tonight at ten, an epidemic caused by coronavirus tonight, but in‘s biggest budget airline flybe is at risk. flybe is a leading carrier at manchester and birmingham. we will be asking what the collapse means that the government's leading economic strategy. also tonight: an epidemic caused by coronavirus is now likely in the uk,

according to the government's chief medical officer. at this point in time we think it is likely, not definite, that we will move into onward transmission and an epidemic here in the uk. at this point in time we think it is likely, not definite, that we will move into onward transmission and an epidemic here in the uk. on the greek island of lesbos, more violence as locals clash with hundreds of syrian refugees and mirgants coming from turkey. and why enjoying content by using online streaming services could be harming the environment. coming up on sportsday later in the hour on bbc news, we will have all the girls from tonight's fa cup ties, including the game between tottenham and norwich. good evening.

flybe is on the verge of collapse tonight. the airline had asked for a crucial learn from the government to stay in business, but concerns over coronavirus have also affected bookings in recent weeks. flybe is a leading carrier at airports including belfast and glasgow, southampton, manchester, birmingham and others. our correspondentjohn kay reports from flybe‘s headquarters in exeter. touching down in exeter, one of flybe‘s last flights of the day. but what will be taking off tomorrow? these are not passengers with luggage. but mechanics taking their tools home from the company's headquarters at the end of the runway. they'd come in especially to collect their kit, even before any official announcement. we are not allowed to tell you anything. nothing. have you been told what's happening? no. it has been an anxious few weeks for the 400 staff here, and tonight they've been arriving, desperate for news.

i don't know anything either way, so... have you been given any indication what's going on? none. sorry, guys. we literally don't know. questions also for flybe passengers arriving into exeter tonight. they told us the company provides vital roots and is an important part of this region's economy and beyond. tonight? speculation is unsettling. it's not great. it is handy having it here. i work in greenwich and it cuts don't have hours of the travelling time by being able to fly. it will be detrimental to the whole of the south—west if we can't get from plymouth and have to drive to exeter. the next stop is bristol. there was due to be a flight arriving here in exeterfrom manchester just before arriving here in exeterfrom manchesterjust before ten o'clock this evening, but we have been told that plane did not take off, the flight that plane did not take off, the flight has been cancelled, no explanation has been given here.

meanwhile a more staff turn up to find out what is happening, a delivery of pizzas. a long night ahead after a difficult journey for flybe. john kay, bbc news, exeter. our business editor simon jack looks at the numbers and the implications for the economy. flybe has been surviving on a wing and prayer for a decade. it may be europe's largest regional airline, but it has made losses in eight of the last ten years. it's the biggest operator at many regional airports and it carries 8 million people to and from the eu and within the uk. tonight those flights were grounded for good, with a flybe source telling the bbc the game is up. grim news for passengers and connections between regions. the loss of flybe for the uk region's airports is disastrous.

it's small in the scale of the uk market as a whole, but if you're flying out of exeter, newquay or specifically southampton, it really is one of the only choices. indeed, at southampton it accounts for around 95% of the activity of that airport. so a number of regional routes will risk not being served. flybe almost collapsed in january but it was handed a reprieve when its owners, which include virgin atlantic, agreed to put in over £30 million of their own money. in return the government promised to review, in other words lower, air passenger duty, a tax of £13 per person, on short—haulflights leaving uk airports. for domestic routes, that means it's paid twice on those internal flights.

flybe hoped to see that cut in half. even healthy airlines are struggling to cope with the impact of coronavirus. an airline like flybe, already in poor financial health, has been finished off by a virus whose economic impacts continue to spread. let's go to belfast and talk to our ireland correspondent chris page, who is at the george best belfast city airport. let's talk about the impact that this collapse is likely to have. took us through some of the factors involved ? to have. took us through some of the factors involved? well, this news is causing huge concern amongst business people, political leaders and also the many thousands of people who use flybe to travel for leisure every year. in ireland, huw, is particularly reliant on air links because of its geography. if you wa nt to because of its geography. if you want to get from here to the uk, your only options are to go by sea

oi’ your only options are to go by sea or by air, and flybe provides many vital connections. for example, here at george best belfast city airport, it operates more than three quarters of the flights. it currently runs routes to 12 destinations. if you weeks ago when the scale of the airline's financial difficulties emerged, they pressed the government for a rescue package. they called then for air passenger duty on flights in and out of northern ireland to be abolished. so dealing what with what will be potentially a huge blow to the economy here will be an early test for the newly restored devolved government, which was just brought back injanuary after an absence of three years. chris page in belfast, many thanks. simon, chris was talking about some of the tests. let's talk about a test for boris johnson's government, which is all the promises made about levelling up and investing in regional economies. what does this mean? this has always been difficult territory for the government. it is not in the dna of the conservative

government to try and prop up failing businesses. and this was a business that was very financially unhealthy. but i am told that the airline you for the last don't have weeks that a change in air passenger duty was not forthcoming anytime soon, and that meant a £100 million loa n soon, and that meant a £100 million loan was not going to be forthcoming. the only thing that they say has changed is the coronavirus situation. that meant that there was an issue for the shareholders of flybe. are they going to stump up the money to keep it going? i'm told that ultimately, it going? i'm told that ultimately, it was virgin atlantic who decided that given the current environment, which is hitting other airlines, they decided to toe in the towel. the government also says that the test for their commitment to regional connectivity should not be whether they prop up a failing business or not. that shouldn't be the test in which they are judged. simonjack, our the test in which they are judged. simon jack, our business the test in which they are judged. simonjack, our business editor. the chief medical adviser has warned that a coronavirus epidemic is now likely in the uk, but not yet certain.

professor chris whitty‘s warning was made as the latest figures showed the biggest 24—hour rise in the number of people infected — 36 new cases across the uk, two of which are in scotland and two in northern ireland. it brings the total number of people with the virus in the uk to 87. of the new cases, three do not seem to have any connection to travel abroad. that's called community transmission. at westminster, borisjohnson announced a change to the rule on sick pay for those who have to self—isolate as a result of coronavirus. more on that in a moment, but first here's our health editor hugh pym. the message the government wants us to see. a new campaign launched on a day when case numbers rose sharply and health chiefs warned of a wider spread. we're now getting quite a lot of cases coming into the uk. small numbers at this point in time but we anticipate they will continue to rise and we do expect there to be some onward transmission here in the uk and at this point in time we think it is likely, not definite, that we will move

into onward transmission and an epidemic here in the uk. there's been a four—fold increase in cases here since last week but the figures are much higher in some other european countries. in italy, there have been more than 2,500 cases. the german figure is now at 240 while in france, it's over 200. it's in demand. some shops have run out of hand sanitiser, so this production line is running at full speed. they used to turn out 100,000 bottles a month. now they're aiming for that every day. having a significant birthday this year, i'm not singing happy birthday to myself a moment earlier than i have to! and scotland's first minister nicola sturgeon was demonstrating how to use it. what time did you start? she was visiting a call centre with a coronavirus helpline. so, after thisjump in case numbers, how worried should people be? on an individual basis, i don't think people should be especially worried. we know that this illness is quite catching.

it has a high infectivity rate, and i think we were expecting that now, over the next week or two, we would see a rapid rise in numbers of people being diagnosed with covid—19. but the big question now is when the government might move to the next phase of its strategy and introduce new measures to try to slow the spread of the virus. there was better news from a school in gloucestershire, which reopened today after a deep clean, following a staff member testing positive. the school's probably the cleanest it's ever been now. they've given it a thorough clean. it came at short notice. so, to have two of them in the house to look after for two days has been quite a handful. my son's being kept off until next week until i know full well it's all clear and there's no chance of anybody catching anything. it's been a busy day for ministers and officials, leaving a meeting of the cobra emergency committee. earlier, sick pay changes were announced , so

anyone self—isolating because of an infection risk will be paid from day one rather than waiting longer. it seems there will be many more days like it, with more cases and more decisions needed. hugh pym, bbc news. here at the department of health, officials are closely scrutinising those cases, a relatively small number where there is no explanation for how the individuals picked up the virus. tonight from the london hospital, king's college, there is news that two patients in a word there for other reasons have tested positive. they have been moved to specialist isolation facilities. that raises a few questions, and there will no doubt be plenty of those to be put to the chief medical adviser chris whitty when he appears before mps on the health select committee in the commons tomorrow morning. hugh pym with the latest in the department of health. as coronavirus spreads across the world — more than 70 countries have reported cases so far — we can assess the measures different governments are taking. in italy, with the biggest outbreak

in europe, the authorities have closed all schools and universities for two weeks. it has over 3,000 cases and more than hundred people have died. —— more than 100 people. 0ur correspondent mark lowen has the latest in rome. after 80 in which italy saw its biggest single rising coronavirus deaths, 28, the prime minister spoke to the nation and said all sporting events would be played behind closed doors, which could include england versus italy in the six nations by versus italy in the six nations rugby next week, that could be postponed altogether. the italian tourism sector is predicted to lose £6.5 billion and schools and universities are closed across the country. the priority is reassurance as well as containment. an early easter break for pupils across italy. every school and university will now close from tonight in a bid to halt the virus. europe's worst hit country stepping up its response. it's a problem because we have

to stop the exams, we have to stop almost all the activities in the classroom. maybe we can do something from home. but it's not the same, of course. parents and children are taking in the news. for some, the disruption is a price worth paying. it's not a question of panicking, but taking necessary measures to avoid the virus spreading out. her nine—year—old, ernesto, says he's happy because it means no studying and no homework. italy was the first in europe to ban all flights to china, the first to cordon off whole towns, now the first to close all schools. a dramatic response to a deepening crisis. and perhaps an example of how other countries too may respond if their outbreaks continue to worsen. as cases and deaths rise, more towns in the north may be quarantined.

cinemas and theatres could close. and the government is even set to advise tactile italians not to greet by kissing. so how many rooms here are occupied? no one. none of them? empty. coronavirus fear is battering italy's economy, with hotels empty. 0wner giuseppe roscioli says he's had 90% cancellations and it's the biggest crisis in his 35 years. and if this situation gets worse, what will happen? we have the key, we can close the door. italy is now facing an unprecedented challenge and a desperate search for a remedy for the virus and for this country's suffering. mark lowen, bbc news, rome. and a reminder — you can keep up to date with all the developments around the coronavirus outbreak and the symptoms to watch out for and what it means for you on the bbc news app and on our website. that's bbc.co.uk/news.

there is lots of information from oui’ there is lots of information from our correspondents and our experts. the former us vice president joe biden has emerged as the new frontrunner in the race to be the democatic party's challenger to donald trump in the presidential election later this year. mr biden defeated the veteran senator bernie sanders in nine of the 1a states which voted yesterday on what's known as super tuesday. the result prompted the billionaire mike bloomberg, the former mayor of new york, to end his campaign for the nomination. 0ur north america editor jon sopel has the latest. tonight, cbs news projects biden has won in virginia. he'll get the biggest share of the 99 delegates there. well, no one predicted that. joe biden's campaign, which a week ago was seen as holed below the water line and sinking without trace, was suddenly skipping along the waves. he notched up win after win in the most dramatic turnaround of political fortunes. we are very much alive!

cheering. and make no mistake about it. this campaign will send donald trump packing. this campaign is taking off! join us. at bernie sanders' rally in vermont, they were hoping for and had been predicted a much better night. it saw the 78—year—old senator turning his fire onjoe biden. we are not only taking on the corporate establishment, we're taking on the political establishment. cheering. his supporters watched with anxiety and some paranoia. is bernie sanders going to be the democratic party nominee? yes, he is, definitely. i'm not so sure. i think the democrats are conspiring to make sure he gets locked out. bernie or nobody, 100%. bernie or nobody? yeah. even if that lets donald trump in for another four years? ooh. that's a tough one, but yes.

the billionaire mike bloomberg last night discovered that money can't buy love and can't buy votes. he's out. but he's throwing his weight, and more significantly his fortune, behind joe biden. and elizabeth warren, who has consistently underperformed, must decide what she's going to do. this now becomes a toe to toe slugfest between two old, very old, heavyweights, joe biden and bernie sanders. bernie sanders has the grassroots organisation, butjoe biden has momentum, orjoe—mentum, as they're calling it, and that counts for a lot. jon sopel, bbc news, burlington, vermont. the greek island of lesbos has become the latest flashpoint in the new migrant crisis affecting parts of europe. aid agencies have complained that their staff have been assaulted and intimidated as they try to cope with refugees coming by boat from turkey. the governor of lesbos has apologised for the violent

actions of some residents. hundreds of migrants have arrived on the island since friday, when turkey opened its borders following an influx of refugees from syria. 0ur correspondentjean mackenzie reports from lesbos. where are you from? congo. how old are you? ten. ten? these are lesbos‘ newest arrivals, trapped on the island, now behind bars. i've been here for three days. three days? yeah. what's it like in here? not enough food, no sleeping. we want to go to a better place, not here. hundreds of migrants from afghanistan, syria and the congo have made it across the sea since turkey opened its borders last week. most have been kept in this holding pen. can they leave or are they detained? they can leave? no, so they are detained? for years, this island has been overcrowded. more than 20,000 refugees now live

in a camp that was meant for far, farfewer, stuck here while europe struggles to agree on what to do with them. thousands make their way from the camp to the port, desperate to leave. these flare—ups have angered locals and that anger has turned to violence. migrants and journalists have been attacked. and an aid centre has been set on fire. some aid workers are now leaving the island. the medical clinics, which treat hundreds every day, have been closed. why are you locking up? because we have a lot of problems on the island with ngos. we're having a lot of riots with the ngos. it looks like we are dealing in a war zone and this unpredictable security situation is something that we never experienced before. recent videos show the greek coastguard firing at people trying to cross the sea.

we show these to the island's governor. they have received such orders to shoot, but in the air, not on the people. look, look. that's the migrants being hit on the head by the coastguard. yes. what do you think about that? i reject. i don't like it. i don't like this behaviour. it doesn't represent me. as greece scrambles to secure its borders, european leaders have offered hundreds of millions of pounds to help. we don't want money, we want not to have a problem. the point is not to get money. the point is not to have a problem. let's spare their money. let's send the money back. a navy ship arrives to take the new arrivals to the mainland, but thousands are left behind, on this island that no longer wants them. jean mckenzie, bbc news. a week today, boris johnson's government will set

out its first budget. the prime minister has promised investment in infrastructure, notably transport. he says it's the way to "unite and level up" the united kingdom. the strategy might well have to be adjusted in the light of the news we reported on, the expected collapse of flybe. there's been much focus on the midlands and the north of england, where the conservatives won new seats at the election. in the south—west of england, local political leaders are warning they musn't be overlooked in the plans — as our political correspondent alex forsyth reports from somerset. just a few key roads are crucial in keeping the south—west connected. fine when they are flowing, frustrating when they are not. for this family—run haulage firm, traffic costs money and congestion on some of somerset‘s main routes is, they say, getting worse. it's absolute chaos to us. if we can get some cars off the road, that obviously would help, and the only way we're going to do that is for the public transport to be better, so that would help drastically. some of somerset is well—connected, but away from the main transport

routes, roads are rural and rail limited. this site near bridgwater is earmarked for 4000 newjobs in green energy. the firm behind it says transport links are crucial. the whole of the uk need support from central government, especially when it comes to infrastructure and mobility and bringing sites like this forward is critically important. the government's pledged investment in transport across the country. here there is hope the focus won'tjust be on new conservative seats in the midlands and north, but the south—west too, where people can feel isolated. you depend on the bus, don't you, to get out shopping and whatever you have to do. in minehead, buses are vital to many. there's been recent council investment that the services can be sporadic. we've got one bus every couple of hours, and other than that, there's nothing. in this coastal town, social mobility is poor. bandmates ethan, jack and greg all plan to move away after college because, they say, local opportunities

are limited and local travel often impractical. i know people who do an hour and a halfjourney to taunton because the course they want to do, they can't do it here. it's not particularly easy. i've been looking for a job recently, there's not too many vacancies for them. i think you need to move away into bigger cities to find the opportunities there. these three are regulars at minehead's youth club. here they focus on improving chances but say the area need support. i think that we are completely forgotten, as far as transport links. everyone's talking about hs2 and all of this, which is great, but nothing is coming down to the south—west. the young people in this area are brilliant. i just want them to be able to achieve whatever it is that they want to, but they need a bit of support from the people higher up. that's what the government has promised. here they're waiting to see exactly how that plays out. alex forsyth, bbc news, somerset.

thank you! listening to music and watching films and television programmes by using streaming services is hugely popular, but there are warnings that this way of enjoying content is harming the environment. i think that we are completely forgotten, —— to store all the data, there are hundreds of thousands of data centres around the world, many of them using electricity generated by burning fossil fuels. figures suggest that the needs of it now create the same volume of carbon emissions as flying. 0ur environment correspondent claire marshall has the story. when we post a video or a photo or save something to the cloud it leaves our device and travels through different networks. maybe through cables under the ocean to a building called a data centre, where it's stored. when we want to see it, this data is exploded into thousands of pieces, each one travelling a different route. when they get to a device, they put themselves back in the right order. so the internet, or the cloud, isn'tjust in the air. it exists in buildings

like this one. i'm in london's docklands, where fruit and veg used to be traded on these streets. now it's data, huge amounts of it. in this building, thousands of servers and they're capturing and storing and sending all our data. there are now hundreds of thousands of these energy hungry data centres. the problem is that many are powered by fossilfuels. this is the us state of northern virginia, known as the internet capital of the world. this is one of the coal—fired power stations supplying it with electricity, belching carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas. it belongs to dominion energy, the largest provider, which generates much of its power by burning fossilfuels. microsoft and google are here. amazon has built 55 data centres. we think of amazon as a giant online supermarket but actually the company makes far more money building and renting data centres. most of them are pretty clueless as to what is right here.

alex is campaigning for the tech companies to use green energy. processing large amounts of data on a daily basis. these data centres are consuming large amounts of energy to process that data to stay operational in a 24—7 environment. dominion energy told us they were committed to net zero carbon and methane emissions by 2050. amazon said they were working towards 80% renewable energy by 2024, and 100% by 2030. technology is adapting quickly. data centres are more efficient than ever but there is a whole new challenge. sg. 5g will generate much more traffic and demand much more power, which is not good for climate change. we've all got to change. i think the internet‘s got the power to help us control and reduce climate change but we need to change some of our more frivolous behaviour before we get there. streaming videos in standard definition rather than hd saves four

times the emissions and using wi—fi rather than three or 4g uses a third of the energy. claire marshall, bbc news. you can see more on that subject in the documentary dirty streaming: the internet‘s big secret, which is available on bbc three from tomorrow. it is also on the iplayer. now on bbc one, time for the news where you are. have a very good night. iam 0lly

i am 0lly foster, this is what's coming up on sportsday. manchester city still on for the domestic cup double. they are through to the fa cup quarterfinals. all major sports in italy will be placed behind closed doors for the next month because of coronavirus. england are due to play in rome in ten days' time. we catch up with sam ward after his horrific injury that should have ended his career. he's given up his 0lympic dream. should have ended his career. he's given up his olympic dream. from here all the way down to hear. 31 screws. i think they did an incredible job screws. i think they did an incrediblejob and screws. i think they did an incredible job and i've screws. i think they did an incrediblejob and i've been recovering since then.

three more teams it through to the quarterfinals tonight. we have had to draw as well for those quarters all the details coming up. manchester city made very hard work at their trip to trip to hillsboro to say such a field on wednesday. 0ne negative though was enough to decide. i think the dates are but one in madrid last night at the club title on sunday this wednesday, i chipped a wednesday. as they looked to the athletic cup. it slightest start from city, at first aguero could not find his feet. and another suffered the same fate. now that he had planned. no bells at half—time. city started the second half with more purpose cannot opening told those still proving elusive. you can keep aguero out for too