| Latest lockdown rules ease |
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Hairdressers, gyms, shops, libraries and pubs and restaurants with outdoor seating can reopen in England as the latest coronavirus lockdown rules ease. We’re now on the third stage of the government’s “roadmap” out of this lockdown after schools returned and outdoor gatherings of six people or two households were allowed. There’s a five-week gap between each step so infection rates and hospital admissions can been assessed. And with that in mind, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is urging everyone to continue to take steps to "suppress Covid" and "behave responsibly”, as he welcomed the "major" step towards normality. He had planned to celebrate with a pint but it’s been postponed following the Duke of Edinburgh’s death on Friday.
England isn’t the only nation in the UK where lockdown rules are changing. In Northern Ireland, the "stay-at-home" order is ending, up to 10 people from two households can meet in a private garden and the remaining school year groups 8-11 will return to the classroom. In Scotland, all pupils are returning to full-time education, but not all schools are open yet because of differing term times. And in Wales changes include all students returning to face-to-face teaching.
Our health correspondent Anna Collinson says as restrictions are eased, infections are expected to rise. We can’t move into the next stage of easing restrictions unless strict criteria such as the vaccination programme is met. But the next stage - the planned return of indoor mixing and foreign travel on 17 May - is expected to pose the greater risk, she says. | |
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| UK politicians to pay tribute to Philip |
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| Leading politicians will meet in the UK's parliaments and assemblies later to pay tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh - in person and via video link. The House of Commons, the Scottish Parliament and the Sennedd are being recalled especially to pay their respects. The Northern Ireland Assembly and the House of Lords will also meet to mark Prince Philip's life after he died aged 99.
In tributes over the weekend, the Duke of York said the Queen described the death of her husband of 73 years as "having left a huge void in her life". Prince Andrew said his family was "rallying round" to help the Queen. The Princess Royal described her father as her "teacher, supporter and critic". Princess Anne - the duke's only daughter - said he would leave a "legacy which can inspire us all". The Earl of Wessex, the Queen's youngest son, said: "However much one tries to prepare oneself for something like this, it's still a dreadful shock." And the Prince of Wales paid tribute to his "dear papa”. Prince Charles said he and the Royal Family would miss him "enormously".
Prince Philip’s funeral takes place on Saturday. | |
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| The winners at this year's Bafta Film Awards |
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| A drama about a woman who lives in a van in the American West after the financial crash has taken the top honours at the Bafta Film Awards. Nomadland scooped four prizes including best film and best actress for its star Frances McDormand. Chloe Zhao was named best director, making her only the second woman to win best director in 53 years of Bafta history.
Sir Anthony Hopkins became the oldest ever winner of the best actor award for playing a man losing his grip on reality in The Father. The 83-year-old had no idea he’d won and only found out when he heard cheering from the next room. "I was sitting here painting, and I heard this cheer go off next door," he said, after the ceremony. "I thought, what the hell's happened? I thought they were watching a football match. And they came in and said I'd won." You can have a read of the full list of winners here and we have put together five takeaways from this year’s awards. | |
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| |  | | | "Let's change the way we shop." This is the statement emblazoned in huge letters on the side of one of the most famous department stores in the world, in Europe's busiest shopping area - Selfridges on Oxford Street. Over the past year, as restrictions have been put in place to stop the spread of coronavirus, consumers have been forced to alter the way they shop, with many turning to online retailers.
Now, as stores are allowed to reopen, what's left on London's most famous shopping street? Walk the entire street noting down all of the defunct stores and you will find that 28 out of 212 shops - over 13% - are either boarded up or their occupants have clearly left for the last time. | |
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| | | | Tributes and pictures of the Duke of Edinburgh continue to make the front pages of most of the papers this morning. The Sun reports its exclusive that Prince Harry “is back” in the UK ahead of Prince Philip’s funeral. The Telegraph headlines on the Queen saying her husband’s death “has left a huge void” in her life, this is also reported by the Times and the Daily Express. The Daily Mail leads with comments made by Prince Philip’s daughter-in-law, the Countess of Wessex, in which she revealed he died “peacefully”.
The Daily Mirror has a split front page with tributes to the duke and also reports it’s “open day” as non-essential shops, hairdressers and other businesses reopen in England. The i urges caution as the “shutters come up”. Read more here. | |
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| | | Greensill Lessons to be learnt over lobbying - Cameron |
| | | | Storm Homes destroyed as cyclone hits Western Australia |
| | | | Technology Alibaba accepts record fine and vows to change |
| | | | Coronavirus G7 nations 'should finance global vaccine scheme' |
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| If you watch one thing today |
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| If you listen to one thing today |
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| If you read one thing today |
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| Need something different? |
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| On this day |  |
| | | 1961 Soviet cosmonaut Major Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin becomes the first man in space – watch the reaction from some of the British public here |
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