Extra testing and a push for vaccinations saw infection rates drop in Bolton, a Covid hotspot in north-west England. This approach is now being replicated elsewhere in the region where cases of the Delta variant - previously known as the Indian variant - are rising. The military will step in to carry out extra tests in Greater Manchester and Lancashire, which account for 90% of the areas with the highest infection rates in England, according to last week's data.
Some health officials in the area have already urged people aged over 18 to book jabs and the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, says vaccines should be given earlier than planned. “What we are asking for is the bringing forward of Greater Manchester's supplies, so that we can run a surge vaccination programme over the next three weeks," he said. The latest drive to bring infection rates down comes as the debate continues about whether England's next lockdown easing will go ahead as planned on 21 June. The government should be announcing its decision about the reopening date in less than a week. While we wait for that, here are the key things to watch out for in the next few days.

Brexit has happened but negotiations between the UK and the EU still remain. Trade arrangements with Northern Ireland will be discussed between the UK and EU later in a bid to reduce disruption at the Irish Sea border. Sausages, mince and other chilled meat products from Great Britain could be taken off the shelves in Northern Ireland next month if delayed border checks - agreed by both sides - start next month. The UK's Brexit minister Lord Frost and EU counterpart Maros Sefcovic are due to meet in London, with both sides calling on each other to compromise. Officials have been locked in talks over the Northern Ireland Protocol, which created a trade border between Northern Ireland and Great Britain to prevent goods checks along the Irish land border. Tory peer Lord Frost is urging the EU to show "common sense" while Mr Sefcovic has warned against "quick fixes" to border issues.

How often and how long have you found yourself online? At least an hour or two every day? A survey of media habits carried out by regulator Ofcom found UK adults spent an average of three hours and 47 minutes online daily during the pandemic. That’s over an hour longer than Germany, France and Spain, with the Online Nation 2021 report showing the pandemic had accelerated the shift to online. Shoppers in the UK spent more than £110bn online for the first time last year, gaming increased and many people were glued to their phones via mobile apps such as Tinder, Disney+, YouTube and Netflix. However, the report noted the digital divide, saying “lockdown had a greater effect on people who are digitally excluded".

It’s too close to call whether lockdown rules will ease in England on 21 June, sources tell the i newspaper. It reports there’s hope any potential delay will be limited as there was a spike in interest in the jab booking system after it opened to under-30s. The planned easing of lockdown also leads a number of other papers, with the Guardian saying Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s “open” to a four-week delay. The Daily Mirror headlines on “bride and doom”, suggesting 50,000 weddings could be at risk by the delay. Meanwhile Andrew Lloyd Webber tells the Daily Telegraph he will reopen his theatres without social distancing later this month "come hell or high water". Read the newspaper review here.

Do you remember when we told you about actor Tom Cruise leaving people in a Yorkshire village stunned when he flew in on a helicopter to film another Mission: Impossible movie? Well, it seems Yorkshire’s a bit of a Hollywood hotspot - filmmakers were back to shoot the latest Indiana Jones movie.
Staying with Yorkshire - and the Humber - it's the only place in England where no Parliamentary boundary changes are proposed. So, like Northern Ireland, it's not gaining or losing seats under the review but what about the rest of the UK?
And finally, what's your favourite TV show? Bridgerton, Dad's Army, Octonauts maybe - they’re just a few programmes favoured by some famous politicians. Find out who likes what and why they like us to know.

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