Chippenham Community Portal

1. Government claims technical glitch behind surge in Covid cases. Nearly 16,000 cases of coronavirus were not entered into the national computer system used for official figures because of a technical glitch, Public Health England says. Some of the unreported cases were then added to Saturday's figure of 12,872 new cases and Sunday's 22,961 figure. It said all of the cases "received their Covid-19 test result as normal, but contacts of those who tested positive had not been approached." BBC

2. What are the Covid rules where you live? Coronavirus rules vary depending on whether you live in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Millions of people are also affected by extra local restrictions. Find out what the rules are in your area by simply entering your postcode. READ MORE

3. Contentious Brexit bill heads to Lords after passing Commons. The Brexit bill that controversially breaches international law has passed its final House of Commons hurdle. The internal market bill, which gives ministers the power unilaterally to rewrite elements of the withdrawal agreement with the EU, passed its third reading by 340 votes to 256 and will now go to the House of Lords, where it is expected to face stiffer opposition. The Guardian

4. Selling yourself on your resume. Job seekers often fall short when trying to stand out using their resumes and other application materials. They simply list their job duties and description as their resume. That’s really a big mistake. Instead of that approach, try this: [1] Reflect on your career and latest job; [2] Use results to show your value; [3] Tell them what sets you apart from others; [4] Catch the eye of the reader; [5] Keep the resume focused. This piece of advice was given to a delegate on 10/10, our acclaimed leadership development and mentoring programme. READ MORE

5. The delicate art of tense conversation. Even the most conflict-averse among us will inevitably end up in a difficult, tense conversation every now and again. No matter the topic - politics, ethics, strategy, and divorce - we can prepare for this moment by embracing what we call conversational receptiveness. Among other things, this involves actively working to make sure you understand and acknowledge your conversation partner's point of view, even if you don't agree with it. Such openness yields dividends, paving a path to agreement and continued discussion. Editor

6. Pandemic puts paid to retirement. One in eight older workers are planning to retire later than they had intended as the coronavirus pandemic takes its toll on Britons’ finances, according to research. The Institute for Fiscal Studies found that about a quarter of employees over the age of 54 were furloughed in June to July, with a fifth of the remainder working shorter hours - halting a decade-long rise in the number of over-50s in employment. It’s prompted calls for the government to implement greater support for older workers, akin to the Kickstart scheme aimed at young people. Financial Times

7. Ban on plastic straws starts in England. Single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds are now banned in England. The new ruling makes it illegal for businesses to sell or supply the items, however, hospitals, bars and restaurants will still be permitted to provide plastic straws to people with disabilities or conditions that require them. England uses an estimated 4.7bn plastic straws, 316m stirrers and 1.8bn plastic-stemmed cotton buds annually. The Independent

8. Hopes rise for Covid-19 vaccination by Easter. Every adult in the country could receive a coronavirus vaccine by Easter, claims The Times. Scientists working on the Oxford vaccine hope it could be approved by regulators by January, with some health officials estimating that every adult could receive a dose within six months. However, others say it could take as long as a year before everyone who was eligible received the vaccine. The Telegraph

9. The bottom line. Divorce boom forecast as lockdown sees advice queries rise. The coronavirus pandemic is creating an "enormous strain" on relationships, an advice charity has warned, with family lawyers predicting a "post-lockdown divorce boom". Citizens Advice said views on its divorce webpage during September were up 25% compared with the same month in 2019. BBC