borisjohnson's trade deal with the european union has become law in the uk. the legislation easily passed through parliament after being approved by mps. it means the uk will stop following eu rules. but critics say the deal should have faced greater parliamentary scrutiny. more than three quarters of people in england are now living under the toughest level of restrictions — as the new strain of coronavirus continues to spread rapidly across the country. parts of the north—east, north—west, south—west and midlands were placed under tierfour measures at midnight. the united states has set a new record for the number of coronavirus deaths registered in a single day. in the last 2a our country recorded over 3,900 new deaths fromn the virus the figure was released byjohns hopkins university which keeps official us records on the pandemic.

now on bbc news. for black students studying at one of the most prestigious universities in the world, academic pressure isn't always the only challenge, for some it can feel like a new world. for black students studying at one of the most prestigious universities in the world, academic pressure isn't always the only challenge. for some, it can feel like entering a new world. you feel like you have to be strong. you know? my mum keeps saying to me, "just keep fighting. " tearfully: "just keep going, just get that degree." over the years, oxford and cambridge universities have come under pressure for their lack of ethnic diversity. i think it's a place where race has not been acknowledged as relevant, particularly to the whole intellectual experience of being at cambridge.

last year at cambridge, the numbers improved on previous years, with the university accepting a record number of 91 black british undergraduates. but beyond numbers is the experience. i'm ashleyjohn—baptiste, a bbc reporter, but also a cambridge graduate myself, and whilst i'm so glad i studied there, as a mixed—race south londoner who grew up in care, it felt worlds apart from what i was used to. and nearly ten years on from my own time, i want to find out what life at cambridge has been like for a new wave of black british freshers. cheering. the data is stark — black british undergraduates have never made up more than 3% of cambridge's undergraduate population. this doesn't include international students, who roughly make up a quarter of all undergraduates.

steps have been made to improve things. in 2018, the university launched the stormzy scholarship to fund a selected number of black freshers. but i know first hand that, once you enter cambridge, it's not uncommon to feel out of place. and as much as the university did offer support, i often felt like an impostorand totally out of my depth. it's because of my own experience that i really want to know how current black students are coping in a space that is still predominantly white and privileged. so rude! and to give us their insight, meet fabianna. .. ..success. .. ..and sharon. having started their first term last october, i caught up with them a few weeks in. success is from manchester

and studying medicine. for his nigerian parents, seeing their son study at cambridge is nothing less than a dream come true. back home in africa, when they want to maybe make fun of you if you are studying so much, they will ask you, "why are you studying so much?" "are you going to cambridge?" yeah, that's true! so that tells you... that tells you the position where cambridge is. it's a big thing for us. did you worry about what it would be like for your son being in cambridge as a black person? socially, is he going to cope? how is he going to cope eating, feeding himself? what do you mean by that? well, for instance, we don't have... you don't have african food there. will he continue to eat fish and chips every day? have you been eating fish and chips every day? come on! burger every day? so these things get me concerned. cambridge, there's nojollof rice. and if there's nojollof rice, there's nojollof rice.

i was definitely worried. first thought, initial thought, definitely ethnic diversity. i could count the amount of ethnic people that i could see probably on two hands. grab some of this. i'm taking even more... success is enjoying university a few weeks in, but he was a bit concerned about finding a barber in cambridge who could cut afro hair. big day! success, why has it taken you so long to get a haircut in cambridge? ah, man! when i looked in the mirror one day and saw this mess, i didn't really know where to go. is it going to look like this for eight weeks? am i going to have to buy 50 hats to cover it up? were you concerned that you wouldn't be able to find a barber shop that could do afro hair? yeah, genuinely, iwas a bit worried about it. a few weeks into cambridge, how's it going? yeah. ah, man! it's stressful. i did kind of worry about fitting

myself, from where i come from, this, like, very, very traditional, very nigerian culture, into what is, like, what i assume to be, like, an upper—class white community. so i was a bit worried, but it has been good. like, i have found people that are quite like me. i've found people that are very different to me, and we get on, and, yeah, it'sjust been a really good experience. i can't lie, it's been brilliant. when i heard about cambridge and oxford and all that kind of stuff, like, this is the place that i've wanted to go to. love that! sharon from tottenham is studying history and spanish. herfamily, of eritrean origin, have come to visit. growing up, cambridge always was seen as something so, like, unattainable, but it was always, like, a goalfor you, you always wanted to go to cambridge. i feel like cambridge is very welcoming. and she's, like, representing for eritrea, there's not that many eritreans that go to cambridge. i came, just this short

time in this country, and i never dreamed that my daughter would go to cambridge. but it'sjust a dream. thank you, sharon, for making me proud as a mum. i think you do get a sense that you are different. it doesn't feel bad, but it'sjust something that you do have to kind ofjust think about, just be like... you know, if you enter certain, like, classes, you might be the only person of colour there. you might be the only black face there, you might be the only one with your hair there. do you know what i mean? your hair? yeah! what do you mean by that? you know, like, my big, curly hair! afro hair? yeah, like some of my friends have said, like, they've changed hairstyles and then people don't recognise who they are. academically, it's definitely lived up to its name. but what i was surprised about is how i've been eased into it, in a way. fabianna is from coventry, where she lives with her jamaican mum. she's studying psychology and behavioural sciences. you know where you're going, so you had to play the part. it doesn't work overnight, just get up and say, "i'm going to be posh." you've been working towards this.

you're not a follower, you're a leader! i'm a leader! mm—hm! you are! just a few weeks in, fabianna says she encountered racial discrimination from another student at a social event. the incident involved the use of a racial slur. when we were all drinking together, so this boyjust said, like, a really ignorant comment. hejust said, "i'm too drunk to say the n—word." so that was something that, like, threw me off, because i've never really experienced someone, like, outwardly saying something like that to me, like, i've never been called the n—word or anything like that. and just for detail... yeah? ..this happened onsite at the university? yeah. and this was another cambridge student? yeah, so it happened at girton in ourunderground bar when we were all drinking together, by another student. was this a white student? yeah, it was a white student, a white boy. but it really threw me off, because i was with another friend of mine that's also black, and were just like, like, never gone through something like that. you're used to the microaggressions,

but you're not used to someone, like, outwardly saying something like that to you. she decided not to report the issue, but confronted the student privately, who she says later apologised. ..what went through your head? it was mainly just shock, like, ididn't... i couldn't say anything. everyone was just like, "oh, my gosh," "i can't believe he's just said that." but no—one really spoke up apart from me and my black friend. but when someone makes a comment towards you like that, you're definitely like, "i'm black at cambridge." whilst the incident did have a negative impact, fabianna is positive about her start at cambridge. what do you want out of your first year at cambridge university? ijust want to build, like, loads of relationships with people.

like, being here, any conversation you have could be a link for your future. mostly i'm fine, like, i'm having a good time. it's been really, really good. it's not too long after her own encounter that fabianna hears of another black student who alleges they've been discriminated against. according to the student, the incident involved a staff member from trinity college, which is one of the colleges of cambridge university. i was on the train, one of my feet was on the seat, and i wasjust sitting there. a man from trinity college came on, looked at me in disgust, and just literally looked overandjust said... bleep verbally assaulted me on the train... yeah. for no reason. ..for literally no reason. the only reason, i believe, is because my foot was on the seat. yeah. no—one was around and i was unwell. he had the trinity college lanyard, he had the trinity college tie. he had the trinity college uniform, it was very clear that he was from there. and when i said to him, "i'm just letting you know "i'm

going to be reporting you to the university "for what you just called me," he said, "go on, then. "i've got loads of friends who work inside the university. " i think to myself, "would i have been spoken to like that "if i were a white man?" yeah. so did you complain to the university about the situation? i complained to the university. yes, they sent me some links in an email. they sent me over to a complaints line that i could use. i had people contacting me saying, "where are you?" and i felt too embarrassed to even reply to them and say what was going on, because it was having such an effect on me. it was having such an effect on me, and... it really grates me that i'm getting emotional about it... yeah. ..because you feel like you have to be strong. you know? my mum keeps saying to me, "just keep fighting. " tearfully: "just keep going, just get that degree." she's saying, "do you want to drop out? "do you want to leave?" so you felt like you wanted to drop out because of these incidents?

i have, but i'm fighting for every other black person who i know needs to occupy these spaces. because black people need to come here. black people need to know that they need to get here so that we can pave a way for others, and we need to break that glass ceiling. and i will not leave this place, and i will not shut up, i will not be quiet until... ..until i see change. the university has taken steps to improve its diversity, but it's clear that some black students still struggle. i took the guys to share their concerns with the university's vice—chancellor. a lot of black students feel like, when they get here, they don't really feel like a part of the university. like, instances where we just feel like outcasts. what mechanisms does the university have for issues that

black students experience? so the first step is creating a critical mass of bame students, black students in particular, so that people never feel alone. one of the things that we've done is committed to a three—year programme of increasing dialogue around issues of race. do you think this is a place that is institutionally racist? i think it's a place where race has not been acknowledged as relevant, particularly to the whole intellectual experience of being at cambridge. so, in that sense, i would say it is racist because it doesn't acknowledge race in people's lives. my commitment to every student coming to cambridge is that she or he should feel that they are fully a part of the institution. part of that is making sure that people who come from backgrounds that are different, and particularly students who come from race backgrounds that are not dominant, have to feel at home.

what do you guys make of the stormzy scholarship? yeah, i think it's sick. like, i really, really love, like, the work that you guys and stormzy have done. yes, it was great, but i was wondering, like, is this really his responsibility? so the stormzy scholarships are not the only scholarships available to black students, or any student, for that matter. we've got a huge initiative called the student support initiative where we're trying to raise £500 million as part of our overall campaign, purely for student support. and that's really directed at people who are coming from widening participation backgrounds, less privileged backgrounds, who wouldn't necessarily feel that they had the resources to come to a place like cambridge. it is our responsibility. stormzy came to us, and we were really grateful, because itjust... it was a way of telling the story in a much more accessible manner. but it's a much wider story than just stormzy.

since last meeting the students, they've alljoined the university's african caribbean society, also known as the acs. it's a university club that celebrates african and caribbean culture. and tonight, a few weeks into the new term, they're attending a special dinner. it's not your average student party, but it's still a vibe. there's a strong turnout for the dinner, made up entirely of black and ethnic minority students. we had a group of students who suggested that we run a dinner specifically to celebrate our ethnic diversity in cambridge, and we thought it was a great idea. we decided to put it on, host the event. and because it was so popular, we've done it every year since then. after a drinks reception, the students make their way into the main hall for tonight's dinner. wanipa is the president of the acs. when else in cambridge's history would you get a room full of, you know, black and minority ethnic students? and, like, we're alljust here, existing and thriving, it's just such a beautiful symbol of how far we've come,

and we're here to stay, and to thrive, basically. yeah. we're here to stay. we're here to stay! i'm not leaving now! what's on the menu? right, so, we've got caribbean spiced chicken wings, or cauliflower. and then we've got salmon jerk, caribbean pea rice. oh, wow! so it's caribbean food? yeah, but caribbean pea rice? 0k! interesting, interesting. it was just over halfway through the academic year that the national lockdown was announced as a result of the coronavirus. the university closed, students sent home, lectures were moved online. it marks the end of their student experience as they knew it. we will beat the coronavirus, and we will beat it together. and therefore i urge you, at this moment of national emergency, to stay at home, protect our nhs, and save lives. this whole coronavirus thing has

just been getting on my nerves. i feel like it's stressing everyone out. there's nothing to look forward to because summer is basically locked off now. like, this whole situation is just putting the whole country into panic. i wish that this virus would just disappear next week, but it seems to be getting worse and worse. i've done lots of work, but i have nothing to show for the year. like, i have to take exams at home. it'sjust, like, it's not going to be an accurate representation of what i'm capable of, because i'm going to be doing it at home, and there's loads of students like myself, like, have an environment at home where you just feel like you just can't really work. like, this makes me feel like what was the point of this year? like, ifeel like i need a refund on my 9k or something. this is me on my last day here in cambridge for the entire year! this coronavirus stuff has made it so easter term's been cancelled, which is really sad. the university issued, like, a code red.

those of us who could leave were asked to leave as soon as possible. it's been four weeks, i think, since i was back at home. what the heck is going on with my hair? exams are in september now. it is what it is. i've not done any work in, like, three weeks! term is cancelled, in terms of, there's not going to be anything in cambridge, but we still have online lectures. nothing is what i've been up to! i've done literallyjack! like, work has been practically non—existent. and whilst dealing with lockdown, black lives matter protests broke out across the uk in the summer following the death of george floyd in the us. my mental health is not in the best shape. i'm sure every black person in cambridge has a story to share about some sort of covert racism or ignorance that we've experienced,

and it's nice in times like this, when... ..black lives are up for discussion, having people around you that have had the same experiences as you. it's kind of hard being away from cambridge and not having so, yeah, it makes me miss cambridge a lot. uni's almost done. i've literally got, like, one assessment left to do, and then i'll have finished first year. hey, guys. so today is saturday 6th june, and we are on our way to our second protest for black lives matter. it wasjust, like, the best thing, like, the level of solidarity, the level of, like, unity. it's been really amazing, despite whatever the media's trying to say. like, whatever they're trying to say and make out like it was really violent. it was not. no violence. it was really peaceful. 0k, i've just come off the phone. i've just had my director of studies meeting, so kind of like my parents' evening without my parent, and i got my exam results! somehow, i managed to bag a first

in both history and in spanish! and then when she told me, iwasjust like... i just... i don't know how, especially in this term, because it'sjust been, like, it's been disgracefully hard! and i don't think i've actually had time tojust kind of process this year properly and just sit down and, like... i don't know. a lot of it was kind of filled with fear and, like, obviously the whole, you know, impostor syndrome and feeling like, "do you really belong here?" like, "are you really the type of person they're looking for? "were you just kind of, you know, "were you a bit of, like, a pity acceptance?" there's all those kind of things that rush into your mind, and thenjust kind of come out on the other side. i don't know, it's actually a miracle, and if this is what i can achieve in my first year... best believe! it's been so long since i've seen the students, so long that a whole term has passed. i catch up with them to find out how, despite everything that's happened, they feel their first year has panned out. all right, so you guys have had

a year of being at cambridge. is this a space where black people can flourish? it is. yeah. it is, because i feel like i've learned a lot about myself, and i've always been very aware of my blackness, very immersed in my culture. but i always say that i've never felt as black as i have here in cambridge! what do you mean by that? i mean, like, in coventry, there's a lot of black people around. there's asian people around me. like, it's very diverse. but here, it's not diverse. you're very aware that you are black here. like, it's something that i realised in freshers‘ week. but that doesn't mean that you can't flourish. like, your environment can make things difficult for you, but it's not a barrier. yeah. you can overcome whatever you want to overcome... absolutely. ..and be who you need to be. it mightjust be a little bit more difficult, but that doesn't mean you can't do it. when we spoke to the vice—chancellor, stephen toope, he admitted that race was an issue that needed to be explored more. he even acknowledged stains

of institutional racism. what needs to change, in light of everything that's happened over the summer? words, especially in this day and age, are very cheap. like, you can say something and, you know, if what you say, like, appeases the masses, per se, at that time, then you can kind of get away with not doing anything. yeah. and i think that, for a very long time, powerful institutions, you know, cambridge included, have fallen, you know, to that kind of standard. you know, they'll say something, and there will be no, you know, actionable plan in place. that's the next step. it's all well and good changing sentiments and feelings towards something, but if there's no practicality, if there's nothing that you apply to make black students feel more, you know, safe and more accepted in this community, then, at the end of the day, you know, you can't say we've made progress. now, of course, as well as lockdown, we've had... ..black lives matter protests

in the wake of the death of george floyd. as black students at cambridge, how are you feeling? it made me just become disillusioned with, like, almost everything. i think i'd been a person initially thatjust, like, trusted the system. even if it was, like, implicitly, and i don't mean the system like the government, or, like, something big. but just, if you just stick by the rules, and if you just, you know, do what you need to do in the capacity that you can, like, things will be fine. and then just, like, it was like bit by bit everything wasjust, like, no, actually, just no. we've tidied our hair. we've spoken the way that we need to speak. we've silenced these elements of our culture. we've done this to be accommodated in these spaces, and still that's not enough, and still you're going to go on social media and still see people dying, and still see just, like, just injustices everywhere, and then having to confront that. i ended up feeling guilty because i was like, why did i tolerate so much? why did ijust think so many things like little microaggressions or little comments or little perspectives ofjust my place

here in like a white, so—called, quote unquote, white country. like, there's more to be done, and there's more that i can say and speak out about without feeling like i'm disrupting people or making people uncomfortable. that was really hard to deal with, and ifeel like if i was in cambridge, we would have, like, our friends in acs and everything to be able to talk about it, and share how we feel. but doing that on your own, lockdown in itself was hard, like mentally, that drained a lot of people. but then on top of that, with being black and seeing, like, your people hurting was really, really hard to deal with in lockdown. outside of academics, i think acs is going to be, like, a really big part of my year this year, and just being able to create just an amazing space, covid, no covid, just because we've got such a huge intake of black freshers, and, like, ijust want them to be able to just experience what we experienced.

hello. snow and ice continue to be hazards for some as we move into the final day of 2020. still very much in the cold air across the uk, temperatures widely well below freezing through the early hours of thursday morning, with the potential for some freezing fog across parts of england and wales. for new year's eve, it's a cold day wherever you are. for most, a mixture of wintry

showers with some sunshine, but across scotland through the morning, a more general spell of rain, sleet and snow sliding its way southwards and also into northern ireland as well. as the morning wears on, that snow will tend to become confined to higher ground, just pushing to the far north of england through the afternoon. a few wintry showers for parts of northwest, southwest england, west wales. the further south and east you are, mainly dry with some sunshine once any freezing fog has lifted through the morning. still a cold northerly wind, particularly biting for parts of western scotland and northern ireland. not quite as cold across scotland and northern ireland compared to wednesday, five or six celsius the top temperature here, compared to just two or three celsius further south. through the final hours of 2020, we see this band of wintry showers just continuing to sink their way southwards, but most of the snow by this stage should be over higher ground. bit of wintry mix across scotland, quite a few showers along the east coast, where temperatures will hold up to around four or five celsius at midnight. head inland, they'll be closer to freezing.

a few showers developing across northern england, parts of northwest wales, maybe south—west england through the early hours of new year's day. but also once again, the potential for some freezing fog developing across central, southeastern parts of england and wales as we head through the early hours of 2021. another cold night but not quite as cold as recent nights, but some places still getting a few degrees below freezing. so here's how we start 2021, with still a fairly messy picture, low pressure to the east of the uk and frontal systems still just trying to slide their way across. not much on them, but certainly through new year's day, there will be a fair few showers around, particularly for east and northeast coasts. and a few of those will penetrate their way a little bit further inland. still the chance they could be wintry, particularly over higher ground. the further south you are across the uk, much more cloud around, and temperatures still not much higher than five or six celsius. looking ahead, then, to the first weekend of 2021, it stays cold, we'll see fewer showers but still the risk of some ice and snow in places. bye— bye.

good morning, and welcome to breakfast with nina warhurst and charlie stayt. our headlines today. the toughest covid restrictions come into force for 20 million more people in england, in the face of a record rise in the number of cases. big ben chimes big ben will chime tonight, but people across the uk are urged not to celebrate the new year with anyone outside their household. it isa it is a pretty grim and depressing picture at the moment. the situation in the uk is precarious in many parts already. most secondary pupils

in england are told they won't