this is bbc news. these are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world: police in russia crack down on protests by supporters of the jailed opposition leader, alexei navalny. hundreds have already been detained across the country. these are live pictures from moscow where the demonstrations are under way. senior doctors call for changes in the vaccine roll—out in the uk — they want the 12—week gap between the first and second dose of the pfizerjab to be halved. what we do need to be assured of is that people are properly protected because if the level of protection with the second dose is compromised by a longer delay, that, of course, will impact on the doctors that i represent because they are facing

the virus at close quarters as they look after patients. it comes as borisjohnson warns the new variant of the virus may be more deadly than previously thought. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. police in moscow have detained scores people ahead of a rally in the centre of the russian capital in support ofjailed kremlin critic alexei navalny. hundreds of arrests have already been reported in other cities across the country.

the first protests took place in russia's far east — in vladivostok and khabarovsk — and have now spread. police have declared the demonstrations illegal and warned they would break them up. in the centre of moscow, hundreds of metal barriers are in place to corral protestors who try to gather, some of whom have already been arrested by police. let's bring you some live pictures now from moscow, where hundreds have gathered to protest. we are relying on agency pictures to judge the numbers but we will get an impression of what the numbers are. our moscow correspondent, oleg boldyrev, joins us. it's nearly afternoon in moscow. what you getting about the scale of the protests, both in the capital and what is happening elsewhere in the country? we and what is happening elsewhere in the country?—

the country? we are reaching the a ex, the country? we are reaching the apex. both _ the country? we are reaching the apex, both moscow _ the country? we are reaching the apex, both moscow and - the country? we are reaching the apex, both moscow and st - the country? we are reaching the - apex, both moscow and st petersburg. we saw the width of the protests in moscow and in st petersburg will see the height of it. the numbers are no bigger than the last major bout of activity in moscow in the summer of 2019. the tension is quite tough —— detention. it stands at 360 across the country. the website run by an ngo which monitors the detention crashed so we don't know the current count but the current pictures are very typical and unfortunately the promises of the crackdown which police and authorities issued over this week are coming true. let's speak to our moscow correspondent sarah rainsford, who's on the telephone from moscow.

what's it looking like on the ground? sarah, can you hear me? ground? sarah, can ou hear me? sarah, can you hear me? hi. the crowd is growing _ sarah, can you hear me? hi. the crowd is growing all— sarah, can you hear me? hi. the crowd is growing all the - sarah, can you hear me? hi. the crowd is growing all the time. i l sarah, can you hear me? hi. the l crowd is growing all the time. i got here about an hour before the protest was officially due... i fear that we have _ protest was officially due... i fear that we have lost _ protest was officially due... i fear that we have lost sarah. - protest was officially due... i fear that we have lost sarah. do - protest was officially due... i fear that we have lost sarah. do you l protest was officially due... i fear that we have lost sarah. do you mind starting again? the that we have lost sarah. do you mind starting again?— starting again? the crowd has been curowin all starting again? the crowd has been growing all the _ starting again? the crowd has been growing all the time _ starting again? the crowd has been growing all the time and _ starting again? the crowd has been growing all the time and they - starting again? the crowd has been growing all the time and they are l starting again? the crowd has been j growing all the time and they are in front of me heading towards pushkin square. there are a mix of older people, younger people and children who have come with parents but there is a huge number of riot police and they have been circling in groups

and are diving into the crowds of protesters and dragging people off towards their vans. pretty much at random. people here have come with no signs or banners but have been shouting "freedom for alexei navalny" and a lot of people have said they are coming here... sara, our said they are coming here. .. sara, your signal— said they are coming here... sara, your signal is _ said they are coming here... sara, your signal is very _ said they are coming here... sara, your signal is very hard _ said they are coming here... sara, your signal is very hard to - your signal is very hard to understand. we got the drift of what sarah is saying, we see pictures of somebody being taken away in the last few minutes. what's interesting is the tactic she is talking about of randomly grabbing protesters, the implication of that, if you talk about riot control protocols, is that the riot police are very well aware they don't have the numbers to simply contain and prevent the protest. they may have made that judgment hours ago that it would be

counter productive to do that. what they can do is pick off protesters, make a big fuss of protesting, and get pictures on the television. it looks proactive but it's questionable whether they are in any position at the moment to disperse this crowd or whether they even want to. that's something i can't certainly know but it would be interesting to know what sort of tactics they have been made to deploy. the numbers are significant. these are live pictures on the edge of pushkin square in central moscow. a significant turnout. we are told they have been respectable even in cities in the coldest parts of russia. khabarovsk is the region which had been holding protests of its own for some time now because of the detention of its popular local governor by moscow and those protests were quite extensive early on before christmas. 0bviously protests were quite extensive early on before christmas. obviously we are going to try and get sarah back up. what's your impression of the

mood of the crowd at the moment? it's pretty calm at the moment, pretty determined. there is a mixed crowd. it's a bit warmer today than it has been, it was —25 a few years ago —— a few days ago and now it is zero. protesters are filling up the pavement on either side of the boulevard here so it's quite a significant turnout. biggerthan significant turnout. bigger than anything significant turnout. biggerthan anything i've seen here for a long time. many of them are supporters of alexei navalny but many of them are just people who are fed up and see what has happened to him and to worry about the future of the country. a car was just passing in stock at the traffic lights, playing the song that became the anthem in belarus when there was a public uprising there against the

government after the election violations, and it's interesting that a protest showed their support here by playing that song, changes, a soundtrack they are trying to give to this protest today. changes what some people will be calling for but the main thing i've heard being shouted so far is "freedom for alexei navalny" who is now facing a long prison sentence. he has been detained by police but has never beenin detained by police but has never been in prison until now and that looks like a very real prospect so his supporters have been pouring out onto the street across the country and are gathering here in significant numbers in the centre of moscow which is the main protest here in russia, on this national, nationwide day of demonstration. sarah raynsford in moscow, thank you. we will come back to sarah as

soon as we get any more details on the protest as it develops but the picture in moscow which is two hours ahead of gmt, so it is lunchtime in moscow, just after one o'clock in the afternoon, significant numbers of people gathered in protests that they were told were illegal and would be broken up. signs of individual protesters being removed, no sign yet of an attempt to break up no sign yet of an attempt to break up the demonstration. we will keep our eyes on it here on bbc news. here in the uk, senior doctors have called for a shorter gap between the first and second doses of the pfizer—biontech covid vaccine. health officials extended the wait from three to 12 weeks so as many people as possible could be vaccinated. but the british medical association wants that halved. dr chaand nagpaul is the group's chair. it is a very difficult decision and i do understand the rationale that's been put forward, but, at the same time, what we do need to be assured of is that people are properly

protected because if the level of protection with the second dose is compromised by a longer delay, that, of course, will impact on the doctors that i represent because they are facing the virus at close quarters as they look after patients. they want to be assured of maximum protection because if they fall ill, they won't be there to look after patients. we do have about 50,000 nhs staff off work at the moment with covid or self—isolating, so there is a very serious issue about wanting to protect people so that they do not fall ill. let's speak now to paul hunter, professor of medicine at the university of east anglia's norwich medical school. the letter to chris pretty was a private letter about the bbc have seen it so we can confirm its existence. professor, thanks for

talking to us this saturday on bbc news. you've heard what the bma has said. what is your response to that? there's always a balance to be struck so the issue is whether you provide full protection to a smaller proportion of the population or a wider protection, may be less good protection, but against a much greater proportion of the population otherwise. i think when you look at the data available at the moment, it does support extending the gap between injections in terms of reducing illness. there's been talk about what is going on in israel, but at the same time it is interesting that there are reports made about getting more infections and also reports coming out of

israel saying that a single dose is very highly protective and that was intraday�*s financial times so it's very confusing about what's going on in israel at the moment. it won't be long before we will have that type of data for ourselves in the uk and i think waiting for that isn't going to pose a huge extra burden and may well reduce the cases and deaths until we actually get that data so i totally support their decision to extend the gap between doses. i think looking at the evidence in total, that is strongly supported by that and i think on this particular occasion, the bma has probably got it wrong. fin occasion, the bma has probably got it wron: . occasion, the bma has probably got it wronu. , ., ., it wrong. on the question of the efficacy of _ it wrong. on the question of the efficacy of doing _ it wrong. on the question of the efficacy of doing so, _ it wrong. on the question of the efficacy of doing so, and - it wrong. on the question of the efficacy of doing so, and it's - it wrong. on the question of the efficacy of doing so, and it's all| it wrong. on the question of the | efficacy of doing so, and it's all a question of balance and risk as you

say, no vaccine guarantees everybody 100% protection and all of that is accepted, but if this is the case, thenit accepted, but if this is the case, then it is ok and not ideal circumstances to allow it to go for “p circumstances to allow it to go for up to 12 weeks between the two doses. why is pfizer being so adamant that should be the case? is it because pfizer is having to think, we have to think about our legal position? i think, we have to think about our legal position?— think, we have to think about our legal position? i clearly don't know about what's _ legal position? i clearly don't know about what's going _ legal position? i clearly don't know about what's going on _ legal position? i clearly don't know about what's going on in _ legal position? i clearly don't know about what's going on in the - legal position? i clearly don't know about what's going on in the chief. about what's going on in the chief executive's mind at pfizer but i have suspected it's purely a legal issue because of court cases come out of this and future and pfizer has been seen to support this extended strategy, it would be jointly liable.— extended strategy, it would be jointly liable. one very brief last cuestion, jointly liable. one very brief last question. we — jointly liable. one very brief last question, we are _ jointly liable. one very brief last question, we are tight _ jointly liable. one very brief last question, we are tight for- jointly liable. one very brief last question, we are tight for time. | jointly liable. one very brief last - question, we are tight for time. the who said they would go for six

weeks. they don't have any legal issues about it. i weeks. they don't have any legal issues about it.— issues about it. i think six weeks issues about it. i think six weeks is better than _ issues about it. i think six weeks is better than three _ issues about it. i think six weeks is better than three weeks. - issues about it. i think six weeks is better than three weeks. i - issues about it. i think six weeks l is better than three weeks. i think the balance of evidence that i read is that 12 weeks will be more effective in reducing deaths in the uk at the moment and a wide number of other countries are also considering this at the moment so i don't think britain will be by itself for much longer over this issue. we will soon be getting our own data to show exactly what the efficacy is of all the different vaccines and different strategies so it's not going to be that long we have to wait to get the results of our own analysis hopefully. egor mikhaylov is a cultural journalist in the city of novobirisk, where he attended the pro—navalny

protests earlier today. thank you for speaking to us. you've taken part in the protest today. how would you describe it in your city. hello. i live in the third biggest city in russia after moscow and st petersburg. it was a walk so it wasn't illegal in government terms so a bunch of people walk from pointa, point a, lenin square, the main

square in novosibirsk, so i was there from point a two point b. hagar there from point a two point b. how many people — there from point a two point b. how many people would you estimate were taking part in the walk? iuntimely many people would you estimate were taking part in the walk?— taking part in the walk? when i first arrived _ taking part in the walk? when i first arrived at _ taking part in the walk? when i first arrived at point _ taking part in the walk? when i first arrived at point a, - taking part in the walk? when i first arrived at point a, about i taking part in the walk? when i | first arrived at point a, about 20 minutes before the start of the walk, i think there were about 700 or 800 people, walk, i think there were about 700 or800 people, but walk, i think there were about 700 or 800 people, but many people joined the walk and i think there was about three to 4000 people. hagar was about three to 4000 people. how did the authorities respond? at - did the authorities respond? git first it was rather calm. novosibirsk is not famous for its

harsh police. it's rather a positional city so at point a there were a lot of officers but no arrests. during the walk, i saw very few officers. the only thing that happened, since it wasn't illegal, we were not allowed to get some banners or something like pieces of paper with slogans and police officers came to people who had banners and rather softly took the banners and rather softly took the banners away. at point —— point b,

there were some rather harsh arrests and i personally saw about five or six people who were taken away for some reason, i don't know specifically, and as far as i know there were about 50 or 60 arrests and some people... there were about 50 or 60 arrests and some people. . ._ there were about 50 or 60 arrests and some people... they were trying to rotect and some people... they were trying to protect them _ and some people... they were trying to protect them from _ and some people... they were trying to protect them from the _ and some people... they were trying to protect them from the police, - and some people... they were trying to protect them from the police, i i to protect them from the police, i understand. to protect them from the police, i understand-— to protect them from the police, i understand. yes. why do you want to be art of understand. yes why do you want to be part of this protest understand. 123 why do you want to be part of this protest today? is it particularly about alexei navalny or other things? for particularly about alexei navalny or other things?— other things? for me personally, it's not totally _ other things? for me personally, it's not totally about _ other things? for me personally, it's not totally about alexei - it's not totally about alexei navalny. i don't consider myself

very politically active as a person. i am as much politically active as the situation asks to be, so i'm not the situation asks to be, so i'm not the biggest fan of alexei navalny or any other political figure in russia, but being a friend or not, i see that he is prosecuted wrongfully and not only he, but i walked the streets not only for alexei navalny but for someone prosecuted for lgbt "propaganda" pictures and others who were arrested the day before

everything that happened today, so i'm not for alexei navalny, but i'm for showing up and showing government that there are a lot of people who think that many things in russia are going in the wrong way and we want some change.- russia are going in the wrong way and we want some change. thank you ve much and we want some change. thank you very much for— and we want some change. thank you very much for your — and we want some change. thank you very much for your time. _ and we want some change. thank you very much for your time. it's - and we want some change. thank you very much for your time. it's very - very much for your time. it's very good to speak to you and we are glad it went peacefully in your city and we will see what happens elsewhere, particularly in moscow. thank you for your time, sir. on his second day in office, president biden has warned the economic crisis in the united states is deepening. he said he would take action to help families struggling to afford food because of lost income due to the pandemic. mr biden is calling on congress to authorize a $1.9 trillion

relief package and says the time to act boldly is now. 0ur north america correspondent peter bowes reports. a nation's economy buckling under the coronavirus, shuttered businesses and still—rising unemployment. on his second day in office, the new president laid out his plan to confront the stark reality of covid—19's impact on people's lives. joe biden is promising swift action to help americans who've been left withoutjobs and some who are struggling to put food on the table. a lot of america is hurting. the virus is surging. we're 400,000 dead, expected to reach well over 600,000. families are going hungry. people are at risk of being evicted. job losses are mounting again. we need to act. no matter how you look at it, we need to act. if we act now, our economy will be stronger in both

the short and long run. mr biden said the government needed to act decisively and boldly. the centerpiece of his plan, a $1.9 trillion relief package. the challenge ahead, to get congress to agree to it. the covid—i9 package that passed in december was a first step. as i said at the time, it was just a down payment. we need more action and we need to move fast. to kick—start the aid programme, the president signed executive orders — one giving immediate help to low—income families struggling to buy food, another to start the process of increasing the minimum wage for some government workers. we're at a precarious moment for the virus and the economy. without decisive action, we risk falling into a very serious economic hole — even more serious than the crisis we find ourselves in. the sense of urgency is palpable. but the senate has its hands full with another pressing matter — holding donald trump responsible for this, the insurrection of the us

capitol earlier this month. the impeachment trial of the former president is now scheduled to go ahead in just over two weeks. we all want to put this awful chapter in our nation's history behind us. but healing and unity will only come if there is truth and accountability, and that is what this trial will provide. a final chapter in the trump presidency, but a huge distraction for congress. peter bowes, bbc news, los angeles. two railway routes here in britain which were closed more than 50 years ago are to be reopened, with a new investment package worth almost £800 million. east west rail, which will eventually connect 0xford and cambridge, will get £760 million to open new parts of the line. the northumberland line,

which still carries freight, will get £34 million aimed at reintroducing passenger services. 0ur transport correspondent caroline davies reports. in the 1960s, many stations and railway lines were cut, some under the advice of civil servant richard beeching. the line from oxford to cambridge was cut in 1968 after the report. today the government announced £760 million of funding to continue to bring it back. but life after covid could look very different and it could take a while for the numbers to bounce back of people using the railways. why are you investing this money now? it’s you investing this money now? it�*3 important to look at the future and with the jabs going into people's arms we can see there will be life

after coronavirus. we want people to get out and about, connect communities, level up. white—matter is also 34 million for a line in northumberland. it means some towns will have a train stations were after a decade without one. although welcome, some say much more is needed. it! welcome, some say much more is needed. �* ., , ., needed. i'd say the northumberland line is one piece _ needed. i'd say the northumberland line is one piece of _ needed. i'd say the northumberland line is one piece of the _ needed. i'd say the northumberland line is one piece of the jigsaw- needed. i'd say the northumberland line is one piece of the jigsaw but i line is one piece of the jigsaw but if you _ line is one piece of the jigsaw but if you don't— line is one piece of the jigsaw but if you don't provide infrastructure in the _ if you don't provide infrastructure in the widerarea, if you don't provide infrastructure in the wider area, the north east will never— in the wider area, the north east will never benefit from projects like h52— will never benefit from projects like h52 and northern powerhouse rail. , ., , rail. they will run on diesel initially rather _ rail. they will run on diesel initially rather than - rail. they will run on diesel initially rather than greenerj initially rather than greener alternatives. the government say they are looking to bring back more lines previously cut that could be reopened. let's bring you some live pictures now from moscow, where hundreds have gathered to protest. we are told significant numbers have

been arrested by police in moscow. it looks like the demonstration are several thousand people strong. it's ongoing. time for the weather. hello. the weather's fairly clear for most of us today, with a few wintry showers here and there. but the chance of snow increases as we go into tonight and tomorrow. more substantial snow is expected across wales and more southern parts of england on sunday. now, cold air is sitting on top of the uk and it's here to stay for at least another couple of days before milder air arrives. so the radar shows where we have seen wintry showers so far through the morning — across parts of the north west of the uk, into northern wales, the north west of england, too. and the forecast for this afternoon shows a lot of clear weather. you can see in the south here.

also along the north sea coast some sunshine. but a few flurries there carried by the breeze affecting these north—western areas. 4—5 celsius briefly, most of the day it's actually going to be a little bit colder than that. so the temperatures drop away tonight, as the skies clear, and we are watching this area of low pressure passing ireland. this is what is going to bring the snow to some south—western areas through the early hours of sunday morning. and the temperatures will be subzero pretty much right across the uk, maybe coastal areas just around freezing or above. so initially, early in the morning on sunday, we are expecting snow in the south—west of england, across wales as well. doesn't look like an awful lot here, but it is moving fairly slowly, so there could be a good covering here and there. then mid—morning onwards, some of that snow will just about spread into the midlands, onlyjust, we think, into southern parts of england, the south—east, the london area, possibly reaching east anglia. it all depends. i mean, this could be here, it could be a little bit further north. this whole area here is at risk

of catching some snow. how much? there could be a centimetre or two in some areas, perhaps as much as five to ten centimetres. it really all depends how long it snows in the south. and there will be wintry flurries in other parts of the country as well. now, eventually, the mild air will arrive. the cold air is going to be pushedway a to the east and we will see south—westerly winds winning, weatherfronts will arrive as well, and that spells wetter and windier weather. so as we go through the course of the week, the temperatures will steadily start to rise. a bit of snow on sunday there. and then you can see, by the time we get to wednesday, temperatures in the south back into double figures. bye— bye.

hello, i'm shaun ley. welcome to the programme which brings together leading uk—based commentators, bbc specialists and the foreign correspondents whose stories for audiences back home bear the dateline �*london'. this week, a new president pledges to put the "united" back into the united states, the most effective critic of russia's president is jailed but not silenced, and vaccinejustice in a global pandemic. to discuss that, our dateline panel this week — michael goldfarb hosts the frdh podcast, that's the first rough draft of history. tonia samsonova is a blogger and entrepeneur, who's worked as a foreign correspondent for russian radio. very warm welcome to you both. with me in the studio is lyse doucet, the bbc�*s chief international correspondent. always a pleasure stop and have you here physically the studio. and always a pleasure stop and have you here physically the studio.— here physically the studio. and to be with you! _ here physically the studio. and to

be with you! happy _ here physically the studio. and to be with you! happy new- here physically the studio. and to be with you! happy new year. - here physically the studio. and to - be with you! happy new year. alexey navalny.... — alexei navalny, the most high profile critic of vladimir putin's