this is bbc news with the latest headlines. plans for a five—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. it's difficult out there for many of these businesses. they've been brilliant at trying to adapt. we want to support them as they reopen and i want people to be reassured that we will have support in place to help them move along with prime minister's road map as we move forward on that path. 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 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 political correspondent jonathan blake explained more about the choices the chancellor has to make. 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 we 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 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. jonathan blake, our political correspondent. stay with us, i will be back with a full bulletin in just a few moments time.

good afternoon. the chancellor rishi sunak says people should be reassured by his plans in this week's budget. mr sunak said he would continue to support families and businesses hit by coronavirus, but wanted to level with people that more challenging times could lie ahead as we emerge from the pandemic. he announced a £5 billion grant scheme to help pubs, restaurants, shops and other businesses in england to re—open. here's our political

correspondentjonathan blake. closed for business and struggling to survive, but some comfort for companies hit hard by the pandemic as the government offers £5 billion worth of grants part, the chancellor says, of his promise to do whatever it takes to keep the economy going. and ahead of the budget a signal that he'll keep spending to offer that support for now. my priority is to keep supporting british families, businesses and people through this crisis. i said at the beginning i would do whatever it took to do exactly that and i remain committed to that. borrow, borrow, borrow? the right thing to do right now is to support the economy, but i also want to level with people about the challenges we face. coronavirus has been an enormous shock both to our economy and to our public finances and i think it is right to be honest with people about that challenge and be clear about what our plan to address that is. so at some point tax rises seem likely.

company profits could take a hit if corporation tax were to go up and it is reported income tax thresholds may be frozen, meaning more people pay a higher rate. to soon say labour, who claim the chancellor has got an eye on the next election. when we talk to businesses right across the country, as i have, what they are really concerned about is confidence. they don't want to see a chancellor who is focused on politics, who is focused on getting any changes through right now so he can wash his hands of them before the next general election. instead they want that focus on jobs and businesses and sadly that is not what we have seen from this chancellor. mr sunak denied telling tory mps he'd rather raise taxes now and be able to cut them later. i don't recognise that and i think given the shock that we've had over the last year and the economic uncertainty we face, it would be brave for people to know exactly what was going to happen in three years. but the chancellor is clearly

uncomfortable with the level of debt built up over the last year, but even talking about tax rises to try to reduce the burden of all that borrowing makes many conservative mps uneasy. so rishi sunak will have to balance their concerns with his desire to maintain a reputation for managing the economy responsibly. with the worst of the pandemic hopefully over, decisions by the chancellor on wednesday's budget will shape its lasting impact on the country's finances and our own. jonathan blake, bbc news. as we've been hearing, the one budget measure that has been announced is £5 billion for high street shops and businesses in england to support them as they reopen after lockdown. while welcomed by many, some say it won't be enough on its own, as our business correspondent katie prescott reports. hopes for a bright summer ahead, as pubs and restaurants think about welcoming punters after a devastating year. staying closed cost them

on average £10,000 a month. lockdown has been very, very difficult and very, very stressful. we've got over 1,000 employees who, apart from four months, have been living on half pay. they really have been living on a hand—to—mouth existence over the last year and put that together with the stresses that the business has had to deal with in being shut down and not being allowed to trade through no real fault of their own, it has been a very, very stressful time. to help them reopen, the government is offering grants to businesses in england forced to close by covid. scotland, wales and northern ireland will separately receive an extra £800 million in funding. in wednesday's budget, non—essential retailers will receive up to £6,000 for each shop they own. hospitality, gyms and beauty businesses will receive up to £18,000 per premises, as they are due to open with more restrictions or later in the year.

and, overall, 700,000 businesses will be eligible for the funds, which will be distributed by local authorities from april. but some, like this salon, say it's just not enough when they've got rents and overheads to pay. although the £18,000 is fantastic, it's certainly something and it's going to help a lot of people, it's not going to help me very much and the larger salons. many of us are losing over £1,000 a day, so that's not going to cover over half of the month that we're closing down. what businesses like these really want to see as they reopen is a far broader package of measures from the budget and information about what will happen to key schemes, such as furlough and business loans that are due to come to an end. but this all comes at a cost and the chancellor will lay out what it means for public finances and some of how he plans to pay for it.

that doesn't mean spending will stop immediately, but in the future there will be a bill to pay. katie prescott, bbc news. twice—weekly rapid coronavirus tests are to be made available to families in england when their children return to secondary school or college. it's hoped the programme will reduce the chances of cases increasing when pupils return to classrooms in a week's time. 0ur health reporter jim reed is here. jim, how's this going to work in practice? we have got one of the examples of the tests we are talking about here in front of me. they are called lateral flow test. these ones you do by yourself at home, you don't have to go anywhere. you take one of these swabs, goes down your nose, you don't put it down your throat, and the sample comes back in about 30 minutes and it tells you whether it is positive or negative. these can never be as accurate as laboratory test. they are quite good, though, at detecting high

levels in particular of infection in people. they are already being offered to secondary and two college aged pupils in england from march the 8th. the government says it is extending that roll—out to the families of all pupils in england and it is important to point out that primary school pupils will not be tested in this way. three ways to get them. through your workplace, through an existing community testing centre, and online from tomorrow you can go online and register to pick one up at a standard testing centre in england. the government says you should get about a month was �*s worth of supply in one go. at least 18 people are reported to have been killed in myanmar, in the deadliest day of protests against the military coup. security forces have used live rounds and tear gas in the biggest city, yangon, and elsewhere. the crackdown comes after weeks of largely peaceful demonstrations after government leaders, including aung san suu kyi, were overthrown and detained by the army on february 1st.

here, the actorjohnny briggs, who played mike baldwin in coronation street for 30 years, has died at the age of 85. he landed his career—defining role in 1976, his character becoming notable for a string of failed relationships, including an affair with deirdre barlow. in a statement his family said he had died peacefully after "a long illness, with family by his side". hollywood is preparing for the golden globe awards, which will be given out at a virtual ceremony later. it's the first major event of the awards season, and is often a good indicator for the oscars. 0ur los angeles correspondent sophie long reports. what a year for movies! i think you read it wrong. it's, what? a year for movies? tina fey and amy poehler will host for the fourth time, offering some much needed comic relief. they will be on different coasts of the continent, but what is 3,000 miles if not

a safe social distance? they will present in semi—empty spaces. the normal celebrity supper has been scuppered but the golden globes will be the same celebration of creativity and talent on and behind the screens, both big and small. mank, a tale of old hollywood and all its glamour and sleaze is the most nominated movie. season four of the crown, the very british portrayal of strange royal relations, is likely to reign once again in the television categories. you were one of those lucky people... for the first time, more women than men have been nominated for best director. chloe shall for nomadland, a very real human journey through the american west. # whispered something in your ear...#. emerald fennel for promising young woman, a feminist film full of vengeance and payback. and regina king for her historical fiction one night in miami.

i don't see your name in lights. chadwick boseman has been nominated posthumously for his role as a troubled trumpet player in ma rainey�*s black bottom. what's the problem, officer? borat is back and his creator, sasha baron cohen, is a double globe nominee this year. he could also be recognised for his rather different role in the trial of the chicago 7. there may be no red carpet and far fewer champagne corks will pop, but despite the same criticism of the obscure voting body's practices, the golden globes will still be the opening ceremony of the awards season and they could still give some indication as to who is in pole position for those coveted academy awards. sophie long, bbc news, hollywood. that's it. the next news on bbc one is at 5:30 this afternoon. bye for now.

hello. this is bbc news. police in myanmar have opened fire on protesters in the deadliest day of demonstrations since the february the first coup. the un human rights office says at least 18 people have been killed. security forces used rubber bullets and live ammunition against demonstrators in at least three cities — yangon, buggo and dawei. stun guns and water cannon were also used to disperse protesters across the country. nyan chan ay 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. 0ur correspondent, nick marsh, is following some breaking news, mac hancock, the health secretary, has just announced that the uk has now vaccinated more than 20 million people across the uk, so more than 21 million people have now been vaccinated, that first target was 15 million by the middle of this month, but matt hancock... well, in fact, this isn't from matt hancock, this is from nadhim zahawi, who is the vaccine minister.

so, good news, there, that the vaccination roll—out, some debate about supplies, because the numbers had fallen after that initial surge to get to that first deadline. now, let's go back to the situation in myanmar, but our correspondence, and nick marsh, is following developments from singapore. he says hundreds of thousands of people are continuing to protest despite the increasing violence. it is becoming quite clear now that this will be the most they have simply been the bloodiest day since the coup was called. they're openly using live ammunition on the protesters, and as you just heard, several people shot in different cities, and the number of

fatalities appears to be increasing, with every hour that passes. i think we can say now with a pretty high degree of confidence that the response from the authorities has turned into a crackdown, and a pretty harsh crackdown, at that. the people i've been speaking to, the people i've been speaking to, the people my colleagues have been speaking to say they know the risks, they understand what is involved, but they understand what is at stake and they are willing to take the risk of potential injury. we had 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 through burmese society it wouldn't surprise me continue to the next few days and possibly weeks. 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. hundreds of foreign domestic maids were dumped outside their embassies last summer in lebanon after the families they worked for could no longer afford their wages. the horrific scenes were a symptom of the country's economic meltdown but also lebanon's use of foreign workers — a system which human rights groups say amounts to "modern—day slavery." 0ur correspondent — martin patience — has been speaking to the domestic maids about their experiences and asks whether anything has changed.

it's been a long, hard journey. for a year, she worked in lebanon, a dream that quickly turned into a nightmare of abuse. now, safely back home in sierra leone, she is warning other women not to go. if home in sierra leone, she is warning other women not to go.— other women not to go. if the first erson other women not to go. if the first person told _ other women not to go. if the first person told them, _ other women not to go. if the first person told them, one _ other women not to go. if the first person told them, one of - other women not to go. if the first person told them, one of my - other women not to go. if the first. person told them, one of my dreams, i wanted to work abroad, but this dream of working in the middle east and other countries.— dream of working in the middle east

and other countries. please help me! domestic maids _ and other countries. please help me! domestic maids are _ and other countries. please help me! domestic maids are largely _ and other countries. please help me! domestic maids are largely at - and other countries. please help me! domestic maids are largely at the - domestic maids are largely at the mercy of their employers, and human rights groups say the lebanon's economic collapse and covid—19 has made a bad situation even worse. this scene is a snapshot of what is happening right across the middle east. last summer, women were being dumped outside their embassies in beirut because families said they could not afford the wages. the lebanese government would not tell us whether anyone had been prosecuted for ditching their worker. i'm heading to a safe house to meet a group of domestic maids. in lebanon, those that run away from abuse risk becoming illegal because their visa is tied to the family they work for. that is why they hide. i they work for. that is why they hide. . ~' , .

they work for. that is why they hide. . ~ , ., ., they work for. that is why they hide. n , ., ., hide. i wake up at four o'clock in the morning. — hide. i wake up at four o'clock in the morning, then _ hide. i wake up at four o'clock in the morning, then i _ hide. i wake up at four o'clock in the morning, then i finish - hide. i wake up at four o'clock in the morning, then i finish workl hide. i wake up at four o'clock in l the morning, then i finish work at 11. if i said to date for them to the salary, they look me in the bathroom. the salary, they look me in the bathroom-— the salary, they look me in the bathroom. ., bathroom. why are you humiliating us? why are _ bathroom. why are you humiliating us? why are you — bathroom. why are you humiliating us? why are you humiliating - bathroom. why are you humiliating us? why are you humiliating me? i bathroom. why are you humiliating . us? why are you humiliating me? why did ou run us? why are you humiliating me? teeny did you run away from us? why are you humiliating me? “liv"ig' did you run away from your us? why are you humiliating me? "i1: did you run away from your employer? because my employer treats me like a slave. they told me there is no dollar any more. i want to go home to my country. idvid dollar any more. i want to go home to my country-— dollar any more. i want to go home to my country._ he - to my country. did beauty? he sla ed to my country. did beauty? he slapped me. — to my country. did beauty? he slapped me. hit _ to my country. did beauty? he slapped me, hit me. _ to my country. did beauty? he slapped me, hit me. i - to my country. did beauty? he slapped me, hit me. ijust- to my country. did beauty? he| slapped me, hit me. ijust want to my country. did beauty? he - slapped me, hit me. ijust want to say, _ slapped me, hit me. ijust want to say, let_ slapped me, hit me. ijust want to say, let them stop to treat us like this, _ say, let them stop to treat us like this, like — say, let them stop to treat us like this, like beasts, like dog, because they value — this, like beasts, like dog, because they value dog, cats, more than us. all of— they value dog, cats, more than us. all of the _ they value dog, cats, more than us. all of the moon and we spoke to have now been repatriated. the many

others have still waiting. a quarter of a million foreign and domestic maids work in the lebanon's cities and towns cooking and cleaning, mostly unseen, in homes across the country. many in lebanon see nothing wrong in a system that provides cheap labour. the wrong in a system that provides cheap labour-— wrong in a system that provides cheap labour. the situation is not that bad at _ cheap labour. the situation is not that bad at all. _ cheap labour. the situation is not that bad at all. of _ cheap labour. the situation is not that bad at all. of course - cheap labour. the situation is not that bad at all. of course there i cheap labour. the situation is not that bad at all. of course there isj that bad at all. of course there is some lebanese family is not good, of course, everywhere there is people like that. i course, everywhere there is people like that. , ., ., ., , . like that. i spoke to one domestic maid who said _ like that. i spoke to one domestic maid who said she _ like that. i spoke to one domestic maid who said she was _ like that. i spoke to one domestic maid who said she was not - like that. i spoke to one domestic maid who said she was not even l maid who said she was not even allowed to sleep in a room. these cases, allowed to sleep in a room. these cases. very _ allowed to sleep in a room. these cases. very few- _ allowed to sleep in a room. these cases, very few. most _ allowed to sleep in a room. these cases, very few. most of- allowed to sleep in a room. these cases, very few. most of them, i allowed to sleep in a room. these l cases, very few. most of them, the majority, are happy with their families in lebanon. but majority, are happy with their families in lebanon.— families in lebanon. but the lebanese — families in lebanon. but the lebanese government - families in lebanon. but the | lebanese government knows families in lebanon. but the - lebanese government knows there is families in lebanon. but the _ lebanese government knows there is a problem. last year they try to introduce a new contract that would give domestic maids greater protection. it“s give domestic maids greater protection. it's pretty extraordinary that you have to write

in law for a domestic made is allowed to take phone calls from her own family. figs allowed to take phone calls from her own famil . i , ., allowed to take phone calls from her own famil . . , . , ., ., own family. as a minister of labour, we think it — own family. as a minister of labour, we think it is — own family. as a minister of labour, we think it is the _ own family. as a minister of labour, we think it is the rights _ own family. as a minister of labour, we think it is the rights of _ own family. as a minister of labour, we think it is the rights of any - we think it is the rights of any person— we think it is the rights of any person to _ we think it is the rights of any person to be free to receive a call from _ person to be free to receive a call from her— person to be free to receive a call from her family, person to be free to receive a call from herfamily, but person to be free to receive a call from her family, but we are afraid, may he, _ from her family, but we are afraid, may he, in— from her family, but we are afraid, may be, in some house, they don't respect _ may be, in some house, they don't respect these rights. in may be, in some house, they don't respect these rights.— respect these rights. in the end, the law- -- _ respect these rights. in the end, the law... back— respect these rights. in the end, the law... back in _ respect these rights. in the end, the law... back in sierra - respect these rights. in the end, the law... back in sierra leone, | the law... back in sierra leone, lucy continues her campaign warning women of the abuses. some are listening. now i am doing thisjob, although

i'm not getting paid, i“m now i am doing thisjob, although i'm not getting paid, i'm not getting anything. and the end, i'm getting anything. and the end, i'm getting what is more than money, trying to save lives. but getting what is more than money, trying to save lives.— trying to save lives. but poverty will always _ trying to save lives. but poverty will always propel— trying to save lives. but poverty will always propel people - trying to save lives. but poverty will always propel people far- trying to save lives. but poverty l will always propel people far from home, even to countries where they have few rights. martin patients reporting. that is it for this edition of bbc news, let“s it for this edition of bbc news, let's just catch up with some weather. not quite as springlike as it was yesterday. hello, there. a fine, dry and sunny afternoon for much of the country. certainly for england and wales, after a chilly start, those temperatures climbing to the low teens celsius. bit more in the way of cloud, though, for parts of scotland and northern ireland through today. high pressure is dominating the scene which is giving us all this fine and settled weather, but as we head into the overnight period we could see more in the way of low cloud and fog rolling in across parts of england and wales, and could even seen some