Rabu, 01 November 2023

Covid inquiry live: Dominic Cummings denies misogyny over sexist rant against Helen MacNamara - The Independent

Covid inquiry roundup: Lee Cain and Dominic Cummings provide worrying insight into No 10

Dominic Cummings has apologised for the language used in a series of foul-mouthed messages criticising members of the government but denied misogyny over a sexist rant against a civil servant.

Boris Johnson’s former chief of staff was shown a host of sweary WhatsApps at the Covid inquiry on Tuesday, in which he called his former colleagues “useless f***pigs, morons and c***s” during the pandemic.

He apologised for his disparaging language but defended the criticism more generally, saying he was reflecting “a widespread view” that senior politicians were “dealing with this crisis extremely badly.”

To audible gasps in the press annex, one message was read out in which Mr Cummings called former top civil servant Helen MacNamara a “c***” and said he would “handcuff her and escort her” from Downing Street. However, he denied misogyny.

It was also revealed that Boris Johnson hit out at suggestions his wife Carrie was leading lockdown policy as “cr**” in a message to Mr Cummings.

Giving evidence earlier on Tuesday morning, Lee Cain, Mr Johnson’s former communications chief, said the pandemic was the “wrong crisis for this prime minister’s skill set”.

1698833157

And we are off... live from the press annex at the Covid inquiry

After yesterday’s hearing revealed a tirade by Dominic Cummings against Helen MacNamara in which he called Britain’s former top female civil servant a "c***", she will today have the chance to respond, Archie Mitchell reports.

Ms MacNamara will no doubt be questioned about her role in the Partygate scandal, after she brought a karaoke machine to a leaving bash for Downing Street aide Hannah Young during the pandemic.

Matt Mathers1 November 2023 10:05
1698832502

Cummings is a ‘dysfunctional psychopath’, says former No 10 comms chief

A former No 10 communications chief has described Dominic Cummings as a “dysfunctional psychopath” who actively sought to undermine Boris Johnson.

Guto Harri, who briefly served as Johnson’s director of communications during the dying days of his premiership, said he was shocked to see the extent to which his old boss had been criticised by some his top advisers.

Referring to WhatsApp messages between Lee Cain and Dominic Cummings shown to the Covid inquiry on Tuesday, Harri accused the pair of being engaged in an “ongoing, almost adolescent...WhatsApp rant” against the former PM.

More comments below:

Matt Mathers1 November 2023 09:55
1698831902

Evidence to inquiry ‘clear evidence of scandalously bad government’ - former health sec

Testimony given to the Covid inquiry this week is “clear evidence of scandalously bad government”, a former health secretary has said.

Stephen Dorrell, the Tory health secretary from 1995 to 1997, said the sessions showed there was a need to reestablish distance between politicians and civil servants.

“I can think of no circumstance in which it’s appropriate for senior civil servants to engage in political gossip on WhatsApp with whom people they are supposed to be accountable,” he said.

Watch a clip of Dorrell’s interview with Sky below:

Matt Mathers1 November 2023 09:45
1698831002

Boris Johnson will give ‘full acount’ in his evidence, says deputy PM

The Covid inquiry has already heard from a host of big-name politicos, including former prime minister David Cameron and his chancellor, George Osborne.

But perhaps the biggest draw is yet to come, with Boris Johnson himself set to testify before the end of the current module, which is set to conclude on 14 December.

Speaking to Sky News earlier, Oliver Dowden, the current deputy PM who served as Tory Party chairman under Johnson, said his old boss would give a “full account” when he is eventually called to give evidence.

“I am quite sure that when the former prime minister gives evidence he will give a full account of himself, the cabinet office has given a very full account of how we conducted ourselves,” he told the broadcaster.

“I am not going to give commentary on one individual piece of information because it needs to fit in with a much wider picture of how we conducted ourselves both at the time and through the vaccine programme, and through all the different, very difficult decisions that were taken around the cost and benefits of lockdowns.”

When asked about the testimony given by Cummings, Dowden cautioned against “taking one person’s evidence” as it needed to be taken “in the context of all the other evidence”.

<p>Oliver Dowden </p>

Oliver Dowden

Matt Mathers1 November 2023 09:30
1698829802

Recap: What happened during Tuesday’s session

Boris Johnson and his former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, dominate the headlines today following the latter’s marathon evidence session on Tuesday.

Cummings, described as the most empowered adviser No 10 has ever seen, took several swipes at his old boss and criticised Whitehall’s ability to deal with a crisis.

In an extraordinary day of evidence, it was revealed that Cummings himself had described the constant change of strategy as “exhausting” and branded his cabinet “useless f***pigs” in explosive WhatsApp messages.

Johnson, meanwhile, was accused of saying old people needed to accept their “fate”. Below is a full recap of Tuesday’s proceedings, which also saw Lee Cain, Johnson’s former communications chief, testify:

Matt Mathers1 November 2023 09:10
1698829270

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of the Covid inquiry.

Helen MacNamara, the former deputy cabinet secretary, will give evidence from 10am.

David Halpern, president and former chief executive officer of the Behavioural Insights Team, will give evidence after McNamara at 2pm.

Stay tuned for live updates.

Matt Mathers1 November 2023 09:01
1698822000

Watch - Lee Cain and Dominic Cummings provide worrying insight into No 10

Covid inquiry roundup: Lee Cain and Dominic Cummings provide worrying insight into No 10
Lydia Patrick1 November 2023 07:00
1698820248

Covid was ‘wrong crisis’ for Boris Johnson to handle, ex-Comms chief tells inquiry

Mr Johnson dithered between supporting a lockdown and wanting to keep the country open in what was described as his Mayor of Jaws “routine”, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry was told on Tuesday.

Lee Cain, his long-term adviser who served as No 10’s communications director in the pandemic, said Mr Johnson’s erratic decision-making was “rather exhausting”.

“Get in here he’s melting down,” Mr Cummings wrote on March 19 2020, days before the first lockdown, adding that Mr Johnson was “back to Jaws mode wank”.

Maroosha Muzaffar1 November 2023 06:30
1698818400

ICYMI - Boris Johnson’s chaotic ‘flip-flopping’ made it ‘impossible’ to tackle Covid, advisers’ messages reveal

Scathing WhatsApp messages sent between Boris Johnson’s top team accused the former PM of creating chaos during the Covid crisis – complaining that he “flip-flopped” every day on direction and made it “impossible” to tackle the pandemic.

The ex-principal private secretary – dubbed “Party Marty” for his “bring your own booze” email during Partygate – said he was “deeply sorry” for his role in organising the infamous event and Mr Johnson’s birthday gathering at No 10.

Lydia Patrick1 November 2023 06:00
1698816603

Top civil servant referenced in ‘misogynistic’ messages to give inquiry evidence

Helen MacNamara, the former deputy cabinet secretary, will become the latest pandemic-era senior official to face questions about the response on Wednesday after two days of hearings revealed the dysfunction, indecision and dithering inside Boris Johnson’s government.

The ex-civil servant, who departed the civil service in 2021, was namechecked in proceedings on Tuesday as Mr Cummings denied he had behaved in a misogynistic way during his time in Downing Street.

“I don’t care how it’s done but that woman must be out of our hair – we cannot keep dealing with this horrific meltdown of the British state while dodging stilettos from that c***,” he wrote.

Maroosha Muzaffar1 November 2023 05:30

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2023-11-01 09:10:02Z
2542198489

Storm Ciarán sweeps across Scotland bringing flooding and travel alerts - STV News

Latest updates

  • A 12-hour Met Office yellow weather warning is in force until 3pm on Wednesday
  • Storm Ciarán is bringing heavy rain across south west, central and north west Scotland
  • A crash blocked the A9 northbound at 6.40am on Wednesday
  • Railway line between Brora and Helmsdale remains closed after damage to seawall

Storm Ciarán is battering Scotland with heavy rain bringing flooding and travel disruption across the country.

A 12-hour Met Office yellow weather warning came into force at 3am on Wednesday.

It comes as clean-up operations in the wake of Storm Babet continue with hundreds still unable to return to their homes.

Storm Ciarán, the third named storm of the season, has already brought strong winds and rain to parts of the UK.

A crash blocked the A9 northbound at 6.40am on Wednesday. Police and ambulance were called to the scene near Daviot.

The railway line between Brora and Helmsdale remains closed after Storm Babet saw the seawall damaged with no “definitive date” for it reopening.

Parts of southwest, central and eastern Scotland will see homes and businesses flooded, bus and train services disrupted with driving conditions made difficult, the Met Office said.

Another yellow weather warning has been extended into Scotland covering south west Scotland, including Lothian and the Borders on Thursday. It is in force from 6am and lasts until 6am on Friday.

Following recent very wet weather, further heavy rain is expected to affect Central, Tayside, Fife, Gramoian, and Strathclyde spreading from south to north through the course of Wednesday.Met Office
Further heavy rain is expected to affect south east Scotland on ThursdayMet Office

Following recent very wet weather, further heavy rain is expected to affect Central, Tayside, Fife, Grampian, and Strathclyde spreading from south to north through the course of Wednesday.

Rainfall amounts are likely to reach 20-30 mm widely, with a risk of 40-50 mm in some locations, mainly over higher ground, the Met Office said.

“While Storm Ciaran will largely affect England and Wales with the worst of the wind and rain, Scotland will once again experience another spell of very wet weather in the coming days,” said STV meteorologist Sean Batty.

“Again the worst of the rainfall will fall in the east of the country, especially over higher ground.

Waves crash over the harbour on October 19 in Stonehaven.Jeff J Mitchell via Getty Images

“In the easterly air flow between Wednesday and Friday 40-60mm of rain could fall fairly widely over Easter Ross, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Perthshire, East Lothian and the Borders.

“This is less rainfall than we got from Storm Babet, however, water tables are still higher than normal and this extra rainfall could again lead to some flooding issues.

“The highest risk of flooding on this occasion looks like it’ll be across East Lothian and the Borders Thursday into Friday with a lesser risk in the wider eastern area stretching from Aberdeenshire to Fife and Midlothian.

“Stronger southerly then easterly winds will also bring some large waves and a risk of coastal issues from overtopping of sea walls around Ayrshire on Wednesday and then Orkney and the east coast on Thursday and Friday.”

Seven people died due to the severe weather during Storm Babet, including three in Scotland; Wendy Taylor, 57, of Perthshire; John Gillan, 56, of Arbroath; and Peter Pelling, 61, also of Arbroath.

Storm Babet deaths: Wendy Taylor, 57, of Perthshire; Peter Pelling, 61, of Arbroath; and John Gillan, 56, also of Arbroath.Police Scotland

Seven dead and hundreds lose homes in Storm Babet

It comes as work continues in the recovery of Storm Babet.

The A90, between Forfar and Brechin, Angus, was reopened in both directions from Dundee to Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, under a contraflow, after engineers were able to examine two “high-risk” structures hit by the storm.

Wild weather caused considerable erosion of the bridge at Finavon, carrying the A90 over the River South Esk, and a contraflow traffic management system was introduced to enable safe crossing until repairs are completed.

Members of the Coastguard rescue a woman from flood waters surrounding the houses on October 20, 2023 in Brechin.Getty Images

A GoFundMe page set up by Brechin Flood Relief has so far raised £45,000 to help families who have lost their homes.

An anonymous donor gave £2,500.

The gym at Brechin Community Campus was “half full” of items donated to help families in need.

The storm claimed three lives in Scotland including that of Peter Pelling, from Arbroath, who became trapped in his car in floodwater.

A search was launched at about 3am on Friday after police received a report near Marykirk, Aberdeenshire.

Mr Pelling’s body and car were recovered on Monday.

Wendy Taylor, 57, died after being swept into the Water of Lee, Glen Esk, on Thursday.

John Gillan, 56, also died on Thursday after a tree hit his van as he was driving on the B9127 at Whigstreet near Forfar.

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2023-11-01 06:41:58Z
2560801533

Storm Ciarán latest update: ‘Danger to life’ warning issued - The Independent

What is extreme weather? | Decomplicated

The Met Office has issued two amber warnings and five yellow warnings across the UK as Britain prepares to be battered by Storm Ciarán’s 70mph winds and torrential rainfall tomorrow.

The storm will hit the South Coast as Ciarán makes land tomorrow the Met Office have issued yellow warnings in Sussex as heavy downpours and gusts hit the coast from 5am.

South Wales and the South West will also be placed under a yellow alert from 6pm to midnight as the regions will face wide disruption.

Amber warnings will be introduced to the South West and South Coast on Thursday as powerful winds and rainfall could pose a risk to life.

“Amber weather warnings issued. Very strong and damaging winds associated with Storm Ciarán bringing travel disruption. Large waves may also bring coastal impacts,” the Met Office said.

Gusts of 80mph winds to areas along the south coast of England are expected, while up to 60mm of rain is expected to fall in some areas.

1698820200

Met Office issues more than 70 flood warnings ahead of Storm Ciarán as amber alert comes into effect

Across the UK, the Environment Agency has issued more than 70 flood warnings ahead of the arrival of Storm Ciarán on Wednesday while yellow weather warnings for rain have been issued by the Met Office from Monday until Thursday.

The warning covers Counties Antrim, Down and Armagh. It came into effect at 9pm on Monday and extends until 9am on Tuesday.

The Met Office has forecast persistent heavy rain, leading to flooding and transport disruption.

Lydia Patrick1 November 2023 06:30
1698818646

Rain and wind forecast for Thursday

<p>Rain forecast on Thursday as Storm Ciaran arrives</p>

Rain forecast on Thursday as Storm Ciaran arrives

<p>Wind forecast on Thursday as Storm Ciaran arrives</p>

Wind forecast on Thursday as Storm Ciaran arrives

Stuti Mishra1 November 2023 06:04
1698816600

Today’s weather forecast ahead of Storm Ciaran’s arrival

The Met Office forecasts a largely unsettled and windy day today ahead of the arrival of Storm Ciaran tomorrow with some sunny outbreaks.

A number of Severe Weather Warnings have already been issued by the forecaster.

Storm Ciarán will move northeastwards with heavy rain and damaging winds affecting many parts of England and Wales.

In the north, the rain is expected to begin slowly clearing through the day, remaining heavy at times and mainly dry at night with lighter winds across Scotland and Northern Ireland.

In south, the blustery showers will give way to heavy rain and gales spreading in from the southwest as Storm Ciarán arrives later at night.

“Aahead of Storm Ciarán, a squally cold front will move eastwards across southern and southeast England bringing bursts of heavy rain and coastal gusts of 60-70mph, mainly from Dorset eastwards," Met Office chief meteorologist Dan Suri, said.

Stuti Mishra1 November 2023 05:30
1698814824

Two Amber warnings issued for England and Wales

The Met Office has issued two amber alerts for England and Wales tomorrow as much of the country is bracing itself for a fresh bout of wind and rain with Storm Ciaran.

Amber warnings are in place for the entire south coast of England and parts of Pembrokeshire where Storm Ciaran is due to hit, together with several further yellow rain warnings.

The storm has already caused flooding in Northern Ireland, where a yellow rain warning from the Met Office is in place until 9am today.

A similar notice has been issued for parts of southwest, central and eastern Scotland from 3am to 3pm and in southern parts of England and Wales from 6pm on today until the end of tomorrow.

A further yellow warning for rain and wind has been issued across the southeast coast from 5am to 9am today with a yellow warning for wind across southern England and parts of South Wales from 6pm today and throughout tomorrow.

Here’s a map showing areas covered under amber warning.

<p>Map showing amber warnings in place on Thursday</p>

Map showing amber warnings in place on Thursday

Stuti Mishra1 November 2023 05:00
1698813025

Newry swamped as more floods hit Ireland

Large parts of Newry in Co Down have been swamped by floodwater as the city's canal burst its banks amid heavy rainfall.

Dozens of businesses were engulfed in the floods, with widespread damage caused to buildings, furnishings and stock.

Police have warned people to stay out of the city centre as streets have turned into rivers.

Thousands of sandbags have been stacked along the canal to try to stem to flow amid fear of further breaches.

Parts of the canal walls have already collapsed into the water and the authorities are concerned more sections could give way.

Other areas in the north east of the island of Ireland were also badly hit by the overnight rain, with homes flooded in Camlough in Co Armagh and Newcastle in Co Down.

The main motorway and train line linking Belfast and Dublin were both affected by flooding on Tuesday, causing major disruption for cross-border travellers.

In Newry, Sugar Island, Kildare Street, Canal Quay and part of Bridge Street were among the areas worst hit.

<p>Flooding in Carlingford, Co Louth</p>

Flooding in Carlingford, Co Louth

Stuti Mishra1 November 2023 04:30
1698809843

Areas under Amber warning on Thursday

An amber warning is in place from 3am to 1pm tomorrow in Cornwall, Devon and the extreme west coast of Pembrokeshire, with the Met Office predicting Storm Ciaran will bring winds of 75 to 85mph with 65 to 75mph gusts inland.

Across the south coast, from Dorset eastwards, the amber warning runs from 6am to 8pm with winds expected to reach 70 to 80 mph with the potential for 85mph and large waves.

The warning says wind could disrupt travel, power lines and cause structural damage with flying debris providing a threat to life.

Stuti Mishra1 November 2023 03:37
1698804000

Mapped - Today’s weather warnings

There are five weather warnings in place across the UK as torrential rainfall and gusty winds of up to 70mph are set to strike.

<p>There are five yellow weather warnings in place across the UK</p>

There are five yellow weather warnings in place across the UK

Lydia Patrick1 November 2023 02:00
1698800400

Met Office’s list of storm names

Ciarán is the third named storm of the season, following Agnes and Babet.

The Met Office name storms to aid the communication of approaching severe weather through media partners and other government agencies to improve the public response.

2023/4 Storm Names

<p>2023/4 Storm Names</p>

2023/4 Storm Names

Lydia Patrick1 November 2023 01:00
1698796800

Panic buyers storm supermarkets in Channel Islands leaving shelves empty

Panicked shoppers have emptied supermarkets as Channel Island residents have been advised to stay indoors on Thursday when Ciarán arrives on their shores.

Despite supermarket bosses reassuring residents they have enough supplies to last the duration of the storm, islanders rushed to stockpile essential goods amid worries freight ferries won’t be able to reach the islands, report ITV.

Lydia Patrick1 November 2023 00:00
1698793254

Guernsey resident prepares for Storm Ciarán

A father has brought heavy items indoors as the Channel Islands brace themselves for the arrival of Storm Ciarán.

Gary Rich, a carpenter from Guernsey, has packed up expensive goods from his garden in preparation for heavy winds that can sweep up weighty items and cause heavy destruction to surrounding buildings.

Lydia Patrick31 October 2023 23:00

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2023-11-01 06:30:00Z
2560801533

Selasa, 31 Oktober 2023

Storm Ciarán latest update: ‘Danger to life’ warning issued - The Independent

What is extreme weather? | Decomplicated

The Met Office has issued two amber warnings and five yellow warnings across the UK as Britain prepares to be battered by Storm Ciarán’s 70mph winds and torrential rainfall tomorrow.

The storm will hit the South Coast as Ciarán makes land tomorrow the Met Office have issued yellow warnings in Sussex as heavy downpours and gusts hit the coast from 5am.

South Wales and the South West will also be placed under a yellow alert from 6pm to midnight as the regions will face wide disruption.

Amber warnings will be introduced to the South West and South Coast on Thursday as powerful winds and rainfall could pose a risk to life.

“Amber weather warnings issued. Very strong and damaging winds associated with Storm Ciarán bringing travel disruption. Large waves may also bring coastal impacts,” the Met Office said.

Gusts of 80mph winds to areas along the south coast of England are expected, while up to 60mm of rain is expected to fall in some areas.

1698818646

Rain and wind forecast for Thursday

<p>Rain forecast on Thursday as Storm Ciaran arrives</p>

Rain forecast on Thursday as Storm Ciaran arrives

<p>Wind forecast on Thursday as Storm Ciaran arrives</p>

Wind forecast on Thursday as Storm Ciaran arrives

Stuti Mishra1 November 2023 06:04
1698816600

Today’s weather forecast ahead of Storm Ciaran’s arrival

The Met Office forecasts a largely unsettled and windy day today ahead of the arrival of Storm Ciaran tomorrow with some sunny outbreaks.

A number of Severe Weather Warnings have already been issued by the forecaster.

Storm Ciarán will move northeastwards with heavy rain and damaging winds affecting many parts of England and Wales.

In the north, the rain is expected to begin slowly clearing through the day, remaining heavy at times and mainly dry at night with lighter winds across Scotland and Northern Ireland.

In south, the blustery showers will give way to heavy rain and gales spreading in from the southwest as Storm Ciarán arrives later at night.

“Aahead of Storm Ciarán, a squally cold front will move eastwards across southern and southeast England bringing bursts of heavy rain and coastal gusts of 60-70mph, mainly from Dorset eastwards," Met Office chief meteorologist Dan Suri, said.

Stuti Mishra1 November 2023 05:30
1698814824

Two Amber warnings issued for England and Wales

The Met Office has issued two amber alerts for England and Wales tomorrow as much of the country is bracing itself for a fresh bout of wind and rain with Storm Ciaran.

Amber warnings are in place for the entire south coast of England and parts of Pembrokeshire where Storm Ciaran is due to hit, together with several further yellow rain warnings.

The storm has already caused flooding in Northern Ireland, where a yellow rain warning from the Met Office is in place until 9am today.

A similar notice has been issued for parts of southwest, central and eastern Scotland from 3am to 3pm and in southern parts of England and Wales from 6pm on today until the end of tomorrow.

A further yellow warning for rain and wind has been issued across the southeast coast from 5am to 9am today with a yellow warning for wind across southern England and parts of South Wales from 6pm today and throughout tomorrow.

Here’s a map showing areas covered under amber warning.

<p>Map showing amber warnings in place on Thursday</p>

Map showing amber warnings in place on Thursday

Stuti Mishra1 November 2023 05:00
1698813025

Newry swamped as more floods hit Ireland

Large parts of Newry in Co Down have been swamped by floodwater as the city's canal burst its banks amid heavy rainfall.

Dozens of businesses were engulfed in the floods, with widespread damage caused to buildings, furnishings and stock.

Police have warned people to stay out of the city centre as streets have turned into rivers.

Thousands of sandbags have been stacked along the canal to try to stem to flow amid fear of further breaches.

Parts of the canal walls have already collapsed into the water and the authorities are concerned more sections could give way.

Other areas in the north east of the island of Ireland were also badly hit by the overnight rain, with homes flooded in Camlough in Co Armagh and Newcastle in Co Down.

The main motorway and train line linking Belfast and Dublin were both affected by flooding on Tuesday, causing major disruption for cross-border travellers.

In Newry, Sugar Island, Kildare Street, Canal Quay and part of Bridge Street were among the areas worst hit.

<p>Flooding in Carlingford, Co Louth</p>

Flooding in Carlingford, Co Louth

Stuti Mishra1 November 2023 04:30
1698809843

Areas under Amber warning on Thursday

An amber warning is in place from 3am to 1pm tomorrow in Cornwall, Devon and the extreme west coast of Pembrokeshire, with the Met Office predicting Storm Ciaran will bring winds of 75 to 85mph with 65 to 75mph gusts inland.

Across the south coast, from Dorset eastwards, the amber warning runs from 6am to 8pm with winds expected to reach 70 to 80 mph with the potential for 85mph and large waves.

The warning says wind could disrupt travel, power lines and cause structural damage with flying debris providing a threat to life.

Stuti Mishra1 November 2023 03:37
1698804000

Mapped - Today’s weather warnings

There are five weather warnings in place across the UK as torrential rainfall and gusty winds of up to 70mph are set to strike.

<p>There are five yellow weather warnings in place across the UK</p>

There are five yellow weather warnings in place across the UK

Lydia Patrick1 November 2023 02:00
1698800400

Met Office’s list of storm names

Ciarán is the third named storm of the season, following Agnes and Babet.

The Met Office name storms to aid the communication of approaching severe weather through media partners and other government agencies to improve the public response.

2023/4 Storm Names

<p>2023/4 Storm Names</p>

2023/4 Storm Names

Lydia Patrick1 November 2023 01:00
1698796800

Panic buyers storm supermarkets in Channel Islands leaving shelves empty

Panicked shoppers have emptied supermarkets as Channel Island residents have been advised to stay indoors on Thursday when Ciarán arrives on their shores.

Despite supermarket bosses reassuring residents they have enough supplies to last the duration of the storm, islanders rushed to stockpile essential goods amid worries freight ferries won’t be able to reach the islands, report ITV.

Lydia Patrick1 November 2023 00:00
1698793254

Guernsey resident prepares for Storm Ciarán

A father has brought heavy items indoors as the Channel Islands brace themselves for the arrival of Storm Ciarán.

Gary Rich, a carpenter from Guernsey, has packed up expensive goods from his garden in preparation for heavy winds that can sweep up weighty items and cause heavy destruction to surrounding buildings.

Lydia Patrick31 October 2023 23:00
1698789654

Devon council repair sea wall in time for storm

Lydia Patrick31 October 2023 22:00

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2023-11-01 05:43:25Z
2560801533

Elon Musk and ChatGPT boss jet in for UK's AI summit - as Sunak warned of 'here and now' threats - Sky News

Rishi Sunak has been warned not to ignore the "here and now" threats to people's jobs posed by artificial intelligence, as Elon Musk and the creator of ChatGPT jet in for a landmark UK summit.

Bletchley Park is set to welcome more than 100 figures from politics and business from today, including the likes of OpenAI's Sam Altman, Google DeepMind's Demis Hassabis, and billionaire Musk.

US vice president Kamala Harris, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, and controversially, a Chinese tech minister are also attending; though Canada's Justin Trudeau, France's Emmanuel Macron, and Germany's Olaf Scholz are not.

The two-day event, held at the home of Britain's Second World War codebreakers, is the first global summit on AI safety and the prime minister hopes it will help shape its development.

Reports suggest he will use discussions at the summit as the basis for a global advisory board for AI regulation, modelled on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

But following a speech last week, in which he spoke of dystopian threats like terrorists developing bioweapons and humanity losing control of AI, Mr Sunak has been warned not to ignore more present dangers.

Mary Towers, employment rights officer at the TUC, told Sky News: "We are not saying the government should not address hypothetical future risks - but it should not be done at the expense of dealing with existing harms."

Read more:
What you need to know about landmark safety summit
Elon Musk brings unpredictable star power to Sunak's AI gala

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Sunak vows to tackle fears around AI

PM 'squeezing out' marginalised voices

The TUC union was one of dozens of experts and organisations to sign a letter to Mr Sunak this week, accusing him of having "marginalised" those most at risk of being impacted by AI.

It said small businesses and creatives, who have been among the most vocal in their concerns about AI, felt "squeezed out" and "smothered" by the power and influence of big tech firms.

Ms Towers accused the prime minister of assembling a "narrow interest group" for the summit, which will also host executives from tech giants like Meta and Tencent.

In an open letter coordinated by the TUC, more than 100 organisations branded the AI summit "a missed opportunity", saying: "For many millions of people in the UK and across the world, the risks and harms of AI are not distant - they are felt in the here and now."

The guest list certainly reflects Mr Sunak's enthusiasm for AI, and he will join Mr Musk for a live discussion on X (formerly Twitter) after the event.

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Musk warns of AI 'civilisational risk'

Regulation 'desperately needed'

Ahead of the summit, the prime minister announced a £100m investment in AI tools to research new cancer and dementia treatments - answering calls from surgeons who believe the NHS must embrace the technology.

The government also committed £2m to helping schools adopt AI, such as to help teachers plan lessons.

And earlier this week, The Telegraph reported the government is testing a ChatGPT-style chatbot that can answer people's questions about benefits, housing, and taxes.

But one in three Britons fear the tech could take their jobs, according to data released this week.

PM's AI summit looks like a significant meeting

Tom Clarke

Science and technology editor

@aTomClarke

Some people thought the PM's AI summit would be a flop.

The venue, Bletchley Park has pedigree. It was home to the first electronic computer and the war-time code-breakers that pioneered AI.

But recent political and economic chaos combined with the regulatory irrelevance of a UK outside of the EU, so the thinking went, would make it unlikely Mr Sunak could really attract serious players in the development and regulation of AI.

Sure, a few big names are absent. But the US vice-president will be there, so will Meta's AI chief. The government also resisted criticism to ensure the Chinese state is represented, along with the EU.

This now looks increasingly like a significant meeting on serious global issue.

The anticipated arrival of the world’s richest man and controversial tech titan Elon Musk adds a hefty dose of Silicon Valley stardust.

But none of this guarantees success. In fact, no one agrees on what success might look like.

Most global conferences are defined by trying to find consensus among disparate political or commercial views around a specific goal – take the decades long effort tackle global warming for example.

In the case of AI, all parties want to prevent a machine intelligence more capable than humans running out of control. It's just no one really agrees on what that AI looks like or how to go about preventing it.

Expect to hear baffling statements around "responsible scaling", "red-teaming", "guardrails" and the need to control AI without hobbling it's potential to benefit humanity.

Real progress would be some kind of plan to control, contain, or perhaps even prevent the development of increasingly powerful and unpredictable AI models. But with just two days to talk it over, few expect the delegates to achieve that – even with the ghosts of Bletchley Park peering over their shoulders.

Administrative, customer service, and secretarial workers are most worried, the Office for National Statistics said.

Ms Towers said legislation was "desperately needed" to address redundancy concerns, and force employers to be transparent with workers about how they plan to use AI.

Bodies including the Publisher's Association and Society of Authors have also called on Mr Sunak to take a tougher stance against AIs being trained on copyrighted material, echoing concerns of other creative industries.

But Mr Sunak has expressed caution about regulation, saying it would stifle innovation.

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Music industry calls for AI protection

Rather than suggest bespoke new laws, the government has said it will lean on existing regulators to enforce principles around safety and transparency.

Other countries are going further, with US President Joe Biden announcing guardrails to address issues from job security and discrimination to deep fakes and misinformation.

The EU and China have also unveiled their own proposed AI regulation.

Kriti Sharma, founder of AI For Good UK, told Sky News businesses needed to know they can trust AI, and called for regulation that ensures new models are trained using trusted data sources.

Research by consultancy firm Infinum reveals more than three-quarters of British firms plan to invest in AI over the next year, but 73% admit to being ill-prepared to actually integrate it into their operations.

Ms Sharma said the government must ensure nobody is left behind.

"We need to strongly champion the need to create a basic AI education for everyone," she said.

"New opportunities will come up, and I'd love the UK to be at the forefront of creating an AI-ready workforce."

The summit is set to close on Thursday with Mr Sunak giving a speech outlining what attendees have agreed on.

His discussion with Mr Musk on X will take place afterwards.

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2023-11-01 02:02:13Z
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Mapped - Large parts of Bristol issued with flood warnings as UK braces for Storm Ciaran - Bristol Live

Experts have warned large parts of Bristol to be prepared for flooding as the UK braces for Storm Ciaran's arrival. The Met Office has issued a double-weather warning for wind and rain across the region tomorrow (November 1) and Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Environment Agency (EA) has issued a flood alert in Bristol, with a map showing water levels could rise along the River Avon.

The alert covers the Tidal River Avon at Bristol, Pill, Hotwells, St Anne's and Shirehampton. It states that 'flooding is possible' and residents should 'be prepared'.

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The alert says: "Flooding is possible in this area. Monitor local water levels and weather conditions. Avoid using low lying footpaths or entering areas prone to flooding. Start acting on your flood plan if you have one.

"Environment Agency Flood Warning Officers set the river or tidal levels that have triggered this message. During industrial action this message has been automatically issued based on rising river or tidal levels.

"Flood alert area: Tidal River Avon from Sea Mills to Conham in Bristol and between the Avonmouth Bridge and Shirehampton Park including Pill and Shirehampton."

The first Met Office warning for heavy rain is in place from 6pm tomorrow until 11.59pm on Thursday. Meanwhile, the warning for 'very strong and potentially damaging winds' is in place from 9pm tomorrow until 11.59pm on Thursday.

A flood alert is the least severe of the EA warnings. However, officials still remind people to prepare as flooding remains possible.

If you haven’t already done so, you should:

  • sign up for flood warnings
  • keep up to date with the latest flood risk situation - call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 or follow @EnvAgency and #floodaware on Twitter for the latest flood updates
  • have a bag ready with vital items like insurance documents and medications in case you need to leave your home
  • check you know how to turn off your gas, electricity and water mains supplies
  • plan how you'll move family and pets to safety

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2023-10-31 08:18:00Z
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