this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the bbc has evidence that women in china's so—called re—education camps have been systematically raped and tortured. translation: they did whatever evil there mind could _ translation: they did whatever evil there mind could think _ translation: they did whatever evil there mind could think of. _ there mind could think of. and they didn't spare any part of my body. a new study says the astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine not only protects from severe disease also, but reduces transmission of the virus significantly. russian opposition leader alexei navalny is jailed for two—and—a—half years. he says it's to remove his challenge to president putin. and tributes pour in for captain sir tom moore, who has died at the age of 100. he'll be remembered for raising tens of millions for coronavirus workers in the uk.

hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. and stay with us for the latest news and analysis from here and across the globe. women in china's so—called re—education camps have been systematically raped and tortured — according to first hand accounts obtained by the bbc. it's estimated more than a million men and women have been detained in the camps, which china claims are education centres to de—radicalise uighurs and other muslim minorities. our correspondent matthew hill has spoken to several former detainees and workers — and you may find some of their accounts distressing. reliving a story she can barely bring herself to tell. she was held one of xinjiang's so—called re—education camps.

these satellite images show the site were she says she was held, sharing a cell with 13 other women with a bucket for a toilet. and she is haunted by one image. masked men coming down a camp corridor like this one after midnight. translation: they were three men. not one but three. they did whatever evil their mind could think of and they didn't spare any part of my body, biting it to the extent that it was disgusting to look at. they didn't just rape. they were barbaric. they had bitten all over my body. the us have granted her safe refuge after investigating her claims. she's waived her right to anonymity and now feels free to speak

about the full extent of the abuse she says she suffered. translation: they had an electric baton. - i didn't know what it was. it was pushed into my private parts and i was tormented with electric shocks. it's estimated overi million uighurs and other muslims are held in the camps. these never—before—broadcast pictures were filmed secretly in a camp under construction and published by a magazine on religious liberty. we've interviewed a former guard and seen his chinese police documents. he is the first ever to come forward and the risk of him speaking to the bbc is so great we have reconstructed the interview with an actor. those who were taken inside were locked in a cell which held 8—16 inmates. there were cameras watching them all the time, and there were books about xi jinping. they had to study the book

and memorise them in chinese. if they failed, the punishment was severe. many former camp inmates flee to istanbul. some talk of having to choose between punishment or being complicit in these crimes. translation: i worked six months| as a cleaning worker for the women. han chinese men would pay money to have their pick. of the pretty, young inmates. this was the first time she has told only one the full told anyone the full extent of what she says she was forced to do. i myjob is to remove their clothesl completely and then handcuff them on their beds so they cannot move. we can't say if the rape is approved by the camp commanders or even by those more senior. but the accounts of the many women

i've spoken to who have spent time in camps, like these ones filmed secretly in xinjiang, include gang rape in public and are similar in brutality. the uighur rights group that helped her get to america say their full stories don't emerge until later. survivors of the camps have told of horrific tortures. very often sexual abuse, however, is told in less detail. it's traumatic to remember and women are often afraid of bringing shame to their own family members. the chinese government said in a statement that the xinjiang camps offered vocational and educational training to tackle extremism and terrorism. it did not address directly the accusations of rape and torture. but it added, "the chinese government attaches great importance to women's rights. lies and absurd accusations, including mass detention, do not hold water." translation: it is very obvious| their goal is to destroy everyone,

and everyone knows it. these women are done. much of the testimony of the women i've spoken to is too disturbing to broadcast. but it's important, they say, the world knows what's happened to them. matthew hill, bbc news. adrian zenz is a senior fellow in china studies at the victims of communism memorial foundation. he joins us live now from minnesota. how do the findings in this report match what we already know? they've match what we already know? they've match evidence _ match what we already know? they've match evidence that _ match what we already know? they've match evidence that we _ match what we already know? they've match evidence that we have - match what we already know? they've match evidence that we have had, - match evidence that we have had, more tentatively, more endlessly to, and thinks that we knew or suspected but to be honest and at this level of detail and authority, the system of detail and authority, the system of the most horrendous that i personally have seen since this atrocity began about four years ago. what have you learned from your own

research? my what have you learned from your own research? ~ , ., , ., . what have you learned from your own research? g ., , , ., , ., research? my own research shows that cam -s are research? my own research shows that camps are places _ research? my own research shows that camps are places where _ research? my own research shows that camps are places where inmates - research? my own research shows that camps are places where inmates are i camps are places where inmates are interrogated, they are punished, when they fail to learn chinese sometimes, even tortured, my research is also shown that women are being sterilised, they are being forced to have iv devices inserted into them, just a very brutal subjugation, almost like a colonial subjugation, almost like a colonial subjugation of uighur women. haw subjugation of uighur women. how difficult is it _ subjugation of uighur women. how difficult is it to _ subjugation of uighur women. how difficult is it to get accurate information that you can crosscheck and co—operate from the camps? extremely difficult to get anything from within the camp. sometimes we have a set of leaked documents such as the china cables that are very rare though. sometimes we can lean bits of information from official government documents and websites, but the most important source of evidence are survivor testimonies, like the ones just broadcast by bbc.

the us secretary of state has declared a genocide is under way. what kind of impact of the declaration like that have? it is what kind of impact of the declaration like that have? it is a siunificant declaration like that have? it is a significant to _ declaration like that have? it is a significant to make _ declaration like that have? it is a significant to make such - declaration like that have? it is a significant to make such a - declaration like that have? it is a - significant to make such a statement to awaken the road to the skill of the atrocity that is happening. however it is no longer enough to make declarations or assessments. this is just getting worse and worse as we seek him in time is running out. it is time the international community goes to investigate and put up some real action or it will be too late. put up some real action or it will be too late-— be too late. you say goes to investigative _ be too late. you say goes to investigative course - be too late. you say goes to investigative course and - be too late. you say goes to investigative course and to i be too late. you say goes to i investigative course and to go be too late. you say goes to - investigative course and to go to investigate and we need visas from the chinese government. the investigate and we need visas from the chinese government.— the chinese government. the first ste is to the chinese government. the first step is to strongly _ the chinese government. the first step is to strongly demand - the chinese government. the first step is to strongly demand to - step is to strongly demand to investigate or threaten consequences. the next step is to try to ascertain what is going on. yes there were any chinese government permission but we now need some kind of a deal, we need high—level conflict, we need some knocking on the doors of the united nations and other multilateral

institutions in order to at least try to move the ball on this server this atrocity. try to move the ball on this server this atrocity-— this atrocity. thank you so much, doctor. democrats have laid out their case for impeaching donald trump for a second time — ahead of his trial in the senate next week. their pre—trial brief says the former president "summoned a mob to washington, exhorted them into a frenzy and aimed them like a loaded cannon down pennsylvania avenue". it calls this a "profound violation of the oath he swore" and demands he's disqualified from ever running for office again. mr trump's lawyers have responded — they have said the us senate has no authority to try him as a private citizen on an impeachment charge, adding, "the senate lacks jurisdiction to remove from office a man who does not hold office." amazon's founder and ceo jeff bezos has announced he is stepping down this summer. in a letter to employees, mr bezos says he wants to devote more time to charity, space exploration and the washington post.

he is handing the reins of the online retail business to andy jassy — who's currently running amazon's cloud business division. jeff bezos will move to the role of executive chair and will still be involved in all major decisions. a new study from oxford university says the coronavirus vaccine it developed with astrazeneca not only protects from severe disease, but also reduces transmission of the virus significantly. when there was a gap of 12 weeks between the first and the second doses. our medical editor fergus walsh has more on this, and on growing concern, about the way coronavirus is showing its ability to change genetically. a little scratch coming there. more good news on vaccines, the oxford astrazeneca jab offers sustained protection against covid disease of 76% for at least three months after the first shots, supporting the uk decision to delay second doses. inside there is a patient data sheet about the astrazeneca

vaccine you've had today. ok. ok? the oxford jab may also cut transmission, those vaccinated were far less likely to carry any coronavirus, meaning each person immunised may indirectly protect others. we found there was a big reduction in people being infected with coronavirus and because they were not infected, they can't go on and transmit to other people. and so that is really important in potentially curbing the pandemic. secondly, we had really good protection right from a couple of weeks after the first dose through to the second dose being given three months later, and which tells us there is maintained efficacy over that period. meanwhile, more cases of the south african variant has meant fighting coronavirus is now being done house to house. 80,000 adults in nine postcode areas of england are being urged to have a test because cases

of the variants have been detected there unconnected to foreign travel. and it's emerged that the uk variant first found in kent has itself undergone another mutation. viruses evolve all the time, but there are several variants here which share one mutation of concern — it's in the spike protein and called e484k. it's been found in bristol in a mutated version of the more contagious uk variant. and in liverpool, in a variant which mutated from the original wuhan strain. this same mutation is also found in the south african and brazilian variants. it appears to make the virus less visible to antibodies, a key part of the immune system, which could make vaccines less effective. we do have some evidence from the laboratory that this mutation might reduce the efficacy of certain vaccines. having said that, the vaccine should

still work very well and reduce transmission and reduce symptoms, we hope, but we are going to need to keep a very close eye on this. hello, i work with council... in surrey, the public health teams mostly met with a positive response. what do you think about this whole exercise? i think it's brilliant. i think it's really good that they have acted upon it really quickly. it's almost the first thing that i feel like they have taken... ..relatively urgent. yeah. yes. this door—to—door testing should provide vital information on how much the south african variant may be spreading silently within the community. and hopefully suppress it at least to a certain extent, buying vital time for the vaccine roll—out. well done. so the quicker the nhs can immunise those most at risk, the better. and social distancing remains vital because the less virus out there, the lower the risk

of it mutating again. fergus walsh, bbc news. some other coronavirus developments now: the health regulator in france has approved the astrazeneca vaccine but said it should not be used for people over 65 without further study. the recommendation echoes similar reservations expressed in germany and austria. research published in a leading medicaljournal suggest russia's sputnik coronavirus vaccine can be more than 90% effective. trials are continuing, but the jab is already being used in several countries. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: we'll have the latest from myanmar where military coup leaders continue to consolidate their grip on power. this is the moment that millions in iran have 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. 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 the recycling of the rocket, 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 nonstop. this is bbc news, the latest headlines. the bbc has evidence that women in china's so—called re—education

camps have been systematically raped and tortured. a new study says the astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine not only protects from severe disease also but reduces transmission of the virus significantly. after the army seized power in myanmar on monday — and detained the country's leader, aung san suu kyi, accusing her party of fraud in the recent election — the military appears to be in full control. there was a heavy police and military presence across naypyitaw and yangon on tuesday, and in a country with a history of military brutality, myanmar�*s citizens are not actively protesting the coup. instead, in the first signs of defiance, people stood outside and banged pots and pans to show their opposition to their new military leaders. we're joined now by anthony aung who runs a tour company and lives in myanmar�*s main city yangon, where it's early morning. thank where it's early morning. you forjoining us. tell us what thank you forjoining us. tell us what is life like right now in

yangon? {lit what is life like right now in yan . on? ., , what is life like right now in yangon?— what is life like right now in yanuon? .., , what is life like right now in yanuon? , yangon? of the day the coup was announced. _ yangon? of the day the coup was announced, there _ yangon? of the day the coup was announced, there were _ yangon? of the day the coup was announced, there were long - yangon? of the day the coup was i announced, there were long queues yangon? of the day the coup was - announced, there were long queues by the atm machines in active markets, telephone networks were not working but i was able to connect to the wi—fi. but i was able to connect to the wi-fi. i but i was able to connect to the wi—fi. i also heard promilitary patriotic songs here on the radio. in general the city has been quiet but some businesses are not operating. i haven't seen the end of the supporters coming out. perhaps they don't want to be responsible for any potential violence. nonetheless, the people have not been quiet. —— end of the supportive. they have been protesting online on facebook. so many burmese have changed their profile pictures and if you look at presidentjoe pied a recent post, you will see the people of naypyitaw are helping asking for help. a civil disobedience campaign was locked on to health care workers and other civil servants are expected to pass for debate. some have already resigned from thejob. for debate. some have already resigned from the job. last night around 8pm people are trying to show their support for the end of the by

making noises and cars on the streets were honking nonstop. it is streets were honking nonstop. it is somethin: streets were honking nonstop. it is something you hear from every house? -- nld. in something you hear from every house? —— nld. in some neighbourhoods, yes. in most neighbourhoods actually in naypyitaw. the in most neighbourhoods actually in na - itaw. , ., ., naypyitaw. the phone and internet services work _ naypyitaw. the phone and internet services work right _ naypyitaw. the phone and internet services work right now? _ naypyitaw. the phone and internet services work right now? can - naypyitaw. the phone and internet services work right now? can you l services work right now? can you re eat services work right now? can you repeat the _ services work right now? can you repeat the question? _ services work right now? can you repeat the question? can - services work right now? can you repeat the question? can people | services work right now? can you - repeat the question? can people make telehone repeat the question? can people make telephone calls — repeat the question? can people make telephone calls and _ repeat the question? can people make telephone calls and get _ repeat the question? can people make telephone calls and get on _ repeat the question? can people make telephone calls and get on the - telephone calls and get on the internet right now?— telephone calls and get on the internet right now? yes. we shall have access _ internet right now? yes. we shall have access to _ internet right now? yes. we shall have access to the _ internet right now? yes. we shall have access to the internet. - internet right now? yes. we shall. have access to the internet. people are still able to use the mobile networks but my phone apparently still isn't working a yesterday i called the service provider and they said it will take some time. ianthem said it will take some time. when ou said it will take some time. when you switch _ said it will take some time. when you switch on _ said it will take some time. when you switch on state _ said it will take some time. when you switch on state tv, _ said it will take some time. when you switch on state tv, what - you switch on state tv, what programmes are playing? normal, uuite programmes are playing? normal, quite normal _ programmes are playing? normal, quite normal but _ programmes are playing? normal, quite normal but also _ programmes are playing? normal, quite normal but also programmes that are in favour of the military. i want tojump in. are you able to carry on working? i

i want to jump in. are you able to carry on working?— i want to jump in. are you able to carry on working? i am able to carry on, but carry on working? i am able to carry on. but some _ carry on working? i am able to carry on, but some businesses _ carry on working? i am able to carry on, but some businesses are - carry on working? i am able to carry on, but some businesses are still i on, but some businesses are still close. because they fear, perhaps they have security concerns. find close. because they fear, perhaps they have security concerns. and we no they have security concerns. and we to out for they have security concerns. and we go out for a — they have security concerns. and we go out for a walk— they have security concerns. and we go out for a walk in _ they have security concerns. and we go out for a walk in the _ they have security concerns. and we go out for a walk in the streets - go out for a walk in the streets come if you do, what does it feel like? —— and when you go out for her. like? -- and when you go out for her. ,, , ~ , her. quiet. very quiet. my life seems to _ her. quiet. very quiet. my life seems to be — her. quiet. very quiet. my life seems to be normal. - her. quiet. very quiet. my life| seems to be normal. anthony, her. quiet. very quiet. my life - seems to be normal. anthony, thank ou so seems to be normal. anthony, thank you so much — seems to be normal. anthony, thank you so much for— seems to be normal. anthony, thank you so much for speaking _ seems to be normal. anthony, thank you so much for speaking to - seems to be normal. anthony, thank you so much for speaking to us. -- l you so much for speaking to us. —— but life seems to be normal. more than 1,000 demonstrators have been arrested, following the jailing of the russian opposition leader alexei navalny for three—and—a—half years. he's now expected to spend over two—and—a—half years in prison, discounting the time he spent under house arrest. mr navalny denounced the case against him saying it was being used to scare millions of people in russia. steve rosenberg reports from moscow. for years, the russian authorities claimed alexei navalny was no threat to them, that he was just a nobody.

but outside the court they were taking no chances. inside, mr navalny was brought into the courtroom, and then the kremlin's most ferocious critic was locked in a glass cage. he'd been accused of a parole violation. a case which he insisted is politically motivated. his wife was in court alongside him. when the verdict came he put on a brave face, but the kremlin's most severe critic had been put in prison for two and a half years. up up until that day, russian government had resistance and come to jail. now he is seen as a bigger threat at liberty and behind bars. that is because in russia he has become the face of protests. his

arrest have brought people onto the streets across the country. now his prison sentence has sparked international combination. we reiterate international combination. - reiterate our call for the russian government to immediately and conditionally released missing about any as well as the hundreds of other russian citizens wrongfully detained in recent weeks for exercising their rights. in recent weeks for exercising their riahts. ~ ,, in recent weeks for exercising their riahts. ~ , , ., in recent weeks for exercising their riahts. ~ , ., . rights. message is not received. this is moscow _ rights. message is not received. this is moscow tonight. - rights. message is not received. this is moscow tonight. police i rights. message is not received. i this is moscow tonight. police are out in force. and determined to stop any sign of protest in support of mr navalny. alexi, we are with you, he just has time to say. the authorities will be hoping that with russia's leading opposition figure and prison, the protest will lose steam. and if they don't, well,

those in power here are in no mood for compromise. captain sir tom moore — the british world war ii veteran who raised almost 50 million dollars for health service workers during the first lockdown — has died at the age of 100, after testing positive for covid—19. the queen, who knighted him injuly — has offered her condolences to the family — and the prime minister, borisjohnson called him a national inspiration. david sillito reports. he's a 99—year—old war vet. he's a one—man fundraising machine. captain sir tom moore. the word "inspirational" is rather an understatement. that's the way i think i've always looked at it, tomorrow will be a good day. what began as a little family challenge, to do 100 laps of his garden, became a fundraising juggernaut. on new year's eve, the face of 2020 was captain tom.

he was born in keighley in 1920, and served in burma during the war. after that, he'd run a business and the closest he had ever come to fame... and appearing this christmas on... ..was an appearance on blankety blank. tom, have you got family or anyone you would rather not be watching this? yes, two girls, coming up 16 and coming up 14. but everything changed when his family set up a fundraising page for captain tom. the hope was to raise £1,000 for nhs charities to support the nurses and doctors during the pandemic, butjust over a week later the total had passed £1 million. and by the time he celebrated his 100th birthday, the total had topped £30 million. # walk on through the wind...# he also had a number one single. # walk on through the rain...# captain tom had become known the world over. he received 140,000 birthday cards.

he was made an honorary colonel. he received a knighthood. and the raf staged a birthday fly—past. i'm absolutely delighted with all the people like you who have come to wish me a many happy birthday. it has been an extraordinary ten months. the final entry on his wish list was an end of year trip to barbados. and then, earlier this week, it was announced that he had pneumonia and had tested positive for the coronavirus. leading the tributes today, a statement from buckingham palace. the queen said... in downing street, the union flags were at half—mast. captain sir tom moore was a hero in the truest sense of the word. in the dark days of

the second world war, he fought forfreedom and in the face of this country's deepest post—war crisis, he united us all. captain tom described it as a fairy tale, but during some dark months, it was his good cheer that became a little source ofjoy for millions. i never ever anticipated ever in my life anything like this. it really is amazing. i must say to everyone, thank you very much to everyone wherever you are. # you'll never walk alone. # captain sirtom captain sir tom moore who has died at the age of 100. when british newspaper caused him captain marvel

and another one says hero of our time. stay with us. hello there. tuesday brought us some very heavy snow across parts of scotland, but more especially in northern england. and that caused significant transport disruption — at one stage, the a62 was completely shut, along with the snake pass. and that's the main road link between manchester and sheffield. the boundary between the mild air we have in the south and the cold air in the north is heading into scotland. and it's here where the risk of snow will stay really threw the rest of this week. heavy snow across the high ground with significant accumulations. there is still the scope of transport disruption — but the risk of disruption will increase towards the end of the week. why do i say that? because of lower elevations over the next few days, with temperatures dropping by a couple of degrees celsius, tipping the balance from rain more to snowfall at lower levels — hence the risk of disruption is more likely to increase later in the week.

right now across the central lowlands, we've got rain, a bit of sleet coming through as well. the sleet mainly confined to the high ground here, also across the very high ground and across the far north of england, too. delving into the stone, as we go through wednesday, we will continue to see that rain, a bit of sleet at times across the central belt, so probably nothing in the way of snow settling. if you go into the hills, yes, above 100 metres elevation, you're more likely to see snow, settling snow above 200 metres elevation, 10—20 cm over the next 48 hours. elsewhere, we've got some bright skies and the west, but heavy rain across southern england — very heavy at times in the london area, and it'll turn wet as well throughout much of east anglia. mild in the south, but obviously where we've got the snow falling, particularly in the hills, temperatures struggling to get much above freezing at all in scotland. through wednesday night, we will continue to see that mucky mixture, really, in scotland. there might be a bit more in the way of snow starting to come down to some slightly lower levels across the north of the country, as those temperatures just start

to edge downwards just a little bit — might be enough to tip the balance, perhaps a little bit of snow across the high ground of northern england, as well. for thursday, again, as the air gets colder, we've got a tendency to see a bit more snow getting down to some of those lower levels. in the south, we've got some rain, a few brighter spells for whales in the midlands, still mild in the south, for wales in the midlands, still mild in the south, still cold into scotland. and then beyond that, as we look at the forecast through friday and into the weekend beyond, there is a tendency for the weather to turn colder, and we may see it some snowfall more widely for next week. that's your latest weather.

this is bbc world news, the headlines... women in china's so—called re—education camps have been systematically raped and tortured, according to first—hand accounts obtained by the bbc. it's estimated more than a million men and women have been detained in the camps. the russian opposition leader, alexei navalny, has beenjailed for more than two—and—a—half years, following his return to moscow after being poisoned. his supporters have called for more protests. a new study has found that the oxford astrazeneca vaccine against coronavirus reduces transmission significantly, as well as protecting from severe disease. researchers found the jab provided good protection even when there was a gap of 12 weeks between doses. the british second world war veteran captain sir tom moore, who raised tens of millions of dollars for health workers treating coronavirus patients, has died after testing positive for covid—19. he was 100 years old.