borisjohnson says he will be able to tell people in the next few days whether the indian variant will make it necessary to delay the end of lockdown in england in england. as surge—testing continues in specific areas like bolton, the prime minister said that at present, plans to unlock were on track. i don't see anything conclusive at the moment to say that we need to deviate from the road map, but we've got to be cautious and we're keeping everything under very close observation. we'll bring you all the latest. also this lunchtime: police prepare to excavate at a cafe in gloucester, searching for mary bastholm — a suspected victim of the serial killer, fred west. violence between israelis and palestinian militants shows no signs of easing —

president biden has nowjoined calls for a ceasefire. uk job vacancies hit their highest level since the start of the pandemic, as lockdown easing prompts employers to start recruiting. and howjust 20 companies are responsible for producing half of the entire global production of single—use plastic. coming up in the sport later in the hour on the bbc news channel: time's up for roy hodgson at crystal palace. after four years at the club, he is standing down at the end of the season. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. the prime minister says he will be able to tell people in the next few

days whether the indian variant will make it necessary to delay the end of lockdown. but he said there was currently no conclusive evidence to suggest that deviating from the "road map" would be necessary. the variant is now the dominant strain in bolton, blackburn and darwen, and is rising in all age groups. ministers are continuing to urge anyone eligible to get a vaccine. some scientists are questioning why restrictions were eased yesterday in england when the government's own tests for unlocking suggest that a variant of concern might prompt a rethink. restrictions were also eased yesterday in wales and in parts of scotland. our health correspondent jim reed reports. as people across england, wales and scotland celebrate their new freedoms... scotland celebrate their new freedoms. . ._ scotland celebrate their new freedoms. . .- the - scotland celebrate their new| freedoms. . .- the wait scotland celebrate their new - freedoms. . .- the wait for freedoms... cheers! the wait for data begins- _ freedoms. .. cheers! the wait for data begins. ministers— freedoms. .. cheers! the wait for data begins. ministers will- freedoms... cheers! the wait for data begins. ministers will watchi data begins. ministers will watch closely to see if this kind of meeting up, leads to another spike. personal details will...

meeting up, leads to another spike. personal details will. . ._ personal details will... another big unknown, data _ personal details will... another big unknown, data on _ personal details will... another big unknown, data on a _ personal details will... another big unknown, data on a variant - personal details will... another big unknown, data on a variant of - personal details will... another big unknown, data on a variant of the l unknown, data on a variant of the virus first found in india and now spreading in places like bolton. we are spreading in places like bolton. - are looking at the epidemiology the whole time as it comes in and at the moment i think partly because we have built up such a wall of defences with the vaccination programme, i don't see anything conclusive to say we need to deviate. but we have got to be cautious and we are keeping everything under observation. we will know more in a few days. scientists are still trying to work out how ease think new variant transmits and how effective vaccines are against it, although the early signs are positive. we are against it, although the early signs are positive.— are against it, although the early signs are positive. we know has has aenerated signs are positive. we know has has generated some _ signs are positive. we know has has generated some large _ signs are positive. we know has has generated some large outbreaks, i signs are positive. we know has has i generated some large outbreaks, what we are _ generated some large outbreaks, what we are seeing is is some of those

that have — we are seeing is is some of those that have been largerjust by chance _ that have been largerjust by chance. so one of the things that we need _ chance. so one of the things that we need is _ chance. so one of the things that we need is a _ chance. so one of the things that we need is a bit — chance. so one of the things that we need is a bit of time, so that the effect _ need is a bit of time, so that the effect of— need is a bit of time, so that the effect of those initial introductions calms down and we can see what— introductions calms down and we can see what the local transmission looks— see what the local transmission looks like _ see what the local transmission looks like-— see what the local transmission looks like. ,. , , ., looks like. other scientists though think the government _ looks like. other scientists though think the government is _ looks like. other scientists though think the government is taking - looks like. other scientists though | think the government is taking too much of a risk an unlocking too quickly. much of a risk an unlocking too cuickl . �* much of a risk an unlocking too cuickl. �* quickly. the government didn't pass their four tests, _ quickly. the government didn't pass their four tests, specially _ quickly. the government didn't pass their four tests, specially ly - quickly. the government didn't pass their four tests, specially ly the - their four tests, specially ly the test around _ their four tests, specially ly the test around new— their four tests, specially ly the test around new variants - their four tests, specially ly the test around new variants of- their four tests, specially ly the - test around new variants of concern. but the _ test around new variants of concern. but the government _ test around new variants of concern. but the government have _ test around new variants of concern. but the government have gone - test around new variants of concern. l but the government have gone ahead. in but the government have gone ahead. in blackburn— but the government have gone ahead. in blackburn and _ but the government have gone ahead. in blackburn and bolton _ but the government have gone ahead. in blackburn and bolton there - but the government have gone ahead. in blackburn and bolton there is - but the government have gone ahead. in blackburn and bolton there is a - in blackburn and bolton there is a drive to get more people vaccinated, with dedicated mobile units. public health officials expect the variants to become the dominant form in the uk over time. the government has said there have been 2,323 confirmed cases across the uk. with five or more infections now found in 86

local areas. ministers have identified bedford as another possible hotspot, cases there are now the second highest in england. what we know is what we have been seeing locally is a massive rise in cases. about three or four weeks ago we had three or four cases a day and it is three times as high. it is important people know how quickly the situation can change. the auestion the situation can change. the question is — the situation can change. the question is how _ the situation can change. the question is how this can affect the last stage of unlocking onjune zist, last stage of unlocking onjune 2ist, a government review of social distancing measures has been delayed, with local lockdowns not ruled out. there is still a month to go and ministers could face a tough decision with lives and livelihoods at stake. let's speak to our political correspondentjonathan blake. how realistic is the

remainder of this roadmap? i think the prime minister's words were relatively reassuring today, saying as you heard that there was nothing conclusive to suggest that the government would need to deviate from its road map, but it is clear the government is keeping all options open and keeping the data under review. the questions being asked are how transmissible is the new variants and how effective the vaccines are. it seems we will have to wait a few days before ministers have clear answers to those questions. and in the meantime it is probably both reminding ourselfing while there is no sense at westminster the government will slam on the brakes, since it was announced in february there have been conditions and caveats in place throughout. the tests that need to be met at each stage, most importantly now where the new variants come along and increase the risk to the population, as a whole,

and the dates along the way have always been described as at the earliest, they are far from guaranteed. nevertheless, there are plenty of conservative mps who have given the government a hard time throughout the process, saying that lockdown should have been lifted sooner and restrictions have been in place for too long already. so, depending on what happens, there could be another test for boris johnson's nerve coming soon. holding out with his strategy in the face of the unpredictable threat posed, while there are calls continuing from some to unlock and get things back to normal a as soon as possible. back to normal a as soon as possible-— excavation work is to begin at a cafe in gloucester tomorrow, as police search for a suspected victim of the serial killer fred west. 15—year—old mary bastholm worked at the clean plate cafe before she went missing in 1968. jon kay is in gloucester.

decades after the cromwell street investigation, the name fred west is again in the minds of people here in gloucester and yet again a location linked to him, he was a customer at this cafe in the 60s, is about to be excavated. police say they have enough new evidence for it to be worth them doing a dig, but they're saying there are no guarantees they will find mary bastholm's remains. all her family can do will find mary bastholm's remains. all herfamily can do is will find mary bastholm's remains. all her family can do is watch and wait. mary bastholm was 15 years old when she vanished in the centre of gloucester. she worked in a cafe and, half a century on, a tv crew has found what appears to be a piece of blue material buried in the basement. when mary went missing in 1968, she was wearing a blue coat, a blue and white dress and a blue bag.

from looking at the material, i can't say if it's a bag or a coat or a dress, what i can say is it is a blue bit of material within a void. ground penetrating radar has now found six voids in the basement, six areas with anomalies. today police began removing doors from the building. tomorrow they will start digging. fred west was a regular in the cafe in the years before he was charged with 12 murders. he is rumoured to have done some building work there. he took his own life in 1995. as well as excavation work, police are now going back to the original investigation. mary bastholm was last seen waiting for a bus in the centre of gloucester. never really thought it would happen to us. her parents died without ever knowing what had happened to her. she was rather a nervous child. if she has run away,

it is a sudden impulse to do so, or, apart from that, she has been enticed away. the family have welcomed the new search and have asked for privacy while the two week excavation is carried out. if mary bastholm's remains are found there, as a force, you're going to face questions about why you didn't search it sooner, aren't you? i understand that question, but i'm presented with new information, which is why i made the decision that we're going to excavate tomorrow. but police are being cautious. no human remains have been detected yet, and there are ancient burial sites in this historic part of gloucester which could explain the spaces under the basement. as well as that radar kit and a special underground cameras that the tv production company used, they

also brought in a so—called cadavar dog that is said to have picked up mild to moderate indications. but there is no guarantee there are remains here. but it is another part of the new evidence that the police say it is worth taking forward to the next step tomorrow. thank you. the us presidentjoe biden has voiced his support for a ceasefire after more than a week of violence between israel and palestinian militants. more than 212 people — including 61 children — have died in gaza, and 12, including two children, in israel, according to officials on both sides. paul adams reports. gaza's punishment continues, more air strikes at dawn. israel says it is not over. it doesn'tjust want the rockets to stop, it wants its opponent crippled. it has been

hitting the homes of hamas leaders and destroying as much of their hard ware as possible. hamas still has rockets u but launchers are vulnerable. the directive is to continue striking terrorist targets. the idf is doing this well. we continue striking terrorist targets. the idf is doing this well.- the idf is doing this well. we will continue to _ the idf is doing this well. we will continue to take _ the idf is doing this well. we will continue to take whatever - the idf is doing this well. we will continue to take whatever action | the idf is doing this well. we willl continue to take whatever action is necessary to restore peace and security to all residents of israel. international outrage is building, almost a0 thousand people have been displaced. the territory's only covid testing lab partially destroyed. this man says he got a call from the israeli army telling him to get out of his home. the next house next door was bombed. when they returned, this is what they found. �* ,, �* g ., they returned, this is what they found. �* ,, ~ g ., found. translation: my mother was with me at home _ found. translation: my mother was with me at home and _ found. translation: my mother was with me at home and now _ found. translation: my mother was with me at home and now she - found. translation: my mother was with me at home and now she is - found. translation: my mother was with me at home and now she is in - with me at home and now she is in the streets with no shelter. and i also have no shelter for my

children. here the whole house is totally destroyed. in children. here the whole house is totally destroyed.— children. here the whole house is totally destroyed. in the west bank, palestinians are _ totally destroyed. in the west bank, palestinians are again _ totally destroyed. in the west bank, | palestinians are again demonstrating over the situation in gaza. there is a general strike, notjust among palestinians, it is being observed by israeli arabs too. dip low mountainic effort —— diplomatic efforts are gathering and mediators are trying to stop the fighting and when mr biden spoke to binyamin netanyahu, he called for a ceasefire for the first time. the un is involved, its envoy injerusalem one of few officials talking to hamas. with pressure mounting on israel, its window of opportunity in gaza is slowly closing. paul adams, bbc news. job vacancies in the uk have reached their highest level since the start of the pandemic, as the easing of lockdown measures has led employers to start recruiting. the office for national statistics says that between february and april

there were 657,000 vacancies, up more than a8,000 on the previous quarter. but there 5 also concern about a sharpjump in the number of people who ve been classified as long—term unemployed after more than six months without work. 0ur economics correspondent andy verity reports. it's not the first time since last march that this brewery in ripon, north yorkshire, has restarted its beer making, but the hope is it will be the last. at one of the local pubs it owns, its boss told us it's struggling to find the staff it needs. we are absolutely envisaging that we are going to be really busy. i mean, bookings are already really strong. recruitment�*s been a real challenge, because there aren't a lot of people out there. you would think there would be an awful lot of people able to and looking for work, but there aren't. and, to be honest with you, we need significantly more staff because, obviously, it is a different type of sale. so we are doing table service, people can't come to the bar, so everything takes an awful lot longer, so we need three or four more people per shift than we had before.

in spite of renewed lockdown, the number of vacancies has risen in recent months, especially in the worst hit sectors such as hospitality. in the first quarter of the year, the number of vacancies was just 125,000 below its pre—pandemic level. the industry has been hit very hard and we've pulled back a lot of our team members off furlough, and in some hotels the ramp up will take a little bit longer, so we still have some team members to come back. the figures predate the latest lifting of restrictions which has led to a surge in activity now all too evident on the roads. the bank of england's predicted unusual growth in economic activity this year of more than 7%. but while the jobs market's already recovering, it's got a long way to go. this chart shows you the number of employees, and as you can see, although it's's recovered, it's still down by about three quarters of a million from where it was before the pandemic, and then there is the people on furlough, a.2 million as of the end of march. not all of those people are going to be able to go back to their old jobs,

so they have to be found new work. as restrictions have gone on, the number of people classified as long—term unemployed hasjumped by 28% since last year. we are seeing a rise in the number of people who have been unemployed for more than six months, and that is especially the case among those who are over 50 and also those who are under 25 and, of course, that is especially worrying because the longer the time someone spends out of work, the more damaging that could be to their future career prospects and their living standards. the proportion of under 25s classified as economically inactive has hit new highs as many stay in education. matching those keen to work with the vacancies available will be one of the biggest economic challenges in the months to come. andy verity, bbc news. there's been anger over plans by some universities in the uk to continue online lecturing in the autumn term. students in leeds have started a petition, arguing there's no reason why they can't be taught in person when school children are and when people can

visit cinemas and pubs. matt graveling reports. when you move in, you get along with your flatmates under part of the student lifestyle. you get lecture halls with lots of people, you get to use the big laboratories and fancy technology. it has not been that this year.— that this year. from's university exnerience _ that this year. from's university experience has _ that this year. from's university experience has not _ that this year. from's university experience has not quite - that this year. from's university experience has not quite gone l that this year. from's university | experience has not quite gone to plan. 0ne experience has not quite gone to plan. one year into her biological sciences degree and more than £9,000 spent, she is yet to set foot into a lab. i spent, she is yet to set foot into a lab. ., ., ., , lab. i have had two in-person seminars _ lab. i have had two in-person seminars all— lab. i have had two in-person seminars all year, _ lab. i have had two in-person seminars all year, that - lab. i have had two in-person seminars all year, that is - lab. i have had two in-person seminars all year, that is all. lab. i have had two in-personl seminars all year, that is all in terms of in—person teaching. coronavirus restrictions had seen universities moving lectures online. but now with eyes on the autumn term, universities are starting to plan their return. but in leeds, a slow return to the classroom has been met

with anger and a petition of more than 2500 people have criticised the lack of face—to—face teaching. a university of leeds spokesperson said that they intend to give every student a substantial on—campus experience next semester, and although face—to—face teaching would be the norm, they are currently planning on the basis that many large teaching events will be delivered online as part of a hybrid approach. but the caution being shown here at leeds is shared by staff at other universities. if we are involved in planning, if we can get the ventilation right and the social distancing right in classrooms and also recognise that some staff really are panicking about coming back on board and taking it as an individual case—by—case basis rather than forcing everyone to go back into the classrooms, i think, would help massively. elsewhere, the university of liverpool says it wants as much face—to—face teaching as possible but is expecting a blend of online and in—person. the london school of economics expects the vast majority of seminars and classes to be taught in person, but lectures will be largely delivered online.

and the university of manchester is planning a blended approach, with a mix of both on—campus and online elements. a lot of people would say there is a pandemic, this has to be done? i understand this year, however from september there is no logical reason, coronavirus—wise, hopefully, from what we are being told at the moment, that lectures should remain online. the department for education says universities have a strong track record in delivering excellent blended tuition and quality and quantity should not drop. matt graveling, bbc news. our top story this lunchtime: borisjohnson says he will be able to tell people in the next few days whether the indian variant will make it necessary to delay the end of lockdown in england. and coming up... the show must go on. how theatres across much of britain have been reopening as restrictions ease. and coming up in the sport

in the next 15 minutes on the bbc news channel: leicester came out on top in the fa cup final, but can they beat chelsea tonight as they battle it out for a top four finish in the premier league? the indian navy has intensified its search for more than 90 people, mostly oil workers, still missing at sea after cyclone tauktae slammed into the west coast yesterday. more than 20 people have died in the cyclone, one of the most powerful to hit the western coast in decades. the red cross has described it as a "terrible double blow," which comes amid a devastating second wave of coronavirus infections. rajini vaidyanathan reports from delhi. ina in a nation already battered by covid kane verse, cyclone tauktae, a powerful storm which has hit western

india with great ferocity. wind speeds of up to 160 kph have left a trail of destruction. translation: the strong wins came from this site and went towards the west, damaging many trees and houses. in and went towards the west, damaging many trees and houses.— many trees and houses. in the city of b , many trees and houses. in the city of by. this — many trees and houses. in the city of by. this is _ many trees and houses. in the city of by. this is all— many trees and houses. in the city of by, this is all that _ many trees and houses. in the city of by, this is all that remains - many trees and houses. in the city of by, this is all that remains of i many trees and houses. in the city of by, this is all that remains of a l of by, this is all that remains of a covid vaccination centre. the immunisation programme suspended for two days —— in the city of mumbai. off the closed, the indian navy said it rescued people on board a barge. many remain stranded at sea, sun off the coast of gujarat. the storm has claimed lives in peril and colour as it advanced up the coast. the timing could not have been worse, as india battles the second wave of coronavirus, nature has shown no mercy. spain has deployed soldiers

and police to the land border of its north african enclave of ceuta, after an estimated 6000 people arrived there yesterday. the government says it's now returned nearly half of them to morocco. many of the migrants gathered at the border fence. witnesses said moroccan police appeared to do nothing to intervene, fuelling speculation that the relaxing of the border controls is a political move by morocco. spain's prime minister pedro sanchez said he will travel to ceuta. guy hedgecoe reports from madrid ceuta has long been a magnet for african migrants desperate to reach this european city, but the influx of an estimated 6,000 migrants on monday is unprecedented. many floated around the border fence at low tide on makeshift boats, others swam round. one man drowned. but a number of migrants were able to cross on foot. there were several hundred children, and in some cases entire families came. the vast majority of those who crossed were moroccan,

and all the firm were seeking a better life. -- all —— all of them were seeking a better life. translation: when you have no money and you have to pay your rent and you have to take care of your children and parents, you can't afford to be scared. translation: as you see, all the young people - want to leave the country. there is no work. spain has reinforced security along the border fence between ceuta and morocco, and it has even deployed the army. but ceuta's emergency services have been overwhelmed by the arrivals. a warehouse used to quarantine migrants can only hold 200 people. spain says it has started sending migrants back to morocco. however, relations between the two countries are tense, something many see as the reason why moroccan border guards apparently allowed the migrants to cross in the first place. guy hedgcoe, bbc news, madrid. hospital admissions for obesity—related treatment

in england reached a record of more than a million in the year leading into the global pandemic. experts say the pandemic should be a wake—up call to people — as being overweight is one of the most significant risk factors for severe covid. here's our health correspondent sophie hutchinson. just nice to move your body, isn't it, outside? a path to a healthier life, a walk on the wirral for patients, prescribed and led by a local gp. this is a great location. this part of the north—west has one of the highest levels of obesity—related hospital admissions in england. oh, the sun's come out now. lovely. in the year to march 2020 as the pandemic hit, hospitals in england had seen a record 1 million admissions for obesity—related problems. they'd actually told me if i'd caught covid, that there's every chance that i would die. being significantly overweight like phil is a huge risk factor for getting dangerously ill with covid—19. at his heaviest, he was 25 stone.

when he caught the virus, he ended up in intensive care. my wife, we said goodbye, but not really how i would like to. and then i was crying my eyes out in the ambulance, you know? it was heartbreaking. on the ward i was on, sadly i saw two people pass away. that was a massive, massive point. come here! come on, then. good boy! it really made me think, "i need to address this." by changing his diet, phil has lost more than six stone. these researchers in glasgow are trying to understand why the virus is so dangerous for those who are very overweight. people who are heavier probably get a bigger viral hit. and that's really important, because the amount of virus you get will dictate the likelihood of having the immune response be exaggerated. they have less efficient body systems, so their lungs are perhaps not as efficient to expand, their blood vessels are less

pliable, they have thicker blood to begin with. people effectively who are overweight have less capacity to cope with the damage that covid causes. pressure is piling on the government to take radical action to address the obesity problem, but last month experts wrote to the prime minister, urging him to stick to a landmark proposal to banjunk food advertising online and on social media after fears it could be ditched. it is good to get out. it is just one step at a time. that step, says the government, will be to introduce a ban onjunk food adverts on television before 9pm. how far it is prepared to go with restrictions online will be revealed in the next few weeks. sophie hutchinson, bbc news. more than half of single—use plastic items worldwide can be traced back to just 20 companies, according to new research. the study says that firms should

take more responsibility for the impact of the waste, as our science editor david shukman reports. it all begins with oil pumped from underground, the start of a plasticjourney. in refineries and processing plants, the oil is turned into the raw materials for plastic. and the new research finds that of those destined to make single use items, half are produced by just 20 companies. those ingredients are sold to manufacturers who make everything from plastic cups to plastic bottles. most of them used just once and then thrown away, often polluting the environment. the study says the original producers need to take responsibility for that. the future of the plastic waste crisis really sits in the hands ofjust 20 companies who account for more than half of the waste we generate. we need to go after the tap to turn off the tap of fossil fuel plastics,

and we need to create plastics from recycled materials. the producers say they are trying to recycle as much plastic as possible and that they're investing in new ways to do that. they say it's not as easy as it looks and that, anyway, we all depend on plastic to keep ourselves safe and to keep our food fresh. but pressure is mounting on the companies involved to do more. these rivers are choked with plastic waste and at the moment there's no end in sight to scenes like this. david shukman, bbc news. with all the hand sanitiser, face coverings and temperature checks, it wasn't exactly business as usual when theatres reopened yesterday — but the show did go on. after a long wait, audiences returned to auditoriums across britain, and the bbc�*s ben boulos, was among them. it's been months since any of us have experienced live theatre like this.

but across england, scotland and wales, stages are beginning to burst into life as audiences can return once again. everyone's so excited. we know the show, so we're just kind of fine tuning at the moment and everyone's just happy to be together. but when the curtain finally goes up and you hear the audience coming into the theatre, that's going to be a special moment. as lockdown restrictions ease, agatha christie's the mousetrap is one of the first to reopen. the classic whodunnit, said to be the world's longest running show, is back after what has felt like the world's longest interval. well, no detective skills are needed to spot the experience is different from before. hand sanitiser, the audience having to wear masks and temperatures checked on arrival. thank you. inside, the audience sit socially distanced, and at the interval, drinks are brought to the seats. everywhere, clues that remind us the pandemic is still not over. with the mousetrap particularly,

what we've done is we've engaged two separate star casts, so that... which i don't think anyone's ever done before, and we've it as a precaution so that if someone were to test positive in one of the casts, then we have another cast that can step in straightaway. and the audience, delighted to be back. magical. amazing. utterly magical. so amazing. ifelt quite emotional, like, going inside. what have you missed about the theatre in the last year and a bit? the whole communal feeling of being in a house together and enjoying the same thing at the same moment, i think. yeah. laughing with somebody else. yeah. theatre is an important part of the uk economy. each year, normally, 3a million people go to see a show. through tickets, travel and restaurants, that generates over £1 billion in vat for the government. and the sector employs almost 300,000 people — on stage, backstage and supplying things like costumes and props.

despite this week's reopenings, there are fears that could be