today at six... now it's south yorkshire that is going into the highest tier for covid restrictions. tough rules for sheffield, barnsley, doncaster and rotherham come into effect on saturday — labour's city region mayor has accepted financial support from the government. we don't know how long we will be in tier 3 for. this crisis is going to go on for. so i see this as a damage limitation in the short term, an interim payment. the deal for south yorkshire follows the bitter argument over money for greater manchester — we'll be looking at the fall—out. also tonight... the people suffering months after they have the first symptoms of covid — new research into who is most at risk. i didn't have the energy to have a conversation for very long. it would knock me out.

and then i'd have to lie down, and then sometimes i'd feel a bit better afterwards. but normally if i had what i would call a relapse, it would probably go on for a couple of weeks. shocking images from africa's most populous country — the nigerian security forces accused of shooting and killing peaceful protesters. should free school meals for children in england be extended through the holidays? mps are debating the issue tonight. it may not be called boaty mcboatface any more, but britain's most advanced polar research vessel begins sea trials. and coming up on bbc news... cleared to play — wasps will be at twickenham for the premiership final. their involvement was in doubt after 11 players and staff contracted coronavirus.

good evening, and welcome to the bbc news at six. from saturday, south yorkshire will move into england's highest tier of the coronavirus alert levels. it means pubs and bars which do not serve substantial meals have to close, and there are further restrictions on households mixing. additional rules in south yorkshire include the closure of betting shops and casinos, soft play centres and gym classes — though gyms themselves will remain open. itjoins greater manchester, liverpool city region and lancashire in the highest tier of coronavirus restrictions. the mayor of the sheffield city region, dan jarvis, who led negotiations with the government, said he had secured £41 million in funding to support people and businesses in the affected boroughs of barnsley, doncaster, rotherham and sheffield. our north of england correspondent, fiona trott, has spent the day speaking to people in sheffield

about the new measures. another northern region preparing for the toughest covid rules. this city along with barnsley, doncaster and rotherham will get £41 million. 30 to support local businesses. the rest for public health measures like contact tracing. clearly i will want to continue to press the government for more support. we don't know how long we will be in tier 3 or four along this crisis will go on, so i see this as damage limitation in the short term, an interim payment. once again life is changing. some will adapt, some say they will struggle. i think it is more that you can see your friends and i think itjust has attached a strain on everyone. your friends and i think itjust has attached a strain on everyonem you don't love you cry. i have got a disability and i need to get out and about, to meet friends. if not i will pull my hair out. on the other

side of the city a chance for coffee before the measures come in. this doctor saw them coming. he says people aren't as vigilant and want to keep working. there is a degree of fatigue without doubt setting in. we have been in this pandemic for 6-8 we have been in this pandemic for 6—8 months and people are probably getting a little frustrated and fed up. i had a patient and sounded like she could have covid and i wanted to say i don't think it is but i couldn't. i said this may be, it is not, you don't have a classical symptoms, but you ought to self—isolate and get tested. symptoms, but you ought to self-isolate and get tested. a few miles away a local brewery bracing itself for change. some of the pubs they supply will be shut down but they supply will be shut down but they have to keep going. they say today's funding agreement doesn't help them. when a pub closes in sheffield that is one lost customer for us. it means that we

can't sell oui’ for us. it means that we can't sell our fantastic product that people would normally want to drink. what that also means is we have to slow down our brewing which means we are buying less raw materials which is malted barley and hops which will ultimately affect the farmer down the supply chain. we are very fortu nate the supply chain. we are very fortunate that we can change our route to market, through our online shop and sell the beer that we have got. moving into the next level of restrictions will be tough, but in the north of england it is becoming familiar territory. compared to greater manchester news the fight and show package had been agreed came very quickly —— financial package. there has been criticism of it. the leader of rotherham council says the government had a one size fits all approach describing it as tawdry. the mp for sheffield south—east describe the amount as inadequate. the latest figures suggest there are 395 positive cases here in sheffield, per 100,000

people. in barnsley that has the highest figure in south yorkshire, 415. the new measures come into place on saturday. they will be reviewed on 28 days' time and those numbers need to come down. thank you very much. unlike south yorkshire — where a deal over a financial support package was agreed with local leaders — there's a continuing argument over a similar deal for greater manchester. ministers say the £60 million that was offered to the mayor, andy burnham, will now be distributed through council leaders. at prime minister's questions the labour leader, sir keir starmer, accused the government of pitting regions against each other and of bargaining with people's lives. our deputy political editor vicki young has more. four months life hasn't been normal anywhere in the uk, but slowly more and more of us are being told to live once again under very tight restrictions, telling us who we can see, where we can travel, what stays open and what must close. boris johnson insisted today that the

sacrifices are paying off, that the coronavirus isn't spreading as fast as it did in the spring. why is it so as it did in the spring. why is it so chaotic? but he has been accused of reducing the amount of help going to workers as businesses are ordered to workers as businesses are ordered to shut. there is no one other country in europe where so much supports, so much help is beginning to the population get through this crisis and we'll continue do that. but that's not how the mayor of greater manchester sees it. negotiations over financial support for his area descended into mudslinging. after days of uncertainty, the prime minister announced that £60 million would now be given directly to councils. people working... but the labour leader said workers will be short—changed because the newjob support scheme pays less than the furlough scheme it is replacing. their rent and their mortgage won't be lower, their food and heating bills would be lower and that could la st bills would be lower and that could last for months. why can't the prime ministerand last for months. why can't the prime minister and the chancellor understand this, stop bargaining with people's lives, stop dividing

communities and provide the support thatis communities and provide the support that is needed in manchester. mr speaker, i am very proud that this government has already given greater manchester £1.1 billion in support for business. and there is another i’ow for business. and there is another row brewing about money with another labour mayor, sadiq khan says london's transport network tfl needs a second bailout from the government. ministers say that will only happen if the mayor puts up fa res only happen if the mayor puts up fares and taxes. rather than punishing londoners, playing party political games, let's get around a table and do a deal that is right for tfl, right for london and right for tfl, right for london and right for our country. is this pandemic drags on, the bills rack up and the arguments about how much the government should fork out will continue for months. ministers insist that most of the negotiations have been straightforward. but the recent acrimony between some local leaders and central government suggests that politics is starting to get in the way. back

in the comments tempers have been spilling over also. excuse me, did the honourable lady just over also. excuse me, did the honourable ladyjust call me some? order! from the front bench we will not have remarks like that. not underany not have remarks like that. not under any circumstances. the row overfunding for greater under any circumstances. the row over funding for greater manchester isn't quite over, but with new restrictions eminent politicians from all parties are urging people to follow the rules. vicki young, bbc news, westminster. coronavirus restrictions in scotland, including the closure of pubs and restaurants across glasgow and edinburgh, are to be extended until the second of november. the first minister, nicola sturgeon, said it would "not be safe" to ease any measures in the short term. lorna gordon is in glasgow for us. current measures to be extended, but scotla nd current measures to be extended, but scotland will also be getting its own tier system. yes, nicola sturgeon confirmed she is looking at five tier system of restrictions and

alerts for scotland. the middle three tiers broadly aligned to the system and england, a lower set of controls where things would continue as much as possible, as normal, and then a higher level of alert which would be much nearer to the full lockdown we saw back in march. we will get more details of how exactly it will work on friday stop it is still to be debated in the scottish parliament and i suppose keep many people is there still to find out what the different parts of scotland, where they will pull in this new set of restrictions. but for now, the current restrictions, which are persistent parts of central scotland, remain in place. they have been extended to allow for what the first minister calls a smooth transition to the new plan, but business leaders said that announcement was devastating. nicola sturgeon acknowledged they were hard but insist they are necessary and says that while there are early encouraging signs, that the spread of the virus may have been slowed, it is still too early to lift the

restrictions. lorna, thank you very much. and for all the information on the restrictions in your area and what they mean you can visit the bbc news website and navigate to our postcode checker for the details. scientists believe they've found a way to identify people who are more likely to develop what's being called long covid. that's when people feel unwell for quite a while after the original infection. most people recover from the virus within 11 days, but the study, by king's college london and the data science company zoe, shows one in 20 are sick for at least eight weeks, and one in 45 are sick for at least 12 weeks. the research showed that being female or over 50 raised the risk of having a longer lasting condition. our health editor hugh pym reports. i would sit and talk to somebody for an hour. i'd think, they've really got to go, because i've got to go and lie down. i didn't have the energy to have a conversation for very long. it would knock me

out. that was how ondine sherwood felt several months after going down with coronavirus, classic symptoms of long covid. she was in touch with others with similar experiences and that led to a campaign for greater recognition. we really do need research into why people are getting this condition, what can be done to stop them suffering long—term. what are the best therapies? what tests need to be carried out? the actress, emma samms, also experienced debilitating fatigue, along with loss of smell and shortness of breath and couldn't understand why she wasn't getting better. but she found some parts of the nhs unhelpful. i mean, some of them hadn't heard of long covid at all as a concept. some were more open to googling it and some were not. and that was incredibly demoralising. specialist clinics are being set up,

like this one at a leading london hospital, to try to understand more about long covid and patients' needs. i think it has caught us a bit by surprise, the number of patients affected by this and we have not, up to now, had the right pathways for patients to be referred for assessment. i do feel that things are really improving at pace now, there's much more broader consensus about the need that patients have for this kind of care and there are more and more services opening up. today, the health secretary for england visited the clinic... nice to meet you. ..and heard from one patient who, before now had struggled to get help. this is one of the most advanced, but we've got to have them across the country. there's just not enough facilities. it's taken me eight and a half months to be seen by a person, this is my first time. there is no facility is in my area. yeah. mr hancock said there were lessons for the wider public. in the case of long covid,

there is no cure. so to anybody of any age, catching covid can be very, very serious and we should all do our bit to try to avoid that. i thought i would get it and i'd just bounce back and... ..i haven't. the nhs in england has launched this video today to drive home the warning about long covid. hugh pym, bbc news. the latest government figures there were 26,688 new coronavirus infections recorded in the latest 24—hour period. the average number of new cases reported per day in the last week, is now 19,229. 923 people have been admitted to hospital on average each day over the week to last friday. 191 deaths were reported, that's people who died within 28 days of a positive covid—19 test. that means on average in the past week, 143 deaths were announced every day.

it takes the total number of deaths so far across the uk to 44,158. the former head of the civil service, lord sedwill, has acknowledged there was a genuine question about whether the uk could have been better prepared for the pandemic. speaking out for the first time since leaving the post last month, lord sedwill also said he was troubled by attacks on the civil service. he was speaking to the bbc‘s political editor, laura kuenssberg. not many people get to have their whitehall leaving do on the queen elizabeth aircraft carrier. laura, welcome aboard. not many people are like lord sedwill and sat right by the prime minister's side. he has seen governments through many crises, but did they get it right at the start of this one? whether the right decision is taken at the right time. the second big question though, i think, which in a sense

has been less exposed, is what were the capabilities that the state had to deploy against this. clearly, although we had exercise and prepared for pandemic threats, we didn't have in place, the exact measures, we hadn't rehearsed the exact measures for a pandemic for a disease of the kind that covid—19 presented. many ministers would say now, the civil service was meant to be a rolls—royce, the british machine, and in some thought it was more like a rusty old banger. i don't think that's about the civil service, government, ministers or whatever. there were genuine challengers worldwide about some of these things. it also then emerged the prime minister's chief adviser had gone to county durham. many people in the country were absolutely outraged by that. do you think dominic cummings should have quit over that? it was a mistake, but it clearly undermined the government's coherent narrative about people following the rules. he was the top national security adviser, too. in charge this week of a government backed defence conference on board in portsmouth. one of the key elements of this

carrier is the ramp... with careful words but a clear message on politics on the other side of the pond. president trump is a very unusual occupant of that office. i think the western alliance needs american leadership. and has that been missing in the last few years? it's been... it's been more up and down in the last few years. this is where the captain will essentially come on the ship. his departure from government comes alongside the dramatic exits of other senior officials. adamant he wasn't forced out, but expose the brutal mutterings about the ability of the civil service. of course it was unpleasant for me. it's damaging to trust between officials and ministers and what that means is, within government it undermines the candour with which people can operate. of course i'm troubled when we see attacks on the civil service,

attacks on its integrity, attacks on its capability, because i just don't believe those are fair and we can't really answer back. figures like lord sedwill rarely seen, not normally heard. are you happy here or in whitehall? laughter. you know the answer to that question. only a month out of government, now free to set a new course. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, portsmouth. our top story this evening: south yorkshire is set to go into the highest tier of covid restrictions. how coventry is gearing up for city of culture next year. coming up on sportsday on bbc news... all the build—up to the champions league asjuergen klopp's liverpool take on ajax and pep guardiola's manchester city host porto. the human rights group amnesty international says it has received credible and disturbing evidence that nigerian security

forces shot and killed a number of people taking part in a peaceful protest last night in the country's largest city, lagos. for weeks now there have been demonstrations against police brutality across the country — africa's most populous. protesters accuse the now—disbanded special anti—robbery squad, or sars — of torture. today the country's president has aappealed for calm while the army has denied any involvement. an indefinite curfew has been imposed on several regions including lagos, from where our correspondent mayeni jones sent this report. a city in chaos. across lagos, buildings have been torched and sporadic clashes have erupted. this is what sparked the outcry. soldiers shooting unarmed protesters in the country's largest city. they are shooting at us. they

are shooting. what happened here on tuesday night has deeply unsettled nigerians. this isn't the first time the army has been accused of shooting innocent protesters, but the fact it happened here in what is the fact it happened here in what is the most peaceful protest sites has ignited an already volatile situation. what started off as a protest against police brutality has widened calls for a change in the status quo and inequality. we are doing our protest. nobody was even out. let them step aside. let's put this in order. they are brutalising innocent citizens of nigeria. this was a protest born on social

media. more than half of the country is under 24. last night's events were broadcast online and the hashtag has galvanised support. broadcast online and the hashtag has galvanised supportlj broadcast online and the hashtag has galvanised support. i shall say to the government, you should be ashamed. killing your own citizens and sending the military on the streets to kill the protesters just because they are protesting for their rights. it is uncalled for. nigeria has been a dictatorship for almost half of its life as an independent nation. many of its citizens worry tuesday's events mirror the dark days of military rule and they are determined to make sure that doesn't happen. post—brexit trade negotiations between the uk and european union are to resume in london tomorrow, after what number ten described as significant comments from the eu's chief negotiator. michel barnier and his counterpart lord david frost spoke on the phone today after talks stalled last week.

downing street said the pair had "jointly agreed a set of principles for handling this intensified phase of talks", but warned it was "entirely possible that negotiations will not succeed". pope francis has made his strongest statement yet in favour of civil partnerships between same—sex couples. speaking in a tv documentary that's been shown in italy the pope said homosexual people have "the right to be in a family". the england footballer, marcus rashford, who has led a campaign on free school meals, has warned mps not to turn a blind eye to what he called vulnerable children. the commons is due to debate a labour party call to extend free school meals in england through the holidays. so far the government has refused to support the proposal. here's our education correspondent, elaine dunkley. the start of the day at egremont primary school in wallasey comes as a relief to many children

and their families. breakfast club is the guarantee of a meal they might not have at home. you can go to brea kfast clu b have at home. you can go to breakfast club and have a bagel or a piece of toast. if there was a brea kfast clu b, piece of toast. if there was a breakfast club, what would happen? we would probably have an empty stomach and feel a little sick. with half term not far away, holiday hunger is at the forefront of pa rents‘ hunger is at the forefront of parents‘ mines. throughout the summer, michelle relied on free school meal vouchers. we wouldn't have survived without it. you worry a lot about making sure they have enough. all the food in the holidays, you have got to find that main mealfor the kids. holidays, you have got to find that main meal for the kids.|j holidays, you have got to find that main mealfor the kids. i think people struggle. the coronavirus pandemic has brought additional hardship and stigma. in the school there is a food bank and a clothes store. at weekends, teachers deliver food parcels. the first day they have brought the food it was

great, because it is really nice to bring food to someone. they are so grateful when you come to the door. there have been times when we have been emotionally upset. now we have parents who don't have jobs any more so we parents who don't have jobs any more so we have to think about the parents who don't have jobs, how are they going to survive? a winning goalfor they going to survive? a winning goal for marcus rashford last they going to survive? a winning goalfor marcus rashford last night. today he was hoping for success in extending the free school meal voucher scheme. so far, the government has says no but councils have been given an extra £63 million forfamilies facing have been given an extra £63 million for families facing financial difficulties. i am not sure any amount of money could be injected to solve the problem. but support in schools to try to deal with the problem is the next step. in scotla nd problem is the next step. in scotland and wales, families will be given food vouchers until next yea r‘s easter given food vouchers until next year's easter holiday. but like in england, northern ireland has said free school meals will only be provided during term time.

as hardship starts to bite, they will be growing pressure for the government to change its mind. elaine dunkley, bbc news, in wallasey. coventry will play host to the turner prize — just one of a number of events announced today, ahead of its year as uk city of culture in 2021. organisers say they've been working on a flexible festival because of the pandemic. the start of the year—long programme has already been postponed until may. colleen harris reports. church bells ringing. coventry, famous for reinventing itself after the blitz has revealed some of its plans to transform the city again. today, organisers announced the first taste of what's to come, promising a programme rooted in the people of the city, including literature, theatre and a three—day festival curated by terry hall of the specials. the city will also play host to the turner

prize exhibition. there is no doubt that it's been a very challenging time, you know, notjust for us in planning a programme like this, but for everyone in the world. i think what we've tried to do is bring our creativity, our innovation, flexibility to really try and reimagine what a uk city of culture during a global pandemic might look like. today's announcement in coventry is by showing the city's determination to press on with its bold ambition for a year of culture arts. but there is still uncertainty about how long it will take the arts sector to recover from coronavirus. coventry‘s empire music venue is being relocated, but coronavirus has caused delays. they've now been given government money to secure its future and richie has taken on a labourer job here to make ends meet. but before coronavirus, he was a successful tour manager and sound technician. it's been catastrophic, is the word. mentally, it's been very hard. i've neverfelt like i'm any

different to somebody that goes to work in an office, somebody that goes to work on a building site. i've worked since i was young in one industry and i've worked my way up. veteran songwriter and producer, pete waterman, says britain's music industry has always punched above its weight for talent and now fears its standing on the world's stage could be lost. i think we're past critical, that's the sad part. i think we are past the point where there is no return. i cannot see it, certainly in my lifetime, ever coming back to what it was five years ago. let alone 20 years ago. this has just about finished off the british music industry. but for coventry being uk city of culture may be a lifeline and, some artistic relief for a covid—weary nation. colleen harris, bbc news, coventry. the uk's most advanced polar research vessel —

initially named boaty mcboatface by the public — left its shipyard today to begin technical sea trials before making it's maiden voyage to antarctica in a year's time. the rrs sir david attenborough —— as it is now known —— is expected to transform uk research in the polar regions, including extensive work designed to boost understanding of climate change. here's victoria gill. a final, emotional farewell. afinal, emotionalfarewell. it's taken four years to build and the shipyard worked through the crisis of the pandemic. so is the rrs sir david attenborough left the dock for the last time, the team that built her gather to say goodbye. to look at it now, for years going under its own stea m at it now, for years going under its own steam and on the mersey, it is great to see. it looks appropriately gloomy in birkenhead today for the foghorn sounding, but the ship will not be going very far today, just to

live cruise terminals are just down the mersey. after that it will be open sea trials and the next stop will be some of the most extreme environments on earth. 129 metres long with large on—board laboratories and a whole macro designed to cut to ice up to a metre thick. this is a ship specifically designed to allow scientists to spend at extended time in extreme conditions. they plan to use the ship to find out what is happening ina ship to find out what is happening in a fragile and frozen environment. the new ship will allow us to do science in ice covered waters. so it has all the technology and the capabilities to take us into areas that we've never been before to do new kinds of science. after leaving liverpool, the ship will sail across the north wales coast to holyhead, which will be her base for sea trials over the next year. but in another pandemic twist, the ship is

not permitted to arrive and dock there until after the latest welsh lockdown which ends on the 9th of november. despite the weather and a muted socially distanced sendoff, the sense on the dockside was one of pride. knowing what she is going out there to do and what we have achieved as a team, as a company to get her to this point where she is sailing off, probably one of my biggest achievements. with my daughter, she is probably one of my biggest achievements today. these arejust biggest achievements today. these are just the first tentative steps for the £200 million vessel. she will set off at the antarctic, the play she was built for in november 2021. victoria gill, bbc news. time for a look at the weather here's stav da naos. good evening. it was a wash—out day across england and wales. some of the heaviest of the rain was across the heaviest of the rain was across the south—east of england and we saw some localised flooding in places and pretty atrocious conditions on the road. wet again across the north

and west of scotland, thanks