As everyone is told to stay at home, well look at the impact the latest lockdowns are having on our Mental Health. With the whole of the uk facing another period of Strict Lockdown we appear to be back where we started. Well have to stay at home, schools are closed and even if you do venture out theres not much you can do to cheer yourself up. Few shops, no restaurants, and no pubs. And thatll be the case for weeks. Wales is already in lockdown and Northern Ireland is expected to go the same way. Englands rules come into force tomorrow scotlands started at midnight. When will it end . Well much, of course, will depend on the success of the governments Vaccination Programme. There was some good news for businesses, chancellor rishi sunak saying they will receive support grants worth up to £9,000 to help them survive the latest covid lockdown. 0ur Political Correspondent Damian Grammaticas reports. The heart of london today. Still. The pace of life slowing again. New restrictions coming
Himself orfamily not issue pre emptive pardons for himself or family members as far as we know. No sign of that. So we will return to washington very shortly. This is bbc news. Im simon mccoy. The headlines a historic day in america asjoe biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. He spent last night at blair house but is currently in the cathedral and is expected to leave to head to the inauguration shortly. His new Vice President makes History Today too, Kamala Harris, the first female, first black and first south Asian American to take up the post. Outgoing President Donald Trump not at the inauguration ceremony. He left the white house a few hours ago. Mr trump delivered his last remarks atjoint base andrews. He thanked his family and team before wishing joe biden success. I wifih wishing joe biden success. I wish the new administration wishing joe biden success. I wish the new Administration Great wishing joe biden success. I wish | the new Administration Great
As students scramble to secure university places after the exam fiasco in england, an apology from the education secretary. Chaos for some universities, facing a massive increase in demand from students now achieving top grades. Gavin williamson says sorry for the distress caused to pupils after his u turn in a level and gcse grading. As you can absolutely imagine, i am incredibly sorry for the distress that this has caused for those youngsters and incredibly sort of. This is not something that anyone wanted. As he refuses to say if hell resign, well be assessing the political fall out in westminster. Also this lunchtime. 7,000 jobs are to go at marks spencer, as part of a further shake up of its stores and management after the Coronavirus Crisis. Public Health England is scrapped, and replaced, after criticism of its response to the Coronavirus Crisis. The widow of pc Andrew Harper calls for mandatory life sentences for those who Kill Police Officers. Harpers law is just so important
A step change in the governments response to coronavirus is expected, as ministers hold an emergency meeting. Its thought the uk will move from a strategy of containing the virus to trying to delay its spread. The chancellor this morning tried to reassure. We will make the right decisions at the right time, every step of this process, people can be assured of that. In the us, President Trump has imposed a mass ban on flights from 26 European Countries, excluding the uk. To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from europe to the United States for the next 30 days. It comes as ireland closes schools and colleges, italy shuts nearly all its shops, and spain considers putting madrid in lockdown. Also this lunchtime. The ifs warns the chancellors plans to spend more will come under threat if Economic Growth doesnt recover. And well be answering your questions on the coronavirus outbreak, and how best to protect yourselves and your families. And coming up
Down to the jet stream. We had a powerful jet stream across the down to the jet stream. We had a powerfuljet stream across the uk right across the atlantic over the last three or four weeks which has been driving these deep low pressure systems across the uk. We are looking at rainfall totals for the month of february well above average, record breaking in places, so average, record breaking in places, so all of this frame for coming in from the west over the recent weeks has added to the Flooding Issues across the uk. Is it possible to look ahead further . I know precision is difficult but when youre looking over the next few weeks because people are facing a horrifically difficult time. It does stay unsettled into next week, there are hints we may start to see it winding down in the way towards the middle of march. But for the next week or so, it does stay on the next week or so, it does stay on the unsettled side. Many thanks indeed for that update on the weather. Again, that is mor