Thats 600,000 more than february last year. An outstanding 100 by an outstanding player. Scoring a hundred at his 100th test joe root� s special day. This is a meeting called by two councillors. This is a meeting called by two councillors. You this is a meeting called by two councillors. You may| this is a meeting called by two councillors. You may now councillors. Illegally. You may now elect a chairman. Councillors. Illegally. You may now elect a chairman. They councillors. Illegally. You may now elect a chairman. They cant councillors. Illegally. You may now. Elect a chairman. They cant because the vicechair elect a chairman. They cant because the vicechair is elect a chairman. They cant because the vicechair is here, elect a chairman. They cant because the vicechair is here, i elect a chairman. They cant because the vicechair is here, i take the vice chair is here, i take charge and when Online Meetings go wrong the Parish Council session thats gone viral. Hello, good afternoon. Covid infections are continuing to fall in most parts of the uk, with one in 65 people testing positive in england in the last week of january. New figures from the office for National Statistics show a drop in scotland and Northern Ireland, with infections remaining level in wales. The latest official data also shows the r number has fallen to between 0. 7 and 1. It comes amidst calls for the government to give more details on the easing of Lockdown Measures. The government says it plans to give everyone in england who is over 50 or clinically vulnerable at least one dose of vaccine by may. 0ur Health Correspondent katherine da costa reports. The uk has made a strong start to its Vaccination Programme. More than 10 Million People have now had theirfirst dose. In the next few weeks, experts say immunisation should have a real impact on reducing deaths and Hospital Admissions. That has prompted a small number of conservative backbenchers to renew calls for an early end to lockdown. We know what the government said was the reason for this third lockdown. Now that that threat is receding, we ought to be, and indeed we are, and the government says we are, looking to open up. We also know now that the vaccines are going to benefit, with the enormous number of people who have been vaccinated, and we also know the vaccines are going to benefit, in terms of transmissions, in terms of cutting hospitalisations. All of those metrics should be moving rapidly in the right direction. Latest figures show infections are falling across most of the uk and have levelled off in wales. But prevalence remains high, with the office of National Statistics estimating one in 65 had the virus in england in the week to last saturday. But the Health Service is still under intense pressure, with 50 more Covid Patients than during the first peak last spring. Health Officials Say cases need to be at very low levels before restrictions are eased to avoid another surge. This virus is not pleasant for patients. Its not pleasant to deal with and we would like to see levels at a really safe level before we take our foot off the gas. We dont want to be in this position again and we want our hospitals in some sort of state that they can cope with what used to be normal, if we are going to head back towards that. Vaccination remains our best way of tackling the virus. Assessments of the roll out so far have found both the pfizer and astrazeneca vaccines are extremely safe. Data up to the 24th Of January found nearly 23,000 suspected side effects were reported. Thats about three in every 1000 people. The vast majority of cases were mild, such as a sore arm or tiredness. Severe allergic reactions to the Pfizer Vaccine are very rare, affecting between one and two cases per 100,000. Because of the risk, doctors have said that people with a history of significant allergic reactions should not have the Pfizer Vaccine. They have data from essentially 10 Million People, and they look as safe as they were reported in the earliest studies. So that is really encouraging. That is a huge amount of data showing that, essentially, the side effects are no different to most vaccines that we get. I hope that will be very reassuring to the general public. Assessments will continue as the roll out is wrapped up. The government hopes to have offered more than 30 Million People, thats all the over 50s and those with health conditions, a jab by the spring. Katharine da costa, bbc news. 0ur Health Editor hugh pym gave me this update on how the Coronavirus Situation is looking in the uk. This week has brought more positive news, hasnt it . We learned a couple of days ago for example from professor chris whitty, the uk governments chief medical adviser, that in the view of him and fellow experts, we are past the peak. Things were moving in the right direction. We know that daily reported case numbers are down around a quarter week on week, nearly the same for new daily Hospital Admissions and now we have had the 0ns survey, we had about that a bit earlier, which is a broader survey of infections, because it takes in people that do not know they have the virus and do not know they have the virus and do not have symptoms, and that does it suggest last week, in england, scotland and Northern Ireland at least, case rates were falling, or that they were level in wales. Things are looking more optimistic and that is why we are hearing political calls for the Lockdown Restrictions to be eased more rapidly, but also warnings from the nhs that there is still a large number of patients in hospital with covid 19, those overall Hospital Numbers remain high. We had a warning also earlier this week that the current Vaccination Programme focusing on at the top for macro parity groups, those aged 70 and over, would have an impact there. Does make a top Priority Groups. People will continue getting sick with covid 19 for a little while yet, so the general message certainly from the nhs is that pressure is likely to continue for some time. They should not be any easing off before we are a bit surer about the situation. Lets speak now to david spiegelhalter, professor of statistics at cambridge university. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Some climmers of good afternoon. Good afternoon. Some glimmers of good good afternoon. Good afternoon. Some glimmers of good news good afternoon. Good afternoon. Some glimmers of Good News Again good afternoon. Good afternoon. Some glimmers of Good News Again today. I glimmers of Good News Again today. We try to clutch at these, we want good news, what is your take on it . It is good news across all the metrics. The number of new cases is coming down really quite rapidly, the number of new people going into hospital with covid and the number of deaths is coming down as well. Nearly halved in the last two and half weeks from their peak back on the 19th of january. Half weeks from their peak back on the 19th ofjanuary. But half weeks from their peak back on the 19th of january. But it can seem a bit paradoxical, because the actual number of people with the infection is only coming down slowly, as we heard from 0ns today, it is still one in 65 of the people in the country. But because people carry that infection for quite some time, it does take a while for the lack of new cases, the reduction in new cases, to feed through into the number of people with the infection. The same thing happens in hospitals, the number of new people going into hospital has been going down really very rapidly, particularly in london, but that takes a while, because people are in hospitalfor some time, to feed through into a reduction in the number of people in hospital, but that now is coming down as well. Mil hospital, but that now is coming down as well. Down as well. All of that said thou. H, down as well. All of that said though. We down as well. All of that said though, we have down as well. All of that said though, we have heard down as well. All of that said though, we have heard from| down as well. All of that said though, we have heard from medics who say great, but please do not be complacent here, is that still the right message, do you think . Yes. Complacent here, is that still the right message, do you think . Yes, it is uuite right message, do you think . Yes, it is quite obvious right message, do you think . Yes, it is quite obvious that right message, do you think . Yes, it is quite obvious that we right message, do you think . Yes, it is quite obvious that we have right message, do you think . Yes, it is quite obvious that we have to is quite obvious that we have to keep on going, but all these effects we are seeing so far are pretty well just due to the Lockdown Measures we have been enduring. Vaccines will start kicking in soon, from now, even the suggestion from 0ns today that the rate of admissions in over 80 fives is dropping faster than in other groups, so this isjust starting to kick in. In over 85s. If we loosen up immediately, we would see a research in the cases and as your Health Editor says, even among younger people, if enough people get it, would still mean great pressure on hospitals. find people get it, would still mean great pressure on hospitals. And you have anticipated great pressure on hospitals. And you have anticipated where great pressure on hospitals. And you have anticipated where i great pressure on hospitals. And you have anticipated where i was great pressure on hospitals. And you have anticipated where i was going l have anticipated where i was going with your thoughts there, because you will note there is pressure on the government all the time around lockdown. We think it is good news figures are coming down, but it puts pressure on the government around lockdown, that would be the danger, wouldnt it . In lockdown, that would be the danger, wouldnt it . , ,. , wouldnt it . In the end of this is a olitical wouldnt it . In the end of this is a political decision. Wouldnt it . In the end of this is a political decision. We wouldnt it . In the end of this is a political decision. We could wouldnt it . In the end of this is a political decision. We could carryl political decision. We could carry on trying to suppress many groups, get it right down, like other countries have done. There are other pressures to loosen up, especially to open schools, and that will quite possibly mean an increase in number of cases, but we are now protecting the most vulnerable in society, so i think this is a political decision aboutjust think this is a political decision about just what balance think this is a political decision aboutjust what balance is think this is a political decision about just what balance is felt acceptable to take in terms of the impact on the Health Service and on the economy. Impact on the Health Service and on the economy impact on the Health Service and on the economy. Yes, would you want to be in at number the economy. Yes, would you want to be in at number ten the economy. Yes, would you want to be in at number ten at the economy. Yes, would you want to be in at number ten at the the economy. Yes, would you want to be in at number ten at the moment . | be in at number ten at the moment . No, i am be in at number ten at the moment . No, iam not be in at number ten at the moment . No, i am not taking sides, i am really pleased i do not have to make these decisions, because they are extremely difficult. Extremely difficult. Yes, absolutely, extremely difficult. Yes, absolutely, always extremely difficult. Yes, absolutely, always good | extremely difficult. Yes, i absolutely, always good to extremely difficult. Yes, absolutely, always good to talk to you, thank you very much. The government has been defending its plans to quarantine people arriving in the uk, in a scheme due to begin in 10 days time. People travelling from countries with high Infection Rates will have to stay in a hotel at their own expense, in an effort to control the spread of new variants of coronavirus. Labour says the scheme should extend to all international travellers. Helena wilkinson reports. Its Hotels Near Airports like heathrow which are expected to sign up. Once a uk resident or Irish National arrives from one of 30 covid hotspots, they will be escorted and required to quarantine for ten nights in a hotel. The government says they are working at pace and hotels will have enough time to prepare. The whole point of this is that we give the hotels notice, because they will need to change the way they operate. We are asking them to do something very different. We are giving them time to make adjustments and we are also giving ourselves time to ensure that this policy is effective, by working with International Partners and giving our Border Enforcement Officials the time they need to prepare to make this work. The Quarantine Rules are being brought in to control the spread of new variants of the virus. But some hotels say they have not been contacted by the government. Others say they wont have enough time to prepare. Meher nawab is Chief Executive of the london hotel group, which already runs a hotel that accommodates people quarantining because of covid. It took them nine months to set up. There has been no open dialogue between the Hospitality Sector and the government. I sent a step plan to them last week, and yesterday afternoon a document has come out and they are expecting people to fill that document in and submit it, and get these hotels open on the 15th Of February. Labour says the scheme should be extended to all international travellers, notjust some countries. It is utterly shambolic that this is being brought into effect on the 15th Of February. That is over 50 days since the South African Strain was first discovered in this country. And little wonder, frankly, that it reached our shores. It is expected more than 1000 residents per day will return from places where new variants are prevalent. Details on how passengers will book their place in a Quarantine Hotel are expected to be set out by the government next week. Helena wilkinson, bbc news. We will talk more about the hotels issue in a moment. Lets get more now from our Political Correspondent damian grammaticas. I dont how much of david you could hear, but he was saying what a difficult political decision this is, because there is good news in terms of infections coming down, but this puts more pressure on the government in terms of lockdown, when can we ease it . I government in terms of lockdown, when can we ease it . When can we ease it . I think the rofessor when can we ease it . I think the professor was when can we ease it . I think the professor was pretty when can we ease it . I think the professor was pretty spot when can we ease it . I think the professor was pretty spot on when can we ease it . I think the professor was pretty spot on on | when can we ease it . I think the i professor was pretty spot on on the different pressures and difficulties and exactly as you say, he was pointing out that indications from the numbers are starting to look like they are trending in the right direction. The Vaccine Programme may be starting to showjust a little glimmer of what it might be able to do and that increases the pressure for a clear or changes in government thinking, but as he said, these come down to difficult decisions that the government and cabinet have to face and ones that are being actively discussed and ones that will not be any surprise to know there are different views and those that relate to the Education Secretary once school is open quicker, the government is looking at the beginning of march, will it be able to do that . The Health Secretary is cautious, the chancellor is worried about businesses, all of these are in the mix. What we do know now is that may come at the beginning of may, the today is the date by which they think all over 50s and vulnerable groups should have had a dose of the vaccine. Local elections will go ahead, so that is a point at which people will be looking and saying what can we open up by then . What about schools . Will there be a phased opening of businesses . What about Outdoor Sports . Lots of different questions there and the middle of february is the date they are saying they will lay out the plan. These will be very difficult judgments. Remember, 110,000 deaths, three lockdowns, a into this and all of those mean that everyone is very conscious about the impact that any decision could have to future death numbers, future possibilities of having to go back into any lockdown, which will be a very difficult decision indeed. Which will be a very difficult decision indeed. ,. ,. ,. , ~ decision indeed. Yes, for now, Thank Ou Ve Decision indeed. Yes, for now, thank you very much decision indeed. Yes, for now, thank you very much as decision indeed. Yes, for now, thank you very much. As i decision indeed. Yes, for now, thank you very much. As i say, decision indeed. Yes, for now, thank you very much. As i say, lets decision indeed. Yes, for now, thank you very much. As i say, lets talk i you very much. As i say, lets talk about hotels and how that whole scheme could work for people arriving in this country. Uk port and Airport Hotels are represented by kate nichols from uk hospitality. Is that correct . Yes, we are the National Trade is that correct . Yes, we are the National Trade body is that correct . Yes, we are the National Trade body that is that correct . Yes, we are the National Trade body that represents hotels and many members will be providing hotels, airport and Port Of Entry hotels throughout the uk. And you say they will be providing them, how much do people know . What are people saying . We them, how much do people know . What are people saying . Are people saying . We had the tender document published are people saying . We had the tender document published last are people saying . We had the tender document published last night. Are people saying . We had the tender document published last night. Those| document published last night. Those hotels with the announcement of the scheme will start from the 15th Of February. We have clearly been in discussions with the government throughout this pandemic of how we can hows people in a crisis, that includes people who are homeless, but also people who are self isolating and now quarantine, so we now have the details about what the services at the hotels will need to provide and the support services that go along it and our hotels stand ready to be able to support the government in providing this Quarantine Service from the 15th Of February. Quarantine service from the 15th of februa. � ,. , Quarantine Service from the 15th of februa. � , february. And your members feel it is workable. February. And your members feel it is workable, do february. And your members feel it is workable, do they . February. And your members feel it is workable, do they . Are february. And your members feel it is workable, do they . Are there february. And your members feel it| is workable, do they . Are there any anxieties, and thinking particularly of the experience we have seen in australia where a case did break out in a Similarsort Australia where a case did break out in a similar sort of setup, or any of them expressing concerns around keeping at their own people safe . I think that is a first and foremost be concerned that any business has when they are looking at reopening. How do they make sure that their teams are kept safe . Fortunately we have a lot of International Experience in providing Quarantine Hotels in other parts of the world and also in making sure that we keep our teams are safe when at the early part of the crisis we housed nhs staff, convalescent patients and the homeless, so we are confident that our covid secure protocols will ensure teams are safe and what we got from the government last night doesnt set out how we can provide that service to make sure we do keep protection for stock does set out how we can provide that service. There are only a small number that will be required to accommodate the 1000 people a day and we can confident we can do it in a covid secure way and accommodate people in the crisis but also make sure those coming through are looked after, cared for and have a warm welcome. That is interesting you say that, because some people following this story might think what is in it for the hotel . Theyjust think it is the right thing to do . I the hotel . Theyjust think it is the right thing to do . Right thing to do . I think there is a art of right thing to do . I think there is a part of how right thing to do . I think there is a part of how can right thing to do . I think there is a part of how can we right thing to do . I think there is a part of how can we play right thing to do . I think there is a part of how can we play our right thing to do . I think there is | a part of how can we play our part of getting us out of this pandemic . How can we make sure we driver down Infection Levels in the country and what can we do . The sector as a whole has stepped up to try and help as much as we can throughout this pandemic crisis and this is part and parcel of this. Quarantine is needed in order to drive down infection to allow the domestic industry to open more quickly when the time is right over the spring and summer, then thatis over the spring and summer, then that is something we would want to do to help and clearly there are people who are going to need to be accommodated and we have facilities that are available to them. Good accommodated and we have facilities that are available to them. That are available to them. Good to talk to you. That are available to them. Good to talk to you, thank that are available to them. Good to talk to you, thank you that are available to them. Good to talk to you, thank you very that are available to them. Good to talk to you, thank you very much. That are available to them. Good to l talk to you, thank you very much for now. Waless Education Minister Kirsty Williams says the country is not yet in a position to allow all School Pupils to return to the classroom. She confirmed that children aged between three and seven will be back in school from february 22nd, along with some older children on Vocational College courses. But there has been no timetable given for a return for other age groups. Energy bills are to go up for millions of people in april, after the Regulator 0fgem announced a raising of the price cap because of extra costs facing suppliers. The typical bill for someone on a default tariff will go up by nearly £100 a year. Poverty campaigners say the move comes at a time when many families are already struggling because of the pandemic. 0ur Personal Finance correspondent Kevin Peachey has the details. Forjanet and her family, lockdown life means their energy use and bills are going up, but the regulator, 0fgem, will soon allow suppliers to charge more. A higher price cap affects people who havent switched suppliers or whose Discount Deals have expired. I have three children. Ive got two Working From Home at the moment because of covid and because the offices are shut. The energy that we use, gas and electric, we use on a daily basis and usually it goes on in the morning at about 6 30am to warm the house. Its staying on constantly until probably 8 30pm at night. It means bills will go up by £96 a year when using a typical amount of gas and electricity bought from the same supplier. Thats likely to take an annual bill to £1,138. Those who switch can bring that down to £851 a year, but even the cheapest deals around went up by £50 at the end of last year. The new cap means Prepayment Metre customers may also see bills go up by nearly £90 a year. With an estimated two Million People behind on paying energy bills and covid related Government Support schemes winding down, Debt Charities say the financial squeeze will tighten. We are particularly worried about the impact on people on benefits. They are already facing planned cuts to their benefits, at exactly the same time as this planned price increase. So, we are worried those people are going to face a double whammy of hits to their income, and increased bills at the same time. Part of the price rise is to allow suppliers to cover their costs when consumers cant pay, but the regulator denies this willjust make matters worse. We appreciate this is really difficult time for many families out there, not only financially but all the other pressures were facing from the covid crisis, but the reason were making this change is costs in the market fell to their lowest level last year and have come back up again and that is reflected in the prices that people will need to pay. Janet knows that pressure will come. We have found that if you have dual fuel you tend to get a better deal, but i havent looked at the Energy Prices recently. Im not looking forward to my next bill. Winter worries which now look set to bring a financial chill to spring, as well. Kevin peachy, bbc news. Joing me is adam scorer, who is the Chief Executive of the fuel Poverty Charity National Energy action. Good afternoon, your thoughts . First, it is not an issue with the price cap, we know that will mean costs will go up and down, that needs to be reflected. The issue we have got is we need more protection for the most vulnerable households. As your piece that said, people are at home in lockdown, using more, paying more, they end up owing more, all the time when they are earning less and the pinch is going to be extreme. It is notjust about income and bills, but anyone is paying more, with people on the lowest incomes with the least efficient homes, they will be paying 50 more overwinter lockdown, so we need to refocus on making sure that regulatory protection and government policy does more for the most vulnerable. Policy does more for the most vulnerable. ,. ,. , vulnerable. 0fgem says it is aware of a lot of issues vulnerable. 0fgem says it is aware of a lot of issues and vulnerable. 0fgem says it is aware of a lot of issues and wants vulnerable. 0fgem says it is aware of a lot of issues and wants to of a lot of issues and wants to ensure people are still paying a fair price. It does always as well point out again that the millions of households that are affected here are those who never switch or whose initial policy that might be more affordable has expired and they do not to do anything about that. That seems there is an onus on the individual, the customer, tojust keep switching and keep monitoring it. Is that fair enough . It is keep switching and keep monitoring it. Is that fair enough . It. Is that fair enough . It is fair enou h it. Is that fair enough . It is fair enough that it. Is that fair enough . It is fair enough that a it. Is that fair enough . It is fair enough that a proportion it. Is that fair enough . It is fair enough that a proportion of. It. Is that fair enough . It is fair| enough that a proportion of the population, but lets think about those who cannot switch. We have millions of people on a prepaid metres, the market is not set to offer them better tariffs to switch very easily. We used to have, as well as the default cap, a particular cap for people on Prepayment Metres which was deeper and more generous and more supportive of these vulnerable consumers. It was a mistake to roll those two things together, we need to get back to deeper protection for people on Prepayment Metre for who the market is not providing the best sort of tariffs and savings as they are for people on a dual fuel and paying a direct debit. To come back to the point, this is not about whether the price cap is right or wrong, it is not about whether Market Fundamentals that mean that costs have increased and therefore bills need to increase, it is about if that happens, we need to make sure that the greatest protection is for those people who are most vulnerable and coming out of covid, the importance of the home is Crystal Clear for us. Trite Home Schooling in an ill heated home where they are shivering, denied warm and safe havens like france homes, relatives homes, schools, cafe is and libraries, the impact has been a cumulative and dreadful. Friends homes. And their Service Getting out of the Reach Peoplepockets Will Terrify people. It does seem a way that gas and electricity that the best deals are available online. If you are fully set up online, you can run your bills online and send in your own metre readings, it always strikes me that that is how you are going to get the best value for money and i wonder whether you would feel more could be done it for people who are not in that position . We spent the whole of the pandemic talking about schoolchildren who cannot be taught online because they didnt have a laptop or broadband. Online because they didnt have a laptop or broadband. Absolutely, and it is not because laptop or broadband. Absolutely, and it is not because people laptop or broadband. Absolutely, and it is not because people on laptop or broadband. Absolutely, and it is not because people on low it is not because people on low incomes are less savvy consumers, they are the best budget is across they are the best budget is across the country, but it is the best opportunity to save money is denied to them, people on prepaid metres do not have access to those sort of offers. The Regulatory Framework and the tariffs supplied by suppliers needs to be better suited and more protective of those consumers. The point about the debt is an important one as well, we note the volumes and the impact of debt is increasing. We have to find ways to accelerate getting people through problem energy debt. In the water industry, there is a great scheme when the customer pays £1 there is a great scheme when the customer pays e1 of their debt and the supplier meets it with another pound. The government could do that. The government can say if you pay a pound of your debt, we will match it through a scheme called fuel direct. Regulatory requirements, delay Tree Protections that need to be stronger for the most vulnerable. Government needs to understand how it can help people out of problem debt and we just have to understand that the aggregation, the accumulation of lockdown and the Mental Health and the physical health and the educational pressures, as well as the financial pressures, are putting people yawned what is tolerable and we need to make sure that we protect them. Are pushing people beyond what is tolerable. Two women and a man have died in a series of linked incidents in kilmarnock. It began at the hospital in the town last night. Alexandra mackenzie is there. A very distressing case, what more are the police saying . We a very distressing case, what more are the police saying . A very distressing case, what more are the police saying . We know that there were three are the police saying . We know that there were three incidents, are the police saying . We know that there were three incidents, there i there were three incidents, there were three deaths. Police scotland have said it is very early on in the investigation, but they believe at this stage that the incidents were linked. The first one happened around quarter to eight last night here outside the hospital. A woman was found in her car, suffering from a very serious injuries. We understand that she was given medical care, but she died here at the scene. The second incident happened about 20 minutes later in the town of kilmarnock, which is about two eight miles from here and about two eight miles from here and a 24 year old woman was stabbed. She was brought here at the hospital, treated for those injuries, but she later died. Then, around half past eight, 45 minutes after the first incident, a 40 year old man died in a car crash in the outskirts of the town of kilmarnock. Police have said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with any of the three incidents. They do believe that there is no further threat to the community or to members of the public. flit community or to members of the ublic. ,. , community or to members of the ublic. ~ ,. , public. Of right, thank you very much. Now its time for a look at the weather with sarah keith lucas. For some of us it is fairly springlike out there at the moment, but for others, a real u turn into winter. We still have heavy snowfall across many central and northern parts of scotland, 20 to 30 centimetres, perhaps a 50 over the highest ground, causing significant disruption. Elsewhere raonic i was rattling across parts of england, wales, Northern Ireland could see some of that was not quite heavy rains at times. Three saturday we will continue to see snow across scotland to increasingly low levels and some of that snow working across the hills of Northern England. To the hills of Northern England. To the south, some rain showers and as we move through saturday night into sunday, really cold air moving in on a brisk easterly wind, could beat Blizzard Conditions are developing on sunday down to was east anglia and the south. Temperature is only a degree or two above freezing and it will feel at subzero with the wind chill for and about whether falling in force, we can see heavy snowfall across parts of east anglia and the south east by sunday. Hello this is bbc news. The headlines. The uk r numberfalls to between 0. 7 and one, with case numbers also dropping throughout most of the uk though doctors warn we mustnt be complacent we would like to see levels at a really safe level before we take our foot off the gas. We dont want to be in this position again. And we want our hospitals in some sort of state that they can cope with what used to be normal if we are going to head back towards that. The government defends its scheme to quarantine travellers arriving in the uk, but says it doesnt yet know how many hotels will take part. Gas and electricity bills are to rise for millions of people in april Charities Say its bad timing in december we saw that 2. 1 Million People were behind on their bills. Thats 600,000 more than february last year. This is a meeting called by two councillors. Councillors. Illegally. Itake charae. I take charge. And when Online Meetings go wrong. The Parish Council session thats gone viral. Sport now, for a full round up from the bbc sport centre. England are in control of the first test against india and its mostly thanks to joe root. The england captain scored a century on an impressive first day in chennai. A century on an impressive root is only the third englishman to score a hundred in his 100th test. At close of play england were 263 for three. Andy swiss reports hundred in his hundredth test match. What a player. If sport is all about timing, well, itjust doesnt get better than this. Forjoe root, an unforgettable finale to an unforgettable day. Hed begun it celebrating a different century, his 100th test cap. But if that was sparkling, it was nothing to what followed. Under the hot chennai sunshine, his team wobbled at first, rory burns succumbing to a rush of blood. And its the first wicket down for england. And when dan lawrence quickly followed, india were proving just why they are among the worlds best. Enter root, though, with remarkable results. Class. Pure class. After hundreds in his previous two tests, a hat trick was clearly in his sights. At the other end, he found the perfect partner. Dom sibley reaching a gritty half century. But he was soon being overshadowed by his skipper. 0n current form, root seems in a world of his own, and the outcome was gloriously inevitable. A stunning century and a smile to match. Only the third englishman to make a hundred on his hundredth appearance. Some things are just meant to be. From there, he piled on the agony, although notjust for india. A six and a spot of cramp. But even that couldnt stop him. Just before the close, india did finally trap sibley for 87, but root is still there. It was englands day, but above all it was his. Andy swiss, bbc news. Fantastic innings from joe root. Here is his reaction afterwards. I feel like ifeel like im in good form i feel like im in good form and ifeel like im in good form and i need to cash in on it, i think. 0ver need to cash in on it, i think. Over the course of my career, i havent always made big scores so i need to be going and doing that and currently thats really pleasing. I keep getting myself in positions to make. Ive got to keep me taking them. We will win more games if im doing that. Good news ahead of the Australian Open on monday more than 500 players, support staff and officials, who were told to self isolate ahead of the tournament, have all tested negative for coronavirus. 160 players were among those asked to isolate after a hotel worker tested positive. There were fears it could affect the open after the warm up tournaments had to postpone matches. The draw for the first round has also been made this morning, the only two british men in the singles draw, dan evans and Cameron Norrie play each other. I would say it is a little frustrating for both of us that we have to play each other. But it is what it is now. I will prepare properly, once im done in this tournament, and hopefully win. The former England Rugby league captain sam burgess has been found guilty of an Intimidation Charge in australia. A court in sydney has ruled that Burgess Intimindated his former Father In Law mitchell hooke, with the intention of causing physical or mental harm. Hes been given a conviction and placed on a two year good behaviour bond. Burgess says hell appeal the decision. Lots of premier League Managers having their News Conferences today ahead of tomorrows fixtures. Well bring them to you throughout the day and of course, updates on the bbc sport website. Thats it for now. Thank you very much. More sports news coming up later. Now well be talking about vaccines. Because data about the safety of two Coronavirus Vaccines here in the uk has been published in the last hour. The Medicines Regulator says shows both jabs are safe and the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the risks. The vast majority of side effects reported by those who have had the vaccine include sore arms where the injection was given, muscle pain and mild cold and flu like symptoms that could last for a couple of days. With me now is our Health Correspondentjim reed. That is all positive. I think we knew they were safe but there has been much data coming out generally. 10 Million People in the uk have now been given theirfirst 10 Million People in the uk have now been given their first dose of one of the vaccines. Now, we knew before anyone got these vaccines that they were safe. They have gone through Clinical Trials proving that. This is a slightly different. This is a regulator looking at the real world data. It was at about 7 million because it was an earlier selection of data. They looked at those 7 Million People who had received the vaccine so far and looked at whether people were reporting side effects. The data is broadly positive, sorted in line with Clinical Trial results. They think both vaccines are extremely safe. Three in every 7000 people are reporting a side effect but the vast majority are very mild, things like a fever that lasts for a day or two or a sore arm. They said importantly, if you take one thing from this news today, there are no unexpected serious reactions coming from these vaccines. Nothing coming up from these vaccines. Nothing coming up now that they went to consider but in the original trials. But in the original trials. Thats all positive but in the original trials. Thats all positive. One but in the original trials. Thats all positive. One thing but in the original trials. Thats all positive. One thing we but in the original trials. Thats all positive. One thing we have tried to reflect on the last few weeks is the new variant. That is such a big issue at the moment. Do we know any more about the of the jabs in this country on the new variants . ~. , jabs in this country on the new variants . A,. ,. , jabs in this country on the new variants . Jabs in this country on the new variants . A,. ,. , , variants . More good news this afternoon variants . More good news this afternoon. In variants . More good news this afternoon. In the variants . More good news this afternoon. In the Last Variants . More good news this afternoon. In the last hour variants . More good news this afternoon. In the last hour or. Variants . More good news this i afternoon. In the last hour or so, we have had news from the team at Oxford University who have been putting together their vaccine. They have looked at new data on the efficacy of their vaccine on the new variant in kent. They found that the vaccine seems to workjust as well with both variants. What we dont know yet. Its how well that vaccine works against the South African variant. That is the one we are slightly more concerned about. Astrazeneca 0xford do have a team in south africa looking at that at the moment but we havent had the data back yet. As weve been reflecting, the government is under pressure to tighten Border Controls and prevent new strains of coronavirus entering the country. Door to door testing is taking place in a number of postcodes in an attempt to catch cases of the South African variant. So how worried should we be . Ros atkins reports. Tackling the variants of covid 19 has become central to this pandemic. In england, everyone in certain postcodes is being asked to get a test. In brazil, the city of manaus is seeing a death toll that is rising. In south africa, hospitals are running out of oxygen. Understandably, there is fear of how this virus is mutating. But how worried should we be . Im more worried than i was. Its incrementally scarier than where we were a month or two ago. Lets be clear. Whats happening is normal. Viruses do mutate. They change all the time. The variants were expected, but they still pose a problem for a number of reasons. First, some are more transmissible. Studies like this one from the lancet show that the uk variant spreads up to 70 faster. And theres another concern. There is a realistic possibility that this variant may be associated with increased mortality, compared to the old variant. Faster spreading, potentially more deadly. Then there is how we defend ourselves. People whove been vaccinated, or who have had covid 19 already, have antibodies in the blood which give them protection. But its possible these antibodies may not resist all variants equally. The virus seems able to evade that immune response, evade that immunity from being previously infected, and infect you again. But as well as these concerns, theres better news, too. Pfizer and moderna have both announced their vaccines still work against new variants. Were expecting trial data from astrazeneca, too. But if thats now, what about the future . There are certain to be more variants. Well, scientists are confident they can deal with them for two reasons. First of all, vaccines can be adapted. It is actually a relatively straightforward process. It only takes a matter of months, rather than the huge efforts that everyone went through last year. And second, case numbers in the uk are falling. The National Lockdown means these variants are infecting fewer people, and thats bought some time. As long as we manage to roll out the vaccine effectively, to all Vulnerable People, it shouldnt have too much of an impact going forward. They can be no doubt that the variants have complicated this pandemic. They will be a feature of life for months, if not years to come. But we should emphasise, scientists remain confident that, in time, the virus, in all its forms, can and will be contained. Ros atkins reporting there. President biden has pledged to rebuild americas alliances and that the country will re engage with the world, in his first major Foreign Policy speech. But he warned russia that the us will no longer roll over for president putin. Lebo diseko reports. This wasjoe biden� s First Official visit to a Government Department as president. That he chose the agency which is home to the nations diplomats is significant. The president had a clear message about his countrys role in the world stage. America is back. Diplomacy is back at the centre of our Foreign Policy. This is a return to multilateralism after four years of america first. American alliances are our greatest asset, and leading with diplomacy means Standing Shoulder to shoulder with our allies and key partners once again. By leading with diplomacy, we must also mean engaging our adversaries and our competitors diplomatically. The most serious of those competitors, said President Biden, is china. He says it poses a direct threat to americas prosperity, security, and democratic values, and he promised to push back on what he called beijings attack on human rights, intellectual property, and global governance. Russia too was singled out for undermining democracy both at home and abroad. Mr biden criticised the jailing of Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny. He said he would work with moscow where it was in us interests, but where it wasnt, he would take a tougher approach. I made it clear to president putin, in a manner very different from my predecessor, that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of russias aggressive actions, interfering with our elections, cyber attacks, poisoning its citizens, are over. 0n the conflict that has led to what the un because the Worlds Largest humanitarian crisis, a Key Announcement the us will end its support for saudi arabias Military Offensive in yemen. Its a sharp change from the policy of donald trump, who had increased its backing of the saudi led coalition. President biden says he will halt the withdrawal of us troops stationed in germany. Donald trump had repeatedly accused germany of not paying enough President Biden says he will halt the withdrawal of us troops stationed in germany. Donald trump had repeatedly accused germany of not paying enough for its own defence. He ordered the withdrawal last year, although it had not yet begun. Again and again, joe biden stressed that america is ready to resume its Leadership Role on the world stage. No doubt us allies will be pleased about the re engagement, but equally doubts are likely to remain over whether they can trust that america is back to stay. Lebo diseko, bbc news, washington. Donald trump has said he wont testify at his Impeachment Trial in the Us Senate Next week. His lawyers say the proceedings are unconstitutional. The former president is accused of inciting the attack on the Capitol Building in washington dc last month. The headlines on bbc news. The number of people testing positive for covid 19 fell to one in 65 in england last week with a slight drop in the uk r number to between 0. 7 and 1. The government defends its scheme to quarantine travellers arriving in the uk, but says it doesnt yet know how many hotels will take part. Gas and electricity bills are to rise for millions of people in april. Charities say its bad timing. Its been confirmed that local council and mayoral elections will take place in england in may, with councils being given an extra 15 Million Pounds to make Polling Stations covid secure. The government said it could commit with confidence to the polls going ahead as the nine most vulnerable groups in the uk should have received a Coronavirus Vaccine by then. 0ur Political Correspondent helen catt has more. The pressure on the government to make a decision about these polls from councils, from local authorities, from Political Parties for quite a few weeks now, concerns about how they would be able to run them safely in a covid safe way, so today the government has formally said that yes, the Council Elections that were scheduled for may the 6th, mayor elections in england that were scheduled for may the 6th and the police and crime commissioner elections which are scheduled in england and wales for may the 6th will go ahead as planned. Some of those had already been postponed for a year and the 2020 set of elections were postponed for a year because of the pandemic, but the governments view is that other countries have managed to hold elections during the pandemic, safely, and that this can be done. It will put in a bit of extra money, £15 million extra for councils to help fund the cost of making the Council Elections covid secure and the sort of things were talking about there is for example when you go to the Polling Station you will have to wear a mask, there will be divider screens, Hand Sanitiser, all the things we have got used to seeing in pubs and shops. That will be those. There will be an extra £16 million added to the front that the government puts together to fund the police and crime commissioner elections. There have been some concerns from political activists about how they will campaign safely in the run up to these elections, because door to door leafleting, the way that a lot of parties do get their information out traditionally, currently government advice is that that is not compatible with the current Lockdown Restrictions, so i think there will be a lot of questions about this, but there is that statement from the government that those elections will go ahead on the 6th of may. Days of torrential rain have caused rivers across france to burst their banks. Some roads and parts of villages are underwater, with many others put on high alert. Areas in the countrys south west are worst affected, as Sylvia Lennan spence reports. South western france submerged. River banks breached. Vast swathes under up to ten metres of water. Translation the fact that the water has risen so high up on the trees like that, you dont realise it. But its really something. In 34 years, ive never seen anything like this. This is really exceptional. This towns deputy mayor surveys the damage the only way he can. Some have nowhere to go. A shop front now a waterfront. This tomato producing town normally hosts an internationally renowned pop festival. Now it welcomes rescuers to help overcome this road to nowhere. Translation no one is missing or hurt and the residents expect this kind of event. But this flood is actually exceptional. As we havent had one of this magnitude since 1981. It caught many people off guard as they evacuated their homes. Storm justine sent rivers in this area between bordeaux and toulouse to levels not seen since the 1870s. Paris was affected too. The river seine burst its banks. Proving quite an eyeful for even regular river waters. Sylvia lennan spence, bbc news. Now, Parish Council meetings can have a reputation as being a little. Dull. But an Online Meeting in cheshire has gone viral, after it was anything but. Mark lobel reports. Recent frosty conditions in the small town of handforth spilled over into a heated meeting of the Environment Committee one comedian says was worthy of a golden globe. Its this one. Handforth Parish Council chair brian tolver begins by questioning the legitimacy of the meeting. Well start the meeting, and i want to repeat what i said at the beginning of the last meeting, that this meeting has not been called according to the law. The law has been broken. The correct titles and procedures are all important here. Are you here as the proper officer . I am here offering support to handforth Parish Council and the conduct of this meeting this evening. Youre not the proper officer. Is that as a clerk or proper officer . There is no difference between clerk and proper officer. Of course there is yes, there is. You must know the basic law. But self proclaimed monitoring officerJackie Weaver, apparently brought in as clerk to calm the tensions in previous meetings by other members present, stands her ground. Bedlam soon ensues. The law has been broken. It has been properly. Will you please let the chairman. . mrs weaver, please if you disrupt this meeting, i will have to remove you from it. You cant its only the chairman who can remove people from the meeting. You have no authority here, Jackie Weaver. No authority at all shesjust kicked him out. No, shes kicked him out dont. Shes kicked him out this is a meeting called by two councillors. Illegally they may now elect a chairman. No, they cant, the vice chair is here, i take charge read the standing orders. Read them and understand them she gasps. Stop it appalling behaviour with both the chair and vice chair now consigned to a virtual waiting room, Jackie Weaver asks whether they should be let back in, but the other members arent in forgiving mood. Im afraid that i would be loath for that to happen, because weve got work to get through, and i can only see everything being. Even more disrupted. Hundreds of thousands of views of the lively scenes have awakened what would normally be a sleepy Parish Council meeting into an internet sensation, with one Presenter Tweeting out loud, but what happens next . mark lobel, bbc news. And Jackie Weaver who you saw there in that meeting attempting to bring calm to proceedings has been speaking to womans hour. She says shes received a lot of support today and underlined the importance of working to eradicate bad behaviour from local councils. I guess the hard nosed response to it is also around. There is an element of bullying and bad behaviour in local councils. A lot of us are working very hard. That includes central government, to try and do something about that. We are passionate about the fact that a local government is the mechanism by people can really engage with their communities. People can really engage with their communities. Lots people can really engage with their communities. Lots of people can really engage with their communities. Yeah. Lots of negative stuff this morning communities. Yeah. Lots of negative stuff this morning and communities. Yeah. Lots of negative stuff this morning and actually some of it is quite amusing. In a moment well get the weather forecast, but before we do, lets take you to a part of the uk thats had plenty snow over the last month. In the village of tomatin in the Scottish Highlands, the pearson family have been getting comfortable in the cold. They made this igloo and even managed to spend a night in it. Earlier, Gordon Pearson along with his seven year old son struan and three year old brodie, spoke to my colleague Annita Mcveigh. He told her that this wasnt the first time the family had tried to build an igloo. Well, this is a. Weve tried a couple of times this year to build one, because weve had snow since the start of december, on and off. But this is the first one that has actually properly stayed for the duration. And did you help daddy build this . Yeah. Fantastic. My friends helped, too. 0k, was it really hard work to build . Yeah, and it took about six weeks. Yeah, it took about six weeks to make it. Hes going to show you. Its quite windy here. Well show you the igloo. Yes, please. Here we go. Its got a slide. As every igloo should have. There we go, amazing. And it is brody inside or is he outside . Hes outside right now. Well show you inside. In you go. Through the entrance. That is amazing and you spent a night in this igloo with your dad and your little brother, is that right . Yeah. And what was it like . Well, i thought it was going to be cold, but it was actually quite warm. We had Sleeping Bags and about two mats and blankets and a onesie. You answered what i was going to ask. Very good prediction of my question, how you managed to keep warm . And was it the best sleepover ever . Yes. Gordon, did you make this up as he went along, or did you look for any videos or advice online . Its not really an igloo, its more like a snow hole. I have built a snow holes before, but never to this extent. This is a luxury snow hole. And what was it like to sleep in . Surprisingly fine. There was a hole in the roof so i was getting snowed on so we had to feel that in in the night. Apart from that, it was a good nights sleep. They had the best nights sleep they have had in a long time. The children slept till seven oclock, which was great. Now its time for a look at the weather with sarah keith lucas. For some of us temperatures have felt spring like over the past few days. In some areas there has been heavy snow, particularly across parts of scotland. As we head into the next few days, that you turn into something more wintry will affect all of us. No pressure in the south east of the uk and that will draw in the cold easterly winds. Significant wind chill as we move through the weekend and into next week. Feeling sub zero for all of us. There will be further snowfall as well. The heaviest snow is in northern scotland. 20 to 30 centimetres, perhaps more in the higher ground. Could be disruption as we had to this evening and overnight. Some rain at lower levels of south east assist scotland and North East England. Rain showers rattling across england and wales throughout the course of the night. There could be ice and frost developing, especially in the south under those clear skies. Front fog patches first thing saturday morning. Continue to seek rain showers across england and wales. The snow will continue for scotland, falling to increasingly low levels and working through Northern England and working through Northern England and particularly the pennines as we work through to saturday afternoon. Cold air will filter its way south on saturday. Reasonably mild for england and wales. Temperatures up to or so. Bitterly cold air saturday night into sunday. Low pressure in the south east of the uk means we could see significant snowfall in the south east on sunday. Scattered showers as well. Try a bit cloudy in the west. It will feel bitterly cold wherever you are. There is an Amber Weather Warning for Heavy Snowfall On Sunday in east anglia and south east england. There is potential for some pretty disrupted snow. If you monday, it is a similar picture. Heavy snowfall across parts of south east england, east anglia, elsewhere across Eastern England and scotland will also see heavy snow showers. Temperatures will be a degree or to either side of freezing but will feel much colder than that. More details on our website. Goodbye. This is bbc news. Im jane hill. The headlines clear signs of a fall in covid cases. The uk r numberfalls to between 0. 7 and 1, with Infection Numbers also dropping throughout most of the uk, but doctors warn we mustnt be complacent. We would like to see levels at a really safe level before we take our foot off the gas. We dont want to be in this position again. And we want our hospitals in some sort of state that they can cope with what used to be normal if we are going to head back towards that. The government defends its scheme to quarantine travellers arriving in the uk, but says it doesnt yet know how many hotels will take part. Data published from the uks Medicines Regulator confirms that approved vaccines do meet strict regulatory safety standards. Gas and electricity bills are to rise for millions of people in april, with the price cap going up by £96 pounds a year. People are at home in lockdown, they are using more, they are paying more, they end up owing more, all the time while they are earning less and the pinch is going to be extreme. An outstanding 100 by an outstanding player scoring a hundred at his 100th test joe root� s special day. This is a meeting called by two councillors. Illegally. You may now elect a chairman. No they cant because the vice chair is here, i take charge and when Online Meetings go wrong the Parish Council session thats gone viral. Hello, good afternoon. Covid infections are continuing to fall in most parts of the uk, with one in 65 people testing positive in england in the last week of january. New figures from the office for National Statistics show a drop in scotland and Northern Ireland, with infections remaining level in wales. The latest official data also shows the r number has fallen anything below one means the pandemic is shrinking. It now stands at between 0. 7 and 1. It comes amidst calls for the government to give more details on the easing of Lockdown Measures. In a further development, the government says it plans to give everyone in england who is over 50 or clinically vulnerable at least one dose of vaccine by may. 0ur Health Correspondent Katharine Da Costa reports. The uk has made a strong start to its Vaccination Programme. More than 10 Million People have now had theirfirst dose. In the next few weeks, experts say immunisation should have a real impact on reducing deaths and Hospital Admissions. That has prompted a small number of conservative backbenchers to renew calls for an early end to lockdown. We know what the government said was the reason for this third lockdown. Now that that threat is receding, we ought to be, and indeed we are, and the government says we are, looking to open up. We also know now that the vaccines are going to benefit, with the enormous number of people who have been vaccinated, and we also know the vaccines are going to benefit, in terms of transmissions, in terms of cutting hospitalisations. All of those metrics should be moving rapidly in the right direction. Latest figures show infections are falling across most of the uk and have levelled off in wales. But prevalence remains high, with the office for National Statistics estimating one in 65 had the virus in england in the week to last saturday. But the Health Service is still under intense pressure, with 50 more Covid Patients than during the first peak last spring. Health Officials Say cases need to be at very low levels before restrictions are eased to avoid another surge. This virus is not pleasant for patients. Its not pleasant to deal with and we would like to see levels at a really safe level before we take our foot off the gas. We dont want to be in this position again and we want our hospitals in some sort of state that they can cope with what used to be normal, if we are going to head back towards that. Vaccination remains our best way of tackling the virus. Assessments of the roll out so far have found both the pfizer and astrazeneca vaccines are extremely safe. Data up to the 24th Of January found nearly 23,000 suspected side effects were reported. Thats about three in every 1000 people. The vast majority of cases were mild, such as a sore arm or tiredness. Severe allergic reactions to the Pfizer Vaccine are very rare, affecting between one and two cases per 100,000. Because of the risk, doctors have said that people with a history of significant allergic reactions should not have the Pfizer Vaccine. They have data from essentially 10 Million People, and they look as safe as they were reported in the earliest studies. So that is really encouraging. That is a huge amount of data showing that, essentially, the side effects are no different to most vaccines that we get. I hope that will be very reassuring to the general public. Assessments will continue as the roll out is wrapped up. The government hopes to have offered more than 30 Million People, thats all the over 50s and those with health conditions, a jab by the spring. Katharine da costa, bbc news. 0ur Health Editor hugh pym gave me this update on how the Coronavirus Situation is looking in the uk. This week has brought more positive news, hasnt it . We learned a couple of days ago for example from professor chris whitty, the uk governments chief medical adviser, that in the view of him and fellow experts, we are past the peak. Things are moving in the right direction. We know that daily reported case numbers are down around a quarter week on week, its nearly the same for new daily Hospital Admissions and now we have had the 0ns survey, we heard about that a bit earlier, which is a broader survey of infections, because it takes in people who do not know they have the virus and do not have symptoms, and that does suggest last week, in england, scotland and Northern Ireland at least, case rates were falling, although they were level in wales. So things are looking more optimistic and that is why we are hearing political calls for the Lockdown Restrictions to be eased more rapidly, but also warnings from the nhs that there are still a large number of patients in hospital with covid 19, those overall Hospital Numbers remain high. We had a warning also earlier this week that the current Vaccination Programme focusing on the top four Priority Groups, those aged 70 and over, would have an impact there. But there are of Course Admissions amongst those under the age of 70, so people will continue getting sick with covid 19 for a little while yet, so the general message, certainly from the nhs, is that the pressure is likely to continue for some time and there should not be any easing off before we are a bit surer about the situation. Earlier i spoke to professor david spiegelhalter, professor of statistics at cambridge university, who said the mood is cautiously positive in the uk regarding infections and cases. It is good news across all the metrics. The number of new cases is coming down really quite rapidly, the number of new people going into hospital with covid and the number of deaths is coming down as well. Theyve nearly halved in the last two and half weeks from their peak back on the 19th of january. It can seem a bit paradoxical, because the actual number of people with the infection is only coming down very slowly, as we heard from 0ns today, it is still one in 65 of the people in the country. But because people carry that infection for quite some time, it does take a while for the lack of new cases, the reduction in new cases, to feed through into the number of people with the infection. The same thing happens in hospitals, the actual number of new people going into hospital has been going down really very rapidly, particularly in london, but that takes a while, because people are in hospital for some time, to feed through into a reduction in the number of people in hospital, but that now is coming down as well. All of that said though, we have heard from medics who say great, but please do not be complacent here, is that still the right message, do you think . Yes, it is quite obvious that we have to keep on going, but all these effects we are seeing so far are pretty welljust due to the Lockdown Measures we have all been enduring. Vaccines will start really kicking in soon, from now, even a suggestion from 0ns today that the rate of admissions in over 85s is dropping faster than in other groups, so this is just starting to kick in. Then we are going to see i think quite a dramatic reduction in the figures. But if we loosen up immediately, then we would see i think a resurge in cases, and as your Health Editor says, even among younger people, if enough people get it, that would still mean great pressure on the hospitals. And you have anticipated where i was going with your thoughts there, because you will know there is pressure on the government all the time around lockdown. We think it is good news that the figures are coming down, but that puts political pressure on them around lockdown, and that would be the danger, would it . In the end, this is a political decision. We could carry on trying to suppress many groups, saying we have got to suppress it, get it right down, like other countries have done. There are other pressures to loosen up, especially to open schools, and that will quite possibly mean there could be an increase in the number of cases, but we are now protecting the most vulnerable in society, so i think this is a political decision aboutjust what balance is felt acceptable to take in terms of the impact on the Health Service and on the economy. Yes, would you want to be in number ten at the moment . No, please, i am not taking sides, and i am really pleased i do not have to make these decisions, because they are extremely difficult. The government has been defending its plans to quarantine people arriving in the uk, in a scheme due to begin in 10 days time. People travelling from countries with high Infection Rates will have to stay in a hotel at their own expense, in an effort to control the spread of new variants of coronavirus. Labour says the scheme should extend to all international travellers. Helena wilkinson reports. Its Hotels Near Airports like heathrow which are expected to sign up. Once a uk resident or Irish National arrives from one of 30 covid hotspots, they will be escorted and required to quarantine for ten nights in a hotel. The government says they are working at pace and hotels will have enough time to prepare. The whole point of this is that we give the hotels notice, because they will need to change the way they operate. We are asking them to do something very different. We are giving them time to make adjustments and we are also giving ourselves time to ensure that this policy is effective, by working with International Partners and giving our Border Enforcement Officials the time they need to prepare to make this work. The Quarantine Rules are being brought in to control the spread of new variants of the virus. But some hotels say they have not been contacted by the government. Others say they wont have enough time to prepare. Meher nawab is Chief Executive of the london hotel group, which already runs a hotel that accommodates people quarantining because of covid. It took them nine months to set up. There has been no open dialogue between the Hospitality Sector and the government. I sent a step plan to them last week, and yesterday afternoon a document has come out and they are expecting people to fill that document in and submit it, and get these hotels open on the 15th Of February. Labour says the scheme should be extended to all international travellers, notjust some countries. It is utterly shambolic that this is being brought into effect on the 15th Of February. That is over 50 days since the South African Strain was first discovered in this country. And little wonder, frankly, that it reached our shores. It is expected more than 1000 residents per day will return from places where new variants are prevalent. Details on how passengers will book their place in a Quarantine Hotel are expected to be set out by the government next week. Helena wilkinson, bbc news. Lets get more now from our Political Correspondent damian grammaticas. In terms of this specific policy, we know labour have said it should be extended to absolutely all travellers coming into the country and there seems to be some talk now that that might have been a suggestion from some scientists, what are we hearing . Suggestion from some scientists, what are we hearing . Yes, so this is the advice that what are we hearing . Yes, so this is the advice that the what are we hearing . Yes, so this is the advice that the governments. The advice that the Governments Panel of scientists give them and what we have seen today are the papers that they produced back on the 21st of january, those have been released, and in that, they do not give advice so much as just lay out their thinking and what they think some of the evidence shows and in it interestingly, and i think this will fuel some of this debate, they say that only a complete closure of borders or a mandatory quarantine for all visitors on arrival, that is what labour are calling for, only that in designated facilities, Airport Hotels, cannot get close to fully preventing the importation of cases of new variants was that bats can get close. That is a pretty strong indication for stock can get close. Geographically targeting individual countries does not work as effectively, because number one you do not know when new variants crop up in other countries, so you might be too late by the time you bring in measures targeting new places. Also those variants can come indirectly by people travelling via another country, which we have seen earlier in the pandemic and they say that Hotel Quarantine at the airport is important, because that ensures people comply and do not pass it on to families at home. But i think there is also a bit in there that there is also a bit in there that the government will say it points to their move all their policy being sensible, because they do say that basically these measures would only be likely to delay importation anyway and that all of these decisions had to be taken in the round, so a balance of all be factors, and that is where the government says well, we are an open economy, we depend on trade and transport back and forth, so those arguments will continue and i think that would append a lot on whether we do see importation of new variants in future. The other side of the argument, and of course there is about the speed and efficiency by which these policies have been put in place, they were saying it was 50 days since that South African variant was first discovered he had. Sale we are waiting for the details which will come next week of exec we how this will work and then we will see how it rolls out, but that will be another test. See how it rolls out, but that will be another test. ~. ,. , be another test. What the government is doinu be another test. What the government is doing does be another test. What the government is doing does not be another test. What the government is doing does not take be another test. What the government is doing does not take effect be another test. What the government is doing does not take effect until is doing does not take effect until a week on and all the while we have positive data out today around the r number for example and all of that puts pressure on the government in terms of lockdown, doesnt it . Yes. Terms of lockdown, doesnt it . Yes, it does, because terms of lockdown, doesnt it . Yes, it does, because you terms of lockdown, doesnt it . Yes, it does, because you have terms of lockdown, doesnt it . Yes it does, because you have the general sense and very much some in the Conservative Party see that the Vaccine Programme is rolling out, numbers are starting to come down, so people are saying when can we get more details about how things will open up, when things will relax, when businesses will start again when businesses will start again when schools will go back . And all of that is adding to the complexity of that is adding to the complexity of the decisions, but at the same time, scientists, you heard david that, saying that the crucial thing is remember that we have a very high numbers of people being infected still, about 20,000 cases a day, and until those come right down and the former Health Secretaryjeremy hunt saying it is to be about 1000 a day, at that level you get to where countries like south korea is at the moment, when you can think about relaxing and being able to control what happens, because if you relax too early, you risk virus rates and Infection Rates taking off again and then being back in exactly the sort of problems that we have seen before. Remember, this is lockdown number three, with 110,000 deaths and many of those deaths since december in the latest phase of this pandemic here. December in the latest phase of this pandemic here pandemic here. Yes, thank you very much for now waless Education Minister Kirsty Williams says the country is not yet in a position to allow all School Pupils to return to the classroom. She confirmed that children aged between three and seven will be back in school from february 22, along with some older children on Vocational College courses. But there has been no timetable given for a return for other age groups. The headlines on bbc news the number of people testing positive for covid 19 fell to one in 65 in england last week, with a slight drop in the uk r number to between 0. 7 and 1. The government defends its scheme to quarantine travellers arriving in the uk, but says it doesnt yet know how many hotels will take part. Gas and electricity bills are to rise for millions of people in april Charities Say its bad timing. Lets talk more about that the story now. Energy bills are to go up for millions of people in april, after the Regulator 0fgem announced a raising of the price cap because of extra costs facing suppliers. The typical bill for someone on a default tariff will go up by nearly £100 a year. Poverty campaigners say the move comes at a time when many families are already struggling because of the pandemic. 0ur Personal Finance correspondent Kevin Peachey reports. Forjanet and her family, lockdown life means their energy use and bills are going up, but the regulator, 0fgem, will soon allow suppliers to charge more. A higher price cap affects people who havent switched suppliers or whose Discount Deals have expired. I have three children. Ive got two Working From Home at the moment because of covid and because the offices are shut. The energy that we use, gas and electric, we use on a daily basis and usually it goes on in the morning at about 6 30am to warm the house. Its staying on constantly until probably 8 30pm at night. It means bills will go up by £96 a year when using a typical amount of gas and electricity bought from the same supplier. Thats likely to take an annual bill to £1,138. Those who switch can bring that down to £851 a year, but even the cheapest deals around went up by £50 at the end of last year. The new cap means Prepayment Metre customers may also see bills go up by nearly £90 a year. With an estimated two Million People behind on paying energy bills and covid related Government Support schemes winding down, Debt Charities say the financial squeeze will tighten. We are particularly worried about the impact on people on benefits. They are already facing planned cuts to their benefits, at exactly the same time as this planned price increase. So, we are worried those people are going to face a double whammy of hits to their income, and increased bills at the same time. Part of the price rise is to allow suppliers to cover their costs when consumers cant pay, but the regulator denies this willjust make matters worse. We appreciate this is really difficult time for many families out there, not only financially but all the other pressures were facing from the covid crisis, but the reason were making this change is costs in the market fell to their lowest level last year and have come back up again and that is reflected in the prices that people will need to pay. Janet knows that pressure will come. We have found that if you have dual fuel you tend to get a better deal, but i havent looked at the Energy Prices recently. Im not looking forward to my next bill. Winter worries which now look set to bring a financial chill to spring, as well. Kevin peachy, bbc news. Lets speak to one customer who says he is worried about this change. Good afternoon. He is worried about this change. Good afternoon. Thanks for having me. Good afternoon. Thanks for having me thanks good afternoon. Thanks for having me. Thanks for speaking to us, what is your circumstance and how worried where you when you had the bills would go up you when you had the bills would go up in april . The you when you had the bills would go u in aril . , you when you had the bills would go up in april . Up in april . The Housing Association flat has storage up in april . The Housing Association flat has Storage Heaters up in april . The Housing Association flat has Storage Heaters and up in april . The Housing Association flat has Storage Heaters and they i flat has Storage Heaters and they are quite expensive and so with this rise that they are talking about, it is going to make it even more impossible for me to have my heating on. I have not had my heating on all this winter so far and i have copd and anxiety and depression and it is not really making me feel very good at all. 50 not really making me feel very good at all. , not really making me feel very good at all,. , � not really making me feel very good at all, y. ,. , � , not really making me feel very good at all. ,� , at all. So you dont put your heatin at all. So you dont put your heating on at all. So you dont put your heating on at at all. So you dont put your heating on at all, at all. So you dont put your heating on at all, even at all. So you dont put your heating on at all, even in i at all. So you dont put yourl heating on at all, even in the depths of winter . Idat heating on at all, even in the depths of winter . Heating on at all, even in the depths of winter . Heating on at all, even in the de ths of winter . , ,. ,. , depths of winter . Not this year, no. Got a bit last depths of winter . Not this year, no. Got a bit last year, depths of winter . Not this year, no. Got a bit last year, because depths of winter . Not this year, no. Got a bit last year, because i depths of winter . Not this year, no. Got a bit last year, because i was i got a bit last year, because i was with a Different Company, and i got the £140 warm home discount. At first i was paying £48 a month and yet they still managed to say to me that i owed them £280 and i went through the on woodsman and they managed to get that down to 230, but to my mind that is a huge amount of money. Imjust to my mind that is a huge amount of money. Im just one person. To my mind that is a huge amount of money. Imjust one person. Money. Im ust one person. Ofgem, the money. Imjust one person. Ofgem, the regulator money. Imjust one person. Ofgem, the regulator that money. Imjust one person. Ofgem, the regulator that has money. Imjust one person. Ofgem, the regulator that has made money. Imjust one person. Ofgem, the regulator that has made this the regulator that has made this decision, it says it wants everyone to be paying a fair price and it does stress that people must keep switching and looking around for the absolute best deal that they can find. Are you in a position to do that . Can you keep moving suppliers . No, i can tie myself in knots doing that and not know what company i am with at the end of it. I think that they should pick a fair price, that people can afford to pay, and then pay that and then everybody is happy. Pay that and then everybody is happy i pay that and then everybody is ha. , pay that and then everybody is ha. ,. ,. , pay that and then everybody is ha. ,. , pay that and then everybody is hau. ,. , pay that and then everybody is happy. I mean, do you have access to oane happy. I mean, do you have access to Online Services . Happy. I mean, do you have access to Online Services . That happy. I mean, do you have access to Online Services . That is happy. I mean, do you have access to Online Services . That is where happy. I mean, do you have access to Online Services . That is where the Online Services . That is where the best deals are, is that something you can do . This best deals are, is that something you can do . You can do . As i say, i did that late on last you can do . As i say, i did that late on last year you can do . As i say, i did that late on last year and you can do . As i say, i did that late on last year and i you can do . As i say, i did that| late on last year and i managed you can do . As i say, i did that i late on last year and i managed to switch to a Different Company and the price that they wanted me to pay seemed to be quite fair, but i knew that i was not going to have enough in as a back up for me to be able to afford to have my heating on and then i have since learned that that company has gone out of business and it has been taken over by the company that i was with previously thats charged me so much money. find thats charged me so much money. And ou do not thats charged me so much money. And you do not feel you can walk away from them now, is that too difficult for you to do . I from them now, is that too difficult for you to do . For you to do . I will wait and see what happens. For you to do . I will wait and see what happens, they for you to do . I will wait and see what happens, they have i for you to do . I will wait and see what happens, they have not i for you to do . I will wait and seej what happens, they have not got everything sorted out yet, but i am not happy about it. find everything sorted out yet, but i am not happy about it. Everything sorted out yet, but i am not happy about it. And ofgem also talks about trying not happy about it. And ofgem also talks about trying to not happy about it. And ofgem also talks about trying to make not happy about it. And ofgem also talks about trying to make peoples| talks about trying to make peoples flats and houses as insulated as possible. Perhaps you can describe what sort of a flat are you living in . Could you get any help for example in terms of Double Glazing, think that would bring down your bills . ,. ,. , , bills . These flat were apparently built in the bills . These flat were apparently built in the late bills . These flat were apparently built in the late 1960s. Bills . These flat were apparently built in the late 1960s. I bills . These flat were apparently built in the late 1960s. I have i bills . These flat were apparently l built in the late 1960s. I have been living in here for 14 years, i have got Double Glazing and they came and they did the cavity wall insulation, but that went wrong and i have got quite bad damp in my bedroom, it doesnt do very much good for the breathing, and it is a cold flat. Well, have you spoken to charities and tried to get any help from charities and advisers and people like that he might be able to help . I understand what you are saying, but i dont think that should need to be done. I think that people should be treated fairly. All] to be done. I think that people should be treated fairly. All the best to you. Should be treated fairly. All the best to you, thank should be treated fairly. All the best to you, thank you should be treated fairly. All the best to you, thank you very i should be treated fairly. All the l best to you, thank you very much should be treated fairly. All the i best to you, thank you very much for your time, maldwyn speaking to me from his flat in manchester. Appeal courtjudges have rejected an attempt to stop lawyers in court using messages extracted from encrypted phones as evidence. The ruling could have major implications for cases against suspected organised criminals around the country. Our Home Affairs Correspondent Tom Symondsjoins us now. Explain what has happened and what this means. You explain what has happened and what this means. ,. , , this means. You probably remember last ear this means. You probably remember last year there this means. You probably remember last year there was this means. You probably remember last year there was a this means. You probably remember last year there was a Big Last Year there was a big announcement by police in the uk. They had cracked a Mobile Phone Network which they said it would be exclusively used by organised criminals, it was called encrochat, and the phones were encrypted, so the police it could normally read the police it could normally read the messages. They said it was the biggest breakthrough against organised crime ever. In the courts in the last few months, there has been an attempt to challenge that evidence, those thousands and thousands of messages that the police have grabbed off the phone and which are going to be used in a criminal prosecutions. We have not been able to report until now, but the Court Of Appeal has today thrown out that attempt to challenge the use of those messages. The key point here is that the phones were cracked by French Police and the french will not say how they did it and that has thrown the uk courts into a degree of confusion, because intercepted evidence, so evidence taken as it is being sent, is not allowed to be used under british law for various reasons, but may need to prevent people finding out how that evidence is obtained, and the defence said that this was intercepted evidence that this was intercepted evidence that had been taken by the police, but the courts had decided that was not the case, they said it is stored evidence, evidence that was kept on the phone and taken off the phone, it was not taken while the information was being sent, if you like, over the internet and through the airwaves. That means that there is a risk that some of these trials could have fallen apart because the evidence was not going to be available when the go ahead, so it is quite a big judgment today at appeal court. fill] is quite a Big Udgment Today at appear court. Is quite a Big Udgment Today at a eal court. �. ,. , appeal court. All right, tom, thank ou ve appeal court. All right, tom, thank you very much lets pause and take a look at the weather prospects. Hello. For some of us it is fairly springlike out there at the moment, but for others, a real u turn into winter. We still have heavy snowfall across many central and northern parts of scotland, 20 to 30 centimetres, perhaps 50 centimetres over the highest ground, that is causing some significant disruption. Elsewhere Rain Showers Rattling their way across parts of england. Wales, Northern Ireland could see some of those rains showers into this evening and overnight as well. Heavy rain at times across the North East Of England and south east scotland. Through saturday we will continue to see snow across scotland to increasingly low levels and some of that snow working across the hills of Northern England too. To the south of that, some rain showers and then as we move through saturday night into sunday, really cold air moving in on a brisk easterly wind, could be Blizzard Conditions developing on Sunday Down Towards East Anglia and the south east. Temperatures only a degree or two above freezing and it will feel subzero with the wind chill. There is an Amber Weather Warning in force, we could see disruption down to fairly heavy snowfall across parts of east anglia and the south east by sunday. Hello this is bbc news. The headlines. The uk r numberfalls to between 0. 7 and one, with case numbers also dropping throughout most of the uk, though doctors warn we mustnt be complacent. We would like to see levels at a really safe level before we take our foot off the gas. We dont want to be in this position again. And we want our hospitals in some sort of state that they can cope with what used to be normal if we are going to head back towards that. The government defends its scheme to quarantine travellers arriving in the uk, but says it doesnt yet know how many hotels will take part. Data published from the uks Medicines Regulator confirms that approved vaccines do meet strict regulatory safety standards. Gas and electricity bills are to rise for millions of people in april, with the price cap going up by £96 a year. Police scotland believe the attacks in kilmarnock that left three people dead and led to a hospital being locked down last night were all linked. This is a meeting called by two councillors. I this is a meeting called by two councillors. And when Online Meetings go wrong. The Parish Council session thats gone viral. Sport and a full round up from the bbc sport centre. Good afternoon. England are well in control of the first test against india and its mostly thanks tojoe root. The england captain scored a century on an impressive first day in chennai. Root is only the third englishman to score a hundred in his 100th test. At close of play england were 263 for three, as andy swiss reports. Hundred in his hundredth test match. What a player. If sport is all about timing, well, itjust doesnt get better than this. Forjoe root, an unforgettable finale to an unforgettable day. Hed begun it celebrating a different century, his 100th test cap. But if that was sparkling, it was nothing to what followed. Under the hot chennai sunshine, his team wobbled at first, rory burns succumbing to a rush of blood. And its the first wicket down for england. And when dan lawrence quickly followed, india were proving just why they are among the worlds best. Enter root, though, with remarkable results. Class. Pure class. After hundreds in his previous two tests, a hat trick was clearly in his sights. At the other end, he found the perfect partner. Dom sibley reaching a gritty half century. But he was soon being overshadowed by his skipper. 0n current form, root seems in a world of his own, and the outcome was gloriously inevitable. A stunning century and a smile to match. Only the third englishman to make a hundred on his hundredth appearance. Some things are just meant to be. From there, he piled on the agony, although notjust for india. A six and a spot of cramp. But even that couldnt stop him. Just before the close, india did finally trap sibley for 87, but root is still there. It was englands day, but above all it was his. Andy swiss, bbc news. Wales captain alun wynjones has been passed fit to lead his side into the six nations opener against ireland on sunday. Jones damaged his knee against italy early in december in the autumn nations cup and was expected to miss the start of the tournament. Flanker dan lydiate plays his First International for more than two years and second row adam beard also returns. Good news ahead of the Australian Open on monday more than 500 players, support staff and officials, who were told to self isolate ahead of the tournament have all tested negative for coronavirus. 160 players were among those asked to isolate after a hotel worker tested positive. There were fears it could affect the open after the warm up tournaments had to postpone matches. The draw for the first round has also been made earlier today, the only two british men in the singles draw dan evans and Cameron Norrie play each other. I would say it is a little frustrating for both of us that we have to play each other. But it is what it is now. I will prepare properly, once im done in this tournament, and hopefully win. Pep guardiola has said he expected betterfrom jurgen klopp than to indulge in mind games before Manchester Citys Premier League trip to liverpool on sunday. Klopp has suggested that a covid outbreak at city over christmas led to guardiolas side having a game postponed and two weeks off, helping their title bid. We didnt have a break. City had a two week break for coronavirus reasons. Its really tough. Its a tough season for some teams. For us, obviously for the reasons, you know, its tough. He obviously for the reasons, you know, its tou~h. ~. , � ,. , its tough. He knows its not true. We havent its tough. He knows its not true. We havent had its tough. He knows its not true. We havent had two its tough. He knows its not true. We havent had two weeks i its tough. He knows its not true. We havent had two weeks off. I its tough. He knows its not true. I we havent had two weeks off. Some people we havent had two weeks off. Some people do we havent had two weeks off. Some people do it for the purpose, but i didnt people do it for the purpose, but i didnt expect he would do it. I didnt didnt expect he would do it. I didnt think it was the type of guy. If didnt think it was the type of guy. If you didnt think it was the type of guy. If you didnt do it, ok, maybe i was wrong thats all the sport for now. Ill have more for you in the next hour. Us President Biden has pledged to rebuild americas alliances and that the country will re engage with the world, in his first major Foreign Policy speech since being sworn in as president. But he warned russia that the country will no longer roll over for president putin. Lebo diseko reports. This wasjoe bidens First Official visit to a Government Department as president. That he chose the agency which is home to the nations diplomats is significant. The president had a clear message about his countrys role in the world stage. America is back. Diplomacy is back at the centre of our Foreign Policy. This is a return to multilateralism after four years of america first. American alliances are our greatest asset, and leading with diplomacy means Standing Shoulder to shoulder with our allies and key partners once again. By leading with diplomacy, we must also mean engaging our adversaries and our competitors diplomatically. The most serious of those competitors, said President Biden, is china. He says it poses a direct threat to americas prosperity, security, and democratic values, and he promised to push back on what he called beijings attack on human rights, intellectual property, and global governance. Russia too was singled out for undermining democracy both at home and abroad. Mr biden criticised the jailing of Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny. He said he would work with moscow where it was in us interests, but where it wasnt, he would take a tougher approach. I made it clear to president putin, in a manner very different from my predecessor, that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of russias aggressive actions, interfering with our elections, cyber attacks, poisoning its citizens, are over. 0n the conflict that has led to what the un because the Worlds Largest humanitarian crisis, a Key Announcement the us will end its support for saudi arabias Military Offensive in yemen. Its a sharp change from the policy of donald trump, who had increased its backing of the saudi led coalition. Millions of yemenis are facing starvation and more than 110,000 are thought to have died in the war which began six years ago. President biden says he will halt the withdrawal of us troops stationed in germany. Donald trump had repeatedly accused germany of not paying enough for its own defence. He ordered the withdrawal last year, although it had not yet begun. Again and again, joe biden stressed that america is ready to resume its Leadership Role on the world stage. No doubt us allies will be pleased about the re engagement, but equally doubts are likely to remain over whether they can trust that america is back to stay. Lebo diseko, bbc news, washington. Lets speak to our security correspondent frank gardner. Afternoon and particular reference to yemen. A shift in policy, what does that mean . I to yemen. A shift in policy, what does that mean . To yemen. A shift in policy, what does that mean . I think it means the end, or does that mean . I think it means the end. Or the does that mean . I think it means the end, or the beginning does that mean . I think it means the end, or the beginning of does that mean . I think it means the end, or the beginning of the does that mean . I think it means the end, or the beginning of the end i does that mean . I think it means the end, or the beginning of the end of i end, or the beginning of the end of the saudi airwar end, or the beginning of the end of the saudi air war in that country. The saudis did not start the war in yemen, but when theyjoined it in march 2015, it escalated massively, with a lot of our strikes going wrong, hitting schools, residential areas, funerals, and of the tragedies. Both sides have allegedly committed war crimes in this but if saudi arabia cant get the munitions it needs to conduct that campaign, it needs to conduct that campaign, it cant carry on. Now, it could theoretically turn to russia and china to fill the gap. But that is not something you can do overnight. That would be a very lengthy process. The us is stressing that it remains a Strategic Partner to saudi arabia. It will still help it defend itself against missile attacks coming from rebels in yemen. It is an end to the trump policy of saying, we dont really care what you do these weapons, go ahead. Im not saying that is what his policy was, but that is what some have accused it of being. The humanitarian accused it of being. The humanitarian situation l accused it of being. The humanitarian situation in the country is horrific, isnt it . Could there be the administration trying to prioritise that as starter . I think they will because President Biden has appointed already somebody as the us envoy to yemen. But remember that the un has already been trying to do this for years, and it is really difficult ending this conflict. 0n the saudis started the war, i went to riyadh, i went to theirjoint operations centre, and they were incredibly full of confidence and overoptimism, saying it would only take a few months. They thought they could bomb them into surrender. The rebels have taken over that country, with some backing from iran, have been stubborn and resilient. They have held onto the capital, to most of the country in populated areas, and they cant be dislodged. There is no military solution to this war. There can only be a political one. That is proving very elusive. The saudis have always said that it is a red line for them. They cannot live next to a country that is basically run by an armed munition backed by their enemy, iran. But the war is going to end so that is basically what they will be left with. Will be left with. Thank you very much indeed. Donald trump has said he wont testify at his Impeachment Trial in the Us Senate Next week. His lawyers say the proceedings are unconstitutional. The former president is accused of inciting the attack on the Capitol Building in washington dc last month. The families of some of the hundreds of patients who died in a Hampshire Hospital after being given Dangerous Levels of powerful painkillers are calling for new inquests into their deaths. It follows an inquiry two years ago which found more than 450 patients at the gosport War Memorial Hospital had their lives shortened by the drugs. No charges have ever been brought. Lawyers for the families have lodged official requests in the hope of setting up a wide ranging inquest to investigate all the individuals and agencies involved, and to consider the causes of death, which could include anything from Natural Causes to unlawful killing. Duncan kennedy reports. For 23 years, charles farthing and his wife anne and have asked questions about the gosport War Memorial Hospital. Charless stepfather brian died after being given powerful opiate drugs there. Which charles says has never been explained. Harrowing, quite frankly. Feeling the system is not there to help. Its been actually obstructing the progress towards justice. In the 1990s, hundreds of patients at the hospital were put on the powerful painkillers. Two years ago, a bishop led inquiry found that 456 patients had their lives shortened by the drugs. Now lawyers for some of the families say its time for a hillsborough style inquest to reveal what went on. What were eventually hoping to trigger is that the chief coroner will agree that inquest should be held. That they should be held together, that they should be judge led, and there should be a jury. Doctorjane barton oversaw the administration of drugs at the hospital. She said she had been a hard working doctor doing her best for patients. Relatives are also waiting for a Police Inquiry to conclude. Detectives are looking into the cases of around 700 patients who were at this hospital and to see whether any criminal charges would be brought in this case. It may take months for families to hear if they will get a newjudge led inquest. They say this is the last hope forjustice. Duncan kennedy, bbc news, in gosport. Its been confirmed that local council and mayoral elections will take place in england in may, with councils being given an extra fifteen Million Pounds to make Polling Stations covid secure. The government said it could commit with confidence to the polls going ahead as the nine most vulnerable groups in the uk should have received a Coronavirus Vaccine by then. 0ur Political Correspondent helen catt has more. The pressure on the government to make a decision on these pills has been going on for quite a few weeks now, concerns about how they would be able to run them safely in a coronavirus safeway. Today, the government has formally said that the Council Elections which were scheduled for may the 6th, and the police and crime commissioner elections for may to sixth in england and wales will go ahead as planned, as well as mayoral elections. Some of those had already been postponed for a year because of the pandemic. But the governments view is that other countries have managed to hold elections during the pandemic safely, and that can be done. It is going to give in 15 million extra pounds to help fund the costs of making the Council Elections coronavirus is secure. The kind of thing we are told that there is, for example, using a mask, divided screens, Hand Sanitiser is, all the things we have gotten used to seeing. Theyll be extra £50 million added to the fund for the police and crime commissioner elections. They have been concerns about political activists on how they will campaign safely. Door to door leafleting, the way that lots of parties get their information out traditionally, currently, government advice is that thatis currently, government advice is that that is not compatible with current restrictions. There will be a lot of questions about this. But elections will go head on the 6th of may. Theres tight security around a court in moscow for the trial of the alreadyjailed russian Opposition Leader, Alexei Navalny. Hes charged with slandering a Second World War veteran featured in a tv ad for last years constitutional referendum. Mr navalny has appeared in court and dismissed all the charges hes facing as politically motivated. Earlier this week, he was jailed for three and a half years for violating the conditions of a suspended sentence, even though he was being treated in germany for poisoning at the time. With the latest, heres our correspondent in moscow, sarah rainsford. Well, this is all linked to a video released back injune to promote some constitutional amendments which were very controversial at the time and essentially allow mr putin, if he so chooses, to extend his time in the kremlin by another two terms. This video clip, which was produced by the rt channel, featured a whole number of public figures, but also a war veteran and they were essentially reading bits of the constitution and then calling on people to vote for the changes. Mr navalny tweeted about that video and he called the people involved in it the shame of the country. He said they were corrupt lackeys and he used the word traitors, as well. After that, a case was opened, a complaint was made to investigative committee, who then have accused mr navalny of defaming specifically the war veteran in that clip. Interestingly, mr navalny never singled out the war veteran and he says this is a politically motivated case and, of course, it is meant to be to portray him the worst possible light as Alexei Navalny against the war veteran of the great patriotic war, as it is known here in russia. He is in court today, hes appearing in court. The veteran himself is appearing via video link dressed in his military uniform with all of his metals on his chest. The court is just in recess, in fact, because mr navalny has said he hasnt had time to acquaint himself with the materials of the case. The judge said, why not, youve had them since august . Mr Alexei Navalny said, i was a bit busy in august. Of course, that is when he was poisoned with a nerve agent and spent 18 days in a coma. The two women and man who died in a series of linked incidents in kilmarnock have now been named. They are Emma Robertson coupland who was 39, Nicole Anderson who was 24 years old and 40 year old steven robertson. Ms Robertson Coupland was found injured in the car park of University Hospital crosshouse, at around 7. 45pm last night but she died at the scene. In a second incident 20 minutes later on portland street, kilmarnock, ms anderson, was stabbed. She was taken to the hospital at crosshouse, but she later died. A crash then occurred on the outskirts of kilmarnock ataround 8. 30pm. The 40 year old male driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Well have more from our scotland correspondent on that later. Lets turn to entirely different matters. This is a story that has piqued quite a lot of attention and amusement over the course of the day. Yes, it is the story about the local parish meeting. They often thought of as quite dull or small, but not this one. I began to be able to see, perhaps, the latest escapades that might before we talked someone with great experience. I think we can start to this report on this bus stop at the local parish meeting. Recent frosty conditions in the small town of handforth spilled over into a heated meeting of the Environment Committee one comedian says was worthy of a golden globe. Its this one. Handforth Parish Council chair brian tolver begins by questioning the legitimacy of the meeting. Well start the meeting, and i want to repeat what i said at the beginning of the last meeting, that this meeting has not been called according to the law. The law has been broken. The correct titles and procedures are all important here. Are you here as the proper officer . I am here offering support to handforth Parish Council and the conduct of this meeting this evening. Youre not the proper officer. Is that as a clerk or proper officer . There is no difference between clerk and proper officer. Of course there is yes, there is. You must know the basic law. But self proclaimed monitoring officerJackie Weaver, apparently brought in as clerk to calm the tensions in previous meetings by other members present, stands her ground. Bedlam soon ensues. The law has been broken. It has been properly. Will you please let the chairman. . mrs weaver, please if you disrupt this meeting, i will have to remove you from it. You cant its only the chairman who can remove people from the meeting. You have no authority here, Jackie Weaver. No authority at all shesjust kicked him out. No, shes kicked him out dont. Shes kicked him out this is a meeting called by two councillors. Illegally they may now elect a chairman. No, they cant, the vice chair is here, i take charge read the standing orders. Read them and understand them she gasps. Stop it appalling behaviour with both the chair and vice chair now consigned to a virtual waiting room, Jackie Weaver asks whether they should be let back in, but the other members arent in forgiving mood. Im afraid that i would be loath for that to happen, because weve got work to get through, and i can only see everything being. Even more disrupted. Hundreds of thousands of views of the lively scenes have awakened what would normally be a sleepy Parish Council meeting into an internet sensation, with one Presenter Tweeting out loud, but what happens next . mark lobel, bbc news. Lets speak now to ethan davies, local democracy reporter for Cheshire East and west, which covers handforth. You cover that area where that row, whatever we want to call it, took place. What did you think when you saw it . ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. , saw it . Good afternoon. Iwas amazed. Saw it . Good afternoon. Iwas amazed. To saw it . Good afternoon. Iwas amazed, to be saw it . Good afternoon. Iwas amazed, to be honest. I saw it . Good afternoon. I was i amazed, to be honest. Although we have sort of been aware of these issues in hand fourth Parish Council for a couple of years, there have been concerns raised about the councillors in 2017, but we were gobsmacked that it exploded in the way that it did at the meeting in december and even more surprised that a Parish Council say meeting of all things has gone viral on twitter. In all things has gone viral on twitter. ,. ,. , twitter. In your experiences there his history twitter. In your experiences there his history of twitter. In your experiences there his history of this . Twitter. In your experiences there his history of this . It twitter. In your experiences there his history of this . It doesnt i his history of this . It doesnt usually descend his history of this . It doesnt usually descend into his history of this . It doesnt usually descend into people | his history of this . It doesnt i usually descend into people being removed from meetings. In the Parish Council, it is usually a cordial affair. There can be knitterrdly little battles here and there between all members actually independent, they are not aligned to any political party. Their differences are personal differences rather than policy differences. Thats interesting. 0h rather than policy differences. Thats interesting. Oh dear that puts a different light on it again. Do you think everything is operating in different circumstances under the pandemic . I mean, zoom and so on are not ideal. You can generally work things out if you are face to face, cant you . Do you think the fact that it cant you . Do you think the fact thatitis cant you . Do you think the fact that it is all online now has made things worse . There is never an excuse for bad behaviour, but are tempers fraying a bit more because of that, do you think . You tempers fraying a bit more because of that, do you think . Of that, do you think . You mention zoom and this of that, do you think . You mention zoom and this is of that, do you think . You mention zoom and this is kind of that, do you think . You mention zoom and this is kind of of that, do you think . You mention zoom and this is kind of why i of that, do you think . You mention zoom and this is kind of why this i of that, do you think . You mention zoom and this is kind of why this is| zoom and this is kind of why this is becoming so poisonous, really. 0ne councillor was removed from office for not attending a meeting for six months, but the contention is that they didnt hold a meeting between april and august because of the coronavirus lockdown. That triggered the six month threshold. There is a legal battle last autumn as well. I have covered at least 100 Council Meetings in the last six months, and nothing has ever gotten that bad and they have all been on zoom. Whilst i understand what the frustration comes from, there is really no excuse. Comes from, there is really no excuse. ,. ,. , excuse. There is no excuse. Does this make excuse. There is no excuse. Does this make your excuse. There is no excuse. Does this make yourjob excuse. There is no excuse. Does this make yourjob more excuse. There is no excuse. Does i this make yourjob more interesting . Is that the right word . And collecting for a better word, i will be honest with you. People say to you, aunt Parish Council meeting is a bit dull, and you can now show them this and say, they are not ths, them this and say, they are not lot of them can be a little tedious, if im honest, little lengthy. But they are important for residents to understand what is going on in their area and i would encourage people to get involved and watch them if they are interested. But incidents like this do help in minding my friends that this is an interesting job. find that this is an interesting ob. And more people i that this is an interesting job. And more people will watch them now, for sure. This will be a boost for local democracy, which can only be a good thing. Thank you very much indeed. Lovely to speak to you. More coming up. He was the weather next. Hello. For some of us it is springlike but for others it you turn into winter. There are 20 to 30 centimetres of snow in parts of scotland. This is causing significant disruption. Rain showers are rattling their way across the uk, some of these could happen overnight. Through saturday, we will continue to see snow across scotland to increasingly lower levels. So thats no will work across the hills of Northern England too. As of may through saturday night and into sunday, cold air will be moving in on a brisk easterly wind. Could be Blizzard Conditions developing on sunday into east anglia and the south east. Temperatures will be a degree or two above freezing and it will feel sub 0 with the wind chill. Funny snowfall across parts of south anglia and south east by sunday. This is bbc news. The headlines clear signs of a fall in covid cases. The uk r numberfalls to between 0. 7 and 1, with Infection Numbers also dropping throughout most of the uk, but doctors warn we mustnt be complacent. We would like to see levels at a really safe level before we take our foot off the gas. We dont want to be in this position again. And we want our hospitals in some sort of state that they can cope with what used to be normal if we are going to head back towards that. The government defends its scheme to quarantine travellers arriving in the uk, but says it doesnt yet know how many hotels will take part. Gas and electricity bills are to rise for millions of people in april a change to the price cap will put bills up by nearly £100 pounds for people on a standard tariff. People are at home in lockdown, they are using more, they are paying more, they end up owing more, all the time while they are earning less and the pinch is going to be extreme. The three victims of attacks in kilmarnock that led to a hospital being locked down last night have been named. An outstanding 100 by an outstanding player scoring a hundred at his 100th test joe root� s special day. This is a meeting called by two councillors. Illegally. You may now elect a chairman. No they cant because the vice chair is here, i take charge and when Online Meetings go wrong the Parish Council session thats gone viral. Hello, good afternoon. Covid infections are continuing to fall in most parts of the uk, with one in 65 people testing positive in england in the last week of january. New figures from the office for National Statistics show a drop in scotland and Northern Ireland, with infections remaining level in wales. The latest official data also shows the r number has fallen anything below one means the pandemic is shrinking. It now stands at between 0. 7 and 1. It comes amidst calls for the government to give more details on the easing of Lockdown Measures. In a further development, the government says it plans to give everyone in england who is over 50 or clinically vulnerable at least one dose of vaccine by may. 0ur Health Correspondent Katharine Da Costa reports. The uk has made a strong start to its Vaccination Programme. More than 10 Million People have now had theirfirst dose. In the next few weeks, experts say immunisation should have a real impact on reducing deaths and Hospital Admissions. That has prompted a small number of conservative backbenchers to renew calls for an early end to lockdown. We know what the government said was the reason for this third lockdown. Now that that threat is receding, we ought to be, and indeed we are, and the government says we are, looking to open up. We also know now that the vaccines are going to benefit, with the enormous number of people who have been vaccinated, and we also know the vaccines are going to benefit, in terms of transmissions, in terms of cutting hospitalisations. All of those metrics should be moving rapidly in the right direction. Latest figures show infections are falling across most of the uk and have levelled off in wales. But prevalence remains high, with the office for National Statistics suggesting one in 65 had the virus in england in the week to last saturday. But the Health Service is still under intense pressure, with 50 more Covid Patients than during the first peak last spring. Health Officials Say cases need to be at very low levels before restrictions are eased to avoid another surge. This virus is not pleasant for patients. Its not pleasant to deal with and we would like to see levels at a really safe level before we take our foot off the gas. We dont want to be in this position again and we want our hospitals in some sort of state that they can cope with what used to be normal, if we are going to head back towards that. Vaccination remains our best way of tackling the virus. Assessments of the roll out so far have found both the pfizer and astrazeneca vaccines are extremely safe. Data up to the 24th Of January found nearly 23,000 suspected side effects were reported. Thats about three in every 1000 people. The vast majority of cases were mild, such as a sore arm or tiredness. Severe allergic reactions to the Pfizer Vaccine are very rare, affecting between one and two cases per 100,000. Because of the risk, doctors have said that people with a history of significant allergic reactions should not have the Pfizer Vaccine. They have data from essentially 10 Million People, and they look as safe as they were reported in the earliest studies. So that is really encouraging. That is a huge amount of data showing that, essentially, the side effects are no different to most vaccines that we get. I hope that will be very reassuring to the general public. Assessments will continue as the roll out is ramped up. The government hopes to have offered more than 30 Million People, thats all the over 50s and those with health conditions, a jab by the spring. Lets bring you the latest statistics that we have on cases and vaccination numbers. Here you will see that the uk has recorded another 19,114 cases in the 24 hours to today. That is down from 20,634. Britain has recorded 1014 deaths today. That is up from a day earlier, where the number stood at 915. We also understand that in britain, 10 million 970,000 have now received theirfirst britain, 10 million 970,000 have now received their first vaccination dosed, the previous total was ten and a half million. As the r number begins to fall in england, some scientists are suggesting the government could reopen schools safely before their initial target of 8th of march. The first minister of scotland Nicola Sturgeon has announced that there will be a phased return for pupils from the 22nd of february. And in wales, children aged between three and seven will also begin to return after the february half term, but theres no decision yet on other year groups. Joining me now to talk more about this is dr andrew lee, reader in Global Public health at the university of sheffield. Thank you very much forjoining us this afternoon. A very polarised argument, isnt it, about what we do about opening a school is up again . How should we be looking at this . Yes, thank you very much for inviting me. You are right, it is such a polarised debate, evidence is still emerging and it is mixed. But i would say that the risk is not a one size fits all risk, there is a spectrum of risk, so we will need to tailor our actions according to the risk. Every context is different, every school, pupil, population profile is different and we have to bearin profile is different and we have to bear in mind what the background is in those places. Bear in mind what the background is in those places in those places. What are the factors then in those places. What are the factors then that in those places. What are the factors then that need i in those places. What are the factors then that need to i in those places. What are the factors then that need to be l factors then that need to be considered in those assessmentss . Because different parts of the country, as we know, have had different experiences of coronavirus. Different experiences of coronavirus. , coronavirus. Yes, exactly right. So as i mentioned, coronavirus. Yes, exactly right. So as i mentioned, we coronavirus. Yes, exactly right. So as i mentioned, we have coronavirus. Yes, exactly right. So as i mentioned, we have to i coronavirus. Yes, exactly right. So as i mentioned, we have to see i coronavirus. Yes, exactly right. So i as i mentioned, we have to see what the background levels of infection are, because the bulk of infections are, because the bulk of infections are adult to adult transmission and where those levels are high, we really need to tackle those infections, otherwise the spill over into School Settings and put schools at risk. But in terms of which pupils go back first, we know from emerging evidence that younger children seem to be at much lower risk of getting infected or passing infection on. So if we work to look at the staggered return, we should certainly be looked at youngest age groups first. Certainly be looked at youngest age arou s first. ~. Certainly be looked at youngest age groups first groups first. What about staff . Adults often groups first. What about staff . Adults often succumb groups first. What about staff . Adults often succumb to i groups first. What about staff . Adults often succumb to this i groups first. What about staff . I adults often succumb to this illness much more severely. How safe our schools relative to other workplaces . Schools relative to other workplaces . Schools relative to other worklaces . . ,. ,. ,. , workplaces . The office for National Statistics over workplaces . The office for National Statistics over the workplaces . The office for National Statistics over the last workplaces . The office for National Statistics over the last six workplaces . The office for National Statistics over the last six months i statistics over the last six months have produced two pieces of data and analysis and both have shown that School Teachers and Teaching Staff generally are at lower risk of infection and death compared to some other occupation groups and the risk is similar to the general population. So in a way we have some reassuring evidence that the Teaching Staff. Reassuring evidence that the Teaching Staff. Reassuring evidence that the teachin staff. ,. , Teaching Staff. How important is it thou. H for Teaching Staff. How important is it though for teachers Teaching Staff. How important is it though for teachers to Teaching Staff. How important is it though for teachers to be Teaching Staff. How important is it i though for teachers to be vaccinated pretty much in their entirety before they return . And that has been called for by some of the teaching unions. , , ,. , unions. So, i really support the stance taken unions. So, i really support the stance taken by unions. So, i really support the stance taken by the unions. So, i really support the stance taken by the joint i unions. So, i really support the i stance taken by the joint committee for vaccinations and immunisations. They have come up with a transparent and fair procedure and it is based on the risk of adverse outcomes from infection. So we really need to target our vaccines at those people at greatest risk first. The danger about displacing those high risk groups as you end up giving vaccines to people at lower risk, so you minimise the vaccination that way. But in terms of nuance in schools of when you open and went, there should be nuance in terms of which staff comes back to the buildings . I would totally agree comes back to the buildings . I would totally agree with comes back to the buildings . I would totally agree with that comes back to the buildings . I would totally agree with that as comes back to the buildings . I would totally agree with that as well. I totally agree with that as well. Often a lot of these risk assessments are already being done, have been done, by local education authorities and head teachers in schools. A lot of measures have been put in place, we are not talking about a scenario where no defence has been put in place in the last six to nine months. They will know on the ground that situation best. Good to have your insight, thank you forjoining us. Good to have your insight, thank you forjoining ve the government has been defending its plans to quarantine people arriving in the uk, in a scheme due to begin in 10 days time. People travelling from countries with high Infection Rates will have to stay in a hotel at their own expense in an effort to control the spread of new variants of coronavirus. Labour says the scheme should extend to all international travellers. Helena wilkinson reports. Its Hotels Near Airports like heathrow which are expected to sign up. Once a uk resident or Irish National arrives from one of 30 covid hotspots, they will be escorted and required to quarantine for ten nights in a hotel. The government says they are working at pace and hotels will have enough time to prepare. The whole point of this is that we give the hotels notice, because they will need to change the way they operate. We are asking them to do something very different. We are giving them time to make adjustments and we are also giving ourselves time to ensure that this policy is effective, by working with International Partners and giving our Border Enforcement Officials the time they need to prepare to make this work. The Quarantine Rules are being brought in to control the spread of new variants of the virus. But some hotels say they have not been contacted by the government. Others say they wont have enough time to prepare. Meher nawab is Chief Executive of the london hotel group, which already runs a hotel that accommodates people quarantining because of covid. It took them nine months to set up. There has been no open dialogue between the Hospitality Sector and the government. I sent a step plan to them last week, and yesterday afternoon a document has come out and they are expecting people to fill that document in and submit it, and get these hotels open on the 15th Of February. Labour says the scheme should be extended to all international travellers, notjust some countries. It is utterly shambolic that this is being brought into effect on the 15th Of February. That is over 50 days since the South African Strain was first discovered in this country. And little wonder, frankly, that it reached our shores. It is expected more than 1000 residents per day will return from places where new variants are prevalent. Details on how passengers will book their place in a Quarantine Hotel are expected to be set out by the government next week. Helena wilkinson, bbc news. Lets get more now from our Political Correspondent damian grammaticas. Everyone has got an opinion on quarantine and there seems though to be a discrepancy between government policy and what sage have been saying behind the scenes, can you explain . Saying behindthescenes, can you exlain . , explain . Yes, sage it being the scientists that explain . Yes, sage it being the scientists that are explain . Yes, sage it being the scientists that are advising explain . Yes, sage it being the scientists that are advising the | scientists that are advising the government. We know that the minute of their advice, or what theyre not so much advice but policy paper that they produce for the government when they produce for the government when they look at different options, one of the most recent ones, 21st of january, has been released and in that they talk about exactly this issue about how to protect against the importation of variants and Hotel Quarantine policies, border quarantine policies, and in that they are pretty clear and say that only complete closure of borders or mandatory quarantine for all visitors in designated places like Airport Hotels can get close to fully preventing the importation of cases. They say that that is important because geographically targeting countries, as the government is planning to do, is too late, because you may not have identified a new variant is circulating in time to bring those in and also you have got to put people in Airport Hotels they say it to be sure they follow the rules, so the government has been under pressure, labour as you are hearing saying why not make this for all rivals . This is what the Health Secretary has been saying this afternoon about targeting specific countries. We afternoon about targeting specific countries. ~ ,. , countries. We will be vigilant in makin countries. We will be vigilant in making sure countries. We will be vigilant in making sure that countries. We will be vigilant in making sure that the countries. We will be vigilant in making sure that the hotel making sure that the Hotel Quarantine that we are introducing applies quarantine that we are introducing applies to quarantine that we are introducing applies to the right countries where we see applies to the right countries where we see these new variants and we have we see these new variants and we have a we see these new variants and we have a programme to have surveillance right across the world working surveillance right across the world working with International Partners to make working with International Partners to make sure that we can spot where these to make sure that we can spot where these new to make sure that we can spot where these new variants pop up, like brazil these new variants pop up, like brazil and these new variants pop up, like brazil and south africa that we have seen so brazil and south africa that we have seen so far. Brazil and south africa that we have seen so far, and make sure we can keep seen so far, and make sure we can keep people seen so far, and make sure we can keep people here safe with the new Hotel Quarantine. The keep people here safe with the new Hotel Quarantine. Hotel quarantine. The scientists do sa that Hotel Quarantine. The scientists do say that no Hotel Quarantine. The scientists do say that no policy Hotel Quarantine. The scientists do say that no policy will Hotel Quarantine. The scientists do say that no policy will absolutely. Say that no policy will absolutely prevent the importation of new variants, that is part of what the government says is its rationale for targeting specific countries and keeping an open trading economy open to the world like the uk as. So i think the key question here is how this will develop. Where we seek new variants continue to be imported . And if we do, this may fuel criticism that the government has done too little too late in its policies so far. On a second thing interestingly the Health Secretary talking about the fact that we have been hearing today that the government has given a date by which it is expecting or hoping to have the first doses of vaccine tour all over 50s and Vulnerable People and thatis over 50s and Vulnerable People and that is the beginning of may. The Health Secretary said things are on track. Health secretary said things are on track. ,. ,. ,. , track. The Vaccine Programme is aoinu track. The Vaccine Programme is going great track. The Vaccine Programme is going great guns track. The Vaccine Programme is going great guns and track. The Vaccine Programme is going great guns and we track. The Vaccine Programme is going great guns and we are track. The Vaccine Programme is| going great guns and we are now almost going great guns and we are now almost ll going great guns and we are now almost 11 Million People vaccinated, including almost 11 Million People vaccinated, including 90 of the over 80s. We are on including 90 of the over 80s. We are on track including 90 of the over 80s. We are on track to make sure that we offer are on track to make sure that we offer to are on track to make sure that we offer to the are on track to make sure that we offer to the most vulnerable groups a vaccine offer to the most vulnerable groups a vaccine by the 15th Of February and my a vaccine by the 15th Of February and my goal is that i want us to be able to and my goal is that i want us to be able to offer a vaccine to all over 50s, able to offer a vaccine to all over 50s. That able to offer a vaccine to all over 50s. That is able to offer a vaccine to all over 50s, that is Priority Groups one to nine, 50s, that is Priority Groups one to nine, hy 50s, that is Priority Groups one to nine, by may. There is a lot of things nine, by may. There is a lot of things that nine, by may. There is a lot of things that we have to get right in order things that we have to get right in order to things that we have to get right in order to hit that goal and obviously sopply order to hit that goal and obviously supply is order to hit that goal and obviously supply is the most difficult of all of those, supply is the most difficult of all of those, but we are currently on track of those, but we are currently on track for of those, but we are currently on track for that and thanks to the huge track for that and thanks to the huge amount of effort from the nhs and everybody involved in making this happen, we are on track to get there this happen, we are on track to get there and this happen, we are on track to get there and obviously, that is a crltlcal there and obviously, that is a critical part of getting everybody out of critical part of getting everybody out of this. A critical part of getting everybody out of this out of this. A critical part of caettin out of this. A critical part of getting everybody out of this. A critical part of getting everybody out out of this. A critical part of getting everybody out of. Out of this. A critical part of l getting everybody out of this, remember that the uk has some of the highest per 100,000 death rates in the world, we have over 110,000 deaths here and there is a lot riding on the delivery of the Vaccine Programme and protecting the country on the importation of new variants and how this all plays out and will look further down the line. Thank you very much. Lets speak now to david alexander, professor of risk and disaster reduction at University College london. Welcome. First of all, some critics have said that the government should have said that the government should have introduced this a quarantining measure in hotels a year ago, when other countries did. What is the evidence that it is appropriate for us to use it in britain . I evidence that it is appropriate for us to use it in britain . Us to use it in britain . I have a feelin us to use it in britain . I have a feeling that us to use it in britain . I have a feeling that this us to use it in britain . I have a feeling that this hotel us to use it in britain . I have a} feeling that this Hotel Business us to use it in britain . I have a i feeling that this Hotel Business is potentially a recipe for chaos rather than improvement of the situation. It could easily be as ineffective as it is expensive and it strikes me as being a bit of another manifestation of vaccine nationalism. There are 4000 variants so far identified of coronavirus. Do we put people in kent in hotels, which is where one of the mutations took place . Understood, we need to control as far as possible the process of mutation, but i think thatis process of mutation, but i think that is probably better done by trying to control the spread of infection generally and using classic epidemiology, which is not about blanket measures, it is actually about tackling problems where they occur and putting in place measures, usually local, where they occur. Im not convinced that they occur. Im not convinced that the hotel approach is likely to work, especially as people may originate in certain countries but enter the country from others and it might be possible that they are not honest about that. Haifa honest about that. How evidencebased honest about that. How evidencebased has honest about that. How| evidencebased has the honest about that. How evidence based has the government being in the rolling out of its policies . Being in the rolling out of its olicies . , policies . There are three things that really policies . There are three things that really matter, policies . There are three things that really matter, three policies . There are three things that really matter, three keywords, evidence, consistency and communication. The trouble with evidence as it is not always unequivocal and we are into a phase right now in which that seems to be especially so. One roll on effect of thatis especially so. One roll on effect of that is this business of vaccine nationalism and there has been a disturbing tendency throughout europe, including the uk, to use evidence where it is convenient to do so, to ignore it where that is convenient, and to distort it where thatis convenient, and to distort it where that is more convenient. Ifear convenient, and to distort it where that is more convenient. I fear that as an warfare, so in the pandemic, truth has been the first casualty. The trouble is that it is very difficult to establish what the truth is, but when you put into place a policy, it needs to be consistent, it needs to be well communicated, including the drawbacks, the pros and cons and so on and this needs to be done on the basis of the best available evaluation of the evidence. If we have not got it, lets try and ensure the evidence is commissioned, that someone ago is out and find it as quickly as possible. The problem is that the government as quickly as possible. The problem is that the government has as quickly as possible. The problem is that the government has to is that the government has to balance politics, economics and also the health of the nation. Trying to convey some very complex ideas in clear terms, that everyone can understand them. How effective has the government been in doing that . Not very effective, in my view. I do not think they have been effective at all. Other countries have done it better, germany and italy for example have done it better and the result has been a better relationship between the people and their leaders in which there is much more of a sense of trust in this and therefore perhaps there may be more compliance with measures that are mandated. We need to avoid u turns unless these are clearly indicated by the situation and its dynamics and if that is the case, we need to explain simply why the u turn is that necessary, but by and large, im not sure it is. We need a consistency in the policy rather than abrupt changes in the situation. I think people are more upset by not being able to plan in advance what is going to happen and what they need to do sending children to school or keeping them at home or in theirjobs or whatever else. At home or in their obs or whatever else. ,. ,. ,. , else. You mentioned germany and ital , i else. You mentioned germany and italy. I am else. You mentioned germany and italy. I am sure else. You mentioned germany and italy, i am sure a else. You mentioned germany and italy, i am sure a lot else. You mentioned germany and italy, i am sure a lot of else. You mentioned germany and italy, i am sure a lot of people italy, i am sure a lot of people will remember those local mayors in different parts of italy being really very robust in their message to people about how important it was to people about how important it was to properly observe locked ands, some of those videos went viral. What was effective about their communication, their messaging, compared with the uks . {line communication, their messaging, compared with the uks . One thing about the italian compared with the uks . One thing about the italian system, compared with the uks . One thing about the italian system, the about the italian system, the municipal mayor is a way that the chief cervical protection authority. Chief Civil Protection authority. That means they have authority for public safety. What we have had in italy is that the 20 regions have run the show on behalf of their municipalities. The government has primarily acted as a harmonise at of the regional approaches and one reason why is that the Health Service is run regionally, it is run by the regions. So what has been able to be done is the strong local measures, local authorities understand local problems and local conditions. If they have the resources, they are able to react to that effectively. Too much centralism is not really a good idea and Something Like this. All disasters, and this is truly a disaster, art local affairs, no matter how large they are, because the theatre of operations is always the theatre of operations is always the local area. This really mandates the local area. This really mandates the local area. This really mandates the local leaders to be the people in charge with local problems to deal with. ,. In charge with local problems to dealwith. ,. , deal with. Public health officials, some in this deal with. Public health officials, some in this country deal with. Public health officials, some in this country would deal with. Public health officials, some in this country would echo | some in this country would echo that. Thank you very much. It is some in this country would echo that. Thank you very much. It is a pleasure energy bills are to go up for millions of people in april, after the Regulator 0fgem announced a raising of the price cap because of extra costs facing suppliers. The typical bill for someone on a default tariff will go up by nearly £100 a year. Poverty campaigners say the move comes at a time when many families are already struggling because of the pandemic. Our Personal Finance correspondent Kevin Peachey reports. Forjanet and her family, lockdown life means their energy use and bills are going up, but the regulator, 0fgem, will soon allow suppliers to charge more. A higher price cap affects people who havent switched suppliers or whose Discount Deals have expired. I have three children. Ive got two Working From Home at the moment because of covid and because the offices are shut. The energy that we use, gas and electric, we use on a daily basis and usually it goes on in the morning at about 6 30am to warm the house. Its staying on constantly until probably 8 30pm at night. It means bills will go up by £96 a year when using a typical amount of gas and electricity bought from the same supplier. Thats likely to take an annual bill to £1,138. Those who switch can bring that down to £851 a year, but even the cheapest deals around went up by £50 at the end of last year. The new cap means Prepayment Metre customers may also see bills go up by nearly £90 a year. With an estimated two Million People behind on paying energy bills and covid related Government Support schemes winding down, Debt Charities say the financial squeeze will tighten. We are particularly worried about the impact on people on benefits. They are already facing planned cuts to their benefits, at exactly the same time as this planned price increase. So, we are worried those people are going to face a double whammy of hits to their income, and increased bills at the same time. Part of the price rise is to allow suppliers to cover their costs when consumers cant pay, but the regulator denies this willjust make matters worse. We appreciate this is really difficult time for many families out there, not only financially but all the other pressures were facing from the covid crisis, but the reason were making this change is costs in the market fell to their lowest level last year and have come back up again and that is reflected in the prices that people will need to pay. Janet knows that pressure will come. We have found that if you have dual fuel you tend to get a better deal, but i havent looked at the Energy Prices recently. Im not looking forward to my next bill. Winter worries which now look set to bring a financial chill to spring, as well. Kevin peachy, bbc news. Adam scorer is the Chief Executive of the fuel Poverty Charity National Energy action and he explained his concerns. First, it is not an issue with the price cap, we know the price cap will mean costs go up and down and that needs to be reflected. The issue we have got is we need more protection for the most vulnerable households. Is at your piece that said, people around him and knocked down, they are using more, paying more, they end up owing more, all the time while they are earning less and the pinch is going to be extreme. It is notjust about income and bills, the people, everyone is paying more, the people on the lowest incomes in the least efficient homes, they will be paying £50 a month more overwinter lockdown, so we just need to refocus on making sure that regulatory protection and government policy does more for the most vulnerable. Appeal courtjudges have rejected an attempt to stop lawyers in court using messages extracted from encrypted phones as evidence. The ruling could have major implications for cases against suspected organised criminals around the country. Our Home Affairs Correspondent tom symonds has more. You probably remember last year there was a big announcement by police in the uk. They had cracked a Mobile Phone Network which they said was being exclusively used by organised criminals, it was called encrochat, and the phones were encrypted, so the police couldnt normally read the messages. They said it was the biggest breakthrough against organised crime ever. In the courts in the last few months, there has been an attempt to challenge that evidence, those thousands and thousands of messages that the police have grabbed off these phones and which are going to be used in criminal prosecutions. We have not been able to report until now, but the Court Of Appeal has today thrown out that attempt to challenge the use of those messages. The key point here is that the phones were cracked by French Police and the french will not say how they did it and that has thrown the uk courts into a degree of confusion, because intercepted evidence, so evidence taken as it is being sent, is not allowed to be used under british law for various reasons, but mainly to prevent people finding out how that evidence is obtained, and the defence said that this was intercepted evidence that had been taken by the police, but the courts have decided that was not the case, they said it is stored evidence, evidence that was kept on the phone and taken off the phone, it was not taken while the information was being sent, if you like, over the internet or through the airwaves. That means that there is a risk that some of these trials that could have fallen apart, because the evidence was not going to be available, will now go ahead, so it is quite a big judgment today at the appeal court. Now its time for a look at the weather with sarah. Hello. For some of us it is fairly springlike out there at the moment, but for others, a real u turn into winter. We still have heavy snowfall across many central and northern parts of scotland, 20 to 30 centimetres, perhaps 50 centimetres over the highest ground, that is causing some significant disruption. Elsewhere Rain Showers Rattling their way across parts of england. Wales, Northern Ireland could see some of those rain showers into this evening and overnight as well. Heavy rain at times across the North East Of England and south east scotland. Through saturday we will continue to see snow across scotland to increasingly low levels and some of that snow working across the hills of Northern England too. To the south of that, some rain showers and then as we move through saturday night into sunday, really cold air moving in on a brisk easterly wind, could be Blizzard Conditions developing on Sunday Down Towards East Anglia and the south east. Temperatures only a degree or two above freezing and it will feel subzero with the wind chill. There is an Amber Weather Warning in force, we could see disruption down to fairly heavy snowfall across parts of east anglia and the south east by sunday. Hello this is bbc news. The headlines. The uk r numberfalls to between 0. 7 and 1, with case numbers also dropping throughout most of the uk, though doctors warn we mustnt be complacent. We would like to see levels at a really safe level before we take our foot off the gas. We dont want to be in this position again. And we want our hospitals in some sort of state that they can cope with what used to be normal if we are going to head back towards that. The government defends its scheme to quarantine travellers arriving in the uk, but says it doesnt yet know how many hotels will take part. Gas and electricity bills are to rise for millions of people in april. A change to the price cap will put bills up by nearly £100 for people on a standard tarriff. Police scotland believe the attacks in kilmarnock that left three people dead and led to a hospital being locked down last night were all linked. Sport and a full round up from the bbc sport centre. Good afternoon. An impressive day forjoe root. The england captain has scored a century on the first day of the first test against india in chennai. Root is the third englishman to score a hundred in his 100th test. Former indian cricketer abhishethunjhunwala was watching the match as part of the cricket social team on 5 live, i spoke to him earlier and he began by telling me that root continues to prove his talent. He has always been one of the best players in world cricket. I always love watching him anyway. But what an innings it has been. He has been under a lot of pressure as well because it is a big series for england and playing his 100th test. To get 100 on your 100th test is not something you see very often from players. If you are playing your 100th test, you have got to be good to be there in the first place. You would expect Something Like that from him. What does india need to do to get back to acting to get back into this test . Do we need to see a repeat of what happened in australia . What what happened in australia . What the did in what happened in australia . What they did in australia what happened in australia . Transit they did in australia was what happened in australia . Trust they did in australia was phenomenal but it puts a lot of pressure on them. People will expect a lot of big things from them. Especially the indian crowned and indian media. I think there is still. They wont way too much about the result. At the end of the day, they managed to pick up the wicket. Mike to have the liberty to bats the way he did. Getting that one wicket at the end will give them a lot of encouragement going into day two. Tomorrow it all depends on the first hour, to be honest. The way i see it, they can pick up another couple of wickets, they can get root or someone else, if they can get those two wickets early in the first hour, that would put the pressure back on england. That would put the pressure back on encland. , ~ that would put the pressure back on encland. , i. ,. , england. Thank you for taking the time to speak england. Thank you for taking the time to speak to england. Thank you for taking the time to speak to us. Wales captain alun wynjones has been passed fit to lead his side into the six nations opener against ireland on sunday. Jones damaged his knee in the match against italy early in december in the autumn nations cup and was expected to miss the start of the tournament. Flanker dan lydiate plays his First International for more than two years and second row adam beard also returns. And as expected, ireland captain Johnny Sexton is fit enough to start the game after recovering from a knock, while tadgh beirne and josh van der flier will start in the pack. Good news ahead of the Australian Open on monday, more than 500 players, support staff and officials, who were told to self isolate ahead of the tournament have all tested negative for coronavirus. 160 players were among those asked to isolate after a hotel worker tested positive. There were fears it could affect the open after the warm up tournaments had to postpone matches. The draw for the first round has also been made earlier today, the only two british men in the singles draw, dan evans and Cameron Norrie, play each other. Theres been a bit of an exchange of frank views in the Premier League News Conferences this afternoon. Pep guardiola has said he expected betterfrom jurgen klopp than to indulge in mind games before Manchester Citys Premier League trip to liverpool on sunday. Klopp has suggested that a covid outbreak at city over christmas led to guardiolas side having a game postponed and 2 weeks off, helping their title bid. We didnt have a break. City had a two week break for coronavirus reasons. Its really tough. Its a tough season for some teams. For us, obviously for the reasons, you know, its tough. He knows its not true. We havent had two weeks off. Some people do it for the purpose, but i didnt expect he would do it. I didnt think it was the type of guy. If he did do it, ok, maybe i was wrong. To golf and it was Dustin Johnsons long drive that caught everyones attention. It went far left and it hit a volunteer on the back. Watch that. That looked sore. Fortunately, he got back up again and he seems to be ok. A little bit of concern from dustinjohnson there. He two shots off the lead on eight under. Thats all the sport for now. Thirty nine year old nhs worker Emma Robertson coupland was found fatally injured in the car park of University Crosshouse Hospital in kilmarnockjust before eight oclock. A short time later her twenty four old daughter Nicole Anderson was fatally stabbed in the towns portland street, about two miles away. A 40 year old man, steven robertson, then died in a road crash on a minor road near the a76, south of the town, at about half past eight. Us President Biden has pledged to rebuild americas alliances and that the country will re engage with the world, in his first major Foreign Policy speech since being sworn in as president. But he warned russia that the country will no longer roll over for president putin. Lebo diseko reports. This wasjoe bidens First Official visit to a Government Department as president. That he chose the agency which is home to the nations diplomats is significant. The president had a clear message about his countrys role in the world stage. America is back. Diplomacy is back at the centre of our Foreign Policy. This is a return to multilateralism after four years of america first. American alliances are our greatest asset, and leading with diplomacy means Standing Shoulder to shoulder with our allies and key partners once again. By leading with diplomacy, we must also mean engaging our adversaries and our competitors diplomatically. The most serious of those competitors, said President Biden, is china. He says it poses a direct threat to americas prosperity, security, and democratic values, and he promised to push back on what he called beijings attack on human rights, intellectual property, and global governance. Russia too was singled out for undermining democracy both at home and abroad. Mr biden criticised the jailing of Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny. He said he would work with moscow where it was in us interests, but where it wasnt, he would take a tougher approach. I made it clear to president putin, in a manner very different from my predecessor, that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of russias aggressive actions, interfering with our elections, cyber attacks, poisoning its citizens, are over. On the conflict that has led to what the un because the Worlds Largest humanitarian crisis, a Key Announcement the us will end its support for saudi arabias Military Offensive in yemen. Its a sharp change from the policy of donald trump, who had increased its backing of the saudi led coalition. President biden says he will halt the withdrawal of us troops millions of yemenis are facing starvation and more than 110,000 are thought to have died in the war which started six years ago. President biden says he will halt the withdrawal of us troops stationed in germany. Donald trump had repeatedly accused germany of not paying enough for its own defence. He ordered the withdrawal last year, although it had not yet begun. Again and again, joe biden stressed that america is ready to resume its Leadership Role on the world stage. No doubt us allies will be pleased about the re engagement, but equally doubts are likely to remain over whether they can trust that america is back to stay. Lebo diseko, bbc news, washington. Donald trump has said he wont testify at his Impeachment Trial in the Us Senate Next week. His lawyers say the proceedings are unconstitutional. The former president is accused of inciting the attack on the Capitol Building in washington dc last month. Theres tight security around a court in moscow for the trial of the alreadyjailed russian Opposition Leader, Alexei Navalny. Hes charged with slandering a Second World War veteran featured in a tv ad for last years constitutional referendum. Mr navalny has appeared in court and dismissed all the charges hes facing as politically motivated. Earlier this week, he was jailed for three and a half years for violating the conditions of a suspended sentence, even though he was being treated in germany for poisoning at the time. With the latest, heres our correspondent in moscow, sarah rainsford. Well, this is all linked to a video released back injune to promote some constitutional amendments which were very controversial at the time and essentially allow mr putin, if he so chooses, to extend his time in the kremlin by another two terms. This video clip, which was produced by the rt channel, featured a whole number of public figures, but also a war veteran and they were essentially reading bits of the constitution and then calling on people to vote for the changes. Mr navalny tweeted about that video and he called the people involved in it the shame of the country. He said they were corrupt lackeys and he used the word traitors, as well. After that, a case was opened, a complaint was made to investigative committee, who then have accused mr navalny of defaming specifically the war veteran in that clip. Interestingly, mr navalny never singled out the war veteran and he says this is a politically motivated case and, of course, it is meant to be to portray him the worst possible light as Alexei Navalny against the war veteran of the great patriotic war, as it is known here in russia. He is in court today, hes appearing in court. The veteran himself is appearing via video link dressed in his military uniform with all of his medals on his chest. The court is just in recess, in fact, because mr navalny has said he hasnt had time to acquaint himself with the materials of the case. The judge said, why not, youve had them since august . Mr Alexei Navalny said, i was a bit busy in august. Of course, that is when he was poisoned with a nerve agent and spent 18 days in a coma. Sot more than three years after the devastating battle to reclaim mosul from so called Islamic State, its old city still lies in ruins. A unesco led project called reviving the spirit of mosul has hired locals of all faiths to Work Together to rebuild historic mosques and churches in the city. Pope francis plans to visit all three sites during his much anticipated visit to iraq in march. Nawal al maghafi reports. This is what is left of mosuls old city. For centuries, the mosques and churches stood as a testament to religious tolerance in the city. Destroyed three years ago in the battle for mosul. Today, this citys people, christians and muslims, have returned to rebuild and reclaim their ancient history. Amongst the efforts, a project hiring locals of all faiths to start the restoration. This is one type of restoration. There are seven layers of the decoration. This is one layer only. It was a scene of total devastation. Mosuls old city was turned to dust. Its people were displaced. Entire livelihoods were destroyed. These pictures from 2017 show the extent of the damage caused during the battle to reclaim the city from the Group Calling itself the Islamic State. It was from the Al Nuri Mosque that Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi declared the Islamic States caliphate. In 2017, when Islamic State was retreating, they destroyed the mosques ancient leaning minaret. Once a symbol of mosul. We removed about 5600 tonnes of rubble and about 20 iuds, some of them were inside the walls of the mosque. As restoration begins, its notjust the physical challenges that locals have to deal with. Islamic state used this monastery as a base during their occupation. The writing they left on its walls are a constant reminder of the trauma the people here have endured. You can see here some ropes. We heard they had been hanging people from here. Mosul now is healing. Now, life is going back to normal, as it was before. In 2014, this priests church was taken over by the Islamic State. As soon as the fighting ended, he returned to start rebuilding. Now that the restoration of the church is complete, he welcomes guests of all faiths, something that was unthinkable for so long. Translation this place is available to everyone and we would welcome l everyone with joy and peace. For the people here, its notjust about restoring buildings that were destroyed. But healing an entire community, wounded by war. Roma communities are already some of the most marginalised in europe. They often live in overcrowded, segregated settlements and face wide spread discrimination. But the pandemic has left many communities ravaged, completely cut off from society, with people unable to get work and many struggling to access any Government Support. Our europe correspondent Jean Mackenzie has spent time in one settlement in bulgaria. Segregated and shunned. Surrounded by squalor. Devastated by the pandemic. In a macrame took but our problems, other people think we are over exaggerating. But problems, other people think we are over exaggerating. Over exaggerating. But no, we really live in the jungle. Over exaggerating. But no, we really live in the jungle. We over exaggerating. But no, we really live in the jungle. We have over exaggerating. But no, we really live in the jungle. We have been live in the ungle. We have been taken live in thejungle. We have been taken deep live in thejungle. We have been taken deep into live in thejungle. We have been taken deep into the live in thejungle. We have been taken deep into the settlement| live in the jungle. We have been taken deep into the settlement where he has lived all his life. Home to 25,000 people, it is severely overcrowded. Warding off a virus is nearly impossible. Nearly impossible. People cant be safe. Ambulances nearly impossible. People cant be safe. Ambulances cant nearly impossible. People cant be safe. Ambulances cant enter nearly impossible. People cant be | safe. Ambulances cant enter here. Roma communities have long been discriminated against but the pandemic has cut them off from society completely. At one point, the people here were blamed for the outbreak of the virus, meaning no one will hire them any more. Without formal contracts, they are struggling to Government Support. Surviving is a syslog. The Bulgarian Government says it is working with communities to identify and support those in need. They are providing them with food parcels and additional teaching. Them with food parcels and additionalteaching. But them with food parcels and additional teaching. But here, them with food parcels and additionalteaching. But here, help is hard to come by. As the rain pours, problems mount. It must be tough getting through a pandemic without water. Its tough getting through a pandemic without water. Tough getting through a pandemic without water. De tough getting through a pandemic| without water. De state without water. Its awful. De state is not considering without water. Its awful. De state is not considering us without water. Its awful. De state is not considering us like without water. Its awful. De state is not considering us like citizens. | is not considering us like citizens. I believe is not considering us like citizens. I believe that the state is like a mother i believe that the state is like a mother for us, you know. She should think mother for us, you know. She should think about mother for us, you know. She should think about us, should help us and we are think about us, should help us and we are in think about us, should help us and we are in need. It is not happening. It was we are in need. It is not happening. It was difficult to see how life could get much harder here, but this community that is used to being ignored now feels totally abandoned. The headlines on bbc news. The number of people testing positive for covid 19 fell to one in 65 in england last week, with a slight drop in the uk r number to between 0. 7 and 1. The government defends its scheme to quarantine travellers arriving in the uk, but says it doesnt yet know how many hotels will take part. Gas and electricity bills are to rise for millions of people in april. A change to the price cap will put bills up by nearly 100 pounds for people on a standard tarriff. Now Parish Councils may been viewed by some as the smallest, least powerful parts of the government system. But their meetings can be just as dramatic as anything in parliament. Take, for example, the zoom gathering of the planning and Environment Committee of handforth Parish Council in the north west of england, in december. The meeting has turned up on social media and now its gone viral. Mark lobel explains why. Recent frosty conditions in the small town of handforth spilled over into a heated meeting of the Environment Committee one comedian says was worthy of a golden globe. Its this one. Handforth Parish Council chair brian tolver begins by questioning the legitimacy of the meeting. Well start the meeting, and i want to repeat what i said at the beginning of the last meeting, that this meeting has not been called according to the law. The law has been broken. The correct titles and procedures are all important here. Are you here as the proper officer . I am here offering support to handforth Parish Council and the conduct of this meeting this evening. Youre not the proper officer. Is that as a clerk or proper officer . There is no difference between clerk and proper officer. Of course there is yes, there is. You must know the basic law. But self proclaimed monitoring officerJackie Weaver, apparently brought in as clerk to calm the tensions in previous meetings by other members present, stands her ground. Bedlam soon ensues. The law has been broken. It has been properly. Will you please let the chairman. . mrs weaver, please if you disrupt this meeting, i will have to remove you from it. You cant its only the chairman who can remove people from the meeting. You have no authority here, Jackie Weaver. No authority at all shesjust kicked him out. No, shes kicked him out dont. Shes kicked him out this is a meeting called by two councillors. Illegally they may now elect a chairman. No, they cant, the vice chair is here, i take charge read the standing orders. Read them and understand them she gasps. Stop it appalling behaviour with both the chair and vice chair now consigned to a virtual waiting room, Jackie Weaver asks whether they should be let back in, but the other members arent in forgiving mood. Im afraid that i would be loath for that to happen, because weve got work to get through, and i can only see everything being. Even more disrupted. Hundreds of thousands of views of the lively scenes have awakened what would normally be a sleepy Parish Council meeting into an internet sensation, with one Presenter Tweeting out loud, but what happens next . mark lobel, bbc news. With more snow forecast this weekend lets take you to somewhere in the uk that has had snow every day since the 24th december. And if lockdown is going to force us all to stay at home perhaps this is one of the most idyllic ways to do it. As these pictures show the pearson family who live in the Scottish Highlands have made the most of their enforced lockdown. And they even managed a night in an igloo despite the plunging temperatures. Earlier, dad, Gordon Pearson,along with seven year old struan and three year old brodie, told my colleague Annita Mcveigh more about it. Well, this is a. Weve tried a couple of times this year to build one, because weve had snow since the start of december, on and off. But this is the first one that has actually properly stayed for the duration. And struan, did you help daddy build this . Yeah. Fantastic. My friends helped, too. Ok, was it really hard work to build . Yeah, and it took about six weeks. Yeah, it took about six weeks to make it. Hes going to show you. Its quite windy here. Hell show you the igloo and go into it. Yes, please. Here we go. Its got a slide. As every igloo should have. There we go, amazing. And is brody inside or is he outside . Hes outside right now. Struan will show you inside. In you go, struan. Through the entrance. That is amazing and struan, you spent a night in this igloo with your dad and your little brother, is that right . Yeah. And what was it like . Well, i thought it was going to be cold, but it was actually quite warm. We had Sleeping Bags and about two mats and blankets and a onesie. You answered what i was just going to ask. Very good prediction of my question, how you managed to keep warm . And was it the best sleepover ever . Yes. Gordon, did you make this up as you went along, or did you look for any videos or advice online . Actually, its not really an igloo, its more like a snow hole. I have built snow holes before, but never to this extent. This is a luxury snow hole. And what was it like to sleep in . Surprisingly fine. Struan had made a hole in the roof, so i was getting snowed on, so we had to fill that in in the night. Apart from that, it was a very good nights sleep. They had probably one of the best nights sleep they have had for a long, long time. They all slept till seven oclock, which was great. Before we go, german scientists have found what could be the worlds smallest reptile. So small it can fit on yourfingertip. Discovered in madagascar, the nano chameleon is just 22 millimetres long, making it the smallest of all the roughly 11,500 known species of its kind. Now its time for a look at the weather. Good afternoon. Whilst for some of us temperatures have felt fairly spring like over the past few days, for other areas there has already been some heavy snow, particularly across parts of scotland and as we head into the next few days, that u turn back to something much more wintry is going to affect all of us. Low pressure sitting down towards the south east of the uk and that will draw in these really cold easterly winds, so a significant wind chill as we move through the weekend and into next week. Feeling subzero for all of us and that cold easterly wind is going to bring further snowfall as well. At the moment, the heaviest of the snow is still across northern scotland. 20 to 30 centimetres, perhaps 50 centimtres over the higher ground. An amber warning in force there. We have already seen some disruption, could be more as we head through this evening and overnight. Further snowfall sitting across scotland. Some rain at lower levels for south east scotland, also North East England as well. Further Rain Showers Rattling across parts of england and wales through the course of the night. There could be some ice and frost developing, especially in the south under those clearer skies. Also some mist and some fog patches first thing saturday morning. Saturdays weather, then. We will continue to see some rain showers across parts of england and wales. The snow will continue for scotland, falling to increasingly low levels and then some of that snow will work into parts of Northern England and particularly across the pennines as we move through into saturday afternoon, so colder air starting to filter its way south on saturday. Reasonably mild for southern england and wales. Temperatures up to eight degrees or so. But then it is going to be really all change at saturday night into sunday. Bitterly cold air moving in from the east or the north east, combined with low pressure close to the south east of the uk, we could well see significant snowfall for parts of east anglia and the south east through the course of sunday. Elswhere, some scattered snow showers as well, especially for eastern scotland, Eastern England. Driest but cloudy in the west. It will feel bitterly cold wherever you are. There is an Amber Weather Warning for that Heavy Snowfall On Sunday across parts of east anglia and south east england. Do keep tuned to your forecast over the next few days, the details could change, but there is potentialfor some pretty disruptive snow. Moving on into monday and it is a similar picture. Once again more heavy snowfall working in across parts of south east england, east anglia, elsewhere across Eastern England and eastern scotland will also see plenty of heavy snow showers. Temperatures only a degree or two either side of freezing but feeling much colder than that when you add on the wind chill. All the warnings are on our website. Bye bye. This is bbc news. I martine croxall. The headline that 5 7 almost 11 Million People have already had their firstjab. Already had their first jab. The Health Secretary says as long as supplies hold many more will soon be protected. My goal is i want us to be able to offer a vaccine to all over 50s that Priority Groups one to nine by may. Clear signs of a fall in covid cases. The uk r numberfalls to between 0. 7 and 1, with Infection Numbers also dropping throughout most of the uk, but doctors warn we mustnt be complacent. We would like to see a really safe level before we take our foot off the gas. We dont want to be in this position again and we want our hospitals in some sort of state that they can cope with what used to be normal if were going to head back towards that. Three people who died in series of linked incidents last night