welcome to bbc news. i'm lewis vaughan jones. our top stories: president biden says he'll push through his covid relief ——an existential threat as joe biden calls for donald trump to lose access to intelligence briefings traditionally given to former presidents. i briefings traditionally given to former presidents. i think there is no _ to former presidents. i think there is no need _ to former presidents. i think there is no need for- to former presidents. i think there is no need for him - there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings. what value is giving him an intelligence briefing? what impact does he have it all, except that he might slip and fall and say something? russia expels diplomats from eu countries, accusing them of taking part in protests against the jailing of alexei navalny.

hello and welcome to the programme. first, joe biden doesn't believe his predecessor, donald trump, should have access to intelligence briefings because of his — quota — erratic behaviour. traditionally, former us presidents receive some access after leaving office, but in his first broadcast interview since becoming president, joe biden said he was worried about mr trumper�*s access. he also spoke about the upcoming impeachment trial. he was asked if he would have voted to convict donald trump if he was a centre. i have voted to convict donald trump if he was a centre. i ran like hell to _ trump if he was a centre. i ran like hell to defeat _ trump if he was a centre. i ran like hell to defeat in _ trump if he was a centre. i ran like hell to defeat in because l like hell to defeat in because i thought he was unfit to be president. i wash and everybody else watched what happened when that crew invaded the united states congress. but i am not in the senate, now. i will let the centre make that decision. let me ask you something that you do— let me ask you something that you do have oversight of as

president. should former president donald trump still receive — president donald trump still receive intelligence briefings? ithink— receive intelligence briefings? i think not. receive intelligence briefings? i think not-— receive intelligence briefings? i i think not._ because i think not. why not? because of his erratic _ i think not. why not? because of his erratic behaviour - of his erratic behaviour unrelated to the insurrection. you have called him an existential threat. you have gotten _ existential threat. you have gotten dangerous. you have called — gotten dangerous. you have called him reckless. | gotten dangerous. you have called him reckless.- gotten dangerous. you have called him reckless. i have and i believe it. _ called him reckless. i have and i believe it. what _ called him reckless. i have and i believe it. what is _ called him reckless. i have and i believe it. what is your- i believe it. what is your worst fear _ i believe it. what is your worst fear if _ i believe it. what is your worst fear if he - i believe it. what is your| worst fear if he continues i believe it. what is your. worst fear if he continues to -et worst fear if he continues to get these briefings?- worst fear if he continues to get these briefings? what value is there in giving _ get these briefings? what value is there in giving him _ get these briefings? what value is there in giving him an - is there in giving him an intelligence briefing? what impact does he have it all except the fact that he might slip and say something. we can speak to our north america correspondent, peter bowes. broadcast interviews are always poured over, they are always different. what stood out for you? i think his comments about donald trump and these intelligence briefings was interesting.— intelligence briefings was interesting. intelligence briefings was interestinu. ., , , ., ., interesting. perhaps not a huge surrise interesting. perhaps not a huge surprise when _ interesting. perhaps not a huge surprise when you _ interesting. perhaps not a huge surprise when you consider- interesting. perhaps not a huge surprise when you consider the | surprise when you consider the campaign that we went through, the events since the election and the animosity between

certainly donald trump and joe biden. it might�*ve been surprising if he had continued to receive those intelligence briefings, which are normally afforded a former president as afforded a former president as a matter of courtesy. but you can clearly hear from what the president is saying, he doesn't believe there is a need for donald trump to receive these briefings. you might remember during donald trump's presidency that he was criticised for revealing some top—secret information to a couple of russian officials during a meeting in the oval office. a very clear suggestion from president biden is that donald trump cannot be trusted with this information or with any future information, as he put it, in case he slips and reveals that classified information. it reveals that classified information.— reveals that classified information. , ., ., information. it is or was a balancing _ information. it is or was a balancing act _ information. it is or was a balancing act for - information. it is or was a balancing act forjoe - information. it is or was a i balancing act forjoe biden, balancing act forjoe biden, and his pristine, between talking about donald trump and what happened in the past, and trying to get his agenda on the front foot. ==

trying to get his agenda on the front foot-— front foot. -- press team. i think inevitably _ front foot. -- press team. i think inevitably there - front foot. -- press team. i think inevitably there will. front foot. -- press team. i| think inevitably there will be asked at least for the foreseeable future about donald trump when there are relevant issues. but you can almost hear his reluctance to get into that issue too deeply. he also in this interview spoke about the stimulus bill, about how he has made perhaps some concessions over a made perhaps some concessions overa minimum wage, which made perhaps some concessions over a minimum wage, which may not be in this bill. it is certainly something he wants to achieve in the months and years to come. but i think he is in a rush to get his policy that is what he wants to focus on. but clearly because again coming back to what we have all gone through for the past few months, the actions of donald trump are still likely to make news, and the present will be asked about it.— news, and the present will be asked about it. indeed. thank ou asked about it. indeed. thank you peter- — a row between the european union and russia over the treatment of the prominent opposition leader, alexei navalny, has escalated. russia has expelled three diplomats who it says took part in unauthorised protests in support of mr navalny. he's beenjailed for two

and a half years for fraud, and was back in court today on a separate charge. from moscow, steve rosenberg reports. it's becoming a familiar sight — president putin's nemesis on trial. alexei navalny had already been sentenced to two and a half years in prison this week, for a parole violation. slander was the charge now. he insists it's political persecution. i appeal for his release. across town, the eu's foreign policy chief was calling for mr navalny�*s release. it didn't go down well. first, russia's foreign minister called the eu an unreliable partner and accused courts in the west of political verdicts. then his ministry expelled three eu diplomats, claiming they'd attended rallies in support of mr navalny. the eu condemned the move.

moscow expected international outrage over the jailing of alexei navalny. there's talk in the west of possible measures that would target vladimir putin's inner circle. the kremlin though has long taken the view that sticks and stones may break its bones, but sanctions will never hurt it. meanwhile mr navalny�*s supporters have decided to pause their protests until the spring. in the last two weeks across russia thousands of protesters have been detained. with police cells full in moscow, hundreds have been locked up in this deportation centre. like dmitri and sergei, who we managed to contact. sergei, on the left, is a journalist. he wasn't at the protests but he retweeted a post about them and was jailed for 25 days.

"the authorities see journalists as part of the protest movement now," sergei says. "we're coming under pressure." outside the makeshiftjail people have been queueing for hours in the cold to deliver food parcels to their loved ones. "i used to vote for putin," says yulia, whose husband was arrested. "i never will again." the russian authorities can crack down on dissent. what they can't do is force people to stay loyal to the kremlin. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. and we'll take a quick pause as we say goodbye to our viewers watching around the world. you are watching bbc news. thank you for your company. still to come:

tributes to the actor christopher plummer, star of the sound of music, who has died at the age of 91. we speak to his lifelong friend william shatner live in this programme. almost half the uk population — 32 million people — should receive their first dose of coronavirus vaccine by may. the government says it expects all adults over the age of 50 — as well as the clinically vulnerable and those working in health and social care — to be offered their first injection by then. almost 11 million people have now had their firstjab. the uk's medicines regulator says the latest research shows side effects from all the approved vaccines are minor and don't last long. here's our medical editor fergus walsh. this is an immunisation production line. at epsom racecourse in surrey, they're doing 1,000 covid jabs a day. the government is so confident it'll reach its target of giving a first dose to the over—70s and front line health workers by mid—february

it's now looking to the future. my goal is i want us to be able to offer a vaccine to all over—50s — that's priority groups one to nine — by may. there's a lot of things we have to get right in order to hit that goal, and obviously supply is the most difficult of all of those, but we're currently on track for that. you might get a sore arm for a couple of days. new data confirms that side effects from covid vaccines are mostly mild, which should reinforce public confidence. it will take about three weeks from today for your body to build up the immune response. the 70 and 80—somethings in epsom were taking it all in their stride. they said there may be some side effects, but i've never, ever had side—effects with any vaccines so i'm not expecting any. my wife has had hers already, and she just had a 24—hour soreness but that's all, and she was perfectly 0k afterwards, so i'm

not concerned, no. it doesn't hurt and i feel so secure now. | medical regulators are constantly monitoring covid vaccine safety. they've analysed 6.9 million doses given up to the 24th of january. there were 22,820 reports of suspected adverse reactions, which equates to about three per 1000 doses. the vast majority were mild and included sore arms, headache, tiredness or fever, that generally lasted a couple of days. there were no unexpected serious adverse reactions, so the benefits of the covid—19 vaccines far outweigh the risks, and anyone who gets that invitation to go along for a jab should not hesitate. you can be confident that these are very safe vaccines. all medicines, including vaccines, can cause side effects.

so the results of this safety monitoring are very reassuring — for those who've had their covid jab and for the tens of millions of us yet to get our invite. well against the more contagious kent variant, but new variants are inevitable. so the government has signed up with a german biotech to develop future covid vaccines to try to keep pace in the arms race against the virus. fergus walsh, bbc news. as cases come as cases come down as cases come down and the numbers being vaccinated rises, more questions are being asked about how soon lockdown measures can be eased. here's our health editor hugh pym. surge testing in action. in walsall, volunteers and council staff collect swab samples. it's one of the communities

notified this week of cases of people testing positive with the south african variant. it's a mammothjob, but we're getting there. so, a great response from the community, so we just hope that continues. house—to—house visits continue, encouraging people to get tested, but the overall national picture is brighter, with falling daily case numbers — and in a weekly survey by the office for national statistics, which picks up those who are positive but don't have symptoms. the latest ons survey of community infection suggests in england last week one in 65 had the virus. it was the same in northern ireland. in scotland, it was one in 115. in all three, case rates were falling. in wales, one in 70 had the virus, with case numbers broadly unchanged. the latest r number range — anything above one suggests the virus is accelerating — was between 0.7 and one, a little lower than before. so which areas have the highest and lowest case numbers? sandwell, knowsley and corby have the most cases per 100,000

people, though they're falling. the shetland islands, orkney islands and torridge in devon have the fewest. i think it's encouraging that hopefully we're going in a negative direction. less hospitalisation, less infections. but we probably need to go much, much further before we start thinking about rolling back the lockdown. another survey by the ons looks at attitudes during different lockdowns, while noting direct comparisons aren't straightforward. in the spring of last year, 81% said they were staying at home or only leaving for basic needs like shopping or exercise. but in the current lockdown, 57% say they're doing so. compliance with hand washing and mask wearing has stayed high. 90% said they're maintaining social distancing. but the pandemic�*s taking its toll on mental health. according to the survey, in the last week of january life satisfaction and happiness were at the lowest levels

since research began in march 2020. mental health charities say the findings tally with their experience. it's been quite overwhelming at times, and we're hearing from lots of people that they're struggling with depression and anxiety, worries about how the pandemic and lockdown is affecting their lives and the people they care about. with falling case numbers, there's a tension between the call to ease lockdown to improve people's well—being and the caution of scientists who argue it mustn't happen too quickly. hugh pym, bbc news. this is bbc news. the headlines: joe biden calls for donald trump to lose access to intelligence briefings traditionally given to former presidents. and russia expels diplomats from eu countries, accusing them of taking part in protests against the jailing of alexei navalny.

almost 1.5 million businesses that borrowed money from the bounceback scheme will be able to repay them longer period of time. the news comes as investigators start work trying to track down criminal gangs who have been thought to target the scheme and swindle billions of pounds. angus crawford reports on the team is tasked with getting some of the money back. today's operation is to do with a bounceback loan fraud. out before dawn. fortunately obtained a £50,000 loan by claiming that he's a landscape gardener. a small team of specialists. these officers are investigating a new kind of fraud — people suspected of illegally claiming tens of thousands of pounds from the government's bounceback loan scheme. they're from the national

investigation service, which probes financial crime, now rooting out fraud in the government's covid support schemes. the scale of the problem is extremely large at the moment. we're operating across the country, we have numerous operations planned and my message to those that are committing this crime is that we will be investigating you. this is money that was meant for legitimate businesses, and they should expect a visit from us and our policing partners. so, those people should be nervous? yes, they should be, yes. the scale of the fraud could cost the taxpayer billions, and it hasn't stopped. look at this. we found limited companies being touted for sale on facebook, ebay and gumtree, and some ads make it clear they could be used to get bounceback loans. we got in touch with some of them. they told us it was easy. and lucrative.

one said he'd sold hundreds of companies. and do you think everyone you sold a company to recently has got a bounceback loan, or tried to? the bounceback loan scheme is designed to support uk smaller businesses... it's perfectly legal to sell a company online, but the treasury says it's not in the spirit of the scheme, meant to help firms hit by covid, and giving advice on getting a fraudulent loan could be a crime. you can apply for a loan... anything up to 29, 30 billion of these bounceback loans, these quick loans to businesses could be fraud or lost due to error and things.

so, potentially, one of the biggest frauds in history. stepping up the pressure on covid fraudsters — here, an arrest by the national crime agency. but with thousands of fraudulent claims to investigate and billions of pounds at stake, these teams will be busy for years to come. angus crawford, bbc news. tributes have been paid to the actor christopher plummer, who has died aged 91. born in canada, he was best known for his role as captain von trapp in the oscar—winning film �*the sound of music'. our arts editor will gompertz looks back at his career which spanned six decades. # these are a few of my favourite things # when the dog bites...# christopher plummer in 1965, as the fine, upstanding captain von trapp, playing oppositejulie andrews' maria in the sound of music. hello. fraulein, did i not tell you that bedtime is to be strictly observed

in this house? the versatile, charismatic actor said he only did the movie so he could sing, and therefore wasn't pleased when he found out his voice would be overdubbed. # edelweiss # every morning, you greet me...# it is the role for which he will always be remembered, but for such a long time, wished people would forget, making his disdain for the film clear by renaming it the sound of mucus. yes, i did say that, but so did we all. we alljoked about the sound of music. you have to, when you do something very delicate and sentimental and coy, in order to avoid being sentimental and coy, you have to joke about it and see the funny side of it. christopher plummer was born into a wealthy canadian family, his great—grandfather was the country's third prime minister. he considered becoming a concert pianist, but chose acting instead, making his name first on stage playing lead roles such as shakespeare's henry v, for which he gained comparisons

to laurence olivier. and upon this charge, cry, "god for harry! england!" and st george! he brought weight and humanity to the role of rudyard kipling in the man who would be king. a character actor of rare skill, he reached new heights when he entered his 80s. where did you get these? and he became the oldest oscar acting nominee when he replaced kevin spacey asjohn paul getty in ridley scott's film all the money in the world. the great struggle in life is coming to grips with what that price is. christopher comes with this inordinate charm, a smile and his twinkle, the twinkle and smile somehow make him that much more effective. it makes him quite lethal, but in a charming way.

julie andrews said of christopher plummer tonight: "the world has lost a consummate actor today, and i have lost a cherished friend." will gompertz, bbc news. the actor christopher plummer, who's died at the age of 91. let's speak to a good friend of christopher plummer, who happens to be a world—famous actor as well, william shatner. thank you so much forjoining us on the programme. it is thank you so much for “oining us on the programme. it is my pleasure- _ us on the programme. it is my pleasure- to — us on the programme. it is my pleasure. to memorialise - us on the programme. it is my pleasure. to memorialise or . pleasure. to memorialise or help memorialise chris. he was a fabulous actor. he was, from the very beginning. we were both born in montreal. i, shortly after him, and there was a steppingstone in those years for canadian theatre and film and eventually, we ended

up film and eventually, we ended up in toronto, the new york of canada, and stratford, ontario, the festival. and then ultimately, to science fiction movies and then the last thing i did, and i saw chris, i was working on a documentary, and i went to stratford here in canada to interview. and we spent a delightful afternoon remembering stratford and the people we knew together. we laughed and joked and i had a wonderful, pleasurable time with an old friend. our lives had intertwined since we were very young. had intertwined since we were very young-— had intertwined since we were ve oun. ~ ,, ., very young. and mr shatner, can i “um very young. and mr shatner, can i jump in? _ very young. and mr shatner, can i jump in? i _ very young. and mr shatner, can ijump in? i want _ very young. and mr shatner, can ijump in? i want to _ very young. and mr shatner, can i jump in? i want to ask- very young. and mr shatner, can ijump in? i want to ask one - ijump in? i want to ask one particular moment where you did intertwined, where you are doing a plate and you were the understudy and he suddenly had to head to hospital, and you

had to step in.— to head to hospital, and you had to step in. dear member that incident? _ had to step in. dear member that incident? vividly. - had to step in. dear member that incident? vividly. henry| that incident? vividly. henry v. and early on in the run i was his understudy study we were doing repertory, meaning putting in a play every weekend. i went on and took on the longer speaking roles in english language without any rehearsal whatsoever. find english language without any rehearsal whatsoever. and he recalled afterwards _ rehearsal whatsoever. and he recalled afterwards that - rehearsal whatsoever. and he recalled afterwards that he i recalled afterwards that he didn't know, the pain he was in or knowing that you were stepping in, to be his understudy study he said you did everything exactly opposite to the way he did it and he knew you were going to be a star. i knew you were going to be a star. ., ., ., , star. i had no rehearsals! i didn't know _ star. i had no rehearsals! i didn't know what - star. i had no rehearsals! i didn't know what to - star. i had no rehearsals! i didn't know what to do. i l star. i had no rehearsals! i i didn't know what to do. ijust didn't know what to do. ijust did what i thought i had to do. he clearly had an eye for talent, because he clearly spotted your talent. but what was so special about him when he was on stage or on screen?

well, he brought an elegance, he brought a truth, he brought — he was distinguished. he himself was elegant and sophisticated and he brought that kind of being to the roles he played. he was a wonderful man, a great character actor as well. just while you were playing that tribute about him, i forgot he was this wonderful pianist and a great tennis player, all wrapped up in this handsome man who looked so elegant and spoke with an english accent, although he was born in canada are. i admired him tremendously on my life. i was his understudy, and i never quite got over being the understudy.— quite got over being the understud . ., , ., ., , understudy. that is so gorgeous to hear. understudy. that is so gorgeous to hear- and _ understudy. that is so gorgeous to hear. and you _ understudy. that is so gorgeous to hear. and you rattle - understudy. that is so gorgeous to hear. and you rattle off - to hear. and you rattle off some of his accomplishments over six decades in the industry. you will always be associated with the sound of

music, and we heard a little bit of it then, what was your relationship with him during that film?— relationship with him during - that film?_ with the that film? with whom? with the film, and the fact of being known so well in that role? 1 think he was a little bit embarrassed by its success, but why he had to deal with it, because it generated his celebrity. and hejoked about it, and i didn't know. ijust heard that listening to you, the singing was not him. i thought that was pretty good, among his tennis and piano playing he could sing as well, wow, what a multitalented man he was... ., wow, what a multitalented man he was- - -_ he was... how would you like him to be _ he was... how would you like him to be remembered? - he was... how would you like

him to be remembered? to l he was... how would you like l him to be remembered? to be remembered _ him to be remembered? to be remembered at _ him to be remembered? to be remembered at all _ him to be remembered? to be remembered at all is - him to be remembered? to be remembered at all is a - remembered at all is a compliment enough. william shatner, thank _ compliment enough. william shatner, thank you - compliment enough. william shatner, thank you so - compliment enough. william shatner, thank you so much | compliment enough. william i shatner, thank you so much for joining us on the programme and sharing your memories and thoughts with christopher plummer. thank you. that is just about all we have got time for this half—an—hour. let's get the weather with daniel. —— darren. hello there. for some parts of england, and probably felt more like spring on friday. but don't be fooled because winter is returning to all of us this weekend. with a bitterly cold easterly wind picking up in the air getting colder, there'll be some more snow more widely.

now at the moment as we head into saturday morning, most of the snow is falling in scotland, especially in the hills where we have this amber warning from the met office. but snow is dropping to lower levels across northern parts of scotland already, and we will have some wet weather elsewhere across the uk with clear skies by the morning for wales and the south—west, may be some icy patches here too. slippery sort of day though, i think, for much of scotland with that rain, sleet and snow continuing — and turning to snow, lower levels in scotland throughout the day. we've got wetter weather across northern and eastern parts of england, some heavy bursts of rain — that'll turn to snow over the pennines and the north york moors later on. out to the west, it'll always be drier and brighter. those temperatures will be lower than they were on friday, and it will feel colder in scotland and northern england as that wind starts to pick up. now it'll get colder as the weekend goes on. the originating all the way from the arctic coming down across the baltic sea, over the north sea into the uk, and engaging with storm darcy — it's been named by the dutch met institute. now the biggest impacts of that will be felt in the south—east of england and parts

of east anglia. this is where attention turns overnight and into sunday, with some heavy falls of snow mainly to the east of london. there'll be some snow widely though across the south—east of england and east anglia. there will be drifting and blizzards, as well, because this will be very windy here with gusts of over 50m/h. it'll be a windy day everywhere, though, on sunday — or feel cold, as well. there may well be some sunshine away from southeastern areas, and there will be further snow showers blown in off the north sea as well. those temperatures continuing to drop, only getting a few degrees above freezing on sunday, feeling colder still. now we've got high—pressure to the north of the uk, lower pressure to the south — hence that run of easterly winds continues through sunday and into the beginning of next week. that means more snow showers getting fed in off the north sea, mainly affecting some central and eastern parts of scotland down the eastern side of england — more snow and ice warnings continue into the early part of next week with temperatures barely getting above freezing. given the strength of the wind, it will feel much, much colder.

this is bbc news, the headlines. presidentjoe biden says donald trump should not receive intelligence briefings now that he has left office. it is usually afforded to former presidents. joe biden referred to his predecessor's erratic behaviour and said he was concerned he might slip and say something. in the uk, the government says it is on track to offer everyone aged 50 and over at least one vaccine dose by may. nearly one in five of the country's adults have already got the jab. an canadian actor christopher plummer, best known for his role as captain von trapp, has died. julie andrews said he was a cherished friend. now on bbc news, click.