hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. hundreds of women in london have gathered in defiance of covid rules to hold a memorial for sarah everard. she was kidnapped and murdered two weeks ago and her death has become the focus of widespread anger in the uk about sexual violence against women. this was the scene a little while ago ago as groups of women gathered on clapham common in south london, near to where sarah everard was last seen. they held a candlelit vigil, despite the official cancellation of the event because of coronavirus restrictions. concern about case has been fuelled by the charging of a serving police officer with sarah everard's murder. and there's criticism too for the way the police have tried to break up saturday's event. there was supposed to be an official vigil here at 6:30pm. that was cancelled after the women's safety campaign group reclaim these streets failed to get a judge to overturn the metropolitan police's order that it shouldn't go ahead because it breached covid—19 restrictions. as you can see, many people have still gathered here tonight through this afternoon. many people have been coming here to pay their respects at their central point on clapham common which is very near to where sarah was last seen. lots of people paying tribute with flowers and coming to spend a moment in silence. as darkness has fallen here it has turned into more of a protest, with chance of reclaim these streets and speakers as well. it's prompted this wider conversation about female safety across the country and tonight borisjohnson the prime minister has tweeted saying, tonight carry and i will be lighting a candle for sarah everard and thinking of her family and friends. i cannot imagine how unbearable their pain and grief is. we must work fast to find all the answers to this horrifying crime. it was confirmed yesterday that it was sarah's body that had been found in woodland in ashford in kent and earlier, serving metropolitan police officer pc wayne couzens appeared in court charged with her kidnap and murder. eleanor wilkinson reports. arriving at westminster magistrates�* court this morning, pc wayne couzens believed to be in this police van. the 48—year—old met police officer joined the force two years ago. today he appeared in the dock — charges of kidnap and murder were formally put to him. he will next appear at the old bailey on tuesday. it's ten days since sarah everard disappeared in south london. her body was found here in woodland, near ashford, in kent. it was found inside a builder's bag and identified through her dental records. extensive searches are continuing close to where her body was found. 30 miles away, the police officer's house in deal, in kent, is also a focus. and an old garage, in dover, where he used to work is being searched. what happened to sarah everard has started a national conversation about women's safety. here in clapham, close to where she was last seen, a vigil had been planned for people to express their sorrow, but also to send a broader message that many women feel unsafe on the streets. but it has now been cancelled after organisers effectively lost a high court challenge over covid—19 restrictions. it doesn't end here by any stretch. we are encouraging people to light a candle in their doorstep or in their street at 9:30pm to remember sarah everard and her life, but also the lives of so many women that we've lost to violence of this kind. the case has also become a political issue. the government is seeking further views on how to tackle violence against women and girls. certainly, the messages that i have been having from women have been very powerful and important. the message i am giving back to government is do something, do something meaningful or my committee will be holding your feet to the fire over why not. but for sarah everard's family, what they are dealing with is unimaginable. they will be wanting answers as to what happened to sarah, who they say was bright, beautiful and a shining example. helena wilkinson, bbc news. so, while the official vigil by reclaim these streets was cancelled, as you can see, many, many people i hear, they are chanting, putting up banners and there is a police presence here. early on there were maybe only a handful of officers making sure that people were moving on. they were dropping off flowers and then leaving again. now there's a greater police presence here, estimating about 1500 people have gathered. earlier the duchess of cambridge visited to pay her respects and kensington palace said this. "the duchess wanted to pay her respects to sarah and her family. "she remembers what it felt like to walk around london at night "before she got married." reclaim these streets has urged people not to come to this point on clapham common tonight. it says it will instead be having this doorstep vigil at 9:30pm, urging people to come out on their doorsteps and light a candle or shine a torch but it says it will carry out a smaller, unofficial, non—public event a bit later on on brixton hill. the number of new coronavirus cases is increasing in many european countries as a third wave of the pandemic gathers momentum. this, as many argue the continent isn't vaccinating its population quickly enough. in the last few hours, italy has reported 26,000 new coronavirus cases, and it's not the only european country seeing high numbers of infections. poland's 21,000 new coronavirus cases reported on saturday is the highest figure since november. germany too has seen a big daily rise, the number there is up by more than 12,500 in the past 2a hours. new coronavirus cases in the netherlands have reached their highest level since mid—january, with nearly 7000 on saturday. it's italy however, where the toughest new restrictions are being applied. mark lowen reports from rome. it's just over a year since italy imposed the world's first national lockdown of the pandemic. now, the first country in the west to be overwhelmed by covid is in a third wave. with cases rising for the past six weeks, exceeding 25,000 a day, italy is closing its doors again. from monday schools, shops and restaurants will shut in more than half the country. for three days over easter they will close nationwide. the new prime minister, mario draghi, said urgent action was needed. translation: i am aware that today's l restrictions will have consequences l on the education of your children, on the economy and on everyone's mental health but they are necessary to avoid a worsening of the situation that would require even stricter measures. it's a bleak situation in some other parts of europe, too. poland has seen its second highest daily number of cases since november and germany is reporting a rapid rise among schoolchildren, with new variants to blame. the speed of vaccination programmes in most of the eu remains sluggish. italy has administered just over 6 millionjabs, about a quarter of the doses of the uk, with similar populations. austria's chancellor said vaccines were not being fairly distributed among the member states, with signs that some countries were striking side deals with manufacturers. mark lowen, bbc news, rome. france is also seeing a resurgence of covid cases. in the capital paris, intensive care wards are almost full and the government says it's considering stricter restrictions. but any move could meet some resistance. 25 theatres across france are currently being occupied by protesting artists, who are demanding that the venues reopen. the protests started ten days ago from the historical 0deon theatre in paris. it and other art venues have been closed for months due to the pandemic. earlier i spoke with baptiste chevalier duflot, who is among the protesters occupying the 0deon theatre. i'm here from the beginning, so it's been ten days now. and yeah we are occupying, we are in a way re—occupying these places because we used to be there, we used to work there, we used to show to people theatre and arts. and this is what we are doing right now. it is the function of theatre to open minds and to show music hearts and theirs is what we are doing everyday and people are really happy to see that. but doing everyday and people are really happy to see that-— happy to see that. but our people ha - to happy to see that. but our people happy to return — happy to see that. but our people happy to return to _ happy to see that. but our people happy to return to theatres - happy to see that. but our people happy to return to theatres at - happy to see that. but our people happy to return to theatres at the j happy to return to theatres at the moment? intensive care wards are all, 90,000 people have died. is this really the time that theatres should be reopening? i this really the time that theatres should be reopening?— this really the time that theatres should be reopening? i mean, you know, it is — should be reopening? i mean, you know, it is government _ should be reopening? i mean, you know, it is government choices. i should be reopening? i mean, you i know, it is government choices. they chose to open the trains, the national embassies are packed with. they choose to let the people, not going out, not going to theatres. we know that we can open safely. find know that we can open safely. and how would you _ know that we can open safely. and how would you go about doing that, open safely? is there not something else to consider like outdoor theatre, online performances? how would you open indoor theatres safely? we would you open indoor theatres safel ? ~ . would you open indoor theatres safel ?~ . ,., , . would you open indoor theatres safel 7~ . ,., . ~ ., safely? we have protocols. we know we can open — safely? we have protocols. we know we can open safely. _ safely? we have protocols. we know we can open safely. we _ safely? we have protocols. we know we can open safely. we did - safely? we have protocols. we know we can open safely. we did it. - safely? we have protocols. we know we can open safely. we did it. we i we can open safely. we did it. we didn't have any... we didn't have any problem with coronavirus spreading in theatres. we asked the minister of culture to show us a plan to reopen, you know. if the vaccination is the solution, we need to know when we will be able to open. let's take a look at some of the other stories making the news. a huge car bomb in herat, western afghanistan, has killed at least eight people and injured around 50 more. dozens of houses have been destroyed. the united nations has condemned what it called an alarming increase in attacks deliberately targeting civilians, despite peace talks taking place between the taliban and the afghan government. russian police have arrested dozens of opposition politicians and activists at a meeting taking place in a moscow hotel. police confirmed that they detained almost 200 people. they say the people they rounded up were attending a gathering organised by a banned group to discuss municipal elections. bolivia's former interim president, jeanine anez, has been arreseted on charges of sedition and conspiracy. prosecutors accuse ms anez and several former government ministers of taking part in a coup against the left—wing leader, evo morales. ms anez has tweeted that she's been the victim of political persecution and a coup never took place. to myanmar, where at least eight protesters have been killed by security forces, as demonstrations continue across the country, against last month's military coup. international pressure is building on the authorities to stop using deadly force against unarmed demonstrators. the worst of the violence on saturday took place in the city of mandalay, where once again police opened fire on peaceful protestors. jonathan head reports. the days in myanmar�*s towns and cities are punctuated by protests, by lethal volleys of gunfire from the army and police... ..and by the funerals of those who have been killed. the death toll in this elemental battle between unarmed people and the military regime, whose authority they still refuse to accept, keeps climbing. today was another terrible day in mandalay, where opposition to the military coup runs very high. the police started, they showed up at 10am. by then the rally was already over. as i said, they were there to kill. they didn't have to kill, they didn't have to shoot a single shot. people were about to go back, people were about to disperse, but they did anyway. this lady has just lost her husband. he had volunteered as a neighbourhood guard, and joined a protest at a police station near his home in yangon last night, demanding the release of detainees. the police responded by opening fire. after five weeks of this, and around 80 deaths, people have still not given up. every day they rebuild the barricades that shout their defiance at the soldiers. every day, the soldiers pull them down. firing abuse, and shots, back at the people. jonathan head, bbc news, bangkok. and in the latest development, the leader of a shadow civilian government in myanmar, who is in hiding, vows resistance to military rule and urges protesters to continue their fight. translation: this is the darkest moment of the nation. _ the moment when the dawn is close. this is the time for our citizens to test their resistance against the dark moments. when forming our resistance, unity plays a vital role. despite our differences in the past, this is a time when we must grip our hands together to end the dictatorship for good. the headlines on bbc news. police in london try to break up an unauthorised vigil for sarah everard who was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by a policeman. a reminder of our top story. coronavirus cases increase in many european union countries as a third wave of the pandemic gathers speed. federal investigators in the united states say they've made significant progress in their probe into the killing by police of a young black woman, breonna taylor — exactly one year since the 26—year—old was fatally shot in her home by police officers. ms taylor was shot by police when they forced their way into her apartment during a botched drug raid. the officers made use of a so—called no—knock arrest warrant that did not require them to announce themselves. ms taylor's death helped spark black lives matter protests in louisville and across the country over the excessive use of force used by officers. larry madowo is in louisville for us. they louisville for us. did not find drugs in the know not they did not find drugs in the know not warrant they were executing and they were looking for a suspect who did not live there. it has been a year since it happen. the family received $12 million from the city of louisville but they say that because no officers were charged, that must be rectified. this square has been a centre of pushing for justice for breonna taylor and the activists who built it call it injustice square. i can go to two community activists. i saw you six months ago when we were here. are you still fighting for the same thing? you still fighting for the same thin ? ~ , ,., , you still fighting for the same thing? absolutely, i'm back here and bein: a thing? absolutely, i'm back here and being a cheerleader— thing? absolutely, i'm back here and being a cheerleader for _ thing? absolutely, i'm back here and being a cheerleader for the _ thing? absolutely, i'm back here and being a cheerleader for the people i being a cheerleader for the people who have — being a cheerleader for the people who have created this space, called injustice _ who have created this space, called injustice square park, for a good reason, — injustice square park, for a good reason, because it's about equality and allowing young people to emerge for new— and allowing young people to emerge for new leadership which for too lon- for new leadership which for too long has— for new leadership which for too long has not manifested as it should — long has not manifested as it should. the state of kentucky's argument, they say that the shots from _ argument, they say that the shots from police were justified because breonna _ from police were justified because breonna taylor's boyfriend fired first _ breonna taylor's boyfriend fired first. , ., ., . ., first. there is a contradiction. they are _ first. there is a contradiction. they are saying _ first. there is a contradiction. they are saying from - first. there is a contradiction. they are saying from the - first. there is a contradiction. - they are saying from the government, you stood _ they are saying from the government, you stood your — they are saying from the government, you stood your ground _ they are saying from the government, you stood your ground under- you stood your ground under kentucky's _ you stood your ground under kentucky's law _ you stood your ground under kentucky's law of— you stood your ground under kentucky's law of self - you stood your ground under. kentucky's law of self defence you stood your ground under- kentucky's law of self defence and when _ kentucky's law of self defence and when people — kentucky's law of self defence and when people breached _ kentucky's law of self defence and when people breached the - kentucky's law of self defence and when people breached the door. kentucky's law of self defence and i when people breached the door you did not— when people breached the door you did not know— when people breached the door you did not know they— when people breached the door you did not know they were _ when people breached the door you did not know they were police - did not know they were police officers — did not know they were police officers. now _ did not know they were police officers. now they _ did not know they were police officers. now they got - did not know they were police officers. now they got a - did not know they were police officers. now they got a lookl did not know they were police i officers. now they got a look at what _ officers. now they got a look at what they — officers. now they got a look at what they did _ officers. now they got a look at what they did and _ officers. now they got a look at what they did and say, - officers. now they got a look at what they did and say, was - officers. now they got a look at - what they did and say, was instilled a justified _ what they did and say, was instilled a justified shooting _ what they did and say, was instilled a justified shooting from _ what they did and say, was instilled a justified shooting from police - a justified shooting from police officers — a justified shooting from police officers. ., ., , ., ., officers. you have been one of the --eole officers. you have been one of the people who _ officers. you have been one of the people who have _ officers. you have been one of the people who have brought - officers. you have been one of the people who have brought the - officers. you have been one of the people who have brought the case j officers. you have been one of the i people who have brought the case to light. what are you fighting for? i'm fighting for what chris has said. — i'm fighting for what chris has said. for— i'm fighting for what chris has said, for people who want to protect the community, keep the fight in the middle _ the community, keep the fight in the middle of— the community, keep the fight in the middle of city government, because we still— middle of city government, because we still have a police officer still on the _ we still have a police officer still on the force and has not been fired. we have _ on the force and has not been fired. we have a _ on the force and has not been fired. we have a judicial process that failed — we have a judicial process that failed breonna taylor. we still have too many _ failed breonna taylor.