this is bbc news. i'm mike embley with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. joe biden and kamala harris lead a ceremony to honour the 400,000 americans who've died from covid—19. to heal, we must remember, and it's hard sometimes to remember. president trump releases a farewell video on his last day in office and wishes luck to his successor without naming him. we did what we came here to do, and so much more. in other news: another 1,610 people have died from covid in the uk — the highest daily figure since the start of the pandemic.

welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. hello: 0n the eve of his inauguration president—electjoe biden along with vice—president elect kamala harris have attended a covid memorial service in washington, in tribute to the 400,000 americans who've lost their lives to coronavirus. national landmarks were lit up in tribute. mr biden — who will spend the night at the presidential guest house blair house — paid tribute to medical workers and spoke of the importance of healing as a nation. to heal, we must remember, and it's hard sometimes to remember, but that's how we heal.

it's important to do that as a nation. that's why we're here today. between sundown and dusk, let us shine the lights in the darkness along the sacred pool of reflection and remember all whom we lost. 0ur correspondent larry madowo is in washington with more. the highlight of the day was that memorial service thatjoe biden and kamala harris attended at that reflecting pool which provided this really beautiful ceremony but also iconic imagery. that happened just about an hour after america recorded 400,000 deaths from the coronavirus. it's a crisis that president donal trump has downplayed, even though he's taken credit

for the fast roll—out of the vaccine. two vaccines now approved for emergency use in the us, the moderna vaccine and the pfizer—biontech vaccine, president donald trump spending his last full day as president at the white house, just two or three blocks from where i am standing, across the street is blair house where president—electjoe biden and his wife, doctorjill biden are spending the night. typically they are usually invited their by the outgoing president but in this case, that did not happen. we invited them, the state department and tomorrow they start the day in church but the last four years have been those of chaos, the stark contrast of leadership, but it's all over now. he will be at mar—a—lago where he will

spend the next four years trying to rebuild his political year. from the trump era. where once a sea of faces would greet the incoming president as he stood on the capitol steps, tomorrow it will be flags — thousands and thousands of stars and stripes. this is partly about covid, but even more so now about security. the entire national mall, which stretches for 2 miles, has been closed off. washington, dc has been transformed into a fortress, with 25,000 national guardsmen drafted in. razor wire and fencing everywhere. now, nearly two weeks on from the storming of congress by a mob incited by donald trump. we fight like hell. and if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country any more. the shock in america over that attempt to overthrow a fair and free election seems to deepen with each passing day, not dissipate, and washington has

become a city on edge. the last time the president was seen in public was a week ago when he went to the border wall, something he'd point to as one of his achievements from the four years in office. but it will be his behaviour since the election that will be his lasting legacy. the most audacious and unexpected foreign policy move came when donald trump flew to singapore to meet his north korean counterpart, kim jong—un. the meeting diffused tensions but has done nothing to slow north korea's nuclear programme. here, donald trump's election plans were upended by the covid outbreak and the damage it did to the us economy. coronavirus didn't cost him the election, but his erratic handling of it and occasionally bizarre statements didn't help him. and then i see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute, one minute, and is there a way we can do something like that...by injection? and just a little later, america was convulsed by the death of george floyd at the hands of a white policeman.

amid the protests and rioting, donald trump saw an opportunity to present himself as the tough president of law and order. tonight, he's issued a farewell video. this week, we inaugurate a new administration and pray for its success in keeping america safe and prosperous. but there's still no concession that he lost, and now impeached twice, it will be what's happened in america since the presidential election that donald trump will likely be remembered for. he still faces a tricky senate trial, with the influential republican leader — once a firm supporter — piling in. the mob was fed lies. they were provoked by the president and other powerful people. but from tomorrow, the focus will be onjoe biden — today leaving wilmington, delaware for the last time before he's sworn in. well, excuse the emotion... but when i die, delaware will be

written on my heart. there will be a flurry of announcements and actions in his first days in office. but perhaps the overriding goal will be to lower the political temperature and bring a fractured nation together. it'll be a herculean task. jon sopel, bbc news, washington. the actual inauguration usually has around 200,000 americans attending but only about 1000 because of the coronavirus crisis and the fears and security scare after the storming of the capital last wednesday so it will be a very different event. it is a made—for—television inauguration unlike any we have ever seen and the thing, this big highlight for tomorrow is a 90—minute prime—time special to celebrate this inauguration will be the first of its kind amid this tight security but also in the middle of the pandemic so i think sean spicer, who was

president trump's press secretary, would agree it is the smallest crowd to ever watch an inauguration, period. in his last hours in office, mr trump is expected to grant presidential pardons to around 100 people, featuring many of his allies and loyalists. although much of trump's term in office has been mired in controversy, last—ditch pardons are not rare in the final days of a presidency. we can now speak to margaret love, who served as us pardon attorney from 1990 to 1997 and now represents applicants for presidential pardon. good to talk to you. i think the idea that people have who have —— people who have those two representatives might be new to many people itself. it’s new to many people itself. it's certainly a _ new to many people itself. it's certainly a new— new to many people itself. it�*s certainly a new way of approaching pardons in our system. 0rdinarily people apply through the justice system. 0rdinarily people apply through thejustice department and get recommendations sent to the white house from justice but this president has wanted

to do pardoning of his own and he set up his own process in the white house which is unfortunately made it rather complicated and rife with influence peddling and special pleading and very high fees as well, reportedly.— pleading and very high fees as well, reportedly. what are you heafina well, reportedly. what are you hearing about _ well, reportedly. what are you hearing about the _ well, reportedly. what are you hearing about the process - well, reportedly. what are you hearing about the process this | hearing about the process this time and what you expect in? what names are you perhaps expecting? well, we've been expecting? well, we've been expecting something all day news been dribbling out about a lot of argument going on in the white house about whether the president can pardon himself or issue pre—emptive pardons to members of his family and i think that's what has delayed things. i was anticipating a rather mixed bag of cases. they would be the celebrities of course, and we've seen already a couple of them, but they will also be some ordinary cases, and i don't know whether they

would be pulled from the batches recommended, it remains to be seen. the ones he did just before christmas, only to of 49 cases came from justice which means basically ordinary people are, for the first time, not even really being considered.— not even really being considered. , . ., considered. there is particular controversy — considered. there is particular controversy when _ considered. there is particular controversy when a _ considered. there is particular controversy when a president | considered. there is particular. controversy when a president is seen to pardon someone who's done a favourable protected them. it would be huge controversy of the president rings in a pre—emptive pardon for himself or his family and it's kind of an admission of guilt. it it's kind of an admission of auilt. ., , , guilt. it would be very irregular. _ guilt. it would be very irregular, it's - guilt. it would be very - irregular, it's never been done and, for the most part, pardons have been pretty regular in our federal system. have been pretty regular in our federalsystem. it's have been pretty regular in our federal system. it's been largely because of the role of the justice department. largely because of the role of thejustice department. but now, that role has been cast aside and at least i think

we're going to a very interesting conversation once president trump leaves office about how we should handle pardons going forward. my own feeling is that we have given pardon too much of a role in doing routine business of the justice system and we need to look to law reform and to restructuring the advisory process. it's a very important time, i think. process. it's a very important time, ithink.— time, ithink. margaret love, very interesting _ time, ithink. margaret love, very interesting to _ time, ithink. margaret love, very interesting to talk - time, ithink. margaret love, very interesting to talk to - very interesting to talk to you, thank you. the uk has recorded the highest number of covid deaths in a 24—hour period since the pandemic struck last year at more than 1,600. experts say it's likely that the coming weeks will see figures even higher than this. many hospitals say they're now overwhelmed, with some staff almost on their knees after many months of treating desperately ill patients. that's certainly the distressing reality of life at the royal london hospital — and in the second of his special reports — clive myrie discovers the heavy price being paid by both staff and patients. the birth of a new day

brings a familiar demon — more covid infections and more death. and it's others who must stare into the abyss to spare our eyes. like hannah, a senior mortician at the royal london hospital, part of a small team of just five that's handled hundreds of bodies in this pandemic. how do you ever prepare for people just dying and dying and dying? although it's ourjob and we deal with dead people every day, this level, i think, has taken its toll. does it feel like a conveyor belt? it does, it does, in a way, yes. i hate to say that, because i hate to think of it like that, but yeah,

yeah, it is, almost, yeah. that's what the pandemic�*s done, i mean... yeah. it's no—one's fault. no. sorry. i've done this for years, you know, i'mjust, when someone says to you, "how does it make you feel?" and you say how it makes you feel, yeah, this is how it makes me feel. 12 out of 15 floors, more than 400 patients, and there are not enough staff. it's madness. and curiously, despite all the drugs and fancy equipment, the simple technique of periodically turning over a covid patient — or proning, can help force oxygen into scarred lungs. but the manpower needed is immense. turning and turning and turning again. day after day.

frightening, one word that defines covid's second wave for the nhs. heartbreaking is another. as marie healy checks on a 28—year—old man with no underlying conditions, but who has been on a ventilator for more than three weeks. obviously very distressing and this is a very serious complication at this stage. he also has other family members in critical care as we speak. time to call his wife. now, i know that he is quite sick. he could die from this, by the way. i'm sorry to have to say that. i know, love. i know. don't worry.

we're doing everything we can for him. it's very difficult because this poorfamily have been through a huge amount. and they're actually so nice. that makes it more difficult. the inner turbulence revealed. the rain mirrors shamima's recent tears for her family. she took marie's call, as her husband fights for his life. his condition remains serious, on life support. clive myrie, bbc news. there's more of those special reports from clive and his team throughout the rest of the week.

we will of course be covering the inauguration ceremony live and in full here on bbc news. there's a special programme from washington presented by katty kay from 1400 gmt here on bbc news. donald trump is now the 45th president of the united states. he was sworn in before several hundred thousand people on the steps of capitol hill in washington. it's going to be only america first. america first. demonstrators waiting for mike gatting and his rebel cricket team were attacked with tear gas and set upon by police dogs. anti—apartheid campaigners say they will carry on the protests throughout the tour. they called him - the butcher of lyon. klaus altman is being held. on a fraud charge in bolivia. the west germans want i to extradite him for crimes committed in wartime france. there, he was the gestapo

chief klaus barbie. - millions came to bathe as close as possible to this spot, a tide of humanity that's believed by officials to have broken all records. this is bbc news, our main headline this hour: joe biden and kamala harris lead a ceremony to honour the 400,000 americans who've have died from covid—19. the outgoing secretary of state, mike pompeo, has accused china of committing genocide and crimes against humanity in its far western region of xinjiang. in what's likely to be one of his last acts, mr pompeo said an investigation had concluded that beijing had been systematically trying to destroy the uighurs

and other minorities there since march 2017. the man who will replace mr pompeo, anthony blinken, told his confirmation hearing that he agreed with mr pompeo. nury turkel is a uyghur—american lawyer and human rights advocate. in 2020, he was appointed as a commissioner to the us commission on international religious freedom. very good to talk to you. how significant would you say that statement is from mr pompeo and agreement from his successor? this is a huge development, and also this shouldn't surprise those who have been following the development here in washington, dc. it shows the seriousness of the us government. we have been looking into the evidence, we have been looking into the open source information put out by the chinese government. we also

have a credible witness and survivor testimonies. the evidence is overwhelming that the chinese government is committing genocide, crimes against humanity in daylight. we have been, as a government entity, been asking the us government through the facts and legal tools to evaluate this, at least as early as may of 2020, but it requires some time, quite some investigation, deliberation to come to this conclusion today. when somebody commits a crime, they should know that the crimes always have a label, is the case for the atrocities being committed against the uighur people in china by the communist party. genocide is a very big word of course and carries all kinds of legal consequences. it still might not mean very much unless the rest of the world powers in

on this including the united nations, and of course china and significantly russia have a lot of power in that body. what chance you think of real change when china is such a power in the world with yellow some time, a symbolic decision can be as important as the substantive decision. this is not a legal decision, this is a method, this is a way in which the united states government sends a message, a powerful message to those in ageing, formulating quietly, engaging in these genocidal policies to eradicate and step up the crowd —— stamp out this proud ethnic minority called uighurs and other muslims.— minority called uighurs and other muslims. ., , other muslims. there have been unprecedented _ other muslims. there have been unprecedented steps _ other muslims. there have been unprecedented steps to - other muslims. there have been unprecedented steps to address| unprecedented steps to address the atrocities for nearly three years now, but the international community has

been quiet, for the most part. this particular decision will put our international partners on notice that they too have a responsibility to join the effort to shut down these concentration camps, stop china's attempt to pollute the global economic system, dismantle the industrial prison system, and also let these kids, we're talking about a half million uighur kids to return to their families, and this also put the united nations on notice. forgive me for interrupting _ nations on notice. forgive me for interrupting you, - nations on notice. forgive me for interrupting you, we - nations on notice. forgive me for interrupting you, we will. for interrupting you, we will certainly be back to the story, it is very important. very good to talk to you, thank you very much indeed. italian police have recovered a valuable 500—year—old painting after finding the artwork hidden in a bedroom cupboard in naples. the painting is a copy of leonardo da vinci's salvator mundi, the world's most expensive painting ever sold

at auction — the police, acting on a tip—off, charged the owner of the flat with receiving stolen goods before returning the picture to the church from where it was taken. the copy is thought to have been painted by one of da vinci's students giacomo alibrandi and dates back to the 1500s. well, to explain more we can now speak to anthony amore who's an art theft investigator and author and presently the director of security at the isabella stewart gardner museum in boston. thank you for your time at. we are slightly pressed for time and i am sorry about that because obviously it is very interesting, what do you make of that? i interesting, what do you make of that? ~ , ., , of that? i think is really interesting _ of that? i think is really interesting that - of that? i think is really interesting that the - of that? i think is really - interesting that the owners of the alibrandi painting weren't aware that was missing for three months, my first instinct is that maybe somebody on the inside may have lifted up from the church museum. interesting too that it _ the church museum. interesting too that it is _ the church museum. interesting too that it is possibly _ the church museum. interesting too that it is possibly a - the church museum. interesting too that it is possibly a copy - too that it is possibly a copy or done by a student, there have been quite a few instances, haven't there, where works by students or apprentices in the studio of a master have become almost as

important?— important? that is true. in fact, important? that is true. in fact. one _ important? that is true. in fact, one that _ important? that is true. in fact, one that was - important? that is true. in fact, one that was stolen l important? that is true. in - fact, one that was stolen from the museum that my work for was originally attributed to rembrandt and it wasn't until the 1980s that rembrandt and it wasn't until the 19805 that it rembrandt and it wasn't until the 1980s that it was found to, it had been executed by his student, however it did not lose any value because the painting is so remarkable. find painting is so remarkable. and if a copy or _ painting is so remarkable. and if a copy or a _ painting is so remarkable. and if a copy or a work _ painting is so remarkable. and if a copy or a work by a student goes on to be sold, presumably it doesn't make anything like the same amount it may be expected to if it was the original? in it may be expected to if it was the original?— the original? in no case is more true _ the original? in no case is more true than _ the original? in no case is more true than this - the original? in no case is more true than this one, | the original? in no case is - more true than this one, there is no case where this copy would get i don't think 10% of what the one attributed to leonardo took in at auction. and presumably any of these works are pretty difficult to sell. we hear a lot about, in the papers, you quite often hear of a work being stolen to audit, does that really happen? not really. when you talk about stolen to order it is probably the leader of a small gang of crooks, saying we can get this

painting and this particular institutional facility, painting and this particular institutionalfacility, it is not like in the movies with some evil billionaire ordered some evil billionaire ordered some things to go and steal a priceless of art for him. find priceless of art for him. and 'ust priceless of art for him. and just briefly _ priceless of art for him. and just briefly if _ priceless of art for him. and just briefly if you _ priceless of art for him. and just briefly if you don't - priceless of art for him. finc just briefly if you don't mind, this is particularly common in italy? this is particularly common in ital ? , . ., italy? there is so much great art in italy. — italy? there is so much great art in italy, whether - italy? there is so much great art in italy, whether you - italy? there is so much great art in italy, whether you are l art in italy, whether you are talking about old abandoned churches and the massive amount of museums and masterpieces in a relatively small country, you could see why there's so much that gets stolen, it is just impossible to protect it all. very interesting to talk to you, thank you so much. the makers of the new amazon prime show agreed to make changes to the series, as there has been an outcry over the depiction of hindu deities. the show that began streaming on friday true burning of effigies of the show�*s director. some

governing parties have called for the show to be bad. cast and crew have already apologised. a reminder of our top story. 0n the eve of his inauguration president—electjoe biden along with vice president—elect kamala harris have attended a covid memorial service in washington, in tribute to the 400,000 amercans who've lost their lives to coronavirus. national landmarks were lit up in tribute. it is almost as many americans as lost their lives in world war ii. there is much more for you on the national and international news any time on the bbc website. also on our twitter feeds. and you can get in touch with me and most of the team on twitter — i'm @bbcmikeembley. that it for now. thanks so much

watching. hello there. storm christoph will bring disruptive weather over the next 48 hours. the rain's been falling through the day on tuesday, already mounting up to over an inch in places, and there's a lot more rain yet to come. and as it bumps into the cold air in the north, potential for snow as well. let's focus on the rain because in some parts of england and wales, we could have around 150—200 mm of rain falling over the hills onto ground that's already saturated. river levels are already high. so, this amber warning from the met office highlights those areas particularly saturated at the moment with the high river levels plus the snowmelt to take account of as that also runs into the river systems but it's no means exclusively these areas. as i mentioned, it's wet right the way up into northern ireland and southern scotland

with the added potential of several centimetres of snow falling on some parts of the southern uplands, possibly even the central lowlands through the night, and ice, too. furthersouth, it's milder, it's windier, and that south—westerly wind, that moist south—westerly wind, keeps pumping that rain up onto the hills and mountains of england and wales through the day but there'll be some heavier rain elsewhere as well. so, a fairly grey, wet, windy sort of day and with some risk of snow as well as further rain across some northern areas. so, quite a contrast in our temperature and that really comes into play later in the day on wednesday because as that colder air starts to dig southwards as that low pressure, storm christoph, starts to move out into the north sea and the cold air digs in, it will turn the rain progressively to snow. even at lower levels, potentially 5—10 cm through wednesday night and into thursday. certainly more over the hills. notjust scotland but, exclusively, we could see some across the hills of northern england, too. and the winds by that stage — as the low pressure, storm christoph, moves out into the north sea — get towards gale or even

severe gale force winds. so blowing that snow around, blizzard conditions but at least they're blowing that rain away by that stage. however, by that stage, we will have seen significant amounts of rainfall, as i say, and the flood risk really is going to escalate in the next 12—24 hours. then the cold air digs in and things slowly start to quieten down but between now and then, we've got that heightened flood risk across england and wales with persistent rain and several hundred millimetres in places, and then that snow risk — heavy snow with drifting and blizzards in the north. the weather warnings and the flood warnings all on the website.

the sharp this is bbc news, the headlines: 0n the eve of his inauguration, us president—electjoe biden has led a powerful tribute to the 400,000—plus americans lost to the coronavirus, as he arrived in washington. with vice president elect kamala harris also attending the memorial, mr biden said the united states must heal as a nation. president trump has released a farewell video on his last day in office — and wished luck to his successorjoe biden. however, he did not name the president elect. mr trump also said he was proud of what has been achieved over the past four years. the top senate republican leader, mitch mcconnell, has directly blamed donald trump for the riot at the us capitol two weeks ago. mr mcconnell said the mob was "fed lies" and "provoked by the president". mr mcconnell�*s remarks could have serious implications for mr trump when he faces his impeachment trial. now it's time for a look back

at the day in parliament.