The Czech Republic announced they were expelling 18 Russian Diplomats identified as secret agents. This includes two men suspected of involvement in a deadly explosion at a Czech Arms Depot Seven years ago. Britain claims theyre the same two men who tried to kill a former spy with a nerve agent three years ago. Our security correspondent Gordon Corera has the story. The aftermath of a deadly explosion. In october 2014, this arms depot in the Czech Countryside blew up. It took a month to find the remains of two men who worked there. It was widely assumed to have been an accident, until now. A key piece of evidence came when investigators found an e mail requesting permission for two men to inspect the site. Attached were scans of the mens passports, a copy of which the bbc has obtained. If you recognise them, this is why. Theyre the same two men wanted in connection with the salisbury poisoning in the uk. In 2018, they were spotted on cctv and accused of smearing nerve agent on the front door of sergei skripal� s house. The two denied any involvement, saying they visited salisbury to see the cathedral spire. The e mail with the Passport Scans claimed the men were from the National Guard of tajikistan, and gave false names. The pair arrived in prague on october 11th, using the same names as in salisbury. On october 13th, they went to stay in ostrava, near the arms depot, and they left the country on october 16th, the day of the explosion. But why was the depot targeted . The bbc has been told that a bulgarian arms dealer, emilian gebrev, stored weapons there. Six months later in bulgaria, members of the same unit of Russian Military intelligence are believed to have tried to kill gebrev. This cctv shows an alleged member of the team moving around gebrev� s car. Its alleged that poison was smeared on its door handle, leaving him fighting for his life, though he did survive. One expert says these incidents paint a picture of how this unit operates. It actually seems to be military intelligence� s in house team of miscellaneous Throat Slitters and general saboteurs. Theres probably about 20 operational staff and maybe 200 support personnel. The czech Prime Minister has announced 18 Russian Diplomats are being expelled. The issue will be discussed by eu Foreign Ministers tomorrow, while in london, the Foreign Secretary said the uk stood by its czech allies in exposing russian� s dangerous operations. Moscow says the allegations about its role in this explosion are unfounded and far fetched, but investigations into the activities of Russian Military intelligence are ongoing and more cases may still be uncovered, raising the pressure on moscow further. Gordon corera, bbc news. Russias ambassador to the uk has insisted that Opposition LeaderAlexei Navalny will not be allowed to die in prison. Supporters of mr navalny claim he could die within days. Theyre organising a rally on wednesday, hours after president Vladimir Putin is to deliver his state of the nation address. Courtney bembridge reports. Alexei navalny is being held at this prison outside of moscow. Hes been on Hunger Strike since the end of march, protesting because he has been refused access to his medical team. His personal doctor tweeted this video saying she and three other doctors stood for two hours and begged to be let into the jail but they were refused entry. The doctors say recent Blood Test Results indicate that navalny could go into Cardiac Arrest at any moment and this was the message from his top aides. Translation have you ever seen with your own eyes how someone is killed 7 yes, you have. You are seeing it right now. Whatever the urge to pull away from it, change the subject, it does not negate the fact that Alexei Navalny is being killed in a terrible way and in front of everyones eyes. But russias ambassador to the uk says that will not happen. Of course he will not be allowed to die in prison but i can say that mr navalny, he behaves like a hooligan, absolutely, in trying to violate every rule that has been established. He wants to attract attention. Navalny was arrested in january when he returned to russia after a near fatal poisoning attack which he says was orchestrated by the kremlin. It denies the allegation. The us has warned there will be consequences if mr navalny dies and the eus top diplomat tweeted that he was deeply concerned and again called for navalny� s immediate and unconditional release. It comes amid rising tensions between moscow and the west over a litany of issues including russias Troop Buildup on the ukraine border. I think we have to define clear red lines with russia. This is the only way to be credible. I think that sanctions are insufficient in themselves, but sanctions are part of the package. Eu Foreign Ministers are expected to discuss navalny� s plight on monday. Lets get some of the days other news. 11 people have died and nearly 100 others injured in a Train Accident in egypt. Several carriages were derailed in the accident that took place north of the capital, cairo. Egypts rail system has a poor Safety Record last month, at least twenty people were killed in a collision between two trains. An eight Year Old Girl has been rescued in switzerland five days after being kidnapped from her grandmothers french home. Mia and her mother Lola Montemaggi were found in a squat inside an abandoned factory in the Swiss Municipality of sainte croix. The 28 year old mother was arrested along with several others accused of helping her plan the kidnapping. Just over half of the Adult Population of the United States have now received at least one dose of Coronavirus Vaccine according to official data. Thats about 130 million people. However, the countrys top covid advisor, dr anthony fauci, has warned that the us remained in a precarious situation amid fears of a new surge. Meanwhile, across the border in canada Prime Ministerjustin trudeau says hes sending federal Health Workers and equipment to ontario to help the province cope with a surge in coronavirus cases. The Emergency Support will include Rapid Testing in hot spots and mobile vaccination teams. On friday, it was announced that ontario was tightening and extending its lockdown. 12 Football Clubs from italy, spain and england have agreed to the formation of a midweek super league. The teams including some of the biggest in Club Football have released plans that have been widely criticised by the games governing bodies and former players. But the agreement could see the founding clubs receive an upfront grant of over 4 billion. Heres the british Sports Minister with his reaction. Well, im laserfocused, and the governments really laser focused on whats best for fans and whats best for english football. Im not convinced that whats been announced would be, i havent seen full details yet, but im pretty sceptical about it. I dont think it would necessarily create the opportunities or the level Playing Field wed like to see in football, seems a bit of a closed shop idea, so im pretty sceptical at the moment but ill wait to see the details. Martin lipton is the chief Sports Writer for the uks sun newspaper. He says this is a groundbreaking move for european football. This is going to be the most significant change in the Football Landscape that weve seen since the bosman crisis which was caused over transfer values way back in the � 90s. Its a huge development. 12 clubs, and therell be three more, suddenly becoming even wealthier than before, sharing £3 billion sterling as a joining fee, from potentially even as soon as august this year. Its a monumental change, it rips up the fabric of european football, many will say it destroys the very essence of the game. Is it actually happening or is it part of an elaborate negotiation to do with another league, the Champions League . Champions league were going to announce, the uefa were going to announce, are still going to announce later today, their revamped model of a 36 team competition. That was described by the head of the European Club association, Andrea Agnelli ofjuventus, as � ideal and beautiful�. Today, Andrea Agnelli resigned as chairman of the European Club association, or is going to, because juventus have joined the breakaway. Its not a sabre rattling exercise, its not a joke, its not a threat, its concrete. They want to do it, theyre going to do it and they believe, despite the anger and indignation at uefa headquarters in switzerland, that fifa wont stop them either, that the world governing body will tiptoe around the edges and not kick up a fuss. How harmful will this be for domestic Football Leagues . Could they stomach it . It would be a huge blow. If you think about the english Premier League, with its deals worth around about £5 billion over three years. I suspect if youre lucky youll halve that value because the big money is going to go towards the super league and theres talk of maybe trying to ban the clubs from taking part in their domestic competitions, but you cant afford to do that because if you try and sell a Premier League in england without manchester united, and chelsea, how much you gonna get for it . Not a lot. There isnt, im afraid, a huge appeal for aston villa versus newcastle. Do you think the lack of a tv deal could scupper this super league . Oh, therell be a deal, the question is how big it is. Jp morgan, the us financial behemoth are behind this, they are promising £4. 6 billion as a starting point, really, for the clubs. Its huge. Theres talk of dazn, the streaming service, being involved, though they tried to put themselves away from it a little bit. There will be huge interest, no doubt about it. Because on global terms, for a lot of these clubs whove got a globalfan base, this is what those fans want. The domestic fans, the home fans, the people who actually go to the stadium, im afraid theyre an afterthought. Its all about the growth of the clubs as commercial entities. Six people have been killed in the latest Mass Shootings in the United States. Police in wisconsin have arrested a man suspected of killing three when he opened fire at a bar. Several hours later, three more people were shot dead in an incident in texas. Theyre the latest in a string of shootings over the last few days. On thursday, eight people were killed in a mass shooting at a fedex facility in indianapolis. That was the 45th Mass Shooting since march 16th. So far this year, the us has seen at least 147 Mass Shootings, according to the gun violence archive. President biden has called the shootings anational embarrassment that must come to an end mark bryant is the Executive Director of gun violence archive, the Non Profit Organisation thats been putting together this data on Mass Shootings in the us. Hejoins me now. Thank you forjoining us. May i begin by getting your reaction to these latest shootings . It is twofold. We are surprised that workplace shootings such as the fedex shooting but, to be honest, this is a consistent issue that every weekend we will have four, five, six, we have had eight since that fedex shooting that have had over four injuries. I hate to say in a callous way but it is not unexpected. A callous way but it is not unexpected. A callous way but it is not unexected. � ,. ,. , unexpected. And there is a lot of attention unexpected. And there is a lot of attention on unexpected. And there is a lot of attention on these unexpected. And there is a lot of attention on these mass of attention on these Mass Shootings where four or more people are shot wounded or killed and that is only 5 of the shootings, they are the her profile ones that dont tell the whole story. We profile ones that dont tell the whole story. Profile ones that dont tell the whole story. We get a lot of thinqs the whole story. We get a lot of thinqs a the whole story. We get a lot of things. A lot the whole story. We get a lot of things. A lot of the whole story. We get a lot of things. A lot of attention l of things. A lot of attention and i am on television and radio at 11 in the evening and i understand that. But we have 51. 4 shootings average per day. Where people are killed. 51 dead every day and it leaves countless others injured. Those are not getting covered and the problem is it is hard to cover because it is several different issues. They are not all the same. You have workplace shootings, families, reports of Family Homicide where one person kills the rest of the family and then themselves and then you have your normal bar room and other fatal shootings that do not rise to four or more shot. That do not rise to four or more shot. And presumably because there more shot. And presumably because there is more shot. And presumably because there is a more shot. And presumably because there is a variety. More shot. And presumablyj because there is a variety in shootings themselves the solutions will be multifaceted. We talk about universal Background Checks and we heard a lot about banning diy guns and we hear that they are considering red flags for dangerous subject. What do you think would be the most effective solution in the short term . In effective solution in the short term . ,. ,. , term . In the short term you have to remove term . In the short term you l have to remove highcapacity have to remove high capacity magazines. You have got to quit allowing these 30 60 round spraying is of bullets into crowds of people. That is going to start cutting some of it down. If you have to shoot, if you have to reload, as it were, every five or six rounds, there would be a lot fewer injuries and deaths. And then sweeping the guns off the streets to that will require, in my opinion, a large and expensive buyback. Finding Family Members who would rather have money than a illegal gun and either inner cities or in rural areas where they know that guns are illegally used where people are not supposed to have them. By those guns back and do something with them. find those guns back and do something with them. And what ou think something with them. And what you think of something with them. And what you think of the something with them. And what you think of the of something with them. And what you think of the of making something with them. And what you think of the of making gun i you think of the of Making Gun Manufacturers Liable . Is that a goodidea . Manufacturers liable . Is that a good idea . Good idea . There is a law on the books good idea . There is a law on the books right good idea . There is a law on the books right now good idea . There is a law on the books right now that good idea . There is a law onj the books right now that Gun Manufacturers Cannot be held liable for incidents and i think that is atrocious because any other industry, if there is any other industry, if there is a liability issue, you could argue that guns have one design consideration and that is lethality so they are doing the job they are supposed to. But they have a place in this. They make money from Building Paranoia that occurs, and it is a circle. You have more people shot, more people arguing that if everybody had a gun, everybody would be safer. We have more guns than anybody on the planet and we are not safe. So it is an erroneous philosophy that they keep pedalling and keep fundraising on. ~ pedalling and keep fundraising on. ~ ,. , y pedalling and keep fundraising on. ~ ,. ,. Pedalling and keep fundraising on. , ~ i. ,. , on. Thank you very much for oininu on. Thank you very much for joining us stay with us on bbc news still to come up, up and away nasa announces a new project that could see a helicopter take to the skies of mars. The stars and stripes at half mast outside columbine high. The School Sealed off, the bodies of the dead still inside. I never thought that they would actually go through with it. One of the most successful singer song writers of all time, the american Pop Star Prince has died at the age of 57. I was its hard to believe it. I didnt believe it. We just he was just here saturday. For millions of americans, j the death of Richard Nixon in a New York Hospital has i meant conflicting emotions. A national day of mourning next wednesday, sitting somehow uneasily. With the abiding memories of the shame of watergate. And lift off of the Space Shuttle discovery with the hubble space telescope, our window on the universe. This is Bbc World News the latest headlines the row between russia and the Czech Republic deepens both sides expel diplomats, as prague accuses moscow of spying. Some of europes biggest Football Clubs announce plans to set up a new super league, despite opposition from officials. After more than a year of being unable to leave their home country, the first flights of australian residents have left for new zealand. It marks the beginning of the Trans Tasman Bubble a two way travel corridor. Both countries say the bubble is only possible because theyve generally been able to contain the virus. From monday, those in australia and new zealand can travel freely between the countries without needing to quarantine on arrival. But it wont be quite like pre covid travel. Passengers will be required to wear a mask on the plane. And at airports they will be taken through special green zones so theyre not in contact with other travellers. Passengers must follow local guidelines. And they may be required to quarantine if theres an outbreak. Shaimaa khalil sent this report ahead of the first flight. The International Departures terminal at Sydney Airport has been busy since the early hours of the day. For the first time, people will be able to travel to new zealand quarantine free. Now, its a big day for the travel industry, after a catastrophic year because of covid 19 and border closure. The airlines have ramped up their flights across the tasman. Were actually going to be on the very first flight from sydney to auckland, so its quite exciting. Between them, qantas and jetstar are expected to be operating at about 29 flights today. A busy time for Air New Zealand as well. Theyre going to be transporting more than 5,000 passengers 3,000 are going to be on their way to new zealand. This was a very busy route before the pandemic began. Australians actually made the biggest chunk of new zealands International Visitors market. So, yes, a Trans Tasman Travel Bubble is a Big Sigh Of Relief for both the tourist and the travel industries. But really, those initial flights are going to be filled with family and friends that are going to be reunited with their loved ones, after more than a year. It is absolutely amazing because im going to see my partner after, like, almost two years, so it is very exciting. My eldest boy, hesjust turned 17, and apparently hes grown about a foot since ive seen him last. My brother my older brother has passed away last week on thursday. We couldnt geti there last week, but it has given us the opportunity to get back home today. Without quarantine, so its very good to go and lay him to rest. I whats the first thing that youre going to do when you get home . Probably go eat some food. Eat the pies. Definitely the pies. Passengers are expected to wear masks on the flight. And ive got mine ready. Theyre also expected to give information about how to be contacted during their stay in new zealand, and to download the new Zealand Covid tracer app. Theyre also going to be flying on green zone flights these are flights where passengers have been nowhere other than australia for the last 14 days and the crew will not have travelled to any covid 19 red zones. It is a very different way to travel, no doubt, but its also going to be exciting times for holiday makers, and for those families that are finally being able to be reunited. Nasa is attempting to make history with the first powered flight on another planet. It will launch a small helicopter, called ingenuity, from the surface of mars. On board is a small piece of history from earth a tiny square of material from the Wright Brothers plane that first flew over a century ago. As our Science CorrespondentRebecca Morelle reports, its a trial of technology that could transform how we explore distant worlds. Mission control the parachute has deployed and were seeing. This mission has already revealed mars as never seen before, with the first ever footage of a thrilling descent, as the rover is lowered down to the martian surface. Touchdown confirmed. Now, nasa is ready to make history again. This time it will try to launch a helicopter. The first attempt at powered flight on another planet. This animation reveals how it might look, but with the extreme conditions on mars and the fact that theres barely any atmosphere, it wont be easy. It feels absolutely nuts of course. Weve been flying on Earth Forjust over 100 years and now, like, yeah, were going to go to another planet and fly. Its crazy right . But thats the beauty of exploration, thats the beauty of engineering. Nasas helicopter is a feat of engineering. It weighsjust 1. 8 kilograms thats 4lbs, and it has two long rotors, which spin in opposite directions at up to 2,500 revolutions per minute. This is much faster than a helicopter on earth, but it needs this speed to lift off in the extremely thin martian atmosphere. Its first test flight takes it three metres above the ground for 30 seconds, before rotating and finally landing. Then for the next 30 days, it will begin to fly much further afield. The helicopter has been lowered from where it was stored beneath the rover onto a carefully selected strip of terrain, free of boulders. It will capture footage as it flies, looking down on the rover, and the rover� s camera will film the helicopter, providing multiple views for the scientists to study. One of the things that a helicopter is very well suited for is just looking around, scouting. You can traverse places, you know, without being hindered by the terrain. So it can do those kind of Scouting Missions for ourfuture rovers, perhaps, or even for astronauts. The helicopter is part of nasas most ambitious mars mission to date. These are all images taken in the last few weeks and theres even footage from its final test before its attempted lift off tomorrow. On the ground, the rover will be searching for signs of life. But the helicopter will add an airborne dimension to how we explore other planets. Opening up new frontiers in flight. Rebecca morelle, bbc news. Before we go. Now for the tale of the dog who wouldnt let an accident hinder his exercise routine. When he was just a year old, dexter was hit by a truck, and was left unable to use his injured front legs. So his owner taught him to walk on two legs like a human. With his new skills, dexter can still enjoy walks around his home town of ouray, in colarado. You can catch me on twitter. Thank you for watching. Goodbye. Hello. No significant rain on the way again this week. There is an atlantic Weather System close to parts of Northern Ireland and scotland, so a little rain during monday for some here. But for most of the, uk its High Pressure, its dry and, after a chilly start, it will feel quite warm in the sunshine. This area of High Pressure extending across from scandinavia. This area of low pressure giving parts of Northern Ireland and scotland notjust more cloud but a little rain. But where you have the clouds to start today, you will avoid frost, but a touch of frost eastern scotland, parts of england or wales. Close to or perhaps a touch below freezing in the coldest rural areas. And some early low cloud, mist and fog gradually clearing from parts of Eastern England. Plenty of sunshine following on behind, across most of england and wales, and scotland. Bit of patchy cloud developing. An isolated shower later in the day cant be ruled out in south east england. But the cloud though is thickest across western counties of Northern Ireland, western most parts of scotland. There will be some outbreaks of rain occasionally just 10 to 12 degrees here. Really quite warm where you get the sunshine elsewhere. Overnight and into tuesday, the cloud and a chance of seeing some rain across more of Northern Ireland and scotland by tuesday morning. Low cloud, mist and fog returning to parts of Eastern England. Generally temperatures a bit higher going into tuesday morning, so the frost will be harder to come by. Low cloud, mist and fog gradually clearing from Eastern England on tuesday. Across england and wales though, a bit more patchy cloud developing. A shower cant be ruled out on tuesday. Largely cloudy in scotland and Northern Ireland. Not much rain left on this weather front. Northern scotland brightening up, but here behind the weatherfront, well, the air, the wind changing direction it will feel colder here. Whereas south of the weather front it is still warm in light winds and where you get some of those sunny spells continuing. The cooler air behind this weather front, with cloud and not much rain, continues to push south overnight and into wednesday across the uk. And then a new area of High Pressure taking over, giving plenty of dry weather in the second half of the week. But the wind around that coming in for the northeast. It will be colder along north sea coast. Generally temperatures will come down a little bit, but yet again, it will continue to feel really quite warm where you get to see some sunshine. Though there is still the risk, the threat of frost overnight. And for gardeners and growers, no significant rain this week. This is bbc news, the headlines russia has announced russia has announced that twenty diplomats from the Czech Republic will be that twenty diplomats from the Czech Republic will be expelled from the country. Expelled from the country. The czech ambassador to russia the czech ambassador to russia was summoned to the foreign was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow Ministry in moscow earlier on sunday. Earlier on sunday. Officials lodged a protest officials lodged a protest with him at pragues decision with him at pragues decision to expel 18 Russian Diplomats the previous day. And they would continue to participate in their respective domestic leagues. Six people have been killed in the latest Mass Shootings in the United States. Police in wisconsin are searching for a gunman who killed three when he opened fire in a bar. Several hours later three more people were shot dead in a separate incident in texas