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The number of people admitted to hospital with COVID-19 in England has reached its highest rate in three months.

There were 3.4 admissions per 100,000 people in the week leading up to 27 August, which remained unchanged from the previous seven days and marked the highest rate since mid-May, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

The highest admission rates concern people aged 85 and older, at 34.2 per 100,000, followed by the 75 to 84 age group, at 17.7.

The overall number is up on the rates recorded in July. However, it remains significantly below those witnessed in spring 2023 (10.5 per 100,000) and during Christmas 2022 (11.8 per 100,000).

It is too early to determine if the recent increase in admissions is directly linked to the emergence of the new Omicron variant (BA.2.86) of the virus, which was first identified in the UK on 18 August.

Other factors, such as increased social interactions in households or at large indoor venues, may have contributed to this rise.

Although the BA.2.86 strain has not yet been classified as a variant of concern, it is believed to possess a substantial number of mutations and has been detected in multiple countries among individuals without a travel history.

The UKHSA data suggests several Omicron subvariants of COVID-19 are currently circulating in the UK, with XBB.1.16 likely being the most prevalent.

As a precautionary measure against the BA.2.86 variant, the government yesterday announced the earlier rollout of the latest COVID vaccine booster.

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Originally scheduled for October, the booster programme will now begin in England on 11 September.

Jabs will be initially offered to residents of adult care homes and clinically vulnerable individuals, followed by the expansion of eligibility to everyone aged 65 and above across the UK.

Dr Mary Ramsay, UKHSA head of immunisation, said: “Over the last two weeks we have seen an increase in some COVID-19 indicators. This includes hospital admissions and ICU admissions, but these have all stabilised over the last week.

“While case rates have continued to rise, rates remain low overall, and we will continue to monitor them closely.”

In terms of tracking the spread of the virus, the lack of official estimates for COVID-19 prevalence among the UK population, as well as the significant reduction in testing capacity, particularly within the NHS, means that comprehensive and reliable data is limited.

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‘A rising risk globally’ of future pandemics

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Dame Jenny Harries, UKHSA chief executive, said there was “limited information available at present” about the new variant, meaning its potential impact was difficult to estimate.

“As with all emergent and circulating COVID-19 variants – both in the UK and internationally – we will continue to monitor BA.2.86 and to advise government and the public as we learn more. In the meantime, please come forward for the vaccine when you are called,” she added.

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It’s become almost impossible to book a driving test, instructors say

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It's become almost impossible to book a driving test, instructors say

It has become almost impossible to book a driving test on the government website due to bots on the booking system, driving instructors have told Sky News.

The only official way to book a practical car driving test is through the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) website.

New test slots are released by the DVSA at 6am every Monday, but “no matter how fast I am, there’s nothing available”, said Aman Sanghera, a driving instructor based in west London.

Driving instructor Aman Sanghera wants 'stronger oversight and regulation' from the DVSA
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Driving instructor Aman Sanghera wants ‘stronger oversight and regulation’ from the DVSA

When asked about the cause, she said: “All of the tests are taken by bots, they are definitely taking over the booking system.”

In this context, bots are automated software designed to mimic human behaviour and programmed to carry out actions like searching for and reserving driving test appointments on the official government website much faster than humans can.

Individuals and companies use bots to block-book driving test slots and then resell them at a profit, which is not illegal, although it is a violation of the DVSA’s terms of use.

Recent data shows the DVSA has closed over 800 business accounts for misuse of its booking service in the past two years.

On average, it takes five months to get a driving test in England – unless you’re willing to pay a middleman hundreds on top of the £62 standard fee.
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It takes five months on average for a test in England – unless you pay a middleman

Ms Sanghera, who has been in the trade for over a decade, said the usage of bots started a few months ago “but is now getting out of hand”.

She said: “I’ve actually heard about driving instructors being approached by certain individuals to then take on their IDs to log in and to run this scam.

“I struggle to actually book a test for my students, which means that by the time my students are logging in, they’ve got no chance.”

Driving instructors can book driving tests on behalf of their pupils using a dedicated service, allowing them to bypass the general queue and potentially secure test slots more efficiently.

As a result, Ms Sanghera said students are “forced to go to third-party sites” to secure “the same test dates which are then available later on during the day at a premium rate of like £200-£300”.

She added: “Given that the DVSA is a government-regulated body, one would expect a more robust and fair system to ensure affordability and accessibility for all candidates.”

The long waiting lists and high demand for tests has led some to take advantage.
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The long waiting lists and high demand for tests has led some to take advantage

The standard test fee is £62, offered by the DVSA, which is responsible for carrying out driving tests in Great Britain.

The biggest concern for the driving instructors Sky News has spoken to, including Ms Sanghera, is “the fact that students are being exploited”.

When Ahmed Ali struggled to find a practical test on the DVSA website, he turned to third-party sites – a decision he now regrets.

Ahmed Ali started looking for a test 2 years ago.
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Ahmed Ali started looking for a test two years ago

He said: “I’ve spent about £650 on driving tests, and I’ve sat zero tests. I’ve given all this money to third-parties that look for cancellations so they could try to get you a faster test.”

But the 20-year-old said that despite making the payments, he “didn’t hear back from them again”, which is illegal.

“When you lose all that money, you get to a point where you can’t really afford to find another driving test,” he said.

“I just feel very frustrated because I’ve spent all this money, all this time into driving, and I haven’t sat a single driving test.”

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The DVSA urged applicants to only book tests via the official Gov.uk website and told Sky News it “deploys enhanced bot protection to help stop automated systems from buying up tests unfairly”.

“These applications, however, are constantly evolving and changing, and DVSA’s work on this is ongoing,” it said.

From Tuesday, the DVSA will require learner drivers to provide 10 full working days’ notice to change or cancel their car driving test without losing the test fee, up from the current three days.

Also part of the DVSA’s crackdown to reduce waiting times is a consultation expected to launch in spring 2025 “to streamline the driving test booking process” and “tighten terms and conditions”.

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Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

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Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

Russell Brand has been charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.

The Metropolitan Police say the 50-year-old comedian, actor and author has also been charged with one count of oral rape and one count of indecent assault.

The charges relate to four women.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.

Police have said Brand is accused of raping a woman in the Bournemouth area in 1999 and indecently assaulting a woman in the Westminster area of London in 2001.

He is also accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster in 2004.

The fourth charge alleges that a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.

Police began investigating Brand, from Oxfordshire, in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations.

Read more from Sky News:
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The comedian has previously denied the accusations, and said all his sexual relationships were “absolutely always consensual”.

Met Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.

“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”

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Last UK blast furnaces days from closure as Chinese owners cut off crucial supplies

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Last UK blast furnaces days from closure as Chinese owners cut off crucial supplies

​​​​​​​The last blast furnaces left operating in Britain could see their fate sealed within days, after their Chinese owners took the decision to cut off the crucial supply of ingredients keeping them running. 

Jingye, the owner of British Steel in Scunthorpe, has, according to union representatives, cancelled future orders for the iron ore, coal and other raw materials needed to keep the furnaces running.

The upshot is that they may have to close next month – even sooner than the earliest date suggested for its closure.

Read more: Thousands of jobs at risk as British Steel consults unions over closure

The fate of the blast furnaces – the last two domestic sources of virgin steel, made from iron ore rather than recycled – is likely to be determined in a matter of days, with the Department for Business and Trade now actively pondering nationalisation.

The upshot is that even as Britain contends with a trade war across the Atlantic, it is now working against the clock to secure the future of steelmaking at Scunthorpe.

British Steel proceesing

The talks between the government and Jingye broke down last week after the Chinese company, which bought British Steel out of receivership in 2020, rejected a £500m offer of public money to replace the existing furnaces with electric arc furnaces.

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The sum is the same one it offered to Tata Steel, which has shut down the other remaining UK blast furnaces in Port Talbot and is planning to build electric furnaces – which have far lower carbon emissions.

These steel workers could soon be out of work
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These steel workers could soon be out of work

However, the owners argue that the amount is too little to justify extra investment at Scunthorpe, and said last week they were now consulting on the date of shutting both the blast furnaces and the attached steelworks.

Since British Steel is the main provider of steel rails to Network Rail – as well as other construction steels available from only a few sites in the world – the closure would leave the UK more reliant on imports for critical infrastructure sites.

British Steel in action

However, since the site belongs to its Chinese owners, a decision to nationalise the site would involve radical steps government officials are wary of taking.

They also fear leaving taxpayers exposed to a potentially loss-making business for the long run.

British Steel

The dilemma has been heightened by the sharp turn in geopolitical sentiment following Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

The incipient trade war and threatened cut in American support to Europe have sparked fresh calls for countries to act urgently to secure their own supplies of critical materials, especially those used for defence and infrastructure.

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Gareth Stace, head of UK Steel, the industry lobby group, said: “Talks seem to have broken down between government and British Steel.

“My advice to government is: please, Jonathan Reynolds, Business Secretary, get back round that negotiating table, thrash out a deal, and if a deal can’t be found in the next few days, then I fear for the very future of the sector, but also here for Scunthorpe steelworks.”

British Steel declined to comment.

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