Americans being detain instead russia are now in u. S. Custody, following the biggest Prisoner Exchange since the cold war. Among them, Evan Gershkovich arrested in March Of 2023 and just sentenced last month to 16 years in a penal colony on espionage charges. Also freed former marine, Paul Whelan hes been jailed since 2018 on what the u. S. Says is baseless charges. And Alsu Kurmasheva, accused of spreading false information about the russian army, and russian activist, vladimir karamurza. And we got this video from russian State Media, claim to go show the freed prisoners in transit right now, and this photo from the White House of them on the plane showing the sheer relief just painted on their faces there. What happens next . We have the latest on where all four are right now in their journey home. Plus we have reporting on the effort it took from several nations to get this deal off the ground, and what Vladimir Putin just got in return. Lets get started. Joining us now, Nbc News
Gathered in london and marched to the gates of the israeli embassy. People in areas where the indian virus variant is spreading are being urged to get a covid jab, as questions turn to the impact on the easing of restrictions. And it s fa cup final day chelsea play leicester in front of 20,000 fans at wembley. Leicester are looking to win it for the first time, chelsea are hoping to win it for a ninth time. Now on bbc news. The coronavirus pandemic has created an unprecedented challenge for the nhs, notjust in tackling the disease but in the creation of huge waiting lists for other treatments. In this special programme, experts look at how the nhs can recover in the months ahead and discuss how the nation s mental health has been impacted by the pandemic. Hello and welcome to this special programme on bbc news with me, shaun ley. The coronavirus pandemic is testing the national health service like never before. Staff have been left physically and mentally drained as they battled covi
hail and thunder, but generally speaking, i think it is a quieter day. hello and welcome to this special programme on bbc news. the coronavirus pandemic is testing the national health service like never before. staff have been left physically and mentally drained as they battled covid 19 on the front line. but after three lockdowns and a so far successful roll out of a vaccine the darkest days of the pandemic appear to be behind us. however, it doesn t mean the pressure is. the latest figures just under five million people are currently on the waiting list for routine operations and in this next half hour we ll be discussing how the health service can tackle the backlog, some of the solutions hospitals are coming up with, the mental health impact of the backlog on staff and patients alike and in what state the nhs emerges from the pandemic. here with me in the studio is chris hopson from nhs providers, which is made up of, and represents, the hospital, mental health,