welcome to bbc news, i'm lewis vaughanjones. our top stories: the military in myanmar confirms it has carried out a coup, and declares a state of emergency. the country's de facto leader aung san sui kyi has been detained. this move follows weeks of complaints by the military over alleged fraud. more than 5,000 people are arrested in russia, as protests take place in support ofjailed 0pposition leader, alexei navalny. the eu commission president tells pharmaceutical companies that problems with the supply of coronavirus vaccines must be addressed.

hello, welcome to the programme. military leaders in myanmar have staged a coup and declared a state of emergency for at least a year. hours earlier, they detained the country's de—facto leader aung san suu kyi and several of her fellow leaders in the national league for democracy. the military says it's in response to alleged election fraud in november's general election which saw aung sang suu kyi returned to power by a huge majority. let's speak to our south east asia correspondentjonathan head. just a few hours ago, elected politicians were about to convene a new parliament and just a couple of hours later it is now a military coup. an extraordinary sequence of

events in a very short time period. what have the military been saying?— been saying? well, they have siml been saying? well, they have simply announced _ been saying? well, they have simply announced that - been saying? well, they have simply announced that this i been saying? well, they have simply announced that this is| simply announced that this is indeed a coup, they didn't call it that they have seized all judicial and legislative power, meaning parliament will not convene. the first vice president who was a military appointee, undera appointee, under a constitution which does give the military still very significant powers will now take over from the president who is being held by the military in the capital with aung san sui kyi. president is strong ally of her, she is barred from this constitution of being president herself but rules the country because her party has won the second election victory last november and the president is her ally. they are now out of power. this is, in effect, a violation of a constitution that the military not only right but promised only on saturday that it would abide by. we are not sure what justifications the military may give for this extraordinary move. as things stand, they have detained other key

civilian officials all over the country. they have seized power. communications are being cut in many areas. this is a military takeover, but it is, they have to say, an astonishing move by a military which managed a democratic transition and which are kept many of those levers of power. it was upset about the election, it only dumbing alleged irregularities but it is going to be very difficult to justify, is going to be very difficult tojustify, it puts is going to be very difficult to justify, it puts myanmar on an extremely perilous course of action. remember, aung san sui kyi remains enormously popular. she has, herself, gone out of her way to defend the military against international criticism over the treatment of rohingya muslims and this move by the military is going to shock people who came out in large numbers during a covid—19 pandemic to vote or aung san sui kyi last november. can we clear someone _

sui kyi last november. can we clear someone up _ sui kyi last november. can we | clear someone up straightaway. the justification given so far by the military for detaining aung san sui kyi and others is, irregularities with the election. is there any justification for those claims of fraud in the elections? there were problems with the elections. and some parts of the country elections couldn't even happen. the government said the conflicts that were going on were too severe. in a country like myanmar with a very new democracy, there will always be irregularities but aung san sui kyi's won 80% of the seats, even more than one back and 2015, the first election when it was able to take power. no number of election regularities are going to change that overall result andindeed to change that overall result and indeed the military themselves over the weekend stated that they were not contesting the outcome, just what they said with a protest tonic processes. i think they are going to look at this extraordinary action that has

been taken and very few are going to be able to see any justification. a seizure of power, state of emergency in myanmar is only supposed to happen if the country's entire integrity and unity is under threat, and it can only be carried out by the president who is currently being detained by the military, so everything and the constitution that the military themselves wrote to keep themselves and power, they've actually not followed a ny they've actually not followed any of the procedures required for the sorts of actions they are taking now.— for the sorts of actions they are taking now. and were there an that are taking now. and were there any that such — are taking now. and were there any that such an _ are taking now. and were there any that such an extreme - are taking now. and were there any that such an extreme stepl any that such an extreme step by the army was in play?- any that such an extreme step by the army was in play? yes. i mean, by the army was in play? yes. i mean. last— by the army was in play? yes. i mean, last week _ by the army was in play? yes. i mean, last week there - by the army was in play? yes. i mean, last week there were . by the army was in play? yes. i i mean, last week there were some alarming comments from the military when it refused to rule out a coup and the armed forces commander who now effectively runs the country did say that if the constitution wasn't followed, well, it should be annulled and replaced. but then the military gave more conciliatory statements over the weekend and i think people thought about a

military which was a pariah for running the country so badly for 50 years in such a brutal way that it actually managed a democratic transition and which he kept so much power, but to launch an out and out coup would be so provocative i think many people believe the military was just threatening a warning that it was actually going to do it. it's done it now and it is really hard to see a way forward for the country, and there have to be real worries about how strongly people try to oppose this coup. in the past, because, when people have opposed the military, the results have usually been significant and bloodshed.— bloodshed. these are extraordinary - bloodshed. these are i extraordinary moments. jonathan, thank you. tom andrews is the un special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in myanmar and joins me live from washington. thanks so much for talking to us. first of all, what is your reaction to what is happening? it is simply outrageous. many of us feared that this might

happen, the signs that we were hearing in recent days were not encouraging, but listen, we are talking about overturning a constitution by the generals that the generals themselves wrote, that they said just yesterday that they would abide by. so this is notjust an assault, an attack on an individual, a political leader or a political party, this is an assault on democracy itself, on the people of myanmar, on their hopes and their aspirations, and the people of myanmar need to know that the world is watching and the world is with them.— world is watching and the world is with them. many people have been caught _ is with them. many people have been caught by _ is with them. many people have been caught by surprise - is with them. many people have been caught by surprise by - been caught by surprise by this, not because there haven't been hence over the last couple of weeks, and people have been anxious, there have been noises coming out of the military suggesting a coup, but people seemed reassured by the military�*s reassurance, firstly, and secondly by the fact that the military still

already had a significant degree of control in the country. so, taking this extra step seems a strange decision, to say the least.— to say the least. that's exactly _ to say the least. that's exactly right. - to say the least. that's exactly right. i - to say the least. that's exactly right. i mean, l to say the least. that's - exactly right. i mean, they wrote this constitution. and provides them with enormous power, it leaves them unaccountable and many respect. provides them with 25% of the seats in the parliament. they are appointed by the commander—in—chief, not elected by the people of myanmar. they have enormous wealth, they have control of economic institutions that are totally unaccountable. in terms of the public at large they are unaccountable whatsoever with respect to these resources, so they have incredible sources of wealth, they lack the kind of accountability that most believe is critical for any military, and now despite all

of those benefits that they gave themselves in the current constitution, they've overthrown the constitution. it is absolutely remarkable, it is absolutely outrageous. this is absolutely remarkable, it is absolutely outrageous.- is absolutely remarkable, it is absolutely outrageous. as of a cou - le absolutely outrageous. as of a coule of absolutely outrageous. as of a couple of hours _ absolutely outrageous. as of a couple of hours ago _ absolutely outrageous. as of a couple of hours ago now, - absolutely outrageous. as of a couple of hours ago now, they| couple of hours ago now, they are in control, state of emergency for at least a year. what can the international community to now?- what can the international community to now? well, first of all, community to now? well, first of all. there — community to now? well, first of all, there is _ community to now? well, first of all, there is absolutely - community to now? well, first of all, there is absolutely no . of all, there is absolutely no justification for this whatsoever. they can't claim that this was a matter of national security, that they were predicting the country, they can't use any of those excuses to justify this. i think first of all the international community has to speak out very, very clearly, very loudly and make it unmistakable how the international community feel about this. there are options that the international community will be considering. there are a range of things that can be done to apply pressure. what those will be at this moment are not clear, but

what is clear is that this simply cannot be allowed to stand. the international community cannot afford to stand idly by while this outrage occurs before our very eyes. i5 outrage occurs before our very e es. , , ., outrage occurs before our very e es, , , ., , outrage occurs before our very e es. , , ., , ., ., eyes. is this a test now for president _ eyes. is this a test now for president biden? - eyes. is this a test now for president biden? i- eyes. is this a test now for president biden? i think i eyes. is this a test now for| president biden? i think it's eyes. is this a test now for i president biden? i think it's a test for the — president biden? i think it's a test for the world. _ president biden? i think it's a test for the world. it's - president biden? i think it's a test for the world. it's a i president biden? i think it's a test for the world. it's a test | test for the world. it's a test for all of us. and we need to step up and meet this test. i mean, the people of this country have been through so much, and they've been through decades and decades of brutal military rule. they are going through a pandemic. the economy is in really tough shape. there are so many things that they are so many things that they are facing. the last thing that they need is to be facing this, so they need to know that we are with them, that we are watching and that the world is going to do what is necessary to make clear that this outrage is not going to be allowed to

just go by. sorry to interrupt. just on that — just go by. sorry to interrupt. just on that point, _ just go by. sorry to interrupt. just on that point, can - just on that point, can they ask you to stay exactly where you are because they want to get your reaction to the international reaction that we've had, so just hold there for two seconds if you wouldn't mind, i will come straight back to you, but i'd just what to bring you exactly what has just been said. we have had reaction from australia and the us, from the white house, condemning of course what has been happening in myanmar, so let's go to the white house statement. the united states opposes any attempt to alter the outcome of the recent elections or impede me and my�*s democratic transition and will take action against those responsible of these steps are not reversed. australia's foreign affairs minister saying: we call on the military to respect the rule of law, to resolve disputes through lawful mechanisms and to release immediately all civilian leaders and others who have been detained unlawfully. so if we can come back to you

there, they are the two statements. they are very recent statements but almost out of date already because they were released before it was confirmed by the military themselves that they were taking power. but given that context, what do you make of them? ~ �* ., ., ., them? well, i'm glad to hear that they _ them? well, i'm glad to hear that they are _ them? well, i'm glad to hear that they are out _ them? well, i'm glad to hear that they are out quickly, i that they are out quickly, speaking in opposition to what's going on and talking about the necessity for action. what that action is going to be, what it should be, i'm trusting that there are going to be discussions stop ea know that there will be discussions under way now and in the hours to come, but what's clear is that the world can't stand idly by, so these statements are important, strong statements of condemnation, should be coming from all over the world, and the world standing together and united against this assault is imperative right now.- imperative right now. tom andrews. _ imperative right now. tom andrews, thank _ imperative right now. tom andrews, thank you i imperative right now. tom andrews, thank you so i imperative right now. tom i andrews, thank you so much imperative right now. tom andrews, thank you so much for giving us your thoughts on this hugely significant moment.

thank you. other news now. in a second weekend of widespread protests, large crowds have demonstrated across russia in defiance of warnings by police. the protesters are demanding the release ofjailed 0pposition leader alexei navalny. according to independent monitors, the police crackdown has now seen at least 5,000 people arrested across the country. among them is mr navalny�*s wife yulia, seen here accompanying her husband on their return to russia earlier this month. she has been arrested by police in moscow as she and others marched towards the prison where her husband is being held. steve rosenberg reports. by law, russians have the right to peaceful protest...on paper. in moscow today, police were determined to clear the streets... whatever it took. some people got away.

but hundreds of people were detained in the russian capital. protesters had come out in support of alexei navalny, the kremlin critic who's in jail. moscow police had warned that any protest in the city today would be considered illegal and broken up, and that's exactly what's happening right now. the message is that the authorities are determined to crack down on dissent. but the crowds swelled, and moved through the city. chanting "moscow, take to the streets", they're chanting. the riot police tried to stop them, but they were playing catch—up all afternoon. mr navalny�*s arrest was the trigger for this, but resentments of the authorities has been building. we have been stagnating for, like, 20 years of putin's rule, and i believe that

we need some change. i wanted freedom for our country. the situation now is the worst, i think, than the last ten years. this too brought russians onto the streets, alexei navalny�*s recent video alleging that vladimir putin built himself a £1 billion palace with illicit money, complete with £600 toilet brushes. the kremlin's denied it, but the video's had more than 100 million views online. the result — the toilet brush has become the symbol of this protest, the embodiment of what many here believe is massive corruption at the top. there were protests across russia, from st petersburg. .. ..to siberia and the russian far east. man shouting. but will they force

a kremlin u—turn and mr navalny�*s release? no sign of that. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: we have more on the breaking news of the coup in myanmar. 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. the ban on the african national congress is lifted immediately, 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, l slashing the cost of a launch, l 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 news, the latest headlines: the military in myanmar has confirmed it carried out a coup, and declared a state of emergency for at least one year. the country's de facto leader aung san sui kyi has been detained. this move follows weeks of complaints by the military over alleged fraud in last november's general election, in which ms suu kyi's national league for democracy won a resounding majority.

let's stay with a story, this developing story. soe win than is the news editor of the bbc�*s burmese service. thank you very much for coming on. what details do you have about what exactly the military have been saying about what they have done and why they have done it?— they have done and why they have done it? they 'ust made this announcement i have done it? theyjust made this announcement in - have done it? theyjust made this announcement in the i have done it? theyjust made j this announcement in the last couple of hours on the military tv channel, that they seized power and have declared a state of emergency and the state of emergency will stay for one year. they did not mention the detention of aung san suu kyi and other senior leaders but since the early hours of the day, since we got this news that soldiers went to individuals' homes and rounded up individuals' homes and rounded up aung san suu kyi, the president, and all the senior members, notjust in the capital city, but in other parts, the chief ministers in different districts and regions, all surrounded and taken away. the internet is down in the capital city, and

in many parts of the country as well, the internet and telephone communication is very difficult, we cannot contact our reporter in the capital city at this moment. people woke up... today is the day that the mps, newly elected mps in the november elections, are to convene parliament, so people were cheering yesterday, and expecting that we would have a new government to come to power very soon, but then they came, woke up today with this shocking news that the military have seized power. in all honesty, how surprised were you? all honesty, how surprised were ou? ., . , all honesty, how surprised were ou? ., ., , , , ~ you? not really because like we knew that _ you? not really because like we knew that the _ you? not really because like we knew that the military _ you? not really because like we knew that the military has i you? not really because like we knew that the military has been| knew that the military has been making these noises in the past couple of weeks already, and in the last week the military spokesperson came out and said they did not rule out a military coup, and the following day the army chief himself said that if the politicians are not following the constitution, the

constitution could be abolished or aggregated, which is a clear threat of military coup, but then, after the un and diplomatic missions made a statement in the country's most revered monks also point out a statement calling for calm, on saturday the military again put out a statement that they will abide by the constitution, so it sort of a lead the fears for a bit, but the ruling party, aung san suu kyi's party spokesperson in his interview with her said they expected anything could happen because the military had in the past, unfortunately myanmar, burma has had a couple of coups in the past. the military could do anything, so true to their words, the stage there is coup today. words, the stage there is coup toda . ~ ., words, the stage there is coup toda .~ ., ., , words, the stage there is coup toda. ., , ., ., today. what does this mean for the pebble _ today. what does this mean for the pebble of— today. what does this mean for the people of the _ today. what does this mean for the people of the country? i today. what does this mean for the people of the country? will| the people of the country? will people be out on the streets? what do you think happens next? there is a tremendous anger on social media, as soon as we posted this initial post that military was running up senior

leaders, there were a lot of angry remarks, people were very resentful, angry, they were looking for what is democratic. aung san suu kyi's second term was about to begin, and they were looking to the democratic path, but that has been backtracked again, but aung san suu kyi and the nlp has been calling for calm. we knew this could happen, but they were asking and calling for the people to stay within the law, so we still don't know, so... aung san suu kyi is the major galvanising force i think the military will still keep her for some time. if they release her, she is the force that people would gather around, and then could do something. i presume we have no idea, when it comes to the detentions of aung san suu kyi and others, where they are, how long they will be held for, what conditions they are being held

in? ~ ., �* conditions they are being held in? . ., �* 4' ., conditions they are being held in? ., �* ~ ., ~' conditions they are being held in? ~ ., ~ in? we don't know. like i said, all the communications - in? we don't know. like i said, all the communications to i in? we don't know. like i said, all the communications to the l all the communications to the capital have been cut off, state tv has been off air for a couple of hours now, and it is very difficult, even within the country to communicate to each other, so where they were taken to, how long they were there, conditions that nobody knows, even the family members are quite concerned that some of the elderly people were taken from their homes, they had no medical medicines that they need to take, or enough clothes, so it's very uncertain at the moment.— clothes, so it's very uncertain at the moment. thank you for brinuain at the moment. thank you for bringing us — at the moment. thank you for bringing us up _ at the moment. thank you for bringing us up to _ at the moment. thank you for bringing us up to speed i at the moment. thank you for| bringing us up to speed there. the president of the european commission, ursula von der leyen, has told the heads of six pharmaceutical companies that problems with the supply of coronavirus vaccine have to be addressed. astrazeneca has now agreed to increase the number of doses it will supply the bloc before the end of march. 0ur political correspondent nick eardley has more.

keeping the border between northern ireland and the republic open was a priority in brexit talks, so the eu faced intense criticism after drawing up plans to introduce controls on vaccine imports. ministers in london and dublin intervened to tell brussels it had made a big mistake. the commission should've spoken to you first, should it not? yes, and we've had that conversation. and i think there are a lot of lessons to be learned from how all of this transpired, because it took four years to put the protocol together. people were blindsided by the decision that was taken and its implications for the protocol. the vaccine roll—out in the eu has been slow, with tension over supply delays. the under—pressure commission president held talks with pharmaceutical companies this afternoon. ursula von der leyen said astrazeneca had agreed to deliver 9 million additional doses. speaking to german tv tonight, she emphasised cooperation. translation: i had a very good

conversation with boris johnson | last night precisely about this question. it makes sense to work together during the pandemic. i was pleased that he said that the two plants that manufacture astrazeneca also deliver to europe. this is the spirit in which we have to approach this pandemic. but in the uk, hundreds of thousands are being jabbed daily, with a record number yesterday, and ministers have even suggested that eventually, spare doses could be given to other countries. i hope that once we do have those most vulnerable in britain vaccinated, when we're on track with our vaccine programme, we will be able to look at helping the developing world and, of course, our friends and neighbours, because we need everybody to be protected — that's the way we're going to grip this disease. for all the criticisms of government policy, the vaccine roll—out here has been one of the speediest in the world. the situation in europe shows that that wasn't guaranteed. and despite those tensions with brussels, the fact that

ministers here are even prepared to talk about the idea of sharing vaccines is a sign of confidence. vaccines are a key tool in the government's plans to lift lockdown, and for now, the roll—out remains on track. nick eardley, bbc news. straight back to our breaking news, — straight back to our breaking news, the military coup in myanmar. well it's just approaching 9 in the morning in myanmar now and these are some pictures we've had come in injust the last half hour. this is the centre of the country's main city yangon and specifically the city hall, where you can see soldiers on the grounds of the building there. soldiers on the street across the country. they have detained the country. they have detained the de facto leader aung san suu kyi, and just the de facto leader aung san suu kyi, andjust in the de facto leader aung san suu kyi, and just in the last few minutes we have heard from the us secretary of state, calling on myanmar, military leaders to release aung san suu kyi. as well as other myanmar

officials that were detained in the military takeover. plenty more, stay with us. hello. it may be a new month but the weather pattern, for now, is staying the same. so in the week ahead, there will be low pressure systems coming our way, there will be more rain to flood—affected areas, some snow as the wet weather pushes north, causing some disruption, and although milder for some of us, that's not going to last. a damp start for some to the south, close to this area of low pressure for monday morning. this is a much more vigorous weather system coming our way with that rain and snow monday night and into tuesday. monday not starting as cold as sunday morning. still, the coldest parts of scotland close to minus double figures. quite sharp frost in scotland and northern england under clear skies, but with some sunshine for monday morning. icy where we're still seeing some wintry showers towards the north and east of scotland. damp and drizzly with plenty of misty, murky conditions

across parts of southern england and wales. parts of the the midlands, though, and east anglia may brighten up into the afternoon. and rain and hill snow spreading north across northern ireland during the afternoon, and that will push into parts of scotland into monday evening. but this area of rain is from that low pressure system i showed you. some heavier rain pushing north into the cold air monday night and into tuesday. we're going to see some snow out of that in parts of wales, the midlands and northern england before it turns to rain but briefly very icy with that, and the snow by tuesday morning across northern england and into parts of scotland, so a covering for some of us to start the day, some very difficult travel conditions and although for some it will turn to rain, still into parts of the pennines and scotland on tuesday, there will be further snow, and the totals really starting to mount up into the higher ground particularly. south of that, it's turning milder and there will be a few sunny spells but there will also be a few heavy showers around. it could be thundery, too. this area of low pressure is still close by going into wednesday. and particularly for parts of northern ireland, northern england and scotland,

some rain, some snow around. another weather system coming in towards the south. uncertainty about how far north it's going to bring its rain but some of us will get a sizeable dose of rain for that, we think, during wednesday. in between the two weather systems, you could actually have a dry day, you could actually see a bit of sunshine. and as we go towards the end of the week, it looks like the weather will begin to quieten down a little bit. and where temperatures have gone up, you'll notice they'll come down again, and it is looking colder going into next weekend.

this is bbc news. the headlines: the armed forces in myanmar have seized power after they detained the country's elected leader aung san suu kyi and other senior members of the governing party. a statement on the army's television station said all authority had been given to the top military commander general min aung hlaing. a state of emergency has been declared. this dramatic move follows weeks of complaints by the military over alleged fraud in last november's general election, in which ms suu kyi's national league for democracy won a resounding majority of seats in parliament, and the military�*s own party performed poorly. tens of thousands of russians have taken to the streets in support of the jailed activist alexi navalny for the second week running. they're the biggest protests against president putin for a decade. independent monitors said more than 5,000 were detained, including over 80 journalists.

now on bbc news — dateline london.