Sabtu, 27 Juli 2019

UK heatwave: More delays for travellers despite temperatures easing - BBC News

Air passengers at two of the UK's biggest airports were hit by more disruption caused by a problem with the country's air traffic control system.

It came after Heathrow and Gatwick had already endured a day of flight cancellations and delays due to storms following this week's heatwave.

The UK air traffic controller said the situation would improve after it fixed the problem.

Rail delays caused by extreme heat also began to ease on Friday.

The Met Office said Thursday was potentially the UK's hottest ever day after it received a provisional recording of 38.7C at Cambridge Botanic Garden.

Official figures, which recorded 38.1C in Cambridge, already put Thursday as the hottest July day on record and the UK's second hottest day.

Friday was cooler than Thursday, with temperatures ranging from 23C to 25C in most areas (73F to 77F), rising to 27C in south-east England.

But flights were disrupted by storms across Europe and trains were delayed as rail companies worked to repair the damage from Thursday's extreme heat.


'No idea what to do'

Mark Pickering was due to fly to Singapore on his way to Sydney, but his Thursday evening flight from Heathrow was cancelled due to "spoiled" food caused by the hot weather.

He waited at the airport until 02:00 BST on Friday morning, before getting a hotel and returning at 07:00 to try again.

"I still don't know where my bags are and I've no idea what to do when I finally get to Singapore because I've missed my connecting flight by ages," he said.

"When the flight was cancelled last night there was a line of about 300 to 400 people and no-one really knew what was going on. There was one person at the check in desk."

Diane Styant, who was booked to fly on the same flight to Singapore as Mr Pickering, said she was not able to get any accommodation on Thursday night.

She said she had to sit on an upright chair in a coffee shop until 03:30, when she and her husband joined the queue in departures for rebooking.

After more than four hours, they managed to book another flight leaving on Friday.

"Our precious annual holiday to visit our family who live in Singapore has not got off well," she added.


A "technical problem" at Swanwick air traffic control centre on Friday morning also caused problems at Heathrow and Gatwick.

The UK's air traffic controller said in the afternoon it had "fixed the issue sufficiently to safely increase traffic flow rates".

Heathrow Airport said fewer than 100 flights, or 10% of the total, were affected during Friday.

Both Heathrow and Gatwick advised passengers to check with airlines before travelling.

British Airways said the severe thunderstorms caused "significant delays and cancellations to our operation in and out of London".

At London Liverpool Street station on Friday evening, passengers took to social media to say they faced large crowds and significant delays.

Author Erica James described the scene as "hell", while fellow rail traveller Ross Brereton warned others on Twitter to avoid the station "like the plague".

Network Rail said there were problems with two train lines from the station.

Elsewhere, there was disruption on the Midland Main Line between London St Pancras and Sheffield and on services operated by Great Northern, Thameslink, East Midlands Trains and West Midlands Trains.

West Midlands Railway said overnight work to repair damage caused delays and many trains started on Friday out of place, leading to cancellations and shorter trains.

Passengers using Eurostar services to and from Paris faced "severe disruption" due to overhead power line problems in the French capital.

Many operators said tickets for Friday could be used the following day, and offered compensation to season ticket holders who did not travel on Thursday.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: "All passengers told not to travel due to extreme weather should be entitled to claim compensation."

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49122644

2019-07-26 22:49:49Z
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Jumat, 26 Juli 2019

Boris Johnson: Relationship with Trump will be 'sensational', says top diplomat - BBC News

Relations between the UK and the US are going to be "sensational" now Boris Johnson is in Downing Street, America's ambassador to the UK has said.

Woody Johnson told the BBC the two had a lot in common in their leadership style and desire to "get things done".

He played down the PM's criticism of Mr Trump when he was London mayor, when he called him "stupefyingly ignorant".

And he said a no-deal Brexit would not affect the UK's ability to strike a trade deal with the US.

The US president has welcomed Mr Johnson's rise to power, saying he would do a "great job" and even suggesting he was "Britain Trump".

A supporter of Brexit, Mr Trump was critical of former Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiations with the EU.

There have also been tensions over climate change and the US president's views on race and immigration, while a recent row over the leaking of British diplomatic cables led to the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch, the UK's ambassador in Washington.

Woody Johnson told Radio 4's Today his job was to focus on the "things we agree on".

"We're going to have bumps in the road, no question, but we are two great countries," he said.

"If we look forward optimistically between our two countries, we're going to lift all the people in this country - to independence and all the things you voted for in the referendum."

"I think that's what the president wants and what your new prime minister wants too," he added.

In 2015, Boris Johnson, as London Mayor, said Mr Trump's claim that parts of the city were "no-go areas" showed "quite stupefying ignorance" and made him unfit to be president.

But Woody Johnson suggested Mr Trump was not bothered by the comments.

"The new relationship between your new prime minister and our president... it's going to be sensational," he said. "Their leadership has a lot in common. Both have their own style but similarities - a clear vision of what they want to accomplish."

He said the UK would be at the "front of the line" for a trade deal once Brexit had happened and it was "not imperative" for the UK to leave the EU with an agreement to make progress.

"The president is going to try and move the ball forwards - the UK is our most important ally in security and prosperity. He knows that."

Irish border

Most experts believe a free trade deal with the US will take years to complete and could be beset by difficulties over issues like food standards, environmental regulations and access to healthcare services for each other's companies.

And one of the most powerful politicians in the US has said its Congress would not support any trade agreement which undermined the peace settlement in Northern Ireland.

Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, told the Irish Times there could be no return to physical border checks between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, something Dublin has said would be inevitable if the UK left without a deal.

"We made it clear in our conversations with senior members of the Conservative Party earlier this year that there should be no return to a hard border on the island," she said.

"That position has not changed. Any trade deal between the US and Great Britain would have to be cognisant of that."

The new prime minister has not yet revealed when he will hold his first face-to-face leaders' meeting with Mr Trump.

No 10 confirmed that Mr Johnson had spoken to the French President Emmanuel Macron over the phone on Thursday and they had discussed Brexit.

A German government spokesperson also said the PM had discussed Brexit with Chancellor Angela Merkel during a phone call on Friday.

"The chancellor has invited the prime minister to visit Berlin for an early first visit," they added.

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2019-07-26 13:48:31Z
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Boris Johnson: Relationship with Trump will be 'sensational', says top diplomat - BBC News

Relations between the UK and the US are going to be "sensational" now Boris Johnson is in Downing Street, America's ambassador to the UK has said.

Woody Johnson told the BBC the two had a lot in common in their leadership style and desire to "get things done".

He played down the PM's criticism of Mr Trump when he was London mayor, when he called him "stupefyingly ignorant".

And he said a no-deal Brexit would not affect the UK's ability to strike a trade deal with the US.

The US president has welcomed Mr Johnson's rise to power, saying he would do a "great job" and even suggesting he was "Britain Trump".

A supporter of Brexit, Mr Trump was critical of former Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiations with the EU.

There have also been tensions over climate change and the US president's views on race and immigration, while a recent row over the leaking of British diplomatic cables led to the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch, the UK's ambassador in Washington.

Woody Johnson told Radio 4's Today his job was to focus on the "things we agree on".

"We're going to have bumps in the road, no question, but we are two great countries," he said.

"If we look forward optimistically between our two countries, we're going to lift all the people in this country - to independence and all the things you voted for in the referendum."

"I think that's what the president wants and what your new prime minister wants too," he added.

In 2015, Boris Johnson, as London Mayor, said Mr Trump's claim that parts of the city were "no-go areas" showed "quite stupefying ignorance" and made him unfit to be president.

But Woody Johnson suggested Mr Trump was not bothered by the comments.

"The new relationship between your new prime minister and our president... it's going to be sensational," he said. "Their leadership has a lot in common. Both have their own style but similarities - a clear vision of what they want to accomplish."

He said the UK would be at the "front of the line" for a trade deal once Brexit had happened and it was "not imperative" for the UK to leave the EU with an agreement to make progress.

"The president is going to try and move the ball forwards - the UK is our most important ally in security and prosperity. He knows that."

Irish border

Most experts believe a free trade deal with the US will take years to complete and could be beset by difficulties over issues like food standards, environmental regulations and access to healthcare services for each other's companies.

And one of the most powerful politicians in the US has said its Congress would not support any trade agreement which undermined the peace settlement in Northern Ireland.

Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, told the Irish Times there could be no return to physical border checks between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, something Dublin has said would be inevitable if the UK left without a deal.

"We made it clear in our conversations with senior members of the Conservative Party earlier this year that there should be no return to a hard border on the island," she said.

"That position has not changed. Any trade deal between the US and Great Britain would have to be cognisant of that."

The new prime minister has not yet revealed when he will hold his first face-to-face leaders' meeting with Mr Trump.

No 10 confirmed that Mr Johnson had spoken to the French President Emmanuel Macron over the phone on Thursday and they had discussed Brexit.

A German government spokesperson also said the PM had discussed Brexit with Chancellor Angela Merkel during a phone call on Friday.

"The chancellor has invited the prime minister to visit Berlin for an early first visit," they added.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49125925

2019-07-26 13:32:54Z
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Boris Johnson: Relationship with Trump will be 'sensational', says top diplomat - BBC News

Relations between the UK and the US are going to be "sensational" now Boris Johnson is in Downing Street, America's ambassador to the UK has said.

Woody Johnson told the BBC the two had a lot in common in their leadership style and desire to "get things done".

He played down the PM's criticism of Mr Trump when he was London mayor, when he called him "stupefyingly ignorant".

And he said a no-deal Brexit would not affect the UK's ability to strike a trade deal with the US.

The US president has welcomed Mr Johnson's rise to power, saying he would do a "great job" and even suggesting he was "Britain Trump".

A supporter of Brexit, Mr Trump was critical of former Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiations with the EU.

There have also been tensions over climate change and the US president's views on race and immigration, while a recent row over the leaking of British diplomatic cables led to the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch, the UK's ambassador in Washington.

Woody Johnson told Radio 4's Today his job was to focus on the "things we agree on".

"We're going to have bumps in the road, no question, but we are two great countries," he said.

"If we look forward optimistically between our two countries, we're going to lift all the people in this country - to independence and all the things you voted for in the referendum."

"I think that's what the president wants and what your new prime minister wants too," he added.

In 2015, Boris Johnson, as London Mayor, said Mr Trump's claim that parts of the city were "no-go areas" showed "quite stupefying ignorance" and made him unfit to be president.

But Woody Johnson suggested Mr Trump was not bothered by the comments.

"The new relationship between your new prime minister and our president... it's going to be sensational," he said. "Their leadership has a lot in common. Both have their own style but similarities - a clear vision of what they want to accomplish."

He said the UK would be at the "front of the line" for a trade deal once Brexit had happened and it was "not imperative" for the UK to leave the EU with an agreement to make progress.

"The president is going to try and move the ball forwards - the UK is our most important ally in security and prosperity. He knows that."

Irish border

Most experts believe a free trade deal with the US will take years to complete and could be beset by difficulties over issues like food standards, environmental regulations and access to healthcare services for each other's companies.

And one of the most powerful politicians in the US has said its Congress would not support any trade agreement which undermined the peace settlement in Northern Ireland.

Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, told the Irish Times there could be no return to physical border checks between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, something Dublin has said would be inevitable if the UK left without a deal.

"We made it clear in our conversations with senior members of the Conservative Party earlier this year that there should be no return to a hard border on the island," she said.

"That position has not changed. Any trade deal between the US and Great Britain would have to be cognisant of that."

The new prime minister has not yet revealed when he will hold his first face-to-face leaders' meeting with Mr Trump.

No 10 confirmed that Mr Johnson had spoken to the French President Emmanuel Macron over the phone on Thursday and they had discussed Brexit.

A German government spokesperson also said the PM had discussed Brexit with Chancellor Angela Merkel during a phone call on Friday.

"The chancellor has invited the prime minister to visit Berlin for an early first visit," they added.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49125925

2019-07-26 13:03:38Z
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Boris Johnson: Relationship with Trump will be 'sensational', says top diplomat - BBC News

Relations between the UK and the US are going to be "sensational" now Boris Johnson is in Downing Street, America's ambassador to the UK has said.

Woody Johnson told the BBC the two had a lot in common in their leadership style and desire to "get things done".

He played down the PM's criticism of Mr Trump when he was London mayor, when he called him "stupefyingly ignorant".

And he said a no-deal Brexit would not affect the UK's ability to strike a trade deal with the US.

The US president has welcomed Mr Johnson's rise to power, saying he would do a "great job" and even suggesting he was "Britain Trump".

A supporter of Brexit, Mr Trump was critical of former Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiations with the EU.

There have also been tensions over climate change and the US president's views on race and immigration, while a recent row over the leaking of British diplomatic cables led to the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch, the UK's ambassador in Washington.

Woody Johnson told Radio 4's Today his job was to focus on the "things we agree on".

"We're going to have bumps in the road, no question, but we are two great countries," he said.

"If we look forward optimistically between our two countries, we're going to lift all the people in this country - to independence and all the things you voted for in the referendum."

"I think that's what the president wants and what your new prime minister wants too," he added.

In 2015, Boris Johnson, as London Mayor, said Mr Trump's claim that parts of the city were "no-go areas" showed "quite stupefying ignorance" and made him unfit to be president.

But Woody Johnson suggested Mr Trump was not bothered by the comments.

"The new relationship between your new prime minister and our president... it's going to be sensational," he said. "Their leadership has a lot in common. Both have their own style but similarities - a clear vision of what they want to accomplish."

He said the UK would be at the "front of the line" for a trade deal once Brexit had happened and it was "not imperative" for the UK to leave the EU with an agreement to make progress.

"The president is going to try and move the ball forwards - the UK is our most important ally in security and prosperity. He knows that."

Irish border

Most experts believe a free trade deal with the US will take years to complete and could be beset by difficulties over issues like food standards, environmental regulations and access to healthcare services for each other's companies.

And one of the most powerful politicians in the US has said its Congress would not support any trade agreement which undermined the peace settlement in Northern Ireland.

Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, told the Irish Times there could be no return to physical border checks between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, something Dublin has said would be inevitable if the UK left without a deal.

"We made it clear in our conversations with senior members of the Conservative Party earlier this year that there should be no return to a hard border on the island," she said.

"That position has not changed. Any trade deal between the US and Great Britain would have to be cognisant of that."

The new prime minister has not yet revealed when he will hold his first face-to-face leaders' meeting with Mr Trump.

No 10 confirmed that Mr Johnson had spoken to the French President Emmanuel Macron over the phone on Thursday and they had discussed Brexit.

A German government spokesperson also said the PM had discussed Brexit with Chancellor Angela Merkel during a phone call on Friday.

"The chancellor has invited the prime minister to visit Berlin for an early first visit," they added.

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2019-07-26 12:11:45Z
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Boris Johnson: Relationship with Trump will be 'sensational', says top diplomat - BBC News

Relations between the UK and the US are going to be "sensational" now Boris Johnson is in Downing Street, America's ambassador to the UK has said.

Woody Johnson told the BBC the two had a lot in common in their leadership style and desire to "get things done".

He played down the PM's criticism of Mr Trump when he was London mayor, when he called him "stupefyingly ignorant".

And he said a no-deal Brexit would not affect the UK's ability to strike a trade deal with the US.

The US president has welcomed Mr Johnson's rise to power, saying he would do a "great job" and even suggesting he was "Britain Trump".

A supporter of Brexit, Mr Trump was critical of former Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiations with the EU.

There have also been tensions over climate change and the US president's views on race and immigration, while a recent row over the leaking of British diplomatic cables led to the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch, the UK's ambassador in Washington.

Woody Johnson told Radio 4's Today his job was to focus on the "things we agree on".

"We're going to have bumps in the road, no question, but we are two great countries," he said.

"If we look forward optimistically between our two countries, we're going to lift all the people in this country - to independence and all the things you voted for in the referendum."

"I think that's what the president wants and what your new prime minister wants too," he added.

In 2015, Boris Johnson, as London Mayor, said Mr Trump's claim that parts of the city were "no-go areas" showed "quite stupefying ignorance" and made him unfit to be president.

But Woody Johnson suggested Mr Trump was not bothered by the comments.

"The new relationship between your new prime minister and our president... it's going to be sensational," he said. "Their leadership has a lot in common. Both have their own style but similarities - a clear vision of what they want to accomplish."

He said the UK would be at the "front of the line" for a trade deal once Brexit had happened and it was "not imperative" for the UK to leave the EU with an agreement to make progress.

"The president is going to try and move the ball forwards - the UK is our most important ally in security and prosperity. He knows that."

Irish border

Most experts believe a free trade deal with the US will take years to complete and could be beset by difficulties over issues like food standards, environmental regulations and access to healthcare services for each other's companies.

And one of the most powerful politicians in the US has said its Congress would not support any trade agreement which undermined the peace settlement in Northern Ireland.

Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, told the Irish Times there could be no return to physical border checks between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, something Dublin has said would be inevitable if the UK left without a deal.

"We made it clear in our conversations with senior members of the Conservative Party earlier this year that there should be no return to a hard border on the island," she said.

"That position has not changed. Any trade deal between the US and Great Britain would have to be cognisant of that."

The new prime minister has not yet revealed when he will hold his first face-to-face leaders' meeting with Mr Trump.

No 10 confirmed that Mr Johnson had spoken to the French President Emmanuel Macron over the phone on Thursday and they had discussed Brexit.

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2019-07-26 09:59:45Z
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UK heatwave: Second hottest day on record leads to travel chaos - BBC News

The UK has recorded its second hottest day ever, with temperatures reaching 38.1C (100.6F) in Cambridge.

It breaks the previous record for the hottest day in July of 36.7C, and falls just short of the all-time high of 38.5C, reached in 2003.

Commuters faced disruption after Network Rail reported a number of heat-related incidents on the railway.

Forecasters warned the heat could lead to heavy rain in some areas, causing more disruption to travellers.

The Met Office said the temperature reading from Cambridge was only the second time the UK had gone over 100F.

Elsewhere in Europe, new high temperature records were set in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

How is it affecting travellers?

Network Rail said heat-related incidents were causing disruption across the rail network and warned people to make checks before travelling to see how their journey was affected.

It said it was working "flat out" to fix the issues as quickly as possible.

The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators and Network Rail, said the disruption was particularly bad in London and the South East and warned it could continue until the weekend.

Robert Nisbet, director of nations and regions at the group, said 20 out of 26 train companies had been affected by cancellations and speed restrictions.

"We believe there could be roll-on impacts tomorrow, because many of the trains will be in the wrong places, many of the rail staff will be in the wrong places and it will take time to re-set, to stabilise the timetable again," he said.

Commuters became stuck at St Pancras station in London after overhead wires were damaged, severely disrupting East Midlands and Thameslink services.

Boards displayed at the station announced most trains had been cancelled, with others delayed.

Damaged wires also led to travellers facing delays and cancellations to journeys between London Euston and Watford Junction.

East Midlands Trains advised passengers not to travel on some of its train services, while Great Western cancelled some trains between London, Cardiff and Swansea, with routes between London and Scotland also affected.

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Delays and cancellations are also expected for journeys across the Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink networks until the end of Thursday.

Other rail companies, including Greater Anglia, East Midlands, LNER and Hull Trains are also advising people not to travel.

Southeastern Railway also warned customers to avoid all but "absolutely necessary" travel.

What's the forecast?

On Thursday, Scotland recorded its hottest day of the year at 31C, while in Wales it was forecast to exceed 30C. A weather front close to Northern Ireland will keep it cooler.

Later on Thursday, eastern Scotland and the north and east of England could see rain, with a Met Office yellow warning for thunderstorms into early Friday morning.

There are warnings that the storms could trigger travel delays, flash flooding, and power cuts.

Heatwave hits Europe

On the continent, the heat rose above 40C in France, Germany and the Netherlands, breaking records.

Paris saw a record high temperature of 42.6C and French reports suggest five deaths might have been linked to the heatwave.

In parts of northern Germany, rivers and lakes have dried up, bringing warnings that fish could be "severely threatened".

How to stay safe

People are being urged to help out vulnerable friends, relatives and strangers in the heat.

Age UK has issued guidance for older people to stay safe while homeless charities are handing out water and sun cream.

Public Health England has maintained a level three heat health watch for eastern areas of England.

In Bristol, thousands of people were left without water for more than 10 hours after a water main burst, with Bristol Water saying the problem might have been caused by the heat.

Homeless charities have handed out water and sun cream to rough sleepers across the country and Public Health England issued a level-three heat health watch for eastern areas of England.

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Police also warned of the risks of cooling off in open water, after three bodies - believed to be swimmers - were recovered in London and Gloucestershire.

Britain is not used to such extreme temperatures, which means some people could be vulnerable to heat exhaustion.

The NHS recommends keeping all babies under six months out of direct sunlight, and older infants should be kept out of the sun as much as possible.

They should be kept in the shade or under a sunshade if they're in a buggy or pushchair. Sun cream with a high sun protection factor should be applied regularly - particularly if children go into water.

All children should be given plenty of fluids and the NHS says babies who are being breastfed may want to feed more than usual, but will not need water as well as breast milk.

NHS advice also says people should cool off immediately if they show the following symptoms: headaches, feeling dizzy, loss of appetite, nausea, excessive sweating, cramps, fast breathing and intense thirst.

For more information on how to keep safe in the heat, read:

Is the heatwave caused by climate change?

While extreme weather events like heatwaves occur naturally, "research shows that with climate change they are likely to become more common, perhaps occurring as regularly as every other year", the Met Office says.

It conducted a study last year that found that the UK was now 30 times more likely to experience heatwaves compared with the year 1750, because of "the higher concentration of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) in the atmosphere".

Records going back to the late 19th Century show that the average temperature of the Earth's surface has increased by about one degree since industrialisation.

A climatology institute in Potsdam, Germany, says Europe's five hottest summers since 1500 have all been in the 21st Century.

Scientists are concerned that rapid warming linked to use of fossil fuels has serious implications for the stability of the planet's climate.

What are the UK's current record temperatures?

The current record temperatures across the UK are:

  • England and UK: 38.5C (101.3F) in Faversham, Kent on 10 August 2003
  • Scotland: 32.9C (91.2F) in Greycrook, Borders on 9 August 2003
  • Wales: 35.2C (95.4F) in Harwarden Bridge, Flintshire on 2 August 1990
  • Northern Ireland: 30.8C (87.4F) in Knockarevan, County Fermanagh on 20 June 1976 and Shaw's Bridge, Belfast on 12 July 1983

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49106092

2019-07-26 06:22:38Z
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