Exeter WW2 bomb: People 'unlikely' to go home on Sunday - BBC News

People evacuated from their properties after an unexploded World War Two bomb was found in Exeter may not be allowed home on Sunday.

More than 2,600 households and 12 university halls of residence were cleared before the 2,200lb (1,000kg) device was destroyed on Saturday.

Police said the blast left a crater about the size of a double-decker bus.

They also said some buildings, mainly within 330ft (100m), suffered "blown-out windows and cracks in brickwork".

A 1,310ft (400m) cordon is still in place after households and about 1,400 students were evacuated after the find by builders on private land next to the Streatham campus at about 09:20 GMT on Friday.

Devon and Cornwall Police

Bomb disposal teams destroyed the device in a 400-tonne "box" of sand just before 18:15 GMT on Saturday in an explosion heard up to five miles (8km) away.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the blast impact from the German so-called "Hermann bomb" had been "significant", with debris thrown at least 820ft (250m) away.

Officers said "every effort" was being made to finish safety assessments of buildings affected "in the hope some evacuated residents may be able to return home this evening".

But they added that there was an "unlikelihood" of returning home and "evacuated residents are advised to work on a worst-case scenario basis that they will not be able to".

There were no concerns regarding the impact of the explosion, which caused a large plume of sand, on public health grounds, the force confirmed.

Devon County Council has a helpline for evacuated residents who needed support.

The majority of residents who were evacuated stayed with friends and family.

But police said the council confirmed that "those already in hotel accommodation will be able to stay in their hotels tonight if necessary".

Here is the moment the #exeterbomb was detonated in #Exeter this evening filmed by NPAS 44. Our video is filmed in Infra Red with the white hot mode selected showing heat as white. A massive multi-agency operation with a successful zero casualty outcome ^GMO https://t.co/PuEhR87K8T pic.twitter.com/vh00hlIkv8

— NPAS South West Region (@NPASSouthWest) February 27, 2021

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

The university said relocated students would be "supported to return to their halls of residence... subject to all safety checks being completed".

Students in private accommodation "should follow instructions from local authorities", it added.

It also said it was "critical" that no-one returned to 15 buildings and areas on campus "before we have assessed them as safe for occupation".

Roads remain closed in the area as a result of the incident.

The city was heavily attacked by German bombers in 19 raids during World War Two, particularly in May 1942 during the Baedecker Raids.

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Related Internet Links

• University of Exeter

• Devon and Cornwall Police

• Devon County Council

• Exeter City Council

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2021-02-28 12:27:09Z
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Budget: Rishi Sunak promises help as Covid restrictions ease - BBC News

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Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said he is preparing a Budget that "provides support for people... through the remaining stages of this crisis".

He said providing help as restrictions eased was "right" but added he wanted to "level with people" about the "shock to the economy" caused by Covid.

He dismissed claims he had told MPs he wanted to raise taxes now so he could cut them ahead of the next election.

This comes as the government announced £5bn to help high street businesses.

Meanwhile Labour's shadow chancellor, Anneliese Dodds, accused the chancellor of being "focused on politics" over protecting the economy.

• Budget 2021: The challenge facing Sunak
• What is the Budget and when will it happen?
• Will the vaccine be a Budget recovery blueprint?

Mr Sunak told the BBC's Andrew Marr the government had gone "big and early" when providing support to those hit by Covid in the early days of the pandemic - and added "there's more to come".

He said he hoped to provide support "along the path" towards gradually ending restrictions in England by 21 June, as set out in Prime Minister Boris Johnson's roadmap.

However he said he wanted to "be honest" with the public about the pandemic's impact on the economy and "clear about what our plan to address that is".

He warned high levels of borrowing had meant Britain was "more sensitive to interest rate changes" and that debt could "rise indefinitely" if borrowing continued after the recovery

He said making public finances sustainable "isn't going to happen overnight" but would not confirm newspaper reports he was planning to freeze income tax thresholds or raise corporation tax in a bid to lower debt.

'Party politics'

Asked whether he had privately told Conservative MPs that he wanted to raise taxes now so he could cut them ahead of the next general election he replied: "I don't recognise that."

Ms Dodds said the chancellor should "follow what is in the interest of our country" not "party politics".

She said considering tax rises made the UK government "an outlier" compared with other countries.

And she called on the chancellor to confirm that the furlough scheme and £20 increase to Universal Credit would be kept for as long as Covid-based restrictions were in place.

Reuters

Mr Sunak will lay out the government's tax and spending plans in his Budget on Wednesday, at a time when public borrowing has led to the highest national debt level since 1963.

Conservative former chancellor Lord Ken Clarke has argued Mr Sunak should consider raising VAT, national insurance and income taxes in order to repair the public finances.

However some Conservative MPs - including ex-Brexit Secretary David Davis - have warned against such rises and potential Tory rebels have been told they risk being kicked out of the parliamentary party if they vote against the Budget.

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2021-02-28 11:27:08Z
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Covid-19: Free rapid testing for pupils' families in England - BBC News

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Free Covid tests will be offered to the families of all pupils in England under plans to reopen schools from 8 March.

Rapid test kits will be provided twice a week to pupils and anyone in their household or support bubble regardless of whether they have symptoms.

They will also be available to adults who work with schools, such as bus drivers and after school club leaders.

Meanwhile, nearly two million people aged 60 to 63 in England are now being invited to book their vaccine.

From Monday, people in that age bracket will start receiving letters explaining how to book a jab through the national booking service, NHS England said.

Nearly 20 million people in the UK have now received their first dose, with the government aiming to offer a first jab to all adults by the end of July.

• When will it be my turn to be vaccinated?
• How many people have got the jab so far?
• UK reports 7,434 cases on Saturday

Lateral flow tests, which give a result within 30 minutes, will be available from Monday from local sites or administered through workplace testing programmes.

Home testing for secondary pupils will be twice weekly, with parents expected to carry out the testing at home after three tests in school.

Taking the tests will be encouraged but not mandatory, with pupils from year one upwards able to take a test, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

Tests will also be available to nursery school staff, the DHSC said.

Public Health England said testing would help "uncover hidden cases" and break chains of transmission.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said testing family members "will provide yet another layer of reassurance to parents and education staff that schools are as safe as possible".

Tests will be available in-person via workplace testing, at local authority testing sites or through a new ordering service that will allow people to order the kits online to collect from a local testing site.

A secondary PCR test will be required to confirm positive lateral flow tests taken at home.

Meanwhile, more than three in four people aged between 65 and 70 have now taken up the offer of a vaccine, NHS England said.

Last week, invites began to be sent out to 64-year-olds and those aged 50 to 60 are set to be invited "shortly", the NHS added.

It said the vaccine rollout was gaining "fresh momentum" and medical director Prof Stephen Powis urged anyone who has been invited to take up the offer.

"It doesn't matter when you were invited you can still come forward and protect yourself and others," he said.

The amount of vaccine supply is expected to increase in March, said Sir Simon Stevens, NHS England chief executive. "We're planning for further acceleration as we head towards Easter."

People can use the national booking service to reserve a slot at NHS vaccination centres or at pharmacies across the country. Those who cannot go online can call 119 free of charge.

NHS teams are also visiting those who are housebound and cannot travel to a vaccination service.

BAME plea

It comes as leaders from 60 black-majority churches in the UK issued a call to their congregations on Sunday to get the vaccine.

They will urge worshippers to seek out the facts about the vaccine from trusted sources.

Data has suggested people from black and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds are being vaccinated at much lower rates than white people.

The Bishop of Dover, the Right Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who is among the alliance of Christian leaders, said: "Don't let misinformation rob you of your opportunity to protect yourself and others."

The Duke of Cambridge has also urged people to get vaccinated during a video call with two women who are shielding.

He said the uptake so far had been "amazing" but added: "We've got to keep it going."

• LOOK-UP TOOL: How many cases in your area?
• YOUR QUESTIONS: We answer your queries
• THE R NUMBER: What it means and why it matters
• TEST AND TRACE: How does it work?

According to the government's latest figures on Saturday, more than 19.6 million people in the UK have now received their first dose - equivalent to more than one in three adults.

The number of people who have had their second jab has risen to 768,810.

The government has said its next target is to offer a first dose to all over-50s by 15 April, as well as people aged 16-64 with certain underlying health conditions and unpaid carers for disabled and elderly people.

Elsewhere, Chancellor Rishi Sunak is preparing to set out details of the Budget on Wednesday as he tries to balance the strains on the public purse caused by the pandemic while supporting those who have been hit the hardest.

• ZARA MCDERMOTT WANTS ANSWERS: Revenge porn is raging in the UK and Zara wants to know, can anyone safely share intimate images again?
• BINGE-WATCH BATES MOTEL THIS WEEKEND: The Psycho prequel exploring the dark backstory of how a teenage boy becomes a killer

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2021-02-28 08:36:01Z
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Covid-19: Free rapid testing for pupils' families in England - BBC News

PA Media

Free Covid tests will be offered to the families of all pupils in England under plans to reopen schools from 8 March.

Rapid test kits will be provided twice a week to pupils and anyone in their household or support bubble regardless of whether they have symptoms.

They will also be available to adults who work with schools, such as bus drivers and after school club leaders.

Meanwhile, nearly two million people aged 60 to 63 in England are now being invited to book their vaccine.

From Monday, people in that age bracket will start receiving letters explaining how to book a jab through the national booking service, NHS England said.

Nearly 20 million people in the UK have now received their first dose, with the government aiming to offer a first jab to all adults by the end of July.

• When will it be my turn to be vaccinated?
• How many people have got the jab so far?
• UK reports 7,434 cases on Saturday

Lateral flow tests, which give a result within 30 minutes, will be available from Monday from local sites or administered through workplace testing programmes.

Home testing for secondary pupils will be twice weekly, with parents expected to carry out the testing at home after three tests in school.

Taking the tests will be encouraged but not mandatory, with pupils from year one upwards able to take a test, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

Tests will also be available to nursery school staff, the DHSC said.

Public Health England said testing would help "uncover hidden cases" and break chains of transmission.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said testing family members "will provide yet another layer of reassurance to parents and education staff that schools are as safe as possible".

Tests will be available in-person via workplace testing, at local authority testing sites or through a new ordering service that will allow people to order the kits online to collect from a local testing site.

A secondary PCR test will be required to confirm positive lateral flow tests taken at home.

Meanwhile, more than three in four people aged between 65 and 70 have now taken up the offer of a vaccine, NHS England said.

Last week, invites began to be sent out to 64-year-olds and those aged 50 to 60 are set to be invited "shortly", the NHS added.

It said the vaccine rollout was gaining "fresh momentum" and medical director Prof Stephen Powis urged anyone who has been invited to take up the offer.

"It doesn't matter when you were invited you can still come forward and protect yourself and others," he said.

The amount of vaccine supply is expected to increase in March, said Sir Simon Stevens, NHS England chief executive. "We're planning for further acceleration as we head towards Easter."

People can use the national booking service to reserve a slot at NHS vaccination centres or at pharmacies across the country. Those who cannot go online can call 119 free of charge.

NHS teams are also visiting those who are housebound and cannot travel to a vaccination service.

BAME plea

It comes as leaders from 60 black-majority churches in the UK issued a call to their congregations on Sunday to get the vaccine.

They will urge worshippers to seek out the facts about the vaccine from trusted sources.

Data has suggested people from black and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds are being vaccinated at much lower rates than white people.

The Bishop of Dover, the Right Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who is among the alliance of Christian leaders, said: "Don't let misinformation rob you of your opportunity to protect yourself and others."

The Duke of Cambridge has also urged people to get vaccinated during a video call with two women who are shielding.

He said the uptake so far had been "amazing" but added: "We've got to keep it going."

• LOOK-UP TOOL: How many cases in your area?
• YOUR QUESTIONS: We answer your queries
• THE R NUMBER: What it means and why it matters
• TEST AND TRACE: How does it work?

According to the government's latest figures on Saturday, more than 19.6 million people in the UK have now received their first dose - equivalent to more than one in three adults.

The number of people who have had their second jab has risen to 768,810.

The government has said its next target is to offer a first dose to all over-50s by 15 April, as well as people aged 16-64 with certain underlying health conditions and unpaid carers for disabled and elderly people.

Elsewhere, Chancellor Rishi Sunak is preparing to set out details of the Budget on Wednesday as he tries to balance the strains on the public purse caused by the pandemic while supporting those who have been hit the hardest.

• ZARA MCDERMOTT WANTS ANSWERS: Revenge porn is raging in the UK and Zara wants to know, can anyone safely share intimate images again?
• BINGE-WATCH BATES MOTEL THIS WEEKEND: The Psycho prequel exploring the dark backstory of how a teenage boy becomes a killer

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2021-02-28 08:14:36Z
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Budget 2021: The challenge facing Rishi Sunak - BBC News

Chancellor Rishi Sunak

Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Budget will be one of the most-closely watched in years, as the government grapples with the enormous economic costs of the Covid-19 pandemic, and as he charts a financial roadmap for the country.

In his 3 March statement, the chancellor will outline the state of the UK economy and its outlook for the future - and give details of the government's plans for raising or lowering taxes.

So how is the UK economy faring under the twin impacts of coronavirus and Brexit? In the following charts, we take a snapshot of the nation's economic health - highlighting some of the economic challenges facing the chancellor.

The UK's national debt has reached its highest level since 1963 - reflecting the huge cost of pandemic support measures such as the furlough scheme. National debt here means the total amount the government owes to its lenders - it is the accumulation of borrowing over many years.

So far this year, the annual total for government borrowing - the amount the government borrows to make up for the gap between what it spends and what it raises in taxes - has reached £270.6bn, which is £222bn more than a year ago, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates that this figure could reach £393.5bn by the end of the financial year in March. This would be the highest amount in any year since the Second World War.

But it is also worth pointing out that this figure has been above 100% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or annual national income in 131 of the last 320 years.

The 21st Century so far has been one of rising levels of public sector net borrowing (how much both central and local government have borrowed to carry out their spending programmes). Last month's figure was £8.8bn, the highest January borrowing amount since monthly records began in 1993.

As a result of the pandemic, public sector net debt has risen by £316.4bn over the 10 months since last April to an all-time high of £2.1 trillion.

Unemployment is currently 5.1%, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is the highest figure for five years, and shows the effects of lockdowns on the economy due to the pandemic, with many workplaces forced to close their doors.

So far, this hasn't resulted in a rapid rise in unemployment, as the furlough support scheme has helped to protect jobs, but this could change if the scheme ends as planned in April. Most economists expect the unemployment rate to continue rising in 2021.

However, the roll-out of Covid vaccines is happening quickly and this may help to keep unemployment down if it allows a staged re-start of the UK economy.

Young people have been hit particularly hard by the labour market fallout from coronavirus, with workers aged under 24 accounting for nearly half of the total fall in employment during the economic slump, according to research by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES).

At the same time, more people are chasing fewer jobs, so young people are struggling to enter the employment market.

Significantly, young people account for 46% of the overall fall in employment during the pandemic - even though they only account for just one in nine of the workforce.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hinted that furlough support for workers will continue beyond April, as he pledged not to "pull the rug out" from under the UK economy when he unveiled plans to ease the national lockdown in four steps.

If the government does not extend the job support schemes, then the latest forecast from the Bank of England suggests that UK unemployment will reach 7.75% during the summer.

Full-time work has risen during the pandemic, despite the impact of Covid on the labour market. However, the numbers of those in part-time jobs or self-employed have dropped, as freelancers and those in precarious work bear the brunt of the crisis.

Campaign groups are calling on the chancellor to plug gaps in schemes such as the self-employed income support scheme (SEISS) to support millions of self-employed people and other workers excluded from furlough. The Resolution Foundation think tank says that 2.3 million workers are missing out on help because they are not covered by SEISS.

UK house prices climbed 8.5% last year - that's the highest annual growth rate since October 2014 - with the average UK house price reaching a record high of £252,000 in December 2020.

The North West had the highest growth of 11.2%, while London rose just 3.5%.

One of the factors behind the rise has been the stamp duty holiday in England that was introduced last July. However, if the tax break ends on 31 March as planned, sales and house price rises are likely to slow afterwards.

• What is the Budget and when will it happen?
• 'If I have to pay £13,000, it will destroy my shop'
• Chancellor 'must use Budget to make finance green'
• 'Furlough is a lifeline, I hope they extend it'

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2021-02-28 01:22:28Z
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New evidence that Nicola Sturgeon's team leaked name of Alex Salmond accuser - The Times

Unpublished evidence lodged with an inquiry into the Alex Salmond affair has raised fresh concerns that the SNP leader, Nicola Sturgeon, misled parliament, in breach of the ministerial code.

It indicates that her team was aware of harassment complaints against her former boss and closest friend several weeks before she told parliament she became aware of them.

The material from Salmond’s former chief of staff, Geoff Aberdein, also supports claims made by the former first minister that Sturgeon’s administration leaked the identity of one of the women complaining about him — claims that Sturgeon rejected last week.

Labour has said that such an identification would represent an “extraordinary breach of confidentiality” and a “fundamental breakdown of trust”.

The Sunday Times has been given details

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2021-02-28 00:01:00Z
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COVID-19: Prince William urges vaccine uptake and warns of social media 'awash with misinformation' - Sky News

Prince William has urged people to get the COVID vaccine and warned of the dangers of "social media awash sometimes with lots of rumours and misinformation".

The Duke of Cambridge said it was important for COVID vaccination efforts to continue so young people would feel "it's really important for them to have it".

William and Kate spoke with Shivali Modha and her family on Tuesday via a video call, as part of a talk with two clinically vulnerable women.

Image: The Duke and Duchess spoke with the Modha family about their hesitancy to get the vaccine. Pic: Kensington Palace

The royals also chatted with Fiona Doyle.

Ms Doyle and Mrs Modha, who both live in London, have been shielding since the start of the pandemic due to pre-existing medical conditions.

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It comes after the Queen also encouraged people to get a vaccine.

As the Cambridges spoke with Mrs Modha, 39, her husband Hiren and their daughters Shyaama, 11, and Jyoti, nine, she explained how she had been anxious about getting a coronavirus vaccine.

More from Covid-19

The royals listened as the mother-of-two - who has type 2 diabetes - said how posts on social media had concerned her, but that speaking to members of her family who had been jabbed, and also medical professionals and charity Diabetes UK, had encouraged her to get a vaccine.

Prince William said: "Catherine and I are not medical experts by any means but if it's any consolation, we can wholeheartedly support having vaccinations. It's really, really important.

"We've spoken to a lot of people about it and the uptake has been amazing so far. We've got to keep it going so the younger generations also feel that it's really important for them to have it.

"So it's great that Shivali you're taking the time to work it out and come to the conclusion that 'I need to do this' because social media is awash sometimes with lots of rumours and misinformation, so we have to be a bit careful who we believe and where we get our information from.

"Especially for those who are clinically vulnerable as well, it's so important that those vaccinations are done, so good luck."

Ms Doyle, 37, who has also been shielding since March 2020 due to her severe asthma, chatted with the royals with her seven-year-old daughter Ciara.

She mentioned how the charity Asthma UK had supported her during the pandemic, and how she was keen to get a vaccine.

Ms Doyle said: "I can't wait! I'm priority group six, so any day now I'm really hoping to get called up."

She added: "I think I'm trying to not see it as a magic cure. I'm not going to go out licking lampposts or anything straight away!"

Image: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during a video call to Fiona Doyle and her daughter Ciara. Pic: Kensington Palace

"Did you used to do that before?" laughed William.

"I'm probably going to do what I do normally," said Ms Doyle.

"I'll still wear my mask, I'll still keep my hand gel, still social distance.

"But it's nice to know that mentally you have that layer of protection and that if you do end up being unfortunate enough to catch it, it won't be as severe as it might have been without having been vaccinated."

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2021-02-27 22:02:52Z
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