and of course, that's going to feel very different compared to what we've had over much of the past week or two. so a change for the milder in the week ahead. you are watching bbc news. our top stories: tens of thousands take to the streets of venezuela in rival mass rallies for and against president nicolas maduro. russia says it will follow the us, pulling out of a key nuclear the mood is relaxed here but the intent is serious, to send a message to nicolas maduro that time is up. russia says it will follow the us, pulling out of a key nuclear treaty, and also developing a new range of missiles. virginia governor ralph northam refuses to quit and insists he is not the person in a racist photo. in the hour was sent and made my statement yesterday, i reflected with my family and classmates from the time and affirmed my conclusion that i am not the person in that

photo. and, punxsutawney phil did not see his shadow. so can the us expect an early spring? as the pressure slowly mounts on venezuela's president nicolas maduro, he's told supporters at a rally in caracas that he's prepared to hold parliamentary elections. but the offer falls short of the presidential elections demanded by some european countries, who say they'll recognise opposition leaderjuan guido if they aren't called by midnight on sunday. at a rivel rally in the capital, mr guaido called for more protests, promising to bring in humanitarian supplies if he took power. orla guerin reports from caracas. the opposition called, and from early morning, they came. that word — freedom — was on many lips in caracas today. and we met plenty who believed

venezuela's opposition leader, juan guaido, will be the one to deliver it. we are very proud of him, because he has taken us through the right route to have liberty, democracy and what we have yearned for so many years. 20 years, more or less, yearning for this moment. —— we are very proud of him, because he has taken us through the right route to have liberty, democracy and what we have yearned for so many years. 20 years, more or less, yearning for this moment. well, there's a sense here of celebration, the mood is very relaxed, but the intent is serious — to send a message to president nicolas maduro that time is up. the opposition has gathered here in numbers. they believe that a process of change is under way in venezuela and that it won't be stopped.

a military helicopter passed overhead, but the security forces kept their distance. speakers told the crowd this was a moment of history, a moment of hope for venezuela. beaming on stage, the man many now look to as a saviour, juan guaido. already being called venezuelan‘s obama, he's a powerful symbol, but an untested leader. today, he tried to court the military with what voice he had left. "welcome to every officer "thatjoins the side of the constitution," he said. "we have amnesties. "soldier of the nation, you have a role in the recovery "of the nation of venezuela." these were the images broadcast by state tv. massive crowds that some claim were suspiciously large. president maduro offered to bring

forward parliamentary elections to this year. that might sound like a concession, but the opposition already control parliament, so he's not giving much. back at thejuan guaido rally, venezuelans literally throwing their money away. it's worth little or nothing anyway. the opposition has called for protests to continue until the maduro era is consigned to history. orla guerin, bbc news, caracas. hasler iglesias is youth leader of the voluntad popular party. he's in caracas. president nicolas maduro is said he is willing to hold fresh parliamentary elections. what is your response to that? i understand

your response to that? i understand you are at the rally today supporting client why go. mr major road has offered to hold fresh elections. —— maduro. what is your response? we have heard there are call for it maduro. our assembly is for five years. this call for it maduro. our assembly is forfive years. this idea is to call for it maduro. our assembly is for five years. this idea is to the end of 2020. nicolas maduro made a pledge this last year —— last year to be elected this year. he doesn't have legitimacy or the approval of the people to call the new elections of anything. the leadership in venezuela, the legitimacy and the support of the people and the

support of the people and the support of the international assembly headed by juan support of the international assembly headed byjuan guaido.- the moment, the situation remains relatively unchanged, mr maduro remains in power. what you think is quite happened next isjuan guaido? —— with one quite? quite happened next isjuan guaido? -- with one quite? at this moment, juan guaido is recognised by other countries. he announced today that in colombia, there are border, it is going to be established and all the humanitarian aid is god to be received. also is going to be established a centre to gather all the humanitarian aid. that is the

activity that he is doing at this moment. he also called today to the army to bathe his constitution and granta army to bathe his constitution and grant a peaceful transition in our country. that is the only ingredient thatis country. that is the only ingredient that is already remaining to support the transition. the armed forces support the transition. nevertheless his land with other countries and these decisions to open the humanitarian channels throughout borders of code to require also but only the transition of power to one quite open it also the support by the army to let this food and medicine getting the country. in a

transparent way. you are friends with opposition leader won quite open and he seems the key has come out of nowhere. —— juan guaido. how has he risen through the ranks quickly? i have met him for several yea rs. quickly? i have met him for several years. he has been leader in a city of our coast could look wider. he also 12 years ago when there was a a lot of attention in the leadership in venezuela. he started his political career in that moment. also a party, he has been one of the founders. this is his second period

of national lawmakers, national assembly. his leadership has been, local leadership and also, it has landed him the experience and relationships and the abilities to lead at this moment, this complex moment that we are facing. it has been a tough year. in political terms... he was one of the people who started and planned the situation, try to fill it out, what with a better way to get rid of this dictatorship and that's why perhaps he had this clarity at this moment because he has invested years

negotiating how to get rid of this. president maduro has described juan guaido as a us puppet. how close is juan guaido to the us and how much contact is he having with the administration there? at this moment, it is a moment led by venezuelans. at the moment, there is a critical situation in the country and also the migration and refugee crisis, in the european union for example, has made venezuela and issue. that is by many countries and the us particularly are having a role. the movement in venezuela has very deep roots. the crisis with

venezuela people. the us colombia or brazil, the european union or chile, are supporting the leadership. bank you for your time. i am afraid we have —— thank you. —— i am afraid we have —— thank you. —— i am afraid we have run out of time. let's get some of the day's other news. the government of the central african republic has agreed a peace deal with fourteen of the armed groups operating in the country. it comes after peace talks were held in sudan, sponsored by the african union and the un. the treaty is to be signed next week, but six previous agrements have failed to hold. the car has been torn apart by six years of sectarian and ethnic violence. iran has unveiled a new cruise missile during celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the islamic revolution. the defence minister said the missile has a range of 1,300 kilometres, flies at a low altitude and can be launched at short notice.

the former king of belgium, albert ii, has refused to undergo dna testing in a case aimed at proving he fathered a love—child in the 1960s. a brussels court ordered the ex—monarch to provide a saliva sample within three months. the monarch denies the paternity claim. president vladimir putin has responded to a decision by the united states to suspend its involvement in the intermediate—range nuclear forces treaty — by saying russia will do the same. he said russia would also start to develop new mid—range hypersonic missiles, but insisted the door remained open for negotiations. both sides accuse the other of violating the cold war—era pact. from moscow, steve rosenberg sent this report. at the kremlin, vladimir putin and his ministers sent a clear message to washington over the inf treaty — "you intend to pull out, do you? "well, two can play at that game."

translation: our response will be symmetrical. our us partners announced that they are suspending their participation in the inf treaty. so, we are suspending it too. and there was more. moscow, president putin said, would develop new weapons, including a land—based version of this cruise missile, and missiles more than five times the speed of sound. it's a far cry from us—russian cooperation three decades ago when presidents reagan and gorbachev signed the inf treaty. it eliminated a whole class of short— and medium—range missiles and became a cornerstone of european security. but the chill in relations is palpable. it's beginning to feel like the cold war is back. president putin said the one thing he didn't want was russia

being dragged into a costly new arms race. but with both america and russia now having suspended the inf treaty, that is a huge blow to east—west arms control. the inf treaty is breaking apart, and america blames russia. russia has jeopardised the united states' security interests, and we can no longer be restricted by the treaty while russia shamelessly violates it. america says these russian missiles violated the inf treaty. moscow denies it, and claims washington broke the agreement. a high—stakes blame game for the two biggest nuclear powers. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: the yellow vest protests in france continue into a twelfth weekend as the focus moves from the government to the methods —— as the focus moves

from the government to the methods of the police. this is the moment that millions in iran had been waiting for. after his long years in exile, the first hesitant steps of ayatollah khomeini on iranian soil. south africa's white government has offered its black opponents concessions unparalleled in the history of apartheid. and the anc leader, nelson mandela, is to be set free unconditionally. four, three, two, one... a countdown to a critical moment. the world's most powerful rocket ignited all 27 of its engines at once. and apart from its power, it's this recycling of the rocket, slashing the cost of a launch, that makes this a breakthrough in the business of space travel. two americans have become the first humans to walk in space without any lifeline to their spaceship. one of them called it a piece of cake. thousands of people have given the yachtswoman ellen macarthur a spectacular homecoming in the cornish port of falmouth after she smashed the world record for sailing solo around the world non—stop.

this is bbc world news, the latest headlines: tens of thousands take to the streets of venezuela in rival mass rallies for and against president nicolas maduro. russia says it will follow the us and pull out of a key nuclear treaty, and start to develop a new mid—range hypersonic missile. ralph norman, the governor of virginia, insists he will not resign over eight races photograph of two men in racist costumes in his student huber. he initially apologised and said he didn't believe he was in the picture. chris buckler has the story. ralph northam called the photograph on his own college yearbook page racist and despicable.

it features a man in black face and someone in a ku klux klan costume. i am deeply sorry. when it surfaced, he immediately released a statement apologising but after countless calls for his resignation, the virginia governor is continuing to fight for his political career and now he's changed his story, claiming he wasn't in the picture. we're here today standing in the very space that created the laws that created slavery. governor northam was elected as a democrat who presented himself as a staunch opponent of racism. there is an undeniable anger among voters in virginia. many simply can't accept that he could have made a mistake about appearing in such a photograph. a former soldier and doctor, ralph northam has for years been a respected figure within the democratic party but a politician who had public support of president obama, now has the former vice presidentjoe biden saying he has lost all moral authority and should resign immediately. at his news conference, ralph northam was questioned

about his past including claims of a very questionable nickname and although he denied being the man in black face in the yearbook photograph, he admitted that on another occasion he had used boot polish to darken his skin to perform as michaeljackson in a talent contest. i had always liked michaeljackson, i actually won the contest because i had learned how to do the moonwalk. mr northam said resigning would be the easy option and as long as he remains governor, he faces more scrutiny of his past and further questions about this controversial picture. el salvador goes to the polls on sunday. the two parties that have ruled the central american nation for decades could lose their grip as support for a candidate from a small third party grows. eliza philippidis reports.

it is one of the world's most violent countries, with corruption rooted deep at its core. these people are ready for something new, and this is the mandate think can deliver it. he is the former mayor of san salvador and the favourite to wind the presidential elections. backed a small right—wing party, he has promised to tackle corruption and generate more jobs has promised to tackle corruption and generate morejobs through series of infrastructure projects. voter surveys indicate turnout could hire on sunday of. translation: voter surveys indicate turnout could hire on sunday of. translatiosz made over 75% it as i see that there isa made over 75% it as i see that there is a lot of enthusiasm among the population to exercise their stock ridge. i'd inked the volume will exceed 72—75 % of the electoral rolls. boxes of electoral material

are being delivered to voting stations across the country. authorities have ramped up security. the european union lateral observation mission is on hand to ensure the process runs smoothly. we are going to be present for the entire electoral process, meaning until the end of the process, whether it be won round or two rounds. supporters of the ruling national liberation front hoped the leftist party might cling to power, but it has failed to rein in gang violence and the economy is the slowest growing in central america. despite strong support and a ma nifesto despite strong support and a manifesto pledge to create jobs and clea n manifesto pledge to create jobs and clean up the government, the conservative nationalist republican alliance candidate also lags behind nayib bukele. to win outright, bukele must secure more than 50% of the vote or face a run—off election

against his closest rival on the 10th of march. but voters on sunday could make him the first leader not to be drawn from the parties which have ruled el salvador since 1989. to france now, where what are known as the yellow vest protests have been taking place for a 12th successive weekend — and this time protesters are not only mobilised against president emmanuel macron. danny aebehard reports. it's the 12th week of protests. notjust paris, but cities like strasbourg, bordeaux and elsewhere. they started out as a show of anger about fuel tax rises, but have since broadened out to issues such as low wages, democratic representation and a hatred of a government demonstrators see as out of touch. and the protests continue to morph. increasingly, the authority's response to the demonstration is itself becoming a rallying cry. the use by police of explosive tear gas canisters is one grievance, but rage is directed primarily at the use of the compressible rubber balls, known as flash balls. these have caused

serious facial injuries. a court ruled on friday that police could continue using flash balls due to the risk of violence at protests. but images count. 0n the streets again was a high—profile protester, jerome rodriguez, his right eye damage last saturday by what he says was a flash ball. translation: we shoot at the population with a weapon of war. is that what france is like today? is this the country in which i was educated? is it like that in this country of freedom? we just want to fill the fridge and we end up with one eye less. the government has to hear this. the protests were generally peaceful with sporadic clashes. riot police responded to projectiles being thrown with tear gas and water cannon. nothing, though, on the scale of the riots that plagued paris in december. officials say that

since the demonstrations began, 1,700 protesters have been injured and about 1,000 police. it's a reminder of the delicate balancing act the authorities face. they've insisted they will protect public order from a minority of violent protesters, but they do so at the risk of adding to grievances and perceptions of an overbearing state. it's proving a hard circle to break. as we've seen over the last few days, it's been a pretty brutal winter for much of the united states. the polar vortex leading to record low temperatures and lots and lots of snow. but how long will this cold weather last? someone who — it's claimed — has the answer is punxsutawney phil, the famous groundhog. so what's his verdict? the bbc‘s tim allman will tell us. for more than 130 years, they have been coming to gobbler‘s knob. the aim is to glean some vital information from a small, furry mammal, who appears to be

blessed with an extraordinary gift. this is punxsutawney phil — well, not the original one, of course — the groundhog and pa rt—time meteorologist. every year he's asked, can he see his own shadow? if he can, it's said winter will last another six weeks. it's not immediately apparent how he conveys this information. we have a prediction! but convey it, he does. so, is it early spring or a more winter forecast? stop the music. here is my forecast. faithful followers, there is no shadow of me. a beautiful spring it shall be! of course, punxsutawney phil was a relative unknown

until the hollywood blockbuster groundhog day came out in the early 1990s. now, he's a worldwide phenomenon. all hail groundhog supremacy. if i were you, i would go out and start buying some swimsuits. before you do, you might want to bear in mind that statistical analysis suggests punxsutawney phil is actually wrong more often than he's right. tim allman, bbc news. iam sure i am sure a lot of people in the us are hoping he is right. sit for me from bissau. don't forget, much more on our website. you can reach me on twitter. i'm @regedahmad bbc.

hello. snow has been the most prominent feature of the weather over much of the last week. but at least on saturday, the sunshine came back. but that's going to be harder to find through much of sunday. as cloud increases, some of us will see a bit more wet weather. but that comes after quite a hard frost to start the day. in fact, some places could well be into minus double figures, where the snow is deepest. you can see the extent of the frost as well, even in town and city centres, it's a cold start to the day. but for many of us, there will be some sunshine, but from the word go, northern ireland and western scotland, more cloud around here and some rain, sleet and snow, courtesy of these weather fronts coming in from the atlantic. and slowly pushing their way a bit further east as we go through the day. now, the early wet weather should be fairly soon out of the way

in northern ireland. a damp start here. but again, the rain preceded by a bit of sleet and snow in places, and in that process, moves across scotland. into northern england, mayjust fringe north wales. but south of that, it should stay mainly dry. cloud increasing, but still some sunny spells towards east anglia and south—east england. behind the wet weather, it brightens up again in scotland. but it stays cloudy in northern ireland. further outbreaks of rain coming back going into the evening. and temperatures, they‘ re a little bit higher. parts of south—west england could be up to around 10 celsius, for example. and a freshening south—westerly wind. it gets stronger through sunday night and into monday morning, as it feeds in more wet weather, and while most of us will see rain out of this, a bit of snow falling into the pennines and southern uplands, but especially into the higher ground north of the central belt in scotland, where we could see around 5—10 centimetres building up as we go through monday as well. it will be quite slow to clear, on what will be a much less cold start to the day on monday. some rainjust affecting parts of south—east england as monday starts.

it may not clear the far south—east. it looks like we'll hold onto an area of cloud here in east anglia. the snowy weather slowly pulling away from northern scotland, and many other areas will see things brightening up on monday. and temperatures again are a little bit higher, and some of us in south—west england getting into double figures. they will drop again on monday night and this ridge of high pressure with clear skies, there'll be another frost going into tuesday morning. low pressure gathering to the west, though, sets the scene for quite an unsettled week to come. now, there will be some sunnier days, but there will also be some wetter days. it will often be windy, but if you take one thing. from this chart, it is those temperatures will head upwards. more of us at times will see temperatures into double figures, and of course, that's going to feel very different compared to what we've had over much of the past week or two. so a change for the milder in the week ahead. this is bbc news. the headlines: tens of thousands have taken to the streets of venezuela in rival mass rallies. the head of the opposition, juan guaido, is trying to force president maduro from power. the president also spoke at a rally in support of his leadership and the current government. russia has announced it is pulling out of a cold war arms control treaty and says it will develop

a new hypersonic missile. it follows a move to withdraw from the treaty by the united states on friday. the governor of the us state of virginia, ralph northam, has refused to resign after he was accused to being in a racist photo in his yearbook. he says the person in the photo is not him. those are the latest headlines on bbc news. now on bbc news, it's time for inside out. this week, we're in the capital to find out how the simple act of hiring a car has landed some customers with extortionate bills. and are london's plans for a new thames crossing