tennis tournament. and the mystery of stonehenge, did the stone circle originally standard wales? we speak to an archaeologist who has uncovered new evidence and temperature. —— in temperature. hello, good afternoon. chancellor rishi sunak has told the bbc the economy "experienced a significant shock", and the government would set out the next steps of the response to the pandemic in the budget next month. our economics correspondent andy verity reports. 2020, the year that will be remembered not only for a pandemic, but for an unprecedented economic roller—coaster caused by the government's anti—virus measures. the figures today show the economy shrank faster than it had in 300 years and surged back in the summer then slowed down again before christmas. labour say the 9.9% year on year drop was worse in other european countries. —— worse than other european countries. the chancellor disputed the claim of misuse of funds. i disputed the claim of misuse of funds. ~ , , ,., ., disputed the claim of misuse of funds. ~ , , ., ., funds. i think this is important to clear u - , funds. i think this is important to clear up. we _ funds. i think this is important to clear up, we count _ funds. i think this is important to clear up, we count gdp - funds. i think this is important to clear up, we count gdp a - funds. i think this is important to | clear up, we count gdp a different way to pretty much everybody else. and if you look for that difference in a way that is compared to other gdp, what you find is the bank of england national statistics have pointed out, what you find out is that the performance errors very much in line and comparable with other countries.— much in line and comparable with other countries. some parts of the economy are _ other countries. some parts of the economy are now— other countries. some parts of the economy are now less _ other countries. some parts of the economy are now less than - other countries. some parts of the economy are now less than 496 - other countries. some parts of the i economy are now less than 496 downs economy are now less than 4% downs from preprint pandemic levels of activity, —— pre—pandemic level of activities. it adapted by shifting from supplying the car industry to the do—it—yourself market and sales were covered. we the do-it-yourself market and sales were covered-— the do-it-yourself market and sales were covered. we had to make some uuite were covered. we had to make some quite sweeping _ were covered. we had to make some quite sweeping changes _ were covered. we had to make some quite sweeping changes in _ were covered. we had to make some quite sweeping changes in terms - were covered. we had to make some quite sweeping changes in terms of. quite sweeping changes in terms of structure _ quite sweeping changes in terms of structure of the company in 2020. our order— structure of the company in 2020. our order book fell from march from 0ur order book fell from march from 10% of— 0ur order book fell from march from 10% of what it should've been, but i say certainly from december onward last year. _ say certainly from december onward last year, there is things coming, and once — last year, there is things coming, and once we get to the first period of 2021 _ and once we get to the first period of 2021 with the impact of brexit, delays _ of 2021 with the impact of brexit, delays at — of 2021 with the impact of brexit, delays at ports, i think 2021 can actually— delays at ports, i think 2021 can actually be a good year for this economy _ actually be a good year for this economy-— actually be a good year for this econom . ~ ., ., , , , economy. while growth was slightly better than expected _ economy. while growth was slightly better than expected in _ economy. while growth was slightly better than expected in the - economy. while growth was slightly better than expected in the last - better than expected in the last three months of the year, a i%, the economic pain was concentrated on sectors like accommodation and food, which after a devastating pre—christmas slump, so activity drop by a third. all hopes now rest on the vaccine reopening the economy and consumers reopening their purses. and consumers reopening their urses. ., ., , , ., purses. the good news is that the third lockdown _ purses. the good news is that the third lockdown will _ purses. the good news is that the third lockdown will be _ purses. the good news is that the third lockdown will be much - purses. the good news is that the third lockdown will be much less i third lockdown will be much less painful for the economy than the previous two, but we still expect to see that just stepped previous two, but we still expect to see thatjust stepped down in january. i think we are more optimistic later in the air as long as vaccines continue to be rolled out fairly provide protection against the various variants of the virus. . ., ., , against the various variants of the virus. _, ., , , against the various variants of the virus. ., , , , . ., virus. the economy is expected to shfink virus. the economy is expected to shrink a grant _ virus. the economy is expected to shrink a grant by _ virus. the economy is expected to shrink a grant by 496 _ virus. the economy is expected to shrink a grant by 496 in _ virus. the economy is expected to shrink a grant by 496 in the - virus. the economy is expected to shrink a grant by 496 in the first i shrink a grant by 4% in the first quarter this year, which outside of the pandemic, will count as one of the pandemic, will count as one of the worst contractions in the past century. it is not expected to recover into the precrisis level until well into next year. 0ur economic editor says this was not unexpected. that our economic editor says this was not unexpected.— not unexpected. that pollen the economy. _ not unexpected. that pollen the economy. 10% _ not unexpected. that pollen the economy, 1096 of _ not unexpected. that pollen the economy, 1096 of the _ not unexpected. that pollen the economy, 1096 of the year, - not unexpected. that pollen the economy, 1096 of the year, is i economy, 10% of the year, is historic. but it is also history and that it historic. but it is also history and thatitis historic. but it is also history and that it is last year and reflects what we all saw in our own hometowns and high streets and people not going to work in people not being able to shop and all that sort of stuff. so what matters is what is happening right now. as you heard, right at the end of last year, that has fallen back again after the pick—up, after the renewed lockdowns we have seen. but they lockdown this time around has been less of an economic hit and we had last april. so that is slightly less bad news. and then going forward is about when the economy reopens, levels of support. what the chancellor told me that the prime minister is going to announce in the final week of february a road map out of the restrictions. that might take some weeks or months, and then a week after that, the budget in early march, we will see a recovery plan, including how that support extends. so that is a plan going forward. still some uncertainty, but with the right when, there's a possibility of a strong bounce back in the second half of this year. let's get more on that now with andrew sentance, who's a senior adviser to cambridge econometrics and former member of bank of england's monetary policy committee. i don't know if you heard that last point, but let's get your assessment on whether and when we might expect to see some form of bounce back. it certainly is not going to be in the first quarter of this year. because we are under lockdown. i don't know whether we are going to escape from lockdown very quickly. so that is the key factor determining how quickly the uk economy escapes from this downturn in gdp. i am not quite sure how quickly that will happen. is that the biggest issue, the uncertainty?— is that the biggest issue, the uncertainty? well, i think the bi est uncertainty? well, i think the biggest issue _ uncertainty? well, i think the biggest issue is _ uncertainty? well, i think the biggest issue is the _ uncertainty? well, i think the| biggest issue is the lockdown. uncertainty? well, i think the - biggest issue is the lockdown. and how quickly, you know, we can unwind from lockdown. 0bviously some people are being very optimistic about vaccines etc, but i think i heard media reports from the chief economist at the bank of england saying that the uk economy is going to bounce back like a coiled spring. i think that is far too optimistic. i think that is far too optimistic. i think that is far too optimistic. i think we need to recognise that the economy will take some time to recover from the various measures that have taken place to hold it down over the last 12 to 18 months. the biggest issue from those i have spoken to in business and economists, they say the big concern for them is inflation, what is your view? how are we going to get out of this in terms of the spending that has taken place and this potential, the biggest thing i keep hearing, is the biggest thing i keep hearing, is the concern around inflation? i the biggest thing i keep hearing, is the concern around inflation? 1 image the concern around inflation? i have been an inflation _ the concern around inflation? i have been an inflation for— the concern around inflation? i have been an inflation for much - the concern around inflation? i have been an inflation for much of- the concern around inflation? i have been an inflation for much of my - been an inflation for much of my career. but i do not think that is the worry now. i think the main issueis the worry now. i think the main issue is the ability of the economy to rebound and how quickly that will take place. i do not think inflation is going to be a major issue. i think that the economy will, its ability to recover from all the measures that have been in place to hold it down is going to be the most important thing. unfortunately, i think the economy will take some time to recover. i think the economy will take some time to recover.— time to recover. i notice that you are in broxburn, _ time to recover. i notice that you are in broxburn, your— time to recover. i notice that you are in broxburn, your mp - time to recover. i notice that you are in broxburn, your mp is - time to recover. i notice that you are in broxburn, your mp is sir . are in broxburn, your mp is sir giles walker, who has spoken out very strongly this week against lockdown saying that we cannot cancel life, we have to continue. there have been more calls today, at some point the balance will have to be assessed. given that he is your mp, i would like to know what you think about his comments. you have mentioned that lockdown is the issue. n ., , mentioned that lockdown is the issue. a . , ., issue. actually, we are in the en ten area. — issue. actually, we are in the en ten area, which _ issue. actually, we are in the en ten area, which we _ issue. actually, we are in the en ten area, which we have - issue. actually, we are in the en ten area, which we have had - issue. actually, we are in the en | ten area, which we have had to... issue. actually, we are in the en - ten area, which we have had to... we have had testing, it has been one of the eight areas that has been focused on. and actually that has worked very well. i don't think i agree with giles walker because i think what we need to do is allow time for the economy to recover and for us to get the cases down. here in broxburn, we have had the peak was about 1500 cases per 100,000 population. we are now down to below 300. so we have actually done a greatjob in getting the caseload down, and i think that has got to be the priority, to get the health of the priority, to get the health of the population back in good order, and then maybe we can think about relaxing restrictions. find and then maybe we can think about relaxing restrictions.— relaxing restrictions. and in which case, relaxing restrictions. and in which case. then. _ relaxing restrictions. and in which case, then, what _ relaxing restrictions. and in which case, then, what is _ relaxing restrictions. and in which case, then, what is your - case, then, what is your expectation? where are those green shoots that were mentioned and what sort of timeline, given your experience, should we be looking at? where is the hope? i think that is what most people will be asking today. i what most people will be asking toda . ~' ., , , what most people will be asking toda . ~' . , , , today. i think the main issue is actually the — today. i think the main issue is actually the hope _ today. i think the main issue is actually the hope comes - today. i think the main issue is actually the hope comes from | actually the hope comes from getting... making sure we are a healthy population. 0nce getting... making sure we are a healthy population. once we have done that, and that may take a few more weeks, and then once we have done that, then we are in a better position to get the economy going again. but we learnt, i think in the summer last year, that we relaxed the economy to prematurely, so i do not think we should make that mistake again.— not think we should make that mistake aaain. ., ~' ,, . not think we should make that mistake aaain. ., ., ,, . ., mistake again. thank you so much for “oininu us mistake again. thank you so much for joining us and — mistake again. thank you so much for joining us and for— mistake again. thank you so much for joining us and for your _ mistake again. thank you so much for joining us and for your thoughts - joining us and for your thoughts today. wales has achieved its target of offering a coronavirus vaccine to the top four priority groups. the first minister mark drakeford has been talking about the possibilty of easing lockdown and says that easter will be �*an important moment�* for tourism and hospitality in wales. our correspondent hwyel griffith reports. that's it, you're all done. that's it? that was it. dose by dose, hope is being delivered. vaccinations started more slowly in wales than the rest of the uk but, today, it becomes the first of the four nations to have offered the jab to everyone over 70, health care workers, care home residents, and the extremely vulnerable. david is 74 years old. for him, it's about freedom. i want to get back to a normal life, where i go training three days a week, and i want to be healthy. i want many, many more years left on this earth and i want to enjoy life, that's what it means to me. get back to normal. so when exactly will that happen? wales was the first nation to lock down, five days before christmas. covid case rates have fallen significantly since, but there's no end to shutdown in sight. we're ready to reopen and, as i say, we want to trade our way back to recovery. that's the best prescription for us as a sector now. it's not more grants, not more funding, we just need to see an opportunity to be able to get people back into the workplace and to start to see trade and stores open once more. there may be some good news on the horizon for people wanting to a holiday. the first minister of wales says tourism could resume here in the spring. we've got easter at the beginning of april this year, it's always - a very important moment for our tourism and - hospitality industry. we are talking with them - about what might be possible around the easter period. those are amongst the dates that we are using in our- conversations with businesses and workers here in wales. i in towns like tenby, that would be a huge relief. some businesses haven't survived. others will need financial support to hold on until easter. they're hanging on not so much with the fingertips, but with their fingernails. you know, and we need reassurance on furloughing, that's really important, and that budget in march is really important because we want an extension of the 5% vat and we want another rates holiday. the forecast for what the next few weeks will bring is as uncertain as ever, but in this corner of the country, there is now a glimmer of optimism. hywel griffith, bbc news. the first minister mark drakeford joins me now. i hope you got to hear some of that report, but i suppose my first question has got to be, when is going be ready to reopen? are you prepared to put that in more concrete terms just yet? i prepared to put that in more concrete terms just yet? concrete terms 'ust yet? i don't think it is — concrete termsjust yet? i don't think it is possible _ concrete termsjust yet? i don't think it is possible to _ concrete termsjust yet? i don't think it is possible to be - concrete termsjust yet? i don't think it is possible to be more | think it is possible to be more definite than we have been so far. things in wales have improved significantly this year. if we continue on that path, then there is a way that we can see where we could begin to reopen parts of the welsh economy, including our tourism industry, as we move into the spring. but that is a very big if, because coronavirus has been full of unpleasant surprises and we are not done, i am afraid, with its twists and turns just yet.— done, i am afraid, with its twists and turns just yet. and turns 'ust yet. what assessments have ou and turns just yet. what assessments have you done _ and turns just yet. what assessments have you done if _ and turns just yet. what assessments have you done if you _ and turns just yet. what assessments have you done if you cannot - and turns just yet. what assessments have you done if you cannot open - and turns just yet. what assessments have you done if you cannot open up| have you done if you cannot open up for that very important period, as you have said today? the industry will need to _ you have said today? the industry will need to continue _ you have said today? the industry will need to continue to _ you have said today? the industry will need to continue to have - will need to continue to have support via the chancellor and his budget, the furlough scheme, as we heard in the report very important to that industry, the welsh government will continue to support businesses as well. but i know that businesses as well. but i know that businesses do not want to rely on government checks. they want to reopen and start trading again. once the conditions allow that to happen safely, gradually, cautiously, step—by—step, that is what we will do here in wales. you step-by-step, that is what we will do here in wales.— step-by-step, that is what we will do here in wales. you are a former robation do here in wales. you are a former probation officer, _ do here in wales. you are a former probation officer, youth _ do here in wales. you are a former probation officer, youth justice - probation officer, youth justice worker, barnardos project leader, i wonder what assessments, we have talked a lot about business, but what about the impact that this is having on those whom you used to care for? the other end of the vulnerable in society, in terms of our children?— vulnerable in society, in terms of our children? getting children back into face-to-face _ our children? getting children back into face-to-face education - our children? getting children back into face-to-face education is - our children? getting children back into face-to-face education is the l into face—to—face education is the top priority for the welsh government. that is why we will see a return to school of 3—7 —year—olds after half term here on the 22nd of february. 0ur after half term here on the 22nd of february. our children have had the most torrid time. not simply losing out on education, but the simple business of growing up in the company of your friends. so our first priority will be to bring those children back into school, to allow them some semblance of normality, because there is a great deal of ground that we will need to have to help them recover as we move out, as we hope we will, of the experience that has been so difficult for now nearly 12 months. what assessments have been made then in terms of the impact in that regard? there is lots of evidence of the impact of lockdown on mental health, tragic rise in suicide and self—harm, particularly among the young. what assessments have been donein young. what assessments have been done in that regard? £311" young. what assessments have been done in that regard?— done in that regard? our children commissioner _ done in that regard? our children commissioner professor - done in that regard? our children commissioner professor has - done in that regard? our children - commissioner professor has published a report today. it captures the views and voices of thousands of children here in wales, from children here in wales, from children who are three years old right up to young people who are leaving education. the story that they have to tell us is a sobering one. it is a story of isolation, it is a story of feeling that there is not hope at the end of this tunnel. that is why, as we move into this year, it is so important for us to put them at the very front of the queue when we are able to restore freedoms and allow life to get back to something approaching normal. and there is nothing more powerful than there is nothing more powerful than the testimony of those young people themselves. trio. the testimony of those young people themselves. ., ., ,., . ,, themselves. no, indeed. coming back to that original— themselves. no, indeed. coming back to that original point, _ themselves. no, indeed. coming back to that original point, in _ themselves. no, indeed. coming back to that original point, in terms - themselves. no, indeed. coming back to that original point, in terms of- to that original point, in terms of hope, without a concrete date, and i appreciate what you have said, but we are all human and the society, we have heard that businesses are hanging on by theirfingertips, without hope for those businesses at easter, what message can you give to them? , , , ., them? the first message is that there is some _ them? the first message is that there is some hope. _ them? the first message is that there is some hope. because i them? the first message is that i there is some hope. because things have improved in wales. 0ur vaccination programme today getting the first four groups completed. there are reasons why we can be more optimistic as we move into the coming months, but we have always got two caveats that with the inherent uncertainties of the best pandemic. if things continue to improve, there will be opportunities to restore freedoms, to individuals, to restore freedoms, to individuals, to businesses, two families here in wales. that is the path the welsh government wants to set out on, but we have always got to do it in a sober and realistic way, not offering people false certainty but still seem to them that provided we all go on making the efforts we are making, there is hope that this year can be better than the last.- can be better than the last. thank ou so can be better than the last. thank you so much _ can be better than the last. thank you so much for— can be better than the last. thank you so much forjoining _ can be better than the last. thank you so much forjoining us. i can be better than the last. thank you so much forjoining us. thank| you so much for “oining us. thank ou. in the past hour, government experts have said it is now estimated to be between 0.7 and not .9 meaning the spread of the disease is slowing. in england, people over the age of 65 will be invited to a vaccine appointment from next week. despite concerns of a faster spreading a new variant, lockdowns seem to be slowing the spread of the virus. a small survey by the office for national statistics suggests compliance remains high, but behavioural experts say more support is needed. if you look at those 0ns data, it also tells us that 47% of people are having to travel to work. as i say, the real problem is not people breaking the rules and choosing to go out, the real problem is people being forced to go out by rules and regulations which are too lax. the latest figures from the 0ns infection survey suggest rates fell across the uk in the first week of february. 1 in 80 had the virus in england put it was 1 in 85 in wales, 1 in 75 in northern ireland and 1 in 150 in scotland. we need to remember that vaccinating 20% of the population will not have a huge impact on transmission, which is why all the vaccinations are a hugely important as part of the strategy and we still need to focus efforts on reducing case numbers in parallel with vaccination because we don't expect vaccination to have an impact on that in the coming months. on monday, the government hopes to have hit its target for offering jabs to the top four priority groups. it will be a crucial week for the government as it scrutinises data ahead of announcing its road map for easing restrictions. we are very much hoping that- on the 8th of march there is a date that i imagine parents _ across the country will be watching with great interest, _ which is when, if the data allows, and that is the caveat, _ if the data allows, the 8th of march is when we very much - want to start unlocking schools. it is likely to be a long road ahead, it may feel more like normal by the summer, but some experts warn we may have to learn to live with the virus. in the longer term, once we hopefully get out of this lockdown and back to some sense of normalcy, we may need to think in those terms of, we are clearly not going to eradicate this, so how are we going to live with it? and what level of impact are we prepared to put up with as a society? health leaders have warned of the risk of easing too soon when hospitals still have more covid patients now than in the first wave last spring. they say we are turning the corner, but need to get cases right down. the lower the infections, the lower the chances of new variants emerging. catherine da costa, bbc news. just some news coming into as that the man who raped and murdered the hull university student libby squire has beenjailed for life, with hull university student libby squire has been jailed for life, with a minimum term of 27 years. i will come back to that story. the mother of libby squire, who was murdered, has told the court, court that she was hunted by not being there for her daughter when she needed her. a very powerful victim statement she has read which we will come to after this next interview. we will come back to that, butjust picking up on theissue back to that, butjust picking up on the issue of the r value. professor deirdre hollingsworth, who is an infectious disease modeller at the university of oxford. she's also a member of the scientific pandemic influenza group on modelling but is speaking today in a personal capacity. can you just bring us up—to—date with where we are and your assessment of what we have heard today with this range now at not .72 0.9, the first time under one since july? 0.9, the first time under one since jul ? ., , 0.9, the first time under one since jul ? . , . , 0.9, the first time under one since jul? . , ., , ., 0.9, the first time under one since jul? . , . , ., ., july? that is really fantastic that the r rate is _ july? that is really fantastic that the r rate is below _ july? that is really fantastic that the r rate is below one. - july? that is really fantastic that the r rate is below one. each i the r rate is below one. each infection is not causing another infection, so generally the rate of infection, so generally the rate of infection will drop, which is fantastic news.— infection will drop, which is fantastic news. what does it actually mean _ fantastic news. what does it actually mean in _ fantastic news. what does it actually mean in principle? l fantastic news. what does it i actually mean in principle? one fantastic news. what does it - actually mean in principle? one way of thinkina actually mean in principle? one way of thinking about _ actually mean in principle? one way of thinking about it _ actually mean in principle? one way of thinking about it is _ actually mean in principle? one way of thinking about it is that _ actually mean in principle? one way of thinking about it is that for i of thinking about it is that for every ten new infections we have, they will only generate between seven and nine other infections. that means that gradually the number of infections will drop, which is good news. of infections will drop, which is good news-— of infections will drop, which is aood news. ~ ., ., , , , good news. what does this tell us about the longer _ good news. what does this tell us about the longer term _ good news. what does this tell us l about the longer term assessment? there seem to be cautious optimism, but actually everything does seem to be pointing in the right direction, and i think a lay person might be wondering why things do not seem to be getting back quicker if this virus has worked its way through the population, now we have the vaccine, there will be many wondering why can't we start looking at normality in some sense quicker than perhaps is being reported? first in some sense quicker than perhaps is being reported?— is being reported? first of all, we have a huge _ is being reported? first of all, we have a huge backlog _ is being reported? first of all, we have a huge backlog of _ is being reported? first of all, we have a huge backlog of infections| have a huge backlog of infections and admission is in hospital. sadly, we have nearly 700 deaths yesterday. it will take a long time for all those infections to filter through the system. it is good news it is dropping, but it will stay, still take some time. each ten infections is still generating seven to nine new ones, so it will take awhile to drop. it is hard to predict the rate of that drop. the nhs hospitals are still quite loaded with cases and it will take time, but the cases that are there to be released and also for the new cases, which is happy inevitably going to come, to filter through the system and get that number of infections in hospital down to a really low level. we number of infections in hospital down to a really low level. we had a rofessor down to a really low level. we had a professor on — down to a really low level. we had a professor on earlier _ down to a really low level. we had a professor on earlier today _ down to a really low level. we had a professor on earlier today who i down to a really low level. we had a| professor on earlier today who asked the question really, at what point we have to learn to live with this virus? ., , ., , we have to learn to live with this virus? . , . , virus? that is a very good point. the vaccines _ virus? that is a very good point. the vaccines are _ virus? that is a very good point. the vaccines are obviously i virus? that is a very good point. j the vaccines are obviously going virus? that is a very good point. i the vaccines are obviously going to change that picture for us. they give us a lot of optimism. at the moment, we have only vaccinated about 20% of the population, that will not have a huge impact on transmission, but we hope it will have a huge impact on hospitalisations and deaths because the most vulnerable groups have been prioritised. so it is likely in the future that we will be facing a situation where we have ongoing transmission, but hopefully not as many hot hospital admissions and deaths. then it is a case of balancing that against how we open our society. balancing that against how we open oursociety. if balancing that against how we open our society. if you think about your own household, you know, the more contacts you have, the more activities you take part in, the more opportunities there are for you to bring infection into your household. but if the level of infection in the community is really low, then even if you have more contacts, the opportunities for you to contract the virus and bring it into your house is lower. so, we need prevalence to be low to enable more activities. but of course there will still always need to be that balance between the risk of serious infections and deaths and even long covid and our need to expand our society and give people a brighter future. ., ., society and give people a brighter future. ., ~' , ., society and give people a brighter future. ., ,, , ., ., future. thank you. the government has been defending _ future. thank you. the government has been defending their _ future. thank you. the government has been defending their hotel- has been defending their hotel quarantine plans. plans for people coming into england from high risk countries. the policy comes into force on monday. the government has secured 4,700 rooms at 16 hotels. people will have to pay one thousand, seven hundred and fifty pounds to quarantine in hotels for 10 days. and those failing to comply with the rules willl face fines of up to ten thousand pounds. but there has been criticism the system is not as strict as those in place elsewhere in the world as david shukman reports. arrivals from many countries are about to face 11 nights in a quarantine hotel like this one, but there are questions about the arrangements — notjust because the government's online booking system crashed soon after launching, but also because the hotels have been given instructions which, in some ways, are different to the rules applied in australia. quarantine hotels there have operated for over a year now and lessons have been learned, including the need for better personal protective equipment because of the risk of the virus spreading in the air from people's rooms. enough particles could go into the air of the hall that if someone walked down the hall, say 20 minutes later, and inhaled, that's a potential source of transmission. so what are the differences between australia's policy and what is about to start here? are people allowed to leave their rooms? not in australia, but yes, here, to get fresh air, though not to smoke. are hotel staff tested? yes, for all of them, every day in australia. there are plans for that here, but it's not confirmed that they will start on monday. what about masks? in the state of victoria, they are now using high—grade masks. the advice here is to use thinner, surgical ones. we saw from the 0ns figures as recently as december that hotel workers are some of the most at risk of dying from covid. security guards, for example, whether they be in hotels or not, they are being put at risk if they are having to accompany people and customers to and from their room. that is something that the government should absolutely be putting in its guidelines and instead what it is saying is that those workers should be put at unnecessary risk. but the government says the system of quarantine hotels will be carefully controlled. i think we have to look at our own measures in our own country. you know, the hotel will, of course, be adhering to all of the very strict measures that we have in place in relation to social distancing and facemasks and so on. allowing someone a gulp of fresh air, apart from anything else, we know that being outside is less likely to transmit than being inside, but i think allowing someone a gulp of fresh air during a ten—day visit in a hotel, with all the very strict measures that we have, i think is reasonable. the test will be whether infections happen inside the hotels. despite all of australia's precautions, there are still outbreaks, so this will be a challenge. david shukman, bbc news. let's pick up withjonathan blake. scrutiny in australia and scrutiny over here. the government reiterating, clarifying rather, the restrictions that will be in place. can you take us through that? street sa in: that can you take us through that? street saying that the _ can you take us through that? street saying that the arrangements - can you take us through that? street saying that the arrangements for i saying that the arrangements for hotel quarantine be similar to and in line with other countries who have taken this approach, but as you heard and david's report, there are some differences. particularly with australia. the prime minister's spokesman has said there will be a limited number of exceptions for people to be allowed to leave their rooms. they must quarantine for ten days inside the rooms and they are allowed out for exercise, with the permission from hotel staff. there is another question around capacity. at the moment, the government has picked and allocated 4600 rooms for this purpose, but it is estimated that about 1300 people per week are coming from the red list of countries, after which travellers will be required to quarantine in hotel rooms from. so you can see they are that there will quite quickly, i think, they are that there will quite quickly, ithink, be they are that there will quite quickly, i think, be the need for more hotel rooms to be booked. we are told by the government that they have the ability to expand that capacity as needed. but there is still, ithink, a capacity as needed. but there is still, i think, a little bit of confusion around the detail and exactly how the quarantine arrangements will work in hotels. we are awaiting clearer guidance from the government, but there is precious little time for that to be published given that this scheme is due to come into force on start operation on monday. it does seem though now that the website, which had initially crashed and was taken off—line for maintenance, is now live. people returning from those 33 countries affected will be able to book their quarantine rooms for ten days at the price of £750... £1750! biden, hello there, cold day today, and it feels a bit colder given the strength of the wind, we still got some snow showers coming in off the north sea, mainly affecting eastern parts of scotland during the first part of the night before fading away. more significant changes, though, coming into the west with some thickening cloud wetter weather coming in from the atlantic, hitting the cold air. of course, there'll be a widespread frost overnight. it's not as cold as it has been of late, mind you. but we need to focus on the weather in northern ireland because it's going to be snowing here for most of the day, five to ten centimetres quite widely, blizzards and drifting in the hills as well. and that band of wet weather will move very slowly eastwards. a mixture of rain and snow in the south west of england, some snow over the hills of wales, later into western scotland. although snow amounts here will be much less. further east, it's going to be dry, but increasingly cloudy for all areas. it's going to be a windy day and it will be a cold day as well. large parts of the country remaining below freezing all day factor in the strength of the wind. in the strength of the wind, it may well feel more like minus six or minus seven winds again hello, this is bbc news. the headlines. the uk economy shrank by more last year than any other on record amid the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. the coronavirus pandemic. the coronavirus reproduction number, par value, falls below one before the first time —— for the first time sincejuly, suggesting the spreading is flowing across the uk. the number of infections is also falling. in the past few minutes, this man has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 27 years for the rape and murder of this university student in 2019. and the mystery of stonehenge, did the stone circle originally standard wales? will be speaking to an archaeologist who has discovered new evidence and temperature. sport now, and for a full round up from the bbc sport center. let's start with the scenes at the australian open — where fans had to leave their seats, with novak djokovic's match still ongoing, as a five day local lockdown came into force at midnight in melbourne. the new measures mean there will be no spectators allowed at the tournament until wednesday at the earliest, as the state of victoria deals with a new outbreak of coronavirus. tournament director craig tiley says the players wanted to continue to play. play will continue. the players will compete in a bubble form, not too similar to what they've been doing right throughout the year. in fact, this was the first event that they played in front of crowds, now for the next five days, they will continue to play and continue to compete. well, the defending champion novak djokovic had his match against taylor fritz stopped for 10 minutes, while fans were told to leave the arena — and when djokovic resumed, he survived an injury scare to battle past the american and move into the last 16 of the competition. the world number one took the opening two sets but then struggled with an injury to his right side that really restricted his movement. fritz pushed all the way to the fifth, where djokovic dug in to clinch it. he's due to play milos raonic next — but said he was was unsure if he would be fit after this match. serena williams is through to the fourth round. she beat russia's anastasia potapova, in straight sets — and admitted that she was slow, getting out of the blocks, but says it's about surviving and getting better as the tournament goes on. ireland captainjohnny sexton will miss their six nations game against france on sunday with ulster�*s billy burns starting at fly—half instead. sexton has failed to recover from a head injury picked up against wales last weekend, as has vice captainjames ryan, who was also going through the return to play protocols. scrum half conor murray has a hamstring injury and will miss out. iain henderson will captain the side in sexton's absence. england have made four changes to the squad for their second test against india, which starts tomorrow. jimmy anderson is rested after that starring role in the first test. jos buttler has returned home and jofra archer is injured. stuart broad and ben foakes come in, as does moeen ali in place of dom bess who's been dropped. my my heart and the selectors parts were always leaning towards him playing, but also looking at the big picture of the series and how importantjimmy is to english cricket. i think getting them absolutely ready and fired for that game gives him the best chance of playing the last two as well. with the likes of the others on the sidelinesjumping to get the likes of the others on the sidelines jumping to get an opportunity, we feel like the players are there to come in and perform. and in the early hours of this morning, british sailor, pip hare, became only the 8th woman, in history to finish the vendee globe — the solo around the world race. these were the scenes at the finish line in france, as pip became the first british skipper to finish, after 95 days at sea, non—stop for 28,000 miles. she's also done it in a boat that is 21 years old, the oldest vessel to cross the finish line, in this year's race. 0ne one of the things that i am really just only coming to terms with is how well i've done, and against all the other campaigns, as you said, i started in 2019 with nothing. i took out a personal loan to cover the first couple of months charter, and from then, i kind of sad, 0k, got to put my head down. i've got to raise money. i've got to learn how to sell, get ready for the race, i guess it's been incredible, but i think that back story helped me get through the race for sure.- through the race for sure. amazing achievement _ through the race for sure. amazing achievement there. _ through the race for sure. amazing achievement there. that _ through the race for sure. amazing achievement there. that is - through the race for sure. amazing achievement there. that is all i through the race for sure. amazing achievement there. that is all the l achievement there. that is all the sport for now, see you again in the next hour. sarah, thank you. a serial sex offender who raped and murdered university student, libby squire, has beenjailed for at least 27 years. 26—year—old pavel relovich attacked the 21—year—old while she was walking home in hull 2—years ago. he then dumped her body in a nearby river. 0ur correspondentjo makel is in hull. very difficult case with a very profound victim statement read by her mother today. you may take a step back for people who have not followed this case as closely as you have? , ,., . ,, ., followed this case as closely as you have? , ,. . ~' ., ., followed this case as closely as you have? , ,., . ,, ., ., , have? yes, the background of this case. have? yes, the background of this case- libby _ have? yes, the background of this case. libby squire _ have? yes, the background of this case. libby squire was _ have? yes, the background of this case. libby squire was a _ have? yes, the background of this. case. libby squire was a philosophy student at the university of hull, she was at a night out with her friends, they had all been drinking, she had had a bit too much and was refused entry to a club, and so her friends put her in a taxi home, paid for the taxi, and hope that was her home safe. unfortunately, libby wandered away from that and ended up on beverly road where she was targeted, but the man who had that night been prowling the student area of hole because he was a serial sex offender. he has been committing for two years prior to that, indecent acts, boyers m, people's taking underwear and personal items from women. he saw libby and took the opportunity to get her into his car, took her to the open field where he raped and killed her. find took her to the open field where he raped and killed her.— raped and killed her. and the sentencing — raped and killed her. and the sentencing today, _ raped and killed her. and the sentencing today, 27 - raped and killed her. and the sentencing today, 27 years. | raped and killed her. and the i sentencing today, 27 years. yes, that is a minimum _ sentencing today, 27 years. yes, that is a minimum term. - sentencing today, 27 years. yes, that is a minimum term. the i sentencing today, 27 years. ya: that is a minimum term. the judge, that is a minimum term. thejudge, the honourable mrsjustice lambert said she took in the account the murder and the rape and setting up minimum term, and also the case, the fact that he took libby from a relatively safe place on a busy street to a very isolated spot. and that following that rape, put her either dead or dying into the river hull, and we know that when people fall into the river, bodies are often not recovered. in the back of her body was discovered several weeks later was, as the judge said, a matter of chance. find weeks later was, as the 'udge said, a matter of chance._ a matter of chance. and the victim statement read _ a matter of chance. and the victim statement read out _ a matter of chance. and the victim statement read out the _ a matter of chance. and the victim statement read out the profound l statement read out the profound impact that this has had on libby's family. impact that this has had on libby's famil . , , family. yes, the 'udge paid tribute to what she — family. yes, thejudge paid tribute to what she called _ family. yes, thejudge paid tribute to what she called the _ family. yes, thejudge paid tribute to what she called the quiet i family. yes, the judge paid tribute | to what she called the quiet dignity of libby's family throughout this case. and we heard earlier this afternoon some very powerful statements from her family. afternoon some very powerful statements from herfamily. i will redo what her mother lisa said. lisa said that knowing i wasn't there when she needed me will haunt me for the rest of my life. i now live in two worlds, as a mother, wife and employee, and in a dark and lonely world. i long to daisers that i can be with my girl. and libby's father russell also had a statement read out —— read out by the prosecution counsel, i struggle to look at pictures and i can no longer look at her videos because of pain. the judge said that he had condemned the family to a lifetime of anguish. {lila family to a lifetime of anguish. ok, thank you- — lawyers for the former us president donald trump will start their defence at his impeachment trial in the next few hours. democrat prosecutors finished making their case last night, urging senators to convict him. they argue mr trump incited his supporters to storm the capitol building last month. barbara plett usher reports from washington. after reconstructing the anatomy of the riot in brutal detail, the prosecution rested its case. if you don't find this a high crime and misdemeanour today, you have set a new terrible standard for presidential misconduct in the united states of america. democrats focused their second day on donald trump's role and his alleged intent, arguing that the violence was foreseeable and he wilfully encouraged it. they sought to demonstrate that mr trump had a history of inciting political violence, and that his supporters listened and got the message. the security guys, we have wonderful security guys, they said, "mrtrump, there may be somebody with tomatoes in the audience." so, if you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of him, would you? seriously. the rioters at the capitol building did believe they were following the president's orders — their own words presented as evidence. we were invited by the president of the united states! _ and much was made of mr trump's lack of remorse. that this meant he was a danger to democracy, unless convicted and banned from office. you know, i'm not afraid of donald trump running again infouryears. i'm afraid he's going to run again and lose. because he can do this again. the defence takes over now. mr trump's lawyers are under pressure to step up their game, after a bumbling performance that angered him. they'll make the case that his fiery rhetoric wasn't meant literally, and that he has the right to freedom of speech. republicans were shaken by the democrats' graphic video evidence, but mr trump's lawyers will argue that he never intended for the violence to happen. and they're expected to be brief — not more than a day — suggesting they're confident they have the votes to acquit him. barbara plett usher, bbc news, washington. the australian state of victoria is back and locked down after a coronavirus outbreak at a hotel quarantine in melbourne, the australian open is being hosted there will continue without fans for there will continue without fans for the next five days. a short, sharp circuit breaker is being imposed across victoria, australia's second most populous state. the growing cluster of infections is linked to a quarantine hotel at melbourne airport. australians returning home must go into isolation for at least two weeks on arrival. health officials say the snap coronavirus lockdown is in response to the hyper—infectious uk variant. it's thought to have been spread in the hotel by a nebuliser, a device that vaporises medicine, that was used by a family who tested positive. stay—at—home orders will apply to millions of people. schools will close and facemasks are mandatory. the australian open will continue in melbourne, but tennis fans won't be allowed to attend for at least five days. the victorian premier, daniel andrews, says there's no time to lose. if we wait for this theory that it might be out there, there might be more cases than we know about, if we wait for that to be proven correct, it will be too late. and then we will face the prospect of being locked down until a vaccination. hotel quarantine is australia's last line of defence against imported cases of covid—19, but it's not perfect. breaches in security that allowed passengers to pass the virus to staff ignited a deadly second wave of infections in melbourne last year. the city was shut down for almost four months until the outbreak was contained. international border closures, mass testing, sophisticated contact tracing and strict lockdowns are key pillars in australia's pandemic strategy. but the safety of the hotel quarantine system is once again under great scrutiny. phil mercer, bbc news, sydney. the uk chairman of the accountacy firm kpmg has resigned after reportedly telling staff to 'stop moaning' about concerns over possible cuts to pensions and pay during the covid—19 pandemic. in a statement, bill michael said 'i love the firm and i am truly sorry that my words have caused hurt amongst my colleagues. in light of that, i regard my position as untenable and so i have decided to leave the firm. here's a clip of bill michael from the online meeting with kpmg employees. i have spoken to a lot of partners and wear it almost feels like this is being done to them. well, you can play the role of victim unless you are sick. if you're not you're not ill, you're not fighting for your life, don't basically moan about it. our business correspondent theo leggett has the background to the story. well, this is a meeting and online meeting they call a town hall meeting that happened between bill michael and several hundred kpmg consultants on monday. now, immediately after that meeting, a lot of reports came out about alleged insensitive remarks made by bill michael. and some of them have now found their way onto the internet. there's a video which a major newspaper has put online, for example. and at one point he was asked about staff concerns about those potential cuts you mentioned to pay and pensions. and his response was that actually in the sector they were working in, they were very lucky. he said they should not play the victim unless they were actually sick. he told them to take control of their lives and don't sit out there and moan was another one of his comments. but there were other things that he said as well. so, for example, he talked about unconscious bias. now, this is the idea that attitudes towards, for example, race or gender, that we may not be aware of colour our everyday actions in the office. and he said there was no such thing as unconscious bias because every piece of unconscious bias training that they carried out had not actually made any difference. and he also reportedly at that meeting said that he was meeting clients for coffees, even though we're in lockdown and that's supposed to be illegal. so he made a number of very much off the cuff comments, which went down very badly with the staff. kpmg then launched an investigation. he was told to stand aside earlier this week. and now he's taken the view that his position is untenable and he has to step down. the chinese new year begins today. it is china's most important holiday — an annual occasion that is traditionally spent with family and friends. but this year the coronavirus pandemic means that celebrations around the world will look and feel very different. tony and fran chung are the husband—wife team behind east london dry cleaners 'the steam room' and are celebrating chinese new year by using their space to host a "'year of the 0x' showcase for two weeks during the holiday. theyjoin me now. hello. hi, how are you doing? hi. hi, so do— hello. hi, how are you doing? hi. hi, so do i— hello. hi, how are you doing? hi. hi. so do i say— hello. hi, how are you doing? hi. hi, so do i say happy— hello. hi, how are you doing? hi. hi, so do i say happy new- hello. hi, how are you doing? hi. hi, so do i say happy new year? l hi, so do i say happy new year? yeah, or happy leonard new year. thank you very much —— happy lunar new year. thank you, how will you be spending it. this new year. thank you, how will you be spending it— spending it. this year we will be s-hendin spending it. this year we will be spending in _ spending it. this year we will be spending in the _ spending it. this year we will be spending in the shop _ spending it. this year we will be spending in the shop since i spending it. this year we will be | spending in the shop since there spending it. this year we will be i spending in the shop since there is nowhere to go, but we wanted our shop front window to celebrate with everyone... so it is decorated with eight south east asian artists on her window so that we could courtesy it outside —— sort of see it outside. and also we have 37 artists, producers and food producers where you can purchase products online on our website. and there is also a virtual tour where you can see the art pieces as well. can you give us a virtual tour of your own? because i would love to see. as a possible? i don't know what you're building on, but can we see —— filming on, but can we see the window? fist see -- filming on, but can we see the window?— see -- filming on, but can we see the window? at the moment we are sort of close — the window? at the moment we are sort of close for _ the window? at the moment we are sort of close for the _ the window? at the moment we are sort of close for the live _ the window? at the moment we are sort of close for the live show, i the window? at the moment we are sort of close for the live show, but l sort of close for the live show, but let me look outside. just sort of close for the live show, but let me look outside.— let me look outside. just let me take a look _ let me look outside. just let me take a look at _ let me look outside. just let me take a look at your _ let me look outside. just let me take a look at your shop - let me look outside. just let me | take a look at your shop anyway. this is great. it's very neat. laughter 0h, laughter oh, look at that. this is it? ., oh, look at that. this is it? that is 'ust a oh, look at that. this is it? that isjust a shelf— oh, look at that. this is it? that is just a shelf where _ oh, look at that. this is it? trust is just a shelf where people oh, look at that. this is it? trust isjust a shelf where people can one is just a shelf where people can one say do the and collect they come and collect their artwork —— click and collect. collect their artwork -- click and collect. �* , ., , ., , collect their artwork -- click and collect. �*, .,, ., , , collect. let's hope it holds up, the sihnal. so collect. let's hope it holds up, the signal- so just _ collect. let's hope it holds up, the signal. so just a _ collect. let's hope it holds up, the signal. so just a second, _ collect. let's hope it holds up, the signal. so just a second, the i signal. so 'ust a second, the shutters signal. so just a second, the shutters are _ signal. so just a second, the shutters are down. - shutters are down. laughter the shutters are going up. we are going to do a big reveal on air! 0h, going to do a big reveal on air! oh, look! tony, talk us through. 50. going to do a big reveal on air! oh, look! tony, talk us through. so, we have... look! tony, talk us through. so, we have- -- so — look! tony, talk us through. so, we have--- so we _ look! tony, talk us through. so, we have... so we have _ look! tony, talk us through. so, we have... so we have this _ look! tony, talk us through. so, we have... so we have this artist, i have... so we have this artist, local photographer that takes pictures of chinese food, you have one here... and there is also this woman, she prints and stitches with embroidering. that woman, she prints and stitches with embroidering— woman, she prints and stitches with embroidering. that is beautiful. and it ton , embroidering. that is beautiful. and it tony. can — embroidering. that is beautiful. and it tony. can we _ embroidering. that is beautiful. and it tony. can we go — embroidering. that is beautiful. and it tony, can we go inside _ embroidering. that is beautiful. and it tony, can we go inside to - embroidering. that is beautiful. and it tony, can we go inside to the i it tony, can we go inside to the signal holds out? and tell us the response you have had from the community to what you are doing. 50. community to what you are doing. so, let's ho community to what you are doing. ’srr, let's go back community to what you are doing. ’shr, let's go back to community to what you are doing. shr, let's go back to the community to what you are doing. sh, let's go back to the shop. so the response has been crazy. this project darted —— started just at the beginning of october when we started tier 3. and we have been contacted by mildred and she is the one that created the space. and we just had a chat about it and decided, let's decorate the window for chinese new year, so we just put it through and within sort of a few weeks, it became so many artists, to be sort of part of this. within at least a month, everyone signed up for this project. least a month, everyone signed up for this project-— for this project. well, it's wonderful, _ for this project. well, it's wonderful, thank - for this project. well, it's wonderful, thank you i for this project. well, it's wonderful, thank you for | for this project. well, it's - wonderful, thank you for making for this project. well, it's _ wonderful, thank you for making us smile and enjoy what you've done. i'm sure it has raised good cheer and your local area, that is in east london. thank you forjoining us. i wish i could say something more formulate to carrie gracie, but thank you forjoining us. and happy new year. archaelogists say they've found evidence that part of stonehenge is second hand — and was orginally put together in wales. a team from university college london believe there are key elements linking stonehenge to the remains of a welsh ancient stone circle. they say it could give the answer to one of the great mysteries about the monument — why its stones came from so far away, rather than a local quarry. the archaeological investigations were part of the stones of stonehenge research project and led by professor mike parker pearson of university college london — hejoins me now. thank you so much. so we knew, did we not, that the stones had been brought to stonehenge? what did we know and what is so significant about what you have discovered more recently? about what you have discovered more recentl ? ~ ., a' about what you have discovered more recentl ? ~ . ,, , ., ., recently? what we knew beforehand was that those _ recently? what we knew beforehand was that those stones _ recently? what we knew beforehand was that those stones originated i recently? what we knew beforehand was that those stones originated in l was that those stones originated in the sales meat hills of north penbrookshire, we located to the quarry said they had been sourced from and we were able to get dates from and we were able to get dates from the quarries so we would know that we were able to provide stonehenge and its very first stage around 3000 bc. but we were a little concerned that they didn't actually go straight to stonehenge, because the quarry had started 400 years before they had turned up at stonehenge, so i was wondering if there is a monument there where they were first put up. so we were researching that area, and after a series of false leads, we eventually came back to the very place that we had started looking at, which was a group of four standing stones all alone. we wondered whether they might have formed a stone circle, and indeed, they did. so might have formed a stone circle, and indeed, they did.— might have formed a stone circle, and indeed, they did. so what was that like? when _ and indeed, they did. so what was that like? when he _ and indeed, they did. so what was that like? when he first _ and indeed, they did. so what was| that like? when he first discovered that? , , ., that like? when he first discovered that? , , ~ , that? extremely windy and very wet. laughter a trying climate out there, and it would've been nice to be out there today, but the virus has prevented that. yes, a very exciting moment to finally discover that this may be the original stonehenge. fight! finally discover that this may be the original stonehenge.- the original stonehenge. and in historical terms _ the original stonehenge. and in historical terms then, _ the original stonehenge. and in historical terms then, what i the original stonehenge. and in l historical terms then, what would been that journey? historical terms then, what would been thatjourney? what do you think, from what you're been to ascertain?— ascertain? well, it used to be thou:ht ascertain? well, it used to be thought that _ ascertain? well, it used to be thought that the _ ascertain? well, it used to be thought that the stones i ascertain? well, it used to be thought that the stones had l ascertain? well, it used to be i thought that the stones had gone by c, that they had taken them off the hills in pembrokeshire and floated them somehow in rats or boats across them somehow in rats or boats across the bristol channel, and then across to the plane. but that doesn't seem realistic given apple to and the stone circle around the north side of the mountains, so it seems far more likely that they actually took a land—based route. probably i would say what is now the a40 that runs through wales, across the river and somewhere like gloucester. professor, we have to leave either, but thank you so much for sharing. again congratulations, i'm sure we will hear more in due course. speaking of the weather, let's take a look at here today with matt taylor. hello there, cold day today, and it feels a bit colder given the strength of the wind, we still got some snow showers coming in off the north sea, mainly affecting eastern parts of scotland during the first part of the night before fading away. more significant changes, though, coming into the west with some thickening cloud wetter weather coming in from the atlantic, hitting the cold air. of course, there'll be a widespread frost overnight. it's not as cold as it has been of late, mind you. but we need to focus on the weather in northern ireland because it's going to be snowing here for most of the day, five to ten centimetres quite widely, blizzards and drifting in the hills as well. and that band of wetter weather will move very slowly eastwards. a mixture of rain and snow in the south west of england, some snow over the hills of wales, later into western scotland. although snow amounts here will be much less. further east, it's going to be dry, but increasingly cloudy for all areas. it's going to be a windy day and it will be a cold day as well. large parts of the country remaining below freezing all day. factor in the strength of the wind, it may well feel more like minus six or minus seven. windy again on sunday, but turning milder. this is bbc news, i'm kate silverton. the headlines at three o'clock: official figures have confirmed the uk economy shrank more in 2020 than in any other year on record — amid the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. there were some signs of resilience overwinter. what is clear is right now many families and businesses are experiencing hardship. the coronavirus reproduction number — or r value — falls below 1 for the first time sincejuly, suggesting the spread of the disease is slowing across the uk. the number of infections is also falling. the government insists new rules for travellers and quarantine hotels that start on monday will be in line with restrictions in other countries. a serial sex offender who raped and murdered university student libby squire is jailed for at least 27 years. a five—day lockdown is being imposed in the australian state of victoria, barring spectators for the next few days of the australian open tennis tournament. hello, good afternoon. the uk economy shrank last year by the largest amount ever recorded due to the coronavirus pandemic. the office for national statistics said gross domestic product, which measures the value of goods and services produced by the economy dropped by 9.9% last year. the economy did grow slightly in december by 1.2% as some restrictions were eased in the run—up to christmas, avoiding a double dip recession. the chancellor has told the bbc the economy experienced a significant shock and the government would set out the next steps of the response to the pandemic in the budget next month. 0ur economics correspondent andy verity reports. 2020, the year that will be remembered not only for a pandemic, but for an unprecedented economic roller—coaster caused by the government's anti—virus measures. the figures today show the economy shrank faster than it had in 300 years and surged back in the summer then slow down again before christmas. labour say the 9.9% year on year drop in gross domestic product, we have had the worst death toll of any european country, but we have also had that worst economic crisis of any major economy as well. we really need public spending to be directed into the right pieces, not have this mismanagement of public funds. white backed the chancellor disputed that claim. rslur funds. white backed the chancellor disputed that claim. our comparative economic performance _ disputed that claim. our comparative economic performance is _ disputed that claim. our comparative economic performance is important l disputed that claim. our comparative | economic performance is important to clear up _ economic performance is important to clear up we _ economic performance is important to clear up. we calculate gdp in a different— clear up. we calculate gdp in a different way to pretty much everybody else. if you are either correct _ everybody else. if you are either correct for — everybody else. if you are either correct for that difference or look at it in_ correct for that difference or look at it in a — correct for that difference or look at it in a way that is more comparable, nominaljob gdp, as the bank of— comparable, nominaljob gdp, as the bank of england has pointed out, is that our— bank of england has pointed out, is that our performance then is very much _ that our performance then is very much in _ that our performance then is very much in line _ that our performance then is very much in line are comparable to other countries _ much in line are comparable to other countries. , ., much in line are comparable to other countries. ., , countries. some parts of the economy are now less — countries. some parts of the economy are now less than _ countries. some parts of the economy are now less than 496 _ countries. some parts of the economy are now less than 496 down _ countries. some parts of the economy are now less than 496 down from i are now less than 4% down from pre—pandemic levels of activity. this high—tech manufacturer of metal parts for cars and fridges, based in shrewsbury, saw new orders dropped in the spring. it adapted from shifting by supplying the car industry to do it yourself industry. we had to make some sweeping changes in terms of the structure of the company in 2020.— in terms of the structure of the com-an in 2020. ., . ., . , company in 2020. from march onwards, when our order— company in 2020. from march onwards, when our order book _ company in 2020. from march onwards, when our order book fell _ company in 2020. from march onwards, when our order book fell to _ company in 2020. from march onwards, when our order book fell to 1096 - company in 2020. from march onwards, when our order book fell to 1096 of- when our order book fell to 10% of what it should have been. but i say certainly from december onwards last year, there are green shoots coming, and i think once we get through this first period of 2021, when we have got the impact of brexit, delays at airports, i think 2021 can actually be a good year for this economy. while growth was slightly better—than—expected in the last three months of the year, up 1%, the economic pain was concentrated in sectors like accommodation and food. which after a pre—christmas slump stamps or activity dropped by one third. all hopes now rest on the vaccine reopening the economy and consumers reopening their purses. great the consumers reopening their purses. grea- ,, ., , great the third lockdown will be much less painful _ great the third lockdown will be much less painful for _ great the third lockdown will be much less painful for the i great the third lockdown will be i much less painful for the economy than the _ much less painful for the economy than the last two but we still expect— than the last two but we still expect to see that step—down in january. — expect to see that step—down in january. i— expect to see that step—down in january. i think we are a bit more optimistic— january. i think we are a bit more optimistic later on in the year, as long _ optimistic later on in the year, as long as _ optimistic later on in the year, as long as the — optimistic later on in the year, as long as the vaccines continue to be rolled _ long as the vaccines continue to be rolled out— long as the vaccines continue to be rolled out fairly quickly, provide protection against the various variants — protection against the various variants of the virus. the economy is expected _ variants of the virus. the economy is expected to _ variants of the virus. the economy is expected to shrink _ variants of the virus. the economy is expected to shrink again - variants of the virus. the economy is expected to shrink again by i variants of the virus. the economy is expected to shrink again by 496| variants of the virus. the economy | is expected to shrink again by 496 in is expected to shrink again by 4% in the first quarter of this year, which outside of the pandemic would count as one of the worst contractions in the past century. it is not expected to recover to its precrisis level until well into next year. andy verity, bbc news. our economics editor says today's figures were not unexpected. that fall in the economy, _ figures were not unexpected. trust fall in the economy, nearly 10% over the year, is clearly historic. but it is also history in that it was last year and it reflects what we all saw in our own hometowns and high streets. people are not going to work and people not being able to shop and all that sort of stuff. what matters is what is happening right now. as you heard, the economy did take up a little bit right at the end of last year. that has fallen back again, obviously with the renewed lockdown is that we have seen, but the lockdown this time round has been less of an economic hit than we had last april. so that is slightly less bad news. going forward, it is about when the economy reopens, whether levels of support. the chancellor told me the prime minister is going to announce in the final week of february a road map out of the restrictions. that may take some weeks or months. a week after that, at the budget in early march, we will see a recovery plan, including how that support extends. so that is the plan going forward, still some in tartan tea, but with the right went, there's the possibility of a strong bounce back. —— still some uncertainty. the possibility of a strong bounce back. -- still some uncertainty.— -- still some uncertainty. the r value across _ -- still some uncertainty. the r value across the _ -- still some uncertainty. the r value across the uk _ -- still some uncertainty. the r value across the uk has - -- still some uncertainty. the r value across the uk has fallen l -- still some uncertainty. the r- value across the uk has fallen below one for the first time since july one for the first time sincejuly last year. government experts one for the first time since july last year. government experts have so tight it is now estimated to be between not .7 and not .9 meaning the spread of the disease is slowing. ministers have announced an england that people over the age of 65 will be invited to a vaccine appointment from next week. despite concerns of a fast spreading a new variant, lockdowns seem to be slowing the spread of the virus. a small survey by the office for national statistics suggests compliance remains high but behavioural experts say it more support is needed. if you look at those 0ns data, it also tells us that 47% of people are having to travel to work. the real problem is not people breaking the rules and choosing to go out, the real problem is people being forced to go out by rules and regulations which are too lax. the latest figures from the 0ns infection survey suggest rates fell across the uk in the first week of february. one in 80 had the virus in england put it was one in 85 in wales, one in 75 in northern ireland and one in 150 in scotland. we need to remember that vaccinating 20% of the population will not have a huge impact on transmission which is why although vaccinations are hugely important as part of the strategy and we still need to focus efforts on reducing case numbers in parallel with vaccination because we don't expect vaccination to have an impact on that in the coming months. on monday, the government hopes to have hit its target for offering jabs to the top four priority groups. it will be a crucial week for the government as it scrutinises data ahead of announcing its road map for easing restrictions. we are very much hoping that- on the 8th of march there is a date that i imagine parents _ across the country will be watching with great interest, _ which is when, if the data allows, and that is the caveat, _ if the data allows, the 8th of march is when we very much - want to start unlocking schools. it is likely to be a long road ahead, it may feel more like normal by the summer but some experts warn we may have to learn to live with the virus. in the longer term, once we hopefully get out of this lockdown and back to some sense of normalcy, we may need to think in those terms of, we are clearly not going to eradicate this so how are we going to live with it? and at what level of impact are we prepared to put up with it as a society? health leaders have warned of the risk of easing too soon when hospitals still have more covid patients now than in the first wave last spring. they say we are turning the corner but need to get cases right down, with the lower the infections, the lower the chances of new variant is emerging. catherine da costa, bbc news. professor deidre hollingsworth is an infectious disease model at the university of oxford and a member of the spy m group. she told us earlier it will take time for the current number of infections to filter through the system. that number of infections to filter through the system.- number of infections to filter through the system. that is really fantastic news _ through the system. that is really fantastic news that _ through the system. that is really fantastic news that the _ through the system. that is really fantastic news that the r - through the system. that is really fantastic news that the r rate i through the system. that is really fantastic news that the r rate is i fantastic news that the r rate is below one because that means on average each infection is not causing another infection. so generally the rate of infection in the community will drop, which is fantastic news.— fantastic news. what does it actually mean _ fantastic news. what does it actually mean in _ fantastic news. what does it actually mean in principle? l fantastic news. what does it i actually mean in principle? one fantastic news. what does it - actually mean in principle? one way of thinkinh actually mean in principle? one way of thinking about _ actually mean in principle? one way of thinking about it _ actually mean in principle? one way of thinking about it is _ actually mean in principle? one way of thinking about it is for _ actually mean in principle? one way of thinking about it is for every i of thinking about it is for every ten new infections we have, they will only generate between seven and nine other infections. so that means that gradually the number of infections is going to drop, which is good news. infections is going to drop, which is good news-— infections is going to drop, which is good news. infections is going to drop, which is hood news. ~ ., ., , , , is good news. what does this tell us about the longer _ is good news. what does this tell us about the longer term _ is good news. what does this tell us about the longer term assessment? j about the longer term assessment? there seem to be cautious optimism, but actually everything does seem to be pointing in the right direction, and i think a lay person might be wondering why things do not seem to be getting back quicker if this virus has worked its way through the population, now we have the vaccines, there will be many wondering why can't we start looking at normality in some sense quicker than perhaps is being reported? first of all, we have a huge backlog of infections and admission is in hospital. sadly, we had nearly 700 deaths yesterday. it is going to take a long time for all those infections to filter through the system, so it is good news that it is dropping, but it is still going to take some time, because each ten infections is generating 729 new ones, it will take awhile for it to it is hard to predict the rate of that drop. —— generating 7—9 new cases. the cases that are there, it will take time for them to be released, and also the new cases which will inevitably come to filter through the system and get that number of infections down to a really low level. igrate number of infections down to a really low level.— number of infections down to a really low level. we had a professor on earlier today _ really low level. we had a professor on earlier today who _ really low level. we had a professor on earlier today who said, - really low level. we had a professor on earlier today who said, at - really low level. we had a professor on earlier today who said, at what l on earlier today who said, at what point do we have to learn to live with this virus? i point do we have to learn to live with this virus?— with this virus? i think that is a very good _ with this virus? i think that is a very good point- _ with this virus? i think that is a very good point. the _ with this virus? i think that is a very good point. the vaccines l with this virus? i think that is a i very good point. the vaccines are obviously going to change that picture for us. they give us a lot of optimism. at the moment, we have only vaccinated about 20% of the population, that will not have a huge impact on transmission, but we hope it will have a huge impact on hospitalisations and deaths because the most vulnerable groups have been prioritised. so it is likely in the future that we will be facing a situation where we have ongoing transmission, but hopefully not as many hospital admissions and deaths. then it is a case of balancing that against how we open our society. if you think about it in terms of your own household, the more contact you have, the more activities you take part in, the more opportunities there are for you to bring infection into your household. but if the level and infection in the community is really low, then even if you have more contacts, the opportunities for you to contract the virus and bring it into your house is lower. so, we need prevalence to be low to enable more activities, but of course there will still always need to be that balance between the risk of serious infections and deaths and even lung disease back and i will need to expand our society and give people a brighterfuture. —— long covid. igrate brighter future. -- long covid. we will return — brighter future. —— long covid. we will return to our main story. the uk economy shrinking by the largest amount ever recorded due to the coronavirus pandemic. we will get reaction from stephanie flanders, senior executive ever editor at bloomberg. good to see you. your response? not unexpected perhaps, but your reaction to what we have been hearing today. love the numbers actually showed that there was a bit of a burst of growth at the end of last of a burst of growth at the end of las. , ., ., of a burst of growth at the end of [asi , ., ., , ., of a burst of growth at the end of [asi , . . , ., . of a burst of growth at the end of last year, a bit more than people were expecting. _ last year, a bit more than people were expecting, but _ last year, a bit more than people were expecting, but it _ last year, a bit more than people were expecting, but it did - last year, a bit more than people were expecting, but it did not i were expecting, but it did not prevent that massive decline in the size of the economy. we ended the yearjust under 10% smaller than we went into it. of course, when you think about a hit like that, an extraordinary economic kit, i think it is the worst since the great frost of 1709, by now have a hit like that, it is notjust how much you have shrunk, but how much smaller you are relative to what you might have expected. we normally expect the economy to get bigger over the course of the year. if you take that into account, we are looking at a £260 billion hole in our economy. something that we thought we were going to get by the end of last year and we have not got it. it is not there.— it. it is not there. how do we get out of it? — it. it is not there. how do we get out of it? there _ it. it is not there. how do we get out of it? there are _ it. it is not there. how do we get out of it? there are those - it. it is not there. how do we get out of it? there are those that i it. it is not there. how do we get i out of it? there are those that have been raising the concern of inflation, what is your take? there is a coume — inflation, what is your take? there is a coume of _ inflation, what is your take? there is a couple of things _ inflation, what is your take? there is a couple of things we _ inflation, what is your take? there is a couple of things we can - inflation, what is your take? there l is a couple of things we can expect to be more revealed and shape the recovery over the next 6—9 months. one of them is this suppressed demand, the fact that we are all dying to go out to restaurants and hotels, on holiday, go back and get our hair cut, all of these things, maybe spend a bit more on clothes and things. all of that could be a real burst in spending, could be two quite rapid growth in the summer. because people have got savings they were not expecting to have. people have not lost theirjob, and there are lots of them, have got unexpected savings. maybe hundred and £50 million sitting there that they were not expecting to have. that is a positive sign. but on the negative, something that is also unknown, is the hidden unemployment thatis unknown, is the hidden unemployment that is currently not seen because people are on that furlough scheme, they are being supported by the government. when that goes away, the chancellor has got to work out the right time to remove that, we will see if all those jobs are still valuable. if they are not, we could get a surge in unemployment which will pull the economy the other way. the chancellor could try and act to make that balance turn out better, but those are the two things were going to be thinking about. it is a going to be thinking about. it is a really important _ going to be thinking about. it is a really important point. _ going to be thinking about. it is a really important point. do - going to be thinking about. it is a really important point. do we - going to be thinking about. it is a really important point. do we know if they have been projections in terms of that regard, how many people might lose theirjob once the furlough scheme ends? this people might lose their 'ob once the furlough scheme ends?_ furlough scheme ends? this is something _ furlough scheme ends? this is something which _ furlough scheme ends? this is something which is _ furlough scheme ends? this is something which is totally - furlough scheme ends? this is i something which is totally driven furlough scheme ends? this is - something which is totally driven by the pace of the removal of the furlough scheme and the speed of the recovery we see in the summer. there is this very difficult balancing act, which the chancellors got to pull off. a lot of economists, he might have in the past associated with wanting to put the brakes on borrowing and get spending under control, a lot of them are actually saying, you know what, it is worth taking a risk. it is better to be spending too much at this point and spent too little, because if you just wait a few extra months, and may be that business is viable because growth is a bit stronger, in that restaurant or in the centre of town, whatever it might be, that will be worth it in the end. if you have a period of unemployment, especially young people, they tend to be affected for many years after that. maybe their whole working life, affected by the fact that they have had a period out of work right at the start. have had a period out of work right at the start-— at the start. thank you very much. the government _ at the start. thank you very much. the government has _ at the start. thank you very much. the government has been - at the start. thank you very much. l the government has been defending their hotel quarantine plans for people coming into england from high—risk countries. the policy comes into force on monday. the government has secured a700 rooms at 16 hotels. people will have to pay £1750 to quarantine in hotels for ten days. those failing to comply with the rules will face fines of up to £10,000. there has been criticism that the system is not as strict as those in place elsewhere the world. arrivals from many countries are about to face 11 nights in a quarantine hotel like this one, but there are questions about the arrangements — notjust because the government's online booking system crashed soon after launching, but also because the hotels have been given instructions which, in some ways, are different to the rules applied in australia. quarantine hotels there have operated for over a year now and lessons have been learned, including the need for better personal protective equipment because of the risk of the virus spreading in the air from people's rooms. enough particles could go into the air of the hall that if someone walked down the hall, say 20 minutes later, and inhaled, that's a potential source of transmission. so what are the differences between australia's policy and what is about to start here? are people allowed to leave their rooms? not in australia, but yes, here, to get fresh air, though not to smoke. are hotel staff tested? yes, for all of them, every day in australia. there are plans for that here, but it's not confirmed that they will start on monday. what about masks? in the state of victoria, they are now using high—grade masks. the advice here is to use thinner, surgical ones. we saw from the ons figures as recently as december that hotel workers are some of the most at risk of dying from covid. security guards, for example, whether they be in hotels or not, they are being put at risk if they are having to accompany people and customers to and from their room. that is something that the government should absolutely be putting in its guidelines and instead what it is saying is that those workers should be put at unnecessary risk. but the government says the system of quarantine hotels will be carefully controlled. i think we have to look at our own measures in our own country. you know, the hotel will, of course, be adhering to all of the very strict measures that we have in place in relation to social distancing and facemasks and so on. allowing someone a gulp of fresh air, apart from anything else, we know that being outside is less likely to transmit than being inside, but i think allowing someone a gulp of fresh air during a ten—day visit in a hotel, with all the very strict measures that we have, i think is reasonable. the test will be whether infections happen inside the hotels. despite all of australia's precautions, there are still outbreaks, so this will be a challenge. david shukman, bbc news. picking up, jonathan blake, in westminster for us. picking up, jonathan blake, in westminsterfor us. the picking up, jonathan blake, in westminster for us. the government has been keen _ westminster for us. the government has been keen to _ westminster for us. the government has been keen to stress _ westminster for us. the government has been keen to stress that - has been keen to stress that although there are some differences, the quarantine measures that it is putting in place for travellers coming back from that list of 33 countries, as it is at the moment, where particular variants of coronavirus are active are in line with other countries who have taken this approach. we were told by the department of health and social care earlier that people would not be allowed outside of their rooms to smoke. that still stands. downing street later said though that travellers would be allowed outside for exercise, with the permission from hotel staff. although the circumstances in which that will be allowed, i am told, will be quite limited. sources are emphasising that it limited. sources are emphasising thatitis limited. sources are emphasising that it is not a case of hotel staff allowing people to go outside to get some exercise whenever they fancy it, but it will be in line with strict guidance from the department of health and social care in very rare circumstances. whether we actually get to see what that guidance is and what the exact criteria is given to hotel staff remains to be seen. there is some uncertainty there, i think, about what grounds the hotel staff and security staff will be policing this, to an extent, will have to allowed people out. that is one question. another round capacity. the government has a600 hotel rooms booked under contract across 16 hotels. at the moment, about 1700 travellers coming into the uk every week from these high—risk countries. you can see how over time they might need to expand the number of rooms available. but assurances today from the government that they do have the ability to do that if need be. finally, the website, which people are able to book their quarantine package, if you like, coming back from one of these high—risk destinations, having gone through some teething troubles and coming off—line after it was launched is now live and open for bookings. jonathan, thank you. wels has achieved its target of offering a coronavirus vaccine to the top four priority groups. it comes as the first minister has priority groups. it comes as the first ministe— first minister has raised the possibility — first minister has raised the possibility of _ first minister has raised the possibility of starting - first minister has raised the possibility of starting to - first minister has raised the | possibility of starting to ease lockdown at easter, which he says is an important moment for tourism and hospitality. that's it, you're all done. that's it? that was it. dose by dose, hope is being delivered. vaccinations started more slowly in wales than the rest of the uk but, today, it becomes the first of the four nations to have offered the jab to everyone over 70, health care workers, care home residents, and the extremely vulnerable. david is 7a years old. for him, it's about freedom. i want to get back to a normal life, where i go training three days a week, and i want to be healthy. i want many, many more years left on this earth and i want to enjoy life, that's what it means to me. get back to normal. so when exactly will that happen? wales was the first nation to lock down, five days before christmas. covid case rates have fallen significantly since, but there's no end to shutdown in sight. we're ready to reopen and, as i say, we want to trade our way back to recovery. that's the best prescription for us as a sector now. it's not more grants, not more funding, we just need to see an opportunity to be able to get people back into the workplace and to start to see trade and stores open once more. there may be some good news on the horizon for people wanting to a holiday. wanting to book a holiday. the first minister of wales says tourism could resume here in the spring. we've got easter at the beginning of april this year, it's always - a very important moment for our tourism and - hospitality industry. we are talking with them - about what might be possible around the easter period. those are amongst the dates that we are using in our- conversations with businesses and workers here in wales. i in towns like tenby, that would be a huge relief. some businesses haven't survived. others will need financial support to hold on until easter. they're hanging on not so much with the fingertips, but with their fingernails. you know, and we need reassurance on furloughing, that's really important, and that budget in march is really important because we want an extension of the 5% vat and we want another rates holiday. the forecast for what the next few weeks will bring is as uncertain as ever, but in this corner of the country, there is now a glimmer of optimism. hywel griffith, bbc news. the supreme court has ruled that more than a2,000 nigerian farmers and fishermen can sue the oil giant royal dutch shell in british courts. this follows years of oil spills, contaminated land and groundwater pollution in the niger delta. judges said shell had a common law duty of care. shell says it is disappointed in the decision and the development and nigeria cleans up and remediate regardless of the cause of spells, as well as working to sabotage them from happening. our our correspondent in abuja, ishaq khalid, has the background. well, basically the communities, two communities, in the niger delta region, with more than a0,000 people, sued the royal dutch shell, but there are millions and millions of people in that region who have been affected by the oil pollution, the environmental pollution. their livelihoods have been destroyed, that is what they say, and of course they are talking about drinking water that has been contaminated, farmlands, fishing waters, and there are strange diseases. so their livelihoods have been destroyed, and this court ruling means they can seek compensation, they can seek clean up by the oil companies in that region, so this is quite a huge relief for many communities in the niger delta region, but many are saying of course there is the possibility of more legal battles, especially seeking the compensation. daniel leader, a partner at leigh day law firm, has been representing the nigerian claimants. is that all a0,000? is that all 40,000? yes, that is ri . ht. is that all 40,000? yes, that is right- both _ is that all 40,000? yes, that is right. both communities. - is that all 40,000? yes, that is right. both communities. in - is that all 40,000? yes, that is l right. both communities. in terms is that all 40,000? yes, that is - right. both communities. in terms of a precedent. — right. both communities. in terms of a precedent. i _ right. both communities. in terms of a precedent, i pick— right. both communities. in terms of a precedent, i pick up _ right. both communities. in terms of a precedent, i pick up on _ right. both communities. in terms of a precedent, i pick up on that - right. both communities. in terms of a precedent, i pick up on that last. a precedent, i pick up on that last point that there might be further legal battles, so actually where to begin? is this the end? is this ruling now set or... ? it begin? is this the end? is this ruling now set or... ?- begin? is this the end? is this ruling now set or... ? it is a very important _ ruling now set or... ? it is a very important ruling _ ruling now set or... ? it is a very important ruling because - ruling now set or... ? it is a very important ruling because shell i ruling now set or... ? it is a very i important ruling because shell was arguing that they could not be held legally responsible for what their subsidiary in nigeria dead orfailed to do. the supreme court has basically said that is not true, there is a good arguable case, which has a real prospect of success that royal dutch shell plc, which is registered here, will be legally liable for the failures of its nigerian subsidiary. that is enormously important for these communities who have no prospect of justice anywhere else in the world, and so it gives them real hope that they will succeed in a trial against shell. or if shell is sensible, they will try and do the right thing and agree a comprehensive clean—up programme with these communities. right back and what could justice look like in that right back and what could 'ustice look like in thafi right back and what could 'ustice look like in that regard, then, for our look like in that regard, then, for your claimants? _ look like in that regard, then, for your claimants? we _ look like in that regard, then, for your claimants? we have - look like in that regard, then, for your claimants? we have got - look like in that regard, then, for your claimants? we have got a i your claimants? we have got a scandalous _ your claimants? we have got a scandalous situation _ your claimants? we have got a scandalous situation in - your claimants? we have got a scandalous situation in these l scandalous situation in these communities. the united nations environment programme has documented enormous detail the problems they face. it says the water systems are unfit for human consumption and there are signs erected all over these communities saying you cannot drink, you cannot fish, you should not be using the land for farming because it is so chronically polluted. and yet there is no clean—up. what they are pushing for is for shell to do what they are legally obliged to do under nigerian law, which is to clean up the oil which has spelt from their own pipelines. that is all. for reasons that escape me, and i cannot fathom, shell has been refusing to do this for years and the communities have had no option but to take legal action against shell, the parent company, in london, where they will pay attention to the court rulings. what kind of precedent will this, could this now set? it has been described as a watershed moment in the accountability of multinational companies. the accountability of multinational com anies. , ., the accountability of multinational comanies. , ., , the accountability of multinational comanies. , . , , companies. yes, that is right. this judgment. — companies. yes, that is right. this judgment, unanimous _ companies. yes, that is right. this judgment, unanimousjudgment i companies. yes, that is right. thisj judgment, unanimousjudgment of companies. yes, that is right. this- judgment, unanimousjudgment of the judgment, unanimous judgment of the supreme court gives the tools, really, to communities and individuals around the world, who face serious human rights abuses, environmental abuses by multinational companies, to hold the parent company to account if they are unable to do so in the countries where these arms happen. i'm afraid thatis where these arms happen. i'm afraid that is the case in vast swathes of the world. it is impossible for these communities to access justice, get lawyers to represent them, get rulings in a decent time, so this gives them the tool to take their case to london and to suit the parent companies or other jurisdictions, which are common law jurisdictions, which are common law jurisdictions, where this is a persuasivejudgment, and to hold those parent companies to account. this is an enormous problem around the world, where essentially for decades corporations have been able to get on and do whatever they want with impunity. now communities are at last able to hold these companies to account. , ., to account. daniel, the statement from shell. _ to account. daniel, the statement from shell, and _ to account. daniel, the statement from shell, and i— to account. daniel, the statement from shell, and i will— to account. daniel, the statement from shell, and i will read - to account. daniel, the statement from shell, and i will read it - to account. daniel, the statement from shell, and i will read it out, | from shell, and i will read it out, obviously for right of reply, they say they are disappointed by the supreme court's decision, it enables the case to proceed, it is a complex legal issue. they say the bills happened in communities that are heavily impacted by oil theft, illegal oil refining, and the sabotage of pipelines, regardless of the cause of a spell, they clean up and remediate. it also works hard to prevent these sabotage spells by using technology, increasing surveillance and by promoting alternative livelihoods for those who might damage pipes and equipment. unfortunately, they say, such criminal acts remain the main sources of pollution across the delta today. sources of pollution across the delta today-— sources of pollution across the delta today. well, as you would exect, delta today. well, as you would expect. we _ delta today. well, as you would expect, we disagree _ delta today. well, as you would expect, we disagree with - delta today. well, as you would expect, we disagree with pretty| delta today. well, as you would - expect, we disagree with pretty much everything that has just been said by shell. otherwise there would not be any case going on. the reality is that a lot of these spells are caused by failure of their pipelines, operationalfailures which are not fit for purpose, and thatis which are not fit for purpose, and that is a quote from their own internal documents. they are not properly maintained, they week consistently, they are about a0 years out of date, and in regard to third party interference, shell fails to protect their pipelines. they do not have proper detection systems, they cannot remotely shut them down. this should be an area of them down. this should be an area of the world where they have the best leak detection systems, the best remote capacity to shut down pipelines, because it is vulnerable, it is a complex environment, and yet it is a complex environment, and yet it is a complex environment, and yet it is practically nonexistent. this is something that shell must address. it has got to wake up and realise that they are going to be held to account for their failure is in the niger delta. in a held to account for their failure is in the niger delta.— held to account for their failure is in the niger delta. in a sentence or two, in the niger delta. in a sentence or two. because _ in the niger delta. in a sentence or two. because we — in the niger delta. in a sentence or two, because we are _ in the niger delta. in a sentence or two, because we are almost - in the niger delta. in a sentence or two, because we are almost out. in the niger delta. in a sentence or two, because we are almost out of| two, because we are almost out of time, what happens next? the two, because we are almost out of time, what happens next? the ball is in shell's court. _ time, what happens next? the ball is in shell's court. they _ time, what happens next? the ball is in shell's court. they need _ time, what happens next? the ball is in shell's court. they need to - in shell's court. they need to decide how to respond. the communities are willing to sit down to them, up to them if they take up that invitation. if not, there will be more battles, each trial will happen against the parent company. they have just lost a trial in the netherlands on a justice point. so, we will have to wait and see how shell respond. i hope they respond responsibly. shell respond. i hope they respond responsibly-— responsibly. daniel, the lawyer representing — responsibly. daniel, the lawyer representing those _ responsibly. daniel, the lawyer representing those nigerian . representing those nigerian claimants, thank you. hello there. cold day today, and it feels a bit colder given the strength of the wind, we still got some snow showers coming in off the north sea, mainly affecting eastern parts of scotland during the first part of the night before fading away. more significant changes, though, coming into the west with some thickening cloud, wetter weather coming in from the atlantic, hitting the cold air, of course, and there'll be a widespread frost overnight. it's not as cold as it has been of late, mind you. but we need to focus on the weather in northern ireland because it's going to be snowing here for most of the day, five to ten centimetres quite widely, blizzards and drifting in the hills as well. and that band of wetter weather will move very slowly eastwards. a mixture of rain and snow in the south west of england, some snow over the hills of wales, later into western scotland. although snow amounts here will be much less. further east, it's going to be dry, but increasingly cloudy for all areas. it's going to be a windy day and it will be a cold day as well. large parts of the country remaining below freezing all day. factor in the strength of the wind, it may well feel more like —6 or —7. windy again on sunday, but turning milder. hello, this is bbc news with kate silverton. the headlines... the uk economy shrank by more last year than any other on record, amid the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. the coronavirus reproduction number — or r value — falls below 1 for the first time sincejuly — suggesting the spread of the disease is slowing across the uk. the number of infections is also falling. in the past few minutes — pawel relowicz has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 27 years for the rape and murder of hull university student libby squire in 2019. the government insists new rules for travellers and quarantine hotels that start on monday will be in line with restrictions in other countries. sport and for a full round up from the bbc sport centre. thank you very much. men's defending champion novak djokovic battled through an injury to beat american taylor fritz in five sets at the australian open. the match was stopped at 11:30 pm local time — to allow for fans to leave the arena in order to comply with a new five day lockdown coming into force in melbourne. djokovic took the opening two sets before struggling with an injury to his right side — that really restricted his movement. the american won the next two sets — before the world number one dug in to clinch it. he's due to play milos raonic next — but said he was was unsure if he would be fit after this match. an easier progression for serena williams in her bid for a 2ath grand slam title — through to the fourth round. she beat russia's anastasia potapova, in straight sets. she played in front of fans — but there won't be any for at least 5 days now, with the new lockdown in the state of vicotria in place following a coronavirus outbreak. it's not ideal, it's been a really fun to have the crowd back, especially here. it's been really cool especially here. it's been really cool. but, you know it, the end of the day we have to do its best. and hopefully... hopefully it will be all right. england have made four changes, to the squad for their second test against india, which starts tomorrow. jimmy anderson is rested after that starring role in the first test. jos buttler has returned home and jofra archer is injured. stuart broad and ben foakes come in, as does moeen ali in place of dom bess who's been dropped. meanwhile ,the india vice—captain ajinkya rahane expects a lot of movement early on in the chennai pitch tomorrow, and he brushed aside concerns over his batting form. rahane was bowled out cheaply in both of india's innings in their defeat by england. it's all about the team. and my focus is completely on how can i contribute for my team. if you take out the last matches about the performance, you will see advancement there. so i don't need to worry about what happened what happened in the first test, it's all about what the team one for me in this match and i really must concentrate on it. arsenal have confirmed that the ”home” leg of their europa league tie against benfica will be played in greece. the last—32 match on 25th february has been moved from the emirates stadium, and will instead be played at olympiacos' home ground in athens because of coronavirus travel restrictions. the first leg has already been moved from lisbon, to the stadio olimpico in rome. and in the early hours of this morning, british sailor, pip hare, became only the 8th woman, in history to finish the vendee globe — the solo around the world race. these were the scenes at the finish line in france, as pip became the first british skipper to finish this edition, after 95 days at sea, non—stop for 28,000 miles, battling the elements — fixing the 21 —year—old boat along the way — the oldest vessel to cross the finish line, in this year's race. and she says she's ready to do it all again. ireland captainjohnny sexton will miss their six nations game against france on sunday with ulster�*s billy burns starting at fly—half instead. sexton has failed to recover from a head injury picked up against wales last weekend, as has vice captainjames ryan, who was also going through the return to play protocols. scrum half conor murray has a hamstring injury and will miss out. iain henderson will captain the side in sexton's absence. and one other line of rugby newsjust in — relegation from the premiership this season has been scrapped. all the details are on the sport website — this after a vote was passed by the rfu council meaning the league will expand to 13 teams next term, with one side promoted from the championship and no team relegated. that's it from me. that's all the sport for now. sarah, thank you. a serial sex offender who raped and murdered university student, libby squire, has beenjailed for at least 27 years. 26—year—old pavel relovich attacked the 21—year—old while she was walking home in hull 2—years ago. he then dumped her body in a nearby river. a little earlier i spoke to our correspondent in hulljo makel. libby squire was a 21—year—old philosophy student at the university of hull. in 2019, the 31st of january, she was on a night out with herfriends, they had january, she was on a night out with her friends, they had all been drinking, she had had a bit too much and was refused entry to a club. and so her friends put and was refused entry to a club. and so herfriends put her in a and was refused entry to a club. and so her friends put her in a taxi home, paid for the taxi and helped that was her home safe. unfortunately, libby wandered away from home and ended up on beverly road, where she was targeted by pawel relowicz, who had that night, been prowling the student area of hull because he was a serial sex offender. he has been committing for two years prior to that, indecent acts, berg lang people's homes, taking underwear and personal items from women. he sought libby and took the opportunity to get her into his car, took her to the oak road playing field where he raped and killed her. hand playing field where he raped and killed her. �* , . killed her. and the sentencing toda , killed her. and the sentencing today. 27 _ killed her. and the sentencing today, 27 years. _ killed her. and the sentencing today, 27 years. yes, - killed her. and the sentencing today, 27 years. yes, that - killed her. and the sentencing today, 27 years. yes, that is l killed her. and the sentencing l today, 27 years. yes, that is the minimum _ today, 27 years. yes, that is the minimum term. _ today, 27 years. yes, that is the minimum term. the _ today, 27 years. yes, that is the minimum term. the judge, - today, 27 years. yes, that is the minimum term. the judge, the| minimum term. thejudge, the honourable mrsjustice lambert said she took into account both the murder and the rape in setting up minimum term. and the aggravating features of the case, the fact that he took libby from a relatively safe place on a busy street to a very isolated spot, the oak road playing fields. and that following that rape, he put her, either dead or dying, into the river hull, a title river that floods into another river. and we know into this area, that when people have accidentally fallen into the river, parties are very often not recovered. and the fact that her body was discovered seven weeks later was, as the judge said, a matter of chance. and seven weeks later was, as the 'udge said, a matter of chancefi said, a matter of chance. and the victim statement _ said, a matter of chance. and the victim statement read _ said, a matter of chance. and the victim statement read out - said, a matter of chance. and the victim statement read out the - victim statement read out the profound impact that this has had on it libby's family. profound impact that this has had on it libby's family-— it libby's family. yes, the 'udge aid it libby's family. yes, the 'udge paidtributefi it libby's family. yes, the 'udge paid tribute to i it libby's family. yes, the 'udge paid tribute to what * it libby's family. yes, the 'udge paid tribute to what she h it libby's family. yes, the judge paid tribute to what she called i it libby's family. yes, the judge i paid tribute to what she called the quiet dignity of libby's family throughout this case. we heard earlier this afternoon some very powerful statements from her family. i will redo what her mother lisa said. lisa said that knowing i wasn't there when she needed me will haunt me for the rest of my life. i now live in two worlds as a mother, wife and employee and in a dark and lonely world. i long to die so that i can be with my girl. and her father russell also had a statement read out by the prosecution counsel and he said, i struggle to look at pictures and i can no longer look at her videos because of pain. mrs justice lambert said to pawel relowicz that he had condemned the family to a lifetime of anguish. to me a little earlier. lawyers for the former us president donald trump will start their defence at his impeachment trial in the next few hours. democrat prosecutors finished making their case last night, urging senators to convict him. they argue mr trump incited his supporters to storm the capitol building last month. barbara plett usher reports from washington. after reconstructing the anatomy of the riot in brutal detail, the prosecution rested its case. if you don't find this a high crime and misdemeanour today, you have set a new, terrible standard for presidential misconduct in the united states of america. democrats focused their second day on donald trump's role and his alleged intent, arguing that the violence was foreseeable and he wilfully encouraged it. they sought to demonstrate that mr trump had a history of inciting political violence, and that his supporters listened and got the message. the security guys, we have wonderful security guys, they said, "mrtrump, there may be somebody with tomatoes in the audience." so, if you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of him, would you? seriously. the rioters at the capitol building did believe they were following the president's orders — their own words presented as evidence. we were invited by the president of the united states! _ and much was made of mr trump's lack of remorse. that this meant he was a danger to democracy, unless convicted and banned from office. you know, i'm not afraid of donald trump running again infouryears. i'm afraid he's going to run again and lose. because he can do this again. the defence takes over now. mr trump's lawyers are under pressure to step up their game, after a bumbling performance that angered him. they'll make the case that his fiery rhetoric wasn't meant literally, and that he has the right to freedom of speech. republicans were shaken by the democrats' graphic video evidence, but mr trump's lawyers will argue that he never intended for the violence to happen. and they're expected to be brief — not more than a day — suggesting they're confident they have the votes to acquit him. barbara plett usher, bbc news, washington. the australian state of victoria is back in lockdown after a coronavirus outbreak at a quarantine hotel in melbourne. melbourne is currently hosting the australian open tennis tournament — which will continue, but without fans attending for the next five days. from australia, phil mercer reports. a short, sharp circuit breaker is being imposed across victoria, australia's second most populous state. the growing cluster of infections is linked to a quarantine hotel at melbourne airport. australians returning home must go into isolation for at least two weeks on arrival. health officials say the snap coronavirus lockdown is in response to the hyper—infectious uk variant. it's thought to have been spread in the hotel by a nebuliser, a device that vaporises medicine, that was used by a family who tested positive. stay—at—home orders will apply to millions of people. schools will close and facemasks are mandatory. the australian open will continue in melbourne, but tennis fans won't be allowed to attend for at least five days. the victorian premier, daniel andrews, says there's no time to lose. if we wait for this theory that it might be out there, there might be more cases than we know about, if we wait for that to be proven correct, it will be too late. and then we will face the prospect of being locked down until a vaccination. hotel quarantine is australia's last line of defence against imported cases of covid—19, but it's not perfect. breaches in security that allowed passengers to pass the virus to staff ignited a deadly second wave of infections in melbourne last year. the city was shut down for almost four months until the outbreak was contained. international border closures, mass testing, sophisticated contact tracing and strict lockdowns are key pillars in australia's pandemic strategy. but the safety of the hotel quarantine system is once again under great scrutiny. phil mercer, bbc news, sydney. the directors and former chief executive of the massive london children's charity, kids company, which collapsed in 2015, have been exonerated of wrongdoing. it's after a major court battle over whether they were fit to run an organisation. a high courtjudge has ruled that the charity, which worked with hundreds of vulnerable children, may have financially survived to continue its work, had it not been for unfounded allegations of criminal activity. the ruling clears the charity's well—known former chief executive, camilla batmanghelidjh, and former directors, including alan yentob of any wrongdoing. in a statement, the former trustees of kids company said: we welcome mrsjustice falk�*sjudgement in the high court clearing us of the charge by the official receiver that, in our management of kids company, we were unfit to be company directors... concluding that she was 'wholly satisfied' that the disqualification was unproven and unwarranted. the uk chairman of the accountacy firm kpmg has resigned after reportedly telling staff to 'stop moaning' about concerns over possible cuts to pensions and pay during the covid—19 pandemic. in a statement, bill michael said 'i love the firm and i am truly sorry that my words have caused hurt amongst my colleagues. in light of that, i regard my position as untenable and so i have decided to leave the firm." here's a clip of bill michael from the online meeting with kpmg employees. i have spoken to a lot of partners and people at all sorts of levels, where it almost feels like this, well, you can play the role of victim unless you are sick. you're not sick and you're not ill, and you're not, don't sit there and moan about it. our business correspondent theo leggett has the background to the story. well, this is a meeting, an online meeting they call a town hall meeting, that happened between bill michael and several hundred kpmg consultants on monday. now, immediately after that meeting, a lot of reports came out about alleged insensitive remarks made by bill michael. and some of them have now found their way onto the internet. there's a video which a major newspaper has put online, for example. and at one point he was asked about staff concerns about those potential cuts you mentioned to pay and pensions. and his response was that actually in the sector they were working in, they were very lucky. he said they should not play the victim unless they were actually sick. he told them to take control of their lives and don't sit out there and moan was another one of his comments. but there were other things that he said as well. so, for example, he talked about unconscious bias. now, this is the idea that attitudes towards, for example, race or gender, that we may not be aware of colour our everyday actions in the office. and he said there was no such thing as unconscious bias because every piece of unconscious bias training that they carried out had not actually made any difference. and he also reportedly at that meeting said that he was meeting clients for coffees, even though we're in lockdown and that's supposed to be illegal. so he made a number of very much off the cuff comments, which went down very badly with the staff. kpmg then launched an investigation. he was told to stand aside earlier this week. and now he's taken the view that his position is untenable and he has to step down. chinese new year begins today and is china's most important holiday — an annual occasion that is traditionally spent with family and friends. but this year the coronavirus pandemic means that celebrations around the world will look and feel very different. i've been speaking to tony and fran chung — the husband—wife team behind east london dry cleaners "'the steam room'. they've been explaining to me how they will celebrate, in a very different way to previous years. for this year, we will be spending in the shop since there is nowhere to go, but we wanted our shop front window to celebrate with everyone that passes by. so it is decorated with eight south east asian artists on our window so that people could sort of see it outside. and also we have 37 artists, producers and food producers, where you can purchase products online on dontcallmeoriental.com. and there is also a virtual tour where you can see all the art pieces as well. can you give us a virtual tour of your own? because i would love to see. is it possible? i don't know what you're filming on, can we see the window? at the moment, we are sort of closed for the live show, but let me pop outside. just let me take a look at your shop anyway. this is great. it's very neat. laughter oh, look at that. this is it? that is just a shelf where people can, once they do their click and collect, can come and collect their artwork. let's hope it holds up, the signal. sorry, just a second, the shutters are down. laughter the shutters are going up. we are going to do a big reveal on air! dun—dun—dun! oh, look! tony, talk us through. so, we have... so we have ken lam, he's a local photographer that takes pictures of chinese food. you have one here... and there is also nicole, she prints and stitches with embroidering. that is beautiful. and it tony, if can we duck inside so the signal holds out? and tell us the response you have had from the community to what you are doing. so, let's go back to the shop. so the response has been crazy. this project started just at the beginning of october when we started tier 3. and we had been contacted by mildred and she is the one that created the space. and we just had a chat about it and decided, let's decorate the window for chinese new year. so we just put it through and within sort of a few weeks, it became so many artists. to be sort of part of this. within at least a month, everyone signed up for this project. a dramatic discovery has linked stonehenge to its original site — in wales. archaeologists from university college london uncovered the remains of an ancient stone circle in wales which supports the theory that the monument was dismantled there and then dragged over 1a0 miles to wiltshire. the discovery could give the answer to one of the great mysteries surrounding the monument — why did the stones come from so far away, rather than from a local quarry? now, it's time for a look at the weather with darren bett. hello there, it's going to be a windy weekend on the way, and today we've seen the winds picking up a bit, just making it feel that bit colder. where we've got the clearer skies this evening, those temperatures will be falling away rapidly. some parts of the country not seeing temperatures above freezing all day, mind you. and those snow showers affecting these eastern coastal areas will continue for a while overnight into eastern scotland. but signs of a more significant change out to the west with thickening cloud bringing some wetter weather in from the atlantic. that, of course, is going to be bumping into all this cold air that we've got. typical temperatures down to minus four, minus six. so not as cold as it has been. but we need to focus on the weather in northern ireland, where it's going to be snowing for most of the day, widely, five to ten centimetres of snow. there'll be some blizzards and drifting in the hills in the strong winds. and this band of wetter weather moves very slowly eastwards, a mixture of rain and snow in the south west of england, some snow over the hills of wales and eventually coming into western scotland. though the snow amounts in these areas will be much less and further east, it's likely to be dry, although it will turn more and more cloudy. and it's going to be a windy day pretty much everywhere that will make it feel cold. now, the temperatures on their own will stay below freezing across large parts of the country. but when you factor in the strength of those south to southeasterly winds, it may feel more like minus six or minus seven. so it's a day for wrapping up. well, now, that snow does tend to peter out, it won't get any further eastwards. and then we're looking at a weather system to arrive in from the atlantic. and at the same time, it will strengthen the winds, but it will eventually blow in mild air. it's going to take a while for the mild air to reach the eastern side of the uk, but with south to south—westerly winds, we should see temperatures rising eventually. it'll be a chilly old start, though, i think, to sunday across the eastern side of the uk with a touch of frost. cloud will be thickening and increasing. it's mostly rain coming in from the west. the winds really picking up, though, through the irish sea north channel and into the western isles of scotland. gusts of 60 or 70 miles an hour. may well be dry through much of the day for eastern parts of england, but it's a very slow rise in temperature. it's still going to feel cold for most of the day. out towards the west where it's wetter, temperatures may make nine or ten degrees. we're all in the mild air though by monday. it's a milder picture for next week. a little bit of rain at times, but temperatures are likely to be in double figures. this is bbc news, i'm martine croxall. the headlines at four: the coronavirus reproduction number — or r value — falls below 1 for the first time sincejuly, suggesting the spread of the disease is slowing across the uk. the number of infections is also falling. the uk economy shrank by nearly 10% last year, the biggest drop ever recorded. whilst there were some signs of resilience overwinter, what is clear is right now many families and businesses are experiencing hardship. the government insists new rules for travellers and quarantine hotels that start on monday will be in line with restrictions in other countries. a serial sex offender who raped and murdered university student libby squire is jailed for at least 27 years at sheffield crown court. a five—day lockdown is being imposed in the australian state of victoria, barring spectators for the next few days of the australian open tennis tournament. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. the coronavirus reproduction number, or r value, across the uk has fallen below 1 for the first time since july last year. government experts say it is now estimated to be between 0.7 and 0.9 — meaning the spread of the disease is slowing. it's further welcome news on the same day figures show coronavirus infections are continuing to go down in almost all parts of the country. in england, ministers have announced that people over the age of 65 will be invited to a vaccine appointment from next week. our health correspondent katherine da costa reports. despite concerns of a fast spreading a new variant, lockdowns seem to be slowing the spread of the virus. a small survey by the office for national statistics suggests compliance remains high but behavioural experts say it more support is needed. if you look at those ons data, it also tells us that a7% of people are having to travel to work. the real problem is not people breaking the rules and choosing to go out, the real problem is people being forced to go out by rules and regulations which are too lax. the latest figures from the ons infection survey suggest rates fell across the uk in the first week of february. one in 80 had the virus in england put it was one in 85 in wales, one in 75 in northern ireland and one in 150 in scotland. we need to remember that vaccinating 20% of the population will not have a huge impact on transmission which is why although vaccinations are hugely important as part of the strategy and we still need to focus efforts on reducing case numbers in parallel with vaccination because we don't expect vaccination to have an impact on that in the coming months. on monday, the government hopes to have hit its target for offering jabs to the top four priority groups. it will be a crucial week for the government as it scrutinises data ahead of announcing its road map for easing restrictions. we are very much hoping that- on the 8th of march there is a date that i imagine parents _ across the country will be watching with great interest, _ which is when, if the data allows, and that is the caveat, _ if the data allows, the 8th of march is when we very much - want to start unlocking schools. it is likely to be a long road ahead, it may feel more like normal by the summer but some experts warn we may have to learn to live with the virus. in the longer term, once we hopefully get out of this lockdown and back to some sense of normalcy, we may need to think in those terms of, we are clearly not going to eradicate this so how are we going to live with it? and at what level of impact are we prepared to put up with it as a society? health leaders have warned of the risk of easing too soon when hospitals still have more covid patients now than in the first wave last spring. they say we are turning the corner but need to get cases right down, with the lower the infections, the lower the chances of new variant is emerging. katherine da costa, bbc news. let's just bring you the latest coronavirus figures that we have today for the latest 2a—hour period. we are being told that 758 people have died with covid—19 after testing positive within the last 28 days. that is down from 1001 deaths in the previous 2a—hour period. the number of new infections reported in the last 2a—hour period is 15,1aa. as we heard in the report, the numbers are going down overall, but those infection numbers are up slightly from 13,000 the day before. probably need to look at it across a longer period than just day—to—day. joining me now is tim spector, he's professor of genetic epidemiology at king's college london. thank you very much forjoining us. tell us, how far ahead can we afford to start looking in terms of how life might change in light of this trend? i life might change in light of this trend? ~ . ., life might change in light of this trend? ~ .. ., ., ~' life might change in light of this trend? ~ ., ., trend? i think we can look forward in a matter— trend? i think we can look forward in a matter of— trend? i think we can look forward in a matter of weeks. _ trend? i think we can look forward in a matter of weeks. with - trend? i think we can look forward in a matter of weeks. with the - trend? i think we can look forward i in a matter of weeks. with the dated we are collecting on the app, where we are collecting on the app, where we get 1—2,000,000 people reporting most weeks, we are seeing that rates have been falling for the last five weeks. pretty much in line with confirmed cases of the government. our projections are slightly ahead of some of the other ons surveys, and so we do get the data more in real time. and so we do get the data more in realtime. perhaps and so we do get the data more in real time. perhaps a more optimistic picture of how fast the rates are dropping, so that if we ahead to the 8th of march, when in theory if all is well we might be able to release some of the schools, we are looking at rates of around 3500 cases per day, which is less than one in 500 people with the virus. which i think would be acceptable to start gently removing some of these restrictions. it does not mean a total end to those restrictions, but a gentle way out of this and the first signs that we can start to relax. those levels are similar to where we were at the beginning ofjune last year. these are general signs. we are seeing a having of the number of cases of covid in hospitals since the peak, and now we are starting to see deaths coming down. and the vaccine roll—out has been very impressive and most of the at—risk top groups will now start to be getting protection, and we are sharing that one jab from our own data with people recording their vaccines is proving about 60—70% effective. it is all good news, really. haifa is all good news, really. how important — is all good news, really. how important is _ is all good news, really. how important is it _ is all good news, really. how important is it that _ is all good news, really. how important is it that people are still vigilant? even when they have had the vaccine, particularly in those first few days after receiving the jab. love that really vital. we the 'ab. love that really vital. we see the jab. love that really vital. , see absolutely no protective effect from the first 12 days at all, we did in some instances see an increase in rates as people relaxed and may have got infected and gone and may have got infected and gone and seen other people, thinking they were invincible after their vaccine. really important message that has not really got out there is that you are really vulnerable for that first two—week period. even then, after two—week period. even then, after two weeks, due get maybe half protection and after three weeks up to 65, 70% protection you never get 100% protection anyway, so you should not really change your behaviour. it is only when everybody has got that level of protection that we can get these virus levels down. being vaccinated might give you a little bit of peace of mind, but it should not change your behaviour if we are all going to get out of this as quickly as possible. some more figures to share. more than 1a million people have now received the vaccine in this country, which is a staggering achievement and a short period of time. another statistic that the number of people lab confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic in the uk has now exceeded a million. you are one of the people behind the zooey covid app, i see your face on my phone when i check in on a daily basis. how important is it that people keep reporting symptoms? it is really vital. we have modified the app so that you can now record your vaccine. which one you had, pfizer, astrazeneca, so we can revert record how many people get infected after the vaccine and what the side effects may be. this is vital data that is not available anywhere else. this is the early signs that we are guessing of how well the vaccine is protecting the population. so we really want everybody who knows anyone who has had a vaccine to download the app and put their data on it. this is where we are getting this figure of 67% protection after three weeks. if that holds up, it is really underscoring this country's strategy of delaying that second jab, 67% with the pfizer vaccine is really very good on just one jab. the with the pfizer vaccine is really very good onjust one jab. the more people use the app, the better the data and the more we can get the vital information we need to get out of this. ~ . . vital information we need to get out of this. . . . ., , , ., of this. what are the measures that are currently _ of this. what are the measures that are currently being _ of this. what are the measures that are currently being pursuit, - of this. what are the measures that are currently being pursuit, the - are currently being pursuit, the research that is going on to keep across new variants that could crop up? across new variants that could crop u - ? across new variants that could crop u i ? , ., , ., up? the first thing that should reassure people _ up? the first thing that should reassure people is _ up? the first thing that should reassure people is that - up? the first thing that should reassure people is that we - up? the first thing that should l reassure people is that we have up? the first thing that should - reassure people is that we have seen drops recently in london faster than anywhere else in the country. that just means that if you do take the normal measures of social distancing etc and you vaccinate, you are going to drive down these infections, whatever the variant. i think that seems to be the current plan. but these new variants arriving from bristol and south africa, they are being genetically monitored regularly by genetic sequencing. so we are seeing what is happening to them. this monitoring is going to continue. at the moment, we do not know much about them, there's always the possibility they will cause problems, but i think it should not stop the general strategy we have got, which is currently working. let's just monitor those new variants, but keep in place everything we are doing and no need to really panic because things are coming down very nicely now if we all keep doing what we are doing for all keep doing what we are doing for a few more weeks.— a few more weeks. lovely to share some cautious _ a few more weeks. lovely to share some cautious optimism _ a few more weeks. lovely to share some cautious optimism with - a few more weeks. lovely to share some cautious optimism with you. | some cautious optimism with you. professor tim spector from some cautious optimism with you. professor tim spectorfrom king's couege professor tim spectorfrom king's college london, thank you very much for your time. the uk economy shrank last year by the largest amount ever recorded, due to the coronavirus pandemic. the office for national statistics said gross domestic product, which measures the value of goods and services produced by the economy, dropped by 9.9% last year. the economy did grow slightly in december by 1.2% — as some restrictions were eased in the run up to christmas, avoiding a double—dip recession. the chancellor rishi sunak has told the bbc the economy "experienced a significant shock", and the government would set out the next steps of the response to the pandemic in the budget next month. our economics correspondent andy verity reports. 2020, the year that will be remembered not only for a pandemic, but for an unprecedented economic roller—coaster caused by the government's anti—virus measures. the figures today show the economy shrank faster than it had in 300 years and surged back in the summer then slow down again before christmas. labour say the 9.9% year on year drop in gross domestic product, was worse than other countries. we have was worse than other countries. , have had the worse than any other european country and we have also had the worst economic crises, crisis. we need public spending to be directed into the right places, not have this level of waste and mismanagement of public funds. white backed the chancellor disputed that claim. i think this point on our comparative economic performance is important to clear up. we calculate gdp in a different way to pretty much everybody else and if you either correct for that different or look at it in a way that is more comparable with nominal gdp, what you find, as the bank of england and the office for national statistics have pointed out, is that our performance is very much in line comparable to other countries and in fact may be some parts of the economy are now less than a% down from pre—pandemic levels of activity. this high—tech manufacturer of metal parts for cars and fridges, based in shrewsbury, saw new orders drop in the spring. it adapted by shifting from supplying the car industry to the do—it—yourself market and sales recovered. we had to make some quite sweeping changes in terms of structure of the company in 2020, from march onwards, when our order book fell to 10% of what it should have been. but i see, certainly, from december onwards last year, there are green shoots coming, and i think once we get through this first period of 2021, when we've got the impact of brexit, delays at the ports, i think 2021 can be a good year for this economy. while growth was slightly better than expected in the last three months of the year, up 1%, the economic pain was concentrated on sectors like accommodation and food which, after a devastating pre—christmas slump, saw activity drop by a third. all hopes now rest on the vaccine reopening the economy and consumers reopening their purses. the good news is that the third . lockdown will be much less painful for the economy than the previous i two, but we still expect to see that step down in january. and i think we're a bit more . optimistic later on in the year, as long as the vaccines continue to be rolled out fairly— quickly, provide protectionl against the various variants of the virus. the economy is expected to shrink again by a% in the first quarter of this year which, outside of the pandemic, would count as one of the worst contractions in the past century. it's not expected to recover to its pre—crisis level until well into next year. andy verity, bbc news. let's speak to alpesh paleja, the's cbi's lead economist. thank you very much forjoining us. given how businesses were so badly affected last year, how worried are you by these figures? this affected last year, how worried are you by these figures?— you by these figures? as you have already outlined, _ you by these figures? as you have already outlined, 2020 _ you by these figures? as you have already outlined, 2020 was - you by these figures? as you have already outlined, 2020 was a - you by these figures? as you have already outlined, 2020 was a very j already outlined, 2020 was a very tough year for the uk economy. cause for optimism further ahead when we think of vaccine roll—out and all the efforts being made to keep cases down. that should really spur a recovery later this year. but of course we will see in other dip in activity in the first quarter of 2021, as most of the uk is currently in another lockdown. bearing in mind that businesses have now been battling the pandemic for a year, demand conditions are still very challenging and that has created cash flow problems. also not forgetting the amount of debt that businesses have taken on to just survive, tojust businesses have taken on to just survive, to just keep going businesses have taken on to just survive, tojust keep going during the pandemic. against this backdrop, they are really facing a cash crunch in the months ahead. as many of the government's coronavirus support measure schemes expire either at the end of this quarter or in april. so it really remains imperative to create a bridge to get viable firms over to the other side, to that recovery stage, so that they can play a role in kick—starting a recovery. play a role in kick-starting a recovery-— play a role in kick-starting a recove . ~ ., ., play a role in kick-starting a recove .~ ., ., ., recovery. what would you hope to hear from the _ recovery. what would you hope to hear from the chancellor - recovery. what would you hope to hear from the chancellor in - recovery. what would you hope to hear from the chancellor in the i hear from the chancellor in the budget? hear from the chancellor in the bud . et? ., ., ., , budget? there are two main themes that the chancellor _ budget? there are two main themes that the chancellor needs _ budget? there are two main themes that the chancellor needs to - budget? there are two main themes that the chancellor needs to focus i that the chancellor needs to focus on. first is getting that bridge so that firms can get to the other side. that involves extending the furlough scheme into the summer, that has been a real lifeline for businesses and households across the country, expense, extending the deferral of vat payments and business rates for that have been hardest hit. closely with local councils to distribute grants to businesses that they need right now. also thinking longer term. thinking about what the recovery beyond this pandemic might look like. we expect business investment to remain quite weak over the medium term. that is very much the missing piece in the uk's economic recovery. measures to really kick—start business investment and get you keep us macros a sustainable footing are very important for our long—term prosperity. very important for our long-term prosperity-— very important for our long-term --roseri , , ,, , ., ., prosperity. some businesses had to co -e with prosperity. some businesses had to cope with a — prosperity. some businesses had to cope with a stop _ prosperity. some businesses had to cope with a stop start, _ prosperity. some businesses had to cope with a stop start, open, - prosperity. some businesses had to cope with a stop start, open, close| cope with a stop start, open, close repeatedly over many months, creating uncertainty, which we know businesses do not like. how important is it that the government appoints that this year? what important is it that the government appoints that this year?— appoints that this year? what we have to remember _ appoints that this year? what we have to remember is _ appoints that this year? what we have to remember is public - appoints that this year? what we l have to remember is public health comes first. measures to get the pandemic under control are in themselves conducive to an economic recovery and to protecting both lives and livelihoods. but, as i say, there is no getting away from the fact that we stop, start nature of our towns and the uncertainty really has burned down both near—term activity and longer term plans for things like investment. certainly having a road map for both opening up the economy, which we heard a bit more about earlier today, but also have been very clear in terms of criteria — what is the case for any further lockdowns if they do occur. that is something that will really give businesses a good degree of clarity. working quite hard to get things like test and treat trace absolutely seamless, ruling out mass testing. that also is very important for the next stage in dealing with the pandemic alongside vaccine roll—out. in dealing with the pandemic alongside vaccine roll-out. thank ou ve alongside vaccine roll-out. thank you very much — alongside vaccine roll-out. thank you very much for _ alongside vaccine roll-out. thank you very much for your— alongside vaccine roll-out. thank you very much for your time. - the directors and former chief executive of the massive london children's charity, kids company, which collapsed in 2015, have been exonerated of wrongdoing. it's after a major court battle over whether they were fit to run an organisation. a high courtjudge has ruled that the charity, which worked with hundreds of vulnerable children, may have financially survived to continue its work had it not been for unfounded allegations of sexual assault — which were later dropped by the met police. the ruling clears the charity's well—known former chief executive, camila batmanghelidjh, and former directors, including alan yentob — meaning they can once again work as directors. in the run—up to its collapse, the charity was spending around £20 million a year, up to quarter of which came from government. the judge said that while aspects of the charity's work were high—risk, the business model was not unsustainable. in a statement, the former trustees of kids company said: "we welcome mrs justice falk�*sjudgment in the high court clearing us of the charge by the official receiver that, in our management of kids company, we were unfit to be company directors." concluding that she was 'wholly satisfied' that the disqualification was unproven and unwarranted. well, we can speak to camila batmanghelidjh now. this is obviously weighed very heavily over a year for quite a long time. was this what you were expecting to hear from the high court? it expecting to hear from the high court? . , , ., , expecting to hear from the high court? ., , ., , , expecting to hear from the high court? ., i, court? it has been nearly six years, and i am delighted _ court? it has been nearly six years, and i am delighted that _ court? it has been nearly six years, and i am delighted that the - court? it has been nearly six years, and i am delighted that the justice l and i am delighted that the justice system in this country paid attention to the facts and we had a highly intelligentjudge who, in the end, cleared us. it is so important because there were thousands of staff, volunteers and donors who created kids company over nearly 20 years, and i want thisjustice created kids company over nearly 20 years, and i want this justice for them and i am happy that they can now hold up their head proudly because they did brilliant work for children. but because they did brilliant work for children. �* ., ., ~' because they did brilliant work for children. �* ., ., ~ ., children. but when we look at the finances and _ children. but when we look at the finances and how— children. but when we look at the finances and how much _ children. but when we look at the finances and how much support i children. but when we look at the i finances and how much support the charity had to have from the government — £a2 million over 15 years — many people will wonder that the way the charity was set up and what you are trying to do was really workable? what would you say in defence of taking that money? first of all, it is defence of taking that money? first of all. it is very _ defence of taking that money? f "sit of all, it is very important to realise that children who were being maltreated were seeking kids company and self referring. we raised hundred and 6a million, so there were a lot of philanthropists and the general public helped us, and together we did it because these children needed help. we shouldn't have had to carry that burden of child protection if the child protection system in this country was fit for purpose. as you know, it is not fit for purpose and there needs to be some change. kids company did its best at the time and everyone worked very hard to try and protect vulnerable children. home. protect vulnerable children. how, thou~h, protect vulnerable children. how, though. looking _ protect vulnerable children. how, though, looking back, _ protect vulnerable children. how, though, looking back, might - protect vulnerable children. how, though, looking back, might you have done things differently? i though, looking back, might you have done things differently?— done things differently? i think a 'udue has done things differently? i think a judge has already _ done things differently? i think a judge has already clearly - done things differently? i think a judge has already clearly said - done things differently? i think a | judge has already clearly said that we did our best, and it is very unfortunate that misinformation generated by elements of the media and some political forces destroyed and some political forces destroyed a really good charity. of course, when you run an organisation, you can always do things better, all of us can do that, but that is not the point. false sexual abuse allegations broadcast by newsnight destroyed a really good organisation. and they behaved irresponsibly, and because of that, a lot of children were left without support. a lot of children were left without su ort. ., a lot of children were left without su--ort. ., , support. there were of course concerns _ support. there were of course concerns about _ support. there were of course concerns about interference i support. there were of course i concerns about interference with reporting of that story, and the metropolitan police, in the end, decided to drop the enquiry. where does this leave you now? clearly someone who is very committed to young people and feels that young people have been denied the services of kids company over the last six years. of kids company over the last six ears. , ., . of kids company over the last six ears, , ., ., ., " years. first of all, let me make it clear that — years. first of all, let me make it clear that the _ years. first of all, let me make it clear that the sexual _ years. first of all, let me make it clear that the sexual abuse - clear that the sexual abuse allegations against kids company were entirely false and the police completely cleared us. not only that, they commended the organisation's child protection system. there was no valid allegation in the first place. in terms of what i am going to do next, i have spent the last six years trying to support the children who were left without help as a result of the organisation closing. i was very lucky that some philanthropists have continued to support that work. and of course i'm going to have to think about what i can do moving forward, but my commitment to the children did not change, i did not stop working one day. my commitment to delivering kindness was what kept me going throughout this period. camila batmanghelidjh, we appreciate you talking to us, thank you very much. a serial sex offender who raped and murdered university student, libby squire, has beenjailed for at least 27 years. 26—year—old pawel relowicz attacked the 21—year—old while she was walking home in hull two years ago. he then dumped her body in a nearby river. our correspondentjo makel is in hull. we got the verdict yesterday. tell us what has been happening today. today, we have had the sentencing. pawel relowicz has got a minimum jail term of 27 years. that takes into account both the murder and the rape of libby squire. this all happened back injanuary 2019 when libby had simply been on a night out with her university friends, had been drinking, and was refused entry to one of the clubs. they put her in a taxi home, paid for the taxi, and as far as herfriends a taxi home, paid for the taxi, and as far as her friends were concerned, that was libby safely home. but very sadly, she got distressed when she got home, wandered off onto beverley road in hull, which is quite a busy main road, and the effects of the alcohol and the cold made her very vulnerable and confused. tragically, although other people try to help her, she was spotted by pawel relowicz, who, as you said, is a serial six offender. in 18 months prior to this, he had been committing other offences women in hull. those had been ones of voyeurism, spying on people, burgling people's houses, taking underwear and other personal items, and also committing indecent acts on the street. he saw libby, and the judge said that he was convinced that he did target her as his next victim, somehow got her into his car and took her to a nearby playing field where he raped her and killed her and put her body into the river hull. right back for the moment, thank you very much. the government has been defending their hotel quarantine plans for people coming into england from high risk countries. the policy comes into force on monday. the government has secured a,700 rooms at 16 hotels. people will have to pay £1,750 to quarantine in hotels for 10 days. and those failing to comply with the rules will face fines of up to £10,000. but there has been criticism the system is not as strict as those in place elsewhere in the world as david shukman reports. arrivals from many countries are about to face 11 nights in a quarantine hotel like this one, but there are questions about the arrangements — notjust because the government's online booking system crashed soon after launching, but also because the hotels have been given instructions which, in some ways, are different to the rules applied in australia. quarantine hotels there have operated for over a year now and lessons have been learned, including the need for better personal protective equipment because of the risk of the virus spreading in the air from people's rooms. enough particles could go into the air of the hall that if someone walked down the hall, say 20 minutes later, and inhaled, that's a potential source of transmission. so what are the differences between australia's policy and what is about to start here? are people allowed to leave their rooms? not in australia, but yes, here, to get fresh air, though not to smoke. are hotel staff tested? yes, for all of them, every day in australia. there are plans for that here, but it's not confirmed that they will start on monday. what about masks? in the state of victoria, they are now using high—grade masks. the advice here is to use thinner, surgical ones. we saw from the ons figures as recently as december that hotel workers are some of the most at risk of dying from covid. security guards, for example, whether they be in hotels or not, they are being put at risk if they are having to accompany people and customers to and from their room. that is something that the government should absolutely be putting in its guidelines and instead what it is saying is that those workers should be put at unnecessary risk. but the government says the system of quarantine hotels will be carefully controlled. i think we have to look at our own measures in our own country. you know, the hotel will, of course, be adhering to all of the very strict measures that we have in place in relation to social distancing and face masks and so on. allowing someone a gulp of fresh air, apart from anything else, we know that being outside is less likely to transmit than being inside, but i think allowing someone a gulp of fresh air during a ten—day visit in a hotel, with all the very strict measures that we have, i think is reasonable. the test will be whether infections happen inside the hotels. despite all of australia's precautions, there are still outbreaks, so this will be a challenge. david shukman, bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather with darren bett. hello there. cold day today, and it feels a bit colder given the strength of the wind, we still got some snow showers coming in off the north sea, mainly affecting eastern parts of scotland during the first part of the night before fading away. more significant changes, though, coming into the west with some thickening cloud, wetter weather coming in from the atlantic, hitting the cold air, of course, and there'll be a widespread frost overnight. it's not as cold as it has been of late, mind you. but we need to focus on the weather in northern ireland because it's going to be snowing here for most of the day, five to ten centimetres quite widely, blizzards and drifting in the hills as well. and that band of wetter weather will move very slowly eastwards. a mixture of rain and snow in the south west of england, some snow over the hills of wales, later into western scotland. although snow amounts here will be much less. further east, it's going to be dry, but increasingly cloudy for all areas. it's going to be a windy day and it will be a cold day as well. large parts of the country remaining below freezing all day. factor in the strength of the wind, it may well feel more like —6 or —7. windy again on sunday, but turning milder. hello, this is bbc news with martine croxall. the headlines... the coronavirus reproduction number — or r value — falls below 1 for the first time sincejuly — suggesting the spread of the disease is slowing across the uk. the number of infections is also falling. the uk economy shrank by more last year than any other on record amid the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. the government insists new rules for travellers and quarantine hotels that start on monday will be in line with restrictions in other countries in other countries. pawel relowicz has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 27 years for the rape and murder of hull university student libby squire in 2019. a five—day lockdown is being imposed in the australian state of victoria, barring spectators for the next few days of the australian open tennis tournament. sport, and for a full round up from the bbc sport center. hello, good afternoon. men's defending champion novak djokovic battled through an injury to beat american taylor fritz in five sets at the australian open. the match was stopped at 11:30 pm local time — to allow for fans to leave the arena in order to comply with a new five day lockdown coming into force in melbourne. djokovic took the opening two sets before struggling with an injury to his right side — that really restricted his movement. the american won the next two sets — before the world number one dug in to clinch it. he was unsure how his fitness and injury will stand up. as he's due to play milos raonic next, but still enjoyed this win. on the third and fourth set, ijust served, and couldn't do much in the return. i wasjust served, and couldn't do much in the return. i was just going for my shots, hitting two first serves, and it worked, it worked well. this is definitely one of the most special wins in my life. it is a matter what rounded is and again stuart is, under these kind of circumstances to pull this off, definitely something i'll rememberforever. simona halep made relatively short work of the russian qualifier veronika kudermetova to reach the fourth round. she tookjust over an hour and a quarter to win in straight sets. and naomi osaka is also through to the fourth round, but she had to deal with an unexpected guest on court in melbourne. a butterfly doing it's best to put her off. very close to the eyes there. england have made four changes, to the squad for their second test against india, which starts tomorrow. jimmy anderson is rested after that starring role in the first test. jos buttler has returned home and jofra archer is injured. stuart broad and ben foakes come in, as does moeen ali in place of dom bess who's been dropped. and the captain expects india to come back strongly after their defeat earlier this week. i fully expect them to come back swinging at us. we know that they are a fine team, brilliant record in these conditions, but we are also in a very good place ourselves. we are full of confidence, played really fantastic games in the subcontinent now, and we have to take that forward into the next three. it's been a brilliant start to things, but it is just a start. ireland captainjohnny sexton will miss their six nations game against france on sunday with ulster�*s billy burns starting at fly—half instead. sexton has failed to recover from a head injury picked up against wales last weekend, as has vice captainjames ryan, who was also going through the return to play protocols. scrum—half conor murray has a hamstring injury and will miss out. iain henderson will captain the side in sexton's absence. meanwhile, the rfu has announced there will be no relegation from the premiership this season, and instead the league will be expanded to 13 teams next term with one side promoted from the championship. the vote to suspend relegation was expected earlier this week but was postponed after reports the host broacaster was concerned that without potential relegation battles, too many matches would prove unattractive to viewers. however, the rfu council, with the approval of the premiership clubs, went ahead with their vote today. and finally — british sailor, pip hare, was barely on land before committing to going again in the vendee globe — the around the world solo race. she became only the 8th woman in history to finish the yacht race. this was her celebrating at finish line in france in the early hours of the morning as she became the first british skipper to finish this edition. 95 days at sea, non—stop for 28,000 miles, battling the elements, fixing her 21—year—old boat along the way — the oldest vessel to cross the finish line in this year's race. well done to her. that is all the sport for now. thank you very much, sarah. lawyers for the former us president donald trump will start their defence case at his impeachment trial in the next few hours. prosecutors finished making their case last night, urging senators to convict him. they argue mr trump incited his supporters to storm the capitol building last month. barbara plett usher reports from washington. after reconstructing the anatomy of the riot in brutal detail, the prosecution rested its case. if you don't find this a high crime and misdemeanour today, you have set a new, terrible standard for presidential misconduct in the united states of america. democrats focused their second day on donald trump's role and his alleged intent, arguing that the violence was foreseeable and he wilfully encouraged it. they sought to demonstrate that mr trump had a history of inciting political violence, and that his supporters listened and got the message. the security guys, we have wonderful security guys, they said, "mrtrump, there may be somebody with tomatoes in the audience." so, if you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of him, would you? seriously. the rioters at the capitol building did believe they were following the president's orders — their own words presented as evidence. we were invited by the president of the united states! _ and much was made of mr trump's lack of remorse. that this meant he was a danger to democracy, unless convicted and banned from office. you know, i'm not afraid of donald trump running again infouryears. i'm afraid he's going to run again and lose. because he can do this again. the defence takes over now. mr trump's lawyers are under pressure to step up their game, after a bumbling performance that angered him. they'll make the case that his fiery rhetoric wasn't meant literally, and that he has the right to freedom of speech. republicans were shaken by the democrats' graphic video evidence, but mr trump's lawyers will argue that he never intended for the violence to happen. and they're expected to be brief — not more than a day — suggesting they're confident they have the votes to acquit him. barbara plett usher, bbc news, washington. daniel lippman is a white house reporter for politico and joins us live from washington. you've been following every moment of days, i know. how powerful a case you think the democrats have made? i think the democrats have made a very powerful case, but they are still struggling with the fact that the senate republicans still feel loyal to trump. they think that it is more dangerous for their party to convict him because it would anger the primary base, it could put them in jeopardy of losing seats in the senate next year, and theyjust don't want to face the wrath of voters who still really like the former president.— voters who still really like the former president. voters who still really like the former resident. . ., ., , . former president. what do you expect that the rest — former president. what do you expect that the rest of _ former president. what do you expect that the rest of the _ former president. what do you expect that the rest of the defence _ former president. what do you expect that the rest of the defence case - that the rest of the defence case will be? —— the rest. i that the rest of the defence case will be? -- the rest.— will be? -- the rest. i think that is what she _ will be? -- the rest. i think that is what she will _ will be? -- the rest. i think that is what she will talk _ will be? -- the rest. i think that is what she will talk about, - will be? -- the rest. i think that is what she will talk about, he i will be? -- the rest. i think that| is what she will talk about, he he never said don't go inside —— he never said don't go inside —— he never said don't go inside —— he never said go inside, ransack it, all he said was go to the capital and make your voices heard, he did say go and fight, that is at the core of the democrat's case, but thatis core of the democrat's case, but that is where the democrats and republican use all the time. elizabeth warren, joe biden, fighting for the middle class and all of that. and they are going to try and say that he didn't directly fire in a crowded theatre, basically. fire in a crowded theatre, basically-— fire in a crowded theatre, basically. fire in a crowded theatre, basicall . ., . ., , fire in a crowded theatre, basicall. ., . ., , ., , basically. how much does it really matter what _ basically. how much does it really matter what the _ basically. how much does it really matter what the defence - basically. how much does it really matter what the defence cases . basically. how much does it really i matter what the defence cases based upon given that most people that this is not going to go the way the democrats wanted? it this is not going to go the way the democrats wanted?— this is not going to go the way the democrats wanted? it seems like it's a -la democrats wanted? it seems like it's a play where — democrats wanted? it seems like it's a play where we _ democrats wanted? it seems like it's a play where we already _ democrats wanted? it seems like it's a play where we already know - democrats wanted? it seems like it's a play where we already know what i democrats wanted? it seems like it's| a play where we already know what is going to happen, like reading a book or a movie review and then you watch a movie and read the book, and you kind of know the plot. and so unless the defence totally rolls over and makes huge mistakes and admits that trump did what democrats are saying, that he has a good chance of pulling this out and not getting convicted. what have the opinion polls said across the united states in terms of whether the public think donald trump is guilty? it’s whether the public think donald trump is guilty?— whether the public think donald trump is guilty? it's kind of split. polls are all— trump is guilty? it's kind of split. polls are all over _ trump is guilty? it's kind of split. polls are all over the _ trump is guilty? it's kind of split. polls are all over the map - polls are all over the map sometimes. most republicans are behind trump, and that is where it matters in terms of the republican votes, and so i think it's roughly split half—and—half in terms of the actual country, but senators just don't listen to the polls. they follow what their political strategists are telling them too. daniel, thank you very much for talking to us. daniel, thank you very much for talking to us— the uk chairman of the accountacy firm kpmg has resigned after reportedly telling staff to 'stop moaning' about concerns over possible cuts to pensions and pay during the covid—19 pandemic. in a statement, bill michael said, "i love the firm and i am truly sorry that my words have caused hurt amongst my colleagues. in light of that, i regard my position as untenable and so i have decided to leave the firm." here's a clip of bill michael from the online meeting with kpmg employees. i have spoken to a lot of partners and people at all sorts of levels where it almost feels like this is being done to them. well, you can't play the role of victim unless you're sick. and i hope you're not sick and you're not ill. and if you're not, take control of your life, don't sit there and moan about it. our business correspondent theo leggett has the background to the story. well, this is a meeting, an online meeting, they call it a town hall meeting, that happened between bill michael and several hundred kpmg consultants on monday. now, immediately after that meeting, a lot of reports came out about alleged insensitive remarks made by bill michael. and some of them have now found their way onto the internet. there's a video which a major newspaper has put online, for example. and at one point he was asked about staff concerns about those potential cuts you mentioned to pay and pensions. and his response was that actually, in the sector they were working in, they were very lucky. he said they should not play the victim unless they were actually sick. he told them to take control of their lives and don't sit out there and moan was another one of his comments. but there were other things that he said as well. so, for example, he talked about unconscious bias. now, this is the idea that attitudes towards, for example, race or gender, that we may not be aware of colour our everyday actions in the office. and he said there was no such thing as unconscious bias because every piece of unconscious bias training that they carried out had not actually made any difference. and he also reportedly at that meeting said that he was meeting clients for coffees, even though we're in lockdown and that's supposed to be illegal. so he made a number of very much off the cuff comments, which went down very badly with the staff. kpmg then launched an investigation. he was told to stand aside earlier this week. and now he's taken the view that his position is untenable and he has to step down. wales has achieved its target of offering a coronavirus vaccine to the top four priority groups. it comes as the first minister mark drakeford has raised the possibilty of starting to ease lockdown at easter, which he says is 'an important moment�* for tourism and hospitality. our wales correspondent hwyel griffith reports. that's it, you're all done. that's it? that was it. dose by dose, hope is being delivered. vaccinations started more slowly in wales than the rest of the uk but, today, it becomes the first of the four nations to have offered the jab to everyone over 70, health care workers, care home residents, and the extremely vulnerable. david is 7a years old. for him, it's about freedom. i want to get back to a normal life, where i go training three days a week, and i want to be healthy. i want many, many more years left on this earth and i want to enjoy life, that's what it means to me. get back to normal. so when exactly will that happen? wales was the first nation to lock down, five days before christmas. covid case rates have fallen significantly since, but there's no end to shutdown in sight. we're ready to reopen and, as i say, we want to trade our way back to recovery. that's the best prescription for us as a sector now. it's not more grants, not more funding, we just need to see an opportunity to be able to get people back into the workplace and to start to see trade and stores open once more. there may be some good news on the horizon for people wanting to book a holiday. the first minister of wales says tourism could resume here in the spring. we've got easter at the beginning of april this year, it's always - a very important moment for our tourism and - hospitality industry. we are talking with them - about what might be possible around the easter period. those are amongst the dates that we are using in our- conversations with businesses and workers here in wales. i in towns like tenby, that would be a huge relief. some businesses haven't survived. others will need financial support to hold on until easter. they're hanging on not so much with the fingertips, but with their fingernails. you know, and we need reassurance on furloughing, that's really important, and that budget in march is really important because we want an extension of the 5% vat and we want another rates holiday. the forecast for what the next few weeks will bring is as uncertain as ever, but in this corner of the country, there is now a glimmer of optimism. hywel griffith, bbc news. the headlines on bbc news... the coronavirus reproduction number — or r value — falls below 1 for the first time sincejuly — suggesting the spread of the disease is slowing across the uk. the number of infections is also falling. the uk economy shrank by nearly 10% last year, the biggest drop ever recorded. the government claims measures being put in place for quarantine hotels in the uk will be in line with those in other countries — and not less strict. the supreme court has ruled that more than a2,000 nigerian farmers and fisherman can sue the oil giant royal dutch shell in british courts. oil spills have contaminated land and caused ground water pollution in the niger delta. the judges said that shell had a common law duty of care. shell says it's disappointed in the decision, and that the shell petroleum devlopment company of nigeria cleans up spills, as well as working to stop them from happening. our correspondent in abuja, ishaq khalid, has the background. well, basically the communities, two communities, in the niger delta region, with more than a0,000 people, sued the royal dutch shell, but there are millions and millions of people in that region who have been affected by the oil pollution, the environmental pollution. their livelihoods have been destroyed, that is what they say, and of course they are talking about drinking water that has been contaminated, farmlands, fishing waters, and there are strange diseases. so their livelihoods have been destroyed, and this court ruling means they can seek compensation, they can seek clean up by the oil companies in that region, so this is quite a huge relief for many communities in the niger delta region, but many are saying of course there is the possibility of more legal battles, especially seeking the compensation. the kremlin dissident alexei navalny has been back in court today, this time accused of defaming a world war ii veteran. his arrest on arrival back to russia last month has sparked outrage and protests across the country. our moscow correspondent steve rosenberg travelled more than a,000 miles to the country's far east to gauge the political temperature there. what do you find at the end of russia, where the pacific turns to ice? at first, russia here feels frozen in time, no hint of spring. but in vladivostok, there are signs that something is changing. chanting last month, thousands here risked arrest to protest, in support ofjailed opposition leader alexei navalny. there were rallies across russia. but there is no political thaw. the kremlin's response is a crackdown. blogger gennady shulga had live—streamed one of the protests. a few days ago, police raided his flat and pinned him to the floor. the police video shows gennady�*s head over the dog bowl. translation: this show of force i was meant to scare me and my wife. now the authorities are using that video to scare others — by showing what happens to people who tell the truth. scientist anton, who's working on new cancer treatments, took part in the vladivostok protests. he too has been targeted by the police. they broke into my apartments, hold me laying on the floor, like some criminal. and that was a real humiliation. and... ..infuriating. this isn'tjust happening here, in the russian far east. in recent days, there have been reports of police raids and searches across the country, a sign ofjust how determined the authorities are to crush the protest movement. in moscow, alexei navalny was back in the dock — a defamation case. this month, a different court had sentenced him to two and a half years in prison, in what he insists are trumped—up charges. the police raids on protesters are aimed at cutting his support base by spreading fear. it will send chilling waves across everybody else who is in their early—20s, idealistic, wants to work for team navalny. a lot of people will be scared, a lot of parents will insert a lot of pressure on their kids to not join the movement. there's something else the kremlin is doing to try to undermine public support for protests. it's telling russians, through the state media, that mr navalny is an agent of the west, and some people are believing it. "he's carrying out the west's instructions," galina says. "we all know it's the west pulling navalny�*s strings," yulia tells me. "and as for navalny being poisoned, he probably poisoned himself." where is this taking russia? with "the west is to blame" the official narrative, there's little prospect of a thaw in relations with america and europe. russia faces the prospect of growing isolation. steve rosenberg, bbc news, vladivostok. chinese new year begins today and is china's most important holiday — an annual occasion that is traditionally spent with family and friends. but this year, the coronavirus pandemic means that celebrations around the world will look and feel very different. kate silveron has been speaking to tony and fran chung — the husband—wife team behind east london dry cleaners "'the steam room'. they've been explaining to me how they will celebrate, in a very different way to previous years. for this year, we will be spending in the shop since there is nowhere to go, but we wanted our shop front window to celebrate with everyone that passes by. so it is decorated with eight south east asian artists on our window so that people could sort of see it outside. and also we have 37 artists, producers and food producers, where you can purchase products online on dontcallmeoriental.com. and there is also a virtual tour where you can see all the art pieces as well. can you give us a virtual tour of your own? because i would love to see. is it possible? i don't know what you're filming on, can we see the window? at the moment, we are sort of closed for the live show, but let me pop outside. let's have a look at your shop anyway. this is great. it's very neat. laughter oh, look at that. this is it? that is just a shelf where people can, once they do their click and collect, can come and collect their artwork. let's hope it holds up, the signal. sorry, just a second, the shutters are down. laughter the shutters are going up. we are going to do a big reveal on air! # dun—dun—dun!# oh, look! tony, talk us through. so, we have... so we have ken lam, he's a local photographer that takes pictures of chinese food. you have one here... and there is also nicole, she prints and stitches with embroidering. that is beautiful. and, tony, if can we duck inside so the signal holds out? and tell us the response you have had from the community to what you are doing. sure. so, let's go back to the shop. so the response has been crazy. this project started just at the beginning of october when we started tier 3. and we had been contacted by mildred and she is the one that created the space. and we just had a chat about it and decided, let's decorate the window for chinese new year. so we just put it through and within sort of a few weeks, it became so many artists... yeah. to be sort of part of this. within at least a month, everyone signed up for this project. tony and friend from the steam room, being put through their paces by an ambitious colleague of mine. happy new year if you are celebrating. a dramatic discovery has linked stonehenge to its original site in wales. archaeologists from university college london uncovered the remains of an ancient stone circle in wales which supports the theory that the monument was dismantled there and then dragged over 1a0 miles to wiltshire. the discovery could give the answer to one of the great mysteries surrounding the monument — why did the stones come from so far away rather than from a local quarry. now it's time for a look at the weather with darren bett. hello there, it's going to be a windy weekend on the way, and today we've seen the winds picking up a bit, just making it feel that bit colder. where we've got the clearer skies this evening, those temperatures will be falling away rapidly. some parts of the country not seeing temperatures above freezing all day, mind you. and those snow showers affecting these eastern coastal areas will continue for a while overnight into eastern scotland. but signs of a more significant change out to the west with thickening cloud bringing some wetter weather in from the atlantic. that, of course, is going to be bumping into all this cold air that we've got. typical temperatures down to minus four, minus six. so not as cold as it has been. but we need to focus on the weather in northern ireland, where it's going to be snowing for most of the day, widely, five to ten centimetres of snow. there'll be some blizzards and drifting in the hills in the strong winds. and this band of wetter weather moves very slowly eastwards, a mixture of rain and snow in the south west of england, some snow over the hills of wales and eventually coming into western scotland. though the snow amounts in these areas will be much less, and further east, it's likely to be dry, although it will turn more and more cloudy. and it's going to be a windy day pretty much everywhere that will make it feel cold. now, the temperatures on their own will stay below freezing across large parts of the country. but when you factor in the strength of those south to southeasterly winds, it may feel more like minus six or minus seven. so it's a day for wrapping up. well, now, that snow does tend to peter out, it won't get any further eastwards. and then we're looking at a weather system to arrive in from the atlantic. and at the same time, it will strengthen the winds, but it will eventually blow in mild air. it's going to take a while for the mild air to reach the eastern side of the uk, but with south to south—westerly winds, we should see temperatures rising eventually. it'll be a chilly old start, though, i think, to sunday across the eastern side of the uk with a touch of frost. cloud will be thickening and increasing. it's mostly rain coming in from the west. the winds really picking up, though, through the irish sea north channel and into the western isles of scotland. gusts of 60 or 70 miles an hour. may well be dry through much of the day for eastern parts of england, but it's a very slow rise in temperature. it's still going to feel cold for most of the day. out towards the west where it's wetter, temperatures may make nine or ten degrees. we're all in the milder air though by monday. it's a milder picture for next week. a little bit of rain at times, but temperatures are likely to be in double figures. this is bbc news. i'm martine croxall. the headlines at 5. the coronavirus reproduction number — or r value — falls below 1 for the first time sincejuly — suggesting the spread of the disease is slowing across the uk. the number of infections is also falling. the uk economy shrank by nearly 10% last year — the biggest drop ever recorded. whilst there were some signs of resilience overwinter, what is clear is right now many families and businesses are experiencing hardship. this is live and capitol hill in washington where lawyers acting behalf of donald trump in his second impeachment trial are about to address the senate. the government insists new rules for travellers and quarantine hotels that start on monday will be in line with restrictions in other countries.