this is bbc news, with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the motion is adopted. applause nearly $2 trillion approved by lawmakers to kick—start the us economy, with some of the money going straight into americans�* pockets. this bill represents an historic, historic victory for the american people. i look forward to signing it later this week. protests step up in myanmar as the military clamps down. we hearfrom over a dozen burmese police officers who fled to india after being told to shoot at protestors. ten years on from the fukushima nuclear disaster. we see a site transformed and meet those still clinging to the past.

hello, and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. i'm kasia madera. we begin in the us, where the house of representatives, the lower house of congress, has passed a major covid—i9 stimulus package worth $1.9 trillion. the plan was approved in the senate on saturday, despite every republican voting against. and the same thing has happened in the house — every republican voted against, along with one democrat. the measure will be signed into law by president biden on friday. here's house speaker nancy pelosi announcing the result. on this vote, the yeas are 220. the nays are 211. the motion is adopted.

applause the bill's aim is primarily to address the impact of covid on the us economy. but there are broader ambitions to tackle longer—term causes of poverty. here are some of the details. the so—called american rescue package gives one—off payments worth $1,a00 to most americans. it allocates $350 billion to state and local governments, and $130 billion to schools. it also provides $49 billion for expanded covid—19 testing and research, as well as $14 billion for vaccine distribution. and the bill extends unemployment benefits of $300 a week until september. millions of americans had been set to lose their benefits in the coming weeks — not any more. so a huge moment for the us economy — and an important political moment for president biden. he said there was now light at the end of the tunnel for the american people.

this bill represents an historic, historic victory for the american people. i look forward to signing it later this week. everything in the american rescue plan addresses a real need, including investments to fund our entire vaccination effort — more vaccines, more vaccinators, and more vaccination sites. millions more americans will get tested, including home testing. schools will soon have the funding and resources to reopen safely on national imperative. the republican leader in the house described his opposition to the measures, calling the bill "a laundry list of left—wing priorities." you send the government your tax dollars, but you only get a fraction of what you pay for at the very best. you know, we warned people on the internet about e—mail scams. it's like the ones with those e—mails where you get a promise you'll get millions of dollars — but first, you have to

wire them some money. that's exactly what's happening here today. this is the reality of this bill before us. it showers money on special interests, but spends less than 9% on actually defeating the virus. 0ur washington correspondent lebo disekojoins me now. so it got there in the end, hugely significant and a huge amount. talk us through it. i significant and a huge amount. talk us through it— us through it. i think you put it 'ust riaht us through it. i think you put it just right there, _ us through it. i think you put it just right there, "got - us through it. i think you put it just right there, "got there - us through it. i think you put it just right there, "got there in l us through it. i think you put it i just right there, "got there in the end." it had quite a difficult passage, really, but is a significant moment for president biden. this is his first major piece of legislation and is now able to say to people that voted for him, "look, i've fulfilled my promise." people feel immediately those unemployment benefits, $300 a week for people who are unemployed, and also those checks, $1400 that'll go

out to most american people. and as you said, there's also money for vaccine distribution, education, as well the stop bernie sanders is an independent senator, but he usually votes with the democrats, and he called this one of the most significant pieces of legislation in modern history — that's huge when he think about the legislation around the financial crisis, all the other pieces of legislation that have passed in congress. so it is a big moment, but watching the passage that it took, democrats had to use a special way of getting it through the senate, which essentially bypassed republicans, they didn't need any republican votes to get it through and they still struggled. and it makes you think, how willjoe biden get the rest of his agenda through? he wants to bring legislation, the next big piece of legislation, the next big piece of legislation is on infrastructure. there's also stuff on civil rights, things like voting rights and police

reform, as well. those will need at least ten republicans on board and the senate to get that through, and it's very difficult to see how that will happen at this stage.- will happen at this stage. well, civen that will happen at this stage. well, given that it — will happen at this stage. well, given that it took _ will happen at this stage. well, given that it took such - will happen at this stage. well, given that it took such an - will happen at this stage. well, | given that it took such an effort, and you put into context they are, what can the president do? what's next on his plate? i what can the president do? what's next on his plate?— next on his plate? i think that's what we've _ next on his plate? i think that's what we've all _ next on his plate? i think that's what we've all been _ next on his plate? i think that's what we've all been trying - next on his plate? i think that's what we've all been trying to i next on his plate? i think that's - what we've all been trying to figure out. i think, what we've all been trying to figure out. ithink, to what we've all been trying to figure out. i think, to be fair to the republicans, they say thatjoe biden came into office promising that he would be bipartisan. and what the democrats have done, the first big piece of legislation, they've rammed this through. they turned it down an attempt by republicans to try and find other ways, there were republicans who actually went to the white house and sat down withjoe biden, but couldn't reach any kind of agreement. democrats will say that republicans have been so intransigent, they can't work with them. it is difficult, there are

calls to reform or get rid of this wall that means that 60 votes are neededin wall that means that 60 votes are needed in the senate, a super majority's needed in the senate to get legislation through. but it is two democrats, one very loud democrat who is said he will not support that, and also another moderate democrat who said she's not very supportive of that. so even in the measures that they might be able to take to try and get around this, there doesn't really seem to be a clear path — and it's from the democratic side. clear path - and it's from the democratic side.— clear path - and it's from the democratic side. incredible stuff. thanks so much _ democratic side. incredible stuff. thanks so much for— democratic side. incredible stuff. thanks so much for talking - democratic side. incredible stuff. thanks so much for talking us - thanks so much for talking us through. turning now to myanmar — and the united nations security council has said, it "strongly condemns" the violence being carried out by the military against protestors, but fell short of calling the take—over by the armed forces as a "coup". it's nearly six weeks, since the take—over — in that time, the protests have grown and the military response, has become increasingly brutal. these are some of the latest scenes in yangon.

also today, hundreds of soldiers, raided a railway workers compound to force people back to work at gunpoint. those who refused were ordered to leave their government—owned accomodation. but another startling development — with a dozen burmese police officers, fleeing across the border to india, after being told to shoot protestors. rajini vaidyanathan has been talking exclusively to them. they fled the brutal crackdown in myanmar. these police men and women are now hiding in india. all in their 20s, they're terrified. they say they were ordered by the military to use violence against their own people. "as protests were taking place, my boss ordered us to fire at the crowd. i refused to shoot them. isaid i'd rather side with the people. later, i told him i was going to visit my family. that's when i ran away.

"the military�*s becoming more and more brutal. he tells me he's left behind his wife and two daughters. the youngest is just six months. he's worried he may never see them again. the bbc couldn't independently verify the accounts of those we spoke to. as pro—democracy protests escalate, security forces in myanmar have been accused of killing at least 50 people and injuring hundreds more. some of the officers we met say they witnessed brutality first—hand. translation: people were beaten up. i had sleepless nights when i saw innocent people bleeding. my conscience wouldn't permit me to take part in such evil acts. we travelled across the remote and mountainous state of mizoram, now refuge for those fleeing the violence, and more keep coming every day.

this part of northeast india shares a 250—mile border with myanmar. even though it's patrolled by security forces, people are risking the crossing. well, i'm standing in the indian state of mizoram, but on the other side of the banks here is the country of myanmar. and this river makes up some of the border which separates the two countries — and it's across here that dozens of people have made thatjourney, fleeing the military crackdown and coming to india for safety. and we've been told that they're expecting many more to make a similarjourney. authorities in myanmar have asked india to return the defectors, to uphold friendly relations. but the officers we talked to say they can't go back. translation: they wanted us to arrest our friends. _ if we continued to remain in myanmar, our lives would be in danger. we want peace to come quickly to the country and for the military to be defeated.

local politicians say they'll provide temporary help to those arriving from myanmar. but as people flee to this corner of india, the national government has yet to decide what happens to them next. rajini vaidyanathan, bbc news, mizoram. let's get some of the day's other news. uk police searching for sarah everard, who was last seen a week ago in south london, have announced they have found "what appear to be human remains" in woodland in kent. the announcement, made by met police commissioner cressida dick, follows the arrest of a serving police officer earlier in the day. brazil's former leader luiz inacio lula da silva has returned to the forefront of his country's politics, with a strong condemnation of president bolsonaro's covid—19 policies. at a speech in sao paolo, the popular left leader declined to say whether he would run against bolsonaro next year, after a judge annulled his corruption convictions, reinstating his right

to run for office. the uk has summoned a top european union diplomat, after being accused of baning exports of covid—19 vaccines. the claim was made by european council chief charles michel amidst a row over vaccine roll—outs which has seen the uk outpace its former eu partners. it's exactly ten years since japan was hit by a giant 9.0 earthquake that triggered a massive tsunami, which crashed into the coast less than an hour later. along the north east coast, dozens of towns and villages were engulfed by the immense wave. the disaster triggered a multiple melt down at the fukushima daichi nuclear plant 250km north of tokyo. ten years on, ourjapan correspondent rupert wingfield—hayes has been back to meet people whose lives were changed irrevocably on that fateful day in march 2011.

a major earthquake hit japan on friday afternoon... - 11 march, 2011. on the northeast coast of japan, a huge earthquake has triggered a giant tsunami. live pictures are broadcast around the world as the wave sweeps through the little fishing port of yuriagi, destroying everything in its path. by the end of the day, one in ten of yuriagi's residents are missing. among them are kiyokazu sazaki's whole family, including including his wife and 14—year—old daughter. ten years on, sazaki—san takes me to the place where his house once stood. clutched in his arms, his most precious possession — his daughter's school uniform, all that he has to remember her by. translation: in the beginning, i was drinking heavily. _ i really don't remember much of the first three years after the earthquake.

after four years, i started to tell my story. i had a fight with my wife that morning before the quake struck. so now, i tell people, "what would you do if tomorrow never comes?" i tell them to live every single day as if you don't have tomorrow. down the coast, the tsunami triggered a second disaster at the fukushima daiichi nuclear plant. explosions ripped through the reactor buildings, releasing a huge radioactive cloud. today, the two towns closest to the fukushima plant remain deserted, frozen in time. the plant itself is now circled by a vast waste dumps. underneath these green sheets are millions of tonnes of contaminated topsoil. unlike with chernobyl, the japanese government has set out to decontaminate the land here around the fukushima plant. vast areas of topsoil have been removed, creating millions and millions of tonnes of waste.

and here behind me, you can see new towns being built for the nuclear evacuees. and in large part, it's been a success — the radiation levels here are very low, and it is safe for people to return to live here. unfortunately, there's no guarantee that they will. yoshihiro shiga is struggling to open the door to his deserted and badly—damaged workshop. after ten years, the roof is falling in. this is where his family made pottery for 300 years. but shiga—san now has no desire to see this place decontaminated. translation: this place may look like a mess. - but i want it to be left alone. this is my home. i have so many memories here. i don't want others to come in and trample on everything.

on the spot where his house once stood, sasaki—san has planted three pine trees to commemorate those he lost. nearby, a huge new seawall has been built to protect yuriagi from future tsunamis. but he, too, has no desire to return to live here next to the ocean that took his family from him ten years ago. rupert wingfield—hayes, bbc news, in yagi, northern japan. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: it's been a year since the world health organization officially declared a pandemic. we'll examine the dramatic changes across the world and ask what's ahead. the numbers of dead and wounded defied belief. this, the worst terrorist atrocity

on european soil in modern times. in less than 24 hours, the soviet union lost an elderly, sick leader and replaced him with a dynamic figure 20 years his junior. we heard these gunshots from the gym, then he came out and started firing at our hearts. god, we were all petrified. james earl ray, aged 41 — - sentenced to 99 years and due for parole when he's 90 — l travelled from memphis jail to nashville state prison in an eight—car convoy. i paul, what's it feel like to be married at last? it feels fine, thank you. what'll you do now? will it change your life much, do you think? i don't know, really, i've never married before.

this is bbc news, the latest headlines... president biden has scored an important victory afterjust 50 days in office, with the house of representatives approving his covid stimulus package worth almost $2 trillion. dozen of burmese police officers have fled to india, after being told to shoot at anti—coup protestors. ian maxwell — brother of ghislaine maxwell, who's in jail facing trial in new york — has said his sister is being held in degrading conditions which "amount to torture". ghislaine maxwell is seeking bail ahead of her trial on charges of helping the convicted sex offenderjeffrey epstein. she denies the charges. our new york correspondent nada tawfik has the story. jeffrey epstein and ghislaine maxwell shared an intimate relationship. to epstein�*s alleged victims, the pair were a dangerous combination. ghislaine, they say, was the chief enabler of the convicted sex offender.

and now herfamily is finally speaking out. ian maxwell defended his sister in an interview with the bbc. he said she was being treated in a fashion that amounted to torture. physically, she's a 59—year—old woman and we understand that she's losing her hair, and that she's also having trouble with her eyesight and her ability to concentrate, because this is a tremendous pressure to be under. his comments come as his sister is seeking bailfor a third time, desperate to leave the federal prison here in brooklyn and to wait out the trial under home confinement. thejudge has previously ruled that she is a flight risk. ghislaine maxwell says she's innocent. her brother denies that she is seeking to flee or that she is a suicide risk. ghislaine is not a suicide risk. she has never been a suicide risk.

there are daily mental evaluations of her. she has shown no indication that that is her intention. she's been completely overmanaged. and why is that? because jeffrey epstein, who was under federal custody at the time of his death, died in federal custody, and so this is a grotesque overreaction. for her alleged victims, though, it's not. women that i represent, these 20 victims, many of them have suffered through so many years. they have, some of them, engaged in self—blaming, feel ashamed. they are understanding now that it's not their fault, but this has been a long, long process. ian maxwell says that he met epstein once fleetingly

and that he only saw him and his sister together once. there are numerous photos, including this infamous one with prince andrew, which he was asked about in his bbc interview. i don't know anything about the photograph, other than that i've seen it's been published. do you recognise the setting of that? was it taken in ghislaine's house in london? i do recognise that setting. he believes his sister still considers prince andrew a friend. the prince, meanwhile, has stepped back from royal duties to reduce his public profile. with the trial drawing near, the world may finally get to uncover the truth about epstein, his associates and what's been called the most notorious sex trafficking ring in us history. nada tawfik, bbc news, new york. one year ago, on 11 march, 2020, the world health organization declared covid—19 a pandemic. asia was the first part of the world to be affected. china, where covid—19 was first discovered,

has recorded over 4,800 deaths and over 100,000 cases. in india, there have been over 11 million confirmed cases and over 158,000 deaths. contrast that with south korea — 1,648 deaths out of over 93,000 cases. one year on since the pandemic was declared, and the virus is largely under control in a number of countries in the region — although borders remain closed — travel is difficult and compulsory quarantine is still in place. i'm joined now by dr nicola nixon, who is director of governance at the asia foundation, a nonprofit international development organisation. shejoins us from hanoi in vietnam. thank you so much for your time. when we look at the figures, it really is stark, the difference in death rates in cases. what are your

initial sentiments about how south korea has coped with this, say, to how china has coped with it and how india has coped with it? it's quite stark, the difference in figures. the difference in figures is really stark, you're right. i think quite a lot of it comes down to governmentcapabilities. the governmentca pabilities. the capabilities of governmentcapabilities. the capabilities of the institutions in countries, much more able to communicate with their citizens, roll major health campaigns, and whether or not they can actually, as we see, get the vaccine out of people or not, as we see vaccine roll—outs in south asia and whatnot. i think that has a lot to do with it, and also the relative economic growth makes a real difference from country to country. we have seen some fairly major impacts in lower income countries in asia. that is still quite variable. i think vietnam is a fantastic example of a

country that has managed the pandemic so far extremely well. find pandemic so far extremely well. and when it comes _ pandemic so far extremely well. and when it comes to looking to the future, what other challenges do you think we can experience and expect, just given how much of the world has experienced so far? in just given how much of the world has experienced so far?— experienced so far? in asia, like everywhere. _ experienced so far? in asia, like everywhere, across _ experienced so far? in asia, like everywhere, across the - experienced so far? in asia, like everywhere, across the board i experienced so far? in asia, like i everywhere, across the board there is economic downturn, so economic levels have definitely stalled. so while the pandemic might have a variable health impact across the region, the economic impact is universal. and what we're seeing is that the economic impact really impacts more on some than others. what we will see and are already seeing it, increases in poverty in countries that had made major achievements in terms of addressing poverty letters to market levels over the past 2—3 decades. and probably more substantially, increases in inequality — that's

inequalities across the board, gender inequalities, inequalities between different ethnic groups, as well as income and wealth inequalities. that's potentially a longer—term trend. share inequalities. that's potentially a longer-term trend.— inequalities. that's potentially a longer-term trend. are you seeing any greater — longer-term trend. are you seeing any greater cooperation _ longer-term trend. are you seeing any greater cooperation between l any greater cooperation between countries, particularly also asian countries, particularly also asian countries, given that your speciality — are they working together better since this pandemic? i think they are. i think probably thejury is out i think they are. i think probably the jury is out on, you know, there variable opinions on how well they're doing and how much impact that has on particular countries in the asian grouping. but there are a lot of high—level commitments, the framework of recovery is quite prolific amongst the asean countries. we do quite a lot of work with the asean secretariat who have done a lot to try to co—ordinate across countries...

done a lot to try to co-ordinate across countries. . ._ done a lot to try to co-ordinate across countries... apologies, we have to leave _ across countries... apologies, we have to leave it _ across countries... apologies, we have to leave it there. _ across countries... apologies, we have to leave it there. as - across countries... apologies, we have to leave it there. as usual. across countries... apologies, we | have to leave it there. as usual we are out of time, but thanks for sharing your expertise and time. thank you to our viewers for watching, i'll be back injust a moment. hello. march may have come in like a lamb, but the lion has now arrived early. and, after a stormy night, we have a very windy thursday to come — yes, some sunshine, but also heavy, blustery showers. all around an area of low pressure that's sitting to the north of us, but the tightly—packed isobars right across us indicating that wherever you are, thursday will be a very windy day. but it's england and wales bearing the brunt of the strongest, most disruptive winds, particularly early in the day as we see this area of wet weather move across northern england, wales, the midlands, and on towards east anglia. first thing in the day, the strongest winds will be wales, western england, gusting up to 70 mph, maybe more exposed coastal hills, especially in wales, very rough seas and large waves hitting the coastline here, so that could be disruptive in terms of flooding. and the winds across england

and wales as they continue to gust, 50—60 mph, maybe a little bit more in places during the morning, could be disruptive before easing gradually into the afternoon. weather—wise, wherever you are, it is sunshine and blustery showers from heavy hail and thunder. these are your wind gusts at the end of the afternoon, so they're easing a bit in england and wales, but still very windy in northern ireland — in fact, the winds picking up again in northwest scotland, approaching 60 mph at this stage. single figures in scotland and northern ireland, 9—12 celsius in england and wales. and it remains very blustery overnight thursday and into friday. further showers around increasingly falling as snow into the hills of scotland, perhaps northern ireland, into the pennines, as well — some here with a covering of snow at the higher ground as friday starts. and these are your temperatures. and then, for friday, spot the difference — yes, there'll be drier moments and sunshine, but there'll be further heavy showers around, some with hail and thunder, and still falling as snow into the hills of scotland, northern ireland, northern england, perhaps into wales at times, too,

the higher up you are. and, if anything, perhaps a little bit cooler on friday. and then, into the weekend, well, still low pressure. a frontal system bringing more wet weather more widely overnight and into saturday. then saturday, it's sunshine and showers. bit of a lull first thing sunday, but this weather system bringing more rain at least into western parts as we go on through sunday. so, a selection of locations here for your sunday weather. and then, looking into next week, well, it turns drier and calmer once again, as that march lamb makes a comeback.

this is bbc world news, the headlines. us lawmakers have approved a $1.9 trillion dollar coronavirus stimulus package that will fund vaccines, schools, small businesses and anti—poverty programs. president biden will to sign it into law on friday. burmese police — who've fled across the border to india — have told the bbc, they left after refusing to follow the orders of the military. they said, they'd been told by senior offciers, to shoot protestors. human remains have been found in the search for sarah everard — last seen in london a week ago — a serving police officer has been detained on suspicion of her murder. the brother of the british socialite, ghislaine maxwell — has said that the conditions of her detention in a us prison are degrading and amount to torture. she's accused of helping the sex offender, jeffrey epstein, groom young girls.