This is bbc news. The headlines at eight. More than 2,000 people have been arrested in russia at protests in support of the jailed opposition leader, Alexei Navalny. Mr navalny� s wife yulia was briefly detained then released. Senior doctors in britain call for the maximum 12 week gap between administering the first and second doses of the pfizer coronavirus vaccination to be halved. A curfew has come into force in the netherlands as part of new measures to contain coronavirus. And the american broadcaster and talk show host, larry king, has died at the age of 87. Hello. Police in russia have detained more than an estimated 2,000 people at protests in support of the jailed opposition leader, Alexei Navalny. Large gatherings have been taking place across the country, including the eastern cities of vladivostok and khabarovsk. In the siberian city of yakutsk, protesters braved temperatures of minus 50 degrees. The main demonstration was in the capital, moscow, from where our correspondent Steve Rosenberg reports. In moscow, you can feel the anger. Police had warned people any protests would be broken up, any protester risked arrest. But thousands came to pushkin square to support the kremlin� s fiercest critic, Alexei Navalny. Freedom to navalny, they cried. And, russia without putin. On her way to the protest, mr navalny� s wife, yulia, was detained by police. So were hundreds of others for taking part in what the authorities called an unsanctioned gathering. For years, the russian authorities made out that Alexei Navalny had minimal support across the country, that he was in no way a threat to them, but these scenes of riot police and detentions suggest the kremlin is more worried than theyve been letting on. In a direct challenge to Vladimir Putin, whom he accuses of ordering the nerve agent attack on him, Alexei Navalny returned to russia last weekend and was arrested for an alleged parole violation. Russia isnt investigating his poisoning, its investigating him. The kremlin denies any involvement in the attack. There were pro navalny rallies across russia today. Things heated up in vladivostok. In yakutsk, it was 50, but there were protests here too. But the kremlin rarely gives in to pressure, especially from the street. Instead of compromise, expect a crackdown. Steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. In the past hour, the United States has called on russia to release all those detained for what it described as � exercising their universal rights�. 0ur correspondent Sarah Rainsford was at the protests in moscow. Heres what she had to say. Theres a really big crowd crammed into pushkin square and into all the streets around, but there was a huge presence of riot police there as well. Right at the beginning, they were swooping in and grabbing people pretty much at random from the crowd, detaining them, and then they left everyone sort of Milling Around for a couple of hours. People chanting freedom to Alexei Navalny, calling for his release, chanting against Vladimir Putin as well. A really defiant crowd that turned out, but after a couple of hours, it seems that the police basically lost patience with the crowd. The crowd started pushing and shoving, there were scuffles, there were altercations, there were a few flares that went off as well. Eventually, the riot police pushed the main crowd back from the square and began to clear the streets, and we now know that hundreds of people have been detained across russia. Some 2000 at the latest count in what is obviously the beginning of a crackdown on this active resistance, basically, by supporters of Alexei Navalny. That was Sarah Rainsford reporting. Financier bill browder went from setting up the hermitage fund, at one time the largest foreign Portfolio Investor in russia, to fighting a Major International battle with the kremlin against corporate corruption in the country. Hes head of the global
magnitskyjustice campaign. And hejoins us now. Hello there. Two things are going on. One is the situation in which Alexei Navalny finds himself on the other is the mass protests. If you just start with mr navalny, how worried are you about him . Im with mr navalny, how worried are you about him . � ,. , about him . Im extremely worried about him . Im extremely worried about him about him . Im extremely worried about him as about him . Im extremely worried about him. As was about him . Im extremely worried about him. As was mentioned about him . Im extremely worried about him. As was mentioned in l about him . Im extremely worried l about him. As was mentioned in the report, five months ago, the Russian Secret Services administered nova chocolate, which is a band nerve agent to Alexei Navalny in an effort to kill him novichok. It was only through an accident of circumstances that the plane he was on landed and he was given an antidote before he died, and hes since been in five months in germany recuperating. Now backin
months in germany recuperating. Now back in their custody, in the custody of the light of your putin, and theyve already shown that theyre willing to kill him before and they dont care for the world thinks of Vladimir Putin. I think hes in great danger. H0 . . . Thinks of Vladimir Putin. I think hes in great danger. Hes in great danger. How can the world show hes in great danger. How can the world show what hes in great danger. How can the world show what it hes in great danger. How can the world show what it thinks hes in great danger. How can the world show what it thinks in hes in great danger. How can the world show what it thinks in your| world show what it thinks in your opinion . World show what it thinks in your oinion . , � ,. , opinion . The main thing thats going to determine opinion . The main thing thats going to determine the opinion . The main thing thats going to determine the outcome opinion . The main thing thats going to determine the outcome of opinion . The main thing thats going to determine the outcome of this to determine the outcome of this conflict is how many people go out in the streets in russia. They have no control over that. But we do have control over in the west is that putin and his cronies keep their money in the west. They keep their money in the west. They keep their money and banks in the uk and new york and switzerland, and theres a new set of laws named after sergey back next the sergei magnitsky. The magnitsky act could be applied to these people, and i could be a very strong counter wave that could be. In order to possibly get
him released and protect him. Just to let people him released and protect him. Just to let people who dont know sergei magnitsky, who was your lawyer, was investigating a major fraud magnitsky, who was your lawyer, was investigating a majorfraud by members of the russian government. And he died in very horrific circumstances. So, this act that you have mentioned, which is in his name, tell us a little more about it. So the magnitsky act, we went out after we it. So the magnitsky act, we went out after we couldnt it. So the magnitsky act, we went out after we couldnt get it. So the magnitsky act, we went out after we couldnt getjustice l out after we couldnt getjustice for murder in russia. We said we wanted to getjustice outside of russia so we went to the United States in the uk, to canada and the eu, and we said the people who to this crime and similar crimes should have their assets frozen and their visas band. And their names names. That became known as the magnitsky act. Now we have 31 countries with the magnitsky act in place and its
a very powerful tool. Instead of sanctioning a whole country, you can pick out the individual violators and leave everyone else alone and sanction these individuals. When you get put on the magnitsky list, it ends your financial life. No get put on the magnitsky list, it ends yourfinancial life. No bank get put on the magnitsky list, it ends your financial life. No bank or company will touch you. All of a sudden, you became a financial pariah. Thats something thats proven very powerful. Help . Pariah. Thats something thats proven very powerful. How much a etite proven very powerful. How much appetite do proven very powerful. How much appetite do you proven very powerful. How much appetite do you think proven very powerful. How much appetite do you think there proven very powerful. How much appetite do you think there is. Proven very powerful. How muchj appetite do you think there is for that sort of action in the west against individuals in russia . In this particular case, i think theres a high appetite. Everybody watched in horror as Alexei Navalny nearly died. He was in a coma for three weeks from this nerve agent. Every politician, every person saw this and were outraged, and those same people are even more outraged than instead of investigating this
crime, theyve now arrested him. So, i think if there ever were a case that the 31 countries that have magnitsky acts were to Work Together to punish these russian abusers, this would be it. This would be it. Thank you very much. Youre watching bbc news. Lets take a look at the latest uk government coronavirus figures. There were 33,552 new covid infections recorded in the latest 24 hour period. On average, the number of new cases reported per day in the last week is 37,157. There were 37,899 people in hospital with coronavirus over the seven days to thursday. 1,348 deaths were reported thats people who died within 28 days of a positive covid 19 test. On average in the past week, 1,248 deaths were announced every day. The total number of deaths so far
across the uk is 97,329. The uks programme of mass vaccinations continues to ramp up with a new daily record for the roll out. 478,248 people have had their first dose of one of the three approved covid 19 vaccines in the latest 24 hour period. It takes the overall number of people whove had their firstjab to 5,861,351 here in the uk, senior doctors have called for the 12 week gap between administering the first and second doses of the pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine to be halved. The British Government chose to extend the maximum wait from three to 12 weeks, claiming it could saves lives by allowing more people to receive a firstjab more quickly. In a private letter to englands chief medical officer, which has been seen by the bbc, the doctors union, the bma, called the delay difficult to justify. Our Health CorrespondentAnna Collinson reports. Its the largest Vaccination Programme in british history and, to many, so far, its been a success. But there are calls for the Pfizer Biontech second dose to be given more quickly. The manufacturers have no data to back up the 12 week delay and some senior doctors want it reduced to six weeks. That would still allow many more people to have a first dose compared to a three week interval, but at least it will be in keeping with International Best practice guidance. There is no other nation internationally that has adopted a 12 week delay. Health officials have called extending the gap to 12 weeks a Public Health decision. The government says the Current System is under review, but believes it is the right thing to do. It enables people to get the first jab as quickly as possible and the high level of protection that one jab alone provides to them, and then of course, those individuals will be invited back
for their second jab within 12 weeks. Questions are also being asked about the more infectious variants. Vaccines are still expected to be effective, but early evidence suggests it may be more deadly, though more research is needed. The question about then whether it is more dangerous in terms of mortality i think is still open, but there is evidence that it is more dangerous. But, on the other hand, this is a very dangerous virus so its not a game changer, its a very bad thing thats slightly worse. We can expect more reminders to stay at home and to keep our distance for weeks and maybe months to come. Anna collinson, bbc news. More covid 19 hospital patients in the uk are being helped to breathe with mechanical ventilators than at any other time since the start of the pandemic. Latest figures released by government show that more than 4,000 patients were on hospital ventilators on friday. Thats higher than during the first wave in april. Then, the peak was just over 3,000. In the past few minutes, a curfew has come into force in the netherlands. Its part of of further measures to contain the spread of coronavirus. The � stay at home order� runs from 9pm to 4. 30am. Anyone outdoors will need a valid work reason, or it must be an emergency. From the hague, here� s anna holligan. This is the toughest measure that the dutch politicians have introduced, which is a reflection of how seriously they� re taking the threat posed by the new strains of the virus. They� re now introducing the types of rules they� d previously ruled out as too draconian and unnecessary for a rule abiding nation like the netherlands. So, first of all, the curfew. This is a stay at home between 9pm and 4 30am local time. This is designed to try to end the social gatherings. Since the bars and restaurants closed last month, there� s been a real increase in house parties and underground raves, and then
exceptions to this rule exist, so you can go out if there� s an emergency or if you have a work valid reason. You need to carry a piece of paper from your employer saying that you need to be out between those times. Also, if you� re attending the funeral or Court Proceedings or travelling into or out of the country. And the one other exception that exists is you can have one of these a dog on a lead, and actually there are reports there� s been a real increase in the number of people who are signing up to offer to walk people� s dogs as a way to try to get round these curfew rules. On top of this, the flight ban has just come into force, so this is affecting flights from areas considered to be high risk where the new strains of the virus were first detected and are spreading rapidly, so no more planes for at least a month from the uk, south africa and south american countries. That will be at least a month or until they� ve changed the legislation
here so that they can make the ten day quarantine rule obligatory for anyone arriving in the country. The conservative leader in the Welsh Parliament has resigned his position after being seen drinking with other politicians in the senneth, days into a pub alcohol ban. Paul davies said his actions had damaged the trust and respect he� d built with the people of wales. His colleague, darren millar, who was also seen drinking, has also resigned. The headlines on bbc news. More than 2000 people have been arrested in russia at protests in support of the jailed opposition leader, Alexei Navalny. Senior doctors in britain call for the maximum 12 week gap between administering the first and second doses of the pfizer coronavirus vaccination to be halved. A curfew has come into force in the netherlands as part of new measures to contain coronavirus. One of the giants of american broadcasting, larry king, has died. He was 87. Larry king is best known for hosting a nightly talk show on cnn, which ran for 25 years. He was being treated in hospital in los angeles after testing positive for covid 19. Daniella relph looks back on his life. For more than 60 years, he interviewed everybody who was anybody. Tonight, the legendary Liza Minnelli on marriage. Would you marry again . Are you nuts . 0scar winners. Start spreading the news the legendary Liza Minnelli is here. President s. Tonight, a candid conversation with president george w and laura bush from the white house. Do you ever think you would say, maybe i was wrong . The decision to remove Saddam Hussein was the right decision. | not friends any more . If you were in the public eye, you came to the court of larry king. Were you with the president at times, intimately, and he would also be conducting affairs of state . The story that he was on the phone, talking to congressmen . Er, yes. It� s the witching hour, miami beach� s midnight flyer programme. Born in brooklyn, he rose to fame in his 20s as a discjockey in florida, spoofing his role in this 1960s tv crime series based in miami. Hey, creep from the nation� s capital, you� re listening to the larry king show. By the 1970s, he was broadcasting his late night radio show coast to coast. Across the United States, this is the larry king show, coast to coast. Preferring not to prepare too much for an interview and simply letting the conversation unfold. I like spontaneity, that� s the kind of broadcaster i am. I� m coming on the air, saying, good evening, my guest tonight is. I have no idea what that question� s going to be. In the 1980s, king joined a new 24 hour tv news station, cnn, gently probing everyone from donald trump. Rumblings in the trump camp point as far as the presidency. Could the manhatten magnate be eyeing the white house
or is he just calling a bluff . I have no intention of running for president , but i have a point to get across we have a great country, but its not going to be great for long if we continue to lose 200 billion a year. To frank sinatra. I tremble every time i walk out from the wing onto the stage l because i keep thinking to myself, i wonder if itll be there. After leaving cnn, those famous braces could be seen, until recently, on larry king now. They go, cut cut what is she doing . his new talk show was criticised for being syndicated on the russian sponsored tv network, rt. People dont expect you to be sitting at certain board. But with guests like 0prah, larry king proved that, even in his 80s, he still had unrivalled pulling power. I� m joined now by pat piper, who produced larry king� s
radio show for ten years. They also co wrote several books together. Hello to you. What was he like to work with . He hello to you. What was he like to work with . Hello to you. What was he like to work with . ,. ,. ,. Work with . He was high maintenance, but it was good work with . He was high maintenance, but it was good high work with . He was high maintenance, but it was good high maintenance, work with . He was high maintenance, but it was good high maintenance, if. But it was good high maintenance, if that makes sense. As you noted earlier, he wouldn� t prepare for interviews. It was just a quick story. My first day with him, someone had booked Frederick Forsyth who had written a 400 page book, and said here you go, you can read it and it� ll be on in two days. Through the book back at me and said, i have no need to read the book. I thought, 0k. He said the audience hasn� t read the book, why should i . Ithought, i� m dealing with a genius or in dealing with the laziest person on earth. I was
dealing with a genius. Mas laziest person on earth. I was dealing with a genius. Was not maddening dealing with a genius. Was not maddening with dealing with a genius. Was not maddening with you dealing with a genius. Was not maddening with you dealing with a genius. Was not maddening with you maddening for maddening with you maddening for you or did you come to respect it . Yeah, i did. Another quick story, we were in los angeles doing a live show. It was, as you know what happens, i cancelled guest. I got tom petty who was going on tour. To come in. Larry is watching tv, looking at the Baltimore Orioles losing. He� s focus on baseball. He� s going to be live on air in three minutes, so that� s kind of what you deal with. Minutes, so that� s kind of what you dealwith. I minutes, so that� s kind of what you deal with. I give him a list and say here� s what were doing. He says who the hell is tom petty . I said he� s a rock and roll band going on tour, he said that was all he needed to know. The interview was fun and petty said that was a great interview. I thought man, if you
only knew. I interview. I thought man, if you only knew interview. Ithought man, if you onl knew. ,. ,. , only knew. I guess that means he really listened only knew. I guess that means he really listened to only knew. I guess that means he really listened to his only knew. I guess that means he | really listened to his interviewees, because otherwise, how else would you sustain our . That because otherwise, how else would you sustain our . You sustain our . That is exactly riuht. He you sustain our . That is exactly right he was you sustain our . That is exactly right. He was naturally you sustain our . That is exactly right. He was naturally curiousl right. He was naturally curious anyway. He used to say, i don� t learn what i� m talking. I thought that was really deep, but that� s how he operated. That was really deep, but thats how he operated he operated. What sort of character was he off the he operated. What sort of character was he off the air . He operated. What sort of character was he off the air . We he operated. What sort of character was he off the air . We have he operated. What sort of character was he off the air . We have a he operated. What sort of character| was he off the air . We have a strong impression of him on the air. Was he at the same person or different . He reall at the same person or different . He really was the same person. His favourite restaurant in washington, dc was people will come up to him and say, larry, i love your show. And even have a conversation with them. I kept thinking they� re going to sit down and larry is been a buy them lunch, but they were always very respectful. When he
would leave, women would come up to him and say, could you please autograph this for my mother . He would say it� s always a mother whose always it� s always the mother wants my autograph. A sense of humourfor wants my autograph. A sense of humour for everything. You wants my autograph. A sense of humour for everything. You have a lovely story humour for everything. You have a lovely story that humour for everything. You have a lovely story that you humour for everything. You have a lovely story that you told humour for everything. You have a lovely story that you told one humour for everything. You have a lovely story that you told one of i humour for everything. You have a | lovely story that you told one of my colleagues about being with him at George WashingtonUniversity Hospital in 1987, when he was in the emergency room. Tell us about that. He was a big cigarette smoker, and he ended up in the emergency room, i got a phone call, get to the emergency room, larry is there. His tv producer drove him there. I� m there and two doctors are looking at an electrocardiogram they� ve just taken of him, and they were across the room and pointing out stuff. Then they both look at larry and
start walking toward him, and larry says to me, this ain� t going to be good. They got to his bedside and said, mr keane, you� re having a heart attack. He asked if he was going to die, and they said well, you� re in an emergency room. Then he said, should i cancel my lunch reservation . That� s probably a good idea. {iii reservation . Thats probably a good idea. Reservation . Thats probably a good idea. ,. ,. ,. , reservation . Thats probably a good idea. ,. ,. ,. , idea. Of what a cool character you worked with idea. Of what a cool character you worked with him idea. Of what a cool character you worked with him for idea. Of what a cool character you worked with him for ten idea. Of what a cool character you worked with him for ten years, idea. Of what a cool character you | worked with him for ten years, what lessons did you learn hello i learned to listen lessons did you learn hello i learned to lister lessons did you learn hello i learned to listen and not to go in with an attitude. Learned to listen and not to go in with an attitude. He learned to listen and not to go in with an attitude. He didnt learned to listen and not to go in with an attitude. He didnt care l with an attitude. He didn� t care what the political view was, he was more interested in how you got that view. And ifound that more interested in how you got that view. And i found that personally very helpful, and i would be talking to people with whom i disagree or with whom i knew nothing. It was a
good way to learn to communicate with somebody. And with short questions. With somebody. And with short questions with somebody. And with short ruestions. ,. , questions. Never underestimate the short question questions. Never underestimate the short question. Lovely questions. Never underestimate the short question. Lovely to questions. Never underestimate the short question. Lovely to talk questions. Never underestimate the short question. Lovely to talk to short question. Lovely to talk to you, thank you so much. Pat piper, who works with their king for ten years. Thank you so much. Guernsey has gone into lockdown with immediate effect today after four people from different households tested positive for covid 19. Islanders had been free from social distancing since june last year. Euan duncan reports. For guernsey� s 63,000 residents, this is a bitter blow. The island has been blessed with daily life as close to normal for over six months, but now guernsey is back to where they were last march. Queues began to form early this morning as news of a potential lockdown spread a move which was officially announced at an Emergency Press conference. There was confirmation of Community Spread as four cases of the virus had been found in islanders without any travel history. The unknown we� re facing on this occasion is the emergence of the viral variants and exactly what that impact is going to be. And that was also key to our decision making. Not only did we have these four cases, but we are sitting against the background of a changing situation, and it was that uncertainty that we� ve always done what we can to try and protect the health and well being of the population. Schools, bars and restaurants are to close, but the government say mass vaccinations will still go ahead. Guernsey� s Community Vaccination centre will open its doors on monday, but the centre has already been designed to include social distancing. The island knew it was in a unique and fortunate position to have been living life with the freedoms not enjoyed in largerjurisdictions. No one knows how long this lockdown will last. The island is holding its breath. Two railway routes which were closed more than 50 years ago are to be reopened. The next phase of east west rail, connecting oxford and cambridge, was confirmed by the government in november. It has been awarded £760 million, and the northumberland line, which still carries freight, will get £34 million to restart passenger services. 0ur transport correspondent Caroline Davies reports. Some train lines cut in the 1960s are being brought back. The government have announced £760 million to continue work on the bicester to bletchley line, which hasn� t run since 1968. But life after covid could look very different, and it could take a while for the numbers using the railways to bounce back. Why are you investing this amount of money now . It� s really important that we are thinking about the future and, fortunately, with the jabs going into people� s arms, we can see that there will be life after coronavirus. We want people to be able to get about, connect communities. There� s also £34 million to restore a line in northumberland, closed
in 1964, but still running freight. It means towns like ashington will have a Train Station after decades without one. Although it� s welcome, some say much more is needed. The northumberland line is one piece in the jigsaw but, if you do not invest in other critical infrastructure, in particular in the wider rail network, then the north east will never benefit from projects like hsz and Northern Powerhouse rail. Both services will run on diesel, at least initially, rather than greener alternatives. The government say they� re looking to bring back more lines previously cut. Caroline davies, bbc news. And the Award Winning actor and film maker, kenneth branagh, will play the Prime Minister borisjohnson in a new tv drama about the coronavirus pandemic. The sceptred isle will chart the first wave of the uk� s pandemic and will be based on testimony from politicians, scientists, and nhs staff who battled to contain the virus. Filming is expected to start shortly with the series due to air in 2022. Now it� s time for a look at the weather with nick miller. Hello. There have been a few wintry showers around today. Some of us have seen a bit more snow, but many places stay dry, had a bit of sunshine, but it� s a cold weekend. There� s a widespread frost on the way tonight. And after the showers fade away from north west england, the midlands and east anglia, it could be icy, there will be a few fog patches developing. Icy patches still, with the wintry showers towards the north and west of scotland, and a new area of rain, sleet and snow heading to south west england, wales and southern parts of Northern Ireland. We� ll start sunday with that widespread frost. Icy patches, fog around in some spots, too. And a focus will be on this next area of sleet and snow, then, that will push into more of wales, towards the south and west midlands, southern areas of Northern Ireland, eventually feeding into parts of south east england as a day goes on. And where you see at snow, you could see a light covering to low levels of a few centimetres, but more to higher ground. So certainly turning difficult on roads and pavements. Again, also affecting southern areas
of Northern Ireland. Northern counties of Northern England into scotland will see the lion� s share of sunday� s sunshine. But there will be further wintry showers around northern and western scotland. Some rain into the afternoon heading into parts of the northern isles. So as we go on deep into the day, then, notice how this area of snow doesn� t move very much, so if you are within that, this is where you are most likely to get that few centimetres, even at lower levels, with more to any higher ground. Could be some fog patches that linger into parts of the north midlands, east anglia and southern areas of Northern England. So anywhere where any fog lingers or you see that snow will be particularly cold, barely above freezing. Any of that snow will gradually fade, then, as we go through the evening. Again, turning icy behind that. And again, we have these showers affecting parts of scotland, Northern Ireland and Northern England deeper into sunday night. It will be icy in places with a few centimetres of snow possible in a few spots, too, with another widespread frost as monday begins. A few of those wintry showers will sink further southwards through england and wales. As we go on through monday, there will be some sunny spells around at times, too. And temperatures edging up mainly to around four or 5 degrees. A little bit higher in south west england, where we will see weather fronts coming in from the atlantic tuesday, wednesday, indeed, for the rest of the week. That does mean it will be turning wetter and windier once again, but it will also be turning milder, too. Temperatures heading up quite a bit from midweek