| Concern over Indian variant |
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With the number of UK cases of a troubling Indian Covid variant having more than doubled to 1,313 in the past week, Boris Johnson admits he's "anxious". The prime minister said yesterday there was nothing to suggest England's planned lockdown easing could not go ahead. However, the government now says it "cannot rule out reimposing economic and social restrictions at a local of regional level" to suppress any variant which escapes the vaccine. It adds there's "no firm evidence yet" to show that's the case with the variant known as B.1.617.2, or that it has any greater impact on the severity of disease.
As Jim Reed reports, it is causing concern in Bolton, where Public Health England has set up mobile testing units and offered door-to-door testing to 22,000 people in response to a spike in infections. Assistant director of public health Lynn Donkin says there's a "a picture of widespread community transmission", while doctors report an increase in people arriving at casualty with confirmed or suspected Covid. Even so, Greater Manchester's Labour Mayor Andy Burnham says he's "very concerned" about the possibility of local restrictions. While the government is considering bringing forward second vaccine jabs in affected areas, Mr Burnham says he'd like younger people to be offered vaccines. | |
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| Israel-Gaza conflict enters fifth day |
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| It's now the fifth day of hostilities which have left more than 100 people dead in Gaza and killed seven in Israel. And the Israeli military has intensified its assault, as Palestinian militants continue to fire rockets into Israel. Air and ground forces were involved in attacks but had not entered Gaza, Israel's army said. A BBC reporter in Gaza describes heavy shelling, and operations involving gunboats, fighter jets and helicopters. Meanwhile, Jewish and Israeli-Arab mobs have been fighting within Israel, prompting its president to warn of civil war. We hear from mothers caught in the conflict - a Palestinian who describes her home shaking during bombardments and a Jewish Israeli who fled mob violence. | |
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| Winchcombe meteorite to go on display |
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| It's the most famous space rock in Britain and, from Monday, you'll be able to see it up close. Part of the "Winchcombe meteorite" that fell on the Gloucestershire town in February is going on display at London's Natural History Museum. Our science correspondent Jonathan Amos describes the excitement it's generated. One woman is thinking about putting up a plaque in her field where part of it fell. Another family will see the cottage cheese tub and toothbrush they used to collect a piece of the meteorite become part of the museum's exhibition, along with the splat it left on their driveway, which is being dug up. For the museum's Dr Helena Bates, the fuss is justified: "That piece of rock has a 4.567-billion-year history." | |
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| |  | | | It took 31-year-old Sneha Marathe half a day to book an appointment online for a Covid vaccine. "It was a game of 'fastest finger first'," she says. "The slots filled up in three seconds." But the hospital cancelled her slot at the last minute: they had no vaccines. Ms Marathe went back to try for another appointment.
All 18-to-44-year-olds in India have to register on the government's CoWin platform to get vaccinated. With demand for jabs far outstripping supply, tech-savvy Indians are even writing code to corner elusive appointments. | |
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| | Nikhil Inamdar and Aparna Alluri | BBC News | |
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| | | | Some papers lead on former Prime Minister David Cameron's questioning by MPs about his lobbying for Greensill Capital. Mr Cameron said his efforts on behalf of the company were to benefit the economy, rather than preserve the value of his share options, reports the Financial Times. Under the headline "Sleazy jet", the Metro notes Mr Cameron took flights to his holiday home in Cornwall on a private plane belonging to company founder Lex Greensill. Meanwhile, the Times leads on the "race to stop [the] Indian strain" of coronavirus. The Daily Mirror says the prime minister is facing demands to vaccinate all adults in areas where cases are rising. | |
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| | | Wales Residents urged to hold off on booking foreign holidays |
| | | | Labour Party suspends union official after Patel tweet |
| | | | Mary Beard "Retirement present" to fund scholarships to Cambridge |
| | | | Friends Reunion premiere date and celebrity guests announced |
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| If you watch one thing today |
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| If you do one thing today |
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| If you read one thing today |
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| Need something different? |
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| British singer-songwriter Yola started her career as a "front woman for hire" and spent time homeless and sofa hopping in London. She tells us about the journey that took her to Nashville - and to the Grammys. And if you're feeling in need of a little inspiration, this video of Tim Lachlan doing stunts - including a backflip - in a wheelchair might do the trick . | |
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| | | 1991 Winnie Mandela, wife of anti-apartheid campaigner Nelson Mandela, is handed a six-year jail sentence for her part in the kidnap of four youths. |
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