britain's top police officer warns that those who break covid rules are now more likely to face fines. the metropolitan police commissioner cressida dick says it's preposterous for anyone to claim they don't know what the rules are. where somebody is breaking the law, breaking the regulations, and it is absolutely clear that they must have known, or do know that they are, then we will move very swiftly to enforcement and fining people. we'll be getting reaction to the commissioner's comments. also this lunchtime: the covid deaths that have led to the largest increase in deaths in a single year since the second world war. a warning that core staff could leave the nhs after the coronavirus crisis due to the "unsustainable" workloads. our colleagues are working right on the edge of what feels safe or sustainable to them.

and that has been the case now for a number of weeks. free school meals — parents blast the "woefully inadequate" food parcels for children learning at home. security is stepped up as the fbi warns of armed protests across the united states in the run—up tojoe biden‘s inauguration. and coming up on bbc news — the start of the new formula 1 season has been delayed, with the traditional curtain raiser, the australian grand prix, moved from march to november due to covid restrictions in the country. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. the uk's most senior police officer, dame cressida dick, has warned coronavirus rule—brea kers they‘ re increasingly likely to be fined. the metropolitan police commissioner says it's "preposterous" that anyone

could be unaware of the need to follow lockdown measures. it comes as there has been criticism of the prime minister, who cycled through the olympic park, seven miles away from downing street. number ten has insisted borisjohnson had exercised within the rules, but there needed to be greater clarity on the rules. that was what ten cressida dick said, but also that there needed to be more clarity. hospitals are under huge strain and covid cases are rising, prompting questions about whether the rule should tighten. at the message for ministers this morning is to stick to existing restrictions. it is very important that whilst the vaccine roll—out is proceeding well and we are on track to hit the targets we have set, we must also stress to everybody the importance of

following the rules which are in place in order to control this virus and reduce the pressures on the nhs. today the most senior police officer in the uk issued this morning. we will move more quickly to enforcement, particularly when somebody is breaking the law, breaking the regulations and it is absolutely clear that they must have known, or do you know, that they are, we will move very swiftly to enforcement and fining people. are, we will move very swiftly to enforcement and fining peoplem comes enforcement and fining peoplem co m es after enforcement and fining peoplem comes after borisjohnson, a keen cyclist, was spotted on his bike in east london at the weekend, a red seven miles from downing street. the advice is to stay local pate number ten source said he did not break the law. he was taking his daily exercise, as i understand. as long as they are staying local, they are not interacting, not mixing with other people, and they do it efficiently and quickly and get back, that is reasonable and we

understand people need to go outside to ta ke understand people need to go outside to take exercise. how far people can travel to exercise outside varies across the uk. the differences not specified in england, law in scotla nd specified in england, law in scotland says it must start and finish in the same place, up to five miles from the local authority boundary. there is an advisory ten mile limit in northern ireland but it has not been legislated, and the law in wales says the exercise must start and finish at home. if we had got our messaging clear, correct and strong from the beginning, we would not be debating all of the things about whether seven miles is local not. what we should be discussing it stay indoors, stay away from people, stay indoors, stay away from people, stay away from crowded people and where your mask properly. scottish ministers will discuss today whether lockdown restrictions should be toughened. people know where they are. some might be tinkling on the edges on click and collect your

garden centres, your examples, but we are in such a precarious position that the message is clear, stay at home. unless you had to go out, stay at home. the greatest protection against the virus is your front door. ministers agree that the rising covid rates are equal to concern, calling on people wherever they live to play their part and stay at home. charlotte wright, bbc news. let's speak to our political correspondent jonathan blake. there is clearly frustration that the rules are being broken? whether oi’ the rules are being broken? whether or not the prime minister should have gone for a bike ride several miles from his home at downing street is a matter of opinion, and in the grand scheme perhaps not necessarily the most important issue now, but it gets to the heart of the problem because mac faces at the moment. with virus cases increasing to such high levels and the strain on the nhs, ministers are urging the public ever more strongly to follow

the rules and stop coronavirus spreading. the problem is for that you get through, the rules need to be clear, and in the case of taking exercise in england the guidance is open to interpretation. ministers have been tying themselves in knots trying to explain what that means, with policing minister kit malthouse saying it is up to people in their own mind to decide what staying local means. and an important intervention from the metropolitan police commissioner cressida dick who said it would help his ministers clarified the guidance, anything that brings clarity, she said, and made her offices' jobs easier would be welcome. that indicates police rna very difficult position trying to enforcement all at the moment. ministers are keen not to make the lockdown in england any more strict thanit lockdown in england any more strict than it is at the moment, but whether that remains the case will depend on whether people follow the rules and ultimately how much

coronavirus cases increase in the coming weeks. thank you, jonathan blake. and the home secretary, priti patel, will be leading today's coronavirus news briefing at downing street at five o'clock this afternoon. you can watch it live on the bbc news channel. last year saw the largest increase in deaths in a single year in more than 70 years — that's according to provisional figures from the office for national statistics. let's speak to our head of statistics, robert cuffe. the headline reads that this is the biggest increase since the second world war? last year we saw about 700,000 deaths registered for any reason in the uk through the year, for context in the five years before that, on of which we sawjust over 600,000, soa that, on of which we sawjust over 600,000, so a rise of about 15%. it is hard to compare back to world war ii using the total number of deaths because the uk is a very different place with different populations and medicines, but the year on year changes give you a comparison

because each year should look roughly like the year before it, and that 15%jump roughly like the year before it, and that 15% jump is huge, roughly like the year before it, and that 15%jump is huge, i think we can show that to the audience now in a charge, that 15% rise on the far right—hand side last year, you have to go all the way back to the time of the second world war before you see a single year rise as big as that. that does not mean your chances of dying are back where they we re chances of dying are back where they were around the time of rationing, you would probably need a more sophisticated analysis to take into account the age and the size of the population, and that analysis put chances of dying roughly where they we re chances of dying roughly where they were in and around the mid notice. that and giving maybe a decade's worth of progress, because your chances of dying have been getting smaller and smaller steadily for decades, and during a decade in a single year is a big deal and a reminder ofjust how unusual a year 2020 was. thank you, robert cuffe.

core staff could leave the nhs after the coronavirus crisis due to the "unsustainable" workloads they face — that's the warning today to a committee of mps. there are fears that many are working under incredibly difficult conditions and that unless that extra support is put in place, there could be burn—out in many workplaces. our health correspondent anna collinson has more. seriously ill patients, stressed staff and wards dangerously close to capacity. this is what one intensive ca re capacity. this is what one intensive care unit looks like in south london, but intense pressures in south—east england are being felt across the country. we know we have more patients in hospital with covid than in the first wave, but we also have patients in intensive care he would be in intensive care in the winter anyway, people who have had heart attacks, road traffic accident, we are changing in two sorts of intensive care units at the same time. covid admissions are

still highest in london but there are concerns about other areas, including the midlands. health officials have an ion case numbers as they can indicate what to expect in the coming weeks. one concern is noted on merseyside, which recorded more than 1300 cases per 100,000 people. —— is nosily in merseyside. our following of the will november time was much weaker than in march and christmas might only have exacerbated that. the chances of people under a0 meeting icu care for covid is much lower, but staff at croydon university hospital are seeing a greater number of younger patients compared to the first way. this graph has broken coronavirus hospital admissions into age groups and this time around there has been and this time around there has been an increase across all ages. vaccines are the best hope of alleviating there is a long queue. with millions of elderly patients and health workers at the front.

with millions of elderly patients and health workers at the frontm is very important that whilst the vaccine roll—out is proceeding well and we are on track to hit the targets we have set, we must also stress to everybody the importance of following the rules, which are in place, in order to control this spy returns reduce pressures the nhs. after a brutal year, nhs workers are running on empty. many have been infected with the virus they were trying to protect others from. some staff have been speaking to mps about how long covid has got their lives, much after they were first diagnosed. the neurologists believe that covid has somehow damage my spinal—cord but it is unclear how, i can only walk around to hundred metres without assistance.” can only walk around to hundred metres without assistance. i have been left with a brain fog that people explain, i can't seem to re call people explain, i can't seem to recall the most basic words or

phrases or i put mugs in the fridge when i go to make a cup of tea, i had to do this in one ear, which is distracting when trying to communicate. coronavirus has destroyed many lights, and now a stark reminder of the loss. the uk would normally expect around 600,000 deaths a year but a show there were an extra 90,020 20, the largest increase in a single year in seven decades —— figures show. there was next at 90,000 in 2020. our health editor hugh pym is here. we have had these grim figures, warnings about long covid and the idea that things will get worse before they get better. there is the short—term but the longer term is a steady roll out of the vaccine and hopefully, based on what ministers say in different parts of the uk, a relaxation of some degree of restrictions from spring onwards but

a very difficult for weeks ahead, particularly for the nhs. staff are really tired, they are burnt out in some cases, they got through the first wave, there was not much lighter pin terms of workload, things started picking up again in october and now this surge in patients since christmas, putting extreme pressure on them. you speak to people in hospitals, in front line roles, they are finding it very difficult although they say we have to ta ke difficult although they say we have to take each day as it comes and cope with what comes to the door, which is almost certainly an increase in covid patients. the pressure will be there for at least a few more weeks, it might ease a bit in the south—east where we have seen this big increase, london hospitals under pressure, we had seen cases rise rapidly in some areas like merseyside which are dabbling in case rates in the last week. cases now mean hospital

admissions for some new cases and a couple of weeks' time —— which are doubling in case rates. this pressure with a new variant might spread well beyond the south—east. hospitals, what can they do? they can increase capacity, create more intensive care beds, cancel nonurgent surgical procedures, which is widespread, but will there come a point where it becomes difficult? one hospital in essex was having to cut back on oxygen and manage what they said was a very difficult situation. a bit worse before it gets better, but longer term there are hopes for improvement from the spring. thank you, hugh pym. a meeting will be taking place today between the department for education and the company at the centre of a storm over what's been described as "woefully inadequate" free school meal parcels. one mother posted a picture of a £30 pound parcel which was estimated to containjust over £5 worth of food. andy moore reports. even though many children may not be at school because of covid, the government is still committed

to providing free school meals in the form of vouchers or food parcels. but some of those deliveries have been falling short of expectations. this is claimed to be the supply of food for one child for ten days, issued in place of a £30 voucher. the company believed to have supplied it says an investigation is under way. it says the photo doesn't reflect the specification of one of its hampers. and now this example, and other hampers provided by different companies, have come to the attention of marcus rashford, the manchester united player and school meals campaigner. he tweeted an image of a parcel said to be three days of food for one family, saying it was just not good enough. he added that children deserve better than this. when marcus rashford raises an issue, ministers take note. the claims can't be verified but they have already prompted the children's minister, vicky ford, to say she will be looking into the issue urgently. the department for education said

parcels should be nutritious and contain a varied range of food. it said there were clear guidelines which it expected to be followed. the night after the prime minister made the announcement, i was at the supermarket getting all our packed lunches for the next two days. now, what i bought for the packed lunches was much better than we get from the company we use, and it was half the price, and we have found that, actually, throughout the whole of lockdown, that what we've been getting from the company has been not the greatest in the world and is, believe it or not, nearly double the price that we'd pay for the hot meals, pre—lockdown. so, yeah, we weren't happy at all. some parents have been happy with the food hampers they've received. but the government will be keen to diffuse this row before incurring the wrath of marcus rashford once again. andy moore, bbc news. our top story this lunchtime... britain's top police officer, dame cressida dick, warns that those who break covid rules are now more

likely to face fines. quite an ice—breaker — he'd only gone out for a jog, how darcy bell ended up in the freezing water rescuing someone's trapped dog. organisers of the tokyo olympics say they will make a decision on whether to admit fans into events in february or march. the games have been delayed and are due to begin at the end ofjuly. the fbi has warned that armed protests are being planned across the united states by supporters of donald trump, ahead ofjoe biden's inauguration as president next week. a huge security operation has been drawn up to prevent any repeat of last week's storming of the capitol building in washington. democrats say a vote to impeach president trump will happen on wednesday — he'll be accused of incitement of insurrection. our north america correspondent peter bowes reports. washington, eight days before joe biden is due to be sworn in as the next president.

unprecedented security around the capitol building, where the national guard is on patrol. from tomorrow, parts of the city will be under lockdown, and president trump has approved a state of emergency lasting until the end of next week. inside the capitol, more political high drama. the democrats don't want to wait to see the back of mr trump. they want him out now. resolution calling on vice—president michael r pence to convene... it's a long shot, but they're hoping the vice—president and a majority of the cabinet will agree to invoke the 25th amendment, declaring mr trump unfit to continue in office. he will be removed immediately. if that doesn't happen, the democrats will move forward with articles of impeachment, accusing the president of incitement of insurrection, that he gravely endangered the security of the united states. around the country, feelings are running high. you know, if one of us was inciting a riot we would get thrown in jail,

so i think that somebody like... you know, just because you're the president doesn't mean you are exempt from the law. and i think he should be held accountable. hurry up and impeach him! but we're only hoping that he will never run for anything ever again. except from the police. yes. so lock him up. while washington debates the president's immediate future, mr trump is planning to head to texas to see part of the border wall that he promised to build. in the meantime, there's more backlash against the storming of the capitol last week. the most famous coach in american football, bill belichick, says he won't accept donald trump's offer of the presidential medal of freedom. for his part, joe biden has been focusing on the coronavirus, receiving his second dose of the vaccine. he was pressed by reporters on whether he was concerned about the open—air inauguration ceremony next week. i'm not afraid of taking the oath outside, and we've been getting briefed. butiam...

i think it's critically important that there be a real, serious focus on holding those folks who engaged in sedition and threatened people's lives, defaced public property, caused great damage, that they be held accountable. the head of the national guard has said up to 15,000 troops could be deployed in washington for mr biden's inauguration, while the fbi has warned that armed protests could take place in the capital cities of every state in the country over the next week. peter bowes, bbc news, los angeles. let's speak to our washington correspondent gary o'donoghue. threats of violence across the united states, and they are being taken seriously? 0h, they are being taken seriously? 0h, they are being taken very seriously indeed and that is why you're seeing the fbi warning of threats not just is why you're seeing the fbi warning of threats notjust here in washington dc but across the 50

states. they‘ re washington dc but across the 50 states. they're going to be deploying up to 15,000 members of the national guard here in washington. there will be checkpoints, there will be snipers on the roofs, they are also concerned about the potential use of drones by protesters. a lot of protests have already applied for permits here, proton protesters, and they are concerned about their intentions as well. —— pro—trump protesters. the bigger concern will be about what happens elsewhere, where there will be fewer resources in the 50 states to take on any potential assaults on their capital buildings in the run—up to the inauguration. days left of the trump presidency, what are the chances of him being ousted before the inauguration? i think they are pretty slim. i think there is a final opportunity, if you like, that c0 ng ress final opportunity, if you like, that congress in the shape of the democrats are asking the vice—president to invoke the 25th amendment, which would allow him and half the cabinet to remove the

president. there seems little appetite for that with the vice—president and other members of the cabinet. but they will give them 2a hours to think about that. but he will be impeached, i think that is a probable outcome now, and that could happen as early as tomorrow evening, simon. the democrats have the vote in the house of representatives, they have the numbers, they need a simple majority. and that would make donald trump the first ever president in the history of this republic to be impeached twice. gary o'donoghue, thank you. the execution of the only woman on federal death row in the united states has been halted a day before it was due to be carried out. lawyers for lisa montgomery, who has been convicted of murder, argued she deserved clemency because of severe mental illness. the irish government is due to publish a public inquiry report into cruelty and neglect at mother—and—baby homes which took in unmarried pregnant women in the last century. the investigation was set up six years ago after evidence emerged of a mass grave at the site

of one institution. it's been reported that the inquiry has estimated 9,000 children died in the homes across the country. chris page reports. the only thing that i can remember is the bed being wet. wetting the bed an awful lot, then marched down to school. we had to go ten minutes late in the morning. you had to leave ten minutes early in the evening. and when it came to playtime, then we were all cornered off in a section of the playground by the nuns so you wouldn't mix with the other kids. locked up — what i called a prison, really. and to think, like, why? just because i was born out of wedlock. pj haverty spent his first seven years in the home which once stood here. ireland in the 1950s was a deeply conservative catholic society. unmarried women who were pregnant were taken into religious institutions and separated

from their children. pj's late mother, eileen, eventually moved to london, where he met her. and i suppose, then, when you look at other people, i was lucky — i got to meet my mother. that was the most brilliant part about it, as well — i got to meet her. and, as i said, i got her side of the story, so i could never blame her. but if i didn't meet her, i would be blaming herfor leaving me in there. there's another reason why pj thinks he's lucky. he was fostered by a loving family near here, after a plan for him to be adopted in america fell through. at the tuam home, nearly 800 children aged up to three died between 1925 and 1961. investigators believe many were buried at the site in some kind of sewage system. when i go down there and stand there, to think that i could be in there, too. only for i was born a healthy baby. and to think that the mothers of today are still looking for them babies, not knowing where they are.

and to think, the possibilities that their baby could be in there in that sewer system. i was amazed, i was shocked that a religious country, that we are supposed to be, would do the likes of that to a helpless little baby. the irish government has committed to having this site excavated, so the children whose remains are beneath this ground can be reburied with some dignity. tuam is the mother and baby home which has generated the most international attention, but there are many other institutions in the republic of ireland with long histories of shame, neglect and unspeakable cruelty. the historian who discovered what happened at tuam says there should be a state apology. these babies were more than likely left to die, but they were neglected. there were some little simple diseases that could have been treated. and let's give an apology to all those people who suffered at the hands of the state, the church and the religious. and p] is hoping the public inquiry report will lay out all the dark truths.

the priest never went after the father — he never went to the father's house and said, like, "you're responsible here — you must look after this child, this is your child." it was always the woman's fault. and that's why i like to get my story out there, and i want this to go into the history books of ireland, what was done to the women in the past. that was chris page reporting. online fitness classes, baking and even ping—pong ball challenges — some of the ways we have been spending time at home during the coronavirus pandemic. jayne mccubbin reports on how some have been perfecting the art of achieving something — a lockdown lifeline. here we are again, and so many of us need to find a thing that will make all of this bearable. some have found that thing in the most unlikely place. kath, we're talking lockdown lifelines. what has saved you?

k—drama. k—drama, for the uninitiated, is korean drama. one of the best things about k—drama is very strong female roles. usually older women who have some power. i'm very, very, very keen on that, as i'm sure most women my age are! what's saved your bacon through lockdown? personal challenge. this is tim. there's not much else to do, so that challenge is the motivator, i guess. start with one pan, end up with two pans. can't remember if it was four or five. ran out of pans. needed a cup, i think. you just got to keep yourself motivated in some way. when the sun has set

on another day of grim news, so many have found solace here. for me, it's got to be looking at the night sky. i love it, i get a sense of peace and tranquility about it, so it's kept me going. tonight, 7.30, go outside, take your phone with you and i'll be tweeting about the things you can see in the sky. one of the many families joining mark to look outside their window up at the night sky has been caroline and hayden. i believe you guys have been doing some stargazing? we have, yes, indeed. it helps me relax. hayden is autistic and has adhd, and he's sometimes been overwhelmed by events. everything's so still and so quiet. and we wrap up really, really well, and we get all cosy and just look up, and it's just wonderful. it's not easy to look at the news and feel

anything other than dread, but be it zombies, challenges, stargazing, christmas decs or dancing, these people have found their thing. and keep the faith — one day this will end. jayne mccubbin, bbc news. now, something else to cheer us up in these dark times. this the moment darcy pell jumped into a frozen lake to rescue a drowning dog. mr bell was outjogging at his nearby park in pontefract when he saw a commotion by the lake and spotted the dog trapped and getting increasingly panicked. he had had to break through ice before managing to grab the animal and guide it to its anxious owner on the shore. unbeknown to darcy, the whole thing was captured on a bystander‘s mobile phone. darcy, who's a cold—water swimmer and used to sub—zero temperatures, says he just kept his cool. i was just out of my saturday run and i saw a dog run onto the ice and fall through. ijust carried on running and i noticed it was in the water

and couldn't get out. kept carrying on running, as i say, looking back all the time noticing this dog and so eventually, i decided to run down to the water's edge to help it out. i lowered myself into the water and obviously broke through the ice to save the dog. i wouldn't recommend anybody obviously doing what i did, luckily, i'm trained in itand i know how my body reacts. i do cold water swimming. obviously, i live in yorkshire. i am a triathlete as well, so this all played a part in that. it is not like something ijust did out of the blue. time for a look at the weather, here's darren bett. thank you, simon. i am going to start with some stunning weather watcher pictures taken last night of the northern lights, taken in scotland, and a shooting star as well. i am veryjealous, i scotland, and a shooting star as well. iam veryjealous, i have never seen the northern lights. in shetland, this picture was taken in between the wintry showers. those showers have been moving down into

the north sea