this is bbc news with mejane hill. the latest headlines... calls for the uk government to have an open debate with the public about restriction easing plans onjune the 21st. the group that represents nhs trusts in england warns of the pressures being faced by hospitals. we think there are significant numbers of people who have put off coming into hospital and actually have now reached the stage where they must come in and get treatment, but because they have left it so long, it means that the treatment required will take longer and it's more complex. we will share the evidence with the country on the 14th ofjune to basically explain exactly where we are on infection rates, on hospitalisation, and of course,

sadly, of death. the newly—elected leader of the democratic unionist party accuses the eu of using northern ireland as a "play thing" to punish the uk for brexit saying it's playing "fast and loose" with the peace process. a new nationalflagship is to be commissioned by the government in a bid to boost british trade and industry overseas. celebrations for chelsea fans after their team wins the champions league final against manchester city to lift the european cup for a second time. and... borisjohnson marries his fiancee carrie symonds in a secret ceremony at westminster cathedral.

good afternoon. the vaccines minister nadhim zahawi says the government will be cautious, and look at all the data, before deciding whether to end covid restrictions in england next month. his comments came as the chief executive of nhs providers said "very, very few" coronavirus patients in hospital in england have received two covid jabs, showing the vaccines provide "very high" levels of protection. but he warned hospitals are dealing with a heavy backlog of non—covid care. our health correspondent catherine burns reports. ready, steady, go. we're in a race, vaccines against the virus, and this was the start on december 8th. maggie keenan was the first person

in the uk to get vaccinated outside of clinical trials. that was less than six months ago. now, about three quarters of adults have had their first dose, and almost half have had both. the government target has always been to offer a jab to all adults by the end ofjuly. now there's a new ambition. we hope to be able to protect with two doses, all 1—9s, all the over 50s, before the 21st ofjune. we will make sure we vaccinate at scale but — and here's the important thing — we will share the evidence with the country on the 14th ofjune. both dates are key, becausejune 14th is when the government will tell us of the next stage of opening up will happen in england onjune 21st. at that point, they'll want to meet four tests before going ahead. the first test — is the vaccine roll—out going well? the second — are vaccines stopping people getting sick or dying with covid 7 the third test is about

infection levels. are they getting so high they're putting too much pressure on the nhs? and the final test is about new variants of concern. are they changing the risk level? the first two tests, about vaccines, are being met so far. there's been a small rise in cases, though, still at a low level, but ost recent figures from the ons suggest that one in every 60,000 people will test positive for covid. in areas hit higher by the indian variant, numbers are much higher. in blackburn, there are more than 700 cases for every 100,000 people. but health bosses say there is pressure on the nhs across the country. rates are low in the south west, but the ambulance service there has declared a critical incident because it is so busy. we've got these big care backlogs that we're, kind of, trying to get through as quickly

as possible, and we are tackling the most complex cases to start with, which means that those patients need to have overnight stays, because they are difficult cases. the next few weeks will give us a clear idea of how or if this will affect plans to open up next month. that was katherine burns. professor paul hunter is a professor of medicine at the university of east anglia. hejoins me now. you got the sense, i think, listening to nadhim zahawi for the government that he was very much trying to say during the 21st is not set in stone. we still have a lot to consider. do you think that is a wise approach, to tell the public that? �* , ,., , wise approach, to tell the public that? �* , ~ wise approach, to tell the public that? ~ y a ,�* , that? absolutely. we can't be raising hepes _ that? absolutely. we can't be raising hopes that _ that? absolutely. we can't be raising hopes that might - that? absolutely. we can't be raising hopes that might not i that? absolutely. we can't be i raising hopes that might not be achieved but it has to be said that the evidence at the moment is still very uncertain. case numbers are going up, hospitalisations are going up going up, hospitalisations are going up but only slowly, but come on the other hand, deaths are not yet rising and it seems to be the case that people even if they are

admitted to hospital and saying in hospital as long as they would have been a few months ago so the pressure on the nhs may not be as bad so when you've looked at all that done up of that it may be quite difficult to know what the situation might become the 14th ofjune. i think that is the appropriate time to address that and hopefully make the correct decision. the to address that and hopefully make the correct decision.— the correct decision. the pressure on the nhs _ the correct decision. the pressure on the nhs isn't _ the correct decision. the pressure on the nhs isn't quite _ the correct decision. the pressure on the nhs isn't quite as - the correct decision. the pressure on the nhs isn't quite as bad - the correct decision. the pressure | on the nhs isn't quite as bad from perfee but as on the nhs isn't quite as bad from per fee but as we have been reflecting today of course hospitals are trying to catch up with all those things over the last 1a months orso those things over the last 1a months or so so the last thing a hospital once as an upsurge.— or so so the last thing a hospital once as an upsurge. absolutely, you are auite, once as an upsurge. absolutely, you are quite. quite _ once as an upsurge. absolutely, you are quite, quite right _ once as an upsurge. absolutely, you are quite, quite right that _ once as an upsurge. absolutely, you are quite, quite right that there - are quite, quite right that there are quite, quite right that there are operations that should have been donein are operations that should have been done in a year or so ago that should have that people are still waiting on that is going to take a long time to get through. hopefully, if we avoid additional pressures from covid, we will still be to get

through those at a reasonable rate but clearly of covid goes out of control and starts putting additional pressure is on the health service than many of these delayed operations and delayed other care will be delayed further and nobody wants that. flew will be delayed further and nobody wants that. ., will be delayed further and nobody wants that. . ., ,~ will be delayed further and nobody wants that. . ., , ., ., wants that. can i ask you about the indian variant? _ wants that. can i ask you about the indian variant? is _ wants that. can i ask you about the indian variant? is there _ wants that. can i ask you about the indian variant? is there still- wants that. can i ask you about the indian variant? is there still a - wants that. can i ask you about the indian variant? is there still a lot . indian variant? is there still a lot that we don't know? when you look at the data, what assessment do you make as to the impact that it's having? i make as to the impact that it's havin: ? ~ �* , make as to the impact that it's havin: ? ~ �*, ., having? i think it's more infectious, _ having? i think it's more infectious, probably - having? i think it's more i infectious, probably around having? i think it's more - infectious, probably around 5096 having? i think it's more _ infectious, probably around 5096 more infectious, probably around 50% more infectious, probably around 50% more infectious than the kent variant, give or take. it is a little bit less controlled by vaccines or, indeed, previous vaccine immunity but it is, at the moment, spreading predominantly in younger unvaccinated groups and that's why the pressure hasn't been placed on the pressure hasn't been placed on the health service. if it stays like that, i think we may well be able to ride out this next wave but we will

undoubtedly see increases in cases from the indian variant over coming weeks. the issue is how much additional pressure that will put on health services and that is still a bit early to be definitive about. in terms of the vaccination programme, i as the layperson here it is very good news that the vast majority of people in hospital with covid haven't had both doses. i'm interested in your case and that. there are clearly some people ending up there are clearly some people ending up in hospital after two doses but at the moment it is very low. i think this is one of the big things about the vaccines, that even when they don't necessarily provide 100% protection against infection, they still, even in those people who get infected, they are still not getting severely ill and even if they are

going it as little they are not staying in hospital is long and they don't seem to be dying as much as was the case a few months ago so i think the vaccine is still the key. it is still protecting many people who would otherwise be severely ill and die and also protecting and reducing the pressure is on the health service.— reducing the pressure is on the health service. , ., . health service. they go much indeed from the university _ health service. they go much indeed from the university of— health service. they go much indeed from the university of east _ health service. they go much indeed from the university of east anglia i from the university of east anglia and thank you for giving it a bank holiday as well. —— thank you very much indeed. —— giving up your bank holiday. the newly—elected leader of the democratic unionist party has accused the european union of playing "fast and loose" with the peace process in northern ireland. edwin poots said checks on goods entering northern ireland from great britain were having a "devastating impact", and leading to violence on the streets. the european commission says it rejects any suggestion that it no longer cares about the peace process. from belfast, louise cullen reports. the northern ireland protocol has caused political and practical problems since its inception.

it creates a trade border in the irish sea, by keeping northern ireland in the eu single market for goods, enforcing eu customs rules at the ports, to prevent a hardening of the land border. and unionists view it as a threat to their place in the united kingdom. that fear was blamed for trouble on the streets at easter. the uk has delayed introducing some food checks until october, a move the eu has gone to court over. technical talks continue. the new dup leader edwin poots claimed the northern ireland peace process was being damaged. i don't want to use a threat of violence in terms of this. 0ur arguments are very clear, they are very coherent. this is the european union seeking to punish the united kingdom and, as a consequence, northern ireland is being used as a plaything for the european union. i can assure you, northern ireland should be nobody�*s plaything. the eu commission vice president rejected that. i think we are working absolutely flat out to make sure

that the protocol operates as smoothly as possible. i think we have also to turn the table a little bit in this discussion and look at what the protocol brings as an opportunity to northern ireland. the current position of westminster is that the uk would like an equivalence arrangement in which the eu would recognise uk food production standards as equivalent to its own, but the eu says the protocol is the only solution. louise cullen, bbc news. the prime minister has returned to work — after his secretly—planned wedding yesterday — to carrie symonds at westminster cathedral. the couple have released this image of them — in the downing street garden. a spokesman said that following yesterday's small ceremony, the couple would celebrate again with family and friends next summer. borisjohnson — who has twice divorced — is the first prime minister to get married while in office in nearly 200 years.

a number of politicians have tweeted to congratulate the couple including the foreign office ministerjames cleverly who tweeted this image of them. media reports in israel say the main opposition leader, yair lapid, appears close to a deal with his rival, naftali bennett. their aim to form a coalition government would bring together factions from the right, left and centre of israeli politics. any deal would look to oust prime minister benjamin netanyahu from power after 12 years, midway through his trial on corruption charges. there has been a shooting today in florida. let's try to bring you the latest details on that because we know that certainly two people have died in that shooting. we can these life images from the scene here ——

live images from the scene here near miami. two people have died and more than 20 injured, in a shooting outside a billiard club near miami. eyewitnesses said p people drove up to a concert venue and opened fire on crowds. —— three people. police described the shooting is indiscriminate with at least three people known to have died and police say they are still looking for whoever carried out that shooting, so very much a continuing police operation under there in miami in florida. miami police, as you see there, at least 20 people were shot in indiscriminate firing. 0nce there, at least 20 people were shot in indiscriminate firing. once the police give us more details or give us an update of course we will be in that to you.

the situation in the democratic republic of congo remains "serious but under control" — according to the country's president — a week after a devastating volcanic eruption in the east of the country. hundreds of thousands of people fled the city of goma as mount nyiragongo erupted. yesterday the government mistakenly announced a second eruption was imminent — causing more panic and evacuations. 0ur correspondent emery makumeno has been following events in goma... well, the situation here that there are still lots of tremors happening but less in intensity and frequency, so there is a bit of life going on here but people are still in fear of a second eruption as authorities have warned that it could happen because the earthquakes that have been happening here have provoked cracks on the ground and from those a possible emission of molten lava

could emerge and, especially, if it emerges from this lake just next to me here it could be devastating because the lake has a concentration of methane gas which could promote an explosion or asphyxia to the population. the headlines on bbc news... calls for the uk government to have an open debate with the public about restriction easing plans onjune the 21st. the group that represents nhs trusts in england warns of the pressures being faced by hospitals. the newly—elected leader of the democratic unionist party accuses the eu of using northern ireland as a "play thing" to punish the uk for brexit saying it's playing "fast and loose" with the peace process. and... borisjohnson marries his fiancee carrie symonds in a secret ceremony at westminster cathedral.

a new nationalflagship is to be commissioned by the government in a bid to boost british trade and industry overseas, the prime minister has said. the royal navy vessel — which will cost a reported £200 million and be in service for 30 years — would be used to host trade fairs and diplomatic meetings. it will be the successor to the royal yacht britannia, which was retired in 1997. we are trying to find out today what people with some expertise in the sort of thing make of the idea. lord ricketts is the former british ambassador to france and national security adviser and sits as a crossbencher in the house of lords. hello and very good afternoon.

hello. my track well, is it a good idea? no, ithink hello. my track well, is it a good idea? no, i think it is a lousy idea, obviously. ithink idea? no, i think it is a lousy idea, obviously. i think it is a colossal waste of money because i don't think it's at all relevant to the way that modern business and modern contracts are negotiated. the government says it wants britain to be a science and technology superpower, which is great, but i don't think the corporate bosses of the world's great high—tech companies and financial companies are going to be all that impressed by an invitation to go to some distant port and have a cocktail on board a ship in the harbour so i think it harks back generations to the way export promotion was done many many years ago and isn't relevant to promoting modern high—tech button in the modern world. so high-tech button in the modern world. ., high-tech button in the modern world, ., ., , high-tech button in the modern world. ., ., ., ~ ., world. so how does an idea like that net si . ned world. so how does an idea like that get signed off. _ world. so how does an idea like that get signed off, then? _ world. so how does an idea like that get signed off, then? because - get signed off, then? because presumably enough people must think that this is a terrific idea if that much money is going to be spent? well, clearly some people think it is a great idea inside the

government and the conservative party. i wonder how many senior british business leaders have been consulted. i doubt that they would see this as a good idea. they want a visiting leader to meet business leaders in another country that is a cost of the british ambassador�*s residence which is of course a much better in convenient place to go in the capital city and some distant port and i also wonder what the royal navy chiefs would think of this. if we already have a national flagship closed, and this extraordinary aircraft character the queen elizabeth two that we now have it seems to be an enormous waste of navy manpower to crew a ship that has no defence value at all. the government _ has no defence value at all. the government says _ has no defence value at all. the government says it _ has no defence value at all. the government says it will be the first vessel of its kind in the world. since there that they think it is innovative and different and if no other country does face the uk will stand out having this beautiful vessel? is that part of the thinking, if no other country has it

it is original, i suppose?— it is original, i suppose? well, ma be it is original, i suppose? well, maybe another _ it is original, i suppose? well, maybe another reason - it is original, i suppose? well, maybe another reason why - it is original, i suppose? well, maybe another reason why no | it is original, i suppose? well, - maybe another reason why no other country has one is perhaps because no other country thinks it is necessary. it really does hark back to a period when ships like the royal yacht tanya went and did promotion in great britain in a very different world and i think the fact no other country has a ship like this is because, honestly, that idea is now so long out of date and there are much more modern and professional ways of presenting a high—tech face of britain to the world, so i'm afraid i don't think the fact that it is going to be the first of its kind is much comfort. in a way, i would say that it's perhaps the last of its kind and don't really not to have been pursued. i don't really not to have been ursued. ., don't really not to have been pursued-— don't really not to have been ursued. . i. ~ ,, pursued. i mean, everyone keeps talkin: pursued. i mean, everyone keeps talking about _ pursued. i mean, everyone keeps talking about it _ pursued. i mean, everyone keeps talking about it as _ pursued. i mean, everyone keeps talking about it as a _ pursued. i mean, everyone keeps talking about it as a successor - pursued. i mean, everyone keeps talking about it as a successor to | talking about it as a successor to the royal yacht britannia. i wonder whether you think that is fair or accurate. i mean, that was for the use of the royal family and we remember the beautiful images of

bygone years and while the sections on honeymoons and much more besides and this is to be used for business and this is to be used for business and trade purposes and the government is very clear about this and i would if we are trait a dharma completing two things, actually. i think that is a very good point. i have not heard any suggestion that the royal family think this is a goodidea the royal family think this is a good idea and i think the royal family properly want to keep this at arms length because they don't want to be seen as commissioning some very expensive asset for use of the royal family, very expensive asset for use of the royalfamily, and i think their instincts are probably good on that so, no, it harks back to those wonderful images of the royal yacht britannia and before that king edward the 70 conducting his royal, kingly diplomacy around the world, but those days are past. this isn't going to be a royal yacht britannia and i honestly don't see how it fits into promotion of modern, high—tech britain. into promotion of modern, high-tech britain. ., ., into promotion of modern, high-tech britain. ., ~' , ., , into promotion of modern, high-tech britain. ., ~ , . into promotion of modern, high-tech britain. ., ,, , . ., britain. thank you very much for talkin: to britain. thank you very much for talking to you — britain. thank you very much for talking to you and _ britain. thank you very much for talking to you and thank- britain. thank you very much for talking to you and thank you - britain. thank you very much for talking to you and thank you for| talking to you and thank you for giving a part of your bank holiday afternoon. thank you.

protestors have ta ken to the streets in brazil's largest cities to demand the impeachment of presidentjair bolsonaro over his response to the coronavirus pandemic. brazil has the world's second—highest covid death rate, after the us. nearly half a million people have lost their lives. president bolsonaro says his opposition to lockdowns is designed to protect the economy. at least seven civilians have been killed in a mortar attack in northern afghanistan. local officials said the mortar landed on a house where a wedding ceremony was taking place in kapisa province. eight others were wounded. reports said the incident happened as the security forces clashed with the taliban in a nearby area. both sides blamed each other for the mortar attack. earlier, a roadside bomb hit a bus carrying university employees in the province of parwan, killing four of them. president emmanuel macron, has warned that france would withdraw its troops from mali if political instability there leads

to greater islamist radicalisation. it follows the second coup in nine months in the west african nation. france currently has more than 5,000 troops operating across the sahel region conducting anti—insurgency operations. mr macron said he had told regional leaders that france would not support countries where there was no democratic legitimacy or transition. it is now 22 minutes passed. more than a hundred long—tailed macaque monkeys that were being illegally smuggled in the back of a pick—up truck have been rescued in thailand. a field hospital has been set up to treat 80 of them. you may find some of the images in russell trott�*s report distressing. sedated but safe. rescued macaque monkeys, many pregnant, being treated by thai medical teams.

more than 100 were discovered — terrified, struggling and gasping for air, in mesh bags tied together and being transported to the cambodian border. 18 didn't make it. translation: the monkeys i were exhausted and dehydrated for a long time. some of them had respiratory problems because of overcrowding during the smuggling operation. wildlife smuggling in asia is nothing new — tigers, along with other animals have been traded, dead or alive, to neighbouring countries in what is a lucrative, if illegal, business. the authorities have been intercepting the banned wildlife shipments, but closing down the ruthless gangs behind it is a more difficult proposition. the smuggling of the monkeys was a carefully planned operation. a pickup truck was eventually intercepted at a checkpoint

and taken to a field hospital equipped with ultrasound scanners and breathing tubes. the driver of the truck says he didn't know the animals were in the back of the vehicle. he's being detained and questioned about wildlife smuggling. russell trott, bbc news. the grammy—winning american singer b] thomas — best remembered for the 1969 hit �*raindrops keep fallin' on my head' — has died at the age of 78. the song — written by burt bacharach and hal david for the film butch cassidy and the sundance kid — won the oscar for best original song. billyjoe thomas died at his home in texas from lung cancer. the new european champions chelsea are returning to the uk after their victory over manchester city in an all—english champions league final in porto. the west london side won eureopan football's biggest prize for a second time in their history in front of 16,500 spectators

in the portuguese city. 0ur sport correspondent 0lly foster is in porto — he said last night's celebrations for those fans in the city were restricted by bar curfews. by the time the match finished, and all those chelsea and manchester city fans got back into the centre of town here, all the bars had shut. there there was, like, a half—past ten curfew. that is what the authorities decided to do around this match, but it has been fantastic for the best part of two or three days, all those fans finding a way to get here. first of all getting their lucky

ticket, because there was a reduced capacity in the stadium because of covid, but porto and portugal stepping in to rescue the champions league once again, as they did last year as well. you mentioed it should have been in turkey, and they put on a really, really good show here. some anxiety among the locals that suddenly, out of nowhere, 16,500 from outside their shores descending on their city, because, obviously, portugal, like many other nations, have had it really tough with covid for the last year or so. for the past year or so. but it's gone really well and really well for chelsea as well. what we have seen here behind us, we came down and wondered where to go first thing in the morning, why don't we go down to the big inflatable champions league trophy where all the selfies are taken? and, as we got here, they took the air out of it, which kind of sums manchester city's state of mind this morning. but what a performance for chelsea, who were probably the slight underdogs yesterday evening. 0lly foster there in porto. weather with chris fawkes.

high. we have had a real change of weather forecast. high. we have had a real change of weatherforecast. think high. we have had a real change of weather forecast. think about how wet and cold this month has been. today we have got some shine with us, staying with us for the next few days. warm as well, temperatures at the moment up to 23 celsius in liverpool. in aberdeenshire too. why the big difference? well, it comes down to cloud. we have got high pressure, as they say, dominating the picture and bringing clear skies to many of us. we do have this low cloud just lapping onto the schools, shores of eastern england in eastern scotland. the weather is rather drab, to say the least, little change expected. now, take a look at the big picture through the rest of the big picture through the rest of the day to day. probably staying pretty murky, particularly through the coastline of eastern scotland around aberdeenshire. cold here but otherwise plenty of sunshine. temperatures of 23 degrees in

liverpool and could get 23—24, i suppose, over the next hour or so and that some shine. the night tonight the mist and fog will reform particularly across eastern scotland into eastern and central areas of england so simple visibility around an temperature slowly drifting around to around 7—10 celsius, not terribly cold. tomorrow the mist and fog will take two is a clever way but this is a bank holiday and this is a sunny. i'm pretty excited at the weather prospects, really, for the weather prospects, really, for the better bank holiday monday. in the better bank holiday monday. in the sunshine it is going to be even warmer, if anything, the sunshine it is going to be even warmer, ifanything, but temperatures reaching highs of 2a celsius in london, 22 in glasgow. in glasgow. in the sunshine, given light winds, it will feel pleasant out and about. the sun is pretty strong at this time of year so it might be worth considering some sun cream if you are out for any length of time. again, tuesday, a predominantly sunny day with high temperatures, again. looking at 23 degrees in glasgow are not bad for

belfast, 19. london gets up to 25 celsius on tuesday. there will be some changes for mid week as an area of low pressure comes up from our south listening some thundery downpours. wednesday, still, we'll have a lot of dry weather for most of the uk but we will start to see some of these thunderstorms working into some southern and western areas and it will tend to just ease the temperatures for these parts weather is where the sunshine state with us in london, for example, it could be the hottest day of the year so far with eyes of the year so far with eyes up to just ease the temperatures for these parts were those where the sunshine stays with us in london, for example, it could be the hottest day of the year so far with isa 26.

hello this is bbc news with mejane hill. the headlines... there are calls for the government to have an open debate with the public about plans to ease covid restrictions injune. the group that represents nhs trusts in england warns of the pressures currently faced by hospitals. the newly—elected leader of the democratic unionist party accuses the eu of using northern ireland as a "play thing"

to punish the uk for brexit — saying it's playing "fast and loose"