Transcripts For BBCNEWS Outside Source 20201214

After hundreds of boys were kidnapped in Northern Nigeria after attack on their school, their families continue their vigil for their missing children. Now, a full update on the pandemic in the us, and first, some good news. Here is the first person in new york state to receive a Covid Vaccine outside of a trial. Frontline Healthcare Workers, the elderly, and other Vulnerable People are being given priority. Heres one Healthcare Worker in new york. I feel hopeful today, relieved. Ifeel hopefultoday, relieved. I feel like healing is coming. I hope this marks the beginning of the end ofa this marks the beginning of the end of a very painful time in our history. Rolling out the vaccine is a hugely complicated task. Heres more from cbs correspondent Debra Alfarone in washington. Ups and fedex are going to be taking those vaccines from pfizer. There are those vaccines from pfizer. There a re two those vaccines from pfizer. There are two plants. They are going to ta ke are two plants. They are going to take them to all of the state and its up to the states to decide where they go. There are a couple of things, a lot of things actually, that might prove to be challenges, and one of those is that they need initial supplies in order to administer those doses, and those are coming in separate deliveries. That could lead to delays. Of course, ups and fedex are very busy right now with the holidays, and there is the challenge of getting people in the door and back again with that second dose. Most people are agreeing that of course, Front Line Health Workers get the priority and then people in a nursing homes. They actually account for 110,000 people lost to the virus. Again, thats 40 of the countrys death toll, so Health Care Workers and people who are nothing nursing homes. Who are in nursing homes. We also know President Trump wants to reverse a directive to that would mean top government officials are in the first group to receive the vaccine. Hes tweeted. As youll know, america has more covid cases and more covid related deaths than any other country. Here are the latest statistics. This graph shows the daily number of deaths. Its been going up since november, and over the weekend, there was another record on one day. 3,309 deaths were reported. Thats the deadliest day in any country in the entire pandemic. Despite these figures, polls suggest that Many Americans remain unconvinced about getting the vaccine. A recent study by the Pew Research Centre found that 60 would do it. Thats higher than the poll before. And of those who said they definitely or probably wouldnt get it, around about half of them say they may change their mind as more information becomes available. Well, on that, the Trump Administration is starting to roll out a 250 million Public Education campaign to encourage americans to take the vaccine. Here is doctor anthony fauci. As we get further and further into the situation which is very bad right now, we will turn around despite the divisiveness. Im a realist but i have cautious optimism in the spirit of the american people, that they will realise this is a real challenge. Its not make believe, its not a hoax, its not fake news, its real and weve got to deal with it. The uk Health Secretary says a new variant of coronavirus has been identified and may be contributing to a faster spread of the disease in the south of england. Matt hancock made the announcement to mps. We have currently identified over a thousand cases of this variant. In nearly 60 different local Authority Areas and numbers are increasing rapidly. Similar variants have been identified in other countries over the last few months. We notified the World Health Organisation about this new variant and Public Health england is working hard to continue its expert analysis. Mr speaker, i must stress at this point that there is currently nothing to suggest that this variant is more likely to cause serious disease and the latest clinical advice is that its highly unlikely that this mutation would fail to respond to a vaccine. Its only to be expected that a new virus will mutate over time, and weve already seen that happen elsewhere with this virus. In china, a study of 100 people at the start of the outbreak found two different strains of coronavirus. Scientists said one strain they called s emerged first, but the other strain l overtook it. In spain, a new strain emerged injune and as travel bans were lifted, it went on to account for a large proportion of infections in several other european countries. Last month a new variant was identified in denmark linked to mink farms. Several hundred people were infected by it the genetic code of the virus changing as it passed from human to animal and then back again. These are just a few examples that made the news for one reason or another. Like all viruses the coronavirus has in fact already had a large number of different variants apart from those. Naomi grimley is our health correspondent. While it makes for concerning headlines, doesnt seem like it will change the other overall strategy for the uk government . change the other overall strategy for the uk government . I dont think so, but it does explain why they are getting worried about the southeast of london, because they found this variant in kent, one of the areas where cases are doubling every seven days. Of course, thats an area that is connected very much to the capital, london. So, thats why theyre getting worried. They point out that they dont know that the new variant is causing the rapid rise that were seeing, but clearly, thatis rise that were seeing, but clearly, that is one of the things theyre going to want to investigate over the next two weeks. Just so im clear, can we have a situation where one variant is more avirulent than another . You can indeed have that, but that usually happens when the virus is under pressure. When a lot of us are being vaccinated, then the virus might try to mutate. Let me just quote from what the World Health Organisation is saying tonight. Its saying it is normal for viruses to change, most changes have little or no impact on the viruss properties. This is something that is expected to happen over time, and it happened already in the uk back in the summer when we saw a particular string coming in from spain, which they think was brought in from returning holiday makers. Brought in from returning holidaymakers. Based on what the who has said there, would we extrapolate that the vaccine, eve ryo ne extrapolate that the vaccine, everyone is following so closely would have an equal impact whatever the variant that was being negated . Yeah, at the moment, the officials in the uk seem to be saying it wont change the vaccine. They think it will still apply to this variant. They are also saying testing is not affected by it, so those are both good signs. The other bit of hope is that the kind of vaccines weve got rolled out already, the pfizer vaccine, can be tweaked in order to keep up with any changes, and thats really good news were there to be a more avirulent strain or more vera lynch variant over the coming weeks. Virulent variant. The announcement came as london and other parts of south east england were put into tier 3, the highest level of coronavirus restrictions, because of a rise in the number of cases. Hugh pym reports. The run up to christmas just wont be the same across a swathe of south east england, with new restrictions on meeting members of other households outdoors, though shops will remain open. The move to tier 3 is a response to a significant rise in virus cases in london and parts of essex and hertfordshire, and thats putting more pressure on hospitals. Cases were moving up anyway, but the Health Secretary told the commons of a new development. All but two are in the southeast. The health argument for tighter restrictions has been made on the basis of sharply rising case numbers, but those mean an economic impact. Tier 3 means businesses closing to customers apart from ta keaway closing to customers apart from takeaway s, and it should have been there busiest time of the year, especially in london. This restau ra nt especially in london. This restaurant only reopens recently after the lockdown. Now theyll have to stop serving customers indoors again and its not clear whether there will be any compensation. We are open when week ago and we closed down this week again. Doesnt like that. We are all going to close down im sure. You will find a different job. There has been no change to the planned relaxation of the rules of her christmas around the uk, the scotlands first minister pleaded for people to be cautious. Just because we can visit people indoors over christmas on a limited basis doesnt mean that we have to. Any indoor meeting between different households obviously creates a risk. The virus will not take a break over christmas. Civic leaders and some areas of england at the highest alert level, tier 3, are hoping to be brought down, for example in manchester, where case numbers have fallen. And wales, there have been calls from nhs staff for a pre Christmas Lockdown because of mounting pressures on hospitals. The next step in the process ofjoe biden becoming president is underway. In each state, members of whats called the Electoral College are meeting to formally cast their votes for both president and vice president. Now remember, every state has a certain number of electors according to their population size. These electors are selected earlier in the year by the states republican on democratic parties. Republican and democratic parties. Heres more on the system from bbc reality check. Today, there are 538 lectures and assess successful. In most states, the candidate who wins the popular vote gets the support of all of that states collectors. For example, whether a winning candidate gets 99 oi whether a winning candidate gets 99 or 51 of the vote in california, they would still receive all the states 55 Electoral College votes. Thats why its possible for a candidate to lose the popular vote across the country but still secure across the country but still secure a majority of Electoral College votes a nd a majority of Electoral College votes and become president. We got some Light Pictures coming from michigan. We seen a number of people talking about the process. Lets listen to whats being said. Security of our nation. Lord, please protect our new leaders and help them to be american ambassadors of diplomacy, dialogue. Praise forjoe biden and kamala harris. This is in michigan. More broadly across the country, the political situation remains a little tense. Donald trump is not actually conceded defeat. In michigan, the capitals legislative buildings remains closed because of the threats of violence. Heres New York Times reporter kathy grey, security has also been increased for the electors vote in arizona, another state that biden took from trump. Well, the electors will cast their votes today. They will then be sent to congress to be officially counted onjanuary 6. This part of the process effectively and president s trump s attempts to overtone his loss, although those chances were vanishingly small anyway. On sunday, he tweeted. That came after the Supreme Court ruled on saturday to unanimously reject a lawsuit filed by texas to throw out the vote count in four swing states where mr trump lost. Heres the lawyer marc elias whos worked closely with democrats for years. Next, heres political reporter hugo lowell. At the end of the day, the Legal Process for him is over. A lot of states have committed to sending their electors to vote forjoe biden, and i think that is the result that will come down at the end of the day. The real pace where trump has influence is with january six, andi trump has influence is with january six, and i think hes going to be at a loose and for a while. While President Trumps legal challenges have continued, so have his funding raising attempts. In less than three weeks after the election, mr trump and the Republican Party raised more than 200 million to help fund their legal challenges. Much of that almost 122 million came into an organisation called the make America Great again committee. It raises and spends money to help elect a chosen candidate by gathering smaller donations online. Now, the amount raised by President Trump and the republicans after the election has outstripped what was raised immediately before it. This article from bloomberg outlines an aggressive Fundraising Campaign driven by emails and Text Messages from the president urging his supporters to help him overturn the election result. But not all the money is going to the legal challenges. Bloomberg quotes the terms. It reports. That means mr trump has a significant war chest already to back favoured candidates in upcoming campaigns, finance his own rallies and travel, and fund a campaign for 2024 if he chooses to run again, which isnt the same as fighting this election result. Anthonys car is live from washington, dc. It sounds like a Successful Campaign even if the change in election result is close to zero anthony zurcher. Change in election result is close to zero anthony zurcher. A war chest he didnt use for years from now. He will continue to hold rallies for his supporters, and its very clear that donald trump still has a federal influence within the Republican Party. You can see it by the number of republican officeholders in the states and in washington, dc falling in line behind his attempt to challenge the results of the election and courts and state legislature. So, it will give them a lot of influence, a lot of flexibility in what he wants to do after he leaves the oval office, including to support candidates or pay himself to hold events at trump properties. There are really not many rules governing what he can do with this money. And away from the microphones, are there any republicans who still believe this result can be changed, or did they acknowledge quite frankly behind the scenes that this is done . acknowledge quite frankly behind the scenes that this is done . I think in washington at the very least, the reality has been apparent for weeks now that donald trump is not going to succeed in any of these challenges. There are the votes in congress to overturn the results of the election, when he mentioned cou nts the election, when he mentioned counts as. On january the election, when he mentioned counts as. Onjanuary six or state legislators to somehow roads reversed the decision. Today was a big day as far as as far as formalising joe bidens victory. I think in public, however, the republican officeholders are going to continue to keep their head down and talk about donald trump exercising all of his options, and ive seen some press releases saying people in congress believe donald trump will prevail in the end. Anthony, dont go anywhere, because people are looking ahead to the next election. Im talking about a really important vote and georgia. It will decide the balance of power in the senate. No candidate reached 50 first time around, so theres a run off. Voting ends onjanuary 5, but here you can see some voters in atlanta lining up today to cast early votes. The stakes are very high. If the democrats flip both seats, they will have control of the senate. If they dont, the republicans will stay in control. First, heres the analysis of the democratic strategist robert patillo. With the reason there were already 50 people in line at 7am is because of the. Health care is on the ballot, environmental regulations, a tremendous amount of tension on this race and i think we are going to see a free and fair election. That is through the roof because of the amount of tension. Are both of these races genuinely in play . Absolutely, you dont have to look any further than the fact thatjoe biden one georgia heap. He was the first democrat to win that state since 1992, so there is a potential for democrats have a majority in that state. Is it going to be a republicans are showing up at the polls to vote because they want to have a check onjoe biden as president . Is that democrat to show up president . Is that democrat to show up because theyre angered at the challenges donald trump has presented to the election . Theyre more motivated to givejoe biden democratic control was mike it is kind of up in the air, but what we see so kind of up in the air, but what we see so far is request for absentee ballots are very high. So, i think both sides are pouring a lot of resources into trying to tip the balance in the state. To what degree do we expect tojoe biden and donald trump to become directly involved in these campaigns . Well, joe biden is planning on campaigning down there. Donald trump already held a rally down in georgia, so both candidates, both republicans and democrats, are sending their big guns down there to campaign. Mike pence i was going there next week, hes also. Barack obama has campaign there. I think youre seeing a lot of investment in time and resources and personalities to try and campaign for these people, and it is going to be very interesting to see how it shakes out. I think the polls show right now that it is a toss and one way or the other, this could be decided by the other, this could be decided by the democrats or the republican s. Just so i understand the process of confirming joe biden as the winner of the election and the outcome in the senate, those two things are parallel, right . Separate . They are separate. Today, the state of georgia confirmed that joe separate. Today, the state of georgia confirmed thatjoe biden won the 16 electoral votes in georgia. There is a separate Runoff Election for two senate seats onjanuary six, and that is a separate vote. The Electoral College vote was certified what the citizens said last month in the president ial election. Anthony, thank you very much indeed. Much more information online. One month ago, bbc africa eye released an investigation into child trafficking that sent shockwaves throughout kenya. It led to arrests and action by the government. Many of the children featured in the film were stolen, but others were sold by their own mothers, often for tiny sums. This is the story of one mother and her baby, trapped between poverty and the child traffickers. Njeri mwangi reports. These are a mothers last moments with her newborn baby boy. She almost sold him to traffickers. We first met clanise while investigating a baby Trafficking Network in nairobi. She has waived her anonymity in the hope that by sharing her story, she may be able to help others. She moved from the countryside to the city for work and found love. All seemed well until she fell pregnant. Clanise was introduced to mary. Who runs an unlicensed clinic in a poor suburb in nairobi. Many are rumoured to be fronts for child trafficking. Mary tried to sell the baby to our undercover reporter. Thats over 300 more than she offered to pay clanise for her baby. Soon after giving birth, clanise managed to leave the clinic with her baby and met up with the africa eye team. We connected her to a government Child Protection officer. Clanise did not know she could ask the state for help. Her child is now officially under the care of the government. Clanise went back to the village and started a new life. I recently met up with her. Mary is now in hiding and did not respond to the allegations in this film. Countless young women across kenya leave with the same trauma live with the same trauma as clanise, often in silence. Njeri mwangi, bbc news, nairobi. You can find more background and updates on this investigation by our africa eye team by logging onto the website, bbc dot com, forward slash news. Asi as i mentioned, as well as finding play more information on that, you can also read about many other important investigations from africa. Stay with me. In a couple of minutes, we will turn our attention to those brexit trade negotiations. Good evening. Some sunshine to be had today if you managed to dodge the downpours. We had plenty of hefty showers, even some longer spells of rain, and more rain in the forecast for the rest of this week, it will often be windy, but as so often at this time of year, with wet and windy weather comes mild weather. Temperatures above the norm for this time of year. So, on the satellite picture, you can see these different clumps of cloud circulating around an area of low pressure. Showers and longer spells of rain. Some are more persistent rain across parts of the south east, that will continue to drift its way through. Behind it, plenty of showers packing into across western areas. More on the way of dry weather with some clear spells further east. Not a particularly cold night, temperatures generally between four and eight celsius. And then tomorrow, another sunshine and showers day. The showers again will be focused across western areas, where you have this a fairly brisk south westerly wind, whereas further east, parts of Eastern England is particularly through the afternoon in the north east scotland, not too many showers, more on the way of dry weather, and some spells of sunshine. Temperatures again a little above average, eight to 11 celsius. Now, as we head through tuesday evening, the showers will for a time fade. We will see a quieter drier interlude, but it will not last long, because for wednesday, we have got this area of low pressure which is going to be pushing very close to the republic of ireland, quite a deep low that will bring some very strong winds indeed for parts of the republic of ireland, also bringing some windy conditions to the west of the uk. Rain to the west of the uk. Tends to become lighter anc patch rain tends to become lighter and patch year as it pushes further east. These are wind gusts we cannot expect of the day, could well see gusts of 50 to 60 possibly mild miles per hour. Those are strong winds could combine with high tides to give some coastal flooding. Again, temperature is pretty mild, nine to 11 degrees. As we move into thursday, we see this pump at the isobars here, a very brief transient ridge of high pressure, so something a little bit drierfor many ridge of high pressure, so something a little bit drier for many of us on thursday with some spells of sunshine but rain into the west. For friday, heavy rain for most of us, brisk winds but it will be mild. Hello, im ros atkins. This is outside source. The biggest inoculation programme in amercian history has begun the first covid 19 jab is given to a front line healthworker. Feel like healing is cor hope ifeel like healing is coming and i hope this marks the beginning to the end of the very painful time in our history. Also in the us five weeks after the us election, the next step in the process ofjoe biden becoming president is underway. The Electoral College is meeting to formally cast their votes. Well have an update from nigeria after hundreds of boys were kidnapped from a school in the north of the country last week. And the creator of some of the most memorable characters of 20th century fiction spy turned authorjohn le carre has died at the age of 89. Brexit trade negotiations are still continuing just two and a half weeks now til the uk leaves the brexit transition period. Public statements at this stage are not the most useful guide for where we actually are. There are too many different dynamics at play. But this is what we have. First. President of the european commission, ursula von der leyen. We are on the very last mile to go, but it is an essential one. We want a level Playing Field not only at the start but also over time and this is the architecture we are building. And heres the uks business secretary alok sharma. Obviously, there are a number of areas where we still need to make quite significant progress, but as the Prime Minister said, we need to make sure we go the extra mile. Its what businesses want, its what people in our country wants, and that is precisely what were doing. Were not going to be walking away from these talks. If we are going to get a deal with the eu, it has to be on the basis that the eu understands that the uk is a sovereign nation and an independent nation. Also after the talks continued over the weekend the eus chief negotiatior Miuchel Barnier briefed ambassadors of all the eu nations needless to say that leaked, as hed have known it would. Reports are mr barnier told them a deal could come as soon as this week. He also said big differences remain. The three main sticking points are the same ones weve been hearing about for months fishing rights is the first the uk wants to reduce eu access and wants to be able to change the access when it wants to. Theres the governance of the overall deal this is all about what to do if either side doesnt stick to the agreement. And then are competition regulations these is all about a common set of rules that prevents businesses in the eu or in the uk from getting a competitive advantage. Its whats referred to as the level Playing Field that is problematic because the point of brexit is to be free of eu rules. And the eu doesnt want to give access to its vast Single Market to a country that may give itself a competitive advantage. Heres an assessment of where we are from the bbcsjessica parker. Yesterdays deadline came and went and notably a new one was not set. But of course there is that ultimate deadline of the 31st of december in just over two weeks time when the brexit transition period comes to an end. But a senior uk government source says talks cannot go on that late because both sides need time to ratify any agreement. So this first challenge is getting a deal. Then if there is one theres the challenge of ratifying it before the end of the month. Heres the economist jacob kirkegaard, reality is that we are now at such a late stage that even if there was a deal say tomorrow, can it be ratified in time to be, and more importantly, could it be implemented in a sort of relatively seamless manner by january one . I think the answer to that question is and ambiguously no. There will be a degree of chaos at the uk eu borders comejanuary one because businesses that transact across these borders do not necessarily have full clarity about what forms and what it systems they will be using. Were now so close to the deadline, that the lack of a deal is having an impact on businesses, regardless of whether one is done now. This is the deputy head of the confederation of british industry. Businesses have worked as hard as they can to get ready. A lot of businesses are prepared but of course being prepared doesnt mean you are protected. You can put up a sandbag but the water is still going to seep through. Until we have that deal, some of the detail is not available. You dont know what will happen with the rules of origin. You cannot move on to agreements about data for example, so it is impossible for people to be fully prepared even if you have the bandwith and capacity to do it. Going back to whether any headway is being made in these talks in the last hour weve heard from our Political Editor laura kuenssberg. Rob watson, in oxford. My my first challenge to you is explain what on Earth Dynamic alignment by the back door means in normal people language. Right. It just the back door means in normal people language. Right. Itjust means that currently, the uk is effectively still a member of the eu and of course we share the same rules and regulations on things like Labour Rights and environmental measures, now what dynamic alignment means is that lets say after the transition is over, i say the European Union decides we will have tighter laws on environment and the pollution that effectively can admit it and dynamic alignment would involve the uk having to follow those rules, though standards are the old course because it would be a member of the u anymore it would not have a say. That is what dynamic alignment is. The uk is at the moment saying we are not going to go along with that, what is it suggesting to the eu as an alternative to satisfy the eu concerns that it may seek to get a competitive advantage . Concerns that it may seek to get a competitive advantage . |j concerns that it may seek to get a competitive advantage . I have to say we dont really know the answer to that question. I think it is worth cab yachting everything that i have said or anybody elses with the best caveat same. Only a handful of people know what is really going on in the negotiations with up with a dynamic alignment is what the eu is suggesting we dont know. I think with the European Union feels about the uk suggesting that essentially britain is saying to brussels you will trust us, leaving the European Union is not some attempt by us to get a singapore on tims but of course reviewing brussels as well is that what on earth is the point of brexit and what is the of the brick saying we want to be able to diverge from eu rules. And bricks. If it isnt going to be more competitive than we are. Brits. Isnt going to be more competitive than we are. Brits. Dont go anywhere. Lets hear from the french government this is the finance minister. Translation brexit to repeat a simple word borrowed from john le carre, its a Political Economic and historical madness, i deeply regret that our british friends are paying the price of populism, of lies and of the leave campaign approximations. They were made to believe it was going to be possible to come out of the eu and continue to access the Single Market. But no. Next time he might tell us what he really thinks i guess but i suppose that illustrates the fact that the francis e brexit notjust as a bilateral calculation between the eu in the uk, it is also bound up into what kind of institution the eu becomes in the future. Yes. That issue although i think attempts by the right wing newspapers in the uk to somehow cast the french as the maligned force in all of this, making it difficult to get a deal, there is not much evidence for that. It seems to be one of the things that has been most striking about brexit, the astonishing unity of the European Union and deciding essentially, i will put this crude, all eu 27 think the brits have made all eu 27 think the brits have made a terrible mistake in brexit and that they shouldnt be seem to be doing better outside outside of the clu b doing better outside outside of the club and what critics of brexit was say is that it had been one of the many terrible miscalculations of brexiteers in this country that somehow the eu would fragment and when i stick together and so far, it could change i suppose but so far the eu has held together and that is why essentially the talks have been one versus 27 and why the uk position and has not been so strong. Finally, quick question about the Prime Minister political situation at home. This is a moment of extreme pressure for the uk and for the eu. Is he being given a free hand by his conservative party at least to make thisjudgement . He is relatively speaking. And the judgement thisjudgement . He is relatively speaking. And thejudgement he has to make is an incredibly tricky one. On the one hand, do i deal with the eu and rescuing accused of a traitor betraying britain and brexit from the hardliners in the danger of not doing a deal is that despite mr johnson often saying it will be wonderful without when i think the government suspects there will be real short medium and in the long bumping is for the uk economy and of course it would be very risky because what with prosperity, the same as mrjohnson my fear about a government that heaps the chaos of a no deal brexit and the damage being done by the covid 19 pandemic. No deal brexit and the damage being done by the covid19 pandemic. Rob, as ever, good to have you on the programme. Thank you very much. Back to a story we have covered almost every day for the last week. The farmers protest in india has become yet more serious. Its leaders have taken part in a one day Hunger Strike. Theyre trying to stop changes which were introduced in september loosening rules around how their goods are priced and sold. The farmers fear is that theyll no longer get guaranteed prices for their crops and Large Private Companies will drive prices down. This is a senior figure from one of the biggest farmers unions. These three laws are a triple murder conspiracy. It will murder peasants, labourers and customers, and every section is supporting us. Hes calling it a triple murder conspiracy saying in his words peasants, labourers and others already living in poverty will die because of these changes. Obviously the government thinks differently. Prime minister Narendra Modi has tweeted that the reforms liberate farmers from being bullied by middlemen and that they add impetus to the efforts to double income of farmers. the indian public meanwhile does seeem to be backing the farmers. More than half the countrys working population comes from the Agricultural Sector but even so, one expert told the bbc hes been suprised at the strength of support the public are giving the farmers. They are coming out, they are helping farmers with free blankets and free medicine and ambulances, sweets being made for them and even foot massage machines, the point im trying to make is these are the kind of support the society is extending because society feels that theirfarmers have been wronged all these decades. Heres more on todays Hunger Strike from devina gupta in delhi. It was a fast observed by 32 former unions, by 32 farmer unions, beginning at 8am local time, ending 5pm local time, and i was speaking to some of the farmers over there, one 70 year old man told me he is doing this for his children. They fear if Companies Come in, land would be taken away from them. His children would not have any occupation. I spoke to a woman farmer who said she is prepared to sit on the road in the cold, blocking key roads leading to the National Capital delhi, just to put pressure on the government and as part of this, she says she is prepared to do anything and will be here for another six months if it takes that long. The fear of exploitation at the hands of big business is something the farmers are unable to be convinced from the government and they feel that if Big Companies are allowed, the minimum price guarantee they get from the government for some produce, that support will be removed. There have been six rounds of dialogue between farmers unions and the ruling Hindu Nationalist Party the bjp and Senior Leaders from there but so far both sides are holding off, the government does not want to repeal all the laws completely, they feel Big Investments and private investments are necessary because india spends billions of dollars in subsidies, that is not feasible to continue in the near future. They have said they are willing to give some concessions to farmers but the farmers right now are unrelenting. Let me also add, the optics are quite worrying for the ruling party because rightly mentioned, farmers form a Large Population base, over 600 million supported by the agricultural economy, and that is a major vote bank for the major party. We also saw some of the Political Party supporting this protest from the opposition and that is where some criticism is coming that it is being overshadowed by politics and politicising the farmers concerns, finally it will be not ever addressed or they will be Political Parties to take over from what the farmers are demanding. Stay with us on outside source still to come. Hundreds of children have been kidnapped from a school in rural nigeria. Well get the latest from our correspondent there. In scotland, a 90 year old woman has become the first care home resident to receive the coronavirus vaccine. Older people and staff in care homes are being prioritised in the vaccine roll out. This from our scotland correspondent james shaw. You might end up with a wee bit of a bruise. Oh, im full of bruises anyway. An historic moment over in seconds. Hey well done. Annie innes, a former carer, became the first of thousands of residents in scottish care homes to be given the pfizer vaccine. The start of a process which should allow a return to some sort of normality. Oh, its been a terrible year, terrible. I would like to see it a lot brighter for everybody else then. All 52 residents and the staff who look after them at abercorn house care home in hamilton will get the vaccine. In this Health Board Area alone, there are nearly 9000 residents and carers to be vaccinated, a huge logistical challenge. So far, scotland has enough doses of the vaccine for around 33,000 people to get a first injection and then a booster three weeks later. Ca re care home residents and staff are being prioritised from our current supply. That is a hugely important step in protecting many of the people who are most at risk from this virus. Much more will be needed just to protect those most vulnerable. We are all working as fast as we can but it will be a slow start and then gathering speed. The process of protecting people from coronavirus and ending the long nightmare of the pandemic has begun but no one yet knows how long this beginning of the end will take. James shaw, bbc news, glasgow. This is outside source live from the bbc newsroom. Im ros atkins. Our lead story is the biggest inoculation programme in amercian history has begun the first covid 19 jab is given to a front line healthworker. Nigeria now. Hundreds of boys are still missing after being abducted from their boarding school by gunmen on friday night. It happened in the town called kankara which is close to the city of kano. And while Security Forces have been searching a forest area outside the town, parents have gathered at the school. This is one mother. Translation the name of my child is abraham suleman. He is 16 years old. He isa abraham suleman. He is 16 years old. He is a Junior Secondary School class too. When i got the news i felt so bad. Since then, i havent been feeling well at all, even up until now. Abraham. We came to the school and teachers told us we should exercise patience but the government is doing his best and god willing they will rescue our children. Ibrahim. Some of the students managed to escape. This is one of them. Translation when i decided to run, they brought a knife to slaughter me. I put my clothes upside down so that they cannot see me as they said they would kill anyone trying to escape. But i ran, climbing from one route to another through the forest. One rock to another rock. Theres growing anger directed at the nigerian government. The front pages of the newspapers had only one story one headline reads outrage over preisdent buharis failure to visit school. Our nigeria correspondent mayeni jones has been to the scene of the kidnapping. A parents a pa rents worst a parents Worst Nightmare happen here. Late into the night, men armed in ak 47s and riding motorcycles came to the school which is in a very isolated part of can kara come on the outskirts of the city and i think with this demonstrate is the security is still such a major issue in nigeria. Con kara. It has been in the past and this year with increased difficulty because of the economic difficult to bite on by covid 19 and anna a incidence of security are on the increase and this makes places like this isolated schools in the middle of nowhere particularly interesting targets for criminals looking to make a buck. The Security Forces say they will crush the bandits and they will return all the students to their missing parents but there are growing calls for president bihari and his administration to tackle the problem of security. He was voted is because he was that he was a former military ruler and he will be able to tackle the problem with their minds and several years down the line and security is still a massive issue in this incidence in his home state is a reminder of this. Beverly ochieng, nairobi. We had reports that kidnappers have made contact with the authorities. What do we know about that . The president has told the media that has been content with doing the authorities in kidnappers and that negotiations are ongoing. But there is still no clarity on whether there has been perhaps a ransom demand or what was discussed. The latest reports indicate that more than 300 stu d e nts reports indicate that more than 300 students are still missing even though the authorities have them at about ten. This may no assurance from reports and secreted forces have located the hideouts of the bandits and from no local Media Outlets have said kidnappers have gone on to kill students who have run so gone on to kill students who have run so far but you can see from these clear accounts in the mix mega information from the media and authorities that there is that frustration and worsening anxiety and anger towards president bihari because not make this as his home area. The president assume nigerian presidency promising to take on the islamist in the north of nigeria. I guess this is evidence he hasnt managed to do that. Yes, definitely. It has been a worsening situation. By it has been a worsening situation. By and large in the northern regions. The northeast has been grappling with the jihadist and vocal hurrah. The Biggest Group in the area. No issues with the cross borders. Boko haram. At the some time, there have been multiple Security Operations in the north, or banditry has been on the increase in kidnapping. There are ground and air operations led by the military which hasnt yielded much results. Last month, doesnt of Police Officers we re month, doesnt of Police Officers were abducted by suspected bandits in the regions which shows they have not stop these criminal groups from attacking Security Forces in they are becoming increasingly emboldened. Briefly, clearly a huge story in nigeria, i would if your singlet being covered more broadly in africa . Not so much. Rather interesting. This was response of this attack, we compared the similar incident in 2014 when the girls were abducted at the authorities took a very long time to acknowledge that, there hasnt been as much but i think it is because nigeria has also has a multifaceted process, it is become increasingly difficult kind of response whether it perhaps International Community should step m, International Community should step in, we have seen however the icc saying and it tends to carry out investigations in the northern region. But this is difficult because civilians are caught between not just of because civilians are caught between notjust of militant groups and operating but also allegations of abuses by Security Forces. Independence accounts of investigations are difficult. We a lwa ys investigations are difficult. We always appreciate you coming on. Thank you very much indeed. People who love to read and write books have been paying their respects to one of britains most admired novelists, john le carre, who died on sunday aged 89. In his writing, he drew on his own experience as an intelligence agent, and for many of his readers, his books shaped their whole idea of espionage in the era of the cold war. Will gompertz looks back at his life. Do you know what is killing western democracy, george . Greed. And constipation. Nothing is as it seems in tinker tailor soldier spy. I hate america very deeply. The economic repression of the masses institutionalised. John le carres literary masterpiece is set in the secret world of spies, lies and Double Crossing double agents. He is right about the state of affairs down there. Slovenly. The story revolves around the wise and wily George Smiley, one of the great fictional creations of the 20th century le carres supremely intelligent intelligence officer. You might call it balancing the books. David cornwell was still working for mi6 in the early 1960s when he started writing his slow burn spy thrillers, hence the need for a pen name. He chosejohn le carre, placing himself, once again, undercover. He said his was a glide into the secret world of espionage that began with spying on his fellow students while at oxford university. What he did and saw professionally would inform his novels for the next six decades, but perhaps not as much as his early private life. He was, himself, a pretty wounded character from his childhood. He had been left by his mother when he was five years old and that sense of betrayal, that you cant trust people, that personal wound gave his writing a real edge. The pain of his mothers desertion was matched by disillusionment in his fathers antics as a career con man and womaniser. If his cover for meeting you people is that he was spying on the circus, then he must have a man on the inside, mustnt he . The good guys might be the bad guys. The truth, as George Smiley knew only too well, is elusive. Worrying really about the absence of strong alliances, the unclarity of our position in the world, britains position the world, europes position the world, and this absolutely open future, and for smiley, can you imagine what he thinks about trump . John le carre was an exceptional storyteller whose spy thrillers will be read for generations to come. He was also an astute chronicler of temporary and in politics, a man who cared deeply about the state of the world. His dark characters reflected what he saw, but not necessarily the man himself, whom friends described as being warm and moral, with a barely concealed romantic streak. Lets bring you some live pictures now from lansing in michigan, where the states electors are meeting. Michigans16 electors will vote for joe biden and kamala harris. Bear in mind this is part of the broader Electoral College process for each state in its electors cast their vote according to which candidates took the majority of votes on election day five days back. See you soon. Goodbye. Hello, good evening. There was some sunshine to be had today if you managed to dodge the downpours. We had plenty of hefty showers, even some longer spells of rain, and there is more rain in the forecast for the rest of this week. It will often be windy, but as so often at this time of year, with wet and windy weather comes mild weather. Temperatures above the norm for this time of year. So on the satellite picture, you can see all these different clumps of cloud circulating around an area of low pressure. Showers or longer spells of rain. Weve had some more persistent rain moving across parts of the south east, that will continue to drift its way through. Behind it, plenty of showers packing in through tonight, especially across western areas. More in the way of dry weather with some clear spells further east. Not a particularly cold night, temperatures generally between 4 8 celsius. And then tomorrow, another sunshine and showers day. The showers again will be focused across western areas, where youre exposed to this fairly brisk south westerly wind, whereas further east, parts of Eastern England and particularly through the afternoon in north east scotland, not too many showers, more in the way of dry weather, and some spells of sunshine. Temperatures again a little above average, 8 11 celsius. Now, as we head through tuesday evening, the showers will for a time fade. We will see a quieter, drier interlude, but it will not last long, because for wednesday, weve got this area of low pressure which is going to be pushing very close to the republic of ireland, quite a deep low that will bring some very strong winds indeed for parts of the republic of ireland. But the low close enough to bring some windy conditions to the west of the uk with some outbreaks of rain heaviest in western areas, the rain tending to become lighter and patchier as it pushes further east. But these are wind gusts we can expect through the day, could see gusts up to 50, possibly 60 mph for exposed western spots. From the far south west of england and perhaps Northern Ireland as well, the strong winds could combine with high tides to give some coastal flooding. Again, temperatures pretty mild, 9 11 celsius. Moving into thursday, this little bump in the isobars, a very brief transient ridge of high pressure. So something a little bit drier for many of us on thursday, with some spells of sunshine, but some rain into the west, and for friday, heavy rain for most of us, brisk winds, but it will be mild. This is bbc news. The headlines at 8pm 11 Million People in london, essex and hertfordshire will move to tier 3 the highest level of coronavirus restrictions because of a sharp rise in infections. In some areas, the doubling time is now seven days. And this rise has been amongst people of all age groups, notjust school aged children, and im particularly concerned about the rising rates in the over 60s. The government says the increase in infections in south east england may be linked to a new variant of the virus. Theres nothing to suggest that the symptoms are different, that the testing is different or that the clinical outcome is different from this variant. The main reason we are raising it to peoples attention is the question about, is it spreading more quickly