronavirus, their financial health will primarily depend on their job.

This emergency action is clearly designed to help protect businesses, particularly small and medium-sized ones, and in turn the employment of millions of people.

• What the rate cut means for you

Extra lending

The interest rate cut was part of a package of measures introduced by the Bank to support the economy.

It also announced a new £100bn scheme to help ensure households and businesses - particularly small and medium-sized firms - benefit from the reduction in interest rates.

The Bank of England said other changes would free up an additional £190bn for banks to lend.

It said the package of measures would "help UK businesses and households bridge across the economic disruption that is likely to be associated with Covid-19".

The Bank said it expected UK economic activity to "weaken materially" over the coming months, but it was ready to take "all further necessary steps to support the UK economy".

"These measures will help to keep firms in business and people in jobs and help prevent a temporary disruption from causing longer-lasting economic harm."

Initially, the pound fell against both the euro and the dollar in reaction to the rate cut, but then rebounded.

Share markets reacted positively, with the FTSE 100 rising more than 2% in early trading.

Separate data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the UK economy stagnated in the three months to January.

The dramatic emergency rate cut will dominate the headlines, but it is the overall package of measures which the departing Bank of England governor Mark Carney will stress as a support for the economy in this extraordinary coronavirus crisis.

The key target of this move is the cashflow of small and medium-sized businesses, which could be hit by a combination of slumping demand, trade difficulties and staff absence.

The Bank and Treasury agree that this will be a temporary shock. The aim, therefore, is to prevent unnecessary permanent economic scars. Alongside Budget measures, it is designed as a bridge beyond the virus.

So the Bank's base rate is slashed to its record low, first reached in the aftermath of the EU referendum. But as important is the new TFSME - the "Term Funding scheme with additional incentives for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises".

This proved rather successful after the EU referendum, and the aim is to get the banks to pass on the rate cut in full to businesses, particularly small and medium-sized firms, which face the greatest pressure to cut staff or hours in a crisis.

The deployment of the counter-cyclical buffer, lowering capital requirements for banks by 2%, was designed for exactly this sort of rainy day. It should provide the firepower for banks to boost lending well above current lending levels.

To be clear, coronavirus is unique and highly unpredictable. There is a fundamental problem of people and businesses not being able to function because of the measures to contain the virus. The message from the Bank is that the banking system is fully padded up to help businesses get through this.

Have you been affected by issues covered in this story? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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2020-03-11 07:04:03Z
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