this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. joe biden warns the us economic crisis is deepening as he introduces his coronavirus economic relief plan. families are going hungry. people are at risk of being evicted. job losses are mounting again. we need to act. new research suggests the new uk variant of the coronavirus may be more deadly than the original virus. there is some evidence that the new variant, the variant that was first identified in london and the south—east, may be associated with a higher degree of mortality. and, the mass graves of manaus keep growing — as brazil's city in the amazon is devastated by covid—19.

hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world, i'm kasia madera. president biden has introduced an economic relief plan worth $2 trillion to provide economic relief to americans reeling from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. the president signed executive orders which will give low—income families easier access to federal food assistance programmes and start the process for requiring federal contractors to pay their workers a minimum wage of $15 per hour. mr biden spoke of the hardship people are facing. i don't believe the people of this country just want to stand by and watch their friends, their neighbours, co—workers, fellow americans go hungry, lose their homes, or lose their sense of dignity and hope and respect.

i don't believe that. especially in the middle of a pandemic that's so weakened and wrecked so much havoc and cause so much pain on america. that's not who we are. the bottom line is this. we're in a national emergency. we need to act like we're in a national emergency. so, we've got to move with everything we've got, and we've got to do it together. i don't believe democrats or republicans are going hungry and losing jobs. i believe americans are going hungry and losing theirjobs. president biden speaking a few hours ago. let's get more. lebo diseko, our washington correspondent, joins me now. this recovery plan, this rescue plan is a twofold plan, talk us through the details that stuck out for you. we had heard him talk about this

american rescue plan before his inauguration, you will remember when he first outlined this $1.9 trillion plan that he wanted to get through but of course we also know that that still has to go through congress and there is no guarantee that he is going to get it through. it is likely to be an uphill battle. democrats just have a tiny majority, a 50-50 democrats just have a tiny majority, a 50—50 split with kamala harris the vice president having the deciding vote. now what he signed today is essentially two executive orders, measures that do not need congressional approval. measures that do not need congressionalapproval. he measures that do not need congressional approval. he has done what he can without the approval of congress. we will see things like the amount of money people get with food stamps increasing. the amount of money for the families of children who would usually get free school meals increasing and as he said, he has started the process for increasing the minimum wage for federal workers. the second

executive order dealt with collective bargaining rights for federal workers. collective bargaining rights for federalworkers. union collective bargaining rights for federal workers. union rights and that sort of thing for federal workers. but those are two things that he did not need congress to do and it's significant that he has made that decision. find and it's significant that he has made that decision.— and it's significant that he has made that decision. and in terms of the other big _ made that decision. and in terms of the other big story _ made that decision. and in terms of the other big story from _ made that decision. and in terms of| the other big story from washington, the other big story from washington, the donald trump impeachment, just talk us through where we are with that particular aspect of this. we that particular aspect of this. - understand that the article of impeachment will be delivered to the senate on monday and that means they should take that up and take up a trial by one p.m. should take that up and take up a trial by one pm. on tuesday. that is if the rules are not changed. i would imagine there could be quite some negotiation this week and between democrats and republicans about those roles and whether indeed they can be changed and the senate can take up the impeachment trial a little bit later. the big concern thatjoe biden has is getting his

senate confirmed. he hasjust thatjoe biden has is getting his senate confirmed. he has just a couple of people confirmed at the moment and he has a lot that he wants to do and it will be more difficult if they have to wait a couple of weeks or so for this child to finish. figs couple of weeks or so for this child to finish. �* , . ., , couple of weeks or so for this child to finish. �* , ., ._, ., , couple of weeks or so for this child to finish. a. , ., , ., ., to finish. as always many thanks for talkin: us to finish. as always many thanks for talking us through _ to finish. as always many thanks for talking us through that. _ the uk prime minister says there is some evidence that the new variant of coronavirus spreading across the uk could be more deadly than the original strain. there was good news on the vaccination programme with a record number — more than 400,000 first doses administered in the past 2a hours. but borisjohnson warned that the infection rate is still high and he said he can't consider lifting restrictions in england until the vaccination programmes are working. with more here's our health editor hugh pym. it's been another frantic week for hospitals like this up with at clacton in essex. more covid beds have been set up to try and meet the surge in patient

numbers while most pull through, some don't. now there's news that a new variant of the virus, which fist spread in the south—east of england, could be more deadly than the first strain. we've been informed today that in addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant, the variant that was first identified in london and the south—east, may be associated with a higher degree of mortality. in the light of the new information, do you expect the daily reported death toll to carry on rising for longer than you'd first thought and then fall more slowly? the death rate's awful and it's going to stay, i'm afraid, high for a little while before it starts coming down. that was always what was predicted from the shape of this, as chris has said and i think the information about the new variant doesn't change that. he said there was still uncertainty about the death rate with the new variant and more research was needed. she's all i had, my dad's - already passed away and me and my mum, were the closest.

eleanor�*s mum sandra died with covid in hospital last week. she was 61 and had an existing health condition. eleanor says her mum took every precaution. mum was doing she needed to do. mum was doing everything she needed to do. - you know, she wasn't i going out unnecessarily, she was always sanitising and wearing her mask. i i was one of them people that - thought it wouldn't touch my family, but here i am, absolutely devastated and without my mum. _ so what's the outlook for new cases? a study by the office for national statistics does random testing and includes people that don't know they have the virus, as well as those with symptoms. the latest survey of community infections by the ons suggest that in england last week1 in 55 had the virus, with case rates having decreased. in wales it was 1 in 70, with rates levelling off. in scotland, 1 in 100, again with case rates having levelled off. in northern ireland, 1 in 60 had the virus, with rates increasing.

the r number range, anything above1 suggests the virus is accelerating, was between 0.8 and 1. lower than the previous estimate. police in north london have reminded people that covid is a deadly this week the government tighten border control to whisk the new variant getting into the new k. crowds at this in heathrow will for the debate on whether further measures are needed. a new government add campaign launched this evening aims to round the message to the public of the extreme pressures on the nhs and the impact of the virus. professor calum semple is a specialist in outbreak medicine at the university of liverpool. he's also a member of the government's scientific advisory group sage but spoke to us earlier in a personal capacity when he explained further what the research is indicating at an early stage.

there we re were when i talk about bodies in the streets or a breakdown in society. but for the people at risk, there is a small but significant rise in risk so the message here now is if you are in a high—risk group and you are called for vaccination, please take on that vaccination, please go and get it and if you are not in the high risk groups to get called you, please pay —— pay particular attention to social distancing, mass, handwashing or ventilating your rooms. brazil has the second highest

coronavirus death toll in the world and the country is struggling with a new variant of the virus and a devastating second wave. manaus in the amazon rainforest is at the epicentre and its hospitals can hardly cope. brazil has started vaccinating people, but any relief from this virus feels a very long way off. katy watson reports. this is not the first time manaus has been brought to its knees. in the cemetery a reminder of the first wave, where digging mass graves was the only way to keep up with the number of people dying. the biggest city in the amazon, people here feel forgotten, again, and the second wave is worse. last week the city's overwhelmed hospitals ran out of oxygen. supplies are still patchy. now people queue at local gas companies in the hope of keeping their loved ones alive. "don't despair," says this company representative. "cylinders are now being delivered across the city."

but elkie is terrified. she's had to leave her mother at home, with no oxygen, to come here. she only has this one cylinder. local volunteers like marcel have stepped in to help bring oxygen to those who need it. he's looking after five people, making daily oxygen runs, but it's taking its toll.

doctors are concerned the new variant found in the amazon region is overwhelming already packed hospitals. normally there are eight beds in here, one a patient to each room, but in the past few days doctors have had to double that. each patient now shares. there are 16 beds and they still find spaces. jaime is the oldest here, at 77. his survival, says his son fabio, is down to luck. the rest of the ward is full of young people. this woman is 23. next to her, a man in his 30s. it's shocked doctors here. here in manaus we have the epicentre here now, but in other parts of brazil this new strain is going to go.

so thank god the vaccination has already started. there's concern though that vaccines aren't getting to those who need them, but as we prepare to leave — some good news. jaime reacts to his family for the first time since he became ill. a rare glimpse of hope in otherwise dark times here. katy watson, bbc news, in manaus. stay with us on news, still to come... as japan insists preparations for the delayed olympics are going ahead, we look at the current experience of organising big, international sporting events during the pandemic. 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 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. the latest headlines. joe biden warns the us

economic crisis is deepening as he introduces his $2 trillion coronavirus economic relief plan. new research suggests the new uk variant of the coronavirus may be more deadly than the original virus. in europe, vaccination efforts are facing all sorts of obstacles. astrazeneca — the maker of the covid vaccine developed by oxford scientists, says initial deliveries to the european union will fall short of the targeted volumes because of a glitch in production. european countries have already been hit by delays in the distribution of the pfizer—biontech jab. the spanish capital, madrid, and its surrounding areas have had to temporarily halt inoculations, after receiving only half of the expected deliveries. let's take a look now at how coronavirus vaccines are being rolled out. many countries are often initially focusing on the most vulnerable people in their populations. however some have administered many more doses than others.

so far israel has administered the highest amount of vaccines relative to their population, of any nation in the world with over 38.8 doses administered per 100 people. the united kingdom has the best rate among larger countries, withjust over 8.6 doses administered per 100 people. —— has the second best rate among other countries. the united states isjust behind, with around 5.3 doses administered per 100 people. and although china which has administed the second highest number of individual vaccines at 15 million, this amounts to just over one dose administered per 100 people. markjit is a professor of vaccine epidemiology at the london school of hygiene and tropical medicine and he explained why some countries are doing better than others.

there are many reasons why countries have been able to distribute fewer or more doses of vaccine. but i think the biggest reason is supply. some countries have made very large orders for vaccines and in some countries have not or some countries have made orders but they have had problems and supplies. we heard that the pfizer vaccine has been harder to get as much suppliers originally projected. 50 to get as much suppliers originally ro'ected. _, , ., to get as much suppliers originally ro'ected. u, , ., .,, projected. so when it comes to those countries that — projected. so when it comes to those countries that perhaps _ projected. so when it comes to those countries that perhaps have - projected. so when it comes to those countries that perhaps have as - projected. so when it comes to those countries that perhaps have as you i countries that perhaps have as you say but one particular vaccine and the pfizer which has rolled back on its distribution slightly, is that it, are they walked into that or is there a possibility that they can go to the oxford/astrazeneca team and buy up that or has that been bought up buy up that or has that been bought up and all been accounted for now? i think at the moment, countries are getting as many vaccines as they can. i am not really looking to...

it is difficult to order doses of vaccines now. it is possible but i doubt countries will get it anytime soon because there are so many countries that have already preordered watson's doses of vaccine are ready these bilateral countries in the manufacturers going directly, the who has also organised a global initiative to order vaccines called covax which most countries in the world are part of which will make vaccines equitable to most places in the world. the vaccines equitable to most places in the world. . ., , ., ., the world. the countries that are doinu the world. the countries that are doing well _ the world. the countries that are doing well our— the world. the countries that are doing well our rich _ the world. the countries that are doing well our rich nations. - the world. the countries that are doing well our rich nations. so i doing well our rich nations. so those economically struggling nations, how do they ensure that their citizens are safe? the problem is is the countries _ their citizens are safe? the problem is is the countries that _ their citizens are safe? the problem is is the countries that did _ their citizens are safe? the problem is is the countries that did not - is is the countries that did not have the resources to make these preorders which were done even before we knew that they were successful, countries that could

afford it still preordered them because they... some countries could not afford to but this is why the covax initiative has been so important. that is the who alliance saying that what's come together as the world community and order doses on behalf of as many countries as possible so that every country will be guaranteed a certain supply and countries will pay for it according to their ability to pay and how rich they are. to their ability to pay and how rich the are. ., ,,., to their ability to pay and how rich the are. ., , ~ to their ability to pay and how rich the are. ., , they are. professor markjit exoiaining _ they are. professor markjit explaining the _ they are. professor markjit explaining the global - they are. professor markjit l explaining the global roll-out they are. professor markjit - explaining the global roll-out of explaining the global roll—out of the vaccine. governments around the world are counting on the vaccination programme to get us out of lockdown. but there's one vital question that scientists can't yet answer. will people who've had the jab still be able to pass the virus on? our science editor david shukman looks at the current evidence surrounding transmission. rolling out the vaccines at a gathering pace marks the first big turning point in the pandemic. each one creating more protection against the disease. but there is something crucial

that we don't yet understand — if you've been vaccinated, can you still get infected? you'd be safe if that happened, but could you spread the virus to others? we don't know for sure at this moment in time whether an individual is infected after receiving the vaccine they can transmit that to others. so the best thing to do is to presume that it's possible. so if someone is pinged because they have been in contact with somebody who has infection, then they should self—isolate in the same way that they would have to they had not had the vaccine. we do know from the trials that the injections work remarkably well. they boost the production of antibodies that flow through the blood stream to provide a key form of defence. so if the coronavirus gets in, the antibodies should block from it entering any of our cells. in addition to that, what are called t—cells should

provide another layer of protection. but there's no guarantee that any of this will stop an infection in the upper airway, with the virus taking hold and you releasing it. there's nothing confirmed about these risks after vaccination, but it is plausible you could still get an infection without symptoms. that's when you don't feel ill, but still could be a carrier. in that case you will probably have lower levels of the virus inside you than if you hadn't had the vaccine and a shorter in infectious period when you're infectious to others. even so, it is still conceivable you could spread the virus in your household, for example, to people you're close to and spend most time. the vaccines coming off the production lines were tested for how they keep people from getting ill, not whether they'll still be infectious, so the advice is to remain careful, even though there is a good chance of a positive effect. the most likely scenario is going to be that the vaccine will reduce how much virus

is in a person even if they get infected and make it less likely the person would pass the virus on to anybody else. and this may be relevant to the lockdown and when we get out of it. scientists who are trying to predict the spread of virus say it's vital to know if vaccination slows that down. if it has a significant - impact on transmission, then we will be able to relax - measures faster than if it doesn't. i'm hopeful that we will be able to see some relaxation, - at least getting out of lockdown, in the march time frame, - but it will be very much a gradual- process from then through to the end of the year. so how the vaccine programme goes is crucial in so many ways. first, for saving lives, but also for helping to shape the future course of the pandemic. david shukman, bbc news. japan's government has been forced to reaffirm it's commitment to hold

the delayed summer olympics and paralympics following reports that the entire event could be cancelled following last years announcement of a 12—month delay. neil adams is a former world champion injudo — he gave me his thoughts on the possibility that the olympics may not go ahead. i think it would be tragic if we don't get there. and i think it will be tragic for every athlete that has been training forfour years. some only get one crack at the olympics, and it will be a tragedy. but, safety first. i mean, it's got to be lives saved if that's the way we have to go. but there are different methods of keeping safe competition and the internationaljudo federation have proved that. we've put on two really successful events and mr marius vizer, the president of internationaljudo federation, has done a greatjob with it as have all of the staff

and the competitors and coaches that have been taking part as well. well, let's talk about how you do make judo covid—safe because ultimately, it's a contact sport. it is a contact sport, and combat and contact. it's actual contact. which means we've all had to be in bubbles and they are very, very specific bubbles in as that we are tested to times before prior to getting on that aeroplane, tested when we get off the aeroplane in the hotel or in the actual airport itself, and kept in quarantine until we get a negative run on that. —— tested two times before. and then of course, this goes for all the athletes, all of the staff, everybody that's going to be in that stadium. and the stadium itself is just a bubble of people that have been, you know, have had negative tests and we are not allowed to leave

the bubble from the second we get back on the aeroplane and get back into this country. and we have to be tested as well on the way back in. so, it's really, really strictly done, well done, and unfortunately, we've got no people watching at the events. so, it's audience free and it's behind closed doors, but at least they're able to continue their olympic dream and qualification can still go on. let's bring you some breaking news now from washington because injust from washington because in just the last few minutes we have had an update on donald trump's impeachment trial. the senate majority leader chuck schumer has said he wasn't speaking on the floor of the us senate that the impeachment trial of the former president will begin on february the 8th. the articles of impeachment against mr trump will be delivered to the senate on monday

but the start of the trial february the 8th. we will keep that monitored for you. thanks for watching. we are staying in the cold air mass see widespread frost and i. there is a snow in the forecast on sunday across southern britain and this could lead to some disruption. more on that injust could lead to some disruption. more on that in just a moment. first saturday we have low pressure to the north, that brings northwesterly wind and two feet in a lot of wintry showers. breezy across the north—west and less further south. this goes across the north—west, mist and fog clearing from the south and will continue with showers in the west of scotland, running through cheshire into the commitments and parts of east anglia

where there will be cloud. it will stay brighter with sunshine and the north—east and south—west but it will be cold wherever you are. temperatures 2—5 celsius. showers continue through saturday evening and central areas, further showers for north and west of scotland and then we turn our attention to this feature running into wales and the south west of england during the early part of sunday to bring rain sleet and snow. another cold night for saturday night, subzero values and a risk of ice to watch out for. sunday, we look at this feature running into the south west, this weather front which will bring rain initially and then some snow to wales, south—west england, perhaps across parts of the vitamins, southern and southeastern england will move through the day. now is still some uncertainty but it looks like at this stage we could be looking at accumulations of snow to parts of central and southern england, 1—5 cm in places likely to cause disruption. further north it will be brighter with wintry showers

but another billy cold day where we have the way to snow across the south. into next week, it starts cold monday but then through the week, the milder air starts to spread up from the south west. it will be turning a lot milder across the board but with that mild moisture laden air, we will see what the systems moving in. this is bad news after all the rain we have seen across the north and west of the country. this could cause some issues. monday starts cold, further wintry showers and turns more unsettled, weather and mother and windier as we move through the week. the risk of local flooding windier as we move through the week. the risk of localflooding in places.

hello and welcome to our look ahead to what the the papers will be

bringing us tomorrow. president biden has introduced a two trillion dollars relief plan for americans reeling from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. mr biden said the government needed to act "decisively and boldly" to help americans who are "barely hanging on." the top democrat in the senate says the impeachment trial against donald trump will start on february eighth. mr trump is accused of incitement of insurrection after the capitol was stormed by his supporters. there's evidence the new coronavirus variant that originated in the uk has a higher mortality rate than the original european strain. the new variant is more transmissible — but leading british scientistists believe it will still respond to the vaccine. the european commission presses pharmaceutical giant pfizer, over delays that have led to vaccine shortages in italy, spain and germany. the company blames scaling up of production for the shortfall.