this is a conversation with the american people, that his drawing you and and he is using his age and has experience, his five decades in public life to appear like this stage, why is republicans say grandfatherly, too old for the job but you can see that he is using the weight of the office to try to persuade people that this is a moment where we mustn't throw it all away, we have to build on the progress that has been made and if we do, comejuly four we can celebrate with our friends. �* , ., friends. let's widen our discussion _ friends. let's widen our discussion and - friends. let's widen our discussion and bring - friends. let's widen our discussion and bring in| friends. let's widen our| discussion and bring in a couple of get. democratic strategist amanda there on the bottom left, the political director for hillary clinton's 2016 campaign. and on the bottom right, an internal medicine physician. let me start with you, from a medical point of view, was this speech what you wanted to hear? absolutely, because i think what biden did that was very smart as he started off by reminding us how severe covid is, he reminded us of the numbers of individuals we have lost in that tone acknowledging what we've lost is something that we all have to remember because covid is still present, covid is still here, covid is still killing individuals in our communities but at the same time we need individuals to start to get the vaccines are what i think biden did very successfully was also create incentives of getting the vaccine. to let us return to smi normal life again, and also a tone of optimism that many of us need to hear at this point because it has been a year of a very, very, very hard amount of loss and loss of freedoms, and i think this idea thatjuly four is independence from covid will really galvanise people to say, what can i do to make that a reality?— a reality? amanda, prime-time addresses _ a reality? amanda, prime-time addresses for _ a reality? amanda, prime-time addresses for presidents - a reality? amanda, prime-time addresses for presidents are i addresses for presidents are quite hard to pull off. did the president manager? i quite hard to pull off. did the president manager?- quite hard to pull off. did the president manager? i think he did. listen, — president manager? i think he did. listen, america _ president manager? i think he did. listen, america needed i did. listen, america needed both— did. listen, america needed both a — did. listen, america needed both a hug and a hope, and he gave _ both a hug and a hope, and he gave both _ both a hug and a hope, and he gave both. his style of really understanding where people are with empathy, the pain that people have gone through, i thought he captured that very well at — thought he captured that very well at the beginning. you can see it — well at the beginning. you can see it anything biden does is, he connects with you. even on tv. _ he connects with you. even on tv, particularly those who have really _ tv, particularly those who have really lost — tv, particularly those who have really lost someone in this time, _ really lost someone in this time, but then the other piece he did — time, but then the other piece he did was he gave hope and specific— he did was he gave hope and specific hope. he said, here is the light— specific hope. he said, here is the light at the end of the tunnel_ the light at the end of the tunnel and i need these things in order— tunnel and i need these things in order to get here. the event today, — in order to get here. the event today, the _ in order to get here. the event today, the timing today, was a really— today, the timing today, was a really big — today, the timing today, was a really big deal for biden because it really set the tone for how — because it really set the tone for how he is going to govern. he said i am going to move something forward, i'm going to have _ something forward, i'm going to have a _ something forward, i'm going to have a plan and show leadership and today— have a plan and show leadership and today was the culmination of all— and today was the culmination of all of— and today was the culmination of all of that coming together. i thihk— of all of that coming together. i think he _ of all of that coming together. i think he delivered well, i thihk— i think he delivered well, i think timing was well and frankly— think timing was well and frankly i think every body now is making _ frankly i think every body now is making plans forjuly four and — is making plans forjuly four and toning down made what they might— and toning down made what they might want to do tomorrow or when — might want to do tomorrow or when spring hits, i think they -et when spring hits, i think they get that— when spring hits, i think they get that if we could just hold it together, july four will be a very— it together, july four will be a very specialjuly four. what did ou a very specialjuly four. what did you make, _ a very specialjuly four. what did you make, doctor, - a very specialjuly four. what did you make, doctor, of- did you make, doctor, of president biden directing all the states and make every adult american eligible for the vaccine by may the first? i eligible for the vaccine by may the first? ~ ., , the first? i think what he is t in: the first? i think what he is trying to — the first? i think what he is trying to do _ the first? i think what he is trying to do there - the first? i think what he is trying to do there is - the first? i think what he is trying to do there is reallyl trying to do there is really put the pressure on states to figure out how to operationalise getting the vaccines out to as many individuals as possible, and so part of what is happening, every time you open up a new eligibility group, we have to think about how that makes a little bit harder for previous groups to get access. if for example we opened it up to individuals and new york with prior conditions, older adults above 65 who may not be as tech savvy or good with using phones struggle to be able to get access to what he said is on may one all adults will be eligible but he also promised that he would send help in terms of personnel, additional sites and supplies so we can overcome the supply and demand gap that i think is really affecting individuals from being able to actually sign up and get the vaccines. so i think that it's a good pressure point on states to figure out the logistical barriers that they are having now and with they are having now and with the kind of promise that comes additional resources, i think many public health officials are really going to celebrate that. �* ~ ., ., ., that. and amanda, we heard the president urged _ that. and amanda, we heard the president urged americans - that. and amanda, we heard the president urged americans to i president urged americans to wear masks, but you know of course in texas they have lifted the mask mandate and people have been burning masks, so there is a political reality there that a lot of people have stopped wearing their masks, haven't they?— haven't they? they have and when you — haven't they? they have and when you go _ haven't they? they have and when you go to _ haven't they? they have and when you go to certain - haven't they? they have and when you go to certain parts| haven't they? they have and i when you go to certain parts of the country, where there is a large — the country, where there is a large republican base you will see the — large republican base you will see the same thing happening, whatever— see the same thing happening, whatever state you are in. he talked — whatever state you are in. he talked about that today when he said listen, it's too bad that this mask is dividing up. i think— this mask is dividing up. i think it _ this mask is dividing up. i think it was important for him to call— think it was important for him to call that out and at the same _ to call that out and at the same time it's why he gave the address— same time it's why he gave the address and the tone that he did — address and the tone that he did he — address and the tone that he did. he did not promise, he said — did. he did not promise, he said we _ did. he did not promise, he said we got to do this together, we got to get to july four together but there's certainly still going to be states— certainly still going to be states that aren't going do that — states that aren't going do that. think this is the beginning of a relationship that— beginning of a relationship that he _ beginning of a relationship that he is building with states _ that he is building with states. not only is there money in this bill for states but now he is — in this bill for states but now he is giving them a target for may one with the ability to say hey listen, you don't and mandates, i'm actually helping you get when they first deadline you can do it on the way— deadline you can do it on the way that— deadline you can do it on the way that you want to do it, but freedom — way that you want to do it, but freedom and a little bit good news for all of these governors, red or blue, to be able — governors, red or blue, to be able to— governors, red or blue, to be able to stay and actually be able — able to stay and actually be able to _ able to stay and actually be able to build their plan, for those — able to build their plan, for those folks who do want to move fasten _ those folks who do want to move faster. is — those folks who do want to move faster. , . , those folks who do want to move faster. , ., , ., faster. is there any part of ou, faster. is there any part of you. when _ faster. is there any part of you. when you _ faster. is there any part of you, when you heard - faster. is there any part of| you, when you heard those dates, made the first for eligible vaccination, july the fourth small barbecues that just thought, hold on a second, don't be so optimistic. make sure that people understand that this could still go wrong, this could still be delayed? absolutely. i mean, some people have said that doctors and scientists and public officials are just internal pessimists, and it's not that at all, it's just that this virus is really wildly and very good at putting us in our place when we think that we are about to get ahead. we got the vaccines and then the variance popped up, which we expected but that was a setback. i think though that everyone is cautiously optimistic because there is something really important about the message here, and the message is not just, just vaccinating that it. i think what was mentioned earlier about masks are very important. none of this is going to work if we step away from the public health measures that we know have worked. if we stop wearing masks in public, if we stop avoiding big gatherings as we are vaccinating, so a hope that folks didn't hear the message go out and just live like you are free, because vaccines are coming on a first. no, it is, if we do all the things that we know we have to do and keep doing them while we hurry up and get everyone vaccinated, by july four, and again he said it, let's hold that date lightly, byjuly four, we could have a little bit of freedom to travel and maybe get together, but they hope no—one heard it has kind of a removal of all public health measures that we've been growing for the last year. we've been growing for the last ear. �* . . we've been growing for the last ear, �* ., ., ., " we've been growing for the last ear. ~ ., ., ., ~ ., year. amanda, i would like to no year. amanda, i would like to to back year. amanda, i would like to go back to — year. amanda, i would like to go back to the _ year. amanda, i would like to go back to the passage - year. amanda, i would like to go back to the passage of- year. amanda, i would like to go back to the passage of thej go back to the passage of the bill. mr biden only signed it a few hours ago. i will not repeat the petty set of words that president biden whispered to obama after the passage of the healthcare bill, but does the healthcare bill, but does the passage of this bill merit those same words? it the passage of this bill merit those same words?- the passage of this bill merit those same words? it does, this is the biggest — those same words? it does, this is the biggest will _ those same words? it does, this is the biggest will that. .. - is the biggest will that... (crosstalk) | is the biggest will that... (crosstalk) iwasn't is the biggest will that... (crosstalk) i wasn't going to say it! — say it! and for a couple say in — and for a couple of reasons, not — and for a couple of reasons, not only— and for a couple of reasons, not only in— and for a couple of reasons, not only in the speed with which _ not only in the speed with which he brought it through, the way— which he brought it through, the way he governed it through, the way he governed it through, the way— the way he governed it through, the way he governed it through, the way he had a bipartisan process— the way he had a bipartisan process but did slow down in order— process but did slow down in order to _ process but did slow down in order to get a bipartisan vote because _ order to get a bipartisan vote because he had the votes, but there's— because he had the votes, but there's also a target for low income _ there's also a target for low income and middle income folks income and middle income folks in a way— income and middle income folks in a way that we haven't seen in a way that we haven't seen in this— in a way that we haven't seen in this country for a long time _ in this country for a long time we _ in this country for a long time. we talk about tax cuts, that's— time. we talk about tax cuts, that's usually the fight. this time — that's usually the fight. this time he _ that's usually the fight. this time he is talking about cutting _ time he is talking about cutting child poverty and half. the moral obligation, the soul of the — the moral obligation, the soul of the nation is very fitting for what he was pushing through and actually got through in a way— and actually got through in a way that— and actually got through in a way that was very clear from the very _ way that was very clear from the very beginning to the end and now— the very beginning to the end and now as he said, hold me accountable. how often do you hear _ accountable. how often do you hear that — accountable. how often do you hear that from a politician? he is saying — hear that from a politician? he is saying it _ hear that from a politician? he is saying it and he said it from _ is saying it and he said it from the _ is saying it and he said it from the very beginning and i think— from the very beginning and i think this _ from the very beginning and i think this is a new day for really— think this is a new day for really thinking about what kind of policy — really thinking about what kind of policy we need in this country— of policy we need in this country so that all people are able — country so that all people are able to— country so that all people are able to recover and really get back— able to recover and really get back into _ able to recover and really get back into what we call the american dream here, and it's a good _ american dream here, and it's a good start _ american dream here, and it's a good start-— good start. one of the things that is in that _ that is in that coronavirus relief bill, it sounds a bit technical and a bit wonky, but it's the reintroduction of the subsidies for obamacare. after this public health crisis that we have had in america, how big of a deal is this for low income americans who haven't been able to afford health insurance?— been able to afford health insurance? it's a really big deal insurance? it's a really big deal. if you _ insurance? it's a really big deal. if you look _ insurance? it's a really big deal. if you look at - insurance? it's a really big deal. if you look at the - deal. if you look at the unemployment rates and knowing that insurance is often tied to employment, many individuals don't have enough coverage to manage their primary care. also many individuals have just kind of let go of the normal care that they would have thought during the pandemic, first because it wasn't safe and then for some folks because it is just really hard to get appointments now in some of these areas, so as things start to slow down, people start to vaccinate, we're to see individuals need to use healthcare for preventative care, for the management of chronic illness and if folks don't have the coverage, they are not going to be able to met in ways that should be. so i think that it is very proper that they went ahead and put that they went ahead and put that into this bill to make sure that we can get back to the ability to take care of population health, essentially, in the way that we haven't really been able to think about proactively during fighting this global pandemic. find this global pandemic. and amanda. _ this global pandemic. and amanda, we _ this global pandemic. and amanda, we heard - this global pandemic. and amanda, we heard president biden say that he is going to go out on the road, he is going to sell the coronavirus relief bill republicans are already saying it's too big, it's wasteful, it's going to be inflationary. is he trying to avoid the mistake of president obama in 2009 who got kind of overwhelmed by republicans who used the opposition to that stimulus to drive the tea party and when the mid—term elections —— when the mid—term elections? yes, remember being on the hill and the — yes, remember being on the hill and the active one had that we weren't— and the active one had that we weren't talking enough about what — weren't talking enough about what was in the stimulus at that— what was in the stimulus at that time, we weren't talking enough — that time, we weren't talking enough about the programmes that were happening, why people were getting jobs, they have certainly learned the lesson of that, — certainly learned the lesson of that, but — certainly learned the lesson of that, but i will even say another— that, but i will even say another step that he has done as he — another step that he has done as he has— another step that he has done as he has actually putting his cabinet — as he has actually putting his cabinet up there as well. so not only— cabinet up there as well. so not only has he learned the lesson _ not only has he learned the lesson of— not only has he learned the lesson of he has to go out on the road _ lesson of he has to go out on the road and talk about what is happening but is also putting the entire cabinet, because this— the entire cabinet, because this bill— this bill is that comprehensive, and it is really important _ comprehensive, and it is really important. you are coming off from — important. you are coming off from an— important. you are coming off from an election we had the most — from an election we had the most voters ever in the selection cycle and a divisive country _ selection cycle and a divisive country. this is your moment on this to _ country. this is your moment on this to really the country together and say, we are going together and say, we are going to come — together and say, we are going to come together, we are going to come together, we are going to make — to come together, we are going to make sure you recover all across — to make sure you recover all across the _ to make sure you recover all across the country and has what we are — across the country and has what we are doing. it is not only smart— we are doing. it is not only smart but— we are doing. it is not only smart but it is a way of bringing _ smart but it is a way of bringing the country back together again and being able together again and being able to say, — together again and being able to say, please still wear your mask~ — to say, please still wear your mask~ we _ to say, please still wear your mask. we still have to get to july four~ _ mask. we still have to get to july four. so everything he said — july four. so everything he said today was communication strategy and as he said. — communication strategy and as he said, i'd believe at. this is the — he said, i'd believe at. this is the only— he said, i'd believe at. this is the only way we are going to -et is the only way we are going to get there. _ is the only way we are going to get there, if people believe what — get there, if people believe what he _ get there, if people believe what he is saying and work together as we move forward through— together as we move forward through this recovery. talking about believing _ through this recovery. talking about believing the _ through this recovery. talking about believing the truth, - through this recovery. talking about believing the truth, drl about believing the truth, dr safo, when you have conversations with patients is the truth understandable to them? , . ~ them? very much. i think there's a _ them? very much. i think there's a little _ them? very much. i think there's a little bit - them? very much. i think there's a little bit of- them? very much. i think there's a little bit of a - there's a little bit of a misperception that a group that has the most reluctance to taking the vaccine is minority communities. it's actually white republicans that seem to have the most to taking the vaccine, and the answers to an interesting place of the rates of individuals not wanting to take the covid vaccines, the lower rates that we are seeing in black, indigenous and people of colour communities actually is a case of access copies of my patients have been asking me to release any questions about how the vaccine has been made, but the efficacy rates are compared to other vaccines. efficacy rates are compared to othervaccines. i efficacy rates are compared to other vaccines. i think people are very smart consumers and thejob for us as are very smart consumers and the job for us as healthcare workers is to answer questions that mayjust be confusing because of the way we are presenting it, and also to give them the time that they need to kind of come around, because that is very novel science and an unprecedented pandemic, as we have often talked about, so i am finding that people are coming and excited and energised and they have questions, but with some conversation they are able to get to a place where they are comfortable, not only themselves taking the vaccine but helping to get their community members to take the vaccine and biden emphasised it is really going to be up to all of us. what are we all doing to help with the recovery of this pandemic?— help with the recovery of this andemic? , ., ., ., , ., pandemic? just a follow-up, who was the hardest _ pandemic? just a follow-up, who was the hardest person _ pandemic? just a follow-up, who was the hardest person to - was the hardest person to persuade and how did you do it? the hardest person that they had to persuade i haven't persuaded yet, and that's important, because they think sometimes we think that these conversations will end in people being like you, i'm taking the vaccine! and actually someone is what it ends in as people saying 0k, we can talk about it next and i think that's ok because certainly we don't have enough to play for everyone right now so those who don't want it, we will talking to them and those who do we will get them into get it but i think folks are having a little bit of a hard time, one of the things that i've heard a lot about is trusting the fact that we created a vaccine in one year when before that, the vaccine that took us the shortest time to create happened in four years, so people are taking the time and they are at actually saying it's not that they don't want the vaccine, if they want to see if the rest of you guys they got the vaccine turn into mutants or whatever, so it is definitely a conversation that has to continue in a couple of stages. has to continue in a couple of states. �* . . , �* stages. amanda, president biden is now 50 days — stages. amanda, president biden is now 50 days and, _ stages. amanda, president biden is now 50 days and, he _ stages. amanda, president biden is now 50 days and, he got - stages. amanda, president biden is now 50 days and, he got a - is now 50 days and, he got a big legislative when with the coronavirus relief bill, up to him noticed thatjim jordan, one of the top house republicans has tweeted freedom, are you concerned that republicans are going to try to say that mr biden is all about government, especially if he tries to do something else, say, maybe on infrastructure? i worried? iworried? no. do i i worried? no. do i expect it? yes. that will be the political statement, biden and the democrat know this, and at the end of the day will have to put a vision together and did it or didn't it work. he made the decision. it was interesting that the dollar amount did not change from day one and that is because this is the vision he put out there and what he believes waco difference and again, ithink believes waco difference and again, i think democrats have learned from the affordable care act that you have to put out what you believe in and make it happen because this is what you will be held accountable for, especially when you have a majority in the house, senate and white house. —— what he believes will make a difference. this is what he needs to make a successful recovery and that is what biden is living by as he is getting out there and putting it out there and selling it to the american people. tweeted that biden is basically riding an already turning tired. is there some truth to that, that the economy was recovering anyway and this will due sit up, amanda? i think there was quite a bit of -- _ up, amanda? i think there was quite a bit of -- juice - up, amanda? i think there was quite a bit of -- juice it - up, amanda? i think there was quite a bit of -- juice it up. - quite a bit of —— juice it up. i think there was quite a bit of chaos and i do not need to turn you back to what january the sixth look like what december looked like it if you remember the deep, intense divisiveness was real. people did not know how we were going to get out of this recovery. states were doing different things. the idea that we were well on our way is a little bit difficult to say. what i will give credit for is all the work early on to bring the vaccine to the forefront, to do the research and invest in warp speed. made a difference because it allowed biden to come in with the and science and medicine and be at a point where it was closer to vaccination and manufacturing levels that we needed. in terms of actually having a plan where people could move forward and see that we could get through it together, that's been a biden effort.— it together, that's been a biden effort. ., ~ biden effort. thank you both so much forjoining _ biden effort. thank you both so much forjoining us _ biden effort. thank you both so much forjoining us for- biden effort. thank you both so much forjoining us for that - much forjoining us for that analysis— much forjoining us for that analysis of president biden's first live prime time address from the white house. james, back— from the white house. james, back to — from the white house. james, back to you. our north america correspondent anthony zurcherjoins me now from arlington, virginia. you are the person i like to speak to at the end of all of this. hello, there you are, on a different screen. there are —— there is a paradox here, and agree to disagree, but when americans are not experienced and barely worked out all of the rooms in the white house but do you think this will be the case withjoe biden? you the case with joe biden? you have to remember _ the case withjoe biden? gm. have to remember thatjoe biden was vice president for eight years, from 2009—17. it was also a senatorfor also a senator for about a0 years and so he knows where the rooms are in the white house, he knows believers to pull in washington. i think that is one of the benefits, one of his pictures when he was running for president was that he knew what he could do and he could hit the ground running from the very start when the nation is in a moment of crisis —— pitches. you cannot have that kind of a learning curve for a president, you have to have someone who knows what he's doing and so that is why i think he was touting in his speech today the progress that he has made, the fact that he got this coronavirus pandemic bill passed, the fact that he has been able to ramp up vaccines. he wants to show that from the very beginning he has beenin from the very beginning he has been in charge on this. looking at republicans, _ been in charge on this. looking at republicans, they _ been in charge on this. looking at republicans, they are - been in charge on this. looking at republicans, they are going| at republicans, they are going to have to campaign against this in 2022 if they want to take back congress so how do they do so? i take back congress so how do they do so?— they do so? i think you are already seeing _ they do so? i think you are already seeing some - they do so? i think you are already seeing some of. they do so? i think you are l already seeing some of that, the republican national committee just released a statement, saying thatjoe biden was trying to play partisan politics with this, he was taking a victory lap, touting the coronavirus stimulus package, but really it was a bunch of democratic spending priorities, but donald trump was the one who was responsible for leading the charge on the virus, getting the vaccine out, starting the distribution, so i think it is going to be a challenge if the economy is good, it is going to be a challenge ifjoe biden continues to have high approval ratings but i think they remember in 2009, barack obama passed his own stimulus bill and then 1.5 years later, people had kinda forgotten about it and republicans were able to win control of the house of representatives and had really good midterms and i thinkjoe biden also remembers that, he has to go for a big sales pitch as you were injured before, trying to get this out and get people reminded of the benefits of this package but i think all eyes are on the midterms, i don't think republicans are going to give up republicans are going to give up this yet. it republicans are going to give up this yet-— up this yet. it is amazing to me, up this yet. it is amazing to me. when _ up this yet. it is amazing to me. when you _ up this yet. it is amazing to me, when you look - up this yet. it is amazing to me, when you look in - up this yet. it is amazing to - me, when you look in american history, how often fdr's 100 days defines presidents after that. he said the new deal in 1933 during the great depression, is each president since thenjudged on depression, is each president since then judged on the first 100 days because president biden has specifically made that point?— that point? yeah, i think a president's _ that point? yeah, i think a president's political- that point? yeah, i think aj president's political capital is at its highest in the early parts of his or her presidency. and if they want to get something accomplished before people start paying attention to the midterm elections, before people get distracted at the time to do it is now. so joe biden made it a priority in addressing the coronavirus pandemic, he said he wanted to hit the ground running on that and plans on campaigning on this but if he was going to get something done, now is the window of opportunity to do it and i think it's also interesting to look at that speech that he just gave, and although he did not mention donald trump by name, he talked about the denial and silence that was by the pandemic and, in the first days of it, and thatis in the first days of it, and that is a reference to donald trump and he talked about the low numbers of vaccines, at the beginning of his presidency which is a reference to donald trump, even talking about the entire asian american editors and hate crimes, donald trump just a few days ago again said a message about the china virus and i think it was a reference to donald trump —— anti— asian american. although he is charting a path going forward i think he wants to try to subliminally remind americans of what it was like last year with the previous president. anthony zurcher, thank you so much. you also to laura trevelyan, my colleague in washington. iforgot to trevelyan, my colleague in washington. i forgot to say thank you to her. to sum up the prime time spectrum joe biden delivered from the east rim of the white house, mr biden said we all lost something. the virus has kept us apart. the president laid out his terms of a roadmap to get towardsjuly the fourth when he hoped that americans could celebrate independence day together in small gatherings, independence day and also independence from the virus. more on this story and the reaction to mr biden's prime time speech on our website. to stay with bbc news. —— do. let's move away from washington now and take a look at the rest of the news. prince william has said the british royal family is not racist in his first public response to allegations made in an interview by his brother prince harry and his wife meghan. in the us television interview, the duchess of sussex claimed her husband had been asked how dark the skin of their first baby might be. the bbc�*s ros atkins looks at the fallout from the interview and asks if the rift marks a missed opportunity for the royal family. nicholas witchell. it is an allegation which strikes at the very core of an institution the purpose of which is to unify. bringing out a part of people... the suggestion by the sussexes in the oprah winfrey interview of a racist attitude within the royal family has stung, deeply. concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born. and so, on a visit by the cambridges to a school in east london, prince william took the opportunity, gently, to push back. sir, have you spoken to your brother since the interview? i haven't spoken to him yet, but i will do. and can you just let me know, is the royal family a racist family, sir? we're very much not a racist family. like the queen's statement on tuesday, william's comments were short and to the point. "we are not a racist family" — that is the message the family wants, and needs, to be heard. and the evidence across decades of work by the queen in the context of the commonwealth and by, in particular, the prince of wales here in britain supports the proposition that equality and diversity are important to the royal family. even those with reservations about their recent performance accept that good work has been done. in terms of the prince of wales's previous work, that can't be denied. we absolutely, you know, we acknowledge that he's done some excellent work with communities. but how damaging for the family is the loss of the duchess of sussex? i think it's a hugely, hugely missed opportunity. i know from my own personal perspective as a mixed—race woman, when meghan markle joined the royal family, i was so happy, so pleased. there was an opportunity for diverse communities to see themselves reflected in the royal family. the queen believes this is a matter for the family to sort out. logically, she will take the lead to try to heal the family rifts. but there is another big challenge for them — to underline to the watching world that, as william said today, "this is not a racist family". the fact that william has yet to speak to his brother about the interview is perhaps a measure of the hurt that is felt with the family here. —— that is felt within the family here. restoring family equilibrium is one priority, repairing the reputational damage is another. nicholas witchell, bbc news, at buckingham palace. the eurovision song contest insist it is nonpolitical, the event is no stranger to controversy. organisers have rejected an entry this year by belarus and threatened the country with disqualification if it does not change its entry. the song in question marks last year's as protests against the leader there. —— mocks. and while the entry has sparked its own backlash in belarus, the band deny they've breached any rules. a reminder of our top story — joe biden says he is putting america on a war footing in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic as he announced that the country would have enough supplies to vaccinate the entire adult population by the end of may. in his first prime—time televised address since becoming president, mr biden said he would instruct every state to make all adults eligible for the vaccination by1 may and urged everyone to get the jab. he said better days lay ahead after a year of collective loss and sacrifice in which the coronavirus has killed 500,000 americans. now, the weather. hello. thursday felt like one of those days where someone up there was just playing with the taps — raining one minute, then dry, then rain, then dry. it was like that pretty much all day. and some of the storms pretty impressive. we brought some hail to the streets of carlisle. some of the storms dropped temperatures by up to 5 degrees celsius as they went through, and we had some of this spectacular mammatus cloud on the underside of some of the cumulonimbus thunder clouds — a sign of really vigorous storm clouds building. and more recently, well, some of those showers have started to turn to snow across parts of northern scotland, particularly in the high ground, so we've had a bit of everything really and we've got more of the same to come as well on through the course of friday. a risk of icy stretches, then, where we have this snow and those lower temperatures, particularly across the high ground in scotland. but there could be a bit of sleet or a bit of hail mixed in with the showers just about anywhere over the next few hours, and it's going to be a blustery old start to the day on friday. heavy rain for a time across wales and south west england, slowly pushing eastwards with some thunder mixed in with that. then we'll probably have a more generally showery kind of spell of weather for most areas of the uk. some sunshine, some hail mixed in with the showers, temperatures dropping sharply when those clouds go through. and then late in the day, another spell of more general rain is set to move in as the winds start to crank up again. yes, it's going to be a particularly blustery friday night and early part of saturday morning. now, temperatures, by the time we get to the first part of saturday morning, well, low enough to give us some frost and again, there will be some snow mixed in with those showers over parts of higher parts of scotland, so for some, a chilly start to the weekend. and the weekend, well it's dominated by low pressure. we're going to continue to see strong winds, showers or even a few lengthier outbreaks of rain diving across the uk. so on saturday, it is a day of sunshine and showers. again, some of the showers will have hail mixed in with them. still a bit of snow over some of the higher ground because yes, it is maybe just about cold enough for that. and again, when those showers come through, the temperatures will drop sharply by several degrees celsius, but these are the kind of maximum temperatures that you might expect to see — highs of about 7—10 degrees celsius — but perhaps feeling cooler, given the strength of the winds. for sunday, another weather system dives south—eastwards across the uk, bringing more general rain with it. probably the driest, brightest weather across northern scotland, and those temperatures coming up just an odd degree or so. that's your latest weather. tries to do something else, say, maybe on infrastructure? welcome to bbc news, i'm james reynolds our top stories: a hundred millionjabs by day 60 of his presidency. joe biden uses his first primetime address in office to set out what could be the pathway out of the pandemic. if we do this together, byjuly the fourth chance you, your families and friends, will be able to get together in your backyard or in your neighbourhood and have cookout or a barbecue and celebrate independence day. three european countries suspend use of the astrazeneca vaccine after reports that some people given it, went on to develop blood clots. china tightens controls on hong kong, ruling only pro—beijing candidates can run for the territory's parliament. and, a piece of art that only exists digitally, sells for a record—breaking $70 million.