this is bbc news with the latest headlines. plans for a £5 billion grant scheme in england to support high street businesses hard hit by covid—19, as the chancellor says he'll continue to protect people through the pandemic. twice—weekly rapid tests for coronavirus to be offered to families in england when children return to school. police in myanmar are reported to have shot dead nine people who were protesting against the military coup there. the coronation street actorjohnny briggs, who played mike baldwin in the itv soap, has died at the age of 85. and the duke and duchess of cambridge have taken part

in a video call to encourage people to take the covid—19 vaccination. hello, and welcome. the chancellor rishi sunak says he's committed to supporting businesses and helping those on the lowest incomes, saying the public should feel assured ahead of wednesday's budget. labour has urged the government to keep the furlough scheme for as long as health restrictions remain in place. there are plans for a five billion pound grant scheme, to help pubs, restaurants, shops, and other businesses in england to re—open safely. our business correspondent, katie prescott, reports. the first signs of spring and with them hope of new beginnings for businesses as lockdown eases

but it has not been an easy ride. despite government support, salons like this one still have rents and overheads. we can't do takeaway haircuts, we can't go into people's homes. there is no way a hair salon or beauty salon can pivot or make any income during these lockdowns so when we are shut, we are losing money every day. to help reopen their doors, the government is offering new one—off grants to businesses that have been forced to close by covid, replacing the current monthly grant scheme. non—essential retailers will receive up to £6,000 for each shop they own. hospitality, gyms and beauty businesses will get up to £18,000 per premises as they're due to open with more restrictions or later in the year. 0verall, 700,000 businesses will be eligible and they will be

distributed by local authorities in england from april. some businesses say it is not enough. although the £18,000 is fantastic, it is certainly something and it will help a lot of people, it is not going to help me very much. the larger salons, many of us are losing over £1,000 a day. that will not cover half of a month we are closing down. these little crumbs of acknowledgement and grants that come out really probably less than cover the cost of shutting for one month. that might be some help for some businesses but the truth is the damage done to balance sheets is very severe and we'll need a much more substantial package than this. in that package, businesses are hoping for an extension to the business rates holiday, the furlough scheme and the lower rate of vat. but the chancellor is

treading a difficult path. between spending to support companies like this and what borrowing to pay for it means for the future of the country's finances. katie prescott, bbc news. well, this morning the chancellor said that he's preparing a budget that, quote, provides support for people through the remaining stages of this crisis. 0ur political correspondentjonathan blake was listening to rishi sunak. well, ahead of the budget on wednesday we have been trying to read the signals sent by the chancellor and the treasury, not giving away too much detail about exactly what's going to be in there but i think from what he's had to say so far it is pretty clear that in the short—term, the support packages put in place like the furlough scheme to keep people in theirjobs, the increase in universal credit payments, things like the grants and loans that we have heard about in the report there will stay. the chancellor has said there is more support to come and that people should be reassured.

but, as you point out, all that of course is incredibly expensive and the government has borrowed huge sums of money in the last year to pay for its response to the pandemic. and the chancellor has also been very clear that that has left the country's finances, as he put it, exposed to potentially rising levels of interest rates, which could mean that that debt becomes unsustainable. well, you're right about the sensitivity of our debt now to interest rates. we have borrowed a lot, so of course we are that much more sensitive to changes in those rates. they have been very low, but of course they can change. in the same way that a household will think about their own mortgage, we have to think about those things as well. but it's also important to worry about these things for a couple of other reasons. if i think about how i've been able to respond in this crisis, i think generously and comprehensively, i was only able to do that because we came into it with strong public finances and a strong economy. i want to make sure that when the next crisis comes along, the person sitting in this chair can

do what i've done, and we owe it to them to do that. but also want to deliver on the promises we made on strong public services. so, in the round, i think strong public finances are important and that's why i want to level with people about the challenges and address them. addressing the challenges is perhaps the hardest of the challenges facing rishi sunak himself. because to start to address the balance and reduce the debt in the longer term, he needs to raise money and he can do that, if he doesn't want to borrow any more, through raising taxes, something conservative mps are keen for him not to do at this point, many of them at least. a couple of the possible measures which have been mooted is a potential rise in corporation tax, which companies pay on their profits. and also freezing the threshold rates for income tax, so not actually the rate of income tax itself but the amount of money at which people have to earn before they start paying a certain level of income tax and that will raise a lot of money for the treasury.

but all of that dismissed as speculation at this point. so we will have to wait to see what the chancellor says on wednesday. but they are very sensitive moves. now, he has, it has been reported in some quarters, said to mps that he would rather raise taxes in the short term now and then be able to, closer to the election in 2024, be able to cut them again. but that was something which the chancellor denied, having said this morning on the andrew marr programme that he didn't recognise that. but nevertheless, labour are accusing the government of short—term thinking and that was the point stressed by the shadow chancellor anneliese dodds this morning. well, it certainly shouldn't be right now in terms of immediate tax rises and yet that's of course what we're seeing with council tax rises that the government is forcing onto local authorities, up to 5% for struggling families. that is not the approach that is being taken by other countries. you know, we are an outlier both in having had the worst economic crisis of any major economy but now also in having a government that seems to be focused on increasing

tax right now on families, when other countries are focused on securing the recovery. so ahead of the budget on wednesday, what is clear at this point, i think, is that the chancellor wants to ram home that message that he is concerned about the levels of borrowing the government has had to take on and he does want to take steps towards reducing the debt or making it more manageable. but the unanswered question is how soon he plans to do that and exactly what measures he plans to use to address that challenge. jonathan blake there, our political correspondent. twice—weekly rapid coronavirus tests are to be made available to families in england when children return to school. adults working with children, such as bus drivers and after—school club leaders, will also be offered them. it's hoped the programme will reduce the chances of cases increasing when pupils return to classrooms on march 8th.

0ur health correspondent, naomi grimley, reports. if you live with a school—age child in england, get ready to start using these — the 30—minute tests also called lateral flow tests are already used in universities and by key workers. and secondary schools will be supplied with them as they open their doors again. but this latest announcement means all children and anyone who lives with them, as well as people like school bus drivers and carers, will be offered two tests per person each week. health officials hope it will uncover hidden cases of the virus and break the chains of transmission. testing has expanded greatly over the last few months and it is one important component of our battle against coronavirus. if anyone tests positive, they will still need a laboratory—assessed test to double—check the result. naomi grimley, bbc news.

with me now is our health correspondent, jim reed. jim, the back in england on monday week and this testing programme to try to avert a rising number of cases. . �* , , ., cases. that's right. these are the -e of cases. that's right. these are the type of test _ cases. that's right. these are the type of test we — cases. that's right. these are the type of test we are _ cases. that's right. these are the type of test we are talking - cases. that's right. these are the type of test we are talking about | type of test we are talking about here, the lateral flow tests. you take a swab from your nose, not your throat, and then you drop it yourself into one of these plastic devices like this. it takes about 30 minutes or so normally to give you a result back whether you are positive or negative. now they can never be as accurate as a full on laboratory test. they do however work well at detecting high levels of the virus. they are going to tell you whether you are very infectious. now, as you heard in miami's report, these are already been offered to secondary school pupils and college pupils from much of the eight so a week monday. the difference here is the government is extending this to all families of school—age children. so

that would include families of primary schoolchildren but not those primary schoolchildren but not those primary schoolchildren but not those primary school children themselves, they will not be tested. so we're talking parents, carers, anyone in the support bubble of someone who is at school in england. there are three ways were going to go get hold of these, one is through standard workplace testing, see were effectively keep going the way you are if you're getting one of these tests at work. secondly, through a community testing centre and thirdly from tomorrow they are opening up these online portals, c should be able to go on, order some of these tests and go and pick them up from either a driving or testing centre in england. we asked the department of health and you should be able to get about a month's worth of supply in one go. get about a month's worth of supply in one no. 3 get about a month's worth of supply in one no. �*, ., ~ ., in one go. let's talk about vaccinations. _ in one go. let's talk about vaccinations. the - in one go. let's talk about vaccinations. the uk - in one go. let's talk about vaccinations. the uk is . in one go. let's talk about i vaccinations. the uk is likely in one go. let's talk about - vaccinations. the uk is likely to pass 20 million today and they are expanding the range of age groups who can get vaccinated. quite strong

fiuures who can get vaccinated. quite strong figures yesterday _ who can get vaccinated. quite strong figures yesterday on _ who can get vaccinated. quite strong figures yesterday on the _ who can get vaccinated. quite strong figures yesterday on the vaccination l figures yesterday on the vaccination front across the uk. we are now 19.7 million people who have received a first dose. normally saturday is quite a bumper day for vaccinations, so the chances are we should go about that 20 million figure today. they have been extending the eligibility for vaccinations so today from 60 to 63—year—olds should be the next group getting letters telling them to book their first dose of a vaccine. that is another 2 million people in that group. this is all working towards this next target the government has got which is to get to the top nine groups, so effectively everyone over 50 years old. and anyone under 50 with an underlying health condition by mid april. it will then try and extend that to the rest of the population probably sometime in june that to the rest of the population probably sometime injune orjuly. the headlines on bbc news... a £5 billion support plan from the chancellor for high street businesses in england hit by the pandemic. rapid covid tests to be offered

to families in england when children go back to school. violence against anti—coup protests in myanmar — medics say police have shot dead nine protestors. let's get all the latest sports news for you and go to the bbc sport centre. hello there, ben. we start in the premier league because they were two pictures that are currently under way in the early sunday kick—off. leicester city are hosting arsenal and fulham have travelled to play crystal palace. at the king power it is a 3—1 to arsenal. the visitors went ahead after a leicester handball gave arsenal a penalty. in the last couple of

minutes they scored a third. at selhurst park are very different match, a very uneventful it is fair to say for. after 55 minutes it is 0-0. to say for. after 55 minutes it is 0—0. fulham desperate to get some points out of the relegation so. three of the fixtures later today. in scotland the scottish league cup final will kick off soon. livingstone versus saintjohnson. livingstone versus saintjohnson. livingston are looking to win the tournament the first time since 2004. whilst saintjohnson have been finalist twice previously but have never won. the six nations now and england have four against making a complaint about the performance of the referee yesterday. the referee awarded wales two controversial tries in cardiff. england claimed he didn't give them a chance to get backin didn't give them a chance to get back in position when wales took a quick kick. and they look to be a

knock—on in the build—up to the touchdown. wales's victory won them the triple crown and england coach eddie jones the triple crown and england coach eddiejones said they were worthy winners but he refused to talk about the refereeing decisions. we winners but he refused to talk about the refereeing decisions.— the refereeing decisions. we can't debate it, mate, _ the refereeing decisions. we can't debate it, mate, as— the refereeing decisions. we can't debate it, mate, as you _ the refereeing decisions. we can't debate it, mate, as you know. - the refereeing decisions. we can'ti debate it, mate, as you know. we the refereeing decisions. we can't - debate it, mate, as you know. we are not allowed to debate it. all i'll end up with is a fine and that doesn't help anyone. the dog won't be able to eat its food, wife won't be able to eat its food, wife won't be able to eat, so i can't say anything!— be able to eat, so i can't say an hina! .,. ., ., ., anything! to cricket now and england women played _ anything! to cricket now and england women played their— anything! to cricket now and england women played their third _ anything! to cricket now and england women played their third one-day i women played their third one—day against new zealand behind closed doors after a snap lock down in the country. but it was the home side who restored some pride with a seven wicket victory. england had already won the series with a top score of 88 as they made 220. however, new zealand bowler took four wickets. with the delayed cricket world cup next year, this was good preparation bring them. i

next year, this was good preparation brina them. ., ., bring them. i love that we were tested today. _ bring them. i love that we were tested today. obviously, - tested today. 0bviously, disappointed that we lost, we want to keep winning but i think we will get more from this game than with the first two. which is a real positive with what we have got to come next year. we have got a little bit of time to build into that year and be in a really good place for it. so i guess i'm disappointed that the loss but on the other side it's great to get a bit of learning and know exactly what we need to do to get better. know exactly what we need to do to net better. �* �* . know exactly what we need to do to net better. �* �* , ., know exactly what we need to do to net better. �* �*, ., , , get better. britten's world super middleweight — get better. britten's world super middleweight champion - get better. britten's world super middleweight champion will - get better. britten's world super| middleweight champion will fight get better. britten's world super. middleweight champion will fight in a unification bout on the 8th of may. he holds the wbo title and has an unbeaten record having won all 30 of his professional fights with 11 knockouts. his opponent is still the champion in two other titles after a successful defence in miami last night. saunders was originally due to meet him 12 months ago but the fight was put back because of the pandemic. now, racehorse trainer gordon elliott says he will cooperate fully with an inquiry into

a photograph of him shed on social media, which appears to show him sitting on a dead horse. the authenticity of the image has been called into question. some claiming that it has been digitally altered. the irish horse racing regulatory board is investigating. elliott has won the grand national three times, including... world rally championship slip to fourth after a good only finish fifth in finland. he got the better of toyota team—mate, evans was more than one minute behind the rally winner. that's all the but for now but you can keep up—to—date with all the football on the bbc sport website. police in myanmar have moved swiftly to suppress new protests against an army coup, firing live rounds and rubber bullets at demonstrators in cities across the country. news agencies are reporting that

as many as 11 people have been killed and many others injured. nyein chan aye reports from yangon — the country's largest city. this is what is happening after deadly protests in several places in yangon today. people remain defiant in the ongoing fight for democracy. as you see, here in the central city. people continue to protest and block the main road to prevent the security forces from coming. today the security forces were actually out early taking position at many protest sites across the city. they tried to contain the protest in small streets and townships, even before anti—coup protesters were being gathered all together. there were reports of shooting in several places, including near the university, the major gathering points.

the circumstances of the shootings in several places, however, are not clear. but we have seen a number of photos of people appear to be fatally wounded. some reports said that a number of protesters were killed in yangon, as well as some other cities across the country. police appear to be using stun grenades, tear gas and live rounds. several bloodied people were seen in images from other regions as well, which were circulated on social media pages. it was not clear if they were hit by rubber bullets or live fire. so far we can confirm that a teacher who was protesting in yangon died of a heart attack after police used a sound boom.

the witnesses and rescue workers said reportedly two men were also killed in a suburb of yangon. we are still trying to confirm the number of deaths and injured people. despite the crackdowns, thousands of protesters remain on the streets in the afternoon. in many places, people are setting up barricades and carrying shields to protect themselves. this weekend crackdown is potentially one of the most deadliest since the coup has taken place four weeks ago. it is expected to raise numbers of casualties as well as those who got arrested. nyein chan aye, bbc news, yangon. the bbc�*s nick marsh is following developments from singapore. from what we heard there this crackdown seems to becoming ever

more brutal and harsh.— crackdown seems to becoming ever more brutal and harsh. yeah, that's ri . ht. more brutal and harsh. yeah, that's right- today — more brutal and harsh. yeah, that's right- today has _ more brutal and harsh. yeah, that's right. today has simply _ more brutal and harsh. yeah, that's right. today has simply been - more brutal and harsh. yeah, that's right. today has simply been the i right. today has simply been the bloodiest day since the coup was launched about four weeks ago. it is quite clear now that police aren't just relying on the rubber bullets on the tear gas or other stun grenades, they are openly using live ammunition on the protesters. unless you just heard, several people shop. in many different cities. in the number of fatalities appears to be increasing with every hour that passes. so i think we can say now with a pretty high degree of confidence that the response from the authorities as turned into a crackdown. and a pretty harsh crackdown. and a pretty harsh crackdown at that. find crackdown. and a pretty harsh crackdown at that.— crackdown. and a pretty harsh crackdown at that. and yet the demonstrators, _ crackdown at that. and yet the demonstrators, the _ crackdown at that. and yet the | demonstrators, the protesters, crackdown at that. and yet the - demonstrators, the protesters, still coming onto the streets. still cominu coming onto the streets. still coming onto _ coming onto the streets. still coming onto the _ coming onto the streets. st ll coming onto the streets, thousands today, perhaps hundreds of thousands, yesterday as well. they continue to demand the release of the leader, they want the restoration of democracy. the people i've been speaking to my colleagues have been speaking to say they know

the risks, they understand what's involved but crucially they understand what's at stake. and a lot of them say they are willing to take the risk of potential injury. now, we're going to have to see how the crackdown develops, if it becomes more brutal, if it becomes harsher. that might have an impact on numbers. but given the strength of feeling that runs right through burmese society at the moment it wouldn't surprise me if the protests continued in the next few days and weeks. . ~ continued in the next few days and weeks. w' n. . weeks. nick marsh there in singapore- _ the coronation street actorjohnny briggs, who played mike baldwin in the british soap opera, has died aged 85 after a long illness, his family said. briggs was in coronation street for 30 years, and left the programme in 2006. tributes have been coming in from across the uk tv industry, including coronation street star helen worth, who said "i am very sorry to hear the sad news, i have many happy memories of working together with johnny. mike baldwin was one of the street�*s most memorable characters".

earlier, i spoke to coronation street scriptwriter damon rochefort about the impact thatjohnny briggs had on the programme. yeah, he was extraordinary. i think it was a touch of genius that they got this kind of capitalist pig to play against all our very down—to—earth, you know, northern, warm characters when they did because it made him even more alien really to our community. and i always think he was really the only southern character in it, regular southern character, for a long, long time and particularly london. and that worked very well for us. when i first started in 2004, we were sort of embarking on a big, long exit forjohnny, he wanted to go. all his history with ken barlow was again a great dramatic conflict which he had.

you had liberal guardian reading ken on the one side whom, you know, money was filthy really. and then you had the capitalist pig on the other side. and then you've got deirdre in between, which was perfect and gave material for decades really. and even in mike's wonderful exit, where he had alzheimer's and we played a kind of a king lear story. bradley walsh came and played his son, and his grandson battling for mike's fortune, our own king lear. then at the very end when he did finally pass away we had of course the person who found him and cradled him and comforted him in the rain as he died on the cobbles was ken. i always thought that was the most wonderful kind of shakespearean, i guess, finish. this guy was a villain but nobody seemed to dislike him. he was really terrific. because their bust up and you were just talking about it, we were showing some pictures of it, mike baldwin and ken baldwin

a massive bust up over deirdre. i mean, it was one of the seminal moments of british tv soap, wasn't it? yeah, it was. you know, to get that right you have to have all the pieces in place. there is no point playing a story like that if the viewers have only known the characters for a year or two. but bill roache was there from episode one back in 1960. so if you didn't care about them by now we weren't doing our jobs right. by the time we got to this huge story and, i mean, it was sweeping the nation. in fact i think i'm right in saying that manchester united or city actually flashed it up on their board during a game, "deirdre stays with ken." incredible for it to interrupt a football match, but it really did capture, and it didn'tjust finish them because that energy carried on for many, many, many years until mike left

the show in that fantastic, spectacular, tragic fashion with ken of all people being the one to see him out of this world. it was really good. us regulators have authorised the use of the johnson and johnson covid vaccine. it's the first time this vaccine — which only needs one dose to be effective — has been approved for use anywhere. the us food and drug agency will allow the drug to be shipped out to vaccine centres immediately. because this drug only needs one dose it's likely to be more cost effective and easier to administer. it can be stored in a refrigerator rather than a freezer. the world health organisation's covax scheme has ordered 500 million doses, while the uk has bought 30 million. 0ur north american correspondent david willis told us more about the advantages of the new vaccine. it doesn't have to be kept

in a freezer, unlike the pfizer and moderna vaccines. that makes its transportation and storage easier. it is a one—shot deal. that means it's a lot easier for mobile vaccination centres, for homeless shelters and people who can't guarantee they will be able to come back for a second shot in three to four weeks' time. sailors, people at sea, that sort of thing. as you mentioned, these first doses should be available at the start of next week, and altogether the us government has ordered 100 million doses of this new vaccine. they are hoping it will make a significant contribution, combined with the 600 million doses of the pfizer and moderna vaccines that are expected to be available here by the summer.

david willis reporting. a senior german immunologist has urged his country to change course and allow people over the age of 65 to receive the oxford astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine. in an interview with the bbc, the head of the german society for immunology, carsten watzl, said misinformation had led to a poor uptake, across all ages, of the astrazeneca jab, despite the country having large quantities of it. let's just bring you up today with myanmar because we were telling you about the crackdown on anti—coup protesters there. we were reporting the death toll has been rising steadily through the day because security forces have been opening fire with live rounds on protesters. we are now hearing from the united nations human rights office, who are saying 18 protesters, 18 protesters have been killed in this latest round of violence in myanmar. and the un human rights office have condemned the crackdown in support of the military coup. the police and

other security forces not only using tear gas rubber bullets but also live rounds, as our correspondence have been telling us. the duke and duchess of cambridge have urged the british public to reject misinformation about covid vaccines. prince william and catherine were speaking online to families who have been shielding, and were about to receive their jabs. and once you've had the vaccine what changed you think will have apart from sort of worrying less and moving about a bit more? i from sort of worrying less and moving about a bit more? i think i'm t in: not moving about a bit more? i think i'm trying not to — moving about a bit more? i think i'm trying not to think _ moving about a bit more? i think i'm trying not to think of _ moving about a bit more? i think i'm trying not to think of it _ moving about a bit more? i think i'm trying not to think of it as _ moving about a bit more? i think i'm trying not to think of it as a - moving about a bit more? i think i'm trying not to think of it as a magic i trying not to think of it as a magic cure. i won't go out licking lamp post straightaway! i will probably do what i do straightaway, i will keep my mask on and social distance and use hand gel but it is nice to know that mentally you have that layer of protection.— know that mentally you have that layer of protection. catherine and i are not medical _ layer of protection. catherine and i are not medical experts _ layer of protection. catherine and i are not medical experts by - layer of protection. catherine and i are not medical experts by any - layer of protection. catherine and i i are not medical experts by any means but if— are not medical experts by any means but if it— are not medical experts by any means but if it is_ are not medical experts by any means but if it is any consolation we can

wholeheartedly support having vaccinations. it is really, really important _ vaccinations. it is really, really important. we have spoken to a lot of people _ important. we have spoken to a lot of people about it and the uptake has been — of people about it and the uptake has been amazing so far, we have got to keep _ has been amazing so far, we have got to keep it_ has been amazing so far, we have got to keep it going so that the younger generations also feel that it is reaiiy— generations also feel that it is really important for them to have it, really important for them to have it. so_ really important for them to have it. so it _ really important for them to have it. so it is — really important for them to have it, so it is great that you have taken — it, so it is great that you have taken the _ it, so it is great that you have taken the time the kind of work it out and _ taken the time the kind of work it out and come to a conclusion that i need _ out and come to a conclusion that i need to— out and come to a conclusion that i need to do— out and come to a conclusion that i need to do this. because social media — need to do this. because social media is— need to do this. because social media is awash sometimes with lots of rumours — media is awash sometimes with lots of rumours and misinformation, so we have to _ of rumours and misinformation, so we have to be _ of rumours and misinformation, so we have to be a _ of rumours and misinformation, so we have to be a little bit careful with who we _ have to be a little bit careful with who we believe and where we get our information— who we believe and where we get our information from. especially for those _ information from. especially for those who are clinically vulnerable as well_ those who are clinically vulnerable as well it — those who are clinically vulnerable as well it is — those who are clinically vulnerable as well it is so important that those — as well it is so important that those vaccinations are done. good advice there _ those vaccinations are done. good advice there from _ those vaccinations are done. good advice there from william - those vaccinations are done. (limo. advice there from william and kate. let's take a look now at the moment an unexploded second world war bomb was made safe in a controlled explosion in exeter.

quite a bang as you can see. the bomb was detonated last night — forcing several thousand people to spend a second night away from their homes.