Hello and welcome. The European Union has backtracked this hour in a row with the United Kingdom over the export of Coronavirus Vaccines. Earlier, brussels introduced new controls giving Member States the power to block vaccines being sent abroad. Then to reinforce that, it announced the invoking of a clause in the brexit deal that would reinstate border checks between the eu and Northern Ireland, in Effect Stopping Vaccines entering the u k by the back door. It all underlines how sensitive the distribution of vaccines has become as nick beake reports. Throughout the week, this post brexit battle between the eu and a british based Vaccine Maker has been intensifying. European countries are demanding that astrazeneca delivers all the jabs they ordered, even if it means taking them from the uk supply. It all hangs on the contract the two sides signed thats now been released, although with parts blanked out. Astrazeneca says it agreed to do its reasonable best. The eu insists it was a legally binding promise. And so its now announced if it doesnt get what it ordered, it could block covid vaccines leaving europe heading for some countries, including the uk. We have to be very clear, and we have said it many times before. We are not protecting ourselves against any specific country, and were not in competition or in a race against any country. The only race were in is against this virus. At pfizers vaccine making hq in northern belgium, securitys tight. Few commodities more precious at the moment than covid jabs. Thats why theyre carefully escorted on their way. Its not yet clear how supplies to the uk will be affected by these it is an incredible state of affairs. It is an incredible state of affairs, but chose to me that all of their affairs, but chose to me that all of their words affairs, but chose to me that all of their words around protecting Northern Ireland, perfecting the belfast Northern Ireland, perfecting the belfast agreement. Is Northern Ireland, perfecting the belfast agreement. Belfast agreement. Is urgently seekin belfast agreement. Is urgently seeking an belfast agreement. Is urgently seeking an explanation belfast agreement. Is urgently seeking an explanation from i belfast agreement. Is urgently seeking an explanation from brussels and would not expect a friend and ally to disrupt its vaccine arrangement. The European Union is taking a tough line in this covid i9 row, but the same time it is facing heavy criticism for the slowness of its vaccination roll out. It is much than the uks. Throughout this pandemic, theyve insisted that all 27 countries need to Work Together when it comes to getting hold of them. So far, it has not worked well. Because this is a rare sight in cities like madrid. Thousands of other vexing appointments have had to have been postponed. The list of the belgian made pfizerjab two. To approve the Astrazeneca Vaccine, the company said was ready to ship millions ofjobs to europe and was to double its supply to other places. They have insisted the delivery of jabs will places. They have insisted the delivery ofjabs will not be affected by this deepening row. Im affected by this deepening row. Im not going to im not going to comment on the eus own discussions with those manufacturers. What we need to focus on is making sure uk residents and the nhs here gets the vaccines thats required, and as i say, were confident that we will be receiving what we expected in the days and weeks ahead. But one senior eu official accused borisjohnson� s government of wanting to start a vaccine war. Resolving this row is not going to be easy. Nick beake, bbc news, brussels. The European Union has now formally backtracked over that Northern Ireland export measure. Markus beckerjoins me now from brussels he is the eu correspondent for the german magazine der spiegel thank you very much forjoining us. To make sense of what has been going on . In to make sense of what has been going on . , , � to make sense of what has been going on . In a sense, yes. But does not make a lot on . In a sense, yes. But does not make a lot of on . In a sense, yes. But does not make a lot of sense on . In a sense, yes. But does not make a lot of sense is on . In a sense, yes. But does not make a lot of sense is someone. Make a lot of sense is someone raises the impression that article 60 is being triggered and why this is happened, how this is happened, i do not know. But in a broader sense, this is not very surprising, given the route between astrazeneca and the route between astrazeneca and the eu and the mounting political pressure inside the eu to get the Vaccination Strategy going in the past. Vaccination strategy going in the ast. ,. , past. How much pressure is there because things past. How much pressure is there because things are past. How much pressure is there because things are clearly past. How much pressure is there because things are clearly not because things are clearly not looking like theyre going their way. Looking like theyre going their wa. , , looking like theyre going their wa , , , looking like theyre going their wa. , ,. , way. The pressure is tremendous because everybody way. The pressure is tremendous because everybody is way. The pressure is tremendous because everybody is looking way. The pressure is tremendous because everybody is looking towards other countries where things are going faster like the United Kingdom, or israel and people are wondering why things take so long in the European Union even though this is an argument that you share a lot in germany and the best vaccine was developed in germany and so people are wondering why is this developed in germany, everyone else gets this except us and this is something that is hard to understand for people and on top of this comes this row with british swedish manufacturer astrazeneca which is pretty hard to understand, but only for the commission but also for a lot of europeans. Commission but also for a lot of eumpeans commission but also for a lot of europeans. Commission but also for a lot of euro eans. ~. ,. , europeans. Where did the eu go wrong with its vaccine europeans. Where did the eu go wrong with its Vaccine Procurement europeans. Where did the eu go wrong with its Vaccine Procurement plan . With its Vaccine Procurement plan . It is hard to say where went wrong, one of the things they did was first, they tried to get things on the cheap a little bit, but i was not the major issue. I think the major issue was the liability question. Especially with the United States company pfizer. In the United Kingdom didnt have this problem because they opted for an Emergency Procedure to get the vaccine approved and in this case, the state by definition is liable for everything which happened and the European Union did not want this and so, they opted for a standard procedure which stuck longer and then with pfizer, as people tell me about the liability questions, this has taken quite a while and they ordered things rather late. Haifa has taken quite a while and they ordered things rather late. How much dama. E ordered things rather late. How much damage you ordered things rather late. How much damage you think ordered things rather late. How much damage you think its ordered things rather late. How much damage you think its been ordered things rather late. How much damage you think its been done ordered things rather late. How much damage you think its been done to i damage you think its been done to the e reputation . Im damage you think its been done to the e reputation . The e reputation . Im sure other countries are the e reputation . Im sure other countries are thinking the e reputation . Im sure other countries are thinking what the e reputation . Im sure other countries are thinking what is i the e reputation . Im sure other i countries are thinking what is going on our . Countries are thinking what is going on your . Squabbling countries are thinking what is going on your . Squabbling over countries are thinking what is going on your . Squabbling over a countries are thinking what is going on your . Squabbling over a vaccine | on your . Squabbling over a vaccine between all these rich countries what about the rest of us . It is between all these rich countries what about the rest of us . It is a different meadow what about the rest of us . It is a different meadow when what about the rest of us . It is a different meadow when it what about the rest of us . It is a different meadow when it comesj what about the rest of us . It is a i different meadow when it comes to the reputation of the eu, i think things cut both ways. Several leave several legal experts, the eu even though it was redacted, and they agree that the legal experts agree that the eu seems to be in the right here because i was wondering about what was said earlier in the programme that impression of the United Kingdom that it is the United Kingdom, but actually the impression is exactly the other way around, that they think those doses or at least the doses that they ordered from astrazeneca, they belong to the eu and now theyre trying to make sure they actually get that. Sure they actually get that. Thank ou ve sure they actually get that. Thank you very much sure they actually get that. Thank you very much for sure they actually get that. Thank you very much for talking sure they actually get that. Thank you very much for talking to sure they actually get that. Thank you very much for talking to us. L now yet another new vaccine has been shown to be effective in major trials. The single shot Janssen Vaccine was found to be 66 effective overall and offered 85 protection against severe disease. On thursday, novavax announced its uk trials had shown its vaccine to be 89 per cent effective. And crucially that vaccine protects against the new more contagious uk variant. When those vaccines are approved theylljoin a number of other vaccines that have been authorized for emergency use, or given full backing in different parts of the world. So lets take a look at some of the vaccines already in use. The Pfizer Biontech vaccine has been cleared for use in thirty two nations, more than any other, with a reported efficacy of 95 percent. The Moderna Vaccine is reported to have an overall efficacy of ninety four point one percent and has been cleared for use in eleven countries. The Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine has a the overall efficacy was 70 percent ranging from 62 to 90 percent depending on the schedule of doses. Its now been approved in the e u. Russias sputnik vaccine has a ninety one point four percent efficacy thats according to the manufacturer. Its got Emergency Clearance in fifteen nations. And chinas coronavac vaccine, developed by sinovac, has been cleared in six countries. It was found to be fifty point four percent effective in brazilian clinical trials. While the news of so many vaccines is encouraging, americas top Infectious Disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci says we cant become complacent in fighting the virus. It is incentive to do what we have said all along, to vaccinate as many people as we can and as quickly as we possibly can. Because mutations occur, because the virus has a playing field, as it were, to mutate. If you stop that and stop the replication, viruses cannot mutate if they do not replicate. Anthony faucis message comes as the South African variant of the virus has now spread to the us. Scientists say its arrival could mark the beginning of an explosion in case numbers. At the same time, all of the new vaccines that have been developed, including the Johnson Johnsons vaccine announced today, appear to be less effective against the South African variant. Im joined now by andrewjoseph hes a reporter for stat news in boston, and has been following this issue closely. How worrying is this new variant appearance in the United States . I appearance in the United States . I think it is worrying for two issues in two reasons. It is more transmissible and there are other more transmissible variance, including the one that emerged in the uk that also appeared in the us. It could lead to more cases and we already have a lot of cases in the us. This is still being investigated but what impact it has on vaccines. There is some evidence that perhaps the current vaccines do not work as well against the variant, the first one from south africa, but that still needs to be figured out. What still needs to be figured out. What is the next step . Still needs to be figured out. What is the next step . What still needs to be figured out. What is the next step . What they cover, what they dont cover, its we looked into, isuppose, more deeply. Vaccines are not able light switch, they can prevent fewer people or allow more people to be affected by the virus but still be affected gets more severe Disease Events with johnson johnson� s data showed today. There is the nuance of merit. But scientists have realised the need to be on the ball and be ready to update the vaccines, maybe tweak the recipe a little bit to better suit the variance that are emerging and be able to switch over the manufacturing and much of regulatory clearance. ,. , , � clearance. How worrying isnt considering clearance. How worrying isnt considering breaking clearance. How worrying isntj considering breaking variance clearance. How worrying isnt considering breaking variance now and make it more variance in the future and keeping people vaccinated can put that worry at bay . I future and keeping people vaccinated can put that worry at bay . Can put that worry at bay . I think but thins can put that worry at bay . I think but things are can put that worry at bay . I think but things are true. Can put that worry at bay . I think but things are true. If can put that worry at bay . I think but things are true. If you can put that worry at bay . I think but things are true. If you are can put that worry at bay . I think. But things are true. If you are able to drive down cases, there is less replication, the virus spreading lesson gets less chance to mutate which is what doctor fauci was talking about. Viruses mutate and thats what they do. The coronavirus has shown it can mutate quite quickly in this case and it will keep evolving at the same time it can be like the flu were every year or so, the Vaccine Manufacturers will have to update their covid i9 vaccines as well. find will have to update their covid19 vaccines as well. Vaccines as well. And how much a etite vaccines as well. And how much appetite is vaccines as well. And how much appetite is there vaccines as well. And how much appetite is there amongst vaccines as well. And how much l appetite is there amongst people vaccines as well. And how much appetite is there amongst people to get the vaccine . What is that like and what if i going to be like in the coming years . And what if i going to be like in the coming years . That is a very important the coming years . That is a very important question. The coming years . That is a very important question. We the coming years . That is a very important question. We are the coming years . That is a very important question. We are still| the coming years . That is a very l important question. We are still at the point where the supply is way below the demand and that as i become an issue. As the supply increases, we are going to want as many people to get the vaccine as possible. There has been some data that shows people are warming to the idea of the vaccine and as they see so many people getting get on tv or on instagram, and people are reporting they feel fine after getting it, you need to reach hundreds of millions of people in the us to get to Herd Immunity and their title how to best reach people that have hesitance. That have hesitance. Thank you so much for giving that have hesitance. Thank you so much for giving us that have hesitance. Thank you so much for giving us your that have hesitance. Thank you so much for giving us your insight. I germany and france have tightened their border controls, over fears that new Coronavirus Variants might spread in europe. Berlin says most visitors from britain, ireland, portugal, brazil and south africa will be banned from saturday. Most non eu nationals will be excluded from france from sunday. The European Union remains opposed to a blanket travel ban. So, lots of information there about vaccines, wholl get them and how well they work. Its a lot to take in, so do visit our website where youll see a full breakdown from our team of expert correspondents. Bbc Dot Com Forward Slash news for all that and more. Stay with us on bbc news, still to come as concerns giow over myanmar� s fragile democracy following novembers election well speak live to the former dutch ambassador to the country to get her assessment. Music the Shuttle Challenger exploded soon after liftoff. There were seven astronauts on board, one of them a woman schoolteacher. All of them are believed to have been killed. By the evening, tahrir square, the heart of official cairo, was in the hands of the demonstrators. They were using the word revolution. The earthquake singled out buildings and brought them down in seconds. Tonight, the search for any survivors has an increasing desperation about it as the hours pass. The new government is firmly in control of the entire republic of uganda. Survivors of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp have been commemorating the 40th Anniversary of their liberation. They toured the huts, gas chambers and crematoria and relived their horrifying experiences. This is bbc news, the latest headlines. The European Union says it will introduce Export Controls on Coronavirus Vaccines as the row over delayed doses is ramping up. But the eu has backtracked on a plan to override part of the brexit deal to stop vaccines arriving in Northern Ireland. The un secretary general Antonio Gutteres has expressed � great concern over rising Political Tension in myanmar. The armed forces are contesting the results of the election last november, which was overwhelmingly won by the Ruling National League for democracy party, headed by Aung San Suu Kyi. The military has alleged widespread Voting Irregularities and has called for verifications to the countrys voting lists. Armoured vehicles have been deployed and Police Checkpoints set up just two days before the newly elected government is set to take power. Laetitia van den assum is a retired diplomat who previously served as dutch ambassador to myanmar. Shes also a former member of the Kofi Annan Commission which looked into ethnic reconciliation in rakhine state, at the request of myanmar� s leader Aung San Suu Kyi. What is your reading about what youre hearing about the situation right now . The youre hearing about the situation riaht now . ,. ,. ,. , right now . The situation is really uuite right now . The situation is really quite worrying right now . The situation is really quite worrying. It right now . The situation is really quite worrying. It has right now . The situation is really quite worrying. It has been quite worrying. It has been simmering for a while, but the issue is here is the disagreement of the outcome of the november national elections. These were won by a landslide by the league for democracy aung sang suu kyi. For a while everything looked set and to of the parliament which was supposed to take place on monday and moved to tuesday the army started to express discontent with the outcome of that election but acting on behalf of another party which is a proxy for the army was saying that there was mass fraud and malpractice. But not putting forward even a shred of evidence to underpin those claims. It seemed at first everything seemed about to quiet down untiljust a couple of days ago. There were ever greater indications that the army might be contemplating to take some kind of action and when the military spokesman was asked whether there might be a coup detat, he said there might be in there might not be. And even the Commander In Chief himself has made, has expressed his opinion about the situation and indicated the constitution might have to be redrawn which could make way for the army to take over. So, we have a situation where all these newly elected parliamentarians and their hundreds of them that were there to take their seats and so, also are all members of the outgoing government. But also are all members of the outgoing government government. But was aung san suu k is government. But was Aung San Suu Kyis position government. But was Aung San Suu Kyis position on government. But was Aung San Suu Kyis position on this . Government. But was Aung San Suu Kyis position on this . She government. But was Aung San Suu Kyis position on this . She has kyis position on this . She has resisted this. Kyis position on this . She has resisted this. She kyis position on this . She has resisted this. She clearly kyis position on this . She has i resisted this. She clearly rejected all of the claims by the army and over the past 2a hours, we have seen increased Security Presence in their armoured vehicles in the streets and there are access roads that have been blocked and so, the scene is one that is very serious. What is worrying is that the army has actually gone very far on the limp. Its not that easy to climb down without a huge loss of face if you do not get what it is that you want. But the army actually wants from Aung San Suu Kyi is probably more influence in the upcoming parliamentary term but also in the government that is about to be formed over the next couple of weeks and in theory, they will be losing some the influence that they have. Thank you so much for talking to us. China and hong kong have both announced that from january 31, they will no longer recognise British National 0verseas passports. Barring hong kongers from using them to pass through immigration, or as proof of identity. The move comes after the uk relaxed visa rules for bno passport holders and their close family, in response to a sweeping National Security law passed by beijing last year. The bbc� s asia Editor Rebecca hench key followed two protestors, with bno passports, now at a crossroads. To leave or to stay and fight . Like many protesters in hong kong, this is the decision a man we are calling h has had to make and he has decided to go. Translation i had never thought that i would become a refugee, but now it has happened. There is no other way. There are greater fears if i stay here and do not leave. Were concealing his identity, out of fears of a backlash from the authorities. He drives to the airport, through a city where, for over a year, he took part in increasingly violent protests, demanding more democracy and less chinese influence a Movement Stopped by a sweeping National Security law and the arrest of its young leaders. And hs motherfeared for her only child. Translation when can we reunite . I may not be able to see him for the rest of my life, but his safety is most important. Others, like this man, hs friend, have decided to stay. Translation i want to persevere to the last moment. Giving up on our home, where we were born and grew up, its not what we wanted. After making that decision, he took to the streets again. It was after the introduction of the National Security law. He was swiftly detained for unauthorised assembly. Police didnt press charges against him and, despite the risks, he wants to keep fighting. Translation even though we feel lost, we have to keep going. We can only see the light of hope if we persevere. Having made the decision to go, h feels he may never be able to go back. His battle now is to try and build a new life in sheffield, a very different place. Translation looking at whats happening in hong kong, especially i am now on the other side of the earth, i feel helpless. It is very difficult to have a concrete, long term plan. It is inevitable to feel lost. China accuses the uk of meddling in its internal affairs and, under the scheme, up to 5. 5 million hong kongers have the right to move to the uk. They, too, have to make an agonising choice to stay or to go . Rebecca henshke, bbc news. And before we go, in egypt you can literally � have your vaccine and eat it too. A Baker In Cairo is making Coronavirus Vaccine inspired cakes to mark one year of the pandemic. Her creation is made of Vanilla Sponge and filled with raspberry cream. After three days of baking and decorating, amy ezzat delivered her cake to covid i9 patients at a cairo hospital, where medical staff have just received their first vaccine. A sweet treat for all. Hello. We are in for a cold weekend. There is some sunshine in the forecast but also more rain, sleet and snow. Now, this time, the sleet and the snow should mostly fall across the hills. And at the moment, theres a battle between cold air coming in from the north and the milder air trying to spread in from the south. And this is also where we have a Weather Front, and that Weather Front will bring the rain, sleet and the snow on saturday. In fact, weve got a couple of Weather Fronts heading our way. This is just the first one which is moving across the uk as i speak. So, early in the morning, its very mild in the southwest of the country, so certainly no snow here. The further north you go, the temperatures do dip away, so some sleet and snow across the welsh hills. And then north of that, early on saturday morning, with the clear skies across the far north of england and scotland, theres a sharp frost. So, that sharp frost and clear skies in the morning across scotland and the far north of england. To the south of that, the cloudier weather come outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow. To the south coast, i think here, it is going to be far too mild for any wintry weather. Temperatures, for example, in plymouth will be around 10 degrees. But as the day wears on, some of that rain may turn to sleet and maybe somewhat snow across other cities of the south away from the southern counties. Now, through the night, saturday night into sunday, the skies will clear, so with that wet day, it is going to turn icy early in the morning on sunday, as temperatures dip away to freezing or below across many parts of the uk, and another very cold night there and scotland. Now, i mentioned two Weather Fronts, one on saturday. This is the next one paying us a visit on sunday. Now, remember, its a very chilly morning on sunday, the Weather Front is coming in, its subzero here, at least for a time, so some of this weather will be snowy. Sleet and snow certainly across the welsh hills, but there is a possibility of some wintry weather spreading to other parts of the country as well, not in the north and the northeast. Here, i think were in for some sunshine. And it is going to be chilly wherever you are. But the chilly weather isnt going to last for very long, particularly in the south. I think by the time we get to monday, tuesday and wednesday, for example, in the south, temperatures will be back into double figures. Bye bye. This is bbc world news. These are the headlines new European Union measures will force pharmaceutical companies to seek permission before supplying countries outside the bloc with vaccines produced in europe. The move comes amid a Supply Dispute between the eu and two manufacturers, astrazeneca and pfizer. The eu is backtracking on its plan to over ride part of the brexit deal and block vaccines from entering Northern Ireland. The European Commission now says it is not triggering the safeguard clause. Meanwhile, the european Medicens Agency says it recommends the covid i9 Astrazeneca Vaccine for authorisation in people aged 18 and older. This is the third covid i9 Vaccine The Ema has approved for use. The un secretary general, antonio guterres, has expressed great concern over rising Political Tension in myanmar. The armed forces are contesting the results of the election last november