investment in public services. on questions about the rising cost of living, the chancellor said current inflationary pressures are global and he does not have a "magic wand" to reduce them. here's our political correspondent, charlotte rose. the damage... the government has spent billions on the furlough scheme and other support for families and businesses in the past 18 months. many expected the chancellor to rein that in, but it seems the purse strings may still be loose. ,. ., ., , seems the purse strings may still be loose. ,. , , loose. children, schools, skills, all of these _ loose. children, schools, skills, all of these things, _ loose. children, schools, skills, all of these things, policing - loose. children, schools, skills, all of these things, policing and| all of these things, policing and crime, you will see investment across the board in public services because that is what we were elected to deliver and that is what we are getting on and delivering. rishi sunak has already _ getting on and delivering. rishi sunak has already promised 5.4 billion for the nhs this winter. now he has pledged 1.6 billion for new vocational qualifications called t levels and half a billion for adult skills, but there are questions over whether these announcements are as generous as suggested. some of the funding has been announced previously. and all that money will do little to help families this winter. many are facing what labour describes as a cost of living crisis. because of high energy prices and a rise in the cost of basics like food. the prices and a rise in the cost of basics like food.— prices and a rise in the cost of basics like food. the bulk of that increase is _ basics like food. the bulk of that increase is down _ basics like food. the bulk of that increase is down to _ basics like food. the bulk of that increase is down to two - basics like food. the bulk of that increase is down to two things. l basics like food. the bulk of that i increase is down to two things. one of those is the fact that as economies have reopened rather rapidly after coronavirus, that has put pressure on global supply chains. and the other part of the increase is very much just down to energy prices. both of those factors are global factors, energy prices. both of those factors are globalfactors, we energy prices. both of those factors are global factors, we are energy prices. both of those factors are globalfactors, we are not energy prices. both of those factors are global factors, we are not alone in experiencing those problems. i don't have a magic wand that can make either of those things disappear. make either of those things disappear-— make either of those things disa ear. ., , , disappear. labour says there is action the _ disappear. labour says there is action the government - disappear. labour says there is action the government could i disappear. labour says there is . action the government could take. when we pay our gas and electricity bills, _ when we pay our gas and electricity bills, 5%_ when we pay our gas and electricity bills, 5% of— when we pay our gas and electricity bills, 5% of that money goes automatically to the taxman. there is something very simple the government could do, it would be immediate — government could do, it would be immediate and it would be felt automatically on people's bills next month, _ automatically on people's bills next month, and that is to cut that rate of vat— month, and that is to cut that rate of vat from — month, and that is to cut that rate of vat from 5% to 0%. month, and that is to cut that rate of vat from 596 to 0%.— month, and that is to cut that rate of vat from 596 to 0%. with one week to of vat from 596 to 096. with one week to no until of vat from 596 to 096. with one week to go until the — of vat from 596 to 096. with one week to go until the climate _ of vat from 596 to 096. with one week to go until the climate conference - to go until the climate conference in glasgow, the government needs a long—term energy fix. to help move the uk to a zero carbon economy. that will mean a population with the skills to do the work, but also, you guessed it, quite a lot of cash. charlotte rose, bbc news. sorry about the technical glitch at the start of that report. labour is calling on the government to bring in its plan b measures to tackle covid in england, including advice to work from home and compulsory masks. ministers say the current data does not suggest that the government should be moving "immediately" to these tougher measures. our health correspondent jim reed has this report. this, say the government, is our best line of defence against covid this winter. i am all boosted up. on the world this weekend, they are giving third boosterjabs to the over 50s and other vulnerable groups. but there have been growing calls for what has been called plan b in england, wider mask—wearing, vaccine passports and more working from home. the chancellor, though, says there is no immediate need for that. ' :: , says there is no immediate need for that. ' i: , ., says there is no immediate need for that. ' :: , ., . ., says there is no immediate need for that. ' i: , ., ., ., ., that. 9096 of the population have antibodies and _ that. 9096 of the population have antibodies and although - that. 9096 of the population have antibodies and although the - that. 9096 of the population have i antibodies and although the winter was always going to be challenging for a combination of different factors, the booster roll—out should give us the protection we need and there is a full back, there is a plan b if we need it, but the data doesn't suggest we need it today, but if that changes, of course the government will be ready to act, thatis government will be ready to act, that is why those plans are there. many of those stricter measures have beenin many of those stricter measures have been in place for some time in scotland, wales and northern ireland. laboursaid it scotland, wales and northern ireland. labour said it would support so called plan b in england, but accelerating those booster doses needs to be the priority. we but accelerating those booster doses needs to be the priority.— needs to be the priority. we need to do more to — needs to be the priority. we need to do more to get _ needs to be the priority. we need to do more to get on _ needs to be the priority. we need to do more to get on top _ needs to be the priority. we need to do more to get on top of— needs to be the priority. we need to do more to get on top of this - needs to be the priority. we need to do more to get on top of this virus, | do more to get on top of this virus, protect— do more to get on top of this virus, protect our— do more to get on top of this virus, protect our national health service and stop— protect our national health service and stop more stringent measures being _ and stop more stringent measures being introduced further down the line. ., , being introduced further down the line. . , . ., , being introduced further down the line. . , , ., line. there have been calls for ministers _ line. there have been calls for ministers to _ line. there have been calls for ministers to tweak _ line. there have been calls for ministers to tweak the - line. there have been calls for ministers to tweak the vaccine programme, perhaps shortening the time between the second dose and the booster from six months. time between the second dose and the boosterfrom six months. but speaking today, one government adviser said other measures are more important. we adviser said other measures are more im ortant. ~ ., ., adviser said other measures are more imortant. ~ ., ., ., important. we do need to have people usin: important. we do need to have people using lateral — important. we do need to have people using lateral flow _ important. we do need to have people using lateral flow tests, _ important. we do need to have people using lateral flow tests, avoiding - using lateral flow tests, avoiding contact _ using lateral flow tests, avoiding contact with _ using lateral flow tests, avoiding contact with large _ using lateral flow tests, avoiding contact with large numbers - using lateral flow tests, avoiding contact with large numbers of i using lateral flow tests, avoiding - contact with large numbers of people in enclosed _ contact with large numbers of people in enclosed spaces, _ contact with large numbers of people in enclosed spaces, using _ contact with large numbers of people in enclosed spaces, using masks. - contact with large numbers of people in enclosed spaces, using masks. all| in enclosed spaces, using masks. all of those _ in enclosed spaces, using masks. all of those things — in enclosed spaces, using masks. all of those things now _ in enclosed spaces, using masks. all of those things now need _ in enclosed spaces, using masks. all of those things now need to - in enclosed spaces, using masks. all of those things now need to happenl of those things now need to happen if we are _ of those things now need to happen if we are going _ of those things now need to happen if we are going to— of those things now need to happen if we are going to stop _ of those things now need to happen if we are going to stop this - of those things now need to happen if we are going to stop this rise - if we are going to stop this rise and get — if we are going to stop this rise and get things— if we are going to stop this rise and get things under— if we are going to stop this rise and get things under control. if we are going to stop this rise . and get things under control soon enough _ and get things under control soon enough to— and get things under control soon enough to stop _ and get things under control soon enough to stop a _ and get things under control soon enough to stop a real— and get things under control soon enough to stop a real meltdown l and get things under control soonl enough to stop a real meltdown in the middle — enough to stop a real meltdown in the middle of— enough to stop a real meltdown in the middle of the _ enough to stop a real meltdown in the middle of the winter. - enough to stop a real meltdown in the middle of the winter. that- enough to stop a real meltdown in the middle of the winter.— the middle of the winter. that is the middle of the winter. that is the concern _ the middle of the winter. that is the concern that _ the middle of the winter. that is the concern that covid, - the middle of the winter. that is the concern that covid, flu - the middle of the winter. that is the concern that covid, flu and l the concern that covid, flu and other pressures make the situation unsustainable for the nhs this winter. the government says it is keeping a close eye on the situation but, for the moment, the data does notjustify but, for the moment, the data does not justify changing but, for the moment, the data does notjustify changing the rules. jim reed, bbc news. one of the world's most wanted drug lords has been captured in colombia, in what has been described as the most significant arrest since pablo escobar. around 500 special forces were involved in the operation to seize dairo antonio usuga — known as otoniel — who'd been hiding out in thejungle. colombia's president said it was the biggest blow to drug traffickers for three decades. the uk's largest supermarket chain, tesco, says an attempt to hack its systems is behind problems with its website and app. shoppers have been unable to book deliveries, or amend existing orders, for more than 24 hours. tesco say they're working hard to get services back up and running. the bbc has learned that 18 months after the government announced a £1 billion scheme to help tower block owners remove flammable cladding from their homes, only around 200 out of nearly 700 applications processed so far have been granted money to start work. the building safety fund was one of the schemes set up in the wake of the grenfell tower tragedy. it covers cladding made of wood and other flammable laminated materials. but as sarah corker has been finding out, even in the few buildings where work has started, the problems are far from over. imagine having to live inside this — your home wrapped in plastic sheeting for months on end, windows that barely open, no way to see out. here you are, sarah, middle of the day, no natural light. jim lives on the first floor at islington gates, here in birmingham city centre. and this is the limited air we can get into the flat. this is the view for the next year that you've got? yeah, 12 months of being depressed. there is relief that the combustible cladding is being removed, but government funding won't cover the full cost of almost £9 million. it means leaseholders need to find more than 1 million between them. that's at least £20,000 each. what's it like living in this box? you haven't got a clue what's happening outside. it affects you mentally, it makes you depressed. it makes you very stressed. the stress is worse knowing you've got to pay for it, knowing you've got to pay for the privilege of living in a dark, dull box. in my case, you know, £20,000. and i grind my teeth. you feel like you're suffocating. just next door, liz and rodriguez are renting this one—bed flat. they not only have to cope with the building work, but there's a serious damp and mould problem, too. it's horrible. i really hate living here now, to be honest with you. and, er, ifeel embarrassed. i don't want to bring my friends here, i don't want to bring my family here, because i've got a six—year—old niece who we absolutely adore and i don't want her here because i don't want her to be breathing in the same stuff that's making me feel so poorly. liz says her asthma has been getting progressively worse. this is footage from a neighbouring flat. with the external cladding removed, this is what can happen when it rains. hundreds of people here say they face a miserable winter living on a building site, and this is one street in one city. but across the country, we're going to be seeing much more of this in the months and years ahead. this tower in ipswich has been like this for five months. it's a similar picture here in london. and these living conditions are worrying health professionals. they're stuck there, - with all the kind of stresses of the physical environment, the financial worries - and the uncertainty— about when this is going to end. so we're going to see, i think, - quite serious mental health issues. back in the midlands, the leaseholder board overseeing this work said it's monitoring issues closely to minimise discomfort. the government told us it's unacceptable people are facing these bills, and building owners must make buildings safe, without passing on costs. but forjim and his neighbours, life behind the plastic is hard to bear. sarah corker, bbc news, in birmingham. ii masterpieces by spanish painter pablo picasso have sold for a total of £80 million at auction in las vegas. the one to hit the highest price was the painting woman with a red—orange cap, which went for almost £30 million. it was a portrait of one of the artist's lovers, painted in 1938. the auction took place in the bellagio hotel, where the paintings had been hanging in its picasso restaurant. that's it for now. the next news on bbc one is at 5:30. until then, have a good afternoon. goodbye. hello. you're watching the bbc news channel. sport, and a full round up from the bbc sport centre. good afternoon. rangers are bidding to go back to the top of the scottish premiership — a point at st mirren would be enough. but at the moment they're taking all three. connor ronan gave the home side an early lead. but two goals in two minutes just before half time turned things around for rangers — a kemar roofe penalty, and an alfredo morelos goal. we have one of the great rivalries in english football to look forward to — manchester united against liverpool, and whereas united's form has been erratic this season, liverpool can go second with a win, so they'll provide a tough challenge. it's going to take everything to get results against the best teams in europe and the world. and liverpool are one of them at the moment. they are one of the teams we are chasing and trying to chase, because what they've done the last four years is something that we are striving towards and of course go past them. that match kicks off at 4.30 — and before that, at two o'clock, it's brentford versus leicester and west ham against tottenham. the first of the day's t20 world cup matches is underway in sharjah. sri lanka won the toss and put bangladesh into bat. they may be regretting that decision because bangladesh made a healthy 171—4, including a brilliant knock from mushfiqur rahim, who made 57 from 37 balls. in reply, sri lanka are 28—1 from three overs. this match is in group i, which england top after their thumping win over west indies yesterday. there's text commentary on the bbc sport website, with india against pakistan in the other group at 3 o'clock. english all—rounder evejones top—scored for melbourne renegades as they beat sydney sixers in the women's big bash. chasing 119 to win, jones hit 38 as they reached their target with three overs to spare, winning by seven wickets. the renegades are third in the table. masters champion hideki matsuyama has fulfilled his life—long ambition of winning a pga tour event in his home country ofjapan — and he took the zozo championship title with some style. he sank a is—foot putt for eagle at the final hole, at the narashino country club just outside tokyo. that gave him a closing round of 65, leaving him is—under par, five shots clear of the american carmeron tringale. a thrilled matsuyama thanked the crowd, saying he'd converted their energy. the us grand prix should be exciting later, with the resumpion of the rivalry between max verstappen and lewis hamilton. verstappen had the edge in qualifying. the championship leader was two tenths of a second quicker than hamilton's mercedes, as he claimed his ninth pole of the season. verstappen will also have support from his red bull team mate sergio perez who'll start from third on the grid in austin, texas. it has been a tough couple of days for hamilton. pi, things were going well, and then you have times taken away from you, and then you make adjustments and set up the cars. all these changes that you're making along the way, and the wind is shifting and it makes it really, really tricky really tricky to just keep the car, and we are generally struggling with the car. it's been moving around a lot, so it was definitely a real fight to get even that second place time at the end, so i'm generally really happy with it but of course i wish we were faster. that's all the sport for now but there's much more on the bbc sport website where you can keep up to date will all today's action. including the latest from the track cycling world championships. from today, fully vaccinated travellers returning to england can take a lateral flow test — rather than a more expensive pcr test — to prove their covid status. the change, which the government has described as a �*huge boost�* for the travel industry, applies to those arriving from non—red—list countries. wales will make the same change to their testing policy next weekend. earlier we heard from karen dee, chief executive of the airport operators association, who says the changes to travel are a step in the right direction. winter is a much quieter period for aviation anyway. so as a sector we are nowhere near in recovery yet. we characterise it as being just about restarting. but we look forward and are urging government to make sure we can actually get rid of the last of those testing requirements as soon as the health situation allows us to, as they have done in europe, so we can be ready and prepared for a much better spring and summer situation. so it's definitely a step in the right direction, but it's going to be some time before our sector, uk aviation, is going to be properly recovering. the immunologist professor denis kinane, from the covid testing company cignpost diagnostics, says there are slight risks with the changes. i can understand why we would want to move that way and why the government would want to move that way and why the travel industry particularly wants to move that way, but with the move from pcr to lateral flow there are slight risks that would come in and we have to be careful. of course we have to be vigilant all the time. again, these are important for us to protect our borders and protect from new variants coming in. what are the risks that you would identify? we have to understand that lateral flow is a little like a pregnancy test, very simple, cassette—type test. pcr is a more full—blown laboratory test, more accurate, let's say. and the danger with lateral flow is there are certain individuals who could come through with lateral flow and still be positive. it is not as sensitive and there is a slight risk we might be letting more people in with covid. eight people have been arrested in south—east england after the deaths of two teenage boys. essex police say they were called to regency court in brentwood at around 1:30am this morning. they say they found three people injured, of whom two later died. an investigation is now underway but police say they do not believe there is any wider threat to the public. they have appealed for anyone with information to contact them. details are still emerging over how the actor alec baldwin accidentally shot dead the cinematographer halyna hutchins on a movie set. investigations are ongoing as court documents suggest the actor was told the gun was safe, moments before the shooting. meanwhile a candlelight vigil has taken place in new mexico to honour her memory. with more, here's tanya dendrinos. a cinematographer, a wife, a mother, and a life cut tragically short. by candlelight in albuquerque, not far from the bonanza creek ranch, halyna hutchins was remembered. she was beloved, talented, respected and loving. she was also passionate about her work and that is really who all of you are, she was part of our family, one of us. the 42—year—old was killed and film directorjoel souza injured when a prop gun with a live round was fired by actor alec baldwin on the set of the film rust. court records revealed mr baldwin was handed the gun by an assistant director who told the actor the weapon was safe. her death should not have happened. union sets should be safe sets. every person deserves to go to work with complete security knowing they can perform their work and return home safely. this moment has shaken all of us to the very core and we will carry her in our hearts and minds forever. police investigations are continuing as hollywood mourns the loss of one of its rising stars. the american film institute establishing the halyna hutchins memorial scholarship fund in her honour. i was really lucky to get to work with her, because whom i met was one of the most talented and kind, collaborative artists who did things that i could never ever think of, that her photography was beautiful, and every day everybody on the camera team was proud to be there for her. her husband described her legacy as too meaningful to encapsulate in words. a harrowing end and a long list of questions remaining. tanya dendrinos, bbc news. a new caravan of some 6,000 migrants, mostly from central america, has set off from the southern mexican city of tapachula for the united states. the group is made up primarily of people from haiti, el salvador, guatemala and honduras. theirfirst destination is mexico city, more than 1,000 kilometres — 650 miles — away. isaac guzman is a photojournalist based in the state of chiapas which is where this caravan departed from — he told us more about what the conditions are like in mexico. policies that they implemented since 2018, people decide in some way to make a route by themselves, and sometimes it gets really dangerous because of the people that is engaged with the narcos, that kidnap people, so they travel to mexico city in a caravan. it is proposals for everyone, like being safe, better thanjust going for a few groups, so the main idea of the caravan is to be safe all together, because as you may know, in mexico there is a lot of violence, and since 2018, for the migrants, so that is the idea. this caravan is a way to be safe in this country. it's been a week since clashes between shia and christian groups in lebanon led to the deaths of seven people. although beirut is now calm, the incident has raised fears of a return to the civil war which dominated lebanese life at the end of the 20th century. our middle east correspondent anna foster reports from beirut. a week ago she was a mother. now they call her a martyr. maryam farhat was one of seven people killed in the worst violence in beirut for a decade. it brought back painful memories. translation: we lived - through the civil war and we know who committed the crimes. i protected my children, my daughter. when they were children i protected them from shelling and snipers. lebanon is no stranger to war. for 15 years its people fought each other. last week's running battle in the streets of beirut mirrored life there in the 1970s and �*80s. a week after the fighting there is still paralysis. the shia muslim and christian armed groups continue to trade barbed insults. lebanon's politically fractured cabinet hasn't met. there is fear about what might come next. maryam's son wants her death to send a message. we don't need civil war in lebanon. if my mother has faith of not having a new civil war, for me and for my family and for all my family we accept this, to stop the civil war. the people of lebanon are living through a crippling financial crisis. it's exhausting and humiliating, but could it trigger a fresh conflict? civil war needs a generalised state of hatred. i don't think we are there. i think we are on the level of political parties able to mobilise their sympathisers, during episodes on short periods. i don't believe deep inside that we are on the verge of a civil war, but maybe a series of similar episodes of violent clashes. they are still cleaning up here but the streets are calm and order has been restored. what hasn't been resolved though are the underlying tensions that led to this violence and that makes it very difficult to predict how all this will end. anna foster, bbc news, beirut. when danny o'ryan was diagnosed with dementia three years ago, his wife carole set out to help him fulfill some life—long ambitions. danny — who began learning the piano and organ almost 80 years ago — has always dreamed of playing on big stage — so carole made it happen. audrey dias has been to meet them. making sweet music to fulfil the ambition of a lifetime. 82—year—old danny from oswestry has played the piano since he was four, but he has always dreamt of playing the famous wurlitzer organ at blackpool tower. so i'd start a tune and he would move up and change the taps and the settings while i was playing, so — and we just went on non—stop for an hour doing that. and, of course, what i can do is i can play the piano or the organ and play in any key. on monday, his wife carole made that dream a reality. he played great and he came out of the stage and his face — he was concentrating so hard, i think the building could've fell down and i don't think he'd have noticed! the family filmed the performance so danny can watch it again and again. he was on an absolute high and i thought, do you know, these things are so worth it — sorting out what he wants to do and what he enjoys doing and making the effort to do it. he was diagnosed with dementia three years ago and after the initial shock, carole decided to give her husband a series of experiences to treasure. he's always looked after me and now's my time to make sure his life is all right. you know, that's important. they've been married for 47 years and carole is determined danny's dementia won't define their relationship from now on. that person hasn't changed, that person is still there. they might not be able to cope with life like they did and you might have very exasperating moments with them but, at the end of the day, that's the person you married and you just go along with it and accept what the day brings. their next big project is a trip to australia to see their grandchild. until then, they have always got the music to keep them smiling. audrey dias, bbc news. here's a story to make your legs burn. imagine riding a bike at nearly 35 miles per hour, consistently, for a full hour. that's what alex dowsett is planning to do when tries to break a world record in mexico next month. he's also using the opportunity to raise awareness of haemophilia, which he's had since childhood. james burridge has been to see him in training. this is the giant windtunnel which gb cyclist alex dowsett hopes will help him become a world recordholder. he is training for the one hour record, cycling as fast and as far as possible in 60 minutes. so every technical scientific advantage gained in here is critical. basically air is pulled through here, my bike and me are on a large scale and that measures how much wind resistance i'm creating. we are optimising helmets, shoes and, most importantly, the skin suit to make me as aerodynamic as possible so i am as slippery as possible through the wind, which means, come the end of the attempt, the last 20 or 30 minutes, i can accelerate a litle bit and try not to just break the record but try to break it by a bit more. alex is racing to raise awareness for haemophilia, a disorder where blood doesn't clot properly. he was diagnosed as a child and is the only known elite sportsperson with the condition. there are some aspects to it that are really quite unpleasant. it is something we are trying to address with little bleeders to navigate kids through school and in conjunction with the haemo heroes app, to navigate young haemophiliacs and their families and their friends as well because it's a tough condition to explain. it is not visual. that doesn't help either. he used to bruise very easily, large bruisesjust from holding him up around his middle. pretty much had to find out what haemophilia ? having a haemophiliac really meant. we were educated and we also had to know what his limitations were, the dos and don'ts. there were quite a lot of don'ts. we adjusted as best as we could. every time even now we get a phone call and if he's on tour you get- a phone call at 1am or 2am, - we are worried because it means he's got a problem ? he has crashed or pulled out or something. - every time he racesl it is nerve—wracking. i have to take my medication every second day, which is an intravenous injection. i have to take it every day during races, but it is managed. that is where haemophilia is now compared to where it was, we can do these things. it doesn't hold me back at all. that is the overriding message ? if it doesn't hold me back in actually what ends up being quite a dangerous sport at times, it shouldn't hold a kid back at school. alex has to race over 55 kilometres to beat the record in mexico on november the 3rd. he has held it once before in 2015 only for sir bradley wiggins to quickly usurp it. this time there is no shortage of motivation. now it's time for a look at the weather. good afternoon. a brighter day out there across the uk. if you are away from a weather system that has affected parts of wales and northern and western england, it will gradually eat its way south—eastwards into south east england and east anglia which have been dry and sunny so far today. there is an much rain left on the cloud as it pushes in that direction. behind it, brighterskies forwales direction. behind it, brighterskies for wales and western parts of england and indeed scotland and northern