The Standard

The Evening Standard’s political editor Nicholas Cecil takes a look at the stats as one of the country’s leading epidemiologists says the pandemic will be “largely over by October”.

Professor Neil Ferguson, who was one of the scientists behind the UK’s first lockdown in March 2020, was talking to BBC Radio 4 as figures show another tumble in cases – in London it’s down 57% in six days. But the Prime Minister’s continuing to urge caution saying it’s “very, very important we don’t allow ourselves to run away with premature conclusions”. 

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As a huge clean-up begins following a night of flooding in parts of London, people are wondering how one of the world’s leading cities can be hit so badly by rainfall. Evening Standard reporter Rachael Burford’s been looking at that for the newspaper and tells the podcast there are “numerous” reasons behind it.

London Fire Brigade had taken more than 1,000 calls by the early hours of Monday morning following the torrential rain and thunderstorms. Barts Health, London’s largest health trust, declared a major incident after water flooded the basement at Whipps Cross Hospital, causing damage to the electrical system. Newham Hospital was also affected. Parts of the Central Line in east London were suspended on Monday morning as engineers worked to repair damage caused by the weather.

The Prime Minister’s released a statement saying his “thoughts are with everyone affected by the flooding” 

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We know it can order groceries when your fridge is empty, turn on the lights in your house, even drive a car but could AI ever be smart enough to become an author?

Computing pioneer Ada Lovelace thought it wouldn’t happen because machines can only work with programming inputted by humans, but writer Jeanette Winterson disagrees. Her new book 12 Bytes is an exploration of AI and the journey humans are taking to create a new kind of lifeform.

She tells the Leader podcast that computers could very well develop their own ‘imaginations’ but once they do, what kind of stories will they tell and would we want to hear them?

Jeanette is appearing at the Evening Standard’s Stories Festival, in association with Netflix. You’ll find the full line-up here.

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Our Political Editor Nicholas Cecil reveals how shoppers are being urged not to panic buy as staff at supermarkets are forced to self-isolate after being alerted by the NHS app. The “pinging” crisis is growing with Boris Johnson being urged to hold a meeting of Whitehall’s Cobra emergency committee to consider deploying the Army if necessary as a “last resort” to ensure supermarket shelves are not left empty in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile Sadiq Khan is warning of his rising concerns over the “pingdemic” disrupting London’s “absolutely crucial” public transport, food supplies and bin collection services.

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As the Evening Standard reveals a 7-year-old was caught taking a knife into his primary school to “stab another boy at afterschool club,” our investigations editor David Cohen tells us how we here.

In a special report, he’s identified five reasons why knife crime has become such a problem in London, and what measures can be taken to reverse it. This year, 22 young people have met violent deaths in the capital; twenty of those were through stabbings. The worst year on record is 2008, when there were thirty deaths. Campaigners fear it’s inevitable that record will be broken

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Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has made history with the successful launch of his New Shepard rocket in West Texas. Among those onboard with him was the flight pioneer Wally Funk, who at 82 has become the oldest person to ever venture into space.

On the Leader podcast her biographer Sue Nelson tells us how it’s been a lifelong ambition for the woman who was once told she’d never be an astronaut because “you’re a girl”. Sue reveals the extraordinary story and determination of a true innovator who holds every kind of pilot’s license available... now including the one that takes her out of the atmosphere. 

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The Evening Standard's political editor, Nicholas Cecil, tells us how the response to 'Freedom Day' has been more muted than ministers expected. Although nightclubs opened up at one minute past midnight, when most social distancing restrictions were lifted, a mass return to work hasn't happened. 

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's being criticised for initially not self-isolating following Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirming he has coronavirus. And some experts are warning of the "biggest wave yet" of Covid-19 being just around the corner. 

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Health editor Ross Lydall tells us why health chiefs in London are so concerned about the lack of young people coming forward to get the coronavirus vaccine.

With ‘Freedom Day’ approaching, an enormous effort’s underway to encourage older teens and twentysomethings including the Tate giving up its Turbine Hall for a vaccine event with a DJ.

It comes as Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty says the pandemic is far from over, and the country could get into “a lot of trouble very quickly” if people don’t take care as lockdown is lifted.

A further 48,553 confirmed Covid cases were announced on Thursday, including 5,743 in London.

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The Evening Standard’s Jack Kessler tells the podcast why Transport for London fares are set to rise by around 5 percent from January, and what that could mean for efforts to bring people back to the city centre.

Normally TfL fares are set each year by the Mayor. But the terms of its third bail-out, agreed by Sadiq Khan with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps in May, state: “TfL will continue with its existing plan to increase fares in line with their business planning assumption of an overall fares increase of RPI+ one per cent on fares under the Mayor’s control in January 2022.”

Jack says some experts believe it will put people off returning to the commute, a bill many haven’t had to pay since the pandemic began last year – but there’s little chance of a u-turn. 

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Do you need to wear a face mask on a train in London or not from July 19th? Our city hall editor, Ross Lydall, says it depends on what train you’re on and even which station you’re arriving at.

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is changing the conditions of carriage for TfL services that will make a covering mandatory. But he doesn’t have the power to enforce that on other operators running services into the capital.

Meanwhile, it’s emerged the new rule could also be flouted as it is a condition of travel but will not be enforced by police unless Mr Khan introduces a by-law.

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