Good afternoon. The Health Secretary Matt hancock has urged people to be careful ahead of more restrictions being eased in England Tomorrow. Scientists believe the indian variant of coronavirus is more transmissible and cases in some areas have seen a sharp rise. Mr hancock also said it was quite likely this variant will become the dominant strain in the uk. Some restrictions in wales and scotland are also being relaxed from tomorrow. Heres our political correspondent helen catt. In bolton this weekend, efforts continue to tackle the spread of the variant of Coronavirus Which first emerged in india, encouraging more people to take up the vaccine. There is surge testing, measures which the government says means it can go ahead and easing the restrictions in England Tomorrow despite fears of how quickly the new variant is spreading. Im confident that we can take the step tomorrow, but we should all be careful about how we take that step. You shouldnt still spend a lot of time in close proximity, you should make sure ventilation is good. We all know what we can do and take personal responsibility. It means restaurants can welcome back customers indoors. Up to six people can meet in private homes, too, and hugging is back. But there is nervousness. Scientists from sage has warned if the variant turns out to be a0 to 50 more transmissible than the kent variant, there could be a rise in hospitalisations because of tomorrows loosening. I think the evidence is stacking up it is more transmissable than the kent variant. It is hard to tell how much more. We have to tease out those infections that have been imported into the uk and reflect trends in other places, particularly india, and those that are spreading in the uk. Scientists do think vaccines remain effective. The Over 35s will be invited to get their firstjab this week. The Health Secretary said that most of the 18 people currently in hospital in bolton with coronavirus had been eligible forjabs, but hadnt had them. We think that there are five people who have ended up in hospital, having had one jab. This is why it is so important to get the second jab. Nobody who has had two has caught it . L we think there is one person, but that person was frail. Limited international travel also starts again tomorrow. Labour says it is too soon, and that the government put india on the Red List too late. They should have put india on the Red List at the same time as pakistan and bangladesh. Since then, we have had this three Week Period in which thousands of people have returned from india, and that probably includes hundreds of the new Variant Covid cases. Ministers say they did it nearly two weeks before the variant became one of concern, and when the proportion of arrivals in the Uk Testing positive had started to rise. What happens here in the coming weeks will be watched closely. A child has died and four adults have been injured in a suspected Gas Explosion in lancashire. Two houses were destroyed in the blast early this morning in heysham. Paul murphy reports. The incredible force of this explosion entirely destroyed two homes and damaged many more. Neighbours described the blast that just after 2. 30am this morning as something that felt like an earthquake. It sounded like a bomb going off this morning, just after two oclock, and it literally shook the whole bed. We felt like we were going through the floor. And then we jumped out of Bed And Wejust ran, just to see what was going on. Its just awful. This morning, it was confirmed that a child had sadly died. Four adults, two men and two women, are being treated in hospital. Two of them have been seriously injured. This afternoon, the Fire Service will use dogs to make one final check of the rubble. We are hopeful that we have found those people who were injured or, sadly, deceased as a consequence of what has happened. But we obviously are continuing, but at the moment, we think we have got everybody out. A number of people evacuated from their homes overnight must now await an assessment of the damage to numerous houses in the area before being allowed to return. Paul murphy, bbc news, heysham. The united Nations Security Council meets today to discuss the escalating violence between israel and the palestinian militant group, hamas. The israeli military has carried out more Air Strikes on gaza, while hamas launched further Rocket Attacks on southern israel. Paul adams reports from jerusalem. Israel says it has nothing against the people of gaza. Crying. But through the long hours of another hellish night, thats not how it seems to them. Women and children once again caught up in the mayhem. In crowded, impoverished gaza, nowhere is safe. Explosions. Israel insists its only attacking hamas. Overnight, it hit the homes of the Groups Leader in gaza, yahya sinwar, and his brother. It says its killed 30 key members of hamas and the other main militant group, islamichhad. And it says almost half of those killed so far were combatants, not civilians. Its a hard claim to verify. Hamas is very secretive. How long will this Go On . Pressure for it to end is building, but israel says its up to hamas. Israel will continue hitting the Hamas Terror Group until we feel and understand that we reached our objectives. You know, hamas decided to start this round, but they are not going to decide when to end it. You cantjust shoot rockets on israeli citizens unprovoked and then hope for the best. But the rockets are still flying. Hamas says it can keep this up for months. It almost certainly cant, but the group is not about to admit defeat. An american envoy has been here since friday. Diplomatic efforts are gathering pace, but israel says it has more to do in gaza. This isnt over yet. Paul adams, bbc news, jerusalem. Well, a little earlier, paul gave us the latest on the situation there. I think it certainly makes it the worst night so far. The Death Toll has definitely climbed quite sharply in the last couple of days. We have seen no Let Up in the Rocket Fire from gaza, although i dont think there have been any reported fatalities on the israeli side in the latest rockets, one of which fell just a couple of hours ago. So it doesnt look like it is ending. It is possibly indicative of the fact that israelis recognise that time may be running out for them to inflict damage on hamas, before international pressure on them to stop becomes too intense. There are Mediation Efforts under way. There is an american envoy here. The americans have been extremely understanding of the israeli position so far. But with the humanitarian situation worsening in gaza, with the un warning that fuel is running out, and they cant get supplies in to a population, 80 of whom are dependent on aid, then it may be that time is running out for this operation. The united nations are due to discuss it later today. So far, the americans have blocked any effort to issue a statement by the un Security Council. I imagine there would be some words at The End of todays meeting, but i dont think it will move the dial very much. All attention is what is going on here in the region. The american envoy met the israeli Defence Minister this morning. Interestingly, he had a meeting with Israeli Arabs yesterday, which was a bit of a departure. But, of course, the americans dont have any direct contact with hamas, an organisation which they, like israel, and many other countries, regard as a terrorist organisation. They will be very dependent on the good offices of countries like egypt to try and mediate and find a way out. It is a complicated diplomatic set of communication and it may take some time before they yield any results. As i said earlier, it really will come either when hamas decides to stop firing rockets, or when israel feels it has done enough damage to stop this happening again for many years. There is no Peace Process at the moment. Yesterday evening i went over to eastjerusalem to sheikjarrah, where palestinians are trying to fight a legal battle to keep them in their homes in the face of legal Challenges by groups. The atmosphere there was utterly poisonous. This is something ive been watching in eastjerusalem for 20 years or more. It is just a grinding conflict. Until something happens that secures a way out of that, draws the line between who has what in jerusalem, and whose rights applied here or there, then all of this will Go On. Reports from myanmar say burmese soldiers have taken control of the town of mindat, in northwestern chin state. Opposition activists there took up arms against the military government three weeks ago. Members of a group calling itself the Chinland Defence Force say they have withdrawn to spare residents further bombardment. Our Southeast Asia Correspondent Jonathan Head told me more about whats happening there. Difficult to get information from there, this is a remote town, the military has shut down a great deal of Internet Services in myanmar. Over the last few days, residents have been able to get out bits of video that have shown the military Bombarding Mindat with artillery. Quite repeatedly, at times. Flying helicopters over the town, possibly bombing from the air, were not sure. They have been using the helicopters to bring troops in, because this Stand Off has been going on for three weeks, where the local people of this town, as others have done, basically declared themselves no Longer accepting the military� s authority. They also demanded that the military released a number of people they have detained. There was four days of fighting last month, there has been ten days of negotiations, the local Military Forces were not strong enough to deal with this local uprising. With these Troop Reinforcements, we have had four days a very fierce fighting where we believe there have been quite a number of casualties on the military side, as well as among the local people who are resisting. This Chinland Defence Force which is mostly armed with home made hunting guns, we dont how many modern weapons they have got, there can be many has held out for four days. Ambushed military convoys, but finally decided with the bombardment that went on that they had to pull out. Its a town of a population of around 50,000, and we dont how many have left Troop Reinforcements and gone into the forest with the fighters, there is clearly a great deal of concern about the fate of the population that have stayed behind. When you think about the way in which the Myanmar Military has treated unarmed protesters in the cities, there are genuine and grounded concerns about how its going to treat the population of a town that has resisted it. Its worth remembering, this is the most sustained armed reaction we have seen from new groups taking on the military coup. But there have been other towns when this happened as well. This is now a trend. People who were protesting peacefully a couple of months ago, and of course getting shot for it, have now decided to take up arms, and if they do it on a much larger scale than we are seeing now, that could really Challenge the military� s authority. The headlines on bbc news. Efforts to combat the indian variant of Covid Ramp Up in england, ahead of Lockdown Restrictions being relaxed tomorrow. A young child has died and two people have been seriously injured, after a Gas Explosion at a residential area in heysham in lancashire. The un Security Council prepares for an Emergency Meeting later, as the conflict between israel and palestinians in gaza continues for a seventh day. Tomorrow sees another milestone in the reopening of the economy. Pubs, restaurants and cafes in many parts of the uk will welcome customers back indoors for the first time in months. Heath ball is the Owner And Landlord of four pubs in london and sussex, hejoins us now from the red Lion And Sun in north london. Thank you for being with us and breaking off what i should think is a frantic day of preparations for you. A frantic day of preparations for ou. ~. A frantic day of preparations for 0. ~. ,. , a frantic day of preparations for ou. ~. ,. , you. We are open so we have the outside garden. You. We are open so we have the outside garden. Trying you. We are open so we have the outside garden. Trying to you. We are open so we have the outside garden. Trying to get outside garden. Trying to get everything outside garden. Trying to get everything ready outside garden. Trying to get everything ready indoors outside garden. Trying to get everything ready indoors as l outside garden. Trying to get. Everything ready indoors as well outside garden. Trying to get everything ready indoors as well as serving people outdoors. And between the rain showers. What is it going to mean for you tomorrow . You have more than one pub. To all of them open tomorrow or not . Tiara more than one pub. To all of them open tomorrow or not . More than one pub. To all of them open tomorrow or not . Two will open and say tomorrow open tomorrow or not . Two will open and say tomorrow and open tomorrow or not . Two will open and say tomorrow and two open tomorrow or not . Two will open and say tomorrow and two will open tomorrow or not . Two will open and say tomorrow and two will have, | and say tomorrow and two will have, the Drink Led small Community Style boozers, hopefullyjune 21, but who knows with the indian variant, it could be Longer. Knows with the indian variant, it could be Longer. When you see drink lead, the could be Longer. When you see drink lead. They are could be Longer. When you see drink lead, they are the could be Longer. When you see drink lead, they are the sort could be Longer. When you see drink lead, they are the sort of could be Longer. When you see drink lead, they are the sort of people lead, they are the sort of people where people clustered together . Its hard to socially distance in that sort of space . Its hard to socially distance in that sort of space . They are tiny. 60 peeple that sort of space . They are tiny. 60 peeple is that sort of space . They are tiny. 60 people is comfortable, that sort of space . They are tiny. 60 people is comfortable, any i that sort of space . They are tiny. I 60 people is comfortable, any more than that is really busy. To open then with the restrictions, its pointless. You would be losing money. I pointless. You would be losing mone. , pointless. You would be losing mone. ,. ,. , pointless. You would be losing mone. ,. ,. ,. , money. I was going to ask about the money. I was going to ask about the money side. Money. I was going to ask about the money side. Not money. I was going to ask about the money side, not in money. I was going to ask about the money side, not in specific money. I was going to ask about the money side, not in specific detail,. Money side, not in specific detail, thatis money side, not in specific detail, that is a matter for you, but as a businessman, how difficult is this proving to be . Presumably there are additional costs and i guess your revenue is nowhere near where it would normally be at the same of your . Would normally be at the same of our . ,. ,. , would normally be at the same of our . ,. ,. ,. ,. , your . Totally. To operate with the distancin your . Totally. To operate with the distancing and your . Totally. To operate with the distancing and you your . Totally. To operate with the distancing and you have your . Totally. To operate with the distancing and you have reduced L Distancing and you have reduced numbers, you need more staff to manage it, you have last customers but you need more staff, everybody complying, distancing, checking people in, all the regulations. This is not a moneymaking exercise, it is just survival. Is not a moneymaking exercise, it is just survival just survival. You have got through this far, just survival. You have got through this far. And just survival. You have got through this far. And i just survival. You have got through this far, and i imagine just survival. You have got through this far, and i imagine its just survival. You have got through this far, and i imagine its not this far, and i imagine its not been anything like anything you have experienced before in the pub trade, looking ahead, lets try to concentrate on what is to come, rather than the horrors that have gone. How do you think this is going to work out over the summer . Are you, for example, you have opened the outdoor space. Have you found demand has been as strong as you would have hoped . Do you find much in the way of encouraging signs about what might lie ahead . Initially, everybody was excited, i want to get back to pubs, its amazing, but british weather has not been on our site. The initialfirst week, we will sit outside, we are ok, and it is wearing off. People are tired and want to be inside. Even then, it was busy in the beginning but we can see it turning off. It will be interesting Opening Inside and outside and how busy we will be. Weve got a long way yet. The other question obviously arises, if you are having to sustain additional costs, at some point, that must have an impact on price, mustnt it . I that must have an impact on price, mustnt it . Mustnt it . I think so. I take a lot of operators. Mustnt it . I think so. I take a lot of operators, the mustnt it . I think so. I take a lot of operators, the Vat Mustnt it . I think so. I take a lot of operators, the Vat Reduction i mustnt it . I think so. I take a lot| of operators, the Vat Reduction on food is great but that runs out soon. We have Business Rates relief untiljune, then they go up a bit more. You have to, there has to be give and take somewhere. We have to put it up a little bit but we are doing are best to keep normal prices. But we have got to make money to survive and we are losing money to survive and we are losing money right now. HOw Money to survive and we are losing money right Ow Money right now. How are you finding money right now. How are you finding. Perhaps money right now. How are you finding. Perhaps Tomorrow L Money right now. How are you l finding. Perhaps tomorrow will money right now. How are you finding. Perhaps tomorrow will be a betterjudgment with the outdoor space but how are you finding customers . . Are the tolerant . He is smiling. Customers . . Are the tolerant . He is smilinu. ,. ,. , smiling. No, they are not. Most eole smiling. No, they are not. Most peeple we smiling. No, they are not. Most peeple we are smiling. No, they are not. Most people we are dealing smiling. No, they are not. Most people we are dealing with smiling. No, they are not. Mostj people we are dealing with have smiling. No, they are not. Most people we are dealing with have had enough. They want their lives back. They turn up, we checked them in and they are not happy about it. All these measures, we got to do to be compliant, they are not happy about. Its a real, enough is enough, we want our lives back. So it is we have to manage them, keep everybody safe, keep the staff happy, its a realjuggling act. Its not hospitality, its another level of before it is just trying to keep. Keep compliant with the rules and regulations but also keep people happy and sometimes, those two things do notjell. Its a Challenge. I things do not ell. Its a Challenge. Things do not ell. Its a challenue. , � , Challenge. I dont envy you. Good luck tomorrow. Challenge. I dont envy you. Good luck tomorrow. Thank Challenge. I dont envy you. Good luck tomorrow. Thank you Challenge. I dont envy you. Good luck tomorrow. Thank you for luck tomorrow. Thank you for spending time with us. Mil luck tomorrow. Thank you for spending time with us. Also from tomorrow, Holiday Makers from the uk will be allowed to enter portugal, despite Lockdown Restrictions being extended there. The country is on the uks green list, which means travellers do not need to self isolate on their return, but proof of a negative Covid Test will be needed in order to enter the country. Nick beake reports. So, here it is the sea, the sand, the sunshine. Finally, once again, this will be a reality for british Holiday Makers, and they will be on their way in less than 2a hours from now. And here on the algarve, they are absolutely delighted. This place is so reliant on tourism, and for the past 1a, 15 months, they have really been hit hard during the covid pandemic. If you look at the stats, at the local airport, faro, in a normalyear, around half of all arrivals would be coming from the uk. And with them, they bring about £500 million, really boosting the portuguese economy, and thats why we see them at the moment on the beaches, in hotels and restaurants there, putting all the last minute touches together, waiting for this first wave of british tourists coming back once again. And once they get here, they will find that there isnt a need to quarantine, people will be able to eat indoors and outdoors, you will see some masks and there are sociaL Distancing rules. Here in portugal the government has extended the State Of Alert until The End of the month, but cases have been going down and people are really, really glad. They feel they are turning a corner. Of course, portugal is really popular at the moment because it is on the uk green list, unlike italy, spain, greece, and so talking to people here in the tourist industry, they really feel they need to capitalise on this Head Start Theyve got over some of their key rivals. So, really, lots and lots of people excited here, waiting for the british tourists to come back. And they havent got long to wait now. Earlier this year, Europes Vaccination Roll out was facing criticism for being too slow and lagging behind the uk and the us. Just a few months later, some eu countries have turned their programmes around, and are delivering jabs at record rates, as our Europe Correspondent Jean mackenzie reports. The joy of alfresco dining in rome. Only last month, this was unimaginable. Here and across europe, infections raged, while vaccination stumbled. This was belgiums largest vaccination centre. When we visited at The End of february, empty. Now, they are vaccinating nearly 3,000 people a day. I think its a bit busier than the last time we met each other, so its good news. We are really doing well now. We have eight hours a day that are very well filled, so we are also at a very good, smooth capacity, good flow, as you can see. Early on, there were production delays, there were glitches in supply chains, and these put europe massively behind, but in the past couple of months, there has been a remarkable turnaround. The vaccines are flowing freely, and more than a third of people in europe have now had their first dose. At this estate in neighbouring germany, authorities are trying to vaccinate everyone, regardless of age. At one point, the country was sitting on masses of unused doses, but this week it administered a record 1. 3 million vaccines in a single day. The crowded estate, which is home to a0 nationalities, has been a hotspot for infections, but still many dont want get vaccinated. Christian is here to convince them. If we dont get every person vaccinated, this pandemic will keep on going and nobody has the patience for it any more. Doctors are giving lessons on how the vaccines work, but this women, who has recently moved with her daughters from romania, is still scared. Shes never had a vaccine before. With shots now in solid supply, reaching the reluctant is the next Challenge. Europe is yet to reach that magical Tipping Point that would protect it from another deadly surge, but at this pace, it could come soon, in time for summer on the beaches of spain. Breaking news from the public Health Director for blackburn, from Breaking News from the public Health Directorfor blackburn, from our colleagues at Bbc North West tonight. This quote from him. Dominic harrison, the public Health Director. Delighted to say we have a green light to rapidly increase vaccinations and additional supply of oral 1000 id, vaccinations and additional supply of oral1000 id, 1000 vaccinations and additional supply of oral 1000 id, 1000 doses of the Pfizer Vaccine for the next two weeks for all residents over 18. Brackets, subject to availability. Whatever that means. According to this, anyone over the age of 18, from the public Health Director, Blackburn And Darling council, we have an additional 1000 doses per day and we will be offering that to people over the age of 18, notjust in the high variant areas, within blackburn, but also all residents of the borough will have that option if they havent already received their vaccinations and obviously the council is urging people to take that up. Has lockdown left you yearning for the wild outdoors . Well if it has, there may be a job out there thats just for you. St Michaels Mount, a remote island only accessible by boat or at low tide, is advertising for a live in employee to work at its Medieval Castle. Andrea ormsby has been to find out more. They say an englishmans home is his castle. Well, St Michaels Mount is quite literally that for around 30 people. Now Theres Room for one more, a live in castle officer. Weve had an overwhelming response, which has been fantastic. We need people who are happy with boats, happy with heights. I just think a real passion for people coming to cornwall or the Tourism Industry really. Newsreel here in the west, j where the cornish coast flings sheltering arm against the atlantic An Island where loneliness is only another name for enjoyment. St Michaels Mount has been capturing the imagination for years. Im duncan, im the castle steward, and ive been living here for around two years now. What i love about the Mount L is having a seaview from every window and having the support of the community around you. I | everyone is really friendly here, | and the Challenge of living here, its different from living on the mainland. You cant get a takeaway pizza, so be prepared for that. If you can cope with that, have good Sea Legs and fancy a pretty cool address, this might be what you need to hear. Dont be scared to apply. I think a lot of people on the socials last night were saying, its my Dream Job but i couldnt do this or that. Dont be put off by that. It will probably be one of the most life changing experiences for someone to come over. There is no official closing date, but interest has already been huge. Isnt that tempting . Now its time for a look at the weather with sarah keith lucas. Talk about a mixed bag . Absolutely. A mixed Bag Talk about a mixed bag . Absolutely. A mixed bag of talk about a mixed bag . Absolutely. A mixed bag of everything. Talk about a mixed bag . Absolutely. | a mixed bag of everything. Sunshine, heavy showers, across much of the uk and some of the showers have already been bringing some lightning, hail mixed in as well. Case of sunglasses on one minute, the next minute the umbrellas and trying to find cover. You can see speckled showers across the map, dry weather across parts of scotland, the Central Belt a bit of sunshine, Northern Ireland quite a bit of dry weather, many of us, sunshine and heavy showers through the day. Temperatures generally in the day. Temperatures generally in the mid teens, below parfor this time of year. The Odd Rumble of thunder continuing into the evening but overnight, most showers using away. Fairly cloudy and damp first thing monday for some of us. Temperatures frost free, 6 10 sting. Low pressure moves away towards the east tomorrow, close enough to bring another day of sunshine and showers. Dry weather to start but the showers get going later, most frequent and heavy towards the South And East and still temperatures not great for this time of year. Hello, this is bbc news, with the headlines. Efforts to combat the indian variant of Covid Ramp Up in england, ahead of Lockdown Restrictions being relaxed tomorrow. A young child has died and two people have been seriously injured, after a Gas Explosion at a residential area in heysham in lancashire. The un Security Council prepares for an Emergency Meeting later, as the conflict between israel and palestinians in gaza continues for a seventh day. And fancy a job as a live in officer at a Medieval Castle on a remote island . St Michaels Mount is hiring. Now to a fake gothic castle. Time to and � to nomic growth. And � to a mic growth. And � to a fake growth. And � to a fake gothic. And � to a fake gothic castle. Time to go to westminsterfor the go to westminsterfor the now to a fake gothic castle. Time to go to westminster for the week in and � to a fake gothic castle. Time to go to westminster for the week in parliament. Parliament. Hello again, and welcome hello again, and welcome to the week in parliament to the week in parliament a week when the queen set out a week when the queen set out boris johnsons plans boris johnsons plans for the new political year. For the new political year. My government will level up my government will level up opportunities across all parts opportunities across all parts of the united kingdom, of the united kingdom, supporting jobs, businesses supporting jobs, businesses and economic growth. And economic growth. Also, in this Programme Ex prime ministers question time Mps Grill David cameron over the greensill affair. This is a painful day, coming back to a place that i love and respect so much. Britains top Police Officer defends the handling of a vigilfor sarah everard. I think its an extremely hard thing to second guess when you are looking back at it, but im proud of the way they responded and i do think they took these issues into account. And 80 years on, the speaker recalls the night the luftwaffe