Israels Vaccine Rollout

Published: Feb. 13, 2021, 12:05 p.m.

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Israel\\u2019s health system has been in the spotlight as it races ahead with its coronavirus vaccination programme. More than half of eligible Israelis - about 3.5 million people - have now been fully or partially vaccinated. For our Middle East correspondent Tom Bateman, covering the pandemic meant a return to his beat after a mishap on the streets of Jerusalem, and a vivid episode of his own in hospital.

Next, Ireland, which in recent weeks has been caught in the middle of the row between the UK and the European Union over the Northern Irish protocol. The Irish Taoiseach, Michael Martin, called for both parties to \\u201ccool it\\u201d. But Ireland\\u2019s relationship with Brussels has, to date, been a largely positive one. Chris Paige looks back on Ireland\\u2019s evolution since it became a republic into a firmly European nation.

Thirty years ago an American air strike destroyed an air raid shelter in Baghdad, killing hundreds. The previous August, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had invaded and occupied Kuwait, triggering a huge international response. Jeremy Bowen reflects on US interventions in the region and their bearing on the future.

Pangolins are one of the most heavily trafficked species in the world and are now in the frame for being a possible source of the Covid-19 outbreak. In India, they are seen as a delicacy but a conservationist in Maharashtra is finding creative ways to help protect the mammals with a little help from Hindu mythology, says Geetanjali Krishna.\\n \\nWe visit Seville, which may soon see the construction of its first new mosque since the 13th century. It\\u2019s a bold new initiative that has involved an ex-Premiership footballer, a former male model and an internet crowdfunding campaign, as Oliver Smith reports.

Presenter: Kate Adie\\nProducer: Serena Tarling

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