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- 5 Jan 2025
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Hello, a very good morning. It's seven o'clock. Coming up on the show today, a significant disruption across the UK as Amber weather warnings bring snow and ice. And as Liverpool prepare to host Manchester United, will bad weather postpone the match? The city Council are expected to hold a meeting this morning. It's Sunday, the fifth of January. Delays, diversions, and hours of waiting snow and ice force several airports to close their runways. England and Wales are expected to be the worst hit by today's weather. The Met Office warning rural communities could be cut off. Also today, a shake up to the NHS app that vows to give patients more choice in a bid to cut waiting times. The long goodbye to America's oldest former President. Mourners gather for Jimmy Carter's six-day state funeral. Plus, growing for the future, could vertical farms be the key to securing food production in the UK? In the Premier League, there's another setback for Arsenal as they're held at Brighton and lose another player to injury in the process. Hello. Very good morning. Thanks for joining us here on The Breakfast Show. Our top story here today, large parts of the UK are expected to face significant disruption throughout today, with Amber weather alerts for snow and ice covering most parts of England and Wales.
There are already issues at several airports, with bad weather forcing Liverpool and Manchester to temporarily close their someways. Well, overnight, several airports also suspended operations, with planes canceled, delayed, and diverted across the country. Passengers have been warned to expect knock-on delays today. Icy conditions also force the number of roads to close, with heavy snow making it difficult for motorists. Some roads in County Durham and Derbyshire remain shut this morning due to snow, with the National Highways advising people to take extra care when traveling. The National Grid, as reported several power outages in parts of the Midlands, the Southwest, and South Wales. Well, Skye's North of England correspondent, Fraser Maud, is in Sheffield this morning. Amber snow warnings are in place there. So, Fraser, how's it looking where you are? Pretty grim at the moment. Good morning. There's a fair amount of snow on the roads. There are already a number of vehicles I've seen stranded, rear-wheel drive vehicles in particular. Four by fours are still getting around here at the moment, but it's hard going even for them. There's one just heading past me there now in the background. But in terms of normal driving, two-wheel drive cars are going to really struggle in these conditions unless you have winter weather tires on.
And even then, it's going to be problematic. As I said, I've already seen a few cars stranded. I've spoken to a couple of the 4x4 drivers this morning who have been out and about in the hope that they can offer assistance to anyone who does become stuck. Spoke to one of them. He says he's been out since before five o'clock this morning. He's only seen one gritter out on the roads. Where we are here on the Stocksbridge bypass, a snowplow did come past about 20 minutes or so ago, but the snow is already beginning to resettle on the carriageway that it cleared just that short time ago. So clearly there are problems. Clearly it's still snowing. The hope is that this snow may turn to sleet as we develop into the morning in the next couple of hours or so, and that that may help clear some of the snow that's on the roads at the moment. In terms of the motorways, they are trying to keep those open. Things like the Woodhead Pass, which is just up the road here, about five or six miles up the road here towards Manchester. That was closed at 10 o'clock last night as a pre-emptive measure.
The A66 in North Yorkshire and across the Dails that way, that is also closed at the moment. Many other minor roads will be virtually impassable. So the message, as always, check before you travel. Don't travel unless it's absolutely necessary, and it would have to be something pretty important and pretty vital for you to take to the roads this morning. Certainly in this part of the country, we hope that maybe some sleet and some slight thaw might come later this morning to help clear the roads. At the moment, temperature's here hovering around about zero minus one or so. So this snow that's falling now is here to stay until something comes to clear it. And, Fraser, you were saying that the hope appears that it will turn to sleet later on today. Do you know what the forecast is for the next few days? Yeah, the forecast for today is that it will turn sleety and potentially, hopefully, to rain. But that's before another cold snap comes in and the winds change and we start getting northerly winds which are going to freeze everything again. So there might be some slight respite, perhaps later today, maybe tomorrow, but then the cold weather is going to come back with a vengeance after that.
So It's going to be a short term fix. I think the main hope is that the griters get out and that the snow plows continue to do their job in the hope of trying to clear some of this snow. The thing is, once the griters have been out, it needs cars to activate the snow. Obviously, on a morning like this, it's going to be pretty quiet in terms of traffic. Until we can get the the grid actually working to clear the snow, then there's going to be some real problems. Okay, well, first of all, let you get somewhere warm for the moment, but thanks very much indeed for that. Fraser Maud there in very snowy Sheffield. Well, as you'd imagine, this is having repercussions for transport around the country, various travel disruption going on. Emma Bertschild is here. Hi there, Emma Get us up to date with what's going on. Very much an unfolding situation when it comes to the airports, particularly in the north of England. It was only at 6:15 this morning that we heard from Manchester Airport about troubles that they're having, lots of delays overnight. Flights coming in, we know from Zurich and Amsterdam, canceled this morning.
They released this statement at 6:15. Our runways are temporarily closed due to heavy snow as our teams work hard to clear them as quickly as possible. Please check with your airline for the latest flight information and allow extra travel time today. So that's Manchester. We'd already heard a short time before about problems at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. They released this statement saying, due to snow, the runway is temporarily closed, but the airport remains open. Please contact your airline for flight information. We're working hard to clear the runway and we'll provide an update at 7:45. So that's coming up quite soon. Over night, it, the hardest hit was Bristol Airport. Real difficulties there, planes being diverted to Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast. The runway there closed between 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM so that snow could be cleared. In a statement, they made clear that actually the problem is, we know this, that once everything reopens, you end up with planes in the wrong place and also passengers in the wrong place. One flight ended up in Bristol that should have been going to Birmingham from Tenerife. People were being told they'd have to pay £500 to get on a taxi back home.
An enormous amount of money having to be spent there. We spoke to one woman called Emma, who waited over three hours for her flight. She arrived in the early hours from Grand Canaria in Bristol. There were no baggage staff there overnight, so it took hours. She had to wait for the morning shift to come in before she got her bag. She said that there was no food and drink. The vending machines were empty, and there were four or five EasyJet flights that had arrived waiting for baggage. We have contacted EasyJet, but waiting to hear from then. Birmingham having problems, too. Their runways closed between between midnight and 2:30. That had a knock-on impact. Stansted Airport, too. Now, we haven't had a statement from Stansted, but we know that they have really struggled with snow on the runway. Videos there and online trackers shows that planes have been delighted and diverted. In fact, one plane was diverted to Cologne, believe it or not, and other London airports also struggling. It's the same message. It's as Fraser said, as we always hear in these situations, check with your Yeah, no very good advice as ever. Emma, thanks very much indeed.
Let's get a broader weather picture then, shall we? Out and about is sky meteorologist Kirsty McCabe. Morning to you, Kirsty. So get us up to date with what is expected across the country and what's happened overnight? Morning. Well, it's been a really interesting night. We've had reports, as you've heard, of snow, we've had freezing rain and also rain rain, which is what we've got here in the south. So Southern parts of the UK, especially the London area and south of that, seeing rain because milder air has moved in. That means quite a lot of standing water and spray on the roads. Further north, we're still in the colder air. We still have plenty of yellow and amber weather brings out for snow and ice, especially for parts of the Midlands, North Wales, northwards into Northern England. So still some more significant snow for the Pennines. Also still some more snow for the Morne Mountains for parts of Northern Ireland and into Scotland as well. So we're still keeping an eye on the snowy situation because even into tomorrow, we'll still see more snow for parts of Scotland and also Northern England. So still more snow to watch out for, still that risk of ice as well.
Still very cold air for much of the country. The winds have been a bit of a feature, too, overnight, blowing that snow around, and we'll see the wind start to pick up today, too, across parts of the south and around the East Anglican Coast. So for all of us, it's still going to feel a little bit depressing, perhaps, the weather through the day today. Some people are disappointed they've not got the snow because they've got the rain, and other people struggling with the snow and the cold. Now we are going to hold on to this unsettled weather for much of the day. It's just slowly improving. By the time we get to tomorrow, most of it should have cleared away. Still a few snow flurries lingering on across parts of the east. We are going to see, though, a northerly wind developing, and that's a really cold wind. So a plunge of cold Arctic air coming down for next week. Where we have the snow around, it's going to stick in places across Northern England, for example. That snow is tending to persevere right through the week next week because it stays bitterly cold cold.
And when the winds drop lighter and the skies are clear at night, we're going to see some really low temperatures. So expect things to get very cold next week with the winter hazards being ice and possibly even some freezing fog in places. There's talk of minus 15 to minus 18 being the overnight minimum temperatures across the lying snow over parts of Northern England and Scotland as we go into next week. So things are still staying pretty cold for now. Today, it's just that really nasty mix of rain, sleet, and snow. Oh, my goodness. Okay, Kirsty, thanks very much indeed. Lots of cold weather still to come to. Now then, the NHS app is to receive a major shake-up as part of government plans to cut waiting lists and give more choice to patients. The changes will allow all patients to receive test results, book follow-up appointments and even choose where they can be treated. Well, let's cross to Westminster and find out more. Our political correspondent, Ali Fortescue, is there. Hello to you, Ali. We talked about the NHS yesterday and other announcements that might be forthcoming this week. It feels like there's a real focus on the NHS from the government.
Yeah, that's absolutely right, Anna. Tomorrow, the Prime Minister wants to try to put some meat on the bone. One of his big policy pledges, his six milestones, is to get NHS waiting list down. He wants 92% of people to be seen within 18 weeks. He knows it hasn't been a totally straightforward first six months in government, to say the least. He knows that labour's poll ratings are falling. Tomorrow, first day back in Parliament, The first day back after the new year, he wants to try to seize the narrative, and we're getting more details about what is actually going to be announced in this speech, as you say, an upgrade to the NHS app. That might not sound wildly exciting, Anna, but I do think it will potentially impact quite a lot of people because at the moment, only 8% of people are booking their appointments on the app, which is a pretty surprisingly low number, I'd say. They want the app to be the default. They're going to We've put everyone's appointments on the app to make that much more easy, and people are going to be able to receive test results on the app, too.
The first step of that will be in March this year, where the majority of patients' details are going to be put on the NHS app. But the big part of this, really, is giving patients the choice because patients are allowed to choose to go to what hospital they want, and this is going to give NHS patients a choice between five hospitals. At the moment, very few patients are actually being offered that, even though it is a right and the House Secretary, Wes Streeting, has said this is about bringing poorer patients in line with wealthy patients who get a choice. He says this is all about choice. Of course, he's going to be, I should say, on Trevor Phillips very shortly, so we'll be hearing more from him then. I should also very briefly say the Shadow Health Secretary has released this statement. He says, Sadly, so far, all labor have delivered our partial announcements in yet further reviews and consultations despite having 14 years in opposition to work out what they actually wanted to do. Labor promised reform. Now patients are clear. It's time they actually delivered it. We will see tomorrow, unsurprising, perhaps from the Shadow Health Secretary there, but we will see tomorrow how the Prime Minister plans to deliver some of those plans and whether he's got the money and staffing resources to do it.
Indeed. Full coverage of that, of course, tomorrow here on Sky News. Ellie, for the moment, thanks very much indeed. And as Ali was saying Trevor Phillips will have plenty more on that and all the week's politics from 8:30 this morning. As Ali was saying, he's joined by the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, also the Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp, and Reformed Deputy Leader, Richard Thais. That's coming up here on Sky News at 8:30. To the US now, where the nearly week-long state funeral of former President Jimmy Carter has officially begun. The longest-lived American President died on December 29th at the age of 100. Let's just show you the live pictures from Atlanta, where Jimmy Carter is now lying in repose for mourners to pay their respects. On Tuesday, his casket will be transported to Washington to Lyon State, ahead of a funeral on Thursday. Our US correspondent, James Matthews, reports. Jimmy Carter began a farewell journey in the company of Secret Services agents who had protected him through the years. Their age differences reflected personnel changes for a man who lived to be 100. The motorcade drove first to Plains, Georgia, to the Peanut Farm, where Jimmy Carter was raised and where the farm Bell once woke him at dawn for a day's work.
Now, it told 39 times for a 39th President, the ordinary farm boy who went on to do extraordinary things. Still lived in this two bedroom ranch house in Plains, Georgia, a little village in Georgia, a few hundred people. He didn't attempt to make money after his presidency. He basically worked on human rights and on trying to bring peace to conflicts around the world. A deeply humble and thoroughly decent man, and the world is poorer for his passing. Members of the public in Georgia lined the route for a man who was their governor before he reached the White House. The cortège paused at the Georgia State Capitol before making its way to the Carter Center in Atlanta for for a private service. While we mourn my grandfather's passing, I know in my heart, and you all do, that his legacy will live on not only because of the millions of people that he touched across the globe, but very specifically because of your spirit and your knowledge and the work and the track record that you do every day. Jimmy Carter will be flown to Washington, DC next week. To Lyon State at the Capitol before a state funeral at Washington National Cathedral.
He'll then be returned to planes in Georgia and buried in a plot beside his wife, Rosalind. It is America's farewell to a former President, reflective of his life in public and private. James Matthews, Sky News in Washington. Let's just bring you some live pictures from Seoul in South Korea, where hundreds of people are gathering to In a protest against the impeached South Korean President, Yun Sook Yeol. The rally comes as authorities prepare to renew efforts to detain him over his short-lived martial law decree. There were efforts to arrest him the other day, but his supporters managed to block access to him. The arrest warrant against Yune expires at midnight on Monday. That's about three o'clock our time. And multiple groups have been holding demonstrations near his official residence, some urging his arrest and others protesting against it. That's the scene currently in Seoul. We'll keep an eye on that for you. Now, here, food production and security has come under increasing scrutiny over the last few years as climate change, geopolitical unrest, and Brexit have had a huge impact on supply chains. Well, now a new sustainable alternative is being touted to replace traditional farms.
Vertical farming could be the key to more secure food production in the UK. Our economics and data editor, Ed Conway, has been to Europe's largest vertical farm, where they're hoping they'll soon be able to grow much more than herbs and leafy means. Norfolk, Britain's bread basket, home to some of the most fertile agricultural land in the country. But here in this industrial building, they are trialing a prototype of what might be tomorrow's bread basket. This is Farm, two of Fisher Farms, and it's Europe's biggest vertical farm, producing tons of crops inside 365 days of the year. Okay, so now we're going to go to the next airlock, and we're going to be washing our hands again. But getting inside is not straightforward. Before I'm allowed into the farm, I have to be cleansed of any contaminants because this is a controlled environment. Everything tailored to the needs of the plants, in this case, basil. This is the seeding process that we have over here. The seed trays go from here and then they get put onto these trolleys, and these trolleys then get transferred up into the germination zone up there. This is our germination room.
When we visit, it's full of chive seeds left to germinate in temperatures of around 26 degrees and 100% humidity. After a few days, they're ready for more intensive lights in the main growing tunnels. This is the beating heart of the vertical farm, 12 levels high, each bathed in bright LED lights, which also provide the heat. It's an incredibly efficient way of turning out lots of food. Right now, it's basal, but the ambition is to grow much more than simple herbs. As our systems get cheaper over time because we have access to lower cost electricity, as the lights become more efficient, as our automation levels improve. It allows us to shift from the high value products, the shortleavy green salads and herbs, to fruity products like strawberries and strawberries and raspberries, and then finally to the actual goal of Fisher Farms, which is rice, wheat, which are 52% of human calorie intake comes from those two products alone, and then soy and pees, which are fantastic protein substitutes for meat. Whether it feels like a vision of utopia or dystopia, there's certainly a compelling case that this might just be the future of farming. It looks like we could be pretty much anywhere.
Actually, technically, we are in Norfolk, so traditional farming territory. But that's the point of farming. It's about eliminating the outside world with all of its environmental problems, all of the climate, all of the pests, and creating the perfect, perfect area for plants to be growing. While this may feel a world away from traditional farms, they hope soon here to be growing wheat. In other words, the crop that every farmer would like to grow here inside. Thirty-five days after being seeded, the basil is now fully grown and trays of the crop are moved down the corridor to the harvesting machine. The leaves are cut and ready to be packaged, and the seed trays are returned to the tunnels for more growing. So what's the catch here? Well, one is that this is an energy-intensive way of growing food, and getting power isn't easy. We have encountered as we're looking at where we might go next for a large farm, we can't get a grid connection fast enough. So in some instances, grid connections are 2029, 2030 onwards to even get connected. So that is a really big inhibitor potentially doing more here. The Basel here is cost competitive with the stuff we import in from North Africa and the Mediterranean.
And since you're wondering, yes, it tastes pretty good. If consumers like it and the sums do indeed add up, this could be where we get much of our food from in the decades to come. Ed Conway, Sky News in Norwich. Lots coming up for you here on The Breakfast Show. Still to come, how are farmers coping in the cold snap? We'll be speaking to a Welsh Hill farmer. Last, we visit the South London Football Club using headsets to help visually impaired fans experience live matches. I'm David Levens, and I'm Skye's Senior Ireland Correspondent. It takes 60 minutes to cross the Irish Sea. It took the British Monarchy a century. I've spent 30 years reporting the journey from conflict to peace. The political parties of Northern Ireland have reached agreement. If there's anyone who might know how to fix Northern Ireland's devolved government, it's the American architect. Changes in circumstance require changes in approach. The end of the political stalemate, the start of a new chapter for Northern Ireland. I confirmed that I am willing to take up the office of First Minister. My election to the post of First Minister demonstrates the change that's happening on this island.
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Come along for the road. Come along for the journey. It'll be fun. We've got your Sunday mornings covered. From the front page and the sounds of the streets to the voices of the people who make the major calls and big picture politics beyond Westminster. We'll put you at the heart of our story, and you start to Sunday. I'm ready. Are you? Join me, Trevor Phillips, Sunday Mornings on Sky News. Now, Crystal, The Palace Football Club has become the first in the world to offer permanent technology for fans who aren't visually impaired, helping to improve their matchday experience. They were given a headset which offers live vision of the game, which wouldn't otherwise be possible to the visually challenged eye. Skye's Molly Malone has visited Sulhus Park to speak to one lifelong Palace fan who's testing out the technology. For the last three years, Neil has been navigating life with impaired vision. Despite his lifelong loyalty to Crystal Palace, it's made spectating and supporting much more difficult. But now he's looking down the lens of a football balling first. Being able to see the far side of the pitch, players' expressions, the fans cheering. It's fantastic.
His club has invested in this headset technology that improves his sight at match days. For me, football has always been part of my life. If you ask my wife, she'll say it's my first love. It's enabling people to come back and to be able to be part of something instead of being stuck at home and Just listening, partake, enjoy, sing. It's what it's about. It's the love of the game. At the click of a button, the headset has two different modes. The first acts as a giant magnifying glass, zooming in on certain parts of the match. The second takes live footage from the broadcast feed, allowing the fan to watch the match in real-time. For those with partial vision, it could be a game-changer. It was the Palace Manchester United game in September where it made its debut, relying on a 5G network to transmit the match pictures through the headset, prompting the visually challenged eye to do things it couldn't do otherwise. It works by stimulating some of the photoreceptors the cells. You can think about it a little bit like when people use hearing aids, it allows them to regain some of that hearing, and it's the same with the headset with sight.
For Crystal Palace, this investment and rollout is a world first. But the hope here is that it expands for fans across the Premier League and beyond it, too. I know there's some meetings going on with other clubs behind the scenes to see if it can be implemented elsewhere. I think it's really important that we all pull together and understand that there is a one I think that 1 in 30 people have a sight issue. So if we can pull together and make this good for our fans, home and away, and other clubs do the same, I think it will make a real difference to the sport. Does it change football for you? For me, 100 %, definitely. It's now given the enjoyment factor a complete buzz. It won't change football for everyone that's visually challenged. Some sight is necessary for it to work. But for Neil, the difference is certainly being felt, giving hope for sport and its most loyal of spectators. Molly Malone, Sky News at Selhers Park in South London. We're going to stick with football because Alison's here and you've got lots coming up in the sport. I certainly have. There is so much sport on the way, but the big one, of course, is Liverpool against Manchester United.
Liverpool could move eight points clear at the top of the Premier League this afternoon. While they've been good, the gap is partly down to the fact that their rivals keep slipping up, too. Coming up, we'll show you how two of their biggest challenges were held to draws, which could prove to be damaging in the long run. Now, could that allow Manchester City a way back into the title race? We'll show you how they recorded consecutive wins for the first time since October in their victory against West Ham, Ireland on score sheet. There's action from the Championship, too, as Burnley's hold over their East Lancashire rivals continued, and they kept up their push for an instant Premier League return. Plus, with the Six Nations now less than four weeks the way, might Tom Willis be a contender to start for England in their opener against Ireland? Tries like this certainly won't do his cause any harm. We'll bring you news from the rugby premiership. Weeknight on Sky News. This is your chance. Tell people. Welcome to the politics hub. A police force has apologized. If you want to find out about Grimsby, you come to the docks.
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So heavy snow has caused widespread disruption across the UK, with flight delays and diversions at multiple airports, and several runways have been forced to close as well. Many can expect issues on the roads and railways too today. But although most of us can stay inside away from the weather, it's not the same, of course, for farmers. Well, Gareth Wyn Jones is a farmer from Wales. An Amber weather warning has kicked in over his farm this morning. And as you can see, Gareth joins me now. Morning to you, Gareth. So how is it looking there where you are? Yeah, from a cold, snowy North Wales. It's not too bad, to be totally honest with you. We've had a couple of inches. But as long as the wind stays away, the wind is the big problem on the mountains for us. That's what causes the drifting and that's what buries the sheep and the ponies. So all the cows are in the shed at the moment, everything's being fed here now. So later on, I'll be jumping in the tractor just to go and check on a few of the sheep on the top there and just make sure that everything's in the right place.
We've prepared. We've taken silage, we've taken mineral blocks up, so they've got plenty of food, but you just want to make sure that everything's okay because you never know with this weather. Well, yeah, give us an idea of how you do protect the animals. Talk us through what you do for the sheep a little bit further? So it's all about making sure they can get food, is it? Yeah, so our flock is an outdoor flock. We never bring our sheep in. They're a hill flock. They're on the Cavenagh High Mountain range through the summer, which is 27,000 acres, a massive big open expanse where many farmers turn their sheep onto that heft. So we take our sheep onto what we call the intermittent land, the frith of, for the winter months, and that's where they'll be now until we start lambing and bring them down. We've got some very, very Ninja sheep, as you can see, they're jumping over everything. So they've had plenty of silage over the last two days and plenty of locks, just in case this snow did become a little bit more of a problem. But it does look like it's going to be turning into rain for later on tomorrow and onto Tuesday.
So I don't think, cross fingers, it'll be anything like 2013, where we had the Yeah, atrocious weather that killed a lot of sheep here, killed a lot of ponies, and caused us a lot of havoc, to be honest with you. Yeah, let's hope you're right there, indeed. And tell us about these ponies. You've got a rare breed of pony, don't you? How do you protect them? So we'll just keep an eye on them so they don't get any extra forage. They are semi-feral, so literally wild. They've been up there since the Keltic times. One of the oldest The first breed in the UK. And they're very, very special ponies. So they're gathered once a year. So this time of year, if there is a problem, we'll go up and bring the weaker ones down. But otherwise, they have to fend for themselves. It is survival of the fittest. And that's why they've been up there for thousands of years, literally. They look absolutely amazing. And you said the cows were in their shed. So does the cold weather mean any extra work as far as the cows are concerned? Not really. It just gets a little bit more wet because of the snow and the rain.
So maybe a little bit extra bedding, but they're very toasty. They're all in there together, so they keep their own heat. And they're much better in the shed for the cattle because the cows will do a lot of poaching during the winter, so they'll have five mouths. So the four feet and the mouth shouldn't really be in that bull. We'll skip over that. Gareth, Wind Jones, we really appreciate your time this morning and coming out into the snow to chat to us. I know you've got a busy day ahead and fingers crossed that the forecast is kind to you over the next few days. Thanks so much for your time. Yeah. Thanks for backing British agriculture as well. Thanks so much. Whether having an impact for so many people, obviously, it's affecting livelihoods of farmers and people We're just trying to get around the country having all sorts of difficulties, and it's affecting potentially the football, too. Yes, you can imagine Manchester United and Liverpool fans checking their phones every five minutes because we hear that Liverpool runway is closed at the airport temporarily. It does look like hopefully the match will go ahead, but they are having a city council meeting this morning to find out.
It's not until 4:30 this evening or this afternoon, I should say. But yeah, lots of things going on. Fulham against Ipswich as well. And there are some League 2 games. It's those games that I think a bit more difficult because the pitches in the Premier League size are so good. So fingers crossed anyway. So they're more likely to happen. We'll keep everyone up to date when we get the outcome of that meeting, of course. We absolutely will. We've got so much other sport coming up as well. We're going to be reflecting on yesterday where Chelsea dropped points and so did Arsenal. I'm also going to be looking ahead to the cricket and the tennis. The Skynews Sports Bulletel is brought to you by Vitality. Getting more people, more active. Live life with vitality. I can remember standing in the paddock at the Victoria Ground. One of the coaches said, We had an exceptional tournament there. People are starting to notice you now. And I came away from that evening, I was buzzing. This is Rich Wilkinson, 16 years old, living the dream at Stoke City. Like so many others, he was released, but Rich took a different path he trained as a therapist to counsel people with shared experiences.
Are you saying that for you back then, your entire status and feeling of self-worth was bound in with your football? Absolutely. Everything was football, the Confidence it gave me, self-esteem it gave me, this athletic identity. It starts from the moment that people around you are telling you you're good. Explain to me a bit more about that athletic identity then. It's almost like this false reality that you create for yourself. So if you imagine after deselection, when that's gone, that athletic identity doesn't serve in the real world anymore. This is where a lot of the problems come for deselected football players because they're still trying to feed off that person. I notice you use the phrase deselected footballers, not dropped footballers? No. That's presumably deliberate. Absolutely deliberate. And I think it doesn't sit very well with me, rejection. I don't think it gives that player enough credit, if that makes sense. Let's be realistic here. How many deselected players keep football clubs going? Without the deselected players, there is no football team. When I sat in therapy myself, one of the first things my therapist said to me was that you did okay. And I'd never thought that.
I'd always treated it like a rejection. Did you How did you feel a failure when you were deselected? So for me, the family bathroom in our home was the place where I did a lot of my decompressing, processing as a football player. I spent a lot of my time in that room, mulling over my game, how I played, what I could do what I failed at, what I was listening to. It was a really poignant place for me. So when it came to me getting the news about whether I was going to be taken on with a contract or whether I was going to be deselected, I took the letter to that bathroom and locked the door. I looked at it and it was soul-destroying. From that day on, I always told myself that was okay, but I really wasn't. It's sad when I look back on it now and I think about it because I shut football down completely. I didn't watch it ever again. I didn't read about it. I just removed it. How did you get from there to where you are now? I was warned that if I go into this area and start looking at this, it could be too traumatic.
I might not be able to do it. Because I'd got unresolved trauma, it was dangerous. I left the 17-year-old boy in the bathroom. I felt like I needed to go back in mentally to get in. And I worked with a fantastic counselor who was able to support me in. What I was actually doing was I was telling myself that my dream was over. It was the first time I'd done it for 20 years, so it was huge. I was so angry that this was still going on all these years later. How can deselected players still be taking their lives, still be suffering from depression, anxiety, addiction, taking drugs, drinking, gambling, totally ruining their lives? How can that still be going on now, 20 years? After I experienced it, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I wanted to help save deselected footballers' lives going forward or certainly help their mental health. Sean Fallon made three appearances for Wiggan in 1989 before he was released. A client of riches, he's waived his confidentiality to let us into a session. First thing is just checking in to see how you are. I'm in a good spot. Part of that's down to the work we did doing this room together, because you mentioned about in terms of your own experience, that it was It was okay, and it was enough, even though it finished when it did and things like that.
I'd always thought of the opposite. It wasn't enough. And I was embarrassed and ashamed, and I'd let my family down and all that thing. So I had those kinds of feelings. To hear somebody who'd been in the game and done something similar to the level that I've been saying that out loud, that hit me quite hard. I think you used a beautiful phrase once. You said, Now I've done a few one-tos with you. And I got the emotion that came up for me when you said that. It was absolutely incredible. When you explained athletic identity to me, what happened was I realized, would I switch that? So up to that point, I probably thought of myself as an ex-pro who now does this for a living. And then when I worked for this company, where my mentality changed was, I do this now, and I used to be an ex-pro. Until you explain that to me, I didn't realize that's what had actually happened. I'd let go of that athletic identity. But I'd gone on to it for 15, 16 years. You're still attached to that world of, I don't want to show weakness. And if you look at society now, football and society have always been intertwined.
And if you look at stats that come out about men under 45 taking their own life and things like that, there is more focus on you being able to go, I'm struggling here. For so many academy players, release is inevitable. For Harry Redknap Jr, Harry's grandson, and Ollie Eagle, they got the bad news this summer. I went to find out about their journeys. You didn't really feel the pressure up until you get to that age. It was always a case of whether I'm good enough, whether I'm going to let-This Skynews Sports Bulletin is brought to you by Vitality. Still to come here on The Breakfast Show. We're going to be taking through the Sunday papers once again and looking at the headlines there with broadcaster and journalist, Katrina Stuart, and political correspondence at LBC, Aggy Shonbray. I'm David Levens, and I'm Skye's Senior Ireland Correspondent. It takes 60 minutes to cross the Irish Sea. It took the British Monarchy a century. I've spent 30 years reporting the journey from conflict to peace. The political parties of Northern Ireland have reached agreement. If there's anyone who might know how to fix Northern Ireland's devolved government, it's the American architect.
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Our new podcast, Starting Now. It's very exciting. Every week, we'll be reporting from the world's trouble spots. We get to hold those in positions of power accountable, and we get to ask the questions that the audience, the listeners, want to know about. That's why it is so important that people tune in and along for the road. Come along for the journey. It'll be fun. Hi, I'm James Matthews, and I'm Sky's US Correspondent, based here in Washington, DC. Donald Trump, it would appear, is about to learn his fate. There's no doubting the strength of this hurricane as it roars through. Sky News, getting the full story first. Do you fear a fourth indictment? He's from Sky News. He's from Sky News. He's entitled to ask me questions. So time now for another look at the Sunday papers. Here with me this morning are broadcaster and journalist, Katrina Stuart, and LBC's political correspondent, Aggy Shilbray. So welcome back to both of you. Thank you. We're going to dive in with the front page of the Mail on Sunday, Aggy, this section. And they are talking about a poll that's being carried out. The headline says, Starmer will be out of number 10 in a year.
Indeed, uneasy reading at the start of the year for number 10. So they've done this poll for the Mail on Sunday, which says, Nearly a A third of Britain's polls in the State of the Nation survey expect the Labor Leader to last another year at most, with more than two-thirds saying he's doing badly with just six months into the job. This is just yet another poll showing the public, or at least some of the public are not happy with the Labor leaders. I think this will be concerning to them. This is the public. I think what potentially might be more concerning to them is how this is going to affect politicians, Labor MPs, how they're feeling on the backbenches, too, and how much Labor MPs are hearing this on the doorstep. Now, I should say, Kirstam is still in the lead. If the general election was today, he's still in the lead in terms of voting attention, 30% compared to 23% on the Tories and 22% for reform. But it's been a really difficult, I think even they would admit that, first six months of getting into power, and polls like this don't help. For me, speaking to politicians at the tail end of last year, they were starting to say things like this and just starting to say, I'm not sure this is going to work long term.
I have one labor of MPs saying to me, I would be surprised if he was still Prime Minister at the next general election. Just six months after winning that landslide majority, that is really striking. Do you think it's missteps by the government, or do you think they always intended to get the bad news out early, and it's just not gone down very well, and the hope is that they'll have better news as their term progresses? I think it's both. I think basically they do feel like, and I was speaking to one government insider who pointed to how the coalition, how the Tories were doing in 2010, they did lots of bad news out first. In 2012, George Osmond was booed at the Olympics, and then, of course, they won that majority in 2015. So I think they are looking at that, but I think there is also there have been missteps. I mean, the way they dealt with winter fuel, the waspy women, I think people have been very upset about that, and indeed, how the budget was held off for a bit, and then the only thing people were talking about for a long time was winter fuel.
So I think there have been missteps, too, at least in the communications of things. The headline is slightly misleading because they're saying Starmer will be out in a year. It's actually a third Britons, as you said, expect the Labor Leader to last another year, which is slightly different. Also, Labor doesn't have a habit of getting rid of leaders, does it? Obviously, we saw a lot of prime ministers under the Tori rule, but they wouldn't necessarily traditionally look to replace a leader. No, they take a very different approach from the Conservatives, and it would involve the Labor Party pushing Starmer out, which is highly unlikely. But I think one of the findings from this poll that will be of concern is not just the one-year prediction, but there is just 5% of people saying that they expect Keir Starmer to have a second term. Everything that Labor is doing is looking towards the long term because they have huge issues to deal with, controlling migration, economic growth, reforming public services, reforming the welfare system. These aren't things that happen overnight. They are, in a sense, getting the bad news out of the way quickly, but they really need to form a more positive narrative.
People need to start seeing changes quickly. When they are announcing new plans, such as the inheritance tax that affected farmers or to interview cuts, they need to have a more positive narrative around that, about why people with the broader shoulders have to be paying a bit more or helping out a bit more. While labor appears to be beleagered. Reform seem to be picking up some of the positivity, aren't they? There's an article inside the Observer you've picked out, Katrina, which reflects on the conference that they held yesterday. Yes, there was a conference in the West Midlands yesterday, and the Observer has what is essentially a color piece from that. They've had a report in there speaking to people who've been at the conference, and one of the things that they picked out was that most of the attendees are male and they're over 50. It was a very narrow demographic there, which is interesting because reform in Scotland is talking very much about the fact that they are attracting younger people. They're attracting people from different backgrounds. They're hoping that Elon Musk will help. This is what Nigel Friarish is talking about, will boost the appeal to young people.
Yes. They're also suggesting that Nigel Friarish might become Prime Minister, which Again, it's just negative news for Keir Starmer to have to deal with. But the rise of reform is a significant challenge, whether that translates at the ballot box in four years' time as one thing. But the May elections are coming rapidly. Hollywood '26 elections are coming up, and reform is posing a significant challenge. I interviewed the head of reform in Scotland for the Sunday Times today, and he was saying that their membership figures are now surpassing the Conservatives in Scotland. The parties there are really, really worried about the challenge that they're presenting. Well, yes, and reform made much of their membership numbers over Christmas, of course. How far can they go, do you think, Agui? I think that is the question of the moment, of the month of the year. Is it Is it actually feasible? Is it possible that Nigel Farage could be Prime Minister? The Conservatives are asking that, and I think it is the Conservatives that reform are going to be a big, big problem for, at least in the local elections and going forward. But could he be Prime Minister?
That is a question I think people in government are beginning to ask. I mean, I was being to someone who said he could be, but they are hoping that what might happen is that the local elections reform do well. They're not hoping reform do well, but if reform do well, the conversation might shift to, could they overtake the Conservatives in terms of poll ratings, could they do that? Then it will turn to, could Nigel Farage be Prime Minister? What would that actually look like? Then getting into the nitty-gritty of reform policies, looking at the fact that they want to slash corporation tax to 15%, and whether that actually might turn the tide again before we get to the next general election. Yeah, and it's a long way to the next election. Really interesting to see what happens between now and then. I think we should talk about olive oil now. I don't know about you, but I feel in the mood for a bit of olive oil. This is in the Times, and that's actually the online copy of it, but it is in the paper. The headline in the paper is, fancy a splash of...
I shouldn't have read out the headline. I can't say it. It's extra. Thank you. Does it work? I think it's extra olive That's extra virgin olive oil, and it's from Essex. Indeed, yes. I see what they're doing with the headline. I'm not sure it really works. But it's a good news story and a bad news story all at once because it's about climate change, essentially. Climate now means that it is warm enough in England to be growing olive trees. A farmer in Essex is capitalizing on this. Pete Thompson is growing olive trees, and he hopes to have enough olive oil to start selling it in the shops, which will be a relief to some because I think we've all noticed that the price of olive oil has gone through the roof recently. He's been quite coy about it. He said that he's found a specific type of French tree that will grow in England, but he's not seeing exactly what is. But it's a really interesting story because could this be the future for farming in England? Well, that's right. And again, showing how some farmers are being very versatile and feeling they have to diversify because of different challenges.
And Maybe this could be good news for more than one farm. Indeed. I mean, it's exactly as you say, it's good and bad news. The fact that he is looking at this because of the drought and the floods on the continent is bad, but the fact that being versatile, potentially bringing down the price of olive oil, good. Absolutely. Finally, let's turn to an article about The Traitors, because once again, this series is proving incredibly popular. Again, this is the online version of the story, but it's in the paper as well. No spoilers, I should say. I mean, I'm actually up to date, but some people may not have caught up with the latest episode. Talk us through what the article focuses on. Yes. The Sunday Times have spoken to The Traitors' boss about basically how to get onto The Traitors, which is really good news for those of us that think they would be amazing traitors. Are you tempted? Yeah, absolutely. So lying, cheating, and stabbing people in the back, that's just very appealing, is it? Exactly. Okay, got you. Day to day, got it. But basically, you have to pass the pub test. So be a nice person.
They actually don't want people who find lying really easy because they think if you just get lots of well-rounded people in a room, the bad bits of them will come out naturally. Someone who, as you say, no spoilers, so I won't say who this is, but someone who has left the show, who's been murdered, described the casting process as being like a full body, full heart, full brain, even full soul MRI scan. They have lots of psychological checks to ensure the participants have the resilience to cope with being the game. It says, Being a good liar is not mandatory. That's so interesting. It does look like people really do feel the pressure on it. It is absolutely fascinating. I hope you haven't felt too much pressure sitting there. Very different show. Lovely to have your company this morning. Have a good Sunday. I hope you avoid the very cold weather. Thanks very much. There's always more to the news than a headline. We want to discover, to delve a little deeper, to find out what's really going on. Explanation, analysis, the people at the heart of every story. I'm Neil Patterson, and this is the Skynews Daily podcast.
So by the end, we'll hopefully all understand what's going on in the world just that little better. Available wherever you get your podcast.
Hello, a very good morning. It's eight o'clock coming up on the show today. Significant disruption across the UK as Amber weather warnings bring snow and ice. And as Liverpool prepare to host Manchester United, will bad weather postpone the match? The City Council are expected to hold a meeting this morning. It's Sunday, the fifth of January. Delays, diversions, and hours of waiting. Snow and ice force several airports to close their runways. England and Wales are expected to be the worst hit by today's weather. The Met Office warning rural communities could be cut off. Here in South Yorkshire, with Amber warnings in place and with snow still falling and settling on the roads, drivers are advised to avoid all unnecessary journeys. Also ahead, a shake-up to the NHS app that vows to give patients more choice in a bid to cut waiting times. Trevor Phillips speaks to the Health Secretary this hour. Long goodbye to America's oldest former President. Mourners gather for Jimmy Carter's six-day state funeral. Plus, growing for the future. Could vertical farms be the key to securing food production in the UK? And in the Premier League, there's another setback for Arsenal as they're held at Brighton and lose another player to injury in the Hello, very good morning.
Thanks for joining us here on Breakfast. Well, large parts of the UK are expected to face significant disruption throughout today, with Amber weather alerts for snow and ice covering most parts of England and Wales. There are already issues at several airports, with bad weather forcing Liverpool and Manchester to temporarily close their runways. Well, overnight, several airports also suspended operations, with planes canceled, delayed, and diverted across the country. Passengers have been warned to expect knock-on delays today. Icy conditions also forced a number of roads to with heavy snow making it difficult for motorists. Some roads in County Durham and Derbyshire remain shut this morning due to snow, with the National Highways advising people to take extra care when traveling. The National Grid has reported several power outages in parts of the Midlands, the Southwest, and South Wales. What's guys, north of England, and correspondent, Fraser Mord is in Sheffield this morning, where Amber snow warnings are in play. So Amber fill it in on what like there. Yeah, good morning. Well, still snowing, as you can see. Lots of heavy snow overnight, five or six centimeters at least. I had to clear off my car this morning.
The roads are passable in places with care. The snowplows have been out. The snowplow came past here on the Stocksbridge bypass just outside Sheffield just a few moments ago. Helped to clear some of the snow on the road, but it's still falling. It's still building up once those snowplows Hours have passed. I've spoken to a couple of people out in four by fours this morning. They're out and about as they always do, they say in this weather, seeing if anybody needs any help or assistance. I've already seen them towing one vehicle out of the way. The only vehicles I've seen are mainly 4x4s. The problem is in areas where there has been gritting, one of those 4x4 drivers telling me that he's been out since five o'clock. He's only seen one gritter out this morning. I've seen the snowplow make two or three passes along here, but no griters so far. The problem is, even when the griters are out, it needs traffic to activate that grit, to activate that salt and get it to clear the roads. And obviously, at this time on a Sunday morning, just after the holiday period, there is very little traffic about, certainly at this time.
And until traffic starts to move, then the grit can start to work, and then the roads can become clearer. But at the moment, lots of roads only passable with extreme care, only passable with four by four vehicles. And So of course, the advice is unless it's an absolutely essential journey, don't even bother trying to make it. And, Fraser, what's the outlook like? How long could this bad weather last, according to the forecasts? Well, the Amber weather warning area has been trimmed slightly to bring it further north, down in Devon, temperature's now up to 12 or 13 degrees. I spoke to one of my colleagues in Birmingham today, he says the roads are clear there in the city center and whatever snow there has been is being cleared away by rain. And that's the hope here, is that that slightly warmer air will move further north and bring with it some sleet and rain and therefore help to clear the roads. But the forecast is that this snow is due to stay here for much of the day. Fingers are crossed that that warmer air will bring some sleet and eventually rain in order to clear the roads here.
But then the longer term forecast, as we move into next week, then the problem there is that the wind will shift direction, stop bringing those warmer airs from the southwest and start coming from the north and from the northeast. Really cold polar air. The cold snap is set to continue. The only hope here is that that comes after some rain has arrived in order to try and clear these roads a bit before the next big freeze arrives in the next couple of days. Yes, of course. Well, Fraser, we'll let you get somewhere warm. For the moment, though, thanks very much indeed. Thank you. So as you can imagine, all sorts of travel disruption caused caused by the weather. Let's get up to date with our correspondent, Emma Birchley, who's here. So, Emma, what is the latest? Well, it's changing all the time. Bristol was one of the hardest-hit airports overnight. Runway was closed between 8:00 and 11:00, while they cleared the snow there. Some flights were diverted to Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast. And once the runway reopened, then you're in the situation where aircraft are in the wrong place. And we did hear from one passenger, Emma, who had to wait over three hours for her bags overnight until the morning shift of baggage handlers arrived, by which point there were four or five easy jet flights worth of passengers waiting, no food and drink.
The vending and the schemes were empty, so it was all pretty grim. She said that there were people who'd been actually diverted to Bristol, who should have been in Birmingham from Tenerife, who were being told they'd have to pay £500 for a taxi to get themselves back to Birmingham. Easyjet have just now released a statement where they say that they've made arrangements for passengers on diverted flights to continue by road where possible. Any customers whose flights have been canceled have been notified and provided with the option to transfer to an alternative flight free of charge or receive a refund. Then we've got an unfolding situation further north in the country with Manchester and with Liverpool. In terms of Manchester, there's been a lot of delays over Tonight. Flights canceled this morning from Zurich, from Amsterdam. Seems that quite a lot of flights from Amsterdam, various airports have been affected. Now, we had the first statement from them in Manchester at 6:15 saying they needed to clear the snow and that the runway would be closed. Then at 7:20, this update, Our runways remain closed as we continue to clear the airfield after continued heavy snow in the last hour.
Please check with your airline for the latest flight information and allow extra travel time today. A statement, too, from Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Due to snow, the runway is temporarily closed, but the airport remains open. Please contact your airline for flight information. We're working hard to clear the runway. Problems, too, at Stansted. There hasn't been a statement from that airport, but you could see pictures of the snow on the runway there. The online trackers have shown that planes have been delayed and diverted to Edinburgh, Dublin, one to Cologne. Problem problems at Birmingham, too, and various London airports. The advice, as ever in these situations, is make sure you check with your airline. Emma, thanks very much indeed. Actually, just while you were talking, I've just got a statement as well from Leeds Bradfoot Airport. They are also saying their runway is currently closed. They talk about their teams working hard to clear the snow and minimize the impact on the flight schedules. Once again, they are advising that people contact their airline for the most up to date information regarding your flight if you have one leaving or arriving at Leeds Bradford. They also said that the long stay and car rental shuttle bus is postponed until at least 10:00 this morning, and so customers are required to walk to the terminal.
They talk about following instructions at the bus stops, and they say be careful while navigating through the car parks. They also say that some morning departures have been rescheduled to this afternoon, so the advice is to check. But that's Leeds Bradford Airport Runway also currently directly closed. What about how it's looking weatherwise and what the forecast is? Let's get the latest from sky meteorologist Kirsty McCabe. Kirsty, what can you tell us? Good morning. It's been, It's quite a messy picture overnight. Many of us have seen some sleet and snow moving northwards, but in the far south, here in London, for example, it is just rain. There's a real difference in the temperatures now across Southern parts of the UK. The southwest, for example, we'll see temperatures peak at 14 or 15 degrees this afternoon, while further north, we are struggling to get back up above freezing. So there is more snow to come, and there are still plenty of weather warnings out for snow and ice, mainly affecting central parts northwards. So the far south now really out of the danger zone for the snow and the ice, although there's plenty of standing water and spray on the roads, thanks to the rain.
But we're talking about the snow and the ice, and still some heavy snow to come across the Penine, for example, and across parts of Northern Ireland, into parts of Scotland as well. Seeing quite a lot snow around and icy conditions as well. There's also a risk of some flooding today across parts of South and Central Wales, into parts of Salfordshire and Shropshire as well, because here we'll see some snowmelt and also some rain. The other thing to mention, of course, is freezing rain. Still a risk of that today, especially towards parts of North Wales, the Manchester area. And that's not great for aviation. And that's where we get the rain falling onto frozen surfaces and forming a clear layer of ice. So there's still plenty of hazardous conditions around. Some people happy to wake up to a A little bit of snow on the grounds, some disappointed by the rain. But for all of us, it's still this awkward wintry mix of rain, sleet, and snow continuing for much of the day, slowly pulling away as we head through tonight into tomorrow. But what we will notice tomorrow is a return of that cold, northerly, Arctic air.
And through next week, temperatures are going to start dropping. So expect some really cold days. There may be some crisp spells of sunshine to come next week, which will be pleasant, but the overnight lows are going to be very low, down to minus 18 across the snowfields of parts of Scotland and Northern England, because some of the snow is going to stick around all week, where the temperatures don't get back up above freezing. So the cold outlook is still continuing for most of us. Okay, good to be warned. Thanks very much indeed, Kirsty. Thank you. Now, the NHS and app is to receive a major shakeup as part of government plans to cut waiting lists and give more choice to patients. The changes will allow all patients to receive test results, book follow-up appointments, and even choose where to be treated. Our political correspondent, Ali Fawciw, joins us from Westminster. Ali, is this a precursor to the big speech that we're expecting from the Prime Minister about the NHS this week? Yeah, that's right. We're slowly getting more details about what we're going to hear tomorrow. This is being called radical reform, a new era for the NHS.
I think what this is, is a Prime Minister on the first day back of Parliament, first day of the New Year, trying to set the tone. He knows he's had a pretty tricky six months so far, so he wants to show that he is putting meat on the bone with policy to match the ambition. As you say, something we're hearing about now is that we expect there's going to be an upgrade to the NHS app. That doesn't sound wildly exciting, Anna, but I think it is going to impact a lot of people. It means that at the moment, just 8% of people can book tests, move around appointments and tests on the NHS app. They want that to be the default, so they're going to broaden that out. People can receive test results on the app. It's also about people being able to choose where they're treated. At the moment, patients have a right to choose what hospital they're treated in, but most people are never given that option. This will give patients that option. The Health Secretary says working-class patients will be getting the same choice as wealthy people. We're, of course, going to hear from him very shortly with Trevor Phillips comes along other announcements we've heard about protecting elective operations from winter pressures, for example, people being able to have a scan without necessarily having to see a consultant before and plenty more.
I'm told there will be more surprises in the Prime Minister's speech tomorrow. Obviously, the big questions are around money, £22 billion. Rachel Reeves has given over the next two years to bring down NHS waiting lists. Is that going to be enough? And of course, staffing, too. Those will be the challenges. But the government, I think, want to show that they are trying to reach that target that they set. They want 92% of NHS patients to see someone within 18 weeks. It's an ambitious target, hasn't been met for a decade. Tomorrow, the Prime Minister is going to assess out exactly how he wants to do that. Okay, Ali, one to look out for. Thanks very much indeed. As Ali was saying, Trevor Phillips will have more on that and all the week's politics from 8:30 this morning, so not long to wait. He's joined by the Health Secretary, West Streeting, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, and reformed Deputy Leader, Richard Thais. That's live here on Sky News at Hopper State. Time for some of the morning's other headlines now, and the nearly week-long state funeral of former President Jimmy Carter has officially begun. The longest-lived American President died on December 29th at the age of 100.
These are live pictures from Atlanta, where Jimmy Carter is now lying in repose for mourners to pay their respects. On Tuesday, his casket will be transported to Washington to Lyon State, ahead of a funeral on Thursday. In South Korea's capital, Seoul, hundreds of people are gathering in protest against the impeached South Korean President, Yunsook Yeol. The rally comes as authorities prepare to renew efforts to detain him over his short-lived martial law decree. Preparations are underway in Los Angeles, ahead of tonight's Golden Globes. British stars, Keira Knightley, Cynthia Avero, and Eddie Redmayne are all in the running for gongs. Redmayne's Sky Atlantic thriller, Day of the Jackal, is also up for Best Drama series. But it's Amelia There is a film about a Mexican drug lord who changes their gender, which leads the nominations with 10. Now, food production and security has come under increasing scrutiny over the last few years as climate change, geopolitical unrest, and Brexit have had a huge impact on supply chains. Well, now a new sustainable alternative is being touted to replace traditional farms. Vertical farming could be the key to more secure food production in the UK. Our economics and data editor, Ed Conway, has been to Europe's largest vertical farm, where they're hoping they'll soon be able to grow much more than herbs and leafy greens.
Norfolk, Britain's bread basket, home to some of the most fertile agricultural land in the country. But here in this industrial building, they are trialing a prototype of what might be tomorrow's bread basket. This is Farm 2 of Fisher Farms, and it's Europe's biggest vertical farm, producing tons of crops inside, 365 days of the year. Okay, so now we're going to go to the next airlock, and we're going to be washing our hands again. But getting inside is not straightforward. Before I'm allowed into the farm, I have to be cleansed of any contaminants because this is a controlled environment. Everything tailored to the needs of the plants, in this case, basil. This is the seeding process that we have over here. The seed trays go from here and then they get put onto these trolleys, and these trolleys then get transferred up into the germination zone up there. This is our germination room. When we visit, it's full of chive seeds left to germinate in temperatures of around 26 degrees and 100% humidity. After a few days, they're ready for more intensive lights in the main growing tunnels. This is the beating heart of the vertical farm, 12 levels high, each bathed in bright LED lights, which also provide the heat.
It's an incredibly efficient way of turning out lots of food. Right now, it's basal, but the ambition is to grow much more than simple herbs. As our systems get cheaper over time because we have access to lower cost electricity, as the lights become more efficient, as our automation levels improve, It allows us to shift from the high-value products, the shortleavy green salad and herbs, to fruity products like strawberries and strawberries and raspberries, and then finally to the actual goal of Fisher Farms, which is rice, wheat, which are 82% of human calorie intake comes from those two products alone, and then soy and pees, which are fantastic protein substitutes for meat. Whether it feels like a vision of utopia or dystopia, there's certainly a compelling case that this might just be the future. Set of farming. It looks like we could be pretty much anywhere. Actually, technically, we are in Norfolk, so traditional farming territory. But that's the point of vertical farming. It's about eliminating the outside world with all of its environmental problems, all of the climate, all of the pests, and creating the perfect, perfect area for plants to be growing. While this may feel a world away from traditional farms, they hope soon here to be growing wheat in In other words, the crop that every farmer would like to grow here inside.
Thirty-five days after being seeded, the basil is now fully grown and trays of the crop are moved down the corridor to the harvesting machine. The leaves are cut and ready to be packaged, and the seed trays are returned to the tunnels for more growing. So what's the catch here? Well, one is that this is an energy-intensive way of growing food, and getting power isn't easy. We have encountered as we're looking at where we might go next for a large farm, we can't get a grid connection fast enough. In some instances, grid connections are 2029, 2030 onwards to even get connected. That is a really big inhibitor, potentially doing more here. The basil here is cost-competitive with the stuff we brought in from North Africa and the Mediterranean. And since you're wondering, yes, it tastes pretty good. If consumers like it and the sums do indeed add up, this could be where we get much of our food from in the decades to come. Ed Conway, Sky News in Norwich. Now, Alison's here. What have you got coming up in the sport for us, Alison? Yeah, thanks, Anna. Liverpool could move to eight points clear at the top of the Premier League this afternoon.
But while they've been good, the gap is partly down to the fact their rivals keep slipping up, too. Coming up, we'll show you how two of their biggest challenges were held to draws, which could prove to be damaging in the long run. Now, could that allow Manchester City away back into the title race? We'll show you how they recorded consecutive wins for the first time since October in their victory against West Well. Big stories don't always come from big cities. I'm Lisa Dowd and I'm Skye's Midlands correspondent. You are not getting in this elevator, okay? The judge made it very clear that she could see no justifiable reason why Sarkoulas wasn't here facing British justice. I promised I would get him justice. Free wherever you get your news. This is what they're up against, that the wind is the really big problem. It is back-breaking work and the smoke is thick. It's been working well The water levels are dropping, but no one knows what impact further rain will have. What would you do if this place wasn't open? Start. This is the exact spot in Nottingham, where their 19-year-old son, Barnaby Webber, lost his life.
I just think it's so cruel and so harsh. It's really scary. We're terrified. In this community, I'm told that everybody knows someone affected by COVID. Hopefully this will be the last wave. Skynews gets the full story first. Change seems tantalizingly close in this corner of the UK. Wales was the first to introduce the plastic bag charge. It's legal to let go. Set the speed and take the hands off. It's almost driverless, but not quite. Hans is a highly trained police dog. The force is incredible. It's really frightening, actually. This is my patch, my specialism. It's also my home. We've got your Sunday mornings covered. From the front page and the sounds of the streets to the voices of the people who make the major calls and big picture politics beyond Westminster. We'll put you at the heart of our story, and you start to Sunday. I'm Ready? Are you? Join me, Trevor Phillips, Sunday Mornings on Sky News. Weeknight on Sky News. This is your chance. Tell people. Welcome to the politics Hub. A police force has apologized Otherwise. If you want to find out about Grimsby, you come to the docks. I'm live in Jerusalem.
Are you not concerned that that could lead to all that war? Hello there. Good evening. There are fears of an upsurge in violence. What's at stake here? You are watching the press review a first look at the front pages as they arrive. Welcome back. Alison's here. She's got a little sport. I certainly have. For all the action from the Premier League, let's take a look. This Skynews Sports Bulletin is brought to you by Vitality. Getting more people, more active. Live life with Vitality. I can remember standing in the paddock at the Victoria Ground. One of the coaches said, You had an exceptional tournament there. People are starting to notice you now. And I came away from that evening, I was buzzing. This is Rich Wilkinson, 16 years old, living the dream at Stoke City. Like so many others, he was released, but Rich took a different path. He trained as a therapist to counsel people with shared experiences. Are you saying that for you back then, your entire status and feeling of self-worth was bound in with your football? Absolutely. Everything was football, the confidence it gave me, self-esteem it gave me, this athletic identity.
It starts from the moment that people around you are telling you you're good. Explain Can you explain to me a bit more about that athletic identity then? It's almost like this false reality that you create for yourself. If you imagine after deselection, when that's gone, that athletic identity doesn't serve in the real world anymore. This is where a lot of the problems come for deselected football players because they're still trying to feed off that person. I notice you use the phrase deselected footballers, not dropped footballers. No. That's presumably deliberate. Absolutely deliberate. I think it doesn't sit very well with me, rejection. I don't think it gives that player enough credit, if that makes sense. Let's be realistic here. How many deselected players keep football clubs going? Without the deselected players, there is no football team. When I sat in therapy myself, one of the first things my therapist said to me was that you did okay, and I'd never thought that. I'd always treated it like a rejection. Did you feel a failure when you were deselected? So for me, the family bathroom in our home was the place where I did a lot of my decompressing processing as a football player.
I spent a lot of my time in that room, mulling over my game, how I played, what I could do better, what I failed at, what I was listening to. It was a really poignant place for me. So when it came to me getting the news about whether I was going to be taken on with a contract or whether I was going to be deselected. I took the letter to that bathroom and locked the door. I looked at it and it was soul-destroying. From that day on, I always told myself that was okay, but I It really wasn't. It's sad when I look back on it now and I think about it because I shut football down completely. I didn't watch it ever again. I didn't read about it. I just removed it. How did you get from there to where you are now? I was warned that if I go into this-This SkyMu Sports Bulletin is brought to you by Vitality. The big question is whether or not that Liverpool-Manchester United match will go ahead. Yes, I'm sure Liverpool and Manchester United fans crossing their fingers, although United fans might think there's a better time to face Liverpool than now.
There is an inspection, a city council meeting, obviously, lots of disruption with the snow and the traffic, and Liverpool won't want it postponed because, of course, they've already had the Merseyside derby postponed. So it's more about the transport, you think, rather than the pitch itself. Rather than the pitch itself. Usually the Premier League pitch is, they're so good these days. The ground staff are amazing. So usually, the pitches are okay. But it is the surrounding area, the trains, the transport, the safety in the Liverpool area, of course. Okay. Well, we'll keep everyone up to date, of course. Another one of that does go ahead. Alison, thanks very much indeed. Do stay tuned. Trevor Phillips is up next with all the latest from the world of politics, including the Health Secretary, West Treaty. Stay tuned.