this is bbc news: i'm sally bundock with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the us president—electjoe biden criticises his predecessor's vaccine rollout and pledges 100 million jabs in his first 100 days. this will take more time than anybody would like and more time than the promises from the trump administration have suggested. a new chapter for britain says prime minister borisjohnson — he'll call on mp's to vote for his post—brexit trade deal with the eu later today. a court in china jails ten hong kong pro—democracy activists who tried to flee the territory by speedboat. anti and pro—abortion protests in argentina,

before the senate holds an historic and controversial vote. hello and welcome. the us president—elect has been giving more detail on his plans to combat the coronavirus pandemic under his presidency. joe biden did congratulate president trump for finally signing the covid relief stimulus package, but criticised him for what he described as a slow roll—out of the vaccination programme. mr biden is promising to invoke the defence production act to boost vaccine supply. introduce a mask mandate for federal buildings and areas under federal jurisdiction, such as planes. and he said he would fight for congressional funding for schools to improve covid safety and allow them to reopen.

the president—elect also again pledged to deliver 100 million vaccines in his first 100 days in office. i've directed my team to prepare a much more aggressive effort with more federal involvement and leadership to get things back on track. we will find ways to boost the pace of vaccinations but as dock without she and others have stated in these past few days, this will take more time than anyone would like and more time than the promises from the trump administration have suggested. this is going to be the greatest operational challenge we have ever faced as a nation. dr jonathan fielding served as director of public health for los angeles from 2008 to 2014, he is now a distinguished professor at university of california, los angeles.

thank you very much for being on the program. so what do you make of these latest announcements from the president—elect? announcements from the president-elect? i think they are very welcome. what's new here is really direction from the top, support from the top, not a handoff to others and a clear sense of partnership with the state and local public health authorities. a focus on transparency, saying this is going to take a long time, it's going to take a long time, it's going to take a long time, it's going to be harder than we thought, the most difficult times are still ahead of us. clear metrics, the metric shouldn't just be how clear metrics, the metric shouldn'tjust be how much vaccine is produced but how many shots get in arms. that is very critical. i think the other thing that is really important here is the k — eight schools and the focus on getting them up and running. because that is really a

tragedy to see how far behind many kids. i think what we have is the kind of leadership and partnership we haven't seen before and instead of saying this is a hoax, this is no good, i don't want to see any more tests, it is saying we need to face this squarely and i think this plan does that. and to what extent will it be easy for him to roll out his plans across the us when he ta kes plans across the us when he takes office on the 20th of january? takes office on the 20th of january? welll takes office on the 20th of january? well i think this is going to work out quite well. 0ne going to work out quite well. one of the interesting issues when talking about covid is we have to remember that the most important things are the simple things in the things we have been talking about forever. very mask, not very difficult. you can easily remember. distancing, limiting the group numbers that are endorsed together. hand washing. ventilation systems. these are not things that are necessarily difficult but they are absolutely essential and it's not simply the vaccine that is going to solve this terrible

scourge. going to solve this terrible scourge. we all have to be hands on deck and everybody having the right kind of behaviours. in fact, having the right kind of behaviours. infact, one having the right kind of behaviours. in fact, one of the things i think we need are probably more behavioural experts and persuasive communication experts as part of the team because in many cases we are seeing of the team because in many cases we are seeing that people are hesitant, particularly some populations and the other states, particularly african—americans and some people who are very concerned that vaccines are some kind of a plot. so we need help in making sure that people understand the great benefits of this and the fact that the side—effects are very minor, they are very, very rare exceptions. doctorjonathan fielding, thank you for your time. your welcome. here, the british prime minister will call on mp's to back his post—brexit trade deal with the european union when it comes before a vote in the house of commons this afternoon. borisjohnson says the agreement marks the beginning of a new chapter for britain. 0ur political correspondent jessica parker has the details.

borisjohnson will boris johnson will tell the commons it is a new chapter in our national story, time to reassert global written. his post—brexit trade deal has the broad backing of tory mps, including long—standing eurosceptics. there are bits and pieces we have had to compromise on that we don't like but overall, to produce a sovereignty compliance deal, free trade agreement with the eu where we gets free access to the eu single market for our goods without tariffs and without quantitative restrictions, is what people said we would never be able to achieve. talks went to the wire, the agreement set to be approved today will take effect tomorrow night. that is when the uk stops following eu rules as the transition period comes to an end. up against no deal,

we a cce pt to an end. up against no deal, we accept this deal. sir keir starmer has instructed his mps to back the deal. he said it is fin but suggested it is better than no deal stop at summit labour mp's are expected to d efy labour mp's are expected to defy him. i think sir keir starmer is making a fundamental mistake in whipping to do this. i think if he had whipped to abstain he would have a unified party. i think as well our comms on this why we are voting for this have been i think appalling. i think what we're doing is walking in yet again toa doing is walking in yet again to a long—term bear trap that the government has put down. brexit has often cause division, even at times political turmoil. but after yea rs of political turmoil. but after years of heated debate and hard negotiations, the country will soon start to find out what makes it really means. jessica parker, bbc news. senators in argentina are debating a bill which would legalise abortion up to the 14th week of pregnancy. the bill has already been approved by the chamber of deputies — but that debate lasted some 20 hours —

and the senate discussion is expected to be even more heated. tanya dendrinos has more. as the debate began in argentina's polarised senate, the scenes outside werejust as divided. pro—choice activists chanting and hopeful. translation: we are going to be on the streets so that today it becomes law, and if approved, it is implemented in each and every one of the provinces so that no more women die from secret abortions. according to the government, each year close to 40,000 women require hospital treatment as a result of a dangerous abortion procedure carried out in secret. but this remains a deeply religious country and many still vehemently oppose the idea. translation: the solution is there, the solution is always on the side of life. there are plenty of wonderful institutions that collaborate,

that are willing to help. the problem is this bill prohibits help and offers abortion as the only solution. this isn't a new debate in argentina. the last attempt to pass abortion laws was defeated in 2018. this bill, proposed by president alberto fernandez, would permit abortions to be carried out up to the 14th week of pregnancy. they are currently only permitted in cases of rape or when the mother's health is at risk. i think the most important change since 2018 which was the last time we voted for this and when we lost in the senate, is that this time it was the government who started the project. it is not the same, the last government allowed the project to get to the senate. this government drafted the project itself. if it passes, the bill would be groundbreaking for latin america — a region with one of the strictest abortion laws in the world. tanya dendrinos, bbc news.

a group of interpreters who worked with the british army in iraq said their lives have become unbearable since the uk unit they worked with left the country in july. unit they worked with left the country injuly. they unit they worked with left the country in july. they say they are facing death threats from powerful militia backed by iran. over the past six years, the british army has trained more than 100,000 soldiers in iraq, as part of its mission to defeat so—called islamic state. such work is impossible without iraqi interpreters. but now eight of them live in fear. atany time, someone would knock on the door of my house and fire five bullets — one bullet for me, one bullet for my wife and three bullets for my three daughters. the security situation collapsed after the killing of top iranian general

qasem soleimani. he was assassinated in a us drone attack in baghdad almost a year ago, angering pro—iran paramilitaries. they released a statement calling on all iraqis working with coalition forces to co—operate with them. there was a hidden message. "if you don't co—operate with us, we will consider you an enemy " as coronavirus hit iraq, the country went into lockdown. the coalition gave a list of the interpreters' names and id numbers to the iraqi security forces. this was supposed to help them pass through government checkpoints. but some armed groups linked to iran are also part of the iraqi security forces. the groups, which had already threatened the interpreters, now knew their names. i raised their case with the coalition. we protect their personal data,

we do not pass that to checkpoints, we do not pass that to other organisations, including the iraqi security forces or government services. but the document i have seen is coming from the us embassy. it looks genuine, i checked. then i would have to look into that further. in a statement, the british ministry of defence said it takes any breach of personal security extremely seriously and it is investigating the allegations. western troops, including the british army, then began leaving iraq. the interpreters were left, unemployed and unprotected. the last time the british left iraq in 2009, at least a0 interpreters were killed by militia groups. ahmed and ali say they don't want their names added to that list. nafiseh kohnavard,

bbc news, iraq. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: we've a special report from new york on how the virus has changed america and americans. the most ambitious financial and political change ever attempted has got under way with the introduction of the euro. tomorrow in holland, we're going to use money we picked up in belgium today, and then we'll be in france, and again, it'll be the same money. it's just got to be the way to go. george harrison, the former beatle, is recovering in hospital after being stabbed at his oxfordshire home. a 33—year—old man from liverpool is being interviewed by police on suspicion of attempted murder.

i think it was good. just good? no, fantastic! that's better! bells toll. this is bbc news, the latest headlines: the us president—elect, joe biden, criticises the vaccine rollout and pledges 100 million jabs in his first 100 days. british prime minister boris johnson will call on mp's to back his post—brexit trade deal with the european union when it comes before a vote in the house of commons this afternoon. european union and chinese leaders are poised to announce

a hard—fought agreement to expand opportunities in china for foreign investors. european commission chief ursula von der leyen plans to speak with chinese president xijinping in a video conference to signal the successful completion of negotiations on an eu—china investment pact that's been going on for the last seven yea rs. let's go to suranjana tewari in our asia business hub. so, suranjana, what's in it for china? yes, there are many factors that have gone into this. lots of talks. there are advantages of talks. there are advantages of both sides, for china, access to the eu's energy market. under the deal, access to the eu's energy market. underthe deal, it access to the eu's energy market. under the deal, it is reported that beijing will get a small part access, access to a small part access, access to a small part of the eu's renewable energy sector but the big news is for europe, because

china has reportedly agreed to rollback restrictions on investments which will give eu firms better access to the chinese market. the problem for chinese companies operating in china is that they have to share technology. they have to go intojoint ventures share technology. they have to go into joint ventures with chinese companies, lots of rules and redtape and a real lack of transparency over benefits that the chinese government gives to local companies over overseas ones. china has also reportedly agreed to improve its environmental commitments, which is a big win for europe as well. china is now the eu's top trading partner, overtaking the us because of the coronavirus because the us economy was so coronavirus because the us economy was so disrupted. now, the two sides of been talking for a really long time but this deal with top priority for angela merkel, germany's chancellor because she holds a rotating presidency at the eu at the moment which means that german companies like volkswagen and dime lovell had

better control over their operations in china and some people say the deal was rushed through but the reality is that the political backlot has really changed between the us and china and under donald trump, europe and had to fend for itself. one big question remains. does the deal go far enough to push china and labour abuses? the use of forced labour in minority regions has received a lot of criticism from around the world, particularly the weaker minority and those detained detained. uigher minority. it has reportedly agreed to some international conventions and china has really given some breadth on the labour rights. thejoe biden breadth on the labour rights. the joe biden team breadth on the labour rights. thejoe biden team has expressed some dismay to the deal being rushed weeks before it is rushed and we have to look at what happens when the

joe biden team comes in. new york was the epicentre of the initial coronavirus outbreak in the us. the city that never sleeps was put into hibernation by covid as cases and deaths soared. for many in new york, the long lasting effects of covid—19 haven't gone away. nick bryant reports on how the virus has changed america. christmas 2020. where the carols sound more like lament and where their traditional declarations come with the new protocols of the pandemic, social distancing at a time when normally people congregate together. for many new court jokers, the festive season sounds more like a misnomer, a time of empty chairs at the family table, a time to think of loved ones who did not survive the year. the last time i was he was with my dad and.

coney island brings back memories for angela, of her father richard, a keen long—distance runner who died from the coronavirus at the beginning of the outbreak. it was just beginning of the outbreak. it wasjust six. do beginning of the outbreak. it was just six. do you feel let down? letdown is an understatement. i feel like my country has turned its back on us. country has turned its back on us. i feel like country has turned its back on us. ifeel like i have lost more thanjust us. ifeel like i have lost more than just my dad. i have lost a feeling of safety, a feeling of confidence in my living situation, in my government. in my fellow citizens. it feels like... like we are all alone. then there is tolerably crisis. just as

property has been a propagator of the pandemic, the pandemic has become a propagator of poverty. good morning everyone, please have your bags open and ready, thank you. pre- covert, this food bank served 200 a week and on this morning, it provided vital assistance for over 200 people in the first ten minutes. these cues are as long now as they were in march. it is extraordinary to see. they keep getting longer and longer and the need growing and growing and it's harderfor us as an organisation to keep up with needed demand. all is present during 9/11 and during hurricane katrina and hurricane sandy, and those stopped but this keeps going and going. people are gathering again in times square, the crossroads of the world but this is a global city that suffered so much bereavement and where the flags are still at half staff. the coronavirus outbreak has exposed to so many of america's

long—term almonds, income and racial disparities, the dysfunction in washington, the rundown of its government and the politicisation of everything. even the wearing of face masks. 2020, the year of the pandemic. and one people here cannot wait to consign to the past. in china, a court in shenzhen has sentenced 10 hong kong activists to between seven months and three years for an illegal border crossing when they tried to flee hong kong by boat. the trial has attracted international condemnation — it's mostly been held in secret. i'm joined by former hong kong legislator, james to.

the chinese communist party doesn't even do to have an open court and no—one was able to see the court, including the family, including the lawyers. and even though the councils of different countries from entering the court so if they don't even dare to have an open court, how can we believe this isa court, how can we believe this is a fair trial? i think the chinese communist party has demonstrated that they are holding a secret trial for the hong kong is and that is not a fair one. hong kong is and that is not a fairone. i hong kong is and that is not a fair one. i think it is worsening, and this also applies to everyone outside of hong kong, which simply means everywhere in the world, subject to prosecution in hong kong or chinese authorities and they still are suspecting them

violating the national security law. according to article 38 and article 35 of the so—called national security law. let's get some of the day's other news. boeing's 737 max airliner has resumed commercial services in the united states for the first time since the jet was grounded nearly two years ago. the american airlines flight departed from miami to la guardia airport in new york. boeing has been trying to reassure people about the plane's safety after two fatal crashes in five months. russian state investigators have brought new charges against opposition leader alexei navalny. they say mr navalny, who is convalescing in germany after being poisoned, fraudulently spent public donations on his personal needs. mr navalny described the case as a fabrication and hysterics from president vladimir putin after russia issued him an ultimatum on monday to return to russia immediately orface imprisonment.

they're one of the world's rarest land mammals. only two northern white rhino are left, both are female, but researchers in kenya are now putting into place an audacious plan to save them from disappearing for ever. russell trott explains. fatu has seen it all before. the eyes of the world once again on herand the eyes of the world once again on her and her mother, najin. they are the only two surviving northern white rhino and at the centre of an unprecedented fertilisation project. it is something, you are trying something that you never imagined. you could do. it isa never imagined. you could do. it is a common medical procedure in humans, in vitro fertilisation, or ivf, in which the eggs have been injected with sperm cells from two

deceased northern white rhino balls. the embryos are being kept safe in a deep freezer in italy. the eggs will then be transferred into ice surrogate southern white rhino, a less endangered species, in the hope that a new northern white hart eventually be born. alongside canyon's researchers, scientists involved in the project spanning the globe, from germany, the us, the czech republic and italy. if it works, and it is a big if, it could be used in other species. for now though, fatu and najin seem for now though, fatu and najin seem to be taking it all in this dried as giant sized guinea pigs and the last chance to save the northern white rhino. —— all in their stride. russell trott, bbc news. and from california, a dozen wild turkeys are roaming the streets and blocking traffic coming or concern for their own

safety, author of entering into gardens, flying into rooms and resting entries! they are fast becoming unofficial city mascots! you are now up—to—date on all the latest news. hello. winter is finally turning white for some of us. not all of us going to see the snow over the next few days. the potential is still there for a bit more to come our way, though. it's certainly staying cold enough, but that frosty sharp frost at times overnight, icy conditions where we're seeing some showers of rain, sleet, hail, yes, some snow, notjust on hills but at times to lower levels, with that risk of disruption. there are coming our way some fairly weak weather disturbances, but they're within a flow ofaircoming down from the north, which means the moisture out of these disturbances will be falling as rain but also sleet and snow in places. and we'll have had a few wintry showers overnight, into first thing in the morning. there's a sharp frost out there, maybe —9 in a few spots in scotland, icy conditions around and still some of these showers falling as snow, maybe notjust on hills, into the north, northwest

of scotland, northern ireland. a few of these wintry showers running down towards north wales, north—west england, the northwest midlands, and then we see an area of rain but turning to sleet and snow potentially for south wales, more especially running eastwards across parts of southern england during wednesday. some uncertainty about how far north it'll get, how much sleet and snow there will be within this. it'll be a cold day, yes, but much of the eastern side of the uk will stay dry and get to see a bit of sunshine. what rain, sleet and snow there is will continue to pull across parts of southern england overnight and into thursday morning before clearing. as thursday begins, we're getting some of these snow showers pushing in towards eastern parts of scotland, and it's those that are going to move further south during thursday, again giving the potential for some snow and ice in places, and notjust on hills, and the chance of some disruption as a result. so, this system will take its rain, sleet and snow showers out of scotland and into parts of england and wales as we go through thursday. the tendency for a lot of that to turn back to rain if you are seeing

some snow away from hills during thursday, and where you don't get to see any rain, sleet and snow, quite a bit of cloud, maybe a few sunny spells, but it'll be cold. that weather system still around overnight and into friday, new year's day, the start of 2021. it will tend to die out during friday but still with a good deal of cloud, especially through england and wales, and patchy rain, sleet and hill snow out of that. and little less cold on friday, but temperatures staying below average well into the start of 2021.

this is bbc news, the headlines: joe biden has criticised vaccine distribution under the trump administration. the president—elect claimed that at the present pace it would take years not months, to vaccinate the entire american population. he again pledged to deliver 100 million shots in his first 100 days in office. britain's prime minister boris johnson will call on mp's to back his post—brexit trade deal with the eu when it comes before a vote in the house of commons this afternoon. parliament is being recalled to put the deal into law a day before the current arrangements are due to end. a chinese court has jailed 10 hong kong pro—democracy activists who were trying to escape to taiwan by boat last year. two others who were underage will be sent back to hong kong. the trial attracted international condemnation for the way it's mostly been held in secret.