Selasa, 10 November 2020

Boris Johnson congratulates US president-elect Joe Biden on election victory in phone call - Sky News

Boris Johnson says he has spoken with president-elect Joe Biden and congratulated him on his election victory.

The prime minister said in a tweet: "I look forward to strengthening the partnership between our countries and to working with him on our shared priorities - from tackling climate change, to promoting democracy and building back better from the pandemic."

The call took place at around 4pm and lasted approximately 25 minutes.

In the wake of Mr Biden's triumph over Donald Trump there have been suggestions, dismissed by ministers and Downing Street, that the relationship between Mr Johnson and Mr Biden will not be as close as the one the PM enjoyed with Mr Trump.

The president has been a vocal supporter of both Mr Johnson and Brexit, while Mr Biden has been far more lukewarm.

He has been critical of the UK's plans to override parts of the Brexit divorce agreement in relation to Northern Ireland if no trade deal is reached with the EU.

Mr Biden, who has Irish heritage, warned in the run-up to the US election about the Good Friday Agreement becoming a "casualty" of Brexit.

More from Politics

During the call the PM and president-elect talked about the importance of implementing Brexit in such a way that upholds the Good Friday Agreement, with Mr Johnson assuring Mr Biden that would be the case.

The Internal Market Bill was not raised specifically.

Downing Street said in a statement that Mr Johnson had "warmly congratulated" Mr Biden on his victory and "also conveyed his congratulations to vice president-elect Kamala Harris on her historic achievement".

Ms Harris is the first female vice president, as well as the first woman of African-American and South Asian-American descent to get the job.

A Number 10 spokesperson added: "They discussed the close and longstanding relationship between our countries and committed to building on this partnership in the years ahead, in areas such as trade and security - including through NATO.

"The prime minister and president-elect also looked forward to working closely together on their shared priorities, from tackling climate change, to promoting democracy, and building back better from the coronavirus pandemic.

"The prime minister invited the president-elect to attend the COP26 climate change summit that the UK is hosting in Glasgow next year.

"They also looked forward to seeing each other in person, including when the UK hosts the G7 Summit in 2021."

Irish PM Micheal Martin has also spoken with the president-elect.

In a message on his Twitter account, Mr Martin said he had a "warm and engaging call with Mr Biden, who "underlined his commitment to the Good Friday Agreement".

The call comes after it was revealed that Mr Johnson's initial message of congratulations to the president-elect retained traces of Mr Trump's name.

PM tweet Joe Biden
Image: Boris Johnson's message of congratulations to Joe Biden
PM tweet Joe Biden
Image: The hidden words include a reference to 'Trump'
PM tweet about Joe Biden
Image: Zooming in and altering the brightness and contrast of the image reveals the outlines of previous words

On Saturday, the PM offered his congratulations to Mr Biden and Ms Harris in a message on his Twitter account.

However, it has since been spotted that altering the brightness and contrast of the graphic attached to the tweet reveals the outline of what appears to be a previous statement.

Above the word "Biden" the word "Trump" can be seen, while the outlines of other words can also be found.

A government spokesperson said: "As you'd expect, two statements were prepared in advance for the outcome of this closely-contested election.

"A technical error meant that parts of the alternative message were embedded in the background of the graphic."

Mr Trump has still yet to concede defeat in the US presidential election and has repeatedly claimed to have "won" the election.

He has also made unsubstantiated claims of fraud in the election process.

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2020-11-10 17:26:15Z
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Catholic Church abuse: Cardinal Vincent Nichols criticised over leadership - BBC News

Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols
Arthur Edwards/REUTERS

The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has, at times, shown he cares more about the impact of abuse on the Church's reputation than on the victims, a report says.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse criticised the leadership of Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, and the Vatican.

The cardinal said the church was "deeply sorry this happened".

He told the BBC he had offered to resign but been told to stay by Rome.

The cardinal said he accepted the findings of the report and he wanted to "assure everyone we are here to learn and improve".

The report, the latest in a series of publications from the IICSA, said that child sexual abuse was "far from a solely historical issue", adding that more than 100 allegations of abuse had been reported each year since 2016.

Between 1970 and 2015, the Church received more than 3,000 complaints of child sexual abuse against more than 900 individuals connected to the Church, the inquiry found.

Those complaints involved more than 1,750 victims and complainants, but the report said the true scale of abuse was much higher and would likely never be known.

The inquiry said the Catholic Church's "explicit moral purpose has been betrayed by those who sexually abused children, and by those who turned a blind eye and failed to take action against perpetrators".

It said the cardinal, who apologised for the Church's actions when he gave evidence, "did not always exercise the leadership expected of a senior member of the Church, at times preferring to protect the reputation of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales and in Rome".

It added that Cardinal Nichols had shown "no acknowledgement of any personal responsibility to lead or influence change".

"Nor did he demonstrate compassion towards victims in the recent cases which we examined," it said.

The report said that two previous inquiries into abuse in the Church, by Lord Nolan in 2001 and Lady Cumberlege in 2007, had brought change and improvements, but their recommendations had been implemented too slowly and not in full.

It highlighted that in 2016, internal correspondence between members of the Diocese of Westminster's safeguarding commission described a victim of sexual abuse as "manipulative" and "needy".

The report states: "Real and lasting changes to attitudes have some way to go if the Roman Catholic Church is to shake off the failures of the past."

One of the "repeated failures" highlighted in IICSA report was the case of Father James Robinson, a serial paedophile, who was moved to another parish within the Archdiocese of Birmingham after complaints were first made in the 1980s.

He later fled to the US but was extradited back to the UK where he was convicted in 2010 of 21 sexual offences against four boys and jailed for 21 years.

The report said "appalling sexual abuse" was inflicted on pupils at Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, and its adjoining junior school.

Five people connected to the school have been convicted or cautioned in relation to "offences involving sexual activity with a large number of children, or offences concerning pornography", the report said.

One of them was Father Piers Grant-Ferris who was moved to at least six other parishes after allegations of abuse came to light 1975.

He was convicted of indecent assault against 15 boys in 2006.

'Seismic shift needed'

The inquiry also criticised the Vatican, describing its actions as in "direct contrast with Pope Francis's public statement on child sexual abuse".

In 2019, the Pope called for "concrete and effective actions that involve everyone in the Church".

The Holy See did not provide a statement to the inquiry and the ambassador at the time refused to give evidence.

One abuse survivor said it was bad enough to have been abused but "to have it dismissed and covered up just takes even more of a toll on you".

Another survivor, who gave evidence to the inquiry, said "thousands of pounds have been spent by the Diocese of Westminster in employing lawyers to keep me at arm's length" as they continued to make their case.

They added: "The church needs a seismic shift in culture, especially at the top. If there is any hope at all of real change it will require a relinquishing of power, and a will to treat survivors as human beings."

'Deeply regretful and sorry'

Cardinal Nichols said he had offered to resign upon turning 75 this month, this was not in relation to the abuse or report but a requirement of church law.

He added: "The things in this report are in the public sphere, and I'm sure they've been taken into account, but the response I've got is very unambiguous. It is to stay, and stay I will."

Responding to the report, Cardinal Nichols said: "I'm not here to defend myself... I am here to say we accept this report, we are grateful to IICSA for bringing the light and giving public space to those who have been abused, we are deeply sorry this happened."

He added: "Today is more about me saying again, on behalf of everybody in the Catholic Church, how deeply, deeply regretful and sorry I am that anybody suffered, and that so many suffered is a terrible shame with which I must live and from which I must learn."

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2020-11-10 14:06:00Z
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GCSE and A-level exams in Wales cancelled for 2021 - BBC News

Pupils in classroom
Getty Images

Wales' GCSE, AS and A-level exams in summer 2021 are to be cancelled, with grades based on classroom assessments.

Education Minister Kirsty Williams said it was impossible to guarantee a level playing field for exams due to the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic.

Head teachers would work on a "national approach" to ensure consistency, she said.

Assessments will be done under teacher supervision, and will begin in the second half of the spring term.

They will be externally set and marked but delivered within the classroom.

1px transparent line

She added cancelling exams would also give time for teaching to continue through the summer term.

Teachers would have flexibility on when to take the assessments, within the "context of results timelines".

However one teaching union questioned whether the announcement would mean ending up with "exams by stealth".

Why have the exams been cancelled?

Confirming the decision, Ms Williams said: "The wellbeing of learners and ensuring fairness across the system is central in our decision making process.

"We remain optimistic that the public heath situation will improve, but the primary reason for my decision is down to fairness; the time learners will spend in schools and colleges will vary hugely and, in this situation, it is impossible to guarantee a level playing field for exams to take place.

"We have consulted with universities across the UK and they have confirmed that they are used to accepting many different types of qualifications."

Ms Williams said it remained a "highly challenging year" but the announcement would remove pressures from learners and provide "clear time for teaching and learning".

What do students think?

Cerys Harris
Cerys Harris

A-level student Cerys Harris, 17, from Rhyl, has already had four weeks of self-isolation this term because of cases in her "bubble".

She wants to go to start a degree next September in England.

Although the education minister has said universities across the UK have confirmed they are "used to accepting many different types of qualifications", Cerys said she did not feel reassured, and was looking forward to more detail as to how the system is going to work.

"I've taken from [the announcement] that exams are cancelled, but it's not very straightforward," she told BBC Wales.

Fellow Rhyl A-level student Jonathon Dawes, who studies at Coleg Cambria and is also a member of the Welsh Youth Parliament, said he welcomed the decision, but was looking forward to getting more detail.

"I'm looking forward to more guidance coming out to make sure it's as fair and transparent as possible, to make sure pupils get the grades they deserve and it's not different from school to school."

What is the situation elsewhere in the UK?

In England, exams are still going ahead but have been moved back by three weeks to allow for more teaching time, and with reduced content in some subjects.

In Scotland, the GCSE-equivalent National 5 exams are cancelled and replaced by teacher assessments and coursework, but Higher and Advanced Higher exams will just be delayed by two weeks.

Exams in Northern Ireland are still going ahead but the number of papers in some subjects has been reduced.

'The right decision for young people'

Exam regulator Qualifications Wales, which advised the minister on her decision, said: "We recognise this has been a difficult decision and there are no easy answers. We are considering the decision and what it could mean in practice.

"In the meantime, we will provide advice to the Independent Design and Delivery Advisory Group."

Wales secretary of the National Education Union David Evans said: "We must ensure that young people have a consistent assessment process in place which means their abilities are recognised for their next steps.

"But this must not mean extra work for everyone involved - both staff and students alike. The education system is already struggling."

Children's Commissioner Sally Holland said Ms Williams had made the right decision.

She said: "This should be a year of learning, not worry. Young people should now rest assured that the decision will enable them to work towards their qualifications."

Her words were echoed by Eithne Hughes, director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, who said it would maximise "fairness" for students.

"This is the right decision for our young people," she added.

"It recognises the fact that they will have been affected to differing extents by the impact of the pandemic and it allows for as much teaching time as possible to catch-up with lost learning."

But the head of the school leaders' union NAHT raised concerns of ending up with "exams by stealth".

Ruth Davies said: "It has been announced that pupils will still be given externally set and marked tests, just in the classroom.

"We can't see how that isn't an exam. There is an awful lot of detail still to be determined, and we await further clarification, but we are worried we will end up with exams in all but name."

Future Generations Commissioners Sophie Howe said GCSEs should be permanently replaced with assessments which were centred around pupils "not testing".

Who was consulted over the decision?

The 2020 exams were cancelled following the start of the first lockdown and results were eventually based on teacher-predicted grades.

Ms Williams said her decision for the 2021 exams came after she considered detailed advice from Qualifications Wales on available options as well as interim findings of a review of the 2020 exam process.

She also spoke to students, school and college leaders, universities and the children's commissioner.

She said: "In line with the recommendations of both Qualifications Wales and the Independent Review, there will be no exams for GCSE or AS level learners next year.

"A-level students will also not be required to sit exams."

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2020-11-10 13:17:00Z
52781179025712

GCSE and A-level exams in Wales cancelled for 2021 - BBC News

Pupils in classroom
Getty Images

Wales' GCSE, AS and A-level exams in summer 2021 are to be cancelled, with grades based on classroom assessments.

Education Minister Kirsty Williams said it was impossible to guarantee a level playing field for exams due to the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic.

Head teachers would work on a "national approach" to ensure consistency, she said.

Assessments will be done under teacher supervision, and will begin in the second half of the spring term.

They will be externally set and marked but delivered within the classroom.

1px transparent line

She added cancelling exams would also give time for teaching to continue through the summer term.

Teachers would have flexibility on when to take the assessments, within the "context of results timelines".

However one teaching union questioned whether the announcement would mean ending up with "exams by stealth".

Why have the exams been cancelled?

Confirming the decision, Ms Williams said: "The wellbeing of learners and ensuring fairness across the system is central in our decision making process.

"We remain optimistic that the public heath situation will improve, but the primary reason for my decision is down to fairness; the time learners will spend in schools and colleges will vary hugely and, in this situation, it is impossible to guarantee a level playing field for exams to take place.

"We have consulted with universities across the UK and they have confirmed that they are used to accepting many different types of qualifications."

Ms Williams said it remained a "highly challenging year" but the announcement would remove pressures from learners and provide "clear time for teaching and learning".

What do students think?

Cerys Harris
Cerys Harris

A-level student Cerys Harris, 17, from Rhyl, has already had four weeks of self-isolation this term because of cases in her "bubble".

She wants to go to start a degree next September in England.

Although the education minister has said universities across the UK have confirmed they are "used to accepting many different types of qualifications", Cerys said she did not feel reassured, and was looking forward to more detail as to how the system is going to work.

"I've taken from [the announcement] that exams are cancelled, but it's not very straightforward," she told BBC Wales.

Fellow Rhyl A-level student Jonathon Dawes, who studies at Coleg Cambria and is also a member of the Welsh Youth Parliament, said he welcomed the decision, but was looking forward to getting more detail.

"I'm looking forward to more guidance coming out to make sure it's as fair and transparent as possible, to make sure pupils get the grades they deserve and it's not different from school to school."

'The right decision for young people'

Exam regulator Qualifications Wales, which advised the minister on her decision, said: "We recognise this has been a difficult decision and there are no easy answers. We are considering the decision and what it could mean in practice.

"In the meantime, we will provide advice to the Independent Design and Delivery Advisory Group."

  • 'I don't want exams to go ahead next year'
  • 'Scrap exams for 2021 after Covid disruption'

Children's Commissioner Sally Holland said Ms Williams had made the right decision.

She said: "This should be a year of learning, not worry. Young people should now rest assured that the decision will enable them to work towards their qualifications."

Her words were echoed by Eithne Hughes, director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, who said it would maximise "fairness" for students.

""This is the right decision for our young people," she added.

"It recognises the fact that they will have been affected to differing extents by the impact of the pandemic and it allows for as much teaching time as possible to catch-up with lost learning."

But the head of the school leaders' union NAHT raised concerns of ending up with "exams by stealth".

Ruth Davies said: "It has been announced that pupils will still be given externally set and marked tests, just in the classroom.

"We can't see how that isn't an exam. There is an awful lot of detail still to be determined, and we await further clarification, but we are worried we will end up with exams in all but name."

Who was consulted over the decision?

The 2020 exams were cancelled following the start of the first lockdown and results were eventually based on teacher-predicted grades.

Ms Williams said her decision for the 2021 exams came after she considered detailed advice from Qualifications Wales on available options as well as interim findings of a review of the 2020 exam process.

She also spoke to students, school and college leaders, universities and the children's commissioner.

She said: "In line with the recommendations of both Qualifications Wales and the Independent Review, there will be no exams for GCSE or AS level learners next year.

"A-level students will also not be required to sit exams."

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2020-11-10 12:31:00Z
52781179025712

GCSE and A-level exams in Wales cancelled for 2021 - BBC News

Pupils in classroom
Getty Images

Wales' GCSE, AS and A-level exams in summer 2021 are to be cancelled, with grades based on classroom assessments.

Education Minister Kirsty Williams said it was impossible to guarantee a level playing field for exams due to the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic.

Head teachers would work on a "national approach" to ensure consistency, she said.

Assessments will be done under teacher supervision, and will begin in the second half of the spring term.

They will be externally set and marked but delivered within the classroom.

1px transparent line

She added cancelling exams would also give time for teaching to continue through the summer term.

Teachers would have flexibility on when to take the assessments, within the "context of results timelines".

However one teaching union questioned whether the announcement would mean ending up with "exams by stealth".

Who was consulted over the decision?

Ms Williams said she had considered detailed advice from the exam regulator Qualifications Wales on available options as well as interim findings of a review of the 2020 exam process.

She also spoke to students, school and college leaders, universities and the children's commissioner.

The 2020 exams were cancelled following the start of the first lockdown and results were eventually based on teacher-predicted grades.

Confirming the decision, Ms Williams said: "The well-being of learners and ensuring fairness across the system is central in our decision making process.

"In line with the recommendations of both Qualifications Wales and the Independent Review, there will be no exams for GCSE or AS level learners next year.

"A-level students will also not be required to sit exams.

"We remain optimistic that the public heath situation will improve, but the primary reason for my decision is down to fairness; the time learners will spend in schools and colleges will vary hugely and, in this situation, it is impossible to guarantee a level playing field for exams to take place.

"We have consulted with universities across the UK and they have confirmed that they are used to accepting many different types of qualifications."

Ms Williams said it remained a highly challenging year, adding: "What I have announced today sets a course which removes pressures from learners and provides clear time for teaching and learning.

"I now look to our schools, colleges, qualifications bodies, and the wider education sector to work cooperatively and collaboratively through the year to support our learners and enable them to progress with confidence."

'The right decision for young people'

Qualifications Wales, which advised the minister on her decision, said: "We recognise this has been a difficult decision and there are no easy answers. We are considering the decision and what it could mean in practice.

"In the meantime, we will provide advice to the Independent Design and Delivery Advisory Group."

Children's Commissioner Sally Holland said Ms Williams had made the right decision.

She said: "This should be a year of learning, not worry. Young people should now rest assured that the decision will enable them to work towards their qualifications."

Her words were echoed by Eithne Hughes, director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, who said it would maximise "fairness" for students.

""This is the right decision for our young people," she added.

"It recognises the fact that they will have been affected to differing extents by the impact of the pandemic and it allows for as much teaching time as possible to catch-up with lost learning."

But the head of the school leaders' union NAHT raised concerns of ending up with "exams by stealth".

Ruth Davies said: ""It has been announced that pupils will still be given externally set and marked tests, just in the classroom.

"We can't see how that isn't an exam. There is an awful lot of detail still to be determined, and we await further clarification, but we are worried we will end up with exams in all but name."

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2020-11-10 12:13:00Z
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Chester hospital baby deaths probe: Nurse Lucy Letby rearrested - BBC News

Lucy Letby
SWNS

A nurse has been rearrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies and the attempted murder of another nine at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Lucy Letby was previously arrested in July 2018 and June last year as part of an investigation into deaths at the hospital's neo-natal unit.

Cheshire Police has said it is investigating the deaths of 17 infants between 2015 and 2016.

Ms Letby, originally from Hereford, remains in custody.

The force said its investigation was "extremely challenging" but "very much active and ongoing".

Det Insp Paul Hughes said: "Parents of all the babies have been kept fully updated on this latest development and they are continuing to be supported throughout the process by specially trained officers.

"This is an extremely difficult time for all the families and it is important to remember that, at the heart of this, there are a number of bereaved families seeking answers as to what happened to their children."

Countess of Chester Hospital
Dennis Turner/Geograph

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2020-11-10 10:14:00Z
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Nurse is re-arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies and trying to kill another nine - Daily Mail

Nurse is re-arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies and trying to kill another nine at the Countess of Chester hospital neonatal unit

  • Lucy Letby was previously arrested in 2018 and 2019 and is in custody again
  • Cheshire Police said today she was helping officers with their enquiries
  • The investigation into the tragedies has been running for more than three years 

A healthcare professional has been re-arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies and trying to kill another nine at a neonatal unit. 

The woman, arrested on Tuesday, is understood to be nurse Lucy Letby, who was previously arrested in 2018 and 2019 over the tragedies at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Hughes, of Cheshire Police, said: 'In July 2018, a healthcare professional was arrested on suspicion of murder in relation to the deaths of eight babies and the attempted murder of six babies at the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital. She was subsequently bailed pending further inquiries.

'In June 2019, the healthcare professional was re-arrested on suspicion of murder in relation to the deaths of eight babies and the attempted murder of six babies. She was also arrested in connection with the attempted murder of three additional babies.

'Today, as part of our ongoing inquiries, the healthcare professional has been re-arrested on suspicion of murder in relation to the deaths of eight babies and the attempted murder of nine babies.

'The woman is currently in custody helping officers with their inquiries.' 

Lucy Letby, pictured, has been re-arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies and trying to kill another nine at the Countess of Chester Hospital neo-natal unit

Lucy Letby, pictured, has been re-arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies and trying to kill another nine at the Countess of Chester Hospital neo-natal unit

Detectives launched an investigation into infant deaths at the hospital in May 2017, initially looking at the deaths of 15 babies between June 2015 and June 2016.

The probe later widened to the deaths of 17 babies and 16 non-fatal collapses between March 2015 and July 2016.

Following her previous arrests, Letby's home in the Blacon area of Chester was searched by police.

In a 2013 interview with the Chester and District Standard newspaper, the nurse, originally from Hereford, said she cared for babies requiring various levels of support.

She had worked at the unit as a student nurse during three years of training before qualifying as a children's nurse at the University of Chester in 2011.

Letby said she started working at the unit after graduating.

DCI Hughes added: 'Parents of all the babies have been kept fully updated on this latest development and they are continuing to be supported throughout the process by specially trained officers.

'This is an extremely difficult time for all the families and it is important to remember that, at the heart of this, there are a number of bereaved families seeking answers as to what happened to their children.  

A police car outside the Women & Children's Bulding at the Countess of Chester hospital when Letby was re-arrested in 2019

A police car outside the Women & Children's Bulding at the Countess of Chester hospital when Letby was re-arrested in 2019

'Due to the nature of this investigation it is extremely challenging but it is important to remember that, despite the passage of time, it is very much active and ongoing. There are no set timescales and we remain committed to carrying out a thorough investigation.

'We fully appreciate that it continues to have a big impact on all those involved - including the families of the babies, staff and patients at the hospital as well as members of the public.'

Anyone with information should contact the investigation team at at operation.hummingbird@cheshire.pnn.police.uk or call police on 101 or anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111. 

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2020-11-10 09:51:00Z
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