helen catt, bbc news, westminster.al albert hall, a new festival has opened tonight, to celebrate the contribution of immigration to british life and culture. a concert by the musician, nitin sawhney, begins a week of events at the hall, showcasing the immigrant experience. nitin has been speaking to our entertainment correspondent colin paterson. nitin sawhney at the royal albert hall rehearsing his new work highlighting the contribution immigrants have made to the uk. it is the opening concert of a festival he has created, which focuses on this topic. the idea was to counteract any negative ideas of immigrants and who they are. i really think people who came to this country from the caribbean orfrom africa or india, or pakistan, a lot of them have got very strong, amazing and inspiring journeys that i wanted to reflect in the music. nitin sawhney�*s parents emigrated from india in the 1960s. he was born and grew up in kent. he is worried about what he sees as a tougher stance on immigrants and refugees today. i have

helen catt, bbc news.stment — but said much greater funding was needed for health visitors. it's a very important announcement, an acknowledgement that parents and babies need more support, especially regarding perinatal health. we need to make sure all parents can access these family hubs. so it is important that on wednesday the government also invests in core services, services like health visiting which can reach out to families and make sure that every family has a fair start. we are calling for much greater investment in health visiting and we want to see 33,000 more health visitors. what sort of a difference can health visiting make to those early years? it is very important that every family receives at least five visits that they are entitled to so that parents can spot any concerns and they can build a trusted relationship with the families so they are able to open up about perinatal mental health or any concerns about their child's development and for that to happen you need a consistent health

helen catt, bbc news, westminster.y've described as an "astounding" set of roman statues. two complete sculptures of what appear to be a man and a woman, were found at an abandoned medieval church in buckinghamshire. simonjones reports. a dig with a difference, unearthing statues described as rare, remarkable, incredible. the head and shoulders of a woman. a bust of a man. plus the head from the statue of a child. in such good condition that archaeologists say it's like looking into the faces of the past. the team that found them cannot disguise their excitement or the smiles on their faces. pretty much a giant grin. everybody was really, really astounded to find them. they're just so unusual and so well preserved as well. really, really good condition. the only problem is the heads are no longer on the shoulders. we found the female head first. and what turned out to be the male shoulders. so we could tell the head did not quite fit that set of shoulders. and then the following day, we found the male head and the othe

our political correspondent helen catt reports. cheering.e to parliament square to shout about what that means. among them, some famous faces who have made breaking taboos around the menopause a personal mission. i am trying to help one woman at a time but in there, we just saw the start of something where it feels like all women will get help. it wasn't political, it was, like, it was the beginning of a female revolution. i'm postmenopausal so... for many women, the symptoms that come with menopause can be a shock. it affected the way- i was thinking and feeling. yeah, from confidence to mood swings to brain fog. _ adelle now combines running this pub in kent with helping other women through a life stage that she found challenging. i felt like i'd just- completely lost myself. at the time, ijust- didn't know what it was. sorry. no, not at all. it was menopause, and this is why i do what i do, - because ijust didn't- want another woman... ..to look in the mirror and lose themselves like i did. - adelle says hormone replacement therapy helped

our political correspondent helen catt reports.he armed forces, prison officers, teachers and the police were among the millions of people who had their pay frozen, last year. a difficult decision, said the chancellor, made because of the uncertain impact of coronavirus on the economy. now he says things are looking better and it's right that they see their wages rise. ., , ., , , rise. lope... in government by the next election. _ rise. lope... in government by the next election, by _ rise. lope... in government by the next election, by 2024 _ rise. lope... in government by the next election, by 2024 or - rise. lope... in government by the next election, by 2024 or so, - rise. lope... in government by the next election, by 2024 or so, as i next election, by 2024 or so, as well as giving the public sector that pay rise and ending the pay freeze, we also increasing the national living wage up by 6.6% up to £9 50 p. to make sure the lowest paid in society also get a pay rise. but the cost of everyday things like energy bills is going

helen catt, bbc news. to the government on covid—19 has said he is "very fearful" there will be another "lockdown christmas" as he urged the public to do everything possible to reduce transmission of the virus. professor peter 0penshaw, a member of the new and emerging respiratory virus threats advisory group known as nervtag, said case numbers and death rates are currently "unacceptable". do everything possible in your control to try to reduce transmission. don't wait for the government to change policy. and the sooner we all act, the sooner we can get this transmission rate down, and the greater the prospect of having a christmas with our families. a leading teaching union is calling on the government to improve covid vaccine availability for 12—15 year olds, and to demonstrate details of a plan b for the coming winter months. the association of schools and college leaders says this autumn term has been "extremely difficult" and some of their members have been left "on their knees", in having to deal wit

helen catt, bbc news, westminster. news, our world investigates the controversial technology that could help tackle america's growing gun crime problem. 911, state your emergency. shots, 15 or 16. fin 911, state your emergency. shots, 15 or 16. on average in america. _ shots, 15 or 16. on average in america. 50 _ shots, 15 or 16. on average in america, 50 people _ shots, 15 or 16. on average in america, 50 people are - shots, 15 or 16. on average in america, 50 people are killed every day with guns. do you feel safe here?— feel safe here? no. in california, _ feel safe here? no. in california, we - feel safe here? no. in california, we have i feel safe here? no. in| california, we have the feel safe here? no. in - california, we have the worst gun violence.— gun violence. one company, shotspotter_ gun violence. one company, shotspotter says _ gun violence. one company, shotspotter says its - gun violence. one company, shotspotter says its gun - shotspotter says its gun located technology can help tackle this huge proble

helen catt, bbc news, westminster. can drink tea and talk about the menopause which is perhaps over to both find the work that caf s do and can up to be people like they feel like they have some hope to get through the menopause and cope with the effects of it. can you just tell us for the men and for the minority women who don't experience the effects, the worst effects of menopause, what are they? the main effects are physical, _ menopause, what are they? the main effects are physical, emotional- menopause, what are they? the main effects are physical, emotional and i effects are physical, emotional and i have forgotten the win because brain fog, cognitive functioning, one of the mood swings. physical and hot flashes or will everyone talks about but actually the ones that are often as troubling if not more so are conventional dryness which can happen any time or during penetrative six or i forgot them again, hot flashes, insomnia, dry skin, there are about 33 different symptoms and the emotional ones commitment peopl

helen catt, bbc news.omics correspondent andy verity explained what this could mean in real terms for public sector workers. over the past year, they have had a real terms pay cut, and even as we see inflation go up, that pay freeze means the spending power, the amount of goods they can buy, has gone down, and that is in the context of ten years that have been some of the worst in the rising living standards for same 200 years. nurses are paid 5% less than they were ten years ago, teaches 8% less, senior civil servants in ii% ago, teaches 8% less, senior civil servants in 11% less, nhs dentist 32% less, all because they wages have not been keeping up with inflation for ten years, so they will be looking for more than inflation in the coming year but even that may not be enough to compensate for what they have lost in recent years. joining me now is stuart richards, who is the senior organiser with responsibility for public services at gmb union. what would it mean in real terms for your members in the publ

helen catt, bbc news, westminster.ter 2:30pm. for the first time, journalists are to be allowed to report family court hearings in england and wales. the most seniorjudge in the family division, sir andrew mcfarlane, says a perception of excessive secrecy is harming the reputation of the courts, but stressed that identities would still be protected. our correspondent sanchia berg has been investigating this issue. would it be fair to say there had been previous attempts to try and reform the family courts? why now? the pressure has been building because previous efforts didn't get very far. i have been trying to report the family court since journalists were first allowed in, 12 years ago. we can only report if thejudge gives his or her 12 years ago. we can only report if the judge gives his or her express permission for us to do so. so the proposals today would be a really radical change because we would be able to sit in court, listen to cases and report what we see and hear bearing in mind we can't identify the fami

here's our political correspondent helen catt. waiting for the train to arrive.

helen catt, bbc news, rochester.o speak to us. just talk us through first of all what the symptoms did you experience going through the menopause? t went going through the menopause? i went into sura ical going through the menopause? i went into surgical menopause, _ going through the menopause? i went into surgical menopause, i _ going through the menopause? i went into surgical menopause, i had - going through the menopause? i went into surgical menopause, i had a - into surgical menopause, i had a full hysterectomy and was not given any indication that i would need hrt following the surgery. and i started to experience issues, that i had early onset dementia, hot sweats, pains. early onset dementia, hot sweats, ains. �* ., . ., ., , . pains. and how much of a difference as hormone — pains. and how much of a difference as hormone replacement _ pains. and how much of a difference as hormone replacement therapy . pains. and how much of a difference i as hormone replacement therapy may question its given me my life ba

our political correspondent helen catt reports.rmed forces, prison officers, teachers and the police were among the millions of people who had their pay frozen last year. a difficult decision, said the chancellor, made because of the uncertain impact of coronavirus on the economy. now he says things are looking better and it's right that they see their wages rise. low pay... in government by the next election, by 2024 or so, as well as giving the public sector that pay rise and ending the pay freeze, we also increasing the national living wage up by 6.6% up to £9:50 to make sure the lowest paid in society also get a pay rise. but the cost of everyday things like energy bills is going up, too. the key thing is that it's got to be a pay rise that at least matches the cost of living, so that people have a real terms increase in their pockets and it also has to reflect, you know, making up those lost years on public sector pay, as i say, over the last decade or more. we won't know for a while how much different professions will get. we

let's get more from our political correspondent helen catt.t got so many attributes from all sides of the political spectrum. the tributes that have come _ political spectrum. the tributes that have come in _ political spectrum. the tributes that have come in this - political spectrum. the tributes | that have come in this afternoon have come in from mps of all parties. he was very well—liked in the house of commons, he was well respected. he had been there for a long time, 38 years he had been serving as an mp, so he was also pretty well known among mps. what they've said about him, and there are far too many tributes to read in full, but those that we've seen, the things that you've said —— they've said was that he was a kind man, that's what stands out a lot in these attributes. a lot of the tributes have also he was a lot of fear said and the microphone to be around —— a lot of fun to be around. those are the things in tributes coming around from mps of all parties, and also strikingly from mps who have just come from just being elected ri

here's our political correspondent helen catt. waiting for the train to arrive.it takes longer in the north of england and the midlands than in london, says the chancellor, and he sees no reason why that should be the case. so he'll confirm next week that england's city regions will get 5.7 billion for them to spend on improving transport. it will fund projects like a cycle superhighway in west bradford and new battery packs for merseyrail trains in the liverpool region. greater manchester will get just over £1 billion to start its plans to improve connections. some of it will go on new tram carriages for its metrolink services. it's absolutely going in the right direction. 0k. but it needs to be consistent year—on—year. one lump of cash does not make a london—style transport system. it's going to take a decade. £3 billion has previously been committed to improve bus services. rishi sunak will announce that 1.2 billion of that will we used to make fares simpler and cheaper and buses more frequent in some places. it's not so much of a north—south divide, but there

let's get more from our political correspondent helen catt — this must have had a profoundly chillingtish parliament.— at westminster in the british parliament. ., , ., parliament. you can see from the tributes paid _ parliament. you can see from the tributes paid to _ parliament. you can see from the tributes paid to sir— parliament. you can see from the tributes paid to sir david - parliament. you can see from the tributes paid to sir david over - parliament. you can see from the tributes paid to sir david over the j tributes paid to sir david over the course of the day quite how well—liked he was. and how much of a shock this has been to mps. they are not currently at westminster, and peter on the last day of recess so they are due to come back here on monday and i think then you will get a real sense of the shock that is being felt amongst mps. certainly from the tributes they have paid, politicians from across the particle spectrum have been speaking out of their sadness. spectrum have been speaking out of theirsadness. it spectrum have been speaking out of their sadness. it talk

helen catt, bbc news, rochester.home some of the problems this causes. this and it brings home some of the problems this causes.— problems this causes. this is something — problems this causes. this is something i _ problems this causes. this is something i hear _ problems this causes. this is something i hear often. - problems this causes. this is something i hear often. we i problems this causes. this is - something i hear often. we have had recurrent stories coming forward and all walks of life. i remember as a junior doctor sitting at a hospital in slough at 3am, a woman in her mid—a0s, holding onto the railing of the bed, flashing, having palpitations, saying she felt spiders under her skin and a metallic taste in her mouth and itching around her eyes. we did a set of bloods and everything was normal. then we sent her home saying it was probably depression and gave her antidepressants. looking back, it was not. she was perimenopausal, she had symptoms in our department and as a junior doctor i missed it. we need

helen catt, bbc news, rochester." it regulates. the social networking giant facebook has changed its corporate name to "meta" as part of a major rebrand. the change does not apply to its individual platforms — such as facebook, instagram and whatsapp — only the parent company that owns them. founder mark zuckerberg said the new name better reflects the firm's ambitions to move beyond social media into areas such as virtual reality. a public consultation into a proposed ban on conversion therapy has started today. conversion therapy is described by health bodies as an attempt to change or suppress someone's sexual orientation or gender identity. the consultation will invite the public to give their input over what the terms of the ban should be. this includes how to safeguard therapists and religious freedom, while protecting people from harm. joining me now is jayne ozanne, chair of the ban conversion therapy coalition. she is a gay christian who was herself subjected to a form of this therapy for almost 20 years. sh

helen catt, bbc news westminster.as happened — belfairs, methodist church. it has happened on their ground and sacred space _ happened on their ground and sacred space and _ happened on their ground and sacred space and these things bring communities together and i was in touch, _ communities together and i was in touch, or— communities together and i was in touch, or a — communities together and i was in touch, ora man from communities together and i was in touch, or a man from a local muslim community— touch, or a man from a local muslim community called us yesterday to express— community called us yesterday to express their sincere condolences, they also— express their sincere condolences, they also knew sir david. this will bring _ they also knew sir david. this will bring the — they also knew sir david. this will bring the different faith groups together and make them strong. that is a good _ together and make them strong. that is a good thing and it won't extinguish the light of his smile either~ — extinguish th

let's get more from our political correspondence helen catt.ay about what he has to sa ? ~ ., . , politicians say about what he has to sa? , ., politicians say about what he has to sa ? ., ., politicians say about what he has to sa? , ., , ., say? marcus rashford has become a really reapected _ say? marcus rashford has become a really respected campaign _ say? marcus rashford has become a really respected campaign on - say? marcus rashford has become a really respected campaign on child l really respected campaign on child poverty issues, frankly there is a lot of time for him and when —— among mps in westminster, which is recognised and how the government has responded to what he said overnight. they congratulated him on the honorary doctorate and searches ongoing campaign work on high—profile campaigns had helped millions upon down the country —— and said that his ongoing campaign work. what he is saying today feeds into a discussion being had over quite a number of weeks in westminster where some conservative mps were pushing for the uplift

we can speak now to our political correspondent helen catt. morning, helen.d there are spelling outjust how difficult it can be for families and how important financial support is. has there been a reaction from downing street? yeah, there has. there _ reaction from downing street? yeah, there has. there is _ reaction from downing street? yeah, there has. there is a _ reaction from downing street? yeah, there has. there is a lot _ reaction from downing street? yeah, there has. there is a lot of _ reaction from downing street? yeah, there has. there is a lot of respect i there has. there is a lot of respect for marcus— there has. there is a lot of respect for marcus rashford in westminster among _ for marcus rashford in westminster among many mps, and that is recognised in the government response. they congratulate him on his honorary— response. they congratulate him on his honorary doctorate and say his ongoing _ his honorary doctorate and say his ongoing charity work and high—profile campaigns have helped millions_ high—profile campaigns have helped millions

i spoke to our political correspondent helen catt and asked what politicians say about this. his ongoing campaigning and charity work and high—profile campaigns had helped millions ap and high—profile campaigns had helped millions of people up and down the country. what he's saying today does echo and feed into a discussion over many weeks in westminster where some conservative mps were pushing for the uplift to be kept, labour too have been calling for it to be kept. sir keir starmer the labour leader this morning told bbc breakfast that he backed marcus rashford, here's what he said labour would do. it would stay, we would not make the cut, we would then replace it with something better. but i'd go further than that... both talk at once. we would also say what we said at our conference last week, which is that we would increase the minimum wage to £10 an hour, because what so many people want is the chance to earn more money for their work they're doing and to keep more of it for the bills they have to pay etc. we would keep the uplift and then replace it with a much better

our political correspondent helen catt is in our london newsroom this morning. be an upgrade on these new hubs will be an upgrade on the sure start centres and focus as much on the parent as they do on the child and will caterfor much on the parent as they do on the child and will cater for them from zero to 19, rather than just the early years 025. a coastal town has received a a1 million pound donation from the woman behind fisherman's friend cough sweets. businesswoman doreen lofthouse, who died in march, aged 91, has left her fortune to a charity that strives to develop her hometown of fleetwood. the town council said it was "overwhelmed by the generosity". i love a day out at treatment. the document is a £a1 million. —— i thought you were going to say. here's tomasz with a look at this morning's weather. you are saying it is kind of nice out there and temperatures are ok but there is a little bit of rain around. that is absolutely right. not a bad weekend overall. we are coming towards the end of october. there could be storms out there and all sorts of thin

we can speak now to our political correspondent helen catt.y if they don't they might look a temporary factory closures and some suggesting they could return to using fuels more polluting. the government has not sounded like it will step in to do this. it said it has provided extensive support to energy intensive industries and the way the uk is exposed to volatile gas prices shows the importance of building a home grown renewable energy sector. you would expect the energy secretary to talk about that at the conference when he talks to energy leaders. he confirmed that the government has a serious ambition for the uk to stop using fossil fuels by 2035. it seems to be in that context the government is framing its response. whether it will change, we will have to wait and see what develops. a premier league footballer has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a woman. the man is in his 20s and plays for brighton and hove albion. he was arrested at a nightclub in brighton early on wednesday. the club said it was helping police with th