welcome to bbc news. i'm lewis vaughan jones. our top stories: the eu backs down from using emergency brexit measures to restrict the movement of vaccines to northern ireland. their plan sparked outrage in london and belfast. but the eu's vaccine shortfall sees them force pharmaceutical firms to get permission before exporting european—madejabs. playing the professionals for billions: amateur investors continue targeting fund managers with frenzied trading in us firm gamestop. and something new to watch in lockdown: social distancing in new york city sends the popularity of birdwatching sky high.

welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. the european union has backtracked in a row with the united kingdom over the export of coronavirus vaccines. earlier, brussels introduced new controls, giving member states the power to block vaccines being sent abroad. then, to reinforce that, it announced the invoking of a clause in the brexit deal that would reinstate border checks between the eu and northern ireland — in effect, stopping vaccines entering the uk by the back door. paul hawkins reports. no hard border between ireland and northern ireland, that point was my time and time again by the eu during the brexit negotiations. so when the eu announced late on friday that it was triggering article 16 of the northern ireland protocol, which is part of the brexit treaty, many were

shocked because it meant border checks for vaccines on the island of ireland. the eu said it had to do this in order to avert serious societal difficulties due to a lack of supply threatening to disturb the orderly implementation of the orderly implementation of the vaccination campaigns in the vaccination campaigns in the member states. in other words, stop the vaccine getting to the uk via a backdoor route through northern ireland. triggering article 16 was only meant to be for serious reasons, the nuclear option. but just a few reasons, the nuclear option. butjust a few hours later the eu announced it would not invoke article 16 but, it added, should transits of vaccines and active substances towards third countries be abused to circumvent the effects of the authorisation system, the eu will consider using all the instruments are to disposal. the threat of invoking article 16 was still there and many were left wondering what was going on. i understand this is what i hear from the european commission, but there was an accident. the accident all the mishap has

been repaired and i think this is important but, again, this is important but, again, this is not a hostile act against third countries or territories. despite backtracking on northern ireland, the eu is still introducing new controls, having member states the power to block exports of the vaccines to countries including the uk should they want to. it is the latest twist in a deepening dispute over the vaccine producer astrazeneca's delivery commitments to the eu. the block agreeing to buy 400 million doses of its vaccine last year, only be told that the plaza be reduced by 60% in the plaza be reduced by 60% in the first quarter of this year because production problems at one of its eu factories —— production be reduced. irate one of its eu factories -- production be reduced. we may see in the _ production be reduced. we may see in the immediate _ see in the immediate next few weeks the eu is able to secure some of the pfizerjabs because they are made within the eu and thatis they are made within the eu and that is the purpose of these vaccine limits but as part of a wider picture, it is clear that this is likely to be seen as a shortsighted decision in the

long run. shortsighted decision in the lona run. shortsighted decision in the long run-— shortsighted decision in the lona run. .,, ., ., long run. the european union, meanwhile. — long run. the european union, meanwhile, has _ long run. the european union, meanwhile, has been - long run. the european union, j meanwhile, has been criticised by its own member states are taking too long to agree contracts with suppliers and to approve the vaccines themselves. some may be wishing they were looking after their own vaccine programmes. paul hawkins, bbc news. now, yet another new vaccine has been shown to be effective in major trials. the single—shot janssen vaccine was found to be 66% effective overall and offered 85% protection against severe disease. on thursday, novavax announced its uk trials had shown its vaccine to be 89% effective and, crucially, that vaccine protects against the new more contagious uk variant. when those vaccines are approved, they'lljoin a number of other vaccines authorised for emergency use or given full backing in different parts of the world. so let's take a look at some of the vaccines already in use. the pfizer—biontech vaccine has

been cleared for use in 32 nations — more than any other — with a reported efficacy of 95%. the moderna vaccine is reported to have an overall efficacy of 94% and has been cleared for use in 11 countries. the 0xford—astrazeneca vaccine has overall efficacy of 70%, ranging from 62 to 90%, depending on the schedule of doses. it's now been approved in the eu. russia's sputnik vaccine has a 91% efficacy — that's according to the manufacturer. it's got emergency clearance in 15 nations. and china's coronavac vaccine, developed by sinovac has been cleared in six countries. it was found to be 50.4% effective in brazilian clinical trials. while the news of so many vaccines is encouraging, america's top infectious disease expert dr anthony fauci says we can't become complacent.

it is an incentive to do what we have been saying all along — to vaccinate as many people as we can, as quickly as we possibly can. because mutations occur, because the virus has a playing field, as it were, to mutate. if you stop that and stop the replication, viruses cannot mutate if they cannot replicate. —— mutate if they don't replicate. germany and france have tightened their border controls over fears new coronavirus variants might spread in europe. berlin says most visitors from britain, ireland, portugal, braziland south africa will be banned from saturday. most non—eu nationals will be excluded from france from sunday. the european union remains opposed to a blanket travel ban. the drama surrounding share dealing in the us company gamestop continues to rumble on. regulators on both sides of the atlantic have issued warnings about the volatility

of the market amid fears small investors are creating an unsustainable bubble. the bbc�*s tim allman reports. he, robinhood, get off your phone! he, robinhood, get off your hone! .,, ., , he, robinhood, get off your hone! ., , ., phone! robinhood and his not so merry men- _ phone! robinhood and his not so merry men. this _ phone! robinhood and his not so merry men. this relatively - merry men. this relatively small—scale protest took place outside the headquarters of the no— fee trading firm that many have been using to buy and sell shares in game stop. they had imposed trading limits which have led to drop in share price. have led to drop in share rice, ,, ., , have led to drop in share rice. ,, .,, , have led to drop in share rice. ,, , ., price. --gamestop. they are called robin _ price. --gamestop. they are called robin hood _ called robin hood so it is kind of ironic they are helping the big guys. gamestop seems an unlikely vehicle _ big guys. gamestop seems an unlikely vehicle for _ big guys. gamestop seems an unlikely vehicle for what, - unlikely vehicle for what, depicting as a david versus goliath battle between big money and small investors. following tips from a forum on the social media site reddit,

these are small investors bought and sold stock, pushing up bought and sold stock, pushing up the price and making a tidy profit. the fear is gamestop described a struggling company, the foundations for growth may not be strong enough. this is a bubble that could well burst. translation: i bubble that could well burst. translation:— bubble that could well burst. translation: i think what they are doinu translation: i think what they are doing here _ translation: i think what they are doing here is _ translation: i think what they are doing here is really - translation: i think what they are doing here is really risky. i are doing here is really risky. no—one will profit in the end. we must reject any kind of market manipulation. we're not interested in achieving an all—time high on any given day followed by years of slump. regulators on both sides of the atlantic have weighed in. the us securities and exchange commission saying extreme stock price volatility has the potential to expose investors to rapid and severe losses and undermine market confidence. and the uk's financial conduct authority warned uk investors should take care when trading shares in highly volatile market conditions that they fully understand the risks that they are taking. but is anyone

listening? at close of play on friday, the us stock markets were down around 2%. but gamestop, after robinhood eased restrictions, saw a big increase. this is a wall between the walls of wall street and the reddit rebels. no—one is flying the right flag just yet. —— white flag. tim allman, bbc news. there's been a third successive night of street demonstrations in the polish capital warsaw, in protest at new laws restricting abortion. protesters chanted the number of an abortion helpline and carried colourful banners bearing slogans such as "liberty, equality abortion on demand". poland's constitutional court approved the law last october, but its introduction was delayed following large protests. it was suddenly enacted on wednesday, provoking renewed outrage from supporters of the right to abortion. the indian supreme court

is hearing contempt of court cases against a female cartoonist and a stand—up comedian for criticising thejudges over a recent ruling. the legal action against the two artists are seen by critics as a reflection of the diminishing space for dissent and criticism in the country. from delhi, here's anbarasan ethirajan. cartoonist at work, simple line drawings but with powerful messages. in one of her recent cartoons, she criticised the supreme court's decision to grant bail to supreme court's decision to grant bailto a supreme court's decision to grant bail to a pro—government news anchor. she is now facing contempt of court charges and could face up to six months in jail. could face up to six months in “ail. , , could face up to six months in “ail. ,,. ,, could face up to six months in “ail. ,,. , jail. this is censorship, plain and simple- _ jail. this is censorship, plain and simple. it _ jail. this is censorship, plain and simple. it is _ jail. this is censorship, plain and simple. it is not - jail. this is censorship, plain and simple. it is not only - and simple. it is not only sending a message to these specific people who are being arrested, is also sending a message to everyone else in the country to fall into line all this will happen to you that it is definitely censorship and

there is a very real threat to our democracy.— there is a very real threat to our democracy. rachita tane'a is not alone. d our democracy. rachita tane'a is not alone. this is i our democracy. rachita tane'a is not alone. this is kunali is not alone. this is kunal kamra, one of india's leading stand—up comedians. in a series of tweets, he lampooned the supreme court after they gave bail to the same controversial news anchor. the result? kunal kamra is also facing contempt of court charges. so why vary so much concern about what the supreme court does? for a country like india, the checks and balances are important in preserving the democracy and they believe that institutions like the supreme court, they play a crucial role in safeguarding democracy. another comedian faruqi was arrested earlier this month after complaints that he had insulted him deities in his show. his friends insists that he never made those jokes but he has

already spent weeks in jail. several human rights activists have been imprisoned for alleged maoist communist links at their supporters say they are being punished for showing peaceful dissent.— peaceful dissent. people are under some _ peaceful dissent. people are under some kind _ peaceful dissent. people are under some kind of - peaceful dissent. people are under some kind of a - peaceful dissent. people are under some kind of a fear i peaceful dissent. people are i under some kind of a fear that if you criticise the government, for example, you are inviting trouble and a lot of people have been taken into custody because of what is called their activism. 0r their commitment to human rights and, you know, objecting to violations of human rights. but there are growing concerns that there are growing concerns that the world's largest liberal democracy is becoming an intolerant one.— intolerant one. overall, i concede _ intolerant one. overall, i concede are _ intolerant one. overall, i concede are aberrationsl intolerant one. overall, i. concede are aberrations but intolerant one. overall, i- concede are aberrations but to say that democracy in india has a space for dissent in india has beenjeopardised, it is thought of taking the issue a bit too far. what i would say

is that yes, there is a need to have a greater degree of tolerance towards people who you disagree with.— tolerance towards people who you disagree with. threats from every direction _ you disagree with. threats from every direction have _ you disagree with. threats from every direction have not - every direction have not stopped people like rachita taneja to fight for artistic freedom. even if that means standing up to the mighty indian establishment. for them, without dissent, there is no democracy. anbarasan ethirajan, bbc news. stay with us. still to come: as the uk prepares to offer millions in hong kong a path to citizenship, china retaliates by refusing to recognise the special passports in the territory. the shuttle challenger exploded soon after lift—off. there were seven astronauts on board, one of them a woman school teacher. all of them are believed

to have been killed. by the evening, tahrir square, the heart of official cairo, was in the hands of the demonstrators. they were using the word �*revolution'. the earthquake singled out buildings and brought them down in seconds. tonight, — the search for any survivors has an increasing desperation about it — as the hours passed. the new government is finally in control_ of the entire - republic of uganda. survivors of the auschwitz concentration camp have been commemorating the 40th anniversary of their liberation. they toured the huts, gas chambers and crematoria, and relived their horrifying experiences. this is bbc news.

the latest headlines: the eu backs down from using emergency brexit measures to restrict the movement of vaccines — their plan sparked outrage in london and belfast. but the bloc�*s vaccine shortfall sees them force pharmaceutical firms to seek permission to export european—made jabs. i spoke to thomas colson, political reporter with business insider, and asked him if the eus decision to potentially restrict vaccine exports is a good move. it's difficult to see a world in which it is a good move. i think the fact that you have seen relative — relative unity from lots of countries and business groups who say that it could provoke an escalation in vaccine supply issues i think all points to the fact that the eu seems to be playing politics on something on this issue and it does not appear to be a particularly wise move.

their concern is clearly they are not getting enough supplies for their populations and that has to be their priority. that's true but it's also — i think it's ultimately questionable whether this approach will be beneficial for the eu in the long—term and for the eu's interests in the long—term. i mean, we might see in the immediate next few weeks eu is able to secure some more of the pfizerjabs because they are made in the eu and that is the purpose of these vaccine limits. but as part of a wider picture, it's quite clear this is likely to see is a short—sighted decision in the long run. getting onto the politics, because this is slightly complicated, but this row with northern ireland that has been rowed back on a row — if you can row back on a row quite quickly.

in the simplest terms you can, talk us through what went on there. sure, 0k. so what happened in short is that brussels has, in the last few hours, been forced into this dramatic u—turn over its plan to effectively stop the vaccine exports passing from the eu via ireland into northern ireland. it did that, or it invoked part of the brexit deal — article 16 of the northern ireland protocol — in order that that was, that clause was agreed last year as a sort of emergency, as a sort of last measure in case the uk or the eu found some issue with the brexit agreements in northern ireland. the eu, within a month of signing this off, sought to invoke it. and effectively, the idea, it was part of this bigger plan to limit vaccine exports — the idea was that they did not want northern ireland to be a sort of back door

so that the uk could get hold of eu—made vaccines which had slipped over the border into northern ireland. that clearly provoked the northern ireland issue and that protocol is so sensitive that it provoked outrage from pretty much every party and it was one of those rare incidents where so many parties in ireland and the uk were united because it was seen a provocative move. crosstalk. sorry to interrupt but given that sensitivity, just briefly, how big a misstep do you think this is? do you think it has any long—term consequences? it is likely to have long—term consequences in terms of the perception in the uk of the eu. i think because the row back happened so quickly, it probably won't have wider global political ramifications but certainly, i think the main thing is that brussels is, as we speak, pushing ahead with its plan to limit vaccine exports. that could have significant

global implications. china and hong kong have both announced that from january 31st, they will no longer recognise british national 0verseas passports, barring hong kongers from using them to pass through immigration, or as proof of identity. the move comes after the uk relaxed visa rules for bno passport holders and their close family, in response to a sweeping national security law passed by beijing last year. the bbc�*s asia editor rebecca henschke followed two protestors, with bno passports, now at a crossroads. to leave or to stay and fight? like many protesters in hong kong, this is the decision a man we are calling h has had to make — and he has decided to go. translation: i had never thought - that i would become a refugee, but now it has happened.

there is no other way. there are greater fears if i stay here and do not leave. we're concealing his identity, out of fears of a backlash from the authorities. h was born two years before britain handed back hong kong to china, so he has a british national 0verseas passport, a document that now opens a pathway to uk citizenship for him. he drives to the airport, through a city where, for over a year, he took part in increasingly violent protests, demanding more democracy and less chinese influence — a movement stopped by a sweeping national security law and the arrest of its young leaders. and h's motherfeared for her only child.

translation: when can we reunite? i may not be able to see him for the rest of my life, but his safety is most important. others, like this man, h's friend, have decided to stay. translation: i want to persevere to the last moment. giving up on our home, where we were born and grew up, is not what we wanted. after making that decision, he took to the streets again. it was after the introduction of the national security law. he was swiftly detained for unauthorised assembly. police didn't press charges against him and, despite the risks, he wants to keep fighting. translation: even though we feel lost, we have to keep going.

we can only see the light of hope if we persevere. having made the decision to go, h feels he may never be able to go back. his battle now is to try and build a new life in sheffield, a very different place. translation: looking at what's happening in hong kong, - especially i am now on the other side of the earth, i feel helpless. it is very difficult to have a concrete, long—term plan. it is inevitable to feel lost. china accuses the uk of meddling in its internal affairs and, in response, announced it will no longer recognise bno passports. under the scheme, up to 5.5 million hong kongers have the right to move to the uk. they, too, have to make an agonising choice — to stay or to go?

rebecca henshke, bbc news. since the pandemic has subdued new york city in the us, birdwatching has become a lot more popular. and this was a highlight on wednesday. a snowy owl spotted in central park — a rare sight. from new york, here's tom brook. in new york �*s central park birdwatching has become a much favoured pandemic activity, deemed safe for social distancing, to appoint, it takes place outdoors. abs, distancing, to appoint, it takes place outdoors. a couple in the park _ takes place outdoors. a couple in the park so _ takes place outdoors. a couple in the park so let's _ takes place outdoors. a couple in the park so let's see - takes place outdoors. a couple in the park so let's see if - takes place outdoors. a couple in the park so let's see if we i in the park so let's see if we can track them down.- in the park so let's see if we can track them down. like last week, can track them down. like last week. we _ can track them down. like last week, we will— can track them down. like last week, we will look— can track them down. like last week, we will look around. - week, we will look around. birding bob leads birdwatching groups in central park. the pandemic— groups in central park. the pandemic has _ groups in central park. the pandemic has made - groups in central park. tue: pandemic has made him busy. you see a lot more people, mainly because people prefer to be outside and used a six feet away from everybody else and

you breathe air that is moving around a lot.— you breathe air that is moving around a lot. this new wave of birdwatching _ around a lot. this new wave of birdwatching has _ around a lot. this new wave of birdwatching has brought - around a lot. this new wave of birdwatching has brought out i around a lot. this new wave of| birdwatching has brought out a wide range of people of all ages and social backgrounds. previous to the pandemic i was a bit more closed in with work and the daily rigmarole of the rat race, so to speak. so this is something i have been able to reconnect with a little bit with my local environment. having acquired in the city and feeling — having acquired in the city and feeling isolated by the pandemic, going out and realising that things are still happening, it is great. we are on a wild goose chase. - happening, it is great. we are on a wild goose chase. david l on a wild goose chase. david runs a live — on a wild goose chase. david runs a live page _ runs a live page tracking bird sightings. he thinks it will lead to a wholesale increase in birdwatching.— birdwatching. once they start hurtin: birdwatching. once they start hurting and — birdwatching. once they start hurting and they _ birdwatching. once they start hurting and they find - birdwatching. once they start hurting and they find out - birdwatching. once they start hurting and they find out howj hurting and they find out how much fun it is, they stick with it. if they have to go back to work more they will do less of it but overall i think the more

birders are here to stay. birdwatching has been introducing new yorkers to an enthralling new world. they have learned that the city is an important stopover on the atlantic flyway, a strategic migratory route for birds. central park is a desired destination with more than 200 different species of birds visiting the park every year. i think a lot of people think that manhattan is simply buildings, glass, a few highways and the subways. but we have a long history of watching birds in this park. as an important bird habitat it is a significant place. abs, an important bird habitat it is a significant place.— a significant place. a few months _ a significant place. a few months ago, _ a significant place. a few months ago, the - a significant place. a few months ago, the idea - a significant place. a few. months ago, the idea that legions of urban new yorkers would take a birdwatching would have been met with scepticism. but birdwatching has become a hot new pursuit in the city with one more example ofjust how much the pandemic is changing our lives. tom brook, bbc news.

and if you do like tweeting, you can reach me on twitter. i'm @lvaughanjones. hello. we're in for a cold weekend. there is some sunshine in the forecast but also more rain, sleet and snow. now, this time, the sleet and the snow should mostly fall across the hills. and at the moment, there's a battle between cold air coming in from the north and the milder air trying to spread in from the south. and this is also where we have a weather front, and that weather front will bring the rain, sleet and the snow on saturday. in fact, we've got a couple of weather fronts heading our way. this is just the first one which is moving across the uk as i speak. so, early in the morning, it's very mild in the southwest of the country, so certainly no snow here. the further north you go, the temperatures do dip away, so some sleet and snow across the welsh hills. and then north of that, early on saturday morning, with the clear skies

across the far north of england and scotland, there's a sharp frost. so, that sharp frost and clear skies in the morning across scotland and the far north of england. to the south of that, the cloudier weather, outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow. to the south coast, i think, here, it is going to be far too mild for any wintry weather. temperatures, for example, in plymouth will be around 10 degrees. but as the day wears on, some of that rain may turn to sleet and maybe some wet snow across other cities of the south away from the southern counties. now, through the night, saturday night into sunday, the skies will clear. so, with that wet day, it is going to turn icy early in the morning on sunday, as temperatures dip away to freezing or below across many parts of the uk, and another very cold night there in scotland. now, i mentioned two weather fronts, one on saturday. this is the next one paying us a visit on sunday. now, remember, it's a very chilly morning on sunday, the weather front is coming in, it's subzero here, at least

for a time, so some of this weather will be snowy. sleet and snow certainly across the welsh hills, but there is a possibility of some wintry weather spreading to other parts of the country as well, not in the north and the northeast. here, i think we're in for some sunshine. and it is going to be chilly wherever you are. but the chilly weather isn't going to last for very long, particularly in the south. i think by the time we get to monday, tuesday and wednesday, for example, in the south, temperatures will be back into double figures. bye— bye.

this is bbc news,

the headlines: the eu has backed down on a decision to use emergency brexit measures to control the movement of vaccines across the border in ireland after a backlash from leaders in london, dublin and belfast. but the bloc will force pharmaceutical companies to seek permission before supplying other countries with vaccines produced in europe. another vaccine's been shown to be effective against coronavirus. trials showjohnson &johnson's single—dose jab has an overall efficacy of 66% but the shot does not protect as well against a variant first detected in south africa. the un and more than a dozen countries have urged the military in myanmar to respect the results of november's election, amid reports they may be preparing a coup. it comes just days before aung saan su kyi's ruling party is set to begin its second term in power.

now it's time for a look back at the week in parliament.