tv BBC News BBC News February 21, 2021 1:00pm-1:31pm GMT
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good afternoon. the prime minister has promised all adults in the uk will be offered their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine by the end ofjuly. so far, more than 17 million people have already had a jab — that's around one in three adults. the vaccines offer protection against the two most commonly found variants in the uk — but it's not clear yet how they work against the south african variant. a single case of that strain has now been confirmed in brentwood in essex
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and surge testing is being expanded there. our health correspondent laura foster reports. more than 17 million people in the uk have been given theirfirst more than 17 million people in the uk have been given their first dose of the covid vaccine, offering some form of protection against this deadly virus. but we are only a third of the way there.- third of the way there. what is critical, third of the way there. what is critical. of _ third of the way there. what is critical, of course, _ third of the way there. what is critical, of course, is - third of the way there. what is critical, of course, is that - third of the way there. what is critical, of course, is that as l third of the way there. what is - critical, of course, is that as many people as possible are vaccinated because the more who are vaccinated, the more individuals are protected and the more society as a whole is protected. so for all those reasons i encourage everybody to come forward when you get that invite and get your jab forward when you get that invite and get yourjab as soon as possible. the next phase is to protect the over 50s, and anyone with an eligible underlying health condition by the middle of april, that's two weeks earlier than originally planned. and the latest promise is to offer the vaccines are all adults by the end ofjuly. the vaccines offer protection against the two most commonly found variants in the uk, but it's not yet clear how they work with others. everyone in
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brentwood in essex is now being asked to take a covid test after the south african variant was detected there. we south african variant was detected there. ~ ., ., , ., there. we do not yet have the confidence — there. we do not yet have the confidence that _ there. we do not yet have the confidence that the _ there. we do not yet have the confidence that the vaccine i there. we do not yet have the confidence that the vaccine is| there. we do not yet have the i confidence that the vaccine is as effective against the south africa variant and the variant first seen in brazil. but we do think that the measures that we have taken, both the enhanced contact tracing really clamping down when you see one of these, and the measures at the border are reducing those new variants here.— border are reducing those new variants here. scientists say that it's important — variants here. scientists say that it's important to _ variants here. scientists say that it's important to keep _ variants here. scientists say that i it's important to keep transmission low to stop new variants from appearing. it low to stop new variants from appearing-— low to stop new variants from appearing. low to stop new variants from auearinu. ,. . ,~ appearing. it is certainly a risk if we allow high — appearing. it is certainly a risk if we allow high rates _ appearing. it is certainly a risk if we allow high rates of _ appearing. it is certainly a risk if we allow high rates of infection l appearing. it is certainly a risk if. we allow high rates of infection in certain_ we allow high rates of infection in certain parts of the communities, younger— certain parts of the communities, younger individuals, then we do run the risk_ younger individuals, then we do run the risk of— younger individuals, then we do run the risk of further mutations occurring, which could reduce the effectiveness of the vaccination programme. but effectiveness of the vaccination programme-— effectiveness of the vaccination programme. effectiveness of the vaccination rouramme. �* ,, programme. but even when you get our “ab, programme. but even when you get yourjab, there — programme. but even when you get yourjab, there are _ programme. but even when you get yourjab, there are key _ programme. but even when you get yourjab, there are key things - programme. but even when you get yourjab, there are key things to - yourjab, there are key things to remember. vaccines don't work immediately, it takes weeks after your first dose before protection kicks in, and it will take months to
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vaccinate us all. laura foster, bbc news. well — the prime minister's said vaccinating more people sooner — would help to further ease lockdown rules across the country. borisjohnson is meeting senior government members and advisers to discuss plans to ease restrictions — and tomorrow is due to reveal what has been decided. but what could the "road map" out of lockdown involve? our political correspondentjessica parker has been taking a look. change is coming, though the government says it will not spring up government says it will not spring up all of a sudden. that as the vaccine roll—out is speeding up, but to what effect? vaccine roll-out is speeding up, but to what effect?— vaccine roll-out is speeding up, but to what effect? there are signs that the number — to what effect? there are signs that the number in _ to what effect? there are signs that the number in hospital— to what effect? there are signs that the number in hospital are - to what effect? there are signs that the number in hospital are falling i the number in hospital are falling much more sharply than they were in the first wave and there is further analysis to be done on that. but clearly, the level is still far too high. that's why the prime minister will be setting out a road map. we can't lift the measures right now.
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but we can see that direction of travel. 50 but we can see that direction of travel. but we can see that direction of travel, ., ., but we can see that direction of travel. . ., ., ., ., travel. so in parliament tomorrow, encland's travel. so in parliament tomorrow, england's road _ travel. so in parliament tomorrow, england's road map _ travel. so in parliament tomorrow, england's road map will _ travel. so in parliament tomorrow, england's road map will finally - travel. so in parliament tomorrow, england's road map will finally be i england's road map will finally be unveiled. ministers in scotland, wales and northern ireland set their own plans. it's already known that limited indoor care home visits in england can resume injust over two weeks. downing street has also said it will look to prioritise more outdoor social contact. on schools, some teaching unions have called for a phased return. but the labour leader says ideally all students should be back on march the 8th. i've been worried through the pandemic, number of people have come about the impact of being out of school has on vulnerable children and the attainment gap is getting bigger. so ideally the 8th of march. we'll have to see where the data is see where the science is but that is where we should be working towards. if that means more testing, if that means nightingale classrooms, if it means nightingale classrooms, if it means other measures, let's do that. ministers are emphasising caution. nearly a year on since the first
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lockdown was announced here, the journey has far already often been unpredictable. jessica is with me now. tomorrow is the day, the long—awaited day when we finally get the prime minister's road map out of lockdown. ., the prime minister's road map out of lockdown. . ., ., lockdown. revealed in parliament, there will also _ lockdown. revealed in parliament, there will also be _ lockdown. revealed in parliament, there will also be a _ lockdown. revealed in parliament, there will also be a press - there will also be a press conference later in the day and while we do expect some broad dates, the prime minister said ultimately decisions will be data driven. i think people will be also watching it in terms of what will happen in terms of nonessential retail, close contact services and hospitality. the health secretary suggested today they will want to wait a few weeks in between steps to monitor the impact of lifting restrictions. the tone, as i have said, is cautious from ministers. ithink tone, as i have said, is cautious from ministers. i think partly, remember, the government has been accused before of overpromising and under delivering. i think this time what they really want to make sure of is they don't have to re—impose restrictions down the line and they have said they want this to be the last lockdown.—
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last lockdown. jessica parker, a olitical last lockdown. jessica parker, a political correspondent, - last lockdown. jessica parker, a political correspondent, thank l last lockdown. jessica parker, a i political correspondent, thank you very much indeed. the uk has introduced a new heart transplant technique for children that reanimates a donor heart outside the body and can even repair any damage sustained by the organ during death. this programme, a collaboration between the royal papworth and great ormond street hospitals, significantly increased the number of such life—saving operations carried out in the uk last year. our health correspondent anna collinson has this report. just a year ago, one of these sisters had a failing heart and was put on an urgent transplant list. nice wave! freya heddington was warned she may have to wait up to two years. but thanks to a new programme it was just eight weeks. and within months she could start doing the things she loved most. i'm ecstatic that i got such an amazing gift of a heart. but it's also upsetting to know that someone also died. a donor's family must be consented before surgery, as this training simulation shows.
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until a year ago, almost all paediatric heart transplants came from patients who had suffered brain death. their heart may beat but they will never wake up. life support is withdrawn and the heart is stopped and retrieved. but this new programme uses hearts which have been allowed to cease beating on their own after life support is withdrawn. as soon as this happens, the heart begins to deteriorate. by using this machine demonstrated here using red dye at the royal papworth hospital, doctors can effectively restart it and repair the damage. you would have the heart sitting with the connector at the top, the aorta. these tubes move blood through the heart which keeps it healthy for up to 12 hours, giving surgeons much more time to carry out checks, and even transport it to other locations. this organ care system is now used by adult cardiac transplant centres across the uk. but 12 months ago, the team here in cambridge joined forces with great ormond street hospital to extend their world leading
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service to children, and despite the pressures of the pandemic, treated six patients in 2020. in the adult world we doubled the amount of heart transplantation and we reduced the waiting time period. we had to do exactly the same thing for the paediatric recipients at the same time for both populations to reduce the mortality in the waiting list. and this is what we achieved. once retrieved, the hearts are delivered to great ormond street hospital for transplantation. children normally have to wait around two and a half times longer than adults for a new heart. for many of our transplant patients now, they are so sick that they have to wait in the hospital for their transplants, sometimes for six months, perhaps even over a year. so not only is it reducing wait times but it is transplanting patients that otherwise would not get an organ. freya's family will never forget what they've been through, or the people and the machine that saved her life. it will always be there i
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in the back of our minds. but, you know, we know now she's got a lovely healthy heart _ and her future's bright. freya's father, jason heddington ending that report from anna collinson. tennis — and novak djokovic continued his dominance of the australian open, by beating daniil medvedev to win a record—extending ninth men's title. top seed djokovic won in straight sets to claim his 18th grand slam, leaving him two behind roger federer and rafael nadal in the men's record books. just before we go — imagine being a passenger on this particular plane. one of the engines failed on take—off, leading to debris to be scattered over a residential area near denver. the boeing — with 231 passengers and ten crew on board — was able to return safely and land back at the airport. no injuries were reported.
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you can see more on all of today's stories on the bbc news channel. the next news on bbc one is at 6:35pm. bye for now. novak djokovic is the australian open champion once again. he beat daniil medvedev in straight sets to win his ninth title in melbourne and his 18th grand slam overall. it takes him ever closer to roger federer and rafa nadals' totals of 20, as adam wild reports. there are few players in the history of tennis that have dominated one tournament quite like novak djokovic in melbourne. eight times a winner
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before today. there is a site since that times in tennis may be changing. daniil medvedev at the forefront of the spot�*s next generation but novak djokovic is not the type to let up or let go. the mark of a great champion, always the hungerfor more. novak djokovic mark of a great champion, always the hunger for more. novak djokovic had won. daniil medvedev giving everything, getting nothing, the feeling of so many players before him. things now beginning to fall apart for daniil medvedev, whose racket... novak djokovic is the complete player, yet another title, winning in emphatic style. the greatest the australian open has ever known. the next generation will just have to wait. the next generation willjust have to wait. there are a lot of mixed feelings about what has happened in the last
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month or so with tennis players coming to australia. but i think when we draw a line in the end it was a successful tournament and i would like to thank the arena. i love you each year more and more. it has been a love affair. thank you so much. thank you so much. the first of four premier league games today is already under way, is a london derby, as west ham host tottenham. they're just into the second half at the london stadium. michail antonio put the hammers ahead afterjust five minutes. they'll go fourth if they win. and they've just got a second early in the second, jesse lingard with the goal. 2-0. 53 minutes gone. one other line of football news this afternoon, jonathan woodgate will continue as bournemouth manager until the end of the season. he's been in temporary charge since jason tindall was sacked earlier this month. woodgate has won three of the five
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games he's taken charge of so far, and bournemouth are currently sixth in the championship. ben ainslie's efforts to lead great britain to a first america's cup are over again after they were soundly beaten in the qualifiers by italian team luna rossa. he says the dream does not end here though. ben croucher reports. aboard a boat called britannia, ben ainslie had hoped to rule the waves in auckland. in reality, his team barely made a splash. sorry, guys. in the first of seven product up, the british group lost the first race meaning they could not afford any mask slip ups. the boats cost tens of millions of dollars, designed by f1 engineer. for all that, the problem, it wasn't windy enough. luna rossa had the advantage. it kept growing and growing. this was never close.
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beaten 7—1. no british crew has ever won the america's cup. ainslie isn't going to stop trying. won the america's cup. ainslie isn't going to stop trying-— going to stop trying. that's a huge motivator for _ going to stop trying. that's a huge motivator for the _ going to stop trying. that's a huge motivator for the team _ going to stop trying. that's a huge motivator for the team and - going to stop trying. that's a huge motivator for the team and myself included — motivator for the team and myself included. we set out to achieve a target _ included. we set out to achieve a target we — included. we set out to achieve a target. we will keep going until we -et target. we will keep going until we get there — target. we will keep going until we ret there. , ,, , target. we will keep going until we retthere. , ,, , get there. despite comments accusing the italians get there. despite comments accusing the italians of— get there. despite comments accusing the italians of machiavellian _ the italians of machiavellian behaviour for refusing to push back racing due to a local lockdown, there was mutual respect on show. 21 years after losing their first america's cup, luna rossa will face new zealand next month, hoping the tides and winds have turned in their favour. turned in their favour. the final of the weslh open snooker is about to get underway at celtic manor, ronnie o'sullivan is trying to win a record equalling fifth title. he's playing the northern irishman jordan brown in the final. you can watch it live via the bbc sport website and app. that's it for the moment. we will
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see you throughout the afternoon. we will see you throughout the afternoon. let's return to our main story — the roll out of the vaccine programme in the uk. the health secretary says the government has followed clinical guidance when prioritising vaccines for certain groups. matt hancock has been responding to criticism, after the broadcasterjo whiley said she was offered a vaccine before her sister who lives with learning disabilities and diabetes. the dj's sister, frances, has since tested positive for coronavirus after there was an outbreak in her care home. speaking on the andrew marr show, the bbc radio 2 presenter said she would give up her vaccine for her sister "in a heartbeat". it's been the worst week of our lives, without a shadow of a doubt. 2a hours ago, we were talking palliative care and yesterday she rallied round and we are seeing her oxygen levels rise. so at the moment we have got hope. it is quite difficult to predict how she will react to things like physically and emotionally.
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and that is the same with anyone with a learning disability. so going into hospital, the easiest thing that happens with everybody when you have got covid—19, you are given oxygen. they couldn't do that with frances, because shejust couldn't tolerate it. she was petrified. she just would not allow anyone to put anything near herface. she had an incredible superhuman strength, you can't physically make her lay down. you can't do anything. and that is why her oxygen levels plummeted, that is why she ended up fighting for her life, because you couldn't do the most basic, simple thing that you would do to try and get somebody through covid. and we were at our wits end. i was there at four o'clock in the morning just saying," how can we get oxygen into her?" and the medical professionals who were doing an amazing job just aren't equipped, because it is all so new. they don't know how people with a learning disability are going to react in the situation, which is why it makes such sense to just get them vaccinated as quickly as you possibly can to take away that problem, take away the burden on the nhs. just stop these people coming into hospital who are absolutely petrified, they can't communicate that they are terrified, they don't know what is going on.
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they have no comprehension of what covid is and what is happening to them, and they are there, bewildered, in a hospital. just don't put them through that. stop everybody having to go through that whole experience. just keep them safe and protect these people, because they are so precious, they are so vulnerable and we should have looked after them a long time ago. edel harris is the chief exeecutive of the learning disabilities charity, mencap. she has been talking to me about how jo wiley�*s decision to speak out as help to draw attention to the issue. we are so appreciative that in amongst the difficult time that the family are having just now with frances being in hospital thatjo has been so willing to share her story and important issue. there is a general lack of understanding, sadly, about learning disabilities, notjust in the general population, but in wider society. and i think what this story
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is highlighting is that even before we had heard the words coronavirus, people with learning disabilities suffered huge health inequalities in this country, with 1,200 approximately people with a learning disability dying avoidably every year, when access to good quality health care would have saved them. so what covid—19 has done is shone a really bright light on this most important and most pressing issue. and we are urging thejcbi and the government and whoever it is that makes the decision just to remove this arbitrary definition of severe and profound learning disability, because people who fall into that category are in group six for the vaccination. we're just asking them to include all people with a learning disability as being a priority for the vaccination. the data and the evidence is there to suggest that they are up to six times more likely to die
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if they contract covid—19, and then in addition all the issues thatjo has raised so passionately, about how traumatic it can be for someone with a learning this ability. when you say the categorisation is arbitrary, i suppose a government and the authorities and the nhs will say that they have to draw a line somewhere in order to draw up a list of who is priority and who isn't. of course they do, and we do understand how difficult it must be to make these decisions. but if i can just share with you some of the data that we have shared with the committee and the government ministers. the public health england data, not mencap data, says people with a learning disability are up to six times more likely to die and if you are 18 to 3a years old you are up to 30 times more likely to die. there is a report that 134% increase in the number of reported deaths during the pandemic or people with a learning disability. and the learning disability
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mortality review has shown that 80% of deaths were related to covid—19, compared to 45% of the general population. so all of this evidence is available and we just don't understand why the definition cannot be all people. the virus is not deciding whether you are profound or severe or mild or moderate. indeed, gps don't even use those definitions use those definitions and that is why we think they are arbitrary. they don't mean anything, no one has been able to say what a severe or profound learning disability is. what is happening now, today, is families are anxious, people with a learning disability are scared and gps are already so overburdened are being left to make a decision not about whether someone is mild, moderate, severe or profound. it makes no sense to us and that is why we will not stop campaigning. chief executive of mencap, the learning disability charity. a nigerian airforce plane has crashed while approaching the abuja
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airport runway. in a tweet, the minister of aviation said the plane had reported engine failure. it's unclear yet whether there have been any casualties. but the minister did warn that the crash "appears to be fatal." israel is easing many of its covid lockdown restrictions from today. nearly half of the country's population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. gyms, hotels and tourist attractions are re—opening, but entry will only be allowed to those with a green pass, which shows they've either had the jab or the virus. nickjohnson reports. beer to persuade some. pizza to persuade others. israel's programme to get covid jabs in arms continues at pace. the country has the highest vaccination rate in the world, more than 49% of people have had at least one dose. it is all part of the national effort to break free from this new normal.
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shops and restaurants closed, an economy at risk, peoples lives on hold. after a steep resurgence in covid infections, the country entered its third lockdown just after christmas. but health officials say progress in their vaccination programme is now starting to make a difference in the number of infections, allowing the country to begin reopening its economy. studies in israel showed that the pfizer vaccine is 95.8% effective in preventing hospitalisations and deaths. from today, shops, libraries and tourist attractions are able to reopen, but social distancing and masks will still be required. we do need to hurry up and get everyone on board the vaccination programme because with all of those variants rising their heads, we could be facing other setbacks in the future and we need to hurry up with community immunity.
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but in order to be allowed into shops, museums and libraries, israelis will have to download a so—called green badge to carry around as proof of inoculation. announcing the scheme last night, prime minister benjamin netanyahu urged israelis to use it. as israel begins to ease restrictions, it is hoped the country's so—far successful vaccination programme will work as a blueprint for other countries hoping to begin their own journeys out of lockdown. it's something that has stumped scientists for decades — the search for extraterrestrial life. but now a uk—based business is hoping it might be able to discover if there's anybody out
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there by raising £1 million to build a 100—metre long telescope. richard westcott reports. on a disused airfield north of cambridge, next to the bunkers that decades ago used to house lots of the country's nuclear bombs, they are launching a project that could one day answer one of life's great questions. are we alone in the universe? this concrete bunker behind me is where the staff had to come if the base came under attack. you can see the slits where they put their guns out. today there is something very different going on behind this blast proof door. it is the headquarters of the east anglian astrophysical research organisation, the charity that is trying to raise £1 million to build a giant telescope to listen out for signs of extraterrestrial life. if you can imagine this whole area is two football pitches side by side, so signals come down from space, they hit this mirror, they are reflected across the other side of the site to this parabolic reflector, which concentrates the signal back
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into this feedhorn here. at the back of the feedhorn is a small building. just to give you an idea of scale, that's about the size of a small garden shed. our research is quite refreshing. we are going to be looking for activities in space such as interplanetary mining, asteroid mining, we are going to be looking for spacecraft propulsion systems. really, advanced civilisations going about their everyday lives. the charity is run by everyone from academics and engineers to volunteers like 12—year—old alex. she is spending her school holidays looking for shooting stars over france. as you can see, there is one just about to disappear. that white in the very centre is an actual meteor. how would you feel about the idea of being involved with a project that one day hears something out there? it would be breathtaking to know that we have found something that no—one else in history has
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ever found ever before, and if i was included in that, that would be amazing. this 19705 computer readout might not look much but it contains the strongest candidate we have ever had for an alien radio signal. there is a 72—second section that is so unique the astronomer wrote "wow" next to it. it was heard by a telescope just like the one this team wants to build. they have a possible site in cornwall. the uk space agency is interested, and they hope it could be eavesdropping on intelligent life in under five years. a 21—year—old swimming teacher from north yorkshire has become the youngest woman to row solo across the atlantic. jasmine harrison took seventy days to reach antigua in the caribbean after setting off from the canary islands in december. she survived on ration
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packs, peanut butter and the occasional shot of rum. sophia tran—thomson reports. welcome to antigua! sirens blare. this was the moment jasmine harrison broke records. the 21—year—old is the youngest female to row solo across the atlantic ocean, and for that matter, the youngest female to row solo across any ocean. welcome to antigua, jasmine! when she stepped off the boat she wasn't going to let her sea legs get on the way of celebrating. you did it in a time of 70 days, 3 hours and 48 minutes. after taking up rowing just two years ago, jasmine completed the 4800—kilometre journey from the canary islands to antigua in her appropriately named boat, rudderly mad. there's nothing like actually getting away from everything, social media, from bad news,
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from literally everything. i would ring my friends up and they would say, "oh, we're in another lockdown for three weeks," and i would go, "i don't know, i don't care." she makes it sound easy butjasmine battled 20—foot waves, was circled by sharks, narrowly avoided a collision with a tanker and at one point even capsized. now, after relying on peanut butter fuelled energy for weeks, she says she's looking forward to a decent meal before thinking about her next challenge. sophia tran—thomson, bbc news. now, it's time for a look at the weather with tomasz. pretty nice afternoon up there in scotland and northern ireland, where most places are dry, we will cease some trade. a weather front close by england and wales with a bit of
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rain it will become very mild for a time but that doesn't come with sunshine for everyone because if you take a look at the rainfall, it will turn out to be a very wet week, particularly in parts of northern ireland, especially in scotland where some of the greens indicate that for some we could see rain totals over 100 millimetres, with the renewed risk of flooding. not all of us get the rain. this area of low pressure brings in this weather front close to northern and western part of the uk where mr eastern part will remain dry. temperatures are really building with spots approaching 16 or 17 celsius. the week ahead, this afternoon, this is the rain over the next few hours. nudging further north. therefore wales into south—western england. writing up a bit. keeping those sunny spells in scotland and northern ireland. with a few showers around, but for most it will be clear and chilly with a touch of frost. mild in england and wales and still with some outbreaks of rain
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here. tomorrow, they will move east. later run in the day, back to east anglia and the south—east of england with patchy rain whether the northern and western england and wales will brighten up and there will be a another day of sunny spells. that whether system starts to move in. this area of low pressure. here it comes and it will bring that very wet weather into northern ireland, scotland part of wales and western england. all the while, the winds are picking up. there will be strong to gale force went out towards the north and west with that rain. gusts of 50 to 60 mas bro. this is where temperatures edge up a little bit more and even more still by the time we get to wednesday. 16, possibly 17 degrees, even into parts of yorkshire, where it is very wet, it will turn drier later in the week as high—pressure building. this is what is on the way this week. very mild for a time but
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