this is bbc news. i'm ben brown. our top stories... president trump suggests he could make a political comeback after he's cleared of inciting insurrection in his impeachment trial. democrats are furious with the verdict. despite the results of the vote on donald trump's conviction in the court of impeachment, he deserves to be convicted. i believe he will be convicted in the court of public opinion. british prime minister borisjohnson comes under pressure from some of his own mps to end covid restrictions by the end of april. government ministers however urge caution... we are not going to be able to give certainty unless we are basing it on the evidence we have got that the vaccine is doing its job. so far the prognosis is pretty good

but we have to keep monitoring it as the roll—out proceeds. rolling out to the under—70s in the uk. more than a million people aged between 65 and 69 are to be offered a coronavirus vaccination. thousands of protestors in myanmar return to the streets for a ninth day of demonstrations against the military coup. and skating on thin ice — a rare skating event could return to the netherlands thanks to the cold weather. but will covid restrictions get in the way? hello and welcome to bbc news. donald trump has hinted he could return to politics, after being acquitted in his second impeachment trial in the us senate. the former president said he planned to put forward "a vision for a bright,

radiant and limitless american future." 57 senators voted in favour of conviction, 43 voted in favour of acquittal. only seven republicans joined the democrats in voting for conviction. and this meant that the two thirds majority required to convict mr trump was not reached. so mrtrump was acquitted on the charge of "incitement of insurrection" in urging his supports to march on the capitol building in washington, last month. nomia iqbal reports from washington. donald john trump, former president of the united states, is not guilty as charged in the article of impeachment. this wasn't a typical trial, but it had an ending we all saw coming. nearly half of the jurors, the republican senators, had voted unsuccessfully to stop the trial from happening. there was a plot twist when it looked like witnesses may have been called, but soon the drama concluded,

making it the fastest impeachment trial in history. at the heart of it all was the question, "did the then president, donald trump, insight of violent mob to overturn the election results on january the 6th?" mr mcconnell, not guilty. mr romney, guilty. only seven republicans said yes, along with 50 democrats. that was more republicans than expected. democrats had spent three days presenting new, harrowing footage and audio showing how mr trump, not only encouraged rioters but backed them when the violence was happening. all the senators had been inside the capitol that day, including vice president mike pence and top democrat nancy pelosi. they were targeted by the mob and had to flee. what we saw in that senate today was a cowardly group of republicans who apparently have no options because they were afraid to defend theirjob.

a lot of her anger was directed at this man, top republican mitch mcconnell. there's no question, none, that president trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day. no question about it. the people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president. tough words, but he voted to acquit mr trump on a technicality, saying it was unconstitutional to remove a president who had already left office. in a lengthy statement, donald trump said the trial was a witch hunt and that his make america great again movement had only just begun. the capitol was the crime scene and the scene of acquittal. the stakes were high. the republican party can't let go of donald trump, even though he's no longer

in the white house. and as for the country, it means in four years' time, he could run to be the us president once again. nomia iqbal, bbc news, washington. earlier, i spoke with professorjonathan parker from keele university. he says this acquittal does not strengthen mr trump in any way. we pretty much knew the outcome coming into this. i was surprised so many republicans did cross over. what are the implications? we heard from donald trump suggesting and hinting a political comeback may be on. do you think he is strengthened by this decision? this was mitch mcconnell being very careful in trying to hold the republican party together. it was an exercise in trying to manage public opinion. all parties savaged donald trump. savaged but how popular is he in the country? if he is thinking about running for election in 2024,

what would that mean for the republican party? this is the battle. more important are the primary is for the midterms. donald trump has said he will go after people. it is a long way to the next presidential election. donald trump is old, he's not the most healthy of people and it is a long way to go before he runs again. the party is definitely split. it's not particularly split. the donald trump side is in the ascendancy. this is why the republicans did not vote to convict him. mitch mcconnell was very calculated in his actions. does it mean, if donald trump's supporters are that dominant in the party, any candidates have to effectively have the blessing of donald trump? if there is to be another candidate

for the white house, he or she would have the blessing of donald trump if he does not run? he is currently in the ascendancy, he is very popular. his base is extremely motivated. will it continue? will people be bothered when he is no longer president and no longer on twitter? what aboutjoe biden? does he want it all out of the way and getting on with the business of governing america? democrats had to make a choice in making this a very partisan fight, and that is the battle you saw with the witnesses, or get a vote, get your public opinion movement and keep going. that is whatjoe biden wants, he wants his agenda. the british foreign secretary dominic raab has rejected calls by tory lockdown sceptics for an "arbitrary commitment"

to lift all coronavirus restrictions by the end of april. more than 60 mps on the covid recovery group have backed a letter to borisjohnson demanding he commits to a strict timetable for ending controls in england. mr raab says he shares their ambition and desire to leave lockdown, but that it had to be done sensibly and must be driven by evidence the vaccination programme is working. our political correspondent, nick eardley, joins me now. the government, as it tries to finalise its programme for coming under lockdown is under pressure from its own mps and from government scientist, saying, do not go too quickly, too soon. the vaccination programme _ quickly, too soon. the vaccination programme in _ quickly, too soon. the vaccination programme in the _ quickly, too soon. the vaccination programme in the uk _ quickly, too soon. the vaccination programme in the uk has - quickly, too soon. the vaccination programme in the uk has gone i quickly, too soon. the vaccination i programme in the uk has gone well. the government is likely to announce tomorrow it has met its target of vaccinating and offering doses to 50 million of the most at risk people by built as that happens, understandably, there are more questions about what it means to be

open society, getting children back in school. there are tory mps knocking on the door of boris johnson, saying, you need to do it quickly. the vaccination programme is working, death numbers are down, the number of hospitalisations are down, it all points in one direction. the government is quite cautious on that front. they have a plan to tell us the next week of the week on monday the road map out lockdown will look like. i do not think ministers will want to know the promise having been stung by some of the things that have happened in the past. let's lift this part of love than only to have to reimpose it again because the virus has run out of control. the argument was being made by dominic raab on the andrew marr programme this morning. we want to give as much certainty as we responsibly can. but it's based on the evidence. we've said that as well

as opening schools on the 8th of march, our aim, the thing we are working towards, is to get nonessential retail open, and then after that, in due course again, driven by the evidence of how the vaccine is working, we can think about things like hospitality. but i think you are not going to be able to give certainty unless we are basing it on the evidence that we've got, that the vaccine is doing itsjob. something the foreign secretary said several times, which was a warning to tory colleagues, do not get ahead of the evidence. ministers will study the data over the next few weeks. it doesn't feel like they are in a place right now where they can say categorically that certain things will definitely be lifted by the end of april. the plan is to have schools back on the 8th of march in england. there is also pressure coming from other parts of society, from scientists, some scientists, and from some political opponents to move slowly, to make sure it is the last lockdown and we

do not announce a gradual easing, only for it to have to be reversed again. have a listen to the labour shadow health secretary, jonathan ashworth. this lockdown has to be the final lockdown, by the way. the strategic aim is to do everything we can now so we don't have to go back into a lockdown. we know the virus is a moving target now. it mutates when it is given opportunities to mutate. and we don't want to grow a new mutation which can evade the vaccine response and set us back to square one, so we have to be cautious at every step. that is labour's view, urging caution. that is broadly where we are. we are going to see easing over the next few weeks and months but how far it goes will be decided soon but is not completely clear at the moment. and we'll be speaking to mark harper, chair of that group of conservative mps

who are campaigning for an early end to the lockdown in england in the next few minutes. do stay tuned for that. people in england aged between 65 and 69 — and those who are regarded as clinically vulnerable, will start getting letters in the next few days inviting them for a coronavirus vaccination. borisjohnson says "huge progress" has been made — and that he's optimistic about setting out plans later this month on how and when the current lockdown will be eased. our health and science correspondent, james gallagher, reports. with every injection, we inch closer to normality. mass vaccination started under ten weeks ago and already more than 14.5 million people have received their first dose was that the rapid pace will continue and from tomorrow more groups will be invited to book a jab this will include people aged between 65 and 69, as well as those who had been identified as clinically vulnerable, including people with conditions like chronic

heart or lung disease, diabetes, profound learning disabilities and some cancers. gps will lead the push to vaccinate clinically vulnerable patients rather than large vaccination centres. coronavirus will be with _ vaccination centres. coronavirus will be with us. _ vaccination centres. coronavirus will be with us. in _ vaccination centres. coronavirus will be with us. in time - vaccination centres. coronavirus will be with us. in time to - vaccination centres. coronavirus| will be with us. in time to come. vaccination centres. coronavirus - will be with us. in time to come. we already had nearly 20,000 people in hospital suffering the consequences of this virus. the key thing, in the months to come, we get everybody vaccinated who is eligible for the vaccine and we start to protect society against this disease. there will soon be _ society against this disease. there will soon be big _ society against this disease. there will soon be big decisions - society against this disease. there will soon be big decisions to - society against this disease. there will soon be big decisions to make. the level of infection in the uk is falling but it remains high. as more of us gain some protection from covid through vaccination, it will give politicians the space to start easing restrictions.— easing restrictions. starting with schools, easing restrictions. starting with schools. we _ easing restrictions. starting with schools, we very _ easing restrictions. starting with schools, we very much - easing restrictions. starting with schools, we very much hope - easing restrictions. starting with i schools, we very much hope march easing restrictions. starting with - schools, we very much hope march the 8th, that has to be the priority,

education is the number one priority. but then working forwards to getting nonessential retail open as well, and in due course, as and when we can, prudently and cautiously, of course, we want to be opening hospitality as well. the prime minister is expected to reveal his road map out of lockdown by the end of the month. james gallagher, bbc news. new zealand prime ministerjacinda ardern has announced a three—day lockdown in the country's biggest city auckland, after three new covid cases were reported. the level 3 restrictions will require everyone to stay home except for essential shopping and work. new zealand hadn't had any local cases for months and has been one of the most successful countries in containing the spread of the virus. mrs ardern said the authorities would work quickly to assess the extent of the new infections. three days should give us enough time to get further information, undertake large—scale testing, and establish if there has been wider community transmission.

that is what we believe the cautious approach requires and is the right thing to do. president trump suggests he could make a political comeback after he's cleared of inciting insurrection in his impeachment trial. british prime minister borisjohnson comes under pressure from some of his own mps to end covid restrictions by the end of april. thousands of people in myanmar return to the streets for a ninth day of protests against the military coup. myanmar�*s military leaders have named seven opposition campaigners they want arrested, under the rare charge of "disturbing tranquility". the army is performing night—time raids, following mass protests sparked by the military coup. tim neilson has more.

an eighth successive day of demonstrations. this was yangon city on saturday afternoon. hundreds of thousands still marching, and still ignoring the military crackdown on the protests. the latest tactic by the coup leaders, suspending laws stopping security services from detaining suspects, or searching private property without court approval. they have also released the names of seven opposition activists they accuse of disturbing tranquillity — a rarely used charge. human rights watch says over 300 people have now been detained, many during night—time raids. we have neighbourhoods who are trying to organise. they are using pot banging when it looks like the police, or military, are coming into the local area, to the area, to possibly arrest someone, to warn people. it really has become a situation where the crackdown is now going after anybody that the military identifies

as leaders of these protests. meanwhile, football is also playing its part in the protests. outside the country's national stadium, many of the country's top footballers have also been making their voices heard. translation: we will only play football on the street _ until we get democracy. we won't play for the national team under the military dictatorship. we are protesting to send that message. translation: we are football players i but we're also citizens of myanmar. i we know people have relied on each other in this moment, so people from sport are participating in this revolution, too. the us is the only country to impose sanctions on myanmar�*s military so far. with the rest of the world still wondering whether to follow suit, the protests and the arrests go on. the british foreign secretary

dominic raab has said he shares concerns raised by the united states, about the level of access given to a world health organization covid—19 fact—finding mission to china. mr raab told the bbc the uk will be pushing for full access for the who, in their search for the origins of the pandemic. a member of the who team that visited wuhan — british epidemiologistjohn watson — told the andrew marr show that the wuhan mission was only the beginning of a long process. we have seen a great deal of information about those early cases, there is more that we would like to see, both in the way of analyses and data, and we've been talking with our chinese counterparts about that. we hadn't ever anticipated that this was an event that would be a one—off, we'd come back with a clear—cut answer on the basis of this one trip. we see it as the start of a process that is going to take

really quite a while. and we are recommending a range of further work to be done, further analyses and further discussions to take place, as part of trying to unearth what's going on. as we've been hearing, borisjohnson is under pressure to remove all coronavirus restrictions in england by the end of april. more than 60 conservative mps from the covid recovery group have signed a letter, saying there will be no justification for covid laws once the nine priority groups have been vaccinated. the chair of that group of tory mps, mark harper, joins us now. so you want promises and firm commitments from the government? mark harper, can you hear me? i can now. i mark harper, can you hear me? i can now- i missed _ mark harper, can you hear me? i can now. i missed the _ mark harper, can you hear me? i can now. i missed the question, sorry. ll now. i missed the question, sorry. i was saying you want a firm timetable

and absolute commitment from the government on the lifting of restrictions. brute government on the lifting of restrictions.— government on the lifting of restrictions. we set out three thin . s in restrictions. we set out three things in the _ restrictions. we set out three things in the latter. _ restrictions. we set out three things in the latter. the - restrictions. we set out three things in the latter. the first | things in the latter. the first things in the latter. the first thing is to start relaxing restrictions from the 8th of march, getting schools back on that date, which is what the government has indicated it wants to do. it also suggests as we get two thirds of the groups back, we can get hospitality back by easter. then everyone over 50 and everyone over 16 with a health condition and makes them vulnerable is vaccinated, we have protected the groups where 99% of the deaths and 80% of hospitalisations come from, we do not think there are a strong argument for legal restrictions to remain in place in the uk. you do not have access _ remain in place in the uk. you do not have access to _ remain in place in the uk. you do not have access to the _ remain in place in the uk. you do not have access to the scientific l not have access to the scientific data. dominic raab is saying we

cannot give arbitrary commitment without reviewing the impact that measures have had on the transmission and the hospital admissions of the virus. do you accept it is a changing situation and the government has to be allowed to consider all of the data all of the time? i to consider all of the data all of the time?— to consider all of the data all of the time? _, , , ., the time? i completely agree with the time? i completely agree with the foreign _ the time? i completely agree with the foreign secretary, _ the time? i completely agree with the foreign secretary, we - the time? i completely agree with the foreign secretary, we should | the time? i completely agree with i the foreign secretary, we should not choose arbitrary dates. we have not in our letter. we very much timed our request for the relaxation of restrictions to the roll—out of the vaccination programme. we have suggested started lifting restrictions on march the 8th, where the top four groups who are most vulnerable, are vaccinated and the first dose of vaccination becomes effective on march the 8th, and we have suggested all those restrictions going once the government has vaccinated the top nine groups. we have tied the timetable to the government commitment about the vaccination roll—out. it is not arbitrary, it is completely tied to the roll—out of

the vaccination programme and the fact you are protecting their most vulnerable people from death and serious disease from covid from a fantastically successful vaccination programme the government has undertaken. the programme the government has undertaken-— programme the government has undertaken. ., ., , , , undertaken. the data is still being considered from _ undertaken. the data is still being considered from the _ undertaken. the data is still being considered from the vaccination i considered from the vaccination programme and how it affects transmissibility. we do not know how the vaccine programme is affecting the vaccine programme is affecting the transmissibility of the virus. the government has made it quite clear and the health secretary made it quite clear in the house of commons this week that it is looking at the reduction of death rate and the reduction of hospital admissions in making a decision. the vaccination breaks the link between the number of infections and hospitalisation and death because you are protecting people from vaccinations. the government will

look at das, hospitalisations, vaccination roll—out and keeping an eye on the progress of any new variants. the government has confirmed all of the new variants are dealt with effectively by the vaccinations we have at the moment. your critics will say your group has pushed for an easing of restrictions many times before and effectively you have been proved wrong, especially when you saw the emergence of the kent variant, which has been so dangerous. i do emergence of the kent variant, which has been so dangerous.— has been so dangerous. i do not auree has been so dangerous. i do not agree with _ has been so dangerous. i do not agree with that. _ has been so dangerous. i do not agree with that. the _ has been so dangerous. i do not agree with that. the kent i has been so dangerous. i do not| agree with that. the kent variant emerged. the fact it was more transmissible, and led to much higher level of pressure on the nhs, meant when the government brought in the third lockdown, i and many members in government did not oppose it for that reason. we looked at the

evidence and saw the virus was more transmissible. but we are looking at now is we had a fantastic vaccination roll—out programme, one of the fastest in the world. that will protect the most vulnerable groups, groups that get seriously ill and tragically died from covid. once you have protected those groups, justification for the barry wrist severe restrictions people are having to live under those away. —— for the very severe restrictions. can i ask you, 60 odd mps have signed this letter? are you going to publish the list of mps so we know who is saying this? we publish the list of mps so we know who is saying this?— who is saying this? we publish my name and my _ who is saying this? we publish my name and my deputy _ who is saying this? we publish my name and my deputy chair, i who is saying this? we publish my name and my deputy chair, steve | name and my deputy chair, steve baker. the letters to the prime minister, he has been supplied with the list of all of the colleagues who signed it. i am slightly

old—fashioned on this, i think it is “p old—fashioned on this, i think it is up to colleagues themselves to say if they have signed the letter. the prime minister, whom the letter is addressed, he has the full list of people who signed the letter. == addressed, he has the full list of people who signed the letter. -- to whom. people who signed the letter. -- to whom- thank _ people who signed the letter. -- to whom. thank you _ people who signed the letter. -- to whom. thank you for _ people who signed the letter. -- to whom. thank you for being - people who signed the letter. -- to whom. thank you for being with i people who signed the letter. -- to whom. thank you for being with us| people who signed the letter. —— to whom. thank you for being with us on bbc news. thank you for your time. pro—democracy protesters have clashed with riot police in thailand's capital, bangkok. the student movement is calling for an overhaul of the government. they took to the streets last year but momentum slowed in recent months after a wave of coronavirus infections. but the detention of four prominent leaders of the movement has spurred demonstrators into fresh action, bringing hundreds back to bangkok's historic quarter. the leaders are awaiting trial on charges of defaming the monarchy. the protesters marched to the royal palace but were stopped by barricades, barbed wire and scores of police in full riot gear.

much more on that and the other top stories coming up. you are watching bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather. hello. still a fair bit of lying snow around and icy conditions today. it is turning windier and milder. there is the threat of freezing rain. rain falling across northern england and scotland into sub zero air could bring some icy conditions here. winds gusting 60 to 70 mph, big waves around the irish sea coasts, the western isles for instance as well. 12 degrees in belfast. contrast that further east still very chilly, up up to about 3 celsius in norwich. windy wherever you are through the day. east anglia and the south—east remaining dry for a good part of the day. this evening and tonight, rain sweeping across england and wales, followed by clearer spells and scattered showers in the far north—west.

overnight lows, 5 to 10 degrees, significantly warmer than we had during the daytime over the past week or so. monday morning, early rain clears from southern and eastern england. still showers for parts of scotland, northern ireland and northern england. sunny spells developing and temperatures between about 8 to 14 degrees. goodbye for now.

this is bbc news, the headlines: president trump suggests he could make a political comeback after he's cleared of inciting insurrection in his impeachment trial. democrats are furious with the verdict. despite the results of the vote on donald trump's conviction in the court of impeachment, he deserves to be convicted. i believe he will be convicted in the court of public opinion. british prime minister borisjohnson is under pressure from some of his own mps to end covid restrictions by the end of april. government ministers however urge caution. we are not going to be able to give

certainty unless we are basing it on the evidence we have got that the vaccine is doing its job.