This is k.q.e.d. San Francisco and North Highlands Sacramento it's midnight. It's 8 hours g.m.t. This is weekend I'm Paul Henley coming up the authorities in Uganda pale fair elections in the face of accusations of fraud main by the main opposition candidate Bobby wind we'll hear from one of his supporters on the likely prospect of another 5 year term for the current president also we'll examine a spat between the United States and Mexico over drugs charges against a former Mexican minister. Police officers at every level and basically Shirish huge amounts of corruption so it's not actually surprising to most they've been Mexico there for but if it's what it is a big years ago trafficking all that plus our guest Christine O'Donnell a head of the Family Policy Unit of the Center for Social Justice and Remi adequate who's a Polish Nigerian writer and lecturer in politics at the University of York well to come after this news. B.b.c. News I'm Jerome Sherry the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has launched a huge coronavirus vaccination program which aims to reach 300000000 people by August the 1st jobs were administered to health care workers in front of a scrum of reporters and television camera crews our South Asia correspondent Jonathan reports this mammoth exercise begins by immunizing 30000000 health care and frontline workers the Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccine which is being manufactured in India is one of 2 being rolled out the 2nd developed by Indian company Barrett biotech in conjunction with the government has caused some concern as it was approved the full passing phase 3 efficacy trials officials have assured people it's safe and will be administered under strict supervision but some health experts say it's still unclear how effective it will be. The u.s. President elect Joe Biden has announced further details of his plans to speed up coronavirus vaccinations across the country Mr Biden has promised to inoculate 100000000 Americans during his 1st 100 days as president he said he'd hire more public health workers and set up mass vaccination centers vaccines offer so much oh we're grateful for the scientists and researchers and everyone will participate in the clinical trials are grateful for the integrity of the process the rigors of you integrity as well as the millions of people around the world already be actually safe but the vaccine role of the United States has been a dismal failure of. The Ugandan electoral law Thora these are expected to announce the winner of Thursday's presidential election in the coming hours nearly with nearly 2 thirds of votes counted president you Arima 70 has a commanding lead over the main opposition candidate but the wine Catherine reports from come polar election officials in Campana have steadily released results from the presidential vote we are getting a better sense of how Bubby winds in new political party is fairing the national unity platform has won in mainly opposition strongholds taking a few parliamentary seats to form the ruling party bus performing mostly as anticipated in an unexpected twist almost half of the cabinet lost their seats according to the government's run new vision newspaper this included the 77 year old vice president Eduard 2nd. In Germany colleagues of Chancellor Angela Merkel are due to choose a replacement to succeed her leader of the Christian Democrats the winner could also take over as chancellor when she steps down in September after nearly 16 years in office the 3 contenders are arming Lasher to state prime minister Norbert Redgum the chair of Germany's Foreign Affairs Committee and the millionaire businessman Friedrich matts Well news from the b.b.c. . Rescue teams in Indonesia are continuing to search the rubble of buildings brought down by an earthquake and Friday that is now known to have killed at least $45.00 people most of those who died were in the area of west so the ways it to her tells on the hospital were among the badly damaged structures an activist group based in Washington says 5 pro-democracy protesters who escaped Hong Kong last year by boat have arrived in the United States the Hong Kong democracy Council said the demonstrations journey had been arduous and perilous they are reported to have initially fled to Taiwan before making their way to the u.s. . At least 3000 migrants have crossed into Guatemala from Honduras in the hope of eventually reaching the United States some carried children on their shoulders the migrants who say they're fleeing violence and poverty in Honduras hope that the incoming Biden administration will ease u.s. Border controls everything in Washington we pray that he and it be filled with mercy because will touch his homeless and that there be a way through we just want to chance to work we defeated we're left on the streets here in the caravan most of us have nothing not even a blanket to talking to prosecutors in Brazil have recommended criminal charges over a fire that killed 10 youth players from the country's most successful football team Flamengo in 2019 The boys aged between 14 and 16 died when they converted shipping containers where they lived caught fire in the middle of the night. Preparations for the Australian Open tennis tournament have suffered a blow after 2 people on a charter flight carrying players and their supporters who tested positive for coverage 19 those on board the flight from Los Angeles will now be confined to their hotel rooms for 2 weeks I think Luke the 2 time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka and the former u.s. Open champion Sloane Stephens they've Easynews. It's 8 o 6 g.m.t. This is weekend from the b.b.c. World Service My name's Paul Henley and with me until the end of the program in about 25 minutes of my guests Cristina Odone a the head of the Family Policy Unit at the Center for Social Justice which is based in London she's also a journalist and novelist and Remi at a choir who's a Polish Nigerian writer and lecturer in politics at the University of York in the north of England more from them both shortly now 1st it's looking very likely that the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will win another 5 year term in office to extend a period of power that began in 1986 with more than half the votes of Thursday's elections counted president with 70 has a commanding lead of more than 60 percent of the vote compared with about 30 percent for his main challenger the rock musician turned politician Bobby wine Mr wine described the election as a sham alleging fraud and voter rigging the B.B.C.'s Catherine b.r. a Hunger went to his house to speak to him and he said this is an expected reaction from permanent the next one we have telling him to provide for you you have not a single iota of evidence to that effect we have had the most transparent fair election. Well we're doing 101 and the results have been reflected where the n.r.a. Party presented last we have lost hundreds of us that are selected how can you think the election. When his party as it is. One of those $54.00 that majority. That was in fact the spokesman for the president whose name is Dan Wanyama telling the b.b.c. That Bobby wines claim a voter rigging was not acceptable and had no truth to its now patients a Kumu is a lawyer and journalist in the capital Kampala who supported Bobby wine in this election I asked if the opposition to President 70 was now becoming resigned to the prospect of him winning yet another term in office and physically it looks very much like there is no chance right now that Bobby lie is going to be the president of Uganda and Uganda is this because looking and it's in that 535 years going going for Tia's of President with 70 and the more does that of defeats a sense of loss a chance for a young man who came from poverty into can self out of poverty to do the same for the country to tend to around and was given mid seventies that he say the rules so we are resigned to the fact that the state is very very powerful it's had everything at its disposal we are having an election in decades into needs his old . Says should meet the next says Siebold there is a little of military presence in the streets and infected but the wind plays and it's it's very much a done deal as the people I have been intimidated they've been cut so from the rest of the love and we have no choice but to accept that it's going to be in that the 5 years of with having of course it should ring alarm bells that Bobby one's house is surrounded by a military God Well God is open for discussion but he can't present evidence can hear the election fraud he says it's because the Internet is down what is his evidence well we need to understand that in Uganda raging election is a tradition it does not just happen on the day of the election. And it happened right before elections when you have the Sistine being many people it takes to support the incumbent we are talking about intimidation of what says that a very thoughtful refrain of maintain peace peace is a good thing but it's come to the silence to grateful if you do not vote for me you have going to go back to the old or the you're going to go back to the bush it's very difficult to talk of a free and fair election in this day and age when you do not have eaten a we question how you are transmitting results from all over the country to your people at the time when nobody else can access the same transmission systems with what's with the people whole at tallying the results in just the telling results and they've been accused of illegally telling because it since nobody else is allowed to question the figures that given to all to do their own cultural ation of what the elections should be so incites that Constance says considering the fact that in the past elections have been reached and court has held that elections have been ridged every single election backed with 70 has been cast holds has been held to be ridged only that the courts have said the rigging is not substantial enough to warrant and then elements it's is not divisive will add that this election was let's say of the Filled with no clear votes with presented to have been timed that way from polling stations you people cannot society today every preventatives because the mobo my name it was times of it's not been transparent at all and the evidence is there for us all to see and it's not just propaganda from the opposition it is a fact it's an extension of assistance of repression and of making sure that right from the very from the very beginning of its time of President the Civic. That rigging machine I mean it's to run so that the next election and in his favor again patience a Kumu lawyer journalist and office supporter in Uganda today marks the start of one of the world's most extensive coronavirus vaccination programs in India the government hopes to inoculate 3000000 people in the coming months starting with frontline health workers I've been speaking to our South Asia correspondent nothing who's outside a hospital in the capital New Delhi she began by telling me about the actual vaccines on offer. Of the vaccines and a big rolled out today all being produced here in India there are things that seem which are being rolled out one is the food after Zeneca vaccine which millions of doses have already been for Jason in Kunar in Maharashtra the 2nd one is an Indian developed vaccine from a company called current supply tank now that has caused some control to see the rollout to back because it's being rolled out before it's actually play in place 3 because try to save some experts are concerned that is vaccine is very good minister from people don't know how effective it will face the government stress to be vaccine is safe and that they will be giving it to people on the very strict supervision and clinical trial by $300000000.00 people that's an ambitious targets for the 1st few months of the campaign what infrastructure is there one of the chances of meeting the target well let's just break this down so I'm the one in That was Ragini Vijay nothin reporting from New Delhi Remy at a clinic in the grip of this Northern Hemisphere covert depressing winter it's easy to be blind to the good news of vaccines and it's pretty good news isn't it you know I definitely say so and I you know going into this yeah I met very optimistic and I think the program has so far been rolled alter relatively quickly or relative Lee efficiently let's say in the u.k. For talking about what concerns us directly here and so I'm pretty optimistic things are going to work on 2021 is going to be a better yet I'm trying to trying to guess how you're trying to turn She was good now you have to mystic as well Christina Like many I am but I'm also really interesting the way that the pandemic has overturned some of the assumptions we have about countries you know look at India doing so. And then from France where almost half the people are refusing to have a vaccination because they're such so I think the pandemic has been very interesting from from many perspectives What's your view of vaccine skeptics or any . I think it's just one of the money physicians of madness which we haven't a 21st century you know problems that we social media essentially unfortunately encourages I mean anybody kind of go up down talk all sorts of rubbish and if your money if you money is to be persuasive enough then you can have millions of people believing all sorts of nonsense so honestly speaking on the worst thing what if it comes to vaccines skeptic's is that you know they're not because it's not just about their health it's not just a personal decision because it actually affects other people in society because if you see us skeptical and don't want to take a vaccination then you cut school that then you could spread it to somebody else you know so but unfortunately these are the kinds of things we're going to have to learn how to deal with moving forward and yet there's so much misinformation out there you know so much nonsense being spotted out there you know and people believe all sorts of stuff it's healthy isn't it. Stina too to want medical evaluation and reassurance that a brand new drug is safe. I think this is going to become the big new social fault line we're going to be divided between those who accept their actions and take them and protect themselves and others and those who refuse to take things and become pariahs in their own nation thank you it's 18 minutes past 8 g.m.t. Mexico has argued there isn't enough evidence to charge a former defense minister in a rout over his prosecution for alleged drug trafficking general Salvador Goss was arrested in the u.s. In October but he was returned to Mexico to face charges those charges are now being dropped you know and Grillo is author of a book on the Latin American Gangster trade gangster warlords It's called he's been telling me more you had the charges made in the United States which for Wired and came from some of the agent of Las Vegas they would come stumbled on this case. There was a cild indictment made and the general say inflate also had been the defense minister of Mexico one of the highest ranking members of Mexican military flew to Los Angeles and suddenly found this arrest warrant sprung on him so huge deal and then the United States saying well 'd will drop the charges against him and give him to Mexico with the lot of kind of back hand bill being made on the idea that Mexico would press charges on the drug trafficking charges against him for a cause and then Mexico 2 months later saying no we're not going to make any charges against him and then saying here's the evidence they didn't have any evidence on him it was all rubbish it was all very speculative So a completely crazy surreal case of all angles hard to figure out exactly what happened and have you got to take on whether there is evidence against General c. And for a cause. Well I've looked at some of the documents that the Mexican government today posted online and they said this was the evidence that the Americans had and there isn't that much there from what I could see hundreds of pages of documents to look through it and if I'm missing something but it does seem there is not really the smoking gun now to get an indictment it is not the same level of evidence you need for an indictment as you need to convict so maybe people say well they're not there you see this kind of text of phone conversations or conversations with there was this corruption implied that the Mexican general was working with this drug trafficker so you can indict a fairly low bar so if that's all they had you could say was reasonable for the Mexican government to drop the charges however there's still this big suspicion so there are precedents other for corruption at that high a level way back when I 1st arrived in Mexico in 2002 I covered the court martial of 2 generals who convicted for drug trafficking so this is not something wildly new There are accusations of former presidents working with drug traffickers there was a case of the Swiss authorities finding a president's brother having $500000000.00 in Swiss bank accounts which they said was from drug money there's governors police officers every level and basically huge huge amounts of corruption so it's not actually surprising to most people in Mexico that a former defense minister can be accuser drug trafficking and how important is it for the u.s. To have the Mexican government's cooperation on drug issues or is that just a fantastical thought you know one side you've got the drug cartels who have carried out in men's level of violence in Mexico. Who are trafficking enormous amounts of drugs to the United States heroin crystal meth cocaine fed to nil and we're seeing record levels of drug overdoses in the United States so from that point of youth it's you can say the struggle is very very important and they need to work together to keep on bringing down drug traffickers like hell chop on their political protection the generals the politicians the place of his who work with them on the flip side this drug war is being fought for decades it's going to be 50 years this year since Richard Nixon declared a war on drugs and it's been a failure overall I mean we have to say that Americans are school still spending $150000000000.00 a year legal drugs according to a White House study so if the whole strategy is failing we need to rethink the strategy Ewen Grillo in Mexico author of gangster warlords drug dollars killing fields and the New Politics of Latin America. Now the crypto currency Bitcoin has more than doubled in value over the last 5 months one Bitcoin is currently worth around $35000.00 that's great news you might think for someone like Stefan Thomas who was paid $7002.00 Bit Coin almost 10 years ago as payment for a job he hung on to it and now it's worth more than $200000000.00 except Mr Thomas can't remember the password to the digital wallet that holds the currency and he's only got 2 goes left to guess it to go it correctly or he'll be locked out forever he told the b.b.c. He was trying to be philosophical about his predicament it was an interesting experience to say the least I think when I 1st discovered that I'd lost access to his wallet I was very depressed for several weeks as I couldn't sleep I couldn't question myself worth you really have to imagine like losing something that important what does that say about you you write and so after a couple of weeks of that this is back in 2012 when the cost wasn't as valuable as it is now but still for me it was a big amount of money and so after a couple weeks of being just completely desperate and the press sort of took a step back and I said you know I got that money for work that I did I earned money and there's so much more work that I can do it so much more I've got to give the world and so why should I be depressed