ONS graph showing unemployment rate for all people in UK reaching ‘a joint record high.’  Image Office for National Statistics website https://www.ons.gov.uk/

Huge rise in unemployment benefit claims due to impact of coronavirus

Official figures have shown a surge of 856,500 people submitting benefit claims last month as the coronavirus crisis took its toll on jobs.

The Office for National Statistics said the growth marked the largest monthly leap in claims on record.

According to research by the Resolution Foundation, young people are most likely to have lost work or seen their income drop because of the coronavirus pandemic.

More than one in three 18 to 24-year-olds is earning less than before the outbreak.

Police Scotland reported to the HSE over breath tests

Police Scotland has been reported to the Health and Safety Executive by the body which represents rank-and-file officers over the use of breath tests.

The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) said it was concerned that officers could be exposed to Covid-19 while conducting drink drive tests.

Among the guidelines issued to officers is to conduct all roadside breath tests outside whilst wearing masks and gloves.

They have the option to use more protective equipment if there are concerns a person might have coronavirus.

In a  letter to SPF members, the Federation’s General Secretary Calum Steele, said:

Police Scotland operational guidance in respect of breath test procedures neither reflects best risk management practices, or properly mitigates risk to officers.

Three men arrested after Aya Hachem shot dead

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a teenager was shot dead as she walked to a supermarket in Blackburn on Sunday.

The suspects, aged 39, 33 and 36, and from Blackburn, are currently in police custody.

Lancashire Police have said there is no evidence to suggest she was the intended target of the attack, adding that “every indication is that she was an innocent passer-by”.

Aya Hachem was shot dead near a Lidl store in Blackburn. Image: Lancashire Police

Personal details of nine million EasyJet customers have been accessed

EasyJet has revealed that the personal details of nine million customers have been accessed by ‘highly sophisticated’ hackers.

It’s believed that the email addresses and travel details of nine million people were exposed along with the credit card details of just over 2,200 customers.

It stressed there was no evidence that data had been misused by criminals.

EasyJet said other than those people, the passport and credit card details of the balance of their customer numbers were not accessed and it had closed the online channels affected by the attack.

BREAKING: EasyJet says it has been the target of a “highly sophisticated” cyber attack, with some 9 million accounts compromised https://t.co/Syotg3m1p5 pic.twitter.com/Arc9WBVXOI

— Bloomberg (@business) May 19, 2020