and — hollywood star viola davis tells us about her new role as the pioneering blues singer, ma rainey. let's start with the news that broke in the last hour — a panel of experts in the us has endorsed the pfizer biontech coronavirus vaccine for emergency use. it paves the way for approval by the us food and drug administration. pfizer says its vaccine has an efficacy rate of 95%. other countries, including britain and canada, have already given the vaccine the green light. if the fda signs off on the vaccine it clears the way for the logistically complicated task of distributing it across all 50 states. the us hopes to have about a0 million doses of the vaccine ready by the end of the year. here's what the head of the fda's office of vaccines research and review said as the meeting concluded. i just want to thank the committee for voting on this very complex topic. i wanted to thank the committee for their discussion and their suggestions. we very much appreciate the input on this very important topic. and we will take what we heard today into consideration when deciding on not only the eua here but also how to move on in the development of this product was up thank you so much. speaking before the vote, vice president mike pence said this could be a turning point for the spread of coronavirus in the us. we are living in a challenging time. you see cases rising, but you need to be assured we have never been more prepared to combat this virus than we are today. and people deserve to know that we are just a few short days away from what i believe will be the beginning of the end of that coronavirus pandemic in america. professor lawrence gostin is director of the who centre on public health & human rights. he explained what this endorsement will mean for the us vaccination progamme. in real terms the us food and drug administration vaccine advisory committee makes a recommendation to the fda. it's not legally binding. but historically the fda has followed its advisory panels recommendations. it's very widely expected here in the united states that the fda will within a matter of days will grant emergency use authorisation for the first covid—i9 vaccine to be deployed in the united states. it was a very public way of discussing this. it was incredibly transparent. the kind of detail that many people in many other countries would've loved to have seen in their own nations. yes. i'm really glad you brought that up. because although i have enormous confidence in the british regulatory authorities it wasn't as public and transparent as in the united states. i think it's a wonderful illustration that the united states institutions can be rigorous, thorough and transparent. even as we were rushing toward a vaccine. and this is particularly important. i think i have to say this, that under the trump administration the cdc and of course the us fda has been put under enormous political pressure. and i've said from the start that i think that the us public health institutions will bend but they will not break. and that appears to be exactly what is happening. i'm actually quite proud of what the fda has done. so the committee voted 17 to four in favour. and the wording is that it out weights the risks of adults 16 years and older of taking the shot. outweighs the rest, just in case that causes any alarm bells for any of our viewers. this is a very, very safe vaccine as far as we know. but the thing about vaccines unlike medicines, is that when they are deployed they are deployed to millions upon millions of people. even the tiniest safety risks that you may never have anticipated could occur. we saw that with the allergic reaction to the vaccine in a couple of patients in the uk. and so this is really regulatory speak. it's to say we haven't found any safety issues, but on balance, the benefits a re clearly outweighing the risks. i do believe that that is an enormous benefit and extraordinarily low risk. but that's the way regulators do it. we now have three stringent regulators from the uk, canada and the united states soon to happen that will approve this pfizer biotech vaccine. and that is great news for society. but now the hard work begins. because we have to make sure that we can actually roll it out. people will accept it. we've got in an enormous logistical challenge the likes of which the globe has never seen. on that note, the centers for disease control and prevention is advising that health care workers should get it for us. ultimately, i guess it's the state governors decision as to who gets at first. who would you be advising them to prioritise? yeah, and i have been advising. i absolutely think that the health workers and people in long—term elderly care facilities should get priority. there are good reasons for that. in health care workers, the ethics are that first they are at very heightened risk. any kind of a coronavirus we saw with sars, mortars and certainly now with sars over two, that they are at great risk. a more important, we need our health system to function. right now i think it's no secret that the united states is going through an unprecedented crisis with huge spikes in hospitalisations and deaths. the hospitals are on the brink of collapse. we need to keep the health workforce on site, healthy safe and focus. that is job number one from ethical and legal point of view. some very sad news to bring you, the actress dame barbara windsor has passed away. she was 83 years old, which is getting details according to the news agency from her husband scott mitchell. she's best known for her roles and e standards and of course the series of carry—on films. in east enders the british opera she played peggy mitchell, the iconic landlady. she was much, much loved actress in the united kingdoms. she moved to a ca re united kingdoms. she moved to a care home in london, actually, in august. due to her advancing dementia. and her husband, scott mitchell, was describing how he felt on an emotional roller coaster when that happened. barbara windsor was diagnosed with alzheimer's back in 2014, and her condition has worsened during lockdown. just the very sad news that dame barbara windsor has passed away at the age of 83. after ten months of trade negotiations with the eu, the british prime minister has said there's a strong possibility of no agreement on a post—brexit deal. he met the european commission president ursula von der leyen on wednesday night — but failed to break the deadlock. both sides admitted that they remained far apart, but agreed that talks would continue until sunday. a decision will then be made on whether or not the discussions are worth continuing. here's our political editor laura kuenssberg. is he ready to walk out of the eu system without a deal in place? there are plenty of other foreign leaders to greet. boris johnson's guest today, the crown prince of abu dhabi. we're not allowed to shake hands. the prime minister cannot shake hands with him. with only four days to go he's warned tonight there will be nothing to shake on with the eu. reporter: is it all over, prime minister? there's now a strong possibility — strong possibility — that we will have a solution that is much more like an australian relationship with the eu than a canadian relationship with the eu. that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. there are plenty of ways, as i've said, that we can turn to the advantage of both sides. a relationship like australia really means no deal and maybe massive disruption. under the eu's emergency plans, out today, uk transport could only move around the continent if it sticks to european rules, even though sharing regulations is at the center of the clash in the talks. some firms are already fed up. alcaline transport run 200 trailers out of kent with sites across europe and have even invested in a couple of helicopters to keep things moving, spending more than £3 million trying to keep up with what might happen. it's been going on for solid three years. they keep changing the goalposts. every time they do that we are losing 200,000, 300,000, and we go on and off, on and off. that's really frustrating. you don't know which way you're heading. we're just flying blind at the moment, so it isn't going to make any difference whatever the concession is going to be — it is still going to be a complete nightmare, and we are the ones who are going to suffer. downing street wonders whether this crowd will budge. eu leaders getting together in brussels don't want the uk to keep the benefits of europe's huge market, if the uk won't stick to their rules, but if neither side can compromise it's a failure for both. no one understates the challenges that lie ahead. i am a bit more gloomy today. as far as i can hear, there is no progress. i think a no deal would not be a good thing but a bad deal would be even worse. the eu chief has to corral 27 countries, and no ten, and decide whether to pull the plug on sunday. we are willing to grant access to the single market to our british friends. it's the largest single market in the world. but the conditions have to be fair. they have to be fair for our workers and companies and this fine balance of fairness has not been achieved so far. the negotiators are back in the room, and almost any kind of deal is nearly a dead cert to pass through parliament. but with an agreement in doubt, the opposition leader who nearly certainly would vote for it, urged the prime minister to compromise to get there. we must have a strategy for overcoming this. if you're going to trade with another country you have got to agree the terms of that trade. most people would say, "get round the table, "use the time you have got between now and sunday and come back with a deal you promised." there have even been conversations about mps approving a deal in the dead days between christmas and new year if one can be done but itjust doesn't feel that's the way things are going. of course, both sides do indulge in spin but if the chances of an agreement were measured by the mood it would be low and gloomy right now. having left the club already, the uk is not in the room tonight in brussels but the leaders there still have the power to change the outcome, just as boris johnson does at home. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. much more on our website. let's get some of the day's other news. israel and morocco have agreed to establish diplomatic relations. the israeli prime minister, benjamin neta nyahu, described the deal as extraordinary. but the palestinians called the agreement unacceptable, saying it encouraged israel's denial of their rights. morocco is the fourth arab country to normalise ties with israel in recent months — after the uae, bahrain and sudan. short—term letting website airbnb has begun trading on the stock market for the first time. its share price opened far higher than originally predicted, with the company valued at more than $100 billion. it's the biggest debut sale of shares by a us firm this year. stay with us on bbc news, still to come. the hollywood star, viola davis tells us about her new role as the pioneering blues singer, ma rainey. john lennon was shot at the entrance to the dakota building in the center of new york. there's been a crowd here standing in more or less silent vigil and the flowers have been piling up. the 14th cease—fire of this war ended at the walls of the old city of dubrovnik. this morning, witnesses said shells were landing every 20 seconds. people are celebrating the passing of a man they hold responsible for hundreds of deaths and oppression. elsewhere, people have been gathering to mourn his passing. imelda marcos, the widow of the former president of the philippines, has gone on trial in manila. she's facing seven charges of tax evasion, estimated at £120 million. she pleaded not guilty. the prince and princess of wales are to separate. a statement from buckingham palace said the decision had been reached amicably. this is bbc news, the latest headlines. a panel of experts vote to recommend emergency approval of the pfizer/biontech coronavirus vaccine in the united states. a final verdict could take days. a stark warning from britain's prime minister. borisjohnson says there's a "strong possibility" that the uk will fail to strike a post—brexit trade deal with the european union. the actress dame barbara windsor, best known for her roles in the carry on films and the soap eastenders, has died aged 83. she was diagnosed with alzheimer's disease in 2014 and made the news public in 2018. i will do, that'll do! iwill do, that'll do! get i will do, that'll do! get on with the loading. a 4'10" a 410" national treasure. a 4'10" nationaltreasure. not really let's see those chests come out! and fling! funny, cheeky, slightly naughty. but there was a lot more to her then just carry there was a lot more to her thenjust carry on there was a lot more to her then just carry on camping. take them away! she began acting as a teenager born in london and the daughter of the barrow boy, wasjoe littlewood at the theatre workshop we soccer star quality. she won it after nomination for this film s pa i’i’ows after nomination for this film sparrows can't sing. and a tony at 40 what a lovely war. movies and cabaret introduce her to claim herand and cabaret introduce her to claim her and some shady friends. at one point she dated the gangster richie crane. but it was the carry—on films that made her a star. hi. her entrance always an excuse made her a star. hi. her entrance always an excuse for something slightly saucy. have you got a larger one? i've had fio you got a larger one? i've had no complaints so far. especially if said james was around, and a relationship that carried on off—camera. around, and a relationship that carried on off-camera. haven't got any soap on that bet. up to the west end! there was lean yea rs. the west end! there was lean years. until she found peggy. brian. i heard you were back, i was going to give you a call. then why didn't you? the new landlady of the queen vic was a role made for her. don't you dare turn your back on me! 22 yea rs dare turn your back on me! 22 years on albert square. which ended with barbara becoming dame barbara. dame barbara sounds nice, my mom would like it to be dame barbara. she was a bit ofa it to be dame barbara. she was a bit of a snob. what would she be thinking now? what would she be thinking now? what would she be thinking? her farewell was also her favourable to acting. she had with alzheimer's. all my dearfriend. you she had with alzheimer's. all my dear friend. you will never leave me will you? dame barbara windsor, talent, worms and a lifetime of cheeky fund. —— warmth. some of the poorest countries of the world face severe hardship from the long—term consequences of the pandemic. international organisations such as the world bank and the charity oxfam have warned that up to 70 million people could be pushed into extreme poverty, undoing decades of progress. and, as the bbc‘s george alagiah has been finding out, the squeeze on household income here in britain is having a direct impact on lives elsewhere. spitalfields in east london has attracted migrants for centuries. in the 17th it was french protestants. in the late 19th jews settled here. today it is a home from home for bangladeshi migrants. one of the things migrants have always done, once they establish themselves and their new lives in places like this, is to start sending money back home. my own family has done that. the problem is, this year, 2020, covid has put a stop to that vital flow of cash. from barbers to waiters, they all want to help relatives. roughly one in every $20 in the bangladeshi economy comes from families abroad. this man used to send £2000 per year but since march his earnings as an electrician have plummeted. he says hello to you, as well. i'm short of income here so i can't then send money to bangladesh. this is money they really depend on. absolutely. we support the children's education and we are not able to do that for them so it makes us sad here. athaur‘s cousin is desperate and is about to sell two of his cows just to keep going. translation: my cousins were helping me before. that made it possible to cover our living costs. now, because of the pandemic, we don't get any help from anyone. i don't know how we will survive in the days ahead. only allah knows how we will live. there are 15 people in the extended family to support. translation: it's hard to buy food, pay for the children's education and pay our expenses. this loss of income comes on top of the faltering global economy with devastating consequences around the world. 20 years of incredible progress on health and millions of people coming out of poverty has really stopped. south africa's struggle against tuberculosis is a classic example of how covid has hijacked health care. next to prosperous cape town lies the settlement of khayelitsha. tb is a disease that thrives on poverty and overcrowding. limited resources have been diverted to fighting covid—19, leaving thousands undiagnosed with tb. each one of them could infect up to ten other people. it is a ticking time bomb and ijust want to remind the viewers that tb remains the leading infectious disease killer globally, certainly in south africa. twice the number of people die from tb in south africa compared to covid—19. the arrival of covid vaccines brings hope but even this has the potential to widen the gap between rich and poor countries. if the first two billion doses of covid vaccines go only to rich countries, then not only will the pandemic last much longer but we will see twice as many deaths. we are not safe until everyone is safe. the pandemic has exposed the way in which the well—being of people around the world, whether they live in the north or south, whether they are rich or poor, is a shared problem, needing global solutions. george alagiah, bbc news. ma rainey‘s black bottom is one of the most anticipated films of the year and hotly tipped for oscars success. adapted from a cycle of plays by the pulitzer prize—winning playwright, august wilson — which chronicle the 20th century african american experience — it tells the story of the trailblazing blues singer ma rainey. the drama stars viola davis and chadwick boseman, who died of colon cancer this year. our arts editor, will gompertz spoke to viola davis and director george c. wolfe, from london's 100 club. testing, one, two,. one, two, you know what to do. # i'm on my way # as crazy as i can be... you're playing ma rainey, the legendary mother of the blues. it's the 19205. she's a very powerful black woman who knows her status but she is in conflict with white producers who control to a certain extent her creativity. you could argue you are also a powerful black woman now, nearly 100 years later. has much changed in the entertainment industry? there is still a huge deficit in terms of being in the total position of power, so that we don't have to go to white producers or white studio execs and have to over explain our work and over explain our artistry. we still have to achieve that. you care nothing about me. all you want is my voice. we're at the beginning of a race that has been going on for 401 years. that's like saying, i've got to run for 50,000 miles and ijust started yesterday and i was walking. laughter we still have a long way to go. but i feel like at least there is movement. i'm going to get me a band and make me some records. the character levee played by chadwick boseman who tragically died after making the movie, what was the process of making the movie with him like? he wasn't interested in black panther any more. he was a character actor trapped in a leading man's body. he wasn't interested in chadwick. in being the sexy lead of a movie. he was interested in the transformational value of the business. ma rainey is here. applause the fact it's set in 1927 and it deals with the dynamics of art, coming into contact with management, that it deals with race and the difference between the south and the north, every single thing that is still unresolved within the united states is, of course, going to resonate. # i'm on my way # crazy as i can be...# what's one as always on our website. you can reach me on twitter — i'm @bbckasiamadera. hello again. although skies across the uk on thursday were almost uniformly grey and drab, skies like these overhead in llangollen were pretty commonplace across the country. there were, however, big temperature contrasts from place to place. in the west, we had some milder atlantic air moving in. whereas across central and eastern england along with the whole of scotland, we had much colder continental air. in the west, temperatures reached double figures, it was actually quite mild, 10—11 celsius. but across central and eastern england and scotland, temperatures were more typically around 5—6 celsius. we only managed to get four in dalwhinnie in the highlands of scotland. so, there were some big contrasts. those contrasts were driven, really, by this weather front that's been bringing rain eastwards over recent hours. and it's, as well, been one of those nights where the milder air has been pushing in. temperatures for some have actually been rising throughout the night as well. so, for most of us, friday will get off to a relatively mild note but across eastern england, eastern scotland, there will still be some rain around. in fact, the rain will linger in aberdeenshire pretty much all day, bringing a risk of some localised flooding. but i suspect there will for a time in the morning be some low cloud for north east england and eastern scotland with some hill fog patches around. now, the skies do try to brighten up from the west but there will be plenty of showers coming through later on in the day. that milder air pushing into pretty much all of the uk though as we head towards the afternoon. so, temperatures will be lifting across those central and eastern areas. the weekend — well, we've still got low pressure loitering on the weather chart. that will continue to bring some rain for a time across scotland. the rain quite slow to ease across eastern areas of england — none of it particularly heavy, mind you — but later in the day, we'll start to see a ridge of high pressure building in from the west and that means that we should see more in the way of sunshine for northern ireland, for wales, for western and central southern areas of england. now, that sunshine isn't going to hang around too long because the ridge is going to move away to be replaced by the second half of this weekend by low pressure. that low pressure will be bringing south—westerly winds. so, again, we should see some milder air sloshing its way in across the uk. now, sunday promises to be quite a windy day. we may well even have gales for a time around some of our western coasts. there will certainly be a lot of rain around as well, and even as the rain clears, showers will follow on. temperatures though on the mild side, reaching a high towards the south west of 13 celsius. that's your latest weather. this is bbc news. the headlines. a panel of experts in the united states has endorsed the pfizer/biontech coronavirus vaccine for emergency use. it paves the way for approval by the us food and drug administration. the us hopes to have around 40 million doses of the vaccine ready by the end of the year. britain's prime minister has issues a warning that leaving issued a warning that leaving the eu's single market and customs union, without a trade deal, is now a strong possibility. borisjohnson, said the eu's current offer was unacceptable because it would keep the uk "locked" into its legal system. the british actress dame barbara windsor — best known for her role in the carry on films — has died aged 83. she later successfully crossed the generational divide, and becamejust as revered for her role as peggy mitchell, the queen vic's landlady in the bbc soap eastenders.