tonight at ten — a serving metropolitan police officer has been charged with the kidnap and murder of sarah everard. the 33—year—old went missing while walking home in south london last week. wayne couzens, who's a8, will appear before westminster magistrates tomorrow. i would like at this stage to pay tribute to sarah's family for their fortitude and forbearance through what can only have been the most intensely difficult few days. our thoughts remain with them as this matter progresses. the police watchdog is investigating how officers dealt with allegations of indecent exposure involving the accused, just three days before ms everard went missing. also tonight... uk trade with the eu falls dramatically after the brexit transition ends, and the economy

is again hit hard, by covid restrictions. the former british cycling and team sky chief doctor, richard freeman, has been found guilty of ordering banned testosterone, for a rider. we're in mozambique, where islamist extremists are waging a brutal war that's driven half a million people from their homes. and, how was their first week back at school? all eyes on the classrooms of england, as the government considers whether to ease the lockdown. and coming up in sport on bbc news... an impressive start for england in their t20 series with india. dawid malan with the winning runs in a comprehensive eight—wicket win in ahmedabad. good evening. in the last hour, a serving metropolitan police constable has been charged with the kidnap and murder of sarah everard. the 33—year—old marketing

executive's body was found in woodland in kent on wednesday, after she'd disappeared while walking home from a friend's house in clapham in south london last week. wayne couzens, who is a8, will appear at westminster magistrates�* court tomorrow. the police watchdog is investigating a number of issues including how the met police responded to two allegations of indecent exposure involving the suspect, three days before ms everard went missing. our special correspondent lucy manning is live at new scotland yard for us tonight. the metropolitan police are leading the murder investigation into the disappearance of sarah everard. tonight a metropolitan police officer, one of their own, it has been charged with her murder. her disappearance has touched so many and tonight they have now charged someone... it is now known that wayne couzens who was charged was a

metropolitan police officer forjust metropolitan police officer for just two metropolitan police officer forjust two and a half years. metropolitan police officer for “ust two and a half yearsi metropolitan police officer for “ust two and a half years. sarah everard had everything _ two and a half years. sarah everard had everything to — two and a half years. sarah everard had everything to live _ two and a half years. sarah everard had everything to live for, - two and a half years. sarah everard had everything to live for, her - had everything to live for, her family, her boyfriend, meeting friends, a newjob, she was loved by many. wayne couzens's job was to protect people. a police officer guarding embassies and parliament, now charged with the murder and kidnap of sarah. fix, now charged with the murder and kidnap of sarah.— kidnap of sarah. a serving police constable has _ kidnap of sarah. a serving police constable has tonight _ kidnap of sarah. a serving police constable has tonight been - kidnap of sarah. a serving police i constable has tonight been charged with the kidnap and murder of sarah everard. wayne couzens aged 48 has been remanded in custody and will appear at westminster magistrates' court tomorrow morning. her family of course have been informed of this development. the of course have been informed of this development-— development. the 33-year-old was 'ust development. the 33-year-old was just walking — development. the 33-year-old was just walking back _ development. the 33-year-old was just walking back to _ development. the 33-year-old was just walking back to her _ development. the 33-year-old was just walking back to her home - development. the 33-year-old was just walking back to her home in i just walking back to her home in south london when she disappeared. she should have been safe. she wasn't. wayne couzens is married with two children. part of the parliamentary and diplomatic protection unit. previously he had

guarded britain a's nuclear power stations and also served in the territorial army. stations and also served in the territorialarmy. he stations and also served in the territorial army. he lived with his family in deal where police are searching. it is 30 miles from where they discovered human remains in ashford. used to be a mechanic in a family owned garage now closed. it was the focus of police activity again today. there are many old military tunnels in the cliffs behind it. whoever murdered sarah everard dumped her body in the woods in the isolated countryside, and that devastating news confirmed first to her family and then by police this afternoon. sarah disappeared last wednesday in south london, three days before she was last seen the suspect was reported for allegedly exposing himself twice in a fast food restaurant also in the same area. now two of his colleagues are being inducted by the

police watchdog for how they dealt with the report. the metropolitan police is facing another four investigations by the watchdog, two connected to the rest of its own officer on suspicion of murder and indecent exposure, one is about how the force responded when the first reports came in of sarah everard's disappearance and the final one, how the suspect got a head injury which required hospital treatment when he was in a police cell on his own. for women everywhere the disappearance of a woman just walking home has galvanised the demand for safer streets and they want the right to hold a public vigil in memory and in angen hold a public vigil in memory and in anger. though they failed to persuade the courts to rule that despite covid, one should be allowed. _, ., , despite covid, one should be allowed. ., , ., ., allowed. the conversation is ongoing as to how this _ allowed. the conversation is ongoing as to how this can _ allowed. the conversation is ongoing as to how this can happen _ allowed. the conversation is ongoing as to how this can happen in - allowed. the conversation is ongoing as to how this can happen in a - allowed. the conversation is ongoing as to how this can happen in a safe i as to how this can happen in a safe way which is proportionate and respects the rights to protest, for women and indeed anybody else that wants to come to this event. edietif

wants to come to this event. safety has become — wants to come to this event. safety has become not _ wants to come to this event. safety has become notjust _ wants to come to this event. safety has become notjust a _ wants to come to this event. safety has become notjust a police - wants to come to this event. safety has become notjust a police issue | has become notjust a police issue but a political one. i has become notjust a police issue but a political one.— but a political one. i totally understand _ but a political one. i totally understand why _ but a political one. i totally understand why this - but a political one. i totally understand why this has i but a political one. i totally i understand why this has triggered such a wave of feeling on this issue. on the issue of safety of women and safety of the streets. metropolitan police commissioner leading a force in shock walked across clapham common this evening, across clapham common this evening, a similarjourney to the one made by sarah everard. sarah was according to herfamily are bright sarah everard. sarah was according to her family are bright and beautiful, strong and principled. and she broughtjoy to their lives. this is a family pass tragedy but one felt by women everywhere. —— family's tragedy. indie one felt by women everywhere. -- family's tragedy-— family's tragedy. we have 'ust learned in fl family's tragedy. we have 'ust learned in the i family's tragedy. we have 'ust learned in the last i family's tragedy. we have 'ust learned in the last few i family's tragedy. we have just | learned in the last few minutes family's tragedy. we have just i learned in the last few minutes that the suspect wayne couzens has been taken to hospital again today, for the second time, again sustaining a head injury while in custody, he has now returned to custody but this is

now returned to custody but this is now the second time it has happened. we met gave a bit more detail about his police background —— the metropolitan police. he served in the force in bromley when hejoined the force in bromley when hejoined the force in bromley when hejoined the force initially and only a year agojoined the the force initially and only a year ago joined the diplomatic protection squad. the police paid tribute to sarah's family this evening. it has been such a difficult night for them and a horrendous week.— been such a difficult night for them and a horrendous week. lucy, thanks for “oininu and a horrendous week. lucy, thanks forjoining us- — the former chief doctor for british cycling and team sky, has been found guilty of ordering a banned performance—enhancing drug, "knowing or believing" it would be used to dope a rider. the charges against richard freeman date back to 2011, a year before the london olympics. the british cycling team enjoyed huge success, during his time as the sport's top medic. he admitted 18 out of 22 charges, at a medical tribunal. our sports editor, dan roan reports. for the past decade, british cycling has enjoyed

unprecedented success, dominating on both the road and track. for much of that time, richard freeman was the sport's top doctor, but two years after his medical tribunal began, today came the verdict cycling had dreaded. the panel said he had ordered testosterone, the sport's doping drug of choice, his conduct incapable of innocent explanation. the big question is, who was the testosterone, which rider was it ordered for? it's seriously damaging. i'm not sure how british cycling and the sport can recover. the reputation of the sport in terms of management and governance is in tatters. the saga began in 2011 when freeman ordered testogel from a local supplier to the sport's hq. six years later, having already left team sky, the medic resigned from british cycling. in 2019, he admitted to 18 gmc charges, including initially lying to uk anti—doping, and last month, he was charged by the agency with

two anti—doping rule violations. freeman told the tribunal he ordered the drug to treat the erectile dysfunction of this man, former british cycling technical director shane sutton, who denied the claim. ijust think it casts a shadow over, you know, great athletes, and, you know, there's not many i'd stick my hand in the fire for, but you know, all these guys i worked with, you know, i maintain that, you know, under brailsford, we were running the cleanest programme in the world. and itjust saddens me to think that this is now going to be an ongoing investigation. back in 2018, freeman told me he would clear his name. i can clear everything up but at the moment, i am under investigation about my medicines management policy by the general medical council, and therefore, i am not at liberty, at the present time, due to respect for them, not to talk about it. but no wrongdoing? no wrongdoing. but today, a man who, for years, worked closely with some of the biggest names in british sport, tour de france winner

sir bradley wiggins and team boss sir dave brailsford amongst them, was told his explanation was implausible. british cycling said today's seismic verdict was "extremely disturbing" but insisted that they had reformed since the days when freeman worked here. but this is the gravest blow to date to the reputation of one of the country's most successful and best funded 0lympic sports, and it leaves a series of unanswered questions. which rider was involved 7 and who else knew? today, brailsford's team ineos, which replaced team sky two years ago, said it did not believe any athlete ever used or sought to use the testosterone. but the sport's attempt to move on from this scandaljust got harder. dan roan, bbc news. the prime minister has visited northern ireland for the first time, since new post—brexit trade arrangements came into force. the first minister arlene foster raised concerns about the trade border in the irish sea, which has led to tensions,

and sinn fein's leaders refused to meet mrjohnson. here's our ireland correspondent emma vardy reports. hello. how are you doing? an elbow bump with the prime minister on one arm before a covid jab in the other. today there was praise for the vaccinators and medical teams who are part of a united effort in northern ireland battling the pandemic. but division is neverfar away. the agreements borisjohnson made in order to secure a brexit deal means northern ireland is now under different trading rules from the rest of the uk — what is known as the northern ireland protocol has left many unionists with a sense of betrayal. we will continue to put across the view of the majority of people living here in northern ireland, that it is very important that it is dealt with in a meaningful way and replaced, because it is causing untold damage notjust to unionists but to people right across northern ireiand~ _ but discarding the arrangements entirely looks unlikely. i think the most important thing

about the protocol is that it should guarantee the peace process and the good friday agreement which we all believe in, and everybody in ireland, the uk and northern ireland has worked so hard to achieve. there's got to be a balance and symmetry in that. absent today were the dup's partners in government sinn fein refused absent today were the dup's partners in government sinn fein, who refused to meet with the prime minister. his visit, they said, served only as a pr stunt. we want to sit down - and have a grown—up political meeting with the prime minister. we do not want to provide cover for what is essentially a day out| for unionism today and to engage in pr exercises. _ while the prime minister's focus here today was on the collective efforts against the pandemic in northern ireland, the division brought about by brexit was really the elephant in the room and rebuilding trust with unionists will be hard. good to see you. the success of the vaccine programme, said northern ireland

health minister today, shows the strength of the union. but as long as there are uncertainties over the brexit arrangements, the prime minister's relationships on all sides will continue to be strained. emma vardy, bbc news, belfast. exports to the eu of british goods fell byjust over 40% injanuary after the brexit transition period came to an end. imports also fell by nearly 30%. the office for national statistics says the figures are the biggest drop since records began in 1997. our global trade correspondent, dharshini david is here. what can be read into these numbers? in the face of it these numbers suggest that global britain has taken a major stumble as it suggest that global britain has taken a major stumble taken a ma'or stumble as it takes those first taken a major stumble as it takes those first few _ taken a major stumble as it takes those first few steps _ taken a major stumble as it takes those first few steps of _ taken a major stumble as it takes those first few steps of a - taken a major stumble as it takes those first few steps of a new i those first few steps of a new trading era. some businesses have said the extra red tape and paperwork and the czechs have meant they have struggled to export into they have struggled to export into the eu -- they have struggled to export into

the eu —— checks maybe it is not teething troubles, because we have seen exports of fresh food falling sharply and that is one reason why we have seen similar controls on imports being delayed because of concerns there, but let's take a note of caution because if we take a look back at what has happened over the last year, exports actually rose in the last few months of last year, thatis in the last few months of last year, that is because goods are crossing borders as businesses try to pre—empt changes and a similar thing happened with imports. stockpiling was going on and they fear disruption injanuary and the pandemic has not helped either. the early signs, since january, things have started to recover, but ultimately it will take a few months of data before we can have any conclusive proof of how brexit has affected trade and it matters. brexit or no brexit, these countries make up two fifths of our market for exports and that affects millions of livelihoods. , ., , , exports and that affects millions of livelihoods._ yes, i exports and that affects millions of| livelihoods._ yes, we livelihoods. news on gdp? yes, we know the drill, _ livelihoods. news on gdp? yes, we know the drill, we _ livelihoods. news on gdp? yes, we know the drill, we have _ livelihoods. news on gdp? yes, we know the drill, we have a _

livelihoods. news on gdp? yes, we know the drill, we have a lockdown| know the drill, we have a lockdown and the economy goes into reverse but the economy shrunk by less, 2.9% injanuary, compared to previous lockdowns, so that is a good sign that businesses are becoming better equipped to deal with disruptions and here's the good news, economists think this is the low point. if we stick with the road map to recovery we should see things getting better from here on out, but the big question is how quickly would it take to recover all that we have lost and of course the jobs and trade will play a part in that. thanks forjoining us. bedfordshire police have apologised for "significant failings", after an inquest found the method of restraint used by some of its officers contributed to the death of leon briggs, who died after being arrested in 2013. the jury said a number of serious failings had been made by two police officers and ambulance workers. his family, who'd wanted a verdict of unlawful killing, said there was "no justice for people like leon". the equalities minister, liz truss, has confirmed the government is to introduce a ban

on gay conversion therapy. three members of the government's lgbt advisory panel resigned earlier this week, amid concerns ministers were being too slow in introducing legislation. ms truss described the practice as "abhorrent", and said she would bring forward her plans "shortly". some coronavirus restrictions are being lifted in wales from tomorrow, allowing limited mixing of households and certain outdoor sports. from midnight, the "stay at home" rule will be replaced by "stay local" ahead of the further easing of travel rules for easter. in addition, four people from two households can meet outdoors, including in private gardens. and from monday, hairdressing appointments can resume. but most nonessential retail will remain closed until april 12th. 0ur wales correspondent hywel griffith has sent us this report from crickowl in powys. after 12 weeks of shutdown, 12 weeks of staying at home, wales is at the beginning of the end of its longest lockdown. i look forward to seeing you. thank you, alun.

yay! i haven't spoken to him for three months. i've missed my clients. it's the newsjoss and her customers have been waiting for. on monday, her barber shop can open again — next week is already fully booked. absolutely ecstatic. i've missed crickhowell, i've missed my clients, i've missed the banter, i've missed the other shop traders in town. yeah, i'm ecstatic. i can't wait to get back in. not that many of those other traders can open. you can have a haircut here next week, but the bookshop and clothes shop will be closed for a month. richard is annoyed that supermarkets will be allowed to sell non—essential goods in the meantime. it doesn't feel fair in the slightest for all the little independents, including ourselves, missing that opportunity to sell, especially over easter, so we've missed another chunk of key trading time. the welsh government doesn't have a road map out of lockdown or a long list of dates. instead, every three weeks, it suggests the areas —

like nonessential retail — it wants to prioritise. that had led a lot of shops across wales to expect today would be the day they'd get the green light to reopen. the first minister insists there hasn't been a u—turn. i completely understand that if you're running such a business, you want to reopen, of course you do. you want to be trading, you want to be with your customers. and i understand, you know, the huge frustration there must be. there are very few guarantees... pubs, restaurants and cafes like emma's are also anxious for more information. today, she learned that she may be able to trade outdoors from late april. but there's no more detail, or a date. it's really frustrating, it's annoying. we need a road map, you know? we know that things may have to be moved because situations change. that's inevitable, that's life. but we need these dates in place. one day people can now celebrate is mother's day this sunday, as long as it's outdoors and at a distance. hopefully, more of us will be

able to see our mums, which has been really difficult. it's difficult to try and keep distance still, but at least it's something. oh, well done! wales was the first of the uk nations to enter this lockdown. now it's the first to move this far in easing restrictions, however uncertain that journey may be. hywel griffith, bbc news, crickhowell. scotland's coronavirus rules have been eased today. 0utdoor non—contact sports for adults in groups of up to 15 can take place, and up to four adults from two different households can meet in any outdoor space. up to four people aged 12—17 can also all meet up, even if they're from different households. the latest coronavirus figures show 6,609 new infections were recorded in the latest 24—hour period, which means that on average the number of new cases reported per day in the last week is 5,855. across the uk, the number of patients in hospital

with coronavirus is 8,404. there were 175 deaths reported, that's of people who died within 28 days of a positive covid—19 test. on average, 155 people have died every day in the last week from coronavirus, taking the total across the uk to 125,343. over 260,000 people have had their first dose of a covid vaccine in the latest 24—hour period, which means 23.3 million people have had theirfirstjab, and now nearly 1.5 million have had both doses of the vaccine. there are new details from the office of national statistics, showing how coronavirus cases are spread across different parts of the uk. 0ur health correspondent cath burns is here. what to do the figures tell us? shall we start by saying how much things have improved since the start of the essentially, the 0ns figures are a snapshot, looking at virus

levels of infection at any point in time. if you took the picture in january, at that point, the m&s thought there were more than one and a quarter million cases, people who would test positive, across the uk. fast forward two months to the most recent set of data and there's been a drop of more than 1 recent set of data and there's been a drop of more than1 million, to about 230,000 cases. {lita a drop of more than1 million, to about 230,000 cases.— a drop of more than 1 million, to about 230,000 cases. ok, so there is about 230,000 cases. ok, so there is a difference. — about 230,000 cases. ok, so there is a difference, though, _ about 230,000 cases. ok, so there is a difference, though, across - about 230,000 cases. ok, so there is a difference, though, across the i a difference, though, across the country, with the spread? yes. a difference, though, across the country, with the spread? yes, this is the first time _ country, with the spread? yes, this is the first time since _ country, with the spread? yes, this is the first time since january i country, with the spread? yes, this is the first time since january we i is the first time since january we have not seen a reduction in all four nations. if we break it down, in england right now, the 0ns thinks there are about 200,000 cases which is a drop of about 50,000 on the week before. in wales, too, it is estimated by the 0ns there are about 8000 people who would test positive and again, this is a fall from last week on about 2000. it gets a bit more complicated when you look at northern ireland, for example, so there, the 0ns thinks there are

about 6000 cases but possibly 200 more than the week before and again, in scotland, there are about 16,600 cases, but maybe about 1000 more than the week before. you will notice that i said possibly and maybe because this does not actually necessarily mean that cases are going up in scotland and northern ireland. the 0ns is calling it a levelling off, and this is because the number of people taking part in the number of people taking part in the survey outside of england is pretty small compared to england itself. the trends elsewhere are not so clear—cut. this is one to watch, really. 0ne so clear—cut. this is one to watch, really. one more thing to say, the data takes us up to just before the schools went back in england, so it will be interesting to see what this does to the figures in the next two weeks. ,, ., ~ , ., the bbc has been hearing gruesome testimony of abductions and beheadings in mozambique. an islamist insurgency in the east african nation has driven more than half a million people from their homes in the past year. but aid agencies say it's a humanitarian crisis that the rest

of the world has ignored. a bbc team has reached a besieged town at the heart of the conflict, the first international journalists to do so. 0ur africa correspondent andrew harding has sent us this report from palma, in the cabo delgado region of mozambique. it looks alluring but below us, northern mozambique is now a place of terror. we're flying into palma, a small town under siege. all roads cut, the outskirts unnervingly empty. in town, we find traumatised families. these children have just fled their village on foot, seeking refuge here. their uncle holds up an id card, his brothers, beheaded with six others at the weekend. "we have nothing left now," says sayeed. "the men who attacked our village told us �*we kill as we please.

we are al—shabaab'." and here is al—shabaab — a home—grown insurgency now linked to the islamic state group, with a taste for abductions and butchery. its fighters have swept through this region with bewildering speed. a savage, scorched—earth offensive. no wonder people in palma are close to panic. food supplies are running low. the situation here in palma really is very grim. you can see the frustration and the desperation amongst local people because there's simply no food, and what food there is is incredibly expensive. very, very angry. i'm very angry. i have had three days without eating nothing, and i'm here but i don't get nothing. as we fly out of palma, a glimpse of building work for a multi—billion

dollar gas project. resource—rich mozambique could be wealthy but the money rarely seems to reach the public. instead, poverty, resentment and now conflict. we are heading to a makeshift camp for displaced families. in the past year, al—shabaab have forced half a million people in this remote region to run for their lives. you get a real sense here of the scale of the conflict and also how quickly it's accelerated. this camp alone had about 60,000 people in it three months ago. today it's doubled in size. the conditions are bleak. so are the stories that people have carried with them. "many children from our village are here alone. their mothers were abducted," says amina. "they took my 14—year—old

granddaughter," says alberto carlos. "i can only guess what's happened to her." against these militants, mozambique's government forces are struggling, to put it politely. they've hired private foreign security companies to help out, but both have been accused of human rights abuses. and still the exodus of civilians continues. many fleeing by boat along the coast. on a beach, fatima abdul shows me her makeshift tent. but the smiles hide her trauma. during their escape, her 22—year—old daughter was torn from her arms by an al—shabaab militant. "i watched them take her," she says. "then they set fire to our village." and so it is that a tranquil corner of africa sinks into chaos and despair.

andrew harding, bbc news, in northern mozambique. it's the end of an important school week for children in england, with classes having resumed as a first step on the road to lifting the coronavirus lockdown. 0ur correspondent danny savage has spent the last few days at a primary school near skegness, to see how pupils and teachers have been getting on. good morning. a colourful, celebratory return to school. a warm welcome after a cold winter, designed to take the worry out of the day. bye, see you later! have a good day. bobby is just four years old. for reception children like him, teachers say it's like starting all over again. i was a bit emotional, but he was absolutely fine. glad to be back. what are you feeling? happy, really happy that we're getting a bit of normality back. most of the families at this school have been scattered across this area

in isolation for months. now they have their focal point back. years 3 and 4, when we go in, just a little squirt of sanitiser. lesson one in year 3 on monday was simply getting used to each other again. what's made them feel happy? big voice, abigail. i get to see my friends again. we've missed each other, haven't we? it's like going back to the beginning of the year again. we've got those who say, "we've had new baby sisters being born, new pets". we have had sad news as well and they want to tell their friends about that. some of them have moved house or they were going to move house and they haven't been able to do that. please don't talk over me. the priority is to get familiar with school. that's a sad face. it's been tricky, hasn't it? you've been the only little girl in your house and now we've got to get along with lots of other boys and girls again. catching up is for the long haul. it'll take a long time

educationally to get them back to where they need to be. we're talking about maybe a year, 18 months. we can only do that if the children are socially and emotionally ready to learn. first break, and it's going well. afternoon, ladies. but behind the scenes, the effects of coronavirus are still present, even on day one. one of the local secondary schools had a bubble go down already this morning. oh, gosh. we'll have to look up associated children and make sure there's nobody that we need to pick up on tonight. ok, thanks, see you later. yesterday saw the school belatedly mark world book day, another fun way to get back into the routine. that doesn't mean there aren't anxieties. lincolnshire has a grammar school system. they sit the 11 plus. some of the older children are a bit worried. there's been a massive impact . in year 6 especially and in year 5 because next year they've got to do their 11 - plus and this year, our sats have been cancelled. - so it's been a massive

impact on learning. i so how has the week gone? it's been 0k. i think that's the best analysis we can do. there may be an issue with phonics. some of the key sounds or the blending that the children knew back at christmas, we've maybe gone back two or three steps and we have to pick that up. is that a tiger? no! there is a long way to go in this story, but at least they're back together. danny savage, bbc news, lincolnshire. the queen has made an appearance at a viritual event to mark british science week, just days after the duke and duchess of sussex's controversial interview in america. 0ur royal correspondent nick witchell has that story. good morning. her husband remains in hospital, herfamily is in turmoil over the sussexes, but two days ago the queen was on a video call talking about other worlds — space travel, to be precise — all part of british science week. so, it is a true honour to be speaking with you just now. they started with yuri gagarin —

the first person into space way back in 1961.