from a free suchi deal. hello i'm christian fraser in london, laura trevelyan is in washington. in america the optimism is returning. this week the fed upgraded forecasts for growth, the economy is gaining new momentum, and joe biden says the us will cross 100—million vaccinations tomorrow, well ahead of schedule. contrast that with the picture here in europe. while president biden tries to reignite american exceptionalism, europe is floudering in a third wave of the virus; the vaccine rollout anything but exceptional. tonight the french prime minister announced paris and 16 french regions will return to lockdown for a month, from midnight tomorrow. rome and half of italy's regions are already in lockdown, germany is in the grip of a third wave — the number of new cases growing 20 per cent in the past week. the who says 20 thousand people are dying every week across europe, with the virus now sweeping east. we have now seen three consecutive weeks of growth in covid—19 cases. with over 1.2 million new cases reported last week across the european region. last week new deaths in the region surpassed 900,000. every week, more than 20,000 people across the region lose their lives to the virus. the number of people dying from covid—19 in europe is higher now than it was this time last year. the eu has vaccinated just 12 percent of its population and used just under half its stockpile of 15 million astrazeneca jabs. this week 13 countries suspended use of the vaccine, amid fears over rare blood clots . but today the ema concluded, as we knew it would, that the benefits from the vaccine in protecting people from covid—19, far outweighed the risks. the committee has come to a clear scientific conclusion. this is a safe and effective vaccine. its benefits in protecting people from covid—19 with the associated risks of death and hospitalisation outweigh the possible risks. which is great, but just as they clear it for use, along come renewed concerns over supply. britain's prime minister says he will be having his astrazeneca jab tomorrow. confident its safe. but the uk government says delays with their supply from india — down to technical difficultie — means the under —50's are unlikely to get theirjabs next month — as was briefed. lawrence gostin is chair in global health law at georgetown university and the director of the who's global health law centre. hejoins us from naples, florida. we will receive slightly fewer vaccines in april than in march but thatis vaccines in april than in march but that is still more than we received in february. and they supplied we do have real estate enable us to the targets we have set. lawrence gostin is chair in global health law at georgetown university and the director of the who's global health law centre. hejoins us from naples, florida. it's lovely to have you with us on the programme. it's really the tale of two continents at the moment although i know anthony felt she always looks —— looks towards him up and says maybe we are to our three weeks behind them but it is different this time because you're a long way ahead in your vaccination programme and will be further ahead in three weeks' time. you programme and will be further ahead in three weeks' time.— in three weeks' time. you have to remember _ in three weeks' time. you have to remember america _ in three weeks' time. you have to remember america was _ in three weeks' time. you have to remember america was among i in three weeks' time. you have to l remember america was among the in three weeks' time. you have to - remember america was among the worst performers in the world during the first year of the covid—19 pandemic or may be the worst and now we are among the very best in the world. certainly among a high population of countries in their top five and our rates per population and i think we are going to get to an astoundingly good vaccine coverage by the summer. that's really good news for america. i think anthony felt she is right. we need to mask up and we need to distance because variants are predominating and we cannot let our guard down right at the end. there is a very lively _ guard down right at the end. there is a very lively debate _ guard down right at the end. there is a very lively debate on _ guard down right at the end. there is a very lively debate on the - guard down right at the end. there is a very lively debate on the side between the eu and the uk over astrazeneca supply. i noticed today that biden administration announced it was going to send some ashes supply to mexico. of course, there is an ulterior motive. we will send different —— some vaccine and maybe you can stop some of the people coming to the border but there are 30 million doses in west chester ohio and i wonder whether you think the administration a set amy up at more sensitive that it sitting on vaccine that it's not using? i really should. in our geostrategic rivals, russia, china have been using vaccine diplomacy quite a lot. is it the right thing to do? the united states should share its supply particularly with the astrazeneca vaccine. we have not even giving eight emergency use authorisation here and it's a surplus and so i think thatjoe biden administration is planning on donating about 4 million doses, both the canada and mexico, our northern part in the dashboard and our southern border.— part in the dashboard and our southern border. .., , ,., southern border. ethically, both the us and the uk _ southern border. ethically, both the us and the uk have _ southern border. ethically, both the us and the uk have secured - southern border. ethically, both the us and the uk have secured about | us and the uk have secured about twice as many vaccines as they actually need. how can that be defended?— actually need. how can that be defended? ., ., ,, , defended? you are right. secondly as an ethical perspective _ defended? you are right. secondly as an ethical perspective i _ defended? you are right. secondly as an ethical perspective i think- defended? you are right. secondly as an ethical perspective i think every i an ethical perspective i think every country including the united states and the uk always primary duty to its own population but only to a point. right now we are ethically grotesque because the united states, uk, could get back to the near—normal levels. not quite but by the end of the year and we are seeing that the world are not going to be vaccinated fully for many years in some cases, currently in sub—saharan africa, on the nine countries in the whole continent have any vaccine and vaccinations so this is a vaccine apartheid as the administrative health of south africa has said, he said this was a moral catastrophe. just africa has said, he said this was a moral catastrophe.— moral catastrophe. just on a personal— moral catastrophe. just on a personal note, _ moral catastrophe. just on a personal note, i— moral catastrophe. just on a personal note, i know- moral catastrophe. just on a personal note, i know you . moral catastrophe. just on a l personal note, i know you are moral catastrophe. just on a - personal note, i know you are in florida and be able to see her four—year—old granddaughter for the first time in six months because he had been vaccinated, what is that like? ., ~ i. ., had been vaccinated, what is that like? ., ~ ., ., ,, had been vaccinated, what is that like? ., ~ ., ,, , had been vaccinated, what is that like? ., ~ ., ., ,, , ., like? thank you for asking. she is a 'o and like? thank you for asking. she is a joy and she — like? thank you for asking. she is a joy and she bring — like? thank you for asking. she is a joy and she bring such _ like? thank you for asking. she is a joy and she bring such love - like? thank you for asking. she is a joy and she bring such love to - like? thank you for asking. she is a joy and she bring such love to my i joy and she bring such love to my heart and to my wife's hearts and we are fully vaccinated and explain that it's been an amazing and we have not seen her in nearly a year and when we hugged each other and we first saw each other it was incredible. ifearthat first saw each other it was incredible. i fear that if a bit guilty. maybe a lot because i've had some match privilege in my life and i raced that same sense of love and freedom could be shared throughout the world but it's not and we really do need to think about what we to others and notjust to ourselves. setting a good example of that. something we can all aspire to. when president biden and vice president kamala harris are in atlanta on friday, they'll meet with people from the city's asian—american community. six asian american women were amoung the eight people killed in attacks on massage parlours in atlanta on tuesday — and vigils have been held across america today to remember those killed, amid rising concerns about anti asian sentiment. for many asian americans the gunman�*s intent was clear and a result of growing stereotyping and harassment they have confronted — a situation they say has only become worse during the coronavirus pandemic. these are some shared feelings of people who showed up at a vigil in washington dc the night after the shooting. just to be an asian american woman anywhere in the us. a lot of shot, —— shock, anger, pain. his anywhere in the us. a lot of shot, -- shock, anger, pain.— -- shock, anger, pain. his hate towards asian _ -- shock, anger, pain. his hate towards asian americans - -- shock, anger, pain. his hate towards asian americans has i -- shock, anger, pain. his hate i towards asian americans has been building _ towards asian americans has been building for years. there are really heartbreaking to see that people 'ust heartbreaking to see that people just let _ heartbreaking to see that people just let that discrimination take over— just let that discrimination take over and — just let that discrimination take over and create such pain. none of this is going _ over and create such pain. none of this is going to _ over and create such pain. none of this is going to stop _ over and create such pain. none of this is going to stop a _ over and create such pain. none of this is going to stop a few- over and create such pain. none of this is going to stop a few are - over and create such pain. none of this is going to stop a few are too l this is going to stop a few are too afraid _ this is going to stop a few are too afraid to — this is going to stop a few are too afraid to affect _ this is going to stop a few are too afraid to affect and _ this is going to stop a few are too afraid to affect and continent. - bee nguyen is a georgia state representative, and she joins us from atlanta, thank you for being late to at this difficult time. this aspect is claiming that racism had nothing to do it this crime and he said he was a sex addict. do asian american women face a particular kind of discrimination in america? i believe that we d0- — discrimination in america? i believe that we do. when _ discrimination in america? i believe that we do. when we _ discrimination in america? i believe that we do. when we talk _ discrimination in america? i believe that we do. when we talk about - discrimination in america? i believe that we do. when we talk about the j that we do. when we talk about the rise of hate crimes happening in america that is 100% —— of those crimes reported the 8% of those victims are asian women and in this particular horrific tragedy that asked asian women were killed and we also know that asian women have always been hyper sexualised i'm sexually exploited both in the united states and overseas hysterically and presently. this is an issue where many things converge and we are talking about is enough of and gender—based violence and their victims who were killed are specifically vulnerable because they rake in industries in which they may have been potentially exploited themselves and we know that four of themselves and we know that four of the women were korean between the ages of 50 and 70 and it's being reported that two of them after lived and work in response and then you think about that you are really thinking about really vulnerable people who are disconnected from community and disconnected from family and who don't have somebody who is making sure that they are ok. you are talking about asian american and pacific island that is, how difficult has this past year been for a year that he wrecked so many asian americans being blamed for the pandemic and president trump himself talking about the china virus? before president trump started characterising for virus as belonging to china where the fault of china or the fault of people who look chinese, asian americans have experienced racism and xenophobia in this country. i think since 2016 for four years of the former president has been extremely challenging both as a woman and a daughter of immigrants and of course over the last year just watching such targeted hatred being directed and being worried for my family and worry for my friends along with everything else that's happened in conjunction with the pandemic and some of the guidance related to the election, it's been extremely stressful. we know that the rise in hate crimes targeting our elderly folks has risen in the last couple of weeks but that this particular incident hitting so close to home and being so horrific and so violent, a lot of us are hurting and angry and we wantjustice. i can angry and we want 'ustice. i can hear that in h angry and we want 'ustice. i can hear that in your _ angry and we wantjustice. i can hear that in your voice - angry and we wantjustice. i can hear that in your voice and - angry and we wantjustice. i can hear that in your voice and i'm l hear that in your voice and i'm really sorry that it's such an awful time for you in the community. i want to ask you about the police because that spokesperson for that cherokee county sheriffs office said that the men had had a bad day, a bad day. how does that make you feel? we have heard this before and we have seen this pattern of behaviour by law enforcement by mainstream media before where the efforts to humanise the perpetrator to find some reason or some justification as to why an individual would act so incredibly violently. so it's not nearly and it's not but it's enraging all the same. the conversations ought to be around a bit and theirfamilies and loved ones and the remaining people who are impacted by this incident. i think you make a really good point because sometimes the media searches for a singular narrative on something like this and it's more than that like you say it's misogyny and gender. what about tomorrow when the president comes down there? he was coming to talk about the rescue plan and that will go away. he did talk about the attacks on asian americans. what do you need him to do and what do you need him to say? the president and the vice president have been very vocal about the increase in hate crimes against folks and i deeply appreciate it. it's much different from the previous administration and my hope is we can discuss how this incident in atlanta were behind of moving forward and what role the president can take him back from their perspective and the fbi perspective if needed. but also talking about what asians living in this country needed. a lot of those things are language —based resources to deal with things like the public health crisis and also to recognise that our interaction with law enforcement much like the black community here in america is different. we did not necessarily feel safer with increased law enforcement and there are language barriers and concerns around documentation and citizenship. we would also like to talk to the president about the greater scope of immigration in our country itself. greater scope of immigration in our country itself-— country itself. thank you for 'oinin: country itself. thank you for joining us — country itself. thank you for joining us on _ country itself. thank you for joining us on a _ country itself. thank you for joining us on a difficult - country itself. thank you forj joining us on a difficult night country itself. thank you for - joining us on a difficult night for atlanta. for those watching on bbc world news — we'll be right back. the bbc has been told that a majority of msps on the holyrood committee that's investigating the handling of harrassment claims against alex salmond believe nicola sturgeon misled their inquiry. it's understood they voted five to four that ms sturgeon gave them an inaccurate account when she answered their questions last thursday. a spokesman for the first minister has insisted she told the truth. the committee's full report is due to be released next week. our political correspondent nick eardley describes it as potentially a big moment for nicola sturgeon. the committee that's been looking into the scottish government's handling of harassment allegations made against alex salmond has been meeting tonight to discuss its final findings, and sources have told the bbc that, by 5—4, they have found that the first minister, nicola sturgeon, misled that committee. now, the details of that haven't been published. some are still urging some caution when it comes to the final wording, but this is a really significant moment because a committee of the scottish parliament, according to our sources, is saying that the first minister has not been fully truthful with them about what went on in that process. now, we have heard briefly from nicola sturgeon tonight. she told sky news that she would wait to see what the committee said. the scottish government is putting more emphasis on another report, which is from nicola sturgeon's independent adviser on the ministerial code. he is due to report in the coming days. but the scottish conservatives are saying tonight that there is no trust in the first minister now. they've been saying for some time that she should resign. a week today, the scottish parliament breaks up for the election on may 6. there is going to be a flurry of activity in the next few days, and a lot of this is going to now focus on the conclusion of that committee, sources telling the bbc tonight that it has found that it believes nicola sturgeon misled the committee and therefore parliament. relations between the us and china are colder than the alaskan permafrost —— so where better than snowy anchorage for the two sides to meet and take stock ofjust where they are at. there will be no great thaw in relations, no agreements no accords, and perhaps no great change in direction for the biden administration, from the hardline position that donald trump had set out for. for the past few years, beijing and washington have been at loggerheads over all manner of issues, technology, human right and of course the simmering trade war. for mr biden his focus is on uniting allies to counter beijing's coercive diplomacy while positioning the us to better—compete with china. so let's go live to anchorage and speak to the bbc�*s barbara plett usher. i was thinking today when he has cut all this problem on the us, mexican boy derek, president biden can hardly sustain any weakness or any sign of weakness when dealing with china. . , sign of weakness when dealing with china. ., , . ., , china. that is certainly the approach _ china. that is certainly the approach the _ china. that is certainly the l approach the administration china. that is certainly the - approach the administration is taking. it's become a man try. our strategy is to come to retrieve a position of strength and position of strength. and they are serious about that. one of the race they are doing that. one of the race they are doing thatis that. one of the race they are doing that is