welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. several leading eu states say they'll re—start the roll—out of the oxford—astrazeneca vaccine after europe's medicines regulator concluded the jab was "safe and effective". the european medicines agency has been conducting a review after 13 member states suspended use of the astrazeneca vaccine, over fears of a possible link with blood clots. now the ema is saying that while it cannot definitively rule out a connection, these cases are very rare , and the benefits of using the astrazeneca vaccine outweigh the risks: every injection, every vaccine given is another person protected. half a million people a day here are getting immunised at present. many eu countries suspended using the oxford astrazeneca jab pending the outcome of today's safety review. in hull, there was no sign of vaccine hesitancy. i was waiting a long time. i'm in my 60s, and i've only just really got mine, so i was just happy it's finally done. ijust took on board this is my appointment, this is what needs doing, this is keeping everyone safe so let's go ahead and get it done. the uk medicines regulator said after a rigorous review, there was no evidence that blood clots were caused by the oxford astrazeneca vaccine. it looked in particular at five cases of rare clots in the brain among 11 million people immunised by the nhs. all were men under 60, one of whom died. it said, given the link was unproven, the benefits of the vaccine far outweighed potential side effects. for those in their 40s, the risk of dying after covid infection is one in a thousand. as a precautionary measure, it's advising anyone with a headache that lasts more than four days after vaccination to seek medical attention. there is no difference that blood clots in veins are occurring more than would be expected in the absence of vaccination, for either vaccine. the public can have every confidence in the thoroughness of our review. and in amsterdam, the european medicines agency has come to the same conclusion about the astrazeneca jab. 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. the committee also concluded that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of thromboembolic events, or blood clots. the prime minister, who's 56, will get his first dose of the astrazeneca vaccine tomorrow, and said all adults would be offered a jab by the end ofjuly. our progress along the road - to freedom continues unchecked. we remain on track to reclaim the things we love, _ to see our families and friends again, to return to our- local pubs, our gyms and sports facilities, | and, of course, our shops. all, of course, as long - as the data continue to go in the right direction, - and we meet our four tests. those in their 40s seem likely to have to wait until may to get their first vaccine, because older people will be getting their second shot, and there won't be enough extra doses to go around, due to supply issues caused by a delay in a delivery of vaccine from india and a batch here that needed retesting. half of all adults in the uk have now had a first dose of vaccine. the head of the nhs in england, sir simon stevens, got the astrazeneca jab at westminster abbey. safe and effective vaccines will answer all our prayers to be delivered from this pandemic. fergus walsh, bbc news. us presidentjoe biden has announced that his target of 100 million vaccine doses adminsitered in his first 100 days is due to be completed tomorrow, over a month ahead of schedule. the white house also said that it has vaccinated enough of its own citizens that it could start sending its stockpile abroad. 1.5 million viles are now due to be shipped to canada and 2.5 million will be sent across the southern border to mexico. mr mr biden says the majority of its most vulnerable citizens have receievd at least one dose. eight weeks ago, only 8% of seniors — those most vulnerable to covid—19 — had received a vaccination. today, 65% of people aged 65 or older have received at least one shot. and 36% are fully vaccinated. and that's key because this is a population that represents 80% of the well over 500,000 covid—19 deaths that have occurred in america. an associate professor at the university of north carolina and has written a piece for the new york times entitled: let 0ur doses go! thank you for inviting me. it seems that the doses are heading across the border, what is your reaction? i heading across the border, what is your reaction?— is your reaction? i am thrilled. _ is your reaction? i am thrilled. this - is your reaction? i am thrilled. this is - is your reaction? i am thrilled. this is a - is your reaction? i am thrilled. this is a veryj thrilled. this is a very positive move. part of the issue was the us, like many other countries, pre—purchased a lot of vaccines not knowing which ones would work, which ones would provide the protection we need and we've been really lucky that the madonna, and other two are approved here and are working great and the oxford, while it is approved around the world, is approved around the world, is still going through the process here and we have perhaps as many as 30-60,000,000 in the perhaps as many as 30—60,000,000 in the process of being bottled up ready to ship. and they need to go where they can do more good right now and it looks like it has started. explain briefly while other countries around the world have already approved it, why is the us so far behind?— already approved it, why is the us so far behind? what happened is the oxford _ us so far behind? what happened is the oxford trial— us so far behind? what happened is the oxford trial came _ us so far behind? what happened is the oxford trial came out - us so far behind? what happened is the oxford trial came out in - is the oxford trial came out in a fairly confusing way. there was a dowsing however which then they they merged some trials and fixed the dowsing error in the booster and that doesn't really fit the us standard. this is not how it is supposed to happen and fortuitously, at this point, we have a lot of real—world data from the uk, scotland, it shows that it from the uk, scotland, it shows thatitis from the uk, scotland, it shows that it is going really great but it hasn't been to the us process because of their errors and the way it was merged in the pooling and then it didn't really fit what the fda wanted so the fda basically said you've got to do a us trial which isjust you've got to do a us trial which is just concluding, you've got to do a us trial which isjust concluding, it has just finished the cases it needed to find but it is still going to take another month so it is not going to be going to our process. even though it has been approved by the world health organization for the global initiative it is approved in europe, canada, mexico, more than 100 countries so hopefully it can be used right now. i so hopefully it can be used right "ow-— so hopefully it can be used riaht now. . . right now. i am sure there will be some _ right now. i am sure there will be some people _ right now. i am sure there will be some people in _ right now. i am sure there will be some people in america i be some people in america saying, hang on. not everyone has been vaccinated, why are we shipping these abroad. i has been vaccinated, why are we shipping these abroad.— shipping these abroad. i have heard that — shipping these abroad. i have heard that nonstop _ shipping these abroad. i have heard that nonstop since - shipping these abroad. i have heard that nonstop since i - shipping these abroad. i havel heard that nonstop since i said let our doses go. i've heard people say i cannot get an appointment in denver or san francisco and i kept explaining that we are really in a lucky stage right now in the united states that our available supplies so robust so that the bureaucracy and the rest of it finishes in the us. every adult who wants one is going to be able to make an appointment so it doesn't solve a problem right now because it is just sitting in a warehouse in baltimore but it is not going to be a run time so i think that was part of the political problem. no politician wants to be seen as giving away doses when their own citizens are wanting some but we are in this together. right? it is a global for everyone and plus, right now, we need to direct doses to wear the crises are. south america has a huge surge, europe has issues, canada and mexico are suffering. so i'm hoping this is the first step in which, the us went to a major crisis too, the us starts playing a positive leadership role in a way that helps lots of other countries because we are going to have a surplus here. france will resume the rollout of the astra zeneca vaccine from tomorrow. the country is facing a third wave of coronavirus, with intensive care beds in the region of paris almost completely full. the french prime minister, jean castex, has announced a regional lockdown on the capital and in other regions with high infection rates. translation: in these 16 - regions, new massive measures to restrain the epidemic will be in place on friday night at midnight, for four weeks. it's a third path that we're taking, a path which should allow us to restrain the virus without locking up. these measures will be different from lockdowns we had in place last march and november. because, since the beginning of the epidemic, exactly one year ago, the crisis has gone on, but we have learned. let's get some of the day's other news. eavy rains have caused widespread damage in northern peru, with fifteen homes being washed away and hundreds of farms destroyed by rising floodwaters. almost 4,000 families have been cut off, but authorities say no lives have been lost. north korea has announced that it will cut all diplomatic ties with malaysia for extraditing one of its nationals to the united states to face money laundering charges. the north korean is accused of supplying luxury goods from singapore to pyongyang. he could become the first north korean to stand trial for alleged sanctions—related crimes in the us. world athletics has allowed the return of russian track and field athletes competing under a neutralflag to international events, including the olympic games. their number will be limited to ten. the athletes will have to meet anti—doping criteria, and their participation will continue to depend on the russian athletics federation meeting certain targets in its reform programme. it was billed as a chance to reset relations between the world's two biggest economies, but there's no indication so far these two giants are warming up to each other. america's top diplomat antony blinken is meeting his opposite numberfrom china, against the snowy backdrop of alaska. but in their opening remarks, the two sides leveled sharp rebukes of each others' policies. today, we will have an opportunity to discuss key priorities, both domestic and global, so that china can better understand our administration's intentions and approach. we'll also discuss our deep concerns with actions by china, including in xinjiang, hong kong, taiwan, cyber attacks on the united states, economic coercion towards our allies. i've said that the united states' relationship with china will be competitive where it should be, collaborative where it can be, adversarial where it must be. translation: the people of the two countries - and the world are hoping to see practical outcomes coming out of our dialogue. and for xinjiang, tibet, and taiwan, they are an inalienable part of china's territory. china is firmly opposed to the us' interference in china's internal affairs. we have expressed our staunch opposition to such interference, and we will take firm actions in response. the venue for their meeting is the us state of alaska, and i'm joined now by our state department correspondent barbara plett—usher who's in anchorage great to see you. the strange approach to diplomacy on both sides giving a long list of things they don't like about each other. well, actually, the opening statements turned out to be a rather unusually undiplomatic exchange because you had america saying what they said they would say, talking about china's policies and economic equation as he calls it, saying these things are not internal matters but infected global stability and he would raise these issues but then the chinese shot back quite bluntly and said we don't follow the rules and you should not advance your own system of democracy because it is not necessarily superior and anywhere you're dealing with your own internal problems and social unrest so don't try to tell us what to do and then that was the end of the formal comments and the two sides went back and forth for a bit kind of having the counter says in defending each other and then someone would call a press back and say i want to add this and so on. it was an unusual public sparring event and after a senior official accused the chinese of grandstanding in that opening session but he said we will continue to go ahead with business as planned in the first session is now ended and they have two more to go. ended and they have two more to .o_ ., ~' ended and they have two more to to. ., " , ., ended and they have two more to no. . ~ i., ., ., thank you for that. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: as security forces in myanmar resort to increasingly violent tactics to suppress daily demonstrations, we speak to the family of a 17—year—old medical student who died in a protest. today, we have closed the book on apartheid, and that chapter. this is bbc world news, the latest headlines: italy, germany and france resume rollout of the astrazeneca vaccine, after europe's medicines authority says the jab is safe and effective. the french capital paris and 15 other regions is set to go into a month—long covid lockdown as the country fears a third wave. president biden and vice president kamala harris will be in atlanta on friday to 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. to be an asian american women anywhere in the us. a lot of shock, anger, pain. there is hate towards asian—americans hate towards asian—america ns and hate towards asian—americans and has been building for years. it is really hard to see people just that logical discrimination take over and it such pain none of this is going to stop if you're going to be too afraid to encounter it to stop if you're going to be too afraid to well, a georgia sheriff's office captain has been replaced as the spokesman of the investigation into the massage parlor shootings, after he drew widespread outrage for saying the suspect had had a "really bad day" and for anti—asian facebook posts he made last year. captain jay baker was criticised for what he said in a news conference on wednesday, that the 21—year—old suspect had had "a really bad day" and "this is what he did". the cherokee county's communications director will now be handling all future media inquries. atlanta police say the investigation is ongoing and they're still trying to determine a motive. protesters are demanding the shootings are labelled a hate crime. let's talk more about this with stephanie cho. she is the executive director of asian americans advancing justice in atlanta, where she joins us from today. thank you for coming on the programme. what is your reaction to what we are learning now about the comments and those facebook posts? it is disturbing that it is not surprising. people are concerned in the community about how going to handle this investigation as they have handled investigations concerning black americans. is it difficult for you and people across the country to have that confidence in police investigations when comments like that seem to undermine so much of what is trying to be achieved? i much of what is trying to be achieved?— achieved? i think it is really symbolic— achieved? i think it is really symbolic and _ achieved? i think it is really symbolic and sort _ achieved? i think it is really symbolic and sort of- achieved? i think it is really symbolic and sort of a - achieved? i think it is really i symbolic and sort of a general antiaging are experiencing here in the us and largely in georgia too and so far as, it is not surprising and it has honestly been a long history of anti—asian sentiment among many people throughout the country. do you see it peaking in recent times and you know why? it is definitely _ times and you know why? it is definitely come _ times and you know why? it is definitely come from - times and you know why? it 3 definitely come from the highest levels and it was having repeated the daily former president trump saying the china virus and demeaning as in scapegoating as and that blame really ignited so much in the country plus all the fears people were having that really, really, this shooting is what everybody feared. we had been reporting and you saw on the news to the news is also reporting incidents of hate and attacks on asian—americans, particularly women and now it has been nurse and everyone was afraid this was where it was going. afraid this was where it was anoin. ~ . afraid this was where it was hoin _ . ., ., afraid this was where it was hoinr ., ., ,., afraid this was where it was hoinr ., ., “ afraid this was where it was hoinl. ., ., ~' , going. what do you think needs to ha en going. what do you think needs to happen now? _ going. what do you think needs to happen now? think- going. what do you think needs to happen now? think really . to happen now? think really this is a time _ to happen now? think really this is a time for— to happen now? think really this is a time for the - this is a time for the asian—american community to come together and figure out some real solutions in our country. we are grieving. i'm raising an asian american daughter and i had a what is happening. this is a time for us to really reckon with what it is that we wantjustice to look like for ourselves and for others. this is the time to really look at the policies that are in place. how a real safety and how do we heal? how a real safety and how do we heal? more than 200 protesters have been killed by myanmar�*s security forces in crackdowns since the coup on february 1st. a un team investigating war crimes has asked people to collect evidence of atrocities by the military authorities. but the violence has continued and more people have been killed on the streets. bbc�*s nyein chan aye met the family of a 17—year—old medical student in yangon who died in a protest. a young life cut short. khant nyar hein was a medical student, just 17. he was shot in the head during a protest. kind—hearted and bright, he excelled in education, according to his chinese parents who were born in myanmar. khant nyar heinjoined the protests on 1a march without telling anyone — all heartbreaking now for his parents. translation: | took my bike | and went out to search for him. then i heard gunfire. i heard someone say someone had fallen. kids were running. it was chaos. i didn't think it was my son totally. i did watch the videos. i can't bear it in my heart. when it happened, i was around the area looking for him. translation: what happened was that he was using - a shield to protect others. there were only 20 of them by the police station. they shot him from inside. the video i've seen shows that he fell down. a girl was shielding him as he fell. peop