also this lunchtime: huge crowds gather for the funeral of ashling murphy, the primary school teacher killed while out running in county offaly in ireland. aerial footage from tonga shows the devastation caused after a volcanic eruption triggered a tsunami. three people are now confirmed dead. a five set thriller in melbourne — andy murray wins through to the second round of the australian open on a good day for british players. and yours for hundreds of millions — the 16th—century roman villa up for sale, complete with a ceiling mural by caravaggio. and coming up on the bbc news channel, both england and wales named their squads for the six nations, which starts next month, with owen farrell and dan biggar as captains. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. in the last few minutes, the prime minister has dismissed claims by his former chief advisor that he misled mps about a drinks party in the number ten garden during the first coronavirus lockdown. he insisted he thought it was a work event. dominic cummings says mrjohnson was warned in advance about the gathering in may 2020, but "waved aside" concerns. this morning, the deputy prime minister, dominic raab, said that a prime minister would "normally" be expected to resign if he intentionally lied to parliament. the chancellor, rishi sunak, has said he believed the prime minister's account. our political correspondent, helen catt, reports. almost a week after the prime minister apologised in the commons for attending what he implicitly believed was a work event in the downing street garden during lockdown, there are claims he was warned about it. i want to begin by repeating my apologies to everybody for this judgment that i made, repeating my apologies to everybody for thisjudgment that i made, that we may have made in number ten and beyond whether in downing street or throughout the pandemic. nobody told me that what we were doing was, as you say, against the rules, that the eventin you say, against the rules, that the event in question was something that, we were going to do something that, we were going to do something that was not a work event. and, you know, as i said in the house of commons, when i went out into that garden, i thought that i was attending a work event. the chancellor _ attending a work event. the chancellor was _ attending a work event. the chancellor was also - attending a work event. the chancellor was also facing questions for the first time since the prime minister �*s apology to the commons. do you believe the prime minister? of course _ do you believe the prime minister? of course i— do you believe the prime minister? of course i do. the prime minister set out his understanding of this matter in parliament last week and i'd refer you to his words. as you know, sue gray is conducting an inquiry into this matter and ifully support the prime minster �*s request for patients while that inquiry concludes. for patients while that inquiry concludes-— for patients while that inquiry concludes. , concludes. the fresh claims come from dominic— concludes. the fresh claims come from dominic cummings, - concludes. the fresh claims come from dominic cummings, the - concludes. the fresh claims come i from dominic cummings, the former aide to the prime minister now a government critic. writing online, he said that on the day of the event in may 2020, i said to the prime minister something like martin has invited the building to a drinks party, you've got to grip this madhouse. he went on to say, not only me but other eyewitnesses who discussed this at the time would swear under oath this is what happened. dad, he said, means the prime minister had misled parliament. if that were to be the case it would have consequences. if it is lying and deliberate in the way you describe in was not corrected immediately it would normally undertake ministerial code be a resigning matter, that is the principal and we uphold the highest standards of principles in public life, that is critically important. i will not prejudge the facts of this. i will not pre'udge the facts of this. ., , ~ , ., i will not pre'udge the facts of this. .,, ~ , ., , ,, this. other tory mps have expressed anuer this. other tory mps have expressed an . er at this. other tory mps have expressed anger at what _ this. other tory mps have expressed anger at what is _ this. other tory mps have expressed anger at what is claimed _ this. other tory mps have expressed anger at what is claimed has - anger at what is claimed has happened in downing street, many waiting for the sue gray report but labour says whatever it says, mr johnson is still on the hook. there has been obtained _ johnson is still on the hook. there has been obtained parties - johnson is still on the hook. there has been obtained parties in - johnson is still on the hook. ii—ii” has been obtained parties in downing street, a culture is set at the top, as william hague, the former tory leader writes in the times newspaper today, culture is set at the top so in that respect, the buck stops with borisjohnson. in that respect, the buck stops with borisjohnson-_ boris johnson. until that report is ublished boris johnson. until that report is published it _ boris johnson. until that report is published it looks _ boris johnson. until that report is published it looks like _ boris johnson. until that report is published it looks like claims - boris johnson. until that report is published it looks like claims and | published it looks like claims and counter claims may well continue. helen catt, bbc news. our political correspondent, ione wells, is in westminster. that is the point, isn't it? further claims and another denial. it keeps re -aeatin claims and another denial. it keeps repeating itself. _ claims and another denial. it keeps repeating itself. that's _ claims and another denial. it keeps repeating itself. that's right - claims and another denial. it keeps repeating itself. that's right and i repeating itself. that's right and we have had quite a lot of reaction to this clash between the prime minister and dominic cummings. to this clash between the prime ministerand dominic cummings. we had the chancellor rishi sunak and the deputy prime minister as well dominic raab, both saying they believe the prime minister and while we cannot get into any hypotheticals, the ministerial code is pretty clear, in other words, if normally a prime minister is found to have deliberately misled parliament or mps, normally, it would be expected that they would resign and this is why this clash is so key because we had the prime minister categorically just so key because we had the prime minister categoricallyjust now denying that he was told about this event on the 20th of may 2020. the claim that has been made by dominic cummings, the bbc has also been told by two former downing street officials that they recall dominic cummings saying he had won the prime minister this event could breach the rules so this clash is certainly the thing that the prime minister is now waiting on the report to hear more about. we have had cabinet ministers today defending the prime minister, otherjunior ministers have had to respond to some of their own angry constituents, for example, health minister maria coffield writing on her website that the culture in number ten was one for even if the rules were not broken the spirit of them was. the science minister george freeman writing to a constituent saying he was shocked and flabbergasted by some of the reports of the downing street gatherings. note that ministers at the moment are reserving judgment about the prime minister and his role himself at the moment but i think this is where the report by the top civil servant sue gray will be really key in terms of further reaction going forward. if that report seems to suggest in any form that the prime minister was warned about this party, certainly there is always amongst ministers how they will respond next. ione, thank you. a british man who took four people hostage at a synagogue in texas had been investigated by mi5. malik faisal akram, from blackburn in lancashire, was the subject of an investigation in late 2020 — though by the time he flew to the us he was assessed to be no longer a risk. our security correspondent frank gardnerjoins me. he was known about, people watching this will think, could he have been stopped? i this will think, could he have been sto ed? ., , , stopped? i think this is the question — stopped? i think this is the question that _ stopped? i think this is the question that mi5 - stopped? i think this is the question that mi5 and - question that mi5 and counterterrorism police will be asking themselves and will have been doing ever since his identity was known because up until a couple of hours ago, we did not know for certain, we, the public and the media did not know if he was on a watchlist of any sort and that has now been confirmed that he was. he was a known of interest. he was investigated in the latter half of 2020, he did have a criminal record. he was transferred from one list to another so mi5 basically has two different lists, active subjects of interest, they are concerned about someone that they might be about to do something and then there is a much bigger list come up to 40,000, of former subjects of interest. these lists are dynamic, people flowing from one list to another, by the end of last year it was judged correctly or incorrectly that he was no longer a threat. it may well be that he did nothing to reveal his intentions, that he suddenly got on a plane but this is one of the things they will be investigating and i think questions will be asked about how it was someone who had a number of red flags on their record was able to fly to the united states with that criminal record, get into the united states, get hold of a weapon and take four peoplepos die michael stich in a synagogue. questions for the us as well as britain. —— and take for people hostage. frank, thank you. huge numbers of friends and family of ashling murphy, the primary school teacher who was killed last week while out running, have gathered in county offaly in ireland for her funeral mass. the 23—year—old was attacked along the grand canal outside tullamore on wednesday — her death intensifying the debate about women's safety. our correspondent danjohnson is in county offaly. that service has just ended, people have left but this church was absolutely overflowing because this is a rural area, these are small villages on the edge of a little town but it is the sort of place where everybody is close, they do know each other and they have not seen anything like this for decades here. it really has hit people hard. everyone here has been stunned by the pain of a killing that made people catch their breath. these are the children ashling murphy todd, the children ashling murphy todd, the youngest guard of honour for a committed primary school teacher. the streets were filled to remember a smart, warm, lovely young woman, to support a grieving family and reflect on how the brightest of lives was taken. in the parish church, courage was the theme of this funeral mass. ashling murphy was the main focus. well known, well liked, she was a woman of many talents. ., ., ., ., , talents. through her vocation as teacher. today _ talents. through her vocation as teacher. today we _ talents. through her vocation as teacher. today we simply - talents. through her vocation as teacher. today we simply can i talents. through her vocation as l teacher. today we simply can only -ive teacher. today we simply can only give thanks — teacher. today we simply can only give thanks for having had some small_ give thanks for having had some small share in the privilege of knowing — small share in the privilege of knowing such a wonderful and lovely human _ knowing such a wonderful and lovely human being. #_ human being. # my welcome to you in the silence. political_ # my welcome to you in the silence. political leaders— # my welcome to you in the silence. political leaders sat _ # my welcome to you in the silence. political leaders sat beside _ # my welcome to you in the silence. political leaders sat beside those - political leaders sat beside those who knew ashling best because as well as a community in mourning, women are left wondering once again whether they are safe. ashling was found dead last wednesday after going for a run along the canal. there were vigils across this country and beyond, in support and solidarity but also in nervous anxiety. if that can happen here, where our women safe? ireland is now the latest play is trying to answer that question. really sombre mood here but be in no doubt, there is concern, a huge police operation under way, an investigation involving over 50 detectives in the irish police say they are making progress, they have a suspect they want to question but that is somebody who is in hospital, who has been there since the day after ashling was killed so they are waiting for the right time to question that suspect. they say they want to have an anybody who saw a man around this village last wednesday in a black tracksuit with white stripes. wednesday in a black tracksuit with white stripes-— three people are now known to have died following the eruption of an underwater volcano near tonga — in a disaster the government there has called "unprecedented". there are fears that ash could contaminate the island state's water supply. and ash cloaking the runway of the main airport has been hampering efforts to bring aid. our corrrespondent howard johnson has this report. a state of emergency has been declared by the tongan authorities, and here's why. newly released images captured by an australian surveillance flight show badly damaged buildings, knocked over shipping containers and whole communities covered in volcanic ash. we have seen that the airport and most part of the main island, where the capital is, it's been covered with volcanic ash. so unfortunately this will require a lot of clean—up. with airport runways currently off—limits, australia and new zealand's navies have been dispatched with humanitarian aid relief, and its expected to take days before they arrive. the severing of an underwater internet cable is severely hampering communications. aid agencies are only slowly beginning to understand the extent of the damage. the damage doesn't seem to have been as catastrophic as we had first imagined that it might be, but there is still widespread damage, particularly to the western part of the main island. the family of angela glover, a 50—year—old british woman who died after being swept away by the tsunami, told bbc news today that they're devastated by the confirmation of her death. angela's husband james is said to be inconsolable with grief. you know, he's quite naturally, you know, blaming himself for really not being able to do... being able to save angela. we have, you know... it doesn't matter how many times we tell him that, you know, he has nothing to reproach himself for, you know, inside himself he is carrying an incredible burden of guilt. for the tens of thousands of tongan expatriates living around the world, like wasps rugby player malakai fekitoa, there is concern for their loved ones at home. i haven't spoken to my mum, it's been a week now. obviously all comms down now and, yeah, we are still waiting. i literally can't do anything from here. so it's... it's been tough in the last couple of days. sonic boom. in an age of instant communication, the slow response to last saturday's devastating eruption is causing unbearable anxiety. howard johnson, bbc news, manila. there are serious concerns about the standard of specialist care being provided to patients with the most complex mental health needs, a bbc investigation has found. people sent by the nhs to stay in mental health rehabilitation units say they've been placed in unsafe environments, often far from home, with staff that aren't suitably trained. some patients remain there for ten or more years. our reporter adam eley has been to meet lissa, who says her experience left her suicidal. you may find some of what she says upsetting. i had a little bit of depression from when i was a kid and then, when i lost my dad, that was a tricky time. i'd gone through a lot of trauma. by 2019, lissa from coventry had been in and out of hospital struggling with her mental health. the nhs decided to send herfor treatment at a specialist rehabilitation unit. i was desperate. kind of, like, no... i had no other choice. but the hospital she went to, run by the company cygnet health care, was in special measures at the time. there had been two deaths in the previous 20 months. some believe the nhs should never have sent her there. i struggle with us having the knowledge that an environment is rated as inadequate and thinking that is the best place to confine the people we are supposed to care for. it does not add up for me. at least 3,500 patients are treated within mental health rehabilitation units each year, run by both the nhs and private providers. but there are serious concerns over standards of care on some wards. lissa's mental health deteriorated within the unit. she tried to take her own life 32 times within six months. i was there to be able to get better and i felt that i came away, like, worse. a bbc investigation has found some patients are placed within units for a decade or more. many experts want a greater focus on community care. there are significant amounts of money, around half a billion pounds, spent on this cohort of people. when people are supported in their community it is less expensive and, obviously, from a patient experience perspective, people want to live in the community. the government says it is rolling out integrated community mental health teams to give 370,000 people with severe mental illness greater choice. lissa left her unit after nine months, after taking her case to a mental health tribunal. i felt like i won the lottery, that i was going home. cygnet health care says its aim is always to create a culture that supports recovery. lissa is now back at university and enjoying her hobbies, like boxing. really happy with just being able to take that step away from hospital and try and get a sort of normal life. but questions remain over whether the system is fit for purpose. adam eley, bbc news. details of organisations which offering information and support with mental health are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline — or you can call forfree, at any time to hear recorded information on 08000155 998. the time is 13:18. our top story this lunchtime... the prime minister has denied claims by his former chief adviser, dominic cummings, that he was warned in advance about number ten drinks during the first coronavirus lockdown. and still to come... she was the forces' sweetheart, but a new exhibition aims to show the more personal side of dame vera lynn. coming up on the bbc news channel, we will look ahead to tonight's premier league action as chelsea aim to close the gap to manchester city at the top of the table when they play brighton. job vacancies in the uk soared to a record high of more than 1.2 million between october and december. the new figures from the ons are the first to exclude the impact of the government's furlough scheme, which ended in september. but the figures also show that average pay rises are failing to keep up with the increase in the cost of living. here's ben king. you should be respected, you should be well paid and you should have decent facilities.— be well paid and you should have decent facilities. staff are hard to find these days _ decent facilities. staff are hard to find these days and _ decent facilities. staff are hard to find these days and these - decent facilities. staff are hard to find these days and these refuse | find these days and these refuse workers in eastbourne know it. the council offered a 7% pay rise but they say they are worth more, and with prices increasing fast, 7% does not go as far as it used to. i with prices increasing fast, 7% does not go as far as it used to.- not go as far as it used to. i think it is not only _ not go as far as it used to. i think it is not only the _ not go as far as it used to. i think it is not only the cost _ not go as far as it used to. i think it is not only the cost of - not go as far as it used to. i think it is not only the cost of living, i it is not only the cost of living, people understanding they are poorer coming to work, it work poverty is growing. they know the market forces and the catalyst, a dispute a few months ago, showed that when the hgv driver stood together and demanded fair pay, you can fight and win. today's unemployment figures show why they feel they are in a strong position. the unemployment rate is down to 4.1%, almost where it was before the pandemic. vacancies are at a record high of 1.20 four million and is well paid went up for .2%, excluding bonuses and adjusting for the fact that prices are going up, in realterms for the fact that prices are going up, in real terms it fell 1%. unemployment data this morning was really quite positive, unemployment is very near pre—pandemic levels. we were very worried about a rise in unemployment but it does not seem to have materialised. the big story from the database morning as pay rises, it is not so much that pay has not grown it is that the cost of living has increased by more than that —— from the data this morning. what you can buy with your pay packet is going down. that what you can buy with your pay packet is going down.— packet is going down. that is a olitical packet is going down. that is a political issue _ packet is going down. that is a political issue as _ packet is going down. that is a political issue as well - packet is going down. that is a political issue as well as - packet is going down. that is a - political issue as well as economic. we are seeing challenges with inflation, we are not alone in that, it is a _ inflation, we are not alone in that, it is a global— inflation, we are not alone in that, it is a global issue because the causes — it is a global issue because the causes of— it is a global issue because the causes of inflation, whether supply chains _ causes of inflation, whether supply chains or— causes of inflation, whether supply chains or energy prices, are global in nature — chains or energy prices, are global in nature. we are supporting people as best _ in nature. we are supporting people as best we _ in nature. we are supporting people as best we can, that is why the nationai— as best we can, that is why the national living wage is going up. if lots of workers negotiate big pay rises and employers will have to pass on costs in higher prices, pushing up the cost of living, meaning we will all want a bigger pay rise next time. at the bank of england they keep a close eye on this wage price spiral and if they see it going out of control bible put up interest rates to bring it down. there are more price rises to come, driven by the increasing costs and energy. workers will have to bargain hard if they want their wages to keep pace. the trial has begun of man accused of murdering a six—year—old boy more than 25 years ago. rikki neave disappeared in 1994 after leaving his home in peterborough to walk to school. his body was found in woodland the next day. our correspondentjo black is in peterborough. bring us up to date, jo. rikki neave's body _ bring us up to date, jo. rikki neave's body was _ bring us up to date, jo. rikki neave's body was found - bring us up to date, jo. rikki neave's body was found in i bring us up to date, jo. fl neave's body was found in woodland near to where i am talking to you now 27 years ago, and opening the case, john price qc at the old bailey told thejury case, john price qc at the old bailey told the jury that he had been strangled, the body was naked, lying flat on his back, he had been deliberately posed by the killer in a star shape. he explained that rikki's school uniform was found in a wheelie bin by a police officer 50 yards from where the body was discovered, it was discovered the next day. six months after his death, rikki neave's mother, ruth, was charged with his murder but later cleared by a jury at trial. the court was told the killer of rikki neave had remained unidentified since 1994 that a new investigation was opened in 2015, and patches techniques not available in the mid 19th. he went on to say that scientific examination was undertaken of adhesive taping apply to the outer layer of rikki neave's clothing, which revealed trace evidence of dna of its wearer and several other people, including a definitive match with the profile of the defendant, james watson. john price qc said that was highly significant because watson had featured prominently in the envisaged —— original investigation, but only as a witness. watson denies the charge, the case is expected to last around six weeks.— the charge, the case is expected to last around six weeks. thank you, jo black in peterborough. _ andy murray gave tennis fans a five set thriller in melbourne — making it through to the second round of the australian open by beating the 21st seed, nikoloz basilashvili. our sports correspondent joe wilson has been watching. andy murray was on court against a familiar opponent who is never predictable. nikoloz basilashvili can hit the ball anywhere. in the first set he was at his worst. in the second, the georgian found his best form. hard—fought murray, tough for anybody. this was intense grand slam tennis, murray's pivotal points often came from forced errors from his opponents. murray's third set 6-4, but his opponents. murray's third set 6—4, but in the fourth, basilashvili, seeded 21, was perfect in the tie—break. murray driven to frustration. what would he have left? loads? murray took back control on the fifth set. match point, yet another rigorous rally and another victory. the quality, they desire- _ and another victory. the quality, they desire. on the _ and another victory. the quality, they desire. on the very - and another victory. the quality, they desire. on the very core - and another victory. the quality, they desire. on the very core to | they desire. on the very core to work three _ they desire. on the very core to work three years _ they desire. on the very core to work three years ago _ they desire. on the very core to work three years ago we - they desire. on the very core to | work three years ago we thought they desire. on the very core to - work three years ago we thought he thought he had retired, bonus time —— on the very court work three years ago. dan evans and heather watson also won, and here comes the us open champion. what should we expect from emma raducanu? power, movement, touch? all. first set, 6-0. movement, touch? all. first set, 6—0. error: sloane stephens once won the us open herself. —— her opponent, sloane stephens. roger carty won the deciding set. the bigger the occasion, the better her performance. it is already, incredibly, what we are used to. the wartime anthems of dame vera lynn made her notjust the darling of the armed forces, but the voice of a generation. now the public has a rare opportunity to glimpse of a more personal side of the singer. herwardrobe, paintings and memorabilia have gone on display at an exhibition celebrating her life. our correspondentjohn maguire has been to see it. # we'll meet again # don't know where, don't know when...# this is the chance to meet dame vera lynn again, but also in many ways, for the first time, because the exhibition of her personal possessions shows not just the story we all know of the forces' sweetheart and her extraordinary career in showbusiness, but also her private passions and pastimes. she was a prolific painter. so we've got together here, obviously, performance costumes and things from her public role, which people are really familiar with, but also things like the paintings and personal items, give you a sense of what she was like, perhaps, when she was just doing things for herself at home. this is a real coup for the ditchling museum of art and craft. its picture perfect location is in the east sussex village where dame vera lived for the last 40 years of her life. it's clear that she took great care to preserve items that tell the story notjust of her life, but also of the times. she wore this khaki shirt and shorts while on a three—month tour in 1944. her visit to the 14th army in burma became the stuff of legend. it was her idea to go there, and she was banned from writing anything down in case it fell into enemy hands. but she kept this small secret diary. i took my little diary and my little pencil, and you canjust about see it, tiny little writing. "slept on stretcher," oh, yes, " balanced on two kitchen chairs. "a rotten night. " i should think so. for somebody of 27, 28 to be able to do that in those days — and even in these days — was enormously unusual. you know, she was the forerunner really of, you know, women, if you want to go and do something, go and do it, basically! post—war, the dresses and the pictures capture dame vera with some of the biggest names in entertainment. but there are also personal items — the travel iron and the make—up box, the tools of the trade that made glamour possible. the exhibition runs until easter. it's an intimate look at a woman who lived life to the full, and whose voice meant so much to so many, bringing hope and light to the darkest of hours. john maguire, bbc news, ditching in east sussex. a 16th century villa in rome is up for auction this lunchtime, and is expected to sell for hundreds of millions of pounds. villa aurora has some very special features, as our rome correspondent mark lowen has been finding out. feeling a little flush with cash? maybe you have had a new year bonus. you might want to bid for the space, villa aurora in rome. going under the hammer today and likely to become the most expensive property ever sold, with an estimate of 471 million euros, close to £400 million or $535 million. it was owned by a late prince and has been inhabited by his texan born wife but it is also the subject of an inheritance dispute between the princess and his sons, which is why it is being sold at auction. there are jewels here, this statue of pan attributed to michelangelo, who doesn't have a michelangelo, who doesn't have a michelangelo in the garden?! even greater treasures inside. each room is full of artistic splendour, from the painting of the goddess aurora downstairs to this greatest gem of the lot, the only mural on a ceiling painted by caravaggio. jupiter, neptune and pluto reaching out to touch the celestial sphere. the late baroque, early renaissance artist painted his own face and body on those of the gods. oil on plaster, amazingly it was