this is bbc news. i'm clive myrie. the headlines at 11pm: deserted restaurants, empty bars — the chancellor promises £330 billion of support including government backed loans, and a business rate holiday for those hardest hit. empty streets too as millions of people follow downing street's instructions to work from home and avoid social contact. there'll be mortgage holidays too for those who need it. the coronavirus pandemic is a public health emergency, but it is also an economic emergency. we have never, in peacetime, faced an economic fight like this one. it's scary, you know? people in there... they don't know what to do. they've got mortgages. they've got kids

to think about, rent. the nhs in england will suspended non—urgent operations for three months from next month to make 30,000 more beds available for coronavirus patients. the foreign office tells britons they shouldn't travel abroad now unless absolutely necessary. schools and nurseries remain open, the prime minster said he was keeping it under continous review. and at 11:30pm, we'll be taking an in—depth look at the papers with our reviewers — deputy poltical editor of the telegraph, anna mikhailova, and political commentator and former director of communications for the labour party, lance price. stay with us for that.

the chancellor has announced a multi—billion pound support package to help businesses through the coronavirus crisis. rishi sunak said the country is in an economic emergency and now is the time to be bold. he vowed that the government would do whatever it takes to support the economy with many businesses reeling from the effects of this week's coronavirus restrictions. he announced a wide ranging package of loans and guarantees worth £330 billion. there'll be a 12—month business rates holiday, and those with mortgages will be offered a 3—month break in mortgage payments. but there was no mention yet of help for millions of people who rent. it comes as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the uk rose to nearly 2,000 and the number of deaths reached 71. political editor laura kuenssberg reports. everything seems different now. you can be on your own in the busiest parts of our biggest city. but quiet doesn't mask the worry.

millions are concerned about their health and loved ones too. instead of shutdown, behind closed doors, the centre of government is in overdrive. they're grappling with the biggest job in generations. to save lives first, but to protect how we make a living too. we must act like any wartime government and do whatever it takes to support our economy. you can't blame the new chancellor for looking serious. just 33 days into hisjob, is announcing a of historic proportions. this national effort will be underpinned by government interventions in the economy on a scale unimaginable only a few weeks ago. this is not a time for ideology and orthodoxy. today, i'm making available an initial £330 billion of guarantees, equivalent to 15% of our gdp. that means any business who needs

access to cash to pay their rent, their salaries, suppliers or purchase stock will be able to access a government backed loan or credit on attractive terms. hundreds of billions of government—backed loans. 20 billion in grants and tax cuts at the start. help with some bills too. for those in difficulty due to coronavirus, mortgage lenders will now offer a 3—month mortgage holiday so that people will not have to pay a penny towards their mortgage costs while they get back on their feet. can you guarantee to firms who need to pay wages now and families who worry about paying the rent now that they will not lose out while you work through the details of what comes next? be in no doubt, the state is asking people to do something, to make very considerable changes to their lives, and it is only right therefore that the state should stand behind people

as they make those changes. business big and small might not have the luxury of time. the office of this brighton travel company is already practically empty. i don't think borisjohnson realises that people are losing theirjobs right now. we've had to put staff on unpaid sabbatical with no certainty of what's going to happen over the next few months. are you doing enough to stop the virus? ministers have been scrambling to find a response big and fast enough. it might sound astonishing, but even more than £300 billion might be just the start. the support plan's huge, but there could still be holes. what support will individual families get? will they get sick pay at a level that they'll be able to ensure they have a decent quality of life? will they get proper support if they're laid off? will they be able to afford their rents? will the increases in fuel costs and other things be covered? but the scale of this, the reality of how many lives may be lost, is hitting home. every year in seasonal flu, the number of deaths

is thought to be about 8,000 excess deaths. so if we can get this down to numbers 20,000 and below, that's a good outcome in terms of where we would hope to get to with this outbreak. but, i mean, it's still horrible. by the government's own admission, this is now an economic emergency, so they've just promised to take vast steps to try to stop that turning into individual hardship for millions in the coming months. taking on long—term costs for the country to try to stop a heavy and painful cost being paid by families in the coming months. the need for help for the country's health and the country's wealth is acute. reassurance is not a currency in itself. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. so, billions of pounds worth of loans will be available from next week to help businesses pay for supplies, rent and salaries. the chancellor said that if these

measures were not enough, he would go further. economics editor faisal islam looks at the new measures in detail and asks if they will be enough to prevent businesses going under. in manchester, preparations for what should have been a busy st patrick's day went on this morning. local businesses contemplating ruin from the government's advice to help stop the spread of the virus by not going out. telling people not to go to bars and restaurants and not giving us any support at this point of the day is a real noose around our necks. just tell us! the word "recession" doesn't quite capture the effect on the pub industry and others of clearing the streets of major cities of actual people. but by late evening, the chancellor had fundamentally upped the size of the life jacket for the entire economy. amazing.

that's a real pressure for us because we're like over £50,000, in rates, so that is really good for us. coronavirus is now a reality for the whole country, but the theory behind today's interventions is that in some months time, the epidemic will pass. and the economy will grow again. this is a bridge, not a bailout, and that is why the support promising to do whatever it takes last for months not years. there's £330 billion in government backed loans of up to a year for all sizes of business to fund cash flow for wages and suppliers. there's £20 billion in cash grants and business tax cuts, and everybody that needs it can have a three month mortgage holiday. these huge amounts reflect the fact that in the next few months, a large chunk will be taken off the uk economy. car production suspended here today at nissan in sunderland, and at most european car factories. the retailer laura ashley went into administration today, blaming the virus, though it has

had its own challenges, illustrating the problem for the government about whether all firms should get cheap loans. back in manchester, a chef at an art centre that is closed is wondering what happens to renters, too. it's scary, you know? people in there, they don't know what to do, they've got mortgages, they've got kids to think about — rent. so there will be many other forms of support that will be required to keep the significant promise made in downing street today, unthinkable a month ago, unavoidable now. faisal islam reporting there. meanwhile, all non—urgent operations will be cancelled in april for three months to free up 30,000 beds for the nhs in england. scotland has ta ken a similar decision. health editor hugh pym looks at how prepared the nhs is for a growing number of severe cases. ponton medical centre, joe respeaking. preparing for the new realities.

this gp‘s surgery in bolton is urging all patients to stay away if they possibly can. that tells you you have two self—isolate for 14 days. we are being proactive, keeping patients informed, triaging for the queueing up outside, to why have you accessed the surgery? please try and phone up, don't come to the surgery. some medical students are volunteering to move to the front line. final year medical students will hopefully be working in the medical ward areas. this is to free up staff that can go onto the front line in places like intensive care. some medical staff are frustrated that they are not getting tested for the virus. sandra, who is a nurse, had a sore throat and today was asked to stay off work. they could do a swab that would take five minutes, two days for the results and confirm whether i actually have coronavirus or whether i don't. and i could just go back to work if i didn't.

but as it is, what is happening? i am going to have to stay at home for whatever it is, seven or 14 days. nhs england is ramping up preparations for virus cases, cancelling all nonurgent operations from next month, freeing up 30,000 beds. some staff have said there are not enough ventilators for intensive care and inadequate supplies of protective equipment. the head of nhs england told mps that those concerns were being addressed. he was asked whether the government's measures would be enough to prevent massive pressure on the nhs. those measures will certainly make a big difference and in our view were necessary. but we will have to keep this under review and if it turns out that further measures are required in order to reduce the number of people who get this virus, then that will be something that policymakers and the government will have to consider. thousands of patients will now have to wait many more months for operations and appointments.

this plan that has been published for the nhs today is a pretty drastic plan. but then we are in exceptional times. this is the biggest challenge that the health service has faced since its creation and the biggest challenge we have faced worldwide. some operations have already been postponed, including an eight—year—old girl in bristol needing reconstructive surgery after cancer. this is devastating. we got some good news that the surgeon has removed all the cancer, but we were hoping the treatment would come to an end, and it has been kept open—ended. he's now been given a new date for his daughter's operation, but many more will not be so lucky, as the nhs has to focus above all else on the coronavirus threat. hugh pym, bbc news. folk singer frank turner had to cancel his uk tour because of the threat of coronavirus. tonight he performed a live gig online to raise money for his tour team.

good to see you and thanks very much for that without. how many people in your touring family and what kind of problems are they experiencing because you can't hit the road? essentially there's ii because you can't hit the road? essentially there's 11 full—time people in my touring family, there's other people who come on from time to time, but there's ii other people who come on from time to time, but there's 11 core members and these people i've been with for over a decade but they tend to be paid ona over a decade but they tend to be paid on a day—to—day or at least talk to tour basis, so if they're not working there not getting paid. given the shutdown we're seeing across the entertainment industry, they are facing a very difficult financial period right now. can you keep them on? do they go off and you only go to them when you're going to be touring again, and no—one knows when that will be? the purpose of this evening was to raise money to pay them wages as a demonstration of loyalty on my part. i'd love to do a fundraiser that would save the live music industry as a whole, i can't do that, but i can look after the people that have looked after me for

the past decade. i don't know what will happen over the years but hopefully this demonstration of loyalty for my part will be meaningfulfor them. loyalty for my part will be meaningful for them. how did go tonight? unbelievably well. it's a lot of fun, i'm in my house and playing songs, which is something i do regularly anyway, so personally it wasn't too much of a strain but the reaction from the public has been unbelievable, we've raised a lot and been unbelievable, we've raised a lotand i'm been unbelievable, we've raised a lot and i'm feeling good about helping people who, like i say, have helped me over the years. the longer you're off the road and god knows how long this will go on for, all of us are how long this will go on for, all of us are effected, will you have to do it again? that's an interesting question, at this point i feel like i've caught a moment of zeitgeist. no—one knows how long this will last and how long it will affect the industry and venues and promoters and that kind of thing and what kind of music industry live touring industry will be left when bands lift up. i can't say i'm hugely optimistic at this point, but for the time being i've done what i can to try to move things along for the

moment. other bands are doing similar things, moment. other bands are doing similarthings, coldplay, moment. other bands are doing similar things, coldplay, christine and the queens, this could well be the future of touring, basically doing it online and putting it out there in the stratosphere, as it were? i have always been slightly pleased that nobody has actually been able to make the experience of actually being ina to make the experience of actually being in a show downloadable. there is something about being in a room with people which is not replicable, which is a relief for me in the as touring goes. so this is a situation we are all living and having to deal with at the moment, but there is no substitute for being in a crowded, sweaty room with your friends singing along with a band you like. i think that remains to and ideally hope we will get back to back sooner rather than later. sure, absolutely. frank turner, thank you forjoining us.

frank turner, thank you forjoining us. we've been getting thousands of questions from you of the past few days about the coronavirus and what the changes could mean. 0ne days about the coronavirus and what the changes could mean. one question many are asking is about travel abroad, especially with the school holidays looming. today, the foreign office advised against non—essential travel to anywhere in the world for an initial period of 30 days. here's transport correspondent tom burridge. confusion and a very long wait at marrakesh airport. we've just been in a five—hour long queue. as people like amir try to get home. i've got to the front of the queue and they have said there are no flights. they will not tell us any more details. they do not know any more details. they do not know when they are going to get us to the uk. they do not know when the flights are going to be. they've told us to just wait in the airport. all flights scheduled to leave morocco have been suspended. so it is a scramble to get on rescue flights back to britain. my name is beth, i am a uk citizen currently stuck here in morocco. beth is unclear when she will get

back to herjob in the nhs. we have been told we will get a rescheduled flight for april, that is no good, we do not know how this pandemic is going to pan out and we need to get home and they have a duty of care to get us home. we will do everything in our power. the government says repatriating most people is down to airlines. fco teams around the world are working urgently to ensure that governments have sensible plans to enable the return of british and other travellers and crucially, to keep borders open for sufficient periods to enable returns to take place on commercial flights whatever that is possible. in cusco, and other parts of peru, british tourists like lauren are stuck. i cannot get out of peru, they've cancelled all flights to get out of peru. the country is in lockdown. it is very scary, mainly for the fact that if it's just a 14—day

lockdown, it's not pleasant but we can get over it but then it's not knowing what is going to happen and the fact we cannot leave the hostel. stephen is in the capital, lima. we are worried about potential social unrest, we do not have any food, we are going to go to a supermarket shortly. we are young and healthy but of course we are also worried about what would happen if we get sick. tom burridge, bbc news. bt sucks, leo varadkar, has said the and people who have long—term illnesses may soon have to stay at home for several weeks. —— the taisoeach. in his saint patrick's day address he wants the country would be dealing with the coronavirus emergency for months to come. the total number of cases in the republic of ireland has now reached 292, and two people have died. denied, on a national holiday, i want to send a message around the world. —— tonight. we are in this together. to the people of china, spain and italy, who have suffered u ntold spain and italy, who have suffered untold heartbreak and loss, we are with you. to everyone who has lost a

loved one to this virus, we are with you. to all those living in the shadow of what is to come, we are with you. leo varadkar speaking in the last few minutes. well, despite all the turmoil, schools remain open, but for how much longer? the prime minster said he was keeping it under "continuous review." the largest education union is urging the government to close all schools "at least for some time." here's our education editor, bra nwen jeffreys. trying to make it fun, but schools are struggling to keep safe and teachers are anxious too. it does seem that everyone has been asked to socially distance except for children at school, and also the teachers and the staff. at this school, they are three teachers down already. by tomorrow, classes may merge and staying open looks increasingly doubtful.

approach. but with everyone else being told to avoid crowded places, it has left many teachers and parents confused and some families are simply keeping their children off school. it is down by about 30% and still falling, and i can understand why parents are concerned. while they keep lessons going, head teachers want advice that keeps up with reality. some schools are already partially closing. so what would a school closure mean for parents here? at the moment i am able to work from home. my partner isn't yet at that stage where he can with hisjob, so it will be tricky. i have already started stocking up on activities so that they have got things to do. but i am lucky, there are lots of people in the school who are friends of mine who are working and it will be harder for them. closing schools would be

a massive step, one that the government says it is not yet ready to take. branwen jeffreys, bbc news. the dramatic escalation in restrictions on our lives