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Coronavirus cases in England fell by almost a third in a fortnight after the latest national lockdown was introduced. That's the conclusion of React-1, a highly-respected study by Imperial College London, which swabbed more than 100,000 people between 13 and 24 November. Some of the worst-hit areas in the North saw the biggest improvements, and the virus's reproduction (R) rate fell to 0.88, meaning the epidemic is shrinking. However, overall, cases across the country remain high, with the East and West Midlands the current hotspots.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the data showed the country couldn't "take our foot off the pedal just yet", and the government insists the tougher three-tier system, coming into force on Wednesday, is what's needed to keep cases falling. Dozens of Conservative MPs remain to be convinced though, and to that end, the prime minister has agreed to publish the social, economic and health impact assessment of the measures. Boris Johnson hopes setting out the evidence will help him avoid a large-scale rebellion when the plans are put to a Commons vote on Tuesday. Writing to his sceptical backbenchers, the PM asked them to show "unity and resolve".
Most Labour MPs are likely to back the new tiers, but BBC political correspondent Iain Watson says it would be embarrassing for a PM with an 80-seat majority to have to rely on the Opposition. Here's a reminder of how the new tiers work, andcheck the rules wherever you are in the UK.
Elsewhere, the mass Covid testing of students is starting at many universities across the UK, aimed at allowing them to go home safely for Christmas. Over in the US, meanwhile, there are warnings about the impact another public holiday - Thanksgiving - could have on infections. | |
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| Retail empire Arcadia, which includes Topshop, Burton and Dorothy Perkins, faces collapse within hours, putting 13,000 jobs at risk. Company sources say they don't expect a last-minute rescue deal and are likely to call in administrators. Collapse could also have implications for another High Street struggler, Debenhams, as we explain.
Arcadia would be the biggest retail casualty of the pandemic, but its problems stretch much further back. In particular, it's failed to keep pace with online-only competitors such as Asos, Boohoo and Pretty Little Thing. Read more about what went wrong. As well as potentially losing their jobs, Arcadia staff also face uncertainty over their pensions. Controversial owner Sir Philip Green - more on him - is being urged to plug the £350m gap in the fund. | |
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| For decades the UK has been locked into a controversial EU subsidy system under which farmers are given taxpayers' money based on the amount of land they own. British governments have never liked it and now ministers have revealed how they plan to change things after the Brexit transition period ends. In future, farmers will instead receive payments for activities deemed to benefit society, such as planting trees, encouraging wildlife and preventing floods. The ambition is to complete the shift by 2028, but farm union the NFU fears many of its members will struggle to adjust. They say farmers desperately need more details so they can plan their lives. | |
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| |  | | | Italy was the first country in the West to be crushed by the pandemic and was for some time its global epicentre. But unlike March, when infections centred on the wealthy northern region of Lombardy, the second wave is pummelling the impoverished south as well. Calabria is Italy's, and one of Western Europe's, poorest regions. It has been left behind by decades of political mismanagement and plunder by its mafia, the 'Ndrangheta, which infiltrated the healthcare system. Criminal gangs seized resources and ran up massive debts, leading to 18 of its public hospitals being closed and savage cuts to beds and staff. | |
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| | Mark Lowen | Rome correspondent, BBC News | |
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Many front pages lead on the economic impact of the pandemic this Monday morning. "Go Shop for Britain" is the Daily Mirror's headline, as retailers urge people to take to the High Street when England's lockdown ends. Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick tells the Daily Telegraph he's relaxing the rules on opening hours throughout December and January to hopefully give stores a boost. The Daily Express focuses on Britain's seaside resorts, saying they're "dying a slow death as a result of the pandemic" and need urgent help. The Sun is most worried about pubs, pointing out that just 732 of England's 38,000 will be in the lowest tier from Wednesday, meaning the vast majority of people won't be able to meet a friend inside for a drink. Research by the Financial Times suggests the UK has spent more money fighting coronavirus than almost all comparable countries, yet "languishes" towards the bottom of tables of deaths and economic performance. Elsewhere, according to the Guardian, the government hopes to enlist "sensible" celebrities and social media influencers to help persuade people to take up the vaccine. Footballer Marcus Rashford is suggested as one possible name. | |
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| | | Huawei Ban from UK 5G network brought forward |
| | | | Rape cases Women "completely let down", report concludes |
| | | | White Island New Zealand files charges over volcano disaster |
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