this is bbc news, i'm kasia madera with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. my husband. _ and around the world. my husband, the _ and around the world. m husband, the president of and around the world. mg husband, the president of the united states, joe biden! president biden holds the rally in georgia, the first of on its order to encourage americans to support his sweeping economic plans. gaunt and visibly diminished, alexei navalny in court by video link for his first appearance since his hunger strike, accusing president putin is stealing the country's riches. prime minister borisjohnson says there isn't anything to see here as key questions over the

refurbishment of his downing street flat still go unanswered. and daniel clark denies sexual harassment allegations after a newspaper report led to a suspension from bafta. astonishment as a new gene therapy improves the vision of some patients with a rare inherited eye condition. hello, and a warm welcome. president biden has spoken in the united states' state of georgia two mark his 100th day in office. it's his first stop on a tour to urge americans to support his plans to spend trillions of dollars rebuilding the economy. during his opening remarks, the president was interrupted by hecklers objecting to prisoners being

run —— held in privately run detention centres. i agree with you. i am working on it, man, give me another five days. do it now! now! folks, you know what they are talking about. there should be no private prisons, period. private detention centres. they should not exist. and we are working to close all of them. the president at the start of that rally then went on to explain how his multitrillion dollar spending plans would be funded. it's about time. the very wealthy incorporations and corporations started paying their fair share. corporations started paying theirfairshare. it's corporations started paying theirfair share. it's about their fair share. it's about time. theirfair share. it's about time. it's as simple as that. and, folks, i'm not going to

bore you with the details but i promise you, no—one making under $400,000 a year is going to pay a single additional penny in tax, no—one. as i said last night, the middle class and working people of this country have already paid enoughin country have already paid enough in taxes. it's time for the richest 1% of americans in corporate america to start to do their part. america to start to do their art. , , part. the president there, speaking _ part. the president there, speaking live _ part. the president there, speaking live in _ part. the president there, speaking live in georgia. | part. the president there, i speaking live in georgia. lets crossover live this time to georgia, larry madowojoins crossover live this time to georgia, larry madowo joins us now. a bit of a bumpy start to that rally, but once the president found his feet and continue to speak, it was a continuation of his address that we head to congress, but this time, directly to the american people? that is correct, kasia madera. he wants to make this speech directly to the american people because he is betting on the fact that he thinks his plane is much more popular with everyday americans than their

representatives in washington —— plan. especially republicans that opposed everything the biden administration is trying to achieve that mackie began in georgia, important, as he was the first democratic president to win the state in 28 years. in january, to win the state in 28 years. injanuary, the state elected two democratic senators in a run—off election that gave democrats a tiny majority in the senate. then vice president kamala harris can cast a vote to break a tie. without republicans' support in washington, he hopes he can reach out to republicans directly here in middle america. directly here in middle america-— directly here in middle america. ., ., america. what reaction has he been getting? _ america. what reaction has he been getting? it is a rally, it. been getting? it is a rally, it is still under covid restrictions, and the spending plans are absolutely huge? lt plans are absolutely huge? it is a massive spending plan, almost $4 trillion, considering he ready busby to trillion dollar coronavirus relief package that sent about $1400 checks to most americans, here in georgia, outside of the

rally, there were protesters, supporters of president trump, wind saying trump 2020, referencing the idea that the election was illegitimate. in this case, joe biden is having to do with you people, it is then going to be going to other places does make fewer people, and the vice president will be travelling as well, trying to connect with ordinary americans. lt connect with ordinary americans.— connect with ordinary americans. ., , americans. it has also become uuite a americans. it has also become quite a hot _ americans. it has also become quite a hot in _ americans. it has also become quite a hot in terms _ americans. it has also become quite a hot in terms of - americans. it has also become quite a hot in terms of a - quite a hot in terms of a nationwide battle over voting rights. what is the situation there now?— there now? the georgia legislature _ there now? the georgia legislature recently - there now? the georgia i legislature recently passed there now? the georgia - legislature recently passed a bill that many democrats see as voter suppression, that it will restrict the ability of black and brown voters in the states to vote. president biden has

called this un—american and a new called this un—american and a neinm crow. this is a flashpoint because some bank this is a better law than in some democratic run states that make you criticise that. is the home state ofjohn lewis, a civil rights icon, and says it doesn't need to happen. george is at the centre of the culture wars with republicans like to stoke. president biden mentioned systemic racism, something president trump would never have said that matthew contends there is still systemic reason is in many spheres of life in america, including policing, and that needs to change. he is asking congress to pass the george floyd justice and policing act in time for me 25, the first anniversary of the death of george floyd. these issues republicans don't like, and many of them play out right here in georgia.— here in georgia. larry, as always. — here in georgia. larry, as always, thank— here in georgia. larry, as always, thank you - here in georgia. larry, as always, thank you for - here in georgia. larry, as - always, thank you for bringing us up to date. the president there at the start of the tour,

and larry madowo, la. we have some breaking news. we are getting reports from israel saying at least 15 people have died, scores more were injured in a stampede at a hasidic jewish festival. tens of thousands of people had gathered at the foot of the mount in northern israel to celebrate a jewish holiday. the emergency services have been treating people at the scene have but —— but have found it difficult to evacuate the injured due to dense crowds. celebration was closed last year because of the pandemic. there were concerns raised despite is our�*s vaccination programme going well at the event could in fact be a super—spreader if large crowds were present this year. we will continue to monitor this for you. the russian opposition leader, alexei navalny, has appeared in court in moscow via video link. the first time he has been seen in public since ending his 24 day hunger strike. masculine stay scathing attack on

president putin, calling him an emperor with no clothes whose ground was slipping. at the same time, another court in moscow was clamping down on mr navalny�*s supporters, as sarah rainsford reports. his head close—shaven and face gaunt, this is the first glimpse of alexei navalny since his three—week hunger strike. the opposition politician transformed as a prisoner. this video link to court is now his only platform. the one official camera won't film his speech but audio does get out. and today navalny denounced vladimir putin as a president whose only care is clinging to power eternally. but since navalny�*s arrest, the pressure on his supporters has intensified. irina used to run his office in st petersburg. they've cleared out because the prosecutor now wants the whole navalny network banned as extremists. translation: the risks are high

because we just don't know howl this law will be applied, how hard they want to crack down. destroying our movement is already a huge thing. but they can still come after whoever they want, and that's frightening. the door here is shuttered, the office is empty, it's as if alexei navalny�*s team were never even here. and it's the same story now right across this country, as a whole opposition movement, the most prominent, the most organised in russia, has suddenly vanished from sight. last august, alexei navalny nearly died on a flight from siberia, poisoned with a nerve agent. when he recovered and returned to russia defiant, he was arrested on arrival. since then, his offices have been raided constantly, team members targeted with searches and arrests. despite it all, crowds took to the streets throughout

russia once again last week, demanding navalny�*s release. this was the response in st petersburg. history tutor alexander was one of more than 800 detained. a week later, we returned to the spot. alexander told me the price of dissent is rising now. they punched me with electro shock... navalny�*s supporters, he insists, though, want peaceful change. of course extremist for the — for our government, for the putin's people who want to fight with him in political things. people like navalny, the man the kremlin wants silenced and forgotten, and any attempt to challenge that is obliterated. sarah rainsford, bbc news, st petersburg. well, let's discuss this further with david slater, a journalist and author on books on russia as well as the former soviet era moscow correspondence. talk us through

what we're seeing here. condition of alexei navalny is been publicised across the where test. what is president putin doing here, in your eyes? well, it's the degeneration of an authoritarian regime. obviously she has less and less tolerance or even that piece of freedom. that he previously allowed. the videos of that navalny has produced have gotten wider in their currency, and they're really the only serious opposition to the regime. the regime has become progressively more isolated internationally, and they may feel that the combination of less to lose in their relations with the west and increasing irritation over the very effective productions that navalny is able to produce and distribute over social media

may get — to their advantage to suppress navalny and his network. suppress navalny and his network-— suppress navalny and his network. �* ., ., network. and i wonder, i wonder the way navalny _ network. and i wonder, i wonder the way navalny is _ network. and i wonder, i wonder the way navalny is being - the way navalny is being describing president putin is beginning with no clothes, is describing him as robbing the people, depriving russians of a turning russians into slaves. the serf kind of associations you would have had with these are in the past. is this making headway with regular russians? —— the tsar. l headway with regular russians? -- the tsar-_ -- the tsar. i don't think it is making _ -- the tsar. i don't think it is making headway - -- the tsar. i don't think it | is making headway because -- the tsar. i don't think it - is making headway because they have heard this in one form or anotherfor many years. have heard this in one form or another for many years. the conditions in russia were also barred under yeltsin, and the poverty, the lack, violence and democracy, what it does show, there is a movement and there are people who are continuing

to resist. the problem is that once that movement is denied the public space, once it is effectively suppressed, the tension in society which exists on the part of at least some members of the population could become dangerous for the regime. there is no outlet for discontent. discontent is obviously going to build in a resume of this kind, which becomes more corrupt and more rigid with every passing year. so, the consequences of what putin is doing, even if he is acting out of peak, it may reverberate against the regime. david satter, absolutely fascinating to get your perspective on this. journalist and author. perspective on this. journalist and author-— perspective on this. journalist and author. thank you so much for our

and author. thank you so much for your time. _ and author. thank you so much for your time. thank _ and author. thank you so much for your time. thank you. - and author. thank you so much for your time. thank you. glad | foryourtime. thank you. glad to be with you. lots more of course on our website and lots more still to come here on bbc news. including: the groundbreaking new treatment that is helping people with a rare form of inherited site loss. —— sight. nothing, it seemed, was too big to withstand the force of the tornado. the extent of the devastation will lead to renewed calls for government help to build better housing. internationally, there have already been protests. sweden says it received no warning of the accident. indeed, the russians at first denied anything had gone wrong. only when radioactivity levels began to increase outside russia were they forced to admit the accident. for the mujahideen, the mood here is of great celebration.

this is the end of a 12—year war for them. they have taken the capital which they have been fighting for for so long. it was 7 o'clock in _ the morning when power began to pass from the minority- to the majority, when africa, after 300 years, reclaimed its last white colony. - welcome. bbc news president biden holds a drive—through rally in georgia. first stop on a tour to promote his economic plans to promote his economic plans to the american public. alexey navalny, seen for the first time since ending his hunger strike has accused president putin of turning russians into slaves. the uk prime minister borisjohnson has sought to play down concerns about how the refurbishment of his downing street flat was paid

for. insisting that there is nothing to see here or worry about. he made clear that the conservative party will comply with the outcome of an electoral commission investigation but has refused to say whether he will abide by the recommendations of his newly appointed standards advisor. labour, the opposition party, say it has become a farce that mrjohnson has so farce that mrjohnson has so farfailed to farce that mrjohnson has so far failed to reveal who farce that mrjohnson has so farfailed to reveal who paid for the refit initially. the apparently simple can sometimes take a while to work a while to initially. out. borisjohnson was asked again today about his downing street flat and who initially paid for its makeover. he was repeatedly dismissive of what he described as a farrago of nonsense. i don't think there's anything to see here or to worry about. i don't think that this is the number one issue for the people of our country, indeed, by several orders of magnitude. the prime minister insists

he paid what he owed for sprucing up the living quarters here and will declare what he needs to, but he won't say if he borrowed the money, and if so, from whom, and all of this is meant to be published. the matter is keeping a lot of people busy. earlier this week the country's top civil servant, simon case, told mps he was conducting a review at the request of the prime minister into how the refurb was paid for. in politics, has launched a formal investigation, saying there were reasonable grounds to suspect that an offence or offences may have occurred. it has the power to issue fines or refer matters to the police. and it's the first big job for lord geidt, newly appointed as the independent adviser on ministers�* interests. he'll examine if the prime minister has received any donations he is required to declare. three separate inquiries into how the face—lift

of the famous flat was funded. i think this is getting a bit farcical. i think the prime minister could actually deal with this very, very quickly. all he's got to do is answer a very simple question, which is who paid initially for the redecoration of your flat? and to furnish his point somewhat, sir keir decided to pay a visit to the department store john lewis today. playing political games, claimed the conservatives. lord geidt, the new independent adviser on ministers�* interests, spent ten years working for the queen. labour say he should have more power, such as being able to launch his own investigations and notjust do ones asked for by the prime minister. he will publish his findings into borisjohnson, but mrjohnson has refused to say if he will abide by those conclusions. there now could be a fourth investigation into what's going on. labour mps have asked the parliamentary commissioner for standards to look into it.

there is every prospect there are more revelations to come. chris mason, bbc news, in downing street. bafta has suspended the actor noel clark just weeks after bafta has suspended the actor noel clarkjust weeks after he received one of its top awards following newspaper allegations of sexual harassment. he denies the allegations and in a statement bafta said it made the decision in light of the allegations of serious misconduct in the british newspaper the guardian. the bullet—proof and doctor who actor was presented with the outstanding british contribution to cinema award this month. our correspondent has more. bafta issued a statement saying that in light of allegations of serious misconduct requiring no clerk in the guardian, after took decision to suspend his membership and the outstanding british contribution to cinema award immediately and until further notice. this comes following a series of

allegations in the guardian concerning the act of�*s behaviour. no car that make no clark says he denies any allegations and in a statement he said that in a 20 year career i have put inclusivity and diversity at the forefront of my work and have never had a complaint against me. now patients with a rare inherited eye condition that causes gradual sight loss of said that they are astonished and delighted by the success of and delighted by the success of a new form of gene therapy. the treatment is intended to hold further loss of sight but has actually improved their vision as well. our medical editor has more and i must warn you that his report includes images of the operation. jake has been gradually losing his sight since birth but no longer — thanks to a ground—breaking gene therapy. i've just been able to see facial features on my own face. it's something that i never used to be able to do. jake, from county durham, has a rare inherited condition

which means his central vision is largely a blur. since his right eye was treated a year ago his peripheral vision has improved. i'm in the best place i've probably been in 24 yea rs of life. last year for a lot of people was a dark and miserable year but for me it was probably the best year of my life. after a year's delay due to covid, jake has now had his other eye treated at moorfields eye hospital in london — which it is hoped may further stabilise and perhaps improve his vision. the one—off gene therapy, called luxturna, is delivered via injection. it costs £600,000 but the nhs has agreed a discounted price with the manufacturer novartis. the injection delivers working copies of a faulty gene, rpe65, into the retina at the back of the eye. the dna is encased in

a harmless virus which breaks into the retinal cells. once inside the nucleus of the eye the replacement gene kick—starts production of the rpe65 protein essential for healthy vision. this is really transformational. it provides an opportunity, hope for people, not only with the specific condition, but people with other similar conditions hope that they can protect their sight in the long term. i keep noticing subtle improvements. i noticed one today coming into this park. i noticed that there are railings above the entrance to the gate. matthew from london has the same rare inherited condition and has had one eye treated. the second operation is next month. aged 48, his vision had already deteriorated much further than jake's. i lost my central vision about ten years ago and it had a really severe impact on how i live and who i am. if the treatment means that it puts off another decline like that then that's

going to be amazing. matthew's wife has noticed he is more independent. he doesn't have to ask me every little thing. is this on the right setting? the washing machine, the coffee machine — you know — those things that are just everyday people take for granted, matthew can now do himself. around a dozen people in the uk have received the gene therapy, including several children — who stand to benefit most, as it may halt their sight loss before permanent damage is done. fergus walsh, bbc news. a single picture sent from an american teenager to around 100 friends on social media has filed a debate in the us supreme court about free speech in the age of social media. courtney bembridge has more. brandy was 14 when she found out she did not make the

varsity cheerleading squad and sent a snapchat to her friends. images on the app can only be viewed once but someone screenshot at her picture and showed one of the coaches. she was then banned from cheerleading for one year. l cheerleading for one year. i was questioning to myself cheerleading for one year. i was questioning to myself how they were able to do that if i did not say it on school. if i didn't specifically say the name of the school. what the school is _ name of the school. what the school is asking _ name of the school. what the school is asking for _ name of the school. what the school is asking for here - name of the school. what the school is asking for here is i name of the school. what the school is asking for here is to | school is asking for here is to make — school is asking for here is to make exception which applies inside — make exception which applies inside the school and push it out 2m7— inside the school and push it out 24/7 so that young people who happen to be public school students — who happen to be public school students would not have full free—speech rights anywhere in their— free—speech rights anywhere in their lives— free—speech rights anywhere in their lives to brandy school this— their lives to brandy school this school district and won but the _ this school district and won but the case was sent to the supreme _ but the case was sent to the supreme court.— but the case was sent to the supreme court. school district arc ues a supreme court. school district argues a ruling _ supreme court. school district argues a ruling against - supreme court. school district argues a ruling against it - argues a ruling against it would centre precedent and make it hard for any public schools to take action against online bullying or harassment. the american civil liberties union seesit american civil liberties union sees it differently. aha, american civil liberties union

sees it differently. a standard that the school _ sees it differently. a standard that the school district - sees it differently. a standard that the school district is - that the school district is asking the court to apply here would give them the power to punish not only for emotional outbursts like randy's but would allow them to regulate important political, religious, whistleblowing kinds of speech and for the court to figure out exactly how to do that, i think it is daunting.— it is daunting. the supreme court heard _ it is daunting. the supreme court heard arguments - it is daunting. the supreme court heard arguments in l it is daunting. the supreme i court heard arguments in the case for two hours to do the judge said she is competitive and cares, she blew off steam like millions of other kids have when they are disappointed about being cut from a high school team. judge steven brown appeared to agree asking that that cause a material and substantial disruption? i don't see much evidence that it did and of swearing off campus did, imean, my and of swearing off campus did, i mean, my goodness, every school in the country would be doing nothing but punishing. thejudges indicated doing nothing but punishing. the judges indicated they could make a narrow ruling in the case because they cannot foresee all of the scenarios that may arise. a decision is

expected by the end of june. we will monitor that and all of our stories. you can find me on social media. it would be good to hear from you. hello. april will continue to try to make amends with a bit more rain before the month is done during friday in the form of showers that will continue into the first weekend of may. it will stay on the cool side with a risk of frost at night. and then for the bank holiday, look at this area of low pressure, a long way away, but it's coming for us on monday. until then, we find ourselves in the wake of low pressure. unstable air, meaning showers and the flow of air coming in from the north—east. cool direction temperatures, below average for the time of year. and another frost out there for many as we start the day friday morning. rather patchy in nature, more likely in the countryside than in town and city centres, but it will be chilly.

there'll be plenty of sunshine, already a few showers running in towards the north sea coastal areas. but after the early sunshine elsewhere, some cloud is going to build, and the showers break—out more widely, some heavy, perhaps with hail and thunder. not everyone will catch them, though, and as for temperatures, it is quite cool, particularly along north sea coasts. many of us just in the range of 9—12 celsius. perhaps fewer showers in northern ireland compared with thursday, so, more in the way of dry, sunny weather. as ever, the showers, not everybody�*s going to catch them. they will tend to fade away after dark overnight and with another chilly start with another patchy frost, a lot of sunshine to start the weekend, to start saturday. but, wait for it, it all happens again. the shower clouds build, the showers break—out, some heavy with hail and thunder, they will be wintry too over the higher hills and mountains, particularly in scotland. maybe temperatures a degree or so higher on saturday. the winds are light, so if you are in some sunshine, it will feel reasonable, as it will again on sunday after a chilly start, but the showers will get going once again. more cloud gathering out to our west.

that's the area of low pressure i showed you coming in for the bank holiday. now, there is still something to play for in the timing of the arrival of this wet and windy weather moving in from the atlantic on monday. it may well be that the far north of scotland, the far south—east of england stay dry for a large part of the day before the rain gets in. but if you think rain is coming on the bank holiday, the winds are going to be picking up as well and it is going to still be on the cool side for the time of year, you won't go far wrong.

hello. you're watching bbc world — hello. you're watching bbc world news. our main headlines. scores _ world news. our main headlines. scores of— world news. our main headlines. scores of people injured at a hasidic— scores of people injured at a hasidicjewish festival. tens of thousands had gathered at the foot— of thousands had gathered at the foot of mount marilyn in the foot of mount marilyn in the country's north to mark a hoiidax — the country's north to mark a holida . , �* ., , holiday. president biden has held a rally _ holiday. president biden has held a rally on _ holiday. president biden has held a rally on his _ holiday. president biden has held a rally on his 100th - holiday. president biden has held a rally on his 100th day| held a rally on his 100th day in office. he said he wanted the very wealthy and corporations to start paying their share of tax. it's the first stop on the tour to urge americans to support his sweeping economic plans. russian opposition leader alexei navalny has opened a scathing attack on president putin during a defiant court appearance, accusing him of stealing the country does make ridges that make it's the first time he's been seen since the end of his hunger strike.