♪ >> this is "dw news" live from berlin. tonight, a political first in the u.k. as the world watches. britain rolls out the nationwide vaccination program against the coronavirus. a 90-year-old grandmother received the first shot today. the vaccine's swift approval by regulators has some people hesitant. also coming up -- calls growing for a lockdown in germany. top scientists say tighter

restrictions are needed as coronavirus case numbers remain stubbornly high. plus, still no brexit breakthrough. the eu chief invites the british prime minister to brussels for last digit -- last-dig talks. both sides admit it could soon be game over. in india, angry farmers stage a nationwide strike as their standoff with the government intensifies. ♪ brent: i'm print golf. two viewers on pbs in the united states and around the world, welcome -- i'm brent goff. two viewers -- to viewers in the united states and around the world, welcome. the team -- the two-dose vaccine

was fast tracked in combination by biontech and u.s. pharmaceutical giant pfizer. the government could not have asked for better influencer to get the first shot. >> with one creek -- with one creek -- with one prick, the largest vaccination campaign in the u.k. was launched. margaret was chosen to be the first recipient, and she played the role with grace and gratitude. >> it's free, and it's the best thing that's ever happened. >> from london to edinboro, thousands of elderly patients were vaccinated on what the health secretary dubbed vide. the u.k. secured 800,000 doses to be administered in the coming

weeks. around one in three britons say they are not likely to get immunized. some cite the speed at which it was rolled out, others cite conspiracy theories. prime minister boris johnson visited a hospital where he reiterated his faith in the vaccine. p.m. johnson: i would say there are those who feel a vaccine is something they object to politically or for ideological reasons, medical reasons. i think they are totally wrong. i know there are those who count themselves and tiebacks are's -- anti-vaxxers. i think that's the wrong approach. it's good for you and the country. >> that same vaccine is set to be rolled out in europe and the u.s., pending approval. that could be a matter of weeks. many other countries are pinning

their immunization hopes on china. chinese authorities are preparing a massive rollout of their own coronavirus vaccines. beijing is already negotiating sister countries in asia, the middle east, and latin america. they have even sent out the first shipments. brent: for more, i'm joined by the chair of the london assembly health committee. it is good to have you on the program. i understand your committee found out via a survey that a quarter of londoners are unlikely to get the vaccine. do we know why that is? >> this figure is consistent wi other surveys, also. the 25% of people who do not want a vaccine. half of them quote reasons of not trusting the government or drug companies. they are not people who do not believe the vaccine of the virus does not exist. of course, we need to win them over and reassure them that this

is a safe vaccine that can be safely delivered. it is a game changer. brent: how do you plan to convince these skeptics that this is a game changer and they need to get the injections? looks like we have lost our signal. we apologize for that. we will try to get that back up later. now to germany. germany is considering tougher lockdown measures to curb the number -- has become the latest state to voluntarily expand its lockdown, closing schools and businesses next week. >> wit the christmas shopping season in full swing, many

people are probably thinking more about presence than hospitals, but statistics they more than 4000 patients are being treated for covid-19 in germany's intensive care units. due to his high number of infections, saxony has taken a decisive step. essentially, schools and daycare centers will be closed from this monday, december 14. germany's influential national cabinet of scientists recommend the holiday season be used to impose a hard lockdown across the country. this would include lifting otherwise compulsory school attendance from december 14 and manning group sporting and cultural events -- banning group sporting and cultural events. "if we do not shut down and infection numbers continue to climb, we will probably have to impose even stricter measures for an even longer period. this lockdown is a kind of

investment, also in the economy, so we can ease restrictions again in january or february." the chairman of the conferences calling for new subsidies should businesses be shut down again. "the programs we already have would certainly have to be more flexible so businesses that are affected by further measures could also become support programs." a meeting between federal and state programs concluded states can unilaterally impose stricter measures. brent: we have our signal back up with the chair of the politil assembly health committee. let me pick up where we were interrupted. how do you plan to convince these skeptics that they should get the vaccine? >> it is an exercise in public communications. we need to reassure people that ist safe, make sure people are explained not only the risks of the vaccine but reassure them

about testing. some 44,000 people have already had the vaccine. they've been isolated by independent regulatory authorities. it has been tested by an independent body. i think we need to give reassurance and communicate this information to the public. brent: what about the argument that these vaccinations are the beginning of the end of this pandemic? that should be a convincing arment, shouldn't it? >> absolutely. thenly thing we had so far w a soci distance. that was the only tool we had, but this is a game changer. with a vaccine we protect our selves and protecting other peoplen the community. once a large enough percentage of the population is vaccinated, you get herd immunity. brent: how long do you think it will take before we get to that

level of herd immunity? >> it difrs from different diseas to different disease. measles was 95%. we don't know what t figure is. it's probably about 80%, and i suspec it will take probably 8, 9 months to get there. i expect we will have vaccinated the most key risk people by may, june of next year. i think it will take the next nine months to get to herd immunity. brent: we arecie your time and your insights tonight. thank you. >> thank you much. brent: my next guest is a member of the german parliament and of the advisory board, the german health alliance. it is good to have you on the program again. this is the german government's leading scientific advisory body sending a clear message that we need a harder lockdown.

they want it. the german chancellor has been wanting it for weeks. what about other political leaders? are they going to finally listen to the science? >> thank you, first of all, for having me back. i think it is not a question of seeing the science or appreciating the increase of infection rates in germany. i think everybody is aware of it and nobody is putting it into question. the real question is how we should approach the situation. it is a pandemic crisis that is very serious, and measures have to be taken. however, many politicians have different ways to approach this problem, and one of the ways you can do it is everybody goes into lockdown and everything is fine, but the collateral damage that is done psychologically and economically has to be put into the equation as well. the national academy of sciences

put out a very strong paper of their opinion. scientifically, it was more a week paper, to be honest. i see this as a scitist myself. i would like to see more explanations besides we need to go into a lockdown. brent: are you in favor of what is recommended, being a harder lockdown beginning christmas eve ? >> i'm in favor of about 80% of what is written in the paper which is already in effect in germany that has to be followed. at we he as a problem in germany, and this was actually addressed in this paper from the national academy of science, that control of the implementation of quarantine measures are not being done in germany by scale, and if we do not control quarantine or isolation measures, even a hard lockdown would help us to stop the infection rates, so i think everything has to be put into the discussion, and we need a

wider discussion. really renowned scientists throughout germany -- basically conditions and lab people -- put out this papal, but i get -- again, i think there are other countries in the world that did better, for example taiwan and south korea. brent: that's true. they had much stricter quality -- much stricter follow-up when it comes to quarantine. are you finding it difficult to take on measures that some would consider a violation of personal privacy? >> personal privacy plays a secondarrole with our infeion control loss in germany. it is e official public health institute if you are infected. the problem is the manpower is missing to control those people who are not infected. even here in berlin, i've heard stories that people seem to

quarantine 14 days after they got their disease, far too late. i would be much more -- i would be very much in favor of more control over those measures. brent: we appreciate your time and your insight tonight. thank you. new york city is seeing a surge in new coronavirus cases, prompting mayor de blasio to shut down public schools last month, but he changed course and ordered some pre-kindergarten and elementary schools to reopen monday. he said the decision was based on science and that it followed a fierce debate over how to keep kids learning and safe at the same time. >> school buses are back in the big apple. some 190,000 children are returning to the classroom this week as long as their parents give the ok. kids need to bring written consent, allowing them to be

given frequent coronavirus tests . the plan is to test 20% of students each week. city officials think this and other measures will keep the kids and their families safe, despite the city's high infection rates. >> i rlly don't want my kid to come to school because of the pandemic or whatever, but you've got to just go with the flow, i guess. >> as a working parent, it's very hard when my kids are not in school. when he is not in school, i have to work from home, and he's home, and it makes things difficult. i would always err on the side of trying to open school as much as possible. >> the mayor, bill de blasio, had earlier announced that schools would remain closed if a threshold of 3% positive coronavirus tests in the city was surpassed.

currently, the rate is almost double that, hovering above 5%, but the mayor scrapped this benchmark, citing new research showing that few transmissions appear to occur among young children. reopening the nations -- the nation's largest public school system amidst a coronavirus spike remains a gamble. the united states just saw the deadliest week of coronavirus since april. health officials warn worse weeks may lie ahead. >> without substantial mitigation, the middle of january could be a really dark time for us. >> most other big-city districts are sticking to online teaching for now, but they are watching to see how this reopening goes to decide if they will follow the risky path laid by new york city. brent: here's another look at stories making headlines around

the world. the united nations says it is alarmed after ethiopian forces shot at and detained united nations staff. the team was seeking access to refugees who have fled the region. the government says the united nations workers ignored instructions and drove through two checkpoints. police in hong kong have arrested eight pro-democracy activists, including a former lawmaker. the arrests mark a widening of the crackdown on dissent in the semi autonomous region. police say the men were suspected of inciting, organizing, and taking part in unauthorized demonstrations in july. the world's highest peak, mount everest, has just gotten a little taller after china and nepal agreed on its height. average -- everest, which straddles the border between both countries, is just over eight housing 848 eaters, nearly a full meter taller than

previously calculated -- just over 8848 meters. that's because the snow cap is now included. the u.k. has agreed to withdraw draft clauses in legislation that would have violated international law. the move is being held as a sign of progress. ireland has also welcomed the agreement, but on the second matter of reaching a trade deal post brexit, doubt appears to be growing on both sides that an agreement will ever be reached. we want to go now to our brussels correspondent. good evening to you. how is this decision by the british government going down in brussels? is it being treated by -- as an important concession by the british? >> we really have to look at what is happening. the british government has agreed not to break an

international treaty is signed 11 months ago. yes, indeed, that is very welcome because people in the european union who are quite incensed about this blackmail scenario that boris johnson had built up in order to not implement the northern irish protocol. that would have meant unending trouble which would have meant the borders could not be kept open against what would have been agreed in january and so on and so forth. even the incoming u.s. president had worn boris johnson and said there would be real punishment coming down from washington, so it was necessary to take this down because the eu said they would not ratify any deal as long as it stands. a good sign, but an absolutely necessary one. rent: it is remarkable -- brent:

it is remarkable that agreeing to abide by the law is considered remarkable. >> the mood is gloomy and a doom like atmosphere because boris johnson himself said today that things are very, very difficult. the head negotiator of the european union said chances are very slim. how much worse can it get? what we have now is the two sides are doing sort of stock-taking over the last two days and defining the areas that seem most intractable where they have not come together. tomorrow night, ursula von der leyen, the eu commission president, and boris johnson will sit down together and

somehow try to break the impasse. it does not seem quite clear how that will come down, and many observers say we are at the point where the legal side has been more or less put down on paper, but what we need now is political will to jump the divide. brent: we will see if those legs are made for jumping when they meet. thanks, as always. next, we go to india, where angry farmers have blocked roads and railways to protest a controversial reform plan. the indian prime minister is intent on what he describes as a modernization of the agricultural sector. his party insists the plan will benefit farmers, but farmers do not buy that. they have responded in dramatic fashion. this is happening is the country slips into a recession after years of economic growth. >> farmers in their tens of

thousands former blockade. for almost two weeks, they protested at the new farm laws on the outskirts of the indian capital. on tuesday, watching a one-day national strike. -- on tuesday, they upped the ante, watching a one-day national strike. farmers organizations called for the shutdown after the government refused to budge on plans to liberalize the agricultural sector. "we are determined to win this fight. this movement will go on until we defeat modi. we will only go back after the laws are repealed." until now, indian farmers have been forced to sell front state wholesalers. the new laws will allow them to sell on the open market,

including two supermarket chains. the government insists the changes will benefit farmers and boost profits, but on the streets, protesters fear the industry will be taken over by big corporations and force prices down. "the s our incomes will be doubled. these ministers have no idea about farming. for 72 years, many governments have looted farmers. independence is only for ministers and bureaucrats. 80% of farmers have not benefited in any way. -- any way." other groups across india are adding to the protests. brent: breakdancing will be included in the program for the 2024 paris olympics.

breaking, as many like to call it, will make its debut at the olympic games with the olympics president kane for the games to appeal to a younger audience. some are unhappy with the designation of the -- as a sport and think part -- some are unhappy wh the designation as a sport and think being parof the olympics will make it overly commercial. welcome to the 1980's. a member of the upper darby royal family has bought a 50% stake in the israeli premier football league club. the investment comes despite the club being popular with israeli right-wing groups who have often abused israel's minority. the united arab emirates and israel signed an agreement to establish diplomatic relations three months ago.

mighty real madrid will crash out of the champions league for the first time wednesday night if they lose to germany. it would be a huge fall from grace for the coach. they hope it will rekindle memories of their glory days. >> he coached real madrid 23 straight champions league titles between 2016 and 2018, but now, the record 13-time winners risked going out in the group stage for the first time. they are there in group b headed into the final round of matches. >> the club will do what it has to do. i'm just thinking about the game

. and then the club will do as it always does. i'm not really thinking about it. >> he warmed up for the game with a hard-fought them over the weekend. gladback need just a draw to reach the knockout stages for the first time since their heyday in the 1970's. >> we know what to expect and that we need to defend with real passion and diligence. at the same time, we know that we will certainly have chances to score, and we love to make use of that. >> it is one of the most

exciting ends to a champions league group stage in years. brent: you are watching "dw news." after a short break, i will be back to take you through "the day," but first, remembering music legend john lennon. 40 years ago today, the beatles co-founder was murdered outside his luxury apartment in new york city. we go into a break with the song "here today," a song written by his -- a tribute written by his bandmate paul mccartney. >> ♪ and if i say i really knew you well what would your answer be if you were here today ooh here tay knowing you

you'd probably laugh and say that we were worlds apart if you were here today ooh here today but as for me i still remember how it was before and i am holding back the tears no more ♪

♪ anchor: welcome to you, live from paris. world news and analysis from france 24. a 90-year-old woman in the u.k. has become the first person in the world to receive a fully tested covid vaccine injection. margaret celebrates her birthday next week, and calls the shot the best present that she could wish for. the first black person to be nominated as u.s. secretary of defense, president-