“We must take this next step with a heavy dose of caution", says Prime Minister Boris Johnson as coronavirus lockdown restrictions ease in England, Wales and most of Scotland from today. Indoor eating and drinking at pubs, restaurants and cafes is back and so are holidays abroad as the ban on foreign travel is lifted - but quarantine may apply depending on your destination. Millions of people will be able to hug loved ones again and socialise indoors. The rules vary in each of the nations but most people will be able to do more than they have been able to do for months.
Mr Johnson urges “everyone to be cautious and take responsibility when enjoying new freedoms today in order to keep the virus at bay" and also to get tested twice a week. His warning and the rule changes come as the Indian variant continues to spread in the UK, with mass testing rolled out to hotspots. While the British Medical Association described the easing of lockdown as a "real worry", Mr Johnson said the government was keeping the variant "under close observation". Northern Ireland will review lockdown rules on Wednesday.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas has entered its second week with Israeli warplanes earlier launching air strikes on several areas of Gaza City, shortly after Hamas fired a barrage of rockets at southern Israel. It comes as Palestinian officials in Gaza said Sunday was the deadliest day since the current fighting with Israel began. United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres pleaded for an immediate end to the "utterly appalling" violence. And warned that further fighting could plunge the region into an "uncontainable crisis". The UN has warned of fuel shortages in Gaza which could lead to hospitals and other facilities losing power. Lynn Hastings, UN deputy special co-ordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, told us she had appealed to Israeli authorities to allow it to bring in fuel and supplies but was told it was not safe.

UK plastic waste is being exported to Turkey and then illegally dumped and burned, according to a new report. Greenpeace investigated 10 sites across the south of the country and found plastic bags and packaging from UK supermarkets and retailers at all of them – investigators also discovered packaging for a coronavirus antigen test. Some 210,000 tonnes or about 40% of the UK’s plastic waste exports were sent to Turkey last year, according to the report. Investigators saw waste dumped by roads, in fields and waterways rather than being recycled. As Greenpeace called on the government to "take control", the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it is "committed to banning the export of plastic waste to non-OECD countries and clamping down on illegal waste exports - including to countries such as Turkey - through tougher controls".

Coronavirus restrictions easing in England, Wales and most of Scotland is the top story in many of the papers this morning. "Don't blow it, Britain" says the Daily Mail as Prime Minister Boris Johnson urges a "heavy dose of caution" now that people can hug loved ones and visit pubs and restaurants indoors again. The warning comes as the Indian variant of the virus continues to spread across the country. People should “ignore” the lockdown measures that are being eased, according to health experts, reports the Guardian. While the Daily Mirror says it’s "happy hours… for now", referring to comments made by Health Secretary Matt Hancock who warned the Indian variant could "spread like wildfire" among those who haven't been vaccinated. You can read the front pages here.

When the pandemic hit, we spoke to some economists to ask them to help us understand what was going on. It’s been a year and we’ve gone back to them to see how right, or wrong, they were. And as the last Debenhams stores closed over the weekend, we’ve spoken to two women who have worked at one of the shops since the 1970s. They looked back after the past few decades and said, “it’s only fixtures and fittings, we’ll still be friends”.

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