against alex salmond say the first minister misled them while giving evidence this month. sharp words exchanged at the first high—level meeting between america's new presidential administration and china. and coming up this hour... as part of our young reporter series, we hearfrom an apprentice footballer about the pressures of trying to make it as a professional. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. germany's health minister has warned there is not enough coronavirus vaccine to stop a third wave in europe. germany is facing further restrictions because the number of cases are rising rapidly. some eu countries — including germany — will resume the roll—out of the astrazeneca jab today, following a pause over safety concerns. the european medicines agency reviewed the jab and found that it was "not associated" with a higher risk of blood clots. france, germany and italy, along with cyprus, latvia and lithuania, are to restart use of the jab today while spain, portugal and the netherlands will do so next week. but norway, sweden and denmark have said they won't use the astrazeneca vaccine while they conduct their own independent reviews. in france, 35,000 new coronavirus infections have been recorded in the past 2a hours, and the country fears a third wave of coronavirus. so from midnight tonight, 21 million people across 16 areas of the country, including paris, will be placed under a new month—long lockdown. in the uk, the prime minister is due to receive the oxford astrazeneca vaccine today and has assured the public it is safe. borisjohnson has urged people to get vaccinated and says england's roadmap out of lockdown is on track, despite a drop in vaccine supply. here's our health correspondent katherine da costa. the oxford astrazeneca vaccine is safe and effective at preventing covid with no increased risk of blood clots. that's the consensus among regulators and a message the prime minister hopes will be heard around the world. today, the european medicines agency has come to a clear scientific conclusion, and i quote, "this is a safe and effective vaccine". so the oxford jab is safe and the pfizerjab is safe. the thing that isn't safe is catching covid, which is why it's so important that we all get ourjabs as soon as oui’ turn comes. the european medicines regulator carried out a thorough review looking at data from 20 million vaccinated people. it looked in particular at rare blood clots in the brain and found 18 cases, including five in the uk. there is no evidence of a link to the vaccine, but they will continue to monitor this condition and are advising people with a number of symptoms including a persistent headache or unusual bruising to seek medical advice. it's very unfortunate there was the pause, for two reasons. firstly, it loses time, and bearing in mind in the eu there are currently over 2000 deaths per day from covid, so this is a very pressing public health emergency. the second aspect is public confidence. will people now be willing to get their vaccine as quickly as possible, because that's the way that these successive waves are going to be stamped out. italy and france are among the first to announce they will resume using the astrazeneca vaccine, and it can't come soon enough. they are among several european countries experiencing a third wave in new infections with further lockdown measures being introduced. katharine da costa, bbc news. as you've been hearing several european countries, including germany, france and italy will resume using the 0xford astrazeneca vaccine after regulators found no evidence it causes blood clots. it comes as the german health minister warns that there isn't enough vaccine in europe to stop a third wave. 0ur europe correspondent nick beake is in brussels. i asked him about these claims. i think that's a very stark and worrying warning coming from germany this morning, the fact they believe there are not enough vaccines on the continent. it's a combination of factors, some really worrying factors. you mentioned france. tonight, paris and 15 other regions of the country will be put into much stricter lockdown measures because the number of people in intensive care in paris is higher than during the second wave back in november, so france is a concern. germany are clearly worried as well. central and eastern europe, rising cases. i have just looked at the latest figures for poland, a 30% rise in new cases in the past week. alongside this picture of the graphs going the wrong way with the number of cases going up, there are problems with vaccines and we know they haven't been getting the vaccines from britain, from astrazeneca, that they wanted. the european commission talking about 100 million fewer doses coming to the eu in the three months from april, so it's really a pretty bleak picture, i'm afraid. if we look at the stats, per 100 of the population, the uk has vaccinated almost a0. belgium, france, germany, all at 11 per 100 of the population or under, so it's a significant gap. does this all increase the potential of export bans coming from the eu to the uk? if you look at all the factors involved, ursula von der leyen, the head of the european commission, said this week that all options were available to the eu, so by that people assume she meant an export ban. they won't like me calling it that, but that's what it would be, restricting supplies, particularly the pfizerjab, made here in belgium, going towards the united kingdom. so you have the prospect of a disruption in the supply chain. all the while you have millions of vaccines across europe, some reports of 7 million vaccines of the astrazeneca jab, that are not being used because of a combination of factors. people are reluctant to take it and also we know there has been a pause in the use of it. yes, in places like france, germany and italy they will roll it out once again today. the french prime minister will be among those taking it. possibly prime minister mario draghi of italy will take it. this is to try to sway a sceptical public, but they are playing catch up. we have heard some eminent scientists say in the last couple of days that potentially, this lull, this pause in the roll—out of the astrazeneca vaccine could lead to the deaths of thousands of more people. playing catch up and notwithstanding supply issues, how much does vaccine hesitancy among the general population have to play at this point? i think it's a pretty crucial factor. france is somewhere where they are known for being pretty hesitant when it comes to taking some vaccines. here in belgium, i was at the biggest centre for giving out the vaccine a couple of days ago and we met some doctors and nurses there and they were not willing to take it, and these are scientific experts, it's what they do, and they say, yes, we know we have heard the regulator say there is no risk and this vaccine should be taken, but look at the swirl of disinformation and concern. going back to france, the prime minister may well be taking the astrazeneca vaccine today, but people in france are not daft. a few months ago, their president, emmanuel macron, mused openly that the astrazeneca vaccine may be quasi—ineffective, and it may not work in the older population. that's an assessment that the regulator in europe has never shared, but it makes an impression on people and sticks in their minds. thank you, nick beake in brussels. uk death rates have been overtaken by six other european countries in the autumn waves of covid—19. the uk experienced one of the worst rates of death in europe in the first half of the year. but in the second half of the year, six countries overtook the uk. let's talk to our head of statisitcs robert cuffe. taking our minds back to around june of last year, by then the uk had seen roughly 7% more deaths than we would expect, that's a huge deal. 7% is a once—in—a—lifetime increase in death rates and that's one of the worst figures we saw in europe. but things haven't changed very much overall in the uk, whereas they have got worse in some countries that were doing better at the time. we can show this analysis from the office for national statistics. we see how much worse than death rates are compared to what you would expect. the uk, in the middle of the year at around 7% but not getting much worse, the lying flat throughout the rest of europe until december. but countries like poland, who earlier in the epidemic looked a lot better than the uk, have had a really tough second wave and we see now that they are seeing death rates of more than 10% above expected levels for the whole of 2020, so a big change over the course of the year. these kinds of league tables are difficult because everyone is having a tough time but these show who is hardest hit.— having a tough time but these show who is hardest hit. when we think of auestions who is hardest hit. when we think of questions like. _ who is hardest hit. when we think of questions like, do _ who is hardest hit. when we think of questions like, do these _ who is hardest hit. when we think of questions like, do these tables - who is hardest hit. when we think of questions like, do these tables tell i questions like, do these tables tell the full story, of course they don't. , u, �* the full story, of course they don't. ,�* _ , , don't. they can't possibly because this is still very _ don't. they can't possibly because this is still very early _ don't. they can't possibly because this is still very early in _ don't. they can't possibly because this is still very early in the - this is still very early in the epidemic. if we think about deaths in the uk alone, covid deaths, around 89,020 20, and we have seen another 56,000 since then. this doesnt another 56,000 since then. this doesn't cover — another 56,000 since then. this doesn't cover all _ another 56,000 since then. this doesn't cover all the _ another 56,000 since then. this doesn't cover all the deaths at the begin of this year in the uk. this is 'ust begin of this year in the uk. this isiust 2020- _ begin of this year in the uk. this is just 2020. now— begin of this year in the uk. this isjust 2020. now in _ begin of this year in the uk. ti 3 is just 2020. now in the begin of this year in the uk. ti 3 isjust 2020. now in the uk begin of this year in the uk. t1151 isjust 2020. now in the uk cases is just 2020. now in the uk cases are coming down, but we are seeing much higher levels of infection in france with new lockdowns and vaccination rates are rolling out a different rates. if you are going to do this kind of analysis and with these league tables and the caveats we have mentioned, this is probably the best way to do it because it takes account of the different ages of populations and the different death rates so it's much better to look at these more sophisticated analyses than looking at daily figures every day to see who is doing best and worst. the story is not over yet but this is a good analysis to try to see who is having analysis to try to see who is having a tough time at the moment. robert cuffe, head — a tough time at the moment. robert cuffe. head of— a tough time at the moment. robert cuffe, head of statistics, _ a tough time at the moment. robert cuffe, head of statistics, thank - cuffe, head of statistics, thank you. scotland's first minister, nicola sturgeon, is facing calls to resign, because a committee of msps concluded she misled them in their inquiry into the handling of harrassment claims against her predecessor, alex salmond. it's understood they voted five to four that she gave them an inaccurate account when she answered their questions two weeks ago.the first minister says she stands by what she said. 0ur political correspondent nick eardley has this report. i solemnly, sincerely and truly declare... this is nicola sturgeon two weeks ago. giving evidence to the scottish parliament about how her government handled allegations of sexual harassment against alex salmond. it was a mammoth session, eight hours in total. but the committee has decided she misled them in the process. in a meeting last night, a narrow majority of the committee, five to four, made the decision. their full report will be published next week but opposition parties say ms sturgeon can no longer be trusted. it's absolutely, abundantly clear that nicola sturgeon has breached the ministerial code. as first minister, you cannot continue if you have been untruthful, if you have misled parliament, and you've misled the people of scotland. it is a resigning matter, pure and simple. the first minister has always denied misleading msps and last night, she stood by her evidence. she said... this committee has unfortunately experienced an awful lot of leaking and information coming out in ways that are neither helpful nor necessarily accurate. i think that this is more of the challenge that we see again here, and i will be waiting to hear from the actual report. in under a week, the scottish parliament will break up for the election. the coming days will be dominated by questions over whether ms sturgeon misled parliament. the election campaign may well be too. nick eardley, bbc news, glasgow. we can speak now to sirjohn curtice, who's professor of politics at the university of strathclyde. good to see you, as ever. 0ne analysis of all this is that it looks very partisan, the support absolutely, opposition to nicola sturgeon, absolutely divided along party lines. what are your thoughts so far? i party lines. what are your thoughts so far? ~' ., ., so far? i think in truth it looks like the committee _ so far? i think in truth it looks like the committee is - so far? i think in truth it looks like the committee is focusing so far? i think in truth it looks i like the committee is focusing in so far? i think in truth it looks - like the committee is focusing in on the area that perhaps most independent commentators would suggest was perhaps the greatest area of the first minister's evidence. but essentially what they are saying is we think you did suggest to mr alex salmond that you would help them out in a famous meeting at the begin of april, contrary to what she said, not in all her evidence, but in the written evidence, it sounds as though the committee is particularly concerned about that written evidence. it goes on to say, actually what you did after the meeting, perhaps you should have told the permanent secretary earlier and perhaps you shouldn't have taken more phone calls from alex salmond. in truth, this was always the grey area for nicola sturgeon. but let's be aware that so far at least we are not being told that the committee has concluded that nicola sturgeon was indeed party to a conspiracy to bring alex salmond down and along the way were seeking out complainants and that nicola sturgeon was part of that. there is another independent _ sturgeon was part of that. there is another independent report - sturgeon was part of that. there is another independent report on - sturgeon was part of that. there is another independent report on all| another independent report on all this that is due.— this that is due. there is. that's the second _ this that is due. there is. that's the second thing _ this that is due. there is. that's the second thing to _ this that is due. there is. that's the second thing to add, - this that is due. there is. that's the second thing to add, there i this that is due. there is. that's i the second thing to add, there will be an independent report from mr hamilton on, the lawyer from ireland, that we expect to come out. maybe he will make not to similar criticisms, but in the end the argument is about an error of judgment and about actually maybe you didn't quite remember things accurately. so long as it stays in that grey area, yes, some voters will be upset and unhappy but they will be upset and unhappy but they will be upset and unhappy but they will be predominantly people who would vote for the conservatives anyway. but she wants to avoid mr hamilton in particular coming to the conclusion that she knowingly misled parliament over her dealings with alex salmond. but that doesn't seem to be the conclusion of the committee.— to be the conclusion of the committee. ~ ., ., , ., , ., committee. what does all this mean for nicola sturgeon's _ committee. what does all this mean for nicola sturgeon's future - committee. what does all this mean for nicola sturgeon's future and - committee. what does all this mean for nicola sturgeon's future and the | for nicola sturgeon's future and the push for independence, with which she is absolutely connected? is the court of public opinion, ultimately will that be the biggest test for her? . ., ., will that be the biggest test for her? _, ., , , . will that be the biggest test for her? ., , , ., , her? the court of public opinion is the crucial — her? the court of public opinion is the crucial test _ her? the court of public opinion is the crucial test and _ her? the court of public opinion is the crucial test and the _ her? the court of public opinion is the crucial test and the polling - the crucial test and the polling evidence so far suggests that particularly that aspect of the court that matters, those people who voted for the snp in the past, they were more convinced by what nicola sturgeon said in her appearance than they were by alex salmond. that said, there is a small body, and it varies from question to question, but the question that asks people, do you believe what nicola sturgeon said, and who do you prefer out of nicola sturgeon and alex salmond, and has your confidence in the snp been undermined? somewhere between an eighth and a fifth of people who voted for the snp in 2019 say they are not sure. the snp doesn't have to lose that much support before their prospects of getting an overall majority in the holyrood election, and that now seems to be the benchmark that both unionists and the snp except the snp need to get if there is going to be a prospect of a second independence referendum, they don't need to lose a great deal before they are potentially troubled. 0n the other hand, one suspects that if indeed the opposition decides to fight the whole election campaign on nicola sturgeon and her role in office, well perhaps they need to bear in mind that the polls also suggest she is still much more popular than any of the opposition leaders, and if she retains that popularity in the wake of the report that's coming up, it won't necessarily be the most fruitful ground on which to fight. professor sirjohn curtis, thank you. you have been sending in your tweets on a number of subjects, including your memories on this time last year before the uk went into lockdown. jessica says, i remember a year ago i had to cancel my daughter's birthday and do an indoor party at home. i may have to do it this year as well. lots of parties and celebrations cancelled or taking place not in the way you had imagined or hope them too. the next one from and woolly. 0ne imagined or hope them too. the next one from and woolly. one year ago, at little wigan theatre, the production of alice in wonderland was abandoned as dress rehearsal ended before we went into the rabbit hole of lockdown. hopefully those reductions will be up and running before too long. kitty says before lockdown last year we met up in dublin, we travelled from wales and we met family from canada. a fantastic week, but after the laughter comes the tears, as the saying goes. we hope for better times ahead. neville says this time last year he had travelled back from berlin. he was due to travel to poland but they had closed the border. germany and poland went into lockdown and here we went and carried on as normal and it did not feel right. thank you for sending those in. interesting to hear those snippets of wha