Hello and welcome. We start with an apology from americas top Infectious Diseases expert Dr Anthony Fauci after he criticised uk regulators over their rapid approval of a new coronavirus vaccine. Britain on wednesday became the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer Biontech vaccine for mass use. Speaking earlier to cbs, dr fauci said the uk was not as rigorous as the us in its vaccine approval process. But when he spoke to my colleagues earlier on this channel, dr fauci backtracked. The point i was really trying to make, i did not make it well, which is why i welcome to the opportunity to get on your show and say it came out wrong. In the United States, there is such a considerable amount of tension of pushing back on the credibility of the safety and efficacy that if we in the United States had done it as quickly as the uk did it, and thats no judgement on the way uk did it, and even though my statement did come across looking that way, if we had a, for example, approved it yesterday or tomorrow, there likely would have been pushed back on and already scrutinising society that has really, i think in the United States, too much scepticism about the process. So, when we had conversations, and i just had a recent conversation with the uk station, the first thing they said was we beat you to it, we won the race. And i wanted to get the point, this is not a race where there is one winner and one good one and one bad one. Its a bunch of companies and a bunch of countries trying as best as possible to get vaccines to their citizens as quickly as they could possibly. We are trying to do that in the United States, but our process is one that takes more time than was taken with the uk, and that is just the reality. Professor stephen evans, a professor at the London School of hygiene tropical medicine, listened to dr faucis apology. This is his reaction. Well, hes a great man. Hes a great scientist and hes a champion of truth, as you say on your bbc news logo. He is somebody who i have respected for as long as ive known about him. I dont know him personally and i really respect him for the way he has responded. I think that is exactly what most of us in the uk thought. That is that the fdas way of doing things, they are doing it as quickly as is right for them and the uk process has been able in these special circumstances to move more rapidly. Not because of brexit, not because were out of the eu, but simply because of the particular circumstances that we face now. And i think that this pandemic has amplified so many things, both good and bad. I spoke earlier to our washington correspondent and put it to her that the doctor had been critical of the british. He was critical but, remember, you also had senior Government Ministers and secretaries in the uk saying that the uk scientists are the best in the world, better than belgium, france and the United States so i think the surprise was that the doctor got involved in that back and forth and there were concerns raised that this kind of vaccine nationalism, this we are better than you, we are first back and forth is damaging when it comes to trust in the vaccine. Certainly here in the us around 60 of people now say they would take a coronavirus vaccine, up from what it was Insert Timber but it is still short of the 70 descent you need dashmac you need to create immunity. And less than 40 of people want to be first. There is a hesitancy around that. I think what the doctor has done is try to repair that damage and say, look, we have different ways of doing this but we are all going in the right direction. Now president Electjoe Biden says he will ask americans to wear face masks for his first 100 daysin face masks for his first 100 days in office. That is to limit the spread of coronavirus. Mr biden also said he would order masks to be worn on all Us Government buildings and on public transport. My inclination on the first day i am inaugurated is to ask the public for 100 days to mask. Just 100 days to mask. Not for ever, 100 days, and i think we will see a significant reduction, if we incur that if that occurs, with vaccinations unmasking, to drive down those numbers considerably. So a bold statement, considering how divisive masks have become in the United States. It is a totally different approach from the current administration, isnt it . Very different from donald trump s approach to wearing masks, certainly. But it is in line with Whatjoe Biden has been saying which is that when he is president or if he became president he would follow the science and what the Scientific Community told him to do. And we had a warning yesterday from the head of the cdc, the top Health Regulatory body here in the united in the us saying we are in for a terrible winter and many many more people could die. But if people wear a mask it could massively mitigate that. So i think that what we are seeing isjoe biden think that what we are seeing is joe biden really think that what we are seeing isjoe biden really setting out how he plans to approach the coronavirus. Doctor felt she will also be his chief medical advisor as well. Dr fauci will also be his chief medical advisor. Talks between european and british negotiators are going on late in to the night again. This was food for them arriving a little earlier. Urgent compromises are being sought in key areas, including Fishing Rights and competition rules. Its expected that eus lead negotiator Michael Barnier will go back to brussels on friday to brief leaders on the State Of Play Warner Brothers has announced that because of the coronavirus pandemic, its entire hour put for next year will play on a streaming service for a month. Hollywood is struggling with the near collapse of Film Distribution in the United States. Facebook has said it will remove false claims about covid 19 vaccines from its platforms over the coming weeks. The Social Media Giant said it has already removed mis information on facebook and instagram involving claims about the origin and treatment of the virus. Its not clear whether similar posts will be removed from its encrypted whatsapp service. The United States has recorded its highest ever daily death toll from coronavirus. More than 2800 people in a single day. 100,000 people are in hospital being treated for the disease in a country that already has the highest level death toll. The governor of california has announced plans for stay at home orders in areas where Intensive Care Units are filling up. The hospitalisations have now increased 86 in the last 1a days and icu admissions by 67 over a similar period of time. We have seen Death Rate Increase significantly over the course of the last few weeks. Look at this slide. 0ne course of the last few weeks. Look at this slide. One month ago on november two we reported the tragic loss loss of ago on november two we reported the tragic loss loss 01 14 lives and in the last 2a hours, similarto lives and in the last 2a hours, similar to the previous 2a hours, we have reported back to back days with 113 deaths. Just in the last 1a days, close to 1000 californians have lost their lives due to covid 19. 0ur correspondent sophie long has more on the governors stayed home measures. We heard Gavin Newsome theyre setting out those grim figures and why he has had to take this decisive action. What is stop short of earlier today was imposing a statewide lockdown that some people had been anticipating. What he has done is put in place regional stay at home orders in places where Intensive Care Units are more than 85 full. So there is some limited relief, perhaps too strong a word, that there is not a wide lockdown but people really are resigned to the fact that this must take place. The figures are grim and the fear here is that they will only get worse. It is thanksgiving here in the United States last week, one of the most important holidays of the year on those figures, those Hospital Admissions do not yet reflect the travel and the gatherings that took place exactly gatherings that took place Exa Ctly O Ne gatherings that took place exactly one week ago. We expect to see the impact of those in this coming weekend. So we have been speaking to some people who have been out and about in los angeles today and there was an Emergency Order put into effect here are the mayor. Most people we spoke to were alarmed about that last night. It is a 12 page order with a lot of detail and looking at the first few pa g es detail and looking at the first few pages it shows that perhaps you were unable to leave your house on foot, by car or on public transport. When you look at the long list of exceptions it is not quite as severe but people were saying they understand the reasons why these restrictions have been put in place. They do not welcome them. Something they are necessary, others think they are over the top but even those who thought they were necessary we re those who thought they were necessary were out and about walking the dogs and with their children so not everyone is staying at home, perhaps, when they could. Stay with us on bbc world news. From belarus, georgia and armenia. By seismic changes are sweeping over the old russian empires are spelling trouble for the russian backyard. Its quite clear that the worst victims of this disaster are the poor People Living in the slums which have sprung up around the factory. I am feeling so helpless that the children are dying in front of me and i cant do anything. Charles manson is the mystical leader of the hippie cult suspected of killing sharon tate and at least six other people in los angeles. At 11am this morning, just half a Metre Of Rock Separated Britain from continental europe. It took the drills just a few moments to cut through the final obstacle. Then philippe cozette, a minerfrom calais, was shaking hands and exchanging flags with robert fagg, his opposite number from dover. The headlines. The us doctor leading the fight against coronavirus has apologised for appearing to question the speed with which britain approved a vaccine. Us president Electjoe Biden says he will ask americans to wear masks for his first 100 days in office in order to limit the spread of coronavirus full of lets speak 110w Coronavirus full of lets speak now to jesse goodman, the former chief scientist at the us food and Drug Administration was currently a professor of medicine and Infectious Disease at georgetown university. Thank you forjoining us. My pleasure. Were you surprised at doctor fauci seeming to question the british regulators . I did go into details on that and what is in oughtnt is it isnt a contest between regulators and nations but we Work Together against the virus. How do you think that contest is going . |j the virus. How do you think that contest is going . I think there is some good news, certainly on the vaccine front with these very promising results and leading to this authorisation from the nhra and data that the fda is now considering. 0n the other hand, obviously the world has been crossed by this ongoing pandemic and we in the us, as well as you in the uk are having a terrible time of it and losing loved ones and citizens daily. What you say to people who say, listen, normally these Regulatory Approval processes, they take a long time, theyjust feel like they are being rushed and they are concerned . Well, i think it is very important to get the right balance between the speed we need to get potentially life saving vaccines and treatments to people, but to balance that with all the scientific analysis and caution that we need to be sure we do that we need to be sure we do that as safely as possible and that as safely as possible and that the vaccines and treatments we have are, in fa ct, treatments we have are, in fact, and this is a difficult balancing act, and i think the regulatory agencies of the world a re regulatory agencies of the world are all struggling with this, you know, a us fda has set a very High Standard for the potential Emergency Authorisation of unapproved vaccines to prevent covid 19. And that has helped to get studies done quickly which are 110w studies done quickly which are now under review in the us. What dr vertessy was kind of alluding to, is it simply a difference in process, there are different difference in process, there a re different processes difference in process, there are different processes that regulatory bodies around the world a re regulatory bodies around the world are ongoing or as of the fa ct world are ongoing or as of the fact that the us is extra stringent and more stringent than any other . Doctor faucl than any other . Doctor fauci. I have a lot of respect for mhra. They dont have details yet on their review process around this covert vaccine authorisation. So wont comment on that. I will say fda has set a very High Standard for these covid vaccines, even for these covid vaccines, even for Emergency Authorisation. Within my they are going to be given potentially to billions, hundreds of millions, or even billions of individuals. And therefore we knew we need to have the best evidence we can in this accelerated fashion of strong safety data, strong efficacy data, and also very important a very strong sense that the manufacturing and quality of vaccine is high and very consistent so the same vaccine that helps people in Clinical Trials is really the one thats given as doses are ramped up from the thousands to the millions. Thank you so much we re the millions. Thank you so much were coming on and letting us your expertise. We really appreciate it. That is doctor jesse goodman. My pleasure. All the best. 2020 has been a difficult year for the russian president , Vladimir Putin and notjust because of the pandemic. In recent months the kremlin has faced a series of challenges on its own doorstep, including mass protests in belarus, War In The South Caucasus and a rise in pro european sentiment in moldova. 0ur moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg assesses what these dramatic events mean for russias influence in its own back yard. Across russias former empire, were seeing seismic change. In belarus, people power is challenging a dictator whos being propped up by moscow. To the south, armenia and azerbaijan have been at war. Add to that a revolution in kyrgyzstan and the new pro europe president in moldova, and the result is one huge headache for the kremlin. Vladimir putin still sees much of this part of the world as moscows zone of influence, but is that influence ebbing away . Well, here in the south caucasus, where russia has been the major powerfor 200 years, today, it has competition. From turkey. In the war over nagorno karabakh, it was turkish support that helped azerbaijan defeat russias traditional ally in the region, armenia. I think that what happened in karabakh is truly a geopolitical catastrophe for moscows influence not only in south caucasus, but across what remains of the post soviet space. Moscows grip on the region is becoming weaker and weaker. We talked to the russian peacekeepers here. They seem wary of turkeys intentions. Traditionally, russia has guaranteed stability here, the peacekeeper says. While other countries, i mean turkey, try to destabilise the situation, we try to improve things. And for moscow, the geopolitical challenges extend far beyond these hills. In moldova, a pro western politician, maia sandu, has won the presidency, defeating the pro russia candidate. Moldova is one of the europes poorest countries, still wants it in russias orbit. Its soviet past and close proximity to romania make it a stage for east west rivalry. Russia has accused america of Plotting Revolution here. Our objective is to get closer to the eu, and hopefully one day to become a member of the european union. But would russia let that happen, will russia let your country join the eu . Its our. Its our choice. In the end, its the sovereign decision of our country. Its the decision of the republic of moldova. Moscow can still find ways of slowing down change in its own backyard, and yet russia, too, is changing. Its having to. Its on a journey from empire to nation state. For a country with a superpower past, that is a painful transition. Steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. A suspected People Smuggling gang believed to have been responsible for bringing 600 people to the uk in small votes from france has been broken up by Immigration Enforcement. A 36 year old british syrian man was among the 1a people arrested. Daniel sandford has more. Smashing their way into the property of a suspected People Smuggling. 0fficers the property of a suspected People Smuggling. Officers from Immigration Enforcement in North West London this morning. The suspect was the 14th to be detained from a group of syrians accused of organising dangerous channel crossings. It is alleged to have been having the huge amounts of money degenerated as they move more than 600 people across the channel in small votes in a single month. 0ver channel in small votes in a single month. Over 8000 people have crossed the channel in small votes so far this year. More than four times last year was my total. But the Home Secretary says the French Police have now stepped up their efforts to deter the trade. They have actually been going into the water to stop the votes from listing and sinking, to save lives, and is absolutely the right thing to do. And this has been the point that we have been making from day one. These routes are dangerous. Lives have been put at risk. On onetime day this week, the french stopped 200 people leaving the beaches, while only 20 migrants made it to the uk. One potential Unintended Consequence is that the migrants who are desperate to get to the uk will instead ta ke to get to the uk will instead take other journeys, such to get to the uk will instead take otherjourneys, such as by stowing away on lorries and that kind of thing. And all the illegal roots have risks. Last 0ctober, illegal roots have risks. Last october, 39 vietnamese people died in an airtight lorry trailer. Daniel sandford, bbc news. A Teacherfrom India, Ranjit Disale, has won this Years Global Teacher Prize for his work transforming the life chances of young girls in a rural village. His win was announced virtually by stephen fry from Londons Natural History Museum in the annual competition which is run by the varkey foundation, in partnership with unesco. Mark lobel reports. From over 12,000 teachers nominated from more than 140 countries for this prestigious prize, top of the class went to. Ranjit disale, from india. 0h, to. Ranjit disale, from india. Oh, and look, theres a whole extended family now. Its wonderful. 0h whole extended family now. Its wonderful. Oh my dearfellow. Thank you, im receiving this honour on behalf of millions and millions of students, teachers, those Who Are Working Ha rd teachers, those Who Are Working Hard in these hard times of covid 19. Hard in these hard times of covid19. He went to incredible lengths for over a decade, turning around this girls school in Maharashtra State in western india. Textbooks were translated into the local language. Qr codes were inserted to open up a world of poems, lectures, and stories. School attendance among these surrounding Tribal Community rose from 2 to 100 . 85 achieved a grades in recent exams. His teachings have impacted life beyond the classroom, an end to teenage marriages in the village, desertification any drought prone district reduced. He has even built a signs lab at home to share experiments with stu d e nts to share experiments with students in over 80 countries. He has also got young people talking between countries in conflict with one another and has shed his tech skills with other teachers. In accepting the Million Dollar prize, Ranjit Disale also made this extraordinary and far reaching pledge. 5096 of the prize money will be equally shared with the rest of the nine top ten finalists. Together we can make a difference and we can make this world a better place. s over 50,000 for each of the other nine finalists, including teachers from brazil, south korea, and nigeria thats over. This years broce also come at a time when lockdowns have reminded us how important inspiring a face to face Role Teachers carry out really is prize. Mark lobel, bbc news. Congratulations to him. A quick reminder of our top story this hour. The us doctor leading the fight against coronavirus has apologised for appearing to question the speed with which britain approved a vaccine. Thats it. Get me online on social media. Im Lewis Vaughan jones and this is bbc news. Bye bye. Hello there. The weather is giving us a real taste of winter. Some places have seen snow. There is more in the forecast for friday for the real mix for rain, sleet and snow falling from the sky. It will be cold, it will be windy. And this big area of low pressure is really dominating the weather across western europe. Bands of wet weather spiralling around. Pretty cold air being sucked down from the north. That combination of cold air and wet weather, that is why we are still seeing sleet and snow. Across scotland, snow falling for a time to quite low levels, could be a Brief Covering of snow through the central belt. And over high ground 10 20cm is possible. Could be real Travel Problems for the high level routes, especially with ice in western scotland. Ice possible in Northern Ireland as well. A chilly start but mainly dry. Some showers for wales and the southwest. Wintry and the southwest. Over high ground. This band of rain could contain some sleet and wet snow over high ground across some parts of eastern england. These various bands of wet weather will just continue to circulate around our area of low pressure. Most of the snow becoming confined to the highest ground. Rain at lower levels. A lot of rain piling into eastern scotland. That could cause one or two problems. Something a little bit brighter towards the south. It will be windy with gusts around the coast. Particularly out west with 50 mph or more. And it will be cold. Highs between four and seven degrees. We will see further areas of wet weather with some sleet and snow mixed in over the hills as we go through friday night. But the weekend is a story of things very, very slowly calming down. It will turn drier but stay cold. On saturday there will be showers around which could again contain sleet and snow over high ground, particularly over the scottish mountains. But more dry weather developing through the day. Some spells of sunshine. It still can be chilly with temperatures of 5 7 degrees. The winds will fall a little later. Those winds will continue to fall during Saturday Night and mist and fog around which could be quite slow to clear. It stays dull in some places. Many spots will see sunshine. Just a few showers by this stage. Still feeling cold with highs of 4 7 degrees. You are watching bbc news. These are the headlines. The us doctor leading the fight against coronavirus has apologised for appearing to question the speed with which britain approved a vaccine. Dr fauci said he had every confidence in the uk medical regulator and had only intended to find the differences between the two countries processes. Dr fauci is due to meet the president elects Transition Tea M president elects Transition Team to discuss the incoming administrations response to the coronavirus pandemic. Mr biden said he would ask americans to wear a mask for 100 days in order to curtail the spread of the virus. And a teacher from india has the spread of the virus. And a Teacherfrom India has won the spread of the virus. And a teacher from india has won this yea rs teacher from india has won this Years Global Teacher Prize at a virtual ceremony. He was named as the Million Dollar winner and says he will share the money with his fellow finalists
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