It is a variant of concern, we are anxious about it, it has been spreading. The Health Secretary says the situation is being moniored very the Health Secretary says the situation is being monitored very carefully and the government will not hesitate to take further action if necessary. Palestinian families flee their homes in gaza, amid fears of an Ground Invasion by israeli forces massed on the border. Palestinian militants continue Firing Barrages of rockets at tel aviv. This is a painful day. David cameron insists he broke no rules as he is grilled by mps over his controversial lobbying of government figures on behalf of a financial company which has collapsed. British tourists due to fly to portugal from next week may not be able go now as portugal extends its covid Alert Level until the end of the month. Why Elon Musk and his electric tesla cars have sent the value of bitcoin tumbling over concerns about fossil fuels. And coming up in the sport, on the Bbc News channel. More protests at old trafford. Manchester United Fans make their feelings known about the clubs owners, ahead of their match against liverpool. Good evening. The number of cases of an indian Covid Variant have more than doubled in the uk in the past week. More than 1300 cases have been reported in england alone. Most of the cases are in the North Wwest of england the North West of england and some in london. The Prime Minister says he is anxious about the rise in cases and says the government is ruling nothing out in tackling the situation. Tonight, additional Surge Testing is being deployed to areas such as bolton, which has one of the highest number of cases mostly among the under 25s. And the government is considering bringing forward second Vaccine Doses for some. From bolton, our correspondent Dominic Hughes reports. All right, sharp scratch. Surge testing, and now an extra push on vaccinations is under way in bolton. This is a part of town that has seen a spike in infections. 553 new cases in a week, more than doubling the infection rate. Were doing just over 300 vaccines a day. The concerns are around the unknowns, how many cases are linked to the variant that originated in india, and how far has it spread . The variant from india seemed to appear around the time that our rates started to rise. What we havent really got the full detail on is to what extent the rise is down to that thats why we are doing all the Surge Testing in part. We have lots of sites across bolton that allow people without symptoms to be tested, and we really need them to do that, because we need to get right down to the detail of what variants are in our community. Next week, most students will be able to stop wearing masks in schools, but not here at the academy, where the vaccinations are being carried out. In light of the spike in this local area, its really important that we continue wearing facemasks for the next few weeks. I think its important we all do our bit to keep Each Other safe, and thats the number one priority of any principal at any school, so the masks will continue. Bolton has been here before. Only a few weeks last summer were free of restrictions. Follow the rules, wear a face covering. The worry is that areas now seeing Infections Surge could find themselves subject to yet more local lockdowns. It is a variant of concern, we are anxious about it. It has been spreading, but we want to make sure we take all the prudential, all the cautious steps now that we could take. The latest Government Data on cases linked to the indian Variant Show they have more than doubled in a week to over 1,300, many of them found here in the North West of england. Now, that figure does sound alarming and, certainly, the rise is startling, but when compared to the total number of cases, that figure is still relatively small. Weve predicted that there will be new variants emerging. And experts say there is no sign yet the indian variant poses a much greater threat. We will see variants that escape or evade antibodies to some extent, but the vaccines do a lot of things and they protect us in many different ways, so id say this is something the scientists, is something for scientists, Public Health people in government to worry about, rather than individuals. The only thing a person in the street needs to worry about is getting vaccinated as soon as they can and, when they are offered it, to take both doses. Theres been no change in National Policy On who gets the vaccine, despite council leaders calling for more freedom to respond to local outbreaks. So far, vaccines remain highly effective. But new variants are the biggest threat to the path out of lockdown. You might feel a bit sore for a couple of days, all right . Dominic hughes, Bbc News, bolton. Nhs Waiting Lists in england have risen again to the highest levels on record because of the backlog caused by the pandemic. Just under 5 Million people are waiting for hospital treatment, more than 400,000 have been waiting for more than a year. Nhs england has allocated £160 million to fund extra clinics at weekends, and virtual assessments, as part of a Trial Scheme to help tackle the backlog. 0ur Health Editor Hugh Pym reports. Susan needs two knee replacements. Shes waited since the start of last year for the first one, and still no date� s been offered. She is a primary school teacher, but has now had to stay off work. I kept going all last year, kept going through lockdown, through everything else, but unfortunately its come to this year, and i cant, Couldnt Carry on. She really wants to get back in the classroom. I am upset, and i do feel that i have let the children down, although its out of my hands, and it isnt my fault. Just one example of howjobs and everyday lives are blighted by long waits for nhs treatment. The total waiting for nonurgent operations in england in march was about 9 of the whole population. In scotland, it was 8 in december, the latest available figures. In wales, it was 17 in february, and in northern ireland, 23 of the population was on a waiting list, according to data in december. So what are the solutions . Well, money is being made available to some hospitals in england who have come up with ideas for using technology and smarter ways of working to get more operations done, and more patients off the waiting list. Bristols Southmead Hospital is one of them, with a range of new plans. We are trying to get more people through clinics now by increasing our numbers of Face To face and also virtual appointments and, then, as regards to theatre operating, we are increasing the number of lists and extending the lists for longer time, going into the evenings, and hopefully using weekends, as well. Im sorry im not there with you. How are you feeling . Rebecca, who is a surgeon, is talking via video link tojulia, who had a complex ankle operation. If i turn it around. What is in effect an ipad on wheels provides the sound and pictures. Its called hospital at home, and allows doctors to monitor julia from a distance. Because of the hospital at home team, i was able to come out that much earlier, and i suppose i was able to leave a bed for somebody else, and i could come home to my own bed, which has been a sheer delight, i can tell you. Nhs england said operations were back to 80 of pre pandemic levels. Staff are working flat out, but there is a huge backlog of work, which could take years to get through. Hugh pym, Bbc News. The latest data shows there were 2,657 new covid infections in the past 2a hours with 11 deaths recorded. More than 35. 9 million people have now had their first dose of a vaccine. Thats over 68 of the uks adult population. More than 18. 5 Million people have had both jabs. So more than 35 of all adults are now fully vaccinated. Portugal has extended its coronavirus Alert Level until the end of may, raising questions over whether people from the uk will be able to travel there from next week. Portugal is one ofjust 12 countries on the uks Green List, which means you dont have to quarantine on return. Thousands of people have booked flights from monday. 0ur Transport Correspondent Caroline Daviesjoins me now. It Caroline Daviesjoins me now. Is a very confusing it Caroline Davies joins me now. Is a very confusing s the it is a very confusing situation of the people, particularly for those booked to go out on monday. It is. Booked to go out on monday. It is, there are over booked to go out on monday. It is, there are over 20 booked to go out on monday. It 3 there are over 20 departures set to go from the uk to portugal on monday. The portuguese Government Hasnt announced either way whether it is going to let Uk Tourists into the country on monday the 17th, but Bearin The Country on monday the 17th, but bear in mind that isjust the country on monday the 17th, but bear in mind that is just over three days away. The Green List was announced last week, only 12 countries and territories on there, including places like australia and new zealand, which are not allowing british tourists in at the moment so the industry has really staked its hopes on portugal. We heard that portugal has decided to extend the state of calamity, is he calls it, until the 30th of may. Nonessential travel is not allowed into portugal and when the Cabinet Minister was askedif and when the Cabinet Minister was asked if Uk Tourists would be allowed in on the 17th, she said she had no information to give yet. What she did give information about was the uefa Champions League final, due to be played in portugal on the 29th of may. Anyone who is coming over from the uk will have to go on chartered flights, she said and had to leave within the same day, within 48 hours and remain in what she called a bubble situation. Plenty in the Travel Industry desperately waiting to hear whether portugal is going to open up. The key thing here is quite how volatile the situation is quite how volatile the situation is for International Travel. Caroline, thank you. Well, the bbc understands the welsh government is going to advise people not to go on foreign holidays, even after rules on International Travel are changed. The Traffic Light System of green, amber and red countries will be introduced from monday alongside other changes to lockdown laws. More from our wales correspondent, hywel griffith. Tell us more. Yes, we are expecting we are tell us more. Yes, we are expecting we are expecting tell us more. Yes, we are expecting we are expecting an tell us more. Yes, we are expecting i we are expecting an announcement we are expecting an Announcement Tomorrow but i understand wales will adopt the same Traffic Light System as england and scotland, but it will come with a very big caveat. The official advice from the welsh government is not to travel to any foreign countries unless it is essential. Now, while that means a foreign Holiday Wouldnt be illegal in a red, amber or green country, it would be against the advice. Clearly, they want people to stay in the uk for now. Also tomorrow, we expect confirmation at pubs, bars and restaurants can serve indoors and restaurants can serve indoors and cinemas, theatres and Bingo Halls can open their doors. And on june the 7th, if covid rates stay low, more people can see Each Other in their homes. However, we dont have a date for when potentially social contact limits will end. And the question of the hug, we dont know yet if there will be advice on allowing people to embrace. No signal at the moment that the welsh government wants to change social distance laws here. Israeli forces are massing on the border with gaza, where many civilians are fleeing their homes amid fears of a Ground Invasion. Israel has continued its Air Strikes on gaza, where people say they endured the hardest night of Air Strikes since the 2014 war. Now, 103 palestinians have been reported killed there since monday. Seven people have died in israel. Palestinian militants have continued Firing Barrages of rockets at several target cities across israel. And sectarian Clashes Betweenjewish and arab citizens who live Side By side on the streets of tel aviv, Lod And Beyond have intensified amid warnings of civil war. From jerusalem, heres our Middle East editor, jeremy bowen. Palestinian families are fleeing their homes in Northern Gaza this evening. They told the bbc they were escaping heavily israeli shellfire. Dozens of civilians were killed in their area in the 2014 war, so they left in a hurry, with their children still in their new clothes they were given for the end of ramadan. 0ne Given for the end of ramadan. One man said the criminal occupation shows them no mercy. A renewal of the war between hamas and israel was always likely. The unexpected frontline on the streets of israel was knocked. Sectarian violence between israeli citizens brings a new and vicious dimension. Not all israelis arejews. Around 20 are palestinian arabs. Young men have been on the prowl for people to attack. Jews versus palestinians, all israeli citizens. President won the country should not abandon itself to civil war. As for the other war, itself to civil war. As for the otherwar, it itself to civil war. As for the other war, it was a day for decisions. Among the hamas leaders assassinated by israel this week were top commanders. Will that deter another escalation . Probably not. Israel has to decide whether it wants to follow Artillery And Air attacks with a Ground Assault against hamas inside gaza. That has been part of the pattern during 15 years of intermittent warfare between them. Israel has called up 7,000 reservists. Injerusalem, Tens Of Thousands of palestinians came to pray at islams holiest place after mecca and medina. In this city, religion is intertwined with politics, nationalism and power. The banners that celebrate hamas and its leaders, who wanted the people there to see them as the only true guardians of palestinian rights in jerusalem. It was eid, the holiday that marks the end of ramadan. It is meant to be a party. Parents tried to make it fun. There is nothing right now to celebrate for the palestinian President Mahmoud at bass, upstaged by his hamas rivals. Abbas. No peace, Security Or Stability as possible, he said, Well Jerusalem is occupied by israel. This War Mightjust save Benjamin Netanyahu passed my career. He was about to lose his job last weekend. He is still in political trouble but now he has soldiers to congratulate and his rivals are quiet. My the Prime Minister said the fight against hamas would take time, but israel would decisively restore acquired. It is a modest war aim, he will need more to tell israelis before this can end. Especially in tristan de cunha, the town closest to gaza. A five Year Boy was killed especially in sderot. A Rocket Hit is building. His neighbours have had enough. It is hit is building. His neighbours have had enough had enough. It is very, very difficult to had enough. It is very, very difficult to live had enough. It is very, very difficult to live under had enough. It is very, very difficult to live under these | difficult to live under these circumstances and the government should wipe out gaza, should wipe out gaza, once and for all. Right across israel out gaza, once and for all. Right across israel and out gaza, once and for all. Right across israel and the out gaza, once and for all. Right across israel and the occupied i across israel and the occupied territories this week, there is serious violence. This was the town of Hebron Last Night on the occupied west bank. Young palestinians and israelis, confronting Each Other, another generation cursed by the failures of its leaders. We can talk Tojeremy Bowen in jerusalem, what is the way out of this . ,. ,. ,. , , this . Shortterm diplomacy is Ram In this . Shortterm diplomacy is ramping up. This . Shortterm diplomacy is ramping up, envoys this . Shortterm diplomacy is ramping up, envoys are this . Shortterm diplomacy is ramping up, envoys are on this . Shortterm diplomacy is| ramping up, envoys are on the this . Shortterm diplomacy is ramping up, envoys are on the way, they are ramping up, envoys are on the way, they are talking a bit, but it is looking they are talking a bit, but it is looking more like escalation. The thing looking more like escalation. The thing about the israelis and hamas is that thing about the israelis and hamas is that it thing about the israelis and hamas is that it is thing about the israelis and hamas is that it is familiar. There will be is that it is familiar. There will he a is that it is familiar. There will be a ceasefire but it is a question of how be a ceasefire but it is a question of how many people are going to die first and of how many people are going to die first and will it change anything . The sectarian violence is something different the sectarian violence is something different. That is something which is unknown different. That is something which is unknown and they are into a whole New World is unknown and they are into a whole New World on is unknown and they are into a whole New World on that and it is a whole New World on that and it is a whole new complication in the conflict as welt new complication in the conflict as welt 50 new complication in the conflict as well. So that is something, i think which well. So that is something, i think which is well. So that is something, i think which is a well. So that is something, i think which is a big new factor that is not going which is a big new factor that is not going to go away, and that is why they not going to go away, and that is why they are so worried about it. There why they are so worried about it. There is why they are so worried about it. There is a why they are so worried about it. There is a synagogue on Fire Tonight and they there is a synagogue on Fire Tonight and they are more scenes of violence and they are more scenes of violence and intimidation in the streets, more and intimidation in the streets, more Security Forces going there, as welt more Security Forces going there, as welt and more Security Forces going there, as welt and i more Security Forces going there, as well. And i think a really big headache for the israeli government, confronted headache for the israeli government, confronted by trouble on all sides. Jeremy confronted by trouble on all sides. Jeremy bowen injerusalem, thanks forjoining us. David cameron has said he believes he was acting in The Public Interest when he lobbied ministers and senior civil servants on behalf of the collapsed financial company, greensill capital. The former Prime Minister giving evidence to mps faced a series of uncomfortable questions, but he again insisted he had not broken any rules. 0ur political Editor Laura Kuenssberg was watching money, power, and how it moves around. The former Prime Minister used his phonebook to push the case for his employer along to the treasury, to the bank of england. Arguing for a now failed city firm, greensill capital, to take part in Emergency Loans last year. David Camerons Role was hidden from view. But texts and E Mails emerged after weeks of relative silence. And so, too, has he. This is a painful day. Admitting at the start he could have acted differently but adamant he did nothing wrong. Nothing i did was in breach of the rules, but on the wider test of what is appropriate, as ive said previously, it would be better to use the most formal means of contact via a letter. David cameron went to work for greensill after leaving office. Last year he appealed repeatedly to former colleagues for the firm to be part of a scheme giving out Emergency Loans. Lobbying is allowed but its meant to be transparent. And there were nearly 60 attempts to get in touch. A message to the chancellor. And then his old friend michael gove. The treasury rejected the request but greensill, which has now gone under, was allowed to give out millions of pounds of government backed loans to a separate scheme. Mps this afternoon were determined to wrinkle David Camerons smooth reputation. Do you not feel you have demeaned yourself by whatsapping your way around whitehall . What i did at the time of economic crisis was put to the government what i genuinely believed to be a good idea for how to get money into the hands of small businesses. Its been an embarrassing afternoon for the man who used to run the country. Coy about how much he was being paid, or how often he used the compa ny� s jet. But David Cameron did deny that he knew that greensill was in Big Trouble at the beginning of the pandemic when he was sending all of those texts. Its more like stalking than lobbying. Looking back, arent you a little bit embarrassed about the way youve behaved . We thought we had a good idea. I was keen to get it in front of government but as i said there are lessons to learn and lessons for me to learn. There are several investigations into greensill. But the Firms Failure begs questions about how influence as well as money can be part of trade. Laura kuenssberg, Bbc News, westminster. India is stll in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 4,000 deaths recorded in the past 24 hours alone. India currently accounts for half of all global cases, and almost a third of all deaths worldwide. One of the states seeing the sharpest increases in numbers is west bengal. From the states capital kolkata, Yogita Limaye reports. 1,000 miles from delhi kolkata. Look at this. A frighteningly busy market in a region where covid has surged nearly 80 times in the past two months. People here are scared but they have to work, to eat. And this is the cost. In the entrance of a public hospital nearby, people are already struggling to get basic care. All the beds here, hundreds, are already full. And the sick keep coming. I dont know how long we can continue like this, says this doctor. Even a war comes to an end, but here it is wave after wave. One in six people in The World live in india. And kolkata is among its most densely populated cities. Covid has reached places where families live together in one room homes. Distancing is impossible. Amit and aartis 63 year old father died of covid. They spent the only money they had on trying to save him. As it spreads unchecked, the virus is taking on new, more worrying forms. The highly infectious variant that is spreading through india has now reached more than 40 countries around The World including the uk. This is not an indian problem. What is happening here could affect the Worlds Ability to recoverfrom the pandemic. I spoke to dr soumya swaminathan, the World Health organizations chief scientist. Why should the World Care about what is happening in india right now . This virus does not respect borders. It doesnt respect nationalities. It spreads before you know that it is spreading. If the virus keeps on replicating and multiplying, the number of variants is going to keep increasing and these variants will ultimately spread across The World. We will not be able to stop that from happening. The only way out is to immunise this vast population, but Vaccine Supply is critically low. This country will need billions of doses. Its hard to see how it can do it alone. Yogita limaye, Bbc News, kolkata. Police scotland have released two men both indian nationals after a Mass Protest on the streets of glasgow, after the men were detained in a van by immigration officers. The first minister, nicola sturgeon, blamed the situation on the Home Office. 0ur Scotland Correspondent Alexandra Mackenzie reports let them go a Glasgow Community united. Two men, believed to be indian sikhs, were taken from a flat and placed in this Home Office immigration van. For hours there was a peaceful but determined Stand Off between police and protesters. 0ne under the van to stop it from moving. I think people are really standing in solidarity and they dont want to see their neighbours treated like this. Because these are our neighbours. More Police Officers moved in as preparations were made for the two men to be released. Today the Glasgow Community has united to basically say this is unacceptable. The two men are being released, they will not be arrested and they will not be detained and they will be released. Cheering this moment followed conversations between the Home Office and the Scottish Government. Nicola sturgeon said doing this on eid in a muslim community in the midst of coronavirus was staggeringly irresponsible. The Home Office said it was in relation to suspected immigration offences. After a day of protests here in glasgow and a very heavy police presence, the two men who spent the day in the back of that van are now out and heading towards a local mosque. The crowds followed and there was a sense of celebration. Im over the moon to see those guys walk out of that Van And Everybody was peaceful in this. They stuck their heads out and they had the biggest smiles and they were thanking us. Tonight, the Scottish Government expressed its anger about what happened. The Home Office said the men have been released on bail pending further investigation. Alexandra mackenzie, Bbc News. The value of bitcoin The Worlds biggest Digital Currency has tumbled after Elon Musk, the chief executive of tesla, said the electric Car Company would no longer accept the cryptocurrency as payment. And its all because of fossil fuels. 0ur chief Environment Correspondentjustin Rowlatt is here to explain. Yes, sophie, there are real concerns about the environmental impact of these cryptocurrencies. You will of course have heard of bitcoin, the biggest crypto of them all. It has seen its value soar in recent years. Look at this. You could have picked one up for a dollar 70p ten years ago. Recently bitcoin Hit A Peak of 68,000. And that is in part because of support from Elon Musk, the boss of tesla. The electric Car Company said it would accept bitcoins for Car Purchases in march this year, but today Elon Musk performed a screeching u turn. Tesla has suspended Vehicle Purchases using bitcoin, he tweeted. And its true. Bitcoin relies on the use of staggering amounts of energy, much of it from fossil fuels, and that is because of the Way Bitcoin is produced or mined. Its like a kind of Lottery Run every ten minutes. Computers around The World compete to create a record of every transaction ever made in bitcoin. They also have to get a random number, get there first and you win the prize, six and a quarter bitcoins, today worth £250,000. The idea is, the more computers verify transactions, the more secure the currency is, and with such big cash on offer huge numbers of people are getting in on the game. The effort they are making is truly enormous. Bitcoin miners make some 160 quintillion calculations every second. That is 160 followed by 18 zeros and that takes a huge amount of electricity. The uk uses just over 300 terawatts hours of electricity a year and at the current Rate Bitcoin is using 150 terawatts hours a year, so that is half of what the uk uses and about half a percent of total world electricity use. We have a system with millions of devices all around The World that are constantly generating a whole load of useless competitions and using a load of energy in doing that while bitcoin is in essence still very small at the moment. And, researchers say, at least two thirds of that will have been generated from fossil fuel. Which is why bitcoin is such a huge source of Greenhouse Gas emissions. Something you may want to consider if you are thinking of buying the so called currency. And also something that would make scaling it up to be a World Currency on a par with the dollar or the euro a real challenge. Sophie. For decades, Sir Alex Ferguson dominated the british football landscape, leading Manchester United to unprecedented success. Eight years after retiring, Sir Alex Ferguson is now the subject of a new film charting his extraordinary life and his recovery from a Brain Haemorrhage in 2018. The film has been directed by his sonjason. 0ur Sports Editor Dan Roan has been speaking to both of them at old trafford. Sir alex, tell me, what was it like revisiting the most important moments of your life, both good and bad . In my career i never used reflection as part of my management. I always looked forward and the next day was the most important day to me. The reflection was quite powerful for me. You know, i realised. God, did we do that . Recounting hisjourney from his working class roots in glasgow, Sir Alex Ferguson never give in, released later this month, follows the iconic scotsmans playing and managerial career, as well as the more personal side of a man who won it all. The impossible dream. I didnt want to fail, i couldnt fail. That was always a Driving Force for me. Football management is such a sacrifice that you dont have time for family. Did you feel a sense of great responsibility, jason, to do your fathers remarkable careerjustice